Posted on 5/16/2008 5:14:11 PM

MLB Baseball Betting - L.A. Dodgers at L.A. Angels

By Charles Jay

BetUS MLB baseball betting odds: Angels -130, Dodgers +110; Total 8.5

Two teams who probably wouldn't mind having a "Freeway Series" in October will get together on Friday night, as the Los Angeles Dodgers (21-19) travel south to Orange County to take on the Los Angeles Angels (24-19) in an interleague contest. The game is set for 10:05 PM ET at Angel Stadium (natural turf) in Anaheim.

Right-hander Hiroki Kuroda (1-2, 3.59 ERA) will get the start for the Dodgers, while the Angels respond with southpaw Joe Saunders (6-1, 2.49 ERA).

At BetUS Sportsbook, the Angels are listed as a -130 favorite (the Dodgers are +110), with a total of 8.5 runs (-110 each way).

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

* LAD have won 12 of their last 18 games

* LAD have lost five of their last seven games

* LAD have won seven of their last nine road games

* LAD have played four of their last six road games OVER the total

* LAA have lost six of their last eight games

* LAA have played five of their last seven games UNDER the total

* LAA have won four of their last six home games

* LAA have played five of their last seven home games UNDER the total

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD MLB betting trends:

* LAA have won seven of the last eight meetings

* LAA have won the last five meetings as the home team

* Three of the last four meetings have gone UNDER the total

The Dodgers went on a string of ten wins in eleven games in the last week of April and first week of May, then lost five games in a row before winning the last two games of their three-game series against Milwaukee. Currently they are five games behind the Diamondbacks in the National League West. As for the Angels, they are clinging on to a half-game lead over Oakland in the American League West.

The Dodgers are sending Hiroki Kuroda to the mound on Friday, and the Japanese righty gave them a great outing last time, allowing just one hit over 6-2/3 innings against the Astros. He also hit his high in strikeouts for the year in that one (five). But L.A. lost that game. Ironically, the Dodgers won Kuroda's last start before that, despite the fact that he permitted eleven New York Mets to reach base in just 3-1/3 frames.

Joe Saunders experienced some of the same irony. The Angels won each of the left-hander's first seven starts, and in the seventh he gave up 12 hits to the Orioles in five innings. Then he turned around and threw four-hit ball at Tampa Bay, surrendering one run over six innings, yet suffered his first loss of the season by a 2-0 score.

The Dodgers probably possess the better offense right now; they are third in the National League, averaging five runs a game, while the Angels have scored just six runs in their last three games. And the Dodgers have been pretty successful against left-handed starters, winning 10 out of 13 tries. Let's give the Dodgers a shot to win this one, and take +110 with the underdogs in blue, in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: DODGERS (+110)

Go to the BetUS sportsbook today and take a swing at Major League Baseball online betting. We have the most current baseball odds and lines, as well as player, game and series props throughout the MLB baseball season. To help you bet on sports, check out the Free Picks section of the Locker Room for sports betting free picks and predictions. Join BetUS to experience the best in online sports betting action!

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