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Wednesday’s Diamond Notes

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
6 minute read
Editor's Note: Kevin Rogers continues to dominate the betting counter with his guaranteed selections (+3251) in pro baseball. Click to win!

Hottest team: Indians (7-3 last 10)

Cleveland rebounded from a blowout loss at Texas on Monday night to roll the Rangers last night, 10-3. The Indians have won four of their first five games on their current road trip, while scoring at least eight runs in three of those victories. Although the Tribe remains 10 games behind the Twins for the top spot in the AL Central, Cleveland is one five American League teams to own winning records both at home and on the road this season.

The Indians play the third of their four-game series in Arlington tonight as Adam Plutko takes the mound. Plutko has been solid in June by beating the Yankees and Tigers his last time two times out, while tossing six innings and allowing two runs each. Cleveland enters tonight’s action by winning four consecutive Game 3’s of a road series since May.

Coldest team: Orioles (0-7 last seven)

It’s easy to be slotted in this category when you have dropped 13 consecutive series dating back to early May. The Orioles clinched another series defeat after falling to the Athletics last night, 16-2 as Oakland busted things open by scoring 10 runs in the sixth inning. For the fourth time in five games, the O’s were limited to two runs, while losing their fifth consecutive game to Oakland this season.

The Orioles and A’s finish off their series this afternoon as Baltimore is a heavy underdog once again. Jimmy Yacabonis makes his first start of the season for the O’s following 13 relief appearances as the right-hander owns an ERA of 5.40. For as bad as Baltimore has been this season, the Orioles are trying to avoid only their second sweep in a road series of three or more games.

Hottest pitcher: Lucas Giolito, White Sox (10-1, 2.22 ERA)

The Chicago right-hander keeps impressing with every start he makes following his eighth consecutive victory last Friday. Giolito allowed one run or less for the seventh time in eight outings as he shut down the Yankees in a 10-2 blowout as a short home favorite. Interestingly enough, the two games in which Giolito has received his best run support came against the Bronx Bombers with the 10-run output last Friday and a nine-run burst back in April. Giolito seeks his career-best 11th victory as he faces the cross-town rival Cubs, as the hurler cashed as a +235 underdog at Wrigley Field last May.

Coldest pitcher: Aaron Sanchez, Blue Jays (3-8, 5.04 ERA)

Three seasons ago, Sanchez posted an incredible 15-2 mark to go along with a 3.00 ERA to help lead Toronto to the ALCS. Since 2017, Sanchez has compiled an 8-17 record, as the right-hander is winless in his past nine starts. Sanchez is coming off his worst start of 2019 after getting lit up for eight runs in three innings of a 15-2 drubbing at Houston last Friday. The California native won his first two starts at home this season, but Sanchez and the Jays have failed to pick up a victory at Rogers Center in his last four tries, in spite of tossing at least six innings each time out.

Biggest OVER run: Braves (10-0 last 10)

Although Jacob deGrom shut down the potent Atlanta lineup on Tuesday, the Braves managed to cash their 10th straight OVER thanks to the Mets picking up a 10-2 blowout at SunTrust Park. Tuesday marked the first time in the past 10 contests for the NL East leaders that they were limited to fewer than five runs, while the Braves allowed their most runs since giving up 14 in a home defeat to Washington on May 29. The Braves send out southpaw Max Fried tonight, who has seen the OVER cash in five of his last six starts, while giving up at five runs in two of his past three outings. The Mets have cashed the OVER in three of their last four road games when facing a left-handed starting pitcher, while seeing Fried for the first time in 2019.

Biggest UNDER run: Reds (13-1 last 14)

Cincinnati seeks a sweep this afternoon of the AL West-leading Astros after picking up back-to-back one-run victories. The Reds jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Monday’s contest before holding off the Astros, 3-2 on an 8 ½ total, while Cincinnati scored three early runs off Justin Verlander in last night’s 4-3 triumph. Cincinnati has allowed three runs or less in six of the past seven games, while facing three teams with winning records from the American League (Cleveland, Texas, and Houston). Tyler Mahle takes the ball for the Reds today as the right-hander has seen the UNDER hit in nine of 12 starts this season.

Matchup to watch: Rockies vs. Diamondbacks

Following a wild weekend split with the Padres that included blowing a pair of late leads, the Rockies got back on track in Monday’s 8-1 rout of the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Colorado continued its dominance of Arizona this season by winning its sixth straight matchup, highlighted by Nolan Arenado’s 18th home run to start the scoring in the first inning.

The D-backs dropped their third straight home series opener, but look to rebound behind their ace on the mound tonight. Zack Greinke is coming off a pair of scoreless appearances his last two times out against the Blue Jays and Nationals on the road by tossing 13.1 innings and yielding six hits and striking out 10 batters. Arizona has won five of Greinke’s six home starts this season, while the former Cy Young winner picked up a pair of no-decisions in two starts at Colorado in one-run losses back in May.

Jon Gray made a rare relief appearance in Sunday’s meltdown loss to San Diego as he walked Padres’ pinch hitter (and pitcher) Matt Strahm with the bases loaded in a 13-13 game with two outs as the Rockies eventually lost, 14-13. The Rockies have won four of Gray’s last five starts, but the right-hander has given up four runs or more in four of his past five outings away from Coors Field. Gray picked up a no-decision against Arizona on May 27 in a 4-3 Rockies’ win in 11 innings as the former Oklahoma standout gave up five hits and two runs in 5.1 innings of work.

Betcha didn’t know: The Tigers captured the opener at Pittsburgh last night to snap a four-game skid. Detroit owns a 1-4 record this season on the road following a victory in a series opener, while giving up at least five runs in all four losses. Jordan Zimmermann returns to the mound after missing nearly the last two months with a right elbow strain as the Detroit right-hander yielded five runs in each of his last three starts prior to his injury.

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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