MLB Daily Picks – FREE pick for August 24th is Pittsburgh

MLB Daily Picks FREE pick of the day is Pittsburgh:

Fixture: Pittsburgh @ San Francisco
Time/Date: 9:05 PM ET, August 24, 2013
Pick: Pittsburgh
Odds: -121 (1.83 in decimal odds) @ 5Dimes

This will be the third game of 4 game series played in San Francisco. Pittsburgh won 10-5 on Thursday and 3-1 last night. Pittsburgh is leading season series 4-1, outscoring San Francisco 33-26.

Pittsburgh is leading National League Central and they are sharing 2nd place in MLB with LA Dodgers with 76-52 record. They are 34-30 on the road. San Francisco is last in National League West with 56-72 record. They are 32-35 at home.

Pittsburgh is 4-1 since the start of the road trip. San Francisco is 1-5 in their last 6 games.

Pittsburgh has the best pitching staff in entire MLB, they have 3.16 team ERA. San Francisco's pitchers are ranked only 22nd with 4.19 ERA. Pittsburgh 's defense has allowed 128 runs less than San Francisco's defense.

Pittsburgh is sending out Francisco Liriano, who is 14-5, 2.53 ERA after 19 starts in 2013. He is 8-2, 2.71 ERA in his last 10 starts, 8 of which were quality ones. In those 8 victories he has only once allowed 2 runs, 3 times 1 run and 4 times no runs at all. Liriano won his only career start against San Francisco on June 12, when he has allowed 4 earned runs in 6 innings of work. Liriano has allowed only 5 homers in 121 innings this season, the fewest among major-league starters. Pittsburgh is 7-0 in Liriano's last 7 starts with 4 days of rest, 6-1 in Liriano's last 7 road starts vs. a team with a losing record, 5-1 in Liriano's last 6 starts as a favorite of -110 to -150, 5-1 in Lirianos last 6 starts and 8-2 in Liriano's last 10 starts as a favorite.

Tim Lincecum will be starting for San Francisco tonight. He is 6-13, 4.53 ERA in 25 starts this season. Lincecum threw his first career no-hitter on July 13th, but he is 1-4, 5.40 ERA since. In his last start, against Boston 5 days ago, Lincecum has allowed 5 earned runs in 9 hits with 4 walks on 5 innings of work. He is 1-3 lifetime against Pittsburgh. San Francisco is 1-4 in Lincecum's last 5 starts vs. National League Central teams, 1-4 in Lincecum's last 5 starts as a home underdog of +110 to +150, 3-13 in Lincecum's last 16 starts on grass, 1-5 in Lincecum's last 6 home starts, 0-4 in Lincecum's last 4 home starts vs. a team with a winning record and 0-4 in Lincecum's last 4 starts as an underdog of +110 to +150.

Pittsburgh is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings against San Francisco and I expect them to win tonight.