New York Yankees at Chicago Cubs

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
NYY	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	0
CHC	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	1

Gerrit Cole (4-5, 3.42) got the ball for Sunday's finale, and history was on his side entering the day — he came in 11-4 with a 2.47 ERA in 17 career starts against Chicago, his best matchup against any opponent. Colin Rea (8-7, 4.59) took the mound for the Cubs looking to build off Saturday's series-evening win, with first pitch at 1:20 PM CT.

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FINAL

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ML

Total

Yankees(62-49)

LWLLW

2

-1.5+163-111o6.5-111

Cubs(63-48)

WLWLW

1

+1.5-167+108u6.5+111

Best BetCubs +106

Postgame

This one missed. Cole's history against the Cubs held up again — New York's 2 runs in the 3rd were more than enough, and Chicago's offense never found another gear after Saturday's outburst. The Cubs' recent form and home crowd didn't matter once Cole settled in; the better arm won the day.

Pregame

Chicago sits as the home moneyline pick here, and with the Yankees offense scuffling to bottom-5 production since losing Aaron Judge, that's a defensible lean even laying a bit of juice on the Cubs. Colin Rea has been steady all year and gives Chicago a real shot to win outright behind a deeper, if battered, lineup. Cole is the swing factor — if he's dealing, New York's pitching alone can steal it, but the offense isn't walking through that door with much margin for error.

Both rotations are stretched thin behind their Sunday starters. New York is still without Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton, plus Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt on the pitching side — a lineup and rotation running well below full strength. Chicago's bullpen has taken its own hits, with Daniel Palencia, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner and Gavin Hollowell all working back from the injured list.

Gerrit Cole

(6-6)·3.22 ERA

Jul 28 @ White Sox

W

6.0IP

0ER

7K

2BB

99P

08/02 Lineup

Colin Rea

(8-8)·4.58 ERA

Jul 28 @ Cardinals

W

6.0IP

1ER

2K

2BB

94P

08/02 Lineup

Neither club had much margin for a letdown. The Yankees are clinging to the AL's top wild-card spot while sitting 2 games back in the East, and the Cubs are locked in a season-long chase of the division-leading Brewers — every rubber match carries a little extra weight in August.

New York Yankees

(62-49)

Aug 1L@ Cubs2-5

Jul 31W@ Cubs2-0

Jul 30L@ White Sox1-2

Jul 29L@ White Sox5-6

Jul 28W@ White Sox3-2

Chicago Cubs

(63-48)

Aug 1Wvs Yankees5-2

Jul 31Lvs Yankees0-2

Jul 30W@ Cardinals4-2

Jul 29L@ Cardinals2-3

Jul 28W@ Cardinals10-2

The series had already swung once — Yankees 2-0 on Friday, Cubs 5-2 on Saturday — and Sunday split the difference in the ugliest way possible for Chicago. New York broke through for 2 runs in the 3rd and made it stand, with Cole doing exactly what he's made a career of doing to this lineup.

New York Yankees

(5)

• 10-Day-ILCody Bellinger (LF) — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that Bellinger is expected to be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.07/27
• 10-Day-ILGiancarlo Stanton (DH) — Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters Monday that Stanton has "no timeline" to start a minor-league rehab assignment, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.07/20
• 15-Day-ILCarlos Rodon (SP) — Rodon (elbow) threw a "two up" session of about 30 pitches that went well Wednesday, and manager Aaron Boone said it's unclear if he'll next make a minor-league rehab start, MLB.com reports.07/31
• 60-Day-ILAaron Judge (RF) — The Yankees haven't yet determined when Judge (ribs) will next be examined by team doctors, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports.07/29
• 60-Day-ILClarke Schmidt (SP) — Schmidt (elbow) is scheduled to pitch a live bullpen session Sunday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.07/24

Chicago Cubs

(15)

• 10-Day-ILMatt Shaw (RF) — Shaw is still feeling discomfort related to his left hand sprain and has yet to resume swinging a bat, Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.07/18
• 15-Day-ILGavin Hollowell (RP) — The Cubs placed Hollowell on the 15-day injured list Friday with right shoulder inflammation, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.07/31
• 15-Day-ILHoby Milner (RP) — Milner (abdomen) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, tossing a scoreless inning.07/30
• 15-Day-ILEdward Cabrera (SP) — Cabrera (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.07/27
• 15-Day-ILDaniel Palencia (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Palencia (elbow) is scheduled to throw an up-and-down bullpen session Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.07/26
• 15-Day-ILPhil Maton (RP) — The Cubs placed Maton on the 15-day injured list Monday with right knee tendinitis, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.07/20
• 15-Day-ILBen Brown (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Brown (neck) has begun to increase his activity and has taken part in workouts with plyometric balls, MLB.com reports.07/20
• 15-Day-ILEthan Roberts (RP) — Roberts (forearm) tossed a perfect inning in a rehab appearance Sunday with Triple-A Iowa.07/20
• 15-Day-ILRiley Martin (RP) — The Cubs announced June 10 that Martin (elbow) has resumed playing catch, MLB.com reports.06/22
• 60-Day-ILJustin Steele (SP) — Steele (elbow) will throw from flat ground and then toss 20 pitches off a mound Saturday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.07/31
• 60-Day-ILShelby Miller (RP) — The Cubs announced July 5 that Miller (elbow) has resumed a throwing program in Arizona, MLB.com reports.07/20
• 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey (RP) — Manager Craig Counsell said July 8 that Harvey (triceps/shoulder) has resumed a throwing program at the Cubs' facility in Arizona, but the right-hander remains without a clear timeline for a return from the 60-day injured list, MLB.com reports.07/20
• 60-Day-ILPorter Hodge (RP) — The Cubs transferred Hodge (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILCade Horton (SP) — The Cubs transferred Horton (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILTyler Austin (1B) — The Cubs placed Austin (knee) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08

Chicago's only answer came in the 4th, a single run that never got company, and a defensive error didn't help matters. It was a tidy, quiet ballgame — 9 combined hits, one bad break each way — decided by the pitcher who's owned this matchup for years.

New York heads home having taken 2 of 3 from a legitimate contender, a solid signature series for a wild-card club trying to hold its ground. The Cubs, meanwhile, are left to shake off a series loss and get back to clawing at Milwaukee with the calendar turning to August.