Dodgers vs. Pirates Pick
Are the host Pittsburgh Pirates equipped to down the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday? First pitch is at 7:05PM EST.
Oddsmakers at sports book Bovada.lv have made the Dodgers a -172 favorite to win. The Pirates are a +147 underdog, while the over-under is 8.5.
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Left-hander Alex Wood gets the start for Los Angeles, coming in with a sparkling 14-1 record and 2.30 ERA. Pittsburgh goes with Gerrit Cole, who is 10-8 with a 4.04 ERA. Wood has had four subpar starts this season and the other 17 appearances (15 starts) have been mostly spectacular. He has allowed a total of four earned runs in 19 innings this month, most recently giving up one earned run on six hits with six strikeouts over seven innings in a 6-1 victory over the White Sox. Wood has a 1.01 WHIP and carries a 1.72 ERA in nine road starts, winning all six decisions. Cole has had a down year for his standards, but he did have a spectacular July (2.25 ERA in five starts) before regressing somewhat in three August starts. His strikeout rate has improved the last two months and he now has 141 strikeouts in 153 2/3 innings, while his WHIP stands at 1.24.
The Dodgers are 87-34 overall and 36-21 on the road, while the Pirates are 60-64 and 30-34 at home.
Los Angeles won the first two games in a series at the Tigers, but lost the finale 6-1 as they were slowed down by Justin Verlander. The lone run for the Dodgers came on a solo home run by the recently acquired Curtis Granderson, while Kenta Maeda gave up four earned runs in six innings to take the loss. Pittsburgh’s Josh Bell hit a two-run home run in the first inning and drove in four runs Sunday night to lead his squad to a win in the MLB Little League Classic. Starling Marte, Josh Harrison and Andrew McCutchen had two hits apiece. Ivan Nova gave up three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings to earn the win.
The Dodgers have been unbeatable so often this year, but Verlander shut them down on Sunday and they have to turn right around for another road game Monday agianst a good pitcher in Cole. Rookie slugger Cody Bellinger could also be given another day off with a sprained ankle. Wood has been spectacular and the under is also in play here, but this is a rare occasion where the Dodgers could be vulnerable.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: PITTSBURGH PIRATES +147