Just two weeks ago, the Chicago Cubs were trying to break a
four-game losing streak and snap a five-game winning streak for the St. Louis
Cardinals on Sunday Night Baseball. The Cardinals (53-28) went on to sweep the
Cubs (44-36) and increased their lead atop the National League Central, but the
teams have headed in opposite directions since that last meeting on June 28.
St. Louis went on to lose four of six while Chicago has won five of six after
taking two of three from the Miami Marlins over the weekend. The teams meet
again at Wrigley Field on Monday in the first of four games between the
division rivals.
The Cardinals have won seven of the nine games against the
Cubs this season, including six of the past seven. They are still the only MLB
team with 50 wins or more and attempting to win their third straight division
crown this year. Meanwhile, Chicago has played very well in stretches under
first-year manager Joe Maddon and hopes to earn one of the NL Wild Card berths
in the playoffs this season. Right now, the Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates would be
the league's two Wild Cards out of the same division.
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for latest MLB odds.
While Chicago is not yet out of contention for the NL
Central title, St. Louis leads the Cubs by 8.5 games and the Pirates by six
heading into the last week of baseball action before the MLB All-Star break. Chicago
will lean on ace Jon Lester (4-6, 3.74 ERA) in the series opener while the
Cardinals turn to right-hander John Lackey (6-5, 3.30) who walked away with a
no-decision in an eventual 3-2 win the last time he faced the Cubs on June 26.
However, Lackey followed that effort up with a tough-luck loss next time out
against the Chicago White Sox last Wednesday, allowing two runs in a 7-1
setback at home.
Lester has been a bit of a disappointment so far this season
for Chicago after signing a massive free-agent deal last offseason worth $155
million. The veteran lefty is coming off one of his best starts of the year
though on the road against the New York Mets last Wednesday, throwing seven
scoreless innings with one walk and seven strikeouts to earn the victory in a
2-0 win. The UNDER has cashed in each of Lester's previous five starts along
with three of the team's past four meetings with St. Louis overall.
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for Monday's baseball picks from the Don Best handicappers.