Pirates

Pirates Daily: Get Ready For a LONG Final Stretch of the Season

Published

2 years ago

August 18, 2022

Thursday, Aug. 18, the Pittsburgh Pirates (45-72) play the finale of a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox (59-59) and will try to avoid being swept. The Pirates are coming off of a rough game two on Wednesday night in which they lost 8-3.

The weather at PNC Park for first pitch (7:05 p.m.) looks to be partly cloudy, with the temperature around 77 degrees. Wind will blow around 4 mph from the northwest.

The game will air on AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh and 93.7 The Fan

Starters

The Pirates will try and salvage one game with J.T. Brubaker (2-10, 4.45 ERA) toeing the rubber. Brubaker is coming off of a good outing against Arizona, where he pitched five innings and gave up just three hits and two earned runs. However, he is 0-3 with a 4.88 ERA in six starts since the beginning of July.

The Red Sox will send out rookie righty Josh Winckowski (5-5, 4.69 ERA) Winckowski last pitched on Aug. 11, where he pitched 5.1 innings and gave up three earned runs against Baltimore. He is 2-0 with a 3.45 ERA in his last three starts after losing his previous four outings.

Betting Odds

The Pittsburgh Pirates open as +160 underdogs on the moneyline, whereas the Red Sox are listed as -190 favorites. Pittsburgh’s run line of +1.5 can be had at -107 odds, while Boston’s -1.5 can be had at – 117. The over/under currently sits at 8.5 runs.

Who’s Hot/Who’s Not

Who’s Hot: Bryan Reynolds has five hits in his last 11 at-bats with two homers and seven RBIs. In a rather putrid lineup, Reynolds has stood out.

Who’s Not: Yohan Ramirez has given up five earned runs in his last three innings. Not what you call reliable.

Tidbits:

Winckowski will offer his sinker (40.8%) and slider (28.8%) most of the time but does offer a four-seamer (11.7%), changeup (9.8%), and a cutter (8.9%).
In his 55.2 innings of work, Winckowski has been hit HARD, ranking in the 13th percentile. Does this mean the Pirates bats breakout? *whispers probably not.
So far this season, 11 of Reynolds’ 18 home runs have given the Pirates the lead, including each of the last four since June 29, seven of his last eight since June 15, and nine of his last 11 since June 1.