Chicago Cubs News: Chicago White Sox series preview

Chicago Cubs: Jon Lester will look to continue his string of solid outings when he takes the ball in game two.

Game Two: Saturday 6:10 pm Jon Lester (3-2, 4.40 ERA) vs. Dane Dunning (2-0, 3.19 ERA)

The first outing against the White Sox for Jon Lester is one he would probably like to forget: 3 2/3 IP 9 H 8 ER 0 BB 3 SO.

The Sox offense scored all eight of their earned runs off Lester via the home run ball (four) during that stint.

Big Jon has had a few rough outings this season but has been solid of late. The lefty has surrendered just two earned runs in his last three outings, including six shutout innings against the Pirates on Thursday.

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His opponent, Dane Dunning, was brought into the White Sox rotation in mid-August and has performed nicely on the South Side.

The young right-hander allowed a season-high four earned runs in his last start against Cleveland on Thursday while pitching just four innings.

Dunning has held teams to just ten walks, three home runs, and 22 hits in 31 innings pitched this season. If the Cubs offense plans on having any success, I think they have to be extra aggressive.

It’s unlikely Dunning will be wild around the plate, so there’s no sense in trying to work a deep count and take a walk. The way I see it, as soon as a Cub hitter sees a pitch he likes, ideally first-pitch fastballs, they need to be swinging away.

If you look at the offensive approach for the White

Sox against Lester earlier this season, they pounded nine hits and scored eight runs without taking a single walk.

This is the same game plan the Cubs should implement at some point in the series.