The Rivalry Continues - N.Y. Yankees at Boston

BetUS MLB Betting Odds: Boston -140, N.Y. Yankees +120; Total 8.5

The Boston Red Sox (60-43) in the first game of a pivotal American League East series that will be played at Fenway Park in Boston. Game time is 7:05 PM ET.

It's a battle of right-handers, as Joba Chamberlain of the Yankees (2-3, 2.52 ERA) hooks up with Josh Beckett (9-6, 3.98 ERA) of the Red Sox.

At BetUS online sportsbook, Boston is listed as a -140 favorite (New York is +120), with a total of 8.5 runs (it is -110 each way).

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

* NY has won its last six games

* NY has played nine of its last 12 games UNDER the total

* NY has lost four of its last five road games

* NY has played six of its last seven road games UNDER the total

* BOS has won eight of its last 12 games

* BOS has played four of its last five games UNDER the total

* BOS has won seven of its last eight home games

In the HEAD-TO-HEAD sports betting trends:

* BOS has won five of the last eight meetings

* Five of the last seven meetings have gone OVER the total

* Sixteen of the last 20 meetings in Boston have gone OVER the total

The Yankees come into this very important series having won six games in a row, and 11 of their last 14 contests. They are now within striking distance of both the Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who are both three games ahead of them in the American League East. On Wednesday, Mike Mussina, who is having a whale of a season, threw eight innings of shutout ball as the Yanks beat the Twins by a 5-1 score.

The Red Sox have won three in a row, sweeping the Seattle Mariners this week. On Wednesday night they scored three runs in the 12th inning to pull out the win. Boston is in a virtual tie with Tampa Bay for the AL East lead.

Joba Chamberlain makes his tenth start of the season, and has yet to give up more than three runs in any one game. In his last start, he went six innings against the Oakland A's and gave up only one run. In his last two outings, Chamberlain has struck out 17 batters and walked only one. That's encouraging, because Chamberlain had some difficulties with control as a starter. His previous start against the Sox was on July 6, where he went six innings and gave up three runs and four hits in a 5-4 Yankee win.

Josh Beckett has certainly not had a Cy Young-worthy season. The Red Sox are only 10-8 in his starts, and in seven of those starts the opposition has scored four runs or more. Beckett has made three starts against the Yankees this season, with a 3.91 ERA and 14 strikeouts with four walks. In his last outing, he went eight full innings against the Angels, yielding four runs on nine hits in a 4-2 Red Sox defeat.

Boston has the best home record in the American League, at 36-11. But you have to respect the winning streak the Yankees are on, plus the fact that they are, aside from Los Angeles, the best road team in the circuit (23-23). Chamberlain is certainly capable of a strong outing, and the Yankees are swinging the bat better. We'll go with the underdog New Yorkers here, priced at +120 in the BetUS Major League Baseball betting odds.