TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION TUESDAY, AUGUST 29TH
#954 CHICAGO with Steele (-136) over Milwaukee with Burnes at 8:05 PM EST
Checking in hungry off yesterday’s 6-2 home loss to the Brew Crew, the Cubs will storm back and pick up this critical victory. Chicago is sitting 5.0-games back in the NL Central race and a half-game up in its hunt for a Wild Card spot and manager David Ross will make sure his troops get the job done here.
Southpaw Justin Steele will pick up the pill for the Cubbies. Battling the Pirates, Royals, and Blue Jays in his last three starts, No. 35 was nicked for only seven earned runs and 18 hits in 17.0 innings. Justin fanned 20 and issued two free passes on his way to a 1-0 mark with a 3.71 ERA. Equally impressive, inside Wrigley Field, Steele has been at his statistical best surrendering just 23 earned runs and 78 hits in 78.0 frames. After the math, that equates to a 10-2 tally with an outstanding 2.65 ERA.
Veteran right-hander Corbin Burnes will toe the rubber for the visitors. Facing the Twins, Dodgers, and White Sox in his last three performances, No. 39 hasn’t been at his best allowing 11 earned runs and 18 hits in 18.2 innings of work. Corbin struck out 19, walked six, and failed to earn a decision on his way to a soft 5.31 ERA. Back on March 30th, Burnes pitched against the Cubs on this very same field and was tagged for four earned runs and four hits in 5.0 frames. CB took the loss in the Brew Crew’s 4-0 blemish.
There are a couple of reliable trends that support this wager. Chicago has won 31 of its last 51 games in the second half of the season. Additionally, with Steele holding the pearl under the lights, the North Siders have quietly won eight of their last nine.
If the Cubs want to have a shot at a division title, then Ross knows it will help immensely if they can win this series and close the gap in the NL Central race. Take Chicago with Steele. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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