MLB Predictions: Cleveland Indians at Texas Rangers

Sunday, 24 August 2008

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MLB Predictions Preview …Any late season winning streaks won’t be enough to save the Cleveland Indians season this year but gamblers love consistency and that is what they are getting as the Indians look to continue its winning streak to seven games Sunday night with a win tonight against the Texas Rangers at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. The Indians will look to pick up another win on the arm of starting pitcher Anthony Reyes. The big right-hander is 4-2 this season with a 3.66 ERA. The Rangers will counter with their ace Anthony Padilla. The Rangers right-hander has a 12-7 record with a 4.96 ERA.

MLB Predictions Betting Line … Oddsmakers at online sportsbook Bodog (Bodoglife.com) currently have the Rangers listed as -138 money line favorites versus the Indians, while the game's total is sitting at 11½. The Indians are getting +128 money line odds as a road underdog.

Padilla was solid through six innings in his last start; until the seventh, he'd allowed just one run, five hits and a walk. In the seventh, though, he allowed a walk, a single and back-to-back home runs before exiting. Padilla had been bothered by inflammation in the right side of his neck, but the righty said after the game that the pain wasn't an issue. In his past five starts, Padilla is 1-2 with a 7.14 ERA. He will look to end that trend on Sunday in his first start against Cleveland this season. It won't be easy, though. He's 2-2 in five career starts with a 7.09 ERA against the Indians.

Reyes allowed just two runs for the second consecutive outing Tuesday against the Royals, but he couldn't get past the fifth inning because of a high pitch count. His three walks contributed to that, but the long at-bats he faced in the first inning, when he threw 27 pitches, ultimately led to his early exit. He went five innings, never had a 1-2-3 inning, scattered six hits and struck out three to set himself up to be the winning pitcher. Since he was brought up from Triple-A Buffalo, Reyes has worked 17 1/3 innings and allowed five runs. Reyes has never faced the Rangers.

The Indians scored six runs an inning after giving up six and then held on for an 8-7 win over the Rangers last time out. The Indians won the game as +120 underdogs, while the 15 runs made it OVER the posted over/under (12).

Kelly Shoppach belted a three-run homer to lead the Indians, and Ryan Garko drove in two runs for the Indians. Rafael Perez got the win in relief and Jensen Lewis threw the ninth for his sixth save.

Michael Young hit a two-run homer and finished with three RBIs for the Rangers, who were favored at -130. Jamey Wright surrendered the winning run and was tagged with the loss on the mound.

MLB Prediction …Padilla and the Rangers should shut down the Indians hot streak tonight. Rangers -138.