Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, Pick and Preview, June 21 (6/21): MLB

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Prediction, Pick and Preview, June 21 (6/21): MLB

Credit: photo by Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

 

Odds

Time 7:05 p.m. EST
Cubs money line +130
Cubs run line +1.5 (-170)
Pirates money line -155
Pirates run line -1.5 (+145)
Over / under 8.5

 

Key stats

  Chicago Cubs Pittsburgh Pirates
Record 25-42 27-39
Road / home record 12-17 15-19
Last 10 record 2-8 3-7
Streak L1 W1
Over / under record 33-31-3 27-34-3
Runs / game 4.23 3.39
Runs allowed / game 5.22 5.03

 

Preview

The Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates will play the 2nd game of the series at the PNC Park on Tuesday. The Pirates outscored the Cubs 12-1 on Monday to take the lead on the series and they're now 6-4 against them so far this season.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs get here with a 25-42 record and have lost 8 their last 10 games. The team is averaging 4.2 runs per game with a .242 at bat while allowing 5.2 runs. Wilson Contreras is leading the team with 12 home runs and 27 RBI while Happ has the better batting average with .284.

Keegan Thompson leads the pitching staff with a 3.27 ERA, 48 strikeouts and 6 wins recorded for the Cubs.

Probable Pitcher:

Matt Swarmer (1-2, 5.23 ERA) will be on the mound for the Cubs in the 2nd game of the series. Swarmer took the loss in Thursday's game against the Padres, allowing four runs on four hits and five walks while striking out four batters in 3.2 innings. 

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates get to this game with a 27-39 record and have won 3 of their last 5 games. The team is averaging 3.4 runs and allowing 5 runs per game. Ke'Bryan Hayes is batting for .270 AVG and has 21 RBI. Bryan Reynolds leads in home runs with 11.

JT Brubaker (1-7) pitched six scoreless innings for his first win of the season. He leads the team with a 4.11 ERA, 70 strikeouts and 1 win.

Probable Pitcher: 

Roansy Contreras (1-1, 3.06 ERA) will take the mound in the 1st game of the series for the Pirates. Contreras pitched 4.1 innings against the Cardinals on Wednesday, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out two batters. He didn't factor into the decision. He has not allowed any runs on 3 hits with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts in 3 innings against the Cubs in his career.

BETTING TRENDS

Chi Cubs are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games against Pittsburgh.

Chi Cubs are 0-6 SU in their last 6 games on the road.

The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Pittsburgh's last 10 games against Chi Cubs.

Pittsburgh are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games at home.

Prediction

The Pirates offense exploded in the first of the series against the Cubs scoring 12 runs and they're 6-4 against them this season. The Chicago Cubs continue to struggle offensively as they have scored only 1 run in their last 2 games. Swarmer had a good start of the season but has been pounded in his last 2 starts the same for Contreras who has allowed 3 runs in each of his last 2 starts. I don't think the Pirates will score that many runs again and with the Cubs struggling offensively I'll take the under.

PICK: Under 8.5 (-110)

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