The NL Central title is absolutely still up for grabs, but the Pittsburgh Pirates know they pretty much have no choice but to sweep this series against the St. Louis Cardinals to get the job done. Wednesday's game might end up being relatively meaningless if the Cards can get the first two games of this series on Monday and Tuesday, but it also could be the game to put the Pirates back into a tie if the Bucs take the first two games.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Pirates, of course, are still trying to hold on to the top Wild Card spot as well in the NL. They are 95-61 heading into the last week of the season, and are still sporting the second-best money mark in the NL at +22.87 units.
Of course, the team they are chasing for the best mark in the NL is the same team they're chasing in the NL Central. The Cards are 98-58 and could be looking at win No. 100 in this one, and they have been the most profitable team in the National League at +25.05 units.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Carlos Martinez was shut down for the season, and that opened up the door for Tyler Lyons to make what will probably amount to be nothing but a spot start before he heads back to the bullpen for the playoffs.
Lyons has thrown just 50 innings in the bigs this year, and we suspect this will be a short outing for him in this one. His 3.96 ERA is good, yet not spectacular, and we are concerned about his 10 homers and four wild pitches in those 50 frames.
Gerrit Cole will take the ball for the last time in the regular season for the Pirates in this game. Cole will start whatever the first game is in the playoffs, and he hopes he can do his part to make sure that that isn't the NL Wild Card game.
At 18-8 with a 2.60 ERA and 200 strikeouts, Cole has a case to be in the Cy Young discussion.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"He's got plus stuff. Anytime you face an ace, you know that, with that kind of stuff it's going to be a grind, and when he misses his pitches, you've got to capitalize on them." – Cubs outfielder Chris Coghlan on how hard it is to face Gerrit Cole
SITUATIONAL BETTING
We've got two of the best closers in the league in this one. Trevor Rosenthal has shut the door in the ninth 47 times in 50 save chances, while Mark Melancon is a whopping 51-of-53. Clearly, if this game gets to the ninth with either team in the lead, it'll be virtually impossible to see a comeback.
PROP TALK
Something is wrong with Andrew McCutchen right now, and we want no part of it. He hasn't had a multi-hit game since September 15, and he is batting just .167 in that stretch. Clearly, the Pirates need their leader hitting the ball well next week if they are going to survive in the playoffs, but we don't want a piece of 'Cutch until he proves that he is swinging a sweet stick again.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
This game is purely going to be about playing the odds. Cole is awesome. We know that. He deserves to be a favorite in this game, and he deserves to be a relatively heavy favorite, too. But the fact of the matter is that Pittsburgh could be favored by a ridiculous margin, especially if it has some momentum from the games on Monday and Tuesday.
If you're giving us the Cards in virtually any situation at darn near +200, even with a de facto Quad-A pitcher on the mound, we're going to take them out of pure scruples.
St. Louis 4, Pittsburgh 3
The MLB lines for this Wednesday contest will be first released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, player props and inning totals. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker's live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The ballgame pitting the St. Louis Cardinals versus the Pittsburgh Pirates will commence at 7:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at PNC Park. The matchup will be televised live on ESPN.
