6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+111)

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are 1-9 in their last 10 games overall to fall below .500 at 32-33 on the season.  They have played a tough stretch of teams which is the big reason for their downfall.  But now they get to host the lowly Miami Marlins for a 3-game set for a chance to get right.  They will get right in Game 1 thanks to their edge on the rubber.  Braxton Garrett will be making his 2nd start of the season after yielding 2 runs and 8 base runners in 4 innings of a 3-4 home loss to Colorado on June 9.  Adam Wainwright sports a 2.62 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 8 home starts this year for the Cardinals.  Wainwright is 6-2 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 11 lifetime starts against the Marlins.  Take St. Louis.

6* AL *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (-115)

The Key: The New York Yankees have a big edge on the rubber tonight over the Minnesota Twins.  Gerrit Cole is 6-3 with a 2.26 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 12 starts this year.  Randy Dobnak is 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 3 starts this year.  The Yankees are 64-21 in the last 85 matchups with the Twins.  Take New York on the Run Line.

6* NL *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-114)

The Key: The Dodgers come in hungry for a victory off 2 straight losses at Atlanta.  They will make easy work of the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates tonight.  Ace Walker Buehler has yet to lose this season for the Dodgers, going 4-0 with a 2.82 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 11 starts.  J.T. Brubaker is 1-2 with a 6.35 ERA in his last 3 outings for the Pirates.  Buehler held the Pirates to one run in 6 innings in his lone lifetime start against them in a 10-2 Dodgers' victory.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line.

6* NL *MOUND MISMATCH* on Milwaukee Brewers -1.5 (-105)

The Key: The Milwaukee Brewers are 7-1 in their last 8 games overall.  They have a big edge on the rubber today over the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are 5-26 in their last 31 games overall.  Brandon Woodruff is 4-2 with a 1.27 ERA in 11 starts this year and 2-1 with a 0.42 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Merrill Kelly is 2-6 with a 5.04 ERA in 11 starts this year and 1-4 with a 6.15 ERA in 6 road starts.  Kelly is 0-1 with a 5.56 ERA in 2 lifetime starts against the Brewers.  Take Milwaukee on the Run Line.

6* AL *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago White Sox -1.5 (-116)

The Key: The Chicago White Sox have continued their dominance against left-handed starters this year as they are scoring 7.0 RPG against southpaws in 2021.  They are now 28-3 against southpaw starters over the last 2 years and winning by nearly 4 RPG.  Skubal sports a 4.78 ERA in 9 starts this year and a 7.31 ERA in 4 road starts.  Giolito has held 5 of his last 6 opponents to one earned run or fewer.  Take Chicago on the Run Line.

6* AL *MOUND MISMATCH* on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-105)

The Key: The Baltimore Orioles have lost 14 straight games with 11 losses by 2 runs or more.  It should be more of the same here against the Minnesota Twins, who have a big edge on the rubber tonight.  Michael Pineda sports a 2.62 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 8 starts this year.  Bruce Zimmerman sports a 5.68 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 8 starts this year.  The Twins are 10-0 in their last 10 matchups with the Orioles.  Take Minnesota on the Run Line.

6* NL *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Mets -1.5 (+100)

The Key: The Arizona Diamondbacks are 1-13 in their last 14 games and 4-22 in their last 26 games.  The New York Mets are 4-0 in their last 4 games and just put up 13 runs on the Braves last time out.  The Mets have a big edge on the rubber tonight that should lead to them winning this game by 2 runs or more.  Jacob DeGrom sports a 0.80 ERA and 0.60 WHIP this year with 74 strikeouts and only 3 HR's yielded in 45 innings.  Merrill Kelly is 2-5 with a 4.84 ERA in 10 starts for the Diamondbacks.  DeGrom has never lost to Arizona, going 4-0 with a 1.65 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against them.  Take New York on the Run Line.

6* AL *MOUND MISMATCH* on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (+102)

The Key: The Baltimore Orioles have lost 13 straight games with 11 losses by 2 runs or more.  It should be more of the same here against the Minnesota Twins, who have a big edge on the rubber this afternoon.  Jose Berrios is 6-0 with a 3.27 ERA in 7 lifetime starts against the Orioles.  Berrios sports a 2.60 ERA in his 5 road starts this year.  Jorge Lopez is 0-3 with a 7.78 ERA in 5 home starts.  Lopez is 1-2 with a 6.08 ERA in 5 lifetime starts against the Twins.  Take Minnesota on the Run Line.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago White Sox -1.5 (-114)

The Key: The Chicago White Sox are 27-3 against left-handed starters over the last 2 years and winning by 4.0 RPG.  Now they face lefty Keegan Akin and an Orioles team that is 0-12 in their last 12 games overall with 10 losses by 2 runs or more.  Lucas Giolito has won each of his last 2 starts while yielding only 2 earned runs and 9 base runners in 14 innings with 16 strikeouts.  Take Chicago on the Run Line.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago White Sox -1.5 (-113)

The Key: The Chicago White Sox are 25-3 against left-handed starters over the last 2 years and winning by 4.1 RPG.  They are scoring 7.8 RPG against left-handed starters in 2021.  Now they face lefty Bruce Zimmerman, who is 1-3 with a 6.27 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in 7 starts this year, including 0-1 with a 9.52 ERA and 2.38 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  They are up against an Orioles team that is 0-9 in their last 9 games overall with 7 losses by 2 runs or more.  Dylan Cease is 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 9 starts for the White Sox.  Cease has been at his best at home at 1-0 with a 2.10 ERA in 5 home starts this year.  Take Chicago on the Run Line.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+100)

The Key: The Cardinals are 21-6 in their last 27 matchups with the Pirates.  Jack Flaherty is 7-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 10 lifetime starts against Pittsburgh.  Flaherty is 7-0 with a 2.47 ERA in 8 starts this year.  The Cardinals are 8-0 in his 8 starts and outscoring the opposition by 5.9 RPG.  Trevor Cahill sports a 5.97 ERA in 7 starts this year.  Cahill is 0-3 with a 5.80 ERA in 7 lifetime starts against the Cardinals.  Take St. Louis on the Run Line.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-111)

The Key: The Dodgers exploded for 14 runs yesterday to put an end to their 4-game losing streak.  It should be more of the same today as they get after Jose Quintana, who is 0-3 with a 10.59 ERA and 2.24 WHIp in 5 starts this year for the Angels.  He has already yielded 20 earned runs in 17 innings.  The Dodgers have a big edge on the rubber today with Trevor Bauer, who sports a 2.44 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 7 starts this year with 58 strikeouts in 44 1/3 innings.  The Dodgers are 41-13 in their last 54 Sunday games.  The Dodgers are 7-1 in the last 8 matchups.  Take the Dodgers on the Run Line.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+102)

The Key: The St. Louis Cardinals are 10-4 in their last 14 games overall.  They have a big edge on the rubber tonight over the Colorado Rockies.  Jack Flaherty is 5-0 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 6 starts this year, and 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 0.50 WHIP in 2 home starts.  Austin Gomber is 2-3 with a 5.90 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 6 starts this year, and 1-2 with a 7.20 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 4 road starts.  Flaherty sports a 3.18 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts against the Rockies.  The Cardinals are 15-2 in their last 17 games off a game where they had 4 or fewer hits.  They are bouncing back to win by 2.5 RPG in this situation.  Take St. Louis on the Run Line.

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-117)

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers are 13-3 this year with 11 of those wins coming by 2 runs or more. It should be more of the same here against the lowly Seattle Mariners who are off to a good start against a soft schedule. They will meet their match here in the Dodgers. Los Angeles has a big edge on the rubber tonight with Dustin May over Justus Sheffield. May is 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA this year in 2 starts, while Sheffield is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in his 2 starts. Take Los Angeles on the Run Line.

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on San Diego Padres -1.5 (-133)

The Key: The San Diego Padres are 8-3 this season with all 8 victories coming by 2 runs or more.  So I like the price we are getting with them on the Run Line today against one of the worst teams in baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Blake Snell sports a 1.86 ERA in his 2 starts this year with 16 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings.  Chad Kuhl sports a 6.43 ERA in his 2 starts this year with 5 earned runs and 8 walks yielded in 7 innings.  Kuhl sports a 4.60 ERA and 1.660 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts against the Padres.  Take San Diego on the Run Line.

6* Dodgers/Braves Game 5 *CA$H COW* on Los Angeles -1.5 (-140)

The Key: The Dodgers won’t go down without a fight.  They’ve come too far and too close to another World Series to give up after being down 3-1 in this series.  They’ll give the ball to Dustin May, who is 2-1 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 11 starts this year.  He has been very solid in the postseason as well.  The Braves are likely to give the ball to Josh Tomlin, who is 1-2 with a 6.33 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 5 starts this year.  It really doesn’t matter if they start someone else, I’m still on the Dodgers on the Run Line here as the road team.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line.

7* Dodgers/Braves Game 4 *HEAVY HITTER* on Los Angeles -1.5 (-139)

The Key: Clayton Kershaw is back healthy here after back spasms kept him out of his Game 2 start.  That’s great news for the Dodgers considering Kershaw is 7-0 with a 1.49 ERA in 14 lifetime starts against the Braves having never lost to them.  The Dodgers just put up a 15-spot in Game 3 after scoring 7 runs in the final 3 innings of Game 2.  They are hot at the plate and have their ace on the rubber tonight.  That’s a winning combination.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line.

7* NLCS Game of the Year on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-115)

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t lost 3 in a row all season.  They aren’t about to start now.  They have a big edge on the rubber with Urias over Wright tonight and it will show as the Dodgers win this game by 2 runs or more.  The Dodgers are 47-19 in their last 66 games off a loss and a perfect 4-0 off 2 consecutive losses in 2020.  They win with room to spare in Game 3 tonight to get back into this series.  Take Los Angeles.

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-105)

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers are the best team in baseball at 43-17 on the season.  They are scoring 5.8 RPG and giving up just 3.5 RPG this year, so they are outscoring opponents by 2.3 RPG on average.  And I’ll take them on the Run Line here Wednesday.  Walker Buehler is 1-0 with a 3.44 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 8 starts this year and the Dodgers have gone 7-1 in those starts.  Buehler is 1-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 0.68 WHIP in 4 home starts.  He sports a 2.89 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts against the Brewers.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line.

6* MLB Interleague *CA$H COW* on New York Yankees -1.5 (+101)

The Key: The New York Yankees have a lot at stake in their final game of the season.  They can improve their seeding with a win.  The Marlins don’t have much to play for and are just happy to have made the postseason, especially after going just 2-5 in their last 7 games overall.  The Yankees will hang a big number on Jose Urena, who is 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 21 starts this year.  That should allow them to cover the -1.5 run line even with rookie Clarke Schmidt on the mound.  The Yankees are 18-2 as a home favorite of -150 or more this season and winning by 4.3 RPG.  Take New York on the Run Line.

6* MLB Interleague *CA$H COW* on Chicago White Sox -1.5 (+128)

The Key: The Chicago White Sox are 13-0 against left-handed starters in 2020 and scoring 6.9 RPG.  They get to face lefty Jon Lester for a 2nd time this season.  The 1st on August 21st was a disaster for Lester.  He yielded 8 runs and 4 homers in 3 2/3 innings of a 10-1 win for the White Sox.  Dane Dunning is 2-0 with a 3.19 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 6 starts this year, including 1-0 with a 2.20 ERA and 0.74 WHIP in 3 home starts.  Take the White Sox on the Run Line.

6* AL Central *CA$H COW* on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-135)

The Key: The Minnesota Twins have won 3 straight to pull within 0.5 games of the Chicago White Sox for 1st place in the AL Central.  They keep their momentum going today against the Detroit Tigers, who are 5-15 in their last 20 games overall.  The Twins have a big edge on the rubber in this one.  Kenta Maeda is 5-1 with a 2.52 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in 10 starts this year, and 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA and 0.52 WHIP in 4 home starts.  Casey Mize is 0-2 with a 6.09 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 6 starts for Detroit.  Mize is 0-0 with a 6.43 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 2 starts against the Twins this year.  The Twins are 15-3 in home games against right-handed starters this year and winning by 2.3 RPG on average.  The Twins are 21-4 vs. an AL starting pitcher with an ERA of 5.90 or worse over the last 2 years, and outscoring these teams by 3.0 RPG on average.  Take Minnesota on the Run Line.

6* AL West *CA$H COW* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-115)

The Key: The Houston Astros are fighting to make the postseason and have won 3 of their last 4 coming in.  The Mariners have been eliminated from postseason contention and are 2-6 in their last 8 games overall with all 6 losses coming by 2 runs or more.  The Astros have the edge on the rubber today with Zack Greinke, who is 3-2 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 11 starts this year.  Greinke is 7-1 with a 1.86 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 13 lifetime starts against the Mariners.  Nike Margevicius is 1-3 with a 5.34 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 6 starts this year, and 0-2 with a 6.89 ERA and 1.66 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  Greinke is 59-17 as a favorite of -175 to -250 lifetime with his teams winning by 2.1 RPG on average.  Take Houston on the Run Line.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (-115)

The Key: The New York Yankees are 10-0 in their last 10 games overall with 8 wins by 2 runs or more.  They have scored a combined 57 runs in their last 5 games and are getting healthy at the right time.  The Red Sox are 19-34 with nothing to play for.  Deivi Garcia has been superb for the Yankees, going 2-1 with a 3.28 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 4 starts, including 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 3 road starts.  The Yankees are 12-0 in their last 12 matchups with Boston with 11 of those wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Take New York on the Run Line.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (-131)

The Key: The New York Yankees are 9-0 in their last 9 games overall with 7 wins by 2 runs or more.  They have scored a combined 49 runs in their last 4 games and are getting healthy at the right time.  They have the edge on the rubber over the Red Sox once again today.  J.A. Happ is 1-2 with a 3.96 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 7 starts this year.  Chris Mazza is 1-1 with a 6.28 ERA and 1.81 WHIP in 4 starts.  Happ is 12-5 with a 3.22 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 26 lifetime starts against the Red Sox, which is no small feat.  Mazza is 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA and 3.00 WHIP in his lone lifetime start against the Yankees, which came back on August 16th.  The Yankees are 11-0 in their last 11 matchups with the Red Sox with 10 of those wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Take New York on the Run Line.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (-134)

The Key: The New York Yankees are now 8-0 in their last 8 games overall with 7 wins by 2 runs or more.  They have scored a combined 43 runs in their last 3 games and they are getting healthy at the right time.  Now they have a big edge on the rubber over the Boston Red Sox tonight.  Jordan Montgomery is 2-2 with a. 4.76 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 8 starts this year for the Yankees.  Montgomery has never lost to the Red Sox, going 1-0 with a. 3.42 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against them.  He has yielded just 2 runs in 9 1/3 innings in 2 starts against the Red Sox in 2020 alone.  Martin Perez is 0-3 with a 5.48 ERA in 4 home starts for the Red Sox this year.  Perez is 2-3 with a 9.85 ERA and 2.07 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts against the Yankees.  The Yankees are 10-0 in their last 10 matchups with the Red Sox with ALL 10 WINS BY 2 RUNS OR MORE.  Take New York on the Run Line.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (-119)

The Key: The New York Yankees have righted the ship by going 7-0 in their last 7 games overall with 6 wins by 2 runs or more.  They have scored a combined 33 runs in their first 2 games against Toronto in this series.  And now they have another big edge on the rubber tonight with Masahiro Tanaka over Chase Anderson.  Tanaka is 2-2 with a 3.16 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 8 starts this year.  He is 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 21 lifetime starts against the Blue Jays.  Chase Anderson is 0-1 with a 5.81 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 7 starts this year for the Blue Jays.  That includes 0-0 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.86 WHIP in 2 road starts.  The Yankees are 16-1 as a home favorite of -150 or more this year and winning by 4.4 RPG.  Take New York on the Run Line.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago White Sox -1.5 (-128)

The Key: The Chicago White Sox are 17-5 in their last 22 games overall and really making their move to win the AL Central.  They have a huge edge on the rubber tonight over the Detroit Tigers, who are coming off a double-header yesterday against the Cardinals, while the White Sox had yesterday off.  That’s a huge rest advantage too.  Lucas Giolito is 4-2 with a 3.29 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 9 starts this year.  One of those came against Detroit on August 20th when he pitched 7 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts in a 9-0 victory.  Casey Mize is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.71 WHIP in 4 starts for the Tigers.  One of those came against the White Sox on August 19th when he yielded 3 runs in 4 1/3 innings for a 6.24 ERA.  The White Sox are 6-1 against the Tigers in 202 with all 6 wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Take Chicago on the Run Line.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-109)

The Key: The Minnesota Twins have a huge edge on the rubber today with Michael Pineda over Michael Fulmer.  Pineda made his first start of the season for the Twins on September 1st and held the White Sox to 2 runs in 6 innings of a 3-2 victory.  Pineda is 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 8 lifetime starts against Detroit.  Fulmer is 0-0 with a 7.27 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in 6 starts this year.  Pineda is 11-1 off a team loss over the last 2 years with his teams winning by 4.1 RPG.  Take Minnesota on the Run Line.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-124)

The Key: The Minnesota Twins have a huge edge on the rubber tonight with Kenta Maeda over Tarik Skubal and that should lead to a win by multiple runs.  Maeda is 4-1 with a 2.53 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in 7 starts this year, including 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA and 0.36 WHIP in 2 home starts.  Skubal is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 3 starts for the Tigers, including 0-1 with a 10.39 ERA and 2.77 WHIP in 2 road starts.  Detroit is 24-72 when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 years, losing by 2.2 RPG.  Take Minnesota on the Run Line.

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (-115)

The Key: The Chicago Cubs have scored 18 runs in winning each of their last 2 games.  They will get after Joe Musgrove in this game as well.  The Pirates are 1-4 in their last 5 games.  The Cubs give the ball to Kyle Hendricks, who is 3-4 with a 4.09 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 7 starts this year.  Hendricks sports a 3.27 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 17 lifetime starts against Pittsburgh.  The Pirates are 11-41 in their last 52 against a team with a winning record.  The Cubs are 4-0 against the Pirates this year.  Take Chicago on the Run Line.

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-126)

The Key: The Minnesota Twins have had just 2 losing streaks the entire season.  It just so happens that both are 4-game skids like the one they are currently on.  They won’t be losing a 5th straight today.  Kenta Maeda is the real deal at 4-0 with a 2.21 ERA and 0.71 WHIP in 6 starts this year.  Casey Mize clearly still has some work to do in his rookie season.  Mize is 0-1 with a 7.05 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in his 2 starts.  The Twins are 70-25 in their last 95 games against a starter with a WHIP of greater than 1.30.  The Tigers are 29-83 in their last 112 games as underdogs, including 16-58 in their last 74 games as home underdogs.  Take Minnesota on the Run Line.

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (+109)

The Key: Two teams headed in opposite directions square off Friday when the Detroit Tigers visit the Cleveland Indians.  The Tigers are 0-9 in their last 9 games overall with all 9 losses coming by 2 runs or more.  The Indians are 6-0 in their last 6 games overall with all 6 wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Both trends will continue today considering Cleveland edge on the rubber.  Adam Plutko is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in his 2 home starts this year.  Plutko has never lost to the Tigers, going 4-0 (6-0 ML) with a 4.26 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts against them.  Michael Fulmer sports a 7.55 ERA and 2.04 WHIP in his 3 starts this year.  Fulmer is 2-4 with a 6.87 ERA and 1.79 WHIP in 9 lifetime starts against Cleveland.  The Indians are 34-7 against the Tigers over the last 3 years, including 18-2 in their 20 home meetings over this span.  Plutko is 13-1 as a favorite of -110 or higher over the last 2 years with the Indians winning by 3.9 RPG.  Fulmer is 0-12 when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 years with the Tigers losing by 4.6 RPG.  Take Cleveland on the Run Line.

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cincinnati Reds -1.5 (+108)

The Key: Sonny Gray has been one of the top starters in the game over the last 2 years.  Gray is 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 4 starts this year with 35 strikeouts in 24 innings.  That includes 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA and 0.70 WHIP in 3 home starts.  Chad Kuhl will be making just his 2nd start of the year for the Pirates.  Kuhl is 18-20 with a 4.30 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 64 games in MLB lifetime.  Gray is 14-1 at home when the total is 8.5 to 10 over the last 2 years and the Reds are winning by 3.5 RPG.  Take Cincinnati on the Run Line.

6* American League *CA$H COW* on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-115)

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays have lost 4 in a row.  They’ll be hungry to avoid the sweep here against Baltimore and I expect them to win in a blowout.  Yonny Chirinos fired 4 innings without allowing a single earned run against the Braves in his last start.  Tom Milone yielded 4 runs in 3 innings against Boston in a 2-13 loss in his last start.  Milone is 2-3 with a 6.28 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against Tampa Bay.  Chirinos sports a 4.15 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts against Baltimore.  The Orioles are 9-34 off a win by 2 runs or less over the last 3 years.  Take Tampa Bay on the Run Line.

7* American League *HEAVY HITTER* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-120)

The Key: Josh James is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 7 lifetime appearances against the Mariners.  Kendall Graveman will be making his first appearance since May 11, 2018 for the Mariners.  He went 1-5 with a 7.60 ERA in 2018.  The Astros are hitting .290 and scoring 7.0 RPG through 3 games this season behind one of the best lineups in MLB.  The Mariners are hitting .238 and scoring 3.7 RPG.  Seattle is 10-45 vs. teams outscoring opponents by 0.5 RPG or more over the last 2 years.  It is losing by 2.4 RPG in this situation.  Take Houston on the Run Line.

7* Nationals/Astros Game 6 *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington +1.5 (-135) 

The Key: Stephen Strasburg is too good to allow the Astros to beat the Nationals by more than one run tonight, let alone beat him at all.  I think the price is right to pull the trigger on the Nationals on the Run Line here.  Strasburg is 5-2 with a 1.34 ERA in 8 postseason starts lifetime.  Justin Verlander is 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA in his last 4 playoff starts this season.  Take Washington. 

7* Astros/Nationals Game 2 *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington +1.5 (-132) 

The Key: Stephen Strasburg is the biggest underdog he has ever been in his career tonight.  Only having to lay -132 on him on the +1.5 run line is a gift from the books.  Another game that’s expected to be a pitcher’s duel here and it’s likely this game is decided by one run either way.  Strasburg sports a 1.10 ERA in 7 lifetime postseason appearances with 6 starts.  Justin Verlander is 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA in his last 3 starts.  He has yielded 10 runs and 5 homers in 17 1/3 innings during this stretch.  The Nationals are 90-35 in Strasburg’s last 125 starts and 44-15 in his last 59 road starts.  Take Washington on the Run Line. 

7* Nationals/Astros Game 1 *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington +1.5 (-115) 

The Key: The total for this game is only 6.5, so oddsmakers are expecting a pitcher’s duel.  And when that’s the case there is a good chance the game is decided by one run either way.  Getting Max Scherzer on the run line here as only a -115 favorite is a great price.  Scherzer has been dominant in the postseason, especially of late while yielding only one run and 5 hits in his last 15 innings pitched for a 0.60 ERA.  The Nationals have won 15 of Scherzer’s last 18 starts.  They have won 6 straight playoff games and couldn’t possibly come into the World Series with any more confidence after coming from behind to win the wild card game and Game 5 of the NLDS over the Dodgers before sweeping the Cardinals with ease.  Take Washington on the Run Line. 

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Oakland A’s -1.5 (-123) 

The Key: The A’s can move closer to clinching a wild card with a win over the Mariners on Friday.  The Mariners have lost 4 straight and have scored a combined 2 runs in those 4 games, an average of just 0.5 RPG.  Mike Fiers is 15-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 32 starts for the A’s this year and should shut down the Mariners. Justus Sheffield is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in 6 starts for the Mariners, and 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 4 home starts this year.  Fiers is 14-0 against an AL team with an OBP of .320 or worse in the second half of the season over the last 2 years.  Fiers is 12-0 as a road favorite of -150 or more over the last 2 years.  The A’s are winning by 3.7 RPG in this situation.  Take Oakland on the Run Line. 

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-117) 

The Key: The Indians are now 1.5 games out of the wild card after losing yesterday.  Due to their advantage on the rubber in this one, they will bounce back in blowout fashion against the Chicago White Sox Thursday night.  Aaron Civale is 3-3 with a 1.82 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 9 starts this year.  Dylan Cease is 4-7 with a 5.67 ERA in 14 starts, and 2-4 with a 6.55 ERA in 7 home starts.  The Indians are 6-0 in their last 6 against a right-handed starter.  Cleveland is 40-11 in its last 51 against a team with a losing record.  Take Cleveland on the Run Line. 

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-160) 

The Key: The Dodgers have a huge advantage over the Rockies on the rubber tonight.  Ace Clayton Kershaw is 14-5 with a 3.10 ERA in 26 starts this year, and 9-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 15 home starts.  Kershaw is 22-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 41 lifetime starts against the Rockies.  Peter Lambert is 3-6 with a 6.98 ERA in 18 starts for Colorado, and 1-1 with a 9.25 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Lambert is 0-1 with an 11.11 ERA in 3 lifetime starts against the Dodgers.  The Rockies are 3-13 in Lambert’s last 16 starts, and 0-7 in his last 7 road starts.  The Dodgers are 92-32 in Kershaw’s last 124 starts, and 45-12 in his last 57 home starts.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-170) 

The Key: The Indians are 17-1 against the Tigers this season with 16 of those 17 wins coming by multiple runs.  Expect more of the same here thanks to their advantage on the rubber tonight.  Mike Clevinger is 11-3 with a 2.68 ERA in 18 starts this year, and 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 9 home starts.  Clevinger is 7-2 with a 1.88 ERA in 10 lifetime starts against the Tigers, and 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA in his last 3 starts against them with only one run yielded in 20 innings.  Daniel Norris is 0-1 with a 7.81 ERA in 2 road starts at Cleveland this year.  Norris is 2-5 with a. 4.65 ERA in 16 road starts this season.  Take Cleveland on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-150) 

The Key: The Cleveland Indians are now 16-1 against the Detroit Tigers this season.  They have won 15 straight over the Tigers with all 15 wins coming by at least 2 runs.  The Indians have a huge advantage on the rubber over the Tigers today.  Aaron Civale is 3-3 with a 1.93 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 8 starts this year, including 2-1 with a 1.06 ERA in 3 home starts.  Civale is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in 2 starts against the Tigers this year.  Spencer Turnbull is 3-15 with a 4.77 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 27 starts for the Tigers, including 0-2 with an 11.11 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Turnbull has never beaten the Indians, going 0-5 with a 6.48 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against them.  Take Cleveland on the Run Line. 

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+115) 

The Key: The Chicago Cubs have reeled off 4 straight wins to pull within 2 games of the Cardinals for 1st place in the NL Central.  They just scored a total of 47 runs in their 3-game sweep of the Pirates over the weekend.  To say they are clicking right now offensively would be an understatement.  I’ll back them on the Run Line today at home against the Cincinnati Reds.  Cole Hamels is 3-1 with a 2.66 ERA in 12 home starts this year.  Hamels is 12-2 with a 2.06 ERA in 20 lifetime starts against the Reds, and his teams are 18-2 in those starts.  Kevin Gausman is 3-7 with a 6.19 ERA in 16 starts this year and 1-4 with a 6.82 ERA in 7 road starts.  Gausman is 0-1 with a 12.38 ERA in 2 lifetime starts against the Cubs.  Take Chicago on the Run Line. 

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (-130) 

The Key: Jack Flaherty is one of the best starters in baseball.  He is 9-7 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 28 starts this season, including 2-1 with a 0.90 ERA and 0.60 WHIP in his last 3 starts.  But he has been dominant for months now.  Flaherty is 5-2 with a 0.90 ERA in his last 11 starts, yielding just 7 earned runs in 70 1/3 innings.  James Marvel will be making his major league debut for the Pirates today and it won’t go well for him against his hot Cardinals team.  Flaherty is 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 6 lifetime starts against Pittsburgh.  The Cardinals are 36-17 in their last 53 games overall.  The Pirates are 8-18 in their last 26 home games.  Take St. Louis on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-136) 

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers are 4-0 in their last 4 games overall and have scored a total of 28 runs in their last 3 games.  They are now 55-18 at home this season and winning by 2.1 RPG on average.  The Giants are 2-8 in their last 10 games overall and have fallen out of playoff contention.  Clayton Kershaw is 9-1 with a 2.62 ERA in 14 home starts this year.  Kershaw is 23-11 with a 1.66 ERA in 46 lifetime starts against the Giants.  The Dodgers are 45-11 in Kershaw’s last 56 home starts.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* NL West Game of the Week on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-144) 

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers have scored 21 runs in the first 2 games of this series with the Rockies while covering the Run Line both times.  Expect more of the same tonight thanks to their advantage on the mound once again in this contest.  Hyun-Jin Ryu is the favorite to win the Cy Young as he’s 12-5 with a 2.46 ERA in 25 starts, including 9-1 with a 1.54 ERA in 12 home starts.  Antonio Senzatela is 8-9 with a 6.95 ERA in 20 starts for the Rockies, including 0-3 with a 20.25 ERA in his last 3 starts while yielding 18 earned runs in 8 innings.  The Dodgers are 54-18 at home this season and winning by 2.1 RPG.  Ryu is 21-3 as a home favorite of -150 or more over the last 3 years with the Dodgers winning by 2.8 RPG.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-146) 

The Key: The Dodgers just hung 16 runs on the Rockies yesterday as Colorado had to throw a position player to the mound at the end of the game.  Now the Dodgers have another big advantage over the Rockies on the rubber tonight.  Julio Urias is 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 6 starts this year, including 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Chi Chi Gonzalez is 0-5 with a 7.57 ERA and 1.77 WHIP in 8 starts this year, including 0-2 with an 11.45 ERA and 1.91 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Colorado is 2-15 in road games off a loss by 4 runs or more while losing by 3.6 RPG.  The Dodgers are 53-18 at home this season.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-150) 

The Key: Big advantage for the Dodgers on the rubber tonight over the Rockies.  Walker Buehler is 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 25 starts this year.  He is 5-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in 12 home starts as well.  Buehler is 3-1 with a 2.98 ERA in 9 lifetime starts against the Rockies.  Peter Lambert is 2-5 with a 6.63 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in 15 starts for the Rockies this year.  Lambert sports a 7.45 ERA and 1.76 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts against the Dodgers, both of which have come this season.  The Dodgers are 52-18 at home this year while winning by 2.1 RPG on average.  Colorado is 2-14 in road games off a loss by 4 runs or more this year, losing by 3.4 RPG.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-138) 

The Key: The Washington Nationals are the hottest team in baseball.  They’ve been playing well for months, but in particular of late as they are 15-3 in their last 18 games overall with 12 of those wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Expect more of the same today with Pat Corbin getting the ball.  Corbin is 6-2 with a 1.83 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 13 home starts this year.  Corbin is 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA in 9 lifetime starts against Miami, including 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA in 3 starts against the Marlins in 2019, yielding only 2 earned runs in 23 innings.  Caleb Smith is coming off 2 terrible starts in a row where he yielded 10 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings.  Smith is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA in 2 lifetime starts against the Nationals.  Take Washington on the Run Line. 

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-143) 

The Key: The Washington Nationals are 7-1 in their last 8 games overall and have won 6 of those contests by 2 runs or more.  Stephen Strasburg is clearly the better starter in this matchup.  He is 15-5 with a 3.63 ERA in 27 starts this year, including 1-0 with a 2.89 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Strasburg is 20-7 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 lifetime starts against the Marlins.  Pablo Lopez is 2-4 with a 6.81 ERA in 7 road starts this year for the Marlins.  Lopez is 0-1 with an 8.16 ERA in 3 lifetime starts against the Nationals.  Miami is 0-13 in August road games this year and losing by 3.4 RPG on average.  Take Washington on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-117) 

The Key: The Cleveland Indians are 3.5 games of the Twins in the AL Central.  They need to continue their dominance of the Tigers to close the gap.  They did just that yesterday with a 10-1 victory.  They are now 53-17 in the last 70 meetings, including 13-1 in 14 meetings with the Tigers this season.  This should be a blood bath considering the advantage the Indians have on the rubber.  Aaron Civale sports a 1.82 ERA in 5 starts this year.  Jordan Zimmerman sports an 8.18 ERA in 7 home stats.  Zimmerman has never beaten the Indians, going 0-6 with a 10.68 ERA in 8 lifetime starts against them.  Take Cleveland on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-125) 

The Key: The Astros are cheap on the run line tonight considering the advantage they have on the rubber over the Angels tonight.  Zack Greinke is 13-4 with a 3.00 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 26 starts this year.  He’ll be opposed by Jose Suarez, who is 2-4 with a 6.57 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 11 starts this year, and 0-3 with a 10.22 ERA and 2.03 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  The Angels are 0-4 in Suarez’s last 4 starts.  The Astros are 40-13 in their last 53 Game 1’s.  The Astros are 44-21 in the last 65 meetings, and 7-1 in the last 8 home meetings.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-130) 

The Key: The Tampa Bay Rays have actually been a lot better on the road than at home this year.  They are 40-23 on the highway in 2019.  They should win by multiple runs tonight over the Baltimore Orioles thanks to their advantage on the rubber.  Ryan Yarbrough is 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA and 0.71 WHIP in 7 starts this year, and 3-0 with a 1.14 ERA and 0.51 WHIP in 3 road starts.  Asher Wojciechowski is 2-6 with a 4.84 ERA in 9 starts, and 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA in his last 3 outings.  He yielded 4 runs in 5 1/3 innings of a 3-6 loss to the Rays in his only lifetime start against them back on July 2nd.  Baltimore is 1-21 after allowing 3 runs or less in 2 straight games over the last 2 seasons.  It is losing by 4.0 RPG in this situation.  Take Tampa Bay on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague Game of the Week on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-170) 

The Key: Instead of laying -350 plus to back the Dodgers on the money line we’ll take them -170 on the run line and save nearly 200 points of juice.  They exploded for 16 runs on the Blue Jays yesterday and not face an opener in Wilmer Font who has a 5.61 ERA in 4 road starts this year.  Walker Buehler is 10-3 with a 3.31 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 23 starts this year for the Dodgers, and 5-0 with a 2.33 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in 11 home starts.  The Blue Jays are 0-7 in their last 7 interleague games against a right-handed starter.  The Dodgers are 44-12 in their last 56 home games.  There’s better than a -170 chance of the Dodgers winning this game by 2 runs or more.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+100) 

The Key: The Chicago Cubs have a big advantage on the rubber tonight over the San Francisco Giants.  Cole Hamels is 6-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 20 starts this year, and 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in 9 home starts.  Tyler Beede is 3-6 with a 5.74 ERA in 15 starts, including 3-3 with a 6.11 ERA in 9 road starts.  Beede faced the Cubs on July 24th and yielded 4 runs, 3 homers and 11 base runners in 5 2/3 innings of a 1-4 loss.  Beede is 0-4 with a 6.32 ERA in his last 6 starts overall having yielded 8 homers in 31 1/3 innings with opponents hitting .321 against him.  Chicago is 21-3 in home games after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6 over the last 2 seasons and winning by 2.9 RPG.  The Giants are 0-5 in Beede’s last 5 starts.  The Cubs are 6-0 in Hamels’ last 6 home starts against a team with a winning record.  Take Chicago on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-120) 

The Key: The Houston Astros have lost 5 straight and are hungry for a win Sunday.  They don’t want to get swept by the Oakland A’s and want to salvage this series with a Game 4 victory.  They should do just that thanks to their advantage on the rubber.  Zack Greinke is 12-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 25 starts this year, including 7-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 14 road starts.  Greinke is 6-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 lifetime starts against the A’s.  Brett Anderson is 4-5 with a 4.65 ERA in 11 home starts this year.  Anderson is 1-4 with a 7.04 ERA in 5 lifetime starts against the Astros.  Anderson is 1-9 in home games against a team that outscores their opponent by one or more runs per game in his career.  His teams are losing by 3.6 RPG on average in this situation.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-166) 

The Key: The Boston Red Sox have won 3 straight and have outscored their last 2 opponents 14-2.  The Red Sox will win this game over the hapless Orioles by multiple runs again tonight.  Eduardo Rodriquez is 13-5 with a 4.33 ERA in 24 starts and 6-1 with a 3.96 ERA in 10 home starts.  Rodriquez is 8-5 with a 3.60 ERA in 15 lifetime starts against the Orioles, including 5-0 with a 1.74 ERA in his last 5 starts against them with all 5 wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Asher Wojciechowski is 2-5 with a 4.91 ERA in 8 starts for the Orioles this year.  Take Boston on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague Game of the Month on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (-144) 

The Key: The Cardinals have won 3 straight and have scored 20 runs in the 3 wins.  They take on a Royals team that is 4-12 in their last 16 games overall.  The Cardinals have a big advantage on the rubber tonight with Jack Flaherty, who is 5-6 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 23 starts this year.  Flaherty is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA and 0.60 WHIP in his last 3 starts while yielding just 2 earned runs in 20 innings with 28 strikeouts.  Glenn Sparkman is 3-6 with a 5.96 ERA in 13 starts this year, including 0-2 with a 10.56 ERA in his last 3 starts, yielding 18 earned runs and 6 homers in 15 1/3 innings.  The Cardinals are 37-15 in their last 52 against a team that wins less than 40% of their games.  The Royals are 2-12 in their last 14 interleague home games.  Kansas City is 1-5 in Sparkman’s last 6 starts.  Take St. Louis on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-155) 

The Key: The Astros have won 9 of their last 10 all by 2 runs or more.  They now face the Orioles, who were just swept by the Yankees and outscored 12-32 in the process.  Wade Miley has a 3.05 ERA on the season and a 1.89 ERA in his last 3 starts.  He is a much better starter than Dylan Bundy, who has a 5.15 ERA on the season and a 5.89 ERA at home.  Bundy is 1-18 against teams that score 4.9 RPG or more over the last 2 years.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* AL East Game of the Month on New York Yankees -1.5 (-125) 

The Key: The New York Yankees are riding an 8-game winning streak after their 14-2 beat down of the Orioles Wednesday night.  They have hit at least 5 home runs in 3 straight games and are playing with all kinds of confidence.  Domingo German is 10-0 against teams that steal 0.5 or fewer bases per game this season.  The Yankees are winning by 4.9 RPG in this situation.  German is 9-0 against division opponents this season with the Yankees winning by 4.6 RPG.  German is 13-2 with a 4.06 ERA in 18 starts, while Thomas Pannone is 0-3 with a 9.28 ERA in 5 starts for the Blue Jays.  Take New York on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-175) 

The Key: We’ll lay the Astros on the Run Line today.  They’re playing too well and have too big of an advantage on the rubber tonight to not win by at least 2 runs.  Gerrit Cole is the Cy Young winner if the season ended today.  He is 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 24 starts with 216 strikeouts in 150 2/3 innings.  Cole is 4-1 with a 2.39 ERA in 6 lifetime starts against the Rockies.  Peter Lambert is 2-2 with a 5.71 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 10 starts this year.  Lambert is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in one lifetime start against the Astros, which came on July 3rd.  The Rockies are 8-22 in their last 30 games overall.  The Rockies are 3-11 in their last 14 road games.  Colorado is 1-7 in Lambert’s last 8 starts.  The Astros are 23-5 in Cole’s last 28 home starts.  The Astros are 8-1 in their last 9 games overall with all 8 wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague Game of the Week on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-120) 

The Key: The Twins score 6.1 RPG on the road this season while the Marlins score just 3.4 RPG against right-handers.  Jose Berrios has a 2.95 ERA in 21 starts this year, while Sandy Alcantara has a 4.18 ERA in 20 starts.  This has the feel of a blowout in favor of the Twins, who are hungry to hold off the Indians in the AL Central.  Take Minnesota on the Run Line. 

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Minnesota Twins -1.5 (-110) 

The Key: The Minnesota Twins are staking advantage of the schedule lightening up.  They are crushing the White Sox in this series 10-3 and 6-2 to take the first 2 games.  I don’t see them letting up here against a White Sox team that is just 3-12 in their last 15 games overall.  The Twins are 23-7 in their last 30 road games against a team with a losing record.  Martin Perez is 7-3 with a 4.10 ERA in 17 starts this year.  Ivan Nova is 5-9 with a 5.49 ERA in 21 starts for the White Sox, and 2-4 with a 6.02 ERA in 9 home starts.  Nova is 0-2 with a 7.15 ERA in his last 2 starts against the Twins while yielding 3 homers and 9 runs in 11 2/3 innings.  He has already given up 23 homers this season compared to 11 for Perez.  Chicago is 3-18 in Saturday home games over the last 2 seasons.  Take Minnesota on the Run Line. 

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Houston Astros -1.5 (-118) 

The Key: The Houston Astros have won 5 straight while scoring at least 4 runs in 9 of their last 10 games overall.  They make it 6 in a row tonight behind Gerrit Cole, who is 10-5 with a 3.12 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 21 starts this year with 194 strikeouts in 129 2/3 innings.  Cole is 7-2 with a 2.94 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in 11 home starts this season.  Cole is 3-1 with a. 3.30 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 7 lifetime starts against the A’s.  Homer Bailey is 8-6 with a 4.69 ERA in 19 starts this season.  Bailey is 3-18 against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.  Houston is 19-3 at home against AL teams that score 4.9 RPG or more this season.  The Astros are 22-5 in Cole’s last 27 home starts.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague *HEAVY HITTER* on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-128) 

The Key: Nobody is playing better than the Washington Nationals right now.  They are 18-5 in their last 23 games overall.  The Orioles will offer little resistance.  They are 1-5 in their last 6 games overall with all 5 losses coming by 3 runs or more.  The Nationals should have no problem covering the run line once again tonight.  Erick Fedde is 1-1 with a 3.94 ERA in 6 starts this year, while Aaron Brooks is 2-3 with a 5.29 ERA in 7 starts.  The Nationals are 11-1 in their last 12 road games against a right-handed starter.  The Orioles are 9-46 in their last 55 home games against a team with a winning road record.  Baltimore is 1-10 in its last 11 interleague home games against a right-handed starter.  Take Washington on the Run Line. 

7* NL West Game of the Month on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (+125) 

The Key: The Dodgers will be hungry to bounce back from 2 straight losses to the Padres in this series.  Ross Stripling will get the job done here as he is 1-1 with a 3.24 ERA in 8 starts this year, including 1-0 with a 2.96 ERA in 4 home starts.  Stripling is 2-2 with a 2.55 ERA in 5 lifetime starts against the Padres.  Joey Lucchesi is 0-2 with a 6.10 ERA in 6 road starts this year for the Padres.  Lucchesi is 0-3 with a 7.64 ERA and 1.75 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts against the Dodgers.  The Padres are 0-4 in those 4 games having never won.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-138) 

The Key: Ryan Stanek has a 0.52 ERA in his 11 home starts this season while yielding just one earned run in 17 1/3 innings.  He has been a great opener for the Rays to get them off to early leads.  Tampa Bay is 19-7 in Stanek’s last 26 home starts.  The Rays are 22-5 in their last 27 Monday games.  The Orioles are 12-48 in their last 60 Game 1’s.  The Orioles are 15-69 in their last 84 road games against a right-handed starter.  The Rays are 14-3 in their last 17 home meetings with the Orioles.  Take Tampa Bay on the Run Line. 

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-125)

The Key: No analysis Thursday.

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Month on Arizona Diamondbacks -1.5 (+115) 

The Key: The Arizona Diamondbacks will be hungry for a victory today against the Rockies after losing the first 2 games of this series to them.  They got a break with Colorado SS Trevor Story getting injured yesterday and now he won’t be playing today.  And the Diamondbacks have a massive advantage on the mound today to boot.  Robbie Ray is 5-4 with a 3.83 ERA in 15 starts, including 2-1 with a 3.46 ERA in 5 home starts.  He’ll be opposed by Jeff Hoffman, who is 1-3 with a 7.04 ERA in 6 starts, including 0-2 with a 9.28 ERA in 2 road starts.  Hoffman is 1-2 with a 10.79 ERA in 3 lifetime starts against Arizona.  The Diamondbacks are 5-0 in their last 5 during game 3 of a series.  Take Arizona. 

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Month on Colorado Rockies -1.5 (-145) 

The Key: The Rockies have reeled off 5 straight victories and now welcome the struggling Toronto Blue Jays to Coors Field Friday for Game 1 of this series.  The Blue Jays are 1-7 in their last 8 games overall with 5 of those losses coming by multiple runs.  The Rockies have a huge advantage on the rubber tonight behind German Marquez, who is 5-2 with a 3.56 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 12 starts this year.  Edwin Jackson is playing on his 13th different team in the big leagues.  Jackson is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 3 starts this year for Toronto.  Jackson is 2-4 with a 9.96 ERA and 2.04 WHIP in 12 lifetime starts against the Rockies.  Marquez is 9-0 against an AL team with a .330 OBP or worse over the last 3 years, and the Rockies are winning by 3.6 RPG in this situation.  Marquez is 14-1 as a home favorite of -150 or more over the last 3 years with the Rockies winning by 4.5 RPG in this situation.  Take Colorado on the Run Line. 

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Cleveland Indians -1.5 (-115) 

The Key: Big advantage for the Indians tonight over the White Sox on the rubber.  Carlos Carrasco is 7-0 with a 0.87 ERA in his last 9 starts against the White Sox.  The Indians are 9-0 in those 9 contests and 8-1 against the run line in them.  Manny Banuelos is 1-4 with a 9.49 ERA in 6 starts this year, 1-2 with an 11.67 ERA in 3 home starts, and 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA in 2 lifetime starts against the Indians.  Take Cleveland on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (-119) 

The Key: The Rays are 33-19 this season with 30 of those wins coming by 2 runs or more.  They give the ball to ace Blake Snell tonight looking for win their 5th straight games by at least 2 runs.  Snell is 3-4 with a 3.07 ERA in 10 starts, 2-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 5 home starts, and 0-1 with a 1.96 ERA in his last 3 outings.  Trent Thornton is 1-4 with a 4.42 ERA in 11 starts for Toronto.  Thornton is 0-1 with a 15.00 ERA in one lifetime start against Tampa Bay.  Snell is 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA in 9 lifetime starts against Toronto, including 2-0 with a 0.40 ERA in his last 4 starts against them, yielding only one earned run in 22 2/3 innings.  The Rays are 5-1 in the last 6 meetings with all 5 wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Take Tampa Bay on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-159) 

The Key: The Houston Astros now have the best record in baseball after a 15-2 run over their last 17 games.  What makes this run so impressive is that the Astros have won all 15 games by 2 runs or more.  And that’s why I’ll take them on the Run Line tonight instead of -340 on the money line.  Gerrit Cole is a Cy Young contender with a 3.56 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 10 starts this year.  He has 93 K’s in 60 2/3 innings, which is the most of any starter in baseball.  Ivan Nova is 2-4 with a 7.42 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in 9 starts for the White Sox.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (-159) 

The Key: The Orioles are 2-10 in their last 12 games overall with 9 of those losses coming by 2 runs or more.  Three of those losses have come to the Yankees during this stretch.  Chalk up another one tonight considering the big advantage the Yankees have on the rubber.  Domingo German is 7-1 with a 2.61 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 8 starts this year.  He is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 2 starts against the Orioles in 2019.  David Hess is 1-5 with a 5.87 ERA in 8 starts for the Orioles, including 0-2 with a 7.07 ERA in 3 home starts.  Hess is 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in 3 lifetime starts against the Yankees.  Take New York on the Run Line. 

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (+103) 

The Key: The Los Angeles Dodgers are 9-3 in their last 12 games overall.  Ace Clayton Kershaw takes the ball tonight and he’s 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 4 starts this season.  Kershaw has never lost to the Braves, going 6-0 with a 1.20 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 13 lifetime starts against them.  Mike Foltynewicz came off the disabled list to start the season and has been shaky.  He is 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in his 2 starts.  Foltynewicz is also 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 4 lifetime starts against the Dodgers.  Take Los Angeles on the Run Line. 

6* Interleague *CA$H COW* on Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 (+110) 

The Key: The Rays are 22-12 this season with 21 of those wins coming by 2 runs or more.  Now they are up against rookie right-hander Taylor Clarke, who will be making his first big league start for the Diamondbacks tonight.  They hung 12 runs on the Diamondbacks yesterday in a 12-1 victory.  Arizona is 22-51 in its last 73 interleague road games against a team with a winning record, and 8-20 in its last 28 interleague road games overall.  The Rays are 49-21 in their last 70 home games, and 8-1 in Ryan Stanek’s last 9 home starts.  Take Tampa Bay on the Run Line. 

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Washington Nationals -1.5 (-124) 

The Key: The Washington Nationals lost Game 1 in Miami yesterday to the lowly Marlins, who are just 5-15 on the season.  They won’t be losing two in a row to this team, not with the advantage they have on the rubber tonight.  Max Scherzer is the best pitcher in baseball.  He sports a 3.33 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in his 4 starts this season.  Scherzer is 12-3 with a 2.98 ERA in 19 lifetime starts against the Marlins, including 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA in his last 3, yielding just 1 earned run in 21 innings.  Jose Urena is 0-3 with a 6.10 ERA and 1.74 WHIP in 4 starts for the Marlins this year.  Scherzer is 15-1 in road games against an NL team that hits .255 or worse over the last 3 seasons, and the Nationals are winning by 3.1 RPG on average.  The Nationals are 7-0 in Scherzer’s last 7 starts against the Marlins.  Take Washington on the Run Line. 

7* AL East Game of the Month on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (+101) 

The Key: The Boston Red Sox will wipe the slate clean and get going today.  They have opened 3-9 in defense of their World Series title, but 11 of those 12 games were on the road.  And after getting their rings on Tuesday, they had Wednesday off to get over the distraction.  Look for them to come back focused and hungry Thursday against the Blue Jays.  Nathan Eovaldi owns the Blue Jays, going 1-1 with a 2.37 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 3 lifetime starts against them.  Aaron Sanchez has lost his last 2 starts against the Red Sox while yielding 8 earned runs in 12 innings for a 6.00 ERA.  Boston is 21-3 revenging a loss as a home favorite over the last 2 seasons and winning by 2.2 RPG.  Take Boston on the Run Line. 

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-135) 

The Key: Gerrit Cole is a legit Cy Young candidate in the American League.  The Astros have a big edge with him on the mound over Mike Minor of the Rangers tonight.  Cole is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 5 lifetime starts against the Rangers, and his teams are 5-0 in those games.  Minor is 1-2 with a 4.93 ERA in 8 lifetime starts against the Astros.  Cole has a 1.50 ERA in his lone start this year, while Minor has an 11.56 ERA after yielding 6 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of a 4-12 loss to the Cubs in his first start this season.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

6* Red Sox/Astros ALCS *CA$H COW* on Houston -1.5 (+110) 

The Key: Houston in a must-win game with Justin Verlander on the mound is the play here.  They should have no problem winning by at least 2 runs against the Boston Red Sox due to their huge edge on the mound.  Verlander is 18-9 with a 2.56 ERA in 36 starts this year.  He is also 4-2 with a 1.83 ERA in his last 10 starts against the Red Sox.  David Price is 0-9 with a 6.16 ERA in 11 lifetime starts in the postseason.  He has yielded 7 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings in his 2 postseason starts in 2018.  Expect Price to get shelled once again by this hungry Houston lineup ready to break out.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-125) 

The Key: The Dodgers have really come to life here down the stretch to try to secure the NL West title.  They are 10-2 in their last 12 games overall.  Now they’re up against the Diamondbacks, who have been eliminated from the postseason and are playing like it.  Arizona is just 1-8 in its last 9 games overall with 7 of those 8 losses coming by 2 runs or more.  I believe the Dodgers will win by at least 2 runs tonight as well due to their big edge on the mound.  Walker Buehler is 7-4 with a 2.40 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 21 starts this year.  He gave up just 1 run with 9 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings in his lone start against Arizona this season on September 2nd.  Matt Koch is 5-4 with a 4.52 ERA in 12 starts for the Diamondbacks this year and will be making his first start since June 19th, so he’s sure to be on a pitch count.  The Dodgers are 12-2 in their last 14 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Diamondbacks are 3-13 in this last 16 vs. a right-handed starter.  Take Los Angeles. 

6* National League *MOUND MISMATCH* on St. Louis Cardinals -1.5 (+115) 

The Key:  The Cardinals should have no problem winning by 2 runs or more today over the hapless San Francisco Giants.  The Cards have won 5 of their last 6 as they try to make the postseason as either a wild card or an NL Central title.  And now they have a big edge on the mound over the Giants, who have nothing to play for.  Miles Mikolas is 7-4 with a 2.23 ERA and 1.02 WHIP in 15 home starts this year.  Andrew Suarez is 3-6 with a 5.38 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 14 road starts.  Mikolas is 10-1 in day games this season with the Cards winning by 2.4 RPG on average.  Take St. Louis on the Run Line. 

6* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (-120) 

The Key: The Cubs will be hungry for a win today, especially off back-to-back losses, including their 10-4 loss to the White Sox yesterday.  But now the Cubs have the clear edge on the mound tonight and will win this game by 2 runs or more because of it.  Jon Lester is in postseason form.  The left-hander has been terrific in his last 6 starts, going 4-1 with a 1.73 ERA.  Lucas Giolito is 3-6 with a 7.91 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 14 home starts for the White Sox this season.  It’s amazing he’s been able to keep his job in the rotation all season because he has been one of the worst pitchers in baseball.  Lester has been at his best on the road this year, going 10-2 with a 2.82 ERA in 14 road starts.  Lester has won each of his last 2 starts against the White Sox while yielding just 3 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings.  The Cubs are 32-7 in Lester’s last 39 starts vs. a team with a losing record, and they’re winning by 2.5 RPG on average in this spot.  Lester is 56-9 as a favorite of -200 or more lifetime with his teams winning by 3.2 RPG.  Take the Cubs on the Run Line. 

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (-115) 

The Key: The New York Yankees won 11-0 yesterday over the Blue Jays and should fare well again here Saturday with a win by 2 runs or more.  They have the edge on the mound and at the plate.  C.C. Sabathia is 7-6 with a 3.54 ERA in 26 starts this year, including 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA in 13 home starts.  Sabathia is 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his last 4 starts against the Blue Jays, yielding just 3 earned runs in 22 innings.  Sean Reid-Foley is 1-3 with a 6.86 ERA and 1.62 WHIP in 4 starts this year.  One of those starts was against the Yankees on August 18th.  Reid-Foley yielded 8 runs, 6 earned, 3 homers and 10 base runners in 4 1/3 innings of a 6-11 loss to them.  He’ll get lit up again here.  Take New York on the Run Line. 

6* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Oakland A’s -1.5 (-115) 

The Key: The A’s should have no problem winning by at least 2 runs over the Orioles tonight thanks to their edge on the mound.  The Orioles have lost 6 straight and are 41-104 on the season now.  The A’s are only one game back of the Yankees for the 1st wild card spot and home-field advantage for that wild card game.  And the A’s are still trying to chase down the Astros in the AL West.  They’re doing a good job of it by going 6-0 in their last 6 games overall and winning 5 of those games by at least 2 runs.  Brett Anderson is 3-4 with a 4.02 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 13 starts this year, including 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Dylan Bundy is 7-14 with a 5.58 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 27 starts for the Orioles, including 0-2 with an 8.16 ERA and 1.81 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  The A’s are 23-2 vs. teams with losing records in the second half of the season this season.  They are winning by 3.9 RPG in this situation.  Take Oakland on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Houston Astros -1.5 (-140) 

The Key: The Twins are just trying out all their prospects right now and it’s not going too well for them.  They are just 2-8 in their last 10 games overall with all 8 losses coming by 2 runs or more, and 7 of them by 3-plus runs.  The Astros have been on a tear since getting Jose Altuve back.  They are 10-3 in their last 13 games with 8 of those wins coming by 2 runs or more.  With their edge on the mound tonight, they should win by 2 runs or more as well.  Trevor May will be making his first start of the season for the Twins. Justin Verlander is 13-9 with a. 2.78 ERA and 0.95 WHIp in 29 starts for the Astros.  Verlander is 18-9 with a 3.06 ERA in 35 lifetime starts against the Twins.  He pitched 7 shutout innings in a 2-0 victory in his lone start against the Twins in 2018 back on April 9th.  Take Houston on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Boston Red Sox -1.5 (-125) 

The Key: The Red Sox scored 22 combined runs in their 2 wins over the Marlins the past 2 days.  They should stay hot at the plate against the White Sox and Lucas Giolito, who is 3-5 with an 8.18 ERA and 1.72 WHIP in 12 home starts this year.  Rick Porcello is 9-3 with a 3.70 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 15 road starts for the Red Sox, who clearly have a big edge on the mound in this one and should win by 2 runs or more.  Boston is 17-2 off a 2-game span where its bullpen threw 9 innings or more this season, and it is winning by 2.5 RPG in this spot.  The Red Sox are 43-10 in their last 53 games vs. a team with a winning percentage below 40%.  The White Sox are 3-10 in Giolito’s last 13 starts vs. a team with a winning record.  The Red Sox are 7-2 in the last 9 meetings.  Take Boston on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on Oakland A’s -1.5 (-105) 

The Key: The Oakland A’s have a big edge on the mound tonight with Brett Anderson over Ariel Jurado.  Anderson is 2-3 with a 3.90 ERA in 11 starts this year, 0-1 with a 3.57 ERA in 3 home starts, and 0-9 with a 0.92 ERA in his last 3 starts.  He has yielded just 2 earned runs and 12 base runners in 19 2/3 innings in his last 3 outings.  Anderson beat Texas 15-3 in his last start against them on July 23rd as he yielded just 2 earned runs in 6 innings to get the victory.  Ariel Jurado has had a rough go of it in his brief major league career.  He is 2-2 with a 6.41 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 5 starts this year, including 0-1 with a 9.82 ERA in his last 2 outings.  He has just 11 strikeouts compared to 6 homers given up in 26 2/3 innings this season.  The A’s are 14-0 in their last 14 games vs. a team with a losing record, winning by 4.3 RPG on average.  The A’s are 6-0 in Anderson’s last 6 home starts vs. a team with a losing record.  Take Oakland on the Run Line. 

7* MLB *MOUND MISMATCH* on Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (-120) 

The Key: The Dodgers have a huge edge on the mound today with Clayton Kershaw over Roenis Elias.  They should have no problem winning by at least 2 runs in this matchup.  Kershaw is 5-5 with a 2.47 EAR and 1.02 WHIP in 18 starts, 2-2 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 8 road starts, and 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Elias is 0-0 with a 4.90 ERA and 1.91 WHIP in his lone start this season.  He’s not ready to do battle in this pressure-packed situation with Kershaw.  The Dodgers hung 11 runs on the Mariners in Game 1 of this series and should put up another big number off Elias and company in this one.  Elias is 0-7 in home games vs. teams who average 0.5 or fewer stolen bases per game in his career.  Kershaw is 37-7 vs. teams who strand 6.9 or less runners per game on base over the last 2 seasons.  The Dodgers are winning by 2.5 RPG in this spot.  Take Los Angels on the Run Line. 

7* National League *HEAVY HITTER* on Atlanta Braves -1.5 (-115) 

The Key: The Atlanta Braves have won each of the first 3 games of this series with the Marlins by 8, 5, and 4 runs.  They should have no problem winning by multiple runs again tonight thanks to their edge on the mound.  Kevin Gausman is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA in his last 3 starts and seems rejuvenated since getting traded to the Braves.  He gave up just 1 run and 6 hits in 8 innings with 8 strikeouts in a 10-1 victory over the Brewers last time out on August 10th.  Jose Urena is 3-12 with a 4.74 ERA in 23 starts for the Marlins this year, including 2-3 with a 5.28 ERA in 8 road starts.  Urena is 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 3 starts against the Braves in 2018, yielding 12 earned runs in 16 innings.  Miami is 4-26 in road games against a team that wins 54% to 62% of their games in the 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.  It is losing by 2.6 RPG in this spot.  The Marlins are 1-11 in their last 12 vs. a team with a winning record.  The Braves are 6-0 in their last 6 vs. a right-handed starter.  Take Atlanta on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague Game of the Month on Arizona Diamondbacks -1.5 (-108) 

The Key: Considering the huge edge the Diamondbacks have on the rubber tonight over the Rangers, it’s easy to see how they’re going to win by multiple runs in this matchup.  Zack Greinke is 12-7 with a 2.89 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 24 starts this year, including 1-2 with a 1.80 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Greinke sports a 2.67 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 13 lifetime starts against the Rangers.  Bartolo Colon is 6-10 with a 5.31 ERA in 21 starts this year, 3-4 with a 5.98 ERA in 10 home starts, and 1-2 with a 7.11 ERA in his last 3 starts.  He is also 1-3 with a 4.67 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 6 lifetime starts against the Diamondbacks.  He has allowed 14 runs in 15 innings in his last 3 starts against Arizona.  Colon is 3-16 as a dog of +125 to +175 over the last 2 seasons, and his teams are losing by 3.7 RPG in this spot.  The Diamondbacks are 6-0 in Greinke’s last 6 road starts.  Take Arizona on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (-110) 

The Key: The Yankees have gone 5-1 in their last 6 games overall with 4 of those wins coming by at least 2 runs.  They should win by multiple runs again today over the Texas Rangers thanks to their edge on the mound in this one.  C.C. Sabathia is 6-4 with a 3.49 ERA in 21 starts this year, including 4-1 with a 2.68 ERA in 11 home starts.  Martin Perez is one of the worst starters in the league.  He is 2-4 with a 6.15 ERA and 1.94 WHIP in 10 starts this year.  Perez sports an 8.52 ERA and 1.89 WHIP in 3 previous starts against the Yankees as well.  The Yankees should score early and often in this one and hold on to a big lead with one of the best bullpens in baseball.  Take New York on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (-120) 

The Key: Off a bad loss to the Rangers yesterday, the Yankees should respond with a win by multiple runs Saturday to cover the run line.  Lance Lynn has been pitching very well since being traded to the Yankees. He is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in his last 3 starts.  Lynn is also 5-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 9 home starts this year.  Drew Hutchison will be making just his 2nd start of the season.  He is 0-1 with an 18.00 ERA after yielding 6 earned runs and 9 base runners in 3 innings of a 6-9 home loss to the Baltimore Orioles on August 5th.  Now he’s up against this potent Yankees’ lineup that is on fire right now in scoring at least 7 runs in 4 of their last 5 games coming in.  The Yankees are 58-20 in their last 78 home games.  Take New York on the Run Line. 

7* American League *MOUND MISMATCH* on New York Yankees -1.5 (+100) 

The Key: The Yankees have responded well from getting swept by the Red Sox.  They have since won 4 straight with three of those victories coming by 4 runs or more.  I expect them to win by at least 2 runs tonight over the Texas Rangers.  Masahiro Tanaka has been lights out of late, going 2-0 with a 0.46 EDRA and 0.81 WHIP in his last 3 starts, yielding just 1 earned runs in 19 2/3 innings with 26 strikeouts.  Mike Minor has been awful on the road this year for the Rangers, going 3-4 with a 6.50 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 9 starts away from home.  Tanaka is 17-2 in home games vs. an AL team with a batting average of .255 or worse over the last 3 seasons.  The Yankees are winning by 3.0 RPG in this spot.  Take New York on the Run Line. 

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Week on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (-130) 

The Key: The Cubs are on fire right now.  They are 21-5 in their last 26 interleague road games vs. a team with a losing record.  Chicago is 5-1 in Jose Quintana’s last 6 starts, and he’s clearly the better starter in this matchup with the Royals.  Kansas City is 4-23 in its last 27 home games vs. a team with a winning record.  The Royals are 0-4 in Fillmeyer’s last four starts.  Kansas City is 0-7 in its last seven interleague home games.  The Royals are 13-42 in their last 55 games overall.  The Cubs are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.  Take Chicago on the Run Line. 

7* Interleague Game of the Month on Chicago Cubs -1.5 (+100) 

The Key: The Chicago Cubs should have no problem winning by at least 2 runs tonight over the lowly Kansas City Royals.  The Royals have now lost 5 straight with 4 of those coming by at least 2 runs to drop to 34-78 on the season.  The Cubs are in the middle of a pennant race at 65-47 this season.  Mike Montgomery is 3-3 with a 3.36 ERA in 12 starts this year.  Brad Keller is 3-3 with a 3.90 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 11 starts for the Royals.  Montgomery is 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA and 0.59 WHIP in 2 lifetime starts vs. Kansas City.  The Royals are 1-15 in home games vs. good teams who are outscoring their opponents by 0.5 RPG or more this season.  They are losing by 4.0 RPG on average in this situation.  Take Chicago on the Run Line. 

7* MLB Run Line Game of the Year on Seattle Mariners -1.5 (-115) 

The Key: The Seattle Mariners have now lost 4 straight and would be out of the playoffs if the season ended today.  They need to get back on track in a hurry.  Ace James Paxton is just the man for the job.  He’s 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 10 home starts this year.  He’ll be opposed by Marco Estrada, who is 2-4 with a 5.32 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 9 road starts.  Estrada is 0-1 with an 8.68 ERA and 2.04 WHIP in his last 3 starts as well.  Paxton pitched a no-hitter on May 8th against the Blue Jays this season in a 5-0 victory, so he has their number as well.  The Blue Jays are 8-25 in their last 33 games vs. a left-handed starter.  Toronto is 0-4 in Estrada’s last 4 road starts.  Seattle is 21-6 in its last 27 vs. a team with a losing record.  The Blue Jays are 8-27 in their last 35 Saturday road games.  Take Seattle on the Run Line. 

7* NL West Game of the Month on Arizona Diamondbacks -1.5 (-110) 

The Key: Games are much more important to the Diamondbacks these days than the Padres.  The Diamondbacks are right in the NL West race, while the Padres are in last place in their division by a mile.  I certainly like the pitching matchup in Arizona’s favor tonight.  Zack Greinke is 11-5 with a 3.05 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 21 starts this year, including 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in his last 3 outings.  Greinke is 10-2 with a 2.14 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 20 lifetime starts vs. San Diego as well.  Luis Perdomo is 1-5 with a 6.99 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in 8 starts for the Padres, including 0-4 with a shocking 11.29 ERA and 2.46 WHIP in 4 home starts.  Perdomo is 3-4 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 7 lifetime starts vs. Arizona as well.  Greinke is 51-14 in his career as a favorite of -175 to -250, and his teams are winning by 2.1 RPG.  The Padres are 6-24 as home dogs of +100 or higher this season, losing by 3.0 RPG.  Take Arizona on the Run Line.