posted July 11, 2008 at 14:43 in MLB Betting Trends

BetUS MLB betting odds: Houston -145, Washington +125, Total 8

Two teams who aren't factoring into their respective division races will clash on Friday night when the Washington Nationals (35-58) play host to the Houston Astros (42-50) in a National League encounter that is scheduled to take place at 7:35 PM ET at Nationals Park in the nation's capital.

Right-handers take the stage, as Roy Oswalt of the Astros (7-8, 4.60 ERA) opposes Tim Redding (6-3, 4.06 ERA) of the Nationals.

At BetUS online sportsbook, Houston is listed as a -145 sports wagering favorite (Washington is +125), with a total of eight runs (the Over is -115, while the Under is -105).

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

* HOU has lost seven of its last nine games
* HOU has played five of its last eight games UNDER the total
* HOU has lost four of its last six road games
* HOU has played six of its last nine road games UNDER the total
* WASH has lost seven of its last eight games
* WASH has played six of its last eight games UNDER the total
* WASH has played six of its last ten home games UNDER the total

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD sports betting trends:

* WASH has won five of the last eight meetings
* Four of the last six meetings have gone OVER the total

The Nationals lost to Arizona last night 7-5 and in doing so dropped its seventh game in eight tries. Washington is now 19-28 at home. Meanwhile, Houston has won just twice in its last nine games, and has lost two out of three to each of its last two opponents, Atlanta and Pittsburgh.

Two-time 20-game winner Roy Oswalt has gone seven straight starts without allowing more than three runs. Some of his starts have been outstanding. In his last effort, Oswalt gave up a single run in six innings to the Dodgers. That was on June 30. Oswalt missed his last turn on the rotation while he got treatment for a lower back problem. It seems his sciatic nerve was acting up. Consequently it was causing pain in his hip because it was inflamed. He has gone through a bullpen throwing session. That took place Tuesday, and now he's ready to go back to work.

The Astros have gone 2-6 in Oswalt's last eight outings. Six of his last seven starts have gone under the total.

Amazingly, the Nationals have made a habit of winning games behind Tim Redding. Washington's overall record with him on the mound is 14-5. That is a winning percentage of .736, compared to the team's overall winning percentage of .376. The team has won nine of his last 11 starts.

He started out his season as if he were ready to win the Cy Young, pitching one-hit ball over seven shutout innings against the Phillies. Last time out he surrendered one run in six innings against Cincinnati (Saturday).

Redding would sincerely love to duplicate his last outing against the Astros, in which he threw seven shutout innings. That was on August 20 of last season.

With Oswalt coming off his ailment, and considering that the Nats score a little over five runs a game for Redding compared with their average tally of 3.6 per game, Washington actually looks like the value play here. Let's go with the Nationals, the +125 underdog in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: WASHINGTON (+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)