MLB Betting: Giants add some offense

A pair of National League squads with playoff aspirations hook up Tuesday night at scenic AT&T Park when the San Francisco Giants host the Cincinnati Reds in the middle match of a three-game series.

 

The Giants, starting the week two games behind Philadelphia for a wild card berth, are in the midst of a seven-game homestand that will see them play Arizona and Colorado after this series.

The red-hot NL Central Division-leading Reds began the week with a 3 ½-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals thanks to an 8-1 streak in their last nine outings. The Reds began this current nine-game West Coast excursion by registering a three-game sweep in Arizona before taking two of three at Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

San Francisco added some much needed offensive punch over the weekend when it claimed Florida outfielder Cody Ross off the waiver wire. Ross is batting .265 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs. He has a salary this year of $4.45 million, which was the third-highest for the cost-conscious Marlins. Ross will be eligible for arbitration this winter.

The Reds and Giants had split four games this season prior to Monday's opener, with each team winning the two games played on their home turf. The Giants registered 6-5 and 3-0 victories in the two games played at AT&T Park on June 7-8.

The scene then shifted to Cincinnati on June 9 and 10, with the Reds recording 6-3 and 7-6 victories. Both games skipped ‘over' the closing total.

San Francisco southpaw Jonathan Sanchez (9-8, 3.47 ERA) was on the mound for the June 9 setback, and he will attempt to exact some revenge in Tuesday's contest.

Sanchez suffered the loss as a 110 road underdog after allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings spanning 93 pitches. He walked two batters and fanned five.

The Giants are a fine 15-10 in Sanchez' first 25 starts this season, with the ‘over' going 15-9-1. In fact, the ‘over' is 12-3-1 in his last 16 starting assignments. Sanchez is 5-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 home starts, with the ‘over' going 7-5.

The Reds will counter a lefty of their own in Travis Wood (4-1, 2.51 ERA). The 23-year-old Arkansas native went 0-1 with four no-decisions in his first five assignments after being placed in the starting rotation on July 1.

However, Woods has reeled off four straight victories in his last four outings and has not allowed more than three runs in any of the efforts. That includes last Thursday when Woods allowed Arizona one run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings en route to a 9-5 victory as a 130 road favorite. Woods walked two batters and fanned six in an economical 78 pitches.

Southpaw starters don't bother either the Giants or Reds. San Francisco is 18-16 versus lefty starters, while Cincinnati is 22-17.

The Reds are a National League-best 36-26 on the road, including 12-2 in their last 14 road encounters. The Giants are a nifty 37-23 on their home turf.

Cincinnati entered the series with a sizzling plus-99 run differential by outscoring its opponents 615-516. San Francisco was plus-59, outscoring the opposition 535-476.

Don't forget to check the weather forecast for this contest, as well as all of Tuesday's baseball slate.