The Baltimore Orioles welcome in the Texas Rangers tonight in Major League Baseball action. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on ESPN. Currently the odds for the game have the Orioles favored to pick up the win in this one at home.
There's an abbreviated slate of baseball games on the docket tonight, the Rangers and Orioles will see time on ESPN. Texas comes into tonight's game off a loss at Toronto Sunday afternoon, the Orioles have won four straight.
Baltimore overtook first place in the American League East over the Tampa Bay Rays with the recent win streak, they're now seven games over the .500 mark after having won seven of the last 10 games overall. The AL East has been a bruising battle all season and it most likely will continue to change hands as the season marches along. Baltimore has helped itself get to this point by being 25-13 in home games.
Texas is a solid team on the road, though, at 23-19. They're a .500 ballculb so far this season and that's because of a recent ski that's seen them win just twice in the last 10 games overall. Tonight the Rangers will send Wandy Rodriguez to the mound. The crafty veteran lefty is 4-3 this season with a 4.06 ERA. Current Orioles have an average of .293 against him in 41 plate appearances. J.J. Hardy has two home runs in his seven hits against Rodriguez in 24 at bats. He's the only player on Baltimore with more than one hit.
Baltimore sends Bud Norris to the mound. He has not had a great season with his 2-6 record and 6.70 ERA. Norris has held current Rangers to a .239 average in 67 plate appearances, Adrian Beltre owns two homers in six at bats. Prince Fielder has also homered off Norris and has six hits in his career against him.
With neither pitcher being great tonight and nice conditions expected, look for some runs to be scored tonight.
Free Pick: OVER 9 runs scored
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Pro handicappers Teddy Covers and Steve Fezzik have a bone to pick with MLB Commisioner Bud Selig, who decided the All-Star exhibition game will determine World Series home field advantage. With Royals fans currently voting seven Kansas City players into the starting line up of the American League team, this popularity-based roster of an exhibition game which has way too much impact on the most important baseball series of the year.
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