After more late-game heroics in Games 1 and 2 of their ALCS against the Baltimore Orioles, the Kansas City Royals now find themselves just two wins away from their first American League pennant since 1985. They can get the first of those two wins in Game 3, with starter Jeremy Guthrie taking the mound against his former team.
Orioles vs. Royals Game 3 isn’t the only big game on Monday night. There’s also the Monday Night Football clash between the San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Rams. Complete your fix of sports action by checking our preview of that football game here.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Baltimore Orioles vs. Kansas City Royals Betting Preview
Series Schedule & Results
Game 1 – Friday, October 10, Kansas City Royals 8 at Baltimore Orioles 6
Game 2 – Saturday, October 11, Kansas City Royals 6 at Baltimore Orioles 4
Game 3 – Monday, October 13, Baltimore Orioles (-103) at Kansas City Royals (-107); total 7.5 – view all MLB lines
Game 4 – Tuesday, October 14, Baltimore Orioles at Kansas City Royals
Game 5*– Wednesday, October 15, Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles
Game 6* — Friday, October 17, Baltimore Orioles at Kansas City Royals
Game 7* — Saturday, October 18, Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles
*If necessary
Betting on the Baltimore Orioles
For the second-straight game, the Baltimore Orioles starters couldn’t get past the fifth inning and for the second-straight game, their bullpen wasn’t quite good enough to close the door in the final innings.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen will be the next to take the ball in hopes of ending that unwanted streak, but he didn’t fare too well himself in his first postseason start against the Tigers in Game 2 of the ALDS. Chen lasted just 3.2 innings after giving up five runs and two earned runs. This was after Chen finished the regular season on a high, posting a 2.05 ERA in September.
Encouragingly for the O’s, Chen faced the Royals twice this season, and came away victorious in both instances. Chen went 12.1 innings, gave up just three total earned runs in those two starts.
Chen should have his share of run support, with the O’s averaging just over six runs per game in the postseason. The big bats of Nelson Cruz and Adam Jones have more than done their share, with Cruz on a streak of five-straight playoff games with two hits, while Adam Jones launched his first postseason home run in the Game 2 loss.
Betting on the Kansas City Royals
The incredible playoff run of the Kansas City Royals continues to roll on with an extra dose of dramatics. Last Saturday’s 6-4 win was just their second game which hasn’t gone onto extra innings this postseason, but it was the fifth time in six games where they’ve scored at least one run in the ninth inning or later.
The Royals’ out-of-nowhere power surge has also kept on going. Mike Moustakas, who hit just 15 homers in the regular season, has two in two games and the team has eight in total this postseason. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer continue to swing hot bats with eight and seven playoff hits, respectively.
Kansas City’s normally dependable starters have surrendered four runs apiece in the first two games, but their excellent bullpen once again shut the door on the O’s. After giving up two runs in Game 1, the Royals’ relievers redeemed themselves with 3.1 shutout innings in Game 2.
Game 3 starter Jeremy Guthrie is a workhorse (he went 202.5 innings this season) but only Justin Verlander pitched more innings and had a higher ERA than Guthrie’s 4.13 ERA. Guthrie didn’t have much success against the Orioles in the two games he faced them. He went 15 innings, but gave up six earned runs on 11 hits as he took the loss on both occasions.
Writer’s Prediction
The Royals’ run of good luck finally comes to an end in Game 3. Take the O’s (-103) on the road. Create a betting account now as the MLB playoffs creeps closer to the World Series.
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