Friday's American League Betting Cheat Sheet
By Covers.com
Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers, Game 1 (-159, 7.5)
Cold pitching stat: Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander was tagged for six runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings in his previous encounter with the Royals, a 6-5 defeat back on July 20.
Hot batting stat: Royals 1B/DH Billy Butler is hitting .345 in 29 at-bats against the Tigers this season.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will be calm.
Key betting note: The over is 19-7-1 in the Royals' last 27 opening games of a doubleheader.
Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers, Game 2
Cold pitching stat: Royals starter James Shields is 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA in three starts versus the Tigers this season..
Cold batting stat: Tigers 3B Miguel Cabrera, who leads the American League in batting, is hitting just .259 in 27 at-bats versus Kansas City.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s under sunny skies. Wind will blow in from center field at 4 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 23-4 in the Tigers' last 27 closing games of a doubleheader.
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox (-174, 9)
Cold pitching stat: Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte is winless in his last five starts, a streak that kicked off with a 4-2 loss to Boston in which he surrendered a pair of home runs over 6 1/3 innings.
Cold batting stat: Yankees OFs Vernon Wells and Ichiro Suzuki are hitting just .219 apiece against Red Sox pitching, with only one homer between them.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s under sunny skies. Wind will blow toward left-center field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 17-4-1 in the Yankees' last 22 road games against a left-handed starter.
Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays (-137, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Despite his season-long struggles, Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey has fared well against Tampa Bay - going 2-1 with a 2.48 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 29 innings.
Cold batting stat: Blue Jays 1B/DH Adam Lind has just four RBIs in 85 at-bats since the All-Star break, after driving in 37 runs in the first half.
Weather: Dome.
Key betting note: The Blue Jays are 5-0 in Dickey's previous five starts as an underdog.
Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers (-164, 8.5)
Hot pitching stat: Seattle right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma is one of only six qualified major-league starters with a WHIP of 1.00 or below, joining Clayton Kershaw, Matt Harvey, Max Scherzer, Madison Bumgarner and Yu Darvish.
Hot batting stat: Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre is hitting .396 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 13 games in August.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-80s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The Rangers are 37-14 in their last 51 games against American League West opponents.
Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins (-125, 8.5)
Hot pitching stat: Minnesota right-hander Kevin Correia is 2-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 20 2/3 innings versus the White Sox in 2013, and threw seven shutout innings against them in their last encounter Sunday afternoon.
Hot batting stat: Twins C Joe Mauer has tormented Chicago this season, batting 17-for-44 and posting a .509 on-base percentage in 12 meetings prior to Thursday's game.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s under clear skies. Wind will blow toward left field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 33-15-3 the last 51 times Chicago has played the second game of a series.
Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels (-164, 9)
Cold pitching stat: Astros right-hander Brad Peacock has surrendered 11 home runs in just 42 innings, including one to the Angels in a 1 1/3-inning stint back on June 2.
Cold batting stat: Angels OF J.B. Shuck has just five hits in 36 at-bats against the Astros this season.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s under sunny skies. Wind will blow out toward center field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The Astros are 12-50 in their last 62 road games against a team with a losing home record.
Cleveland Indians at Oakland Athletics (-127, 7)
Cold pitching stat: Indians right-hander Justin Masterson has struggled mightily against Oakland in his career, going 2-5 with a 7.42 ERA and eight home runs against in 43 2/3 innings.
Hot batting stat: Cleveland OF Michael Brantley hit 6-for-14 and stole a pair of bases in a series against the Athletics earlier in the season.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with clear skies. Wind will blow out toward center field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: Oakland is 23-9 in its last 32 Friday games.
Interleague
Colorado Rockies at Baltimore Orioles (-180, 9)
Hot pitching stat: Orioles lefty Wei-Yin Chen hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start since May 1 against the Seattle Mariners.
Hot batting stat: Baltimore 1B/DH Chris Davis has eight home runs and 15 RBIs in 17 games against National League opponents in 2013.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out toward left field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The over is 21-7-1 in Baltimore's last 29 interleague games against a team with a losing record.
By Covers.com
Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers, Game 1 (-159, 7.5)
Cold pitching stat: Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander was tagged for six runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 innings in his previous encounter with the Royals, a 6-5 defeat back on July 20.
Hot batting stat: Royals 1B/DH Billy Butler is hitting .345 in 29 at-bats against the Tigers this season.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will be calm.
Key betting note: The over is 19-7-1 in the Royals' last 27 opening games of a doubleheader.
Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers, Game 2
Cold pitching stat: Royals starter James Shields is 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA in three starts versus the Tigers this season..
Cold batting stat: Tigers 3B Miguel Cabrera, who leads the American League in batting, is hitting just .259 in 27 at-bats versus Kansas City.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s under sunny skies. Wind will blow in from center field at 4 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 23-4 in the Tigers' last 27 closing games of a doubleheader.
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox (-174, 9)
Cold pitching stat: Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte is winless in his last five starts, a streak that kicked off with a 4-2 loss to Boston in which he surrendered a pair of home runs over 6 1/3 innings.
Cold batting stat: Yankees OFs Vernon Wells and Ichiro Suzuki are hitting just .219 apiece against Red Sox pitching, with only one homer between them.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s under sunny skies. Wind will blow toward left-center field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 17-4-1 in the Yankees' last 22 road games against a left-handed starter.
Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays (-137, 8)
Hot pitching stat: Despite his season-long struggles, Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey has fared well against Tampa Bay - going 2-1 with a 2.48 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 29 innings.
Cold batting stat: Blue Jays 1B/DH Adam Lind has just four RBIs in 85 at-bats since the All-Star break, after driving in 37 runs in the first half.
Weather: Dome.
Key betting note: The Blue Jays are 5-0 in Dickey's previous five starts as an underdog.
Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers (-164, 8.5)
Hot pitching stat: Seattle right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma is one of only six qualified major-league starters with a WHIP of 1.00 or below, joining Clayton Kershaw, Matt Harvey, Max Scherzer, Madison Bumgarner and Yu Darvish.
Hot batting stat: Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre is hitting .396 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 13 games in August.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-80s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The Rangers are 37-14 in their last 51 games against American League West opponents.
Chicago White Sox at Minnesota Twins (-125, 8.5)
Hot pitching stat: Minnesota right-hander Kevin Correia is 2-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 20 2/3 innings versus the White Sox in 2013, and threw seven shutout innings against them in their last encounter Sunday afternoon.
Hot batting stat: Twins C Joe Mauer has tormented Chicago this season, batting 17-for-44 and posting a .509 on-base percentage in 12 meetings prior to Thursday's game.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s under clear skies. Wind will blow toward left field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The under is 33-15-3 the last 51 times Chicago has played the second game of a series.
Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels (-164, 9)
Cold pitching stat: Astros right-hander Brad Peacock has surrendered 11 home runs in just 42 innings, including one to the Angels in a 1 1/3-inning stint back on June 2.
Cold batting stat: Angels OF J.B. Shuck has just five hits in 36 at-bats against the Astros this season.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s under sunny skies. Wind will blow out toward center field at 5 mph.
Key betting note: The Astros are 12-50 in their last 62 road games against a team with a losing home record.
Cleveland Indians at Oakland Athletics (-127, 7)
Cold pitching stat: Indians right-hander Justin Masterson has struggled mightily against Oakland in his career, going 2-5 with a 7.42 ERA and eight home runs against in 43 2/3 innings.
Hot batting stat: Cleveland OF Michael Brantley hit 6-for-14 and stole a pair of bases in a series against the Athletics earlier in the season.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with clear skies. Wind will blow out toward center field at 7 mph.
Key betting note: Oakland is 23-9 in its last 32 Friday games.
Interleague
Colorado Rockies at Baltimore Orioles (-180, 9)
Hot pitching stat: Orioles lefty Wei-Yin Chen hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start since May 1 against the Seattle Mariners.
Hot batting stat: Baltimore 1B/DH Chris Davis has eight home runs and 15 RBIs in 17 games against National League opponents in 2013.
Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out toward left field at 6 mph.
Key betting note: The over is 21-7-1 in Baltimore's last 29 interleague games against a team with a losing record.
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