Cubs eager to apply brakes on skid in finale vs. Astros

The Chicago Cubs know their losing streak won't go on forever, but the long string of defeats definitely is getting uncomfortable.

The Cubs will attempt to end their seven-game skid when they host the Houston Astros in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon.

The losing streak is Chicago's longest since a nine-game slide from July 7-16, 2022.

"You stick to things that have gotten you out of (losing streaks). You stick to things that have made you good, and you keep trying to reinforce that the challenge is to stay with that stuff when you're not getting results," manager Craig Counsell said. "We've struggled as a team for two weeks here."

The Cubs were shut out for the second time in three games on Saturday, wasting a solid seven-inning effort by Colin Rea in a 3-0 defeat to the Astros. Counsell tried shuffling his batting order, but the Cubs still managed just three singles.

Houston starter Kai-Wei Teng confounded the Cubs with his breaking ball for six innings before three relievers blanked them the rest of the way.

"We're trying to square balls up, and we're just not having much success," Counsell said after the game. "The breaking ball today was good from (Teng). He just threw a lot of breaking balls at kind of varying shapes, and we struggled with it. We couldn't square it up, essentially ended up being a bunch of pop-ups and some swing-and-miss."

Teng's six shutout innings marked the third time in the past four games that Houston's starter went at least five innings without allowing a run.

"Just like hitting, pitching can be contagious too," Astros manager Joe Espada said. "Everybody's starting to do their part. The level of confidence is starting to rise. The guys are starting to believe in one another. 'It's my turn. I want to pass the baton to the next guy,' and we're starting to get quality start after quality start."

The Astros, who have won three of their past four games, plan to start right-hander Peter Lambert in the series finale.

Lambert (2-4, 3.57 ERA) has lost his past two outings, but the Cubs combined for one run in those games. The right-hander most recently gave up five runs and three hits in six innings of an 8-0 loss to the Texas Rangers last Sunday.

Lambert has made three appearances against the Cubs in his career, including two starts, and is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA.

"Our offense continued to produce some good at-bats (Saturday) again, but for us to get going and create consistency in how we win games, we need both sides of the ball, and it starts with our pitching," Espada said.

Left-hander Shota Imanaga (4-4, 3.38 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Cubs on Sunday.

Imanaga is coming off his worst outing of the season, surrendering eight runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings of a 9-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday to end a streak of three quality starts.

"Shota just didn't have a good night," Counsell said. "He just didn't have real good command, the command that he usually has. ... It was, frankly, not being able to put the ball where he wanted to put it."

Imanaga has never faced the Astros.

--Field Level Media