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**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 01:49 AM

LEADING OFF: Mets host Subway Series, Pirates now minus Kang

September 17, 2015

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

PLAYOFF EXPRESS

The Mets and Yankees can derail each other's positioning in the postseason races when they play this weekend at Citi Field in the Subway Series. It's the latest they've met since the 2000 all-New York World Series. Mets rookie lefty Steven Matz (3-0), who grew up about 50 miles away on eastern Long Island, makes his fifth career start for the NL East leaders. Masahiro Tanaka (12-6) is scheduled to pitch for the AL's top wild-card team.

ENCORE, ENCORE

Marcus Stroman starts for the AL East-leading Blue Jays when they host Boston. After tearing his knee in spring training, Stroman came back to win his season debut last weekend at Yankee Stadium. Toronto has put him into the rotation and bumped Drew Hutchison - 13-4, but with a 5.33 ERA - to the bullpen.

BUC BACKUP

Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer figures to get a lot more playing time now that rookie Jung Ho Kang is out for the season with a knee injury. Kang was injured Thursday when the Cubs' Chris Coghlan slid into him trying to break up a double play. Mercer and NL wild card-leading Pittsburgh open a weekend series at Dodger Stadium vs. LA ace Zack Greinke.

NOT QUITE ROYALTY

Johnny Cueto tries to break his five-game losing streak when Kansas City visits Justin Verlander and the Tigers. The Royals own the best record in the AL, but Cueto is just 2-6 with a 5.43 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star was traded from Cincinnati in late July.

REMEMBER ME?

Miami righty Jose Fernandez (5-0, 2.05 ERA) makes his second straight start against the Nationals since returning from a strained biceps. Last weekend, he held them to two hits in five shutout innings, striking out seven while throwing 69 pitches. ''If he can pitch as efficiently as he did last time, then he's got a chance to stretch the number of innings and stay in there for a longer time,'' manager Dan Jennings said. Max Scherzer starts at home for Washington.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 01:54 AM

Pirates SS Kang breaks leg, tears MCL

September 17, 2015

PITTSBURGH (AP) Jung Ho Kang arrived in the United States last winter a mystery before providing a major jolt that helped get the Pittsburgh Pirates started on their run at a third straight playoff berth.

Now, they'll try to reach the postseason without their supremely confident rookie shortstop.

Kang underwent surgery Thursday night to repair a broken left leg and torn knee ligament sustained on a takeout slide at second base by Chris Coghlan of the Chicago Cubs. The team said Kang is expected to be out six to eight months, meaning he could miss the start of the 2016 season.

The 28-year-old Kang went down hard when Coghlan slid into him while trying unsuccessfully to break up a double play in the first inning of Chicago's 9-6 victory Thursday. Kang was helped off the field and taken to a hospital. An MRI revealed the extent of the damage.

Kang declined to place blame on Coghlan in a statement released through agent Alan Nero.

''It is unfortunate that what would be considered heads up baseball would cause such a serious injury,'' Kang said. ''That said, Coghlan was playing the game the way it should be played. I'm confident he meant me no harm. I appreciate everyone's support.''

Chicago manager Joe Maddon called it a ''good baseball play.'' Coghlan, involved in a similar sequence that injured former Tampa Bay infielder Akinori Iwamura in 2009, expressed remorse.

''I hate that that happened,'' Coghlan said. ''I'd never try to hurt somebody. I sent him over a letter and told him I hoped he would be OK.''

The news made headlines in Kang's home country. News1, a Korean news organization, described Coghlan's slide as a ''murderous tackle.''

Kang, the first position player to directly make the jump from the Korean Baseball Organization to the majors, hit .287 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs in 126 games for Pittsburgh, which leads the Cubs by two games in the chase for the top NL wild card.

''Send our teammate Jung Ho Kang prayers,'' Pittsburgh center fielder Andrew McCutchen tweeted Thursday night. ''Heal up Chingu(friend). We got u. Best believe that.''

Pittsburgh won the rights to sign Kang during the offseason and he agreed to a four-year, $11 million contract to provide in the infield. After a slow start, he quickly rediscovered the stroke that helped him become MVP of the KBO in 2014, when he mashed 40 homers.

''He was the baddest dude over there, by far,'' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said in June. ''There was separation. He didn't come over here and say, `I hope I'm going to be a bad dude over here.' He came over here with the intent to play, to play well and work his way into whatever he is going to work his way into and make a difference on our team in this league.''

The Pirates will turn to shortstop Jordy Mercer - who ceded a portion of his playing time to Kang - as they attempt to catch the first-place Cardinals and hold off the Cubs in the NL Central.

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 02:04 AM

Preview: Royals (85-60) at Tigers (67-78)
Game: 1
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: September 18, 2015 7:08 PM EDT

Aside from wrapping up home-field advantage throughout the postseason, the Kansas City Royals have a few other things to get in order before October rolls around.

Getting Johnny Cueto on course might be of the highest priority.

The right-hander's next shot at emerging from a wretched span comes Friday night in Detroit, where the Royals will try to win two straight for the first time in 14 games.

Cueto (2-6, 5.43 ERA), acquired July 26 in a four-player deal with Cincinnati, got off to an impressive start in the AL with a 2-1 record and 1.80 ERA in four starts, but he's since lost five straight with a 9.57 ERA and eight home runs allowed.

He gave up four homers during Sunday's 8-2 loss at Baltimore, resulting in eight runs - seven earned - and 11 hits over 6 1-3 innings. Prior to this stretch, he'd never lost more than three straight starts and had allowed four home runs only once.

"I feel like I've felt every time," Cueto told MLB's official website through an interpreter. "I feel strong, healthy. What needs to happen is I need to keep my head up and keep moving forward. I can't look at the negatives from the past few weeks."

Detroit has already contributed to his struggles once, tagging Cueto with four runs and nine hits in six innings of a 6-5 final Sept. 1, but the veteran also threw a four-hit shutout against the Tigers on Aug. 10. All four of his career starts against them have come this season with a 2-1 record and 2.96 ERA.

Victor Martinez (0 for 16) and Nick Castellanos (1 for 10) have struggled the most, but Miguel Cabrera is 3 for 6 with a home run against Cueto.

Justin Verlander knows what it's like to emerge from sustained struggles, but he's fallen back into them a bit during back-to-back losses. Verlander (3-8, 3.58) had gone 3-3 with a 1.53 ERA over eight starts before giving up seven runs in 13 innings in a pair of losses against Cleveland.

He didn't read too much into surrendering four runs and six hits in six innings of a 7-2 road loss Sept. 13.

"It was kind of a mixed bag because I felt I pitched pretty good, but they got a couple of bloop hits that were costly," Verlander said.

The right-hander is 3-3 with a 5.13 ERA in his last six starts against Kansas City. Salvador Perez (20 for 41) and Alex Rios (17 for 46) have hit him well, but Omar Infante (4 for 25), Mike Moustakas (10 for 53) and Alcides Escobar (12 for 63) have not.

Infante helped the Royals (86-60) break out of an offensive funk in Thursday's 8-4 win in Cleveland, going 3 for 4 with a home run and a double while matching a franchise record for second basemen with seven RBIs. Rios was also 3 for 4 and is batting .418 in his last 15 games. The win followed a 1-3 stretch with just eight runs scored.

The team maintained its two-game lead over Toronto for home field, though Kansas City hasn't won consecutive games over a 4-9 span with a 6.07 ERA out of the rotation.

Manager Ned Yost is trying to line up a strong set of four arms for the playoffs and has already sent Danny Duffy to the bullpen in favor of Jeremy Guthrie.

The Tigers (67-78) have won three of four after securing the last two of a three-game series in Minnesota with Thursday's 7-4 win in 12 innings.

J.D. Martinez hit his 37th home run and is batting .455 in his last five games.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Tigers
Fri, Sep 18 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 2
Royals at Tigers
Sat, Sep 19 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 3
Royals at Tigers
Sun, Sep 20 - 1:08PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 02:06 AM

Preview: Red Sox (69-76) at Blue Jays (83-62)
Game: 1
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: September 18, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays enter their final homestand with a prime opportunity to extend their division lead as they seek their first AL East title since the early 1990s.

Marcus Stroman was two years old the last time the Blue Jays hung a banner, and to him it's seemed as though just as much time has passed since he took the Rogers Centre mound.

He'll look to remain unbeaten against the Boston Red Sox as Toronto plays the first of nine straight at home Friday night.

The Blue Jays (84-62) hold a 3 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees atop the East after MVP candidate Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion and Cliff Pennington homered in Thursday's 5-0 win over Atlanta that completed a 10-game trip.

Toronto will play three each against the Red Sox (69-76), Yankees and Tampa Bay to finish its home slate before a seven-game road swing to close the regular season.

The Blue Jays are 19-5 at home since July 29 and have a magic number of nine to clinch their first division title since the last of three straight in 1993, when they went on to win a second consecutive World Series in their most recent playoff appearance.

Stroman is excited he's finally getting a chance to help end that postseason drought. He tore his left ACL during a fielding drill in March and didn't make his season debut until Saturday after 20 starts and six relief efforts as a rookie in 2014.

The 24-year-old right-hander appeared fully recovered, though, pitching four no-hit innings before allowing a three-run homer in the fifth and being removed following a rain delay in a 10-7 road win at Yankee Stadium.

"Unbelievable," Stroman said. "The vibes, the camaraderie in the clubhouse couldn't be any better. It's only going to get better from here. Really pleased."

He's felt that way after each of his outings against Boston, too, winning all three with a 1.25 ERA. Two of those victories came at Rogers Centre, where Stroman is 7-2 with a 1.98 ERA and .196 opponents' batting average in 11 starts.

Stroman, though, has had some trouble with Dustin Pedroia, who is 4 for 7 with a double in their matchups.

Pedroia missed 58 of 64 games from June 25-Sept. 7 while battling a hamstring injury, but he's batting .379 with three homers in six since returning. He hit a two-run homer in the third and a three-run shot in the fourth during Wednesday's 10-1 win over Baltimore.

"I just feel strong, I feel healthy," Pedroia told MLB's official website. "That's how I felt before I got hurt. That's the frustrating part. Sometimes you get hurt and miss some time. The biggest thing for me is just being out there, feeling good and being able to help us win."

Boston won three of four the last time it visited Toronto June 29-July 2, with Rick Porcello (8-12, 5.06 ERA) suffering the lone defeat. He gave up seven runs in two innings, dropping to 1-3 with a 7.65 ERA in four career starts there.

The right-hander had a 5.81 ERA when he went on the disabled list Aug. 2 with a strained right triceps, but he's 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA in four starts since returning after pitching seven innings in Saturday's 10-4 win over Tampa Bay.

Porcello won't have to face Troy Tulowitzki, who saw a specialist Thursday regarding the cracked shoulder blade he suffered in a collision Saturday. There's no timetable for the star shortstop's return.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Fri, Sep 18 - 7:07PM EDT

GAME 2
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Sat, Sep 19 - 4:07PM EDT

GAME 3
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Sun, Sep 20 - 1:07PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 02:08 AM

Preview: White Sox (69-76) at Indians (72-72)
Game: 1
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: September 18, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Cleveland Indians weren't able to make any wild-card progress in a series against the top team in the AL Central, so the immediate task now shifts to trying to beat maybe the best pitcher in the division.

Chris Sale opens a three-game series Friday night at Progressive Field, where the Chicago White Sox ace has experienced his share of struggles.

The Indians (72-73) fell 8-4 Thursday to Kansas City, settling for a four-game split and again dipping below .500. They've evened their record three times in the past six games, only to lose the follow-up effort. Cleveland enters the weekend series four games back of Houston for the second wild card.

Sale (12-9, 3.55 ERA) was limited to a career-low three innings for the third time in Sunday's 7-0 home loss to Minnesota. The left-hander gave up six runs and nine hits while dropping his second straight start. It wasn't for a lack of drive as Chicago's season winds down without a playoff appearance for the seventh straight year.

"We still have a job to do, and that's come in and compete," Sale told MLB's official website. "It's all we can do at this point. We are just playing for pride. Just suck it up and play as hard as you can."

While his ERA is the highest of his career and figures to stay that way, his 2.53 fielding-independent pitching is his lowest. It's also the lowest in the AL and bettered only by Clayton Kershaw and Jake Arrieta. His 250 strikeouts, surpassed only by Kershaw, are a career high and could climb into the top 10 single-season marks of the millennium before the season ends. His .327 strikeouts per batter faced ranks sixth dating to 2000.

The 26-year-old hasn't displayed his traditional level of dominance in five career starts in Cleveland, going 2-2 with a 5.28 ERA. Among AL venues, he's only been worse as a starter at Fenway Park.

Ryan Raburn is 10 for 33 with four home runs, joining Victor Martinez as the only player with more than three off Sale. Michael Brantley is 4 for 29 with 12 strikeouts in their matchups, as well as 0 for 11 in the last three games.

Lonnie Chisenhall is in a more sustained slump with a .150 average over his last 14 games, and he's 1 for 9 against Sale.

Cleveland counters with Cody Anderson, who's been impressive in his return from the disabled list.

In four starts back from an oblique strain, Anderson (4-3, 3.68) is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA and .184 opponent batting average and his first set of back-to-back wins.

Half of the 14 hits he's allowed in those 23 innings, however, came in Sunday's 7-2 home victory over Detroit. The right-hander still limited the Tigers to two runs in 5 2-3 innings to earn his second straight victory a day before his 25th birthday.

"(Anderson) made some adjustments and got the ball down and changed speeds and really pitched pretty well," manager Terry Francona said, "He doesn't really get flustered."

The rookie has held truer to that assessment on the road with a 2-2 record and 2.58 ERA in six starts as opposed to 2-1 with a 4.96 mark in six at home.

After Thursday's 4-2 loss, the White Sox (69-76) settled for a four-game split with Oakland to conclude a 4-6 homestand that began with losses in two of three to the Indians. In Cleveland, however, the White Sox have won four straight and five of six this season. They're also embarking on an 11-game trip with a four-game road winning streak.

Melky Cabrera is batting .524 in his last five games and .424 in his last 15 at Progressive.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
White Sox at Indians
Fri, Sep 18 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
White Sox at Indians
Sat, Sep 19 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
White Sox at Indians
Sun, Sep 20 - 1:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 02:10 AM

Preview: Yankees (80-65) at Mets (83-63)
Game: 1
Venue: Citi Field
Date: September 18, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The last time the New York Mets and New York Yankees met this late in the season, it was in the 2000 World Series.

There's a possibility they could meet in the Fall Classic this year.

The Mets will host this weekend series, with the red-hot Yoenis Cespedes getting his first taste of this rivalry Friday night.

This is the latest regular-season edition of the Subway Series, and there is plenty at stake for both teams. The Mets (83-63) have a comfortable NL East lead over Washington while the Yankees hold the AL's top wild card as they try to catch first-place Toronto in the East.

"A lot's been made of this weekend coming up," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "It's now here so now we've got to get ready for it."

The Yankees (80-65) won't have Alex Rodriguez in the lineup this weekend, with no designated hitter at Citi Field. They took two of three at home in April from the Mets, who did not have Cespedes.

Acquired July 31 from Detroit, Cespedes has become one of baseball's biggest stories. He has 17 homers and 42 RBIs in 43 games with the Mets, giving him totals of 35 and 103.

The slugger has gone consecutive games without a homer after connecting nine times in 13 games to start the month. The Mets are seeking to avoid their first three-game losing streak since Aug. 14-16.

The Mets lineup will also look different to the Yankees since David Wright and Travis d'Arnaud were out with injuries for the April series and Juan Uribe had yet to be acquired.

Collins compared facing the Yankees to his club's three-game sweep at Washington last week that gave the Mets a commanding division lead.

"We need to approach it like it's the Washington Nationals walking in here," he said. "Look, it's a game we've got to go play, we're playing for something big, they are too. It's very similar to when we played the Nationals."

The Yankees will start Masahiro Tanaka (12-6, 3.40 ERA) on four days' rest for the fifth time and second occasion in a row after giving him extra rest through most of the year. Tanaka improved to 3-0 with a 2.54 ERA in his last four outings after seven innings of four-hit ball in Sunday's 5-0 victory over the Blue Jays.

"He's throwing the ball extremely well," manager Joe Girardi said. "We checked with him to see how he was, he said he felt good and that's why we're doing it. I know he hasn't done it a lot but we need him to pitch well for us."

The right-hander is 5-2 with a 1.97 ERA in seven career interleague starts including a four-hitter in a 4-0 road win over the Mets last year. Cespedes is 3 for 10 against him.

This will be a special outing for Steven Matz (3-0, 1.88), a Long Island native who grew up rooting for the Mets. He'll make his fifth start, third since returning off the disabled list and first in interleague play.

The left-hander allowed one run in five innings last Friday to earn a 5-1 victory at Atlanta.

He'll face an offense with some slumping hitters.

Brian McCann is hitting .194 in his last 10 games and Chase Headley is at .179 in his last 15. Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury each are hitting .204 since the All-Star break to rank among baseball's worst batters.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Yankees at Mets
Fri, Sep 18 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Yankees at Mets
Sat, Sep 19 - 1:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Yankees at Mets
Sun, Sep 20 - 8:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 02:13 AM

Preview: Orioles (71-74) at Rays (70-75)
Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: September 18, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Whether for one start or the remainder of the season, Tyler Wilson jumps into Baltimore's rotation to try and help the Orioles make an unlikely playoff push.

Wilson is the beneficiary of another starter's struggles and the Orioles hope he can improve their slim wild-card chances Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Fellow rookie Mike Wright's starting role appears to be in jeopardy after going 0-2 with a 9.75 ERA in three starts since returning from a calf injury. The worst of those games was his latest, allowing six runs in three innings of Wednesday's 10-1 defeat to Boston - one of Baltimore's two losses in the last nine games.

With the Orioles (72-74) suddenly 4 1/2 games back of Houston for the AL's second wild card with 16 games left, manager Buck Showalter would not say if Wright will remain in the rotation or head to the bullpen.

"He's still in the mix both ways," Showalter told MLB's official website. "We are going to serve the needs of the club each day and what gives us the best chance to win that day."

Now Wilson (2-1, 2.19 ERA) gets a chance, as his start pushes the rest of Baltimore's rotation back a day. The right-hander was called up at the end of Triple-A Norfolk's season on Tuesday and learned Thursday that he would get his third start with the Orioles. He has a 1-1 record and 2.63 ERA in two previous spot starts - the last coming Aug. 3 - and made four relief appearances before the All-Star break.

Wei-Yin Chen and Kevin Gausman will start Baltimore's final two games against the Rays, then Ubaldo Jimenez and Chris Tillman are set to start next week's series against Washington. Showalter said Miguel Gonzalez's progress from a shoulder injury could change what the Orioles do from that point on.

Whoever is on the mound, Baltimore needs to make an impressive run to skip past four teams for the league's second wild card.

"It's not about all the other games anymore," Adam Jones said after hitting the go-ahead, two-run single in Thursday's 4-3 win over the Rays. "If we lose, we're not going to get there. If we win, that's all we can do."

Tampa Bay (70-76) dropped 6 1/2 back of a wild-card spot with its fifth loss in six games.

Drew Smyly (2-2, 3.14) hasn't lost in his last five starts, going 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA. This will be his seventh outing since missing more than three months with a torn labrum. His latest effort was wasted in a 2-0, 13-inning loss to Boston on Sunday, having tied a career high with 11 strikeouts in six innings.

"Drew Smyly, really good," manager Kevin Cash said. "He drove his pitch count up simply because of all the strikeouts, but he looked very sharp. He got a lot of swing and misses on a lot of different pitches."

During his four years with Detroit and Tampa Bay, Smyly is 3-0 with a 0.79 ERA in seven appearances against the Orioles, including four starts. He held the Orioles to four hits in seven scoreless innings of an 11-2 win Sept. 1.

Jones and Chris Davis have combined to go 4 for 29 with 14 strikeouts against Smyly, though Davis homered in his only hits off him and Jones went deep once.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Rays
Thu, Sep 17 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Orioles at Rays
Fri, Sep 18 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Orioles at Rays
Sat, Sep 19 - 6:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Orioles at Rays
Sun, Sep 20 - 1:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 02:15 AM

Preview: Phillies (56-91) at Braves (57-89)
Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: September 18, 2015 7:35 PM EDT

The NL East has crowned a champion other than the Atlanta Braves or Philadelphia Phillies only three times since 1993, with the clubs each winning a World Series and making three appearances in the Fall Classic during that window.

That's a far cry from where they stand in 2015, bringing up the rear of the division and firmly in rebuilding mode heading into a three-game series beginning Friday night in Atlanta.

The Braves (57-90) and Phillies (56-91) both will finish with at least 90 losses in the same season for the first time since 1989 after Atlanta fell 5-0 to Toronto on Thursday, mustering only three hits while losing for the 14th time in its last 15 home games.

Fittingly, the biggest applause from the sparse crowd came when former president Jimmy Carter and his wife appeared on the "Kiss Cam."

Philadelphia hasn't given its fans anything better to cheer about lately. It struck out 42 times - the most in franchise history during a three-game series - while being swept by Washington with Wednesday's 12-2 defeat.

Interim manager Pete Mackanin believes the young Phillies are hitting a wall during the grind of a long season many haven't experienced before. They'll have to finish 7-8 to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961.

"It's not like we had a real good team and all of a sudden fell apart," Mackanin told MLB's official website. "This is a day-to-day experiment. A lot of young guys are getting opportunities. We're learning a lot about them, and that's very important for next year."

Strikeouts were part of the problem the last time Philadelphia faced Williams Perez (5-6, 5.36 ERA), who fanned a season high-tying seven in seven innings of Atlanta's 7-2 victory Sept. 7.

That went much better for Perez than his first start against the Phillies, when the rookie allowed a season-high nine runs and walked four in a 9-3 defeat July 31. The loss began a nine-start stretch during which he's 1-6 with a 7.90 ERA.

The right-hander has walked at least three five times in that span, including exactly that many Saturday when he went six innings of a 6-4 loss to the New York Mets.

Perez won't have to face Ryan Howard, who has missed the two games with a left knee injury. Howard hopes to get back on the field, but there's a chance he could be shut down for the season.

The Phillies have dropped three of the last four meetings with the Braves, a stretch that began when Adam Morgan (5-6, 4.60) gave up four runs over five innings a 6-2 loss Aug. 2. Morgan, who grew up in nearby Marietta, Ga., has lost both his starts against Atlanta with a 4.50 ERA.

He hasn't been any better in either of his last two outings. The rookie left-hander allowed six runs in a 7-5 loss to Boston on Sept. 4 and four in last Friday's 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Morgan walked three in 11 1-3 innings in those starts after not issuing any in 22 2-3 over his previous four. He'll look to change his fortunes against Cameron Maybin, who is 3 for 5 with a double and a walk in their matchups.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Phillies at Braves
Fri, Sep 18 - 7:35PM EDT

GAME 2
Phillies at Braves
Sat, Sep 19 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Phillies at Braves
Sun, Sep 20 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 02:18 AM

Preview: Padres (69-78) at Rockies (61-85)
Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: September 18, 2015 8:40 PM EDT

The San Diego Padres' offense has been one of the worst in baseball this year - except when they play the Colorado Rockies.

San Diego hopes that trend continues against Colorado on Friday night at Coors Field.

The Padres (69-78) have hit .220 while dropping nine of 13, though they took two of three in Arizona earlier this week. They're looking to reignite their offense in their final series with the Rockies, against whom they're 11-5.

San Diego has averaged 6.1 runs with a .824 OPS in the season series compared to 3.9 and .626 in all other games. On the season, the team's .686 OPS ranks 28th.

It's not just a case of the Padres exploiting Coors Field, as they've posted a .835 OPS at Petco Park against Colorado compared to a .809 mark over their seven games in Denver.

Derek Norris, who is hitting .244 overall, is batting .421 with 11 RBIs in 15 games against the Rockies. His OPS is at just .573 over his last 17 games, with six of his 12 hits in that span coming in these teams' four-game series earlier this month.

Matt Kemp has 19 RBIs while playing in each game against Colorado, homering six times in the last nine, while four of Jedd Gyorko's 14 home runs have come in the season series.

While the Padres are almost assured to miss the postseason for a ninth straight year, Colorado (61-85) will miss out for a sixth straight season.

The Rockies are returning from a 5-5 trip in which they hit .187 with 105 strikeouts and were two-hit Wednesday in a 2-0 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ian Kennedy (8-14, 4.28 ERA) gets the nod for San Diego, having gone 0-7 with a 1.3 run-support average in his last eight road starts. He received no support in his last outing but didn't give himself much of a chance either, surrendering seven runs over 4 2-3 innings in an 8-0 loss at San Francisco on Saturday.

Kennedy, whose two strikeouts matched a season-low, only allowed one hit through 3 2-3 innings before unraveling.

"It kind of snowballed on him," interim manager Pat Murphy told MLB's official website.

Kennedy is 6-6 with a 2.96 ERA in 21 starts against Colorado, including a 1-2 record in three matchups this year. He's struck out 40 over 30 2-3 innings in his last five meetings.

Conversely, Chad Bettis (7-5, 4.59) comes off one of his best starts of the year for the Rockies, limiting Seattle to three hits over seven innings in a 4-2 victory last Friday, his fourth outing since returning from the disabled list.

Bettis, who gave up three runs over six innings in Colorado's 5-4 loss at San Diego on July 18, is 1-2 with a 10.13 ERA in his last four home outings.

Colorado's DJ LeMahieu is hitting .400 in 25 at-bats against Kennedy, while Gonzalez is at .143 with 15 strikeouts in 35 at-bats. Gonzalez, who batted .147 on the Rockies' trip, was limited to one pinch-hit at-bat Wednesday. He left in the 16th inning of Tuesday's win after fouling a pitch off his foot.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Rockies
Fri, Sep 18 - 8:40PM EDT

GAME 2
Padres at Rockies
Sat, Sep 19 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Padres at Rockies
Sun, Sep 20 - 4:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 02:20 AM

Preview: Pirates (87-59) at Dodgers (84-61)
Game: 1
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: September 18, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates had their sights set on NL Central-leading St. Louis before the Chicago Cubs forced them to concentrate on the rear view mirror.

After dropping three of four against the Cubs this week to put their lead in the wild-card race in a precarious position, the Pirates now have to deal with a season-ending injury to Jung Ho Kang and a pair of Cy Young candidates in the first two of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With Zack Greinke on the mound for the Dodgers in Friday night's opener, Pittsburgh begins the Herculean task of getting this make-or-break 10-game trip off to a good start.

The Pirates (87-59) sit second in baseball's toughest division, but even though St. Louis remains within striking distance, they should be more concerned with the Cubs, who pulled two back of the wild-card lead with a 9-6 victory Thursday at PNC Park.

Chicago, which owns the tiebreaker by virtue of a 10-6 record against Pittsburgh this season, rallied with a six-run fifth inning.

"We've got to play better baseball moving forward," manager Clint Hurdle said of losing the series.

Pittsburgh and Chicago are both in a safe spot to make the playoffs, but the Pirates would obviously prefer hosting the wild-card game instead of playing it at Wrigley Field, where they're 2-4 this season and close their trip with three games Sept. 25-27.

The club also took a big hit Thursday when rookie shortstop Kang was lost for the season to a torn MCL and broken left leg he suffered when Chris Coghlan slid into him trying to break up a double play. Kang was hitting .287 with 15 home runs.

"They outplayed us," second baseman Neil Walker said, "then the icing on the cake is they knocked out one of our best players."

Greinke (17-3, 1.61 ERA) and teammate Clayton Kershaw could certainly help matters for the Cubs in the first two of this series. Greinke is looking to become the first pitcher since Roger Clemens in 2005 to maintain a sub-2.00 ERA for an entire season, while Kershaw has won nine straight decisions and owns a minuscule 0.96 ERA over his last 12 outings.

Greinke hasn't faced the Pirates this year and has struggled against them, losing his previous two outings to fall to 5-3 with a 5.37 ERA over nine career starts.

Those numbers, however, appear comical compared to the season Greinke is having. After tossing eight scoreless innings in a 4-3 win over Arizona on Sunday, the right-hander also has a shot to become only the third since the mound was lowered in 1969 to post an ERA below 1.60. Greg Maddux (1.56 in '94) and Dwight Gooden (1.53 in '85) are the others.

"Maybe," Greinke said when asked if this is the best he's pitched. "I know what I'm doing more now. Maybe more mentally aware of how things work than earlier in my career."

The first-place Dodgers (84-61) hold a 7 1/2-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West after winning 17 of 22 since a five-game skid in late August.

Tasked with slowing Los Angeles will be Jeff Locke (8-10, 4.43), who has bounced back from a poor outing at Milwaukee on Sept. 2 with two decent starts. Locke allowed three runs - one earned - over five innings in a 3-1 loss to Cincinnati on Sept. 7 before tossing 6 1-3 of one-run ball in a 10-2 rout of the Brewers on Saturday.

The left-hander is 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA in three career starts against the Dodgers, but he hasn't faced them since picking up that lone win by tossing seven innings in a 3-0 home victory on June 14, 2013.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Dodgers
Fri, Sep 18 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Pirates at Dodgers
Sat, Sep 19 - 9:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Pirates at Dodgers
Sun, Sep 20 - 4:10PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 02:22 AM

Preview: Diamondbacks (69-77) at Giants (77-69)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: September 18, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

The San Francisco Giants are doing their best to make a last-second push at the playoffs despite their increasingly thin chances.

They have to like their chances to knock off the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night with Madison Bumgarner on the mound.

San Francisco (77-69) has won eight of 11 while batting .307 with 6.1 runs per game and a 2.85 ERA, but a seven-game losing streak prior to that stretch may be too difficult to recover from. The Giants are 7 1/2 games back of NL West-leading Los Angeles and eight out in the wild-card race.

Most metrics give them less than a one percent chance of reaching the postseason, meaning this would be the third straight time they've followed a World Series title by missing the playoffs the following year.

Bumgarner (18-7, 2.91 ERA) has been doing his best to keep San Francisco in the race, going 7-1 with a 1.81 ERA in his last eight starts. He owns a 12.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in that span, nearly doubling his career-high 6.6 mark on the season.

He yielded only a two-out single in the eighth inning Saturday against San Diego, striking out nine in the 8-0 victory.

"What an incredible performance," manager Bruce Bochy told MLB's official website. "We're all a little disappointed, but yet, you witnessed just a beautiful game he threw tonight."

It was the fifth career shutout for Bumgarner, who recorded his third complete game in seven starts.

"I'm here to win games. That's it," said the left-hander, who's looking to win 19 for the first time. "All the other stuff is really cool and I'll take it. It would definitely be special, but winning is what I like most."

Bumgarner is 9-2 with a 1.85 ERA in 15 home starts, including a 1.31 mark in the last nine, and 5-2 with a 1.94 ERA in his past 13 outings against Arizona.

Though the Diamondbacks (69-77) are eight games behind San Francisco, they own a 9-7 advantage in the season series with Giants starters recording only five quality starts behind a 4.68 ERA.

Paul Goldschmidt is batting .188 in his last 10 games, though his .362 average against lefties is one of baseball's highest. David Peralta is batting .306 during a 13-game hitting streak, the longest active run in the majors.

Arizona's Rubby De La Rosa (12-8, 4.75) has set a career high in wins, though he owes a great deal of that accomplishment to his offense, which has backed him with five or more runs in eight of his victories.

The right-hander struggled mightily of late, posting an 8.50 ERA in his last four turns. He's coming off the shortest start of his career, lasting two innings and allowing six runs and nine hits - two homers - in Saturday's 9-5 loss to the Dodgers.

De La Rosa was excellent in his last start at AT&T Park, going eight innings in a 4-0 victory June 14. He came in with a 6.62 ERA in four previous appearances against San Francisco.

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford is expected to return after missing seven games with tightness in his calf and left side. Crawford hit .093 in his last 11 contests, but he's 5 for 12 with two homers against De La Rosa.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Giants
Fri, Sep 18 - 10:15PM EDT

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Giants
Sat, Sep 19 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Giants
Sun, Sep 20 - 4:05PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 03:27 AM

Preview: Cardinals (92-54) at Cubs (85-61)
Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: September 18, 2015 2:20 PM EDT

Though they would appear to be a long shot, the Chicago Cubs continue to set their sights on winning the NL Central.

Looking to remain undefeated against Lance Lynn this season, the Cubs can cut into the St. Louis Cardinals' division lead Friday at Wrigley Field.

Owner of an eight-game lead for the second wild-card spot, Chicago (85-61) is in good shape to reach the postseason for the first time since 2008. The Cubs also trimmed Pittsburgh's lead for the first wild-card position to two games by taking the last three of a four-game series at PNC Park.

However, optimistic Cubs manager Joe Maddon expects his team to stay focused on catching the Cardinals (92-54).

'The division title is still the goal,' he said. 'That's what we're after.'

It doesn't matter that the Cubs are in third place and seven back of St. Louis. Maddon truly believes anything is possible for an overachieving club that's won 33 of its last 47

"We come ready to play," he told MLB's official website after Thursday's 9-6 victory at Pittsburgh. "A lot of good stuff going on out there with a lot of guys picking each other up.'

Chicago is 6-10 against the Cardinals this season, but began the recent 7-4 road trip by taking two of three at Busch Stadium.

"I'm really eager to see and feel our fans at home," said Maddon, whose team has won three straight and 17 of the last 21 at Wrigley Field. "I think it'll be a lot of fun."

The Cubs opened that series at St. Louis by tagging Lynn (11-10, 3.17 ERA) for six runs and seven hits in 2 1-3 innings of a 9-0 victory Sept. 7.

'Just didn't have any command,' said Lynn, who is 0-3 with a 7.53 ERA against Chicago in 2015. 'The ball was all over the place, and when I started making pitches they were already locked in.'

Dexter Fowler, who led off that contest with a homer, is 5 for 12 against Lynn, who has a 9.72 ERA while dropping his last two outings. Batting .400 with two homers and eight RBIs in the last six games against St. Louis, Anthony Rizzo is 3 for 5 with two doubles and a home run off the right-hander this year.

Dan Haren (9-9, 3.87) recorded his only quality start of the eight he's made with the Cubs while opposing Lynn and allowing seven hits in seven innings earlier this month. The right-hander, however, yielded four runs, seven hits and walked three in three innings while not factoring in the decision of a 7-4 loss at Philadelphia on Sunday.

'Very frustrating," said Haren, who is 2-2 with a 5.31 ERA for Chicago.

Kolten Wong is 4 for 6 with two doubles against Haren, and is batting .455 during a 10-game hitting streak against Chicago. Jason Heyward and Yadier Molina are a combined 5 for 10 and each has a double off Haren this season.

St. Louis heads to Wrigley riding a four-game winning streak that followed a stretch of eight losses in 10 contests. Matt Carpenter and rookie Tommy Pham each had three hits for a second straight game as the Cardinals capped a three-game sweep of Milwaukee with Thursday's 6-3 victory.

'It's always nice to be playing good baseball,' winning pitcher John Lackey said. 'This series was a great group effort.'

Matt Holliday is 9 for 20 in five games against the Cubs this season, and should see action this weekend after pinch-hitting Thursday in his first game since missing almost two months with a strained quad.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Cubs
Fri, Sep 18 - 2:20PM EDT

GAME 2
Cardinals at Cubs
Sat, Sep 19 - 1:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Cardinals at Cubs
Sun, Sep 20 - 2:20PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 03:29 AM

Preview: Marlins (64-83) at Nationals (75-71)
Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: September 18, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Injuries have sidelined Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez most of the last two seasons, but the Washington Nationals can vouch for his effectiveness when healthy.

Fernandez has dominated in a small sample size this year, including wins in both tries against the Nationals, and he'll go up against fellow ace Max Scherzer on Friday night when Miami continues a four-game series in Washington.

Fernandez (5-0, 2.06 ERA) missed most of 2014 and the first three months of 2015 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and he had a more recent stint on the disabled list with a right biceps strain.

He returned Saturday and held Washington to two hits through five innings of a 2-0 win. Fernandez also beat the Nationals on July 28, giving up a run and four hits in six innings, and he's 3-0 with a 0.58 ERA in five career starts against them.

"You can see when Jose pitches, the team is different," said closer A.J. Ramos, who picked up his 28th save in Thursday's 6-4 series-opening win. "He brings something to this team that nobody can explain. It's uplifting. We just follow his lead."

Bryce Harper singled for one of the two hits off Fernandez but also struck out looking at a 99 mph fastball in the first inning.

"When you come back and you're throwing 99 mph, it's usually pretty tough," said Harper, who had his fourth consecutive multihit game Thursday but failed to homer in a fourth straight.

All of Fernandez's starts against the Nationals, though, have come at Marlins Park, where he is 16-0 with a 1.11 ERA. On the road, his record drops to 5-8 while his ERA rises to 3.86.

The script is flipped for Scherzer (12-11, 2.91). The Nationals (75-71) have dropped five of his last six starts at home, and he has a 6.16 ERA in the past three. He has a 2.25 ERA in the last three on the road, most recently throwing eight scoreless innings in a 5-0 win at Miami to halt a seven-start winless streak.

"Overall I thought over the past month or so I have been throwing the ball well, I just haven't gotten the results," said Scherzer, who hasn't issued a walk in four consecutive starts while striking out 30.

The Marlins (64-83), though, have tagged Scherzer for nine runs and 16 hits in 14 innings at Nationals Park this year. He's surrendered eight home runs in his last three starts in D.C., including one apiece to Martin Prado and Marcell Ozuna as Miami scored four runs off Scherzer to beat him on Aug. 28.

Prado and Justin Bour both homered for the second straight game Thursday as Miami dropped the Nationals eight games back of the New York Mets for the NL East lead.

Prado is batting .390 with 14 RBIs in his last 16 games, and he's 9 for 19 with two doubles and a homer versus Scherzer. Miami's third baseman has 20 hits in 60 at-bats against Washington this season.

Fernandez has held Ian Desmond to 0 for 14, Jayson Werth to 1 for 12 and Wilson Ramos 1 for 8. Werth has reached base in 26 straight games, one shy of a career high.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Marlins at Nationals
Thu, Sep 17 Final 6 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Marlins at Nationals
Fri, Sep 18 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Marlins at Nationals
Sat, Sep 19 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Marlins at Nationals
Sun, Sep 20 - 1:35PM EDT

**StarDust Bum** · 09-18-2015, 03:32 AM

Preview: Reds (61-84) at Brewers (62-84)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: September 18, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Cincinnati Reds hope Brandon Finnegan will be a vital part of their rotation for many years to come.

That road begins Friday night when the 22-year-old left-hander makes his first career start while trying to help hand the host Milwaukee Brewers a seventh consecutive defeat.

Kansas City's first-round pick in 2014, Finnegan (0-0, 0.00 ERA) made his major league debut last September and was trusted enough to make seven playoff appearances for the Royals. After being dealt to Cincinnati (61-84) as part of the Johnny Cueto trade July 26, Finnegan finally gets to begin a game in the majors after 30 overall appearances out of bullpen.

He'll extend the Reds' major league record for consecutive starts with a rookie pitcher to 48.

"We've prepped him to start and now that opportunity is there," manager Bryan Price told MLB's official website. "I don't want to say he has a surplus of innings left over, but he has some room to start for the remainder of the year. He'll eat up some innings for us. He can get acclimated to starting at this level."

Finnegan, expected to be a regular in the rotation as early as next season, has not allowed a hit and struck out four with a walk over 2 2-3 scoreless innings in two outings with the Reds. He went 0-5 with a 5.14 ERA in 15 starts between Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Cincinnati has dropped eight of the last 10 in this season series, but Milwaukee (62-84) is mired in its fifth losing streak of six or more games in 2015.

A Reds' victory would move them out of the NL Central cellar and one-half game ahead of Milwaukee in the standings.

Joey Votto is 3 for 16 in his last six games but had two hits in Wednesday's 5-3 loss at San Francisco. He's batted .426 with four home runs and 13 RBIs in his last 12 games at Miller Park.

Votto and the Reds get their first look at Zach Davies (1-1, 6.60), who tries to rebound after he allowed six runs, six hits and five walks in 3 2-3 innings of Saturday's 10-2 loss at Pittsburgh. The right-hander has walked eight and struck out 10 in 15 innings over his first three career starts this month.

"Walks are killers," he said. "You've got to make them earn their way on."

Despite Davies' latest performance, manager Craig Counsell sees plenty of potential in one of the Brewers' top overall prospects.

"I think we've got to give him a little longer than three starts to make that judgment," Counsell said. "He knows that. You have to attack hitters.

"Walks are not going to be something you see from him on good nights. He should have the ability to get himself ahead in the count whenever he wants."

Ryan Braun is batting .362 with six homers and 13 RBIs in 15 games against the Reds this season. Braun went 0 for 4 in Thursday's 6-3 loss to St. Louis, one day after sitting out with back tightness he calls "pretty serious."

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Brewers
Fri, Sep 18 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Reds at Brewers
Sat, Sep 19 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Brewers
Sun, Sep 20 - 2:10PM EDT

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