RICH GREEN
Free Top Consensus Pick For Sunday ML Baseball
Yankees Sabathia -L +1.5 Runs, -185 over ANGELS (8:05 et)
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Worlds Worst Picker
ARIZONA
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BRAD WILTON
It was the biggest offensive output by either side on Friday, as Indiana scored 121-points and we had our first Over of this opening round best-of-seven series. Even with the 121 Pacers points, the game wasn't a "blown out of the water" Over, as the Cavaliers were held to just 87-points.
I do not expect either side to be close to 121-points, in fact, I do not expect either side to be over the century mark in what has been a defensive-minded set.
As I just mentioned, the Under is still 5-1 through the first 6 in this series, and the Under is still 7-1-1 the past 9 times these teams have clashed.
The last games played at Quicken Loans Arena between these teams is 3-0-1, and Indiana does enter this roadie at 14-5 Under the posted price for their last 19 road games dating back to the regular season.
The Cavaliers are on an 8-1 Under clip their last 9 games played on their home floor, and other than LeBron James' consistent big numbers, the rest of his Cleveland teammates have been hit-or-miss when it comes to providing secondary scoring punch.
Indiana is poised to knock-out Cleveland, but if that is to happen, they had better continue to play the tight defense they have been playing. Not so sure they can win outright, but I am sure they can make life very difficult for LeBron and his mates.
Game 7 to land Under the total.
4* INDIANA-CLEVELAND UNDER
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JACK BRAYMAN
My free play for Sunday is on the Pittsburgh Pirates over the St. Louis Cardinals. Do not list pitchers, as we're playing this one on pure momentum.
Seeing how the Cardinals blew Friday night's game, and then lost last night, I don't know if they come back with the right mentality for this one. Instead, I think the Bucs return to PNC with momentum after Starling Marte's game-ending single in the 11th inning lifted the Pirates to a 6-5 win on Friday, and a 6-2 victory on Saturday.
This is a Cardinals team that opened the series with a 5-0 lead after five innings. Since then, the Redbirds have been outscored 12-2 with not a win to show for it.
And in this game I want you listing Nick Kingham, who makes his MLB debut. The Las Vegas-native has put in his time in the minors, and will finally get a chance to display his talent in a spot start.
The 2010 fourth-round draft pick by the Pirates was 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA with Indianapolis. He has 27 strikeouts and seven walks in 22 2/3 innings.
He'll get plenty of run support from a Pittsburgh team that ranks sixth in the league with a .259 batting average, while the Bucs have the second-best home batting average (.281) in the bigs.
Take Pittsburgh today, as it rolls to the easy win.
3* PIRATES (Listing Kingham)
CHRIS JORDAN
My free play for Sunday is on the ice, and I'm taking the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins against the Washington Capitals.
Pittsburgh exhibited its Eastern Conference dominance by battling back from a two-goal, third-period deficit to beat the Capitals in Game 1 of the series. And that was without center Evgeni Malkin, who by the way practiced Saturday and appears ready to return to the lineup after missing the past two games with a lower body injury.
Malkin is a gametime decision, but I don't know how much it will matter after the Pens seemingly stole the mental edge from Washington.
Matt Murray will be much sharper for this game, while veteran Sidney Crosby will be at his best to spark his team and then there is Jake Guentzel, who has 16 points in the playoffs, half of them in the last two games.
Sorry Caps fans, or Pens haters, but Pittsburgh is the right side in Game 2, as it rolls to a 2-0 series lead.
4* PENGUINS
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