MLB Betting: White Sox at Red Sox

John Danks gets the call for Chicago in Friday’s opener at Fenway Park.

Chicago and Boston begin an important three-game series for both teams Friday night at historic Fenway Park.  The White Sox and Red Sox are both battling for their postseason lives as the regular season hits the final stretch.

Chicago remains within striking distance of Minnesota in the American League Central standings.  The White Sox only have three games remaining against the Twins the final month, so the team will have to beat other opponents to gain ground.

Boston remains in third place in the tough AL East, seven games behind Tampa Bay in the wild-card race.  The Red Sox are in danger of missing the postseason for just the second time since 2003.

Chicago left-hander John Danks (12-9, 3.65 ERA) hopes to rebound from Saturday’s dismal performance against New York.  The four-year veteran fell to the Yankees as a 126 home underdog, 12-9, lasting just 4 1/3 innings and 97 pitches by surrendering eight runs on six hits (three home runs) with four walks and five strikeouts.

The combined 21 runs soared ‘over’ the 8 ½-run closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 2-1 his last three starts.  The run total in that setback equaled a career worst, and he now has a 5.08 ERA his last six starts.

Danks has not started against the Red Sox this season, but he did face them twice last year with mixed results.  The 25-year-old went a combined 12 innings, allowing five runs on 13 hits (three home runs) with two walks and 10 strikeouts.  The White Sox prevailed as a 110 road underdog, 9-5, while losing as a 129 home ‘dog, 6-1.

Chicago, 34-33 away from home, continues a 10-game road trip after this series with four games against AL Central rival Detroit.  The White Sox have seen the baseball betting ‘over’ go 7-2 their last nine road endeavors.

Boston hurler Clay Buchholz (15-5, 2.21 ERA) remains in the AL Cy Young Award race after finishing the month of August with a 4-0 record and miniscule 1.03 ERA over six starts.  The Texas native picked up a no-decision in Saturday’s effort against AL East rival Tampa Bay.

Buchholz went 7 1/3 innings, yielding two runs (one earned) on four hits (one home run) with two walks and five strikeouts on 110 pitches.  The Red Sox eventually dropped that matchup as a 138 road underdog, 3-2, while the combined five runs failed to topple the 7 ½-run closing total.

The ‘under’ has cashed his previous three starts.  The right-hander has now thrown 109 pitches or more in five of his past seven outings.

Buchholz faced the White Sox just once last season, helping Boston win despite tossing a lackluster 4 2/3 innings.  The 26-year-old was reached for seven runs on six hits (two home runs) with three walks and three strikeouts.  The Red Sox won that slugfest as a 210 home ‘chalk,’ 12-8, while the combined 20 runs soared ‘over’ the 10 ½-run closing total.

Boston, 40-26 at Fenway Park, begins a six-game homestand with this matchup that concludes with three games versus AL East foe Tampa Bay.  The Red Sox have seen the ‘under’ go 7-1-1 their last nine outings overall.  Boston is 8-2 the previous 10 meetings with Chicago at home, while the ‘under’ is 8-3-1 the past 12 outings this series.

Friday’s forecast for Boston calls for a 70 percent chance of showers, with a high of 79 degrees and a low of 66.