Pittsburgh at Los Angeles

Pittsburgh is 3,000 miles from home, playing the seventh game of a nine-game road trip.  This is a bad offense which struggles on the road, 22nd in baseball in runs scored, slugging, and on-base percentage. The Pirates are 14-53 in their last 67 interleague road games, and 7-24 in starter Charlie Morton's last 31 starts with four days of rest. Los Angeles began its 10-game home stand by taking two of three from the New York Yankees, then won three of four meetings with the Seattle Mariners, so this is their 10th straight home game. The Angels are 18-8 in their last 26 interleague home games. Starter Joe Blanton has been a strikeout machine of late, with three walks, 28 strikeouts in his last three starts (19+ innings). Blanton has recorded 11 strikeouts in two of his last three starts. The Pirates are 2-14 in Morton's last 16 road starts against a team with a losing record, so grab the home field. Play the Los Angeles Angels.