Los Angeles Angels vs. Baltimore Orioles – Major League Baseball – Betting Preview and Prediction – July 31, 2014

The Baltimore Orioles have the floundering Los Angeles Angels on the brink of a series sweep for the second time in two weeks. They send Bud Norris and his impeccable record against LA to the mound tonight to get the job done but will Mike Trout and the dormant Angel bats wake up in time to spoil to O’s party?

This battle between two of MLB’s pace-setters is just one-fifth of the great selection of games for tonight. View all five in today’s MLB Free Picks and read on for more on the Angels-Orioles.
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Los Angeles Angels vs. Baltimore Orioles, Major League Baseball, Betting Preview and Prediction

Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore

When: Thursday, July 31, 7:00 PM ET

Line: Los Angeles Angels (-114) at Baltimore Orioles (+104); total 9.0 – view all MLB lines

Betting on the Los Angeles Angels

It’s been a tale of two Julys for the LA Angels. The pre-All Star Game half of the month was awesome as they went on a torrid 12-2 streak entering the break. Unfortunately, that break has seemingly sapped all the momentum from the team, which has struggled to a 6-6 record post-ASG.

[sc:MLB240banner ]Their offense has been especially disappointing. The most potent offense in the game pre-ASG has scored a paltry 39 runs in a dozen games. Not even the best player in the game is immune to the malaise. MVP candidate Mike Trout is now just 3-for-23 over the last week.

He and the rest of his struggling teammates have a chance to get going against O’s starter, Bud Norris, against whom they’ve hit pretty well. Trout is 5-for-16 with three doubles against Norris, while both Josh Hamilton and David Freese are batting .400 against the O’s pitcher in 15 and 20 at-bats, respectively.

Tonight’s starter, Tyler Skaggs (5-5, 4.49 ERA), will look to build on his decent outing in his last start against Detroit on July 25. After surrendering 16 runs in his previous four starts in July, Skaggs allowed just one run in 5.2 innings to help the Angels get the win.

Betting on the Baltimore Orioles

Winners of three in a row and five of their last six, the Orioles are one win away from their first series sweep of the Angels since 2010.

The O’s haven’t been winning those games by blowing teams away with their offense. They’ve scored just 35 runs in their last 10, but they were able to get to the Angels’ aces, Jered Weaver and Garrett Richards, in the last two games. Adam Jones, in particular, has been swinging a hot bat (five for his last 14), which he used to touch both up with home runs.

Skaggs is susceptible to giving up long bombs; he’s surrendered one in three of his last four starts. Jones and the home run-happy O’s (128 HRs, 2nd in MLB) could see their fair share of meatballs against Skaggs tonight.

Bud Norris (8-7, 3.94 ERA) takes the ball for the O’s with the intention of improving his amazing record against the Angels. Norris is 4-0 with a 0.52 ERA in five career starts versus Los Angeles. The totals for all five of those games have also gone under. The latest of those wins came just last week as he limited LA to two runs (one earned) over 6.2 innings in a 4-2 road win.

Writer’s Prediction

Baltimore’s bats rough up Skaggs and Norris pitches well enough to get the W as the Orioles complete the sweep. Create a betting account today and get in on the MLB’s simmering pennant races.
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