Athletics to slow down Cubs' strong lineup

After a period of offensive strength, the Cubs' lineup has finally found its stride ahead of Chicago's game against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday.

After a 9-2 win in the series opener against Oakland on Monday, the Cubs have scored five or more runs in seven straight games, averaging seven runs per game. Before the recent resurgence, Chicago kept a clean sheet in three of five games. The Cubs have now won two games in a row after a three-game losing streak.

The Cubs (77-73) scored all nine runs in the first four innings on Monday. They yielded 18 hits – their second-highest total in a game this season. Seiya Suzuki, Miguel Amaya and Isaac Paredes each had three hits, while Dansby Swanson's 15th home run of the year in a five-run second inning clinched the game.

Shota Imanaga threw six innings of two-run home runs to win his 15th game of the season and fifth in a row. The 31-year-old rookie signed a four-year, $53 million contract in January. For a club that is five games out of the final wild-card spot in the National League, Imanaga has helped keep Chicago afloat in the home stretch.

“There are a lot of superlatives you could say about Shota's handling of it,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Imanaga's rookie year. “I'm trying to think of something he didn't handle well. … I don't know if I can think of anything. He passed every test and every kind of question we tried to ask about him really, really well.”

Jordan Wicks (2-3, 5.27 ERA) looks to continue Chicago's pitching success on Tuesday.

In his last start, the 25-year-old left-hander lasted just three innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, allowing a career-high seven runs on eight hits. Wicks left the game with a no-decision, but the Cubs lost 10-8.

Wicks is making just his tenth start and eleventh appearance this season and will face Oakland for the first time in his young career.

The A's (65-86) enter the game having lost three games in a row and four of their last five games. Starter Joey Estes was pressured in the series opener, allowing six runs on nine hits in over an inning.

Brent Rooker, who has been a bright spot for the Athletics all season, hit his 38th home run of the year, his third in five games. He has a six-game RBI streak and has scored 10 runs in that time. Rooker leads the club in home runs, RBIs (109), hits (152) and batting average (.302).

Mitch Spence (7-9, 4.33 ERA) will start on Tuesday and help Oakland turn the season around in the home stretch.

The 26-year-old right-hander is coming off one of the best performances of his rookie season, throwing seven innings of two runs in a no-decision game against the host Houston Astros on Thursday.

“We're now in mid-September and we're definitely starting to feel the wear and tear, but it's nothing unusual,” Spence said.

Spence will face the Cubs for the first time in his career.

Since 2016, Oakland has lost nine of its last ten games against Chicago.

–Field level media