The Arizona Diamondbacks will be looking for nothing short of payback when they take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the second game of a three-game Inter-League matchup on Tuesday. After getting completely overwhelmed in their series opener on Monday, let’s find out if the D-Backs can rebound or whether the Rays can hold it down at home for the second straight night.
Diamondbacks vs Rays MLB Odds, Preview & Pick
We didn’t know if we could go an entire game without tweeting.
Let’s not do it again. #RattleOn pic.twitter.com/oVHnv62FB2 — Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 7, 2019
- When: Tuesday May 7, 2019, 7:10 PM ET
- Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
- TV: SUN
- Radio: Arizona / Tampa Bay
- Live Stream: MLB.tv
- MLB Odds: Arizona +152/Tampa Bay -165 / Total: 8.5
Starting Pitchers
- Diamondbacks RH Taylor Clarke (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
- Rays RH Ryne Stanek (0-1, 2.81)
Why Bet On Arizona?
The Diamondbacks come into Tuesday’s matchup off a humbling 12-1 loss against Tampa Bay in the series opener on Monday. The D-Backs saw starter Merrill Kelly pounded for seven runs on seven hits, three walks and a home run. Reliever Zack Godley wasn’t much better in allowing three earned runs on four hits in 3.0 innings of relief while fellow reliever John Ryan Murphy gave up another two runs on two hits in 2.0 innings. Left fielder Blake Swihart had one hit while third baseman Ildemaro Vargas had Arizona’s only other hit in the resounding defeat. Arizona DH Eduardo Escobar went 0-for-2 with a walk in the series opener, but is batting .380 with 12 RBIs in his last 14 road games.
For this contest, Arizona will turn to right-hander Taylor Clarke for his second big league start. Clarke got a save in his only other major league appearance by allowing one hit in three scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs on April 20. The 25-year-old is 3-1 with a 6.12 ERA in five starts with Triple-A Reno this season. Clarke went 13-8 with a 4.03 ERA in 27 starts with Reno in 2018 and is 40-27 during his five seasons in the minor leagues.
Why Bet On Tampa Bay?
The Rays are on a nice roll, having won three of their last four games including Monday’s 12-1 rout. Left-fielder Tommy Pham hit the first grand slam of his career to give the AL East-leading Rays a lead they would never relinquish.
“He’s a huge presence in our lineup,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said afterward of Pham, who is batting .302 with five homers. “We have a lot of good hitters and Tommy (has) that pro hitter approach. He can do damage with base hits, with a high average, hitting balls into gaps, knocking them out of the ballpark. He really works pitchers and draws walks. He does everything.”
Right-fielder Avisail Garcia also hit a home run among his three hits and three RBI in the win while shortstop Daniel Robertson added three RBI. For this contest, the Rays will hand the ball to right-hander Ryan Stanek who will be looking to rebound from a mediocre outing after allowing three runs on three hits in 1.0 inning of a 3-2 loss to Kansas City in his last start. The good news for Tampa Bay is that the 27-year-old former first-round pick did not give up a run in his first seven starts this season.
Expert Analysis and Prediction for Diamondbacks vs Rays
There’s a reason why Tampa Bay has the most victories of any American League team right now and it’s because of their stupendous pitching which ranks first in team ERA (2.90). I like Tampa Bay to get to Arizona’s Taylor Clarke in this contest, seeing as how they’ve scored five runs or more in four of their last 10 games while holding the opposition to two runs or less in five of their last 10.
I know Arizona has gone 6-1 in their last 7 road games and 9-2 in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record, but the D-Backs are also 8-19 in their last 27 Inter-league road games and that just doesn’t bode well as they get set to face a Tampa Bay team that has gone 11-1 in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a road winning percentage of greater than .600, 8-2 in their last 10 vs. National League West and a bankroll-boosting 48-21 in their last 69 home games. Tampa bay wins to stay in first place in the competitive AL East.
MLB Betting Pick: Tampa Bay 5 Arizona 3
