ODDS ANALYSIS
The Nationals are starting to put things together and the Diamondbacks were in the wrong place at the wrong time on Monday. Washington continues its road trip through the NL West with an afternoon contest on Wednesday looking to stay hot and put the pressure on the NL East leading Mets.
Winning their season-high fifth straight game and eighth in their last nine with an emphatic 11-1 win Monday, the Nationals are looking like the World Series favorite many pegged them to be. The Nats are in the black 6.34 units during the nine-game stretch and have cashed the over in five straight and six of seven following Monday’s contest. The Nats have been a strong over play for the year going 20-12-1 exceeding the total in two of Gio Gonzalez’s last three starts.
Despite their 14-17 record through their first 31 games the Diamondbacks have been quite profitable on the runline going 19-12 up 6.18 units. They’re also a good play on the over going 5-2 in seven games after cashing the over on Monday. For the season the Dbacks are 16-13-2 but in hitter-friendly Chase Field they are 11-7-1. The over is 2-0 in Jeremy Hellickson’s last two starts while the Dbacks are just 1-5 in his six starts.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Washington’s Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 3.62 ERA) was locked in Friday striking out eight and allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings in a 9-2 win over Atlanta. He has now allowed just two runs in his last 14 innings dropping his ERA to 3.62, more in line with his career ERA.
Gonzalez is 2-0 in three career starts against the Dbacks with a sparkling 1.33 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.
Jeremy Hellickson (1-3, 5.85 ERA) was charged with five earned runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings against San Diego on Friday. He’s gone 4.2 innings twice in his last three outings allowing 12 earned runs in that span. Manager Chip Hale said the struggling Hellickson will remain in the rotation “for now.”
Hellickson makes his first career appearance against the Nationals and needs to show improvement or he will likely be yanked from the rotation. His 5.85 ERA is third-worst among NL starters.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“He has a knack for driving runs in because he stays in the middle of the diamond and goes the other way so well. He just stays on the ball so well. He has been swinging at strikes, being patient enough to get those pitches. He has delivered four us. He’s playing well.” – Nationals manager Matt Williams on the Bryce Harper
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
Expect Arizona manager Chip Hale to have a short leash on starter Jeremy Hellickson in this one and if the scorching-hot Bryce Harper and the Nats are going to get to him it’ll have to be early. Hellickson has pitched past five innings in just half of his six starts with a 1.73 WHIP and his 5.85 ERA is among the worst of any NL starter. He’s allowed 12 earned runs over his last three starts spanning 14.2 innings. To say it’s been a struggle for Hellickson is an understatement. Hale will stick with him “for now” but at the first sign of trouble look for the hook.
PROP TALK
Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is healthy and showing that he’s truly a triple-crown threat. Limited to 109 games last season, Goldschmidt had just 19 homers. He’s back to his 2013 form when he hit .302 with 36 home runs. He tops the Dbacks in every offensive category and is among the league leaders in every triple-crown category. During a six-game stretch from Apr. 27 to May 3 he batted .556 with 15 hits in 27 at-bats raising his season average nearly 100 points and has cooled only slightly since then. You just feel like Goldschmidt can get a hit every time he steps into the box and he will against lefty Gio Gonzalez.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Nats are starting to look like the team everyone thought. They swept Atlanta over the weekend capping a 5-1 homestand and finish off their first series against the NL West with Wednesday’s matinee. Bryce Harper’s recent hot streak, when he clubbed six homers in three games, ignited a stagnant offense that saw the Nats get shutout once and score one run in three games covering a five-game stretch at the beginning of the month. Even with difficulties scoring the Nats won three of those five games; a sign that things are starting to go their way.
It’s been an adventure for the Dbacks whenever Jeremy Hellickson takes the hill and going against a Nationals team that has suddenly become potent on offense doesn’t bode well for the home team. But Arizona has done its share of damage at the dish led by Paul Goldschmidt, who is a top offensive threat in the game. AJ Pollock, Ender Inciarte, Mark Trumbo and David Peralta are having wonderful offensive seasons as well and the Dbacks aren’t just a one-man show. They’ll have to come out swinging against Gio Gonzalez to pick up starter Jeremy Hellickson.
Washington 8, Arizona 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 Washington Nationals versus the Arizona Diamondbacks will commence Wednesday, May 13, 2015, at 3:40 p.m. ET at Chase Field. You can watch the contest live on the MLB Network.
