Trending in opposite directions, the Chicago Cubs host the reeling Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday in the second contest of a four-game series.

After Chicago’s 5-1 victory in the opener on Monday, the Cubs extended their winning streak to six — matching the Atlanta Braves for the longest in the majors. Chicago lowered its team ERA to 3.47 on Monday, as the pitching staff has allowed an average of 2.2 runs during the active winning streak.

“We’ve talked about it in this stretch we’re in right now, the starting pitching is the story for me,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “The starting pitching is getting us to a place that makes the relievers’ jobs easier and lets us put the game in order in a good way. So credit to what our starters have done.”

Looking to follow up on Colin Rea’s 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball, left-hander Shota Imanaga (1-1, 2.45 ERA) gets the start on Tuesday. The third-year pitcher has allowed just two runs in 17 innings in April, including a one-run, 11-strikeout performance over six frames an 11-2 win over the Phillies on Wednesday.

Chicago starting pitching surrender just one run in each of the last three victories.

“I think it’s a new good spot right now,” Imanaga said of his confidence ahead of his fourth start of the year. “On the mound, if I do give up a hit, I can break it down right away, see what I did wrong and make those adjustments.”

In two career starts against Philadelphia, Imanaga, 32, is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA.

As uninspiring as the Phillies’ offense looks right now, a second series against the Cubs over the last week is the last thing they needed. Philadelphia’s six-game losing streak is the third longest in baseball (Kansas City has lost eight in a row and the New York Mets have dropped 11 straight contests).

Over that span, the Phillies are averaging just 1.7 runs per contest. Manager Rob Thomson insists his team hasn’t given in to its early-season struggles, despite a 7 1/2-game deficit in the National League East standings.

“The energy has been pretty good. They’re fighting,” Thomson said. “They’re cheering each other on and the energy level has been high. I think there’s a lot of hope in there and there’s a lot of pride.”

Hoping to serve as the club’s stopper, left-hander Jesus Luzardo (1-3, 7.94 ERA) will vie to end a woeful personal stretch in the process. After finishing seventh in NL Cy Young voting a year ago, Luzardo has given up at least five runs in three of his first four starts in his second season in Philadelphia.

Last time out, Luzardo allowed nine runs (eight earned) on 12 hits against Chicago. The 28-year-old’s 12 hits surrendered tied the most he’s given up in 141 appearances as a major leaguer.

Luzardo will make his ninth career start against the Cubs; he’s 4-1 with a 3.54 ERA in this matchup.

–Field Level Media