Place a Bet on MLB Baseball: Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Mike Stewart

  Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs
When: 8:05 PM ET, Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), CS Chicago

Opening Line: Cincinnati -165
Current Line: Cincinnati -150
MLB Betting Lines from: Bovada Sportsbook

With the National League Central securely in their grasp, the Cincinnati Reds aim for the best record in the league as they begin a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. Cincinnati enters with an 11-game division lead over St. Louis with 15 contests remaining. At 88-59, the Reds are only 1 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Washington Nationals (89-57) for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Cubs crawl into the series opener following a 3-0 home loss to Pittsburgh on Monday. Chicago managed two singles - both by Darwin Barney - in the game which started 3 hours, 37 minutes late because of rain. The Cubs, who had won seven of nine, fell to 2-2 on their 10-game homestand. Cincinnati has captured nine of 13 meetings with Chicago this year, winning or splitting each of the four series between the NL Central rivals.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Homer Bailey (11-9, 3.93 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Justin Germano (2-7, 6.24)

Bailey posted his first victory in six starts Wednesday, when he allowed one run and six hits over seven innings against Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old had won only one of his previous nine outings. Bailey, who is 7-2 with a 2.75 ERA on the road, improved to 4-2 lifetime against the Cubs on Aug. 10 despite yielding four runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 frames.

Germano suffered his fifth consecutive loss last Tuesday at Houston despite allowing only an unearned run and three hits in five innings. It was the best outing of the losing streak by the 30-year-old, who surrendered 24 runs in 18 2/3 frames over his previous four starts. Germano lost to Bailey and the Reds on Aug. 10, when he yielded six runs - four earned - in 5 2/3 innings.

1. Barney extended his hitting streak to 12 games on Monday with a single in the third inning.

2. The Cubs scored 26 runs over the first three contests of their four-game series with Pittsburgh.

3. Cincinnati SS Zack Cozart took batting practice on consecutive days over the weekend, but there is no timetable for his return from a strained left oblique.

Recent Trends on Cincinnati: :

• Under is 11-2 in CIN last 13 Tue. games.
• Under is 9-2-3 in CIN last 14 overall.
• Under is 9-2-3 in CIN last 14 on grass.

Recent Trends on Chi. Cubs: :

• CHC are 7-3 in their last 10 overall.
• CHC are 7-3 in their last 10 games on grass.
• CHC are 16-35 in their last 51 Tue. games.

Head to Head :

• Over is 6-1-1 in Baileys last 8 starts vs. CHC.

Las Vegas Sports Betting MLB Prediction: Chicago +130

More Prediction at Las Vegas Sports Pick

Bet on MLB Baseball games with Bovada Sportsbook

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Category

• Baseball Articles

Tags

chicago cubs - cincinnati reds - darwin barney - homer bailey - justin germano - wrigley field - zack cozart