Stephen Nover's MLB Monday Bookie Basher
(MLB) Cubs (CHC) vs. Pirates (PIT),
Money Line: -112.00 Pirates (PIT) (Home)
Result: Loss
Mitch Keller can be either very good, or very bad. Cubs starter Jameson Taillon is just plain bad. So I'm riding with the Pirates.

Keller is off a brilliant road performance against the Rangers this past Tuesday. He pitched seven scoreless innings giving up only three hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. Keller has been at his best at home where he has a 2.58 ERA. Pittsburgh is 7-1 in Keller's past eight home starts.

Tailon has a 6.84 ERA in his last five starts. He's permitted at least four earned runs in four of those five starts. He's been even worse in his past three starts with a 7.31 ERA.

My checkmark goes to the Pirates' bullpen, too. Pittsburgh has the lowest ERA at 1.62 during the past two weeks.

The Cubs are nothing special. They are below .500 and have played easy competition recently with their last nine games coming against the Marlins, Tigers and Blue Jays.