MLB Predictions: Can Pirates pick up road win vs. Brewers? 6/19/17
Can the Pirates pick up a road victory tonight when they visit the Brewers at 7:40PM ET?
The Odds: Pirates vs. Brewers, 7:40PM ET, Miller Park
According to oddsmakers, Pittsburgh is a -120 money line favorite to win tonight on the road. Milwaukee, meanwhile, is +110 to pull off the upset at home. The total, meanwhile, opened at 9 before jumping to 9.5.
The Pitching Matchup: Gerrit Cole (PIT) vs. Matt Garza (MIL)
Cole was excellent in his last outing. He surrendered just one run on three hits across seven innings last Tuesday in a win against the Rockies. In that game, Cole walked three while striking out three. The lone run allowed came on a RBI single from Tony Wolters in the fifth inning. Other than that, Cole was fantastic. He now owns a 4.54 ERA and 1.30 WHIP.
As for Garza, he won in his return from the disabled list, picking up a victory in St. Louis last Wednesday. He missed just one turn through the rotation due to a chest contusion. Garza has now allowed 15 earned runs over 20 innings in his last four starts. The victory over the Cardinals was just his first in his last five starts.
Our Prediction
The Pirates have struggled with Cole on the hill, but have won 17 of his last 24 starts when their opponent scores two runs or less in its previous game. Pittsburgh has also had success against Garza, beating Milwaukee in five of his last six starts.
On the other side, the Brewers are just 2-6 in their last eight games when they start a new series. They’re also 2-5 in their last seven games after scoring two runs or less in their previous game. Furthermore, they are 4-9 in their last 13 games at Miller Park versus an opponent with a winning percentage less than .400.
Monday MLB Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates -120
