BlackJack’s Plays of the Day: Beantown Beatdown
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
All right, baby, it's Day 2 in Vegas, and it's time to right the ship. It was a rough day yesterday, but I'll chalk that up to jet lag, nothing more. Today we're fresh, we're feeling good and we're ready to rumble. We've got some good value on the board today; it's time to mainline all the energy, all the gris gris, all the mojo that Las Vegas has to offer. It's time to win, baby. And nobody wins better than this team.
WINNERS
Houston Astros (-181) at Oakland Athletics
3:35 p.m. ET
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The Astros have been a little inconsistent to start the season, particularly offensively. Today they go for three in a row against a mediocre-at-best Oakland team. The Astros have their new ace, Gerrit Cole, on the mound, and he has been absolutely lights-out. This guy is 3-1 with a 1.42 ERA on the season. I love the Astros when he pitches, and with Daniel Mengden on the mound for Oakland, Houston should put a couple early runs up. Leave the bullpens out of this one and go with Cole.
THE PICK: Houston -0.5 in first five innings (-135)
Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (-140)
7:05 p.m. ET
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Yankees took the series opener last night in the Bronx behind a great effort from Luis Severino. The Yankees have now won 16 of 17. They're as hot as can be. Someone still has to beat them sometimes. Rick Porcello has been absolutely terrific against the Yankees lineup, as they've hit only .171 against him (excepting Brett Gardner). When these teams got together earlier in the year, Porcello gave up two hits and no runs in seven innings. The value here is too good to pass up.
THE PICK: Boston ML (+125)
Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics (-1)
8:05 p.m. ET
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
This game is simple. Brad Stevens and the Celtics do not want to go back to Philadelphia for a Game 6. The Celtics have been the better team in this series and will adjust for Game 5 in Boston. I also think it doesn't help the Sixers' cause that they started chirping at the Celtics while down 1-3 in the series. I expect a focused, motivated effort from Boston to close this series out.
THE PICK: Boston -1
That's it, brothers; let's cash some tickets and line our pockets.
Pictured above: Al Horford
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