Guardians (47-48) at Pirates (41-54) Game Preview | 7/19 12:35 PM

Series Finale Against the Pittsburgh Pirates

3 Things:

1 – Get the brooms ready 

The Guardians will be looking for its second sweep of the season as Aaron Civale toes the mound for Cleveland. They will be up against the 43-year-old lefty veteran Rich Hill. 

2 – Run differential positive 

After Tuesday night’s victory in Pittsburgh, the Guardians are now two runs in the positive when it comes to run differential. The Guardians are now 6th in doubles in MLB and they are in the top half of hits coming in at 13. 

3 – Power surge and RISP  

It has been a huge offensive outbreak for the Guardians in Pittsburgh scoring 21 runs in two games.  A big reason why Cleveland has scored so many runs in two days is the six home runs hit, and all six blasts had men on base, no solo shots.  Another reason is the Guardians are hitting with runners in scoring position going 7 for 16 in the two games.  

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Guardians Notes

The Guardians slinked into the Steel City on a 4-game losing streak, but Cleveland has gotten well in Pittsburgh. The Guards put it to the Bucs 10-1 in Tuesday’s middle game after winning 11-0 in Monday’s series opener. It’s the 1st time this season Cleveland has racked up double-digit run totals against the same opponent in consecutive games.

This season, Cleveland’s pitching has been instrumental in keeping them competitive in the AL Central race. With a team ERA of 3.87, they currently rank 10th in the league, and their WHIP of 1.27 places them at 17th. Cleveland’s 35 Quality Starts rank 12th best in the league, while their ability to limit opposing hitters to a .244 average is 16th best.

Leading the charge for Cleveland is Shane Bieber, who has notched five victories and an impressive 95 strikeouts so far. On the upcoming Wednesday, Aaron Civale will take the mound for the Guardians. He holds a solid record of 3-2, boasting an ERA of 2.65 and a remarkable 46 strikeouts in this season as a right-handed pitcher.

Guardians Stats and Insights

GUARDIANS PROBABLE PITCHER – Aaron Civale

• Civale’s team is 6-4-0 against the spread this season in his starts.
• The right-hander’s last appearance was on Saturday, when he threw five innings against the Texas Rangers, giving up two earned runs while allowing five hits.
• Civale has five starts in a row of five innings or more.
• He has three appearances this season with zero earned runs allowed out of his 10 chances this season.
• When Civale starts a game and his team is the favorite on the money line, they have a record of 4-2.
• Civale’s team has won five of his 10 starts.
• In Civale’s 10 starts with a total, the teams have hit the over five times.

GUARDIANS BATTING INSIGHTS

• The Guardians have a 13-4 record this season in games when they hit two or more homers.
• Cleveland has put up five or more extra-base hits in 19 games this season and has gone 14-5 in those contests.
• The club is 33-26 in the games this season it has put up eight or more hits.
• Cleveland is 28-6 in games this season when it put up five or more runs.
• The Guardians are 13-9 in games this season when they have drawn five or more walks.

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Pirates Notes

Pittsburgh is encountering difficulties on the mound, with their pitching performance ranking below average in several key categories. They currently stand 22nd in team ERA, sporting a 4.45 mark, and 24th in WHIP, with a 1.38 figure. Their pitching staff is also struggling with the 24th spot in batting average allowed, conceding .253 to opposing hitters.

Despite these challenges, Pittsburgh’s starting rotation has managed to deliver 39 Quality Starts, which places them 10th among all teams in baseball. Leading the way in victories and strikeouts for the team is Mitch Keller, who has recorded nine wins and an impressive 129 strikeouts.

Taking the mound for Pittsburgh on Wednesday is the seasoned left-hander, Rich Hill. At 43 years old, Hill has showcased his experience but has had a somewhat tough season, holding a 7-9 record with an ERA of 4.76 and tallying 93 strikeouts so far.

Pirates Stats and Insights

PIRATES PROBABLE PITCHER – Rich Hill

• Hill gets the start for the Pirates, his 20th of the season. He is 7-9 with a 4.85 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings pitched.
• The left-hander’s last time out was on Friday against the San Francisco Giants, when he tossed six innings, surrendering three earned runs while allowing seven hits.
• Hill is looking to pick up his 17th start of five or more innings this year in this matchup.
• He has had one appearance this season in which he did not surrender an earned run.
• The Pirates have a 5-9 record in Hill’s 14 starts this season when they were the underdog on the moneyline.
• In Hill’s 19 starts, his team is 8-11.
• Hill’s starts with a set total this season have gone over the run total in 11 of 19 games.

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PIRATES BATTING INSIGHTS

• They have won 18 of the 24 games this season in which they hit two or more home runs.
• In 18 games with five or more extra-base hits this season, it has a record of 16-2.
• They have a record of 29-12 this season when collecting eight or more base hits in a game.
• In 31 games this season with five or more runs scored, it has posted a record of 26-5.
• In 27 games this season with five or more walks drawn, they’ve posted a record of 13-14

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Final Thoughts/Pick

The Pirates have shown minimal resistance in the first two games of this series. Cleveland has dominated Pittsburgh, outscoring them 21-1 in the previous matchups. Considering this trend, it’s unlikely that things will change on Wednesday. The Guardians deploying Civale, who has been consistently performing well on the road this season, while the Pirates are countering with Hill, who has been underperforming, possibly due to age catching up with him.

Our Pick: The GUARDIANS (-132) are an excellent choice for the series finale