The Chicago Cubs (23-17) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (18-22) on Sunday, May 12th. This game will be played at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and televised on MARQ. The Pirates are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Cubs are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Pirates. First pitch is set for 1:35 ET.
Cubs vs Pirates
Pittsburgh picked up a 10-9 win over the Cubs in the most recent game of this series. The Pirates had a huge 3rd inning, scoring four of their ten runs. As for the Cubs, they scored seven of their nine runs in the 5th. Heading into the game, the Pirates were the slight favorites at -106.
Colin Holderman got the win for the Pirates out of the bullpen, while David Bednar got the save. Keegan Thompson took the loss for the Cubs out of the bullpen.
Yasmani Grandal and Michael A. Taylor each homered for the Pirates, while Andrew McCutchen went 2/4 with three RBIs. Oneil Cruz also had a two-hit game and drove in two runs.
With a record of 23-17, the Cubs are 2nd in the NL Central, 1.5 games behind the Brewers for the division lead. Chicago will take on the Pirates today, and Pittsburgh is 6.5 games out of the division lead. So far, the Cubs are 3-2 in divisional games.
Chicago has gone 5-5 across their last ten games and are 10-6 as the favorite this year. As for their record as the underdog, the Cubs are 13-11. They have been really good at home, going 13-6 compared to 10-11 on the road. The Cubs’ overall series record is 6-4-2 this year.
When the Cubs win, they win big, with an average run margin of 3.3 runs per game. However, when they lose, they lose big, with an average run margin of -3.5 runs per game. Their overall run line record is 24-16, with a +0.4 run margin per game. They are 14-7 against the run line on the road, compared to 10-9 at home. As the favorite, they are just 6-10 against the run line, while as the underdog, they are 18-6.
Chicago’s over/under record for the season is 18-21, and the average over/under line in their games is 8 runs. The Cubs have played 32 games with over/under lines of 8 runs or fewer, and 9 games with lines higher than 8 runs. Their games have averaged 9.1 runs per game, and their over/under record when the line is set at 8.5 runs is 5-3. Their over streak is at 2 games, and their last game against the Pirates went over the total of 7 runs.
Kyle Hendricks Gets The Start For The Cubs
Kyle Hendricks is on the mound for the Cubs today, as they are on the road to take on the Pirates. Hendricks has had a bit of a rough start to the season, as he has taken the loss in both of his starts. He is coming off a start against the Marlins where he gave up 4 earned runs over 4 innings.
Cubs Offense Breakdown
Chicago’s offense has been solid this season, averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 10th in the league. They have been even better at home, putting up an average of 4.9 runs per contest. The Cubs have been a home run hitting team so far, as they are 7th in the league in homers. As a team, they are batting .238, which is 12th in the league.
Christopher Morel has been the Cubs’ top power threat this season, as his eight home runs is 5th best in the league. He is also 8th in the league in RBIs, with 25. Cody Bellinger and Michael Busch are tied for 2nd on the team with seven homers apiece. Bellinger has been hot of late, going 7/17 in his last four games with two homers.
The Pirates are 18-22 overall and trail the Brewers by 6.5 games in the NL Central. So far, they are 3-3 in divisional matchups. Pittsburgh will host the Cubs today, and they are 6.5 games behind the Cubs for 2nd place in the division.
At home and on the road, the Pirates are both 9-11 this season. As the underdog, the Pirates have gone 12-10 compared to 6-12 as the favorite. Pittsburgh’s overall series record is 4-5-3, and they are currently tied in their series vs. the Cubs.
When the Pirates win, they do so by an average of 2.6 runs, but when they lose, they lose by an average of 3.3 runs. They have a run line record of 20-20 this season, and they have gone 9-11 against the run line at home. Pittsburgh is 15-7 against the run line as an underdog this season, and they have covered the run line in three straight games as the underdog.
The Pirates have had a high-scoring start to the season, with their games averaging 8.0 runs per game. Their over/under record is 18-22, and their games have had an average over/under line of 8 runs. When the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs, the Pirates have gone over in 9 of 14 games. Overall, only 5% of their games have had over/under lines set at 8.5 runs.
Bailey Falter Gets The Start For The Pirates
Bailey Falter gets the start for the Pirates today and is coming off a rough outing against the Rockies. In that May 5th start, he went 5 1/3 innings, giving up three earned runs, and taking a no-decision. Looking back further, he has made two straight starts in which he allowed a home run. Falter’s ERA for the season is 4.34, along with a record of 2-2. Opponents are batting .216 this season off the left-hander. Overall, he has made seven starts, and opponents have hit seven home runs off him. Per nine innings, Falter is averaging 6.27 strikeouts and just 2.17 walks.
Pirates Offense Breakdown
Oneil Cruz and Connor Joe have been swinging hot bats of late for the Pirates, with Cruz hitting .367 over his last nine games with three homers and eight RBIs, while Joe has gone 9/31 with two homers in that stretch. Joe is also on a three-game hitting streak, while Cruz has a five-game streak going. Joe is currently the team’s leader in RBIs, and Cruz is 3rd with 16 RBIs.
As a team, the Pirates are 27th in scoring at just 3.6 runs per game. They are also near the bottom of the league in most power-hitting categories, including team home runs and slugging percentage. Overall, they are batting just .222, which is 16th in the league.
Cubs vs Pirates Prediction
Our prediction for today’s Cubs vs. Pirates game is that the Cubs will pick up a 5-4 road win. Given that the Cubs are on the money line at -120, this is the way we recommend playing this one.
Looking at some potential player props, we have Kyle Hendricks finishing with just four strikeouts, which would have him finishing towards the bottom of today’s starters. For the Pirates, Bailey Falter is projected to finish with five strikeouts.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:May 12, 2024 Cubs, Pirates