Re: 9-5-10
Jeff Benton sunday
0-2-1 yesterday minus 50 dimes MINUS $675.....overall, 103-131-6 minus 505
20 DIME seleation on the SEATTLE MARINERS on the run line (-1½ runs) over the Indians in an afteernoon contest from Safeco Field. The Mariners are priced at right about a pick-em on the run line, though some spots have Seattle as much as a +115 underdog, so be sure to shop around and get the best of the number.
Note that listing pitchers is reqrired with run-line plays, so both Seattle’s Felix Hernandez and Cleveland’s Jeanmar Gomez must start or this play is VOID!
Mariners (-1½ runs)
In an otherwise dreary season in Seattle, Felix Hernandez has been the lone bright spot. He enters this game with a 2.38 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and 200 strikeouts in 211 1/3 innings. Those stats all rank in the Top 10 in all of baseball, with King Felix placing second in both Ks and innings pitched.
Since June 19, Hernandez has delivered 14 consecutive quality starts, tossing four complete games and pitching into the seventh inning in the other 10 contests. Over this 14-start stretch, Hernandez has a remarkable 1.40 ERA, and in his last five contests he’s given up just one earned run in 37 innings.
Of course, Hernandez has been victamized by Seattle’s completely inept offense, which is why he’s only 10-10 on the season. However, the Mariners have taken advantage of their ace’s dominance lately, winning each of his last three starts and four of his last five. Those victories were by margins of 2-0 (vs. Oakland), 6-0 (at the Yankees), 4-2 (at Boston) and 3-1 (vs. the Angels). In fact, 12 of the Mariners’ 14 wins when Hernandez has started have been by more than one run.
Hernandez is 6-4 with a 2.29 ERA in 14 starts at home, and his last seven starts against the Indians have been quality efforts (2.56 ERA). Meanwhile, after a strong start to his big-league career, Cleveland rookie right-hander Jeanmar Gomez has faltered in his last two outings, giving up 10 runs (seven earned) on 16 hits and five walks in 8 2/3 innings against Detroit and Kansas City. Gomez has a 5.52 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP in his last three starts, with the Indians scoring a grand total of six runs in those three games.
Finally, as much as the Mariners (53-83) have struggled this year, Cleveland has been almost as bad (55-81). And at least Seattle has been respeectable at home (32-38). The Tribe are 26-42 on the highway, and when you throw in a 15-game road losing skid to end last year, they’re 26-57 in their last 83 away from Cleveland. Additionally, the Indians have lost five of seven overall, 10 of 14 on Sunday and 39 of 59 against A.L. West opponents.
Bottom line: If the Mariners can scratch out three or four runs against Gomez and Cleveland’s weak bullpen (which has an ERA near 5.00 over the last 10 games), King Felix will take things from there. In fact, with the way he’s going, I wouldn’t rule out a corplete-game shutout.
Jeff Benton sunday
0-2-1 yesterday minus 50 dimes MINUS $675.....overall, 103-131-6 minus 505
20 DIME seleation on the SEATTLE MARINERS on the run line (-1½ runs) over the Indians in an afteernoon contest from Safeco Field. The Mariners are priced at right about a pick-em on the run line, though some spots have Seattle as much as a +115 underdog, so be sure to shop around and get the best of the number.
Note that listing pitchers is reqrired with run-line plays, so both Seattle’s Felix Hernandez and Cleveland’s Jeanmar Gomez must start or this play is VOID!
Mariners (-1½ runs)
In an otherwise dreary season in Seattle, Felix Hernandez has been the lone bright spot. He enters this game with a 2.38 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP and 200 strikeouts in 211 1/3 innings. Those stats all rank in the Top 10 in all of baseball, with King Felix placing second in both Ks and innings pitched.
Since June 19, Hernandez has delivered 14 consecutive quality starts, tossing four complete games and pitching into the seventh inning in the other 10 contests. Over this 14-start stretch, Hernandez has a remarkable 1.40 ERA, and in his last five contests he’s given up just one earned run in 37 innings.
Of course, Hernandez has been victamized by Seattle’s completely inept offense, which is why he’s only 10-10 on the season. However, the Mariners have taken advantage of their ace’s dominance lately, winning each of his last three starts and four of his last five. Those victories were by margins of 2-0 (vs. Oakland), 6-0 (at the Yankees), 4-2 (at Boston) and 3-1 (vs. the Angels). In fact, 12 of the Mariners’ 14 wins when Hernandez has started have been by more than one run.
Hernandez is 6-4 with a 2.29 ERA in 14 starts at home, and his last seven starts against the Indians have been quality efforts (2.56 ERA). Meanwhile, after a strong start to his big-league career, Cleveland rookie right-hander Jeanmar Gomez has faltered in his last two outings, giving up 10 runs (seven earned) on 16 hits and five walks in 8 2/3 innings against Detroit and Kansas City. Gomez has a 5.52 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP in his last three starts, with the Indians scoring a grand total of six runs in those three games.
Finally, as much as the Mariners (53-83) have struggled this year, Cleveland has been almost as bad (55-81). And at least Seattle has been respeectable at home (32-38). The Tribe are 26-42 on the highway, and when you throw in a 15-game road losing skid to end last year, they’re 26-57 in their last 83 away from Cleveland. Additionally, the Indians have lost five of seven overall, 10 of 14 on Sunday and 39 of 59 against A.L. West opponents.
Bottom line: If the Mariners can scratch out three or four runs against Gomez and Cleveland’s weak bullpen (which has an ERA near 5.00 over the last 10 games), King Felix will take things from there. In fact, with the way he’s going, I wouldn’t rule out a corplete-game shutout.

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