Will Orioles even series vs. Red Sox?
This week gives Baltimore an excellent chance to truly assert itself in the American League East. Yesterday’s series opener vs. the division-leading Red Sox (31-20) could’ve gone better, though.
Buck Showalter’s Orioles try to turn it around tonight, with a 7:05 p.m. ET first pitch at Camden Yards. Oddsmakers at online sports book Bovada.lv like the hosts to capture the follow-up contest. Boston, meanwhile, enters as a 1.5-run underdog. The over/under figure rests at 8.5 runs.
The O’s, who currently sit two games back in the race, are coming off a 7-2 loss. They simply had no answers for knuckleballer Steven Wright, totaling four hits. Xander Bogaerts also tore apart Showalter’s staff, notching a pair of base knocks to up his average to .354.
Will the shortstop’s 23-game hitting streak be squelched by Kevin Gausman (0-2, 3.24 ERA)? The fact that the LSU product remains without a victory represents one of baseball’s biggest mysteries. Even though Gausman’s most recent outing failed to elicit a “wow” from the Minute Maid Park crowd, four of his seven starts have encompassed six innings.
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If the Orioles (28-21) finally decide to support the hurler, they must do so against Eduardo Rodriguez. The 23-year-old makes his season debut after dislocating his right kneecap during spring training. He won 10 of 16 decisions as a rookie in 2015, posting a 3.81 ERA along the way.
Rodriguez probably requires ample time to refine his command, so we’ll lean toward Baltimore here. Gausman just needs to steer clear of David Ortiz. The ageless wonder boasts homers in three consecutive affairs and is shredding righties at a .341 clip.
TUESDAY MLB FREE PICK: ORIOLES -1.5
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