Will Reds secure sweep of Phillies?
The 2016 season is barely a few days old, but Cincinnati’s starting to make late-inning heroics look easy.
Thanks to outfielder Scott Schebler’s bases-loaded double with one out in the ninth yesterday, the Reds scored their second straight comeback victory over the Phillies. A sweep is in sight this afternoon at the Great American Ballpark.
According to oddsmakers at online sports book BetDSI, the host squad is a 1.5-run favorite beginning at 12:35 p.m. ET. Bryan Price’s club also gets odds of -140 to claim its seventh straight vs. Philadelphia.
The matinee crowd will be able to take in the MLB debut of prized Cincinnati pitching prospect Robert Stephenson, the No. 27 pick in the 2011 draft. He’ll take the hill after Raisel Iglesias and Brandon Finnegan combined to record 16 strikeouts against just one walk in the first two games of the series.
Philly, with a money line of +120 to prevail in the Queen City for the first time in years absolutely shut down following Maikel Franco’s two-run blast in the first inning of last night’s 3-2 loss. While the third baseman must continue his spring tear (he belted a Grapefruit League-high nine homers and 23 RBIs in exhibition play), the visitors need a solid turn from new acquisition Charlie Morton, too. The former Pirate has a 6-7 record with a 4.04 ERA in 17 career appearances vs. the Reds.
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Morton possesses just enough veteran savvy to keep Cincy’s collection of young hitters off-balance for several innings. Call us crazy, too, but we’re unwilling to concede yet another early bullpen disaster for Pete Mackanin.
THURSDAY MLB FREE PICK: PHILLIES +1.5
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