The Baltimore Orioles enter the series four games behind the Yankees in the AL East, but have a chance to make up some serious ground over the three-game series that begins Tuesday in the Bronx. It’s the first meeting between the clubs since mid June when the O’s took two of three in Baltimore.
ODDS ANALYSIS
It’s been an up and down last few weeks for the Orioles and after two straight wins over the Tigers, they could be trending up, which is a good sign heading into the Bronx for a showdown with the first place Yankees. Those two wins came on the road, which is also a good sign for the O’s who are now just 17-26, down 8.24 units on the moneyline away from Camden Yards. The Yankees cashed the under in all three games against Seattle over the weekend, winning twice to improve to 27-17 at Yankee Stadium. New York won three of four from the O’s when they met in the Bronx in early May and the season series in even at 5-5 with the over at 5-3-2.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Wei-Yin Chen (4-5, 2.78 ERA) took a tough loss against the Nationals on July 12 allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits with no walks and eight strikeouts over eight innings. He’s been the ace of a disappointing staff this season and his 2.78 ERA and 1.09 WHIP would indicate a better won/loss record. However the O’s won six times when Chen got a no-decision and scored a total of 13 runs in games they lost when Chen started.
Chen will celebrate his 30th birthday with a start in Yankee Stadium where he tossed seven innings of one-run ball for a win on May 9. He’s 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA in six career starts in the Bronx.
Nathan Eovaldi (9-2, 4.50 ERA) gave up three runs on seven hits in five innings at Boston July 12, but the Yankees hung on to get him his career-high ninth win of the season. He is 4-0 with a 2.93 ERA in his last five starts but hasn’t pitched past the sixth inning in any of those games. Eovaldi hasn’t allowed a home run in his last six starts and has given up just one in his last 10, spanning 52.1 innings.
Eovaldi beat the O’s in New York on May 7 giving up three earned in 5.2 innings of a 4-3 win. Both career starts against the O’s have come this season with a 4.22 ERA over 10.2 innings with three home runs allowed.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I’m happy with where we’re at. Obviously, no one has taken off in our division. We have an opportunity here to win our division, just like everyone else in the American League East. Everything’s in front of us, we just have to play well.” – Yankees manager Joe Girardi
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
With the trade deadline fast approaching, the Yankees’ biggest acquisitions may have already come internally. Closer Andrew Miller and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury returned from the disabled list prior to the All-Star break and now another outfielder, Carlos Beltran, has made his way back into the lineup as well. Sidelined with a left oblique strain since June 30, Beltran started Sunday’s game in right field and had a game-tying RBI single off Mariners ace Felix Hernandez in a game the Yanks won 2-1. Getting that abundance of talent back on the roster most likely overshadows any move the Yankees might make at the trade deadline. After a brutal April, Beltran has hit .299 since with seven home runs.
PROP TALK
It’s been a tremendous bounce back season for Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira, who had half of the team’s six hits in Sunday’s win over Seattle, including the game-winning home run in the eighth inning. Tex now has 23 homers and 63 RBIs this season, surpassing his totals from last year when he hit 22 home runs and collected 62 RBIs in an injury-marred campaign that saw him play just 123 games. Though his batting average isn’t where he’d like it, Teixeira stroked five hits in eight at-bats in the final two games against the M’s and hits .314 (11 for 35) against the O’s this season in 10 games.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Baltimore’s rotation sets up nicely for this series with Wei-Yen Chen getting the ball in the opener. He’s been the team’s most effective starter and pitched well against the Yankees in two starts this season with a 2.08 ERA. The O’s showed signs of getting back to the club that won the division last season and had a streak of 16 wins in 20 games earlier this year. The O’s need to play better on the road to get back in the race and a few wins in Detroit were a start. It’s hard to call this a must win series for Baltimore, but this is a must-win series for them, especially on the road.
Baltimore 5, New York 4
The MLB lines for this contest will first be released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, player props and inning totals. Live betting is open during every commercial break!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The ballgame pitting the Baltimore Orioles versus the New York Yankees will commence Tuesday, July 21, 2015, at 7:05 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium. You can watch the contest live on the MLB Network.
