MLB Betting Preview: The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals each go into Inter League series play at Boston’s Fenway Park over the weekend missing key ingredients to their rosters. Two of the best players in baseball, Boston’s David Ortiz and Cards’ Albert Pujols will not play due to injuries. Regardless of who plays or doesn’t, the Cards and Sox have plenty of other weapons to throw at each other. The Red Sox plan to send veteran right handed knuckler Tim Wakefield (4-4, 4.19 ERA) to the mound Friday while the Cardinals go with RHP Kyle Lohse (8-2, 3.77 ERA). St. Louis needs a strong outing from Lohse after the team lost a three game series at home to the Kansas City Royals.
MLB Betting oddsmakers at online sportsbook SportsBetting.com have installed the Red Sox as -173 moneyline favorites for Friday's game with a 9 1/2 total. Cardinals' backers are getting +163 ML juice.
After just missing his fifth win of the season in Cincinnati on Saturday when Jonathan Papelbon allowed a game-tying homer, Wakefield gets another chance to get over the .500 mark. Wakefield has thrown at least seven innings in each of his last starts, including last Saturday when he allowed just four hits and two solo home runs
Lohse keeps throwing strikes and pitching deep into games. Not coincidentally, he keeps winning. He's gone at least six innings in six out of seven starts, with the only exception being a rain-interrupted affair in Washington. Lohse has issued a total of six walks in those seven games. That combination will typically add up to some solid results, and what do you know, Lohse has won five straight starts.
The Cardinals lost 8-7 to the Royals last time out at EVEN odds. The five runs fell UNDER the posted over/under (9.5).
Rick Ankiel hit a solo home run for the only Cardinals run. Brad Thompson suffered the loss, giving up two runs off five hits over five innings of work.
J.D. Drew belted a three-run homer as the Red Sox defeated the Phillies 7-4 in the rubber match on Wednesday, as +125 road underdogs. The game's 11 runs made it OVER the posted over/under (9.5).
Drew finished 4-for-5 at the plate with four RBIs for the Red Sox. Justin Masterson tossed five innings for the win, and Jonathan Papelbon threw a scoreless ninth inning for his 21st save.
Point-Spreads.com MLB Betting Pick: Red Sox 173 ML
