In this article we will formulate a Pittsburgh Pirates vs Arizona Diamondbacks prediction for this MLB game on Friday, August 2nd at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Let’s take a look at the prediction for game one in the series.
Pirates are Hot
The Pittsburgh Pirates are 55-53 this year and they have won three of their last four games. Pittsburgh is coming off of a series win against Houston, where they won two out of three games. Prior to that series, the Pirates lost two out of three against the Diamondbacks, won two out of three against the Cardinals, and won two out of three against the Phillies. Pittsburgh is 11-5 in their last 16 games and they are third in the NL Central.
The Pittsburgh pitching staff has a 3.77 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and a .246 opponent batting average. The Pirates offense has scored 451 runs with a .232 batting average and a .300 on base percentage. Bryan Reynolds is batting .285 with 18 home runs and 61 RBI’s for the Pirates this season. Pittsburgh has scored at least five runs in four of their last five games.
Diamondbacks are Pushing in the NL West
The Arizona Diamondbacks are 58-51 this season and they have won seven of their last eight games. Arizona is coming off of a series win against Washington, where they won all three games by scores of 9-8, 17-0, and 5-4. Prior to that series, the Diamondbacks won two out of three against the Pirates, won two out of three against the Royals, and won two out of three against the Cubs. Arizona is 9-3 in their last 12 games and they are third in the NL West.
The Arizona pitching staff has a 4.48 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and a .260 opponent batting average. The Diamondbacks offense has scored 558 runs with a .258 batting average and a .329 on base percentage. Ketel Marte is batting .302 with 24 home runs and 72 RBI’s for the Diamondbacks this season. Arizona has scored at least five runs in seven of their last eight games.
Starting Pitchers
The projected starting pitcher for Pittsburgh is Luis Ortiz, who is 5-2 with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP over 78.2 innings pitched this year. Ortiz has allowed one earned run or fewer in five of his last six starts. The projected starting pitcher for Arizona is Brandon Pfaadt, who is 5-6 with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP over 126.1 innings pitched this season. Pfaadt has allowed one earned run or fewer in four of his last five outings.
Why the Pirates will beat the Diamondbacks
- The Pirates have won each of their last four games as home underdogs against National League opponents following a road loss.
- The Diamondbacks have lost four of their last six games as favorites against NL Central opponents following a home win.
- The Pirates have covered the run line in each of their last six games as home underdogs following a loss.
- The Diamondbacks have failed to cover the run line in four of their last five games against the Pirates following a win.
- The Pirates have led after 3 innings in four of their last six games as underdogs.
- The Pirates have led after 5 innings in four of their last six games as underdogs.
Why the Diamondbacks will beat the Pirates
- The Diamondbacks have won each of their last eight night games following a win.
- The Pirates have lost eight of their last 10 night games against NL West opponents that held a winning record.
- The Pirates have failed to cover the run line in each of their last nine home games against the Diamondbacks following a loss.
- The Diamondbacks have covered the run line in each of their last six road games against NL Central opponents.
Total Runs Facts
- Each of the Diamondbacks’ last five games have gone OVER the total runs line.
- Each of the Pirates’ last five home games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Pirates’ last five home games.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Diamondbacks’ last four night games.
Pittsburgh Pirates Player Prop Facts
- Jared Triolo has recorded a Double in each of the Pirates’ last three games against opponents that held a winning record.
- Oneil Cruz has hit a home run in three of the Pirates’ last four games as underdogs against NL West opponents.
- Bryan Reynolds has scored a run in seven of his last eight appearances against NL West opponents.
- Bryan De La Cruz has recorded at least one RBI in each of his last four appearances against NL opponents.
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa has recorded at least one hit in each of his last eight appearances in night games.
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa has recorded at least one Single in each of his last eight appearances in night games.
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa has recorded at least one total base in each of his last eight appearances in night games.
Arizona Diamondbacks Player Prop Facts
- Corbin Carroll has hit a home run in four of the Diamondbacks’ last five games as road favorites against NL Central opponents.
- Ketel Marte has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Diamondbacks’ last seven night games.
- Brandon Pfaadt has recorded a win in three of his four previous appearances in night games against NL Central teams that held a winning record.
- Ketel Marte has recorded two or more total bases in each of the Diamondbacks’ last seven games against opponents that held a winning record.
- Corbin Carroll has recorded at least one Single in each of the Diamondbacks’ last seven road games against NL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- Corbin Carroll has scored at least one run in each of the Diamondbacks’ last six night games.
- Brandon Pfaadt has recorded six or more strikeouts in each of his last four road appearances against NL opponents that held a winning record.
- Corbin Carroll has recorded at least one hit in each of the Diamondbacks’ last 10 games as favorites against NL opponents.
- Josh Bell has recorded a Double in three of his last four appearances with his team as a road favorite against NL Central opponents.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Arizona Diamondbacks Prediction
These two teams just met last weekend in Arizona, where the Diamondbacks won two of the three games, but this series will shift to Pittsburgh here. Both of these teams are playing very well at the moment and they are trying to make some noise within each of their decisions. The Diamondbacks are 27-26 on the road, while the Pirates are 26-26 at home this year. Arizona has had one of the highest scoring offenses in the MLB, but their pitching staff is ranked in the bottom third of the MLB in team ERA. Both starting pitchers have had success in recent outings, but I don’t fully trust Pfaadt and I think Ortiz will struggle with this powerful lineup. My Pittsburgh Pirates vs Arizona Diamondbacks prediction is for this game to go over the total.