Pirates Hoping for Redemption After Getting Clobbered by Dodgers
By Cory Huybregts in MLB Baseball
Published:
- The Dodgers pummelled the Pirates in game one 17-1
- All Star lefty Clayton Kershaw takes the mound for the Dodgers
- First pitch is at 7:10 PM PST from Dodger Stadium
The Pittsburgh Pirates will look to rebound and get redemption as the Dodgers handed them their worst lost since 2010. The Pirates allowed season highs in runs and hits, while the Dodgers tied their season high in home runs with four.
Kershaw & The Dodgers
Left hand starter Clayton Kershaw will be making his third start tonight, since coming off the DL with his most recent back injury. Kershaw has been trending in a positive direction and this game may see his pitch restriction lifted.
Kershaw threw 55 pitches against the Mets on June 23rd giving up two runs and five hits over three innings. On June 28th Kershaw threw 68 pitches with one run and five hits over five innings versus the Chicago Cubs.
Expect Kershaw to throw around 80 pitches this evening. Kershaw will look to improve his career 2-3 record and 3.18 ERA versus the Pirates.
“I’ve proven that I’m healthy, so now, next time out I’m sure the restriction should hopefully be pretty close to off.” – Clayton
The Dodgers can help Kershaw find his first win since coming off the DL by continuing to pump out runs. Look for Matt Kemp to lead the way.
Last night Kemp tied a career high with five hits. He has eight straight hits since last Sunday – the Dodger record is ten. He boast a 323 AVG, 15 HR, 55 RBI, and .359 OBP.
The Pirates
Right hand starter Ivan Nova takes the mound, in his fourth game since returning from injury. Nova has thrown between 80 – 95 pitches in each of his starts, and should be fine for a full workload tonight.
Nova has given up one or no runs in three of his four last starts and has a career 2.31 ERA against the Dodgers. One of his victories was the start of a four game winning streak for the Pirates. The Pirates will need Nova’s best to stop a potential losing skid.
Offensively, the Pirates were silenced last night, and will need a better performance to have a chance tonight. In their last five games they have been able to produce five runs or more in three of the games. They will need a similar performance tonight to chase Kershaw out and give Nova some insurance.
Team Stats
| 40-44, 19-23 away | RECORD | 45-39, 24-23 home | |
| Ivan Nova, 4-5, 4.02 ERA | STARTING PITCHERS | Clayton Kershaw, 1-4, 2.84 ERA | |
| 3-2 | LAST 5 GAMES | 2-3 | |
| 83 | Team HR | 116 | |
| .249 | Team BA | .244 | |
| 1.32 | WHIP | 1.23 | |
| .251 | OPP BA | .241 |
Opening Odds
| MONEYLINE | RUNLINE | O/U RUNS |
|---|---|---|
| Pirates +230 | Pirates -1.5(+105) | OVER 7.5 (-even) |
| Dodgers -260 | Dodgers +1.5(-125) | UNDER 7.5 (-120) |
Pirates vs Dodgers Score Prediction
Baseball players tend to be streaky athletes and the Dodgers have a few players starting to find their groove. The Dodgers bats continue to produce, albeit at a less profound rate. Kershaw will last six innings, and Nova will give the Pirates a chance, but the Dodgers offensive all-stars will power the team to a win. Dodgers 6 – Pirates 4.
Check out our MLB betting hub for the most recent odds for every MLB game today.
Sports Writer
From hockey to football, to basketball, baseball, soccer, and rugby, Cory is on top of it all. He grew up playing sports, has worked around them ever since (including as a talent scout), and is one of SBD's most experienced bettors.
