Upton, Padres tackle Reds on momentous night
On the surface, this weekend’s Reds-Padres series seems destined to lag well behind the accompanying pomp and circumstance outside of the white lines. Don’t think for a second, though, that Bryan Price’s players don’t want to show out in front of perhaps the biggest name in franchise history.
Against the backdrop of Pete Rose’s induction into Cincinnati’s hall of fame, the two teams take the field at Great American Ball Park in several hours. Oddsmakers at online sports book BetDSI like the host club, while San Diego enters as a +113 underdog. The over/under run total is set at nine.
Andy Green’s gang captured yesterday’s opener, 7-1, behind largely effective pitching from Christian Friedrich and another multi-hit performance courtesy of Melvin Upton Jr. The outfielder’s career renaissance continues in the No. 5 hole for the Padres. In addition to his nine homers and 32 RBIs, Upton boasts 16 stolen bases. Only two individuals in the senior circuit, Milwaukee’s Jonathan Villar and the Pirates’ Starling Marte, can boast a higher number.
The person entrusted with preventing Upton from wreaking further havoc beginning at 7:05 p.m ET is rookie Cody Reed. The once-heralded prospect makes just his second MLB start. Multiple gopher balls notwithstanding, last week’s debut vs. Houston went well. Reed exhibited an electric heating, fanning nine over seven innings.
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Nonetheless, San Diego has a knack for pushing runs across the plate in a variety of ways. Upton and company are simply getting better and better, too, having already registered 11 wins for the month. They’ll take at spoiling Rose’s coronation shortly.
FRIDAY MLB FREE PICK: PADRES/REDS OVER 9 RUNS
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