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Preview: Cubs (18-29) at Reds (30-18)
Game: 2
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: May 25, 2013 4:10 PM EDT
Joey Votto and the Cincinnati Reds are on a roll that has the team ahead of its pace from 2012, when it earned its most victories since the mid-1970s.
Cincinnati will have to go through surprising former Reds pitcher Travis Wood in order to continue its hot stretch against the visiting Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Votto is hitting .511 with four homers and 10 RBIs during a 12-game hitting streak after going 2 for 4 with a fourth-inning solo homer in Friday's 7-4 win.
The 2010 NL MVP is hitting .404 in his last 13 games versus the Cubs.
Cincinnati (30-18) has won four straight and 12 of 15 and is three games ahead of the pace of last season's team that went 97-65 to win the NL Central. It marked the most victories for the team since finishing with 102 in 1976, the second of back-to-back World Series winners.
The Reds have won five straight versus the Cubs and have outscored them 89-63 while winning 15 of the last 17 meetings. Catcher Ryan Hanigan, Cincinnati's No. 8 hitter, delivered the big blow in a five-run fourth inning Friday with a three-run homer.
"They went at me and I got a pitch to handle," Hanigan said. "That was a big turn in the game."
Chicago (18-29) will look to end a season-worst five-game losing streak with help from Wood (4-2, 2.24 ERA), who spent 2010 and '11 with the Reds.
Wood allowed more than two earned runs for only the second time in nine starts Sunday, giving up three - including a tying two-run homer in his seventh and final inning - in Chicago's 4-3 loss to the New York Mets.
He also hit his fourth career homer, a two-run shot in the fifth that gave the Cubs the lead.
"Woody pitched another great game,' manager Dale Sveum said.
The left-hander has made a vast improvement after going 6-13 with a 4.27 ERA in his first season with Chicago in 2012, ranking among the league leaders in ERA and turning in nine quality starts in nine chances.
"He's not doing anything different than last year, except maybe fine-tuning some things," Sveum told the team's official website. "We know how Travis is - he's very competitive."
The Cubs acquired Wood from Cincinnati in December 2011 for reliever Sean Marshall, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a sore left shoulder that has bothered him since spring training.
Wood allowed two runs - including a solo homer to Jay Bruce - in 6 1-3 innings of Chicago's 5-4, 13-inning loss to the Reds on April 22 and has a 4.42 ERA in three starts versus his former team.
Cincinnati will counter with Homer Bailey, who has been stellar in his last two outings.
Bailey (2-3, 3.09) threw a complete game and struck out 10 in a 6-2 win over Miami on May 14 before pitching seven scoreless innings in Cincinnati's 3-2 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday.
"Sometimes you win those, sometimes you lose those," Bailey said after his last start. "I am feeling pretty good still."
The right-hander has won four straight decisions against the Cubs, posting a 3.79 ERA in that six-start stretch. He allowed one run and four hits in 7 1-3 innings of a 3-1 victory the last time he faced them Sept. 18.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Cubs at Reds
Fri, May 24 Final 4 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Cubs at Reds
Sat, May 25 - 4:10PM EDT
GAME 3
Cubs at Reds
Sun, May 26 - 1:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:34 PM |
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Preview: Yankees (29-18) at Rays (24-23)
Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: May 25, 2013 4:10 PM EDT
Baseball hasn't seen a left-hander as young as 23-year-old Matt Moore start a season this well since one of the greatest New York Yankees sluggers of all-time was still putting fear into the opposition from the pitcher's mound 96 years ago.
The current Yankees are privy to just how good Moore has been, and they won't have Curtis Granderson to try and help slow him down.
Moore takes the mound as the host Tampa Bay Rays look to avoid a fourth loss in five games Saturday against first-place New York.
Though he would later be known for his 714 career home runs, a 22-year-old Boston hurler named Babe Ruth began the 1917 season winning his first nine decisions.
No other lefty would win his first eight at such a young age until Moore (8-0, 2.29 ERA), who has dazzled at times in his second season as a full-time starter for the Rays (24-23).
Moore's ERA rose more than a point while posting a 5.06 mark over his previous three starts, but he allowed just one run in seven innings of a 3-1 win at Baltimore on Sunday.
He has won nine straight decisions dating back to last season to break the franchise record set in 2012 by Cy Young Award winner David Price.
"Historically speaking, it's been wonderful,' manager Joe Maddon said.
Opponents are hitting just .175 off Moore, the third-best mark in the majors.
"It's good for our team. That's the biggest thing we can take away from my record,' Moore said. "On my days to pitch, we're winning all the games. That's the most important part."
Moore gave up one run and two hits - including a solo homer to Robinson Cano - in a season-high eight innings of a 5-1 win over the Yankees on April 22, striking out nine.
New York (29-18) hopes to have a better performance this time after ending a two-game slide with a 9-4 victory in Friday's series opener. They lost Granderson, though, to a broken knuckle on his left pinkie after he was hit by a pitch in the fifth, and manager Joe Girardi indicated the outfielder could miss a minimum of four weeks.
Granderson also missed the first 38 games with a broken right forearm suffered when he was hit with a pitch in his first spring training at-bat.
"It's sad,' Cano said. "He's one of those guys you're going to miss. Hopefully he gets back soon.'
Brett Gardner hit a two-run homer in the fourth while Lyle Overbay and Jayson Nix also drove in a pair of runs Friday.
Though Ivan Nova was activated from the disabled list Friday, Girardi decided to send him to the bullpen and give Vidal Nuno another start Saturday.
Nuno (1-1, 1.13) will be making his fourth career appearance and second start after allowing a leadoff home run in the bottom of the 10th in a 3-2 loss to Baltimore on Tuesday.
His only start came May 13, when he gave up three hits and three walks in five innings of a 7-0 win over Cleveland.
It's unclear how many more starts the left-hander will receive with Nova back. Nova, who had an inflamed right triceps, has been put into a long-reliever role to get back on track before he returns to the rotation.
The Yankees had lost 13 of the previous 16 meetings in St. Petersburg prior to Friday, when the Rays' Evan Longoria went 0 for 4 to end his career-best 16-game hitting streak.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Yankees at Rays
Fri, May 24 Final 9 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Yankees at Rays
Sat, May 25 - 4:10PM EDT
GAME 3
Yankees at Rays
Sun, May 26 - 1:40PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:36 PM |
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Preview: Marlins (13-35) at White Sox (22-24)
Game: 5
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: May 25, 2013 7:15 PM EDT
Jake Peavy was off his game last time out.
Facing the majors' worst hitting team could help the former Cy Young winner deliver a better performance this time.
Peavy and the Chicago White Sox go for an eighth victory in 11 games Saturday night when their series against the Miami Marlins continues.
After yielding eight walks in 45 2-3 innings over his first seven starts, Peavy (5-2, 3.31 ERA) surrendered five free passes over six innings in Sunday's 6-2 road loss to the Los Angeles Angels, including two with the bases loaded.
"I felt really good today, and that's the most frustrating part for me,' he said. "I went out there with a good game plan and felt like we could execute, but I just didn't quite execute well enough. My slider was the best it's been all year, so I've got some positives to take out of it. It's just hard to be positive right now.'
Peavy might feel better about facing a Marlins team that's last in the majors in batting (.221) and runs per game (2.7) following Friday's 4-3, 11-inning defeat.
Miami (13-35), which has lost 13 of 16, has totaled five runs in the last four starts of Saturday's pitcher Ricky Nolasco (3-5, 3.96).
The veteran right-hander, though, helped the Marlins snap a season-worst seven-game losing streak Sunday, throwing eight-plus innings of one-run ball in Sunday's 2-1 home win over Arizona. Nolasco's 11 strikeouts were his most in two years.
"Ricky's been solid all year and I really wanted him to finish that game," manager Mike Redmond said. "He looked good and was in complete control.'
That was not the case in Nolasco's only start against the White Sox, an 8-0 road loss May 21, 2010, when he allowed all the runs and 10 hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Right fielder Alex Rios, 2 for 6 with a double off Nolasco, will try to extend his career-best hitting streak to 19, which would tie the longest in the majors this season. San Francisco's Marco Scutaro had a 19-game streak snapped Wednesday.
Chicago (22-24) is batting .278 with 4.7 runs per game during its 7-3 run. The team is hitting .240 and averaging 3.7 runs this season.
"It just feels like our offense is starting to do a little bit more and we're still getting good pitching,' said infielder Jeff Keppinger, who had two singles Friday, including the game-winner.
While Keppinger has hit safely in six straight and eight of nine, Paul Konerko is also finding his stroke, equaling a season high with three hits Friday to improve to 5 for 9 in the last two contests.
Adam Dunn, 6 for 22 with a homer, triple and double against Nolasco, has struck out twice in each of the last three games and is hitless in 12 at_bats during that stretch.
Peavy will face the Marlins for the first time since 2008 while with San Diego. The right-hander has not enjoyed much success against Placido Polanco, who is 9 for 17 in that matchup.
Peavy will get his first look at rookie Marcell Ozuna, who is riding a nine-game hitting streak - the Marlins' longest of 2013.
These teams have split 10 all-time matchups, with the White Sox leading 4-3 in Chicago.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Red Sox at White Sox
Mon, May 20 Final 4 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Red Sox at White Sox
Tue, May 21 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 3
Red Sox at White Sox
Wed, May 22 Final 6 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 4
Marlins at White Sox
Fri, May 24 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 5
Marlins at White Sox
Sat, May 25 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 6
Marlins at White Sox
Sun, May 26 - 2:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:38 PM |
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Preview: Phillies (23-25) at Nationals (25-23)
Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: May 25, 2013 7:15 PM EDT
Following a rare productive game at the plate, the Washington Nationals are hoping to have their scruffy-looking manager clean-shaven by the end of their five-game homestand.
The Nationals will attempt to build on a resurgent offensive effort as they go for their eighth win in 11 home games Saturday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Washington (25-23) scored its most runs in a week and plated four in an inning for the first time in almost a month in a 5-2 victory over Philadelphia on Friday.
While it might not have been enough for manager Davey Johnson to get his razor out, it was plenty for Jordan Zimmermann, who became the first eight-game winner in the NL.
Johnson said before the game that he wouldn't shave again until his team started hitting. The Nationals totaled nine runs and batted .189 while losing four of five to wrap up their recent West Coast road trip.
"My wife, she probably wants me to take it off, I'm sure she does,' Johnson said. "But I might leave it on, see if this is not something strange happening here.'
Washington will try to prove Johnson right by providing some run support for Dan Haren (4-5, 5.54 ERA), who has received 20 runs in his wins but four in his losses.
After going 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA over his previous four starts, the right-hander allowed three runs in the first inning and was gone after a four-run fifth in a 13-4 defeat to San Diego on Sunday. He yielded seven runs and nine hits - two homers.
Haren has posted an 0-3 record and 6.14 ERA in four career starts against Philadelphia.
Michael Young has faced Haren more than any Phillie, batting .328 with one homer in 58 at_bats.
Ryan Howard went 1 for 4 with a double Friday and is batting .381 during a five-game hitting streak, though he hasn't homered in 12 games. He's 1 for 6 with a home run and three strikeouts against Haren.
The Phillies (23-25) missed a chance to reach .500 for the first time since April 14 and pull even with the Nationals for second place in the NL East.
"Obviously, we've kind of been up and down all year,' losing pitcher Kyle Kendrick said.
Teammate Jonathan Pettibone (3-0, 3.00) hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in six starts since replacing the injured John Lannan in the rotation.
The left-hander has been much better at home, though, going 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in four starts as opposed to 1-0 with a 5.06 ERA in two road outings.
Pettibone makes his first career appearance against the Nationals, who are hitting a major league-worst .196 versus left-handers.
Bryce Harper is hitting .163 with two homers in 43 at_bats versus lefties, while Adam LaRoche is batting .195 with two homers in 41 at_bats against them.
Washington's Steve Lombardozzi, playing second while Danny Espinosa recovers from a broken wrist, had three hits Friday, including a two-run double that capped the rally in the four-run fifth.
Washington's previous four-run inning came April 25 against Cincinnati.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Phillies at Nationals
Fri, May 24 Final 2 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Phillies at Nationals
Sat, May 25 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 3
Phillies at Nationals
Sun, May 26 - 1:35PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:40 PM |
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Preview: Braves (28-18) at Mets (17-27)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 25, 2013 7:15 PM EDT
The Atlanta Braves have won six consecutive games. The New York Mets have lost six straight at home.
The teams had to wait one more day before finding out which streak will end, as they're set to complete a suspended game before meeting in the regularly scheduled one about an hour later Saturday night.
Friday's game is tied 5-5 heading to the top of the ninth, with the Mets rallying to tie in the eighth in the midst of a downpour, having drawn within one on a Daniel Murphy single and scoring again on a wild pitch.
``It was tough to see. As tough as it was to see, I'm sure it was tough to get a grip on the ball and footing on the mound,' Murphy said. ``So, equal playing field and we were really glad to tie the score up there, and we'll come out tomorrow and see if we can win an inning.'
The ninth inning presents an interesting decision for both managers. Atlanta's Fredi Gonzalez is considering putting Anthony Varvaro, who blew the save Friday, back on the mound.
"I could even run Varvaro back out there,' Gonzalez said. ``It's like going back-to-back days.'
Mets manager Terry Collins will also turn to his bullpen, as opposed to giving the ball to scheduled Saturday starter Dillon Gee to pitch in the suspended game.
"I'm going to start the game with a relief pitcher,' Collins said. "Otherwise, if the thing's over in 10 minutes, the guy's already warmed up, now he has to sit for an hour. That's not what I want to happen.'
Once the first game is over, Mike Minor (5-2, 2.78 ERA) will try to put an end to his road struggles against the Mets.
He appears to have a good chance to do so given his performance of late. Atlanta has won his last three starts, during which the left-hander has gone 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA with 20 strikeouts over 19 2-3 innings.
He set a season high with nine strikeouts and surrendered two runs and three hits in six innings of a 5-2 victory over Los Angeles on Sunday. Minor didn't get the decision.
Minor has a 5.63 ERA in seven career starts versus New York - his worst against any team he's pitched at least 15 innings against. He's turned in a pair of solid effort in his last two matchups, allowing three runs in 13 1-3 innings, but those games came at Atlanta.
Minor, who went seven innings and gave up three runs in a 7-5 win over the Mets on May 3, has gone 1-1 with an 8.04 ERA in three career starts at Citi Field.
New York's Dillon Gee (2-5, 6.04), by contrast, has been very comfortable at Citi Field, posting a 2.35 ERA in four starts as opposed to a 9.97 mark in five starts away from home.
Gee, who gave up three runs in five innings of a 4-3 road defeat to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, has failed to pitch more than five innings in his past four starts.
Gee has held Freddie Freeman to one hit in 11 at_bats, but the Braves slugger hit a two-run homer Friday and has recorded a pair of two-hit games in his last three.
Freeman has eight home runs against the Mets - tying his highest total against any team - and has batted .316 with six home runs and 21 RBIs in 19 games against the Mets since the start of last season.
The Braves have won 13 of the past 17 against the Mets, who have surrendered eight first-inning runs over their last four games.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Braves at Mets
Fri, May 24 - 7:10PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Braves at Mets
Sat, May 25 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 3
Braves at Mets
Sun, May 26 - 8:05PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:42 PM |
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Preview: Athletics (26-23) at Astros (14-34)
Game: 2
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 25, 2013 7:15 PM EDT
A late home run by Houston native Chris Young helped the Oakland Athletics continue their winning streak against the Astros.
A.J. Griffin will try to extend that run to 10 when Oakland also goes for a seventh consecutive victory at Houston on Saturday night.
Oakland (26-23) opened this series with a 6-5 victory Friday. Young's three-run homer in the ninth inning was the difference as the A's improved to 12-1 all-time against the newest member of the AL.
Oakland, winner of six of seven overall, is undefeated against Houston (14-34) since a 5-4, 11-inning road loss June 12, 2007.
Young, acquired from Arizona in the offseason, has played in 10 straight road wins over the Astros and 14 in a row overall versus his hometown team.
"Mom's cooking definitely has something to do with it for sure,' said the veteran outfielder, who owns a 15-game hitting streak against Houston and is a .418 hitter in 19 games at Minute Maid Park.
Griffin (4-3, 3.59 ERA) will try to keep the A's rolling after pitching six innings and allowing three runs in a 4-3 home win over Kansas City on Sunday. The right-hander did not get a decision after walking three - matching his total from his previous three starts - and told the A's official website that it left "a sore taste in my mouth."
The A's overcame his career-high four walks in a 4-3 home win over Houston on April 16. Griffin set down the final 11 hitters he faced in that contest, throwing six innings giving up two runs with eight strikeouts.
The Astros continue their eight-game homestand with Lucas Harrell (3-5, 4.63) going for his first win in five starts. Houston has lost the right-hander's last four outings, though he gave up one run in seven innings of a 1-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Harrell, who allowed a homer to Pedro Alvarez, hadn't gotten past the fifth in four outings.
He wasn't nearly that good in a 9-3 home loss to Oakland on April 7, giving up eight runs, allowing three homers and walking five in 4 1-3 innings.
One of the home runs was hit by Coco Crisp, who could return Saturday after missing two games with a bruised right foot.
"If I wake up tomorrow and feel ready to go, I'm playing," he said.
Astros third baseman Matt Dominguez's solo shot Friday gave him five homers - his season total - in his last 11 games.
J.D. Martinez struck out twice and went hitless in three at_bats off Griffin last month. Martinez, though, has three consecutive two-hit games and has homered in the last two.
The A's, 3-1 on a six-game trip, have won four of six on the road after dropping a season-worst five straight there.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Athletics at Astros
Fri, May 24 Final 6 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Athletics at Astros
Sat, May 25 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 3
Athletics at Astros
Sun, May 26 - 2:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:44 PM |
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Preview: Cardinals (31-16) at Dodgers (19-27)
Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 25, 2013 7:15 PM EDT
While team president Stan Kasten insisted manager Don Mattingly isn't in immediate danger of being fired, a lot could change if things continue to go poorly for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The disappointing Dodgers hope to begin their turnaround and avoid a second straight defeat at Dodger Stadium against the major league-best St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday night.
Despite a $215 million payroll, Los Angeles (19-27) is last in the NL West with a big-name offense that ranks near the bottom of the majors with 3.39 runs per game.
Amid rumors that Mattingly's job could be in jeopardy, Kasten gave his manager, who is in the third and final year of his contract, a vote of confidence before a 7-0 loss to the Cardinals (31-16) on Friday.
"I do expect things to turn around. I expect Donnie to be here for a long time,' Kasten said. "I understand there is another side of that if things don't go well. I don't think of things like that.'
Although they've won three of their last four series, the Dodgers committed two errors and managed only three hits while losing for the fifth time in seven games to open their five-game homestand.
They'll try to bounce back with Ted Lilly (0-1, 5.63 ERA) taking the mound for the first time since coming off the disabled list because of a strained right rib cage.
Lilly, who replaces the injured Josh Beckett (groin) in the rotation, hasn't pitched since allowing five runs and eight hits - two homers - over three innings in a 12-2 loss to Colorado on April 29.
The left-hander has pitched well against the Cardinals, going 7-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 15 career starts.
Matt Holliday is just 2 for 11 with a homer and four strikeouts versus Lilly, while Yadier Molina is hitting .176 with a homer in 34 at_bats.
The Cardinals have batted .291 during a 17-5 surge, but they rank near the bottom of the majors with a .221 average off left-handers.
David Freese went 2 for 3 with a homer and three RBIs against southpaw Chris Capuano on Friday, showing no ill-effects after missing the previous three games with a cut on his thumb. He entered the contest 3 for 25 with no homers versus lefties this season.
"We're still trying to figure that out,' Freese said. "Lefties give us trouble sometimes.'
After going 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs in the opener, Allen Craig is batting .464 with three homers and 12 RBIs in seven career games at Dodger Stadium.
Scheduled St. Louis starter John Gast (2-0, 4.76) looks to win for the third time in as many starts in place of the injured Jake Westbrook (elbow).
The left-hander has opened with five scoreless innings in each of his first two outings before giving up a total of six runs in the sixth.
"It's something to keep an eye on, but I don't think two starts is a big enough sample size to make any conclusions," Gast said.
This time, he'll have to deal with a Los Angeles team that ranks second in the majors with a .285 batting average versus left-handers, though its 3 for 32 against them since Sunday.
Adrian Gonzalez has hit left-handers hard, batting .345 with six doubles and 18 RBIs in 58 at_bats. Carl Crawford (.325), Mark Ellis (.357) and Nick Punto (.464) have also fared well
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Cardinals at Dodgers
Fri, May 24 Final 7 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Cardinals at Dodgers
Sat, May 25 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 3
Cardinals at Dodgers
Sun, May 26 - 4:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:46 PM |
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Preview: Rangers (31-17) at Mariners (20-28)
Game: 2
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: May 25, 2013 10:10 PM EDT
Derek Holland hasn't been at his best lately.
A start against the struggling Seattle Mariners could be exactly what he needs to get back on track.
Holland will try to extend his 19 2-3-inning scoreless streak visiting the Mariners on Saturday night when the AL West-leading Texas Rangers go for their fifth consecutive victory in this divisional matchup.
After posting a 0.60 ERA while winning his first two starts in May, Holland (3-2, 3.30 ERA) has surrendered four runs and eight hits in each of his last two. The left-hander went a season-low 4 2-3 innings in Sunday's 11-8 loss to Detroit, allowing as many homers (two) as he had in his first eight starts.
Holland, though, hasn't given up any runs in Seattle since his first game there July 10, 2009. Since that relief appearance, and another one two days later that lasted 2 2-3 innings, he has logged 16 2-3 scoreless innings in two starts at Safeco Field. Holland pitched 7 2-3 scoreless innings in a 3-2 victory at Seattle on July 13.
He'll face a Mariners team that's dropped a season-high seven straight following Friday's 9-5 defeat.
A three-run homer by Lance Berkman and a two-run shot by Jeff Baker helped Texas (31-17) win for the seventh time in eight games outside Arlington.
The Mariners (20-28), who had won eight of 11 at home, were back in town after getting outscored 35-9 in the final four games of a 2-7 trip that ended with Wednesday's 7-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Seattle's last eight-game slide was a franchise-worst 17-game skid July 6-26, 2011.
A start by Felix Hernandez (5-3, 2.07) on Saturday would seem to be exactly what the Mariners need to avoid that, but even their ace has run into some problems.
The former Cy Young winner permitted a season-high six runs in a season-low five innings in Sunday's 6-0 loss at Cleveland. Hernandez had not allowed more than one earned run in any of his previous six outings.
"You're going to have games like that when a couple of things happen and you make a couple of mistakes,' manager Eric Wedge said.
Hernandez, who made his last four starts outside Seattle, is 1-1 with a 1.99 ERA in three outings at Safeco Field this season. The worst of those starts came against Texas on April 11, when he was tagged for four runs and a season-high 10 hits in six innings.
Texas' A.J. Pierzynski, who hit a solo homer off Hernandez in that game, is tied with Adrian Beltre with a team-best eight hits as the Rangers have won six of eight from Seattle this season.
Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager, 3 for 5 with two doubles Friday, has twice as many hits (14 for 31) off Rangers pitching this season as any of his teammates. He's 4 for 11 with a homer against Holland.
Kendrys Morales, who has two doubles in 10 at_bats versus Holland, is 9 for 17 over the last four games.
Mariners infielder Carlos Triunfel could make his first start of the season Saturday after flying out as a pinch-hitter Friday. He was called up earlier in the day along with catcher Jesus Sucre, who went 1 for 4 in his major league debut.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Rangers at Mariners
Fri, May 24 Final 9 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Rangers at Mariners
Sat, May 25 - 10:10PM EDT
GAME 3
Rangers at Mariners
Sun, May 26 - 4:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:49 PM |
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Preview: Padres (21-26) at Diamondbacks (27-21)
Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: May 25, 2013 10:10 PM EDT
If the San Diego Padres are going to end their slide, they may need Andrew Cashner to continue his recent success.
Looking for a third consecutive win, Cashner tries to help the Padres avoid a fourth straight loss Saturday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
San Diego (21-26) was ahead 1-0 and cruising behind starter Eric Stults on Friday until Arizona scored five times in the seventh inning en route to a 5-2 victory. The Padres have lost three of four at Arizona since winning seven in a row there, and been outscored 20-7 during a three-game skid overall.
Carlos Quentin had three hits and Everth Cabrera homered, but San Diego lost for the eighth time in 13 contests following a stretch in which it won 11 of 14.
The Padres hope to get back on track behind Cashner (3-2, 3.02 ERA), who has the same record with a 2.80 ERA in six starts since joining the rotation April 20.
"He's got front-of-the-rotation-type of stuff," manager Bud Black told the Padres' official website. "It's a big arm. I think now, he's starting to come into his own."
The right-hander allowed three runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 13-4 win over Washington on Sunday and has gone 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his last three starts.
"I think it was efficient, but I definitely think there's still a lot of room for improvement," Cashner said. "I thought I could've executed better in some different situations."
He is 0-0 with a 2.19 ERA in three starts versus Arizona, winner of a season-high three in a row at home.
Paul Goldschmidt's two-run double highlighted the Diamondbacks' seventh-inning rally Friday. Among the NL leaders with a .320 average, the first baseman has gone 8 for 15 with five doubles in the last four home games to raise his average at Chase Field from .229 to .282.
Teammate Wade Miley (3-3, 3.67) will try to avoid a third straight losing start Saturday, but he also has a chance to build on his last outing in which he gave two runs in six innings of a 2-1 loss at Miami on Sunday. Both runs scored in his final inning.
"Just a couple of bad pitches cost you late in the game, especially in a game like that where it's 0-0," said Miley, whose teammates have totaled two runs in his last two starts. You've got to do better job.'
The left-hander allowed four runs and nine hits in five innings of a 7-6 loss to the Padres on May 3. He's gone 1-3 with a 6.28 ERA in five starts against San Diego.
Cabrera, 4 for 9 with a triple against Miley, has batted .342 with six RBIs in his last nine games overall.
Quentin, who spent the first two years of his career with Arizona in 2006 and '07, has gone 8 for 16 in last five games at Chase Field.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Padres at Diamondbacks
Fri, May 24 Final 2 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Padres at Diamondbacks
Sat, May 25 - 10:10PM EDT
GAME 3
Padres at Diamondbacks
Sun, May 26 - 4:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:51 PM |
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CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer
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MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up
Saturday, May 25
Hot pitchers
-- Giants are 5-0 in Zito's home starts (3-0, 0.55).
-- Wood is 2-0, 1.74 in his last three starts. Bailey is 1-0, 2.57 in his last three.
-- Locke is 1-0, 1.89 in his last three starts.
-- Pettibone is 2-0, 2.81 in his last four starts.
-- Gast is 2-0, 4.77 in two starts; all six runs he gave up came in sixth inning.
-- Minor is 2-0, 1.83 in his last three starts.
-- Cashner is 2-0, 2.11 in his last three starts.
-- Peavy is 4-1, 2.68 in his last six starts.
-- Dickey is 2-0, 3.20 in his last two starts.
-- Red Sox are 3-0 in Lester home starts (2-0, 1.66).
-- Tampa Bay is 9-0 when Moore starts (8-0, 2.29). Nuno shut Indians out for five innings in his only MLB start.
-- Griffin is 2-1, 2.73 in his last four starts.
-- Hernandez is 1-0, 1.80 in his last two home starts. Rangers won Holland's last four starts (2-0, 3.20).
Cold pitchers
-- Nicasio is 1-1, 4.29 in his last four starts.
-- Fiers allowed six runs in five IP in losing his only '13 start.
-- Haren is 1-2, 6.50 in his last three starts.
-- Lilly is 0-1, 6.75 in two starts this season.
-- Gee is 1-2, 6.48 in his last five starts.
-- Miley is 1-3, 5.70 in his last four starts.
-- Nolasco is 1-3, 4.15 in his last four starts.
-- FGarcia is 0-2, 4.84 in four starts this season.
-- Kazmir is 0-1, 10.18 in his last two starts.
-- Guthrie is 0-2, 8.25 in his last couple starts. One-time Royal ('07) Buckner is making first start since 2010; he is 6-11, 6.25 in 21 career MLB starts. In 2013, he is 4-2, 4.56 in eight AAA starts (48 hits/47.1 IP).
-- Fister is 1-1, 6.53 in his last four starts. Walters was 2-5, 5.69 in 12 starts for Minnesota LY: he is 4-2, 3.31 in nine AAA starts (55 hits/54.1 IP).
-- Harrell is 0-3, 6.86 in his last four starts.
Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in first inning. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Nicasio 5-9; Zito 2-9
-- Wood 1-9; Bailey 2-9
-- Locke 3-9; Fiers 1-1
-- Pettibone 0-6; Haren 1-9
-- Gast 0-2; Lilly 1-2
-- Minor 3-9; Gee 2-9
-- Cashner 2-6; Miley 1-9
-- Nolasco 4-10; Peavy 1-8
-- FGarcia 1-4; Dickey 3-10
-- Kazmir 2-6; Lester 2-10
-- Buckner 0-0; Guthrie 1-9
-- Walters 0-0; Fister 1-9
-- Nuno 0-1; Moore 3-9
-- Griffin 0-9; Harrell 1-10
-- Holland 0-9; Hernandez 2-10
Totals
-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine Philly road games.
-- Over is 13-2-1 in Atlanta's last sixteen road games.
-- Five of last seven Cincinnati home games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Pirate games stayed under the total.
-- Last six Arizona games stayed under the total. .
-- Seven of last nine Dodger games stayed under the total.
-- Last five Colorado games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Miami games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in Baltimore's last nine games.
-- Three of last four Minnesota games went over the total.
-- Nine of last eleven Tampa Bay home games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-2-2 in last nine Cleveland games.
-- Six of last eight Oakland games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last nine Angel games went over the total.
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Hot teams
Atlanta-New York game was suspended at 5-5 after eight innings Friday; will pick up at 6:00 tonight, followed by the regularly scheduled game.
-- Phillies won seven of their last eleven games.
-- Atlanta won its last six games, scoring 34 runs.
-- Reds won eleven of their last thirteen games.
-- Pirates won eight of their last ten games.
-- Cardinals won 17 of their last 22 games.
-- Rockies won six of their last seven games. San Francisco won five of its last seven home games.
-- White Sox won seven of their last ten games.
-- Blue Jays won seven of their last eleven games.
-- Detroit won its last four games, scoring 29 runs.
-- Bronx won eight of its last eleven road games.
-- Indians won six of their last nine games.
-- A's won six of their last seven games. Houston is 4-4 in last eight games.
-- Angels won their last six games, scoring 47 runs.
-- Rangers won seven of their last ten games.
Cold teams
-- Nationals lost four of their last six games.
-- Mets lost four of their last five games.
-- Cubs lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Brewers lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Padres lost nine of their last thirteen road games. Arizona lost three of its last five games overall.
-- Dodgers lost five of their last seven games.
-- Marlins lost 13 of their last 16 games.
-- Orioles lost seven of their last ten games.
-- Minnesota lost its last ten games, allowing 64 runs.
-- Tampa Bay lost three of its last four games.
-- Red Sox lost three of their last five games.
-- Royals lost seven of their last eight games.
-- Mariners lost their last seven games, outscored 55-21.
Umpires
-- Col-SF-- Underdogs won six of last seven Marquez games.
-- Chi-Cin-- Four of last five Hudson games went over the total.
-- Pitt-Mil-- Over is 5-0-1 in Kellogg's last six games behind dish.
-- Phil-Wsh-- Nine of last ten Timmons games went over total.
-- StL-LA--Underdogs are 10-8 in last eighteen Cederstrom games.
-- Atl-NY-- Underdogs are 7-6 in last thirteen Scott games.
-- SD-Az-- 12 of last 17 Muchlinski games went over total, with home team winning his last six games behind dish.
-- Mia-Chi-- Nine of last eleven Hernandez games went over total.
-- Balt-Tor-- Under is 7-2-1 in last ten Bell games.
-- Clev-Bos-- Under is 19-3-1 in last 23 Kulpa games.
-- LA-KC-- Seven of ten Everitt games this season went over total.
-- Min-Det-- Favorites won five of last six Fletcher games.
-- NY-TB-- Home team won ten of last thirteen Tumpane games.
-- A's-Hst-- Last six BWelke games stayed under the total.
-- Tex-Sea-- Four of last five Nelson games stayed under total.
Reply With Quote
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-25-13 04:59 PM |
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CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543
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MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up
Sunday, May 26
Hot pitchers
-- Cueto is 2-0, 3.22 in four starts this season. Garza threw five shutout innings in his first '13 start.
-- Strasburg is 1-0, 1.20 in his last two starts.
-- Rodriguez is 3-0, 2.37 in his last three starts.
-- Giants won Cain's last three home starts (2-0, 2.01).
-- Marquis is 5-0, 2.56 in his last five starts.
-- Kershaw is 3-0, 0.91 in his last five starts. Miller is 2-1, 1.37 in his last four outings.
-- Teheran is 2-1, 2.53 in his last three starts.
-- Scherzer is 5-0, 3.95 in his last six starts.
-- Cobb is 2-0, 2.96 in his last four starts.
-- JWilliams is 2-0, 1.74 in his last three starts.
-- Iwakuma is 4-0, 3.00 in his last five starts.
Cold pitchers
-- Hamels is 0-4, 3.96 in his last four starts.
-- Milwaukee lost last four Gallardo starts (0-3, 4.91).
-- Garland is 0-3, 6.19 in his last three starts.
-- Corbin is 5-0, 1.25 in his last five starts.
-- Marcum is 0-4, 6.66 in five starts this season.
-- Sanabia is 1-5, 5.50 in his last six starts. Axelrod has a 5.71 RA in his last three outings.
-- MGonzalez is 0-1, 4.34 in his last three starts. Jenkins allowed two runs in five IP (90 PT) in winning his first '13 start, at Boston.
-- Pelfrey is 1-3, 6.43 in his last six starts.
-- Kluber is 1-3, 6.75 in his last four starts. Doubront is 0-2, 6.14 in his last three starts.
-- Sabathia is 0-1, 3.97 in his last four starts; he allowed 21 hits in his last 12.2 innings pitched.
-- Colon is 1-2, 5.97 in his last five starts. Keuchel is 1-0, 5.40 in three starts this season.
-- Davis is 0-2, 8.22 in his last three starts.
-- Tepesch is 1-3, 5.82 in his last four starts.
Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in first inning. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Garza 0-1; Cueto 0-4
-- Hamels 3-10; Strasburg 4-10
-- Rodriguez 2-9; Gallardo 2-10
-- Garland 4-9; Cain 3-10
-- Marquis 2-9; Corbin 1-9
-- Miller 2-9; Kershaw 0-10
-- Teheran 4-8 (1 of last 5); Marcum 1-5
-- Sanabia 4-9; Axelrod 3-9
-- Gonzalez 2-7; Jenkins 0-1
-- Pelfrey 4-9; Scherzer 3-9
-- Kluber 0-5; Doubront 1-7
-- Sabathia 4-10; Cobb 2-9
-- Colon 2-9; Keuchel 0-3
-- Williams 1-4; Davis 2-9
-- Tepesch 2-8; Iwakuma 3-10
Totals
-- Under is 7-1-2 in last ten Philly road games.
-- Over is 14-3-1 in Atlanta's last eighteen road games.
-- Three of last four Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Pirate games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Arizona games stayed under the total. .
-- Seven of last ten Dodger games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Colorado games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Miami games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 7-2-1 in Baltimore's last ten games.
-- Seven of nine Pelfrey starts went over the total.
-- Nine of last twelve Tampa Bay home games went over the total.
-- Over is 6-2-2 in last ten Cleveland games.
-- Six of last nine Oakland games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last nine Kansas City games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Seattle games went over the total.
Hot teams
-- Phillies won eight of their last twelve games.
-- Atlanta won its last eight games, scoring 47 runs.
-- Reds won 12 of their last 14 games.
-- Pirates won nine of their last eleven games.
-- Cardinals won 17 of their last 23 games.
-- Rockies won six of their last eight games. San Francisco won six of its last eight home games.
-- White Sox won eight of their last eleven games.
-- Orioles won four of their last five games.
-- Red Sox won three of their last four games.
-- Detroit won four of its last five games.
-- Bronx won nine of its last twelve road games.
-- A's won seven of their last eight games.
-- Angels won their last seven games, scoring 54 runs.
-- Rangers won eight of their last eleven games.
Cold teams
-- Nationals lost five of their last seven games.
-- Mets lost six of their last seven games.
-- Cubs lost eight of their last ten games.
-- Brewers lost eight of their last eleven games.
-- Padres lost three of their last four games. Arizona lost four of its last six games overall.
-- Dodgers lost five of their last eight games.
-- Marlins lost 14 of their last 17 games.
-- Blue Jays lost five of their last eight games.
-- Minnesota lost ten of its last eleven games.
-- Tampa Bay lost four of its last five games.
-- Indians lost four of their last five games.
-- Astros are 0-8 against Oakland this season.
-- Royals lost eight of their last nine games.
-- Mariners lost their last eight games, outscored 60-23.
Umpires
-- Col-SF-- Five of last six Conroy games stayed under total.
-- Chi-Cin-- Underdogs are 8-2 in last ten Davidson games, with five of his last six games going over the total.
-- Pitt-Mil-- Five of last seven Cooper games stayed under total.
-- You're reading ***************.com. Have a nice day.
-- Phil-Wsh-- Seven of last ten Winters games went over total.
-- StL-LA-- Home teams are 29-10 in last 39 Barksdale games.
-- Atl-NY-- Six of last eight Miller games stayed under the total.
-- SD-Az-- Four of last five Dreckman games went over the total.
-- Mia-Chi-- Four of last five Nauert games went over the total.
-- Balt-Tor-- Four of last five Gonzalez games went over the total.
-- Clev-Bos-- Five of last seven Guccione games went over total.
-- LA-KC-- Favorites won five of last six Foster games.
-- Min-Det-- Home team won five of last six Fagan games.
-- NY-TB-- Underdogs won ten of last thirteen Reynolds games.
-- A's-Hst-- Favorites won five of last six Johnson games.
-- Tex-Sea-- Six of last eight Hickox games went over the total.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-26-13 04:02 PM |
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CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543
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MLB
Sunday, May 26
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Sunday Night Baseball: Braves at Mets
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It's a NL East battle as the New York Mets host the Atlanta Braves on Sunday Night Baseball.
New York Mets at Atlanta Braves (-123, 8)
SHAUN STRUGGLES FOR THE METS
Shaun Marcum has not been what the Mets have hoped for so far. He is 0-5 with a 6.59 ERA in six starts for New York. The righty has allowed two runs or less just once this season, and that came in Miami when he only went an inning and two thirds. It doesn't matter whether he pitches at home (13 ER allowed in three starts) or on the road (8 ER allowed in three starts). Marcum picked up a no-decision against Atlanta back on May 3 after giving up three runs and six hits in just over four innings. The one good positive is that Marcum has had good control walking one batter or less in four of his six starts.
TEHERAN FITTING IN WELL IN ATLANTA
Julio Teheran is 3-1 with a 3.99 ERA for the Braves. He's coming off a win over the Twins on Monday after throwing a career-high 123 pitches. He has walked just two batters over his last five starts. The Braves’ hurler hasn't faced the Mets since 2011 when he saw them twice in a row over an eight-day span. The righty allowed five runs and nine hits in eight total innings pitched against New York. Teheran hasn't been fazed away from home lately, allowing just six total runs in Arizona, San Francisco, and Colorado.
INJURY REPORT
The Mets’ injury list is considerably shorter than the Braves' list and only features injuries to New York's pitching staff. First and foremost, the Mets don't have Johan Santana who is out with a shoulder injury and will not be available this season. Frank Francisco and Scott Atchison are dealing with elbow ailments as well. The Braves’ bullpen is also banged up as they lost Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty to Tommy John surgery with those injuries coming within a week of each other. Jordan Walden, Brandon Beachy, and Luis Ayala are also out.
TRENDS
*Braves are 10-3 in their last 13 Sunday games
*Braves are 7-1 in Teheran's last eight starts
*The under is 11-2 in the Mets’ last 13 Sunday games.
*Mets are 1-4 in Marcum’s last five starts
HITTERS TO WATCH
B.J. Upton 8-for-23 vs. Marcum
Dan Uggla 1-for-10 vs. Marcum
Ruben Tejada 0-for-4 vs. Teheran
Lucas Duda 1-for-4 vs. Teheran
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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05-26-13 04:04 PM |
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