The Bum's July's MLB POD'S-Stats-News

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (42-40) at Mets (34-45)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: July 02, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Despite pitching well, the Arizona Diamondbacks' Patrick Corbin has been denied a chance to make team history.

The left-hander will try for a sixth time to improve to a franchise-best 10-0 on Tuesday night against the New York Mets.

Corbin (9-0, 2.22 ERA) hasn't earned a win since June 2 despite a 2.55 ERA in his last five outings. He has also allowed two runs or fewer in each of his past three starts with Arizona (42-40) winning in his past two.

The Diamondbacks, though, haven't provided Corbin with enough support to help him top Brandon Webb's team-record 9-0 start from 2008. Corbin has been given a combined nine runs in his last five games after being provided with 48 in his first 11 starts.

"Obviously I'd like to get a win, but if the team wins, that's what I want. I just want to kind of keep us in the ballgame," Corbin told the team's website after giving up two runs in seven innings in Thursday's 3-2 victory at Washington.

Corbin will try to help the Diamondbacks avoid a season-high fifth straight defeat. Arizona, losers in nine of 10 on the road, blew an early 3-0 lead in Monday's series opener and a one-run advantage in the 13th inning and lost 5-4.

After Cody Ross homered in the 13th for the Diamondbacks, the Mets (34-45) got a two-run single from Andrew Brown for their 10th win in 16 games. Josh Satin, batting .444 (12 for 27) in his last seven games, hit the tying RBI single in the ninth off Arizona closer J.J. Putz, who was attempting to earn his first save since returning from the disabled list.

"(Josh is) getting big hits for us," manager Terry Collins said. "Every team has somebody that surprises you and saves you. And right now, he's our savior `cause this guy has come up and filled a big hole for us."

The Mets' Jeremy Hefner (2-6, 3.72) will seek to continue his solid pitching from June. The right-hander posted a 1.80 ERA in five starts this past month but went just 1-1.

He was given a combined nine runs of support in June and was provided one Thursday in Colorado. Hefner gave up two runs over six innings but did not get a decision from a 3-2 win.

Hefner is making his first start against Arizona while Corbin will face the Mets for the first time since they handed him his first loss in the majors on May 5, 2012, at Citi Field. In his second career game, Corbin gave four runs over 3 1-3 innings in a 4-3 defeat.

Daniel Murphy was 2 for 2 against Corbin in that game. Eric Young has three doubles in six at_bats versus Corbin, and Brown went 2 for 5 with a solo homer against him while playing for Colorado last season.

Martin Prado is the only Diamondbacks player to have faced Hefner, going 0 for 2 with one strikeout.

Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer Monday, but is still just 2 for 15 during the losing streak.

It's unknown if Gerardo Parra, who has played in 81 of Arizona's 82 games, will be in the lineup after being hurt in the eighth inning Monday when he tried to make a diving catch.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Mets
Mon, Jul 1 Final 4 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Mets
Tue, Jul 2 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Mets
Wed, Jul 3 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Diamondbacks at Mets
Thu, Jul 4 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Giants (39-43) at Reds (47-36)
Game: 2
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: July 02, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Homer Bailey pitched well enough in last year's NL division series to help the Cincinnati Reds advance past the San Francisco Giants, but his teammates couldn't score enough runs.

In his first matchup with the Giants since, the right-hander will seek to shake out of a slump and help the Reds build on a decisive victory Tuesday night.

With his team leading 2-0 in the division series, Bailey struck out 10 while giving up one run, one hit and one walk over seven innings, but the Reds fell 2-1 in 10 frames and dropped their next two home games.

Bailey (4-6, 3.88 ERA) hasn't been as spectacular lately, going 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA in his last three starts. He gave up four runs in the fourth of his six innings Wednesday in a 5-0 loss in Oakland.

"We could say 'Homer didn't do this,' or 'he was quick,' or whatever. We didn't score any runs, and we had no chance even if it was 1-0," manager Dusty Baker told the team's official website.

The Reds (47-36) have given Bailey a combined two runs of support since his most recent win June 10 but slugged their way to an 8-1 victory in Monday's series opener against the Giants (39-43). Todd Frazier homered and matched a career high with four RBIs before rain shortened the game to six innings.

The runs were the most for Cincinnati since a 12-2 win at the Chicago Cubs on June 11. The Reds were averaging 2.8 runs while batting .220 in their previous 17 games.

"We were more aggressive. We didn't get deep into the count. We were attacking pitches early," Baker said. "Everybody got into the act. We got a couple of cheap hits. We got a couple of line drives. Then we got the big three-run homer (from Frazier)."

Cincinnati, returning home from a 2-6 road trip, dropped San Francisco to 1-6 on its 10-game trek. The Giants have also lost nine of 11 overall, plating two runs or fewer eight times. Leadoff hitter Gregor Blanco is in the middle of the funk, going 0 for 13 in his last four games.

Tim Lincecum (4-8, 4.64) would appear unlikely to spark a turnaround.

The right-hander is 1-6 with a 5.24 ERA in his last eight outings and matched a career high by giving up 10 hits over 5 1-3 innings Wednesday in a 4-2 loss at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I didn't expand the zone when I needed to, I left too many pitches on the plate and they put some good swings on some pitches, (to add to) the fact that I threw some (lousy) ones," he told the team's official website.

Lincecum is 0-5 with a 5.92 ERA in his last seven road starts and has been given a combined three runs of support in his last four. The Giants have provided him with nine runs in his last eight overall starts after giving him a combined 30 in his first eight this season.

Lincecum is also 0-1 with a 7.41 ERA in his three all-time regular-season matchups with the Reds. He got the win, however, in Game 4 of last year's division series after giving up one run and two hits over 4 1-3 innings of relief.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Reds
Mon, Jul 1 Final 1 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Reds
Tue, Jul 2 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Giants at Reds
Wed, Jul 3 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Giants at Reds
Thu, Jul 4 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mariners (35-47) at Rangers (48-34)
Game: 1
Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Date: July 02, 2013 8:05 PM EDT


It was an up-and-down June for the AL West-leading Texas Rangers.

It was mostly down for right-hander Justin Grimm, who's hoping another start against the Seattle Mariners in Tuesday's series opener will help him and his club get off to a better start in July.

Texas (48-34) entered June three games up on Oakland for the West lead, but lost 12 of 17 to fall three back of the top spot. The Rangers, though, finished the month with a half-game division lead over the Athletics after winning for the ninth time in 11 games Sunday, 3-2 over Cincinnati.

"It's the best .500 month ever - to go from where we were and the stretch we knew we had in front of us," closer Joe Nathan told the Rangers' official website. "... Guys knew not to give up and keep pressing on."

Grimm (7-5, 5.56 ERA) will try to do that after going 2-2 with a 9.00 ERA in five June starts. The rookie had the majors' worst ERA in that month of anyone to pitch at least 25 innings, and he's failed to make it through six in half of his 14 starts this season.

"I'm not happy being a five-and-dive guy," he said after allowing three runs over five innings in Wednesday's 8-5 win in the Bronx.

Grimm has gone at least six while winning his last two starts against the Mariners (35-47), giving up five total runs in 12 1-3 innings.

"It's Seattle. ... they've seen me here or there, but if I'm executing my pitches, I'll get them out," Grimm said.

Losers of nine of 13, the Mariners could use a quality start from Joe Saunders (5-8, 4.98) as they kick off their six-game trip. The left-hander, though, has a 9.91 ERA while losing all seven regular-season starts in Arlington after lasting 4 2-3 innings and yielding all the runs in 7-0 loss April 19.

Saunders won the 2012 AL wild-card game at Rangers Ballpark while with Baltimore, but no pitcher in the stadium's history has that many regular-season losses without a victory.

"You know it's going to be hot, you know it's going to be steamy, and you've just got to try to hydrate the best you can," he told the Mariners' official website. "... You've just got to go out there and execute your pitches."

That didn't happen last Tuesday when Saunders was charged with six runs and six hits - including three homers - in 1 2-3 innings of a 9-4 loss to Pittsburgh.

Saunders has surrendered four homers to Ian Kinsler - his most to anyone - but the second baseman is 0 for 6 in that matchup this season. Kinsler is hitless in his last 15 at_bats.

Leonys Martin, who has hit safely in 14 straight, went 3 for 7 as the Rangers outscored the Mariners 23-3 in their lone visit to Arlington this season from April 19-21.

Kyle Seager had six of the Mariners' 18 hits in that set and is batting .366 in the season series as Seattle has dropped seven of 10. Seager, 3 for 9 with two doubles off Grimm, has two hits - both homers - in 27 at_bats over the last six games.

With Dustin Ackley, Franklin Gutierrez and Michael Morse injured, the Mariners could use more power from Raul Ibanez, whose 10 homers in June matched a career high in a month.

It's uncertain if Lance Berkman will return after missing the Rangers' weekend series with a knee injury suffered when he stumbled down the stairs of the team's charter plane.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Rangers
Tue, Jul 2 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Mariners at Rangers
Wed, Jul 3 - 8:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Mariners at Rangers
Thu, Jul 4 - 8:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (47-36) at White Sox (32-47)
Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: July 02, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Baltimore Orioles have yet to win five straight this season or go 12 games above 500.

They would seem to have the right opponent up next as they try to accomplish both those goals.

Baltimore looks to ride the scorching bat of Chris Davis to its longest win streak of the year Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game road set against the reeling Chicago White Sox.

The Orioles (47-36) secured their first sweep of the season with three straight wins against the rival New York Yankees this weekend. After an 11-3 rout Saturday that featured two homers and five RBIs from Davis, the Baltimore slugger hit his major league-leading 31st home run in a 4-2 victory Sunday.

Nate McLouth and Manny Machado also went deep for the Orioles, who have scored 26 runs and batted .393 with runners in scoring position during a season high-tying four-game win streak.

"I think it's always a statement whenever you sweep anybody,' said Davis, second in the majors with 80 RBIs. "We've always put emphasis on winning series and making sure we at least win the majority of the games, but when you can get a sweep, especially against a team in the division, it's huge.'

Huge would be an understatement to describe how valuable Davis has been. His 31 homers are a franchise record before the All-Star break, and he's the first player in major league history to have at least 30 home runs and 25 doubles before July.

Davis, batting .324 with 11 homers and 28 RBIs in his last 18 games, is tied for second in the AL in doubles, trailing Machado, whose 38 are the second most in baseball through the end of June since 1921.

Already leading the majors in homers (115) and ranking second in runs (410), Baltimore's offense received another boost Sunday with Brian Roberts' return from a right hamstring injury. Roberts went 1 for 2 with a sacrifice fly and batted ninth as the designated hitter in his first game since April 5.

Jason Hammel (7-4, 5.09 ERA) look to keep the Orioles hot and build off one of his best starts of the season. The right-hander limited Cleveland to two runs over seven innings Wednesday but left without a decision in a 4-3 loss. Although Hammel went 0-2 with a 5.34 ERA in June, he has pitched at least six innings in six of his last seven outings.

He's been very good in his last two starts against the White Sox, going 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA.

Hammel probably wouldn't mind if Paul Konerko sits out a seventh consecutive game with a sore back since Chicago's first baseman is 4 for 11 with two homers against him.

"There's still a little soreness on the follow-through, a little bit," Konerko told the team's website. "I feel like that will be gone by Tuesday."

The White Sox (32-47) are desperate for any kind of spark, having lost five straight and 23 of 31 to fall a season-worst 15 games under .500.

"It's frustrating losing for any team,' ace Chris Sale said. "Any time you start losing a few in a row, you're going to be frustrated. But that's in any sport, any team. But our focus is on turning this around and heading in the right direction.'

That begins with John Danks (1-5, 4.68), who has a 5.40 ERA in losing his past three starts since earning his only win June 8.

His last outing, however, was among his best of the season. The left-hander surrendered three runs - one earned - over 7 1-3 innings Wednesday but received no offensive support in a 3-0 loss to the Mets.

Davis is 0 for 9 against Danks.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at White Sox
Tue, Jul 2 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Orioles at White Sox
Wed, Jul 3 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Orioles at White Sox
Thu, Jul 4 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Indians (44-38) at Royals (38-41)
Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: July 02, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Cleveland Indians open their July schedule someplace they haven't been in nearly six weeks - alone atop the AL Central.

The surging Indians look to extend their winning streak to five games in Tuesday night's series opener against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

After opening June 1-8, Cleveland (44-38) closed the month with 14 wins in 19 games to pull within percentage points of Detroit for the division lead. With the Tigers losing Monday, the idle Indians moved into sole possession of first place for the first time since May 23.

Jason Kipnis has been instrumental to the tear, batting .419 with 25 RBIs, 12 doubles and a .517 on-base percentage in 29 June games. He was given the day off in Sunday's 4-0 win over the Chicago White Sox, which capped a four-game sweep, to give him extra rest heading into a stretch of 13 straight days with games leading into the All-Star break.

The rest seems to come at an opportune time as Kipnis has had trouble with Kansas City pitching.

The AL Player of the Week is 20 for 40 with 17 RBIs during a 12-game hitting streak since going 0 for 4 against the Royals (38-41) on June 17. He is 3 for 17 in his last five games in the series.

Despite Kipnis' struggles, the Indians have won four of five against the Royals, plating 29 runs in those victories. Mike Aviles has eight RBIs in those games, while Michael Brantley has driven in four and scored six times.

Brantley hit a solo homer against scheduled starter Luis Mendoza (2-4, 4.16 ERA) on June 19. The right-hander gave up four runs in five innings of a 6-3 loss.

Mendoza permitted two runs in 6 2-3 innings in Wednesday's 4-3, 10-inning win over Atlanta. It was the fifth time in seven starts he yielded two runs or fewer.

Mendoza is still seeking his first home win of the season despite a 2.35 ERA in his last four starts in Kansas City.

The Royals return home after beating Minnesota 9-8 on Sunday to split a four-game set.

David Lough hit three doubles and a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, and Eric Hosmer added a solo homer in the ninth for Kansas City, which scored at least four runs for the fourth time in 12 games.

"We've never lost confidence as an offense,' said Hosmer, who is 6 for 12 with three home runs in the last three games. "We always knew we had the potential to put up days like this.'

The Royals, last in the AL with 49 homers, haven't had much offense to speak of in their last five contests against the Indians, totaling 11 runs with a .224 average and no homers.

Scheduled starter Corey Kluber (6-5, 4.16) was on the mound for one of those games, giving up two runs in seven innings of a 10-3 win April 28.

After posting a 1.66 ERA over a three-start winning streak, Kluber was tagged for seven runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings in Thursday's 7-3 loss at Baltimore. Most of the damage came in the fifth inning when he surrendered five runs and six hits.

"I didn't feel like there was a lot of bad pitches," the right-hander said, "just the ones that I did make ended up kind of not being in the best situations for us.'

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Royals
Tue, Jul 2 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Indians at Royals
Wed, Jul 3 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Indians at Royals
Thu, Jul 4 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Yankees (43-39) at Twins (36-43)
Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: July 02, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The New York Yankees have ended their second five-game slide of the season, but they haven't had much success lately when Phil Hughes has been on the mound.

The Minnesota Twins, meanwhile, rarely lose when Samuel Deduno pitches at home.

This matchup of right-handers could help the Twins even this four-game set Tuesday night, as Deduno looks to improve to 4-0 at Target Field this year.

New York (43-39) avoided its first six-game skid in six seasons by scoring seven times over the final two innings to rally for a 10-4 victory in Monday's opener. The Yankees totaled 13 runs during their losing streak but Robinson Cano homered twice and Zoilo Almonte added three hits including clutch RBI singles in the eighth and ninth innings.

"We're not that team anymore that we used to have the guys that we could say, 'This guy might hit two home runs in the next inning,'" Cano said. "So we've just got to take advantage when we get men on base."

New York entered the day with the AL's third-worst average with runners in scoring position at .236 and went 4 for 16.

The Yankees have dropped seven of Hughes' last eight outings, and he's 1-5 with a 5.19 ERA in that span.

Hughes (3-7, 4.82 ERA) took a step in the right direction Thursday by limiting Texas to two runs over eight innings in a 2-0 defeat. That continued a trend in which he has received no runs of support over his last three outings.

He is 3-1 with a 2.56 ERA in five career starts against the Twins, including one in the postseason. He has limited Joe Mauer to four hits in 16 at_bats and Justin Morneau to two in 10 overall.

The Yankees will try to solve Minnesota's best starter in Deduno (4-2, 3.32), who improved to 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in three home starts by yielding one run over seven innings Thursday in a 3-1 victory over Kansas City.

"When you are ahead of the count, you can make pitches and everything was working," Deduno told the Twins' official website after throwing 60 of 87 pitches for strikes.

Deduno is 7-1 with a 2.59 ERA in 10 career starts at Target Field, with Minnesota (36-43) winning eight of them.

Deduno's lone career start against New York on Sept. 26 was cut short after he recorded five outs due to irritation in his left eye.

Mauer figures to be back in the lineup to try to break an 0-for-16 slide. He did not start Monday after coming to the ballpark feeling under the weather.

The situation is murkier for Josh Willingham, scratched Monday due to discomfort in his left knee. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Tuesday.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi finally notched his 600th career victory and hopes that Monday's strong finish will help his team get on a roll.

"You hope that the hard work that they've been putting in starts to pay off," Girardi said. "Maybe this is the start of something.'

These pitching staffs have both issued 211 walks to tie for the AL's second-lowest total.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Yankees at Twins
Mon, Jul 1 Final 10 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Yankees at Twins
Tue, Jul 2 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Yankees at Twins
Wed, Jul 3 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Yankees at Twins
Thu, Jul 4 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rays (44-39) at Astros (30-53)
Game: 2
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: July 02, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


David Price is eager to return and could be poised to double his season win total.

The Tampa Bay Rays left-hander will be activated Tuesday night after his first stint on the disabled to face a Houston Astros offense that is struggling during a four-game slide.

Price (1-4, 5.24 ERA) has been out since May 15 due to a left triceps strain. He's the first reigning Cy Young Award winner to go on the disabled list since Jake Peavy in 2008.

"I feel extremely good right now," Price told the Rays' official website. "I just want to continue to work hard and continue to use our trainers the way I have always and just expect better results."

Price went 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA in two rehab starts at Class-A Charlotte with eight strikeouts over five scoreless innings in the last one Wednesday.

"If we could get six innings out of him that would be outstanding,' manager Joe Maddon said. "Primarily let's just wish him good health and the fact that we're beyond the problem."

His lone career start against Houston (30-53) was a 10-6 victory he got credit for despite allowing five runs over five innings May 23, 2010.

Price could have a good night against an Astros offense that has totaled five runs while hitting .153 with 39 strikeouts over the last four games.

The Rays (44-39) won 12-0 on Monday for their most lopsided win of the year to open this four-game set. Matt Moore worked seven innings for his 11th victory and Cesar Ramos pitched the final two of the two-hitter.

Sean Rodriguez had a career-high four hits - two doubles - with three RBIs and three other Rays added three hits apiece as part of a 17-hit attack.

"It was just a tough, frustrating game watching them score the runs and just being on defense all day and watching it happen," Astros first baseman Chris Carter said.

All of that offense came without Evan Longoria, who has missed the last three games with a foot injury. He's hitting .358 against left-handers and missed a chance to go up against Dallas Keuchel on Monday as Tampa Bay gets ready to face another southpaw in Erik Bedard (3-3, 4.44).

"It's still a day by day situation," Maddon said. "We think that we might be able to get him back somehow, some way. We'll just wait and see.'

The Rays improved to 14-10 against left-handed starters as they face a familiar foe in Bedard, who is 11-5 with a 3.32 ERA against them in 22 starts.

Bedard is 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in six home starts, with the Astros losing all of the outings in which he failed to receive decisions. He has yielded three runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 starts.

Bedard has never faced James Loney, who is hitting .396 during a 12-game streak and is second in the majors with a .363 mark on the road.

The Astros expect Carlos Pena to return Tuesday after he missed two games to be with his family in the Dominican Republic following the drowning death of his nephew.

Tampa Bay has won six straight over Houston.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Astros
Mon, Jul 1 Final 12 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rays at Astros
Tue, Jul 2 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Rays at Astros
Wed, Jul 3 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Rays at Astros
Thu, Jul 4 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Dodgers (38-43) at Rockies (41-42)
Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: July 02, 2013 8:40 PM EDT


The surging Los Angeles Dodgers are back in the race thanks largely to Yasiel Puig.

The Colorado Rockies' Michael Cuddyer has turned heads of late, too.

Puig and the visiting Dodgers look to keep rolling while Cuddyer tries to extend the longest hitting streak in franchise history Tuesday night.

Los Angeles (38-43) enters this three-game set seeking a ninth win in 10 games after beating Philadelphia 6-1 on Sunday. Puig led the way again, going 4 for 5 with a double, a triple, two runs and two stolen bases.

The 22-year-old Cuban defector has gone a major league-best 44 for 101 (.436) with seven homers, 16 RBIs and 19 runs in 26 games since getting called up June 3.

"Puig's definitely brought an energy and a spark to us, and his skill level, I think, is a little more than anybody anticipated it would be," Sunday's winning pitcher Stephen Fife said. "It's been a pretty historic start."

Puig's hit total in June ranks second all-time in a player's first full calendar month behind only New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio's 48 in May 1936. Puig also broke Steve Sax's team record for hits in any month, set in August 1983.

"I'm really excited to be put on that list," Puig told MLB's official website through an interpreter. "But I'm more excited that the team is winning."

After a disappointing first 2 1/2 months, the Dodgers now find themselves well within striking distance of NL West-leading Arizona.

"We've kind of got ourselves back to respectability here," manager Don Mattingly said. "We can see the front of the pack. Now we have to go take care of business and continue to win at a high rate."

Slowing down Cuddyer could prove crucial if the Dodgers hope to see their momentum carry over. The veteran outfielder singled and scored in the eighth inning in Sunday's 5-2 loss to San Francisco, extending his hitting streak to 27 games.

Cuddyer, who's batting .372 with six homers and 19 RBIs during that run, has also reached base safely in a franchise-record 46 straight games.

"It's been fun watching him do this," manager Walt Weiss said. "It's nice to see him get some recognition. He's a great player."

Cuddyer is 2 for 6 against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (6-5, 2.08 ERA), who's looking to build on his first win in over a month. The left-hander allowed two runs and four hits in eight-plus innings in Wednesday's 4-2 victory over the Giants.

"I had better fastball command tonight than I had in the past," he said. "There's some little things to work on here and there. But overall, it was better tonight for sure."

Kershaw is 6-1 with a 2.96 ERA in his last 15 starts in the series, but he's 0-1 with a 5.01 ERA in his last five at Coors Field.

The Rockies (41-42) counter with Roy Oswalt, who's gone 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA since debuting June 20. He yielded five runs and nine hits in six innings Wednesday in a 5-3 loss at Boston.

Weiss, though, likes what he's seen from the 35-year-old right-hander.

"It's very evident that there's still a lot left with him," Weiss said. "In the two outings that he's had for us, still a lot of life in the arm, the ability to make pitches. It's all there."

Oswalt is 5-1 with a 2.05 ERA in his last seven starts against the Dodgers, but he hasn't faced them since 2011. While Matt Kemp is 1 for 11 with four strikeouts in their matchups, Hanley Ramirez is 11 for 30 with three homers and three doubles.

Ramirez is batting .477 with five homers and 15 RBIs over a 13-game stretch.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Dodgers at Rockies
Tue, Jul 2 - 8:40PM EDT

GAME 2
Dodgers at Rockies
Wed, Jul 3 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Dodgers at Rockies
Thu, Jul 4 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (49-32) at Angels (39-43)
Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: July 02, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


It doesn't sound like Albert Pujols wants to discuss his departure from the St. Louis Cardinals as he prepares to face them for the first time.

The three-time NL MVP is posting career lows in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage for the Los Angeles Angels, who have floundered most of the season but enter Tuesday night's opener of a three-game home set with the Cardinals on a six-game win streak.

Pujols became an icon during his 11-year career with St. Louis, becoming the only player in baseball history to bat .300 with at least 30 homers and 100 RBIs in his first 10 seasons. He earned MVP honors in 2005, 2008 and 2009 and helped the Cardinals capture World Series titles in 2006 and 2011.

The slugger signed a 10-year, $240 contract with Los Angeles (39-43) before last season, posting career lows with a .285 average, .343 on-base percentage and .516 slugging percentage in 2012 as the Angels missed the playoffs.

Those numbers have dipped to .249, .323 and .429 in 2013. Pujols didn't sound open to questions about St. Louis (49-32) when they were posed to him Sunday.

"Let's talk about our team," Pujols told the Angels' official website. "Two years passed already, so we don't need to talk about that. … Write about how we're playing and the series coming up, not about how I feel about St. Louis. That's not what it's all about."

The Cardinals haven't missed him too much, falling one game short of another trip to the World Series last year and owning baseball's second-best mark in 2013.

Pujols is close friends with Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who has emerged as an MVP candidate this year.

"When he left the team, you felt like, 'Wow, we let the best guy go'" Molina told the Cardinals' official website. "But at the same time, there are a bunch of guys here who want to be successful and try to win, too. We're going to win no matter what."

Pujols says that he continues to keep track of his former team.

"It's a little bit different, because usually I'm rooting for them, but now I'm going to root against them for the next three days," Pujols said. "I still follow them real close. I'm pretty good friends with almost half the guys."

Pujols is in a 4-for-34 slump and will face Lance Lynn (10-2, 3.52 ERA) for the first time. The Cardinals right-hander owns a 4.72 ERA on the road compared to a 2.42 mark at home, and is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA in five career interleague road starts as he faces Los Angeles for the first time.

Mike Trout has developed into the face of the Angels' franchise and went 10 for 23 as they swept last week's six-game trip to Detroit and Houston. Trout sat out Sunday's 3-1 victory over the Astros with a mild hamstring problem but should play Tuesday.

Los Angeles starter Jered Weaver (1-4, 4.15) is 13-4 with a 2.61 ERA in 24 career interleague starts, and 0-0 with a 5.00 ERA in two against the Cardinals. He's 0-3 with a 4.40 ERA over his last five outings.

The Cardinals have dropped six of eight. This is their first-ever visit to Anaheim after going 5-4 against the Angels at home.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Angels
Tue, Jul 2 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Cardinals at Angels
Wed, Jul 3 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Cardinals at Angels
Thu, Jul 4 - 9:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cubs (35-45) at Athletics (48-35)
Game: 1
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: July 02, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


With Josh Donaldson tearing things up offensively at home, Scott Feldman might have a difficult time ending his struggles in Oakland.

Donaldson looks to stay hot and lead the Oakland Athletics to their 17th win in 20 home games Tuesday night when they host the Chicago Cubs for the first time in franchise history.

Donaldson homered and doubled in a 7-5 win over St. Louis on Sunday, leaving him 10 for 21 with four homers, three doubles and eight RBIs in his last six home games.

The third baseman has emerged as an All-Star candidate while leading Oakland (48-35) with a .316 average and 53 RBIs. He's also third on the team with 13 home runs.

"If someone wants to say that I'm having an All-Star year so far, that's fine,' said Donaldson. "I've said it a hundred times, if I just focus on helping our team win and try to do something productive for the team, the individual stuff is going to take care of itself.'

The A's have been productive in key spots as of late, hitting .444 (16 for 36) with runners in scoring position while winning four of five on their current homestand.

Jed Lowrie has three hits in his last four run-producing situations, and is batting .457 with two homers and nine RBIs over a nine-game hit streak overall.

The man who has scored more runs than any other Oakland player is a bit banged up, however. Leadoff hitter Coco Crisp could be held out Tuesday after leaving Sunday's game in the fourth inning with back spasms.

The A's, who are an AL-best 26-13 at home, will try to keep swinging the bats well against Feldman (7-6, 3.46 ERA).

The right-hander looks to win consecutive starts for the first time early May after allowing three runs and six hits over six innings in a 5-4 win at Milwaukee on Wednesday.

The former Ranger, however, has been brutal in Oakland, going 1-5 with a 10.24 ERA in six career starts. He lasted just 1 2-3 innings while getting tagged for eight runs and seven hits in a 12-1 loss there June 4, 2012.

The A's counter with A.J. Griffin (6-6, 3.56), who hopes to build on a career-best performance in his last outing.

Griffin struck out seven while tossing a two-hitter in a 5-0 victory over Cincinnati on Wednesday. He had been 0-3 with a 4.02 ERA over his previous five starts - all Oakland losses.

Griffin has never faced the Cubs (35-45), though he's 1-1 with a 1.95 ERA in four career starts against NL opponents.

He'll attempt to hold down a Chicago offense that has been showing signs of improvement, averaging 6.4 runs with nine homers and 22 doubles over its last seven games.

Alfonso Soriano helped the Cubs win for the fourth time in five games with a pair of doubles in Sunday's 7-6 victory at Seattle. He went 7 for 14 with two homers, three doubles and five RBIs in the series.

"Doubles are good. Runs are better,' said second baseman Darwin Barney, who also had two doubles. "Once something good happens, good things start going through your mind, and that's the whole battle in this game."

Chicago won four of six against Oakland in two previous interleague series.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at Athletics
Tue, Jul 2 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Cubs at Athletics
Wed, Jul 3 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Cubs at Athletics
Thu, Jul 4 - 4:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

-- Home teams are now 16-1 this season in Tim Hudson's starts.

-- The Mets owe Bobby Bonilla $1,193,248.20 every July 1 from now through 2035. Seriously.

-- Bryce Harper homered in his first AB back from his rehab stint, as the Nationals whacked Milwaukee 10-5.

-- Gerardo Parra knocked himself out trying to make a diving catch in right field Monday; it would've been an amazing catch. Diamondbacks wound up losing to the Mets 5-4 in 13 innings after some unusual Arizona strategy.

-- If you bet the Pirates every game this season, you'd be up 27.3 units.

-- Like those red jerseys the Blue Jays wear on Canada Day.


*****

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but..........

13) First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers to the families of the firefighters in Arizona who lost their lives over the weekend. Very difficult thing, very sad. God bless them.

12) Chris Paul signed with the Clippers for five years, $107M, making him by far the highest paid general manager in sports history. You say he’s not the GM? Who fired Vinny Del Negro, the old coach? Who had to tacitly approve the new coach by re-signing to be the team’s star player? I rest my case.

11) Workers at Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) went on strike this week, which will make it difficult for commuters to get to A’s games in Oakland; not sure if it affects Giant fans going to games in downtown San Francisco.

10) Mets have been blathering about pitching prospect Zack Wheeler (they traded Carlos Beltran to get him) for two years now, but his performance this year raises eyebrows: 4-2, 3.93 in 13 AAA starts, with 27 walks in 68.2 IP. 1-1, 5.06 in three big league starts, with 24 baserunners allowed (10 walks) in only 16 innings. Not very impressive so far, despite the immense hype.

9) Mets’ TV broadcasts were encouraging fans to vote for former #1 pick Brandon Nimmo to play in the Futures’ Game next weekend.

Nimmo was the #13 pick in the 2011 draft, one slot ahead of Miami’s Jose Fernandez (already in majors), Oakland’s Sonny Gray (#18, in AAA) and the Cardinals Kolton Wong (#22, already been in majors). Nimmo is still quite young; he is hitting .277 with one HR, 65 strikeouts in A ball.

8) Amid all the talk of conference expansion in college sports, Yahoo’s Pat Forde points out that the last team to leave the Big Dozen conference was University of Chicago, back in 1946. Teams in that league and the SEC make serious money; ain’t no one leaving.

7) Twitter was a-flutter Monday with rumors the Phoenix Coyotes are moving to Seattle next season, and will play in Key Arena.

6) Dodgers are going to trade for Carlos Marmol, so Don Mattingly should go to a drug store and buy some more Rolaids.

5) I watch a lot of CSI: Miami reruns on WE TV, which also has a program called Pregnant and Dating, a self-explanatory reality show. This program makes the Real Housewives series look like Masterpiece Theater.

One girl is dating this guy, she hasn’t told him she is pregnant, but there are TV cameras following them, so she obviously hasn’t told him the name of the show either. Getting harder to find an honest person these days.

4) PGA Tour will adopt the ban on anchored putters effective in 2016, so if you’re using it now, you have 2.5 years before you’ve got to switch to non-anchored putting.

3) UNLV coach Dave Rice, whose brother coaches Las Vegas high school power Bishop Gorman, added Findlay Prep coach Todd Simon as an assistant, replacing the departed Justin Hudson, who went back to San Diego State. Lot of good high school hoopers in Vegas; if the Rebels keep the right ones in town, they’ll be in top 25 for foreseeable future.

2) Alabama spent $9M this offseason re-doing their football locker room, including a new state-of-the-art weight room. Its amazing the money these schools spend on facilties, because that’s what impresses players, and players win games, and wins bring in donors’ dollars.

1) I really like John Kruk on ESPN, but he was saying Sunday night that fans come to the ballpark to see players play, not the manager manage. Well, in Baltimore, they’re coming to see a winning team, which is a direct result of their excellent manager, so to a degree, they’re coming to the ballpark to see Buck Showalter manage. O’s had a lot of these same players before Showalter was managing; the team sucked and the fans stayed home.
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[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

St. Louis at LA Angels
The Angels look to build on their 6-1 record in Jered Weaver's last 7 interleague starts. LA is the pick (-125) according to Dunkel, which has the Angels favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-125). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, JULY 2

Game 901-902: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Pettibone) 14.730; Pittsburgh (Locke) 16.608
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 2; 7
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-150); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-150); Under

Game 903-904: Milwaukee at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Peralta) 14.727; Washington (Strasburg) 14.369
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Washington (-265); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+225); Over

Game 905-906: Arizona at NY Mets (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Corbin) 14.806; NY Mets (Hefner) 13.798
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Arizona (-140); 7
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-140); Over

Game 907-908: San Francisco at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Lincecum) 14.082; Cincinnati (Bailey) 15.797
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-160); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-160); Under

Game 909-910: Miami at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Koehler) 16.215; Atlanta (Medlen) 15.990
Dunkel Line: Miami by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-260); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+220); Over

Game 911-912: LA Dodgers at Colorado (8:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Kershaw) 14.750; Colorado (Oswalt) 15.261
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-180); 9
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+160); Under

Game 913-914: Detroit at Toronto (7:07 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Fister) 15.552; Toronto (Wang) 14.144
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Detroit (-140); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-140); Over

Game 915-916: Seattle at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Saunders) 14.476; Texas (Grimm) 15.965
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Texas (-160); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-160); Under

Game 917-918: Cleveland at Kansas City (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Kluber) 15.194; Kansas City (Mendoza) 16.286
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-115); Under

Game 919-920: NY Yankees at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Hughes) 15.457; Minnesota (Deduno) 14.302
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-130); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (+110); Over

Game 921-922: Tampa Bay at Houston (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Price) 15.088; Houston (Bedard) 15.548
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-175); 8
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+155); Over

Game 923-924: Baltimore at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Hammel) 16.521; White Sox (Danks) 13.991
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 2 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-120); 9
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-120); Under

Game 925-926: San Diego at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Erlin) 13.953; Boston (Lackey) 16.107
Dunkel Line: Boston by 2; 8
Vegas Line: Boston (-185); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-185); Under

Game 927-928: Chicago Cubs at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Feldman) 15.467; Oakland (Griffin) 15.010
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Oakland (-190); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+170); Over

Game 929-930: St. Louis at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Lynn) 14.949; LA Angels (Weaver) 16.217
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-125); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-125); Under

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Short Sheet

Tuesday, July 2

National League

Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, 7:05 ET
Pettibone: Phillies 2-7 SU in last nine openers to a road series
Locke: Pirates 12-3 Under as home favorite from -125 and -175 this season

Milwaukee at Washington, 7:05 ET
Peralta: Brewers 18-46 SU as road dog last two seasons
Strasburg: Nationals 16-9 since last season in second game of home series after winning first

Arizona at NY Mets, 7:10 ET
Corbin: D-Backs 15-1 SU in Corbin's starts in 2013
Hefner: Over 11-1 when Hefner is underdog of +150 or less last two seasons

San Francisco at Cincinnati, 7:10 ET MLB
Lincecum: Over 18-6 in Lincecum's road starts last two years
Bailey: Reds 7-3 SU when Bailey HF of more than -150 in home night games

Miami at Atlanta, 7:10 ET
Koehler: Marlins 1-7 SU as underdog of +200 or hiher in 2013
Medlen: Braves 9-3 SU in opener of home series in 2013

LA Dodgers at Colorado, 8:40 ET
Kershaw: Dodgers 0-6 SU starting a road trip in 2013
Oswalt: Under 10-2-1 since 2005 when Rockies are home dogs of more than +150


American League

Detroit at Toronto, 7:05 ET
Fister: Under is 11-2 last two seasons when Fister starts as road favorite of less than -150
Wang: Blue Jays 22-11 SU when total is 9 to 9.5 in 2013

Seattle at Texas, 8:05 ET
Saunders: Mariners 5-11 SU in Saunders's starts in 2013
Grimm: Under 13-4 when Texas is a favorite of -150 or more in 2013

Cleveland at Kansas City, 8:10 ET
Kluber: Indians 10-2 SU when Kluber is road dog of less than -150 last two seasons
Mendoza: Under 24-11 when total is 8.5 to 10 in 2013

NY Yankees at Minnesota, 8:10 ET
Hughes: Under 5-14-1 last two seasons when Yankees win first game of road series
Deduno: Twins 8-2 SU when Deduno starts at home

Tampa Bay at Houston, 8:10 ET
Price: Rays 12-5 SU since 2008 after winning previous game by 10 or more runs
Bedard: Over 12-2-1 since 2006 after Astros lose previous game by 10 or more runs

Baltimore at Chicago White Sox, 8:10 ET
Hammel: Orioles 7-2 SU in 2013 when Hammel starts on road
Danks: White Sox 4-9 SU in 2013 in first game of series after a loss


Interleague

San Diego at Boston, 7:10 ET
Erlin: Padres 3-8 SU on road in 2013 when total is 9 or higher
Lackey: Under 4-0-1 at Fenway in 2013 when Lackey starts

Chicago Cubs at Oakland, 10:05 ET
Feldman: Cubs 4-10 SU when starting road series in 2013
Griffin: Athletics 10-3 SU in first game of home series in 2013

St Louis at LA Angels, 10:05 ET
Lynn: Over 7-2 in last nine road games after a Cardinals loss
Weaver: Angels 19-3 SU when Weaver starts home night game over past two years
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[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, July 2

Hot pitchers
-- Locke is 4-0, 1.08 in his last eight starts.
-- Strasburg is 3-1, 1.84 in his last seven starts.
-- Corbin has a 1.96 RA in his last three starts.
-- Medlen is 4-1, 2.94 in his last five starts.
-- Kershaw has a 2.57 RA in his last four starts, but no wins.

-- Erlin is 1-0, 3.46 in two starts for San Diego. Lackey is 2-0, 2.57 in his last three starts.
-- Griffin is 1-0, 1.26 in his last couple starts.

-- Mendoza is 1-1, 2.92 in his last four starts.
-- Deduno is 4-1, 2.61 in his last six starts.
-- Bedard is 2-0, 2.33 in his last three starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Pettibone is 0-3, 6.27 in his last seven starts.
-- Peralta is 1-3, 6.35 in his last five starts.
-- Hefner is 1-1, 5.48 in his last four starts.
-- Lincecum is 1-6, 6.02 in his last eight starts. Bailey is 0-2, 5.68 in his last three starts.
-- Koehler is 1-2, 7.16 in his last five starts.
-- Oswalt is 0-2, 7.36 in his first two starts for Colorado.

-- Feldman is 2-2, 5.18 in his last four starts.
-- Lynn has a 5.84 RA in his last four starts. Weaver is 0-3, 4.99 in his last five.

-- Fister is 1-3, 3.93 in his last five starts. Wang is 1-1, 5.24 in his four starts.
-- Grimm is 2-2, 9.00 in his last five starts. Saunders is 1-3, 4.30 in his last four.
-- Kluber is 1-2, 6.75 in his last three road starts.
-- Hughes is 0-3, 4.91 in his last three starts; Bronx got shut out in his last two outings.
-- Price was 0-2, 6.88 in last three starts before going on DL.
-- Danks is 0-3, 6.38 in his last three starts. Hammel is 0-2, 5.34 in his last five.

Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in the first inning. You're reading ***************.com. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Pettibone 3-13; Locke 3-16
-- Peralta 4-17; Strasburg 4-15
-- Corbin 3-16; Hefner 6-15
-- Lincecum 7-16; Bailey 2-16
-- Koehler 4-9; Medlen 5-16
-- Kershaw 2-17; Oswalt 1-2

-- Erlin 1-2; Lackey 5-13
-- Feldman 4-15; Griffin 1-16
-- Lynn 4-16; Weaver 2-8

-- Fister 3-16; Wang 0-4
-- Saunders 4-16; Grimm 5-14
-- Kluber 2-12; Mendoza 2-12
-- Hughes 5-15; Deduno 1-7
-- Price 3-9; Bedard 7-14
-- Hammel 5-16; Danks 2-7

Totals
-- Eight of last nine Philly games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Milwaukee games went over the total.
-- Six of last nine New York games went over the total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Cincinnati home games.
-- Six of last seven San Diego games went over the total.
-- Last five Colorado games stayed under the total.

-- Six of last seven San Diego games went over the total.
-- Last seven Cub games went over the total.
-- Under is 3-0-1 in Angels' last four games.

-- Nine of last twelve Detroit games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Texas games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last nine Cleveland games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 11-4-1 in last sixteen Bronx road games.
-- Under is 12-6-1 in last nineteen Houston home games.
-- Five of last seven Baltimore games stayed under total.

Hot teams
-- Pirates won their last nine games, allowing 11 runs in last five.
-- Washington is 8-4 in its last twelve games.
-- Marlins won eight of their last ten games. Atlanta won five of last six.
-- Dodgers won eight of their last nine games.

-- Red Sox won five of their last six games.
-- Oakland/Cubs both won four of their last five games.
-- Angels won their last six games, scoring 38 runs.

-- Blue Jays won their last seven home games.
-- Texas won nine of its last eleven games.
-- Indians won their last four games, scoring 36 runs.
-- Tampa Bay won six of its last eight games.
-- Orioles won their last four games, scoring 26 runs.

Cold teams
-- Phillies lost three of their last four games.
-- Brewers lost six of their last seven games.
-- Giants lost nine of their last 11 games. Reds lost seven of their last ten.
-- Arizona lost seven of its last eight games. Mets lost eight of their last twelve home games.
-- Rockies lost four of their last six games.

-- Padres lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Cardinals lost six of their last eight games.

-- Detroit lost six of its last seven games.
-- Mariners lost four of their last five games.
-- Royals lost seven of their last eleven games.
-- Astros lost six of their last seven games.
-- Bronx lost 13 of its last 19 games. Minnesota lost five of last seven.
-- White Sox lost their last five games, allowing 39 runs.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, July 2

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:05 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Philadelphia's last 16 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Pittsburgh's last 12 games
Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

7:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. WASHINGTON
Milwaukee is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Washington
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Washington is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Milwaukee

7:07 PM
DETROIT vs. TORONTO
Detroit is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Detroit's last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Toronto's last 18 games

7:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. CINCINNATI
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing Cincinnati
San Francisco is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing at home against San Francisco

7:10 PM
ARIZONA vs. NY METS
Arizona is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Arizona is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
NY Mets are 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Arizona
NY Mets are 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Arizona

7:10 PM
MIAMI vs. ATLANTA
Miami is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 7 games on the road
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Atlanta is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Miami

7:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Diego's last 7 games
San Diego is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

8:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. TEXAS
Seattle is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Texas
Seattle is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Texas's last 17 games at home
Texas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

8:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. HOUSTON
Tampa Bay is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Tampa Bay's last 12 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Houston's last 23 games
Houston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:10 PM
NY YANKEES vs. MINNESOTA
NY Yankees are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of NY Yankees's last 16 games on the road
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Minnesota is 3-14 SU in their last 17 games when playing at home against NY Yankees

8:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. KANSAS CITY
Cleveland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Cleveland's last 21 games
Kansas City is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games at home
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland

8:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Baltimore is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Baltimore is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Chi White Sox are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Chi White Sox's last 12 games

8:40 PM
LA DODGERS vs. COLORADO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Colorado is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers

10:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. LA ANGELS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of St. Louis's last 8 games on the road
St. Louis is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
LA Angels are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 5 games when playing St. Louis

10:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games
Chi Cubs are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Oakland's last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Oakland's last 20 games at home