ALCS Betting Preview: Yankees at Tigers
By Covers.com
New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers (-178, 7)
Detroit lead series 2-0.
The Detroit Tigers are in perfect position to put a stranglehold on the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series as they send ace Justin Verlander to the mound Tuesday in Game 3 while owning a 2-0 series lead. Detroit posted a 6-4 victory in 12 innings in the series opener as Delmon Young collected three RBIs, including the game-winner. Young also notched the game-winning RBI in Game 2, but the story for the Tigers was Anibal Sanchez, who yielded just three hits and struck out seven over seven scoreless innings.
Save for two innings, the Yankees' offense has struggled mightily this postseason. The club scored five runs in the ninth inning of Game 1 of the AL Division Series against Baltimore and four in the ninth of Saturday's series opener versus Detroit. In its other 70 playoff innings, New York has totaled 11 runs. Robinson Cano, who ended the regular season on a 24-for-39 tear, is hitting .063 in the playoffs and is mired in an 0-for-26 drought, the longest in one postseason in major-league history. Curtis Granderson (.115) has struck out 14 times in 26 at-bats and Alex Rodriguez (.130) 12 times in 23 at-bats.
WEATHER: Forecasts are calling for temperatures in the low-50s under mostly cloudy skies. Winds will blow in from right field at 10 mph.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Phil Hughes (0-0, 1.35 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (2-0, 0.56)
Hughes came up with a strong performance in Game 4 of the ALDS but settled for a no-decision after allowing one run and four hits with three walks and eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old was 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in two starts at Comerica Park during the regular season, tossing a four-hitter on June 3 before yielding four runs in 4 1/3 innings of a loss on Aug. 7. Hughes faced Detroit twice in relief during last year's ALDS, allowing two hits and striking out four over 2 1/3 scoreless frames.
After allowing just one run and three hits over seven innings in a Game 1 victory over Oakland in the ALDS, Verlander tossed a four-hit shutout in the decisive fifth game of the series. He issued five walks over 16 innings and struck out 11 in each contest. The 29-year-old went 0-1 with a 5.11 ERA in his first two starts of the year against New York before yielding two unearned runs and striking out a career high-tying 14 in eight innings of a home victory on Aug. 6. Verlander, who pitched one inning in last year's ALDS opener before the rains came and ended his night, yielded four runs and fanned 11 over eight frames in a Game 3 victory.
TRENDS:
* Yankees are 0-7 in their last seven playoff games as an underdog.
* Tigers are 5-0 in their last five playoff games as a favorite.
* Over is 4-0-1 in Yankees’ last five playoff games as an underdog.
* Over is 4-1 in Tigers’ last five League Championship games.
UMP TRENDS- Sam Holbrook
* Over is 3-0-1 in Holbrook’s last four games behind home plate.
* Tigers are 6-0 in their last six games with Holbrook behind home plate.
* Yankees are 2-9 in their last 11 games with Holbrook behind home plate.
* Home team is 9-2 in Holbrook’s last 11 Tuesday games behind home plate.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Hughes' complete-game victory over Detroit on June 3 came against Verlander.
2. Verlander led the major leagues with 239 strikeouts during the regular season, while teammate and Game Four starter Max Scherzer was second with 231.
3. New York is 4-4 in a playoff series in which it lost the first two games, while Detroit has completed sweeps both times it took a 2-0 series lead. Since the LCS expanded to seven games in 1985, 20 of the 23 clubs that won the first two games went on to capture the series.
MLB Playoffs
Verlander is 6-0, 0.82 in his last six starts, allowing four runs in 44 IP, but he is 1-1, 5.31 in three starts vs Bronx this year. Bombers figure to play better on road, away from front-running Big Apple nitwits, but they've scored in only one of 21 series innings. Hughes is 0-1, 5.00 in his last three starts but pitched well in last start, vs Orioles; he is 1-1, 3.38 vs Detroit this year. Visiting teams are 16-10 in playoffs so far this month. Aside from Valverde, Tiger pitchers have tossed 40.1 consecutive scoreless innings. Detroit won its last six home games.
Armadillosports.com
MLB: Streaks, Trends, Notes
Sportspic.com
New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers snatching the first two of this ALCS Series against New York in the Bronx return to Comercia Park where they'll pit Justin Verlander (17-8, 2.64) against Philip Hughes (16-13, 4.23). The Tigers have to be feeling pretty good about their chances of grabbing a 3-0 stranglehold in the series with arguable the best pitcher in baseball taking the ball. Verlander on a roll this postseason with his miniscule 0.56 ERA in two ALDS starts makes it an uphill battle for struggling Yankees as Tigers are on a smart 3-1 stretch at home in post season with Verlander including a 5-4 win vs Yankees and C.C. Sabathia last season. Look for Tigers to move to 14-3 at Comercia Park this season with their hurler while Yankees fall to 0-4 in second season with Hughes, 3-14 on the road with their starter facing a team with a winning record.
NY YANKEES (98 - 71) at DETROIT (93 - 76) - 8:05 PM
PHIL HUGHES (R) vs. JUSTIN VERLANDER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 2-10 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Tuesday this season.
NY YANKEES are 28-32 (-10.1 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
NY YANKEES are 18-30 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HUGHES is 1-11 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 58-34 (+16.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 54-34 (+17.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
VERLANDER is 39-11 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
VERLANDER is 70-32 (+23.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
VERLANDER is 27-6 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
VERLANDER is 19-4 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
VERLANDER is 15-0 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 184-116 (+21.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 49-44 (-10.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
DETROIT is 93-76 (-8.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
DETROIT is 89-73 (-8.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
DETROIT is 54-50 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 6-6 (-0.5 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
7 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)
PHIL HUGHES vs. DETROIT since 1997
HUGHES is 4-4 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.130.
His team's record is 4-4 (-0.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-3. (+0.8 units)
JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
VERLANDER is 6-4 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 3.94 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 8-8 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-10. (-6.4 units)
NY YANKEES vs. DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing Detroit
NY Yankees are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Detroit's last 9 games when playing at home against NY Yankees
NY Yankees at Detroit
Hughes: Yankees 18-8 Under off BB losses
Verlander: 24-4 TSR as a favorite of -175 to -250