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MLB
Friday, July 31
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Tips and Trends
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Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins [8:10 PM ET]
Angels: Anaheim is 20 games above .500 and is a nifty 28-20 away from home despite playing the last few weeks without Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero. However, the club does not have fond memories of a three-game series at the Metrodome during the season’s opening month. The Angels were swept by the Twins, getting outscored 23-12 in the process. Nine of those 12 runs were scored in an 11-9 setback. That was the lone game in the seven head-to-head meetings this season that went ‘over’ the closing total. Nevertheless, the ‘over’ is 59-37-4 in the Angels’ first 100 games this year. Maybe a road start will re-ignite Santana, who continues to have problems at home. He fell to 0-4 at Angel Stadium this season with a 12.38 ERA (33 earned runs in 24 innings) when he lasted only 3 2/3 innings and yielded six earned runs against these same Twins on Sunday. Elbow issues delayed Santana’s season by six weeks and a forearm strain sent him to the disabled list a second time. Santana is 2-1 with a 3.52 career ERA against the Twins and is 1-0 in two starts at the Metrodome with a 3.86 ERA.
The Angels are 9-2 in their last 11 games as an underdog.
Key Injuries - None
PROJECTED SCORE: 4
Twins (-$1.50 O/U 10): Minnesota returned home from a 4-6 West Coast trip and promptly swept the White Sox in a three-game series. The Twins’ current four-game winning streak has moved them within two games of the first-place Tigers in the AL Central. Minnesota continues to flourish at the Metrodome, going 31-20 indoors compared to 21-30 on the road. The ‘under’ is 55-45-2 in Minnesota’s first 102 overall outings. Nick Blackburn (8-5, 3.75 ERA) will try to get some revenge against the Angels in Friday’s opener. The right-hander was tagged for six runs and six hits in just 3 2/3 innings last Saturday in Anaheim en route to an 11-5 setback. Blackburn also was clobbered the start before that, allowing seven runs on 13 hits in just five innings at Oakland. The two losses dropped Minnesota’s record to 7-12-1 in Blackburn’s first 20 starts this season. However, Blackburn is 5-0 with a stellar 2.67 ERA at home compared to 3-5 with a 4.70 ERA on the road.
The Under is 8-3 in Blackburn’s last 11 starts.
Key Injuries - None
PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side of the Day)
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Friday, July 31
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Tips and Trends
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins [8:10 PM ET]
Angels: Anaheim is 20 games above .500 and is a nifty 28-20 away from home despite playing the last few weeks without Torii Hunter and Vladimir Guerrero. However, the club does not have fond memories of a three-game series at the Metrodome during the season’s opening month. The Angels were swept by the Twins, getting outscored 23-12 in the process. Nine of those 12 runs were scored in an 11-9 setback. That was the lone game in the seven head-to-head meetings this season that went ‘over’ the closing total. Nevertheless, the ‘over’ is 59-37-4 in the Angels’ first 100 games this year. Maybe a road start will re-ignite Santana, who continues to have problems at home. He fell to 0-4 at Angel Stadium this season with a 12.38 ERA (33 earned runs in 24 innings) when he lasted only 3 2/3 innings and yielded six earned runs against these same Twins on Sunday. Elbow issues delayed Santana’s season by six weeks and a forearm strain sent him to the disabled list a second time. Santana is 2-1 with a 3.52 career ERA against the Twins and is 1-0 in two starts at the Metrodome with a 3.86 ERA.
The Angels are 9-2 in their last 11 games as an underdog.
Key Injuries - None
PROJECTED SCORE: 4
Twins (-$1.50 O/U 10): Minnesota returned home from a 4-6 West Coast trip and promptly swept the White Sox in a three-game series. The Twins’ current four-game winning streak has moved them within two games of the first-place Tigers in the AL Central. Minnesota continues to flourish at the Metrodome, going 31-20 indoors compared to 21-30 on the road. The ‘under’ is 55-45-2 in Minnesota’s first 102 overall outings. Nick Blackburn (8-5, 3.75 ERA) will try to get some revenge against the Angels in Friday’s opener. The right-hander was tagged for six runs and six hits in just 3 2/3 innings last Saturday in Anaheim en route to an 11-5 setback. Blackburn also was clobbered the start before that, allowing seven runs on 13 hits in just five innings at Oakland. The two losses dropped Minnesota’s record to 7-12-1 in Blackburn’s first 20 starts this season. However, Blackburn is 5-0 with a stellar 2.67 ERA at home compared to 3-5 with a 4.70 ERA on the road.
The Under is 8-3 in Blackburn’s last 11 starts.
Key Injuries - None
PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side of the Day)
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