Kansas City (72-73) at Cleveland (90-56)
When: Thursday, September 14th 2017
Where: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH
Time: 7:10 ET | TV: MLB Network
Opening Odds: Cleveland -245/9.5
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There’s not much else to say about what the Cleveland Indians are doing right now, but we’ll try and add a few more amazing stats to this preview against the Kansas City Royals. The two teams will open a four-game set at Progressive Field with the Tribe now owning the longest winning streak in American League history at 21 games after yesterday’s 5-3 win over Detroit. They broke the 2002 Oakland Athletics record and matched the 1935 Chicago Cubs. The Indians have outscored their opponents 139-35 during the streak and reduced its magic number to win the AL Central to four. Cleveland is also about to get stronger as relief ace Andrew Miller will be activated Thursday after a second stint on the disabled list because of knee tendinitis. Here are a few more nuggets from the winning streak:
- Cleveland has more homers (40) than the total runs its opponents have scored during the streak.
- The starting staff is 19-0 with a 1.70 ERA during the streak.
- Cleveland has trailed for only four of the 189 innings during the streak.
Kansas City, which lost the second, third and fourth games of the Indians’ streak by a combined 20-0, is four games behind Minnesota for the AL’s second wild card spot after a 5-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. Cleveland’s Josh Tomlin and Kansas City rookie Jake Junis, who will start tonight’s game, have each won five straight decisions with Tomlin winning both starts since returning from the disabled list.
Pitchers: Royals – Jake Junis (7-2, 4.34 ERA) | Indians – Josh Tomlin (9-9, 5.13)
Junis is coming off a no-decision in Kansas City’s 5-2 over the Twins on Sunday after allowing two runs, eight hits and a walk while striking out seven over 6.1 innings. Junis is unbeaten in his last eight appearances, posting a 3.18 ERA during that span to lower his season number by 1.32. He pitched 2.1 innings of relief in the Royals’ 10-1 loss to Cleveland on August 18th, allowing four runs and five hits in his only career appearance versus the Indians.
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Tomlin allowed two runs and four hits while striking out three across five innings in his latest victory on Saturday against the Orioles. Tomlin hasn’t lost in his last seven starts and has a 2.57 ERA with 27 strikeouts and two walks over his last six outings covering 35 innings. Salvador Perez is 18-for-38 and Eric Hosmer 8-for-41 with two home runs versus Tomlin, who is 10-5 with a 3.92 ERA in 24 appearances (20 starts) versus Kansas City.
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Like I said in last Sunday night’s preview, I’m not going against the Indians until they lose. Will they ever lose? Yes, but who knows when. The odds are getting very high for these games, but I’m comfortable taking the runline every night with them.
Pick: Indians -1.5 -125
BETTING TRENDS:
- Royals are 6-1 in their last 7 games following a loss.
- Royals are 4-1 in their last 5 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Royals are 2-9 in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Royals are 6-0 in Junis’ last 6 starts when their opponent scores 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Royals are 6-0 in Junis’ last 6 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Royals are 5-1 in Junis’ last 6 starts.
- Royals are 5-1 in Junis’ last 6 starts on grass.
- Royals are 4-1 in Junis’ last 5 starts vs. a team with a winning record.
- Indians are 21-5 in their last 26 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Indians are 21-5 in their last 26 home games.
- Indians are 42-11 in their last 53 overall.
- Indians are 21-6 in their last 27 during game 1 of a series.
- Indians are 45-13 in their last 58 games following a win.
- Indians are 40-12 in their last 52 games on grass.
- Indians are 16-5 in their last 21 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Indians are 39-14 in their last 53 Thursday games.
- Indians are 41-17 in their last 58 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Indians are 36-15 in their last 51 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Indians are 50-22 in their last 72 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Indians are 36-16 in their last 52 vs. American League Central.
- Indians are 35-16 in their last 51 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Indians are 35-16 in their last 51 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Indians are 45-22 in their last 67 home games vs. a team with a losing record.
- Indians are 5-1 in Tomlin’s last 6 starts.
- Indians are 5-1 in Tomlin’s last 6 starts on grass.
- Indians are 4-1 in Tomlin’s last 5 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Indians are 4-1 in Tomlin’s last 5 home starts.
- Indians are 12-4 in Tomlin’s last 16 home starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Indians are 5-2 in Tomlin’s last 7 Thursday starts.
- Indians are 19-9 in Tomlin’s last 28 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Indians are 2-5 in Tomlin’s last 7 starts with 4 days of rest.
- Indians are 3-8 in Tomlin’s last 11 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Indians are 3-9 in Tomlin’s last 12 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Indians are 1-5 in Tomlin’s last 6 starts vs. American League Central.
- Over is 6-1 in Royals last 7 road games.
- Over is 5-1 in Royals last 6 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Over is 4-1 in Royals last 5 during game 1 of a series.
- Over is 5-2 in Royals last 7 Thursday games.
- Under is 4-1 in Junis’ last 5 starts on grass.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Junis’ last 6 road starts.
- Under is 4-1 in Junis’ last 5 starts overall.
- Under is 5-1 in Indians last 6 overall.
- Under is 5-1 in Indians last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Under is 5-1 in Indians last 6 on grass.
- Under is 5-1 in Indians last 6 games following a win.
- Under is 5-1 in Indians last 6 home games.
- Under is 4-1 in Indians last 5 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 4-1 in Indians last 5 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
- Under is 6-2 in Indians last 8 games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Under is 9-3-2 in Indians last 14 during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 50-21-6 in Indians last 77 after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0-2 in Tomlin’s last 6 Thursday starts.
- Under is 7-0-4 in Tomlin’s last 11 starts during game 1 of a series.
- Under is 9-1-3 in Tomlin’s last 13 starts when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 12-2-3 in Tomlin’s last 17 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Tomlin’s last 6 starts vs. American League Central.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Tomlin’s last 5 starts on grass.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Tomlin’s last 5 starts overall.
- Over is 5-2 in Tomlin’s last 7 home starts vs. a team with a losing record.
- Indians are 4-0 in Tomlin’s last 4 home starts vs. Royals.
- Under is 5-1-1 in Tomlin’s last 7 starts vs. Royals.
- Indians are 4-1 in Tomlin’s last 5 starts vs. Royals.
- Under is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings in Cleveland.
- Over is 7-3-1 in Tomlin’s last 11 home starts vs. Royals.
- Royals are 5-16 in the last 21 meetings in Cleveland.
- Royals are 1-6 in the last 7 meetings.
