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**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:11 PM

Preview: Twins (41-36) at Reds (35-41)
Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: July 01, 2015 12:35 PM EDT

In a 10-game stretch during which Minnesota has watched opponents rack up seven double-digit hit totals, the Twins did the out-slugging in their second game in Cincinnati.

Given how their next starting pitcher fared the last time out, they might need to up the production even more Wednesday night if they're to earn a third straight series win over the Reds.

Minnesota (41-36) evened the three-game set with Tuesday's 8-5 victory behind 15 hits, and Torii Hunter was 3 for 5 with his fourth home run and third double in four games.

"He's had a really good trip," said manager Paul Molitor, whose club is 2-3 on its 10-game trek. "His bat seems fresh and quick. He's really rallying the troops."

Cincinnati (35-41) had 10 hits a night after scoring 11 runs with 17 hits, and the Twins have been tagged with a 4.81 ERA and .303 opponent batting average during a 4-6 span.

The Reds have dropped four of five and are 10-23 against the AL since the start of last season, though they continued to get some offensive help from Eugenio Suarez. The shortstop hit his second home run and is batting .441 in his last nine games to pace the club's .298 average.

Todd Frazier has hit safely in all of those, but the duo has been without fellow infielder Brandon Phillips for both games in the series because of sore hands.

Phillips is considered day to day, and he might want to be in the lineup against Trevor May. May (4-6, 4.62 ERA) could be on his way out of the rotation after this start with Ervin Santana scheduled to make his Minnesota debut on Sunday after completing his 80-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.

Any progress May had made while limiting opponents to five runs in his previous four starts abruptly ended when he gave up one more than that in 1-3 of an inning of Friday's 10-4 loss in Milwaukee. The right-hander surrendered six runs - five earned - and six hits in easily the shortest and worst outing of his career.

"It's my job to get deep into games and give us the best chance of winning, and I didn't do either one of those things," May told MLB's official website. "It's not anyone's fault but my own."

The 25-year-old fell to 2-3 with a 6.41 ERA in six road starts and 0-2 with a 7.15 in three against the NL - numbers that rarely find their way into Johnny Cueto's pitching lines.

Cueto (4-5, 2.98) gave up two runs and two hits in six innings of Friday's 2-1 loss at the New York Mets while matching a season high with three walks, but he was just happy to get through the start without issue after going eight days between starts due to elbow stiffness.

"I want to make something clear: Thank God everything is OK," Cueto said through a translator. "The few days I had off were a manager's decision. Everything's OK with my elbow. I'm doing fine."

He's been better at home with a 2-1 record and 1.74 ERA in six starts, though he's 1-1 with a 4.35 against three AL teams.

The right-hander's only career start versus the Twins back in 2012 ended in a 6-0 win after allowing three hits and striking out nine in seven innings. Kurt Suzuki is 2 for 5 with a home run off Cueto, but Trevor Plouffe has three strikeouts in as many at_bats.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Reds
Mon, Jun 29 Final 7 to 11
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Twins at Reds
Tue, Jun 30 Final 8 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Twins at Reds
Wed, Jul 1 - 12:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:13 PM

Preview: Red Sox (36-43) at Blue Jays (41-38)
Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: July 01, 2015 1:07 PM EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays' production lately hasn't matched its status as the majors' highest-scoring team aside from an offensive outburst to back Mark Buehrle five days ago.

That slump has helped the Boston Red Sox reach the brink of their longest winning streak of the season.

Buehrle takes the mound Wednesday when the Blue Jays look to prevent visiting Boston from winning a fourth straight game.

Toronto's 424 runs by far are the most in baseball, but it has scored three or fewer six times during a 3-4 stretch. The Blue Jays (41-38) did so for the fourth consecutive contest Tuesday, falling 4-3 to the last-place Red Sox (36-43) after losing Monday's series opener 3-1.

Jose Reyes hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, but Jose Bautista went hitless again and is 0 for 23 over his last seven.

'We didn't get anything going,' manager John Gibbons said. "... Just couldn't come up with that big hit.'

The Blue Jays had plenty of them Friday when they beat Texas 12-2, as Buehrle (8-4, 3.81 ERA) allowed two runs in seven innings. He capped a terrific June, during which he went 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA in five starts.

Buehrle, who improved to 4-1 with a 3.25 ERA in seven home starts, allowed two runs or fewer while recording a quality start in each outing.

The left-hander is 4-1 over his last five against the Red Sox, with his 3.09 ERA in that stretch a bit inflated due to giving up six earned runs in one of those outings. He allowed five combined in the other four.

David Ortiz has homered four times off Buehrle - tied for the second-most of any player against the veteran - and his third-inning solo shot Tuesday was his second home run in three days.

Jackie Bradley Jr. also homered for Boston, which has won a season-high three straight for the third time this season. The Red Sox are 4-2 since Dustin Pedroia went on the 15-day disabled list with right hamstring tightness.

Hanley Ramirez also has missed the last six because of a left hand injury, but he took full batting practice Tuesday and manager John Farrell said he expects him in the lineup for this contest.

'Guys have stepped up,' Farrell said. 'More than anything, we're getting stability from the guys that walk to the mound and that's the biggest key.'

Boston's starters, who have a 4.66 ERA on the season, have posted a 2.01 ERA over the last five. That run began Friday when Rick Porcello allowed three runs in six innings of a 4-3, 10-inning win over Tampa Bay.

Despite the solid outing, Porcello (4-8, 5.54) is 0-6 with a 7.07 ERA in seven starts since beating Seattle on May 16.

"Obviously you want to win and help the team any way you can, and when you don't it's frustrating. It's even more frustrating when you feel like you're not too far off from having quality starts,' Porcello said. 'It's certainly been a frustrating stretch, but (Friday) is a positive start (and) I hope from here to keep getting better and get back to the right track.'

The right-hander had one of his best starts of the season April 29 at Toronto, giving up one run and two hits in seven innings of a 4-1 victory. Josh Donaldson is 0 for 11 versus Porcello and Russell Martin is 1 for 11, but Bautista is 8 for 20 in their matchups.

Donaldson went 0 for 4 on Tuesday to snap a five-game hitting streak.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Mon, Jun 29 Final 3 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Tue, Jun 30 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Wed, Jul 1 - 1:07PM EDT

GAME 4
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Thu, Jul 2 - 7:07PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:15 PM

Preview: Rockies (34-43) at Athletics (35-45)
Game: 3
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: July 01, 2015 3:35 PM EDT

Nolan Arenado has the longest active hitting streak in the majors and Troy Tulowitzki isn't far behind.

Arenado and Tulowitzki look to continue their hot hitting as the Colorado Rockies attempt to win a series in an AL park for the first time in four years Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics.

Arenado is having a breakout season with career highs of 24 homers and 68 RBIs to rank among baseball's leaders in each category. The 24-year-old third baseman has also put together a 17-game hitting streak during which he's batting .364 with nine homers and 21 RBIs.

It's the longest streak by a Rockie since Arenado's franchise-record 28-game run from April 9-May 8, 2014.

Tulowitzki is batting .382 during a 14-game streak.

They each had a single in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Oakland as Colorado (34-43) snapped its 14-game road losing streak during interleague play. The Rockies now enter this decisive finale with a chance to win their first series in an AL park since taking two of three from Cleveland from June 20-22, 2011. They've lost 11 series and split two others.

"Every win is important. Every win is gold," manager Walt Weiss said after Colorado ended its three-game skid. "Our last few games have been tough, but ... it was a big win."

Chad Bettis (4-2, 3.56 ERA) gets the ball against the A's (35-45) for the first time, but he's 0-2 with an 8.49 ERA in six career games - two starts - in interleague play.

The right-hander, though, enters this matchup having won back-to-back starts by yielding four runs in 12 1-3 innings after losing his previous two with a 7.20 ERA. Bettis gave up three runs in six innings of Friday's 8-6 win at San Francisco.

The A's are hitting .222 while dropping four of five games after winning five straight behind a .302 average.

Billy Butler, though, has a homer and a double among his four hits in this series while adding three RBIs. He's 12 for 35 (.343) in 11 career meetings with Colorado

The A's are turning to Jesse Hahn (5-6, 3.47), who should feel very comfortable with an afternoon start. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.53 ERA in five day games compared to 2-5 with a 4.72 ERA in 10 at night.

Hahn struggled with the lights on again Friday, surrendering five runs and nine hits - two homers - in six innings of a 5-2 loss to Kansas City. Two of the runs he allowed scored on Ike Davis' error with two outs in the third, as he botched a flip to Hahn at first.

"It was a weird night, very strange," Hahn told MLB's official website. "I do think I could have done a lot better job of getting ahead of hitters."

He gave up three runs in five innings in his only career start against Colorado on Aug. 11.

Hahn will be facing Tulowitzki for the first time, while Arenado is 1 for 4 against him.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Athletics
Mon, Jun 29 Final 1 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rockies at Athletics
Tue, Jun 30 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rockies at Athletics
Wed, Jul 1 - 3:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:16 PM

Preview: Mariners (35-42) at Padres (37-42)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: July 01, 2015 3:40 PM EDT

Perhaps a return to Petco Park is what James Shields needs to end his first losing stretch with the San Diego Padres.

Home or away, Taijuan Walker has looked strong for the Seattle Mariners over the last month.

As Shields tries to avoid losing a third consecutive start and remain undefeated at home, Walker hopes to win his fifth consecutive start in Wednesday's finale of this two-game set.

Shields (7-2, 4.24 ERA) went 7-0 with a 3.59 ERA in 14 starts before giving up four runs, eight hits and a season-high four walks in six innings of a 4-2 loss at Arizona on June 19. The right-hander then had his worst outing as a Padre on Thursday, allowing seven runs and nine hits over four-plus innings of a 13-8 defeat at San Francisco.

'You wish some of those balls could be hit right at people,' interim manager Pat Murphy said.

Shields has a 6.45 ERA while San Diego (37-42) has dropped his last four starts and scored three runs with him on the mound in the three most recent.

Three of those four outings came on the road, where he's 4-2 despite a 5.50 ERA in nine outings. At Petco, he's 3-0 with a 2.78 ERA and has allowed more than two earned runs once in his seven starts.

Shields faced Seattle (35-42) on the road May 13, giving up a Brad Miller solo homer, striking out nine and throwing a season-high 115 pitches in six innings of a 4-2 victory.

'That team put together some really good at_bats all day long from the very first at-bat on,' said Shields, who is 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his last four against the Mariners. 'It was a grind."

He bested Walker (6-6, 4.64), who gave up two runs in the third inning of the six he lasted in that contest. The right-hander went 1-5 with a 7.33 ERA in his first nine starts but since is 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA while splitting those home and away.

Walker allowed a first-inning homer and lasted seven during Friday's 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on the road, where he's yielded a run each to win three straight. It also marked his third consecutive start without a walk.

'I think there's just been a growth period for Taijuan,' Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. 'A young pitcher like Walker was going to have some ups and downs and there were going to be some struggles along the way. But we knew that eventually, he would get it and make us all proud.'

Mike Montgomery allowed his only hit in the seventh inning of his second straight shutout and Miller belted a two-run homer in Seattle's 5-0 victory Tuesday.

"We're still a work in progress," said McClendon, whose club went 11-16 in June. "We'll see how we do (Wednesday)."

Miller has hit .438 (7 for 16) while the Mariners have split the first four of their nine-game trip.

Robinson Cano is 0 for 10 with four strikeouts in the last three contests but is batting .402 with four homers, nine doubles and two triples versus Shields.

Will Middlebrooks homered off Walker this season but is dealing with an ankle injury that limited him to a pinch-hitting role Tuesday. He's batting .145 with a homer and two RBIs in his last 19 games.

The Padres have been shut out a major league-leading 12 times.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Padres
Tue, Jun 30 Final 5 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mariners at Padres
Wed, Jul 1 - 3:40PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:18 PM

Preview: Rangers (40-38) at Orioles (41-36)
Game: 3
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: July 01, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

By the time he takes the mound at Camden Yards, it'll be exactly a year since the Baltimore Orioles dealt Nick Martinez one of his worst outings in the majors.

Martinez probably wishes he wasn't coming off another weak performance.

Despite a glut of quality starts this season, the right-hander seeks only his second win in just over a month when the Texas Rangers and Orioles continue this four-game series Wednesday night.

Martinez (5-4, 3.39 ERA) was roughed up for nine runs and gave up a pair of homers in six innings of a 12-2 loss at Toronto on Friday. He allowed the first three batters to reach before serving up a grand slam after giving up five earned runs over his prior three starts.

"I fell behind a lot of guys," Martinez said of his shaky first inning. "I was just trying to find the strike zone."

Keeping the ball in the park was a big reason for his hot start, but Martinez has allowed seven in as many outings after giving up one over his first eight. His ERA in those first eight was 1.88 but jumped to 5.10 in his last seven.

Martinez will also need to forget a dreadful outing in his lone appearance at Camden Yards on July 1. The 24-year-old also had trouble with the long ball in that one, allowing a career-worst three in an 8-3 loss to the Orioles (41-36).

Martinez gave up six earned runs in five innings as he fell to 0-2 with an 8.71 ERA in two career starts against the Orioles, who have batted .356 against him while hitting five homers.

Although the homers have started piling up again, Martinez has 11 quality starts in 15 outings to rank among the AL leaders. The problem has been the six times the Rangers (40-38) have scored two or fewer runs for him in those games.

If the Rangers stay hot after launching eight homers in the first two of this set, they can win a series against the Orioles for the first time since August 2012. Prior to their two-game outburst, they had lost 11 of 12 against Baltimore.

Mitch Moreland has hit four of Texas' homers in the series and Josh Hamilton returned Tuesday with two singles after being out since May 31 with a strained left hamstring.

"We're starting to get some guys back in the lineup," manager Jeff Banister said. "We got Hamilton back in there and (he'll) be able to provide that offense for us and stretch that lineup out. This is an offense that can be dangerous and powerful at times."

Opposing Martinez will be Wei-Yin Chen (3-4, 2.90), who has been impressive in his last four starts with a 2-0 record, 2.13 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 25 1-3 innings - and more importantly just three homers allowed after giving up 10 in his first 10 outings.

After tossing eight innings in a 4-0 win over Philadelphia on May 16, the left-hander was briefly optioned to the minors to make room for Chris Parmelee before returning to the rotation with a solid outing Friday.

Chen, who expressed frustration via Twitter upon being sent down, went six innings and gave up two solo homers but didn't get a decision in a 4-3 win over Cleveland.

"We haven't had a chance to talk today, but I don't think there is any problem," Chen said of manager Buck Showalter. "We talked before I got optioned. So, I don't think there's anything between us."

Chen has dominated Texas in his career, going 4-0 in as many starts with a 1.67 ERA. Shin-Soo Choo, who's homered in both games of this series, is 2 for 4 with two homers off Chen.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Orioles
Mon, Jun 29 Final 8 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rangers at Orioles
Tue, Jun 30 Final 8 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rangers at Orioles
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Rangers at Orioles
Thu, Jul 2 - 7:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:20 PM

Preview: Pirates (43-33) at Tigers (39-37)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: July 01, 2015 7:08 PM EDT

The A.J. Burnett retirement tour was looking more like a victory lap until the 38-year-old recently got a few reminders that maybe his 17th and presumed final season in the majors wouldn't be quite so smooth.

He still limited the damage in his two latest outings, but he'd prefer not to run into so much trouble Wednesday night at Comerica Park as the Pittsburgh Pirates look for another win against the Detroit Tigers.

After posting baseball's third-lowest ERA (1.89) and a .233 opponents' batting average through his first 13 starts, Burnett (6-3, 2.01 ERA) has found himself in some sticky situations in his last two. He gave up 22 hits over 12 2-3 innings, but only allowed four earned runs in those outings while some poor defense cost him two more.

The right-hander shook off a run apiece in both the first and second innings Thursday against Cincinnati to make it through the next four unscathed in a 5-4, 13-inning loss.

"Eventually it was a matter of time before I knew I'd settle in and start getting ahead a little better, get a quick inning here or there," Burnett told MLB's official website. "You've got to go deep if you want to win games. Got to get into the seventh, get into the eighth."

He wound up throwing 110 pitches against the Reds, one fewer than his season high April 14 against the Tigers (39-37). Burnett gave up only a run through 6 2-3 that day while striking out eight in a 2-0 loss.

Detroit took two of three in that series in Pittsburgh, winning 1-0 a day later behind eight innings of two-hit ball from Alfredo Simon (7-4, 3.57).

The right-hander has been at his best at Comerica (2.33 ERA) in his first season with Detroit, but he's struggled both home and away in his last two. Simon gave up a career-high seven earned runs and lasted just 2 2-3 innings June 20 in the Bronx, then surrendered five in 6 1-3 Thursday in an 8-7, 10-inning home loss to the White Sox.

The Pirates (43-33) have three regulars who are either switch hitters or left-handed, and it might take something from that trio of Pedro Alvarez, Gregory Polanco and Neil Walker to win this one. Righties are hitting just .193 against Simon and seven of the eight homers he's allowed have come from the other side of the plate.

Those three Pirates, however, are a combined 6 for 38 (.158) against Simon.

Walker was the hero for Pittsburgh in Tuesday's opener, which didn't end until early Wednesday morning. His two-out double scored Josh Harrison after Gorkys Hernandez's base-running gaffe likely prevented the Pirates from scoring one batter earlier, and Deolis Guerra closed out a 5-4 win with his third scoreless inning.

"I didn't think we were going to get away with (Hernandez's mistake)," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Luckily, Neil came up big to save us."

Tuesday's game wound up being extended thanks to a two-run homer from J.D. Martinez, who went 3 for 6 to cap an outstanding final three weeks of June. The eighth-inning blast off Tony Watson was his 11th in 18 games, a stretch in which his OPS is an AL-best 1.204.

"We battled and had our opportunities, but we just didn't get that big hit," Martinez said. "There were some two-out chances we had there, they had one and got the hit. That's about it."

Martinez is 1 for 13 in his career against Burnett.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Tigers
Tue, Jun 30 Final 5 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Pirates at Tigers
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 3
Pirates at Tigers
Thu, Jul 2 - 1:08PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:21 PM

Preview: Yankees (41-37) at Angels (41-37)
Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: July 01, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Albert Pujols never failed to reach the 30-home run mark in a season that wasn't significantly shortened by injuries until 2014.

It doesn't appear like that will be a problem this year.

After adding another homer to his AL-leading total, Pujols looks to help the Los Angeles Angels match their longest winning streak of the season as they complete a nine-game homestand against the slumping New York Yankees on Wednesday night.

Pujols finished with 28 home runs in 159 games last season after hitting 17 while missing 61 games with plantar fasciitis in 2013. He's already nearing last year's total after hitting his 24th in Tuesday's 2-1 victory.

He finished June with 13, matching the franchise record for a month set by Tim Salmon in June 1996 and Mo Vaughn in May 2000. It marked Pujols' first homer in seven games, a stretch during which he's hitting just .160.

Erick Aybar immediately followed Pujols' homer with one of his own to put the Angels (41-37) ahead for good as they moved four games over .500 for the first time since June 1. Los Angeles improved to 6-2 on its homestand and is on the verge of winning five straight for the third time this season.

'We're grinding it out,' said manager Mike Scioscia, who downplayed a report of a renewed rift with general manager Jerry Dipoto prior to Tuesday's win. 'We're pitching well and we're playing defense."

One defeat on the homestand came Friday despite a solid outing from Matt Shoemaker, who is 0-5 with a 4.82 ERA in seven home starts. He has a 2.25 ERA over the last four in Anaheim, though, after allowing two runs in six innings of a 3-1 loss to Seattle.

Shoemaker (4-6, 5.03 ERA) pitched on six days' rest after giving up five runs in four innings at Oakland on June 19.

'With that extra time off, I just worked on a few more things - just getting my upper half and lower half working better together,' Shoemaker said. 'When I do that, I can see my pitches better and I felt like we did that. I kind of got my timing back, which was really positive.'

The right-hander has never faced the Yankees (41-37), who have scored one run in each contest during a three-game losing streak. They mustered just two hits for the second time in that stretch Tuesday.

Brett Gardner singled and is batting .486 during an eight-game hitting streak. Mark Teixeira homered after going 1 for 18 over his previous five.

'We hit a lot of balls hard, but right at people,' said Alex Rodriguez, who went hitless and is 2 for 14 over his last four. 'We just have to maintain our aggressiveness.'

The Yankees look to bounce back behind Nathan Eovaldi, who has half of New York's victories during a 4-7 stretch.

Eovaldi (7-2, 4.81) has allowed two runs in six innings in each of his last two outings, beating Detroit 14-3 on June 20 and Houston 3-2 on Friday.

"I think he's making progress," manager Joe Girardi said of the 25-year-old, who set a new career high for victories. "Even though he's been in the league (since 2011), he's still young. He's learning how to use his stuff and I thought he used it as good (Friday) as he has (been) all year long."

The right-hander walked a season-high four but limited the damage against the Angels on June 5, giving up a run and four hits over 5 1-3 innings of an 8-7 victory.

Pujols is 4 for 9 and Mike Trout 4 for 8 against Eovaldi.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Yankees at Angels
Mon, Jun 29 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Yankees at Angels
Tue, Jun 30 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Yankees at Angels
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:23 PM

Preview: Brewers (31-48) at Phillies (27-52)
Game: 3
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 01, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Although the Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies are the two worst teams in baseball, Milwaukee is showing signs of life behind Ryan Braun.

If Braun and the Brewers can continue pounding the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night, they may post their longest winning streak of the season.

Milwaukee (31-48) has only a slightly better record than Philadelphia (27-52), but the Brewers have won six of eight after dropping eight of their previous nine.

While their .241 batting average is among the worst in the majors, they've piled up 26 hits with six doubles and 11 runs while winning the first two of this four-game series.

That may not be too surprising since Milwaukee has batted .337 with 7.2 runs per game while winning five straight at Philadelphia after rallying for Tuesday's 4-3 victory.

"A win you feel like you snatched it a little bit," manager Craig Counsell said.

Braun got four of his seven series hits Tuesday and is 16 for 32 in his past nine, raising his season average 30 points to .275. A career .408 hitter against the Phillies, Braun has batted .513 with 24 RBIs and as many runs over his last 20 road matchups.

Production at the plate could be key with the Brewers turning to Kyle Lohse (4-9, 6.28 ERA) in an effort to win a season-best fourth straight game, but he's trying to win back-to-back starts for just the second time this year.

The right-hander was staked to a nine-run lead after two innings and yielded four runs and two homers before leaving after the sixth in a 10-4 win over Minnesota on Friday. He had lost all five of his previous decisions with a 7.59 ERA over six starts.

"It was more of a grinding kind of an outing - I kept getting ahead of guys, then going deep in counts," Lohse told MLB's official website. "It's just not being quite as sharp as I want to be. Bottom line, we won the game, so you go home happy with that."

Lohse may be thrilled to face the Phillies since he's 3-1 with a 2.38 ERA in his last six starts against them, including 2-0 with a 1.86 mark in three on the road.

Philadelphia, which has dropped five of six, learned Tuesday that interim manager Pete Mackanin will remain in place for the rest of the season.

He'll give the ball to Aaron Harang (4-10, 3.56), who is on the brink of becoming the first Phillies pitcher to lose eight straight starts since Jim Nash in 1972.

Harang has a 6.05 ERA while losing his last seven outings after compiling a 1.82 ERA through his first nine. The veteran right-hander lost a career-worst nine consecutive decisions over a 13-game stretch with Cincinnati from May 30-Aug. 3, 2009.

He lost his fourth straight home game Friday, surrendering five runs and nine hits in six innings of a 5-2 defeat to Washington.

Harang is 2-1 with a 2.19 ERA over his last six starts against the Brewers and has limited Braun to a 1-for-12 performance at the plate over the past four years.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Brewers at Phillies
Mon, Jun 29 Final 7 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Brewers at Phillies
Tue, Jun 30 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Brewers at Phillies
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Brewers at Phillies
Thu, Jul 2 - 6:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:25 PM

Preview: Nationals (43-34) at Braves (36-41)
Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: July 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Washington Nationals' rotation may have watched their overall shutout streak end, but against the Atlanta Braves they just keep on going.

Back to their winning ways and with the starters in position to begin another shutout streak, Doug Fister looks to extend the Washington Nationals' scoreless run versus the Atlanta Braves as their series continues Wednesday.

Monday's off day served Washington (43-34) well as it emphatically bounced back from having its eight-game winning streak snapped in the second game of its Sunday doubleheader at Philadelphia by cruising past Atlanta 6-1 to open this three-game set.

Jordan Zimmermann, who previously contributed eight of the rotation's 47 1-3 consecutive scoreless innings while beating the Braves last week, kept Atlanta at bay for another 7 2-3 while scattering six hits Tuesday. That extended Washington's shutout streak versus Atlanta by its starters to 27 2-3 innings over the last four between the teams.

"We're just trying to win the series and take two out of three every time we face somebody and just go from there," Zimmermann said.

Even including their 8-5 loss to the Phillies, the Nationals' starters have been flat-out dominant. During this 10-game run, they are 8-1 with a 1.69 ERA and 0.84 WHIP - yielding 13 runs in 69 1-3 innings, including all eight Sunday. In the nine victories, the rotation has posted a 0.65 ERA and 0.71 WHIP by conceding only five runs in 66 innings.

Fister (3-3, 4.15 ERA) provided seven shutout innings to the previous streak Thursday versus Atlanta, giving up four hits and one walk while throwing a season-high 111 pitches in a 7-0 triumph. The right-hander, though, was more concerned with keeping himself in sync than adding to the zeroes - a mindset he'll likely carry again into this contest.

"... Honestly when I'm at my best I have no idea what inning it is. I really try and stay simple," he said. "I want to take things one pitch at a time, and if I get anything bigger than that, I'm in trouble myself."

This will mark the fourth start of the season against Atlanta for Fister, who yielded eight runs and 16 hits in 12 1-3 innings in the other two - including a defeat April 27. That marked his only loss in six lifetime starts versus Atlanta and also his only career outing at Turner Field, where he was touched for five runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Nick Markakis has enjoyed some success versus Fister, going 9 for 29 with a homer.

The Braves are hitting .192 (20 for 104) against Washington's starters over the last four games. Atlanta has totaled three runs in those defeats, going 0 for 21 with runners in scoring position, and only avoided a shutout Monday on Juan Uribe's ninth-inning homer.

Matt Wisler (1-1, 3.75) allowed six runs and nine hits in four innings opposite Fister in his second career start last week, and his ineffectiveness was compounded by two Braves errors that contributed to two runs being unearned.

The 23-year-old rookie was comfortable at home in winning his major league debut June 19, limiting the New York Mets to one run in eight innings of a 2-1 victory.

Since that April 27 defeat, Washington has reeled off nine straight wins over Atlanta by a combined 66-31 margin. It matches the Braves' longest losing streak to the Expos/Nationals franchise set June 18, 1972-June 5, 1973.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Braves
Tue, Jun 30 Final 6 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Nationals at Braves
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Nationals at Braves
Thu, Jul 2 - 7:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:27 PM

Preview: Giants (42-36) at Marlins (32-46)
Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: July 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

While the San Francisco Giants have had little trouble scoring runs on the road for Chris Heston, the Miami Marlins haven't done anything at the plate to support Dan Haren of late.

As Heston tries to record a fourth consecutive road victory while pitching for the first time in his home state, Haren looks to avoid his fourth straight losing decision Wednesday night.

Despite a 4.43 ERA, Heston (8-5, 3.73 ERA) is 5-1 in seven road starts and has received an average 8.65 runs of support - second highest in the majors. San Francisco (42-36) has scored at least five runs with the rookie right-hander on the mound while winning his last five away from home.

"When I'm out there, they're swinging the bats really well for me," he told MLB's official website.

The Giants took that offensive success behind Heston home with them Thursday when he allowed two runs in seven innings of a 13-8 victory over San Diego.

This will be the first appearance versus Miami (32-46) for Heston, who hails some 170 miles up the coast in Palm Bay. Prior to the start of this series, Heston received the keys to that city in honor of his no-hitter against the New York Mets on June 9.

The Marlins failed to provide Haren (6-5, 3.38) with a single run in his last three outings, going 1 for 21 with runners in scoring position while being outscored 14-2.

"It's hard, especially at my age, at this stage of my career, it's hard to deal with," said Haren, who turns 35 in September. "I feel for the other 24 guys in here."

For the third time in 15 starts, the right-hander yielded more than four runs Thursday with four over six-plus innings of a 5-1 home defeat to St. Louis.

"Definitely have to execute better," he said.

The Marlins gave Haren plenty of support May 7 when he allowed two runs in seven innings of a 7-2 win at San Francisco. In the last three seasons, Haren is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in three starts against the Giants.

Dee Gordon, a roommate of Heston at the former Seminole Community College, hit a three-run inside-the-park homer as Miami scored more than three runs for the first time in eight games to win 5-3 on Tuesday. It was the first homer of the season for Gordon, whose .351 average ranks among the major league leaders and is 6 for 14 with four RBIs in three games versus San Francisco this season.

Gordon joked he might need to improve his power numbers to help fill the void left by injured slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

'I've got to pick up the power with him gone,' the lanky Gordon said. 'We're like the same size.'

Despite the victory, Miami went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position, and is 3 for 48 on a 2-5 homestand.

With a home run Tuesday, San Francisco's Buster Posey is 11 for 24 with two home runs, four doubles and 13 RBIs in his last six contests. He's 2 for 9 with a homer versus Haren.

Angel Pagan is 6 for 11 with a double, triple and home run against Haren.

Dealing with injuries to veterans Hunter Pence and Tim Lincecum, the Giants finished 12-14 in June after going 21-9 in May.

'I'm not happy with it, but we're trying to hold ground here,' manager Bruce Bochy said.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Marlins
Tue, Jun 30 Final 3 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Marlins
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Giants at Marlins
Thu, Jul 2 - 12:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:28 PM

Preview: Cubs (40-35) at Mets (40-38)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: July 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Joe Maddon brought in a magician to snap the Cubs out of a funk. He can only hope Jon Lester fell under his spell.

After some excellent pitching helped the Cubs end their longest slide of the season, Maddon is looking for that to rub off on Lester as the left-hander tries for his first win in more than six weeks Wednesday night against the New York Mets.

With Chicago (40-35) mired in a five-game losing streak, Maddon hired a magician to entertain the team in another of his tension-reducing stunts that made him popular with Tampa Bay.

It seemed to do the trick, as the Cubs got an RBI double from Matt Szczur to edge the Mets 1-0 in Tuesday's opener. They've won seven straight over New York (40-38), one shy of their record in the all-time series most recently done from 2003-04.

"I just felt more comfortable and, I'm sure the guys felt the same, because he kind of tones it down a little bit, lets you relax," Szczur said about Maddon. "It was a fun time."

Lester (4-6, 4.03 ERA) isn't having much fun as he struggles to live up to the six-year, $155 million free-agent contract he signed over the winter. The three-time All-Star owns the most losses on the team and his ERA is his highest in three years.

Lester is 0-4 with a 4.43 ERA in seven starts since beating Pittsburgh on May 16. However, he's only been backed by seven runs over that stretch, getting one or none in five.

"I feel good going into starts," Lester said. "It's not like I'm searching for things."

He was searching for his command in Thursday's 4-0 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He surrendered four runs with five strikeouts and four walks in four innings in his shortest outing as a Cub.

"It just comes down to the things I keep preaching and harping on, is fastball location and executing pitches," Lester said. "That's what it comes down to, and I'm not doing it consistently enough right now to help this team."

He gave up three runs and two homers while issuing four walks in six innings of a 4-3 win over New York on May 11.

Lester could be in for some better results Wednesday. The Mets are hitting .176 while averaging 1.8 runs during a 4-8 stretch. They mustered just three hits in the series opener as their four-game winning streak came to an end.

New York has a .192 average with 10 runs in five meetings with the Cubs this season, with Michael Cuddyer going 2 for 17. He's 2 for 28 over his last nine games overall.

The Mets are turning to their own struggling veteran in Bartolo Colon (9-6, 4.89), who is 3-5 with a 6.50 ERA over his last eight starts to nearly double his ERA from his first seven.

The right-hander has lost his last two, surrendering 11 runs and 19 hits in 10 1-3 innings. Both of those outings came on the road, though, and he's won six of eight home starts and three in a row behind a 3.79 ERA.

Colon is 0-2 with a 4.73 ERA in five career starts against Chicago, one of two teams (Arizona) that he's failed to defeat in his 18-year career.

Cubs rookie Kris Bryant is 7 for 16 with two homers, five walks and four RBIs against the Mets.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at Mets
Tue, Jun 30 Final 1 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Cubs at Mets
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Cubs at Mets
Thu, Jul 2 - 1:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:30 PM

Preview: Indians (35-41) at Rays (42-37)
Game: 3
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: July 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Carlos Carrasco faced Tampa Bay less than two weeks ago and was about as hittable as he's been all season.

The way the Rays are batting entering Wednesday night's game at Tropicana Field, it looks as though the Cleveland Indians right-hander might have a decent shot at getting back at them and becoming the third AL pitcher to reach 10 wins.

After Tuesday's 6-2 victory, Cleveland (35-41) has taken the first two of the four-game set and three straight over Tampa Bay (42-37).

The Rays have scored three runs while batting .132 in those games, and the first four in the order - Kevin Kiermaier, Grady Sizemore, Evan Longoria and David DeJesus - are a combined 2 for 29 to open this series. Tampa Bay has also dropped seven of nine while scoring 2.4 runs per game.

"We'll get out of this funk," manager Kevin Cash said. "The bats, they're going to come alive. We're in one of those ruts."

It's also been a simple matter of location for Tampa Bay, which is 21-25 at Tropicana compared to 21-12 on the road.

Jason Kipnis continued to be a menace to Rays pitching with a home run. The second baseman, who's batting an MLB-leading .397 since the start of May, is 10 for 19 in the season series.

Carrasco (9-6, 4.16 ERA) is coming off one of his better starts, limiting Detroit to two runs and five hits in eight innings of last Wednesday's 8-2 home win. The right-hander came away with the decision to improve to 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA in his last seven starts after beginning the season 4-4 with a 4.98 mark through eight.

At least in the latest start, he credited the success to using more of the plate.

"I think it was important to throw inside," Carrasco told MLB's official website. "That's what I did from the beginning of the inning to the last one. I think that's more important to start throwing inside so all of the pitches down and away, they can't get."

The previous one came June 19 against Tampa Bay and Carrasco was stuck with the decision in a 4-1 loss after giving up three runs and a season high-matching 10 hits in 6 2-3 innings. Joey Butler and former Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera both homered off Carrasco and are 2 for 3 against him.

In the time Carrasco has racked up five wins, Alex Colome has zero. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 4.30 ERA in his last seven starts. The team has lost all seven, though Colome (3-3, 4.50) has at times deserved better with three runs and five hits allowed in 13 innings over his last two starts.

That was certainly the case in a 1-0 loss in Cleveland on June 21 in which Colome gave up a hit in seven scoreless innings for his longest and best start of the year.

He's 1-0 without allowing a run in 13 1-3 innings of two career starts against the Indians while holding Carlos Santana (0 for 6), Mike Aviles (0 for 4), David Murphy (0 for 4) and Yan Gomes (0 for 3 with three strikeouts) hitless.

Control, however, is becoming more of an issue. Colome gave up three runs and four hits with five walks in six innings of Friday's 4-3 home loss to Boston. He didn't receive the decision, though he's walked at least two batters in each start on the winless stretch for a rate of 4.78 per nine innings after posting a 1.11 over his first five.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Rays
Mon, Jun 29 Final 7 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Indians at Rays
Tue, Jun 30 Final 6 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Indians at Rays
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Indians at Rays
Thu, Jul 2 - 12:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:32 PM

Preview: Royals (44-30) at Astros (46-34)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: July 01, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

A home series sweep of the AL leading Kansas City Royals might provide another reason to believe the Houston Astros can remain a serious playoff contender as they approach the halfway point of the season.

They can do so by preventing Edinson Volquez from winning a fifth consecutive start Wednesday night.

Having witnessed Kansas City's surprise run to the World Series last season, Houston (46-34) might have the makings of a club on a similar path following four straight 90-loss seasons. After outscoring the Royals (44-30) 10-1 in the first two of this set, the Astros continue to move closer to the reigning AL champions.

Dallas Keuchel struck out seven over eight innings and George Springer hit a two-run homer to help the AL West leaders to a third consecutive victory, 4-0 on Tuesday. Though Keuchel fell short of his second straight complete game, he and the Astros have their sights set on the big picture.

"Most importantly we need to get through the game and get done, and have everybody feel good on the accumulation over the season," the left-hander said.

Kansas City totaled 21 runs during a four-game winning streak it took into this series, but has managed only a Salvador Perez homer and 12 other hits. The only time the Royals have been swept this season in a series of at least three games came at Yankee Stadium from May 25-27.

Volquez (8-4, 3.18 ERA) is 6-0 with a 2.09 ERA in eight starts against the Astros, but has not faced them since 2012.

The right-hander has a 2.96 ERA over his last four starts, and allowed one run, three hits and recorded his 1,000th strikeout in seven innings of Friday's 5-2 win at Oakland.

'I've been in the big leagues a long time, and that's like a goal,' said Volquez, who has fanned a team-high 65. 'I finally got it.'

Luis Valbuena and Colby Rasmus are a combined 8 for 21 (.381) with two homers and four doubles versus Volquez. Rasmus, though, is expected to miss a fifth consecutive contest due to a skin infection on his left arm caused by a bug bite.

Evan Gattis is 0 for 5 against Volquez, but batting .389 in the last five games.

Teammate Vincent Velasquez (0-0, 3.72) lasted 6 1-3 innings - the longest of his four career starts - and gave up two runs during a 3-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday.

"All the other starts I wasn't having fun but (Friday), I really locked in and went out there and was myself," the right-hander told MLB's official website.

Manager A.J. Hinch also saw progress from Velasquez, who walked one after yielding 10 in the first three outings.

"Just a really, really good start to build on for him," he said. "That's his best outing, his best stuff."

Velasquez likely won't have to face Eric Hosmer, who is expected to miss a third straight game with a sprained left ring finger.

"We'll let the swelling go down and soreness go out," manager Ned Yost said."

Lorenzo Cain, who doubled twice and singled Tuesday for the Royals, is batting .360 in his last 14 games.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Astros
Mon, Jun 29 Final 1 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Astros
Tue, Jun 30 Final 0 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Royals at Astros
Wed, Jul 1 - 8:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-01-2015, 12:34 PM

Preview: White Sox (33-42) at Cardinals (51-25)
Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 01, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

Chris Sale mowed through the St. Louis lineup on his way to entering the record books and helping the Chicago White Sox snap a pair of Cardinals winning streaks.

Another left-hander now looks to help the White Sox accomplish something no team has done at Busch Stadium all season.

Jose Quintana takes the mound Wednesday night as Chicago seeks a two-game sweep of St. Louis.

Sale matched Pedro Martinez's MLB record set in 1999 of striking out at least 10 in eight straight starts by fanning 12 Cardinals over eight innings in the White Sox's 2-1, 11-inning win Tuesday night.

Randal Grichuk homered in the fourth for St. Louis (51-25), which had won nine straight at home and six in a row overall. Every Cardinals starter struck out at least once by the sixth inning.

'It's good to get out there and face that type of competition,' said Xavier Scruggs, who struck out three times after going 7 for 11 over his previous three games. 'You always want to face the best.'

Quintana (3-7, 3.95 ERA) isn't as overpowering as Sale, but his approach has helped him post a 2.97 ERA over his last six starts. Another solid outing could help the White Sox (33-42) become the only team to sweep the Cardinals in a series of any length at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis is a baseball-best 29-8 at home, and the only visitor to win twice in a series there is Detroit on May 15 and 16.

Quintana, who won his only start in St. Louis by giving up one run in 5 1-3 innings June 12, 2012, allowed three runs and 11 hits in six innings of Chicago's 5-4 loss to Detroit on Friday. It marked the first time in 15 outings that he didn't walk a batter.

Quintana was in line for the victory before the Tigers tied it with a homer leading off the seventh. Five of Quintana's defeats have come when he's allowed three runs or fewer.

"I tried to get my outs, tried to get the game close," Quintana said. "(I'll) come back (in my next start)."

The White Sox didn't need many runs Tuesday, and they'll now try to win back-to-back road games for the first time since May 27 and 28. Jose Abreu's single in the third drove in Sale before Tyler Flowers hit a two-out homer in the 11th.

'You don't want to waste those opportunities," Flowers said.

Chicago could again find itself scrounging for runs as John Lackey (6-4, 3.35) takes the hill.

Lackey is 2-0 with a 2.05 ERA in three starts since giving up 10 runs in four innings at Colorado on June 8. He held the Chicago Cubs to two runs in seven innings Friday before the Cardinals rallied for a 3-2 victory in 10.

The right-hander threw 95 pitches through five innings but needed just 11 to get through the next two.

"He's a guy that thrives in a game like that," manager Mike Matheny said. "He figures out a way to keep us close."

Lackey, who is 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA in eight home starts, hasn't faced the White Sox since 2010 while with Boston. He's had some experience against Melky Cabrera, who is 10 for 33 with three doubles in their matchups.

Cabrera hit .444 over his previous seven before going 0 for 4 on Tuesday.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
White Sox at Cardinals
Tue, Jun 30 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
White Sox at Cardinals
Wed, Jul 1 - 8:15PM EDT

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