The Bum's Best Bets For Satuday May 23rd - MLB - NBA -NHL !

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Preview: Giants (23-18) at Rockies (15-23)
Game: 2
Venue: Coors Field
Date: May 23, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

The San Francisco Giants have an opportunity to secure their longest win streak in 11 years Saturday.

To accomplish that feat, they'll have to sweep a doubleheader from the Colorado Rockies.

San Francisco (24-18) won its seventh straight by holding on 11-8 in Friday's opener at Coors Field. The Giants scored four runs in the ninth then gave up four and allowed the tying run to come to the plate in the bottom of the inning.

Brandon Belt had three hits and homered for the fourth time in six games.

"That was a typical Coors Field game," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's one of those long nights, but you're glad to get away with a win. ... We had some boys in the pen that had a rough night, but they'll bounce back."

That victory gives San Francisco a chance to pursue its first eight-game win streak since September 2011 and its first of nine or longer since a 10-game run in May 2004.

Buster Posey will also be looking to extend a 14-game hit streak after going 2 for 4 with three RBIs on Friday. Posey, who has two hits in each of his last two games against Colorado, is batting .375 with 13 RBIs in his run and has reached base safely in 23 consecutive contests.

Chris Heston (3-3, 3.72 ERA) will start the opening game for the Giants and try to bounce back from his shortest start. The right-hander was charged with five runs in two-plus innings Sunday in Cincinnati but avoided the loss when San Francisco rallied for a 9-8 victory.

Heston, owner of a 4.84 ERA on the road and a 2.77 home mark, gave up six runs in 5 1-3 innings in a 6-4 loss at Colorado on April 24. He allowed two runs in seven innings in a 2-0 home defeat to the Rockies (15-24) on April 13.

He'll be opposed by Jordan Lyles (2-4, 4.53), who will seek to avoid dropping to 0-4 in his last five starts. The right-hander has a 6.63 ERA in his past four games and gave up four runs in six innings in a 4-3 defeat to Philadelphia on Monday.

Lyles went 0-1 with a 6.57 ERA in his two starts against San Francisco last season and allowed six runs in 6 1-3 innings in a 12-7 home loss Sept. 2.

Yusmeiro Petit (1-0, 3.27) will make his first start of the season for the Giants in the finale following 13 relief appearances. The right-hander made 12 starts in 2014 and two against Colorado, going 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA.

Petit is 2-1 with a 5.73 ERA in eight career starts versus the Rockies.

David Hale, meanwhile, will make his season debut for Colorado. The right-hander, acquired from Atlanta in a four-player deal Jan. 30, has made eight starts in two seasons and 47 appearances.

"I threw (at Coors Field). I threw in Albuquerque, which is actually higher elevation than (Denver), which was news to me. As for knowing I can do it at this level, I did it last year. That helps with my confidence," he told MLB's official website.

Posey is 2 for 9 lifetime versus Lyles and 0 for 1 with a walk against Hale. D.J. LeMahieu is a combined 9 for 19 against the two Giants starters and has hit safely in eight of his last nine games.

San Francisco, winners of four consecutive road games, last took five in a row from April 23-May 5, 2014, and six straight in August 2012.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Rockies
Fri, May 22 Final 11 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Rockies
Sat, May 23 - 9:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Giants at Rockies
Sun, May 24 - 4:10PM EDT

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Preview: Padres (20-23) at Dodgers (25-16)
Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 23, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers' offense is scuffling, but their rotation has been solid of late.

Mike Bolsinger has been an unexpected contributor, and he takes the mound seeking a third straight win as the Dodgers face the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.

Through May 15, Los Angeles (25-16) topped the NL with a .272 average while leading the majors with 54 homers and 5.26 runs per game. However, the Dodgers have since batted .184 with one homer and four runs during a 2-4 stretch that includes going 2 for 33 with runners in scoring position.

"We've been hitting so good all year and you're not going to do it all year," starter Zack Greinke said.

Greinke allowed one run in 7 2-3 innings Friday before Joc Pederson's solo homer in the eighth provided the difference in a 2-1 win over San Diego (20-23) in the opener of this three-game set.

"We've had runners in scoring position the last few days and no one really came through," said Pederson, whose team-high 11 homers not only lead all first-year players but are the most by a Dodgers rookie through 41 games of a season.

Los Angeles' rotation, meanwhile, has a 2.57 ERA over the past 11 games, yielding one run or none in four of the past six.

Bolsinger (2-0, 1.04 ERA) has been a pleasant surprise after going 1-6 with a 5.50 ERA in 10 games - nine starts - for Arizona last year.

The right-hander has won both of his starts since being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on May 12. He yielded one run in 5 2-3 innings against Miami that day, then allowed three hits and struck out six in six innings of Sunday's 1-0 win over Colorado.

"He's learned how to pitch a little bit better by knowing what he can do with different types of pitches, where to throw them and when to throw them in different types of counts," catcher Yasmani Grandal said. "That's what's worked out for him so well."

Bolsinger pitched well in his only career start against the Padres but lost, allowing two runs and three hits with six strikeouts and four walks over six innings in a 2-1 defeat June 29.

He may not have Grandal behind the plate after he was struck in the mask with a bat and a foul ball in separate incidents Friday, forcing him to leave in the fourth.

The Padres have a .184 average while losing six of seven, and they've scored just three times during a three-game slide.

Matt Kemp is batting .147 in the last 18 games, dropping his season average 73 points to .254. He was 0 for 3 on Friday after batting .417 in his first six games against his former team.

The Padres are turning to Ian Kennedy (2-3, 6.75), who has lost his last two starts while surrendering 11 runs, 11 hits and seven walks in 9 2-3 innings.

The right-hander tossed four no-hit innings Sunday before giving up six runs and getting pulled after walking the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth of a 10-5 loss to Washington.

"It's pretty frustrating because it was such a good start," Kennedy said.

He's 0-6 with a 5.74 ERA over his last 10 starts against the Dodgers. He was battered for eight runs in 4 1-3 innings of an 11-8 loss to Los Angeles on April 25, with Adrian Gonzalez, Howie Kendrick and Andre Ethier all homering off him.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Dodgers
Fri, May 22 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Padres at Dodgers
Sat, May 23 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Padres at Dodgers
Sun, May 24 - 4:10PM EDT

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Game 3 - Warriors at Rockets

May 23, 2015

The Warriors are two victories away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1975, as Golden State looks to build a commanding 3-0 lead at Houston in the Western Conference Finals. The Rockets have proven so far in the playoffs that they will not go away, as evidenced by erasing a 3-1 deficit to knock off the Clippers in the second round. However, Houston faces a tall task in spite of picking up a pair of covers in the first two losses at Oracle Arena.

The Rockets squandered a 16-point lead in the Game 1 loss to the Warriors, but Houston erased a 17-point second quarter deficit to tie Golden State at halftime in Game 2. Steve Kerr’s squad built an eight-point lead, 98-90 with 1:30 remaining in regulation to creep close to a cover as 10-point favorites, but James Harden scored six straight points to get the Rockets within 99-96 in the final minute. Harden was unable to get a shot off on the final play in regulation, as Houston lost, 99-98, but cashed as a double-digit underdog for the second straight game.

The Warriors shot better in Game 2 than Game 1 by knocking down 53% from the floor on Thursday. Stephen Curry lit up the Rockets once again with 33 points, while his backcourt mate Klay Thompson struggled for the second straight game by hitting just 6-of-15 shots, including 1-of-7 from long distance. An unexpected contribution came from center Andrew Bogut, as the former top pick scored 14 points on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting, while pulling down eight rebounds.

Dwight Howard was a question mark heading into Game 2 with a knee sprain, but the All-Star center came through with a 19-point, 17-rebound performance in the loss. Harden came within one assist of a triple-double in Game 2, scoring 38 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists. Following Trevor Ariza’s 20 point output in the series opener, the former UCLA standout struggled in Game 2 by putting up just seven points in 39 minutes of action.

The Rockets return to the Lone Star State with a spectacular 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS record at the Toyota Center this postseason. Houston won the final two home games against Los Angeles by double-digits each, while five of its playoff victories at home have come by nine points or more. In the second round, the Rockets lost back-to-back games on the road, then responded with a 124-103 home underdog victory in Game 5.

Golden State opened as a 1 ½-point road favorite for Game 3 and VegasInsider.com NBA analyst Chris David was surprised by the number.

“Based on the opening line for Game 3, the oddsmakers are telling you Houston has a chance to win or they believe the public is buying that narrative and I’m leaning with the latter. It’s very rare to see this big of a swing and I thought a fair line would be Golden State listed as high as a four-point favorite,” said David.

The last time Houston was a double-digit underdog in consecutive road playoff games came back in 2013 against Oklahoma City in the first round. The Rockets returned home to battle the Thunder down 0-2, and were listed as one-point favorites in Game 3, but lost 104-101 and eventually lost that series in six games.

The Warriors dropped three of four road games last postseason, but have compiled a 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS record away from Oracle Arena through the first two rounds. However, Golden State hasn’t covered a Game 3 yet in the playoffs, failing to cash in an overtime win at New Orleans and losing outright to Memphis.

According to David, he believes you can make a strong case for both teams in Game 3 and you might be better off passing.

He explained, “During the regular season, the Warriors were listed as road favorites between 1 and 3 points 12 times. In those games, they went 8-4 (67%) and produced a 5-6-1 ATS mark with a pair of one-point victories creating the small disparity. Meanwhile, Houston is 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS as a home underdog this season and that includes two outright wins over the Clippers in the conference semifinals.”

Will we see a third straight ‘under’ in this series?

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook sent out the total on Game 3 at 217 ½ and the number has dropped to 216 as of Friday evening. David weighs in on the total and believes the oddsmakers made proper adjustments.

David said, “After watching the first two games go ‘under’ the number, the books were happy to take money from the betting public, who still believe Golden State is a run ‘n gun club. The Warriors do like to run but their defense is underrated and they keep teams off the free throw line. Houston attempted 19 freebies in Game 2, well below its season average of 28 attempts. While I’m very high on the defense that Kerr has employed, I do believe a drop-off will occur in Game 3.”

“New Orleans put up 119 and Memphis scored 99 at home in Game 3’s versus the Warriors, often riding the momentum from the crowd, which gave both teams confidence. Houston is averaging 112.5 PPG in seven home playoff games and that includes the ugly 101 spot they put versus the Clippers in Game 1. If you like to play team totals, I’d lean towards Houston team total ‘over’ (107) on Saturday night.”

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Warriors head to Houston up 2-0

May 22, 2015

HOUSTON (AP) - Stephen Curry has been playing like the MVP he is to help the Golden State Warriors to 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Now things get tougher as the Warriors head to Houston for two games beginning Saturday night.

Curry scored 34 points in Game 1, 33 in Game 2 and has made 11 3-pointers in the series.

''You put a lot of hard work into your craft, and when you rely on that work, you kind of just are in the moment, and those shots, when you rise up to take them, it feels natural, it feels normal,'' Curry said. ''I feel confident, and you just live with the results.''

The Warriors took the first game by four points and won the second one by a point when MVP runner-up James Harden couldn't fight through a double team to get a shot up for Houston before time expired.

''It hurts, but they did what they had to do,'' Harden said. ''They won two games at home. We're going back home to get two games.''

The Warriors had a 17-point lead Thursday night before a big run by the Rockets got them back into it. Golden State was unhappy that it let the game become so dramatic at the end.

''They feel like they lost two games they should have won,'' Golden State's Draymond Green said. ''We feel like we almost gave this one away ... we have a ways to go, there's a lot we can get better at. But we're sitting here 2-0 and that's the most important thing.''

Houston point guard Jason Terry, who won a title with Dallas in 2011, said Game 3 is the most important one of the series for the Rockets.

''This is a must-win game for us,'' he said. ''Must-win time. You have to love it. It's the Western Conference finals. What better place to be? Going home and the sense of urgency is going to be there from the tip.''

Some things to know heading into Game 3.

HOWARD'S HEALTH

Houston center Dwight Howard is listed as probable for Game 3 after spraining his left knee in Game 1. He was injured when teammate Josh Smith crashed into him on Tuesday night and he struggled to get ready for Game 2. But he shook off the injury to finish with 19 points and 17 rebounds in 40 minutes.

''We know that no matter what's going in, I'm not going to let it defeat me - an injury, losing a game or two - I'm not going to let it defeat my spirits,'' Howard said. ''I want the team to fight through and that's the only way to go. That's the only way you succeed.''

Coach Kevin McHale was impressed by Howard's performance.

''What can you say? I mean, the guy played fantastic,'' McHale said. ''His knee is bothering him a lot and ... one thing about Dwight is when Dwight starts a game, he very seldom wants to come out.''

TURNOVERS

The Warriors finished with 16 turnovers in Game 2 and five of them came in a 10-minute span ending with about 10 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. Those miscues helped Houston erase a 17-point deficit and take a 58-55 lead. Golden State coach Steve Kerr pinpointed a reason for the turnovers.

''I think sometimes our group competes so hard that the distinction between making the simple play and playing as hard as you can gets blurred,'' he said. ''You have to be able to separate those two things. You've got to compete like crazy and then you have to take a breath and just make the simple play.''

THREES, THREES AND MORE THREES

The Warriors and Rockets love long-range shooting and showed it in the first two games of the series. Don't expect that to change Saturday with some of the league's best 3-point shooters on the court. Golden State is averaging 29.3 3-point attempts in the postseason, which leads the NBA, and Houston is fourth with 27.6 tries a game. The Warriors also lead all playoff teams by making 11.1 a game to 9.6 by the Rockets. These teams have combined to make 33 3-pointers in this series, with the Warriors leading in that category with 18.

CURRY VS. HARDEN

For a stretch Thursday night it seemed as if Curry and Harden were involved in a game of one-on-one with each player making shot after shot. Some of their teammates talked about enjoying the matchup within the game, but Kerr wasn't one of them.

''I'll look at that on tape, and maybe in a few months I'll look back and enjoy the duel,'' he said. ''But right now it's just possession by possession, trying to get it done.''

[StarDust Bum]

Harden's unique game hard to stop

May 22, 2015

HOUSTON (AP) - Whether he's stirring the pot after a big shot or flailing his arms to draw contact en route to the basket James Harden evokes strong reactions from fans and players alike.

The internet abounds with people complaining that his game isn't aesthetically pleasing, but he's even tougher to stop than his game is to like.

The Warriors did shut him down on the final play to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals. There is a lot of ongoing chatter about his decision to pass the ball to teammate Dwight Howard at the 3-point line in the final seconds. The talk will likely continue until Game 3 tips off on Saturday.

But the discussions won't deter the Rockets' bearded star as Houston looks to hold serve at home. And whatever success they have, it will start with Harden.

Fear the Beard? Love the Beard? Hate the Beard?

Opinions vary, but everyone who knows basketball seems to respect the game of arguably the best shooting guard in the NBA - especially the Warriors.

''He gets a head of steam going towards the rim, and it's tough to stop,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

Harden has one of the most complete offensive arsenals in the league.

''Obviously he can shoot that pull-up shot, and he can get all the way to the rim, and he's a great passer ... we try to do what we can to slow him down, make him take tough shots, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't,'' Kerr said.

Don't forget this 3-point range and that he is shooting 90 percent from the foul line.

But Harden, the MVP runner-up to Golden State's Stephen Curry, just doesn't have a game as lovable as other stars. He doesn't have Curry's flair, doesn't dominate like LeBron James or wow fans with Derrick Rose-like athleticism.

Nonetheless, he gets it done - often by getting to the line.

Harden led the league in the regular season in both free throw attempts (824) and free throws made (715) in a season where nobody else compared to his knack for getting to the line. Second-place Russell Westbrook attempted 170 fewer free throws than Harden and made 169 less.

He got to the line 10 times a game in the regular season and is averaging 10.1 trips in the postseason.

''He does a great job of swinging his arms out and trying to seek out contact,'' Golden State's Andrew Bogut said. ''It's kind of an unorthodox basketball play, but he's very smart with it.''

And he's left-handed, which some would say is also an advantage.

Harden handles the ball more like a point guard, and teams throw several different guys at him to try and slow him down. The Warriors have tried it.

He scored 28 points in Game 1 against Golden State and poured in 38 in Game 2. Though the Rockets couldn't steal a road win, they feel good.

''We had plenty of opportunities to win both of the games, so we have all the confidence in the world,'' said Harden, who is doing a bit of everything for the Rockets.

He finished just one assist shy of a triple-double in each of the first two games in this series after collecting a triple-double in Game 5 against the Clippers.

''We have to stop him from going downhill,'' Golden State's Andre Iguodala said. ''When the guy gets downhill, he's either going to get a basket or an assist or get the benefit of the doubt with the whistle. It's tough, but we've got to stop it.''

Klay Thompson said the goal is to force Harden right so he's using his non-dominant hand.

''But he's got incredible ball skills,'' Thompson said. ''He's a great ball-handler, he's a big, strong guy. He lulls you to sleep, and he's a great finisher.''

Then there's that celebration once he gets ''cooking.''

Houston fans love Harden's pot-stirring gesture and many have started wearing chef's hats to pay homage to it. Harden said it's caught on with non-Houston fans, though not always in support of the bearded one.

Clippers guard Austin Rivers mocked it when he got on a hot streak in their series against Houston.

It didn't faze Harden, who said he's ''just trying to be who I am and just go out there and make an impact on the game of basketball and for myself.''

The Rockets hope he can stir it up enough for win in Game 3.

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Preview: Ducks (51-24) at Blackhawks (48-28)

Date: May 23, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

CHICAGO (AP) - The NHL's hottest real estate in May is about 30 square feet in front of each goal. You have to fight to get there, and it is quite difficult to stay in place after you arrive.

Anaheim got another scoring tip in a 2-1 victory over Chicago in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday night, helping the Ducks to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. While the Eastern Conference finals has been a more free-wheeling showdown, traffic in front of goaltenders Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers and Ben Bishop of the Lightning has contributed to several goals.

Making the most of that small area right in front of the net could go a long way to determining which teams get to compete for the Stanley Cup.

'If you want to score a goal, I'm going to the front of the net,' Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said. 'I've read stats that 75 percent of all goals are scored within 5 feet of the blue paint. If I want to be a goal scorer and I want to win games, by hook or by crook, I'm going to get to the front of the net, stand there, see where the puck ends up.'

The evolution of the goaltending position and scouting reports have made what players and coaches often call the 'dirty' areas more important than ever. Big goalies like the 6-foot-7 Bishop take up more of the net than their smaller counterparts of the past, and advance scouts provide detailed information on the tendencies of opponents and what they like to do in every offensive situation.

'You got to go to the hard areas in this league,' Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. 'From the outside, you're not going to score.'

Patrick Maroon was right outside of the goalmouth on Thursday night when he tipped Hampus Lindholm's shot past Corey Crawford for a 1-0 Anaheim lead at 12:55 of the first period. Each of the five goals in the Blackhawks' triple-overtime win in Game 2 was scored from right in front of the net, including impressive tips for Chicago's Andrew Shaw and Anaheim star Corey Perry.

'You've got to battle,' Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf said. 'I mean, there are certain guys that have an art form in the league of doing it and know how to be around the net. We saw two examples (in Game 2), that Shaw is really good around the net, and we saw Perry in ours.

'That's just the way the games are now. You got to find a way to get inside and be willing to take those extra shots to stay around the net.'

With his 6-3 frame, athleticism and a nasty streak, Perry is one of the NHL's most dangerous players around the goal. The winger is among the league leaders with eight goals and eight assists in the playoffs. The 6-2, 231-pound Maroon, who scored three of his playoff goals in the second round against Calgary, also can cause problems inside.

'We're probably playing as good a team as there is in the league at getting in front of the net, staying in front of the net, having the abilities to get their hands on some loose pucks and finish the goal to go along with that,' Quenneville said. 'That's an ongoing battle. At the end of the series is where it will get sorted out.'

The importance of traffic in front and screening the goaltenders has prompted increased emphasis on defending and protecting that valuable part of the ice. One of the best ways to prevent those gritty goals is preventing the puck from getting into those dangerous areas.

Anaheim has blocked 84 shots heading into Game 4 on Saturday night, compared with 47 for Chicago. The East finals is tied at two games apiece after New York's 5-1 victory Friday night, with Tampa Bay enjoying a 56-48 advantage in blocked shots for the series.

When those rugged forwards get to the front of the net - with or without the puck - it becomes a tricky little situation for defensemen. The objective is to stay out of the way of their goaltenders while moving opposing players out of potential scoring positions, and then they also have to be mindful of potential penalties that could put their team in a more difficult spot.

'It's a constant battle about getting in position in front of them,' Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman said. 'As a defenseman, you have to make sure you front their guy. It's a big battle. You have to find a way to get there. It's a big difference.'

The forwards who get to the front take a constant stream of hits designed to make it too painful to stay near the goal. It takes a tenacious disposition to stand up to the abuse, especially for smaller players like the 5-11 Shaw, but he said he also dishes out his share of punishment.

'It's give and take,' Shaw said. 'You know you're going to get a few shots. You can give a few shots, but it's more of just having a wide base, standing your ground and you know pushing back every time he pushes into you.'

[StarDust Bum]

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Blackhawks at Ducks
Sun, May 17 Final 1 to 4

GAME 2
Blackhawks at Ducks
Tue, May 19 Final 3 to 2

GAME 3
Ducks at Blackhawks
Thu, May 21 Final 2 to 1

GAME 4
Ducks at Blackhawks
Sat, May 23 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 5
Blackhawks at Ducks
Mon, May 25 - 9:00PM EDT

GAME 6
Ducks at Blackhawks
Wed, May 27 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 7
Blackhawks at Ducks
Sat, May 30 - 8:00PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

Seven players still playing in NBA playoffs who used to be Knicks........

-- JR Smith-- Shooters are really useful on most teams.

-- Timofey Mozgov-- Throw-in when they traded for Carmelo Anthony.

-- Iman Shumpert-- No truth to rumor Knicks are drafting Salami from The White Shadow with the #4 pick next month.

-- Pablo Prigioni-- Mike Woodson deserves credit for improving his game LY.

-- Corey Brewer-- Played 46 games for Knicks two years ago.

-- David Lee-- This is good place to mention that Phil Jackson makes $12M/year.

-- Trevor Ariza-- Who wouldn't want this guy on their team?

**********

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind........

13) Orioles 8, Marlins 5-- Showalter vs Jennings is one of worst managerial mismatches in major league history.

12) Miami also has four starting pitchers on the DL; they've lost eight games in a row and the nitwit owner will probably try to sell all the players before August 1. But hey, they've got a neat sculpture behind the centerfield fence.

11) As far as reducing the baseball schedule from 162 to 154 games a year, how will owners explain the loss of a week's worth of TV ad revenue? Will players take a pay reduction to match the 8-game reduction? Didn't think so.

10) ESPN's Pedro Gomez has a son who pitches at U of Arizona.

9) Dodgers 2, Padres 1- San Diego has scored a total of five runs in Andrew Cashner's last six starts.

8) Not only does he get no offensive support, but Cashner (12) and Jonathan Niese (8) lead MLB in unearned runs allowed this season, so his defense has been poor behind him too- one of these years he's going to have a great year.

7) Cubs are now 14-6 when Dexter Fowler gets on base 2+ times, 9-12 when he does not.

6) Judge Judy makes $47M a year? Seriously?

5) Who is Jennifer Garner's agent? She is on a lot of commercials lately.

4) If Kobe Bryant plays after next season, sounds like it won't be for the Lakers, who have to start to re-build from the ground up.

3) Read somewhere that Houston Texans are favored to be featured on HBO's Hard Knocks this summer; would rather see the Redskins, since Daniel Snyder is such a beloved figure- would enjoy seeing him in action.

2) For selfish reasons, I hope Jeff Van Gundy doesn't take the Pelicans' job, since I enjoy his work on TV so much.

1) Arizona 5, Cubs 4 (13)-- D'backs got walk-off hit at 2:07am as they won for fifth game in row. Goldschmidt tied game with 10th inning homer.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Saturday, May 23

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NY METS (24 - 18) at PITTSBURGH (18 - 22) - 4:05 PM
MATT HARVEY (R) vs. A.J. BURNETT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 137-95 (+41.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Saturday since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 93-56 (+24.9 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 363-371 (+46.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
NY METS are 103-101 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 87-94 (+17.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 10-2 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
NY METS are 103-101 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 56-34 (+20.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BURNETT is 209-210 (-38.8 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
BURNETT is 169-177 (-37.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MATT HARVEY vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
HARVEY is 0-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 0-1 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

A.J. BURNETT vs. NY METS since 1997
BURNETT is 5-9 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 4.18 and a WHIP of 1.258.
His team's record is 10-14 (-6.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 11-13. (-3.2 units)

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PHILADELPHIA (18 - 25) at WASHINGTON (24 - 17) - 4:05 PM
COLE HAMELS (L) vs. STEPHEN STRASBURG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HAMELS is 68-68 (-30.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 24-25 (+12.0 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
STRASBURG is 36-37 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
STRASBURG is 36-37 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-4 (+0.1 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

COLE HAMELS vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HAMELS is 15-9 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.72 and a WHIP of 1.080.
His team's record is 23-11 (+7.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 13-20. (-8.1 units)

STEPHEN STRASBURG vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
STRASBURG is 5-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 2.00 and a WHIP of 0.878.
His team's record is 9-3 (+4.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-4. (+4.0 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MILWAUKEE (15 - 27) at ATLANTA (20 - 20) - 4:10 PM
MICHAEL FIERS (R) vs. SHELBY MILLER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 97-107 (-18.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 29-47 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 3 seasons.
MILLER is 7-1 (+7.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
MILLER is 8-0 (+8.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MILWAUKEE is 37-30 (+15.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 99-103 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 97-102 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 78-84 (-15.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 52-62 (-23.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

MICHAEL FIERS vs. ATLANTA since 1997
No recent starts.

SHELBY MILLER vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
MILLER is 5-0 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.20 and a WHIP of 1.102.
His team's record is 8-0 (+8.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-5. (-2.0 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (23 - 18) at COLORADO (15 - 23) - 4:10 PM
CHRIS HESTON (R) vs. JORDAN LYLES (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 123-97 (+21.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 58-50 (+15.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 14-5 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in May games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 47-31 (+14.9 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 123-97 (+21.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 83-64 (+13.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 81-119 (-34.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 226-299 (-81.2 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.
COLORADO is 81-119 (-34.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 56-88 (-31.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LYLES is 8-31 (-19.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 4-1 (+3.2 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.2 Units)

CHRIS HESTON vs. COLORADO since 1997
HESTON is 0-2 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 5.11 and a WHIP of 1.703.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JORDAN LYLES vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
LYLES is 1-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 4.84 and a WHIP of 1.478.
His team's record is 1-3 (-1.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-3. (-2.4 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO CUBS (23 - 17) at ARIZONA (19 - 21) - 10:10 PM
JAKE ARRIETA (R) vs. RUBBY DE LA ROSA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1410-1570 (-276.7 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 151-190 (-56.1 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1353-1483 (-251.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1035-1167 (-210.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 690-691 (-156.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
ARIZONA is 83-119 (-31.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 9-22 (-12.4 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 42-58 (-19.9 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 83-119 (-31.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 31-63 (-27.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JAKE ARRIETA vs. ARIZONA since 1997
ARRIETA is 0-1 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 4.05 and a WHIP of 1.049.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

RUBBY DE LA ROSA vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
No recent starts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAN DIEGO (20 - 22) at LA DODGERS (24 - 16) - 10:10 PM
IAN KENNEDY (R) vs. MIKE BOLSINGER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 44-79 (-27.0 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 4-2 (+1.6 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.2 Units)

IAN KENNEDY vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
KENNEDY is 5-8 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 4.58 and a WHIP of 1.324.
His team's record is 8-10 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 10-7. (+1.7 units)

MIKE BOLSINGER vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
BOLSINGER is 0-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.167.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

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SEATTLE (18 - 22) at TORONTO (19 - 24) - 1:05 PM
JAMES PAXTON (L) vs. MARK BUEHRLE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 715-644 (-101.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
TORONTO is 285-247 (+41.5 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.
BUEHRLE is 26-14 (+12.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 162-83 (+53.4 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 66-31 (+30.6 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 12-4 (+9.7 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 53-23 (+29.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Saturday since 1997. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 29-13 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
BUEHRLE is 16-4 (+12.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JAMES PAXTON vs. TORONTO since 1997
PAXTON is 0-1 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 26.97 and a WHIP of 4.869.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.3 units)

MARK BUEHRLE vs. SEATTLE since 1997
BUEHRLE is 8-3 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.62 and a WHIP of 1.251.
His team's record is 12-5 (+7.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-8. (-0.9 units)

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TEXAS (18 - 23) at NY YANKEES (22 - 19) - 1:05 PM
NICK MARTINEZ (R) vs. C.C. SABATHIA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 18-12 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in road games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 29-25 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MARTINEZ is 7-1 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
MARTINEZ is 9-3 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY YANKEES are 127-115 (-68.8 Units) against the money line in home games in May games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

NICK MARTINEZ vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
MARTINEZ is 0-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.91 and a WHIP of 1.182.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

C.C. SABATHIA vs. TEXAS since 1997
SABATHIA is 12-3 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.60 and a WHIP of 1.443.
His team's record is 15-5 (+7.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 15-5. (+9.7 units)

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HOUSTON (27 - 15) at DETROIT (25 - 17) - 4:05 PM
LANCE MCCULLERS (R) vs. KYLE LOBSTEIN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 89-153 (-58.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Saturday since 1997.
DETROIT is 16-4 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
HOUSTON is 27-15 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 14-5 (+10.7 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 12-5 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
HOUSTON is 27-15 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
DETROIT is 37-37 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against HOUSTON this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

LANCE MCCULLERS vs. DETROIT since 1997
No recent starts.

KYLE LOBSTEIN vs. HOUSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

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OAKLAND (14 - 29) at TAMPA BAY (23 - 19) - 4:10 PM
KENDALL GRAVEMAN (R) vs. NATE KARNS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 14-29 (-20.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 5-16 (-10.4 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 49-57 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 5-15 (-13.0 Units) against the money line in May games this season.
OAKLAND is 1-13 (-14.8 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
OAKLAND is 13-20 (-10.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
OAKLAND is 3-11 (-9.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TAMPA BAY is 24-5 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Saturday over the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 100-104 (-23.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 48-54 (-24.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 13-21 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in home games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 49-55 (-24.8 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 56-61 (-23.0 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against OAKLAND this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

KENDALL GRAVEMAN vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
No recent starts.

NATE KARNS vs. OAKLAND since 1997
No recent starts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINNESOTA (23 - 17) at CHI WHITE SOX (18 - 20) - 4:10 PM
TREVOR MAY (R) vs. CHRIS SALE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SALE is 9-0 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 23-17 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 13-5 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in May games this season.
MINNESOTA is 23-17 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 13-5 (+10.8 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 16-6 (+13.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 70-110 (-32.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-2 (+3.4 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.6 Units)

TREVOR MAY vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
MAY is 3-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 4.32 and a WHIP of 1.380.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-0. (+3.2 units)

CHRIS SALE vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
SALE is 7-2 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.61 and a WHIP of 1.171.
His team's record is 8-2 (+5.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-3. (+3.9 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LA ANGELS (21 - 20) at BOSTON (19 - 22) - 7:15 PM
C.J. WILSON (L) vs. STEVEN WRIGHT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WILSON is 5-16 (-12.2 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WILSON is 3-12 (-9.8 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 28-10 (+16.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 761-739 (+70.1 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 27-9 (+17.2 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 638-621 (+63.8 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 94-63 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 68-35 (+22.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 90-114 (-35.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 599-539 (-79.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
BOSTON is 8-21 (-16.6 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 42-59 (-33.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 15-22 (-14.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 16-23 (-16.8 Units) against the money line in home games in May games over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 80-98 (-30.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 64-81 (-25.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 43-61 (-19.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

C.J. WILSON vs. BOSTON since 1997
WILSON is 6-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 2.64 and a WHIP of 1.369.
His team's record is 8-2 (+6.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-5. (-0.4 units)

STEVEN WRIGHT vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
No recent starts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CINCINNATI (18 - 22) at CLEVELAND (17 - 23) - 4:05 PM
ANTHONY DESCLAFANI (R) vs. COREY KLUBER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 2-13 (-11.0 Units) against the money line in road games in an inter-league game over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 107-59 (+35.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 698-788 (+40.1 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 507-570 (+34.3 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 392-342 (+65.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
CLEVELAND is 6-12 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 5-12 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
CLEVELAND is 6-12 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
KLUBER is 1-8 (-9.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
KLUBER is 1-8 (-9.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

ANTHONY DESCLAFANI vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
No recent starts.

COREY KLUBER vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
KLUBER is 1-0 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 1.23 and a WHIP of 1.091.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.1 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ST LOUIS (27 - 14) at KANSAS CITY (26 - 14) - 7:15 PM
JOHN LACKEY (R) vs. DANNY DUFFY (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 6-19 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing with a day off over the last 3 seasons.
LACKEY is 55-77 (-27.3 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 26-14 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 28-9 (+17.4 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 26-14 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 90-63 (+17.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 89-62 (+16.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 61-43 (+17.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 27-14 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 27-14 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 55-40 (+12.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 15-25 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in home games in May games over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 95-141 (-49.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Saturday since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JOHN LACKEY vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
LACKEY is 3-4 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.54 and a WHIP of 1.252.
His team's record is 6-4 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-3. (+3.8 units)

DANNY DUFFY vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
DUFFY is 1-0 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 1.86 and a WHIP of 0.931.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BALTIMORE (18 - 20) at MIAMI (16 - 26) - 7:15 PM
MIKE WRIGHT (R) vs. DAN HAREN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 1-9 (-8.2 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
MIAMI is 171-155 (+32.3 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 118-90 (+32.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 53-48 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 104-78 (+28.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 92-66 (+30.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 51-34 (+15.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 16-26 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MIAMI is 8-14 (-10.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MIAMI is 2-8 (-8.7 Units) against the money line in home games in May games this season.
MIAMI is 16-26 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MIAMI is 11-24 (-15.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HAREN is 181-177 (-39.1 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HAREN is 25-37 (-22.8 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HAREN is 168-171 (-45.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
HAREN is 119-123 (-35.6 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
HAREN is 18-26 (-15.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MIKE WRIGHT vs. MIAMI since 1997
No recent starts.

DAN HAREN vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
HAREN is 5-4 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.87 and a WHIP of 1.122.
His team's record is 6-6 (-3.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-5. (+0.4 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAN FRANCISCO (23 - 18) at COLORADO (15 - 23) - 9:10 PM
YUSMEIRO PETIT (R) vs. DAVID HALE (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 4-1 (+3.2 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.2 Units)

YUSMEIRO PETIT vs. COLORADO since 1997
PETIT is 2-1 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 5.73 and a WHIP of 1.540.
His team's record is 5-3 (+2.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-3. (+0.9 units)

DAVID HALE vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
No recent starts.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, May 23


National League
Phillies @ Nationals
Hamels is 3-0, 1.69 in his last three starts; under is 4-0-1 in his last five.

Strasburg is 2-2, 7.54 in his last five starts; six of his last eight went over.

Phillies lost five of last six games with Washington; three of last five went over the total. Philly won seven of its last ten games (under 7-3). Nationals won last six games, scoring 37 runs; eight of their last 11 went over.

Mets @ iPrates
Harvey is 1-1, 0.98 in his last four starts, all of which stayed under-- bullpen blew 1-0 leads for him in last two starts.

Burnett is 3-0, 1.33 in his last four starts; under is 6-2-1 in his last nine.

Mets lost four of last five games with Pittsburgh; nine of last eleven in series stayed under total. NY lost three of last four overall- they're 7-13 away from home. Pirates lost six of last eight games; eight of their last 11 games stayed under the total.

Brewers @ Braves
Fiers is 0-1, 4.76 in his last three starts; three of his last four stayed under.

Miller is 2-0, 0.36 in his last three starts; seven of his last eight went under.

Milwaukee lost six of last eight games with the Braves; over is 4-1-1 in his last six. Brewers are 3-2 in last five games- three of their last four went over total. Atlanta won five of their last seven games, with five of last seven going over the total.

Giants @ Rockies
Heston is 1-1, 6.19 in his last three starts, all of which went over. Petit has made 56 big league starts, but this is his first this year; he allowed eight runs in 22 IP in his 13 relief stints this season.

Lyles is 0-3, 7.11 in his last four starts; four of his last five stayed under. Hale is making first '15 start; he is 0-3, 6.33 in six minor league starts this season. Hale is 5-5, 3.57 in 47 MLB games (8 starts).

Giants won last seven games, with three of last four staying under; they lost five of last seven games vs Colorado- under is 4-1-1 in last six. Colorado is 4-7 in its last eleven games.

Cubs @ Diamondbacks
Arrieta is 1-1, 1.20 in his last two starts; under is 3-0-1 in his last four.

de la Rosa is 2-0, 2.35 in his last three starts (over 2-0-1).

Cubs won eight of last 11 games, with four of last six staying under total, but they've lost their last six games with Arizona. D'backs won their last five games overall, with four of last six staying under.

Padres @ Dodgers
Kennedy is 0-2, 10.24 in his last two starts; his last five went over.

Bolsinger is 2-0, 1.04 in his last three starts; five of his last seven stayed under the total.

Dodgers lost four of last six games, scoring total of four runs. LA won eight of last 11 games with the Padres- seven of the 11 games went over. San Diego lost six of its last seven games overall.

American League
Astros @ Tigers
21-year old McCullers allowed one run in 4.2 IP (93 PT) in his MLB debut.

Lobstein is 1-3, 5.25 in his last four starts, all of which stayed under.

Houston lost five of last five games in Detroit; under is 4-2-1 in last seven series games. Astros won seven of last ten games; under is 3-1-1 in their last five. Tigers are 6-3 in last nine games; under is 4-2-1 in their last seven.

Rangers @ Bronx
Martinez is 1-0, 5.32 in his last four starts; four of his last five went over.

Sabathia is 2-1, 3.76 in his last four starts; five of his last seven went under.

Texas won three of last four games with Bronx; eight of last ten stayed under the total. Rangers won four of last five games overall, with four of last five staying under total. Bronx lost eight of last nine games, with six of the nine staying under the total.

Mariners @ Blue Jays
Paxton is 2-2, 1.29 in his last four starts; five of his last seven went over.

Buehrle is 2-1, 3.32 in his last three starts; over is 5-3 in his last eight.

Seattle lost three of last five games with Toronto; seven of last ten got over the total. Mariners are 4-5 in last eight games (under 7-2). Blue Jays lost eight of last ten games; three of their last four stayed under.

Angels @ Red Sox
Wilson is 1-1, 2.97 in his last six starts; five of his last six stayed under.

Wright allowed three runs in five IP (83 PT) in his first '15 start.

Boston lost eight of last ten games with the Angels; six of last nine went under total- Sox lost four of last five games overall, with eight of last nine staying under total. Boston lost eight of its last ten home games. Angels are 8-3 in their last 11 games (under 8-3).

A's @ Rays
Graveman comes back from AAA to replace injured Pomeranz; he is 1-2, 9.37 in four starts, three of which went over.

Karns is 2-0, 2.12 in his last three starts; three of his last four stayed under.

A's lost 22 of last 28 games; under is 3-1-1 in last five. Oakland is 7-4 in last 11 games with Tampa Bay, with under 7-1-2 in last ten. Rays won last five home games, allowing seven runs; six of their last seven home games went under.

Twins @ White Sox
May is 0-2, 6.06 in his last three starts; five of his last six went over.

Sale is 1-0, 1.69 in his last two starts; over is 5-3-1 in his last nine.

White Sox lost four of last five games with Minnesota; three of last four series games stayed under total. Twins won four of last six games. Chicago lost three of last four games, scoring nine runs; their last five games stayed under.

Interleague
Reds @ Indians
DeSclafani is 0-4, 7.88 in his last five starts; under is 5-2-2 in his last nine.

Indians are 1-8 in Kluber starts; he allowed one run in 17 IP (30 Ks) in his last two starts.

Reds won three of last four games with Cleveland; last five series games went over total. Cincinnati lost its last six games overall, scoring 16 runs; five of those six went over. Indians won six of last eight games, with five of last six staying under.

Orioles @ Marlins
Wright blanked the Angels for 7.1 IP (90 PT) in his first MLB start.

Haren is 3-1, 3.56 in his last five starts; over is 7-1-1 in his last nine.

Miami lost its last eight games (four of last six stayed under) but they've won six of last eight games with Baltimore- seven of those eight went over total. Orioles are 4-1 in last five games; three of their last four went over.

Cardinals @ Royals
Lackey is 1-1, 2.73 in his last four starts; his last five stayed under.

Volquez is 1-0, 3.86 in his last three starts.

St Louis lost five of last six games with the Royals; under is 4-1-1 in those games. Cardinals are 3-5 in last eight games- seven of their last ten stayed under. Kansas City won six of its last seven games; four of last five stayed under.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
Phil-Wsh- Hamels 5-4; Strasburg 3-5
NY-Pitt-- Harvey 6-2; Burnett 4-4
Mil-Atl-- Fiers 4-4; Miller 7-1
SF-Colo-- Heston 5-3 Petit 0-0; Lyles 2-6 Hale 0-0
Chi-Az-- Arrieta 4-4; de la Rosa 5-3
SD-LA-- Kennedy 2-4; Bolsinger 2-1

Hst-Det-- McCullers 0-1; Lobstein 3-4
Tex-NY-- Martinez 7-1; Sabathia 3-5
Sea-Tor-- Paxton 3-5; Buehrle 5-3
A's-TB-- Graveman 2-2; Karns 4-4
LAA-Bos-- Wilson 4-4; SWright 0-1
Min-Chi-- May 4-3; Sale 5-2

Cin-Clev-- DeSclafani 4-4; Kluber 1-8
Balt-Mia-- MWright 1-0; Haren 5-3
StL-KC-- Lackey 4-4; Volquez 5-3

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
Phil-Wsh- Hamels 2-9; Strasburg 2-8
NY-Pitt-- Harvey 2-8; Burnett 0-8
Mil-Atl-- Fiers 1-8; Miller 0-8
SF-Colo-- Heston 1-8 Petit 0-0; Lyles 2-8 Hale 0-0
Chi-Az-- Arrieta 2-6; de la Rosa 2-8
SD-LA-- Kennedy 2-6; Bolsinger 1-3

Hst-Det-- McCullers 0-1; Lobstein 5-7
Tex-NY-- Martinez 1-8; Sabathia 3-8
Sea-Tor-- Paxton 3-8; Buehrle 5-8
A's-TB-- Graveman 3-4; Karns 2-8
LAA-Bos-- Wilson 1-8; SWright 0-1
Min-Chi-- May 3-7; Sale 5-7

Cin-Clev-- DeSclafani 1-8; Kluber 4-9
Balt-Mia-- MWright 0-1; Haren 0-8
StL-KC-- Lackey 2-8; Volquez 2-8

Umpires
NY-Pitt-- Underdogs won three of last four Muchlinski games.
Phil-Wsh-- Five of last seven Bellino games stayed under.
Mil-Atl-- Four of last six Joyce games went over total.
SF-Col-- Last five Demuth games went over total. Favorites won five of six Nauert games this season.
Chi-Az-- Four of six Conroy games stayed under total.
SD-LA-- Three of last four Fagan games went over.

Sea-Tor-- Road team won five of seven Davis games.
Tex-NY-- Four of last five Knight games went over.
Hst-Det-- Oer is 4-1-1 in Wendelstedt games this year.
A's-TB-- Five of seven Drake games stayed under.
Min-Chi-- Underdogs won six of seven Eddings games.
LAA-Bos-- Last four Hoye games went over the total.

Cin-Cle-- Four of last five Barber games stayed under.
StL-KC-- Five of last seven Baker games went over.
Balt-Mia-- Underdogs won five of last seven HGibson games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Saturday, May 23

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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1:05 PM
TEXAS vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas's last 5 games
Texas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
NY Yankees are 1-8 SU in their last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of NY Yankees's last 10 games when playing Texas

1:07 PM
SEATTLE vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Seattle's last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Seattle's last 15 games on the road
Toronto is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing at home against Seattle

4:05 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. WASHINGTON
Philadelphia is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 10 games
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Washington's last 14 games

4:05 PM
NY METS vs. PITTSBURGH
NY Mets are 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of NY Mets's last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing NY Mets
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets

4:08 PM
HOUSTON vs. DETROIT
Houston is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
Houston is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games when playing Houston
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

4:10 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Minnesota's last 16 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games
Chi White Sox are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games

4:10 PM
CINCINNATI vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 6 games
Cincinnati is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati

4:10 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. ATLANTA
Milwaukee is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games at home

4:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. TAMPA BAY
Oakland is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oakland's last 10 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games when playing Oakland
Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

4:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. COLORADO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 6 games when playing San Francisco

7:15 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. KANSAS CITY
St. Louis is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 7 games
Kansas City is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games at home

7:15 PM
LA ANGELS vs. BOSTON
LA Angels are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Angels's last 6 games when playing Boston
Boston is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

7:15 PM
BALTIMORE vs. MIAMI
Baltimore is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Baltimore's last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games at home
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. COLORADO
San Francisco4-0-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
San Francisco is 2-5-1 SU in its last 8 games ,when playing Colorado
Colorado is 4-16-1 SU in its last 21 games ,
Colorado is 2-3-1 SU in its last 6 games ,when playing at home against San Francisco

10:10 PM
CHI CUBS vs. ARIZONA
Chi Cubs are 0-4-1 SU in their last 5 games ,when playing on the road against Arizona
Chi Cubs are 2-3-1 SU in their last 6 games ,on the road
Arizona4-0-1 SU in its last 5 games
Arizona is 2-4-1 SU in its last 7 games ,at home

10:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. LA DODGERS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 6 games
San Diego is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 7 games when playing at home against San Diego
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Saturday, May 23

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Biggest MLB betting day/night splits this Memorial Day Weekend
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It’s the Memorial Day Weekend, which means time to blow the dust off the ole rusty beer tub, scare the squirrel nest out of the BBQ and put your feet up for a baseball betting schedule loaded with afternoon action.

Saturday, Sunday and Monday feature 34 of the total 46 MLB games tossing out a first pitch between 1:05 p.m. ET and 4:15 p.m. ET. And with that in mind, we take a look at which clubs have been night and day when it comes to playing in either the day or night.

Day Teams

Baltimore Orioles (9-4 Day/9-16 Night)

Perhaps the Orioles are on the Superman diet, getting their power from earth’s yellow sun. How else can you explain such a drop in success when the sun goes down? Baltimore is hitting .292 BA and averaging nearly six runs a game over its 13 day games but just .243 BA and plating 3.8 runs an outing in the evening. The O’s play a night game in Miami Saturday, then during the day Sunday before returning home to host Houston for a Memorial Day matinee Monday.

Detroit Tigers (16-4 Day/9-13 Night)

The Tigers’ powerful bats have pushed 123 runs past home plate during day games (6.15 per game) this season – that’s just 13 runs less than what the Philadelphia Phillies have scored in all of their 43 games. Sun’s out, guns out for Detroit, which is smashing the ball with a .317 BA and .516 slugging percentage in day games, hitting 26 of their total 36 home runs under the sun. But when night creeps in, the Tigers lose their claws and are hitting just .241 BA and averaging only 2.8 runs – less than half of what they score during the day. Detroit plays three straight days games this long weekend at Houston Saturday and Sunday, then at Oakland Monday.

New York Mets (10-2 Day/14-13 Night)

Not all teams rely on offense to get the job done during the day. The Mets and their pitching staff love them some Vitamin D with a 2.36 ERA during their 12 day games. Opposing batters are swatting a .196 BA against and the Mets have given up just five home runs in those matinee contests. New York’s ERA does go up about a run during night games but it’s been its bats that haven’t lived up to their end of the bargain in the evening. The Mets hit just .227 BA and average only 3.3 runs of support in night games. New York, which is 7-5 O/U during day games, is at Pittsburgh for day games Saturday and Sunday then back home hosting Philadelphia during the day Monday.


Night Teams

Minnesota Twins (9-11 Day/14-6 Night)

It’s right there in the team name. Minnesota has a split personality when it comes to day and night games. The Twins are the vampires of the major leagues, especially when it comes to working on the mound. Their staff holds a 2.60 ERA in night games – lowest in the bigs – and limits opposing hitters to a .245 BA under the lights. During the day, Minnesota’s pitchers transform back into noodle-armed hurlers with that ERA ballooning to 5.81 – worst in the bigs. That’s right, the Twins have the worst day ERA and best night ERA in the majors. They have two dreaded day games in Chicago Saturday and Sunday and host the Red Sox at 2:10 p.m. ET on the holiday.

Los Angeles Angels (4-9 Day/17-11 Night)

The Halos shine brightest at night with just four wins in 13 day games heading into the weekend. Los Angeles is struggling to get its bats swinging no matter the time of day, ranked 29th in the majors in runs per game (3.68), but it’s more about the pitching staff when it comes to this decisive split between game times. The Angels have a 4.15 ERA in day games with two blown saves in five save opportunities. At night, the Halos staff boasts a 3.34 ERA – third lowest in night games across the leagues. Los Angeles is all the way in Boston this week, playing Saturday night and then earlier Sunday afternoon, followed by cross-country trip back home to host San Diego Monday evening.

Cincinnati Reds (3-10 Day/15-12 Night)

The Reds aren’t exactly tearing it up in night games but they’re doing a hell of a lot better than their day game sked. Cincinnati is dreading the long weekend, with three straight day games on deck Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It’s a perfect storm of underperformances during the day, hitting just .230 BA (3.5 rpg) with a bulky 4.79 ERA. At night, things get a little more respectable for the Reds. They have a 4.19 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP in the evening – fourth lowest WHIP in the National League at night. Cincy is at Cleveland Saturday and Sunday before hosting Colorado on Memorial Day.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Saturday, May 23


MLB roundup: AL-best Royals beat NL-best Cardinals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chris Young extended the Kansas City starters' scoreless inning streak and designated hitter Kendrys Morales drove in all the runs with two homers as the Royals downed the St. Louis Cardinals 5-0 on Friday night.

Young, who lowered his ERA to 0.78, pitched six innings and gave up six hits and two walks with two strikeouts to pick up the victory.

Royals starters have not allowed a run in the past four games spanning 26 innings.

The game matched the teams with the best records in their respective leagues. The Royals have won four straight and at 27-14 have the best record in the big leagues. The Cardinals have failed to score in two straight games.

Diamondbacks 5, Cubs 4 (13 innings)

PHOENIX -- Arizona's Nick Ahmed had three hits, including a walk-off single in the 13th inning to extend his team's season-long winning streak to five games with a victory over the Chicago Cubs at Chase Field.

Tuffy Gosewisch doubled with one out in the 13th off Zac Rosscup to bring up Ahmed, who singled into the left field corner in his first career three-hit game. Ahmed hit his first homer of the season in the fifth inning.

Paul Goldschmidt had three hits, three RBIs and two stolen bases for the Diamondbacks and A.J. Pollock, who was a triple short of the cycle, had four hits and scored two runs. Jon Lester gave up two runs in seven innings in his fifth straight quality start for the Cubs. He had won his previous four games.

Angels 12, Red Sox 5

BOSTON -- Los Angeles, struggling all season to score runs, exploded for nine in the fifth inning and cruised to a win over Boston.

Chris Iannetta hit a three-run homer, Erick Aybar added a two-run shot and Mike Trout had two hits and a stolen base in the 39-minute inning that chased starter Rick Porcello and reliever Matt Barnes.

It was the first time the Angels, who came in next to last in the American League in hitting, scored nine runs in an inning since April 20, 2013, against Detroit -- and Porcello.

Nationals 2, Phillies 1

WASHINGTON -- Max Scherzer won his fourth straight start and scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as Washington beat Philadelphia for its sixth win in a row.

Scherzer gave up just one run on four hits with six strikeouts in eight innings. He was lifted for pinch-hitter Tyler Moore in the eighth, and closer Drew Storen picked up his 13th save in the ninth despite giving up two singles. Storen fanned center fielder Odubel Herrera for the final out with runners on first and second.

The first-place Nationals, who led the National League in runs scored, are 18-4 since April 28.

Pirates 4, Mets 1

PITTSBURGH -- Gerrit Cole pitched into the ninth inning for the first time in his 50th career start and tied for the National League lead in wins in leading Pittsburgh over New York.

Cole allowed only one unearned run and six hits in 8 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts and no walks as the Pirates won for just the second time in eight games.

The 24-year-old Cole became the NL's third six-game winner, joining Mets' Bartolo Colon and St. Louis' Michael Wacha.

Mariners 4, Blue Jays 3

TORONTO -- Felix Hernandez pitched seven strong innings and Nelson Cruz homered as Seattle held on to defeat Toronto.

Hernandez allowed four hits, two walks and one run while striking out eight in the opener of a three-game series.

Fernando Rodney pitched the ninth for his 11th save.

Tigers 6, Astros 2

DETROIT -- J.D. Martinez blasted a three-run home run in the third inning and Detroit pulled away for the win over Houston.

The right fielder's ninth homer of the season backed a sharp outing by Tigers starter Alfredo Simon, who did not give up an earned run in seven innings. He allowed two unearned runs on four hits and struck out five while notching his first victory since April 25.

Miguel Cabrera had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 10 games and scored a run for the Tigers, who have won the first two games of the four-game series.

Orioles 8, Marlins 5

MIAMI -- Baltimore rallied for four runs in the sixth inning as Miami lost for the eighth straight time.

Baltimore took advantage of a throwing error by Marlins starter Henderson Alvarez, tying the score 3-3 in the sixth, and catcher Caleb Joseph followed with a tiebreaking two-run single for the Orioles, who have won three of their past four games.

The Orioles got three RBIs and a run-saving diving catch by third baseman Manny Machado, a Miami native playing in his first game at Marlins Park.

Indians 7, Reds 3

CLEVELAND -- Brandon Moss had a double, a home run and three RBIs, Jason Kipnis had three hits and Carlos Carrasco pitched six strong innings to lead Cleveland over slumping Cincinnati.

With the win, the Indians extended their winning streak to four games, while the Reds have lost six in a row.

Carrasco pitched six innings, holding the Reds to two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. The Reds' Mike Leake gave up five runs on seven hits and five walks in four innings and took the loss.

White Sox 3, Twins 2

CHICAGO — Jeff Samardzija brushed off a shaky start to claim his third win in four starts as Chicago beat Minnesota.

Samardzija worked eight strong innings, allowing two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out a season-high nine as the White Sox snapped a three-game losing streak.

J.B. Shuck delivered a one-out sacrifice to center in the eighth inning that drove in Gordon Beckham from third to break a 2-2 tie.

Rangers 10, Yankees 9

NEW YORK -- Prince Fielder homered twice, including belting a three-run shot in the top of the third inning and Texas held on to beat New York.

Fielder had his 26th career multihomer game and second straight against the Yankees. His last one was April 5, 2013, for Detroit against the Yankees.

Mitch Moreland homered and Shin-Soo Choo had an RBI single for the Rangers, who improved to 9-3 in their last 12 road games and equaled a season high with their seven-run third against New York's Michael Pineda.

Brewers 11, Braves 0

ATLANTA -- Hot-hitting Ryan Braun had two doubles, a home run and reached base five times to help Milwaukee throttle Atlanta.

Braun went 3-for-3 with four RBIs and scored twice. He hit a two-run homer in the first inning, walked and scored in the fourth, doubled in two runs in the fifth, reached on catcher's interference in the sixth and doubled in the eighth.

Braun is hitting .358 over his last 16 games and has raised his average to .273. He was hitting .222 on May 5.

Rays 5, A's 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa made sure Oakland starter Scott Kazmir's return to where he used to pitch was not a pleasant memory.

The plan was successful as Kazmir lasted only 5 2/3 innings in a 5-2 Tampa victory. Kazmir lost for the third time in four starts this month and fell to 2-3 on the season.

Rays starter Chris Archer scattered six hits over 5 2/3 innings while giving up only one run to earn his fifth win of the year.

Dodgers 2, Padres 1

LOS ANGELES -- Joc Pederson hit the go-ahead home run in the eighth inning, and Los Angeles snapped a three-game skid with a victory over San Diego before a crowd of 48,514 at Dodger Stadium.

Pederson, who went 2-for-4, drilled an 0-2 fastball from reliever Joaquin Benoit (4-2) and parked it in the right-center pavilion as Los Angeles prevailed. It was Pederson's 11th homer this season.

Dodgers reliever Chris Hatcher (1-3) threw eight pitches in a one-third of an inning to halt his winless skid. Closer Kenley Jansen earned his second save with a perfect ninth.

Giants 11, Rockies 8

DENVER -- Ryan Vogelsong gave San Francisco its fourth consecutive superb start. Brandon Belt hit a memorably long home run. And two late rallies by the rampaging Giants sealed a win over Colorado.

After the Rockies scored a run in the ninth, rain halted play for 1 hour, 44 minutes. When play resumed, pinch hitter Michael McKenry and Carlos Gonzalez lined run-scoring singles that cut the Giants' lead to 11-7 and forced them to bring in closer Santiago Casilla with no outs and runners on first and second. He wound up earning his 11th save.

The victory extended the Giants' season-high winning streak to seven games -- their longest since they won eight straight from Sept. 11-18, 2011 -- and was their 10th win in the past 13 games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Saturday, May 23


NY Mets @ Pittsburgh

Game 951-952
May 23, 2015 @ 4:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Mets
(Harvey) 18.150
Pittsburgh
(Burnett) 16.695
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Mets
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-110
6
Dunkel Pick:
NY Mets
(-110); Over

Philadelphia @ Washington

Game 953-954
May 23, 2015 @ 4:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
(Hamels) 16.850
Washington
(Strasburg) 15.990
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 1
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-160
7
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+140); Over

Milwaukee @ Atlanta

Game 955-956
May 23, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
(Fiers) 13.777
Atlanta
(Miller) 16.722
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 3
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
-125
7
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(-125); Under

San Francisco @ Colorado

Game 957-958
May 23, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Francisco
(Heston) 18.219
Colorado
(Lyles) 16.547
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Francisco
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco
-120
10
Dunkel Pick:
San Francisco
(-120); Under

Chicago Cubs @ Arizona

Game 959-960
May 23, 2015 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago Cubs
(Arrieta) 14.509
Arizona
(DeLaRosa) 15.610
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago Cubs
-130
8
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(+110); Under

San Diego @ LA Dodgers

Game 961-962
May 23, 2015 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Diego
(Kennedy) 16.425
LA Dodgers
(Bolsinger) 15.610
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Diego
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-160
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
San Diego
(+140); Under

Seattle @ Toronto

Game 963-964
May 23, 2015 @ 1:07 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Seattle
(Paxton) 13.861
Toronto
(Buehrle) 15.376
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 1 1/2
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
-115
9
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-115); Over

Texas @ NY Yankees

Game 965-966
May 23, 2015 @ 1:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas
(Martinez) 12.624
NY Yankees
(Sabathia) 15.990
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Yankees
by 3 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Yankees
-165
8
Dunkel Pick:
NY Yankees
(-165); Over

Houston @ Detroit

Game 967-968
May 23, 2015 @ 4:08 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
(McCullers) 13.803
Detroit
(Lobstein) 16.684
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 3
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit
-125
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(-125); Over

Oakland @ Tampa Bay

Game 969-970
May 23, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland
(Graveman) 15.108
Tampa Bay
(Karns) 16.675
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tampa Bay
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
-145
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Tampa Bay
(-145); Over

Minnesota @ Chicago White Sox

Game 971-972
May 23, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
(May) 16.695
Chicago White Sox
(Sale) 15.509
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago White Sox
-190
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+165); Under

LA Angels @ Boston

Game 973-974
May 23, 2015 @ 7:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Angels
(Wilson) 16.220
Boston
(Wright) 14.609
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Angels
by 1 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
-110
9
Dunkel Pick:
LA Angels
(-110); Under

Cincinnati @ Cleveland

Game 975-976
May 23, 2015 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cincinnati
(DeSclafani) 15.709
Cleveland
(Kluber) 14.670
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 1
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
-200
7
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati
(+170); Over

St. Louis @ Kansas City

Game 977-978
May 23, 2015 @ 7:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
(Lackey) 18.150
Kansas City
(Volquez) 16.689
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas City
-115
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis
(-105); Over

Baltimore @ Miami

Game 979-980
May 23, 2015 @ 7:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Baltimore
(Wright) 14.732
Miami
(Haren) 16.861
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
-115
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(-115); Under

San Francisco @ Colorado

Game 981-982
May 23, 2015 @ 9:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Francisco
(Petit) 16.698
Colorado
(Hale) 15.223
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Francisco
by 1 1/2
8 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
San Francisco
N/A

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, May 23

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GOLDEN STATE (77 - 17) at HOUSTON (64 - 32) - 5/23/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 57-38 ATS (+15.2 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
HOUSTON is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) as a home underdog of 3 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) in home games this season.
HOUSTON is 36-23 ATS (+10.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HOUSTON is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 35-22 ATS (+10.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 24-14 ATS (+8.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 38-28 ATS (+7.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 51-39 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-33 ATS (+10.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-18 ATS (+9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 83-62 ATS (+14.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 30-20 ATS (+8.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 92-126 ATS (-46.6 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 7-6 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 8-5 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Short Sheet

Saturday, May 23


Western Conference - Finals - Best of 7 - Game 3 GSW Lead 2-0

Golden State at Houston, 9:05 PM
Golden State: 18-9 ATS after a game with 30 or more assists
Houston: 92-126 ATS in home games against Pacific division opponents




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, May 23

Anaheim is 10-2 in playoffs this spring, winning four of five on road- over is 5-3-2 in last ten games, 1-0-2 in this series. Chicago won five of last eight games with Anaheim, but lost four of last five played here- road team won eight of last ten series games- under is 9-2-2 in last 13 series tilts. Over is 7-3-3 in last 13 Chicago games. Ducks outhit Chicago 116-72 in last two games- they're 1-7 on power play in this series, but scored on only chance in Game 3. Chicago is 2-13 on power play in series- they haven't scored a third period goal yet in series.

2015 NHL playoffs
Tampa Bay vs NY Rangers
NYR 2-1, -$143, U5
TB 6-2, +$128, O5
TB 6-5, -$130, O5
NYR 5-1, +$129, O5

Chicago vs Anaheim
Ana 4-1, -$135, N5
Chi 3-2, 3OT, +$113, N5
Ana 2-1, +$145, U5




NBA

Saturday, May 23

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Trend Report
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9:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. HOUSTON
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Houston's last 11 games when playing at home against Golden State
Houston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Golden State