Teddy Covers
Bos/Clev Under 9
Sea/Tex Over 9.5
Anthony Redd
50 Dime Padres
Jeff Benton
20 Dime: CINCINNATI REDS
10 Dime: BOSTON RED SOX -1.5
Reds
Playing the percentages here, as the Giants have reeled off three straight road wins (all behind their top three pitchers). Well, San Francisco hasn’t won four in a row on the highway all season. In fact, the Giants haven’t won four straight road games since sweeping the then-lowly Nationals from June 6-9 … back in 2008! We’re talking 158 straight road contests without winning four in a row.
Meanwhile, the Reds have hit a bit of a rough patch, dropping six of their last nine games, including three straight at home (two vs. San Francisco, one vs. Houston). It’s the first time all season Cincinnati has dropped three in a row in its home park – and it hasn’t lost three straight to the same team at home since mid-August of last season.
As for the pitching matchup here, we’ve got the Reds’ Aaron Harang facing San Francisco lefty Jonathan Sanchez. Harang has pitched at least six innings in seven of his last eight starts, during which time he’s registered a solid 4.13 ERA. And in his last three starts against the Giants, Harang has pitched 7, 7 and 7 1/3 innings, allowing a total of five earned runs (2.11 ERA) on 21 hits and five walks with 19 strikeouts. In fact, Harang has limited the Giants to two earned runs or fewer in seven of his last 10 starts against them.
What about Sanchez? Well, he’s been strong all year and brings a 2.63 ERA into this game. But he’s got just a 4-4 record to show for it, and San Francisco is just 6-5 in his last 11 starts, including 2-3 on the road (where the Giants support Sanchez with just 3.4 runs per game). Tonight, Sanchez is facing a Reds lineup that’s destroying left-handed pitching right now (.331 average last 10 games). And for the season, the Reds are batting .285 against southpaws.
Red Sox (-1½ runs)
Big-time mismatches all over the field in this one, starting on the mound where Clay Buchholz (8-3, 2.39 ERA) faces former teammate Justin Masterson (1-5, 5.46 ERA). While Masterson is just 2-12 since being traded from Boston to Cleveland last summer, Buchholz has solidified his reputation as a quality big-league starter. Buchholz is 5-0 with a 0.99 ERA in his last five starts (four runs allowed in 36 1/3 innings), and Boston is 7-1 in his last eight starts, including 4-0 on the road.
For the season, Buchholz is 5-0 with a 1.31 ERA in five road starts, with the Red Sox outscoring the opposition by an average of 4.8 runs in those five victories. That includes wins of 11-0 (Baltimore), 6-1 (Tampa Bay) and 7-2 (Detroit) in his last three roadies.
Buchholz leads a Red Sox staff that has been absolutely lights out of late, posting a 2.60 ERA since May 18 (after recording a 5.18 ERA through the season’s first six weeks).
Finally, by winning the first two games of this series, the Red Sox are now 17-3 against Cleveland (7-1 on the road) since trailing Boston 3-1 in the 2007 A.L. Championship Series. Of those 17 wins, 13 have been by multiple runs. Beyond that, the Red Sox have won nine of their last 10 on the road, while the Tribe have dropped 13 of 16 at home.
Ben Burns
10* Braves/DBacks Under 9.5
DBacks
Rockies
KELSO
25 Units NY Yankees -1.5
15 Units NY Mets -145
5 Units Boston Red Sox -1.5
3 Units Toronto Blue Jays +135
HOT SHOT SPORTS
4* S Fran
3* Florida
3* St Louis
Bob Balfe
New York Mets -152
Two good pitchers faceoff today, but I like Santana's chances with the Mets being such a dominant team at home. New York's bullpen is also great when at home. Look for the Mets to win in a low-scoring game. Take the Mets.
The Duke's Sports
San Francisco Under (8') for 2 Units
Both of tonight's starters are shaping into mid-season form: Sanchez sports a solid 1.47 ERA over his last 3 starts; over the same time frame, Harang controls a respectable 3.63 ERA. And Sanchez, who controls a 1.32 ERA in 2 career starts vs Cincy, is 2-5 O/U after an opponent scores 2 runs or less. Moreover, Sanchez has the backing of a bullpen that has been "lights out" lately (1.67 ERA last 10). On the other hand, Harang is 7-19 O/U at home vs a winning team and 7-17-1 O/U as a home favorite; furthermore, he is 2-5 O/U vs SF. This series is 2-5 O/U in its last 7and we anticipate another lower scoring game tonight.
Street Rosenthal
*200 Cincinnati Reds -117
SPORTBOOK GURU
1 Unit Toronto +127
1 Unit Detroit +105
1 Unit Baltimore Under 9.5
1 Unit LA Angels +110
1 Unit Blackhawks -115
PRO PICKS WEEKLY
5 Units Atlanta +110
5 Units Chicago WS -117
Dave Cokin
Matchup: Detroit at Chi. White Sox
Time: 8:10 PM EDT (Wed)
Listed pitchers must go: (R) PORCELLO, R vs. (R) GARCIA, F
Play: Chi. White Sox (ML -110)
The White Sox wasted a strong pitching performance by Gavin Floyd on Tuesday night, as the normally staunch Matt Thornton had an absolutely nightmarish outing, paving the way for a huge seventh inning rally by Detroit. I'll bank on the White Sox to get that one back tonight. Rick Porcello has been a sieve on the road for the Tigers, sporting a very ugly 7.78 ERA with just one win. Porcello has also had problems in his brief career against the White Sox, losing his only two decisions with a bloated ERA. Old pro Freddy Garcia has been pretty effective lately for the Pale Hose, and he's dominated this opponent over his career. Garcia is 17-6 vs. the Tigers, including 1-0 this season. I believe the Chisox can score some runs tonight and I'll look for the normally reliable pen to settle back down tonight. I don't mind the price tag at all, so back the hosts to grab the victory tonight.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matchup: L.A. Angels at Oakland
Time: 10:05 PM EDT (Wed)
Listed pitchers must go: (L) SAUNDERS, J vs. (L) BRADEN, D
Play: L.A. Angels (ML +111)
The Angels saw their winning streak come to a screeching halt on Tuesday night as they were crushed by the A's. But look for the Halos to rebound in a hurry this evening. Joe Saunders has been very erratic, but the lefty has stellar stats vs. Oakland and he continues to be an outstanding wagering prop when he's pitching on the road. Dallas Braden has struggled since throwing his perfecto, going 0-3 with a pair of no decisions that were both Oakland losses as well. I like the way the Angels are playing and I look at the Tuesday massacre as just one of those bumps in the road they should bounce right back from tonight. The price is definitely right with the Halos being installed as small dogs, so the road team is my choice to collect the cash tonight.
POWER PLAY WINS
Tampa Bay Rays -145
Executive
250% LA Dodgers
BIG AL
Blue Jays / Rays Under