Handicapper Art Aronson of AAA Sports Plays Free Picks & Best Bets

1* FREE PLAY Arizona.

We gave out a FREE PLAY winner on Arizona yesterday, and we like the D-Backs to once again lay the hammer down here at home in this favorable matchup on Thursday. That's now four straight wins for Arizona, which will look to break out the brooms in this four-game series. It all comes down to the starting pitching for us once again. Zach Davies is 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA for the D-Backs, but we like him to settle down here and get the better of Connor Seabold, who is 1-2 with a 5.94 ERA for Colorado. Davies makes his second start back from injury and he's 4-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 13 career starts vs. Colorado. We think the Diamondbacks keep the momentum rolling in this one; consider Arizona!

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8* Red Sox (BLOOD-BATH)

After losing the first two games of this series, we like Chris Sale to outduel his counterpart and for the Red Sox to finally bounce-back in the finale. Note that Boston is still 7-3 in its last ten in trying to avenge two or more straight losses against an opponent. The Reds are finally primed for a letdown after five straight victories, as note that Cincinnati is just 2-6 in its last eight after five or more straight wins in a row. Hunter Greene is an unremarkable 1-4 with a 4.18 ERA for the Reds. Sale is 5-2 with a 4.72 ERA for the Red Sox. After a brutal start to the season, Sale has been "on fire" and we expect that progression to continue; lay the price, the play is Boston!

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10* OVER Heat/Nuggets (BLOWOUT)

Everything about this Game 1 SCREAMS "under," but in the end we're actually expecting a must faster-paced affair that most are expecting. These are two very defensive-minded clubs, but note that the Nuggets have in fact seen the total go "over" the number in seven of their last ten when playing with three or more days of rest. The Nuggets will be out to push the pace from start to finish, and they won't take the foot off the gas at all as they look to crush the will and spirit of the Heat. Miami though has won the first game of every series so far in the Playoffs though, scoring 130 points in Game 1 vs. Milwaukee, 108 points in the Game 1 victory over New York and 123 points in Game 1 vs. Boston. Everything points to this total flying "over" the posted number sooner, rather than later!

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