MLB Predictions Preview …The Tampa Bay Rays will look for another road win tonight when they take on the Seattle Mariners in the second game of their weekend series at PNC Park in Seattle. The Rays will look to right hander Matt Garza (9-7, 3.70 ERA) to get the job done while Ryan Rowland-Smith will start for the Mariners. Smith is 2-1 on the season with a 3.44 ERA.
MLB Predictions Betting Line … Oddsmakers at online sportsbook Bodog (Bodoglife.com) currently have the Rays listed as -133 money line favorites versus the Mariners, while the game's total is sitting at 8½. Mariners backers are getting +123 odds as a home underdog.
In his last start, Garza exited after five innings, in which he threw 102 pitches and was plagued by the long ball. Cleveland's No. 9 batter, Asdrubal Cabrera, opened the third inning with a solo shot, and David Dellucci went yard for a two-run homer two innings later, as Garza never appeared to settle in on the mound. Garza has faced the Mariners once this season already, in an April 8 contest in which he left with radial nerve irritation after pitching a season-low 2 2/3 innings.
Rowland-Smith returns to the Mariners roster as a starting pitcher, possibly for the remainder of the season. Used exclusively as a long reliever, he was sent to Triple-A Tacoma more than two weeks ago to be converted to a starter and he pitched well in three starts, surrendering two runs in each of them and working his pitch-count to 101 in his most recent outing. He isn't overpowering, relying instead on command of this fastball and off-speed pitches to keep hitters on their toes. He replaces right-hander Miguel Batista in the rotation.
The Rays defeated Seattle 5-3 as a -175 favorite on Friday. The eight runs scored fell UNDER the posted over/under total (8.5).
Carlos Pena homered and had a pair of RBI for the Rays, while B.J. Upton was 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the win.
Wladimir Balentien smacked a two-run home run for the Mariners and Carlos Silva surrendered four earned runs in six innings to take the loss.
