The Atlanta Braves are off to a strong start in the second half of their season.
They’ll be trying for their first three-game home sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates in more than seven years when the teams wrap up their series on Sunday.
The Braves (49-42) won for the sixth time in seven games on Saturday, beating the Pirates 5-4. Atlanta, which opened the second half with a 9-1 win over Pittsburgh (40-50), remained 1 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading New York Mets, who beat Cincinnati.
The Braves are trying for their first three-game home sweep of the Pirates since April 21-23, 2000. They haven’t swept a three-game set from Pittsburgh since June 1-3, 2000 in Atlanta.
Jeff Francoeur drove in the winning run on a bases-loaded single with two outs in the ninth, as the Braves held on despite blowing a 4-0 lead. Francoeur has 27 two-out RBIs this season.
Andruw Jones hit a two-run homer in the first and is batting 8-for-16 with three homers over his last five games, boosting his season average to .214.
Pittsburgh has dropped three of four since a four-game winning streak. Ryan Doumit had a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the seventh Saturday, but third baseman Jose Bautista cut his left hand as he was caught stealing while sliding into third base in the second and is day to day.
In the finale, Pittsburgh will hand the ball to starter Paul Maholm (5-11, 4.76 ERA), who has lasted at least seven innings in five straight starts and seven of nine. He gave up four runs in seven-plus innings of an 8-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on July 6 to win for the third time in five outings.
Maholm made his only previous start against the Braves on Aug. 2 last season, allowing two runs in seven innings without getting a decision in Pittsburgh’s 3-2 home loss.
Atlanta will counter with Buddy Carlyle (3-2, 4.50), who is looking to build off one of the best outings of his career. He lasted a career-best eight innings and matched a career high with seven strikeouts, giving up three runs in a 7-4 win in San Diego on July 6.
Carlyle also became the third pitcher in franchise history and first since Joe Oeschger in 1921 to strike out three batters on nine pitches in a single inning when he pulled off the feat in the fourth.
For Pizza I’m on the Braves behind Carlyle -147
Good Luck,
Tommy Mac
Bet the Braves -147 HERE with your FREE $50
Tommy Mac’s FREE Baseball Picks - Pizza Plays - are “What I will be watching on TV today” as posted on Graffiti Wall blogs and askthebookie.com
Hungry for Pizza while you watch the game today? The Pizza is on us!
This FREEBIE Pizza Play Sports Pick is a HANDICAPPED game and is for fun and entertainment purposes only.
IF your a serious sports bettor, you need to be on our “VIP” Late steam phone service. These are plays made “behind the counter” in Vegas as well as the “Front Row Moves” made by the largest betting syndicates stateside into the “Big 5″ sportsbooks here in Costa Rica.
You will never be able to get this kind of information from any tout or handicapping service.
If your playing right now and you want to get on the winning side of these MLB games along with Tommy and his Online Members & VIP partners, and start positioning yourself to win by calling our VIP Late steam informational hotline for more information on a recorded message.
Or Call our Vegas Office for more info at: 702-990-0126
We are NOT a tout or handicapping service.
