Tonight, the Texas Rangers travel to play the Seattle Mariners for a three-game series.  The Rangers currently have a 10-game lead in the American League West division over Oakland.  The Rangers haven’t seen a division title in 11 years.  They are on a seven-game winning streak and are hoping to extend their streak.  They received their seventh consecutive win Wednesday when they defeated Detroit 11-7.

Bodog online sportsbook currently has the Seattle Mariners as favorites heading into Friday night’s series opener but not by far.  This is a double negative match-up.

Ace Felix Hernandez of the Mariners currently leads the league in earned run average at 2.39 and currently ranks second with 214 strikeouts.  He is currently 11-11 this season. Against the Rangers, the ace pitcher is 0-3 with an earned run average of 6.38 in his four starts this season.  In 26 starts for his career against the Rangers, he is 8-12 with an earned run average of 4.16.  This season, the Mariners have played 13 games against the Rangers and lost 10 of them.  Six of those games were played at home at Safeco Field with five of them being defeats.

Starting pitcher for the Rangers is C.J. Wilson who is currently 14-6 with an earned run average of 3.25 this season.  After two terrible outings, he is looking to set some reinforcement.  In two starts earlier this month, he allowed seven walks and 13 hits in 8 1/3 innings.  In his last start against Seattle, he pitched for three innings and was done.  He allowed six hits, four runs as well as four walks and was slipped by without a decision since Texas won 11-6.  He has participated in three games against Seattle this season and is 1-0 with an earned run average of 3.71.

While Texas is looking for their eight consecutive win, the Mariners will be looking to escape their eighth consecutive loss.  Since it’s a double negative match-up, it’s going to be a close game; however, despite Bodog online sportsbook, I personally think with the Rangers recent success have it in the bag.

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