The Cubs are heating up just as the Cardinals are cooling down. Make your play on Ted Lilly and Chicago on Tuesday night when they travel to take on St. Louis.
Tonight the Cubs' Ted Lilly (5-2, 3.27 ERA) takes the mound on the road against rival St. Louis Cardinals and Joel Pineiro (4-3, 4.17 ERA).
Right now these are two teams headed in two different directions. The Cards are struggling due to injuries to some of the big bats in their lineup such as Rick Ankiel, Troy Glaus and Ryan Ludwick. Meanwhile the Cubs are winners of five of their last six games.
The southpaw Lilly should dominate the banged-up Cards lineup tonight that is batting just .184 vs lefties in their past 10 games. Lilly has been solid with a 1.05 WHIP this season and a solid 38/9 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Cubs are 4-1 in Lilly's last five starts visiting St. Louis and we expect much success again tonight from the veteran. Chicago is a solid 5-1 in his last six road starts.
Pineiro is a solid pitcher but unfortunately he has fallen victim to no offensive support going 0-3 in his last three starts. The Cardinals lineup is averaging just 2.3 runs per game in his last three on the mound. Pineiro is coming off a tough outing in Pittsburgh giving up 11 hits and five earned runs.
Chicago bats have come alive vs. righthanded pitchers batting .281 in their last 10 games. With Lilly on the mound Pineiro will have to pitch a near perfect game tonight to get a win. We don't see him getting enough help from his teammates bats to get it done.
The Cards are on a 1-5 skid and until their bats wake up we will not be backing them. Play on the Cubs.
Free Pick: Cubs -115