Can Cubs recover from rare stumble vs. Reds?
After an absurd amount of sustained success over Cincinnati, the Cubs were bound to slip up sooner or later. They just hadn’t planned on the run ending with such a deafening thud.
The Reds blew out Chicago last night, 13-5, halting an eight-game slide in the series. Bryan Price’s club aims for a winning follow-up this afternoon, with a 1:10 p.m. ET first pitch at the Great American Ballpark. Oddsmakers at online sports book BetDSI nonetheless list Cincy as a 1.5-run underdog in the weekend finale.
Eugenio Suarez and Adam Duvall clubbed three-run homers on Saturday to lift Cincinnati (9-9) out of a profound offensive malaise. The Cubs (13-5) had limited the Reds to three runs over the first 23 frames of the set before the hosts plated seven in the seventh. As a result, Chicago’s MLB-low 2.08 ERA entering the affair absorbed a sizable hit.
Jason Hammel (2-0, 1.00) will try to erase John Lackey’s rough start and log another quality outing vs. Cincinnati. The righty overcame four walks on April 14, twirling six scoreless frames in an 8-1 victory. He’ll be opposed by Alfredo Simon (0-1, 12.15), whose most recent scheduled appearance didn’t even materialize because of biceps tendinitis.
MLB Quick Links: Free Matchup Reports | Injuries | Odds Comparison | Scoreboard | Betting Trends
Look for Dexter Fowler to establish the tone in getting Joe Maddon’s crew back on track. The leadoff specialist is 10 for 25 with six doubles and four RBIs during a weeklong road trip. He’s also 9 for 22 with five RBIs in the past five battles against Cincy, suggesting that the Central Division’s finest still won’t drop two straight tilts.
SUNDAY MLB FREE PICK: CUBS -1.5
Want More From TheSpread.com? Follow on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!
