Written by :
Published on :
The Cubs are at +117 and the Reds at -127 with a total of 9.
|
*Free trial test drive |
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (9-8, 4.39 ERA) vs. Reds RH Luis Castillo (11-4, 2.63)
After tossing seven scoreless innings at Milwaukee on July 27, Lester has been knocked around in back-to-back starts. He first allowed five runs over five innings at St. Louis before getting rocked for a career high-tying 11 runs (nine earned) on 10 hits in four frames against Oakland. The 35-year-old took a loss at Cincinnati earlier in the year but is 7-2 lifetime versus the Reds.
Castillo will be making his fifth consecutive start at home and trying to duplicate his most recent outing in which he fanned 13 in seven strong innings to defeat the Los Angeles Angels. The Dominican Republic native is 4-2 with a 3.49 ERA in nine career starts against the Cubs after defeating them twice this year. Kyle Schwarber is 5-for-14 with three home runs and two doubles against Castillo while Ian Happ is 4-for-7 with a double.
Cincinnati has won six of the last ten meetings. They have won seven of their last ten overall.
Chicago is 9-22 in their last 31 road game, winning just slightly over a quarter of their road games over that time.
The Cubs though are 14-3 in Lester’s last 17 starts vs. Cincinnati and 12-3-2 in his last 17 starts versus the Reds.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
