By Greg Dempson
Pinnacle Odds: Oakland Athletics +142 at Cleveland Indians -154 Total 8.5
The Oakland Athletics take a 9–4 post All–Star record into Progressive Field to play the first of a three games series vs. the Cleveland Indians. Kendall Graveman takes the mound for the A’s and it’s been more than two months since he’s lost a game.
In his first nine starts this season, Graveman was 1–6 with an ERA of 5.36, but in 10 starts since then he’s 6-0 with a 3.25 ERA. Graveman, at (7–6 with an ERA of 4.15,) has pitched a combined 30.7 innings in his last four starts allowing only 8 earned runs, with his last win the most impressive of the season, as he went the distance in a 4–3 win vs. the Rays Sunday night in Oakland. Graveman’s last loss was vs. the Yankees on May 19th.
He has faced the Indians twice, on July 10 and July 31, 2015. In those two games he pitched a combined 12.3 innings allowing 1 earned run in each game during the first 5 innings. In all he went 12.3 innings, allowed a combined 5 earned runs on 12 hits, no homers while walking 5 and striking out 12 with an ERA of 2.92, WHIP 1.318.
Trevor Bauer get the start for the Indians. Bauer has an ERA of 7.47 in his last three starts, WHIP 1.851. When reviewing his first 5 innings in those three games I note he allowed 1, 2 and 5 runs. Those combined scores were 2–2, 3–1 and 5–1 with two of the three staying under the total of 4.5 in the first 5 innings.
Bauer has been solid at home averaging 6.7 innings per start in 7 games with an ERA of 3.64, WHIP of 1.085. Through 47 innings he has allowed 19 earned runs on 36 hits, (4 homers,) while walking 15 and striking out 45. In Bauer’s lone start at Oakland last year he pitched 6.7 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits in a 2–1 loss.
In Review
· My last selection on Wednesday in the game between the Angles and Royals staying under 4 runs –105 in the first 5 innings was a winner. My Every Edge MLB record is now 27–12–01.
Around the Diamonds
· These two teams are 17–38–02 to the under including 1–6 to the under last season.
· Bauer is 14–27 to the UNDER in all games the past two seasons.
· In the second half of the season in the past three seasons the Athletics are 05–16 to the under in road games vs. teams that outscore their opponents by 0.5 or more runs per game.
· Bauer is 05–16 to the under vs. American League teams that score 4.2 or less runs per game.
· Since Oakland’s bullpen has a road ERA of 4.93 vs. a Cleveland bullpen that’s 3.29 when home, I have opted for a selection in the first 5 innings.
Athletics vs Indians Pick
My Every Edge recommendation this evening is for the Athletics and Indians to stay under the total of 4.5 runs in the first 5 innings at -101.