Run the Bases – Friday, Aug. 27

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Last Updated on Friday, 27th Aug 2010, 
Written by BetRepublic
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One of the off-topic debates among bettors is whether they would rather lose a wager by a half-run scored late in a contest, or get it "Over" with quick and painlessly as in a total that’s decided by the third inning.

We had a little sample of each yesterday as our baseball profits from the week were wiped away with an 0-3 day. San Diego was down 11-0 before they joined the game while Oakland (lost 3-2) and the Tigers-Jays (UN 7.5) toyed with us.

Including “Plays of the Day” our balance is pretty much even heading into the weekend and with the number of plays we make per week, it could be worse.

Let’s try to make a buck or two.

PENNANT DRAG RACING
Through a rash of injuries the Boston Red Sox have fought the good fight and trailing both the Yankees and Rays (-130, O/U 7) by 5.5 games, the Sox need to make every game count. Boston is 5-5 on the road in August but is just 9-20 in the last 29 games at Tropicana Field.

David Price (15-5, 2.97 ERA) looks for his eighth home win of the season, where he owns a 2.11 ERA in his last 11 starts. Boston will go with lefty Jon Lester (13-8, 3.26 ERA) who has had good success against Tampa (7-3, 4.18 ERA) including a 2-0 mark in his two most recent starts at Tropicana Field.

We liked the under in this game but the line was bought off the 7.5 to 7 across the board. Boston has also held a hot bat against lefties this year so we’ll look elsewhere.

GO WEST, YOUNG MAN
The Minnesota Twins (-125, O/U 7.5) head to the great northwest after salvaging one win from their four-game set at Texas. Scott Baker (11-9, 4.63 ERA) is in no such slump and we expect another strong outing from him tonight against a Mariners team whose 12-game eastern swing took a wrong turn into the Bronx.

The Twins are 19-8 as a moneyline road fav of less than (-150)

Seattle needed King Felix to stop the bleeding in Boston but Baker is 4-0 with a 3.08 ERA in his last six starts. Minnesota (.270) hits 32-points better on the road than the M’s (.238) do at Safeco and though left-hander Jason Vargas is 7-2 with a 2.33 ERA at home, the Twins can teach most lefties a thing a two about pitching.
BetRepublic.com Pick: Take the Twins

EVERYBODY'S GOT ONE
Other opinions on tonight’s card include Texas, Cincinnati and San Francisco but with any money line greater than (-140) we recommend either playing the run line or passing.

Lines provided by Sportsbetting.com