The Chicago Cubs (24-14) travel to Cincinnati tonight to take on the Reds (18-23) at 5:40 Central time from The Great American Ballpark. The Cubs are slight favorites at -112 and the over/under is 9. On the mound for the Cubs is Kyle Hendricks (2-4, 3.19 ERA) and opposing him will be righty, Tanner Roark (3-1, 3.27 ERA). The Cubs come in up 2.5 games in the NL Central.
Analysis:
The Cubs come in winners in 12 of their last 14. However, they are only 9-8 on the road this season. Hendricks has been very beatable on the road, failing to go past 5 innings in road starts all season and not getting a win. Roark has failed to reach the 6th inning in all of his starts this season. The Cubs haven’t lost a series since their road series in Milwaukee April 5th-7th. But the Reds aren’t as bad as their record seems and although they are under .500, they have a + 30 run differential.
Players to Watch:
Kyle Hendricks: He has been terrible on the road this season – in 13.1 innings he’s given up 28 hits and as an 8.78 ERA
Eugenio Suarez: Is hitting over .300 and has 6 homers at home this season.
Prediction:
Which Hendricks will show up? That is the question for the Cubs, especially with Yu Darvish pitching tomorrow. Hendricks will need to help save the pen. He hasn’t allowed a run in his last 2 starts though, which spanned 17 innings. Hopefully, he can figure something out tonight. The Reds can hit and Joey Votto is always a possible game changer. Take the Reds in a close one.
Score: Reds 6 Cubs 4, Reds and the Over