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

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday, July 28

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Texas - 1:05 PM ET Texas -101 500
Cleveland - Over 8.5 500

Tampa Bay - 1:05 PM ET NY Yankees +134 500 POD # 4
NY Yankees - Over 8 500

Houston - 1:07 PM ET Houston +160 500 POD # 3
Toronto - Over 9.5 500

Philadelphia - 1:08 PM ET Philadelphia +193 500POD # 2
Detroit - Over 9 500

Pittsburgh - 1:10 PM ET Pittsburgh -103 500
Miami - Over 7 500

Boston - 1:35 PM ET Baltimore -108 500
Baltimore - Over 9 500

NY Mets - 1:35 PM ET NY Mets +120 500 POD # 5
Washington - Over 8 500

Kansas City - 2:10 PM ET Kansas City -101 500
Chi. White Sox - Over 8 500

Chi. Cubs - 4:05 PM ET San Francisco -149 500
San Francisco - Under 7 500

LA Angels - 4:05 PM ET Oakland -150 500
Oakland - Under 8 500

San Diego - 4:10 PM ET Arizona -179 500
Arizona - Over 8.5 500

Cincinnati - 4:10 PM ET Cincinnati -106 500
LA Dodgers - Over 7.5 500

Milwaukee - 4:10 PM ET Colorado -176 500
Colorado - Over 9.5 500

Minnesota - 4:10 PM ET Minnesota +143 500POD # 1
Seattle - Over 8.5 500

St. Louis - 8:05 PM ET Atlanta +107 500 POD # 6
Atlanta - Over 7.5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rays (62-43) at Red Sox (63-43)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: July 29, 2013 6:10 PM EDT


David Price can put himself in the history books Monday night with first place on the line in the AL East between his Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox.

Price can become the first starting pitcher in more than 82 years to beat the Red Sox twice in Fenway Park within a five-day span in this makeup game.

Last Thursday's finale of a four-game set between these clubs was postponed due to rain, giving Price (5-5, 3.75 ERA) this unusual opportunity. He pitched a five-hitter in last Wednesday's 5-1 victory over the Red Sox.

The last starter to win twice at Fenway in a five-day span was Rip Collins of the St. Louis Browns, who accomplished the feat on May 14 and 17, 1931.

The left-hander overpowered Boston's hitters last week, relying on a hard mid-90s fastball and sharp slider to lower his career ERA to 1.96 in Fenway Park with a 5-1 mark in nine starts. The ERA is the lowest mark among active pitchers with at least 20 innings at Fenway.

Price is 4-1 with a 1.76 ERA in five starts since being activated off the disabled list July 2 after missing more than six weeks with a left triceps strain.

"I didn't know what to expect when he came back," manager Joe Maddon said. "It's just hard to imagine a guy pitching better than he is now. I don't think I've seen it in regards to quality of pitches and stuff, location against a good hitting ballclub."

Price's victory last week pulled Tampa Bay (62-43) within one-half game of Boston (63-43) for the AL East lead. That's the same gap between them now as both clubs took two of three on the road this weekend.

The Rays intend to leave town in first this time.

"Deja vu all over again," Maddon told the Rays' official website. "I was hoping to get up there and see us on top of that (standings) board. We're not, just keep plugging away."

Price has limited David Ortiz to seven hits in 31 at_bats with no homers.

Ortiz went 4 for 4 with a homer in Sunday's 5-0 win over Baltimore. He bounced back after shattering the casing of two dugout phones with his bat after he was ejected Saturday.

"You've got to make sure you don't get out of your game," Ortiz said. "Sometime when you get excited it gets worse. Just go out there like I normally do.'

Price will once again be opposed by Felix Doubront (7-4, 3.78), who allowed three runs over 6 2-3 innings. The Red Sox had won Doubront's previous five starts against the Rays.

The left-hander had been 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his previous six starts, allowing two earned runs or fewer in all of them and winning the last three in that stretch.

Tampa Bay fell for just the fourth time in 25 games with Sunday's 6-5 defeat to the Yankees.

Rookie Wil Myers homered twice and drove in four runs. Myers is 18 for 38 with four home runs and 11 RBIs during a nine-game hit streak.

Red Sox manager John Farrell says he plans to start catcher Ryan Lavarnway to give the night off to Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who has caught the last five games.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: White Sox (40-62) at Indians (56-48)
Game: 1
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: July 29, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Cleveland Indians have posted back-to-back shutouts as they get ready to welcome the AL's worst offense to town.

Zach McAllister will try to help the Indians post three straight shutouts for the first time in nearly 57 years heading into Monday night's opener of a four-game set against the Chicago White Sox.

Cleveland (56-48) seeks its first five-game win streak since June 28-July 2, with tremendous pitching performances accounting for the last two victories.

Justin Masterson and two relievers combined on a five-hitter in a 1-0 victory over Texas on Saturday before Ubaldo Jimenez and Vinnie Pestano yielded two total hits in a 6-0 win Sunday.

The Indians haven't recorded three consecutive shutouts since Sept. 18-19, 1956, against the Washington Senators. Herb Score, Mike Garcia and Bob Lemon all went the distance in those games.

McAllister (4-6, 3.57 ERA) can't be expected to do the same since he has never thrown a complete game. He hasn't lasted past the sixth inning in any of his last four starts.

The right-hander returned last Tuesday and made his first start since June 2 after being on the disabled list with a sprained right middle finger. He gave up four runs over five innings in a 109-pitch effort in a 4-3 loss at Seattle.

"First time back, hadn't pitched in a while, and we're making him throw a lot of pitches," manager Terry Francona told the Indians' official website. "So, I thought he did a pretty good job."

McAllister is 2-1 with a 3.07 ERA in five career starts against the White Sox, including 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two this year.

Paul Konerko is 2 for 15 against him, Adam Dunn is 1 for 11 with a homer and eight strikeouts and Alex Rios 2 for 11. Chicago (40-62) is averaging an AL-low 3.7 runs.

Cleveland has not lost since McAllister's last outing, sweeping the high-powered Rangers over the weekend. The Indians are three games behind Detroit in the AL Central race and one game behind Baltimore for the final wild-card spot.

"We're having fun and we're pulling off some good wins,' said first baseman Nick Swisher, who went 5 for 15 over the weekend. "Collectively, we're playing great."

Cleveland is 7-2 against Chicago this year, matching its victory total from 2012.

The Indians are 20-14 against left-handed starters as they face John Danks (2-8, 4.81), who is 0-5 with a 6.03 ERA in six road starts.

Danks has also allowed 11 runs over 14 innings in dropping consecutive home starts. He is 4-8 with a 4.94 ERA in 16 starts against Cleveland.

The White Sox's offensive woes continued as they totaled three runs and batted .196 in getting swept in three home games over the weekend by Kansas City.

"I think pitching-wise, our guys gave us every opportunity," manager Robin Ventura said. "We just didn't come up with much. That's frustrating and all that stuff going with it."

Chicago journeyman Jeff Keppinger is 16 for 35 in the season series and 6 for 10 against McAllister.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (48-55) at Rangers (56-49)
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Game: 1
Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Date: July 29, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Texas Rangers' struggles at the plate have their usually mild-mannered manager Ron Washington steaming, while the Los Angeles Angels' offense may be without one of its top sluggers for the remainder of the season.

Both lineups could have some difficulty producing as Matt Garza opposes Jered Weaver in Monday night's series opener in Arlington.

Texas (56-49) has lost 12 of 15 and is six games back of first-place Oakland in the AL West. It fell 1-0 on Saturday and 6-0 on Sunday, tying a season worst with two hits in the finale as Cleveland swept the three-game set.

The Rangers' 21-inning scoreless streak is their longest since going 25 without a run from Sept. 15-19, 2009, and they've been shut out in three of their last four games.

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``I don't get frustrated, but I am a little upset," Washington said. "I need to get my guys going back down the yellow brick road.'

Washington closed the clubhouse for 44 minutes after the game to hold a team meeting.

"We've been kind of up and down (with our effort) this year," said left fielder David Murphy, who is 2 for 14 over his last six games. "After the meeting, I think everyone is on the same page now and we can get back on track.'

The Angels (48-55) will be looking to do the same after dropping the final three of their four-game series with Oakland. They fell 10-6 on Sunday after Albert Pujols was placed on the 15-day disabled list with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, which has plagued him for most of 2013.

Manager Mike Scioscia said Pujols could miss the rest of the season.

"This is a big blow to our team right now," Scioscia said. "We have to move forward and find a way to generate offense that will support the good pitching that we need. It's naturally something you would hope could have made it through to the offseason, but it didn't happen and you just have to move on."

Weaver (5-5, 2.98 ERA) has supplied that solid pitching lately, going three of his last four starts without allowing a run. He struck out nine and gave up just two hits through eight innings of Wednesday's 1-0 win over Minnesota.

The right-hander is 4-1 with a 1.32 ERA over his last six outings, with four of his six runs allowed in that stretch coming in a loss to Seattle on July 13.

"You go about every game the same way regardless of if you've lost seven in a row or won seven in a row," Weaver said. "You go out there and battle and try to win games. That's your job as a starting pitcher."

Weaver struggled against the Rangers on April 7, giving up five runs and walking four in five innings of a 7-3 loss, ending his four-start winning streak versus Texas.

Garza (1-0, 0.00 ERA) has been just has hot, winning six straight starts while posting a 1.23 ERA after a dominant performance in his Rangers debut after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs. The right-hander allowed an unearned run and five hits over 7 1-3 innings to beat the New York Yankees 3-1 on Wednesday.

"I couldn't be more happy being in a place where I'm at, a place where I'm wanted, been wanted. It's awesome,' Garza, who is 7-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 12 overall starts, said after that outing.

Garza faced the Angels for the first time in more than three years while with the Cubs on June 5, allowing four runs - including a two-run homer to Howie Kendrick - in 6 1-3 innings of Chicago's 8-6, 10-inning victory. He's 0-1 with a 5.83 ERA in five career starts versus Los Angeles.

Kendrick is 5 for 6 lifetime off Garza, while Elvis Andrus is hitting .371 with two homers versus Weaver.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (62-40) at Pirates (61-42)
Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: July 29, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Nipping at the heels of the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central, the Pittsburgh Pirates hope they're catching the division leaders at the right time.

The top two teams in the NL open a pivotal five-game, four-day series Monday night at PNC Park.

"I think the Cardinal series has been on a lot of the fans' dockets for some time now,' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "I anticipate seeing a very faithful Pirate crowd there Monday.'

St. Louis (62-40) holds a 1 1/2-game division lead over Pittsburgh, but was held to three runs while being swept in a three-game set at Atlanta over the weekend. The Cardinals, who lead the NL with 498 runs, a .274 average and won 12 of 15 prior to facing the East-leading Braves, last dropped four in a row Aug. 28-31.

"You never want to go into a place and get swept,' losing pitcher Shelby Miller said after Sunday's 5-2 defeat. "We were battling the whole time. I don't think we had a terrible series, we just didn't come out on top in any of the games.'

Pittsburgh (61-42), however, lost three of the final four on a 5-5 trip that concluded with two of three losses at lowly Miami. The Pirates have struck out 62 times in five games, including 13 in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Marlins.

Pittsburgh has won three of five against St. Louis this season but the teams have not met since April. They'll play a doubleheader Tuesday to make up an April 16 rainout.

Hurdle will hand the ball to Francisco Liriano (10-4, 2.23 ERA), who allowed two hits and struck out eight over 7 2-3 scoreless innings in Wednesday's 4-2 win at Washington. The left-hander bounced back after he gave up a season-high five runs in 4 1-3 innings of a 5-3 loss at Cincinnati in his previous start.

"He's dotting up the fastball," Hurdle told the Pirates' official website. "He can throw the slider, the changeup off the same arm angle, same release spot for those variances of speed. He really controls bat speed well. He stays out of the middle of the plate."

Liriano's only previous appearance against the Cardinals came in 2009 for Minnesota when he allowed two runs in seven innings of a 6-2 victory.

St. Louis counters with Jake Westbrook (7-4, 2.95), who looks for a third straight winning start but is 0-5 with a 7.24 ERA as a starter at PNC Park. However, the right-hander allowed six hits and struck out six in six scoreless innings but the Cardinals blew a 2-0 lead in a 5-3 home loss to the Pirates on April 27.

Westbrook has pitched into the seventh inning in all four July starts, most recently Wednesday when he gave up three runs in an 11-3 rout of Philadelphia.

"I'm a pitcher, that's what I do,' Westbrook said. "I was able to throw the ball pretty well and give us a chance.'

Pittsburgh All-Star Pedro Alvarez is 12 for 21 with two doubles and two homers against Westbrook. He's batting .296 while hitting safely in seven straight games after going 0 for 17 in his previous four.

St. Louis' Carlos Beltran is 3 for 23 in his last six games, but batting .300 (6 for 20) with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs against the Pirates this season.

Teammate and fellow All-Star Allen Craig has hit .313 with six RBIs in four contests versus Pittsburgh in 2013. However, he's 0 for 13 with six strikeouts in four overall following a nine-game stretch in which he batted .421.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (51-55) at Braves (60-45)
Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: July 29, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


A season-ending injury to Tim Hudson could have crippled the Atlanta Braves' starting rotation, but the addition of Brandon Beachy may help soften the blow.

Beachy returns to make his first start in more than a year as Atlanta hosts the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.

The Braves (60-45) hold an 8 1/2-game lead on Washington as they seek their first NL East title since 2005. Hudson, though, suffered a broken right ankle while covering first base in Wednesday's 8-2 win over the New York Mets and will be recovering for the next four months after surgery.

Hudson had won four straight outings, but his spot in the rotation will be filled by Beachy, who had an NL-leading 2.00 ERA when he injured his elbow June 16, 2012, in a loss to Baltimore.

After having Tommy John surgery, Beachy went through a grueling rehab process before being cleared to start Monday. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Beachy will be limited to about 100 pitches.

"(It's) like getting a big piece in a trade at the deadline. Before he got hurt he was one of the most dominant pitchers in the National League,' Gonzalez said. ``I don't think he'll be that his first time out, but I think he'll be close.'

The right-hander said he's ready to go.

``I feel good now and I've felt good ever since that point I was shut down,' Beachy said. "I'm going to go out there and take the ball and keep it until they take it away from me.'

Gonzalez, though, said no one person can replace Hudson.

``Nobody needs to be Huddy,' Gonzalez said. ``Nobody needs to be the ace or that kind of label. Believe me, I'm going to fight that the next two months when we're pitching well. Collectively, I think, as a unit you circle the wagons, you go out there and you get those three performances that we had (recently).'

Colorado starter Jorge De La Rosa is proof that a successful return from Tommy John surgery is possible after he had the procedure done in 2011 before missing most of the 2012 season.

De La Rosa (10-5, 2.97 ERA) has been stellar this year and is 3-1 with a 1.96 ERA over his last seven starts after pitching six scoreless innings in Wednesday's 2-1 win over Miami. He said a sore left thumb hasn't been a factor.

"I've been pitching with that for a while,' De La Rosa said.

The left-hander hasn't faced the Braves since giving up two runs in seven innings of a 5-2 victory Aug. 24, 2010. He'll look to help the Rockies get their 10-game road trip started on a positive note after a 6-5 win over Milwaukee on Sunday.

Michael Cuddyer and Troy Tulowitzki hit two of the four homers for Colorado (51-55), which went 5-5 on its homestand. A mediocre trip may damage its chances to catch the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, though.

``We know we're a talented team. We know we can compete with anyone in the league,' Cuddyer said. ``We've just got to be consistent. Hopefully (Sunday) was a stepping stone for that.'

Colorado, though, has dropped 14 of the last 18 meetings with Atlanta, which completed a three-game sweep of NL-best St. Louis with Sunday's 5-2 victory. Jason Heyward homered and drove in two runs batting leadoff for the second straight game, while Chris Johnson had three hits and scored three times.

The Braves have won eight of the last nine home matchups with the Rockies.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mets (46-56) at Marlins (40-63)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: July 29, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


The New York Mets are having trouble scoring during a three-game slide.

The Miami Marlins' inability to score throughout this season led to frustration for hitting coach Tino Martinez and paved the way for his departure.

The Marlins look to move forward after the resignation of Martinez as they open a four-game home set with the Mets on Monday night.

New York (46-56) seeks to avoid its first four-game slide since May 31-June 4. The Mets have posted their worst three-game output of 2013 by scoring single runs in every game of the skid.

Miami (40-63) is last in the majors in runs per game (3.2), batting average (.232) and slugging percentage (.337).

Martinez resigned as hitting coach after Sunday's 3-2 win over Pittsburgh, hours after complaints by players that he verbally abused them became public. He said he became frustrated as players struggled.

Owner Jeffrey Loria wanted him to stay on after Martinez offered to resign earlier. When the complaints by players became public, Martinez decided it was time to leave despite being in the first year of a three-year deal.

"I want to apologize to the Marlins organization for my behavior,' Martinez said. "I have made some comments to certain players at certain times that I thought was more constructive criticism. Obviously, they didn't feel that way, and it kind of backfired on me."

The injury-plagued seasons of Giancarlo Stanton and Logan Morrison certainly didn't work in Martinez's favor. Monday could mark the first time both are in the lineup against New York this season.

The Mets aren't far off from the Marlins' woeful average with a .237 mark of their own. New York went 3 for 22 with runners in scoring position in losing the final three games of a four-game weekend set in Washington.

Miami has won eight of 11 meetings this season, including five of six at home. The Marlins have won five straight in this series, and are 16-8 at home since a three-game sweep of the Mets from May 31-June 2.

Stanton had a solo homer and rookie sensation Jose Fernandez struck out a season-high 13 in Sunday's victory.

New York could have trouble against Jacob Turner (3-3, 2.49 ERA), who is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four home starts. Turner pitched seven scoreless innings to earn a 5-1 win over the Mets on May 31, lowering his ERA to 1.83 in three starts versus them.

The right-hander could be hard-pressed for support, however, since Miami has given him none in his last two outings - losses in which he has yielded four runs over 11 innings.

The Marlins haven't done much in winning both times when they have faced Jeremy Hefner (4-8, 4.17), who starts Monday. Hefner is 0-2 despite a 1.93 ERA.

Stanton is 1 for 10 against the right-hander, who has been pounded while giving up 14 runs over 6 1-3 innings in dropping consecutive starts.

Mets star David Wright will return to the lineup after he was rested in Sunday's 14-1 loss. He's 1 for 17 in New York's five losses in Miami.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Brewers (43-61) at Cubs (48-55)
Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: July 29, 2013 8:05 PM EDT


Despite trading away two high-priced veterans, the Chicago Cubs have managed to produce some positive results of late.

Looking for a fourth consecutive victory, the Cubs return home for the first time since the All-Star break to face the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.

Since losing eight of 10 to open June, Chicago (48-55) is 23-17 and coming off a 6-4 trip that concluded with a three-game sweep of San Francisco. That road run came while the club continued its rebuilding process by dealing Matt Garza and Alfonso Soriano.

"It's not as much of a challenge for me as always making sure you have the depth to fill the voids that happen sometimes," manager Dale Sveum told the Cubs' official website. "We have a lot more depth than we did last year."

Chicago managed six runs in San Francisco, but held the reigning World Series champs to three in three one-run wins. All-Star Travis Wood pitched seven strong innings and hit a solo homer in Sunday's 2-1 victory.

After Chris Rusin and Wood combined to allow an unearned run and seven hits over 14 innings of the last two games, Jeff Samardzija (6-9, 3.94 ERA) hopes to avoid another subpar outing when he takes the ball Monday.

The right-hander was staked to a 6-0 lead after 4 1/2 innings Wednesday, but allowed four runs and matched a season high with five walks in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-6, 12-inning win at Arizona.

"You just can't walk guys, it brings up your pitch count.' said Samardzija, who is 1-2 with a 6.85 ERA and walked 15 in four July starts.

He hopes that won't be the case while trying to improve on a 2-4 record and 5.46 ERA in 10 starts this season at Wrigley Field. He is 4-5 in 11 road starts but has a 2.72 ERA.

Samardzija dropped to 0-3 with a 3.75 ERA in four starts against the Brewers (43-61) after yielding five runs, four on a pair of homers, in seven innings of a 5-4 loss April 19.

Milwaukee is 5-3 against the Cubs this season, but lost the final two of a three-game home set to their NL Central rivals last month.

The Brewers lost for the fifth time in seven games, 6-5 at Colorado on Sunday. All-Star Carlos Gomez had two hits, and is 12 for 20 in the last five contests after he went 3 for 42 in his previous 12.

Gomez is batting .235 (4 for 17) versus Chicago in 2013, but homered off Samardzija.

Looking for a third straight winning start, teammate Kyle Lohse (7-7, 3.37) has allowed one run in 13 innings of his last two outings. That run came in seven frames of a 3-1 victory over San Diego on Wednesday.

"When he is on his game like that, it is a big boost for the team," manager Ron Roenicke said.

The right-hander has a 3.15 ERA while winning three straight starts against the Cubs. He gave up a three-run homer to Nate Schierholtz in seven innings of a 9-3 home win over Chicago on June 25.

That is one of Schierholtz's two hits in nine at_bats against Lohse. He's 10 for 25 (.400) with three home runs and eight RBIs in his last eight contests overall.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jays (48-56) at Athletics (62-43)
Game: 1
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: July 29, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


If the Oakland Athletics' latest victory was further indication that their offense is heating up, they just might run away with the AL West title.

Hoping to build on an impressive comeback win, the A's look for a fourth consecutive victory Monday night against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.

Oakland (62-43) averaged 1.6 runs while splitting eight games from July 8-20, but since is putting up 5.0 per game while winning six of eight. The A's overcame an early five-run deficit to win 10-6 over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

"That's just Oakland A's baseball," catcher Derek Norris told the Athletics' official website. "You know there's going to be a time when both (hitting and pitching) are going to click, and that's going to be scary for teams when they come in to face Oakland.

"That's what makes us a very good ballclub."

Yoenis Cespedes had three hits with four RBIs as Oakland increased its division lead to a season-high six games over struggling Texas. Before breaking out, Cespedes was 2 for 15 with five strikeouts in his previous five games since he won the All-Star Home Run Derby.

"I've been working a lot, every single day, to try to get the swing that I got (Sunday),' said Cespedes, who still has not homered in 25 consecutive games.

Teammate Eric Sogard also had three hits, and is batting .407 (11 for 27) with six RBIs in his last eight contests after going hitless in his previous nine at_bats.

"We've had some guys struggling, and then someone else shows up ... and then someone else shows up," manager Bob Melvin said. "We still have some guys struggling, but we manage to either get just enough or keep adding on like (Sunday).'

Toronto (48-56) scored 24 runs while winning three of four from major league-worst Houston this weekend, with half coming in Friday's 12-6 victory. Colby Rasmus delivered the winning single in the bottom of the ninth for a 2-1 win Sunday.

The Blue Jays entered that set in the midst of a seven-game skid.

"We have to put as many wins together as we can," Rasmus told the Blue Jays' official website. "Stay positive and get on this (10-game) West Coast trip and go out there and try to win some ballgames."

Rasmus is batting .365 with 14 RBIs in 23 games this month, and .357 (5 for 14) in his last three versus Oakland.

Teammate Edwin Encarnacion went 9 for 12 with eight RBIs in the Houston series. He's hit .391 (9 for 23) with two homers and five RBIs in his last six games against the A's.

However, Encarnacion and Rasmus are a combined 1 for 6 with three strikeouts against scheduled Oakland starter A.J. Griffin (9-7, 3.84 ERA).

The right-hander allowed four hits over 7 2-3 scoreless innings while going 1-0 against the Blue Jays last season, but left after 32 pitches with a strained shoulder versus Toronto on August 4.

Griffin gave up three runs on two more homers in 6 1-3 innings of a 4-3 win at Houston on Wednesday. He ranks among the major league leaders with 23 home runs allowed, but only six have come at home.

He'll be opposed by Esmil Rogers (3-4, 3.74), who has not earned a decision in his last three starts. Rogers allowed two runs despite yielding 10 hits in seven innings of an 8-3, 10-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.

The right-hander pitched 3 1-3 scoreless innings of relief versus Oakland last year

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (59-47) at Padres (48-58)
Game: 1
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: July 29, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


The Cincinnati Reds' offense has gone stagnant, which means another stingy performance from Mike Leake could be even more necessary.

A solid pitching effort bailed out the San Diego Padres in their most recent contest, and they'll look to send Cincinnati to a fourth straight defeat Monday night.

Cincinnati (59-47) averaged 6.2 runs while winning seven of its previous nine, but it scored just twice while dropping the final three of its four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After plating one run each Friday and Saturday, the Reds fell 1-0 on Yasiel Puig's homer in the bottom of the 11th inning Sunday. Brandon Phillips went 0 for 4 and finished 1 for 13 for the series.

"Our guys are trying the best they can," manager Dusty Baker said. "I mean, everybody's talking about our on-base percentage, but you've got to have some guys drive them in. We were frustrated all day."

Cincinnati's pitching staff, which ranks among the majors' best with a 3.33 team ERA after striking out a franchise-record 20 on Sunday, allowed only eight earned runs against the Dodgers and now will turn to Leake (10-4, 2.73 ERA) for another solid effort.

Leake has won three straight starts after giving up one run despite a career-worst 12 hits through six innings of an 8-3 win over San Francisco on Wednesday. He also had his second three-hit game of the year but is 2 for 37 in the other 17 games he's batted.

The right-hander is 8-2 with a 1.97 ERA over his last 13 starts. Leake's only career start versus San Diego didn't go so well, though, as he allowed five runs and walked three in 1 2-3 innings of an 11-5 defeat July 30, 2012.

The Reds have won six of the last seven meetings with the Padres, which completed a 6-4 road trip with two series wins after a 1-0 victory over Arizona on Sunday and will play at home for the first time in the second half.

``The guys should be proud about the way they bounced back after the All-Star break,' manager Bud Black said. ``It was a good road trip.'

San Diego (48-58), though, needed a solid pitching performance from Tyson Ross - who allowed three hits in eight innings - to help overshadow its inconsistent offense. It has scored one run or none three times in a five-game stretch, but totaled 22 in winning the other two.

Carlos Quentin drove in his 20th run of July on Sunday, and he'll look to help provide enough support for Sean O'Sullivan, who looks to build off a solid outing.

O'Sullivan (0-2, 4.73) has made two starts and three appearances since being recalled July 12 after the Padres announced Clayton Richard would have season-ending shoulder surgery. He pitched well in his latest outing but still suffered a 3-1 defeat after giving up three runs - two earned - in 6 1-3 innings Wednesday at Milwaukee.

That start was in place of Jason Marquis, who will undergo Tommy John surgery.

"He's got a little bit of a bulldog in him," Black said. "He changed speeds, and he kept the ball down. We just couldn't get any runs for him."

The right-hander has never faced the Reds, who have won six of their last eight in San Diego.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Diamond Action

July 28, 2013


Rays at Red Sox - 6:10 PM EST

Probables: D. Price (5-5, 3.75 ERA) vs. F. Doubront (7-4, 3.78 ERA)

Previous series recap: Tampa Bay grabbed two of three at New York, but a walk-off loss on Sunday dropped the Rays back into second place inside the AL East. The Red Sox seized back brief control of the division lead by taking two of three at Baltimore, including consecutive victories on Saturday and Sunday.

Current streaks: These two teams head into this make-up contest on strong 'under' stretches (Tampa Bay 12-3, Boston 10-2), while cashing the 'under' in seven consecutive meetings. The Rays have won 11 of their previous 14 road contests, while the Red Sox are just 3-3 in their past six games at Fenway Park.

Cardinals at Pirates - 7:05 PM EST

Probables: J. Westbrook (7-4, 2.95 ERA) vs. F. Liriano (10-4, 2.23 ERA)

Previous series recap: St. Louis is still leading the NL Central despite getting swept at Atlanta, as the Cardinals' offense struggled to score runs in the series. The Pirates were tripped up by the Marlins by losing two of three, while scoring just two runs in the two defeats.

Current streaks: These two division rivals haven't met since late April, as the Cardinals own a dreadful 4-9 record the past 13 road contests. The Pirates are playing their first home game since the All-Star break, as the Bucs have cashed the 'under' in each of their previous six contests at PNC Park.

White Sox at Indians - 7:05 PM EST

Probables: J. Danks (2-8, 4.81 ERA) vs. Z. McAllister (4-6, 3.57 ERA)

Previous series recap: Chicago got swept by suddenly hot Kansas City at home, while scoring just three runs in the three defeats. Cleveland's pitching silenced the Texas bats in a three-game home sweep, which including consecutive shutouts.

Current streaks: The Sox have lost 12 of their past 15 games against division opponents, while dropping seven of nine meetings with the Indians this season. Cleveland is riding a 9-2 stretch at Progressive Field, while posting a 9-3 record the past 12 opportunities as a home favorite.

Angels at Rangers - 7:05 PM EST

Probables: J. Weaver (5-5, 2.98 ERA) vs. M. Garza (7-1, 2.87 ERA)

Previous series recap: Los Angeles stole the series opener at Oakland, but the Angels lost the final three games of the set. The Rangers are ice-cold at the moment, failing to score a run in three of the last four games, while getting swept at Cleveland.

Current streaks: The Angels have lost six of their last seven on the road, all against division opponents. Texas has dropped nine of their past 11 contests overall, while going 5-8 the last 13 home contests (which includes three defeats to the Mariners and Astros).

Mets at Marlins - 7:10 PM EST

Probables: J. Hefner (4-8, 4.17 ERA) vs. J. Turner (3-3, 2.49 ERA)

Previous series recap: New York couldn't buy a run in the final three losses in a series defeat at Washington, plating three runs since scoring 11 in the opener on Friday. Miami has played better recently, taking two of three from Pittsburgh, while winning five of the last seven at home.

Current streaks: The Marlins have cashed the 'under' in 11 of the last 12 games, while posting a 4-1 record the past five home contests against division foes. The Mets have lost seven of the previous eight meetings with Miami, as New York owns a 2-5 mark the past seven away contests.

Rockies at Braves - 7:10 PM EST

Probables: J. De La Rosa (10-5, 2.97 ERA) vs. B. Beachy (first start)

Previous series recap: Colorado won two of three against Milwaukee, while the 'over' cashed in all three contests. The Braves pulled off an impressive home sweep over the Cardinals, the sixth sweep this season by Atlanta at Turner Field.

Current streaks: The Rockies have struggled off a win recently by putting together a 1-9 record the last 10 games off a victory. Atlanta has dominated in home series openers of late with victories in eight of their last 10 opportunities.

Brewers at Cubs - 8:05 PM EST

Probables: K. Lohse (7-7, 3.37 ERA) vs. J. Samardzija (6-9, 3.94 ERA)

Previous series recap: Milwaukee's road struggles continued with a series loss at Colorado, as the Brewers haven't won a series away from Miller Park since mid-June at Miami. The Cubs put together their best road performance of the season with a three-game sweep of the stumbling Giants.

Current streaks: Chicago returns to the North Side off a 10-game road swing in which the Cubs hit the 'under' seven times. Milwaukee has had major problems against division opponents on the road by posting a 5-16 record, but is only 1-1 at Wrigley Field.

Blue Jays at Athletics - 10:05 PM EST

Probables: E. Rogers (3-4, 3.74 ERA) vs. A.J. Griffin (9-7, 3.84 ERA)

Previous series recap: Toronto overcame a six-game skid by taking three of four against lowly Houston at home. Oakland continues to impress with a home series triumph over Los Angeles, the fifth consecutive series victory at O. Coliseum.

Current streaks: The A's have won eight of their last 12 games, while compiling a 6-1 record the previous seven home contests against AL East opponents. The Blue Jays aren't a good bet in road series openers by putting together a 1-9 mark the last 10 chances.

Reds at Padres - 10:10 PM EST

Probables: M. Leake (10-4, 2.73 ERA) vs. S. O'Sullivan (0-2, 4.73 ERA)

Previous series recap: Cincinnati's offense dried up in the final three losses at Los Angeles, plating only two runs in the last three days of a 1-3 weekend at Dodger Stadium. The Padres return to Petco Park after a successful set at Arizona with a pair of victories over the Diamondbacks, while going 6-4 on a 10-game road stand.

Current streaks: The Reds have played just three true home games since July 7, as Cincinnati owns a 5-8 record on the West Coast this season. After a hot stretch at Petco Park in early June, the Padres have cooled off at home recently with a 3-9 mark the last 12 games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Cincinnati at San Diego
The Padres look to build on their 6-0 record in their last 6 home games against a team with a winning record. San Diego is the pick (+140) according to Dunkel, which has the Padres favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+140). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, JULY 29

Game 951-952: St. Louis at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Westbrook) 15.220; Pittsburgh (Liriano) 16.869
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-150); 7
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-150); Under

Game 953-954: NY Mets at Miami (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Hefner) 15.585; Miami (Turner) 14.492
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Miami (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+100); Over

Game 955-956: Colorado at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (De La Rosa) 15.311; Atlanta (Beachy) 14.206
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-145); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+125); Over

Game 957-958: Milwaukee at Chicago Cubs (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Lohse) 14.274; Cubs (Samardzija) 15.634
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-120); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-120); N/A

Game 959-960: Cincinnati at San Diego (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Leake) 15.284; San Diego (O'Sullivan) 16.384
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-160); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+140); Under

Game 961-962: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Danks) 14.655; Cleveland (McAllister) 17.224
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 2 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-170); 8
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-170); Over

Game 963-964: LA Angels at Texas (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Weaver) 14.377; Texas (Garza) 14.016
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Texas (-135); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+115); Under

Game 965-966: Toronto at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Rogers) 14.502; Oakland (Griffin) 15.905
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Oakland (-165); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-165); Over

Game 967-968: Tampa Bay at Boston (6:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Price) 16.886; Boston (Doubront) 15.353
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-115); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-115); Under

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Short Sheet

Monday, July 29

National League

St. Louis at Pittsburgh, 7:05 ET
Westbrook: Over is 6-2 in Westbrook's road starts in 2013
Liriano: Pirates 5-1 SU when Liriano starts at home

New York Mets at Miami, 7:10 ET
Hefner:Last five road starts for Hefner have all been Under
Turner: Marlins 6-0 SU in Turner's last six starts at home

Colorado at Atlanta, 7:10 ET
De La Rosa: Under is 7-0 in first game of a Rockies road trip in 2013
Beachy: Home teams starting new series off a home Sunday night game are 12-3 SU last 15

Milwaukee at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 ET
Lohse: Brewers 3-8 SU when Lohse starts on the road
Samardzija: Over is 8-2 when Samardzija starts at home in 2013

Cincinnati at San Diego, 10:10 ET
Leake: Reds 8-1 SU last nine road starts for Leake
O'Sullivan: Over is 6-2 when Padres are home dogs in the first game of a series in 2013


American League

Chicago White Sox at Cleveland, 7:05 ET
Danks: White Sox 1-5 SU in Danks' 2013 road starts
McAllister: Under is 6-1 in last seven home series openers for Indians

Los Angeles Angels at Texas, 7:05 ET ESPN
Weaver: Angels are 6-11 SU when Weaver starts on the road against the Rangers
Garza: Rangers 12-4 SU in first game of a home series in 2013

Toronto at Oakland, 10:05 ET
Rogers: Blue Jays 2-12 SU last 14 games to start off a road trip
Griffin: Athletics 11-5 SU in first game of a 2013 home series


Make-Up

Tampa Bay at Boston, 6:10 ET
Price: Rays 16-7 SU on the road when Price faces another southpaw
Doubront: Over is 16-8-1 when Doubront starts at Fenway Park
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MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, July 29

Hot pitchers
-- Liriano is 5-1, 1.99 in his last six starts. Westbrook is 3-1, 2.96 in his last four outings.
-- Turner is 2-3, 2.70 in his last six starts.
-- de la Rosa is 3-1, 1.96 in his last seven starts.
-- Lohse is 2-0, 0.69 in his last couple starts.
-- Leake is 3-0, 2.70 in his last three starts; Reds won eight of his last nine road starts. .

-- Garza is 6-0, 1.64 in his last six starts. Angels won five of last six Weaver starts (4-1, 1.33).
-- Price is 4-1, 1.76 in five starts since coming off the DL. Doubront is 3-1, 2.70 in his last four starts.
-- Oakland won Griffin's last three home starts (2-0, 2.78). Rogers is 1-1, 1.91 in his five road starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Hefner lost his last two starts, allowing 14 runs in 6.1 IP.
-- Beachy is making first '13 start; he is 12-10, 3.07 in 41 career starts (5-5, 2.00 in 13 starts LY)- he was 1-4, 3.00 in seven AAA rehab starts.
-- Samardzija is 1-2, 7.23 in his last four starts.
-- O'Sullivan is 0-2, 3.97 in two starts for San Diego.

-- Danks is 0-3, 5.60 in his last four starts. McAllister is 0-3, 7.36 in his last three outings.

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........
-- Westbrook 4-14; Liriano 3-14
-- Hefner 8-20; Turner 1-10
-- de la Rosa 4-21; Beachy 0-0
-- Lohse 7-21; Samardzija 6-21
-- Leake 4-20; O'Sullivan 0-2

-- Danks 5-12 (3 of last 4); McAllister 5-12 (3 of last 3)
-- Weaver 2-13; Garza 0-12
-- Rogers 2-10; Griffin 2-21
-- Price 5-14; Doubront 4-18

Totals
-- Six of last seven St Louis games stayed under total.
-- 11 of last 12 Marlin games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last eight Colorado road games stayed under.
-- Last four Milwaukee games went over the total; six of last eight Cub games stayed under.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Cincinnati games.

-- Seven of last nine Cleveland games stayed under total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last seven Texas games.
-- Five of last seven Toronto games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Boston games stayed under the total.

Hot teams
-- Marlins won five of their last seven games.
-- Braves won four of their last five games.
-- Cubs won four of their last five games.
-- San Diego won five of its last seven games.

-- Rays won 21 of their last 25 games; Boston won 13 of last 18 home games.
-- Indians won their last four games, scoring 28 runs.
-- A's won 12 of their last 16 home games. Toronto won three of its last four games overall.

Cold teams
-- Mets lost five of their last seven road games.
-- Cardinals lost their last two games, scoring one run. Pirates lost three of their last four games.
-- Colorado is 1-9 in game following its last ten wins.
-- Brewers lost five of their last seven games.
-- Reds lost their last three games, scoring two runs total.

-- White Sox lost six of their last seven games.
-- Rangers lost last four games (shut out three times); Angels lost six of their last eight games.
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MLB

Monday, July 29

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Trend Report
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6:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Tampa Bay is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Boston's last 11 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games

7:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. CLEVELAND
Chi White Sox are 1-6 SU in their last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 6 games
Cleveland is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing Chi White Sox

7:05 PM
LA ANGELS vs. TEXAS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 5 games when playing Texas
LA Angels are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing Texas
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Texas's last 5 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Texas's last 8 games when playing at home against LA Angels

7:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of St. Louis's last 9 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
St. Louis is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Pittsburgh's last 18 games

7:10 PM
COLORADO vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Colorado's last 8 games on the road
Colorado is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games on the road
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado

7:10 PM
NY METS vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Mets's last 7 games on the road
NY Mets are 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Miami is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against NY Mets
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing NY Mets

8:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Milwaukee is 7-3 SU in their last 10 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Chi Cubs are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games

10:05 PM
TORONTO vs. OAKLAND
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Oakland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Oakland's last 9 games when playing at home against Toronto
Oakland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

10:10 PM
CINCINNATI vs. SAN DIEGO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 6 games when playing San Diego
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Diego's last 6 games when playing Cincinnati