Wednesday Matinees
The Wednesday afternoon baseball card provides bettors with five games to wager on, including three division battles. The Mets and Reds close out a three-game set in Cincinnati, while the Twins and Tigers continue to battle atop the AL Central at Comerica Park. We'll begin in northern Ohio as the surprising Jays look to capture another series against the Indians.
Blue Jays at Indians - 12:05 PM EST
Toronto has become the best power team in all of baseball by leading the league with 41 homers. Many people believed the loss of Roy Halladay would destroy this Blue Jays team, but Toronto's offense has picked things up as it goes for a matinee win at Cleveland.
Fausto Carmona (3-1, 4.05 ERA) is coming off his worst start of the season, allowing six earned runs in six innings of a 9-3 home setback to the Twins. The inconsistent Carmona actually put up solid numbers prior to the meltdown to Minnesota by compiling four quality starts in his four outings. Cleveland is a perfect 3-0 in Carmona's three career starts against Toronto, including a complete-game, five-hitter at home in May 2008.
The Jays send out former reliever Brandon Morrow (2-2, 5.46 ERA), who has steadily improved over his last few starts. The ex-Mariners righty gave up 12 earned runs in his first two outings, but Morrow has allowed just five earned runs in his last three starts, including wins over the Royals and A's. Morrow has struck out 25 batters his previous three outings, as the Indians' offense has compiled the third-most strikeouts in the American League.
The Tribe has scored three runs or less in six of the last eight games, all losses. In the two games in which Cleveland has put up more than three runs, the Indians beat the Twins and Angels. Cleveland is a dreadful 2-14 scoring three runs or fewer, while going 8-1 when plating at least four runs.
Mets at Reds - 12:35 PM EST
New York and Cincinnati finish off a three-game series at the Great American Ballpark with two pitchers going in opposite directions taking the hill. Jonathon Niese (1-2, 3.10 ERA) is coming off three impressive starts, while Johnny Cueto (1-1, 5.33 ERA) has delivered just one quality outing this season.
Niese turned in the best performance of his career against the Phillies his last time out, limiting the NL Champs to four hits and one earned run in seven innings of work as the Mets cruised to a 9-1 win. The southpaw has turned into a strong 'under' play this season by finishing 'under' the total in four of five starts.
Cueto has been unable to duplicate the hot start of 2009, in which the Reds' righty began 4-1. The 24-year old finally won his first game of 2010 by tossing five innings of a 3-2 road victory at St. Louis. Cueto has not lasted past the sixth inning in any of his first five starts, while not faring well against the Mets in his career, compiling an 0-3 lifetime mark.
The Mets are 6-3 in day games this season, while going 'under' the total six times. On the flip side, the Reds are just 3-6 during matinees, but have been a consistent 'under' team with a 5-1-3 mark to the 'under.'
Orioles at Yankees - 1:05 PM EST
The Bombers look for their sixth win in seven games as they conclude their series with Baltimore. The O's have had a healthy dose of division rivals recently with the last 11 contests coming against the Yankees and Red Sox. Baltimore has played better following a 2-16 start by going 5-3 the last eight games.
Andy Pettitte (3-0, 2.12 ERA) has quietly dominated opponents this season, as the Yanks have won all five starts made by the veteran lefty. New York is 8-1 the last nine at home when Pettitte starts with the lone loss coming to these Orioles last September as $3.00 'chalk.' Pettitte is coming off his first non-quality outing of the season (6 IP, 4 ER) as the Yanks came back to beat the White Sox, 6-4.
The O's send out righty David Hernandez (0-3, 4.55 ERA), who looks for his first victory since August 11, 2008 against Oakland. Baltimore picked up a pair of victories over Boston in which Hernandez started, but the 24-year old received a no-decision each time. Hernandez faced the Yanks twice last season, picking up a pair of no-decisions as Baltimore lost each contest.
The Yanks are 8-2 the last ten at home against the Orioles, while Baltimore has finished 'under' the total in 10 of 14 games on the highway.
Tigers at Twins - 1:10 PM EST
The top two teams in the AL Central won't see each other again until the end of June at Target Field following Wednesday's matchup. The Twins grabbed the opener in convincing fashion, 10-4, snapping Detroit's five-game winning streak. A pair of pitchers who have had their ups and downs take the mound as Kevin Slowey opposes Rick Porcello.
Slowey (3-2, 2.77 ERA) has lasted past the sixth inning just once in five starts this season, while coming off his third victory over the Indians last Friday. Minnesota is 4-1 in Slowey's five career starts against Detroit, despite the righty getting lit up by the Tigers at home last July in an 11-9 loss (3 IP, 6 ER). Slowey's day numbers this season (0-2, 6.10 ERA) have been dreadful compared to his night stats (3-0, 2.45 ERA).
Porcello (2-2, 8.03 ERA) has struggled over the last three starts, allowing 17 earned runs and 26 hits in 13.2 innings, while Detroit is 1-2 in this stretch. The right-hander hasn't seen much success against the Twins in his young career, as the Tigers are 1-4 in Porcello's five lifetime starts in this series. Three of those losses did come at the Metrodome, so pitching at Target Field may benefit Porcello.
The Tigers are 5-0-1 to the 'over' the last six away games, while going 7-1 in series finales this season. The Twins, who continue to play without MVP Joe Mauer, are just 3-5 in the final game of a series in 2010, including home losses as huge favorites against the Indians and Royals.
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