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  • The Bum's Sports Page For Friday August 28th Best Bets-Trends-News !

    Baseball Capsules

    August 28, 2015

    PHILADELPHIA (AP) Daniel Murphy hit a go-ahead double in the 13th inning after making a spectacular defensive play to end the 10th, leading the New York Mets over Philadelphia for their seventh straight win.

    Reliever Carlos Torres led off the 13th with a single, Curtis Granderson singled and both scored on Murphy's hit off Hector Neris (2-2).

    With two outs in the 10th, Jeff Francoeur hit a hard shot that deflected off Torres' leg. Murphy made a diving stop at first base, then flipped a backhanded, no-look toss toward the bag that the hustling Torres caught as he beat Francoeur by a half-step.

    Torres (5-5) pitched 2 1-3 scoreless innings for the Mets, who held their 6 1/2-game lead over Washington in the NL East.

    NATIONALS 4, PADRES 2

    WASHINGTON (AP) - Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman homered, and starter Joe Ross allowed only a bunt single in six innings as Washington beat San Diego.

    Zimmerman's RBI single in the fifth gave the Nationals the lead for good at 2-1. He drove in eight runs during the three-game series.

    Werth homered off Andrew Cashner (5-13) in the sixth.

    Ross (5-5) won his second straight start, allowing the bunt single by Corey Spangenberg and one run.

    Jonathan Papelbon got his fourth save with Washington despite giving up a run on Yonder Alonso's two-out single.

    DODGERS 1, REDS 0

    CINCINNATI (AP) - Zack Greinke and two relievers combined on a four-hitter and the Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of reeling Cincinnati.

    Greinke (14-3) lowered his major league-best ERA to 1.61 and allowed four hits over seven innings, striking out nine.

    Jim Johnson pitched the ninth for his 10th save.

    The Reds finished 1-9 on their homestand. Anthony DeSclafani (7-10) took the loss.

    Outfielder Yasiel Puig and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez both exited early with injuries for the NL West-leading Dodgers.

    GIANTS 9, CUBS 1

    SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Kelby Tomlinson hit a grand slam for his first career home run and Marlon Byrd added a three-run shot, leading Madison Bumgarner and San Francisco over Chicago.

    The Giants moved within 5 1/2 games of the Cubs for the second NL wild-card spot.

    Bumgarner (16-6) struck out 12 in six innings, giving up one run and two hits. He won his fifth straight start and matched the Cubs' Jake Arrieta for most victories in the majors.

    Dan Haren (8-9) took the loss.

    Later, the Cubs acquired struggling reliever Fernando Rodney from Seattle for cash.

    PIRATES 2, MARLINS 1

    MIAMI (AP) - Gerrit Cole snapped the longest winless drought of his career, Pedro Alvarez homered and Pittsburgh held off Miami.

    Cole (15-7) allowed one run and five hits in 7 1-3 innings, striking out four and walking none. He hadn't gotten the win in any of his previous five starts.

    Mark Melancon posted his 41st save in 43 chances.

    Justin Nicolino (2-2) gave up two runs in six innings.

    RANGERS 4, BLUE JAYS 1

    ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Yovani Gallardo earned his 100th career victory, Delino DeShields had a part in all the Texas runs even without an RBI and the Rangers stopped Toronto's five-game winning streak.

    The Rangers averted a sweep by the AL East leaders and moved a half-game ahead of Minnesota for the second AL wild-card spot.

    Gallardo (11-9) threw 5 1-3 scoreless innings, giving up three hits. He improved to 100-73 in 241 career games with Milwaukee and Texas.

    Shawn Tolleson closed for his 26th save in 28 chances.

    DeShields drew a walk from Marco Estrada (11-8) in the first and scored on Mitch Moreland's single. DeShields finished 2 for 2 with three walks.

    RAYS 5, TWINS 4

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Relievers Brandon Gomes, Alex Colome and Brad Boxberger combined for 4 2-3 scoreless innings and Tampa Bay stopped Minnesota's six-game winning streak.

    Gomes (2-4) got an inning-ending double play with two on in the fifth during his 1 2-3 innings. After Colome worked two innings, Boxberger struck out all three batters he faced for his 31st save.

    Joey Butler, recalled from Triple-A Durham to take the place of injured outfielder Desmond Jennings, had an RBI single off Tommy Milone (6-4).

    ANGELS 2, TIGERS 0

    DETROIT (AP) - Matt Shoemaker pitched one-hit ball into the eighth inning in his hometown ballpark, Albert Pujols drove in one run and scored another and the Los Angeles Angels beat Detroit.

    Angels catcher Carlos Perez got a big assist in the win, too. Two of them, in fact, as he picked off Anthony Gose at first base and later threw him out trying to steal second.

    Shoemaker (6-9) went to high school about 30 minutes from Comerica Park and attended Eastern Michigan University, a school that has a large ad on the right field fence.

    Huston Street got his 31st save in the combined two-hitter.

    Randy Wolf (0-2) gave up one run in seven innings.

    ROYALS 5, ORIOLES 3

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Yordano Ventura struck out a career-high 11 in just six innings, Paulo Orlando homered and Kansas City beat Baltimore.

    Ventura (9-7) allowed two hits and four walks to improve to 5-0 in his last seven starts.

    Chris Tillman (9-9) took the loss.

    Orioles star center fielder Adam Jones ran into the wall chasing a fly ball in the first. He left soon after that with whiplash, and X-rays on his neck and wrist were negative.

    WHITE SOX 4, MARINERS 2

    CHICAGO (AP) - Carlos Rodon took a shutout into the seventh inning, Adam Eaton had three hits and scored three runs and the Chicago White Sox beat Seattle.

    Jose Abreu and Trayce Thompson had RBI doubles for Chicago, which wore throwback uniforms that debuted in 1976 and included white wide-collared untucked jerseys paired with navy blue pants and white socks.

    Rodon (6-5) left after giving up a two-run homer to Franklin Gutierrez in the seventh. David Robertson got three outs for his 27th save in 33 chances.

    Roenis Elias (4-7) gave up four runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings.
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

  • #2
    LEADING OFF: Orioles CF Jones gets checked, Kershaw starts

    August 27, 2015

    A look at what's happening all around the major leagues on Friday:

    ARE YOU OK?

    Orioles star center fielder Adam Jones will get checked out before the game at Texas. He ran into the wall chasing a fly ball in Kansas City on Thursday, and left the game soon after that with whiplash. X-rays on his neck and wrist were negative.

    ROLLING

    Clayton Kershaw is set to pitch at Dodger Stadium when LA hosts the Cubs. The lefty is 5-0 with an 0.90 ERA in his last nine starts. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner was 5-6 before his winning streak.

    BANGED UP

    The Yankees will see whether first baseman Mark Teixeira and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury are OK to play at Atlanta. Teixeira has been hobbling for a while, Ellsbury's hip is hurting and neither of them started New York's last game while recovering.

    LATE HELP

    Fernando Rodney is ready to join the contending Chicago Cubs after they got him in a trade with Seattle. The 38-year-old reliever was cut by the Mariners last weekend after going 5-5 with 16 saves in 22 chances and a 5.68 ERA. A season ago, the closer made the All-Star team and posted a Seattle-record 48 saves.

    FRESH START

    Erasmo Ramirez starts for the Rays at Tropicana Field as they look for a change of fortune against the AL Central-leading Royals. Tampa Bay is just 5-18 vs. KC in the last four seasons, and was swept at Kauffman Stadium in July, allowing 33 runs and 52 hits in four games.
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

    Comment


    • #3
      MLB MONEYLINE

      MLB > (929) OAKLAND@ (930) ARIZONA | 2015-08-28 21:40:00 - 2015-08-28 21:40:00
      Play AGAINST OAKLAND using the money line in All games when playing on Friday
      The record is 4 Wins and 16 Losses for the this season (-14.7 units)

      MLB > (915) LA ANGELS@ (916) CLEVELAND | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
      Play AGAINST LA ANGELS using the money line in All games as a road underdog of +125 to +150
      The record is 5 Wins and 28 Losses for the last three seasons (-21.15 units)

      MLB > (923) HOUSTON@ (924) MINNESOTA | 2015-08-28 20:10:00 - 2015-08-28 20:10:00
      Play ON HOUSTON using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
      The record is 22 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (+15.6 units)

      MLB > (917) KANSAS CITY@ (918) TAMPA BAY | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
      Play ON KANSAS CITY using the money line in All games when playing with a day off
      The record is 28 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (+19.05 units)

      MLB > (925) BOSTON@ (926) NY METS | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
      Play ON NY METS using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season
      The record is 44 Wins and 17 Losses for the last two seasons (+25.9 units)

      MLB > (907) CINCINNATI@ (908) MILWAUKEE | 2015-08-28 20:10:00 - 2015-08-28 20:10:00
      Play AGAINST MILWAUKEE using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season
      The record is 21 Wins and 35 Losses for the last two seasons (-25.4 units)

      MLB > (909) CHICAGO CUBS@ (910) LA DODGERS | 2015-08-28 22:10:00 - 2015-08-28 22:10:00
      Play ON CHICAGO CUBS using the money line in All games on the road when the total is 7 or less
      The record is 16 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+12.05 units)
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

      Comment


      • #4
        MLB RUNLINE

        MLB > (915) LA ANGELS@ (916) CLEVELAND | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
        Play AGAINST LA ANGELS using the in All games as a road underdog when the run line price is -130 to -105
        The record is 1 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-13.85 units)

        MLB > (925) BOSTON@ (926) NY METS | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
        Play ON NY METS using the in All games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season
        The record is 17 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+14.9 units)

        MLB > (913) DETROIT@ (914) TORONTO | 2015-08-28 19:05:00 - 2015-08-28 19:05:00
        Play ON TORONTO using the in All games in August games
        The record is 17 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+13.5 units)

        MLB > (917) KANSAS CITY@ (918) TAMPA BAY | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
        Play ON KANSAS CITY using the in All games when playing with a day off
        The record is 12 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+12.9 units)

        MLB > (923) HOUSTON@ (924) MINNESOTA | 2015-08-28 20:10:00 - 2015-08-28 20:10:00
        Play ON HOUSTON using the in All games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
        The record is 12 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+11.85 units)

        MLB > (929) OAKLAND@ (930) ARIZONA | 2015-08-28 21:40:00 - 2015-08-28 21:40:00
        Play AGAINST OAKLAND using the in Road games in August games
        The record is 5 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.1 units)
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

        Comment


        • #5
          MLB TOTALS

          MLB > (909) CHICAGO CUBS@ (910) LA DODGERS | 2015-08-28 22:10:00 - 2015-08-28 22:10:00
          Play OVER LA DODGERS on the total in Home games against right-handed starters
          The record is 72 Overs and 38 Unders for the last two seasons (+33.85 units)

          MLB > (911) ST LOUIS@ (912) SAN FRANCISCO | 2015-08-28 22:15:00 - 2015-08-28 22:15:00
          Play UNDER SAN FRANCISCO on the total in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
          The record is 5 Overs and 18 Unders for the this season (+12.55 units)

          MLB > (921) SEATTLE@ (922) CHI WHITE SOX | 2015-08-28 20:10:00 - 2015-08-28 20:10:00
          Play OVER CHI WHITE SOX on the total in All games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season
          The record is 13 Overs and 3 Unders for the this season (+10.5 units)

          MLB > (905) SAN DIEGO@ (906) PHILADELPHIA | 2015-08-28 19:05:00 - 2015-08-28 19:05:00
          Play OVER SAN DIEGO on the total in All games in games played on a grass field
          The record is 74 Overs and 49 Unders for the this season (+24.35 units)

          MLB > (925) BOSTON@ (926) NY METS | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
          Play OVER BOSTON on the total in All games in August games
          The record is 16 Overs and 5 Unders for the this season (+11.15 units)

          MLB > (901) MIAMI@ (902) WASHINGTON | 2015-08-28 19:05:00 - 2015-08-28 19:05:00
          Play OVER WASHINGTON on the total in Home games in August games
          The record is 10 Overs and 1 Unders for the this season (+9 units)

          MLB > (915) LA ANGELS@ (916) CLEVELAND | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
          Play OVER LA ANGELS on the total in Road games when playing with a day off
          The record is 121 Overs and 65 Unders for the since 1992 (+52.15 units)
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • #6
            MLB TOP POWERLINES

            MLB > (913) DETROIT @ (914) TORONTO | 2015-08-28 19:05:00 - 2015-08-28 19:05:00
            Line: TORONTO-220 BTB PowerLine: TORONTO-254
            Edge On: TORONTO (34)

            MLB > (903) COLORADO @ (904) PITTSBURGH | 2015-08-28 19:05:00 - 2015-08-28 19:05:00
            Line: COLORADO BTB PowerLine: COLORADO-204
            Edge On: COLORADO (36)

            MLB > (905) SAN DIEGO @ (906) PHILADELPHIA | 2015-08-28 19:05:00 - 2015-08-28 19:05:00
            Line: PHILADELPHIA+113 BTB PowerLine: PHILADELPHIA-111
            Edge On: PHILADELPHIA (24)

            MLB > (925) BOSTON @ (926) NY METS | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
            Line: BOSTON BTB PowerLine: BOSTON-181
            Edge On: BOSTON (19)

            MLB > (917) KANSAS CITY @ (918) TAMPA BAY | 2015-08-28 19:10:00 - 2015-08-28 19:10:00
            Line: KANSAS CITY BTB PowerLine: KANSAS CITY127
            Edge On: KANSAS CITY (17)

            MLB > (927) NY YANKEES @ (928) ATLANTA | 2015-08-28 19:35:00 - 2015-08-28 19:35:00
            Line: NY YANKEES BTB PowerLine: NY YANKEES216
            Edge On: NY YANKEES (31)

            MLB > (907) CINCINNATI @ (908) MILWAUKEE | 2015-08-28 20:10:00 - 2015-08-28 20:10:00
            Line: MILWAUKEE-130 BTB PowerLine: MILWAUKEE-157
            Edge On: MILWAUKEE (27)

            MLB > (921) SEATTLE @ (922) CHI WHITE SOX | 2015-08-28 20:10:00 - 2015-08-28 20:10:00
            Line: CHI WHITE SOX+115 BTB PowerLine: CHI WHITE SOX-116
            Edge On: CHI WHITE SOX (31)

            MLB > (909) CHICAGO CUBS @ (910) LA DODGERS | 2015-08-28 22:10:00 - 2015-08-28 22:10:00
            Line: CHICAGO CUBS BTB PowerLine: CHICAGO CUBS-165
            Edge On: CHICAGO CUBS (15)

            MLB > (911) ST LOUIS @ (912) SAN FRANCISCO | 2015-08-28 22:15:00 - 2015-08-28 22:15:00
            Line: ST LOUIS BTB PowerLine: ST LOUIS136
            Edge On: ST LOUIS (21)
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • #7
              Preview: Tigers (60-67) at Blue Jays (71-56)
              Game: 1
              Venue: Rogers Centre
              Date: August 28, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

              The Toronto Blue Jays failed to pad their AL East lead when their prolific offense couldn't keep rolling in the finale of a road trip.

              The Blue Jays will try for a better showing when they return home to face one of their former pitchers in Friday night's series opener against the Detroit Tigers.

              Toronto (71-56) totaled 54 runs while batting .347 in a five-game win streak that ended with Thursday's 4-1 defeat to Texas. The Blue Jays went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position while nearly getting shut out for the first time in seven weeks.

              Edwin Encarnacion saved his team from that fate with an RBI double in the eighth inning that extended his hit streak to 22 games, the longest in the majors this season. The Blue Jays had their division lead against the idle New York Yankees cut to 1 1/2 games after wrapping up a 6-2 road trip.

              'Obviously, the road trip was a successful one. It would have been a superb one if we'd been able to pull that one out,' said Jose Bautista, whose seventh-inning error led to three Texas runs. 'I don't think this loss is going to affect us in any way.'

              Toronto, easily the MLB leader with 689 runs and the winner in 21 of 26, will try to get back on track in its first matchup against Matt Boyd (1-4, 7.04 ERA). The left-hander was traded from the Blue Jays to Detroit on July 30 in the David Price deal.

              Price won't appear in this series because he pitched in Wednesday's 12-4 victory.

              Boyd went 0-2 with a 14.85 ERA in his first two major league starts for the Blue Jays and has a 4.88 ERA in five appearances for Detroit, including four starts. He had a respectable performance Sunday against Texas, giving up three runs in six innings, but lost 4-2.

              The Tigers (60-67) have continued to struggle in close games lately and fell 2-0 to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. Detroit has dropped six of seven, with five losses by two runs or fewer.

              "I don't know how to explain it," designated hitter Victor Martinez said. "We just have to fly to Toronto and try again (Friday)."

              Detroit took two of three from visiting Toronto in early July and dealt R.A. Dickey an 8-3 defeat in the middle game of the series. The knuckleballer gave up five runs and 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

              Dickey (8-10, 4.26) allowed another five runs - all in the first inning - and 11 hits in his six innings Sunday against the Angels, but got enough support for a 12-5 win. He's won his past five decisions, though he's allowed a combined 10 runs and 20 hits in 10 innings of his past two starts.

              Dickey is 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his last four home starts and is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in his two against Detroit since joining the Blue Jays in 2013.

              Miguel Cabrera didn't get a chance to improve on his 3-for-17 showing against Dickey in the past six seasons because he went on the disabled list for a strained left calf July 4. Cabrera is batting .460 with two homers, nine doubles and 11 RBIs in 13 games since returning.

              Martinez has three hits in his past 14 at-bats against Dickey while Ian Kinsler has six in his last 12, including a pair of homers. Rajai Davis is 5 for 8 with two doubles lifetime against him.

              Encarnacion, batting .386 during his hit streak, went 1 for 10 in last month's series in Detroit. Ben Revere, acquired July 31 from Philadelphia, is hitting .483 in his last seven games.


              SERIES AT A GLANCE

              GAME 1
              Tigers at Blue Jays
              Fri, Aug 28 - 7:07PM EDT

              GAME 2
              Tigers at Blue Jays
              Sat, Aug 29 - 1:07PM EDT

              GAME 3
              Tigers at Blue Jays
              Sun, Aug 30 - 1:07PM EDT
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • #8
                Preview: Marlins (51-77) at Nationals (64-62)
                Game: 1
                Venue: Nationals Park
                Date: August 28, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

                It's been five seasons since Max Scherzer lost three straight starts, and slightly longer since he went a full calendar month without a victory.

                The right-hander looks to keep both from happening Friday night when his Washington Nationals host the Miami Marlins.

                In his first season as a full-time starter with Arizona in 2009, Scherzer (11-10, 2.79 ERA) went 0-2 with a 3.48 ERA in four April starts. Since, he's earned at least one winning decision in a month that's featured more than three games - a run that's in jeopardy heading into his final outing of August.

                Scherzer, who then would throw Sept. 2 at St. Louis, is 0-2 with a 6.86 ERA in four starts this month and in danger of losing three straight for the first time since May 2010. Though he hasn't completed more than six innings in any of those outings and has yielded five homers this month, Scherzer is not discouraged.

                'I've been pitching with good stuff,' he said after allowing three runs, eight hits and walking three in six-plus innings of last Thursday's 3-2 loss at Colorado. 'I just got to get back on track and keep going forward and keep pitching well, no matter what."

                Scherzer is 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA this season against Miami (51-77), which has totaled 13 runs while losing six of seven.

                Washington (64-62) trails the NL East-leading New York Mets by 6 1/2 games, but has averaged 6.4 runs while winning four of five. Ryan Zimmerman, who homered for the second time in three games in Thursday's 4-2 win over San Diego, has nine RBIs in the last four contests.

                He went 1 for 16 in his first five games against the Marlins this season but is 5 for 15 over the last four.

                Washington, however, won't have Denard Span, who is headed back to the disabled list with hip inflammation. The center fielder played only two games since he was activated Tuesday from a DL stint that began July 10 because of back tightness.

                Michael Taylor started in center Thursday but his status remains uncertain after he left with a knee contusion. Third baseman Yunel Escobar also is day to day with a hand contusion.

                'I don't know if I've ever seen anything like (the injuries of the season),' manager Matt Williams said. 'But it is what it is. There's not much you can do about it.'

                The Nationals get their first look at Adam Conley (1-1, 4.88), who walked four but allowed one run in six innings of a 2-0 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday in his fourth career start. Miami scored 37 runs in his first three starts.

                'It's not going to happen every time for us, but the mission is still the same," the left-hander said.

                Martin Prado is 6 for 13 against Scherzer, and batting .348 in the last six games.

                Christian Yelich went 2 for 3 off Scherzer earlier this season, but he could miss a second straight contest with a bruised right knee. It's the same knee that landed him on the DL from Aug. 10 until Tuesday.


                SERIES AT A GLANCE

                GAME 1
                Marlins at Nationals
                Fri, Aug 28 - 7:05PM EDT

                GAME 2
                Marlins at Nationals
                Sat, Aug 29 - 7:05PM EDT

                GAME 3
                Marlins at Nationals
                Sun, Aug 30 - 1:35PM EDT
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                Comment


                • #9
                  Preview: Padres (62-65) at Phillies (50-78)
                  Game: 1
                  Venue: Citizens Bank Park
                  Date: August 28, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

                  Aaron Nola approaches each start for the Philadelphia Phillies as another opportunity to learn more about being a successful major league pitcher.

                  Coming off the best outing of his young career, Nola looks to help the Phillies avoid a fifth consecutive defeat and continue their success against the visiting San Diego Padres on Friday night.

                  Since making his major league debut July 21, Nola (4-1, 3.59 ERA) has been one of the few bright spots amid a third straight dismal season for Philadelphia (50-78). The Phillies' first-round pick in 2014 was at his most dominant Sunday when he allowed three hits and struck out six in eight innings of a 2-0 victory at Miami.

                  It was also another lesson learned for the talented right-hander.

                  "You just want to pound the zone and stay ahead,' he said. 'Getting behind big-league hitters, it's tough to come back and then you have to make that perfect pitch. That's one thing I've learned - once you start getting yourself in jams and walking guys like that ... bad things will happen.'

                  Hitters seem to be noticing that aggressive mentality. They're 11 for 23 when swinging at Nola's first pitch, with four of the five homers he's allowed coming in those situations.

                  With Nola and fellow prospects Adam Morgan and Jerad Eickhoff all debuting this season, the Phillies have reason to be optimistic about the future of their rotation.

                  "It's been fun," Nola told MLB's official website. "I feel like there definitely is competition between us, but on the other side, we're still rooting for each other, trying to learn from each other."

                  For the first time Nola will face a repeat opponent after allowing three runs and striking out six in six innings of a 4-3, 12-inning win at San Diego (62-65) on Aug. 7.

                  Though Philadelphia swept the Padres in that three-game series and has won the last five meetings at Citizens Bank Park, its pitchers have posted a 7.11 ERA and allowed 20 home runs while losing seven of their last eight at home. The Phillies were swept in four by the New York Mets after blowing a 5-0 lead in Thursday's 9-5, 13-inning defeat.

                  Outfield prospect Aaron Altherr had two hits with an RBI in his seventh career game, and could see more action in these final weeks of the season.

                  "We like what we see," manager Pete Mackanin said of Altherr, whose six hits in 24 at-bats have all gone for extra bases (two homers and four doubles) while plating six runs. "We think Altherr deserves an opportunity."

                  Altherr could get his first look at Ian Kennedy (8-11, 4.01), who is 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break. He'll try to build on perhaps his most impressive effort of 2015, when he gave up seven hits but struck out 10 and walked one in six-plus innings of Saturday's 8-0 rout of St. Louis.

                  "It was as good a performance as I've seen all year from anybody," Padres manager Pat Murphy said.

                  San Diego has totaled 14 runs while dropping three of four following a five-game winning streak in which it averaged 6.8. The Padres were held to three hits in Thursday's 4-2 loss at Washington.

                  Melvin Upton Jr. tripled for San Diego's lone extra-base hit but is batting .222 with 13 strikeouts in his last 16 games.


                  SERIES AT A GLANCE

                  GAME 1
                  Padres at Phillies
                  Fri, Aug 28 - 7:05PM EDT

                  GAME 2
                  Padres at Phillies
                  Sat, Aug 29 - 7:05PM EDT

                  GAME 3
                  Padres at Phillies
                  Sun, Aug 30 - 1:35PM EDT
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Preview: Rockies (51-74) at Pirates (77-49)
                    Game: 1
                    Venue: PNC Park
                    Date: August 28, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

                    The Pittsburgh Pirates faced a journeyman starter and a rookie to end their previous series against one of the NL's worst clubs, and that's exactly what they'll see in the first two games against another bottom feeder.

                    Neither can look much worse than he did in his last outing for the Colorado Rockies.

                    First up hoping to rebound is top prospect Jon Gray, who looked good in his only other road start but could find success a bit harder to come by against Francisco Liriano and the Pirates on Friday night.

                    Pittsburgh (77-49) jumped all over Miami veteran Chris Narveson in his first start in three years in Wednesday's 7-2 victory, then used Pedro Alvarez's fourth-inning homer off rookie Justin Nicolino to take three of four with Thursday's 2-1 win.

                    'He has as much raw power as anybody in the game, except for maybe (Giancarlo Stanton),' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Alvarez, who has six homers and a 1.150 OPS since Aug. 11.

                    The Pirates should be salivating at the prospect of facing Gray (0-0, 5.94 ERA) and Chris Rusin after that duo managed to surrender 17 runs and 20 hits while lasting a combined 3 2-3 innings a week ago at home against the New York Mets. The rookie gave up seven of those runs, recording only five outs in last Friday's 14-9 loss.

                    "(His location) wasn't all that bad and our park was playing crazy, like it used to in the old days," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. "I'm not too worried about Jonny Gray. He's handled himself very well so far. He's a lot more confident than I saw him in spring training. He's a lot more convicted to what he does. He's in a good place."

                    He was great in his first major league start away from Denver. The only hit Gray allowed in six innings against the Mets on Aug. 10 was a solo home run.

                    Considering the way the Pirates have hit when Liriano (9-6, 3.23) has been on the mound for the past two months, Gray might be waiting another five days to pick up his first victory. Pittsburgh has won Liriano's last 10 starts, giving him an average of 7.13 runs of support.

                    Should the Pirates win this one, it will mark the seventh time in franchise history they've won 11 straight games behind an individual starter. They won 12 consecutive A.J. Burnett starts in 2012, their longest run since a franchise-record 14 straight Dock Ellis outings in 1971.

                    'Every five days I try to do the best I can and win some ballgames,' Liriano said after allowing two unearned runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 5-2 win over San Francisco on Sunday. 'I just try to put some zeroes on the board.'

                    The left-hander hasn't been doing much of that lately, posting a 4.67 ERA and 1.78 WHIP in his last five starts, but he did hold the Rockies (51-74) to just an unearned run over five while striking out eight at PNC on July 18, 2014.

                    Nolan Arenado is 3 for 6 against Liriano but Carlos Gonzalez is 0 for 7 with five strikeouts. Gonzalez is hitting .194 against lefties this season while Arenado is batting .184 on the road since July 1.

                    Colorado has lost five straight in Pittsburgh, but it'll head into this series with a chance to do something it hasn't accomplished in the second half. The Rockies won their final two games in Atlanta this week, giving them a chance for their first three-game winning streak since sweeping the Braves in four right before the All-Star break.

                    Colorado is 6-1 against Atlanta since July 9 and 10-24 against everyone else.


                    SERIES AT A GLANCE

                    GAME 1
                    Rockies at Pirates
                    Fri, Aug 28 - 7:05PM EDT

                    GAME 2
                    Rockies at Pirates
                    Sat, Aug 29 - 7:05PM EDT

                    GAME 3
                    Rockies at Pirates
                    Sun, Aug 30 - 1:35PM EDT
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Preview: Angels (65-62) at Indians (60-66)
                      Game: 1
                      Venue: Progressive Field
                      Date: August 28, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

                      The Los Angeles Angels' postseason fortune could hinge on how they handle their remaining road games.

                      They're off to a good start on a trip that continues Friday night with the first of three meetings with the Cleveland Indians.

                      After losing 12 of their previous 13 road tilts, the Angels (65-62) began this nine-game trek by winning two of three from Detroit. That series ended with Michigan native Matt Shoemaker limiting the Tigers to one hit through 7 1-3 innings in Thursday's 2-0 victory.

                      "It's special to be able to do it here, but more importantly to get a win in a tight playoff race," said Shoemaker, whose Angels are among three teams within one game of each other for the AL's second wild-card spot.

                      Los Angeles had lost 12 of 13 road games before that series win. The Angels are just 26-35 as the visitor this season and play 20 of their final 35 games away from Anaheim, where the team's ERA is 4.41 compared to 3.36 at home.

                      Though Cleveland (60-66) is an AL-worst 26-34 at home, it has won six of seven at Progressive Field following a two-game sweep of Milwaukee capped by Wednesday's 6-2 victory. Jason Kipnis went 5 for 9 with a homer, three doubles and five RBIs in that series while increasing his MLB-best home average to .383.

                      Kipnis, hitting an AL-best .325 overall, leads a top three of the order that's been hot. Rookie Francisco Lindor is 12 for 19 with two homers over the last five games, and Michael Brantley is batting .415 with 15 RBIs in his last 15.

                      "I enjoy being part of it, whether I'm in the middle, the back or I'm just watching them because I got a day off," said Lindor, hitting .310 since being promoted to the majors in mid-June.

                      The trio takes its first swings against Andrew Heaney (5-2, 3.39 ERA), who is 0-2 with a 5.88 ERA in five August starts after winning five straight June 30-July 26.

                      Heaney comes in off his worst outing, having surrendered eight runs in 3 1-3 innings in a 15-3 loss to heavy-hitting Toronto on Saturday. The rookie left-hander had yielded two runs or fewer in nine of his 10 previous outings and all four on the road, where he's 2-1 with 2.13 ERA this season.

                      The Indians are 15-27 against lefty starters, though both Lindor (.315) and Brantley (.313) have fared well versus southpaws.

                      Like Heaney, Danny Salazar (11-7, 3.30) looks to rebound from a rough last assignment. The hard-throwing righty was reached for five runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings in Saturday's 6-2 loss to the New York Yankees, ending a superb four-start sequence in which he went 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA.

                      One of those starts came against the Angels on Aug. 5. Salazar allowed a solo homer to Kole Calhoun and two other hits across six innings but was denied a victory when Los Angeles rallied for three runs in the ninth to win 4-3.

                      Calhoun is 3 for 6 with two homers off Salazar, who is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts versus the Angels despite handling Mike Trout. The reigning MVP is 1 for 6 with four strikeouts in the matchup.

                      Trout has 33 homers but has failed to hit one in 19 straight games.

                      The Angels won two of three from Cleveland earlier this month and are 7-3 in the series since the start of last season.


                      SERIES AT A GLANCE

                      GAME 1
                      Angels at Indians
                      Fri, Aug 28 - 7:10PM EDT

                      GAME 2
                      Angels at Indians
                      Sat, Aug 29 - 7:10PM EDT

                      GAME 3
                      Angels at Indians
                      Sun, Aug 30 - 1:10PM EDT
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Preview: Red Sox (58-69) at Mets (71-56)
                        Game: 1
                        Venue: Citi Field
                        Date: August 28, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

                        An innings limit combined with the prospect of postseason baseball are the only things that have slowed down Matt Harvey.

                        The New York Mets look for their ace to continue his dominance Friday night when they open their first home series with the Boston Red Sox in 14 years.

                        Harvey (11-7, 2.57 ERA) has tossed 154 innings and New York (71-56) doesn't want him to go more than 190 in his first season back from Tommy John surgery.

                        It's looking more and more like some of those innings will come in the playoffs, with the Mets leading the NL East by 6 1/2 games over Washington.

                        That means Harvey is likely to be skipped again after Logan Verrett went eight innings in his place in Sunday's 5-1 win at Colorado.

                        Harvey is 5-3 with a 1.45 ERA in his last 11 starts, going 4-0 with a 1.11 ERA in his past seven at home. He's taking the mound for the first time since allowing one run in six innings before leaving without a decision in an 8-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Aug. 16.

                        The right-hander will be backed by a red-hot offense that has powered the Mets to seven straight wins. They have scored 73 runs in that span - the most in a seven-game span in franchise history - while batting .338 with 19 homers. New York's 43 home runs this month are a franchise record.

                        Daniel Murphy had the key hit Thursday, connecting for a tiebreaking two-run double in the 13th inning of a 9-5 win at Philadelphia. He's batting .356 with 20 RBIs over the last 20 games.

                        "(Murphy) can stinkin' hit, flat hit," manager Terry Collins said. "When he's swinging good, we're dangerous."

                        Yoenis Cespedes is also contributing in a big way, batting .361 with six homers and 15 RBIs in the past seven contests. He played 51 games for the Red Sox (58-69) last year, batting .269 with five homers and 33 RBIs before being dealt to Detroit in the offseason.

                        The Red Sox will give the ball to Henry Owens (2-1, 4.50), who is looking to build on the best of his four major league starts.

                        The rookie left-hander was hammered for seven runs and three homers with 10 strikeouts in six innings while not getting a decision in a 10-8 loss to Seattle on Aug. 16. However, Owens followed that up five days later by yielding two runs - one earned - in eight innings while outpitching Johnny Cueto in a 7-2 win over Kansas City.

                        "He's going to be one of the good ones," catcher Blake Swihart told MLB's official website. "He's capable of doing that every night. He's a competitor."

                        Boston (58-69) took two of three from the Chicago White Sox after winning 3-0 on Wednesday. Rookie Travis Shaw hit a two-run homer, his seventh in 21 games since being recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.

                        He's hitting .333 with 16 RBIs over that stretch but is just 3 for 35 in 13 road games.

                        That could be reason enough for the Red Sox to start David Ortiz at first in an NL park. He's 2 for 20 over his last six games but has a .333 average with two homers in seven interleague road games.

                        "I think everybody that's having success here and doing their job right now is going to be in a situation to be considered for next year, and Travis has done a great job," interim manager Torey Lovullo said.

                        This is Boston's first series in Queens since July 12-14, 2001.


                        SERIES AT A GLANCE

                        GAME 1
                        Red Sox at Mets
                        Fri, Aug 28 - 7:10PM EDT

                        GAME 2
                        Red Sox at Mets
                        Sat, Aug 29 - 4:05PM EDT

                        GAME 3
                        Red Sox at Mets
                        Sun, Aug 30 - 1:10PM EDT
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Preview: Royals (78-49) at Rays (63-64)
                          Game: 1
                          Venue: Tropicana Field
                          Date: August 28, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

                          Edinson Volquez will try to steady his personal bumpy ride Friday night while keeping the Kansas City Royals on the fast track up.

                          With a very comfortable lead in the AL Central, the Royals will hit the road to try to hinder the wild-card chances of the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-game series.

                          The Royals (78-49) pushed their division lead to 13 games Thursday with a 5-3 victory over Baltimore, their fifth win in six tries.

                          Volquez hasn't been as consistent, alternating quality and poor starts his last four times out.

                          Volquez (11-7, 3.40 ERA) allowed one run in seven innings against the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 7, dropping his ERA to 3.11, the lowest it had been since June. But he's gone back and forth in his last three, allowing five earned runs in seven innings against Detroit on Aug. 12, one run in six innings against Cincinnati on Aug. 18, and six over 6 2-3 against Boston on Sunday.

                          He hasn't received a decision in the last two, but Kansas City rallied to win both games.

                          Volquez is 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA in four starts against the Rays, tossing five strong innings before leaving without a decision in a 7-1 victory July 7.

                          After Johnny Cueto struggled in Wednesday's 8-5 loss, Kansas City rode a strong performance from Yordano Ventura to a 5-3 victory Thursday. Mike Moustakas had three hits and two RBIs and went 8 for 14 in the series with a pair of homers, two doubles and seven RBIs. He's batting .452 with four home runs and 12 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

                          "Moose has had clutch hits, big hits," manager Ned Yost told MLB's official website. "He's starting rallies, finishing rallies. He's just been really key for us."

                          Moustakas missed a four-game series against the Rays while on the bereavement list in July. Kansas City swept that set and has won 10 of 12 in the series.

                          Tampa Bay's Erasmo Ramirez will try to reverse that trend. He's 5-3 with a 2.60 ERA in nine starts at Tropicana Field this season, holding opponents to a .208 batting average.

                          Ramirez (10-4, 3.66) was away from home his last two times out and gave up six runs and 14 hits in 12 2-3 innings while winning his only decision at Houston on Aug. 17.

                          The right-hander will try to help the Rays (63-64) return to .500 after they ended a three-game skid with Thursday's 5-4 comeback win over Minnesota. Tampa Bay is 2 1/2 games behind Texas for the second wild card.

                          Ramirez will be asked to spell a bullpen that handled the final 4 2-3 innings.

                          'We needed that one,' said Rays manager Kevin Cash. 'The bullpen was just outstanding. Really came in and gave us a big boost.'

                          Ben Zobrist spent the first nine seasons of his career with Tampa Bay and will make his first trip back to Tropicana Field since the Rays dealt him to Oakland in the offseason. Zobrist is 4 for 9 lifetime against Ramirez with two home runs.

                          Tampa Bay placed outfielder Desmond Jennings on the 15-day disabled list Thursday due to a bruised left knee suffered on Tuesday. He had hit .353 in 10 games since returning from the DL after having surgery on the same knee.


                          SERIES AT A GLANCE

                          GAME 1
                          Royals at Rays
                          Fri, Aug 28 - 7:10PM EDT

                          GAME 2
                          Royals at Rays
                          Sat, Aug 29 - 6:10PM EDT

                          GAME 3
                          Royals at Rays
                          Sun, Aug 30 - 1:10PM EDT
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Preview: Yankees (69-57) at Braves (54-73)
                            Game: 1
                            Venue: Turner Field
                            Date: August 28, 2015 7:35 PM EDT

                            The New York Yankees hope Brian McCann's return to Atlanta can help ignite a slumping offense.

                            The Georgia native spent his first nine years with the Braves before signing as a free agent with the Yankees after the 2013 season, and his first matchup with his former team comes Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.

                            "I'm just excited. I was hoping to be able to go back there and play and (am) lucky enough that the schedule matched up and we're able to go back," McCann told MLB's official website. "When the schedule came out and I saw it, I was really excited for that. I wanted to go back and play before they knocked down Turner Field."

                            McCann's 91 home runs and 317 RBIs at the stadium, which will be demolished after next season, are third-most all-time behind Andruw and Chipper Jones.

                            His power numbers have carried over to New York, homering 23 times last year and 22 this season with 75 RBIs in each, but McCann and the Yankees offense have been struggling. He's hitless in five of his last seven games, and New York (69-57) has failed to score more than three runs in six of seven.

                            The Yankees just completed a 5-5 homestand that started with a three-game sweep of Minnesota but ended with two straight losses to Houston. New York had lost three of four to Cleveland before getting outscored 21-4 by the Astros in the three-game series, hitting .165 while going 0 for 14 with runners in scoring position.

                            "We didn't swing the bats extremely well against Cleveland or Houston," manager Joe Girardi said after Wednesday's 6-2 loss. "That's kind of been the root of our problems. Our guys are grinding it out and trying to get through it. We're just not having a whole lot of success right now and the only thing you can do is keep working at it."

                            As a result, the Yankees have dropped out of first place in the AL East. They are 12-15 since July 28, giving up a seven-game lead to red-hot Toronto.

                            New York's lineup could be depleted this weekend. Mark Teixeira has started once in the past nine games because of a bruised leg, Jacoby Ellsbury sat out Wednesday with a hip injury and both are uncertain for Friday.

                            Also, the lack of a designated hitter in the NL park will likely keep Alex Rodriguez limited to pinch-hitting duties, though he's batting .109 in his last 17 games.

                            Masahiro Tanaka (9-6, 3.61 ERA) is pitching on the road for the first time since firing a five-hitter in a 4-1 win at Toronto on Aug. 15 for his first complete game of the year. He wasn't nearly as good against Cleveland last Friday, allowing four runs - three earned - and seven hits in six innings of a 7-3 defeat.

                            The right-hander is 4-2 with a 1.66 ERA in interleague play but has never faced Atlanta.

                            Nick Markakis is familiar with Tanaka from his time in Baltimore but has gone 1 for 7 against him. Markakis enters this matchup on a tear, batting .412 during an eight-game hitting streak.

                            The Braves (54-73), though, have averaged 2.8 runs while losing 13 of 16. They opened a nine-game homestand this week by dropping two of three to Colorado, including a 6-3 defeat Wednesday.

                            Williams Perez will try to turn it around for both Atlanta and himself.

                            Perez (4-4, 4.76) is 0-4 with a 7.98 ERA in five starts since coming off the disabled list July 31 after recovering from a foot injury that kept him sidelined for about a month. The Chicago Cubs knocked around the right-hander around for six runs and eight hits over 4 2-3 innings Saturday, but he did not factor into the decision. Perez hasn't earned a victory since June 20 and will take on the Yankees for the first time.

                            The Braves and Yankees last met in 2012, with New York winning four of six games. The Yankees have won five straight in Atlanta and are 11-2 all-time at Turner Field, including the 1999 World Series.


                            SERIES AT A GLANCE

                            GAME 1
                            Yankees at Braves
                            Fri, Aug 28 - 7:35PM EDT

                            GAME 2
                            Yankees at Braves
                            Sat, Aug 29 - 7:10PM EDT

                            GAME 3
                            Yankees at Braves
                            Sun, Aug 30 - 1:35PM EDT
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Preview: Orioles (63-64) at Rangers (65-61)
                              Game: 1
                              Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
                              Date: August 28, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

                              Cole Hamels appears to be getting more and more comfortable with each start he makes for the Texas Rangers, who have the third-most wins in the AL since acquiring the left-hander at the trade deadline.

                              That solid play over the last four weeks has helped the Rangers pass the Baltimore Orioles in the wild-card race, making this weekend's three-game series crucial as the calendar gets ready to switch to September.

                              Hamels looks to build on his first win in a Rangers uniform Friday night in his first matchup with the Orioles in over six years.

                              Texas was three games behind Minnesota for the second wild card and two in back of Baltimore after the smoke cleared from the July 31 deadline. The Rangers, though, have gone 15-9 this month while Baltimore is 11-14.

                              That has helped the Rangers (65-61) take a one-half game lead over the Twins and Los Angeles for the second wild card, with the Orioles (63-64) falling 2 1/2 back. To make matters worse for Baltimore, it could be without All-Star center fielder Adam Jones after he crashed into the wall and left Thursday's game at Kansas City.

                              "He feels a lot better now than he did. His vision was - most of it was whiplash," manager Buck Showalter said. "I don't think there's any head trauma, concussion-wise."

                              Showalter said that Jones would be evaluated Friday.

                              The Rangers avoided a three-game sweep with a 4-1 win over Toronto on Thursday, while the Orioles fell 5-3 to the Royals for their seventh loss in eight contests.

                              Texas lost Hamels' first two starts as he posted a 5.93 ERA, but he then allowed three runs in seven innings of a walk-off win over Seattle on Aug. 17. His first victory with the Rangers came Sunday after he gave up two runs over six innings to beat Detroit 4-2.

                              "I felt like I've not contributed in a way I know I'm capable of doing," Hamels (1-1, 4.73 ERA) told MLB's official website. "I think that's more the case - feeling more united with the team that I've actually pulled some weight around."

                              He'll be opposed by Kevin Gausman (2-5, 4.30), who has done his part recently but continues to be hurt by a lack of support.

                              The right-hander has a 3.60 ERA over his last three starts, though the Orioles have dropped each of them while handing him four runs. He's received an average of 2.64 runs in 10 starts, which would be the second-lowest in the majors if he qualified.

                              Gausman gave up two runs and three hits and tied a career best with eight strikeouts over seven innings of a 4-3 loss in 12 to the Twins on Sunday.

                              "That might be about as good an outing as he's had," Showalter said.

                              Gausman pitched 6 1-3 scoreless innings and struck out seven against Texas on July 2, when the Rangers scored twice in the ninth to pull out a 2-0 victory and take three of four in Baltimore.

                              The Orioles have won six of seven in Arlington, including the 2012 wild-card game.

                              Baltimore will add rookie outfielder Dariel Alvarez and reinstate Steve Clevenger from the paternity list for this series. Alvarez hit .275 with 16 homers and 72 RBIs at Triple-A Norfolk, while Clevenger is batting .371 in nine games since being recalled Aug. 14.


                              SERIES AT A GLANCE

                              GAME 1
                              Orioles at Rangers
                              Fri, Aug 28 - 8:05PM EDT

                              GAME 2
                              Orioles at Rangers
                              Sat, Aug 29 - 8:05PM EDT

                              GAME 3
                              Orioles at Rangers
                              Sun, Aug 30 - 3:05PM EDT
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                              Comment

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