CINCINNATI vs. CHICAGO CUBS 9/14/2018 MLB Odds, Pick & Preview

The CINCINNATI and the CHICAGO CUBS will both be gunning for a victory on 9/14/2018 at 2:20 PM when they meet in a game matchup.

GAME: Cincinnati Reds (63-84) at Chicago Cubs (85-61)
DATE/TIME: Friday, September 14 – 8:05 PM EST
WHERE: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

TV: 2:20 PM
LINE: -235
PREDICTION: CHICAGO CUBS , CINCINNATI

Oddsmakers currently have the CHICAGO CUBS listed as -235 point favorites versus the CINCINNATI, while the game’s total is sitting at 65.5.

The Chicago Cubs will play only three of their final 16 games outside their home city, beginning with a three-game visit from the Cincinnati Reds starting Friday. The National League Central-leading Cubs have only one road trip left – a six-game swing that includes three at Arizona and three against the crosstown White Sox.

Chicago bolstered its narrow NL Central lead with a 4-3 win in 10 innings Thursday at Washington, moving 1 1/2 games ahead of Milwaukee. Only six of the Cubs’ remaining contests are against teams with winning records – the three at Arizona and their final three-game series of the season against St. Louis. The Reds have played well over the past week, winning four of their last six – including two of three against the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier this week. The Cubs lead the season series 9-7 with a 6-1 edge at home.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Matt Harvey (7-8, 4.87 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Cole Hamels (9-9, 3.71)

Harvey has posted quality starts in four of his last six outings, pitching to a 3.38 ERA over that span. The 29-year-old had a season-high 10 strikeouts last time out against San Diego, allowing two runs over six innings to earn his first win since Aug. 18. Harvey is 2-1 with a 3.72 ERA in seven career starts against the Cubs, including a 1-1 mark and 3.14 ERA in five outings at Wrigley Field.

Hamels is 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA in eight starts since joining the Cubs. The 34-year-old didn’t allow more than one run in any of his first six starts for Chicago, but he has surrendered five in 11 2/3 innings across his last two outings. Hamels is 11-1 with a 1.86 ERA in 16 starts against the Reds, and that includes a complete game win Aug. 23 at Wrigley Field.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cubs RHP Pedro Strop left Thursday’s game with an apparent hamstring injury suffered trying to beat out a double play in the 10th inning.

2. Reds SS Jose Peraza is 15-for-33 with two homers and eight RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak, and he has six multi-hit games during the run.

3. Chicago 3B/OF Kris Bryant is 7-for-18 with four doubles in his past five games and is batting .325 in 12 games since returning from the disabled list.

PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Reds 2

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