Big Al McMordie Sports Picks & Handicapper Review

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Philadelphia Phillies.  The Dodgers just went into DC for what could be a preview of the NLCS and proceeded to beat the Nats in two out of three games.  Now they travel north about 2 1/2 hours to face the Phillies in what you think would be an even easier series for them.  However in game one on Monday with their ace -- Clayton Kershaw -- on the mound, the Dodgers lost to the Phils.  They'll reload and try again tonight as their newest star pitcher, Yu Darvish, goes to the hill for his eighth start as a member of this team.  Darvish's numbers certainly don't jump off the page at you -- 3-3 with a 4.34 ERA in just over 37 innings -- but he's still one of the more difficult RH veterans to face in the league and a strikeout artist at the age of 31.  Darvish has never pitched in Philadelphia before, but he may find the ballpark and the young Phillies lineup very much to his liking.  RH pitcher Aaron Nola has pitched very well of late, but six of his last seven starts have come against the Giants, Mets, Braves, and Marlins (three starts).  So it's safe to say he is looking at a major bump in class tonight against the Dodgers, who have won an NL-best 93 games.  The Dodgers have taken seven of the last 10 meetings.  Meanwhile, Philly is an awful 66-119 (-22 games on the moneyline) when priced from +125 to +175.  Take L.A.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Anaheim Angels over the Cleveland Indians.  With Minnesota's loss last night, Anaheim has moved to within 1.5 games of the final playoff spot in the American League.  Thus, tonight's game is ultra-critical for the Angels.  They'll hand the ball to southpaw Tyler Skaggs, who comes into this game off his best performance of the season -- a 3-hit, 0-run, 7-inning effort vs. Houston.  The Angels are 92-58 (+15 games on the moneyline) as a home favorite, and 14-7 off back to back games where they failed to register more than 5 hits.  Take the Angels.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:10 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Rays over the Chicago Cubs.  The Cubs have won six straight, but tonight's starter, Mike Montgomery, has not participated in this success.  Indeed, he's been bombed in his last two starts (9.00 ERA; 1.71 WHIP), and his teams are 5-16 off a win, with him on the mound.  He'll be matched up against Chris Archer tonight.  Archer has faced the Cubbies twice in his career (3.00 ERA), and the Rays won both of those starts.  Take Tampa Bay.