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Preview: Twins (12-14) at Indians (14-13)

Game: 3
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: May 05, 2013 1:05 PM EDT


The Cleveland Indians' winning streak began with Corey Kluber on the hill.

Now, he'll try to help extend it.

Kluber squares off against Mike Pelfrey as the Indians go for their first seven-game winning streak in two years in Sunday's series finale against the visiting Minnesota Twins.

After a slow start to the year, Cleveland (14-13) has started to hit its stride. The Indians have batted .373 and outscored opponents 53-14 during it streak. They last won seven in a row April 26-May 3, 2011.

The first of these victories came thanks in large part to Kluber (2-0, 2.25 ERA). In his first start of the season, Kluber scattered seven hits and struck out six over seven innings of two-run ball as Cleveland beat Kansas City in the nightcap of last Sunday's doubleheader.

Filling in for the injured Brett Myers, Kluber retired his final 10 batters.

"He was aggressive, especially in," manager Terry Francona told MLB's official website. "He was kind of moving guys off the plate and opening up the plate. Considering how much he's been bounced around and things like that, for him to do what he did is very impressive."

Francona was also impressed with Scott Kazmir, who threw six strong innings in Saturday's 7-3 win - earning his first big league victory since Sept. 19, 2010. Jason Kipnis and Nick Swisher gave him an early lead by homering in the first inning.

Swisher, who has three homers and six RBIs in his last four matchups against the Twins (12-14), had been held out the previous three games due to a sore left shoulder.

"You don't want to show up in the lineup and not pull your weight," he said. "These guys have been on fire. As soon as you get back in the lineup you have to do your part as well."

Kipnis, who drove in a career high-tying four runs Friday, finished with three hits and two RBIs. Also coming up big were Mark Reynolds and Ezequiel Carrera, who each went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

The Indians went 5 for 7 with runners in scoring position and are batting .392 in such situations during their winning streak.

"It's about finding the outfield grass and getting the balls through," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It's not about how you hit `em and how hard you hit `em. And they did that. They popped some balls, they rolled them through."

Cleveland will try to stay hot against Pelfrey (2-3, 7.66), who continues to get hit hard. The right-hander has posted a 10.06 ERA and a .388 opponent batting average in losing three of his last four starts.

He allowed one run over five innings before giving up a three-run homer in the sixth of Monday's 4-3 loss at Detroit.

"It's better than what I've done before tonight, but it wasn't good enough," he said.

While Pelfrey hasn't been able to get on track, Gardenhire believes it's only a matter of time.

"You're talking about a guy that's missed a year of baseball and coming back from elbow surgery," Gardenhire said. "It's a process. It doesn't just happen overnight. Tonight was a step forward. The one inning, he's obviously going to be very frustrated about, but that's a step forward."

Pelfrey will be making his first appearance against Cleveland. Swisher and Drew Stubbs are a combined 5 for 12 against him.

Kluber owns a 4.60 ERA but hasn't received a decision in three career starts versus Minnesota.

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Preview: Mets (12-15) at Braves (17-12)

Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 05, 2013 1:35 PM EDT


A rare outburst offensively has sparked consecutive victories, and the New York Mets appear to have a decent chance to keep swinging hot bats Sunday at Turner Field.

The Mets look to match a season high with their third straight win in the finale of this rain-shortened two-game set as they face Julio Teheran, who has been the Atlanta Braves' least effective starter.

After totaling 11 runs and hitting .165 with three homers during its season-worst six-game losing streak, New York (12-15) has scored 14 times while batting .263 with six homers in back-to-back victories.

David Wright provided one of the big blows Friday with a game-tying homer off Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning before New York scored twice in the 10th to win 7-5.

"He's as dominant as anybody in the game," Wright said of Kimbrel, who allowed a home run for the first time since Aug. 31. "You've just got to hope he makes a minor mistake or really you don't have much of a chance."

Wright, who also homered in a 7-6 win at Miami on Wednesday, now tries to lead New York to its first three-game win streak since April 6-8. Saturday's middle game of the series was postponed, with no makeup date set.

The Mets notched their second victory in nine games in Atlanta on Friday while tying a season high with four homers, and they'll look to continue that kind of production as they face Teheran (1-0, 5.08 ERA).

Opponents are hitting .333 against the right-hander, who has the worst ERA of any pitcher on the Braves' active roster. He has one quality start in five tries - every other Atlanta starter has at least four - but the Braves (17-12) have won all of them while scoring a combined 31 runs.

Teheran, though, has managed to avoid the big inning lately, allowing three runs despite 18 hits over 12 1-3 innings in his last two starts. He surrendered 10 hits and two runs in 5 1-3 innings Monday, not getting a decision in a 3-2 win over Washington.

"We're watching him grow up in front of our eyes," manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

The East-leading Braves haven't given their pitchers much support following a 12-1 start, hitting .226 with 156 strikeouts while dropping 11 of 16.

Atlanta, however, has batted .295 with 10 homers and 57 RBIs over the last nine home games against the Mets. Evan Gattis hit his seventh homer Friday, Andrelton Simmons drove in two runs and B.J. Upton had two hits to break a 1-for-22 slump.

"Our offense went out there and did what they had to do," said Kimbrel, who blew his second save in three games. "They scored when we needed to score, and we weren't just able to hold it down."

The Braves hope to do some damage against left-hander Jonathon Niese (2-2, 3.31), winless in his last three starts while getting three runs of support.

Niese allowed three runs - one earned - in 6 2-3 innings in a 5-1 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday, showing no ill effects from the comebacker that hit him near the right ankle and knocked him out of his previous start.

"It felt good," said Niese, who threw a season-high 117 pitches. "I was able to pound the zone with all of my pitches for the most part."

Niese is 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA in seven starts against the Braves since the start of the 2011 season, yielding three runs in 21 innings over the last three.

Two of those runs came off homers by Freddie Freeman, but the first baseman is homerless since opening day.

Justin Upton is 5 for 11 off Niese without a homer, and he hasn't gone deep in a season-high six consecutive games but still leads the majors with 12 home runs.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: White Sox (12-15) at Royals (15-10)

Game: 3
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: May 05, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


Strong pitching is one reason why the Kansas City Royals are among the best home teams in the AL this season.

That's been the case against the Chicago White Sox for much longer than that.

The Royals are hoping Wade Davis can draw some inspiration from a record-setting performance from Jeremy Guthrie on Sunday, when they try to beat the White Sox for the seventh time in eight games at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City (16-10) is 9-4 at home, and the staff's 3.15 ERA is among the lowest in the league.

The Royals have won 12 of 16 when hosting Chicago (12-16), and the pitchers have been vital over the last seven meetings with a 1.43 ERA.

Guthrie silenced the White Sox's bats again in the opener of this three-game series Saturday, tossing a four-hitter in a 2-0 win as he set a team record by going unbeaten in 17 straight starts.

Kansas City, though, was limited to eight hits Saturday after collecting 29 and scoring 17 runs in a rain-shortened two-game sweep of Tampa Bay.

Davis (2-2, 5.55 ERA) may need another big effort from the offense.

The right-hander turned in one of the worst performances of his career during Monday's 9-0 loss to Cleveland. He matched his career high by surrendering eight runs with 12 hits - two homers - and three walks before getting pulled with two outs in the fifth.

"I made some bad decisions and didn't execute," said Davis, who was tagged for seven runs with four walks in 3 2-3 innings of a 7-5 loss at Detroit five days prior.

Davis, though, has found success against the White Sox, going 3-1 with a 1.84 ERA in seven games. The most recent of his four starts was a victory with Tampa Bay on April 20, 2011, when he yielded one run in seven innings.

Lorenzo Cain leads Kansas City with a .326 average, going 5 for 13 with two triples and five RBIs over the last three games. He's hitting .393 in seven home meetings with Chicago after his two-run triple in the first inning proved to be enough Saturday.

Eric Hosmer has also pounded the White Sox at Kauffman, batting .379 in 16 matchups - going 9 for 22 in the past six.

The White Sox have lost nine of 14 on the road, batting .238 and averaging 3.5 runs in those games. Of their four hits Saturday, only Paul Konerko's single and double came prior to the eighth inning.

The first baseman, though, is hitting .180 with three homers and six RBIs over his last 15 visits to Kansas City.

Scheduled starter Jose Quintana (2-0, 3.58) will try to rebound from his worst outing since his season debut. The left-hander allowed four runs and eight hits, including homers on consecutive pitches in the fourth, over five innings before leaving without a decision in a 10-6 loss at Texas on Tuesday.

He had been 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA over his three previous starts.

Quintana is 0-1 with a 4.26 ERA in three starts against Kansas City, all coming as a rookie last year.

Cain and Hosmer are a combined 3 for 17 off Quintana, but Mike Moustakas has four hits in nine at_bats with two homers, while Jeff Francoeur is 5 for 6 with a solo homer and three walks.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (18-11) at Brewers (14-14)

Game: 4
Venue: Miller Park
Date: May 05, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


The St. Louis Cardinals are finding Miller Park's dimensions very much to their liking.

That doesn't bode well for Milwaukee right-hander Marco Estrada.

The Cardinals will try to continue their power surge and complete a four-game sweep of the Brewers on Sunday.

Jon Jay homered for the first time since April 10 and drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, while Allen Craig and Daniel Descalso each hit their first homers to lead St. Louis to a 7-6 win Saturday.

"That's probably the first time that's happened,' Jay said of the home runs from the three of them.

After totaling two homers over their previous six contests, the NL Central-leading Cardinals (19-11) have hit five in their last two while extending their winning streak to a season-high five games.

St. Louis, which ranks near the bottom third of the majors with 26 home runs, has hit two or more in back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Now the Cardinals look to carry over that momentum against Estrada (2-1, 4.58 ERA) as they seek their longest winning streak since an eight-game run from July 11-21, 2010.

Estrada has had trouble keeping the ball in the park, surrendering 10 total home runs and allowing at least one in each of his six starts. He's allowed 2.55 homers per nine innings, the worst ratio in the majors.

Estrada surrendered a season-high three homers while giving up five runs in five innings, but left without a decision in a 12-8 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

He's 0-2 with a 4.00 ERA in three career starts against the Cardinals after allowing three runs - including a Matt Adams homer - over six innings in a 4-3, 10-inning win at St. Louis on April 14.

Yadier Molina is 7 for 13 with a homer against Estrada, while Carlos Beltran has homered for his only hit in eight career at_bats in this matchup.

Estrada, though, is tied for the team lead with four quality starts and the Brewers (14-15) have won four of his last five outings.

Milwaukee faces another tough test against left-hander Jaime Garcia (3-1, 2.50) as it tries to avoid matching a season-worst five-game skid.

Garcia handcuffed the Brewers on April 14, scattering seven hits over seven shutout innings before Milwaukee rallied late for the win.

He seeks his third straight winning start after yielding one run on seven hits over eight innings in a 2-1 victory over Cincinnati on Tuesday. Garcia recorded 18 groundball outs, utilizing a St. Louis defense that ranks near the top of the NL with a .988 fielding percentage.

"With the defense we have, you want to make them hit the ball on the ground,' Garcia said. "I'm confident that they'll make the plays.'

Garcia, however, hasn't had fared too well in five career starts - including a loss in the 2011 postseason - at Miller Park, where's he's 2-2 with a 6.84 ERA.

Ryan Braun is hitting .355 with 18 homers and 45 RBIs off left-handers over the past two seasons, but has batted .188 with one homer in 32 career at_bats against Garcia.

Carlos Gomez went 2 for 4 with a homer Saturday to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. He's hitting .488 with four homers and seven RBIs during that span and is batting an NL-best .373.

The Cardinals have never swept a four-game series from the Brewers.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (17-14) at Cubs (11-19)

Game: 3
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: May 05, 2013 2:20 PM EDT


Mat Latos carries a lengthy scoreless streak into the Cincinnati Reds' series finale against the Chicago Cubs, but had to deal with right hip tightness in his most recent outing.

The right-hander, though, says he's ready to try to add to his streak and help the Reds continue their recent dominance over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

Latos (2-0, 1.83 ERA) has not allowed a run in 17 innings, a stretch that includes a 1-0 victory over Chicago on April 24. He gave up four hits over seven innings in that game, and five hits over six in a 2-1 win in St. Louis on Monday.

Latos beat the Cardinals despite tweaking his right hip during his first at-bat. On Friday he said the hip "feels good," and he appears ready to take a shot at surpassing his longest scoreless streak, a 21-inning stretch from May 1-18, 2010.

"I've been throwing and doing my running and lifting with bands to not put any pressure on it just to be sure. But it's been fine," Latos told the team's official website.

That might not give much comfort to the Cubs (11-19). Latos is 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA in his last three starts against Chicago, all in Cincinnati. He won his only start at Wrigley Field on Aug. 19, 2010, allowing two runs over seven innings of a 5-3 victory while pitching for San Diego.

Latos will try to help the Reds (17-14) extend a franchise-best eight-game win streak at Wrigley and earn their 20th victory in 25 overall matchups. Cincinnati took advantage of Chicago's beleaguered bullpen in a 6-4 victory Saturday, scoring four runs in the eighth inning.

Carlos Marmol and Hector Rondon combined to give up four walks and an RBI single to Jay Bruce, the lone hit in the frame. Marmol also hit a batter, but it was Rondon who was charged with the Cubs' eighth blown save in 16 chances.

The Reds had one of the worst road records in the majors (3-10) before their visit to Wrigley.

Edwin Jackson will try to help the Cubs avoid another home sweep to Cincinnati by earning his first win with his new team. Jackson (0-4, 6.27) was tagged for season highs of eight runs and 11 hits over 4 2-3 innings in a 13-7 loss to San Diego on Tuesday.

"It definitely wasn't the best game. I think overall it just been a pretty disappointing month from my standpoint, to myself, to my teammates, to the organizations and the fans, but it is test of character,' Jackson said. "It's just one of those times where you can crumble or fold or you can fight and bounce back. I definitely have not been one to fold."

Jackson is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA in three career starts against the Reds, the most recent May 13 while with Washington.

Shin-Soo Choo, who homered in Saturday's win, is 8 for 22 with three doubles against Jackson. Bruce, who had three RBIs in the series' first two games, is 0 for 8.

Alfonso Soriano, who went deep twice Saturday, is 2 for 11 with one homer against Latos. David DeJesus is 3 for 7.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Marlins (8-22) at Phillies (14-16)

Game: 4
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: May 05, 2013 2:35 PM EDT


Just when it seemed he was getting back on track, Philadelphia Phillies starter Roy Halladay turned in a performance reminiscent of his dreadful first couple outings of the season.

The Miami Marlins, meanwhile, can't seem to give Kevin Slowey enough offensive help to earn a win no matter how well he pitches.

While Halladay looks to bounce back with another solid effort against light-hitting Miami, Slowey gets another crack at his first major league victory in more than 2 1/2 years in the conclusion of this four-game set Sunday in Philadelphia.

After allowing 12 runs over 7 1-3 combined innings while dropping his first two starts, Halladay (2-3, 6.75 ERA) rebounded to go 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in the following three.

The right-hander couldn't keep the momentum going, though, allowing eight runs and nine hits - including three homers - in just 3 2-3 innings of a 14-2 loss Tuesday at Cleveland.

Halladay is staying positive despite the setback.

"I'm not discouraged at all," said Halladay, who has an 8.15 ERA in his last eight starts dating back to last season. "I feel like we've really come a long ways, and I feel good about where I am."

Halladay will look to get back to the form he had at Miami on April 13, when he gave up one run and five hits in eight innings of a 2-1 victory. Since joining the Phillies in 2010, Halladay is 8-3 with a 2.73 ERA in 13 starts against the Marlins.

However, he's struggled against two former Phillies teammates who are now with Miami. Greg Dobbs is hitting .429 with a homer and three doubles off Halladay while Placido Polanco is 6 for 17 lifetime against him.

Philadelphia (14-17) was held in check by 20-year-old Jose Hernandez on Saturday and managed only one hit in a 2-0 loss to the NL-worst Marlins (9-22), who had lost three straight.

It marked the second time in four games the Phillies were shut out, and they were held to one hit for the first time since falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 30, 2010.

Miami is more known for being offensively challenged, but solo homers by Chris Valaika and Marcell Ozuna were enough Saturday. The Marlins have not scored more than two runs in any of their six games with Philadelphia this season and haven't done much to back Slowey, who seeks his first big-league win since beating Oakland on Sept. 28, 2010, while with Minnesota.

Slowey (0-2, 2.15) has pitched extremely well in his six outings, but his winless streak hit 22 appearances and 15 starts Tuesday despite giving up one run and four hits with eight strikeouts in eight innings of a 2-1, walk-off win over the New York Mets.

The right-hander, who has battled injuries and spent all of 2012 pitching in the minors, hasn't allowed more than three runs in any outing.

"This guy, he's smart," manager Mike Redmond said. "He has a game plan going out there, and he executes it."

The Marlins, last in the majors in runs scored (84) and worst in the NL in batting average (.226), have totaled four runs of support - zero in four of his outings - in Slowey's 37 2-3 innings. That's easily the worst in baseball among pitchers with at least that many innings.

"We need to get him a win. This is ridiculous," Redmond said. "He's done his part. He deserves it."

The Marlins had lost five straight in Philadelphia prior to Saturday.

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Preview: Red Sox (20-9) at Rangers (18-11)

Game: 3
Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Date: May 05, 2013 3:05 PM EDT


Boston's Jon Lester and Texas' Yu Darvish each have started the season strong, but neither was happy with the way they ended April.

With each looking to get back on track, two of the AL's top pitchers square off for the first time Sunday when Darvish tries to help the Rangers complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Red Sox.

Lester (4-0, 3.11 ERA) is coming off the best April, in terms of record, during his eight-year career. The left-hander allowed five runs without a homer and walked four in 26 innings to go 3-0 in his first four starts. However, he's yielded nine runs, two homers and eight walks over 11 2-3 innings while going 1-0 in the last two.

He gave up six runs in six innings of a 9-7 loss at Toronto on Tuesday.

"It was one of those nights for me from pitch one,' Lester said. "I just wasn't able to repeat the ball down in the zone, and that's big. Curveballs just kind of rolled in there and I didn't have a very effective changeup.'

Lester is 3-3 with a 4.57 ERA in 10 starts against the Rangers (19-11), but 0-2 with a 10.29 ERA in his last three.

Darvish (5-1, 2.33) struck out nine but allowed six runs, 11 hits and walked four in 6 2-3 innings of a 9-2 loss at Fenway Park in his only previous appearance against the Red Sox (20-10) on Aug. 6.

The right-hander, though, became the first Texas pitcher in 15 years to win five games in April. Darvish had thrown 18 scoreless innings before the Chicago White Sox scored twice in the first inning Tuesday. They scored two more in the sixth but the Rangers plated six runs in the bottom of the inning and won 10-6.

Despite winning his third straight start, Darvish was not satisfied.

"I really couldn't get into my rhythm from the beginning, and it wasn't really a smooth outing,' he said.

Darvish hopes to improve on that performance and help Texas sweep Boston at home for the third time in five seasons.

Alexi Ogando pitched into the seventh inning and Craig Gentry hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs Saturday for the Rangers, who have outscored the Red Sox 12-1 in the series.

Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler is 5 for 23 (.217) against Lester, but has homered twice off him. He led off Saturday with a home run to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, in which he's batted .432 (19 for 44) with seven RBIs.

Boston averaged 6.8 runs and 11.4 hits while winning seven of eight prior to this series, but the AL East leaders have managed 13 hits and a Daniel Nava run-scoring single against the Rangers.

"Calm the you know what down,' said Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who is 0 for 13 in three games after batting .419 during an eight-game hitting streak. "You're going to go through stretches where one or two or three guys aren't swinging the bat well. We'll bounce back right out of it.'

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is 2 for 8 in the series, but is batting .447 while hitting safely in all 12 games since making his 2013 debut after recovering from an Achilles injury.

He's never faced Darvish.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (17-13) at Angels (11-18)

Game: 4
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: May 05, 2013 3:35 PM EDT


The disappointing Los Angeles Angels have had their share of problems, ranging from an injury to ace Jered Weaver to the continuing struggles of Josh Hamilton.

As Jerome Williams becomes the second to step into Weaver's spot in the rotation, Hamilton hopes to get back on track following a day off when Los Angeles hosts the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday to close a four-game set.

The Angels (11-19) haven't yet lived up to expectations, though they have been without Weaver since he suffered a left elbow April 7. Garrett Richards initially filled that vacancy, but he was sent back to the bullpen after going 1-2 with a 5.54 ERA in four starts.

Richards allowed Steve Pearce's RBI single in the 10th inning that gave Baltimore (18-13) a 5-4 victory Saturday.

Williams (1-0, 1.69 ERA) will make his first start of the season after eight relief appearances as Los Angeles looks to earn a split of the series. He gave up an unearned run while pitching six innings of the Angels' 10-8, 19-inning loss at Oakland on Monday.

"The way Jerome has been throwing the ball in his multi-inning looks has been what we expected," manager Mike Scioscia told the team's official website.

Williams, though, lost his last six starts of 2012 while posting a 7.88 ERA. The right-hander has been much better against Baltimore in his career, winning all three starts with a 3.00 ERA.

Whether or not he'll get some help from Hamilton is anyone's guess. Hamilton, who signed a five-year, $125 million contract in the offseason, is hitting .208 after going 1 for 8 with five strikeouts in the first two games of this series. That prompted Scioscia to give him a day off Saturday for the first time this season.

Since hitting four homers at Baltimore while with Texas on May 8, Hamilton is batting .179 with 15 strikeouts in eight games versus the Orioles. He enters Sunday in a 4-for-29 slump and has gone without an extra-base hit in 18 straight games.

"He's just not where he needs to be in the batter's box," Scioscia said. "I don't think it's anything about intimidation or anything about a contract. It's about getting comfortable in the batter's box. And he will."

Hamilton has never faced Jason Hammel (4-1, 3.79), who is scheduled to take the mound as Baltimore concludes an 11-game road trip.

The Orioles improved to 6-4 on the trip Saturday as Manny Machado hit one of their three homers. He's batting .393 with 10 extra-base hits while hitting safely in 12 of his last 13 games.

Pearce went 3 for 4 in only his 11th game this season.

"That's what this team's about - guys getting an opportunity and seizing it," said Tommy Hunter, Saturday's winning pitcher. "It's going to be a different guy every day."

Baltimore has won Hammel's last four starts, and he's 3-0 with a 3.13 ERA in that span but wasn't happy with his performance Tuesday. He failed to go six innings for the first time in six outings but beat Seattle, getting pulled after allowing the first three batters to reach in the sixth and charged with two runs in a 7-2 victory.

"I'm obviously very frustrated because that's not the way to build a winning team, because after a while those innings will start to chew up a bullpen no matter how good they are," Hammel said.

The right-hander has lost each of his three career starts versus the Angels while posting a 7.31 ERA. Hammel has received only one run of support in 16 innings over those outings, and he gave up three runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-0 loss in his most recent start versus Los Angeles on July 7.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Tigers (17-11) at Astros (8-22)

Game: 4
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 05, 2013 4:10 PM EDT


Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and the rest of the Detroit Tigers are off to a better start than a year ago when they won the AL pennant.

With their slugger coming off one of the best performances of his career and their ace on the mound, the visiting Tigers try to complete a four-game sweep of the lowly Houston Astros on Sunday.

Cabrera homered twice and matched a career high with six RBIs as Detroit (18-11) won for the ninth time in 11 games, 17-2 on Saturday. Victor Martinez had four RBIs and Torii Hunter added four hits for the Tigers, who pounded out 21 hits en route to their highest-scoring game since an 18-2 rout of the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 4, 2011.

"(Cabrera's) awful good; that's in the books," manager Jim Leyland said. "Obviously he's a special player, but a lot of guys did well."

Now leading the majors with 36 RBIs and a .390 average after winning the AL Triple Crown last year, Cabrera has hit .472 with 19 RBIs over his past 14 games and has four homers in the last seven. He homered in both of his at_bats last year against Philip Humber, Houston's scheduled starter for Sunday.

Cabrera's run to AL MVP honors helped Detroit rally in September to win the Central Division despite being 15-14 at this point last year. The Tigers appear to be a more confident team early this season and are off to their best start since 2007.

"What you witnessed was why they were the American League champions last year," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "They rolled out their A game, and it was pretty impressive."

Hunter also has been impressive in his first year with Detroit, hitting .361 overall and recording seven of his 16 RBIs in his last nine contests.

Verlander (3-2, 1.83 ERA), meanwhile, overcame a blister on his thumb to record the best April of his stellar nine-year career. He allowed no more than one earned run in four of six starts.

The right-hander has gone seven innings in three straight outings but got his first win in that span Tuesday, yielding a run and striking out eight in a 6-1 victory over Minnesota. Prior to this season, Verlander never had an ERA below 2.41 for the month of April.

"Everybody's talking about my velocity being down, but yet I threw the best I have in April," he told the Tigers' official website.

Verlander is 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA in two starts against the Astros (8-23) but has not faced them since 2009.

He'll face a Houston team that has been outscored 41-16 and struck out 55 times during a five-game skid.

Catcher Carlos Corporan homered Saturday for the Astros, who managed six hits overall and three in eight innings off Detroit's Max Scherzer while losing for the ninth time in 10 games. It was the club's most lopsided defeat since a 19-3 loss to Colorado on Sept. 25, 2011.

"The calendar rolls tomorrow, this game is over, and we'll come back (Sunday) focused on the next game," Porter said.

Humber (0-6, 7.58) has allowed 10 runs, 14 hits - including five homers - in 8 2-3 innings while going 0-2 in two starts against the Tigers.

While Verlander enjoyed a strong first month, Humber joined Dave Stewart in 1984 as the only pitchers since 1900 to lose six games in April.

However, the right-hander felt he made some strides in his last outing despite allowing four runs and nine hits with four wild pitches in six innings of a 7-4 loss at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.

"I feel like I threw the ball well. I'm a little bit frustrated, but it's part of the game," Humber said. "Just keep working harder, keep getting better."

Corporan has appeared in only seven games since April 13 but has gone 10 for 25 with two homers, a double and five RBIs.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rays (13-15) at Rockies (17-12)

Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: May 05, 2013 4:10 PM EDT


Jhoulys Chacin was off to one of the best starts of his career while helping the Colorado Rockies begin the season on a roll, but the team hasn't won back-to-back games since an injury forced him to miss multiple outings.

Chacin hopes to change that trend Sunday when he returns from a stint on the disabled list as the Rockies host the Tampa Bay Rays in the conclusion of a three-game interleague series.

Colorado began the season 13-4, with Chacin (3-0, 1.46 ERA) allowing four runs in 24 2-3 innings over four starts. The right-hander, though, left his last outing April 19 with a strained back after giving up three hits in 6 1-3 scoreless innings of a 3-1 win over Arizona.

Chacin threw 60 pitches in a simulated game against minor leaguers Tuesday before throwing a bullpen session Wednesday, and he said he's feeling much better.

"Everything is good," Chacin told the team's official website. "I have no problems. I just missed two starts, so I'll do the same thing I was doing - throw strikes, get hitters out, let the defense help me."

The Rockies (18-12) have gone 5-8 since an eight-game win streak, which ended two days after Chacin got hurt, though he's confident the team will get back on track.

"I know the talent that we have, and we're showing it," Chacin said. "We're playing together. Some days we don't hit, but we pitch. Some days we don't pitch well, but we hit. That's how good teams put things together."

The right-hander has never faced Tampa Bay, though Kelly Johnson is 5 for 14 with two homers in his career off Chacin.

Johnson had a two-run single Saturday, giving him eight RBIs in the last six games, but the Rays fell 9-3 for their third loss in four games.

Carlos Gonzalez homered for Colorado and Troy Tulowitzki, 9 for 18 with four doubles and 10 RBIs over his last seven games, went 3 for 3 and drove in three runs.

Nolan Arenado hit a grand slam, giving him two homers and seven RBIs in six games since making his major league debut last Sunday.

"It's a good feeling," Arenado said. "But the main thing is we got the win. So, that was nice."

The Rays (13-16) are 3-5 on their road trip that ends Sunday. James Loney, though, went 3 for 4 with a double Saturday and is 15 for 31 on the trip.

Shortstop Yunel Escobar, hitting only .174, was hit with a pitch on the left wrist in the second inning and was forced to leave the game. He likely won't play Sunday.

"I thought I broke it. I'm happy and grateful it's not broke," Escobar said. "I'll try hard to get back on the field in a couple of days."

Alex Cobb (3-2, 2.55) will take the mound for the Rays looking to bounce back from his worst start of the season.

Six days after going 8 1-3 innings in a 3-0 win over the New York Yankees, Cobb allowed four runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings of an 8-2 loss at Kansas City on Tuesday.

"When I walked off the mound, I think that was the most angry I've ever been after a game," said Cobb, who had pitched into the seventh inning in each of his previous four starts.

The right-hander has never faced the Rockies, though he's 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four interleague starts.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Dodgers (13-16) at Giants (18-12)

Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 04, 2013 9:05 PM EDT


As the reigning NL MVP on a World Series champion, Buster Posey is loved by San Francisco Giants fans.

His play at home against the archrival Los Angeles Dodgers only reinforces those feelings.

Coming off a clutch performance, Posey looks to continue his success against the Dodgers at AT&T Park on Saturday night and lead the Giants to their longest winning streak of the season.

Posey enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2012, batting a league-best .336 with 24 homers and 103 RBIs - all career highs.

So far, he's struggling to replicate those impressive numbers, hitting .281 with four homers and 17 RBIs. However, facing the Dodgers at home may be triggering a change.

Posey has a .333 average in 22 home meetings with Los Angeles - .408 over the past 14.

The All-Star catcher came up big in the opener of this three-game series Friday, connecting for a walkoff homer to clinch a 2-1 win. He also knocked in San Francisco's other run on a sixth-inning double, as the Giants (17-12) matched their season-high four-game winning streak.

"He's the guy you want up there. He ran a deep count there," manager Bruce Bochy said of Posey's homer. "It doesn't come at a better time than when he hit it. That's another great comeback for us."

Scheduled starter Ryan Vogelsong (1-2, 6.23) will try to rebound from his shortest - and perhaps worst - start of the season. It was also the most recent defeat for the Giants, 6-4 at San Diego on Sunday.

Vogelsong was battered for six runs and eight hits, including a career high-tying three homers, with three walks in five innings. He's surrendered seven homers over his last four starts.

"I'm just off, man. I can't get anything really going," Vogelsong told the team's official website. "I don't feel like I'm as far off as I was last year."

Last year, the right-hander went 0-2 with a 3.42 ERA over his first four starts before going 6-0 and compiling a 1.76 ERA over his next eight.

Coincidentally, that run started with a 2-1 win over the Dodgers (13-15) on May 8, when he yielded one run in 7 1-3 innings.

Vogelsong is 4-2 with a 1.80 ERA over his last seven starts versus Los Angeles.

Injuries continue to mount for the Dodgers, who lost Hanley Ramirez to a left hamstring injury Friday. The shortstop returned Monday from a torn ligament in his right thumb, which kept him out of the lineup for the first 25 games.

"It sounds like he got it pretty good," manager Don Mattingly said. "It's usually a pretty good amount of time. It's not like he's going to be back in a couple days."

Ramirez was placed on the 15-day disabled list and infielder Dee Gordon was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque.

Adrian Gonzalez's status is unclear after he was a late scratch for the series opener due to neck pain, stemming from a collision with an umpire earlier this week.

The injury issues have given Matt Magill an opportunity to showcase himself, and this time it's for Ted Lilly - placed on the DL Friday with a strain in his right rib cage.

Magill made his major league debut last Saturday because Stephen Fife went on the DL with bursitis in his right shoulder. The right-hander impressed, yielding two runs and four hits with seven strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings while not getting a decision in a 6-4 loss to Milwaukee.

"He's a guy that just seems to be under control," Mattingly told the team's official website. "He's a guy that you can just see his precision really in his work. He's been a guy that has to locate. He's kind of constantly getting better."

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

LVH Superbook posted odds to win the NFC divisional races........

NFC East: Giants 3-2, Dallas/Redskins, both 12-5, Eagles 5-1.

NFC North: Packers 5-8, Bears 3-1, Vikings 5-1, Lions 7-1.

NFC South: Falcons 1-1, Saints 2-1, Tampa Bay 5-1, Carolina 11-2.

NFC West: 49ers 4-5, Seattle 6-5, Rams 8-1, Arizona 30-1.


*****

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Random stuff on a Saturday night........

13) Every high school/college basketball player should watch Joakim Noah play and model their approach towards his; he plays his butt off-- all he cares about is winning. Must be fun to coach him.

12) Nationals-Pirates on FOX Game of the Week? I liked it.....

11) Not sure what TNT sees in Shaquille O'Neal as a studio analyst; maybe its me, but he adds very little, and he takes airtime away from Barkley and Kenny Smith. Its a great example of subtraction by addition.

10) In franchise history, St Louis Blues are 10-0 in playoff series if they won the first two games; we'll see if they can make it 11-0 against LA.

9) Every once in a while, a horse runs in Kentucky Derby that didn't run the previous year, as a 2-year old, but last time one of those horses won the Derby was in '82-- thats 1882, not 1982.

8) Oldest jockey in the Derby was 52-year old Jon Court, who rode Will Take Charge. Not as easy as it looks to be a jockey; very physical job.

7) Baltimore Ravens hired Steve Spagnuolo as a defensive assistant; after he became a hot property with the '08 Giants winning a Super Bowl, things haven't gone too well for Spagnuolo- he was dreadful as HC of the Rams, and then got stuck in a bad situation with the Payton-less Saints LY.

6) It rained so much in Florida the last few days that the walkway to the island green on the famed 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass was under water-- this is where the PLAYERS Championship is being played next week, so they're going to have to do a lot of work on the course before Thursday.

Cantor Gaming released betting lines for Weeks 1-16 of the NFL season this week; here are some tidbits National Football Post came up with..........

5) Patriots are favored in 13 games, pick 'em in two others; they're only team that isn't listed as an underdog in their first 15 games.

4) Arizona is pick 'em in three games, underdog in 12; Jacksonville is dog in 13 games, pick 'em in two, only two teams that aren't favored to win.

3) There are six pick 'em games in Week 16, but no road favorites. Yet.

2) Seahawks are favored in 13 of 15 games, including -1 at Houston in Week 4, which surprised me; people are on the Seattle bandwagon.

1) Only time the Broncos are underdog is their Week 12 (+1.5) visit to New England. It'll be fun to track how different these early spreads are than the actual spreads are when those weeks come around.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Baltimore at LA Angels
The Orioles look to build on their 4-0 record in Jason Hammel's last 4 road starts. Baltimore is the pick (+100) according to Dunkel, which has the Orioles favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+100). Here are all of today's picks.

SUNDAY, MAY 5

Game 901-902: Washington at Pittsburgh (1:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Gonzalez) 15.326; Pittsburgh (Rodriguez) 15.888
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-110); 7
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-110); Over

Game 903-904: NY Mets at Atlanta (1:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Niese) 14.722; Atlanta (Hudson) 14.207
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 905-906: St. Louis at Milwaukee (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Garcia) 15.436; Milwaukee (Estrada) 16.004
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-110); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-110); Under

Game 907-908: Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Latos) 15.102; Cubs (Jackson) 15.464
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-155); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+135); N/A

Game 909-910: Miami at Philadelphia (2:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Slowey) 14.225; Philadelphia (Halladay) 15.801
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 6 1/2
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-180); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-180); Under

Game 911-912: Arizona at San Diego (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Kennedy) 15.078; San Diego (Volquez) 15.915
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Arizona (-130); 8
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+110); Over

Game 913-914: LA Dodgers at San Francisco (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Ryu) 16.087; San Francisco (Cain) 15.139
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 8
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-135); 7
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (+115); Over

Game 915-916: Oakland at NY Yankees (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Straily) 14.395; NY Yankees (Pettitte) 15.780
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-145); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-145); Under

Game 917-918: Minnesota at Cleveland (1:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Pelfrey) 16.688; Cleveland (Kluber) 15.592
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-150); 9
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+130); Under

Game 919-920: Seattle at Toronto (1:07 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Saunders) 14.677; Toronto (Morrow) 15.456
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Toronto (-155); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-155); Over

Game 921-922: Chicago White Sox at Kansas City (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Quintana) 15.801; Kansas City (Davis) 14.922
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-120); 8
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (+100); Over

Game 923-924: Boston at Texas (3:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 14.989; Texas (Darvish) 16.538
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas (-140); 8
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-140); Under

Game 925-926: Baltimore at LA Angels (3:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Hammel) 15.249; LA Angels (Williams) 14.137
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1; 8
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+100); Under

Game 927-928: Detroit at Houston (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Verlander) 16.647; Houston (Humber) 13.018
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 3 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Detroit (-250); 8
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-250); Over

Game 929-930: Tampa Bay at Colorado (4:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Cobb) 15.580; Colorado (Chacin) 16.275
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Colorado (-120); 9
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-120); Over
Reply With Quote

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Sunday, May 5

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WASHINGTON (16 - 15) at PITTSBURGH (17 - 13) - 1:35 PM
GIO GONZALEZ (L) vs. WANDY RODRIGUEZ (L)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 11-19 (-10.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 51-72 (-29.0 Units) against the money line on the road with a money line of -100 to -125 since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 322-338 (+44.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
WASHINGTON is 97-82 (+23.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 116-82 (+20.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GONZALEZ is 29-11 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 16-5 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 31-15 (+16.6 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 29-11 (+15.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 11-1 (+10.1 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 1-1 (+0.0 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

GIO GONZALEZ vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
GONZALEZ is 1-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.77 and a WHIP of 1.077.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

WANDY RODRIGUEZ vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
RODRIGUEZ is 5-2 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.250.
His team's record is 7-3 (+4.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-4. (+0.7 units)

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NY METS (12 - 15) at ATLANTA (17 - 12) - 1:35 PM
JON NIESE (L) vs. TIM HUDSON (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 1-0 (+1.8 Units) against ATLANTA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

JON NIESE vs. ATLANTA since 1997
NIESE is 6-3 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 2.97 and a WHIP of 1.376.
His team's record is 7-5 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-4. (+3.0 units)

TIM HUDSON vs. NY METS since 1997
HUDSON is 15-10 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 3.60 and a WHIP of 1.253.
His team's record is 17-10 (+4.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-18. (-10.3 units)

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ST LOUIS (19 - 11) at MILWAUKEE (14 - 15) - 2:10 PM
JAIME GARCIA (L) vs. MARCO ESTRADA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
GARCIA is 14-21 (-13.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MILWAUKEE is 120-67 (+33.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 63-29 (+23.5 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 120-67 (+33.2 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 30-40 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 5-1 (+3.5 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.6 Units)

JAIME GARCIA vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
GARCIA is 4-4 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 3.14 and a WHIP of 1.312.
His team's record is 6-6 (-2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-7. (-2.4 units)

MARCO ESTRADA vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
ESTRADA is 0-2 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 4.00 and a WHIP of 1.389.
His team's record is 1-2 (-0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

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CINCINNATI (17 - 14) at CHICAGO CUBS (11 - 19) - 2:20 PM
MAT LATOS (R) vs. EDWIN JACKSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 116-82 (+15.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 447-504 (+40.9 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 310-325 (+46.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a win since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 339-302 (+56.4 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 116-82 (+15.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 620-695 (+55.0 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 72-120 (-33.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 677-644 (-151.1 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 321-298 (-79.8 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 684-707 (-135.4 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 72-120 (-33.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 51-88 (-25.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
JACKSON is 13-25 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JACKSON is 2-13 (-12.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JACKSON is 12-25 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JACKSON is 3-13 (-11.1 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 4-1 (+2.3 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.8 Units)

MAT LATOS vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
LATOS is 3-2 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 2.58 and a WHIP of 1.122.
His team's record is 4-2 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.1 units)

EDWIN JACKSON vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
JACKSON is 1-0 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 2.57 and a WHIP of 0.857.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

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MIAMI (9 - 22) at PHILADELPHIA (14 - 17) - 2:35 PM
KEVIN SLOWEY (R) vs. ROY HALLADAY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 33-60 (-21.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 23-42 (-20.4 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 77-113 (-33.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 52-77 (-22.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 78-115 (-34.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 23-11 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in road games in May games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 48-50 (-19.7 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 26-32 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 95-95 (-20.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 32-35 (-15.6 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 43-52 (-18.7 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 95-98 (-23.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 3-9 (-13.4 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -175 to -200 over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-2 (+0.4 Units) against MIAMI this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.9 Units)

KEVIN SLOWEY vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
SLOWEY is 0-0 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 10.29 and a WHIP of 2.714.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.1 units)

ROY HALLADAY vs. MIAMI since 1997
HALLADAY is 8-4 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 2.93 and a WHIP of 1.056.
His team's record is 9-6 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-9. (-4.2 units)

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ARIZONA (16 - 14) at SAN DIEGO (12 - 18) - 4:10 PM
IAN KENNEDY (R) vs. EDINSON VOLQUEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 62-56 (+18.7 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 3 seasons.
VOLQUEZ is 33-21 (+14.9 Units) against the money line after a loss since 1997. (Team's Record)
ARIZONA is 131-105 (+24.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
KENNEDY is 46-28 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KENNEDY is 25-8 (+17.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KENNEDY is 46-28 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 1-1 (+0.1 Units) against ARIZONA this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

IAN KENNEDY vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
KENNEDY is 7-1 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 2.79 and a WHIP of 1.042.
His team's record is 8-3 (+3.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-5. (-0.3 units)

EDINSON VOLQUEZ vs. ARIZONA since 1997
VOLQUEZ is 1-2 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 4.15 and a WHIP of 1.361.
His team's record is 3-4 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-1. (+4.0 units)

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LA DODGERS (13 - 16) at SAN FRANCISCO (18 - 12) - 8:05 PM
HYUN-JIN RYU (L) vs. MATT CAIN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 5-12 (-12.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 123-85 (+31.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 46-22 (+25.0 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 13-4 (+8.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 123-85 (+31.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 59-33 (+22.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 4-1 (+3.5 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

HYUN-JIN RYU vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
RYU is 0-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 1.42 and a WHIP of 1.580.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

MATT CAIN vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
CAIN is 4-8 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.27 and a WHIP of 1.332.
His team's record is 10-14 (-5.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 11-12. (-2.0 units)

[StarDust Bum]

OAKLAND (17 - 14) at NY YANKEES (18 - 11) - 1:05 PM
DANIEL STRAILY (R) vs. ANDY PETTITTE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 84-41 (+29.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 56-48 (+17.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 113-85 (+39.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 52-45 (+19.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 107-79 (+36.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 116-102 (-61.2 Units) against the money line in home games in May games since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 1-1 (+0.4 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

DANIEL STRAILY vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
No recent starts.

ANDY PETTITTE vs. OAKLAND since 1997
PETTITTE is 9-4 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 2.81 and a WHIP of 1.075.
His team's record is 10-7 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-12. (-8.2 units)

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MINNESOTA (12 - 14) at CLEVELAND (14 - 13) - 1:05 PM
MIKE PELFREY (R) vs. COREY KLUBER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PELFREY is 26-49 (-27.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

MIKE PELFREY vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
No recent starts.

COREY KLUBER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
KLUBER is 0-0 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 4.59 and a WHIP of 1.468.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.2 units)

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SEATTLE (15 - 17) at TORONTO (10 - 21) - 1:05 PM
JOE SAUNDERS (L) vs. BRANDON MORROW (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 6-12 (-9.5 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
TORONTO is 10-21 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 5-13 (-10.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TORONTO is 6-12 (-9.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 2-0 (+2.3 Units) against TORONTO this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

JOE SAUNDERS vs. TORONTO since 1997
SAUNDERS is 3-5 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 3.47 and a WHIP of 1.207.
His team's record is 3-6 (-4.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-2. (+4.8 units)

BRANDON MORROW vs. SEATTLE since 1997
MORROW is 3-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.04 and a WHIP of 1.352.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.2 units)

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CHI WHITE SOX (12 - 16) at KANSAS CITY (16 - 10) - 2:10 PM
JOSE QUINTANA (L) vs. WADE DAVIS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 73-83 (-24.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 37-46 (-15.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 9-3 (+7.9 Units) against the money line in day games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 42-35 (+13.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 479-484 (+45.1 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
CHI WHITE SOX are 22-14 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in road games in May games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 2-2 (+0.0 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.0 Units)

JOSE QUINTANA vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
QUINTANA is 0-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 4.26 and a WHIP of 1.632.
His team's record is 1-2 (-1.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

WADE DAVIS vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
DAVIS is 3-1 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 2.13 and a WHIP of 1.145.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.0 units)

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BOSTON (20 - 10) at TEXAS (19 - 11) - 3:05 PM
JON LESTER (L) vs. YU DARVISH (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 43-58 (-24.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 44-66 (-27.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 89-103 (-28.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 75-93 (-34.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 56-74 (-29.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LESTER is 35-36 (-18.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 6-14 (-12.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
BOSTON is 23-14 (+9.3 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 57-54 (-20.4 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against BOSTON this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

JON LESTER vs. TEXAS since 1997
LESTER is 3-3 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 4.57 and a WHIP of 1.365.
His team's record is 5-5 (-1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-5. (-0.3 units)

YU DARVISH vs. BOSTON since 1997
DARVISH is 0-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 8.10 and a WHIP of 2.249.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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BALTIMORE (18 - 13) at LA ANGELS (11 - 19) - 3:35 PM
JASON HAMMEL (R) vs. JEROME WILLIAMS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 167-251 (-82.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 399-330 (+51.4 Units) against the money line in day games since 1997.
BALTIMORE is 81-60 (+32.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 61-52 (+14.7 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 43-27 (+15.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 114-85 (+43.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 45-30 (+20.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 19-11 (+10.1 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 59-45 (+32.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 38-21 (+21.8 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 104-74 (+41.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HAMMEL is 18-10 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HAMMEL is 9-1 (+9.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HAMMEL is 16-9 (+8.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 11-19 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 9-16 (-10.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 11-19 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 2-1 (+1.5 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

JASON HAMMEL vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
HAMMEL is 0-3 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 7.31 and a WHIP of 1.875.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)

JEROME WILLIAMS vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
WILLIAMS is 3-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.143.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

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DETROIT (18 - 11) at HOUSTON (8 - 23) - 4:10 PM
JUSTIN VERLANDER (R) vs. PHILIP HUMBER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 49-54 (-15.8 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 45-51 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 41-20 (+16.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday over the last 3 seasons.
VERLANDER is 29-7 (+18.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday since 1997. (Team's Record)
HOUSTON is 29-75 (-36.6 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 63-129 (-41.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 45-96 (-33.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 39-88 (-32.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 29-71 (-26.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 63-129 (-41.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 55-110 (-40.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 206-250 (-62.0 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.
HOUSTON is 15-42 (-20.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday over the last 3 seasons.
HUMBER is 0-10 (-10.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUMBER is 6-17 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUMBER is 1-13 (-14.0 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUMBER is 6-17 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 3-0 (+3.0 Units) against HOUSTON this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. HOUSTON since 1997
VERLANDER is 1-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 2.03 and a WHIP of 1.050.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (-0.1 units)

PHILIP HUMBER vs. DETROIT since 1997
HUMBER is 0-2 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 10.38 and a WHIP of 1.845.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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TAMPA BAY (13 - 16) at COLORADO (18 - 12) - 4:10 PM
ALEX COBB (R) vs. JHOULYS CHACIN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 6-14 (-11.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
COLORADO is 13-5 (+9.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TAMPA BAY is 13-3 (+11.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Sunday over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 7-24 (-17.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Sunday over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 1-10 (-10.5 Units) against the money line in home games in an inter-league game over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 21-43 (-21.8 Units) against the money line in day games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 83-93 (-25.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 83-93 (-25.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 20-40 (-26.1 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 1-1 (+0.2 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

ALEX COBB vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

JHOULYS CHACIN vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
No recent starts.