TOM STRYKER’S FREE BASEBALL SELECTION THURSDAY, AUGUST 12TH
#961 SAN DIEGO RUN-LINE (-1′ -138) with Darvish over Arizona with Widener at 9:40 PM EST
Embarrassed off Wednesday’s 7-0 home loss to the Marlins, the Padres will travel to the desert and totally dominate the struggling Diamondbacks. Arizona has dropped four straight plus eight of its last 10 and manager Torey Lovullo’s troops are in prime position to get dusted.
Taking the mound for the Friars will be veteran righty Yu Darvish. In his last outing at home against the D’Backs on August 7th, No. 11 was nicked for only two earned runs and four hits in 7.0 innings. Darvish fanned 12, issued no walks but failed to earn a decision in the Padres 6-2 victory. Pitching under the lights has been where Yu has been at his best this season. At night, Darvish has surrendered only 29 earned runs and 58 hits in 84.0 frames. Darvish assembled a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 107-19 and holds a dynamic 6-3 record with an elite 3.11 ERA.
Young right-hander Taylor Widener will counter for the home team. Lined up against the Padres, Giants, Rangers and Pirates in his last four starts, No. 57 was smashed for 17 earned runs and 22 hits in 17.2 innings of work. Widener whiffed 25, walked 11, and served up six home runs on his way to an 0-1 mark and a weak 8.66 ERA. Pitching inside Chase Field has been a problem for Taylor too. At home, Widener has been waxed for 13 earned runs and 20 hits in 14.0 frames. That’s bad enough for an 0-0 record and a woeful 8.36 ERA.
There are a number of quality trends that support this Best Bet. San Diego has won five of its last seven in this series, five of its last seven after scoring two runs or less last, and 39 of its last 58 in the first game of a series. On the other side of the yard, Arizona has slipped in 20 of its last 28 in the first game of a series, 40 of its last 54 in division play, 45 of its last 57 when coming off a loss, and 62 of its last 75 when priced as an underdog.
Currently 8.0-games from the top spot in the NL West, the Padres can’t afford division losses to a rival that is 45-games under the .500 mark. Take San Diego on the run-line with Darvish. Thanks and best of luck, Tom.
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