The Bum's Aug. MLB Best Bets + Pod's !

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday, August 6

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Atlanta - 7:05 PM ET Atlanta +108 500 POD # 1
Washington - Under 7 500

Chi. Cubs - 7:05 PM ET Chi. Cubs +106 500 POD # 8
Philadelphia - Over 8 500

Detroit - 7:05 PM ET Detroit -106 500
Cleveland - Over 7.5 500

Miami - 7:05 PM ET Miami +181 500 POD # 7
Pittsburgh - Over 7 500

Oakland - 7:10 PM ET Cincinnati -153 500
Cincinnati - Over 8 500

Colorado - 7:10 PM ET NY Mets +101 500 POD # 2
NY Mets - Under 8 500

Boston - 8:10 PM ET Houston +156 500 POD # 6
Houston - Under 9 500

NY Yankees - 8:10 PM ET NY Yankees +108 500 POD # 5
Chi. White Sox - Under 6.5 500

Minnesota - 8:10 PM ET Kansas City -188 500
Kansas City - Under 7.5 500

LA Dodgers - 8:15 PM ET St. Louis +138 500 POD # 3
St. Louis - Over 6.5 500

Tampa Bay - 9:40 PM ET Tampa Bay -118 500
Arizona - Over 8 500

Texas - 10:05 PM ET Texas -165 500
LA Angels - Over 7 500

Baltimore - 10:10 PM ET Baltimore -135 500
San Diego - Under 7.5 500

Toronto - 10:10 PM ET Toronto +150 500 POD # 4
Seattle - Under 7.5 500

Milwaukee - 10:15 PM ET San Francisco -172 500
San Francisco - Under 7 500

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Athletics (64-48) at Reds (62-51)
Game: 2
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: August 07, 2013 12:35 PM EDT


The Oakland Athletics can't get much going on offense.

Giving the ball to Bartolo Colon could at least help the AL West leaders limit the Cincinnati Reds' opportunities.

The 40-year-old right-hander will try to become the first A's pitcher in nearly four decades to win seven consecutive road starts in Wednesday's series finale.

Since building their largest divisional lead (six games) in seven seasons on July 29, the A's (64-48) have dropped five of six to maintain a slim edge over second-place Texas.

Oakland has 10 total runs during that stretch after Derek Norris' pinch-hit two-out homer in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 3-1 loss prevented the club's second straight shutout.

"You go through these periods, yet you try to minimize them so they don't go on too long," said manager Bob Melvin, whose team has scored two or fewer in six straight interleague games.

The A's will try to salvage the split of this two-game set with Colon (14-3, 2.50 ERA) making his first start since learning he wouldn't face a suspension for his involvement in the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drug scandal.

The 2005 AL Cy Young winner has done a nice job pitching through that distraction, as he's thrown six or more innings with three runs or fewer allowed in each of his last 15 starts. Colon gave up two runs - one earned - in six innings of last Wednesday's 5-2, 10-inning loss to Toronto, surrendering three walks for just the second time this season.

Colon is among the majors' best with 1.28 walks per nine innings.

"But at the end of the day he gives you six innings and only gives up two runs," said Melvin, whose club had won 12 of Colon's previous 13 outings. "If that's a bad day for him, we'll take that anytime.'

The A's would surely take another solid road start from Colon, who has a 1.40 ERA in his last six outside the Bay Area. He could become the first A's pitcher since Catfish Hunter from July 14-Sept. 1, 1974, to win a seventh straight start as a visitor.

Colon has faced the Reds three times in his career, winning each time in Cincinnati, with the last of those in 2007 while with the Los Angeles Angels.

Cincinnati (62-51) will counter with Homer Bailey (6-10, 3.55) as it tries to put together back-to-back wins following a 2-7 skid. The right-hander is looking to build off his first victory since throwing his second career no-hitter July 2 against San Francisco.

The right-hander had lost a career-worst four consecutive starts following that performance before coming up two outs shy of a complete game in Thursday's 4-1 win at San Diego. The victory also helped Cincinnati avoid a season-worst sixth consecutive defeat.

"Homer really, really wanted it bad because he knew we needed it and he needed it," manager Dusty Baker said after Bailey allowed one unearned run. "That was big for us.'

Bailey allowed four runs in six innings of a 5-0 loss at Oakland on June 26.

Jed Lowrie, 2 for 3 off Bailey in that contest, is hitting .292 (7 for 24) over the last six games, but Coco Crisp, Josh Donaldson, Brandon Moss, and Yoenis Cespedes are hitting a combined .224 (19 for 85) during that span.

Oakland right fielder Josh Reddick is hitless in his last 16 at_bats.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Reds
Tue, Aug 6 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Athletics at Reds
Wed, Aug 7 - 12:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jays (53-60) at Mariners (52-61)
Game: 3
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: August 07, 2013 3:40 PM EDT


J.A. Happ is frustrated it's taken him so long to return.

The Toronto Blue Jays left-hander should just feel fortunate if he's able to Wednesday.

Happ is scheduled to make his first start since getting struck on the head by a line drive three months ago as the Blue Jays try to close out a lengthy West Coast trip with their first three-game road sweep of the Seattle Mariners in 22 years.

In his first full season with the Blue Jays, Happ (2-2, 4.91 ERA) hasn't pitched in the majors since May 7, when he was taken out of Tropicana Field on a stretcher after a Desmond Jennings line drive hit him behind the left ear. Happ suffered a skull fracture and a sprained right knee on the play. Setbacks in his knee rehab caused the lengthy delay in his return before being activated Monday.

"I'm still frustrated and I still wanted to obviously be back sooner. I am happy about the way I feel now and I am happy to finally be here after all that because it wasn't necessarily, rehab's never fun, this kind of stuff wasn't fun,' said Happ, who went 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in three rehab starts at Triple-A Buffalo. "Like I said before, makes it worth all that, worth it now being back here and to get out there tomorrow.'

After Toronto took advantage of the Mariners' season-worst four errors in Tuesday's 7-2 victory, Happ's focus is now on helping the club cap its first three-game sweep at Seattle since July 5-7, 1991 - not getting hit again.

"Not (nervous) about being hit again or anything like that," he said Tuesday. "Obviously testing the knee a little bit, but it kept responding and it's been getting better and better."

The Mariners (52-61), who have dropped five of seven at home, are hoping for a better performance from Aaron Harang (5-10, 5.27). The veteran right-hander was tagged for a season high-tying seven runs in his last outing, Friday's 11-8 loss at Baltimore.

"I couldn't get loose,' Harang said after his five innings of work. "My upper back is tight and it's hard to get extension, hard to feel like you have control out there. I was pulling a lot of balls.'

Harang needs to get off to a better start after walking two and putting the Mariners into a 4-0 first-inning hole against the Orioles.

However, that could be tough the way Jose Reyes is swinging the bat. The former NL batting champ has three straight multihit games after hitting Felix Hernandez's first pitch Tuesday out of the park for his 18th career leadoff homer - and first this season.

"`I had that approach before the game I was looking for a fastball right in the middle the first pitch and I try to put my best swing and that's what happened," said Reyes, 2 for 15 lifetime off Harang.

Brett Lawrie could be another tough out. The third baseman, 5 for 8 in this series, has lifted his batting average from .204 to .238 while hitting safely in each game on this trip.

The Blue Jays are 5-4 during that stretch and enjoying their first three-game winning streak since a franchise record-tying 11-game run from June 11-23. They are trying for their fourth straight win over Seattle after dropping seven of the previous eight.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Blue Jays at Mariners
Mon, Aug 5 Final 3 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Mariners
Tue, Aug 6 Final 7 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Blue Jays at Mariners
Wed, Aug 7 - 3:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (62-51) at Padres (52-61)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: August 07, 2013 3:40 PM EDT


Adam Jones may have grown up in San Diego attending Padres games as a kid, but that hasn't stopped him from tormenting his hometown team each time he makes a visit.

He seeks to follow up a career night with another solid performance as the Baltimore Orioles look to sweep their two-game set with the Padres on Wednesday afternoon.

Jones was a high school star in San Diego before being drafted by Seattle in the first round of the 2003 draft. He doesn't get to play much at Petco Park, but he's seemed more than comfortable in his home surroundings when he does.

He tied his career best with four hits, including a two-run homer, and scored twice as Baltimore (62-51) beat the Padres 4-1 on Tuesday. Jones is 8 for 15 with two homers in four games in San Diego and also hit a two-run homer in his last visit in 2010.

``It's cool to hear the cheers and all that stuff, but we're here to play a baseball game,' Jones said. ``I have all offseason to hang out with (family and friends from the area). I'm just glad we got the win.'

Chris Davis recorded his major league-best 103rd RBI on Tuesday while Jones is 9 for 19 with five RBIs over his last five games, and they'll look to help the Orioles provide some support for scheduled starter Miguel Gonzalez, who hasn't fared well lately.

Gonzalez (8-5, 3.88 ERA) went 6-1 with a 2.35 ERA over his previous eight starts before back-to-back rough outings. He gave up six runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 7-1 loss to Kansas City on July 25 before allowing a career-worst nine runs - four earned - and nine hits in 3 2-3 frames of last Wednesday's 11-0 loss to Houston.

"Everything's been flat," Gonzalez said after losing consecutive outings for the first time in his career. "You just can't pitch that way. You're going to have rough outings or there's going to be rough games out there."

The right-hander has never faced the Padres (52-61), who have lost three of five following a four-game winning streak. They've been held to one run twice and been shut out another time in that stretch.

San Diego was 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position Tuesday and is 7 for 43 (.163) during those five games.

``Our situational hitting was not good,' manager Bud Black said. ``We need to do better at it, there's no doubt about it. We talk about it but we have to execute. I think that was the game."

Yonder Alonso, whose average has risen from .271 on July 14 to his current .297, went 2 for 4 and had an RBI single in the sixth.

San Diego will look to bounce back with help from Eric Stults, who has posted a 4.58 ERA while dropping his last three starts.

Stults (8-10, 3.55) gave up four runs - one earned - and 10 hits in 6 2-3 innings of last Wednesday's 4-1 loss to Cincinnati. He allowed two runs in 15 innings while winning his previous two outings.

The latest defeat marked the first at home for the left-hander in eight home starts, as he's 5-1 with a 1.35 ERA in that stretch. He's allowed one earned run seven times in that span.

Stults has never faced Baltimore, which is hitting .245 against lefties - a far cry from the .274 it's batting versus right-handers.

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters is mired in a 2-for-31 (.065) slump.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Padres
Tue, Aug 6 Final 4 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Orioles at Padres
Wed, Aug 7 - 3:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Tigers (66-45) at Indians (62-51)
Game: 3
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: August 07, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Detroit's mastery of Cleveland appears to know no bounds.

The Tigers will look to win their 11th straight game and fourth consecutive series from the Indians on Wednesday night as they try to pull away in the AL Central.

"Every game's a big game but especially against the guys who are chasing us,' Detroit's Justin Verlander said. "They've been playing extremely well. We know it's going to be a battle this series. It's not over yet but winning the first two is a great start."

The Tigers have posted a 1.16 ERA during their 10-game run, the team's longest since capturing 12 straight Sept. 2-14, 2011.

"Detroit has four aces, which is why they are so good,' Indians manager Terry Francona said.

After the Indians (62-51) stole the first series between the teams at Comerica Park in May, the Tigers (66-45) have rebounded to win 10 of 11 against their division rivals, including a 5-1 victory Tuesday.

Detroit has won seven of eight at Progressive Field, where its starting pitchers have posted a 3.02 ERA this season while the hitters are batting .293 with 11 home runs.

Don Kelly had the key hit Tuesday with a three-run homer in the fifth and is batting .389 against Cleveland this season. He had hits in his first three at_bats against Justin Masterson.

"If I was Superman, he'd be my Kryptonite," Masterson said. "There's always a guy. He salivates when I'm up there."

Doug Fister (10-5, 3.52 ERA) will look to regain his status as Cleveland's top foil. He owned the Indians in 2011 and 2012, going 5-2 with a 1.83 ERA against them before he was tagged for six runs - including three homers - in six innings July 7.

Fister, who hasn't given up multiple home runs in any other start, has always struggled against Michael Brantley, who is 9 for 28 (.321) off him with one of those home runs July 7. The other two homers came from a pair of unusual suspects in Carlos Santana, a .185 lifetime hitter against Fister, and Lonnie Chisenhall, who has an .083 average off the right-hander.

Since his rough start in Cleveland, Fister is 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA in four starts while allowing two home runs in 28 innings.

He threw eight innings of one-run ball in a 2-1 win over the White Sox on Friday.

"Things were feeling pretty good tonight," Fister said. "I'm trying to be as consistent as possible from Day One, and things are falling our way right now."

Cleveland, which has scored three runs in the first two games of this series, is batting .220 against Detroit this year. Santana (.224), Drew Stubbs (.214), Michael Bourn (.224) and Mark Reynolds (.189) have all struggled against the Tigers.

No one has had it worse than Jason Kipnis, however. A .292 batter with 15 home runs this season, Kipnis is hitting .193 with no homers against the Tigers. He went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts Tuesday.

The Indians hope Danny Salazar (1-0, 1.50) can provide a lift in his second career start. The right-hander retired 15 of the first 16 batters he faced in his major league debut, a 4-2 win over Toronto on July 11. He allowed a run and two hits in six innings while striking out seven.

"Everybody saw his stuff," Francona said. "That was self-explanatory but the way he conducted himself was impressive. Nothing threw him. Nothing made him step back. He did everything. We're really pleased."

Salazar, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2010, has already surpassed his innings total from last season.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Indians
Mon, Aug 5 Final 4 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Tigers at Indians
Tue, Aug 6 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Tigers at Indians
Wed, Aug 7 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Tigers at Indians
Thu, Aug 8 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Braves (69-45) at Nationals (54-59)
Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: August 07, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Atlanta Braves don't seem to be under much threat from the Washington Nationals in the NL East race.

It may be somewhat different in the batter's box in Wednesday's finale.

A night after plunking Bryce Harper, the Braves may be wary of retaliation from the Nationals as they try to extend their longest winning streak in 13 years with another sweep in the nation's capital.

Atlanta (69-45) leads the division by 14 1/2 games over second-place Washington (54-59), winning 12 in a row for the first time since a 15-game winning streak from April 16-May 2, 2000.

The Braves showed few signs of slowing Tuesday, beating the Nationals 2-1 after taking the opener 3-2 a day earlier.

The latest victory, however, may have stirred some emotions for the series finale and beyond. Atlanta's Julio Teheran hit Harper with a pitch two innings after the reigning NL Rookie of the Year homered. Harper barked at Teheran and both benches emptied, though no punches were thrown.

"Obviously Bryce didn't like it, (and) we don't blame him," first baseman Adam LaRoche said.

Nationals manager Davey Johnson isn't forgetting the incident.

"You file it for future reference," Johnson said.

Johnson may be even more concerned with Washington's struggles at the plate. The team is batting .228 while dropping five of seven, and a lineup shuffle produced just five hits Tuesday.

"There's no point in looking back and hanging our head. We've got two options now: We can cash it in and think about next year or we can grind it out and see what happens," said LaRoche, who is 6 for 41 with two homers in his last 11 games. "I'm pretty sure we're going to keep pushing."

The task may be made much more difficult against a Braves pitching staff that has a 2.17 ERA during the team's winning streak.

Atlanta has also compiled a 1.31 ERA while winning its past six visits to Nationals Park.

Kris Medlen (8-10, 3.85 ERA), who will get the ball in the finale, helped start that run by scattering seven hits with seven strikeouts in seven scoreless innings of a 5-1 win Aug. 22.

The right-hander is 1-1 with a 1.71 ERA in three career starts versus the Nationals. He won his second straight start Friday in Philadelphia despite allowing four runs and three homers among his six hits over six innings.

Atlanta's offense, batting .290 over the last 12 games, certainly hopes it fares better against Jordan Zimmermann (13-6, 3.06) than it did when he pitched two-hit ball for eight innings of a 2-0 win in Atlanta on May 1.

The right-hander has struggled in his last two home meetings with the Braves, going 0-1 while surrendering seven runs with five walks in 11 innings, and he's 0-2 with a 9.64 ERA over his last three home outings overall after going 9-0 with a 1.50 ERA over his first 10.

Zimmermann, who's tied with St. Louis' Lance Lynn and Adam Wainwright for the league lead in wins, was better on the road Friday. He walked four and hit a batter over six innings, but didn't allow a run in a 4-1 win at Milwaukee.

Harper is 4 for 21 with two homers during Washington's home skid against the Braves. He's 2 for 10 with a solo homer versus Medlen, but 0 for 4 this year.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Braves at Nationals
Mon, Aug 5 Final 3 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Braves at Nationals
Tue, Aug 6 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Braves at Nationals
Wed, Aug 7 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cubs (49-63) at Phillies (51-61)
Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: August 07, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Though Cole Hamels isn't having his best season by any means, the Philadelphia Phillies haven't been providing him much run support.

The Chicago Cubs' offense hasn't given Travis Wood much help either, though neither team had trouble scoring in the series opener.

Hamels opposes Wood on Wednesday night as the Phillies look to beat the visiting Cubs for the fifth straight time.

Philadelphia (51-61) entered its last contest having dropped 13 of 14 while ranking 27th in the majors in runs scored. It took only four pitches for the Phillies to score their first run Tuesday, though, as Chase Utley's RBI single drove in Michael Young on the way to a 9-8 victory over Chicago.

Utley, Darin Ruf and Domonic Brown, activated from the seven-day concussion list before the game, each drove in two runs. Ruf homered and extended his on-base streak to 33 games, and Carlos Ruiz also added a solo shot.

``It's nice to have a month of success right now,' Ruf said of his streak.

Hamels (4-13, 3.87 ERA) hopes the offensive surge continues while he's on the mound, as he ranks tied for 88th out of the 95 qualified pitchers with a 3.26 run-support average. That's just ahead of the 3.25 mark of Wood, who is 90th.

The Phillies had trouble offensively Thursday and fell to San Francisco 2-1, but Hamels brought his ERA under 4.00 for the first time this season by tossing eight scoreless innings. He was in line for the win before closer Jonathan Papelbon, who also allowed three runs in the ninth Tuesday, gave up both runs in the final frame.

"I need to go out and win and try to be the best pitcher I can every five days," said the left-hander, who is 2-2 with a 2.09 ERA in his last six starts.

Hamels has mostly been at his best versus the Cubs going 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA in his last five outings, but he hasn't faced them since 2010. Nate Schierholtz is 5 for 10 with two doubles lifetime off Hamels.

Wood (7-8, 3.05), meanwhile, saw his ERA rise above 3.00 for the first time all season after he gave up five runs with five walks over a season-low 3 1-3 innings in Friday's 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"It obviously took four months for something like that to happen," manager Dale Sveum said. "Not too many starters will go through a whole season without having a little hiccup."

The left-hander had one of the best starts of his career against the Phillies while with Cincinnati on July 10, 2010, losing a no-hitter when Ruiz doubled leading off the bottom of the ninth. He finished the inning allowing only that hit before Philadelphia won 1-0 in 11 innings.

Wood's only other start versus the Phillies came in 2011, when he gave up three runs in six innings as Philadelphia won 5-4 in 19 innings.

He'll look to help the Cubs (49-63), who have dropped eight of nine, avoid a sixth straight defeat after they squandered a three-run lead Tuesday. Anthony Rizzo homered and Donnie Murphy hit his first homer as a Cub, a three-run shot in the second.

``We finally scored some runs,' Sveum said. ``But if you give up nine, you're not going to win many games.'

Chicago has lost 10 of the last 13 meetings with Philadelphia.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at Phillies
Tue, Aug 6 Final 8 to 9
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Cubs at Phillies
Wed, Aug 7 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Cubs at Phillies
Thu, Aug 8 - 1:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Marlins (43-68) at Pirates (68-44)
Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: August 07, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Pittsburgh Pirates have the best ERA in baseball despite Charlie Morton having a couple of rough outings recently.

He'll look to get back on track in a rematch with Miami Marlins starter Tom Koehler on Wednesday night as host Pittsburgh seeks an eighth victory in 10 games.

NL Central-leading Pittsburgh (68-44) has a major league-best 3.07 ERA and is in position to lead the majors in that category for the first time since 1984. Its starters have posted a baseball-best 3.20 mark despite Morton (3-3, 4.07 ERA) going 2-2 with a 4.99 ERA over his last five outings.

The right-hander allowed five runs and a season-worst 10 hits in six innings of a 13-0 loss to St. Louis on Thursday.

"He's working to improve the consistency and the tempo and the timing of his delivery," manager Clint Hurdle said. "It got a little whacked (Thursday) in the stretch, so there's room for improvement."

Morton also didn't have his best stuff July 27 when he faced the Marlins, giving up four runs and nine hits in five innings, but he picked up a 7-4 victory. He's 3-3 with a 5.11 ERA in seven career starts versus Miami, which again counters with Koehler.

Koehler (3-6, 4.34) gave up five runs and nine hits in five innings against Morton and suffered the loss. He bounced back, though, and scattered five hits in six innings of a 3-0 win over the New York Mets on Thursday.

``The key is really not to think about it too much,' Koehler said. "You put up zeros against anybody who's pitching, your team tends to be in pretty good shape.'

The right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in his last six starts and will face a Pirates team coming off a dramatic victory after Josh Harrison's pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the ninth secured a 4-3 win in Tuesday's series opener.

``Those are little things that happen that make you go `Yeah, something's going on,'' Hurdle said of Harrison's homer and ensuing pie-to-the-face stunt from his teammates. ``There's no doubt the more feel good you get, the more you feel good.'

Neil Walker went 3 for 4, and Andrew McCutchen had a two-run double as part of his fourth straight two-hit game. McCutchen is hitting .435 in his last seven versus the Marlins.

Miami (43-68) has dropped three straight after blowing a three-run lead Tuesday. Donovan Solano went 3 for 5, and Logan Morrison, who is 9 for 17 over his last four, had an RBI single.

``We couldn't get that hit to give us a little breathing room,' manager Mike Redmond said. "I get so tired of talking about the same old stuff. We've played that game right there I don't know how many times this season. We've been on the winning end of some but we've been on the losing end of many of them.'

The Marlins - last in the majors in runs scored - have scored three runs or fewer in six of their last seven games, but the starting rotation has a 1.90 ERA in that stretch. The bullpen, though, has allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings over their three-game losing streak.

Pittsburgh has won four straight at home over Miami.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Marlins at Pirates
Tue, Aug 6 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Marlins at Pirates
Wed, Aug 7 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Marlins at Pirates
Thu, Aug 8 - 12:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Rockies (52-62) at Mets (50-60)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: August 07, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Matt Harvey's golden arm has shown a little tarnish in recent starts.

The New York Mets ace will look to rebound against the struggling Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on Wednesday night.

Harvey (8-3, 2.21 ERA) has won just four of his last 18 starts after winning his first four this season. The right-hander has allowed three or more runs in three of his last five starts, including Thursday against the Miami Marlins, who reached him for three in 5 2-3 innings of the Mets' 3-0 loss.

"He deserves a better fate than what he has had," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He has pitched great. We just don't score many runs."

Harvey has held left-handed batters to a .172 average, the second-best figure among right-handed starting pitchers. The Marlins' lefties, though, went 3 for 7 after Harvey had limited those hitters to 2 for 38 with 16 strikeouts his prior three starts.

"I only have one concentration, and that's my job at hand," Harvey said. "I'm going to say that until I'm blue in the face. My job is to put up zeros, and obviously I didn't do that today."

Harvey, who had eight strikeouts, leads the National League with 10.27 per nine innings.

He'll now face a Colorado squad that is 1-7 on its 10-game road trip. The Rockies (52-62), who opened their road swing with a 9-8 loss and 15 hits at Atlanta on July 29, have scored 14 runs and hit .223 since.

Troy Tulowitzki is 0 for 8 with four strikeouts in his last two games and 3 for 25 on this trip, while DJ LeMahieu is 2 for 16 his last four games.

New York's offense hasn't been much better, averaging 2.5 runs over its last 11 games. With just three home runs over that stretch, the Mets (50-60) have had to rely on small ball.

Eric Young has helped the Mets there, compiling 15 steals in 41 games since being acquired June 18 from Colorado, where he had eight in 57 contests. Young scored from second on an infield hit in the eighth to give the Mets a 3-2 victory over the Rockies on Tuesday night.

"He's got game-changing speed, and it got them a win tonight," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.

Juan Lagares, who had the go-ahead single, has also brought additional speed to the lineup with three triples in his last seven games.

Mets first baseman Ike Davis is 7 for 12 with four doubles and a .737 on-base percentage over the last six games.

They'll face Colorado's best pitcher of late, as Jhoulys Chacin (10-5, 3.40) boasts a 7-2 record and a 2.24 ERA over his last 10 starts. That includes eight innings of one-run ball in a 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh on Friday.

"This year, we gave him the responsibility of being a top-of-the-rotation guy, and he's taken it and he's run with it," Weiss said.

Chacin has been dominant away from Coors Field, posting a 1.78 ERA in eight starts while allowing one home run.

Chacin has lasted deep into games, going at least seven innings in three straight starts. On Friday, he was able to push through eight despite being struck on the right forearm by a batted ball in the fifth inning.

Chacin is 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in three lifetime starts versus the Mets, beating them Aug. 21 after limiting them to one run in six innings of a 6-2 win.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rockies at Mets
Tue, Aug 6 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rockies at Mets
Wed, Aug 7 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Rockies at Mets
Thu, Aug 8 - 12:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Yankees (57-55) at White Sox (42-69)
Game: 3
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 07, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The New York Yankees are still searching for their first win since Alex Rodriguez's return.

It's been a month since they managed to get one with CC Sabathia on the mound.

Sabathia attempts to begin shaking out of his worst stretch with the Yankees and help them avoid being swept in this three-game set with the last-place Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.

New York (57-55) has lost both games since Alex Rodriguez made his season debut hours after being hit with a 211-game suspension for violating baseball's drug agreement and labor contract.

The three-time AL MVP has managed a hit in each of those contests, and he reached base three times in Tuesday's 3-2 loss at Chicago. He continued to be booed by the fans at U.S. Cellular Field, except for when he was hit by a pitch in the third inning - which drew a large roar from the crowd.

"There's something wrong with that," manager Joe Girardi said.

The same could be said of Sabathia (9-10, 4.78 ERA), who is one defeat short of matching his career high set in 2002 and matched in 2006 with Cleveland.

The left-hander hasn't made it through six innings in his last four starts, going 0-3 with a 10.07 ERA. Opponents are hitting .398 against him in that span, which most recently featured Sabathia allowing a season high-tying 11 hits and five runs in Friday's 7-2 loss at San Diego.

"I feel like it's going to turn,' he said. "It just hasn't yet. It's baseball. It has to. And I want it to.'

The Yankees are 10 1/2 games behind AL East-leading Boston and six out of the second wild-card spot, and Sabathia is aware of his importance to the race.

"I'm not saying that I'm better than anybody else, but I feel like I need to be strong," he said. "We're battling, and I'm not helping us. I've expressed that. We've been through a lot this year. And me not being able to help is killing us."

Perhaps a meeting with the White Sox (42-69) can help him turn the corner. He's 10-1 with a 3.25 ERA in 16 career meetings on the South Side, though the most recent came in August 2011.

Chicago, though, finally is showing some signs of life at the plate with 11 runs and 24 hits in this series. The team hit .213 and totaled 18 runs during its 10-game skid prior to the Yankees' arrival.

Gordon Beckham has four hits in this series, giving him a .382 career average in 15 home meetings with New York. He's also 7 for 17 versus Sabathia.

Hector Santiago (3-7, 3.28) would certainly love some help from the offense since he's been backed by a total of seven runs over his last six starts. He's 0-2 in that stretch despite a 2.75 ERA, going at least six innings in five of those outings.

The offense let the left-hander down again Friday, when he yielded two runs with seven strikeouts in seven innings of a 2-1 loss at Detroit.

"That was one of Hector's best games all year," manager Robin Ventura said. "He usually has an inning or two in the middle where he gets out of sync, walks a few guys and gives up some runs. That didn't happen, and that's an important step forward for him."

Santiago has given up four runs and two homers in four innings over two relief outings versus the Yankees.

He struck out Rodriguez in their only meeting.


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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Yankees at White Sox
Mon, Aug 5 Final 1 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Yankees at White Sox
Tue, Aug 6 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Yankees at White Sox
Wed, Aug 7 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Twins (49-61) at Royals (57-53)
Game: 3
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: August 07, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


A night after their most lopsided loss of the season, the Minnesota Twins turned the tables on Kansas City.

They'll look to notch their fifth win in six games Wednesday night against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

The Twins' 13-0 loss on Monday was their fifth straight against Kansas City, but they bounced back thanks to some impressive power on Tuesday. Minnesota, which ranks 12th in the AL with 100 home runs, saw Brian Dozier, Justin Morneau and Chris Colabello go deep in the first four innings of their 7-0 win.

Morneau is now 8 for 25 with three home runs in August after hitting .175 in July. Five of Dozier's eight hits this month have gone for extra bases, while Colabello snapped an 0-for-15 skid with his home run.

The Twins (49-61) look to stay locked in against Danny Duffy, who will make his first major league start since May 2012 after having Tommy John surgery. Duffy went 2-2 with a 3.90 ERA in six 2012 starts.

The left-hander went 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA - striking out 46 in 37 1-3 innings - in his last seven rehab outings for Triple-A Omaha.

"It means a lot to get back here and I've gotten a lot of feedback from people and hearing a lot of welcomes," Duffy told the team's official website. "I'm really excited to get the ball and get down to business and lock in. But right now, I'm just really happy to be back with the guys."

Duffy's main issue in the majors has been with control. His 4.67 walks per nine innings in 2011 and 2012 were fifth-most among starters to pitch at least 130 innings.

The Twins are tied for ninth in the major leagues in walks despite ranking near the bottom in most other offensive categories.

Minnesota's Samuel Deduno (7-4, 3.17 ERA) knows something about control issues. He walked five batters for the second time in three starts during Friday's 4-3, 13-inning victory over Houston, but allowed only two runs in six innings.

The right-hander has walked 16 in 27 innings over his last four starts, but he's held opponents to a .189 average and the Twins have won them all.

"They were swinging and missing -- and then looking back not knowing where the pitches were coming from," manager Ron Gardenhire told the team's official website after one of Deduno's recent starts. "His ball has a lot of movement. Guys don't like to face him."

Kansas City (57-53), which ranks last in the AL with 73 home runs, was shut out for the sixth time this season on Tuesday. The Royals, who had 18 runs and 36 hits in a three-game sweep of Minnesota just a week ago, were held to four hits - their lowest total since June 21.

Eric Hosmer had two of those, increasing his average to .417 (15 for 36) since last week's series against the Twins. Mike Moustakas went 0 for 3 Tuesday, but he has nine hits, including two homers and two doubles, in his last five games versus Minnesota.

"They both feel very, very confident when they walk to the plate now," manager Ned Yost said. "It's evident when you see them up there now. They're stepping into the box with a lot of confidence. They feel good about themselves."

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Royals
Mon, Aug 5 Final 0 to 13
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Twins at Royals
Tue, Aug 6 Final 7 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Twins at Royals
Wed, Aug 7 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Sox (69-46) at Astros (37-75)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: August 07, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The AL East-leading Boston Red Sox just showed how they can overcome a rough outing by one of their starters.

Ryan Dempster hopes he doesn't put his teammates in that position again.

The right-hander will try to rebound from one of his worst starts of the season Wednesday night as the Red Sox close their season series with the Houston Astros.

After their seven-game winning streak in this matchup ended with Monday's 2-0 defeat, the Red Sox (69-46) rallied from a 5-0 second-inning deficit Tuesday to win 15-10. David Ortiz went 4 for 4, Jonny Gomes hit a three-run homer and finished with four RBIs and Jacoby Ellsbury hit two out of the park as Boston overcame Steven Wright's shaky one-inning stint in his first major league start.

"We try not to give up until the game is over,' Ortiz said.

The Red Sox, 1 1/2 games in front of second-place Tampa Bay in the East, lead the majors with 583 runs. They've plated double-digit runs 12 times, four coming when Dempster (6-8, 4.54 ERA) has started.

He has won three of those contests and owns one of the majors' highest run-support averages at 6.38. Boston has totaled 31 runs while winning Dempster's last four starts. He's 1-0 with a 7.20 ERA in that stretch after walking five and permitting a season high-tying seven runs in six innings of Thursday's 8-7 come-from-behind victory over Seattle.

Dempster, who threw six innings of two-run ball in a 7-3 win over the Astros (37-75) on April 26, hasn't pitched in Houston since 2011 while with the Chicago Cubs.

The Astros will try to win their first series since June 14-17 against the Chicago White Sox with rookie Jarred Cosart (1-0, 0.96) on the hill.

The right-hander, acquired from Philadelphia in the 2011 Hunter Pence deal, will make his second home start after becoming the first pitcher since Cincinnati's Wayne Simpson in 1970 to give up one earned run or fewer and throw at least six innings in each of his first four career appearances.

The Astros, though, have lost Cosart's last two starts.

"You can't worry about it," the 23-year-old told the Astros' official website after yielding one run in seven innings in Friday's 4-3, 13-inning loss at Minnesota.

However, there should be plenty of concern with the Astros' bullpen, which has a major league-worst 5.20 ERA after surrendering seven runs Tuesday following another ineffective outing by Jordan Lyles.

The Astros, though, have been getting some nice offensive performances from their rookies. Robbie Grossman drove in a season-best three runs Tuesday and has now hit safely in all nine games since his second recall from the minors.

Newcomer L.J. Hoes has back-to-back two-hit games and so does shortstop Jonathan Villar. However, Villar isn't expected to play after suffering a sprained left thumb.

Jake Elmore, who went 2 for 2 with a homer following Villar's exit, could start the series finale.

Boston's Dustin Pedroia drove in two runs and finished 2 for 5 on Tuesday, improving his career batting average versus Houston to .521 (25 for 48). The former MVP is 11 for 23 against the Astros this season, helping the Red Sox outscore Houston 43-22 while winning five of six.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at Astros
Mon, Aug 5 Final 0 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Red Sox at Astros
Tue, Aug 6 Final 15 to 10
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Red Sox at Astros
Wed, Aug 7 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Dodgers (62-50) at Cardinals (66-46)
Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: August 07, 2013 8:15 PM EDT


With their franchise-record road winning streak in the past, the Los Angeles Dodgers are poised to continue their current surge.

The NL West leaders look to bounce back from their first road defeat in a month Wednesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Clayton Kershaw allowed two runs in the fifth inning and lasted six, but St. Louis (66-46) broke things open with three in the eighth to snap Los Angeles' 15-game road winning streak with a 5-1 victory Tuesday.

"We weren't thinking about them, we were thinking about us and what we're capable of doing,' said St. Louis All-Star Carlos Beltran, who homered and is 11 for 23 with seven extra-base hits in his last six games. "It works better if you just worry about yourself.'

Though the Dodgers (62-50) fell two wins shy of matching the NL record for consecutive road victories by losing away from Chavez Ravine for the first time since July 6, they've still won 32 of 40 and hold a five-game lead in the West.

"This just means we've got to start a new one (Wednesday),' Kershaw said. "It was a pretty cool thing, for sure. It's definitely not something to take lightly.'

Carl Crawford had two hits and Adrian Gonzalez recorded the RBI for Los Angeles, which has scored eight runs in four games.

Crawford is 7 for 21 with two doubles this month, and 8 for 21 in his career at Busch Stadium.

Though the wild-card leading Cardinals have won four of six in August and 11 of 13 at home, Los Angeles starter Ricky Nolasco (7-9, 3.78 ERA) has yielded one earned run in 19 2-3 innings to go 2-0 in his last three starts against them.

Pitching for Miami on June 16, he gave up that run and three hits in seven innings of a 7-2 victory over the Cardinals.

Nolasco improved to 2-1 with a 3.54 ERA in five starts for the Dodgers after he allowed three solo homers, one other hit and struck out six in five innings of a 6-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.

"It was a good thing nobody's on," Nolasco said. "Three bad pitches and those pitches usually go out of any park. I was able to give us a chance to win."

Matt Holliday is 11 for 24 with two homers, three doubles and a triple against Nolasco.

St. Louis counters with Shelby Miller (11-7, 2.89 ERA), who is 3-1 in his last five starts despite failing to complete six innings in each of the last two. He got plenty of support in Friday's 13-3 victory at Cincinnati, and was pleased with his outing despite allowing a three-run homer in the sixth inning.

"That was some of the best stuff I had all year," Miller said. "I kind of let it get away from me in the sixth inning. I guess I kind of lost my focus, which is something that shouldn't let happen.'

The right-hander gave up two of his three runs on a homer to Gonzalez in 5 1-3 innings while not factoring in the decision of a 5-3 win at Dodger Stadium on May 26.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Dodgers at Cardinals
Mon, Aug 5 Final 3 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Dodgers at Cardinals
Tue, Aug 6 Final 1 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Dodgers at Cardinals
Wed, Aug 7 - 8:15PM EDT

GAME 4
Dodgers at Cardinals
Thu, Aug 8 - 8:15PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rays (66-46) at Diamondbacks (57-55)
Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: August 07, 2013 9:40 PM EDT


While the Tampa Bay Rays are in the mix for both the AL East and wild-card leads, the Arizona Diamondbacks must string together some victories in order to remain a serious NL playoff contender.

Looking to win consecutive games for the first time in almost two weeks, the Diamondbacks try to sweep the two-game interleague set from the visiting Rays on Wednesday night.

Cody Ross hit a three-run homer and Wade Miley threw seven strong innings as Arizona (57-55) avoided a third straight defeat with a 6-1 victory over Tampa Bay on Monday.

The Diamondbacks have won three times - twice versus Tampa Bay - in nine games. They trail the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by five games and are 4 1/2 out of the final wild-card spot. Arizona last won consecutive games July 25-26.

"We just have to put runs on the board more,' said third baseman Eric Chavez, who is 5 for 11 with seven RBIs in three games versus Tampa Bay this season.

The Rays (66-46) lost for the ninth time in 37 games. They lead the wild-card race and are 1 1/2 games behind first-place Boston in the East.

Evan Longoria's solo homer gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead in the fourth, but Arizona scored four times in the bottom of the frame to break things open.

Longoria is 2 for 23 in his last six contests following an 11-game hitting streak.

Ross has batted .452 (14 for 31) with three homers and 10 RBIs in his last eight games.

"He's barreling the ball a lot better,' Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "You can see that coming on. He's much calmer at the plate and not jumping at the pitch.'

Arizona's Randall Delgado (4-3, 3.17 ERA) takes the mound looking for a fourth straight winning start, but he allowed six runs - four earned - and a pair of two-run homers while striking out seven in six innings of a 7-6 victory at Boston on Friday.

The right-hander, who threw 14 2-3 scoreless innings over his previous two outings, is 1-5 with a 6.35 ERA during interleague play.

"He actually hung in there pretty good," Gibson told the Diamondbacks' official website. "We kept grinding away."

Delgado gave up a grand slam to Matt Joyce, two other hits and walked five in four innings of a 5-2 loss at Tampa Bay last season.

The Rays counter with Chris Archer (6-4, 2.65), who gave up four runs in 37 innings while going 4-0 in five July starts, but matched that total while allowing two homers in seven innings of a 4-1 loss to San Francisco on Friday.

"It's good to stay humble and continue to work. It's all just a reminder," Archer told the Rays' official website. "You're facing major league hitters. Just because you had a couple scoreless outings doesn't mean that they can't score four or five runs off you in one-third of an inning."

Making his first appearance against the Diamondbacks, the right-hander is 0-2 with a 3.46 ERA against NL opponents.

Teammate Wil Myers is batting .415 (17 for 41) during a 10-game road hitting streak.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Diamondbacks
Tue, Aug 6 Final 1 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rays at Diamondbacks
Wed, Aug 7 - 9:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (64-50) at Angels (51-61)
Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: August 07, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


Continued dominance of the Los Angeles Angels has helped the second-place Texas Rangers move closer to the AL West lead.

With a chance to potentially move into a first-place tie in the division, the visiting Rangers can complete a three-game sweep with a seventh straight victory over the reeling Angels on Wednesday night.

Elvis Andrus had three hits, Adrian Beltre drove in two runs and Yu Darvish completed seven innings as Texas (64-50) scored four times in the ninth en route to an 8-3 win at Los Angeles on Tuesday for its third consecutive victory. The Rangers, who pounded out 12 hits and stole six bases, have averaged 6.0 runs while winning eight of nine to move within a game of first-place Oakland, which has dropped five of six.

"It was quite exciting to be able to go out there and play the game we love to play,' manager Ron Washington said. "It was a night when it all came together, but it's always been an emphasis. I call that winning baseball.'

A winner in nine of 11 against the Angels (51-61) this season, Texas has batted .310 while averaging 7.3 runs during its six-game series winning streak. The Rangers have won three straight and six of seven at Anaheim dating to last season.

With Nelson Cruz suspended 50 games for his role in the Biogenesis scandal, Beltre appears capable of carrying the load for the Rangers at the plate. He's batted .417 (15 for 36) with nine RBIs in nine games, and .424 (14 for 33) with six RBIs in his last eight against the Angels.

Andrus is batting .412 with four RBIs while hitting safely in eight straight versus Los Angeles.

Scheduled Texas starter Alexi Ogando (4-3, 3.26 ERA) is 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA in four starts against the Angels. He allowed four runs - two earned - in seven innings of a 5-4, 11-inning loss at Anaheim on April 23.

The right-hander, however, is 0-1 with a 4.61 ERA in three starts since he came off the disabled list with shoulder inflammation. He gave up three runs and walked five in four innings of an 8-3 win at Oakland on Friday.

"I just didn't feel good," Ogando told the Rangers' official website. "I didn't have my control like I normally do. It was just one of those nights."

Los Angeles' Mark Trumbo is 6 for 13 with three doubles versus Ogando, but 2 for 20 with nine strikeouts in the last five games overall.

Kole Calhoun and Mike Trout opened the first with back-to-back homers Tuesday for Los Angeles, which has lost three in a row and nine of 12.

``It seems like we're sliding back in some things that we need to get better at, and they're biting us,' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``And we're going to keep addressing it. We're going to get here early tomorrow, working on stuff. We talk about making adjustments every day, and they're coming too slowly for what we need.'

With his home run, Trout set a club record for Angels outfielders by reaching base safely in 37 straight games.

However, ex-Ranger Josh Hamilton is 2 for 22 in the last six contests.

The Angels hand the ball to Tommy Hanson (4-2, 5.29), who has an 8.83 ERA without a record over his last four starts, the last three since spending almost a month on the DL with a forearm strain. He's yielded five runs in each of the last two, most recently in 5 1-3 innings of a 7-5 win over Toronto on Friday.

In his only previous start versus Texas, the right-hander allowed three runs - including solo homers to Ian Kinsler and Mitch Moreland - over six innings of an 8-4 win April 6.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Angels
Mon, Aug 5 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rangers at Angels
Tue, Aug 6 Final 8 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rangers at Angels
Wed, Aug 7 - 10:05PM EDT