The Los Angeles Dodgers (38-25) travel to face off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (29-32) on Thursday, June 6th. This game will be played at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and televised on SNLA. The Pirates are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Dodgers are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Pirates. First pitch is set for 5:40 CT.
Dodgers vs Pirates
Pittsburgh cruised to a 10-6 win over the Dodgers in the most recent game of this series. The Pirates had a huge 2nd inning, scoring seven of their ten runs. As for the Dodgers, they scored their only two runs in the 3rd. Heading into the game, the Pirates were favored at -118 on the money line.
James Paxton got the start for the Dodgers, going just 1 2/3 innings while giving up six runs and took the loss. Paul Skenes put together a good outing for the Pirates, getting the win after going five innings and giving up three earned runs.
At the plate, the Pirates were led by Edward Olivares, who went 2/2 with three runs scored and an RBI. Nick Gonzales and Ke’Bryan Hayes also each had two hits and drove in a combined five runs.
Los Angeles is on the road today, and they have dropped two straight games overall. The Dodgers come into today’s game vs. the Pirates at 38-25, putting them seven games ahead of the Padres in the NL West. So far, they have gone 13-10 in divisional matchups.
As the road team, the Dodgers have gone 17-13 this year compared to 21-12 at home. Los Angeles has been really good as the favorite this year, going 37-22. However, they are just 1-3 as the underdog. Looking at their overall series record, the Dodgers are 13-8 and have won two straight series.
When the Dodgers win, they win big. Their average run differential in those games is 4.0 runs per game. When they lose, they lose by an average of -2.9 runs per game. The Dodgers have been a good bet on the run line overall this season, going 32-31. They are 16-14 on the run line on the road this season.
When the Los Angeles Dodgers are on the road, the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs for their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Dodgers have played in games with an average of 8.3 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 31-32. When the line is set at 8.5 runs, their over/under record is 18-11, and 23.8% of their games have had higher lines than 8.5 runs.
Walker Buehler Gets The Start For The Dodgers
Walker Buehler and the Dodgers are on the road to take on the Pirates today. Buehler has started 2 games on the road so far this season, and he has taken a loss in both outings. In his most recent start, he went 5 2/3 innings and gave up 3 earned runs, while he struck out 4.
Dodgers Offense Breakdown
Shohei Ohtani has been one of the league’s top power threats this season, as his 15 homers are 5th in the league and the best mark on the Dodgers. Ohtani is also batting .322 for the season and comes into the game on a six-game hitting streak. Over this stretch, he has two homers and five RBIs. Teoscar Hernandez is also a power threat in the lineup, as he has 12 homers this season and is 2nd on the team in RBIs.
Los Angeles has been one of the league’s top offenses this season, as they are 3rd in home runs and have the 4th best team batting average in the league. Overall, they are averaging 4.8 runs per game. The Dodgers have been especially good at home, averaging 5 runs per game.
Pittsburgh is 29-32 overall and is 4th in the NL Central, trailing the Brewers by 6.5 games. The Pirates have gone 7-7 in divisional games this year. The Pirates have won two straight games, and they are coming off a win over the Dodgers in their most recent game.
At home, the Pirates are 14-15 this year and 15-17 on the road. So far, they have really struggled as the favorite, going 9-14. As for their record as the underdog, the Pirates are 20-18 this year. Pittsburgh has an overall series record of 6-9-4 this year.
The Pirates have been a profitable team to back on the run line this season, going 35-26 overall. They have been especially good on the run line as the underdog, going 27-11. Their average run margin in winning games is +3.0, while their average run margin in losing games is -3.3.
When the Pirates play at home, the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs. Their games have averaged 8.5 runs per game this season. Overall, the over/under record for the Pirates is 32-28, and their games have averaged 8 runs per game. When the line is set at 8.5 runs, the over/under record is 12-9. Only 6.6% of their games have had lines set at 8.5 runs or higher, with 59.0% of their games having lower lines.
Bailey Falter Gets The Start For The Pirates
Pittsburgh is sending left-hander Bailey Falter to the mound today vs. the Dodgers. He has made 11 starts this year and has a record of 3-2 with a 3.22 ERA. Falter’s WHIP for the season is .95, and opponents are batting .197 vs. the left-hander this year. In his 11 starts, Falter has turned in six quality starts and is averaging 5.32 strikeouts per nine innings. The last time he pitched, Falter went six innings vs. the Blue Jays, giving up two walks and two homers but not allowing a run. He finished with a no-decision in that outing.
Pirates Offense Breakdown
Heading into today’s game, Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen are tied for the Pirates team lead with eight home runs apiece. Reynolds is also batting .256 for the season, while McCutchen comes in at just .229. However, McCutchen has been swinging a better bat of late, hitting .280 over his last six games, compared to Reynolds, who has gone 6/26 in that stretch.
As a team, the Pirates are averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 20th in the league. They have been a bit better on the road (4.2 RPG) than at home (3.9 RPG). Overall, they are batting just .229 and are near the bottom of the league in terms of slugging percentage and OPS.
Dodgers vs Pirates Prediction
For today’s Dodgers vs. Pirates matchup, we really like the Pirates on the money line, with a payout of +155. Our predicted final score is 5-4 in favor of the Pirates. Looking at Bailey Falter and Walker Buehler’s projections, Buehler does have a better chance of picking up a win, but we still have the Dodgers’ offense finishing with fewer runs than the Pirates.
Offensively, we have the Pirates finishing with nine hits and the Dodgers with eight. As for the Pirates’ chances of picking up a win, Falter has the second-worst chances of any starter today, and we have him finishing with four strikeouts compared to Buehler with six.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:June 6, 2024 Dodgers, Pirates