Pirates vs. Padres Prediction
Will the Padres upset the Pirates again today and earn a series sweep versus Pittsburgh at 4:40PM ET?
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Pirates are -155 money line favorites to knock off the Mariners, who have odds of +145 to pull off yet another upset. With Gerrit Cole set to face Clayton Richard in the pitching matchup, the over/under currently sits at 8.5 runs.
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From Rotoworld: Cole allowed two earned runs, six hits and four walks with four strikeouts over six innings in a win in San Francisco on Monday. Cole improved to 2-0 with a 2.52 ERA over four outings, all quality starts, with five walks and 26 strikeouts across 25 innings in the month of July. There were some rumblings about Cole potentially being dealt, but the Bucs quickly shot down those rumors. The talk obviously didn’t bother Cole, as he is pitching his best ball of the season.
Richard allowed five earned runs, 12 hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over eight innings in a loss against the Mets. Richard overcame some early shakiness to go deep into the game, eventually racking up 123 pitches. His biggest mistake was a solo homer to Wilmer Flores in the second inning. He allowed just two runs over his final five frames. His next scheduled outing is set for Sunday against the Pirates opposite Gerrit Cole.
Bet Today’s Pirates vs. Padres Game
OUR PREDICTION: I’m tempted to take the Padres to pull off the upset but the Pirates have been a great play when Cole takes the mound. They’re 4-0 in his last four starts, are 5-0 in his last five road outings, and have won 16 of his last 21 starts when he faces the National League West. On the other side, the Padres are just 1-6 in Richard’s last seven starts, are 0-4 in his last four home outings and have lost seven of his last eight starts when he’s coming off five days of rest.
SUNDAY MLB PREDICTION: PITTSBURGH PIRATES -155