Bet on Major League Baseball – Orioles at Mariners

After a slow start to the season, the Seattle Mariners are starting to look like the team we expected to challenge for the AL West title at the end of the season. The Mariners have won four of their last five games and with the Baltimore Orioles coming to town they have a chance to move closer to the top of the west.

The baseball betting line for tonight’s game has the Mariners who are sending right-hander Doug Lister as the -155 favorites, the comeback on the Orioles with Brad Bergesen is +135. The game total is 8 runs.

Baseball Betting Odds
April 19, 2010
Baltimore Orioles +1½ -150 +135
Brad Bergesen – R
Seattle Mariners -1½ +130 -155
Doug Fister – R
Game Total 8

Location: Safeco Field – Seattle WA
Game Time: 10:10 PM
TV: MASN2, FSNW

Seattle started slow with their best hitters going through a mini slump at the same time, Ichiro wasn’t hitting, Milton Bradley wasn’t hitting, Chone Figgins wasn’t hitting and the Mariners weren’t scoring many runs. First Oakland came to town and then the Texas Rangers and the bats started to warm up, the Mariners won both series. They should have a relatively easy time with the Baltimore Orioles who have lost nine of 10 games.

For the Mariners, Doug Fister (1-1, 1.50 ERA) will look to continue his early season success. Fister is in his second year in the bigs, coming to the Mariners as a midseason call up. He was only 3-4 last season with an ERA of 4.13 but this year has the Mariners brass is expecting more from Fister in 2010. In his last start, he gave a glimpse of his potential, giving up only three hits in 8 innings in a 3-0 victory over the A’s. The key for Fister is how well his overhand curve is locating. He’s not overpowering but he effectively changes locations and speeds, which should baffle the Orioles batters.

The Orioles counter with Brad Bergesen (0-1 and 11.74 ERA) and it will be on him to slow down the Mariners bats that have been starting to heat up. Bergesen will need to be a lot better than he has been this year or the Orioles winning streak will be done at one.

In their last outing the Orioles bats came alive with their highest scoring game of the season, scoring eight against the Oakland A’s Sunday afternoon. Ty Wigginton leads the team in RBI but all of his RBI have come in four games, he has been relativity silent every other game out. Baltimore needs Adam Jones and Miguel Tejada to step it up, both are hitting well under .250 with three homeruns combined.

Even if Fister can’t match the magic and control he had in his last game, the Orioles are just awful and it will take more than a good showing against Oakland for me to be convinced they have turned it around. The Mariners will be at the top of the AL West by the end of the season and this series against the Orioles will help them along the way. I also like the over, but mainly because I don’t have any faith in the Orioles holding the Mariners down. This game could finish 7-2 Mariners.

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