Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays Odds & Prediction: July 7th 2010

Our Wednesday night MLB predictions take us to Tropicana Field where the Tampa Bay Rays will look to win their fifth game in a row by sweeping the division rival Boston Red Sox right out of the Sunshine State.
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The Rays took the first two games of this series after it disposed of the BoSox by a 3-2 final count in last night’s baseball betting battle. Though runs were very hard to come by, the Rays squeaked by the Red Sox on the heels of a four hit and one ER effort from starter Jeff Niemann who picked up his first win since June 8th to move to 7-2 on the year. The victory allowed the Rays to swell its lead in the AL Wild Card race to 1.5-games over the Red Sox; Tampa sits two-games in back of the AL East leading New York Yankees while Boston finds itself 3.5-games back heading into tonight’s series finale.

Boston Red Sox (49-35, $360) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (50-33, $168)
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, July 7th, 7:10 ET
Game Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
TV/Radio Broadcast: NESN, Sun Sports, XM

MLB Betting Odds: Boston Red Sox +1.5 -130 +160 (Tim Wakefield – R) vs. Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 +110 -190 (David Price – R): Total 8.5 O Even 8.5 U -120

Knuckler Tim Wakefield takes to the bump for the 18th time this season in search of his fourth overall win. He did score his first win in just under a month his last time out at home against Baltimore by limiting the Orioles to a pair of ER’s through his eight innings of work. Boston has dropped five of Wakefield’s seven road starts this season where the veteran owns a 2-2 record with a 3.66 ERA & 1.22 WHIP over 39.1 total IP. He has however been rock solid of late allowing just 23 hits and eight ER’s with a K/BB ratio of 13/5 over his L/3 starts. He’s excelled mightily against the Rays throughout his career going 18-6 with a 3.79 ERA in 33 starts, but he’s gotten tagged to the tune of 19 hits and 16 ER’s through just 10 combined innings of work the L/3 times he’s faced them.

Opposing the Red Sox vet will be third year phenom David Price. He enters his 16th start of the season a dominating 11-4 with a 2.42 ERA & 1.20 WHIP having allowed just 87 hits and 29 ER’s through his 107.2 total innings of work. He’s been exceptional in “The Trop” going 5-1 with a 1.99 ERA, but he’s dropped two of his L/3 overall decisions beating the D’Backs while falling against both the Marlins and Twins; Tampa’s 5-2 in his seven overall home starts. He’s faced the BoSox twice and stands 1-1 with a 4.77 ERA & 1.24 WHIP lifetime.

MLB Insider Tip: After getting dominated by the Red Sox since the franchise was formed, it looks as if the Rays are finally able to hold their own in this division rivalry. They’ve taken seven of the 11 meetings this season, and enter tonight’s match-up winners of three in a row. While Wakefield has had tons of success against the Rays throughout his career, he’s been hit hard by them each of the L/3 times he’s opposed them; Boston’s dropped five of his L/6 starts vs. Tampa Bay. David Price is in the midst of an exceptional season, and I really don’t foresee this rag-tag line-up that Boston marches out there tonight doing much of anything against him this evening. My MLB predictions for tonight’s series finale have the Rays busting out the brooms and sweeping the Red Sox right out of “The Trop.” Lay the chalk!!!

My MLB Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays (Price)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

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1. Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox Odds & Prediction: June 30th 2010
2. Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays Prediction & Odds: June 2nd 2010
3. MLB Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Toronto Blue Jays Odds: June 8th 2010