Twins (13-18) +130, o/u 10 ˝ at Rangers (17-15), 7 p.m. Eastern, ESPN
by Ultimatecapper.com Staff
The Minnesota Twins hope to continue their recent upswing while the Texas Rangers look to stop a 3-game slide when the two teams hook up for the first game of a three-game set Monday night in Arlington.
After a slow start to this season, the Twins just took two of three games from Detroit over the weekend, and have won four of their last six.
The Rangers had won six games in a row before welcoming the Yankees to town for the weekend. New York promptly swept three games at Ameriquest Field.
Texas leads the American League West by a half-game over Oakland.
Minnesota sits in fourth place in the AL Central, nine games back of the division-leading White Sox.
The Rangers won the season series with the Twins last year 6 games to 3, with the over/under going 3-6. And all three games between these two teams in Arlington last year stayed under the posted totals.
Minnesota is just 3-12 on the road this season, 7-12 as underdogs and 11-20 vs. the run line.
Texas is 8-10 at home this season, 9-2 as favorites and 19-13 vs. the run line.
Brad Radke (3-3, 7.29 ERA, 1.53 WHIP) heads to the mound Monday for Minnesota. Radke has been roughed up this season, but had his best outing so far last Wednesday vs. Kansas City, giving up one earned run and four hits in seven innings of work.
The Twins are 3-3 in Radke’s starts this year, the o/u 4-1.
Radke made three starts vs. Texas last year, allowing 8 ER and 23 baserunners in 15 IP.
Texas counters with left-hander John Koronka (3-1, 3.55 ERA, 1.16 WHIP) Monday. In his most recent outing, Koronka allowed just 1 ER and 6 hits in 8 1/3 IP vs. Baltimore last Wednesday.
The Rangers are 4-2 in games Koronka has started this year, the o/u 3-2.
Koronka has never started vs. the Twins.
The Minnesota offense owns a .313 team OBP, 7th-worst in the majors, and is averaging 4.1 runs per game.
The Texas O owns a .344 team OBP and is averaging 5.3 RPG.
The Twins bullpen has allowed 4 ER and 13 baserunners in its last 14 IP.
The Rangers pen has given up 5 ER and 29 baserunners in its last 23 IP.
Games at Ameriquest Field are averaging 10.1 RPG this season, compared to 11.0 RPG last year and 11.2 RPG in 2004. The o/u is 7-9 in Rangers home games this year.
The o/u is 19-10 in Twins games this year, 16-14 in Rangers games.
The Ultimatecapper.com Pick: The Twins should struggle to score runs tonight vs. the Rangers. We like the UNDER 10.5. Good luck!
