Chicago at Pittsburgh

It has been a long time since the Cubs have been a viable contender. Although they have played reasonably well at home where they are just a game under the .500 mark, the road has been a treacherous obstacle. The Cubs are 17 games under .500 on the road, and rarely have sprung a surprise. Pittsburgh is holding the final Wild Card spot in the NL, and trails NL Central leader St. Louis by a scant 2.5 games, so this is a big series for the Pirates. Gerritt Cole has pitched to a 3-1 record at home this season, backed by a 3.38 ERA, and has been flawless in his career vs. the Cubs where he stands at a perfect 4-0. The Cubs have dropped six straight, and the Pirates have rewarded their fans with a 41-17 record in their last 58 after returning home from a seven day or longer road trip. Take Pittsburgh in this one.