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Preview: Tigers (19-11) at Nationals (17-15)

Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: May 07, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Detroit Tigers are rolling after a four-game sweep, though they may be facing a stiffer challenge to start the week as they look to continue their winning ways.

The Tigers go for their fifth straight victory as they open a two-game series against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Detroit swept woeful Houston to close last week to give it nine wins in 10 games, outscoring opponents 74-25 in that stretch. Justin Verlander didn't allow a hit into the seventh inning of a 9-0 victory Sunday and four Tigers homered.

Detroit (19-11) has batted .316 with 19 homers in the last 10 while posting a 2.27 ERA with 117 strikeouts in 95 innings.

"Any time you score a lot of runs, it is fun, and plus our pitching has been outstanding, so everything is working really well right now," said first baseman Prince Fielder, whose home run Sunday gave him a team-best eight to go with 32 RBIs.

The Tigers will send Anibal Sanchez (3-2, 1.82 ERA) to the mound to face a team he's baffled throughout his career. The right-hander went 8-0 with a 1.97 ERA in 19 career starts against Washington while with the Marlins.

Sanchez followed up a 17-strikeout, eight-inning performance in his previous start by allowing three runs in six innings with nine strikeouts in a 6-2 loss to Minnesota on Wednesday.

"I think Sanchy was just too excited at the start," manager Jim Leyland said. "He was throwing too hard, and it hurt his command."

Sanchez will be opposed by Jordan Zimmermann (5-1, 1.64), who will look to lead the Nationals (17-15) to their fifth win in six games. The right-hander hasn't given up a run in 18 innings, allowing three hits and two walks in that span.

"He's obviously got everything working right now," catcher Kurt Suzuki told the team's official website after Zimmermann threw eight innings in a 2-0 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday. "He's pitching up in the zone, down in the zone, in and out, he's really mixing it up with his breaking balls, he's throwing breaking balls for strikes."

Outfielder Jayson Werth missed his third game in a row Sunday due to a strained right hamstring but expects to play Tuesday.

Werth is among several key Nationals who have had trouble against Sanchez. Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche and Werth are batting a combined .206 versus the pitcher.

Zimmermann could benefit from the Tigers' unfamiliarity with him Tuesday. Only two Detroit position players have faced him, with second baseman Omar Infante going 3 for 14 as the Tigers player with the most at_bats versus Zimmermann.

The Nationals franchise has lost six straight in this series, its last win coming June 12, 2002, when the club was the Montreal Expos.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mariners (15-18) at Pirates (17-14)

Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: May 07, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


After getting hit hard in his first three starts, Aaron Harang earned the win with an impressive showing his last time out.

He's piled up his fair share of victories against the Pittsburgh Pirates over the course of his career.

Looking to win a sixth consecutive start at PNC Park, Harang faces a familiar foe Tuesday night as the Seattle Mariners open a two-game set against the Pirates.

Acquired from Colorado on April 11, Harang (1-3, 8.68 ERA) compiled an 11.37 ERA in losing his first three outings. The right-hander, though, showed signs of coming around Wednesday versus Baltimore, scattering four hits over six innings of two-run ball in an 8-3 win.

"He's got too good a track record not to be better than his numbers so far," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "He will pitch well."

Now in his 12th season in the majors, Harang credits his first quality start to a change in his mechanics.

"We did some towel drill work," he told MLB's official website. "Sometimes, it all goes back to stuff we were taught when we were seven, eight years old. People think (mechanical changes) are something huge, a big deal. It's something usually so minor and basic that no one looks at it. Sometimes you go right back to the basics of throwing."

Harang surely is feeling good about his chances of building on his latest outing against the Pirates (17-14). Having spent the majority of his career in the NL, Harang is 15-6 lifetime versus Pittsburgh - his most wins against opponent. He's posted a 3.16 ERA during his five-start winning streak at PNC Park.

The Mariners (15-18) had won three straight and six of seven before falling 10-2 at Toronto on Sunday. Michael Morse, Jason Bay, Justin Smoak and Dustin Ackley, the team's Nos. 4-7 hitters, went a combined 0 for 13 as Seattle was limited to a season-low three hits.

"We struggled a little bit, but we have to separate from it," manager Eric Wedge said. "We are in the business of trying to win series. We won our series here and now we have to be ready to go to work in Pittsburgh on Tuesday."

The Mariners are 5-1 against the Pirates and 3-0 in Pittsburgh. The two clubs haven't met since 2007, though.

The Pirates are coming off their first back-to-back home losses, falling 6-2 in Sunday's series finale versus Washington. Starling Marte led off the bottom of the first with his fourth homer in five games but Pittsburgh went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

After Marte went deep, the Pirates loaded the bases with no outs but couldn't come through.

"Bunch of guys on real fast ... we've got to take advantage of that," catcher Michael McKenry said.

Pittsburgh will try to bounce back behind James McDonald (2-2, 5.76), who allowed seven runs, eight hits and five walks over five innings in Tuesday's 12-8 loss at Milwaukee.

McDonald is 1-2 despite a 3.07 ERA at home. He's limited opponents to a .214 average and received just four runs of support in those three outings.

Bay, the face of Pirates' franchise from 2004-08, is 2 for 6 against McDonald. While Bay's seven-game hitting streak was snapped Sunday, he's batting .370 with two homers and seven RBIs over his last eight contests.

Bay is hitting .143 in six matchups against his former club.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: White Sox (12-17) at Mets (12-16)

Game: 1
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 07, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


After rallying late to avoid a sweep, the Chicago White Sox have perhaps a little momentum heading into the final stop on their eight-game trip.

The White Sox, though, will have to face the red-hot and well-rested Matt Harvey when they visit the New York Mets for the first time Tuesday night.

After winning two of three in Texas, Chicago appeared to be headed for three straight losses in Kansas City on Monday. Alexei Ramirez's potential two-run homer in the sixth inning was ruled foul and upheld on video review, but the White Sox tied it at 1-all in the ninth and nearly scored the go-ahead run until pinch-runner Jordan Danks was caught between third and home.

Danks made up for that miscue with a solo homer in the 11th in a 2-1 win.

"I knew that was going to be my shot to do something," Danks said. "I wasn't trying to do too much. ... It makes it a little bit better, yeah. I told them I did it on purpose so I could come up and hit a homer."

The White Sox (13-17) would appear to have a stiff challenge in their attempt at back-to-back victories as they'll face Harvey (4-0, 1.56 ERA), who is seeking to become the 17th Met to win his first five decisions in a season.

Teammate Dillon Gee was the last to pull off that feat, starting 7-0 in 2011.

Harvey allowed one run over 5 1-3 innings in his latest outing April 29 in Miami, but the Mets blew a one-run lead in the ninth and fell 4-3 in 15. The right-hander has not received a decision in his last two starts after winning his first four while posting a 0.93 ERA.

A pair of off days and a rainout Saturday have caused Harvey to spend more than a week between starts.

"You've got to deal with it. It's an adjustment, but it's definitely not the first time that I've gone seven or eight days without pitching," he told the team's official website.

Harvey will try to help the Mets (12-16) snap a season-high four-game home losing streak by earning their third win in four contests. New York missed its chance to sweep a shortened two-game set in Atlanta with a 9-4 loss Sunday.

Hector Santiago (1-1, 2.29) will be looking for another strong start for Chicago. While pitching in place of an injured Jake Peavy, the left-hander allowed a solo homer and double in 5 1-3 innings in a 3-1 win at Texas on Thursday.

"We've been kind of struggling," Santiago told the team's official website after his first start in 2013. "Hopefully we get back on track and I just try to go out there and give us a chance to win and keep us in the game."

Santiago is 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in five starts and could get some more with Gavin Floyd set to undergo season-ending elbow surgery.

Santiago has never faced New York or any current Mets player, and Harvey will also face the White Sox for the first time.

The Mets are the only current MLB team Chicago has never visited. New York dropped two of three in its only other series against the White Sox from June 10-12, 2002.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Braves (18-12) at Reds (18-14)

Game: 2
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: May 07, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Andrelton Simmons spent an unexpected day off making an adjustment to his swing.

So far, it's working, and that's partly why the Atlanta Braves are trying to win a road series with the Cincinnati Reds for the first time in over four years Tuesday night.

Simmons is known for his impressive fielding at shortstop - he's yet to make an error in 126 chances this season - so he worked on his swing when Saturday's game against the New York Mets was rained out. He was trying to keep his bat back a little longer so he could generate more power, and he's certainly found some.

He's 5 for 9 with two doubles, two homers and four RBIs in the last two games, increasing his season average 28 points to .252.

Simmons, who hit .289 with three homers and 19 RBIs in 49 games as a rookie last year, turned in his best performance at the plate in the opener of this three-game series Monday. He collected three hits and had career highs with two homers and four RBIs to spur a 7-4 win over Cincinnati, ending Atlanta's six-game slide there.

"That rainout really helped," said Simmons, who has four homers. "I feel like I'm where I want to be right now."

Simmons has six multihit games in his last 14, batting .321 over that span.

"When all is said and done after this year, we're going to be talking about him as one of the best shortstops in baseball," said catcher Brian McCann, who went 0 for 4 with a walk Monday in his return from offseason shoulder surgery.

While a change to his swing is paying off for Simmons, Kris Medlen (1-4, 3.38) takes the mound trying to solve his mechanical issues.

The right-hander has lost three straight starts with a 5.40 ERA.

He struggled early Thursday, giving up three runs in the first two innings before settling down and tossing five scoreless and leaving a 3-1 loss to Washington.

"I'm tired of doing interviews postgame saying, 'I just kept us in the game,'" Medlen said. "If I'd cleaned it up from the get-go, I don't give up any runs."

Medlen has no record while allowing four runs in eight innings over five games versus the Reds. His only start against them came on July 30, 2010, when he allowed three runs in five innings of a 6-4 win in 10 at Great American Ball Park.

The Braves last series win there came when they took two of three from April 24-26, 2009.

Cincinnati, 12-5 at home, is slated to give the ball to Homer Bailey (1-3, 3.38), who will try to continue his success against Atlanta in order to win for the first time since a 15-0 victory over the Nationals in his season debut April 5.

He allowed two hits in six innings of that outing, but is 0-3 with a 4.02 ERA in five starts since.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.41 ERA in three starts against Atlanta, and both wins have come at home.

He may need some help to end his recent winless stretch, during which he's been backed by three total runs - none in three outings.

Bailey didn't seem to need support much Wednesday, yielding one run through five innings. However, he was charged with three runs and was pulled with one out in the sixth of a 4-2 loss at St. Louis.

Joey Votto is 6 for 31 with two RBIs over his last nine meetings with the Braves. However, his RBI double from Monday is part of a nine-game stretch during which he's batting .417.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jays (11-21) at Rays (14-16)

Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: May 07, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


One of the biggest comebacks in team history helped the Toronto Blue Jays earn a rare victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Winning two straight at St. Petersburg for the first time in nearly five years could be difficult if Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ struggles again with his control.

Happ will try to rebound from one of the worst starts of his career Tuesday night when Toronto goes for a season-best third consecutive victory.

Losers of 17 straight road series to the Rays (14-17) - the third-longest streak in AL history by one team in an opponent's ballpark - the Blue Jays (12-21) rallied from seven down after three innings to win 8-7 in Monday's opener. They ended a five-game skid to Tampa Bay and an 0-8 stretch at Tropicana Field.

It was also the fifth time in team history - and first since rallying from seven down in a 12-11 home win over the Rays on June 5, 2007 - that Toronto was victorious after trailing by seven or more.

"That's the way this game is, and you've got to continue to stay positive and come ready to play every day," said catcher J.P. Arencibia, whose two-run homer off Fernando Rodney with two outs and two strikes in the ninth was the difference.

Arencibia wasn't pleased about manager John Gibbons giving Henry Blanco the start behind the plate Monday, but he'll most likely be there Tuesday when Happ (2-2, 3.98) toes the rubber.

The left-hander only allowed two runs but walked a career high-tying seven and was pulled after 3 2-3 innings in his last outing, Thursday's 3-1 loss to Boston.

"He's the type of pitcher where he pitches up in the zone and sometimes he loses (his release point)," Gibbons said of the southpaw, whose 1.44 strikeout-to-walk ratio would be among the majors' worst if he had enough innings to qualify.

The Rays will try to send the Blue Jays to a fifth consecutive loss with Happ pitching, while attempting to avoid their first set of back-to-back home losses this season.

"It's a difficult loss, no question," said manager Joe Maddon, whose team built a 7-0 lead behind Evan Longoria's grand slam and Luke Scott's two-run shot. "But it's about how we react tomorrow."

Tampa Bay hopes Roberto Hernandez (1-4, 5.28) reacts well to his first start in nearly two weeks. The right-hander, whose turn was skipped Thursday when the game in Kansas City was postponed due to weather, was tagged for a career-high three homers in a 5-4 road loss to the Chicago White Sox on April 26. He matched a season high with five runs allowed.

Formerly known as Fausto Carmona, Hernandez is 3-1 with a 4.54 ERA in six starts versus Toronto, the last coming two years ago while with Cleveland.

The right-hander will face a Blue Jays team that's totaled 18 runs and 27 hits in consecutive wins after plating three runs while losing its previous four.

The Rays' lineup, and defense up the middle, could get a boost Tuesday. Second baseman Ben Zobrist is expected to come off the bereavement list, and shortstop Yunel Escobar, a former Blue Jay who pinch hit Monday, may start for the first time since getting hit on the hand by a pitch Saturday.

Tampa Bay last dropped two straight at home in this AL East matchup on July 20 and Aug. 26, 2008. Toronto had lost 21 of 27 overall to the Rays entering this series.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (11-20) at Astros (8-24)

Game: 1
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 07, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


Despite an expensive and star-studded roster, the Los Angeles Angels have matched the worst start in franchise history. Their next opponent has spent far less for its similarly poor results.

The Angels will try to begin a turnaround behind the unbeaten C.J. Wilson as they open a three-game road series against the major league-worst Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

Los Angeles (11-20) has struggled to get on track despite yet another high-priced offseason addition, outfielder Josh Hamilton, that contributed to the team's payroll reaching $142 million. He hasn't helped lift a lineup that includes Albert Pujols, as the Angels are ninth in the AL in runs.

The pitching has been even worse, with the club ranking second to last in the league with a 4.78 ERA - better only than the Astros' 5.75.

The Angels dropped three of four to Baltimore over the weekend, matching their 31-game mark from their inaugural 1961 season.

"We just need to win games," second baseman Howie Kendrick said. "Nobody here wants to lose. I think every guy is out there competing, giving their best, so eventually, at some point, it's got to turn around."

Los Angeles has batted .229 in its last 15 games and Hamilton is hitting .208 with 38 strikeouts in 125 at_bats. The Angels' 23 errors are among the most in the majors.

"We have to do a much better job making pitches, getting hitters out and controlling the defensive side of this game," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We've been terrible at that."

With ace Jered Weaver recovering from a fractured left elbow, Wilson (3-0, 4.04 ERA) has been one of Scioscia's few effective starters. The left-hander has collected all of his wins in his last four games with a 3.42 ERA, a span that started with a six-inning, one-run effort in a 4-1 victory over Houston on April 14.

That moved Wilson to 3-0 with a 2.94 ERA in five career starts against the Astros.

With a payroll of around $27 million, Houston (8-24) is off to the worst start in team history but just 3 1/2 games behind the Angels. The Astros were outscored 26-2 in their final two games against Detroit over the weekend and didn't record a hit until the seventh inning in the series finale Sunday. They finished with four singles in a 9-0 defeat, their season high-tying sixth in a row.

Houston has gone 4-18 in its last 22, a stretch that started when Los Angeles ended its three-game win streak with a 5-4 victory April 13. The Astros are 4-12 at home.

"We've got to figure out how we're going to change it, and it starts man to man on the roster and trying to improve and come out with a different type of fight," reliever Wesley Wright told the team's website. "We have to start it somewhere, and hopefully it starts Tuesday."

Jordan Lyles (0-0, 3.60) will make his second start since being called up from the minors. He gave up two runs, six hits and one walk in five innings of a 7-3 loss to Detroit on Thursday.

Lyles has never faced the Angels, but Hamilton is 4 for 7 with a home run against the right-hander.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Yankees (18-12) at Rockies (18-13)

Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: May 07, 2013 8:40 PM EDT


Joe Girardi was pleased with the New York Yankees' recent homestand, but their upcoming travels appear more challenging.

New York opens its eight-game trip Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies, who will try to recapture their knack for timely hits.

The Yankees (18-12) started a 10-game homestand with four wins before splitting the last six games, including a 5-4 loss to the Athletics on Sunday.

"You get a long homestand and you have to take advantage of it, and I thought we did a good job," Girardi said.

While the first seven of those games came against struggling Toronto and Houston, the treks to Colorado, Kansas City and Cleveland pit them against opponents who have been considerably better in the first five weeks.

The Rockies (18-13), though, have cooled since their 13-4 start, falling for the ninth time in 14 games with Sunday's 8-3 loss to Tampa Bay. Their production came only from solo homers by Troy Tulowitzki, Michael Cuddyer and Nolan Arenado.

Colorado was 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position, just the third time they've gone hitless in such situations this season but the second time in three games. The Rockies have been one of baseball's best teams with a .282 average with runners in scoring position.

"We struggled with runners in scoring position," said manager Walt Weiss, who played with Girardi for two seasons in Colorado. "We hit some home runs, but if nobody hits with runners in scoring position, it's tough."

New York starter Hiroki Kuroda (4-1, 2.25 ERA) has developed a dangerous habit of allowing runners early, but has remained mostly unscathed. He's 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his last four outings, though the first inning in particular continues to be a high-wire act for the right-hander.

Hitters own a .500 on-base percentage against Kuroda in the first, when he's allowed six of his nine runs this season. He needed 67 pitches to get through the first three frames against Houston last Tuesday, but finished with seven shutout innings and a season-high eight strikeouts in a 7-4 victory.

"You have to be pretty good to stick around to make it through those first three innings and then be good enough to give your team seven innings," Girardi said.

The Rockies will counter with Jorge De La Rosa (2-3, 4.18), who is coming off his worst outing. De La Rosa gave up six runs, 11 hits and two walks over four innings in a 6-2 loss to the Dodgers last Tuesday.

He went six innings in each of his previous four starts, posting a 1.88 ERA.

"I feel bad for the bullpen," De La Rosa told the team's official website. "I'm going to forget this and be ready for the next one."

The left-hander has thrown a combined 11 scoreless innings over two winning starts against the Yankees in his career, but the latest came on July 26, 2007. Travis Hafner is 2 for 9 against him but both hits were home runs.

Kuroda hasn't fared well against Colorado, posting a 1-5 record with a 5.52 ERA. Carlos Gonzalez is 6 for 15 off Kuroda but Tulowitzki is 6 for 28 - though the shortstop is 8 for 21 with two homers in six games against New York.

The Yankees own a 7-5 edge in the series but were swept the last time they visited Colorado, June 19-21, 2007.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (20-11) at Cubs (12-20)

Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: May 07, 2013 8:05 PM EDT


The St. Louis Cardinals have the best rotation in baseball, and Lance Lynn is leading the charge with a personal winning streak that's reached double digits.

Lynn goes for an 11th straight regular-season victory Tuesday night, when he tries to remain unbeaten against the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a two-game set at Wrigley Field.

St. Louis (20-11) has the NL's best record thanks largely to a starting staff that tops the majors with a 2.21 ERA and 19 wins, compared to six losses.

The latest gem was tossed by Jaime Garcia, who yielded one run in eight innings of Sunday's 10-1 win at Milwaukee.

Of the five starters the Cardinals have used, four have at least four victories to rank among the NL leaders.

Lynn (5-0, 2.75 ERA) leads them all, tying Washington's Jordan Zimmermann for the most in the league.

"It's early, but it's fun so far," said Lynn, who has won all 10 decisions over his last 11 regular-season games - 10 starts - since a loss in relief to the Brewers on Sept. 7.

Over that stretch, the right-hander has a 2.48 ERA with 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings while limiting opponents to a .205 average and four homers. It's the longest win streak by a St. Louis pitcher since Chris Carpenter's run of 11 from July 5-Sept. 7, 2009.

Lynn has won all four of his starts against Chicago - all last year - behind a 2.96 ERA. However, he needed a lot of help in the last one, a 9-6 victory at Wrigley on July 27 as he gave up six runs in five innings.

Despite his overall success against the Cubs, their 2-3-4 hitters - Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo and Alfonso Soriano - have hit a combined .387 (12 for 31) against him.

Lynn enters this visit in a dominant stretch, allowing a combined two runs and eight hits over his last three starts and going seven innings in each.

"To be able to pitch like this and win games, it feels good," Lynn said. "I just go out there, concentrate and keep trying to improve every day."

Allen Craig is on a tear, going 9 for 22 with seven RBIs in his last five games. He matched his career high by driving in four runs Sunday, connecting for a three-run double and an RBI triple.

He's helped the Cardinals win six straight, their longest winning streak since an eight-game run July 11-21, 2010.

Craig has a .381 average over his last 11 meetings with Chicago, and he's 4 for 10 with a solo homer off Travis Wood, Tuesday's scheduled starter.

Wood (2-2, 2.50) owns the lowest ERA among Cubs' starters and is limiting opponents to a .176 average, but he's received an average of 2.0 runs of support through six starts.

He sure could use an offensive performance like the one Chicago (12-20) had Monday, setting a season high for runs in a 9-2 win over Texas.

"I think we're a lot better team than what our record shows, and I think a lot of people would agree with us," said Rizzo, who went 3 for 4 with a homer and four RBIs.

The first baseman is batting .464 with six RBIs over the past seven games, and those have all been at Wrigley, raising his season average there 143 points to .295.

Wood is 0-7 with a 4.58 ERA in his last 12 starts at Wrigley dating to a win over Houston on July 1. He lost again there Thursday in a 4-2 defeat to San Diego, tossing seven scoreless innings before being charged with three runs and leaving with two outs in the eighth.

The left-hander went 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in three starts versus St. Louis last year, and both defeats came opposite Lynn.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Marlins (10-23) at Padres (14-18)

Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: May 07, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


The San Diego Padres' surge has them out of the NL West cellar.

Chase Headley and rookie Jedd Gyorko deserve much of the credit for that.

The Padres go for their 10th victory in 13 games on Tuesday night when they continue their series at Petco Park against the NL-worst Miami Marlins.

Since falling a season-worst 10 games below .500 on April 23, the Padres (14-18) have gone 9-3 to climb into fourth, percentage points ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Headley, who missed the first 14 games with a broken left thumb, is batting a team-best .348 with two homers and seven RBIs during that stretch. The veteran third baseman went 2 for 4 - including an RBI double - and extended his hitting streak to 11 in Monday's 5-0 victory.

"We're playing the way we thought we were capable at the start of the season,' Headley said after San Diego prevented a fourth consecutive home loss in this series and a third straight victory by the Marlins (10-23).

Gyorko is also doing plenty of damage during the 12-game surge, batting .326 with a team-high three homers - all in the last six games, including a solo shot on Monday.

The Padres, who recorded their first shutout of the season behind Andrew Cashner's gem, will give the ball to Eric Stults (2-2, 5.08 ERA) as they try to win for the eighth time in their last nine at Petco Park.

San Diego has won the veteran left-hander's last two outings, both no-decisions. Stults, who went 6 2-3 innings in Thursday's 4-2 victory at the Chicago Cubs, is 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in two starts against the Marlins. The last time he faced them was in 2009 while with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Miami will counter with San Diego native Alex Sanabia (2-4, 4.67), who will make his first start against the Padres.

"I'm definitely excited being back home," he told the Padres' official website.

The right-hander, though, has lost each of his last three outings. Sanabia permitted four runs in Thursday's 7-2 road loss to Philadelphia, but two of those were unearned due a fifth-inning error by second baseman Donovan Solano, who was placed on the DL on Monday with left side discomfort.

"I can't control any of (the errors),' Sanabia said. "I just go out and do my job.'

The Marlins, last in the majors with a .226 batting average and 98 runs after getting blanked for the fifth time on Monday, have been doing the job at the plate when Sanabia takes the ball. The right-hander's 4.93 run-support average leads the club.

Sanabia has also been more effective on the road, posting a 3.71 ERA in three outings compared to 5.60 in three in Miami.

Marlins rookie Marcell Ozuna went hitless on Monday for the first time since being called up April 30 to replace injured outfielder Giancarlo Stanton, but he's still batting a team-high .400 (8 for 20) with a homer and four RBIs in the first half of Miami's 10-game trip.

Matt Diaz could see action for the Marlins for the fourth time since being promoted from Triple-A New Orleans on Thursday, as he's 2 for 2 off Stults.

Chris Coghlan is the only other current Marlin with an at-bat against the southpaw, going 0 for 2.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (17-15) at Dodgers (13-18)

Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 07, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


It's still early, but the injury-riddled Los Angeles Dodgers are sitting at the bottom of the NL West as one of the biggest disappointments in baseball.

Pitching may be the biggest culprit of late, but Josh Beckett hasn't been of much help all season.

Beckett looks to halt his worst start to a season and snap the Dodgers' latest slide as they face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Despite having the highest payroll in baseball at nearly $221 million, Los Angeles (13-18) is a season-worst five games under .500 after losing five straight - one shy of its season high April 14-20.

Injuries are partly to blame. The Dodgers' disabled list includes shortstop Hanley Ramirez, second baseman Mark Ellis and starters Zack Greinke, Ted Lilly, Stephen Fife and Chad Billingsley, who is out for the season following elbow surgery.

The injuries to the rotation may be taking a toll since the starters have a 7.66 ERA over the last five games. Chris Capuano turned in the latest dismal effort, surrendering six runs in four innings of Monday's 9-2 loss in the opener of this three-game series with Arizona (17-15).

The Dodgers hope Beckett (0-4, 5.24 ERA) can end the current losing streak, but he's winless through his first six starts for the first time in his 13-year career.

Beckett has been particularly bad over his past three outings, posting a 7.80 ERA while allowing 20 hits and eight walks in 15 innings. He surrendered five runs in a season-low four innings of a 7-3 loss to Colorado on Wednesday.

"I've just got to get back to work, figure something out," said Beckett, among the Dodgers' highest-paid players at $17 million this year. "That's what this business is all about. I can't just go out and keep pitching like (this)."

His best performance of the season came at Arizona on April 14, but he allowed a walkoff RBI single to Paul Goldschmidt with one out in the ninth inning to lose 1-0.

Goldschmidt had four hits Monday with a homer and three RBIs. The first baseman is 8 for 16 in four meetings with the Dodgers this season, and he's batted .391 with three homers and nine RBIs in 12 career games at Chavez Ravine.

Like Beckett, Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 7.22) is enduring his worst start to a season through six outings. His ERA and .351 opponents' batting average are among the worst in baseball.

The right-hander seemed headed for his first win in a Diamondbacks uniform Wednesday, but the bullpen surrendered five runs in the final two innings of Wednesday's 9-6 loss to San Francisco. McCarthy gave up four runs and eight hits - two homers - before leaving after the sixth inning with a two-run lead.

"Overall, it was encouraging but there are little things I can do to smooth out the rough edges," McCarthy told the team's official website. "The stuff is there, it's just making sure you put together the whole game plan."

McCarthy won his only career start against Los Angeles on June 19, yielding two hits in seven innings of a 3-0 win with Oakland.

Dodgers slugger Adrian Gonzalez (sore neck) was in the starting lineup Monday for the first time in four games and had two hits. He's 8 for 15 versus Arizona this season.

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Preview: Phillies (15-18) at Giants (19-13)

Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 07, 2013 10:15 PM EDT


After one of Philadelphia's aces ended the San Francisco Giants' longest winning streak of the season, Kyle Kendrick hopes to keep showing he's now a solid piece in the rotation.

Kendrick tries for a fourth straight win Tuesday night while looking to help the Phillies to a second consecutive victory over the streaky Giants.

Cliff Lee threw eight strong innings and Michael Young had three hits with two RBIs as Philadelphia (15-18) snapped San Francisco's six-game win streak with a 6-2 victory Monday.

That kicked off a seven-game trip for the Phillies after they had lost four of six, including 14-2 to lowly Miami on Sunday. They hope Monday's performance could be the start of something positive.

"That's more of what we are right there, no doubt," Lee said. "We definitely haven't been playing up to our potential. We've been far short of that, to be honest with you. I think (Monday) is more of a real depiction of what we are.

"I expect us to pick it up a little bit. We underperformed this first month, and it's time for us to turn it on. Tonight was a good start in that direction."

Lee is 3-2 with a 3.26 ERA and the only one of the Phillies' star trio along with Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels - a combined 3-8 with a 6.19 ERA - to boast a winning record. Halladay was placed on the disabled list Monday with a shoulder injury.

Kendrick (3-1, 2.43 ERA), meanwhile, has been Philadelphia's most consistent starter. The team is 4-2 in games he's started.

The right-hander has yielded six runs - four on homers - in 35 innings to go 3-0 in his past five starts. Kendrick tossed a three-hit shutout against the New York Mets on April 26, then beat the Marlins on Thursday when he allowed two runs in seven innings of a 7-2 win.

"I've always kind of expected this," the seven-year veteran said. "It hasn't always been there. Hopefully now I can be consistent every time out. I feel comfortable and confident I can do that."

Kendrick pitched 4 1-3 scoreless innings of relief versus San Francisco last season, but he's 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA in two starts against the Giants.

Young, who entered Monday in a 3-for-19 slump, is batting .333 both at home and on the road.

The only time he faced scheduled San Francisco starter Tim Lincecum (2-1, 4.41) came in the 2010 World Series while with Texas, going 1 for 6. Lincecum went 1-1 in three games versus the Phillies in the NL championship series that year, but he's since gone 3-1 in four regular-season starts against them with a 2.70 ERA.

Lincecum, however, is coming off arguably his worst effort of the season, giving up five runs and 10 hits in five innings Wednesday before the Giants rallied for a 9-6 win at Arizona.

"I could have done better hitting some spots," the right-hander said. "Balls were falling in here in there that I didn't like, but if I execute pitches and keep them down in the zone better, I'll fare better next time out."

Ex-Phillie Hunter Pence homered and had three of the five hits Monday for the Giants (19-13), whose last three weeks have included win streaks of six and four games as well as losing streaks of five and three.

Pence, traded from Philadelphia to San Francisco in July, is 10 for 20 with two homers and six RBIs in five games this month. He's batting .480 in the last six at AT&T Park.

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Preview: Twins (13-15) at Red Sox (21-11)

Game: 2
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: May 07, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


With Ryan Dempster on the mound and their longest slide of the season in the past, the Boston Red Sox are poised to continue their success at home.

Dempster tries to win his third consecutive start and help the Red Sox extend their home winning streak to seven games Tuesday night against the Minnesota Twins.

After being held to four runs and 18 hits while being swept in a three-game set at Texas, Boston (21-11) rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to beat Minnesota 6-5 in 11 innings Monday at Fenway Park. Stephen Drew homered and doubled home the winner after closer Joel Hanrahan gave up a tying home run to Brian Dozier in the ninth, then left the same inning with tightness in his right arm.

"It was a good night," said Drew, who had four hits to raise his average from .182 to .225 - the first time it's been above .200 this season. "Everybody battles."

Among the majors' top teams with a 12-5 home record, the Red Sox have averaged 6.7 runs during their longest Fenway winning streak since a nine-game run July 5-24, 2011.

"We're just trying to have fun," Drew said.

Boston's Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia each homered and had three hits apiece. Pedroia, who homered for the first time since Sept. 11, is 4 for 8 in two games after going 0 for 13 in the previous three.

With a double Monday, ex-Twin David Ortiz is batting .430 during a 26-game hitting streak that dates to last season.

Dempster (2-2, 3.00 ERA), meanwhile, has allowed two or fewer earned runs in four of his last five starts, and three with eight hits over 12 innings of the last two. The right-hander gave up a leadoff homer to Toronto's Brett Lawrie and three other hits in six innings of a 3-1 road win Thursday.

"He doesn't give in,' manager John Farrell said of Dempster, who retired 10 of the final 11 hitters he faced. "He didn't have his best stuff overall (Thursday) but he uses the whole count when he needs to and he's got the knack to not let the game speed up on him and try to reach back and just go with sheer velocity.'

Pitching for the Chicago Cubs and Texas last season, Dempster went 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA against the Twins.

Dozier, Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham each had two hits Monday for Minnesota (13-15), which has lost eight of 12.

"We had opportunities. They had some opportunities, and finally they get the big hit there,' said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, whose team is 2-5 on a 10-game strip. "A tough ballgame for us.'

Dozier, Mauer and Willingham are a combined 1 for 22 versus Dempster.

Minnesota's Scott Diamond (2-2, 3.97) looks for a fourth straight strong start as he faces Boston for the first time. The left-hander, who opened the season on the disabled list while recovering from elbow surgery, gave up two runs and four hits in six innings of a 6-2 win at Detroit on Wednesday.

"I felt like I had a lot better stuff,' said Diamond, who has lasted at least six innings in three straight starts since going 4 1-3 frames in his season debut April 13. "(It) was a big step in the progression toward getting back.'

One day after Boston reliever Andrew Bailey was placed on the DL with a strained right biceps, Hanrahan will be re-evaluated Tuesday.

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Preview: Blue Jays (12-21) at Rays (14-17)

Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: May 07, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


One of the biggest comebacks in team history helped the Toronto Blue Jays earn a rare victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Winning two straight at St. Petersburg for the first time in nearly five years could be difficult if Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ struggles again with his control.

Happ will try to rebound from one of the worst starts of his career Tuesday night when Toronto goes for a season-best third consecutive victory.

Losers of 17 straight road series to the Rays (14-17) - the third-longest streak in AL history by one team in an opponent's ballpark - the Blue Jays (12-21) rallied from seven down after three innings to win 8-7 in Monday's opener. They ended a five-game skid to Tampa Bay and an 0-8 stretch at Tropicana Field.

It was also the fifth time in team history - and first since rallying from seven down in a 12-11 home win over the Rays on June 5, 2007 - that Toronto was victorious after trailing by seven or more.

"That's the way this game is, and you've got to continue to stay positive and come ready to play every day," said catcher J.P. Arencibia, whose two-run homer off Fernando Rodney with two outs and two strikes in the ninth was the difference.

Arencibia wasn't pleased about manager John Gibbons giving Henry Blanco the start behind the plate Monday, but he'll most likely be there Tuesday when Happ (2-2, 3.98) toes the rubber.

The left-hander only allowed two runs but walked a career high-tying seven and was pulled after 3 2-3 innings in his last outing, Thursday's 3-1 loss to Boston.

"He's the type of pitcher where he pitches up in the zone and sometimes he loses (his release point)," Gibbons said of the southpaw, whose 1.44 strikeout-to-walk ratio would be among the majors' worst if he had enough innings to qualify.

The Rays will try to send the Blue Jays to a fifth consecutive loss with Happ pitching, while attempting to avoid their first set of back-to-back home losses this season.

"It's a difficult loss, no question," said manager Joe Maddon, whose team built a 7-0 lead behind Evan Longoria's grand slam and Luke Scott's two-run shot. "But it's about how we react tomorrow."

Tampa Bay hopes Roberto Hernandez (1-4, 5.28) reacts well to his first start in nearly two weeks. The right-hander, whose turn was skipped Thursday when the game in Kansas City was postponed due to weather, was tagged for a career-high three homers in a 5-4 road loss to the Chicago White Sox on April 26. He matched a season high with five runs allowed.

Formerly known as Fausto Carmona, Hernandez is 3-1 with a 4.54 ERA in six starts versus Toronto, the last coming two years ago while with Cleveland.

The right-hander will face a Blue Jays team that's totaled 18 runs and 27 hits in consecutive wins after plating three runs while losing its previous four.

The Rays' lineup, and defense up the middle, could get a boost Tuesday. Second baseman Ben Zobrist is expected to come off the bereavement list, and shortstop Yunel Escobar, a former Blue Jay who pinch hit Monday, may start for the first time since getting hit on the hand by a pitch Saturday.

Tampa Bay last dropped two straight at home in this AL East matchup on July 20 and Aug. 26, 2008. Toronto had lost 21 of 27 overall to the Rays entering this series.

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Preview: Rangers (20-12) at Brewers (14-16)
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Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: May 07, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


After a promising start to a nine-game homestand, the Milwaukee Brewers are in the midst of a five-game skid.

The Brewers look to avoid a season-high sixth straight loss as they open a two-game interleague set against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Miller Park.

Milwaukee (14-16) held a 22-12 scoring advantage over Pittsburgh to win the first two on the home stretch, but has been outscored 35-17 while matching a season high with five straight losses.

"We need to stop that downward momentum and turn it over," reliever John Axford told the Brewers' official website.

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Losers in eight of 11 since winning nine in a row, the Brewers hope they bottomed out when St. Louis completed a four-game sweep at Miller Park with a 10-1 win Sunday. Twice in that series, Milwaukee gave up six runs in an inning.

"You forget about it," said Sunday's losing pitcher Marco Estrada, who was tagged for eight runs in 3 1-3 innings. "Right now, it's in my head, and I'm sure it's in a lot of guys' heads, that we just got swept in a pretty crucial series. But you try to go out and forget about it. That's the only thing you can do."

One of the few recent Milwaukee bright spots has been star Ryan Braun, who is batting .424 (14 for 33) while hitting safely in eight straight games. He has four doubles and two home runs while going 8 of 27 (.296) with five RBIs in six games versus Texas.

Teammate Wily Peralta (2-2, 6.00 ERA) takes the mound in the opener looking to bounce back after he gave up six runs and 11 hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 6-5 loss to St. Louis on Thursday.

"That's just part of the experience," Peralta said. "Those days, you have to calm down yourself, try to make one pitch at a time. Don't try to go too crazy out there."

This will be his first appearance against the Rangers (20-12), who won two of three at Milwaukee in 2010.

Texas swept Boston at home over the weekend but lost 9-2 to the Chicago Cubs in a rescheduled game Monday. The Rangers, who entered that contest with a major league-best 3.02 ERA and held the Red Sox to four runs and 18 hits, gave up five runs in the fourth inning and 11 hits overall.

Scheduled starter Justin Grimm (2-1, 2.28) has been a big reason for Texas' staff success, but the right-hander allowed a three-run homer to Tyler Flowers in the sixth inning and four walks in a 3-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.

"He really had good stuff working (Thursday),' Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Just left one in the wrong spot to Flowers.'

The Rangers were held to five hits Monday, including two in seven innings by ex-teammate Scott Feldman.

Ian Kinsler's 11-game hitting streak was snapped after he went 0 for 4 on Monday. The Texas second baseman is 4 for 27 in his last seven interleague games.

Texas' Lance Berkman is a career .306 hitter against the Brewers, but the 37-year-old designated hitter could also rest during this brief interleague set. He did play in any of the three games at Wrigley Field.

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Diamond Trends - Tuesday

May 7, 2013


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Marlins are 0-10 since August 19, 2011 on the road after a loss in which they allowed 6 or fewer hits and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1015 when playing against.


OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Rangers are 0-9 OU since June 08, 2012 as a road favorite after a loss in which they had 6 or fewer hits for a net profit of $900 when playing the under.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Tim Lincecum starts the Giants are 11-0 since April 24, 2009 after giving up no walks for a net profit of $1145.

MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Cardinals are 14-0 (+$1,485) since May 24, 2011 in night games following a win where their starter pitched at least eight innings.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Twins are 0-9 since September 17, 2008 as a road dog after an extra inning loss for a net profit of $900 when playing against.

-- When Travis Wood starts the Cubs are 0-7 since July 27, 2012 after his team scored a total of fewer than three runs in his last start for a net profit of $700 when playing against.