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The Washington Nationals (6-2) have won back-to-back extra-inning home games to open up their four-game National League series against the Cincinnati Reds (3-5), as the two teams will meet again inside Nationals Park on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET.

Las Vegas oddsmakers have certainly taken notice of the Nationals current four-game win streak, sending them out as -115 favorites, while the total of eight is facing downward pressure in the betting market.

Washington is now poised to potentially match the franchise’s best-ever record through nine games with a win in this contest, which would bring back memories of the 1981 Montreal Expos. The club relocated to the D.C. area in 2005.

Edwin Jackson (0-0, 5.40 ERA) is scheduled to make his second start in a Nationals uniform, coming off a no-decision effort against the New York Mets on April 9, giving up three runs and four hits over five frames in a 4-3 road defeat.

The right-hander has faced the Reds just once in his career, allowing two runs and eight hits over seven strong innings as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals last year, as he didn’t factor in the decision of a 3-2 home loss.

Sports bettors will find that the Nationals are just 2-7 in their last nine games as a home favorite of -110 to -150.

Cincinnati has scored just three combined runs in dropping the first two games of this series, while the entire lineup is collectively hitting .204 on the season. The Reds were unable to deliver in the clutch last night in going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Playing a day game may spark Saturday’s visitor, with the club winning three of four games under the sun this year, while the “under” is 3-1 in those contests.

Reds starter Homer Bailey (0-1, 6.35 ERA) may not be the right man for the job in making his second start of the 2012 campaign, coming in with a 10-11 career mark and 4.73 ERA in 31 daytime starts.

The 25-year-old right-hander suffered a 7-1 home loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on April 9, serving up three home runs over 5.2 innings, while issuing three walks and striking out five.

Bailey may be the biggest benefactor of having umpire Tim Welke behind the plate, striking out a career-high 10 batters against the Milwaukee Brewers on October 10, 2010, as he didn’t factor in the decision of a 7-4 home win for the Reds.

Weather forecasts suggest partly cloudy skies and game-time temperatures in the mid-70s, with winds out of the southwest at 10-15 mph (out to center).

The “under” is 13-22 in these conditions since the stadium opened in 2008.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Seattle Mariners (0-0) and Oakland Athletics (0-0) will open up the 2012 Major League Baseball season inside the Tokyo Dome on Wednesday, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:10 a.m. EDT.

Las Vegas oddsmakers have established the Mariners as -130 favorites in a unique situation, while the total is 7 across the board.

Seattle will receive a majority of wagers in the betting market due to outfielder Ichiro Suzuki playing in his home country, while also possessing an edge on the mound between scheduled starters.

Felix Hernandez is certainly one of the best pitchers in the American League, but comes off a rather pedestrian season in going 14-14 with a 3.47 ERA in 33 starts last year.

The Mariners didn’t supply much run support for the 2010 Cy Young Award winner or for any of their hurlers, finishing last in the majors in scoring 556 runs in 2011.

Hernandez is set to make his fifth Opening Day start and seems poised to lead his team to victory in the opening game of a two-game series.

He has registered an impressive 12-4 record and 2.54 ERA in 21 career starts versus the Athletics, including a perfect 3-0 mark and 1.45 ERA in four starts last year.

Bettors will find that the Mariners are 14-3 in Hernandez’s last 17 starts in this American League West series.

Oakland hopes its 14-5 record during spring training will translate into success during the regular season, especially since the franchise finished with a 74-88 mark and 22.0 games behind the division-winning Texas Rangers a year ago.

The Athletics are hoping that right-hander Brandon McCarthy can build off a solid 2011 campaign, finishing with a 9-9 record and 3.32 ERA in 25 starts.

He registered a disappointing 1-3 mark in four starts against the Mariners a year ago despite allowing just seven runs and 19 hits in 31 2/3 innings (1.99 ERA).

From a betting perspective, I’m going to pass on making a full-game selection in this contest, but will recommend a proposition wager.

I expect the visitor to get on the scoreboard first.

Pick: Seattle Mariners (-160) to score first

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are tied for first place in the American League East heading into their series-finale on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. The first pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. (ET) at historic Fenway Park.

Boston holds a significant 9-2 advantage over New York in the season series, including a 10-4 home victory on Saturday afternoon.

Lines makers expect a similar result in this one, placing Boston as a minus-155 home favorite due to the dominant pitching of Josh Beckett. The line reflects that he will not be matched up with CC Sabathia for the first time in four starts this year against the Yankees.

Let’s take a closer look at Beckett’s 2011 dominance of the Bronx Bombers.

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