Jump Aboard the Pirates' Ship
Last week, we gave you a heads-up that the Pittsburgh Pirates were a team to play plenty in the second half of the season.
Right now, they're living up to the billing six games after the All Star break.
The Buccos are 5-1 since resuming play after the Mid-Summer Classic, including a sweep of the Colorado Rockies last weekend at PNC Park.
This weekend, the series flips locations to Coors Field in Denver where the Pirates look to add to the Rockies misery, and I think they have a great chance to do so.
Pittsburgh backers only have to lay 24 cents on the dollar at Bovada to back the Pirates. I think this is a great bargain and a chance to really go heavy tonight on the Pirates and head into the weekend a winner.
Pittsbugh sends Charlie Morton (5-9, 3.28) to the hill, who has been much better than his record would indicate. Just take a look at his last three starts by using the Bovada data tool on the Home page and you'll get a pretty good idea of how he has been faring.
Among those performaces was a quality start in a 3-2 Pirates win during that series sweep of the Rockies last weekend, making it four quality starts in his last five outings. His ERA is more of a reflection of his season, while his record is more an indicator of the lack of run support he experienced earlier this .year
I don't think that will be a problem tonight at Coors Field. The Rockies send unproven Brett Anderson (0-3, 4.00) to the mound and he actually was fairly effective in the aforementioned 3-2 Pittsbugh win last weekend. However, with the Rockies injury list just about rivaling an All-Star lineup (see below), Rockies pitchers have even more pressure on them than normal.
| Christian Bergman | P | 60-Day Disabled List |
| Jhoulys Chacin | P | 60-Day Disabled List |
| Tyler Chatwood | P | 60-Day Disabled List |
| Michael Cuddyer | OF | 60-Day Disabled List |
| Carlos Gonzalez | OF | Day-to-Day (hand) |
| Boone Logan | P | 15-Day Disabled List |
| Jordan Lyles | P | 60-Day Disabled List |
| Justin Morneau | 1B | 15-Day Disabled List |
| Troy Tulowitzki | SS | 15-Day Disabled List |
With the Pirates -- as predicted -- looking to make a strong run the rest of the season, it might be tough the rest of the way to find them only laying about a quarter in a situation like this.
This is a tale of two teams drastically going in opposite directions and has a Pirates win written all over it.
Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates -124
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Result ... Colorado 8 Pittsburgh 1 Rockies cover