Pirates at Reds MLB Picks – May 24, 2010: The Cincinnati Reds have a chance to catch the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central Standings if they can pick up a win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday night at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Monday's game is the first of a four game home set with the Pirates. At 25-19 this season, the Reds only trail the Cardinals (26-19) by a half game in the division race. Meanwhile the Pirates, at 19-25 are 6 1/2-games out in fourth place. Getting the start for Cincinnati is righthander Aaron Harang while lefthander Brian Burres counters for the Pirates.
The early Monday BetUS.com betting line has Cincinnati listed as -190 odds favorites on the moneyline while Pittsburgh is giving +160. The game total is holding at 9 ½.
Burres bounced back from a rough four-inning outing in Chicago to limit the Brewers to three runs off seven hits Wednesday at PNC Park in just his fifth start and ninth appearance of the season, a 6-4 Pirates win. The southpaw connected for strikes on 55 of his 74 pitches over six innings, keeping his fastball low and retiring eight of the first 10 batters he faced.
The Reds are 2-7 in Harang's starts as their Opening Day pitcher has struggled most of the season. He gave up three runs in the first inning at Atlanta on Wednesday and only escaped another loss when the Reds rallied to tie the game in the ninth inning before losing, 5-4. Harang allowed eight hits and four earned runs in six innings, striking out four and walking one. It was the fifth straight start ij which he pitched at least six innings, and he went 2-2 in those starts. He was 0-3 with an 8.31 ERA in his first four starts. Harang hasn't faced the Pirates this season.
With a combined ERA of nearly 11.0 between Monday's starters, our pick for this game is at total wager OVER 9 1/2.
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