The baseball wagering menu sees a clash between Boston and Tampa Bay on Friday, with the host Red Sox trying to win for themselves and reward bettors who back them on the moneyline.

James Shields, with a record of 15-10 on the season, gets the ball for the Rays, while the Red Sox trot Josh Beckett to the mound in this one. He is 12-5 so far in 2011.



View Tampa Bay vs Boston Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
On the Sportsbook MLB line for this matchup, Boston sat as -149 favorites. The total was set at 8.

Power Rankings:
It's a baseball betting matchup between the American League No. 3-rated Red Sox and the league No. 7-ranked Rays, according to the latest MLB power poll here at Odds Shark.



How They Match Up:
The game also pits Boston's No. 1-rated American League offense, averaging 5.4 runs per game, against a Rays defense that ranks No. 1 in the American League at 3.8 in runs allowed per game. The Red Sox have averaged 9.8 hits per game so far, more than Rays batters have averaged on the year (8.2 hits per game).

Defensively, Tampa Bay features the American League's No. 4-rated defense on the road, allowing 4 runs per game. Boston, meanwhile, comes in at No. 3 in the American League at home, scoring 5.6 runs per game.

Tampa Bay won its last outing, a 9-2 result against the Red Sox on September 15. Bettors who backed the Rays at +105 on the moneyline won on the day, and the total score (11) sent OVER bettors to the payout window. Tampa Bay rolled to a 9-2 win against Boston on Thursday, as Jeremy Hellickson and the Rays' bats led the team to victory at Fenway Park.




Tampa Bay Rays Trends:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing Boston are 5-5
After playing Boston are 7-3
After a win are 6-4

Boston Red Sox Trends:
When playing on Friday are 6-4
Before playing Tampa Bay are 3-7
After playing Tampa Bay are 6-4
After a loss are 3-7

A few Rays at Red Sox trends to consider:
Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Tampa Bay is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Boston's last 12 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay


Next up:
Tampa Bay at Boston, Saturday, September 17