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Around the Horn - Friday
June 20, 2013
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Colorado at Washington - 7:05 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Colorado Rockies Chatwood (4-1, 2.33 ERA) 37-37 3-8 L11 away Game 2's
Washington Nationals Strasburg (3-6, 2.50 ERA) 36-36 4-10 L14 off win
-- Nationals beat Rockies, 5-1 on Thursday
N.Y. Mets at Philadelphia - 7:05 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
New York Mets Hefner (1-6, 3.96 ERA) 28-41 4-7 L11 away vs. division
Philadelphia Phillies Hamels (2-10, 4.40 ERA) 35-38 7-1 L8 home Game 1's
-- Mets beat Braves, 4-3 on Thursday
-- Phillies lost to Nationals, 6-2 on Wednesday
Atlanta at Milwaukee - 8:15 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Atlanta Braves Teheran (5-3, 3.36 ERA) 43-31 3-7 L10 away
Milwaukee Brewers Peralta (4-8, 6.08 ERA) 29-42 7-3 L10 vs. NL East
-- Braves lost to Mets, 4-3 on Thursday
-- Brewers lost to Astros, 7-4 on Thursday
Cincinnati at Arizona - 9:40 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Cincinnati Reds Cueto (4-0, 2.08 ERA) 44-30 UNDER 7-1-1 L9 overall
Arizona Diamondbacks Miley (4-6, 4.64 ERA) 39-33 6-3 L9 home
-- Reds lost to Pirates, 5-3 on Thursday
-- Diamondbacks beat Marlins, 3-1 on Wednesday
Los Angeles at San Diego - 10:10 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Los Angeles Dodgers Kershaw (5-4, 1.84 ERA) 30-40 5-0 L5 Game 2's
San Diego Padres Richard (2-5, 7.01 ERA) 36-36 9-2 L11 home
Miami at San Francisco - 10:15 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Miami Marlins Nolasco (4-7, 3.61 ERA) 22-49 1-7 L8 away Game 2's
San Francisco Giants Lincecum (4-7, 4.57 ERA) 37-34 6-2 L8 home Game 2's
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Minnesota at Cleveland - 7:05 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Minnesota Twins Deduno (3-1, 3.26 ERA) 33-36 4-1 L5 vs. LHP
Cleveland Indians Kazmir (3-4, 5.89 ERA) 36-35 UNDER 8-2 L10 overall
-- Twins beat White Sox, 8-4 on Thursday
-- Indians beat Royals, 6-3 on Thursday
Tampa Bay at N.Y. Yankees - 7:05 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Tampa Bay Rays Hernandez (4-7, 5.02 ERA) 38-35 OVER 4-1 L5 away Game 2's
New York Yankees Phelps (4-4, 4.08 ERA) 39-33 2-5 L7 vs. RHP
-- Rays beat Yankees, 8-3 on Thursday
Baltimore at Toronto - 7:10 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Baltimore Orioles Hammel (7-4, 5.24 ERA) 42-31 UNDER 10-3-1 L14 overall
Toronto Blue Jays Dickey (6-8, 4.90 ERA) 35-36 7-2 L9 home
-- Orioles beat Tigers, 13-3 on Wednesday
-- Blue Jays beat Rockies, 5-2 on Thursday
Boston at Detroit - 7:10 PM EST (Game 2/4)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Boston Red Sox Lester (6-4, 4.37 ERA) 44-31 UNDER 8-0-1 L9 overall
Detroit Tigers Fister (6-4, 3.21 ERA) 40-31 UNDER 5-1 L6 home Game 2's
-- Tigers beat Red Sox, 4-3 on Thursday
Chicago at Kansas City - 8:10 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Chicago White Sox Santiago (2-5, 3.30 ERA) 29-41 1-12 L13 away Game 1's
Kansas City Royals Guthrie (7-4, 3.72 ERA) 34-36 11-5 L16 home vs. division
-- White Sox lost to Twins, 8-4 on Thursday
-- Royals lost to Indians, 6-3 on Thursday
Oakland at Seattle - 10:05 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Oakland Athletics Colon (9-2, 2.89 ERA) 43-31 OVER 7-0 L7 away Game 1's
Seattle Mariners Iwakuma (7-2, 2.06 ERA) 32-41 UNDER 7-0 L7 home
-- Athletics lost to Rangers, 4-3 on Thursday
INTERLEAGUE
Houston at Chicago (N) - 2:20 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Houston Astros Keuchel (4-3, 4.23 ERA) 28-46 UNDER 6-1 L7 away
Chicago Cubs Garza (1-1, 4.98 ERA) 29-42 6-1 L7 vs. AL
-- Astros beat Brewers, 7-4 on Thursday
-- Cubs lost to Cardinals, 6-1 on Thursday
Texas at St. Louis - 8:05 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Texas Rangers Holland (5-4, 3.30 ERA) 41-32 2-5 L7 vs. NL
St. Louis Cardinals Lyons (2-3, 4.65 ERA) 47-26 8-1 L9 home Game 1's
-- Rangers beat Athletics, 4-3 on Thursday
-- Cardinals beat Cubs, 6-1 on Thursday
Pittsburgh at Los Angeles (A) - 10:05 PM EST (Game 1/3)
Teams Pitcher Notes Team Record Betcha Didn't Know
Pittsburgh Pirates Cole (2-0, 3.75 ERA) 43-30 2-7 L9 off win
Los Angeles Angels Weaver (1-3, 4.41 ERA) 32-40 OVER 5-2 L7 home Game 1's
-- Pirates beat Reds, 5-3 on Thursday
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 06:44 AM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Astros (28-46) at Cubs (29-42)
Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: June 21, 2013 2:20 PM EDT
The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs spent the past few seasons rounding out the bottom of NL Central.
Their poor play is spread over two divisions now.
In the first interleague matchup between these former division rivals, Dallas Keuchel will seek to help Houston beat the Cubs on Friday at Wrigley Field.
The Astros (28-46) are in last place in the AL West and own the league's worst record but head into Chicago having won six of eight. They earned all but one of those wins on a seven-game homestand and took two of three from another former NL Central opponent, Milwaukee, to begin this week.
Former Cubs slugger Carlos Pena helped his team finish off that series with a 7-4 victory Thursday by hitting a three-run homer in the 10th inning.
"What a great homestand. I thought we were in every single game. This is a lot of momentum moving forward," said Pena, who hit a team-best 28 homers for Chicago in 2011.
Pena will face his former club and former Tampa Bay teammate Matt Garza (1-1, 4.98 ERA) for the first time Friday. The two played together from 2008-10 and were members of an AL championship team in the first of those seasons.
Keuchel (4-3, 4.23) will try to help Pena finish on the winning side of that reunion while improving on a 3-1 record and a 2.13 ERA in his last four starts. The left-hander bounced back from his only defeat over that stretch by beating the other Chicago team Sunday.
Keuchel gave up two runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 5-4 victory over the White Sox.
"All you can ask of your guys is consistency, and no doubt that Dallas has given us that more than anybody in the rotation, even when we've been pitching so good lately," manager Bo Porter told the team's website. "He's figured out how to get guys out with all of his pitches."
Keuchel did not get a decision in his only start against the Cubs on Sept. 10, allowing one run over four innings in a 4-1 home defeat.
Chicago (29-42), which is tied with the Brewers for last in the division, edged Houston in the season series 8-7 for the second straight year in 2012 but has won 11 of 15 meetings at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, though, enter having dropped four of five and are 2-7 at Wrigley this month.
They scored one run for the second straight game Thursday, falling 6-1 in St. Louis. Welington Castillo had three of the team's five hits while Starlin Castro's average for the month dropped to .127 (9 for 71).
"I'm working hard every day, I know I can get out of this," Castro said. "When I get out of this, I'll be good for the rest of the season."
Garza allowed two runs over 5 1-3 innings to beat the Astros at home last June after going 0-3 with a 4.64 ERA in his first five matchups with them.
He is coming off a solid showing, tossing seven scoreless innings against the New York Mets on Sunday after getting tagged for a career-worst nine runs in five innings in a loss to Cincinnati five days earlier.
The right-hander, though, did not get a win Sunday as reliever Carlos Marmol's struggles continued in a 4-3 defeat.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Astros at Cubs
Fri, Jun 21 - 2:20PM EDT
GAME 2
Astros at Cubs
Sat, Jun 22 - 4:05PM EDT
GAME 3
Astros at Cubs
Sun, Jun 23 - 2:20PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:28 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Red Sox (44-31) at Tigers (40-31)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: June 21, 2013 7:08 PM EDT
The Detroit Tigers appear to be in good shape to extend their home winning streak over the Boston Red Sox considering Jon Lester's recent struggles and his history in the series.
Coming off a dramatic victory, the Tigers look to beat Lester again and win a sixth straight home game over the Red Sox on Friday night.
Detroit (40-31) was on the verge of losing its third in a row in Thursday's series opener, trailing 3-2 heading into the ninth inning. Victor Martinez started the rally by drawing a leadoff walk off Andrew Bailey, and Jhonny Peralta followed with a homer to give the Tigers a 4-3 win.
"I see everybody at home plate, it's a good feeling, hitting a walkoff home run," Peralta said. "It's the best that I can feel."
It was the third blown save in the last five appearances for Bailey, and Red Sox manager John Farrell said he would be given a break from closing.
"We're going to back him out of there right now and try to get him fixed, so we'll look at some other internal options to close," Farrell said.
The Tigers, owners of the AL's best home record at 24-12, won their fifth straight over Boston (44-31) in Detroit - their longest such streak in the series since reeling off six in a row from 1991-92.
Peralta has played a big role in that success, batting .400 with two homers, three doubles and eight RBIs in his last seven home games against the Red Sox. He's hitting .433 with eight doubles in 16 home games overall since May 13.
While Peralta is 4 for 7 with two homers against Lester (6-4, 4.37 ERA) over the past three-plus years, Miguel Cabrera, Torii Hunter and Martinez have feasted on his pitching throughout their careers. Cabrera is 8 for 14 with two doubles and four walks, Hunter is 8 for 16 with a pair of doubles and Martinez is 5 for 8 with a home run and a triple.
Given those numbers, it might not be a surprise that Lester is 0-2 with a 4.78 ERA in five career starts against Detroit. It's the only AL team he has not beaten excluding Boston and Junior Circuit newcomer Houston.
Lester is 0-4 with a 7.20 ERA in six starts since beating Tampa Bay on May 15. He gave up five runs and nine hits while striking out eight in five innings in Sunday's 6-3 loss to Baltimore.
"It was a lot better than the linescore as far as the ball came out of my hand," the left-hander said.
Although he sounded like he was in denial, Lester did display better command by walking none. That came five days after he issued a career-high seven walks over 4 2-3 innings in a loss to the Rays.
The Tigers counter with Doug Fister (6-4, 3.21), who lost his no-hit bid Sunday against Minnesota in the sixth inning. He ended up allowing two runs and two hits before leaving with two outs in the eighth in a 5-2 win. It was the first victory since May 14 for the right-hander, who had been 0-3 in his previous four starts despite a 2.67 ERA.
Fister's no-hitter was broken up by a homer - just the third he's surrendered this season. He has allowed the fewest home runs by anyone with at least 90 innings pitched.
David Ortiz hit his 15th home run and drove in the tiebreaking run with an eighth-inning single Thursday. The slugger is 5 for 16 with two doubles and five strikeouts lifetime against Fister.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Red Sox at Tigers
Thu, Jun 20 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Red Sox at Tigers
Fri, Jun 21 - 7:08PM EDT
GAME 3
Red Sox at Tigers
Sat, Jun 22 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 4
Red Sox at Tigers
Sun, Jun 23 - 1:08PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:34 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Rays (38-35) at Yankees (39-33)
Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: June 21, 2013 7:05 PM EDT
Some veteran offseason acquisitions keyed the New York Yankees overcoming injuries to many of their top offensive players well into May.
That trend has ended in June.
Baseball's worst offense of the past four weeks resides in the Bronx, where back-to-back poor hitting displays leave the Yankees looking to avoid a season-high third straight home loss Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Missing Derek Jeter (ankle) and Alex Rodriguez (hip) all season, New York (39-33) learned Tuesday that Kevin Youkilis (back surgery) will be out 10-12 weeks and Mark Teixeira (wrist) was going back on the disabled list. While Teixeira has missed all but 15 games, Curtis Granderson (forearm, finger) has played only eight and returned to the DL on May 25.
Since that date, the Yankees have gone 9-15 while hitting .216 and scoring 71 runs - both lowest in the majors.
New York was 30-18 before that slump greatly because a few newcomers in their mid-30s stepped up. However, Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and Travis Hafner have cooled off significantly.
After hitting .301 with 10 homers through May 15, Wells has batted .118 without a home run in 29 games. Wells, 6 for 59 in June, is appreciative manager Joe Girardi even keeps him in the lineup.
"I've got to repay him for that," Wells told the team's official website, "and that's what I plan on doing."
Hafner has 11 homers but has batted .105 since Granderson's return to the DL. Overbay had eight home runs and 28 RBIs at that time but has since failed to go deep while driving in four runs.
The veteran trio has hit .104 against the Rays this season, including 1 for 10 in an 8-3 defeat Thursday.
Evan Longoria homered twice for Tampa Bay (38-35), a night after having three hits in a 6-2 win at Boston. The Rays have totaled 29 hits in the last two games after a 1-6 stretch during which they batted .200 and averaged 2.0 runs.
"We've had some tough losses in the past week but the guys hung in there really well," manager Joe Maddon said.
None of the Yankees' runs Thursday came off a hit, scoring on a wild pitch, Robinson Cano's sacrifice fly and Hafner's groundout. New York had six hits - its sixth straight game failing to reach double digits - after being held to three in a 6-0 loss to the Dodgers in the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader.
The Yankees haven't dropped three consecutive regular-season home games since a four-game slide July 28-31.
It would seem they have a favorable matchup Friday against Roberto Hernandez (4-7, 5.02 ERA).
Excluding a win in Miami against the majors' lowest-scoring team as he came within one out of a complete game, Hernandez is 0-4 with a 7.82 ERA in five starts on the road. The former Fausto Carmona has lost his last five starts versus the Yankees, posting an 11.32 ERA.
The latest came May 24, when he was tagged for five runs in four innings of a 9-4 defeat. That's part of Hernandez's current stretch of failing to post a quality start in four of six outings overall.
David Phelps (4-4, 4.08) will try to beat Hernandez again after doing so last month with 7 2-3 innings of four-run ball.
Phelps gave up one run and four hits through his first 12 innings of June, but he yielded four runs and nine hits in six innings of a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
Tampa Bay is 4-3 in the season series, holding New York to a .202 average.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Rays at Yankees
Thu, Jun 20 Final 8 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Rays at Yankees
Fri, Jun 21 - 7:05PM EDT
GAME 3
Rays at Yankees
Sat, Jun 22 - 1:05PM EDT
GAME 4
Rays at Yankees
Sun, Jun 23 - 2:05PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:36 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Orioles (42-31) at Blue Jays (35-36)
Game: 1
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: June 21, 2013 7:07 PM EDT
Though their pitching staff has played a key role in a lengthy winning streak, the Toronto Blue Jays figure to be tested by the powerful Baltimore Orioles.
R.A. Dickey looks for his second win during the run as the host Blue Jays go for their ninth straight victory Friday night against heavy hitting Baltimore.
Toronto starters have posted a 1.18 ERA in the last seven games, while the bullpen has gone 24 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Reliever Brett Cecil has retired 38 batters without giving up a hit, the longest streak in team history.
The Blue Jays, who have their longest win streak since a 10-game run in 2008, beat Colorado 5-2 on Wednesday.
"I can't pinpoint why everything is clicking, but we're getting a big hit, getting a big pitch when we need to, guys are playing great defense behind us," winning pitcher Mark Buehrle said. "I don't know what's happening, but hopefully (we) continue it as long as we can."
Though last in the AL East, the Blue Jays (35-36) are beginning a 10-game stretch against division opponents.
Dickey (6-8, 4.90 ERA) looks to keep the win streak alive after allowing 10 runners but limiting Texas to one run over 5 2-3 innings in a 6-1 win Saturday.
"Even when he's not at his best, he competes,' manager John Gibbons said. "He battled, got out of some jams.'
Dickey, though, is 3-4 with a 5.61 ERA in seven home starts after giving up six runs and nine hits - two homers - over 6 2-3 innings of a 6-5 loss to Baltimore on May 25.
Adam Jones homered off him in that contest and went 7 for 18 with four home runs to help Baltimore (42-31) split the four-game series.
The Orioles, 22-16 on the road, scored 27 runs and hit 10 homers in that set. They rank at or near the top of the major leagues with 98 home runs, a .274 batting average and 360 runs.
Baltimore seeks its third straight win and ninth in 12 games after scoring 18 times and hitting five homers in its last two.
First baseman Chris Davis went 6 for 14 with two homers in the May series at Toronto. He leads the majors with 26 home runs after hitting two in a 13-3 victory at Detroit on Wednesday.
"We're doing a lot of things right,' said Davis, 2 for 6 with a double against Dickey this season.
Dickey will try to avoid his third loss of the season to the Orioles, having given up 10 runs over 12 2-3 innings in his two starts against them.
He'll be opposed by fellow right-hander Jason Hammel (7-4, 5.24), who is 0-2 with a 6.32 ERA in three starts this month. Hammel was scheduled to start Tuesday but was unable to pitch against the Tigers due to a stomach virus.
He's 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three career starts in Toronto, giving up a career-worst four homers there in a 4-1 loss May 30, 2012.
Melky Cabrera has homered in his past two at_bats against Hammel, last facing him in 2011.
Adam Lind is 12 for 24 with a homer and two doubles versus the Orioles this season, though he's 1 for 8 lifetime against Hammel.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Orioles at Blue Jays
Fri, Jun 21 - 7:07PM EDT
GAME 2
Orioles at Blue Jays
Sat, Jun 22 - 1:07PM EDT
GAME 3
Orioles at Blue Jays
Sun, Jun 23 - 1:07PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:38 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Twins (33-36) at Indians (36-35)
Game: 1
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: June 21, 2013 7:05 PM EDT
The Cleveland Indians have gotten back on track largely due to their rotation, though Scott Kazmir hasn't provided much help lately.
That doesn't bode well for the left-hander against a Minnesota Twins team that has been hot offensively.
The Indians look to continue their turnaround with a seventh win in nine games as they open a three-game home series Friday night versus the Twins, winners of three in a row.
Following a season-worst eight-game losing streak, Cleveland (36-35) has won three straight series. The Indians' rotation, which had a 7.59 ERA during the skid, has keyed the resurgence with a 2.34 ERA over the last eight games.
Nine-game winner Justin Masterson provided the latest quality start, giving up two runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 6-3 home victory over Kansas City on Wednesday.
"Masterson is our ace, no question about it," said outfielder Michael Brantley, who hit a pair of solo homers. "When our ace throws, we've got to win those games."
The Indians, though, haven't been winning lately with Kazmir (3-4, 5.89 ERA) on the mound. He's 0-2 with a 7.98 ERA in his last three starts, all Cleveland losses.
He gave up five runs and three homers in 2 2-3 innings before leaving without a decision in a 7-6 loss to Washington on Saturday.
Kazmir will attempt to bounce back with his second victory against the Twins (33-36) this season. He yielded two runs over six innings in a 7-3 home win May 4.
This time, however, Kazmir faces a Minnesota team that has batted .324 with nine homers while winning four of five.
The Twins matched a season high with four home runs to cap their first three-game sweep with an 8-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.
"It always helps a lot when you've got everybody hitting in the lineup," said second baseman Brian Dozier, who homered for the third time in four games. "Hopefully that won't let up, and we can continue the hot bats and the pitching and defense."
Joe Mauer (7 for 15) and Ryan Doumit (7 for 12) may also be heating up after big series against the White Sox.
After winning six of nine on their homestand, the Twins hope to keep it going for right-hander Samuel Deduno (3-1, 3.26) as they open a five-game road trip.
Since giving up six runs and nine hits over 5 1-3 innings in a 6-0 loss at Detroit in his season debut May 24, Deduno is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four starts.
He's 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA in three career starts against the Indians.
Brantley is 2 for 13 when facing Minnesota this season, while teammate Jason Kipnis - hitting .419 over his last nine games - is 5 for 13 with a homer, two triples and six RBIs in three games against the Twins.
The Indians, who took two of three from the visiting Twins from May 3-5, aren't expected to have first baseman Nick Swisher back until Saturday due to a shoulder injury.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Twins at Indians
Fri, Jun 21 - 7:05PM EDT
GAME 2
Twins at Indians
Sat, Jun 22 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 3
Twins at Indians
Sun, Jun 23 - 1:05PM EDT
GAME 4
Indians at Orioles
Mon, Jun 24 - 7:05PM EDT
GAME 5
Indians at Orioles
Tue, Jun 25 - 7:05PM EDT
GAME 6
Indians at Orioles
Wed, Jun 26 - 7:05PM EDT
GAME 7
Indians at Orioles
Thu, Jun 27 - 7:05PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:41 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Rockies (37-37) at Nationals (36-36)
Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: June 21, 2013 7:05 PM EDT
Other than the outcome of his first start off the disabled list, Stephen Strasburg feels good about being back on the mound for the Washington Nationals.
The right-hander looks to build on that outing while trying to help hand the visiting Colorado Rockies a season-high fifth straight defeat Friday night.
Out since May 31 with a strained muscle in his back, Strasburg (3-6, 2.50 ERA) allowed a run and one hit over 82 pitches in five innings of a 2-0 loss to Cleveland on Sunday.
"I felt really good and definitely could have gone for a few more innings, but they didn't want me to,' he said. "It was good to be out there after two weeks.'
Strasburg, who was 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three starts before he got hurt at Atlanta, retired eight in a row at one point but also walked four and struck out four Sunday.
"He was a little bit rusty and didn't have his command, but I thought he settled in pretty well,' Washington manager Davey Johnson said. "He had a maximum of 80.'
The Nationals (36-36) were shut out for the eighth time in that contest. They scored three runs when Strasburg went 0-2 with a 3.75 ERA against the Rockies last season.
Washington has totaled 11 runs and 19 hits to win two in a row following a three-game skid where it recorded six and 22 hits. Adam LaRoche had three hits with two RBIs, Ian Desmond homered for the second straight game and Jordan Zimmermann pitched eight strong innings in Thursday's 5-1 win over Colorado (37-37).
"We need to get ourselves on track and play some consistent ball," LaRoche said. "I don't need to tell you we've been way too streaky.'
Desmond, who hit a grand slam in the 11th inning of Wednesday's 6-2 win at Philadelphia, has homered for three of the four hits in his last 26 at_bats.
LaRoche is 6 for 11 in three games after he went 0 for 16 in the previous five. He's hit .326 with nine RBIs in his last 12 contests against the Rockies, who have been outscored 20-6 during their four-game slide.
Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez is 2 for 21 with 12 strikeouts in his last six games versus Washington after going 9 for 15 in his previous four.
The Rockies hope to get back on track behind another strong effort from scheduled starter Tyler Chatwood (4-1, 2.33). The right-hander, who missed his previous turn in the rotation due to a triceps injury, gave up two runs and overcame seven hits and three walks in five innings in Saturday's 10-5 victory over Philadelphia.
"I thought Chat did an outstanding job,' Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "What I really liked is when he got in trouble, he got the double-play ball.
"I think he's really focused on doing that this year. That's been his approach in those situations and he's been able to get it done.'
Chatwood has yielded six runs and no homers over 32 2-3 innings while going 4-1 in his last six starts, a span that included a trip to the minors.
This will be his first appearance versus Washington.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Rockies at Nationals
Thu, Jun 20 Final 1 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Rockies at Nationals
Fri, Jun 21 - 7:05PM EDT
GAME 3
Rockies at Nationals
Sat, Jun 22 - 12:05PM EDT
GAME 4
Rockies at Nationals
Sun, Jun 23 - 1:35PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:44 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Mets (28-41) at Phillies (35-38)
Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: June 21, 2013 7:05 PM EDT
Wins haven't been easy to come by for Philadelphia's Cole Hamels, but he got the best of the New York Mets earlier this season.
Manager Terry Collins' club has generally struggled in the series of late.
Hoping to avoid becoming the majors' first 11-game loser, Hamels tries to lead the Phillies to a sixth consecutive win over the visiting Mets in Friday night's opener.
After posting double-digit wins in each of the previous six seasons, Hamels (2-10, 4.40 ERA) has had a rough go this year. The three-time All-Star, who went a career-best 17-6 in 2012, is tied with the Los Angeles Angels' Joe Blanton for the most losses in baseball.
"I'm not happy about it, because there's a reason I want to be here, and that's to win," Hamels, whose run support average of 2.97 ranks as one of the NL's lowest, told MLB's official website.
Hamels went toe-to-toe with Colorado's Jhoulys Chacin on Sunday but suffered another loss in a 5-2 defeat, allowing three runs in seven innings. Hamels, who lost a career-high 11 games in 2009 and 2010, fell to 1-1 in three June starts despite posting a 2.70 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 20 innings.
"He's one of the toughest lefties in the game," Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer said. "I know his record and ERA is what it is, but he's still got great stuff."
Hamels is 3-0 with a 3.07 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 41 innings in his last six outings versus New York (28-41). He walked a career high-tying six but allowed one run and two hits over six innings in a 5-1 victory at Citi Field on April 28. Lucas Duda is 1 for 12 against Hamels and John Buck is 2 for 25. Those two hits, though, were homers.
Hamels hasn't been alone in baffling the Mets, who have hit .208 in dropping nine of 10 versus Philadelphia (35-38), including the last five by a 33-11 margin.
The Phillies are looking to regroup after their season-high six-game home winning streak was snapped Wednesday in a 6-2, 11-inning loss to Washington. Jonathan Papelbon blew his second save in three chances before Michael Stutes surrendered a grand slam in the 11th.
"This is a game of fundamentals. We got to do fundamentals right," said Papelbon, who wasn't pleased with his team's defensive positioning. "It's a simple game. Every little thing that goes into every pre-pitch, we got to do better."
The Mets just took three of five at NL East-leading Atlanta, winning 4-3 in Thursday's finale. David Wright went 3 for 4 with a pair of solo homers and Andrew Brown also went deep.
"It's a good feeling to come in here and take this series against this team, because they're obviously one of the elite," said Wright, hitting .407 with four homers during a 14-game stretch.
Wright is 18 for 54 (.333) with four homers against Hamels.
New York counters with Jeremy Hefner (1-6, 3.96), who allowed three runs - one earned - and six hits in five innings in Sunday's 4-3 walkoff win over the Chicago Cubs.
The right-hander has been knocked around in his last two starts versus Philadelphia. After yielding a career-worst seven runs and failing to record an out before being removed in a 16-1 defeat Sept. 20, Hefner surrendered a season-high five earned runs in three innings in a 7-3 road loss April 10 - his shortest start of the year.
Domonic Brown is 2 for 2 with a homer versus Hefner, and Jimmy Rollins is 3 for 7 with two doubles.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Mets at Phillies
Fri, Jun 21 - 7:05PM EDT
GAME 2
Mets at Phillies
Sat, Jun 22 - 4:05PM EDT
GAME 3
Mets at Phillies
Sun, Jun 23 - 1:35PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:46 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: White Sox (29-41) at Royals (34-36)
Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: June 21, 2013 8:10 PM EDT
The last thing the Chicago White Sox need right now is a matchup with Kansas City Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie.
The right-hander has completely shut down Chicago since being acquired by the Royals last summer, and he'll look to add to the visiting White Sox's woes in the opener of a three-game series Friday night.
Guthrie came to Kansas City in a deal for left-hander Jonathan Sanchez on July 19, and he's gone 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA in six starts against the White Sox. The Royals have won all six games, and Guthrie has allowed one run over 15 innings in winning both outings this season.
He pitched a four-hitter in his first career shutout in the last matchup May 4, walking one in a 2-0 victory in Kansas City.
"He's been tough on us," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "First, because he's good. ... He seems to pick it up when we're facing him. ... You have to pick your poison, you go after him early and then you pop it up. He's tough."
Guthrie beat Baltimore in his next start May 9 to increase his club record to 18 consecutive outings without a defeat and improve to 5-0 with a 2.28 ERA on the season. However, he's struggled since, going 2-4 with a 5.24 ERA in his past seven starts.
Guthrie (7-4, 3.72 ERA) gave up three home runs in a 5-3 loss at Tampa Bay on Saturday and leads the majors with 19 allowed.
"I'd like someone to pass me," Guthrie told the Royals' official website. "It's hard for them to pass me, I'm going real fast."
Guthrie has not allowed a home run in 44 2-3 innings against the White Sox (29-41) since joining the Royals (34-36).
Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn hit back-to-back homers in Minnesota on Thursday, but it wasn't enough as the White Sox lost 8-4.
Chicago has dropped three straight, seven of eight and 17 of 22 games. The White Sox are 12 games under .500 for the first time since the last day of the 2007 season.
"We truly feel like we're way too good to be playing like this," pitcher John Danks said. "We feel we're just as talented as any team in the league."
The Royals are 12-6 in June but have lost two in a row, falling 6-3 in Cleveland on Wednesday night.
"It's tough," left fielder Alex Gordon said. "... We would have loved to turn these last two games around. We could have. We had our opportunities and just didn't do it."
Kansas City will be facing Hector Santiago (2-5, 3.30), who has been filling in for the injured Jake Peavy. The left-hander has been in and out of the rotation this season, going 2-3 with a 3.00 ERA in seven starts.
He lost 5-4 in Houston on Sunday after giving up three runs in the second inning.
"Like I said earlier in the year, it's always one inning," Santiago told the White Sox's official website. "First, second inning I get in trouble and then I settled in, but I have to get to the point where I get through the first two innings. Get through those and it seems like we're good from there."
Santiago has not allowed a run while striking out 13 in 11 1-3 career innings against the Royals. He's made one start, allowing three hits in four innings opposite Guthrie on Sept. 9 when the Royals won 2-1 in 10 innings in Chicago.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
White Sox at Royals
Fri, Jun 21 - 8:10PM EDT
GAME 2
White Sox at Royals
Sat, Jun 22 - 2:10PM EDT
GAME 3
White Sox at Royals
Sun, Jun 23 - 2:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:48 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Braves (43-31) at Brewers (29-42)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: June 21, 2013 8:10 PM EDT
At just 22 years of age, Julio Teheran could be establishing himself as one of the best young pitchers in baseball.
Looking to build on another impressive performance, Teheran tries to help the Atlanta Braves avoid a seventh consecutive road loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.
Six days after losing at San Diego by yielding a season worst-tying five runs in six innings of a 7-6 defeat, Teheran (5-3, 3.36 ERA) bounced back Sunday in a 3-0 win over San Francisco. The right-hander struck out eight and walked one in six innings, giving him a 2.42 ERA over his last 10 outings.
"I know that I wasn't at my best last time, and I was trying to get back on track and keep what I've been doing in my last 10 starts," he told MLB's official website.
Teheran, who has fanned 54 and walked just nine in 67 innings during his solid 10-start stretch, escaped a pair of bases-loaded jams against the Giants.
"Maturation, that's what it is," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Here's a guy that 12 starts ago, it might've blown up on him, and here's a guy that can compose himself. He's been through those situations, and he did a good job."
Teheran is set to make his first appearance against Milwaukee (29-42), which has outscored the Braves 27-9 during a six-game run at Miller Park. Although the Brewers have won three straight on their own field, they're just 7-15 there since May 1.
Sitting in a last-place tie in the NL Central, Milwaukee returns home after concluding a 4-5 road trip with what manager Ron Roenicke called the team's worst game of the year. Milwaukee went 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position, and Michael Gonzalez surrendered a walkoff three-run homer in the 10th inning of Thursday's 7-4 loss at Houston.
"That's as bad as it gets," Roenicke said. "Sometimes we might lose big, or we may not pitch well, but all the things we did wrong in that game, that's a bad game."
Atlanta (43-31) is coming off its third loss in four games, falling 4-3 to the New York Mets on Thursday. Tyler Pastornicky, Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman and Justin Upton - the team's first four hitters - went a combined 9 for 19, but the Braves were 3 for 13 with runners in scoring position.
"That's baseball, but we're definitely not going to hang our heads," said B.J. Upton, who was 0 for 5 and stranded five runners. "We're going to bounce back, and we'll be ready to play (Friday)."
Losers in 12 of 18 on the road, the Braves will try to regroup against Wily Peralta (4-8, 6.08). He was tagged for five runs in 5 1-3 innings in Sunday's 5-1 loss at Cincinnati, dropping to 1-6 over his last eight outings.
"I think sometimes he tries to overthrow," catcher Jonathan Lucroy said of the 24-year-old right-hander. "It's a typical thing. You see it a lot in younger pitchers. They try to do too much."
Peralta has lost three consecutive home starts, compiling a 9.26 ERA while allowing 19 hits and 11 walks in 11 2-3 innings.
In his only appearance versus Atlanta, Peralta yielded one run in six innings but didn't receive a decision in a 4-1 victory Sept. 10.
Milwaukee's Juan Francisco, acquired from Atlanta on June 3 after getting designated for assignment, faces his former team for the first time. He's 6 for 38 with a homer and five RBIs in 13 games with the Brewers.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Braves at Brewers
Fri, Jun 21 - 8:10PM EDT
GAME 2
Braves at Brewers
Sat, Jun 22 - 4:10PM EDT
GAME 3
Braves at Brewers
Sun, Jun 23 - 2:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:50 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Rangers (41-32) at Cardinals (47-26)
Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: June 21, 2013 8:15 PM EDT
The Texas Rangers got a much-needed boost with a successful series that ended in thrilling fashion.
That also provided a fitting prelude for a highly anticipated rematch.
In their first visit to St. Louis since a dramatic 2011 World Series, the Rangers will try to keep their momentum going against the Cardinals on Friday night.
Texas (41-32) had lost six in a row - its longest skid in three seasons - before winning three of four over AL West-leading Oakland this week. The Rangers held on for a 4-3 win in Thursday's series finale after catcher A.J. Pierzynski tagged Josh Donaldson for the game's final out.
The victory pushed Texas within one game of Oakland in the division.
"Any win right now is special, especially against a good team like the A's, especially to win the series," said shortstop Elvis Andrus, who made the relay throw to Pierzynski.
The Rangers now face the owners of the best record in the majors and visit a stadium where one of the franchise's most heartbreaking losses occurred.
Texas was one strike away from winning its first World Series title in 2011 until David Freese hit a game-tying triple in Game 6. The eventual World Series MVP also hit the winning home run in the 11th inning and had an early two-run double in a 6-2 victory in Game 7.
"It's going to be fun to go back there. I know a lot of people are going to talk about Game 6, but it's just another game in the regular season for us," Andrus told the team's website. "You kind of go back and think how close we were, but things happen for a reason. It helped us as a team, and hopefully we get in that situation soon."
Like the Rangers, the Cardinals (47-26) have won three of four this week, but their series victory came against one of the NL's worst teams - the Chicago Cubs. Matt Holliday homered and drove in two runs Thursday as St. Louis beat the Cubs 6-1.
"It was a great series. Any time you can win three of four it's really good," said Allen Craig, who had a pinch-hit, two-run single. "We played really good baseball."
Craig has 11 RBIs in his last 10 games, Holliday is batting .381 in his last 17 and now they both will try to help hand Derek Holland (5-4, 3.30 ERA) a third straight defeat.
The left-hander has been tagged for eight runs and 19 hits in 10 1-3 innings over his last two starts, losing to Cleveland and Toronto.
Holland, though, is 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA in his last four road starts and 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two outings against NL opponents this season. The left-hander won his only start against St. Louis, throwing 8 1-3 scoreless innings in Game 4 of the 2011 World Series.
He'll be opposed by another struggling pitcher, Tyler Lyons (2-3, 4.65). The rookie left-hander is 0-3 with a 7.41 ERA in three starts this month after going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his first two games in the majors.
Lyons gave up a career-high six runs over 5 1-3 innings Sunday in a 7-2 loss at Miami.
The Cardinals and Rangers are meeting for only the second time in the regular season. St. Louis won two of three in Texas from June 11-13, 2004.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Rangers at Cardinals
Fri, Jun 21 - 8:15PM EDT
GAME 2
Rangers at Cardinals
Sat, Jun 22 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 3
Rangers at Cardinals
Sun, Jun 23 - 8:05PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:52 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Reds (44-30) at Diamondbacks (39-33)
Game: 1
Venue: Chase Field
Date: June 21, 2013 9:40 PM EDT
Johnny Cueto didn't appear to feel any effects from a nagging shoulder injury his last time out, but that hasn't prevented Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker from keeping a close eye on his ace.
Cueto could further alleviate Baker's concerns with another solid performance against the host Arizona Diamondbacks as the teams begin a three-game series Friday night.
In his first start since May 31 due to a strained shoulder, Cueto (4-0, 2.08 ERA) came off the disabled list and allowed one run in six innings while adding an RBI on a suicide squeeze in a 5-1 win over Milwaukee on Sunday.
He's 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA over his last three starts.
"We only had one worry with Johnny Cueto - was his (shoulder) OK," Baker said. "Other than that, we don't worry about Johnny Cueto. We have confidence in Johnny in almost everything."
Baker should feel especially confident sending the right-hander to the mound Friday. Cueto is 5-0 with a 1.66 ERA in six starts versus the Diamondbacks, who are hitting .143 against him.
However, Cueto will be monitored closely after each start in order to prevent further injury.
"At least we know what the situation is and the signs," Baker told the team's official website. "You're going to be concerned, for the lack of a better word, probably now until the end of the season."
The Reds (44-30) are coming off a four-game split of an NL Central showdown with Pittsburgh after falling 5-3 on Thursday. Jay Bruce homered to give him five over his last seven games, all solo shots.
Bruce will look to snap an 0-for-19 slump against NL West-leading Arizona as Cincinnati seeks a fifth straight victory in the series to begin a tough eight-game road trip.
The Reds also will face AL West-leading Oakland twice before a three-game set with Texas after their series with the Diamondbacks, who have won two straight following a four-game skid.
Arizona (39-33) is coming off a 3-1 win over Miami on Wednesday, as Cody Ross hit a pinch-hit three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a scoreless tie.
"It hasn't been too often this year that I've contributed, so it feels nice," said Ross, who had gone hitless in his previous 13 at_bats.
Arizona's starters have largely done their part by posting a 2.14 ERA over the last six games, though the team has averaged 2.3 runs in that stretch.
"Our pitching has done great keeping us in games even though we haven't scored many runs," first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who is hitting .143 over his last 13 games, told the team's official website. "They've done a good job keeping it close and giving us an opportunity to score at the end."
Wade Miley, who went 3-1 with a 2.93 ERA over his first seven starts but has gone 1-5 with a 6.47 ERA in seven outings since, takes the hill Friday.
Miley (4-6, 4.64) allowed six runs, though only one was earned, in six innings of Saturday's 6-4 loss at San Diego.
"When things don't go your way, it's tough," catcher Miguel Montero said of Miley.
The left-hander made two starts against the Reds last season, giving up three runs and striking out six in 5 2-3 innings of a 5-3 win July 16 before falling 5-2 on Aug. 28 after allowing three runs in seven innings.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Reds at Diamondbacks
Fri, Jun 21 - 9:40PM EDT
GAME 2
Reds at Diamondbacks
Sat, Jun 22 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 3
Reds at Diamondbacks
Sun, Jun 23 - 4:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:54 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Pirates (43-30) at Angels (33-40)
Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: June 21, 2013 10:05 PM EDT
After successfully handling his first two major league starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Gerrit Cole makes his first road appearance near his hometown.
The first overall pick of the 2011 draft looks to begin his career 3-0 on Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels, who hope star Jered Weaver can continue his recent interleague success and avoid a third straight loss.
Cole (2-0, 3.75 ERA) has allowed five runs and 14 hits without a walk through 12 innings after two starts. The right-hander gave up three of those runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
The southern California native is set to make his first road start in Anaheim, a short drive from where he attended high school.
"That's gonna be pretty fun," Cole told the Pirates' official website. "I hope I can go out there and keep doing what I've been doing and have the ball roll our way."
These teams have not met since 2007, but Los Angeles (33-40) is 6-3 against the Pirates, with five of those wins coming over six home contests.
Pittsburgh (43-30), however, won for the eighth time in 13 games Thursday, beating Cincinnati 5-3 to split a four-game set. Pedro Alvarez drove in all five runs with a solo homer, a bases-loaded double and a single to raise his average from .214 to .223 in a few hours.
Alvarez has six home runs and 19 RBIs over his last 17 games while batting .290.
"I just think it's repetition and getting the opportunity to go out and try to gain as much experience as I can from every day out there," said Alvarez, the team leader with 15 homers and 43 RBIs.
Weaver (1-3, 4.41) is 8-0 with a 1.91 ERA in his last 13 interleague starts, but he's never faced the Pirates and is trying to avoid losing three consecutive starts for the first time since May 2011.
The right-hander allowed two earned runs over 12 innings to go 1-0 in his first two outings after missing almost two months with a broken elbow, but he's since yielded nine runs over 11 2-3 frames. He gave up five runs and walked four in six innings of a 6-5 home loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday.
"I didn't really accomplish anything that I try to accomplish through the course of a game," Weaver said. "Walks were bad, first-pitch strikes were bad, and I obviously didn't get deep in the game. It's just one of those games where I found myself battling the whole game."
He'll try to get back on track and help the Angels build on a remarkable 10-9 victory over Seattle on Thursday. Mike Trout had four hits and Mark Trumbo hit a three-run homer for Los Angeles, which rallied from a seven-run deficit and scored seven off Mariners ace Felix Hernandez to win for the sixth time in eight contests.
The Angels trailed 9-8 in the eighth, but got a tying single from Erick Aybar and went ahead on Alberto Callaspo's bases-loaded walk with two outs.
"We just battled all night and we came out with a W," said Peter Bourjos, who went 3 for 4 with a home run. "Everybody did a phenomenal job."
Trout is batting .542 with nine walks in the last seven games, but he's 2 for 19 in his last five interleague contests.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Pirates at Angels
Fri, Jun 21 - 10:05PM EDT
GAME 2
Pirates at Angels
Sat, Jun 22 - 10:05PM EDT
GAME 3
Pirates at Angels
Sun, Jun 23 - 3:35PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:56 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Athletics (43-32) at Mariners (32-42)
Game: 1
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: June 21, 2013 10:10 PM EDT
Last weekend's visit from the Seattle Mariners proved to be the beginning of the Oakland Athletics' current rough stretch. The A's only victory during that set came when Bartolo Colon outpitched Hisashi Iwakuma in the finale.
The 40-year-old Colon looks to win seven straight starts for the first time in his 16-year career Friday night against Iwakuma and the Mariners at Safeco Field.
Oakland (43-32) has dropped five of seven and after losing three of four at Texas, holds a one-game lead over the Rangers in the AL West.
Seattle (32-42) outscored the A's 7-2 to win the first two at the Coliseum before Colon (9-2, 2.89 ERA) allowed two runs over seven innings of a 10-2 victory Sunday.
Despite that win, Oakland has lost six of 10 to Seattle in 2013.
"(The Mariners are) a good team," manager Bob Melvin told the Athletics' official website. "We seem to get Felix (Hernandez) quite often. Iwakuma's pitching well. We've seen him a few times too. That may have something to do with it. But they've also been opportunistic offensively against us."
Colon, however, is 2-0 with a 1.19 ERA in his last three starts versus Seattle, and has yielded two runs or fewer in five of his last six matchups. The right-hander has also yielded five runs over 43 innings while winning six consecutive starts for the first time since July 9-Aug. 7, 2004.
"I've run out of superlatives for him," Melvin said. "I think, as consistent as he's been for us, we feel great every time he takes the mound."
Iwakuma (7-2, 2.06) had a string of 31 2-3 innings without allowing an earned run come to an end Sunday when he gave up four in five frames to also snap a five-game winning streak.
"He's not going to be perfect every time,' Mariners manager Eric Wedge said of the right-hander, who dropped to 2-1 with a 3.50 ERA against the A's this season. "This was a tough outing for him.
Iwakuma also understands he can't get too careless when opposing a pitcher like Colon.
"You have to be patient as a starter,' Iwakuma said. "You know runs will be tough against a pitcher like Bartolo Colon, but I was not able to come through in tough situations.'
Yoenis Cespedes is batting .417 (5 for 12) with two homers and two doubles against Iwakuma, but is 3 for 26 with 13 strikeouts in Oakland's last seven road games.
Josh Donaldson had three hits for Oakland on Thursday, but was thrown out at the plate for the final out of a 4-3 loss to the Rangers. The A's held one-run leads in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but lost for the fifth time in six road contests.
"That was as frustrating as any loss we've had,' Melvin said. "They played hard on every single pitch and every single out, but it seemed everything that could go wrong did go wrong.'
Donaldson is 2 for 10 versus Iwakuma, but has batted .368 (7 for 19) in the last five games.
Seattle's Kyle Seager is 2 for 16 in the last five games versus Oakland and 3 for 15 against Colon, but had four hits, including a two-run homer in Thursday's 10-9 loss at Los Angeles. The Mariners blew a pair of seven-run leads to lose for the fourth time in five games since the back-to-back wins at Oakland.
"It's a tough game from an emotional standpoint,' Wedge said.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Athletics at Mariners
Fri, Jun 21 - 10:10PM EDT
GAME 2
Athletics at Mariners
Sat, Jun 22 - 10:10PM EDT
GAME 3
Athletics at Mariners
Sun, Jun 23 - 4:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:58 PM |
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CNOTES
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Preview: Dodgers (30-41) at Padres (37-36)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: June 21, 2013 10:10 PM EDT
Mired in his longest winless stretch in four seasons, Clayton Kershaw might normally be looking forward to facing the San Diego Padres.
Manager Bud Black's team, though, has already gotten the best of him twice this year.
Kershaw tries to avoid losing a career-worst third consecutive start to the surging Padres, who look to continue their recent success against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night.
Owner of the NL's lowest ERA, Kershaw (5-4, 1.84 ERA) allowed three hits and struck out eight over seven innings of one-run ball during Saturday's 5-3, 11-inning victory at Pittsburgh. The former Cy Young award winner was in line for the win before Kenley Jansen blew the save.
"It's a little disappointing that he didn't get the win because he deserved it," outfielder Andre Ethier said of Kershaw. "When you see them score a run in the ninth, it's a little sickening feeling that one got away from him."
Kershaw is 0-2 with a 2.91 ERA over his last five outings - his longest winless stretch since going 0-3 with a 2.60 ERA over his final 11 starts in 2009.
"You control what you can control. It's not easy to do sometimes," he told MLB's official website. "But you control what you can control and that's what I'm trying to do."
Kershaw entered 2013 having gone 8-3 with a 2.28 ERA over 17 matchups versus San Diego (37-36) before dropping a pair of home starts while posting an uncharacteristic 3.97 ERA. He's, however, 3-1 with a 2.06 ERA in seven outings at Petco Park, allowing two runs or fewer in each.
Chase Headley is 8 for 42 against Kershaw and Kyle Blanks is 3 for 16, though one of those hits was a homer.
The Padres took the opener of this four-game set 6-3 on Thursday, their eighth win in 10 games. Acquired from Boston last Friday, Pedro Ciriaco went 2 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs for San Diego, which has hit .320 and outscored the Dodgers 42-23 in taking five of seven in the series.
Los Angeles (30-41), meanwhile, failed to take advantage of Yasiel Puig's sixth homer - three of which have come against the Padres. The Dodgers have dropped eight of 11 overall and 15 of 20 on the road.
They'll try to turn things around against San Diego's Clayton Richard (2-5, 7.01), who shut down Arizona in Sunday's 4-1 win. The left-hander allowed one run, seven hits and no walks over a season-high eight innings, earning his first victory as a starter.
"Clayton threw extremely well," Black said. "I thought he had good command of the fastball down in the zone, which is something he hasn't always had this season. He had good action with all of his pitches, which is what we expect of him every time out."
Richard is winless in his last five outings against Los Angeles, going 0-2 with a 6.12 ERA. He was tagged for six runs in 4 1-3 innings at Dodger Stadium on June 4, giving up a three-run homer to Puig.
Richard will also need to be cautious against Hanley Ramirez and Adrian Gonzalez, who are a combined 17 for 24 in their matchups. Juan Uribe has fared well, too, going 12 for 30 with three homers.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Dodgers at Padres
Thu, Jun 20 Final 3 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Dodgers at Padres
Fri, Jun 21 - 10:10PM EDT
GAME 3
Dodgers at Padres
Sat, Jun 22 - 7:15PM EDT
GAME 4
Dodgers at Padres
Sun, Jun 23 - 4:10PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 03:59 PM |
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CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543
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Preview: Marlins (23-49) at Giants (37-35)
Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: June 21, 2013 10:15 PM EDT
The Miami Marlins added to their dominance over San Francisco by quieting its red-hot hitters. That might continue if Ricky Nolasco can duplicate his recent efforts against the Giants.
Nolasco will seek to lead the Marlins to a ninth straight win in San Francisco on Friday night while improving to 5-0 there all-time.
The Giants (37-35) entered Thursday's series opener having batted .320 while scoring 59 runs in their prior 11 games. San Francisco, though, was limited to four hits in a 2-1 defeat to Miami (23-49).
In his first career pinch-hit at-bat, the Marlins' Marcell Ozuna had a two-run single in the eighth inning to keep his team's win streak at AT&T Park intact. The victory was also their 11th in the last 15 overall matchups with the Giants.
"He's a pretty good pinch hitter," manager Mike Redmond said.
With Nolasco starting Friday, Miami would appear to have a good chance to beat San Francisco again. In eight career starts against the Giants, the right-hander is 5-3 with a 1.83 ERA - his lowest ERA against any team he has faced more than twice.
Nolasco, who has won four of his last five decisions in the series, is 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA in his four all-time games in San Francisco, easily his best showing in any stadium.
"I wish I could tell you what it was," he told the team's website. "If I knew what it was, I'd try to do it in every ballpark."
Nolasco (4-7, 3.61 ERA) is coming off only his second win in nine starts, a 7-2 victory against St. Louis on Sunday. He gave up one run and three hits over seven innings and got the rare benefit of some generous run support.
Nolasco had been given a combined seven runs in his previous eight starts.
"It helps a ton," he said. "It just changes everything and the way you pitch and your approach."
The Marlins don't appear poised to repeat that effort considering in four games since they're batting .171 and have scored eight runs. They also have to face Tim Lincecum (4-7, 4.57), who has pitched well this month but is still having trouble getting enough support from his teammates.
The right-hander has posted a 2.55 ERA in his last three outings but is 1-2. He allowed three runs in six innings against Atlanta on Sunday and was saddled with a 3-0 loss.
Lincecum has received a combined four runs in his last six games and none in each of his past two.
"I was proud of how he battled out there," manager Bruce Bochy told the team's website. "He didn't let the game get away from us. He ended up throwing a pretty good game. We just didn't do anything with the bats."
Lincecum is 2-1 with a 3.67 ERA in four career starts against the Marlins but gave up six runs over 5 2-3 innings in his most recent matchup, a 7-6 defeat in Miami on May 25, 2012.
San Francisco's Joaquin Arias, currently riding an 11-game hit streak, went 0 for 3 in his only matchup against Nolasco last season.
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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Marlins at Giants
Thu, Jun 20 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Marlins at Giants
Fri, Jun 21 - 10:15PM EDT
GAME 3
Marlins at Giants
Sat, Jun 22 - 4:05PM EDT
GAME 4
Marlins at Giants
Sun, Jun 23 - 4:05PM EDT
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 04:01 PM |
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CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543
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Armadillo: Friday's six-pack
Odds to win the 2013 Grey Cup (Canadian Football League)
7-2-- British Columbia Lions
4-1-- Calgary Stampeders
9-2-- Montreal Alouettes
11-2-- Toronto Argonauts
13-2-- Saskatchewan Roughriders
7-1-- Hamilton Tiger-Cats
9-1-- Edmonton Eskimos
10-1-- Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*****
Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind............
13) Spurs’ sub Boris Diaw has made $50,163,421 in ten NBA seasons; Boris freakin’ Diaw?!?!?!? Is this a great country or what?
12) Mets’ pitcher Matt Harvey is 3-2, 2.86 in nine daytime starts, which is pretty good, but he is 3-0, 1.30 in six night starts. Only one of his last eight starts was at night.
11) Diamondbacks scored three or less runs in 11 of Trevor Cahill’s 15 starts; no wonder all my hair is falling out (ha-- its already gone!!!).
10) Baltimore is 7-0 on the road when Chris Tillman is starting pitcher.
9) I’ve never seen an episode of the Sopranos, but reading the tributes to James Gandolfini on Twitter was very touching. He did commercials for Rutgers football, being an alum; its cool that so many people have nice things to say about him. May he RIP.
8) In 1981, I saw the former Giants punter Dave Jennings play in the St Lawrence University alumni basketball game; is he the only former punter to become a prominent game analyst? Like Mr Gandolfini, Jennings passed away too young this week. RIP, sir.
7) Not the best week for news; someone stole a car from Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops’ house in the middle of the night? Pretty soon Stoops will be doing a commercial for some home security system, which means he got it for free.
6) NFL’s Jaguars have a mascot named Jaxson de Ville; he is yellow, wears sunglasses and he tweets. So there’s that.
5) Good news; TV analyst Jerry Remy will be back in the NESN booth Tuesday night at Fenway; he has been battling pneumonia since May 28. Remy and play-by-play guy Don Orsillo make an excellent team.
4) Last time NBA/NHL Finals games went OT on consecutive nights was back in 1974, with both games happening at Boston Garden.
3) Chris Bosh/Ray Allen combined to score zero points in 48 minutes and Miami still won Thursday; Shane Battier was 6-8 behind the arc, and he was the difference-maker.
2) Miami has now won consecutive titles, so credit to them, but how their team was assembled is bad for the NBA; if more cliques of stars decide they want to choose up their own sides and try to win a title, then what chance do the smaller cities ever have of winning?
Its not like Chris Paul/Dwight Howard/random third star would ever agree to play together for the Timberwolves or Raptors.....
1) NFL should definitely move its draft around the country, the way the NHL does. Very good idea.
Reply With Quote
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 04:05 PM |
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CNOTES
FoxDen Hall of Famer
Registered: Feb 2006
Posts: 10543
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MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up
Friday, June 21
Hot pitchers
-- Strasburg is 2-1, 1.80 in his last five starts. Chatwood is 4-1, 1.65 in his last six starts.
-- Hamels is 1-1, 2.70 in his last three starts.
-- Teheran is 2-1, 2.25 in his last three starts.
-- Cueto is 2-0, 0.86 in his last three starts.
-- Kershaw is 0-1, 2.25 in his last three starts.
-- Nolasco is 2-1, 2.61 in his last six starts.
-- Keuchel is 3-1, 2.49 in his last four starts.
-- Cole is 2-0, 3.75 in his first two MLB starts.
-- Phelps is 1-1, 2.25 in his last three starts.
-- Fister has a 2.32 RA in his last four starts.
-- Deduno is 3-0, 2.16 in his last four starts.
-- Guthrie is 2-0, 2.19 in his last couple home starts.
-- Colon is 6-0, 1.05 in his last six starts. Iwakuma is 5-0, 1.29 in seven home starts this season.
Cold pitchers
-- Hefner is 1-2, 5.03 in his last six starts.
-- Peralta is 0-2, 7.16 in his last three starts.
-- Miley is 1-5, 7.81 in his last seven starts.
-- Richard is 1-4, 7.34 in his last eight starts.
-- Lincecum is 1-5, 6.35 in his last six starts.
-- Garza is 1-1, 5.83 in his last five starts.
-- Lyons is 0-3, 7.41 in his last three starts. Holland is 0-2, 5.51 in his last three outings.
-- Weaver is 0-2, 6.11 in his last three starts.
-- Hernandez is 1-2, 5.50 in his last three starts.
-- Dickey is 2-2, 5.68 in his last five starts. Hammel is 0-2, 6.32 in his last three starts.
-- Lester is 0-4, 7.36 in his last six starts.
-- Kazmir is 0-2, 7.98 in his last three starts.
-- Santiago is 1-3, 5.40 in his last five starts.
Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in the first inning. You're reading ***************.com. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Chatwood 2-7; Strasburg 4-13 (0 of last 7)
-- Hefner 6-13; Hamels 3-15 (0 of last 5)
-- Teheran 6-13; Peralta 4-15
-- Cueto 1-7; Miley 3-14
-- Kershaw 1-15; Richard 3-10
-- Nolasco 5-14; Lincecum 7-13 (4 of last 5)
-- Keuchel 1-8; Garza 0-6
-- Holland 0-14; Lyons 2-5
-- Cole 0-2; Weaver 2-6
-- Hernandez 3-15; Phelps 2-9
-- Hammel 4-14 (0 of last 5); Dickey 5-15
-- Lester 4-15; Fister 2-15
-- Deduno 1-5; Kazmir 3-11
-- Santiago 1-7; Guthrie 4-14
-- Colon 3-14; Iwakuma 4-15
Totals
-- Four of last five Colorado games stayed under total.
-- Under is 6-2-2 in Mets' last ten games.
-- atl-mil
-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine Cincinnati games.
-- Over is 10-4-1 in last fifteen San Diego games.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five San Francisco games.
-- 11 of last 15 Houston games stayed under the total; last five Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Last four St Louis gasmes stayed under the total.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in Pittsburgh's last four games.
-- Under is 8-4-1 in last thirteen Bronx games.
-- Six of last seven Toronto games stayed under.
-- Under is 8-0-1 in last nine Boston games.
-- Four of last five Minnesota games went over total.
-- Four of last five White Sox games went over the total.
-- 11 of last 14 Seattle games stayed under the total.
Hot teams
-- Washington won its last three home games, allowing five runs.
-- Phillies won six of their last seven home games. Mets won four of their last six games overall.
-- Cincinnati won five of its last seven road games. Arizona won its last two games, allowing total of three runs.
-- Padres won eight of their last ten games.
-- Cardinals won 17 of their last 25 home games. Texas won three of its last four games.
-- Astros won six of their last eight games.
-- Angels won six of their last eight games.
-- Tampa Bay won its last two games, scoring 14 runs.
-- Blue Jays won their last eight games, scoring 46 runs. Baltimore won five of its last seven games.
-- Detroit won six of its last eight home games.
-- Cleveland won six of last eight games. Twins won four of their last five.
-- Royals won seven of their last eight home games.
Cold teams
-- Colorado is 3-8 in its last eleven road games.
-- Braves lost three of their last four games. Brewers are 3-5 in their last eight.
-- Dodgers lost eight of their last eleven games.
-- Miami lost 12 of its last 16 road games. Giants lost four of last six games.
-- Cubs lost four of their last five games.
-- Pirates lost six of their last nine road games.
-- White Sox lost 14 of their last 16 road games.
-- Red Sox lost four of their last five road games.
-- Bronx lost seven of its last nine games.
-- A's lost five of their last seven road games. Seattle lost four of its last five games overall.
Believe in the 3 G's
GIRLS, GOLF,GAMBLING not in any particular order.
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06-21-13 04:06 PM |
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