Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs Picks & Betting Odds

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs 8:05 ET – It’s tough to be a fan of the Chicago Cubs (21-22, -$645) right now after the ballclub lost its eighth straight game in the first of its three game set with the Pittsburgh Pirates (21-24, +$101) last night. The defeat dropped the Cubs to a game under .500 for the first time since late April, and they’ve now lost eight games in a row for the first time since 2002. MLB bettors backing the Cubs during that stretch have gotten killed (-$1042), and the losing doesn’t look like it’s going to end anytime soon. After the offense managed just five-runs on its six-game road trip through St. Louis & San Diego, it erupted for an eight-run tally last night. However, the pitching took a turn for the worse and allowed a whopping 10 runs.

This 140+ million dollar roster just hasn’t lived up to its billing, and it’s gotten past the point of saying it’s too early in the season to get worried. Something has to be done to bring some normalcy back to Wrigleyville. As for Pittsburgh, the offense has accumulated a whopping 34 hits in its L/2 games and comes into tonight’s contest winners in seven of its L/10 games played. The Buccos went through a poor stretch of play that saw it lose 14 of 17, but Manager John Russel’s club finds itself just six-games out of 1st place in the NL Central. As a visitor in ’09, the Pirates sit just five-games under .500 (10-15, $-87). Pittsburgh’s win last night snapped a streak of five straight Chicago victories in the series, and the Cubs went a spectacular 14-4 against the Pirates just a short season ago.

Even though Chicago’s marred in a multiple game losing streak, BetUS Sportsbook currently has them listed as -155 home favorites with the game ‘total’ set at 9.5 under -125.

Ian Snell was in line to pick up his second victory of the season against the Washington Nationals his last time out, but the bullpen blew it for him late. The right-hander comes into his 10th start of the season 1-5 with a 4.88 ERA and 1.50 WHIP and owns a K/BB ratio of 36/26. He’s yet to scratch a win on the road this season as the Pirates have lost all six of his road starts. He also hasn’t fared well against Chicago going 1-5 with a lofty 6.70 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in nine career starts.

Lefty Sean Marshall has been real steady as the Cubs fifth starter this season going 2-3 with a 3.96 ERA and 1.29 WHIP allowing 36 hits and just 16 earned runs through 36+ total innings of work. That said; the Cubs are just 1-5 in his six starts this season. He’s only made it through five innings in each of his last two starts, and that spells trouble for the Cubs in this spot considering the bullpen’s woes of late. Marshall hasn’t started against Pitt since 2006, but owns a 1-0 record with a 5.51 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in three overall outings.

Many a sportsbettor will be lined up to back the Cubs in this spot figuring it will end its losing streak against the lowly Pirates. However, that was exactly the train of thought last night and the Cubs went on to bury their MLB betting backers once again. The truth of the matter is that Pitt is playing much better ball right now, and the Cubs are reeling; the value resides in the Pirates dugout this evening. Until the Cubs start showing glimpses of turning this thing around, they must be faded and avoided at all costs…

Rose’s Recommendation: 2* Pittsburgh Pirates +135

(Rating Scale: 1* – 5*)

By Mike Rose of BetUS.