At 1:35 PM ET, the Diamondbacks and Pirates square off in an NL matchup. This one is being played at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, and the Pirates are the slight favorite on the money line (-158). The Diamondbacks have a record of 59-52, while the Pirates are 56-54.
The over/under line is currently at 8 runs, and the forecast for Sunday's game in Pittsburgh calls for clear skies and temperatures in the upper 70s. SN PT is carrying this one on TV, and the Diamondbacks are the third-best team in the NL West, while the Pirates are third in the NL Central.
Arizona vs. Pittsburgh Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Diamondbacks at Pirates
- Where: PNC Park Pittsburgh
- Date: Sunday, August 4th
- Betting Odds PIT -158 | ARI +134 O/U 8
Diamondbacks vs Pirates Last Game Recap
Pittsburgh picked up a 4-2 win over the Diamondbacks in the most recent game of this series. The Pirates had a huge 6th inning, scoring three of their four runs. As for the Diamondbacks, they scored their only two runs in the 9th. Heading into the game, the Pirates were favored at -117 on the money line.
Mitch Keller only went four innings for the Pirates but didn't give up a run and finished with four strikeouts. He was replaced by Kyle Nicolas, who got the win. David Bednar closed things out. Jordan Montgomery only went three innings for the Diamondbacks, giving up one run on one hit.
Joey Bart and Bryan Reynolds each homered for the Pirates, while Geraldo Perdomo went 3/3 with two doubles for the Diamondbacks. Perdomo was the only Arizona hitter to have more than one hit.
Diamondbacks Preview
Arizona is 59-52 overall and 5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, looking to take the series lead over the Pirates today. They have won five straight series and are 28-27 on the road this season. Against the run line, they have a 31-24 record on the road and 25-31 at home.
This season, the Diamondbacks have played to a 60-48 over/under record, with games averaging 9.9 runs per game. When the total has been set at 8 runs, they have gone over 10 times, under 4 times, and pushed once.
Ryne Nelson is looking to build off his last outing, where he didn't give up a run and picked up the win. In that July 30th start vs. the Nationals, he went seven innings and didn't give up a run. Looking at his overall numbers, Nelson has made 18 starts, and his record for the Diamondbacks is 8-6. The right-hander has an ERA of 4.53 and a WHIP of 1.36. For the season, he has allowed 10 home runs. Nelson's ERA at home is 6.96, compared to 4.0 on the road.
Arizona's offense has been one of the league's best this season, averaging 5.1 runs per game, which is the 2nd best mark in the MLB. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.2 runs per game. The Diamondbacks have been a good home run hitting team this season and have the league's 4th best team batting average at .258.
Ketel Marte has been on fire of late, going 15/36 in his last 10 games with six homers and 16 RBIs. For the season, he is batting .302 with 26 homers and 75 RBIs. Marte's 26 homers is the 7th best mark in the league. Christian Walker is also a power threat in the lineup, as he has 23 homers and 71 RBIs this season.
Pirates Preview
As the underdog, the Pirates have been a strong bet against the run line, going 46-20 ATS, and they are 63-47 overall. Pittsburgh is 17-15 in division games and has a 5-5 record in their last 10 games. They are six games behind the Brewers in the NL Central with a 56-54 overall record.
This season, 58 of the Pirates' games have had over/under lines of 8 runs or higher, and their over/under record in games with an 8-run line is 11-13. The Pirates' games have averaged 8.5 runs per game, and their overall O/U record is 51-58.
Paul Skenes gets the start for the Pirates today and is coming off a start in which he didn't factor into the decision. Against the Astros, he went six innings, giving up one earned run on five hits. Looking back over his last four starts, Skenes has allowed two earned runs in three of them. His ERA for the season is an impressive 1.90, along with a record of 6-1. Skenes has made 13 starts, and opponents are batting .194 this season. In his 13 appearances, he has turned in 11 quality starts.
So far this season, the Pirates offense is averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 20th in the majors. At home, they are scoring just 4 runs per game, which is 27th in the league. Overall, they are batting .233 as a team, and their on-base percentage of .301 is 19th in the league.
Bryan Reynolds and Bryan De La Cruz have been the Pirates' top power hitters this season, with Reynolds leading the team with 19 home runs and De La Cruz right behind him at 18. Reynolds is also batting .287 for the season, and De La Cruz is at .243. Over his last 10 games, Oneil Cruz is batting .308 with two homers, and Joey Bart is on a four-game hitting streak while going 11/31 over his last nine games.
Diamondbacks vs. Pirates Prediction: Diamondbacks ML +134
Our pick for today's Diamondbacks vs. Pirates matchup is to take the Diamondbacks on the money line at +134. We have the Diamondbacks winning this one by a score of 6-4.
Looking at the starting pitchers, our projections have Ryne Nelson finishing with four strikeouts, which would have him as the fourth-worst among today's starters. As for Paul Skenes, we have him finishing with five K's, which would have him as the 18th best.
