Today's Pick: MIL (-185) over PIT
The Brewers have won nine games in a row. They swept the Mets over the weekend and are the team to beat in the National League. They are playing for the NL crown and a first round bye in the playoffs. The Pirates are 17 games under .500 and are looking forward to that day in September when they can pack up their gear and call it a year.
It's the Brewers and the Pirates in a 6:40 PM CDT start at American Family Field in Milwaukee, WI.
Jose Quintana (9-4) starts for Milwaukee. Quintana is a bit of an enigma. The 36 year old veteran doesn't have eye-popping numbers, he doesn't have great stuff, but he can pitch. He has kept the Brewers in games all season and has nine wins because of it.
Lefty Andrew Heaney starts for Pittsburgh. Heaney has a dead arm. This is a guy who has averaged a strikeout an inning for most of his career. Over his last five starts, he has only managed nine strikeouts total. That is good for a 0.45 K/9. He has only worked 20 total innings. That's four innings a start. It's likely that Heaney is out of this game early tonight and the innings he does put in are ripe for the picking.
The Pirates lost 14-8 in yesterday's game with the Reds. Their bullpen has been worked the past two games. They moved Braxton Ashcraft into the rotation and are short-handed in the bullpen because of it. Pittsburgh's bullpen is a liability tonight.
The Brewers bullpen is well rested. Long man DL Hall threw 56 pitches yesterday in a win over the Mets. Koenig and Uribe both are available with a days rest. Trade deadline acquisition Shelby Miller is back from the IR and will also be available to pitch.
The line on the Brewers is at (-185). It's a good price on Milwaukee. I'm going to rack four units and bet 1.36 units on the Brew Crew to win.
Today's Pick: MIL (-185) over PIT
Units in Play: 5.36 units
Units Wagered: 1.36 units
Ticket Pays: 2.10 units (+0.74 units)
Current Streak: 4
Longest Streak: 6
Total Units Wagered (Season): 112.54 units
Current Bank Balance: 8 units
Beginning Bank Balance: 40 units
Total Units Raked (season): 32 units
Profit / Loss (season): Even
Overall Record: 47-27