Cubbies Try to Resume Comeback
After a frustrating April when they were unable to win a tight game, the Chicago Cubs mounted a furious comeback in their first game of May.
The rally had to wait to be completed, though, as the Cubs will resume the middle game of their series with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday after it was suspended by rain, and follow it with the regularly scheduled series finale.
Oddsmakers have made Pittsburgh -125 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for todays game, the over/under has been set at 8 total runs (Matchup). Our public betting information shows that 54% of bets for this game have been placed on Chicago +115 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
Chicago (10-14) is 0-6 in one-run games and 1-3 in games decided by two runs, but holds a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning of the suspended contest.
The Cubs scored four runs with two outs in the top of the seventh on Tuesday to take the lead over the Pirates (12-12), but the game was suspended after a rain delay of 2 hours, 18 minutes.
While the game lasted long enough to become official, it was suspended because Pittsburgh had not yet batted in the seventh.
"It was a good comeback for us,” Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "We swung the bats.”
Alfonso Soriano went 3-for-4 with his first homer of the season, and had two RBIs to give him three on the year.
Derrek Lee went 3-for-4 with two doubles on Tuesday, and is batting .531 (17-for-32) with nine doubles in his last seven games.
After the suspended game is completed, Jason Marquis (3-1, 2.35 ERA) will take the mound for Chicago in the series finale looking to win his fourth straight start.
Marquis, whose 16 losses with St. Louis led the NL last season, is off to an impressive start with his new team. He’s allowed one run or fewer in three of his five starts.
On Friday, the right-hander gave up three runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals, as he beat his former team for the second straight time.
Marquis pitched well in two starts against the Pirates last season, allowing just three runs and six hits in 14 innings. He went 1-1 in those contests.
He is 3-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 14 games – 10 starts – in his career against Pittsburgh, with all of those wins coming at PNC Park.
Pittsburgh’s Jason Bay, who hit the game-winning home run in Monday’s 3-2 series-opening victory, is 11-for-24 (.458) with four home runs and four doubles in his career against Marquis.
Ian Snell (2-1, 1.59) is quickly blossoming into a dominant pitcher for the Pirates, and he’ll look for another solid outing when he takes the hill in the series finale.
Snell has allowed two runs or fewer in all five of his starts, and has a .197 opponent batting average.
The 25-year-old right-hander gave up six hits in seven scoreless innings of a 3-1 victory over Cincinnati on Friday, throwing seven innings for his fourth straight start.
"This guy’s becoming something very special,” manager Jim Tracy said of Snell, whose ERA is fourth-lowest in the majors. "This guy has come so far in a short period of time and he should be given a lot of credit. He likes challenges an awful lot.”
Snell didn’t have much luck against the Cubs last season, though. He went 1-2 with a 8.64 ERA in three starts, allowing at least five runs in each of those games.
by: Dave Michaels – thespread.com – Email Us
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