MLB Daily Picks – FREE pick for August 26th is Colorado

MLB Daily Picks FREE pick of the day is Colorado:

Fixture: San Francisco @ Colorado
Time/Date: 8:40 PM ET, August 26, 2013
Pick: Colorado
Odds: -147 (1.68 in decimal odds) @ Pinnacle

This will be the first game of 3 game series played in Denver. San Francisco is leading the season series 7-6.

Colorado is 3rd National League West with 61-71 record. San Francisco is last in the same division with 58-72 record. They are 24-37 on the road..

Colorado is one of the best home teams with 36-27 record. They are coming back home after 10 games road trip on which they were defeated 6 times. They went 5-1 on their last homestand, averaging 7.0 runs per game while batting .325. Their center fielder Dexter Fowler is a .211 hitter away from Denver, but at home, he is among the major league leaders with a .313 batting average and 43 runs scored.

Barry Zito will be starting for San Francisco tonight. He is 4-9, 5.63 ERA in 22 starts and 4 relief appearances this season. Zito recorded his last win on May 30th against Oakland. He is winless on the road, going 0-7, 9.45 ERA in 9 starts and 2 relief appearances. In last 3 starts against Colorado Zito has allowed 13 runs on 29 hits in 17 innings of work combined. San Francisco is 1-4 in Zito's last 5 starts vs. National League West teams, 1-6 in Zito's last 7 starts as an underdog, 1-6 in Zito's last 7 starts, 1-9 in Zito's last 10 road starts, 1-9 in Zito's last 10 starts as a road underdog and 0-6 in Zito's last 6 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.

Colorado's left fielder Carlos Gonzalez is 6 for 10 with 2 doubles and a homer this year against Zito and a .378 lifetime hitter with two home runs against San Francisco. Dexter Fowler is 4 for 6 against Zito in 2013, raising his career average to .310 (9 for 29).

Colorado is sending out Juan Nicasio, who is 7-6, 4.79 ERA after 24 starts in 2013. In his last start, 5 days ago at Philadelphia, he has allowed 1 earned run on 5.2 innings of work recording a no-decision. Nicasio is 4-5, 5.43 ERA in 14 road starts, but he is much better pitching at home where he is 3-1, 3.95 ERA in 10 starts. Nicasio is 1-0, 3.38 ERA in 3 starts against San Francisco this season, with the only win coming at home. Colorado is 5-1 in Nicasio's last 6 starts vs. National League West teams.

Colorado is 5-1 in last 6 home games against San Francisco and I expect them to win tonight,