Cajun Sports MLB 2* Complimentary Selection- Friday
Date/Time: Friday June 12 / 7:05PM EST
Sport/Type: MLB / Side
Game: Detroit Tigers @ Pittsburgh Pirates
Graded Selection: 2* Detroit Tigers -131
Analysis:
Interleague play returns this weekend in MLB stadiums all around the country. Tonight we are interested in the game at PNC Park between the host Pittsburgh Pirates and the visiting American League Central leading Detroit Tigers. Pittsburgh is coming off a 3 to 1 win in Atlanta on Thursday to get a split in the series at two games apiece. Pittsburgh’s Andy LaRoche delivered the big hit in the top of the ninth with a two-out two-run single to secure the win and split the four-game series versus the Atlanta Braves. For Detroit they also had a big hit in the ninth on Thursday by Curtis Granderson who hit a tying two-run homerun with two outs in the top of the ninth versus the White Sox. The downside to this is Joel Zumaya of the Tigers gave up a game winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth as the Tigers lose 4 to 3. Good news for the boys from the Motor City is they will be facing the worst team in interleague play with the Pirates posting a record of 64-105 W/L against the American League during the regular season. Their inability to defeat AL teams has already surfaced this season as they lost two of three to the White Sox last month during the first round of interleague action. Pittsburgh has won six of ten games this month but the AL Central leading Tigers loss on Thursday was only their second in their last seven times to post. The Pirates will send Ian Snell to the bump with his 1-6 W/L record and ERA of 5.54 on the season. Since his lone win Snell has gone 0-4 W/L with an ERA of 6.00 over his last nine trips to the bump with the Pirates only managing to win just two of those games. Snell is 0-2 W/L with an ERA of 10.29 in his last three trips to the hill during interleague play. Detroit will send rookie right-hander Rick Porcello to the mound with his 6-4 W/L record and ERA of 3.98. Porcello was lights out in May winning all five trips to the bump with an ERA of 1.50 but he is 0-1 W/L in his two starts this month. In his last outing he was not involved in the decision although the Tigers got the win over the Angels 9 to 6 as Porcello allowed four runs and five hits over five innings of work. Our Pitcher Efficiency Ratings Index projects a quality start from him in tonight’s meeting versus the Pirates. We also note that our TPR (Team Performance Ratings) Index is projecting a win by the Tigers by 1.7 runs and the Math Model is also on the side of the visitors so we will lay the short price as the Tigers bounce back from their loss on Thursday and continue the AL dominance over the Pirates in interleague play.

Graded Selection: 2* Detroit Tigers 6 Pittsburgh Pirates 4