The Boston Red Sox (14-17) and the Oakland Athletics (12-21) can relate to each other’s current situation. Both teams are currently drowning in mediocrity this month, causing each to plunge down even deeper down their respective divisions. There’s a lot of time to turn things around, though, starting with their upcoming series in Oakland. Will the Red Sox take Game 1 of this three-game set? Or will the A’s mercifully end their eyesore of a losing streak?
In another ball game tonight, the Miami Marlins and the LA Dodgers play Game 1 of their own three-game series. Click here for a detailed preview of that game.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics Preview
Where: O.co Coliseum, Oakland
When: Monday, May 11, 2015, 10:05 PM ET
Line: Boston Red Sox (+122) vs. Oakland Athletics (+160); total: 7.5 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Boston Red Sox
Wins are coming few and far in between for Boston this season. But with Rick Porcello on the mound, the Red Sox are hoping to defy that trend as they aim to win back-to-back games for the first time this month. The Red Sox are 3-0 in Porcello’s last three starts, including their 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on May 5.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Boston, which snapped a three-game losing streak on Sunday by beating the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-3, is only 2-7 in nine games thus far this month. The struggle is clearly a product of a misfiring offense that managed to put up just 22 total runs in those games. Add to that the team’s faulty pitching that gave up 42 runs during that stretch, and the Red Sox have big problems to address moving forward.
The win over Toronto and a looming Porcello (3-2, 4.38 ERA) start, however, offer Boston something to feel optimistic about when it takes on Oakland later tonight. The six runs the Red Sox scored on Sunday was the most it had in a game this month.
Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia have been the Red Sox’s best performers at the plate over the team’s last six games. Betts leads the team during that stretch with a .320 batting average (8-for-25) with three homers, while Pedroia is 5-for-32 (.238) with three RBIs and three walks.
Porcello, meanwhile, enters the series opener against Oakland having thrown 12 straight scoreless innings. He went 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two starts as a Tiger versus the A’s last season.
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Betting on the Oakland Athletics
Maybe a change in scenery is just what the A’s need to stop their current four-game losing streak. After 11 road games to start this month wherein they went just 3-7, the A’s will head back home later tonight to face Boston. Oakland has fared well recently at O.co Coliseum when the Red Sox are in town. The A’s are 8-2 in their last 10 home games against Boston.
Scott Kazmir (2-1, 2.75 ERA) will be on the mound in the series opener against Boston. By the looks of his latest start, Kazmir is in dire need of a pick-me-up performance, one that he aims to get against the Red Sox. Kazmir was decimated by Minnesota on May 6, when he gave up six runs on seven hits and two walks in an embarrassing 13-0 Oakland loss. Up until that loss, Kazmir hadn’t allowed more than three runs in a start this season.
Dating back to Kazmir’s days as a Tampa Bay Ray, his teams are 8-4 in his last 12 home starts. In addition, Kazmir holds a 9-8 record and a 3.98 ERA in 27 career starts against Boston.
Behind Kazmir is a decent offense that ranks fourth in runs (150) and 11th in batting average (.260). Looking to make his mark in Game 1 of the series is Billy Butler, who is a career .347 (17-for-49) against Porcello. Coco Crisp, on the other hand, is .300 (6-for-20) against the Boston starter.
Writer’s Prediction
Oakland (+160) wins, 4-3.
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