Who claims third Marlins-Pirates meeting?
Jonathon Niese exhibited a bad habit of elevating pitches early in the season. As the Pittsburgh lefty keeps forcing the ball down, though, his ERA has similarly plummeted.
Clint Hurdle hopes for his veteran’s recent success to continue in tonight’s third tilt vs. Miami. Oddsmakers at online sports BetDSI, however, don’t think the Pirates will avoid a fourth loss in five contests. The 27-25 Marlins enter as 1.5-run favorites.
Host Miami prevailed yesterday, 3-1, halting its own mini-skid. Ichiro Suzuki, still patrolling right field in place of the injured Giancarlo Stanton, recorded two hits to tie Sam Crawford for 31st on MLB’s all-time list. Manager Don Mattingly would love to see more of his guys take after the 42-year-old wonder. The Fish rank in the majors’ bottom six in runs (205) and homers (46).
Then again, the Buccos (29-22) aren’t exactly raking either. Despite a 14-hit outburst in the opener, Hurdle’s group has plated two runs or fewer in three of the past four affairs. Perennial Silver Slugger candidate Andrew McCutchen persists in hovering around .250, and Starling Marte’s failing to drive in runs at an elite level.
Enter Niese (5-2, 4.42 ERA), whose renaissance could help mask some of the deficiencies on the lineup side. The Ohio native is 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA since May 16. Most recently, he held Texas to one run across six innings.
MLB Quick Links: Free Matchup Reports | Injuries | Odds Comparison | Scoreboard | Betting Trends
On the other end, Adam Conley (3-3, 4.15) also possesses the ability to rise to the occasion. On April 29, the southpaw took a no-no into the seventh vs. the Brewers. While control issues frequently hinder Conley’s ability to venture especially deep into games, the words “effectively wild” spring to mind anytime he toes the rubber.
We’re not looking at a pair of world-class hurlers here, but bear in mind the current offensive constraints faced by Mattingly and Hurdle. Expect a lot of ugly swings with men in scoring position and just plain ineptitude with the lumber.
WEDNESDAY MLB FREE PICK: PIRATES/MARLINS UNDER 8.5 RUNS
Want More Picks, Predictions & Odds From The Spread.com? Follow on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!