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Went 4-5 Thursday, got killed early and made an evening comeback. These are my plays for Friday...........
5 STAR: BOSTON (MARTINEZ)(-$360) OVER Baltimore (Johnson)
Home opener for the Sox and they have their ace on the mound. You would be 2-0 if you bet against the Red Sox in Pedro's first two starts, but I don't see a Baltimore win here today. Pedro has allowed one earned run and seven hits in 15 innings. But in both outings, Boston's bullpen has cost him. In Saturday's 2-1 loss at Baltimore, he gave up just one run and four hits in eight innings before Chad Fox issued a bases-loaded walk to Tony Batista in the ninth. Fox also surrendered a game-winning homer to Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford in Martinez's first start. Martinez is 7-1 with in 11 career appearances, including 10 starts, against the Orioles. He has allowed just 16 earned runs in 71 1/3 innings, while striking out 77. Pedro is also 21-2 versus an American League team with a team batting average of .265 or worse over the last 3 seasons. Jason Johnson is 2-4 lifetime against the Red Sox. This is a high price, so I would suggest using this in a parlay with Arizona.
5 STAR: ARIZONA (JOHNSON)(-$380) OVER Milwaukee (Franklin)
The Diamondbacks are 0-2 in the Big Units first two starts of the season, but they should get the win here today. The Unit has owned this team. Randy Johnson seeks his 15th consecutive victory over the Milwaukee Brewers and first win of the season, when he takes the mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series today. Johnson is 17-4 with a 2.91 ERA in 25 career games versus Milwaukee. He has allowed 57 earned runs and 116 hits in 176 1/3 innings with 205 strikeouts against Milwaukee, which has not handed him a loss since August 5, 1992 when he was with Seattle. National League road teams that are allowing 5.3 or more runs per game on the season, after allowing 3 runs or less 2 straight games are only 33-70 since 1997. Another high price here, so I would suggest using this in a parlay with Boston.
3 STAR: Colorado (Davis)(+$123) OVER San Diego (Lawrence)
I'm going to continue to ride the hot team here. The Colorado Rockies try to match the best 10-game start in franchise history tonight as they visit the slumping San Diego Padres who have dropped three of four games following three straight wins over Los Angeles. Darren Oliver starts for Colorado. He made his season debut in Saturday's win over Arizona and did not gain a decision after allowing three runs and eight hits in five innings. In five career starts against the Padres, the southpaw is 3-1 with a 4.08 ERA. Oliver has been very good in April games, he is 9-1 in April games over the last 3 seasons. Brian Lawrence takes the mound for the Padres. On Saturday, he allowed just four hits in eight innings of a 3-0 win over Los Angeles. Home favorites with a money line of -125 to -175 with a starting pitcher who gave up 2 or less earned runs in his last 2 outings, after a game where the bullpen was rocked for 6 or more runs are only 6-19 since 1997. The Rockies are also 11-2 after scoring 7 runs or more in 3 straight games over the last 3 seasons.
3 STAR: ANAHEIM (LACKEY)(+$110) OVER Oakland (Husdon)
Anaheim is played much better against Seattle than the did when they were swept by Oakland last week. I look for the Angels to get some payback here against Tim Husdon and the A's. The Angels are 18-5 in home games after a game with a combined score of 4 runs or less and 9-1 in home games after shutting out their opponent over the last 3 seasons.
2 STAR: Minnesota (Rogers)(+$117) OVER TORONTO (LIDLE)
I look for some payback here by the Twins who were swept at home last week by the Blue Jays. Toronto had a five-game winning streak snapped with Thursday's 8-7 loss to Boston. The Blue Jays are 5-15 in home games after a game where the bullpen was hit hard for 4 or more runs over the last 3 seasons. The Twins are 10-2 when revenging a home loss versus an opponent of 6 runs or more over the last 3 seasons. Minnesota is also 10-1 after scoring and allowing 3 runs or less in their last 2 games over the last 3 seasons.
1 STAR: Philadelphia (Myers)(-$117) OVER CINCINNATI (WILSON)
The Reds have not played well at home. Cincinnati is 2-4 in their new stadium and opponents have hit 11 home runs there. The Reds face a star in the making today in pitcher Brett Myers. Myers (0-1, 0.00 ERA), who recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts in Sunday's 2-0 loss to Pittsburgh, starts for the Phillies. He allowed an unearned run in seven innings as Jim Thome's error led to a costly run. Road favorites with a money line of -115 or more with a starting a pitcher who gave up no earned runs in his last outing, and have a team on base percentage of .415 or better over their last 5 games are 51-13 over the last 5 seasons.
1 STAR: St. Louis (Morris)(-$122) OVER HOUSTON (MOEHLER)
Houston won the first two games of the series at Busch Stadium last weekend before Sunday's finale was postponed due to inclement weather. In his first start of the season in the St. Louis series, Moehler allowed five runs and eight hits in just 4 2/3 innings. Houston later rallied to win 6-5 in 12 innings. Matt Morris was sharp in his last start against Houston. The righthander struck out 10 in eight scoreless innings last Saturday, when Houston rallied in the ninth for a 2-1 triumph over St. Louis. Morris has had sum success at Houston, he is 4-2 with 4.06 ERA in seven games at Minute Maid Park. Morris is also 15-4 after giving up no earned runs in his last outing since 1997.
* ALL LISTED PITCHERS MUST START OR THE PLAY IS NO ACTION
Good luck,
John
EZWINNERS.com
5 STAR: BOSTON (MARTINEZ)(-$360) OVER Baltimore (Johnson)
Home opener for the Sox and they have their ace on the mound. You would be 2-0 if you bet against the Red Sox in Pedro's first two starts, but I don't see a Baltimore win here today. Pedro has allowed one earned run and seven hits in 15 innings. But in both outings, Boston's bullpen has cost him. In Saturday's 2-1 loss at Baltimore, he gave up just one run and four hits in eight innings before Chad Fox issued a bases-loaded walk to Tony Batista in the ninth. Fox also surrendered a game-winning homer to Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford in Martinez's first start. Martinez is 7-1 with in 11 career appearances, including 10 starts, against the Orioles. He has allowed just 16 earned runs in 71 1/3 innings, while striking out 77. Pedro is also 21-2 versus an American League team with a team batting average of .265 or worse over the last 3 seasons. Jason Johnson is 2-4 lifetime against the Red Sox. This is a high price, so I would suggest using this in a parlay with Arizona.
5 STAR: ARIZONA (JOHNSON)(-$380) OVER Milwaukee (Franklin)
The Diamondbacks are 0-2 in the Big Units first two starts of the season, but they should get the win here today. The Unit has owned this team. Randy Johnson seeks his 15th consecutive victory over the Milwaukee Brewers and first win of the season, when he takes the mound for the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series today. Johnson is 17-4 with a 2.91 ERA in 25 career games versus Milwaukee. He has allowed 57 earned runs and 116 hits in 176 1/3 innings with 205 strikeouts against Milwaukee, which has not handed him a loss since August 5, 1992 when he was with Seattle. National League road teams that are allowing 5.3 or more runs per game on the season, after allowing 3 runs or less 2 straight games are only 33-70 since 1997. Another high price here, so I would suggest using this in a parlay with Boston.
3 STAR: Colorado (Davis)(+$123) OVER San Diego (Lawrence)
I'm going to continue to ride the hot team here. The Colorado Rockies try to match the best 10-game start in franchise history tonight as they visit the slumping San Diego Padres who have dropped three of four games following three straight wins over Los Angeles. Darren Oliver starts for Colorado. He made his season debut in Saturday's win over Arizona and did not gain a decision after allowing three runs and eight hits in five innings. In five career starts against the Padres, the southpaw is 3-1 with a 4.08 ERA. Oliver has been very good in April games, he is 9-1 in April games over the last 3 seasons. Brian Lawrence takes the mound for the Padres. On Saturday, he allowed just four hits in eight innings of a 3-0 win over Los Angeles. Home favorites with a money line of -125 to -175 with a starting pitcher who gave up 2 or less earned runs in his last 2 outings, after a game where the bullpen was rocked for 6 or more runs are only 6-19 since 1997. The Rockies are also 11-2 after scoring 7 runs or more in 3 straight games over the last 3 seasons.
3 STAR: ANAHEIM (LACKEY)(+$110) OVER Oakland (Husdon)
Anaheim is played much better against Seattle than the did when they were swept by Oakland last week. I look for the Angels to get some payback here against Tim Husdon and the A's. The Angels are 18-5 in home games after a game with a combined score of 4 runs or less and 9-1 in home games after shutting out their opponent over the last 3 seasons.
2 STAR: Minnesota (Rogers)(+$117) OVER TORONTO (LIDLE)
I look for some payback here by the Twins who were swept at home last week by the Blue Jays. Toronto had a five-game winning streak snapped with Thursday's 8-7 loss to Boston. The Blue Jays are 5-15 in home games after a game where the bullpen was hit hard for 4 or more runs over the last 3 seasons. The Twins are 10-2 when revenging a home loss versus an opponent of 6 runs or more over the last 3 seasons. Minnesota is also 10-1 after scoring and allowing 3 runs or less in their last 2 games over the last 3 seasons.
1 STAR: Philadelphia (Myers)(-$117) OVER CINCINNATI (WILSON)
The Reds have not played well at home. Cincinnati is 2-4 in their new stadium and opponents have hit 11 home runs there. The Reds face a star in the making today in pitcher Brett Myers. Myers (0-1, 0.00 ERA), who recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts in Sunday's 2-0 loss to Pittsburgh, starts for the Phillies. He allowed an unearned run in seven innings as Jim Thome's error led to a costly run. Road favorites with a money line of -115 or more with a starting a pitcher who gave up no earned runs in his last outing, and have a team on base percentage of .415 or better over their last 5 games are 51-13 over the last 5 seasons.
1 STAR: St. Louis (Morris)(-$122) OVER HOUSTON (MOEHLER)
Houston won the first two games of the series at Busch Stadium last weekend before Sunday's finale was postponed due to inclement weather. In his first start of the season in the St. Louis series, Moehler allowed five runs and eight hits in just 4 2/3 innings. Houston later rallied to win 6-5 in 12 innings. Matt Morris was sharp in his last start against Houston. The righthander struck out 10 in eight scoreless innings last Saturday, when Houston rallied in the ninth for a 2-1 triumph over St. Louis. Morris has had sum success at Houston, he is 4-2 with 4.06 ERA in seven games at Minute Maid Park. Morris is also 15-4 after giving up no earned runs in his last outing since 1997.
* ALL LISTED PITCHERS MUST START OR THE PLAY IS NO ACTION
Good luck,
John
EZWINNERS.com
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