Cubs' Jameson Taillon aims to extend hot streak vs. Pirates

Chicago Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon is on quite the roll with wins in each of his last four starts.

That's a nice stretch to be certain, but Taillon isn't interested in resting on his laurels.

Taillon will look to continue his good fortune on Thursday as the Cubs begin a 10-game homestand with the opener of a four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Taillon (6-3, 3.54 ERA) has been working diligently on his changeup and tweaking other aspects of his game.

The results have been favorable, as he has allowed just five runs on 15 hits in 26 2/3 innings during his winning streak. The 33-year-old veteran allowed one run on four hits in seven innings in Chicago's 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, marking his fifth straight quality start and ninth in 13 outings this season.

"I've been going deep into games. I feel like I've been throwing pretty well," Taillon said. "At the same time, I do feel like there's room to get the sweeper better, I think the cutter could be better, get the fastball to be a little better. So, I'm always just working on things. You want to keep the foundation and understand what's making me good and getting the good results.

"... I don't want to take for granted what I'm doing right now, but also I'm always looking to tinker and fix some things."

Taillon is 2-2 with a 4.55 ERA in five career starts against Pittsburgh. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Pirates.

The Cubs could use another strong outing from Taillon after they fell for the third time in four games on Wednesday afternoon, a lackluster 7-2 setback to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Chicago's Nico Hoerner had an RBI double and joined Carson Kelly with two hits apiece in the loss. Kelly went 4-for-9 with a homer and three RBIs while Hoerner collected three hits to help the Cubs win two of three games at Pittsburgh from April 29-May 1.

Pirates left-hander Andrew Heaney (3-4, 3.24 ERA) returns to the mound on Thursday after exiting his last start due to cramping in his left calf. He received his second straight no-decision despite permitting only one run on four hits in six innings against the Phillies on Saturday.

"I'm good," Heaney said. "Yeah, just never had that before, but calf just kind of cramped up on me. Just, I don't know. Kind of a weird one."

Heaney, 34, struggled in his last outing against the Cubs, yielding four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings during a 9-0 shellacking on April 29. Kelly and Pete Crow-Armstrong each belted a two-run shot off Heaney, who is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in two career starts vs. Chicago.

The Pirates enter the Cubs series having won five of their past six games, including a 5-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon.

Andrew McCutchen launched a three-run homer, marking the 241st time that he has gone deep with the Pirates. That homer moved him past Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente into third place on the franchise's career list.

McCutchen extended his hitting streak to five games, during which he is 8-for-20 (.400) with a homer, six RBIs and three runs.

--Field Level Media