Free Pick | MLB | Tuesday | June 9

Play with Nelly’s in MLB action this summer:

#961/962 OVER 8.5 Washington Nationals (Alvarez) at San Francisco Giants (Houser) 8:45 PM CT

Last night’s series opener played just ‘under’ with a 4-3 win for the Nationals, as the Giants managed only three runs with 13 hits, going 2-12 with runners in scoring position for the night. Washington used five pitchers last night and the Nationals are one of the best ‘over’ teams in MLB at 39-25-3. Washington is one of MLB’s best scoring teams vs. right-handed pitching, averaging 5.1 runs per nine while the San Francisco offense has delivered a few recent outbursts to boost the modest season numbers. There is wind blowing out to center field projected in San Francisco tonight and while Andrew Alvarez has good numbers for Washington, this will be just his second start of the season, as the lefty has often been protected by an opener. Adrian Houser has been worse than replacement level pitching for the Giants in 12 starts, sporting a 5.49 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio below 2:1. Houser owns a 6.97 ERA in his home innings, and the Giants have terrible recent bullpen splits with a 7.93 ERA and a 2.15 WHIP in the past 10 games. For the season Washington has one of MLB’s worst bullpens with a 4.62 ERA and tonight’s game should have a good opportunity to clear the total after last night’s game had much more offense than the 4-3 final implies.