It’s the first of a four game series in the desert on Thursday, as the Pittsburgh Pirates take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Pirates are in last place in the National League Central heading into Tuesday’s game. The Pirates are 14-18 on the season, and are 3.5 games behind first place in the division.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have dropped their last two games heading into Tuesday’s game. The Diamondbacks are 18-15 on the season, and 3 games behind the Colorado Rockies. Arizona has been sharp at home, winning 12 out of their first 17. The Arizona Diamondbacks are -122 over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Find the latest MLB betting odds here.
In Depth Analysis On The Pirates Vs Diamondbacks MLB Expert Picks
When: Thursday, May 11th, 2017; 8:40 pm CT
Where: Chase Field; Phoenix, AZ
TV: ROOTPIT, FS-A
Radio: KDKA-FM 93.7, KHOV 105.1, 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station
Stream Option: MLB.TV
Odds: Arizona Diamondbacks -122
Why Bet on Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in last place in the National League Central, and are -29 in run differential. The Pirates have struggled on the road, with a 6-11 record. Pittsburgh has allowed 18 runs during their two game losing streak to the Brewers and the Dodgers. The Pirates have a team ERA of 3.99 on the season.
On the offensive side, Josh Harrison is the top batter for Pittsburgh. Harrison is hitting .294 on the season, and has an OBP of .361. Andrew McCutchen is off to another slow start for the Pirates, but leads the team with 15 runs batted in.
Why Bet on Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks also have struggled pitching recently. The Diamondbacks have lost four out of five, and allowed 20 runs during those four losses. Arizona has a team earned run average of 3.87, which is 10th in Major League Baseball, and their starting pitchers have recorded 16 quality starts.
The Diamondbacks on offense have seen Paul Goldschmidt lead the way. The slugging first baseman has clubbed 7 homeruns, and leads the team with a .316 batting average and 26 runs batted in. The Diamondbacks are 4th in the league with 159 runs, and have a .256 batting average.
Expert Score & Prediction
This should be an interesting pitching matchup with Zack Greinke going for Arizona and Gerrit Cole getting the start for the Pirates. Greinke is 3-2 on the season with a 3.09 earned run average. He has thrown 43.2 innings, and struck out 47 batters, while walking just 8.
The Pirates have seen Gerrit Cole struggle to pick up wins, but he has not been that bad. Cole is 1-3, with a 3.14 earned run average. Cole has thrown 43 innings, and struck out 42 batters. The Pirates right hander has walked just 9 batters. Look for a fun, low scoring game, with the home team winning. Bet the Arizona Diamondbacks -122 over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
