It started to look like batting practice for the Cubs with the way they were consistently barreling up the ball.

In the Cubs’ 8-1 win Thursday, Rea held the Twins to three hits and one run through seven innings. He not only set the team up to avoid a sweep in Minnesota but also gave the bullpen rest going into a three-game series against the Yankees that’s expected to open with a bullpen day.

PITCHING PROBABLES: Cubs: Colin Rea (6-3, 4.13 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 60 strikeouts); Twins: Chris Paddack (3-7, 4.64 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 68 strikeouts) BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs will aim to stop a three-game road skid when they face the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins won a game Wednesday night but lost All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton for the last seven innings of a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Target Field.

Despite a series loss to the Minnesota Twins, it has been a fantastic first half of the season for the Chicago Cubs. With just one series left to go before the

GETTING UP THERE: When Justin Turner hit his 200th career home run Tuesday at 40 years, 227 days old, he became the oldest Cub to hit a home run since Gary Gaetti did so at 41 years, 6 days old in the second game of a doubleheader Aug. 25, 1999 vs. San Francisco.

UNDER THE LIGHTS: This will be the 30th time that the Cubs have played back-to-back night games this year. They have played as many as five in a row. The Cubs are 19-10 in the second game of the previous pairs, including 10-3 after having lost the first game. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)