Tweet
MLB
Friday, October 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Lines: Thursday's best MLB bets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago White Sox at Tampa Bay Rays (-150, 8 1/2)
While it took more than a decade for the Tampa Bay Rays to make their first postseason appearance, it seems Evan Longoria and the AL East champs won't be content with just having made the playoffs.
The Rays look to take a 2-0 lead in their AL division series with the Chicago White Sox on Friday at Tropicana Field.
Longoria, an AL rookie of the year favorite, showed the poise of a veteran in his first playoff game, homering in his first two at-bats to lead the Rays to 6-4 win on Thursday. Longoria, who hit .272 with 31 doubles, 27 homers and 85 RBIs, also added an RBI single.
The Rays had never won more than 70 games in any of their previous 10 years of existence before breaking through to win the AL East. They continued their season-long success at Tropicana Field, where the Rays had the majors best record at 57-24, and hope to continue to take advantage of that on Friday.
Chicago had reached the playoffs after winning three consecutive games against three different opponents, including a one-game playoff against the Twins on Tuesday to capture the AL Central title. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said while Friday's game doesn't have the same urgency, he realizes an 0-2 hole would be difficult to overcome.
"We have to win tomorrow," Guillen said. "I mean, it's not a do or die thing, but I'd rather go home with one win than go home with our backs to the wall. This organization has been against the wall a lot of times, but we've pulled it out before."
Mark Buehrle (15-12, 3.79 ERA) will try to keep Longoria and the Rays struggling against left-handers as he takes the mound. Longoria hit .242 against lefties this year, barely below the team's .246 average.
Pick: Rays
Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels (-130, 8)
The Red Sox will seek their 11th consecutive postseason victory over the Angels on Friday, as the defending World Series champions look to leave Anaheim with a 2-0 lead in this AL division series.
The Angels felt things could be different this season, having bolstered their lineup by acquiring Torii Hunter and Mark Teixeira in the past year and winning eight straight games against the Red Sox in the regular season.
But the Game 1 result on Wednesday was nothing new for manager Mike Scioscia's club, as the Red Sox emerged from Angel Stadium with a 4-1 win. Since trailing 3-1 in the 1986 AL championship series, Boston has won 10 straight playoff games against Los Angeles, including first-round sweeps in 2004 and 2007 en route to World Series championships.
Ervin Santana (16-7, 3.49) will be hoping to make sure the Angels don't fall into an 0-2 hole. The right-hander had easily his best season this year, but he may have a bad taste in his mouth after allowing eight runs in 5 2-3 innings of an 8-4 loss to Texas on Saturday.
The Red Sox did not see Santana this season, but he's 1-2 with a 5.73 ERA against them in four career starts. David Ortiz is 5-for-9 with two doubles and a home run off Santana.
Santana wasn't at his best at home this season, going 5-5 with a 4.03 ERA in 15 starts, but the Angels are still eager to give him the ball after he finished in the AL's top five in innings, strikeouts and opponent batting average.
"He's an All-Star. He has pitched well all season. He was second in the league in strikeouts," Hunter told the Angels' official Web site. "He can pitch, definitely. We just have to score some runs for him."
Pick: Angels
Friday, October 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Lines: Thursday's best MLB bets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago White Sox at Tampa Bay Rays (-150, 8 1/2)
While it took more than a decade for the Tampa Bay Rays to make their first postseason appearance, it seems Evan Longoria and the AL East champs won't be content with just having made the playoffs.
The Rays look to take a 2-0 lead in their AL division series with the Chicago White Sox on Friday at Tropicana Field.
Longoria, an AL rookie of the year favorite, showed the poise of a veteran in his first playoff game, homering in his first two at-bats to lead the Rays to 6-4 win on Thursday. Longoria, who hit .272 with 31 doubles, 27 homers and 85 RBIs, also added an RBI single.
The Rays had never won more than 70 games in any of their previous 10 years of existence before breaking through to win the AL East. They continued their season-long success at Tropicana Field, where the Rays had the majors best record at 57-24, and hope to continue to take advantage of that on Friday.
Chicago had reached the playoffs after winning three consecutive games against three different opponents, including a one-game playoff against the Twins on Tuesday to capture the AL Central title. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said while Friday's game doesn't have the same urgency, he realizes an 0-2 hole would be difficult to overcome.
"We have to win tomorrow," Guillen said. "I mean, it's not a do or die thing, but I'd rather go home with one win than go home with our backs to the wall. This organization has been against the wall a lot of times, but we've pulled it out before."
Mark Buehrle (15-12, 3.79 ERA) will try to keep Longoria and the Rays struggling against left-handers as he takes the mound. Longoria hit .242 against lefties this year, barely below the team's .246 average.
Pick: Rays
Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels (-130, 8)
The Red Sox will seek their 11th consecutive postseason victory over the Angels on Friday, as the defending World Series champions look to leave Anaheim with a 2-0 lead in this AL division series.
The Angels felt things could be different this season, having bolstered their lineup by acquiring Torii Hunter and Mark Teixeira in the past year and winning eight straight games against the Red Sox in the regular season.
But the Game 1 result on Wednesday was nothing new for manager Mike Scioscia's club, as the Red Sox emerged from Angel Stadium with a 4-1 win. Since trailing 3-1 in the 1986 AL championship series, Boston has won 10 straight playoff games against Los Angeles, including first-round sweeps in 2004 and 2007 en route to World Series championships.
Ervin Santana (16-7, 3.49) will be hoping to make sure the Angels don't fall into an 0-2 hole. The right-hander had easily his best season this year, but he may have a bad taste in his mouth after allowing eight runs in 5 2-3 innings of an 8-4 loss to Texas on Saturday.
The Red Sox did not see Santana this season, but he's 1-2 with a 5.73 ERA against them in four career starts. David Ortiz is 5-for-9 with two doubles and a home run off Santana.
Santana wasn't at his best at home this season, going 5-5 with a 4.03 ERA in 15 starts, but the Angels are still eager to give him the ball after he finished in the AL's top five in innings, strikeouts and opponent batting average.
"He's an All-Star. He has pitched well all season. He was second in the league in strikeouts," Hunter told the Angels' official Web site. "He can pitch, definitely. We just have to score some runs for him."
Pick: Angels
Comment