4-Dime MLB POD + 1-Dime Bonus (21-3 L24 MLB PODs + 99-43 Thi

[Pick Bot]

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Take Under 8 runs HOU/ATL (5dimes or BetCris) Lowe/Oswalt + Take Astros -118 1-Dime Bonus
Take the under here for the 2nd game in a row as our POD and take the Astros to win the game as a 1-Dime bonus! Houston has the edges in hitting here with Lowe on the mound as they have a .317 average against him in 189 AB. However, Lowe will be on 5 days rest where he always pitches better and actually Atlanta is under 6-2 in his last 8 games on 5 days rest. While Roy Oswalt will try to make his first win against the Braves. That is a little misleading as he has not started against the Braves since 2005 until May of this year where he got injured going 1 inning had 2K's and 1 BB.

Oswalt will be going up against the Braves here who have struggled to hit the ball and are 1-6 in their last 7 vs. RH starter. Braves are hitting .196 while scoring 2.71 runs per 9 innings in their last 10 games vs. RHP including their bullpen with a 5.04 ERA. So why is the line going the other way? Opening at -125 Oswalt now sitting at -118 Oswalt?? I believe we are expecting a quality start out of Lowe is the main reason as he's coming off just 97 pitches in his last start.

Lowe has a start against Houston this year where he went 6.2 IP 8H 2 BB and 2ER. He does not pitch as well on the road but he pitches more than a run better at night with a 4.00 ERA so I expect him to have a quality start here on 5 days rest against a team that is also struggling to hit with a .246 average and 3.04 runs per 9 innings in their last 10 vs. RHP. However, Astros have the edge over that time with a 1.82 bullpen ERA which also stands well for the under here tonight.

Bottom line both teams have struggled to score runs so you are going to see a money line close and even shrink further if oddsmakers are expecting a quality start out of both as I am too. However, Atlanta is 4-11 in their last 15 in Houston along with the better bullpen for Houston makes me pick the home team for the bonus. As for the under...

Atlanta under 6-0 after scoring 2 runs or less in previous game, Astros are under 7-0 under that same trend. Astros are also under 12-2 in their last 14 vs. team with winning record, 21-6 in their last 27 vs. team w/winning record. They are under 12-4 last 16 vs. RH starter, and under 12-3-1 in Oswalts last 16 starts after a team scores 2 runs or less meaning that he goes out there and tries to win the game more when his offense is struggling. Not to mention the last 8 meetings between these two in Houston have fallen under the total. I believe it's why you see a total of 7.5, but I'm still comfortable hitting that number here tonight even though it might be 8 under normal circumstances.