Insider betting tips for a short Thursday baseball lineup, home plate umpire info and a quick look at NBA odds for Game 3 of the San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder series
Los Angeles has a 5-1 record this season in Billingsley’s six starts at Dodgers Stadium
Milwaukee was 19-14 against the NL West in 2011 and started this year’s rotation with a 2-1 series win over the Dodgers from April 17-19. After that, the Brewers went 5-10 against the West but this week’s series in Los Angeles showed up right on cue and Milwaukee has pulled back to 10-11 with three consecutive victories.
Tonight’s MLB odds favor Milwaukee (-116) and only 43-percent of the sports betting public are biting but the “Over” 7 runs at plus-money is the hottest total on the board (74-percent).
Milwaukee is 29-19-2 O/U but the last nine series finales they’ve played between even odds and -120 against teams who had lost two-straight and played the previous night have all stayed under the number.
ON THE HILL
RHP Zack Greinke (5-2, 3.66 ERA) pitches tonight against Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley (2-3, 3.88 ERA). Milwaukee is 7-3 in Greinke’s 10 starts this season and averaging 9.67 runs in his past three (2-1 with 3 overs).
The Dodgers are 5-2 in Billingsley’s seven night starts and 5-1 in six home starts. Last season he was 6-4 at home but his ERA was 3.07 compared with 5.34 on the road.
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HEY BLUE!
Today’s Major League Baseball umpire trends start with Tim Timmons (Astros at Rockies).
– Timmons has 12 overs, 22 unders and 2 pushes his last 36 games between two right-handers
The Brewers and Dodgers home plate umpire is Tony Randazzo, a real ‘Homer’.
– Home teams are 7-2 this season and 32-11 the past two seasons with Randazzo
Hot Trend: The Brewers are 9-32 with a line less than -120 in the last game of a series after leaving at least 14 men on base
Finally in the American League, home teams are 10-1 this season with Tim Tschida and six of the last eight games stayed under the total.
– Since April 26, 2011, the home team has a 20-7 record with Tschida including a current run of 13-3
HARDCOURT REPORT
The basketball odds at 5 Dimes sportsbook for tonight’s Western Conference Final opened at Thunder -2.5 and were instantly bet to -3. After sitting at -3.5 and -4 we are starting to see -4.5’s show up and for now, it’s helped even out the action.
Trailing 2-0, Oklahoma City’s season is on the line tonight as they try to end San Antonio’s 20-game straight-up win streak. The Thunder are 6-2-1 ATS in their past nine playoff tilts and have only lost three games straight once all season (April 2-6).
Look for a big night from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook as the home side tries to steal back the ‘Thunder’ in this series. They lead the team with 27.1 and 23.7 points per game respectively in the playoffs.
LOOK INTO THE FUTURES
Pinnacle Sports updated series prices offer the Spurs (-535), Thunder (+450), Heat (-1350) and Celtics (+925). Miami leads its Eastern Final 2-0 as the series shifts back to Boston Friday for a 8:30 pm ET tipoff.
Check out the latest NFL betting story at EveryEdge – Early Season Win Total Picks!