The division rival St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs are set to renew hostilities on Sunday when they meet at Wrigley Field.
Cardinals at Cubs
GAME: St. Louis Cardinals (0-0) at Chicago Cubs (0-0)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, April 05 – 8:05 PM EST
WHERE: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
LINE: 107, -118 TOTAL: 7
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN2
PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Cubs 2
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The Cardinals will pin their hopes on the pitching of right hander Adam Wainwright in this game. Wainwright has a 0-0 record and a 0.00 ERA this season.
The Cubs will counter Wainwright with Jon Lester. Left hander Lester has a 0.00 ERA to go along with a 0-0 record this season.
Oddsmakers currently have the Cardinals listed as 108-moneyline favorites versus the Cubs, while the game’s total is sitting at 7.
In their last action, Chicago was a 5-2 winner on the road against the Brewers. Bettors on Chicago at +162 on the moneyline collected their winnings from that game, while the total score (7) sent UNDER bettors home happy as well.
Chicago’s new ace was limited to 8 1/3 innings over three starts in spring training after missing a start because of arm fatigue, so his pitch count will be limited. Lester is coming off a strong 2014 in which he posted a career-best ERA in 32 starts between Boston and Oakland. Lester is pitching in the National League for the first time in his career, but has fared well against the Senior Circuit, going 15-7 with a 3.06 ERA in 29 career starts in interleague play.
Team record: 73-89
Chi Cubs is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Chi Cubs’s last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs’s last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi Cubs’s last 7 games at home
In their last action, St. Louis was a 6-3 loser on the road against the Giants. Bettors on San Francisco at -148 on the moneyline collected their winnings from that game, while the total score (9) sent OVER bettors home happy as well.
Wainwright is coming off the second 20-win season of his career in which he matched his career-high with five complete games and tossed a career-best three shutouts. He made only three starts in the spring because of an abdominal strain but was effective, allowing five earned runs in 14 1/3 innings. The 33-year-old has had mixed results against the Cubs over the years, going 11-7 with a 4.09 ERA, but tossed 14 scoreless innings over the past two meetings, winning both.
Team record: 94-77
Current Streak: lost 3 straight games.
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis’s last 5 games
St. Louis is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis’s last 5 games on the road
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