Vegas Play of the Day: Marlins at Pirates

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016 | 8:17 a.m.

We’ve entered the third season of the annual South Point-lined Play of the Day competition, effective July 1.

Starting bankrolls have reset to $10,000, with the maximum bet being to win $1,000 and the minimum wager $300. Ray Brewer won the 2015-2016 season, after Taylor Bern prevailed in 2014-2015.

Pittsburgh Pirates minus-140 vs. Miami Marlins: $980 to win $700: I’m a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, which may cloud my judgement on today’s play. The Pirates and Marlins and neck-and-neck in the wild-card playoff race, making today a must-win game for Pittsburgh because Miami has won the initial two games of the series.

The pitching matchup heavily favors Pittsburgh. Miami starter Jose Urena, who has a 6.80 earned run average in four starts this season, is a converted reliever who won’t have the stamina to make it through the middle innings. Earlier in the week, he walked three and surrendered five earned runs in six innings at Cincinnati. Two starts ago, he gave up eight earned runs in just four innings.

Ryan Vogelsong is slowly getting back to full strength after missing extended time after taking a line-drive off his face. The 11-year veteran has given up five earned run in 18 innings since returning to the rotation and beat the San Francisco Giants earlier in the week.

Current Standings: Keefer (8-5, $10,840), Brewer (7-7, $10,345), Bern (4-6, $9,570)

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21