MLB Game Preview for Tuesday June 21, 2011: Orioles vs. Pirates |
Written by Matt Stevens | |||
Tuesday, 21 June 2011 07:11 | |||
They are not quite family yet, but the MLB baseball betting fans in Pittsburgh are trying to remember what it is like to be in a pennant race late into June. It has been so long since the Pirates have been this competitive that the crowds are still hesitant to come out to the ballpark and support the team. But, slowly, the fans are starting to get into this pennant race and for the first time in a long time, the MLB baseball news in Pittsburgh is not all bad. The Pirates enter this game with the Orioles only four games out of first place in the NL Central and only one game away from a .500 record. The ballpark in Pittsburgh will be jumping now. The Baltimore Orioles were surprising every MLB fan early in the season by being the runaway leader for the AL East pennant. With the Red Sox having the worst start in franchise history, the Yankees just not as good as they were last year and Tampa Bay struggling without Carl Crawford; it was the Orioles that grabbed an early lead in the AL East. Baltimore did not just grab the lead, they started to run away with the division. But the Orioles came crashing to the ground and could not keep pace with a Boston team that found its legs and a Yankees team that learned to utilize its starting pitching rotation better. The Orioles met everyone’s expectation by dropping to the basement of the AL East. Pittsburgh Pirates Taking the mound for the Pirates in this game is James McDonald. McDonald is 5-4 with a 4.80 record, but he is having problems getting batters out. McDonald has made 14 starts this season, and he has only been able to pitch past the sixth inning once. He runs up his pitch counts by throwing balls or giving up foul balls on a regular basis. He can be effective at times, but he tends to struggle early in games. Baltimore Orioles The Bottom Line BSN Sports Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates
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