Boston Red Sox -120, o/u 10 at Cleveland Indians, 7:10 pm Eastern Monday, Fox
by Zman of Predictem.com
After a marathon game two that saw the Cleveland Indians even up this American League Championship Series at 1-1, the Boston Red Sox head to C-Town for games three, four and five beginning Monday night at Jacobs Field.
Boston won the opener of this series 10-3, but Cleveland scored seven runs in the top of the 11th inning Saturday night to take game two 13-6. So both games of this series so far have gone over their totals.
The Red Sox are now 4-1 in the playoffs so far this October, the o/u 3-2, and have outscored opponents 35-20.
The Indians are 4-2 in the playoffs, the o/u 4-1-1, and have outscored foes 40-32.
Boston took the season series vs. Cleveland this year five games to two, with the o/u going 4-3, and outscored the Tribe 34-25.
The Red Sox went 45-36 on the road during the regular season, while the Indians went 52-29 at Jacobs Field.
Japanese import Daisuke Matsuzaka (15-12, 4.40) will get the start for Boston in Monday’s game three against Jake Westbrook (6-9, 4.32) for Cleveland. The Red Sox are 18-15 in Matsuzaka’s starts this season, the o/u 15-17, while the Tribe is 13-13 in Westbrook’s starts, the o/u a somewhat surprising 8-17.
Matsuzaka made one start last week in Boston’s divisional-round series win over the Los Angeles Angles, allowing three ER and 10 baserunners in just 4 2/3 IP of a 6-3 Red Sox win. Dice-K also made two starts vs. the Indians during the regular season, allowing six ER and 19 baserunners in 12 2/3 innings of work.
Westbrook made one start last week in Cleveland’s divisional-round series victory over the New York Yankees, giving up six ER and nine hits in just five IP of an 8-4 Indians loss. Westbrook also made one start vs. the Sox this season, allowing five ER and 14 baserunners in six IP of a 6-2 Indians loss.
The Boston bullpen ranked first in the majors this season with a 1.21 WHIP and second with a 3.10 ERA. But thanks to that disastrous 11th inning the other night, Red Sox relievers have combined to allow 10 ER and 24 baserunners in 15 2/3 innings of work during the playoffs.
The Cleveland pen ranked 6th this year with a 3.73 ERA and 8th with a 1.33 WHIP, and has held opponents to six ER and 25 baserunners in 23 2/3 IP during the playoffs.
The forecast calls for temperatures in the 60s with lights winds for Monday night in Cleveland, which ain’t too bad for an October evening on the shores of Lake Erie.
The o/u is 40-41 at Jacobs Field this year, where games are averaging 10.0 runs per.
Zman’s Pick: Passing.