Pittsburgh Pirates vs St Louis Cardinals Prediction, Pick and Preview, April 9 (4/9): MLB

Credit: photo by Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

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Preview

The Pittsburgh Pirates and the St Louis Cardinals will play the 2nd game of the 4-game series on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals smashed the Pirates in the opening day and won the game 9-0 with an outstanding performing from Adam Wainwright.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

The Pirates offense couldn't do anything in the opening day against one of the best pitchers in the MLB and even when Wainwright went out they just had 1 hit after that. Pittsburgh had just six hits and lost budding star Ke'Bryan Hayes to left forearm spasms in the first inning just hours after news began to spread that Hayes had agreed to a $70 million, eight-year deal. Hayes said the issue was minor and not related to a wrist injury that spoiled his 2021 season.

Yoshi Tsutsugo had two hits for Pittsburgh and JT Brubaker, who was the Pirates seventh opening day starter in as many years, allowed four runs over three innings. He struck out two and walked three.

Probable Pitcher: 

Mitch Keller (0-0, 0.0 ERA) will take the mound in the 2nd game of the series for the Pirates. Keller appeared to be on strong footing for a rotation role heading into the spring, but he solidified his spot after submitting a 2.92 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB across 12.1 innings over his four starts. Last season, Keller had a 5-11 record with an ERA of 6.17 and 92 strikeouts in 23 appearances in 2021. He pitched 2 games against the Cardinals, one did well with no runs allowed in 5 innings but the in the other one he received 7 runs in 5 innings.

ST LOUIS CARDINALS

The Cardinals got their first win of the season in the opening day and it was so easy. Adam Wainwright threw a gem of a game with 6 scoreless innings. Tyler O'Neill hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high five. Yadier Molina threw out a runner trying to steal second in the first game of his final big league season, and Nolan Arenado and Tommy Edman also homered to help the Cardinals to beat the Pirates 9-0.

The Cardinals recorded their largest opening day margin of victory since beating Houston 14-3 in 1982.

Probable Pitcher:

Miles Mikolas (0-0, 0-0 ERA) will be on the mound for the Cardinals in the 2nd game of the 4-game series. He went 2-3 with an ERA of 4.23 and 31 strikeouts in 9 appearances in 2021. He pitched 2 games against the Pirates last season and allowed only 3 runs in 9.1 innings but the Cards lost both games.

BETTING TRENDS

Pittsburgh are 5-10 SU in their last 15 games.

Pittsburgh are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games against St. Louis.

St. Louis are 16-4 SU in their last 20 games.

St. Louis are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games at home.

Prediction

The Cardinals started the season hot scoring 9 runs in their first game against the Pirates and they'll now face Mitch Keller and they already pounded him with 7 runs last time they faced him. The Pirates couldn't score in the last game and they are 4-6 in the last 10 games vs Cardinals. Look for the Cards to get another easy win at home.

PICK: Cardinals -1.5  (+105)

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