Pirates vs. Cardinals Friday Prediction
After playing a wild slugfest on Thursday night at Busch Stadium, will the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals play to more of a pitcher’s duel when the division rivals meet again on Friday?
Game Snapshot & Odds
905 Pittsburgh Pirates (+110) at 906 St. Louis Cardinals (-130); 8 runs
Friday, June 1, 2018
8:15 p.m. ET, Busch Stadium
TV: PIT (ATTP); STL (FSMW)
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Public Betting Trends
Oddsmakers from online sportsbooks currently list the Cardinals as a -130 favorite. As of this writing, 68% of the betting tickets wagered at online sportsbooks are on the Cardinals to beat the Pirates on the moneyline. This information is subject to change, however, so be sure to check out our MLB Public Betting Page for updated figures on this game.
Pirates’ Taillon suffers no decision vs. Cardinals last game
Jameson Taillon limited the Cardinals to three runs over 6 1/3 innings but settled for a no-decision Sunday. Taillon pitched well enough to win, allowing five hits and a walk while striking out six, but he stood by as the bullpen allowed three runs in the eighth inning to deprive him of his third win. As it is, Taillon remains 2-4 with a 4.53 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 11 starts. His last win was April 8, a statistic he’ll hope to change Friday against these same Cardinals in St. Louis.
Cards’ Mikolas allows four runs to Bucs in last start
Miles Mikolas allowed four runs over six innings Sunday in a no-decision against the Pirates. Mikolas yielded five hits and a walk while striking out five, and he exited in line for his first loss of the year. The Cardinals’ bats came alive in the eighth inning, though, letting Mikolas off the hook and keeping his record at a perfect 6-0 through 10 starts.
The right-hander has been one of the biggest and, for the Cardinals, most pleasant surprises through the season’s first two months, posting a 2.58 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across 66 1/3 innings of work. Advanced metrics support the legitimacy of his success — or at least most of his success, given that a 2.58 ERA might be unsustainable.
MLB Betting Trends
Pittsburgh
The Pirates are 16-35 in their last 51 games played in St. Louis after blowing a lead in the ninth inning last night.
St. Louis
The Cardinals are a perfect 5-0 in Mikolas’ last five starts and are 4-1 in his last five outings versus the National League Central.
Prediction:
These two teams combined to score 13 runs last night but that should prove to be an aberration. Both offenses have struggled at times and these two starters have been very good, more so Mikolas, who has been a revelation for the Cardinals. The under is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings between these two teams at Busch Stadium and I like the combined score to fall short of the total tonight.
The Pick: Pirates/Cardinals under 8