Texas vs. Tampa Bay MLB Game - July 7th 05:05
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Texas
Andrew Heaney (3 wins, 9 losses, 4.04 ERA) will try for his fourth win of the season. Heaney won with a stellar performance of 7 innings and 2 runs allowed in a July 1 game against Baltimore on the road, showing a stable form recently. While he lost allowing 3 runs in 4.2 innings in a road game against Tampa Bay on April 3, this home game will be different. Though Texas managed to score 3 runs by targeting Shane Baz in the previous game, failing to score heavily left something to be desired. Particularly, having only 2 extra-base hits out of 10 hits is a concern. The bullpen, which pitched 4 scoreless innings allowing only 2 hits, needs to be trusted to secure the win.
Tampa Bay
Taj Bradley (3 wins, 4 losses, 3.42 ERA) will also try for his fourth win of the season. He secured a win with 5.2 innings of scoreless pitching allowing only 3 hits in a home game against Washington on July 1, reaffirming his strength in home games. While he has been a bit inconsistent on the road, he pitched 5 innings allowing 2 runs in a road game against Texas last year. However, playing in a day game could be a challenge. Tampa Bay's batting lineup failed to score despite having 11 baserunners against Texas's pitchers in the previous game, possibly feeling the effects of travel fatigue. The 0-for-10 performance with runners in scoring position seems suitable for inviting a loss. It was relief pitching that avoided further runs in the bottom of the 8th inning that was fortunate.
Comment
Texas's batting against Baz was somewhat disappointing in the previous game, and the same is likely with Bradley. However, Heaney has been performing well recently and is strong at home. Furthermore, Tampa Bay has been struggling against left-handers with primary four-seam fastballs and does not have the strength to come from behind in the later innings. The Texas Rangers, ahead in starting pitching, are closer to victory.
Recommended Betting
[[Win/Loss]]: Texas Win
[[Handicap]]: +1.5 Texas Win
[[U/O]]: Under 8.5 ▼