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Friday's Tip Sheet
 

After a somewhat abbreviated card Thursday, all 30 teams are back in action Friday. Every game will be under the lights.

In the National League, Atlanta will look to stay hot when it hosts the NL-West leading Diamondbacks, who are hoping to shake off a three-game sweep at Florida. In the AL, Boston heads west to take on the Oakland A’s.

**Diamondbacks at Braves**

--Atlanta (26-21, +113) has won five in a row to improve its home record to 20-5. The Braves are fresh off a dominating four-game sweep of the arch-rival Mets. Not only did Bobby Cox’s team get out the brooms, but it beat up on Willie Randolph’s squad by a combined score of 27-9.

--With last night's game on the line, Chipper Jones slapped an RBI single to right field to break up a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh. Jones, the career-long Mets killer who improved his majors-leading batting average to .412, delivered the game-winning heroics against Johan Santana. Tim Hudson worked eight strong innings for his seventh win of the season.

--Arizona (28-18, +625) will be glad to get out of Miami, where it took broom treatment against the Marlins. The D-backs lost a 4-0 decision Thursday as minus 135 favorites. Nevertheless, they maintain a 2 ½-game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West.

--Most books have installed Atlanta as a minus 130 favorite with a total of 10 ‘under’ (minus 120). Gamblers can back the Braves on the run line (minus 1 ½ runs) for a plus 150 return.

--Cox will give the starting nod to LHP Jo-Jo Reyes (2-1, 4.12 ERA), who was rocked for seven hits and seven earned runs in just four innings in his lone career start against the D-backs.

--Doug Davis (1-1, 3.72) will make his first start since April 8. The lefty has been recovering from thyroid cancer surgery. Davis has zero decisions and a 2.84 ERA in three lifetime starts against Atlanta.

--Arizona fell to 11-7 against lefties after losing last night against the Marlins’ Andrew Miller. By beating Santana, the Braves improved to 9-10 versus southpaws.

--Arizona has seen the ‘under’ cash in six consecutive games. However, the ‘over’ is still 27-20 overall for the D-backs, 11-11 in their road outings.

--The ‘under’ is an MLB-best 30-18 overall for Atlanta. The Braves have watched the ‘under’ go 16-12 in their home games.

--Atlanta is in second place in the NL East, 1 1/2 games behind division-leading Florida.

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**Red Sox at A’s**

--Most spots are listing Oakland (25-23, +402) as a minus 120 favorite for the lid-lifter of this three-game series. The A’s are plus 170 on the run line.

--Boston (31-19, +1,030) completed a series sweep of Kansas City on Thursday afternoon, collecting an 11-8 win over the Royals as a minus 200 ‘chalk.’ J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell were the catalysts with one grand slam apiece. It was the first time a pair of Red Sox had hit slams on the same day since 1984.

--Rich Harden (2-0, 2.91) is 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA in four career starts against Boston. With that said, the right-hander has been sharp in two outings against the Red Sox this season, allowing only one earned run in 11 innings. Harden comes into this spot with five days of rest after pitching seven strong innings in Saturday’s win at Atlanta.

--Boston slugger David Ortiz is 5-for-8 (.625) against Harden with a pair of homers. Manny Ramirez is 3-for-8 (.375) off the righty with each hit leaving the yard.

--Tim Wakefield (3-2, 4.33) will get the ball for the Red Sox, who are 10-14 on the road. The 41-year-old knuckleballer is 9-5 with a 4.03 lifetime ERA against Oakland. Wakefield is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA in five road assignments this year.

--Terry Francona’s team has watched the ‘over’ 26-23 overall, 13-10 in its road games.

--Oakland has been the most consistent ‘under’ team in the AL, watching it hit at a 27-18 overall clip. The A’s have seen the ‘under’ go 13-9 in their home games.

--The A's, who are 13-11 at home, trail the Angels by 2 1/2 games in the AL West.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--Toronto RHP Roy Halladay is 7-3 with a 3.11 ERA in 12 career starts against Kansas City. The Blue Jays are minus 155 home favorites against the Royals tonight.

--The ‘over’ is an MLB-best 32-18 in Pittsburgh games.

--Tampa Bay RHP Matt Garza owns a 4-0 record and 3.54 ERA in five career starts against tonight’s foe, Baltimore. The Rays are minus 130 home favorites. They are 2 ½ games back of division-leading Boston.

--A pair of southpaws – Barry Zito and Scott Olsen – will oppose each tonight when San Francisco and Florida square off at Dolphin Stadium. The Marlins are 5-5 against lefties, while the Giants are 5-9. Zito is hoping to improve on an 0-8 record and 6.25 ERA.

--The thought of Zito prompts my latest installment of top-five worst MLB acquisitions ever:
1-Ed Whitson (Yankees)
2-Nick Esasky (Braves)
3-Bruce Sutter (Braves)
4-Barry Zito (Giants)
5-Len Barker (Braves)

--After cashing my lone play last night with the Braves as plus 120 'dogs, I've got these selections in tonight's pick pack.

Brian Edwards can be reached at briane@vegasinsider.com.

  
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