Philadelphia (50-47) at Pittsburgh (45-50)
When: Friday, July 19th, 2019
Where: PNC Park,
Pittsburgh, PA
Time: 7:05 ET | TV: NBC 10,
AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
Opening Odds: Pittsburgh -110/10
The Philadelphia Phillies are coming off a series split this week against the MLB-best Los Angeles Dodgers and should be feeling pretty confident heading into this weekend’s three-game set with cross-state rival Pittsburgh beginning Friday. The Phillies had to rally for both of their victories in the four-game series versus L.A., scoring four runs in the seventh inning in a 7-6 win on Thursday, two days removed from scoring three times in the ninth of a 9-8 win. After a slow first few months in a Philadelphia uniform, Bryce Harper has been the spark plug on offense and recorded an RBI single in the seventh inning on Thursday and has four extra-base hits (three doubles, homer), seven RBI and three runs scored in his last four games. Harper’s average stood at .221 on May 14th and he has raised that to .258 after Thursday’s 2-for-3 effort. Philadelphia remained tied with Milwaukee for the second NL Wild Card entering Thursday night’s action. Pittsburgh was right in the thick of the NL Central race but have fallen on hard times recently, dropping five of six since the All-Star Break and sit 6.5 games out of the division and four back of the wild card. Starling Marte has four homers and seven RBI since the break and is 12-for-39 with two homers in his career against Friday starter Jake Arrieta. Second baseman Adam Frazier has answered an 18-for-30 run by going 3-for-17 in his last five games. This is the first meeting between these two clubs in 2019 after the Phillies took six of seven last season.
Pitchers: Phillies – Jake Arrieta (8-7, 4.54 ERA) | Pirates – Jordan Lyles (5-6, 5.16)
Arrieta has been up and down all season and is currently pitching through bone spurs in his right elbow for the last seven starts and doesn’t want to shut it down. He’s coming off an 88-pitch, 5-inning start against Washington in which he allowed one run and four hits of a no-decision – a game the Phillies went on to win 4-3. Arrieta, who has served-up 12 of his 18 homers on the road, beat the Pirates twice last season by holding them to two runs over 14 innings while striking out 18.
10 CENT MLB LINES & 1% CASH BACK
Lyles has been downright awful since the middle of May, surrendering three runs or more in his last seven starts with a 10.13 ERA in that span after allowing seven runs in two-thirds of an inning in a 10-4 setback at the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. He also walked four in that game and has surrendered a home run in each of his last six starts including three on July 4th against the Cubs. Lyles is 1-1 with a 3.22 ERA in 10 career appearances (six starts) versus Philadelphia.
There’s no reason the Phillies shouldn’t get to Lyles early and often in this contest after scoring 20 runs against the Dodgers this week. Arrieta has had great success in his career against Pittsburgh and should put up another solid outing here in the series opener.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for Friday. He is 94-64 +1983 units on the season after an 8-3 run!
Pick: Phillies -105
10 CENT MLB LINES & 1% CASH BACK
BETTING TRENDS:
Phillies are 7-3 in their last 10 vs. National League Central.
Phillies are 7-3 in their last 10 vs. a team with a losing record.
Phillies are 35-17 in their last 52 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Phillies are 35-78 in their last 113 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Phillies are 4-9 in their last 13 road games.
Phillies are 3-7 in their last 10 during game 1 of a series.
Phillies are 3-8 in their last 11 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Phillies are 1-4 in their last 5 Friday games.
Phillies are 4-0 in Arrieta’s last 4 starts with 4 days of rest.
Phillies are 4-1 in Arrieta’s last 5 starts vs. National League Central.
Phillies are 5-2 in Arrieta’s last 7 starts.
Phillies are 5-2 in Arrieta’s last 7 starts on grass.
Phillies are 2-6 in Arrieta’s last 8 starts during game 1 of a series.
Pirates are 9-1 in their last 10 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Pirates are 9-2 in their last 11 home games.
Pirates are 8-2 in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Pirates are 8-2 in their last 10 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Pirates are 2-5 in their last 7 vs. National League East.
Pirates are 5-14 in their last 19 during game 1 of a series.
Pirates are 1-5 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.
Pirates are 1-5 in their last 6 games following an off day.
Pirates are 1-5 in their last 6 overall.
Pirates are 1-5 in their last 6 games on grass.
Pirates are 1-5 in their last 6 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Pirates are 5-1 in Lyles’ last 6 starts with 5 days of rest.
Pirates are 0-4 in Lyles’ last 4 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Pirates are 0-5 in Lyles’ last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
Pirates are 0-6 in Lyles’ last 6 starts.
Pirates are 0-6 in Lyles’ last 6 starts on grass.
Over is 5-0 in Phillies last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.
Over is 4-0 in Phillies last 4 road games.
Over is 4-0 in Phillies last 4 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 4-0 in Phillies last 4 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Under is 4-0 in Phillies last 4 vs. National League Central.
Over is 5-0 in Phillies last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
Over is 4-0 in Phillies last 4 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 9-3-1 in Phillies last 13 Friday games.
Under is 4-1 in Arrieta’s last 5 starts vs. National League Central.
Over is 6-2 in Arrieta’s last 8 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
Over is 3-1-1 in Arrieta’s last 5 road starts.
Over is 5-2-1 in Arrieta’s last 8 starts on grass.
Over is 5-2-1 in Arrieta’s last 8 starts overall.
Under is 3-0-1 in Pirates last 4 games following an off day.
Over is 5-0 in Pirates last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 6-1 in Pirates last 7 vs. National League East.
Over is 23-5-2 in Pirates last 30 home games.
Over is 19-5-2 in Pirates last 26 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
Over is 20-6-1 in Pirates last 27 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 8-3 in Pirates last 11 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-2 in Pirates last 7 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Under is 5-2-1 in Pirates last 8 during game 1 of a series.
Over is 19-8-2 in Pirates last 29 Friday games.
Over is 45-20-3 in Pirates last 68 overall.
Over is 45-20-3 in Pirates last 68 on grass.
Over is 4-1 in Lyles’ last 5 home starts.
Phillies are 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Under is 16-6-4 in the last 26 meetings.
Phillies are 4-11 in the last 15 meetings in Pittsburgh.
