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**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 12:45 AM

Preview: Braves (35-35) at Nationals (37-33)
Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: June 23, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Dominant pitching fueled weekend sweeps by the Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves.

Washington might have the edge in this week's series at Nationals Park given its superior offensive production of late. However, the Braves' offense could get on track Tuesday night considering Stephen Strasburg is likely to return for the Nationals and he was struggling mightily before landing on the disabled list.

Washington (37-33) won three straight against Pittsburgh while giving up three runs and 14 hits. Max Scherzer tossed a no-hitter on Saturday and Joe Ross and Gio Gonzalez were also impressive.

"The last three guys that we've had start games have pitched really well," manager Matt Williams said. "That sets our tone."

Washington scored 19 runs in the series, all of which Sunday came in the first inning of a 9-2 victory. Bryce Harper hit his 24th home run - one fewer than Giancarlo Stanton's major league-leading total - and is batting .404 with six homers and 12 RBIs in his last 13 games. He's also 10 for 20 with three homers and nine RBIs in his last five versus Atlanta, going 7 for 14 lifetime against Alex Wood.

The Braves (35-35) gave up five runs and 18 hits in a home sweep of the Mets, giving them their first chance at a four-game winning streak since starting 5-0.

They yielded four hits in a 1-0 victory Sunday with Julio Teheran allowing one in seven innings.

Atlanta scored just nine runs in the series and Freddie Freeman has missed the last four games with a sprained left wrist. Freeman, who had played 243 consecutive games, was expected to undergo an MRI Monday.

The Braves boast a couple of hot bats, though, with Andrelton Simmons going 7 for 11 in the series while Jace Peterson was 3 for 7 with two doubles and four walks. Peterson is batting .342 with 13 extra-base hits in his last 20 games.

Washington hasn't officially announced a starter but Strasburg, who has been sidelined for three weeks with a strained left trapezius muscle, appears to be likely. Strasburg (3-5, 6.55 ERA) left after throwing 16 pitches in Washington's 5-2 loss at Cincinnati on May 29.

"It's just something I've got to pull through and know it's going to get better eventually," the right-hander said.

If Strasburg has been healthy all season, though, he hasn't looked it, recording one quality start in 10 outings. That came April 19 versus a Philadelphia team which ranks last in the majors in runs per game. Strasburg has failed to complete four innings in four of five starts before hitting the DL.

He lost a rehab start Wednesday for Double-A Harrisburg, giving up two runs - one earned - over five innings, and a threw a bullpen Saturday without issue.

Strasburg is 4-7 with a 4.24 ERA in 17 career starts against the Braves and hasn't beaten them at home since 2012.

Wood (4-4, 3.40) has given up eight runs over 11 2-3 innings in two 2015 starts versus Washington, losing once. He had been 3-1 with a 1.49 ERA in six previous starts versus Washington.

The left-hander is winless in his last three starts, though he was solid Wednesday in Atlanta's 5-2 win over Boston, giving up one earned run in six innings.

He is 4-1 with a 2.58 ERA in eight road outings.

The Braves have lost five straight meetings while surrendering 48 runs, and they've dropped seven of eight at Washington.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Nationals
Tue, Jun 23 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Braves at Nationals
Wed, Jun 24 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Braves at Nationals
Thu, Jun 25 - 4:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 12:47 AM

Preview: Reds (32-36) at Pirates (39-30)
Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: June 23, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Johnny Cueto may be the last pitcher the Pittsburgh Pirates want to see after a listless weekend at the plate.

The Pirates have the benefit of countering with Jeff Locke, who will try to help the pitching staff maintain some impressive runs at home.

Cueto has captured his last seven regular-season decisions against the Pirates as he tries to help the Cincinnati Reds snap Pittsburgh's six-game home winning streak Tuesday night.

Pittsburgh (39-30) entered the weekend riding an eight-game win streak before it was swept at Washington. The Pirates are eager to start this three-game set after totaling three runs and batting .152 with 28 strikeouts.

'We had a tough series,' manager Clint Hurdle said. 'We get to go home and unpack our bags. We love to play at home and we love our fan base. We look forward to that.'

The Pirates last won seven in a row at home April 27-May 12, 2008. They have not allowed a run at PNC Park in 30 innings, the longest such streak since a 33-inning stretch June 27-July 14, 2001.

Pittsburgh has a tough task against Cueto (4-4, 2.98 ERA), who has more victories over the Pirates than any active pitcher with an 18-4 mark and a 2.13 ERA in 28 regular-season starts. He is 7-0 with a 1.58 ERA in his last 11 regular-season matchups, including seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball and 10 strikeouts in a 5-2 victory on opening day in which he did not get a decision.

Cincinnati (32-36) has won Cueto's last eight regular-season starts against the Pirates but he lost 6-2 at Pittsburgh in the 2013 NL wild-card game.

Many Pirates have fared poorly against Cueto. Starling Marte is 1 for 23 with eight strikeouts in the regular season, Neil Walker is 9 for 48, Pedro Alvarez is 6 for 33 and Jose Tabata is hitless in 12 at_bats.

Josh Harrison is 7 for 21 with a homer and three doubles in this matchup and Andrew McCutchen bats .290 against Cueto.

The right-hander allowed three runs in 5 1-3 innings in Wednesday's 8-4, 13-inning win over Detroit, giving him a 5.11 ERA in his last two outings.

Locke (4-3, 4.74) has pitched 16 2-3 consecutive scoreless innings at home. He struck out eight and allowed two runs in six innings of a 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.

The left-hander yielded four runs over seven in a 7-1 home loss to the Reds on May 5 to drop to 2-2 with a 3.14 ERA in eight starts against them.

Todd Frazier is 8 for 18 with two homers against Locke, Marlon Byrd is 4 for 10 with two home runs and Billy Hamilton is 5 for 11.

Frazier is 9 for 24 with four homers and six RBIs in the season series, with the Reds winning five of six. He has gone deep five times with nine RBIs in a 4-1 stretch for Cincinnati, including a two-run homer in Sunday's 5-2 win over Miami.

"I know we celebrate the home runs but I just like the fact that he gives us good at_bats, he's not expanding the zone early and does a nice job when he gets a good pitch to hit," manager Bryan Price said.

Jay Bruce, who is 3 for 18 off Locke, is 10 for 20 with two homers in the last five games.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Pirates
Tue, Jun 23 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Reds at Pirates
Wed, Jun 24 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Pirates
Thu, Jun 25 - 7:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 12:49 AM

Preview: Orioles (36-33) at Red Sox (31-40)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: June 23, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

A long overdue offensive outburst from the Boston Red Sox seems to have put their long losing streak firmly behind them.

Those problems, however, could again crop up Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles, who sent the Red Sox into a tailspin with a dominant sweep earlier this month.

Boston (31-40) was outscored 47-28 over a seven-game losing streak June 9-15 but has averaged 6.7 runs while winning four of six since.

That offensive surge continued Sunday with 16 hits and three homers in a 13-2 win against Kansas City. Mookie Betts finished a single short of the cycle and David Ortiz hit his 476th career home run to move past Stan Musial for 29th all-time.

"I think just the extra-base abilities, up and down the lineup, is starting to come through a little bit more regularly," manager John Farrell told MLB's official website. "We're swinging the bat with more authority, and certainly more like the capability this team has."

Hanley Ramirez was 4 for 20 during the losing streak but has regained his form with two home runs and four RBIs in his last three.

Boston's skid began against the Orioles (36-33), who won all three games in Baltimore as part of an MLB-best 11-3 record since June 7. Their 6.7 runs per game in that time ranks behind only Toronto, though they took two of three from the Blue Jays over the weekend and won 13-9 on Sunday.

Manny Machado has led the charge in that span with a .448 average, five homers and 18 runs, while J.J. Hardy, Chris Davis, Jimmy Paredes and Travis Snider each have eight RBIs.

Joe Kelly (2-4, 5.32 ERA) will be tasked with slowing that pace. The right-hander has won only once in his last 12 starts, though he's pitched effectively with a 3.27 ERA in the previous four. He's been nearly as effective in three career outings against Baltimore (3.32). Kelly allowed four hits and two runs against the Orioles on April 17, but did not factor into the decision of a 3-2 victory.

Ubaldo Jimenez (5-3, 3.27), who again opposed Kelly on Tuesday, started for the Orioles in that contest and was ejected after hitting Pablo Sandoval in the fourth inning. Jimenez walked three but had not yet surrendered a hit before exiting the game.

The right-hander emerged victorious in each of his last two outings, allowing three runs in five innings of an 11-3 win over the New York Yankees on June 12, then topping Philadelphia with 6 2-3 innings and four runs allowed in a 6-4 win Wednesday.

Adam Jones is 15 for 39 (.385) with nine RBIs against the Red Sox this season, but remains questionable Tuesday after missing four of Baltimore's last six games with a sore right shoulder. He has not played the field since last Monday.

"He's a little sore today, which now makes me wonder. ... It's not from the swings. It's from the activity, diving into the base," manager Buck Showalter said. "I want to take the benefit of a full day (Monday) and see what we got Tuesday."

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Red Sox
Tue, Jun 23 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Orioles at Red Sox
Wed, Jun 24 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Orioles at Red Sox
Thu, Jun 25 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 12:51 AM

Preview: Cardinals (45-24) at Marlins (30-41)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: June 23, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Vying for the NL batting title, Miami Marlins speedster Dee Gordon was held in check the last time he faced the St. Louis Cardinals.

St. Louis can't say the same about how it fared against Christian Yelich.

Gordon is the lone available Miami hitter who has faced St. Louis starter Carlos Martinez, who gets his first look at Miami in the opener of a three-game series at Marlins Park on Tuesday night.

Gordon, tied with Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt with a .356 average, leads the majors with 26 infield hits, ranks second with 24 steals and has baseball's highest ratio of groundballs to flyballs at 5.22.

St. Louis (45-24) limited Gordon to three hits in 17 at_bats with no runs in last year's four-game division series triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers. That was in stark contrast to his .353 regular-season career average against the Cardinals.

Yelich went 12 for 26 with five RBIs and seven runs last year against St. Louis as Miami (30-41) took four of six meetings. His production was critical since Giancarlo Stanton, who leads the majors with 25 homers and 64 RBIs, was 5 for 23 in the season series with two homers and four RBIs.

Gordon leads the NL with a .365 home average and is 4 for 8 against Martinez (7-3, 2.80 ERA), who is 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA in four career starts against NL East clubs.

The right-hander yielded two runs in 6 2-3 innings in Wednesday's 3-1 loss at Minnesota after going 4-0 with a 0.80 ERA in his previous five starts. The Cardinals are 10-1 when Martinez starts against an NL opponent.

St. Louis totaled 22 runs in two routs to begin a three-game series in Philadelphia before failing to complete the sweep with Sunday's 9-2 defeat.

'It's tough to keep scoring after a couple of big-run games," manager Mike Matheny said. "It's going to slow down a little.'

Jason Heyward is 11 for 20 with two homers and five RBIs five games into this eight-game trip. He went 8 for 14 over the weekend.

'I don't know what else we could ask for the way he's hitting the ball,' Matheny said.

Randal Grichuk was 6 for 14 with three homers and five RBIs against the Phillies, Jhonny Peralta was 5 for 12 with a home run and five RBIs and Yadier Molina went 4 for 7 with a homer before sitting out Sunday to rest.

They'll get their first look at rookie Jose Urena (1-3, 4.18), who gave up two runs in six innings in Wednesday's 2-1 road loss to the New York Yankees. The right-hander is 1-3 with a 3.68 ERA in five starts, lowering his ERA with each successive one.

The Marlins have taken nine of their last 11 at home. They scored 12 runs and batted .195 on a 1-4 trip capped by Sunday's 5-2 loss to Cincinnati.

'We were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position,' manager Dan Jennings said. 'We had some chances, but didn't take advantage of them."

Stanton went 4 for 20 on the trip and Yelich was 3 for 18.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Marlins
Tue, Jun 23 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Cardinals at Marlins
Wed, Jun 24 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Cardinals at Marlins
Thu, Jun 25 - 7:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 12:53 AM

Preview: Blue Jays (37-34) at Rays (40-31)
Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: June 23, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays appeared baffled by the Tampa Bay Rays' pitching staff back in April, especially when Chris Archer was on the mound.

The majors' highest-scoring team finally broke through against the Rays in the opener of this set, but they'll again have to contend with Archer on Tuesday night when he opposes R.A. Dickey at Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay (40-32) held the Blue Jays (38-34) to three runs or fewer six times while winning six of the first seven meetings between the clubs this season. Toronto had a productive night at the plate Monday, though, as Jose Bautista's solo homer in the sixth broke a 3-all tie in an 8-5 victory.

Dioner Navarro homered and finished with three hits, while Jose Reyes also went deep.

The Blue Jays have averaged 7.0 runs during a 15-4 stretch and lead the majors in runs scored. The latest outburst came without Josh Donaldson, who got the night off as manager John Gibbons earned his 500th win.

'Probably did a good job of grinding and giving our offense a chance,' winning pitcher Drew Hutchison said. 'As they've been all year, they were huge.'

Bautista has homered in back-to-back games, but he's 2 for 24 in his career versus Archer (8-4, 2.18 ERA), who has a 0.43 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 21 innings over his last three starts against the Blue Jays.

Archer faced Toronto twice early in the season, allowing two hits in seven scoreless innings of a 4-2 win April 16 and duplicated the same line in a 5-1 victory 10 days later.

The right-hander aims to shut down the Blue Jays again after going 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA over his last seven starts. He's fanned 58 while walking eight in 46 1-3 innings during that stretch and gave up three runs while striking out five in five innings of Thursday's 5-3 win over Washington before being lifted for a pinch-hitter, a decision with which he was not happy.

"I did all I could," Archer said. "Definitely respect (manager Kevin Cash's) decisions, but at the same time frustrated because my last three innings were quick, strong, my slider was where it needed to be, my fastball command was where it needed to be."

Dickey overcame adversity in Thursday's 7-1 win over the New York Mets, as he took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and allowed his only run on a homer with one out in the eighth that ended his night.

The 40-year-old's father passed away two days prior but still elected to pitch. Dickey (3-6, 4.96), who is 1-1 with a 2.88 ERA over his last four starts, dropped his ERA below 5.00 for the first time since May 4, when it was 4.38 after beating the New York Yankees.

"Any time you come off and people are glad you pitched, it feels good," said Dickey, who returned to the club Monday after being on the bereavement list. "I really appreciated that."

Dickey has had his struggles against the Rays, though. He walked five in six innings of a 2-1 loss April 13 before giving up a season-worst eight runs and nine hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 12-3 road defeat April 24.

He's 1-3 with a 6.37 ERA in his last five outings at Tropicana Field, where the Rays are just 19-20 on the season.

Kevin Kiermaier and Joey Butler had three hits apiece for the AL East leaders Monday.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Blue Jays at Rays
Mon, Jun 22 -Final 8 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Rays
Tue, Jun 23 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Blue Jays at Rays
Wed, Jun 24 - 12:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 12:55 AM

Preview: Athletics (31-41) at Rangers (37-33)
Game: 1
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: June 23, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Chi Chi Gonzalez and Jesse Chavez were drafted by the Texas Rangers, though their routes to the big leagues have been far different.

These right-handers will square off for the first time Tuesday night when Gonzalez and the Rangers host Chavez and the Oakland Athletics in the opener of a three-game series.

Gonzalez (2-1, 0.90 ERA) was taken by Texas (37-33) with the 23rd selection in 2013. He made his debut May 30 and his ERA is the lowest by a pitcher in his first four starts since Kyle Davies posted a 0.77 mark for Atlanta in 2005.

Chavez (3-6, 2.52) was chosen in the 42nd round in 2002 as the 1,252nd selection. He never pitched for the Rangers, who traded him to the Pirates in 2006 with the Athletics his seventh organization.

His lone career start against the team that drafted him was impressive. He struck out eight and gave up no hits over the final six of a seven-inning scoreless effort in a 12-1 win April 30, 2014.

Chavez also turned in seven stellar innings in Wednesday's 16-2 rout of San Diego, allowing one run and striking out a career-high 11 by mixing in his changeup effectively. He uses the changeup 24.2 percent of the time against lefties and 11.1 versus righties.

"It's a pitch that I've had most of the year," said Chavez, plagued by one of the majors' worst run support averages at 2.63. "As the game went on (catcher Stephen) Vogt started having confidence and started calling it to both sides of the plate."

Prince Fielder is 4 for 7 with a homer against him, Elvis Andrus has a double in nine at_bats, Mitch Moreland a homer in eight while Shin-Soo Choo is 0 for 7.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, will get his second look at the only team to defeat him. He yielded one run in seven innings in a 7-0 loss at Oakland on June 11.

Gonzalez then took a shutout into the ninth inning before allowing two runs and recording one more out as he didn't get the decision in last Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Billy Burns and Sam Fuld each went 2 for 3 off Gonzalez in the first meeting.

Burns has matched a career high by hitting safely in 12 straight games with a .377 average.

Oakland (31-41) has won six of eight, taking two of three from the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend. Burns was 6 for 14 in the series, Vogt went 6 for 10 with four RBIs and Brett Lawrie was 5 for 12.

'We had a pretty spirited series overall, the way they won the first one and then how we won the second one and then today,' manager Bob Melvin said. 'Three really hard-fought games.'

Texas capped a 2-3 trip with consecutive 3-2 losses to the Chicago White Sox, going 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position in Sunday's 11-inning defeat.

'We had multiple opportunities to push runs across and didn't,' manager Jeff Banister said.

Oakland has taken six of 10 meetings in 2015. Josh Reddick is 18 for 36 with four homers and 17 RBIs in a nine-game hitting streak against Texas.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Rangers
Tue, Jun 23 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Athletics at Rangers
Wed, Jun 24 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Athletics at Rangers
Thu, Jun 25 - 2:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 12:57 AM

Preview: Mets (36-35) at Brewers (25-46)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: June 23, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The lineup has gone quiet during one of the New York Mets' worst stretches this season.

A three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers and their dismal pitching staff might be at least a temporary elixir for those woes beginning Tuesday night at Miller Park.

The Mets (36-35) have fallen out of first place in the NL East during a season high-tying five-game losing streak. They've scored one or no runs four times during the slide and lost 1-0 at Atlanta on Sunday, wasting a third quality start in five games.

"We're getting used to it, really," manager Terry Collins said. "Some pretty good pitching and we can't score. It's a little frustrating for everybody."

Ruben Tejada is the only player batting better than .211 over the last five games, though he sat out Sunday after bruising his left ankle on a slide. Dilson Herrera is 1 for 14, while Juan Lagares is 3 for 19.

Daniel Murphy, who leads the team with a .283 batting average, is still sidelined by a strained left quad, while Travis d'Arnaud is day to day with a hyperextended left elbow.

Lucas Duda could be the key to getting New York on track in this series. He's batting .179 since May 31 but has nine RBIs in seven career games at Milwaukee, hitting three homers in the last four.

The Mets took two of three from the Brewers from May 15-17, including a 14-1 win in the middle game.

Milwaukee (25-46) has dropped eight of nine with starters posting a 7.90 ERA. The rotation's 5.08 ERA ranks last in baseball.

Matt Garza was shelled for seven earned runs and 13 hits over 5 1-3 innings of a 10-4 loss at Colorado on Sunday.

"They had a lot of flares," catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. "That's been the story of the season so far. Maybe we need to sacrifice some chickens or something."

Chalking up the season-long pitching struggles to the baseball gods frowning upon the Brewers may be a bit strong, though opponents own a .317 average on balls in play - the second-highest mark in the NL.

New York's Jonathon Niese (3-7, 4.21 ERA) is trying to end a career-worst seven-start winless streak. The left-hander has lost five decisions with a 6.30 ERA in that span.

Niese has given the Mets reason to think his slump will end soon, however, stringing together three straight quality starts. He lost 8-0 at Toronto on Wednesday, giving up three runs over seven innings.

Niese is 2-1 with a 2.51 ERA in his last five starts against Milwaukee.

Mike Fiers (3-7, 4.50) has alternated wins and losses for his last five starts, and if that pattern continues, he's set up for a victory.

He was awful Wednesday at Kansas City, though, surrendering a season-high six earned runs over five innings of a 10-2 loss.

Manager Craig Counsell said Carlos Gomez could play after missing nine of the last 12 games due to a hip injury. Gomez has been sidelined for 27 games this season but still ranks fourth on the team with 24 RBIs.

The Brewers will hold a moment of silence for former outfielder Darryl Hamilton prior to the game. Hamilton, who played for Milwaukee and New York in addition to three other teams, was found dead Sunday from an apparent murder-suicide at his suburban Houston home.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mets at Brewers
Tue, Jun 23 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Mets at Brewers
Wed, Jun 24 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Mets at Brewers
Thu, Jun 25 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 12:59 AM

Preview: Diamondbacks (34-35) at Rockies (30-39)
Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: June 23, 2015 8:40 PM EDT

Manager Chip Hale remains confident that the Arizona Diamondbacks will get back to the .500 mark for the first time since late April despite them failing in their previous nine attempts.

That's not surprising considering how well Chase Anderson has pitched.

The right-hander looks to cool Troy Tulowitzki and the rest of the Colorado Rockies' offense as the Diamondbacks visit Coors Field for the opener of a three-game series Tuesday night.

This is the fourth time Arizona (34-35) has pulled within a game of the break-even mark during a 7-3 run, with each defeat coming when it had a chance to reach .500 for the first time since it was 8-8 on April 24.

A.J. Pollock and Paul Goldschmidt had two-run singles in the Diamondbacks' seven-run second inning of Sunday's 7-2 victory over San Diego. Goldschmidt is tied with Miami's Dee Gordon for the major league lead with a .356 average and is hitting .375 with two homers and eight RBIs in his last five at Colorado.

'I think we're going to get (to .500) and we're going to go past it,' Hale said. "But we have to be better. We have to be a better team to get there.'

Anderson (3-1, 2.84 ERA) couldn't have pitched much better in his last two starts. He no-hit San Francisco through 6 1-3 innings before leaving after the seventh of a 1-0 win June 12 and allowed two runs in six innings of Wednesday's 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

"He almost threw a no-hitter the other day in San Fran. It was a great game and the guys fed off of it," Hale said. "He got those other pitchers going. He's becoming a leader on the staff is what he is doing."

The right-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts, but he didn't pitch well against Colorado (30-39) on April 27, when he gave up five runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 5-4 loss. Anderson gave up six runs in five innings of a 15-3 loss the last time he pitched at Coors Field on Sept. 19.

Tulowitzki doubled off Anderson in April, and he drove in three runs Sunday to help the Rockies beat visiting Milwaukee 10-4. He's reached base in 21 straight and has hit safely in 18 of 19, including his current six-game streak.

Charlie Blackmon had four RBIs and is batting .400 during a six-game run of his own for Colorado, which has won two straight after dropping nine of 10.

"Our main thing is winning a series, especially at home,' Tulowitzki said. 'We haven't been doing that of late."

Carlos Gonzalez left after the fourth inning with a mild sprain in his left hand but is hoping the off day will help him recover in time to play in this contest. Kyle Kendrick could use all the help possible as he tries for his first victory at Coors Field this season.

Kendrick (2-9, 5.95) fell to 0-4 with a 6.81 ERA at home after allowing four runs in five innings of Wednesday's 8-4 loss to Houston. He's walked 15 while striking out 16 in 35 2-3 innings over six starts in Colorado.

The right-hander had one of his worst outings of the year at Arizona on April 28, when he allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 12-5 loss.

Kendrick is 1-3 with a 6.61 ERA in nine career starts against the Diamondbacks, who swept a doubleheader at Coors Field on May 6 after the first two games of that series were postponed.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Rockies
Tue, Jun 23 - 8:40PM EDT

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Rockies
Wed, Jun 24 - 8:40PM EDT

GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Rockies
Thu, Jun 25 - 3:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 01:01 AM

Preview: Padres (34-38) at Giants (38-33)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: June 23, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

Plating runs has come easy for the San Francisco Giants on the road but it's been a different story at home.

That could spell trouble in Tuesday night's series opener with the visiting San Diego Padres as Odrisamer Despaigne has routinely shut them down.

The Giants (38-33) cut into Los Angeles' NL West lead by taking two of three at Dodger Stadium over the weekend, scoring 15 times in the victories. San Francisco's average of 5.11 runs on the road is second in the majors but it's averaging 3.00 at home - baseball's worst mark since the 2011 Giants were at 2.91.

"Sometimes you do press. Why at home is hard to explain," manager Bruce Bochy said after Sunday's 10-2 loss. "You got to keep fighting and hopefully press on the gas a little bit and get things going. It's a good offense if you look at the numbers. It's too good to be going through what we're going through."

The Giants had lost nine straight at home before beating Seattle last Tuesday. Cleanup hitter Buster Posey is batting .179 with three RBIs in his last nine at AT&T Park while Brandon Belt is hitting .185 in his past eight there.

Making matters worse, the Giants are batting .101 against Despaigne (3-5, 4.92 ERA), with Brandon Crawford going 1 for 8 and Posey hitless in 10 at_bats.

Despaigne went 2-0 with a 0.45 ERA in three starts against San Francisco as a rookie last season. He lowered that ERA to 0.36 by throwing 4 2-3 perfect innings of relief in his only 2015 matchup April 9.

The right-hander had a 2.51 ERA over a five-start stretch before permitting six runs - four in the first inning - and eight hits in six innings of Wednesday's 16-2 loss at Oakland.

'It was just one of those situations where it happened so fast," he said.

San Diego (34-38) is having its own offensive problems, scoring three runs or fewer in eight of 10 games. The Padres are batting .175 with runners in scoring position over that stretch and dropped to 2-5 since manager Bud Black was fired with Sunday's 7-2 loss to Arizona.

They have the tough task of facing Madison Bumgarner (7-4, 3.09), who has lost his last two starts despite a 1.69 ERA. He was outdueled by Felix Hernandez on Wednesday, giving up two runs and four hits while striking out nine in eight innings of a 2-0 loss to the Mariners.

Bumgarner has a 1.91 ERA in his last five home starts, a stretch that began when he held the Padres to two hits over 7 1-3 innings in a 2-0 win May 4. The left-hander has limited San Diego to two earned runs or fewer eight times in 10 matchups at AT&T Park.

However, Bumgarner's worst outing of 2015 also came against the Padres. He surrendered five runs and 10 hits in three innings of a 10-2 road loss April 11, his shortest start since 2011.

Justin Upton is 3 for 5 against Bumgarner this season and 12 for 30 all-time. Upton's .400 average is the highest of any of the 29 players that have faced Bumgarner at least 25 times.

Derek Norris has also given Bumgarner trouble, going 6 for 14 (.429) but Matt Kemp is 4 for 25 (.160) against him since 2012.

Norris, 3 for 20 against the Giants this season, is hitting .333 versus lefties compared to .233 against righties.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Giants
Tue, Jun 23 - 10:15PM EDT

GAME 2
Padres at Giants
Wed, Jun 24 - 10:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Padres at Giants
Thu, Jun 25 - 3:45PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 01:03 AM

Preview: Tigers (35-34) at Indians (32-36)
Game: 2
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: June 23, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

When David Price last faced the Cleveland Indians less than two weeks ago, Detroit Tigers catcher James McCann called it one of his most memorable games.

Now Price will try to help Detroit continue its dominance of the slumping Indians in a rematch Tuesday night at Progressive Field.

The ace left-hander takes on Cleveland for the second time in three starts after scattering seven hits and fanning eight while throwing just 93 pitches in a complete-game 4-0 home win June 12.

"When you look up at the board going into the ninth inning and he hasn't thrown 90 pitches, that's unbelievable," McCann told MLB's official website after the performance.

Price (6-2, 2.50 ERA) had his last outing shortened by rain Wednesday when he allowed two runs and four hits with six strikeouts over five innings in an 8-4, 13-inning loss at Cincinnati.

The four-time All-Star has gone 8-1 with a 2.11 ERA in 11 career meetings with Cleveland. He's 3-0 with an 0.61 ERA in his last four matchups and is 3-0 with a 2.32 mark in five outings at Progressive Field.

Yan Gomes is 0 for 12 with six strikeouts when facing Price, while Brandon Moss has gone 1 for 6 with four strikeouts. Michael Brantley, however, is 5 for 11 with a double.

Jason Kipnis is only 4 for 16 against Price, but brings a career-high 17-game hitting streak into this contest. He's batting .490 during a 26-game home hitting streak - one shy of Miguel Dilone's club-record 27-game run from July 6-Aug. 31, 1980. Kipnis is batting .346, trailing only Detroit's Miguel Cabrera (.350) for the league lead.

The Tigers (36-34) continued their mastery in Cleveland with Monday's 8-5 victory, their 19th in 24 games there over the past three seasons. Detroit has won eight of 10 overall this season against the Indians and nine of its last 10 at Progressive Field.

Yoenis Cespedes went 3 for 3 with a home run and a double, while Cabrera had two hits and reached base four times in five plate appearance. Cabrera is 24 for 37 (.649) with five homers and 16 RBIs in the season series and has reached base in 27 straight games at Progressive Field.

'We know we're not going to go 162-0, but mentally, maybe, we feel more comfortable in this park,' former Indian Victor Martinez said.

Danny Salazar carried a shutout into the sixth inning when he opposed Price earlier this month before Cabrera hit a three-run homer. Cabrera is 7 for 19 with two homers lifetime off him.

"I like to attack him," Salazar said after allowing three runs over seven innings. "If he's going to do damage to you, he'll do it anyways."

Salazar (6-2, 3.56) also had his latest outing cut short by rain Thursday when he gave up two earned runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 4-3 home win over the Chicago Cubs.

The right-hander is 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in his last four starts versus Detroit. He tossed an eight-hitter with nine strikeouts in a 7-0 win in his most recent home meeting last September.

The Indians (32-37) are hoping to avoid their 11th loss in 16 games at home. They've hit .234 with just five home runs while averaging 2.5 runs over their last 12 there.

Moss is hitless through six games on this homestand and 0 for 23 over his last seven overall.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Indians
Mon, Jun 22 - Final 8 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Tigers at Indians
Tue, Jun 23 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Tigers at Indians
Wed, Jun 24 - 12:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 01:06 AM

Preview: Phillies (24-47) at Yankees (38-31)
Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: June 23, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

CC Sabathia was on his way to a career year the last time he faced the Philadelphia Phillies. The time before that, he was pitching in the World Series.

Now a far less imposing pitcher, Sabathia and the New York Yankees face Philadelphia this time having been blown out by the suddenly explosive Phillies, who head into Tuesday night's game seeking their longest winning streak since mid-May.

Sabathia (3-7, 5.31 ERA) pitched 6 2-3 solid innings in New York's Game 4 win over Philadelphia in the 2009 World Series, ultimately won by the Yankees in six games, and followed with another quality start against the Phillies in 2010 - a season in which the left-hander won a career-high 21 games in just under seven innings per start.

He is averaging fewer than six this season and has not topped 100 pitches in his last seven outings. Sabathia allowed five hits and three runs over six innings Thursday and did not factor into the decision of a 9-4 win against Miami.

"It's difficult not being the guy I used to be who went deep into games," Sabathia told MLB's official website. "Just kind of is what it is. I go out there hard as I can until I'm done. ... It really doesn't change the way I pitch. It's just frustrating for me that I can only give them six innings at a time."

Sabathia faces a Phillies team that has scored 20 runs over its last two games after managing only 25 while losing 11 of the previous 12.

Maikel Franco led the charge in Monday's 11-8 win, going 4 for 5 with two home runs and five RBIs in Philadelphia's best offensive output since scoring 12 on May 17, 2014.

"I think he's the right guy for the spot there. The way he's swinging the bat and makes something happen," manager Ryne Sandberg said of his rookie third baseman. "He's been our most consistent and productive hitter on a daily basis with driving the ball and stinging it."

Cesar Hernandez has also contributed with three runs and four RBIs over the last two games, while Ben Revere notched three hits in each win.

Monday's victory snapped Philadelphia's 12-game road losing streak and avoided the franchise's longest skid away from home since 1997. The Phillies have not won three straight overall since a six-game streak May 13-18.

Sean O'Sullivan (1-5, 4.79) has yet to experience that type of offensive support, receiving more than two runs in only two of his starts. He'll take the mound with a 2.08 run-support average that ranks last in MLB among pitchers with at least 50 innings.

The Phillies (25-47) failed to score during O'Sullivan's five innings on Thursday as the right-hander allowed one run but did not factor into the decision of a 2-1 win over Baltimore. That start lowered O'Sullivan's ERA to 3.48 at home, far better than his 6.75 mark on the road.

New York (38-32) hopes to raise that number with another solid offensive showing. Brett Gardner went 4 for 4 with three RBIs and his eighth home run Monday, and Brian McCann hit his 11th. Gardner is 14 for 27 with three home runs and a 1.536 OPS in his last six games, while McCann has five RBIs in his last four.

Carlos Beltran has 30 home runs against Philadelphia - his most versus any opponent.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Phillies at Yankees
Mon, Jun 22 - Final 11 to 8
Boxscores

GAME 2
Phillies at Yankees
Tue, Jun 23 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Phillies at Yankees
Wed, Jun 24 - 1:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 02:03 AM

Preview: White Sox (30-38) at Twins (37-32)
Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: June 23, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

With their offensive slump behind them, the Minnesota Twins hope to keeping playing well at home by giving the ball to a pitcher who has been outstanding there.

Mike Pelfrey looks to remain unbeaten at Target Field while improving on one of the majors' top home ERAs Tuesday night when the Chicago White Sox try to avoid their longest road losing streak in a year.

Minnesota (38-32) had the AL's best home record at 19-7 heading into this month before batting .227 and averaging 2.3 runs in dropping seven of its first 11 in June at Target Field.

The Twins totaled one run in back-to-back losses over the weekend before breaking out with 15 hits in Monday's 13-2 victory. Kennys Vargas had a career-high four hits with a home run and four RBIs, while Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier and Eduardo Nunez also went deep.

Rookie Byron Buxton provided a spark with a career-high three hits in his debut at the leadoff spot.

"Just to have an outbreak like that, that was pretty cool,' outfielder Torii Hunter said.

Minnesota certainly hasn't struggled versus White Sox pitching, hitting .282 and averaging 6.4 runs while winning eight of 11 meetings. The club has scored 44 runs and hit .357 in sweeping all five matchups at Target Field.

Pelfrey (5-3, 2.97 ERA) might not need much backing since he's gone 3-0 with a 1.41 ERA in six home starts - all Minnesota victories.

After allowing a season-high eight runs over 3 2-3 innings in an 11-7 loss at Texas on June 13, the right-hander bounced back in more comfortable surroundings Thursday. He gave up one run and four hits over eight but did not factor in a 2-1 home win over St. Louis.

Pelfrey, however, hasn't fared as well against the AL Central-worst White Sox (30-39). He's 0-3 with a 6.62 ERA in seven career meetings after allowing two runs and five hits while hitting three batters over a season-low 3 1-3 innings in a 13-3 home win May 3.

Adam LaRoche should be happy to see Pelfrey since he's 11 for 16 with a home run in the matchup. LaRoche went 2 for 4 and drove in the only runs Monday for the White Sox, who have scored three runs or less in nine straight games - their longest such streak since 10 in a row in 1976.

They're also on the verge of dropping eight straight away from home for the first time since June 6-23, 2014.

Jeff Samardzija seeks his third consecutive quality start but first victory in six outings since May 22, when he yielded two runs and had a season-high nine strikeouts in a 3-2 home win over Minnesota.

Samardzija (4-4, 4.67) surrendered two runs and scattered 10 hits while fanning seven over seven innings Thursday but did not factor in a 3-2 loss to visiting Pittsburgh. The offense hasn't done him any favors, providing just 18 runs during his winless streak.

'You try to keep your head on straight,' the right-hander said. 'You know you're pitching well, you know you have great stuff.'

Samardzija has gone 2-0 with a 3.43 ERA in his last three starts against the Twins. However, he surrendered eight runs over 3 2-3 innings in an 11-3 loss in his only start in Minnesota on June 9, 2012.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
White Sox at Twins
Mon, Jun 22 - Final 2 to 13
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
White Sox at Twins
Tue, Jun 23 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
White Sox at Twins
Wed, Jun 24 - 1:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 02:07 AM

Preview: Dodgers (39-31) at Cubs (37-30)
Game: 2
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: June 23, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Behind Kris Bryant's first career multi-homer effort, the Chicago Cubs pulled out a series-opening victory against Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now they'll try to hand the NL West leaders their first back-to-back losses with their aces pitching.

As the Cubs look to extend their longest winning streak in five weeks, Zack Greinke will try to snap his historic winless stretch by ending his struggles at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night.

Bryant had been in a 1-for-18 slump before homering twice - once off Kershaw - in Chicago's 4-2 win to start this four-game series. The rookie is batting .406 with seven homers in his last 18 home games.

'I just love the fact that he continues to battle," manager Joe Maddon said.

The Cubs (38-30) have won three straight and are eight games above .500 for the first time since 2009. A fourth victory in a row will require them to deal the Dodgers (39-32) their first consecutive defeats in 13 occasions when Kershaw and Greinke have followed each other.

Greinke is hoping to avoid his longest stretch without earning a victory in 10 years through no fault of his own. He's 0-2 with a 1.99 ERA over his last eight starts while receiving a total of 12 runs of support.

The right-hander is the fifth pitcher since 1969 to go winless in at least that many starts despite a sub-2.00 ERA. He last went nine starts without a win during a 10-game stretch in 2005 with Kansas City.

Greinke (5-2, 1.81 ERA) allowed one or no runs for the 10th time in 14 starts Thursday when he gave up four hits and fanned eight over seven innings of a 1-0 home win over Texas.

"Sometimes things can't be controlled like wins or losses," manager Don Mattingly told MLB's official website. "If he pitches like this every time out, we're going to be fine."

Greinke hasn't had much success at Wrigley, going 0-2 with an 11.57 ERA - his worst of any NL ballpark - in three career starts there.

Starlin Castro has gone 5 for 16 in the matchup, while Miguel Montero is 7 for 23 with two home runs. Dexter Fowler is 2 for 18 but could be out after leaving Monday's game with a sprained left ankle.

Chicago starter Jason Hammel (5-2, 2.89) has a home run in two career at_bats versus Greinke.

The right-hander went 4-1 with a 2.03 ERA over an eight-start stretch before giving up four runs over five innings in a 5-4, 10-inning home loss to Cincinnati on June 12. He then yielded three runs over four before rain cut short his outing Thursday when he did not factor in a 4-3 loss at Cleveland.

Hammel is 5-1 with a 2.50 ERA in 12 career starts at Wrigley, but 2-4 with a 5.67 mark in 10 against the Dodgers. However, all but one of those meetings took place before 2013.

Howie Kendrick is 7 for 13 when facing Hammel, while Andre Ethier is 9 for 25 with two home runs. Adrian Gonzalez, though, is just 6 for 32 (.188) with one homer.

Joc Pederson and Kike Hernandez accounted for Los Angeles' only runs Monday with solo home runs. The Dodgers have totaled five runs on four homers during a three-game road slide.

Yasiel Puig has gone 16 for 31 (.516) with two home runs during an eight-game hitting streak at Wrigley.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Dodgers at Cubs
Mon, Jun 22 - Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Dodgers at Cubs
Tue, Jun 23 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Dodgers at Cubs
Wed, Jun 24 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Dodgers at Cubs
Thu, Jun 25 - 2:20PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 06-23-2015, 02:42 AM

Preview: Royals (39-27) at Mariners (32-38)
Game: 2
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: June 23, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

Mike Montgomery likely didn't expect to pitch in the minors for nearly seven years before getting his shot with a major league club after the Kansas City Royals selected him in the first round of the 2008 draft.

The 25-year-old is making the most of his opportunity with the Seattle Mariners, and he now gets a chance to show another club that gave up on him what they're missing.

Montgomery makes his fifth career start Tuesday night, but the Mariners could be without Nelson Cruz as they look to get their offense going against the visiting Royals.

After four years in Kansas City's system, Montgomery was dealt to Tampa Bay in the deal that brought James Shields to the Royals in December 2012. The left-hander then pitched two seasons with the Rays' minor league affiliates before being traded to Seattle (32-39) for Erasmo Ramirez on March 31.

An injury to James Paxton opened up a spot for Montgomery (1-2, 2.73 ERA), who made his major league debut June 2 and allowed four runs in 19 innings over his first three starts, including allowing two runs in seven innings against the Rays on June 7.

The left-hander had his longest outing Thursday, giving up four runs in 7 1-3 innings of a 7-0 loss to San Francisco. Montgomery allowed three runs and four of his seven hits in the second before being charged with another run in the eighth after leaving.

"He's been a very pleasant surprise," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "He's had four starts that I would consider very quality starts. Certainly gave us an opportunity to win the ballgame (Thursday), we just didn't get any hits."

That especially was the case in Monday's 4-1 loss to the Royals (40-27). Robinson Cano homered in the first inning, and the Mariners' only other hit was a leadoff double by Austin Jackson in the seventh.

Cruz, hitting .313 with 19 homers and 44 RBIs to lead the club in each category, was lifted for pinch-hitter Dustin Ackley in the seventh. Seattle originally said Cruz left because of hamstring tightness, but later stated that he popped his pelvic bone out of place.

It's unclear if Cruz will be in the lineup for this contest.

'They got it popped back in and he is OK now. We'll see how he feels tomorrow,' McClendon said.

Ackley took over in left field for Cruz after striking out. He's often found himself out of the lineup while batting just .189, but he's 6 for 10 with two homers and three doubles lifetime against Jeremy Guthrie, who takes the hill for Kansas City.

The Mariners have hit Guthrie (5-4, 5.55) hard in recent years, as he's gone 0-2 with a 9.82 ERA in his last four starts against Seattle. He most recently allowed seven runs in 4 2-3 innings of Kansas City's 9-7 win May 11, 2014.

Guthrie, though, is 1-1 with a 3.13 ERA over his last four starts after allowing two runs in six innings of Thursday's 3-2 win over Milwaukee. Manager Ned Yost opted to go to the bullpen for the final three innings despite Guthrie having thrown just 67 pitches.

The right-hander's ERA has dropped more than a full run since it ballooned to 6.70 on May 25 after he allowed a career-worst 11 runs in a loss to the New York Yankees.

Guthrie looks to help the Royals win for the seventh time in 10 games after Alcides Escobar finished with three hits in Monday's victory to improve to 14 for 32 over his last eight.

Kansas City had lost seven of the previous nine meetings.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Mariners
Mon, Jun 22 - Final 4 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Mariners
Tue, Jun 23 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Royals at Mariners
Wed, Jun 24 - 10:10PM EDT

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