Chicago Cubs at Boston Red Sox MLB Pick
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The Chicago Cubs haven’t played a game at Fenway Park in nearly a century, but will look to grab a win on Game 2 of a three-game interleague set on Saturday over the surging Boston Red Sox.
Date/Time: Saturday, May 21, 7:10 PM ET
Venue: Fenway Park in Boston, MA.
Broadcast: FOX
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Although interleague play began in 1997, the Cubbies and the Sox have only faced each other in the Windy City once, with Chicago stealing two of three games from Boston in a 2005 series at Wrigley Field.
Before then the Cubs and Red Sox squared off in the 15th World Series back in 1918, and after the first three games in Chicago, the Series moved to Boston where the BoSox wrapped up the title in six games behind two solid outings from then-pitcher Babe Ruth, despite scoring only nine runs.
That was the last time the Sox would win an Word Series until breaking the “Curse of the Bambino”, ending their 86-year drought in 2004. On the other hand, the Cubs haven’t won a World Series since 1908.
In recent years Boston has become a perennial powerhouse, winning another World Series in 2007, while Chicago have been eliminated from the playoffs three times in the past decade, and haven’t even been to a World Series since 1945.
The Cubs are once again struggling in the race for the NL Central this year, and are off to a slow start, but have won two in a row coming into this series.
They will turn to right-hander Carlos Zambrano who as anything but sharp on Monday night, giving up a season worst-tying six runs and six hits over 5 1-3 innings of a 7-4 loss at Cincinnati. Zambrano now stands at 4-2 with a 4.89 ERA and has a 7.20 ERA against the Red Sox in one career start. The Venezuelan hurler had won five straight starts at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and looked well on his way to another, but he couldn’t hold a 4-0 lead in the sixth as the Reds piled on seven runs in the frame.
Conversely, Boston is challenging in the AL East and after winning six consecutive games heading into the weekend series with Chicago, find themselves just 1 ½ games back of the division leading Tampa Bay Rays.
They will give the rock to reliever Alfredo Aceves, who will replace the injured Daisuke Matsuzaka in the rotation. The Mexican born righty has won 11 consecutive regular-season decisions, the majors’ longest active streak. Aceves allowed one run in three innings Monday night to improve to 15-1 in his career with an 8-7 win over the Orioles. He is 1-0 in 2011 with an ERA of 2.60.
Matt’s Free Prediction: Boston – This game will weigh heavily on how long Aceves remains in the game. However, with a deeper bullpen and 14-9 home record, the Sox should win this game handily.
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