MLB 2018 Season Long Thread Thru the World Series / Picks,Trends,News Etc. !!

[StarDust Bum]

Mercury seek fourth straight win against Sun

The Phoenix Mercury return home on Thursday to play the Connecticut Sun after a successful four-game trip that finished with three straight victories.

The Mercury (13-5) appear to be back to the way they were playing when they first hosted the Sun last month while they were in the midst of an eight-game winning streak.

That streak ended with two straight losses, but the Mercury now share the best record in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm.

The Sun (10-7) are trying to make a more significant rebound to their recent struggles.

They have lost six of their last nine games, a tough stretch that includes an 89-72 loss at Phoenix on June 16. Connecticut started the season as the WNBA's hottest team at 7-1.

The Sun are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 73-72 victory on the road over the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday.

Chiney Ogwumike's layup with 18.5 seconds left gave the Sun the win in front of 6,280 at the Staples Center.

"It was gutty," said Connecticut coach Curt Miller, whose team held on after blowing a 20-point lead. "We took a big punch from them with their pressure (in the second half). They really extended their defense like they're capable of doing. They're one of the more premier defensive teams in the league.

"We just stayed poised at the end, made some big plays, (and) got back to our basics of what we wanted to do against them."

Ogwumike had 21 points, seven rebounds and two steals for the Sun, who clinched the season series against the Sparks.

Sun starter Alyssa Thomas missed her eighth straight game because of a shoulder injury. Fellow starter Courtney Williams missed her second straight game for personal reasons.

"We've (had) a lot of adversity," Miller said. "We have not played great basketball without Alyssa since her injury. ... (We've) just got to gut through this and survive."

The Mercury have not played since Saturday, when they snapped the Washington Mystics' four-game winning streak with an 84-74 win.

Phoenix center Brittney Griner finished with 24 points and seven rebounds and tied her season high with four assists. DeWanna Bonner scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Mercury. Diana Taurasi collected a season-high nine assists, six rebounds and seven points.

"We seem to be playing well on the road," Taurasi said. "The road, I always say if you are a bad team, it lets you know you are a really bad team, and if you are a good team, it lets you know you are a good team.

"The road has been good to us. We really lock in, we focus on what we want to do and today was a good example of that."

Phoenix is 9-2 on the road and 4-3 at home.

[StarDust Bum]

Sky, Aces each going for 7th win

The Aces have grown by leaps and bounds in their first year in Las Vegas since moving from San Antonio.

In their final season in San Antonio, the then-Stars won only eight times. The 6-12 Aces can take a step closer to equaling that mark on Thursday when they welcome the Chicago Sky to the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

The game marks the second head-to-head battle between two of the league's top rookies -- Las Vegas's No. 1 pick, A'ja Wilson, and No. 3 pick Diamond DeShields of Chicago.

Wilson is averaging 20.1 points and 8.7 rebounds while DeShields is averaging 13.9 points and 5.1 rebounds.

The Sky (6-11) are coming off a second straight defeat, losing to Dallas 108-85 on Tuesday. They are just 2-6 on the road but already own a win over the Aces, a 95-90 decision back on June 3. The Aces squandered a 15-point lead and were torched by DeShields, who led a balanced attack by scoring 25 points.

Just another lesson learned by Las Vegas coach Bill Laimbeer's young squad.

"We just kind of relaxed too much. They picked up the pace and we weren't able to recover our intensity," Laimbeer said.

The loss dropped the Aces to 1-5 at the time, but since then they've learned a lot about what it takes to win -- and lose. Look no further than their past two games, a 16-point win over Los Angeles on Friday at home, followed by a 16-point loss on the road to the Sparks on Sunday.

"I don't know why we weren't ready," Laimbeer said. "I warned them, but we kind of fell apart. We are a young team. We are going to learn from experience, hopefully. We just didn't handle the pressure, and it's a poise issue."

Wilson was saddled with foul trouble and held to a season-low 10 points.

"The things I know I can control are my energy and my mentality coming into the game," Wilson said. "I think the biggest thing that I learned was I can't let it frustrate me -- don't let it control me. That's what they want."

The Sky start play Thursday as arguably the league's worst defensive team. They gave up 108 points -- the second most this season in WNBA, surpassed only by the 110 they surrendered against Connecticut on June 1. Chicago allows a league-high 89.3 points per game, nearly four points more than Las Vegas, which yields the second highest.

Allie Quigley took a pragmatic approach to their defensives struggles, saying, "I think we just have to watch the film and be a better defensive team. Our offense isn't the problem, it is the defense. We have to learn from this, but we have another game coming up. A loss by 30 or a loss by one, a loss is a loss."

Quigley didn't play in the Sky's win earlier this season against the Aces. She scored 18 in Tuesday's loss and leads the Sky at 17.1 points per game.

The Aces didn't have an answer for Cheyenne Parker in that first game. Parker recorded career high in points (20) and rebounds (13). For the season, she averages 10.5 points and a team-leading 6.6 rebounds.

Despite their defensive struggles, Sky head coach Amber Stocks said her team has "great togetherness."

"When there was a breakdown on one aspect of the game we were able to pick each other up," Stocks said. "We have each other's back. They covered each other's blind spots. Unfortunately, this one got away from us."

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Thursday, July 5

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Trend Report
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Miami Marlins
Miami is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Miami is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Miami is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Miami's last 7 games on the road
Miami is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Washington
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Miami is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington Nationals
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
Washington is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
Washington is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Miami
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing at home against Miami


Texas Rangers
Texas is 12-4 ATS in its last 16 games
Texas is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games
Texas is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Texas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Texas's last 12 games on the road
Texas is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Detroit
Texas is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas's last 5 games when playing Detroit
Texas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Texas is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Texas's last 10 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit Tigers
Detroit is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Detroit is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games
Detroit is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Detroit's last 8 games
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games at home
Detroit is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Texas
Detroit is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Texas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing Texas
Detroit is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Texas
Detroit is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Texas
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Detroit's last 10 games when playing at home against Texas


Chicago White Sox
Chi White Sox is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games
Chi White Sox is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Chi White Sox is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games
Chi White Sox is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Chi White Sox is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Chi White Sox's last 8 games on the road
Chi White Sox is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Houston
Chi White Sox is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Chi White Sox's last 20 games when playing Houston
Chi White Sox is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Chi White Sox's last 8 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston Astros
Houston is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Houston is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games
Houston is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games at home
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Houston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Houston's last 20 games when playing Chi White Sox
Houston is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Houston's last 8 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox


Atlanta Braves
Atlanta is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Atlanta's last 16 games on the road
Atlanta is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Milwaukee
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Atlanta's last 18 games when playing Milwaukee
Atlanta is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Atlanta is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Atlanta's last 20 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Milwaukee is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Milwaukee is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Milwaukee is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
Milwaukee is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Milwaukee's last 18 games when playing Atlanta
Milwaukee is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Atlanta
Milwaukee is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Milwaukee's last 20 games when playing at home against Atlanta


Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Baltimore is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore's last 6 games
Baltimore is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Baltimore is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Minnesota
Baltimore is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Baltimore's last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Baltimore is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore's last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota Twins
Minnesota is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games
Minnesota is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Baltimore
Minnesota is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing Baltimore
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Baltimore
Minnesota is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Baltimore
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing at home against Baltimore


San Diego Padres
San Diego is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
San Diego is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of San Diego's last 22 games
San Diego is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of San Diego's last 17 games on the road
San Diego is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Diego's last 7 games when playing Arizona
San Diego is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Arizona
San Diego is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 15 of San Diego's last 22 games when playing on the road against Arizona
Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Arizona is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Arizona is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Arizona is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games at home
Arizona is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing San Diego
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Arizona's last 7 games when playing San Diego
Arizona is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against San Diego
Arizona is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against San Diego
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Arizona's last 22 games when playing at home against San Diego


Los Angeles Angels
LA Angels is 5-17 ATS in its last 22 games
LA Angels is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Angels's last 6 games
LA Angels is 4-12 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
LA Angels is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Angels's last 6 games on the road
LA Angels is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Seattle
LA Angels is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 7 games when playing Seattle
LA Angels is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
LA Angels is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 7 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle Mariners
Seattle is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Seattle is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Seattle's last 10 games
Seattle is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games at home
Seattle is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games at home
Seattle is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing LA Angels
Seattle is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 7 games when playing LA Angels
Seattle is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Seattle is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 7 games when playing at home against LA Angels


St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games
St. Louis is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games
St. Louis is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
St. Louis is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing San Francisco
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Francisco
St. Louis is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 10 of St. Louis's last 15 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
San Francisco Giants
San Francisco is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
San Francisco is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Francisco's last 6 games
San Francisco is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
San Francisco is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games at home
San Francisco is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
San Francisco is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
San Francisco is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against St. Louis
San Francisco is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 10 of San Francisco's last 15 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing at home against St. Louis

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Thursday, July 5


Miami @ Washington

Game 901-902
July 5, 2018 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
(Lopez) 13.500
Washington
(Hellckson) 15.986
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 2 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
-170
9
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-170); Under

Atlanta @ Milwaukee

Game 903-904
July 5, 2018 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
(Fried) 16.467
Milwaukee
(Chacin) 14.511
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
N/A

San Diego @ Arizona

Game 905-906
July 5, 2018 @ 9:40 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Diego
(Lauer) 15.453
Arizona
(Miller) 12.217
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Diego
by 3
11
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Arizona
-150
9
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(-150); Over

St. Louis @ San Francisco

Game 907-908
July 5, 2018 @ 10:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
(Weaver) 16.507
San Francisco
(Cueto) 14.802
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco
-135
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis
(+115); Over

Texas @ Detroit

Game 909-910
July 5, 2018 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Texas
(Gallardo) 15.535
Detroit
(Boyd) 13.939
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Texas
by 1 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit
-120
9 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Texas
(+100); Under

Chicago White Sox @ Houston

Game 911-912
July 5, 2018 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago White Sox
(Rodon) 17.690
Houston
(Verlnder) 14.511
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago White Sox
by 3
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
-300
8
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago White Sox
(+250); Under

Baltimore @ Minnesota

Game 913-914
July 5, 2018 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Baltimore
(Cashner) 13.658
Minnesota
(Slegers) 14.814
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 1
11
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
N/A

LA Angels @ Seattle

Game 915-916
July 5, 2018 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Angels
(Barria) 14.753
Seattle
(Gonzales) 15.980
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Seattle
by 1
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Seattle
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Seattle
N/A

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Thursday, July 5

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MIAMI (36 - 52) at WASHINGTON (42 - 43) - 7:05 PM
ELIESER HERNANDEZ (R) vs. JEREMY HELLICKSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 5-21 (-16.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
HELLICKSON is 9-2 (+8.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 42-43 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 19-23 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
WASHINGTON is 19-23 (-11.4 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against MIAMI this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

ELIESER HERNANDEZ vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 0-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.60 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JEREMY HELLICKSON vs. MIAMI since 1997
HELLICKSON is 4-3 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 2.88 and a WHIP of 1.053.
His team's record is 9-3 (+7.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-10. (-10.2 units)

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ATLANTA (49 - 36) at MILWAUKEE (51 - 35) - 8:10 PM
MAX FRIED (L) vs. JHOULYS CHACIN (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

MAX FRIED vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
No recent starts.

JHOULYS CHACIN vs. ATLANTA since 1997
CHACIN is 1-4 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.22 and a WHIP of 1.719.
His team's record is 1-5 (-4.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-3. (-0.3 units)

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SAN DIEGO (37 - 51) at ARIZONA (48 - 39) - 9:40 PM
ERIC LAUER (L) vs. SHELBY MILLER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ARIZONA is 48-39 (+7.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 36-18 (+13.9 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 21-7 (+14.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 66-47 (+17.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 35-24 (+9.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ARIZONA is 43-30 (+13.4 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 29-16 (+12.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SAN DIEGO is 132-154 (+21.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 108-127 (+17.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 33-28 (+16.1 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 890-793 (-95.7 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
ARIZONA is 18-34 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 3 seasons.
MILLER is 8-15 (-13.3 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -175 since 1997. (Team's Record)
MILLER is 37-53 (-22.0 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 2-1 (+0.8 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

ERIC LAUER vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.

SHELBY MILLER vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
MILLER is 2-2 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 4.42 and a WHIP of 1.190.
His team's record is 2-5 (-4.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-6. (-6.0 units)

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ST LOUIS (44 - 41) at SAN FRANCISCO (45 - 43) - 10:15 PM
LUKE WEAVER (R) vs. JOHNNY CUETO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 127-120 (-16.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 97-93 (-14.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 45-43 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 26-14 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 28-25 (+6.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 839-853 (+35.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
CUETO is 41-22 (+16.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
CUETO is 29-12 (+18.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
CUETO is 74-58 (+20.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 75-57 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 124-150 (-38.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

LUKE WEAVER vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
WEAVER is 1-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 1.86 and a WHIP of 1.344.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.1 units)

JOHNNY CUETO vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
CUETO is 7-8 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.80 and a WHIP of 1.223.
His team's record is 11-12 (-0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-14. (-6.7 units)

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TEXAS (38 - 49) at DETROIT (38 - 50) - 7:10 PM
YOVANI GALLARDO (R) vs. MATT BOYD (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 211-203 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 96-78 (+27.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 98-105 (+21.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 29-24 (+14.2 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 157-139 (+31.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 52-96 (-35.3 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 68-116 (-38.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 405-354 (-71.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 2-1 (+0.4 Units) against DETROIT this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

YOVANI GALLARDO vs. DETROIT since 1997
GALLARDO is 2-1 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 2.45 and a WHIP of 1.528.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-3. (-3.1 units)

MATT BOYD vs. TEXAS since 1997
BOYD is 1-4 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 5.53 and a WHIP of 1.446.
His team's record is 1-4 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-0. (+5.1 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (30 - 56) at HOUSTON (57 - 31) - 8:10 PM
CARLOS RODON (L) vs. JUSTIN VERLANDER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 82-70 (-29.9 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 7-10 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in home games against left-handed starters this season.
VERLANDER is 1-6 (-13.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season. (Team's Record)
VERLANDER is 9-15 (-14.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

CARLOS RODON vs. HOUSTON since 1997
RODON is 1-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 1.71 and a WHIP of 1.139.
His team's record is 3-1 (+3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.2 units)

JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
VERLANDER is 21-13 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 3.87 and a WHIP of 1.206.
His team's record is 26-17 (+1.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 20-21. (-2.6 units)

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BALTIMORE (24 - 61) at MINNESOTA (35 - 48) - 8:10 PM
ANDREW CASHNER (R) vs. AARON SLEGERS (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 2-1 (+1.1 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.1 Units)

ANDREW CASHNER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
CASHNER is 0-2 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 2.111.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

AARON SLEGERS vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
No recent starts.

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LA ANGELS (44 - 43) at SEATTLE (55 - 32) - 10:10 PM
JAIME BARRIA (R) vs. MARCO GONZALES (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 15-23 (-12.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 6-15 (-12.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 9-21 (-11.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SEATTLE is 55-32 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 27-18 (+6.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
SEATTLE is 17-7 (+10.4 Units) against the money line at home when the money line is +125 to -125 this season.
SEATTLE is 29-15 (+11.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SEATTLE is 39-16 (+21.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 39-20 (+20.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SEATTLE is 20-10 (+9.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
LA ANGELS are 569-543 (+44.3 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
SEATTLE is 170-211 (-57.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Thursday since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 5-3 (+2.1 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.8 Units)

JAIME BARRIA vs. SEATTLE since 1997
BARRIA is 0-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.60 and a WHIP of 1.600.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

MARCO GONZALES vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
GONZALES is 0-0 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.66 and a WHIP of 1.552.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-0. (+4.0 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday's Diamond Notes
Kevin Rogers

Hottest team: Brewers (6-3 last nine)

The hottest squad in the NL Central currently is the Cubs, who have won six consecutive games and sit one game out of first place. However, Chicago is off on Thursday as the top team in the division, Milwaukee, is fresh off a three-game home sweep of Minnesota. The Brewers own the second-most home victories in the National League with 27, while becoming the first team to reach the 50-win plateau in the NL (although four teams in the AL have won at least 55).

Milwaukee welcomes in Atlanta in a battle of first-place squads on Thursday as the Braves have dropped two straight. Jhoulys Chacin takes the mound in the series opener, as Milwaukee went through a stretch from late April through mid-June posting an impressive 10-1 mark when the right-hander took the mound. However, the Brewers have lost each of Chacin’s last three starts, in spite of him giving up one earned run in two of those outings.

Coldest team: Nationals (2-10 last 12)

Things are quickly unraveling for the defending NL East champions as Washington suffered a three-game home sweep at the hands of Boston. The offense is nowhere to be found as the Nationals have scored 15 runs in their last eight losses, while posting a 17-spot in a 10-run victory at Philadelphia last Friday. Not only has Washington slipped below the .500 mark, but the Nationals are currently seven games behind the Braves for first place in the division.

The Nationals hope to get on track as the Marlins visit D.C. for the weekend. Washington swept Miami in late May and has captured 11 straight matchups against its division rival since August 2017. Veteran Jeremy Hellickson heads to the hill tonight as the Nationals have put together an 8-1 mark to the UNDER in his last nine starts, while Washington is winless in his last two appearances.

Hottest pitcher: Yovani Gallardo, Rangers (2-0, 9.00 ERA)

From an ERA standpoint, this may not make a lot of sense why Gallardo is listed in this category. However, since joining Texas from Cincinnati in June, the Rangers have won all three of the right-hander’s starts since entering the rotation. The run support for Gallardo has been extremely helpful, as the Rangers 11 runs a game in this stretch, while the veteran is fresh off a seven-strikeout performance in a blowout win over the White Sox. Gallardo squares off with a struggling Tigers’ squad on Thursday, as Detroit has dropped 13 of its last 15 games.

Coldest pitcher: Justin Verlander, Astros (9-4, 2.12 ERA)

Justin Verlander, the former MVP and Cy Young winner owning a miniscule ERA is in this category? This is true as Verlander, who owned a 1.60 ERA after a 2-1 home defeat to the Rays on June 19, has been tagged for 16 hits and nine earned runs in his last two outings. Houston has failed to pick up a victory in Verlander’s last three trips to the mound, which has occurred twice this season. The good news is after his first three-start winless streak in May, Verlander turned in complete-game shutout over the Angels. Verlander is listed as a nearly -300 favorite in Thursday’s series opener against the White Sox, who Houston outscored, 27-2 in a three-game sweep in Chicago back in April.

Biggest OVER run: White Sox (12-3 last 15)

Chicago continues its 10-game road trip after dropping two of three at Cincinnati in spite of holding the lead in both losses. The Sox head down to Houston as their pitching staff has yielded at least five runs in each of the first six games of this trip. The offense has been terrific in the two road wins by scoring 10 and 12 runs, but has been limited to fewer than four runs in all four defeats. The task won’t be easy tonight against Houston’s Justin Verlander, while Sox starter Carlos Rodon has seen the OVER cash in each of his last three starts.

Biggest UNDER run: Tigers (7-1 last eight)

Detroit’s offense has disappeared of late by scoring three runs or less in seven of the past eight contests, while posting a total of five runs in a pair of losses in Chicago to the Cubs. The pitching hasn’t been terrible recently, as Detroit allowed a total of 11 runs in a four-game split at Toronto last weekend. But the lack of offense firepower has caught up with them since sitting at 36-37 on Father’s Day. The Tigers return to Comerica Park to host the Rangers for a four-game set, as Matthew Boyd heads to the mound in the opener. Boyd is winless in his last three outings, while giving up 14 runs in this stretch, as Detroit has hit the OVER in two of his past three home starts.

Matchup to watch: Cardinals vs. Giants

Two teams that have plenty of playoff experience this decade are seeking consistency as they hook up at AT&T Park this weekend. San Francisco swept Arizona last weekend, but its offense disappeared as it was swept by Colorado, while plating a total of three runs. The Cardinals dropped a three-game set at home to the Braves last weekend, but captured two of three at Arizona, including Wednesday’s 8-4 triumph.

Johnny Cueto makes his first start for the Giants since getting sidelined in April due to an elbow sprain. Cueto put together terrific numbers through his first five outings by posting a 3-0 record and 0.84 ERA, while tossing scoreless efforts against the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Angels. In last season’s lone start against the Cardinals, Cueto was staked to a 5-2 lead before St. Louis rallied for an 11-6 win as he scattered four hits and two runs in 5.1 innings of work.

Luke Weaver counters for the Cardinals, as the right-hander has actually been more productive on the road than at home. St. Louis has won six of Weaver’s eight away outings, compared to a 2-6 mark at Busch Stadium. Weaver was knocked around in his last start against Atlanta by giving up 10 hits and eight runs in 4.2 innings of an 11-4 loss. In Weaver’s past three away starts, the Cardinals’ offense has scored at least seven runs as St. Louis put together a 3-0 mark in those games.

Betcha didn’t know: This PSA can’t be put out enough regarding the Padres. San Diego has compiled a remarkable 5-23 record in series openers this season as the Padres travel to Arizona to face the Diamondbacks. The Padres have dropped eight straight Game 1’s of a series, but did capture the series opener at Chase Field back in April, for what it’s worth.

Biggest public favorite: Astros (-300) vs. White Sox

Biggest public underdog: Rangers (+105) at Tigers

Biggest line move: Diamondbacks (-139 to -148) vs. Padres

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Thursday, July 5


STREAKING AND SLUMPING STARTING PITCHERS

Streaking: Johnny Cueto, San Francisco Giants (3-0, 0.84 ERA, $353)

He's back! Okay, so Cueto might not fit the traditional paradigm of the streaking pitcher, but he was en fuego through his first five starts before suffering a right elbow sprain that has sidelined him since late April. Cueto ranks 36th in starter value despite making just a handful of starts, with the Giants winning four of those five outings.

We generally avoid starters in their first start following a lengthy injury, but getting him at -135 at home against a St. Louis team hitting just .237 on the road is too good to pass up. He's a highly recommended play Thursday.

Slumping: Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers (4-6, 4.18 ERA, $308)

Oh, Matt. You got off to such a good start! But alas, things have not gone so well of late, with Boyd having surrendered 14 runs in 13 innings over his previous three starts; not surprisingly, the Tigers lost all three. Boyd surrendered a home run in all three games and failed to reach the fifth inning in two of them; he remains in the black for the year, but he's fading fast.

On the flip side, all three of those losses came on the road, where Boyd is 1-5 with a 5.55 ERA. A return to Comerica Park – where Boyd is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA – might be just what he needs. Consider a flier on Boyd at -111 against visiting Texas.

[StarDust Bum]

Midseason AL Predictions
July 5, 2018

Hard to believe, but we are now officially into the second half of the 2018 MLB season, which means that the All-Star Break and the trade deadline are just around the corner.

This is traditionally the time of year when the lesser teams start moving their better players to the big guns, and that can very often lead to some rather dramatic reversals of fortune in the second half. It’s the perfect time to dust off the old crystal ball and take a look into the future.

We will cover both leagues over the next couple of days, but let’s get started with the American League, the existing odds listed at YouWager.eu to win the Conference and what the future may hold for the teams in there.

American League Pennant 2018 - Odds to Win
-- Baltimore Orioles: +40000
-- Boston Red Sox: +350
-- Cleveland Indians: +700
-- Detroit Tigers: +20000
-- Houston Astros: +180
-- Los Angeles Angels: +3000
-- Minnesota Twins: +12500
-- New York Yankees: +180
-- Oakland Athletics: +12000
-- Seattle Mariners: +1200
-- Tampa Bay Rays: +30000
-- Toronto Blue Jays: +30000

AL Division Winners
The biggest battle in baseball right now is going on in the AL East, where the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are going toe to toe. Given the lead that these two have opened up on the rest of the division, it will be one of these teams that wins it.

The Red Sox have a 1-game lead over their bitter rivals right now, but I think it will be the Yankees who get the better of the second half, winning the division in the final few days of the season.

The AL Central is the worst division in the league, if not the entire MLB. The Cleveland Indians are the only team above .500 in there, and they already have an unassailable 11 ½ game lead at the top. This thing will be over with plenty of time to spare.

Bet the Latest MLB Odds, Futures & Props

The defending World Series champions, the Houston Astros, have the lead in the AL West, but they are being pushed surprisingly hard by the Seattle Mariners.

The Mariners deserve some real credit for making this division a contest this season, but they are ultimately going to fall short. The Astros are maddeningly consistent, whereas the Mariners are prone to up and down streaks. Houston will win it comfortably in the end.

AL Wild Card
We cane safely rule out all teams in the Central, as there is no way they are going to be able to do enough in the second half to get into the Wild Card picture.

Given how the Yankees and Red Sox are playing, it’s a rather safe assumption that both of them will be in the postseason.

Since I have the Yankees winning the East, it will be the Red Sox in the Wild Card. The Mariners also look like a solid bet to be in the WC, as no other team in the West is really making a serious push.

AL Playoff Predictions
Assuming that the predictions made here are correct, the big question now is in regards who will represent the AL in the World Series. Repeating as a World Series winner is incredibly difficult, as there are a lot of things that need to go right for that to happen.

That said, my pick to win it all before the season began was the Houston Astros. They look as though they are going to be dominant for a few years, and I think they are a solid bet to get their second title in as many years.

[StarDust Bum]

Diamond Trends - Thursday
July 5, 2018

SU Play ON Trend of the Day:

-- The Nationals are 14-0 SU as a home favorite over a divisional opponent that is behind them in the standings and they are off a game as a dog. The

SU Play AGAINST Trend of the Day:

-- The Giants are 0-9 SU in the first game of a series with no rest after a one-run loss as a road dog. The

Hitter-Based Trend of the Day:

-- The Tigers are 0-10 SU off a road game in which Mikie Mahtook was hitless in at least three at bats.

Starter-Based Trend of the Day:

-- The Giants are 12-0 OU when Johnny Cueto starts at home and they won in his last start. San Francisco has gone over the total by an average of 3.58 rpg.

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday's Best Bet
July 5, 2018

Thursday MLB Best Bet

San Diego Padres vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks appear to be a team that's constantly looking over their shoulders for division rivals to catch them in the NL West as they simply can't any sort of good run going at the moment. Arizona has dropped five of their last six after last night's 8-4 loss to St Louis, and now they find themselves just a half-game ahead of the L.A. Dodgers for first place in the division. Everyone knew the Dodgers would make a run eventually, but Arizona hasn't exactly helped their cause with all of these losses either.

For Arizona to really find a way to pull away a bit and pad their lead in the division, things have got to get better at home. The Diamondbacks are just 24-21 SU at home this year and every other division leader in MLB is at least six games over .500 at home. That's double what the Diamondbacks are bringing to the party right now, but can they right the ship with a weekend series hosting the Padres?

Odds: San Diego (+130) vs Arizona (-140); Total set at 8.5

If Arizona wants to be better at home and stop looking over their shoulders to see if the Dodgers have arrived yet, a four-game set with the Padres is a good place to start. San Diego is just 2-8 SU in their last 10 games overall, and 3-13 SU in their last 16 as well. So if you are a team that's looking to win a series of late and you've got the Padres on your dance card, chances are you've got the job done during the past few weeks. Arizona would love to do the same this week, but I'm not so sure Game 1 is the best place to start backing them.

While facing San Diego is inherently a good thing for the Diamondbacks in all likelihood, having Shelby Miller on the hill for the series opener isn't ideal. Arizona needs to have a statement-making game here in the opener to not only show the Padres they mean business this weekend, but also to get a little confidence in themselves back. Yet, they've seen nothing that could contribute to either of those things in Shelby Miller's return to the lineup.

Miller has started two games since returning from the DL and he's not gon longer than five innings in either of them. There was a 9-5 loss in Miami to start things off, as Miller allowed 5 runs on six hits in just 3.2 IP, and followed that up with a little better performance against the Giants (6 ER on 9 hits in 5 IP) in a 7-0 defeat.

Run support issues aside in that second start, allowing an average of 8 runs per game is not anywhere near respectable in this league, and while Miller deserves a bit of time to get healthy and back into the full swing of things, he is not someone I'm looking to back in any shape or form right now.

That leaves us taking a stab with the struggling Padres team on the ML or betting this total. The total is something I have been considering all morning as 8.5 does seem a little low for these two starting pitchers to be lined with, but it's not like either team has been ripping the cover off the baseball lately so that is a concern. Miller's 8 runs/game average through two starts does lend some support to an 'over' argument, as does the fact that Miller's last six starts against San Diego have all cashed 'over' tickets too.

With the masses backing the low side of this total as well, according to VegasInsider.com showing about 70% on the low side of this total tonight, going against the grain is another potential reason to back the high side of this total too. In the end, going 'over' the total is probably the way to go if you are more of a total's guy or are simply already leaning on that play, but for me (while I will have a piece of that 'over' too) I'm actually going to be taking that stab with the Padres tonight.

For one, we've already seen significant reverse line movement on this game after Arizona opened up in the -155 to -160 range and has dropped despite getting 80% support. Early big bettors must see similar things that I do here regarding Arizona's season-long struggles at home as well as having a possibly still unhealthy Shelby Miller on the hill and grabbed the value with San Diego. Granted some of that Padres value is gone with the line move, but San Diego starter Eric Lauer tends to always give his team a chance to win, especially on the road.

Lauer's last four road starts have all cashed 'under' tickets – a good sign for him pitching well in hostile territory – but more importantly, three of his last five road starts have all been decided by a single run. San Diego actually went 0-3 SU in those one-run games which doesn't exactly help my argument, but they were listed underdogs in all of those games as well so a loss was somewhat expected.

Eventually though, Lauer's offense is going to give him a bit more help to get over the hump in these 3-2, 2-1, and 5-4 losses, and with the Diamondbacks on a 2-10 SU run in Miller's last 12 starts at home and 2-11 SU in his last 13 starts against a division rival, there may not be a better spot then tonight to see the Padres and Lauer finally get a decision to go their way.

I know I'll be looking for that to happen as I'm following the reverse line movement here and backing this Padres team to hang another L on the Diamondbacks and have Arizona fans sweating out their division lead – or the last of it – by the end of the weekend.

Best Bet: San Diego (+130)

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, JULY 5
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MIA at WAS 07:05 PM
MIA +172
U 9.0

TEX at DET 07:10 PM
TEX +105
O 9.0

ATL at MIL 08:10 PM
MIL -114
O 8.5

BAL at MIN 08:10 PM
MIN -123
U 10.0

CHW at HOU 08:10 PM
CHW +272
O 7.5

SD at ARI 09:40 PM
ARI -149
U 8.5

LAA at SEA 10:10 PM
LAA +116
U 8.5

STL at SF 10:15 PM
SF -137
U 7.5

[StarDust Bum]

Turner homers twice, Nationals rally past Marlins
July 6, 2018

WASHINGTON (AP) Trea Turner hit two homers, including his first career grand slam, and drove in eight runs to help the Washington Nationals rally from a nine-run deficit and defeat the Miami Marlins 14-12 in a wild slugfest Thursday night to end a five-game losing streak.

The Nationals, who dropped 17 of their previous 22, have won 12 consecutive games against Miami dating to last season - their longest winning streak against any team since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005.

The victory came a day after the Nationals called a players-only meeting Wednesday after Washington was swept by Boston and slipped under .500 for the first time since May 2. Turner's eight RBIs tied for the most ever by a leadoff hitter, according to STATS LLC.

Shawn Kelley (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win. Sean Doolittle earned his 22nd save in 23 opportunities.

Adam Conley (2-1) allowed five runs in 2/3 of an inning and took the loss.

RANGERS 7, TIGERS 5

DETROIT - Joey Gallo and Ronald Guzman homered as Texas beat Detroit.

Yovani Gallardo (3-0) got the win, giving up four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out two while winning his third straight start.

Keone Kela allowed a run in the ninth before finishing off his 21st save as Texas snapped a three-game losing streak.

Matthew Boyd allowed a season-high seven runs and seven hits in four innings. He is 0-3 with a 10.59 ERA in his last four starts.

Detroit lost is third straight and dropped to 2-14 since June 17.

TWINS 5, ORIOLES 2

MINNEAPOLIS - Aaron Slegers got his first major league win by finishing six smooth innings in his first start of the season for Minnesota, and the Twins stopped their six-game losing streak by hanging on to beat Baltimore.

Logan Morrison homered and Jake Cave reached base all four times he batted for the Twins, who turned to Fernando Rodney for the ninth for his 18th save following two consecutive blown chances.

Jonathan Schoop hit two home runs, but the Orioles squandered another quality start by Andrew Cashner (2-9) and lost for the 10th time in 11 games. They have the worst record in the major leagues at 24-62, just the team the Twins needed to face to start a season-long 11-game homestand after a 1-8 road trip.

BREWERS 7, BRAVES 2

MILWAUKEE - Jhoulys Chacin threw seven solid innings and Hernan Perez homered among his three hits, leading Milwaukee to a 7-2 victory over Atlanta in a matchup of first-place teams.

The NL Central Division-leading Brewers won their fourth game in a row to go 17 games over .500 (52-35) for the first time since July 1, 2014, when they were 51-34.

Chacin (7-3) gave up three hits and two earned runs while matching a season high with seven strikeouts in what tied for his longest outing this year. The right-hander was 0-2 in his previous three starts while allowing 10 runs in 15 2/3 innings.

Dan Jennings pitched two perfect innings for his first save this season, and second of his career.

NL East-leading Atlanta dropped its third consecutive game after winning four straight. Braves left-hander Max Fried (1-3) lasted only three innings in his third start of the season, giving up four earned runs and four hits with three walks.

ASTROS 4, WHITE SOX 3

HOUSTON -Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and Yuli Gurriel's RBI single with one out in Houston's two-run ninth lifted the Astros to a win over Chicago.

The Astros trailed by 1 when Joakim Soria (0-3) walked pinch-hitter Tony Kemp with no outs in the ninth before advancing to third on a single by pinch-hitter Marwin Gonzalez. George Springer snapped an 0 for 8 slump and tied it at 3-3 with his RBI single to shallow center field.

Alex Bregman walked to load the bases and Altuve struck out before Gurriel sent a ball over second baseman Yoan Moncada's head into right field to give Houston the victory.

Justin Verlander bounced back from his last start where he allowed nine hits and five runs - both season highs - in a loss to Tampa Bay with a solid outing. He yielded four hits and two runs and struck out 10 in seven innings.

Joe Smith (3-1) allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth for the win in his first appearance since June 6.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY JULY 6, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
2:20 PM Cincinnati Reds Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field
7:05 PM Miami Marlins Washington Nationals Nationals Park
7:05 PM Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park
7:07 PM New York Yankees Toronto Blue Jays Rogers Centre
7:10 PM Oakland Athletics Cleveland Indians Progressive Field
7:10 PM Tampa Bay Rays New York Mets Citi Field
7:10 PM Texas Rangers Detroit Tigers Comerica Park
8:10 PM Atlanta Braves Milwaukee Brewers Miller Park
8:10 PM Baltimore Orioles Minnesota Twins Target Field
8:10 PM Chicago White Sox Houston Astros Minute Maid Park
8:15 PM Boston Red Sox Kansas City Royals Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
9:40 PM San Diego Padres Arizona Diamondbacks Chase Field
10:07 PM Los Angeles Dodgers Los Angeles Angels Angel Stadium of Anaheim
10:10 PM Colorado Rockies Seattle Mariners Safeco Field
10:15 PM St. Louis Cardinals San Francisco Giants AT&T Park

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MLB JUNE'S OVERALL PICKS.

Date w-l-t % units record ( overall picks )

TOTALS..........362 -323.....52.84%.....+86.10

June's mlb best bets ( dogs and totals only )

TOTALS................55 - 95.............- 76.50...............182 - 147........+81.00..............+4.50


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JULY'S MLB OVERALL PICKS:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

07/05/2018 7-9-0 43.75% -16.55
07/04/2018 15-14-1 51.72% +4.20
07/03/2018 14-13-1 51.85% +4.80
07/02/2018 11-7-0 61.11% +25.35
07/01/2018 3-7-0 30.00% -23.50

TOTALS............50 - 50......50.00%.....-5.70


DATE............................ATS............... ...UNITS.....................O/U......................UNITS.............TOTAL

07/05/2018...................1 - 3.................-9.75.....................4 - 4.....................-2.00..............-11.75
07/04/2018...................2 - 4.................-6.00.....................6 - 9.....................-19.50.............-25.50
07/03/2018...................2 - 5.................-36.20...................6 - 7......................-8.50..............-44.70
07/02/2018...................3 - 1................+18.75...................5 - 4.....................+3.00.............+21.75
07/01/2018...................3 - 6.................-17.00...................6 - 9......................-19.50............-31.65

TOTALS.......................11 - 17...............-50.20...................27-33....................-46.50.............-91.85

[StarDust Bum]

Friday’s 6-pack

Odds on potential NBA Finals matchups next season:

+155: Celtics-Warriors

+425: 76ers-Warriors

+900: Celtics-Lakers

+900: Celtics-Rockets

+1500: Raptors-Warriors

+2000: 76ers-Lakers

Tweet of the Day
“I’m playing short. That’s the position I want to play. That’s the position I know I can play and produce.”
Manny Machado, a real team guy

Friday’s quiz
What active pitcher has given up the most career home runs to the White Sox?

Thursday’s quiz
Cleveland Indians played Marlins, Cubs the last two times they were in World Series.

Wednesday’s quiz
New York Mets have used Polo Grounds, Shea Stadium and Citi Field as a home field.

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Friday’s List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here…….

13) Washington Nationals are a mess; in their last 25 games, their starting pitchers have one win. One. They had a players’ only meeting Wednesday, then fell behind 7-0 in the second inning last night- they’re 43-43 and sinking fast.

Nationals beat Miami 14-12 Thursday, after trailing 9-0.

Dusty Baker went 192-132 in two years as Washington’s manager, and they fired him so they could hire a guy who has never managed before. Why was this a good idea?

12) Agent Scott Boras was whining about shifts hurting lefty hitters more than righty hitters; I wonder who Bryce Harper’s agent is?

11) Speaking of Boras, six of the Washington Nationals’ eight highest-paid players are represented by Boras. Daniel Murphy and Harper are free agents this coming winter and neither is having a good season this year.

Maybe Boras should be managing the Nationals; he played minor league ball back in the day.

10) Rubber game of a series is the 3rd game of a 3-game series, when teams split the first two. Here are teams with best records in rubber games this season:
New York (A) 8-2, Boston 5-2, Seattle 7-3, Houston 8-4, Arizona 6-3

9) Teams with worst records in rubber games:
Royals 2-8, Orioles 1-3, Jays/Mets 2-5, Rockies 3-7

8) Major league teams have concessions stands where you can buy game-used items, like foul balls or broken bats or game-used jerseys/caps. They’re not cheap; I was in Philly’s ballpark last fall and I can personally attest that the pine tar on a bat is really sticky.

Would be interesting to know how much a team nets from those sales in the course of a season.

7) Colorado’s 1-0 home win over the Giants Wednesday as their first 1-0 win at Coors Field since June 12, 2010.

6) 51-year old Steve Stricker has made the cut in 27 consecutive majors, the longest current active streak; Brooks Koepka is next, at 16.

5) Whats the worst day to have a birthday? Dec 26? Feb 29? July 5? Jan 2?

4) Baseball DL doings:
— Angels put P Tyler Skaggs and OF Chris Young on the DL.
— Nationals put P Erick Fedde on the DL.
— Arizona put OF Jarrod Dyson on the DL.
— Mariners put C Mike Zunino on the DL.

3) Interesting that Yuli Gurriel was playing 3B for the Astros last night, with the White Sox in town. Houston has been rumored to be interested in acquiring Chicago’s 1B Jose Abreu.

2) Graduate transfer Geno Crandall bolts North Dakota for Gonzaga; it is getting to the point where mid-major coaches are becoming reluctant to pay for kids’ summer school now, since if they graduate early, they’re more likely to jump to greener pa$ture$.

Crandall is a 6-4 guard who scored 28 points against the Zags in a 89-83 Gonzaga win in OT in Spokane last fall. Very good player.

1) Western Kentucky signed a 5-star basketball recruit named Charles Bassey, who will be at WKU this fall, after re-classifying from the Class of 2019.

In a stunning coincidence, the Hilltoppers also hired young Bassey’s guardian as an assistant coach, and will play him $200,000 a year— a totally legal move.

Larry Brown did the same thing when he signed Danny Manning at Kansas— Ed Manning had been a truck driver before his son was recruited by the Jayhawks.

[StarDust Bum]

LEADING OFF: Braves hitting way to top, Gray on the rebound
July 5, 2018

A look at what's happening around the majors Friday:

HITTING BRAVES

Among the many things the Atlanta Braves have done right on their way to leading the National League East this season, they've been getting hits. The Braves began their series against fellow division leader Milwaukee on Thursday night with three of the top four hits leaders in the NL, with outfielder Nick Markakis (108) leading the way and infielder Ozzie Albies (102) and Freddie Freeman (101) close behind in third and fourth, respectively. It's the first time in franchise history the team has had three players reach 100 hits prior to the All-Star game, and the Braves will continue their series when Mike Foltynewicz and Freddy Peralta face off.

GOING GRAY

In a season full of highlights for the New York Yankees, right-hander Sonny Gray has been one of the team's biggest disappointments in his first full season with club. Gray will try and rebound from his worst start of the season when the Yankees begin a weekend series in Toronto against the Blue Jays. After being acquired from Oakland last season, Gray is 5-6 with 5.44 ERA this season and is coming off an 11-0 loss to Boston last weekend in which he allowed six runs in only 2 1/3 innings.

CHICAGO SEEING RED

Two weeks ago, the Chicago Cubs suffered through an embarrassing four-game sweep in Cincinnati - beginning a stretch of six losses in seven games. Chicago has won six straight games since that rough patch, and has the opportunity to make amends with the Reds when the two teams begin a weekend series at Wrigley Field. Mike Montgomery (3-2) starts for Chicago, and Tyler Mahle (6-6) takes the mound for Cincinnati.

ACE OF NEW YORK

Despite the struggles of the New York Mets for much of the season, Jacob deGrom has been one of the NL's most dominant starters. The right-hander leads the league with his 1.84 ERA and will be back at work when he takes the mound against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. He has allowed three runs in each of his last two starts, the first time he's allowed three or more runs in back-to-back games since April.

SUMMER KING

Seattle Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez (8-6) put together his best full month of the season in June, posting a 3.71 ERA in six starts and lowering his overall ERA from 5.83 to 5.11 in the process. The 2010 Cy Young award winner will try and extend his improved performance into July when he starts in an interleague game against the visiting Colorado Rockies.