Posted on 4/18/2008 2:21:43 PM

MLB Baseball Betting - Dodgers vs. Braves

By D.S Williamson

The Los Angeles Dodgers are online baseball betting favorites after winning two out of three against the Pittsburgh Pirates. They will try to keep things going on the road versus the Atlanta Braves and send Derek Lowe to the mound. Lowe has been absolutely fantastic in his last three games. He’s only allowed 18 hits and 5 runs in 20 innings pitched. His ERA is a super 1.18 so far this season. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Lowe is the fact that in three games he has struck out 16 batters.

The Braves counter with David Bennett. The only reason Bennett is starting in this game is because usual Braves’ starter, Tom Glavine, won’t be able to take the mound because of a hamstring injury. It’s a tough assignment for Bennett who has a 5.52 ERA in 7 games as a middle-reliever this season. The Dodger’s have some power in their line-up.

BetUS has not released the lines for the game at this moment - - while I write this - - so I’m going to go ahead and set some personal lines for this one.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Derek Lowe – R - 1 ½ + 115 - 170 O 8 ½

Atlanta Braves

David Bennett – R + 1 ½ - 125 + 185 U 8 ½

Clearly, just by looking at my own personal wager lines, the Dodgers have a decided advantage in this game. The Braves aren’t a terrible team, but having to start a middle-reliever against a pitcher the caliber of a Derek Lowe is difficult for any team to overcome.

Lowe is just too good and the Dodgers have too many bats to let Bennett get away with a good start in the early innings. In particular Rafael Furcal for the Dodgers has been very good. Andre Ethier hasn’t been bad either. The Dodgers have the added benefit of bringing a power-hitter like Matt Kemp off the bench.

That gives Joe Torre a lot of options in this game. I suspect that Andruw Jones will try to do some magical things the first time he steps onto that Atlanta field as a Dodger.

Who knows?

What Jones does might not even matter. Derek Lowe is just pitching lights out right now. The Dodgers’ defense is doing well and their bats have come alive in their last three games.

Lowe should be favored in this game once the lines come out. Don’t worry about it. Giving up a run and a half to David Bennett should be a winner.

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