WESLEY SCOTT
Chicago at Milwaukee
Play: Milwaukee +1½
The Chicago Cubs (55-48 Overall, 28-26 Away) look for a series win against the Milwaukee Brewers (55-51, 29-25 Home) in game three of three. The series is tied at 1-1.
The Cubs are coming off a solid 11 innings 2-1 win at Milwaukee. The Cubs used six relievers to get the win. Wade Davis got the save for the Cubs in the 11th, and has not blown a seave this season.
Today Chicago will send John Lackey (7-9, 4.97 ERA) to start game three. Lackey has faced the Brewers once this season going 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA. He is 5-3 sporting a 3.49 ERA in 12 career starts against Milwaukee.
This game has playoff implications. If Lackey performs poorly and is knocked around in five innings, the Cubs could be in trouble, and the veteran stater could be sent to the bullpen.
Zach Davies (12-4, 4.45 ERA) will start today for the Brewers. Davies has faced the Cubs twice this season. He is 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two starts this season. For his career, he is 4-3 with a 4.62 ERA in seven starts against the Cubs.
TJ PEMBERTON
Pirates vs. Padres
Play: Pirates -149
Pittsburgh tries to avoid a three game sweep against the Padres. The Pirates will feature Cole on the mound who didn't allow more than two earned runs in any of his starts in July. The Pirates are 4th in the NL Central and can surely make a run to the top of the division. The Padres have won four straight but will have a tough try completing the sweep with Richard on the hill. Lay the juice with the Pirates.
DAVE ESSLER
Astros vs. Tigers
Play: Tigers
I'll pull this trigger, too - it could be JV's last game, or not, but either way there's got to be an emotional edge here - after last night. McCullers is quite good, but without Springer and Correa I just don't think Houston is quite as potent - I'll take my chances, again.
Bob Balfe
Marlins -125
The Reds are really struggling and as you know it’s hard to break a losing streak on the road. Miami is a better team from top to bottom. The Marlins have the better starter today and the better bullpen. Look for the Cincinnati woes to continue.
Scott Spreitzer
Kansas City at Boston
Play: Boston -155
Both bullpens got busy last night with the starters lasting just 4 innings for the Royals & Red Sox. Boston got the win and snapped KC's nine game winning streak. The starters will be called upon to last in this one and we believe Pomeranz owns the advantage. Boston is on an 8-2 in the lefthander's last 10 home starts. He's posted a 2.47 ERA & 1.27 WHIP in his last eight starts, overall. And Pomeranz will face a KC offense averaging just 1.7 rpg in road day games against southpaws this season. KC counters with Jason Hammel and the team has won just 6 of his last 20 starts and they're 1-6 when he throws on five days rest. Boston's offense has been more productive than KC in this situation, not plating runs-a-plenty, but about 4.6 rpg against righties and that should be good enough today. Finally, after last night, KC is now just 6-19 on the road against teams playing better than .600 baseball at home.
Jeff Benton
Sunday freebie is the Marlins over the Reds.
It is real simple, this is a case of hot vs. not.
In this equation, Miami would qualify as the "hot" team, as the Marlins have won the first 3 of this 4 game series, and they are on an overall 7-2 run their last 9 games played.
Cincinnati would be the "not" hot team in this matchup, as the Reds have lost 6 straight and 15 of their last 17 games overall. They have also lost their last 8 games played overall in Miami,
Luis Castillo and Dan Straily have not been able to find wins when they pitch, as both are winless over their last 3 starts, but Straily has done his best work on the mound at home with a 3-2 mark and an ERA of just 2.82 in 11 starts in Florida.
Right now it is hard to make any kind of case for the Reds who seem to have forgotten the letter "W" in their everyday alphabet.
Play Miami to get the 4-game broom out on Cincy this afternoon.
3* MIAMI
Jack Brayman
The Miami Marlins have done me right the last three nights, and I will continue to ride them, as they have dominated the Cincinnati Reds. No reason to ignore a team that is streaking in baseball. And Sunday afternoon South Beach the party will be at Marlins Park.
Now all alone in second place, the Marlins have surpassed the Atlanta Braves, as they're now 12 1/2 games behind the National League East-leading Washington Nationals.
The Fish have won four in a row, and seven of 11.
Meanwhile, the cellar-dwelling Reds are at the bottom of the National League Central, having lost six straight and nine of 11. They're also a dismal 16-35 on the road this season.
Miami is the play here.
2* MARLINS
Eric Schroeder
My free winner for today is on the Philaldelphia Phillies over the Atlanta Braves.
While I know the Phillies are sitting in the basement of the N.L. East, they've also won three in a row and seven of 10. The momentum is flowing in Philly, and the Phils will wrap things up in their town.
Atlanta is slipping in the standings, thanks to a three-game slide and a 3-7 skid that has it four games under .500 on the road.
Take Philly.
1* PHILLIES
Brad Wilton
My Sunday comp play is the Cubs to take the rubber game of their three game series at Miller Park.
These teams have been going in different directions for a while now, as Chicago has looked every bit the part of "defending champs", as they are on a 10-1 run their last 11 away from home, and on a 12-3 overall run their last 15 games played as they have taken over the top-spot in the N.L. Central Division from Milwaukee.
The Brewers have come crashing down, as they are in the midst of a 3-10 slide over their last 13 games.
John Lackey has won both of his starts since the All-Star Break, and is 5-3 with a 3.49 ERA for his career against Milwaukee.
Zach Davies has had a break-out season for the Brewers, as he stands at 12-4 this year, and has split a pair of decisions against the Cubbies this season.
Davies may keep his team close today, but Milwaukee is having confidence issues right now, so in the end look for the Brewers to fold tent.
Play the Cubs.
3* CUBS
Chris Jordan
Told an investor from Pittsburgh two weeks ago he was going to be disappointed this weekend. He is taking his daughter to San Diego for orientation at San Diego State, and planned a trip to Petco Park to see his beloved Pirates, but I warned him.
Sure enough, the Padres are rolling and the Bucs are reeling.
I am not listing the pitchers in this game, as I like the Friars to take care of business against the slumping Pirates.
San Diego comes into this one on a four-game win streak, while Pittsburgh has lost four in a row.
Pittsburgh is an ugly 23-31 on the road after last night's 4-2 loss, while the Padres have climbed to three games over .500 at home, where they've taken 28 of 53. They've also won seven of 11 overall, and have the momentum rolling.
Take San Diego.
1* PADRES
ASA
Twins / A's Over 10
Bartolo Colon remains in the rotation for this start as the Twins optioned Kyle Gibson to Triple A. We'll take advantage by grabbing the over in a game involving a pitcher, Colon, who is 2-9 with an 8.00 ERA on the season! The over is 11-4 in his 15 starts including 7-2 in his road starts. Jharel Cotton gets the start for the A's here and he is 2-4 with a 7.11 ERA in his home starts this season. You can see exactly why we're expecting both these starters to get rocked here. The over is 25-16 in Twins games against teams with a losing record this season. This has been their pattern in recent seasons as the over is now 102-66 in Minnesota's games versus sub-.500 opposition the past 2+ seasons. Our mathematical simulation model has this one ending with at least a dozen runs scored and we look for the over to go to 25-17 in Athletics day games on the season. Bet the OVER in Oakland in late afternoon action Sunday.
Wunderdog
Dallas @ Los Angeles
Pick: Dallas +12.5
Dallas is a young and hungry team that has taken big steps this season, especially on offense. Skylar Diggins-Smith leads the Wings with 18.5 points per game as the team averages 85.4 points per game, second best in the West and third in the WNBA. Dallas is off a loss at Seattle, but WNBA road dogs are 44-16 ATS after a road loss of 10+ points where they scored 85 or more points. Los Angeles is home, but 15-35-1 ATS against a team with a losing straight up record. Los Angeles is off a blowout win on the road, and home favorites off a road win where they scored 85+ points are 23-53 ATS. These teams have met twice this year, with the Wings winning in Dallas (97-90 as a +7 dog) and covering in a loss at Los Angeles, scoring 87 points. The Los Angeles Sparks are also 6-19-1 ATS playing on one day of rest. And when these teams clash, Dallas is 22-7-2 ATS, including 11-3-2 ATS at Los Angeles.
The Prez
Pittsburgh at San Diego
Play: Pittsburgh -155
Sunday's Pittsburgh at San Diego contest features the Pirates ace, Gerrit Cole against a Padres squad that has sold off a number of talented pieces with the July 31st trade deadline approaching. There is a chance that members of the team won't play today due to speculation that yet another move will be made by the SoCal front office.
First pitch for this Sunday afternoon event is scheduled for 4:40 p.m. ET at Petco Park with the Pirates sending Cole (8-7, 4.12 ERA) to the hill to oppose Padres Clayton Richard (5-11, 5.37).
The Pirates look to avoid a three-game series sweep on Sunday and currently rest 5 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central division.
The Pirates’ offense is expected to return some of their punch today with the return of Gregory Polanco (on the disabled list since July 22) to active duty. Polanco resumed baseball activities on Friday but has yet to take the base path.
Cole faces a Padres team hitting just .236 on the season and is the NL's bottom ranking team in offensive efficiency versus left-handed pitching. The Padres are hitting just .223 with a .288 on base percentage against southpaws this season. Cole has been extremely effective in his last three turns registering a 2.37 ERA over 19 innings of work.
Richard has been dismal at pitcher-friendly Petco. The lefty has an ugly 5.50 ERA at home and is working off his third straight loss. His last outing saw him allow five runs on 12 hits against the New York Mets... tossing a season high 123 pitches.. over eight innings. Richard has surrendered a large 20 runs and 37 hits in just over 17 innings pitched his last three starts.