Detroit continues its three-game series against Boston at historic Fenway Park that could very easily be a fall preview of an October playoff series. The Tigers (77-41) are still armed with baseball’s best record, while the Red Sox (68-49) are in the midst of another battle atop the American League East standings with New York.
Despite being a combined 55 games over .500, both Detroit and Boston have hit some hard times recently. The Tigers were mired in a season-high five-game losing skid that occurred to AL Central rivals. Detroit dropped two games in a row to Minnesota before being swept out of Chicago by the defending champions.
The Tigers got back on the winning track compliments of Monday's victory over Boston as a $1.40 road underdog, 7-4, while the combined 11 runs landed directly on the closing total. Detroit never trailed after posting three runs in the top of the first, and eventually took a 5-0 lead. Reliever Todd Jones picked up his 32nd save of the season on just seven pitches.
Manager Jim Leyland’s team has struggled against the upper-echelon teams this season, going just 23-25 versus the top two teams in each of the AL divisions. That means Detroit has been feasting on the weaker teams, clubs that will be in the offseason during October’s playoffs.
The Tigers turnaround has been nothing short of miraculous this season from a franchise that averaged 100 losses the previous five years. Detroit had gone 12 straight seasons without a winning record, but the team is on pace for the fifth-greatest turnaround in baseball history.
Boston has also suffered a mid-season slide, moving the Red Sox in their customary role behind New York in second place. The Red Sox dropped five games in a row recently to lowly Tampa Bay and Kansas City before sweeping through Baltimore. However, the damage is done and Boston now has to play catchup versus its bitter rivals.
Various sportsbooks around Las Vegas and offshore list Boston as a $1.40 home ‘chalk’ over Detroit, with the total set at 9 ½. Tuesday’s American League tilt is slated to start at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Right-hander Jeremy Bonderman (11-5, 3.76 ERA) gets the starting assignment for the Tigers armed with a solid 7-1 road record and 3.01 ERA in 12 outings. The four-year veteran is off consecutive no decisions against Cleveland and Minnesota after yielding a combined seven runs on 15 hits (one home run) with five walks and 11 strikeouts over 12 2/3 innings.
Detroit toppled the Indians as a $1.55 home favorite, 7-6, while falling to the Twins as a home ‘pick,’ 4-3. The ‘over’ is 3-1 his previous four starts.
Bonderman is 3-0 versus the Red Sox the past two years in three outings, going a combined 20 innings while surrendering nine runs on 21 hits with 11 walks and 17 strikeouts. The Tigers prevailed as a $1.08 home favorite, 8-3, a $1.16 home underdog, 6-5, and as a $1.10 home ‘chalk,’ 6-2.
Boston counters with veteran Curt Schilling (14-5, 3.89 ERA), hoping the 39-year-old can rebound from his latest effort. The righty was reached for seven runs (five earned) on 11 hits (one home run) with two walks and seven strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings to lose to Kansas City Thursday as a decided $2.10 road favorite, 5-4.
Schilling sports a stellar 8-1 home ledger and 3.31 ERA in 10 Fenway Park starts, with the Red Sox going 9-1 his last 10 starts in Beantown. The 6-foot-5 hurler picked up a no-decision against Detroit June 2 despite allowing just two runs on seven hits with no walks and eight strikeouts over six innings. Boston eventually won that contest as a $1.40 road ‘chalk,’ 3-2, while the combined five runs failed to eclipse the 9 1/2-run closing total.
Detroit actually has a better road record this season (40-22) than at home (37-19), helping backers to +1632 units when the team is playing outside the Motor City. The ‘under’ has also been a good play with the Tigers in the road grays, going 35-24 for +1550 units.
Boston hasn’t been a shabby team at Fenway Park this year, enjoying a 38-18 record for +1248 units. The ‘over’ is 32-22 during those outings for a modest +690 units.
Tuesday’s forecast is calling for morning showers, with a high of 84 degrees and a low of 66.
Brad Young can be reached at byoung@vegasinsider.com.
