Twins vs. Mariners Gambling Insight

Minnesota Twins vs Seattle Mariners
Friday August 17
Safeco Field - Seattle, WA
10:10PM

Probable Starters:
MIN: Nick Blackburn
SEA: Hisashi Iwakuma

Moneyline: Seattle -130, Minnesota +120
O/U: 8

Minnesota

The Twins stumble into Seattle having won just one of their last 7 games. This team is the mirror opposite of the Mariners with a surprising middle of the pack attack coupled with the second worst pitching in the league. This team has fallen hard fast in the AL Central where they are a smidge below even the Royals. Unfamiliar territory but they might be their awhile the way things are looking.

It is amazing that Minnesota keeps trotting Nick Blackburn out there. His ERA is obscene for this stage of the season - wait for it...7.33. He gives up hits and homers like they are going out of style. He lost a previous game at Safeco in May giving up 5 runs over 6 innings. The Twins are just playing out the string so they are going to keep trotting him out there even though he hasn’t gotten a winning decision since June.

Seattle

The Mariners are in another nice swing having won 4 of their last 5. Last time out Felix Hernandez pitched the third perfect game of the season, winning it barely 1-0 - typical. This team is just desperate to score runs. They won 2 of 3 at Tampa but scored just 6 times in the process. The bullpen should be well rested in this one as it has pitched just two innings the last two games out plus an off day on Thursday.

As Seattle has surprised with their pitching prowess Hisashi Iwakuma has become a wild card in the rotation. He has won 2 of his last three starts and struck out 13 Jays two weeks ago but for a guy with professional experience from Japan he sometimes looks a little lost. He walks too many guys (seemingly all the imports do) despite being hard to hit. When they do tag him he gives up too many long balls - 13 in just 71 innings despite the Safeco effect.

O/U Pick: Over
Score Prediction: Seattle 6 - Minnesota 5