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The Cincinnati Reds will take on the Chicago Cubs with a line that has Cincinnati at +124 and Chicago -146.
Reds @ Cubs
Cincinnati Reds (24-32, fifth in the NL Central) vs. Chicago Cubs (28-29, third in the NL Central)
Chicago; Friday, 2:20 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Graham Ashcraft (4-3, 4.67 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 43 strikeouts); Cubs: Javier Assad (4-1, 2.17 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 54 strikeouts)
The Cubs won the last three games of this series last year at home but are 10-17 in May and have lost eight of their past 10 games and 10 of their past 13.
Chicago was six games above the mark and half a game behind the division-leading Brewers when the month began.
"We're in a tough stretch," manager Craig Counsell said. "When you're in a tough stretch, it feels like you don't get breaks. We've got to make our own breaks. And we'll keep doing that."
The Reds roster has hit 12 out of 52 at bats with just one home run and RBI.
Assad wasn’t at his best in Sunday night’s loss to the Cardinals, giving up four runs on five hits over his five innings of work. He did not factor into the decision in his prior start.
Chicago Cubs career statistics vs. Graham Ashcraft have been pretty good with 22 hits in 76 at bats and 16 RBIs.
Ashcraft pitched 5 ⅓ innings on Friday against the Dodgers allowing five earned runs and grabbed the win. He struck out three and walked one.
He allowed three runs over five innings on Saturday in a loss to the Dodgers in his prior start.
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