Sunday MLB

[Raji]

Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds: (-115, 9 ½)

Pittsburgh pitcher Zach Duke is, to say it nicely, a bit of a disappointment this season. After a stellar rookie season in 2005 and a promising 2006, the left-hander has only one win 10 starts this year.

Duke owns a 5.56 ERA and is coming off his worst start of the year this past Tuesday. However, outside of the loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, he has shown improvement in recent starts (2.87 ERA in five games before Tuesday) and now faces the only team he has won against this season: the Reds.

"I'm not going to get too down on myself," Duke told MLB.com. "I believe I can get through this and put a pretty good year together."

Pittsburgh’s bats will be there to lend a hand on Sunday if Duke struggles again. The Pirates snapped a batting drought against Cincinnati, scoring 19 runs in the first two games of this series.

Pick: Pirates +107

Houston Astros at Arizona Diamondback: (+122, 8)

The Astros' power outage at the plate has cost them eight of their last 10 games, averaging just over two runs per game during this skid. They have been outscored 27-8 in the first three games with the Diamondbacks but thankfully, won’t need too many runs to avoid the sweep on Sunday, due to staff ace Roy Oswalt taking the mound.

Oswalt has never lost to Arizona, posting a perfect 6-0 record in seven starts versus the D-backs with a 1.98 career ERA. This season, the righty is 6-3 overall and has allowed more than three earned runs in only three starts.

Pick: Astros -130

Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers: (+102, 9 ½)

Going deep into games is not one of Mike Maroth’s strengths. The Tigers lefty has pitched seven complete innings only once this season but may be asked to log some quality time on Sunday with Detroit’s bullpen getting thin.

The Tigers relievers, which were the team’s biggest weapons coming into the season, have the worst bullpen ERA in the American League and are missing key arms heading into tonight’s series finale on Sunday Night Baseball.

Detroit has been without reliever Joel Zumaya since early May but now must continue without help from Fernando Rodney, who was put on the 15-day DL yesterday, and Jason Grilli, who left Saturday’s game after getting hit in the knee by the baseball. Saturday’s 6-3 loss to the Indians was the first time the Tigers bullpen gave up a lead after the seventh inning since losing Zumaya.

"Now it's obvious that (the bullpen's trouble) is starting to cost us," closer Todd Jones told the Detroit Free Press. "I'm just as guilty. Everybody needs to realize there is a bunch of opportunities out there to be had.”

Pick: Indians -110