The visiting New York Mets were well on their way to dispatching the Chicago Cubs in the first game of their series at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night. However, the Cubs had something else in mind as they rallied late in the game to turn back their visitors, 2-1.
The pitching in this game makes it a great one to bet on, but in a full day in the MLB there are lots of lines to like. Check out our MLB free picks for today, then create a betting account now and read on for everything you need to bet on this game.
The Mets will put Daisuke Matsuzaka (2-0, 2.45 ERA), who struck out nine in his last four starts, on the mound tonight. The team is 4-0 in Matsuzaka’s last four starts as an underdog.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Curtis Granderson went 3-for-3 and scored the lone run for the Mets in the first inning on Tuesday night, but his teammates failed to back him up after that. If the Mets plan to win the second game, they shouldn’t let Granderson do all the work. Veteran Bobby Abreu and his .395 average this season should help, along with some contributions from Lucas Duda, who’s batted .300 in his past 10 games.
The Mets are 4-1 in their last five games as an underdog.
Betting on the Chicago Cubs
Although they own the worst record in baseball at 20-34, the Cubs have been playing some proud baseball lately. Down 1-0 in the eighth inning, Chris Coghlan knocked a homer to tie the game. Later in the ninth, Nate Schierholtz hit a two-out, game-winning RBI single.
Now the Cubs face a tough task of following up the emotional victory another win, as they are 2-6 in the second games of their last eight series.
Schierholtz and Coghlan will have to play as well as they have in the first game of the series if they want to prevent the Mets from knotting the series up. Schierholtz has to return to his dependable .251 hitting last season, while Coghlan will have to improve on his abysmal .152 average.
Starting for the Cubs is Edwin Jackson (3-5, 4.81 ERA), who’s in a rut having lost three of his last four starts. In those four starts he allowed 23 hits, 13 earned runs and seven walks.
The Cubs are 1-4 in Jackson’s last five starts as a favorite of -110 to -150.
Writer’s Prediction
Daisuke Matsuzaka limits the Cubs’ offense en route to a win. Take the Mets at +101 to win this one.
