Vegas Lines & MLB Expert Picks: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates

by Aengus Moorehead

NL Central Matchup on tap as Chicago Cubs Visit Pirates

Time: 7:05 PM ET

Date: Thursday, August 16, 2018

Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Watch on: NBCS Chicago, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh

Odds: Chi. Cubs -125

Total O/U: 8½

The Chicago Cubs, who haven’t lost a series in the second half of the season, will attempt to maintain their winning disposition and land back-to-back victories as they get ready to resume hostilities with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The two NL Central division rivals are scheduled to begin a key four-game series with the opener set to be broadcasted on the MLB network Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. ET and live from PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

The Cubs, who have a precarious 3-game lead in the NL Central over the Brewers, enter this affair as a -127 road favorite, according to Bovada Sportsbook, with the total sitting on 8½ runs. LH Jon Lester (12-5, 3.89 ERA) will attempt to get out of a losing funk as he takes his turn for the Cubs while RH Ivan Nova (7-6, 4.42 ERA) will look to capture back-to-back victories as he gets the call in the opener for the Pirates.

Lester’s free fall ways continued in the second half as he has allowed at least five runs in four of his last five starts since the All-Star break. The 34-year old suffered his worst loss of the season in his last outing in which he yielded 9 runs (eight earned) across a season-high 10 hits and 3 homeruns with 5 strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings in a 9-4 loss to Washington on Saturday. The Tacoma native is 7-6 with a 3.59 ERA in 16-career starts against Pittsburgh.

After allowing seven runs in nine innings in two no-decisions, Nova righted the ship in his last outing by collecting his second quality start in four games since the All-Star break. The 31-year old allowed two runs across only three hits with two walks and three strikeouts in six innings in a 10-5 victory against the Giants a week ago. The Dominican Republic native is 4-1 with a 3.63 ERA in six-career starts against the Cubs.

Pitching Matchup:

Cubs: LH Jon Lester (12-5, 3.89 ERA)

Pirates: RH Ivan Nova (7-6, 4.42)

Gm# Team Opener Bovada BetDSI MyBookie 955 Chi. Cubs - Lester -110 -127 -119 -125 956 Pittsburgh - Nova -110 +107 +109 +105 Total 8½ 8½ 8½ 8½

Chicago Cubs Pittsburgh Pirates 69-50 Won 1 9 4.91 4.15 3.84 18-9 51-41 62-37 7-13 53-62-4 0.76 $99.00 Record Streak Last Meeting Offense Defense Team ERA vs LHP vs RHP Fave Dog O/U Record Diff Money 61-60 Lost 3 2 4.55 4.54 4.24 15-20 46-40 36-30 25-30 58-55-8 0.009 $73.00

Chi. Cubs:

Chi Cubs is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 8 games

Chi Cubs is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road

Chi Cubs is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road

The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 8 games on the road

Chi Cubs is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh

Chi Cubs is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh

Chi Cubs is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh

The total has gone OVER in 17 of Chi Cubs's last 25 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh:

Pittsburgh is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

Pittsburgh is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home

Pittsburgh is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games at home

Pittsburgh is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games at home

Pittsburgh is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Chi Cubs

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing Chi Cubs

Pittsburgh is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

Pittsburgh is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

The total has gone OVER in 17 of Pittsburgh's last 25 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

Next up:

Chicago at Pittsburgh Friday, August 17

The result:

Pittsburgh 7, Chi. Cubs 4.

Aengus Moorehead MLB Predictions: Pittsburgh +105

Total O/U: Over 8½

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