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The Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays Game 4 line was coming in at Tampa -113 and Texas +103 with a total of 8.5 under -115 at Sportsbook.com
The Tampa Bay Rays look to even the series in an elimination Game 4 against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday afternoon. Texas took a 2-1 lead in the series by beating David Price and the Rays 4-3 on their home turf Monday night.
Making his first postseason start for Texas will be lefty Matt Harrison (14-9, 3.39 ERA). Harrison ended the regular season sizzling hot, going 4-0 with a 2.64 ERA in his final five starts. Opposing Harrison will be Jeremy Hellickson (13-10, 2.95 ERA). Hellickson has only faced Texas once (Aug. 30), throwing six innings and allowing two runs on six hits, but was charged with the loss in a 2-0 defeat. Texas has had problems coming off one-run wins, going 7-12 (-11.5 Units) in the following game. Tampa Bay has handled lefty starters well this year, going 32-20 (+13.5 Units) against them, and is also 51-31 when labeled a favorite of -100 to -150. The Rays have played great with their backs against the wall all year.
Harrison pitched two-thirds of an inning in relief in Game 1, allowing one run in the 9-0 loss on Friday. Harrison’s lone career start against the Rays was all the way back in 2008 when he threw a gem, tossing eight shutout innings and allowing just three hits in a 3-0 victory. The Rangers are known to be a very good power team (2nd in majors with 210 HR), but have been out-homered so far in the series 7-2. Texas needs its big bats to come alive to finish off the fighting Rays.
This is technically Hellickson’s first playoff start, but with the nail-biting grind of the AL Wild Card race at the end of the year, the 24-year-old righty knows what pressure innings feel like. He is also very comfortable in Tropicana Field after posting a 2.54 ERA and 1.01 WHIP at home this year, leading his team to a 9-5 record in these 14 starts.
Another rookie, Desmond Jennings, was the hero Monday night, hitting two home runs and is 4-for-11 in the series. The young Rays have not been afraid to throw their rookies out there, with Matt Moore starting Game 1 and Hellickson now starting Game 4. This marks only the 10th time a team has thrown two rookie starters in one postseason.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
