Los Angeles Angels (12-17) at Boston Red Sox (14-14)
7:10 PM ET on MLBN
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Starting Pitchers
LAA: S. Kazmir (2-1, 5.57)
BOS: D. Matsuzaka (0-1, 11.57)
The Angles will hope to avoid the sweep and their seventh straight loss as they face off against the Boston Red Sox in the final game of a four-game series at Fenway on Thursday night.
The Red Sox opened the series on Monday snapping a three-game losing streak by pounding the Angles 17-8. Anaheim closed it to 7-4 but Boston broke it open with seven runs when it sent 11 batters to the plate in the sixth. Boston extended their win streak to a pair winning game two, erupting for four runs in eighth to beat Los Angeles 5-1. In game three John Lackey pitched two-hit balls over seven innings against his old team, while David Ortiz hit a solo homer and the Sox sent the Halos to their sixth straight loss, 3-1 Wednesday night.
Los Angels will look to salvage a win and get back on the rails by starting southpaw Scott Kazmir in the series finale. The 26-year old first round draft pick has been up and down in the early going, with his two best starts resulting in a win over Detroit and the Yankees. The Halos’ starter did not factor in the final decision in his last start against the Tigers on Saturday. He allowed two runs — one earned — in six innings. He struck out seven batters and walked one in the outing. Kazmir is 8-7 with a 3.59 ERA in 23 career starts against the Red Sox. He has shown the ability for strikeouts, but the Angels will need to provide him with plenty of run support if they want to avoid the sweep.
For the Red Sox, they will go with righty, Japanese born Daisuke Matszuka. Dice-K returned from the disabled list and allowed seven runs on seven hits over 4-2/3 innings in a 12-9 loss to the O’s on Saturday. The 29-year old ran into some trouble in the fifth when he allowed two homers, two RBI singles, two other hits and six runs. He finished with three strikeouts and four walked batters. Matsuzaka has started against the Halos two times with a lifetime record of 1-1 and a 4.91 ERA, including six innings of shutout ball
The odds makers have the Red Sox as –1 ½ -point favorites with a game total of 10 runs.
David Ortiz hit a solo homer in a 3-1 win Wednesday night, finishing with three hits and boosting his suffering average. Los Angeles continues to struggle at the plate, scoring two runs or fewer in four of its last five games. Last year’s World Series MVP Hideki Matsui is 3 for 28 with eight strikeouts in his last eight games.
Fenway is a tough place to play, and the crowds can at times resemble a tank of frenzied sharks, especially when the bats are as hot as they are. I just can’t see the Angles beating them in this one. Boston the series and the UNDER.
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Los Angeles Angels Betting Trends:
- LA Angels are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games
- LA Angels are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games on the road
- LA Angels are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston Red Sox Betting Trends:
- Boston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
- Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
- Boston is 6-2 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against LA Angels
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