MLB Baseball
2012-05-22 - Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
United States: Major League Baseball
Tuesday 22 May 2012 - First Pitch 7:05pm ET
12:05am (British Standard Time)
Preview
The two American League East rivals continue their series at Camden Fields after the Boston Red Sox (21-21) took the first game 8-6 against the Baltimore Orioles (27-16).
In a strange twist of fate, the Red Sox and the Orioles are in vastly different positions as to what the expectations were for them coming into the season. Boston have really struggled badly and that has been highlighted by the fact they have a chance to move above 0.500 for the first time this season if they win this game.
Injuries have really piled up for the Red Sox, but they are not feeling sorry for themselves and are instead in the midst of a strong run of form. They have gone 9-2 in their last 11 games and they have won 3 in a row heading into this game, while there have been significant improvements in the performance of the bullpen which has a 1.50 ERA over the last month following an 8.44 ERA up until April 21.
Felix Doubront will be given the ball, a pitcher who has a 4-1 record this season with a 4.09 ERA and one who is looking for his fourth consecutive win. Doubront allowed just 1 earned run in just under 6 innings pitched in his last outing, but he also walked 4 batters and has struggled to get out of innings quickly. In fact, Doubront's 18.6 pitches per inning leads the Major Leagues.
Doubront will be pitching for the first time against Baltimore and he will be duelling Brian Matusz who goes to the mound with a 3-4 record and a 5.36 ERA.
While his ERA is high, Matusz has really turned a corner recently and is actually looking for his fourth win from his last five starts. He is coming off a performance where he allowed 3 runs in 6 innings pitched against the Kansas City Royals, although he could have a few mental demons to exorcise when seeing the Red Sox jerseys.
Matusz is actually 2-1 with a 4.02 ERA against Boston from six career starts, but the last time he faced them he failed to get out of the 2nd innings after giving up 6 runs back in September 2011 at Fenway Park.
Head to Head
Baltimore lead the season series 3-1 now after losing last night and that is following a sweep of a three game set at Fenway Park.
The teams have actually split the last 6 games that have been contested in this ballpark.
Both teams are 12-10 this season at home and on the road respectively.
Prediction
Boston are playing with all the confidence at the moment and they are getting a lot done at the plate and I think that will give them the edge in this game, while their bullpen has been playing a lot better of late after giving up a number of games earlier in the season.
The Orioles have to be respected, but they have been more inconsistent at the plate in recent games and that could give them too much to do if they fall behind.
Felix Doubront also has the edge in the pitching department and Brian Matusz could be a little mentally fragile after being roughed up the last time he faced the Red Sox.
I was going to take Boston straight up, but they have been scoring plenty of runs lately so the 2.38 they win by a couple of runs looks the more interesting choice.
The Pick :
Baltimore Orioles 3-6 Boston Red Sox
