Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago Cubs Pick & Prediction AUGUST 7th 2024
Preview and Prediction
The Chicago Cubs will aim to put the finishing touches on a successful homestand Wednesday afternoon as they face off against the visiting Minnesota Twins in the decisive game of a three-game series.
Chicago managed to win three out of four games against their National League Central rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, before bouncing back from a series-opening loss to the Twins with a 7-3 victory on Tuesday. Isaac Paredes, who had an RBI triple, also hit a home run to highlight his second four-RBI performance of the season, while Dansby Swanson contributed with an RBI triple and three hits for the Cubs.
"I feel really good," Paredes expressed through an interpreter. "Honestly, I was looking for a game like that to boost my confidence."
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Paredes was in dire need of a confidence boost after struggling with a 3-for-27 slump since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays on July 28.
"I was trying to do too much," Paredes admitted. "I wanted to impress my teammates. ... But now, I'm taking it day by day and mentally preparing myself to give my best and always put in 100 percent effort, and the results will come naturally.
"I'm just trying to be myself, the same player I was before this rough patch. ... Today, I feel more at ease and my teammates have shown me a lot of support and are encouraging me to just be myself as a player."
On Tuesday, Royce Lewis hit a two-run homer and Christian Vazquez also went deep for the Twins, but their five-game winning streak came to an end as they could only muster three hits. The night before, the Twins had opened the series with a 3-0 victory.
"It was the complete opposite," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli commented on the Tuesday game. "We didn't play well enough fundamentally."
In the series finale, the Cubs will turn to right-hander Javier Assad (5-3, 3.19 ERA) to start against the Twins' Joe Ryan (7-7, 3.59 ERA).
Assad pitched 97 pitches and left after four innings in a no-decision against the Cardinals on Friday. He gave up one run on four hits, walked three, and struck out three.
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Although Assad has never faced the Twins in his career, he boasts a 4-0 record with a 2.70 ERA in 14 career interleague appearances (eight starts).
Meanwhile, Ryan ended a three-start winless streak with an impressive performance against the Chicago White Sox on Friday. He allowed two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out seven in 6 1/3 innings during a 10-2 victory.
Ryan has been consistently solid, pitching at least five innings in 25 consecutive starts dating back to last season.
"I think it's a great step for Joe Ryan at this point in his career to say, 'We expect him to go out and pitch like that,'" Baldelli praised. "I wouldn't say that unless it was true. And it is true. He's doing his job and then some right now."
The 28-year-old Ryan has a 2-1 record with a 2.81 ERA in three career starts against the Cubs, striking out 26 batters in 16 innings during those outings.
Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago Cubs Recap SEP 18TH 2020
Kyle Hendricks recorded a season-high 10 strikeouts in eight scoreless innings, and the Chicago Cubs held on for a 1-0 win over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
Chicago (31-20) won its fifth game in a row, which is one shy of its best streak of the season. The Cubs have won each of their last three games by one-run margins.
Minnesota (31-22) lost for the fourth time in the past five games. The high-powered Twins lineup was shut out for only the second time this season.
Hendricks (6-4) stymied the Twins throughout the night. He scattered one hit in the first, one in the second and one in the sixth, and he issued one walk to go along with his double-digit strikeouts.
The 30-year-old right-hander maintained a torrid stretch in September. In his last five starts, he has allowed four earned runs in 29 2/3 innings for a 1.21 ERA during that span.
Hendricks threw 104 pitches, including 73 for strikes, and his season ERA dropped from 3.29 to 2.93.
Cubs right-hander Jeremy Jeffress pitched a scoreless ninth to record his eighth save.
Twins left-hander Rich Hill (2-2) drew the hard-luck loss despite allowing one run on three hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out five, and he threw 59 of 95 pitches for strikes.
The Cubs scored the game's only run in the bottom of the first.
Anthony Rizzo initiated the fast start when he drew a leadoff walk and swiped second base -- only his second stolen base of the season. Kris Bryant followed with another walk to put runners on first and second with nobody out.
Willson Contreras delivered in the next at-bat when he singled to center to drive in Bryant. It was his 22nd RBI, which is tied with Jason Heyward for third on the team behind Ian Happ (28 RBIs) and David Bote (25).
The Twins tried to mount a rally in the ninth after Hendricks finally exited the game. Byron Buxton drew a leadoff walk against Jeffress, but the Cubs quickly regrouped as shortstop Javier Baez turned a dazzling double play at second base.
After issuing another walk, Jeffress then struck out Eddie Rosario to end the game.