Posted on 4/4/2008 12:35:11 PM

MLB Baseball Betting - Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs

By Mike Rose

Cub nation took a collective exhale after Thursday afternoon’s win over the Milwaukee Brewers as the Cubs scratched the win column for the first time this season. The game started off rough when Cubs starter Ryan Dempster allowed two first inning runs (1 earned), but he settled down from there on out to secure his first win as a starter since 2005. He gave the Cubs six strong innings allowing 3 hits and 2 runs while walking 2 and striking out five.

"I think he's more relaxed," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said of Dempster, who won a spot in the rotation with a strong spring. "I think he's more focused. He's got the pitches. He's done this before. He's more experienced, and he's got more pitches to work with. I expect Dempster to pitch well for us all year."

Alfonso Soriano picked up his first two hits of the season after being put back in the lead off spot, and Aramis Ramirez belted his first home run of the season. Wrigley was rocking in the top of the 9th when Kerry Wood took the hill looking to earn his first career save. Woody allowed one hit but picked up two K’s including the final out of the game of Jason Kendall when it looked like he got a very gracious call from home plate ump Jim Reynolds.

The Astros lost their finale against the Padres in San Diego Thursday afternoon. Shawn Chacon gave the Astros 6 innings of 5 hit ball, but the bullpen let him down after JR towels tied the game up in the top of the 7th with an RBI double.

Houston will give the ball to Chris Sampson Friday afternoon in the hopes that he’ll be able to build off of last season’s decent effort. He went 7-8 with a 4.59 ERA and career-high 51 strikeouts in 24 appearances for the Astros last season. Sampson’s been brilliant against the Cubs in his career winning both of the games he’s started against them allowing 0 runs and only allowing 6 hits in 12 total innings of work. The under cashed with ease in both starts.

He’ll square off against lefty Rich Hill who went 11-8 last season with a 3.92 ERA. He allowed only 170 hits in 195 innings of work with a stellar K/BB ratio of 183/63. He did have a problem surrendering the long ball though (27 overall). Hill’s fared well against his opponent in his career. He’s 1-0 with a 3.32 ERA, but the Cubs are 2-1 in his three career starts against the division rival Astros. The under cashed in two of those three starts.

With the Cubs being at home, they’re once again overpriced at –170 but look for that number to plummet as we get closer to first pitch. You can get down on the ‘side’ and ‘total’ once it’s released at BetUS.com.

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