Chicago Cubs (32-33) at Pittsburgh (30-36)
When: Friday, June 16th 2017
Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: WGN, ROOT Pittsburgh
Opening Odds: Pittsburgh +120/9.5
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The Chicago Cubs will look to cure their road woes when they visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night to open a three-game weekend series at PNC Park. The Cubs have not won a road series since late April when they came into Pittsburgh and took two of three, although the Pirates have won four of the six meetings this season. Despite the disappointing start for Chicago, they’ve never dropped to more than three games out of first place in the mediocre National League Central and will begin the weekend 2.5 games behind Milwaukee. Chicago won five straight to begin its last homestand earlier this month but has dropped six of eight since. Cubs new leadoff hitter Anthony Rizzo is 12-for-31 with three homers during a nine-game hitting streak and has homered leading off each of the past two games. The Pirates also have been up-and-down of late, following a four-game skid with a four-game winning streak before dropping the finale of a three-game series against Colorado on Wednesday. Center fielder CF Andrew McCutchen is heating up for the Bucos, going 11-for-23 with two home runs during a six-game hitting streak, raising his average 24 points over that stretch to 255.
Pitchers: Cubs – Eddie Butler (3-2, 4.03 ERA) | Pirates – Trevor Williams (3-3, 5.13)
Eddie Butler has failed to produce a quality start in his last five outings after making his Cubs debut on May 12th when he threw six scoreless innings at St. Louis. He allowed three runs and six hits over five innings in a loss to Colorado on Saturday. Butler made one start and one relief appearance against the Pirates last season, going 0-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 8+ innings.
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Trevor Williams had posted back-to-back quality starts before getting hammered for five runs and six hits over four innings Saturday in a no-decision against the Miami Marlins. Williams has allowed just one run in three of his seven starts, but he still has just a 3-3 record and very high ERA. Williams made two relief appearances against the Cubs earlier this season, going 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in five innings.
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The Cubs have blasted 13 home runs in their past four games and I can see more of the same against Williams on Friday. Chicago has been very good in PNC Park over the last couple of seasons, posting a 12-4 record in the last 16 contests there. I’m predicting a Cubs road series win this weekend and it starts tonight.
Pick: Cubs -117
W/L TRENDS
| Chi. Cubs |
- Cubs are 20-8 in their last 28 games following an off day.
- Cubs are 7-3 in their last 10 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cubs are 79-37 in their last 117 vs. National League Central.
- Cubs are 3-7 in their last 10 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cubs are 3-8 in their last 11 games following a loss.
- Cubs are 3-8 in their last 11 Friday games.
- Cubs are 2-6 in their last 8 during game 1 of a series.
- Cubs are 2-6 in their last 8 overall.
- Cubs are 2-6 in their last 8 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Cubs are 2-6 in their last 8 games on grass.
- Cubs are 3-13 in their last 16 road games.
- Cubs are 1-6 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Cubs are 1-8 in their last 9 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Cubs are 1-8 in their last 9 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Cubs are 0-4 in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
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| Pittsburgh |
- Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 overall.
- Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 games on grass.
- Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 home games.
- Pirates are 8-18 in their last 27 vs. National League Central.
- Pirates are 8-20 in their last 28 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Pirates are 2-5 in their last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Pirates are 3-8 in their last 11 during game 1 of a series.
- Pirates are 1-4 in their last 5 Friday games.
- Pirates are 4-0 in Williams’ last 4 starts.
- Pirates are 4-0 in Williams’ last 4 starts on grass.
- Pirates are 4-0 in Williams’ last 4 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 4-1 in Williams’ last 5 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Pirates are 4-1 in Williams’ last 5 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
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OU TRENDS
| Chi. Cubs |
- Under is 6-0-1 in Cubs last 7 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 6-1 in Cubs last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 5-1 in Cubs last 6 Friday games.
- Over is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 7-2 in Cubs last 9 games following a loss.
- Under is 7-2 in Cubs last 9 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Cubs last 9 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2 in Cubs last 8 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 13-5 in Cubs last 18 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 5-2 in Cubs last 7 games following an off day.
- Under is 10-4 in Cubs last 14 road games.
- Over is 25-10-1 in Cubs last 36 vs. National League Central.
- Under is 4-0 in Butler’s last 4 starts on grass.
- Under is 4-0 in Butler’s last 4 starts overall.
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| Pittsburgh |
- Over is 6-0 in Pirates last 6 games following an off day.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Pirates last 4 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Pirates last 4 overall.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Pirates last 4 on grass.
- Over is 4-0-1 in Pirates last 5 Friday games.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Pirates last 4 home games.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Pirates last 4 vs. National League Central.
- Over is 6-1 in Pirates last 7 games following a loss.
- Over is 5-1 in Pirates last 6 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
- Over is 9-3-1 in Pirates last 13 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Pirates last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Over is 8-3-3 in Pirates last 14 home games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Over is 9-4 in Pirates last 13 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 11-5-1 in Pirates last 17 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 4-0-1 in Williams’ last 5 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Williams’ last 5 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Williams’ last 5 starts on grass.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Williams’ last 5 starts overall.
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HEAD TO HEAD
- Cubs are 12-4 in the last 17 meetings in Pittsburgh.
- Over is 19-7-1 in the last 27 meetings in Pittsburgh.
- Over is 12-5 in the last 17 meetings.
- Cubs are 2-5 in the last 8 meetings.
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