Milwaukee (57-54) at Chicago Cubs (58-51)
When: Saturday, August 3rd, 2019
Where: Wrigley Field,
Chicago, Illinois
Time: 2:20 ET | TV: MLB Network
Opening Odds: Chicago -147
The National League Central could be the best division race come late September and three teams are battling it out in early August with the St. Louis Cardinals currently holding a slight edge. The two teams chasing them will be in action again on Saturday as the Milwaukee Brewers continue their three-game series at the Chicago Cubs with lefties Gio Gonzalez and Cole Hamels squaring off. Javier Baez and Kris Bryant broke out of slumps to help Chicago get to within a half-game of idle St. Louis by defeating Milwaukee 6-2 on Friday afternoon. The win was the Cubs’ ninth in their last 11 home games and are now 37-18 at Wrigley Field this season. Baez snapped a 3-for-24 slump by going 3-for-5 with his 26th home run and three RBI while Bryant went 2-for-5 after going 1-for-21 in his previous five games. Milwaukee slugger Christian Yelich went 0-for-4 to snap his career-high 19-game hitting streak, as the Brewers lost for the fourth time in five games. The teams have split 10 meetings this season with the Cubs winning three of four at home.
Pitchers: Brewers – Gio Gonzalez (2-1, 3.48 ERA) | Cubs – Cole Hamels (6-3, 2.98)
Gonzalez stymied the Cubs for two runs and three hits while striking out nine in his last outing but left after 6.1 innings with shoulder tightness and received a no-decision. It was his longest outing of the season in eight starts and a season-high in punch outs. Gonzalez is 4-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 12 starts versus the Cubs including 5.2 shutout innings back on May 10th.
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Hamels had been pitching lights-out before leaving a game against Cincinnati on June 28th after one inning with an oblique injury. He allowed one or zero runs in five of his last six starts – including that one-inning stint – and owns a 1.22 ERA in that span. Hamels made two rehab starts with Triple-A Iowa, allowing three runs, three hits (two home runs) and three walks while throwing 59 pitches in three innings Sunday. He is 8-3 with a 3.42 ERA in 17 starts against Milwaukee.
I expect both of these lefties to be on their game here, but I’m giving the edge to Chicago because they have been on a roll at home and the Brewers are starting to struggle a bit. Hamels has been dominant in his two starts against Milwaukee this season.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Saturday. He is 100-73 +1528 units on the season!
Pick: Cubs -133
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BETTING TRENDS:
Brewers are 5-1 in their last 6 Saturday games.
Brewers are 7-3 in their last 10 games vs. a left-handed starter.
Brewers are 43-21 in their last 64 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Brewers are 5-11 in their last 16 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Brewers are 4-9 in their last 13 vs. National League Central.
Brewers are 3-10 in their last 13 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
Brewers are 3-11 in their last 14 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Brewers are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Brewers are 1-4 in their last 5 overall.
Brewers are 1-4 in their last 5 games on grass.
Brewers are 4-0 in Gonzalez’s last 4 road starts.
Brewers are 5-0 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Brewers are 4-0 in Gonzalez’s last 4 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Brewers are 5-0 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Brewers are 6-1 in Gonzalez’s last 7 starts.
Brewers are 6-1 in Gonzalez’s last 7 starts on grass.
Brewers are 5-1 in Gonzalez’s last 6 starts vs. National League Central.
Brewers are 4-1 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Cubs are 4-1 in their last 5 Saturday games.
Cubs are 20-7 in their last 27 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Cubs are 70-32 in their last 102 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Cubs are 36-17 in their last 53 home games.
Cubs are 33-16 in their last 49 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
Cubs are 2-6 in their last 8 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 2-9 in their last 11 games vs. a left-handed starter.
Cubs are 1-5 in their last 6 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 0-4 in their last 4 games following a win.
Cubs are 5-0 in Hamels’ last 5 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cubs are 4-0 in Hamels’ last 4 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 6-1 in Hamels’ last 7 starts during game 2 of a series.
Cubs are 8-2 in Hamels’ last 10 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cubs are 4-1 in Hamels’ last 5 home starts.
Cubs are 11-5 in Hamels’ last 16 starts.
Cubs are 11-5 in Hamels’ last 16 starts on grass.
Cubs are 3-7 in Hamels’ last 10 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-0 in Brewers last 4 overall.
Under is 4-0 in Brewers last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 4-0 in Brewers last 4 road games.
Under is 4-0 in Brewers last 4 on grass.
Under is 4-0 in Brewers last 4 games following a loss.
Under is 4-0 in Brewers last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 4-1 in Brewers last 5 vs. National League Central.
Under is 21-8-2 in Brewers last 31 games vs. a left-handed starter.
Over is 19-8-1 in Brewers last 28 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 7-3 in Brewers last 10 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 16-7-2 in Brewers last 25 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
Under is 35-16 in Brewers last 51 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 8-1 in Gonzalez’s last 9 starts on grass.
Under is 8-1 in Gonzalez’s last 9 starts overall.
Under is 5-1 in Gonzalez’s last 6 road starts.
Under is 5-1 in Gonzalez’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 4-1 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Gonzalez’s last 5 starts vs. National League Central.
Under is 4-1 in Gonzalez’s last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-0 in Cubs last 5 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 6-0 in Cubs last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Under is 5-0 in Cubs last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 7-0 in Cubs last 7 home games.
Under is 4-0 in Cubs last 4 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-0 in Cubs last 4 vs. National League Central.
Under is 4-0 in Cubs last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 7-1-1 in Cubs last 9 games vs. a left-handed starter.
Under is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 Saturday games.
Under is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 8-2-1 in Cubs last 11 during game 2 of a series.
Under is 16-5-1 in Cubs last 22 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
Under is 19-7-1 in Cubs last 27 games following a win.
Under is 23-9-1 in Cubs last 33 overall.
Under is 23-9-1 in Cubs last 33 on grass.
Under is 6-0 in Hamels’ last 6 starts on grass.
Under is 6-0 in Hamels’ last 6 starts overall.
Under is 5-0 in Hamels’ last 5 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Under is 10-1 in Hamels’ last 11 starts vs. National League Central.
Over is 5-1 in Hamels’ last 6 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Over is 5-1 in Hamels’ last 6 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Hamels’ last 5 home starts.
Under is 6-2 in Hamels’ last 8 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-2 in Hamels’ last 7 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 15-2 in the last 17 meetings in Chicago.
Under is 31-9 in the last 40 meetings.
