Detroit Tigers (78-41) PK, o/u 10 at Boston Red Sox (68-50), 7 p.m. Eastern Wednesday, ESPN
by Ultimatecapper.com Staff
The best team in baseball, the Detroit Tigers, send out one of the best pitchers in baseball this season as they try to sweep a series in Boston vs. the Red Sox for the first time in over 20 years Wednesday night.
Detroit has won the first two games of this three-game set, 7-4 on Monday night and 3-2 Tuesday night.
In the process, the Tigers boosted their lead in the American League’s Central Division to 6 ½ games over the second-place Chicago White Sox.
Boston, on the other hand, is just 3-7 over its last 10 games and has fallen to three games back of the AL East-leading New York Yankees.
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The Red Sox also sit in 3rd place in the AL wild-card race, three games behind the White Sox.
Boston won the season series between these two teams last year six games to four. But Detroit has won four of five meetings this season.
The Tigers are an impressive 41-22 on the road this season, while the Sox are 38-19 at Fenway Park.
Righty rookie Justin Verlander (14-5, 2.95) takes the hill for Detroit in the series finale Wednesday night. Verlander has been absolutely great all season, but he missed a start a week ago because of a sore arm. Then he suffered through maybe his worst outing of the season last Friday vs. the White Sox, allowing 13 hits and four ER in just five innings of work.
Verlander has given up 8 ER and 28 H+W in his last 16 2/3 IP. The Tigers are a solid 16-6 in Verlander’s starts this year, the over/under 9-13.
This will be Verlander’s first career start vs. the Red Sox.
Boston counters with 43-year-old left-hander David Wells (1-2, 6.23) Wednesday night. Wells has missed most of the season with bad knees, but he’s coming off his best start of the year, giving up just one ER in seven innings vs. Baltimore last week. The Sox are 3-2 in Wells’ starts this season, the o/u a perfect 4-0.
Wells made two starts vs. Detroit last year, allowing 8 ER and 21 hits in 11 IP.
The Tigers own a .331 team OBP this season, just 10th-best in the AL, and are averaging 5.1 runs per game.
Detroit is also a MLB-best 28-11 vs. left-handed starters.
Boston leads the majors with its .361 team OBP, and is averaging 5.5 RPG.
The Tigers bullpen has given up 4 ER and 15 H+W in its last 11 IP.
The BoSox pen has allowed 8 ER and 23 H+W in its last 15 2/3 innings of work.
Detroit will be without 2B Placido Polanco, who separated his shoulder Tuesday night.
Boston is a bit shorthanded itself with catcher Jason Varitek and OF Trot Nixon on the DL.
The o/u is 47-68 in Tigers games this season, 63-51 in Red Sox games and 33-23 at Fenway Park.
The Ultimatecapper Pick: We are in love with this kid Verlander. Wells isn't the effective pitcher he once was either. Take the tigers at a pickem. | 
