The Baltimore Orioles took a 1-0 lead in their American League Division Series matchup with the Detroit Tigers, after pounding out a 12-3 victory. Will the Orioles have their way again tonight against Tigers starter Justin Verlander? Or will Detroit strike back to knot the series at 1-1?
We also have previews of Week 5 games in the NFL, including Bengals vs. Pats, and Chiefs vs. 49ers.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview
Series Schedule & Results
Game 1 – Detroit Tigers 3 vs. Baltimore Orioles 12
Game 2 – Friday, October 3, Detroit Tigers (-103) vs. Baltimore Orioles (-107); total: 7.5 – view all MLB lines
Game 3 – Sunday, October 5, Baltimore Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers
Game 4* – Monday, October 6, Baltimore Orioles vs. Detroit Tigers
Game 5* – Wednesday, October 8, Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles
*If necessary
Betting on the Detroit Tigers
[sc:MLB240banner ]Max Scherzer was simply no match against the big bats of the Orioles, who scored five runs off the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner in Game 1. After Baltimore’s offense sent that powerful message to the Tigers’ pitching staff, it’s now time for Justin Verlander to get on the mound and prove that his September numbers were indicators that he’s about to turn it on this postseason.
Verlander is coming off a regular season in which he posted a 15-12 record and pedestrian ERA of 4.54, the highest he’s had since 2008 when he finished with a 4.84. He even went 0-3 in June to go along with a 6.82 ERA. However, September has been a relatively good month for the 2011 AL MVP, posting a 3-1 record and a 3.89 ERA. He looked sharp in his last two outings, wherein he allowed just two earned runs, issued no walks, and struck out 10 batters over 15.1 innings of work.
Aside from Verlander, the Tigers’ bullpen must also get it together in Game 2. The Tigers do not have the best set of relief pitchers. In fact, they have the worst bullpen (4.29 ERA) among teams still in the hunt. It definitely was the case in Game 1 when Joba Chamberlain, Joakim Soria, and Phil Coke combined for six earned runs to make the game practically out of Detroit’s reach.
Detroit can’t put the game at the hands of their unreliable relievers, whose presence on the mound is always a nail-biter. That said, the offense must click early, putting the onus on Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, and the rest of the batting lineup that produced 757 runs during the regular season. Cabrera is hitting 6-for-18 (.333) with three homers in the last five games, while Martinez is 6-for-17 (.353) with two home runs in the last six.
Betting on the Baltimore Orioles
One of the things we learned in Game 1 of this ALDS matchup was that Nelson Cruz was still the same beast that produced monster postseason numbers for the Texas Rangers a couple of seasons ago. Cruz led the O’s in an absolute show of power at the plate, hitting a homer right in the first inning and finishing the game with three RBIs on two hits.
Baltimore’s power hitting was the real difference in Game 1, as Cruz and the rest of the O’s drove in 11 runs. Most of it came from the O’s five extra-base hits, the most thus far among teams in this postseason. Jonathan Schoop and Alejandro De Aza combined for four RBIs coming from doubles.
Game 2 starter Wei-Yin Chen is certainly looking forward to have that kind of offense behind him again on Friday, when he takes the mound opposite Verlander. After all, Chen was among the biggest benefactor of the O’s offense, having finished the regular season with a 5.67 run support average per nine innings pitched, 13th-most among starters in the majors with at least 60 innings of work.
Chen’s overall performance in September, though, suggests that he has the stuff to win the game despite moderate reinforcement from the offense. He finished the month with a 2-2 record and a season-best 2.05 ERA.
Writer’s Prediction
Verlander pitches well, but the Tigers’ bullpen collapses again against Baltimore. The Orioles win, 5-4. Create a betting account now, while odds are still available.
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