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**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:11 PM

Preview: Pirates (68-46) at Mets (63-54)
Game: 3
Venue: Citi Field
Date: August 16, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

The New York Mets are facing another season sweep at the hands of potential postseason opponent from the NL Central.

Giving the ball to Matt Harvey didn't help in his last meeting with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Harvey will try to continue his outstanding stretch by avenging the worst performance of his career against the Pirates on Sunday.

The Mets (63-54) are atop the NL East, but they've lost 16 of 19 matchups with Pittsburgh, St. Louis and the Chicago Cubs, the three teams in playoff positions from the Central. They lost all seven meetings with Chicago and are on the brink of going 0-6 this year versus the Pirates (68-46) after falling 5-3 in 14 innings Saturday.

New York's overall six-game skid to Pittsburgh is its longest since losing seven straight in 1992 when both teams were in the NL East.

Harvey (11-7, 2.61 ERA) was hit hard in a 8-2 loss at Pittsburgh on May 23, surrendering a career-high seven runs in four innings - the only time he failed to reach the fifth in 58 starts.

The Dark Knight may feel more comfortable in Gotham, where he's 4-0 with a 1.05 ERA over his last six starts. He's 3-0 with a 0.91 ERA in his past four overall, winning the last two by tossing 15 scoreless innings after going eight in Tuesday's 4-0 win over Colorado.

"He's starting to get all the things we know he has - all the weapons, all the things that made him special," manager Terry Collins said of Harvey, who missed all of last year following Tommy John surgery.

Harvey has gone a personal-best 16 innings without allowing a run twice, most recently in May before Andrew McCutchen ended it with a two-run blast in the first.

The Mets have scored nine runs while batting .204 against the Pirates this season, but Yoenis Cespedes has been a bright spot with a solo homer and a double among his five hits in this series.

He's 8 for 20 with two homers, two doubles and three RBIs in his last four games.

The Pirates, who occupy the league's first wild-card spot, would like Jeff Locke (6-7, 4.43) to last a bit longer after reaching the sixth in just one of his last four starts, going 1-1 with a 6.53 ERA. He's also walked 10 in 20 2-3 innings over that stretch and his 3.48 walks per nine innings is the third-highest in the majors.

Locke gave up four runs and seven hits with three walks Tuesday but much of the damage came in the fifth inning. He walked the first two batters before surrendering three runs and exiting after the inning in a 4-3 loss at St. Louis.

"I made it easy for them. I didn't throw enough strikes," Locke told MLB's official website. "I didn't set myself up to be in a good position to put anybody away with offspeed pitches."

Locke hasn't faced the Mets since May 9, 2013, allowing one run and three hits in six innings while not getting a decision in a loss at Citi Field.

Gregory Polanco has a .450 average with three homers during a nine-game hitting streak. The right fielder has five hits in this series, including his seventh homer Saturday to match his total as a rookie from last year.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Mets
Fri, Aug 14 Final 3 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Pirates at Mets
Sat, Aug 15 Final 5 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Pirates at Mets
Sun, Aug 16 - 1:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:13 PM

Preview: Athletics (51-67) at Orioles (59-56)
Game: 3
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: August 16, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

Given the way he's performed against Oakland in recent seasons, it's not surprising Chris Davis has continued to excel at the plate during a visit from the Athletics.

After finishing off a comeback victory, Davis will try to give the Baltimore Orioles another boost in the wild-card race Sunday.

Davis hit his second homer in the ninth inning and drove in three runs as Baltimore (59-56) rallied from an early three-run deficit for a 4-3 victory. The Orioles first baseman is batting .344 with an MLB-best 15 homers and 35 RBIs in his last 25 games dating back to July 19.

Davis is hitting .343 with 12 homers and 32 RBIs in his last 29 against Oakland (51-67) since the start of the 2011 season and .409 with five homers and 12 RBIs in five this season.

His sixth longball in six contests pushed Baltimore within one-half game of the Los Angeles Angels for the AL's second wild card.

Davis' three homers in this series have helped Baltimore earn back-to-back wins - both in walk-off fashion. Manny Machado homered in the 13th inning in an 8-6 victory Friday, a game the Orioles trailed 4-0 after 4 1/2 innings.

"Any time you're winning it's a lot of fun, especially when you do it the way we've done it the last couple nights, walking off," said Davis, whose team has won seven of nine at home since the All-Star break.

Wei-Yin Chen (6-6, 3.21 ERA) seeks to improve to 5-0 against the A's after coming up short in Oakland on Aug. 5. The left-hander gave up three runs in five innings, but the Orioles eventually won 7-3 in 10.

Chen followed by yielding one run in 7 1-3 innings in a 3-2 win in Seattle on Monday.

He has a 2.19 ERA in his six career matchups with Oakland and is 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in three at Camden Yards.

In this meeting, Chen will try to send the A's to a season high-tying sixth consecutive defeat and extend their road losing streak to seven. The A's, 13-27 in one-run games, haven't dropped seven straight away from home since June 3-9, 2011.

"We're going to find out what this group is made of going forward. It's that simple," said pitcher Chris Bassitt, whose team has lost 12 of 15 on the road.

Kendall Graveman (6-8, 3.89) will seek to snap those skids while ending his personal one at four. The right-hander took a 4-2 defeat in Toronto on Tuesday, giving up four runs in 4 2-3 innings.

Despite that lackluster effort, Graveman has a respectable 2.65 ERA in his last three starts but has gotten a combined five runs of support. He's received seven in his six-start winless drought.

Graveman faced Chen earlier this month and gave up three runs in 5 2-3 innings in his only start versus Baltimore. Davis went 1 for 2 with a walk and a strikeout against him.

Billy Butler hit the first of the A's four doubles off Chen and is 9 for 20 with six extra-base hits lifetime against the left-hander. Butler, though, is also batting .136 in his last seven games.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Orioles
Fri, Aug 14 Final 6 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Athletics at Orioles
Sat, Aug 15 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Athletics at Orioles
Sun, Aug 16 - 1:35PM EDT

GAME 4
Athletics at Orioles
Mon, Aug 17 - 7:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:15 PM

Preview: Mariners (54-63) at Red Sox (52-64)
Game: 3
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: August 16, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

Perhaps inspired by their manager's brave fight against cancer, the AL East-worst Boston Red Sox are playing with an almost unprecedented focus on offense.

Highly touted rookie pitcher Henry Owens hopes the hot hitting against the Seattle Mariners continues in his home debut Sunday when Boston goes after its first three-game sweep in two months.

Hours after learning that skipper John Farrell would miss the rest of the season to undergo treatment for lymphoma, the Red Sox set season highs for runs and hits (21) in a series-opening 15-1 win Friday. Farrell then visited to joke with players and interim manager Torey Lovullo before Saturday's game.

"(Friday's) news still hits hard with several of us," Lovullo said. "I don't think that'll ever go away until we know John's healthy and cured and with us."

Although another outburst seemed unlikely with Seattle ace Felix Hernandez taking the hill, Boston shattered the previous day's highs with its most runs since 2003 and most hits (26) since '05 in a 22-10 victory.

The Red Sox (52-64) became the first team with at least 15 runs and 21 hits in back-to-back games since the club did it in 1950. Saturday was the highest-scoring game ever against Seattle.

At 25, Jackie Bradley Jr. became the youngest player to get five extra-base hits, while Blake Swihart and Xander Bogaerts had four hits apiece. Bradley is 13 for 22 with 13 RBIs in his last five games and David Ortiz is 14 for 22 with 10 RBIS in his past six.

Boston now hopes to have Rusney Castillo back as it tries to earn its first three-game sweep since June 5-7. Hanley Ramirez, also out with a sore foot, could miss his seventh straight contest.

Pablo Sandoval's status is uncertain after leaving Saturday with a bruised elbow. He was hit by a Hernandez pitch leading off the third inning after homering in the second.

Owens (1-1, 3.60 ERA), regarded as the team's top pitching prospect, would like to benefit from another big day at the plate in his first appearance at Fenway Park.

The left-hander allowed three runs over five innings in a 13-3 loss at Yankee Stadium on Aug 4 before giving up one run despite walking four over five innings of last Sunday's 7-2 win at Detroit.

"I've got a win, I can throw my shoulders back, take a deep breath and take the next step," Owens said.

He'll likely have to contend with Nelson Cruz, who hit his MLB-leading 35th home run Saturday. Cruz has batted .451 with nine homers over his last 13 games, although seven have been solo shots.

Vidal Nuno (0-1, 3.00) gets his third start since moving into the rotation after making three relief appearances with Arizona and 20 more upon joining Seattle (54-63).

After allowing three runs and five hits - two homers - over 3 2-3 innings in a 10-4 win at Colorado on Aug. 4, he looked better in yielding two runs over five innings in Monday's 3-2 home loss to Baltimore.

The left-hander, though, seeks to end the majors' longest active winless streak. He's 0-9 with a 3.98 ERA in 17 starts since allowing two hits over 5 2-3 innings in a 6-0 home win in his only other matchup with the Red Sox on June 27, 2014.

"Yesterday was a bad outing, today was a bad outing," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "Tomorrow, hopefully we have a good outing and win a ballgame."

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Red Sox
Fri, Aug 14 Final 1 to 15
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mariners at Red Sox
Sat, Aug 15 Final 10 to 22
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Mariners at Red Sox
Sun, Aug 16 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:17 PM

Preview: Diamondbacks (57-58) at Braves (52-64)
Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: August 16, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

After being held in check in their opener against Atlanta, the Arizona Diamondbacks quickly got back to producing at the plate.

They've provided Rubby De La Rosa with enough support for a career-best win streak while the Braves have continued to give Shelby Miller only a meager backing in a 15-game winless drought he'll try again to snap Sunday.

Arizona (57-58) is batting .354 and averaging 7.7 runs in its last six games, but had five hits in a 3-2 loss Friday. The Diamondbacks bounced back with 11 hits in an 8-4 victory the next day

David Peralta, batting .466 in his past 17 contests, homered and drove in three runs, giving him 20 RBIs in that stretch.

"I'm feeling pretty good," Peralta told MLB's official website. "(Friday), we didn't have a good game, but we just turned the page. We came with the same attitude and the same energy and tried to win the game. That's what we did today. We're just going to keep doing what we're doing now."

Arizona has backed De La Rosa (10-5, 4.55 ERA) with a combined 25 runs in his last five starts and gave him little to fret over in a 13-3 victory against Philadelphia on Monday, his fourth in a row. The right-hander allowed three runs in six innings, putting his ERA at 2.81 during his win streak.

Miller (5-9, 2.48) has received 14 runs in 15 games since a 6-0 win in Miami on May 17 and the Braves (52-64) didn't score any in his five innings in a 4-1 loss to the Marlins last Sunday. The right-hander gave up two runs in his eighth consecutive defeat, the longest losing streak by an Atlanta pitcher since Kenshin Kawakami dropped 11 straight in 2009-10.

Miller has a 3.16 ERA during the longest winless drought by a Braves starter since Jo-Jo Reyes' 18 games from 2008-09.

"Eventually, I'm going to win a game," Miller said. "Right now, it's all about going out there and trying to get a win, more than myself."

Miller is the first to have a .357 winning percentage or lower and a sub-2.50 ERA in at least 20 starts since Joe Magrane went 5-9 with a 2.18 ERA in 24 starts for St. Louis in 1988.

Miller has received zero runs of support seven times in his last 10 games and got just one in Arizona on June 2. He didn't help himself by matching a career high with six walks, and he gave up four runs in 4 1-3 innings, his shortest outing this season.

De La Rosa allowed seven runs in five innings in his only start against the Braves on June 3 but avoided the loss when Arizona rallied for a 9-8 victory.

Freddie Freeman hit a pair of homers off him but hasn't played since Aug. 3 because of a strained right oblique. Nick Markakis, 0 for 8 in this series, hit a pair of doubles.

Peralta played just one game in the series against Atlanta in June and did not face Miller. Welington Castillo, batting .308 with eight homers in his last 17 games, has one hit in his last seven at-bats versus Miller, a home run.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Braves
Fri, Aug 14 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Braves
Sat, Aug 15 Final 8 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Braves
Sun, Aug 16 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:19 PM

Preview: Cubs (67-48) at White Sox (54-60)
Game: 3
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 16, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

The Chicago Cubs are enjoying one of their most successful stretches in 70 years. But as hot as they've been, they've also had some fortuitous luck in terms of opposing pitchers they've drawn.

Their surge faces perhaps its biggest hurdle yet Sunday against Chris Sale and the White Sox.

The Cubs (67-48) have won nine straight and 15 of their last 16 and have been particularly potent offensively during the winning streak, averaging 5.8 runs and collecting 32 extra-base hits. That includes 21 runs over the last three games after a 6-3 victory Saturday at U.S. Cellular Field.

Five players had two hits apiece, including Addison Russell's two doubles. Anthony Rizzo is hitting .431 with 15 RBIs in his last 15 contests after a 2-for-4 night.

The Cubs are looking to record a 10th straight victory for the first time since a 12-game run from May 19-June 2, 2001, and win 16 of 17 for the first time since July 1-16, 1945 - the last year they reached the World Series.

"It is awesome," said Kyle Schwarber, who drove in a run and has 14 RBIs in his last 10 games. "We have a really good ballclub. We're playing to our potential right now."

Over the last 16 games, though, the Cubs have managed to avoid elite pitching. They've faced five starters with ERAs below 4.15 in that span compared to six who are at 4.78 or higher. The lowest is 2.42 by Milwaukee Brewers rookie Taylor Jungmann, who made his 12th career start in a 6-3 loss to the Cubs on Tuesday.

Sale is the second straight lefty they'll face after putting together three runs in Jose Quintana's six innings Saturday. Sale (10-7, 3.47 ERA) bounced back from consecutive seven-run outings Monday against the Los Angeles Angels, yielding two runs over 7 1-3 innings in an 8-2 victory. He used 104 pitches after throwing 95 and 107 in five and 5 1-3-inning starts against Boston and Tampa Bay.

"I'm just trying to do what I've always done," Sale said when asked if he made any changes. "Just throw strikes and win games, just give my team a chance to win. That's all I can do."

He dominated in his only start against the North Siders on July 11, striking out 10 over seven-plus innings in a 5-1 victory at Wrigley Field.

"He was outstanding," manager Joe Maddon said.

Jonathan Herrera's double in that outing is the only extra-base hit by a current Cub in 33 combined at-bats against the left-hander.

While Cubs didn't gain any ground on Pittsburgh, which maintained its 1 1/2-game edge for the NL's top wild-card spot with a 5-3, 14-inning victory against the New York Mets, the White Sox (54-60) remained five games behind the Angels for the AL's second wild-card berth.

They've dropped 10 of 15, including seven of the last nine meetings on the South Side.

"They made some mistakes. We didn't capitalize on them, and we made some mistakes and they capitalized," said Robin Ventura, who was ejected for the second time this season. "They put some stuff in play and they scored when we made some mistakes."

Dan Haren (8-7, 3.55) makes his third start with the Cubs looking to end the home run problem has carried over from the end of his Miami tenure. He's given up three homers in 10 1-3 innings for Chicago and nine in his last five outings overall.

Haren is 3-2 with a 4.05 ERA in eight career starts against the White Sox.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at White Sox
Fri, Aug 14 Final 6 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

Cubs at White Sox
Sat, Aug 15 Final 6 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Cubs at White Sox
Sun, Aug 16 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:20 PM

Preview: Phillies (46-71) at Brewers (50-68)
Game: 3
Venue: Miller Park
Date: August 16, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

It's been a season to forget for the Philadelphia Phillies, perhaps more so for Aaron Harang than most.

Looking to avoid becoming the major league's first 14-game loser, Harang tries to shake off his woes for one start at least as the Phillies try to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on Sunday.

Despite the 5-13 record and 4.52 ERA, this isn't Harang's worst year. He lost a major league high-tying 17 games in 2008 pitching for Cincinnati and also dropped 14 with the Reds the following year. His season has encapsulated that of the Phillies (46-71), who lost 4-2 on Saturday and have the worst record in the majors.

Harang has lost back-to-back starts and 10 of his last 11, with the lone non-defeat a victory over Atlanta on July 30. He is trying to avoid becoming the first pitcher to lose 11 times in a 12-start span since Ricky Romero dropped 13 of 14 for Toronto in 2012, and the last Phillies pitcher to be saddled with such a dubious distinction was Kyle Abbott, who went 0-11 in his first 12 starts in 1992.

It was another outing to forget for Harang on Monday - the Diamondbacks tagged him for a season high-tying eight runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 13-3 loss. Opponents are batting .278 with a .780 OPS, the fourth-highest in the NL in both categories.

'There were some really good pitches that I threw that were getting hit hard,' Harang said. 'They were too comfortable up there. Way too comfortable.'

The Brewers (50-68) established that season high July 1, defeating Harang and the Phillies 9-5 as they knocked him around for 14 hits in five-plus innings. Harang, who has won his last two starts at Miller Park, is trying to avoid becoming the 15th pitcher with three 14-loss seasons since the wild-card era began in 1995.

Scooter Gennett had his first four-hit game and two RBIs for Milwaukee, which has outscored Philadelphia 35-22 in winning all six games this year.

"He swung the bat well," manager Craig Counsell told MLB's official website. "He had a big hit and was getting on base."

While Harang has 13 losses, rookie Taylor Jungmann (6-4, 2.42) is making his 13th start, but in a similar position as Harang in looking to bounce back from a defeat.

The righty was reached for four runs - two earned - and five hits in 2 2-3 innings of a 6-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. It was the shortest outing of Jungmann's brief career as he was lifted after throwing 81 pitches.

'It was just one of those games,' he said. 'I've had other games like this, but I made an adjustment. Tonight I wasn't able to make the adjustment in game. You can't make pitches in 2-0 counts, 3-0 counts. They're sitting on stuff.'

Jungmann did not get a decision versus Philadelphia on June 30, giving up three runs in six innings of Milwaukee's 4-3 win.

While Phillies second baseman Chase Utley - hitting .500 with a homer and five doubles in seven games since coming off the disabled list - continues to weigh potential trade options, third baseman Maikel Franco will sit out a fourth straight game with a bruised wrist and use the off-day Monday as extra time to heal.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Phillies at Brewers
Fri, Aug 14 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores

GAME 2
Phillies at Brewers
Sat, Aug 15 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Phillies at Brewers
Sun, Aug 16 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:22 PM

Preview: Indians (54-61) at Twins (58-58)
Game: 3
Venue: Target Field
Date: August 16, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

It's likely that Minnesota has given up chasing first-place Kansas City in the AL Central. After a prolonged slump also put their wild-card pursuit in serious jeopardy, the Twins now have a chance to win back-to-back series for the first time in a month.

Standing in their way, however, is one of the hottest pitchers in the majors.

Carlos Carrasco takes the mound for Cleveland in Sunday's finale looking to extend an impeccable stretch and help the Indians take two of three in this series.

After winning for the seventh time in eight games July 17, Minnesota (58-58) was 10 games over .500 and had a one-game edge for the first AL wild card. The Twins also were just four games behind the Royals in the Central.

Since then, though, the Twins have lost 18 of 26, allowing their division deficit to balloon to 12 games while Toronto, the Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore and Texas passed them in the wild-card standings.

The Indians (54-61) have played a part in the slump by taking two of three in Cleveland from Aug. 7-9 before opening this series with a 6-1 victory Friday. The Twins bounced back Saturday with a 4-1 win, and after taking two of three in Texas earlier this week, are in position to win two straight series for the first time since July 6-12.

That may prove a difficult task against Carrasco (11-8, 3.68 ERA), who has been an absolute workhorse over his previous three starts, tossing 26 innings while striking out 22 and issuing just two walks.

Despite his 1.04 ERA in that time, Carrasco has earned just one victory. The right-hander pitched a two-hitter July 30 to beat Oakland before logging nine and eight innings, respectively, in a pair of extra-inning losses to the Angels and Yankees. He allowed a combined five hits and two runs in those outings, but received just two runs of support

"He was very good," manager Terry Francona said after the Indians beat the Yankees in 16 innings Tuesday. "When your good hitters get later in the game and they've seen a number of pitches, they get more dangerous. But he was really good. To the point that I thought about letting him go out for the ninth, but I just thought that was good enough."

Carrasco's numbers in seven career starts against Minnesota have been far below his recent output with a 1-3 record and 3.66 ERA. Since tossing 8 1-3 innings of three-hit ball to beat the Twins in June 2011, it's been even worse. Over his last three starts in the rivalry, Carrasco is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA and made it out of the fifth only once.

Left-hander Tommy Milone (5-3, 3.76) will be activated from the 15-day disabled list to oppose Carrasco after dealing with a mild left elbow strain.

Milone struggled prior to his DL stint, going 0-2 with a 7.98 ERA in three starts. The worst of it came at the beginning of that stretch when Milone lasted a season-low 2 2-3 innings against Oakland on July 19. After following that with two mediocre outings against the Yankees and Seattle, he's allowed 13 earned runs over his last 14 2-3 innings.

"Regardless of how our offense does, I have to do my job and not give up any runs," Milone told MLB's official website after a 6-1 loss to the Mariners on July 31. "It just didn't happen today."

He is 1-1 with a 1.99 ERA in four career starts against the Indians.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Twins
Fri, Aug 14 Final 6 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Indians at Twins
Sat, Aug 15 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Indians at Twins
Sun, Aug 16 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:24 PM

Preview: Tigers (56-60) at Astros (63-54)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: August 16, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

With the Detroit Tigers still showing faint signs of life in the AL wild-card race, a healthy and productive Miguel Cabrera would certainly boost their chances.

Cabrera looks to build off his first strong performance since returning from the disabled list in Sunday's series finale against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

The two-time MVP went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts in Friday's 5-1 loss, his first game since July 3 due to a strained calf. He looked more like himself while serving as designated hitter Saturday, going 2 for 4 with a walk in a 4-2, 11-inning victory.

Victor Martinez, making his first start of the season at first base, put the Tigers ahead with a go-ahead double during Detroit's three-run 11th.

"I kind of held back out of an abundance of caution," Ausmus said of not using Martinez as DH for the first time this season after he underwent knee surgery in the offseason. "I have come around and reluctantly let him play first because it's a way to get Miggy off his feet and allow him a chance to get his timing back."

The Tigers (56-60) gained a game on the Los Angeles Angels but are still four behind the pace for the league's second wild-card spot. They're 41-38 when Cabrera plays.

Preston Tucker's ninth-inning homer forced extras for Houston, which had won 15 of 17 at home prior to Saturday's loss. Manager A.J. Hinch was ejected for the second time this season in the fifth inning after a Detroit replay challenge prompted an overturned call and awarded the Tigers their first run.

Carlos Gomez continued to struggle, going 0 for 5 with three strikeouts. He's batting .091 in his last nine contests and owns a .510 OPS for the Astros (63-54) compared to a .751 mark in 74 games for Milwaukee.

This matchup features two pitchers who were moved at last month's trade deadline.

Mike Fiers (0-0, 5.40 ERA) impressed in his first start for Houston, limiting Oakland to one run over 6 2-3 innings last Sunday in what was eventually a 5-4 loss. The lone run came on Danny Valencia's homer, a marked improvement over his Astros debut when he surrendered six runs over five innings of relief in a 12-9 loss at Texas on Aug. 3.

"A solo home run? I can live with that. We were right there," he said. "When I came out, I felt like I did my job."

Fiers, who is making his Minute Maid Park debut, gave up two runs over 5 2-3 innings against Detroit on May 18 in Milwaukee's 3-2 win.

Matt Boyd (1-3, 7.11) hasn't been as bad as his ERA indicates, which is still swollen thanks to a July 2 disaster against Boston in which he gave up seven runs without recording an out while still with Toronto.

He owns a 3.79 ERA over his three other outings and allowed three runs - all in the first inning - over 5 1-3 in Monday's 4-0 loss at Kansas City.

"He came right back after that first inning, made the pitches to get out of that and limited the damage to three runs," catcher Alex Avila told MLB's official website. "He pitched his butt off the rest of the way."

The Astros' .238 batting average against left-handers is one of the majors' worst, though their 45 homers are the most. They're hitting .138 against southpaws since Aug. 3.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Astros
Fri, Aug 14 Final 1 to 5
Boxscores

GAME 2
Tigers at Astros
Sat, Aug 15 Final 4 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Tigers at Astros
Sun, Aug 16 - 2:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:26 PM

Preview: Marlins (46-70) at Cardinals (75-41)
Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: August 16, 2015 2:15 PM EDT

The St. Louis Cardinals can capture their first season sweep of the Miami Marlins with a victory in Sunday's series finale.

With Carlos Martinez taking the ball for the Cardinals and David Phelps pitching for the Marlins, a St. Louis season sweep appears inevitable.

The Cardinals (75-41) moved 34 games over .500 for the first time since finishing 100-62 in 2005 with Saturday's 6-2 victory, their eighth in 10 games.

Stephen Piscotty, the No. 6 hitter, had two doubles and No. 8 batter Mark Reynolds had a three-run homer and a double for St. Louis, which became the fastest team to 75 wins since the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies did it in one fewer contest.

While the Cardinals don't have much trouble winning regardless of who starts, they've been virtually unbeatable with Martinez (12-4, 2.62 ERA) on the mound.

St. Louis is 18-3 in Martinez's starts for an .857 team winning percentage - the best for a pitcher with a minimum of 15 starts. Since May 20, Martinez has the majors' fifth-best ERA at 1.76 with the Cardinals winning 13 of his 14 outings.

The right-hander, who also has baseball's fifth-best ERA in day games at 1.47, has won five consecutive decisions as a starter since losing to Minnesota on June 17.

Six days later he made his only career start against Miami, surrendering a two-run homer to Giancarlo Stanton and one other run while striking out nine over seven innings in a 4-3 victory.

If trying to beat Martinez isn't enough of an obstacle for the Marlins (46-70) - losers of 15 of 20 - history is not on their side with Phelps (4-8, 4.35) pitching.

Miami is 5-13 in Phelps' outings for a .278 winning percentage - the lowest for a pitcher with a minimum of 15 starts. The Marlins have lost 11 of his last 13 and skipped his last turn since he is 3 1-3 innings shy of matching last season's career high of 113.

"We just want to make sure we are smart on how we approach it," manager Dan Jennings told MLB's official website.

Phelps is also coming off a rough outing, permitting seven runs, eight hits and three walks in 4 1-3 innings of an 8-6 loss to the New York Mets on Aug. 5. The righty had a 3.57 ERA in his previous four starts but received three total runs of support and was saddled with an 0-3 record.

The Cardinals are also being careful with Martinez's innings in order to keep him fresh for the playoffs, but manager Mike Matheny said the 23-year-old right-hander was simply too good to take out Tuesday against Pittsburgh. Martinez allowed three runs while matching career highs of eight innings and 108 pitches in a 4-3 win.

"I feel confident," Martinez said. "This year I came here to work hard, throw as many innings as I can pitch and try to help the Cardinals make it to the World Series."

Like Martinez, Randal Grichuk is another Cardinal who has essentially come out of nowhere and is playing so well the team is already talking about the World Series.

Grichuk hit his 15th homer Saturday and is batting .356 with six home runs and a 1.162 OPS in his last 16 games at Busch Stadium. This will be his first time facing Phelps.

Miami's Ichiro Suzuki unofficially moved into second place on the all-time hit list Saturday, singling in the first inning for his 4,192nd career hit to pass Ty Cobb. Suzuki had 1,278 of his hits in nine seasons for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Marlins at Cardinals
Fri, Aug 14 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores

GAME 2
Marlins at Cardinals
Sat, Aug 15 Final 2 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Marlins at Cardinals
Sun, Aug 16 - 2:15PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:28 PM

Preview: Rays (58-58) at Rangers (58-57)
Game: 3
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: August 16, 2015 3:05 PM EDT

Struggles at home were costing the Texas Rangers dearly in the playoff race but their recent reversal has them back in the thick of it.

The Rangers look to extend their season high home win streak to seven games in Sunday's series finale with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Texas (58-57) was 16-28 at home after a 1-12 stretch was punctuated by a 21-5 defeat to the New York Yankees on July 28. The Rangers were hitting .221 and averaging 3.2 runs over that stretch with the idea of postseason baseball fading.

They've changed in a big way, scoring 6.4 runs per game with a .311 batting average while winning nine of their last 10 and six in a row in Arlington.

Texas had 14 hits with three homers in Saturday's 12-4 win over Tampa Bay (58-58) to move 1 1/2 games back of the Los Angeles Angels for the AL's second wild-card spot. The club also trails West-leading Houston by four.

"We know how quick you can lose or make up ground," first baseman Mitch Moreland told MLB's official website. "That's something, when you've played for a couple years and get to be a part of it, you know to take your time.

"There's no reason to panic in those situations. We've been able to do that the last couple of games and hopefully we can continue it the rest of the year."

Shin-soo Choo came a triple shy of the cycle while driving in three runs Saturday, but he's still batting .245 on the season - 34 points lower than his career average.

Choo is hitting .381 in six games against the Rays this year.

The Rangers' Yovani Gallardo (8-9, 3.33 ERA) takes the mound after needing 100 pitches to toss 5 2-3 scoreless innings and not figuring in the decision of Tuesday's 3-2 loss at Minnesota. The right-hander had an 8.53 ERA while going 1-1 over his previous four starts.

He permitted four runs in 5 1-3 innings of an 8-2 loss at Tampa Bay on May 8.

The Rays, two games back of the Angels in the playoff chase, have lost 16 of their last 22 on the road.

They're hoping to gain a boost from Drew Smyly (0-1, 2.70), who is returning from a torn labrum in his left shoulder that's sidelined him since a 2-0 loss at Boston on May 5.

"I feel very anxious," Smyly said. "I feel ready. My arm feels ready. I haven't had any pain throwing."

Smyly, however, gave up 16 runs with 17 strikeouts and six walks in 14 innings over four minor-league rehab starts.

"When you're hurt for an extended period of time, it's a tough mental game," Smyly said. "It wears and tears on you and it's hard to get that out of your head. Protecting your arm, babying it, so to speak. But sooner or later you have to get over it."

He won both of his starts against Texas last season, yielding an unearned run while striking out 14 over 13 2-3 innings.

Smyly has also limited Choo to 1 for 13 with six strikeouts.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Rangers
Fri, Aug 14 Final 3 to 5
Boxscores

GAME 2
Rays at Rangers
Sat, Aug 15 Final 4 to 12
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rays at Rangers
Sun, Aug 16 - 3:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:30 PM

Preview: Nationals (58-58) at Giants (63-53)
Game: 4
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: August 16, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

The San Francisco Giants' playoff hopes were dealt a big blow at the beginning of a challenging slate before they gave themselves a boost with another successful homestand.

The Giants have also hurt the Washington Nationals' chances in their latest series, and Madison Bumgarner will try to complete a four-game sweep Sunday while earning a share of the MLB wins lead.

San Francisco (63-53) is in the midst of a 26-game stretch against teams in playoff position or in second place in their respective divisions. The Giants started in miserable style with a four-game sweep in Chicago from Aug. 6-9, letting the Cubs zoom past them for the NL's second wild-card spot.

They've won four of five - against Houston and Washington (58-58) - since their return home, and their hitters have led the way lately. San Francisco's 12-6 win Saturday gave it a combined 20 runs and 26 hits in the past two games.

Matt Duffy drove in four runs, giving him eight RBIs in the series, and Gregor Blanco had three hits for the second straight game.

The Giants, who have won 12 of 14 at AT&T Park, are within 2 1/2 games of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, but they're now 4 1/2 back of the Cubs in the wild-card race after Chicago extended its win streak to nine Saturday.

Washington is 9 1/2 behind the Cubs and 4 1/2 back of the New York Mets in the NL East after losing 12 of 16. The Nationals have also dropped eight of nine on the road.

Bumgarner (13-6, 3.15 ERA) will try to deliver the Giants' first four-game home sweep of the Nationals/Expos franchise since May 28-30, 1971. San Francisco swept a four-game road series and a three-game home set against Washington in 2008.

Bumgarner allowed six runs in five innings of a 9-3 loss at Washington on July 4 and has lost three consecutive starts against the Nationals, including Game 3 of the division series in San Francisco on Oct. 6.

The left-hander, though, is 5-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his six starts since last facing Washington. He tossed a five-hitter in a 3-1 victory against Houston on Tuesday while striking out 12 and walking none.

Bumgarner, who has logged a 1.84 ERA while winning his last four home starts, also fanned seven straight batters to tie the most in a row by a Giants pitcher since the club moved to San Francisco.

"Just being able to watch him day in and day out, it's pretty special to see a talent like him. He's the guy that we all feel like when he's out there, we're going to win the ballgame," first baseman Brandon Belt told MLB's official website.

Nationals rookie right-hander Joe Ross (3-4, 3.44) will make his first start in his native Bay Area and try to bounce back from his worst outing. He gave up five runs in 4 2-3 innings in his eighth major league outing, a 5-0 loss to the Dodgers on Tuesday.

"He's pitched in some big games for us," manager Matt Williams said. "He'll be ready for it."

Bryce Harper hit a two-run homer off Bumgarner in the first inning in July and is 4 for 11 with two homers versus him. The Nationals slugger, who has an NL-best 30 homers, fouled a ball off his left foot Saturday but said X-rays were negative.

Anthony Rendon is 5 for 9 against Bumgarner, including playoffs, but has gone 0 for 10 in this series.

The Nationals haven't been below .500 since they were 14-15 on May 7.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Giants
Thu, Aug 13 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores

GAME 2
Nationals at Giants
Fri, Aug 14 Final 5 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Nationals at Giants
Sat, Aug 15 Final 6 to 12
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Nationals at Giants
Sun, Aug 16 - 4:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:31 PM

Preview: Padres (56-61) at Rockies (47-68)
Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: August 16, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Even while winning for the fourth time in five games, San Diego still suffered collateral damage.

It's been that kind of a season for the Padres.

Yonder Alonso's availability is in question for Sunday's series finale against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

Twelve games back of a wild-card spot, the Padres (56-61) have little left to play for - likely not the situation they envisioned after acquiring Justin Upton, James Shields, Will Middlebrooks and Wil Myers during a splashy offseason.

San Diego has earned itself some goodwill lately, scoring seven-plus runs with 11 or more hits three times in the last four games, highlighted by the first cycle in club history Friday courtesy of Matt Kemp.

Brett Wallace put the Padres ahead Saturday with a pinch-hit single during a three-run ninth inning in a 7-5 win. Their seven straight victories against the Rockies match their run from July 12, 1997 to July 5, 1998, as the longest winning streak by either team in the series.

Upton went 2 for 5 and doubled, but was frustrated after being tagged out in an eighth-inning rundown. Upon returning to the dugout, he threw his helmet, which bounced and struck Alonso in the head. Alonso, batting .271 in 89 games, crumpled to the ground in pain, though he showed no concussion symptoms. He'll be re-evaluated Sunday.

Upton called it a "big mistake," while interim manager Pat Murphy described the outburst as "unacceptable."

"Most of the time showing that kind of anger is not healthy in my mind at all," Murphy said.

San Diego's Ian Kennedy (7-10, 4.37 ERA) worked in and out of trouble against Cincinnati lineup Monday, limiting the Reds to one run and two hits over five innings despite walking six in a 2-1 victory. He improved to 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA over his last five outings

Kennedy is 6-4 with a 2.87 ERA in 19 starts against Colorado, winning his third straight meeting May 1 in a 14-3 victory at Petco Park.

Coors Field wouldn't seem to be the best location for Kennedy considering he's allowed at least one home run in 11 straight starts, though his 1.1 homers allowed per nine innings all-time in Denver is well below his 2.0 mark overall this season. No Padre has ever allowed a home run in 12 straight starts.

Carlos Gonzalez, who is 1 for 18 in his last five games, is hitting .125 in 32 at-bats against Kennedy with 15 strikeouts.

The Rockies (47-68) have lost six straight, their most since a season-worst 11-game skid April 28-May 13.

Chris Rusin (3-5, 4.43) held the New York Mets to a 1-for-9 clip with runners in scoring position Tuesday, finding his way out of trouble to allow only one run despite giving up eight hits over six innings in the 4-0 loss. He had posted a 7.80 ERA over his previous three starts.

Rusin has been hit well by fellow left-handers lately. They're 12 for 24 with four extra-base hits in his last four starts after batting .273 against him previously.

He tossed 6 1-3 scoreless innings in his only previous matchup with the Padres, a 3-2 road loss with the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 25, 2013.

San Diego's .231 batting average against lefties ranks 28th.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Rockies
Fri, Aug 14 Final 9 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Padres at Rockies
Sat, Aug 15 Final 7 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Padres at Rockies
Sun, Aug 16 - 4:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:34 PM

Preview: Reds (51-64) at Dodgers (66-51)
Game: 4
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: August 16, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Zack Greinke is poised to finish with the lowest ERA in the majors, comfortably ahead of his closest competitor. If he can keep it up, he also has a chance of establishing the lowest ERA in Los Angeles Dodgers franchise history.

Greinke looks to continue his masterful season as he goes for the longest single-season winning streak of his career in Sunday's finale of a four-game set with the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

Greinke (12-2, 1.59 ERA) is nearly one-half run better than the New York Mets' Jacob deGrom for the best ERA in baseball. He's also just behind Hall-of-Famer Rube Marquard's franchise record of 1.58 from 1916, when the team was called the Brooklyn Robins.

It's also the lowest in the majors since Greg Maddux's 1.56 with Atlanta in 1994.

Greinke owns a 1.15 ERA in his last 10 starts, winning all seven decisions over the past eight to match the longest single-season winning streak of his career from 2013 with the Los Angeles Angels.

The right-hander won again Tuesday, striking out six in six innings of a 5-0 victory over Washington. That came five days after his worst performance of the season, surrendering six runs in six innings of a 10-8 win at Philadelphia.

"Not easy, that's for sure," Greinke said Tuesday. "I got in some jams early and was really trying hard to get the first guy out the rest of the game."

He's 5-2 with a 2.75 ERA and 10.35 strikeouts per nine innings over 10 career starts against the Reds. He fanned 11 and allowed three runs in 7 2-3 innings of a 6-3 victory in the latest matchup at Dodger Stadium on May 27, 2014.

The NL West-leading Dodgers (66-51) have won eight of their last 10 at home, and they've won seven of nine there against the Reds (51-64) after winning 8-3 on Saturday.

Kike Hernandez is hitting .432 over his last 14 games. He hit a three-run shot in Los Angeles' five-run second inning Saturday, giving him seven hits in this series while playing second base with Howie Kendrick (hamstring) on the disabled list.

Hernandez has been used at five positions this year.

"Being a utility guy in the minor leagues is what got me to the big leagues," Hernandez said. "I took advantage of my versatility, and that's why I'm here - because I can play a lot of positions. We have a lot of everyday players, and I'm just a role player right now. I hope it's different in the future - but for now, I'm all right with it as long as I'm on this team."

Yasiel Puig added a solo homer in Saturday's second inning, finishing with two hits and a stolen base. The mercurial right fielder is 6 for 18 with two homers and six RBIs in the past five games after batting .153 over the 19 prior.

Cincinnati has lost eight of its last 11 and will turn to Anthony DeSclafani (7-7, 3.75), who is trying to become the first Reds rookie to win eight games in a season since Mike Leake did it in 2010.

The right-hander failed to do it last Sunday, allowing three runs and 10 hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss in 10 at Arizona. He's still 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA in his last three starts and 4-2 with a 2.57 ERA in 12 on the road this year.

DeSclafani earned a 13-3 win in his only meeting with the Dodgers on May 14, 2014, yielding two runs with seven strikeouts in six innings.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Dodgers
Thu, Aug 13 Final 10 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Reds at Dodgers
Fri, Aug 14 Final 3 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Reds at Dodgers
Sat, Aug 15 Final 3 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Reds at Dodgers
Sun, Aug 16 - 4:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 08-16-2015, 12:36 PM

MLB MONEYLINE

MLB > (927) TAMPA BAY@ (928) TEXAS | 2015-08-16 15:05:00 - 2015-08-16 15:05:00
Play ON TEXAS using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 35 Wins and 19 Losses for the this season (+27.67 units)

MLB > (923) LA ANGELS@ (924) KANSAS CITY | 2015-08-16 20:05:00 - 2015-08-16 20:05:00
Play ON KANSAS CITY using the money line in All games at home with a money line of -100 to -125
The record is 38 Wins and 12 Losses for the last two seasons (+24.15 units)

MLB > (921) DETROIT@ (922) HOUSTON | 2015-08-16 14:10:00 - 2015-08-16 14:10:00
Play ON DETROIT using the money line in Road games in day games
The record is 14 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+11.6 units)

MLB > (919) OAKLAND@ (920) BALTIMORE | 2015-08-16 13:35:00 - 2015-08-16 13:35:00
Play AGAINST OAKLAND using the money line in Road games in August games
The record is 3 Wins and 16 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.2 units)

MLB > (911) CINCINNATI@ (912) LA DODGERS | 2015-08-16 16:10:00 - 2015-08-16 16:10:00
Play AGAINST CINCINNATI using the money line in Road games when playing on Sunday
The record is 0 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (-11.1 units)

MLB > (925) CLEVELAND@ (926) MINNESOTA | 2015-08-16 14:10:00 - 2015-08-16 14:10:00
Play ON MINNESOTA using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 36 Wins and 25 Losses for the this season (+17.4 units)

MLB > (907) MIAMI@ (908) ST LOUIS | 2015-08-16 14:15:00 - 2015-08-16 14:15:00
Play ON ST LOUIS using the money line in All games against right-handed starters
The record is 58 Wins and 26 Losses for the this season (+27.45 units)

MLB > (917) SEATTLE@ (918) BOSTON | 2015-08-16 13:35:00 - 2015-08-16 13:35:00
Play AGAINST BOSTON using the money line in All games at home with a money line of -100 to -125
The record is 15 Wins and 31 Losses for the last two seasons (-20.9 units)

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