The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Pittsburgh Pirates meet Friday in MLB action from PNC Park. The Diamondbacks are fresh off a series versus the A’s this week. Arizona won two of those three games. As for Pittsburgh, they played the Tigers in their last set, splitting two games. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks did pretty well against the A’s this week, winning 5-2 and 5-3 around a tough 9-8 defeat on Tuesday. In the finale, Arizona starter Ryne Nelson finished with 5.1 clean frames, one hit, four walks and six strikeouts.
For the starter job in the Friday matchup, the Diamondbacks will send out Zac Gallen. In his nine starts this year Gallen is 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 70 Ks in 57.1 innings. Gallen is 28-23 with a 3.01 ERA in his career over 90 starts.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Over on the Pirates’ side, they took a 4-0 shutout loss to the Tigers on Tuesday but then bounced back for an 8-0 shutout victory in the Wednesday matchup. Rich Hill lasted 6.0 innings in that one with one hit, two walks and seven strikeouts.
It’ll be Johan Oviedo in the start for the Pirates on Friday. Over his eight starts this year Oviedo is 2-3 with a 5.14 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 42.0 innings. Oviedo is 6-14 with a 4.52 career ERA in 48 games (34 starts).
The Diamondbacks are 5-1 in their last six overall and 5-2 in their last seven versus the NL Central Arizona is 5-2 in the last seven in game one of a series.
Meanwhile, the Pirates are 9-4 in their last 13 after a win and 19-45 in their last 64 Friday games. Pittsburgh is 3-12 in their last 15 overall.
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’ll stay with the Diamondbacks here. The line's probably too thick to mess with, though. Gallen is pitching well over his last two starts, with 14.2 combined innings, three earned, 10 hits and three walks. He’s gotten a victory with at least 7.0 innings in both. As for Oviedo, he had a stretch of 7.1 innings with 13 earned earlier this month but he’s coming off a better outing. Oviedo managed 5.0 innings with one earned on four hits and five walks versus the Orioles back on May 12. Still, Arizona should have some base running opportunities early in this one.
