The Milwaukee Brewers (50-33) and Pittsburgh Pirates (29-52) meet Saturday with a 4:05 p.m. ET first pitch to continue a four-game NL Central series at PNC Park. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Brewers vs. Pirates odds with MLB picks and predictions.
LHP Eric Lauer is the projected starting pitcher for the Brewers. Lauer is 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, and 3.3 BB/9 in 44 IP through seven starts and three relief appearances.
Lauer is coming off his best performance of 2021 going 6 scoreless innings with 2 hits, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts Sunday against the Rockies. Prior to that start home runs and walks were a problem over the southpaw’s four previous June outings where he recorded a 9.00 ERA.
RHP Cody Ponce is the projected starting pitcher for the Pirates. Ponce has allowed 7 ER in 8 IP with 1 BB and 6 K through one start and one relief appearance this year.
His most recent appearance was a 3-inning relief stint Tuesday at Colorado where he gave up 3 ER on 6 hits and 0 BB with 4 K.
In 2020 action he posted a 3.18 ERA through five games but that was alongside an easy-to-negotiate .163 batting average on balls in play. He has appeared in seven games in his career posting a 4.68 ERA and 1.36 WHIP.
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Brewers at Pirates odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:29 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Brewers -175 (bet $175 to win $100) | Pirates +145 (bet $100 to win $145)
- Against the spread/ATS: Brewers -1.5 (-110) | Pirates +1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 9 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Prediction
Pittsburgh 4, Brewers 3
Money line (ML)
Earlier this month the Pirates had a 10-game losing skid and three games at Milwaukee were part of it. Now, the Brewers have taken the first two games of this series and have won 10 in a row.
The Milwaukee offense has come on strong after listing along as a bottom-5 attack for much of the first two months of the season. The Brewers own an .858 OPS since June 22.
Still, with the prices where they are, Pittsburgh is a small – perhaps partial unit – lean. BACK THE PIRATES (+145).
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
PITTSBURGH +1.5 (-110) could be a fit for risk-averse bettors or those who don’t want to bet fully into the wind of a lengthy win streak.
Over/Under (O/U)
Tag the Under with a lean, but PASS on a play unless even odds (-110) become available.
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