The Tampa Bay Rays continue to hang around in the American League wild card race and can help their chances by handing the AL West-leading Astros back-to-back home defeats for the first time in almost two months when the teams meet Tuesday in the second of a four-game set.
ODDS ANALYSIS
After taking their lumps in a three-game sweep at the hands of the Rangers over the weekend, the Rays visit the other Texas-based franchise, looking to get back on track against the top team in the AL West. Tampa Bay beat Houston for the fourth straight time this season with Monday’s 9-2 rout and the Rays have held the Astros to a total of six runs in the season series. Tampa Bay has won its last seven series against Houston, including the sweep just before the All-Star break, and won for the 11th time in the last 13 games at Minute Maid Park with Monday’s verdict. The Astros haven’t won a series from the Rays since 2008 when the teams played an interleague series.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Jake Odorizzi (6-6, 3.09 ERA) went 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA in four starts prior to Wednesday, when he matched season-highs with six runs and nine hits allowed in six-plus innings in a 9-6 Rays win. He didn’t factor in the decision. His ERA rose to 3.09 after the outing, the highest it’s been all season.
Odorizzi has yielded three hits and struck out 15 over 13 scoreless innings to win his two starts against the Astros that came over the past two seasons. He’ll face them for the first time in Houston.
Scott Feldman (5-5, 4.17 ERA) turned in a sorely needed gem his last time out, throwing six shutout innings Wednesday against the Giants to snap the Astros’ road losing streak. He was the starter in Houston’s only two wins on their recent nine-game trip. Feldman is 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts since coming off the disabled list.
The right-hander has faced the Rays 12 times and is 3-2 with a 2.41 ERA in six starts against them. He last faced them on Sept. 22, 2013 as a member of the Baltimore Orioles.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“We haven’t been able to piece together too many big innings so in order to stay close for some of these tough games, it’s been all about starting pitching. I think our guys are very reliable. They probably don’t’ get the credit they deserve on how well they pitched, certainly since the break, but even deeper into the season.” – Astros manager A.J. Hinch on his starting rotation
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
Desmond Jennings was reinstated off the disabled list on Friday and made an immediate impact on his return to the lineup going 3 for 4 and driving in a run. Jennings hadn’t played since late April after going on the disabled list and missing 96 games with knee bursitis. Manager Kevin Cash believes Jennings can still make a large impact on the Rays season. “He’s probably the freshest player we have and he’s a good one, a really good one,” the manager said. Jennings has hit safely in all four games back going 6 for 15 to raise his average from .222 to .256. “I feel good, I’m fresh. I’m just anxious to play some baseball,” Jennings said.
PROP TALK
Apparently a little down time on the DL was just what Asdrubal Cabrera needed. The Rays shortstop had two hits, drove in three and scored a pair in Tampa Bay’s 9-2 win Monday. He’s batting a cool .477 with 11 multi-hit games, three homers and 10 RBIs in 17 games since coming off the disabled list. His slash line now is .268/.316/.421 and those numbers could improve over the next few days. Cabrera is a .361 lifetime hitter against the Astros and has four hits in seven career at-bats against Scott Feldman.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Tampa Bay has Houston’s number and there’s nothing the Astros can do about it. The Rays beat Houston Monday for their fourth consecutive win against them this season and won 11 of the last 13 at Minute Maid Park. Rays starter Jake Odorizzi hasn’t allowed a run to the Astros in 13 innings and Tampa has its most electrifying player in Desmond Jennings back in the lineup. Houston has struggled lately winning just four of its last 13 games and the youthful roster could be feeling the effects of a tight race heading down the stretch.
Tampa Bay 5, Houston 2
The MLB lines for this contest will first be released by BookMaker Sportsbook. BookMaker is going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised baseball matchup. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, individual inning run totals and next hitter results. Log in and start gambling during the game now!
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 Tampa Bay Rays versus the Houston Astros will commence Tuesday, August 18, 2015, at 8:10 p.m. ET at Minute Maid Park. You can watch the contest live on the MLB Network.
