Dodgers vs. Cubs Pick
Are the Chicago Cubs going to get their first win in the best-of-7 NLCS series versus the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night? Game time is 9:08PM EST.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Cubs are a -123 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Dodgers are a +103 underdog and the over-under is 8.
Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead in the series Sunday night via a 4-1 victory. The Dodgers are now 109-58 on the season including the playoffs and are 48-34 on the road. The Cubs are 95-74 and 49-34 at home. Los Angeles has won six of eight games in the season series and five in a row.
Pitching for the Dodgers in Game 3 will be Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86 ERA), while the Cubs turn to Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03). Darvish had a 1.16 WHIP with 209 strikeouts over 186 2/3 innings during the regular season. He allowed one earned run on three hits with seven strikeouts and one walk over five innings in a 3-1 win at Arizona in Game 3 of the NLDS. He has a 6-4 record and 2.44 ERA in 92 1/3 innings on the road this season. Darvish has not faced the Cubs in 2017. Hendricks carried a 1.19 WHIP with 123 strikeouts in 139 2/3 innings in the regular season. He gave up four earned runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts and one walk over four innings in a 9-8 win at Washington in Game 5 of the NLDS. He also threw seven shutout innings in a Game 1 win. Hendricks has a 4-3 record and 3.20 ERA in 76 home innings. He has not faced the Dodgers this year.
In Game 2, Los Angeles got a walk-off three-run home run by Justin Turner in the bottom of the ninth off John Lackey to win the game. Turner was 2-for-4 with a walk and four RBIs. Cody Bellinger was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Yasiel Puig walked three times and scored a run. Kenley Jansen earned the win in relief. Addison Russell hit a solo home run for the Cubs. Lackey took the loss.
The Cubs are 19-7 in their last 26 home games.
The Cubs are now in must-win mode as falling behind 3-0 in the series would provide nearly insurmountable odds. Hendricks has been a trustworthy starter for Chicago this season, although he wasn’t at his best in Game 5 at the Nationals. That can somewhat be chalked up to being seen by the same team for the second time in a week. Look for Chicago’s bats to wake up at Wrigley Field and closer Wade Davis to be used for an inning or two to wrap up the victory.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: CHICAGO CUBS -123
