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MLB
Thursday, June 11
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Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
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Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians (+115, 8)
A month-long funk has taken the shine off the Kansas City Royals' strong start. Though he hasn't dropped off nearly as much as his team has, ace Zack Greinke is battling through a slump of his own.
After struggling through his worst outing of the year, Greinke looks to recapture his early season form and help the Royals get consecutive wins for the first time in more than three weeks Thursday night in the finale of a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians.
Kansas City (25-33) was in first place in the AL Central at 18-11 after its first 29 games. With a 7-22 record in their next 29, however, the Royals are just a half-game ahead of the last-place Indians (26-35).
Kansas City's success with Greinke (8-2, 1.55 ERA) on the mound has also fallen off. The right-hander won his first six starts, but the Royals are only 2-4 in his last six. Greinke still has the best ERA in the majors, but that figure has inflated significantly from the 0.40 mark he had through May 4.
Greinke was reached for season highs of seven runs - five earned - and nine hits in a season low-tying five innings Friday. He struck out a season-low three in the 9-3 loss at Toronto.
"They hit me real hard today," said Greinke, whose ERA jumped by 0.45. "Whatever I threw was hit. Even the outs were hit hard. No matter what I threw, it was just hammered. I'm not used to that. I don't remember seeing anyone get hit that hard in a long time."
Now Greinke will be charged with helping Kansas City win back-to-back games for the first time since May 17 and 19. He's 2-3 with a 2.48 ERA over his last seven starts against Cleveland, including 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in two this year.
While the Royals are hoping to build on a strong night at the plate, the Indians hope to put a miserable one behind them. They had four hits and 12 strikeouts while getting blanked for the first time since suffering consecutive shutouts May 8 and 9.
They'll try to bounce back behind Jeremy Sowers (1-3, 5.40). The left-hander gave up three runs in six innings of a 4-2 road loss to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. He's 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in three games since getting called up from the minors May 23.
Pick: Royals
Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay Rays (-145, 9)
The Tampa Bay Rays snapped out of their offensive slump with a game more typical of their recent success at home against the Los Angeles Angels.
Tampa Bay looks to clinch its third straight home series victory Thursday night when it closes a three-game set against the Angels.
The Rays (30-31) halted a three-game losing streak - in which they scored nine runs and batted .181 - with a 9-5 win Wednesday.
The Rays haven't lost a series at home against the Angels since July 24-26, 2006. Tampa Bay is 8-3 and batting .304 against Los Angeles' pitchers since then.
Ervin Santana (1-2, 6.75 ERA) knows how difficult it can be to pitch at Tropicana Field. The right-hander is 1-3 with a 6.81 ERA in six career starts with the Angels losing five of them.
Santana, though, is coming off his best start since being activated May 14 from the disabled list with an elbow injury. In his fifth start of 2009, the right-hander allowed one run and six hits over 8 2-3 innings of a 2-1 win over Detroit on Friday.
He had given up 15 runs in his previous two starts and hadn't recorded a win since Sept. 22.
"Ervin answered a lot of questions with a resounding 'yes' tonight," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's been through a lot this year, so this was big for him."
Los Angels (29-28) expects to have Torii Hunter back in the lineup after missing one game with a groin strain. The center fielder has an eight-game hitting streak against Tampa Bay, during which he's hit .364 (12 for 33).
Pick: Angels
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Thursday, June 11
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot lines: Today’s best MLB bets
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians (+115, 8)
A month-long funk has taken the shine off the Kansas City Royals' strong start. Though he hasn't dropped off nearly as much as his team has, ace Zack Greinke is battling through a slump of his own.
After struggling through his worst outing of the year, Greinke looks to recapture his early season form and help the Royals get consecutive wins for the first time in more than three weeks Thursday night in the finale of a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians.
Kansas City (25-33) was in first place in the AL Central at 18-11 after its first 29 games. With a 7-22 record in their next 29, however, the Royals are just a half-game ahead of the last-place Indians (26-35).
Kansas City's success with Greinke (8-2, 1.55 ERA) on the mound has also fallen off. The right-hander won his first six starts, but the Royals are only 2-4 in his last six. Greinke still has the best ERA in the majors, but that figure has inflated significantly from the 0.40 mark he had through May 4.
Greinke was reached for season highs of seven runs - five earned - and nine hits in a season low-tying five innings Friday. He struck out a season-low three in the 9-3 loss at Toronto.
"They hit me real hard today," said Greinke, whose ERA jumped by 0.45. "Whatever I threw was hit. Even the outs were hit hard. No matter what I threw, it was just hammered. I'm not used to that. I don't remember seeing anyone get hit that hard in a long time."
Now Greinke will be charged with helping Kansas City win back-to-back games for the first time since May 17 and 19. He's 2-3 with a 2.48 ERA over his last seven starts against Cleveland, including 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA in two this year.
While the Royals are hoping to build on a strong night at the plate, the Indians hope to put a miserable one behind them. They had four hits and 12 strikeouts while getting blanked for the first time since suffering consecutive shutouts May 8 and 9.
They'll try to bounce back behind Jeremy Sowers (1-3, 5.40). The left-hander gave up three runs in six innings of a 4-2 road loss to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. He's 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in three games since getting called up from the minors May 23.
Pick: Royals
Los Angeles Angels at Tampa Bay Rays (-145, 9)
The Tampa Bay Rays snapped out of their offensive slump with a game more typical of their recent success at home against the Los Angeles Angels.
Tampa Bay looks to clinch its third straight home series victory Thursday night when it closes a three-game set against the Angels.
The Rays (30-31) halted a three-game losing streak - in which they scored nine runs and batted .181 - with a 9-5 win Wednesday.
The Rays haven't lost a series at home against the Angels since July 24-26, 2006. Tampa Bay is 8-3 and batting .304 against Los Angeles' pitchers since then.
Ervin Santana (1-2, 6.75 ERA) knows how difficult it can be to pitch at Tropicana Field. The right-hander is 1-3 with a 6.81 ERA in six career starts with the Angels losing five of them.
Santana, though, is coming off his best start since being activated May 14 from the disabled list with an elbow injury. In his fifth start of 2009, the right-hander allowed one run and six hits over 8 2-3 innings of a 2-1 win over Detroit on Friday.
He had given up 15 runs in his previous two starts and hadn't recorded a win since Sept. 22.
"Ervin answered a lot of questions with a resounding 'yes' tonight," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's been through a lot this year, so this was big for him."
Los Angels (29-28) expects to have Torii Hunter back in the lineup after missing one game with a groin strain. The center fielder has an eight-game hitting streak against Tampa Bay, during which he's hit .364 (12 for 33).
Pick: Angels
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