Baseball Betting: Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs Betting Pick: July 28th 2009

Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs
Game Match-up 7/28 8:05 ET - Visit Touthouse.com for more baseball betting picks from Mike Rose

NL Central online betting continues on Tuesday night when the Houston Astros (50-49, +$227) and Chicago Cubs (52-45, -$231) partake in the second baseball wagering match-up of their four-game series. Chicago grabbed the upper hand in the series last night when LF Alfonso Soriano hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 13th inning giving Cubs backers, specifically run-line players, a thrilling victory they won’t soon forget. The game was an extreme pitcher’s duel as Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez and Chicago’s Carlos Zambrano combined to give up nine hits (2 solo HR’s) and two ER’s, while striking out 11 and walking five. Each bullpen tossed their best hurlers as well, so both of today’s managers will hope their starter can go deep into this one.  With the loss, Houston now sits 22-24 on the road (+$231), and has lost three overall games in a row as well as their L/3 as a visitor. They sit three-games in back of the division leading Cubs, and four-games off the pace of the Wild Card leading Colorado Rockies. The All Star break seems to have woken the Cubs who are now a $$$-making 9-2 (+$700) their L/11 overall games. Last night’s G1 MLB betting victory was the teams’ fifth in a row, and it improved their home mark to 31-18 on the year where they’ve reeled in $628 worth of profit for their baseball betting supporters. They currently hold a half-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central. The Cubs hold a 7-4 advantage in the 11 games they’ve played against the Astros in ’09.

Ryan Dempster and the Cubs currently sit as -115 home favorites at BetUS Sportsbook over Roy Oswalt and the Astros for tonight’s baseball betting match-up; the game ‘total’ currently sits at 8 over -115.

Roy Oswalt will oppose the Cubs for the third time this season when he toes the starting bump for the 22nd time this evening. He’s coming off a no decision effort against the St. Louis Cardinals at home where he tossed a gem giving up seven hits and three ER’s through seven innings of work. Houston has won each of his L/5 starts, and they’re 4-1 in his L/5 road efforts. As a visitor, “Roy-O” is 4-2 with a 3.38 ERA & stellar 1.03 WHIP with a K/BB ratio of 52/18 in 11 starts. In his two starts vs. Chicago this year, Oswalt is 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA, and in his career, he’s 11-12 with a 3.96 ERA & 1.29 WHIP in 27 appearances.

Getting the starting call for the first time in nearly four weeks will be the Cubs Ryan Dempster who broke a toe in his foot celebrating a Cubs walk-off win against the Brewers. Unfortunately, Dempster hasn’t been quite as sharp as he was a year ago going 5-5 on the year with a 4.09 ERA & 1.37 WHIP allowing 101 hits and 48 ER’s in the 105+ innings he tossed before going on the DL. He has however continued to excel at Wrigley Field where he’s 4-1 on the year with a 4.12 ERA & 1.24 WHIP with a K/BB ratio of 37/20 through 43.2 total innings. He made it a point to keep his arm in shape, and because of it, is back a week earlier than originally expected. He’s 4-9 with a 4.80 ERA in 17 career starts vs. the Astros. Chicago’s beaten the Astros once in Dempster’s six starts against them as a Cub.

Houston was none too happy with the way Alfonso Soriano went about his business after hitting the walk-off granny. Combine that with the fact that their ace is on the bump squaring off against a guy fresh off the DL, and you’ve got a recipe for a rabid pup biting in this spot. Houston squandered many an opportunity last night; look for them to make good tonight & run its streak to 6-0 in Oswalt’s L/6 starts.

Rose’s Recommendation: 3* Houston -105 (Oswalt/Dempster)
(Rating Scale: 1* - 5*)