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**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:03 AM

Preview: Orioles (33-31) at Phillies (22-44)
Game: 4
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: June 18, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

While the setting has changed between the Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies, the results have not.

Following two victories in Baltimore and another at Citizens Bank Park, the surging Orioles may have a more difficult time behind their most inconsistent starting pitcher in Thursday's series finale, although that concern may be moot considering their current level of offensive output.

The Orioles (34-31) didn't come close to replicating the explosiveness of Tuesday's 19-3 victory but earned a victory nonetheless, winning in Philadelphia 6-4 on Wednesday.

Chris Parmelee and Travis Snider homered and David Lough delivered a key two-run to help the Orioles win for the ninth time in 10 games.

Parmelee has made quite an impact in his first two games, going 5 for 9 with three solo homers.

"I'm seeing the ball well right now, and just trying to keep it simple and kind of ride the wave as long as you can,' said Parmelee, recalled from the minors Tuesday.

Baltimore is hitting .302 with 21 homers and 7.1 runs during that 10-game span to move a season-best three games over .500.

"Usually in April and May, that's like fighters in early rounds,' manager Buck Showalter said of his club's current run. 'Sooner or later, you've got to start throwing punches.'

They'll look to maintain that production to support Bud Norris (2-4, 8.29 ERA), who has been better lately following a dreadful start. The right-hander is 2-2 with a 4.88 ERA in his last five starts after going 0-2 with a 17.42 ERA in his first three.

He surrendered four runs and eight hits over 5 2-3 innings Saturday against the New York Yankees before leaving without a decision. His ERA ranks last in baseball among pitchers with at least 38 innings.

"I worked deeper into the game," Norris told MLB's official website. "It felt good to get back out there and find a groove. I really thought I found a groove in the middle innings there."

Norris has the luxury of facing the major league-worst Phillies (22-45), who are averaging 2.0 runs during a nine-game losing streak and have lost 19 of 22. Philadelphia, which hasn't dropped 10 straight since an 11-game slide in September 1999, ranks last in baseball in runs (204) and homers (37).

'It's surprising," manager Ryne Sandberg said. " ... I come every day to try to grind out wins and improve the guys. That's my mentality.'

Sean O'Sullivan (1-5, 5.08) will be tasked with slowing down the Orioles. The right-hander, though, is 0-3 with a 6.14 ERA in five starts since his lone win, and has walked nine and struck out seven over 29 1-3 innings during that stretch.

O'Sullivan's current rate of 3.51 strikeouts per nine innings ranks as the league's worst.

He has an 8.64 ERA in three starts and one relief appearances against Baltimore, but this will be his first meeting since 2013.

Parmelee is 2 for 3 with a home run against O'Sullivan, while Adam Jones is 4 for 7.

Jones remains questionable after missing his second straight game with a shoulder ailment, though he was available to pinch hit Wednesday.

Ryan Howard is 2 for 18 with 10 strikeouts in his last six, but is hitting .308 with a home run in 13 at_bats versus Norris.

The Orioles have won five straight and 10 of 12 against the Phillies.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Phillies at Orioles
Mon, Jun 15 Final 0 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Phillies at Orioles
Tue, Jun 16 Final 3 to 19
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Orioles at Phillies
Wed, Jun 17 - Final 6 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Orioles at Phillies
Thu, Jun 18 - 1:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:05 AM

Preview: Cardinals (43-21) at Twins (34-30)
Game: 4
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: June 18, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

Manager Mike Matheny knew the St. Louis Cardinals' starting rotation would be even more dangerous once Jaime Garcia returned.

Just how good Garcia has been with a history of arm and shoulder problems is nothing short of stunning, though.

He'll make his sixth start of the season Thursday as he looks to help the visiting Cardinals wrap up this four-game home-and-home series with a third win over the Minnesota Twins.

Garcia (2-3, 2.06 ERA) didn't pitch in the majors in 2009 because of elbow issues and was placed on the 60-day disabled list in 2012 before returning for an appearance in the playoffs.

The left-hander made just nine starts in 2013 because of a shoulder strain, then started seven times last season before season-ending shoulder surgery. Garcia started 2015 rehabbing in the minors before making his season debut May 21.

He hasn't shown any effects of the injuries and is coming off his best outing after allowing four hits over eight innings of Friday's 4-0 win over Kansas City. Garcia didn't walk a batter for the fourth straight start, and he has a 0.89 WHIP while allowing three runs over his last three.

After not receiving any run support in three of his first four outings, Garcia helped himself with an RBI single.

"When he's healthy, that's kind of what you expect," Matheny said. "I think that's a pretty big statement, but he's that good."

Garcia's run has helped the Cardinals (43-22) possess the majors' second-best ERA for a starting rotation, which improved to 2.95 after Carlos Martinez allowed one earned run in 6 2-3 innings Wednesday.

Jason Heyward drove in the team's only run, though, as St. Louis' five-game winning streak ended with a 3-1 loss to the Twins (35-30). The Cardinals, who have tried to remain focused despite the ongoing investigation into alleged hacking by members of the organization into the Houston Astros' database, haven't scored more than four runs in their last 10 while batting .230 in that stretch.

'We're still seeing good at_bats, seeing good swings. Just one of those ruts where you just keep powering your way through it and it's going to happen,' Matheny said. 'But right now, they're hard to come by. But once again, we've got quite a few games here where we've got one more than the other guy, so can't make too much out of it.'

Minnesota had dropped nine of its previous 11, including the first two of this series at Busch Stadium. Top prospect Byron Buxton went 0 for 3 in his home debut and is 2 for 13 with five strikeouts in four games.

Eduardo Nunez went 2 for 2 with a walk, a sacrifice fly and an RBI infield single. Glen Perkins got an out in the eighth and allowed the first two hitters to reach in the ninth before remaining perfect in 23 save attempts.

'Whether it's three outs or four outs, it doesn't matter,' Perkins said. 'I want to win and we did tonight.'

Mike Pelfrey got just four outs Saturday before allowing a run, the first of the eight he surrendered through 3 2-3 innings of an 11-7 loss at Texas. It marked the worst outing of the season for Pelfrey (5-3, 3.18) after he went 2-1 with a 0.96 ERA over his previous four starts.

"It was a little bit of a different guy than what we've seen," manager Paul Molitor said. "His fastball was up and his split, he was trying to find it, but when he threw it over the plate it seemed to hang a little bit."

Molitor hopes to get the version of Pelfrey that has been more consistent at home than on the road. The right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA in five starts at Target Field compared to 2-3 with a 4.46 ERA in seven road starts.

Pelfrey's only three starts against the Cardinals have come at Busch Stadium, and he hasn't faced them since 2011 while with the New York Mets.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Cardinals
Mon, Jun 15 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Twins at Cardinals
Tue, Jun 16 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores

GAME 3
Cardinals at Twins
Wed, Jun 17 -Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Cardinals at Twins
Thu, Jun 18 - 1:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:08 AM

Preview: Marlins (29-37) at Yankees (34-30)
Game: 4
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: June 18, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Closing in on 3,000 hits, Alex Rodriguez is taking the pursuit of his latest milestone in stride.

Three hits shy of reaching the plateau, the oft-maligned Rodriguez tries to help the Yankees sweep their two-game home set against the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.

After not starting either of the two losses for New York (35-30) at Miami this week, Rodriguez was back in his DH role and went 2 for 2 with a RBI and two walks during Wednesday's 2-1 victory. Though he's 6 for 29 in his last nine contests, Rodriguez has a decent chance to become the 29th player to reach 3,000 as early as Thursday.

"It's always on your mind a little bit," said Rodriguez, who turns 40 next month.

"(Three-thousand hits) means I'm getting old," he told MLB's official website. "You play long enough and some of these stats add up after a while."

With seven games left on this homestand, Rodriguez likely will make history in front of a home crowd that's been mostly supportive after he sat out all of last season on a performance-enhancing drug suspension.

"I think the fans have responded at home very well," manager Joe Girardi said.

Rodriguez, who overtook Willie Mays for fourth on the all-time home run list last month and sits at 666, doesn't expect another milestone to improve his image.

"I can't change anybody's mind," he said. "All I can do right now is really be grateful for the opportunity the Yankees and Major League Baseball and my team has given me."

New York starters have a 1.99 ERA during the club's 8-1 stretch at Yankee Stadium, where CC Sabathia (3-7, 5.38 ERA) earned his first home victory since September 2013 on June 7. However, the left-hander needs a better effort after yielding a pair of two-run homers in five innings while not getting a decision in Saturday's 9-4 loss at Baltimore.

It was the third time in his last five outings that he failed to complete six innings.

"It's frustrating for me," Sabathia said. "I usually pitch deep into the games, but it's just a different time. I'm out there battling and trying to go as long as I can."

Looking to avoid matching a season high with their fifth consecutive road defeat, the Marlins (29-38) hope Mat Latos (2-4, 5.44) can build on his solid return to the rotation. Fresh off a stint on the disabled list to deal with knee inflammation, Latos allowed a run and struck out 11 in seven innings of Saturday's 4-1 victory over Colorado.

"It's good to see him at 100 percent because I think you're truly seeing now the Mat Latos the Marlins traded for and it's a huge boost for us," manager Dan Jennings said of the right-hander's first outing since May 21.

Latos yielded 11 runs and 15 hits in 8 1-3 innings over his two starts prior to being placed on the DL.

"It feels good to have two legs under me that's for sure," he said.

Giancarlo Stanton entered Tuesday batting .404 with nine homers and 18 RBIs in his previous 14 games but went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his Yankee Stadium debut.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Yankees at Marlins
Mon, Jun 15 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Yankees at Marlins
Tue, Jun 16 Final 2 to 12
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Marlins at Yankees
Wed, Jun 17 - Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Marlins at Yankees
Thu, Jun 18 - 7:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:13 AM

Preview: Mets (36-30) at Blue Jays (34-32)
Game: 4
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: June 18, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

R.A. Dickey capped his improbable rise with the New York Mets by winning the 2012 Cy Young Award despite playing for a team that didn't win much of anything.

They traded him shortly thereafter to the Toronto Blue Jays in an effort to turn around the floundering franchise - and sure enough, it's started to pay dividends.

Dickey faces the NL East-leading Mets for the first time since that deal on Thursday night, starting opposite Bartolo Colon in the majors' first matchup between starters in their 40s in seven years.

A right-hander who posted a 5.43 ERA on three teams in his first seven seasons, Dickey (2-6, 5.29 ERA) found a home in New York in 2010. His third and final season with the Mets turned him from journeyman to ace.

He went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA while his 230 strikeouts led the NL. He became the first knuckleballer to win the Cy Young and the first Met since Dwight Gooden in 1985.

There was little success on the field for the Mets, however, as they finished with a losing record in each season with Dickey. At the peak of his value, New York sent him to Toronto in a seven-player deal that returned key prospects Noah Syndergaard and Travis d'Arnaud.

D'Arnaud is in his second year as the Mets' everyday catcher, and Syndergaard recently earned a spot in the rotation.

The Mets (36-31) are now atop the East by 1 1/2 games on second-place Washington, while the 40-year-old Dickey is struggling with the Blue Jays (35-32) with an ERA that's among the highest in the AL.

Dickey gave up four runs in six innings of a 5-4 win in 11 at Boston on Saturday.

He may get plenty of help as the Jays had 10 hits in an 8-0 victory over New York on Wednesday, reviving their offense after totaling five runs and 12 hits while dropping the first two of this home-and-home set. Toronto entered the series batting .304 with 18 homers and an average of 7.3 runs during an 11-game winning streak.

The Mets, meanwhile, have lost 12 of 15 away from home and are 10-20 there overall.

"We've got to start playing better on the road," manager Terry Collins said. "We've got to start winning some games."

Turning to Colon (9-4, 4.41) could help, as he's won seven of his last 10 road starts with a 3.36 ERA. The 42-year-old right-hander makes up the other half of the first matchup between 40-year-old starters since Greg Maddux faced Jamie Moyer on Aug. 15, 2008.

Like Dickey, Colon has become a fan favorite in New York, leading the team with 24 wins in two seasons while his total this year is tied for second in baseball. He leads the majors with 0.88 walks per nine innings, a number that should it hold would be the NL's best since Maddux's 0.77 in 1997.

Colon has had some famously awkward at_bats when he steps in but won't have to worry about those in Toronto, and Michael Cuddyer could again serve as the DH after getting a double Wednesday.

Colon allowed one earned run in 14 innings over his last two starts against the Blue Jays, but this is his first appearance in Toronto since Sept. 17, 2011, with the New York Yankees.

He's won three of his last four starts behind a 3.46 ERA, yielding two runs in six innings of Friday's 5-3 win over Atlanta.

Colon will have to contend with Kevin Pillar, who is 10 for 24 in his last six games after hitting a two-run blast for one of his three hits Wednesday.

A career .248 hitter, Pillar has a .339 average in 19 interleague games.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1

Blue Jays at Mets
Mon, Jun 15 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Mets
Tue, Jun 16 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Mets at Blue Jays
Wed, Jun 17 - Final 0 - 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Mets at Blue Jays
Thu, Jun 18 - 7:07PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:15 AM

Preview: Rays (36-30) at Nationals (34-31)
Game: 4
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: June 18, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Doug Fister was smooth in his rehab starts and is ready to rejoin Washington's rotation. He just might wish it were coming against a different opposing starter.

The right-hander will come off the disabled list to face Chris Archer and the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night at Nationals Park, where the Tampa Bay ace made his MLB debut almost exactly three years ago.

Fister (2-2, 4.31 ERA) has been sidelined over a month with right forearm tightness. In two rehab starts split between Triple-A Syracuse and Double-A Harrisburg, he was 0-1 with a 0.93 ERA, allowing nine hits and striking out 10 with no walks in 9 2-3 innings.

He last pitched in the majors May 14 in San Diego and clearly wasn't healthy, allowing seven runs and eight hits in two innings.

"It was not allowing me to get my job done, and that's something that we can't toy around with," Fister said. "We've got to win games here, period, and if that means me taking a step out, that's what I had to do."

Fister's best work since joining the Nationals before last season has come at home, where he's 9-2 with a 2.12 ERA in 14 outing, including a five-start unbeaten streak. He's 2-3 with a 2.88 ERA in five starts and a relief appearance against Tampa Bay, all coming through 2013 with Detroit.

The Nationals also hope to have Denard Span back after the center fielder missed Wednesday's 5-0 loss with back tightness. When healthy, he's been one of their best hitters, and he has a 13-game hitting streak against Tampa.

They'll need all the help they can get against Archer (7-4, 2.00), who is unbeaten in his last seven starts with a 4-0 record and 1.49 ERA.

The only time the right-hander has allowed three runs in that span was Saturday's 5-4 home victory over the Chicago White Sox. Archer didn't earn the decision after surrendering three runs and five hits in seven innings after he'd given up a combined three earned runs over his previous five starts.

Archer has also issued just one walk while striking out 43 in his last 30 innings of work over four starts, going at least seven innings in each.

In NL parks, the 26-year-old is 1-2 with a 1.30 ERA in five career starts. The first of those came in Washington on June 20, 2012, when he lost 3-2 after allowing three runs - one earned - and three hits in six innings of his only start in the series. He's certainly matured since.

"When you first come up, you're kind of looking over your shoulder and you give up a run and you're like, 'Oh man, is that going to be the difference?'" Archer told MLB's official website.

"So you're not in the moment and you're not going with the process. You're way more result-oriented. And my first couple years taught me not to be, because you're not going to get the best out of yourself. My stuff seems like it's so much better. I actually know how to pitch."

The clubs are playing the last of four games split between Tampa and Washington. They split two at Tropicana Field before the Rays (37-30) had four pitchers combine for a two-hitter Wednesday after the Nationals (34-32) notched 23 in a 16-4 victory Tuesday.

The Rays, winners of eight of 10 on the road, got their offense mostly from Steven Souza Jr. and Curt Casali. Souza, who began his career in Washington last season, was 3 for 4 with a home run and has gone deep in two of his last four games in the park. Casali was 3 for 3 with his first big league homer.

The Nationals have dropped three straight at home and six of seven. They haven't dropped four straight home games since a six-game skid in July 2013.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Rays
Mon, Jun 15 Final 1 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Nationals at Rays
Tue, Jun 16 Final 16 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rays at Nationals
Wed, Jun 17 -Final 9 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Rays at Nationals
Thu, Jun 18 - 7:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:18 AM

Preview: Cubs (34-28) at Indians (30-33)
Game: 4
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: June 18, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Those young players expected to lead the Chicago Cubs in the future continue to contribute to the club's success in the present.

Following impressive offensive performances from their three rookies, the Cubs look to sweep this two-game road series with the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night.

Kyle Schwarber went 4 for 5 with two RBIs in first career start, Kris Bryant hit a grand slam off outfielder David Murphy and Addison Russell added a two-run homer during Wednesday's 17-0 rout. Chicago (35-28) set season highs for runs and hits (18) after managing four hits during Tuesday's 6-0 home loss to Cleveland.

'They're going to keep getting better,' manager Joe Maddon said. 'I'm telling you, man, that was a nice night. You get a glimpse of what it looks like when everybody's here.'

After striking out in his first career at-bat Tuesday, Schwarber began his evening with a RBI triple that ignited the Cubs' six-run second inning.

"It's easy when you have guys around you that are real accepting of you and want you to have success," said the Ohio native, who will be sent down to Triple-A Iowa after serving as the DH at Cleveland and Minnesota this week.

Bryant is batting .358 during his major league-leading 13-game hitting streak and Russell .345 in his last eight contests for a Cubs team that's won seven of 10.

Teammate Jason Hammel (5-2, 2.81 ERA) has allowed two or fewer earned runs in six of his last seven starts but his latest also was his least efficient during that stretch. Though half of the four runs he gave up were unearned, the right-hander yielded seven hits and matched a season high with three walks while throwing 103 pitches over five innings of Friday's 5-4, 10-inning loss to Cincinnati.

"I was just out of sync," Hammel, who equaled his shortest outing of 2015, told MLB's official website. "I wasn't on top of the baseball like I have been, and it cost me a lot of deep counts and basically I battled for five innings."

Hammel is 0-3 with a 6.17 ERA in four starts against the Indians, but last faced them in 2013.

After recording nine hits Tuesday, Cleveland (30-34) was held to four singles.

Chicago-area native Jason Kipnis had one of those hits to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. The second baseman is batting .393 in his last 42 contests and .483 (14 for 29) in eight interleague games this season.

The Indians used three pitchers a night earlier, then nine, including two position players Wednesday, after starter Shaun Marcum lasted two innings.

"Getting in that situation doesn't feel good,' manager Terry Francona said.

He can use a lengthy effort from Danny Salazar (6-2, 3.54), who has a chance to complete at least seven innings in three straight starts for the first time during his three-year career. He yielded all of his runs over seven innings on a three-run homer to Miguel Cabrera in the sixth of Friday's 4-0 defeat at Detroit.

The right-hander has yielded two walks in his last two outings after issuing 10 in his previous three.

He could face Miguel Montero, who was scratched from Wednesday's lineup because of back stiffness. Three of the seven hits in Montero's last 19 at_bats have left the park.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Cubs
Mon, Jun 15 - 8:05PM EDT ( RAIN OUT )
Recaps

GAME 2
Indians at Cubs
Tue, Jun 16 Final 6 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Cubs at Indians
Wed, Jun 17 - Final 17 to 0
Boxscores

GAME 4
Cubs at Indians
Thu, Jun 18 - 7:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:20 AM

Preview: Red Sox (28-38) at Braves (31-34)
Game: 4
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: June 18, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

General manager Ben Cherington spoke candidly prior to the Boston Red Sox's eighth defeat in nine games, taking responsibility for assembling an underachieving roster that sits in the AL East basement.

His words didn't provide an immediate spark, but the impact could be felt through changes that almost certainly are on the horizon if signs of a turnaround don't come quickly.

Boston looks to earn a four-game split Thursday night against the host Atlanta Braves, who haven't won a series in three weeks.

The Red Sox (28-39) got some temporary relief when they snapped a seven-game losing streak with Tuesday's 9-4 win, but the offense struggled again in Wednesday's 5-2 defeat.

Boston finished in last place in 2014 after winning the World Series the year before, leading to Cherington signing Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez and trading for starters Rick Porcello and Wade Miley in the offseason.

'When you are where we are, there's a lot of reasons for it,' Cherington said. 'There's no single player that's responsible for that. The only person that's perhaps responsible for a longer list of reasons is me.

'I will certainly make judgments on myself for the overall performance and the team's performance, and that's on me.'

Sandoval went 2 for 4 and Brock Holt had two hits after becoming the first Red Sox player since 1996 to hit for the cycle Tuesday. But Nick Markakis broke a 2-all tie with an RBI single in the seventh and Cameron Maybin added one of his own in the eighth to lift Atlanta (32-34).

Boston has averaged 2.3 runs while dropping 11 of 12 on the road and plays three at AL Central-leading Kansas City following this contest. The offense could have some more trouble facing Shelby Miller, who has allowed more than two earned runs twice in 13 starts.

Miller (5-2, 2.02 ERA) recorded his 10th quality start after allowing three runs in 6 1-3 innings of Atlanta's 5-3, 11-inning road win over the New York Mets on Saturday. He'll make this start at Turner Field, where he's 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA in five outings.

The right-hander was excellent in his only career start against the Red Sox, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings of a 2-1 loss while with St. Louis on Aug. 6.

Atlanta is seeking its first series victory since taking three of four against Milwaukee from May 21-24. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons sat out for the second straight game Wednesday with soreness in his right hand after being hit with a pitch in Monday's 4-2 win over Boston, but manager Fredi Gonzalez expects him to play in this contest.

Pedro Ciriaco, who played 104 games for the Red Sox in 2012 and '13, started at shortstop the past two and went 5 for 8 with two doubles and three RBIs.

"We decided to hold (Simmons) out one more day, take some ground balls, take some (batting practice)," Gonzalez told MLB's official website.

Freddie Freeman won't be in the lineup, though, because of a sprained right hand as the Braves look to give Clay Buchholz some trouble for a third straight outing.

Buchholz (3-6, 4.22), who went 1-2 with a 1.47 ERA over his previous four starts, gave up four runs in 4 2-3 innings of Boston's 7-4 win over Oakland on June 7 before allowing the same amount of runs in six innings of the Red Sox's 5-4, 11-inning loss to Toronto on Saturday.

The right-hander also struggled in his only start against the Braves, giving up six runs and walking a career-worst eight in three-plus innings before Boston rallied for an 8-6 victory May 26, 2014.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Red Sox
Mon, Jun 15 Final 4 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Braves at Red Sox
Tue, Jun 16 Final 4 to 9
Boxscores

GAME 3
Red Sox at Braves
Wed, Jun 17 - Final 2 to 5
Boxscores

GAME 4
Red Sox at Braves
Thu, Jun 18 - 7:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:23 AM

Preview: Pirates (37-27) at White Sox (28-35)
Game: 4
Venue: PNC Park
Date: June 18, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Although he leads the majors in wins and the NL in ERA, Gerrit Cole is going to have to pick things up to keep Pittsburgh's recent pitching pace going.

Of the five runs allowed by 11 Pirates pitchers in the last seven games, Cole is responsible for two. That outing, however, was understandably good enough for a victory, positioning him to win a sixth straight start and extend the club's winning streak to eight Thursday night in Chicago against the sliding White Sox.

After Wednesday's 3-2 win in Chicago, the Pirates (38-27) have a 0.52 ERA on their second seven-game winning streak during a 20-5 stretch. They last won eight in a row on a nine-game streak in June 2013 and are on the cusp of their first series win at U.S. Cellular Field after going 3-9 there in four series prior to Wednesday.

The team ERA is down to 2.73 - a mark Pittsburgh hasn't posted 65-plus games into a season since Sept. 22, 1968.

"It's always strange to me when our pitchers give up a run," infielder Josh Harrison said after the club's scoreless innings streak ended at 35.

Cole (10-2, 1.71 ERA) is seeking six straight wins in a single season for the first time, a feat teammate A.J. Burnett beat him to from May 7-June 2.

Cole won six in a row from Sept. 9, 2013-April 10, 2014, but this stretch has been the most dominant of his career with a 0.76 ERA and 5-0 record. The right-hander became the first pitcher in the majors to get to 10 wins after allowing two runs - one earned - and five hits in six innings of Saturday's 4-3 victory over Philadelphia.

That came at home, but he's been even better on the road at 5-1 with a 1.58 ERA and 17 straight innings without allowing an earned run. In AL parks, he's won each of his three career starts with a 2.33 ERA, though he's never faced the White Sox.

Emilio Bonifacio, Melky Cabrera, Adam Eaton, Adam LaRoche and Geovany Soto are the only Chicago players to face Cole, and they've gone a combined 2 for 16.

That's in line with the offense the White Sox have been producing lately. Chicago (28-36) has dropped six straight and scored two runs with 10 hits in the last three.

The White Sox counter with Jeff Samardzija, who has allowed more earned runs in his last three starts (18) than Cole has all season (16).

Samardzija (4-4, 4.84) hasn't won in his last four starts, going 0-2 with a 6.15 ERA. The right-hander gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings of Saturday's 5-4 loss in Tampa Bay but avoided the decision. He's struggled to string consistent starts together, though he seemed to hone in on what he needs to do after his last outing.

"The ball was down. That was the biggest difference from the last time out to this time, especially later in the game," Samardzija told MLB's official website. "We were out over the plate and up, and I think we stayed down and off the plate today. I got some ground-ball outs, which is always key for me."

His two starts against the NL since switching leagues last year have been awful, resulting in an 0-1 mark and 11.15 ERA. Samardzija is 3-4 with a 2.43 ERA in nine starts against the Pirates, though all of the losses have come over a six-start winless streak.

Andrew McCutchen is 12 for 29 (.414) against him, but Pedro Alvarez (5 for 27), Neil Walker (5 for 25) and Jordy Mercer (0 for 10) have struggled.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
White Sox at Pirates
Mon, Jun 15 Final 0 to 11
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
White Sox at Pirates
Tue, Jun 16 Final 0 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Pirates at White Sox
Wed, Jun 17 - Final 3 to 2
Boxscores

GAME 4
Pirates at White Sox
Thu, Jun 18 - 8:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:25 AM

Preview: Brewers (24-42) at Royals (36-25)
Game: 4
Venue: Miller Park
Date: June 18, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

A series with the last-place Milwaukee Brewers has solved the Kansas City Royals' recent offensive woes, something that's especially been true for Alcides Escobar.

Escobar looks to build on one of the best offensive performances of his career as the AL Central-leading Royals go for a sweep of this four-game set with the Brewers on Thursday night.

Kansas City (37-25) entered this series hitting .205 while averaging 2.4 runs during a 6-11 stretch, but it's bounced back by pounding Milwaukee to the tune of a .372 average and 25 runs.

The Royals had 12 hits while routing the Brewers 10-2 on Wednesday, and Escobar matched his career high with four RBIs on two hits, including a bases-clearing triple in the eighth.

The former Brewer is 5 for 14 with six RBIs in this series after batting .184 and driving in four runs over his previous 24 games.

Lorenzo Cain is 11 for 32 during an eight-game hitting streak, his third of the season of at least that length. He's 5 for 12 with two homers, a triple, a double and five RBIs over the last three games.

Kansas City could be in for another big effort at the plate, as Milwaukee's rotation owns an 8.78 ERA during a five-game losing streak. That's a rough patch Jimmy Nelson (3-7, 4.60 ERA), who has lost two of his last three starts with a 7.31 ERA, will be in charge of dragging the Brewers (24-43) out of.

"It is just unacceptable," Nelson told MLB's official website. "I just have to be more consistent. I have to be better."

Nelson was excellent June 8 at Pittsburgh, yielding four hits with seven strikeouts in six innings of a 2-0 win. However, he followed that five days later by surrendering seven runs and 10 hits - two homers - while plunking two batters in five innings of a 7-2 loss to Washington.

"I think he gets a little excited and overthrows a little bit," catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. "That's all it is. The thing is with him, he tries to be too perfect, and whenever he tries to be too perfect, he gets behind in the count."

The Royals are sending Jeremy Guthrie (4-4, 5.79) to the mound as he looks to further distance himself from lasting one inning and giving up 11 runs in a loss to the New York Yankees on May 25.

The right-hander has a 3.18 ERA in his past three outings, but he wasn't happy after allowing three runs and 10 hits in five innings of Saturday's 3-2 loss at St. Louis. He gave up two of those runs and half of those hits in the third inning.

"It doesn't matter what I think," Guthrie told MLB's official website. "We lost. So, I could have pitcher better.

"But really, the tough inning was the third inning when they strung together all those hits. I made some good pitches in good spots, but just couldn't get the third out."

Guthrie had been 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA in six interleague starts since joining the Royals in 2012. He's facing the Brewers for the first time since a win with Colorado earlier that season.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Brewers
Mon, Jun 15 Final 8 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Brewers
Tue, Jun 16 Final 7 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Brewers at Royals
Wed, Jun 17 - Final 2 to 10
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Brewers at Royals
Thu, Jun 18 - 8:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:28 AM

Preview: Padres (32-35) at Athletics (28-39)
Game: 4
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: June 18, 2015 3:35 PM EDT

Kendall Graveman didn't sulk about the hard-luck loss he suffered after the Oakland Athletics failed to put any runs on the board five days ago.

That scenario doesn't seem likely to play out again.

The hot-hitting A's seek a season-best fifth straight victory as they go for a four-game sweep of the San Diego Padres when this two-city series concludes on Thursday.

Graveman (3-3, 4.22 ERA) went 1-2 with an 8.27 ERA in four April starts before being demoted to the minors, but the 24-year-old has had an impressive turnaround since being recalled May 23 and is coming off the best start of his young career.

The right-hander is 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his last five outings and allowed only Albert Pujols' first-inning homer in a complete-game, 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. It marked the first time he didn't allow a walk.

'Kendall's pitched some great games for us, but I don't know if any of them were better than that,' manager Bob Melvin said. 'The last three times out, he deserved to win every game he pitched. He was terrific.'

Oakland had a season-worst two hits that night but seems destined to provide more support for Graveman this time around. The A's (29-39) are hitting .342 while outscoring opponents 39-9 during their winning streak after beating the Padres 16-2 on Wednesday.

Billy Butler finished 4 for 5 with a three-run homer, and Ben Zobrist also drove in three runs while recording three of Oakland's 20 hits. It marked the club's most runs and hits since beating Minnesota 18-3 with 22 hits on Sept. 11, 2013.

'We just started feeding off each other, hit some balls hard and found some holes,' said Butler, who went 4 for 29 with no extra-base hits over his previous nine. 'I haven't had the greatest first half, but this helps things turn around.'

The Padres (32-36) have scored 10 runs during a four-game losing streak, with three of those defeats coming after Monday's firing of manager Bud Black. That also was the day Wil Myers was placed back on the disabled list, and it was announced Wednesday that surgery to remove bone spurs in his left wrist will cause him to miss up to eight more weeks.

Eighth hitter Will Middlebrooks homered in the sixth, and No. 9 batter Alexi Amarista added a home run in the eighth. Justin Upton went 0 for 3 and is hitting .148 with 11 strikeouts in his last eight.

Amarista, a shortstop, also pitched and got the final out in the bottom of the eighth.

'We pressed a little bit,' interim manager Pat Murphy said. 'This team has been through a lot in the last week. Not making excuses for them. I've been here a short time but there's things to really believe in.'

Ian Kennedy's successful outing helped San Diego earn its most recent victory after he allowed one run and four hits in seven innings of Saturday's 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kennedy (3-5, 5.84) saw his ERA rise to 7.15 after eight starts, but he's gone 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA over his last three.

The right-hander hasn't faced Oakland since allowing seven runs in a loss with Arizona in 2011. Butler is 3 for 8 with a homer off Kennedy.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Padres
Mon, Jun 15 Final 9 to 1
Boxscores

GAME 2
Athletics at Padres
Tue, Jun 16 Final 6 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Padres at Athletics
Wed, Jun 17 -Final 2 - 16
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Padres at Athletics
Thu, Jun 18 - 3:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:37 AM

Preview: Astros (38-28) at Rockies (28-36)
Game: 4
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: June 18, 2015 3:10 PM EDT

Carlos Correa and George Springer have the Houston Astros rolling through an interleague series with the Colorado Rockies, whose road woes have followed them back to Coors Field.

They'll need a similar effort Thursday as they'll likely have to close out the series without Jose Altuve.

Correa and Springer had three hits apiece and Brett Oberholtzer worked 6 1-3 solid innings to lift Houston (39-28) to an 8-4 win over the Rockies on Wednesday. Chris Carter, Preston Tucker and Jake Marisnick had home runs as the Astros won their fourth in a row and fifth in six games.

Over their last three with Colorado (28-37), Correa is 8 for 14 with a home run, and Springer has gone 7 for 14 with two homers and five runs.

Correa, who has only played in nine games, already owns the Astros' franchise record for most hits through 10 career games with 14. The previous best was 13 hits by Ken Caminiti and Altuve.

"We have a pretty good team," Correa told MLB's official website. "We have guys that can hit one in the ninth hole, and that's one of the reasons we're playing really good baseball right now. We just want to try to keep that up, playing great baseball."

Altuve exited Wednesday's game with right hamstring tightness - a lingering issue that had caused him to miss three of the previous four games. Fighting through the injury, last year's batting champion had been stuck in a 2-for-17 slump.

'We've got to be so cautious with him, especially at high altitude,' manager A.J. Hinch said. 'I want to err on the side of caution. We can't afford to mess around with Jose.'

Collin McHugh (6-3, 5.08 ERA) will be tasked with following Oberholtzer's solid outing as he faces his former team. The right-hander struggled mightily on Saturday, matching a career high with eight runs allowed in three innings of an 8-1 loss to Seattle. He's surrendered four homers in his last two starts after yielding that many in his previous six.

"I got to figure something out," McHugh said. "It's frustrating because my stuff's not very sharp right now, but my body feels good, my arm feels good. I feel good in between starts. That's just a matter of kind of getting over the hump, getting back to where we need to go."

McHugh has a 3.77 ERA in seven road starts, compared with 6.82 at home. He pitched seven shutout innings against the Rockies in his only meeting with them in 2012 while with the New York Mets.

Wednesday's defeat was the seventh in eight games for Colorado, which returned home following a 1-5 trip to Miami and Houston.

Rockies' starting pitchers have posted a 10.29 ERA and allowed six home runs over 14 innings in three games against the Astros.

It's a trend that Carlos Gonzalez hopes ends soon.

"Sometimes we need to have a guy that gets on the mound and can stop their offense, so we can go out there and put some runs on the board and have the lead," said Gonzalez, who homered Wednesday and is 15 for 35 (.428) with eight RBIs during a nine-game home hitting streak.

David Hale (2-1, 4.56) gets the start for the Rockies. He pitched at least six innings for the fourth time in as many starts Saturday, allowing four runs and three walks in a 4-1 loss to the Marlins.

The right-hander is 0-1 with an 11.37 ERA in six relief appearances against the AL.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Astros
Mon, Jun 15 Final 3 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rockies at Astros
Tue, Jun 16 Final 5 to 8
Boxscores

GAME 3
Astros at Rockies
Wed, Jun 17 - Final 8 to 4
Boxscores

GAME 4
Astros at Rockies
Thu, Jun 18 - 3:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 03:58 AM

Preview: Angels (33-32) at Diamondbacks (31-33)
Game: 4
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: June 18, 2015 3:40 PM EDT

The Arizona Diamondbacks have won five of six and are a game away from returning to .500 for the first time in nearly two months.

For that to happen, they're banking on continued strong pitching and a second good outing out of an arm that looked anything but reliable this spring.

Allen Webster makes his home debut for Arizona Thursday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels, who can't seem to distance themselves from the .500 mark.

The Diamondbacks (32-33) last had an even record at 8-8 on April 24. After Wednesday's 3-2 win to open the two-game home series of four contests with the Angels (33-33), Arizona has a 1.36 ERA over the last six games.

Offensively, production came from a predictable source. Paul Goldschmidt was 2 for 4 with a home run and is 15 for 27 with three home runs and seven RBIs in the last seven games. The slugger has reached base in 27 straight games while batting .430 with a 1.351 OPS. It's the longest active streak in the majors.

"He is a very smart hitter, very patient and he hits your mistakes," Angels starter Hector Santiago said.

He again had Yasmany Tomas in a supporting role with the rookie going 3 for 4 with an RBI triple to boost his season average to .328. He got off to a respectable start, batting .288 in 22 games, but he's taken off with a .351 mark in his last 27.

Webster made his season debut filling in for Josh Collmenter with Saturday's 4-2 win in San Francisco. The right-hander limited the Giants to two runs and two hits with three walks in 5 2-3 innings to improve to 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his last four starts in the majors.

The 25-year-old was acquired from Boston in the Wade Miley deal, struggled through spring training with an 8.18 ERA and spent time on the disabled list before being recalled.

"I've definitely had a rocky road so far," Webster told MLB's official website. "So I'm happy to show them this and hopefully we can feed off this and do it again."

He faced the Angels twice last season, going 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA. Matt Joyce (1 for 8 with three strikeouts) and Erick Aybar (1 for 6) are yet to figure him out.

Aybar has been a big part of Los Angeles' recent offensive struggles, going 1 for 27 over seven games. The club has lost five straight in NL parks, has dropped three of four overall, and in the last five its scored 11 runs with a .224 average. Since reaching a season-best four games over .500 on June 1, Los Angeles is 5-9 with a 4.50 ERA.

C.J. Wilson, however, was strong enough the last time out to make that limited support hold up. Wilson (4-5, 3.60 ERA) allowed two hits in seven innings of Saturday's 1-0 home win over Oakland. It followed consecutive losses with 11 runs allowed in 13 innings.

"He was in the zone early and often, and with good stuff," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

The problem is the left-hander hasn't won consecutive starts - or even decisions - all season. The veteran is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in his previous three games following victories, and he's winless in his last five road starts, posting a 7.00 ERA in his last three.

Wilson is 8-2 with a 3.25 ERA in his last 15 starts against the NL.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Angels
Mon, Jun 15 Final 7 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Angels
Tue, Jun 16 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores

GAME 3
Angels at Diamondbacks
Wed, Jun 17 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Angels at Diamondbacks
Thu, Jun 18 - 3:40PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 04:01 AM

Preview: Tigers (34-31) at Reds (29-35)
Game: 4
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: June 18, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Justin Verlander admitted after his season debut that he's not yet fully in rhythm, but the fact that he's on the mound at all may be satisfying enough for the Detroit Tigers.

Hoping to improve following the first extended absence of his career, Verlander will take the mound for the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night against the Cincinnati Reds and the red-hot Todd Frazier, who very well could spoil the former MVP's second start.

Verlander strained his right triceps just prior to opening day and despite being initially projected to miss only one or two starts, the right-hander was sidelined for more than two months.

He finally returned Saturday to make 87 pitches and allow two runs in five innings before Cleveland rallied for a 5-4 win.

'It was nice to be back out there. Felt good to be on a big-league mound. Felt pretty good overall,' Verlander said. 'The rhythm wasn't quite there, but overall I felt pretty good. Hopefully, the body and arm respond well moving forward.

'I think it was just exerting more energy than I have yet. I wouldn't say that I was completely tired, but I could tell that I was putting more into it than I had at any point in my rehab.'

Since 2011, Verlander had thrown fewer than 90 pitches in only three starts prior to Saturday and averaged 111.4 in that span. Manager Brad Ausmus plans to slowly extend his pitcher back to his normal usage.

"Moving forward, a couple starts down the road, it would be a no-brainer," Ausmus told MLB's official website. "But right now, I think it was a smart move."

Any pitch limit, however, won't be nearly as troublesome as Frazier, who gave Cincinnati an 8-4 win in 13 innings Wednesday with a grand slam, his second homer of the night.

Frazier also went deep twice against the Tigers (34-32) on Tuesday with this series still in Detroit. He's tied for second in MLB with 22 homers and ranks fourth with a 1.000 OPS. He has punished the Tigers in six career meetings, batting .409 with 14 RBIs, and has one hit in three at_bats against Verlander.

Likely headed for his second straight All-Star team, Frazier is not lacking in confidence.

'I looked back at the dugout and they were on the edge and I said, `C'mon, guys, I know it's going,' Frazier said following his second career grand slam - his MLB-best 14th blast at home. ' ... I was done. It's humbling. To win like that is pretty cool.'

Frazier and the Reds (30-35) will look to support Mike Leake (3-4, 4.35 ERA), whose only win in his last seven starts came in his last outing in Cincinnati. The right-hander allowed three runs - two earned - in six innings of a 6-4 win against Philadelphia on June 8, and has a 3.32 ERA in three starts this month.

That outing lowered his ERA to 6.23 at home.

The Tigers' lineup Wednesday featured several unsightly stat lines, namely Yoenis Cespedes' 0-for-6 performance. Detroit managed only six hits - 10 fewer than the Reds - and relied on Miguel Cabrera for the bulk of the offense.

Cabrera drove in three runs with his 15th home run, and has six RBIs over the last three games.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Tigers
Mon, Jun 15 Final 0 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Reds at Tigers
Tue, Jun 16 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Tigers at Reds
Wed, Jun 17 Final 4 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Tigers at Reds
Thu, Jun 18 - 7:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-18-2015, 04:03 AM

Preview: Angels (33-33) at Diamondbacks (32-33)
Game: 4
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: June 18, 2015 3:40 PM EDT

The Arizona Diamondbacks have won five of six and are a game away from returning to .500 for the first time in nearly two months.

For that to happen, they're banking on continued strong pitching and a second good outing out of an arm that looked anything but reliable this spring.

Allen Webster makes his home debut for Arizona Thursday against the visiting Los Angeles Angels, who can't seem to distance themselves from the .500 mark.

The Diamondbacks (32-33) last had an even record at 8-8 on April 24. After Wednesday's 3-2 win to open the two-game home series of four contests with the Angels (33-33), Arizona has a 1.36 ERA over the last six games.

Offensively, production came from a predictable source. Paul Goldschmidt was 2 for 4 with a home run and is 15 for 27 with three home runs and seven RBIs in the last seven games. The slugger has reached base in 27 straight games while batting .430 with a 1.351 OPS. It's the longest active streak in the majors.

"He is a very smart hitter, very patient and he hits your mistakes," Angels starter Hector Santiago said.

He again had Yasmany Tomas in a supporting role with the rookie going 3 for 4 with an RBI triple to boost his season average to .328. He got off to a respectable start, batting .288 in 22 games, but he's taken off with a .351 mark in his last 27.

Webster made his season debut filling in for Josh Collmenter with Saturday's 4-2 win in San Francisco. The right-hander limited the Giants to two runs and two hits with three walks in 5 2-3 innings to improve to 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his last four starts in the majors.

The 25-year-old was acquired from Boston in the Wade Miley deal, struggled through spring training with an 8.18 ERA and spent time on the disabled list before being recalled.

"I've definitely had a rocky road so far," Webster told MLB's official website. "So I'm happy to show them this and hopefully we can feed off this and do it again."

He faced the Angels twice last season, going 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA. Matt Joyce (1 for 8 with three strikeouts) and Erick Aybar (1 for 6) are yet to figure him out.

Aybar has been a big part of Los Angeles' recent offensive struggles, going 1 for 27 over seven games. The club has lost five straight in NL parks, has dropped three of four overall, and in the last five its scored 11 runs with a .224 average. Since reaching a season-best four games over .500 on June 1, Los Angeles is 5-9 with a 4.50 ERA.

C.J. Wilson, however, was strong enough the last time out to make that limited support hold up. Wilson (4-5, 3.60 ERA) allowed two hits in seven innings of Saturday's 1-0 home win over Oakland. It followed consecutive losses with 11 runs allowed in 13 innings.

"He was in the zone early and often, and with good stuff," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

The problem is the left-hander hasn't won consecutive starts - or even decisions - all season. The veteran is 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA in his previous three games following victories, and he's winless in his last five road starts, posting a 7.00 ERA in his last three.

Wilson is 8-2 with a 3.25 ERA in his last 15 starts against the NL.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Angels
Mon, Jun 15 Final 7 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Angels
Tue, Jun 16 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores

GAME 3
Angels at Diamondbacks
Wed, Jun 17 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Angels at Diamondbacks
Thu, Jun 18 - 3:40PM EDT

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