The Cincinnati Reds (34-38) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (35-37) on Tuesday, June 18th. This game will be played at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and televised on BSOH. The Pirates are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Reds are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Pirates. First pitch is set for 5:40 CT.
Reds vs Pirates
Pittsburgh picked up a 4-1 win over the Reds in the most recent game of this series. The Pirates had a huge 1st inning, scoring three of their four runs. As for the Reds, they scored their only run in the 1st and were held in check the rest of the game.
Carson Spiers got the start for the Reds, going six innings and giving up four runs. He finished the game with five strikeouts but took the loss. Paul Skenes put together a good outing for the Pirates, getting the win after going six innings and giving up one earned run.
Bryan Reynolds and Rowdy Tellez each had two hits and an RBI for the Pirates’ offense. Reynolds, Oneil Cruz, and Spencer Steer each scored two runs for Pittsburgh.
The Reds are 34-38 overall and trail the Brewers by eight games in the NL Central. Currently, they are 4th in the division and have gone 8-9 in divisional matchups. Cincinnati is on a three-game losing streak, which includes dropping the first game of this series vs. the Pirates. Heading into today’s game, they are one game behind the Pirates for 3rd place in the NL Central.
At home, the Reds are 18-19 this year and are just under .500 at 16-19 on the road. As the favorite, the Reds have gone 18-13 this year and 16-25 as the underdog. Cincinnati has dropped three straight games on the road, and their overall series record is 8-13-2 this year. Over their last 10 games, the Reds are 5-5.
When the Reds are on the road, they are a good bet to cover the run line, as they are 23-12 in those games. Their average run margin in road games is +0.6, and they are 15-16 against the run line as the favorite.
The Cincinnati Reds are on the road today against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The over/under line for the game is set at 8.5 runs, which is slightly below their combined run average of 8.4 runs per game. The Reds have an over/under record of 31-38 on the season, and their games have averaged an over/under line of 9 runs. When the line is set at 8.5 runs, they have gone 5-6 on the over/under. Overall, 51.4% of their games have had higher over/under lines than 8.5 runs, and their games have gone under the total in their last three contests.
Nick Lodolo Gets The Start For The Reds
Cincinnati is sending left-hander Nick Lodolo to the mound today as he faces the Pirates on the road. Lodolo has made 10 starts this year and has a record of 7-2 with a 2.93 ERA. So far, he has turned in five quality starts and is averaging 9.57 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, Lodolo gave up two earned runs in six innings of work, coming away with the win. Before that, he had given up two homers in back-to-back starts. Lodolo has been much better at home, coming in with a 3.37 ERA compared to 2.57 on the road.
Reds Offense Breakdown
Jeimer Candelario has been on a tear for the Reds of late, going 11/32 in his last eight games with four homers and 10 RBIs. This has helped him move into a tie with Elly De La Cruz for the team lead in homers at 12. De La Cruz has also been a solid run producer, as his 31 RBIs are 3rd on the team.
As a team, the Reds are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 16th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road so far, averaging 4.5 runs per contest. Overall, they are batting just .226, which is 21st in the MLB.
Pittsburgh is 35-37 overall and trails the Brewers by seven games in the NL Central. The Pirates have gone 9-9 in divisional games this year. Currently, they are 3rd in the NL Central. The Pirates have picked up two straight wins, taking the series opener vs. the Reds.
At home, the Pirates are 17-17 this year compared to an 18-20 mark on the road. As the underdog, the Pirates are 22-20 this year, which includes an impressive 10-6 mark as the home underdog. Pittsburgh has struggled as the favorite, going 13-17 this year. They are also 9-10-4 in series this year.
When it comes to betting the run line on the Pirates, it’s been a profitable venture overall, as they are 40-32 on the run line this season. They’ve been especially good on the road, going 22-16. They’ve been a better bet as the underdog, going 29-13, compared to 11-19 as the favorite. Their run differential is -0.3 runs per game overall, and -0.6 runs per game at home.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home against the Cincinnati Reds today, and the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs. The combined run average for Pirates games this season is 8.6 runs per game, and their over/under record is 35-36. When the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs, the Pirates have a record of 13-10, and the over/under line has been set at 8.5 runs in 12.5% of their games this season. The under has hit in the last two Pirates games.
Bailey Falter Gets The Start For The Pirates
Bailey Falter gets the start for the Pirates today and is looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Cardinals. In that start, he went 4 innings and took the loss, giving up 3 earned runs, 8 hits, 1 walk, and 1 home run. Looking back further, he has given up at least 1 homer in three straight starts. Falter’s ERA for the season is 3.86, along with a record of 3-4. Opposing batters are hitting .227 off the left-hander this season. So far, he has made 13 appearances and six of them have been quality starts.
Pirates Offense Breakdown
Over the past 10 games, Bryan Reynolds has been swinging a hot bat for the Pirates, going 15/41 with five RBIs. Reynolds is also on a 15-game hitting streak and is batting .271 for the season. He is also 2nd on the team with nine homers. Andrew McCutchen has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 11/32 in his last eight games, including two home runs.
McCutchen is also the Pirates’ leader in homers for the season, with 10, and is batting .244 for the year. Oneil Cruz is also tied for 2nd on the team with nine homers and is 2nd in RBIs, with 30. Cruz is batting .251 for the season.
Reds vs Pirates Prediction
Our predicted score for this game is 5-4 in favor of the Pirates, and with them having a money line of +111, we see this as a great value pick. Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Bailey Falter finishing with four strikeouts, and Nick Lodolo with seven.
Offensively, we have the Pirates finishing with nine hits compared to the Reds with eight. If you’re looking for a home run prediction, the Pirates are projected to hit nine, compared to the Reds with four.
As for Lodolo, we have him finishing with a solid five hits allowed, and we have him as the starter with the second-most strikeouts today. Bailey Falter is predicted to finish with four K’s.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:June 18, 2024 Pirates, Reds