ODDS ANALYSIS
The Washington Nationals had their six-game win streak snapped Saturday but bounced back with a win Sunday over the Phillies for their eighth consecutive series victory. A string of 13 wins in 15 games catapulted the Nats into the top spot in the NL East, a position many expected this team to be in. The win streak started when the Nats took the final three of a four-game set at San Diego wrapping up a 5-2 road trip that improved their away record to 12-11. The Nats are a strong play on the over going 15-7-1 on the road and have cashed the over in four of Jordan Zimmerman’s last five starts while winning them all.
The Cubs welcome a return to the friendly confines after dropping two of three games in Arizona over the weekend. The Cubs won six of seven games at Wrigley, improving to 13-8 at home, before embarking on their seven-game trip. The Cubs finished their last homestand in the black 4.63 units and are up 2.61 units on the moneyline this season. But the runline has been a different story for Chicago with a 6-15 mark at home in the red 6.94 units for the season. The under is 12-6-3 in the Cubs’ first 21 home games, however they’ve cashed the over in three starts from Kyle Hendricks at Wrigley.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Jordan Zimmerman (4-2, 3.52 ERA) pitched seven innings of one-run ball to defeat the Yankees on Wednesday. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out six. The Nationals have won each of his last five starts and he is 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA over that span.
Zimmerman has a 4.81 ERA in seven career games against the Cubs but is 0-3 with a 6.27 ERA and has given up five home runs in 18.2 innings at Wrigley Field.
Kyle Hendricks (1-1, 4.14 ERA) tossed his first career complete game shutout Thursday giving up five hits with seven strikeouts in a 3-0 win at San Diego. He threw 108 pitches in the outing after not going more than six innings in any of his previous seven starts.
Hendricks is 0-1 with a 4.86 in three home starts and will face the Nationals for the first time in his career.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I’m not going to say I needed it, but I kind of did need it. I haven’t been throwing very well.” – Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks after a five-hit shutout of San Diego in his last start.
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
While Chicago’s starting pitching has rounded into form the team’s bullpen remains a question mark. The group has shown signs of being good but on too many occasions they failed. The latest breakdown came in Arizona Friday when closer Hector Rendon blew his third save allowing a pair of runs in the 10th-inning before Zac Rosscup took the loss two innings later. “The bullpen has been taxed more than the starters. So if you start rolling the starters deeper, and at that point getting the bullpen in order, that’s a nice way to go,” said manager Joe Maddon. The Cubs continue to audition relievers who could help them later this season. Yoervis Medina, acquired in a trade with Seattle, and Daniel Schlereth, a former first round pick of the Diamondbacks, both made their debuts at Triple-A Iowa last week.
PROP TALK
Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper is looking like the hitter everyone thought he would be when he was the first pick of the Nats in 2010. Harper surpassed his home run total from all of last season and leads the NL in long balls while hitting .333. He had a pair of hits and RBIs Sunday in a win over Philadelphia and the Nats are 8-1 during May when he has multiple hits in a game and 3-4 in games when he doesn’t get a hit. As Harper goes so go the Nats. Harper hits better than .300 in his career at Wrigley Field and gets the better of Kyle Hendricks for a few hits on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
This shapes up to be an exciting series between two top teams in the National League. The Nationals have come around after a sluggish start behind the hitting of Bryce Harper and a starting rotation that is living up to the high standards thrust upon it at the beginning of the season. Harper has been on fire leading the NL in home runs leading the offensive attack. The pitching is good but Jordan Zimmerman has struggled in his career at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs had a disappointing end to their road trip losing two of three to the Diamondbacks over the weekend with their inconsistent bullpen having a breakdown in Friday’s loss. While the starting pitching has been solid, Chicago needs better efforts from its relief crew to be considered a contender. The free-swinging youngsters fan too much but the strikeouts have decreased and the run production has risen. The Cubs have played well at home and Kyle Hendricks is coming off his best outing. Look for the Cubs to silence the hot Nationals.
Chicago 5, Washington 3
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