The Chicago Cubs host the San Francisco Giants in their weekend series as the second full week of baseball comes to a close. If you can't catch the live stream, check out the score of the game through MLB's Gameday. Check out the lineups and pitching matchup for this Friday afternoon baseball game.
The pitching matchup is great though many might not know who Carlos Villanueva, the Cubs' pitcher, is. Villanueva has a 1.35 ERA, yet no victories in 2013. His first start of the year was spoiled by an Atlanta Braves comeback last Saturday. He went 6.2 innings allowing one run and striking out six hitters.
On the hill for the Giants will be right-handed ace Matt Cain, a struggling Cain to be specific. He pitched beautiful baseball where he received a no-decision after going six innings of four-hit baseball while walking one and striking out eight batters against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Opening Day. Six days later, the St. Louis Cardinals tagged him for nine earned runs in 3.2 innings for a whopping 8.38 ERA.
Here's the batting lineup the Giants will have as they get ready to face Villanueva"
1. Pagan CF
2. Scutaro 2B
3. Sandoval 3B
4. Posey C
5. Pence RF
6. Belt 1B
7. Blanco LF
8. Crawford SS
9. Cain
For the Cubs, they'll send:
1. DeJesus CF
2. Castro SS
3. Rizzo 1B
4. Soriano LF
5. Schierholtz RF
6. Castillo C
7. Clevenger 3B
8. Valbuena 2B
9. Villanueva P
The Giants are off to a quick start as they stand in first place in the N.L. West, .5 games above the Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. As for the Cubs, it should be another season of struggles. They are currently 3-6 in a slow starting N.L. central. They train the Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds by two games.
Click here for the Gameday link that will give you a pitch-by-pitch play by play, stats and scoring updates of the Giants vs. Cubs.