Wednesday Trends and Indexes 4/29 (NBA, MLB, Misc.)

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MLB


Wednesday, April 29

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Trend Sheet
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12:35 PM
LA ANGELS vs. BALTIMORE
LA Angels are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing Baltimore
LA Angels are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games on the road
Baltimore is 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Baltimore is 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing LA Angels

1:05 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. MILWAUKEE
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Pittsburgh is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Milwaukee is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh

1:10 PM
FLORIDA vs. NY METS
Florida is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing NY Mets
Florida is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
NY Mets are 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Florida
NY Mets are 3-6 SU in its last 9 games

2:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Seattle is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Seattle is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games
Chi White Sox are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Seattle

3:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. COLORADO
San Diego is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
San Diego is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Colorado is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
Colorado is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games

3:40 PM
CHI CUBS vs. ARIZONA
Chi Cubs are 3-11 SU in their last 14 games when playing on the road against Arizona
Chi Cubs are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games
Arizona is 11-3 SU in their last 14 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

7:05 PM
NY YANKEES vs. DETROIT
NY Yankees are 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing on the road against Detroit
NY Yankees are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games at home
Detroit is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games when playing NY Yankees

7:05 PM
WASHINGTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Washington is 1-18 SU in its last 19 games on the road
Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Washington

7:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. CINCINNATI
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
Houston is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games when playing Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
Cincinnati is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

7:10 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. ATLANTA
St. Louis is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
St. Louis is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

8:05 PM
BOSTON vs. CLEVELAND
Boston is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
Cleveland is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing Boston

8:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. TEXAS
Oakland is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Oakland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Texas is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Oakland
Texas is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games when playing Oakland

8:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. MINNESOTA
Tampa Bay is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Tampa Bay is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Minnesota is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

8:10 PM
TORONTO vs. KANSAS CITY
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Kansas City
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Kansas City
Kansas City is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
Kansas City is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

10:15 PM
LA DODGERS vs. SAN FRANCISCO
LA Dodgers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games on the road
LA Dodgers are 12-4 SU in their last 16 games
San Francisco is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
San Francisco is 8-17 SU in their last 25 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

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[pm530]

MLB


Wednesday, April 29

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Tips and Trends
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New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers [ESPN | 7:05 PM ET]

Yankees (-135, O/U 9): Joba Chamberlain (0-0, 3.94 ERA) is in his third season with New York - and first as a full-time starter. He excelled in the bullpen last year before the Yankees opted to move the 23-year-old into the rotation in June. In 12 starts last season, Chamberlain went 3-1 with a 2.76 ERA. He's struggled a bit with his control in three outings this year, with 10 walks in 16 innings. Chamberlain has never started against the Tigers. He has thrown four scoreless innings of relief against them, yielding one hit.

The Yankees are 8-3 in Chamberlain's last 11 starts as a favorite.

Key Injuries - 3B Alex Rodriguez (hip) is on the 15-day DL.
OF Xavier Nady (elbow) is on the 15-day DL.
3B Cody Ransom (hamstring) is on the 60-day DL.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4

Tigers: After losing his major league debut April 9, Rick Porcello limited Seattle to 1 run in 7 innings 10 days later to win 8-2. He gave up 5 runs over 6 innings Friday in a 6-1 loss at Kansas City. "I was tickled to death with Porcello," manager Jim Leyland said about the loss to the Royals. "In a lot of ways, I was happier with him tonight than I was when he got the win in Seattle. He found out the value of using his pitches and used them much more effectively tonight as the game went on." These two starters faced each other in a spring training game March 21. Chamberlain allowed 1 run and 4 hits over 3 1-3 innings while Porcello yielded 2 runs and 4 hits in 2 1-3.

The Tigers are 6-17 in their last 23 vs. a team with a losing record.

Key Injuries - NONE

PROJECTED SCORE: 6 (Side Play of the Day)

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[pm530]

MLB


Wednesday, April 29

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Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
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Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals (-142, 7.5)

Zack Greinke finally gave up a run, but that hardly seems cause for concern.

Coming off consecutive complete-game efforts, the Kansas City right-hander looks to become the major leagues' first five-game winner Wednesday night when the Royals continue a four-game home set with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Greinke (4-0, 0.00 ERA) continued his dominance that began late last season after giving up an unearned run and three hits while striking out 10 for the second straight contest in a 6-1 win over Detroit at home on Friday. The 25-year-old pitched a seven-hitter in a 2-0 victory at Texas on April 18 in his previous start.

"When Greinke pitches, the Royals are as good as any team in baseball," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

The Tigers' unearned run in the fifth inning snapped Greinke's scoreless innings streak at 38 dating to last season, but he still leads the majors in ERA and is among the leaders with 36 strikeouts.

"It's fun to watch Zack on the mound,'' teammate Mark Teahen said. "I'm just glad he's on our team."

Greinke, who won a career-high 13 games in 2008, could face a bit of a challenge, though, against the AL East-leading Blue Jays (15-7), whose 133 runs are the most in the majors.

He is 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA in five starts against Toronto, which bounced back from a 7-1 series-opening loss by winning 8-1 on Tuesday.

Pick: Kansas City -142



Washington Nationals at Philadelphia Phillies (-174, 10.5)

Giving up home runs has proved Brett Myers' biggest weakness as a starter. The Philadelphia Phillies' pitcher hasn't had that problem against the Washington Nationals.

With Myers slated to start Wednesday night, Philadelphia searches for its sixth straight win and sixth in a row at home over the woeful Nationals, who are off to their worst start in the franchise's 41 seasons.

Of the 26 hits the Phillies starter has given up this season, a major league-worst eight have been homers. That has contributed to Philadelphia's league-leading total of 40 allowed with at least one in a record 16 consecutive games to begin 2009.

"You could name a million factors," pitching coach Rich Dubee told the team's official Web site. "Trying to do too much. Trying to make too good of a pitch."

After saving 21 games in 2007 while allowing nine round-trippers, Myers was among the league leaders in home runs allowed last season with 29. But against Washington, he hasn't given up a long ball since Aug. 29, 2006, a span covering 14 appearances and five starts.

Myers has conceded just one run in his last two starts versus the Nationals and recorded his third career shutout in an Aug. 20 victory.

Luckily for Myers and the Phillies staff, their offense been clicking of late. Chase Utley homered twice and Raul Ibanez went deep for the second straight game in Tuesday's 7-1 victory.

Both players extended five-game hitting streaks for Philadelphia, which has scored 46 runs during its win streak.

Pick: Over 10.5

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[pm530]

MLB


Wednesday, April 29

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Zack Greinke (Kansas City Royals)

Coming off consecutive complete-game efforts, the Kansas City right-hander looks to become the major leagues' first five-game winner Wednesday night when the Royals continue a four-game home set with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Greinke (4-0, 0.00 ERA) continued his dominance that began late last season after giving up an unearned run and three hits while striking out 10 for the second straight contest in a 6-1 win over Detroit at home on Friday. The 25-year-old pitched a seven-hitter in a 2-0 victory at Texas on April 18 in his previous start.

"When Greinke pitches, the Royals are as good as any team in baseball," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Johan Santana (New York Mets)

Johan Santana will look to continue his nearly flawless start Wednesday afternoon, but he'll also be looking for revenge against the only team - and only pitcher - to beat him as the Mets and visiting Florida Marlins play the decisive finale of their three-game series.

New York's second through fifth starters have a combined 6.64 ERA in 16 outings - leaving Manuel to speculate about possible changes - but its ace has lived up to his billing. Santana (3-1, 0.70 ERA) has been the NL's best starting pitcher, yielding two earned runs in 25 2-3 innings while striking out 37.

Tim Lincecum (San Francisco Giants)

Lincecum has pitched every bit like an ace his last two times out, and he'll look to keep rolling Wednesday night as his San Francisco Giants play the decisive third game of their series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lincecum is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three games - two starts - against Los Angeles (14-7). He struck out 13 over seven innings in his lone start versus the Dodgers last season, yielding a run and four hits in a 3-1 home win Sept. 28.


Slumping

Shane Loux (Los Angeles Angels)

Shane Loux (0-2, 6.61 ERA) looks to rebound from his worst performance of the season for Los Angeles. The right-hander's ERA jumped nearly three full runs after he was reached for seven runs and 11 hits over four innings Friday in an 8-3 home loss to Seattle.

He made his only career appearance against the Orioles on Aug. 5, throwing two scoreless innings of relief in the Angels' 3-0 loss.

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[pm530]

MLB
Baseball Today


SCOREBOARD

Wednesday, April 29

Florida at New York Mets (1:10 p.m. EDT). Johan Santana will look for his fourth win of the season as he faces Josh Johnson. The Mets' ace is 3-1 with a miniscule 0.70 ERA.

STARS

Tuesday

— Chase Utley, Phillies, homered twice and drove in three runs to help Philadelphia rout Washington 7-1.

— Felix Hernandez, Mariners, coasted through eight scoreless innings, allowing four hits, a walk and striking out nine in Seattle’s 9-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

— Jorge Cantu, Marlins, hit two homers and drove in five runs as Florida ended a seven-game skid with a 7-4 victory over the New York Mets.

— Carlos Zambrano, Cubs, hit his 17th career homer, a club record for a pitcher, fell a triple shy of the cycle and pitched seven sharp innings to lead Chicago over Arizona 11-3

— Mark DeRosa, Indians, had four hits and scored from second base on an error with two outs in the ninth inning to help Cleveland snap Boston’s 11-game winning streak with a 9-8 victory.

— Phil Hughes, Yankees, went six innings in his first start and New York ended a four-game losing streak with an 11-0 victory over Detroit.

STATS

Cleveland was 1 of 15 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base, but won for only the second time in its last 11 games against the Red Sox, including Boston sweeping the final three games of the 2007 ALCS.

SCORING IN BUNCHES

The New York Yankees scored 10 runs in the seventh inning to snap a scoreless tie and beat the Tigers 11-0. It was the first time a team had broken up a scoreless tie after the sixth with a 10-run inning since the Cincinnati Reds scored 10 in the top of the 13th against the Brooklyn Dodgers on May 15, 1919, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

DOUBLE DUTY

Carlos Zambrano snapped out of an early-season hitting slump, falling just short of a cycle with a single, double, and his 17th career homer. Zambrano, a career .235 hitter, opened the season hitless in his first nine at-bats.

SEAT FILLER

The New York Yankees slashed prices on more than 40 percent of their front-row seats by up to 50 percent and announced many of those who bought tickets closest to the field for $325-$2,500 will be eligible for additional free seats. Those initiatives could help pack previously unfilled areas that were an eye sore on television broadcasts during the opening homestand at the $1.5 billion ballpark.

SWITCHING WINS

After further review, the Colorado Rockies’ official scorer changed the winner of Monday night’s game to reliever Glendon Rusch. Jason Grilli was originally credited with the win following the Rockies’ 12-7 victory over the San Diego Padres. But scorer Dave Einspahr switched around the winners Tuesday night after reviewing Rusch’s effectiveness in pitching out of a fourth-inning jam.

CLOSING TIME

Trevor Hoffman got his first save with the Brewers and 555th of his career one night after making his first appearance with Milwaukee.

STREAKING

Milwaukee has won 14 straight over Pittsburgh, the longest active streak by one team over another in the majors, and 17th in a row in Miller Park, where the Pirates haven’t won since May 3, 2007. … The Astros have won their last 11 games in Cincinnati, a streak that started late in the 2007 season and is the longest current run of dominance in the majors. Houston is 32-15-1 at the hitter-friendly ballpark that opened in 2003.

SPEAKING

“I thought we were not going to win again until the All-Star break. It felt like that.”—Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said after the Marlins ended a seven-game losing streak with a 7-4 win over the Mets.


SEASONS

April 29

1918 - Center fielder Tris Speaker executed the fourth unassisted double play of his career in the Cleveland Indians' 8-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

1922 - The New York Giants hit four inside-the-park home runs at Braves Field in Boston. George Kelly hit two and Ross Youngs and Dave Bancroft hit the others.

1931 - Wes Ferrell of the Cleveland Indians pitched a 7-0 no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns with his brother Rick in the lineup. Wes also knocked in four runs with a homer and a double.

1933 - In a strange play at home plate, catcher Luke Sewell of the Washington Senators tagged out two Yankees runners on the same play. Lou Gehrig had held up, thinking a fly ball would be caught. Dixie Walker closed up on him, and both were tagged out trying to score.

1981 - Steve Carlton struck out Montreal's Tim Wallach in the first inning of the Philadelphia Phillies' 6-2 victory over the visiting Expos to become the sixth major league pitcher - and first left-hander - to strike out 3,000 batters.

1986 - Roger Clemens set a major league record by striking out 20 batters as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Seattle Mariners 3-1.

1987 - Andre Dawson had five hits and hit for the cycle to lead the Chicago Cubs to an 8-4 victory the San Francisco Giants.

1988 - The Baltimore Orioles ended their 21-game losing streak by winning their first game of the season, 9-0 over the Chicago White Sox on a combined four-hitter by Mark Williamson and Dave Schmidt.

1994 - Kirk Rueter of Montreal became the first major league pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981 to start his career with a 10-0 record as the Expos beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2.

2001 - Geoff Jenkins homered twice, tying a major league record with five homers in two games to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 10-0 win over the Montreal Expos. Jenkins is the 22nd player to hit five in two games and the first NL player to do it in 10 years.

2005 - In the first matchup between 300-game winners in almost 18 years, the Cubs' Greg Maddux outdueled the Astros' Roger Clemens in Chicago's 3-2 win over Houston. Maddux earned his first win of season and 306th of his career, allowing two runs on seven hits over six innings.

2006 - Albert Pujols set a major league record with his 14th homer in April, a tiebreaking shot in the eighth inning that sent St. Louis to a 2-1 victory over Washington. Pujols broke the mark for homers in April held by Ken Griffey Jr. (1997) and Luis Gonzalez (2001).

2007 - Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki had an unassisted triple play in the seventh inning of the Rockies' 9-7 win over Atlanta. After Kelly Johnson and Edgar Renteria reached on singles, Tulowitzki caught Chipper Jones' line drive behind second base. Tulowitzki stepped on the bag to double up Johnson and tagged Renteria for the third out. It was the 13th unassisted triple play in major league history and the first since 2003.

Today's birthdays: Kelly Shoppach 29; Rafael Betancourt 34; Luis Aparicio 75.

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