Brett Anderson (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (65-51) go up against Chad Kuhl (2-0, 3.91 ERA) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (58-56) in the last of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers won the last game 8-4, and the series is currently tied 1-1. The game starts at 4:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 14 and will air on SNLA and RTPT.
This is the first start of the season for Anderson. He pitched 183.1 innings last season, finishing 10-10 with a 3.93 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 119 strikeoutsCorey Seager (.310, 74 Rs, 21 HRs, 56 RBIs, 1 SB) continued his strong season yesterday, going 3 for 5 with one run and one RBI. The Pirates were victorious over the Padres 6-4 the last time Kuhl pitched. He went 6.0 innings, allowing two runs, striking out four and walking four. Starling Marte (.316, 63 Rs, 7 HRs, 39 RBIs, 40 SBs) has been hitting the ball well, going 2 for 4 yesterday with two runs and one stolen base.
Los Angeles is a -148 favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is eight runs. The Dodgers are in an interesting position this season. While they have a notable winning record in games where they’re the favorite (58-32), their overall money line (-206) is less impressive. The Los Angeles pitching staff and defense is very good at home, only giving up 3.3 runs per game. The Dodgers don’t allow many hitters to get on base, ranking second in the league with a 1.143 WHIP. They have been extremely effective at striking opposing batters out at Dodger Stadium, averaging 9.7 strikeouts per home game.
Moving on to the away team, the Pirates come into this game with a win percentage of .490 when playing as the underdog (25-26) and an overall money line of -51. The Pirates have racked up 87 steals on the year, making them one of the most threatening base-running teams in the league.
The Pirates have mostly come out on top against the Dodgers in their previous six games this season, earning a 4-2 record. This game will feature Kuhl (RHP) on the mound against the Dodgers, who have a 51-37 record when they take on a right-handed starter. Taking the hill against the Pirates will be the left-hander Anderson. Southpaw starters haven’t been a big issue for them as they sport a 16-8 record.
Predictions: SU Winner – LAD, O/U – Over
Notes
Pittsburgh has won 43% (23-30) of its games when leading after seven innings. However, Los Angeles has won 57% (24-18) of its games when taking a late lead.
The Pirates are coming into this game after allowing no walks during their last outing. The Dodgers have a 4-4 record when opponents don’t give up any walks.
When they outhit their opponents, the Dodgers are 49-15. The Pirates have a 38-9 record when outhitting opponents.
Los Angeles and Pittsburgh both rank in the bottom half of the league in runs. Los Angeles sits at 17th with 513 runs this season and Pittsburgh ranks 19th with 512.
Ranking 11th, Pittsburgh is in the top half of the league in walks, notching 371 this season. Los Angeles ranks in the top 10 at ninth with 379.
The Dodgers are 49-26 when they hit at least one home run. The Pirates perform similarly when they hit one or more homers with a 40-25 record.
