Cubs bring 1-0 series advantage over Blue Jays into game 2
Toronto Blue Jays (37-39, third in the AL East) vs. Chicago Cubs (40-36, third in the NL Central)
Chicago; Saturday, 2:20 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Blue Jays: Patrick Corbin (2-3, 4.57 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 43 strikeouts); Cubs: Colin Rea (5-5, 5.35 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 56 strikeouts)
LINE: Cubs -128, Blue Jays +105; over/under is 9 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs bring a 1-0 lead into the latest game of the series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Chicago is 23-16 in home games and 40-36 overall. Cubs hitters have a collective .401 slugging percentage to rank seventh in the NL.
Toronto is 37-39 overall and 16-21 on the road. The Blue Jays have a 22-7 record in games when they scored five or more runs.
The teams play Saturday for the second time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Ian Happ has 14 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs and 37 RBIs for the Cubs. Pete Crow-Armstrong is 18 for 42 with four doubles, two triples and four home runs over the past 10 games.
Ernie Clement leads the Blue Jays with a .294 batting average, and has 20 doubles, a triple, seven home runs, nine walks and 28 RBIs. Brandon Valenzuela is 11 for 29 with three home runs and nine RBIs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 6-4, .272 batting average, 3.83 ERA, outscored opponents by 20 runs
Blue Jays: 5-5, .242 batting average, 4.55 ERA, outscored by 14 runs
INJURIES: Cubs: Edward Cabrera: day-to-day (hand), Daniel Palencia: 15-Day IL (elbow), Matthew Boyd: 15-Day IL (knee), Jameson Taillon: 15-Day IL (hamstring), Justin Steele: 60-Day IL (elbow), Christopher Austin: 60-Day IL (knee), Hunter Harvey: 60-Day IL (tricep), Riley Martin: 15-Day IL (elbow), Porter Hodge: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shelby Miller: 60-Day IL (elbow), Cade Horton: 60-Day IL (forearm)
Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: day-to-day (back), Daulton Varsho: 10-Day IL (wrist), Addison Barger: 10-Day IL (elbow), Lenyn Sosa: 10-Day IL (wrist), Max Scherzer: 15-Day IL (back), Lazaro Estrada: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Joe Mantiply: 60-Day IL (knee), Jose Berrios: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shane Bieber: 60-Day IL (elbow), Yimi Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Cody Ponce: 60-Day IL (knee), Anthony Santander: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Bowden Francis: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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