From PNC Park in Pittsburgh, we have the Reds and Pirates facing off in an NL Central matchup. First pitch for this one is set for 6:40 PM ET. BSOH is carrying this one on TV.
The money line odds have the Reds at -115 compared to the Pirates at -104. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs, and Julian Aguiar is starting for the Reds, while Jake Woodford goes for the Pirates. Cincinnati is 62-67, while the Pirates are 61-67.
Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Reds at Pirates
- Where: PNC Park Pittsburgh
- Date: Saturday, August 24th
- Betting Odds CIN -115 | PIT -104 O/U 8.5
Reds vs Pirates Last Game Recap
Pittsburgh picked up a 6-5 win over the Reds in the most recent game of this series. The Pirates had a huge 5th inning, scoring four of their six runs. As for the Reds, they scored four of their five runs in the 4th. Heading into the game, the Pirates were favored at -114 on the money line.
Joey Bart and Rowdy Tellez each homered for the Pirates, while Bryan De La Cruz scored twice and drove in two runs while going 1/3. Tyler Stephenson hit the game's other home run for the Reds, going 2/3 with three RBIs.
Dennis Santana got the win for the Pirates out of the bullpen, while David Bednar got the save. Justin Wilson took the loss for the Reds out of the bullpen.
Reds Preview
When the Reds have been the underdog, they have a 42-26 record against the run line with an average run differential of +3.8 runs per game. Cincinnati is 12.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central and has a 62-67 overall record, going 4-6 in their last 10 games.
For games with an over/under line of 8.5 runs, the Reds have gone over 15 times and under 11 times this season. Their games have averaged 8.7 runs per game, and 48.1% of their games have had over/under lines of 8.5 runs or higher.
Julian Aguiar will be making his second start of the season for the Reds, and he will be on the road against the Pirates. Aguiar's first start of the season was a no-decision against the Blue Jays. He went 4 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 4 hits and had 2 strikeouts.
Elly De La Cruz has been the Reds' most consistent hitter this season, as he is batting .260 with a team-high 22 home runs. He has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 5/18 with a homer and four RBIs over his last five games. Spencer Steer and Jeimer Candelario are also near the top of the team's home run leaderboard, but both are batting just .235 and .225, respectively.
As a team, the Reds are averaging 4.4 runs per game and are 10th in home runs. They have been a bit below average in terms of their batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Cincinnati will be looking to continue their power surge, as they have four players with a home run in their last five games.
Pirates Preview
When favored, the Pirates have a 27-21 record this season, but as underdogs, they are 34-46. Pittsburgh is currently 5th in the NL Central, 13 games behind the Brewers, and just a half-game behind the Reds. The Pirates have won two straight games in this series against Cincinnati.
For the season, Pirates games have averaged 8.5 runs per game, with a 61-65 over/under record. As underdogs against the run line, they are 54-26. The run line has been covered in their last three games as underdogs.
Jake Woodford gets the start for the Pirates today and is looking to pick up his first win of the season. So far, he has made five starts and seven total appearances. Woodford's record for the season is 0-5, and his ERA is 6.67. Looking at his home/away splits, Woodford is 0-4 at home with a 10.31 ERA. On the road, he is 0-1 with a 0.75 ERA. Woodford's WHIP for the season is 1.44, and he has a batting average allowed of .282. The last time he pitched, he gave up five earned runs in four innings of work.
For the season, the Pirates are averaging just 4.1 runs per game, which is 22nd in the MLB. They have been slightly better at home, averaging 4.2 runs per game. As a team, the Pirates are batting just .234, which is 18th in the league, and are also near the bottom of the league in home runs and slugging percentage.
Bryan Reynolds has been the Pirates' top hitter this season, as he is batting .282 with a team-leading 19 home runs and 70 RBIs. Reynolds is also on a three-game hitting streak. Oneil Cruz and Bryan De La Cruz are also on four-game hitting streaks, with both players having 18 homers this season.
Reds vs. Pirates Prediction: Reds ML -115
Our predicted final score for this Reds and Pirates matchup is 6-5 in favor of the Reds. With the Reds starting pitcher, Julian Aguiar, we have him finishing with six strikeouts compared to Jake Woodford with the Pirates, who we have finishing with five.
Looking at some of the team stats, the Reds lineup is projected to finish with 11 hits, compared to the Pirates, who we have finishing with nine. If you're looking for a player prop bet, you could look at the Reds to hit more home runs, as they are projected to finish with three, compared to the Pirates with one.
As for the money line, the Reds are paying out at -115, and this is the route we recommend going. If you're looking for an underdog pick, the Pirates are paying out at -104.
