St Louis (56-54) at Pittsburgh (57-53)
When: Saturday, August 4th 2018
Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: FS Midwest, AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
Opening Odds: Pittsburgh -120/8.5
The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to slowly climb up the National League Central standings and position themselves for a Wild Card run as well. They look to continue that surge when they host the St. Louis Cardinals in the second of a three-game series on Saturday night. Pittsburgh took Friday’s opener 7-6 to move past the Cardinals for third place in the division standings and stay 6.5 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs. The Pirates, who have won 10 of their last 13 home games, are 28-17 against division opponents and have won 10 of its last 11 against NL Central teams. The Cardinals came in following a 5-2 homestand against the Cubs and Colorado Rockies, but they left 16 men on base in Friday’s defeat. The Cardinals’ season may come down to how they perform on the remainder of their nine-game road trip, as they get last-place teams Miami and Kansas City after this weekend. St. Louis will welcome back 2B Kolten Wong (knee) from the disabled list before Saturday’s game. Former Cardinal David Freese is 9-for-21 with two homers and 10 RBIs in the first seven games of the current homestand for Pittsburgh.
Pitchers: Cardinals – Austin Gomber (1-0, 3.22 ERA) | Pirates – Ivan Nova (6-6, 4.33)
Austin Gomber will get his second career start on Saturday, filling in for the injured Carlos Martinez. Gomber has made 17 relief appearances for St. Louis this season and was solid in his first big league start on July 24th at Cincinnati, throwing 6.1 innings of no-hit ball before allowing a single and a homer to the next two batters. He made his major-league debut against the Pirates on June 2nd, allowing one walk in three hitless innings of relief.
Ivan Nova looks to get over the .500 mark and at the same time, pitch deeper into a game. Pittsburgh has won the last four games Nova has started, though he’s made it through six innings only once in five starts in July. In his last outing against the New York Mets, Nova allowed four runs (three earned) in five innings in a no-decision. He is 1-2 with a 4.18 ERA in four starts against St. Louis in his career.
This Pittsburgh team is playing terrific baseball right now, winning 17 of their last 22 overall and seven of nine against the Cardinals at PNC. It may come down to a battle of the bullpens in this one and if that’s the case, the Pirates have the advantage.
Pick: Pirates -115
BETTING TRENDS:
- Cardinals are 4-0 in their last 4 games following a loss.
- Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cardinals are 4-1 in their last 5 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cardinals are 9-19 in their last 28 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cardinals are 2-5 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Cardinals are 2-5 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Cardinals are 8-23 in their last 31 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Cardinals are 1-4 in their last 5 road games.
- Cardinals are 1-4 in their last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Cardinals are 1-5 in their last 6 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Pirates are 4-0 in their last 4 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 4-0 in their last 4 Saturday games.
- Pirates are 10-1 in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Pirates are 12-2 in their last 14 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Pirates are 14-3 in their last 17 vs. National League Central.
- Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 during game 2 of a series.
- Pirates are 11-3 in their last 14 games following a win.
- Pirates are 11-3 in their last 14 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 17-5 in their last 22 overall.
- Pirates are 17-5 in their last 22 games on grass.
- Pirates are 10-3 in their last 13 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 10-3 in their last 13 home games.
- Pirates are 5-2 in their last 7 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Pirates are 5-2 in their last 7 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Pirates are 4-0 in Nova’s last 4 starts vs. National League Central.
- Pirates are 4-0 in Nova’s last 4 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 4-0 in Nova’s last 4 starts.
- Pirates are 4-0 in Nova’s last 4 starts on grass.
- Pirates are 5-1 in Nova’s last 6 starts with 7 or more days of rest.
- Pirates are 4-1 in Nova’s last 5 home starts.
- Pirates are 6-2 in Nova’s last 8 Saturday starts.
- Pirates are 5-2 in Nova’s last 7 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Pirates are 2-7 in Nova’s last 9 starts during game 2 of a series.
- Pirates are 1-5 in Nova’s last 6 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 1-9 in Nova’s last 10 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 7-0 in Cardinals last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 7-0 in Cardinals last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 10-1 in Cardinals last 11 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 11-2 in Cardinals last 13 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 overall.
- Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 on grass.
- Over is 4-1 in Cardinals last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 7-2 in Cardinals last 9 road games.
- Over is 12-4 in Cardinals last 16 games following a loss.
- Under is 5-2 in Cardinals last 7 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in Cardinals last 7 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 5-2 in Cardinals last 7 vs. National League Central.
- Over is 9-4 in Cardinals last 13 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Pirates last 4 home games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Over is 4-0 in Pirates last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 4-0 in Pirates last 4 vs. National League Central.
- Over is 3-0-1 in Pirates last 4 games vs. a left-handed starter.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Pirates last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Over is 4-1 in Pirates last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Pirates last 5 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Pirates last 5 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Pirates last 9 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 6-2-1 in Pirates last 9 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Pirates last 5 during game 2 of a series.
- Over is 5-2-1 in Pirates last 8 home games.
- Under is 51-25-2 in Pirates last 78 Saturday games.
- Under is 6-0 in Nova’s last 6 Saturday starts.
- Under is 11-1-1 in Nova’s last 13 home starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-1 in Nova’s last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 16-4-2 in Nova’s last 22 starts during game 2 of a series.
- Under is 19-6-2 in Nova’s last 27 home starts.
- Under is 9-3-2 in Nova’s last 14 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 14-5 in Nova’s last 19 starts vs. National League Central.
- Under is 4-0 in Nova’s last 4 starts vs. Cardinals.
- Cardinals are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
- Under is 11-5-2 in the last 18 meetings.
- Cardinals are 2-7 in the last 9 meetings in Pittsburgh.
