The baseball wagering menu sees a clash between Chicago and Pittsburgh on Friday, with the host Cubs trying to win for themselves and reward bettors who back them on the moneyline.

For the Cubs, Chris Rusin gets the ball, charged with keeping the Pirates hitters off the base paths. He'll face James McDonald, 12-7 on the year.



View Pittsburgh vs Chi Cubs Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
If you're backing the visitors in this one, you'll find the Pirates listed as favorites of 125 at most sportsbooks. Total bettors saw the number open in the area of 999, depending on the book.

Power Rankings:
It's a baseball betting matchup between the National League No. 15-rated Cubs and the league No. 13-ranked Pirates, according to the latest MLB power poll here at Odds Shark.



How They Match Up:
The game also pits Chicago's No. 15-rated National League offense, averaging 3.8 runs per game, against a Pirates defense that ranks No. 6 in the National League at 4.1 in runs allowed per game. The Cubs have averaged 8 hits per game so far, less than Pirates batters have averaged on the year (8.2 hits per game).

Pitching and defensive stats are important baseball handicapping factors and Chicago has the National League's No. 14-ranked defense. In the other dugout, the Pirates own the National League's No. 6 mark in runs allowed.

The Pirates were a 2-1 loser in their most recent outing on the road against the Reds. That made Sportsbooks of bettors who got Cincinnati at -135 on the moneyline, while the total score (3) was good news for UNDER bettors. Pittsburgh looks to rebound from a loss to the Reds, who beat them 2-1 on Wednesday behind a start from Homer Bailey at Great American Ball Park.

The Cubs were a 5-1 Sportsbook in their most recent outing on the road against the Astros. That made Sportsbooks of bettors who got Chicago at -115 on the moneyline, while the total score (6) was good news for UNDER bettors. Chicago got the job done in their last match in a 5-1 victory over Houston on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park behind starter Travis Wood.


Pittsburgh Pirates Trends:
When playing on Friday are 3-7
Before playing Chi Cubs are 4-6
After playing Cincinnati are 6-4
After a loss are 2-8

Chicago Cubs Trends:
When playing on Friday are 4-6
Before playing Pittsburgh are 6-4
After playing Houston are 5-5
After a win are 4-6

A few Pirates at Cubs trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Pittsburgh is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs' last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi Cubs' last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
Chi Cubs are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh


Next up:
Pittsburgh at Chi Cubs, Saturday, September 15