Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Chicago White Sox – 9/9/20 MLB Pick, Odds, and Prediction

The Chicago White Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates meet Wednesday in MLB action from PNC Park. 

This will be the second installment of a quick two-game set between these teams this week. In the opener on Tuesday, the White Sox had a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the fifth, but Pittsburgh came back to tie it up going into the ninth. The Pirates eventually walked off in a thrilling 5-4 victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks and MLB predictions at Sports Chat Place. 

The White Sox had as many hits (10) as Pittsburgh in the Tuesday loss, but couldn’t hold their lead at 3-0 or 4-2. Anderson, Moncada and Madrigal each had two hits, combining for an RBI and two runs. Starting pitcher Dylan Cease finished with 5.0 innings, five hits, two earned and two strikeouts. 

For the Wednesday starting pitcher role, the White Sox are sending out Dane Dunning. This is Dunning’s first year of MLB activity. So far he’s started three games without a decision, posting a 3.86 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 14.0 innings of work. 

Over on the Pittsburgh side, they got a solid start out of Joe Musgrove in the Tuesday win. He went 4.0 innings with three starts, no earned, two walks and five strikeouts. Josh Bell slapped a double among his two hits in that one, and also scored a run. All things considered, it was a really nice victory for the Pirates, and a much-needed one. 

In Wednesday’s starter slot, the Pirates are going with JT Brubaker. Over seven games and five starts this season, Brubaker is 1-0 with a 3.96 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 25.0 innings. This is also the 26-year-old Brubaker’s first season of MLB action. 

The White Sox are 4-1 in their last five games after a loss and 4-1 in their last five road games. Chicago is 6-2 in the last eight Wednesday games and 5-2 in their last seven versus the National League Central. 

Meanwhile, the Pirates are 18-37 in their last 55 overall and 13-27 in their last 40 games as an underdog. Pittsburgh is 5-15 in their last 20 in game two of a series and 1-4 in their last five games after a win. 

Pick: I’m leaning White Sox in this one. That said, it’s going to be an intriguing starting pitcher battle here. Dunning came just one out shy of his first career victory in his last outing on Sunday with 4.2 innings and three runs. As for Brubaker, he posted five strikeouts in five innings during his first career win his last time up, and he’s looking pretty enticing as a future fixture in the Pittsburgh rotation. I think Chicago will eke out a win in the later innings here, but it should be a close and entertaining game to finish off this quick set.