Chicago Cubs eyeing three-game sweep of lowly Cincinnati Reds

Winners of five straight games, the Chicago Cubs line up behind right-hander Jake Arrieta in the series finale against the Cincinnati Reds.

With the offense firing on all cylinders, the Chicago Cubs are once again having fun. It helps when you’ve won five consecutive contests and sit on the brink of a second-straight series sweep.

Chicago (68-57) enter Thursday’s finale a season-high 11 games above .500 and with a 3 1/2 game lead in the division. After scoring 22 runs in the first two games of the series, the Cubs’ offense is flying high. In the finale, they go up against a young right-hander who has struggled badly in 2017 in Sal Romano.

Romano (3-5, 5.32 ERA) allowed just one run in seven innings of work his last time out. There’s little doubt it was one of his better outings as a big-leaguer. For the Cubs’ sake, they hope it was a one-hit wonder and he’ll revert to his struggling ways.

Opposite him, the Cubs send a right-hander of their own to the mound in Jake Arrieta. The 2015 National League Cy Young Award winner is in the midst of another sterling second half, in which he is 5-1 with a 2.00 ERA in seven starts.

Chicago third baseman Kris Bryant is back in the starting lineup for the finale, as well. In the opener, he took a pitch off the wrist. X-rays came back negative, but after a day off Wednesday, he’s back in the heart of the Cubs’ order tonight.

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What’s Next

Chicago heads to Philadelphia for a weekend set against the Phillies on Friday.

Left-hander Jose Quintana (8-10, 4.27) starts for the Cubs. Jerad Eickhoff (3-7, 4.46) takes the ball for the home team in the opener. First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. CT. from Citizens Bank Park.