The Boston Red Sox rode their offense to four-straight wins last week, but over the past two games they've scored just one total run and are 0-2.
The latter of those games came last night in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels got an eighth inning home run from Mickey Moniak to secure the 2-1 win and move to 26-23 on the year. The Red Sox are 26-22 as they head into Game 2 of this three-game series.
For Game 2 it'll be Brayan Bello and Griffin Canning on the mound. Bello is 3-1 in six starts for the Red Sox with a 4.45 ERA and Canning is 2-2 with a 6.14 ERA in his six starts for LA. Even after last night's loss, the Red Sox are slight favorites on the road tonight.
Red Sox vs. Angels odds, run line and total
Red Sox vs. Angels prediction and pick
Mickey Moniak was the first overall pick of the 2016 draft to the Phillies and he struggled mightily for 2.5 seasons in Philadelphia before coming over to the Angels in a trade for Noah Syndergaard last season.
This year, he has played in nine games and had 28 at-bats for LA and has a 1.341 OPS with three home runs and six RBI. The Angels could certainly use another impact bat in their lineup and in the past seven days he has kept their offense afloat.
Over that stretch they are 19th in OPS in baseball, but Moniak is ninth of all hitters.
Over that seven day stretch the Red Sox are actually one spot worse, 20th in OPS and the under is 4-0 in Boston's last four games. Despite Canning's 6.14 ERA he does have a FIP about a run lower and that's often a good sign for a struggling pitcher.
With Moniak providing length in the lineup and giving the Angels clutch hits like his solo homer last night, I think that LA is a good bet tonight as a home underdog.
The Angles are 2-1 as a home dog this year. Bello has pitched fairly well for Boston, but last time out he issued five walks and that was actually the first start all year where he didn't allow a home run.
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