Pittsburgh (56-57) at Detroit (51-61)
When: Wednesday, August 9th 2017
Where: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Time: 7:10 ET | TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, FSN Detroit
Opening Odds: Detroit -137/9
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The red-hot Pittsburgh Pirates look to continue their climb up the standings when they visit the Detroit Tigers for the third game of their home-and-home four-game set on Wednesday night. Detroit failed to solve Pittsburgh starters Chad Kuhl and Trevor Williams in the first two games as the Pirates won both at PNC Park. Pittsburgh has now won five of its last six games – including a pair of shutouts – to get within one game of the .500 mark and four games of the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central standings. Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen has been carrying the offense lately, homering in Tuesday’s 6-3 win and leads the team with 23 dingers. Detroit managed just six hits in the two games in Pittsburgh and has dropped four straight to go from a wild card contender in the American League to a team that could be looking to make some moves prior to the August 31st waiver deadline. Two of the Tigers’ big bats are struggling as Justin Upton is 0-for-10 in the last three games and Miguel Cabrera is 2-for-19 over his last six, dropping his batting average to .251.
Pitchers: Pirates – Ivan Nova (10-8, 3.66 ERA) | Tigers – Justin Verlander (7-7, 4.20)
Ivan Nova will try and keep the string of solid starts for the staff going when he takes the mound on Wednesday. Nova is winless in his last three starts and struggled with the San Diego Padres in his last two outings. He allowed eight runs (five earned) and 14 hits in 11 total innings over those two starts and was crushed for seven runs in five innings at Colorado on July 23rd. Nova is familiar with Comerica Park from his time with the New York Yankees and is 0-2 with an 8.25 ERA in three career appearances – two starts – at Detroit’s home field.
Rumor has it that Justin Verlander made it through waivers, but is expected to stay in Detroit and not be traded by August 31st. He hasn’t let those rumors hurt his performance of late, allowing three or fewer runs in each of his last six starts and struck out 10 over seven innings while scattering two runs at Baltimore on Friday. Verlander is 28-5 with a 3.03 ERA in 40 career interleague starts, including 4-2 in seven starts against the Pirates.
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I know the pitching matchup favors the Tigers in this one with Nova really struggling, but I’m going to go with the hot offense right now. McCutchen is really heating up and making this team look really good. Detroit can’t hit their way out of a paper bag right now. I’m taking the Pirates in a low-scoring contest.
Pick: Pirates +120
TRENDS
- Pirates are 4-0 in their last 4 interleague games.
- Pirates are 5-1 in their last 6 overall.
- Pirates are 5-1 in their last 6 games on grass.
- Pirates are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Pirates are 14-3 in their last 17 interleague road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Pirates are 7-2 in their last 9 during game 3 of a series.
- Pirates are 39-12 in their last 51 interleague games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Pirates are 15-6 in their last 21 vs. American League Central.
- Pirates are 26-56 in their last 82 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Pirates are 2-5 in their last 7 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 2-5 in their last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Pirates are 2-5 in their last 7 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Pirates are 1-4 in their last 5 road games.
- Pirates are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Pirates are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Pirates are 0-5 in their last 5 interleague road games.
- Pirates are 6-1 in Nova’s last 7 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 6-1 in Nova’s last 7 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Pirates are 4-9 in Nova’s last 14 starts with 4 days of rest.
- Pirates are 2-5 in Nova’s last 7 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Pirates are 1-5 in Nova’s last 6 road starts.
- Tigers are 41-10 in their last 51 interleague home games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Tigers are 9-3 in their last 12 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
- Tigers are 6-2 in their last 8 games after losing the first 2 games of a series.
- Tigers are 90-39 in their last 129 interleague home games.
- Tigers are 60-28 in their last 88 interleague home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Tigers are 3-7 in their last 10 interleague games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Tigers are 3-8 in their last 11 interleague games.
- Tigers are 2-6 in their last 8 games following a loss.
- Tigers are 2-9 in their last 11 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Tigers are 1-6 in their last 7 Wednesday games.
- Tigers are 0-4 in their last 4 overall.
- Tigers are 0-4 in their last 4 games on grass.
- Tigers are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Tigers are 21-7 in Verlander’s last 28 interleague starts.
- Tigers are 7-3 in Verlander’s last 10 starts vs. National League Central.
- Tigers are 18-8 in Verlander’s last 26 home starts.
- Tigers are 2-5 in Verlander’s last 7 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Tigers are 2-5 in Verlander’s last 7 starts.
- Tigers are 2-5 in Verlander’s last 7 starts on grass.
- Tigers are 2-5 in Verlander’s last 7 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Tigers are 2-5 in Verlander’s last 7 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Tigers are 1-4 in Verlander’s last 5 Wednesday starts.
- Tigers are 2-9 in Verlander’s last 11 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 4-0 in Pirates last 4 road games.
- Under is 7-0 in Pirates last 7 Wednesday games.
- Under is 4-0 in Pirates last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Over is 7-1 in Pirates last 8 vs. American League Central.
- Under is 21-4-1 in Pirates last 26 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 8-2-1 in Pirates last 11 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 4-1 in Pirates last 5 interleague games.
- Under is 4-1 in Pirates last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Under is 23-6-2 in Pirates last 31 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Over is 7-2 in Pirates last 9 interleague games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 10-3-1 in Pirates last 14 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 11-4 in Pirates last 15 during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 8-3-1 in Pirates last 12 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 35-14-2 in Pirates last 51 on grass.
- Over is 10-4 in Pirates last 14 interleague road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 35-14-2 in Pirates last 51 overall.
- Under is 17-7-1 in Pirates last 25 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 5-1 in Nova’s last 6 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 5-1 in Nova’s last 6 starts with 4 days of rest.
- Under is 4-1 in Nova’s last 5 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.
- Under is 8-2 in Nova’s last 10 starts on grass.
- Under is 4-1 in Nova’s last 5 road starts.
- Under is 8-2 in Nova’s last 10 starts overall.
- Under is 7-3 in Nova’s last 10 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-0 in Tigers last 6 interleague home games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 4-0 in Tigers last 4 interleague home games.
- Over is 13-3 in Tigers last 16 vs. National League Central.
- Under is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 interleague games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 interleague games.
- Under is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Tigers last 5 interleague home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 9-3-1 in Tigers last 13 interleague games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 6-2 in Tigers last 8 when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 12-5-1 in Tigers last 18 during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 9-4-1 in Tigers last 14 Wednesday games.
- Over is 35-16-1 in Tigers last 52 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.
- Under is 4-0 in Verlander’s last 4 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0 in Verlander’s last 4 starts vs. National League Central.
- Under is 6-1-2 in Verlander’s last 9 home starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 5-1 in Verlander’s last 6 starts on grass.
- Under is 5-1 in Verlander’s last 6 starts overall.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Verlander’s last 6 Wednesday starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Verlander’s last 5 starts with 4 days of rest.
- Over is 4-1 in Verlander’s last 5 starts during game 3 of a series.
- Under is 4-1 in Verlander’s last 5 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 6-2 in Verlander’s last 8 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Under is 17-7-2 in Verlander’s last 26 home starts.
- Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Detroit.
- Over is 4-0 in Verlanders last 4 starts vs. Pirates.
- Over is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.
- Pirates are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Detroit.
- Over is 3-1-1 in Verlander’s last 5 home starts vs. Pirates.
