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**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 02:12 AM

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NHL > (77) CHICAGO@ (78) ANAHEIM | 05/30/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON ANAHEIM using the money line in All games in a home game where where the total is 5 or less
The record is 16 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+12.9 units)

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NHL > (77) CHICAGO@ (78) ANAHEIM | 05/30/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON ANAHEIM using the in All games in a home game where where the total is 5 or less
The record is 16 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+12.9 units)

NHL TOTALS

NHL > (77) CHICAGO@ (78) ANAHEIM | 05/30/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play UNDER CHICAGO on the total in All games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 2 Overs and 10 Unders for the this season (+8.3 units)

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 02:15 AM

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

Date: May 30, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Ryan Getzlaf and Jonathan Toews agree that the pain of a Game 7 defeat in the Stanley Cup playoffs doesn't really go away.

Instead, good players use that failure to get better while they wait for another chance to take hockey's ultimate test.

One year after the Anaheim Ducks and the Chicago Blackhawks both exited the playoffs with a loss in a seventh game, they're facing off in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday night at Honda Center.

After two weeks of brilliant, bruising hockey, Toews and Getzlaf don't plan to say much in the dressing rooms before the Blackhawks and Ducks meet for the conference title and a spot in the Stanley Cup Final.

Both captains believe their clubs need no extra motivation to conclude this remarkable series with a big finish.

'We've been through the experiences now,' Getzlaf said Friday after a spirited Ducks practice. 'We have to use them the way we need to. That's the biggest thing. I've always believed that you learn a lot from losing.'

Both teams have lost three times apiece in these conference finals, alternating victories in a tense, well-played series. The Ducks have just one regulation loss in the entire postseason, but it was in Game 6, a 5-2 defeat that might have turned the series' momentum in the Blackhawks' favor heading back to Orange County.

'You try to will your way to the win,' Toews said. 'And given that passion we have in our team, we're feeling pretty good about our chances.'

Both teams' recent history contains motivation and warnings when they face off to conclude a series already featuring six overtime periods and four one-goal games.

The Ducks' last two postseasons ended with a Game 7 loss at home, and they blew a 3-2 series lead both times. Anaheim is a three-time Pacific Division champion and one of the NHL's top teams ever since coach Bruce Boudreau took over in late 2011, but hasn't broken through into trophy territory.

'It's happened too often the last couple years,' Ducks forward Corey Perry said. 'But you win (Saturday) night, and people start talking about something different. We're not focused on the past. We're focused on (Saturday) night, starting something different. It's one game to go play for the Stanley Cup. It doesn't get any more exciting than that.'

The Ducks also point out that those losing teams didn't have center Ryan Kesler, whose defensive tenacity and leadership have bolstered Anaheim in tough games all season long. Kesler is expected to shadow Toews for the seventh straight game.

'I don't think it's about X's and O's anymore,' Kesler said. 'I think it's about who wants it more and who is ready to out-compete the guy across from him. Whoever that is, is going to win the game.'

Despite their two Stanley Cup titles in the previous five seasons, the Blackhawks can't exactly stand on a stellar Game 7 record, either. The current Chicago core has lost in two of its three trips to a Game 7, beating only Detroit in a second-round series in 2013 - the Blackhawks' only Game 7 victory since 1995.

And Chicago's experience in last season's conference finals still stings. The Hawks lost Game 7 at home to the Los Angeles Kings on Alec Martinez's overtime deflection goal - a reminder of the dumb luck that conspires with years of preparation and hard work to decide these teams' fates.

'We're pretty far past that now,' Chicago goalie Corey Crawford said, before quickly adding: 'We have it in the back of our mind a little bit. It was tough for us to take.'

If the Blackhawks win the series, it will be a remarkable testament to their stars - because coach Joel Quenneville is betting everything on them. Chicago has played the conference finals with basically four defensemen, and its two best offensive players are ganging up again.

Quenneville has put Toews and Patrick Kane on a line together with increasing frequency in the last two games. He did it again during Chicago's practice Friday, suggesting the superstars will team up in Game 7.

Chicago also has survived against the deep Ducks while Duncan Keith, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Brent Seabrook and Johnny Oduya play almost every minute on the blue line. Kimmo Timonen, David Rundblad and Kyle Cumiskey have been given barely more than 10 minutes per game.

Keith has logged a jaw-dropping 202 minutes and 57 seconds in a series that might stand as one of the decorated defenseman's greatest achievements, but he won't remember it fondly unless the Blackhawks get one more series in June.

'I think some of that feeling, even though it was a year ago, you can still remember,' Keith said. 'We don't want to have that feeling come this way. We want to make sure we do our best to try to get through this time.'

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 Final 4 to 5

GAME 5
Blackhawks at Ducks
Mon, May 25 Final 4 to 5

GAME 6
Ducks at Blackhawks
Wed, May 27 Final 2 to 5

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

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 02:18 AM

Ducks-Blackhawks go for fourth straight Over

The NHL Western Conference Finals has been a boon for bettors banking on high totals, but it will officially come to an end on Saturday in Game 7 with either the Chicago Blackhawks or the Anaheim Ducks earning the right to represent the West in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Over has cashed in three straight games in the series, going 3-1-2 Over/Under in total.

Oddsmakers have tabbed the matchup with a 5 goal total.

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 02:21 AM

It's time NHL bettors started taking the Anaheim Ducks seriously

The sharpest puck bettors can tell you what the rest of the hockey world took some time warming up to these playoffs: the Anaheim Ducks are the real deal.

It wasn’t until the Ducks took a 2-1 lead over the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference finals that Anaheim finally moved into the favorite spot to win the Stanley Cup, where they sit at +160 (bet365) to win it all.

If we’d been paying attention, the signs have been there this postseason that this team was a lot better than we’d been giving them credit for. The Ducks are by far the most profitable team for bettors these playoffs of the four teams still alive.

If you’d been betting with a $100 unit every game this postseason - which means risking $100 in an underdog situation or risking enough to win $100 in a favorite situation - the Ducks would’ve won you $802 heading into Game 4 against Chicago. Chicago is a somewhat distant second at $582 and the East is way behind with the Lightning returning $256 and the Rangers having a profit of $142.

Despite this, the Ducks opened as the same hefty +130 underdogs for Game 4 as they opened for Game 3 in Chicago. Anaheim has lost only two games these playoffs and yet the club has been an underdog four times and has been favored at -140 or less six times.

That’s incredible value for a team that leads the playoffs in goals per game (3.58), goals against per game (1.92), best power play of any team remaining by a mile (27.8 percent) and best penalty kill (86.4 percent).

The Ducks face the Blackhawks Saturday night and will return to Anaheim with home ice advantage in the series no matter what happens in Game 4.

The not-so-friendly Sunshine State?

The Tampa Bay Lightning have taken some fire this postseason for taking unusual measures to ensure they have home ice advantage.

The team has a home ice policy that doesn’t allow fans to don visiting team garb in certain sections of Amelie Arena (about seven percent of it) and they restrict online ticket sales to residents of Florida, which they monitor via credit card addresses.

Cry penalty if you must, but there could be something to it. The Lightning had the fewest losses in regulation of any team in the NHL in the regular season and they are 5-3 at home these playoffs with the most recent home victory giving them a 2-1 edge in the Eastern finals.

Teams are also 46-29 (65.3 percent) at home these playoffs so any edge you can get might be worth something.

A turn in trends

Before the conference finals series began, the Rangers were a pretty solid under bet in recent postseasons and the Blackhawks were a pretty decent over bet. You might want to consider going the other way now.

The over in Rangers games is 13-22-9 over the last five postseasons but the last two games have seen 19 goals combined. The over is 5-1 in the six meetings between the Bolts and Rangers this year so it might be time to rethink the trend.

The Blackhawks, meanwhile, saw an over trend of 17-6-2 over the last two postseasons after Round 1 of this year. Since then, the over is 3-2-2 and 0-1-2 in their series with the Ducks. The over/under is also 0-4-2 in Blackhawks-Ducks meetings this year.

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 02:24 AM

MLB ballparks changing their stripes when it comes to betting park factor

In April of 2004, the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres waved goodbye to their respective outdated ballpark relics known as Veterans Stadium and Qualcomm Stadium and stepped forward into the modern era with the debut of fan-friendly attractions Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia) and Petco Park (San Diego).

But while the locales shared the similarities of serving as National League venues opening within a week of one another, the next decade would see each stadium travel a drastically different path.

Citizens Bank Park quickly established its place among the top hitter-friendly venues in all of Major League Baseball, as CBP ranked in the Top 5 in home runs per game four times during the stadium’s first five years of existence.

Conversely, Petco Park finished 29th or worse in home runs hit four times during that same time span. While hitters were living the dream in Philadelphia, they were experiencing recurring nightmares 3,000 miles away in Southern California.

However, fast-forward to 2015 and it’s a different story entirely. While the Phillies and their opponents are still mashing at a steady rate, San Diego has undergone a transformation that bettors should be closely monitoring.

Citizens Bank Park ranked sixth in home runs per game last season (1.214) and through the first two months of this year, ranks seventh (1.286). But it’s in San Diego where a unique transition has occurred that has the Padres and their opponents morphing from an average 0.808 home runs per game in 2014 (24th) to 1.056 per game this season (14th).

The reasons for the sudden SoCal power surge can be traced to a combination of both human and environmental factors. For starters, the heavy marine layer responsible for keeping balls in play this time of year has been absent in downtown San Diego due to warmer temperatures.

That hasn’t been the case in San Francisco, where a combination of wind and the aforementioned marine layer contributed to an average of just 0.488 home runs hit per game at AT&T Park this year, which currently ranks dead last in baseball.

In addition, the Padres moved the left field fence in three feet while simultaneously lowering it from eight feet to seven feet. And let’s also not forget the fact that Padres general manager A.J. Preller went on a spending spree this offseason that saw the franchise acquire Justin Upton and Wil Myers - among others - the former of which currently ranks fourth in the bigs with 12 dingers.

The result of this myriad of changes has seen Petco Park, a stadium where Overs went a bankroll-busting 30-47-4 last season, produce an Over/Under record of 13-10 through the first 23 home games of the 2015 campaign.

Granted, that’s not the type of blind-betting record that will buy you a house in Bora Bora come October, but it’s certainly enough to warrant a study into the other MLB ballparks to determine if there are any other drastic changes that have taken place so far this spring.

SURGING

Progressive Field (Cleveland): An anomaly based on the fact that Progressive Field saw an average of 1.083 home runs per game last season (11th in MLB) compared with just 0.786 in 2015 (24th), yet, the Indians were 39-42 to the Under during home games a year ago versus 14-7 to the Over through two months this season. Credit the starting pitching (4.10 ERA, 21st) and horrific defense (30 errors, 23rd) for the surge in scoring.

Turner Field (Atlanta): Similar to the oddity taking place in Cleveland, Turner Field has watched its home run rate drop from 1.122 per game in 2014 (10th) to 0.927 this season (18th) despite going 34-40-7 Over/Under last year compared with a 14-6-2 O/U mark this year. The profitable Over run can largely be attributed to bookmakers sending out lower totals to open the season under the impression that this team would be one of the worst clubs in baseball in 2015. At 22-21 entering Memorial Day, the Braves have done their best to prove a lot of people wrong.

Miller Park (Milwaukee): One of the worst teams in baseball at 16-29 while boasting a run differential of minus-51, the Brewers’ pitching staff has been serving up meatball after meatball that has seen the home run rate at Miller Park jump from 1.142 in 2014 (9th) to a league-leading 1.801 this season. Should that number hold through until the end of the season, it would serve as the highest home run rate since Progressive Field in Cleveland posted an astounding 2.031 jacks per game back in 2001. Miller Park played to a 36-43-2 O/U record last season, but currently boasts a 13-9-1 O/U count in 2015.

SLIDING

AT&T Park (San Francisco): One of the most pitcher-friendly parks in baseball, the defending champs are an extremely profitable 16-7 to the Under in 2015 when playing by the Bay, as opposed to the 38-39-4 O/U mark this stadium produced last season. The low-scoring totals can be attributed to a revamped lineup that lost big-time hitters Pablo Sandoval and Michael Morse during free agency and spent the first six weeks of the year without right fielder Hunter Pence (broken forearm). Additionally, no club in baseball has gotten better starting pitching when playing at home than the Giants (2.73 ERA, first).

Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia): It’s still a hitter-friendly venue that ranks seventh in home runs per game (1.286), but the Phillies lack any semblance of firepower necessary for keeping up their end of the bargain. A 40-35-6 O/U record last season has plummeted to 8-12-2 O/U to kick off the 2015 campaign due in large part to an offense that ranks dead last in runs per outing (3.17).

Comerica Park (Detroit): Miguel Cabrera (11) and J.D. Martinez (9) are doing their part. But, as for the rest of the Tigers, well, this club currently ranks just 20th in the majors in home runs this season (0.84), which has helped drop last year’s 44-33-4 Over/Under record to 11-14-1 O/U this season. In addition, Comerica Park in general has been a bit stingier in 2015 by permitting just 0.856 home runs per game (20th) as opposed to the 1.014 rate it allowed in 2014 (15th).

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 02:25 AM

Astros' Feldman to miss 4-6 weeks after surgery

Houston Astros right-hander Scott Feldman underwent surgery to repair a torn medial meniscus in his right knee and likely will be out for four to six weeks, the team announced Friday.

The Astros placed Feldman on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 27 and called up right-hander Michael Feliz from Double-A Corpus Christi to replace Feldman on the roster.

Feliz, who pitched one game in Double-A after being starting the season in high-Class A, will give the Astros another arm in the bullpen. Brett Oberholtzer is expected to take Feldman's spot in the rotation until he returns.

Feldman suffered the injury while fielding a ball during his last outing. He has started 10 games this season and posted a 4-4 record with a 4.80 ERA in 60 innings.

The 32-year-old Feldman is in the second year of a three-year, $30 million deal. He made 29 starts for the Astros last year and was 8-12 with a 3.74 ERA.

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 02:26 AM

Marlins cashing the Under with ease recently

The Miami Marlins have gone under the closing total in five straight games ahead of Friday's clash with the New York Mets.

The Fish will be in tough as they face off against Mets ace Matt Harvey. Dan Haren is scheduled to start for Miami.

Books have pegged the matchup with a low total of 6.5.

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 02:27 AM

Over is hot in games Bucknor works behind home

The Over has gone 7-1-1 in nine games that umpire CB Bucknor has been tasked with umpiring behind home plate this season.

There has been an average of 9.1 runs scored per game in those nine contests and an average of 3.67 home runs.

Bucknor will be behind home plate in San Francisco when the Giants host the Atlanta Braves Friday evening. Tim Hudson is probable to start for the home team while the Braves are likely to counter with Michael Foltynewicz.

Oddsmakers currently have a total of 7 pegged for this matchup.

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 02:29 AM

Total coming down in Blue Jays-Twins matchup

The total is on the way down in Friday's meeting between the Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins as books have adjusted the number to 8.5 after opening at 9.

The Under has gone 3-1-1 in the previous five meetings between the two clubs.

The Twins are scheduled to give the ball to Trevor May while the Jays will counter with Mark Buehrle.

Click here to keep an eye on all lines with our MLB Live Odds page

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 03:29 AM

Preview: Rockies (19-26) at Phillies (19-30)
Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: May 30, 2015 3:05 PM EDT

Aaron Harang's first 10 starts for the Philadelphia Phillies have been impressive, particularly for a 37-year-old who has bounced around the majors for the last five years. What he's done at Citizens Bank Park has been closer to spectacular.

Following two winless road starts, Harang again pitches before a home crowd Saturday as the Phillies try to even a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies and end a five-game skid.

Harang (4-4, 1.93 ERA) took the decision in Sunday's 4-1 loss in Washington after allowing two runs in six innings, but he's gone five May starts without allowing more than two earned. That's amounted to a 2-2 record and 1.36 ERA with two earned runs surrendered over 15 home innings to move him to 2-1 with a 0.61 ERA in four starts at Citizens Bank. Including last season with Atlanta, he's 4-1 with a 1.26 ERA in his last six starts at the ballpark.

The success is coming with a relaxed approach.

"The big thing is trying to give us a chance to win," Harang told MLB's official website. "There is only so much I can do. Once I release the ball, it's out of my control unless the ball is hit back to me or I'm in the play somehow."

The outing before losing in Washington came in Colorado, where Harang allowed three unearned runs and three hits in six innings of a 6-5 defeat on May 19 without a decision. He's 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA in his last four starts against the Rockies (20-26).

Colorado, winner of three of five in the season series, has won five of six after Friday's 4-1 victory. Chad Bettis retired the first 18 batters and took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, and Troy Tulowitzki was 4 for 4 with two solo homers to double his season total. He'd hit .189 over his previous 15 games.

"I haven't started off the way I envisioned, but today is why I play," said Tulowitzki, a career .367 hitter at Citizens Bank.

The Phillies (19-31), in danger of their second six-game losing streak of the season, managed two hits and have scored one run in two games. They're batting .207 on the skid with nine runs scored, and Ryan Howard is 0 for 12 in his last three.

Colorado's pitching has been the thrust of the recent success with a 2.36 ERA in six games, and the bullpen has limited opponents to one earned run over 10 innings in that time. The rotation has also been far better after posting a 5.37 ERA in the Rockies' 40 games. Since, it's posted a 2.70, though Jorge De La Rosa hasn't been a part of it.

De La Rosa (1-2, 6.51) hasn't lost in his last three starts, but he's made it through the fifth inning once in those. He threw 7 1-3 scoreless innings at the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 16, but that stands as the only start he's surpassed the five-inning mark this season.

The left-hander followed it up by allowing three runs and five hits with three walks in 4 1-3 innings of a 7-3 home loss to Philadelphia on May 21 and was scratched Tuesday because of a cut on the middle finger of his pitching hand.

"Like they say, when you can't throw strikes, you're going to make a lot of mistakes, and that happened today," De La Rosa said.

He's 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA in his last four starts against the Phillies. Carlos Ruiz is 6 for 11 off De La Rosa.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Phillies
Fri, May 29 - Final 4 - 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rockies at Phillies
Sat, May 30 - 3:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Rockies at Phillies
Sun, May 31 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 03:32 AM

Preview: Rays (24-24) at Orioles (22-24)
Game: 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: May 30, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

The Baltimore Orioles have yet to replicate the success that led to a division title last season, although they've been better of late.

The Tampa Bay Rays are moving in a different direction, failing to move back toward the first-place spot they held earlier this week.

Momentum should be in Baltimore's favor Saturday following a walk-off win in the series opener over Tampa Bay, which finds itself stuck in its longest losing streak this season.

The Orioles (23-24) came from behind to top the Rays 2-1 on Friday. Chris Davis hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning and J.J. Hardy delivered a two-out, walk-off single to hand Tampa Bay (24-25) its sixth consecutive loss.

"Every game right now is big, especially against these guys," Hardy said. "It's a big win for us."

Davis is red hot, going 6 for 13 in his last four games with four home runs, seven RBIs and a 2.024 OPS.

Baltimore enjoyed stellar pitching as Miguel Gonzalez pitched eight strong innings and Darren O'Day lowered the bullpen's ERA to 1.91 over the last 13 games, although it was hardly routine. Tampa Bay loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth inning before O'Day got two strikeouts and an inning-ending groundout.

"The second part was more fun than the first," O'Day told MLB's official website. "It's not how we drew it up, but anytime you put a zero on the board is exciting."

Zach Britton has anchored the bullpen's recent success, converting his last six save opportunities without allowing a run. Two of his 13 saves have come against the Rays, who have failed to tally a hit in 3 1-3 innings against the left-hander.

Tampa Bay has not scored an earned run on Britton in the last 14 meetings, a stretch that lasts 16 1-3 innings and dates back to 2012.

Wei-Yin Chen (1-3, 3.13 ERA) will take the mound for Baltimore following two of his worst starts of the year. The left-hander snapped a string of four quality starts with four runs allowed in seven innings to Seattle on May 20, then ceded 11 hits - his most since April 3, 2014 - and three runs over five Monday against Houston.

Tampa Bay, which sat atop the division before its long losing streak, will go with Erasmo Ramirez (2-2, 6.62 ERA). Since his return to the rotation May 14, Ramirez has grown less effective in each of his three starts, culminating with five hits, five walks and five runs in six innings of a 7-2 loss Sunday to Oakland.

Ramirez owns a 3.86 ERA in two career starts against the Orioles, the most recent of which came in 2013. He worked 1 1-3 innings of scoreless relief against the Orioles on May 3.

Steven Souza Jr. returned from a left wrist sprain that had bothered him since Sunday and hit his seventh home run of the season in the opener, but he was focused on what his team - which has hit .129 with runners in scoring position over the last nine games - isn't doing.

'We've just got to bear down,' Souza said. 'With runners in scoring position, we've got to find ways to be productive. That's the key right now. When we have runners in scoring position, we're not doing anything, myself included. We can get better at that.'

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Orioles
Fri, May 29 - Final 1 - 2

Boxscores
GAME 2
Rays at Orioles
Sat, May 30 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Rays at Orioles
Sun, May 31 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 03:36 AM

Preview: Blue Jays (22-27) at Twins (28-18)
Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: May 30, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

Given his history against the Minnesota Twins it shouldn't come as a surprise that Josh Donaldson's torrid stretch extended to the series opener.

The Twins turn to Kyle Gibson on Saturday as they try to slow Donaldson and prevent the Toronto Blue Jays from a fifth victory in six games.

Donaldson homered for the fourth consecutive game Friday - a three-run, game-tying blast in the fifth inning - and Toronto (23-27) went on the win 6-4. The Blue Jays third baseman is 9 for 16 in his last four with five homers, two doubles, 10 RBIs and 10 runs.

The four-game homer streak marks the longest of Donaldson's career, and he is one shy of teammate Jose Bautista's five-game streak on Aug. 26-31. Jose Cruz Jr. holds the franchise record by homering in six straight games in 2001.

Donaldson may move closer to that mark given the way he has feasted on Minnesota pitching. He is batting .423 with three homers and a 1.198 OPS during an 18-game hitting streak against the Twins.

Chris Colabello has also been on a tear lately. The right fielder extended his hitting streak to nine with a game-winning two-run homer in Friday's ninth inning.

"He just keeps hitting and hitting and hitting," manager John Gibbons told MLB's official website. "You figure he has to cool off, but he hasn't really."

Minnesota (28-19) had a chance for a season-best six-game winning streak Friday before closer Glen Perkins, who has recorded a save against every AL team except Toronto, allowed the home run to Colabello.

The Twins' relievers had worked 8 2-3 scoreless innings over the team's winning streak, while the starting pitchers posted a 2.72 ERA.

Among the quality starts over that five-game stretch, the best belonged to Gibson (4-3, 2.72 ERA), who surrendered four hits and one run while striking out eight over eight innings in Sunday's 8-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

On perhaps the most surprising team in baseball, Gibson may be the biggest revelation. The right-hander, following a 5.96 ERA in his final eight starts of 2014, has a 1.32 ERA in his last five outings.

Gibson has faced Toronto only once in his career, and dominated the Blue Jays with eight innings of four-hit ball in a 7-0 win on April 17, 2014. Donaldson is 1 for 2 with a double off him.

"We have a lot of confidence in here," Gibson said. "We like our team and the leaders we have. ... I just I want the team to have a chance every time I'm on the mound."

Toronto will go with Aaron Sanchez (4-4, 3.98), who seems to have finally settled in as a starting pitcher. After failing to pitch at least six innings in each of his first five starts, Sanchez has pitched into the seventh in three of his last four.

The right-hander allowed three runs in 7 1-3 innings of a loss to the Los Angeles Angels on May 19, then reversed his fortune with two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a victory Sunday over Seattle.

Walks continue to plague the 22-year-old despite the increased stamina. He has walked a league-worst 5.88 batters per nine innings, a full batter more than next on the list, Baltimore's Chris Tillman (4.66).

Still, despite early-season questions about Sanchez's role with the Blue Jays, Gibbons has essentially guaranteed his spot in the rotation moving forward.

"He's too good, too talented," Gibbons said.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Blue Jays at Twins
Fri, May 29 - Final 6 - 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Twins
Sat, May 30 - 2:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Blue Jays at Twins
Sun, May 31 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 03:39 AM

Preview: Diamondbacks (21-25) at Brewers (16-32)
Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: May 30, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

The Arizona Diamondbacks traveled to Milwaukee riding a few seasons of success at Miller Park and in need of a win to forget about a sweep at the hands of a more formidable NL Central foe.

They didn't disappoint in the opener, and they'll try to secure the series Saturday against the big league-worst Brewers, who are in danger of entering June with their worst record ever.

Arizona (22-25) followed three losses in St. Louis with Friday's 7-5 victory, giving it victories in six of seven in Milwaukee with 5.71 runs per game and a .302 average dating to the start of 2013.

Nick Ahmed, Ender Inciarte, David Peralta and A.J. Pollock all went deep, giving the Diamondbacks 11 home runs over their first seven-game homer streak since August 2013. They last went longer than that with a nine-gamer in May of that season. Pollock is batting .459 in his last 10 games.

Milwaukee's allowed nine home runs in the last four games, and its 48 surrendered at home easily lead the majors.

"We have to fix it," manager Craig Counsell told MLB's official website. "There's no question about it. It's too many. We know this ballpark is going to give up home runs. We still have to do a better job of preventing them."

Paul Goldschmidt, who has two of the recent homers, was 3 for 5 with three doubles and is hitting .444 over eight games. His .476 average in 10 career games at Miller Park is his highest at any big league park. He has four home runs and nine doubles in those games to account for a 1.476 OPS, which is also a personal best.

"It's a tough place to pitch I'll tell you, this ballpark," Arizona manager Chip Hale said.

The Brewers (16-33) have dropped six straight overall and at home, and if they can't win Saturday, they'll be assured of entering June with at least tied for their worst winning percentage ever. The 2002 (18-36) and 1970 (15-30) clubs had .333 winning percentages. They need to win their remaining two games in order to avoid joining those teams or establishing a new low.

Jeremy Hellickson will try to take advantage and win consecutive starts for the first time since July 2013.

Hellickson (2-3, 5.33 ERA) hasn't lost in five starts this month, but he probably deserves a few considering his 5.40 May ERA. His only decision during that time came in Sunday's 4-3 home win over the Chicago Cubs as the right-hander allowed three runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. The lack of decisions comes as no surprise, given his run-support average is also 5.40 this month.

His last two starts have been his most promising stretch of the season with five runs surrendered in 12 2-3 innings, but he's continuing to give up home runs with seven of his eight allowed for the season coming this month.

Hellickson's four road starts have yielded a 1-1 record and 4.01 ERA while he's 1-2 with a 6.58 in five at home.

In his first start against the Brewers since 2011, he'll be facing Kyle Lohse, who after reining his season in some over his first four starts of May with a 2-0 record and 3.38 ERA, regressed in Monday's 8-4 home loss to San Francisco. The right-handed Lohse (3-5, 5.80) gave up five runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings, falling to 2-3 with a 7.31 ERA in six home starts.

After two starts without allowing a home run, he gave one up against the Giants and has conceded 11 for the season.

Since joining the Brewers in 2013, he's 1-1 with a 4.42 ERA against the Diamondbacks while holding them to a .194 average.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Brewers
Fri, May 29 - Final 7 - 5
Boxscores

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Brewers
Sat, May 30 - 4:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Brewers
Sun, May 31 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 05-30-2015, 03:41 AM

Preview: Marlins (18-30) at Mets (27-21)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 30, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Amid a rough stretch of almost three weeks, the Miami Marlins will take anything positive to build on.

After beating one of the majors' top pitchers, they'll try to win back-to-back road games for the first time in more than a month Saturday against the New York Mets.

Justin Bour hit a three-run homer off Matt Harvey to help Miami (19-30) snap a three-game skid and give manager Dan Jennings his first road victory, 4-3 on Friday. The Marlins, 3-8 since the former general manager replaced the fired Mike Redmond, won for the fourth time in 18 contests but can win two straight on the road for the first time since April 22-23.

"It was a nice win," Jennings said. "Hopefully we can build momentum and move forward."

Miami was held to six hits and fanned 12 times, but prevailed by scoring one fewer run than it totaled while being swept in a three-game set at Pittsburgh this week.

Batting .361 in 28 games, Bour has hit half of his four homers in the last two contests. The first baseman, who played his first 39 career games in 2014, also broke up a no-hit bid by Atlanta's Shelby Miller with two outs in the ninth May 17.

"He gets up there, he's not afraid of anybody," Marlins reliever A.J. Ramos said about Bour, who is 6 for 16 in 12 games against the Mets. "He goes up there and shows it."

Bronx native Tom Koehler (3-3, 3.44 ERA) hopes to fare better in Queens than he did April 19 when he allowed seven runs over 3 1-3 innings of a 7-6 loss.

Though the right-hander is 0-2 with a 5.46 ERA in five starts at Citi Field, he's overcome 10 walks in 19 innings to allow two earned runs while going 1-0 in his last three starts. That stretch was interrupted by a brief move to the bullpen where he made one appearance, but has since worked his way back into the rotation.

"That move to the bullpen, he knew it was best for the team, and he did it," Jennings said. "Now, he's back in the rotation and he's leaving it out on the mound."

Curtis Granderson and Lucas Duda are a combined 3 for 31 against Koehler, but both homered Friday as New York (27-22) failed to win a fourth straight contest. Duda is batting .412 with six home runs and 11 RBIs in the last 10 at home.

Teammate Jonathon Niese (3-5, 4.08) went 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA in his first six starts but has a 9.00 ERA while losing three in a row.

"The crazy thing is this is the best I've felt in a real long time," the left-hander told MLB's official website after he allowed four runs, seven hits and walked four over 4 2-3 innings of Sunday's 9-1 loss to the Pirates.

"The results aren't there. I've just got to stick with the game plan, prepare the right way and I think it'll turn around for us."

Though Niese allowed six runs and 10 hits in six innings during an 8-6 win over the Marlins on Sept. 2, he's 4-0 with a 3.65 ERA in his last seven starts against them.

Giancarlo Stanton is batting .407 with three homers in 27 at_bats against Niese, but is 3 for 21 with nine strikeouts in the last six contests.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Marlins at Mets
Fri, May 29 - Final 4 - 3
Boxscores

GAME 2
Marlins at Mets
Sat, May 30 - 4:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Marlins at Mets
Sun, May 31 - 1:10PM EDT

Announcement

The Bum's Best Bets For Saturday May 30th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

The Bum's Best Bets For Saturday May 30th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

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