The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves meet Saturday in MLB action from Truist Park. Here’s an Atlanta Braves vs Pittsburgh Pirates prediction. This will be the second installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for the game.
Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview
In their last series, the Pirates took on the Cincinnati Reds. Pittsburgh lost 11-5 in the opener of that set, then came back for wins 9-5 and 6-1 to take the series. On Friday versus the Braves, the Pirates were out-hit 10-6 in a 6-1 loss. Starter Martin Perez gave up six in 4.0 innings of work.
In the starter slot for the Saturday matchup, the Pirates will send out Paul Skenes. In the first eight starts of his rookie campaign, Skenes is doing well with a 4-0 record, a 2.14 ERA and 61 Ks in 46.1 innings.
Atlanta Braves Betting Preview
Over on the Braves’ side, they played a one-off game versus the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. Atlanta couldn’t find much success at the plate in that one with a 1-0 defeat. On Friday the Braves posted five runs in the third inning alone.
Max Fried will take the ball for the start on Saturday. This year Fried is 7-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 15 starts. He’s got 80 Ks in 90.0 innings. In his MLB career Fried is 69-29 with a 3.03 ERA in 154 games (137 starts).
Braves vs Pirates Pick Injury Notes
Braves RF Brian Anderson (10-day IL) was not with the team this week due to a lower-body bacterial infection.
Total Runs Facts
- Each of the Pirates’ last six day games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Seven of the Braves’ last eight games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Braves’ last six games as favorites against NL Central opponents.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Pirates’ last six day games against National League opponents.
Atlanta Braves Player Prop Facts
- Ozzie Albies has recorded a Double in each of the Braves’ last three home games against NL opponents.
- Ozzie Albies has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 16 home appearances against NL opponents that held a losing record.
- Max Fried has recorded a win in each of his last six home appearances against NL Central opponents that held a losing record.
- Max Fried has recorded six or more strikeouts in four of his last five appearances with the Braves as favorites.
- Ozzie Albies has scored a run in each of the Braves’ last four home games.
- Ozzie Albies has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 16 home appearances against NL opponents that held a losing record.
- Ozzie Albies has recorded a Single in each of the Braves’ last eight home games against NL opponents.
- Sean Murphy has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances in day games against NL teams that held a losing record.
- Ronald Acuna Jr. has recorded at least one RBI in eight of his last nine home appearances against NL Central opponents.
Pittsburgh Pirates Player Prop Facts
- Ke’Bryan Hayes has recorded a Double in three of his last four appearances against NL East opponents.
- Bryan Reynolds has recorded at least one total base in each of the Pirates’ last 24 games.
- Bryan Reynolds has scored a run in four of the Pirates’ last five day games.
- Andrew McCutchen has hit a home run in two of his last three road appearances against the Braves after playing the previous day.
- Andrew McCutchen has recorded at least one RBI in four of his last five road appearances against the Braves after playing the previous day.
- Bryan Reynolds has recorded at least one hit in each of the Pirates’ last 24 games.
- Bryan Reynolds has recorded at least one Single in each of the Pirates’ last 10 games against NL opponents that held a winning record.
Atlanta Braves vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction
I’ll take a stab on the Pirates. We should have a pretty nice starter matchup here regardless, though. Skenes is rolling these days with just two earned in 19.1 innings over his last three starts. He’s got just one win in that trio, though. As for Fried, he’s posted two earned in his last 11.1 innings over two starts, going 1-0 in that pair.
On Friday the Pirates couldn’t bounce back from the one bad inning in the third. Outside of that the pitching was solid; the pen provided 4.0 clean innings. Pittsburgh’s got to get their offense going behind Skenes for game two.