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

Houston hands the ball to starter Wandy Rodriguez in this one and he'll try to improve on his 0-1 mark on the year. Chicago counters with Carlos Zambrano, who will try to quiet the fans and the Astros bats at the same time.



View Chi Cubs vs Houston Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
The Astros were listed as +106 moneyline underdogs at most sportsbooks tracked by Odds Shark, while oddsmakers set the Sportsbook total around 7.5 earlier on Monday.



How They Match Up:
Scoring stats point to some edges in this matchup. The game features Houston's National League No. 6-ranked scoring average of 4.5 runs per game, against a Cubs offense rated No. 8 and scoring 4.1 runs per game in the league. The Astros have averaged 9.7 hits per game to date this season, more than the Cubs hitters have managed (9.2 per nine innings).

Pitching and defensive stats are important baseball handicapping factors and Houston has the National League's No. 15-ranked defense. In the other dugout, the Cubs own the National League's No. 13 mark in runs allowed.

In their last action, Chicago was a 11-2 loser on the road against the Astros. Bettors on Houston at -135 on the moneyline collected their winnings from that game, while the total score (13) sent OVER bettors home happy as well. The Cubs endured a 11-2 loss at the hands of the Astros on Tuesday, with James Russell throwing 1 2/3 innings of 7-hit ball at Minute Maid Park.




Chicago Cubs Trends:
When playing on Wednesday are 7-3
Before playing Colorado are 4-6
After playing Houston are 3-7
After a loss are 8-2

Houston Astros Trends:
When playing on Wednesday are 6-4
Before playing San Diego are 4-6
After playing Chi Cubs are 8-2
After a win are 3-7

A few Cubs at Astros trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chi Cubs' last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi Cubs' last 5 games on the road
Chi Cubs are 13-5 SU in their last 18 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi Cubs' last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Houston's last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs
Houston is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games


Next up:
Chi Cubs at Colorado, Friday, April 15
Houston home to San Diego, Thursday, April 14