Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox
Monday, June 20th, 8:10 PM
(matchup)
For the first time this year, the Northside meets the Southside of Chicago and the way things are going this year for the visiting Cubs, this series might be one of the few things to look forward to. The White Sox have opened as -135 home favorites for Monday’s contest, which has a pitching matchup of Carlos Zambrano vs. Gavin Floyd.
After surprising the Yankees in Friday’s series opener, the Cubbies dropped back to back games over the weekend to the Bronx Bombers, including Sunday night’s 10-4 decision. After opening up an early 4-1 lead, the game was tied headed into the eighth, but the Cubbies let it slip away from there by allowing the New York to score three runs in each of the final two innings. Chicago is now 13 games under .500 and owns the worst run differential in baseball at -71. They still lead last place Houston by three games in the NL Central.
Meanwhile, the White Sox have actually begun to turn things around following their similar slow start. After losing three in a row, they took the final two games of a three-game set with Arizona to climb within three games of .500 and 5.5 games of first place in the AL Central.
The White Sox are 8-4 vs. the Cubs the last two seasons, going 4-2 both at home and on the road. Going back further, the Cubs are just 2-7 their last nine games at US Cellular Field as they were swept here in 2008.
Carlos Zambrano has not pitched well for the Cubs in back to back outings. He’s allowed 12 runs in 12.3 IP in a pair of losses while walking nine hitters. He last won a decision on May 26th. Going up against the White Sox has been an issue for Zambrano, who has a 7.43 ERA against his cross-town rivals the last three times he’s faced them.
Meanwhile, White Sox starter Gavin Floyd has tended to pitch well in Interleague affairs. He’s posted a 1.71 ERA in 11 starts overall, including 1.20 in two games vs. the Cubs. Yet, he did not record a decision in either start and actually lost a 1-0 game last season.
With yesterday’s 8-2 victory over Arizona, the White Sox improved to 19-5 their last 24 games vs. the National League. They are 4-2 this season.
The Cubs have been a pretty good
MLB pick as a road underdog of +125 or less the last two seasons, going 19-7, but they are just 5-4 in that role this season. Zambrano has a team start record of 18-9 in road night games.
