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Chicago Cubs Odds
The good news for the Chicago Cubs late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning was that they outlasted Pittsburgh 8-7 in 11 innings. The bad news was that their pitching was shaky again, as the bullpen coughed up multiple late-inning leads in the continuation of a recent trend.
The Cubs will hope that Kyle Hendricks returns to the form that marked his first four starts, that saw him post three wins, including an Opening Night shutout. Since then, he’s lost three straight starts and has seen his ERA rise from 3.08 to 4.09.
Hendricks (3-4) has allowed 20 hits and 11 runs in his last 17 2/3 innings. With an uncertain bullpen, Chicago needs Hendricks to hit spots instead of barrels.
Pittsburgh Pirates Odds
After a bullpen-chewing, 8-7, 11-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates could use a lengthy outing from their starting pitcher on Wednesday, but that isn’t likely to occur.
Joe Musgrove, sidelined for nearly a month due to triceps inflammation, will come off the injured list to start against Chicago, and he undoubtedly will be given a limited pitch count. Musgrove (0-3, 6.75 ERA) lost all three of his starts this year before landing on the IL.
On the plus side for the Pirates, Musgrove has enjoyed great success against the Cubs through the years, going 3-2 with a 1.69 ERA in seven starts.
Cubs at Pirates Betting Prediction for September 2, 2020
Hendricks is due to rebound at some point. And while his career record against the Pirates is just 5-7, he has an impressive 3.17 ERA against them in 17 starts. He also figures to get some offensive help from a lineup that produced 18 runs over the past two games.
Cubs at Pirates Betting Prediction:
Cubs (-220) vs. Pirates (+185)
Cubs 8, Pirates 5
Cubs at Pirates Best Bet
The first three games between the Cubs and Pirates this year, all at Wrigley Field a month ago, saw the teams combined to average 6.3 runs. The series opener at PNC Park on Tuesday figures to be a better indicator of what to expect Wednesday. If you are betting on these bullpens, that simply isn’t a good idea.
Cubs at Pirates Best Bet: Over 9.5 runs (-108)
