PREMIUM
Rogers' ROUND TRIPPER >> Off 3-0 SWEEP w/ G.O.M WINNER!
(MLB) Pittsburgh vs. Toronto,
Money Line: -138.00 Toronto (Home)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -138.00 Toronto (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Pittsburgh Pirates have so far had little trouble in this week of interleague contests. The Pirates took three of four in a home-and-home set with the Tigers and now move on to Toronto to wrap up a week of seven IL games with the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. The Pirates pounded out 13 hits in a 7-5 win over the Tigers on Thursday
to draw within one game of .500 (57-58) and to within three games of the first-place Cubs in the tightly-packed NL Central. The 54-60 Blue Jays are still at the bottom of the AL East standings (11 games back of Boston) but they are doing their best to knock others out of contention and took two of three from the NY Yankees this week, after Thursday's 4-0 shutout win. Toronto is just four games out of the final wild card spot but the problem is that there are seven teams ahead of them.
The pitching matchup: Jameson Taillon (6-5 & 4.60 ERA) will take the mound for Pittsburgh and Marcus Stroman (10-5 & 3.17 ERA) for Toronto. After not making it through four innings in either of his previous two starts in which he allowed 17 ERs on 20 hits in 6 2/3 innings (woeful 22.95 ERA), Taillon struck out eight in 6 1/3 innings while allowing two runs on five hits in a win in his last start against San Diego (Pittsburgh would win 5-4 in 12 innings last Sunday). Taillon will be facing Toronto for the first time in his career but note he is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in five career interleague starts. Stroman surrendered 11 hits at Houston on Sunday but limited the damage to two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings without factoring in the decision (Jays lost 7-6). In fact, he has not been part of the decision in four of his last five starts despite surrendering three runs or less in each of those no decisions. Stroman appeared once in relief previously against Pittsburgh (no starts) but is 8-1 with a 2.38 ERA in 14 career interleague games, including 11 starts.
The pick: Pittsburgh has won six of its last eight games but will face a tough test here against Stroman. He may have just two wins over his last six starts but he deserves much better, posting a 2.50 ERA. His 8-1 record and 2.38 ERA in IL games speaks volumes and here in 2017, he's 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA in four interleague starts. Make Toronto an 8* play.
to draw within one game of .500 (57-58) and to within three games of the first-place Cubs in the tightly-packed NL Central. The 54-60 Blue Jays are still at the bottom of the AL East standings (11 games back of Boston) but they are doing their best to knock others out of contention and took two of three from the NY Yankees this week, after Thursday's 4-0 shutout win. Toronto is just four games out of the final wild card spot but the problem is that there are seven teams ahead of them.
The pitching matchup: Jameson Taillon (6-5 & 4.60 ERA) will take the mound for Pittsburgh and Marcus Stroman (10-5 & 3.17 ERA) for Toronto. After not making it through four innings in either of his previous two starts in which he allowed 17 ERs on 20 hits in 6 2/3 innings (woeful 22.95 ERA), Taillon struck out eight in 6 1/3 innings while allowing two runs on five hits in a win in his last start against San Diego (Pittsburgh would win 5-4 in 12 innings last Sunday). Taillon will be facing Toronto for the first time in his career but note he is 2-1 with a 1.93 ERA in five career interleague starts. Stroman surrendered 11 hits at Houston on Sunday but limited the damage to two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings without factoring in the decision (Jays lost 7-6). In fact, he has not been part of the decision in four of his last five starts despite surrendering three runs or less in each of those no decisions. Stroman appeared once in relief previously against Pittsburgh (no starts) but is 8-1 with a 2.38 ERA in 14 career interleague games, including 11 starts.
The pick: Pittsburgh has won six of its last eight games but will face a tough test here against Stroman. He may have just two wins over his last six starts but he deserves much better, posting a 2.50 ERA. His 8-1 record and 2.38 ERA in IL games speaks volumes and here in 2017, he's 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA in four interleague starts. Make Toronto an 8* play.
