The Bum's Sports Page For Wednesday July 8th Best Bets-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rays (43-43) at Royals (48-33)
Game: 3
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: July 08, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Tampa Bay Rays' Chris Archer appears to have a promising chance to start in his first All-Star Game, and he'll get an opportunity to try to influence the manager who's making that decision.

Archer will face Ned Yost's Kansas City Royals in his final start before the break Wednesday night.

Among the AL's leaders in all three major categories, Archer (9-5, 2.18 ERA) was an easy selection for the league's squad that will play in Cincinnati on Tuesday.

"I knew that one day it would be possible, and I think we all knew," he told MLB's official website. "That's why the Rays traded for me (in January 2011). They saw a lot of upside and potential. So to be creeping closer and closer to that is also very encouraging."

Whether he gets the ball first for that AL team is still undecided.

Sonny Gray likely won't pitch at Great American Ball Park because he's slated to start Sunday for Oakland. Houston's Dallas Keuchel is scheduled to pitch Saturday in Tampa Bay and the Chicago White Sox's Chris Sale will also start that same day.

Detroit's David Price and Seattle's Felix Hernandez are both slated to pitch on Thursday.

Archer will try to do his part to seal his spot in his third career start against the Royals (48-33). He went 0-1 with a 2.84 ERA in the other two - both at Kauffman Stadium - and pitched seven innings in the latest matchup, a 1-0 victory April 8, 2014.

That win represents a rare one in recent matchups against the Royals, and Kansas City extended its dominance with a doubleheader sweep Tuesday, totaling 16 runs and 26 hits after tornado warnings forced a cancellation of Monday's scheduled series opener.

A 7-1 victory in the nightcap was their 16th in 21 meetings and 10th in the past 11 matchups at Kauffman.

Tampa Bay (43-43) has lost 13 of 16 overall and is danger of falling below .500 for the first time since it was 24-25 on May 29.

Jeremy Guthrie (6-5, 5.42) will try to deliver another win for Kansas City. The right-hander has allowed a combined four runs in 13 1-3 innings in his past two games.

Guthrie gave up two runs in 7 1-3 innings Friday against Minnesota but the Royals needed 10 innings for a 3-2 victory.

"Another great start by him," Yost said. "Two runs in eight innings, he just kept us in it. He was just throwing the ball so well."

Guthrie has yielded two runs in 12 innings in back-to-back wins over the Rays - both at Kauffman Stadium - and claimed the latest April 9, 2014.

Asdrubal Cabrera, who has seven hits in his last 18 at-bats against Guthrie, is batting .185 (5 for 27) in his last nine games.

Kendrys Morales is 5 for 8 with a home run and two doubles lifetime versus Archer.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Royals
Mon, Jul 6 - 8:10PM EDT ( RAIN PP )
Recaps

GAME 2
Rays at Royals
Tue, Jul 7 Final 1 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

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

GAME 4
Rays at Royals
Thu, Jul 9 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (45-38) at Rockies (35-48)
Game: 2
Venue: Coors Field
Date: July 08, 2015 8:40 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Angels don't play often at Coors Field, but they certainly know how to take advantage of the hitter-friendly ballpark.

The Angels are the AL's most prolific scoring team in Denver and look to put up more big numbers there Wednesday night and sweep a two-game set from the Colorado Rockies.

Los Angeles (45-38) is averaging 8.0 runs in going 10-2 all-time in Denver with 30 homers, also an AL best. The Angels have a 1.019 OPS at Coors Field, where they scored at least 10 runs for the fifth time in six games in Tuesday's 10-2 rout.

Albert Pujols and Mike Trout hit two of the Angels' four home runs in the club's seventh straight win in Denver and eighth in a row over the Rockies, who were swept in two games in Anaheim from May 12-13. Los Angeles did all of its scoring in the first three innings in its fourth straight win and eighth in nine games.

The Angels are hitting .372 with eight homers, 12 doubles and 43 runs scored over their last four games.

'It's been unbelievable,' Trout said. 'The first month or two of the season we were scratching wins off and now the offense is coming together and we're pitching well. It's fun to be a part of."

Pujols has seven RBIs over his last three games with homers in consecutive contests. He hit his 54th career interleague blast, tying him with Alex Rodriguez for fourth place and moving one within Ken Griffey Jr. for third.

Matt Joyce and Chris Iannetta also went deep for the Angels, who have won four straight on the road.

'When a team starts swinging the bat well it carries over to other people," Joyce said. "You can tell everybody in our lineup has confidence and seems to be relaxed.'

The Angels scored 10 runs off a starter for the second straight game, with Colorado's Chad Bettis the latest victim. The Rockies' 5.11 ERA by their rotation is baseball's second-worst.

'It makes it tougher when you're playing from behind in all aspects of the game,' manager Walt Weiss said. "Starting pitching tends to set the tone.'

Colorado (35-48) will turn next to Chris Rusin (3-3, 4.27 ERA), who is 2-0 with a 3.46 ERA in two home starts. The left-hander has never faced the Angels, with David Freese the only hitter on the team he has seen.

Rusin surrendered three runs - one earned - in six innings in Thursday's 8-1 loss at Arizona. Opponents are batting .350 against him in his last five starts.

His counterpart on the mound is Matt Shoemaker (4-7, 4.91), who is 2-2 with a 1.67 ERA in five career interleague starts entering his first against Colorado. The only Rockies hitter he has faced is Nick Hundley, who is 0 for 2 against him.

Shoemaker fell to 0-3 with a 5.06 ERA in his last four starts after giving up two runs in 5 2-3 innings in last Wednesday's 3-1 defeat to the New York Yankees.

Troy Tulowitzki is batting .365 in a career-high 19-game hitting streak and has reached base in a career-best 34 straight games.

The Rockies have dropped 21 of their last 24 interleague games, going 1-9 in 2015.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Angels at Rockies
Tue, Jul 7 Final 10 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Angels at Rockies
Wed, Jul 8 - 8:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Phillies (29-57) at Dodgers (47-38)
Game: 3
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: July 08, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

Clayton Kershaw wasn't initially selected as an All-Star for the first time in five seasons, but he still has one more start to make his case for a spot on the team.

He'll look to snap a five-start winless stretch Wednesday night against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, whose normally inept offense has found life lately.

Kershaw (5-6, 3.08 ERA) is one of five candidates, along with Johnny Cueto, Jeurys Familia, Carlos Martinez and Troy Tulowitzki, competing in the final vote to join the NL team in next week's Midsummer Classic.

He is 0-3 since his last victory despite a 2.41 ERA with the Dodgers (47-38) backing him with nine runs over 33 2-3 innings. Kershaw's luck may simply be evening out, though, as he amassed a 5.1 run-support average in his previous 12 outings.

Kershaw hasn't gone six consecutive outings without a win since May 26-June 21, 2013, and his longest drought was 13 from July 24, 2009-April 7, 2010 - a span in which he posted a 2.74 ERA.

He limited the New York Mets to one run over seven innings Friday, but Los Angeles lost 2-1. The left-hander had averaged 8.3 wins prior to the All-Star break over the past six seasons.

"For the most part, Kershaw did his job, but the offense let him down a little bit by not figuring out a way to squeak out a run and get him a decision in that game," outfielder Andre Ethier said. "I think that's been an unfair thing - kind of the tone of the year every time Kershaw takes the mound. It doesn't matter who the other guy is on the mound for the other team. He always seems to step up his game."

Kershaw is 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA over his last six meetings with Philadelphia, throwing 14 scoreless innings in two straight wins. Ryan Howard is 2 for 14 with seven strikeouts against him.

If the Phillies are to get to Kershaw, they'd be well advised to do so early - seven of the 12 runs he's allowed during his winless stretch have come during the first three innings.

For most of the year, Philadelphia (29-57) would have looked incapable of mounting any offense against the three-time Cy Young winner, ranking near the bottom of the majors with 3.5 runs per game. The Phillies are batting .296 while averaging 5.1 runs over their last seven, however, though Tuesday's 7-2 victory marked just their second win in that stretch.

Jeff Francoeur homered and drove in three runs, while Cesar Hernandez, Freddy Galvis and Odubel Herrera are all hitting .400 or better over the last seven contests. Hernandez has hit safely in 12 straight and is batting a major league-best .444 since June 22.

Los Angeles' Yasmani Grandal homered for the second straight game and is 9 for 21 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in his last seven games.

Philadelphia left-hander Adam Morgan (1-1, 2.13) makes his third career start after giving up two runs in seven innings in a 2-1 loss at Atlanta on Friday. All three runs against him have come on solo homers, but he's impressed interim manager Pete Mackanin.

"This is the kind of guy we're looking for," Mackanin told MLB's official website. "We need a guy that at 100 pitches can go seven or eight innings. That's what we want."


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Phillies at Dodgers
Mon, Jul 6 Final 7 to 10
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Phillies at Dodgers
Tue, Jul 7 Final 7 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Phillies at Dodgers
Wed, Jul 8 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Phillies at Dodgers
Thu, Jul 9 - 10:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Interleague Results

The 2015 MLB regular season will usually feature at least one Interleague game every day. All teams will play exactly 20 Interleague games broken down into eight series, four at home and four on the road.

AMERICAN LEAGUE RESULTS (2013-2015)

Team 2013 2014 2015 (Home-Away)

Baltimore Orioles 11-9 12-8 (2-0, 2-5)

Boston Red Sox 14-6 9-11 (3-2, 3-2)

Chicago White Sox 8-12 11-9 (2-3, 4-3)

Cleveland Indians 11-9 10-10 (5-3, 2-2)

Detroit Tigers 12-8 12-8 (3-7, 4-3)

Houston Astros 8-12 5-15 (3-1, 5-0)

Kansas City Royals 9-11 15-5 (6-1, 3-3)

Los Angeles Angels 10-10 12-8 (4-3, 1-4)

Minnesota Twins 8-12 9-11 (4-4, 4-6)

New York Yankees 9-11 13-7 (6-4, 0-4)

Oakland Athletics 13-7 13-7 (3-2, 2-0)

Seattle Mariners 8-12 9-11 (2-2, 3-4)

Tampa Bay Rays 12-8 10-10 (1-1, 5-2)

Texas Rangers 10-10 10-10 (2-0, 2-2)

Toronto Blue Jays 11-9 13-7 (6-2, 2-3)

AL Totals 164-146 163-137 (52-35, 43-43)


NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS (2013-2015)

Team 2013 2014 2015 (Home-Away)

Arizona Diamondbacks 11-9 7-13 (2-2, 1-1)

Atlanta Braves 11-9 7-13 (2-2, 3-2)

Chicago Cubs 13-7 9-11 (1-2, 4-3)

Cincinnati Reds 11-9 6-14 (3-1, 2-8)

Colorado Rockies 5-15 7-13 (0-2, 1-6)

Los Angeles Dodgers 12-8 11-9 (4-1, 0-2)

Miami Marlins 9-11 13-7 (5-3, 0-5)

Milwaukee Brewers 6-14 11-9 (3-5, 4-4)

New York Mets 11-9 11-9 (4-0, 1-4)

Philadelphia Phillies 7-13 7-13 (2-3, 2-3)

Pittsburgh Pirates 15-5 11-9 (5-5, 5-0)

St. Louis Cardinals 10-10 8-12 (5-4, 3-5)

San Diego Padres 8-12 9-11 (0-7, 4-3)

San Francisco Giants 6-14 10-10 (4-1, 2-2)

Washington Nationals 11-9 10-10 (3-4, 3-4)

NL Totals 146-164 137-163 (43-42, 35-52)

Updated - Mon July 6, 2015, 7:45 AM ET

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Wednesday, July 8


Atlanta @ Milwaukee

Game 951-952
July 8, 2015 @ 2:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
(Teheran) 16.403
Milwaukee
(Fiers) 15.516
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
-160
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(+140); Under

NY Mets @ San Francisco

Game 953-954
July 8, 2015 @ 3:45 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Mets
(deGrom) 16.888
San Francisco
(Peavy) 15.325
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Mets
by 1 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco
-110
6 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Mets
(-110); Under

Cincinnati @ Washington

Game 955-956
July 8, 2015 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cincinnati
(Lorenzen) 13.895
Washington
(Gonzalez) 15.438
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-175
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-175); Under

San Diego @ Pittsburgh

Game 957-958
July 8, 2015 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Diego
(Cashner) 14.138
Pittsburgh
(Morton) 15.747
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-145
7
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-145); Under

St. Louis @ Chicago Cubs

Game 959-960
July 8, 2015 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
(Wacha) 17.021
Chicago Cubs
(Hammel) 15.636
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago Cubs
-110
7
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis
(-110); Under

Philadelphia @ LA Dodgers

Game 961-962
July 8, 2015 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
(Morgan) 15.691
LA Dodgers
(Kershaw) 14.773
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 1
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-390
6 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+310); Under

Baltimore @ Minnesota

Game 963-964
July 8, 2015 @ 1:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Baltimore
(Jimenez) 16.764
Minnesota
(Milone) 14.961
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baltimore
by 2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baltimore
-135
8
Dunkel Pick:
Baltimore
(-135); Over

Detroit @ Seattle

Game 965-966
July 8, 2015 @ 3:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
(Sanchez) 13.605
Seattle
(Happ) 16.223
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Seattle
by 2 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle
-115
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Seattle
(-115); Over

Oakland @ NY Yankees

Game 967-968
July 8, 2015 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland
(Kazmir) 16.300
NY Yankees
(Sabathia) 14.110
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oakland
by 2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Yankees
-115
8
Dunkel Pick:
Oakland
(-105); Under

Houston @ Cleveland

Game 969-970
July 8, 2015 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
(Straily) 16.436
Cleveland
(Bauer) 15.442
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
-150
8
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(+130); Under

Tampa Bay @ Kansas City

Game 971-972
July 8, 2015 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tampa Bay
(Archer) 15.738
Kansas City
(Guthrie) 14.289
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Tampa Bay
by 1 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay
-140
7
Dunkel Pick:
Tampa Bay
(-140); Over

Toronto @ Chicago White Sox

Game 973-974
July 8, 2015 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
(Hutchison) 17.009
Chicago White Sox
(Danks) 13.647
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 3 1/2
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
-160
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-160); Over

Miami @ Boston

Game 975-976
July 8, 2015 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
(Koehler) 16.571
Boston
(Porcello) 15.448
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 1
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
-175
9
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+155); Under

Arizona @ Texas

Game 977-978
July 8, 2015 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
(Hellckson) 16.341
Texas
(Harrison) 15.482
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Texas
-135
9 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(+115); Under

LA Angels @ Colorado

Game 979-980
July 8, 2015 @ 8:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Angels
(Shoemker) 16.248
Colorado
(Rusin) 13.604
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Angels
by 2 1/2
12
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Angels
-135
10 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Angels
(-135); Over

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, July 8


National League
Reds @ Nationals
Lorenzen is 2-1, 3.18 in his last four starts, three of which stayed under.

Gonzalez is 2-0, 0.64 in his last two starts; three of his last four home starts stayed under the total.

Cincinnati won six of last seven games with Washington; seven of last nine in series stayed under. Reds lost seven of last 11 games overall; five of their last nine went over. Nationals won four of last six games; seven of their last eight games stayed under.

Padres @ Pirates
Cashner is 1-0, 2.08 in his last two starts; seven of his last eight went over.

Morton is 1-2, 11.37 in his last three starts; five of his last six home starts stayed under total.

San Diego lost three of last four games with Pittsburgh; over is 4-2-1 in last seven series games. Padres lost seven of last nine games; under is 6-1-1 in their last eight. Pirates won seven of last eight games.

Cardinals @ Cubs
Wacha is 2-1, 3.33 in his last four starts; over is 3-1-1 in his last five starts on foreign soil.

Hammel is 0-2, 2.89 in his last three starts; seven of his last eight stayed under the total. Cubs scored 1-1-1 in his last three outings. .

St Louis won seven of last ten games with the Cubs; home side won ten of last 13 series games- five of last seven stayed under. Cardinals won six of last nine on road; under is 7-3 in their last ten games overall. Chicago won seven of last nine games, allowing 18 runs; under is 7-3 in their last ten.

Braves @ Brewers
Teheran is 0-3, 9.13 in his last four road starts; his last five road starts went over the total.

Fiers is 1-0, 1.35 in his last three starts; over is 3-1-1 in his last five.

Braves won six of last seven games (under 5-1-1). Atlanta won ten of last 12 games with Milwaukee, which has won eight of last ten games-- over is 5-2-2 in their last nine).

Phillies @ Dodgers
Morgan is 1-1, 2.13 in his first two MLB starts (over 1-1).

Kershaw is 0-3, 3.21 in his last five starts; last three stayed under. LA scored 14 runs in his last six starts.

Philly lost seven of last nine games; over is 7-2-1 in their last ten . Phillies are 6-4 in last ten games with Dodgers; under is 7-4-1 in last 12 series games. LA is 5-5 in last ten home games; six of their last eight home games went over.

Mets @ Giants
deGrom is 3-2, 2.11 in his last six starts; five of his last seven went over.

Peavy is 0-5, 8.41 in his last five starts; five of his last six went over.

Mets start out 3-2 on this road trip; 12 of their last 15 games stayed under the total. Giants lost seven of last eight games; four of their last five games went under. SF won nine of last twelve games against Mets; over is 3-3-1 in last seven series games.

American League
A's @ Bronx
Kazmir is 3-1, 1.78 in his last five starts; six of his last seven stayed under.

Sabathia is 0-1, 6.65 in his last four starts; six of his last eight went over.

Oakland won six of last seven games with Bronx; four of last six went over total. A's are 5-6 in last 11 games; six of their last seven games stayed under. Bronx is 3-2 in last five games; under is 6-1-1 in their last eight.

Astros @ Indians
Straily allowed five runs in 4.2 IP (92 PT) in his first '15 start.

Bauer is 2-3, 6.33 in his last five starts; under is 7-2-1 in his last ten.

Houston lost eight of last 11 games with Cleveland; 11 of last 12 series games stayed under. Astros are 9-18 in last 27 road games; four of their last six overall went over. Indians lost three of last four games; six of their last nine went over the total.

Orioles @ Twins
Jimenez is 4-1, 3.13 in his last five starts.

Milone is 2-0, 1.69 in his last five starts (under 3-1-1).

Baltimore lost seven of last nine games- five of their last seven stayed under. Twins won three of last four games; under is 5-1-1 in their last seven games. Home side won seven of last eight Oriole-Twin games (Twins 5-3- three of last four went over).

Rays @ Royals
Archer is 2-1, 3.58 in his last five starts (over 4-0-1).

Guthrie is 1-0, 2.70 in his last two starts; under is 5-1-1 in his last seven.

Tampa Bay lost eight of last ten games with Kansas City; over is 7-3-2 in last dozen series games. Rays lost nine of last ten games (over 8-1-1). Royals won four of last five games; under is 4-3-1 in their last eight.

Blue Jays @ White Sox
Hutchison is 1-1, 11.42 in his last four road starts- they all went over.

Danks is 1-4, 6.75 in his last five starts; four of his last five home starts stayed under the total.

Toronto lost six of last nine games; five of their last seven went over total. Jays lost seven of last 11 games with Chicago; under is 7-3 in last ten series games. White Sox won five of last seven games; four of their last five stayed under the total.

Tigers @ Mariners
Sanchez is 4-0, 2.61 in his last five starts, last three of which went over.

Happ is 1-4, 5.81 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over.

Detroit lost five of last seven games with Seattle; Tigers lost five of their last eight games overall- their last 17 games went over. Mariners won five of last eight games; under is 7-3-1 in their last eleven.

Interleague
Marlins @ Red Sox
Koehler is 3-0, 1.80 in his last three starts; four of his last five went under.

Porcello is 0-7, 8.37 in his last eight starts; four of his last six stayed under.

Marlins lost ten of last 12 road games; four of their last seven games overall went over total. Boston won seven of its last nine games; four of its last six went over. Miami lost last six games with Red Sox (over 3-1-1 in last five).

Diamondbacks @ Rangers
Hellickson is 0-2, 8.40 in his last three road starts; over is 3-1-1 in his last five starts overall.

Harrison is making first start since 5-13-14 (spine); he has 49-33 career record, but only started six games the last 2.5 years (1-3, 6.11).

Arizona won four of its last five games; over is 6-3-1 in its last ten. Texas lost last four games, outscored 37-10; three of four went over. D'backs lost three of last five games with the Rangers.

Angels @ Rockies
Shoemaker is 0-3, 5.49 in his last four starts.

Rusin is 1-3, 7.81 in his last five starts (over 3-0-1 in last four).

Angels won their last eight games with Colorado; under is 5-4 in last nine series games. Halos won eight of last nine games, scoring 43 runs in their last four. Rockies lost eight of their last ten games.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
Cin-Wsh-- Lorenzen 5-6; Gonzalez 10-5
SD-Pitt-- Cashner 6-11; Morton 6-2
StL-Cubs-- Wacha 12-4; Hammel 7-9
Atl-Mil-- Teheran 10-7; Fiers 9-8
Phil-LA-- Morgan 1-1; Kershaw 8-9
NY-SF-- deGrom 9-7; Peavy 0-3

A's-NY-- Kazmir 7-9; Sabathia 6-10
Hst-Clev-- Straily 1-0; Bauer 8-8
Balt-Minn-- Jimenez 9-7; Milone 6-4
TB-KC-- Archer 11-7; Guthrie 10-6
Tor-Chi-- Hutchison 11-6; Danks 6-9
Det-Sea-- Sanchez 8-9; Happ 7-9

Mia-Bos-- Koehler 9-6; Porcello 7-9
Az-Tex-- Hellickson 7-9; Harrison 0-0
LAA-Colo-- Shoemaker 7-8; Rusin 2-5

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
Cin-Wsh-- Lorenzen 4-11; Gonzalez 2-15
SD-Pitt-- Cashner 6-17; Morton 4-8
StL-Cubs-- Wacha 4-16; Hammel 5-16
Atl-Mil-- Teheran 7-17; Fiers 1-17
Phil-LA-- Morgan 0-2; Kershaw 4-17
NY-SF-- deGrom 5-16; Peavy 0-3

A's-NY-- Kazmir 2-16; Sabathia 5-16
Hst-Clev-- Straily 0-1; Bauer 2-16
Balt-Minn-- Jimenez 2-16; Milone 2-10
TB-KC-- Archer 5-18; Guthrie 3-16
Tor-Chi-- Hutchison 6-17; Danks 6-15
Det-Sea-- Sanchez 4-17; Happ 6-16

Mia-Bos-- Koehler 3-15; Porcello 3-16
Az-Tex-- Hellickson 6-16; Harrison 0-0
LAA-Colo-- Shoemaker 4-15; Rusin 2-7

Umpires
Cin-Wsh-- Last four Vanover games stayed under.
SD-Pitt-- Home side won five of last six Wolf games.
StL-Chi-- Underdogs won last five Hoberg games (under 3-1-1).
Atl-Mil-- Six of last nine Barksdale games stayed under.
Phil-LA-- Under is 7-1-2 in last ten Schrieber games.
NY-SF-- Seven of last ten Fletcher games stayed under.

Hst-Clev-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Nauert games.
Tor-Chi-- Seven of last nine Hudson games stayed under.
Balt-Minn-- Home side won last nine Nelson games.
Det-Sea-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Drake games.
A's-NY-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Hirschbeck games.
TB-KC-- Nine of last twelve Tichenor games stayed under.

Mia-Bos-- Favorites won 10 of last 12 Morales games.
Az-Tex-- Underdogs won six of last eight Porter games (over 3-1-1 last five)
LAA-Col-- Seven of last ten Wegner games went over.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, July 8

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Trend Report
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1:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. MINNESOTA
Baltimore is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore's last 6 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing Baltimore

2:10 PM
ATLANTA vs. MILWAUKEE
Atlanta is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Atlanta is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
Milwaukee is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta

3:40 PM
DETROIT vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games
Detroit is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 7 games at home
Seattle is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Detroit

3:45 PM
NY METS vs. SAN FRANCISCO
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of NY Mets's last 21 games
NY Mets are 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
San Francisco is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing NY Mets
San Francisco is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

7:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Oakland's last 7 games
Oakland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 7 games when playing at home against Oakland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing Oakland

7:05 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
San Diego is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games at home
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:05 PM
CINCINNATI vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Cincinnati's last 9 games when playing Washington
Cincinnati is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
Washington is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games

7:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. CLEVELAND
Houston is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games
Cleveland is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games

7:10 PM
MIAMI vs. BOSTON
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Miami's last 7 games on the road
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games

8:05 PM
ARIZONA vs. TEXAS
Arizona is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Arizona is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Texas
Texas is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas's last 7 games at home

8:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. CHI CUBS
St. Louis is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
St. Louis is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing St. Louis
Chi Cubs are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games

8:10 PM
TORONTO vs. CHI WHITE SOX
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games at home
Chi White Sox are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto

8:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. KANSAS CITY
Tampa Bay is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Tampa Bay's last 16 games when playing Kansas City
Kansas City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Kansas City is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

8:40 PM
LA ANGELS vs. COLORADO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels's last 5 games on the road
LA Angels are 8-1 SU in their last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Colorado's last 21 games
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games

10:10 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. LA DODGERS
Philadelphia is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, July 8


MLB roundup: Reds' Cueto shuts out Nats

WASHINGTON -- Johnny Cueto threw a two-hit shutout, Joey Votto finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, and the Cincinnati Reds continued their mastery of the Washington Nationals with a 5-0 win Tuesday night.

Cueto (6-5), one of five Final Vote candidates for the National League All-Star team, helped his case as he struck out a season-high 11 batters, while walking one.

It was Cueto's fifth career shutout and 11th complete game. He threw 122 pitches. The right-hander retired 15 in a row to end the game.

Votto drove in three runs as he doubled, homered and singled his first three times up. He was retired in his final two trips as the Reds improved to 5-0 against the Nationals this season.

Royals 9-7, Rays 5-1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Alcides Escobar hit a bases-clearing double to break a sixth-inning tie, and Alex Gordon went 4-for-5 and drove in four runs, lifting Kansas City Royals to a victory over Tampa Bay in the nightcap and a doubleheader sweep.

Gordon went 7-for-9, including a solo homer in the first game, with six RBIs in the two games.

Paulo Orlando hit a walk-off, ninth-inning grand slam in the day game as the Royals won 9-5. Orlando, who was recalled Monday from Triple-A Omaha, drove a 1-0 Brad Boxberger changeup into the Royals' bullpen.

Cubs 7-5, Cardinals 4-3

CHICAGO -- A St. Louis error led to the go-ahead run as Chicago scored three times in the seventh inning en route to a victory in the nightcap and a doubleheader sweep.

With the Cubs trailing 2-1 entering the seventh inning of the second game, Addison Russell's one-out single to right drove in Miguel Montero to tie the game. The key play came when Dexter Fowler bounced a grounder to Cardinals reliever Kevin Siegrist, who threw the ball into center field while trying to initiate a double play. Herrera scored the go-ahead run.

Anthony Rizzo went 2-for-3 with his team-leading 16th home run to help the Cubs win the opener.

Red Sox 4, Marlins 3

BOSTON -- Xander Bogaerts drilled a rare three-run single on a 99 mph fastball by Carter Capps with two outs in the seventh inning, giving Boston three unearned runs and an interleague victory over Miami.

The win was the third straight, the seventh in the last nine games and eighth in the last 11 for the last-place Red Sox.

After the Marlins went ahead with two runs that chased Boston starter Wade Miley in the top of the seventh, Miami third baseman Miguel Rojas booted a sure double play ball off the bat of center fielder Mookie Betts, loading the bases. Two batters later, Bogaerts drove the ball through the second-base hole into right-center, clearing the bases.

Braves 4, Brewers 3

MILWAUKEE -- A.J. Pierzynski had three hits, including his sixth home run of the season, and Manny Banuelos earned his first career victory as Atlanta beat Milwaukee.

Pierzynski, who also drove in the Braves' first two runs, has 10 hits in 13 at-bats over his past three games. His 3-for-4 effort against Milwaukee helped pick up Banuelos (1-0), who allowed five hits and walked three but was charged with only one run in 5 1/3 innings.

Brewers right-hander Tyler Cravy (0-2), making his second major league start, went six innings and allowed three Atlanta runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out three.

Blue Jays 2, White Sox 1

CHICAGO -- Felix Doubront made the most of his tryout as a starting pitcher, and Toronto beat Chicago. Doubront (1-0) allowed one run on six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Toronto's Josh Donaldson hit a solo home run in the third inning for what turned out to be the winning run.

The Blue Jays bullpen pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, capped by right-hander Roberto Osuna's scoreless ninth for his fourth save.

Twins 8, Orioles 3

MINNEAPOLIS -- Miguel Sano had two hits, including his first major league home run, and reached base three times as Minnesota beat Baltimore.

The Twins will go for the three-game sweep of the Orioles on Wednesday. Baltimore has not been swept in a three-game series since mid-April. Minnesota has not swept a series of any kind since May 25-27.

Sano's two-run blast in the first inning travelled 396 feet into the left field bleachers, giving Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson plenty of early offensive support. Gibson (7-6) allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in six innings while striking out seven.

Diamondbacks 4, Rangers 2

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Robbie Ray didn't give up a hit until the fifth inning, and he worked 7 2/3 effective innings, leading Arizona past Texas. The only two runs Ray allowed were unearned.

The Diamondbacks also pounded out 13 hits -- their eighth consecutive game in double figures.

Arizona's Jake Lamb went 3-for-4 and drove in the game's first two runs in the fifth. Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock, the team's two All-Stars, each had an RBI.

Indians 2, Astros 0

CLEVELAND -- Michael Brantley had three hits, including a home run, and Corey Kluber pitched into the seventh inning to earn his first win in more than a month as Cleveland beat Houston.

Kluber (4-9) pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out seven. The win was his first since May 28. In six starts since then, he was 0-4 with a 3.86 ERA prior to Tuesday, with the Indians scoring a total of six runs in the four defeats.

Cleveland led 2-0 when Brantley hit a solo home run into the seats in right field leading off the sixth inning against right-hander Vince Velasquez (0-1). It was the designated hitter's fifth home run of the season, his first since May 14.

Pirates 3, Padres 2

PITTSBURGH -- Gregory Polanco tripled home the winning run in the eighth inning, and Pittsburgh edged San Diego for its fourth consecutive victory.

Polanco lined a two-out triple off reliever Joaquin Benoit (5-4) to score Sean Rodriguez, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and snap a 2-2 tie.

The Pirates recorded their ninth victory in 11 games. The Padres lost their fourth straight.

A's 4, Yankees 3 (10 innings)

NEW YORK -- Brett Lawrie led off the top of the 10th inning with a home run, lifting Oakland past New York.

After striking out three times, Lawrie was one pitch away from a fourth strikeout. On an 0-2 count against Dellin Betances (5-2), Lawrie drove a curveball down the left field line, and the ball stayed just inside the foul ball before landing several rows behind the fence.

It was Lawrie's eighth home run of the season and third in 215 at-bats against right-handed pitching this season.

Angels 10, Rockies 2

DENVER -- Los Angeles made quick work of Colorado starter Chad Bettis and blasted the Rockies.

Albert Pujols and Mike Trout hit three-run homers, Chris Iannetta hit a two-run shot and Matt Joyce added a solo homer as the Angels built a 10-0 lead and knocked Bettis out after 2 1/3 innings.

Pujols hit his 26th homer in the first inning. Joyce led off the five-run second with his fourth homer.

Mariners 7, Tigers 6 (11 innings)

SEATTLE -- Robinson Cano ended a night of home runs the old fashion way late Tuesday, when his single into the right field corner drove in the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning, giving Seattle a win over Detroit.

The second baseman's sixth career walk-off hit, and his first since 2009, brought home Austin Jackson from second base to end a game that lasted 3 hours, 44 minutes and included seven home runs.

Yoenis Cespedes, Alex Avila, Nick Castellanos and Marc Krauss, who was making his Tigers debut, all homered for Detroit. Seattle got home runs from Jackson, Franklin Gutierrez and Cano.

Phillies 7, Dodgers 2

LOS ANGELES -- Chad Billingsley pitched six solid innings against his former team, sparking Philadelphia to a win over Los Angeles.

Jeff Francoeur homered and had three RBIs, and Ben Revere drove in two more runs for the Phillies, who won for only the second time in the last nine games. They are 11-32 on the road.

Billingsley (1-2) gave up two runs on six hits in six innings en route to his first major league victory since beating the Padres on April 10, 2013.

Giants 3, Mets 0

SAN FRANCISCO -- Right fielder Hunter Pence returned from the disabled list with a splash, contributing two RBIs and a highlight-reel defensive play to help San Francisco beat New York.

Matt Cain, in just his second start following a lengthy DL stint of his own, shut out the Mets on two hits over six innings and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter as the Giants ended a seven-game losing streak.

Pence's biggest crowd-pleasing moment occurred in the field following Curtis Granderson's inning-opening triple in the sixth. Ruben Tejada lifted a flyball toward the Mets' bullpen down the right field line. Pence raced over, made a sliding catch, quickly got back on his feet and gunned down Granderson trying to score.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, July 8


Phillies replace Correia with Gonzalez

LOS ANGELES -- The Philadelphia Phillies shook up their rotation again, designating right-hander Kevin Correia for assignment Tuesday.

The Phillies recalled 22-year-old right-hander Severino Gonzalez to take Correia's place. Gonzalez will start Thursday against Zack Greinke and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.


Hot streak ends for Mariners' Walker

SEATTLE -- Taijuan Walker's sudden rise from phenom to big-time starter fizzled out with his first rough outing in more than six weeks Tuesday night.

The Mariners' 22-year-old starter saw his five-game winning streak snapped -- albeit with a no-decision -- after getting tagged for three home runs in Seattle's 7-6 win over the Detroit Tigers. Walker struggled through his worst start since May, allowing five runs on six hits in six innings.


A's Gray sharp in his return

NEW YORK -- Tuesday began with Oakland Athletics utility man Ben Zobrist facing a sizable horde of New York media wanting to know about his feelings on possibly becoming a Yankee and a Met.

For the Athletics, it ended with a smaller group listening to Sonny Gray and others talk about his outing after skipping two turns due to a severe case of bacterial gastroenteritis that required hospitalization.

Though Oakland's 4-3 win was decided by a leadoff home run by third baseman Brett Lawrie in the 10th inning, Gray's performance was a key component of Oakland's win.

Gray returned and the first-time All-Star allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings. He allowed three of those hits in the opening inning when the Yankees took a 2-1 lead. Then he allowed two more in the fourth when New York took a 3-2 lead and only one more the rest of the night.

The prevailing viewpoint inside Oakland's clubhouse was Gray grew stronger as the outing went on.


Back from DL, Giants' Pence makes instant impact

SAN FRANCISCO -- After watching right fielder Hunter Pence pelt the left field bleachers with home runs in batting practice for the third consecutive day, San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy had seen enough Tuesday.

Pence would not be going to Sacramento or San Jose for a minor league rehab stint. Instead, he would be thrust right into the heart of the major league lineup.

The Giants not only activated Pence from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday but also slotted him fourth in the batting order for their game against the New York Mets.

Pence, who missed 30 consecutive games because of left wrist tendinitis, made an immediate impact on a club that had lost seven games in a row. He helped offensively with two RBIs and defensively with a spectacular catch-and-throw double play, and San Francisco beat New York 3-0.

[StarDust Bum]

The Orioles had 18 at-bats with runners in scoring position in Sunday's win at the White Sox. It was the most ABs with RISP for Baltimore in a road game since July 22, 2013 at Kansas City (19).

The Twins blew a 2-0 lead on Sunday before falling to the Royals in walk-off fashion, 3-2. It was the 18th time this season Minnesota has lost a game in which it held the lead, fourth most in the AL behind Oakland (23), Detroit (19), and Toronto (19).

Travis Snider is batting .465 (20/43) against the Twins in his career. Among active players with at least 50 plate appearances against an opponent, Snider's average versus Minnesota ranks sixth overall.

With 26 doubles and 16 home runs, Brian Dozier has joined Torii Hunter from 2007 and Justin Morneau from 2010 as the only Twins in history with at least 25 doubles and 15 home runs before the All-Star Break.

Of the nine Orioles left-handers to make 100 starts since 1954, only Mike Cuellar (.619) and Dave McNally (.616) have a higher winning percentage than Wei-Yin Chen (.582).
After opening the year at 0-4, Phil Hughes is 7-2 over his last 11 starts. Since May 1, Hughes' seven wins are tied for second in the AL behind Cleveland's Carlos Carrasco with eight.

[StarDust Bum]

The Braves lost, 4-0, at home to the Phillies in 10 innings yesterday, snapping their four-game winning streak with the setback. Atlanta is just 2-6 (.250) in extra-inning affairs this season -- tied for third worst in MLB.

Milwaukee throttled the Reds, 6-1, in Cincinnati yesterday, completing its road trip with a perfect 7-0 record, and winning its season-best eighth straight game in the process. The Brewers are now 11-2 (.846) since June 23 -- best in MLB during that span.

Including taking three of four games earlier this year at Turner Field, the Braves have won eight of the last 10 meetings with the Brewers overall. Dating to the beginning of 2011, Milwaukee has shut out Atlanta five times at Miller Park -- tied for its most home shutouts vs. any opponent over the last 4+ seasons.

Matt Wisler threw 5.1 innings of one-hit ball last Wednesday vs. the Nationals, picking up his second career MLB win with the performance. Wisler is set to face the Brewers for the first time in his career tonight.

Kyle Lohse beat the Phillies last Wednesday (6.1 IP, 4 ER), and has recorded back-to-back wins for the second time of the season (also May 9-15). Lohse is 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA in his last five starts vs. the Braves.

The Brewers racked up 13 hits in yesterday's victory, recording at least 10 hits in their seventh straight game overall -- tied for the longest streak of its kind in MLB this season.
Adam Lind went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI on Sunday. Lind has knocked in at least one run in nine consecutive games -- tied with three others for the longest streak in Brewers' history.

[StarDust Bum]

The Mariners have won four of their last six games overall, however, they have dropped three of their last four at Safeco Field. Seattle won four of the six matchups between these clubs in 2014 and will be facing Detroit for the first time this season.

The Tigers have won two of their last three games after winning just twice in their previous seven contests. Detroit has lost seven consecutive games to AL West foes.

Alfredo Simon is 0-2 with an 11.05 ERA in his last three starts after going 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA in his previous four outings. Simon allowed 15 hits in his last outing on July 1 -- the most hits allowed by a Detroit pitcher in a single game since Scott Sanders allowed 16 to Texas back on April 14, 1998.

Hisashi Iwakuma will be making his first start since April 20 after being placed on the DL back on April 24. Iwakuma is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against Detroit.

Ian Kinsler is hitting .444 (8-for-18) with one double, one triple and five RBI over his last four games and has 17 home runs in his career against Seattle -- the second-most in his career against any opponent (20 vs. Angels). Kinsler is hitting .391 (9-for-23) with three homers in his career against Hisashi Iwakuma.

Nelson Cruz has homered in two of his last five games after homering just once in his previous 29 contests. However, he has gone hitless (0-for-10) in his last three at Safeco Field.

[StarDust Bum]

The Giants, who will be looking to snap their current six-game losing streak, have scored just one run in two of their last three contests overall. San Francisco has won nine of its last 11 meetings with the Mets, including two of the three matchups between the teams this season.

The Mets have won three of their last four road games after winning just three of their previous 21 away from home. The Mets have dropped each of their last three trips to San Francisco, last winning there back on July 10, 2013.

Jonathon Niese is 0-6 with a 5.26 ERA in his last nine starts and will be seeking his first victory since May 9. Niese is 1-3 with a 2.57 ERA in seven career starts against the Giants.

Chris Heston is 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA in his four starts since throwing a no-hitter against the Mets back on June 9, allowing three runs or fewer in each of those four outings.

Buster Posey is hitting .410 (16-for-39) with four doubles, four homers and 16 RBI during his current 11-game hitting streak. Posey is hitting .444 against the Mets since the beginning of the 2014 season -- his highest batting average against any opponent in that span (minimum 5 games).

Wilmer Flores, who had a career-high four hits against the Dodgers on Sunday, has had at least three hits in each of his last three games (10-for-13) -- the longest active streak in the majors and the longest such streak of his ML career.

[StarDust Bum]

Oakland has won three of its four meetings with the Yankees so far this season (all at home) and five of its last seven road games against them.

At 14-5, the Yankees boast the best home record in the majors since May 25. The Yankees have dropped four of their last seven games overall, scoring just one run in each of those losses in that span.

The A's have won each of their last six road contests, while scoring at least six runs in each game in that span. Oakland will be looking to win seven in a row away from home for the first time since posting 12 consecutive road victories from August 24-September 12, 2012.

Sonny Gray is 4-0 with a 1.01 ERA in his last four road starts. Gray is 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees and will be making his first career start at Yankee Stadium.

Nathan Eovaldi has won each of his last three starts, posting a 2.08 ERA in those contests. Eovaldi is 0-1 with a 5.60 ERA in his career against Oakland -- the second-highest ERA in his career against any opponent (minimum 3 games).

Alex Rodriguez is hitting .419 (18-for-43) with two doubles, four homers and 15 RBI during his current 12-game home hitting streak. Rodriguez will be seeking his first 13-game home hitting streak since the 2009 campaign (August 12-September 13, 2009).

[StarDust Bum]

The Reds and Nationals will be meeting for their second series of the season after Cincinnati swept the Nationals in three games from May 29 -- 31. The Reds' 21 runs in that series are their second-most scored in any three-game series this season (most is 22, from June 8-10 against the Phillies).

With their 3-1 win last night against the Giants, the Nationals completed a three-game sweep, and are now 12-3 (.800) over their last 15 games. Washington has held its opponent to two or fewer funs 12 times over its last 15 games.

Wilson Ramos homered and hit an RBI single in yesterday's victory over the Giants. Over the last month (since June 6), Ramos' five home runs rank tied for second among NL catchers, behind only Yasmani Grandal's seven home runs (Ramos is also tied with Derek Norris and Buster Posey).

In the previous series between the two teams this season, Joey Votto went 4-for-10 with two home runs and three RBI. Over his last 16 games against Washington, Votto has slugged .776 with six home runs and 13 RBI.

Anthony DeSclafani took the loss in his last start on June 30 against the Twins despite tying a career high with seven strikeouts. In fact, DeSclafani became just the fifth Reds' pitcher (six instances) in the live-ball era to give up six or more earned runs and 11 or more hits all while striking out seven or more batters (the last Reds' pitcher to do so was Ryan Dempster, on May 22, 2003 against the Braves).

In two career starts against the Reds, Doug Fister is 2-0 (1.000) with a 1.29 ERA and .180 opponent batting average.