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Chicago Cubs at Washington MLB Odds & Pick for NLDS Game 5

Chicago Cubs at Washington MLB Odds & Pick for NLDS Game 5

Written by on October 12, 2017

MLB News and Betting Previews| Xbet.ag
It’s all down to one game now, as the Washington Nationals host the Chicago Cubs tonight in a winner-take-all Game Five in their National League Division Series. The teams have alternated wins, as the Cubs won Games One and Three, and the Nationals took Games Two and Four. Stephen Strasburg pitched the Nationals to a big win in Chicago yesterday, but now the Nationals have yet to decide who will take the mound in the elimination game. The Cubs will send Kyle Hendricks — the winner from Game One — to the hill to try and get Chicago to the National League Championship Series. Check out the MLB odds for this matchup.

Chicago Cubs at Washington MLB Odds & Pick for NLDS Game 5

When: Thursday, October 12, 2017, 8:08pm ET Where: Nationals Park, Washington, DC TV: TBS Radio: ESPN Radio Live Stream: MLB.tv MLB Odds: Cubs -1.5 -110 Pitching Matchup: Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA) (CHI) vs Undecided (WAS)

Weather Forecast

  • Chance of Thunderstrom: 16°C/61°F
  • Humidity: 86%
  • Precipitation: 18%
  • Wind: 10 mph ENE
  • Cloud Cover: 97%
  • Type of Stadium: Open

Why should you bet on the Cubs?

Hendricks looked tremendous in the series opener, outdueling Strasburg and firing seven shutout innings, fanning six and permitting just a pair of hits. Over the first four games of hte series, the Cubs’ pitching staff has a combined ERA of 2.57, with the Nationals posting a slash line of .128/.256.239. While this game is on the road, they also won Games Six and Seven of the World Series last year in Cleveland, so they are used to high-pressure situations away from Wrigley Field. The Nationals lost Game Five of the NLDS against St. Louis in 2012 and against the Dodgers a year ago, so this is a monkey that has a tight hold on their neck. The Nationals have scored a dozen runs in this series. Nine of them came in just two innings — the eighth inning of Game Two and of Game Four — and all of those came on home runs from Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Taylor. Hendricks was able to shut down the Nationals’ hitters in his last outing, and if the Cubs’ pitching staff can just keep from allowing the long ball, they have an excellent shot at sending the Nationals to another off-season of misery.

Why should you put your money on the Nationals?

Either Gio Gonzalez (the starter from Game Three) or Tanner Roark (who had been supposed to pitch Game Four before the rainout changed matters and Strasburg got the nod) will start this game for Washington. As good as the Cubs’ pitching staff has been, the Nationals’ hurlers have been even better, posting a 1.64 ERA combined over these first four contests. Anthony Rizzo went 0-for-3 in Game Four for the Cubs, ending a nine-game postseason hitting streak and a five-game postseason RBI streak. If his bat stays cold, the Nationals will have an even better chance to advance to the NLCS. Are the Nats a safe bet in NLDS Game 5? There is a huge mental element to this game for Washington. Despite their pile of National League East trophies, they have never made it to the National League Championship Series, with losses in the NLDS coming with each division title, most recently a year ago when the Dodgers stopped them in five games. Stephen Strasburg gave the team a huge boost by starting Game Four despite having suffered from flu-like symptoms for the two previous days, and then coming on to put the team on his back to take the win. If you like the Nationals, you think that Gonzalez or Roark can deliver a similar performance on the mound and outduel Hendricks.

Latest MLB Odds Trends

  • Chi Cubs is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games
  • Chi Cubs is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs’s last 5 games
  • Washington is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 games
  • Washington is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington’s last 7 games

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

With Strasburg already out of the gun, the Nationals have to rely on the starter who didn’t get the job done in Game Three or their fourth starter — the one that they didn’t want to use in Game Four. The Cubs return with the confidence of their Game One winner on the mound and their experience in postseason wins on the road. I predict that the Cubs will deliver a 3-2 win and advance to face the Dodgers.  
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