Public Loves Cubs
Jim Edmonds had typically been showered with boos by Chicago Cubs fans at Wrigley Field. Since putting on a Cubs uniform, though, he has been doing a pretty good job of winning over the Wrigley faithful.
Edmonds and the Cubs look to continue their surge at Wrigley when they conclude their three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles Thursday afternoon.
Oddsmakers from Sportsbook.com have made Chicago -154 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for tonight’s game, the over/under has been set at 9.5 total runs (Matchup). Current public betting information shows that 89% of bets for this game have been placed on Chicago -154 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
After seeing its 14-game home winning streak come to an end with a 7-5 loss in Tuesday’s series opener, Chicago (49-29) bounced back with a 7-4 victory over the Orioles (39-37) on Wednesday.
The Cubs are now one victory away from becoming baseball’s first team with 50 wins – a mark they didn’t reach until July 19 last season – and are also looking to move 21 games over .500 for the first time all year.
Chicago owes most of this season’s success to its home-field advantage. The Cubs have won 22 of their last 25 at Wrigley, and have not lost a home series since dropping two of three to Milwaukee April 29-May 1.
Despite being one of the newest Cubs on the roster, Edmonds – a former center fielder with the rival St. Louis Cardinals – has been a big part of the team’s success at Wrigley.
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With outfielders Alfonso Soriano and Reed Johnson on the disabled list and Kosuke Fukudome missing Wednesday’s game with a tight left calf, Edmonds hit his seventh homer of the season and drove in two runs.
"Everybody has picked up the slack," Edmonds said. "If somebody goes down, we got a bench than can go in and play anywhere they want. That’s the best thing about this team right now, we’re well-rounded."
In his last four games, Edmonds has four hits – all home runs – and seven RBIs. He’s batting .351 (13-for-37) with six home runs, 16 RBIs and a .432 on-base percentage in 12 games at Wrigley since signing a free-agent contract with the Cubs on May 15.
Jason Marquis (6-3, 4.43 ERA) has also been key to Chicago’s run, and he looks to win his fifth straight start when he takes the ball in the series finale.
The Cubs lost four of Marquis’ first seven starts of the year, but have won six of his last seven with the right-hander posting a 3.64 ERA in those contests.
On Saturday, Marquis allowed five runs and eight hits in seven innings of an 11-7 win over the Chicago White Sox.
This will be Marquis’ first career start against Baltimore. He faced the Orioles in two relief appearances for Atlanta in 2003, yielding two runs in three innings.
Baltimore lost for the third time in four games on Wednesday after winning six of seven. Jay Payton provided all of the Orioles’ offense with a pair of two-run homers, his first since May 17.
Radhames Liz (1-0, 6.27) looks to bounce back from a rough outing when he makes his fifth start of the year on Thursday.
Liz allowed four runs in 10 1-3 innings in his first two starts since being called up from Triple-A Norfolk, but he has given up nine runs in 8 1-3 innings in his last two outings.
On Friday at Milwaukee, Baltimore provided Liz with a four-run first-inning lead, but the right-hander ended up getting tagged for five runs, four hits and four walks in just two-plus innings. The Orioles still won 8-5.
"You have to demonstrate poise, you have to demonstrate composure and you have to pitch your game no matter the score or what the situation is," Baltimore manager Dave Trembley told the team’s official Web site. "I think Radhames got a real good lesson (Friday), which he’ll be better for."
This will be Liz’s first career outing against the Cubs.
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