Washington (1-1) at Chicago Cubs (1-1)
When: Monday, October 9th 2017
Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Time: 4:05 ET | TV: TBS
Opening Odds: Washington -125/7.5
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The Chicago Cubs had the Washington Nationals on the ropes until the eighth inning of Game 2, and now the series is all tied-up heading back to Wrigley Field for Game 3 on Monday afternoon. The Cubs’ pitching staff was dominant for the first 16 innings of the series, shutting out the Nationals in the opener and taking a 3-1 lead into the eighth inning on Saturday before Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman went deep in a five-run frame that lifted Washington to a 6-3 win. Zimmerman was 9-for-79 with 23 strikeouts against the Cubs over the past three seasons and had not homered against them since 2013 before his monumental blast on Saturday. Chicago hopes trade deadline acquisition Jose Quintana can put the Cubs one win away from a series win as he makes his postseason debut. He will be opposed by Max Scherzer, who left his last start of the regular season on September 30th with a hamstring injury that left his status for the division series up in the air. He will attempt to earn his first postseason win since the 2013 AL Division Series. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant, who is 3-for-8 with a double and an RBI in the series, is 1-for-10 with seven strikeouts versus Scherzer.
Pitchers: Nationals – Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA) | Cubs – Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15)
Scherzer is winless (0-3) in his last five postseason starts, but posted a 3.75 ERA in two outings in last year’s NLDS against the Dodgers. Scherzer was on a roll before his injury, going 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last three regular-season starts. He is 3-1 with a 2.92 ERA in six career starts against the Cubs, including a win this season in which he allowed one run and two hits over six innings.
Since being acquired from cross-town rival the White Sox, Quintana has gone 7-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 14 starts and the Cubs have won his last six starts, while he’s posted a 2.82 ERA over that span. Quintana, who has not walked a left-handed batter since July 23rd (58 lefties), has never faced the Nationals.
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I thought I was on the mark in Game 2 before Harper and company rallied in the 8th, but I don’t think that will be enough momentum to beat the Cubs in Wrigley. Quintana has been pretty good and the Nationals have never seen him, which gives the advantage to the lefty here.
Pick: Cubs +110
BETTING TRENDS:
- Nationals are 7-0 in their last 7 Monday games.
- Nationals are 5-1 in their last 6 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Nationals are 4-1 in their last 5 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Nationals are 5-2 in their last 7 games following an off day.
- Nationals are 36-17 in their last 53 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Nationals are 4-0 in Scherzer’s last 4 Monday starts.
- Nationals are 5-1 in Scherzer’s last 6 starts vs. National League Central.
- Nationals are 5-1 in Scherzer’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 5-1 in Scherzer’s last 6 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Nationals are 22-6 in Scherzer’s last 28 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Nationals are 6-2 in Scherzer’s last 8 road starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nationals are 5-2 in Scherzer’s last 7 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Nationals are 5-2 in Scherzer’s last 7 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Nationals are 36-15 in Scherzer’s last 51 starts.
- Nationals are 36-15 in Scherzer’s last 51 starts on grass.
- Nationals are 36-16 in Scherzer’s last 52 road starts.
- Cubs are 4-0 in their last 4 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Cubs are 4-0 in their last 4 Divisional Playoff home games.
- Cubs are 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cubs are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. National League East.
- Cubs are 4-1 in their last 5 playoff games.
- Cubs are 15-4 in their last 19 games on grass.
- Cubs are 7-2 in their last 9 Divisional Playoff games.
- Cubs are 10-3 in their last 13 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Cubs are 16-5 in their last 21 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Cubs are 16-5 in their last 21 overall.
- Cubs are 20-7 in their last 27 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cubs are 19-7 in their last 26 home games.
- Cubs are 29-11 in their last 40 games following a loss.
- Cubs are 43-17 in their last 60 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Cubs are 36-15 in their last 51 games following an off day.
- Cubs are 38-17 in their last 55 Monday games.
- Cubs are 2-5 in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
- Cubs are 6-0 in Quintana’s last 6 home starts.
- Cubs are 6-0 in Quintana’s last 6 starts.
- Cubs are 6-0 in Quintana’s last 6 starts on grass.
- Cubs are 5-1 in Quintana’s last 6 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Nationals last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 2-0-2 in Nationals last 4 road games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 11-1 in Nationals last 12 games following an off day.
- Under is 6-1-1 in Nationals last 8 Monday games.
- Under is 19-5-2 in Nationals last 26 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 7-2-1 in Nationals last 10 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 14-4-4 in Nationals last 22 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Nationals last 5 Divisional Playoff games.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Nationals last 5 playoff games.
- Under is 6-2-2 in Nationals last 10 vs. National League Central.
- Under is 6-2-2 in Nationals last 10 during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 23-8-4 in Nationals last 35 road games.
- Under is 34-13-4 in Nationals last 51 games following a win.
- Under is 36-16-2 in Nationals last 54 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 31-14-7 in Nationals last 52 on grass.
- Under is 31-14-7 in Nationals last 52 overall.
- Under is 37-17-6 in Nationals last 60 games vs. a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Scherzer’s last 4 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Scherzer’s last 6 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Cubs last 4 games following a loss.
- Under is 4-0 in Cubs last 4 during game 3 of a series.
- Over is 8-2 in Cubs last 10 games following an off day.
- Under is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 playoff home games.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Cubs last 6 Divisional Playoff home games.
- Over is 4-1 in Cubs last 5 vs. National League East.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Cubs last 5 Monday games.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Cubs last 9 Divisional Playoff games.
- Under is 9-3 in Cubs last 12 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 10-4 in Cubs last 14 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 5-2-1 in Quintana’s last 8 home starts.
- Nationals are 2-5 in the last 7 meetings in Chicago.
