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**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:08 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

MLB roundup: Twins homer twice in 9th to beat Tigers
By The Sports Xchange

DETROIT -- Max Kepler hit a tiebreaking solo homer with two outs in the ninth inning to power the Minnesota Twins to a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.
The rookie right fielder smashed a 3-2 pitch from Francisco Rodriguez (1-1) into the right field stands. Kepler has 10 home runs, including nine over the last 26 games. Eddie Rosario provided some insurance later in the inning with a two-run shot off Rodriguez, who had not allowed a run in his previous 10 appearances.
Joe Mauer blasted a first-inning homer and Ryan Pressly (3-5) picked up the win with an inning of scoreless relief. Brandon Kintzler collected his sixth save.
Ian Kinsler's leadoff homer provided the Tigers' run.

Red Sox 11, Giants 7
BOSTON -- Hanley Ramirez socked three two-run homers as Boston won a shootout with San Francisco at Fenway Park.
It was the first career three-homer game for Ramirez, who also made a series of outstanding defensive plays at first base. He had a chance to hit a major-league-record-tying fourth homer in the eighth inning but grounded out to the pitcher.
Drew Pomeranz didn't factor into the decision in his Red Sox debut, hanging zeros through three innings before imploding in a five-run Giants fourth. The All-Star southpaw lasted just three-plus innings, giving up five runs and eight hits.

Reds 6, Braves 3
CINCINNATI -- Tucker Barnhart and Joey Votto homered, and Anthony DeSclafani allowed two runs over eight innings, lifting Cincinnati over Atlanta.
DeSclafani (5-0) recorded his fifth straight quality start, allowing two runs and eight hits with no walks. He is undefeated since being reinstated from the disabled list on June 10.
Freddie Freeman's 17th home run, a solo shot to the opposite field in left, put the Braves ahead 1-0 in the first. But DeSclafani was in control from there.

Indians 11, Royals 4
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mike Naquin belted two home runs and drove in six runs, while Carlos Carrasco gave up one hit in six dominant innings for Cleveland.
Naquin hit a solo homer in the third, a two-run double in the fourth and a three-run blast in a seven-run fifth inning. Naquin's six RBIs are a career high and it was his first multi-homer game.
Carrasco (7-3) retired the first 10 Royals before Cheslor Cuthbert doubled in the fourth, the only hit he would permit. Kansas City did not have another base runner until Whit Merrifield and Cuthbert walked with two out in the sixth. Carrasco, who is 5-1 in his past six starts, was removed after 85 pitches, 25 in the sixth inning.
Jason Kipnis, Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana also homered for the Indians.

Cubs 6, Mets 2
CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo homered twice and right-hander Kyle Hendricks struck out seven in six-plus scoreless innings as the Cubs breezed.
The victory gave the Cubs (57-37) two wins in the three-game series while the Mets (50-44).
Rizzo, who went 2-for-4, collected his 23rd and 24th home runs of the season and now ranks second in the NL behind teammate Kris Bryant.
Hendricks (9-6) won his four straight and fifth since June 19, a run that included one no-decision.
Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon (8-5) was chased in the fifth inning after giving up Rizzo's second homer of the afternoon, a three-run shot to right.

Blue Jays 10, Diamondbacks 4
PHOENIX -- Josh Donaldson doubled, homered and drove in three runs and Edwin Encarnacion belted his 10th career homer in Toronto's victory.
Donaldson gave the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead two batters into the game, when he followed Darwin Barney's single with his 24th homer of the season.
Encarnacion capped a four-run eighth inning with his 26th homer of the season.
Marcus Stroman (8-4) gave up one run and eight hits in eight innings for his first victory on the road since beating Minnesota 3-1 on May 18.
Tuffy Gosewisch hit a three-runhomer in the ninth inning for the Diamondbacks.

Astros 7, Athletics 0
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Right-hander Doug Fister pitched seven shutout innings, and the Astros avoided a sweep in the three-game series.
Fister (10-6) beat the A's for the third time in four starts this season, allowing four hits while striking out five and walking two.
Astros second baseman Jose Altuve went 2-for-3 with two walks and raised his major-league-leading batting average to .357. George Springer had two RBI doubles, scored two runs and walked.
Right-hander Chris Devenski blanked the A's on no hits in the eighth and ninth innings, striking out three.
A's rookie right-hander Daniel Mengden (1-5) gave up three runs on five hits over five innings.

Rays 11, Rockies 3
DENVER -- They Rays won their second straight game, the first time they won consecutive games since June 14-15. The Rays also won their first series since taking two of three June 24-27 against Boston.
Chris Archer (5-13) broke a six-game losing streak that was one shy of his career high and won for the first time since June 6. Archer allowed four hits and two runs with two walks and 11 strikeouts, one shy of his season high.
Tim Beckham, who went 5-for-5, drove in two runs, as did Steven Souza Jr. and Steve Pearce.
The Rays did most of their damage against Jorge De La Rosa, who allowed season highs in runs (nine) and hits (11) and tied his season high in earned runs allowed (seven) while throwing 91 pitches in four innings.

Cardinals 4-3, Padres 2-2
ST. LOUIS -- Jedd Gyorko continued his all-out assault on the team that brought him into the major leagues. He clouted two homers, giving him six in his last five games against San Diego, as St. Louis capped a doubleheader sweep.
After cracking a two-run shot in a 4-2 victory in the opener, Gyorko added to his considerable resume against San Diego, for whom he belted 49 homers from 2013 to 2015 before being dealt to St. Louis in December for Jon Jay. In the first three games of the four-game series, Gyorko is 7-for-10 with four homers and six RBIs. More than half of his 11 homers this year have happened against Padres pitching.
Matt Kemp and Ryan Schimpf clouted solo homers for San Diego, which extended its franchise record of homers in consecutive games to 18.

Mariners 6, White Sox 5 (11 innings)
SEATTLE -- Leonys Martin's second home run of the game, a walk-off shot in the bottom of the 11th inning, lifted the Mariners to victory.
Martin's solo shot gave Seattle its second walk-off homer of the series after teammate Adam Lind beat the White Sox in dramatic fashion two days earlier. Martin hit an 0-2 pitch from Chicago reliever Dan Jennings (3-2) for a towering homer to right.
Chicago third baseman Todd Frazier hit his 28th home run of the season on the way to a 4-0 lead in Seattle starter Felix Hernandez's return to the mound, but the Mariners used three home runs to get back into the game. Adam Lind's solo shot with two outs in the eighth inning tied the score 5-5 and allowed Hernandez to get out of his first start since May 27 with a no-decision.

Nationals 8, Dodgers 1
WASHINGTON -- Gio Gonzalez allowed just one run in six innings, and Washington hit four homers in a win over Los Angeles. The Nationals won for the first time in the teams' five meetings this year.
Bryce Harper, Ben Revere and Jayson Werth homered off Los Angeles starter Bud Norris (5-8). Anthony Rendon and Wilson Ramos each had two hits and an RBI, with Rendon hitting a home run.
Gonzalez (6-8) gave up three hits and two walks while striking out six. Felipe Rivero followed Gonzalez with two scoreless innings for Washington, and Koda Glover pitched a perfect ninth in his major league debut.

Phillies 4, Marlins 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Jeremy Hellickson pitched eight strong innings, and Tyler Goeddel homered as Philadelphia topped Miami.
Hellickson (7-7) allowed one run and five hits in his longest outing of the season. He struck out eight, matching his second highest total this year, and did not walk a batter. Jeanmar Gomez picked up his 26th save of the season by working a perfect ninth as the Phillies snapped a three-game losing streak.
Chris Johnson homered for Miami, which lost for only the second time in nine games.

Yankees 5, Orioles 0
NEW YORK -- Michael Pineda pitched six effective innings, and New York matched a season high by going two games over .500 with a victory over Baltimore.
Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran homered and drove in two runs apiece for the Yankees. Teixeira went deep on a night when he returned after missing three games with a sore left foot. Beltran hit his 20th home run of the season, the 12th time he has reached that mark in his career.
Pineda (4-9) allowed five hits and did not give up a run for the first time since Sept. 19, 2015, against the New York Mets. He walked two and struck out eight. Pineda held the Orioles to one hit in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position and recorded six of his strikeouts in those instances.

Brewers 9, Pirates 5
PITTSBURGH -- Jonathan Lucroy drove in three runs, Jonathan Villar reached base four straight times and Milwaukee roughed up Pittsburgh starter Jeff Locke.
Villar had two singles, two walks, a run scored, a stolen base and an RBI to lead an offense that scored in five different innings. Scooter Gennett and Chris Carter added two RBIs each as the Nos. 3-6 batters for Milwaukee -- Ryan Braun, Lucroy, Carter and Gennett -- combined for five hits, five runs and seven RBIs.
Locke gave up five runs and seven hits and walking five in three-plus innings before Milwaukee added four more runs against Pittsburgh's bullpen.

Angels 7, Rangers 4
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jefry Marte's three-run home run in the first inning jumpstarted Los Angeles, which beat Texas for its season-best sixth win in a row at Angel Stadium.
Angels starter Hector Santiago gave up three runs on five hits and three walks, but it took him 100 pitches to get through five innings, requiring the support of the Angels bullpen.
J.C. Ramirez, Joe Smith, Jose Alvarez and Huston Street combined to hold the Rangers to one run over the final four innings to finish up the sweep of the American League West leaders

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:09 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Dodgers' Wood out 8 weeks; surgery for Kershaw?
By The Sports Xchange

The Los Angeles Dodgers' starting-pitching woes increased Wednesday.
Left-hander Alex Wood will undergo an arthroscopic debridement on his throwing elbow, a procedure that will put him out of action for eight weeks, while ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw's ailing back might be worse than previously hoped.
Kershaw is dealing with a herniated disk.
On Tuesday, the Dodgers placed lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu back on the disabled list due to left elbow tendinitis. He made just one start for the Dodgers on July 7 after recovering from left shoulder surgery.
Manager Dave Roberts said of possible surgery for the three-time National League Cy Young Award winner, "I have not been told that. For me that is just logic. Surgery is more of a possibility ... the way his back responded (after throwing Saturday). We are certainly hopeful Clayton will be back. (He has) no shooting pain. He is trying to keep the focus on his teammates."
Wood has a 1-4 record with 3.99 ERA in 10 starts this season. He last pitched on May 30, when he pitched five innings, giving up seven hits and two runs.
"He was pitching so well," Roberts said.
Less than a week ago, Wood threw a simulated game that indicated he might return fairly soon, but things have deteriorated.
Four Dodgers starters are currently on the disabled list, with Brett Anderson being the fourth. Anderson is hoping to return by mid-August.
It leaves Kenta Maeda, Scott Kazmir, Julio Urias, Bud Norris and Brandon McCarthy as the Dodgers' options for starting pitchers. Urias will be recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start the series finale at Washington on Thursday.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:09 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

MLB Under bettors are up big money since the All-Star break
By JASON LOGAN

In a baseball season dominated by the home run, MLB Under bettors are hitting one out of the park by staying below the total since the All-Star break.

After a 3-11-0 Over/Under count for Tuesday’s action on the diamond, post-break baseball has produced a 20-45-5 Over/Under record – staying Under the betting total at more than a 69 percent clip. Given the average juice on a totals bet being -115, if you blindly bet $100 on the Under for every MLB game since Friday, you’d be up more $1,913 in just five short days.

Scoring has significantly slumped since the All-Star break, dropping from an average total of 8.9 runs per game pre-break to 7.2 total runs scored post-break, heading into Wednesday’s slate. That decreased scoring rate has faced an average closing betting total of 8.5 runs in that five-day span. From April to July 12, MLB games featured an average closing total of 8.3 runs.

This isn't anything new to baseball betting, but it is much more pronounced in 2016. The All-Star break has produced a solid lean toward the Under immediately following the annual showcase in recent years, with those remaining July contests producing a 361-456-44 Over/Under mark (55.8 percent Under) in post-break July the past four seasons (2012-2015).

This summer, major league clubs are hitting a combined .232 BA since the break in schedule compared to .257 BA before the break, and that record home run rate – which saw 1.16 dingers per game before July 15 – is down to just one home run a contest since the Mid-Summer Classic.

According to ESPN Stats and Info, the major leagues are currently on a record-pace for home runs with 5,584 round-trippers projected for the season, as of Monday. That’s 675 more home runs than last season and 1,398 more than 2014. The only MLB season with a higher home run rate was the steroid-bolstered 2000 campaign.

That power surge at the plate had teams scoring 4.45 runs per game before the All-Star hiatus, which had the 2016 season on pace as the highest scoring season since 2009. And those extra runs helped Over bettors in the first half of the schedule, with pre-break baseball posting a 659-609 Over/Under record, topping the total 52 percent of the time.

Last year, post-break baseball (July 17 to October 4) finished with a 554-489-56 Over/Under record – going Over 53 percent of the time – with an average of 8.49 total runs scored versus an average closing total of 7.79. However, in the four years prior (2011-2014) MLB games played after the break went 1,938-2,074-219 Over/Under (almost 52 percent Under) with an average total score of 8.27 against an average closing total of 8.02 runs.

Oddsmakers won’t be making any knee-jerk reactions to this current trend, so don’t expect the MLB totals to suddenly get slimmed down. However, those Over/Under numbers do traditionally come down a bit with teams fighting for postseason spots as the calendar flips to August. The average betting total for MLB games in August over the past five seasons is 7.99 runs, including dipping to 7.85 runs last August.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:09 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Preview: Dodgers (53-43) at Nationals (57-38)

Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: July 21, 2016 12:05 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The Los Angeles Dodgers-Washington Nationals series will feature another matchup of a veteran starting pitcher against a promising rookie in the finale on Thursday afternoon.

Stephen Strasburg (13-0, 2.51 ERA) will start for the Nationals against 19-year-old Dodgers lefty Julio Urias (1-2, 4.95).

In the series opener Tuesday night, it was the Nationals who started a rookie, as right-hander Reynaldo Lopez made his big league debut and was tagged with the loss after he gave up 10 hits and fanned nine in 4 2/3 innings.

Dodgers veteran Scott Kazmir threw seven innings of one-run ball that night, leading Los Angeles to an 8-4 victory. The Dodgers bounced back to beat the Nationals 8-1 Wednesday.

Urias will be summoned from Triple-A for the start on Thursday -- just as Lopez was on Tuesday.

It will be the third stint with the Dodgers this year for Urias and his ninth start. He made his last big league start on July 4 at home against the Baltimore Orioles and gave up five runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings.

He has struck out 44 and walked 17 in 36 1/3 this season at the big league level. With Triple-A Oklahoma City, he is 4-1 with a 1.07 ERA in nine games (seven starts), logging 45 strikeouts and just eight walks in 42 innings.

Urias faced the Nationals on June 22 in Los Angeles, and he gave up two runs on six hits in five innings. He did not figure in the decision as the Dodgers won 4-3 while sweeping a three-game series.

In that game, Urias struck out six and walked one while throwing 94 pitches.

The Dodgers need Urias to step up to assist an ailing rotation. Ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw is on the disabled list due to a herniated back disk, and the timetable for his return is uncertain. Meanwhile, left-hander Alex Wood underwent an arthroscopic debridement on his left elbow Wednesday in New York City, and he is expected to miss eight weeks.

Manager Dave Roberts said of possible surgery for Kershaw, "I have not been told that. For me that is just logic. Surgery is more of a possibility ... the way his back responded (after throwing Saturday). We are certainly hopeful Clayton will be back. (He has) no shooting pain. He is trying to keep the focus on his teammates."

As for Wood, who is 1-4 with a 3.99 ERA in 10 starts this year, Roberts said. "He was pitching so well."

The same can be said for Strasburg, the first National League starter since 1912 to begin a year 13-0.

Strasburg was slated to pitch against the Dodgers and Kershaw in Los Angeles on June 20, but just before the game, he was pulled due to an upper back strain. He wound up on the disabled list before returning July 3.

In his past four starts, Strasburg is 3-0 with a 0.94 ERA. He threw eight innings of one-run ball Friday in a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"He's been outstanding," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said Friday. "His record speaks for himself. It seems he's in the best shape of his life. We urged him to increase his work in between starts; it seems like it has paid off."

Strasburg has made four career starts against the Dodgers, going 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:10 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Preview: Orioles (53-40) at Yankees (48-46)

Game: 4
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: July 21, 2016 1:05 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees have apparently caught the Baltimore Orioles at the right time as they attempt to inch closer to first place in the American League East.

New York has capitalized on absences to Baltimore's lineup and a slump by those who are playing to take the first three games of the series.

The Yankees can get the four-game sweep of the Orioles on Thursday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

"We've always felt that way," Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said of making a run in the AL East. "It's a long season. I'm not sure exactly how many games are left, but there's a lot of games left and we never got too low when we were struggling early on in the season and we're not going to celebrate because we won four in a row because we got to go win tomorrow."

Baltimore has played three games without Chris Davis, who is slowly recovering from a stomach virus. The Orioles have played the last two without Matt Wieters (sore right foot), were without Manny Machado (stomach virus) on Wednesday and Adam Jones left in the eighth inning with back spasms.

Davis is likely to play and Jones left no doubt about his status, saying "I've got nothing else to do."

As for Wieters and Machado, acting manager John Russell said both are day to day. So is manager Buck Showalter, who also caught the stomach virus, but Russell would be surprised if Showalter wasn't making out the lineup Thursday.

"It's probably going to take a hurricane hitting New York for him not to be here tomorrow," Russell said.

Regardless of what the opposing lineup looks like, the Yankees will try to get a fifth straight win, which is one shy of their season high, and continue their run of good pitching.

During a four-game streak that has seen the Yankees (48-46) knock Baltimore from first place and match a season high by getting two games above .500, New York has received sharp performances from Masahiro Tanaka, Ivan Nova, Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Pineda.

"It's playoff baseball for us, and we have to play extremely well," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I think they're responding, especially after we lost two to start out this homestand. They responded well and we need them to keep doing that."

Pineda struck out eight and allowed five hits in six scoreless innings during Wednesday's 5-0 win. Starting with Tanaka, New York's starting pitchers have allowed three earned runs in the last 36 innings, marking the first time the Yankees have had four straight starts of one earned run or less since Sept. 18-21, 2003.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are experiencing adequate starting pitching but ineffective hitting. The Orioles are batting .267 overall but .187 (36-for-193) in their last six games and are 3-for-33 with runners in scoring position during those games.

"It's tough right now," Russell said. "We've lost some key guys in our lineup. When you lose that many at once, it makes it pretty tough and hopefully they'll start trickling back into the lineup sooner rather than later."

The Yankees are in line for their first four-game sweep of the Orioles since Sept. 18-21, 2005, at the original Yankee Stadium but must get enough offense against Chris Tillman (13-2, 3.29 ERA).

Tillman's record is 11 games above .500 for the first time since he was 16-5 after a win over the Yankees on Sept. 9, 2013. He also is 6-0 against teams from the AL East after allowing one run and four hits in seven dominant innings during Saturday's 2-1 win at Tampa Bay.

The Orioles are 9-0 in Tillman's starts against divisional opponents.

"Team wins are important," Tillman said. "All the personal stuff goes by the wayside when it comes to winning ballgames. That's our approach and it's good to be a part of it."

Two of those victories have been against the Yankees at Camden Yards.

On May 3, Tillman struck out nine while allowing one run and five hits in seven innings during a 4-1 win. A month later, he allowed five runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings and did not get a decision when his teammates rallied for a 6-5 win.

Tillman is 4-6 with a 4.87 ERA in 18 career starts against the Yankees.

In New York, he is 3-4 with a 7.30 ERA in eight outings.

CC Sabathia will be seeking his 20th career win against the Orioles and his 15th with the Yankees. More important, he will be looking to reverse some of his recent struggles.

Since June 22, he is 0-3 with a 7.94 ERA and during those starts he has allowed 39 hits and walked 10 in 28 1/3 innings.

Before lowering his ERA to 3.94 during the recent stretch, Sabathia had a 0.82 ERA in a span of seven starts and was the first Yankee to allow four earned runs or less in a span of seven starts since Phil Niekro did it in 1984 at age 45.

The latest subpar outing for Sabathia was Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox when he allowed five runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Sabathia faced the Orioles twice when the teams met in Baltimore. On May 4, he allowed six hits in seven innings during a 7-0 victory while suffering a groin injury. On June 5, he allowed two hits but walked six in five innings and the Yankees eventually lost 3-1.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:10 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Preview: Marlins (51-43) at Phillies (44-52)

Game: 4
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 21, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

PHILADELPHIA -- The Miami Marlins were unable to get one of their struggling starting pitchers untracked Wednesday.

They will attempt to do it once again Thursday night when they wrap up a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Wei-Yin Chen, 2-2 with a 6.12 ERA in his last eight starts, surrendered four runs and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings en route to a 4-1 loss to the Phillies on Wednesday night and manager Don Mattingly pronounced the left-hander's start "OK."

On Thursday, right-hander Tom Koehler, 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA in his last five starts, gets the call. Koehler (6-8, 4.68 ERA) will be opposed by Jerad Eickhoff (6-10, 3.76).

The Marlins, in the thick of the National League wild-card race, are reportedly in the market for a starter to bolster their rotation behind All-Star Jose Fernandez, with Philadelphia's Jeremy Hellickson a possible target. Hellickson limited Miami to one run and five hits in eight innings on Wednesday, his longest outing of the season. But he said he did not consider it an audition.

"Like I've said before, I want to be here," he said afterward. "I want to win here. I really think we can. ... My focus is here right now."

In the meantime, Koehler will be attempting to shake his slump. He has not worked more than five innings in any of his last four starts. The last time out, against St. Louis, he lasted just four innings, allowing four runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking three.

Koehler is 0-1 with a 1.93 ERA in two career starts against the Phillies.

He will be facing a Philadelphia lineup that entered Wednesday's game hitting a major league-worst .218 at home, and one that had produced three runs and 10 hits while striking out 34 times in its three previous games, all losses.

The Phillies, however, produced 12 hits against Chen and two relievers.

Tyler Goeddel, a rookie left fielder making his first start since July 10 and his 43rd overall, went 2-for-4 with a homer and a career-high three RBIs.

"It was fun to be back out there and part of a win," he said. "I was a little concerned. I thought it would feel like the first day of spring training out there again, but I luckily got some pitches to hit and put some good swings on them, got some good results."

Cesar Hernandez had three hits for the Phils, and Carlos Ruiz and Maikel Franco had two apiece.

Eickhoff, who came over from the Texas Rangers in the Cole Hamels deal at last year's trade deadline, is winless in his last two starts, having been saddled with a no-decision on Saturday against the New York Mets despite allowing two runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked one.

One of the many young arms on which the Phillies have placed their hopes for a rebuild, Eickhoff lost his only start against Miami this season. In five career outings against the Marlins, he is 1-4 with a 2.81 ERA.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:10 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Preview: Brewers (40-52) at Pirates (48-46)

Game: 3
Venue: PNC Park
Date: July 21, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- The Milwaukee Brewers invested $50 million on Matt Garza three years ago to be their staff ace. They've been rewarded with 15 victories since then, just one this season.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, never one to throw money around, are paying left-hander Francisco Liriano $13 million to be their staff ace this season. They've been rewarded with only five victories, and just one in his last nine starts dating to May 24.

The NL Central rival Brewers and Pirates wrap up the first of their five series over the second half of the season Thursday, when two of the majors' most disappointing starting pitchers match up only 10 days before the trading deadline.

The Brewers, of course, would love to see Garza pitch well -- something he's done infrequently while going 15-25 overall since signing his big contract. And not just to benefit them on the field.

Garza, 32, has pitched so little this season due to a lat problem that landed him on the 60-day disabled list -- and pitched so ineffectively when he's been on the mound -- that he's significantly reduced his value. If they could swing a deal, the Brewers no doubt would pay much of the money still due Garza through the end of the 2017 season.

Garza has made only one quality start in six games, and the Brewers are 1-5 in those -- including a 5-4 loss Friday at Cincinnati in which he gave up four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. Opposing hitters are batting .328 against the right-hander.

Liriano's struggles are more pronounced because he has been in the Pirates' rotation all season, making 19 starts. But he's lasted at least six innings only once since June 11 -- during a 5-1 loss in Washington on Friday.

And the problems he developed early in the season with his mechanics, and with throwing strikes, aren't going away.

Once the protege of Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage, Liriano and Searage haven't seemed to be on the same page as Liriano's uneven first half of the season has carried over into the second half. And with the Pirates searching for a reliable starting rotation down the stretch -- they'd probably like to add a starter -- it becomes even more important for them to get Liriano untracked.

"I'm more focused on throwing strikes right now, not thinking about the hitters and whether they can put the ball in play or not," Liriano said after the Nationals loss, in which he walked at least three for the ninth time in 10 starts. "I'm just making sure I'm executing pitches and throwing everything down in the zone."

Each team will be looking for a series win Thursday following the Pirates' 3-2 win on Tuesday and the Brewers' 9-5 decision on Wednesday, when Jonathan Lucroy drove in three runs and Scooter Gennett and Chris Carter had two RBIs each.

"Every time those guys came up, they were in RBI situations. What you want in your lineup is for the first two guys to set up your big run producers, and Brauny and Luc came through," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.

Pirates starter Jeff Locke and four relievers aided the Brewers offense by combining to walk nine.

"He (Locke) will be the first to tell you he walked too many guys -- when you walk guys and they get a big hit, that can hurt you in a hurry," Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer said.

The Brewers kept the pressure on the Pirates by twice executing double steals, one involving leadoff hitter Jonathan Villar, who reached base four straight times on two singles and two walks.

"We'll pick spots to run and try to capture bases, and just push it and keep pressure (on)," Counsell said.

That's a strategy they'll try to employ Thursday against Liriano, who has lost his last three decisions at PNC Park.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:11 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Preview: Twins (35-59) at Red Sox (53-39)

Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: July 21, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

BOSTON -- Hanley Ramirez and Max Kepler are both coming off impressive games at the plate on Wednesday night, and they'll hope to keep their hot hands as the Boston Red Sox host the Minnesota Twins in the opener of a four-game weekend series on Thursday.

Ramirez had a career night in Wednesday's 11-7 shootout win over the San Francisco Giants at Fenway Park, clubbing three two-run homers and driving in a career-high six RBIs.

"A great night for Hanley, both offensively and defensively," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Ramirez, who also flashed the leather and made some impressive plays in the field.

Ramirez's heroics boosted Boston (53-39) to a season-best 14 games above .500 with its sixth consecutive win at Fenway. The Red Sox are 11-3 in July after sweeping the two-game series.

Boston also reclaimed sole possession of first place in the American League East for the first time since June 4.

Kepler, meanwhile, hit a tiebreaking solo home run with two outs in the ninth that propelled Minnesota to a 4-1 victory over the Tigers in Detroit.

"When he has gotten hits, they seem to be at large moments to give us a chance to win games," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "That's a good trend, that he's getting more comfortable with the game on the line."

Although in last place in the AL Central, the Twins (35-59) have strung together back-to-back victories and have three wins in their last five games after taking two of three at Detroit.

Steven Wright hopes to replicate his first outing of the year for the Red Sox against Minnesota in Thursday's start.

Wright (11-5, 2.78 ERA) gave up an unearned run, seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings of a June 10 victory over the Twins.

The knuckleballer is 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA in two career starts against Minnesota and figures to have the element of surprise on his side.

Nobody on the Twins' roster has had more than 10 at-bats against Wright. Kurt Suzuki is 4-for-6 with an RBI against him and Robbie Grossman is 2-for-4 with an RBI and three walks.

Minnesota counters with Tyler Duffey (5-6, 5.23 ERA), who is 3-0 with a 3.10 ERA in his last four starts.

The Twins have won the last five games Duffey has started.

Duffey has faced Boston only once in his career, starting the June 10 game against Wright -- but unlike Wright, his results weren't favorable.

He tied his season highs by giving up six runs and 10 hits with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings while taking the loss.

Xander Bogaerts is 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs against Duffey. Dustin Pedroia is 2-for-3 with a double.

Boston took two of three games in Minnesota on June 10-12, scoring a season-high 15 runs in a June 11 rout.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:11 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Preview: Padres (41-54) at Cardinals (50-44)

Game: 4
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 21, 2016 7:15 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS -- Having played in San Diego for the first three seasons of his major league career, Jedd Gyorko has spent this week talking with old teammates when he has a chance.

His former teammates have spent most of the last three days in town watching Gyorko round the bases.

Gyorko belted three homers on Wednesday in the St. Louis Cardinals' 4-2 and 3-2 doubleheader sweep of the Padres, giving him six in his last five games against San Diego and making him 13-of-21 against his ex-employer this year.

His final chance to add to those spectacular numbers comes Thursday night in the series finale. Another homer would make him the first player to homer in six straight games against the Padres since Chipper Jones in 2003-04.

But Gyorko, who has raised his average 27 points in the last three games, has no illusions about his place in the sport's planet.

"I'm far from Superman," he said. "I had two good games today. Hopefully, I can stay locked in and keep building confidence."

More than half of Gyorko's 11 homers this year have come against San Diego pitching, a stat that has to be especially galling to Padres management and fans. After all, they are still paying $2.5 million of his salary, a condition of the Dec. 8 trade that sent Jon Jay to the west coast.

San Diego manager Andy Green says it comes down to execution, or the lack of it.

"We've consistently missed our spots by a foot and a half," Green said. "We've consistently put the ball right in his wheelhouse. I don't think it's a matter of the game plan being wrong. The guy's getting pitches in his zone."

Andrew Cashner (4-7, 5.05 ERA) has the task of keeping the ball out of Gyorko's nitro zone, unless he gets traded before the start, as some rumors suggest could occur. Cashner is coming off a 4-1 win on Friday night over San Francisco and Madison Bumgarner, fanning a season-high nine in six innings.

St. Louis plans to start Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.15), who can become its first starter to reach double figures in wins. Wainwright has allowed only one run in his last 23 innings, tossing a three-hit shutout Saturday night against Miami.

Wainwright's recent return to the form that made him one of baseball's top starters in recent years should pose a threat to the Padres' 18-game home run streak, the National League's longest since Cincinnati did it in 2010.

But San Diego (41-54) hasn't been able to use its long ball proficiency to reverse its poor fortunes in St. Louis, where it is 10-27 since the third version of Busch Stadium opened in 2006.

The Cardinals' first doubleheader sweep in more than three years turned extra profitable when wild-card contenders in front of and behind them all lost. They gained 1 1/2 games on four teams, drawing within a game of Miami for the second wild-card spot.

Their latest success against the Padres included what Gyorko called the first curtain call of his career after his second homer of the nightcap.

"That was cool," he said. "Hopefully, I can get a few more of those."

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:11 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Preview: Tigers (49-46) at White Sox (46-48)

Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: July 21, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- James Shields is pitching considerably better for the Chicago White Sox -- but he's been unable to pick up a victory in his last two starts due to zero run support.

Shields will try to continue his progress as he takes the mound for the opener of a four-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night in Chicago.

The right-hander allowed three runs in his last 15 2/3 innings in a 2-0 loss to the National League-worst Braves and a 1-0 defeat to the Angels. Shields gave up nine runs in his last 33 1/3 innings after surrendering 21 runs in 8 2/3 innings in his first three starts with the White Sox, who acquired him from the Padres on June 4.

"When you're going bad, you have all these people telling you what you're doing wrong," Shields told the Chicago Tribune. "'You need to fix this. You need to fix that.' But I've never been one of those guys who's been like I need to get complete 180 fixed, maybe little things here and there in the bullpen sessions.

"I go out there with my heart on my sleeve, and I go out and compete the best I can on the mound," he added. "Having that mentality of not thinking about my last outing, I've always been that way, so that's where I got back to."

Shields will have to deal with extreme conditions Thursday -- the forecast is predicting highs in the 90s. The ball can travel when the temperature heats up at U.S. Cellular Field.

"I just make sure I'm hydrated," Shields said. "I'm in condition, so I feel pretty good about it. The main thing is to not cramp up and stay hydrated."

Home-field advantage could be a welcome change for the reeling White Sox (46-48), who are fourth in the American League Central. Capped by a 6-5 extra-inning loss on Wednesday in Seattle, the team is coming off a 1-5 road trip against the Angels and Mariners to open the second half of the season.

"It is tough, especially when you're leading both the ones that you lose late," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "Those are always tough to be able to bounce back. Our guys have bounced back. You just need to be able to add on (runs)."

The White Sox will play a six-game homestand against the Tigers and National League Central-leading Cubs.

The Tigers (49-46) lost two straight to the American League-worst Twins and are 3-3 in the second half, 7 1/2 games behind the division-leading Indians in the American League Central.

"We weren't overlooking them," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus told MLB.com after losing the series finale to the Twins 4-1 on Wednesday. "We're just in a funk offensively, to be honest with you. It started before they arrived."

Right-hander Mike Pelfrey (2-9) is scheduled to start for Detroit. He allowed four runs in six innings in his last start against the White Sox on June 15 for a loss. He has won just one of his last eight outings.

"My job doesn't change," Pelfrey told MLB.com about the expected hot weather in Chicago. "Throw strikes and execute pitches."

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:11 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Preview: Braves (33-62) at Rockies (43-51)

Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: July 21, 2016 8:40 PM EDT

DENVER -- After two disastrous games and a disappointing series against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Colorado Rockies will conclude their homestand with four games against the Atlanta Braves starting on Thursday.

The Rockies fell 11-3 Wednesday afternoon, hours after a rain-delayed 10-1 loss Tuesday night and were outscored 25-11 by the Rays in the series. The Rockies struck out 15 times Wednesday, following 12 strikeouts Tuesday night. It is the first time in franchise history that the Rockies struck out 12 or more times in consecutive games at home.

Chad Bettis will start Thursday night for the Rockies. He is 7-6 with a 5.55 ERA in 19 starts, 11 of which the Rockies won, and will face the Braves for the second straight start. On Saturday at Atlanta, Bettis gave up six hits and three runs in 6 2/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts but wasn't involved in the decision as the Rockies won 4-3.

The Rockies are 6-1 in Bettis' past seven starts, and he is 3-1 with a 5.49 ERA (39 1/3 innings, 24 earned runs) in that span.

"I'm in a good spot right now mentally and physically," Bettis said. "And I think that I'm learning things and trying to still understand how to get a little bit better each time, which is where I want to be. But I think in the big sense of things, personally, I feel I need to be much better toward the later part of my starts. In the Atlanta game, I feel like I got hurt there in my last, say, 10-15 pitches.

"It's not that I'm not focused or anything, but (I) just need to understand what's going on and be aware of it and fix it before it happens."

At Atlanta on Saturday, Bettis allowed two runs in the second but then retired 12 of the next 14 batters he faced through the sixth. He issued a leadoff walk followed by a bunt single in the seventh but got Erick Aybar to ground into a double play. But Bettis then gave up a run-scoring single to pitcher Mike Foltynewicz and walked Jace Peterson before being lifted from the game.

The Rockies and Braves played a three-game series last weekend in Atlanta to start the second half of the season. The Rockies won the first two games but were unable to sweep the series when the Braves scored a run in the ninth Sunday to win 1-0.

Foltynewicz will again oppose Bettis and is coming off a terrific outing during which he threw 73 of 107 pitches for strikes. He allowed four hits and three runs with two walks and five strikeouts before being taken out after facing three batters in the eighth. Foltynewicz is 3-3 with a 3.70 ERA in 10 starts this season, four of which the Braves have won.

The Braves on Wednesday lost the rubber game of their series at Cincinnati 6-3 and are 2-4 since the All-Star break. Their road record is 19-26, not good but far better than their 14-36 mark at home. Moreover, the Braves are 9-7 in their past 16 road games.

Colorado is the second stop for the Braves on a nine-game road trip that will conclude with two games at Minnesota.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, who had a cancerous mole removed from his back during the All-Star break, went 0-for-11 with six strikeouts in the series against the Rockies last weekend.

Freeman finally ended his long-ball drought at Great American Ballpark when he homered in the first inning against Anthony DeSclafini. It was the 17th homer of the season for Freeman, who went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts.

"This place is a graveyard, you know what I mean," Freeman joked about one of the better home run parks in the big leagues. "In my career, I've never been swinging well when I come into this park. I was able to get one over today."

At the hitters' paradise that is Coors Field, Freeman has made 66 plate appearances and his hitting .271 (14-for-59) with five homers, 14 RBI and a .627 OPS.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:12 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Preview: Rays (37-57) at Athletics (42-53)

Game: 1
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Date: July 21, 2016 10:05 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland A's right-hander Sonny Gray earned his third win of the season on April 22 against Toronto in just his fourth start.

Gray had to wait 85 days and 13 starts to get win No. 4, allowing three runs over six innings in a 5-4 victory Saturday against the Blue Jays. He'll try to make it back-to back wins Thursday night when the A's open a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays and left-hander Matt Moore at the Oakland Coliseum.

"That's the main reason you play this game is to win," said Gray, who finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting last year. "I started pretty good and won then went through that long stretch and then I went on the DL. And then when I came off the DL I felt like I was throwing the ball well with nothing to show for it, but that's part of it. Hopefully now I'll get on a pretty good roll."

Gray (4-8) is 1-3 with a 4.07 ERA in his past eight starts since coming off the disabled list after recovering from a strained right trapezius. He allowed one run in three of those starts, two runs in two and three runs in one. He also gave up seven runs in a loss to Pittsburgh and five runs in a no-decision against Texas.

"I've continuously said this ever since I've come back from the DL, I've felt really good," Gray said. "You take two starts out of there, basically one inning against the Rangers and the start against the Pirates, you take those two starts out and every game has gone I would say pretty well. I feel good. I know I wasn't winning any games but I felt like I was throwing the ball well. It might not have been an easy inning every time, but going out there and going six innings. I expect more out of myself than that, but it's still been pretty good with the exception of two starts."

In his victory against Toronto, Gray gave up three runs through three innings but blanked the Blue Jays for his final three innings. He hopes to build on that strong finish against Tampa Bay.

"Actually just come out and attack from the first inning on," Gray said. "Just come out and the plan is to go out and compete, throw a lot of strikes and throw as many quality strikes as I can in a row and see where it goes from there."

Moore is 5-7 with a 4.33 ERA, but he has pitched at least six innings in each of his past eight games and has gone 3-4 with a 3.02 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 13 walks during that stretch.

Moore gave up just two runs over 7 1/3 innings in a 2-1 loss to Baltimore in his previous start. He gave up a two-run homer to J.J. Hardy in the second inning.

"I just feel like I'm pitching to my capabilities," Moore said after his last start. "Being able to string together back-to-back innings where we retired three in a row. I think that's something to hang my hat on most these days. Just being able to get some quick innings, keep my pitch count on track."

That was Moore's longest outing since July 22, 2013, during his All-Star season when he went 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA. Moore underwent Tommy John surgery on April 22, 2014, and has gone 8-11 since then over the past two seasons.

Oakland took two of three games against the Rays at Tropicana Field on May 13-15. Moore and Gray faced each other on May 15 when the A's defeated the Rays 7-6. Both starters got no-decisions. Moore gave up four runs on seven hits over five innings. Gray allowed six runs (three earned) and six hits in 5 2/3 innings.

The Rays had lost 11 straight road games before beating Colorado 10-1 on Tuesday night in Denver. The Rays scored in double digits again Wednesday, beating the Rockies 11-3.

Oakland has won four of six games since the All-Star break, taking two of three at home against Toronto and Houston. But the A's fell 7-0 to the Astros on Wednesday.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:12 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Thursday, July 21, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

Barring a blockbuster trade for a starting pitcher -- sorry, but the Marlins aren't dealing Jose Fernandez this season now that they are contending -- I don't see the Dodgers returning to the playoffs this year. That's because ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw has been shut down indefinitely after experiencing renewed discomfort in his back. He threw a simulated game on Saturday and has some soreness into Tuesday following it. Kershaw has been out since June 26 with a herniated disc and now is being called out indefinitely. The Dodgers owe this guy $30 million a year so they aren't going to rush Kershaw, and I doubt you see him before late August if by then. When I looked at NL futures at the All-Star break, Kershaw was the Cy Young betting favorite but I didn't recommend him because of that injury. He's not going to win a fourth career one this year now.

Dodgers at Nationals (-200, 8)

A 12:05 p.m. EST first pitch should have live betting at sportsbooks with it televised by the MLB Network. This will be the last time these two good teams play in 2016 unless it's in the postseason. L.A. is again dealing with some injuries in its rotation other then Kershaw with Hyun-Jin Ryu landing back on the disabled list, retroactive to July 9, with left elbow tendonitis. He was able to make all of one start off Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers are likely to go with rookie lefty Julio Urias (1-2, 4.95) here, as he will be recalled from the minors. He had been sent down to conserve innings and was pitching in relief in Triple-A. Thus I'm sure he will be on a definite pitch count here. Urias faced Washington on June 22 and allowed two runs in five innings. Washington's Stephen Strasburg (13-0, 2.51) beat the Pirates on Friday in allowing one run and three hits over eight innings. He has won 16 straight decisions dating to last season, a franchise record, and is the first NL starter to begin a season 13-0 since 1912. He hasn't faced the Dodgers this year, getting scratched in a potential showdown vs. Clayton Kershaw.

Key trends: The Nationals are 9-0 in Strasburg's past nine vs. teams with a winning record. The "over/under" is 13-3 in his past 16 overall.

Early lean: Nationals and under.

Orioles at Yankees (+107, 9)

Monitor the status of both first basemen here in Chris Davis and Mark Teixeira. Davis hasn't played since Sunday due to a virus that sent him to the hospital for a bit. More likely to sit out again it Teixeira, who hasn't played since Saturday after fouling a ball off his foot. Baltimore will be without outfielder Hyun Soo Kin, the team's leading hitter at .329, as he was put on the DL on Tuesday with a strained right hamstring. The Orioles go with ace Chris Tillman (13-2, 3.29) in his 1:05 p.m. getaway game. He has had three straight starts of exactly seven innings and one run allowed in each. Tillman is 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA in two starts vs. the Yankees this year and hasn't lost an AL East game all season. Alex Rodriguez hits him hard, going 7-for-19 with five homers and 10 RBIs. It's New York lefty CC Sabathia (5-7, 3.94). He continued his slump since late June, allowing five runs and nine hits over 5.1 innings in a loss to Boston last time out. He is 1-0 with no earned runs allowed in two starts vs. the Orioles this year. Adam Jones hits .284 off him with four homers and 14 RBIs in 67 at-bats.

Key trends: The Orioles are 5-1 in Tillman's past six vs. New York. The over is 6-1-1 in his past eight in the Bronx. The under is 5-1 in Sabathia's past six vs. the Orioles. The Yanks have won seven of his past nine at home against them.

Early lean: Orioles and over.

Padres at Cardinals (-220, 8)

St. Louis didn't have shortstop Jhonny Peralta for the first two months or so due to thumb surgery and he lost his job at that position to rookie Aledmys Diaz. So Peralta moved to third base and Matt Carpenter to second. Well, now Peralta has joined Carpenter on the DL as Peralta is still having discomfort in that thumb, although somehow the Cardinals say it's not related. Can't say I buy that. Peralta was batting .221 with five home runs and 13 RBIs in 30 games. So while that's bad news, the Cards have to be thrilled with how Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.15) has pitched of late as he has allowed just one run over 23 innings. He threw his 10th career complete-game shutout on Saturday against the Marlins. Wainwright lost in San Diego on April 22, allowing three runs in six innings. The Padres go with trade candidate Andrew Cashner (4-7, 5.05). He was originally slated for Wednesday but pushed back a day when Tuesday's game was postponed. Cashner beat St. Louis on April 22, allowing one run and three hits in six innings in one of his best starts of the year. He comes off a very good start vs. the Giants on Friday.

Key trends: The Padres are 0-5 in Cashner's past five road starts vs. teams with a winning record. The Cards are 4-1 in Wainwright's past five on Thursday. The Cards are 5-0 in Wainwright's past five at home in the series. The under is 9-1-1 in his past 11 starts overall.

Early lean: Cardinals and under.

Tigers at White Sox (-127, 10.5)

Also should have live betting with it on the MLB Network. Detroit lost two of three in Chicago from June 13-15. Here the Tigers go with Mike Pelfrey (2-9, 4.95), one of the weak links of their rotation. He lasted only 1.2 innings last time out against Kansas City, allowing five runs and four hits with four walks in a loss. Pelfrey is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts vs. the White Sox this year. Avisail Garcia is 7-for-18 career against him with a double. Tim Anderson is 3-for-4 with a triple. The White Sox go with James Shields (4-11, 5.10), who has been pretty darn good of late after that horrific beginning when he was traded from San Diego. Shields was a tough-luck loser on Saturday at the Angels in allowing one run and two hits in eight innings. That was his fourth straight quality start. Shields' second start with the White Sox was June 13 vs. the Tigers and he allowed seven runs in five innings. Miguel Cabrera hits .351 off him with two homers in 57 at-bats.

Key trends: The White Sox are 1-5 in their past six in Game 1 of a series. The over is 4-1 in Shields' past five at home.

Early lean: White Sox and over.

Rays at A's (-136, 8)

Both starting pitchers here could be dealt by the Aug. 1 deadline. It's much more likely that Tampa Bay's Matt Moore is than Oakland's Sonny Gray as all reports are that the Rays are going to deal either Moore or Jake Odorizzi for a young hitter. The Rangers would appear to be a good match with the Rays. The lefty Moore (5-7, 4.33) lost on Saturday against Baltimore despite his fourth straight quality start, allowing two runs and five hits over 7.1 innings. Moore took a home no-decision vs. the A's on May 15, allowing four runs and seven hits over five innings. Billy Butler is 3-for-9 career off him with two RBIs. Danny Valencia is 5-for-11 with two homers. Gray (4-8, 5.12) has likely lost too much value to be traded this season. He went exactly six innings for a sixth straight start last time out, beating Toronto in allowing three runs in six innings. He also pitched vs. the Rays on May 15 and allowed six runs (three homers) in 5.2 innings in a no-decision. Evan Longoria is 5-for-17 with a homer against him.

Key trends: The Rays are 2-12 in Moore's past 14 on the road. The A's are 4-0 in their past four series openers. The under is 5-0 in Moore's past five.

Early lean: A's and under.

**TheGame** · 07-21-2016, 08:12 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 7/21

'Mounds of trouble'

Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates July 21, 7:05 EST

The pitching matchup in this game is one that should have MLB bettors sitting on the sidelines. Francisco Liriano is the starter for the Pirates, while Matt Garza is the starter for the Brewers. Liriano is winless in his last five at PNC Park (1-4 TSR) and heads to the hill 0-4 his last six vs Brewers (2-4 TSR). On the other mound, Brewers are 1-5 in Gaza's six starts, 0-5 in his road starts, 3-11 in his last fourteen starts in unfriedly territory.

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MLB Betting Info. 7/21

MLB Betting Info. 7/21

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