Reds vs. Cubs, Game 1: Preview/Predictions Thread

Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs

7:10 PM ET

Tim Adleman vs. Jon Lester

The Cubs make their first visit to Great American Ball Park tonight for the start of a weekend series with the Redlegs.

The pitching matchup looks... not great, on paper at least. With the majority of the Reds pitching staff nursing one ailment or another, Tim Adleman gets the call tonight as the Reds hope that he can provide not only quality innings, but a decent quantity of innings as well. He was very good against a surprisingly competent Brewers squad his last time out, pitching four innings in relief, allowing only one run.

Jon Lester brings a flat 1.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts to GABP, through 18.0 innings pitched. He’s yet to allow a home run this season, but there are several Reds that hit him well. Eugenio Suarez has two dingers against Lester in his career, as does Billy Hamilton.

Combined in their careers, Hamilton and Jose Peraza sport a cool .500 batting average against Lester (20 ABs), and while Lester does a lot of things well, he’s completely allergic to checking runners at first base. If Billy and Jose can continue their hit parade against him, it could be a fun night on the basepaths.

Of course, that would mean both of them breaking out of their early season hitting woes, which is far from guaranteed.

There are certainly going to be thousands of Cubs fans at the park tonight. Hopefully, the Reds can send them home unhappy.