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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Brewers (48-65) at Giants (50-62)
Game: 3
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: August 07, 2013 10:15 PM EDT


The San Francisco Giants are struggling at the plate, and that's especially true with runners in scoring position.

They may not need to produce much offense for Madison Bumgarner.

With the bats scuffling, Bumgarner looks to continue his dazzling stretch as the Giants face the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night.

San Francisco (50-62) is hitting .243 while dropping 12 of its last 19 games, but the reigning World Series champion has a collective .209 average with runners in scoring position over that stretch.

It's been even worse of late, with the Giants batting .125 in the scenario while losing three of four.

Those offensive shortcomings were on display in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to Milwaukee, as the Giants stranded eight runners and went 1 for 9 with them in scoring position.

"We've been in position to win so many of these games. We've got to have somebody come through for us and that was missing again," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's running rampant right now throughout the lineup. It's hit us as a club as a whole and it's been here for a while."

San Francisco won 4-2 on Monday despite going 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position to open this four-game series Monday, and Bumgarner (11-6, 2.69 ERA) could again help overcome those struggles.

The left-hander has allowed two or fewer earned runs while pitching at least seven innings in each of his last nine starts, the second-longest such streak in franchise history since records are available, behind the New York Giants' Ferdie Schupp's 12 in 1916-17.

Bumgarner, though, battled through 112 pitches Friday, yielding one run with a season high-tying 11 strikeouts in seven innings of a 4-1 win at Tampa Bay.

"Any time you're able to battle through when you don't necessarily have the command you're used to having, it makes it a tougher kind of battle," Bumgarner said. "You're going to have games like that."

He's 3-1 with a 1.25 ERA in five career starts versus Milwaukee (48-65), winning the last two at home while yielding two runs in 14 2-3 innings.

Buster Posey is a lifetime .361 hitter with 17 RBIs in 17 career meetings with the Brewers after going 1 for 3 while being hit by a pitch Tuesday. However, he's batting .200 over the past 15 games while going 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Milwaukee is expected to activate Marco Estrada (4-4, 5.32) from the disabled list and start him in place of Tom Gorzelanny, who injured his left elbow Friday when he was hit by a line drive in a 4-1 loss to Washington.

Estrada has been out since June 3 with a strained left hamstring, and he allowed nine runs and 14 hits in eight innings over three rehabilitation starts in the minors.

While the Brewers are at the bottom of the NL Central, the right-hander feels there's plenty at stake.

"My job," Estrada told the team's official website. "I mean, I don't see why it wouldn't be. It's been two months since I've pitched. I've got to show them I can still do it. I've been keeping up with guys and I see that everyone is pitching really well now. Obviously, I've got to fight for my job, and hopefully, they like what they see."

Estrada's only career start versus the Giants ended after one inning on May 23, 2012, when he injured his right hip running out a double.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Brewers at Giants
Mon, Aug 5 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Brewers at Giants
Tue, Aug 6 Final 3 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Brewers at Giants
Wed, Aug 7 - 10:15PM EDT

GAME 4
Brewers at Giants
Thu, Aug 8 - 3:45PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Top Action

August 7, 2013

Braves at Nationals - 7:05 PM EST

Probables: K. Medlen (8-10, 3.85 ERA) vs. J. Zimmermann (13-6, 3.06 ERA)

Series recap: Atlanta rallied past Washington in the opener, 3-2 as the Braves won their 11th straight game. The Braves made it 12 in a row on Tuesday with another low-scoring victory, while improving to 5-0 this season at Nationals Park.

Current trends: The Braves have hit the 'under' in each of the last four games, while owning a 9-3 record the last 12 away contests within the division. Washington has lost five of its previous seven games overall, while going just 4-9 the last 13 contests at Nationals Park.

Tigers at Indians - 7:05 PM EST

Probables: D. Fister (10-5, 3.52 ERA) vs. J. Salazar (1-0, 1.50 ERA)

Series recap: Detroit shocked Cleveland with a four-run ninth inning, capping a 4-2 comeback victory in Monday's opener. The Tigers received a terrific pitching effort from Justin Verlander in Tuesday's 5-1 triumph, as Detroit has won 10 of the past 11 meetings with Cleveland.

Current trends: Detroit is rolling at the moment with 14 wins in the last 15 games, while posting a 9-1 record the past 10 divisional contests. After winning 11 straight at home, the Indians have lost each of their last two at Progressive Field, as Cleveland looks to avoid its first three-game home skid since April.

Rockies at Mets - 7:10 PM EST
Probables: J. Chacin (10-5, 3.40 ERA) vs. M. Harvey (8-3, 2.21 ERA)

Series recap: New York held off Colorado, 3-2 as short home favorites on Tuesday, while the 'under' of eight easily cashed. After dropping the first three meetings with the Rockies, the Mets have won the last two matchups with Colorado.

Current trends: The Rockies have lost seven of their past eight games, while scoring two runs or less in five of the last six contests. The Mets are riding a 6-1 'under' stretch the last seven games, while going 1-4 the past five home contests off a win.

Yankees at White Sox - 8:10 PM EST

Probables: C.C. Sabathia (9-10, 4.78 ERA) vs. H. Santiago (3-7, 3.28 ERA)

Series recap: Despite the return of Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees' lineup, New York's struggles continued with a pair of losses in the first two games at Chicago. The Sox edged the Yankees last night, 3-2 to bring home the money as $1.20 favorites.

Current trends: Chicago has won five straight home meetings with New York since last season, while the Yankees have lost five consecutive starts made by Sabathia. The Sox have won two in a row following a 10-game skid, while seeking their first three-game winning streak since mid-June.

Dodgers at Cardinals - 8:15 PM EST

Probables: R. Nolasco (7-9, 3.68 ERA) vs. S. Miller (11-7, 2.89 ERA)

Series recap: Los Angeles remained on fire away from Southern California by picking up its 15th consecutive road victory on Monday. The Dodgers squeezed by the Cardinals, 3-2, while cashing as $1.45 underdogs to capture the series opener. However, the Cards rebounded against Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday with a 5-1 victory as home underdogs to snap L.A.'s hot streak.

Current trends: The Dodgers are 10-1 to the 'under' the last 11 games, including five straight 'unders' on the road. Los Angeles is 8-0 the last eight contests off a loss, while not dropping consecutive games since late June. The Cardinals own an 11-2 record the past 13 games at Busch Stadium, but have split their last 10 home contests against NL West competition.

Rays at Diamondbacks - 9:40 PM EST

Probables: C. Archer (6-4, 2.65 ERA) vs. R. Delgado (4-3, 3.17 ERA)

Series recap: Tampa Bay's West Coast swing started off with a dud by losing at Arizona, 6-1 as short road favorites last night. The D-Backs have taken two of three meetings with the Rays since last week, while outscoring Tampa Bay, 13-1 in the two victories.

Current trends: Tampa Bay has cashed seven straight 'unders,' while going 8-2 the last 10 road games off a loss. Arizona has hit the 'under' in seven of the past eight contests, while posting a 1-6 record the previous seven games coming off a victory.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia
The Phillies look to follow up their 9-8 win over the Cubs last night and take advantage of a Chicago team that is 0-6 in Travis Wood's last 6 starts following a team loss in the previous game. Philadelphia is the pick (-160) according to Dunkel, which has the Phillies favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-160). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7

Game 901-902: Atlanta at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Medlen) 16.781; Washington (Zimmermann) 15.072
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Washington (-135); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (+115); Under

Game 903-904: Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Wood) 13.308; Philadelphia (Hamels) 14.812
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-160); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-160); Over

Game 905-906: Miami at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Koehler) 15.532; Pittsburgh (Morton) 16.984
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-185); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-185); Under

Game 907-908: Colorado at NY Mets (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Chacin) 14.498; NY Mets (Harvey) 13.783
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-210); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (+180); Over

Game 909-910: LA Dodgers at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Nolasco) 15.322; St. Louis (Miller) 16.724
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-140); 8
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-140); Over

Game 911-912: Milwaukee at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Estrada) 15.286; San Francisco (Bumgarner) 14.135
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1; 6
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-230); 7
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+195); Under

Game 913-914: Toronto at Seattle (3:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Happ) 15.408; Seattle (Harang) 14.050
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Seattle (-120); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+100); Under

Game 915-916: Detroit at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Fister) 17.884; Cleveland (Salazar) 16.271
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Detroit (-130); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-130); Over

Game 917-918: Boston at Houston (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Dempster) 16.023; Houston (Cosart) 14.018
Dunkel Line: Boston by 2; 8
Vegas Line: Boston (-170); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-170); Under

Game 919-920: Minnesota at Kansas City (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Deduno) 16.258; Kansas City (Duffy) 15.238
Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 9
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 921-922: NY Yankees at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Sabathia) 14.583; White Sox (Santiago) 15.676
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1; 9
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-105); Over

Game 923-924: Texas at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Ogando) 16.254; LA Angels (Hanson) 14.178
Dunkel Line: Texas by 2; 7
Vegas Line: Texas (-120); 8
Dunkel Pick: Texas (-120); Under

Game 925-926: Oakland at Cincinnati (12:35 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Colon) 14.074; Cincinnati (Bailey) 15.721
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-120); Under

Game 927-928: Baltimore at San Diego (3:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Gonzalez) 15.788; San Diego (Stults) 14.486
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-120); Over

Game 929-930: Tampa Bay at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Archer) 15.537; Arizona (Delgado) 14.013
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-135); 8
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-135); Under

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Short Sheet

Wednesday, August 7

National League

Atlanta at Washington, 7:05 ET
Medlen: Over is 11-6-1 in Braves' road series finales in 2013
Zimmermann: Nationals have won last 14 Zimmermann home starts at night

Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Wood: Cubs 3-6 SU in Wood's 2013 road starts
Hamels: Under is 5-0 in Hamels' last five home starts

Miami at Pittsburgh, 7:05 ET
Koehler: Under is 10-3-1 in Marlins' last 13 road games following a loss
Morton: Under is 11-4-1 when Morton is coming off an Over in his previous start with the Pirates

Colorado at New York Mets, 7:10 ET
Bettis: Rockies 4-16 since June 17 in road night games
Harvey: Under is 10-6 when Harvey starts at Citi Field

Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals, 8:15 ET
Nolasco: Dodgers 15-1 in last 16 road games
Miller: Under is 6-1 in last seven Cardinals home games

Milwaukee at San Francisco, 10:15 ET
Gorzelanny: Teams are 3-11 SU last 14 games when Gorzelanny starts away from his home park
Bumgarner: Under is 2-8 in Bumgarner's last 10 home starts


American League

Toronto at Seattle, 3:40 ET
Happ: Under is 6-2 in last eight Blue Jays getaway day road games
Harang: Mariners 3-8 SU in last 11 home day games

Detroit at Cleveland, 7:05 ET
Fister: Under is 4-1 in Fister's five starts for Tigers at Progressive Field
Salazar: Indians 11-2 SU in last 13 home games

Boston at Houston, 8:10 ET
Dempster: Over is 4-1 in Dempster's last five road starts
Cosart: Astros 4-13 SU in home series finales in 2013

Minnesota at Kansas City, 8:10 ET
Deduno: Under is 12-4 when Deduno starts on the road
Davis: Under is 17-8-1 since start of 2012 when Royals play home series finale after a win

New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox, 8:10 ET
Sabathia: Under is 12-3-1 in 2013 when Yankees face a southpaw on the road
Santiago: White Sox 8-1 SU in last nine home games when facing a southpaw

Texas at Los Angeles Angels, 10:05 ET
Ogando: Rangers 11-4 SU in Ogando's last 11 starts
Hanson: Over is 5-1-2 when Hanson starts at home for the Angels


Interleague

Oakland at Cincinnati, 12:35 ET MLB
Colon: Athletics have won every game in Colon's last six road starts
Bailey: Reds 1-4 SU in Bailey's last five home starts

Baltimore at San Diego, 3:40 ET
Gonzalez: Under is 14-6 when Gonzalez starts on the road
Stults: Padres 13-4 when Stults starts at home

Tampa Bay at Arizona, 9:40 ET
Archer: Under is 8-1 in Archer's 2013 starts
Spruill: Under is 10-5-1 in Diamondbacks' home series finales in 2013

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, August 7

Hot pitchers
-- Hamels is 2-2, 2.30 in his last six starts, but Phillies lost his last three, scoring a total of six runs. Koehler is 2-1, 2.70 in his last three starts.
-- Chacin is 7-2, 2.24 in his last ten starts. Harvey is 1-1, 1.74 in his last three.
-- Miller is 3-1, 3.58 in his last five starts.
-- Bumgarner is 4-1, 1.47 in his last six starts.

-- Colon is 11-1, 1.61 in his last 14 starts. Bailey is 1-1, 1.76 in his last two.
-- Archer is 4-1, 1.42 in his last five starts. Delgado is 3-0, 2.61 in his last three.

-- Fister is 4-0, 1.61 in his last four starts. Salazar won his only '13 start, allowing Texas one run in six IP.
-- Cosart is 1-0, 1.29 in four starts this season.
-- Deduno is 3-0, 1.67 in his last four starts.
-- Santiago has a 2.63 RA in his last two starts, but White Sox lost his last six outings, scoring 10 runs in those six games.

Cold pitchers
-- Medlen is 2-3, 7.09 in his last five starts. Zimmerman is 0-2, 9.64 in his last three home starts.
-- Wood is 1-2, 5.66 in his last four starts.
-- Morton is 2-2, 5.28 in his last five starts.
-- Nolasco is 1-1, 4.29 in his last four starts (less than six IP in all four).
-- Estrada is 0-2, 7.36 in his last two starts, last of which was June 3.

-- MGonzalez lost his last two starts, allowing 15 runs in 8.1 IP. Stults is 0-3, 7.13 in his last three starts.

-- Dempster has an 8.55 RA in his last four starts.
-- Sabathia is 0-4, 9.76 in his last five starts.
-- Hanson is 0-0, 9.35 in his last four starts; Angels are 2-4 in his no-decisions. Ogando is 0-1, 3.72 in his last four starts.
-- Harang is 1-3, 6.55 in his last four starts. Happ is 1-2, 6.53 in his last five starts; this is his first start since being hit by a line drive May 7 in Tampa.

Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in the first inning. You're reading ***************.com. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Medlen 9-22; Zimmerman 3-22
-- Wood 3-22; Hamels 4-23
-- Koehler 5-13; Morton 2-9
-- Chacin 2-21 (0 of last 16); Harvey 4-22 (1 of last 11)
-- Nolasco 7-22; Miller 5-21 (0 of last 8)
-- Estrada 3-12; Bumgarner 3-22

-- Colon 5-22; Bailey 3-22 (1 of last 14)
-- Gonzalez 6-19; Stults 7-23
-- Archer 2-12; Delgado 3-9

-- Happ 1-7; Harang 7-18
-- Fister 5-22 (0 of last 4); Salazar 0-1
-- Dempster 8-21; Cosart 1-4
-- Deduno 4-13; Duffy 0-0
-- Sabathia 6-23; Santiago 3-15
-- Ogando 2-13; Hanson 4-12

Totals
-- 11 of last 14 Washington road games stayed under. .
-- Eight of last eleven Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Miami games.
-- Six of Mets' last seven games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 9-1-1 in last eleven Dodger games.
-- Six of last seven Milwaukee games stayed under the total.

-- Five of last six Oakland games stayed under the total.
-- Last seven Tampa Bay games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight San Diego games stayed under total.

-- Five of last six Detroit games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 9-3-1 in Kansas City's last thirteen games.
-- Under is 7-2-1 in last ten Bronx road games.
-- Nine of last thirteen Texas games stayed under total.
-- Nine of last eleven Toronto road games went over total.

Hot teams
-- Braves won their last 12 games, scoring 70 runs.
-- Pirates won seven of their last nine games.
-- Dodgers are 32-8 in their last 40 games, winning 15 of last 16 on road.

-- Padres won six of their last nine games.

-- Detroit won 14 of its last 15 games. Indians won ten of their last thirteen, but they're 1-10 in last eleven games vs Detroit.
-- Red Sox won six of their last eight games.
-- Royals won 12 of their last 14 games. Minnesota won four of last five.
-- White Sox won last two games, allowing three runs, after losing their previous ten games.
-- Rangers won eight of their last nine games.
-- Blue Jays are 8-5 in their last thirteen games.

Cold teams
-- Washington lost five of their last seven games.
-- Philly lost 13 of their last 15 games. Cubs lost their last five games.
-- Marlins lost their last three games, scoring six runs.
-- Colorado lost seven of last eight games. Mets lost four of their last six.
-- Cardinals lost nine of their last thirteen games.
-- Brewers lost four of their last six games. San Francisco lost 11 of its last 16 games, scoring nine runs in its last four games.

-- Oakland lost five of its last six games. Reds lost seven of last ten.
-- Tampa Bay lost three of its last five games. Arizona lost six of last nine.
-- Orioles lost eight of their last thirteen games.

-- Houston lost ten of its last twelve games.
-- Bronx Bombers lost 12 of their last 18 games.
-- Angels lost nine of their last twelve games.
-- Mariners lost six of their last eight games.

Umpires
-- Atl-Wsh-- Four of last five Holbrook games went over the total.
-- Chi-Phil-- Five of last seven Baker games stayed under the total.
-- Mia-Pitt-- Seven of last ten Carapazza games stayed under total.
-- Col-NY-- Ten of last twelve Randazzo games stayed under total.
-- LA-StL-- Favorites won six of last seven Nelson games.
-- Mil-SF-- Six of last eight BWelke games stayed under the total.

-- A's-Cin-- Under is 6-3-1 in last ten Hoye games.
-- Blt-SD-- Last four Demuth games went over the total.
-- TB-Az-- Underdogs won ten of last sixteen TWelke games.

-- Det-Cle-- Over is 12-3-1 in last sixteen Guccione games.
-- Bos-Hst-- Underdogs are 7-5 in last twelve Carlson games.
-- Min-KC-- Under is 4-0-1 in last five Conroy games.
-- NY-Chi-- Five of last six Gibson games stayed under total.
-- Tex-LA-- Road team won nine of last twelve Timmons games.
-- Tor-Sea-- Favorites won 11 of last 14 Scott games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, August 7

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Trend Report
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12:35 PM
OAKLAND vs. CINCINNATI
Oakland is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oakland's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing Oakland
Cincinnati is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing Oakland

3:40 PM
BALTIMORE vs. SAN DIEGO
Baltimore is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Baltimore's last 7 games when playing on the road against San Diego
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Diego's last 7 games at home
San Diego is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games

3:40 PM
TORONTO vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing on the road against Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle's last 9 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Seattle's last 7 games

7:05 PM
CHI CUBS vs. PHILADELPHIA
Chi Cubs are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games on the road
Chi Cubs are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi Cubs
Philadelphia is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:05 PM
DETROIT vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games when playing Cleveland
Detroit is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing Detroit
Cleveland is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Detroit

7:05 PM
MIAMI vs. PITTSBURGH
Miami is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 19 of Miami's last 25 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 19 of Pittsburgh's last 25 games when playing Miami
Pittsburgh is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games

7:05 PM
ATLANTA vs. WASHINGTON
Atlanta is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 7 games when playing Washington
Washington is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Atlanta

7:10 PM
COLORADO vs. NY METS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
Colorado is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of NY Mets's last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado

8:10 PM
BOSTON vs. HOUSTON
Boston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games on the road
Houston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Houston is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Boston

8:10 PM
MINNESOTA vs. KANSAS CITY
Minnesota is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Minnesota's last 15 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City's last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Kansas City is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games

8:10 PM
NY YANKEES vs. CHI WHITE SOX
NY Yankees are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of NY Yankees's last 9 games on the road
Chi White Sox are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games at home
Chi White Sox are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against NY Yankees

8:15 PM
LA DODGERS vs. ST. LOUIS
LA Dodgers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games
LA Dodgers are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
St. Louis is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games at home

9:40 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. ARIZONA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games
Tampa Bay is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games
Arizona is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Arizona's last 8 games

10:05 PM
TEXAS vs. LA ANGELS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
Texas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 10 of LA Angels's last 14 games when playing Texas
LA Angels are 3-9 SU in their last 12 games

10:15 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Milwaukee is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games on the road
San Francisco is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Francisco's last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, August 7

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The best and worst bets against divisional foes in MLB
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Winning divisional matchups are imperative to climbing the MLB standings at this point in the season. Teams looking to make a postseason push, or just hoping to get on the right track, need to handle their business against familiar foes with the schedule back loaded with divisional games.

Here are some of the best and worst divisional wagers in the major leagues, heading into Tuesday:

Pittsburgh Pirates (67-44 overall, 30-18 vs. NL Central)

A big part of Pittsburgh’s success has been its dominance over divisional rivals. The Bucs recently rolled the St. Louis Cardinals, winning four of five in the series. The Pirates have an upcoming three-game set with St. Louis and round out the schedule with 26 of their final 33 games coming against divisional opponents.

Toronto Blue Jays (52-60 overall, 18-30 vs. AL East)

The AL East is a beast of a division. Toronto was pegged to top the standings this offseason but things haven’t gone according to plan north of the border. The Blue Jays are the tackling dummies of the division and haven’t won a divisional series since sweeping Baltimore in three games at home back in June. Toronto has 12 more divisional games by the end of the month and close 2013 with 15 of its final 16 contests against the AL East.

Detroit Tigers (65-45 overall, 28-16 vs. AL Central)

The Tigers have leaned on their control over the AL Central to keep them at the top of the league standings. Detroit has owned divisional foes this season, recently sweeping the White Sox and defeating the Indians Monday night. The Tigers have a massive five-game home stand versus surging Kansas City in the middle of August and play 18 of their final 28 games inside the AL Central.

Chicago Cubs (49-62 overall, 16-31 vs. NL Central)

Take away the Cubbies’ terrible record versus divisional foes and they’re actually two games above .500. Chicago’s struggles against the NL Central hit rock bottom when it dropped three of four games to the Brewers last week. No one in the National League is missing the Houston Astros more than the Cubs right now. They have an upcoming nine-game stretch versus the Cardinals and Reds and wrap the season with 20 of the final 23 games versus the division.

Texas Rangers (63-50 overall, 31-14 vs. AL West)

Oakland may lead the AL West but even the A’s know which clubs runs the division. Texas is 8-5 against each Oakland and Seattle, 7-2 versus Houston and 8-2 against Los Angeles. The Rangers took two of three over the A’s this past weekend and opened a three-game set with a win over the Halos Monday. Texas plays a four-game series with the Astros later this week and finishes the year with 16 of 26 against the AL West.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

-- There were 16 teams in Atlantic 10 LY; there will be 13 this year and 14 the year after that. And we wonder why kids need calculators.

-- It took Canadian lefty Andrew Albers almost six seasons to make it to the majors, but he blanked the red-hot Royals for 8.1 innings in his MLB debut as the Twins won 7-0 in Kansas City.

-- Tigers won 10 of their last 11 games with Cleveland, which is why they are five games ahead of the Tribe in the AL Central race.

-- Stanford is going to retire John Elway's #7 jersey this fall; its been thirty years since Elway played for the Cardinal. What took them so long?.

-- Johnny Manziel got $7,500 for autographing 300 helmets; thats $25 a pop, if I can divide right at 3am. Hope it was worth it for him.

-- A quick Google search finds the cheapest signed Manziel helmet going for a hefty $800. Manziel should've gotten more than $25 a pop.


*****

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud...........

13) Five of 14 clubs in Phil Mickelson’s bag at the PGA this week will be wedges: a pitching wedge, then 52-56-60-64 degree wedges. Short game is going to be paramount this week at Oak Hill.

12) Green Bay Packers signed 30-year Vince Young as a backup QB this week; seems like an odd time to sign another QB, after the minicamps and all. Will be curious to see him play in exhibition games later this month.

11) If NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes really lost $70M over the last four years, why the hell are they still in Arizona? Wouldn’t Hamilton-Saskatoon-Quebec City or even a second team in Toronto be a better option?

10) Each NFL team is allowed to have 90 players in camp; 53 will make the team, with I think 47 dressing on game days. You can see when some of the better teams cut players, how the lower teams can scoop up their rejects and improve their talent pool.

9) 49ers’ Patrick Willis broke his hand and had surgery already; if he isn’t at 100%, that’s a huge blow to their defense. Super Bowl losers havew generally had a rough time the following season.

8) PG Angel Rodriguez transferred to Miami, either to get closer to home, or to get away from Bruce Weber; either way, he hasn’t applied yet for immediate eligibility, raising question as to whether he will play his senior year this year, when Miami will be rebuilding, or next year, when their talent base will be much stronger.

7) This is how much money NFL teams have: Cleveland Browns spent $65,000 putting a soundproofed broadcast studio in their team HQs, which is used mainly for a 2-hour radio show on the ESPN affiliate in Cleveland.

6) Racecar driver Tony Stewart broke his leg driving in a dirt track race at the world-famous Southern Iowa Speedway; no word on how long he’ll be out of his NASCAR ride. The leg has already been operated on.

5) Mets finally brought up IF Wilmer Flores, who was hitting .321 at AAA Las Vegas but is said to be a man without a position. He’ll play 3B while David Wright’s hamstring recovers. Most of Mets’ prospects seem to be guys who can hit but aren’t strong defensively.

4) Baseball underdogs of $170 or more are 74-131 this season, which doesn’t sound very good, until you realize it works out to a $1,591 profit, based on a $100 wager per play.

3) Former Buccaneers’ LB, the great Derrick Brooks is President of the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena League.

2) Marlins’ young ace Jose Fernandez struck out 27 of the last 58 batters he faced and won his last three starts.

1) Under-reported story of the summer: a major league manager had a stroke in the ballpark before a game and has missed two weeks of action, but since he works in Seattle instead of New York/Boston, mainstream media could care less about Eric Wedge, who is expected to return to the dugout sometime next week. Lot of stress involved with running a ballclub.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday, August 7

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Baltimore - 3:40 PM ET San Diego +111 500 POD # 1
San Diego - Under 7.5 500


Toronto - 3:40 PM ET Seattle -107 500
Seattle - Over 8.5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Evening Pod's:

Atlanta - 7:05 PM ET Atlanta +119 500 POD # 3
Washington - Under 7.5 500

Chi. Cubs - 7:05 PM ET Philadelphia -165 500
Philadelphia - Under 7.5 500 POD # 7

Detroit - 7:05 PM ET Cleveland +104 500 POD # 4
Cleveland - Under 8 500

Miami - 7:05 PM ET Miami +176 500 POD # 1
Pittsburgh - Under 7.5 500

Colorado - 7:10 PM ET NY Mets -160 500
NY Mets - Over 6.5 500

Boston - 8:10 PM ET Houston +156 500 POD # 2
Houston - Under 8.5 500

NY Yankees - 8:10 PM ET NY Yankees -101 500
Chi. White Sox - Over 7.5 500 POD # 8

Minnesota - 8:10 PM ET Kansas City -137 500
Kansas City - Under 8.5 500

LA Dodgers - 8:15 PM ET St. Louis -137 500
St. Louis - Under 7.5 500

Tampa Bay - 9:40 PM ET Tampa Bay -122 500
Arizona - Under 8 500 POD # 6

Texas - 10:05 PM ET Texas -114 500
LA Angels - Over 8 500

Milwaukee - 10:15 PM ET San Francisco -203 500
San Francisco - Under 6.5 500 POD # 5

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Wednesday, August 7

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Wednesday's MLB betting notes and tips
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NATIONAL

Oakland A's at Cincinnati Reds (-118, 7.5)

Pitching stat: A's pitcher Bartolo Colon allowed two or fewer runs in seven straight starts and has posted 15 straight quality starts.

Batting stat: Reds' slugger Joey Votto is batting .458 in the last eight games.

Weather: Temperatures in mid 80s with a 64 percent chance of thunderstorms.

Key betting stat: Athletics are 1-7 in their last eight games with umpire James Hoye behind home plate.

Baltimore Orioles at San Diego Padres (+111, 7.5)

Pitching stat: Padres LHP Eric Stults is at his best at home, where he is 5-2 with a 2.35 ERA.

Batting stat: Orioles' Adam Jones, who is from San Diego, is 8-for-15 in four career games at the Padres.

Weather: Temperatures in the low 70s with clear skies and winds blowing WNW at 10 mph.

Key betting stat: Over is 15-5-1 in Orioles' last 21 vs. National League West.

Miami Marlins at Pittsburgh Pirates (-184, 7.5)

Pitching stat: Pittsburgh RHP Mark Melancon has allowed only one run and 11 hits in his last 22 appearances, totaling 22 innings.

Batting stat: The Pirates are a dominant team at home, tying for the major league lead with 39 wins while belting 45 homers to 24 for their opponents.

Weather: Temperatures in the high 70s with a 34 percent chance of rain and winds blowing south at 5 mph.

Key betting stat: Pirates are 27-11 in their last 38 during Game 2 of a series.

Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals (-133, 7.5)

Pitching stat: Atlanta batters are hitting .200 against Nationals RHP Jordan Zimmermann with 15 strikeouts in 85 at-bats

Batting stat: Nine of the 12 games between the Braves and Nationals this season have been decided by two runs or less.

Weather: Temperatures in the mid 70s with a 30 percent chance of rain and winds blowing south at 6 mph.

Key betting stat: Over is 4-0 in Zimmermann's last four home starts.

Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies (-164, 7.5)

Pitching stat: Phillies LHP Cole Hamels is 3-1 with a 2.37 ERA in six starts against the Cubs, but he hasn't faced them since 2010.

Batting stat: Phillies rookie Darin Ruf has reached base safely in 33 consecutive games dating to last season - every game he has started in the majors.

Weather: Temperatures in the low 70s with a 45 percent chance of thunderstorms and winds blowing south at 6 mph.

Key betting stat: Under is 26-10-2 in umpire Jordan Baker's last 38 games behind home plate.

Colorado Rockies at New York Mets (N/A)

Pitching stat: Rockies RHP Jhoulys Chacin is 4-2 with a 1.78 ERA on the road in eight starts.

Batting stat: Rockies 1B Todd Helton is hitting .348 against the Mets - the third-highest average against New York among players with at least 350 plate appearances (Derek Jeter, .368; Tony Gwynn, .356).

Weather: Temperatures in the mid 70s with a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms and winds blowing south at 7 mph.

Key betting stat: Under is 15-5-1 in Rockies last 21 after scoring two runs or less in their previous game.

Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals (-144, 7.5)

Pitching stat: St. Louis has turned a major league-leading 134 double plays.

Batting stat: Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez is a career .366 hitter (26-for-71) at Busch Stadium.

Weather: Temperatures in the high 70s with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms and winds blow north at 4 mph.

Key betting stat: Dodgers are 8-0 in their last eight games following a loss.

Milwaukee Brewers at San Francisco Giants (-230, 7)

Pitching stat: Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner has pitched at least seven innings while allowing three runs or fewer in nine straight starts - the second-longest streak in the majors since 1996.

Batting stat: The Brewers have won 43 straight games and are 40-0 this season - the only undefeated team in the major leagues - when leading after eight innings.

Weather: Temperatures in the mid 50s with overcast skies and winds blowing WSW at 6 mph.

Key betting stat: Under is 4-0-1 in Bumgarner's last 5 starts vs. Brewers.

Tampa Bay Rays at Arizona Diamondbacks (+115, 8)

Pitching stat: Rays RHP Chris Archer has averaged eight innings per start over his last four outings.

Batting stat: Arizona slugger Cody Ross is 14-for-31 with three home runs in his last eight games.

Weather: Temperatures in the high 90s with clear skies and winds blowing west at 5 mph.

Key betting stat: Under is 6-0 in the last six meetings.


AMERICAN

Toronto Blue Jays at Seattle Mariners (-104, 8.5)

Pitching stat: Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ is back on the mound for the first time in three months.

Batting stat: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie is 5-for-8 in the series and is 14-for-33 during a nine-game hitting streak.

Weather: N/A

Key betting stat: Blue Jays are 15-6 in their last 21 vs. American League West.

Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians (+105, 8)

Pitching stat: Tigers RHP Doug Fister is 5-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 86 1/3 career innings against the Indians.

Batting stat: The Tigers lead the AL with a plus-143 run differential.

Weather: Temperatures in the high 70s with a 61 percent chance of thunderstorms and winds blowing SW at 8 mph.

Key betting stat: Detroit leads the season series 11-3 and has prevailed in seven of their last eight meetings at Progressive Field.

New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox (-108, 7.5)

Pitching stat: Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia has yielded a total of 27 runs - 22 earned - and 37 hits in 19 2/3 frames over his last four outings.

Batting stat: Alex Rodriguez has gone 1-for-6 with a walk and also was hit by a pitch in the series, his first two contests of 2013 following offseason hip surgery.

Weather: Temperatures in the high 70s with a 32 percent chances of thunderstorms and winds blowing NW at 8 mph.

Key betting stat: Yankees are 1-5 in Sabathia's last six starts as a road underdog.

Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros (+153, 8.5)

Pitching stat: Astros RHP Jarred Cosart’s lone issue is control, with 12 walks against 11 strikeouts in 28 total innings.

Batting stat: Boston RF Shane Victorino has recorded multiple hits in six of his last eight games.

Weather: Temperatures in the low 90s with clear skies and winds blowing south at 13 mph.

Key betting stat: Astros are 9-3 in their last 12 Wednesday games.

Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals (-145, 8.5)

Pitching stat: Twins RHP Samuel Deduno has beaten Kansas City twice this season and is 3-0 with a 0.93 ERA in three career starts against the Royals.

Batting stat: Royals 1B Eric Hosmer is 5-for-8 in the series and batting .350 against the Twins in 60 at-bats this season.

Weather: Temperatures in the low 80s with a 51 percent chance of thunderstorms and winds blowing NE at 6 mph.

Key betting stat: Home team is 16-5 in umpire Chris Conroy's last 21 games behind home plate.

Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels (+102, 8)

Pitching stat: Rangers RHP Alexi Ogando is 3-0 with a 1.85 ERA in 21 career games - four starts - against the Angels.

Batting stat: Angels OF Josh Hamilton is hitless in eight at-bats in the series and 14-for-44 in 11 games against his former team this season.

Weather: Temperatures in the high 60s with clear skies and winds blowing SSW at 5 mph.

Key betting stat: Rangers are 26-10 in their last 36 vs. American League West.

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday, August 8

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Colorado - 12:10 PM ET NY Mets -115 500
NY Mets - Under 7.5 500

Miami - 12:35 PM ET Miami +130 500 POD # 1
Pittsburgh - Over 6.5 500

Chi. Cubs - 1:05 PM ET Philadelphia +104 500 POD # 3
Philadelphia - Under 9 500

Milwaukee - 3:45 PM ET Milwaukee +154 500 POD # 2
San Francisco - Under 7 500

Detroit - 7:05 PM ET Detroit -160 500
Cleveland - Over 7.5 500

Boston - 8:10 PM ET Kansas City +109 500 POD # 5
Kansas City - Under 8 500

LA Dodgers - 8:15 PM ET LA Dodgers +100 500 POD # 4
St. Louis - Over 8 500

[StarDust Bum]

Diamond Trends - Thursday

August 8, 2013


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Tigers are 10-0 since September 12, 2012 as a road favorite when they are off a win in which they came back from a deficit for a net profit of $1000.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Marlins are 0-11-2 OU since September 2008 on the road against a non-divsional opponent after a loss where they allowed six or fewer hits and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1100 when playing the under.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Max Scherzer starts the Tigers are 18-0 since June 17, 2012 as a 140+ favorite after a quality start in a game that ended in nine innings for a net profit of $1800.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Marlins are 0-13 since August 19, 2011 on the road after a loss in which they allowed 6 or fewer hits and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1315 when playing against.

-- The Marlins are 0-10 since September 24, 2011 as a road 140+ dog after a loss in which they did not draw a walk for a net profit of $1000 when playing against.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (52-63) at Mets (51-60)
Game: 3
Venue: Citi Field
Date: August 08, 2013 12:10 PM EDT


Matt Harvey continues to give the New York Mets hope for the future.

Dillon Gee's recent success may be adding to it.

Gee looks to continue his home dominance and help the Mets complete their first series sweep of the Colorado Rockies in over five years Thursday.

New York (51-60) hasn't reached the postseason since 2006 and has finished with a losing record in each of the past four years.

While at least the playoff drought is likely to continue, the Mets are feeling much better about their future thanks in large part to Harvey, who is second in the majors with a 2.09 ERA and leads the NL with 178 strikeouts.

The 24-year-old right-hander only added to his resume Wednesday, when he tossed a four-hitter in a 5-0 win over Colorado (52-63) for his first career complete game.

Gee (7-8, 3.97 ERA) gets the ball next as the Mets attempt to complete their first sweep of the Rockies since July 11-13, 2008, at Shea Stadium.

Gee has been superb at Citi Field of late, going 2-0 with a 1.34 ERA in his last five starts. However, some help from his teammates could've made his record much more flattering.

The right-hander has compiled a 1.29 ERA over his last three starts at home, but he doesn't have a decision since the team has backed him with five runs and the bullpen has been shaky.

The relievers let Gee down Friday, when he yielded one run and three hits in seven innings before Eric Young's two-run, walkoff homer salvaged a 4-2 win in 11 over Kansas City.

Both of Gee's career starts against the Rockies have come on the road, and he's split the decisions while posting a 6.17 ERA.

Wilmer Flores is looking to build on his two hits and three RBIs from Wednesday. He was 0 for 4 with an error Tuesday, when he made his major league debut on his 22nd birthday while filling in for the injured David Wright at third base.

"I think I was a little more relaxed," Flores said.

Injuries are piling up for Colorado, which put slugger Carlos Gonzalez on the disabled list Wednesday with a sprained right middle finger.

Tyler Chatwood is expected to join him after being scratched from Thursday's start due to elbow inflammation. The right-hander missed his previously scheduled start Tuesday with tightness in his left hamstring.

"Tyler's been real good for us," manager Walt Weiss said. "When it rains it pours."

While Weiss hasn't announced a starter for this game, Jorge De La Rosa (10-6, 3.31) could be a candidate. The left-hander is slated to start the opener of this weekend's three-game series with Pittsburgh, but he's 4-1 with a 3.81 ERA over his last five appearances - four starts - against the Mets.

De La Rosa has also won both of his starts at Citi Field despite allowing six runs in 13 innings.

Colorado has been outscored 60-22 in going 1-8 on this 10-game road trip.

Troy Tulowitzki is 3 for 29 with one homer and three RBIs over the last nine games and 0 for 12 with four strikeouts in the past three.

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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 Final 0 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Marlins (43-69) at Pirates (69-44)
Game: 3
Venue: PNC Park
Date: August 08, 2013 12:35 PM EDT


Jose Fernandez is making his case for the NL Rookie of the Year award. The Miami Marlins certainly think he's deserving of the honor.

The NL Central-leading Pittsburgh Pirates are getting another look at the 21-year-old phenom.

After breaking his own team record his last time out, Fernandez looks to continue his dazzling stretch with another dominant performance against the Pirates on Thursday.

Fernandez (8-5, 2.54 ERA) only had Class-A experience prior to this season, but he's quickly become the Marlins' ace by leading the team in wins, ERA, strikeouts (138) and innings (127 2-3).

He's also tops among rookies in ERA, strikeouts and opponents' batting average (.190), placing him among the frontrunners to be named rookie of the year. The only potential obstacle could be the innings limit Miami (43-69) is expected to impose on him.

Still, manager Mike Redmond thinks Fernandez deserves to become the fourth Marlin to earn the honor.

"He should be; I'm biased," Redmond told the team's official website. "I've watched this kid over the course of the year. I can't imagine there being a better rookie than him."

Fernandez has performed more like one of the best pitchers in baseball of late. He's 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA and has struck out 39 in 29 innings over his last four starts.

The right-hander, named NL rookie of the month for July, has entered the record books twice during the stretch.

Fernandez set a team rookie record with 14 strikeouts while allowing three hits in eight innings of a 10-0 win over Cleveland on Friday. He surpassed his previous record of 13 set five days earlier against the Pirates (69-44), as he yielded two runs in eight innings of a 3-2 victory.

"I'm just trying to make good pitches," Fernandez said. "I'm not trying to strike out people. I'm not going out there saying, 'I've got to strike out 20.' I'm not thinking about that."

Fernandez will probably be thinking of ending the Marlins' four-game slide, which continued with Wednesday's 4-2 loss in the middle game of this series.

He may not be expecting much help from the lineup, which has scored eight runs during the skid and had seven hits - six singles - Wednesday.

"We've had some good at_bats but we're not stringing them together," Redmond said. "We're piecing together one run here or one run there. Believe me, it's very frustrating. I know our guys are frustrated. You've got to keep plugging along and hopefully have that day where we string a bunch of hits together."

Andrew McCutchen is surely doing that for the Pirates, registering five straight multihit games while driving in six runs and scoring five times. The star center fielder homered for one of his two hits Wednesday as Pittsburgh's home winning streak over Miami reached five games.

McCutchen, 10 for 16 over the past five games overall, popped out as a pinch-hitter in his only at-bat against Fernandez on July 28.

The Pirates are again scheduled to counter Fernandez with their own heralded youngster in Gerrit Cole (5-5, 3.69), the top pick in the 2011 draft.

The 22-year-old right-hander performed admirably opposite Fernandez last month, allowing three runs and four hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings.

He labored through his last outing Friday, throwing a season-high 102 pitches while giving up three runs and three hits with six strikeouts in 5 1-3 innings of a 4-2 loss to Colorado.

Cole has lost five of his last six starts with a 3.68 ERA, and he can't be entirely to blame since he's been backed by one or two runs in each of the defeats.

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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 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

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