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**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:11 AM

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NBA > (703) CLEVELAND@ (704) GOLDEN STATE | 06/07/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON CLEVELAND using the money line in All games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 19 Wins and 5 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.95 units)

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NBA > (703) CLEVELAND@ (704) GOLDEN STATE | 06/07/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON CLEVELAND in the first half in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 26 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (+16.1 units)

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NBA > (703) CLEVELAND@ (704) GOLDEN STATE | 06/07/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play UNDER CLEVELAND on the total in All games on Sunday games
The record is 63 Overs and 124 Unders for the since 1992 (+54.7 units)

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NBA > (703) CLEVELAND @ (704) GOLDEN STATE | 06/07/2015 - 08:05 PM
Line: GOLDEN STATE -8.5 BTB PowerLine: GOLDEN STATE -3
Edge On: GOLDEN STATE (5.5)

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:13 AM

Game 2 - Cavaliers at Warriors

June 6, 2015

Game 1 of the NBA Finals lived up to the billing as the Warriors and Cavaliers needed overtime to decide the opener. After Cleveland blew a double-digit lead, Golden State pulled off a 108-100 victory to cash as six-point favorites, while the Cavaliers have bigger concerns than falling behind, 1-0.

Cavaliers’ guard Kyrie Irving slipped in overtime, suffering a broken left kneecap that will sideline him not only for the remainder of the series, but for at least three to four months. Irving’s block of MVP Stephen Curry’s layup towards the end of regulation allowed the Cavaliers to win it on the final possession, but LeBron James misfired on a three-pointer and Iman Shumpert’s desperation heave on the offensive rebound rimmed out.

Golden State owned overtime by outscoring Cleveland, 10-2 to salvage a cover in spite of trailing by 14 points late in the first quarter. The Warriors didn’t shoot well from the floor to begin the game, hitting just 4 of their first 17 shots, while falling in a 10-point hole after 12 minutes. However, Steve Kerr’s team rallied to take a 46-41 advantage with 90 seconds left in the half, aided by six points off the bench from Marresse Speights, who missed the previous eight games with a calf injury.

J.R. Smith’s three-pointer in the final seconds of the first half put Cleveland back in front, 51-48, but the swingman didn’t offer much offense by knocking down only 3-of-13 shots, including 3-for-10 from long distance. Smith’s best game in the playoffs came in the Eastern Conference Finals against Atlanta, drilling 8-of-12 shots from three-point range for 28 points. However, take away that fantastic shooting performance and the former Knick and Nugget is converting 34.8% of his shots from long distance (31-of-89) and is averaging 10.2 points per game in the other 14 playoff contests.

James carried the Cavaliers (as usual) to 44 points on 18-of-38 shooting in Game 1, but the superstar fell to 1-9 in his career in road playoff series openers. James has played on the highway in 14 NBA Finals contests, as his teams have won just four times, with the nine of those losses coming by eight points or more. Granted, the Cavaliers were on pace to cover all night long and anything can happen in overtime, but it’s hard to ignore the road record in the Finals. In spite of the poor record on the highway in the Finals, James has lost consecutive road games in this round just twice (’07 vs. Spurs and ’10 vs. Mavericks).

The Warriors missed plenty of easy shots throughout the game, but still managed to shoot better than the Cavaliers (44.3% to 41.5%), while putting together nearly a perfect performance at the line (20-of-22). Curry and Klay Thompson combined to score 47 points, while Curry was the only Warrior to play more than 39 minutes. The already thin bench for the Cavs will be thinner with Irving’s injury, as James (46) and Tristan Thompson (47) logged the most minutes of anyone in Game 1.

The ‘under’ of 203 was on its way to cashing, as overtime ruined any ‘under’ tickets with the game tied at 98-98 after regulation. The ‘over’ hit for the first time at Oracle Arena in the playoffs, a span of nine games. In eight of nine postseason contests, the Warriors have allowed 99 points or less in regulation.

Will the extra session loss hurt the Cavaliers? VegasInsider.com NBA analyst Chris David offered up his thoughts on the overtime setback.

He said, “I normally don’t like to back teams off tough losses and the Cavaliers are in that spot on Sunday. Prior to the Game 1 loss, Cleveland was 4-1 in overtime games this season so you could believe that there will be lingering thoughts of how they let one slip away on Thursday. For what it’s worth, their first OT setback came at Houston in the regular season in a game they could’ve and probably should’ve won without Irving either. In the following game, Cleveland rolled to a 31-point win.”

“Including Game 1, there have been seven games in this year’s postseason that saw bonus minutes. Make a note that the winner of the overtime game in the first six went 4-2 in the following game the four victories came by 30, 11, 11 and 27 points. The two clubs to bounce back from overtime setbacks were the Bucks and Hawks in their first round battles against the Bulls and Nets respectively,” David says.

Oddsmakers opened Golden State as a seven-point favorite for Game 2. David believes the line should be much higher for Sunday and all of the value is with the Warriors at this price.

“I looked back at the 2007 finals when the Spurs swept the Cavaliers, because I believe those series parallel one another in so many ways. It’s LeBron versus San Antonio and I could argue the Cavaliers back then were better than this group. In that series, San Antonio was favored by 7 and 7 ½ points and they won and covered in both games at home. Golden State is in this neighborhood for Game 2 and if it wasn’t based on the betting perception of LeBron, this line should be at least double digits.”

“Against the Pelicans, Grizzlies and Rockets, the Warriors were favored anywhere from 9 ½ to 13 points at home. If you take out LeBron and the best players (Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol, and James Harden) on Golden State’s first three opponents, it’s fair to say that the Cavaliers supporting cast would get steamrolled by those teams. It’s not even close, especially without Kyrie. So why is the line this low? The answer is simple. Bettors are still buying the narrative that LeBron can lead them. If I had to guess, probably the same individuals that continue to back Peyton Manning every NFL postseason. Last time I checked, that hasn’t worked out well over time either.”

Another number that favors Cleveland for what it’s worth is the 14-0 SU and 10-4 ATS record with two days of rest. But, the Warriors come close to countering that nugget, owning a 12-1 SU and 10-3 ATS record with this amount of rest. However, Golden State has failed to cover each Game 2 throughout the playoffs, while losing to Memphis in the second round and beating Houston by one in the conference finals.

From a historical perspective, the trends would favor Cleveland, as the last time a home team went up 2-0 was in 2009 when the Lakers won the first two games against the Magic. The previous time a home team covered the first two games of the NBA Finals came the year before in 2008, as the Celtics captured the first two contests against the Lakers at TD Garden on their way to a championship.

With Irving sidelined, Cavs’ coach David Blatt will turn back to Matthew Dellavedova just like in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. VegasInsider.com NBA expert Tony Mejia says the numbers were ugly for the former St. Mary’s standout in Game 1, “Dellavedova wound up with the worst plus/minus (-13) of any of the Cavs despite playing just nine minutes. He never looked comfortable, so the hope is that he’ll be able to find a consistent rhythm now that he’ll be taking over full-time for Irving. The Cavs are 23-14 SU in games where Dellavedova plays 20 or more minutes this season, including a perfect 5-0 in the playoffs. Considering it started 3-10 in those situations, Cleveland has figured out how to best utilize its different look at the point, winning 20 of the last 24 when giving Delly significant minutes.”

Golden State opened the series at -220 (Bet $220 to win $100) to beat the Cavaliers, according to Sportsbook.ag. Now, the Warriors have vaulted to -700 to claim their first title since 1975, while the Cavaliers have plenty of work to do, listed at +500 (Bet $100 to win $500) to rebound and win this series.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:15 AM

Game 2 Props - Best Bets

June 6, 2015

Due to the Kyrie Irving injury for Cleveland, the NBA Finals has definitely lost some luster and a lot of pundits believe this series could be over this Thursday. The number on Golden State continues to get pushed up for Game 2 and money has come in on the ‘under’ as well for Sunday’s battle.

If you’re hesitant to back the side or total for the second contest in this series, then we suggest you take a closer look at the available player props.

Our trio of NBA experts produced a 6-4 overall record for Game 1 but still ended down to larger unit plays failing to cash.

Game 1 Results

Chris David: 2-1 (+85)
Tony Mejia: 2-2 (-120)
Kevin Rogers: 2-1 (-160)

Based on a five-unit bankroll, their top props are listed for Game 2 below.

Odds & Props provided by Sportsbook.ag

Chris David

Andre Iguodala - Under Total Points, Rebounds & Assits 15 (-115) - 3 Units

Some folks were saying that Iggy was the best player for the Warriors in Game 1 and he did a nice job defensively on LeBron. Umm…LeBron had 44, right? What impressed me about Iguodala is that he scored 15 points and showed some hops on a couple dunks. Also, he only picked up two fouls which is amazing. I expect that to change if he continues to go man-to-man on LeBron based on fatigue. He played 32 minutes in Game 1 and only surpassed that number three times this season. Expect a drop off and go low on his numbers in Game 2.

Klay Thomson - Under Total Made 3-Point Field Goals (+100) - 2 Units

I lost on this wager in Game 1 as Thompson made three field goals from 3-point land and I'm going to chase my bets knowing I can't lose unless he hits four 3-pointers and he's only done that once at home in this year's playoffs. He was 3-of-9 (33%) on Thursday and still hasn't been able to find his stroke at Oracle Arena. Go low tonight and then look for him to explode in Cleveland during the week.

Tony Mejia

Stephen Curry - Over 40.5 Points-rebounds-assists (-115) - 2 Units

The best shooter on the planet finished with 26 points, four boards and eight assists in Game 1, so he'd have lost this prop. Although he led the way, Curry's 26 points actually tied for his second-lowest output since May 15, which dates way back to the Grizzlies series. His six 3-point attempts were the fewest he's put up this entire postseason. Cleveland has made running him off the arc a priority, but with Curry no longer having to worry about Kyrie Irving on the opposite end, he should be more aggressive.

Harrison Barnes - Over 18.5 Points-rebounds-assists (-115) - 2 Units

The x-factor hit three crucial 3-pointers in Game 1 and finished with 11 points, six rebounds and one assist, so you can see that this prop is not as conservative as it may look at first value. Barnes has shown he's growing increasingly comfortable in the big moments and is actually averaging 16.3 points and 6 rebounds over his last three games, rebounding nicely from an 0-for-9 effort in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.

LeBron James - Over 7.5 First quarter points (-145) - 1 Unit

He's not going to deviate from attack mode with Irving unavailable, so look for a big first quarter. James was 4-for-9 out of the gate in Game 1 while adding three free throws, scoring 12 points. Expect another productive start here.

Kevin Rogers

LeBron James - Over 7 Total Made Free Throws (-125) - 3 Units

The responsibilty falls squarely on the shoulders of James again, especially with Irving out. James scored 44 points in Game 1, even though only six of those points came from the line. LeBron missed four free throws, but kept taking the ball to the basket and getting plenty of calls. There's no reason to think that James will be the focal point on nearly every possession with no one else to really rely on, while hitting at least seven free throws in seven playoff games.

J.R. Smith - Under 15.5 Total Points (-105) - 2 Units

Smith had one great game in the playoffs, scoring 28 points in the opener of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Hawks. Besides that performance, Smith has averaged 10.2 points per game in the other 14 playoff contests, while struggling from three-point range in Game 1. James has to rely on someone else to take Irving's points, but Smith has been too erratic to trust.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:17 AM

Iguodala's reserve role helps key Warriors

June 6, 2015

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Andre Iguodala's impressive resume heading into this season featured an Olympic gold medal, All-Star appearance and first-team All-NBA defensive team honors.

One of the few things Iguodala hadn't done since entering the league as a first-round draft pick in 2004 was come into the game off the bench.

So when Iguodala easily accepted that role as a reserve for the Golden State Warriors back in training camp, it helped set the tone for the team's success.

David Lee also went from All-Star to reserve without a peep. Andrew Bogut didn't bristle when he got his fewest shots per game as a pro. The players on the deep bench had no complaints when they went from key contributors to not playing depending on the matchups.

But it started when first-year coach Steve Kerr decided to start Harrison Barnes over Iguodala.

''There's no excuse for anybody else,'' Bogut said. ''When you have David Lee getting DNPs and have Andre Iguodala backing up a third-year player in Harrison Barnes and all these kinds of things and not complaining you don't have a right to complain. It's been infectious for our team chemistry.''

Including the playoffs, Iguodala had played 806 NBA games before this season and never come in as a reserve. In fact, no player in that span had played more games without being a reserve across the entire league.

After a little adjustment, Iguodala has taken quickly to his new role.

''Usually you can let the game come to you starting,'' he said. ''You don't have to force any shots. I know I'm going to get my shots here. I know my rhythm will come to me. I know I'm always going to be loose. But coming off the bench, you're a little stiff. You want to make an impact when you're in the game, so you have to pick and choose when to force up a shot, when to let the offense come to you, when to be aggressive. That is probably the hardest part.''

Iguodala has handled it well but perhaps never as well as he did in Golden State's 108-100 overtime win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against Cleveland on Thursday night.

Iguodala hit 6 of his 8 shots - including a 3-pointer while wearing only one shoe - for 15 points.

Perhaps more important was his defense against LeBron James. Despite scoring 44 points, James had trouble when matched up with Iguodala, shooting just 4 for 13 in that matchup with only two made baskets inside the 3-point line.

And it was Iguodala who forced James into a tough fall-away jumper at the end of regulation that helped the Warriors send the game to overtime.

''Andre is able to act before something happens rather than just react,'' assistant coach Ron Adams said. ''I think he understands who he's playing against well. He's very cerebral in that way. Smart player defensively plus he has a nice long defensive body. You put that combination together and he's been a very effective player over the course of time.''

Iguodala has been the key on a second-unit that has proven so valuable all season for the Warriors. Golden State's reserves outscored Cleveland's bench 34-9 in Game 1.

In what has been a frequent occurrence this postseason, the bench helped the Warriors overcome a slow start that put them down 14 points in the first quarter.

''Depth is great as long as guys are willing to sacrifice, and it's not easy to sacrifice in the NBA because careers are at stake, money is at stake, egos,'' Kerr said. ''That's, I think, what separates a lot of the really good teams and teams like ours who have made deep championship runs. When you're in The Finals, you don't get that far without that kind of sacrifice.''

It's something that has not gone unnoticed by the younger players who have the beneficiaries of the sacrifices made by former All-Stars like Iguodala and Lee.

''For them to kind of take that a backseat and let us young guys grow and develop in this league, that means a lot,'' Barnes said. ''We could easily be in a situation where they say, `Look we're the vets. You guys are young players, you guys will have your time. This is about us.' But they didn't. They were entirely selfless and that's allowed us to grow.''

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:18 AM

Warriors now bigger favorites to win

June 6, 2015

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The NBA Finals hyped as LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry now seems like James against the Golden State Warriors.

The Cavaliers are down another important player, with Kyrie Irving having surgery Saturday back in Cleveland to repair his fractured left kneecap.

And with what was an already short-handed Cavs team down 1-0 heading into Game 2 on Sunday night, a series that just started has the feel of one that could end quickly.

''(I) understand that we were the underdog coming into the series and with Kyrie being out people are writing us off,'' James said. ''So, I mean, that's fine. That's fine. I'm motivated to get our guys ready to go tomorrow and we will be ready.''

James seemed more downcast as he spoke then a day earlier, before the Cavaliers had revealed the severity of Irving's injury following an MRI exam. Irving had been hurt previously in the postseason and Cleveland had won without him, but this time was different.

''Obviously, we've been in this situation, but we always knew at some point he'll come back,'' James said. ''Knowing that he's out for the rest of the finals and out for a period of a long time, first of all, it sucks for him personally. It's a huge blow for our team, especially at this stage.''

The Warriors were already the favorites to win the championship after leading the NBA with 67 victories during the regular season. Now, with Irving joining Kevin Love on the sideline, the Warriors were trying to brush away the suggestions that not only should they win, but do it easily.

''No series is unlosable,'' center Andrew Bogut said. ''Stranger things have happened and they're still a great team with arguably the best player in the world. Obviously they're going to have other guys that have to step up to help him get wins, but we can't take this team lightly.''

Curry said the mood in the Warriors' locker room was no different than it was going into the series.

''There is no pressure or added pressure, I don't think, because our goal stays the same,'' Curry said. ''We're not really listening to any outside noise or predictions, or who is favored to do what, because we control what we control. When we go out there and play, we've got to play better than we did in Game 1, and that is really our only focus.''

Both teams noted how closely the Cavs were to winning Game 1, and in fact the series nearly had a decidedly different feel.

James and Iman Shumpert both missed jumpers on the final possession of regulation. Had either gone in, the Cavs would be the team with the 1-0 lead and would've avoided the overtime period that featured Irving's injury, which coach David Blatt said came when the All-Star point guard was kneed in his knee.

Blatt acknowledged the difficulty of losses like Game 1, saying ''they cost you some hours of sleep.'' But he said the Cavs had moved forward from it.

''You'd love to see us at full strength, obviously, for the finals,'' he said. ''The situation as it is, is what it is, and we are going to come out and play and play to win. Request no quarter and no sympathy. We've got to come out and play, and play to win. That's it.''

Matthew Dellavedova was likely to replace Irving for the Cavs, who aren't nearly as deep as the Warriors. James said he could maybe play 40 to 42 minutes in a finals game, but it's hard to imagine even he could do much more than the 44 points he scored in Game 1.

Still, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he would remind his players that the Cavaliers were ''still a great team.''

''They won two games against Atlanta without Kyrie,'' he added. ''They're still loaded with talent. They're going to be loose. Now all the spotlight is going to be on this injury and all that stuff. It can't affect us. We just go out and play and we've got to do our thing.''

The Warriors recalled having games during the regular season where they had a letdown because an opponent was without one of its top players and said they wouldn't let that happen now.

''We're not going to lay down for it just because their great player is out,'' reserve Andre Iguodala said.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:20 AM

Cavs' Irving has surgery on kneecap

June 6, 2015

CLEVELAND (AP) - Kyrie Irving didn't waste a moment in starting his recovery for next season, rushing back from the NBA Finals to have surgery on his left knee.

The Cavaliers' All-Star guard was in the operating room on Saturday to repair the broken kneecap he suffered in Game 1, an injury that will make it even tougher for Cleveland to try and win a title.

Irving's surgery at the Cleveland Clinic came less than 24 hours after an MRI revealed the fracture, which had bothered him throughout the postseason. He got hurt in overtime of Cleveland's 108-100 loss to the Golden State Warriors, who will try to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series at home on Sunday night.

Irving was driving to his right when he crumpled to the floor. Afterward, he said he felt ''something different'' in his knee and his instincts were right as tests confirmed his fears. It's a difficult blow to the Cavs and a devastating one to Irving, who has been dogged by injuries throughout his pro career. Despite numerous medical setbacks, he had blossomed into one of the game's elite point guards this season only to have it ended with another injury.

The Cavs said Irving will need three to four months of recovery.

Irving had looked like himself, moving quickly before he got hurt. The team didn't know what to expect from him before the game, but it was clear the eight days off before the finals had given him enough time to recover.

He scored 23 points with seven rebounds, six assist and four steals in 43 minutes. But following the game, he left Oracle Arena on crutches and it wouldn't be long before the Cavs learned they'd have to go on without him.

Without Irving, the Cavs will have to rely on others to pick up the scoring slack and help LeBron James, who scored 44 in Game 1 on 38 shots. Cleveland won two games in the Eastern Conference finals with Irving sidelined, but the Warriors present a greater challenge than Atlanta.

Matthew Dellavedova likely will start in Irving's spot. He made big plays in the second round against Chicago when Irving was out and had an impact on the Cavs' sweep over the Hawks with his hustle at both ends of the floor.

Irving's injury is just the latest obstacle for the Cavs, who lost forward Kevin Love in the first round against Boston with a dislocated shoulder that required surgery.

''The good thing about it, we've been in this position before,'' James said. ''So next man up and guys will be ready for the challenge.''

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:22 AM

Carlos Santana to perform national anthem

June 6, 2015

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Ten-time Grammy Award winner Carlos Santana and his wife, Cindy Blackman Santana, will perform the national anthem Sunday before Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

With the Golden State Warriors leading the Cleveland Cavaliers 1-0, the Santanas have ties to both local regions.

Carlos Santana is from San Francisco and established himself on the Bay Area music scene with his Latin-rock sound before going on to sell more than 100 million records with hits such as ''Oye Como Va,'' ''Maria Maria,'' and ''Smooth.''

Cindy Blackman Santana is a drummer and Ohio native who has worked with Lenny Kravitz and has 10 records to her credit.

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:24 AM

'Next man up' for Cavs, but is it enough?

June 5, 2015

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Kyrie Irving left Oracle Arena on crutches, with tests coming Friday to determine the severity of his left knee injury.

If he can't go in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, the Cleveland Cavaliers will have to figure out how to replace one of the best point guards in the NBA.

''Well, I mean, it's the next man up,'' LeBron James said.

But with a roster that's already depleted by injuries, do the Cavaliers have enough next men against the powerful Golden State Warriors?

Kevin Love is already out for rest of the postseason with a shoulder injury, and Anderson Varejao was lost long ago. That has left the Cavaliers with just an eight-player rotation, not nearly enough against what might be the deepest team in the league.

The Warriors' reserves outscored the Cavs' 34-9 in their 108-100 overtime victory Thursday, and it seemed clear the Cavs ran out of gas down the stretch.

Cleveland coach David Blatt was asked if he can find more minutes for his reserves in Game 2.

''Certainly we can, but at the end of the day, people, it was a one-shot game,'' he said. ''You're there in the first game of the NBA Finals on an away floor, and we were in position to win that game. So in retrospect, yes, would have liked to have done that.

''Realistically, we put ourselves in position to win that game the way we played it. But like every other game, you look, and you see, and you adjust. When and if necessary, you change tactics.''

No such worries for the Warriors, who aren't afraid to ride their reserves no matter the situation. In Game 1, that meant using Andre Iguodala for 32 minutes, mostly to defend James, and even going with backup center Festus Ezeli to start overtime.

''We have a lot of bodies,'' Iguodala said. ''A lot of guys we threw at LeBron tonight. He made some tough shots, and that's what we're going to try to do throughout the whole series is make him take tough shots. Just try to wear teams down, and that's what we've done all year.''

Irving had a strong game before departing, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and blocking Stephen Curry's shot late in regulation to give the Cavs a chance to win it on their last possession.

Matthew Dellavedova played well in Irving's absence when the All-Star missed two games in the Eastern Conference finals. The Australian wasn't a factor Thursday, playing 9 scoreless minutes, but the Cavs may have to count on him Sunday.

''If Kyrie can't go, Delly's number is going to be called and everyone else has to pick each other up,'' James said.

James said even he could play better, though that's hard to imagine after he scored 44 in Game 1, his best finals performance ever. But with no Love, potentially no Irving and no reliable backups to speak of, there may be no other way for the Cavs to win the series.

''It's not about me. It's not about the next guy. It's about all of us,'' James said. ''We're going to watch the film and get better for Game 2.''

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:33 AM

Preview: Angels (28-27) at Yankees (30-25)
Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: June 07, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

The New York Yankees haven't had too much trouble producing while going undefeated this week, though that's not been the case against C.J. Wilson in recent years.

While the left-hander hasn't been sharp of late, he'll look to continue his recent success against the Yankees on Sunday and help the Los Angeles Angels avoid their first three-game sweep in the Bronx in nearly two decades.

Brian McCann's two-run homer highlighted a six-run first inning during New York's 8-2 victory Saturday. The Yankees have scored six or more runs in the first inning four times, something they had not done since 1948.

"It just shows you that our offense is capable of being potent," manager Joe Girardi said.

Looking to win six in a row for the first time since July 2013, the Yankees (31-25) have scored 31 runs in the last five games, including eight each in the first two of this set. New York last swept a home series of at least three games against the Angels (28-28) from Aug. 29-31, 1995.

Wilson (3-4, 3.55 ERA) might be the right guy to prevent that from happening again. He's 4-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his last seven starts against the Yankees, including a 3-0 mark with a 1.87 ERA over five outings in the Bronx.

However, he's 1-2 with a 5.48 ERA and has walked 13 and hit two batters over his last four starts. He allowed five runs and three walks in six innings of Tuesday's 6-1 loss to Tampa Bay.

That began a four-game skid for the Angels (28-28), whose starters have posted an 11.94 ERA during that stretch. Garrett Richards was charged with all six runs and couldn't get the final out of the first inning Saturday.

"We're going to turn the page on this one for sure," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

McCann went 0 for 7 against Wilson in 2014, but is batting .345 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in his last nine at Yankee Stadium. Since joining the club last season, McCann has hit 26 of his 32 homers there.

"We thought his swing was kind of built for this ballpark," Girardi said.

The last time CC Sabathia (2-7, 5.45) pitched at home, he allowed six runs over a season-low 2 1-3 innings of a 15-4 loss to Texas on May 23.

Though knee surgery ended Sabathia's 2014 season in May, he's posted a 9.42 ERA while losing six straight home starts since beating San Francisco on Sept. 20, 2013.

Sabathia will pitch on regular rest after the club decided to skip Michael Pineda's turn in the rotation. The left-hander overcame nine hits to yield two runs in 5 2-3 innings of Tuesday's 5-3, 11-inning victory at Seattle.

Though he hasn't faced the Angels since 2013, Sabathia has posted a 1.88 ERA while winning three of his last four regular-season starts against them.

New Jersey product Mike Trout is 3 for 8 with two doubles versus Sabathia, but Albert Pujols is 1 for 12 against him. Both of Trout's hits over 14 at_bats in the last four games have left the park.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Angels at Yankees
Fri, Jun 5 Final 7 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Angels at Yankees
Sat, Jun 6 - Final 2 - 8
Boxscores

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

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:35 AM

Preview: Astros (34-22) at Blue Jays (26-30)
Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: June 07, 2015 1:07 PM EDT

R.A. Dickey insists he's seen improvement recently as he continues to re-create his 2012 NL Cy Young Award-winning form.

The numbers, however, insist otherwise as the knuckleballer seeks another strong start and a better outcome Sunday when the Toronto Blue Jays try to sweep this three-game set from the Houston Astros.

Dickey (2-6, 5.53 ERA) is 30-32 in two-plus seasons with Toronto after his 20-6 campaign with the New York Mets that led to his unlikely Cy Young. Though some can argue his knuckleball and pitcher-friendly Citi Field formed a potent combination three years ago, it's possible that improved discipline by opposing hitters has also contributed to the right-hander's uneven tenure with Toronto.

"The last three outings I've been getting a lot of swings and misses," Dickey told MLB's official website after allowing two runs in six innings of a 2-0 loss to Washington on Tuesday. "I feel like I've been working on some stuff in the 'pen with (pitching coach) Pete (Walker) ... got a lot of swings and misses and felt good about my pitch."

Opponents are batting .265 on balls put in play versus Dickey, lower than the .280 mark in 2012. But they're hitting .241 overall as opposed to .226 in 2012, and the .418 slugging percentage this year is noticeably higher than 2012 (.365). Additionally, Dickey's strikeouts per nine innings, walks per nine innings, home runs allowed per nine innings and walk-to-strikeout ratio are all significantly worse than his breakout season in New York.

A lack of run support has also hurt. Despite the Blue Jays (27-30) leading the majors with 296 runs after Saturday's 7-2 win, Dickey is 1-5 with a 4.76 ERA in the eight starts he's gotten three or fewer runs. He went 8-5 with a 2.47 ERA in 17 such outings in 2012.

"There are no moral victories in this game," he said. "You have to win, and that's the end of it."

There haven't been any victories versus the Astros lately - Dickey is 0-3 with a 7.92 ERA in four starts with Toronto. Houston roughed him up for seven runs and 10 hits in five innings of an 8-4 victory May 15.

Jose Reyes, who had three stolen bases and two hits Saturday, will try to keep Toronto's offense clicking without Edwin Encarnacion, who will not play Sunday after receiving a cortisone shot for his ailing shoulder. Reyes is batting .340 in 11 games since returning from a cracked left rib.

Collin McHugh (6-2, 4.33) is trying to win back-to-back starts for the first time since winning his first three this year. He overcame a four-run second Tuesday against Baltimore and pitched seven innings - the last five hitless - as the Astros rallied for an eventual 6-4 win.

"You can either sulk and be mad at yourself that you gave up the lead, or you can hang in there and see our team do some pretty amazing things which they've done," the right-hander said.

McHugh got the best of the Blue Jays on May 17, yielding two runs while striking out nine in seven innings of a 4-2 win. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA in two starts versus Toronto and will be making his first appearance at Rogers Centre.

Houston (34-26), which has scored 30 runs while dropping six of 10, has gone 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position in losing three straight.

"We're going to come back tomorrow with the same attitude and try to win the game," said Jose Altuve, who went 3 for 4 on Saturday and homered in last month's win over Dickey.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Astros at Blue Jays
Fri, Jun 5 Final 2 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Astros at Blue Jays
Sat, Jun 6 - Final 2 - 7
Boxscores • Recaps

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

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:39 AM

Preview: Orioles (25-29) at Indians (26-28)
Game: 3
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: June 07, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

After Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber was the undeniable staff ace for the Cleveland Indians last season, Carlos Carrasco is providing some competition for that distinction in 2015.

Carrasco, who has posted a winning record only once since making his major league debut in 2009, will try to match a career best for victories and win his fourth straight start in Sunday's finale of a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.

The potential has always been there with Carrasco (7-4, 3.92 ERA) since the Indians (27-28) acquired him along with three others in the trade that sent Cliff Lee to Philadelphia in July 2009. The powerful right-hander spent the next few years shifting back and forth from the minors before losing all of 2012 to reconstructive elbow surgery.

During the previous two seasons since returning, Carrasco shifted back and forth from the bullpen, making 21 starts over 55 appearances. His record last year (8-7) was his first above .500, though he was 5-6 in his 14 starts despite a solid 2.67 ERA.

Carrasco was one of the Phillies' top prospects and that hope seems to have been realized six years later. He's among the AL wins leaders and has been electrifying in his last three outings with a 1.71 ERA in 21 innings with 23 strikeouts against five walks.

Following an impressive start against Kansas City on Tuesday, the 28-year-old is on a seven-game streak of six or more innings pitched with six or more strikeouts and three or fewer walks - which trails only Kluber (9) and CC Sabathia (8) in franchise history.

"I used more changeups today, a couple of strikeouts with my slider," Carrasco, who struck out eight and allowed five hits in the 2-1 win, told MLB's official website.

"But more importantly, I worked on using my fastball first, and they were swinging a lot, too, so you just kind of go from there."

Carrasco has made two starts against the Orioles (25-30) in his career, going 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA and 11 combined strikeouts. He tossed seven innings of three-hit ball in a 6-0 victory in his most recent start against them Aug. 16.

With Carrasco on the upswing and forming a formidable front three in the rotation with Kluber and Trevor Bauer, the Indians have begun to turn around a 12-21 start with 15 wins in their last 22 games. They haven't been .500 since they were 2-2 on April 10.

Also in that solid staff mix is Danny Salazar, who struck out 10 and allowed six hits and a run in seven-plus innings of Saturday's 2-1 victory. Carlos Santana had a tiebreaking double in the sixth after Nick Swisher hit an RBI single in the third.

Opposing Carrasco will be Bud Norris (1-4, 9.88 ERA), who will make his first start since May 10 after going on the disabled list to deal with a bout of bronchitis.

The right-hander allowed 20 earned runs in his first three starts and lasted only 3 1-3 innings against the New York Yankees in his most recent - though his illness was a big factor. Manager Buck Showalter admitted that Norris lost 10 pounds fighting the ailment.

"I had a lot of stomach stuff and some things, so I'm going to try to get home, get some rest, put some fluids in me," Norris said at the time. "I've been battling the stomach thing. I really wanted to go out there and give everything I had."

Norris is 2-0 with a .213 opponent batting average in his two career starts against Cleveland. He tossed four hitless innings in his final tuneup with Triple-A Norfolk.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Indians
Fri, Jun 5 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Orioles at Indians
Sat, Jun 6 -Final 1 - 2
Boxscores • Recaps

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

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:41 AM

Preview: Padres (28-28) at Reds (23-30)
Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: June 07, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

Getting healthy has helped Yonder Alonso to start swinging a hot bat and Matt Kemp has picked things up by tweaking his swing.

Alonso and Kemp look to keep the visiting San Diego Padres rolling and extend their longest winning streak of the season Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds.

Alonso missed nearly a month with a bone bruise in his right shoulder, but he's clearly put that behind him. The first baseman is 8 for 15 with six RBIs and four runs in four games since returning after going 7 for 32 (.219) in his previous 10.

His best effort came Saturday when he hit a tying grand slam in the seventh inning of a 9-7 win at Cincinnati, giving San Diego a four-game winning streak.

"I was hoping I'd get lucky and something would fall," said Alonso, who matched his season high with three hits to increase his season average 23 points to .363. "I was just trying to keep the rally going."

Kemp capped it with a two-run single in the eighth Saturday to finish with a season-high five RBIs after hitting a solo homer and a double. He's 6 for 12 in three games after making some changes to his swing recently.

"The intent to do some damage and turn the bat loose - we've seen more of that," manager Bud Black said. "He's been more aggressive in swinging at balls in the strike zone."

Facing the Reds (23-31) may also be helping since Kemp is a career .331 hitter against them, while Alonso has a .343 average.

The Padres (29-28) have won six straight against Cincinnati for the first time since taking 10 in a row from 1998-99.

Odrisamer Despaigne (3-3, 4.56 ERA) was supposed to face the Reds for the first time Saturday, but was pushed back in order to get some extra rest after allowing one run in eight innings of last Sunday's 7-1 win over Pittsburgh. It was the longest outing of his two-year career and longest by a Padres pitcher this season.

It also came five days after he went six innings in a 4-0 win in 10 innings over the Los Angeles Angels following a four-game stretch - three starts - in which he went 0-3 with a 12.06 ERA. Like Kemp, the right-hander's recent improvement stems from a suggestion to simplify his approach.

"He has gotten back to being the aggressor," Black said. "I think he has gotten back to setting the tone with fastball strike. ... (pitching coach Darren Balsley) and I have talked to him about being less of a trickster and more of a pitcher."

The Reds, losers of four of five, are turning to Johnny Cueto (3-4, 2.90) for the second time since he missed two starts with elbow inflammation. The right-hander allowed two runs - one earned - in six innings while not factoring into the decision of a 5-4 loss at Philadelphia on Tuesday.

"It doesn't feel 100 percent yet, but it's progressing. I'm getting better," Cueto told MLB's official website. "Not really in the elbow situation. Thank God, I feel great ... It's just about being ready and being back in shape."

Cueto may be looking forward to a return home, where he's continued his success from last season by compiling a 1.55 ERA in four starts. However, he has a 1-1 record since the bullpen has blown saves in two games.

He's 11-2 with a 1.59 ERA in his past 15 starts at Great American Ball Park and tossed a three-hitter in a 5-0 win over visiting San Diego on May 15, 2014.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Reds
Fri, Jun 5 Final 6 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Padres at Reds
Sat, Jun 6 -Final 3 - 7
Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 3

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

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:44 AM

Preview: Athletics (23-34) at Red Sox (25-31)
Game: 3
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: June 07, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

Clay Buchholz is doing his part to help the Boston Red Sox turn things around.

His teammates can return the favor by helping him finally win consecutive starts to complete a home sweep of the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

Though Buchholz (3-6, 3.82 ERA) is 1-2 in his last four starts, he's posted a 1.47 ERA and pitched into the eighth of each.

"Yeah he's been on a real good run," manager John Farrell told MLB's official website. "He's certainly kept us in ballgames. It's been very strong for him. ... He's on a good little run right now."

The Red Sox (26-31) have managed one run in each of those four by Buchholz, who gave up three hits and struck out eight over eight innings of Tuesday's 1-0 victory over Minnesota. Boston's 3.75 runs per game rank near the bottom of the majors and its .373 slugging percentage is the second-lowest in the AL.

"Obviously we haven't played up to the caliber of players we have on this team," Buchholz said. "The bar is set pretty high for this club. There's nobody in this clubhouse that doesn't expect that. I don't think anybody would want it any other way."

Starting with Buchholz's effort, Boston has won four of six and can sweep its first series of at least three games since July 18-20.

Hanley Ramirez's two-run homer highlighted a three-hit game in Saturday's 4-2 victory. Despite an inconsistent start with Boston, Ramirez is batting .359 with three home runs and eight RBIs in his last 10 contests.

Hitting .117 (7 for 60) in his last 19 games, teammate Pablo Sandoval is expected to play after sitting the last two.

'A couple of days to take some extra BP in the cage, smooth some things out, a little bit of a breather,' Farrell said of Sandoval, who is 1 for his last 20. 'We've had a chance to talk briefly over the past couple of days, and so the thought behind it is to give him a little bit of a breather.'

Sandoval and the Red Sox draw Kendall Graveman (3-2, 5.56), who is 3-0 with a 2.21 ERA in four road starts. The right-hander yielded all three runs in the fourth of six innings he lasted in Tuesday's 5-3 victory at Detroit.

"I feel like I'm really close to being able to go deeper in the ballgame," said Graveman, who has yet to complete more than six. "That's one thing I've been trying to focus on."

Billy Burns is batting .362 during an 11-game hitting streak for Oakland (23-35), which averaged 5.0 runs while winning six of seven before suffering consecutive 4-2 defeats at Fenway Park. The A's are a major league-worst 6-24 in games decided by two or fewer runs.

'We're in so many games and however we get there, you get tired of tipping your cap,' manager Bob Melvin said.

A back issue limited Oakland's Brett Lawrie to a pinch-hitting role one day after a piece from his broken bat struck a fan. Both teams learned Tonya Carpenter is expected to survive after suffering life-threatening those injuries.

"I hope she gets back and gets better," Ramirez said.

Lawrie is 9 for 15 on this six-game trip but 3 for 25 against Buchholz, who yielded a run in 6 1-3 innings of a 7-1 victory over the A's last season.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Red Sox
Fri, Jun 5 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Athletics at Red Sox
Sat, Jun 6 - Final 2 - 4
Boxscores

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

**StarDust Bum** · 06-07-2015, 02:46 AM

Preview: Pirates (30-24) at Braves (26-28)
Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: June 07, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

Consistently strong in just about every start this season while emerging as the Pittsburgh Pirates' ace, Gerrit Cole has been better than good in his last three outings.

Alex Wood has put together his own impressive run for the Atlanta Braves.

Cole and Wood are each looking to extend their dominant stretches with a fourth straight win in Sunday's finale at Turner Field.

Cole (8-2, 1.90 ERA) is among baseball's leaders in wins and ERA after injuries limited him to 22 starts in which he went 11-5 with a 3.65 ERA last season.

The right-hander hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start since Sept. 1, and he's held his last three opponents to a combined two earned with 26 strikeouts in 22 1-3 innings.

He gave up a pair of unearned runs and fanned nine in seven innings of Monday's 4-3 win at San Francisco. Cole's biggest moment came after he loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth, but he struck out the next batter before inducing a double play.

"To find another gear in that sixth ... to push himself out there, there was a hole dug, and he was the guy to get out of it," manager Clint Hurdle told MLB's official website. "You shake your head a couple of times, and the bases are loaded and you got to go to work."

Cole has allowed two runs in seven innings in both of his career starts against the Braves, but only got a decision in a 3-2 win at Atlanta (27-28) on Sept. 23. That's part of his 12-2 record with 120 strikeouts in 16 starts since Sept. 7 - the most wins in the majors over that stretch.

The Pirates (30-25) are trying to conclude this 10-game road trip with a seventh victory after watching Braves rookie Christian Bethancourt hit a walkoff solo shot - his first career homer - for a 5-4 victory Saturday.

"That's a moment I'll never forget," said Bethancourt, who had three hits and two RBIs to improve to 8 for 16 in five games versus Pittsburgh.

That may be reason enough for Bethancourt to get the nod at catcher again as Wood (4-2, 3.19) gets the ball after winning three straight starts behind a 1.23 ERA. He's completed at least seven innings in each after going 0-2 with a 4.37 ERA over his previous six games.

"I'm starting to kind of get everything together, so to speak," Wood said. "It's just more about getting that consistency and the repeatability to where I know I don't have to work on anything anymore."

The left-hander yielded one run in eight innings of Monday's 8-1 victory at Arizona, his first time pitching that deep since a 1-0 win over Miami on Aug. 31. He also helped himself with a two-run single in the second after Todd Cunningham was walked intentionally to load the bases with two outs.

Wood opposed Cole twice last season, going 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA, never getting a look at the left-handed Gregory Polanco.

The right fielder has a .400 average during a 10-game hitting streak, one shy of Josh Harrison's team high set last month. Polanco has five hits in this series, collecting three with two RBIs on Saturday, but he's only a career .174 hitter against lefties.

Polanco hasn't started any of seven games Pittsburgh has faced a lefty starter this season.

Atlanta's Freddie Freeman has put together a nine-game hitting streak, batting .382 (13 for 34) with five homers and 11 RBIs, while Cameron Maybin has five hits in two games and is 12 for 28 with seven RBIs in his last six.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Braves
Fri, Jun 5 Final 10 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Pirates at Braves
Sat, Jun 6 - Final 4 - 5
Boxscores

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

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