Cubs look to stay hot in makeup at Braves
Cubs look to stay hot in makeup at Braves
Rained out in Atlanta earlier this month, the Cubs and Braves forfeit their day off on Monday to make up that June 4 game. Chicago comes in with a four-game win streak, one short of their season best, and climbing to within 2½ games of the Cardinals who sit in front of the NL Central. Atlanta is off three-straight series defeats, the most recent in Boston, and has dropped eight of their last 11.
Just when you thought the Chicago Cubs were destined to play .500 baseball for the duration of the season, they’ve heated up for bettors.
After dropping five of six games coming off a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins last week, the Cubs (34-31, -4.97 units) have cashed four in a row against the moneyline. The hot streak up the MLB moneylist has lifted Chicago to within 2.5 games of the first-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. If the Cubs can get the payday in their make-up game with the Atlanta Braves (32-36, -10.07 units) on Monday night, they’ll have tied their longest winning stand of the season.
The teams split the first two games of their scheduled three-game set at Turner Field earlier this month, but the finale was postponed due to rain. The Braves won the opener 6-5 as -121 favorites on Chipper Jones’ run-scoring single in the bottom of the 12th inning, and the payday was the first against the Cubs in six tries. Including Chicago’s (+122) 3-2 victory over Atlanta the following night, the Cubs have taken seven of their last eight against the moneyline over the Braves dating back to last season.
Chicago outscored Atlanta 49-18 in the six-game sweep last season, including 29-9 at Turner Field. The Cubs hand the ball to Ryan Dempster (4-4, 3.92 ERA) on Monday night, with Lou Piniella hoping his offense can score some runs for the righthander. Just 5-9 against the moneyline in Dempster’s starts this season, Chicago is 0-3 in his last three outings despite his 1.89 ERA. Under bettors have cashed in on the Cubs’ inability to put runs on the board in Dempster’s starts, with the North Siders 0-3 O/U in the three games. The total for this one has been set at 8 with the Under drawing the extra bit of chalk.
The Cubbies were listed as +120 underdogs for the contest at most sportsbooks through Sunday night, although they were available at +131 at one outlet. Oddsmakers had the Braves in the range of -133 to -140 on the moneyline with Javier Vazquez (4-6, 3.41 ERA) grabbing the rosin for Atlanta.
Vazquez has been dealt a similar fate as Dempster over his last three trips to the bump. Tied for the NL lead in strikeouts with the San Francisco Giants’ Tim Lincecum, Vazquez has received only eight runs of support over his last five starts. The Braves are 0-5 in those five games, and have played under the number in the last three games with Vazquez on the mound.
Atlanta has lost six of its last eight games, including two of three over the weekend in its three-game series at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. Nick Green’s walk-off home run off Braves reliever Jeff Bennett in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted Boston to cash on Sunday afternoon, as Atlanta was unable to reward their backers as +115 pups.
Rained out in Atlanta earlier this month, the Cubs and Braves forfeit their day off on Monday to make up that June 4 game. Chicago comes in with a four-game win streak, one short of their season best, and climbing to within 2½ games of the Cardinals who sit in front of the NL Central. Atlanta is off three-straight series defeats, the most recent in Boston, and has dropped eight of their last 11.
Just when you thought the Chicago Cubs were destined to play .500 baseball for the duration of the season, they’ve heated up for bettors.
After dropping five of six games coming off a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins last week, the Cubs (34-31, -4.97 units) have cashed four in a row against the moneyline. The hot streak up the MLB moneylist has lifted Chicago to within 2.5 games of the first-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. If the Cubs can get the payday in their make-up game with the Atlanta Braves (32-36, -10.07 units) on Monday night, they’ll have tied their longest winning stand of the season.
The teams split the first two games of their scheduled three-game set at Turner Field earlier this month, but the finale was postponed due to rain. The Braves won the opener 6-5 as -121 favorites on Chipper Jones’ run-scoring single in the bottom of the 12th inning, and the payday was the first against the Cubs in six tries. Including Chicago’s (+122) 3-2 victory over Atlanta the following night, the Cubs have taken seven of their last eight against the moneyline over the Braves dating back to last season.
Chicago outscored Atlanta 49-18 in the six-game sweep last season, including 29-9 at Turner Field. The Cubs hand the ball to Ryan Dempster (4-4, 3.92 ERA) on Monday night, with Lou Piniella hoping his offense can score some runs for the righthander. Just 5-9 against the moneyline in Dempster’s starts this season, Chicago is 0-3 in his last three outings despite his 1.89 ERA. Under bettors have cashed in on the Cubs’ inability to put runs on the board in Dempster’s starts, with the North Siders 0-3 O/U in the three games. The total for this one has been set at 8 with the Under drawing the extra bit of chalk.
The Cubbies were listed as +120 underdogs for the contest at most sportsbooks through Sunday night, although they were available at +131 at one outlet. Oddsmakers had the Braves in the range of -133 to -140 on the moneyline with Javier Vazquez (4-6, 3.41 ERA) grabbing the rosin for Atlanta.
Vazquez has been dealt a similar fate as Dempster over his last three trips to the bump. Tied for the NL lead in strikeouts with the San Francisco Giants’ Tim Lincecum, Vazquez has received only eight runs of support over his last five starts. The Braves are 0-5 in those five games, and have played under the number in the last three games with Vazquez on the mound.
Atlanta has lost six of its last eight games, including two of three over the weekend in its three-game series at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox. Nick Green’s walk-off home run off Braves reliever Jeff Bennett in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted Boston to cash on Sunday afternoon, as Atlanta was unable to reward their backers as +115 pups.
