Our Friday night MLB predictions take us to the shores of the Ohio River at the Great American Ball Park where the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds will partake in the series opener of their baseball betting weekend set.
CLICK HERE TO OPEN A BETTING ACCOUNT AT BETUS

Though they dropped their final game before the All Star Break, the Rockies rattled off victories in eight of their previous 10 games ($463) to tie the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL Wild Card lead. Manager Jim Tracy’s club currently sits just two-games in back of the NL West leading San Diego Padres. The Rockies have reeled in upwards of $345 on the year, but sit five-games under .500 as a visitor (18-23) where they’re in the red for $444.

Cincinnati ended up going into the break with a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central Division race, but it finished up their final series before the Midsummer Classic on a major downer having gotten swept in their four-game series at Philadelphia. Still, the Reds are $760+ in the green for MLB bettors to date, and they’ve been a better host (27-19, $501) than visitor (22-22, $266) overall.

Colorado Rockies (49-39, $347) vs. Cincinnati Reds (49-41, $767)
Game Date/Time: Friday, July 16th, 7:10 ET
Game Location: The Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, OH
TV/Radio Broadcast: FOX – Rocky Mountain & Ohio, XM

MLB Odds: Colorado Rockies +1.5 -190 +110 (Jason Hammel – R) vs. Cincinnati Reds -1.5 +160 -130 (Bronson Arroyo – R): Total 8.5 O -105 8.5 U -115

Jason Hammel enters his 16 th start of the season having not been defeated since getting blitzed by the Kansas City Royals way back on May 21 st. Since then, the righty has rattled off wins in six of his L/9 starts to go along with three no decisions; Colorado’s gone an impressive 8-1 during that stretch. However, only one of his L/7 starts has come on the road where his numbers have dramatically tapered off this season. He’s 1-2 with a 6.11 ERA & 1.50 WHIP having allowed 36 hits and 19 ER’s through 28 overall IP. He fared well in his lone career start against the Reds last season lasting 7.1 innings and allowing just three hits and a pair of ER’s.

Opposing the recently red hot Hammel will be Cincy’s Bronson Arroyo who enters his 19 th start of the 2010 MLB betting season 9-4 with a 4.04 ERA & 1.23 WHIP. He earned victories in his final two starts before the break having last tossed a gem in Citi Field limiting the Mets to just one run through eight innings of work. Cincinnati is 12-6 with him leading its charge this season, but stands an even 4-4 in his eight home starts. He has however been at his best under the lights going 6-1 overall while serving up just 62 hits through 67 total innings of work. In six lifetime starts vs. the Rockies, the righty is 1-2 with a 3.89 ERA & 1.41 WHIP.

MLB Insider Tip : Even though the Reds sit atop the NL Central standings, they aren’t being taken seriously. Oddsmakers are disrespecting them as well installing them very manageable chalk at the open before JQP came in and lowered the vig even more. Granted the Rockies went into the break red hot, the ASB was more than enough time to cool them off. On top of that, Cincy’s got to be stark raving mad after getting swept by the Phillies their last time out. It should also be taken into account that Colorado currently holds a nine-game winning streak in the series and a six-game winning streak at the “GAB”.

With the Rockies a bankroll depleting 3-10 (-$680) as road underdogs up to +125 and all the reasons already mentioned for the Reds to make a statement, my MLB predictions for tonight have Cincy humbling the Rox in a big way!

My MLB Prediction: Cincinnati Reds (Arroyo)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com