The Philadelphia Phillies (62-36) look to return on the winning side in Game 3 against the Pittsburgh Pirates (50-48) on Sunday, July 21, at 1:35 PM ET at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This MLB betting opportunity reveals the Phillies favored with a moneyline at -145.
The Phillies have lost three consecutive games and are now 1-4 over their last five. Two of these losses have been at the hands of the Pirates. The Phillies have averaged 4.00 runs a game while allowing 6.00 so far in this series, with the closest battle being Game 1 with an 8-7 loss.
They will start Tyler Phillips (1-0) on the mound. He currently has a 4.50 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP and will attempt to keep the team's ERA at 3.46 in check.
The Phillies' offense separates them from most ball clubs. Bruce Harper leads them with a .300 batting average and has 21 homers so far. Alec Bohm is another threat with 70 RBIs and a .295 batting average.
The Phillies do well at the plate with a .260 batting average. While they have not performed well from the mound lately, they have typically allowed opposing teams to average .230.
The Pirates are coming from a 4-1 victory over the Phillies in Game 2. They have added to their winning streak, which is currently at six in a row dating back to the end of the first half of the MLB season.
Marco Gonzales (1-0) takes over starting role duties from the mound here and averages a 2.45 ERA with a WHIP of 1.23. Their team ERA is at 3.89, so he should offer them a great start.
Bryan Reynolds will be an excellent counter to Harper and Bohm. He leads the Pirates with 18 homers, a .290 batting average, and 61 RBIs. If he can get you early, he could push their offense forward.
The Pirates are averaging .232 at the plate but have been more appealing in the last handful of games. Their defense has allowed opposing teams to average .248, which could come back to hurt them soon.
MyBookie has the most recent MLB betting odds, with the Phillies favored to take Game 3. Market insights suggest the Phillies have a 52.1 percent probability of ending their losing skid.
Each team has pitchers with little experience this season, but Gonzales does have 20.0 innings under his belt. Looking at both ball clubs' stats, the Phillies should prevail at some point and outscore the Pirates. Look for the Phillies to break the losing cycle.
