Cubs’ Lackey looks to rebound against Halos
The Cubs are riding a seven-game winning streak and seem destined to advance deep into the postseason. John Lackey, though, hasn’t been able to join in on much of the recent fun.
Chicago’s veteran righty hopes to turn matters around in tonight’s series opener vs. the Angels, with an 8:05 p.m. ET first pitch at Wrigley Field. Online sports book Bovada.lv gives the host squad odds of -240 to triumph. Los Angeles, on the other hand, enters as a +200 underdog. The over/under run total rests at eight.
Over the weekend, Joe Maddon’s crew used strong outings by starters Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks to sweep Oakland. Lackey (8-7, 3.70 ERA), however, remains in an extended funk. He’s 1-5 with a plus-4.00 ERA since June 20.
Fortunately for the two-time World Series champion, the Angels don’t exactly make foes cower in fear these days. Mike Scioscia’s troops have dropped four in a row, with center fielder Mike Trout representing the lone bright spot through it all. The 2014 AL MVP boasts a big-league-best .427 on-base percentage to go along with a .316 batting average and 74 RBIs.
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The Cubs appear to elevate their play even further when interleague competition rolls around, so Jered Weaver (8-8, 5.11) must keep his head on a swivel this evening. Nonetheless, Chicago’s a very safe bet to improve to 38-17 at the Friendly Confines.
TUESDAY MLB FREE PICK: ANGELS/CUBS OVER 8 RUNS