The Los Angeles Dodgers will send Brad Penny (14-4, 2.65 ERA) to the mound today with hopes of completing a three-game series sweep of the struggling Washington Nationals in a matinee game at Dodger Stadium. However, Penny needs some run support, something he hasn’t received while going 1-3 over his last six starts while posting a very respectable 3.16 ERA in those games.
Shawn Hill (3-3, 2.31 ERA) goes to the mound for the Nationals in search of a winning decision, something he hasn’t seen over his last three starts. The Nationals lost the game the last time Hill started in spite of his only giving up a single run in seven innings. With a four run lead in the ninth at Colorado on Friday, the Washington bullpen blew the lead sending the Nationals to the locker room a 6-5 loser.
Oddsmakers at online sports betting giant Sportsbook.com have installed the Dodgers a -177 money line favorite with a 7.5 run total. Nationals’ backers are getting +167 ml odds. The OVER is drawing even juice while the UNDER is expected with a -120 price.
Betting trend percentages show the Nationals the preferred choice with 70 percent of wagers fading the favored Dodgers while 58 percent expect the UNDER to slip below the 7.5 total.
The Nationals lost 4-3 to the Dodgers Tuesday night, as +155 underdogs. The combined seven runs fell just UNDER the total (8).
Dmitri Young finished 2-for-3 with one RBI for the Nationals. Chris Schroder allowed the winning run and suffered the loss.Jeff Kent went deep and finished 2-for-3 at the plate for the Dodgers, who won as -175 favorites. Chad Billingsley allowed eight hits and three runs over seven innings for the win, and Takashi Saito notched his 36th save.
The Nationals have now lost five straight games while the Dodgers are on a streak of their own winning three straight.
