Easily the biggest story so far of this Major League Baseball season has been the stunning rise of the
Pittsburgh Pirates. This franchise hasn’t had a winning record since Atlanta’s
Sid Bream beat Barry Bonds’ throw to the plate
in the bottom of the 9th inning of the 1992 National League Championship Series.
That epic victory was the start of Atlanta’s dynasty and sent the Pirates into a
death spiral. But that was then and this is now: Pittsburgh is leading the NL
Central and can sweep the defending division champion Cincinnati Reds on
Wednesday afternoon. Cincy is a -124 favorite on Bodog's baseball odds. Pittsburgh hasn’t allowed a run to the Reds yet this series. It’s the first time that Pittsburgh posted consecutive shutouts since April 2009. Pirates starting pitchers already have more wins this season (38) than all of last season (34). Pittsburgh is 51-44 – it didn’t get its 51st win until Sept. 19 last season. The 1-0 loss on Tuesday dropped the Reds three games below .500 for the first time this season. They trail Pittsburgh by five games and are just 1-7 vs. the Pirates
this season. The Pirates' current six-game winning streak against the Reds is their longest since the teams moved to the same division in the 1994 realignment. The Reds haven’t had starting third baseman Scott Rolen that
past two games because of a minor shoulder injury but he will play Wednesday.
But All-Star second baseman Brandon Phillips is getting the day
off, with Miguel Cairo starting. It should be another low-scoring affair on Wednesday as the teams’ two aces
face off: Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto and Pittsburgh’s
Jeff Karstens. Cueto (5-3, 2.01) had gone 7-0 with a 1.74 ERA
in nine starts against the Pirates from May 3, 2009-Sept. 12, 2010, before
losing 5-3 on May 19. Cueto is winless in his last four starts spanning 29
innings despite yielding nine earned runs and holding opposing hitters to .212
over that span. Karstens (8-4, 2.34) ranks third in the NL in ERA and has a 1.26
ERA while winning a career-best five straight decisions since the beginning of
June. Karstens is 0-4 with a 6.46 ERA over five career starts against the
Reds. Bet on Reds-Pirates now at Bodog!
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