MLB Baseball
2012-04-26 - Boston Red Sox at Chicago White Sox
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
United States: Major League Baseball
Thursday 26 April 2012 - First Pitch 8:10pm ET
1:10am (British Standard Time)
Preview
The Boston Red Sox (7-10) come into this game having swept a series from the Minnesota Twins and they must be feeling a lot better about themselves after a truly terrible start to the 2012 season. They now face the Chicago White Sox (10-8) who have failed to win their last 2 games while losing a series to the Oakland Athletics.
Yesterdays defeat was particularly hurtful as the White Sox scored 2 runs in the 14 inning, yet still lost the game.
The White Sox will look to bounce back by sending 'perfect' Philip Humber to the mound- Humber threw just the 21st perfect game in MLB history in his last start against the Seattle Mariners.
Humber is 1-0 this season with a 0.63 ERA, but he won't have it easy against the suddenly rejuvenated Boston batting line up that has now scored 33 runs in their last 4 games. The pitcher also went 1-1 from two starts against the Red Sox last season and had a 5.84 ERA in those games.
Boston's biggest problems remain the bullpen that cannot keep teams from scoring runs, while Alfredo Aceves continues to struggle as the teams closer. One man, other than Bobby Valentine, that will be hoping for a much better performance from the bullpen is Felix Doubront.
Doubront allowed just 1 run from 6 innings pitched against the Yankees in his last start, but the bullpen could not protect an EIGHT run lead as the Red Sox were beaten 15-9. The pitcher is yet to factor in a decision this season and has a 3.94 ERA.
This will be the first time that Doubront has pitched against Chicago.
Head to Head
Chicago had a 14-2 record against Boston, but then lost the final two games they played against them last season.
The White Sox were 5-1 here against the Red Sox until losing the last two games.
Prediction
Sometimes you have to look at how a teams batting line up is playing to know they may have the edge in the match up and I think that is the case for the Boston Red Sox.
Philip Humber was rightly applauded for pitching a perfect game, but that has been the exception in a career that has not lived up to full potential. While that achievement may give him the boost to go on to better things, he has had a hard time against Boston in the past.
Felix Doubront has shown he can at least keep batting line ups from rolling him over and will have been very pleased with his personal effort against the New York Yankees if a little sore with the way the bullpen fell apart.
That could be the key for the Red Sox tonight if they are to win here, but I do think the batting line up is seeing the ball a little bigger at the moment and I think they will do enough to win this as the underdog.
The Pick :
Chicago White Sox 5-7 Boston Red Sox
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back the Boston Red Sox @ 2.00
