MLB Odds: Pirates-Cardinals Prediction, Pick, How to Watch
The Pittsburgh Pirates take on the St. Louis Cardinals in the final game of their four game series. This game will continue our MLB odds series with a Pirates-Cardinals prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Game one of this series was controlled by the pirates. Vince Velasquez shut down the Cardinals offense. He threw six shutout innings and allowed only three hits while striking out six. Connor Joe and Rodolfo Castro each went deep in the 5-0 win for the Pirates.
Game two was taken by the Cardinals. Willson Contreras and Nolan Gorman drove in the three runs as the Cardinals won 3-0. Johan Oviedo picked up the loss, but he pitched well. Oviedo struck out 10 in seven innings of work and allowed just one run. Zach Thompson picked up the win in relief for St. Louis as he pitched 1 2/3 innings and struck out four.
Game three needed more than just nine innings to find a winner. Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a solo shot in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead. However, the Cardinals would score two in the bottom of the first to take the lead. The Cardinals were winning once again in the eighth when Rodolfo Castro hit an RBI double to tie the game. In the 10th inning, Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run home run to take the lead for good. Dauri Moreta shut down St. Louis in the bottom of the 10th, earning the save and giving the Pirates a 6-3 win.
Mitch Keller and Miles Mikolas will be the strarting pitchers for Sunday’s finale.
Here are the Pirates-Cardinals MLB odds,
MLB Odds: Pirates-Cardinals Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates: +1.5 (-146)
St. Louis Cardinals: -1.5 (+122)
Over: 8 (-122)
Under: 8 (+100)
How To Watch Pirates vs. Cardinals
TV: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, Bally Sports Midwest
Stream: MLB TV Subscription
Time: 2:15 PM ET/11:15 PM PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Pirates Could Cover The Spread
The Pirates are not hitting well, but they do have some pop. Pittsburgh is 10th in home runs, 12th in doubles and 13th in slugging percentage. They will be facing Miles Mikolas who is having a really rough season. In three starts, he has given up 29 hits. In each game he has started this season, Mikolas has not given up less than five runs. The Pirates have a good opportunity to put up a lot of hits and runs in this game. Mikolas is coming in with low confidence, so if Pittsburgh can attack those pitches over the middle of the zone, they will cover the spread.
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
St. Louis is sixth in batting average and on-base percentage in the MLB. They find a way to hit the ball and get on base. However, they struggle to drive in runners when they have the opportunity. The Cardinals leave the second most men on base per game with 8.20. Now, not all these runners are going to score, but if they can add even 3-4 more runs, the Cardinals would have a much better record. With runners in scoring position, the Cardinals are hitting .231. St. Louis needs to find a way to drive in these runs. If they can do that, they will win this game.
The Cardinals are facing Mitch Keller. He is having a good season so far, but he does let people on base. He has a WHIP of 1.36, so St. Louis should have someone on base every inning essentially. If the Cardinals can get on base for Nolan Gorman or Nolan Arenado, they will score runs.
Final Pirates-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
The Cardinals hit the ball well, but they can not put it all together at the same time. With a struggling Mikolas on the mound, expect Mitch Keller and the Pirates to cover the spread in this one, and maybe even win.
Final Pirates-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Pirates +1.5 (-146), Over 8 (-122)
