MLB Predictions: Pirates vs Dodgers Lines
The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday in the opener of a four-game set at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are coming off a 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, while the Pirates fell to the New York Mets by a score of 5-0 in the rubber match of that series.
Pittsburgh Pirates (23-29) at Los Angeles Dodgers (29-25)
Date: Thursday, May 29, 2014
Time: 10:10 PM ET
Venue: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, California
O/U Odds: 7
Money Line: Los Angeles -121, Pittsburgh +112
Pitching Matchup: RH Gerrit Cole (4-3, 3.76 ERA) at RH Dan Haren (5-3, 3.16 ERA)
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The Pirates’ road struggles continued on Wednesday when they were shut out by Bartolo Colon and the Mets. The Pirates own the worst road record in all of baseball, and will face a tall order in reversing that trend at Dodger Stadium.
The team has lost nine in a row there.
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The team managed a healthy 12 hits in a 5-3 win over the Mets in the opener of that series, but put together just 11 combined hits in losing the final two games of the series. Now, they are batting just .221 on the road, averaging 3.1 runs per road contest, compiling a 7-16 record away from home.
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The team has hit just .167 at Dodger Stadium, getting outscored 47-10 over the course of their nine-game losing streak there – the team’s longest active road losing streak against any opponent. For the Dodgers, this series also represents their longest home winning streak against any opponent, having won 17 of 19 at home against the Pirates.
The Dodgers send out Dan Haren for this contest. He’s taken a major step backward since a hot start with the Dodgers. He allowed only one run over six innings in each of his first two starts with the club, but has allowed no fewer than three runs in any start since, including five runs in each of his last two starts.
Haren’s base numbers are helped by the fact that only 22 of the 33 runs he’s allowed have been earned, but that only covers up his struggles, it doesn’t erase them. Haren has taken the loss in three of his last four starts, but a soft-hitting Pirates lineup could solve his problems.
The Pirates counter with Gerrit Cole, who has deserved a better outcome than he’s received most times out. Cole has had a bit of a problem keeping the ball in the park this season, which could spell trouble against Yasiel Puig, who is 3-for-3 in his career against Cole, and homered on Wednesday.
The Pirates have a lot of demons to work through at Chavez Ravine, a few too many for us to be confident in backing them in this spot. The Dodgers have shaken off what was a bit of a tough stretch for them and appear to have gotten their groove back. The same can’t be said for the Pirates.
The Pirates are 3-13 in their last 16 games as a road underdog, while the Dodgers are 6-1 in their last seven games following a loss.
The play: Los Angeles -121
