Friday, July 25

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

New York (56-45) at Boston (60-43)

Righthander Josh Beckett (9-6, 3.98 ERA) takes the hill for the Red Sox to open a three-game weekend set against the archrival Yankees at Fenway Park. Boston, returning from a six-game West Coast swing, bounced back after losing three straight against the Angels last weekend to sweep three games at Seattle. The Sox are 36-11 at home this season and have won eight of their last 10 behind Beckett at Fenway.

New York, which will counter with right-hander Joba Chamberlain (2-3, 2.52), is on a six-game winning streak, having swept Oakland and Minnesota at home after coming back from the All-Star break. The Yanks are also 20-8 in their last 28 games against winning teams.

Boston leads the season series between these two 5-4, and the Red Sox are 4-0 in Beckett's last four starts against New York.

The Red Sox are a middling 5-5 in Beckett's last 10 starts, with the 28-year-old taking the loss in a 4-2 road setback against the Angels on Saturday, allowing four runs on nine hits in eight innings.

The Yankees are 6-2 in Chamberlain's last eight starts. On Saturday, the 22-year-old yielded just one run on six hits in six innings as New York beat Oakland 4-3. Chamberlain has given up two earned runs or less in seven of his nine starts this season.

Despite his 4.82 ERA at Fenway this season, Beckett has a 5-1 record in seven home starts, and he's 7-3 in with a 5.75 ERA in 11 career starts against the Yanks, winning all three starts this season against New York.

Chamberlain is 1-2 with a 1.74 ERA in 14 appearances (three starts) on the road this season, and he's 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA in four career appearances (one start) against Boston.

The under has cashed in four of the last five for Boston and is 6-1 in New York's last seven roadies and 20-7-2 in the Yanks' last 29 games overall. On the flip side, the total has gone high in four of Beckett's last five home starts against New York, and in this rivalry, the over is 22-7 in the last 29 clashes at Fenway.

ATS ADVANTAGE: BOSTON

Chicago White Sox (57-43) at Detroit (52-49)

The A.L. Central-leading White Sox trot out right-hander Gavin Floyd (10-6, 3.52 ERA) to open a three-game set against the Tigers at Comerica Park. Chicago followed up a three-game losing skid by winning two straight at home against Texas on Tuesday and Wednesday, racking up 10 runs in each game en route to 10-2 and 10-8 victories. The Sox have dropped 13 of their last 18 road games, but they are on runs of 6-0 following a day off and 19-7 in division play.

Detroit, which will give the ball to left-hander Nate Robertson (6-8, 5.69), is on a four-game winning streak, taking Thursday off after sweeping a three-game series at Kansas City. The Tigers have won six of their last seven series openers and are 20-8 in their last 28 games at Comerica.

Chicago has a 5-4 edge in the season series between these teams, and they are 5-1 facing Robertson in Detroit. But the Tigers have won the last three games, sweeping a home series June 10-12.

Floyd was on a 6-1 run before cooling off with losses in his last two starts. On Saturday against Kansas City, he allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits in six innings of a 9-1 home loss, on the heels of a 7-2 setback at Texas in which he allowed six runs on five hits in just 2 2/3 innings.

Robertson is 0-2 with three no-decisions in his last five starts, getting rocked for seven runs on eight hits in only 2 1/3 innings Saturday in an 11-10 loss at Baltimore.

Floyd is 3-4 with a 5.40 ERA in eight road starts this year, and he's 3-0 with a solid 2.43 ERA in six career starts against Detroit. He beat the Tigers in back-to-back starts in April, including throwing 7 1/3 innings of one-hit shutout ball in a 7-0 home rout April 12. Robertson, meanwhile, is 3-3 with a 4.45 ERA in nine home starts this year, and he's 6-6 with a 5.02 ERA in 18 career starts against Chicago.

In this division rivalry, the under is on a 35-17 run overall and is 40-17-3 in the last 60 battles in Detroit. However, the over is 7-1 in Chicago's last eight games, 17-5 for the Sox in their last 22 division games and 8-3 in Robertson's last 11 starts for Detroit.

ATS ADVANTAGE: CHICAGO WHITE SOX

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