Surging Cubs searching for sweep of staggering Padres

The Chicago Cubs are riding a four-game winning streak and will be looking for a three-game sweep over the visiting San Diego in a Wednesday afternoon contest.

Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson is 5-for-8 in the series and slammed two home runs and three RBIs in Tuesday night's 9-7 win.

Swanson has 13 home runs and 49 RBIs, despite hitting only .203 on the season. But he's hitting .341 with six homers and 21 runs batted in in his last 12 contests.

"It feels like they've come in bunches, but that's kind of what happens," Swanson said. "I think it's just a testament of this game and how hard it can be and how important it is to just show up every day."

Pete Crow-Armstrong, who also homered on Tuesday night, is also on a hot streak, but his has lasted twice as long as Swanson's run. In 23 games since May 30, Crow-Armstrong has 12 home runs, 23 RBI's and a .394 average with 23 runs scored and eight steals.

Colin Rea (5-5, 4.80) is the scheduled starter on Wednesday for Chicago, which currently has 12 pitchers on the injured list.

His last start was a no decision as the team lost against the host Milwaukee Brewers and Jacob Misiorowski on June 2. Rea allowed one run and five hits in 5 plus innings with three walks and four strikeouts.

He was originally drafted by the Padres in 2011, made his major league debut with the them in 2015 and remained in San Diego the following season.

Rea is 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts against his former team. His last start against San Diego was June 21, 2024, as a member of the Brewers when he gave up five earned runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The Padres have lost four straight and will be looking to salvage the final game of the series.

They hit four home runs in the loss on Tuesday night, two by Fernando Tatis Jr., who now has five for the season.

San Diego is slated to send Walker Buehler (5-3, 3.81 ERA) to the mound.

His previous start was also on Friday and against the team with which he spent seven seasons (2017-2024) and helped win two World Series, the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

Buehler got the win in a 7-1 contest, in which he surrendered a run and three hits in 5 1/3 innings with three walks and five strikeouts. The only run he gave up was a home run by Mookie Betts.

"He was pitching great tonight," Padres' manager Craig Stammen said after the game. "Kept his pitch count down low, was throwing a lot of strikes."

Buehler has seen the Cubs plenty in his career, sporting a 4.46 ERA and 1-3 record in eight appearances.

He has started seven times against Chicago. The last was on April 28, of this season when Rea lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed two runs and three hits, walking three and striking out four.

--Field Level Media