ODDS ANALYSIS
An important road trip looms for the Dodgers, who have struggled away from Dodger Stadium all season. LA entered the week on top of the NL West, slightly ahead of the Giants.
But if their road woes continue the Dodgers could find themselves on the outside looking in. Their 10-game journey started with a 4-2 loss to the Cubs with ace Clayton Kershaw on the bump, dropping LA’s road record to 12-19 putting them down 12.44 units on the moneyline. Overall the Dodgers are in the red 6.91 units despite their 39-32 record.
Chicago is showing signs of being the team everyone in the organization thought they would be. The Cubs are turning heads around the league as well and the summer should be fun on the north side. The Cubs won their third straight beating the Dodgers 4-2 on Monday while playing below the scoreline for a fourth straight home game. The under is 8-3 in the last 11 games at Wrigley Field and 20-9-3 this season.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Mike Bolsinger (4-2, 2.87 ERA) had his worst outing of the season giving up five runs and eight hits in 5.1 innings in a loss to the Giants on Friday. He’s winless in four road starts this season and is 1-2 in his last five turns after going 3-0 in his first four starts. His ERA has is still an impressive 2.87 but it has gone up after each of his last five starts where his ERA is 4.91 during that span.
Bolsinger allowed one unearned run and four hits with seven strikeouts picking up his only win of the 2014 season in Wrigley Field on Apr. 24 as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kyle Hendricks (2-3, 4.28 ERA) served up a career-high seven runs, six of which were earned, on 11 hits over five innings to the Twins on Friday in his last start. It’s the third time this season he’s allowed five or more runs in a start and he responded with solid outings after each of the previous two times. He’s winless in five starts at Wrigley field this season.
Hendricks gave up one earned run on four hits in seven innings in his only game against the Dodgers, an 8-2 win at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 1, 2014.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I don’t think anyone in that clubhouse or in the front office is satisfied or feels like we’ve accomplished anything, just because we’re in a certain position less than halfway into the season.” – Cubs’ president of baseball operations Theo Epstein
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
Two of the best first basemen in the National League, both at the dish and with the leather, square off in this series looking to put some recent offensive struggles behind them. Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo entered the series in Minnesota over the weekend cold and left red-hot. He had just two hits in 25 at-bats in a six-game stretch with his average plummeting to .301, the lowest it’s been since Apr. 20. He collected two hits in each of the three games with the Twins, including three homers, with his average back up to .309. Adrian Gonzalez was scorching in April but saw his average dip below .300 for the first time after a 14-game stretch that started June 6 where he hit .111 (6 for 54). He had three hits, including his first home run in 17 games, Sunday against the Giants and went 1 for 3 in Monday’s opener.
PROP TALK
Scores of other highly-touted prospects have made their MLB debut since Kris Bryant stepped onto the grass at Wrigley Field back in April. With the spotlight off him, Bryant is now part of a team that’s headed in the right direction. Bryant can now say he’s homered off the reigning NL MVP and Cy Young award winner after taking Clayton Kershaw deep on Monday. He added another long ball in the game, giving him 10 on the year, in his first multi-homer game of his big league career. Bryant raised his average to .282 and hits much better at Wrigley Field with a .326 average in the friendly confines.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Chicago hitters let out a big sigh after facing Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke in the first two games of the series. The Cubs guaranteed a split of those games by handing Kershaw a loss in Monday’s 4-2 win and continue to play well at home. The Dodgers meanwhile have struggled mightily on the road and need to string some wins together on their 10-game journey to maintain their lead in the NL West. Bolsinger has been good since taking a spot in the rotation but his ERA has risen in each of his last five starts. Bolsinger is in search of his first road win while Cubs’ starter Kyle Hendricks goes after his first home win. LA gets enough offense in this one for the win.
Los Angeles 5, Chicago 3
BookMaker will send out the baseball odds for this marquee matchup before any other sportsbook. BookMaker is going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-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!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem, BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The ballgame between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs will take place Wednesday, June 24, 2015, at 8:05 p.m. ET at Wrigley Field. The matchup will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
