The seemingly unbeatable Atlanta Braves welcome the Kansas City Royals to the Peach State tonight for game one of two game set at Turner Field. This evening series opener is scheduled to get underway at 7:10pm ET. The latest MLB Odds have the Braves listed as a heavy -180 moneyline favorite ($180 wins $100) and the Over/Under set at seven runs (Under presently favored at -115 odds). The Royals are drawing +160 odds to end Atlanta’s current winning streak at nine games.
The Braves returned home on Monday from a six game road swing that could not have gone any better. Atlanta, which opened the season with home series wins over the Phillies and Cubs, had its first stop in Miami where it outscored the Marlins 13-2 en route to its second consecutive sweep. The Braves then headed to the nation’s capitol where they reeked similar havoc in a three game set with the Nationals.
Atlanta swept the projected NL East winner after limiting Washington to five runs and 16 hits over the course of the weekend series.
Now the Braves will attempt to do the same to a Royals squad that finds itself tied for first in the AL Central with a 7-5 record. Right handed hurler Kris Medlen gets the call this evening against Kansas City as he takes aim at his second win of the season.
Medlen is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in two starts. The 27 year old righty got tagged for six hits and two earned runs over five innings in his first outing of the season (0-2 loss to the Phillies), but he bounced back nicely in his second start. Medlen limited the light hitting Marlins to three hits and no earned runs over seven innings in a 3-2 Braves win last Tuesday.
Kansas City will hand the ball to veteran right hander
Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie is 2-0 with a 3.55 ERA in two starts this season; he has allowed 11 hits and two walks while striking out 11 in 12.2 innings of work.
The Royals, who are 3-3 on the road this season, are 12-1 in Guthrie’s last 13 starts. Guthrie has not suffered a loss since August of last year.
MLB Odds Kansas City Royals vs Atlanta Braves:
Kansas City Royals +1.5 (-140), Over 7 (-105), +160 (Moneyline)
Atlanta Braves -1.5 (+120), Under 7 (-115), -180 (Moneyline)
Baseball Betting Tips from Chuck Edel & Johnny Detroit
Chuck Edel is a well respected gambler / handicapper who appears on numerous radio shows and is frequently featured in the Las Vegas Review Journal. He sits down with Johnny Detroit and goes over some of his personal MLB betting tips.