The Bum's June MLB POD'S and Stats,News !

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Indians (39-36) at Orioles (42-35)
Game: 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: June 25, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


As Baltimore's Chris Tillman tries to continue his undefeated run, Cleveland's Justin Masterson hopes his recent success at home finally carries over to the road.

While Tillman looks to win a career-high fifth straight start and help the Orioles avoid a fifth consecutive loss, Masterson hopes to end his personal four-game road skid for the Indians on Tuesday night.

Tillman (8-2, 3.71 ERA) is 5-0 in his last six starts and has won the last four, recording a 2.25 ERA. The least impressive outing of that stretch came Wednesday, when he allowed three runs, seven hits and three walks in five innings of a 13-3 win at Detroit.

"Results-wise, at the end of the day, a win is a win," Tillman told the Orioles' official website. "I should have been better."

The right-hander also won four consecutive starts last season from July 21-Aug. 6. That run began the last time he faced Cleveland, allowing a run in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-1 win. He's 1-1 with a 5.27 ERA in three starts against the Indians (39-36).

Masterson (9-5, 3.48), meanwhile, has a 2.30 ERA while winning four straight starts against Baltimore (42-35).

He's been similarly effective at home, where he's gone 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA in his last six outings. It's been a different story for Masterson on the road, dropping four in a row while posting an 8.06 ERA.

The right-hander was at home for his last two outings, giving up three runs and striking out 18 in 13 1-3 innings. He got his first victory in four starts Wednesday with 6 1-3 solid innings in a 6-3 win over Kansas City.

"On the day he pitches, we feel pretty good," manager Terry Francona said. "He's earned that, for us to feel that way. We always know about his willingness to compete. It's fun to watch."

Francona's club won Monday's series opener 5-2 for its ninth victory in 12 games since a season-high eight-game slide.

Michael Brantley went 2 for 4 with a homer and four RBIs. A lifetime .400 hitter at Camden Yards, Brantley is batting .353 with three homers and seven RBIs in his last five games overall. His two-run homer Monday broke open a one-run game in the eighth inning.

"I was able to get a good swing on it," he said. "I just stayed through it the best I could. At the time, it was a big swing."

Teammate Jason Kipnis is hitting .351 while reaching base in 26 straight contests.

Orioles slugger Chris Davis is 2 for 9 with two doubles against Masterson, and he's 1 for 14 with six strikeouts in his last four games versus Cleveland.

Adam Jones had two hits Monday for Baltimore, which lost for the fourth time in 15 home games. He's 8 for 17 in his last four against the Indians at Camden Yards.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Orioles
Mon, Jun 24 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Indians at Orioles
Tue, Jun 25 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Indians at Orioles
Wed, Jun 26 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Indians at Orioles
Thu, Jun 27 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (33-43) at Tigers (42-32)
Game: 1
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: June 25, 2013 7:08 PM EDT


Though the Detroit Tigers have struggled versus the Los Angeles Angels on the road of late, they've fared much better against them at Comerica Park.

The AL Central-leading Tigers look to continue that home success by handing the Angels a fourth straight defeat Tuesday night.

Detroit (42-32) has been outscored 34-9 while dropping six straight to the Angels, all at Anaheim. The Tigers were held to four runs in a three-game series there April 19-21.

However, Detroit has averaged 5.0 runs while winning 13 of 19 at home against the Angels (33-43), including six of eight.

The Tigers are 4-3 on a 10-day homestand and looking for a third consecutive victory after totaling 27 runs to take three of four from AL East-leading Boston. They were the recipient of a questionable non-catch call on a fly ball to Boston outfielder Daniel Nava that opened the door for a three-run eighth inning in Sunday's 7-5 victory.

"Sometimes it's your day, sometimes it isn't," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Detroit center fielder Austin Jackson went 6 for 11 in the series. He's hitting .457 (16 for 35) in nine games since he returned from missing a little more than a month with a strained right hamstring.

Jackson, though, is 2 for 39 (.051) in his last nine games against Los Angeles.

Teammate Miguel Cabrera has hit .486 (17 for 35) with two homers and six RBIs in his last nine games overall. He went 6 for 11 against Los Angeles in April and is 5 for 15 with two doubles versus scheduled starter C.J. Wilson (6-5, 3.61 ERA).

The left-hander tries to end his recent road struggles while looking for a third consecutive winning start. He allowed two runs and seven hits in 14 innings over the last two - both at home - following a three-game stretch where he went 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA.

Wilson gave up two hits in seven innings of a 1-0 win over Seattle on Wednesday.

"You never want to lose 1-0; you always want to win," he said. "I've lost a lot of those games this year already."

Wilson is 0-3 with a 5.56 ERA in his last four road outings and 0-2 with an 8.20 ERA in three starts at Comerica Park, including the postseason. His last start against the Tigers came at home April 21, when he gave up three runs and walked four in six innings of a 4-3, 13-inning win.

Albert Pujols went 1 for 12 while the Angels were swept at home by Pittsburgh over the weekend, but he's batting .548 (23 for 42) with five homers and nine RBIs in 11 regular-season games at Detroit.

Angels star Mike Trout went 5 for 15 against the Tigers in April and hit a grand slam off scheduled starter Rick Porcello (4-4, 4.74) during a 10-0 win April 20.

Porcello allowed nine runs and nine hits while facing 11 batters in two-thirds of an inning to fall to 3-3 with a 7.68 ERA in eighth starts against Los Angeles.

Since that outing, Porcello is 4-2 with a 3.43 ERA in 10 starts. However, he gave up six runs in six innings of a 13-3 loss to Baltimore on Wednesday.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Angels at Tigers
Tue, Jun 25 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 2
Angels at Tigers
Wed, Jun 26 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 3
Angels at Tigers
Thu, Jun 27 - 1:08PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (44-32) at Yankees (41-34)
Game: 1
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: June 25, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers won a memorable duel when he squared off with Hiroki Kuroda and the New York Yankees for the first time.

More than a year later in the rematch - the 11th matchup between Japanese starting pitchers in major league history - it's Darvish trying to put the brakes on the longest winless stretch of his career Tuesday night in New York.

The meeting April 24, 2012, was only the fourth career big league start for Darvish and captivated Japan as it was broadcast live across the country. Darvish struck out 10 while throwing 8 1-3 innings in a 2-0 victory in Texas. Kuroda yielded two runs in 6 2-3 innings.

But Darvish (7-3, 2.84 ERA) is 0-2 in six starts since May 16 despite a 2.66 ERA. Texas (44-32) has supplied him with an average of 1.99 runs of support in those outings.

He struck out 10 against Oakland last Tuesday, increasing his baseball-leading total to 137, but also allowed a season-high five runs over six innings in a 6-2 defeat.

"I didn't feel that I pitched badly but I think I gave up runs too easily," said Darvish, who never went more than six straight starts without a win during seven seasons in Japan. He hadn't gone more than three in a row in the majors without winning.

Kuroda (7-5, 2.78) also saw a dearth of run support during a five-start winless streak from May 22-June 13, receiving five runs over 28 2-3 innings. He put the skid to an end Wednesday with 6 2-3 innings of two-run ball in a 6-4 victory over the Dodgers.

Last April's meeting was Kuroda's second loss in as many career starts versus Texas before a two-hit shutout in a 3-0 win for the Yankees (41-34) in the Bronx on Aug. 14.

Compatriot Ichiro Suzuki, who has one hit in four straight games, went 6 for 11 against Darvish last season with a double and a triple.

Darvish, originally slated to start Sunday, will be pitching on six days' rest. He's 6-1 with a 3.04 ERA with that much time off, including wins in two such outings this season while throwing 15 2-3 scoreless innings.

Texas didn't miss him Sunday, completing a three-game sweep with a 2-1 win in its first visit to St. Louis since losing Game 7 of the 2011 World Series. It was the club's fifth consecutive victory after losing seven of eight and the first time the Cardinals have been swept this season.

"It says a lot when you sweep a team that's that talented, so I think that's definitely a boost," said Daniel Murphy, who went 2 for 4 with a double. "We had a lot of fun, we played with energy and we did exactly what we wanted to."

After totaling 13 runs in back-to-back wins over Tampa Bay, the Yankees were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position in a 3-1 defeat to the Rays on Sunday.

Rookie Zoilo Almonte remained hot with two doubles in four at_bats, improving to 7 for 12 with four RBIs in five major league games.

Ian Kinsler is 11 for 27 with six RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak but went hitless in 11 at_bats in the teams' series in New York last season. Nelson Cruz has hit .379 with 11 RBIs over his last seven games but is batting .191 in 34 games against the Yankees.

New York has won 11 of 13 against Texas at Yankee Stadium.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Yankees
Tue, Jun 25 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Rangers at Yankees
Wed, Jun 26 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Rangers at Yankees
Thu, Jun 27 - 1:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (41-34) at Nationals (37-38)
Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: June 25, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Though his win-loss record doesn't show it, Gio Gonzalez has been one of the hottest pitchers in baseball for the past six weeks.

The Washington Nationals hope to provide enough run support for Gonzalez to earn his first victory in that span as they host the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

Gonzalez (3-3, 3.34 ERA) has a 2.18 ERA over his last eight starts, though he's 0-1 in that stretch. He allowed two runs and struck out a season-high 11 through seven innings of Wednesday's 6-2, 11-inning win over Philadelphia.

The left-hander, who has pitched at least six innings while giving up two or fewer earned runs in seven of his last eight starts, received only one run of support Wednesday and has a 2.18 run-support average since beating Pittsburgh on May 5.

The Nationals put up plenty of runs for Gonzalez in his only start versus the Diamondbacks as he allowed one run in seven innings of a 7-2 win July 3, 2011.

This time Gonzalez will oppose former teammate Trevor Cahill, who pitched in Oakland's starting rotation with Gonzalez from 2009-11.

Cahill (3-8, 3.92) also has been a victim of a lack of run support, though he hasn't helped himself much lately, either. He has received only seven runs of support over his last six starts, but he's 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA in that stretch.

The right-hander was struck in the right hip by a line drive in the first inning of Wednesday's start versus Miami and left following the inning.

"They just didn't want to risk anything," Cahill said. "It was sore, but I felt like I could have made an adjustment and pitched through it."

Cahill went 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA last season in his only two career starts versus the Nationals, who will send Jordan Zimmermann to the mound Wednesday and Stephen Strasburg on Thursday.

"Gonzalez, Strasburg and Zimmermann, they're bringing their 'A' game," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson told the team's official website. "We'll approach them just like we do every pitcher. We'll study them all the way out there and try to execute against them."

Arizona (41-34) had its four-game winning streak snapped with a 4-2 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday, though Gerardo Parra went 2 for 4 to extend his hitting steak to six.

The Diamondbacks are expecting second baseman Aaron Hill to return to the lineup after being on the disabled list since April 14 with a broken hand.

Washington (37-38), though, may not have Jayson Werth after he left Sunday's 7-6 loss to Colorado early because of a left groin pull. He missed Saturday's contest with flu-like symptoms.

``I think I'll be all right. Groins are pretty straight forward," Werth said. "I've had a couple of them in the past, but never missed any time so I'm hoping that will be the case.'

Sunday's loss was the Nationals' second straight following a three-game winning streak.

``Lately we've played two or three good games in a row and then gone right back to where we were,' said Ryan Zimmerman, who drove in a run for the third straight game. ``Long way to go still. Just got to keep taking the positives and go with that.'

Zimmerman has six homers and 12 RBIs in his last 13 games versus Arizona.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Nationals
Tue, Jun 25 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Nationals
Wed, Jun 26 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Nationals
Thu, Jun 27 - 4:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (39-38) at Red Sox (45-33)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: June 25, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Run support continues to come at a premium for Ryan Dempster, and it's not helping his record.

He could especially use some offense from his Boston Red Sox teammates Tuesday night when they face the red-hot Michael Cuddyer and Colorado Rockies in the teams' first meeting at Fenway Park since Boston swept the 2007 World Series.

Dempster (4-8, 4.23 ERA) has lost three of five outings despite a 3.48 ERA, and he's recorded quality starts in each of his last four games in Boston. The most recent was a 6-2 loss against Tampa Bay on Wednesday as he gave up three runs over six innings.

"I just wish we were winning more of the games that I'm starting," Dempster said after Boston fell to 6-9 in his starts.

He's surrendered three or fewer earned runs in five of his eight losses, with the Red Sox providing him two runs or fewer in seven of those games. His run-support average of 5.44 is inflated by a 17-5 win over Texas on June 4. Excluding that game, his average would dip to 2.64.

The major-league low is 2.69 for Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox.

"Seemingly, there's a guy on each staff that might be pitching on the wrong day, and that's probably the case with Ryan on a few occasions," manager John Farrell said. "That's something completely out of his control, but yet at the same time, we're in position to win almost every time he walks to the mound."

Dempster is 5-4 with a 7.83 ERA in 11 starts against Colorado.

The Rockies (39-38) scored 14 runs in back-to-back wins at Washington while totaling 25 hits, including a 7-6 victory Sunday. They scored seven runs during a five-game losing streak prior to those victories.

Cuddyer went 3 for 4 with a homer and four RBIs on Sunday to extend baseball's longest hitting streak this season to 21 games. He's two games shy of hitting coach Dante Bichette's franchise record set in 1995.

Cuddyer already owns the club record for consecutive games on base with 40. The 34-year-old Cuddyer and 36-year-old Dempster have never faced off despite their careers spanning a combined 29 years.

Carlos Gonzalez, who left in the eighth inning Sunday due to a leg cramp but should be able to play Tuesday, is 5 for 9 with a homer and two doubles off Dempster. Todd Helton is 10 for 24 with three home runs.

Boston (45-33) has lost four of five after a 7-5 defeat at Detroit on Sunday. The Red Sox made two errors in the eighth inning, including a controversial one charged to Daniel Nava in right field. The second base umpire ruled that Nava dropped a fly ball, possibly while transferring it from his glove to his other hand.

Right-hander Juan Nicasio (4-3, 4.78) makes his first career start against the Red Sox looking to end a six-start slide without a victory. He's 0-2 with a 5.23 ERA during that stretch and gave up four runs - two earned - in five innings of a 5-2 loss at Toronto on Wednesday.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Red Sox
Tue, Jun 25 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Rockies at Red Sox
Wed, Jun 26 - 4:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Twins (34-38) at Marlins (25-50)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: June 25, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


The Miami Marlins own the majors' worst record, but they've been playing much better lately.

Giving the ball to rookie Jose Fernandez could help the club continue its strong play Tuesday night when it opens a two-game series with the Minnesota Twins in Miami.

The Marlins are 25-50, but manager Mike Redmond's club has won 12 of 21 after taking three of four in San Francisco over the weekend.

"Awesome road trip,' Justin Ruggiano said after Sunday's 7-2 victory. "We played some tough teams (Giants and NL West-leading Arizona). To come out with a winning record (4-3), first time this year, you can see things turn around a little bit."

The pitching staff carried the club on the trip - posting a 2.31 ERA to overcome the team batting .211 - but Miami has been better at the plate over the last 21 games, averaging 4.2 runs and hitting .254. The Marlins score a MLB-low 3.1 runs per game and are 29th in batting at .230.

"Getting (Giancarlo) Stanton back and (Logan) Morrison back, it's a big boost to our ball club," Redmond told the Marlins' official website.

Stanton is batting .288 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 13 games since returning from hamstring injury, while Morrison has a .286 batting average since his season debut earlier this month following knee surgery.

The Marlins open their six-game homestand with Fernandez (4-4, 3.05 ERA) coming off a fourth straight quality start. The 20-year-old right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.65 ERA during that stretch after giving up two runs in a season-high 7 1-3 innings of Wednesday's 3-1 loss at Arizona.

"I see him as a Cy Young (winner) in the near future because he's got all his pitches," Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero said. "He's that good.'

Fernandez wasn't as good in a 4-3 loss at the Twins (34-38) on April 23, surrendering four runs in five innings, three coming on a homer by rookie Oswaldo Arcia.

Kevin Correia (6-4, 3.87) allowed two runs in seven innings in beating Fernandez, yet his 6.52 ERA in 16 appearances versus Miami - which includes nine starts - is his worst against any team he's faced more than 12 times.

The veteran right-hander, though, has struck out 19 with one walk in his last three outings. Correia fanned six and issued no free passes in Wednesday's 7-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

"It was a rough start, giving up the (Alejandro De Aza) home run to start the game, but I was pretty good after that," Correia told the Twins' official website.

There's a chance Correia will face Ruggiano, Florida's leader with 11 homers and 28 RBIs, to start Tuesday's game after the center fielder led off Sunday's contest with a homer and added a two-run shot in the ninth.

"We just led him off in hopes he'd put together some good at_bats and it happened, he hit a couple of big home runs," Redmond said following Ruggiano's third career start as a leadoff hitter.

Since capping off the April 23 doubleheader with an 8-5 victory, the Marlins have dropped seven straight to AL opponents.

Minnesota is 7-3 in interleague play since opening 1-6 against the NL this season.

The Twins took two of three in their only previous visit to Miami in 2007. Josh Willingham, Minnesota's leader with 10 homers, was hitless in nine at_bats for the Marlins in that series.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Marlins
Tue, Jun 25 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Twins at Marlins
Wed, Jun 26 - 12:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jays (38-37) at Rays (40-37)
Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: June 25, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


The Toronto Blue Jays failed to record the longest winning streak in team history, but they're plenty confident going forward, especially knowing Jose Reyes is about to come back.

A day before the possible return of their star shortstop, the visiting Blue Jays try to bounce back from their first defeat in two weeks as they face Matt Moore and the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.

Riding the majors' longest winning streak since Detroit won 12 straight in 2011, Toronto (38-37) was held to four hits in 4-1 loss at Tampa Bay on Monday.

The Blue Jays could only match the club record of 11 consecutive victories, previously achieved in 1987 and 1998.

"I think that, to go on that streak, we had to believe that we were able to do that," catcher J.P. Arencibia said. "I don't think the belief has changed at all. We had a good run, game over, and come back (Tuesday)."

Jose Bautista drove home the lone run for the Blue Jays, who hadn't lost since June 10 to the Chicago White Sox. Toronto's confidence should grow with Reyes set to return to the mix.

The Blue Jays said they plan to activate him from the disabled list on Wednesday. Hitting .395 when he suffered a sprained ankle April 12, Reyes made a rehab assignment at Triple-A Buffalo on Monday and is scheduled to appear in a Double-A game Tuesday.

"He's playing pretty good and he's feeling pretty good," manager John Gibbons told the Blue Jays' official website.

Bautista, meanwhile, is batting .143 in his last 11 games but has six RBIs over the past three.

He's 2 for 6 against Moore (9-3, 4.13 ERA), who allowed 20 runs and 26 hits in 12 1-3 innings to lose three straight starts before ending that skid Thursday. He gave up three runs and four hits over 6 1-3 innings of an 8-3 win at Yankee Stadium.

"When he's able to command his pitches and throw strikes, he's as good as it gets," New York's Brett Gardner told the Yankees' official website.

The left-hander, who turned 24 last Tuesday, is 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in five starts against the Blue Jays. Moore beat them on May 8, when the only runs he allowed in five innings of a 10-4 victory came on Edwin Encarnacion's two-run homer.

Encarnacion was hitless Monday after batting .400 in the previous five games with three homers, three doubles and eight RBIs. He's walked in half of his 14 plate appearances against Moore.

Toronto counters with Mark Buehrle (4-4, 4.60), 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in his last three starts.

The left-hander overcame eight hits to allow two runs in five innings of a 5-2 victory over Colorado on Wednesday.

"There were just a lot of pitches I got away with," he said. "Earlier in the season that wasn't happening. Those pitches were getting hit for home runs and getting us down in a hole early."

Buehrle, who threw a perfect game against the Rays (40-37) in 2009 for the White Sox, has a 6.23 ERA without a decision in two starts versus Tampa Bay this season.

Rays rookie Wil Myers had two hits Monday, including one of his team's three homers. The highly touted prospect, who came over from Kansas City in the James Shields deal, is batting .294 with two home runs and seven RBIs in eight games since making his major league debut last Tuesday.

"He's very comfortable," manager Joe Maddon said. "He's not overwhelmed whatsoever."


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Blue Jays at Rays
Mon, Jun 24 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Rays
Tue, Jun 25 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Blue Jays at Rays
Wed, Jun 26 - 12:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mets (30-42) at White Sox (31-42)
Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: June 25, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


After an impressive big league debut last week, Zack Wheeler surely has New York Mets looking forward to his encore performance.

The visiting Mets send Wheeler to the mound opposite the Chicago White Sox's Chris Sale, who tries to snap a career-worst four-start losing streak Tuesday night.

Considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, Wheeler (1-0, 0.00 ERA) lived up to the hype in the back end of last Tuesday's doubleheader at Atlanta. After watching Matt Harvey strike out 13 while winning the first game, Wheeler scattered four hits and fanned seven over six scoreless innings in a 6-1 victory.

"I hope people saw this," manager Terry Collins said of Harvey and Wheeler. "Certainly they're going to enjoy watching these two guys for a long time. They're going to be around. ... You got two guys that can win some baseball games for you."

It wasn't all smooth sailing for the 23-year-old Wheeler, who issued five walks. The right-hander threw just 55 of his 102 pitches for strikes.

"I had some jitters going at first," he said. "I settled down a little bit, probably the fourth or fifth inning I think it was, found a rhythm, settled down, and I was able to throw all my pitches for strikes."

Another solid outing from Wheeler could put even more pressure on Sale (5-6, 2.69), whose run support average of 2.69 is the lowest in the majors. Chicago (31-42), last in the AL with 272 runs, backed Sale with a combined five in his last four starts and he lost them all. The left-hander had never previously lost more than two straight decisions.

"It's tough, even for (Sale)," manager Robin Ventura told MLB's official website. "You feel like you have to throw up a one or two to be able to survive in that. That's not good for any pitcher to go out there and think that they have to do that."

Sale had his own problems Wednesday, though, allowing four runs and eight hits in five innings in a 7-4 defeat at Minnesota.

"I didn't have good command," said Sale, who had a 1.18 ERA in his previous five starts. "I was coming out of myself. I just kind of need to gather myself and get the flow again and regroup next time out."

Sale is making his first appearance against the Mets (30-42), who enter this two-game set having won six of nine. They were off Monday after an 8-0 victory at Philadelphia on Sunday, when Harvey threw six strong innings and David Wright went 4 for 5 with a homer, a triple and two doubles.

Wright is batting .405 with 14 extra-base hits in his last 17 games, including 9 for 19 with three homers and five RBIs over the past four.

"This guy is tired, beat up, yet he rides it when you need him," Collins said. "I've been around stars, and this guy's as good as any of them."

While Wright is a career .322 hitter in interleague play, he went 0 for 5 with three walks as the Mets split a two-game home series with Chicago from May 7-8.

The White Sox return home following a 3-7 road trip. Chicago appeared headed for a three-game sweep of Kansas City before Jesse Crain allowed three unearned runs in the eighth inning of Sunday's 7-6 loss.

"It's a tough way to lose a game," said Crain, who had made a franchise-record 29 consecutive scoreless appearances. "We had a chance to sweep the series, which we needed. We just have to look forward to the next game."

While Adam Dunn has hit .340 with seven homers and 17 RBIs in his last 14 games, Paul Konerko is batting .407 with a homer and five RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mets at White Sox
Tue, Jun 25 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Mets at White Sox
Wed, Jun 26 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Braves (44-33) at Royals (35-38)
Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: June 25, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals are hoping they've put an end to their respective scoring slumps.

That doesn't mean runs will be easy to come by Tuesday night.

Ervin Santana looks to continue his outstanding stretch on the mound and provide a rude welcome to the Braves, who counter with Kris Medlen in the franchise's first visit to Kansas City.

After consecutive 2-0 losses to open a weekend series in Milwaukee, Atlanta (44-33) salvaged the finale with Sunday's 7-4 victory. Chris Johnson and Jordan Schafer hit solo homers after Brian McCann's first-inning grand slam ended the Braves' 24-inning scoreless stretch.

"Games like this, they say hitting is contagious," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Hopefully, it catches a couple of guys and keeps going.'

Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman need to get going, as they're a combined 9 for 50 in the last seven games.

Justin Upton, the team leader with 15 home runs, has two hits in his last 15 at_bats, but he's questionable after missing two games with a sore hand.

"If we don't have to use him, we won't use him," Gonzalez told the Braves' official website.

With Santana (5-5, 2.64 ERA) on the hill, Upton might benefit from getting another day off. The right-hander is 2-0 with a 0.94 ERA in four June starts after throwing seven innings of one-run ball in last Tuesday's 4-3 loss at Cleveland.

It was Santana's seventh consecutive start in which he's pitched at least seven innings. However, he's 2-3 during that stretch as Kansas City (35-38) has plated three runs or fewer four times.

"We don't have to think about that," Santana told the Royals' official website. "Every time we take the mound, we have to do our best and trust our bats. You just try to make it simple. Trust our teammates, try to play hard and know that things aren't going our way right now, but it's going to turn around."

The Royals are hoping that's the case after back-to-back homers by George Kottaras and Jarrod Dyson in the fifth inning led the way in Sunday's 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Kansas City had nine total runs while losing its previous four.

"For us to pull out that victory later in the game shows our resiliency," said right fielder David Lough, who went 3 for 4.

The Royals, though, need more from their top four run producers. In the last five games, Billy Butler is 2 for 14, Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez are 2 for 15 and Lorenzo Cain is 1 for 15.

Butler didn't face Medlen (4-7, 2.96) in a 6-3 loss to Atlanta on April 16 - the Braves' 10th consecutive victory - while Gordon, Perez and Cain went a combined 2 for 10 off the right-hander. Medlen gave up a solo homer to Chris Getz and one unearned run over seven innings before Atlanta scored four in the eighth.

Medlen improved to 3-1 with a 1.69 ERA in four outings this month with seven-plus innings in Wednesday's 5-3 home win over the New York Mets. He allowed three runs, but just one was earned due to his throwing error.

"Other than that play, I felt like I was in control," Medlen told the Braves' official website.

Atlanta will become the final NL team to play in Kansas City, where the Royals have won eight of 11 after a franchise-record 11-game skid.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Royals
Tue, Jun 25 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Braves at Royals
Wed, Jun 26 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cubs (31-43) at Brewers (31-43)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: June 25, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Chicago Cubs have long known Starlin Castro could be a defensive liability, but his offensive struggles have been a bit more perplexing.

He'll look to get back on track in both facets while extending his hitting streak against the Milwaukee Brewers to 11 games Tuesday night as Chicago tries to end an eight-game skid at Miller Park.

The 23-year-old Castro didn't become the first player born in the 1990s to make it to the majors three years ago because of his defense, but more for a solid bat that helped him rank among the league leaders in hits the past two seasons.

Castro hasn't been very good in the field or at the plate lately, committing two errors in Sunday's 14-6 win over Houston to bring his major league worst-tying total to 14 while also going hitless.

He's 2 for 25 over his last six games and is hitting just .228 on the year.

"The whole thing is not going real well right now so hopefully (Monday's off day) can recharge him and get things going in Milwaukee,' manager Dale Sveum said.

Castro is a .294 career hitter and has a 10-game hitting streak versus Milwaukee, though the Cubs (31-43) have lost 12 of the last 14 meetings overall versus their NL Central rivals.

After setting season bests in runs and hits (16) in Sunday's victory, Chicago is hoping its bats stay hot against the Brewers.

Ryan Sweeney, starting for injured center fielder David DeJesus, hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high six runs. Anthony Rizzo scored four times and hit a two-run homer.

"Anytime you're scoring 14 runs with 16 hits, it's contagious,' Sweeney said

The Cubs will send Edwin Jackson (3-9, 5.49 ERA) to the mound as they return to the park where they were swept April 19-21.

Jackson, who went 1-8 with a 6.29 ERA over his first 11 outings, seemed to be getting back on track after two solid starts, holding Pittsburgh and the Mets to a combined two runs over 13 innings in wins earlier this month.

He was much less effective Wednesday, though, giving up four runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 4-1 loss to St. Louis.

"Earlier (in the season), I felt like I was kind of mechanical,' Jackson said. "You have to go back to having fun.'

Despite Jackson's latest defeat, Sveum believes he has started to find his groove.

"He's pitching with more conviction,' Sveum said. "Everything is going a heck of a lot better than the first half of his starts.'

The right-hander lost to Milwaukee on April 8 and April 20, giving up five runs over six innings in each, though only one was earned in the second outing.

Milwaukee (31-43), which is coming off a 7-4 loss to Atlanta on Sunday, will counter with Kyle Lohse, who hasn't had much help from his offense.

Lohse (2-6, 3.68) has allowed one earned run in each of his last three starts, but only one victory to show for it. His 2.94 run-support average is among the worst in baseball after he got no help for the sixth time Wednesday, pitching six innings before Milwaukee's offense got going in a 3-1 win at Houston.

He refuses to let the lack of run support bother him, though.

"I'm not going to be selfish about it," Lohse said. "I want this team to get going in the right direction."

The right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA in his last five starts versus the Cubs, though he's yet to face them in his first season with the Brewers.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at Brewers
Tue, Jun 25 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Cubs at Brewers
Wed, Jun 26 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Cubs at Brewers
Thu, Jun 27 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (47-29) at Astros (29-48)
Game: 1
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: June 25, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


After struggling in his first game back from the disabled list, the St. Louis Cardinals' Jake Westbrook returned to his dominant form last time out.

The Cardinals could use another strong outing from the right-hander after getting swept over the weekend, and he'll try to provide that in the club's first interleague matchup with the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

Westbrook (3-2, 1.76 ERA) gave up five runs over five innings in a 5-4 loss in Miami on June 14 in his first start since dealing with inflammation in his elbow. He bounced back Wednesday by yielding an unearned run and two hits in seven innings of a 4-1 victory against the Chicago Cubs.

"I felt good," Westbrook said. "I was throwing a really good sinker, tonight. I was locating it a lot better than the last start."

St. Louis (47-29) is hoping that Westbrook can continue to pitch well after it lost three games against Texas in a rematch of the 2011 World Series. While they own the best record in the majors, the Cardinals are one game ahead of Pittsburgh in the NL Central.

They'll try to avoid a season-high fourth consecutive loss in a matchup against the Astros, who own the AL's worst record at 29-48.

Houston has won seven of 11 but dropped two of three to the Cubs this past weekend, falling 14-6 on Sunday.

Lucas Harrell (5-7, 4.32) will try to help his club bounce back and earn its seventh win in 10 home games by adding to his solid month. The right-hander is 1-1 with a 1.73 ERA in four June starts after going 1-4 with a 7.53 ERA in May.

Harrell has issued four walks in 26 innings this month and had none Thursday against Milwaukee. He walked 21 in six starts in May.

"I'm back to getting my mechanics like they were last year (when he won a team-best 11 games)," Harrell told the Astros' official website. "I was inconsistent early in the year, but now I haven't been walking anybody."

Harrell gave up four runs - one earned - over 5 1-3 innings against the Brewers as Houston rallied for a 7-4 victory in 10 innings.

Harrell has lost his last three starts against St. Louis but has received zero runs of support. He's given up three runs or fewer in each of his last two matchups and allowed two in the most recent one Sept. 25 in Houston.

Harrell, though, didn't help himself by walking six in a 4-0 defeat.

Westbrook has won three straight decisions against Houston despite giving up five runs in each of his last two meetings.

St. Louis produced a 10-game win streak against the 107-loss Astros in 2012 that was snapped with a 2-0 defeat in Houston on Sept. 26, the most recent meeting between the clubs.

Yadier Molina batted .469 (15 for 32) with two homers and seven RBIs in his final 10 games against Houston last season. The catcher is 7 for 12 with a home run versus Harrell.

Jose Altuve, batting .376 against St. Louis, is 3 for 7 when facing Westbrook.

The Cardinals haven't dropped four in a row since Aug. 28-31.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Astros
Tue, Jun 25 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Cardinals at Astros
Wed, Jun 26 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (45-32) at Athletics (44-34)
Game: 1
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: June 25, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


While the Oakland Athletics have stumbled of late, manager Bob Melvin is hoping a much-needed day off will help them regroup.

The Athletics try to avoid losing three straight for the first time in six weeks Tuesday night when they open a two-game set against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

After compiling a 2.53 ERA in winning 21 of 26, Oakland (44-34) has recorded a 5.00 ERA while dropping seven of 10. The A's saw their woes continue Sunday in the finale of a 2-5 road trip, losing 6-3 in 10 innings to Seattle after closer Grant Balfour gave up a game-ending three-run homer.

"We had a couple guys who weren't available and he's our best pitcher," Melvin said of Balfour, who suffered his first loss in nearly a year. "We were going to go with our best guy going into the day off (Monday)."

Oakland, which fell 7-5 the previous day, hasn't dropped three in a row since a season-worst five-game skid May 6-10.

Melvin's club just completed a stretch of 30 games in 31 days, having played on 13 straight before Monday.

"I think they might be a little bit tired right now, which probably is natural," Melvin told MLB's official website. "We've had some close games, and these guys have been in a lot of games. It taxes you. So this is going to be a good little opportunity to get some rest."

Winners in 14 of 19 against the NL dating to last year, the A's now turn their attention to the Reds (45-32). After Aroldis Chapman blew the save in Saturday's 4-3 walkoff loss at Arizona, Cincinnati snapped a three-game skid with Sunday's 4-2 victory as Shin-Soo Choo and Brandon Phillips both went deep.

"It was very important," Phillips said. "You never want to get swept. Just getting that win, we showed that we're still here. I felt like we should have won (Saturday). All you can do is learn from your mistakes and stay hungry. I'm glad we got the job done."

The Reds give the ball to Bronson Arroyo (6-5, 3.13 ERA), who is 4-1 with a 2.14 ERA over his last eight starts. The right-hander allowed one run in seven innings Wednesday in a 2-1, 13-inning victory over Pittsburgh.

Arroyo is 1-4 with a 6.94 ERA over his last six interleague outings, including a 1-1 record this year. He's 3-0 with a 2.80 ERA in his last five matchups against the A's, most recently yielding two runs in eight innings in a 4-2 victory by the Bay on June 22, 2010.

Chris Young is 4 for 21 in their matchups.

Oakland counters with Tommy Milone (6-7, 3.98), who gave up a season-worst six earned runs in 5 1-3 innings during Wednesday's 9-4 loss at Texas.

"It is really important you go out there and shut it down. Now Tommy has done that many times for us this year," Melvin said. "It just didn't happen."

Milone could benefit from getting back home, where he has a 2.48 ERA compared to 5.07 on the road. He'll need to be wary of Jay Bruce, who has hit an NL-leading 17 homers since May 8, including eight in his last 10 games.

Mired in an 8-for-53 slump, A's outfielder Yoenis Cespedes could find himself facing Chapman - a fellow Cuban defector - for the first time. The two were teammates during the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

The A's won these teams' first seven interleague meetings before losing four of the last five, most recently dropping all three in Oakland in 2010.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Athletics
Tue, Jun 25 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Reds at Athletics
Wed, Jun 26 - 3:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pirates (46-30) at Mariners (34-43)
Game: 1
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: June 25, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


With Pedro Alvarez locked in, the Pittsburgh Pirates continue to roll. Giving the ball to Jeff Locke could help them keep things going.

Locke tries to lead the visiting Pirates to a season-high fifth consecutive win Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game set against the Seattle Mariners.

Alvarez homered for the fourth straight game before Pittsburgh (46-30) scored a combined seven runs in the ninth and 10th innings during Sunday's 10-9 road win over the Los Angeles Angels.

"I got to hang out in the air conditioning in here for about six innings, so I felt fresh when I got out there," said Russell Martin, who went 2 for 2 with two RBIs after coming on as a pinch-hitter in the ninth. "But our guys battled back and had great ABs collectively, top to bottom, and it was fun to be a part of. We have no quit, that's for sure."

The Pirates, averaging 6.5 runs during the win streak, went 6 for 16 with runners in scoring position Sunday. Pittsburgh has won four straight three times but hasn't posted five consecutive victories since July 17-22.

"When those guys get guys on base, they take advantage," Angels reliever Kevin Jepsen said. "That's why they're playing as well as they are."

Much of the Pirates' recent success can be attributed to Alvarez. The slugging third baseman has raised his average 25 points to .237 while going 13 for 33 with five homers and 13 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

Alvarez, whose nine home runs since June 2 rank second in the majors, will try to become the first Pirate to homer in five straight games since Jose Castillo from May 26-31, 2006.

Locke (6-1, 2.01 ERA), meanwhile, has shined on the mound. The NL leader in ERA is 6-0 with a 1.73 ERA over 14 starts since taking the loss in his season debut April 7, giving up one or zero runs in six of his last seven outings.

Locke yielded four hits over seven scoreless innings Wednesday in a 2-1, 13-inning loss at Cincinnati. The left-hander has received an average of 2.59 runs of support in his last nine starts.

"I know that I've got guys here I got to do my best to take care of, because they're taking care of me," he told MLB's official website.

Locke will try to quiet a Mariners team coming off a thrilling victory of its own, 6-3 over Oakland on Sunday. Raul Ibanez hit a pair of homers before Kendrys Morales delivered a pinch-hit game-winning three-run shot in the 10th inning.

Ibanez is hitting .288 with six homers and 12 RBIs in his last 13 games.

"I'm just trying to hit the ball on the barrel and things are working out," he said.

The Mariners (34-43) now turn to Joe Saunders (5-7, 4.48), who dropped to 2-2 with a 1.82 ERA over a five-start stretch after going the distance in Wednesday's 1-0 loss at Los Angeles.

"Joe was good," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "His fastball had a little more life than a couple years ago, so he's feeling pretty good right now and he pitched a strong game for those guys."

Saunders also thrived in two starts against the Pirates while with Arizona last year, winning both while compiling a 1.93 ERA. He'll need to be careful against Gaby Sanchez, who is 6 for 12 with a homer in their matchups.

-----------------------------------------------------------

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Mariners
Tue, Jun 25 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Pirates at Mariners
Wed, Jun 26 - 3:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Giants (38-38) at Dodgers (33-42)
Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: June 25, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


Mike Kickham is hoping his second major league start will be significantly better than the first.

The left-hander matches up with another rookie starter in Stephen Fife on Tuesday night as the San Francisco Giants visit the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Giants are recalling Kickham (0-1, 15.43 ERA) from Triple-A Fresno for the second time this season to start in place of the injured Chad Gaudin, who was placed on the disabled list Monday due to a bruised throwing elbow.

"I kind of know what to expect," Kickham told the team's official website. "Having been there before will benefit me."

Making a spot start in place of the then-injured Madison Bumgarner, Kickham needed 65 pitches May 28 at Oakland to get through 2 1-3 innings of a 6-3 defeat. He gave up four runs, four walks and four hits while striking out three.

"He showed good stuff early," manager Bruce Bochy said after the 24-year-old Kickham retired five of the first six batters he faced. "I'm sure he was amped up and then he got behind hitters but I liked what he showed. It's his first outing and that's always one to put behind you."

Like Kickham, Fife (1-2, 3.25) initially only received a shot this season because of a teammate's injury. He made an emergency start in place of Chad Billingsley on April 21, but was shelled by Baltimore for four runs in 4 2-3 innings. Another opportunity arrived in the form of an injury to Chris Capuano - leading to a start versus San Diego on June 3 - and Fife capitalized this time.

He owns a 2.35 ERA in four starts since being recalled a second time. His sub-.500 record is largely due to a total of four runs of support in those games.

Fife's only game against the Giants came in his second major league start, and it may have been the best of his brief career. He didn't get a decision but allowed one run over 6 1-3 innings in a 5-3 win at San Francisco on July 27.

The Dodgers (33-42) won Monday's series opener 3-1, relying on more heroics from Yaisel Puig as they matched a season high with their third straight win.

Puig connected for his seventh homer in the first inning and later broke a tie with an RBI single in the eighth, improving to 34 for 77 (.442) with 14 RBIs in his first 20 games.

"The league's trying to figure him out and they're trying to see what the best way to approach him is," Los Angeles catcher A.J. Ellis said. "But he's making them go back and scratch their heads a lot, because he's hitting everything and hitting it hard."

Though the Giants saw Pablo Sandoval go 2 for 4 in his first game in over two weeks after being out with a strained left foot, it was one of the few positives on a dreary day for San Francisco (38-38), which fell to .500 for the first time since April 7.

The club announced Angel Pagan, who hasn't played since May 25, will undergo surgery Tuesday on his left hamstring and could miss the rest of the season.

Even Monday's lone run came with a price. Joaquin Arias scored from first in the second inning on Andres Torres' double but strained his left hamstring and exited the game.

Los Angeles won four or more consecutive games seven times last season and four times by June 25.

---------------------------------------------------------

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Dodgers
Mon, Jun 24 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Dodgers
Tue, Jun 25 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Giants at Dodgers
Wed, Jun 26 - 10:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Phillies (36-41) at Padres (39-38)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: June 25, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


A struggling bullpen is hurting the Philadelphia Phillies' chances of winning. Sending Jason Marquis to the mound is having the opposite effect on the San Diego Padres.

The Phillies will try to bounce back from another blown save by Jonathan Papelbon while snapping Marquis' lengthy win streak Tuesday night.

Philadelphia's relievers have a major league-worst 4.68 ERA this season and a 6.66 ERA in their last nine games as the team has gone 3-6. Papelbon has played a significant role in those struggles, blowing four of his past five save opportunities after converting his first 13 this season.

The latest blown save came in Monday's series opener as the Phillies (36-41) fell 4-3 in 10 innings. They led 3-0 in the ninth until Papelbon gave up a two-run single to Kyle Blanks, who then scored the tying run on a passed ball and would single off Justin De Fratus to drive in the winning run in the 10th.

"I don't know what is worse, losing 15-0 or getting beat that way. Either way, it's a loss and it doesn't sit well with me," said Papelbon, who has given up a run in six of 10 appearances after 18 2-3 scoreless innings.

Injuries to setup man Mike Adams (shoulder) and Michael Stutes (biceps) surely aren't helping. Among Philadelphia's current relievers, only Papelbon and Antonio Bastardo have made more than 38 career appearances.

"(The current bullpen is) probably the youngest we've had," pitching coach Rich Dubee told the team's website. "That's a crapshoot in baseball, trying to find the right bullpen pieces."

Blanks took advantage of the woeful Philadelphia bullpen to finish with a career-best four hits.

"It's been that kind of elusive game for me. It's always fun to have those and I'm looking forward to having a lot more," Blanks said.

The Padres must look forward to having Marquis (9-2, 3.59 ERA) on the hill. They've won each of his last five starts and 10 of 11, a span in which the right-hander has allowed three runs or fewer in all but one outing. He's 8-0 during that stretch, his longest win streak since an 11-game run in 2004.

San Diego (39-38) has won his last eight starts at home as Marquis has gone 6-0 with a 2.75 ERA. The latest of those outings came Thursday, when he gave up two runs over six innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers but did not get a decision in a 6-3 victory.

Marquis, 6-8 with a 5.57 ERA in 19 career starts against the Phillies, is looking to reach double digits in victories for the first time since winning 15 games in 2009 while with Colorado.

It's unclear if he will have to face Ryan Howard. The Phillies hope to have their cleanup man back in the lineup after he had to sit out the series opener with a sore left knee. Manager Charlie Manuel said the knee had been hampering Howard for weeks.

Manuel will start Kyle Kendrick (6-4, 3.56), who seeks to build on a much improved showing. The right-hander gave up one run and two hits over seven innings in a 6-2 loss to Washington on Wednesday after getting tagged for a season-high seven runs and 10 hits in Colorado on June 14.

Kendrick is 1-1 with a 5.87 ERA in three career starts against the Padres.

Chase Utley will try to give him a boost by adding to his recent success against the Padres and Marquis.

The second baseman, who homered Friday, is 8 for 18 with three home runs in his last five games versus San Diego. He's 14 for 31 (.452) all-time against Marquis, his best showing against any pitcher he's faced at least 30 times.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Phillies at Padres
Mon, Jun 24 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Phillies at Padres
Tue, Jun 25 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Phillies at Padres
Wed, Jun 26 - 10:10PM EDT