Posted on 10/18/2007 4:42:03 PM

MLB Betting Trends: Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians

By Robby Maddux

Tonight, the Boston Red Sox (-123) look to avoid ALCS elimination in Game 5 of a best-of-seven series against the Cleveland Indians (+113) at Jacobs Field, and we have all the winning MLB betting trends.

- Red Sox are 24-8 in their last 32 Thursday games.

- Red Sox are 39-19 in their last 58 games following an off day.

- Red Sox are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. American League Central.

- Red Sox are 1-6 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning record.

- Red Sox are 2-5 in their last 7 League Championship road games.

Josh Beckett allowed just two runs and four hits over six innings to beat C.C. Sabathia in a 10-3 victory on Friday in the series opener. Now, the two dueling aces face off again.

This will be the first road start in this year's playoffs for Beckett, who was stellar away from Fenway Park in 2007 when he was 11-2 with a major league-best 2.18 ERA.

Lifetime, the right-hander is 35-27 in 76 starts with a respectable ERA of 3.79 on the road. Beckett is 1-3 in four career starts versus Cleveland with an inflated 6.57 ERA.

- Red Sox are 5-1 in Beckett's last 6 starts following a Quality Start in his last appearance.

- Red Sox are 4-1 in Beckett's last 5 starts with 5 days of rest.

- Red Sox are 6-2 in Beckett's last 8 starts vs. American League Central.

- Red Sox are 19-7 in Beckett's last 26 road starts.

- Red Sox are 23-9 in Beckett's last 32 starts overall.

Cleveland needs one victory to advance to its first World Series since 1997. The Indians haven't won an ALCS since 1948.

- Indians are 36-17 in their last 53 Thursday games.

- Indians are 29-11 in their last 40 games on grass.

- Indians are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. American League East.

- Indians are 4-1 in their last 5 playoff games.

- Indians are 37-14 in their last 51 overall.

While Beckett has been very good this postseason, Sabathia has struggled for Cleveland. A 19-game winner in the regular season, he was touched up for eight runs over 4 1-3 innings in Game 1, and has issued 11 walks in 9 1-3 innings in the postseason for a 1-1 mark and robust ERA of 10.61.

The left-hander has also lost his last three home starts to Boston, posting a 6.87 ERA in the process.

Lifetime, Sabathia is 56-28 in 112 starts with a solid ERA of 3.85 away from home. He is 2-4 in seven career starts versus Boston with a 3.91 ERA.

- Indians are 5-2 in Sabathia's last 7 Thursday starts.

- Indians are 5-1 in Sabathia's last 6 starts vs. a team with a winning record.

- Indians are 12-5 in Sabathia's last 17 starts vs. American League East.

- Indians are 16-5 in Sabathia's last 21 home starts.

- Indians are 7-1 in Sabathia's last 8 starts overall.

MLB odds display Boston (-123) favorites to take Game 5 with a total of 8 over -120.

- Red Sox are 21-7 in Beckett's last 28 starts as a favorite.

- Red Sox are 37-15 in their last 52 games as a favorite of -110 to -150.

- Red Sox are 5-1 in their last 6 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

- Indians are 5-0 in their last 5 games as a home underdog.

- Indians are 4-1 in Sabathia's last 5 starts as an underdog.

- Indians are 5-0 in their last 5 games as a home underdog.

- Indians are 8-2 in their last 10 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.

- Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings in Cleveland.

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