Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction, Picks and Preview – September 15, 2015

The Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates are on pace to become wild card game combatants this coming October. In this potentially crucial series, both teams look to draw first blood later tonight, when the Cubs counter Pittsburgh’s ace Gerrit Cole with Jason Hammel.

Read on for a detailed preview of this game. You can also click here for an overview of the AL and NL wild card races.
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Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Preview

Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh

When: Tuesday, September 15, 2015, 7:05 PM ET

Line:  Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates – view all MLB lines

Betting on the Chicago Cubs

[sc:MLB240banner ]It wasn’t that good of a night for Jason Hammel (8-6, 3.59 ERA) in his last outing, but he nonetheless picked up his first win of the month on September 8 when the Cubs defeated St. Louis, 8-5.

Hammel lasted for six innings against the Cards, giving up three earned runs on four hits, while issuing four walks and striking out six. While control was definitely a problem for Hammel in that game, it was not the case when he last faced the Pirates. Hammel was in his absolute best in the Cubs’ 4-0 win over Pittsburgh way back in April 27. In that game, the nine-year veteran tossed eight scoreless innings, yielding just four hits while recording seven punchouts in a 4-0 win.

Hammel enters Game 1 of the Cubs’ three-game set with St. Louis carrying a 2-1 record with a 4.84 ERA over his past four starts.

Backing Hammel is a lineup that has collectively hit .317 lifetime against Gerrit Cole. Among them is Starling Castro, who is 5-for-13 (.385) with four RBIs opposite the Pirates’ All-Star hurler. Moreover, Castro seems to have really turned the corner after a dismal July, wherein he hit .170. Castro batted .296 in August and is hitting .474 thus far this month. Anthony Rizzo, meanwhile, is 5-for-11 (.455) in his career against Cole.

The Cubs are 5-3 in their last eight games against Pittsburgh.

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Betting on the Pittsburgh Pirates

After a nine-day rest, Gerrit Cole (16-8, 2.54 ERA) is set to take the mound again later tonight. Cole, who is eyeing his 17th win of the season, will face the Cubs for the third time this season when he gets the ball for Game 1 of this must-watch four game series.

In his previous start against the North Siders, Cole gave up two runs in the sixth inning of a 4-1 loss in Wrigley Field on May 16. Before that, though, Cole had a 6-0 record and a 2.92 ERA in six career starts opposite the Cubs. That stretch includes the Pirates’ 8-1 win also in Chicago on April 29, when Cole tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out eight batters.

Now set to face the Cubbies at home, Cole will look to improve on his 8-3 record, 2.74 ERA, and .240 opponents’ batting average across 13 starts in PNC Park thus far this year.

Cole aside, the Bucs’ offense has also looked great of late. The Pirates have averaged 6.5 runs in their last six games. Moreover, Pittsburgh is hitting .266/.337/.420 in 1`3 games so far this month.

The Pirates will turn to the likes of Josh Harrison and Francisco Cervelli. Harrison is just 1-for-11 in his career against Jason Hammel, but is hitting .450 (9-for-20) in his last six games. Cervelli, meanwhile, is the one who appears to have a good read on Hammel’s stuff, as he is 4-for-8 (.500) lifetime against the Cubs’ righty.

Pittsburgh is 7-3 in its last 10 home games.

Writer’s Prediction

Pittsburgh wins, 6-3.
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