[FONT=arial, helvetica][SIZE=-1][h=2]Larry Ness' 10* Division Game of the Month-MLB (6-1 run MLB 10*s)[/h]My 10* Division Game of the Month (NL Central) is on the Pit Pirates at 7:05 ET.
Pittsburgh's Francisco Liriano is caught in the longest win-less stretch of his career. Liriano has gone without a victory in 10 regular-season starts, since earning a 5-4 win at Texas back on September 10 of last season. The Pittsburgh lefty is 0-3 with a 4.54 ERA in 2014 (seven starts), although the Pirates are 4-3 in those starts (note: Pittsburgh is 5-5 in his 10-start win-less streak).
Opposing Liriano will be the Cards' Michael Wacha, who is just looking for some run support these days. Wacha was a postseason star for St Louis last year. He won his first four playoff starts in 2013, allowing just three ERs on 11 hits over 27 innings (1.00 ERA), before “running out of gas” in Game 6 of the World Series against Boston (3.2 IP / 5 hits / 4 walks / 6 ERs).
It's been a tough-go for him so far in 2014, as despite a 2.55 ERA in seven starts, he's just 2-3 (team is even worse at 2-5). The right-hander is 0-3 in his last four starts (Cards are 0-4!) despite a 3.09 ERA, largely due to a 1.93 run-support average. He gave up a two-run HR in the sixth inning of a 3-0 road loss to the Cubs on Saturday. "It's just frustrating, really," Wacha said. "I was pitching well and if I was able to get out of a jam there. ... But I served one up there and they go up two runs. You just can't afford that in that situation."
Here's why I'm 'jumping all over' the Pirates tonight. Prior to this season, Liriano had won his first four starts against St Louis, posting a 1.16 ERA, including three victories in 2013. Now I'm well aware that he gave up four runs in six innings of a 6-1 loss to the Cardinals on April 5 and then lasted just two innings on April 26 as he dealt with flu-like symptoms.
However, the Pirates would win that game 6-1 and that means in seven career starts (including the postseason) against the Cards, Liriano is 4-1 with a 2.00 ERA (teams are 6-1). Here, we get the lefty as an underdog, against a St Louis team which lost $1,235 in 42 regular season starts vs lefties in 2013, going 19-23 while averaging just 3.8 RPG.
The Cards have opened 2014 just 3-5 vs lefties, averaging 3.4 RPG while losing $325. The Cards are over-priced again here, coming in as a road favorite over a pitcher who has seen his teams win SIX of seven career starts against. The Cards DON'T hit lefties well and HAVEN'T scored runs behind Wacha (see above for both stats). PLUS, the Pirates have taken NINE of the last 12 regular-season meetings in Pittsburgh from the Cards and Liriano owns a 2.24 ERA in 15 starts at PNC Park since the beginning of last season.
Take the price. It's R-I-G-H-T!
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Pittsburgh's Francisco Liriano is caught in the longest win-less stretch of his career. Liriano has gone without a victory in 10 regular-season starts, since earning a 5-4 win at Texas back on September 10 of last season. The Pittsburgh lefty is 0-3 with a 4.54 ERA in 2014 (seven starts), although the Pirates are 4-3 in those starts (note: Pittsburgh is 5-5 in his 10-start win-less streak).
Opposing Liriano will be the Cards' Michael Wacha, who is just looking for some run support these days. Wacha was a postseason star for St Louis last year. He won his first four playoff starts in 2013, allowing just three ERs on 11 hits over 27 innings (1.00 ERA), before “running out of gas” in Game 6 of the World Series against Boston (3.2 IP / 5 hits / 4 walks / 6 ERs).
It's been a tough-go for him so far in 2014, as despite a 2.55 ERA in seven starts, he's just 2-3 (team is even worse at 2-5). The right-hander is 0-3 in his last four starts (Cards are 0-4!) despite a 3.09 ERA, largely due to a 1.93 run-support average. He gave up a two-run HR in the sixth inning of a 3-0 road loss to the Cubs on Saturday. "It's just frustrating, really," Wacha said. "I was pitching well and if I was able to get out of a jam there. ... But I served one up there and they go up two runs. You just can't afford that in that situation."
Here's why I'm 'jumping all over' the Pirates tonight. Prior to this season, Liriano had won his first four starts against St Louis, posting a 1.16 ERA, including three victories in 2013. Now I'm well aware that he gave up four runs in six innings of a 6-1 loss to the Cardinals on April 5 and then lasted just two innings on April 26 as he dealt with flu-like symptoms.
However, the Pirates would win that game 6-1 and that means in seven career starts (including the postseason) against the Cards, Liriano is 4-1 with a 2.00 ERA (teams are 6-1). Here, we get the lefty as an underdog, against a St Louis team which lost $1,235 in 42 regular season starts vs lefties in 2013, going 19-23 while averaging just 3.8 RPG.
The Cards have opened 2014 just 3-5 vs lefties, averaging 3.4 RPG while losing $325. The Cards are over-priced again here, coming in as a road favorite over a pitcher who has seen his teams win SIX of seven career starts against. The Cards DON'T hit lefties well and HAVEN'T scored runs behind Wacha (see above for both stats). PLUS, the Pirates have taken NINE of the last 12 regular-season meetings in Pittsburgh from the Cards and Liriano owns a 2.24 ERA in 15 starts at PNC Park since the beginning of last season.
Take the price. It's R-I-G-H-T!
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