The Philadelphia Phillies visit the San Diego Padres tonight at Petco Park at 10:40 PM (ET), thus affording fans who bet on baseball another chance to get in on some action. Here are the MLB betting odds for the opener of the three-game set:
Phillies -1½ (+150) 8 (-110) -105
Padres +1½ (-170) 8 (-110) -105
The Phillies are fresh off a 2-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants yesterday. Philadelphia reliever Severino Gonzalez allowed single in the eighth inning and a home run in the 10th – both from Denard Span both decisive to the Giants prevailing. If it’s any consolation to Gonzalez, starter Vince Velasquez struggled through another short start, requiring 28 pitches just to make it through the first alone. All told, the 24 year old threw well, surrendering just two runs on three hits and getting six strikeouts. Unfortunately, the Phillies just had the one fresh relief arm of Gonzalez. On offense, the Phillies only had four hits – though they walked seven times – off SF starter Matt Moore.
The Padres had the day off yesterday, but before that they defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 12-3 on August 3rd. Edwin Jackson had what was probably his best start with San Diego, giving up just three runs in eight innings – and those runs came a point in which they were nothing but drops in a bucket. In addition to that, the right-hander joined Adam Eaton as the second Friars pitcher to post an RBI, a steal, and a win all in the same game. His teammate Yangervis Solarte had three RBIs, two of which came about as a result of a homer in the sixth. Moreover, Jabari Blash hit the first home run of his spotty career. All Padres fans who enjoy MLB betting can say is, about damn time.
Speaking of best starts, Christian Friedrich (4-6, 4.72 ERA) – tonight’s San Diego starter – had his best start in more than a month, keeping the Cincinnati Reds to one run and five hits in five full innings. MLB betting fans who follow the Padres hope that his fastball and curve, spinning breaking ball will do the trick once again and net the leftie his second quality start since June 12th. Friedrich will want to be wary of Cesar Hernandez and Tommy Joseph, the Phillies’ best hitters in July. They hit a combined .331 (54-for-163), including six doubles, two triples, and six homers. Maikel Franco, on the other hand, has not hit a home run in five games at Petco Park, going 1-for-20 with a double ballpark located between 7th and 10th Avenues, south of J Street.
On the Philly side, Jeremy Hellickson (8-7, 3.70 ERA) will take the hill. The Phils decided to give the right-handed pitcher a vote of confidence and not trade him before the non-waiver deadline, as was half-expected they would. Philadelphia is 6-1 in Hellickson’s previous seven starts; the 29 year old has 2.27 ERA with 28 strikeouts and six walks in those seven starts. ‘Hellboy’ should keep an eye out for Will Myers, who has hit .364/.364/1.000 in 11 at-bats against Hellickson, including two home runs.
