Monday Trends and Indexes 8/18

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Monday August 18

Good Luck on day #231 of 2008!

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.
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We're keeping the light on until you get back, Kaptain!!

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[pm530]

Daily Sports Roundup

Monday, August 18

The Browns will take on the defending champs from New York when the second week of the NFL preseason concludes Monday night. Here's your Daily Sports Roundup . . .

Event of the day . . .

Derek Anderson was the eventual winner of the Browns' quarterback competition last season, and he managed to lead the team to a 10-6 record (and almost a playoff berth). That gives Anderson some breathing room; Brady Quinn might be the team's QB of the future, but he'll have to seriously outplay the incumbent Anderson over the next few weeks to even get a sniff at the team's starting job for Week 1 of the season.

Eli Manning led the Giants over the heavily-favored Patriots in the Super Bowl last season, so he pretty much has the team's starting quarterback job wrapped up for life now. Manning, though, will want top target Plaxico Burress healthy and effective for the start of the regular season; Burress has been nursing an ankle injury for the last few weeks, and his practice time has been extremely limited so far during camp.

The oddsmakers have pegged the Giants as a 2-point home favorite in this contest, with the game's total sitting at 35.5 points. The kickoff is scheduled to take place at 8:00pm ET, with ESPN providing the coverage. The Browns lost their preseason opener 24-20 to the Jets, while the Giants fell 13-10 to the Lions in their first exhibition contest.

Non-event of the day . . .

The worst game on the light Monday schedule will take place in Atlanta, where the Braves are slated to play host to the Giants. The Braves can take some solace in the fact that the Nationals aren't going to catch them in the NL East standings, but they still look doomed to finish in fourth in their division. The Giants might end up in third in the weak NL West division, but then again they're not far from being in that basement.

Also on the schedule . . .

There are only seven other Major League Baseball games on the Monday schedule, with CC Sabathia (7-0, 1.55 ERA in the NL) the most notable hurler expected to take to the mound. Sabathia will be looking to pitch the Brewers past the Astros in an 8:05pm ET outing. The Pirates will host the Mets in the other National League game on Monday, while in the American League it'll be Boston at Baltimore, the Angels at Tampa Bay, Detroit at Texas, Oakland at Minnesota, and Seattle at the White Sox.

News from the wire . . .

Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell threw for 75 yards and a touchdown in the team's game against the Titans over the weekend, but has yet to be turned loose . . . Titans quarterback Vince Young went just 4-of-13 for 37 yards passing in that contest . . . Guard Mo Williams officially became a member of the Cavaliers last week; he was the biggest part of a six-player deal between Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Oklahoma City.

Peek at the future . . .

The third week of the National Football League's preseason schedule gets underway on Thursday night, with San Francisco at Chicago . . . the Canadian Football League has just two games again this week, with Saskatchewan at Edmonton on Thursday and Calgary at B.C. on Friday . . . the quarterfinals of the Olympic men's basketball tournament get started at 2:30am ET on Wednesday and continue through the night.

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[pm530]

Six-pack for Monday

-- Minnesota QB Jackson has sprained MCL, bad news for the Vikings-- little bit worse than they originally thought.

-- BJ Upton went 3-5 with three RBI in Rays' 7-4 win, a night after his second benching this month for not hustling.

-- Florida Marlins are running a promotion for kids in K-8; the winner gets to take Hanley Ramirez to school for Show/Tell.

-- Phil Hughes gave up eight hits, five runs in 3.2 IP vs Phils' AAA team on his rehab assignment. Kris Benson was other starting pitcher; he allowed 10 hits in 5.1 IP.

-- Six of the fourteen AL starting pitchers Sunday didn't make it past the fourth inning.

-- Arizona scored 23 runs Friday-Saturday, then got two hits on Sunday; baseball can be very difficult to figure out.

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[pm530]

Monday's Den: NFL Over/Under win totals for 2008:

Arizona over 7.5, -$140
under, +$110

Atlanta over 4.5, -$160
under, +$130

Carolina over 7.5, -$145
under, +$115

Chicago over 8, -$115
under, -$115

Dallas over 10.5, -$160
under, +130

Detroit over 6.5, -$140
under, +110

Packers over 8.5, +$120
under, -$150

Vikings over 8.5, even
under, -$130

Saints over 8.5, -$150
under, +$110

Giants over 8.5, -$140
under, -$110

Eagles over 8.5, -$150
under, +$120

Rams over 6.5, -$145
under, +$115

49ers over 6, -$155
under, +$125

Seattle over 8.5, -$155
under, +$125

Bucs over 8, even
under, -$130

Redskins over 7.5, -$125
under, -$105

Baltimore over 6, even
under, -$130

Buffalo over 7.5, -$180
under, +$150

Bengals over 7, -$145
under, +$115

Browns over 8, -$130
under, +$115

Broncos over 7.5, -$145
under, +115

Texans over 7.5, -$115
under, -$115

Colts over 11, +$135
under, -$165

Jaguars over 10, -$125
under, -$105

Chiefs over 5.5, -$145
under, +115

Miami over 5.5, --$135
under, -$105

Patriots over 12, -$130
under, even

Jets over 7.5, +$150
under, +$120

Raiders over 6, -$170
under, +$140

Steelers over 9, -$140
under, +$110

Chargers over 10.5, -$145
under, +$115

Titans over 8, -$115
under 8, -$115

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[pm530]

National Football League – Long Sheet

NFL
Pre-Season

Long Sheet

Note: Limited trends are listed. There may be updates prior to play date.

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Monday, August 18
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CLEVELAND (0 - 1) at NY GIANTS (0 - 1) - 8/18/2008, 8:00 PM
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.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Short Sheet

NFL
Pre-Season


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Short Sheet
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Monday, August 18th

Cleveland at NY Giants, 8:00 ET ESPN
Cleveland: 4-0 Over on Monday Night
NY Giants: 4-13 ATS as home favorite

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[pm530]

National Football League – Write up

NFL
Write-up

Monday, August 18

I'm not a big fan of investing in summer games, especially early in preseason. But people have asked for some insight so here goes, as little as it is............

-- Giants will get rousing welcome in their first home game since winning Super Bowl; they play Jets in just five days, so unsure how much they're going to play what guys. Browns better get used to bright lights; they have five primetime games in regular season. Edge at backup QB goes to Quinn over Carr/Wright. Giants had the least practice days (19) before breaking camp in their last thirteen training camps, and weather here was awful.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Write up

MLB
Write-up


Monday, August 18

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Hot Pitchers
-- Maine is 2-0, 2.20 in his last three starts. Pirates are 8-3 when Maholm starts at home.
-- Astros are 4-0 in Wolf starts (2-2, 4.03). Sabathia is 7-0, 1.83 in eight starts as a Brewer.

-- Guthrie is 4-0, 1.23 in his last four starts. Red Sox won six of last seven Lester starts (5-1, 2.77).
-- Rays are 8-2 in last ten Sonnanstine home starts. Angels are 4-1 in last five Garland starts, scoring 35 runs.
-- Twins won eight of last ten Blackburn home starts.
-- White Sox won eight of last nine Buehrle home starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Campillo is 1-1, 7.94 in his last two starts. Zito is 1-3, 6.46 in his last four starts.

-- Rogers is 0-4, 8.06 in his last four starts. Rangers lost the last four Feldman starts (0-2, 9.86).
-- Oakland lost last six Duchscherer starts (0-3, 4.74).
-- Washburn is 0-1, 3.94 in his last five starts.

Hot Teams
-- Mets won their last six games, outscoring weak foes 38-11.
-- Brewers won nine of their last twelve games. Astros won last nine of their last eleven games.

-- Red Sox won four of their last six games. Orioles won four of last five games, scoring 47 runs.
-- Angels are 10-5 in their last fifteen road games. Rays won nine of their last twelve games.
-- Twins won eight of their last ten games.
-- White Sox won six of their last eight games.

Cold Teams
-- Pirates lost eleven of their last fifteen games.
-- Braves lost twelve of last fifteen home games. Giants lost 13 of their last 19 road games.

-- Tigers are 5-12 in their last seventeen games. Rangers lost nine of their last eleven games.
-- Oakland is 5-24 in its last 29 games.
-- Mariners lost seven of their last eight games.

Totals
-- Five of last six Maine starts went over the total.
-- Under is 9-3 in last twelve San Francisco road games.
-- Over is 12-5 in Houston's last seventeen games.

-- Three of last four Guthrie home starts went over the total.
-- Three of last four Garland starts went over the total.
-- Four of last five Rogers starts stayed under the total.
-- Under is 13-6 in Oakland's last nineteen games.
-- Under is 8-2 in Washburn's road starts.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Streaking Pitchers

MLB

Monday, August 18

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Streaking Starting Pitchers
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Monday’s streaking and slumping pitchers

Streaking

CC Sabathia, Milwaukee Brewers (7-0, 1.55)

Sabathia is undefeated since joining the Brew Crew last month and is 3-0 with a remarkable 1.11 ERA in his last three starts.

Sabathia, who leads the majors with 184 strikeouts, has relinquished just three earned runs and no HRs in his last four starts. He also has 26 Ks against four walks in that span.

The Brewers are 4-0 in their last four home contests and are 9-2 in their last 11 overall.


Andy Sonnanstine, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (12-6, 4.35)

Sonnanstine is 2-0 with a solid 2.33 ERA in his last three starts and has not relinquished more than two earned runs in each of those starts.

He has just three losses in his last 10 and is 3-1 in his last four home starts. He has relinquished just five HRs and walked just 11 in his last 10 overall.

The Devil Rays are 5-1 in Sonnanstine's last six home starts and are 5-1 in their last six at home against the Los Angeles Angels.



Slumping

Kenny Rogers, Detroit Tigers (8-10, 5.01)

In his last three starts, Rogers has surrendered 14 earned runs in 16.2 IP. He is 0-3 in that period with a shaky a 7.56 ERA.

In a recent road loss to the Devil Rays, Rogers relinquished seven ERs in 3.1 IP. He has also conceded four HRs in his last five outside Comerica Park.

The Tigers are 0-4 in Rogers' last four overall and are 0-4 in his last four starts against the AL West.

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Trend Sheet

MLB


Monday, August 18

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Trend Sheet
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12:35 PM NY METS vs. PITTSBURGH
NY Mets are 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Mets's last 9 games
Pittsburgh is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Pittsburgh's last 12 games when playing NY Mets


4:35 PM SAN FRANCISCO vs. ATLANTA
San Francisco is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Atlanta's last 17 games at home


7:05 PM BOSTON vs. BALTIMORE
Boston is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Baltimore
Baltimore is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Baltimore's last 8 games


7:10 PM LA ANGELS vs. TAMPA BAY
LA Angels are 16-7 SU in their last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Angels's last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Tampa Bay is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Angels


8:05 PM DETROIT vs. TEXAS
Detroit is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Texas
Texas is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Detroit
Texas is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit


8:05 PM HOUSTON vs. MILWAUKEE
Houston is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Houston is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
Milwaukee is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing Houston


8:10 PM OAKLAND vs. MINNESOTA
Oakland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Oakland's last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games at home


8:11 PM SEATTLE vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Seattle is 6-15 SU in their last 21 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
Chi White Sox are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games at home

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[pm530]

Baseball Today

MLB


Monday, August 18

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Baseball Today
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SCOREBOARD

Monday, Aug. 18

Los Angeles at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EDT). John Garland (11-7, 4.26 ERA) pitches against Andy Sonnanstine (12-6, 4.35) in a matchup of the teams with the two best records in the American League.


STARS

Sunday

- Melvin Mora, Orioles, had two homers and two doubles among his five hits and drove in a career-high six runs to pace a 22-hit attack in a 16-8 win over Detroit.

- Alex Rios, Blue Jays, went 5-for-6 and matched a club record with four doubles and Toronto knocked Boston ace Josh Beckett out after 2 1-3 innings in a 15-4 victory over the Red Sox.

- Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, went 3-for-3 with a three run homer and five RBIs in a 15-6 drubbing of Kansas City.

- Johan Santana, Mets, pitched a three-hitter for his fifth career shutout and streaking New York beat Pittsburgh 4-0.

- Roy Oswalt, Astros, gave up one single in eight shutout innings, striking out 10 to help Houston beat Arizona 3-0.

- Andre Ethier, Dodgers, hit his second homer of the game in the ninth inning and Los Angeles recovered to beat Milwaukee 7-5 moments after blowing a four-run lead.


AL EAST HIT PARADE

Three AL East teams scored at least 15 runs. Melvin Mora and Luke Scott hit two home runs apiece to pace a 22-hit attack as the Orioles routed the Tigers 16-8. It was the most hits in a game for Baltimore since they had 22 on July 22, 2006, at Tampa Bay. Their 16 runs and 12 extra-base hits were season highs. ... Jason Giambi hit a grand slam, Alex Rodriguez sent a three-run homer bouncing into Monument Park and the Yankees battered the Royals 15-6. ... Alex Rios went 5-for-6 and matched a club record with four doubles and the Blue Jays beat up on Boston ace Josh Beckett in a 15-4 win over the Red Sox. Toronto scored in all but two innings and equaled its season-high with 22 hits, the most Boston pitchers have given up this year.


RESTED

A little rest was all that Edinson Volquez needed. A revived Volquez pitched seven shutout innings, leading the Reds to a 7-3 victory that ended the Cardinals' four-game winning streak. The 25-year-old pitcher looked run-down after he made his first All-Star appearance in July. In his next four starts, he gave up nearly a run per inning. Manager Dusty Baker gave him two extra days of rest before his last start, and it fixed the problem. Volquez was back in form last Tuesday at Pittsburgh, giving up only one run. He threw 96 mph fastballs and was nearly unhittable at the outset Sunday, allowing only one ball out of the infield in the first four innings.


WELCOME BACK

Ryan Braun returned to the starting lineup for Milwaukee and hit a tying home run with two outs in the top of the ninth off the Dodgers' Chan Ho Park, who slammed his glove to the ground when the ball cleared the fence. Braun, who leads the Brewers with a .301 average, 31 homers and 86 RBIs, was 2-for-4 in his return to the starting lineup. He missed six games because of tightness in his lower back, then entered Saturday night's game as a pinch hitter and doubled in two at-bats as the Brewers won 4-3 in 10 innings.


AILING

Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew left the game against the Blue Jays after three innings due to tightness in his lower back. Drew, who walked in his only at-bat and was doubled off second on Alex Cora's line drive to center field, has been slumping. He entered the game with just six hits in his last 31 at-bats. ... The Tigers placed reliever Todd Jones on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right shoulder, two days after he came off the DL and gave up five unearned runs. ... Pirates left fielder Brandon Moss left the game against the Mets after spraining his left ankle while batting against Johan Santana. Tests on the ankle were negative, and Pittsburgh manager John Russell said Moss will be further evaluated Monday. ... Mets closer Billy Wagner was examined by a team doctor in New York. He has stiffness in his pitching elbow and will be re-evaluated Tuesday after a day of rest.


WILD CHILD

Mariners knuckleballer R.A. Dickey tied a major league record by throwing four wild pitches in an inning against the Twins. Mariners catcher Kenji Johjima also was charged with a passed ball on another errant pitch in the fifth. The Twins scored on two of Dickey's wild pitches. In and out of the rotation this season, Dickey has thrown 11 wild pitches in 97 innings. Dickey became the fifth major league pitcher to throw four wild pitches in an inning. Philadelphia's Ryan Madson was the last to do it, in 2006.


STAY AWAY, FAY

After a 10-game road trip, the Tampa Bay Rays may be heading home to a hurricane. Tropical Storm Fay, which could gain momentum Monday and reach hurricane force after passing over Cuba, is expected to make landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast Tuesday. The Rays wrapped up their road trip Sunday night against the Texas Rangers with a 7-4 win, and are scheduled to begin a three-game homestand on Monday night, all against the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels flew to the Tampa Bay area after Sunday's game in Cleveland. "We're in communication with the Angels,'' Rays president Matt Silverman said. "We hope to get at least two games in this week.'' The Rays have made contingency plans with officials of St. Petersburg, where Tampa Bay plays at the Tropicana Dome.


SAVED

Minnesota's Joe Nathan earned his 33rd save with four pressure-filled outs against the free-swinging Seattle Mariners in an 11-8 victory. Nathan faced bases loaded in the eighth and the ninth, and the Twins survived. He got Ichiro Suzuki to ground out to end the game. In the eighth, the right-hander struck out Adrian Beltre to end that threat.


LOST CAUSE

After the Nationals lost their 10th straight game, manager Manny Acta had a few things to say to his team. Enjoy a barbeque, spend time with your family. These were some of his suggestions on getting the Nationals back to a winning mind-set after Washington's 7-2 loss to the Rockies. At a postgame meeting, Acta reacted to the freefall reaching double digits not by chewing out his struggling players, but by imploring them to focus on family, barbecues and relaxation, anything but baseball, on Monday's scheduled off day. It's the longest skid for the Nationals since they moved to Washington before the 2005 season, and the franchise's worst since the Montreal Expos dropped 11 games in a row from June 23-July 4, 1991.


TRADED

The Mets found help for their struggling bullpen, acquiring durable right-hander Luis Ayala from the Nationals for a player to be named. A reliable reliever for the first four years of his career, Ayala has dipped to 1-8 with a 5.77 ERA this season. He's appeared in 62 games, which ranks among the major league leaders. In return, New York is expected to send minor leaguer Anderson Hernandez to Washington once he clears waivers. A smooth-fielding middle infielder, Hernandez has a .138 career average in 87 big league at-bats.


HONORED

The Astros retired Craig Biggio's No. 7 before their game against Arizona, and the seven-time All-Star waved to fans and touched his heart during a lively ceremony. Dressed in a blue suit, Biggio hopped out of the dugout and walked across a red carpet toward a podium set up at home plate. He was flanked on both sides by about two dozen family members and friends, including ex-teammates Jeff Bagwell, Brad Ausmus, Bill Doran and the widow of Ken Caminiti, Biggio's teammate from 1989-94 and 1999-2000.


SPEAKING

"Wow! I grew a beard there in that game.'' Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire after closer Joe Nathan got out of bases-loaded situations in the eighth and ninth to help the Twins beat the Mariners 11-8 for a three-game sweep.


SEASONS

Aug. 18

1915 - Boston opened Braves Field with a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

1956 - The Cincinnati Reds hit eight home runs and the Milwaukee Braves added two to set a National League record for home runs by two clubs in a nine-inning night game. Bob Thurman's three homers and double led the Reds in the 13-4 rout.

1960 - Lew Burdette of the Milwaukee Braves pitched a no-hitter, beating the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0. Burdette faced the minimum 27 batters. Tony Gonzalez reached first in the fifth after being hit by a pitch and was wiped out in a double play.

1965 - Hank Aaron of Milwaukee hit Curt Simmons' pitch on top of the pavilion roof at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis for an apparent home run. However, umpire Chris Pelekoudas called him out for being out of the batter's box when he connected. Nevertheless, the Braves won the game 5-3.

1982 - The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in a 21-inning game played over two days. It was the second longest game in Cubs history.

1982 - Pete Rose of the Philadelphia Phillies made his 13,941st plate appearance in a 5-3 triumph over the Houston Astros to move into first place on the career list ahead of Hank Aaron.

1995 - Tom Henke became the seventh pitcher to reach 300 career saves, surviving a rally by the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning of the St. Louis Cardinals' 4-3 victory.

2000 - Darin Erstad of Anaheim made a spectacular, game-saving catch in the 10th inning and followed it with a homer in the 11th as the Angels defeated the New York Yankees 9-8.

2006 - Alfonso Soriano became the third player in major league history to have at least four seasons of 30 homers and 30 stolen bases, and the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4.

2006 - Jered Weaver joined Whitey Ford as the only rookies in AL history to win their first nine decisions, holding Seattle to three singles over seven innings in the Los Angeles Angels' 3-0 victory. Weaver is just the fifth pitcher in major league history to begin his career 9-0 as a starter.

2007 - Micah Owings went 4-for-5, including a pair of mammoth homers, drove in six runs and scored four times while pitching three-hit ball through seven innings as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 12-6. Owings' 11 total bases were the most for a pitcher since Jim Tobin of the Boston Braves had 12 when he homered three times on May 13, 1942.

Tuesday's birthday: Josh Rupe 26.

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[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel


Boston at Baltimore
The Red Sox try to shake off yesterday's blowout loss to Toronto, but run into a Baltimore team that is 8-4 at home behind starter Jeremy Guthrie. The Orioles are the underdog pick (+115) according to Dunkel, which has the Orioles favored straight up by 1. Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+115). Here are all of today's games.

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

Game 951-952: NY Mets at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Maine) 14.442; Pittsburgh (Maholm) 14.525
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-140); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+130); Under

Game 953-954: San Francisco at Atlanta
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Zito) 12.996; Atlanta (Campillo) 14.667
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-185); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta(-185); Under

Game 955-956: Houston at Milwaukee
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Wolf) 15.171; Milwaukee (Sabathia) 15.947
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-270); 8
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-270); Under

Game 957-958: Boston at Baltimore
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 15.272; Baltimore (Guthrie) 16.487
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Boston (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+115); Under

Game 959-960: LA Angels at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Garland) 17.387; Tampa Bay (Sonnanstine) 15.883
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-130); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+120); Under

Game 961-962: Detroit at Texas
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Rogers) 14.541; Texas (Feldman) 15.789
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: Detroit (-115); 11 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+105); Under

Game 963-964: Oakland at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Duchscherer) 14.822; Minnesota (Blackburn) 15.764
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-135); 8
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-135); Over

Game 965-966: Seattle at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Washburn) 14.976; White Sox (Buehrle) 16.734
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-210); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-210); Over

[Udog]

MLB
Long Sheet


Monday, August 18


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NY METS (68 - 56) at PITTSBURGH (55 - 69) - 12:35 PM
JOHN MAINE (R) vs. PAUL MAHOLM (L)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 10-17 (-11.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 33-35 (+8.1 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
PITTSBURGH is 239-252 (+30.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
MAHOLM is 9-3 (+7.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 4-2 (+0.4 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

JOHN MAINE vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
MAINE is 2-2 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 3.57 and a WHIP of 1.279.
His team's record is 2-2 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-1. (+1.8 units)

PAUL MAHOLM vs. NY METS since 1997
MAHOLM is 3-1 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.16 and a WHIP of 1.280.
His team's record is 3-1 (+4.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

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SAN FRANCISCO (52 - 71) at ATLANTA (56 - 68) - 4:35 PM
BARRY ZITO (L) vs. JORGE CAMPILLO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 123-162 (-31.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 15-30 (-14.8 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 123-162 (-31.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ZITO is 3-16 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 123-70 (+52.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Monday since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 359-343 (+44.7 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
ZITO is 5-0 (+7.9 Units) against the money line in road games after a win this season. (Team's Record)
ATLANTA is 56-68 (-20.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 118-108 (-23.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 55-66 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 16-23 (-13.4 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 31-36 (-9.6 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ATLANTA is 26-30 (-9.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 4-2 (+2.0 Units) against ATLANTA this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.6 Units)

BARRY ZITO vs. ATLANTA since 1997
ZITO is 1-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.417.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.2 units)

JORGE CAMPILLO vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
No recent starts.

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HOUSTON (63 - 61) at MILWAUKEE (71 - 54) - 8:05 PM
RANDY WOLF (L) vs. CC SABATHIA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 71-54 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 70-52 (+11.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 63-61 (+8.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 13-4 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
HOUSTON is 61-60 (+6.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 47-42 (+7.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
HOUSTON is 34-28 (+9.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
HOUSTON is 34-30 (+9.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 6-6 (+1.0 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
7 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)

RANDY WOLF vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
WOLF is 5-3 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 4.00 and a WHIP of 1.289.
His team's record is 12-3 (+9.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-10. (-6.0 units)

CC SABATHIA vs. HOUSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

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BOSTON (71 - 53) at BALTIMORE (60 - 63) - 7:05 PM
JON LESTER (L) vs. JEREMY GUTHRIE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 7-14 (-9.0 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 this season.
BOSTON is 27-34 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
BOSTON is 6-15 (-10.3 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents this season.
BOSTON is 20-30 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 60-63 (+5.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 55-53 (+9.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 49-36 (+21.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BOSTON is 70-41 (+17.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 39-13 (+23.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
LESTER is 13-2 (+11.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 25-8 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 21-7 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 15-2 (+13.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 27-10 (+17.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BALTIMORE is 5-14 (-11.9 Units) against the money line in home games in August games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 164-217 (-65.0 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 49-80 (-34.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 88-152 (-40.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 5-7 (+0.6 Units) against BOSTON this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)

JON LESTER vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
LESTER is 4-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.25 and a WHIP of 1.444.
His team's record is 5-1 (+3.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.1 units)

JEREMY GUTHRIE vs. BOSTON since 1997
GUTHRIE is 1-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 3.53 and a WHIP of 1.598.
His team's record is 2-4 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-1. (+2.9 units)

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LA ANGELS (76 - 46) at TAMPA BAY (75 - 48) - 7:10 PM
JON GARLAND (R) vs. ANDY SONNANSTINE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 75-48 (+22.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 45-17 (+23.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 27-18 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 45-18 (+21.9 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome this season.
TAMPA BAY is 47-33 (+12.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 49-20 (+24.5 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
TAMPA BAY is 55-30 (+21.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TAMPA BAY is 30-14 (+11.5 Units) against the money line in home games after a win this season.
TAMPA BAY is 37-21 (+15.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SONNANSTINE is 16-8 (+7.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 76-46 (+21.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 35-14 (+18.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 39-23 (+17.5 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA ANGELS are 16-6 (+10.9 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 52-36 (+8.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA ANGELS are 53-36 (+10.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 30-15 (+13.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
LA ANGELS are 38-19 (+18.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LA ANGELS are 17-6 (+12.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
GARLAND is 13-5 (+9.9 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
TAMPA BAY is 4-2 (+2.4 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.7 Units)

JON GARLAND vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
GARLAND is 5-1 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.03 and a WHIP of 1.171.
His team's record is 6-4 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-1. (+6.8 units)

ANDY SONNANSTINE vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
SONNANSTINE is 0-1 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.500.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

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DETROIT (60 - 64) at TEXAS (62 - 63) - 8:05 PM
KENNY ROGERS (L) vs. SCOTT FELDMAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 60-64 (-16.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
DETROIT is 82-128 (-37.0 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
DETROIT is 5-11 (-9.3 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
DETROIT is 57-54 (-9.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
DETROIT is 37-50 (-21.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
DETROIT is 29-34 (-11.1 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
TEXAS is 62-63 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TEXAS is 40-22 (+14.6 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 over the last 3 seasons.
TEXAS is 79-62 (+18.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 56-57 (+8.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 46-45 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TEXAS is 36-27 (+14.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ROGERS is 197-148 (+36.0 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ROGERS is 173-127 (+36.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against TEXAS this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

KENNY ROGERS vs. TEXAS since 1997
ROGERS is 5-2 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.23 and a WHIP of 1.551.
His team's record is 9-4 (+5.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-11. (-10.3 units)

SCOTT FELDMAN vs. DETROIT since 1997
No recent starts.

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OAKLAND (56 - 67) at MINNESOTA (70 - 53) - 8:10 PM
JUSTIN DUCHSCHERER (R) vs. NICK BLACKBURN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 56-67 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 89-109 (-27.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 8-22 (-14.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
MINNESOTA is 70-53 (+20.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 44-22 (+21.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 44-22 (+21.4 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome this season.
MINNESOTA is 49-34 (+18.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
MINNESOTA is 44-22 (+21.4 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
MINNESOTA is 48-38 (+12.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MINNESOTA is 41-28 (+13.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
MINNESOTA is 37-27 (+11.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
OAKLAND is 200-127 (+62.2 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 2-1 (+0.5 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

JUSTIN DUCHSCHERER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
No recent starts.

NICK BLACKBURN vs. OAKLAND since 1997
No recent starts.

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SEATTLE (46 - 77) at CHI WHITE SOX (70 - 53) - 8:11 PM
JARROD WASHBURN (L) vs. MARK BUEHRLE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 46-77 (-31.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 13-32 (-17.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
SEATTLE is 41-70 (-30.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SEATTLE is 32-52 (-20.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SEATTLE is 12-24 (-12.3 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
SEATTLE is 0-10 (-11.5 Units) against the money line after allowing 10 runs or more this season.
SEATTLE is 29-47 (-17.7 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
SEATTLE is 17-33 (-14.5 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
WASHBURN is 3-17 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
WASHBURN is 11-23 (-13.2 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WASHBURN is 6-17 (-10.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
CHI WHITE SOX are 70-53 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 42-19 (+17.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 66-40 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 25-15 (+8.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 43-27 (+13.9 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 41-24 (+15.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BUEHRLE is 16-1 (+14.0 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -175 to -200 since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 2-1 (+0.9 Units) against SEATTLE this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

JARROD WASHBURN vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
WASHBURN is 6-7 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 4.30 and a WHIP of 1.216.
His team's record is 9-9 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-11. (-5.5 units)

MARK BUEHRLE vs. SEATTLE since 1997
BUEHRLE is 6-3 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.84 and a WHIP of 1.255.
His team's record is 8-4 (+4.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-6. (-0.9 units)

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball – Hot lines

MLB


Monday, August 18

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Hot lines: Today’s MLB bets
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Oakland Athletics at Minnesota Twins (-128, 8)

Twins hurler Nick Blackburn has been phenomenal in the Metrodome this season (6-2, 2.90) and will try to extend Minnesota’s four-game win streak as they sit atop the Central with the White Sox. While A’s starter Justin Duchscherer (10-8, 2.59) might be the biggest pitching surprise in MLB, the 30 year-old career reliever is starting to show signs of wearing down with a 4.15 ERA in three August starts. Unfortunately for Duchscherer, after Billy Beane purged the staff manager Bob Geren has been forced to keep him on the mound longer than he’d like (last five starts: 525 pitches). Throw in the Oakland bats that are the worst in the AL (.243) and probably not too excited about traveling to Minnesota after getting hammered by Chicago, and it's hard to see Oakland cooling off the Twinkies.

Pick: Twins



Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles (+110, 8 1/2)

The Orioles have been crushing the ball (last seven games: .343, 60 runs) and have been getting an All-Star performance from Jeremy Guthrie (3.18, 10-8) for well over a month. He has allowed one earned run or fewer in six of his last nine starts. As for the Red Sox, their pitching staff is beat-up (last six games: 6.50 ERA) and might be pressing a little after losing Saturday and Sunday. While Jon Lester’s been the most consistent of Boston’s starters (11-4, 3.25), Cal Ripken’s old squad has looked awfully comfortable against him in his three starts (.275). Especially returning to Camden Yards where they have been better than advertised this season (31-24, .282 average. Look for the pressure-free Orioles to continue to thrive on playing the spoiler role.

Pick: Orioles

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[pm530]

Major League Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB


Monday, August 18

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Tips and Trends
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Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay Rays [7:10 PM ET]

Angels: Jon Garland will be looking to win his third straight road start and help his rebound after losing a series for the first time since the end of May. Garland has enjoyed a lot of success on the road this season with a 7-2 mark despite a 4.57 ERA in 10 starts. He has also done very well against the Rays during his career, going 5-1 with a 3.03 ERA. Garland walked away with a no-decision in his last start at Tampa Bay back on May 9 despite pitching eight scoreless innings in an eventual 2-0 loss.

Angels are 7-2 in their last 9 games following a loss.
The OVER is 6-2 in LA's last 8 games vs. AL East.

Key Injuries - 3B Maicer Izturis (.269; thumb) is OUT for the season.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side Play of the Day)

Rays (-125, O/U 9): Andy Sonnanstine has bounced back nicely following a personal three-game losing streak, going 2-0 in his last three outings after allowing two runs or less each time. He made two starts in the team's recently completed road trip, giving up three runs and 11 hits in 13.1 innings with one walk and 10 strikeouts. Sonnanstine has been solid at home this year with a 6-3 mark and 4.46 ERA in 12 starts.

Rays are 41-10 in their last 51 home games.
The UNDER is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.

Key Injuries - 3B Evan Longoria (.278; wrist) is on the 15-day DL.
OF Carl Crawford (.273; hand) is OUT for the season.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4



Houston Astros at Milwaukee Brewers [ESPN2 | 8:05 PM ET]

Astros: Randy Wolf is 2-0 in four starts since joining Houston with a 3.63 ERA. Wolf was roughed up in a previous trip to Milwaukee on July 27, surrendering four runs and seven hits in 4.1 innings. However, the Astros scored seven runs in the fifth inning of that game to win 11-6. He is 1-6 in 12 road starts with an inflated 6.54 ERA but owns a 5-3 career mark against the Brewers.

Astros are 16-5 in their last 21 games overall.
Astros are 3-11 in the last 14 meetings at Milwaukee.

Key Injuries - OF Carlos Lee (.314; finger) is on the 15-day DL.
2B Kaz Matsui (.285; back) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3

Brewers (-280, O/U 7.5): Outside of a no-decision against the Cubs at home back on July 28, CC Sabathia has been outstanding. Sabathia has allowed two earned runs or less in seven of his eight starts with Milwaukee, going 7-0 with a stellar 1.55 ERA. He will need to deal with a Houston lineup that he has never faced, which has scored an NL-high 70 runs in the last 11 games. Sabathia has won 10 straight decisions.

Brewers are 9-3 in their last 12 games on grass.
The OVER is 7-2-1 in Milwaukee's last 10 home games.

Key Injuries - OF Ryan Braun (.301; back) has returned.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4



Detroit Tigers at Texas Rangers [8:05 PM ET]

Tigers: Kenny Rogers will be trying to end a personal four-game losing streak when he visits his former team. Rogers is 6-3 lifetime vs. Texas with a 4.24 ERA, but he has struggled a bit on the road this season with a 5-6 mark and 5.40 ERA. He has dropped his last two starts at home after going 2-2 in his previous four outings - all away from home. Rogers escaped a loss the last time he faced the Rangers after giving up six runs and nine hits in just 3.1 innings back on April 23, as the Tigers erupted for 11 runs in the fifth inning of a 19-6 win.

Tigers are 3-7 in Rogers' last 10 road starts.
The UNDER is 6-2 in Rogers' last 8 road starts.

Key Injuries - OF Magglio Ordonez (.317; rest) is expected to return.
1B Carlos Guillen (.284; rest) is expected to return.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4 (UNDER - Total Play of the Day)

Rangers (-115, O/U 12): Scott Feldman hopes to rebound from an unforgettable performance last time out at Boston. Feldman surrendered 12 runs and 10 hits in only 2.2 innings of an eventual 19-17 loss last Tuesday, the fourth setback in his last four starts for the Rangers. He has pitched slightly better at home this season, going 1-2 with seven no-decisions in 10 starts with a 4.57 ERA. This will be his first career start vs. Detroit.

Rangers are 2-6 in the last 8 meetings at Texas.
The UNDER is 7-2-2 in the last 11 meetings at Texas.

Key Injuries - OF Milton Bradley (.317; illness) is day-to-day.

PROJECTED SCORE: 5

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