Chicago Cubs (56-50) at St Louis (57-49)
When: Wednesday, July 31st, 2019
Where: Busch Stadium,
St Louis, Missouri
Time: 8:15 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: St Louis -121/8.5
For the second night in a row, one of my top plays will be from the exciting NL Central showdown between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. One of the reasons I took St. Louis last night – and won – was that the home team in this season series had won all nine games. Make that 10 after Tuesday’s thrilling 2-1 Cardinals’ win in which Paul Goldschmidt continued his torrid home run pace. The first-year Cardinal homered for the seventh time in past eight games to help St. Louis overtake Chicago for first place in the division by one game and two over Milwaukee. Goldschmidt has also driven in 14 runs in those eight games and most of them have been go-ahead RBIs. The Cubs continue to scuffle, dropping their six of their last eight after holding a three-game division lead not too long ago. Chicago has scored more than four runs just once in their last eight games and 3B Kris Bryant is hitless in his last 14 at-bats with six strikeouts. Javier Baez drove in the lone run for the Cubs, who had just one extra-base hit among their six hits with OF Jason Heyward recording half of those (3-for-5). The Cubs bolstered their bullpen on Tuesday by acquiring RHP David Phelps from Toronto in exchange for RHP Thomas Hatch, while placing RHP Pedro Strop (neck) on the 10-day injured list.
Pitchers: Cubs – Kyle Hendricks (7-8, 3.26 ERA) | Cardinals – Miles Mikolas (7-10, 4.19)
The Cubs have lost each of Kyle Hendricks’ last six starts despite the righty allowing two runs or less in the last five. The Cubs have scored a total of 1, 2, or 3 runs in each of those six starts contributing to his 0-4 record over that span. He pitched five scoreless innings against Milwaukee last time out, allowing two hits and striking out five. Hendricks is 7-2 with a 2.93 ERA in 16 career matchups with St. Louis including allowing one run total in two starts this season (16 innings).
10 CENT MLB LINES & 1% CASH BACK
Miles Mikolas has recorded two similar outings in his last two trips to the mound, allowing three runs over six innings to both the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates with the Cardinals splitting those two. He’s been great at home over the last two seasons including a 5-4 mark and 2.15 ERA in 10 starts at Busch Stadium this year.
Hendricks has been terrific versus the Cardinals so far this season but both of those were at home and the Cubs just aren’t hitting well enough to back him here. Mikolas beat the Cubs 2-1 back on May 31st. I’m sticking with the trend again in this one with the home team winning the 11th straight meeting – 12 counting last season.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Wednesday. He is 99-71 +1663 units on the season!
Pick: Cardinals +100
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BETTING TRENDS:
Cubs are 11-3 in their last 14 Wednesday games.
Cubs are 7-16 in their last 23 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Cubs are 4-10 in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Cubs are 7-19 in their last 26 road games.
Cubs are 2-6 in their last 8 overall.
Cubs are 2-6 in their last 8 games on grass.
Cubs are 1-4 in their last 5 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Cubs are 1-5 in their last 6 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 0-5 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 0-4 in their last 4 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 4-1 in Hendricks’ last 5 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 21-6 in Hendricks’ last 27 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 6-2 in Hendricks’ last 8 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cubs are 10-4 in Hendricks’ last 14 starts with 4 days of rest.
Cubs are 2-5 in Hendricks’ last 7 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Cubs are 1-4 in Hendricks’ last 5 starts vs. National League Central.
Cubs are 1-4 in Hendricks’ last 5 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cubs are 0-4 in Hendricks’ last 4 road starts.
Cubs are 0-4 in Hendricks’ last 4 starts during game 2 of a series.
Cubs are 0-6 in Hendricks’ last 6 starts.
Cubs are 0-6 in Hendricks’ last 6 starts on grass.
Cardinals are 6-0 in their last 6 vs. National League Central.
Cardinals are 6-1 in their last 7 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 5-1 in their last 6 games following a win.
Cardinals are 13-3 in their last 16 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 Wednesday games.
Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 7-2 in their last 9 overall.
Cardinals are 7-2 in their last 9 games on grass.
Cardinals are 6-2 in their last 8 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Cardinals are 7-15 in their last 22 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 5-1 in Mikolas’ last 6 starts during game 2 of a series.
Cardinals are 8-2 in Mikolas’ last 10 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cardinals are 12-3 in Mikolas’ last 15 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Cardinals are 11-4 in Mikolas’ last 15 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 13-5 in Mikolas’ last 18 home starts.
Cardinals are 5-2 in Mikolas’ last 7 Wednesday starts.
Cardinals are 25-12 in Mikolas’ last 37 starts.
Cardinals are 25-12 in Mikolas’ last 37 starts on grass.
Cardinals are 1-4 in Mikolas’ last 5 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 1-4 in Mikolas’ last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Cardinals are 1-4 in Mikolas’ last 5 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Cardinals are 0-4 in Mikolas’ last 4 starts with 5 days of rest.
Under is 6-1 in Cubs last 7 vs. National League Central.
Under is 6-1-1 in Cubs last 8 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 10-2-1 in Cubs last 13 overall.
Under is 5-1-1 in Cubs last 7 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 10-2-1 in Cubs last 13 on grass.
Under is 5-1 in Cubs last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 road games.
Under is 4-1-1 in Cubs last 6 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 7-2-1 in Cubs last 10 during game 2 of a series.
Under is 13-6-1 in Cubs last 20 when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Hendricks’ last 5 starts with 4 days of rest.
Under is 4-1 in Hendricks’ last 5 road starts.
Under is 8-2 in Hendricks’ last 10 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 11-3 in Hendricks’ last 14 starts after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 7-2 in Hendricks’ last 9 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 22-7 in Hendricks’ last 29 starts vs. National League Central.
Under is 42-15-1 in Hendricks’ last 58 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 43-17 in Hendricks’ last 60 starts on grass.
Under is 43-17 in Hendricks’ last 60 starts overall.
Under is 5-2 in Hendricks’ last 7 Wednesday starts.
Under is 10-4 in Hendricks’ last 14 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 19-8 in Hendricks’ last 27 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Under is 40-19-1 in Hendricks’ last 60 starts after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 7-1 in Cardinals last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 6-1 in Cardinals last 7 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 6-1-1 in Cardinals last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-1-1 in Cardinals last 7 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Under is 21-6 in Cardinals last 27 home games.
Under is 20-6 in Cardinals last 26 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 3-1-1 in Cardinals last 5 overall.
Under is 3-1-1 in Cardinals last 5 on grass.
Over is 4-0 in Mikolas’ last 4 starts during game 2 of a series.
Under is 4-0 in Mikolas’ last 4 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 5-0-1 in Mikolas’ last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Under is 4-0-1 in Mikolas’ last 5 starts when their opponent allows 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 5-0-1 in Mikolas’ last 6 starts vs. National League Central.
Over is 6-1 in Mikolas’ last 7 starts with 5 days of rest.
Under is 6-1 in Mikolas’ last 7 home starts.
Under is 10-3-2 in Mikolas’ last 15 starts on grass.
Under is 10-3-2 in Mikolas’ last 15 starts overall.
Under is 6-2-1 in Mikolas’ last 9 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
Over is 5-2 in Mikolas’ last 7 Wednesday starts.
Under is 4-0 in Mikolas’ last 4 starts vs. Cubs.
Cubs are 4-0 in Hendricks’ last 4 road starts vs. Cardinals.
Under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings in St. Louis.
Cubs are 13-3 in Hendricks’ last 16 starts vs. Cardinals.
Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Cubs are 0-4 in the last 4 meetings in St. Louis.
