Baseball returns Friday with a schedule that would make a serious sports fan weep. Today, we bring you the best five baseball games to bet on for the day.
Read on for our breakdowns of the five games that most earn your dollar, and check out our analysis of how team’s chances look based on some historical post-All-Star Break here. To get set to bet, create a betting account now and cash in on the baseball action all summer long.
[sc:MultiSportArticles ]MLB Picks and Predictions for Friday, July 18, 2014
Cincinnati Reds vs. New York Yankees (7:05 PM ET)
Line: Cincinnati Reds at New York Yankees – view all MLB lines
[sc:MLB240banner ]The Cincinnati Reds are coming off the All-Star break having won seven of their last nine games. Cincinnati will start Mike Leake (7-7, 3.54 ERA) on the mound. The pitcher’s last outing was a close 6-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in which he surrendered four runs in six innings.
Meanwhile, injury trouble had the New York Yankees on a downward slide going into the break, as they lost 10 of their last 16. However, the Yankees will start David Phelps (3-4, 3.94 ERA), who has gone 2-0 over his last six starts. For more on the game, check out our complete preview and prediction here.
Writer’s prediction: Cincinnati takes advantage of the New York Yankees’ injury woes and wins.
Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (7:05 PM ET)
Line: Colorado Rockies at Pittsburgh Pirates – view all MLB lines
The pitching matchup for this game cannot be more different than it already is. Colorado’s Jorge De La Rosa (10-6, 4.56 ERA) has won his last four starts while allowing 12 runs.
On the other hand, Pittsburgh’s Francisco Liriano (1-7, 4.72 ERA) has lost four of his last six starts. Liriano surrendered 18 runs over the six-game stretch. However, Pittsburgh plays significantly better at home, while the Rockies struggle on the road, having gone 16-30 in 46 games away from Colorado.
Writer’s prediction: Pittsburgh will be energized by the home crowd and deal the visiting Colorado Rockies a loss.
Houston Astros vs. Chicago White Sox (8:10 PM ET)
Line: Houston Astros at Chicago White Sox – view all MLB lines
The Houston Astros need to come up with a win soon as they have gone 4-6 SU in their last 10 games, including an 11-0 loss against the struggling Boston Red Sox. The team has gone 1-4 in Scott Feldman (4-6, 4.33 ERA)’s last five starts, so the drought may not be over yet.
In the meantime, the White Sox have lost four of their last five games. However, Chicago has a bright spot in starter Jose Quintana (5-7, 3.24 ERA), who has surrendered only three runs in 21 innings over his last three starts.
Writer’s prediction: Quintana leads the White Sox to a win over Houston.
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Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals (8:15 PM ET)
Line: Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals – view all MLB lines
The L.A. Dodgers currently top the NL West with a .557 winning percentage. Despite leading the division, they are 3-7 in their last ten road games against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Dodgers are starting Dan Haren (8-6, 4.23 ERA) who has lost back-to-back games surrendering 12 earned runs. On the other hand, St. Louis will start Lance Lynn (10-6, 3.14 ERA) on the mound. Lynn is coming off back-to-back wins. At the plate, Jhonny Peralta will lead the scoring against Los Angeles as he has hit .296 against Haren.
Writer’s prediction: St. Louis takes one from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Baltimore Orioles at Oakland Athletics (10:05 PM ET)
Line: Baltimore Orioles at Oakland Athletics – view all MLB lines
The Baltimore Orioles are the fourth-best in the league when it comes to batting with a .265 average. Baltimore’s Nelson Cruz looks to be a man possessed, hitting .287 for the Orioles this season and leading the team in RBIs with 74.
The Oakland Athletics, meanwhile, has dominated on both offense and defense on their way to lead the majors with a record of 59-36 SU. The A’s are starting Jeff Samardzija (3-8, 2.78 ERA), who pitched well in his last outing but lacked the run support to clinch the game against Seattle.
You can read the full analysis and prediction here.
Writer’s prediction: The A’s batting will be there to provide Samardzija the run support he needs. Oakland turns back the visiting Baltimore Orioles.
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