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cisco
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Jul 2004
Posts: 8898
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mlb trends thursday
Huge amount of pressure on favored Washington to stay alive here, seeing as best pitcher Strasburg is healthy but inactive. Detwiler is 1-2, 7.03 in his last five starts; he allowed seven runs (three earned) in 2.1 IP vs St Louis in his last start, Sept 30. He is 1-0, 3.00 in his last three home starts. Eight of ten series games have gone over total. Lohse won Wild Card game Friday; he is 3-0, 3.28 in his last four starts. He allowed 12 runs in 11.2 IP in two no-decisions vs Washington this season.
Cain is 3-1, 2.10 in his last five starts, but is 0-2, 6.17 against Reds this year, including Game 1 loss at home. Latos came in after Cueto got hurt and threw 57 pitches, allowing one run in four IP. He is 2-0, 1.13 in his last four outings. Giants are 13-7 in last 20 games, Reds 12-8; road team is 4-0 in this series, so huge pressure on Cincy not to gag after leading in series 2-0. Under is 10-3 in Cincinnati's last 13 home games, 7-4 in last eleven Giant road games. Winner moves on to NLCS.
Girardi pinch-hit for ARod in 9th inning last night, was rewarded with pair of HRs by Ibanez, so Bronx advances to ALCS with win here. Road team is 13-8 in Bronx-O's games this season; Orioles are 6-4 at this site. Saunders is 4-2, 2.80 in his last seven starts; he won only start vs Bronx, allowing two runs in 5.2 IP Sept 8. Hughes is 1-1, 7.16 in his last three starts, 2-2, 5.16 in his four starts vs Baltimore this season. Over is 5-2-1 in last eight series games. O's are now 30-10 in one-run games, 16-3 in extra-inning games, but all three losses were to Bronx.
Detroit lost 13 of last 21 road games, but Verlander is 3-0, 0.90 vs Oakland in '12, 5-0, 1.03 in his last five starts overall. Parker is 4-1, 2.90 in his last six starts, 0-2, 3.75 vs Detroit this season. Oakland won eight in row and 10 of last 11 home games. Home side won all four series games; visitors are 9-3 in other playoff series. Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Oakland games, 4-1-1 in last six Detroit games. A's were down 3-1 in 9th inning last night, scored three to stay alive; they have momentum, but Verlander is tough nut to crack.
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10-11-12 06:21 PM |
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cisco
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Jul 2004
Posts: 8898
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San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds (-123, 7)
Series is tied 2-2
Riding a wave of momentum, the San Francisco Giants look to make history in the decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the Cincinnati Reds. If the Giants can win their third straight game, they’ll be the first NL team to ever come back from an 0-2 deficit in the Division Series to win. NL teams are 0-21 since the Division Series was added in 1995, and overall 38 of the 42 teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in the Division Series have advanced. Despite the odds, the Giants have to feel good about their chances after tying the series Wednesday with an impressive 8-3 win. The Reds were forced to start Mike Leake in Game 4, but they’ll have 14-game winner Mat Latos pitching on four days' rest in Game 5.
After batting .126 as a team in the first three games of the series, the Giants’ offense came to life in Game 4 with 11 hits and three home runs. The top three hitters in the Giants lineup - Angel Pagan, Marco Scutaro and Pablo Sandoval - combined to go 6-for-11 with three doubles, two home runs, and five RBIs after going 4-for-37 (.108) in the first three games. While the Reds have left 17 runners on base in their last two games, Giants manager Bruce Bochy has pushed all the right buttons and was able to rest relievers Sergio Romo, Javier Lopez and Jeremy Affeldt on Wednesday. The Reds did not lose three consecutive home games at any point during the regular season, and the Giants have not swept a three-game series in Cincinnati since 1999.
WEATHER: The forecast is calling for clear skies and temperatures in the high 50s. Winds are expected to blow SSW at 6 mph.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Mat Latos (0-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. Giants RH Matt Cain (0-1, 5.40)
Latos threw 57 pitches over four innings in relief in Game 1 and went 7-1 with a 2.46 ERA over his last 14 regular-season starts. Pablo Sandoval is 6-for-29 (.207) against Latos, who is 4-3 with a 2.19 ERA in 11 career starts against the Giants, including 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in two starts this season. Latos hasn’t recorded a loss in eight outings and has given up one run or less in his past four appearances.
Cain’s scoreless inning streak to begin his postseason career ended at 23 1/3 innings in Game 1, when he allowed three runs over five innings. Cain took two of his five losses this season against the Reds, allowing eight earned runs in 13 innings, including four home runs. Ryan Ludwick is 8-for-22 (.364) with three home runs against Cain, who gave up homers to Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce in the series opener.
TRENDS:
* Over is 3-1-1 in the last five meetings.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Cincinnati.
* Giants are 3-7 in the last 10 meetings in Cincinnati.
* Giants are 2-7 in Cains last nine starts vs. Reds.
UMP TRENDS - Tom Hallion:
* Road team is 6-1 in Hallions last seven games behind home plate.
* Over is 4-1 in Hallions last five Thursday games behind home plate.
* Giants are 4-1 in Cains last five starts with Hallion behind home plate.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Reds starter Johnny Cueto was placed on the disabled list with an oblique strain on Wednesday, and he won’t be eligible to return unless the Reds reach the World Series.
2. The Giants are seeking to become the first major league team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in a five-game postseason series by winning three consecutive games on the road.
3. Beginning with Game 6 of the 2002 World Series, Reds manager Dusty Baker’s teams are 1-8 when playing with a chance to clinch a postseason series.
St. Louis Cardinals at Washington Nationals (+103, 8)
St. Louis leads series 2-1
The first playoff game in Washington in 79 years did not go exactly as planned. If the second one isn’t much better, then the city won’t get a third. The St. Louis Cardinals will be looking to close out the best-of-five series behind Kyle Lohse on Thursday. The Washington Nationals, who trail 2-1, will try to find some offense and even things up. The Nationals have stranded 30 runners in the series and were shut out in Game 3.
Washington’s offensive issues are most apparent in rookie Bryce Harper, who is 1-for-15 in the series, and Adam LaRoche (1-for-11), leaving Ryan Zimmerman on an island between them in the lineup. The Cardinals have been able to jump on Washington’s starters quickly in the last two games, exploding for four runs in the first two innings of each contest. That breathing room has given St. Louis manager Mike Matheny the luxury of setting up his bullpen and going to it at the first signs of struggle from his starter. Matheny also has a hot lineup, with Carlos Beltran and David Freese each batting over .400 in the series.
WEATHER: The forecast calls for clear skies and temperatures in the high 50s. Wind are expected to blow SW at 6 mph.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Kyle Lohse (16-3, 2.86 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Ross Detwiler (10-8, 3.40)
Lohse is part of the reason St. Louis is in the NLDS after striking out six and yielding two runs in 5 2/3 innings to earn a win against the Atlanta Braves in the wild card game. The right-hander posted his two worst starts of September against Washington. Lohse was reached for a combined 12 runs (nine earned) on 17 hits in 11 2/3 innings but did not factor in the decision in either game. LaRoche, Danny Espinosa and Michael Morse each homered off Lohse while Harper went 3-for-6.
Detwiler will be making his first start since Sept. 30 and did not instill a lot of confidence in Nationals fans during his last two turns. The 26-year-old was knocked around for 12 runs (eight earned) in 7 1/3 innings in that span, issuing eight walks and three home runs. The ugliest one came against St. Louis, when Detwiler walked five in just 2 1/3 frames. Beltran reached him for a two-run homer in that game. Detwiler, who grew up a Cardinals fan in Missouri, has been at his best at Nationals Park, posting an 8-2 record with a 2.59 ERA.
TRENDS:
* Over is 7-1 in the last eight meetings in Washington.
* Over is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in Lohses last five starts vs. Nationals.
* Cardinals are 2-8 in the last 10 meetings in Washington.
UMP TRENDS - Jim Joyce:
* Home team is 4-0 in Joyces last 4 games behind home plate.
* Over is 19-7 in Joyces last 26 games behind home plate.
* Nationals are 2-5 in their last 7 games with Joyce behind home plate.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Washington has not dropped back-to-back games at home since falling to Philadelphia on July 31 and Aug. 1.
2. Cardinals LF Matt Holliday fouled a ball off his left leg in the eighth inning on Wednesday. He stayed in and delivered a two-run single but was lifted for a pinch runner after limping down the line.
3. Nationals SS Ian Desmond is having a strong series offensively, going 7-for-12, but went 0-for-6 against Lohse in the regular season.
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10-11-12 06:29 PM |
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cisco
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Jul 2004
Posts: 8898
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ALDS Betting Previews
Covers.com
Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees (-149)
New York leads series 2-1
The Baltimore Orioles were two outs away from taking a 2-1 lead in the American League Division Series. Now they're one loss away from having their magical season come to an end as they attempt to stave off elimination Thursday against the Yankees in New York. Behind a brilliant pitching performance by Miguel Gonzalez and solo home runs from fellow rookies Ryan Flaherty and Manny Machado, Baltimore held a 2-1 advantage Wednesday until Raul Ibanez hit a one-out homer in the ninth inning while pinch-hitting for the struggling Alex Rodriguez.
The game-tying blast came off Orioles closer Jim Johnson, who entered the series opener with the score tied and proceeded to yield five runs while recording just one out. Ibanez provided more heroics in the 12th inning on Wednesday, crushing Brian Matusz's first pitch of the frame for his second blast of the night and a 2-1 series lead. The Orioles fell to 16-3 in extra-inning games this year, with all three losses coming against the Yankees. The first two setbacks occurred on April 10-11. Baltimore also dropped to 76-1 when leading after seven innings.
New York has won two of the last three games in which it has trailed after eight innings. Prior to Oct. 2 against Boston, it was 0-58 in such contests this year. Rodriguez is 1-for-12 with seven strikeouts thus far in the series. Derek Jeter, who left Wednesday's game after eight innings with a foot injury, hit his fifth career playoff triple in the third frame to tie George Brett and Rafael Furcal for the most all time.
WEATHER: The forecast is calling for clear skies and temperatures in the mid 50s. Winds are expected to blow WSW at 7 mph.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Joe Saunders (1-0, 1.59 ERA) (3-3, 3.63) vs. Yankees RH Phil Hughes (16-13, 4.23 ERA)
Saunders is coming off a solid effort in the wild-card game against Texas on Friday, when he allowed one run and six hits over 5 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old improved to 3-1 lifetime versus the Yankees on Sept. 8 as he yielded two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 frames. Saunders faced New York twice in the 2009 AL Championship Series while with the Los Angeles Angels, coming away with a no-decision in Game Two despite allowing two runs in seven innings before surrendering three runs in only 3 1/3 frames and suffering the loss in the series-ending Game Six.
Hughes has struggled over his last three starts, allowing a total of 13 runs in 16 1/3 innings while going 1-1. The 26-year-old lasted only 4 2/3 frames at Toronto on Sept. 30, escaping with a no-decision despite surrendering five runs and eight hits. Hughes went 2-2 with a 4.76 ERA in four starts against the Orioles this season and is 6-4 with a 5.10 ERA in 17 career meetings, including three relief appearances.
TRENDS:
* Over is 8-2-1 in Hughes' last 11 starts vs. Orioles.
* Over is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.
* Yankees are 6-2 in Hughes' last eight starts vs. Orioles.
* Under is 8-3-1 in the last 12 meetings in New York.
* Orioles are 29-60 in the last 89 meetings in New York.
* Orioles are 25-57 in the last 82 meetings.
UMP TRENDS - Fieldin Culbreth:
* Over is 8-1 in Culbreths last 9 games behind home plate vs. New York.
* Home team is 4-1 in Culbreths last 5 games behind home plate.
* Orioles are 4-1 in their last 5 games with Culbreth behind home plate.
* Under is 20-7 in Culbreths last 27 games behind home plate.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Hughes had most of his success during the regular season at home, where he went 11-4 with a 3.74 ERA in 16 starts.
2. Ibanez is the first player to hit two home runs in a postseason game in which he did not start.
3. The Orioles have allowed 12 runs thus far in the series. Johnson has surrendered six of them.
Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics (+131)
Series is tied 2-2
The Oakland Athletics made a habit of dramatic wins during the regular season and have carried that over into the playoffs. After leading the majors with 14 walk-off wins during the regular season, the Athletics had their first of the playoffs in Game 4 on Wednesday, staving off elimination and forcing a decisive Game 5. Their reward is another date with Justin Verlander, who will start for the Detroit Tigers opposite Jarrod Parker.
The Tigers were counting the days until the start of the American League Championship Series with a 3-1 lead in the ninth inning on Wednesday but Seth Smith clubbed a two-run double to tie it and Coco Crisp won it with a single to right two batters later. Oakland was miffed about the postseason format after dropping the first two on the road but have no complaints anymore with a chance to advance in their own ballpark on Thursday night. Detroit has not lost three in a row since a four-game slide from Sep. 7-10.
WEATHER: The forecast is calling for cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 50s. Winds are expected blow WSW at 7 mph.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (1-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Jarrod Parker (0-1, 2.84)
Verlander dominated in Game 1, allowing one run on three hits while striking out 11 and walking four. The reigning Cy Young and MVP has allowed two earned runs or less in his last five starts dating back to the regular season and has gone 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three starts against Oakland this season. Verlander has made nine starts in his career at O.co Coliseum, going 4-4 with a 2.47 ERA.
Parker could not quite match up with Verlander in Game 1, allowing three runs (two earned) and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. The rookie right-hander’s own error allowed the go-ahead run to score in the third and Alex Avila reached him for a solo home run in the fifth. Parker still managed to post his seventh straight quality start. Like most Athletics pitchers, Parker has been better at home, going 6-5 with a 2.61 ERA in 15 starts at the Coliseum.
TRENDS:
* Under is 3-0-1 in the last four meetings in Oakland.
* Tigers are 4-0 in Verlanders last four starts vs. Athletics.
* Under is 5-1 in Verlanders last six road starts vs. Athletics.
* Under is 8-2 in Verlanders last 10 starts vs. Athletics.
* Tigers are 1-4 in the last five meetings in Oakland.
UMP TRENDS - Wally Bell:
* Under is 5-1 in Bells last six games behind home plate.
* Road team is 6-1 in Bells last seven games behind home plate.
* Tigers are 11-23 in their last 34 games with Bell behind home plate.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Detroit Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera is 5-for-16 (.312) in the series but has yet to home or drive in a run.
2. Oakland RF Josh Reddick kicked off the rally in the ninth with a single to improve to 2-for-14 with eight strikeouts in the series.
3. Tigers slugger Prince Fielder broke out of a slump with a home run in a 2-for-4 performance. He had been 1-for-12 in the first four games.
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10-11-12 06:32 PM |
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