Cubs vs Pirates free live stream 7:05 ET Thursday as Chicago sends out its best pitcher in Jeff Samardzija. 

The Cubs (26-37) will hope to split the series vs the Pittsburgh Pirates (31-34) with Samardzija (2-5, 2.54 ERA). Watch the free live stream online to see if he can shut down an offense that is starting to merge.

Watch the free live stream online of the Cubs vs Pirates below:

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He is coming off his 10th quality start in 13 outings. He held the Marlins to five hits over seven innings and struck out eight. He also collected a single, and now is two shy of matching his career high of seven hits.

"The way I've been throwing all year, it was easy for me to throw [the Milwaukee game] aside," Samardzija said after allowing just two runs in seven innings to the Marlins. "It felt good to go out there today and do my job, especially after times like that. It's the most important thing to bounce back."

"The best thing as a starting pitcher you can have is consistency -- that every time you go out there your coach and your teammates know what you're going to give them," he said. "That's what I want to do."

Edinson Volquez will take the mound for the Pirates in the series finale. The 30-year-old right-hander is 3-5 with a 4.27 ERA this season, and 5-0 lifetime against the North Siders, with a 3.60 ERA, according to MLB.com.

"I left a couple of pitches right in the middle of the plate," Volquez said. "I've got to do a better job than that."