PREMIUM
**$20 TUESDAY** Rogers' 10* Tuesday THROWDOWN >> 2-0-1 Monday!
(MLB) Texas vs. Baltimore,
Money Line: -117.00 Baltimore (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: -117.00 Baltimore (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The Baltimore Orioles were once 22-10 on the 2017 season but the team has imploded. Baltimore returned from the break with a 10-game homestand and promptly got swept by the Cubs, losing three games by the combined scores of 27-11. The Orioles entered their series against Texas with their starters having posted an American League-worst 6.02 ERA. However, Chris Tillman delivered six strong innings (two hits and one run) in a 3-1 Orioles win. The Rangers have a 10-game road trip to open the second half and with Monday's loss, have collected only 22 hits in splitting the first four games. Neither team is a threat in their respective divisions (especially Texas, playing in the AL West with Houston) but like almost the entire AL, remain in wild card contention. Texas is 2 1/2 and Baltimore 4 1/2 games out of the final wild card spot.
The pitching matchup: Tyson Ross (2-1 & 5.33 ERA) starts for the Rangers and Dylan Bundy (8-8 & 4.33 ERA) for the Orioles. Ross did not make his season debut until June 16 following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome and has made it through six innings in only one of his first five starts (Texas is 3-2). It's encouraging that he has limited opponents to a .211 batting average in those five starts but then again, Ross is 0-2 with an ugly 17.10 ERA in seven career appearances (just one start) against Baltimore, allowing 19 runs in 10 innings! Bundy opened the season by winning five of his first six decisions but his ERA has climbed nearly 1 1/2 runs over his last six starts (from 2.93 to 4.33). He has not allowed a run in three appearances (one start) versus Texas, winning that lone start.
The pick: The Baltimore Orioles needed to play 34 innings before taking their first lead following the All-Star break, when Seth Smith hit a tie-breaking HR in the seventh-inning of Monday's 3-1 win. I'm not ready to say the Orioles "are back" but the Texas bats have been very quiet since returning from the break, accumulating only 22 hits while scoring a modest 10 runs in four games, five of which came last Friday (that's five runs the last three games!). Make Baltimore a 10* play.
The pitching matchup: Tyson Ross (2-1 & 5.33 ERA) starts for the Rangers and Dylan Bundy (8-8 & 4.33 ERA) for the Orioles. Ross did not make his season debut until June 16 following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome and has made it through six innings in only one of his first five starts (Texas is 3-2). It's encouraging that he has limited opponents to a .211 batting average in those five starts but then again, Ross is 0-2 with an ugly 17.10 ERA in seven career appearances (just one start) against Baltimore, allowing 19 runs in 10 innings! Bundy opened the season by winning five of his first six decisions but his ERA has climbed nearly 1 1/2 runs over his last six starts (from 2.93 to 4.33). He has not allowed a run in three appearances (one start) versus Texas, winning that lone start.
The pick: The Baltimore Orioles needed to play 34 innings before taking their first lead following the All-Star break, when Seth Smith hit a tie-breaking HR in the seventh-inning of Monday's 3-1 win. I'm not ready to say the Orioles "are back" but the Texas bats have been very quiet since returning from the break, accumulating only 22 hits while scoring a modest 10 runs in four games, five of which came last Friday (that's five runs the last three games!). Make Baltimore a 10* play.
