The Giants look to finish off their road trip through the NL Central’s top teams with a win when they take on the Pirates on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. Pittsburgh hasn’t lost a game with Francisco Liriano on the mound since June 20 and he silenced the Giants earlier this year in a win in San Francisco.
ODDS ANALYSIS
An important stretch of games hasn’t gone so well for the Giants, losing for the third time in four games on their road trip to the NL Central’s top teams with Thursday’s 4-0 defeat to the Pirates. The majors’ top two pitching staffs have limited the Giants to just six runs in the four games with the under going 3-0-1 during that span.
Pittsburgh showed no signs of backing off an impressive wild card-leading pace in Thursday’s victory over the Giants, winning for the seventh time in eight games and moving closer to the Cardinals for the top spot in the NL Central. The Pirates are up 5.55 units during that span and improved the second-best home record in the majors to 42-19. While the Pirates lost the most meaningful game they’ve had with the Giants recently in the playoffs, Thursday’s win was their fourth in as many tries this season and their 14th in the last 20 regular season meetings without losing any of the previous six.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Ryan Vogelsong (9-8, 3.93 ERA) was masterful Tuesday, giving up just two hits over six shutout innings in a 2-0 win at St. Louis. He allowed just three baserunners striking out five for his second consecutive victory. Vogelsong’s been sharp in his last two outings, surrendering just five hits and one run with 13 strikeouts across 11 innings while starting in place of Mike Leake.
In his only start this season against the Pirates, Vogelsong allowed five hits and three earned runs taking the loss on June 1. He owns a 3.55 ERA in six career starts against them.
Francisco Liriano (8-6, 3.35 ERA) took a no-decision Tuesday, but the Pirates won for the ninth straight time in a game he started. Liriano was charged with five runs over seven innings against Arizona. He’s been much more hittable lately, surrendering 29 hits and 14 earned runs over 21.2 innings of his last four starts.
Liriano limited the Giants to one run over seven innings, picking up a 5-2 win on June 3. He’s 3-1 with a 3.75 ERA in four starts.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I look at our record against the West and go, ‘Wow.’ Then I look at the record against the Central and go, ‘Wow.’” – Manager Clint Hurdle with a different tone when referencing the Bucs’ 17-3 record against teams in the NL West and 21-29 against those in their own division
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
With outfielders Angel Pagan and Hunter Pence on the disabled list, the Giants acquired veteran Marlon Byrd from Cincinnati to bolster their outfield as well as their postseason hopes. Byrd was hitting .237 with 19 home runs and 42 RBIs in 96 games for the Reds. Byrd likely will step in and contribute as a right-handed hitter in the lineup. He’s no stranger to being traded into the middle of a pennant race. In 2013, he joined the Pirates before the Sept. 1 postseason roster deadline and batted .318 with three home runs in 115 plate appearances down the stretch and also homered in Pittsburgh’s wild card victory.
PROP TALK
It’s time to join the Marte par-tay. Pittsburgh outfielder Starling Marte has been having fun at the plated and opposing pitchers aren’t too happy. Marte collected two hits for the third straight game in Thursday’s win over the Giants, extending his hitting streak to five games in which he’s hit .391 with two doubles, a triple and a home run while scoring six times. He boosted his average to .351 in his last 29 contests at PNC Park as well as .364 in nine games against the Giants.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Pirates have been stellar at home and they have the Giants number, at least they have that number during the regular year. They also can’t lose when Liriano takes the bump. Though he’s been touched up recently, the veteran lefty knows how to deal and he can take advantage of a Giants team that has struggled to find some offense on this road trip. The Pirates also have a dynamic outfield with Marte and Gregory Polanco joining Andrew McCutchen to supply plenty of offense.
Pittsburgh 5, San Francisco 2
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Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates is scheduled for Sunday, August 23, 2015, at 8:08 p.m. ET at PNC Park. The matchup can be seen live on ESPN.
