ODDS ANALYSIS
The Red Sox put an end to their three-game losing streak taking the first of this four-game weekend set and in the process showed a little life on the offensive. The Rangers, meanwhile, continue their home struggles after a successful road trip brought them back to .500 for the season.
The Sox had been struggling at the dish and the run production was at a laughable low for this talent laden squad. A strong start from Eduardo Rodriguez, who made his major league debut, propelled the Sox to the 5-1 win with the teams cashing the under. The Sox have been a steady play on the under during their recent struggles going 11-4 in their last 15 games and 25-22-1 on the year.
The Rangers should bat first and wear their road grays at home because they have been far better in away games. Texas returned from a nine-game road trip with a nifty 7-2 record and promptly dropped the opener of this series. The Rangers have the fewest home wins in the majors and are down 7.73 units compared to being up 13.87 units on the road.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Boston’s Wade Miley (4-4, 4.47 ERA) had a strong start in a 6-1 win over the Angels on Sunday tossing eight innings of one-run ball on just four hits. He walked one with two strikeouts and has been on a roll of late going 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA in his last three turns.
Miley is 1-1 with a 1.84 ERA with 15 strikeouts over 14.2 innings in two career starts against the Rangers.
Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-0, NA) will be making his first major league start. The Rangers’ No. 1 pick out of Oral Roberts in 2013 was 3-5 with a 4.15 ERA in eight starts at Triple-A Round Rock, going 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his last three outings.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“Well, it comes down to fastball command. Even when he’s gotten a couple of guys on base, he hasn’t overthrown as we saw maybe back in April. He’s turned things around personally this month, that’s pretty clear. He’s back to a quick pace, but a comfortable one for him, and he’s commanding his pitches.” – Red Sox manager John Farrell on Wade Miley
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
David Ortiz wasn’t in the Red Sox lineup Thursday and it might be more than a one-day rest. Manager John Farrell wants to give the slumping slugger the chance to step back and reconfigure his game. Ortiz is hitting just .216 this season and has one hit in his last 20 at-bats over five games. He has six home runs and a .377 slugging percentage. Ortiz has been sick but isn’t dealing with any injuries, according to Farrell. The decision was more about allowing Ortiz to get right mentally and he is continuing to work in the batting cages and stay in a normal routine despite not being in the lineup. There’s a good chance Ortiz is back in the order Saturday and that’s not good news for Chi Chi Rodriguez, who is set to make his MLB debut for Texas.
PROP TALK
A resurgent Dustin Pedroia might just be the impetus for the Red Sox to break out of their offensive slumber. Things had gotten so bad Pedroia took a razor to his face in a recent series against the Angels, a transformative act for his appearance but one that did nothing for the team’s look on the field that particular day. The move sparked Pedroia, however, as he extended his hit streak to seven games since removing his signature facial hair and eight straight overall, with a three-hit night Thursday. He’s hitting .424 during his streak and .316 against the Rangers in four games this season.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Rangers have to win a home game at some point, don’t they? It’s hard to fathom a team can have so much success on the road and be absolutely terrible in their own yard. And we’re talking not just slightly better but a whole lot better. The Rangers fell to 6-14 at home with Thursday’s loss compared to 17-11 on road after a recent 7-2 trip that included a pair of wins at Boston.
The Sox seemingly have the edge in this one with Wade Miley on the hill, who’s been spectacular in his last three outings. Miley has settled into the rotation nicely and would have to be considered the ace of the rotation. If the Red Sox can push a few runs across that might be enough for Miley to get them the victory.
Boston 5, Texas 4
BookMaker will be the first online sportsbook to send out the baseball odds for this marquee matchup. 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!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem, BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The ballgame between the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers will take place Saturday, May 30, 2015, at 7:15 p.m. ET at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The matchup will be televised regionally on FOX.
