Cubs vs. Nationals Pick
Can the Chicago Cubs get the job done Thursday night in Game 5 of their NLDS series at the Washington Nationals? First pitch is at 8:08PM EST.
Oddsmakers at sports book Bovada.lv have made the game a pick’em as the Cubs and the Nationals are both set at -110 on the moneyline. The over-under is 7.5.
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Washington has won six of the last 10 meetings this year and the over-under is 4-6 in those games. The Nationals won Game 4 by a count of 5-0 in Chicago Wednesday night to force a Game 5.
Pitching for the Cubs will be Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA), while the Nationals counter with Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96). Hendricks held a 1.19 WHIP with 123 strikeouts in 139 2/3 innings this year. He was outstanding in Game 1 of the series as he threw seven shutout innings of two-hit ball with six strikeouts and three walks in a 3-0 road win. He has a 2.83 ERA in 63 2/3 road innings this season. Gonzalez carried a 1.18 WHIP with 188 strikeouts over 201 innings during the regular season. He surrendered three earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts and two walks over five innings in a 6-3 home win in Game 2 of the series. Gonzalez had a 2.76 ERA in 91 1/3 innings at home.
In Wednesday’s game, Stephen Strasburg threw seven shutout innings with three hits allowed along with 12 strikeouts and two walks to earn the win. Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon each had a double and scored a run, while Michael Taylor was 1-for-3 with a grand slam that broke the game open in the eighth inning plus a walk. Ben Zobrist had a double for Chicago, while Jason Heyward was 1-for-2 with a walk.
Hendricks showed in Game 1 why he is one of the most undervalued pitchers in baseball and he’ll look to recreate that magic in the same stadium to keep the Cubs’ hopes for a second straight World Series title alive. Gonzalez has regressed some after his unreal first four months of the season and there is a possibility the Cubs hit him very hard in Game 5 after having some success against him earlier this series. We like the Cubs to take advantage of not having to face Strasburg or Scherzer in Game 5. Take Chicago to advance.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: CHICAGO CUBS -110