Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates preview, Saturday 9/24, 5:35 CT

Sep 24, 2022 - 8:30 PM

Saturday notes:

• ONE-RUN GAMES: The Cubs played their fourth straight one-run game Friday, all wins. That was the team’s 50th one-run game of the year. Overall they’re 24-26 in one-run games this season, but 14-8 since July 17. It’s the 48th time in the 122 seasons since 1901 that the Cubs have played 50 or more one-run games. The franchise record is 66, set in 1974 (30-36).
• WHAT A RELIEF: Over the last 14 games, the Cubs bullpen has posted a 2.31 ERA (13 earned runs in 50⅔ innings) with 20 walks, 56 strikeouts and a .208 opponents BA (38-for-183).
• MORE RELIEF: Cubs relievers lead all MLB teams in strikeouts this year with 670, well ahead of the second-place Twins (636).
• HE’S HOT: P.J. Higgins, last six games since September 14: .381/.480/.524 (8-for-21), three doubles, four walks.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Pirates lineup:

Wade Miley, LHP vs. Johan Oviedo, RHP

Wade Miley got roughed up in his last start for seven runs in three innings, though four of those runs were unearned due to a Christopher Morel error.

Miley is the first Cubs pitcher in this series who has previously faced the Pirates this year — and that one went well, May 16 in Wrigley Field. He allowed one hit in seven shutout innings with six strikeouts, unquestionably his best start as a Cub.

One more just like that tonight, please.

Johan Oviedo was acquired by the Pirates from the Cardinals in the Jose Quintana deal at this year’s trade deadline.

He was a long reliever/spot starter in St. Louis and did fairly well, but since being placed in the Pirates rotation the results have been mixed. He’s had two good starts and two bad ones, and previously this year he made two appearances (one start) against the Cubs with a 5.40 ERA and 2.100 WHIP.

More like that tonight, please.

Statcast

Statcast

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Pirates site Bucs Dugout. If you do go there to interact with Pirates fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2022 Game Thread procedure will be like last years, similar to what we’ve used for Spring Training.

You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.

You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.

Discuss amongst yourselves.