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**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 01:48 AM

MLB

Wednesday, July 1

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July Good Month/Bad Month Pitchers
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Fireworks and the MLB All-Star game signal the month of July. It also signifies the start of the second half of the MLB campaign. The key to each and every team’s fortune lies on the pitching staff. Can they sustain or will they unravel like a cheap suit? Stay tuned.

What we do know is certain pitchers love hurling this time of the season while others tend to get lit up like a roman candle on the 4th of July.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of July. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in July, winning 33 percent or less of their team-start efforts To qualify, pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each July over the last three years. And for your convenience, alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.

Note: * designates a categorical repeat appearance by this pitcher, maintaining status quo from last season’s April list.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Chen, Wei-Yin • 10-3 / 5-1 H

The Orioles' Chen is having another solid season as his 2.90 ERA indicates he's just not gotten a lot run support which is explains his 3-4 record. Very good life on a low to mid 90's fastball and if the Baltimore bats stay hot, the wins will come for Chen.

Colon, Bartolo • 11-5 / 5-0 A

Hard to believe the rolly-polly 42-year old right-hander is still around in the big leagues and still throwing 80 percent fastballs at his age. Though he still has a winning record, Colon 's ERA is almost five and opposing teams are hitting .282 against him. Let's see if he has a typical July for him as his numbers are beginning to slip.

Fister, Doug • 12-3 / 5-1 H

Started the season poorly, got injured and is working his way back. You know Fister is on his game when there are a lot of ground ball outs or lazy fly balls. Has to keep top of hand on top of the ball to get the sinking action he needs.

Hellickson, Jeremy • 8-4 / 4-1 A

Really nothing more than a back of the rotation pitcher with ordinary stuff. Hellickson can put together two or three quality starts than get hit like a stalled car on the tracks with a train coming. Not sure he will have same success this month going from Tampa Bay to Arizona.

Hernandez, Felix • 11-5 / 5-2 A

After a sensational first two months, King Felix saw his ERA jump from 1.91 in late May to 3.24 on June 22. He only had 21 strikeouts in that five starts stretch and allowed nine or more fly balls on three different occasions, very unusual for Hernandez. Still opposing hitters are only batting .204 against and chances are he will return to being the King.

*Hudson, Tim • 11-4 / 7-1 A

Another elder statesman who turns 39 this month, Hudson enjoyed a long and great career. No question he's at the end of the line with opposing hitters batting .291 against vs. .251 lifetime but still capable of quality starts and keeping San Francisco in games when he takes the ball.

*Kershaw, Clayton • 13-4 / 7-2 A

As July commences, Kershaw will be working a three-game losing for the first time in his career. Nothing physically wrong with the three-time Cy Young winner, just pitching into bad luck and making a mistake or two a game which we are not used to seeing. However, there is no doubt he could be unbeatable this month like in the past.

Liriano Francisco • 10-5 / 5-2 H

Despite a below .500 record, the Pirates lefty has held opposing hitters to .189 and his WHIP is 1.01. All Liriano needs is a few more runs from his Pittsburgh teammates and his three-pitch arsenal will start adding up to more victories.

Lohse, Kyle • 12-5 / 8-1 H

The Milwaukee right-hander season has mirrored that of his Brewers teammates with a 4-9 record and 6.28 ERA. Besides allowing well over a hit an inning, Lohse has given up almost as many home runs as walks permitted (19 vs.20) this campaign. No sure Lohse will duplicate past success.

*Porcello, Rick • 9-4 / 6-1 H

Almost every off-season signing has backfired for Boston including bringing in Porcello. His sorry 4-8 record is well-deserved as his 5.54 ERA indicates. Enemy hitters are getting great cuts and knocking him around for a .286 batting average. Like Lohse, Porcello has one of the worst ERA's among hurlers with 10 or more starts. Can he turn it around?

Price, David • 12-4 / 7-1 A

Though he does not win every time, it has to make any manager very comfortable to be handing the ball to Price every five games. Expertly commands two and four-seam fastballs and can strikeout anybody with his a couple of hard-breaking curves or changeups. Has almost a 5-to-1 K/W ratio and fun to watch as a maestro.

Samardzija, Jeff • 10-5 / 5-2 H

After a strong season a year ago, has returned to prior form of most of his career on the other side of Chicago. He's not fooling anybody with a .286 BA allowed and he's on pace to surrender 27 homers. Needs big July to help the White Sox.

Scherzer, Max • 11-4 / 6-2 H

The best pitcher in baseball in 2015 thus far with a minuscule 1.79 ERA and WHIP you need reading glasses to find at 0.79. In 110 1/3 innings he fanned 130 and walked 14 (not a misprint), with one hit batter that prevented perfect game. Walks around the mound like he's king of the jungle... and he is.

*Tillman, Chris • 10-5 / 5-1

It has not been an easy campaign for the Baltimore hurler with a losing record, with an ERA over 5.50 the first three months of the season and a wayward WHIP of 1.51. The top four hitters on the opposing teams lineup card have .375 OBP against Tillman. He will have to regain confidence to match past numbers this month.

Volquez, Edinson • 10-5 / 6-2 A

Having a good year with the defending AL champion Royals at 8-4 with a 3.18 ERA and doing splendid work controlling lefty batters who are at just .210 against Volquez. Should continue with another stellar July.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Hammel, Jason • 2-11 / 0-4 H

Not many pitchers actively want to pitch in Wrigley Field and for the Chicago Cubs, but Hammel is a rare exception. The Greenville, SC native might have stunk it up for other teams with a below .500 record and 4.46 ERA, but Hammel is 5-3 with 2.92 ERA on the north side of Chi-Town this season. Will his turnaround continue?

Haren, Dan • 3-8 / 0-6 A

Having a much stronger year than anticipated with a 3.38 ERA and WHIP of 1.01. Haren was about ready to retire but decided to give one more shot, but has not won in four starts with poor run support and not being as effective as he was the first two months. On a lousy team without Giancarlo Stanton, Haren might be in line for another miserable month.

Keuchel, Dallas • 4-10 / 1-4 H

Be all appearances, the Astros ace might be doing a 180-degree turn based on previous July's. Now extremely confident in his abilities, the Houston lefty has a .194 BA conceded and a WHIP under one (0.96). Why opposing managers even have a left-handed bat in the lineup is a mystery since they are hitting a feeble .136 against Keuchel.

*Norris, Bud • 2-11 / 1-6 A

Though Baltimore has blossomed to take over first place in the AL East, Norris has not been a part of their turnaround. The right-hander's ERA is 'down' to around 7.00 and his WHIP of 1.61 explains how hittable he's been, plus walking other batters. Looks like ‘Play Against’ material until further notice.

Strasburg, Stephen • 5-12 / 2-8 H

Strasburg was a wreck, but maybe the time on the DL has straightened out his arm, body and head. In his last two starts of June, Strasburg had 15 strikeouts and just eight hits allowed in 12 innings. Do not imagine baseball bettors are willing to compare him to teammate Scherzer yet, and will take a wait and see attitude on the 26-year old.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:31 AM

(AP) - Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez says his long layoff was a life lesson, even if it was lousy for his career.

Veteran right-hander Matt Cain has also learned a few things during his extended time away from the San Francisco Giants.

Both pitchers make their long-awaited returns as Fernandez takes the mound opposite Cain on Thursday in the conclusion of a three-game series at Marlins Park.

Fernandez said he's a better person for having made the taxing, tedious recovery from Tommy John surgery and he'll now get the ball for the first time since May 9, 2014.

"I've been waiting 13 months," the 22-year-old said. "If I've learned something, it's how to be patient at my age."

It's been nearly as long a journey for Cain, who hasn't pitched in the big leagues since July 9. The right-hander's 2014 season ended when he had elbow surgery in August to remove bone chips, and he's been out this year with a flexor tendon strain.

"It's been a long road, but it's going to be worth it," Cain told MLB's website. "It's definitely a lot longer road than we expected. But that's just the way it goes."

Fernandez has always been in a hurry. He pitched only 27 games in the minor leagues, joined the Marlins (33-46) at age 20 and became NL Rookie of the Year at 21 in 2013. He was the Marlins' opening day starter last year, but his ascent was interrupted by an elbow ligament injury that required reconstructive surgery.

Then came the wait to return. Is Fernandez proud of his patience?

"The first four months, no chance," he said with a laugh. "Now I feel like I've gotten a little better, not only for pitching, but for life."

While the World Series champion Giants (42-37) have stayed in the thick of the playoff chase despite a wave of injuries, the Marlins are hoping Fernandez can turn their season around.

Despite high expectations, they have fallen into a deep hole in the NL East and are without injured slugger Giancarlo Stanton for four to six weeks.

At a minimum, the dynamic Fernandez should improve the mood in the clubhouse and stir fan interest. The Marlins expect a crowd of 25,000 to 30,000 for Thursday's noon start.

"This team, this organization, this city should be excited to have a guy of his ability back in the rotation," manager Dan Jennings said. "I know he's excited, and we're excited about him coming back."

Fernandez will get six days' rest before his second start, which is scheduled to be at Marlins Park on July 9 against Cincinnati.

Yet to be determined is how soon Fernandez might resemble the pitcher who went 16-8 with a 2.25 ERA in 36 career starts before his injury. He endured no significant setbacks during his rehabilitation.

Fernandez will be on a "common-sense" pitch count, said Jennings, who didn't elaborate. The right-hander threw 90 pitches in his final Double-A rehab start Saturday. Backup Jeff Mathis, who has worked with Fernandez since 2013, will be behind the plate.

"To be back in that circle," Fernandez said, "is going to be really special."

Cain seems to have also gained a newfound appreciation for how special it is to be on the mound in a major league park.

"You get it taken away from you for an amount of time, whatever that time is, you definitely learn to appreciate it," Cain said. "It's supposed to be fun."

With Cain and Jake Peavy, who has also been out with an injury, rejoining a rotation that features Madison Bumgarner, Chris Heston and Ryan Vogelsong, the second-place Giants could be poised to make a move in the NL West.

Cain is 6-4 with a 3.20 ERA in 14 starts against the Marlins, who got a three-run homer from Justin Bour in the ninth Wednesday for a 6-5 win and 2-0 lead in this series.

Fernandez has never faced San Francisco but is 7-2 with a 2.18 ERA in 10 career outings against NL West opponents.

Giants catcher Buster Posey left Wednesday's game as a precaution after taking a foul ball off his mask. Posey, who was struck in the fourth and exited in the sixth, passed a concussion test and hopes to play Thursday.

''I feel good,'' Posey said. ''I just got my bell rung. I've felt it before, no headache or dizziness or anything. I just felt a little bit off.''

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:35 AM

The Tampa Bay Rays have managed just six hits through the first three games of this series with the Cleveland Indians - none coming before the sixth inning.

Facing the offensively inept Rays could help Corey Kluber earn the victory that's eluded him for more than a month.

Cleveland looks to deal host Tampa Bay a fifth straight defeat Thursday while spoiling the return of Matt Moore, who makes his first start in 14 months.

The Rays (42-38) have averaged 2.3 runs during a 2-8 stretch, a slump that began with a 1-0 loss at Cleveland on June 21. The Indians (36-41) have continued to shut down the Tampa offense while becoming the first club in the expansion era to take a perfect game into the sixth inning in three straight contests.

Cody Anderson allowed his first baserunner in the seventh of Monday's 7-1 victory and Danny Salazar held the Rays hitless until the sixth in a 6-2 victory Tuesday.

Carlos Carrasco followed by tossing a perfect game through 7 1-3 innings Wednesday before walking Joey Butler and then losing the no-hitter with two outs in the ninth on Butler's RBI single in an 8-1 victory.

"They've been outstanding," Rays manager Kevin Cash said of Cleveland's starters in the series. "Cody Anderson is a little bit of an unknown. The other two guys, you could argue their stuff is as good as Chris Archer's - big fastballs, wipe-out breaking balls. They just happened to stack a couple of them against us in a row."

Now the Rays will try to solve Kluber (3-9, 3.66 ERA), who is seeking his first victory since beating Seattle on May 28. The reigning AL Cy Young winner is 0-4 with a 3.97 ERA in five starts since after allowing three runs and striking out 10 in seven innings of Friday's 4-3 loss to Baltimore.

The Indians have lost 13 of Kluber's 16 starts. He's received six runs of support during his winless stretch, dropping his run-support average to a major league-low 2.28.

"He's a tough kid," manager Terry Francona said. "He'll show up tomorrow and work his rear end off just like he always does. And again, every time he pitches, we feel good."

The right-hander didn't allow a hit over the final four of his seven innings in his last start against the Rays on June 20, but he gave up three runs in the first - including a two-run homer to Evan Longoria - and another in the third of a 4-1 loss.

Tampa looks to snap out of its offensive funk in order to back Moore, who hasn't pitched in the majors since April 7, 2014 - his second start of that year. He had Tommy John surgery later that month.

"It almost seems as if the last 14 months were kind of foggy when I was thinking of certain moments," Moore told MLB's official website. "To be back here, finally, knowing I don't have another plane ride and no more rehab starts, it feels good.

"I'm anxious, I'm excited. I feel ready."

The left-hander was an All-Star in 2013 when he went 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA. He went 0-2 with a 2.95 ERA in five rehab starts with Class-A Charlotte and Triple-A Durham.

Moore didn't pitch more than 5 1-3 innings in any of his rehab outings, and he'll likely be on a pitch count as Cleveland looks to sweep the four-game set.

Brandon Moss had a two-run double in the second before his three-run homer in the eighth Wednesday. He went 6 for 50 over his previous 14 games.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:36 AM

The Detroit Tigers are starting to feel fortunate they don't have to face Neil Walker very often. They'll be feeling even better once his current visit is done.

Walker will try to continue inflicting damage on Detroit pitching Thursday when he tries to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to their fifth win in six games and first three-game sweep of the Tigers.

After going 4 for 32 over his previous 10 games while dealing with a right hip and core injury, Walker seemed to get his stroke back while going 4 for 9 in three games prior to facing the Tigers.

The second baseman delivered the go-ahead RBI double in the 14th inning of Tuesday's 5-4 victory before finishing with a season-high four hits - including two home runs - in Wednesday's 9-3 win.

He's gone 17 for 40 with four homers over his last nine games against the Tigers.

''We've got a day game (Thursday), so there's not much I can do tonight,'' Walker said. ''But you certainly celebrate a day like this in your mind.''

Starling Marte also homered Wednesday, part of his four-hit effort that matched a career high. Gregory Polanco had three hits and Pedro Alvarez added his 11th homer.

Pittsburgh (44-33), which put up 21 hits for the first time since May 2004, will try to win for the ninth time in its last 13 road games behind Francisco Liriano (4-6, 3.21 ERA).

The left-hander's .189 batting average against is second only to Washington's Max Scherzer (.180) among qualifying pitchers.

Liriano had a 1.52 ERA in six road starts before giving up five runs and a season high-tying seven hits over 5 2-3 innings in a 6-0 loss to the Nationals on June 20. He wasn't sharp again Friday, but wiggled out of trouble in allowing two runs over seven in a 3-2, 10-inning home win over Atlanta.

Liriano is 1-9 with a 6.84 ERA in his last 11 starts versus Detroit, losing his last four. However, he yielded two runs and three hits over six innings in a 5-2 loss at Comerica Park last August before giving up one run and four hits over seven in a 1-0 home loss April 15.

Rajai Davis homered off Liriano to account for the only run in the last matchup. Victor Martinez should be glad to see Liriano again since he's 13 for 28 with a home run and six doubles against him.

Miguel Cabrera, though, is 2 for 15 versus Liriano since the start of 2011. Ian Kinsler is 3 for 20 lifetime in the matchup and Yoenis Cespedes has gone 1 for 12.

J.D. Martinez stayed hot Wednesday with three more hits. The outfielder has gone 6 for 10 with a home run in this series and is batting .365 with 10 homers and 21 RBIs over his last 15 games.

The Tigers (39-38), who rank among the major league leaders with a .276 average against left-handers, hope to avoid their fifth loss in seven games. Kyle Ryan (1-1, 4.56) was supposed to pitch Saturday until a rainout and Justin Verlander's return pushed back his outing.

The left-hander, who has never faced Pittsburgh, allowed three runs over 3 2-3 innings in an 8-5 win at Cleveland in his last start June 22. He also gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning of relief two days later.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:37 AM

Anthony Rizzo stood on third base and shouted into the Chicago Cubs' dugout, "It's magic," after being ruled safe following a seemingly impossible slide in the latest win over the New York Mets in an extremely low-scoring series.

Jacob deGrom couldn't fool the Cubs when he faced them in mid-May, but he's been excellent ever since.

He'll oppose Jake Arrieta on Thursday as Chicago looks to sweep this three-game set at Citi Field.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon hired a magician to perform in the clubhouse prior to Tuesday's opener in an attempt to loosen a club that had scored six runs during a five-game losing streak.

Chicago (41-35) still hasn't been able to produce much offensively - it has scored fewer than three runs in eight straight - but the move seems to have put a hex on the Mets' lineup. The Cubs took the series opener 1-0 before RBI singles from Starlin Castro and Miguel Montero in the 11th gave them a 2-0 victory Wednesday.

The most exciting highlight, though, came when Rizzo stole third after doubling in the ninth, stopping short on his slide and avoiding the tag from Daniel Murphy after Kevin Plawecki's throw beat Rizzo by plenty.

''We're a little bit challenged offensively right now,'' Maddon said. ''A lot of times teams will sink because of that. We have not and I really appreciate that a lot.''

The Cubs had no trouble getting to deGrom (8-5, 2.15 ERA) on May 11. Rizzo made it back-to-back homers following Kris Bryant's two-run shot in the first inning of the Cubs' 4-3 victory, as deGrom allowed four runs and five hits in five innings.

The right-hander also finished with that exact line in his only other start against the Cubs, a 7-4 loss June 5, 2014.

In the eight outings since facing Chicago nearly two months ago, deGrom has gone 5-1 with a 1.23 ERA while recording a quality start in each. He's struck out 63 while walking six in 58 2-3 innings with opponents batting .160 in that stretch.

''He's got tremendous stuff,'' manager Terry Collins said after deGrom gave up four hits in eight innings of Thursday's 2-0 win at Milwaukee. ''He's not going through any sophomore slump. He's making the adjustments and making pitches."

So has Arrieta (7-5, 2.94), who followed up a four-hit shutout of Minnesota on June 21 by allowing one run and three hits in seven innings against St. Louis on Friday before the Cubs fell 3-2 in 10.

The right-hander has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 11 of 15 starts.

''I got into a groove and was able to hold them off,'' Arrieta said. ''But they did what they do, they fought back. This was a tough one."

Arrieta didn't have much trouble in either of his last two starts against the Mets (40-39), giving up two hits in seven scoreless innings of a 2-1 road win Aug. 17 and allowing one run and striking out 10 in eight innings of a 6-1 victory May 12.

Those offensive numbers resemble how the Mets have been hitting lately. They've averaged 1.7 runs during a 4-9 stretch and are on the verge of being held scoreless in a three-game series for the first time in club history.

New York hasn't been shut out in three straight since being blanked twice by San Diego and once by Philadelphia from July 25-27, 1992. Collins could only joke about the current slump, referencing Maddon's hiring of the magician.

"I brought in a witch doctor to clean out the clubhouse, get all the bad spirits out of there," he said.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:38 AM

If the Milwaukee Brewers are to extend their longest winning streak of the season, they'll likely need Matt Garza to end his latest rough stretch.

The right-hander looks to avoid a fourth consecutive losing start while trying to help the visiting Brewers complete a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies with a fifth straight victory Thursday night.

A winner in seven of nine, Milwaukee (32-48) has totaled 20 runs and 43 hits in three wins over the only team in the majors with a worse record than its own. Adam Lind homered and Scooter Gennett had three hits with three RBIs as the Brewers rolled to a sixth consecutive victory at Philadelphia (27-53), 9-5 on Wednesday.

They've outscored the Phillies 45-22 during that road streak and recorded at least 10 hits in each contest.

''We've got some confident hitters right now,'' Brewers manager Craig Counsell. ''The guys are really swinging the bats.''

Lind is batting .417 with three homers and 11 RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak while Gennett has hit .360 (9 for 25) in his last seven.

Aramis Ramirez is 5 for 9 with seven RBIs in the series.

"I feel pretty good at the plate,'' Ramirez said. ''I'm using the whole field and hitting some good pitches.''

One night after helping Aaron Harang become the majors' first 11-game loser, the Brewers hope Garza (4-10, 5.52 ERA) can avoid joining him. After going 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA during a three-start stretch from May 31-June 11, Garza is 0-3 with an 8.50 ERA.

"I'm going to find it," he told MLB's official website after allowing four runs on two homers in six innings of a 5-2 loss to Minnesota on Saturday. "I'm going to keep working, keep looking and eventually it's all going to click."

Garza has allowed six of his 16 homers in the last four outings.

"I do think it's something you have to keep the ball in the ballpark as a pitcher," Counsell said.

Though Garza is 2-2 in seven starts against the Phillies, he's posted a 1.86 ERA.

He'll get his first look at Maikel Franco, who had three doubles and two RBIs as the Phillies lost for the sixth time in seven games. The rookie third baseman is hitting a team-leading .305 and second with 34 RBIs.

"The whole point of this year basically is to see young guys, help us get ready for next year and beyond," manager Pete Mackanin said.

Chad Billingsley (0-2, 6.75) will come off the disabled list from a shoulder strain to make his first appearance since allowing two runs in six innings of a 4-3 win over Arizona on May 15. It was his third start since returning May 5 from a pair of elbow surgeries that forced him to miss most of 2013 and all last season.

The right-hander, who last faced Milwaukee in 2012, went 1-1 with a 5.06 ERA in three rehab appearances, including two starts, at Triple-A Lehigh Valley last month.

Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard is 1 for 12 in the last four games and 0 for 13 with five strikeouts against Garza.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:39 AM

After coming up short on their first attempt, the Texas Rangers should feel confident about clinching their first series win over the Baltimore Orioles in three years.

Red-hot Yovani Gallardo takes the mound in the finale Thursday night looking to extend the majors' longest active shutout streak and help the Rangers take three of four at Camden Yards.

Texas (40-39) put up a combined 16 runs and 26 hits in winning the first two games of this series before Baltimore starter Wei-Yin Chen held the club to two runs and four hits in Wednesday's 4-2 win.

The Rangers, however, might not need a big effort at the plate to wrap up their first series win over the AL East-leading Orioles (42-36) since August 2012. They had lost 11 of 12 meetings prior to this series.

Gallardo has gone 4-0 with an MLB-best 0.99 ERA in seven starts since May 24. He hasn't surrendered a home run over that span, holding the opposition to five hits or fewer in each of those outings.

The right-hander carries a career-high 23 1-3-inning scoreless streak into this game after limiting Toronto - averaging a baseball-best 5.37 runs - to three hits over 8 1-3 innings in Saturday's 4-0 road win. It's the first time he's had three straight scoreless starts since September 2007 while with Milwaukee.

His streak, which spans over parts of four starts, is the longest run by a Rangers starter since Martin Perez had a 26-inning run in April 2014.

"Every pitch, he throws where he wants to. It's hard to put a good swing on it when you locate a pitch like he does," catcher Robinson Chirinos told MLB's official website. "He moves the ball in when he has to, throws breaking balls when he needs to."

In his only start against the Orioles, Gallardo (7-6, 2.72 ERA) surrendered three runs and four hits while walking five over 6 2-3 innings in an 8-3 home win May 28, 2014.

Travis Snider is 3 for 14 when facing Gallardo, Steve Pearce is 2 for 14 with a home run and Chris Davis, Adam Jones and Manny Machado are a combined 0 for 9.

The Orioles have hit .288 with 35 home runs while averaging 6.1 runs over their past 21 games. Jimmy Paredes and J.J. Hardy both homered and knocked in two runs Wednesday.

Kevin Gausman (1-0, 4.24) is expected to be recalled from Triple-A to make his second start in 10 appearances this season. He allowed two runs and four hits over five innings in a 5-3 win at Toronto on June 20.

The right-hander gave up two runs, two hits and walked two in 1 2-3 innings of relief the only time he faced Texas in an 8-4 home loss in July 2013. Prince Fielder has a home run in two at-bats off Gausman, but he's 2 for 13 in this series after entering with an AL-best .351 average.

Shin-Soo Choo homered for the third straight game Wednesday and is trying to become the first Rangers player to go deep in four consecutive contests since Mike Napoli in 2012.

Josh Hamilton, hitting .390 with 10 home runs in his last 17 games at Camden, is expected to play after resting Wednesday. He returned from a 26-game absence due to a strained left hamstring Tuesday.

Baltimore, seeking a 5-2 homestand, designated outfielder Delmon Young for assignment Wednesday.

''We've got good quality people and you reach a point where you can't keep them all,'' manager Buck Showalter said.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:40 AM

The Toronto Blue Jays finally busted out of some woes at the plate.

That figures to be bad news for Boston Red Sox starter Wade Miley as he faces the club that excels the most against left-handers.

Miley has lost his last five starts against division opponents and gets the ball Thursday night as the visiting Red Sox look to capture a four-game series.

Toronto (42-38) closed out June by totaling seven runs while batting .154 in losing three of four, including the first two games of this series. The Blue Jays built a seven-run lead after two innings Wednesday and cruised to an 11-2 rout to snap the Red Sox's three-game win streak.

Justin Smoak homered from both sides of the plate, three other Blue Jays went deep and Jose Reyes had four hits and scored four runs as Toronto finished with 16 hits - one shy of matching a season high.

''This is what we needed,'' manager John Gibbons said. ''We've been shut down the past few days.''

Now it's up to Miley (7-7, 4.38 ERA) to slow down that attack after going 0-5 with a 7.01 ERA in his last five outings against the AL East. That includes a 7-0 loss at Toronto on May 8 in which he surrendered four runs in six innings.

That victory is part of the Blue Jays' AL-best 11-5 mark against left-handed starters. Toronto leads the majors with a .306 average against southpaws.

Reyes is 4 for 8 against Miley and Edwin Encarnacion is 3 for 4 with two doubles. Russell Martin has faced Miley the most among Toronto hitters, going 3 for 12 with six strikeouts.

Miley pitches his best in July, going 11-4 with a 2.40 ERA. He went 3-2 with a 3.30 ERA in five starts in June after allowing two runs over 6 1-3 innings in Saturday's 4-1 defeat at Tampa Bay.

Boston (36-44) owns a .226 average against left-handers for one of baseball's worst marks as it gets its first look at Toronto rookie Matt Boyd, who makes his second start.

Boyd gave up four runs - three on solo homers - in 6 2-3 innings in Saturday's 4-0 loss to Texas in his big-league debut. He was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo to take the place of the injured Aaron Sanchez.

"I wasn't nervous, I was excited," said Boyd, who allowed nine hits and struck out seven with no walks. "It's definitely something to build on."

He hopes Toronto can duplicate its outburst from Wednesday. Encarnacion hit a three-run homer and Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson also went deep, with Bautista ending an 0-for-25 slump with a two-run shot in the second inning.

Boston outfielder Hanley Ramirez went 1 for 4 with a triple as he returned to the lineup after missing six games with a sore left hand.

Mookie Betts, who homered Wednesday, is batting .404 during a 13-game hitting streak against Toronto. Manager John Farrell wasn't happy after the center fielder lost track of the number of outs in the sixth inning.

''There's no excuse for that,'' Farrell said. ''Losing track of the outs in the inning, it can't be accepted.''

Boston is expected to activate catcher Ryan Hanigan, out since May 1 with a fractured hand.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:41 AM

While Max Scherzer's teammates remain in awe over his recent dominance, the right-hander continues going about the business of winning games for the Washington Nationals.

He'll try to win a fourth consecutive start Thursday night against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.

Scherzer (9-5, 1.79 ERA) began his stellar three-start stretch by tossing a one-hitter at Milwaukee on June 14, then came within an out of a perfect game before settling for a no-hitter in a 6-0 win over Pittsburgh on June 20.

Six days later, he took a perfect game into the sixth inning then yielded two runs through eight of a 5-2 victory at Philadelphia.

"Every time he goes out there, it seems he's going to be perfect," teammate Matt den Dekker said. "It's fun to watch."

Owner of the second-lowest ERA in the majors, Scherzer has recorded 33 strikeouts over those three starts and hasn't yielded a walk in the last two.

"That's what you pride yourself on - just attacking the zone," Scherzer, whose 0.79 WHIP is by far the lowest in baseball, told MLB's official website. "For me, executing all your pitches now becomes a premium."

He's 5-2 with 1.40 ERA in eight road starts for Washington (43-35), which has lost two of three following an eight-game winning streak.

"Your focus is to win the ballgame," said Scherzer, who last faced the Braves in 2010. "That's the first and foremost thing you have to worry about."

He'll try to help the Nationals rebound after their nine-game winning streak over Atlanta (37-41) ended with Wednesday's 4-1 loss.

A.J. Pierzynski and Juan Uribe hit back-to-back homers to highlight a four-run fourth for the Braves, who have won two of three since a five-game overall slide that began with three consecutive losses to Washington.

Pierzynski is batting .421 (8 for 19) with 10 RBIs in five homes games against the Nationals this season. He hasn't faced Scherzer since 2013 but is hitting .333 (11 for 33) with a double, triple and a home run against him.

The veteran should be catching for highly touted prospect Manny Banuelos, who is expected to make his major league debut in place of the injured Williams Perez - and may help the Braves go 4-0 this season when their pitcher makes his first big league start.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2012 and missing all of the 2013 season, the left-hander spent last year in the minors before the New York Yankees traded him to Atlanta in January for fellow pitchers David Carpenter and Chasen Shreve. Banuelos was 6-2 with a 2.29 ERA in 15 starts for Triple-A Gwinnett this season.

"His makeup is unbelievable, and his mound presence is really good," Braves director of player development Dave Trembley said. "He's learned to pitch off of his fastball. He was a power pitcher coming up. He had the surgery, and he had to learn how to pitch again. He's learned to use his secondary pitches."

One of the challenges Banuelos will face is slugger Bryce Harper, who is hitting .385 in 10 games against the Braves this season. The talented outfielder met with manager Matt Williams after he failed to run hard on a fly ball in Tuesday's 6-1 victory.

"It's important for him to be passionate about the way he plays," Williams said. "In every aspect."

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:42 AM

The St. Louis Cardinals should be at the forefront of discussions if baseball entertains the idea of bringing the designated hitter to the NL.

Jaime Garcia has been pushed back in the rotation for a second time, giving Tim Cooney the opportunity to make his second major league start Thursday night against the slumping San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium.

Adam Wainwright tore his left Achilles while batting against Milwaukee on April 25. Garcia, who is 3-3 with a 1.69 ERA in seven starts, suffered a mild left groin strain rounding third base in his last outing June 24 at Miami after reaching on a base hit.

Garcia, who made 16 starts the previous two seasons and began 2015 on the disabled list while recovering from left shoulder surgery, won't go on the DL and hopes to pitch a game in Tuesday's doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs.

Cooney made his big league debut April 30 after Wainwright went on the DL, allowing three runs and seven hits in just 2 1-3 innings before St. Louis beat Philadelphia 9-3.

The left-hander was sent to the minors following that outing and has gone 4-3 with a 2.52 ERA in 11 starts since rejoining Triple-A Memphis. Cooney was pulled after 26 pitches in Sunday's start to keep him available if Garcia remained injured.

He'll look to help the Cardinals (51-26) avoid just their second three-game losing streak after they were swept in a two-game set against the White Sox at home.

St. Louis fell 2-1 in 11 innings Monday and 7-1 on Tuesday as the White Sox joined Detroit (May 15-16) as the only clubs to win back-to-back games at Busch Stadium in 2015.

The Cardinals, who went 0 for 16 with runners in scoring position in the two games, had outscored opponents 30-9 during a six-game winning streak prior to facing Chicago.

After a trio of rain delays in Wednesday night's game, manager Mike Matheny wouldn't blame the soggy conditions for the poor offensive showing.

"It's not like we're the only guys in a holding pattern. No excuse there," he said. "We've had plenty of experience in the rain and everybody does know the routine."

Offensive woes seem the least of San Diego's problems after interim manager Pat Murphy questioned his players' character.

The Padres (37-43) have dropped three straight after mustering a combined four hits against Seattle in Monday's 5-0 loss and Tuesday's 7-0 defeat. San Diego is 5-9 since Murphy took over after Bud Black was fired June 15.

He said it's been "an eye-opening learning experience."

"Guys not trusting their own ability. Guys not knowing how capable they are. Guys letting the outside expectations affect them," Murphy said. "We have work to do as an offensive club. There are no breaks."

The Padres now begin a 10-game trip that leads into the All-Star break, and Tyson Ross is hoping to help them get it off to a good start.

Ross (5-7, 3.57 ERA) was excellent in an 8-1 win over Arizona on June 20, allowing one run while tossing a four-hitter, then overcame five walks while allowing two runs and two hits in six innings of Friday's 4-2 victory over the Diamondbacks.

The right-hander has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of his last seven outings. He's gone 72 innings without allowing a homer since April 28.

"I was pleased that Tyson showed some mental toughness to get through some tough situations," Murphy said.

Ross struggled with his control against the Cardinals last season, walking nine in 12 innings while going 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two starts.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:42 AM

Perhaps a visit from the Minnesota Twins will help the Kansas City Royals move on from a rough end to an overall successful road trip.

The AL leaders can avoid matching a season high with their fourth consecutive loss by beating the Twins for a sixth time in seven games Thursday night.

Kansas City (44-31) won five of the first six on its nine-game trek before being swept at Houston. The Royals totaled six runs and 20 hits in the three losses and blew an early 3-0 lead in Wednesday's 6-5 defeat.

However, the Royals, who dropped four in a row May 24-27, are 6-3 against the Twins (41-37) this season and outscored them 25-12 while winning five of the last six.

After going 1-0 in two relief appearances against the Twins in April, Chris Young (7-3, 2.71 ERA) allowed a hit in 6 1-3 innings of a 2-0 victory at Minnesota on June 9.

The right-hander allowed one run in 16 2-3 innings to win his first three home starts since joining the rotation in early May, but has yielded 13 in 9 2-3 innings to lose the last two. However, Young bounced back from giving up a season-high seven of those runs to Boston on June 21 by allowing one earned run in six innings of a 3-2 win at Oakland on Saturday.

"It's not my first rodeo," Young told MLB's official website. "I've had bad games before and I'll have them again. But you come back and develop a game plan and you execute."

He could face Miguel Sano, the Twins top prospect who reportedly is expected to be called up to make his major league debut after struggling Kennys Vargas was optioned to Double-A Chattanooga. Likely to serve as the designated hitter, Sano was hitting .274 with 15 homers and 48 RBIs in 66 games for the Lookouts.

The Twins hope Sano fares better than fellow prized prospect Byron Buxton, who hit .189 (7 for 37) without a home run or RBI and struck out 15 times in his first 11 games before landing on the disabled list with sprained thumb Friday.

Minnesota could use a spark after managing four hits in losing for the seventh time in 11 games Wednesday, 2-1 at Cincinnati. Brian Dozier doubled in his second consecutive game, and is 11 for 30 (.367) in his last seven contests.

He's 2 for 11 with a double and a home run versus Young.

Kyle Gibson (5-6, 3.30) is 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA against the Royals this season but he snapped a three-start skid by allowing two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-2 victory at Milwaukee on Saturday.

"He's got to trust his stuff, it's really good," manager Paul Molitor said. "People don't square him up a ton."

Alcides Escobar is 6 for 10 against the right-hander this season and Alex Gordon is 4 for 7 with a home run. Gordon, however, is 2 for 18 with six strikeouts in the last five games.

It's likely Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer will miss a fourth consecutive contest with a sprained left right finger.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:43 AM

Three of baseball's hottest hitters in June weren't able to add to their success on the first day of July.

Given their run in this season series, Paul Goldschmidt and Troy Tulowitzki may change that in a hurry.

Goldschmidt will try to help the Arizona Diamondbacks avoid their longest home losing streak since April on Thursday night when they take on Tulowitzki, Nolan Arenado and the Colorado Rockies.

After batting .400 with 18 RBIs over the final 19 games in June, Goldschmidt had his 11-game hitting streak come to an end in Wednesday's 4-3 home loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He went 0 for 3 with his 62nd walk - a club record before the All-Star break.

The two-time All-Star now appears to have an opportune matchup to begin a new surge as he looks to pad his NL-best .350 batting average in the opener of this four-game series.

Goldschmidt is 28 for 56 with three homers and 16 RBIs over a 14-game home hitting streak versus Colorado. He's also hit .412 with two home runs to help Arizona take five of eight meetings this season.

After dropping the last two of a three-game set versus NL West-leading Los Angeles, the Diamondbacks (37-41) hope to avoid their first three-game home skid since losing four straight from April 24-27.

The last-place Rockies (34-44), though, have batted .218 and averaged 2.8 runs during a 3-9 stretch on the road following Wednesday's 4-1 loss at Oakland. Arenado was batting .364 with nine homers and 21 RBIs over a 17-game hitting streak before going 0 for 4.

"We know that the offense needs to get going," outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said.

Tulowitzki is hitting an MLB-best .400 with 23 RBIs in 27 games since May 29. He'll get a chance to extend a 14-game hitting streak in the opener after getting Wednesday off.

The four-time All-Star is batting .421 with 12 home runs in his last 38 games versus Arizona. Arenado went 4 for 11 with three homers as Colorado took two of three at home from June 23-25.

They'll try to help the Rockies avoid their fifth loss in six games on the last stop of a 10-game trip.

Chris Rusin (3-2, 4.69 ERA) has pitched well in winning his last two home starts, but he's 0-2 with an 8.62 ERA while allowing five home runs over his last three on the road. He gave up five runs - two earned - and 10 hits over 6 1-3 innings but did not factor in Saturday's 7-5 loss at San Francisco.

Rusin allowed two runs over five innings to win both his career starts at Arizona, though the left-hander hasn't faced the Diamondbacks since July 2013.

Jeremy Hellickson (5-5, 5.38) gave up three runs or less in six of seven starts before yielding season worsts of seven runs and 10 hits over 5 1-3 innings in Saturday's 7-2 loss at San Diego.

Hellickson, who has never faced Colorado, has posted a 3.38 ERA in winning his last three home starts.

The right-hander will have to be careful with Wilin Rosario, who is 18 for 28 with three homers and 10 RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak against the Diamondbacks.

Arizona's Yasmany Tomas is 11 for 26 with eight RBIs in his six games in this season series.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:44 AM

The Oakland Athletics would not be in last place in the AL West if they had better results against the Seattle Mariners.

Seattle looks to win six in a row in the series for the first time since 2009 on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series in Oakland.

The Athletics (36-45) rolled to a 12-0 win in the first matchup this season before the Mariners (36-42) took the next five while scoring 28 times. That's an average of 5.60 runs for Seattle, which is near the bottom of the majors with 3.42 per game.

The lineup got on track this week in a two-game sweep at San Diego, as the Mariners won 5-0 on Tuesday and 7-0 on Wednesday. They haven't posted three straight shutouts in seven years.

Robinson Cano went 4 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs and Nelson Cruz hit a two-run shot for his 20th home run Wednesday for the Mariners, who last won three in a row May 25-27.

''Hopefully it's about the team and not about me getting hot or swinging the bat good, it's about winning,'' said Cano, who came in hitting .238. ''We've got to get going.''

Roenis Elias (4-5, 4.25 ERA) hasn't faced Oakland this year after going 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in two matchups as a rookie last season. The left-hander has been up and down in splitting his last four starts, posting an 18.00 ERA in the losses and a 2.08 mark in the wins.

Elias allowed seven runs in 3 2-3 innings of an 8-2 home defeat to Kansas City last Wednesday.

''I'm not sure what happened,'' Elias said through an interpreter. ''I felt good. It was just a bad day for me. ... Everything was working well. They just put good swings on them. There's not much you can do there.''

He'll be opposed by Scott Kazmir (4-5, 2.79), who also has not appeared in the season series but enters in much better shape than Elias.

The left-hander has allowed three earned runs or fewer in nine straight starts and is 5-0 with a 1.12 ERA in his last seven against division opponents dating to September.

Kazmir gave up three runs in seven innings Saturday in a 3-2 defeat to the Royals, raising his home ERA from 1.27 to 1.63 - still good for second in the AL. He's 3-0 with a 0.31 ERA in four starts in Oakland against the AL West in 2015.

Franklin Gutierrez is 7 for 18 with three homers against Kazmir and Cano also has three homers in the matchup, but he's struck out 13 times and is 9 for 39 (.231).

Cruz is 9 for 20 with two homers during the win streak against the Athletics, while Cano is 4 for 24 in the six meetings this season.

Oakland took two of three from Colorado with a 4-1 win Wednesday, improving to 11-6 in its last 17 games.

"We're not where we want to be through the first 81 games but we're also not as far off as we could've been," catcher Stephen Vogt said. "... We've won a lot of series in the last month, the last few weeks. We're excited about the way we're playing baseball right now."

**StarDust Bum** · 07-02-2015, 10:49 AM

CFL Betting Notes - Week 2

July 1, 2015

The underdogs ruled the day in Week 1 of the new CFL season with a straight-up record of 3-1 and a perfect 4-0 run against the spread. Ottawa started things off with a stunning 20-16 victory over Montreal last Thursday as a 9 ½-point road favorite after winning just two games all last year.

In Friday night’s rematch of last season’s Grey Cup, Hamilton once again fell to Calgary in a tight 24-23 loss, but the Tiger-Cats easily covered as six-point road underdogs. Last Saturday’s action started with Toronto upsetting Edmonton 26-11 as a nine-point home favorite. Later that night, Winnipeg completed the ATS sweep with a 30-26 win against Saskatchewan as a seven point underdog on the road.

Opening Odds provided by 5Dimes.eu

Thursday, July 2

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -2
Total: 50 ½

Game Overview

The Tiger-Cats came painfully close to upsetting Calgary on the road and they have to be encouraged by the play of quarterback Zach Collaros, who completed 27-of-38 passes for 281 yards. Andy Fantuz was on the receiving end of nine of those throws for a team-high 83 yards. Hamilton’s running game accounted for just 37 total yards in last week’s loss.

Winnipeg will be looking to build off of last week’s win after it was only able to post two SU wins in its last 12 games in 2014. Drew Willy had a big day throwing the ball with 325 yards and three scores while completing 22 of his 25 attempts. Clarence Denmark and Nick Moore combined for 11 receptions for 188 yards and a score to help pace the win.

Betting Trends

Hamilton is 6-1 SU in the last seven meetings and it has covered in four of the last five meetings ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in six of the last eight games.

Friday, July 3

Calgary Stampeders (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) vs. Montreal Alouettes (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary OFF
Total: OFF

Game Overview

The defending Grey Cup Champions picked-up where they left off last season behind quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, but while he did throw for 263 yards and a score, he was also picked-off three times. Long-time veteran running back Jon Cornish added another 70 on the ground on 13 carries. Jeff Fulling had the hot hand catching the ball with nine receptions for 148 total yards.

Montreal was down to its third-string quarterback in its season-opening loss to Ottawa. Johnathan Crompton got the start but left with a shoulder injury. Dan LeFevour lasted just one play before he was lost for the season with an injured shoulder. With Crompton still listed as 'questionable' for this game, look for rookie Brandon Bridge to possibly get the start. He went 5-for-10 for 62 yards in relief last week and a costly fourth-quarter interception set-up the RedBlacks’ eventual winning scoring drive.

Betting Trends

Calgary is 6-2 SU in the last eight meetings with a profitable 7-1 mark ATS. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last six games. The Stampeders are 20-7-1 ATS in their last 28 road games.

Saturday, July 4

British Columbia Lions (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) vs. Ottawa RedBlacks (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: BC -3
Total: 46

Game Overview

The Lions enjoyed a bit of extra time off with a Week 1 bye, but they have to be chomping at the bit to get the new season started with Jeff Telford at the helm as the team’s new head coach after a successful college stint at California in the Pac-12. Travis Lulay is expected to get the start at quarterback in what should be a new-look offense for BC, given Telford’s up-tempo style that relies heavily on moving the ball down field through the air.

Ottawa will try and match last season’s SU win total with a victory on Saturday afternoon, but veteran quarterback Henry Burris is going to have to do a much better job protecting the ball after getting picked-off three times in last week’s win at Montreal. The good news for the RedBlacks’ offense is a ground game that ran for 114 yards in Week 1 with Chevon Walker leading the way with 52 yards on 16 carries.

Betting Trends

BC won both meetings last season SU including a 7-5 grinder on the road as a nine-point favorite. The Lions easily covered in the next game as 10-point home favorites in a 41-3 blowout. This game ended as a PUSH on the total line after the first meeting stayed well UNDER the closing 47 ½-point line.

Sunday, July 5

Toronto Argonauts (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -3
Total: 51

Game Overview

Toronto stunned Edmonton last week behind a stellar performance by back-up quarterback Trevor Harris, who was starting for the injured Ricky Ray. He ended the day with 347 yards passing and three touchdown throws while completing a ridiculous 88.8 percent of his 27 attempts. He also did a good job of spreading the ball around with eight different players posting at least one catch.

It looks like it will be another rough road for Saskatchewan in regards to its quarterback situation after Darian Durant was lost for the season with a torn Achilles. Veteran Kevin Glenn was added to the roster this past offseason and he is set to take over the reins as the team’s new starter. The Roughriders’ rushing attack got a solid effort from Anthony Allen in last week’s loss with 102 yards on 11 carries.

Betting Trends

The road team in this matchup has won four of the last six meetings both SU and ATS and the total has gone OVER in four of the last five games. Toronto has the slight 3-2 edge both SU and ATS in the last five meetings.

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