by Chuck Sommers
Friday, May 13, 2022
Time: 6:35 p.m. ET
Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Where to watch: Bally Sports Ohio, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Pirates -120, Reds +100
BetMGM: Pirates -120, Reds +100
Caesars: Pirates -120, Reds +100
Season record
Reds: 8-24
Pirates: 13-18
We're fresh into this baseball season and of course it's AAA Sports jumping out to an 34-19-0 run in Major League Baseball over the course of the last 30 days. An incredible start to the season. We've seen some exciting games and some awesome moments, but what will happen as we keep rolling through the month of May? Catch AAA's plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Reds - Pirates preview and analysis
The Cincinnati Reds keep on winning. Ready the parade in Ohio, because this is going to be the greatest comeback in the history of sports to reach .500 baseball. Get excited, Cincinnati. Get hyped.
The Reds took the first game of the four-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-0, behind Connor Overton’s first ever MLB victory. Overton allowed just three hits and struck out only one, but took care of business in 6.1 innings to lead them to victory.
Tyler Stephenson led the way with three hits, including a solo homer in the top of the fourth inning. He drove in two of the four runs.
“Super excited, that was a lot of fun," Overton said. "You know what? I didn’t have my best stuff, but just to be able to go out there and compete, have the defense behind me, and having Stephenson call a great game, it was an awesome team win. I’m excited that that was my first one.”
It’s been a bunch of great games as is already for the Reds, who might be the most exciting eight-win team we’ve ever seen in the history of baseball. Who cares if they’ve lost three quarters of their games? It’s about having fun in this dojo.
One way to have fun is when your young pitching is dealing the way he is. That’s going to have to be the way going forward
"That’s an amazing start. To him, it’s what he expects," manager David Bell said. "He’s very confident right now. Coming into the season, even speaking with him this offseason, he was so excited about where he was, being healthy and with some adjustments he has made. He has carried it over to the season and stepped in, and that’s not the first time he pitched well."
The Pirates, meanwhile, did well to keep the game close through seven innings, but mustered only four hits to carry what was a lackluster day at the plate. Two of those hits came from Ben Gamel at the top of the lineup.
But it seemed like a revenge game from Overton, who chose free agency last year over re-signing with the Pirates.
“I don't see much that's different [from last year],” Bucs manager Derek Shelton said. “He throws strikes. He mixes and matches. He uses his offspeed stuff effectively. He uses it in the zone, and I mean essentially what he does when he's effective is keep you off the barrel, and he did that tonight.”
Tyler Mahle, who has struggled hard as of late with his ERA ballooning to a 6.46, will be taking the mound for the Reds. He’ll be going against Mitch Keller, who has not been any better with an 0-4 mark and a 6.11 ERA.
Prediction
I’m not picking the Reds until they lose, and they could very well do that in this one. If Mahle was ever in need of a win, it would be now against the Pirates after getting blanked by their former pitcher. GIve me Cincy or give me a bruise on the hand. Reds win 5-2
Betting trends
Reds are 2-15 this season as a road underdog.
Pirates are 470-345 since 1997 as a home favorite of -110 or higher.
Projected lineup
Reds:
TJ Friedl (L) CF
Brandon Drury (R) 2B
Tommy Pham (R) LF
Mike Moustakas (L) 3B
Tyler Stephenson (R) DH
Colin Moran (L) 1B
Tyler Naquin (L) RF
Kyle Farmer (R) SS
Aramis Garcia (R) C
SP - Tyler Mahle
TJ Friedl (L) CF
Brandon Drury (R) 2B
Tommy Pham (R) LF
Mike Moustakas (L) 3B
Tyler Stephenson (R) DH
Colin Moran (L) 1B
Tyler Naquin (L) RF
Kyle Farmer (R) SS
Aramis Garcia (R) C
SP - Tyler Mahle
Pirates:
Ben Gamel (L) LF
Bryan Reynolds (S) CF
Ke'Bryan Hayes (R) 3B
Daniel Vogelbach (L) DH
Michael Chavis (R) 1B
Jack Suwinski (L) RF
Diego Castillo (R) SS
Josh VanMeter (L) 2B
Andrew Knapp (S) C
SP - Mitch Keller
Ben Gamel (L) LF
Bryan Reynolds (S) CF
Ke'Bryan Hayes (R) 3B
Daniel Vogelbach (L) DH
Michael Chavis (R) 1B
Jack Suwinski (L) RF
Diego Castillo (R) SS
Josh VanMeter (L) 2B
Andrew Knapp (S) C
SP - Mitch Keller
Statistical leaders
Reds:
Batting average: Brandon Drury -- .267
Hits: Tommy Pham -- 25
Home runs: Brandon Drury -- 6
RBI: Brandon Drury -- 18
Wins: Many tied -- 1
Saves: Three tied -- 1
ERA: N/A
Pirates:
Batting average: Ke'Bryan Hayes -- .320
Hits: Ke'Bryan Hayes -- 32
Home runs: Daniel Vogelbach -- 5
RBI: Ben Gamel -- 14
Wins: Dillon Peters -- 3
Saves: David Bednar -- 5
ERA: Dillon Peters -- 1.83
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
