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

[StarDust Bum]

CLEVELAND (18 - 14) at DETROIT (19 - 13) - 7:05 PM
COREY KLUBER (R) vs. MAX SCHERZER (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

COREY KLUBER vs. DETROIT since 1997
KLUBER is 1-1 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 4.91 and a WHIP of 1.545.
His team's record is 1-1 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

MAX SCHERZER vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
SCHERZER is 5-4 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 5.26 and a WHIP of 1.563.
His team's record is 6-5 (-0.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-5. (+0.9 units)

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TORONTO (13 - 23) at BOSTON (21 - 14) - 7:10 PM
RAMON ORTIZ (R) vs. JON LESTER (L)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 4-2 (+2.3 Units) against TORONTO this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.9 Units)

RAMON ORTIZ vs. BOSTON since 1997
ORTIZ is 2-3 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 4.47 and a WHIP of 1.204.
His team's record is 4-4 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-5. (-2.5 units)

JON LESTER vs. TORONTO since 1997
LESTER is 12-7 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 3.82 and a WHIP of 1.128.
His team's record is 14-10 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 13-10. (+2.3 units)

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BALTIMORE (21 - 14) at MINNESOTA (16 - 15) - 8:10 PM
JASON HAMMEL (R) vs. MIKE PELFREY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 21-14 (+7.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 48-31 (+22.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 60-45 (+33.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 107-75 (+43.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 78-65 (+23.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 84-61 (+34.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 10-3 (+7.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
BALTIMORE is 65-48 (+33.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HAMMEL is 19-10 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HAMMEL is 10-1 (+10.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HAMMEL is 11-5 (+8.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HAMMEL is 17-9 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
HAMMEL is 11-3 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 71-105 (-34.1 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 7-20 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 71-105 (-34.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 40-64 (-23.9 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 46-74 (-29.0 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 12-31 (-17.5 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PELFREY is 30-49 (-23.0 Units) against the money line after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 2-1 (+2.0 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.9 Units)

JASON HAMMEL vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
HAMMEL is 2-1 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.04 and a WHIP of 0.975.
His team's record is 3-1 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-3. (-2.1 units)

MIKE PELFREY vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
PELFREY is 2-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.714.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

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NY YANKEES (20 - 13) at KANSAS CITY (18 - 13) - 8:10 PM
PHIL HUGHES (R) vs. WADE DAVIS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 43-37 (+12.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 49-51 (+15.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 24-8 (+13.7 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.

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

PHIL HUGHES vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
HUGHES is 4-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 5.68 and a WHIP of 1.547.
His team's record is 5-1 (+3.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+2.1 units)

WADE DAVIS vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
DAVIS is 2-3 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.70 and a WHIP of 1.630.
His team's record is 3-3 (+0.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-3. (-0.4 units)

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LA ANGELS (12 - 22) at CHI WHITE SOX (14 - 18) - 8:10 PM
TOMMY HANSON (R) vs. DYLAN AXELROD (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 12-22 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 5-13 (-9.9 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA ANGELS are 12-22 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 6-17 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA ANGELS are 10-19 (-13.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 245-182 (+46.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday since 1997.
CHI WHITE SOX are 37-46 (-15.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 18-26 (-14.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 40-48 (-26.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

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

TOMMY HANSON vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
HANSON is 0-1 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 22.07 and a WHIP of 3.815.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

DYLAN AXELROD vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
No recent starts.

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TEXAS (21 - 13) at HOUSTON (10 - 25) - 8:10 PM
ALEXI OGANDO (R) vs. DALLAS KEUCHEL (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 58-55 (-20.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 65-131 (-40.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 55-111 (-41.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 208-252 (-61.2 Units) against the money line in May games since 1997.
HOUSTON is 6-22 (-15.5 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 65-131 (-40.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 46-97 (-33.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 40-89 (-32.2 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 1-15 (-12.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 2-1 (+0.4 Units) against HOUSTON this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

ALEXI OGANDO vs. HOUSTON since 1997
OGANDO is 1-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.790.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

DALLAS KEUCHEL vs. TEXAS since 1997
KEUCHEL is 0-0 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 1.600.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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OAKLAND (18 - 18) at SEATTLE (16 - 19) - 10:10 PM
DANIEL STRAILY (R) vs. HISASHI IWAKUMA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 95-143 (-41.5 Units) against the money line in road games in May games since 1997.
IWAKUMA is 15-8 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
IWAKUMA is 8-2 (+8.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
IWAKUMA is 10-3 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
IWAKUMA is 7-1 (+8.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
IWAKUMA is 14-7 (+11.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
OAKLAND is 114-89 (+36.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 35-26 (+12.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 53-49 (+16.0 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 13-3 (+10.3 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
OAKLAND is 108-83 (+33.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 79-53 (+35.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 76-55 (+28.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 51-28 (+24.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 2-2 (+0.3 Units) against OAKLAND this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

DANIEL STRAILY vs. SEATTLE since 1997
STRAILY is 0-0 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 6.24 and a WHIP of 1.617.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

HISASHI IWAKUMA vs. OAKLAND since 1997
IWAKUMA is 1-1 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 4.65 and a WHIP of 1.034.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-0. (+2.0 units)

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SAN DIEGO (16 - 18) at TAMPA BAY (16 - 18) - 7:10 PM
EDINSON VOLQUEZ (R) vs. ALEX COBB (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 94-39 (+30.7 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997.
SAN DIEGO is 433-487 (+44.5 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
SAN DIEGO is 36-24 (+24.2 Units) against the money line in road games after shutting out their opponent since 1997.
SAN DIEGO is 48-42 (+14.4 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.

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

EDINSON VOLQUEZ vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
VOLQUEZ is 1-0 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 4.27 and a WHIP of 1.106.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

ALEX COBB vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
No recent starts.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, May 10

Hot pitchers
-- Samardzija is 0-1, 3.18 in his last three starts.
-- Cingrani is 2-0, 2.63 in four starts this season. Gallardo is 3-0, 3.51 in his last four starts.
-- Miller is 4-2, 2.50 in six starts this season.
-- Fernandez is 1-0, 1.64 in his last two starts.
-- Hudson is 2-0, 2.51 in his last couple starts.

-- Volquez is 3-0, 2.33 in his last three starts. Cobb is 3-0, 3.21 in last four.

-- Detroit won last four Scherzer starts (2-0, 2.35 in last two).
-- Orioles won last five Hammel starts (4-0, 4.66) scoring 37 runs.
-- Hughes is 2-0, 1.93 in his last four starts.
-- Axelrod is 0-1, 2.75 in his last three starts. Hanson is 1-0, 2.65 in his last three starts.
-- Ogando is 1-1, 3.00 in his last couple starts.
-- Iwakuma is 5-1, 2.01 in seven starts this season.

Cold pitchers
-- Detwiler is 0-3, 5.06 in his last three starts.
-- Rodriguez is 0-3, 7.80 in his last three starts. Marcum is 0-1, 6.48 in two starts for the Mets.
-- Garland is 1-2, 6.60 in his last three starts.
-- Kennedy is 0-1, 6.39 in his last two starts. Cloyd was 2-2, 4.91 in six starts for Phillies LY; this is his first '13 start.
-- Magill is 0-0, 7.88 in two starts for the Dodgers.
-- Cain is 1-1, 5.68 in his last four starts.

-- Kluber is 1-1, 3.55 in two starts this season.
-- Lester has a 6.11 RA in his last three starts. 39-year old Ortiz has started 214 big league games, but only four since '07, two in '10, two in '11.
-- Pelfrey is 1-2, 5.63 in his last three starts.
-- Davis is 2-2, 6.00 in six starts, three great starts, three hideous ones.
-- Keuchel was 3-8, 5.27 in 27 starts LY; this is his first '13 start. He is 0-1, 4.96 in 16 IP in relief this season.
-- Straily has a 5.93 RA in three starts, but A's won all three, scoring 23 runs.

Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in first inning. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Samardzija 3-7 (3 of last 4); Detwiler 2-6 (2 of last 2)
-- Rodriguez 2-6; Marcum 0-2
-- Gallardo 2-7; Cingrani 1-4
-- Garland 3-6; Miller 1-6
-- Cloyd 0-0; Kennedy 3-7 (2 of last 2)
-- Fernandez 1-6; Magill 1-2
-- Hudson 1-7; Cain 2-7

-- Kluber 0-2; Scherzer 1-6
-- Ortiz 0-0; Lester 1-7
-- Hammel 2-7; Pelfrey 3-6
-- Hughes 3-6; Davis 2-6
-- Hanson 2-5; Axelrod 2-6
-- Ogando 1-7; Keuchel 0-0
-- Straily 1-3; Iwakuma 2-7

-- Volquez 3-7 (0 of last 3); Cobb 1-6.

Totals
-- Five of last six Cub games went over the total.
-- Nine of last thirteen Pittsburgh games went over the total.
-- Last six Cincinnati games went over the total.
-- Six of last nine Colorado games went over the total.
-- 11 of last 15 Philly road games stayed under the total.
-- 11 of last 13 games at Dodger Stadium went over.
-- 11 of last 14 Atlanta games went over the total.

-- Last eleven Tampa Bay games went over the total.

-- Under is 5-0 in Cleveland's road series openers.
-- Over is 6-3-1 in the last ten games at Fenway Park.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in Baltimore's last nine road games.
-- Five of last six Kansas City games stayed under total.
-- Seven of Angels' last ten games went over the total.
-- Over is 11-4-1 in Houston's last sixteen home games.
-- 14 of 19 Oakland road games went over the total.

Hot teams
-- Nationals won six of their last seven games.
-- Mets won four of their last six games.
-- Reds are 9-4 in their last thirteen home games.
-- Cardinals won seven of their last eight games.
-- Arizona won five of its last six games.
-- Atlanta won four of its last five games.

-- San Diego won six of its last seven games overall. Rays won nine of their last 13 home games.

-- Indians won ten of their last eleven games. Detroit won nine of its last twelve games, but lost last two.
-- Twins won their last three games, scoring 26 runs. Baltimore is 7-4 in its last eleven road games.
-- Royals won four of their last five home games. Bronx won eight of its last twelve road games.
-- Mariners won five of their last seven home games.

Cold teams
-- Cubs lost five of their last seven games.
-- Pirates lost four of their last five games.
-- Brewers lost six of their last seven games.
-- Rockies lost seven of their last eleven games.
-- Phillies lost nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Miami is 5-14 on the road. Dodgers lost their last six games.
-- Giants lost three of their last four games.

-- Blue Jays lost nine of their last twelve road games. Red Sox lost last three games, allowing 26 runs.
-- Oakland lost ten of its last thirteen road games.
-- Angels lost nine of their last twelve games. White Sox are 3-5 in their last eight home games.
-- Houston lost seven of its last nine games. Rangers lost four of their last five away games.
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[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Odds to win the NBA championship, heading into Friday's games.......

Miami Heat 1-4-- Popular belief is that Game 1 vs Bulls was a fluke.

San Antonio Spurs 7-2-- Led for 11 of first 106 minutes vs Warriors.

Memphis Grizzlies 7-1-- Good month to be Lionel Hollins' agent.

Oklahoma City Thunder 8-1-- Need Martin to score consistently.

Indiana Pacers 12-1-- Won both home games vs Knicks this season.

New York Knicks 15-1-- Get Stoudamire back for Game 3.

Golden State Warriors 15-1-- Where Jerry West goes, winning follows.

Chicago Bulls 35-1-- Michael Jordan ain't walking thru those doors.


*****

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind..........

13) I went to the minor league ballgame here in Las Vegas last night, so I missed the 4:07 Angel-Astro game, where the Halos rallied late for a 6-5 win, after the unpires screwed up another administrative issue.

When you put a relief pitcher in, he has to face a batter before you can take him out, unless he is hurt; somehow, Wesley Wright came into the game and then left without throwing a pitch-- thats against the rules.

12) So had the Angels lost, they probably would've won their protest and would've had to go back to Houston to replay the last couple innings. Very bad week for the umpires' union.

11) Astros have now played 35 games, and lost 19 of them by more than a run, so if you like to lay 1.5 runs, betting against Houston could work.

10) Bucs' DB Ronde Barber retired after 16 years with Tampa Bay; he is only player ever with 40+ INTs and 20+ sacks.

9) Minnesota Vikings are getting a new stadium, will use Minnesota Gophers' stadium in 2014-15, or until the new stadium is finished.

8) Batters who have come to bat with most men on base this season: Prince Fielder 123, Miguel Cabrera 121, Dustin Pedroia 119.

7) Batters who knocked the highest %age of baserunners in, with minimum of 80 AB's: Freddie Freeman 30.4%, Allen Craig 26.7%, Alex Gordon 26.0%.

6) Batters who knocked the lowest %age of baserunners in, with minimum of 80 AB's: Alex Avila 2.7%, Darwin Barney 3.8% BJ Upton 4.3%.

5) 106 minutes have been played in Warrior-Spur series; Golden State led for 95 of those 106 minutes.

4) Gary Barta is AD at Iowa; he thinks its a good idea for the Hawkeyes to play I-AA teams in football, which is another way of saying he endorses xharging his fans I-A prices to see easier wins, glorified scrimmages. For the love of Pete, go play a Sun Belt team- you'll still win.

3) Carl Crawford makes $20M a year; he has hit five solo homers, but has also come to bat with 53 men on base, knocking in three of them. I'll repeat, he makes $20M a year, and ranks 226th out of 234 players who have 80+ plate appearances, in terms of the %age of runners knocked in. Does Theo Epstein get drug tested? He gave Crawford $140M for seven years. .

2) Knicks are getting Amare Stoudemire back for Game 3 Saturday night at Conseco; will his presence screw up New York's chemistry? I'm just asking, not saying it will.

1) How is Angel Hernandez the chief of an umpiring crew? Don't you have to be one of the better unpires to be a crew chief? Hello?!?!?!?
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[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

05/09/13 10-*10-*0 50.00% -*155 Detail
05/08/13 13-*13-*0 50.00% -*880 Detail
05/07/13 15-*12-*0 55.56% +*985 Detail
05/06/13 8-*10-*0 44.44% -*1870 Detail
05/05/13 15-*11-*1 57.69% +*1790 Detail
05/04/13 11-*16-*1 40.74% -*2375 Detail
05/03/13 12-*16-*0 42.86% -*2225 Detail
05/02/13 6-*7-*0 46.15% -*1090 Detail
05/01/13 19-*11-*0 63.33% +*4395 Detail

Totals 109-*106-*2 50.70% -*1425




Friday, May 10

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chi. Cubs - 7:05 PM ET Chi. Cubs +124 500 POD # 4
Washington - Over 7.5 500

Cleveland - 7:08 PM ET Cleveland +179 500 POD # 1
Detroit - Under 8.5 500

Toronto - 7:10 PM ET Boston -202 500
Boston - Over 9 500

Milwaukee - 7:10 PM ET Cincinnati -139 500
Cincinnati - Over 7.5 500

Pittsburgh - 7:10 PM ET Pittsburgh -108 500
NY Mets - Under 7.5 500

San Diego - 7:10 PM ET Tampa Bay -172 500
Tampa Bay - Under 8 500

Baltimore - 8:10 PM ET Baltimore -114 500
Minnesota - Over 8.5 500

LA Angels - 8:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox -125 500
Chi. White Sox - Over 8.5 500

Texas - 8:10 PM ET Houston +187 500 POD # 2
Houston - Under 9 500

NY Yankees - 8:10 PM ET NY Yankees +107 500
Kansas City - Under 8 500

Colorado - 8:15 PM ET St. Louis -161 500
St. Louis - Over 7.5 500

Philadelphia - 9:40 PM ET Arizona -162 500
Arizona - Over 9.5 500

Miami - 10:10 PM ET Miami +128 500 POD # 3
LA Dodgers - Over 7 500

Oakland - 10:10 PM ET Seattle -122 500
Seattle - Under 7 500

Atlanta - 10:15 PM ET San Francisco -118 500
San Francisco - Under 6.5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pirates (19-16) at Mets (14-18)

Game: 3
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 11, 2013 1:10 PM EDT


Garrett Jones is proving to be more productive on the road than at home. That's certainly held true against the New York Mets.

Jones looks to continue his impressive hitting at Citi Field on Saturday and help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a second straight win over the sputtering Mets.

Jones is hitting .327 with four homers, six doubles and 12 RBIs on the road, compared to a .271 average with four extra-base hits - one homer - while knocking in eight runs at home.

The first baseman has been particularly good in the past nine games away from Pittsburgh, batting .353 with three homers and nine RBIs.

Jones' production against the Mets is also much better as the visitor. He owns a .327 average in 14 games in Flushing, going 10 for 24 with seven RBIs in the past seven meetings there, compared to 3 for 18 over his last eight at home.

He hit New York hard again Friday, collecting two doubles and a three-run homer in a 7-3 win, a day after the Pirates (19-16) dropped the opener of this four-game set 3-2.

Starling Marte also had three hits while adding an RBI Friday, and he's batting .355 on the road.

Jones and Marte, though, may be in for a stiff test with the Mets (14-18), losers of six of eight at home, scheduled to send Jonathon Niese (2-3, 4.66 ERA) to the mound.

The left-hander is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in three starts against Pittsburgh, but he hasn't come close to being that effective recently.

Niese is 0-3 with a 5.68 ERA over his last four starts and his latest performance was his worst of the season. He was tagged for seven runs over four innings and matched his career high with six walks in Sunday's 9-4 loss at Atlanta.

"It's embarrassing," Niese said. "I know what I have to work on. In bullpens I'm going to work on pounding the zone and throwing strikes. I've just got to learn from it and know when to expand the zone and when not to."

Niese, though, could use some help from the offense, which has backed him with five total runs over his last four games. He probably shouldn't expect much of an improvement in this outing, with the Mets batting .198 and averaging 2.4 runs over the last eight home contests.

Lucas Duda is one of the major culprits, going 3 for 26 with a solo homer and eight strikeouts over that stretch. He's 0 for 16 over his last six meetings with Pittsburgh after going hitless in five at_bats in this series.

Facing the punchless Mets would seem a good way for Francisco Liriano to make his Pirates debut.

The left-hander, who suffered a broken right arm in December, went 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 21 2-3 innings over five minor league starts.

"I'm very happy with the way everything is going, and I'm happy to be here, to get another chance to compete," Liriano told the team's official website.

Liriano, who is facing the Mets for the first time, was 3-2 with a 5.40 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 52 2-3 innings over 12 games - 11 starts - with the Chicago White Sox last year after opening the season with Minnesota.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Pirates at Mets
Thu, May 9 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Pirates at Mets
Fri, May 10 Final 7 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Pirates at Mets
Sat, May 11 - 1:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Pirates at Mets
Sun, May 12 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jays (13-24) at Red Sox (22-14)

Game: 2
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: May 11, 2013 1:35 PM EDT


After ending their slide behind one of the top left-handers in baseball, the Boston Red Sox hope their elite right-hander can put together a similar effort.

Clay Buchholz, coming off his worst performance of the year, tries again to notch his major league-leading seventh win Saturday by dominating the Toronto Blue Jays for the second time in two weeks.

Boston (22-14) avoided its seventh loss in eight games behind Jon Lester's masterpiece Friday to open this three-game set at Fenway Park.

The southpaw fired a one-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Blue Jays to snap the team's three-game losing streak. Lester didn't walk a batter while improving to 5-0.

"He carved us up pretty good," Toronto manager John Gibbons told MLB's official website. "It happens. We're a free-swinging team, there's no question about that."

It doesn't figure to get any easier for Gibbons' club as they face Buchholz (6-0, 1.60 ERA), who joins Tampa Bay's Matt Moore and Washington's Jordan Zimmermann as the majors' only six-game winners.

Buchholz, also among baseball's best in ERA, won his first six outings before leaving without a victory Monday. He allowed a season-high four runs and seven hits over a season-low six innings in a 6-5 home win over Minnesota.

"I didn't do anything differently," said Buchholz, who has 44 strikeouts in 36 2-3 innings at Fenway. "I gave up runs."

Buchholz had won his previous start May 1 in Toronto, giving up two hits and striking out eight over seven shutout innings in a 10-1 victory. He's 6-1 with a 1.67 ERA in nine starts versus the Blue Jays since the start of 2010.

Adam Lind has the most at_bats versus Buchholz among all major leaguers, going 11 for 37 (.297) with two homers, but has only two hits in the last 13 against him. Buchholz has been particularly tough on Edwin Encarnacion (1 for 18) and J.P. Arencibia (0 for 14).

Since hitting .357 with eight homers and 24 runs over a three-game winning streak, the Blue Jays (13-24) are batting .182 with one homer and eight RBIs in three straight losses.

Brett Lawrie is in a 2-for-28 slump and Colby Rasmus is 2 for 17 in his last five.

Toronto's offensive woes don't bode well for the struggling Mark Buehrle (1-2, 7.02), who has one of the highest ERAs in the majors and hasn't won since April 15.

The left-hander is 0-2 with an 8.50 ERA over his last three starts while yielding eight home runs. He's allowed six homers over his last two outings against the Red Sox, including three in the May 1 loss to Buchholz.

Buehrle is 0-4 with a 5.50 ERA in his past six starts against Boston.

David Ortiz is 6 for 16 with four extra-base hits off Buehrle in that span and has a .359 career average against him, but he enters in an 0-for-13 drought.

Dustin Pedroia, 2 for 3 with an RBI on Friday, is hitting .487 with seven RBIs in his last 10 games at Fenway.

Shane Victorino (9 for 21) and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (7 for 14) also have heated up in five home games this week.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Blue Jays at Red Sox
Fri, May 10 Final 0 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Red Sox
Sat, May 11 - 1:35PM EDT

GAME 3
Blue Jays at Red Sox
Sun, May 12 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (19-16) at Cardinals (22-12)

Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: May 11, 2013 2:15 PM EDT


St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright was off his game the last time out.

The right-hander might not need his best stuff given how the Colorado Rockies are struggling at the plate.

Wainwright and the Cardinals go for their ninth win in 10 games Saturday when this series continues at Busch Stadium.

Looking to rebound from his first defeat of the season, a 2-1 loss to Cincinnati on April 29 that ended his run of four consecutive winning starts, Wainwright (4-2, 2.72 ERA) yielded a season-high five runs and 11 hits while not receiving a decision in last Saturday's 7-6 win at Milwaukee.

He also gave up his first two homers of the season.

"It wouldn't have been any fun for the rest of the team if I'd gone out and dominated and thrown a shutout," Wainwright told the Cardinals' official website.

It wouldn't be a surprise if Wainwright, 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA in five starts against Colorado, flirted with one Saturday.

The Rockies (19-16) have a .103 batting average with three runs during a three-game skid. Colorado had one hit in Friday's 3-0 series-opening loss, a leadoff bloop single by Eric Young. Rookie Shelby Miller set down the next 27 Rockies, including 13 by strikeout.

"I think this is one of those nights where we ran into a pitcher that had everything working," said manager Walt Weiss, whose team has dropped 12 of 18 since a season-best 8-0 run.

Colorado, loser of 14 of 18 to St. Louis, will try to avoid its longest skid of the season with Jhoulys Chacin (3-1, 2.56) on the hill.

The right-hander makes his second appearance following a stint on the disabled list with a lower back strain. In his first start since April 19, Chacin allowed season highs of six runs and eight hits over seven innings in Sunday's 8-3 home loss to Tampa Bay.

"Overall I felt good," said Chacin, who gave up four runs over six innings to lose his only other start against St. Louis (22-12). "... There were a couple of bloopers and some bad luck in the sixth inning. But you just want to go out and get the outs."

That could be tough with the Cardinals getting production throughout their lineup. Carlos Beltran hit his team-leading ninth home run in the opener and is 13 for 36 with three homers in his last eight games.

Yadier Molina is batting .462 while hitting safely in 10 straight, and Jon Jay is 11 for 23 with nine RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak.

The Rockies' lineup could get a boost if Michael Cuddyer, tied for second on the team with seven homers and a career .345 hitter against the Cardinals, returns after missing the last two games with a sore neck.

Cuddyer has two hits in three at_bats off Wainwright, while Carlos Gonzalez is 3 for 7, Todd Helton is 5 for 16 with two doubles and Troy Tulowitzki is 1 for 8.

The Cardinals, who opened a season high-tying 10-game homestand Friday, have won 10 of 12 with the Rockies in town.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Cardinals
Fri, May 10 Final 0 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rockies at Cardinals
Sat, May 11 - 2:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Rockies at Cardinals
Sun, May 12 - 2:15PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cubs (13-22) at Nationals (20-15)

Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: May 11, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


With recent injury concerns seemingly behind him, Stephen Strasburg hopes to avoid matching the longest winless stretch of his career.

Strasburg looks to win for the first time since opening day and help extend the Washington Nationals' season-high winning streak Saturday when they host the Chicago Cubs.

After firing seven shutout innings to beat Miami on April 1, the ace right-hander has gone 0-4 with a 4.10 ERA over his last six starts.

The Nationals (20-15) had dropped five straight with Strasburg (1-4, 3.45 ERA) starting before a 5-4 win at Pittsburgh on Saturday, when he struck out eight and allowed four runs over seven innings.

Strasburg showed no signs of discomfort after general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed he was experiencing some irritation in his right forearm following a start against Atlanta on April 29.

"I was absolutely happy about getting through the seventh inning," Strasburg said. "The biggest thing is to give your team a chance to win the ballgame. Not every game are you going to be lights out and hitting every spot."

He went a career-worst seven straight starts without a win from Aug. 10, 2010-Sept. 23, 2011, undergoing Tommy John surgery in the middle of that stretch.

Now he'll try to lift the Nationals to a sixth win in a row as they continue a three-game set against the Cubs (13-22).

In his only start versus Chicago, Strasburg yielded one run and five hits over seven innings in a 2-1 win at Wrigley Field on April 5, 2012.

Despite playing without Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth, the Nationals won 7-3 in Friday's series opener behind Ian Desmond's two-run homer and RBI double.

"When your 3-hole hitter's out of there," manager Davey Johnson said, referring to Harper, "and you score a bunch of runs, that's big."

While Harper (ingrown toenail) is expected to be available Saturday, Werth could be headed to the disabled list because of a hamstring injury that has kept him out since May 2.

Harper is 6 for 13 with four extra-base hits - including two homers - lifetime against the Cubs, who have lost six of eight.

After winning 10 games for the Nationals last season, scheduled starter Edwin Jackson (0-5, 6.39) is still searching for his first victory as a Cub. He's been particularly bad in losing his last two outings, giving up 12 runs and 19 hits in 9 2-3 innings.

"Been a slow start to say the least. Not exactly how I had it envisioned," said Jackson, who has a 9.00 ERA in four home starts but 3.18 in three road games.

The right-hander's only career start against the Nationals came in 2011, striking out eight over seven shutout innings in a 9-5 loss while with the Chicago White Sox.

Jackson must be wary of Adam LaRoche, who has hit safely in seven straight overall (11 for 21) and seven in a row versus the Cubs while batting .571 with seven homers and 12 RBIs. Desmond also has been ripping apart Chicago pitching, hitting .440 with three homers, four doubles and eight RBIs in the last six meetings.

The Cubs have lost the last five matchups with the Nationals even with Starlin Castro hitting .412 during an eight-game hitting streak against them.

Castro had two hits Friday as did teammate Anthony Rizzo, who is batting .450 with seven doubles and seven RBIs over his last 10 games.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at Nationals
Fri, May 10 Final 3 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Cubs at Nationals
Sat, May 11 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Cubs at Nationals
Sun, May 12 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Braves (21-14) at Giants (21-15)

Game: 3
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 11, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


The addition of Marco Scutaro last season was a big reason the San Francisco Giants went on to win their second World Series in three years.

He's now keying their recent surge.

Scutaro looks to continue his offensive barrage as the Giants go for a second straight win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

San Francisco (21-15) acquired Scutaro from Colorado for fellow second baseman Charlie Culberson on July 27, a seemingly innocuous move to bolster the infield.

Instead, the journeyman proceeded to become one of the Giants' best hitters, batting .362 with 44 RBIs and 40 runs in 61 regular-season games. He followed that up with a .328 average in the postseason, being named MVP of the NL championship series.

Now, he's at it again.

The 37-year-old Scutaro - a career .276 hitter - has a .487 average with nine runs during a 10-game hitting streak. He kept that run going with two hits and two RBIs in Friday's 8-2 win over Atlanta (21-14), as the Giants won for the eighth time in 11 tries.

They fell 6-3 in the opener of this four-game set a day earlier.

Scutaro also had two hits in that game, and he's 8 for 23 in six games versus the Braves since joining the Giants. He had a .169 average over his first 23 career matchups.

Madison Bumgarner (3-1, 2.31 ERA) will take the mound looking to beat the Braves for the first time since Game 4 of the 2010 NL division series. He allowed two runs in six innings as the Giants eliminated Atlanta en route to their first championship since moving to San Francisco.

Since then, Bumgarner is 0-3 with a 4.30 ERA in four starts against the Braves, losing both home outings while surrendering eight runs with six walks in nine innings.

The left-hander enters this meeting with a 2.73 ERA in his last four starts, but he has an 0-1 record to show for it since he's been backed by four total runs.

Bumgarner didn't do himself any favors Monday, giving up a season-high five runs in six innings of a 6-2 loss to Philadelphia.

"My command was not as sharp as it has been," Bumgarner told the team's official website.

He'll have to contend with a hot-hitting Brian McCann, who has five hits - two homers - and seven RBIs in the past three games. He hit a two-run shot into McCovey Cove on Friday in his fourth contest since returning from offseason shoulder surgery.

"I've felt good since spring training and I carried it into the season and on my rehab stints," McCann said.

The six-time All-Star catcher certainly feels good in San Francisco, hitting .337 in 26 career games there, including the playoffs. Both of his hits in eight career at_bats against Bumgarner were home runs - one in the 2010 NLDS.

Unlike McCann, Paul Maholm (4-3, 3.09) has struggled at AT&T Park, going 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA in five career starts while allowing the Giants to hit .345.

The left-hander, though, enters this meeting as one of the Braves' more reliable starters, yielding two runs or fewer in five of his seven outings. He ended a three-start losing streak Monday, allowing two runs and four hits with six strikeouts in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-4 win at Cincinnati.

Bench coach Carlos Tosca will serve the second of two scheduled games as the Braves' interim manager in place of Fredi Gonzalez, who is in Georgia to attend his daughter's college graduation.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Giants
Thu, May 9 Final 6 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Braves at Giants
Fri, May 10 Final 2 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Braves at Giants
Sat, May 11 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Braves at Giants
Sun, May 12 - 4:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Brewers (15-18) at Reds (20-16)

Game: 2
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: May 11, 2013 4:10 PM EDT


The Cincinnati Reds are off to their best home start in 19 years.

Giving the ball to Mat Latos is likely to keep it that way.

Latos looks to become the first Reds pitcher in nine years to win eight straight decisions Saturday in a matchup with the struggling Milwaukee Brewers.

Cincinnati (20-16) is proving to be much better at home than on the road, winning a major league-best 14 times on its own field against six losses. It's the Reds' best start to their home schedule since going 15-5 at Riverfront Stadium in 1994.

They won again at home Friday, opening this series with a 4-3 win over Milwaukee (15-18), beating the NL Central rival for the eighth time in 10 home meetings.

Latos (3-0, 2.23 ERA) is looking to make it nine in 11, as he goes for a career-high eighth consecutive winning decision, which would be Cincinnati's longest winning streak since Paul Wilson won nine in a row Aug. 17, 2003-May 25, 2004.

Latos is 7-0 with a 2.25 ERA while holding opponents to a .225 average over his last 14 starts - 12 ending in Reds wins. The right-hander's streak includes a 1.50 ERA while winning each of his last three trips to the mound, and he went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three starts versus the Brewers last year.

"If he has the kind of finish he had, who knows what he can do? Especially a young person that has the experience he's had and the time already, the next best thing is to try and keep him healthy," manager Dusty Baker told the team's official website. "He'll get better and better and better.

"We'd like to take him deeper in the games. That's the next step for him."

Latos didn't do that Monday, when he battled an illness as well as the Chicago Cubs to earn a 7-4 win in his shortest outing of the season. He tossed four scoreless innings before giving up three runs and leaving after the fifth.

While Latos is coming through on the mound, Brandon Phillips is on a tear at the plate. The second baseman is batting .357 with 10 RBIs in 11 games. He had an RBI single and a solo homer Friday, also turning a spectacular bare-handed double play to end the seventh.

The Brewers have lost seven of eight games this month thanks in large part to a 7.07 ERA from the rotation.

Now, they're scheduled to turn to Hiram Burgos (1-0, 3.00) for the first time since a 6-4 loss to Pittsburgh on May 1. The rookie right-hander didn't get a decision after giving up a pair of solo homers in seven innings.

A coupe of days off earlier this week caused Burgos to wait longer than usual for his fourth start, but he isn't concerned with the long layoff.

"I had to do it because the team needed it, and I was fine with that," Burgos told the team's official website. "I was still on the mound. I did my workouts. My arm feels good.

"(It's) more mental. I'm ready to pitch. Like I always say, I want the ball."

Brewers slugger Ryan Braun is hitting .419 over his last 11 games, but he has just four RBIs in that span with one coming on his eighth homer Friday. His 14 homers at Great American Ball Park are his highest total for any road venue.

Braun, though, is 1 for 14 with five strikeouts versus Latos.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Brewers at Reds
Fri, May 10 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Brewers at Reds
Sat, May 11 - 4:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Brewers at Reds
Sun, May 12 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Padres (16-19) at Rays (17-18)

Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: May 11, 2013 6:10 PM EDT


The Tampa Bay Rays' homestand got off to a bad start, but they're starting to pick up steam.

The break-even point is within reach Saturday night when the Rays will face San Diego Padres right-hander Burch Smith in his major league debut.

After opening with 18 of their first 30 on the road, the Rays (17-18) were hoping to make the most out of this extended run at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay, though, lost two straight to Toronto to open the 10-game stretch, beginning with an 8-7 defeat Monday when it led by seven after three innings.

The Rays have bounced back nicely, winning two in a row over the Blue Jays and opening this three-game series with a 6-3 come-from-behind victory Friday. They scored four times in the seventh on two-run singles from Ryan Roberts and Ben Zobrist.

Tampa Bay, 11-6 at home, was last at .500 on April 7 when it was 3-3.

Jeremy Hellickson (1-2, 4.79 ERA) will try to get the Rays back there. The right-hander, though, is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in his last three outings after a disappointing effort Monday when he lasted five innings after being staked to a 7-0 advantage. It was the first time Tampa Bay lost a lead of at least seven runs since an 11-10 loss to Cleveland on May 25, 2009.

"I just couldn't put away guys with two strikes," Hellickson, who walked four and yielded three runs, told the Rays' official website. "... It's pretty frustrating."

San Diego (16-19) has to feel that way after striking out a season-worst 18 times Friday. Alex Cobb struck out 13 Padres in 4 2-3 innings, including four in the second. The only other time a Ray struck out four in one inning was Hellickson on Aug. 25, 2011.

Smith will get his first start after getting called up from Double-A San Antonio to replace Clayton Richard, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an intestinal virus.

Saturday was actually Andrew Cashner's turn in the rotation as the Padres had an off day Thursday, but he'll start Tuesday in Baltimore with Eric Stults getting the ball in Sunday's series finale.

That opens the door for the 23-year-old Smith, a 14th-round pick in 2011 out of Oklahoma. He struck out 37 with six walks this spring and went 1-2 with a 1.15 ERA in six starts with San Antonio.

"He's got a big arm and a good, sound delivery," manager Bud Black told the Padres' official website. "He's thrown very well this season in Double-A. Our front office thinks very highly of this guy."

Smith might need to be at his best as he'll face a Rays team hitting .297 and averaging 6.5 runs over the last 12 games.

Corner infielders Evan Longoria and James Loney are batting a combined .414 (41 for 99) with 20 RBIs during that stretch.

Padres right fielder Will Venable has three of his team-best five homers in the last five games after going deep Friday.

Carlos Quentin also homered for San Diego after beginning the series on an 0-for-19 skid to open May. Quentin is batting .316 with six homers and 11 RBIs in his last 11 games at Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay is trying to equal a season high with a fourth consecutive home win.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Rays
Fri, May 10 Final 3 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Padres at Rays
Sat, May 11 - 6:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Padres at Rays
Sun, May 12 - 1:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Indians (18-15) at Tigers (20-13)

Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: May 11, 2013 7:08 PM EDT


Justin Verlander has been the same old workhorse for the Detroit Tigers, but manager Jim Leyland is still being cautious not to overwork his ace.

The Cleveland Indians, meanwhile, are getting more consistency from Ubaldo Jimenez, who looks to win a third consecutive start Saturday night at Comerica Park.

Verlander (4-2, 1.55 ERA) is having another stellar season, ranking second in the AL in ERA while allowing two or fewer runs in six of his seven outings.

He took a no-hitter into the seventh before allowing a pair of singles in a 9-0 win over Houston on Sunday, exiting after that inning with nine strikeouts and 116 pitches.

Though Verlander has led the majors in pitches per start in each of the last four years and his 109.3 average this season is second to the Los Angeles Angels' C.J. Wilson (110.3), Leyland didn't plan to push him much longer even if the no-hitter remained intact.

The right-hander has thrown at least 111 pitches five times - including a season-high 126 against Seattle on April 18 - despite not pitching more than 7 1-3 innings in any outing.

"I would have done what I felt was the best thing to do for Justin Verlander's career and the Detroit Tigers," Leyland said. "I would have been caught up in a no-hitter like everyone else and there's nothing wrong with that. But you can't do a silly thing."

Verlander has hit triple digits in pitches in 10 straight starts versus Cleveland, going 6-3 with a 3.04 ERA and two complete games in that span. He's 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA in his last five home starts against the Indians (18-15), who lost for the second time in 12 games after falling 10-4 on Friday.

Prince Fielder hit a 460-foot solo homer in the third and Miguel Cabrera, leading the majors with 40 RBIs, hit a long three-run shot in the fourth for the Tigers (20-13), who have won six of seven at home.

"When you get RBIs, that means people are on base, obviously," Leyland said. "We've done a good job of that for (Cabrera), and he's taken advantage of that."

Cabrera is 12 for 35 (.343) with a homer and three doubles off Jimenez, who will look to win three straight starts for the first time since July 2011.

Jimenez (2-2, 6.37) had a solid performance in his first outing April 3, but he allowed 18 runs over 11 innings while going 0-2 in his following three starts.

The right-hander has been solid over his last two outings, though, giving up three hits in seven innings of a 9-0 win over Kansas City on April 29 before striking out eight in 5 2-3 innings of Monday's 7-3 victory over Oakland.

"It feels good," Jimenez told the Indians' official website. "It feels good to be able to go out there and compete and give your team a chance to win."

Jimenez's history at Comerica Park isn't all that encouraging, though, as he's gone 1-6 with a 7.45 ERA in seven starts. Cleveland is 8-29 in its last 37 contests in Detroit.

Nick Swisher went 3 for 4 on Friday and is batting .389 with two homers during a five-game hitting streak, but he's 11 for 61 (.180) with 23 strikeouts against Verlander, including the postseason.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Tigers
Fri, May 10 Final 4 to 10
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Indians at Tigers
Sat, May 11 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 3
Indians at Tigers
Sun, May 12 - 1:08PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (13-22) at White Sox (14-19)

Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: May 11, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


After persevering to post consecutive victories for the first time in almost three weeks, the Los Angeles Angels are feeling confident.

The visiting Angels look to match a season high with their third straight win Saturday night against the Chicago White Sox.

One day after Los Angeles (13-22) rallied from two down to score three times in the eighth inning for a 6-5 win at Houston, it overcame blowing a four-run lead to win 7-5 at Chicago on Friday. The Angels have not won consecutive contests since sweeping a three-game set against Detroit from April 19-21.

"They're all important,' said No. 9 hitter Brendan Harris, who had three hits and a home run. "So if we can get two in a row and just get a little momentum, and everybody can exhale a little bit, it's going lend itself better to really getting on a roll to really get going as we get into May.'

Los Angeles has won four in a row and 12 of 17 against the White Sox (14-19), including five of seven in Chicago.

Mike Trout had two hits, including the go-ahead single in the seventh to help the Angels improve to 6-13 on the road. He's batted .341 (14 for 41) with 11 RBIs in 10 games since he went 4 for 32 (.125) in the previous eight.

Harris is 5 for 7 with two of his three home runs in the last two games.

Jerome Williams (1-1, 3.16 ERA) makes his second straight start for the Angels on Saturday.

The right-hander went 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in eight relief appearances before he allowed five runs, including a pair of two-run homers, and walked three in 4 1-3 innings of an 8-4 home loss to Baltimore on Sunday. Williams replaced the struggling Garrett Richards, who was filling in for injured Los Angeles ace Jered Weaver.

"It wasn't an issue about command, it was about executing pitches," said Williams, who is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts versus Chicago.

Alejandro De Aza homered and Dayan Viciedo had two RBIs in his first game off the disabled list from a strained oblique as the White Sox dropped their third straight home game and fourth in six overall.

The White Sox committed two more errors, including one in the seventh. Their 24 errors rank among the most in the majors.

"We battled back and you give them multiple opportunities and you're going to pay for it,' manager Robin Ventura said. "That's just the name of it right there. You just can't give these guys a lot of opportunities.'

De Aza has led off the last two games with a homer, the first Chicago player to do so since Kenny Lofton in July 2002. Three of De Aza's seven home runs this year have led off the game.

He's 5 for 10 in those two games and batting .370 in his last six versus Los Angeles.

Scheduled Chicago starter Jose Quintana (2-0, 3.86) took a no-hitter into the fifth inning Sunday at Kansas City, but allowed three runs in the frame and did not get an out in the sixth of a 6-5, 10-inning loss.

The left-hander has given up nine runs in 15 innings while going 1-0 in three starts since he threw 13 2-3 scoreless frames over the previous two.

Quintana yielded four runs - one earned - and walked five in five innings of a 4-2 road loss during his only previous appearance against the Angels on Sept. 22.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Angels at White Sox
Fri, May 10 Final 7 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Angels at White Sox
Sat, May 11 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Angels at White Sox
Sun, May 12 - 8:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Yankees (21-13) at Royals (18-14)

Game: 5
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: May 11, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Although he's struggled since winning his first three starts, Andy Pettitte appears to have a decent chance to bounce back against a team he's fared well against throughout his career.

Pettitte will try to win his 10th straight decision against the slumping Kansas City Royals on Saturday night and help the New York Yankees match a season high with their fourth straight victory.

Still without several key players due to injury, the Yankees continued their strong play with an 11-6 win in Friday's series opener. Lyle Overbay had a career-high four hits, including a two-run homer, and five RBIs and Ichiro Suzuki also had a two-run shot.

"Sometimes baseball doesn't make sense, and we really needed some runs, we got them,' said manager Joe Girardi, who won his 500th game with the Yankees.

Girardi's club had totaled 14 runs while batting .203 over its previous six games before breaking out with 16 hits and scoring 10 or more runs for the first time since April 9.

The first-place Yankees (21-13) hope to provide similar support for Pettitte (3-2, 4.06 ERA), who has received just one run from the offense in his last three starts.

The 40-year-old left-hander, however, hasn't pitched well during that span, going 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA after posting a 2.01 ERA while winning his first three.

"It's a struggle. The issue is everything again,' Pettitte said. "Everything you want to try and do as a starting pitcher, I'm not able to do right now. I have no command of my fastball.'

Pettitte walked four for the first time since July 2010 and threw just 57 of 100 pitches for strikes, leaving without a decision in a 5-4 home loss to Oakland on Sunday. He allowed a season-high two homers in five innings and has lasted just 9 1-3 frames over his last two starts.

"I'm not going to judge someone on two starts,' Girardi said. "If it goes on for a month, then obviously there's some concern. But I think every pitcher in the big leagues has probably had two starts that weren't so good, and that's not what you're used to seeing from a particular pitcher.'

Pettitte hasn't had many rough stretches against the Royals. He's 14-3 with a 3.36 ERA in 22 career starts, winning nine straight decisions versus Kansas City over 13 outings dating back to the 2000 season.

The Royals (18-14), losers of four of five, counter with right-hander James Shields (2-2, 2.52).

Shields put together his best performance of the year Monday, allowing two hits and striking out a season-high nine over eight shutout innings but left without a decision in a 2-1, 11-inning loss to the Chicago White Sox.

While he's 1-1 with a 2.13 ERA during a stretch of five consecutive quality starts, Shields may have a tough time keeping that streak alive in this matchup. He's 7-14 with a 4.56 ERA in 26 starts against the Yankees, posting a 6.03 ERA over his last six.

Robinson Cano, who went 2 for 5 Friday after appearing to aggravate a big toe injury a night earlier, should be happy to see Shields again. He's hitting .413 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 75 at_bats, including 9 for 18 with three doubles last season.

Eduardo Nunez (ribs), who was available off the bench in the opener, is 7 for 15 with two homers in this matchup.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Orioles
Tue, May 7 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Orioles
Wed, May 8 Final 3 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Royals at Orioles
Thu, May 9 Final 6 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Yankees at Royals
Fri, May 10 Final 11 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 5
Yankees at Royals
Sat, May 11 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 6
Yankees at Royals
Sun, May 12 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (22-14) at Twins (16-16)

Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: May 11, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter has had to shuffle his starting rotation on a regular basis over the past two seasons, but that hasn't stopped his club from being successful.

Steve Johnson becomes the latest to make a start for Baltimore as he faces the host Minnesota Twins on Saturday night.

The Orioles made the playoffs in 2012 using 12 different starting pitchers, only three of whom made at least 20 starts for the team. Johnson went 3-0 with a 2.86 ERA in four starts and had a 2.11 ERA in 12 appearances overall as a rookie last season.

He's pitched exclusively in the minors in 2013, though, after a right lat injury in training camp ended his chances of winning the fifth spot in the rotation. Johnson is 1-1 with a 4.41 ERA in three outings for Triple-A Norfolk.

He'll be the ninth pitcher to make a start for Baltimore this season - tying the Los Angeles Dodgers for most in the majors - after Miguel Gonzalez (thumb blister) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday.

"(Johnson) looks good," Showalter told the team's official website. "I thought some of the inactivity he had, he had kind of gotten away from some things because he had to physically. He worked hard to get in good pitching shape."

The Orioles (22-14), with a 3.94 team ERA, haven't seemed to mind the multiple changes to the rotation. They've won five of six after overcoming a six-run deficit to beat Minnesota 9-6 in 10 innings Friday.

"Even though (Baltimore is) the youngest team in our division, they stay within each other and do what they do," Showalter said.

The Orioles finished with a season-best 18 hits, including three each from Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Chris Davis. Machado, who broke the tie with an RBI single in the 10th, is hitting .422 over his last 10 road games.

Nick Markakis went 2 for 4 with a sacrifice fly and is hitting .529 during an eight-game hitting streak versus Minnesota.

"That's a heck of a baseball team over there, and they can run some hitters up there," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "They can ambush you. They got some big, clutch hits. That's kind of what they're known for."

Markakis went 3 for 3 with a double April 6 off Saturday's scheduled starter, Vance Worley. The right-hander's winless streak reached 12 starts after he left in the sixth inning and the bullpen couldn't hold a two-run lead in Minnesota's 6-5, 11-inning loss at Boston on Monday.

Worley (0-4, 6.95 ERA) is 0-7 with a 6.87 ERA since beating Washington on Aug. 1 while pitching for Philadelphia.

"I'm pretty happy with the outing, but it would've been nice to get a W," Worley said after allowing three runs and not walking a batter for the first time in 2013.

The right-hander blew a two-run lead in the fifth inning when he faced Baltimore last month, allowing five runs overall and 10 hits through five frames before Minnesota pulled out a 6-5 win.

The Twins (16-16) appeared to be headed to a fourth consecutive win Friday before squandering their lead. Joe Mauer went 3 for 5 with a pair of RBIs and is hitting .395 during a nine-game hitting streak.

Minnesota has lost seven of the last nine home meetings with Baltimore.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Twins
Fri, May 10 Final 9 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Orioles at Twins
Sat, May 11 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Orioles at Twins
Sun, May 12 - 2:10PM EDT