PORT PORT SPORTS
$1000 *SUPER DUPER PRIME PLAY*
BOSTON BRUINS PUCK LINE +1.5 (-200) --
We just endured what was one known as what the betting Gods giveth, they quickly taketh away as what they giveth us in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup, they quickly tooketh with what was the shame that was Game 2 of the NBA Finals. But we are going to taketh right back as we are going to get about 5 units here to lay the juice in a game that is following up last game's 59 minute and 42 second scoreless game that was the Canucks 1-0 victory to go up Game 1 in the Cup. The Bruins proved they can hang with this team and actually outplayed the Canucks for the most part as they outshot the Canucks, won more face-offs and killed the 7 penalties levied against them with ease. The Canucks are big favorites in this game at -190, but the safer play here is to take the team getting the goal. Not too mention, you have to go all the way back to 2006 to find a game these 2 teams played that wasn't either a BRUINS victory or a loss by one goal. I say roll big with the BRUINS on the PUCK LINE +1.5 and get an easy casher on half of your money.........
$500 *SUPER PRIME PLAY*
UNDER 7.5 LA DODGERS @ CIN REDS (-120) --
The worst part about this business is that sometimes you have days like yesterday and it is even worse when it was simply a matter of being on the wrong picks. We could have given you both the REDS and the UNDER in Friday's contest, but it truly just wasn't a strong enough play to fully commit too. Today there is an Under trend in this game that is hitting at a clip of 33-15-1 on the MLB season so far - and this is one of those days where it looks like a sure hitter with both Kershaw and Cueto on the mound in this one. Kershaw comes into the game absolutely on fire as of later and is fresh off a CG 2-hit shutout against the Marlins last Sunday. Add to that he was absolutely lights out throughout the entire month of May, compiling a record of 4-0 with a 1.77 ERA and striking out 46 in 40 2/3 IP for the month. That stretch helped raise his yearly totals to 6-3 with a 2.62 ERA for the 2011 season overall. Kershaw has also pitched well against CIN in his career, as in 3 career starts against them he is 1-1 with a 2.53 ERA and has struck out 29 batters in the 21 1/3 innings he has faced them. On the other side of the mound, Cueto enters the game having a good start to his so-far shortened season with a 2-2 record and a 2.20 ERA and there were some even further positive signs towards his progress as he went 8 innings in his last start, giving up 2 R and 5 H in a 2-1 loss to the Braves. In his career he has struggled against the Dodgers however, as he has gone 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 3 career starts against them - even allowing 4 HR in 15 IP. Blake, Ethier and Kemp enter the game 9 for 18 combined against Cueto in their careers, with each of them having gone yard once off him. However, this LAD team is struggling to score R and put things together and they will be without the services of Rafael Furcal for this game as well. This game just has all the makings for an Under play here with these 2 premium pitchers on the hill. Add to that that when the line on a game opens at 7.5 in the L10 days or so, it has hit 15-7 for the UNDER in the L22 games set at 7.5 when opened. Add all that up and I say you have to take the UNDER in this pitcher's duel.........
UNDER 8 PHI PHILLIES @ PIT PIRATES (-105) --
Do the Phillies ever score? Can they even score? They completely wasted another unbelievable start by Hamels, dropping the contest with PIT on Friday 2-1 in 12 innings. Much like us yesterday, they just did not bring and they never even really threatened to do any damage in this game, despite the fact they played 12 innings. Tonight was the Phils first time all season with their regular line-up intact, and yet they managed to be held to 1 R or less for the 2nd straight game and already their 12th time this season. Kendrick is on the mound for PHI in this one - getting the spot start for Blanton - and this couldn't come at a perfect time because he has been perfect in his career against PIT. In Kendrick's L4 starts against them, he has lasted into the 7th inning every game and has allowed a 2.61 ERA. Morton on the other hand has been dominant as of late compiling a 1.21 ERA in the L4 starts. I say take the UNDER in this game.......
$250 *PRIME PLAYS*
UNDER 5 BOS BRUINS @ VAN CANUCKS (-105) --
This play is much the same as with the Bruins on the Puck Line as you have to look deep into the series history books to find the last time these two teams played a game with Over 5 goals scored in total. The last time these two teams went Over 5 goals was back in 2005 and I don't expect anything to change in this game. That 1-0 game in game one was a indication of what should be expected in this series with these 2 premier goalies. Thomas and Luongo were each awesome in net the other night and both teams played tight stingy defense and killed off a combined 13 penalties in that game. Although everybody and their momma is probably going to be on the Over in this game, this should be another tightly contested games and I expect a 2-1 final or an at worst, 3-2 final to push the game. But I say roll with the UNDER 5 in this one and expect another battle.............
TB RAYS (-115) --
The Seattle Mariners are absolutely on fire, going 14-4 in their L18 games behind a combined ERA of 2.07 - including an amazing 1.05 ERA from the bullpen! On the other side, TB is in the midst of a complete tail-spin by their pitchers, especially the starters. The Rays have gone 6-13 in their L19 and their team ERA over that span is just a hair under 5. Their starting pitching has wretched over the L5 starts, going 1-4 with a ginormous 9.35 ERA. The Rays have been outscored 15-2 so far in the series, but this one just seems to match up a little differently as Hellickson is on the mound for TB today and he has actually been a bright spot on this dismal pitching staff. He is 6-3 with a 2.80 ERA so far on the season, but has been most impressive over his L6 starts going 5-1 with a 1.83 ERA, holding his opponents scoreless in 3 of those games and with a combined batting average of .187 over that span. In his last start in CLE, he threw 7 scoreless innings of brilliant 3-hit baseball in a 7-0 win at CLE that helped convince voters he was the ROOKIE OF THE MONTH for May. Fister is on the mound for the M's and he is coming off his first victory in over a month, as he threw 7 1/3 innings against BAL, giving up 3 R and 7 H and fanning 9 in the 4-3 victory. He has split his 2 career starts against TB and carries a 4.09 ERA into the game against them. I think it's time for the Rays to get off the schnide and I think this match-up presents the perfect opportunity for them to do that. I say roll with the Rays in this game as a small favorite and pick up the casher......
$100 *ACTION PLAYS*
OAKLAND A'S RUN LINE +1.5 (-120) --
On first glance, this one might be difficult to pull off as the A's jumped out to an easy 4-0 lead in the game Friday, never really making Red Sox backers uncomfortable as it ended up with a somewhat easy 8-6 Red Sox win. Beckett has been pretty much amazing this entire season as he comes into the game 4-2 with a 1.80 so far in his 2011 campaign and he has been equally impressive against OAK as of late as he is 3-0 with a 3.66 ERA and 21 K's in 19 2/3 IP against them in his L3 starts. Cahill is on the mound for the A's and has been the ace of a strong A's squad, producing numbers of 6-3 with a 2.31 ERA on the season. He started out the season 6-0 with a 1.72 ERA through his 1st 8 starts but has struggled a little as of late going 0-3 with a 3.51 ERA in his last 4. He last faced BOS in September of last year and threw 7 scoreless IP, but he has lost to Beckett before in 2009 by the score of 8-3. With these 2 pitchers on the hill this one should be a battle and the A's have been able to score runs against the Sox as they have actually outscored them 14-13 in the last 3 games, but have somehow wound up 1-2 in those games. I say take a chance with the A'S on the RUN LINE +1.5 here.