Indians-Orioles Preview
BALTIMORE (AP) – The Cleveland Indians far exceeded expectations in the first half of the season. The Baltimore Orioles fell woefully short.
The clubs will each try to open the second half on a positive note Thursday night in the first of four games at Camden Yards.
According to MLB odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Bodog have made the Indians -104 money line favorites for Thursday’s game against the Orioles. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 74% of more than 1,819 bets for this game have been placed on the Indians -104.
Not considered a threat to compete for its first AL Central title since 2007, Cleveland (47-42) has been atop the standings for the majority of the season. Sunday’s 7-1 loss to Toronto – the team’s third in a row – dropped the Indians one-half game behind Detroit and prevented them from leading the division at the break for the first time in 12 years.
“Not many outside this clubhouse expected much,” designated hitter Travis Hafner said. “We’ve done a great job, especially with so many hitters going on the disabled list. Hopefully this break will help, we’ll get to full strength and play even better.”
Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo (thumb surgery) could be out until September and starter Mitch Talbot (lower back) was placed on the disabled list Wednesday, but rookie third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall hopes to be in the lineup Thursday after getting hit in the face with a fastball last week and Fausto Carmona (strained right quadriceps) is expected to start Monday at Minnesota.
Cleveland has won four in a row and nine of 12 against the Orioles (36-52), who lost seven straight heading into the break and are in the AL East basement.
“My hopes were higher,” president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told the Orioles’ official website.
Manager Buck Showalter would like to see more of the team that opened 6-1 than the one that’s dropped 12 of 13.
“Hopefully guys get as far away as possible from it and come back and play these last 74 games like we have at times this year,” he said.
The Orioles face right-hander Justin Masterson (7-6, 2.64 ERA) as they open a 10-game homestand.
Masterson has nearly an identical run-support average (3.38) as Baltimore’s scheduled starter Jeremy Guthrie (3.35), but Masterson is 2-1 with a 0.40 ERA in his last three starts and owns the AL’s seventh-best ERA while Guthrie is 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA in his last four starts and has a major league-worst 12 losses.
Masterson allowed one run and four hits over seven innings to beat Baltimore 8-2 in Cleveland on April 15. However, he’s 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in four appearances – two starts – at Camden.
Guthrie (3-12, 4.18) allowed six runs and 10 hits over five innings of an 8-3 loss to the Indians on April 16. He had been 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in his only other two starts against Cleveland, the team he broke in with in 2004.
Indians All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is batting .359 in his career against the Orioles but is 1 for 9 off Guthrie.
Hafner is a .365 career hitter versus Baltimore and went 6 for 9 with two homers and three RBIs in a three-game home sweep of the Orioles from April 15-17. He is 4 for 6 versus Guthrie.
Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis, batting .391 (18 for 46) during a 10-game hitting streak at Camden Yards, has two hits in 16 at-bats off Masterson.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy gets his first look at the Indians in an Orioles uniform after missing the April series with a strained left oblique. Hardy hit safely in his last 12 games against Cleveland last season with Minnesota.
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