Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

There is no doubt that the Pittsburgh Pirates have turned the corner. They must overcome the collapses they have experienced in the last two years where they had consecutive productive first halves. The challenge will be great in this series, as Cincinnati has put together a 30-16 mark at home where they have played well all season. Francisco Liriano has returned to his rookie season form, but has a career 0-2 mark vs. the Reds. Mike Leake has allowed 3 runs or less in 10 of his last 11 starts lowering his ERA to 2.69, and improving his season mark to 8-4. The Pirates are 91-210 in their last 301 games vs. a winning team, while the Reds are 40-19 in their last 59 as a favorite. Make the play on Cincinnati.