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**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:09 AM

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (751) LA CLIPPERS@ (751) HOUSTON | 05/17/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play ON LA CLIPPERS using the money line in Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 12 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+12.9 units)

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (751) LA CLIPPERS@ (751) HOUSTON | 05/17/2015 - 03:05 PM
Play OVER LA CLIPPERS on the total in All games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 43 Overs and 21 Unders for the last two seasons (+19.9 units)

NBA TOP POWERLINES

NBA > (751) LA CLIPPERS @ (752) HOUSTON | 05/17/2015 - 03:05 PM
Line: HOUSTON 2 BTB PowerLine: HOUSTON 0
Edge On: HOUSTON (2)

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

NHL MONEYLINE

NHL > (53) TAMPA BAY@ (54) NY RANGERS | 05/16/2015 - 01:05 PM
Play AGAINST NY RANGERS using the money line in Home games after a 3 game unbeaten streak
The record is 39 Wins and 55 Losses for the since 1992 (-51.05 units)

NHL PUCKLINE

NHL > (53) TAMPA BAY@ (54) NY RANGERS | 05/16/2015 - 01:05 PM
Play AGAINST NY RANGERS using the in Home games after a 3 game unbeaten streak
The record is 39 Wins and 56 Losses for the since 1992 (-44.8 units)

NHL TOTALS

NHL > (53) TAMPA BAY@ (54) NY RANGERS | 05/16/2015 - 01:05 PM
Play UNDER NY RANGERS on the total in All games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
The record is 20 Overs and 40 Unders for the last two seasons (+19.6 units)

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:13 AM

Conference Final Odds

May 14, 2015

Home Team listed first - Best of 7 Games (2-2-1-1-1)
(Opening Odds in parentheses)

Eastern Conference

N.Y. Rangers vs. Tampa Bay
Rangers (-155)
Lightning (+135)

Western Conference

Anaheim vs. Chicago
Ducks (-105)
Blackhawks (-115)

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:14 AM

Home ice could decide conference finals

May 14, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago Blackhawks have a sellout streak of 323 games and counting. The New York Rangers play in the world's most famous arena, and the Anaheim Ducks are undefeated at home in the playoffs. The Tampa Bay Lightning set a franchise record with an NHL-best 32 home wins this season.

Welcome to the NHL's final four, where one road win could go a long way.

Fresh off a Game 7 victory over Washington at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers host the Lightning on Saturday in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals. In the West, the Ducks put their perfect home playoff record on the line in Sunday's Game 1 against the Blackhawks, who also are 5-0 at home in the postseason.

''It's been a good run so far at home, but every round gets harder,'' Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said Thursday.

The four remaining teams are a combined 19-5 at home this postseason. The home team is 42-27 in this year's NHL playoffs for a winning percentage of .609 that ranks ahead of last year (56-37, .602), though way below the remarkable 59-27 home record for the 2013 playoffs after the season was shortened because of labor strife.

Of course, players credit their fans for success at home, but the NHL also gives home teams the last line change after play is stopped, and last stick on the ice for faceoffs. Savvy coaches use the last line change to get the matchups they want at critical moments, and the advantage for faceoffs can produce extra possessions or help clear the puck from the defensive zone at the end of a frantic shift.

''This time of year, especially against a team's top line, you want to be able to get the right people on the ice at that moment, but when it goes down from there, you can see people playing against anybody,'' Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler said. ''It's not a huge thing that Bruce is preaching, but I think it still is a factor for us in the first couple of games.''

There also is a pronounced advantage for faceoffs. Each of the four remaining teams is better at the dot at home compared to the road, with Tampa Bay posting the biggest split at 53.1 percent at Amalie Arena and 47.8 percent in road playoff games. The next biggest difference is 4.9 points for New York (46.8 percent at home, compared to 41.9 percent on the road), and then Chicago (53.7 and 49.1) and Anaheim (56.7 and 53.9), according to STATS.

Give stars such as Tampa Bay star Steven Stamkos or New York forward Rick Nash more time with the puck, and good things happen for their teams.

Seeking their third Stanley Cup title in the last six seasons, the Blackhawks have won 24 of their last 28 home playoff games. With Joel Quenneville behind the bench and a deep group of forwards taking the ice, they are uniquely positioned to make the most of the rules for home games, but captain Jonathan Toews thinks the crowd is the biggest reason for home success in the NHL.

''When you play well and you create things and things are going your way, the crowd's behind you,'' he said. ''I think it adds to the fact of trying to take away momentum, take away energy from the other team. Everyone wants that, especially in the playoffs.''

But Chicago needs at least one road win to move on, and top-seeded Anaheim is 11-3 at the Moda Center since Feb. 27. The Ducks outscored the Jets and Flames 18-6 at home while beginning the playoffs with eight wins in nine games.

''We also feel confident playing on the road,'' Chicago forward Patrick Sharp said. ''We know Anaheim's going to be a tough place to play, but we've gone there and won before. Hopefully we can do it again.''

New York's 2-1 overtime win against Washington on Wednesday night was the Rangers' fifth victory in seven home playoffs games this year. They also improved to 7-0 at home in Game 7.

The Lightning needed a Game 7 home win against Detroit to escape the first round, and coach Jon Cooper said that is where home ice provides the biggest advantage. Home teams are 94-65 in Game 7s in the Stanley Cup playoffs, including 3-0 this year.

''I do think it matters in Game 7, and that's why you want it,'' Cooper said. ''I think that's the one game that home ice can matter.''

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:15 AM

Ducks' Perry should play Sunday

May 14, 2015

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Corey Perry has missed his second straight practice with the Anaheim Ducks to rest for the Western Conference finals.

Perry stuck to a stationary bike Thursday, but coach Bruce Boudreau expects him to play when the Ducks open the series Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Perry is the top scorer in the Stanley Cup playoffs with 15 points in nine games for the Ducks, who went 8-1 in the first two rounds.

Perry left Game 5 against the Flames last Sunday after a leg-on-leg hit from Calgary's Matt Stajan in the second period, but returned moments later. Perry eventually scored the series-winning overtime goal, sending Anaheim to its first conference finals since 2007.

The 2011 NHL MVP scored 55 points in 67 regular-season games for Anaheim.

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

Rangers ready to face Lightning

May 14, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) - It would seem there are two certainties ahead for the New York Rangers.

First, they will see some very familiar faces in the lineup of their opponent in the Eastern Conference finals: Tampa Bay's Brian Boyle, Anton Stralman and, if he recovers quickly enough from an appendectomy, former captain Ryan Callahan.

Second, they will play lots of one-goal games.

The series opens Saturday at Madison Square Garden, which former Lightning players Martin St. Louis, Dan Boyle and Dominic now call home. New York has played 12 postseason games this spring and all were decided by the slimmest of margins, four in overtime, including Wednesday night's 2-1 victory in Game 7 against Washington.

The Rangers also had two one-goal outcomes at the end of the 2014 Stanley Cup finals loss to Los Angeles; the 14 straight is a record.

''You have to be smart,'' captain Ryan McDonagh said after New York capped a comeback from a 3-1 hole in the series with Washington. ''We talked about it ... to make sure shifts are short and you don't get overextended out there. We've been in situations like that before and we trust each other out there.''

It helps to have an all-world goalie like Henrik Lundqvist, who made 35 saves before Derek Stepan's goal eliminated the Capitals. It helps to have no fear of overtime, in which the Rangers are 4-0 this spring, all by 2-1 scores.

And it doesn't hurt to know you can handle the toughest situations. The Rangers, who had the NHL's best record this season, are the only team to win a series after trailing 3-1 in successive years, doing the same thing to Pittsburgh in the second round in 2014.

New York also has won six straight Game 7s.

''We have a good group that keeps their wits about them and keeps calm,'' said Stepan, who was mobbed by his teammates along the glass as Madison Square Garden shook from the cheers. ''There is no real panic. We just go out and play. We just see what happens and we just play hockey.''

They haven't played Tampa Bay since December, and the Lightning swept all three meetings. Boyle, a center and penalty-killing fiend, and Stralman, one of the NHL's most underrated defensemen, joined Tampa Bay as free agents last offseason. Callahan was dealt for St. Louis at the trading deadline last year.

Lundqvist was having few, if any, thoughts about his former teammates, and Steven Stamkos and Tyler Johnson, the Lightning's top scorers.

''I am going to enjoy this tonight and maybe tomorrow; I don't even know when we start,'' said the third goalie with six Game 7 victories, joining Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur. ''It's a team that we obviously had some problems with during the season. If there is one thing I learned throughout the year, it's that the playoffs are a different story and I look forward to that challenge.''

The Lightning eliminated Montreal is six games. They finished five points behind New York in the overall standings.

''I think our guys stay in the moment,'' said Alain Vigneault, a finalist for NHL Coach of the Year honors. ''They stay in the present and focus on what needs to be done. They go out and play and have fun doing it.''

But they make it difficult on their fans, if not on each other.

Indeed, the Rangers weren't a dominant home team this season. The Lightning were, posting the league's best home mark at 32-8-1. But New York had the best road record, 28-11-2.

Home-ice advantage barely has existed in this postseason.

So it's on to the final four for the Rangers.

''You tell your players to focus on their job and what they need to do and you (as coaches) are doing the same thing,'' Vigneault said. ''There was a lot of atmosphere, there was obviously a tense moment, but the guys just play. It's probably more stressful for the fans watching the game than it is for us.''

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:17 AM

NHL conference finals schedules

NHL conference finals schedule, as announced by the league Wednesday night. All times are Eastern. Games will air on NBC and NBCSN in the United States, on CBC and TVA Sports in Canada.

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Rangers

Game 1, Saturday, May 16, Tampa Bay at New York Rangers, 1 p.m., NBC, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 2, Monday, May 18, Tampa Bay at New York Rangers, 1 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 3, Wednesday, May 20, New York Rangers at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 4, Friday, May 22, New York Rangers at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 5*, Sunday, May 24, Tampa Bay at New York Rangers, 8 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 6*, Tuesday, May 26, New York Rangers at Tampa Bay, 8 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 7*, Friday, May 29, Tampa Bay at New York Rangers, 8 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Chicago Blackhawks vs. Anaheim Ducks

Game 1, Sunday, May 17, Chicago at Anaheim, 3 p.m., NBC, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 2, Tuesday, May 19, Chicago at Anaheim, 9 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 3, Thursday, May 21, Anaheim at Chicago, 8 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 4, Saturday, May 23, Anaheim at Chicago, 8 p.m., NBC, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 5*, Monday, May 25, Chicago at Anaheim, 9 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 6*, Wednesday, May 27, Anaheim at Chicago, 8 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

Game 7*, Saturday, May 30, Chicago at Anaheim, 8 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports

*-if necessary

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:18 AM

NHL

Thursday, May 14

Lightning had regular season edge versus Rangers

The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers met three times in the regular season and it was the Lightning that proved dominant in those meetings going 3-0 for the season sweep.

The Bolts were tabbed as dogs in two of those games (+100 and +101 at Madison Square Garden) and closed -153 on home ice on November 26.

Goals were plentiful in those three games and the Over cashed in each. Tampa tallied 15 goals and the Blueshirts just seven.

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:19 AM

B]Cheat Sheet - Conference Finals
[/B]
May 15, 2015

Anaheim Ducks vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Series Price: Blackhawks -115, Ducks -105

Team Trends

Ducks: 5-0 SU Last 5 Home Games
Ducks: 6-3 O/U Last 9 Games

Blackhawks: 7-2-1 O/U Last 10 Games
Blackhawks: 5-0 SU Last 5 Home Games
Blackhawks: 5 Game Winning Streak Overall
Blackhawks: 4-1 SU Last 5 vs Anaheim

Head-to-Head Trends

-- Corey Crawford (Blackhawks): 9-4-1 Record vs Ducks
-- Road Team has won Last 4 Meetings
-- Under is 8-2 Last 10 Meetings

Exact Games Odds - 7 Game Series (2-2-1-1-1)
4 Games Blackhawks Win 10/1
5 Games Blackhawks Win 5/1
6 Games Blackhawks Win 4/1
7 Games Blackhawks Win 9/2

4 Games Ducks Win 10/1
5 Games Ducks Win 9/2
6 Games Ducks Win 5/1
7 Games Ducks Win 7/2

New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Series Price: Rangers -150, Lightning +130

Team Trends

Lightning: 4-1 SU Last 5 Meetings
Lightning: 4-2 SU Last 6 Road Games
Lightning: 7/16 (43.7%) on the Power-Play Last 5 Games

Rangers: 1-10 ATS & 2-9-1 O/U This Postseason
Rangers: 5-2 SU Last 7 Home Games

Head-to-Head Trends

-- Underdog is 5-1 SU Last 6 Meetings
-- Over is 4-1-1 Last 6 Meetings

Exact Games Odds - 7 Game Series (2-2-1-1-1)

4 Games Lightning Win 10/1
5 Games Lightning Win 13/2
6 Games Lightning Win 7/2
7 Games Lightning Win 4/1

4 Games Rangers Win 12/1
5 Games Rangers Win 11/2
6 Games Rangers Win 9/2
7 Games Rangers Win 7/2

Odds to win Stanley Cup

New York Rangers 9/5
Chicago Blackhawks 9/4
Anaheim Ducks 5/2
Tampa Bay Lightning 5/1

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:19 AM

Playoff scoring at 3-year low in NHL

May 15, 2015

Scoring is down in the NHL playoffs.

More than half the games through the first two rounds were decided by one goal, and 15 went to overtime. More than one in every four games were decided by a score of 2-1 and the 4.88 goals per game is the lowest in an NHL postseason since 2012 (4.84).

Credit the big, talented goaltenders, better coaching and shot-blocking and the mentality of the players once they get to this stage of the season.

Among the four teams left, only the Chicago Blackhawks have allowed more than two goals a game. Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers, Anaheim's Frederik Andersen and Tampa Bay's Ben Bishop all have a 2.00 goals-against average or below.

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:20 AM

Lightning's Bishop thriving on big stage

May 15, 2015

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The Tampa Bay Lightning have a pretty good idea of where they'd likely be without Ben Bishop, and it's not in the NHL's Eastern Conference finals.

The league's tallest goaltender is making a name for himself, answering questions about how far he can carry his team with one stellar performance after another in the playoffs.

The 6-foot-7 Bishop won a personal-best and franchise-record 40 games in helping the Lightning to the best regular season in club history. Now, he's showing he has what it takes to not only hold his own, but thrive against hockey's elite on the game's biggest stage.

''It's just a byproduct of what we've watched for two years,'' coach Jon Cooper said Thursday before his team boarded a plane for New York, where Tampa Bay opens the best of seven conference finals against Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers on Saturday.

''We didn't get to watch him play in the playoffs last year because he was hurt. But the only reason we were in the playoffs - well, I shouldn't say the only reason, but a big reason - was because of Ben,'' Cooper added. ''I think this year, we needed Ben. But we didn't need him as much as we did the year before. But to get where we are today, through two playoff rounds, we've really needed him.''

With Bishop out with a bad back, the Lightning were swept by Montreal in the opening round a year ago. Any lingering doubts about whether he could have made a difference in that series are being dispelled.

Since allowing three goals on 14 shots to lose his playoff debut against Detroit last month, Bishop has been superb in leading Tampa Bay past the Red Wings and Canadiens to reach the conference finals.

He won Games 6 and 7 to help the Lightning overcome a 3-2 series deficit against Detroit and young goaltender Petr Mzarek.

Tampa Bay eliminated Montreal in six games, with Bishop outperforming league MVP candidate Carey Price in the clincher.

''I feel like I've been pretty consistent,'' Bishop said. ''I don't think I've played better or worse in any game, to be honest.''

Cooper agreed.

''When the pressure is at its highest is when he has stood the tallest,'' the coach said. ''You look at the four teams left, you'll probably say that about all the goaltenders. They've maybe had their struggles in the series, but at the biggest moments, they became the biggest stars.''

Lundqvist and the Rangers stand between the Lightning and the franchise's second-ever trip to the Stanley Cup final.

Tampa Bay went 3-0 against New York during the regular season, outscoring the Rangers 15-7. The Lightning have won five of six games between the teams over the past two seasons.

Bishop's teammates expect him to play well.

''Bish has been our backbone all year,'' forward Ryan Callahan said.

''Coming into the playoffs, people were questioning him because he'd never been in the playoffs before, but I think he answered that pretty quickly,'' Callahan added. ''The way he's played, the way he's performed, his calmness on and off the ice, it's been impressive to watch.''

Bishop, meanwhile, stressed it's Lightning vs. Rangers, not a personal battle between him against Lundqvist to determine how he stacks up against one of the league's top goaltenders.

''I don't think you go out there and try to prove that, but it's always fun to play against the best,'' the goalie said.

''They're a really good team, obviously,'' Bishop added. ''They're first in the conference for a reason. They have great goaltending, strong defense. ... It's going to be a tough challenge. It should be a lot of fun.''

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:21 AM

Lightning a reminder of South hockey

May 15, 2015

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) - About the same time a new champion hoists the Stanley Cup, players from as far away as Canada, Latvia and Hungary will gather in Tennessee for four days to showcase their hockey talent for college coaches and junior league teams.

Yes, Tennessee - one of the many places in the South where the sport is alive and doing well.

The Tampa Bay Lightning's matchup against the New York Rangers in the NHL's Eastern Conference finals is another reminder that hockey is doing more than just surviving below the Mason-Dixon line.

''It's just a great shot in the arm to an area that's already doing really well,'' said Brandon Walker, hockey operations manager for the Nashville Predators.

The region often labors in the shadows of the Bostons, Chicagos and, of course, Canada.

But its success has been building for some time.

The Washington Capitals are celebrated their 40th season in the nation's capital this year, although it all came to a disappointing end for Capitals' fans after a Game 7 loss to the Rangers in the semifinals.

But the Capitals and Lightning, along with the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes all have played in the Stanley Cup Finals - with Tampa Bay winning in 2004 and Carolina in 2006. The Nashville Predators have played in two conference semifinals, and even the newest of the Southern franchises are nearing their 20th anniversaries, milestones already celebrated by Florida and Tampa Bay.

Nashville will host the NHL All-Star Game in January.

On of the lone blemishes on the resumes of the southern franchises was the demise of the Atlanta Thrashers, who packed their bags and headed North to Winnipeg in 2011.

That setback is overshadowed by the overall success of franchises in the South.

Walker also is program director for the Elite Edge Hockey Showcase, an indication of the sport's growth in the region.

The program started with 60 players drawn from Nashville and Atlanta 10 years ago. It now includes players from 29 states seeking the chance to play in front of coaches from Division I colleges like Yale and Colgate to Division III schools and teams from the North American Hockey League, a junior league. Walker no longer has to beg coaches to take his call.

Now they call Walker.

''They're not coming just to listen to country music for a couple days,'' Walker said. ''They're coming because these kids are good, and there's someone here for them to see. There's a lot of places that Division I hockey coaches can come and watch players throughout the course of the summer. They're going to come here because the players are good, and they choose to come here because they're having success recruiting here.''

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said late last month that the value of NHL franchises is going up with new TV contracts. USA Hockey's registration totals and the number of Division I college programs have never been higher.

That doesn't mean there aren't problems, most notably attendance.

The Capitals, Lightning and Predators do well in that area.

Washington set the standard both for longevity and success as the oldest team in the region. Game 6 of the Capitals series against the Rangers was their 269th consecutive home sellout with 18,506 fans.

The Lightning, in their third conference final, also has had solid support for years.

Tampa Bay averaged 18,823 per game this season to rank ninth in attendance and sold out its first seven playoff games. The Predators filled their building to 98.5 percent of capacity this season with a franchise-record 30 sellouts and have reached the playoffs eight of the past 11 seasons.

On the other side of the ledger are Carolina and Florida, which had the NHL's worst attendance this season.

The Hurricanes have the longest active playoff drought in the East at six straight seasons and have earned only one postseason berth since winning the Stanley Cup. But the Hurricanes are the one team fans split among the state's Atlantic Coast Conference schools can agree on, and the organization is rebuilding after bringing in Ron Francis as general manager and Bill Peters as coach last year.

The Panthers averaged a league-worst 11,271 fans per game with too many photos of empty seats. But Bettman cites Tampa Bay as proof of what a committed front office with resources can do thanks to owner Jeff Vinick. Bettman believes Florida owner Vincent Viola, who bought the Panthers in 2013, will follow that example.

''Vinny is committed to South Florida and doing all the things necessary to turn the franchise around,'' Bettman told Associated Press Sports Editors. ''And I know he's spoken to Jeff Vinick about the things that he did to make it work.''

In Nashville, the Predators conduct a variety of programs teaching children to play the game.

The team now runs Nashville's newest rink, which gives the area six sheets of ice. Nashville president and CEO Sean Henry sees Predators gear being sold across the area, not just in hockey stores, along with street hockey sticks and nets popping up in neighborhoods.

Some of the same people who were taken to hockey games by their parents as children now are working and buying their own tickets.

''The fact we flipped the calendar and these kids are graduating high school and college that started as fans as little kids,'' Henry said, ''that's solidifying where we are now.''

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:24 AM

Pence on his way to rejoin Giants

May 15, 2015

CINCINNATI (AP) - Outfielder Hunter Pence was on his way to rejoin the San Francisco Giants on Friday night, fully recovered from a broken forearm.

Manager Bruce Bochy said Pence felt good after a one-week rehab assignment in the minors and was flying to Cincinnati. He could be activated on Saturday before the third game of a series against the Cincinnati Reds.

Pence's left forearm was broken by a pitch from the Cubs' Corey Black on March 5. He went 5 for 17 with two homers in five games on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento.

''The last couple of games, he said he's never felt better,'' said Bochy, who spoke with him on Friday.

**StarDust Bum** · 05-16-2015, 03:30 AM

Preview: Braves (15-19) at Marlins (16-19)
Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: May 16, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

Mat Latos appears to finally be comfortable - and healthy - after a terrible beginning to his first season with the Miami Marlins.

The Atlanta Braves had a lot to do with his early struggles.

The right-hander looks to bounce back from a pair of rough outings against the Braves as this three-game series in Miami continues Saturday.

Latos was acquired from Cincinnati in December and made his first start with the Marlins on April 7 against visiting Atlanta, shortly after having his knee drained. It turned out to be a memorable debut, but for all the wrong reasons.

He retired only two batters and gave up seven runs, six hits and two walks in the shortest outing by a starting pitcher making his Marlins debut. Latos got another crack at the Braves six days later and allowed three runs and five hits with three walks in four-plus innings of a 3-2 loss in Atlanta.

Latos had a 17.36 ERA after those starts and also dropped his next one, but he's since gone 1-0 with a 2.55 ERA in four outings. His last two have been the best of that bunch, with Latos (1-3, 4.72) giving up two runs while striking out 11 over 13 1-3 innings.

He was in line for the win Sunday at San Francisco after giving up one run in a season-high seven innings while not walking a batter for the first time, but the Giants scored twice in the ninth to pull out a 3-2 victory.

"Having to come back from (the knee), I didn't have a great spring and I pushed that into the season," Latos said. "For some reason April doesn't like me. It's really about getting to the point of repeating."

Alex Wood will pitch opposite Latos again after he benefited from the seven first-inning runs in the 12-2 win last month. He tossed five innings and gave up a pair of runs.

The left-hander hasn't won since, going 0-2 with a 4.37 ERA in six outings. Wood (1-2, 4.28) was also in position to pick up a victory Sunday, but Washington scored twice in the eighth to hand the Braves a 5-4 loss. He allowed three runs in 6 2-3 innings and also went 3 for 3 with an RBI.

Wood has a solid chance to get a win Saturday since he's 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last three starts against the Marlins and Latos is 0-3 with a 9.82 ERA in his past four versus Atlanta.

Dee Gordon is 3 for 7 when facing Wood, and that .429 average is actually below his season mark. Gordon went 3 for 5 in a 5-3 loss to open this series Friday, increasing his major league-leading average to .433.

Giancarlo Stanton homered twice to give him three solo shots in the last three games for the Marlins (16-20), who have dropped eight of 12. He tied it in the seventh before Atlanta (16-19) scored twice in its next at-bat.

Miami's relievers have a 7.53 ERA in the last five games.

"It's tough to win ballgames when you can't shut them down," manager Mike Redmond said.

Todd Cunningham had three hits in his first major league start and first appearance since 2013, including a tiebreaking single in the eighth, as the Braves won for the second time in seven games.

"We may have some shortcomings, but we don't have shortcomings in want-to and fight and battling back," manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Atlanta has won five of seven in the season series, including all four in Miami to improve to 8-2 in the last 10 there.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Marlins
Fri, May 15 Final 5 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Braves at Marlins
Sat, May 16 - 1:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Braves at Marlins
Sun, May 17 - 1:10PM EDT

Announcement

The Bum's Best Bets For Saturday May 16th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

The Bum's Best Bets For Saturday May 16th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

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