The CHICAGO CUBS and the CINCINNATI will both be gunning for a victory on 5/16/2019 at 6:40 PM when they meet in a game matchup.
CHICAGO CUBS vs CINCINNATI
GAME: Chicago Cubs (25-15) at Cincinnati Reds (19-24)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, May 16 – 6:40 PM EST
WHERE: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
| ROT | TEAM | PS | OU | RL |
| 955 | CHICAGO CUBS | 8.5 (-140) (-120) |
8.5 (-110) | 110 -120 |
| 956 | CINCINNATI |
TV: 6:40 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Chicago, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
LINE: -120
PREDICTION: Cubs 4, Reds 3
Oddsmakers currently have the CINCINNATI listed as -120 point favorites versus the CHICAGO CUBS, while the game’s total is sitting at 8.5.
The Cincinnati Reds look to build off a big comeback victory when they send ace Luis Castillo to the mound for the rubber match of a three-game set with the visiting Chicago Cubs on Thursday night. Eugenio Suarez tied the game with a two-run homer in the eighth inning and Yasiel Puig’s walk-off RBI single in the 10th gave Cincinnati a 6-5 victory Wednesday – its fourth triumph in the last six games.
Castillo, who went 10-12 in 2018, earned National League Pitcher of the Month for March/April after going 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA in seven starts and is unbeaten in two trips to the mound in May while serving up just three homers in 56 1/3 innings overall this year. Castillo will face an NL Central-leading Chicago team that lost for just the third time in 16 games Wednesday, owns a 52-26 record against the Reds since 2015 and is unbeaten in its last 10 series (9-0-1). The Cubs will send left-hander Jose Quintana, who was also 3-1 in March and April, to the mound in search of another series victory after he suffered his second loss of the season last Friday against Milwaukee. Javier Baez singled in the 10th inning Wednesday to extend his hitting streak to 13 games (20-for-55) for Chicago while teammate Kris Bryant has reached base in a career-high 24 straight contests after going 1-for-5 with a base hit in the 10th.
| Tony’s Pick | TEAM |
| CHICAGO CUBS | 110 |
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jose Quintana (4-2, 3.50 ERA) vs. Reds RH Luis Castillo (4-1, 1.76)
Quintana saw his four-game winning streak come to an end last Friday after allowing three runs on four hits over 6 2/3 innings of a 7-0 loss to the Brewers. The 30-year-old Colombia native has recorded five quality starts in his last six trips to the mound and boasts 46 strikeouts across 46 1/3 innings overall. Joey Votto is 7-for-14 with four doubles in his career versus Quintana, who was 2-2 with a 3.27 ERA in four starts against the Reds last season.
Castillo has gone seven starts without a loss and limited San Francisco to two hits over six scoreless frames with a season-high 11 strikeouts last time out. The 26-year-old Dominican entered Wednesday third in the NL with 70 strikeouts and first in opponents batting average (.168). Daniel Descalso and Kyle Schwarber have each belted two homers against Castillo, who was 2-1 with a 4.74 ERA in five starts versus the Cubs in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo (back) missed his third straight game Wednesday, but could return for the weekend series at Washington.
2. Cincinnati SS Jose Iglesias had two hits along with two RBIs on Wednesday and is 8-for-24 during his current six-game hitting streak.
3. Schwarber homered for the first time in May on Wednesday and snapped a six-game RBI drought in which he was 2-for-17.
PREDICTION: Cubs 4, Reds 3
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