First Place Chicago Cubs vs. Arroyo, Reds

It might be shocking to fathom considering how dominant they’ve been at home this season, but the Chicago Cubs might actually be happy to get away from Wrigley Field for the next 10 days.

The nervous tension filled throughout the ballpark was in a word, thick, as the Cubs struggled to win just two of the seven games played against the Phillies and Astros. MLB bettors looking to pile onto the season profits the Chicago’s made in the “Friendly Confines” saw their bankroll take a major hit after dropping $600 throughout the week.

Not all is bad for the NL Central leaders who’ve had enormous success on the road since the All Star break. Once 12 games under .500 on the road, the Cubs now stand 34-31 overall and have made baseball sportsbettors upwards of $250 on the year. Since dropping back-to-back road series against Houston and Arizona right out of the break, Chicago’s earned victories in 12 of their L/13 overall and ran off a nine-game winning streak before it got snapped in Florida.

They’ll enter tonight’s MLB online betting affair against division rival Cincinnati nursing a five-game lead in the division after Milwaukee lost its fourth in a row in its series opener with the Padres on Thursday night.

After earning its fifth home sweep of the season against the San Francisco Giants, the Red salvaged the final game of their three game set with Pittsburgh Thursday afternoon by an 8-6 final count. The victory saw them surpass the .500 mark as a host (36-35), ultimately allowing the MLB wagering public to recoup some losses (-$710) after backing them at the Great American Ballpark all season long.

Chicago holds a 7-5 season series advantage heading into the final series match-up of the season. The Cubs have won eight of 12 playing after an off day this season, and they’re a perfect 4-0 as a road favorite in the –150 to –175 range on the year.

Toeing the GAB’s mound for the first time in ’08 will be southpaw Ted Lilly who carries a 13-8 record with a 4.23 ERA in 29 overall starts. He’s coming off a losing effort against the Philadelphia Phillies where he threw 6 2/3rd innings of three-run ball in the Cubs 5-2 home defeat. He’s lost all three of his starts against the Reds this season and got crushed in two of them. In his career against Cincy, Lilly’s 1-4 with a 4.43 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in eight overall starts.

The Reds Bronson Arroyo gets the call for the 29th time this season off a winning start at home against the Giants where he served up 10 hits in seven innings, but only let a pair of runs cross the plate in the Reds dominating 9-3 home victory. He’s a perfect 3-0 his L/3 starts sporting a 1.57 ERA and 1.09 WHIP allowing 18 hits and just four earned runs in 23 total innings of work. The Reds have won both of his starts against Chicago this season whom he’s 6-6 against with a 3.40 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 15 career starts.

Sportsbook Oddsmakers opened the Cubs -155 road favorites in tonight’s baseball betting affair, with the ‘total’ currently sitting at 9 under -120. BetUS.com offers all MLB betting odds be it side, total, or run-line, so be sure to login to your account and get your wagers down before the first pitch.