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**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:21 AM

June Risers and Sliders

June 4, 2015

June often proves to be a critical month on the MLB schedule as teams want to be in contention by the All-Star break or risk management making moves to play for next season. Here are two teams that could see fortunes turn upward in the coming month and two teams that could take a bit of slide after solid starts to the season.

Rising - Oakland Athletics

Oakland will enter the first weekend of June at 10 games below .500 and firmly in last place in the AL West, but sitting with a positive run differential and a 3-15 record in one-run games and a 0-6 record in extra-innings. Oakland is just 11-18 vs. division rivals this season with Houston and Seattle doing particular damage to the Athletics. The June schedule will feature a heavy dose of the Rangers and Angels as Oakland with a bit of a surge in late May and early June going could be a team that continues to pick up ground in the standings.

Through June 3, Oakland actually owns better season run differential than three of the four teams ahead of them in the AL West standings and Oakland’s ugly 9-17 record at home is likely to see a change in direction in the coming weeks. Oakland has scored 4.2 runs per game this season while posting nearly nine hits per game and this is not a lineup that strikes out at a high rate, fanning only 6.6 times per game on average.

The starting rotation for Oakland looks promising moving forward with Sonny Gray entrenched in the leading role and posting some of the best numbers in the AL. Scott Kazmir remains a bit of a wild card with some inconsistency and injury concerns, but Jesse Hahn and Jesse Chavez have been reliable for Oakland with very solid starting efforts in recent weeks. After struggling in April, Kendall Graveman has also pitched well in his second stint with the Athletics and could hold down a rotation spot moving forward.

The biggest difference for Oakland has been the bullpen which still holds some of the worst numbers in baseball with a 4.70 ERA with eight blown saves and 13 losses. Over the last 10 games, the Oakland bullpen owns a 2.73 ERA and Tyler Clippard is posting sharp numbers since moving into the closing role. Sean Doolittle and Edward Mujica could add depth to the bullpen by the end of the month coming back from injuries and odds are the Athletics will see an improvement in the lopsided record in close games.

Rising - Colorado Rockies

The Rockies will have a home-heavy schedule in June and a lot of games vs. losing teams like Miami, Milwaukee, and Arizona as this could be a month where Colorado climbs back to respectability in the NL West. The Rockies started the season 4-0 and put together a slight winning month of April. It was a disastrous May with Colorado losing the first nine games of the month as part of an 11-game losing streak. Colorado did rally back to win seven of the final eight games of the month and then had an encouraging split with the Dodgers to start the month of June.

The Rockies are 11-5 vs. the NL East and NL Central teams as most of the problems have come inside the division including going 4-9 vs. the Dodgers and 2-5 vs. the Padres. The Dodgers certainly look like one of the top teams and baseball and the good news for the Rockies is that they won’t face Los Angeles again until September. Difficult scheduling circumstances certainly played a role for the struggles in early May with three postponed home games and another one-run loss in a shortened six-inning game. With summer weather on the way, scoring seems to be going up at Coors Field and the Rockies should start to have more success.

Pitching is always going to be a challenge for Colorado and the results across the board are poor for the Rockies pitching staff. The starting pitching has shown some signs of life with Kyle Kendrick and Jordan Lyles producing a bit more consistent results in recent weeks. Jorge De La Rosa is also candidate to find more success working his way back from starting the season on the DL and the early returns from Chad Bettis, David Hale, and Chris Rusin have been encouraging filling in the rotation. Colorado has held down the 9th inning well since John Axford took over the closing role as he is 10 for 10 in save opportunities while the rest of the bullpen had gone 6 for 14 in save situations.

The offense will be the key for Colorado and over the last 22 games, Colorado has scored nearly 5.3 runs per game, posting at least four runs in 18 of those 22 games. In 13 of the last 15 games, Colorado has produced at least nine hits with an average of nearly 3.2 extra-base hits per game and a big reduction in strikeouts. Even with some rough patches this season, the Rockies are only four games below .500 at this point in the season and if Corey Dickerson and Justin Morneau can return to the lineup in the coming weeks, this will be a formidable team that will often catch favorable pricing due to the marginal starting pitching.

Sliding - Kansas City Royals

The Royals were almost universally projected to decline in 2015 after an incredible 2014 season which brought Kansas City to Game 7 of the World Series. Through 50 games, the Royals are 30-20 and sitting with one of the top records in baseball, but after starting the season 11-3, the Royals have been barely been playing above .500 since. June could be a challenging month for Kansas City with a road heavy schedule that includes stops in Minneapolis, St. Louis, Seattle, and Houston.

The offense for the Royals has been on a steady decline since the red hot start, scoring just 3.9 runs per game since May 1 despite a season average of 4.6 runs per game. The Royals are the worst team in baseball at taking walks and while the hit production has been great for the season, there has been a steady decline in the past few weeks for Kansas City on offense across the board.

The Royals have an elite bullpen with a 1.85 ERA that leads baseball although Kansas City has blown seven save opportunities this season. The big issue for the Royals has been starting pitching where the results have mostly been very poor. Jeremy Guthrie owns an average Game Score of 41.7 this season for one of the worst marks in the AL and Danny Duffy has already been removed from the rotation. It seems unlikely that Chris Young will be able to keep up his great start to the season and in Jason Vargas and Edinson Volquez, slightly above average numbers is the best the team can really hope for.

Yordano Ventura has not looked ready to lead the staff, showing great immaturity early in the season and his results simply haven’t been good enough as the loss of James Shields as a steady force on top of the rotation could loom large as the season goes on. Kansas City has featured some of the worst starting pitching in baseball this season and few teams that wind up in first place can make that claim. The Royals have benefitted from going 18-8 at home so far this season, but the June road trips may take a toll and the AL Central has been a much tougher division top to bottom than anyone expected this season as the Royals could start to sink back to the pack.

Sliding - Atlanta Braves

The Braves have held their own this season with a 26-27 record to stay right in the NL East race as the Nationals have not been able to pull away as everyone expected. The Braves took an aggressive approach at the plate early in the season for some surprising success, but the strikeout counts have been rising for Atlanta and this is a team that does not produce a great deal of extra-base hits. Atlanta owns a solidly negative run differential on the season despite the near .500 record and it seems unlikely that the Braves will hang in the division race all season.

Atlanta is 1-5 vs. the Nationals, 2-4 vs. the Mets and they have six games each with the top two contenders in the division in the next month. They also have two series with Pittsburgh and the great pitching for the Pirates plus challenging matchups with San Diego and Boston for a very tough month on the schedule, particularly in terms of facing quality opposing pitching.

The starting pitching for the Braves has been much better than most expected even with opening day starter Julio Teheran mostly struggling. Shelby Miller has been brilliant this season in his first year with Atlanta, but time will tell if he can complete a full season with that success and his last two starts have displayed some concerns. Alex Wood has pitched well enough to hold down a spot in the rotation, but the rest of the staff remains a question mark moving forward. Rookies Mike Foltynewicz and Williams Perez have both pitched well in limited starting efforts, but both young right-handers lack much of a track record to suggest it will be sustainable all summer.

The Braves traded steady left-hander Eric Stults in late May to put more pressure on the youngsters in the rotation and Atlanta has featured the absolute worst bullpen ERA in all of baseball, currently at 4.81. Atlanta has 11 losses in the bullpen and nine blown saves. Jason Grilli has adequately replaced Craig Kimbrel, but the bridge to Grilli has often been rocky. With the terrible bullpen, it's remarkable that Atlanta is only 9-10 in one-run games this season and just 1-1 in extra-innings games, records that seem likely to get worse with the June schedule ahead.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:25 AM

Preview: Angels (28-26) at Yankees (29-25)
Game: 1
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: June 05, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Following a winning West Coast trip, the New York Yankees look to continue that success while facing a Los Angeles Angels right-hander who has had his problems in the Bronx in recent years.

If Jered Weaver is to build on an impressive four-week stretch, he must find a way to end those struggles at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.

After dropping three of four at Oakland, New York (29-25) swept Seattle to complete a 4-3 trip. Masahiro Tanaka allowed a run, three hits and struck out nine without a walk in seven innings to help the Yankees win for the seventh time in 10 games, 3-1 over the Mariners on Wednesday.

"It's a good group of guys, and the fun thing is we keep winning," second baseman Stephen Drew told MLB's official website.

New York will try for a season-high fourth consecutive home victory as it squares off with Weaver (4-4, 4.08 ERA), who hasn't pitched at Yankee Stadium since 2013, but is 1-3 with an 8.60 ERA in his last five regular-season starts in the Bronx. The last four have come at the Yankees' new ballpark.

Weaver, however, is 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his last five starts after going 0-4 with a 6.29 ERA in his first six. He yielded nine hits but three runs and didn't walk anybody in 6 1-3 innings of Saturday's 8-6 victory over Detroit.

As Weaver tries to help the Angels (28-26) get back on track after dropping the final two on a 6-4 homestand, teammate Albert Pujols has a chance to catch Yankee great Mickey Mantle for 16th on the all-time home run list.

Two shy of Mantle's 536, Pujols is batting .389 with six homers and 11 RBIs in the last nine games. He's hit .316 with two home runs in nine career contests at the current Yankee Stadium.

New Jersey product Mike Trout is 4 for 18 with seven strikeouts in the last five games but three of those hits left the park. He's hit .410 with two home runs and seven RBIs through 10 games in the Bronx.

Trout was intentionally walked three times ahead of Pujols on the recent homestand, but the first baseman failed to convert on two of those occasions.

"I think it's gonna end up working out for us a lot more than it works out for (the opponent), if they continue to walk Trouty to get to Albert," Angels closer Huston Street said.

Pujols and Trout are each 4 for 6 versus Nathan Eovaldi (4-1, 4.40), who is trying to improve to 3-0 at home but could use a more efficient outing after he allowed three runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings of Saturday's 5-3 win at Oakland. The right-hander is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two starts against the Angels.

It's uncertain if Eovaldi will be throwing to Brian McCann, who is day to day with a foot problem.

"I think it's something on the bottom of my foot, maybe in the arch area," said McCann, who has four home runs and 10 RBIs in his last seven home contests.

Alex Rodriguez is 10 for 22 in his last six at New York. Including the postseason, he's 10 for 29 with six homers and two doubles versus Weaver.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Angels at Yankees
Fri, Jun 5 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Angels at Yankees
Sat, Jun 6 - 7:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Angels at Yankees
Sun, Jun 7 - 1:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:27 AM

Preview: Astros (34-21) at Blue Jays (25-30)
Game: 1
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: June 05, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

Manager A.J. Hinch is more shocked that Houston continues having trouble pushing runs across the plate than he is surprised that free-swinging Chris Carter is the Astros' hottest hitter.

Scoring hasn't been much of an issue in recent meetings with the Toronto Blue Jays, though.

Houston seeks an eighth straight victory over Toronto when it begins a six-game road trip Friday night.

The Astros (34-21) have the AL's best record and rank in the top 10 in the majors in runs, but they've failed to score more than three in five of their last seven. Luis Valbuena had a sacrifice fly and Hank Conger hit a solo homer Thursday, but that's all they could muster in a 3-2 loss to Baltimore.

Houston went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and had runners at the corners with no outs in the sixth and seventh innings.

'We need to find a way to scratch a run across and get some momentum on our side,' Hinch said. 'Some missed opportunities there and it's unfortunate.'

The Astros failed to complete a four-game sweep, but Carter extended his hitting streak to a career high-tying 12. Carter, who is batting .206 after hitting .223 and .227 in his first two seasons with the Astros, has a .375 average during his hot stretch.

Carter homered while hitting safely in the final three of a four-game sweep of Toronto (25-30) from May 14-17, during which the Astros scored 24 runs.

They hold a 41-19 scoring edge while winning seven straight against the Blue Jays, who lead the majors in runs after beating Washington 7-3 in the second game of a doubleheader Tuesday and 8-0 on Wednesday.

Jose Reyes went 3 for 4 and drove in two runs in the series finale, and Jose Bautista homered while extending his hitting streak to eight. Edwin Encarnacion didn't start for the third straight game while battling a left hamstring injury, but was available to pinch hit.

Manager John Gibbons hopes to use Encarnacion as a DH against Roberto Hernandez, who takes the hill for Houston.

Hernandez (2-4, 4.92 ERA) has struggled in each of his last two outings, giving up seven runs in five innings of Houston's 10-8 win over Detroit on May 24 before allowing five runs in 5 2-3 innings of Sunday's 6-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

The right-hander has allowed at least four runs three of his last four starts, a stretch that began when he yielded four in 6 1-3 innings of Houston's 6-4 win over the Blue Jays on May 14.

Toronto counters with Aaron Sanchez, who is beginning to adjust to his starting role after coming out of the bullpen exclusively as a rookie last season.

Sanchez (4-4, 3.88) pitched fewer than six innings in each of his first five starts. He's gone at least six in four of his last five, though, including exactly that many while allowing two runs in Saturday's 3-2 loss to Minnesota.

"Keeping the team in the game and giving them a chance to score (is most important)," Sanchez said. "We have a team that can put up a lot of runs at any point in the game."

The 22-year-old right-hander will be making his first career start against the Astros after pitching three scoreless inning of relief over two appearance against them last season.

Astros outfielder Colby Rasmus will be making his return to Toronto. Rasmus, who has battled flu-like symptoms this week, spent 3 1/2 seasons with the Blue Jays before leaving for Houston in free agency after Gibbons benched him for the final month of 2014 due to constant tardiness.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Astros at Blue Jays
Fri, Jun 5 - 7:07PM EDT

GAME 2
Astros at Blue Jays
Sat, Jun 6 - 1:07PM EDT

GAME 3
Astros at Blue Jays
Sun, Jun 7 - 1:07PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:29 AM

Preview: Giants (30-25) at Phillies (21-33)
Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: June 05, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

While streaks have to be getting a little old for the San Francisco Giants, when the good ones outweigh the bad, the ups and downs probably become more tolerable.

With each loss on the current skid, the bad moves closer to canceling out the good, something the Giants will try to end Friday night in a visit to the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Giants (30-25) have three winning steaks and two losing streaks of at least five games, including one eight-game surge as well as an eight-game slide.

Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh was its fifth straight to conclude a seven-game homestand, though they're riding a three-game road win streak. They've also won their last four series at Citizens Bank Park with nine wins in their previous 12 games there.

Last season, they wouldn't have had the confidence in Tim Lincecum being a stopper the way they might this time, though the two-time Cy Young winner has fallen off of late.

Lincecum (5-3, 3.00 ERA) started the skid by allowing four runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of Saturday's 8-0 loss to Atlanta, and the right-hander has surrendered eight runs and 13 hits in 9 1-3 over his last two starts.

Even so, his ERA entering June is his lowest since 2011.

"When I get a chance to go out there and compete, it's fun for me," Lincecum said. "The way things are going right now, it's something I want to keep going, obviously, try to ride it out and continue reiterating what I've been doing."

Most of that success has come at home. On the road, he's 1-1 with a 4.79 ERA. That hasn't held true in Philadelphia, where Lincecum is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA in five starts and one relief appearance. Ben Revere is 5 for 9 against him and enters the three-game series with hits in five of his last six at_bats and a career .373 average against the Giants.

A 3-for-4 effort with a triple and a double wasn't enough in Thursday's 6-4 loss in Cincinnati that left the Phillies (21-34) just shy of a three-game sweep. Those two wins stand as Philadelphia's only victories in 10 games. The offense improved in the series with 14 runs after scoring 12 in the previous seven, but pitching remains a concern.

The Phillies haven't held an opponent below four runs over their last 10 with the starting staff's ERA a robust 5.16 in that time.

Jerome Williams seems unlikely to send that back in the right direction. Williams (3-5, 5.49) has given up at least three runs in 10 straight starts since his first. After surrendering four runs and eight hits in five innings of Sunday's 4-1 loss to Colorado, he's 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA and .400 opponent on-base percentage in his last three outings.

The first time through the lineup, opponents are batting .247; after that it's .355.

"Sometimes it's a combination of elevating the ball as the game goes on and then missing with location," manager Ryne Sandberg told MLB's official website.

The right-hander, who began his career with San Francisco in 2003, is 0-2 with a 4.35 ERA in two starts versus the Giants, but those came in 2005 and 2012.

San Francisco leads the majors in road batting average (.286), OBP (.342) and slugging percentage (.442), with leadoff hitter Nori Aoki batting .386 to help the club average an NL-leading 5.08 runs.

Buster Posey is in a 4-for-28 slump, but he's a .392 hitter in 12 career games at Citizens Bank - his highest average at any park where he's played more than 10 games other than Coors Field.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Phillies
Fri, Jun 5 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Giants at Phillies
Sat, Jun 6 - 3:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Giants at Phillies
Sun, Jun 7 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:31 AM

Preview: Athletics (23-33) at Red Sox (24-30)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: June 05, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Manager Bob Melvin isn't fretting over the Oakland Athletics possessing the worst record in the AL, especially with his club in the midst of a hot stretch.

The A's could find themselves out of the cellar soon if the starting rotation continues its solid pace.

Oakland looks for a fifth straight victory when it sends Scott Kazmir to the mound in the opener of a three-game series with the Boston Red Sox on Friday night at Fenway Park.

Melvin isn't exactly guaranteeing a fourth consecutive playoff appearance for the A's (23-33), but he seemed optimistic they can turn things around after Thursday's 7-5 victory completed a three-game sweep at Detroit.

Billy Butler and Josh Phegley drove in two runs for Oakland, which has won six of seven.

'We're just trying to play good (and) win as many games as we can,' Melvin said. 'We're about trying to climb toward .500, and then worry about where we are in the standings.'

Oakland's longest winning streak of the season has been anchored by the starting rotation, which has a 1.36 ERA over a 9-3 stretch. Its 3.10 ERA on the season is the best in the AL after Jesse Hahn gave up one run in seven innings Thursday.

"Certainly, the starting pitching was good again. We got some big hits, added on when we needed to," Melvin said. "That's our first sweep this year, so it feels good."

What hasn't been good is Oakland's defense, which has committed a major league-high 54 errors that have led to a baseball-worst 31 unearned runs. The A's haven't committed one in three games during their winning streak, though, a trend Kazmir hopes continues in his return.

Kazmir (2-3, 2.93 ERA) hasn't started since leaving after three scoreless innings of a 3-2 loss to Detroit on May 27. He's been experiencing tightness in his left shoulder, but an MRI revealed no structural damage.

Kazmir has allowed more than three earned runs once in 10 starts but hasn't picked up a victory since winning his first two outings. He allowed two runs and four hits in six innings against Boston on May 11 before the A's fell 5-4 in 11.

Kazmir has pitched well in each of his last two starts against the Red Sox, though both were in Oakland. He's 0-1 with an 8.16 ERA in his last three outings at Fenway Park, which was the site of the Red Sox's latest blunder Thursday.

Boston (24-31) fell 8-4 to Minnesota, as Pablo Sandoval's error in the top of the ninth led to four runs that broke the tie. The Red Sox have committed three errors three times in their last six games.

'That was a poor display of baseball today," manager John Farrell said. "Those situations are addressed individually, it's addressed collectively, and we will continue to do so.'

Wade Miley (4-5, 4.97) committed an error Saturday and allowed six runs - five earned - in four-plus innings of an 8-0 loss to Texas. Miley had won his previous three outings with a 1.25 ERA, a stretch that began when he gave up five hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 2-0 win at Oakland on May 13.

'My tempo wasn't good,' the left-hander said. 'I tried to slow myself down to make some adjustments. Just was never able to.'

Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt hopes to play after leaving in the ninth inning Thursday with a right leg cramp suffered chasing a foul pop while playing first base for the fifth time this season.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Red Sox
Fri, Jun 5 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Athletics at Red Sox
Sat, Jun 6 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Athletics at Red Sox
Sun, Jun 7 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:33 AM

Preview: Orioles (24-29) at Indians (25-27)
Game: 1
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: June 05, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

With their latest losing streak now in the past, the Baltimore Orioles hope the return of Matt Wieters from Tommy John surgery will help begin a run in a positive direction.

The three-time All-Star will see his first major league action in more than a year Friday night in the opener of a road series with the Cleveland Indians.

Catching on an every-other-day basis for the time being, Wieters will be in the lineup for the first time since May 10 of last season. He was hitting .308 with five homers and 18 RBIs before his 2014 season was cut short after 26 games.

Wieters went 5 for 16 in five minor league games, hitting a home run for Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday.

Adam Jones hit a tiebreaking solo homer - his first in 84 at_bats - in the eighth inning to help Baltimore (24-29) snap a five-game slide with Thursday's 3-2 victory at Houston.

"I don't talk about streaks and slumps ... what's it mean tomorrow?" manager Buck Showalter told MLB's official website. "We will take it."

Jones had three of the eight hits recorded by the Orioles, who collectively continue to struggle while totaling 17 runs and batting .200 in the last seven games.

"We haven't been playing as well as we can," reliever Darren O'Day said. "We know that we're better than the team that's been out there."

Chris Tillman (2-7, 5.94 ERA) believes he can pitch much better than he's shown while going 0-6 with a 6.10 ERA in his last seven starts.

One of his better efforts during that stretch came May 26 when he allowed two runs in seven innings of a 4-1 loss to Houston. However, the right-hander followed by yielding six runs, nine hits and three walks over 4 2-3 innings of Sunday's 9-5 defeat to Tampa Bay.

Despite that rough outing, both Tillman and Showalter still feel it's a matter of time before the 27-year-old breaks out of his funk and returns to the form that won him 29 games the past two seasons.

'I've had my ups and downs,' said Tillman, whose 28 walks rank among the most in the majors. 'I feel like we are headed in the right direction. I saw a lot of positives (Sunday). I think the negatives kind of overwhelm it, but I think we are getting somewhere. I just got to make the last big step and we will be all right.'

He's 2-2 with a 5.19 ERA in five starts against the Indians (26-27), but last faced them in 2013.

Jason Kipnis is 2 for 6 with a double and a home run versus Tillman.

After leading the majors with a .429 average and 51 hits in May, Kipnis went 2 for 12 while his club took two of three at Kansas City to open this month. One of those hits came Thursday, as the Indians won for the 12th time in 16 games, 6-2 in a rain-shortened contest against the Royals.

A victory in the series opener would put the Indians at .500 for the first time since they were 2-2.

Trying to further secure the fifth spot in Cleveland's rotation, Shaun Marcum (2-0, 5.49) looks to win his first three decisions for the first time after he allowed a two-run homer over 5 1-3 innings in Saturday's 4-3 victory at Seattle.

"To be able to go out there and give these guys a chance to score some runs, and give us a chance to win, is the most important thing," said Marcum, who has allowed eight of his 12 runs this season on six homers. "Hopefully I can go out and continue to do that."

The right-hander hasn't faced the Orioles since 2010.

Jones hasn't seen Marcum since that season, but is batting .381 (8 for 21) with a triple and a home run against him.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Indians
Fri, Jun 5 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Orioles at Indians
Sat, Jun 6 - 4:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Orioles at Indians
Sun, Jun 7 - 1:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:35 AM

Preview: Padres (27-28) at Reds (22-29)
Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: June 05, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The San Diego Padres' offense seems to be finally rounding into the form many envisioned when it was assembled this offseason, and there still is plenty of room for improvement.

Coming off an impressive series victory, the Padres open a seven-game road trip Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds.

San Diego (27-28) put its offensive potency on display with consecutive seven-run outbursts against the New York Mets, as Derek Norris continued his excellent season with his 33rd and 34th RBIs Tuesday and Will Venable drove in two runs in each victory.

Will Middlebrooks knocked in three runs Wednesday and is batting .321 with 11 RBIs in his last 15 games.

Matt Kemp and Justin Upton have been less productive, although they combined for three runs on Wednesday. Kemp has no RBIs in his last seven games and has not homered in his last 43 games, three shy of his career worst, while Upton has not driven in a run in his last six.

"The offense the last two nights is more of what we expect," manager Bud Black said. "I still think there's some more power to come from our guys."

Black's club has won seven of 11 since losing seven of eight, batting .275 and averaging 5.2 runs per game.

The Reds (23-29) ended a nine-game road losing streak with a 6-4 win over Philadelphia on Thursday and now return home where they scored 22 runs during a three-game sweep of Washington last weekend.

Raisel Iglesias (1-1, 5.11 ERA) looks to bounce back from the worst of his four major league starts. The right-hander had a season-high eight strikeouts, but allowed five runs and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings of an 8-5 win over the Nationals on Saturday.

He had surrendered six runs over 16 innings in his first three starts.

Iglesias will oppose San Diego's Tyson Ross (2-5, 3.76). During his impressive 2014 campaign, in which he ranked among the top 20 qualifying pitchers in both ERA (2.81) and strikeouts (195), Ross was perhaps at his best against Cincinnati, allowing one run and striking out 17 over 16 innings in two wins.

His ERA has suffered a slight hit this season, but the strikeout numbers have only improved. Ross has a career-best 9.88 strikeout per nine innings despite managing only two in six innings of a 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday.

"There's been a little bit of inconsistency from inning to inning," Black said. "They're have been stretches during the course of the game where you have seen flashes of last year's performances. This year, there's been probably not the consistent number of innings strung together. The stuff is the same.

"If that consistency shows up, then you're going to see a lot of wins and lot of low-run games against Tyson."

Brandon Phillips is 1 for 10 against Ross, Joey Votto is 1 for 7, and Zack Cozart and Billy Hamilton are both hitless. Ross has struck out those four Reds a combined 10 times.

Phillips enters Friday's meeting on a tear, going 10 for 20 with six runs and six RBIs in his last four games. He has stolen a base in his last two games, and has a double in each of his last three.

'He's been great,' manager Bryan Price said. 'He's had a really good start. I asked him to be a leadoff man and he's handled that well. I like the way the lineup is shaping out.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Reds
Fri, Jun 5 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Padres at Reds
Sat, Jun 6 - 4:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Padres at Reds
Sun, Jun 7 - 1:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:36 AM

Preview: Pirates (29-24) at Braves (26-27)
Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: June 05, 2015 7:35 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates are hitting and pitching better, becoming one of baseball's hottest teams.

They'll try to win for the 12th time in 14 games Friday night when they visit the Atlanta Braves.

Pittsburgh (29-24) comes off a road sweep of San Francisco, capped by a 5-2 victory Wednesday to bounce back after dropping two of three.

"We don't let one game roll into the next. We've been going to work here for three days," manager Clint Hurdle said. "I just like the fact we've been able to turn our season in a much better direction than we were almost two weeks ago Friday."

The Pirates are slugging .449 over the last 13 games compared to .368 previously, and Andrew McCutchen is at the forefront of that improvement. He's batting .467 with 10 extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in that span after hitting .194 in April with more strikeouts (15) than RBIs (13). He has hit .350 with three homers and 12 RBIs in his last 11 games at Turner Field.

Pittsburgh has a 2.18 ERA during the 11-2 stretch, including a 1.64 mark by the bullpen.

Charlie Morton has won both of his starts behind a 1.93 ERA since coming back from hip surgery. He knocked off San Diego 5-2 on the road Saturday, allowing three hits in seven innings and retiring the final 11 batters he faced.

"I expected to do well. That's why I'm here," he told MLB's official website. "I really didn't have expectations per se. Just expectations that I'm going to go out there and make good pitches and let the chips fall where they may."

Morton is 0-2 with a 2.57 ERA in three starts against the Braves, whom he hasn't faced since 2011.

Atlanta (26-27) is trying to avoid a third straight loss after falling 9-8 in Arizona on Wednesday. The bullpen allowed seven runs over six innings in the back-to-back defeats, and its 4.81 ERA is the highest in baseball.

"Some areas of our bullpen got exposed a little bit," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We need to fix that. I need to figure out a combination to get the ball to (Jason) Grilli's hands somehow. It's tough losing games like that."

Freddie Freeman is 9 for 24 with five homers and 10 RBIs in his last six games, including three home runs against the Diamondbacks.

"I felt good all series," said Freeman, who has only homered twice in 87 career at_bats against Pittsburgh. "Hope I can carry that over after the next series."

Williams Perez (1-0, 2.66) has been a pleasant surprise since sliding into the rotation last month, limiting opponents to two runs over 18 innings in his first three big league starts. He earned his first win Saturday, yielding four hits and four walks over seven innings of an 8-0 victory in San Francisco.

"From the first pitch, I felt in command," Perez said through an interpreter.

Pittsburgh won four of seven meetings last year, with the Braves totaling five runs in their losses.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Braves
Fri, Jun 5 - 7:35PM EDT

GAME 2
Pirates at Braves
Sat, Jun 6 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Pirates at Braves
Sun, Jun 7 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:38 AM

Preview: Brewers (18-36) at Twins (31-21)
Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: June 05, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Minnesota Twins have performed well offensively during an impressive run at home, though they're not likely to need much scoring with one of the AL's hottest pitchers taking the ball.

Kyle Gibson will try to lead the Twins to their 15th win in 18 home games Friday night when they open a three-game series against the MLB-worst Milwaukee Brewers, who could again be without Ryan Braun.

Minnesota (32-21) has batted .297 - 78 points higher than its season road average - while scoring 5.8 runs per game over its last 17 at Target Field. Eddie Rosario (.387) and Eduardo Escobar (.327) are leading that effort.

The Twins should be confident in the opener of a six-game homestand after splitting a four-game series at Fenway Park with Thursday's 8-4 win. Torii Hunter finished with three hits, including his 200th homer with Minnesota.

Since allowing six runs over 3 2-3 innings in his season debut April 9, Gibson is 4-2 with a 1.85 ERA - third-lowest in the AL - over his last nine starts.

The right-hander has also gone 3-1 with a 1.44 ERA in five home starts. He held an opponent to three runs or less for a ninth straight outing Saturday, allowing one earned run over 5 2-3 innings in a 3-2 win against Toronto.

Gibson (4-3, 2.61 ERA) limited the damage despite struggling with his command and issuing four walks.

"There are times when he's gotta figure out how to get out of innings and (his) pitch count goes up - and we just take what we can get," manager Paul Molitor told MLB's official website.

Molitor will be going up against his old friend in Milwaukee skipper Craig Counsell. Counsell grew up around County Stadium because his dad worked in the Brewers' front office while Molitor was a star infielder for the team.

Gibson gave up four runs over six innings in a 6-2 road loss the only time he faced Milwaukee on June 2, 2014. Jonathan Lucroy went 2 for 3 off him and he's 4 for 9 in his last two games entering this matchup.

The Brewers (18-36) will try to avoid their 10th loss in 12 games following Wednesday's 7-4 defeat at St. Louis. Gerardo Parra went 4 for 5 with his third home run, while Adam Lind added two hits and two RBIs.

Braun, the team leader with 12 homers and 38 RBIs, did not play and could remain sidelined after undergoing a procedure on his bothersome right thumb Wednesday. Counsell said he expects Braun back during the series.

Milwaukee has batted .232 while averaging 2.8 runs during its 2-9 stretch, but it'll likely need to end that slump with former Twins right-hander Kyle Lohse (3-6, 6.50) on the mound.

Lohse yielded seven runs and a season-high 11 hits over 3 1-3 innings in Saturday's 7-3 home loss to Arizona, leaving him with the majors' second-highest ERA among qualifying starters. Opponents are batting .284 with 13 home runs against him.

"He's not the aggressor right now," Counsell said. "It's like he's playing defense the whole game."

Lohse was knocked around in his only start against the Twins, allowing six runs over 4 2-3 innings in an 8-6 loss at Target Field on May 30, 2013. Dozier, 8 for 19 in his last five games, and Joe Mauer homered off him.

The Twins have won seven of the last nine meetings.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Brewers at Twins
Fri, Jun 5 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Brewers at Twins
Sat, Jun 6 - 2:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Brewers at Twins
Sun, Jun 7 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 02:40 AM

Preview: Marlins (22-32) at Rockies (24-28)
Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: June 05, 2015 8:40 PM EDT

D.J. LeMahieu and Nolan Arenado have played a significant role in Colorado's recent success. They've also shined against the Rockies' next opponent, a team they'll face seven times in the next 10 games.

Colorado will first welcome the Miami Marlins to Coors Field for a three-game set that begins Friday night.

LeMahieu is batting .379 in his last 17 games and is among the NL leaders with a .339 average. Arenado has six homers and 18 RBIs while batting .378 in his last 11.

Arenado's sacrifice fly in the ninth inning Wednesday gave the Rockies a 7-6 walk-off victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was their ninth win in 12 games.

"I told the guys that the game will reward you for playing it the right way and competing like we are," manager Walt Weiss said. "Guys kept fighting. We've been fighting until the last out of every game."

Troy Tulowitzki also is on a tear after having a season-high five RBIs in that comeback win, going 10 for 20 with four homers and 10 RBIs in the past five games.

Tulowitzki and Arenado have keyed the Rockies (24-28) homering in 15 consecutive games, two shy of the club record. They haven't homered in 16 straight since 2005.

Charlie Blackmon had four hits Wednesday as Colorado reached double digits for the 10th time in 15 games. The Rockies are averaging 5.9 runs in that span after previously scoring 3.9 per game. They totaled 21 runs and 37 hits in the last three against the Dodgers.

They could stay hot against the Marlins behind Arenado, who owns a .339 average in 14 games against them, and LeMahieu, who is batting .328 in 18 matchups. These teams also play a four-game set next week in Miami.

LeMahieu is 6 for 9 lifetime against Tom Koehler (3-3, 4.01 ERA), Tulowitzki is 3 for 5 with a homer off him and they could have another advantage with this matchup coming in Denver.

Whereas Koehler has a 1.57 ERA at home, he's 0-2 with an 8.68 ERA in his last four road starts after giving up five runs in 3 1-3 innings Saturday in a 9-5 win over the New York Mets. He was 1-0 with a 0.95 ERA in his prior three starts - all at home - and is 1-0 with a 2.14 ERA in three career outings against the Rockies.

Koehler will try to lead Miami (22-32) to its first three-game win streak since a four-game run April 28-May 2.

"We've got to win a lot more series to get back to where we want," pitcher Dan Haren told MLB's official website after Wednesday's 7-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. "The goal is to get somewhere around .500 by around the All-Star break or a little bit after and go from there."

Giancarlo Stanton has homered in back-to-back contests, giving him 17 this season and four in the past five games. He has a .358 career average at Coors but has one homer in his last eight contests there after hitting one in each of his first six. He hit .400 with 12 RBIs in last season's seven games against Colorado.

Dee Gordon, the NL batting leader at .368, has hit .431 in his past 15 matchups with the Rockies and Marcell Ozuna is a .469 hitter in eight lifetime meetings.

Gordon is 3 for 5 with two triples against Eddie Butler (3-5, 4.22), who will seek to build on one of his best starts in his first against Miami. The right-hander yielded one run in six innings in Saturday's 5-2 victory in Philadelphia after going 0-4 with a 6.00 ERA in his prior five outings.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Marlins at Rockies
Fri, Jun 5 - 8:40PM EDT

GAME 2
Marlins at Rockies
Sat, Jun 6 - 4:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Marlins at Rockies
Sun, Jun 7 - 4:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 10:54 AM

Preview: Cubs (28-24) at Nationals (29-25)
Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: June 05, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Just as soon as they got a potent bat back, the tough-luck Washington Nationals lost another key member of their lineup.

After Yunel Escobar became the latest to go down with an injury, the offensively challenged Nationals will try to avoid their longest home losing streak in two years Friday night against the Chicago Cubs.

With Jayson Werth already out due to a wrist injury, the Nationals (29-25) added a potentially big bat Thursday when Anthony Rendon made his season debut in a 2-1 loss in opener of a four-game series.

The 2014 Silver Slugger went 2 for 4 with a double after recovering from a left knee sprain and then a left oblique strain. He hit .287 with 21 home runs and 83 RBIs last year, finishing fifth in NL MVP voting.

Rendon was at bat with two runners on before Cubs catcher David Ross picked off Clint Robinson at first for the final out.

"They saw something. They went with it,' Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. 'It was all them. Spectacular.'

The thrill of having Rendon back was short-lived when Escobar - the team's second-leading hitter (.316) - injured his wrist on a first-inning strikeout. X-rays were negative and he'll be re-evaluated Friday.

'His right wrist wasn't feeling good,' said manager Matt Williams, who is also missing catcher Wilson Ramos due to a sore thumb. 'They took an X-ray. He's fine, so there's no issue there. He just tweaked it trying to check up.'

Bryce Harper has done his best to carry the offense, hitting .422 with 13 home runs and 30 RBIs in his last 25 games. However, he's 5 for 28 with two homers in his past eight versus Chicago after going 0 for 3 with an RBI Thursday.

The Nationals, who have dropped six of seven, have batted .160 with runners in scoring position while averaging 2.3 runs over their last 14 games. They haven't lost four straight at home since a six-game slide in July 2013.

Chicago's Tsuyoshi Wada (0-0, 2.30 ERA) seeks his first victory in eight starts since August, though he's pitched well enough to win in his last two. After holding the Nationals to one run over 5 1-3 innings in a 2-1 home loss May 25, he gave up one run and two hits over 5 2-3 in Sunday's 2-1, 11-inning home win over Kansas City.

Washington's Denard Span homered off the left-hander in last month's meeting, while Harper went 1 for 3 with a double.

Tanner Roark (1-2, 2.59), who opposed Wada in that contest, hopes to continue making the most of his opportunity filling in for injured Doug Fister by beating the Cubs for the second time in three starts.

After he posted a 5.54 ERA while dropping two starts versus Chicago (28-24) last season, the right-hander limited them to one run over five innings in the May matchup at Wrigley Field. He then held Cincinnati to two runs in six innings Sunday, but left without a decision in an 8-2 loss.

Kris Bryant should be happy to see Roark again since he went 2 for 2 with a home run in the first meeting. Chris Coghlan is 5 for 11 in the matchup, though Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro are a combined 1 for 18.

Rizzo is batting .344 over a nine-game hitting streak that began in the home series against the Nationals.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at Nationals
Thu, Jun 4 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Cubs at Nationals
Fri, Jun 5 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Cubs at Nationals
Sat, Jun 6 - 12:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Cubs at Nationals
Sun, Jun 7 - 4:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 10:56 AM

Preview: Tigers (28-27) at White Sox (24-28)
Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: June 05, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

It's been a decade since the Detroit Tigers last endured an eight-game losing streak.

Frustrated yet confident they can avoid falling to those depths again, the visiting Tigers try to end their slide Friday night against the Chicago White Sox.

A loser in seven straight and 13 of 18, third-place Detroit (28-27) may be closer to last than first in the AL Central, but the four-time defending division champions aren't ready to panic.

"Everything is under a microscope when you are losing like this, but there has been no change to our daily routine and no change in the guys' attitudes," second baseman Ian Kinsler said following Thursday's 7-5 loss to Oakland. "We come ready to play but right now the ball is not rolling in our direction."

The Tigers have averaged 2.3 runs and hit just .208 over their last 10 games, but they believe there's something to build on after scoring four times in the ninth Thursday.

"It absolutely helps," said outfielder Tyler Collins, whose three-run homer highlighted the inning. "It says 'Hey, everybody, we're the Tigers, we can score runs.' Take that into (Friday) for sure."

As they try to avoid their first eight-game skid since Sept. 16-23, 2005, the Tigers expect to have outfielder Rajai Davis back after he missed the last five while on paternity leave. They also hope Yoenis Cespedes is available after he left Thursday with flu-like symptoms.

"I threw up and I felt a little lightheaded, but I'm good," he told MLB's official website.

Cespedes is 5 for 25 with one RBI over his last seven and went 1 for 11 while Detroit dropped two of three at Chicago (24-28) from May 5-7. However, he's 6 for 9 with a double and four home runs versus Jose Quintana (2-6, 4.33 ERA).

The left-hander is 2-2 with a 6.38 ERA in four starts at Detroit, but 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA in six at home. He gave up nine runs in four-plus innings of a 9-1 road loss to the Tigers on April 19, then yielded two over five of a 4-1 home defeat against them May 7.

Though Quintana is in danger of losing four straight starts for the first time, he's posted a 2.98 ERA while receiving an average of 1.79 runs of support and going 1-5 in his last seven. He allowed a run over 6 1-3 innings but was outpitched by Houston ace Dallas Keuchel during Saturday's 3-0 defeat.

"Sometimes you get frustrated because you don't get runs, but I know the hitters try every time to do their best," Quintana said. "I don't have control over that. Everybody here tries to do their best for us and you have to keep going. One day that's going to change."

Davis and Miguel Cabrera are batting a combined .357 with five doubles and two home runs versus Quintana.

Tigers starters have a 7.38 ERA during the losing streak, but left-hander Kyle Ryan (1-0, 3.00 ERA) will try to buck that trend as he makes his second career start while replacing the injured Kyle Lobstein.

Ryan, who yielded a run in three-plus innings at Oakland in his season debut May 27, gave up five hits over six scoreless innings of an 8-4 victory at Chicago on Aug. 30 in his first major league game and start.

Former Tigers outfielder Avisail Garcia is 4 for 23 with a home run against his old team this season. He's 5 for 36 with one RBI in his last 11 for the White Sox, who have dropped five of six at home but looked better during a 5-6 trip that ended with Thursday's 2-1, 11-inning loss at Texas.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at White Sox
Fri, Jun 5 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Tigers at White Sox
Sat, Jun 6 - 7:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Tigers at White Sox
Sun, Jun 7 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 10:57 AM

Preview: Rangers (28-26) at Royals (30-21)
Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: June 05, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Rookie Chi Chi Gonzalez has already captured the imagination of the Texas Rangers, which is something Edinson Volquez knows a little about since he once stood in the top prospect's shoes.

Gonzalez looks to build on an impressive debut as banged-up Texas goes after a 13th win in 16 games Friday night, while Volquez hopes to help the host Kansas City Royals turn things around.

After Ross Detwiler and Phil Klein both struggled, the Rangers (28-26) decided to give Gonzalez an opportunity to stick in the rotation after he had gone 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his previous three starts at Triple-A.

The 23-year-old right-hander made quite an impression, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Saturday's 8-0 win over Boston. He overcame some nerves - walking five - and allowed two hits over 5 2-3 innings.

Now he has a chance to become the first Ranger to win his first two career starts since Kevin Brown in 1986 and '88.

"It's a testament to our development system and what they've done with this man and how they developed him and got him ready to come up here and ready to pitch," manager Jeff Banister told MLB's official website.

Banister's club looks to keep rolling after it closed out a 5-2 homestand Thursday with a 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox. Shin-Soo Choo delivered the walkoff single in the 11th inning through Chicago's defensive shift.

Joey Gallo didn't homer for the first time in three big league games, but Delino DeShields had his third straight two-hit game.

The Rangers totaled four runs while going 3 for 19 with runners in scoring position in the last two games of the series. They continue to play without injured sluggers Josh Hamilton (hamstring) and Adrian Beltre (thumb).

In the early 2000s, Volquez (4-3, 2.95) was one third of the "DVD" trio of Rangers pitching prospects along with John Danks and Thomas Diamond. However, he only made 17 big league starts over three seasons in Texas.

The right-hander is hoping to build on a 4-1 record and 2.19 ERA in six home starts with the Royals this season. He hasn't been sharp with a 4.05 mark in his last five outings, though Kansas City has won each time.

One of those starts came in Arlington on May 12, when he allowed four runs over five-plus innings in a 7-6, 10-inning win that helped the Royals split the four-game series. Volquez, who yielded three runs in 5 2-3 innings in last Friday's 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs, is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two career starts versus Texas.

Choo homered off Volquez last month and is hitting .414 in his last 13 games against Kansas City.

The Royals (30-21) try to avoid an eighth loss in 10 games following Thursday's 6-2 rain-shortened home defeat to Cleveland. Lorenzo Cain provided all the scoring with his first homer in 24 games in the third inning.

Kansas City has batted .200 while totaling 21 runs over its last nine games. Salvador Perez, who returned from a one-game absence Thursday after taking a ball to the helmet, is 2 for 23 with 10 strikeouts in his last seven.

'The trend is we've been facing good pitching,' manager Ned Yost said. "That's the trend.'

Alcides Escobar might be able to provide a spark since he went 8 for 16 with four RBIs in the series in Arlington. Eric Hosmer was 6 for 12 with two home runs and four RBIs in the last three games there.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Royals
Fri, Jun 5 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Rangers at Royals
Sat, Jun 6 - 2:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Rangers at Royals
Sun, Jun 7 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-05-2015, 11:00 AM

Preview: Mets (30-25) at Diamondbacks (25-28)
Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: June 05, 2015 9:40 PM EDT

The New York Mets have overcome the loss of David Wright with plenty of help from Daniel Murphy, whose been solid both at the plate and in the field.

Now they may have to battle through an injury to Murphy as well.

Murphy's status is unclear for Friday night as the Mets look to win a seventh straight road meeting with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

New York (30-25) moved one-half game ahead of Washington for the NL East lead with Thursday's 6-2 victory, as John Mayberry had a two-run homer among his career-high four hits.

"It's great," Mayberry said. "It's good to get in there and help the team come out on top."

Murphy doubled in the first inning before leaving with tightness in his left quad after grounding out in the third. Manager Terry Collins shifted Murphy to third base for this contest after starting his last 18 at second as the Mets continue adjusting their infield around Wright's back injury that will keep him out indefinitely.

Murphy got off to a slow start but is hitting .412 with an OPS of 1.004 over his last 14. He's also committed only one error in his last 35 playing two positions.

Not having Murphy could be a blow for the Mets, who had lost nine of 10 on the road prior to Thursday. They'll look to win back-to-back games away from home for just the second time with Jonathon Niese on the mound.

Niese (3-5, 4.42 ERA) started off hot, going 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA over his first six outings. He's 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA over the last four, though, going fewer than five innings in two straight after allowing five runs in four innings of the Mets' 9-5 loss to Miami on Saturday.

The left-hander has allowed at least five runs in three of those four outings.

"It's frustrating more than anything because my arm feels great, my body feels great and it seems like I've been trying to execute my pitches instead of actually executing them," Niese said. "It's going to change. I'm going to keep working.'

His results against the Diamondbacks look similar to his recent numbers. Niese is 2-2 with a 6.67 ERA in five career starts versus Arizona, though none of those outing have been since 2013.

Jeremy Hellickson has taken the opposite path of Niese, starting slowly before coming on of late. Hellickson (3-3, 5.08) had a 5.92 ERA through his first seven outings but has gone 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA over his last three after allowing two runs in six innings of Saturday's 7-3 win over Milwaukee.

This will mark the right-hander's second career start against the Mets after allowing eight runs in 3 2-3 innings of a 9-6 loss while with Tampa Bay on June 14, 2012.

The Diamondbacks (25-28) hope to provide Hellickson with some support after being held to just two runs against Matt Harvey in the series opener. Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered and is 5 for 19 in five games with Arizona after going 2 for 29 in nine with Miami.

Paul Goldschmidt also homered and is batting .480 with four home runs and 11 walks over his last seven.

Arizona has lost seven of the last nine meetings with the Mets and hasn't beaten them at home since Aug. 9, 2013.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mets at Diamondbacks
Thu, Jun 4 Final 6 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mets at Diamondbacks
Fri, Jun 5 - 9:40PM EDT

GAME 3
Mets at Diamondbacks
Sat, Jun 6 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Mets at Diamondbacks
Sun, Jun 7 - 4:10PM EDT

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