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MLB
Sunday, May 17
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Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
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Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees (-173, 10)
Mark Teixeira had a splendid first turn as the New York Yankees' designated hitter. He'll look for a encore Sunday while trying to continue his success against the Minnesota Twins.
The Yankees will also try for a season-high fifth straight win when they continue a four-game series with the visiting Twins.
After getting bumped on his left wrist during a play at first base Friday night, Teixeira was put at DH only after New York manager Joe Girardi made sure Alex Rodriguez could also play third. He missed three games earlier this season with an injury to the same wrist.
Teixeira responded with his best game for the Yankees (19-17), going 4-for-4 in Saturday's 6-4 victory in 11 innings. He finished a triple shy of the cycle and accounted for all of New York's runs in regulation with a season-high four RBIs, hitting a three-run homer in the third and a tying single in the eighth.
"I was just getting good pitches to hit," Teixeira said. "I got four good pitches to hit and I didn't miss them."
That set up Rodriguez to play the role of hero with a two-run homer in the 11th. It was the first hit at the new Yankee Stadium for the third baseman, who was playing in his second home game of the season following hip surgery and admission of performance-enhancing drug use.
"For me, I gave (the media) something to talk about and write about in the 11th inning and I didn't have to open my mouth," said Rodriguez, who is hitting .154 with two home runs since returning. "That's kind of the way I want things, you know. Stay out of my own way."
In his team's four consecutive wins, Teixeira is 9 for 16 (.563) with three doubles, a home run and seven RBIs, and has raised his batting average from .191 to .238. He has batted .369 in his career against the Twins - his best against an AL opponent - and has homered in four of the last six meetings.
Teixeira doubled and homered in his only career meeting with Sunday's scheduled starter for Minnesota (18-19), Kevin Slowey (5-1, 4.91 ERA).
Pick: Over 10
New York Mets at San Francisco Giants (-102, 8.5)
The New York Mets found out Saturday that they'd be without the injured Carlos Delgado for a while, a loss that would seem to leave a big hole in the middle of their lineup.
The San Francisco Giants can attest New York will be just fine without him.
Led by their surging offense, the Mets will look to complete their first four-game sweep in San Francisco on Sunday night as they also try to win for the 12th time in 14 games.
Delgado hit .423 with a homer and seven RBIs as the Mets (21-15) averaged more than six runs during a seven-game winning streak from May 4-10, but the first baseman hasn't played since due to an impingement of his right hip.
On Saturday, the 36-year-old Delgado was placed on the disabled list retroactive to Monday, and he may remain there well longer than 15 days.
The Mets, though, have pushed ahead without Delgado by averaging 6.3 runs over their last six games. Carlos Beltran and David Wright had three RBIs apiece as New York won 9-6 on Saturday.
The Mets have never swept a four-game set in San Francisco, and this is their 19th series of at least four games in the Bay Area since 1962.
They'd feel better about their chances of doing it for the first time if Jose Reyes, who hasn't started a game in the series due to stiffness in his right calf, can return Sunday. He's day-to-day.
Even without Reyes' 11 stolen bases, New York has swiped 13 so far in the series.
"The key for us is to try and manufacture runs,'' manager Jerry Manuel said. "With the way we've been running, it creates a diversion for the opposition that they have to start paying attention to us a little bit."
Beltran and Wright have stolen seven bases while driving in 12 runs thus far in the series, but New York's offense has a better chance of continuing to click if Gary Sheffield can help make up for the loss of Delgado. The newest member of baseball's 500-home run club is 9 for 18 with a homer in four starts in the Mets' cleanup spot.
Pick: New York -106
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Sunday, May 17
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Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
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Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees (-173, 10)
Mark Teixeira had a splendid first turn as the New York Yankees' designated hitter. He'll look for a encore Sunday while trying to continue his success against the Minnesota Twins.
The Yankees will also try for a season-high fifth straight win when they continue a four-game series with the visiting Twins.
After getting bumped on his left wrist during a play at first base Friday night, Teixeira was put at DH only after New York manager Joe Girardi made sure Alex Rodriguez could also play third. He missed three games earlier this season with an injury to the same wrist.
Teixeira responded with his best game for the Yankees (19-17), going 4-for-4 in Saturday's 6-4 victory in 11 innings. He finished a triple shy of the cycle and accounted for all of New York's runs in regulation with a season-high four RBIs, hitting a three-run homer in the third and a tying single in the eighth.
"I was just getting good pitches to hit," Teixeira said. "I got four good pitches to hit and I didn't miss them."
That set up Rodriguez to play the role of hero with a two-run homer in the 11th. It was the first hit at the new Yankee Stadium for the third baseman, who was playing in his second home game of the season following hip surgery and admission of performance-enhancing drug use.
"For me, I gave (the media) something to talk about and write about in the 11th inning and I didn't have to open my mouth," said Rodriguez, who is hitting .154 with two home runs since returning. "That's kind of the way I want things, you know. Stay out of my own way."
In his team's four consecutive wins, Teixeira is 9 for 16 (.563) with three doubles, a home run and seven RBIs, and has raised his batting average from .191 to .238. He has batted .369 in his career against the Twins - his best against an AL opponent - and has homered in four of the last six meetings.
Teixeira doubled and homered in his only career meeting with Sunday's scheduled starter for Minnesota (18-19), Kevin Slowey (5-1, 4.91 ERA).
Pick: Over 10
New York Mets at San Francisco Giants (-102, 8.5)
The New York Mets found out Saturday that they'd be without the injured Carlos Delgado for a while, a loss that would seem to leave a big hole in the middle of their lineup.
The San Francisco Giants can attest New York will be just fine without him.
Led by their surging offense, the Mets will look to complete their first four-game sweep in San Francisco on Sunday night as they also try to win for the 12th time in 14 games.
Delgado hit .423 with a homer and seven RBIs as the Mets (21-15) averaged more than six runs during a seven-game winning streak from May 4-10, but the first baseman hasn't played since due to an impingement of his right hip.
On Saturday, the 36-year-old Delgado was placed on the disabled list retroactive to Monday, and he may remain there well longer than 15 days.
The Mets, though, have pushed ahead without Delgado by averaging 6.3 runs over their last six games. Carlos Beltran and David Wright had three RBIs apiece as New York won 9-6 on Saturday.
The Mets have never swept a four-game set in San Francisco, and this is their 19th series of at least four games in the Bay Area since 1962.
They'd feel better about their chances of doing it for the first time if Jose Reyes, who hasn't started a game in the series due to stiffness in his right calf, can return Sunday. He's day-to-day.
Even without Reyes' 11 stolen bases, New York has swiped 13 so far in the series.
"The key for us is to try and manufacture runs,'' manager Jerry Manuel said. "With the way we've been running, it creates a diversion for the opposition that they have to start paying attention to us a little bit."
Beltran and Wright have stolen seven bases while driving in 12 runs thus far in the series, but New York's offense has a better chance of continuing to click if Gary Sheffield can help make up for the loss of Delgado. The newest member of baseball's 500-home run club is 9 for 18 with a homer in four starts in the Mets' cleanup spot.
Pick: New York -106
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