MLB Predictions Preview ….Feeling the heat from the breath of the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs know the pressure is on. Win to keep pace in the competitive NL Central Division or fall behind…And right now all the Brewers are doing is winning. Looking to at least stay even atop the standings with the Brewers, the Cubs will send their ace Carlos Zambrano to the mound tonight at Wrigley Field looking to pitch the club to a win against the visiting Florida Marlins. Zambrano has a 2.98 ERA to go along with a 10-4 record this season. The Marlins will give the ball to ace lefthander Scott Olsen in this one. Olsen is 6-4 this season with a 3.84 ERA.
MLB Predictions Betting Line … Oddsmakers at Bodog (Bodoglife.com) currently have the Cubs listed as -220 money line favorites versus the Marlins, while the game's total has not yet been posted. Marlins backers are getting +190 money line odds as the road underdog.
Zambrano wasn't as sharp in his most recent outing, as he walked six in 6 1/3 innings in a 4-1 loss at Houston Saturday night, his first loss to an NL Central Division opponent this season. It was the right-hander's third start since coming off the disabled list. Zambrano has not faced the Marlins this season and is 3-1 with a 2.54 ERA in seven career games against Florida.
After holding the high-powered Phillies offense to four runs (three earned) in five innings on Saturday, Olsen picked up his second straight win. That's a big feat considering the 24-year-old went winless in his previous 11 starts. One problem for Olsen pretty much all year, however, has been his velocity. Against the Phillies, the lefty threw 93 pitches, but most of them barely reached 90 mph on the radar gun — a big reason why he did not record a strikeout for the first time since April 25.
The Marlins were crushed 9-4 by the Braves as a +105 underdog on Wednesday. The 13 runs made it OVER the posted over/under (7.5).
Luis Gonzalez belted a three-run homer for the Marlins. Ricky Nolasco gave up five runs off eight hits over five innings in the loss.
The Cubs scored six times in the eighth inning on Wednesday, as they came back to defeat the Diamondbacks 10-6. The Cubs won the game as -137 favorites, while the 16 runs sailed OVER the posted over/under (9).
Reed Johnson had a grand slam for the Cubs, and finished 3-for-4 at the plate. Ted Lilly scattered three hits off six hits over six innings in the win.
MLB Game Prediction: Bet with the Cubs and their big ace Zambrano in this one -220 ML.
