The Boston
Red Sox continue their west coast swing while the Oakland Athletics return home
after a stirring victory over Texas last night.
The best MLB books opened up their odds with Boston a -125 favorite but this number has been bet down to its current position of -105 with the total also dropping on the baseball odds board to 7.
The Boston Red Sox (42-37)
The Red Sox
woes have been centered around pitching in the early going but lately that has
not been a problem but a power outage has come to Boston yet they escaped with
a 2-1 victory in extra innings over the Seattle Mariners last night (Check the pick between the Orioles and Mariners 
Monday). This is a lineup that has been without the
services of All-Star outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford for most of
the season but their replacements have filled the void with unexpected, though
thoroughly welcomed results.
After
smashing the ball to the tune of averaging 7.4 runs per game during a ten game
stretch, the Sox averaged just over 2 runs per game in a four game series split
with Seattle. Though designated hitter
David Ortiz will be the lone Red Sox representative in the All-Star game, he
has not fared well in his career against the A’s. Ortiz is hitting an anemic .169, while
slamming only two home runs and totaling five RBIs in 17 road games in this
series since 2008.
The Athletics
will be greeted by Japanese import Diasuke Matsuzaka who struggled after
returning from Tommy John surgery in the early going, compiling a 6.06 ERA in
his first three trips to the mound, but looked like his old self in his last
contest in a 5-1 win over Toronto on June 26th when he allowed only
one run and scattered six hits while striking out five in 5 2/3 innings of
work. Dice-K has historically done well
against the Athletics, garnering a 4-1 record with a 3.69 ERA in seven starts.
Oakland Athletics (38-42)
Oakland came
away with a 3-1 victory over the Rangers last night as they were able to solve
the mystery that is Yu Darvish to the tune of three earned runs, just enough to
clip the heavily favored Texas Rangers last night. They return to Oakland where they are
currently 19-19 at home.
The A’s will
be trotting out rookie righty Jarrod Parker to face the Red Sox and are hoping
for a similar result to the gem he spun in Boston back on May 1st
when he limited Boston’s offense to one run and only four hits before he
departed after 6 2/3 innings in a game that Oakland ultimately won, 5-3. Parker is currently 4-3 with a 2.57 ERA but
with a little offensive help from his mates could have a much better
record. He pitched another beauty when
he limited the Mariners to only one run on three hits while striking out a
career-high 9 batters in Oakland’s 2-1 victory on Wednesday afternoon.
The Pick:
The Red Sox
right now are getting it done on pitching but the strength of their team is
cemented squarely on their ferocious hitters.
They are currently the second highest run producing offense in the major
leagues behind Texas with 406 runs scored this season. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, they really
don’t know what they have with Dice-K.
The enigmatic hurler has been injured but showed a glimpse of his
illustrious past last time out.
Oakland
snapped a three game skid with a big win over the Rangers last night and has
dominated Boston in Oakland, winning 10 of the last 14 played at home. Though the Sox possess a more potent line-up
their bats have gone cold recently and Jarrod Parker had no problem taming them
in his first look at Boston on May 1st. The game is roughly a pick right now in most
offshore sports books but the smart money says that Oakland will win this one
behind the young arm of Jarrod Parker.
Play Oakland -105.