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

[StarDust Bum]

HOUSTON (35 - 69) at BALTIMORE (58 - 48) - 7:05 PM
BUD NORRIS (R) vs. WEI-YIN CHEN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 90-175 (-40.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 66-132 (-45.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 62-150 (-45.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 18-55 (-23.2 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 8-40 (-25.9 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 88-170 (-40.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 95-185 (-48.4 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 12-40 (-16.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BALTIMORE is 58-48 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 56-44 (+16.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 78-57 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 27-13 (+17.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 21-10 (+13.8 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 53-40 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 41-29 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BALTIMORE is 41-32 (+8.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 29-18 (+10.8 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
BALTIMORE is 83-65 (+17.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
CHEN is 26-18 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHEN is 15-6 (+9.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CHEN is 25-15 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 2-1 (+0.5 Units) against HOUSTON this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.9 Units)

BUD NORRIS vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
NORRIS is 0-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.429.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

WEI-YIN CHEN vs. HOUSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

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CHI WHITE SOX (40 - 63) at CLEVELAND (57 - 48) - 7:05 PM
JAKE PEAVY (R) vs. SCOTT KAZMIR (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 40-63 (-23.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 18-35 (-14.6 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 12-25 (-13.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 38-58 (-20.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 21-42 (-21.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 2-13 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in road games against left-handed starters this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 22-40 (-19.2 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
CLEVELAND is 57-48 (+13.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 34-19 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 54-45 (+11.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 24-13 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
CLEVELAND is 33-22 (+10.6 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CLEVELAND is 29-17 (+10.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CLEVELAND is 16-28 (-13.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 8-2 (+6.7 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.5 Units)

JAKE PEAVY vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
PEAVY is 5-3 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 3.93 and a WHIP of 1.009.
His team's record is 5-6 (-3.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-4. (+1.3 units)

SCOTT KAZMIR vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
KAZMIR is 4-5 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 5.57 and a WHIP of 1.508.
His team's record is 6-5 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 6-4. (+1.7 units)

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SEATTLE (50 - 55) at BOSTON (63 - 44) - 7:10 PM
JOE SAUNDERS (L) vs. BRANDON WORKMAN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 63-44 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 30-19 (+12.5 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 30-31 (-20.2 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 68-67 (-21.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 114-125 (-34.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 89-100 (-26.0 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 30-36 (-18.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 3-1 (+2.3 Units) against SEATTLE this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.0 Units)

JOE SAUNDERS vs. BOSTON since 1997
SAUNDERS is 5-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 4.36 and a WHIP of 1.576.
His team's record is 8-3 (+5.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-3. (+3.9 units)

BRANDON WORKMAN vs. SEATTLE since 1997
No recent starts.

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LA ANGELS (48 - 56) at TEXAS (57 - 49) - 8:05 PM
C.J. WILSON (L) vs. DEREK HOLLAND (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 48-56 (-23.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 27-29 (-11.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 18-28 (-19.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
LA ANGELS are 48-56 (-23.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 30-44 (-27.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA ANGELS are 22-33 (-21.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
HOLLAND is 45-20 (+18.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 686-678 (+55.8 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
TEXAS is 9-15 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
TEXAS is 77-72 (-23.3 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 5-2 (+2.7 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.7 Units)

C.J. WILSON vs. TEXAS since 1997
WILSON is 0-2 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 7.65 and a WHIP of 2.000.
His team's record is 2-3 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-2. (-0.3 units)

DEREK HOLLAND vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
HOLLAND is 6-5 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 5.51 and a WHIP of 1.401.
His team's record is 8-7 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-7. (-0.7 units)

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KANSAS CITY (51 - 51) at MINNESOTA (45 - 57) - 8:10 PM
ERVIN SANTANA (R) vs. MIKE PELFREY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
KANSAS CITY is 1-8 (-8.0 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off this season.
SANTANA is 9-18 (-15.6 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 124-76 (+37.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Tuesday since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 44-51 (+6.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 61-57 (+11.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 88-89 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 87-123 (-35.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 57-88 (-31.7 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 45-79 (-32.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
PELFREY is 29-52 (-27.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 7-3 (+3.6 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.6 Units)

ERVIN SANTANA vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
SANTANA is 5-3 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.99 and a WHIP of 1.330.
His team's record is 8-4 (+3.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.4 units)

MIKE PELFREY vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
PELFREY is 0-1 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 9.72 and a WHIP of 1.921.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-2. (-2.5 units)

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TORONTO (48 - 57) at OAKLAND (63 - 43) - 10:05 PM
MARK BUEHRLE (L) vs. DANIEL STRAILY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 48-57 (-10.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 12-25 (-13.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TORONTO is 8-16 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
TORONTO is 23-41 (-22.1 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 26-38 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TORONTO is 2-14 (-12.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
OAKLAND is 63-43 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 33-18 (+15.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
OAKLAND is 43-17 (+19.8 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 3 seasons.
OAKLAND is 34-16 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
OAKLAND is 22-8 (+13.1 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 34-13 (+21.9 Units) against the money line in July games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 26-16 (+13.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 63-40 (+19.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 41-24 (+16.3 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
OAKLAND is 39-23 (+14.7 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
OAKLAND is 35-22 (+14.2 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 35-19 (+12.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
OAKLAND is 36-13 (+19.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against TORONTO this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.0 Units)

MARK BUEHRLE vs. OAKLAND since 1997
BUEHRLE is 6-13 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.294.
His team's record is 7-18 (-13.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 16-7. (+8.3 units)

DANIEL STRAILY vs. TORONTO since 1997
STRAILY is 0-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

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WASHINGTON (52 - 54) at DETROIT (59 - 45) - 7:05 PM
STEPHEN STRASBURG (R) vs. ANIBAL SANCHEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 52-54 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 52-54 (-13.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 38-40 (-12.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
WASHINGTON is 24-27 (-10.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
STRASBURG is 7-13 (-12.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
STRASBURG is 7-13 (-12.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
STRASBURG is 10-14 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
STRASBURG is 2-7 (-8.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 109-96 (+21.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 59-45 (-8.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
DETROIT is 55-42 (-8.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
DETROIT is 30-28 (-16.4 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SANCHEZ is 22-29 (-16.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SANCHEZ is 21-28 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-0 (+2.2 Units) against DETROIT this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.0 Units)

STEPHEN STRASBURG vs. DETROIT since 1997
No recent starts.

ANIBAL SANCHEZ vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
SANCHEZ is 8-1 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.02 and a WHIP of 1.147.
His team's record is 13-7 (+5.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 8-11. (-3.9 units)

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ARIZONA (54 - 51) at TAMPA BAY (63 - 43) - 7:10 PM
IAN KENNEDY (R) vs. ROBERTO HERNANDEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 63-43 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 33-16 (+14.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TAMPA BAY is 99-41 (+32.4 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -150 to -175 since 1997.
TAMPA BAY is 20-4 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
ARIZONA is 77-68 (+19.9 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons.

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

IAN KENNEDY vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
KENNEDY is 1-3 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 6.66 and a WHIP of 1.637.
His team's record is 2-3 (-1.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.6 units)

ROBERTO HERNANDEZ vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.

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NY YANKEES (55 - 50) at LA DODGERS (56 - 48) - 10:10 PM
ANDY PETTITTE (L) vs. ZACK GREINKE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 152-139 (-28.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 18-5 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in July games this season.
GREINKE is 56-25 (+25.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 35-5 (+28.4 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 56-25 (+25.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 24-8 (+14.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GREINKE is 21-2 (+18.9 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
LA DODGERS are 203-213 (-53.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday since 1997.
LA DODGERS are 55-52 (-16.8 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 1-1 (+0.3 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.0 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

ANDY PETTITTE vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
PETTITTE is 2-0 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 3.94 and a WHIP of 1.063.
His team's record is 3-2 (+0.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-2. (+0.7 units)

ZACK GREINKE vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
GREINKE is 2-4 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 5.71 and a WHIP of 1.609.
His team's record is 2-6 (-3.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-2. (+2.8 units)

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ST LOUIS (62 - 41) at PITTSBURGH (62 - 42) - 4:05 PM
TYLER LYONS (L) vs. A.J. BURNETT (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 4-2 (+2.9 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.1 Units)

TYLER LYONS vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
No recent starts.

A.J. BURNETT vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
BURNETT is 7-5 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.87 and a WHIP of 1.303.
His team's record is 7-6 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-7. (-1.4 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday, July 30

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Milwaukee - 2:20 PM ET Chi. Cubs -127 500
Chi. Cubs - Over 8 500


St. Louis - 4:05 PM ET Pittsburgh -118 500
Pittsburgh - Over 7 500

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo:Tuesday's six-pack

Reader Robert C sent us some interesting college football trends; thanks to Robert and hope these help your handicapping...........

-- Alabama is 25-11 vs spread in its last 36 games as road favorites.

-- Arizona covered seven of its last eight games against USC.

-- Baylor covered five of its last six games with Texas.

-- Central Florida covered twice in its last 13 conference games.

-- UConn covered 14 of its last 17 games as home underdogs.

-- Florida State covered its last nine bowl games.


*****

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

13) If/when North Carolina parts ways with PJ Hairston over his various indiscretions, the line for his services will be how long? I’m thinking fairly long; if he’s good enough to be a Tar Heel, a lot of other schools will put up with his hijinx and give him a second (or third) chance.

12) Brackets for Battle of Atlantis have been set: they avoided a hostile UTEP-USC (due to Isaac Hamilton's recruitment) first round matchup, and came up with: Kansas-Wake Forest, Villanova-USC, Tennessee-UTEP, Xavier-Iowa as first round games. Should be a good November tournament.

11) Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater took out a $10M insurance policy on himself, to protect against loss of earnings due to injury. Wonder how much that cost? Bridgewater threw for 3,718 yards LY, with 27 TDs and only eight INTs.

10) Milwaukee Brewers announced yesterday that each fan who shows up with a ticket to any of the team's 12 home games in August will receive a $10 voucher that will be good for food, beverages, tickets or merchandise.

Been a rough year at Miller Park, with a bad team, Ryan Braun's suspension.

9) Hoops writer Frank Burlison, a sharp talent evaluator, notes that the high school kids playing summer ball in Las Vegas last couple weeks are much better outside shooters than kids in recent years- that’s good news for fans of the game, since watching kids throw up bricks all winter can be tiresome.

8) Why does PGA Tour have four majors while Senior Tour has five?

7) Graeme McDowell played a practice round at Oak Hill, where the PGA is being played next week and reports the rough is already very nasty. As much as its rained this summer, it doesn’t figure to get any better in the next ten days, since I doubt the PGA will mow it.

6) Various levels of production; Nick Markakis/Giancarlo Stanton both had 11 hits last week, but Markakis had 11 singles, 4 runs scored, no RBI. Stanton had five doubles, three HRs, 7 runs scored and 6 RBI, with seven walks. When Stanton gets on a team with other good hitters around him, maybe in a smaller ballpark, watch out.

5) Evan Longoria is a financial backer of a duckpin bowling alley/sports bar in Tampa called Ducky’s; duckpin bowling is very popular in New England.

Speaking of New England, Dustin Pedroia is 3-39 since All-Star break, but hey, he's gritty and he hustles.

4) One of the prosecutors of the Penn State administrators in the fallout of the Jerry Sandusky fiasco is one Laura Ditka, Mike Ditka’s niece. Mike Ditka went to college at Pitt.

3) On Sundays at Dodger Stadium, little kids can run the bases after the game; after Yasiel Puig’s walk-off homer in the 11th inning Sunday, it took a little longer for the kids to get around the bases, since most of them were sliding into home, the way Puig did after his dramatic homer. Nothing wrong with a little enthusiasm; you don’t want him hot dogging, don’t let him hit a homer.

2) Job retention tip of the day: Don’t call hookers from your work phone, especially if you’re an Assistant District Attorney. This is why God made cell phones, especially the disposable kind your spouse doesn’t know about. An ADA in Brooklyn learned this the hard way last week.

1) How badly does Hollywood want Hillary Clinton to be President? They’ve cast Diane Lane as her in an upcoming NBC miniseries; casting Diane Lane as Hillary Clinton is roughly the same as casting Brad Pitt as me, not very realistic. I’d vote for Diane Lane before I voted for Mrs Clinton.
Reply With Quote

[StarDust Bum]

See spot. See spot bet: This week's best spot bet opportunities

Spot bets are a classic handicapping practice that have proven profitable no matter what sport you’re betting. Whether it’s a team looking past this week’s opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots.

Schedule spot

The Arizona Diamondbacks will get all the in-flight movies and snack-sized bags of peanuts they can handle this week. The D-backs just flew from San Diego to Tampa Bay, taking on the Rays Tuesday and Wednesday. Following the finale in St. Petersburg, Arizona jumps on a plane to Arlington for a make-up game with the Texas Rangers Thursday, stemming from a postponed contest back in May.

After that solo show in Texas, the Diamondbacks board another cross-country shuttle and rush back to the East Coast to play the Boston Red Sox for three games, starting Friday. When it’s all said and done, Arizona will have traveled roughly 4,800 miles to play six games. The D-backs are 24-27 on the road for +0.23 units this season, and that's with a normal travel schedule. Arizona could be road kill come the end of the week.

Lookahead spot

Indianapolis Colts fans have October 20 circled on the calendar, anticipating the return of former star QB Peyton Manning to Lucas Oil Stadium. The Denver Broncos visit the Colts in Week 7, in what should be one of the biggest media blitzes of the 2013 season. People are already buzzing about the return of No. 18 and oddsmakers didn’t hesitate to offer early odds on this Sunday Night Football matchup, posting Indianapolis as a 4-point home underdog.

The Colts come into the Denver game on a short week, having to play at San Diego on Monday Night Football in Week 6. With the Chargers falling out of the AFC picture over the past few years, Indianapolis could get caught looking ahead to Manning and the Broncos. Books are dealing the Colts as early 2.5-point road dogs versus the Bolts, a valuable sub-FG spread for the home side.

Letdown spot

The WNBA celebrated its finest with the annual All-Star Game this past weekend, and with it took an extended hiatus from the 2013 season. Teams stopped playing on Tuesday July 25, but some clubs have had an even longer break depending on how the schedule trickled down. The drawn-out All-Star break comes at a bad time for the first-place Minnesota Lynx.

Minnesota, which sits tops in the league at 14-3 SU and 10-7 ATS, had won seven straight games before the break, playing its last contest on July 24 – an 81-69 win over Phoenix. The Lynx don’t take the court again until Friday’s home game versus San Antonio, a momentum-killing stretch of nine full days off. Minnesota could come out flat facing what should be an inflated pointspread against on the West's worst clubs. The Lynx have also failed to cover in their last two outings.

[StarDust Bum]

Evening Pod's:


Houston - 7:05 PM ET Houston +226 500POD # 3
Baltimore - Under 8.5 500

Chi. White Sox - 7:05 PM ET Cleveland -185 500
Cleveland - Over 8 500

San Francisco - 7:05 PM ET San Francisco +111 500 POD # 4
Philadelphia - Under 9 500

Washington - 7:08 PM ET Detroit -125 500
Detroit - Under 7.5 500

Arizona - 7:10 PM ET Tampa Bay -155 500
Tampa Bay - Under 8 500

Seattle - 7:10 PM ET Seattle +156 500 POD # 7
Boston - Under 10 500

Colorado - 7:10 PM ET Atlanta -163 500
Atlanta - Over 8 500

NY Mets - 7:10 PM ET NY Mets +126 500 POD # 2
Miami - Over 7.5 500

St. Louis - 7:35 PM ET St. Louis -113 500
Pittsburgh - Under 8.5 500

Milwaukee - 8:05 PM ET Milwaukee +109 500 POD # 5
Chi. Cubs - Over 8.5 500

LA Angels - 8:05 PM ET Texas -139 500
Texas - Over 8.5 500

Kansas City - 8:10 PM ET Kansas City -125 500
Minnesota - Over 7.5 500

Toronto - 10:05 PM ET Toronto +136 500 POD # 1
Oakland - Over 8 500

Cincinnati - 10:10 PM ET San Diego +138 500 POD # 6
San Diego - Under 7 500

NY Yankees - 10:10 PM ET LA Dodgers -170 500
LA Dodgers - Under 7 500

[WThotrod]

Best of luck, StarDust! Hope the dogs are barking tonight.j

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's AL Action

July 31, 2013


Night games played in AL parks

Astros at Orioles - 7:05 PM EST

Probables: E. Bedard (3-8, 4.28 ERA) vs. M. Gonzalez (8-4, 3.69 ERA)

Series recap: Baltimore overcame an early 3-0 deficit to stun Houston, 4-3 as $2.50 home favorites. The game finished 'under' the total of 8 ½, while the Astros cashed for the second straight game in the +1 ½ role on the run-line.

Current streaks: Since upsetting the Rangers as nearly $3.00 underdogs earlier this month, Houston has won just two of its last nine games on the highway. Despite last night's victory, the Orioles own a 2-5 record the previous seven contests, while their powerful offense has plated just seven runs the last three games.

White Sox at Indians - 7:05 PM EST

Probables: Undecided vs. C. Kluber (7-5, 3.74 ERA)

Series recap: Cleveland rallied for the second straight night to beat struggling Chicago, 7-4. The Tribe cashed as $1.90 'chalk' one night after a walk-off homer to beat the Sox on Monday, 3-2.

Current streaks: The Indians have beaten the White Sox six consecutive times, while taking eight of ten meetings this season. Chicago is just 1-8 the last nine games, while Cleveland is riding a nine-game winning streak at Progressive Field.

Mariners at Red Sox - 7:10 PM EST

Probables: H. Iwakuma (10-4, 2.87 ERA) vs. J. Lackey (7-8, 3.19 ERA)

Series recap: Boston rebounded from Monday's defeat to Tampa Bay by beating Seattle in the series opener, 8-2. The Sox beat the M's for the fourth straight time, while the game 'pushed' with a closing total of 10.

Current streaks: Since winning eight consecutive games, the Mariners have dropped four of their past six contests. In the four losses, the Seattle offense has scored two runs or less, while the M's own a 2-7 record the last nine games against AL East foes. The Red Sox are riding an 11-1-1 stretch to the 'under' the past 13 contests at Fenway Park, while Boston is 11-3 against the AL West at home this season.

Diamondbacks at Rays - 7:10 PM EST

Probables: W. Miley (7-8, 3.86 ERA) vs. J. Hellickson (10-3, 4.48 ERA)

Series recap: Tampa Bay keeps winning by holding off Arizona, 5-2 in the Rays' first home game since the All-Star break. The Rays cashed as $1.65 favorites, while improving to 12-1 the last 13 games at Tropicana Field.

Current streaks: The 'under' has hit in seven straight games for the Rays at Tropicana Field, while winning 23 of their last 27 games overall. Since July 5, the D-Backs have played only four road contests, as Arizona is 0-6 in its last Game 2's of an away series.

Angels at Rangers - 8:05 PM EST

Probables: J. Williams (5-7, 4.85 ERA) vs. M. Perez (3-3, 4.37 ERA)

Series recap: Texas rallied again to stun Los Angeles, 14-11 in 10 innings on Tuesday. The Rangers won it for a second straight night with a walk-off homer, while overcoming a late four-run deficit.

Current streaks: The Rangers improved to 6-2 in eight meetings with the Angels this season, including a 4-1 mark in Arlington. Los Angeles has dropped eight of its last 10 contests, while posting a 1-8 record in its previous nine road games within the division.

Royals at Twins - 8:10 PM EST

Probables: J. Guthrie (10-7, 4.27 ERA) vs. K. Correia (7-7, 4.56 ERA)

Series recap: Kansas City won its seventh straight game on Tuesday by dominating Minnesota, 7-2. The Royals brought home the money as $1.25 road favorites, while eclipsing the 'over' of 7 ½ with several late runs.

Current streaks: The Royals have won six of their last seven games against AL Central opponents, while owning a season-best four-game road winning streak. The Twins have compiled a 5-2 record in their previous seven Game 2's of a home series, but have split their last eight games against division foes.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (52-55) at Tigers (60-45)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: July 31, 2013 1:08 PM EDT


The last time Justin Verlander's ERA was this poor this late in a season, he was finishing off a disappointing 2008 campaign that marks the worst of his career.

Though his overall 2013 performance hasn't reached those depths quite yet, the Detroit Tigers are hoping their ace can turn things around as they try to hold on to a slim AL Central lead.

Gio Gonzalez, meanwhile, hasn't lost in more than two months, and he'll oppose Verlander as the visiting Washington Nationals look to end Detroit's four-game winning streak Wednesday.

Verlander (10-8, 3.99 ERA) agreed to a five-year extension in March that will pay him $28 million per season from 2015-19. He won the AL MVP and Cy Young Award in 2011 before helping Detroit reach the World Series in October, going 17-8 with a 2.64 ERA in 2012.

The Tigers (60-45) still sit atop the Central despite Verlander's rough stretch over the last couple of months. After going 4-3 with a 1.93 ERA through his first eight starts, he's 6-5 with a 5.21 ERA in 14 outings since May 16.

Verlander gave up seven runs and 11 hits in six innings of a 7-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, and he's in danger of his ERA climbing above 4.00 for the first time since it was 4.50 following the 2011 season opener.

The right-hander, who hasn't had this tough of a season since going 11-17 with a career-worst 4.84 ERA five years ago, chose to take the positives out of his latest start.

"As funny as it sounds, (Thursday) was a step in the right direction," said Verlander, who struck out 11 in eight innings of an 8-3 win over the Nationals in his only start against them June 16, 2010. "I thought my stuff was the best it's been all year. It was just a little erratic."

Gonzalez (7-3, 2.97) has had his better stuff for quite some time, as he's 4-0 with a 2.06 ERA in 10 starts since falling to Baltimore on May 27. He struck out 11 for the second straight start - matching a season best - while allowing three runs in 5 2-3 innings before Bryce Harper's walkoff homer gave Washington a 9-7 win over Pittsburgh on Thursday.

"It's one of those weird lines," Gonzalez said. "You look at it and find out that at the end I had 11 strikeouts. I kid you not, it felt like I had six."

The Nationals (52-55) have won six of Gonzalez's last seven starts. The left-hander gave up one run in seven innings to beat the Tigers 5-3 the last time he faced them Sept. 17, 2011, while with Oakland.

He'll look to help Washington split this two-game interleague series with Detroit, which leads second-place Cleveland by 2 1/2 games and has won eight of nine to move a season-best 15 games above .500.

Alex Avila hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Stephen Strasburg in the sixth inning to give the Tigers a 5-1 victory Tuesday, ending the Nationals' three-game winning streak.

Ryan Zimmerman drove in Harper for Washington's run after it busted out for a season-high 14 in Sunday's win over the New York Mets.

Detroit has won six of the seven all-time meetings with the Washington franchise at Comerica Park.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Tigers
Tue, Jul 30 Final 1 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Nationals at Tigers
Wed, Jul 31 - 1:08PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jays (49-57) at Athletics (63-44)
Game: 3
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: July 31, 2013 3:35 PM EDT


Nobody, not even Bartolo Colon himself, imagined that he'd be enjoying one of his best seasons in 2013.

The Oakland Athletics are glad the 40-year-old has turned back the clock, and they'd be happier still if he can stick around the rest of the season.

Colon will try to match the major league lead with a 15th victory Wednesday when the AL West-leading A's conclude their series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

After serving a 50-game suspension for a positive testosterone test that included the first five games this season, Colon (14-3, 2.54 ERA) is as surprised as anyone that he has a chance to tie Detroit's Max Scherzer for the most victories in baseball.

"I wouldn't have thought this,' Colon said after throwing six innings of two-run ball in Friday's 6-4 win over Los Angeles Angels. "I have surprised myself right now because I didn't know I was going to share the lead with the other pitchers. I am proud.'

So is manager Bob Melvin, whose team has won 12 of its last 13 with Colon on the mound.

"I'd be lying if I said I thought he'd be 14-3 right now," Melvin told the Athletics' official website. "... With starters sometimes, the win-loss record sometimes isn't really indicative of how good he is, but to be able to be 14-3 and give us as many quality starts and shutouts, I have a ton of confidence in him."

There has been speculation that Colon, as well as Toronto's Melky Cabrera - who was out of Tuesday's lineup with leg soreness - could each be handed second suspensions for their involvement in the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drug scandal. However, sources have told the AP that they will not face additional discipline when Major League Baseball announces player penalties, perhaps as early as this week.

Colon will try to get the A's (63-44) back on track after having a four-game win streak snapped with Tuesday's 5-0 loss that also trimmed its division lead over Texas to five games.

The Blue Jays (49-57), last in the AL East, go for the series win with R.A. Dickey (8-11, 4.86) coming off another rocky start.

The veteran knuckleballer allowed five runs in six innings of Friday's 12-6 victory over Houston. An eight-run seventh inning helped prevent Dickey from losing a career high-tying fourth consecutive start.

"I'm trying to remain optimistic because I feel like the same guy I was last year and it is frustrating not to get the same results,' said Dickey, last year's NL Cy Young Award winner.

He's already matched his career high in home runs allowed (24), but only six of those have come on the road. Dickey is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts in Oakland, where he has not pitched since 2008 while with Seattle.

Alberto Callaspo, who's hitting .253 with five home runs and 36 RBIs, could make his first appearance in an A's uniform after being acquired from the Angels on Tuesday for prospect Grant Green. Callaspo is expected to back up third baseman Josh Donaldson and play some at second, even though he hasn't done that since 2010.

"The good thing is he's played a lot of it in the past but there's no question there's been a little bit of a void the last couple of years," general manager Billy Beane said.

The Blue Jays have been getting plenty of production from Edwin Encarnacion, who has reached safely in 16 of his last 25 plate appearances.

Encarnacion, the AL player of the week, is 4 for 16 with a double off Colon.

Jose Reyes (3 for 4), Colby Rasmus (4 for 6) and Cabrera (5 for 8) have fared much better against the 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Blue Jays at Athletics
Mon, Jul 29 Final 4 to 9
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Athletics
Tue, Jul 30 Final 5 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Blue Jays at Athletics
Wed, Jul 31 - 3:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (59-49) at Padres (50-58)
Game: 3
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: July 31, 2013 3:40 PM EDT


Homer Bailey's only victory in the last 6 1/2 weeks is his no-hitter, which made it much easier on the recently anemic Cincinnati Reds' offense to provide adequate run support.

That hasn't been the case during a five-game losing streak.

Cincinnati's struggling lineup seeks to bust out of its slump as Bailey takes the mound against the host San Diego Padres on Wednesday afternoon looking to avoid dropping a fifth straight start.

Bailey (5-10, 3.77 ERA) tossed his second career no-hitter in a 3-0 win over San Francisco on July 2, but he's lost each of his four starts since while posting a 4.68 ERA.

The right-hander is 1-6 with a 4.25 ERA over his last eight outings, but he has a dismal 1.87 run-support average in that stretch and received more than two runs of help for the only time during his gem versus the Giants.

Bailey gave up two runs in seven innings Friday but fell 2-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"We haven't been scoring much for Homer," manager Dusty Baker said. "You hate to keep saying it, but if he keeps pitching like that, we'll get him a victory and us a victory."

Cincinnati hasn't had much trouble scoring against the Padres with Bailey on the mound, though. He's 4-0 with a 4.30 ERA in seven career starts versus San Diego while boasting a 9.82 run-support average.

The Reds (59-49) hope that trend continues after falling 4-2 on Tuesday. They've scored five runs during their skid and are on the verge of being swept by the Padres for the first time since May 15-17, 2009.

Brandon Phillips went 0 for 3 and is hitting .135 over his last 10 games.

``We get runners on and we can't push them over or across,' Baker said. ``We get runners on late, but can't move them. It's just another tough one to lose. We didn't play really good. We made some mistakes.

"The club is down. We need a victory.'

San Diego (50-58), meanwhile, has won four straight after Nick Hundley hit a two-run double with two outs in the eighth, one night after former Red Chris Denorfia crushed a two-run homer for a walkoff 2-1 victory.

Will Venable went 3 for 3 with an RBI on Tuesday and is hitting .458 over his last eight.

``We got a couple of big swings early and then the real big one late from Nick," manager Bud Black said. "That's what it comes down to, a very clutch hit late in the game.'

The Padres will look to provide more offense for starter Eric Stults, who has received two or fewer runs of support in 17 of his 22 starts.

Neither Stults (8-9, 3.65) or the lineup performed well Friday, though, as he allowed a career-worst seven runs - five earned - and 11 hits in five innings of a 10-0 loss at Arizona.

``I didn't give us a chance to win from the start,' Stults said. ``The first inning to give them the two runs, then in the second inning to not come out and give us a shut-down inning, that was tough.'

The left-hander hasn't started against the Reds since 2008 while with the Dodgers, but he had a 3.86 ERA in three relief appearances versus Cincinnati last season.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Padres
Mon, Jul 29 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Reds at Padres
Tue, Jul 30 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Reds at Padres
Wed, Jul 31 - 3:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Astros (35-70) at Orioles (59-48)
Game: 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: July 31, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


While Chris Davis helped the Baltimore Orioles win by ending a season-high homerless drought in their series opener against the Houston Astros, the slugger only masked another poor offensive performance.

Baltimore looks to break through at the plate Wednesday night when it faces former Oriole Erik Bedard and the visiting Astros.

Davis hit his major league-leading 38th home run, a two-run shot in the sixth inning, as the Orioles (59-48) rallied from a three-run deficit to win 4-3 on Tuesday.

After going 3 for 22 with no extra-base hits over his previous six games and homerless in a season-high 10 straight, Davis was 1 for 2 with two walks. He's 6 for 16 (.375) when facing Houston (35-70) this season.

Still, he extended his run of games with a strikeout to 23, the longest streak in Orioles history.

"It's not like I felt terrible," Davis said. "I've been way too aggressive on balls out of the zone. ... That was my goal, just to be a little more patient. It obviously paid off."

Davis' home run was one of three hits for Baltimore. The slumping Orioles have produced 19 runs while hitting 6 for 41 (.146) with runners in scoring position during a 2-5 stretch.

They will attempt to get back on track at the plate and beat Houston for the 10th time in 11 meetings.

Bedard (3-8, 4.28 ERA), who spent 2002-07 with Baltimore, has lost five straight starts despite posing a 3.86 ERA. He's received six runs of support over that span.

The left-hander worked five innings, allowing one run and three hits in a 4-0 loss at Toronto on Thursday.

"He's been doing a great job of really attacking guys," catcher Jason Castro said. "He's got very good stuff, he's got a ton of movement on his pitches."

Bedard, however, hasn't pitched well against his former team, going 1-1 with a 5.54 ERA in six starts. He was tagged for seven runs and eight hits in 3 1-3 innings in his last trip to Baltimore, a 12-6 loss June 14, 2012, while with Pittsburgh.

Adam Jones has six hits, including a pair of doubles, in 12 at_bats against Bedard, while Matt Wieters is 5 for 11 with two homers. Wieters, though, is hitless in 13 at_bats over his last four games.

Baltimore's Miguel Gonzalez (8-4, 3.69) looks to bounce back from his worst start of the season after going 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA over an eight-start stretch. He did not strike out a batter for the first time in 33 career starts and allowed a season-high six runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 7-1 loss at Kansas City on Thursday.

"It's just a tough one," Gonzalez said. "I had to battle and it didn't work out."

The right-hander might be able to start another positive stretch back at Camden Yards, where he's 5-0 with a 3.78 ERA in eight starts - all Baltimore victories.

Gonzalez gave up one run and five hits over six innings in a 3-1 road win over the Astros on June 6.

This time, he'll face a Houston team that has batted .219 and averaged 9.7 strikeouts while dropping 21 of 26.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Astros at Orioles
Tue, Jul 30 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Astros at Orioles
Wed, Jul 31 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Astros at Orioles
Thu, Aug 1 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: White Sox (40-64) at Indians (58-48)
Game: 3
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: July 31, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Chicago White Sox are struggling to find a way to defeat the Cleveland Indians.

They can no longer look to Jake Peavy for answers.

After dealing the former NL Cy Young Award winner, Chicago will give the ball to Dylan Axelrod on Wednesday night when it tries to avoid its first seven-game single-season losing streak to the Indians in 37 years.

No longer in the AL Central race - the White Sox (40-64) are 24 games under .500 for the first time since Sept. 29, 1989, following Tuesday's 7-4 defeat - the team has an eye on 2014 and beyond after dealing veteran relievers Matt Thornton to Boston on July 12 and Jesse Crain to Tampa Bay on Monday.

Peavy, who was pushed back from Tuesday's start with Brazilian Andre Rienzo making his major league debut, was the latest White Sox pitcher to leave town after getting traded to the Red Sox on Tuesday night in a three-team deal.

Chicago acquired Detroit center fielder Avisail Garcia, who was assigned to Triple-A Charlotte, and three Red Sox minor leaguers.

"Garcia is a very young, five-tool player who already has spent time in the major leagues,' general manager Rick Hahn said in a release. "Our scouts are extremely optimistic about his future and view him as a potential impact talent for many years to come.'

The exodus from the White Sox could continue before Wednesday's 4 p.m. EDT non-waiver deadline, with shortstop Alexei Ramirez and right fielder Alex Rios possibly on the trading block.

However, Rios left in the eighth inning Tuesday after fouling a ball off his foot. He's supposed to undergo X-rays, yet he said he doesn't believe the left foot contusion is serious.

The Indians, 9-2 against the White Sox this season, could also make additional moves before the deadline according to general manager Chris Antonetti. Cleveland (58-48) will make at least one move Wednesday, optioning reliever Vinnie Pestano to Triple-A Columbus after acquiring left-hander Marc Rzepczynski from St. Louis via trade on Tuesday.

Wednesday's starter Cory Kluber (7-5, 3.74 ERA) was denied a victory Friday when the bullpen couldn't hold on to an 8-4 lead in the Indians' 11-8 victory. The right-hander gave up four runs in six innings after yielding none in his previous two outings.

Still, it was an encouraging outing after hip tightness forced him out of his last start - a 3-2 loss at Minnesota on July 20 - following five innings.

"It didn't really affect me too much tonight," Kluber, 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in two career starts versus Chicago, told the Indians' official website. "Hopefully, it's in the past."

The Indians will face Axelrod (3-6, 5.17 ERA) for the third time this season as they go for a season-best seventh straight victory overall and their first seven-game run over the White Sox since an eight-game stretch June 11-Sept. 1, 1976.

The White Sox right-hander, who surrendered career highs of seven runs and 11 hits in his last start - an 8-5 loss at the Tigers on July 10 - made his first career road start in Cleveland, a 5-4 victory Sept. 20, 2011.

The White Sox, losers of four of five at Cleveland this season, have dropped 24 of 31 on the road.

The Indians have won nine straight at home for the first time since a 14-game run April 3-May 10, 2011.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
White Sox at Indians
Mon, Jul 29 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
White Sox at Indians
Tue, Jul 30 Final 4 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
White Sox at Indians
Wed, Jul 31 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
White Sox at Indians
Thu, Aug 1 - 12:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Giants (46-59) at Phillies (50-56)
Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 31, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Charlie Manuel will breathe a sigh of relief when the Philadelphia Phillies take the field on Wednesday night.

At long last, the trade deadline will have passed by the time the Phillies host the San Francisco Giants.

"I think the trade deadline for our team has been a distraction,' said the manager, whose team has gone 2-8 since the All-Star break and on the fringe of the wild-card race. "I'll be glad when it's over.'

Among those who may be departing Philadelphia is Michael Young, who homered in Tuesday's 7-3 win over San Francisco that snapped an eight-game skid. He finished with two hits, two runs scored and two runs batted in.

"We just have to do our job,' pitcher John Lannan said. "(Trade rumors) are part of the game. It's one of those things where you have to put it in the back of your mind and play. It's something you can't control.'

If Young exits the City of Brotherly Love, no one will be happier than San Francisco starter Chad Gaudin (4-2, 2.77 ERA). Young has more hits (15) off Gaudin than any other batter and is a lifetime .455 hitter against the right-hander. Of those 15 hits, three are home runs and three are doubles.

Gaudin is looking to return to form after a rough start against Cincinnati. Gaudin had a 0.77 ERA in four starts leading into Wednesday, when he surrendered season highs of six runs and five walks in an 8-3 loss.

"I didn't command the fastball," Gaudin said. "I didn't get ahead of hitters and against a team like that you can't fall behind."

Gaudin has made nine relief appearances but never started against the Phillies (50-56). He pitched two scoreless innings against them on May 6, but owns a 5.79 ERA in three appearances at Citizens Bank Park.

Carlos Ruiz will look to make life difficult for Gaudin after hitting his first home run since September 25 on Tuesday. The Phillies catcher, who finished with 16 home runs last season, needed 152 at_bats this year to finally go deep.

"I think Carlos showed last year the kind of hitter he can be,' Manuel said. ``He's missed some time and he's had a hard time getting back to where he was.'

The Giants (46-59), losers of five straight and eight of nine, would very much like to end a power drought of their own. They have gone nine games without a home run and have averaged 2.0 runs during that stretch.

"We couldn't get the offense going,' manager Bruce Bochy said. "That's been the frustrating thing during the stretch. We kept talking about it. We just had to get the bats going. We've tried everything.'

Buster Posey, tied for the team lead with 14 home runs, hasn't homered since July 20 and is mired in a 1-for-23 slump.

Fortunately for San Francisco, Philadelphia starter Kyle Kendrick (9-7, 3.96) has also struggled of late with a 5.76 ERA over his last five starts. Those woes continued Thursday, when he allowed three runs and four of his five total hits in the third inning of a 3-1 loss to St. Louis.

The right-hander, who pitched six innings in that defeat, has allowed just two runs over his last 11 1-3 innings against the Giants. He tossed seven innings of two-run ball in a 6-2 win May 7.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Phillies
Tue, Jul 30 Final 3 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Phillies
Wed, Jul 31 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Giants at Phillies
Thu, Aug 1 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Cardinals (62-43) at Pirates (64-42)
Game: 3
Venue: PNC Park
Date: July 31, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Pittsburgh Pirates wrested control of the National League Central from the St. Louis Cardinals with a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday.

They'll look to expand their lead with a sixth straight win over the reeling Cardinals on Wednesday night.

The Pirates (64-42) have won eight of 11 behind a starting staff that has posted a 1.95 ERA during that span. They've compiled a 1.77 ERA in winning six of their last seven at PNC Park, helping raise Pittsburgh's home record among the majors' best to 35-18.

"We want more," manager Clint Hurdle said.

Jeff Locke (9-3, 2.15 ERA) will look to maintain both the Pirates' momentum and his own as he has gone 8-2 with a 1.70 ERA since April 23. The left-hander has yielded two earned runs or fewer in eight straight starts.

Locke has pitched around the plate all season long with little ill effect. He has walked three or more batters in 11 of his 20 starts, but he has a 2.37 ERA in those outings. That's partly due to his ability to pitch with runners in scoring position, as batters are hitting just .122 off him in such situations.

Friday was nearly a microcosm of his season - Locke struggled with control, walking six batters and allowing 14 baserunners overall, yet still gave up only two runs with a season-high nine strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings of a 2-0 loss to the Miami Marlins.

"Kind of sloppy," Locke said. "I felt really good, but just command wasn't there."

Locke has surrendered just three home runs in his last 17 starts.

While Locke ranks fourth in the majors with 57 walks, Adam Wainwright (13-6, 2.51) has issued 1.0 walks per nine innings, the best mark in the majors. The right-hander, who also is third in the NL with 145 strikeouts, has an 8.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Unlike Locke, Wainwright has struggled keeping the ball in the park of late. After surrendering just four home runs in his first 17 starts, he has given up three in his last five, including one in seven innings of a 4-1 loss at Atlanta on Friday.

"Sometimes you just get beat," Wainwright said. "I had some pretty good stuff tonight."

Wainwright will look to be a stopper for St. Louis, which has lost a season-worst six in a row. During that skid, the Cardinals (62-43) have managed six runs and batted .155 with one home run. Carlos Beltran is 4 for his last 32 (.125), Daniel Descalso is 0 for his last 16 with five strikeouts and Matt Carpenter is 2 for his last 24 (.083).

"It's just one of those points in the season -- you have your ups and downs, and hopefully it's the only down we have," pitcher Lance Lynn said.

That struggling offense will be further impacted without All-Star Yadier Molina. The catcher, third in the NL with a .330 batting average, is expected to be put on the disabled list for a strained right knee that has been bothering him since June.

Wainwright will make his first start against Pittsburgh since he gave up seven runs and a season-worst 11 hits to the Pirates on June 29, 2012. One of those 11 hits was a home run by recent call-up Alex Presley, who had a walkoff single in the 11th inning of Pittsburgh's 2-1 victory to open Tuesday's twinbill and a pinch-hit triple in the nightcap, which the Pirates won 6-0.

Pittsburgh's bullpen pitched six scoreless innings on Tuesday. Mark Melancon, with a 0.89 ERA, has allowed just one run and 14 baserunners in his last 20 innings. Jeanmar Gomez, who completed the sweep with two hitless innings, has posted a 1.04 ERA since transitioning back into the bullpen.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Pirates
Mon, Jul 29 Final 2 to 9
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Cardinals at Pirates
Tue, Jul 30 Final 0 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Cardinals at Pirates
Wed, Jul 31 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Cardinals at Pirates
Thu, Aug 1 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mariners (50-56) at Red Sox (64-44)
Game: 2
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: July 31, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


While John Lackey has struggled of late for Boston, Seattle's Hisashi Iwakuma has shined for the Mariners since he was roughed up by the Red Sox earlier this month.

Lackey looks to avoid a third straight loss while trying to hand the All-Star and the Mariners an eighth consecutive defeat at Fenway Park on Wednesday night.

Though Boston (64-44) acquired veteran Jake Peavy from the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday as part of a three-team deal with Detroit, it likely can't afford Lackey (7-8, 3.19 ERA) to regress after his strong two-month stretch. The right-hander went 6-2 with a 2.32 ERA in his previous 11 starts before allowing nine runs and 19 hits over 12 2-3 innings in losing the last two.

Lackey gave up three homers and five runs overall in 6 1-3 innings of a 6-0 loss at Baltimore on Friday. His teammates, however, failed to score with him on the mound in both defeats.

"I felt OK, but they kind of took advantage of a couple of things," Lackey told the Red Sox's official website after his last outing. "I didn't pitch good enough."

Lackey hasn't faced the Mariners since 2011, but he's 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA in his last six against them.

Iwakuma (10-4, 2.87) yielded a season-high six runs and homers to Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli in three innings but did not factor in the decision of an 11-8 loss to Boston on July 9. Since the shortest start of his career, the right-hander has posted a 2.25 ERA while winning three straight outings.

Iwakuma gave up four hits and struck out nine in six scoreless innings of an 8-2 win over Minnesota on Thursday.

"He did a great job of battling and working down in the zone," injured catcher Mike Zunino told the Mariners' official website. "The last few starts he's been really good at doing that."

Iwakuma hopes to help Seattle (50-56) end a seven-game skid at Fenway during which it's been outscored 44-18. The Mariners fanned 12 times, including nine against rookie Brandon Workman in Tuesday's 8-2 loss.

Pedroia homered and had three RBIs and Shane Victorino added three hits as a Boston bounced back after a blown call at the plate Monday overshadowed a 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay.

Boston trails the first-place Rays by one-half game in the AL East.

Pedroia was mired in a 2-for-35 slump heading into Tuesday's contest but is batting .407 (11 for 27) during Boston's home winning streak against the Mariners.

Victorino is 7 for 14 this season versus Seattle, which has lost four in a row overall against the Red Sox.

Kyle Seager and Kendrys Morales each had two hits for the Mariners, who have dropped four of six since a season-high eight-game winning streak.

"We had our backs up against the wall there early and were never able to make a run at it,' said Robby Thompson, who is serving as acting manager while Eric Wedge recovers from a mild stroke.

Morales is batting .315 with 11 RBIs in 18 games.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Red Sox
Tue, Jul 30 Final 2 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mariners at Red Sox
Wed, Jul 31 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Mariners at Red Sox
Thu, Aug 1 - 7:10PM EDT