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**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 01:53 AM

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (735) LA CLIPPERS@ (736) HOUSTON | 05/12/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play AGAINST HOUSTON using the money line in Home games against Pacific division opponents
The record is 8 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (-20.85 units)

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (733) CHICAGO@ (734) CLEVELAND | 05/12/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON CHICAGO in the first half in Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 16 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+11.6 units)

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (735) LA CLIPPERS@ (736) HOUSTON | 05/12/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play UNDER HOUSTON on the total in Home games after 3 or more consecutive overs
The record is 26 Overs and 59 Unders for the since 1992 (+30.4 units)

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 01:56 AM

NHL TOTALS

NHL > (19) MONTREAL@ (20) TAMPA BAY | 05/12/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play OVER TAMPA BAY on the total in Home games after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game
The record is 11 Overs and 2 Unders for the last two seasons (+9.05 units)

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 01:58 AM

Starting Pitching Matters

May 11, 2015

Starting pitching is one aspect of handicapping baseball, and it’s important to carefully dissect the starters for each game. If the Cubs' Jon Lester is facing the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw, for example, you need to ask these questions: Where is the game being played? How is each starter against lefty and right batters? What is the history of each pitcher against that opponent? What is the history of the pitcher in that stadium?

You will find statistics often very revealing – and different. For example, Kershaw hasn’t had a great start to the season. Kershaw continues to look just as dominant as always at times and then to struggle in the key moments of a game. This season, batters are hitting .395 in in scoring position against him. In addition, his main struggles are coming on the road, with a decent 2.84 ERA at home, but a 5.33 ERA on the road. The Dodgers as a team are on a 36-15 run at home, including 40-17 as home chalk, so Kershaw’s troubles are mainly apparent on the road right now.

While bettors need to keep close tabs on where Kershaw pitches, you really don’t have to with Washington starter Max Scherzer. Despite his losing record (2-3), there is nothing wrong with Scherzer’s stuff, dominant at home and on the road. The losses are more of a fluke than anything wrong he’s doing, losing 3-1, 4-1 and 4-0. The offense simply hasn’t hit when he’s on the mound, but that is likely to change.

Tim Hudson is still throwing for the Giants. Let’s look at Hudson during some of his hey-days: From 1999-2000, Hudson was strong at home (26-9, 3.25 ERA), and on the road (27-15, 3.69 ERA) and there’s very little difference between how he pitched in day or night games. The only thing that stood out was how Hudson threw against the Angels: 10-3 with a 3.14 ERA in 97 innings pitched! There might be many reasons why a player does particularly well against one team, from the ballpark to the type of pitches he throws that matches up well with against the opposing batters, but the bottom line is that Hudson had Angels number during that stretch.

A famous World Series example was Dodger great Don Newcombe, who had a terrific fastball that helped him have seasons of 17, 19, 20, 20 and 27 wins. He was the first Cy Young winner, but never won a World Series game, 0-4 with an 8.59 ERA. Why? “The Yankees were a great fastball hitting team,” Newcombe once said. “They had my number.” It’s essential to examine stats, players and situations very carefully.

Stadiums are also important, too. Unlike football and basketball, baseball stadiums have different sizes and configurations. Yankee Stadium, for example, has a short porch in right field making it an easy home run park for left-handed batters. This is why historically the Yankees have built their teams heavy on lefty sluggers and southpaw pitchers.

Great pitchers' parks include O.co Coliseum (A’s), Target Field (Twins), Turner Field (Braves), Safeco Field (Mariners), and Dodger Stadium. Teams that play in great hitters' parks are the Astros, Red Sox, Indians, Pirates, Brewers, Rockies and Cubs. So dig deep, think carefully and know your stats and starting pitchers!

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 02:50 AM

Preview: Cardinals (22-9) at Indians (11-19)
Game: 1
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: May 12, 2015 6:10 PM EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals' rich history includes 11 World Series titles and nearly 11,000 victories, and yet there always seems to be something baseball fans haven't seen.

One feat the Cardinals can't claim is a series win of any kind against the Cleveland Indians, and their next shot at crossing off the only remaining active franchise they haven't defeated in a series begins Tuesday night in Cleveland.

The Cardinals (22-9), fittingly, began interleague play in 1997 by losing two of three at home to the Indians (11-19). Since then, they've racked up 143 interleague wins for a .520 winning percentage that ranks behind only the New York Mets and Miami in the NL.

Among the current franchises, there are 11 matchups in which one team has never defeated the other in the regular or postseason, though the Cardinals and Indians are the only teams in that group to have met more than five times. St. Louis is just 6-14 against Cleveland in seven series and has never beaten the Indians in back-to-back games.

The club has also never had Lance Lynn on the mound against the AL foe, but the reliable right-hander hasn't displayed much recent consistency.

Lynn (1-3, 3.82 ERA) suffered his second defeat in three starts in Wednesday's 6-5 home loss to the Chicago Cubs, allowing five runs and eight hits in six innings. Lynn has a 6.00 ERA in those three starts after giving an earned run in each of his first three outings. He's been even worse in AL parks, going 1-4 with a 6.69 ERA in six starts.

Lynn should have Matt Carpenter back in the lineup after the third baseman missed the weekend series in Pittsburgh because of fatigue.

The Cardinals dropped two of three at PNC Park and are in danger of losing three straight for the first time. Sunday's 4-3 loss was the first time they were held under five runs in seven games - a span in which they've batted .295 with 6.14 runs per game.

St. Louis tied it in the sixth and seventh innings but was never able to grab a lead.

"Just one of those days we had to try and get what we could," manager Mike Matheny said. "Gave up a few, got 'em back, then just couldn't hold them in the end."

Matt Holliday has often paced the impressive offense, reaching base in all of his 29 games. He was 0 for 3 with a walk Sunday, while Kolten Wong was 1 for 3 with a home run. The second baseman has homered in two of three games and is 15 for 29 on an eight-game hitting streak.

The lineup won't have to face Danny Salazar after the Cleveland starter pitched the Indians to an 8-2 victory over Minnesota on Sunday to salvage one of three in the series.

Salazar has been impressive, but the rotation as a whole has a 5.46 ERA. By those standards, Carlos Carrasco hasn't been bad. Carrasco (4-2, 4.71) has won consecutive starts, including Wednesday's 10-3 victory in Kansas City after allowing three runs and five hits in seven innings against a strong lineup.

"I thought he did really well," manager Terry Francona told MLB's official website. "... He pitched really effectively against a lineup that feels pretty good about themselves."

The right-hander is 3-2 with a 3.24 ERA in five starts against the NL, but Jhonny Peralta is 6 for 8 in their matchups.

After Sunday, Cleveland is in a position to win two straight games for the first time since the first series of the year in Houston.

Jason Kipnis is hitting .462 in May and Michael Brantley is batting .385 on a 10-game hitting streak.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Indians
Tue, May 12 - 6:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Cardinals at Indians
Wed, May 13 - 6:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Cardinals at Indians
Thu, May 14 - 12:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 02:55 AM

Preview: Blue Jays (16-16) at Orioles (13-16)
Game: 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: May 12, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

For at least one day, Camden Yards was a place of solace for a city recovering from disarray. And after another win there, a home-heavy schedule might be what the Baltimore Orioles need to gain some traction.

Baltimore seeks its seventh home win in eight tries Tuesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Orioles returned to Baltimore on Monday, winning 5-2 in their first game in front of their home crowd in 15 days, prompting some to dub it "Re-Opening Day." Two home games against the Chicago White Sox last month were postponed due to safety concerns amid the unrest stemming from the death of Freddie Gray. They defeated Chicago 8-2 on April 29 in a game to which no fans were admitted.

The club wore jerseys emblazoned with "Baltimore" instead of the customary "Orioles" typically reserved for the home uniforms.

"It felt great. It felt good to be back, having some pride," said Ubaldo Jimenez, who gave up two runs over seven innings in his third victory. "All of the people that came to the game tonight, they were into the game since the first pitch. So that definitely motivated us to play."

Baltimore (14-16) had dropped five of six but could be poised to take advantage of a stretch in which it plays 17 of 20 at home. During their current 6-1 stretch there, the O's are hitting .335 with 13 homers while scoring 7.4 runs per game.

Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Adam Jones homered Monday. Davis' homer was his sixth in 14 games while Jones hit his first in 18 games, with three of his six this season coming against Toronto.

Jimmy Paredes extended his hitting streak to 10 games and is 7 for 13 over his last three.

The Blue Jays (16-17) had won five of the teams' first six meetings, scoring 47 runs in the last four before cooling off in the series opener.

They're hoping Mark Buehrle (4-2, 6.00 ERA) can knock off Baltimore for a third time this season, though he owns the highest ERA among four-game winners. He was ripped for 13 runs and 24 hits in back-to-back losses before beating the New York Yankees in Wednesday's 5-1 win, allowing one run in six innings, though he wasn't entirely pleased.

"I made bad pitches today and I got away with them," he said. "I've always said I want to be good but at the same time I want to be lucky."

The left-hander was rather fortunate in winning his first three starts, receiving 11 runs of support each time. His 10.91 run-support average trails only teammate Drew Hutchison (11.15).

Jones is 16 for 37 off Buehrle, going 5 for 6 this season with a homer and two doubles.

Baltimore's Chris Tillman (2-4, 6.25) is trying to avoid losing a career-high fourth straight start after surrendering 13 runs over 17 innings in the last three. He hasn't completed six innings in four of his six starts.

"I've got to keep doing the same thing and execute some more pitches," he told MLB's official website.

Tillman is also looking to end a four-start slide versus Toronto, during which he owns a 9.45 ERA. He allowed seven runs in each of his two losses to the Blue Jays this season.

Jose Bautista was limited to grounding out in a pinch-hit appearance Monday, resting his strained shoulder. His last 12 starts have been made as the designated hitter, and he hasn't played in the field since April 21. He's homerless in 12 straight games.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Blue Jays at Orioles
Mon, May 11 - Final 2 - 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Orioles
Tue, May 12 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Blue Jays at Orioles
Wed, May 13 - 7:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 02:57 AM

Preview: Twins (18-14) at Tigers (19-13)
Game: 1
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: May 12, 2015 7:08 PM EDT

Although they're off to their best start since their last AL Central title five years ago, the surprising Minnesota Twins haven't been able to solve the team that has won the past four crowns.

Minnesota hopes to change that in the opener of their road series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night, when the surprisingly successful Kyle Gibson will try to make up for his dismal outing at Comerica Park last month.

The Twins (18-14) have soared to their best record after 32 games since 2010, but hope to avoid their first back-to-back losses since April 20-21 after their four-game winning streak ended with Sunday's 8-2 loss at Cleveland.

Brian Dozier's solo home run and Joe Mauer's RBI single accounted for the scoring and were the team's only hits. Minnesota hit .322 and averaged 7.5 runs in winning nine of its previous 10.

"Your offense looks so much better when you get two-out hits," manager Paul Molitor told MLB's official website of his team, which still is among the major league leaders with two outs and runners in scoring position (.313).

The Twins have struggled in this season series in pretty much every aspect. They've scored 2.5 runs per game in losing five of six while the starters have a 7.85 ERA.

Gibson (3-2, 2.97 ERA) allowed a season-high six runs and issued five walks over 3 2-3 innings as the Tigers completed a season-opening home sweep with a 7-1 win April 9. He's gone 1-3 with a 7.48 ERA in his last four meetings overall.

The right-hander has MLB lows of 2.7 strikeouts per nine innings and 0.73 strikeouts per walk, but now looks to extend a 17 1-3 inning scoreless streak after giving up four hits over six innings in Wednesday's 13-0 home win over Oakland.

Anthony Gose went 3 for 3 with a double off Gibson last month, while J.D. Martinez went 2 for 3 with a home run. Miguel Cabrera is 5 for 12 with a home run in their matchups and Ian Kinsler has gone 6 for 15 with a homer.

Detroit (19-13) hopes to get its bats going after totaling three runs in dropping the last two of its home series with Kansas City. The Tigers failed to drive in the tying run with the bases loaded and no outs in the 10th inning of Sunday's 2-1 defeat.

Cabrera has gone 3 for 21 and Yoenis Cespedes is 3 for 24 over the last six games while Martinez is 2 for 29 in his past nine.

"Sometimes you don't perform," Kinsler said. "That's the way this game goes sometimes."

Alfredo Simon has allowed nine runs over 9 1-3 innings in his last two starts - both Detroit losses - after winning his first four. The right-hander did not get a decision after giving up three runs and issuing four walks over five innings in last Wednesday's 7-6 road loss to the Chicago White Sox.

In his only career outing against Minnesota, Simon (4-1, 3.44) allowed a run over eight innings in an 8-1 win in 2011 while with Baltimore. Kurt Suzuki has fared well versus Simon, going 3 for 7 with two home runs.

Minnesota is expected to have Trevor Plouffe back after a two-game absence due to family reasons. The third baseman, tied with former Tiger Torii Hunter for the team lead with five homers, is hitting .346 over his last seven games.

Rookie James McCann will get an extended look as Detroit's No. 1 catcher with Alex Avila (knee) sidelined.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Tigers
Tue, May 12 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 2
Twins at Tigers
Wed, May 13 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 3
Twins at Tigers
Thu, May 14 - 1:08PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 02:59 AM

Preview: Pirates (15-16) at Phillies (11-21)
Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: May 12, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

A.J. Burnett left plenty of money on the table to leave Philadelphia. He's making the most of his opportunity to go back to Pittsburgh.

Fans at Citizens Bank Park are sure to give him a rude greeting after his forgettable lone season with the Phillies, and they'll be even more annoyed by Burnett if his early season brilliance continues for the Pirates on Tuesday night.

Following two successful seasons with Pittsburgh, winning 26 games with a 3.41 ERA and helping end the franchise's 20-year playoff drought in 2013, Burnett went for the bigger paycheck by joining Philadelphia last season for $15 million. He posted a career-high 18 losses and a 4.59 ERA while pitching through a hernia as the Phillies finished in the NL East basement, leaving him contemplating retirement.

Meanwhile, the Pirates returned to the playoffs, and watching them in a wild-card game made Burnett realize he wished he never left.

"I kept saying, 'Why am I not there? I should be in that dugout with them,'" he said after signing with Pittsburgh in November for $8.5 million, having declined a $12.75 million player option with Philadelphia.

The 38-year-old Burnett (1-1, 1.66 ERA) insists this is his final season, but it doesn't seem he should be headed for retirement. His ERA through six starts is third-best in team history, and he's the first Pirates starter not to allow more than two runs in his first six outings since Bob Walk through seven starts in 1988.

"He's well aware he's not the guy he was 10 years ago, or five or maybe even three," manager Clint Hurdle told MLB's official website. "But he's got weapons, and he can pitch."

Burnett hadn't won since Sept. 6 until beating Cincinnati on Thursday, throwing seven innings of two-run ball, because the Pirates (16-16) provided only five runs of support through his first five outings.

There's little reason to think his former team will cool him off. The major league-worst Phillies (11-22) are last in the NL in batting average (.229), runs (94) and homers (18). Burnett, whose 2,401 strikeouts are tied with Dennis Eckersley for 40th all-time, fanned 14 in 11 2-3 innings against Philadelphia while with the Pirates and went 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA.

Grady Sizemore is 6 for 17 with a homer and four doubles off Burnett, and he's batting .391 this month after having two RBI singles in Monday's 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh.

Starling Marte had a three-run shot - his team-high eighth homer - and is a career .412 hitter in Philadelphia, where the Pirates have won nine of 11.

"He's very comfortable here," Hurdle said.

Rookie Jung Ho Kang reached base twice and is batting .448 over his last nine games for Pittsburgh, which has won three straight.

Phillies rookie Odubel Herrera homered off closer Mark Melancon in the ninth, but Philadelphia fell to 0-20 when trailing after eight innings. The Phillies have lost 10 of 13 and are off to their worst start since 1997.

"In close games like that, little things add up," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We just have to tighten it up and do the little things better."

Sean O'Sullivan (0-1, 4.91) comes off the disabled list for another shot at the No. 5 spot in Philadelphia's rotation after missing three-plus weeks with knee tendinitis. His only two starts this year came against Washington, allowing six runs in 11 innings, and the long ball remained a big problem. He gave up three homers in those games and has served up 42 through 41 starts.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Phillies
Mon, May 11 - Final 4 - 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Pirates at Phillies
Tue, May 12 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Pirates at Phillies
Wed, May 13 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Pirates at Phillies
Thu, May 14 - 1:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 03:03 AM

Preview: Braves (14-17) at Reds (15-16)
Game: 2
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: May 12, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Cincinnati Reds' bullpen is already the worst in the majors, and now Aroldis Chapman is struggling.

After their All-Star closer took a second loss in as many games, the Reds will likely need to rely heavily on their relievers again with Anthony DeSclafani again getting the ball versus the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.

Cincinnati's bullpen has a 5.47 ERA - 1.36 higher than last year. The Reds' relievers have allowed 11 runs and issued seven walks in 12 2-3 innings of a 1-4 stretch, and Chapman's struggles have them facing a potential season-high four-game slide.

He's given up the winning run in the ninth in back-to-back games, including Monday's 2-1 loss to Atlanta in the opener of this three-game set. Chapman allowed Phil Gosselin to steal third before he scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. He hadn't allowed a run through 12 2-3 innings of his first 13 games, converting all six save chances.

"They take advantage of a slow delivery, which is something we have to work on," manager Bryan Price said. "We can't afford to just give up third base in that situation."

Going to the bullpen early has been necessary with DeSclafani (2-3, 2.50 ERA) on the mound.

The right-hander has lost three straight starts with a 4.80 ERA and 11 walks in 15 innings, getting knocked out before the sixth each time. That includes a 4-3 loss at Atlanta on May 1, when the right-hander gave up four runs and issued a career-high five walks in five innings.

DeSclafani walked four more Thursday, allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings of a 7-2 loss at Pittsburgh.

"I thought he did do a great job of battling," Price said. "It can be so frustrating when you're throwing the ball and you're not sure where it's gonna end up in the zone."

The Braves (15-17) will again counter DeSclafani with Mike Foltynewicz (2-0, 5.23), who is trying to become the first pitcher to win his first three games with the Braves since Ben Sheets in 2012.

The right-hander allowed three runs - two earned - in five innings against Cincinnati (15-17) on May 1. He followed that up Wednesday by yielding one run with seven strikeouts through five innings before giving up three and leaving with one out in the sixth of a 7-5 win over Philadelphia.

Foltynewicz is also proving to be solid with the bat, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly against the Phillies after connecting for a two-run double versus the Reds.

"You got to feel the competition, too, with these guys," Foltynewicz told MLB's official website of trying to follow Shelby Miller in the rotation. "You want to go out there and try to one-up someone."

He gets that chance again since Miller shut down the Braves on one run and three hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings of the series opener.

Freddie Freeman is on a tear, going 16 for 32 with six doubles and eight RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak, and was 2 for 4 on Monday.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Reds
Mon, May 11 - Final 2 - 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Braves at Reds
Tue, May 12 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Braves at Reds
Wed, May 13 - 7:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 03:06 AM

Preview: Yankees (20-12) at Rays (17-15)
Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: May 12, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Over the last century, only five starting pitchers have won their first six decisions against the New York Yankees.

Chris Archer can become the sixth Tuesday night - if the Tampa Bay Rays can score for him.

The Rays are 6-0 when Archer starts against the Yankees, who seek a sixth straight win at Tropicana Field when this four-game series continues.

Archer (3-4, 2.59 ERA) is 5-0 with a 1.93 ERA in six career starts against New York, though none have come this year. He can join Bernie Boland (Detroit), Bill Lee (Boston), Schoolboy Rowe (Detroit), Tom Phoebus (Baltimore) and Greg Hibbard (Chicago White Sox, Seattle) as starters who opened their careers 6-0 versus the Yankees among pitchers who began in 1914 or later.

The right-hander is 1-4 with a 3.90 ERA in five home outings. The Rays (17-16) have failed to give him any run support in his four home defeats.

Archer, second in the AL in strikeouts per nine innings at 10.80, has given up nine runs over 9 1-3 innings in consecutive losses after allowing no earned runs over his previous 26 2-3 innings.

Though Archer dominates the Yankees, the red-hot Jacoby Ellsbury is 10 for 15 in their matchups for the highest average of any player with at least five at_bats against him. Ellsbury, who was rested Monday, has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games with a .418 average.

Brett Gardner is 5 for 15 off Archer, Mark Teixeira is 1 for 6, Carlos Beltran 1 for 9 and Alex Rodriguez 0 for 3.

Teixeira went 4 for 5 with one of New York's season-high five homers in Monday's 11-5 victory. Gardner and Chase Headley had three-run shots and Rodriguez and Beltran added solo homers, with Beltran going deep in consecutive games after having no homers in his first 26.

"It was a great offensive night for a lot of guys tonight," manager Joe Girardi said.

Rodriguez, who has had some left hamstring tightness, is 6 for 14 with three homers and eight runs in four games at Tampa.

"I think I should be OK," he said.

The Yankees (21-12) have won 15 of 20. They are 6-1 against the Rays this year while enjoying their longest win streak at Tropicana Field since a seven-game run from 2005-06.

Tampa Bay will face Nathan Eovaldi (3-0, 3.97) for the first time. New York won Eovaldi's fourth straight start Thursday, as he allowed three runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-3 victory over Baltimore.

The right-hander owns one of baseball's worst opponent batting averages at .321. The only available Rays hitters he has faced are Asdrubal Cabrera (1 for 6 with three strikeouts) and Logan Forsythe (0 for 3).

Forsythe went 3 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs on Monday. Evan Longoria was 0 for 4, dropping to 4 for 26 with no extra-base hits or RBIs in the season series.

The Rays had gone a club-record 19 consecutive games allowing fewer than 10 hits and 20 straight surrendering five runs or fewer. Both streaks ended Monday.

"Tonight obviously was a rough night for us but we're happy going into tomorrow, we have Arch coming back so for all those rough nights you have, you've just gotta make up for 'em and have two good ones," manager Kevin Cash said.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Yankees at Rays
Mon, May 11 - Final 11 - 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Yankees at Rays
Tue, May 12 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Yankees at Rays
Wed, May 13 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Yankees at Rays
Thu, May 14 - 7:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 03:08 AM

Preview: Royals (20-11) at Rangers (13-18)
Game: 2
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: May 12, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

The Texas Rangers have to like their chances with Nick Martinez on the mound.

They are 6-0 when he starts, and this time, they'll be seeing a face from their past.

Edinson Volquez began his career with the Rangers 10 years ago and will pitch as a visitor in Arlington for the first time Tuesday night when his Kansas City Royals look to even this four-game set.

Martinez (2-0, 1.47 ERA) has been one of baseball's biggest early surprises with the majors' second-lowest ERA. The second-year starter spent the bulk of his college career at unheralded Fordham as an infielder, and he's succeeding despite averaging 3.68 strikeouts per nine innings for baseball's third-worst mark among qualifiers.

He's searching for his first win in five starts after allowing three runs over 4 2-3 innings in Thursday's 5-4 victory at Tampa Bay. The right-hander, who has yet to allow a homer, has never faced the Royals - who lead the majors with a .287 average.

The only Kansas City hitter he has faced is Kendrys Morales, who is 1 for 6 off him.

Volquez (2-3, 2.65) expects to make this start after allowing three runs over three innings Thursday before he exited due to a blister on his right thumb that popped in a 7-4 win over Cleveland. He issued six walks for the first time in two seasons.

The right-hander went 3-11 in 20 appearances - 17 starts - with the Rangers between 2005-07 before he was traded to Cincinnati in a deal that brought Josh Hamilton to Texas. Volquez's only career start against the Rangers was a 7-3 loss with San Diego in which he gave up six runs in five innings on June 19, 2012.

Prince Fielder is 4 for 18 with a homer against Volquez and Adrian Beltre is 2 for 11.

Beltre has gone 4 for 8 with two homers and four RBIs in consecutive victories for Texas (14-18), which opened this series with Monday's 8-2 rout. He drilled his 399th homer in the fourth inning as the Rangers won for the sixth time in eight games.

'I'm feeling better,' said Beltre, who has raised his average from .140 to .244 over the past 20 games. 'Offensively, everybody is doing better. No doubt that we didn't want to start as slow as we did, but it's a long season, and we need to start picking it up a little bit.'

Another hitter slowly showing improvement is Shin-Soo Choo, who is batting .304 during an 11-game hitting streak that has raised his average from .096 to .194.

The Royals (20-12) finished with five hits and looked sluggish. They didn't arrive in Texas until about 5:45 a.m. Monday after their 10-inning, rain-delayed victory at Detroit that ended after midnight.

'It's definitely a factor, but it's all part of the grind,' said first baseman Eric Hosmer, who is hitting .339 with 15 RBIs over his last 14 games. 'I don't know if that was the reason. You've got to credit those guys."

Third baseman Mike Moustakas returned from a three-game absence on the bereavement list and went 0 for 3 with a walk.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Rangers
Mon, May 11 - Final 2 - 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Rangers
Tue, May 12 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Royals at Rangers
Wed, May 13 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Royals at Rangers
Thu, May 14 - 2:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 03:10 AM

Preview: Mets (20-11) at Cubs (15-15)
Game: 2
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: May 12, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Noah Syndergaard finally got the call he's been waiting for.

Now he'll try to start living up to some lofty expectations.

Syndergaard makes his major league debut Tuesday night when the New York Mets face the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

The Mets' most highly touted prospect, Syndergaard was an unexpected omission during September callups and that didn't sit well with the 22-year-old right-hander. He responded to a fan's question about his exclusion by saying "good question" on his Twitter account.

Syndergaard's wait is over, as he was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas to replace Dillon Gee, who went on the disabled list with a groin strain last week.

"My first call was to my mother," Syndergaard told MLB's official website. "She said it was an awesome Mother's Day present. We teared up a little bit and then I called my dad.

"I've been dying to do that ever since I picked up a baseball."

Syndergaard went 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 29 2-3 innings in five starts for Las Vegas. He had a 19-inning scoreless streak end Thursday.

"He's got a live fastball, we all know that," rookie catcher Kevin Plawecki said. "His command has been really good, when I was down (in Triple-A) I saw that. He mixes in change of speeds really well, and that's something I know he's been working at."

Another one of New York's impressive young arms struggled in the opener of this four-game set Monday. Jacob deGrom gave up three runs on back-to-back homers on consecutive pitches to Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo in the first inning of a 4-3 loss.

The Mets (20-12) got back-to-back solo shots from Lucas Duda and Wilmer Flores in the sixth, but mustered just a single the rest of the way after winning four of the previous five games.

Duda has four hits in two games, and is 3 for 6 with three walks versus scheduled starter Jake Arrieta.

Chicago (16-15) is trying to win the first two games of a series at home for just the second time this season.

Rizzo is hitting the ball hard, going 11 for 30 (.367) with three homers, three doubles and seven RBIs in seven games. The first baseman is a .324 hitter in nine career home meetings with the Mets, and he has a chance to become the first Cub to homer in three straight matchups on the North Side since Glenallen Hill in September 1993.

Despite hitting his fifth homer in 10 games Monday, Rizzo felt it was important Bryant got his first at home, where he's batting .212 with six RBIs in 10 contests.

"It's really nice for him to get that monkey off his back here at Wrigley," said Rizzo, alluding to the immense pressure on Bryant to live up to lofty expectations.

Arrieta (3-3, 3.41 ERA) has surrendered nine runs and 16 hits with 13 strikeouts in 10 1-3 innings in losing two May starts after going 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA in April. The right-hander hasn't lost three games in a row since dropping a career-high four straight from May 23-June 8, 2012.

He had a 0.77 ERA without a decision in two starts against the Mets last year with the Cubs winning both.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mets at Cubs
Mon, May 11 - Final 3 - 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mets at Cubs
Tue, May 12 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Mets at Cubs
Wed, May 13 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Mets at Cubs
Thu, May 14 - 2:20PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 03:13 AM

Preview: White Sox (12-16) at Brewers (11-21)
Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: May 12, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Chicago White Sox keep floundering on the road, and though normally Chris Sale would make for the perfect stopper, he's looked far from his usual self lately.

Chicago is hoping he can draw on his past interleague success and help the club end a seven-game road losing streak Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Sale (2-1, 5.93 ERA) is returning from a five-game suspension for his role in an April 23 brawl with Kansas City, and the White Sox are hoping he can bounce back from two dreadful outings. Sale is in danger of going three straight games without a quality start for the first time after giving up 13 runs over 8 1-3 innings against Minnesota and Detroit.

Attacking the strike zone more figures to be a focus after the left-hander issued seven walks in those games. He had walked three over 19 innings in his first three starts.

"You see his velocity up a mile or a mile and a half and you see the walks," pitching coach Don Cooper told MLB's official website. "Trying to do too much: not pitching, more throwing. We need more of a combination."

Perhaps facing hitters who aren't as familiar with him will help, too. This is Sale's first start against a team outside his division and he's is 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA in seven career interleague starts. His only previous outing versus Milwaukee was in 2012, when he threw eight scoreless innings in a 1-0, 10-inning loss.

The Brewers have been one of baseball's worst hitting teams against left-handers, batting .208, though Jean Segura is 10 for 22.

Chicago (12-17) had won four on a six-game homestand but flopped again on the road, falling to a major league-worst 2-12 with Monday's 10-7 defeat. The White Sox, who last lost 12 of their first 14 road games in 1942, dropped eight in a row on the road June 6-23.

Jeff Samardzija gave up five earned runs in six innings and the starting rotation's road ERA climbed to 7.27.

"We need to play like we're at home, play with a lot of energy," he said.

Milwaukee (12-21) had its second double-digit run total in three games after scoring 10 runs once in its previous 30. The Brewers are averaging 5.9 runs while going 5-3 under Craig Counsell compared to 3.3 runs per game under Ron Roenicke.

Carlos Gomez, slugging just .367 entering Monday, homered and tripled while batting cleanup for the first time, and Milwaukee pulled away with home runs by Elian Herrera and Khris Davis in a three-run eighth inning.

"Like I've said before, I feel sexy hitting (cleanup). It's a different feeling," said Gomez, who has seven home runs and 19 RBIs in his last 22 interleague contests. "I go to the plate like, 'I'm the man.'"

Mike Fiers (1-4, 5.46) is searching for better command after walking a career-high five in a 14-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, giving up five runs in five-plus innings. Fiers is striking out a career-best 12.8 per nine innings, but he's also issued 14 walks in 29 2-3 innings. He walked 17 in 71 2-3 innings last season.

Adam Eaton's poor hitting in the leadoff spot has hampered Chicago's offense for much of the season, though he had a season-high four hits Monday. He's still hitting just .225 with a .282 on-base percentage, though he's batting .310 over his last seven games.

Aramis Ramirez, hitting .341 with nine RBIs in his last 13, has missed four games with a strained lower back and is day to day.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
White Sox at Brewers
Mon, May 11 - Final 7 - 10
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
White Sox at Brewers
Tue, May 12 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
White Sox at Brewers
Wed, May 13 - 8:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 03:16 AM

Preview: Giants (16-16) at Astros (20-12)
Game: 1
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 12, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Although Collin McHugh claims the longest undefeated streak in the majors, there's a bit of a blurred line when he faces the NL.

The Houston right-hander also happens to be tied for the longest active winless streak against the Senior Circuit, and both streaks will be in play Tuesday night as the Astros welcome the San Francisco Giants for a two-game set.

McHugh (4-0, 3.23 ERA) is 11-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 16 starts since the beginning of August, and another win would tie him with Wade Miller (2002) and Mark Portugal (1993) for the franchise record of 12 straight decisions won.

The run includes two starts against the NL in which he didn't have a decision, and his last loss came against Miami on July 27.

Those games are part of a career 0-9 record in 13 starts against the NL, which is tied with Mike Pelfrey for the longest winless stretch in the majors. Including six relief efforts, McHugh is 0-10 with a 7.09 ERA versus the NL, and no other active pitcher who is winless against one league has more than seven losses against it.

That didn't come into play in Thursday's 3-2 win against the Los Angeles Angels with McHugh's streak surviving after the Astros (20-12) scored three in the top of the ninth to bail him out. He allowed two runs and five hits in 7 1-3 innings and surrendered his fifth home run in two starts after not giving one up through hits first four.

"I was thinking the whole time, 'Don't ever tell me solo homers don't beat you,' because it looked like it for a while," McHugh told MLB's official website.

He might not be able to bank on that kind of help again. The Astros split four with the Angels with 10 runs scored and have 15 with a .153 average over a 2-5 span. That began with a three-game sweep by Texas, which dropped Houston to 8-8 at home with a .201 average and 3.19 runs per game compared to a 12-4 road mark with .251 and 5.56 marks.

"We have to play better at home," said manager A.J. Hinch, whose club plays its next nine at Minute Maid Park. "We haven't played a ton at home in a row. It will be nice to have a long homestand. We have three teams coming in, but there's no doubt we can have a competitive advantage at home, and should."

The Giants (16-16) had that advantage the last time around in a three-game sweep in Houston in 2012 as part of a six-game winning streak in the series to close out the Astros' time in the NL.

Chris Heston will be responsible with keeping that going in interleague play.

Heston (2-3, 3.38) was impressive in his first three starts but has fallen off since, going 0-2 with a 6.48 ERA in his last three after allowing five runs and 11 hits in five innings of Wednesday's 9-1 loss to San Diego.

"I have to pitch inside," Heston said. "I'm doing them a favor by leaving it out there. I need to command the inside part of the plate better."

San Francisco won 3-2 over Miami on Sunday on a walk-off single from Matt Duffy to cap a two-run ninth. It's also coming off a four-game split to conclude a 7-3 homestand to begin May in which the rotation posted a 2.58 ERA.

Brandon Belt was 2 for 4 in the finale against the Marlins and is 14 for 29 in eight games. He's also 9 for 22 at Minute Maid Park.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Astros
Tue, May 12 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Giants at Astros
Wed, May 13 - 8:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-12-2015, 03:18 AM

Preview: Rockies (11-17) at Angels (15-17)
Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: May 12, 2015 10:05 PM EDT

While the rotation has played a major role in the Los Angeles Angels' positive stretch at home, the Colorado Rockies haven't gotten much from their starters during their nine-game losing streak.

As C.J. Wilson looks to add to his string of solid performances, the Angels will go after their fifth victory in seven games Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game series against the Rockies.

Los Angeles starters have allowed one run or none four times in the team's last six games after Garrett Richards and three relievers combined for a one-hitter in Sunday's 3-1 win over Houston.

Wilson (1-2, 2.70 ERA) gave the Angels (15-17) another solid start in that stretch last Wednesday, when he surrendered two runs over seven innings before Huston Street blew the save in Los Angeles' 4-3 victory over Seattle.

"I don't think any club can reach its goals without five guys going out there and giving their team a chance to win," manager Mike Scioscia told MLB's official website. "This week has been incredible, with the length and quality we've got (from our rotation)."

Wilson has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his six starts and in each of his past four. The left-hander is also 9-2 with a 3.62 ERA in his last 17 starts at Angel Stadium, with the hosts winning 14 of those.

In his only career start against the Rockies, Wilson yielded one run over eight innings of a 7-2 road win in June 2012.

Former Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau has the most experience facing Wilson, but he's just 2 for 17 with one home run in their matchups. Nick Hundley has been a bright spot for Colorado, batting .415 over a 12-game hitting streak.

Wilson has received a total of six runs from the offense over his last five outings and owns a major league-low 1.80 run-support average. However, that could change as the Angels look to add to Kyle Kendrick's struggles.

The right-hander is 0-4 with a 11.08 ERA in five starts since shutting out Milwaukee over seven innings to win his debut with the Rockies. He'll work on eight days rest after allowing six runs over five innings in an 8-6 loss at San Diego on May 3.

Kendrick (1-4, 8.73) has been hurt by the long ball, yielding 10 homers over his last five outings. He's never faced the Angels, though Albert Pujols has gone 5 for 12 with a home run off him dating to his time in St. Louis.

Rockies starters, last in the NL with a 5.66 ERA, have been particularly dreadful with an 8.86 mark during a skid that's tied for the fourth longest in franchise history. Colorado (11-17) now hopes to avoid its first 10-game losing streak since April 24-May 7, 2005, following Sunday's 9-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

'Honestly, good teams don't go through this," third baseman Nolan Arenado said. "We need to find a way to get out of it. I believe we're a good team but right now we're not playing at a high level.'

This is the first meeting between the Rockies and Angels since June 8-10, 2012, when Mike Trout went 8 for 14, scored eight runs and stole four bases in Los Angeles' three-game road sweep. The Angels have won the last five matchups overall.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Angels
Tue, May 12 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Rockies at Angels
Wed, May 13 - 10:05PM EDT

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