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Carrie Stroup here with some great Baseball betting for July 22 and the Texas Rangers vs. Los Angeles Angels game. All odds courtesy of Sportsbook, offering qualified customers up to $350 in FREE CASH
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Texas -113 & 8 under -115
After crushing the Angels 9-2 on Saturday, the Rangers look to extend their division lead to seven games when the AL West rivals complete a three-game set on Sunday night.
Texas was held to just one run in Friday’s 6-1 defeat, but it bounced back in a big way on Saturday by jumping out to a 7-0 lead and hitting four of its five homers in the game’s first three innings. Former Angel Mike Napoli clubbed two of those bombs, and is now hitting .434 (23-for-53) with 8 HR in 14 games at Angel Stadium since L.A. traded him before the 2011 season. On Sunday, he and his Rangers teammates will face Dan Haren who is 4-9 in 18 career starts versus Texas, losing six of his past seven decisions to its rival. The Rangers counter with 12-game winner Matt Harrison who beat Haren and the Angels 7-3 on June 3 giving him a stellar 1.03 WHIP and serviceable 3.91 ERA in his four starts in this series since 2009.
Harrison (12-4, 2.87 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) has allowed more than two runs in a start only once since May 22, a span of 10 outings. The Angels were able to push across three runs against him in 6.2 innings on June 3, but his numbers during this 10-game stretch are exceptional -- 8-1, 1.34 ERA, 1.08 WHIP. Harrison has also been one of the best road pitchers in baseball this year, going 8-2 with a 2.76 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 10 away outings, averaging 7.2 innings per start. Three current Angels that cringe whenever the lefty takes the hill are Torii Hunter (1-for-15 lifetime versus Harrison), Erick Aybar (2-for-16) and Albert Callaspo (4-for-23). And on the off chance that Harrison struggles, he knows that is bullpen is plenty capable of picking him up, posting a stellar 2.64 ERA and 1.03 WHIP on the road this season, converting 11 of 14 save chances (79%).
Haren (6-8, 4.86 ERA, 1.41 WHIP) is suffering through a nightmare stretch, giving up at least five runs in four straight starts. Although he’s 2-2 in this span, his 9.14 ERA, 1.87 WHIP and .355 opponents’ BA has the Rangers chomping at the bit to start this game. That’s especially true for Adrian Beltre who has destroyed Haren in his career with a .436 BA (24-for-55), 1.264 OPS, 3 HR and 11 RBI against him. David Murphy (1.162 OPS in 22 AB), Mitch Moreland (1.100 OPS in 10 AB), Nelson Cruz (1.043 OPS in 14 AB) and Josh Hamilton (.924 OPS in 18 AB) have also thrived against Haren. Pitching in his home stadium hasn’t helped either, as the Angels are 2-7 at home with Haren on the mound this year. Luckily for him, the bullpen hasn’t had the same problem, with a 2.28 ERA and 1.20 WHIP at Angel Stadium this season.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
