MLB Picks and Predictions for Sunday
Our team of writers and handicappers hand out their MLB picks and predictions for Sunday, May 3.
Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays, 1:38PM ET
Tropicana Field has turned into a house of horrors lately for the Boston Red Sox, but their relentless offense has helped them already match their win total there from the 2008 regular season.
They'll now try to salvage a split of their four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays, who look to James Shields on Sunday as they attempt to win their first series since the season's opening week.
After going 1-8 at Tampa Bay during the regular season last year, the Red Sox saw their 2007 World Series title defense end in the dome in Game 7 of the AL championship series.
Their woes in St. Petersburg continued in the first two games of this series, getting outscored 19-2 in a pair of losses. But Boston (15-9) scored six runs in the first three innings Saturday, holding on for a 10-6 victory.
Led by three RBIs apiece from Kevin Youkilis and Nick Green, the Red Sox offense performed more like the one that averaged 7.5 runs during the team's 11-game winning streak last month. The team had totaled three runs in its last three games in St. Petersburg dating to the playoffs.
MLB Free Pick: Tampa Bay | Best Line: -150 SPORTSBETTING
Oakland A’s at Seattle Mariners, 4:10PM ET
The Oakland Athletics had lost seven straight games to the Seattle Mariners before Saturday, but this weekend's series has suggested there isn't much separating the AL West rivals.
After splitting a pair of one-run contests that were decided in the ninth inning, the A's and Mariners close out their set on Sunday in Seattle.
The Mariners (14-10) swept three games from the A's last month in Oakland, and Jose Lopez's single in the ninth gave them an 8-7 win on Friday night to extend their winning streak in the series.
But Oakland (9-12) finally returned the favor Saturday, when Gregorio Petit's RBI single in the final inning lifted the A's to a 3-2 victory. Last-place Oakland now trails the first-place Mariners by just 3 1/2 games in the AL West.
Petit's big hit capped a 3-for-4 game in his season debut in the majors. He was 8-for-23 in a few brief stints last year, but he had never driven in a run.
MLB Free Pick: Oakland | Best Line: +110 SPORTSBETTING
Chicago White Sox at Texas Rangers, 8:00PM ET
In between stretches of rain and lightning, the Texas Rangers offense had a breakout performance. The team still could really use one from its pitching staff.
The Rangers may need to have another big effort from their lineup to win their three-game series over the visiting Chicago White Sox in Sunday night's finale.
Texas (11-12) won 9-6 on Saturday night with their best offensive output in more than two weeks. The Rangers' nine runs and 13 hits were their most since a 19-run, 19-hit outburst April 15 against Baltimore.
Hank Blalock was one of four Rangers with at least two hits Saturday, with a three-run homer in the third inning and an RBI double during a six-run fourth.
MLB Free Pick: Texas – View Game Matchup | Best Line: +115 SPORTSBETTING