Reds vs. Dodgers
MLB Betting Preview
7/2/12
The Los Angeles Dodgers finally found some offense on Sunday and hope to carry that over to Monday’s matchup with the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-Game series. The Dodgers (44-36) ended their seven-Game losing streak with an 8-3 win over the New York Mets to avoid a Four-Game sweep after scoring a total of two runs during their skid.
Los Angeles trails the San Francisco Giants by one Game for the lead in the National League West after suffering through a rough period that saw them lose 11 of 13. Fortunately, the team hopes to build off one of the two wins during that stretch and beat the NL Central-leading Reds (43-35) for the first time in Four meetings.
Cincinnati is coming off a 4-3 road loss to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday that ended when All-Star outfielder Jay Bruce misjudged a fly ball and allowed the Game-winning run to Scorein the bottom of the ninth inning. The Reds had tied the Game in the top of the ninth but played without former NL MVP Joey Votto for the first time this season due to an iNFLamed knee. Votto also made the NL All-Star team and leads the majors in doubles with 33. He has hit safely in 14 of 15 Games against LA since 2010 with six home runs and 22 RBI.
The Dodgers will send Chad Billingsley to the mound (4-7, 4.18 ERA) to the mound, and Votto has a .467 career batting average against him with two doubles in 15 at-bats. Billingsley is 0-3 in his last three starts with a 6.88 ERA after going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his first two June starts. The OVER is 3-1 in his last Four starts and 11-2-1 in his past 14. He is 1-3 in eight home starts this season with a 4.30 ERA and 5-3 lifetime against Cincy with a 4.84 ERA.
Opposing Billingsley for the Reds will be Homer Bailey, who has been shelled in each of his last two outings. Bailey has given up 10 runs in 9.1 innings over his past two starts, walking Four and surrendering three homers in losing both. However, he has won his last three road starts, allowing just one run in each of the past two. The OVER is 5-2-1 in his last eight overall. Bailey has pitched much better on the road this year with a 4-2 mark and 3.09 ERA.