MLB Game Preview - Seattle at Chicago

Tue Sep 3, 2019 8:05 PM EDT

Seattle Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez will be seeking first career win over the Cubs when the veteran pitches the finale of a two-game interleague series at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Tuesday night.

In a matchup of pitchers who have combined for 11 All-Star appearances, Hernandez (1-4, 6.02 ERA) is scheduled to face Cubs left-hander Jon Lester (11-9, 4.36).

Starting pitchers dominated the first meeting of the series Monday, although neither hung around long enough to get a decision in a game the Cubs won on the strength of a five-run seventh inning against the Seattle bullpen.

Mariners left-hander Justus Sheffield left with a 1-0 lead after five innings, having stranded nine Cubs runners.

Cubs righty Kyle Hendricks allowed just one run and three hits in six innings.

Lester was even better in an earlier 11-0 win at Seattle in May, throwing seven shutout innings while allowing just one hit. He struck out eight.

It improved his career record to 7-4 against the Mariners with a 3.02 ERA in 14 starts.

While Lester has beaten 29 of the 30 major league teams in his career -- missing only the Boston Red Sox -- Hernandez will attempt to put a 25th notch on his belt on Tuesday.

He's faced the Cubs only three times in his career, going 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA.

He's pitched just once previously at Wrigley Field, and came within three outs of a win when the Mariners took a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning in a 2016 meeting. But Chicago rallied to tie the game, leaving Hernandez with no decision, before prevailing 7-6 in 11 innings.

Hernandez limited the Cubs to two runs and two hits in five innings that day, exiting with a 6-2 lead.

The only teams other than the Cubs that he hasn't beaten are the Mariners, for whom he's pitched his entire career, and four other National League clubs -- St. Louis, Philadelphia, Washington and the New York Mets.

The former Cy Young Award winner and six-time All-Star has allowed five runs and eight hits over 10 2/3 innings in two starts since returning from a shoulder injury.

Mariners manager Scott Servais is hoping a few more breaks than Monday, coupled with Hernandez seeking some individual glory, can parlay into his club's first win over the Cubs in four tries this season.

"There were a lot of positive things to today's game," he assured to reporters after Monday's defeat. "We played a good ballgame, but just ended up a little short."

The Cubs, who snapped a 24-inning scoring drought in the win, likely will go after a second straight once again without shortstop Javier Baez, who injured his left thumb sliding into second base Sunday.

"It's nothing other than the fact that it's sore," Cubs manager Joe Maddon reported before Monday's game. "So we have to give that today, possibly (Tuesday), too. We'll find out. And if that were the case, that's not a bad thing. He gets a little All-Star break right now."

Baez was replaced at shortstop in the series opener by Addison Russell, who drove in the final of Cubs' runs in their late rally.

--Field Level Media