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**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:19 AM

Preview: Mariners (41-49) at Yankees (49-40)
Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: July 19, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

There was a time when a matchup between Felix Hernandez and CC Sabathia was a clash of pitching titans, but Sabathia's struggles have now reduced it to a one-sided affair.

Still a Cy Young Award contender, Hernandez looks to become the AL's first 12-game winner Sunday when the Seattle Mariners go for the series win against the New York Yankees in the Bronx.

Following his sixth All-Star Game, Hernandez (11-5, 2.84 ERA) is looking to pick up where he left off after giving up no runs in three of five starts prior to the break.

The right-hander allowed five hits over seven scoreless innings in a 7-2 home win over the Los Angeles Angels on July 9, receiving more than two runs of support for the first time in his previous eight outings.

Seattle (42-49), which snapped a seven-game losing streak versus New York with Saturday's 4-3 win, has gone 12-6 in games started by Hernandez and 30-43 in the others.

"Time and time again, when we need that big win, he seems to come through for us," manager Lloyd McClendon told MLB's official website of his ace.

Hernandez has a chance to become the league's first to reach 12 wins as the Mariners go for their seventh victory in eight road games against the AL East leaders. Houston's Dallas Keuchel, who also has 11 wins, is scheduled to take the mound later Sunday.

Hernandez has gone 5-1 with a 1.37 ERA in seven starts at the new Yankee Stadium. New York (49-41), however, tagged him for seven runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 7-2 win at Safeco Field on June 1 - his fourth loss in nine career home starts against the Yankees.

Mark Teixeira delivered the big blow with a grand slam off Hernandez in that contest. The slugging first baseman has hit .303 with six homers in 66 at-bats in the matchup.

Teixeira had two hits and Brian McCann hit his 15th homer Saturday, but New York was 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position in only its fourth loss in 12 games this month.

"It's just one of those days we didn't get the big hit," manager Joe Girardi said.

Former Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano did most of the damage while getting booed by his one-time fans, going 3 for 4 with two home runs. He is hitting .412 in his last 28 games at Yankee Stadium.

"I don't know how comfortable he is when you have 40,000 people booing you," McClendon said.

Cano has gone 2 for 9 against Sabathia (4-8, 5.47), who went 74-29 with a 3.22 ERA over his first four seasons with the Yankees but is 21-25 with a 5.04 mark since the start of the 2013 season.

The big left-hander had a 6.65 ERA in his four previous starts before allowing two runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 5-4 win over Oakland on July 8. He worked on eight days' rest after undergoing treatment on his right knee, but owns an 8.10 ERA in three starts with at least six days' rest this season.

Sabathia has fared well against the Mariners, going 8-1 with a 1.87 ERA in his last 11 starts against them. He gave up two runs over 5 2-3 innings in a 5-3, 11-inning win at Safeco on June 2.

Austin Jackson went 3 for 3 with a double when facing Sabathia in that meeting, while Mark Trumbo has gone 5 for 13 with a home run lifetime against him.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Yankees
Fri, Jul 17 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mariners at Yankees
Sat, Jul 18 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Mariners at Yankees
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:21 AM

Preview: Rays (46-46) at Blue Jays (46-46)
Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: July 19, 2015 1:07 PM EDT

Given the way Sunday's starters in Toronto have fared against their respective opponents, scoring is likely to be at a premium.

Chris Archer looks to lead Tampa Bay to its fifth win in six games by beating the Blue Jays for a fourth time this season, while Marco Estrada faces the Rays for the first time since last month's perfect-game bid.

Archer (9-6, 2.74 ERA) has dominated Toronto in three starts, going 3-0 while allowing one earned run over 22 innings. He's struck out 25 in that span and yielded just seven hits.

The All-Star right-hander has been terrific at Rogers Centre throughout his career, going 2-0 with a 1.49 ERA in six starts.

Archer, however, has had plenty of time to think about what went wrong after allowing a career-worst nine earned runs and a career high-tying 12 hits in a 9-7 loss at Kansas City on July 8. He also gave up one run - a homer to Andrew McCutchen - in 1 1-3 innings in Tuesday's All-Star Game.

"No one outing is going to define me, whether it's good or bad," Archer told MLB's official website. "Constantly trying to get better. Constantly working towards my potential. Clearly not there yet."

Toronto's Jose Bautista (2 for 26), Russell Martin (1 for 10) and Edwin Encarnacion (4 for 28) are among those who can't be happy to see Archer again. Backup catcher Dioner Navarro could start in place of Martin since he's gone 6 for 18 with two home runs off Archer.

After totaling 22 runs in their previous three games, the Blue Jays (46-47) went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position in Saturday's 3-2 defeat. Bautista provided one of the few highlights with his 18th homer in Toronto's 11th loss in 16 games.

The club might not need a big effort at the plate with Estrada (6-5, 3.52) on the mound.

When he last faced the Rays on June 24, the right-hander retired the first 22 batters until Logan Forsythe hit a weak grounder to third base that resulted in an infield single. It was one of two hits Estrada allowed in 8 2-3 innings of the 1-0, 12-inning road win. He finished with a season-high 10 strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 0.54 in five career games - including four relief appearances - against Tampa Bay(47-46).

The Rays enter this matchup batting .197 and averaging 3.0 runs over their last six games, and Estrada has a 2.12 ERA in his last five after most recently yielding two runs over 6 2-3 innings in a 3-0 loss at Kansas City on July 10.

"He has basically done (a nice job) every time he has gone out there," manager John Gibbons said.

The Rays, whose 332 runs at the break were their fewest since 1998, rallied from a one-run deficit Saturday behind late solo home runs by Brandon Guyer and Curt Casali.

Toronto pitchers have allowed 99 home runs, among the most in the majors.

"We coughed it up late via the home run ball," Gibbons said. "It's tough. If we don't improve there, it's going to be a long year."

John Jaso went 2 for 4 with an RBI double, giving him a .400 average in nine games off the DL.

Tampa Bay seeks its ninth win in 13 meetings with Toronto this season.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Blue Jays
Fri, Jul 17 Final 2 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rays at Blue Jays
Sat, Jul 18 Final 3 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rays at Blue Jays
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:07PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:22 AM

Preview: Indians (42-47) at Reds (40-47)
Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: July 19, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

With the Cleveland Indians finally ending their lengthy skid in Cincinnati and having won the Ohio Cup, Carlos Carrasco will have just a little less pressure as he resumes his push for the AL wins lead.

Carrasco will seek an 11th victory in Sunday's series finale against the Reds, and Johnny Cueto will try to thwart that attempt with another successful performance versus Cleveland.

Cleveland (43-47) ended a nine-game losing streak in Cincinnati with its highest-scoring game since May 27, a 9-4 victory Saturday. Michael Brantley, Brandon Moss and Yan Gomes combined to drive in eight runs on homers.

The Indians, batting .206 in their prior 10 games, had 11 hits for the first time since getting 13 in a 7-1 win in Tampa Bay on June 29 and improved to 4-1 against Cincinnati this season. Moss snapped an 0-for-21 slump while helping give Cleveland its second series victory against its instate rivals in the past 10 years.

"It feels good just to be on base," Moss said. "I've been in a really bad stretch. You hit the panic button, try to force things. ... You get caught in a funk and once that starts, it's hard to get out of it."

The Indians went a franchise-best 5-1 against the Reds in 2011 and Carrasco (10-7, 4.07 ERA) will try to help his team tie that mark and earn his first win in three outings.

The right-hander gave up two runs in seven innings against Oakland in his final start before the All-Star break July 11 but did not get a decision in a 5-4 loss.

Carrasco could tie for the AL wins lead if he is victorious Sunday, and the league's co-leaders - Houston's Dallas Keuchel and Seattle's Felix Hernandez - fail to earn victories. Keuchel is facing Texas and Hernandez is pitching against the New York Yankees.

Carrasco seeks his third win in as many starts against Cincinnati (40-48) and second this season. He yielded two runs in six innings and struck out seven in a 7-3 victory May 22 in Cleveland.

Cueto (6-6, 2.73) faces the Indians for the first time this season and will try to improve to 5-0 in seven career matchups. The right-hander, who has a 2.08 ERA against Cleveland, has gone the distance in each of the last two meetings with the most recent Aug. 5.

Cueto had a more frustrating time in an 8-1 loss in Miami last Sunday, tossing a cooler in the Reds' dugout after giving up five runs in five innings

This might prove one of Cueto's final starts for the Reds as he's rumored to be heading out of town before the trade deadline at the end of this month.

"I'm going to leave that in God's hands," Cueto told MLB's official website. "I'm still wearing my Cincinnati jersey. That's what I'm going to be thinking about is that I'm wearing that Cincinnati jersey. We'll see what happens after the All-Star Game. We'll wait to see what happens."

Jay Bruce, batting .423 (11 for 26) in his last seven games, is 3 for 6 with two homers against Carrasco. Michael Bourn, who snapped an 0-for-15 slump Saturday, is 9 for 24 (.375) versus Cueto.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Reds
Fri, Jul 17 Final 1 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Indians at Reds
Sat, Jul 18 Final 9 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Indians at Reds
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:24 AM

Preview: Dodgers (51-39) at Nationals (48-39)
Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: July 19, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

Zack Greinke will try to secure a piece of history when he opens his second half in a marquee pitching matchup.

The Dodgers right-hander will attempt to keep an opponent off the scoreboard for a sixth consecutive start Sunday while squaring off with the Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer.

Since 1914, only Orel Hershiser and Don Drysdale have registered six consecutive scoreless starts. The former Dodgers also own the two longest scoreless streaks in MLB history, and Greinke (8-2, 1.39 ERA) will attempt to move up the list in the finale to a three-game series in the nation's capital.

Greinke moved his scoreless streak to 35 2-3 innings with a 6-0 win over Philadelphia on July 9, yielding one hit, walking none and fanning eight. He gave up a leadoff homer to Mike Trout in Tuesday's All-Star Game but became the first pitcher since 1999 with four strikeouts in the Midsummer Classic.

"The things he's been doing so far have been great. He's almost been perfect," catcher Yasmani Grandal said. "You can't ask for anything else."

Greinke will next try to surpass Clayton Kershaw's 41-inning streak from last season and move into third on the Dodgers' all-time list. If he can stretch it past 42 innings, he'll have the second-longest since 1974 behind Hershiser's record 59.

"Things are just working and I'm trying to stay in the rhythm, I guess," Greinke told MLB's official website. "There hasn't been any bad luck and when that happens, it makes things easier."

Greinke finished the first half with the lowest ERA by a Dodgers pitcher since Drysdale's 1.37 in 1968, the same season of his 58-inning scoreless streak. Scherzer (10-7, 2.11) isn't far behind after nearly ending the first half with his fourth complete game in six starts.

The Nationals right-hander yielded two solo homers and two other hits in 8 2-3 innings in a 3-2 win in Baltimore last Sunday and lowered his ERA to 3.34 in his four starts since his first career no-hitter June 20 against Pittsburgh.

"Even when you do have large workloads, you stay consistent," Scherzer said. "I've done some good things in the first half. It's more important to do better things in the second half, because that's when it's going to matter."

Scherzer went 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his two starts against the Dodgers last season while with Detroit after going 1-3 with a 4.55 ERA in his first five. Greinke is 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in five career starts versus Washington with rain limiting him to three innings in the most recent one, a 4-0 loss May 5, 2014.

He'll try to lead the Dodgers (52-40) to their 14th win in 21 games and eighth in 11 road contests while Scherzer will seek to deliver his team's 16th victory in 23 games.

The Nationals (49-40) completed a 5-3 win Saturday in a game that was suspended because of a trio of power outages a night earlier. Kershaw struck out 14 in an ensuing 4-2 victory for Los Angeles, and Bryce Harper fanned three times before hitting his 27th homer in the ninth.

Adrian Gonzalez had a pair of home runs over two days in the series opener, giving him 20 or more in a season for the ninth time. The Dodgers first baseman is 4 for 23 with no homers lifetime against Scherzer.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Dodgers at Nationals
Fri, Jul 17 Final 3 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Dodgers at Nationals
Sat, Jul 18 Final 4 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Dodgers at Nationals
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:26 AM

Preview: Marlins (38-52) at Phillies (30-62)
Game: 3
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 19, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

Perhaps the uncertainty surrounding the looming trade deadline is starting to bother Cole Hamels.

He'll try to rebound from one of the worst outings of his career Sunday in what could be his last home start for the Philadelphia Phillies, who look to complete a series sweep of the visiting Miami Marlins.

Though the odds seem good that Hamels (5-7, 3.63 ERA) and closer Jonathan Papelbon will be dealt by the July 31 non-waiver deadline, a report surfaced this weekend that Philadelphia (31-62) and incoming club president Andy MacPhail might hold on to the ace for the time being.

"I don't know who's going to be here by the trading deadline," interim manager Pete Mackanin told MLB's official website. "We don't know what's going to happen. We might have the same guys. We might have (new) pitchers, hitters, we don't know."

What Mackanin knows is that the left-hander must rebound after he allowed a career-high nine earned runs with 12 hits over 3 1-3 innings of a 15-2 loss at San Francisco on July 10.

'He looked like he was all over the place," Mackanin said. "He didn't have command.

"You can't have a good outing every time and I'm sure this is one he wants to forget about.'

It was the shortest outing since lasting three innings in September 2011 for Hamels, who is 0-4 with a 4.47 ERA while receiving seven runs of support in eight starts since winning four straight from May 8-23.

'No amount of experience will put you in this situation,' said Hamels, who remains mired in frustration. 'There are a lot of different variables going on. It's hard to find the words to describe it.

"This game can be a physical and mental grind."

Hamels yielded an unearned run in six innings while not factoring in the decision of a 6-1 home loss to the Marlins (38-53) on April 22, then allowed six runs and 10 hits over six of a 7-0 defeat at Miami on May 2.

Starters Adam Morgan and Chad Billingsley held the Marlins to two runs in 11 1-3 innings while Philadelphia took the first two after heading into the break on a five-game skid.

Ryan Howard, one veteran Phillie who does not appear to be on the trading block thanks to a hefty contract, is batting .368 (7 for 19) with six RBIs in his last five contests. Though Howard is 5 for 22 with 11 strikeouts against Dan Haren (7-5, 3.24), three of those hits have left the park.

Haren gave up a run over six innings in each of his last two starts to go 1-0. The right-hander's posted a 3.00 ERA while lasting six each to split his two against the Phillies this season.

Martin Prado had three hits with the lone RBI for Miami, which has lost 13 of 15 on the road, including a season high-tying six straight.

The Marlins' 43 errors are among the fewest in baseball, but they've committed four in the series, and nine over the last four road contests.

'It's uncharacteristic of what we've done,' manager Dan Jennings said. 'We're not that kind of club.'

Prado is batting .313 with two homers and five doubles against Hamels.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Marlins at Phillies
Fri, Jul 17 Final 3 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Marlins at Phillies
Sat, Jul 18 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Marlins at Phillies
Sun, Jul 19 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:27 AM

Preview: Royals (53-35) at White Sox (42-46)
Game: 3
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: July 19, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

Although Chris Sale didn't get into the All-Star Game, the rest has given the left-hander a chance to extend another double-digit strikeout stretch in Sunday's series finale.

That's won't come easy in a matchup against the least strikeout-prone team in the majors.

Sale looks to match a season high with his third straight victory Sunday when the Chicago White Sox seek a split of their four-game home series against the AL-best Kansas City Royals.

After his MLB record-tying stretch with at least 10-plus strikeouts ended at eight games, Sale started anew July 11 when he gave up one run and fanned 10 over seven innings in a 5-1 win over the crosstown rival Cubs at Wrigley Field.

The 26-year-old Sale (8-4, 2.72 ERA) leads the AL with 11.71 strikeouts per nine innings and ranks among the major league leaders with 157 strikeouts and a 6.83 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Now the four-time All-Star looks to improve on his 5-2 record and 1.59 ERA over his last nine starts. He's also 7-3 with a 2.15 ERA in 12 career starts with six or more days' rest.

"I'm just trying to keep it going," Sale told MLB's official website. "I don't know what it is or how it is ... just go out there and try to do your job as a pitcher."

Sale is 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA in 14 career starts against the defending AL champions. The AL Cy Young Award candidate allowed two runs over seven innings but struck out a season-low two in a 3-2, 13-inning home loss April 23.

Kansas City (54-35) hitters haven't struck out 10 or more times in the last 21 games - it's happened only eight times this year - and have a major league-low 520.

Kendrys Morales is 3 for 6 with a home run and a double off Sale, while Alcides Escobar has gone 18 for 48 (.375) and Lorenzo Cain is 14 for 40 (.350) with two homers.

Cain is also batting .490 with three homers over his last 13 games after his 13th-inning solo shot was the difference in Saturday's 7-6 win.

'I ended up doing it and helping everybody get out of here and move on to tomorrow. It was well needed, well needed,' Cain said.

Danny Duffy allowed four hits over six innings in a 3-0 home win over Toronto on July 10 that ended a four-game losing streak. He had posted a 6.91 ERA over his previous six starts - a stretch that included more than a month's stay on the disabled list.

The left-hander has struggled with his command, issuing six walks with one strikeout in his last two outings. However, only the Royals (197) have drawn fewer free passes than the White Sox (199).

Duffy (3-4, 4.65) has not picked up a decision in two meetings this season. He gave up five runs over five innings in a 7-5 home win April 8 before yielding no earned runs over 5 1-3 in a 3-2 road loss April 24.

Jose Abreu has gone 5 for 10 with a home run versus Duffy, though Tyler Flowers' only hit in 10 at-bats off him was a three-run homer. The White Sox (42-47) had batted .202 while totaling five runs in their previous three games before finishing with 14 hits Saturday.

"Sale is pitching tomorrow, right? So, I think we'll be alright,' losing pitcher Dan Jennings said.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at White Sox
Fri, Jul 17 Final 0 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at White Sox
Sat, Jul 18 Final 7 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Royals at White Sox
Sun, Jul 19 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:31 AM

Preview: Pirates (53-36) at Brewers (39-52)
Game: 3
Venue: Miller Park
Date: July 19, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

The Milwaukee Brewers are in position for their first home sweep and will send a rookie to the mound who has already made quite an impression on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Taylor Jungmann won his big-league debut over Pittsburgh less than two months ago and seeks his first home win in Sunday's three-game series finale.

Milwaukee (40-52) can post its first four-game home win streak as it hands the ball to Jungmann (4-1, 2.15 ERA), who allowed one run over seven innings June 9 to earn a 4-1 victory at Pittsburgh.

"He was keeping us off-balance with his curveball and missing barrels," Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer said after that contest. "We hit a few balls hard off him, but nothing to show for it."

Jungmann is a 2011 first-round pick who posted a second straight victory last Saturday with a three-hitter for his first complete game in a 7-1 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He famously threw a complete game in the 2009 College World Series final for Texas.

"The way he's throwing, he's going to keep getting better and better," catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. "There's no reason why he can't be a dominant force on our staff for a while."

The right-hander is 0-1 with a 1.80 ERA in two home starts - both lost by Milwaukee via shutout.

Pittsburgh (53-37) went into the All-Star break winning 13 of 16 before stumbling in this series. Pedro Alvarez is 0 for 7 in the two games and committed his 15th error in Friday's 4-1 defeat.

The Pirates were forced to turn to fill-in starter Vance Worley in Saturday's 8-5 loss after Francisco Liriano was scratched 20 minutes before the game began due to neck stiffness after a bad night of sleep.

The change from a left-hander to a right-hander caused Brewers manager Craig Counsell to insert Gerardo Parra and Scooter Gennett into the lineup since both often sit against lefties. They combined for four hits.

The Brewers fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and didn't score in the bottom half before scoring in each of the next six innings. Lucroy, Aramis Ramirez and pinch-hitter Khris Davis all homered.

"I was really proud of the guys," Counsell said. "We didn't get off to a good start but we played a good game the rest of the game."

It's not clear who will sit Sunday against Pittsburgh left-hander Jeff Locke (5-5, 4.03), who is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two 2015 starts against Milwaukee. Gennett started once and Parra did not start either of those games.

Locke gave up four runs - one earned - over five innings July 9 in a 4-1 loss to St. Louis. His road ERA is 7.28 compared to 2.58 at home.

Carlos Gomez is 6 for 18 off Locke, Lucroy is 6 for 17 and Ryan Braun is 8 for 23. Davis is 1 for 16 in this matchup, though he often starts against lefties.

The Brewers have won 12 of 16, with their starters going 8-3 with a 3.43 ERA. A victory Sunday would mark the ninth time in 10 years Milwaukee has swept a three-game home set from Pittsburgh.

"We've got guys swinging the bats well and the starting pitching, it's so important," Counsell said.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Brewers
Fri, Jul 17 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Pirates at Brewers
Sat, Jul 18 Final 5 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Pirates at Brewers
Sun, Jul 19 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:33 AM

Preview: Rangers (42-47) at Astros (50-42)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: July 19, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

A lingering rough stretch might be mentally taking its toll on the Houston Astros.

The Texas Rangers, meanwhile, seem eager to collectively play the role of antagonists.

Looking to remain undefeated at home, ace Dallas Keuchel tries to help the Astros earn a needed series victory over the Rangers on Sunday.

Rougned Odor homered in the third inning, then tripled right after getting into a verbal exchange with Houston catcher Hank Conger in the ninth of Texas' 7-6 victory Saturday. The incident, which began when Conger took exception to Odor taking his time getting into the batter's box, resulted in both benches clearing and a brief shouting match between managers. Astros skipper A.J. Hinch and Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder also jawed at each other but nobody was ejected.

'If you wondered if games in July matter, that's probably proof positive that there's some emotion involved and there's some intent to win the game,' Hinch said.

Frustration seems to be mounting for a Houston club that's dropped nine of 11 and trails the first-place Los Angeles Angels by 1 1/2 games in the AL West. The Astros (50-43) are 1-4 against Texas at home.

'I think you saw some passion from our guys, some emotion from our guys,' Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. 'One, they're not going to be pushed around. They come out to play hard and I think that never-quit attitude is something they do enjoy and they embrace.'

Though Keuchel (11-4, 2.23 ERA) is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in both July starts that came on the road, he'll try to extend a 17-inning scoreless stretch at Minute Maid Park, where he's 8-0 with a major-league best 1.24 ERA in 10 outings.

"For me, he's the best pitcher in the league right now," All-Star teammate Jose Altuve said. "He throws the ball really good and he's having a really good season."

Keuchel has a 1.80 ERA and no record in two 2015 outings against the Rangers (43-47), who handed Houston one of its two home defeats with the All-Star Game starter on the mound.

Odor is 6 for 10 with two triples and that home run in the series, but 1 for 10 against the left-hander. Josh Hamilton, who had two doubles and a homer Saturday, is 6 for 15 (.400) with a home run versus Keuchel.

A possible candidate to be dealt before the July 31 trade deadline, Yovani Gallardo (7-8, 2.62) also ranks among the major league leaders in ERA but has not received a single run of support while going 0-2 with a 2.08 ERA in three July outings.

"Honestly, I'm not trying to think about that," the right-hander said. "It is one of those things I can't control. I've got to keep the team in the game and give the team a chance to swing the bat.

He's 2-0 with a 1.11 ERA in his last five on the road, where he hasn't allowed a run in his last 22 1-3 innings.

Gallardo's lone 2015 appearance against the Astros came at home April 11, when he yielded two runs and eight hits and struck out seven in 5 2-3 innings of a 6-2 victory.

Jason Castro is 2 for 21 with nine strikeouts in his last seven home games but is batting .438 (7 for 16) with two doubles and a home run against Gallardo.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Astros
Fri, Jul 17 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rangers at Astros
Sat, Jul 18 Final 7 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rangers at Astros
Sun, Jul 19 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:34 AM

Preview: Mets (47-43) at Cardinals (57-33)
Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 19, 2015 2:15 PM EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals have been feast or famine against the New York Mets.

Coming off one of their biggest offensive performances of the season, the Cardinals look to complete a sweep of this three-game series Sunday.

St. Louis (58-33) has won four of six meetings with New York (47-44) this year, outscoring the Mets 34-6 while hitting .342 in those victories compared to a .139 average with one run in the defeats.

The Cardinals won for the 16th time in the last 21 home meetings with New York on Saturday, pounding out 15 hits and matching a season high for runs in a 12-2 victory. Jason Heyward tied his personal best with five hits and had two RBIs before leaving after a single in the eighth.

"I was cramping all over," said Heyward, who is 7 for 8 in this series. "I haven't been feeling well the last few days."

His health isn't a concern, according to manager Mike Matheny. Heyward is 10 for 20 with four RBIs in five games against the Mets this season and he's batting .350 over his last 19 matchups.

Randal Grichuk went 3 for 3 with a pair of homers and a career-high six RBIs Saturday. He's 8 for 24 with two homers, three doubles, two triples and 10 RBIs in six games against New York.

St. Louis will try to win a fifth straight home game and again get the best of New York's Jonathon Niese (5-8, 3.61 ERA), who surrendered eight runs and 11 hits in five-plus innings of a 10-2 loss to the Cardinals on May 19.

He was 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA in seven previous starts against them.

The left-hander has been very good lately, recording seven consecutive quality starts while going 2-3 with a 2.64 ERA. He allowed three runs over 6 2-3 innings in a 5-3 win over Arizona last Sunday.

He's been roughed up by a number of Cardinals, however, including Heyward who is 9 for 28 with two homers while Mark Reynolds has two of his own with a .500 average (6 for 12).

Yadier Molina and Jhonny Peralta have hit Niese hard, combining to go 12 for 30.

The Cardinals are keeping Tim Cooney (0-0, 4.34) in the rotation in place of injured Jaime Garcia (groin), who could be back before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Cooney has a 3.31 ERA in three starts since replacing Garcia. The rookie left-hander allowed three runs with five strikeouts in five innings of a 6-5 loss in 10 at Pittsburgh last Sunday.

He's facing a Mets' team that's last in the majors with a .234 average and is 2 for 36 (.056) in its last six games with runners in scoring position.

Michael Cuddyer is dealing with a bone bruise in his left knee but he was a bright spot with three hits Saturday, including a solo homer. He's 8 for 18 with two homers in his last five games after going 2 for 36 in the 12 prior.

"It's all got to start someplace, and I thought tonight was a very good night for him," manager Terry Collins told MLB's official website. "So we'll get him in there (Sunday) and see how he does."

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mets at Cardinals
Fri, Jul 17 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mets at Cardinals
Sat, Jul 18 Final 2 to 12
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Mets at Cardinals
Sun, Jul 19 - 2:15PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:36 AM

Preview: Twins (50-40) at Athletics (41-51)
Game: 3
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: July 19, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

Tommy Milone's familiarity with pitching in Oakland was a major reason why Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor wanted him to start in this series.

Milone makes his first start against the team that traded him to the Twins nearly a year ago when he faces the Athletics on Sunday.

Oakland (42-51) dealt Milone to Minnesota last July 30 for outfielder Sam Fuld. Milone (5-1, 2.84 ERA) went 6-0 with a 2.62 ERA over his final 11 starts with the Athletics and requested a trade when he was sent to the minors last July 5 after the club acquired Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Chicago Cubs.

He will return to Oakland, where he went 15-8 with a 2.99 ERA in 34 starts with the Athletics. That's why his manager wanted to make sure the left-hander would pitch in this series.

"Tommy pitched in Oakland and has always done well there," Molitor told MLB's official website.

Milone is limiting left-handed hitters to a .167 mark for the second-best mark among lefties who have only started this year. The Oakland hitter he has the most experience against is Billy Butler, who is 8 for 16 against him.

He is 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA in seven starts since being recalled June 4 from Triple-A Rochester. Milone allowed one run in seven innings to earn a 5-3 victory over Baltimore on July 8.

The Athletics are 5-17 against left-handed starters for baseball's worst mark.

Oakland evened this three-game series with Saturday's thrilling 3-2 victory when Stephen Vogt singled in Billy Burns in the 10th inning.

'This team is resilient and picks each other up no matter what happens,' Vogt said. 'A win like tonight can propel us to play the way we know how to play for a while.'

A dramatic ninth inning saw Joe Mauer double in a run and Miguel Sano follow with a sacrifice fly to give Minnesota (50-41) a 2-1 lead. Closer Glen Perkins then suffered his first blown save and failed to add to his league-leading total of 28 by allowing pinch-hitter Jake Smolinski's two-out bloop RBI single.

'It was bound to happen,' Perkins said. 'I've said all along I'm going to blow a save. I'm going to blow more than one. I've got to be able to bounce back.'

The Twins had their four-game win streak snapped with their second loss in nine games. Oakland improved baseball's worst record in one-run games to 9-22.

The A's will start journeyman Jesse Chavez (4-9, 3.40), who has posted a 5.82 ERA in losing his last three outings. He was charged with four runs in five innings of a 6-2 loss at Yankee Stadium on July 9.

The right-hander's nine losses before the All-Star break were the second-most by an Oakland pitcher in the last 17 years with Joe Blanton's 12 in 2008 the only higher total.

Chavez has lost the most day games in baseball, going 1-6 with a 4.29 ERA in eight games - seven starts.

There is hope for him Sunday since he gave up one unearned run over 7 1-3 innings with seven strikeouts in a 2-1 victory at Minnesota on May 5.

Torii Hunter, who turned 40 on Saturday, is 5 for 7 against Chavez.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Athletics
Fri, Jul 17 Final 5 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Twins at Athletics
Sat, Jul 18 Final 2 to 3
Recaps

GAME 3
Twins at Athletics
Sun, Jul 19 - 4:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:38 AM

Preview: Rockies (39-50) at Padres (42-49)
Game: 3
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: July 19, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

The San Diego Padres are going for their longest winning streak of the season and they're giving part of the credit to the All-Star break.

Some could also go to facing the Colorado Rockies.

The Padres look to continue their home dominance of the Rockies and sweep this three-game set Sunday.

San Diego (43-49) is 6 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs for the NL's second wild-card spot and nine games back of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the West. That's a major disappointment after general manager A.J. Preller spent the winter revamping the roster to contend for a spot in the postseason.

They're trying to change that, matching their season-high four-game winning streak Saturday after beating Colorado 5-3 behind Clint Barmes' two-run homer in the seventh.

"It's always good to get a little break, more mentally than it was anything else, to take a few days and get away from the game," Barmes said. "Coming back from the break, guys are ready to get after it and start stringing some wins together and get it going.

"Obviously no one in here's happy with where we're at, but know that we're capable of doing a lot better than what we've shown. The second half should be interesting."

San Diego has five homers among its 11 hits in this series, and it should like its chances in the finale. The team has won 15 of the last 18 home meetings with Colorado (39-51), and a large reason is the staff's 2.33 ERA.

Andrew Cashner (3-10, 4.10 ERA) gets the nod Sunday, and he's 1-1 with a 3.05 ERA in his last three starts after going 0-2 with a 7.62 ERA over his previous five.

The recent improvement has fueled rumors that the right-hander could be dealt before the July 31 trade deadline.

Cashner's latest outing may have increased his value after he allowed four runs and three hits in a season-high 7 2-3 innings of a 5-2 loss at Pittsburgh on July 8.

He's 1-3 with a 5.91 ERA in 10 games - five starts - against Colorado. However, he yielded one earned run in 7 1-3 innings of a 4-2 win at Petco Park on April 16, 2014.

Cashner has held Troy Tulowitzki to 3 for 12 in their matchups after making him go hitless in four at-bats last year.

The All-Star shortstop has reached base in a career-high 40 consecutive games after connecting for a solo homer among his two hits Saturday.

Extending the streak Sunday would tie him with Todd Helton (2007) and Andres Galarraga (1996-97) for the second-longest in franchise history, five back of Michael Cuddyer's mark set two years ago.

The Rockies, losers of 14 of their last 18 on the road, are going to recall Eddie Butler (3-6, 4.80) from Triple-A Albuquerque. The rookie right-hander was demoted after being tagged for six runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 6-2 loss to Miami on June 5.

Butler, though, compiled a 6.27 ERA in six starts with Albuquerque but had a 4.26 mark over the last three.

"It wasn't all smooth sailing for him down there," manager Walt Weiss told MLB's official website. "He went down there and worked on some things, so we feel like he's made enough progress."

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Padres
Fri, Jul 17 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rockies at Padres
Sat, Jul 18 Final 4 to 5
Recaps

GAME 3
Rockies at Padres
Sun, Jul 19 - 4:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:39 AM

Preview: Cubs (47-41) at Braves (43-47)
Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: July 19, 2015 5:05 PM EDT

Though he wasn't an All-Star like the Atlanta Braves' Shelby Miller, Jake Arrieta was certainly a standout performer in the first half for the Chicago Cubs.

Arrieta will seek to open his second half by registering his longest win streak when he pitches opposite Miller in Sunday's series finale in Atlanta.

Instead of heading to Cincinnati, Arrieta (10-5, 2.66 ERA) got some time off after a complete-game 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox last Sunday. The right-hander gave up two hits and walked none while striking out nine in his fourth consecutive victory and third in as many outings.

Arrieta also hit his first career homer while improving to 6-1 in his last eight starts. He has 1.13 ERA in his past five and has pitched into the seventh inning in all of those games.

"His stuff is definitely in the elite level of all major league pitchers, there's no question," manager Joe Maddon said.

Arrieta, who had his only four-start win streak in June 2014, is 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA in two starts against the Braves and allowed three runs in 7 2-3 innings in his latest matchup July 11, 2014. He will have a difficult act to follow after Jon Lester took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in a 4-0 victory Saturday and snapped the Cubs' franchise-worst eight-game skid in Atlanta.

Chicago (48-41) has won just three of the past 15 meetings with the Braves (43-48), losers in six of seven.

Atlanta's starters have a 5.45 ERA during that stretch, and Miller (5-5, 2.38) will try to provide a much-needed boost while earning his first win in 10 starts since May 17.

The right-hander took his fourth consecutive loss in his final start before the All-Star break July 10, giving up five runs and a career-high 11 hits over five innings in a 5-3 defeat in Colorado. He showed his frustration by throwing his hat and glove into the Braves' dugout following the Rockies' three-run fourth inning.

Miller couldn't take advantage of three runs of support after getting none in four consecutive outings. He's gotten a combined eight to work with in his last nine games and his 2.93 run support average is one of the worst among qualifying NL starters.

"Things are easy when you are rolling. Hopefully, this is a learning experience. We're not worried about him," utility man Kelly Johnson told MLB's official website. "He's an awesome teammate and he's having a heck of a year. So, we have tons of confidence in him."

Miller is 1-0 with a 2.86 ERA in four career starts against the Cubs.

It's unclear if he'll face Kyle Schwarber in this game. The Chicago rookie, batting .407 in eight games, went 3 for 4 in his return from the minors in Friday's series opener but was limited to a pinch-hit appearance Saturday.

"There's a plan in place. Let's stick to the plan," Maddon said.

Starlin Castro, who had an RBI single in four at-bats Saturday, is 4 for 40 in his last 12 games and 1 for 8 with three strikeouts lifetime against Miller.

A.J. Pierzynski, who broke up Lester's no-hit bid, is 6 for 8 with two homers against Arrieta. That's his best average versus any pitcher he's faced six or more times.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at Braves
Fri, Jul 17 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Cubs at Braves
Sat, Jul 18 Final 4 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Cubs at Braves
Sun, Jul 19 - 5:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 03:42 AM

Preview: Red Sox (42-48) at Angels (49-40)
Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: July 19, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Hector Santiago didn't have the opportunity to pitch in this week's All-Star Game, but he gets another chance to show why he was worthy of being part of the festivities.

The left-hander tries to win a third straight start and help the Los Angeles Angels extend their pitching dominance over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

Among baseball's biggest surprises, Santiago (6-4, 2.33 ERA) is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in his last four starts. The Angels (50-40) have scored 20 runs while he's allowed one in 14 innings of his two outings this month.

Santiago, who joined stars Mike Trout and Albert Pujols in Cincinnati this week, didn't play Tuesday but seems more concerned with continuing his success and helping Los Angeles maintain its lead atop the AL West.

"Now I know what I can do," Santiago, who went 10-16 with a 3.63 ERA in 51 starts over his previous three seasons, told MLB's official website. "Before, I was kind of like an average pitcher. I think I had the stuff to be a good pitcher; I just never put it together. I never put the actual pitcher and thrower together and made it one. And now, I've kind of evolved to a pitcher."

Santiago allowed three runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 6-1 loss to the Red Sox on May 24 to fall to 0-3 with a 3.63 ERA in four starts against Boston (42-49).

The Red Sox, however, have been limited to seven hits while being shut out in the first two of this four-game set.

'Hitting is something that's a continuation of what you do the day before," Red Sox slugger David Ortiz said. "The four days off affected pretty much everybody around here, so hopefully we'll bounce back.'

Pablo Sandoval had both Boston hits off Garrett Richards in Saturday's 3-0 loss.

Xander Bogaerts is 3 for 5 with a double against Santiago. He batted .404 with 10 RBIs during an 11-game hitting streak that ended Saturday.

Dustin Pedroia went 0 for 8 in the first two games after missing almost a month with hamstring tightness, but is 4 for 9 with three doubles versus Santiago.

Making his first appearance against the Angels, rookie Eduardo Rodriguez (5-2, 3.59) is 3-0 with an 0.69 ERA in his first four career road starts. The left-hander also entered the break 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last three overall.

"We continue to learn a lot about him," manager John Farrell said after Rodriguez allowed a pair of solo homers in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-3 win over the New York Yankees on July 11. "He continues to grow each time he walks to the mound."

Rodriguez will try to contain pesky leadoff hitter Kole Calhoun, who homered twice Saturday and is batting .340 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 13 career games against the Red Sox.

'We definitely have some superstars on this team, but we're not going to have them do it every night,' said Calhoun, who is five homers shy of his career-high 17 set last year. 'It's been a good month for us so far, and we've just got to keep it going.'

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at Angels
Fri, Jul 17 Final 0 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Red Sox at Angels
Sat, Jul 18 Final 0 to 3
Recaps

GAME 3
Red Sox at Angels
Sun, Jul 19 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Red Sox at Angels
Mon, Jul 20 - 10:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 07-19-2015, 12:01 PM

Preview: Giants (48-43) at Diamondbacks (42-47)
Game: 3
Venue: Chase Field
Date: July 19, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

The home team struggles when the San Francisco Giants meet the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Judging by how the Giants fare when Madison Bumgarner pitches in Arizona, that trend could continue Sunday as the Diamondbacks look to avoid a sixth straight loss and a series sweep.

The visiting team is 10-2 in the season series after San Francisco (48-43) took the first two games of this set to extend its win streak to five. The Giants, who can post their first sweep at Chase Field since April 29-May 1, 2013, have captured 10 straight series in the desert.

'I don't have a way to explain it,' manager Bruce Bochy said, 'but I do know our guys seem to like hitting here.'

Bumgarner (9-5, 3.33 ERA) also likes pitching there - going 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA in his last six starts at Arizona, with San Francisco winning all of them. He gave up one run in seven innings there on opening day April 6 to earn a 5-4 victory.

The left-hander is 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in three 2015 starts against the Diamondbacks. Light-hitting Nick Ahmed is 3 for 6 in those games, Paul Goldschmidt is 3 for 9 with a homer and Chris Owings is hitless in 10 at-bats with five strikeouts.

Bumgarner, who worked a scoreless inning in Tuesday's All-Star Game, allowed two runs in 5 2-3 innings in a 15-2 rout of Philadelphia on July 10. His career ERA after the All-Star break is 2.75 compared to 3.34 before it.

Fellow southpaw and Arizona starter Patrick Corbin (1-1, 5.40) is 0-3 with a 4.99 ERA in his last five outings versus the Giants, who he hasn't faced since Sept. 6, 2013.

Corbin will make his third start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2014. He surrendered four runs in five-plus innings last Saturday in a 4-2 loss at the New York Mets.

Hunter Pence is 9 for 19 with three homers against Corbin, Angel Pagan is 6 for 19 and Buster Posey is 6 for 20.

Those hitters have delivered in this series in which the Giants have scored 14 runs on 30 hits - 23 singles. Pence is 4 for 8 with three walks and three RBIs, Posey is 4 for 8 with five RBIs and Pagan is 3 for 10.

In addition, Joe Panik is 5 for 9 and Matt Duffy is 6 for 12, with that duo combining to score seven runs.

Posey will be behind the plate after catcher Andrew Susac left Saturday's 8-4 victory in the bottom of the fourth with a sprained right thumb. Bochy estimated Susac would be out a week to 10 days and said the Giants could bring up Hector Sanchez from Triple-A Sacramento to back up Posey.

Arizona (42-47) is enduring its longest slide since losing six straight Sept. 16-21.

"It's not good," manager Chip Hale said. "We're not playing crisp baseball, we're not doing the things we need to do to win. We have to play better."

Lefty-swinging David Peralta is 5 for 10 with a homer and three triples in this series. He often sits against left-handers and has never faced Bumgarner.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Diamondbacks
Fri, Jul 17 Final 6 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Diamondbacks
Sat, Jul 18 Final 8 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Giants at Diamondbacks
Sun, Jul 19 - 4:10PM EDT

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