[bigboydan]

**Mets (Martinez) at Nationals (Armas)**

–Sportsbook.com opened New York as a $1.75 road ‘chalk’ over Washington, with the total set at 7 ½ ‘over’ (minus $1.15). This National League East contest is scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. ET.

–New York ace Pedro Martinez gets his second start against Washington this young season in as many starts after beating the Nationals Thursday as a decided $2.30 home favorite, 10-5.

-- The lanky right-hander wasn’t particularly sharp, yielding five runs (four earned) on four hits (one home run) with five walks and six strikeouts over six innings. The combined 15 runs soared ‘over’ the 7 1/2-run closing total.

–The Dominican Republic native was 0-1 versus Washington last year in two starts, going a combined 13 innings while surrendering three runs on 14 hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts. The Mets prevailed as a $1.85 home ‘chalk,’ 9-8, while falling as a $1.55 road favorite, 3-2.

–Washington gives the starting assignment to righty Tony Armas, hoping he can get into the win column after dropping Friday’s contest versus Houston as a $1.29 road underdog, 6-1. The Venezuela native was reached for two runs on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts over five innings.

–Armas recorded a no-decision against the Mets last year despite tossing a solid seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts. The Nationals eventually dropped that game as a $1.09 home favorite, 3-2, while the combined five runs went ‘under’ the eight-run closing total.

**White Sox (Contreras) at Tigers (Robertson)**

–Sportsbook.com lists Detroit as a $1.07 home favorite over Chicago, with the total set at 8 ½. This American League Central tilt is slated to start at 1:05 p.m. ET.

–Chicago’s Jose Contreras picked up a no-decision versus Cleveland last Wednesday after scattering six hits over six innings for two runs with two walks and three strikeouts. The White Sox eventually dropped that affair in 11 innings as a $1.35 home ‘chalk,’ 4-3. The combined seven runs went ‘under’ the nine-run closing total.

–The Cuba native was 2-1 versus Detroit last year in four starts, going a combined 26 2/3 innings while yielding 13 runs on 23 hits (five home runs) with three walks and 24 strikeouts. The White Sox won as a $1.49 home favorite, 12-3, and as a $1.55 road ‘chalk,’ 8-2, while falling as a $1.30 home favorite, 3-2, and as a $1.26 home ‘chalk,’ 7-1.

–Detroit hurler Nate Robertson knocked off Texas Thursday as a slight $1.02 road underdog, 10-6, while the combined 16 runs eclipsed the 10 1/2-point closing total. The left-hander surrendered three runs on eight hits with no walks and four strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.

–The Wichita State product went 2-2 versus the White Sox last year in five starts, allowing a combined 13 runs on 31 hits (five home runs) with 18 walks and 27 strikeouts over 32 2/3 innings. Detroit triumphed as a $1.20 road underdog, 3-2, a $1.53 road ‘dog, 8-6, and as a $1.25 home ‘dog, 3-2, while falling as a $1.35 home ‘dog, 2-1, and as a $1.55 road ‘dog, 6-2. The ‘under’ was 4-1 during those five games.