The last time Mike Leake pitched against the Chicago Cubs (31-26 SU, +2.15 Units), he had a great outing which was spoiled by his bullpen in a 7-3 loss.
He and his Cincinnati Reds (27-31 SU, -5.89 Units) will hope to get a better effort when they meet again on Saturday as a part of regional coverage on FOX.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Cubbies might be doing really well for moneyline bettors this season, but they have been particularly bad when it comes to beating the run-line, especially here at Wrigley Field. They're just 7-19 this season against baseball's version of the spread when playing in the Friendly Confines.
The good news is that the team is winning close games at home. The bad news is that those wins aren't generally coming by more than one run.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Leake has been really, really streaky this year, something which drives bettors crazy. Of course, the righty has put together two really good starts in a row, which should help his case in this one.
Then again, we do have to remember that this is the same man who conceded a total of 20 runs over 14 innings against the Giants, Indians and Rockies to end May.
Since then though, Leake has allowed five runs over 14 innings.
Kyle Hendricks has quietly been strong for the Cubbies since he has been brought up to the majors. The Dartmouth grad has started 24 times in his career, going 9-4 with a combined ERA hovering right around 3.00.
Hendricks is a heady pitcher, if nothing else, as he often doesn't get behind in the count and always seems to throw the right pitches. He has just 28 walks against 99 strikeouts in his career, and if he can keep that 4/1 ratio, he should be in for a great career.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Just my head was off for a few games. Just something I can't probably explain what was going on. It was just a matter of coming back and re-finding what was making me do well." – Reds starter Mike Leake explaining why he struggled so badly at the end of May
SITUATIONAL BETTING
What's really impressive about the Cubs is that they’ve won so many one-run games in spite of the fact that they have a ton of blown saves this year. Closer Hector Rondon is only 10-for-13 in save chances, which is a scary proposition for live bettors.
PROP TALK
Hello Todd Frazier! The third baseman has three straight multi-hit games heading into Thursday night, and he is batting .545 in that stretch with five extra base hits. Frazier leads the Reds with 17 home runs this season, and he is turning into one of the best corner infielders in the game offensively.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
While Leake is hot, we're going to ride that hand, though at the first sign of trouble in live betting, we will be getting away from Cincinnati in a close game.
Remember that Leake really has made a career out of blasting the Phillies, and two of his best starts this year have come against them. He has been nothing but average aside from that against everyone else in the majors, but we still think that he is going to just barely nip Hendricks on Saturday night.
Cincinnati 5, Chicago 4
The baseball betting odds for this Saturday game will first be available at BookMaker Sportsbook. BookMaker is going to have multiple betting options available for this televised baseball matchup. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, individual inning run totals and next hitter results. Log in and start gambling during the game now!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The game between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs will start at 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL. You can watch the contest live on FOX.
