Just too Hot to Touch – Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox

BetOnline MLB betting odds:  Red Sox -200, Indians +170, Total 10.5

Right-handers go at it, as Carl Pavano (1-3, 7.46 ERA) gets the start for the Indians, with Justin Masterson (2-1, 4.32 ERA) receiving the assignment for the Red Sox.

Here are some of the MLB Baseball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

• CLEV has lost four of its last six games
• CLEV has played six of its last seven games OVER the total
• CLEV has lost 11 of its last 16 road games
• CLEV has played four of its last six road games OVER the total
• BOS has won 15 of its last 19 games
• BOS has won its last nine home games
• BOS has played four of its last six home games OVER the total

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD sports betting trends:

• BOS has won five of the last six meetings
• BOS has won five of the last six meetings as the home team
• Six of the last nine meetings in Boston have gone OVER the total

The Indians’ bullpen failed to get the job done last night, as Cleveland lost a 10-6 decision to the Toronto Blue Jays. The loss dropped the Indians to seven games under .500 and mired in last place in the American League Central, six games in back of the Kansas City Royals. Cleveland has won just five of its 15 games on the road.

Boston completed a two-game sweep of the Yankees on Tuesday night, scoring a 7-3 win and getting a good pitching performance out of Josh Beckett, who gave up just three runs in six innings. The Red Sox are only a game in back of the Blue Jays in the AL East, and have won nine straight games at Fenway Park. Wednesday’s contest starts a five-game homestand,

Carl Pavano didn’t fare too well the last time he faced the Red Sox, but of course that was back in 2005. On May 28 of that year he lasted just 3-2/3 innings and gave up five runs on eleven hits in a 17-1 Boston laugher. By the way, he was involved in an even more horrific outcome in 2003, when he got none one out and surrendered six runs in a 25-8 Red Sox win.

Justin Masterson had a hard time getting people out himself last time he took the mound, allowing six runs in six innings against the Rays in a 6-2 Red Sox defeat. He has yet to start against Cleveland.

Currently the Red Sox have a combo that is hard to beat, which is that they score more runs and allow less runs than anybody in their home park. The difference is over three runs a game. So maybe the best option here is to take a shot with a run prop, which is to lay a run and a half with Boston, at essentially even money odds at BetOnline.

JAY’S PLAY:  BOSTON -1.5 runs (-110)

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)