The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds are back at it for Game 2 of their series, with the Pirates looking to build on a 1-0 lead after Friday's opener. First pitch is set for Saturday in Pittsburgh, where the home team has been solid with a 9-9 record at PNC Park this season.
The Reds, sitting second in the NL Central at 20-12, have been tough on the road with a 10-4 mark away from Cincinnati. They'll send Rhett Lowder (3-1, 3.18 ERA) to the mound, who has been sharp with 25 strikeouts in his outings. For the Pirates (17-16, fifth in the division), Carmen Mlodzinski (1-2, 4.13 ERA) gets the start, bringing a 1.45 WHIP and 30 strikeouts to the hill. The betting line favors Pittsburgh at -138, with the over/under set at 8 runs.
This is the fifth meeting between these division rivals, and the Pirates have dominated so far, winning three of the first four. Pittsburgh's pitching staff has been a bright spot, boasting the fourth-best ERA in the National League at 3.74. Meanwhile, the Reds have been especially tough when they keep the ball in the park, going 11-3 in games where they don't allow a home run.
Keep an eye on the hot hitters. For the Pirates, Ryan O'Hearn has been a threat with four doubles and five home runs, while Nick Gonzales has been on fire over the last 10 games, going 17-for-38 with two doubles. On the Reds' side, Elly De La Cruz leads the team with a .273 batting average, five doubles, and 10 home runs, and TJ Friedl has been clutch recently with 12 hits and two homers in his last 10 games.
Both teams come in with mixed recent form. The Pirates are 4-6 in their last 10 games, hitting .240 with a 4.75 ERA, while the Reds are 6-4 over the same stretch, batting .246 with a 5.83 ERA. Injury-wise, Pittsburgh is missing Jared Triolo (10-day IL, knee) and Jared Jones (60-day IL, elbow), while Cincinnati has a longer list: Brandon Williamson (15-day IL, shoulder), Caleb Ferguson (15-day IL, oblique), Nick Lodolo (15-day IL, finger), Eugenio Suarez (10-day IL, oblique), and Hunter Greene (60-day IL, elbow).
It's a pivotal game for both teams as they jockey for position in the NL Central. Whether you're cheering for the Pirates to extend their series lead or the Reds to even things up, this one promises plenty of action on the diamond.