CnoThe Bum's MLB May's News-Notes-Trends & Best Bets !!

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Brewers (15-17) at Reds (19-16)

Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: May 10, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Yovani Gallardo knows that even though it's early, the upcoming stretch of road games is a key one for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Jay Bruce finally homered again for the Cincinnati Reds, and facing Gallardo could help him get on track.

These NL Central rivals meet for the first time in 2013 on Friday night in Cincinnati, with NL batting leader Carlos Gomez of the Brewers looking to extend his career-high hitting streak to 15 games.

Milwaukee's 10-game trip consists of visits to the clubs ahead of it in the division standings - Cincinnati (19-16), Pittsburgh and St. Louis. The Brewers (15-17) capped a 3-6 homestand with a 4-1 defeat to Texas on Wednesday.

Milwaukee was swept by the Cardinals in four games last weekend.

"Definitely, this is an important road trip," Gallardo told the Brewers' official website. "Ten games, and they're all big, especially after losing those four against St. Louis here at home. Those next 10 games are going to allow us to make up some ground."

Gallardo (3-1, 4.50 ERA) has gone 3-0 with a 3.16 ERA over his last four starts after posting a 6.61 ERA in his first three. However, his three-start win streak ended when he allowed four runs over six innings of a 7-6 loss to St. Louis on Saturday.

The right-hander owns a 6.00 road ERA compared to a 3.90 home mark. He dropped both 2012 starts at Cincinnati with a 4.63 ERA while going 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two against the Reds at home last year.

"It's always fun when you see a team for the first time, like the Reds," Gallardo said. "They have a little different lineup than last year, so we'll see how it plays out."

One of the familiar faces to Gallardo is Bruce, 12 for 29 with two homers against him.

The Reds outfielder had a career-high 34 homers last year, with team bests of four homers and 13 RBIs against Milwaukee in 2012. Bruce, though, ended a 14-game home run drought with just his second of the season in a 7-2 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Bruce's average has dropped steadily since he was batting .282 on April 22 - the date of his previous home run - as he's gone 12 for 60 (.200) in the last 15 games to leave him at .248.

The opposite has been true for Gomez, who's hitting .491 and has scored 13 runs during his 14-game run. The center fielder is batting .386 overall.

Gomez and the Brewers are 4-7 in games in which they face a left-handed starter heading into their first look at another one, Reds rookie Tony Cingrani (2-0, 2.63).

Cingrani gave up a season-high four runs over six innings of a 6-4 road victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. He had a season-low five strikeouts after recording 28 in his first three 2013 starts.

The Reds went 9-6 against the Brewers last season and 7-2 at home.

Joey Votto's 10-game hitting streak ended Wednesday and he failed to reach base for the first time all season, going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. Votto is a .320 hitter versus Gallardo.

Shin-Soo Choo is 1 for 2 against Gallardo, and the Reds newcomer is hitting .388 at home and .398 with all seven of his homers against right-handers this year.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Padres (16-18) at Rays (16-18)

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


If Edinson Volquez continues his turnaround, the San Diego Padres have a good chance to record their longest winning streak of the season.

Volquez seeks a fourth straight win and the Padres look for their fifth in a row Friday night in the opener of a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

After a 5-15 start, San Diego (16-18) has turned things around by winning 11 of 14 heading into this series.

The pitching staff has been outstanding during the current four-game winning streak, allowing two runs and 21 hits in 36 innings.

Volquez kicked off that stretch Sunday, allowing one run and four hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-1 win over Arizona, before San Diego's other starters posted a 0.42 ERA in a three-game sweep of Miami this week.

"I thought the starting pitching has stepped up," manager Bud Black said. "They all pitched well. The pitching sort of set the tone and the defense was outstanding."

Now the Padres go for their longest win streak since a run of eight straight Aug. 19-27, and Volquez (3-3, 5.50 ERA) tries to win four consecutive outings for the first time in his nine-year career.

Since going 0-3 with an 11.68 ERA over his first three starts, Volquez is 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA over his last four.

"The last three starts have been much more strike-heavy with the secondary pitches," Black said. "The fastball command is improved, also. You put it all together, three wins and a lot of zeroes."

The right-hander won at Tropicana Field in his only career start against the Rays in 2011, giving up three runs and four hits over 6 1-3 innings in a 4-3 victory while with Cincinnati.

He'll try to slow down a Tampa Bay offense that has scored 72 runs over its last 11 games while batting .301 with 15 homers.

The Rays (16-18) salvaged a four-game split with Toronto when Luke Scott drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the 10th inning for a 5-4 victory Thursday.

"In that case, a walk is as good as a hit," said Scott, hitting .348 with two homers and seven RBIs in nine games since coming off the disabled list.

Evan Longoria has keyed Tampa Bay's offensive surge, batting .431 with 11 extra-base hits and 12 RBIs in his last 12 games. He's 9 for 18 with two homers and eight RBIs this week.

James Loney is also on a tear, batting .449 over his last 13 games. Loney, though, has only one hit in nine career at_bats against Volquez.

Tampa Bay scheduled starter Alex Cobb (4-2, 2.79) is 1-2 with a 4.74 ERA on the road, but he's won all three of his starts in St. Petersburg while posting a 1.17 ERA.

The right-hander gave up three hits over 8 1-3 innings in a 3-0 victory over the New York Yankees in his last outing at Tropicana Field, but he's since yielded seven runs and 18 hits - including four homers - over 12 1-3 innings in two road starts.

Cobb has never faced the Padres, who have split 12 all-time meetings with the Rays but have won all three of their series at Tropicana Field.

Carlos Quentin has hit .314 with five homers and 10 RBIs in his last 10 games in St. Petersburg, but he's hitless in 19 at_bats this month.

Teammate Chase Headley, though, is batting .400 during a 13-game hitting streak and is 6 for 12 this week.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (12-22) at White Sox (14-18)

Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: May 10, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Los Angeles Angels are trying to win back-to-back road games for the first time this season.

Consistent production from Josh Hamilton would surely help, and facing the Chicago White Sox may keep him going in the right direction.

Hamilton will try to build on his recent success and help the Angels capitalize on a three-game series against the last-place White Sox on Friday night.

Los Angeles (12-22) continues to be one of the biggest disappointments in baseball, and a 5-13 road record isn't helping.

The Angels have followed each of their road wins with at least two defeats, but they're hoping to change that after beating Houston 6-5 on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep.

Manager Mike Scioscia was pleased after seeing his team rally to win by scoring three times in the eighth inning.

"It's a great character game for our guys," Scioscia said. "I feel good for them. The clubhouse feels good. We held on. We kept pressuring them and got some key hits as the game went on."

Hamilton may be gaining confidence, hitting home runs in each of the last two games after going 20 straight without one. Hamilton, who hit a career-best 43 homers last year, also doubled Thursday but is still batting .213 on the season - .171 on the road. Each of his four homers and six of his 11 RBIs have come against the Astros, who occupy the AL West cellar.

Perhaps facing another last-place team can get Hamilton and the Angels rolling.

Los Angeles has won 11 of 16 versus the White Sox (14-18) over the last two seasons, and Hamilton is a .346 hitter in 24 career games against them with eight homers and 23 RBIs. The five-time All-Star has a .379 average over his last eight visits to U.S. Cellular Field, and he's 2 for 3 with a homer versus Chicago scheduled starter Dylan Axelrod.

The Angels were set to start Tommy Hanson on Friday, but the right-hander was scratched as he continues to deal with a recent death in his family.

Los Angeles hasn't announced who will replace Hanson, but it has a few options. It could call up right-hander Orangel Arenas, who's 1-5 with a 6.57 ERA with Triple-A Salt Lake but is on normal rest. It could also bump scheduled Saturday starter Jerome Williams (1-1, 3.16 ERA), who allowed five runs over 4 1-3 innings against Baltimore Sunday in his 2013 starting debut, up a day.

Then, of course, the Angels would need a starter in the series' middle game - perhaps former No. 4 overall pick Tim Stauffer, who's having a strong season in Triple-A.

That uncertainty may not help Chicago, which is among the worst teams in the majors with a .227 average. However, the White Sox are coming off one of their best offensive displays of the season in Wednesday's 6-3 win over the New York Mets.

They matched a season high with 13 hits, including three doubles and two homers, after being one-hit by the Mets a day earlier in a 1-0, 10-inning loss.

The struggles of Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko remain a major problem. While Dunn is 3 for 22 this month with no RBIs, Konerko has one homer in his last 17 games and no RBIs in the past six.

Konerko is batting .224 overall, including 4 for 23 over the last five.

"He's fighting and working through on it," manager Robin Ventura told the team's official website. "It's not where he wants to be, but you can see glimpses of coming out."

Konerko went 5 for 24 with one homer over the final two three-game series with the Angels last season.

Axelrod (0-2, 3.60) is familiar with Chicago's offensive shortcomings.

The right-hander has been backed by 11 runs over his six starts, while he's held opponents to three runs or fewer in five of them. That includes all three starts at home, where he has no record but a 2.04 ERA.

Axelrod got no help in Saturday's 2-0 loss at Kansas City, as all of the scoring in his 7 2-3 innings came on a two-run triple in the first.

"That's my goal: to get a quality start," Axelrod said. "Every time out, give your team a chance to win. I'm trying to build off that."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Yankees (20-13) at Royals (18-13)

Game: 4
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: May 10, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


It seemed Mariano Rivera's career might have prematurely ended the last time he visited Kauffman Stadium.

Baseball's all-time saves leader is back, and he's sticking to his routine, too.

Rivera returns to Kansas City for the first time since tearing his ACL there as the New York Yankees face the Royals on Friday night.

Last season was supposed to be the finale of Rivera's spectacular 18-year career, but the swan-song tour came to an abrupt end May 3 in Kansas City. While shagging fly balls in the outfield during batting practice, Rivera's knee buckled and he crashed to the ground in obvious pain.

A torn ACL ended his season, but the 43-year-old closer is back for one more year.

"Nothing is going to change. I'm going to do what I love to do," Rivera said of shagging fly balls again. "Yes, I got hurt like this. But I'm going to enjoy it. It's nothing to regret."

Rivera is also planning to go to dinner with the Royals' doctor who helped him.

"We'll stop at a place he said was good," the 12-time All-Star said. "I'm just going to have the same fun that I have been having. The same fun I've always had. That's not going to put me down or say, 'You know what? I don't want to be here.' I want to be there. I want to be there and to enjoy, to see the doctor that took me to the hospital and say, 'Thank you.' I want that.

"It's not to feel sorry. It's to have joy, because I'm still doing what I love to do."

He's doing it superbly, posting a 1.88 ERA and converting all 13 save chances, extending his all-time record to 621. He's shut the door in each of the last two games as the Yankees (20-13) won two of three at Colorado, including Thursday's 3-1 victory.

Rivera has converted 35 of 37 save opportunities against the Royals (18-13), including 27 in a row dating to Aug. 18, 1998.

Phil Hughes (1-2, 3.60 ERA) will look to beat Kansas City for the fifth straight time. He owns a 1.93 ERA and 30 strikeouts in his last four starts overall, spanning 28 innings, after allowing nine runs in seven innings through his first two.

The right-hander turned in his best effort of the season Saturday, yielding four hits and striking out nine in eight scoreless innings of a 4-2 home win over Oakland.

"I feel like I'm kind of clicking right now," Hughes said. "I'm just happy that I'm starting to find my stride and hopefully we can maintain what I'm doing throughout the course of the season."

Royals manager Ned Yost felt keeping the same course wasn't a good idea with his team having dropped three straight entering Thursday, so he shuffled the lineup and Kansas City won 6-2 at Baltimore.

Alex Gordon was moved from the leadoff spot to third and responded with two hits, including a two-run homer. He's 7 for 17 with five RBIs over the past four games, homering in each of the last three.

While Alcides Escobar led off, Billy Butler was moved into the cleanup spot.

"I just think the most important two spots we have in the lineup now should be manned by Gordy and Billy, three and four," Yost told the team's official website. "Everything else is kind of interchangeable, matchups, who's producing."

Butler has hit .378 with 10 RBIs in his last 11 games against the Yankees, and Gordon batted .346 in last season's seven meetings as Kansas City went 3-4.

Royals right-hander Wade Davis (2-2, 4.75) will seek his first win in four starts, having gone 0-2 with a 7.53 ERA over the last three with 10 walks in 14 1-3 innings. However, he's coming off his second quality start of the season, yielding one run in six innings in a 6-5 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

Davis is 2-3 with a 4.70 ERA in six starts versus the Yankees.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (21-14) at Twins (16-15)

Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: May 10, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


Baltimore Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel still thinks he can improve.

His record outside Camden Yards can't be any better.

Hammel will try to match the MLB lead in victories and become just the third Oriole in 54 years to win his first six road starts Friday night, when he makes his first appearance against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.

Hammel (5-1, 4.10 ERA) has been consistent through seven starts, lasting between five and 6 2-3 innings while allowing no more than four runs. The right-hander, though, realizes he has one of the majors' best run-support averages at 8.42. It's 9.62 on the road.

"I still haven't really gotten it going, and I haven't been as good as labeled, I guess. So I still have some work to do,' Hammel said after yielding four runs in six innings of Sunday's 8-4 road win over the Los Angeles Angels. "I'm a (beneficiary) of a lot of run support right now, and the bullpen's been awesome. It's that simple.'

Hammel gets the ball after the Orioles' season-best four-game win streak ended with Thursday's 6-2 home loss to Kansas City. Baltimore (21-14), the AL leader with 12 road wins, is tied with Boston for second in the AL East - percentage points behind the New York Yankees - after Minnesota (16-15) won its third straight at Fenway Park on Thursday.

Hammel could end that surge with a career-best fourth consecutive winning start. The right-hander could also become the first pitcher since Josh Beckett in 2007 with Boston to post victories in his first six road starts. Only two Orioles have accomplished that since 1954 - Hoyt Wilhelm in 1959 and Jeff Ballard 24 years ago.

Hammel's only start in Minneapolis was a 7-3 Tampa Bay victory at the Metrodome on April 17, 2008.

The Twins, meanwhile, open a nine-game stretch at Target Field with four wins in five games. They can move a season high-tying two games above .500 after finishing off a 5-5 trip.

"It's important that you kind of get that feeling about grinding things out (at) the end of a long road trip," manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Minnesota's Mike Pelfrey (3-3, 6.35) will be on the mound Friday. The right-hander had an encouraging start his last time out, doubling his season strikeout total to 14 while throwing six strong innings in Sunday's 4-2 win at Cleveland.

Pelfrey was 1-3 with a 10.36 ERA in his previous four outings.

"We're still just a year out of the (elbow reconstructive) surgery," Gardenhire said. "We're taking small steps."

Pelfrey gets his first look at the Orioles since 2010 with the New York Mets.

Baltimore's Chris Davis, tied for second in the AL with 10 homers, has yet to face the right-hander.

Nick Markakis, 2 for 6 against Pelfrey, went 8 for 13 with two doubles as Baltimore lost two of three to the visiting Twins from April 5-7.

Joe Mauer finished 2 for 13 in that series, but he's a career .373 hitter at home against the Orioles.

Justin Morneau, who has four hits - all doubles - in nine at_bats against Hammel, led the Twins with 10 RBIs on the just-completed trip.

Rookie Oswaldo Arcia hit .424 (14 for 34) during that stretch, and his hot streak could keep Chris Parmelee, who hit the Twins' only homer last month in Baltimore, on the bench for a third straight game.

These clubs split a four-game set at Target Field from July 16-19.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (21-13) at Astros (10-25)

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


The Texas Rangers have owned the Houston Astros lately.

The AL West leaders, though, aren't about to overlook their new divisional foes.

Texas continues its four-city road trip Friday night with Alexi Ogando pitching opposite Dallas Keuchel, who makes his first start of the season for the Astros.

By taking two of three in Houston from March 31-April 3 - Ogando (3-2, 3.08 ERA) struck out a career-best 10 in 6 1-3 shutout innings to win the series finale - the Rangers improved to 21-6 in this in-state matchup since 2009.

Texas (21-13) has won 12 of 15 at Minute Maid Park during that stretch, but manager Ron Washington sees the Astros (10-25) making progress in their first season in the AL.

"They're not panicking and they don't care what other people are saying," he told the Rangers' official website. "That's what you've got to do. They're doing what they need to be doing. They know the situation they are in. It's no secret. But you read things out of Houston, it's all positive. That's a good thing."

There could have been a lot of good news coming out of Houston on Thursday had the Astros completed their first sweep since May 21-23, but they lost 6-5 to the Los Angeles Angels.

The Astros' starting rotation showed improvement in that three-game series, with that group's MLB-worst ERA dropping from 6.53 to 6.10. Manager Bo Porter is looking for Keuchel (0-1, 4.96 ERA) and fellow left-hander Erik Bedard, Saturday's scheduled starter, to continue that run as both have been promoted from the bullpen.

"One of the things you look at, the Rangers' lineup is left-handed dominant and they have some left-handed guys in their lineup, and we felt like if we can get both of our lefties matched up against them it would put us in good position," Porter told the Astros' official website. "Dallas has done a tremendous job out of the bullpen and he's given us length every time he's come into the game (16 1-3 innings in six appearances), and we're going to give him an opportunity to get into the rotation."

Keuchel went 3-8 with a 5.27 ERA in 16 starts last season. The left-hander's major league debut was at Texas on June 17, not getting a decision as he threw five innings of one-run ball in a 9-3 loss.

"I'm a starter at heart," Keuchel told MLB's official website. "If my role is in the bullpen, then it's in the bullpen. I'm going to try to pitch to the best of my ability. Friday is going to be no different."

One of those lefty hitters he'll likely face is Mitch Moreland, batting .435 over the last six games with three homers in the past four.

Moreland went 0 for 13 in these teams' last series, but former Astro Lance Berkman was 6 for 10 with three RBIs. Berkman, limited to pinch-hitting duties in Milwaukee on Tuesday and Wednesday with no designated hitter, is batting .491 with six homers and 23 RBIs during a 15-game hitting streak in Houston.

Chris Carter, the Astros' leader with eight homers and 19 RBIs, is 0 for 16 in his last five games against Texas but has gone 4 for 10 this week with two homers and five RBIs. He's 0 for 5 off Ogando, who will likely be throwing to Geovany Soto with A.J. Pierzynski (strained abdominal) being placed on the disabled list Wednesday.

Ogando is coming off his first win in five starts, yielding a run in six innings of a 5-1 victory over Boston on Saturday.

Texas has won nine consecutive series against Houston since dropping two of three at Minute Maid Park from June 24-26, 2008.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (19-15) at Cardinals (21-12)

Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: May 10, 2013 8:15 PM EDT


The St. Louis Cardinals have one of the best pitching staffs in the majors, but they've also gotten plenty of help from their hitters during a red-hot stretch.

The Cardinals will try to keep rolling in their return from a six-game road trip Friday night by adding to their recent success against the Colorado Rockies.

St. Louis' 3.07 ERA is the best in the majors and its starters have a 2.29 ERA. The staff has played a large role in helping the Cardinals outscore opponents 41-22 while winning seven of eight.

St. Louis, though, has also batted .300 over that stretch and hit .307 during a 5-1 trip. After falling 2-1 in the first of two games against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, the Cardinals (21-12) bounced back for a 5-4 victory the next day with Jon Jay and Carlos Beltran driving in two runs apiece.

Jay is batting .500 with eight RBIs in his last six games, and Yadier Molina is hitting .457 over his last nine. They will be trying to help the Cardinals earn their 14th win in 18 tries against Colorado and 10th in 12 home matchups.

"I'm just trying to keep it simple up there," Jay said. "Trying to hit the ball hard, and I've been able to get some pitches over the plate that I've been able to drive."

Jay is batting .361 in 20 career games against Colorado, and Molina is hitting .375 in his last eight. Shelby Miller, though, might not need too much help if he can continue his stellar start to the season.

The 22-year-old Miller (4-2, 1.96 ERA) has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his six starts. The right-hander gave up one run and seven hits over six innings in a 6-1 victory in Milwaukee last Friday.

Miller has one of the NL's best ERAs and his 38 strikeouts are second among major league rookies. The Los Angeles Dodgers' Hyun-Jin Ryu has 48.

"I'm in one of the best rotations in the league," Miller told the team's official website. "I get to be around guys who have been around for a while. (Adam Wainwright), (Jake) Westbrook, guys who've had more time. It's fun to be around guys like that."

In his first start against the Rockies, Miller will pitch opposite Jon Garland (3-2, 4.75). The right-hander is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA in three career games in St. Louis and 1-5 with a 5.79 ERA in six overall matchups, allowing nine runs over 11 innings in the last two.

Garland avoided a third straight loss Saturday as he gave up three runs over five innings in a 9-3 victory against Tampa Bay. He had yielded 10 runs and 18 hits in 12 innings in his previous two starts.

"He did his job, giving us a chance to win and I'm glad he ended up getting the 'W.' He fought hard for it," manager Walt Weiss told the team's official website.

Molina is 7 for 9 against Garland, his best showing versus any pitcher he's faced at least nine times. Beltran is 12 for 39 (.308) with two homers and three doubles while Jay is 0 for 3.

Colorado (19-15) lost two of three at home to the New York Yankees this week, falling 3-1 on Thursday. The Rockies were outscored 6-5 in the series and held to four hits in each of the last two matchups.

"Our pitching was outstanding. Offense was definitely subpar," Weiss said. "Not acceptable."

The Rockies have lost 11 of 17 following an eight-game win streak.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Phillies (16-20) at Diamondbacks (20-15)

Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: May 10, 2013 9:40 PM EDT


Atop the NL West for the first time in more than a year, the Arizona Diamondbacks can now win a season-best five in a row.

They won't have to get past Roy Halladay to get that done.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Tyler Cloyd will replace the two-time Cy Young winner and make his first start of the season Friday night at Chase Field.

Back from sweeping a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Diamondbacks (20-15) ended a season-worst three-game skid in the desert - and moved into a first-place tie with San Francisco in the West - with Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Phillies (16-20).

The Diamondbacks, who were last leading the division on April 10, 2012, last strung together five consecutive wins July 20-24.

Cloyd will try to prevent that from happening as he'll take Halladay's spot in the rotation for the time being after the team learned the veteran right-hander will need arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder.

"It was an unfortunate situation, Doc's situation, having him going down and having surgery," Cloyd told the Phillies' official website. "For me, it's just obviously another opportunity to prove myself and hopefully have some success."

The right-hander, 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, went 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA in six starts for the Phillies a year ago as a late-season call-up.

"He's another guy whose location has to be real good," said Charlie Manuel, who set a Phillies franchise record with his 1,332nd game as the club's manager Thursday. "He's got to keep the ball down. He changes speeds good and that's where his success is. They can put the ball in play against him and hopefully he'll take the sting out of their bats and we can play good defensively behind him. That's kind of the way he pitches. He's a pitcher. He's definitely not going to blow you away."

Friday's starter Ian Kennedy (1-3, 5.19 ERA) has a decent fastball, but his focus now isn't overpowering hitters, but cutting down on walks - 15 in his last five starts. Kennedy is giving up 3.53 free passes per nine innings compared to 2.38 in 2012.

"I don't feel like I've thrown that bad until today,' he said after walking three and giving up a season-worst two homers in Sunday's 5-1 loss at San Diego. "It weighs on you because you have to wait five more days.'

Despite his struggles, facing the Phillies could actually help the right-hander get back into the win column for the first time since his season debut. Kennedy is 1-0 with a 1.06 ERA in two career starts at Chase Field versus Philadelphia.

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt isn't getting the job done in the desert. Fresh off going 7 for 13 with four homers and nine RBIs in the Dodgers sweep, Goldschmidt finished 0 for 3 on Thursday to drop his home batting average to .238 with two home runs and eight RBIs.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is also trying to bounce back from a hitless performance. The former MVP, 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in the opener, has faced Kennedy more than any active Phillie, and he has no hits in nine at_bats in that matchup.

Arizona can win two straight over Philadelphia for just the second time since 2007.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Athletics (18-18) at Mariners (16-19)

Game: 1
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: May 10, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


No one has been tougher to get on base against in the AL than Hisashi Iwakuma.

This could present problems for an Oakland Athletics team struggling at the plate.

The Seattle Mariners right-hander will try to send the Athletics a season-high fifth straight loss Friday night in the opener of a weekend series at Safeco Field.

Iwakuma (3-1, 1.61 ERA) has been among baseball's biggest surprises, leading the AL in opponent batting average (.168) and walks plus hits per inning pitched (0.76).

He uncharacteristically walked three Saturday but yielded one run over seven innings to gain an 8-1 victory at Toronto.

Seattle (16-19) has won his last five starts at home, including three this year in which Iwakuma has posted a 0.48 ERA. His stellar season began April 2 when he allowed one run over six innings with seven strikeouts in a 7-1 victory at Oakland, winning for the first time in three starts against the Athletics.

Slugger Yoenis Cespedes is 3 for 6 with two solo homers against Iwakuma. He and the Athletics (18-18) travel west after totaling eight runs and batting .205 while being swept in four games in Cleveland, capped by Thursday's 9-2 loss.

"They're playing great and can't do anything wrong and we're struggling," manager Bob Melvin said. "That's what happens."

Cespedes homered in the first game of the series before going 1 for 11 with four strikeouts in the final three. Jed Lowrie was 2 for 15 in the series, Derek Norris 2 for 11, John Jaso 2 for 10 and Eric Sogard 2 for 9 for the A's, who have seven players on the disabled list.

Oakland is batting .218 and averaging 2.6 runs in May, and Seattle can relate somewhat to those woes. The Mariners are hitting a major league-worst .199 this month, although they are 4-2.

Seattle has been winning thanks to mound efforts like Wednesday's by Felix Hernandez, who went eight innings as the Mariners avoided a third straight loss with a 2-1 victory at Pittsburgh.

While Hernandez is the unquestioned ace of the staff, Iwakuma is developing a reputation of his own that has given Seattle confidence.

"They're unbelievable," second baseman Dustin Ackley told the Mariners' official website. "Any time you go out there, you're like, 'Let's just get a couple runs and these guys are going to cruise.' They are probably, arguably, right now the two best starters in baseball."

Oakland has won all three games started by Daniel Straily (1-0, 5.94), who takes the mound Friday after giving up three runs over 5 1-3 innings and not getting a decision in Sunday's 5-4 victory over the Yankees.

The right-hander yielded four runs over 4 1-3 innings in his lone start against Seattle on Sept. 29. He also yielded two homers in five 2012 at_bats to Kendrys Morales, then with the Angels.

These clubs split their season-opening four-game set in Oakland. Lowrie went 6 for 13 with four doubles while Michael Morse was 6 for 16 with four homers for the Mariners.

Oakland has taken the last four meetings in Seattle.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Marlins (10-25) at Dodgers (13-20)

Game: 1
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 10, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the season with lofty expectations thanks to a high-priced and star-laden roster. The injury-plagued club, however, is last in the NL West and on the verge of its longest losing streak in nearly five years.

Los Angeles will try to avoid that dubious achievement when it faces another cellar dweller, the more frugal Miami Marlins, in Friday night's opener at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers joined the New York Yankees this offseason as the second team in major league history to top $200 million in payroll but so far they haven't gotten much for their money. Los Angeles is seven games below .500 for the first time since Aug. 29, 2011, after getting swept at home by Arizona earlier this week.

The Dodgers (13-20) fell to 0-7 this month by blowing a two-run lead in Wednesday's series finale, a 3-2 defeat. Los Angeles has a 5.43 ERA during its skid and has plated three runs or fewer six times.

"When we pitch good, we don't hit. When we hit, we don't pitch good," outfielder Matt Kemp said. "It's not the manager's fault. He doesn't go up there and swing the bat for us, pitch for us, steal bases, or do the base running."

The absence of former Marlins star Hanley Ramirez hasn't helped, and Adrian Gonzalez is day-to-day after leaving Wednesday's game with a strained neck muscle. Infielders Mark Ellis and Jerry Hairston Jr., and pitchers Zack Greinke, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, Scott Elbert and Stephen Fife all join Ramirez on the disabled list.

Gonzalez, who is batting .343 with a team-best 23 RBIs, thought he would play in the series opener.

"I'll be all right," he told the team's website. "I'll be ready to go Friday."

If Gonzalez can play, he'll try to help the Dodgers avoid their first eight-game losing streak since Aug. 22-29, 2008. They're also trying to avoid matching their longest home skid from last season, a five-gamer from May 28-June 11.

Rookie right-hander Matt Magill (0-0, 7.88 ERA) will try to do his part by rebounding from a miserable outing.

Magill gave up two runs over 6 2-3 innings against Milwaukee in his major league debut April 27, but didn't make it out of the second inning Saturday in San Francisco. He was charged with five runs, six hits and four walks in a 10-9 loss.

Magill will next face a Miami team that has the NL's worst record and has tied the second-worst start in franchise history. The Marlins (10-25) arrive in Los Angeles after being outscored 11-1 during a three-game sweep in San Diego.

Miami, which reduced its payroll from $90 to around $45 million before the season, totaled 17 hits at Petco Park and owns one of the worst batting averages in the majors at .225.

"It's disappointing because believe me, everyone in that (locker room) is trying to get hits and score runs. Right now we are in a funk, but that can change quick," manager Mike Redmond said.

Jose Fernandez (1-2, 3.48) didn't need too much help from his teammates while earning his first major league win Saturday. The rookie right-hander allowed one hit over seven innings and struck out a career-high nine in a 2-0 victory over Philadelphia. He has received 10 total runs of support in his six starts.

Los Angeles has won seven of 10 over the Marlins and four of six at home.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Braves (21-13) at Giants (20-15)

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


The Atlanta Braves will be without manager Fredi Gonzalez for two games, but giving the ball to Tim Hudson for the first one should soften the blow of his absence.

It may also help that the veteran is facing the San Francisco Giants.

Hudson looks to continue his dominance of the Giants as the Braves go for a fifth win in six games Friday night.

Gonzalez has left the team to travel to his daughter's graduation from Georgia Southern on Saturday morning. He'll fly from San Francisco to Atlanta, then to Savannah before renting a car and driving another 45 minutes to Statesboro.

"I couldn't be any further away," Gonzalez said of playing out West. "Hey, whatever it takes, if you've got to take Stagecoach or Pony Express to go see your daughter graduate college, you've got to do it."

In the meantime, Gonzalez will be replaced by bench coach Carlos Tosca, who went 191-191 as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2002-04.

Tosca's job might be made a bit easier by handing the ball to Hudson (4-1, 3.83 ERA), who is 6-0 with a 2.25 ERA over his last 10 starts against the Giants, including a win in Game 3 of the 2010 NL division series.

The right-hander has also won his last two games at AT&T Park, allowing three runs in 15 2-3 innings.

Hudson enters this visit looking for a third straight win for the first time since a four-game run July 19-Aug. 3. That started with a 3-2 victory over the Giants, yielding two runs in 7 1-3 innings.

He's allowed four runs with 13 strikeouts over 14 1-3 innings in his last two starts overall. However, both of those came at home, and he's 1-1 with a 5.29 ERA in three road games.

Atlanta (21-13) has won four of five, hitting .310 with eight homers while totaling 29 runs in those victories. The club has also taken six of eight at San Francisco.

Brian McCann is getting comfortable at the plate after he had three hits, including a homer, and three RBIs Thursday in just his third game back from undergoing shoulder surgery in October.

"To be where I'm at, honestly, if you'd told me this a month ago that I'd be feeling this good, I wouldn't have believed you," McCann said.

He's batting .340 with three homers and 10 RBIs during a 12-game hitting streak versus San Francisco.

The Giants, losers of three of four, are hoping Matt Cain (1-2, 5.57) can build on his first win of 2013, by continuing his own success against the Braves.

The right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.35 ERA over his last five starts against them, including the playoffs. However, Cain's only loss in that stretch came opposite Hudson in a 3-0 defeat at Atlanta on Aug. 7, 2010.

He was sharp Sunday, yielding one run in 7 1-3 innings of a 4-3 win over the Dodgers after compiling a 6.49 ERA over his first six games.

"It wasn't something I was proud of," Cain said. "I just wasn't pitching well for the guys. I needed to step it up."

Buster Posey certainly does his part against the Braves, hitting .481 with 10 RBIs in the past seven meetings. He had two hits and three RBIs Thursday, getting two on his fifth home run.

Posey is batting .373 with four homers and 17 of his 22 RBIs at home, and he's 6 for 10 versus Hudson, including the postseason.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Milwaukee at Cincinnati
The Brewers look to build on their 6-1 record in Yovani Gallardo's last 7 road starts. Milwaukee is the pick (+135) according to Dunkel, which has the Brewers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+135). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Game 951-952: Chicago Cubs at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Samardzija) 15.323; Washington (Detwiler) 16.673
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Washington (-140); 7
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-140); Over

Game 953-954: Pittsburgh at NY Mets (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Rodriguez) 13.814; NY Mets (Marcum) 15.058
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-125); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+125); Under

Game 955-956: Milwaukee at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Gallardo) 15.332; Cincinnati (Cingrani) 14.456
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-155); 8
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+135); Over

Game 957-958: Colorado at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Garland) 14.798; St. Louis (Miller) 16.548
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-170); 8
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-170); Under

Game 959-960: Philadelphia at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Cloyd) 15.250; Arizona (Kennedy) 16.999
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Arizona (-160); 9
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-160); Under

Game 961-962: Miami at LA Dodgers (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Fernandez) 15.393; LA Dodgers (Magill) 14.528
Dunkel Line: Miami by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-150); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+130); Over

Game 963-964: Atlanta at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hudson) 14.952; San Francisco (Cain) 15.575
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1/2; 5 1/2
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-125); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-125); Under

Game 965-966: Cleveland at Detroit (7:08 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Kluber) 16.908; Detroit (Scherzer) 16.615
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Detroit (-200); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+170); Over

Game 967-968: Toronto at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Ortiz) 14.725; Boston (Lester) 16.272
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 969-970: Baltimore at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Hammel) 14.781; Minnesota (Pelfrey) 16.844
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-125); 9
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+105); Over

Game 971-972: NY Yankees at Kansas City (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Hughes) 16.210; Kansas City (Davis) 15.815
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1/2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-115); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-105); Under

Game 973-974: LA Angels at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (No Starter); White Sox (Axelrod)
Dunkel Line: No Line
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 975-976: Texas at Houston (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Ogando) 15.022; Houston (Keuchel) 12.952
Dunkel Line: Texas by 2; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas (-210); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-210); Under

Game 977-978: Oakland at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Straily) 15.193; Seattle (Iwakuma) 15.002
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Seattle (-150); 7
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (+130); Over

Game 979-980: San Diego at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Volquez) 15.969; Tampa Bay (Cobb) 16.830
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-175); 8
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-175); Over
Reply With Quote

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Friday, May 10

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Trend Report
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7:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. WASHINGTON
Chi Cubs are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Washington is 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing Chi Cubs

7:08 PM
CLEVELAND vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Detroit is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games

7:10 PM
TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Boston
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Boston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto

7:10 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CINCINNATI
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 7 games at home
Cincinnati is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games at home

7:10 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. NY METS
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Pittsburgh's last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Pittsburgh's last 14 games
The total has gone OVER in 16 of NY Mets's last 23 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
NY Mets are 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

7:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games
San Diego is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games at home
Tampa Bay is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games at home

8:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. MINNESOTA
Baltimore is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Baltimore's last 9 games on the road
Minnesota is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing Baltimore
Minnesota is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Baltimore

8:10 PM
NY YANKEES vs. KANSAS CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 6 games
NY Yankees are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games when playing at home against NY Yankees
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas City's last 6 games

8:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. CHI WHITE SOX
The total has gone OVER in 9 of LA Angels's last 13 games when playing Chi White Sox
LA Angels are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Chi White Sox's last 13 games when playing LA Angels
Chi White Sox are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Angels

8:10 PM
TEXAS vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Texas's last 8 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Texas's last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 8 games when playing at home against Texas
Houston is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Texas

8:15 PM
COLORADO vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Colorado's last 9 games
Colorado is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games
St. Louis is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

9:40 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. ARIZONA
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing on the road against Arizona
Philadelphia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 6 games at home
Arizona is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

10:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Oakland's last 20 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Oakland's last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Seattle's last 12 games when playing at home against Oakland
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 7 games when playing Oakland

10:10 PM
MIAMI vs. LA DODGERS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 6 games
Miami is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Dodgers
The total has gone OVER in 11 of LA Dodgers's last 13 games at home
LA Dodgers are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing Miami

10:15 PM
ATLANTA vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Atlanta is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games
San Francisco is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
San Francisco is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Atlanta

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Friday, May 10

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Friday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
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Here are two streaking and two slumping pitchers probable to take the hill Friday.

Streaking

Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle Mariners (3-1, 1.61 ERA)

Iwakuma held the Blue Jays to just one run over seven innings last time out. The righty has an impressive 42:8 BB:K ratio and is settling into the No 2 starter role behind Felix Hernandez. Iwakuma will take the hill against Oakland for the second time this season Friday. He held the A’s to just one run in six innings of work earlier in April.

Phil Hughes, New York Yankees (1-3, 3.60 ERA)

After a rocky start, Hughes has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his last four outings. The righty has sat down a total of 30 batters over his last four trips to the hill and is coming off an eight-inning scoreless gem over the Athletics.


Slumping

Ian Kennedy, Arizona Diamondbacks (1-3, 5.19 ERA)

The Diamondbacks’ ace has struggled early in 2013 and has been touched up for nine runs over his past two starts. The righty hasn’t earned a run since Opening Day over the St. Louis Cardinals but has an impressive 2.42 career ERA vs. the Phillies.

Shaun Marcum, New York Mets (0-2, 7.20 ERA)

Marcum has made two starts and one relief appearance since coming off the DL April 27th, and hasn’t looked sharp in any of them. The right-hander hasn’t pitched more than 4 1/3 innings in any of his outings this season and is working on expanding his current 90-pitch count.

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MLB

Friday, May 10

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Report: MLB pitchers using sunscreen trick to gain edge
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Around 90 percent of major league pitchers are using a new sunscreen trick to improve their grip on the baseball, according to a report by Yahoo! Sports.

Doctoring baseballs has always been an issue in the bigs but now there’s a new trick: BullFrog.

BullFrog is a sunscreen that sprays on clear, making it appear as sweat. When the substance is combined with the use of a rosin bag, a pitcher’s grip on the baseball is greatly improved. One unnamed AL pitcher in the report described the mixture of the substances as a "glue-like substance that engineers would be jealous of."

Boston Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz was accused of repeatedly running his hand across his left forearm, where he was supposedly applying BullFrog during a May 1 start against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Buchholz is off to scorching 6-0 start for the BoSox and boasts a 1.60 ERA in seven outings. Boston is 3-3-1 over/under when he takes the hill.

The 28-year-old has denied the allegations and says he only uses sunscreen on days when the sun is shining and he’s pitching on the mound.

Buchholz’s next projected start will be Saturday at Fenway Park against the Blue Jays.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Friday, May 10

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CHICAGO CUBS (13 - 21) at WASHINGTON (19 - 15) - 7:05 PM
JEFF SAMARDZIJA (R) vs. ROSS DETWILER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 74-122 (-33.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 29-68 (-27.1 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 136-169 (-52.9 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 74-122 (-33.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 574-677 (-132.4 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 18-46 (-20.5 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 119-82 (+23.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 116-82 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 77-51 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JEFF SAMARDZIJA vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
SAMARDZIJA is 1-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 1.15 and a WHIP of 0.766.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.3 units)

ROSS DETWILER vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
DETWILER is 2-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 2.60 and a WHIP of 1.154.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-0. (+3.0 units)

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PITTSBURGH (18 - 16) at NY METS (14 - 17) - 7:10 PM
WANDY RODRIGUEZ (L) vs. SHAUN MARCUM (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 302-538 (-115.5 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997.
NY METS are 45-54 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 45-54 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 48-69 (-20.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 28-45 (-15.5 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 27-47 (-20.9 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MARCUM is 11-17 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MARCUM is 11-17 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MARCUM is 6-13 (-11.6 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

WANDY RODRIGUEZ vs. NY METS since 1997
RODRIGUEZ is 5-2 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 2.88 and a WHIP of 1.118.
His team's record is 5-4 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-4. (+0.8 units)

SHAUN MARCUM vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
MARCUM is 2-2 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 2.65 and a WHIP of 1.152.
His team's record is 3-3 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-1. (+3.9 units)

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MILWAUKEE (15 - 17) at CINCINNATI (19 - 16) - 7:10 PM
YOVANI GALLARDO (R) vs. TONY CINGRANI (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 13-22 (-12.5 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 118-84 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 118-84 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 29-10 (+15.3 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 330-299 (-69.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

YOVANI GALLARDO vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
GALLARDO is 5-5 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.75 and a WHIP of 1.582.
His team's record is 5-10 (-7.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-9. (-6.2 units)

TONY CINGRANI vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
No recent starts.

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COLORADO (19 - 15) at ST LOUIS (21 - 12) - 8:15 PM
JON GARLAND (R) vs. SHELBY MILLER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 156-204 (-46.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 132-237 (-56.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 since 1997.
COLORADO is 21-43 (-28.5 Units) against the money line in May games over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 156-204 (-46.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JON GARLAND vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
GARLAND is 1-5 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 5.79 and a WHIP of 1.653.
His team's record is 1-5 (-3.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-3. (-0.5 units)

SHELBY MILLER vs. COLORADO since 1997
No recent starts.

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PHILADELPHIA (16 - 20) at ARIZONA (20 - 15) - 9:40 PM
TYLER CLOYD (R) vs. IAN KENNEDY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 97-101 (-25.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 97-98 (-22.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 44-54 (-20.2 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 46-59 (-22.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ARIZONA is 132-106 (+23.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 112-93 (+27.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Friday since 1997.
ARIZONA is 34-40 (-19.9 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

TYLER CLOYD vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.

IAN KENNEDY vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
KENNEDY is 2-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 2.42 and a WHIP of 0.923.
His team's record is 2-2 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-4. (-4.3 units)

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MIAMI (10 - 25) at LA DODGERS (13 - 20) - 10:10 PM
JOSE FERNANDEZ (R) vs. MATT MAGILL (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 79-118 (-35.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 78-116 (-34.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 53-79 (-23.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 81-123 (-37.5 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 37-19 (+17.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 24-14 (+13.2 Units) against the money line in road games in May games over the last 3 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 13-20 (-13.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 0-7 (-8.8 Units) against the money line in May games this season.
LA DODGERS are 13-20 (-13.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 8-17 (-15.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA DODGERS are 43-53 (-19.1 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 1-7 (-8.4 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
LA DODGERS are 46-47 (-15.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

JOSE FERNANDEZ vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
No recent starts.

MATT MAGILL vs. MIAMI since 1997
No recent starts.

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ATLANTA (21 - 13) at SAN FRANCISCO (20 - 15) - 10:15 PM
TIM HUDSON (R) vs. MATT CAIN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 125-88 (+29.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 125-88 (+29.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 80-49 (+27.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 49-39 (+11.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 115-82 (+21.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 58-43 (+17.2 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 113-81 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 77-48 (+21.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 72-42 (+22.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 57-44 (+12.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HUDSON is 25-10 (+15.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUDSON is 24-10 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HUDSON is 152-84 (+34.6 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 1-0 (+1.2 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.1 Units)

TIM HUDSON vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
HUDSON is 8-4 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.00 and a WHIP of 1.124.
His team's record is 11-7 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 10-7. (+2.7 units)

MATT CAIN vs. ATLANTA since 1997
CAIN is 3-2 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 2.68 and a WHIP of 1.374.
His team's record is 3-4 (-0.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-3. (+0.5 units)