Reds vs Pirates – MLB Odds

The Pittsburgh Pirates play host to the Cincinnati Reds in the second of a 3 game series at PNC Park in Pittsburgh PA. The Reds won a 2-1 pitching duel in the first game but take note baseball betting fans, with Johnny Cueto and Charlie Morton on the mound tonight, it’s highly unlikely we’ll see anything that resembles a pitcher’s duel.

The MLB odds makers have set the betting line favoring the Johnny Cueto and the Reds as they are -125 favorites, while the comeback on Charlie Morton and the Pirates is +105.

MLB Betting Odds
May 11, 2010
Cincinnati Reds          -125
Johnny Cueto – R
Pittsburgh Pirates       +105
Charlie Morton – R
Game Total         8.5

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh PA
Game Time: 7:05
TV:  FSOH, FSPI

Charlie Morton has been lit up so far this season, in six starts encompassing only 25.1 innings, Morton has given up 29 runs and holds a record of 1-5. His ERA is a huge 10.30. To his credit, he had his stuff working in his last outing as Morton held the Cubs to 2 runs over 6 innings to earn his first win of the season.  Historically, Morton hasn’t fared well against the Reds, he holds a 1-2 record with a 5.89 ERA and the Reds have a .304 batting average in those three games. 

With Morton’s shaky pitching on the mound, the Pirates will need their offense to come through with a big game. The offense is capable, Andrew McCutchen is having a good season, batting .325 and he leads the team in runs and homeruns. Garrett Jones is knocking in runs but his .230 batting average is leaving a lot on the table.

Johnny Cueto has had some problems of his own, while not as pronounced as Morton’s troubles, Cueto hasn’t been going deep in games this season. He’s the proud owner of a 1-1 record with a 5.18 ERA. In his six starts, he’s failed to go past the sixth inning in any of them. He does have a nice career record against Pittsburgh; Cueto is 6-2 with a much more respectable 3.88 ERA.

Canadian Joey Votto is powering the Reds offense this year, he’s leading the team in Batting average, homeruns and RBI with .304/7/20, his RBI numbers could be a lot better if the rest of his team was getting on base. The Reds have a .250 team batting average and only a .321 on base percentage which leaves them in the bottom third of the league in both categories.

The Reds are sitting in second place in the central but by the end of the season they will be closer to last than first in the Central with the Cardinals starting to pull away from the pack but the Reds should have enough to get by the Pirates in all three games of the series.  The Over is a tempting bet but I would only bet half of the typical wager because I’m not 100% that the Reds can take full advantage of having Charlie Morton on the mound.

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