Cubs (8-4)
PK, o/u 7 ½
at Dodgers (6-8), 10 p.m. Eastern
by Ultimatecapper.com Staff
The Chicago Cubs look to continue their hot start when they meet the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second game of a three-game series Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Cubs beat the Dodgers 4-1 in the series opener Monday behind another great outing from the now-ageless Greg Maddux.
Chicago is in second place in the National League Central, a half-game back of division-leading Houston.
Los Angeles is in third place in the NL West, three games back of first-place San Francisco.
Chicago has won three of its last four games, while the Dodgers have lost five of their last seven games.
The Cubs are 4-2 on the road this season, and 9-3 vs. the run line. The Dodgers are 2-5 at home on the season, and 7-7 vs. the run line.
Chicago won the season series with L.A. last year four games to two; the over/under went 3-2-1.
Carlos Zambrano (0-1, 4.86 ERA), the Cubs’ Tuesday starter, pitched two games vs. the Dodgers in 2004 and 2005, shutting out L.A. on only seven baserunners (hits + walks) over 16 innings of work.
Chicago went 20-13 in Zambrano’s start last season; the over/under went 18-13.
L.A.’s Tuesday starter Derek Lowe (1-1, 5.82) pitched two games vs. the Cubs in ’05, allowing six ER and 17 BR in 14 2/3 IP.
The Dodgers went 15-20 in Lowe’s starts a season ago, while the o/u went 16-17.
Chicago is hitting .284 as a team this season, averaging 5.8 runs per game. Cubs hitters have combined for a 32/66 bases on balls-to-strikeout ratio.
Los Angeles is averaging 5.3 RPG this season, but they’ve scored just five runs over their last four games. Dodger hitters have combined for a .276 team batting average and a 56/74 BB/K ratio.
The Chicago bullpen has been solid this season, allowing 13 ER and 49 BR in 38 1/3 IP. And closer Ryan Dempster has converted 22 consecutive save opportunities.
The L.A. bullpen has allowed 20 ER and 63 BR in 45 1/3 IP, posting an 0-5 record with two blown saves out of five chances.
The first three games played at Dodger Stadium this season were decided by scores of 11-10, 5-4 and 9-8. In four games at Chavez Ravine since then, a grand total of 16 runs have been scored. Dodger Stadium games averaged 8.5 RPG in ’05 and 8.4 RPG in ’04.
Projected home-plate umpire Mark Carlson has called three games behind the plate this season, and all three have stayed under the posted totals, averaging 6.3 RPG. And last year, Carlson’s 35 games behind the plate averaged 8.0 RPG, with the o/u going 14-21.
L.A.’s Jeff Kent got beaned in the head Sunday night, and is questionable for Tuesday’s game.
The o/u is a combined 14-13 in Cubs and Dodgers games this season.
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The Ultimatecapper Pick: We like the over!
