The San Francisco Giants (70-68) and Chicago Cubs (74-64) will go at it again in game two of the three-game series showdown in Illinois. Can the Cubs win a second straight contest?

The Giants are ranked as the 15^th best team in power rankings. They have lost their last four games, including the opener against the Cubs. Ryan Walker (4-2) gets the start on the mound, with an ERA of 2.16.

They are not that strong at the plate, with a .239 batting average. What is worse is that they allow .252, which results in other teams having better scoring opportunities.

They are weaker at getting on base, with a percentage of .313. Their ERA is slightly better at 3.97, which might be enough to tip this game in their favor. They also have a slugging percentage at .384, which is a bit away from the league average.

The Giants are 15 games back from the leading Los Angeles Dodgers, which means they likely will not be making the playoffs out of the NL West. They can still cause problems against teams trying to make it.

The Cubs still have the ninth spot taken in the league rankings. Their offense has been keeping them going, but their pitching could save the day for their chances at the playoffs. Kyle Hendricks (5-7) is their starting pitcher with an ERA of 3.59.

They are better with their batting average of .253 and outperform the Giants with what they allow from their opponents at the plate, with a .242 percentage. This ratio will be key to their success.

While their ERA is not as appealing at 4.09, they make better strides on offense with an OBP of .329. Their slugging percentage is also more appealing than that of the Giants, at .418.

The Cubs are within a few games of the Milwaukee Brewers for the lead in the NL Central, but must take care of business at home. Earning more wins against the Giants should give them a boost.

MyBookie’s odds show that the Chicago Cubs are slight favorites to be victorious in game two. According to market analysis, the Cubs have a 60.3 percent probability to win.

The Cubs came out strong in game one with a 5-0 victory, which bodes well with their momentum heading into game two. Look for them to come away with game two with a closer battle, especially with a stronger batting average and the Giants starting pitcher potentially slowing them down at first.