Jack Jones
15* on Tampa Bay Rays -120
Jump on the Rays over the White Sox with starting pitcher Clayton Richard struggling to get the job done for Chicago. Richard has just 6 decisions in 12 starts this season, but that's only half of the story. He's 1-2 at home on the season with a 7.59 ERA and 1.97 WHIP. If that wasn't enough, then his 11.81 and 1.87 WHIP over his last 3 starts should be. Rays' starter, Jeff Niemann, has been rock-solid in Tampa's rotation, notching an 8-4 record with a 3.55 ERA in 16 starts. Niemann hasn't had any trouble throwing on the road, going 5-2 with a 3.78 ERA in 10 road starts (the Rays are 8-2 in those starts). The Rays have been hot over the last month and Niemann has been a big factor in that success. The Rays have won all 3 of Niemann's last three starts, while he has posted a 1.33 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Grab the Rays as a medium-sized road favorite.
20* NO Doubt Rout Houston Astros -1.5 +140
It's hard not to love the 'Stros tonight with how poorly the Cardinals have been play, not to mention how well Astros' starter, Wandy Rodriguez has been pitching. Rodriguez is 4-2 this season in 9 home starts (the Astros are 7-2 in those starts) with a 2.21 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. He has been one of the hottest pitchers in baseball this month, earning a microscopic 0.41 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in his last 3 starts, all Houston wins. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are hitting just .231 as a team and scoring just 3 runs per game over their last 7 overall, and have struggled against left-handed starters this season, averaging 3.5 runs per game and hitting only .242. The Cards throw Todd Wellemeyer, and he's not helping their case. Wellemeyer has been very hittable this season, going 7-7 with a 5.58 ERA and 1.69 WHIP so far.
15* on Red Sox/Rangers UNDER 9
This line is high for a couple of teams struggling to score runs, especially when you consider the two pitchers on the mound. First, Josh Beckett pitched some of his best ball this season in his last 3 starts, earning a 2.78 ERA and 0.79 WHIP over that stretch. Tommy Hunter, tonight's starter for the Rangers, is relatively unknown, but he's been great for Texas since being called up. He's only 1-1 in 4 starts this year, but over that span he has a 2.35 ERA and 1.30 WHIP, including a 1.53 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over his three most recent starts. These teams are normally offensive powerhouses, however, they've both been flat on offense over the past week, a trend I expect to continue with a pair of pitchers going tonight that have pitched really well of late.