Sunday, April 27, 2:15 PM on ROOT, FSMW

Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri

Pittsburgh Pirates - Liriano, F (0-3) vs. St Louis Cardinals - Lyons, T (0-1)

For Updated Odds on This Game Click Here

Saturday afternoon, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Francisco Liriano will take on the St. Louis Cardinals and Tyler Lyons.   Liriano will make his 6th start as Lyons makes his 2nd.

Francisco Liriano has yet to get a win in his 5 starts this season.  He lost 3 in a row before failing to get a decision in his last start after going 7 innings and giving up 5 runs on 7 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts.    Liriano still has time to equal or better 2013’s results when he was 16 – 8 with an ERA 3.02 in 26 starts.  But time could run out on him if he doesn’t start getting some wins.

Last season, Liriano was 3 – 0 with an ERA of 0.75 in his 3 starts against the Cardinals. But this season, he got his first loss against St. Louis when he gave up 4 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings.  And Liriano will need to pitch away from Jhonny Peralta.   Peralta is batting .333 with 2 homers and 6 RBIs against Liriano.

Tyler Lyons lost his first start of the season despite a solid start where he gave up just 2 runs on 6 hits through 6 innings with 4 walks and 7 strikeouts.  But when your offense gets shutout, 2 runs seem like 20.  In 2013, Lyons started 8 games and appeared in another 4 as he compiled a 2 – 4 record and an ERA of 4.75 in his rookie season.

Lyons lost his one start against the Pirates in 2013 when he pitched 6 innings and allowed 4 runs on 8 hits.  Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen has just one hit off of Lyons in 3 at-bats, but that one hit was a 2 run homer.    

Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Trends

Pittsburgh Pirates are 10-11-2 against the Over/Under

Run Differential for Pittsburgh Pirates is -0.2

St Louis Cardinals Betting Trends

St Louis Cardinals are 8-13-2 against the Over/Under

Run differential for St Louis Cardinals is 0.3

Injuries to Watch

Pittsburgh Pirates

04/23/14 P Wandy Rodriguez Knee 15-day DL (4/21)

St Louis Cardinals

04/23/14 P Adam Wainwright Knee is upgraded to expected to start Sunday vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
04/17/14 P Joe Kelly Hamstring 15-day DL (4/17)
03/30/14 P Jaime Garcia Shoulder 15-day DL (3/21)
03/28/14 P Jason Motte Elbow 15-day DL (3/21)

Tony's Pick: Take St. Louis

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