Going into game two of this NL Central showdown, the Pirates (52-64, 28-31 home) are giving the start to Andre Jackson. On the other side, the Reds (61-57, 32-26 away) are rolling with Brandon Williamson. Don’t miss my prediction for today’s Cincinnati Reds versus Pittsburgh Pirates game in Pittsburgh.

CINCINNATI REDS VS PITTSBURGH PIRATES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates -101

This game will be played at PNC Park at 7:05 ET on Saturday, August 12th.

WHY BET THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES:

  • The Pirates have gone 3-2 in their five games at home.
  • In their five most recent games as the favorite, the Reds have gone just 1-4 straight-up.
  • Brandon Williamson has struggled of late, coming in with an ERA of 5.87 over his last two starts.

CINCINNATI REDS HAVE STRUGGLED AGAINST THE NL CENTRAL

For the season, the Reds are 61-57 overall, including going 32-26 on the road and 29-31 at home. When looking at their overall series record, Cincinnati is above .500 at 17-15-4. In the NL Central, the Reds are currently 2nd.

Brandon Williamson is making his 16th appearance of the season, boasting a 4-2 record. His ERA stands at 4.54, with opponents hitting .232 against him. On the road, Williamson has a 2-1 record and 6.05 ERA; at home, he is 2-1 with an ERA of 4.16. Teams have a slugging percentage of .439 against him in 2023 so far.

Brandon Williamson earned a quality start and the win in his last outing, shutting down the Marlins 5-2. The right-hander allowed just one run and three hits over 6 2/3 innings.

For the season, the Reds’ offense is averaging 4.9 runs per game. Over their last five games they have swung the bats well, sitting 8th in the league in scoring, with a total of 23 runs. Overall, Cincinnati’s team batting average is .251, putting them 12th in the MLB.

The Cincinnati Reds have seen Spencer Steer lead the way in hits over their last five games, batting .308 during this span. On the season, Steer is hitting .270 and has driven in 66 runs.

WILL THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Pirates’ overall record of 52-64 puts them 4th in the NL Central. Their straight-up record at home stands at 28-31 compared to a runline mark of 27-32 when playing at PNC Park. It is worth noting that the Pirates have a series record of just 6-10 at home. Pittsburgh’s over/under record comes in at 62-50.

Andre Jackson has taken the mound nine times in 2023, with an unblemished 0-0 record. His ERA stands at 5.16, and opposing batters have hit .239 against him. He has also given up five home runs and allowed an OPS of .720.

Andre Jackson’s last start resulted in a no-decision, as he pitched two scoreless innings against the Braves. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh was unable to capitalize on his performance, eventually falling 8-6.

This season, the Pirates are 24th in the league at 4.2 runs per game. Over their last ten games, they have a combined batting average of .232 (18th) leading to 4.5 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.4 walks per game compared to 8 strikeouts. Pittsburgh’s on-base percentage of .312 has them 18th in the MLB.

Ke’Bryan Hayes has been a bright spot in the Pirates’ offense this season, leading the team with eight home runs over the last five games. His batting average of .255 is also a testament to his offensive performance.