Wednesday MLB Baseball Picks: Tigers vs Red Sox
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MLB Betting – Tigers vs Red Sox Preview & Pick
Date: May 19, 2011
Venue: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Broadcast: FSD, NESN
Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox Betting Lines from BetOnline.com
Money Line: Red Sox -135
Over/Under: 7 (-105)
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Detroit Tigers (22-19 through May 17)
Justin Verlander (4-3, 2.91)
The only thing that can stop a hot team is a hotter team, as the Detroit Tigers learned earlier this week. They had a seven-game winning streak stopped by the now-streaking Toronto Blue Jays, who have won six straight.
But the Tigers have to feel awfully good about starting a new streak with Justin Verlander taking the mound on Thursday. He threw a no-hitter on May 7 and took another no-no into the sixth inning in his next start on May 13, eventually allowing one run and two hits over seven innings.
A possible sign that the 28-year old Verlander is reaching a new level: he’s usually a much better pitcher at home but, this year, his away ERA of 2.79 tops his home mark of 3.00.
Boston Red Sox (21-20 through May 17)
Josh Beckett (3-1, 1.75)
Here come the Red Sox. Though Tuesday night’s action, they’d won four straight games, all within their division. Since they swept the New York Yankees, the American League East is now officially a logjam.
Leading the charge back to respectability is Adrian Gonzalez. After somehow posting star-caliber numbers with the lowly Padres for years, everyone expected A-Gonz to absolutely mash with Boston, and he hasn’t disappointed. He leads the majors with 37 RBI, including 16 in his last 10 games.
The Red Sox have struggled to get good pitching performances but Thursday’s probable starter, Josh Beckett, has been one of the only exceptions. He’s been simply phenomenal, posting a 49 to 15 K:BB ratio and tossing 17.1 scoreless innings over his last three starts.
MLB Trends:
Over is 8-1-1 in DET last 10 Thu. games.
DET are 7-2 in their last 9 overall.
DET are 7-2 in their last 9 games on grass.
BOS are 20-8 in their last 28 games on grass.
Under is 8-1 in Becketts last 9 on grass.
Under is 8-1 in Becketts last 9 starts overall.
DET are 16-36 in the last 52 meetings in Boston.
DET are 19-42 in the last 61 meetings.
The pick:
I don’t think we can mess with the Red Sox on Thursday, even against Verlander. Josh Beckett has been hilariously good at Fenway Park this year, allowing one run over 26.1 innings in four starts (0.34 ERA). Adrian Gonzalez is mashing any righthander in his way and Verlander, as good as he is, is due for a so-so outing some time, isn’t he?
Tigers vs Red Sox prediction: Red Sox 4, Tigers 2
