Leading up to game two of this interleague battle, the Pirates (41-53, 22-25 home) will send Mitch Keller to the mound to take on the Guardians (46-48, 22-26 away) and Logan Allen. Find out who I like to come out on top in this Cleveland Guardians vs. Pittsburgh Pirates matchup in Pittsburgh.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS VS PITTSBURGH PIRATES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at PNC Park at 7:05 ET on Tuesday, July 18th

WHY BET THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES:

  • The Guardians have gone just 2-3 in their last five games vs. the runline.
  • Against the runline, the Pirates have gone 2-1 in their three games at home.
  • Over his last four starts, Mitch Keller has an ERA of just 2.50.

CLEVELAND GUARDIANS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

Currently, the Guardians are 2nd in the AL Central on an overall record of 46-48. Their season-long runline record is 46-48, which includes going 25-23 vs. the runline on the road. For the season, Cleveland has won less than half of their series away from home (6-8). The Guardians’ over/under record this season comes in at 40-52.

Logan Allen has made 12 appearances this season, with a 3-2 record and an ERA of 3.46. He has allowed a slugging percentage of .408 and his WHIP stands at 1.44. Across the season, Allen has 63 strikeouts, averaging 9.1 per nine innings. On the road, he is 2-1 with an ERA of 3.86, while at home he is 1-1 with an ERA of 3.82.

Logan Allen recently delivered a strong performance against the Royals, surrendering no runs and three hits over 3 2/3 innings. Despite not earning the win, his effort was rewarded when the Guardians cruised to a 14-1 victory.

The Guardians have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 12 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 8th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 25th in home runs and 24th in slugging percentage. Overall, Cleveland is averaging 4.1 runs per game (27th).

The Guardians’ José Ramírez is the team’s leader in hits, boasting a .285 batting average. He has also been a driving force behind the plate, with a .497 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .359.

WILL THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Heading into today’s game, the Pirates are 4th in the NL Central with an overall record of 41-53. When looking at their performance in their 30 series, Pittsburgh is 10-18-2. Against below .500 teams, the Pirates are 20-20 while going 19-28 on the road and 22-25 at home.

Mitch Keller takes the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 9-4 record. The right-hander has made 19 appearances this season, boasting an ERA of 3.31 and a K/9 of 9.92. His FIP is 3.35 and opponents have an OBP of .279 against him.

Despite the Pirates’ 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks, Keller put together a quality start in his last outing. The right-hander pitched seven innings while surrendering just one hit and no earned runs, yet he was unable to come away with a win and finished with a no-decision.

Over their last five games, the Pirates are ranked 16th in the league in scoring at 2.6 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 4.1 per contest puts them 26th in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Pittsburgh is 14th, with an OBP currently sitting at .314. The team’s collective batting average is .237 (15th).

Jack Suwinski has been an offensive force for the Pirates over their last ten games, leading the team with two home runs. His season-long total now stands at 19, while his overall batting average is .224.