The Los Angeles Dodgers make a rare visit to PNC Park to face the hometown Pittsburgh Pirates in a nationally televised game live on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. The game is scheduled to start at 8:08 p.m., ET. This is the third game of a four game set.
Both teams had high expectations heading into the year after both made the playoffs a year ago, but the Dodgers and Pirates are heading in opposite directions. Los Angeles is 8-2 in their last 10 games, while the Pirates are just 2-8. The Dodgers are in second place in the NL West and are currently atop the Wild Card standings. The Pirates trail the Cubs by an astounding 14 games in the NL Central and are five games behind in the Wild Card race.
ODDS ANALYSIS/INFO
The Los Angeles Dodgers are 41-33 on the year, 18-18 on the road and 9-5 versus National League Central competition.
Pittsburgh has a 34-39 record, 18-18 at home and 12-8 against National League West teams.
The Pirates have lost 12 of their last 14 games to fall to a season low five games under .500.
It would seem that the Pirates need this win a lot more then the Dodgers. If the Pirates don’t get things turned around quickly, their season could be lost.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Clayton Kershaw (11-1, 1.57) gets the start for the Dodgers and that usually equals a win for Los Angeles. He allowed just one run on six hits and struck out eight over seven innings in Monday's win over the Nationals. The lanky left-hander was nasty as ever, as Nationals hitters swung and missed at 19 of Kershaw's 106 pitches. He has now lasted seven innings in all but one start this season, and as great as Monday's start was, his eight strikeouts actually ranks 11th out of his 15 starts in 2016. The future Hall of Famer continues to dominate but will have his hands full with a pesky Pirates team.
UNDECIDED - Pittsburgh has yet to name a starter for this game and your guess is as good as mine. Injuries and inconsistency have Pirates manager Clint Hurdle in a real bind when it comes to starting pitching. Ryan Vogelsong is still on the DL, Jonathan Niese, Francisco Liriano and Jeff Locke all have under achieved so far this season. Maybe Hurdle will call up prized rookie Tyler Glasgow to make his first MLB start. Stay tuned!
SPOTLIGHT PLAYERS
COREY SEAGER - SS - LA Dodgers
The left-hand-hitting ROOKIE shortstop leads the Dodgers in virtually every offensive category; average .289, home runs 16, RBI’s 37, OBP .348, Slugging .519 and runs scored with 47. Seager is already a lock for rookie of the year and possibly an All Star invitation.
GREGORY POLANCO - RF - Pittsburgh Pirates
The kid is finally starting to live up to expectations and spray the ball all over the field. He’s among the league leaders in batting average at .298, has ten home runs, 23 doubles and nine stolen bases. He leads the Pirates in four statistical categories; RBI’s with 44, OBP is .378, Slugging .519 and runs scored with 47. Polanco is a rising star in the National League and should make his first All Star team.
THE PICK
Clayton Kershaw is 11-1 on the year and is unhittable on most nights even if he doesn’t have his “A” game. The Pirates are really struggling losing 12 out of their last 14 games and find themselves searching for answers especially when it goes to starting pitching. In their slide the past few weeks, Pirates starting pitchers have posted an ERA of over 6 runs and that is not going to win you very many ball games. Kershaw and the Dodgers roll.
MLB ODDS: Los Angeles Dodgers 7, Pittsburgh Pirates 2
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