Chicago Cubs head to Cincinnati for three-game series against the Reds

The Chicago Cubs will head to Cincinnati and the Great American Ballpark to face the Reds to start a three-game set. John Lackey will face Homer Bailey in a rematch of the August 16 game.

The Chicago Cubs are coming off a series in which they swept the Toronto Blue Jays. They started the week with a four-game split with the Cincinnati Reds, but hope to do more damage this time in Cincinnati. It will be John Lackey on the mound to face Homer Bailey in a rematch of their August 16 match-up. Neither figured in the decision as the Cubs won on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth.

The Cubs (66-57) will look to get another quality start out of Lackey (10-9, 4.67). Lackey has allowed less than three runs in five of his last seven starts. Lackey has only gone seven innings twice this season, so the Cubs are well aware of what they’ll get out of him.

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Kris Bryant will return to the lineup, joining Anthony Rizzo who have both been hot as of late. Rizzo is coming off the NL Player of the Week in which he batted .429 with 12 hits and 13 RBI in last weeks games. Jon Jay will return to the leadoff spot as he gets the start in center field.

For the Reds (53-72), the pitching hasn’t held up that well this season. Bailey (4-6, 8.44) has either been really good, or really bad. In 11 starts, he’s allowed five runs or more in six of them. In the other five, he’s allowed no more than two runs. It’s been a night and day season for Bailey, who’s likely just happy to be on the mound.

The Cubs are 8-5 against the Reds this season and have hit 28 home runs against Reds pitching–the most of any team this season.

Here are the lineups for tonight’s game:

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First pitch is at 6:10 p.m. CT at Great American Ballpark. WGN will have the television coverage while 670 The Score will have the radio broadcast. Come back during the game for more Cubs news, as well as after the game for postgame coverage.