YANKEES/MARLINS Under 7.5 ?120 - The first 2 games of this series slid Under the total, and I expect more of the same tonight. Granted, this total is 2 runs lower than the 9.5 put up at Yankee Stadium in each of the first 2 games, but neither of those games would have gone Over even tonight?s total, and this is a much more pitcher-friendly park. Josh Beckett has been lights out for Florida this post season, and he has done his best pitching this season here at home. Beckett is 8-3 with an outstanding 2.41 ERA and a 1.20 ratio in 93.1 home innings, including post season. He has electric stuff, as evidenced by his 174 strikeouts in 161.1 innings, and he should be doubly tough vs. a Yankees lineup that has never faced him. As for Mussina, he probably put things best himself when he said ?I could only control 60? 6?? of the field.? What he meant was that he has pitched well enough to win every start in the playoffs, yet he remains winless this post season. I expect another fine outing from him tonight, as his home/away splits are not that much different this year, and the Marlins have yet to see a deadly knuckle-curve ball like the Moose possesses. The TV networks may not be happy, but I am looking for another tight pitching duel here similar to Game #1 of this series.
