Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 07-15-2016, 05:00 PM

M's trending toward another postseason
July 14, 2016

SEATTLE (AP) After the Seattle Mariners posted the biggest comeback in franchise history to win in San Diego 16-13 on June 2, they headed off to a series in Texas tied for the lead in the AL West.

There was a buzz and optimism about the club. They were playing better than expected, were more entertaining than expected and were giving credence to the idea that maybe the longest playoff drought in baseball could come to an end after 15 years.

Then the rest of June happened. And by the time the All-Star break arrived, the Mariners were 45-44, facing a nearly double-digit deficit in the division race as part of a season defined thus far by inconsistency.

When Seattle's pitching was strong, the offense lagged. When the offense picked up, the pitching often faltered. The Mariners were powerful away from home early in the season, but lost 16 of 20 road games heading into the break. They swept the first place Orioles at home, but were also swept at home by the last place Angels and last place Twins.

That's not to say there weren't bright spots. Robinson Cano returned to All-Star form. Nelson Cruz has 23 home runs at the break. Korean slugger Dae-Ho Lee has been a pleasant surprise.

There are a number of reasons why Seattle has gone from legitimate contender in the AL West to now trying to get back into the playoff discussion. At the root of Seattle's struggles in June was the fragility of the roster created in the offseason.

While the makeover that general manager Jerry Dipoto undertook with the Mariners after taking over at the end of the 2015 season created a more competitive, more versatile roster, there is still a lack of depth that was highlighted by key injuries to center fielder Leonys Martin, shortstop Ketel Marte and ace Felix Hernandez.

Between May 22 and June 9, the Mariners defense was ailing with Marte and Martin sidelined. Seattle went 8-10 during that stretch and it was the beginning of the downward trend that saw the Mariners finish June at 10-18.

Hernandez, meanwhile, has been out since June 1 with a calf injury. Combined with other injuries, that left Seattle putting together a makeshift rotation for most of the last six weeks.

Not all lost is for Seattle. They are only five games back in the AL wild card race and after an eight-game road trip in late July the schedule becomes far more favorable.

Here are a few other things to watch for as Seattle enters the second half trying to climb back into contention:

FIND AN OUTFIELDER: The Mariners expected Nori Aoki to be their leadoff hitter and left fielder the majority of the season. But Aoki's struggles at the plate could not justify keeping him in the lineup. That's left Seattle's outfield rotation thin and in need of an experienced option in left field. That is likely the top priority for Dipoto prior to the trade deadline.

LAY OFF THE BULLPEN: Seattle's bullpen was taxed in the first half of the season, especially in June when the starting rotation struggled to pitch beyond five innings. The Mariners' relievers made a combined 248 appearances prior to the All-Star break and threw more innings than manager Scott Servais wanted. The overuse began to show in June during Seattle's swoon after the bullpen had been an area of strength the first two months.

GET THE ROTATION HEALTHY: Hernandez wasn't the only starter to find his way to the disabled list in the first half. Left-hander Wade Miley and young righty Taijuan Walker also landed there for short stints. Nathan Karns started in the rotation before getting demoted to the bullpen because of his struggles. Hernandez and Walker are expected to return shortly after the All-Star break and both need to rediscover the top form they showed in spurts earlier in the season.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-15-2016, 05:02 PM

Cubs' Fowler expected back next week; Ross returns
July 15, 2016

CHICAGO (AP) Chicago Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler isn't expected to return from his right hamstring injury until late next week.

The Cubs on Friday also activated catcher David Ross off the seven-day concussion list, placed reliever Trevor Cahill on the 15-day disabled list with tendinitis in his right knee and activated left-hander Clayton Richard off the DL.

Manager Joe Maddon said Fowler felt good running the bases Thursday and will soon go on another minor league rehab stint.

''He hit the bases and felt good about it,'' Maddon said.

Fowler hasn't played since June 18 as he recovers from a strain that also kept him out of the All-Star Game.

Ross, who has a history of concussions, took a foul ball off his mask before the All-Star break. Infielder Munenori Kawasaki was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to make room for Ross.

Cahill, a right-hander who has struggled lately, has a 3.07 ERA in 33 appearances. His DL stay is retroactive to July 9.

Richard had been sidelined with a blister on his throwing hand. Maddon said his ''velocity was up'' during a minor league rehab assignment.

Maddon said outfielder Jorge Soler is also nearing a minor league rehab assignment as he recovers from a left hamstring injury.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-15-2016, 05:04 PM

He was there: Piniella cheers as Suzuki chases 3,000 hits
July 15, 2016

Still unsure exactly what to expect from the Japanese newcomer, Lou Piniella kept waiting for the rookie to pull a ball. Too many hits sprayed to left field, Sweet Lou thought, too easy for defenses to adjust.

So the veteran Seattle manager summoned the translator and told him to deliver a message to Ichiro Suzuki: ''I want to see some bat speed.''

Piniella saw them huddle in the dugout and share a laugh. A couple of innings later, Suzuki led off with a home run into the bullpen in right-center.

''He rounds the bases, he steps on home plate, and he says, `Happy now?' when he shook my hand,'' Piniella recalled. ''I said, `Yeah, yeah, you can do whatever you want.'''

All these years later, with Suzuki on the verge of joining the 3,000-hit club in the big leagues, his first skipper in the majors is taking a lot of pride in watching the pursuit. As much as Piniella believed in Suzuki from the start and was in awe of those early accomplishments with the Mariners, he never would have guessed the outfielder would still be playing at age 42 and going for such a lofty perch.

Suzuki hit .335 with a .412 on-base percentage in 164 at-bats over the first half with Miami. He stood at 2,990 career hits as the Marlins returned from the All-Star break to open a weekend series at St. Louis.

Now gray-haired and no longer a regular in his 16th major league season, Suzuki might have lost a step, but not much. Credit his commitment to an intense regimen that has long included an on-deck routine that features a deep warmup squat, then a one-of-a-kind stance and a sweeping twirl of his bat.

Suzuki was 27 and had 1,278 hits in Japan before he came to the big leagues. Piniella got so excited after Suzuki's two-hit debut in 2001 that he kissed him.

''I was so happy for him, that's why,'' Piniella said. ''It's hard for a player to come here from Japan, especially with the scrutiny that he had. I'm an emotional guy. I got caught up in the moment. I gave him a hug and at the same time I gave him a little peck. Look, I really enjoyed watching this young man play and I knew from seeing him in spring training that he was a special player.''

At the time, Suzuki did not come cheaply. Seattle paid $13 million just to secure his rights, and signed him to a three-year, $14 million contract. The Mariners got their money's worth and then some.

Suzuki, better known just by his first name, has long prided himself in preparation.

So much so that Piniella had been around no other player like him, with that meticulous stretching before stepping into the batter's box to the foot rubdowns he gave himself at his locker with a small wooden tool before and after games.

''I had never seen it, quite frankly. I was quite amazed by the things that he did, the stretching especially,'' Piniella said. ''Here in the United States, we go through a rigorous spring training, but once the season starts prior to the games we have our stretching exercises and then the kids play.''

''He took it to a totally different level. He was fanatical about that and that's probably one of the big reasons that he's playing here at age 42,'' he said.

That first season was a memorable one for many reasons. The Mariners won an AL-record 116 games, clinching the division shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Yet Seattle failed to reach the World Series, losing in five games of the AL Championship Series to the Yankees.

Still, Suzuki won AL Rookie of the Year and MVP. Suzuki's ability to beat out infield hits at times left Piniella shaking his head.

''He did have a special year. The team had a special year that year,'' Piniella said. ''We won 116 games and Ichiro was a big part of it. Ichiro was a special player. He had really good speed, he had that uncanny ability to put the ball in play. In the outfield, he played as well as you can expect, great throwing arm. He made the adjustment to American baseball very quickly, became one of the leaders in our clubhouse and was accepted by the players. He had a tremendous impact on our team that year.

''He's going for his 3,000th hit now, and I'm so proud of him. He's had just a wonderful career. I look forward to the time when he'll be inducted into the Hall of Fame,'' he said.

Some of the most memorable hits by the 10-time All-Star didn't even count.

In 2007, Suzuki hit the first inside-the-park home run in All-Star game history, winning unanimous MVP honors and helping the American League to a 5-4 victory at San Francisco's AT&T Park with a go-ahead, two-run drive that took a crazy bounce off the right-field wall.

He'd never hit an inside-the-park homer during his decorated career in Japan.

''He's an amazing guy,'' Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. ''You just take age out of the equation and if you just looked at him as a player, if you evaluated just what you see, not thinking about age, you see a guy that runs above average, plays all three outfield spots, throws above average, hits lefties and righties.

''His work habits and everything else, for me, just set him apart.''

**StarDust Bum** · 07-15-2016, 05:05 PM

Kershaw and others could return soon for mending Dodgers
July 14, 2016

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Dodgers got some encouraging news on the eve of resuming play after the All-Star break, with word that injured ace Clayton Kershaw could soon return to the starting rotation.

After Kershaw played catch Thursday at Dodger Stadium, manager Dave Roberts said the left-hander would throw a simulated game Saturday at home, along with fellow lefty Alex Wood.

Kershaw has been on the disabled list since June 27 with a minor disk herniation in his lower back.

He threw a 60-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday at the stadium after attending the All-Star Game in San Diego, where he was chosen for the NL team for the sixth straight year.

''That was encouraging for us,'' Roberts said. ''He says he's feeling well. All of it is contingent upon how Clayton feels. Not a whole lot is left.''

Roberts said he wasn't sure whether Kershaw would need a rehab assignment before rejoining the rotation.

''I don't think he feels he needs one,'' Roberts said.

Wood has been facing hitters in Arizona and will soon begin a rehab assignment as he comes back from a strained triceps.

The Dodgers (51-40) return from the break trailing first-place San Francisco by 6 1/2 games in the NL West. They open a nine-game trip Friday at Arizona, followed by three games at NL East-leading Washington and three at St. Louis.

Bud Norris, Brandon McCarthy and Kenta Maeda will start games in Arizona. Scott Kazmir and Hyun-Jin Ryu will start the first two games in Washington.

Also nearing a return is center fielder Joc Pederson, who separated his right shoulder on June 28. He will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City and is expected to be activated Tuesday, Roberts said.

Brett Anderson is getting close to returning to the rotation, too, after recovering from surgery for a herniated disk in his lower back in March.

The left-hander threw a 60-pitch bullpen session that Roberts described as ''electric.''

''He's really come on as of late,'' Roberts said.

Next up for Anderson is pitching a simulated game, followed by a rehab assignment.

Reliever Yimi Garcia, on the DL with strained biceps, has faced hitters and will begin a rehab assignment soon.

Outfielder Andre Ethier was to get a scan of his broken right leg on Thursday. If the results show further healing, he will take a more aggressive approach in his rehab.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-15-2016, 05:06 PM

Red Sox acquire All-Star lefty Pomeranz from Padres
July 14, 2016

BOSTON (AP) The Boston Red Sox acquired All-Star Drew Pomeranz from the San Diego Padres on Thursday night, adding a third left-hander to the rotation as they push to return to the playoffs after consecutive last-place finishes.

Boston sent righty Anderson Espinoza to San Diego. The 18-year-old righty was ranked the No. 15 prospect in the country by Baseball America.

''We think (Pomeranz) makes us better now,'' president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said in a conference call with reporters. ''We know there's a sacrifice for the future.''

Pomeranz, 27, who will make his Boston debut Wednesday, is 8-7 with a 2.47 ERA in 17 starts for San Diego this season. He pitched a scoreless inning in Tuesday night in the All-Star game.

''He's not an easy guy to deal,'' Padres general manager A.J. Preller said. ''Any time you have a left-handed starter who performs the way he has, resulting in an All-Star berth, you have to feel very good about the return that you're getting.

''I think it says a lot to Espinoza as far as what our guys thought about him. From that standpoint, we looked at it that it's something where we're getting a premium guy.''

Pomeranz joins fellow lefties David Price and Eduardo Rodriguez in a Boston rotation that includes Rick Porcello and AL ERA leader Steven Wright. Except for Wright, all have been inconsistent this season, and injuries to closer Craig Kimbrel and setup man Junichi Tazawa threatened to further strain the rotation.

''There are only a couple of pitchers we thought had a chance to be available that we thought would give us an upgrade on our pitching staff,'' Dombrowski said.

It's the fourth trade in a week for Dombrowski, who also made a big splash in the offseason by signing Price to a seven-year, $217 million free-agent contract. The Red Sox acquired third baseman Aaron Hill from Milwaukee, second baseman Michael Martinez from Cleveland and righty Brad Ziegler over the last seven days without giving up any major leaguers.

They have also managed to hang onto most of their top prospects. Espinoza was 5-8 with a 4.38 ERA in 17 starts for Single-A Greenville this season.

He was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Red Sox system and the No. 4 pitching prospect in the country, according to Baseball America.

''He's a youngster that we liked a great deal,'' Dombrowski said. ''He was a few years away from the major leagues. Not somebody that we wanted to give up.''

Preller, who traded Kimbrel to Boston over the offseason, has now traded two All-Stars in two weeks; he sent closer Fernando Rodney to Miami on June 30. Pomeranz is under Boston's control through 2018.

To make room for Pomeranz on Boston's 40-man roster, infielder Josh Rutledge was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. He has left knee tendinitis.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-15-2016, 05:10 PM

7/10 - Monday's Results: 7 - 6 + 1.78

July's Totals: 69 - 70 + 15.93 49.64 %

Overall : 241 - 226 + 47.49 51.60 %

**StarDust Bum** · 07-15-2016, 06:31 PM

FRIDAY, JULY 15

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PIT at WAS 07:05 PM

WAS -203

NYM at PHI 07:05 PM

PHI +111

BOS at NYY 07:05 PM

BOS +135

O 9.0

MIL at CIN 07:10 PM

MIL +136

O 9.0

KC at DET 07:10 PM

KC +132

O 8.0

BAL at TB 07:10 PM

BAL +118

COL at ATL 07:35 PM

ATL +102

CLE at MIN 08:10 PM

MIN +134

MIA at STL 08:15 PM

MIA +120

LAD at ARI 09:40 PM

ARI +123

U 9.0

TOR at OAK 10:05 PM

TOR -140

U 8.0

CHW at LAA 10:05 PM

CHW +118

HOU at SEA 10:10 PM

HOU +122

SF at SD 10:40 PM

SF -200

U 7.5

**StarDust Bum** · 07-16-2016, 11:40 AM

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

-- Arizona traded two big prospects and Endar Inciarte for Shelby Miller last winter, trying to fortify its pitching; now they've sent Miller to AAA. Not a good sign.

-- NFL doesn't want legalized gambling on its games, but they also want to put a team in London and maybe Las Vegas, where gambling is legal. Go figure.

-- DeAndre Bembry will wear #95 for the Hawks, first NBA player to wear #95.

-- Texas reliever Jake Diekman goe on the disabled list after cutting his hand on a broken souvenir beer mug he got at the Cheers-like bar in Boston.

-- Nationals 5, Pirates 1-- Stephen Strasburg is now 13-0.

-- First half of baseball season: 840 replay reviews. Average time: 1:42. Just tired of hearing announcers whine about length of replay delays- they're much shorter than arguments with umpires, which used to be big time wasters. Of those 840 reviews, 408 calls were changed, so replay is helping get more calls right.

**********

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind.......

13) I'm usually in Las Vegas this week, which would make it one of weirdest sleep weeks of the year, with the British Open going on. Last year, I was sitting at bar, and watching the early tee-off times on Friday for the golf, while an extra-inning baseball game from the west coast was still going on Thursday night.

12) NBA Summer League makes this week tolerable, with no baseball until Friday; if you like the NBA, you should come out to the desert and watch the summer league. For $28, you can sit in air condiioning all day, watch good basketball for a week. Any NBA fan would really enjoy it.

11) Couple years ago I was sitting there watching games; for an hour, none of the talk around me was in English. Summer league is also players auditioning for spots on teams in Europe or the Middle East, maybe moreso than auditioning for the NBA.

10) Friend of mine was at Thomas & Mack last night for the summer games; he was disappointed that Ben Simmons didn't play, but then Larry Nance Jr damn near broke his wrist in last 10 seconds of Thursday's game, and you realize that it may not be 100% smart to play a potential star and risk him getting hurt.

9) First half of baseball season, there were 1.16 home runs per game; record is 1.17, set in 2000.

8) If the Chargers leave San Diego (I hope they don't), Padres would be only major league team without another big league sports team in their city.

7) Mick Jagger turns 73 on July 26; he has kids ranging from 17-45 years old, and now his 29-year old girlfriend is pregnant with Jagger's 8th child-- he is also a great grandfather. Christmas around his house must be very interesting.

6) AD at Missouri just bolted for Baylor, where the football program is in turmoil; makes you wonder if things at Mizzou aren't that great either, if AD jumped ship. If you're a major college coach, you want to work for the AD that hired you, so football and hoop coaches in Columbia have to be at least a little nervous.

5) Bad day for Richard Pitino and whomever the basketball coach is at Apple Valley HS in Minnesota. Gary Trent Jr, one of best players in Class of '17, will spend his last year of high school at Findlay Prep in Las Vegas, which means he ain't going to college in Minnesota. Gary Trent Sr played in the NBA for ten years.

4) Part of why this has been a dismal baseball season: Outfielders for the A's have a combined on-base% of .285 this year-- thats terrible!!!! Outfielders are generally your better hitters, but obviously, not always.

3) Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson is the highest-paid movie star in Hollywood.

2) NBA teams will have advertising on jerseys in 2017-18; Golden State Warriors are asking for $15-20M for whomever's ad goes on their jersey, most money any NBA team is asking for a jersey ad. Steph Curry makes $12.1M a year, so it makes sense for the teams, but it makes me want to puke.

What will Sacramento get for an ad? They'll be great disparity from team-to-team.

1) NBA should honor the history of the ABA by having one weekend where all the games are played with red, white and blue basketballs. Four NBA teams (Nets-Spurs-Pacers-Nuggets) came to the NBA from the ABA in 1976.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-16-2016, 11:41 AM

MLB
Dunkel

Saturday, July 16

Boston @ NY Yankees

Game 917-918
July 16, 2016 @ 4:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
(Rdriguez) 15.011
NY Yankees
(Sabthia) 13.526
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Yankees
-130
9 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(+110); Under

Houston @ Seattle

Game 919-920
July 16, 2016 @ 4:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
(McCllers) 14.307
Seattle
(Iwkuma) 17.472
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Seattle
by 3
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
-120
8
Dunkel Pick:
Seattle
(+100); Under

Baltimore @ Tampa Bay

Game 921-922
July 16, 2016 @ 6:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Baltimore
(Tillman) 17.258
Tampa Bay
(Moore) 10.821
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baltimore
by 6 1/2
11
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Baltimore
-135
8
Dunkel Pick:
Baltimore
(-135); Over

NY Mets @ Philadelphia

Game 901-902
July 16, 2016 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Mets
(Verrett) 17.139
Philadelphia
(Eickhff) 13.589
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Mets
by 3 1/2
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
-115
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Mets
(-105); Over

Cleveland @ Minnesota

Game 923-924
July 16, 2016 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
(Bauer) 17.644
Minnesota
(Duffey) 13.827
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 4
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
-140
9
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(-140); Over

Pittsburgh @ Washington

Game 903-904
July 16, 2016 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
(Cole) 17.433
Washington
(Roark) 14.271
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 3
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-120
8
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(+100); Over

Texas @ Chicago Cubs

Game 929-930
July 16, 2016 @ 2:20 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas
(Darvish) 11.678
Chicago Cubs
(Hammel) 13.621
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago Cubs
by 2
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago Cubs
-140
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago Cubs
(-140); N/A

Milwaukee @ Cincinnati

Game 905-906
July 16, 2016 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
(Nelson) 12.074
Cincinnati
(Lamb) 15.666
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati
by 3 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cincinnati
-110
9 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati
(-110); Under

Chicago White Sox @ LA Angels

Game 927-928
July 16, 2016 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago White Sox
(Shields) 16.340
LA Angels
(Shmaker) 14.762
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago White Sox
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Angels
-165
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago White Sox
(+145); Under

Colorado @ Atlanta

Game 907-908
July 16, 2016 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado
(Bettis) 14.336
Atlanta
(Fltynwicz) 16.216
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
-110
8
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(-110); Under

Kansas City @ Detroit

Game 925-926
July 16, 2016 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Kansas City
(Duffy) 17.079
Detroit
(Pelfrey) 15.214
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Kansas City
by 2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas City
-120
9
Dunkel Pick:
Kansas City
(-120); Under

San Francisco @ San Diego

Game 913-914
July 16, 2016 @ 8:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Francisco
(Smrdzija) 16.939
San Diego
(Perdomo) 13.817
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Francisco
by 3
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco
-175
8
Dunkel Pick:
San Francisco
(-175); Over

Toronto @ Oakland

Game 915-916
July 16, 2016 @ 4:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
(Dickey) 18.313
Oakland
(Gray) 15.814
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 2 1/2
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
-130
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-130); Over

Miami @ St. Louis

Game 909-910
July 16, 2016 @ 7:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
(Koehler) 16.889
St. Louis
(Wnwrght) 14.768
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Louis
-170
8
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+150); Under

LA Dodgers @ Arizona

Game 911-912
July 16, 2016 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Dodgers
(McCrthy) 13.752
Arizona
(Bradley) 14.609
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Dodgers
-160
9
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(+140); Under

**StarDust Bum** · 07-16-2016, 11:42 AM

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, July 16

National League
Pirates @ Nationals
Cole was 0-1, 3.60 in his last three starts before going on DL; three.of his last four starts went over. Pirates are 4-2 in his road starts.

Roark is 2-0, 2.57 in his last three starts; three of his last four stayed under. Nationals won five of his nine home starts.

Pirates won nine of last 12 games, four of their last six games went over total. Washington won five of last six games, six of last eight National games stayed under.

Mets @ Phillies
Verrett is 0-4, 9.33 in his last four starts (under 3-2-1).

Eickhoff is 2-2, 5.16 in his last five starts; eight of his last ten stayed under. Phillies are 5-4 in his home starts.

Mets lost seven of last ten road games, six of last seven New York games stayed under the total. Philly won 10 of last 14 games, under is 7-2-1 in last ten Philly home games.

Brewers @ Reds
Nelson is 0-1, 2.45 in his last four starts (under 3-0-1). Milwaukee is 3-5 in his road starts. .

Lamb is 0-3, 5.30 in his last seven starts (over 3-1 last four). Reds lost six of his seven home starts. .

Brewers lost eight of last 11 games, under is 4-1-2 in last seven Milwaukee tilts. Cincinnati lost seven of last nine home games, over is 13-6-1 in Reds' last 20 games.

Rockies @ Braves
Bettis is 3-4, 8.22 in his last nine starts; three of his last four went over. Colorado is 4-5 in his road starts.

Foltynewicz is 2-1, 3.29 in his last five starts (under 5-3-1). .

Rockies lost six of last eight road games, under is 8-4 in last 12 Colorado games. Atlanta won three of last five games, over is 6-2 in Braves' last eight home games.

Marlins @ Cardinals
Koehler is 0-1, 7.00 in his last four starts (over 4-0). Miami is 4-6 in his road starts.

Wainwright is 2-0, 0.64 in his last two starts; his last seven starts stayed under. Cardinals are 6-3 in his home starts.

Marlins won five of last six games, over is 16-4 in last 20 Miami road games. St Louis won three of last five games, under is 8-3-2 in Cardinals' last thirteen games.

Dodgers @ Diamondbacks
McCarthy is 2-0, 2.70 in his two starts (under 2-0) this year.

Bradley is 0-2, 4.30 in his last four starts; five of his last seven went over. Arizona lost his last four home starts.

Dodgers won 11 of last 15 games, under is 7-4 in last 11 LA games. Arizona lost 13 of its last 15 games, over is 7-0-1 in their last eight home games.

Giants @ Padres
Samardzija is 1-1, 7.15 in his last four starts; eight of his last nine went over. Giants are 6-4 in his road starts.

Perdomo is 1-2, 6.26 in his last four starts (over 5-2). .

Giants won eight of last 11 games, over is 5-3-1 in last nine Giant road games. San Diego lost three of last four games, nine of last 11 games at Petco Park went over the total.

American League
Red Sox @ New York
Rodriguez is 0-3, 10.42 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over.

Sabathia is 0-2, 8.61 in his last four starts (over 3-0-1). Bronx is 3-3 in his home starts. .

Red Sox won seven of last eight games, over is 5-3-1 in last nine Boston games. New York won three of its last five games, seven of last nine Bronx games went over the total.

Royals @ Tigers
Duffy is 2-0, 2.35 in his last three starts; under is 4-1-2 in his last seven. Royals are 3-2 in his road starts.

Pelfrey is 2-1, 3.06 in his last three starts; four of his last six stayed under. Detroit won his last five home starts.

Royals lost seven of last eight games, six of last eight KC games stayed under the total. Detroit lost five of last eight games, eight of its last ten games stayed under total.

Orioles @ Rays
Tillman is 4-1, 4.29 in his last six starts; five of his last seven stayed under. Baltimore is 4-3 in his road starts.

Moore is 2-1, 2.75 in his last three starts; six of his last seven stayed under. Tampa Bay is 7-4 in his home starts.

Orioles won five of last six games, four of O's last six road games went over total. Tampa Bay lost 23 of last 26 games; seven of Rays' last ten e games stayed under the total.

Indians @ Twins
Bauer is 2-1, 2.93 in his last four starts; Tribe split his six road starts. Under is 4-2 in his road starts.

Duffey is 3-0, 2.25 in his last three starts; eight of his last ten went over. Minnesota is 3-4 in his home starts.

Indians lost four of last six games, eight of last ten Tribe games went over. Minnesota won seven of last ten games; over is 20-7 in their last 27 home games.

White Sox @ Angels
Shields is 2-1, 2.21 in his last three starts; six of his last seven went over.

Shoemaker is 1-2, 4.30 in his last four starts; six of his last eight stayed under. Angels lost six of his eight home starts.

White Sox won five of last eight road games, under is 8-4 in their last 12 road games. Angels lost six of last eight home games, nine of Halos' last 12 home games went over the total.

Blue Jays @ A's
Dickey is 2-0, 1.93 in his last two starts; under is 7-2-1 in his last ten. Toronto is 5-4 when he starts on the road.

Gray is 0-2, 5.10 in his last five starts (over 3-1-1). Oakland is 3-5 in his home starts. .

Blue Jays won eight of last ten games, six of Toronto's last eight games stayed under. Oakland lost 10 of last 14 home games, four of A's last six games stayed under the total.

Astros @ Mariners
McCullers is 1-1, 2.70 in his last four starts- his last six stayed under.

Iwakuma is 3-0, 3.26 in his last three starts; three of his last four stayed under. Seattle won his last five home starts.

Astros won six of last eight games, under is 11-4 in last 15 Houston road games. Seattle lost six of last eight games; five of last eight Seattle games stayed under.

Interleague
Rangers @ Cubs
Darvish is 2-0, 2.87 in three starts this year (under 2-1).

Hammel is 0-4, 5.94 in his last six starts; under is 5-3 in his last eight. Cubs are 5-2 when he starts at home.

Texas lost ten of last 13 games, over is 8-1-1 in last nine Ranger games. Cubs lost nine of last 12 games, over is 13-4-1 in Chicago's last 18 games.

Teams won-lost records when this pitcher starts:
NY-Phil-- Verrett 2-4; Eickhoff 8-10
Pitt-Wsh-- Cole 6-6; Roark 10-8 (7-1 last 8)
Mil-Cin-- Nelson 8-10 (1-6 last 7); Lamb 3-10
Col-Atl-- Bettis 10-8; Foltynewicz 4-5
Mia-StL-- Koehler 7-11; Wainwright 12-6
LA-Az-- McCarthy 2-0; Bradley 5-6
SF-SD-- Samardzija 11-7; Perdomo 4-3

Bos-NY-- Rodriguez 2-4; Sabathia 8-7
Balt-TB-- Tillman 16-3; Moore 7-11
KC-Det-- Duffy 8-3; Pelfrey 7-10
Clev-Minn-- Bauer 7-6; Duffey 6-8 (4-0 last 4)
Chi-LA-- Shields 3-4/2-9; Shoemaker 5-12
Tor-A's-- Dickey 7-12; Gray 5-11
Hst-Sea-- McCullers 6-4; Iwakuma 11-7

Tex-Chi-- Darvish 2-1; Hammel 9-8 (0-6 last 6)

Starting pitchers allowing 1+ runs in first inning:
NY-Phil-- Verrett 1-6; Eickhoff 6-18
Pitt-Wsh-- Cole 3-12; Roark 3-18
Mil-Cin-- Nelson 4-18; Lamb 6-13
Col-Atl-- Bettis 8-18 (6 of last 8); Foltynewicz 3-9
Mia-StL-- Koehler 6-18; Wainwright 6-18
LA-Az-- McCarthy 1-2; Bradley 4-11
SF-SD-- Samardzija 4-18; Perdomo 5-7

Bos-NY-- Rodriguez 3-6; Sabathia 2-15
Balt-TB-- Tillman 7-19 (4 of last 4); Moore 3-18
KC-Det-- Duffy 2-11; Pelfrey 8-17
Clev-Minn-- Bauer 3-13; Duffey 3-14
Chi-LA-- Shields 8-18; Shoemaker 4-17
Tor-A's-- Dickey 6-19; Gray 3-16
Hst-Sea-- McCullers 3-10; Iwakuma 3-18

Tex-Chi-- Darvish 1-3; Hammel 4-17

Umpires
NY-Phil-- Four of last five Baker games stayed under.
Pitt-Wsh-- Over is 9-3-1 in last thirteen Conroy games.
Mil-Cin-- Over is 9-0-2 in last eleven Wolcott games.
Col-Atl-- Under is 7-4 in Barry games this season.
Mia-StL-- Six of last nine Fagan games went over.
LA-Az-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight Scott games.
SF-SD-- Favorites won 10 of last 11 Demuth games.

Bos-NY-- Six of last seven Davis games went over.
Balt-TB-- Over is 9-4 in last thirteen Hernandez games.
KC-Det-- Four of last five Carapazza games stayed under.
Cle-Min-- Five of last six Marquez games stayed under.
Chi-LA-- Last four Gonzalez games stayed under total.
Tor-A's-- Four of last five Muchlinski games stayed under.
Hst-Sea-- Nine of last twelve O'Nora games stayed under.

Tex-Chi-- Over is 8-4 in last twelve Tumpane games.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-16-2016, 11:43 AM

MLB

Saturday, July 16

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Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2:20 PM
TEXAS vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Texas's last 10 games
Texas is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 9 games
Chi Cubs are 3-9 SU in their last 12 games

4:05 PM
TORONTO vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Oakland
Toronto is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Oakland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oakland's last 5 games at home
Oakland is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Toronto

4:05 PM
BOSTON vs. NY YANKEES
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Yankees's last 9 games
NY Yankees are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games at home

4:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. SEATTLE
Houston is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 6 games when playing at home against Houston

6:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. TAMPA BAY
Baltimore is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay
Baltimore is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing at home against Baltimore
Tampa Bay is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games at home

7:05 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. WASHINGTON
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

7:05 PM
NY METS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 8 of NY Mets's last 12 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
NY Mets are 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Philadelphia is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Philadelphia's last 12 games when playing at home against NY Mets

7:10 PM
COLORADO vs. ATLANTA
Colorado is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
Colorado is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games at home

7:10 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CINCINNATI
Milwaukee is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Milwaukee is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games
Cincinnati is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Milwaukee

7:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas City's last 6 games
Kansas City is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing at home against Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games

7:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. MINNESOTA
Cleveland is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Minnesota's last 23 games
Minnesota is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing Cleveland

7:15 PM
MIAMI vs. ST. LOUIS
Miami is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Miami's last 16 games
St. Louis is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Miami
St. Louis is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Miami

8:10 PM
LA DODGERS vs. ARIZONA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Arizona's last 7 games when playing LA Dodgers
Arizona is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

8:40 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. SAN DIEGO
San Francisco is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Diego
The total has gone OVER in 9 of San Diego's last 11 games at home
San Diego is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against San Francisco

9:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. LA ANGELS
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi White Sox's last 9 games on the road
Chi White Sox are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Angels's last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
LA Angels are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games at home

**StarDust Bum** · 07-16-2016, 11:44 AM

MLB
Long Sheet

Saturday, July 16

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NY METS (48 - 41) at PHILADELPHIA (42 - 49) - 7:05 PM
LOGAN VERRETT (R) vs. JERAD EICKHOFF (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 42-49 (+4.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 20-16 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 778-796 (+27.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
PHILADELPHIA is 411-394 (+54.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
NY METS are 88-57 (+18.2 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 60-29 (+19.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-4 (+1.2 Units) against NY METS this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

LOGAN VERRETT vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
VERRETT is 1-0 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 2.61 and a WHIP of 1.452.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.3 units)

JERAD EICKHOFF vs. NY METS since 1997
EICKHOFF is 1-4 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.81 and a WHIP of 1.031.
His team's record is 1-4 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-2. (+1.0 units)

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PITTSBURGH (46 - 44) at WASHINGTON (55 - 36) - 7:05 PM
GERRIT COLE (R) vs. TANNER ROARK (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 144-109 (+23.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 21-15 (+8.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
PITTSBURGH is 8-3 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 144-109 (+23.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 34-26 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 33-20 (+16.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 138-115 (-13.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 137-114 (-13.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 86-79 (-17.6 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 102-90 (-14.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

GERRIT COLE vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
COLE is 2-0 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 1.74 and a WHIP of 0.871.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-3. (-3.2 units)

TANNER ROARK vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
ROARK is 1-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 4.76 and a WHIP of 1.235.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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MILWAUKEE (38 - 50) at CINCINNATI (33 - 57) - 7:10 PM
JIMMY NELSON (R) vs. JOHN LAMB (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 29-43 (-25.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 96-156 (-46.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 52-73 (-21.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 96-156 (-46.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 17-40 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CINCINNATI is 75-114 (-27.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 379-409 (-100.2 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 378-350 (-90.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 24-39 (-19.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 4-4 (+0.3 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.9 Units)

JIMMY NELSON vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
NELSON is 2-2 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 5.72 and a WHIP of 1.475.
His team's record is 4-3 (+0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-4. (-2.6 units)

JOHN LAMB vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
LAMB is 0-2 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 6.98 and a WHIP of 1.499.
His team's record is 0-4 (-4.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-3. (-2.3 units)

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COLORADO (41 - 48) at ATLANTA (31 - 59) - 7:10 PM
CHAD BETTIS (R) vs. MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 621-972 (-181.9 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
COLORADO is 5-23 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in road games in July games over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 90-163 (-52.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Saturday since 1997.
COLORADO is 565-892 (-164.9 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field since 1997.
COLORADO is 63-102 (-31.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 17-15 (+10.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
ATLANTA is 94-79 (+24.0 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
BETTIS is 22-16 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BETTIS is 22-16 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BETTIS is 15-5 (+11.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 13-34 (-17.8 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ATLANTA is 13-34 (-17.8 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 8-26 (-16.7 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
ATLANTA is 2-11 (-10.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
ATLANTA is 14-28 (-14.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against ATLANTA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

CHAD BETTIS vs. ATLANTA since 1997
BETTIS is 2-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 5.06 and a WHIP of 1.813.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

MIKE FOLTYNEWICZ vs. COLORADO since 1997
FOLTYNEWICZ is 0-1 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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MIAMI (48 - 41) at ST LOUIS (46 - 43) - 7:15 PM
TOM KOEHLER (R) vs. ADAM WAINWRIGHT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 110-74 (+20.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 246-154 (+65.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
WAINWRIGHT is 159-92 (+33.8 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 48-22 (+18.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 158-91 (+34.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
WAINWRIGHT is 80-36 (+31.4 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
MIAMI is 35-23 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MIAMI is 376-433 (+44.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
ST LOUIS is 19-27 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ST LOUIS is 19-27 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 9-18 (-15.2 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
ST LOUIS is 13-20 (-13.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 1-0 (+1.2 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

TOM KOEHLER vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
KOEHLER is 1-2 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 7.56 and a WHIP of 1.560.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.4 units)

ADAM WAINWRIGHT vs. MIAMI since 1997
WAINWRIGHT is 4-2 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 2.47 and a WHIP of 1.216.
His team's record is 5-2 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-5. (-3.3 units)

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LA DODGERS (52 - 40) at ARIZONA (38 - 53) - 8:10 PM
BRANDON MCCARTHY (R) vs. ARCHIE BRADLEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 146-113 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 60-67 (-26.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 143-111 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 36-33 (-8.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 44-53 (-24.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 30-37 (-18.4 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 4-12 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in road games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 31-32 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 38-53 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 15-33 (-25.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ARIZONA is 6-17 (-15.5 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents this season.
ARIZONA is 37-52 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 13-22 (-14.3 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
ARIZONA is 10-26 (-19.7 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
ARIZONA is 53-67 (-32.3 Units) against the money line in home games after allowing 10 runs or more since 1997.
ARIZONA is 11-19 (-12.4 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss this season.
ARIZONA is 68-127 (-46.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 13-33 (-16.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 5-2 (+2.7 Units) against ARIZONA this season
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.7 Units)

BRANDON MCCARTHY vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.

ARCHIE BRADLEY vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
BRADLEY is 1-1 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.028.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (57 - 34) at SAN DIEGO (39 - 51) - 8:40 PM
JEFF SAMARDZIJA (R) vs. LUIS PERDOMO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAMARDZIJA is 36-48 (-20.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAMARDZIJA is 34-47 (-21.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN DIEGO is 33-28 (+16.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 24-14 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 57-34 (+15.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 62-25 (+22.9 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 114-102 (+17.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 54-34 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 1111-931 (+118.4 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 588-570 (+60.5 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 392-394 (+40.5 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 41-20 (+13.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SAN DIEGO is 78-107 (-25.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 9-1 (+6.8 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.8 Units)

JEFF SAMARDZIJA vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
SAMARDZIJA is 5-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 3.04 and a WHIP of 1.077.
His team's record is 6-1 (+5.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-5. (-3.4 units)

LUIS PERDOMO vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
No recent starts.

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TORONTO (51 - 41) at OAKLAND (39 - 51) - 4:05 PM
R.A. DICKEY (R) vs. SONNY GRAY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 107-145 (-40.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 18-26 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
OAKLAND is 39-57 (-19.7 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 36-48 (-11.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 34-48 (-22.9 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
GRAY is 3-11 (-10.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 2-2 (+0.5 Units) against TORONTO this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.0 Units)

R.A. DICKEY vs. OAKLAND since 1997
DICKEY is 4-4 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 4.11 and a WHIP of 1.255.
His team's record is 6-8 (-1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-8. (-2.4 units)

SONNY GRAY vs. TORONTO since 1997
GRAY is 2-1 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 2.67 and a WHIP of 1.259.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

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BOSTON (50 - 38) at NY YANKEES (44 - 45) - 4:05 PM
EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ (L) vs. C.C. SABATHIA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 199-214 (-33.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 639-574 (-77.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
BOSTON is 176-189 (-35.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 491-454 (-70.3 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters since 1997.
BOSTON is 92-107 (-26.4 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.
SABATHIA is 17-22 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in home games in July games since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 5-2 (+3.0 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)

EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
RODRIGUEZ is 3-1 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 2.22 and a WHIP of 1.315.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-4. (-4.5 units)

C.C. SABATHIA vs. BOSTON since 1997
SABATHIA is 12-14 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 4.76 and a WHIP of 1.372.
His team's record is 15-19 (-7.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 19-14. (+3.5 units)

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HOUSTON (49 - 41) at SEATTLE (45 - 45) - 4:10 PM
LANCE MCCULLERS (R) vs. HISASHI IWAKUMA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 15-26 (-14.7 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 56-72 (-20.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 234-283 (-71.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Saturday since 1997.
IWAKUMA is 19-7 (+14.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 33-17 (+12.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
SEATTLE is 121-131 (-28.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 58-66 (-30.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 225-221 (-51.9 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997.
SEATTLE is 119-137 (-54.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Saturday since 1997.
SEATTLE is 15-23 (-12.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
SEATTLE is 115-128 (-32.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 65-72 (-34.1 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 7-4 (+1.9 Units) against SEATTLE this season
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.2 Units)

LANCE MCCULLERS vs. SEATTLE since 1997
MCCULLERS is 3-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 2.42 and a WHIP of 1.120.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.7 units)

HISASHI IWAKUMA vs. HOUSTON since 1997
IWAKUMA is 4-6 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 4.26 and a WHIP of 1.335.
His team's record is 4-8 (-8.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-5. (+0.1 units)

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BALTIMORE (52 - 36) at TAMPA BAY (34 - 55) - 6:10 PM
CHRIS TILLMAN (R) vs. MATT MOORE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 19-38 (-16.5 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 52-36 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 23-13 (+12.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
BALTIMORE is 37-25 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BALTIMORE is 32-19 (+13.1 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
BALTIMORE is 108-72 (+28.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
TILLMAN is 16-3 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 10-2 (+8.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 23-15 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 8-0 (+9.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 11-3 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 33-18 (+16.3 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TILLMAN is 27-10 (+15.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TAMPA BAY is 34-55 (-27.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 18-29 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 1-10 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 18-29 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome this season.
TAMPA BAY is 21-33 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 21-29 (-13.8 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
TAMPA BAY is 23-44 (-26.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TAMPA BAY is 17-37 (-23.4 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
TAMPA BAY is 11-33 (-26.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MOORE is 3-13 (-11.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 8-2 (+6.3 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
7 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.8 Units)

CHRIS TILLMAN vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
TILLMAN is 7-9 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 4.23 and a WHIP of 1.209.
His team's record is 13-10 (+4.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-14. (-7.0 units)

MATT MOORE vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
MOORE is 4-6 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.94 and a WHIP of 1.344.
His team's record is 4-7 (-4.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-3. (+2.6 units)

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CLEVELAND (53 - 36) at MINNESOTA (32 - 57) - 7:10 PM
TREVOR BAUER (R) vs. TYLER DUFFEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 7-21 (-17.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 27-11 (+13.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CLEVELAND is 39-18 (+16.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 32-57 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 5-15 (-9.7 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 this season.
MINNESOTA is 6-22 (-14.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
MINNESOTA is 32-57 (-18.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MINNESOTA is 17-34 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 22-43 (-17.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 15-41 (-21.9 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 4-3 (+2.4 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

TREVOR BAUER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
BAUER is 1-4 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 5.07 and a WHIP of 1.087.
His team's record is 2-6 (-5.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-4. (-0.5 units)

TYLER DUFFEY vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
DUFFEY is 2-0 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 0.93 and a WHIP of 1.035.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-3. (-3.2 units)

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KANSAS CITY (45 - 44) at DETROIT (47 - 43) - 7:10 PM
DANNY DUFFY (L) vs. MIKE PELFREY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 16-31 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 12-28 (-15.2 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
KANSAS CITY is 8-20 (-11.2 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss this season.
DETROIT is 47-43 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
DETROIT is 27-19 (+10.2 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
KANSAS CITY is 151-116 (+29.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 14-5 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Saturday over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 21-12 (+10.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
KANSAS CITY is 45-41 (+5.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 104-87 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 69-58 (+11.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 54-37 (+17.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 5-3 (+1.7 Units) against DETROIT this season
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.5 Units, Under=-0.5 Units)

DANNY DUFFY vs. DETROIT since 1997
DUFFY is 3-6 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 3.13 and a WHIP of 1.159.
His team's record is 5-7 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-8. (-4.7 units)

MIKE PELFREY vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
PELFREY is 1-3 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 5.35 and a WHIP of 1.842.
His team's record is 3-4 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-3. (-0.6 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (45 - 44) at LA ANGELS (38 - 52) - 9:05 PM
JAMES SHIELDS (R) vs. MATT SHOEMAKER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 13-24 (-13.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
SHIELDS is 13-27 (-21.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Saturday since 1997. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 115-75 (+35.0 Units) against the money line after shutting out their opponent since 1997.
CHI WHITE SOX are 12-4 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in road games in July games over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 566-602 (+36.0 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 38-52 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 17-26 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
LA ANGELS are 35-51 (-17.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SHOEMAKER is 0-7 (-8.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season. (Team's Record)
SHOEMAKER is 4-14 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SHOEMAKER is 4-14 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SHOEMAKER is 2-10 (-9.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 3-2 (+1.1 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
5 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+5.2 Units)

JAMES SHIELDS vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
SHIELDS is 7-3 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 3.29 and a WHIP of 1.286.
His team's record is 11-3 (+8.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-8. (-2.4 units)

MATT SHOEMAKER vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
SHOEMAKER is 0-2 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 6.35 and a WHIP of 1.471.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.3 units)

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TEXAS (54 - 37) at CHICAGO CUBS (54 - 35) - 2:20 PM
YU DARVISH (R) vs. JASON HAMMEL (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 19-42 (-23.9 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 3 seasons.
HAMMEL is 69-59 (+17.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
TEXAS is 54-37 (+23.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 11-3 (+9.2 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 this season.
TEXAS is 25-22 (+10.0 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
TEXAS is 11-3 (+10.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Saturday this season.
TEXAS is 65-58 (+20.0 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 53-34 (+24.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 40-26 (+17.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TEXAS is 21-15 (+8.6 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
TEXAS is 14-7 (+10.4 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 22-12 (+14.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TEXAS is 25-21 (+10.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1542-1658 (-272.4 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 822-774 (-166.4 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 3-8 (-12.5 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 810-833 (-151.9 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1485-1571 (-247.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1129-1233 (-211.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 46-59 (-34.2 Units) against the money line in home games after shutting out their opponent since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 737-806 (-189.6 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997.
HAMMEL is 11-28 (-23.7 Units) against the money line in July games since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against TEXAS this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

YU DARVISH vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
No recent starts.

JASON HAMMEL vs. TEXAS since 1997
HAMMEL is 0-2 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 5.17 and a WHIP of 1.595.
His team's record is 0-3 (-4.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-0. (+3.0 units)

**StarDust Bum** · 07-16-2016, 11:47 AM

Saturday's Diamond Notes
July 16, 2016

Hottest team: Red Sox (8-2 last 10)

Boston became the third AL East team to reach the 50-win plateau in Friday’s 5-3 victory at New York. The Red Sox improved to 5-2 this season against the Yankees, while moving their July mark to 8-2. Boston’s pitching has stepped up since allowing at least five runs in six straight games by giving up a total of four runs in the past three contests. Eduardo Rodriguez takes the mound for the Sox this afternoon as the southpaw is winless in his last three starts, including allowing nine earned runs in less than three innings of a 13-7 setback at Tampa Bay his past time out.

Coldest team: Rays (1-9 last 10)

This disastrous run for Tampa Bay continued in Friday’s 4-3 loss to division leader Baltimore, as the Rays blew a 3-1 lead to lose for the 24th time in the past 27 games. The numbers continue to get uglier for Tampa Bay, who have lost six straight times to Baltimore, while owning a 1-8 record in the previous nine contests at Tropicana Field. The only morsel of good news for the Rays is left-hander Matt Moore heads to the hill this evening, as Tampa Bay owns a 4-1 record in his past five home starts.

Hottest pitcher: Adam Wainwright, Cardinals (8-5, 4.49 ERA)

Wainwright struggled to begin the season, but has picked things up since the end of April by winning eight of his last 10 decisions. In his two July outings, Wainwright has yielded one earned run in 14 innings of work in victories over the Brewers and Pirates. At Busch Stadium, the Cardinals’ right-hander has allowed six earned runs in his past six starts, as St. Louis owns a 4-2 record in this stretch. St. Louis lost last night to Miami, 7-6 as the Cards fell to 2-9 in the last 11 home games when Wainwright doesn’t start.

Coldest pitcher: John Lamb, Reds (1-6, 5.43 ERA)

Cincinnati snapped a three-game losing streak in Friday’s comeback victory over Milwaukee. The Reds hope to win their second in a row against the Brewers as Lamb seeks his first victory since June 1 at Colorado, a span of eight starts. Cincinnati is winless in Lamb’s past four trips to the mound, while dropping his last three starts at Great American Ballpark. Lamb struck out a season-high nine batters in his last appearance at Miami, but the Reds lost 4-2. The previous time Lamb faced the Brewers at Miller Park in late May, he allowed six earned runs in less than four innings of work in a 9-5 defeat.

Biggest UNDER run: Nationals (4-0 last four)

It’s easy to cash many ‘unders’ when Washington boasts a fantastic starting rotation of Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer at the front-end. Strasburg improved to 13-0 in Friday’s 5-1 triumph over the Pirates, as the Nationals have allowed five runs in the past four games, resulting in four ‘unders.’ Washington is also on another interesting ‘under’ streak, cashing in four consecutive Game 2’s of a home series, while tossing two shutouts in this span. Tanner Roark tries to keep those streaks alive as the Nationals’ right-hander has finished ‘under’ the total in three of his past four starts.

Biggest OVER run: Marlins (7-3 last 10 on road)

Miami exploded for seven runs in Friday’s comeback victory at St. Louis, while scoring at least five runs for the sixth time in the past 10 games. Since the end of June, the Marlins have seen seven of their last 10 road games combine for 10 or more runs, including last night’s 7-6 triumph. Tom Koehler will try to keep the ball inside the stadium tonight after the Cardinals went deep four times in Friday’s loss. The Marlins’ right-hander is riding a four-start ‘over’ streak, including ‘overs’ in his past two starts in the road underdog role.

Matchup to watch: Royals vs. Tigers

Kansas City’s road struggles continued in Friday’s 4-2 setback at Detroit, as the Tigers scored a pair of late runs on an infield groundball in the seventh inning. The Royals dropped to 1-6 in their past seven games away from Kauffman Stadium and 2-7 in their last nine overall. Since a six-game winning streak in early July, the Tigers have posted a pedestrian 3-5 record the past eight games. Danny Duffy seeks his fifth victory for the Royals tonight, as the southpaw has allowed two earned runs in each of his past three outings, all Kansas City wins. Mike Pelfrey’s numbers aren’t great (2-8, 4.58 ERA), but the Tigers’ right-hander has yielded one earned run in each of his past two outings, while Detroit has won five straight home starts made by Pelfrey.

Betcha didn’t know: Tyler Duffey has been Cleveland’s kryptonite since coming up last season. The Twins’ right-hander owns a perfect 3-0 record against the Indians, while not allowing a run in two of those victories. Minnesota has won four straight starts made by Duffey, while Cleveland owns a 4-6 record since a 14-game winning streak.

Biggest public favorite: Dodgers (-155) at Diamondbacks

Biggest public underdog: Red Sox (+110) at Yankees

Biggest line move: Angels (-140 to -155) vs. White Sox

**StarDust Bum** · 07-16-2016, 11:49 AM

LEADING OFF: Yu Darvish, Gerrit Cole return from DL
July 16, 2016

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

DARVISH RETURNS

Yu Darvish makes his second comeback from injury this season when the slumping Rangers face the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Darvish has been sidelined since June 8 because of right shoulder pain, but is coming off two minor league rehab appearances. He's 2-0 with a 2.87 ERA in three outings after a late start to his season following 2015 Tommy John surgery. The Japanese right-hander is expected to throw 85-90 pitches for AL West-leading Texas, which has dropped eight of 10.

BUC IS BACK

Pirates ace Gerrit Cole (5-4) comes off the disabled list to start in Washington. The 25-year-old righty hasn't pitched since June 10 because of a strained right triceps. Cole, fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting last year, didn't know if there would be any limitations on him in his first start back. ''I'm just excited to not sit on the sidelines all of the time,'' he said. ''I'm sure they'll take it inning by inning, see how the game is unfolding.'' To open a spot in the rotation, Pittsburgh moved struggling lefty Jonathon Niese to the bullpen Friday.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A WINNER?

The Houston Astros scheduled a news conference for Saturday amid reports the club has signed Cuban free agent infielder Yulieski Gurriel. The team had no official comment Friday night about the move, which was first reported by MLB.com. Gurriel defected from Cuba in February and has been one of the most sought-after international free agents. ''Until things are official, I'm not going to comment on it,'' Houston manager A.J. Hinch said in Seattle. ''I will say that we worked him out, we had interest in him. We've been all over the background check and things like that. We'll have to wait for the official announcement.''

BIG MAC

Brandon McCarthy tries to win his third straight start since returning from Tommy John surgery when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit Archie Bradley (3-5) and Arizona. McCarthy has a 2.70 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 10 innings. He has permitted only five hits.

YANKEES NEMESIS

Eduardo Rodriguez starts for Boston at Yankee Stadium after the left-hander was recalled Friday from Triple-A Pawtucket. The 23-year-old Rodriguez is 1-3 with an 8.59 ERA in six starts for the Red Sox this season, but 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four career starts against New York. On the mound for the Yankees is lefty CC Sabathia (5-6), who has allowed 22 runs - 21 earned - in his last four starts after giving up 15 earned runs in his first 11.

**StarDust Bum** · 07-16-2016, 11:54 AM

Baseball Capsules
July 16, 2016

CHICAGO (AP) Kyle Hendricks and four relievers combined on a five-hitter, Addison Russell had a two-run single to key a five-run sixth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Texas Rangers 6-0 on Friday in a matchup of slumping division leaders.

The Cubs returned from the All-Star break to win for the seventh time in 22 games, while the Rangers lost their eighth in 10 games thanks to a rough sixth that included Prince Fielder's throwing error in a rare start at first base.

Hendricks (8-6), a former Rangers draft pick, lowered his team-best ERA to 2.41. He allowed three hits in six innings.

Russell's bases-loaded hit in the sixth was followed by pinch-hitter Matt Szczur's two-run single against Martin Perez (7-6).

NATIONALS 5, PIRATES 1

WASHINGTON (AP) - Stephen Strasburg threw eight masterful innings and drove in a run with a bunt, and Michael Taylor hit a two-run homer as Washington beat Pittsburgh.

Strasburg (13-0) allowed one run and three hits with six strikeouts while matching his longest start of the season. He's won a franchise-record 16 straight decisions since September and permitted a total of five hits in three starts since coming off the disabled list July 3.

Washington improved to 16-1 with Strasburg on the mound this year. He is the only qualified starter in the majors without a loss.

Francisco Liriano (5-9) yielded three runs and five hits in six-plus innings.

ORIOLES 4, RAYS 3

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Jonathan Schoop hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, and AL East-leading Baltimore came back from an early deficit to beat Tampa Bay.

Schoop got his 15th homer leading off the inning against Chris Archer (4-13), who leads the majors in losses.

Mychal Givens (7-1) worked a scoreless seventh for the win one day after his daughter was born. Pedro Alvarez homered and had two RBIs for the Orioles.

With runners at the corners, Zach Britton struck out Logan Morrison and Steven Souza Jr. for his 28th save in as many chances.

Tampa Bay lost for the 23rd time in 26 games.

INDIANS 5, TWINS 2

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Mike Napoli had three hits, including his 19th home run, and Carlos Carrasco pitched into the seventh inning as Cleveland beat Minnesota.

The first-place Indians had lost four of five before the All-Star break. They maintained their 6 1/2-game lead over Detroit in the AL Central.

Napoli scored three runs, one on his solo shot in the eighth that stretched Cleveland's lead to three. That was more than enough for Carrasco (6-3), who allowed two runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He won for the fourth time in five starts.

Cody Allen closed for his 19th save in 21 chances.

Ervin Santana (3-8), coming off a shutout in his previous start, was chased in the sixth. Brian Dozier homered and drove in both runs for the Twins.

TIGERS 4, ROYALS 2

DETROIT (AP) - Victor Martinez drove in two runs with a tiebreaking infield single in the seventh inning, and Detroit took advantage of that fluky hit in holding off Kansas City.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Martinez's comebacker deflected off reliever Joakim Soria and rolled to the area between first and second. With the second baseman playing deep, there was no chance to retire Martinez, and two runs came home on the play.

Tyler Collins, just called up from the minors, hit a solo homer earlier in the inning off Luke Hochevar (1-2) to tie it at 2. Ian Kinsler also homered for the Tigers.

Justin Verlander (9-6) allowed one earned run and four hits in seven innings. He struck out 10.

Francisco Rodriguez finished for his 25th save in 27 chances.

RED SOX 5, YANKEES 3

NEW YORK (AP) - Ryan Hanigan, Travis Shaw and Xander Bogaerts homered to back knuckleballer Steven Wright, and Boston opened the second half with a win over New York.

Hanigan's third-inning homer was his first since last Aug. 19 off Cleveland's Corey Kluber. Shaw hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Bogaerts made it 5-0 with a two-run drive in the sixth.

Wright (11-5), who began the night with an AL-leading 2.68 ERA, was a first-time All-Star at age 31 but didn't pitch in Tuesday night's game and was moved up in Boston's rotation for the series opener. He retired his first 14 batters before Alex Rodriguez's infield single.

Wright won for the eighth time in nine decisions. Koji Uehara finished the four-hitter for his fifth save, his third since closer Craig Kimbrel hurt a knee.

New York (44-45) is under .500 after the All-Star break for the first time since 1995. Michael Pineda (3-9) gave up five runs and five hits in five-plus innings.

METS 5, PHILLIES 3

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Neil Walker hit a three-run homer and Juan Lagares also went deep to lead New York over Philadelphia.

Asdrubal Cabrera had three hits for the Mets, who opened the second half by snapping a three-game skid while All-Star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes missed his third straight game with a strained right quadriceps.

Peter Bourjos had an RBI triple for Philadelphia, which won 10 of 13 before the break.

Bartolo Colon (8-4), one of four Mets chosen for the All-Star Game, started out sensational before a rocky sixth inning ended his night. Jeurys Familia pitched a scoreless ninth for his 32nd save while extending his club record for consecutive saves to 48, dating back to last Aug. 1.

Jeremy Hellickson (6-7) yielded four runs and seven hits in six innings.

REDS 5, BREWERS 4

CINCINNATI (AP) - Adam Duvall and Tucker Barnhart doubled home runs in the sixth inning, rallying Cincinnati past Milwaukee to snap a three-game slide.

The bottom two teams in the NL Central went into the All-Star break with downturns. The last-place Reds pulled off a three-run rally, then barely held on.

Duvall's double off Matt Garza (1-3) cut Milwaukee's lead to 3-2. Barnhart's two-run double off Carlos Torres gave Cincinnati its first lead. Jay Bruce added an RBI double in the seventh.

Anthony DeSclafani (4-0) allowed six hits in six innings, including Scooter Gennett's homer. Gennett fouled out against Tony Cingrani with the bases loaded for the second out of the ninth. Ross Ohlendorf retired Ryan Braun on a popup for his second save.

The Brewers have lost three straight and 10 of 14.

ROCKIES 11, BRAVES 2

ATLANTA (AP) - Carlos Gonzalez had three hits, Nolan Arenado scored three times and pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn capped a big offensive performance for Colorado with a ninth-inning grand slam against Atlanta.

After averaging 2.7 runs in their previous seven road games against the Giants and Dodgers, the Rockies took advantage of baseball's worst team. The Braves dropped to 13-35 at home and 31-59 overall.

Jorge De La Rosa (6-6) gave up two runs in six innings for the win.

Lucas Harrell (1-1) allowed seven hits and seven runs - five earned - in 3 2/3 innings. He also walked three in his third start for Atlanta.

MARLINS 7, CARDINALS 6

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Ichiro Suzuki had a pinch-hit single for his 2,991st hit and scored the tying run in the eighth inning, and Miguel Rojas drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth as Miami beat St. Louis for its fourth straight victory.

Tommy Pham had two of the Cardinals' four homers and drove in four runs. Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk also connected for St. Louis, which made three defensive miscues.

The hit was the first since July 4 for the 42-year-old Suzuki. He's had just seven pinch-hit appearances and one start this month.

Fernando Rodney (1-2) worked a hitless inning and A.J. Ramos struck out three in a two-hit ninth for his 28th save in 29 attempts.

Seung Hwan Oh (2-1), the Cardinals' stand-in closer, lost on his 34th birthday. St. Louis blew leads of 4-1 and 6-5 to fall to 19-27 at home.

ASTROS 7, MARINERS 3

SEATTLE (AP) - Carlos Correa hit a two-run double and scored from second base on a wild pitch during Houston's five-run fifth inning against Seattle.

Correa and his teammates picked up where they left off before the All-Star break, winning for the sixth time in eight games with their fifth straight over the Mariners.

Correa's two-out double off starter James Paxton (2-4) gave the Astros a 5-0 lead. The 2015 AL Rookie of the Year scampered home from second moments later on Paxton's third wild pitch of the inning. George Springer scored earlier in the inning on a wild pitch.

Springer led off the game with his 20th home run, and Marwin Gonzalez added a solo shot in the seventh.

The Astros' big inning offset a shaky performance from starter Doug Fister (9-6), who struggled to get through five. Houston's bullpen threw four shutout innings.

PADRES 4, GIANTS 1

SAN DIEGO (AP) - All-Star slugger Wil Myers hit his 20th home run and Adam Rosales also connected off Madison Bumgarner, powering San Diego past major league-leading San Francisco.

Bumgarner (11-4), also an All-Star, didn't appear Tuesday in the Midsummer Classic at Petco Park because he pitched on Sunday, throwing a one-hitter and striking out 14 in a 4-0 victory against Arizona.

Andrew Cashner (4-7) won for the first time in four starts by holding the Giants to one run and four hits in six innings, striking out nine and walking none.

Brandon Maurer worked the ninth for his second save.

DODGERS 13, DIAMONDBACKS 7

PHOENIX (AP) - Chris Taylor drove in six runs and fell a single shy of the cycle, and Los Angeles starter Bud Norris finally beat Arizona.

Taylor, acquired from Seattle on June 19 and recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City six days later, tripled in the fourth, doubled in the fifth and hit a grand slam in the sixth - his first major league home run. He was out on a bunt in the eighth.

Norris (5-7) entered 0-7 with a 13.92 ERA against the Diamondbacks but ended the drought with the help of the Dodgers' season-high 18 hits.

Patrick Corbin (4-8) lasted four innings, giving up seven runs - six earned.

ANGELS 7, WHITE SOX 0

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Hector Santiago threw seven innings of five-hit ball against his former team, and Los Angeles beat Chicago.

It was the second time this season Santiago (7-4) blanked the White Sox 7-0. He has tossed 14 spotless innings against them, but given up 54 runs over 91 1/3 innings in his other 17 starts.

This time, the left-hander struck out seven without issuing a walk. The Angels supported him with two runs in the second and five in the seventh.

Four runs came against Miguel Gonzalez (2-5), though only two were earned. Rookie shortstop Tim Anderson committed two errors.

Gonzalez has not won a road game since beating Tampa Bay on July 25, 2015.

ATHLETICS 8, BLUE JAYS 7

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Josh Reddick scored the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning on a play that was overturned by replay, and Oakland held on to beat Toronto.

Reddick drew a two-out walk from Brett Cecil (0-6) and went to second on Khris Davis' single. Stephen Vogt singled, and center fielder Kevin Pillar appeared to throw out a sliding Reddick at the plate.

Plate umpire Mark Wegner initially called Reddick out, but A's bench coach Mark Kotsay - filling in for ejected manager Bob Melvin - challenged the ruling.

Reddick, Davis and Vogt all homered off Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman. Ryan Dull (3-2) retired five batters to earn the win, and Ryan Madson pitched the ninth for his 18th save.

Toronto lost for only the second time in 10 games.

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