Red Sox Running Out of Time and Excuses
After missing a good chance in Tampa last weekend to become postseason relevant again, the Red Sox meet the upstart Orioles for three games in Baltimore.
The Baltimore Orioles have long been out of the baseball playoff picture, but don't expect Buck Showalter's bunch to roll over and concede the rest of the season. The O's have been playing solid baseball under their third manager this season and have a chance to severely dent the hopes of the Boston Red Sox this week when the two AL East squads meet for three in Charm City.
Baltimore has won 16 of 26 games since Showalter took over earlier this month. The Orioles went on an 8-1 tear to start Buck's tenure and return home after their second three-game sweep of the Angels this month.
Boston meanwhile comes to town after dropping two of three at the Rays over the weekend and can't afford to drop this series in Baltimore. The Red Sox begin play Tuesday seven games out of the division lead and the AL wild-card chase. It's going to take a good run from the Sox as well as some help from either the Rays or Yanks to have a bad September.
Tuesday's opening lines found Boston 135-140 money line favorites with Josh Beckett (9-6, 6.50) on the mound for the Sox opposite Baltimore left-hander Brian Matusz (10-16, 4.79).
Bookmaker.com had its total at nine and favored the 'under' (-120).
Beckett is coming off a 5-3 win over the Mariners at Fenway last Wednesday as 210 chalk. That stopped a three-game string of Boston losses with him on the hill. The right-hander worked into the seventh and surrendered only four hits to Seattle with seven strikeouts, but two of those hits went beyond the stadium confines. Beckett has now served up eight homers over his last five starts covering 30 1/3 innings.
The Red Sox are 5-3 in his eight road starts this season despite Beckett owning a 6.75 ERA on the road. One of the losses came to the O's here on May 2 as a 150 favorite on the MLB odds board. Beckett no-decisioned in that 10-inning affair that went 3-2 in Baltimore's favor. He threw the first seven innings, giving up just two runs.
Matusz is coming off two solid winning outings against the Rangers and White Sox, and the southpaw has strung together a very good August in which the Orioles are 4-1 in his five starts. He had one forgettable assignment at Tampa Bay in the middle of the month, but sports a 2.32 ERA for August overall (31 IP).
This will be his fourth start against Boston in 2010 with Baltimore 2-1 the previous three. He tossed a seven-inning, scoreless gem on July 4 at Fenway, allowing just two hits and striking out eight. The Orioles won easily, 6-1, as big 180-190 underdogs against John Lackey and the Beantowners.
Baltimore also won his one outing against the BoSox June 6 at Camden Yards, 4-3. Matusz did not decision in the game, having some control issues with four walks in 5 2/3 innings. The Orioles pulled it out in 11 innings as 145 'dogs.
A warm evening is in the forecast for Baltimore, but there's no chance of rain to get in the way of the series opener. Temps will still be well into the 80s for game time; winds are listed as light and variable.
The three-game series continues Wednesday evening with southpaw Jon Lester (15-11, 3.12) scheduled for the Red Sox against Baltimore rookie Jake Arrieta (7-8, 5.10).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
After missing a good chance in Tampa last weekend to become postseason relevant again, the Red Sox meet the upstart Orioles for three games in Baltimore.
The Baltimore Orioles have long been out of the baseball playoff picture, but don't expect Buck Showalter's bunch to roll over and concede the rest of the season. The O's have been playing solid baseball under their third manager this season and have a chance to severely dent the hopes of the Boston Red Sox this week when the two AL East squads meet for three in Charm City.
Baltimore has won 16 of 26 games since Showalter took over earlier this month. The Orioles went on an 8-1 tear to start Buck's tenure and return home after their second three-game sweep of the Angels this month.
Boston meanwhile comes to town after dropping two of three at the Rays over the weekend and can't afford to drop this series in Baltimore. The Red Sox begin play Tuesday seven games out of the division lead and the AL wild-card chase. It's going to take a good run from the Sox as well as some help from either the Rays or Yanks to have a bad September.
Tuesday's opening lines found Boston 135-140 money line favorites with Josh Beckett (9-6, 6.50) on the mound for the Sox opposite Baltimore left-hander Brian Matusz (10-16, 4.79).
Bookmaker.com had its total at nine and favored the 'under' (-120).
Beckett is coming off a 5-3 win over the Mariners at Fenway last Wednesday as 210 chalk. That stopped a three-game string of Boston losses with him on the hill. The right-hander worked into the seventh and surrendered only four hits to Seattle with seven strikeouts, but two of those hits went beyond the stadium confines. Beckett has now served up eight homers over his last five starts covering 30 1/3 innings.
The Red Sox are 5-3 in his eight road starts this season despite Beckett owning a 6.75 ERA on the road. One of the losses came to the O's here on May 2 as a 150 favorite on the MLB odds board. Beckett no-decisioned in that 10-inning affair that went 3-2 in Baltimore's favor. He threw the first seven innings, giving up just two runs.
Matusz is coming off two solid winning outings against the Rangers and White Sox, and the southpaw has strung together a very good August in which the Orioles are 4-1 in his five starts. He had one forgettable assignment at Tampa Bay in the middle of the month, but sports a 2.32 ERA for August overall (31 IP).
This will be his fourth start against Boston in 2010 with Baltimore 2-1 the previous three. He tossed a seven-inning, scoreless gem on July 4 at Fenway, allowing just two hits and striking out eight. The Orioles won easily, 6-1, as big 180-190 underdogs against John Lackey and the Beantowners.
Baltimore also won his one outing against the BoSox June 6 at Camden Yards, 4-3. Matusz did not decision in the game, having some control issues with four walks in 5 2/3 innings. The Orioles pulled it out in 11 innings as 145 'dogs.
A warm evening is in the forecast for Baltimore, but there's no chance of rain to get in the way of the series opener. Temps will still be well into the 80s for game time; winds are listed as light and variable.
The three-game series continues Wednesday evening with southpaw Jon Lester (15-11, 3.12) scheduled for the Red Sox against Baltimore rookie Jake Arrieta (7-8, 5.10).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
