Posted on
4/18/2008 12:38:41 PM
MLB Baseball Betting Action - Pirates vs. Cubs
By Mike Rose
After the online baseball betting community saw the punishing of the Reds throughout the first two games of the series, Cincinnati bit back hard Thursday afternoon handing the Cubs an embarrassing 9-2 thrashing in front of a packed Wrigley. Ken Griffey Jr. and Joey Votto had huge days punishing Cubs pitching to the tune of four combined hits, two home runs, and eight total RBI’s in the commanding victory. Griffey inched closer to 600 HR’s (596), but most importantly, it snapped the Reds five-game losing streak and youngster Edinson Volquez picked up his second win of the season. As for the Cubs, Ted Lilly put forth another disastrous start allowing six hits and five earned runs with a K/BB ratio of 6/3 in just six innings of work. It was the first time all season that he made it through five innings. The loss was his third on the season, and the Cubs winning streak was halted at three.
Ian Snell will put his 2-0 mark on the line when he takes to the bump this afternoon to pitch against the Cubs for the first time this season. To date, he owns a solid 3.93 ERA allowing 20 hits and nine runs (8 earned) with a K/BB ratio of 15/4 in a little over 18 innings on the year. The Pirates are 3-0 in the games he’s started this season. He went 6 1/3rd innings in his last start against Cincinnati allowing nine hits and three earned runs in the Buccos 4-3 victory. In three starts against the Cubs last season, the Pirates went 1-2 but won his lone start at Wrigley.
Lefty Rich Hill is yet to garner a decision this season, and to say he’s gotten off to a rocky ’08 start would be putting it very mildly. In two starts this year, he’s only pitched a total of nine innings, which includes his last start against the Pirates back on April 10th where he was yanked after three innings. He’s only allowed a combined five earned runs and seven hits, but his control has been shaky at best and he’s been on a very short leash. He had a couple of bullpen sessions throughout his seven-day lay-off to try and work on his mechanics. The Cubs are 4-2 in Hill’s starts against Pittsburgh in his career.
The Cubs swept the Pirates last week at PNC, so Pittsburgh will most definitely look to be returning the favor starting this afternoon where they find themselves +125 underdogs. Rich Hill opened a –125 home chalk, but that number was bet up to –140 overnight. A ‘total’ is yet to be released, but you’ll be able to get down on it and the ‘side’ whenever it’s released at BetUS.com.
The Cubs have won six straight against the Buccos dating back to last season, and have had their number at home winning four of the last five overall. However, Pittsburgh is a moneymaking 5-1 in Snell’s last six road starts and 5-0 in his last five starts in the opening game of a series.
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