LA Angels (33-50) at Tampa Bay (34-48)
When: Tuesday, July 5th 2016
Where: Tropicana Field, St Petersburg, FL
Time: 7:10 ET | TV: FSN West, FSN Sun
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Two struggling teams meet in St. Petersburg on Tuesday when the Tampa Bay Rays host the Los Angeles Angels in the second game of their four-game set. The Rays improved to 4-0 against the Angels on Monday with a 4-2 victory – Tampa’s third win in their last 19 games. The Angels, meanwhile, suffered their 12th loss in 14 games as their continue their trek through the A.L. East leading up to the All-Star Break. The Rays, who are looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since mid June, are wrapping up an 11-game homestand this week. The Rays could activate RHP Alex Colome (biceps), who is 19-for-19 in save opportunities, as early as Tuesday after he had a successful bullpen session Sunday. Tampa got 2.1 scoreless innings from its bullpen yesterday, which had a 9.29 ERA in the previous 18 contests. Albert Pujols extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a ninth-inning single Monday and former Ray Yunel Escobar has hit safely in a season-high nine games for Los Angeles.
Pitchers: Angels – Tim Lincecum (1-2, 6.75 ERA) | Rays – Jake Odorizzi (3-3, 3.91)
Struggling right-hander Tim Lincecum gets the start for Anaheim and has allowed nine runs on 15 hits over 7.1 innings in his last two starts. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner, signed as a free agent May 20th, has 11 strikeouts and eight walks in his first three starts. Lincecum’s lone start against Tampa Bay came in 2013 when he gave up one run in seven innings of a no-decision.
Jake Odorizzi is unbeaten in his last six starts, but has only one victory to show for it. Odorizzi has limited opponents to two or fewer runs in 11 of his 17 starts this season, but is averaging 102.7 pitches in just 5.55 innings per outing. Mike Trout is 4-for-6 versus Odorizzi, who is 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA against the Angels after a no-decision May 7th when he surrendered two runs over six innings.
Look for Odorizzi’s pitch-count to get high early and for the Angels to take advantage of it. Tampa should hit Lincecum early and often as the veteran just doesn’t have it anymore. He has allowed three or more runs in eight of his last ten starts. The Rays may break-out today and get 7 or 8 by themselves. I think you know where I’m going with this. Take the Over and run.
Pick: Over 8.5 -115
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