The Dodgers have been struggling lately and going losing 3 straight and 6 of their last 10 games. They are 1\/2 game out of first place behind the Giants, but since San Fran is also struggling the NL West is now a 3-team race with the red-hot Diamondbacks only 2 games out. <\/p>\n
Venue\/ Stadium: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California<\/strong> PITCHING MATCHUP:<\/strong>\u00a0Cubs RH Jeff Samardzija (7-8, 4.19 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Chad Billingsley (6-9, 3.89)<\/p>\n Matchup<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Preview<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Chicago Cubs vs. L.A. Dodgers Preview<\/strong><\/p>\n The Cubs are out of the playoff race 17 games under .500 and they have lost 2 straight. MLB odds have the Dodgers as the home favorite with a total of 7 runs.<\/p>\n In their last games the Dodgers lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-0 and the Cubs lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4.<\/p>\n This season the Cubs have an O\/U record of 44-55 with a run-line W\/L record of 58-45 and the Dodgers have an O\/U record of 50-51 with a run-line W\/L record of 55-51.<\/p>\n On the season the Dodgers are 29-23 at home and the Cubs are a NL worst 16-36 on the road.<\/p>\n The Cubs have won 4 of their last 5 games facing the Dodgers.<\/p>\n Jeff Samardzija (7-8, 4.19 ERA) takes the hill for the Cubs tonight and in his last outing he gave up 2 earned runs in 6 innings in a no decision facing the Cardinals. Chad Billingsley (6-9, 3.89 ERA) gets the nod for the Dodgers and he had a great last start not giving up any earned runs in 7 innings in a win over the Giants.\u00a0[dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]<\/p>\n Samardzija went 2-1 with a 1.91 ERA in 5 starts in July.<\/p>\n Billingsley has been stellar in his last 2 starts winning both with an ERA of 0.68.<\/p>\n The Dodgers are 6 games over .500 at home this season, but since the All Star break they are only 2-7 at Dodger Stadium and their offense has struggled in La La Land averaging 2.6 runs per game in that span.<\/p>\n There is a good chance Billingsley will have another good start facing a weak Cubs’ offense that ranks 29th in the Majors in runs scored.<\/p>\n In some betting trends for this NL match up the Cubs are 3-7 in their last 10 games vs. a right-handed starter, 4-1 in Samardzija’s last 5 starts, and they have an Under record of 4-0 in their last 4 road games.<\/p>\n The Dodgers are 1-7 in their last 8 home games, 2-5 in Billingsley’s last 7 starts, and they have an Over record of 10-4 in their last 14 games.<\/p>\n
\nTime\/Date: 10:10 PM EST Friday, August 3, 2012<\/strong>
\nMLB Odds From: Bovada<\/a><\/strong>
\nMoneyline: Cubs +135 \/ Dodgers -155 <\/strong>
\nOver\/Under:\u00a0 7 runs <\/strong><\/p>\n