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

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Preview: Marlins (13-36) at White Sox (23-24)

Game: 6
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: May 26, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


Despite lackluster offense and some spotty defense, the Chicago White Sox are in position to reach .500 for the first time since the second week of the season.

They can do so by completing a three-game home sweep of the lowly Miami Marlins on Sunday.

Chicago (23-24) ranks near the bottom of the major leagues with 172 runs and a .241 batting average, and is tied for the AL lead with 33 errors. The rotation has been the difference, as the starters have gone at least six innings nine times and posted a 3.12 ERA in helping the White Sox win eight of 11.

Jake Peavy gave up a tying home run to infielder Derek Dietrich in the ninth Saturday, but Conor Gillaspie delivered a single in the bottom of the inning that gave Chicago a 2-1 win.

"Baseball is such a funny game because everybody feeds off each other,' said Gillaspie, 5 for 8 in this series. "Everybody's excited. You can feel it in the clubhouse.'

Though Chicago has scored 11 runs in four games, it's won three and can move to .500 for the first time since it was 4-4 on April 10.

Hosting a Miami team that's dropped 14 of 17 has certainly helped the White Sox move closer to the break-even mark. Last in the majors with 129 runs and a .221 average, the Marlins (13-36) have scored seven times during their current four-game skid.

Putting up runs could again prove to be a challenge Sunday against Chicago's Dylan Axelrod (2-3, 4.13 ERA), who looks to win his third straight start. He allowed two runs - both on a homer - and three other hits in six innings of a 6-4 victory over Boston on Monday.

Axelrod has given up three or fewer runs in seven of his nine starts.

"Axe is one of those guys that, again he doesn't light up the radar screen, but he knows how to pitch and get through a lineup," manager Robin Ventura said.

The right-hander has never faced Miami, which lost 4-3 in 11 innings Friday.

``At the end of the day, we can't score any runs,' Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. ``We have to be perfect. Pitch perfect every night.'

Miami has posted a 2.96 ERA in the past three games.

Alex Sanabia (3-6, 4.56) turned in a strong effort to snap his five-start losing streak Monday, allowing a homer in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-1 victory over Philadelphia.

The win came amidst controversy, however, as the right-hander was caught by television cameras spitting on the ball in the second inning. Neither Sanabia or Redmond said they have been contacted by the league about the incident.

"I don't know what they expect from spitting on it,' Sanabia said. "My intention wasn't to be like `Let's get more movement.' My intention was I need more grip.'

He is 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA on the road since throwing six scoreless innings in a 7-5 victory at Citi Field on April 5.

Dietrich is batting .250, but has reached base in all 14 games since making his major league debut May 8. He's hit two of his three home runs in this set.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at White Sox
Mon, May 20 Final 4 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Red Sox at White Sox
Tue, May 21 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Red Sox at White Sox
Wed, May 22 Final 6 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Marlins at White Sox
Fri, May 24 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 5
Marlins at White Sox
Sat, May 25 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 6
Marlins at White Sox
Sun, May 26 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (22-27) at Royals (21-25)

Game: 4
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: May 26, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


The Kansas City Royals are probably glad that Sunday is the last time they will see Mike Trout.

Trout has been a key factor in this series as his Los Angeles Angels try to extend their win streak to eight and push the Royals' home slide to eight.

Los Angeles (22-27) is enjoying its longest run since an eight-game streak May 22-29, 2012. Trout is 11 for 21 with two homers and seven RBIs over his last five contests.

The speedy center fielder has scored twice in each game of this set. Trout has hit safely in all six games in the season series, going 9 for 21 with three homers, six RBIs and 10 runs scored.

The Angels have outscored their opponents 54-18 during this run.

Catchers Chris Iannetta and Hank Conger have combined for three homers in this series while Mark Trumbo is 4 for 12 with five RBIs to push his hitting streak to 10 games.

"Obviously, confidence as a team builds as you start to move in the right direction," manager Mike Scioscia said following Saturday's 7-0 win. "Right now these guys feel good because we're playing the type of baseball we had hoped we would play the first month, but it didn't appear.

"It's here now. I think you see guys are comfortable playing our game, and let the other team try to stop us. That's the mode we want to get into when we're at our best.'

Kansas City (21-25) has totaled 24 runs while dropping eight of nine as it tries to avoid its first five-game slide. This is the Royals' longest home skid since their 0-10 start last year.

Cleanup hitter Billy Butler is 0 for 8 with four walks in this series, going seven straight games without a RBI.

The Royals rank 13th in the AL with 190 runs and last with 28 home runs.

"We're just not getting it done right now," center fielder Lorenzo Cain said. "We've got to step up and start doing better. Offensively, we're struggling big-time."

The Royals will be without catcher Salvador Perez, placed on the bereavement list after Saturday's game following the death of his grandmother.

Both teams will start right-handers Sunday.

Jerome Williams (3-1, 2.53 ERA) will make his fifth start for the Angels after going 2-1 with a 3.24 ERA in the first four, lasting a season-high eight innings in Tuesday's 12-0 rout of Seattle.

Williams has started once against the Royals. He has limited Jeff Francoeur to a single in 12 at_bats and Miguel Tejada to two in nine, with no other Kansas City hitter having three at_bats against him.

Opponents are hitting .351 against Royals starter Wade Davis (3-3, 5.91) for one of baseball's worst marks. He is facing the Angels again after earning a 9-5 victory over them May 15 by yielding four runs over 5 1-3 innings.

Josh Hamilton, struggling with a .222 average and .386 slugging percentage, is 5 for 7 with a homer against Davis.

The Angels are seeking their first four-game sweep in Kansas City since Aug. 6-9, 2004. This is their sixth four-game set at Kauffman Stadium since.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Angels at Royals
Thu, May 23 Final 5 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Angels at Royals
Fri, May 24 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Angels at Royals
Sat, May 25 Final 7 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Angels at Royals
Sun, May 26 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pirates (30-19) at Brewers (19-28)

Game: 3
Venue: Miller Park
Date: May 26, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


The Milwaukee Brewers have won all nine of Yovani Gallardo's home starts against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Defeating Wandy Rodriguez, however, could prove difficult.

The Brewers, owners of the worst record in baseball against left-handed starters at 4-16, face another one in Rodriguez in the finale of this three-game set at Miller Park on Sunday.

Gallardo (3-4, 4.50 ERA) is 6-0 with a 2.80 ERA at home against the Pirates, limiting them to a .206 average. The right-hander, however, is looking to avoid losing four straight starts for the first time in his career. He's 0-3 with a 4.91 ERA over his last four outings since beating Pittsburgh 10-4 at home April 29 by allowing three runs over seven innings.

The Pirates (30-19) got revenge by beating Gallardo in a 3-1 home victory May 15 even though he surrendered two runs over six innings. Pittsburgh slugger Pedro Alvarez is 0 for 15 with eight strikeouts against him.

Milwaukee's woes against lefty starters continued in a 5-2 defeat Saturday. Jeff Locke limited the Brewers (19-28) to three hits with seven strikeouts over six scoreless innings as Pittsburgh won for the ninth time in 11 games.

What is curious about the Brewers' record versus left-handers is that their .261 average against them ranks in the top half of all teams.

Ryan Braun is hitting .388 against left-handers and other regulars such as Carlos Gomez (.362), Norichika Aoki (.348) and Jean Segura (.333) are also faring well, yet Milwaukee's record is worse than lowly Miami's 4-15 mark.

"That's still a good offense we're putting out there,' Roenicke said. ``I look at the lineup, right it down every day and when you look at it and you look at some of the numbers that we're putting up, I expect us to score runs. It's puzzling.'

Aramis Ramirez is one of the few Brewers struggling versus lefties with a .214 average.

Rodriguez (5-2, 3.40) is seeking to win four straight starts for the first time since July 2-12, 2009, with Houston. He has posted a 2.37 ERA during his run, and will oppose Gallardo for the third time this year after going 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in the first two.

Rodriguez is 3-8 with a 6.46 ERA in 13 outings at Miller Park. Braun is hitting .386 against him and Ramirez is at .370.

Alex Gonzalez is 2 for 26 versus Gallardo.

Pittsburgh won Saturday for the eighth time in 53 games at Milwaukee behind Alvarez, who homered twice and drove in three runs. Manager Clint Hurdle said he hoped the performance would boost Alvarez to go on a hot streak even though Gallardo figures to pose a major challenge.

"I'm trying to keep it simple and put a good swing on the ball," said Alvarez, who had batted .120 in his previous eight games. "We just want to go out and compete and if we do that, I know that we'll be successful."

The Brewers placed closer Jim Henderson on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring following Saturday's game, with Francisco Rodriguez earning the save in a 2-1 win Friday.

There haven't been too many chances for manager Ron Roenicke to use his closer. No team has a worse record this month than the Brewers' 5-17 mark.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Brewers
Fri, May 24 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Pirates at Brewers
Sat, May 25 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Pirates at Brewers
Sun, May 26 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Athletics (27-23) at Astros (14-35)

Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 26, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


If Bartolo Colon can keep turning back the clock, the Oakland Athletics should have an easier time extending their dominance over the Houston Astros.

Colon makes his first start as a 40-year-old Sunday when he attempts to lead the visiting Athletics to their 11th straight victory over the AL-worst Astros.

Behind a season-high 18 hits and double-digit runs for the first time since April 30, Oakland (27-23) cruised to its seventh win in eight games with an 11-5 victory in Houston (14-35) on Saturday.

Josh Donaldson homered and tied a career high with four hits to lead the A's, who have outscored the Astros 75-37 during 10 consecutive wins in the series. The third baseman leads the team with a .322 batting average, .398 on-base percentage and 30 RBIs.

"He went through one little period where he was down some, but he's been consistent all year,' said manager Bob Melvin, whose club hasn't lost to Houston since June 12, 2007.

Now Oakland looks to complete a three-game sweep with Colon (4-2, 4.31 ERA) on the mound.

After going 0-2 with an 8.22 ERA during a three-start stretch, the right-hander has given up five runs and 10 hits over 13 innings in his last two outings.

Colon won for the first time in nearly a month after allowing two runs and six hits over seven innings in a 9-2 victory at Texas on Monday.

"I mean, he's 40 and we'd like to try to get him through a season,' Melvin said of Colon throwing 95 pitches. "So anything over 100 for me is starting to get a little uncomfortable for me.'

Colon has already beaten Houston twice this season, yielding four runs over 12 innings in two April outings. He's 5-2 with a 3.42 ERA in eight career starts against the Astros.

This time, he faces a Houston team that has batted .219 with runners in scoring position while losing three of five on its eight-game homestand.

Jason Castro went 3 for 4 with two homers and three RBIs Saturday and is 3 for 6 with a homer against Colon this season.

Matt Dominguez has hit three homers in the first two games of this series, giving him seven over his last 12 contests.

"He's really tapping into what we always knew was in there,' manager Bo Porter said. "The pull power is definitely there, and he has proven to the league that he can make adjustments."

Scheduled Houston starter Dallas Keuchel (1-1, 4.93) makes his fourth start since replacing the ineffective Philip Humber in the rotation.

While the left-hander hasn't been sharp with six walks and 16 hits allowed in his last two starts spanning 12 1-3 innings, Keuchel did earn his first victory in a 6-5 win over Kansas City on Monday. He yielded four runs and nine hits with four walks and a season-best six strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings.

Seth Smith went 3 for 5 on Saturday and is 2 for 3 with a home run against Keuchel, who has given up one run and six hits over six innings of relief against the A's this season.

Houston native Chris Young continues to hit well at Minute Maid Park, going 6 for 10 with a homer and five RBIs in the first two games of this series to raise his average to .429 in 20 career games there.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Astros
Fri, May 24 Final 6 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Athletics at Astros
Sat, May 25 Final 11 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Athletics at Astros
Sun, May 26 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (27-22) at Giants (27-22)

Game: 3
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 26, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


The San Francisco Giants rallied twice to end a losing streak to the Colorado Rockies.

The Giants overcame an even larger deficit the last time Matt Cain took the mound in this NL West matchup.

Cain will try to win a sixth consecutive start against Colorado in Sunday's series finale in San Francisco.

Losers of four straight to the Rockies (27-22) after winning the first four matchups this season, the Giants (27-22) avoided a third consecutive defeat overall with a 6-5, 10-inning victory Saturday. Angel Pagan had a walkoff, two-run inside-the-park homer after Troy Tulowitzki put Colorado up with a solo shot in the 10th.

The Giants trailed 4-0 after four innings.

"We had a couple of critical calls go against us, but it's all about bouncing back and these guys found a way," said manager Bruce Bochy, who was ejected in the eighth inning for arguing a call at third base.

San Francisco concludes its six-game homestand with Cain (3-2, 5.13 ERA) taking the ball for the first time since throwing seven innings of two-run ball in a 4-2, 10-inning victory over Washington on Tuesday. The right-hander, who didn't permit a run after the first inning, had been credited with the win in his previous three starts.

The Giants trailed 6-0 after three innings with Cain on the mound May 16, but went on to win 8-6 in Denver. He pitched 6 1-3 innings and San Francisco went ahead with a three-run sixth to help its ace earn yet another victory over Colorado.

The Rockies, who ended a nine-game skid in San Francisco with a 5-0 victory Friday, will go for their first series win there since 2010. Jon Garland (3-5, 5.19) will get his first look at the Giants since that same season while with San Diego.

The right-hander will try to avoid losing four consecutive starts for the first time since a career-worst five-start streak May 24-June 13, 2009, while with Arizona. He yielded five hits and 11 hits in a 5-1 loss to the Diamondbacks on Monday.

"I'm trying to figure it out," Garland told the Rockies' official website. "Tonight it seemed when I made my pitch, they were getting those little funny hits. When I didn't make my pitch, they hit it really hard. I've got to focus on keeping the ball hard and continue to attack the zone."

The Giants' Buster Posey is batting .412 during a nine-game hitting streak after a 3-for-5 effort Saturday.

Former Rockie Marco Scutaro could be another tough out. The second baseman, batting .404 with 15 RBIs against Colorado since being dealt to the Giants on July 27, is 12 for 25 with three doubles off Garland.

Tulowitzki, a .339 hitter against Cain with four home runs - tied for the most off of him - is batting .400 with two homers and eight RBIs during a 10-game hitting streak.

Carlos Gonzalez, who became the first Rockies player to hit a ball into McCovey Cove on Saturday, can match a career high by homering in four consecutive games. Gonzalez, though, is 4 for 35 against Cain.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Giants
Fri, May 24 Final 5 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rockies at Giants
Sat, May 25 Final 5 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rockies at Giants
Sun, May 26 - 4:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (32-17) at Mariners (20-29)

Game: 3
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: May 26, 2013 4:10 PM EDT


Continued success on the road and against the Seattle Mariners has the Texas Rangers feeling confident.

The Rangers look to record a fifth straight road victory by handing the reeling Mariners a ninth consecutive defeat Sunday.

David Murphy had three RBIs and two of Texas' 13 hits, and Derek Holland threw 6 2-3 strong innings in Saturday's 5-2 win at Seattle. Winners in 15 of 21 overall, the Rangers (32-17) have batted .299 and hit 19 home runs while winning eight of nine away from home.

They own a 37-10 scoring advantage during their five-game winning streak over the Mariners.

"It's great to get a series win, but we hope to get the sweep (Sunday)," Murphy said.

"(On Saturday) things were definitely clicking a little bit. They've definitely been clicking a little bit more the last week or two and hopefully that trend continues."

Seattle (20-29), meanwhile, has been outscored 60-23 while in the midst of its worst skid since it dropped 17 straight July 6-26, 2011.

``This is where you've got to be tough. You've got to stay determined, stay persistent, keep coming to the ballpark and knocking on that wall,' manager Eric Wedge said.

The Rangers scored all their runs and recorded 11 hits against Seattle ace Felix Hernandez on Saturday.

Though Murphy is batting .229 on the season, he is 8 for 21 (.381) with 11 RBIs in the last six games.

"I've had some success over the last week or two but I still can't quite say I felt like myself," he said.

Murphy is 5 for 12 (.417) with two doubles and a home run against scheduled Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma (5-1, 2.37 ERA).

The right-hander is 2-2 with a 3.73 ERA against the Rangers, with both wins coming in his last two starts. He gave up a home run and two other hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-1 victory over Texas on April 12.

Iwakuma allowed five earned runs in a four-start span before Monday, when he gave up a season-high five in six innings while not factoring in the decision of a 10-8 loss at Cleveland.

Four of those runs came on two homers in the second inning.

The Rangers counter with Nick Tepesch (3-4, 3.98), who returns to the mound after he was scratched from his scheduled start Wednesday because of a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand.

"It's getting there," Tepesch told the Rangers' official website Friday. "I didn't feel it in the bullpen at all. It's getting close to where it needs to be."

The rookie right-hander has allowed three runs in 11 innings while splitting his last two starts after giving up 11 over 10 2-3 frames to drop the previous two. He yielded two in five innings of a 2-1 win over Detroit on May 17.

Tepesch went 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA when he made back-to-back starts versus Seattle in April. In his most recent April 20, he left in the second inning after being hit by a line drive above the right wrist.

Kendrys Morales delivered a two-run double Saturday for the Mariners, who managed five hits off four Texas pitchers. The veteran slugger has been one of the team's few bright spots, batting .342 with 14 RBIs in his last 20 games.

Teammate Michael Saunders is 3 for 34 in his last nine to drop his average from .278 to .221.

Seattle first baseman Justin Smoak is likely to sit out after he suffered an oblique strain checking his swing during an at-bat early in Saturday's game. He will be re-evaluated before the series finale.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Mariners
Fri, May 24 Final 9 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rangers at Mariners
Sat, May 25 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rangers at Mariners
Sun, May 26 - 4:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (31-17) at Dodgers (20-27)

Game: 3
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 26, 2013 4:10 PM EDT


The Los Angeles Dodgers are in a bad spot in the NL West standings, but at least they're putting themselves in position to win series.

Giving the ball to ace Clayton Kershaw on Sunday could help the host Dodgers win another one as the NL-leading St. Louis Cardinals try to stay undefeated in their last eight series.

When the season started, looking up at the rest of the West was not where the Dodgers (20-27) imagined they would be during Memorial Day weekend. Their struggles have raised plenty of questions about manager Don Mattingly's job security, even though team president Stan Kasten said before Friday's 7-0 loss that he's not in danger of being fired.

The Dodgers could start to quiet some of the calls for Mattingly's job by stringing together some victories. The club goes for its fourth series win in five tries following Saturday's 5-3 victory.

Adrian Gonzalez finished a triple short of the cycle and drove in three runs and Nick Punto added three hits to help the Dodgers end the Cardinals' three-game winning streak and 3-0 run outside St. Louis.

"Just the fact that we stayed in the game helps,' Gonzalez said of the Dodgers scoring the game's final two runs after giving up a 3-1 fifth-inning lead. "It's not that we're not fighting. We're just going down in order and not getting guys on base.'

Dodgers stars Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, a combined 0 for 13 this series, could make Kershaw's Sunday a little easier by driving in some runs. They both hit homers in Kershaw's last start - a 3-1 win over Milwaukee on Monday - but his run-support average of 2.21 is the worst in the majors.

Kershaw (5-2, 1.35), though, has the majors' best ERA after allowing just three earned runs in 39 2-3 innings over his last five outings.

"Every time I get in trouble, Kersh saves me,' Mattingly joked after the left-hander's three-hitter Monday. "One more day.'

Kershaw goes for a season-best third consecutive winning start.

Sunday's scheduled starter Shelby Miller (5-3, 1.74) was tied with Kershaw for the majors' best ERA before permitting a season high-tying three runs in Monday's 4-2 loss at San Diego. The right-hander needed 107 pitches to go 5 2-3 innings.

"It seems like 20 pitches every single inning, every single outing, back-to-back starts,' said Miller, who threw 96 pitches in 5 2-3 shutout innings of a 4-2 win over the New York Mets on May 15. "Throwing so many pitches in back-to-back games is not good. It accumulates with a little bit of everything. My curveball wasn't really good tonight. Neither was my changeup. My fastball wasn't really there. Multiple things were off.'

The Cardinals need Miller to be on his game with their bullpen logging seven innings Saturday after rookie John Gast left in the second with shoulder tightness. St. Louis starters Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia and Jake Westbrook are already on the disabled list.

Miller will make his second appearance and first start against the Dodgers. He threw one scoreless inning in a 5-2, 12-inning road win over Los Angeles on Sept. 16 for his first major league victory.

If the Cardinals can avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since a season-worst three-game skid April 27-29, they'll improve to 7-0-1 in their last eight series.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Dodgers
Fri, May 24 Final 7 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Cardinals at Dodgers
Sat, May 25 Final 3 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Cardinals at Dodgers
Sun, May 26 - 4:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Padres (22-26) at Diamondbacks (27-22)

Game: 3
Venue: Chase Field
Date: May 26, 2013 4:10 PM EDT


Patrick Corbin has a chance to become the first Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed starter to open a season 8-0.

San Diego Padres right-hander Jason Marquis will try to prevent that from happening Sunday, with both pitchers looking to win a sixth consecutive start.

As one of two Diamondbacks left-handers to begin a season with at least six straight winning decisions - Randy Johnson is the other - Corbin (7-0, 1.44 ERA) delivered the best start of his career Monday. He pitched a three-hitter with a career-best 10 strikeouts in a 5-1 victory over Colorado.

He threw 97 pitches, 74 for strikes, as Arizona (27-22) improved to 9-0 in his starts.

"He just pitched an unbelievable game,' Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado said.

Corbin, trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (1.35) for NL ERA lead, can become the first Diamondbacks starter since Brandon Webb in 2008 to open 8-0. Webb won his first nine outings that season.

Marquis (6-2, 3.27) has matched the longest winning streak of his career, set twice before, and that sets up the first game since Aug. 7, 2011, in which both pitchers had won their previous five starts. Kershaw and Arizona's Ian Kennedy squared off in that contest.

Having the highest run-support average on the team at 4.75 surely helps, but Marquis has also been able to pitch around control issues. He's walking a league-high 4.58 per nine innings after issuing four in a 4-2 victory over St. Louis on Monday, when he threw six innings of two-run ball.

"Obviously, I got away with more mistakes probably a few years back, but I feel like I'm making better pitches in bigger situations now,' Marquis said. "I've learned to slow the game down more than anything."

The Padres (22-26) will look for Marquis to deliver another solid outing after ending a three-game skid with a 10-4 victory Saturday. San Diego had dropped three of four in Arizona before shortstop Everth Cabrera drove in a career high-tying four runs and finished a triple shy of the cycle.

"I think the thing that we're impressed with, his coaches and his teammates, is the calm focus,' manager Bud Black said. "He's locked in both offensively and defensively and you can see it in his play."

Cabrera is 5 for 10 with two homers and five RBIs in this three-game series, but he's hitless in seven at_bats versus Corbin, who threw seven innings of one-run ball in an 8-1 victory at San Diego on May 4.

Chris Denorfia hit his third career solo homer off Corbin in that contest.

Marquis faced the Diamondbacks a day earlier in a 7-6 victory, giving up three runs and a season-high five walks in six innings.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Diamondbacks
Fri, May 24 Final 2 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Padres at Diamondbacks
Sat, May 25 Final 10 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Padres at Diamondbacks
Sun, May 26 - 4:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Braves (30-18) at Mets (17-29)

Game: 3
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 26, 2013 8:05 PM EDT


While the Atlanta Braves continue to roll, the New York Mets remain in a free fall.

The Braves can win nine in a row by handing the Mets a ninth consecutive home loss Sunday night.

Things proved doubly delightful Saturday for Atlanta (30-18) after it won the conclusion of Friday's suspended game 7-5 in 10 innings, then rolled to a 6-0 victory over New York in the regularly scheduled contest. The Braves, who won 10 straight from April 5-16, have outscored their last eight opponents 47-21.

Atlanta has won 15 of 18 over the Mets (17-29), including five straight and seven of eight at Citi Field. New York is 0-5 on an eight-game homestand and in the midst of its longest slide in Queens since it dropped nine straight Sept. 7-20.

"As I said before, when you're playing bad baseball, you've got to play perfect baseball to win," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "And so when we don't execute some things, certainly it comes back to hurt us."

Dan Uggla hit an RBI single in the 10th inning of the suspended game that the Braves led 5-3 before the Mets scored twice in the bottom of the eighth before the rains came.

"Sometimes you wonder how long these games will last,' Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I'm glad we were able to finish it off.'

Mike Minor then allowed three hits and struck out 10 over 7 1-3 innings, and hit a two-run homer for the Braves. Chris Johnson added two more hits, and is batting .542 (13 for 24) in his last eight games after he went 0 for 17 in his previous six.

Teammate Freddie Freeman is batting .444 (8 for 18) with two homers and seven RBIs against the Mets this season.

Freeman and Johnson are a combined 3 for 19 against scheduled New York starter Shaun Marcum (0-5, 6.59 ERA), who is 1-1 with a 2.96 ERA in four starts against the Braves. The only start Marcum did not lose this season came when he gave up three runs in 4 1-3 innings of a 7-5 win at Atlanta on May 3.

The right-hander struck out a season-high seven but allowed three of his four runs in the first inning and lasted six in Monday's 4-3 loss to Cincinnati.

"We've been through this now for what, five starts? I get hit, it's location. I made four or five mistakes today and they all got hit,' Marcum said. "Got to limit the mistakes.'

The Braves counter with Julio Teheran (3-1, 3.99), who allowed 13 runs in 16 innings while not earning a decision in his first three starts, but has yielded nine in 33 2-3 innings over the last five. He gave up a homer and four other hits in 8 1-3 innings of a 5-1 win over Minnesota on Monday.

"For the experience of being out there in the ninth inning - maybe he was a little tired - but you've got to dig deep a little bit,' Gonzalez said. "It was good for him.'

The right-hander is 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA in two appearances against the Mets. In his only start in 2011 at Citi Field, he gave up a run in 5 1-3 innings of a 5-1 victory.

It's uncertain how much Teheran will see of New York's Ike Davis, who is 2 for 44 (.045) with 19 strikeouts in his last 13 games.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Mets
Fri, May 24 Final 7 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Braves at Mets
Sat, May 25 Final 6 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Braves at Mets
Sun, May 26 - 8:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday, May 26

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Baltimore - 1:07 PM ET Baltimore -109 500
Toronto - Over 10 500

Minnesota - 1:08 PM ET Minnesota +218 500 POD # 6
Detroit - Under 9 500

Chi. Cubs - 1:10 PM ET Chi. Cubs +170 500 POD # 4
Cincinnati - Under 7.5 500

Cleveland - 1:35 PM ET Cleveland +119 500 POD # 1
Boston - Over 10 500

Philadelphia - 1:35 PM ET Philadelphia +135 500 POD # 7
Washington - Over 6.5 500

NY Yankees - 1:40 PM ET Tampa Bay -130 500
Tampa Bay - Over 7.5 500

Miami - 2:10 PM ET Miami +178 500 POD # 5
Chi. White Sox - Under 8 500

Oakland - 2:10 PM ET Oakland -177 500
Houston - Over 9 500

LA Angels - 2:10 PM ET LA Angels -128 500
Kansas City - Under 9 500

Pittsburgh - 2:10 PM ET Pittsburgh +110 500 POD # 2
Milwaukee - Under 8 500

Colorado - 4:05 PM ET San Francisco -165 500
San Francisco - Over 7.5 500

San Diego - 4:10 PM ET Arizona -175 500
Arizona - Under 8.5 500

St. Louis - 4:10 PM ET St. Louis +124 500 POD # 3
LA Dodgers - Under 6.5 500

Texas - 4:10 PM ET Seattle -113 500
Seattle - Under 7 500

Atlanta - 8:05 PM ET Atlanta -129 500
NY Mets - Under 8 500

[StarDust Bum]

Interleague Preview

May 26, 2013


We've already had a new taste of Interleague games on the MLB front this season. That occurred when Houston switched league affiliations, jumping over the American League from the National League.

In order to equally balance newly realigned 15-team leagues it became necessary to implement at least one Interleague series at all times.

Major League Baseball purists likely find it just as revolting as the adoption of full Interleague scheduling which began in 1997. But the bottom line is more and more natural geographical rivalries are forming.

Twist This Up

Aside form the mandatory need of scheduling Interleague games on a weekly basis this season, beginning this week MLB is serving up a new schedule format to enhance the "tradition of rivalries".

This year teams will play their natural rivals four times and the four games will be played consecutively, two games in one ballpark and two more in the other ballpark, starting this Monday-Thursday.

Balancing The Books

This year's schedule finds an increase of 20 Interleague games for every team.

For the first time ever the schedule is more equal with all teams in a division playing the identical Interleague opponents, with the exception of "natural rivals".

In years past the 14-team American League played 18 Interleague games while the 16-team National League played an imbalanced amount of games, either 15 or 18.

Junior Rules

Entering the modified portion of Interleague games beginning this season the Junior Circuit, or the American League has held the upper hand in these contests, going 2,081-1,883 overall versus the Senior Circuit, or the National League.

In fact, in only three of the 16 seasons of Interleague play has the American League lost more Interleague games than the National League.

History Says

With the return to more Interleague rivalry games this week, here is a look at some of the more noteworthy results of series rivalries from the past.

Angels-Dodgers: Halos 13-5 last eighteen games; 10-3 last thirteen at Dodger Stadium; 14-6 last 20 at Anaheim Stadium.

Cardinals-Royals: Red Birds 12-6 last 18 games; 11-3 last fourteen at Kauffman Stadium.

Cubs-White Sox: Pale Hose 14-6 last twenty games; 10-5 last fifteen home and 8-2 last ten at Wrigley Field.

Giants-Athletics: Frisco 10-5 last fifteen games and 11-1 last twelve as a host; A's 7-2 last nine as host.

Indians-Reds: Tribe 9-4 last thirteen games; 4-11 last fifteen games when visiting the Queen City; 7-0 last seven host the Reds.

Marlins-Rays: Fish 1-9 last ten games; 4-11 last fifteen games in Tampa; 5-12 last seventeen games in Miami.

Orioles-Nationals: Birds 11-4 last fifteen as a host.

Yankees-Mets: Bronx Bombers 11-3 last fourteen games; 11-5 last sixteen as a visitor and 7-1 last eight at home.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pirates (30-19) at Tigers (28-20)

Game: 1
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: May 27, 2013 1:08 PM EDT


The Detroit Tigers have generally gotten the better of Francisco Liriano throughout his career, while Justin Verlander has stifled the Pittsburgh Pirates.

But Liriano has been dominant thus far in his tenure with Pittsburgh. Conversely, Verlander would like to recapture his own usual dominance.

The two face each other Monday as the Pirates visit the Tigers in the opener of a four-game series.

The Pirates (31-19) agreed on a deal with Liriano (3-0, 1.00 ERA) in December, but a broken right arm suffered in a freak accident delayed his debut for the club until May 11. The left-hander has been tough on opponents since, yielding two runs over 18 innings while striking out 25.

Liriano struggled historically against the Tigers, going 5-7 with a 5.93 ERA. But he was nearly untouchable his last time out, fanning nine in seven innings of a 1-0 win over the Cubs on Wednesday.

Poor command has sometimes plagued Liriano during his career, but his walk rate of 3.0 per nine innings is his lowest since 2010 when he won AL Comeback Player of the Year with Minnesota.

"I think I work hard in the offseason, location-wise with my fastball and everything is working so far," Liriano said. "Pitching is all about location so when you can locate your pitches, you have better results."

Liriano isn't the only pitcher rolling lately for the Pirates, whose pitchers own a 2.25 ERA over the last 13 contests. Pittsburgh claimed its 13th victory in 15 games Sunday with a 5-4 win at Milwaukee, improving to a season-best 12 games above .500.

"We are getting a little bit better," manager Clint Hurdle said. "We did some good things today, and we probably complicated the game for ourselves a couple different times as well. But we were able to play through it. We got on top and we stayed on top."

Verlander (5-4, 3.66) will try to follow the act of Max Scherzer, who improved to 7-0 in Detroit's 6-1 victory over Minnesota on Sunday, the fifth win in six games for the Tigers (28-20).

In three career starts against Pittsburgh, Verlander is 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA and two complete games. But he's sputtered in his last three outings, yielding 17 runs over 12 2-3 innings.

He gave up five runs and 10 hits in five innings of an 11-7 victory at Cleveland on Wednesday, though he had to wait through a 62-minute rain delay to record his final two outs.

Verlander admitted to working too quickly in the fifth, trying to close out the inning before play was halted, but he surrendered a three-run homer.

"I kind of rushed a little bit and ended up trying to get some quick outs, because I knew (the rain) was coming," he told the team's official website. "Made some bad pitches, got hurt."

Andrew McCutchen was 2 for 5 Sunday and is 17 for 39 (.436) over his last nine games, but is 2 for 11 off Verlander. Russell Martin is 5 for 12 versus the right-hander.

Victor Martinez is 11 for 24 with five doubles against Liriano, while Miguel Cabrera is 9 for 26 with eight walks.

The Pirates are 5-10 all-time in Detroit but have won six of eight in the series in Pittsburgh, where the teams will play Wednesday and Thursday.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Tigers
Mon, May 27 - 1:08PM EDT

GAME 2
Pirates at Tigers
Tue, May 28 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 3
Tigers at Pirates
Wed, May 29 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Tigers at Pirates
Thu, May 30 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (27-23) at Nationals (26-24)

Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: May 27, 2013 1:05 PM EDT


Having followed up a losing streak with a successful four-game stretch, the Washington Nationals enter the Beltway Series with momentum on their side.

The Baltimore Orioles are looking to put a crushing loss behind them.

The Nationals try to keep rolling when they open a four-game set against the visiting Orioles on Monday.

Washington (26-24) had dropped a season high-tying four straight before winning three of four, defeating Philadelphia 6-1 on Sunday. Stephen Strasburg threw eight innings and Steve Lombardozzi doubled home a pair of runs for the Nationals, who have collected at least 10 hits in three straight contests.

"Things are starting to unfold," shortstop Ian Desmond said. "We're starting to play the game better."

While the Nationals appear to be back on track, the Orioles (27-23) saw things fall apart in a 6-5 walkoff loss at Toronto on Sunday. Baltimore had won four of five and appeared headed for another victory before closer Jim Johnson allowed four runs in the ninth inning.

It's been a rough couple of weeks for Johnson, who's blown four of his last five save chances while surrendering 12 runs in his last six appearances spanning five innings.

"We should be getting on the plane with three wins here, but I can't hang my head too long," he said. "It's going to hurt for a little bit, and it should."

The Orioles now turn their attention to the Nationals, from whom they've taken 10 of 15. These clubs play again Tuesday in Washington before the series shifts to Baltimore.

"It's a place we have played before, it's not as much adjustment as there usually is," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Nationals Park. "The game is the game - it's 90 feet (between bases). But the biggest thing is trying to familiarize yourselves with the players."

Baltimore may not be looking forward to facing Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 3.66 ERA), who's gone 1-0 with a 1.67 ERA in four starts this month. The left-hander allowed one run and four hits over 7 1-3 innings Wednesday, retiring 15 of 16 at one point in a 2-1, 10-inning win at San Francisco.

Gonzalez posted a 4.85 ERA in losing his last two outings versus Baltimore while with Oakland in 2011. Matt Wieters is 7 for 13 with a home run against him while Adam Jones is 3 for 16.

Jones went 3 for 5 on Sunday and has homered in a career-high four straight games. He's batting .383 with seven homers and 21 RBIs in 30 career games versus Washington.

The Orioles lead the majors with 69 home runs and a .460 slugging percentage.

"Just trying to pound the strike zone, especially knowing that Baltimore's a very aggressive hitting team," Gonzalez said. "So my job is to make sure to keep myself in the game and try to compete at the highest level to give my team a chance to win."

The Orioles' Jason Hammel (6-2, 5.37) gave up two runs in a season high-tying 6 2-3 innings Wednesday, recording his first quality start in five tries in a 6-3 win over the New York Yankees.

The right-hander has won four consecutive starts versus Washington and is 5-0 with a 3.30 ERA in seven career matchups. He allowed one unearned run and struck out a career high-tying 10 over eight innings to beat the Nationals 2-1 on June 22.

Bryce Harper and Denard Span are a combined 0 for 13 against him and Adam LaRoche is 1 for 11, though the hit was a home run.

Harper aggravated his sore left knee Sunday and was removed for a pinch runner in the seventh inning. While manager Davey Johnson said Harper will "probably be down a few days", Harper said he doesn't expect to miss any time.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Nationals
Mon, May 27 - 1:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Orioles at Nationals
Tue, May 28 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Nationals at Orioles
Wed, May 29 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Nationals at Orioles
Thu, May 30 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Indians (27-22) at Reds (31-18)

Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: May 27, 2013 1:10 PM EDT


Acquired from the Cleveland Indians this offseason, Shin-Soo Choo has been a major catalyst for the Cincinnati Reds.

Manager Terry Francona's club, meanwhile, has more than held its own without him.

Choo faces his former team for the first time as these Ohio rivals open a unique four-game set Monday at Great American Ball Park.

After spending the previous six-plus seasons with Cleveland (27-22), Choo was sent to Cincinnati (31-19) as part of a three-team trade in December. The South Korea native, who can become a free agent after this season, is hitting .285 with a team-leading nine homers and 37 runs scored from the leadoff spot. He is, however, just 1 for his last 21.

"I think he's fit in real well," general manager Walt Jocketty told the team's official website. "He's really become a great teammate that I think is well admired by his teammates. He's been just a big plus to our club. He is the lift we were looking for, offensively."

Despite losing Choo, Cleveland ranks near the top of the majors in almost every offensive category, including runs (248) homers (64) and slugging percentage (.452). The second-place Indians sit 1 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Detroit.

"I hope they play good all year," Choo said. "The last three or four years, they'd play good the first half and the start of the second go down. But I think they're a better team this year. ... Hopefully they keep playing well."

Contrary to Choo's remarks, Cleveland is mired in a 1-5 slump after dropping three straight at Boston. The Indians appeared headed for a victory Sunday before giving up four runs in the ninth inning of a 6-5 walkoff loss.

Things aren't about to get any easier against the Reds, who have taken four straight and 12 of 16 in the series at home. These clubs play again Tuesday in Cincinnati before shifting the series to Cleveland for two games.

"It's just two good teams playing against each other who happen to be in the same state," Indians pitcher Justin Masterson said. "I think the National League-American League thing, it's not (big) for the players. It's not as big and as crazy as what some would think."

Cincinnati had won five straight and 12 of 14 before suffering a 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

"This one got away," manager Dusty Baker said. "We'll start a new streak tomorrow. We've been playing good ball."

The Reds, who haven't dropped back-to-back games since April 30-May 1, will try to bounce back behind Mike Leake (4-2, 3.25 ERA). After allowing nine hits over 6 2-3 innings during a 4-0 victory at Miami on May 15, Leake threw seven innings of three-hit ball in Tuesday's 4-0 road win over the New York Mets.

"The guy has worked hard," Baker said. "He's throwing the ball as well as anybody we have."

Leake is 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA over three career starts versus Cleveland. Jason Kipnis is 0 for 6 against him while Carlos Santana and Michael Brantley are both 1 for 7.

The Indians counter with Ubaldo Jimenez (3-3, 6.04), who had gone 3-0 with a 1.90 ERA in his previous four starts before allowing six runs over four innings Wednesday in an 11-7 loss to Detroit.

Jimenez is 3-0 with a 3.09 ERA over five matchups against the Reds, but he hasn't faced them since 2010. Brandon Phillips is 2 for 13 in their matchups.

Jimenez, though, will need to be wary of Joey Votto, who's 5 for 12 against him. Votto is hitting .463 with four homers, 17 runs and 10 RBIs over his last 14 games.

Cleveland's Drew Stubbs, acquired in the Choo trade, is 3 for his last 23.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Reds
Mon, May 27 - 1:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Indians at Reds
Tue, May 28 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Indians
Wed, May 29 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Reds at Indians
Thu, May 30 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (31-17) at Royals (21-25)

Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: May 27, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


Facing Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis Cardinals would not appear to provide the Kansas City Royals with a good opportunity to end their losing streak.

The Cardinals can earn a sixth straight road win in the series by extending the Royals' home skid to nine games Monday.

St. Louis (32-17) has won 16 of 23 versus Kansas City, including five straight and 11 of 14 at Kauffman Stadium. The Cardinals have scored 39 runs in the last four at Kansas City, and enter this series winners in 18 of 24 after a 5-3 victory at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.

That does not bode for the Royals (21-26), who have dropped five in a row and 16 of 20. Their eight-game home slide is the longest since an 0-10 start last year.

"We need wins and wins give confidence, and that's what we need right now," designated hitter Billy Butler told the Royals' official website after he was ejected in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

"Winning against (the Cardinals) would actually mean more because that is a big one. That is a big confidence shift, big momentum for us."

Butler is 1 for 14 in the last five games and gone without an RBI in eight straight. He's a lifetime .220 hitter at home versus St. Louis.

Wainwright (6-3, 2.38 ERA) is 3-1 with a 3.09 ERA in five starts against the Royals. He allowed three runs in 14 innings to go 1-0 versus Kansas City in 2012.

"Wainwright is going to be tough," Butler said.

The right-hander gave up a run and four hits in 7 1-3 innings of a 10-2 win at San Diego on Tuesday. He was able to rely on a changeup that has not always been working for him this season.

"It's one of those things where the conviction wasn't (previously) there to throw it," Wainwright told the Cardinals' official website. "Part of the way you make a mediocre pitch better is that you don't think about getting beat with it.

"(On Tuesday) I threw it with conviction, and I believed it would do what it was supposed to do."

Ex-Royal Carlos Beltran batted .379 (11 for 29) with a homer and nine RBIs last season in his first action against Kansas City since it traded him to Houston in 2004. Beltran is one of three Cardinals to have faced scheduled Kansas City starter James Shields (2-5, 2.47).

He's 0 for 3 versus Shields, while Matt Holliday is 3 for 8 with two doubles against him.

Shields faces St. Louis for the first time hoping to receive some much-needed run support and avoid a fourth straight losing start. He is 0-3 with a 1.74 ERA in his last four outings during which his teammates have totaled five runs.

The right-hander allowed a two-run homer in the first inning and none the next six while striking out seven without a walk in Wednesday's 3-1 loss at Houston.

"It's a little frustrating,' manager Ned Yost said. "Especially when James Shields goes out and gives you the type of performance he gives you about every time he goes out. We just have not done a good job with run support with him at all.'

After two in Kansas City, the teams play Wednesday and Thursday in St. Louis.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Royals
Mon, May 27 - 2:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Cardinals at Royals
Tue, May 28 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Royals at Cardinals
Wed, May 29 - 8:15PM EDT

GAME 4
Royals at Cardinals
Thu, May 30 - 8:15PM EDT