This season, the Cubs have seen MLB’s top two ERA leaders in Paul Skenes and Garrett Crochet.

Both times, it was Cade Horton who took the mound for Chicago. And both times, he held his own opposite the aces.

[Cubs Takeaways: What we learned as late rally by Red Sox spoils sweep dreams]

Horton was tasked Sunday with a start in the series finale against the Boston Red Sox, while Crochet opposed him. It wouldn’t be easy for Cubs hitters against the 6-foot-6 southpaw, and Horton knew that.

“When you got Crochet over there, you know there’s probably not going to be a lot of runs scored,” Horton told reporters after the Cubs’ 6-1 loss.

Horton was right — the Cubs managed just one run off of Crochet, coming on an RBI single from Ian Happ in the second inning.

But the Red Sox got nothing off of Horton, whose day finished after 5.2 scoreless innings and just two hits allowed. Crochet allowed eight hits over six innings while striking out five — his lowest punchout total since his start on May 21.

“He’s just (has) confidence in his stuff, how it plays and how to make adjustments quickly in the game,” manager Craig Counsell told reporters Sunday. “He went up against a good lineup today, and I thought he pitched very, very well.”

It was a performance by Horton reminiscent of his start against the Pirates on June 13, in which Skenes took the mound for Pittsburgh. Skenes threw five scoreless innings that day, allowing four hits and striking out five. Horton’s line was nearly identical: 5.2 scoreless innings, three hits, four strikeouts.

You would think it’s pure adrenaline pushing Horton to be at his very best opposite baseball’s very best. However, the rookie revealed the contrary.

“I think, facing (Crochet and Skenes), I don’t need to get more amped up,” Horton told reporters. “I think I actually need to slow myself down more, because, naturally, the energy is going to be there. It’s all about slowing the game down and controlling it from the jump.”

Just as Colin Rea and Shota Imanaga were in the first two games of the weekend, Horton was outstanding against a Boston team that entered the series on a 10-game winning streak. He did his darndest to help the Cubs secure a sweep, but it was a late rally for the Red Sox that was the difference in the end.

Even so, Horton isn’t dwelling on the outcome of the game. He now has a 2.08 ERA in his three starts this month, and he told reporters his fastball felt the best it has all year.

“It sucks losing, but this is all a process,” Horton told reporters. “So (I’m) just continuing to get better each and every day, take the positives and the negatives and evaluate tomorrow.”