Rangers vs Rays Game 3 MLB Playoffs 2011 Odds: After taking home-field advantage in game 1, the (1-1) Tampa Bay Rays [-125] return to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL, to host the (1-1) Texas Rangers [+135] in Game 3. With this best-of-five series tied at one game apiece, Joe Maddon will send LHP David Price (12-13, 3.49 ERA) to the mound against the Rangers’ RHP Colby Lewis (14-10, 4.40 ERA).
As a direct result of tonight’s pitching matchup, MLB Odds makers believe that the Rangers and Rays will combine and score an OVER/UNDER total of 7½ runs. Game 3 of this MLB Playoffs 2011 has a scheduled first pitch slated for 5 PM ET and it’ll be broadcasted live on TBS Sports.
Dropping game 1 of a short best-of-five series could be catastrophic for any team in the postseason. However for the Rangers, it might not be such a bad thing going into the Bay Area for two games and tied 1-1. After all, the Trop has been very nice to Texas over the years, especially during last postseason.
By this time last year, the Rangers faced the tall task of having to win on the road against Tampa Bay in order to advance to the American League Championship Series. With all three of their wins coming in the Rays’ building, Michael Young, Josh Hamilton & Co. have to be feeling good about going back to this building a year later.
“We believe we can win on any given day, and it doesn't matter where we are at,” Young said. “We believe in ourselves as players. We have a lot of respect for the other team, but we believe we can win anywhere.”
For the Rays, tonight’s starter comes into this game feeling like this would be his second Playoff start of 2011, so there shouldn’t be any butterflies. If you may recall, Price on the hill on the final day of the season, when Tampa Bay faced the rival Yankees, needing a win and a Red Sox loss in order to win the AL Wild Card.
Despite not having his best stuff that day, or in the month of September for that matter, Price can be as dominant as anyone on any given day. The Rays are certainly going to need him to be at the very top of his game against a team that does not lack offensive weapons in their lineup.
My Game 3 MLB Playoffs 2011 Pick: Texas Rangers [+1.5].
