The Golden State Warriors blew a chance to make NBA history, but another major sports team from the Bay Area is still on-par to bring home a championship this side of the Pacific.
The San Francisco Giants are on a tear right now, and they’ll look to keep their fantastic form going this Monday when they visit the struggling Pittsburgh Pirates this Monday night. Will the Giants bring good fortune back to The Bay? Let’s find out below.
For more MLB coverage to kick-start the new working week, head on over to our previews for Nationals vs. Dodgers and Orioles vs. Rangers right after this.
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San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Preview
Where: PNC Park, Pittsburgh
When: Monday, June 20, 7:05 PM ET
Line: San Francisco Giants (-200) at Pittsburgh Pirates (+170); total: 7.0 – view all MLB lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the San Francisco Giants (-200)
Second baseman Joe Panik delivered once again, breaking a 1-1 tie in the eighth inning of Sunday’s contest with an RBI single. Panik has been on fire of late, going 11-of-29 (.379) with six runs batted-in over the last seven contests. Even former NL MVP Buster Posey has found his groove back, managing to knock in an RBI of his own that same game to extend his personal hit streak to six games. During that span, Posey has gone 12-of-23 with a pair of doubles and four RBIs.
On top of its offense, San Francisco’s pitching has been phenomenal just as well. The team has surrendered just one run or fewer in half of its contests during its stellar eight-game run. That trend will likely continue this Monday, considering that ace Madison Bumgarner (8-2, 1.91 ERA) will take the mound once more.
In his last 10 starts since April 25, Bumgarner has posted a fantastic 7-0 record. However, the 2014 World Series hero has a meager career record of 2-3 with an ERA of 3.45 in five starts against Pittsburgh.
Nevertheless, Bumgarner and the Giants are playing some terrific baseball in general, and are currently -400 favorites to win the NL West over the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are currently trailing them by 6.5 games in the divisional standings.
Betting on the Pittsburgh Pirates (+170)
Things just keep getting worse for the Pittsburgh Pirates (33-36), who were on the wrong end of a three-game series sweep by the Chicago Cubs after losing Sunday’s contest, 10-5.
The Buccos have failed to plunder some crucial victories against a handful of the National League’s best clubs this season. They have lost 10 of their last 11 games, and they’re pitching unit has given up six runs or more in seven of those 10 defeats against the likes of the Cubs, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals.
With the red-hot Giants on tap and lefty Jeff Locke (5-5, 5.92 ERA) penciled-in to start this Monday, it seems as if Pittsburgh’s woes are not going to end anytime soon. Even though Locke has a 3-1 record with a 3.94 ERA at PNC Park this season, he’s allowed a staggering 18 runs in his last two starts – both of which he didn’t last more than five innings of work. Making matters worse, Locke has a 0-1 lifetime record and a 9.42 ERA in three starts against the Giants.
In spite of their shortcomings, though, the Pirates are still decently priced at +2,000 to win the NL pennant this year. Perhaps their acumen at picking-off bases leaves plenty of hope that they can turn things around, as their 48 steals is the second-most in the National League this season, and their 72.7-percent steal percentage ranks third in the league as well.
Then again, base-running is worth close to nothing if they don’t result into runs. It’s time for Andrew McCutchen (four-game hit streak; 6-of-15 batting, one homer and three RBIs) to erupt on a consistent basis if the five-time All-Star really wants to prove that his current stinker of a season is just an aberration.
Writer’s Prediction
The Giants (-200) cruise to victory, 6-2.
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