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Thursday’s Diamond Notes

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
5 minute read
Hottest team: Red Sox (6-0 last six)

Boston isn’t slowing down anytime soon as the Red Sox picked up another dominating victory over the Angels. On Wednesday, one night after blowing out the Halos, 10-1 in the series opener, the Red Sox blanked L.A., 9-0 behind Rick Porcello’s six scoreless innings. Outfielder J.D. Martinez delivered four hits for Boston, including his fourth home run on the season as the Red Sox have plated 84 runs in the last 10 games (9-1).

The Red Sox look to secure the sweep with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez on the hill tonight. Rodriguez limited the Orioles to five hits and one earned run in six innings of work in a 7-3 home victory last Friday. However, the southpaw has struggled on the road as Boston posted a 1-6 record in his seven starts away from Fenway Park since last June (making first away start this season).

Coldest team: Orioles (0-5 last five)

It’s been a disastrous start for Baltimore, who attempts to avoid a sweep for the second straight road series. The Orioles dropped all three games at Boston last weekend and have fallen twice at Detroit the last two days. The Tigers walked-off past the O’s on Wednesday, 6-5, as Baltimore dropped to 1-7 since taking three of four from the Yankees in New York earlier this month.

Alex Cobb tries to stop the bleeding for Baltimore this afternoon as the former Rays’ right-hander was tagged for 10 hits and eight runs in his Orioles’ debut at Boston. The O’s face Jordan Zimmermann in the series finale, as Baltimore has compiled a 1-4 record this season against right-handed starting pitchers.

Hottest pitcher: Jameson Taillon, Pirates (2-0, 0.89 ERA)

Pittsburgh avoided a home sweep to Colorado in Wednesday’s blowout of the Rockies. The Pirates make the short trip across the state to begin a four-game series with the Phillies. Taillon is coming off consecutive scoreless outings against the Reds and Marlins, while scattering five hits in 15 innings of work. Pittsburgh owns a perfect 3-0 record in Taillon’s three starts this season, while the Pirates look to improve on a 7-2 mark away from PNC Park.

Coldest pitcher: Matt Harvey, Mets (0-1, 4.80 ERA)

New York has yet to lose a road game this season as the Mets embark on a four-game series with the surprising Braves. The Mets rallied past the Nationals on Wednesday to end a two-game slide, as Harvey tries to cure his recent ills on the mound. Harvey dominated the Phillies in his first start of the season, but the Mets’ righty has given up four earned runs in each of his past two starts, while not lasting past the fifth inning. New York lost each of Harvey’s last three starts against Atlanta last season, including a pair of outings at SunTrust Park.

Biggest OVER run: Marlins (4-1 on road, 3-0 last three)

Miami pulled off a shocking victory at New York on Tuesday by routing the Yankees, 9-1, one night after getting blown out by the Bronx Bombers, 12-1. The Marlins have been an inconsistent team when it comes to totals as their current three-game OVER streak is their longest this season. Miami travels to Milwaukee for the start of a four-game series with the Brewers, as Dillon Peters heads to the mound. Peters has been the model of inconsistency for Miami, by tossing a pair of quality starts as home underdogs in wins over the Cubs and Pirates, but was lit up in a 20-1 road loss at Philadelphia.

Biggest UNDER run: Astros (10-3 last 13)

Houston’s pitching staff is largely responsible for registering a majority of these UNDERS, as the Astros have limited the Mariners to four runs through the first three games in Seattle. Although Wednesday’s contest barely hit the OVER on a 7 ½ total, the Astros’ offense finally busted out by scoring seven runs. Thirteen times this season the Astros have limited opponents to three runs or fewer as Charlie Morton looks to continue that trend this afternoon. Morton has allowed three earned runs in his 18 innings of work this season, while hitting the UNDER in eight of his last 10 starts since August 2017.

Matchup to watch: Giants vs. Diamondbacks

Arizona and San Francisco wrap up their three-game set at Chase Field after the Giants grabbed a 4-3 victory in 10 innings on Wednesday. The D-backs erased a late 2-0 deficit to tie the game in the ninth, but the Giants plated a pair of runs in the top of the 10th to end a four-game slide.

The D-backs have yet to lose consecutive games this season as they look to finish off the Giants with ace Zack Greinke taking the ball. Greinke has been knocked around in his last two outings at St. Louis and Los Angeles by allowing nine earned runs in 11 innings of work. The D-backs captured all three of Greinke’s starts against the Giants last season, including tossing eight scoreless innings in a 2-0 victory last September.

Ty Blach counters for San Francisco, as the southpaw has already faced Dodgers’ ace Clayton Kershaw twice and split a pair of low-scoring starts against Los Angeles. The Giants haven’t provided Blach much run support, scoring one run in three of his starts, while putting up four runs in a home loss to the Mariners.

Betcha didn’t know: It seems like the Cubs haven’t played in a long time with all the terrible weather wiping games throughout baseball. Chicago finishes off its series with St. Louis at Wrigley Field as Jon Lester takes the mound. The Cubs are 4-0 in the left-hander’s last four home outings against the Cardinals since 2016, but St. Louis is currently riding a six-game road winning streak.

Biggest public favorite: Brewers (-190) vs. Marlins

Biggest public underdog: Pirates (+100) at Phillies

Biggest line move: Tigers (+115 to +105) vs. Orioles

You can reach Kevin Rogers via e-mail at rogers@vegasinsider.com

Kevin Rogers can be followed on Twitter at virogers.

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