Before series with Brewers, Cubs host lowly Pirates

The Chicago Cubs return home Friday for a pivotal week-long, eight-game homestand that includes a series with the red-hot Milwaukee Brewers. Before the National League Central leaders pay a visit, however, the Cubs will host the slumping Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Cubs on Thursday completed a 2-4 road trip against the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays, ending with a 2-1 loss in Toronto on Thursday when a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. two-run home run in the seventh erased the Cubs' lead.

Colin Rea (9-5, 4.09 ERA) hopes to carry over his strong outing from last Saturday as he takes the mound for the Cubs in the Friday afternoon series opener. The right-hander allowed one run over six innings in a 9-1 victory at St. Louis. He gave up three hits and two walks while striking out six in the only game Chicago won in that series.

The 35-year-old journeyman sports a 3-3 record and a 5.49 ERA in nine career games (seven starts) against Pittsburgh. However, he has fared better of late. In two starts against Pittsburgh earlier this season, Rea held the Pirates to just two runs on four hits over six innings in each game. He earned the win in an 8-3 victory on May 1 but garnered a no-decision six weeks later as the Cubs won 3-2 in 10 innings.

The Cubs have lost six of their last nine games primarily due to the team's struggles at the plate. They have scored just seven runs and managed only 32 hits in those defeats. Four of those hits were homers, including one by Michael Busch in Thursday's loss.

"We had a bunch of warning-track balls, but just couldn't get an inning going, really at all," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after Thursday's loss.

Pittsburgh comes to Chicago having lost five straight. That includes being swept by the Brewers in Milwaukee in three games earlier this week by a combined score of 33-6. The offense did show signs of breaking out in Wednesday's 12-5 loss, however. Five players had multiple hits as part of the team's 12-hit attack. The Pirates managed only seven during the first two games.

Designated hitter Bryan Reynolds blasted a pair of homers and drove in all five runs as part of a 3-for-4 performance on Wednesday.

Pirates interim manager Don Kelly said after Wednesday's defeat that he appreciated the effort from his batters.

"We continue to battle, continue to have good at-bats -- even there into the ninth inning, we had good at-bats," he said. "We need to carry that over to Chicago. It's going to be a tough series there, but I'm looking forward to playing at Wrigley."

No official starter has been named by the Pirates though multiple outlets indicated Braxton Ashcraft (3-2, 3.19) would make his third start this season.

The rookie, 25, started Saturday in a 2-1 home loss to Cincinnati. His 3 1/3 innings were a season high. He gave up a run on three hits and a walk while striking out five.

Ashcraft did pitch in Wrigley Field when the Pirates last visited two months ago. He threw two perfect innings in a 2-1 loss on June 14. He did not get a decision in the game.

Chicago has won five of the first seven games in the season series. After this weekend, the Cubs will play the Pirates three more times a month from now at Pittsburgh.