Charlie Morton (5-1, 3.97 ERA) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (41-32) meet Julio Teheran (5-3, 4.67 ERA) and the Atlanta Braves (35-39) in the second of a three-game series at PNC Park. The Pirates won the last game 3-2 and Pittsburgh leads the series 1-0. The game gets underway at 4:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jun. 27 and will air on FSN-S and ROOT-PIT.
Morton has a 3.32 ERA and a 1-2 record in his career against the Braves, but is up against a solid Atlanta offense that’s hitting .256 on the year. Andrew McCutchen (.295, 40 Rs, 9 HRs, 44 RBIs, 4 SBs) continued his strong season yesterday, going 2 for 4 with two runs and one stolen base. In his career against the Pirates, Teheran is 2-0 with a 3.29 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts.
Pittsburgh, a -170 favorite, will look to capitalize at home against Atlanta. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is set at seven runs. The Pirates have a winning record of 34-18 when playing as the favorite and an overall money line of +170. The Pirates are a superb hitting team with 8.8 hits per home game, one of the highest marks in the NL. The Pirates are a nightmare for opponents on the bases with 53 steals, one of the highest totals in baseball.
Switching gears, the Braves come into this game with a win percentage of .439 when playing as the underdog (25-32) and an overall money line of +308. The Braves will be looking to pick it up in this one after recent offensive struggles. In their 10 most recent games, Atlanta’s run production has dropped to 2.6 runs per game, compared to 4.0 for the duration of the season. The Braves average just 7.0 strikeouts per road game, good for least in the NL.
In their previous four games this season, the Pirates have a 3-1 record. This game will feature Teheran (RHP) on the mound against the Pirates, who have a 32-27 record when they take on a right-handed starter. The right-handed Morton will take the mound against the Braves, who have a 31-33 record against righty starters this season.
Predictions: SU Winner – PIT, O/U – Over
Notes
When leading after 7 innings, Pittsburgh is 11-17, while Atlanta is 15-25.
The Pirates managed to give up four walks in their last game. They’ll have to pick it up against the Braves who are coming in with a 13-11 record against opponents who give up that many walks or more.
When they are outhit, the Braves are 6-25. The Pirates have a 7-23 record when opponents outhit them.
Atlanta ranks at the bottom of the league when it comes to home runs, hitting 43 this season. Pittsburgh ranks near the bottom at 25th with 56.
The Pirates and the Braves both average 8.75 hits per game.
Ranking 22nd, Atlanta is near the bottom of the league for its on-base plus slugging percentage (.684). Pittsburgh ranks in the bottom half at 20th with an OPS of .690.
When the Braves allow at least one home run, they are 13-26, well-matched with the Pirates who are 12-22 when allowing at least one homer.
