Giants Can't Hang with Red Sox Bats Despite Webb's Grind, DarkHorse Pick Falls Short

The Red Sox took care of business at Fenway, riding a balanced offensive attack to a 6-4 win over San Francisco and handing DarkHorse's Giants +1.5 backers a miss. Logan Webb showed up as advertised—his 3.50 ERA suggested he'd keep it competitive—but Boston's lineup, anchored by Willson Contreras and company, did just enough damage to push the margin beyond the spread.

We leaned on Webb's quality and the cushion, banking on those weak Red Sox spots like Duran and Jones to keep things tight. Instead, Boston's bats found enough holes, and the Giants couldn't manufacture the late-inning magic needed to stay within the number. The Red Sox were heavy ML favorites at -185, and while their recent 4-6 stretch in their last ten suggested vulnerability, they played like a home team that remembered how to win when it mattered.

The +1.5 looked like value against an overpriced favorite, but sometimes the favorite is priced that way for a reason. Webb battled, the Giants hung around, but a two-run cushion evaporated when Boston tacked on insurance. Final tally: 6-4, and our plus-money underdog play goes down swinging. Tough beat, but that's baseball—on to the next card.