The Philadelphia Phillies (51-30) will be looking in the broom closet for another win over the visiting Boston Red Sox (45-34), who will be playing the Phillies in the last of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park today (1:05 pm ET). The Phillies are up 2-games to none in the inter-league series and give the ball to left-hander Cole Hamels (9-4, 2.49 ERA) to close out the series. However, Boston won't go down easily as they trot out veteran Jon Lester (9-4, 3.66 ERA) who will be attempting to slow down the Phillies stampede.
With Lester and Hamels scheduled to pitch, oddsmakers at most offshore sports shops list the Phillies as -130 MLB Odds favorites in this one with a betting total (over/under) of 7-runs. Red Sox backers will be getting -130 odds as moneyline underdogs.
Hamels was pitching at the top of his game on Saturday against Oakland as he went eight innings, giving up only two runs on eight hits, but was credited with the loss his second straight. The recent problem for Hamels is lack of run support, just as it plagued Cliff Lee earlier this season.
Lester, who is also reaching for his 10th win today, can understand Hamels dilemma from lack of run support. The Boston lefty was hit with the same bug at Pittsburgh on Friday where he gave up only two earned runs but got no help from teammates in the clubs 1-3 loss. Lester has given up three earned runs or less in each of his past four starts.
The Phillies sent their backers home happy as -108 moneyline winners on the clubs 2-1 result. The three runs scored fell UNDER the posted 9 1/2-run total.
Early betting trends for Thursday's game show the public leaning on the Red Sox with 65% of MLB Odds wagers risking Lester to get it done while 90% are betting the total to fall UNDER the posted 7-runs.
