The Boston Red Sox (54-34) and Los Angeles Angels (41-45) will continue a three-game American League series Saturday night at Angel Stadium, with the first pitch scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET.
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels
Boston has won five games in a row, including a 6-2 victory over Los Angeles as +126 road underdogs Friday, while going UNDER the total for a sixth consecutive contest. “There’s a lot of positive things taking place and it seems like every night, it’s someone different,” commented Red Sox manager John Farrell. The Red Sox lead the Majors with 312 extra-base hits this season, which has led directly to pacing the league in runs scored. Boston is 36-20 in July the last two-plus seasons, with the UNDER going 30-24-2 in that situation.
Red Sox starting pitcher Ryan Dempster (5-8, 4.11 ERA) has led the club to back-to-back wins, but he didn’t earn a decision in a 5-4 home victory over the Toronto Blue Jays last time out, as he allowed two runs and seven hits over 5.1 frames. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA in four road games, issuing 18 walks and striking out 18 batters in 23.1 combined innings. In four career games versus the Angels, Dempster has tallied a 1-2 record and 9.12 ERA, but earned a 10-5 home victory on June 9.
Los Angeles has alternated wins and losses over its last four games, as it begins the day in third place in the AL West division—9.5 games back of the Oakland Athletics. The Angels have been playing better with the emergence of Josh Hamilton at the plate, who has hit .382 with a home run and six RBIs over the course of his 10-game hitting streak. He owns a career .319 average in 47 career games versus the Red Sox. Los Angeles is 2-5 at home with a betting total of 9 to 9.5, with the OVER going 5-2 in that situation.
Angels starting pitcher Jerome Williams (5-4, 3.89 ERA) is coming off a dreadful performance, as he suffered a 12-2 home loss to the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, allowing seven runs and four hits over 1.2 innings. The right-hander is 2-4 with a 4.37 ERA in 12 home games (six starts), surrendering seven home runs in 45.1 combined frames. In three career games versus the Red Sox, Williams has tallied an 0-1 record and 8.31 ERA.
Sports bettors will likely play the total in this affair, as the OVER is 7-2 in the last nine meetings in this series.
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