Rays at Mariners MLB Picks – May 5 2010: The Seattle Mariners (11-15) have found their way to last place in the American League West Division after losing four games in a row. Wednesday night (10:10 pm, Eastern), the M's will trot out former Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to the mound to face the torrid Tampa Bay Rays with hopes of stopping their current skid. The Rays, with the best record in baseball at 19-7, will start righthander Matt Garza, who is 4-1 on the season with a microscopic 2.06 ERA.
Seattle is listed as a slight -107 favorite versus Tampa Bay on the Bodog.com money line in this potential pitchers duel with a 6 1/2-run total. The Rays are giving -103 odds in this game. Run line prices are – for Tampa Bay -1 1/2 (+160) and Seattle +1 1/2(-190).
In his last start and season debut, Lee was very effective throwing seven shutout innings, striking out eight, walking zero and not allowing a runner past first base. Seattle failed to score a run despite numerous chances and dropping a 2-0 game in 12 innings. The good news is, Lee felt no ill effects from the 98-pitch evening, his first Major League start since suffering an abdominal strain during Spring Training. His fastball hovered around 93 miles per hour, and he threw 73 strikes, a promising beginning to a season the Mariners hope will match his 2008 Cy Young Award performance.
Garza will make his sixth start of the year after going six innings and earning a win against Kansas City on Thursday, when he allowed five hits and one earned run while striking out nine batters and walking two. This will be Garza's fifth career start against the Mariners and his third at Safeco Field. He holds a 1-1 record against Seattle, having pitched 17 2/3 innings with a 9.17 ERA.
Tampa Bay won Game 1 of this current series with Seattle 5-2 in a game mired with M's mistakes – four errors, a passed ball and wild pitch. Ray's backers covered with the SU win and cashed the run line. The seven runs scored went OVER the posted 7 1/2 total.
MLB Picks: If the M's bats can find some life, then Lee has an excellent chance of picking up a win for Seattle. It's worth the bet – take Seattle -107 ml.
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