PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* MLB Game of the Day **TOP WEDNESDAY PLAY** SICK 143-94-6 L243 MLB!
(MLB) Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh,
Money Line: -151.00 Pittsburgh (Home)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -151.00 Pittsburgh (Home)
Result: Loss
The set up: The Cincinnati Reds began a four-game series in Pittsburgh against the Pirates on Tuesday, having lost 14 of their previous 17 games. However, the Reds won 9-1 last night to give this last-place team (NL Central) its seventh win in eight games here in 2017 against the Pirates. The Reds are going nowhere this season and the Pirates may be going nowhere as well, partly because of their record against the sad-sack Reds. The Pirates have dropped five of six to fall 6 1/2 games behind first-place Chicago. From the "what might have been" category, what if the Pirates were 5-3 against the Reds instead of 1-7? Doing the math, Pittsburgh wold not be 51-55 but 55-51 and just 2 1/2 back of the Cubs! If wishing could only make it so.
The pitching matchup: A pair rookies square off tonight, Robert Stephenson (0-4 & 7.86 ERA) goes for the Reds and Trevor Williams (4-4 & 4.53 ERA) for the Pirates. Stephenson's lack of control proved costly on Thursday as he allowed a career-high seven walks over 4 1/3 innings in a 4-1 setback at Miami. "I knew what was going on, but I just wasn't able to fix it," the 24-year-old said of the 92-pitch outing. It was Stephenson's second straight start, after 13 relief appearances. He's allowed eight ERs on 12 hits over 9 2/3 innings in going 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA in those two starts. Williams opened the 2017 season in the bullpen as well but has now made 15 consecutive starts (Pittsburgh is 7-8). He settled for a hard-luck no-decision on Wednesday, despite allowing just one run on five hits in six innings at San Francisco. Stephenson has two career starts against Pittsburgh (0-0 with a 9.00 ERA / Reds are 1-1) and Willaims owns a 6.75 ERA in one career start against the Reds but Pittsburgh won that game.
The pick: Yes, the Red are 7-1 against the Pirates in 2017 (outscoring them 49-25) but Cincy remains a poor 18-35 on the road, allowing 5.49 RPG. Meanwhile, while Williams owns just one win and one loss over his last eight starts, he's pitched well, allowing three ERs or less in seven of them. Make Pittsburgh a 10* play.
The pitching matchup: A pair rookies square off tonight, Robert Stephenson (0-4 & 7.86 ERA) goes for the Reds and Trevor Williams (4-4 & 4.53 ERA) for the Pirates. Stephenson's lack of control proved costly on Thursday as he allowed a career-high seven walks over 4 1/3 innings in a 4-1 setback at Miami. "I knew what was going on, but I just wasn't able to fix it," the 24-year-old said of the 92-pitch outing. It was Stephenson's second straight start, after 13 relief appearances. He's allowed eight ERs on 12 hits over 9 2/3 innings in going 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA in those two starts. Williams opened the 2017 season in the bullpen as well but has now made 15 consecutive starts (Pittsburgh is 7-8). He settled for a hard-luck no-decision on Wednesday, despite allowing just one run on five hits in six innings at San Francisco. Stephenson has two career starts against Pittsburgh (0-0 with a 9.00 ERA / Reds are 1-1) and Willaims owns a 6.75 ERA in one career start against the Reds but Pittsburgh won that game.
The pick: Yes, the Red are 7-1 against the Pirates in 2017 (outscoring them 49-25) but Cincy remains a poor 18-35 on the road, allowing 5.49 RPG. Meanwhile, while Williams owns just one win and one loss over his last eight starts, he's pitched well, allowing three ERs or less in seven of them. Make Pittsburgh a 10* play.
