posted May 8, 2008 at 16:11 in MLB Free Picks

BetUS MLB betting odds: Boston -125, Detroit +105; Total 8.5 (-110 each way)

The Boston Red Sox (22-14) have started to make their bid to put a little distance between themselves and other challengers in the American League East, and that quest continues on Thursday night when they play the last in a three-game set against the disappointing Detroit Tigers (15-20) in AL action that is set to get underway at 7:05 PM ET at Comerica Park (natural turf) in Detroit.

Josh Beckett (3-2, 4.19 ERA), who has gone eight innings in two of his last three efforts, will start the game for the Red Sox, while fellow right-hander Justin Verlander (1-5, 6.28 ERA), who's had a hard time getting hitters out, will take the hill for the Tigers.

At BetUS Sportsbook, Boston is listed as a -125 favorite (Detroit is +105), with a total of 8.5 runs (Over and Under are both -110).

Here are some of the MLB Baseball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* BOS has won five of its last six games

* BOS has played seven of its last 12 games UNDER the total

* BOS has lost four of its last six road games

* BOS has played four of its last six road games UNDER the total

* DET has lost five of its last six games

* DET has lost four of its last six home games

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD baseball betting trends:

* BOS has won four of the last six meetings

* DET has won four of the last six meetings as the home team

* Eight of the last 12 meetings have gone UNDER the total

In a real barn burner, the Tigers broke Boston's five-game winning streak Wednesday night in rather dramatic fashion, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to come up with a 10-9 victory. Placido Polanco suddenly got hot, going five-for-six with three RBI's, while Jonathan Papelbom did a rare fold for the BoSox in the closer's role.

Josh Beckett isn't the dominating pitcher he was last season, when he was 20-7 with a 3.27 ERA, but he has rebounded pretty well from a rough first start, which happened after he was coming off an injury. Beckett has an 0.88 WHIP ratio in his last four outings. Beckett has compiled a strikeout-to-walk ratio of better than 4-to-1, and has surrendered fewer hits than innings pitched every time he's taken the mound. Beckett hasn't faced the Tigers since 2006, when he gave up five runs in six innings in tasting defeat.

Justin Verlander has been to the mound seven times and has only one quality start to show for it - a 10-2 win over Texas on April 22 when he gave up one run over six innings. Last time out he was lukewarm, striking out five but yielding four runs in seven innings against the Twins. Oddly, that game against Texas represented by far the best offensive support he's received in any start. In all the others, he's received 10 runs in the way of backing on the part of the Detroit bats.

There is definitely some value with Beckett in this game, as Verlander is completely unreliable. We'll take the Red Sox and gladly lay the -125 price in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: BOSTON (-125)

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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)