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Pittsburgh Pirates (53-50, THIRD NL CENTRAL, SLIGHT FAVORITES, POTENT OFFENSE!), vs Chicago Cubs (57-45, SECOND NL CENTRAL, BOUNCING BACK, ON ROAD!) | PNC Park | Friday, 6:40 PM ET / 5:40 PM CT + YINZERPALOOZA T-SHIRT GIVEAWAY!
The Chicago Cubs (57โ45, SECOND IN NL CENTRAL, BOUNCING BACK ON ROAD!) head to PNC Park to face the Pittsburgh Pirates (53โ50, THIRD IN NL CENTRAL, THIRD-BEST TEAM OPS IN BASEBALL, SLIGHT FAVORITES -125!) in Game 1 of their three-game division series on Friday night! This is a CRITICAL matchup for us heading into the STRETCH run! We DROPPED 2 of 3 to the Tigers at Wrigley after DOMINATING them 11-2 earlier in the series! Weโre SECOND IN THE NL CENTRAL but weโre FACING a Pirates team thatโs DANGEROUS with the third-best team OPS (.763) in baseball!
The Pirates are MISSING key players (Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz on IL!) but theyโre ABSOLUTELY POTENT! BRYAN REYNOLDS has 14 HRs and .853 OPS! BRANDON LOWE has 21 POWER-HITTING home runs! ESMERLYN VALDEZ has 7 HRs and 17 RBIs in last 10 games! NICK GONZALES has .590 slugging last 10! Now weโre FACING J. JONES (2-1, 4.05 ERA, 1.10 WHIP!) with our MATTHEW BOYD (6-1, 4.15 ERA!) This is a COMPETITIVE matchup and we need to TAKE CONTROL!
Can we bounce back from the Tigers losses and beat the Pirates on the road?
Cubs Season: 57-45, BOUNCING BACK AFTER TIGER LOSSES!
Record: 57-45 (SECOND IN NL CENTRAL, DROPPED 2 OF 3 TO TIGERS, 3-4 VS PIRATES THIS SEASON!)
Weโre **57โ45 and weโre BOUNCING BACK! We DROPPED 2 of 3 to the Tigers but we CRUSHED them 11-2 in Game 2! Weโre SECOND IN THE NL CENTRAL and weโre COMPETITIVE! We have a 3-4 record vs the Pirates this season so this is a HIGHLY COMPETITIVE matchup! PETE CROW-ARMSTRONG leads with .290 average, 21 HRs, 66 runs, 107 hits, 25 SB (ELITE!) SEIYA SUZUKI (.270, 16 HRs, 52 RBIs) is PRODUCTIVE! IAN HAPP had 4 hits and a HOME RUN against the Tigers! MATTHEW BOYD (6-1, 4.15 ERA) is starting and weโre READY to dominate!
Recent Performance:
- 57-45 record (TWELVE games over .500!)
- Second in NL Central (COMPETITIVE!)
- Dropped 2 of 3 to Tigers (STRUGGLING!)
- Crushed Tigers 11-2 (SHOWED POWER!)
- 3-4 vs Pirates this season (COMPETITIVE!)
- Pete Crow-Armstrong .290, 21 HRs, 66 runs, 107 hits, 25 SB (ELITE!)
- Ian Happ 4 hits, 1 HR vs Tigers (HOT!)
Weโre READY to DOMINATE the Pirates!
Pittsburgh Pirates: 53-50, THIRD-BEST TEAM OPS, SLIGHT FAVORITES!
Record: 53-50 (THIRD IN NL CENTRAL, THIRD-BEST TEAM OPS .763 IN BASEBALL, MISSING KEY PLAYERS!)
The Pirates are **53โ50 and theyโre THIRD IN NL CENTRAL! Theyโre IN THE WILD CARD RACE thanks to their POTENT offense (third-best team OPS .763!) Theyโre MISSING Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz on the IL but theyโre ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS! BRYAN REYNOLDS has 14 HRs and .853 OPS (ELITE!) BRANDON LOWE has 21 home runs (POWER!) ESMERLYN VALDEZ has 7 HRs and 17 RBIs in last 10! NICK GONZALES has .590 slugging last 10! Theyโre SLIGHT FAVORITES (-125) but this is COMPETITIVE!
Pirates Strengths:
- 53-50 record (THREE games under .500!)
- Third in NL Central (COMPETITIVE!)
- Third-best team OPS .763 (DANGEROUS!)
- 4-3 vs Cubs this season (LEADING!)
- Bryan Reynolds 14 HRs, .853 OPS (ELITE!)
- Brandon Lowe 21 HRs (POWER!)
- Esmerlyn Valdez 7 HRs, 17 RBIs last 10 (HOT!)
- Nick Gonzales .590 slugging last 10 (PRODUCTIVE!)
The Pirates are DANGEROUS despite missing key players!
Key Matchups at PNC Park
Matthew Boyd (6-1, 4.15 ERA) vs J. Jones (2-1, 4.05 ERA, 1.10 WHIP!)!
Jones has the better ERA and WHIP! Slight edge to Jones! But Boyd is 6-1!
Pete Crow-Armstrong (.290, 21 HRs, 107 hits, 25 SB!) vs Pirates!
Crow-Armstrong is ELITE! He should produce!
Pirates Third-Best OPS (.763) vs Cubs Bats!
Pirates have POWER! We need to match them!
Cubs 3-4 vs Pirates This Season!
Weโre COMPETITIVE! Close series!
What the Cubs Need at PNC Park
Matthew Boyd Pitches SHARP!
Boyd is 6-1! We need solid pitching against this POTENT offense!
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki Produce!
Both need to HIT! Pirates have power!
Defend the Lead!
If we score, PROTECT it! Canโt let Pirates comeback!
Take Game 1!
Start the series STRONG!
Cubs Fan Prediction: We Win on the Road!
Final Score: Cubs 5, Pirates 3
Matthew Boyd pitches SOLIDโ7 innings, 3 runs!
Cubs bats produce 5 runs!
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ian Happ lead the way!
Pirates score 3 but we HOLD ON!
Two-run win. Weโre 58โ45. THIRTEEN GAMES OVER .500! Start the series strong!
Why This Game Matters
Weโre 57โ45 (SECOND NL CENTRAL!) Dropped 2 of 3 to Tigers! Crushed Tigers 11-2! 3-4 vs Pirates this season (competitive!) Pete Crow-Armstrong .290, 21 HRs, 66 runs, 107 hits, 25 SB (elite!) Seiya Suzuki .270, 16 HRs, 52 RBIs Ian Happ 4 hits, 1 HR vs Tigers (hot!) Matthew Boyd 6-1, 4.15 ERA The Pirates are 53โ50 (THIRD NL CENTRAL!) 4-3 vs Cubs this season (leading!) Third-best team OPS .763 Bryan Reynolds 14 HRs, .853 OPS (elite!) Brandon Lowe 21 HRs (power!) Esmerlyn Valdez 7 HRs, 17 RBIs last 10 Nick Gonzales .590 slugging last 10 J. Jones 2-1, 4.05 ERA, 1.10 WHIP Missing Spencer Horwitz and Oneil Cruz (IL!)
Win and weโre 58โ45. THIRTEEN GAMES OVER .500! Lead the series 1-0!
Can we beat the Pirates? Will our bats produce? Can we take Game 1 on the road?
Weโre COMPETITIVE and theyโre DANGEROUS! WIN ON THE ROAD!
Go Cubs Go. Bounce back and dominate the Pirates at PNC Park!
The post Cubs vs Pirates Prediction Game Today July 24: Bounce Back and Dominate Pittsburgh at PNC Park! appeared first on UrbanMatter.
