PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* MLB Late Show ($20) - Three Straight Winning Days (9-4 Overall!)
(MLB) Pittsburgh vs. San Francisco,
Money Line: -113.00 San Francisco (Home)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -113.00 San Francisco (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Pittsburgh Pirates aim for their fifth win in six outings as they continue their six-game road trip with the middle contest of their three-game set against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. Pittsburgh posted an 8-5 victory in the series opener to remain one game behind Miami and St. Louis for the second wild-card spot in the NL. Meanwhile the loss by the Giants leaves them just a half-game up on the Dodgers in the NL West and San Francisco is now a pathetic 9-19 since the All Star break. The Giants blew a 7-1 lead in an 8-7 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday and last night lost 8-5, despite pounding out 12 hits, as they fell to 1-3 on their current 10-game homestand.
The pitching matchup: Jameson Taillon (3-2, 2.85 ERA) will take the ball for the Pirates and Jeff Samardzija (10-8, 4.23 ERA) will start for the Giants. Taillon was the No. 2 overall pick of the 2010 draft and is now two years removed from Tommy John surgery. Pittsburgh has watched his pitch counts closely for most of the season but he's topped 100 pitches for the first two times in his career in 3-2 and 4-0 wins over the Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres in his last two starts. Taillon has made 10 starts since his 2016 debut back on June 8 with the Pirates going 7-3 (Pirates are 5-1 in his last six starts, while Taillon owns a 1.89 ERA). Samardzija has once again disappointed a team, as the Giants are 12-11 in his 2016 starts, losing $187 vs. the moneyline.
The pick: San Francisco's starting rotation has produced only eight quality starts in 28 games since the All-Star break (that's how a team goes 9-19). Samardzija was dubbed a "Pirate killer" in winning his first four career decisions against them in dominating fashion (1.09 ERA) but he owns a 4.34 ERA against the Pirates over his last 45 2/3 innings against them, leaving him 3-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 11 career stars vs. Pittsburgh (teams are 4-7). Taillon's pitching better coming in but I'm concerned he's getting "too much work." Handicapping is often about "feel" and that has me on the Giants in this one as a 10* play.
The pitching matchup: Jameson Taillon (3-2, 2.85 ERA) will take the ball for the Pirates and Jeff Samardzija (10-8, 4.23 ERA) will start for the Giants. Taillon was the No. 2 overall pick of the 2010 draft and is now two years removed from Tommy John surgery. Pittsburgh has watched his pitch counts closely for most of the season but he's topped 100 pitches for the first two times in his career in 3-2 and 4-0 wins over the Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres in his last two starts. Taillon has made 10 starts since his 2016 debut back on June 8 with the Pirates going 7-3 (Pirates are 5-1 in his last six starts, while Taillon owns a 1.89 ERA). Samardzija has once again disappointed a team, as the Giants are 12-11 in his 2016 starts, losing $187 vs. the moneyline.
The pick: San Francisco's starting rotation has produced only eight quality starts in 28 games since the All-Star break (that's how a team goes 9-19). Samardzija was dubbed a "Pirate killer" in winning his first four career decisions against them in dominating fashion (1.09 ERA) but he owns a 4.34 ERA against the Pirates over his last 45 2/3 innings against them, leaving him 3-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 11 career stars vs. Pittsburgh (teams are 4-7). Taillon's pitching better coming in but I'm concerned he's getting "too much work." Handicapping is often about "feel" and that has me on the Giants in this one as a 10* play.
