Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Boston Red Sox Odds, Line, Picks, and Prediction - August 16

The Pittsburgh Pirates will play host to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. Boston won their previous series, but they're still in last place in the American League East entering this interleague set.

The Pirates lost to the San Francisco Giants 8-7 on Sunday to move to 45-70 this year. Looking at the Red Sox, they are now 57-59 this season after their 3-0 victory versus the New York Yankees on Sunday. With the loss, the Pirates have now dropped 20 of their previous 27 contests.

Expand Tweet

"Shutout secures the series!" - @RedSox

Mitch Keller will be taking the hill Tuesday for the Pirates. He is 3-8 with a 4.32 ERA over 20 starts. Recently, Keller has been a lot better, carrying a 2.23 ERA in his past six starts. Some of his recent opponents didn't boast the strongest offenses, but these numbers are impressive nonetheless. The Red Sox relied on their pitching to beat the Yankees, but they have some good hitters at the top of their order. Look for Keller to try and stay in a nice groove on Tuesday.

Expand Tweet

"Mitch Keller, K'ing the Side. 7Ks thru 4." - Rob Friedman

Nick Pivetta gets the nod Tuesday for the Red Sox, holding an 8-9 record and a 4.51 ERA. This Pirates offense that he'll be up against ranks third-lowest in runs per game in the MLB. Last start, Pivetta tossed six innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs in a loss versus the Atlanta Braves. Pivetta notched his first quality start since June 29, and he'll try to make it two in a row against a bad Pittsburgh lineup.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Boston Red Sox Match Details

Fixture: Boston Red Sox @ Pittsburgh Pirates

Date & Time: Tuesday, August 16, 7:05 p.m. EDT

Venue: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Boston Red Sox Betting Odds

Team	Money Line	Spread	Over/Under
Boston Red Sox	-140	-1.5 (+120)	Over 8.5 (-110)
Pittsburgh Pirates	+120	+1.5 (-140)	Under 8.5 (-110)

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Boston Red Sox Best Picks

The Pirates rank last in the league in the first inning runs per game. The Red Sox rank slightly below average, but Keller has been lights out since mid-July. Look for six quick outs to be recorded to open up this mid-week series.

Pick: No Runs First Inning (-115)

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Boston Red Sox Betting Prediction

The Pirates have now lost four straight after getting swept by the Giants. Pivetta pitched well last game, but he rarely will completely dominate a team. The Red Sox are the much stronger team talent-wise, and they have the momentum, but they have dropped eight of their last ten when favored.

Also, the Pirates have shown the ability to win series against the Dodgers, so it's best to target the run total. The total has gone over in nine of Pivetta's last ten starts, so expect the Pirates to score a couple runs of off the Boston righty.