A WINNING UPDATE: As noted in Saturday’s game preview, Friday night was the 20th time the Cubs have lost the first game of a series this year. By winning Saturday, the Cubs are now 12-8 in second games of those 20 series.
AND ABOUT THOSE THIRD GAMES: The Cubs are 9-11 in third games of three-game series after they have split the first two. They have gone 2-8 after starting out 7-3. They are 2-7 after losing, then winning in the first two games. They are 4-6 in rubber games on the road and have lost the last four, since winning at Pittsburgh on May 6. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
SEIYA HEATING UP: Seiya Suzuki, last 13 games since July 11: .340/.411/.640 (17-for-50) with four doubles, a triple, three home runs and 10 RBI.
INTERLEAGUE PLAY: The Cubs are 16-9 (.640) in interleague play, the third-best winning percentage among all teams vs. the other league (Phillies, .647 and Brewers, .650). After today, 20 interleague games remain, against the Twins, White Sox, Guardians, Blue Jays, Tigers, Yankees and A’s. All of those are three-game series except the White Sox (two), and all are at Wrigley Field except the Guardians and White Sox.
