ODDS ANALYSIS
If not for the lowly Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets would have the fewest road wins in the majors. On top of that they can’t score runs and they get NL MVP and Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. Doesn’t look good for the Amazin’s.
New York avoided a winless road trip the last time they travelled, winning in Milwaukee to finish that journey at 1-7. Their recent homestand started well enough with a sweep of the Reds, but back-to-back shutout losses to the Cubs exacerbated the existing problem of run production. Since the start of their 1-7 road trip the Mets scored 22 times in 13 games with the under going 11-2 in that span.
Returning home after a successful 10-game road trip, the Dodgers increased their lead in the NL West by one game over the month of June. LA took the final two games at Arizona, winning Wednesday 4-3, to complete the trip at 6-4. They started the month of June with a half game lead over the Giants and following their 6-4 win against the Dbacks Tuesday, were up 1.5 games. LA hasn’t played in Dodger Stadium since June 21 and is just 6-6 in its last 12 games there. However the Dodgers are 27-13 at home, up 5.53 units on the moneyline.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Noah Syndergaard (3-4, 3.59 ERA) spun a gem his last time out, giving up one run on five hits with five strikeouts. The talented rookie allowed the Mets to win 2-1 despite a two-hit offensive attack. It was the first time in his brief career he completed eight innings and he did it on just 89 pitches.
Syndergaard is winless on the road (0-3) in four starts with a 6.52 ERA and 1.76 WHIP giving up 28 hits in 19.1 innings. He faces the Dodgers for the first time.
Clayton Kershaw (5-6, 3.20 ERA) struck out nine over seven innings, allowing three runs – one earned – in a loss to the Marlins on Saturday. He’s lost three games in a row for the first time in his eight-year career. Still, he’s pitched well, having allowed three runs twice and one run once while racking up 20 innings in those outings.
Kershaw has been lights out in his career versus the Mets, going 5-0 with a 1.62 ERA in seven career starts. His last outing against them was one of his worst giving up two earned runs in five innings picking up a no-decision on Apr. 23, 2013.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I think winning, in general, is what Clayton’s all about. I don’t know if it’s weighing on him. He may show frustration at the time, but when he gets away from it, I think he knows he pitched really well and gave us a really good chance to win.” – Dodgers manager Don Mattingly after Clayton Kershaw lost his third straight start for the first time in his career
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
The lack of run production has been a curse over the Mets for two weeks now. They got the leadoff man on base three times, loaded the bases once and advanced six men into scoring position on Wednesday with nothing to show for it in a 2-0 loss to Chicago. It was the ninth time the Mets have been shutout this season and second time in a row, extending their scoreless innings streak to 20. Over the last two weeks, the club scored 22 runs in 13 games. Seven of those runs came in pitcher Steven Matz’s debut Sunday as he drove in four. The Mets have scored one run or fewer in 20 games this season and the desperation continues. Manager Terry Collins said he’ll try shuffling the batting order, but there’s not much to work with. David Wright is still out, Travis d’Arnaud is on the DL and Michael Cuddyer is day-to-day with a knee injury. “There’s a little bit of pressing going on in the clubhouse,” Lucas Duda said.
PROP TALK
The Dodgers don’t have Dee Gordon, who leads the majors in hitting, playing second base this season, but they guy they do have isn’t all that bad. Howie Kendrick extended his hitting streak to seven games with a single on Wednesday after a four-hit night, including his seventh homer of the year on Tuesday. He’s hitting .500 with eight RBIs in that span, raising his average to .298. He’s also been deadly with runners in scoring position collecting 24 hits in 65 at-bats (.369). With Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig and Joc Pederson struggling, Kendrick has picked up the slack to keep the Dodgers moving along.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The way the Mets have struggled to score runs lately, Noah Syndergaard has to be nearly perfect for New York to beat Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers at home. Kershaw has been real good lately, but he set the bar so high for himself that his numbers don’t compare to year’s past. But the lefty has a chance to get back in the win column against the Mets, who he’s owned over his career. And a team scuffling to produce anything offensively doesn’t need to be facing the Cy Young winner who’s pissed that he hasn’t gotten a win in his last four starts. Look for the Dodgers to dispatch the Mets behind a quality outing from their ace.
Los Angeles 4, New York 1
The MLB odds for this game will be available first at BookMaker Sportsbook. Gamble on the game between every half inning with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen in the next at-bat or how many runs will be scored in the next inning. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers is scheduled for Friday, July 3, 2015, at 10:10 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium. The matchup can be seen live on ESPN.
