It is game three of the series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Philadelphia Phillies. It is time to continue our MLB odds series with a Diamondbacks-Phillies pick, prediction, and how-to-watch.
After winning game one of the series with the Phillies, the Diamondbacks took a two-run lead in the top of the second inning off a Gabriel Moreno home run. Matt Strahm would go just two innings, and leave the game down 2-1 after a Kody Clemens RBI double in the bottom of the second. It was then time for the Triple-A call-up Dylan Covey to get to work. Covey would give up an RBI triple to Ketel Marte in the third, but settle in to get through the seventh inning giving up just that one run. Clemens drove in his second run of the game as part of a two-run inning in the seventh for the Phillies. The Diamondbacks got the lead right back in the eighth with a single by Corbin Carroll before Miguel Castro got the last three outs of the game for the Diamondbacks to seal a victory.
Here are the Diamondbacks-Phillies MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Diamondbacks-Phillies Odds
Arizona Diamondbacks: -1.5 (+138)
Philadelphia Phillies: +1.5 (-166)
Over: 8.5 (-106)
Under: 8.5 (-114)
How To Watch Diamondbacks vs. Phillies
TV: BSAZ/NBC 10
Stream: MLB.TV
Time: 1:05 PM ET/ 10:05 AM PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Diamondbacks Could Cover The Spread
The Diamondbacks are hitting well. Their team batting average is sitting at .266, which is good for a tie for third in the majors and the best in the National League. Last night that was led by Gabriel Moreno. Moreno has a one-for-two night with two walks, bringing his batting average to .304 on the season, but he is hitting .417 against left-handed pitching. This month he is hitting .308 while driving in five runs.
Corbin Carroll had himself a three-hit night last night. Hopefully, that will break him out of his dry spell. He is hitting only .250 this month but is hitting .304 against lefties this year. He had just three hits in his last 14 at-bats before last night, but he knocked two doubles and a single last night to bring his season average back to .287
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. extended his hitting streak to 16 games last night. This season his slash line is .317/.372/.557. With just one hit last night, his batting average for the month dropped to .382, but his overall average is still sitting seventh in all of the major leagues. Against left-handed pitching, he has been a beast as well. He is hitting .358 against lefties while driving in five runs.
Cy Young candidate Zac Gallen will be on the mound for this afternoon's game. Gallen is 6-2 with a 2.95 ERA on the season. His last start spiked his ERA from 2.35 to 2.95, as he gave up eight runs, five earned, in just 3.2 innings of work. Gallen will be looking to regain his form from April in this start. In the last four starts in April, Gallen won 27 innings without giving up a run. Gallen will be looking to rack up the strikeouts against a squad that has plenty as of late. On the season, he has 72 strikeouts in just 62 innings of work.
Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread
The Phillies' offensive struggles can be tied directly to strikeouts. Last night it was better than normal. The Phillies struck out just four times, but once again Trea Turner was one of them. Trea Turner has struggled this year. He has struck out in all but one game this month and has struck out 25 times in 76 at-bats. He is hitting .237 on the month and is hitting .277 against right-handed pitching.
Kyle Schwarber did not strike out last night but also did not have a hit. He has struck out 25 times this month whole only having eight hits and a .123 batting average. Schwarber has hit better against righties this year, but that is still just a .190 batting average with six home runs and 16 RBIs. He could have more RBIs if the people in front of him were getting on base more. Last night it was Bryson Stott in the lead-off spot, and once again the first batter in the order struggled. Stott struck out twice while going 0-4. He had been on a nine-game hitting streak, and scoring in six straight, but that all came to an end. He has scored nine times this month, but with a .276 OBP this month, he is not getting on base enough at the top of the order.
The Phillies will be sending Ranger Suarez to the mound in this one. Suarez has only made two starts this year and has struggled in both of them. He is 0-1 with a 10.50 ERA so far this year. In his first start of the year, he gave up three runs in four innings of work. The Phillies rallied and got the win though. In his most recent start, it was two innings and four runs for Suarez, as he took the loss.
Final Diamondbacks-Phillies Prediction & Pick
In this match, it is a Cy Young caliber pitcher against one that has heavily struggled. Even more so, the Diamondbacks have been swinging the bat well, and come in expecting to do more of the same. Suarez has not given up a home run this year, which shows that the runs given up have been due to a consistent line of hits and walks. His WHIP is sitting at 2.67 this year, which feeds into the strength of the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks excel at run production without hitting the home run and they will do so again today.
Final Diamondbacks-Phillies Prediction & Pick: Diamondbacks -1.5 (+138)
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