The Cincinnati Reds are paying a visit to Pittsburgh to take on their division foe Pirates at PNC Park. Fox Sports Ohio is in line to televise the matchup and the game gets underway at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Odds
Pittsburgh (+170) is the underdog against Cincinnati (-200) and Vegas has put the Over/Under for this night game at 8.5 runs (+100 for the under and -120 for the over). Bettors can also wager on the game’s spread with the current runline odds standing at Reds +1.5 runs (+105) and Pirates -1.5 runs (-115).
The Pirates are 4-1 SU and 3-1 ATS. The team’s gained 4.0 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 2.5 units against the spread (ATS). The Reds are 1-3 SU and have gone 2-2 ATS. Overall, the team’s lost 1.7 units for gamblers taking the moneyline this year and 0.3 units ATS.
Pirates games have a 3-1 over/under record in 2018. Cincinnati has an over/under record of 2-2.
The Reds have lost 1.0 units and are 1-0 ATS when facing a left-handed starting pitcher this season. The over has hit in one of those games, compared to zero that’ve gone under against righty starters. On the other hand, the Pirates have netted 3.0 units and are 2-1 ATS when facing a righty starter. The over’s hit in two of those games, compared to one that went under the total.
Homer Bailey (0-1, 1.50 ERA) will get the start for the visiting Reds. The right-handed Bailey started 18 games last year while finishing the season 6-9 overall with a 6.43 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP. He made two starts against Pittsburgh in 2017 and compiled a 2-0 record against the Pirates with a 1.54 ERA and 10 strikeouts.
The Bucs will put the ball in the hands of lefty Steven Brault (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who started 4 games last year and finished the season 1-0 overall with a 4.67 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP.
As a unit, Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has yielded 5.4 runs per game overall in 2018. Its starters have an ERA of 4.28, a WHIP of 1.17 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 6.9. The bullpen has a 5.82 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and 8.3 K/9. In zero games against divisional foes, Pirates starters have an ERA of and the bullpen’s ERA is .
The Pittsburgh offense has put up 6.0 runs per contest so far this season and the team has a slash-line of .260/.351/.424 to begin the year.
The Pirates’ hitters have been led by right fielder Gregory Polanco and second baseman Josh Harrison. Polanco is hitting .294/.500/.647 with five hits, six RBIs and four runs scored, while Harrison’s line is .304/.385/.522 with seven hits, two RBIs and seven runs scored.
In the visiting dugout, Cincinnati’s pitchers have allowed 5.3 runs per game and its starters own a 3.91 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 7.04 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 7.62, along with a WHIP of 1.09 and a K-per-9 of 9.00.
The Reds offense has slashed .233/.311/.383 on its way to 3.3 runs scored per game this year.
Second baseman Scooter Gennett and outfielder Scott Schebler have led Cincinnati’s offense. Gennett is hitting .471/.471/.588 with eight hits and one RBI, while Schebler is slashing .333/.385/.667 with four hits, one RBI and three runs scored.
Compared to his total season slash line of .295/.342/.531, Gennett did not do especially well against left-handed pitching on the road last season, maintaining a slash line of .208/.269/.333 across 78 such plate appearances.
Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh Pirates Free Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Pirates, ATS Winner – Reds, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Trends
The Pirates went 6-13 SU against the Reds last season.
The Pirates’ bullpen managed an ERA of 3.19 against the Reds last year.
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