Half a Game Back, Phillies Take on Cubbies

A huge MLB online betting extravaganza will take place this weekend between the (73-60) Philadelphia Phillies and the (83-50) Chicago Cubs with the first game scheduled to go tonight at 8:00 ET. Philadelphia enters Game 1 of this series off a series split with the NY Mets that now finds them half a game off the pace for the top spot in the NL East and four-games behind the Wild Card leading Milwaukee Brewers.

Philadelphia’s cost MLB bettors a paltry $70 overall this season, but it’s been an above average MLB wager on the road where its gone 34-31 and hauled in a profit of $150 on the year.

This will be their first game on the road since the middle of August, and they’ve split their last six road series since the All Star break. The Cubs enter this series off a sweep at Pittsburgh that saw them win the series in each of their last four road trips after failing to do so at both Houston and Arizona right after the break.

Chicago’s been a cash cow for sportsbettors all season long within the “Friendly Confines” of Wrigley Field winning 49 of its 68 overall games to reel in upwards of $1600 for its betting backers. They’re yet to drop a home series since the break and haven’t lost one overall since the Baltimore Orioles took two of three in late June the series after they busted out the brooms against the Chicago White Sox.

These clubs last met all the way back in April when the Phillies took two of three at Citizens Bank Park, and Philly won the season series by a 4:3 count last season.

Toeing the bump for Philadelphia for the 28th time this season will be lefty Cole Hamels who picked up a decisive victory his last time out. He tossed seven brilliant innings against the LA Dodgers limiting them to just five hits and two earned runs in the Phillies 9-2 home victory. He’s been solid over his L/3 outings going 2-0 with a 2.05 ERA and 0.86 WHIP allowing just 17 hits and five runs with a dominant K:BB ratio of 15:2. On top pf that, he made it through the seventh inning in all three starts.

The Phillies are 7-5 in his 12 road starts this season, but they’ve lost three of his last four. He dominated Chicago in his April start limiting it to just one hit through seven innings of work in the Phillies 7-1 home win, and has excelled against Chicago throughout his career going 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.

The Cubs would be hard pressed to be where they’re at right now if not for the heroics of Ryan Dempster in 2008. The guys been a godsend to the rotation easily making the transition from closer to full time starter. He’s 15-5 on the year sporting a stingy 2.85 ERA and 1.15 WHIP allowing just 134 hits and 61 runs (54 earned) with a K:B ratio of 153:65 in 170+ total innings of work.

He’s also been the Cubs best pitcher at home where he’s gone 12-2 overall and Chicago’s won 13 of his 16 overall “Friendly Confines” starts. The Cubs are a perfect 3-0 in his L/3 starts, and he’ll look to keep that streak intact against Philadelphia whom he hasn’t faced since 2003.