jimmythegreek
The opening odds start here
Houston/Detroit over 5.5 +110:
I love the smell of dog money, and you can feel it tonight in the Motor City, when the best in the AL, the Houston Astros (46-28) look to expand on their AL West lead and 10 game winning streak against Detroit (32-42), who seems to have narrowly escaped the AL Central basement for now thanks to a 3 game winning streak of their own. Houston comes off a 3 game sweep in Baltimore, trouncing the Orioles 13-0 last night, busting loose on a 17 hit attack highlighted by Jose Altuve's 17th HR of the season going 2 for 5 with 2 run scored. Houston also hit 3 more HR's, notable Toro Hernandez's 2 for 5 with 4RBI including his 2nd of the season. 6 Astros in all had at least 2 hits, leaving plenty a cushion for Jose Urquidy to improve to 6-3 after giving up just 3 hits over 7 IP, lowering his ERA to 3.32, walking one and striking out 6. Thomas Eshelman (0-1 7.27) allowed 6 runs on 8 hits over 4 IP, walking one and striking out one. The Stros continue their road trip at Comerica holding a 1.5 game lead over victorious Oakland earlier. The Tigers swept a mini 2 game series from St Louis after a 6-2 win over the Cards last night. Jonathan Schoop hit a solo HR (15) and drove in 3 overall with a 2 run double to help break an early 2-2 tie. Matt Manning served up 5 2/3 innings allowing just 2 runs on 5 hits walking 2 and striking out 1 evening his record at 1-1. John Gant lasted just 3 innings allowing 3 runs on 2 hits walking 4 and striking out 4 falling to 4-6 overall. Nolan Arenado smacked his 14th HR of the season and Tommy Edman stroked an RBI single in the losing effort for St. Louis.
Luis Garcia (5-4 2.87) gets the ball tonight for the Astros this evening and has won 5 of his last 6 after starting out the season winless in his first 3 appearances. His last outing was a no-decision against the CWS where Houston eventually won 2-1. Garcia has allowed just 5 ER over his last 18.3 IP (2.46) walking 5 and striking out 20. He faces a Tigers lineup batting just .231 overall averaging just a shade under 4 runs per game and 80 HR, 12th in the AL. Schoop (.280 15 40) leads the team far and away in batting, HR and RBI, thanks to a 4 game hitting streak (.438) with 3 HR and 7 RBI already this week. Aki Baddoo (.271 5 21) has hit in 9 straight (.414) despite just one RBI over that stretch. Robbie Grossman (.232 9 34) has been struggling as of late going just 1 for 23 (.043) over his last 5 games. Willi Castro (.224 6 25) broke an 0 for 9 slump with 3 hits in his last 7 at bats. And we're not sure how much more future HOF'er Miguel Cabrera (.222 5 28) has left in the tank though he's batting .333 over his last 5 games.
The Tigers counter this evening with Jose Urena (2-7 5.79) whose been abysmal over his last 3 starts surrendering 17 ER over his last 11 IP (13.91) all losses. He could be pitching tonight to hopefully save his spot in the rotation against one of the league's most potent offenses. Houston is batting an AL leading .279, averaging 5.7 runs per contest along with 100 HR, second behind Minnesota and Toronto's 107, tied for first. Michael Brantley (.356 4 30) leads the majors in hitting. Brantley has struck out just 26 times, has 16 walks, and brings in a 5 game hitting streak (.579) into tonight's action, all multi-hit games. Yuli Gurriel (.328 10 51) leads the 'Stros in RBI and has a 7 game hitting streak (.417). Yordan Alvarez (.306 11 42) has hit in 7 of his last 8 (.320), and Carlos Correa (.298 14 43) a 4 game hitting streak (.400). Altuve (.295 17 41) has cooled off some as of late but leads Houston in HR and will not start this evening though available to pinch hit,.
We get some decent size dog money this evening in Detroit, where the weather this evening remains kind of sticky and muggy well in the 80's this evening. Garcia is in the middle of one of his best stretches of the season starting but can Detroit finally get to him as they've been swinging the bats pretty decent themselves. On the other hand, Houston has been crushing the ball as of late no matter where they seem to be playing, and against Urena they could very well be sending him to the showers with an early exit. As with most parks, the deeper it gets into summer, the ball, especially at Comerica will be travelling a lot farther with this kind of lineup, even without Altuve receiving a rare rest. The Astros are looking to extend their overall winning streak to 11 games, while Detroit looks for it's 4th straight triumph. Best of luck however you play!
I love the smell of dog money, and you can feel it tonight in the Motor City, when the best in the AL, the Houston Astros (46-28) look to expand on their AL West lead and 10 game winning streak against Detroit (32-42), who seems to have narrowly escaped the AL Central basement for now thanks to a 3 game winning streak of their own. Houston comes off a 3 game sweep in Baltimore, trouncing the Orioles 13-0 last night, busting loose on a 17 hit attack highlighted by Jose Altuve's 17th HR of the season going 2 for 5 with 2 run scored. Houston also hit 3 more HR's, notable Toro Hernandez's 2 for 5 with 4RBI including his 2nd of the season. 6 Astros in all had at least 2 hits, leaving plenty a cushion for Jose Urquidy to improve to 6-3 after giving up just 3 hits over 7 IP, lowering his ERA to 3.32, walking one and striking out 6. Thomas Eshelman (0-1 7.27) allowed 6 runs on 8 hits over 4 IP, walking one and striking out one. The Stros continue their road trip at Comerica holding a 1.5 game lead over victorious Oakland earlier. The Tigers swept a mini 2 game series from St Louis after a 6-2 win over the Cards last night. Jonathan Schoop hit a solo HR (15) and drove in 3 overall with a 2 run double to help break an early 2-2 tie. Matt Manning served up 5 2/3 innings allowing just 2 runs on 5 hits walking 2 and striking out 1 evening his record at 1-1. John Gant lasted just 3 innings allowing 3 runs on 2 hits walking 4 and striking out 4 falling to 4-6 overall. Nolan Arenado smacked his 14th HR of the season and Tommy Edman stroked an RBI single in the losing effort for St. Louis.
Luis Garcia (5-4 2.87) gets the ball tonight for the Astros this evening and has won 5 of his last 6 after starting out the season winless in his first 3 appearances. His last outing was a no-decision against the CWS where Houston eventually won 2-1. Garcia has allowed just 5 ER over his last 18.3 IP (2.46) walking 5 and striking out 20. He faces a Tigers lineup batting just .231 overall averaging just a shade under 4 runs per game and 80 HR, 12th in the AL. Schoop (.280 15 40) leads the team far and away in batting, HR and RBI, thanks to a 4 game hitting streak (.438) with 3 HR and 7 RBI already this week. Aki Baddoo (.271 5 21) has hit in 9 straight (.414) despite just one RBI over that stretch. Robbie Grossman (.232 9 34) has been struggling as of late going just 1 for 23 (.043) over his last 5 games. Willi Castro (.224 6 25) broke an 0 for 9 slump with 3 hits in his last 7 at bats. And we're not sure how much more future HOF'er Miguel Cabrera (.222 5 28) has left in the tank though he's batting .333 over his last 5 games.
The Tigers counter this evening with Jose Urena (2-7 5.79) whose been abysmal over his last 3 starts surrendering 17 ER over his last 11 IP (13.91) all losses. He could be pitching tonight to hopefully save his spot in the rotation against one of the league's most potent offenses. Houston is batting an AL leading .279, averaging 5.7 runs per contest along with 100 HR, second behind Minnesota and Toronto's 107, tied for first. Michael Brantley (.356 4 30) leads the majors in hitting. Brantley has struck out just 26 times, has 16 walks, and brings in a 5 game hitting streak (.579) into tonight's action, all multi-hit games. Yuli Gurriel (.328 10 51) leads the 'Stros in RBI and has a 7 game hitting streak (.417). Yordan Alvarez (.306 11 42) has hit in 7 of his last 8 (.320), and Carlos Correa (.298 14 43) a 4 game hitting streak (.400). Altuve (.295 17 41) has cooled off some as of late but leads Houston in HR and will not start this evening though available to pinch hit,.
We get some decent size dog money this evening in Detroit, where the weather this evening remains kind of sticky and muggy well in the 80's this evening. Garcia is in the middle of one of his best stretches of the season starting but can Detroit finally get to him as they've been swinging the bats pretty decent themselves. On the other hand, Houston has been crushing the ball as of late no matter where they seem to be playing, and against Urena they could very well be sending him to the showers with an early exit. As with most parks, the deeper it gets into summer, the ball, especially at Comerica will be travelling a lot farther with this kind of lineup, even without Altuve receiving a rare rest. The Astros are looking to extend their overall winning streak to 11 games, while Detroit looks for it's 4th straight triumph. Best of luck however you play!