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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (69-51) at Cubs (52-68)
Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: August 16, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


Called upon in emergency relief his last time out, Jake Westbrook had one of the worst games his career. He'll have to try to bounce back on the road, where he's also struggled.

But Westbrook and the St. Louis Cardinals at least have the fortune of facing a Chicago Cubs team in the throes of unprecedented offensive struggles at Wrigley Field on Friday.

Westbrook (7-7, 4.11 ERA) has lost three straight appearances, posting an 11.05 ERA while walking 10 over 14 2-3 innings. He matched a career worst by allowing nine runs as well as 13 hits over 4 2-3 innings of relief in a 13-4 loss to the Dodgers last Wednesday. Westbrook was slated to start the following day but was needed out of the bullpen after starter Shelby Miller was hit by a line drive in the game's first at-bat.

It was the right-hander's first relief appearance in more than nine years.

"You want to come in and do what you can and help the team out," said Westbrook, who is 6-3 in 11 starts versus Chicago with a 3.74 ERA, including a 1-1 mark in three games this year. "Three days' rest is sufficient for most people. The bottom line is I didn't do that."

Westbrook owns a 7.71 ERA while dropping his last four road starts and is 2-6 away from home with a 5.14 ERA, his highest since 2006. He gave up three runs over seven innings in a 3-0 loss at Wrigley Field on July 11.

The bullpen could be stretched thin behind Westbrook after St. Louis (69-51) took two of three from Pittsburgh, logging 16 2-3 innings.

Matt Holliday sealed Thursday's 6-5 victory, driving in the go-ahead run with a 12th-inning single and bringing the Cardinals within two games of the Pirates. He also doubled earlier in the game to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and is batting .433 with 14 RBIs over his last 18 contests.

"We did a good job of bouncing back," said Holliday, who is 14 for 34 with three homers versus Chicago this season. "Winning this game could be very important for us."

The Cubs (52-68) have lost four straight and 11 of 12 at home, where their 23 home wins are baseball's second-fewest. They've also been shut out four times in their last five contests at Wrigley Field and recorded a season-low two hits in a 5-0 loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday.

Chicago is hitting .218 with runners in scoring position during its 1-11 home stretch. Anthony Rizzo is 2 for 9 with men in scoring position in those games and 1 for 15 overall in his last four contests.

"A lot of guys are getting opportunities to step up and take advantage of it," said Rizzo, who is 5 for 8 with two doubles off Westbrook this year. "That's something not only myself wants to do, but other guys on this team, especially guys that haven't been here all year."

The Cubs will call up Jake Arrieta (1-2, 6.07 ERA) for his second start with the team since being acquired from Baltimore on July 2. He gave up a solo homer and one other hit over six innings in a 3-2 loss to Milwaukee on July 30.

The Cardinals lost two of three in St. Louis last weekend, though the teams have split six meetings in Chicago this year.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockies (57-65) at Orioles (65-55)
Game: 1
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: August 16, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Baltimore Orioles return home from a painful series in the desert with Jim Johnson's job possibly in jeopardy.

Buck Showalter, however, isn't about to make any wholesale changes and plans to stick with his beleaguered closer.

The Orioles try to put a disappointing stretch behind them Friday night when they open a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies.

Baltimore (65-55) got off to a promising start on an eight-game trip by winning four of five, but things took an ugly turn in Arizona. The Orioles lost all three to the Diamondbacks on the final at-bat, and Johnson blew the save in the last two.

"It was a tough series," starter Chris Tillman said after Wednesday's 5-4, 14-inning loss. "You've got to look forward to the next one at home. I think we'll be all right. With a few adjustments here and there, I think we'll be all right."

Those adjustments won't include a changing of the closer.

Showalter was asked if Johnson, the major league leader with 39 saves, would be removed after blowing his third consecutive save opportunity, but he refused to blame him. Prior to that bad run, Johnson had thrown 10 1-3 straight scoreless innings.

"Am I going to sit Adam Jones because he had a rough day?" Showalter said. "We've got a lot of pieces in the chain that have to work and every club does. And I'll be the first guy to make adjustments if they need to be made, but there's a lot of things that we've got to shore up besides that."

Driving in more men on base would certainly help.

The Orioles went 5 for 21 - including four singles - with runners in scoring position in Arizona after batting .327 in such situations in their previous five.

Jones was in the middle of Baltimore's offensive woes, going 0 for 14 against the Diamondbacks.

Chris Davis had four homers on the road trip and has three in his last six games in Baltimore. He'll be getting his first look at scheduled starter Juan Nicasio (6-6, 5.04 ERA), who has surrendered five homers over his last 14 starts.

Colorado (57-65) is coming off Wednesday's 4-2 win over San Diego to complete a 5-1 homestand on the heels of a 1-9 road trip.

"Coming off that road trip, we need to turn things around quickly, and real proud of the way the guys have played on this homestand and have turned it around," manager Walt Weiss told the Rockies' official website.

Leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler has played a big role in the turnaround, batting .391 with six RBIs and eight runs in the last six, and Corey Dickerson has started to look more comfortable. The rookie has six hits - four doubles and two triples - in 10 at_bats over his last three games after batting .279 with six extra-base hits through his first 30.

Now the Rockies want to stay locked in on the road, where they've dropped five straight and nine of 10.

Fowler is batting .216 away from home - 1 for 17 this month - compared to .313 at Coors Field. Troy Tulowitzki has hit .241 on the road, including 3 for 39 since July 10, and .358 in Denver.

They'll be going up against Wei-Yin Chen (6-5, 3.06), who has received three total runs of support in losing his two August outings. The left-hander had a sixth straight quality start Saturday, when he threw five scoreless innings before a three-run sixth led to his removal in a 3-2 defeat at San Francisco.

Nicasio is 0-2 with a 9.64 ERA in his last three starts after going 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA in his previous three.

Neither starter has faced his opponent.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Royals (62-57) at Tigers (71-49)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: August 16, 2013 7:08 PM EDT


An outstanding stretch by their rotation has the Detroit Tigers on the verge of their longest home winning streak in 64 years.

Considering his history there against the Kansas City Royals, Justin Verlander appears to have a decent chance to extend that run to 11 in a row in the opening game of Friday's doubleheader.

Following its 4-1 victory over in Thursday's series opener, Detroit starters have compiled a 1.02 ERA during the team's run at Comerica Park, yielding nine runs and 46 hits over 70 2-3 innings. The AL Central-leading Tigers (71-49), who moved 6 1-2 games ahead of idle Cleveland and 8 1-2 in front of Kansas City, haven't won 11 straight at home since Aug. 12-29, 1949.

They'll attempt to reach that mark behind Verlander (12-8, 3.57 ERA), who gave up four runs over seven innings before leaving without a decision in a 5-4 loss at Yankee Stadium on Sunday.

"It was a little bit frustrating," said Verlander, whose nine strikeouts were his most since May 27. "A little bit inconsistent."

While the ace right-hander has battled through an uncharacteristically up-and-down season, he's been solid at home against the Royals. Verlander has struck out 68 over 67 2-3 innings while going 6-0 with a 2.93 ERA in 10 career home starts against the Royals, who are batting .217 against him.

He's also 15-3 with a 2.74 ERA in 26 starts overall versus the Royals, though one of those defeats came in his last outing against them. Verlander fanned only three while yielding six runs - five earned - and eight hits over 5 2-3 innings in a 6-5 loss at Kansas City on July 20.

Billy Butler went 1 for 3 in that contest and should be happy about seeing Verlander since he's hitting .424 with two homers in 59 career at_bats against him - the highest average of anyone with at least 22 at_bats against the 2011 AL Cy Young Award winner.

Kansas City has gone 1 for 19 with runners in scoring position during its three-game skid after getting 14 hits in 42 such opportunities in the four games to close out a 17-3 surge.

``We had a good scouting report today,' Kansas City's Alex Gordon said. ``When you're not hitting doubles and home runs, you've got to make something happen.'

The Royals counter Verlander with Danny Duffy (0-0, 4.91), who gave up two runs and six hits over 3 2-3 innings in a 5-2 win over Minnesota in his season debut Aug. 7. The left-hander is 0-3 with a 5.16 ERA in four career starts against the Tigers.

Kansas City will give the ball to right-hander James Shields (7-8, 3.33) in Game 2.

Shields, who held Boston to two earned runs over seven innings in beating Boston 4-3 on Sunday for his third win in four starts, is 4-0 with a 2.23 ERA in his last seven road outings since losing at Houston on May 22. He's also 3-0 with a 2.90 ERA in five career starts in Detroit.

Miguel Cabrera has homered off Shields this season and is 15 for 35 (.429) with two homers lifetime.

Teammate Prince Fielder is 5 for 14 against Shields and homered for the first time since July 24 on Thursday to extend his hitting streak to nine games. Andy Dirks matched a career high with four hits and is 9 for 17 in his last five against the Royals.

Jose Alvarez (1-2, 5.03) is scheduled to make his first start since July 1 for the Tigers in Game 2. The rookie left-hander had allowed nine runs over 8 2-3 innings in his last two starts before getting sent down to Triple-A Toledo.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Tigers
Thu, Aug 15 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Tigers
Fri, Aug 16 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 3
Royals at Tigers
Sat, Aug 17 - 7:08PM EDT

GAME 4
Royals at Tigers
Sun, Aug 18 - 1:08PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Dodgers (70-50) at Phillies (53-67)
Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: August 16, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


It has been decades since there's been a club as hot as the Los Angeles Dodgers.

No team in baseball has been as bad as the Philadelphia Phillies over the last four weeks.

The surging Dodgers look to keep rolling Friday night when they open a three-game road set against the woeful Phillies.

NL West-leading Los Angeles (70-50) has gone a major league-best 40-8 since June 22, the franchise's best 48-game stretch in the modern era and the best in baseball since the 1942 Cardinals went 41-7 from Aug. 11-Oct. 1.

Yasiel Puig has played a huge role in that success, posting a major league-best .368 average with 11 homers, 27 RBIs and 47 runs since getting called up June 3. Adrian Gonzalez, meanwhile, is 8 for 16 with runners in scoring position this month.

"I can't explain what's happening here, but it's fun," manager Don Mattingly told MLB's official website. "Puig's been great, Adrian, too. It's been a team thing. There have been contributions from different guys in all different areas, all over the field, from the bench to the bullpen to the back end of the game to the middle of the game."

Puig and Gonzalez delivered back-to-back doubles in the 12th inning as Los Angeles came back to beat the New York Mets 5-4 on Wednesday. The Dodgers have outscored opponents 51-21 during an eight-game winning streak, their longest since a nine-game run May 9-18, 2010.

"It's on par for what's going on with this team," said Andre Ethier, who hit a pinch-hit game-tying two-run homer in the ninth. "It's not the same hero every night. It's someone different stepping up when they're name is called. It's a nice sign."

Philadelphia (53-67), in contrast, has hit .218 and compiled a 5.12 ERA in going a major league-worst 4-19 since July 20.

The Phillies return home after getting outscored 33-16 during a 1-5 road trip. Starter John Lannan allowed five runs in 1 1-3 innings before leaving with a knee injury in Wednesday's 6-3 loss to Atlanta.

Despite getting a six-hitter from Cole Hamels in Monday's 5-1 win at Turner Field, Philadelphia's starters recorded a 7.04 ERA during the team's trek.

"We're definitely capable," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We get a good-pitched game and we hold them early we can still win some games. As a matter of fact, we should win some games. If our starting pitching gets going right, I think we're very capable of winning some games."

Scheduled starter Cliff Lee (10-5, 3.18 ERA) has recently had a rough go, posting an 0-3 record and a 5.63 ERA in his last four starts. The left-hander surrendered three runs in six innings but didn't receive a decision in Saturday's 8-5 loss at Washington.

Lee, 2-1 with a 1.40 ERA in six career starts versus Los Angeles, will be opposed by fellow Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke (10-3, 3.21). The right-hander has looked every bit like one of the best pitchers in the game over his last 10 starts, going 7-1 with a 2.49 ERA.

"Everyone is playing good, I'm just feeding off the energy," he said. "For the most part, I'm executing pitches and all of them are a lot sharper."

Greinke had everything working again Saturday, scattering six hits over 6 1-3 innings in a 5-0 victory over Tampa Bay.

"Zack is one of the best pitchers in the league, and he showed why," Gonzalez said.

Greinke allowed four runs and a season-high 12 hits in seven innings in a 6-4 win over the Phillies on June 27.

The Dodgers have taken eight of 11 from the Phillies, including four straight at Citizens Bank Park.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (62-57) at Pirates (71-49)
Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: August 16, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The struggling Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping a return home can improve their fortunes. They're also hoping that some extra rest will give a boost to rookie Gerrit Cole.

Cole will make his first start in eight days Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks looking to help the Pirates match their longest home win streak of the season.

Pittsburgh (71-49) earned just one win on its six-game trek, 5-1 against St. Louis on Wednesday, and closed out that trip with a 6-5 defeat in 12 innings the next day. The loss cut the Pirates' NL Central lead over the Cardinals to two games but they're looking to add to that advantage during a brief stay at home.

Pittsburgh has won five straight - and 12 of 15 - at PNC Park and should have a refreshed Cole on the mound for the series opener against Arizona (62-57). The Pirates used Monday's off day to give their right-hander a break and try to limit his innings.

"We prefer ... (for Cole not) to leave the game after five innings, but pick our spots," manager Clint Hurdle told the team's website. "The way we mapped it out for him, he'll make three starts through the end of the month instead of four. We knocked an entire start out, knocked another 100 pitches off the plate. We'll look to trim in other places as well."

Cole (5-5, 3.95 ERA) gave up a career-high four runs over five innings in his most recent start Aug. 8 against Miami, but he avoided a third straight loss when his teammates rallied to force extra innings in a 5-4 win. He has lost five of his last six decisions after winning each of his first four starts.

Cole will make his first start against an Arizona team that used three late comebacks for a home sweep of Baltimore earlier this week. The Diamondbacks, however, couldn't make a dent in their 7 1/2-game deficit to the red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

Aaron Hill had the winning and tying singles in a 5-4 victory in 14 innings Wednesday, his sixth multihit performance in the last seven games. Arizona trailed after the sixth inning in all three matchups with the Orioles and rallied from a three-run deficit in the series finale.

"These three games are bringing the confidence a little bit up," infielder Martin Prado told the team's website. "We were a little bit down, but actually we're starting to believe we can do this, keep battling until the end."

Brandon McCarthy (2-6, 4.73) will seek to snap a three-game skid with a better performance against Pittsburgh. The right-hander has allowed two runs in each of his two outings since returning from inflammation in his pitching shoulder but he's received a combined one run of support.

He lasted seven innings in a 4-1 loss to the New York Mets on Saturday.

McCarthy was tagged for six runs and a season-high 10 hits over 6 2-3 innings in his only start against the Pirates, a 6-5 loss April 9. Pittsburgh will try to get to him again while recording its first six-game home win streak since May 19-30.

Garrett Jones went 3 for 4 against McCarthy in April, and Starling Marte and Neil Walker each had two-run hits. Walker had a nine-game hit streak snapped Thursday.

Marte was 6 for 13 (.462) with two doubles and a triple as Pittsburgh won two of three in Arizona from April 8-10.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Yankees (62-58) at Red Sox (72-51)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: August 16, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Coming home to face the New York Yankees should provide the Boston Red Sox with plenty of motivation to bounce back from a rough road trip.

Looking to avoid matching a season-high third straight defeat, the Red Sox try to continue their season success against the archrival Yankees on Friday night.

Boston (72-51) has a two-game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East, but went 4-6 at Houston, Kansas City and Toronto. It totaled 23 runs and three homers while losing five of the last seven to the Royals and the Blue Jays, capped by Thursday's 2-1 defeat at Toronto.

"We've got to go home and regroup," said manager John Farrell, whose team went 6 for 34 with runners in scoring position and stranded 33 runners in three games with Toronto.

The Red Sox have hit .303 while outscoring New York (62-58) 46-29 to win six of nine in 2013.

Fourth in the East, the Yankees are 8 1/2 back of Boston and six games out of the final wild-card spot. Their five-game winning streak was snapped Thursday with an 8-4 loss to Los Angeles.

"It's playoff baseball for us right now," manager Joe Girardi told the Yankees' official website. "I think the guys enjoy the challenge, I really do. They understand what we have to do.

"We have to win a lot of games, we have to win series and we have to play extremely well."

Yankees starter Andy Pettitte (7-9, 4.62 ERA) is 0-3 with a 5.47 ERA in his last five starts. That stretch began at Boston on July 19, when he allowed three of his four runs on two homers in 6 1-3 innings of a 4-2 loss. He'd given up a run in eight innings of a 4-2 home victory over the Red Sox on April 4.

The left-hander allowed eight hits and walked three over 4 1-3 innings but yielded only one run while throwing 101 pitches during Sunday's 5-4 victory over Detroit.

For an eighth consecutive start, Pettitte gave up a first-inning run. He's yielded 15 in the first during that span for a 16.88 ERA. This season, he has a 8.57 ERA in the first inning, surrendering 20 earned runs in 21 innings, and opponents are hitting .406 (39 for 96) in that frame.

Boston slugger David Ortiz is a lifetime .359 hitter - including the postseason - versus Pettitte, but has only one homer in those 64 at_bats. He's batted .364 against the Yankees this season but is 3 for 20 in his last five overall.

Teammate Jacoby Ellsbury went 2 for 20 in the final four games of the trip but has hit .370 (10 for 27) against Pettitte.

Boston starter Felix Doubront (8-5, 3.66) is 3-1 with a 2.17 ERA in five career starts against the Yankees, including 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA in 2013.

The left-hander yielded five hits and threw 95 pitches over seven innings of a 4-0 win over Arizona on Aug. 4, but gave up three runs, six hits and walked four while throwing 98 in four frames of a 5-3 victory at Kansas City on Saturday.

Doubront will try to cool off Alfonso Soriano, who had four hits Thursday and is 10 for 14 with four homers and 14 RBIs in the last three games.

"I feel good at home plate," Soriano said. "I hope I continue hitting like this and help the team to win."

Alex Rodriguez, likely to be booed often this weekend, is 7 for 21 in his last five contests. However, he's 5 for 25 with eight strikeouts in his last six at Fenway.

New York signed veteran slugger Mark Reynolds, who was released last week after he hit .215 with 15 homers, 48 RBIs and struck out 123 times in 99 games for Cleveland.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Giants (53-67) at Marlins (46-73)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: August 16, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


The San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins can partially attribute their disappointing seasons to struggling offenses that have scored fewer runs than any other in the NL.

Chad Gaudin and especially Miami starter Nathan Eovaldi are plenty familiar with their team's scoring woes.

Eovaldi hasn't received any run support in his last five starts, and he'll oppose Gaudin as the last-place clubs begin a three-game series Friday night in Florida.

Defending World Series champion San Francisco (53-67) ranks second-to-last in the NL in runs scored, ahead of only the major league-worst Marlins (46-73). Though Miami has managed to win two of Eovaldi's last five starts, it hasn't been able to push across any runs with him on the hill.

Eovaldi (2-2, 2.82 ERA), who is 0-1 with a 1.04 ERA in his last four outings, hasn't received any run support in 34 innings since the Marlins scored twice in the second when he tossed six frames of an 8-3 win over Washington on July 12.

The right-hander gave up one hit and struck out a career high-tying eight in seven innings before the Marlins scored in the ninth for a 1-0 win at Atlanta on Saturday.

"There is always a guy like that, who the team just doesn't score runs for," manager Mike Redmond said. "In 13 years that I played, you don't have an answer. All you can say is, 'Hang in there,' and hopefully it turns around for him."

Eovaldi gave up two runs and struck out seven in six innings of a 7-2 victory over the Giants on June 23 as Miami took three of four from San Francisco, which has provided Gaudin with two or fewer runs of support in four of his last five starts.

Gaudin (5-2, 2.42), though, is 3-1 with a 1.99 ERA over his last eight outings, beginning when he gave up two hits in 4 1-3 scoreless innings of San Francisco's 2-1 loss to Miami on June 20. He's allowed fewer than two earned runs seven times in that stretch, yielding one unearned run in five innings of the Giants' 3-2 win over Baltimore on Saturday.

The right-hander has made 11 straight starts after 117 consecutive relief appearances dating back to 2009.

"In the long run, you just have to base your emphasis on getting outs as quickly as possible and keeping it simple," Gaudin, who went 4-2 with a 4.54 ERA in 46 relief appearances for the Marlins last season, told the Giants' official website.

The Giants saved most of their runs for late Thursday, as pinch-hitter Hector Sanchez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth for a 4-3 victory at Washington that ended a three-game skid.

``The boys needed this,' manager Bruce Bochy said. "Save a little sanity here.'

Miami had lost eight of its previous nine before taking the final two of their series with Kansas City, including Wednesday's 5-2 win. Justin Ruggiano, who homered twice when Eovaldi beat the Giants in June, snapped a franchise-worst 0-for-42 slump by going 3 for 4.

``It became a mental issue. I wouldn't wish that on anybody in the world,' Ruggiano said. ``I'm just glad it's over with. Now I can get back to doing what I do.'

The Marlins have won eight of the last 11 meetings with the Giants.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jays (56-65) at Rays (68-51)
Game: 1
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: August 16, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Manager Joe Maddon figured bringing a reptile into his team's clubhouse would spark the struggling Tampa Bay Rays in their pursuit to regain the AL East lead.

What he'll do to try and prevent Toronto Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey from another stellar performance at Tropicana Field remains to be seen.

Tampa Bay looks to beat visiting Toronto for the fourth straight time as the clubs begin a three-game set Friday night.

Maddon, whose club had lost six straight prior to beating Seattle 5-4 on Wednesday, presented his team with a 20-foot python prior to Thursday's series finale, with most players avoiding touching the snake.

"In doing our research, my personal research, 2013 happens to be the year of the snake on the Chinese calendar,' Maddon said. "We needed a little bit of motivation within the clubhouse. And then furthermore, you find out that it's representative of risk taking and creative thinking. I thought it fit in perfectly with what we're trying to do around here.'

The Rays (68-51) went out and earned a 7-1 victory over the Mariners behind a two-run homer from Evan Longoria and four RBIs from rookie Wil Myers. They pulled within two games of the East lead as Toronto beat first-place Boston 2-1 earlier in the night.

Maddon may need to pull some more unusual tactics with Dickey (9-11, 4.46 ERA) pitching on the road, especially at Tropicana Field.

The last time knuckleballer pitched in St. Petersburg, he tossed a two-hitter and beat the Rays 3-0 on June 26. He's 2-1 with a 2.15 ERA in four career starts at Tampa Bay, including a one-hitter with only one unearned run allowed in the ninth inning of a 9-1 victory while pitching for the New York Mets on June 13, 2012.

Dickey is 5-5 with a 3.08 ERA on the road compared to a 5.79 ERA in Toronto. He has a 3.86 ERA during a 10-start streak overall of pitching at least six innings after allowing three runs in seven frames before the Blue Jays (56-65) fell 6-4 to Oakland on Sunday.

"That's what I always (try) to do," said Dickey, 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in his last three outings. "Every time out, I try to throw a quality start."

Mark Buehrle did just that in Thursday's victory as Toronto took two of three from the Red Sox. Pinch-hitter Mark DeRosa's sacrifice fly in the seventh broke a 1-all tie.

The Blue Jays have scored two runs or fewer in three of their last four, but they'll look to bust out against Tampa starter Jeremy Hellickson, who is trying to end a dismal stretch.

Hellickson (10-6, 4.93) has lost three straight starts while posting a 9.75 ERA after giving up four runs and seven hits in three innings of Sunday's 8-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's pitched fewer than five innings in each outing during his skid after going 6-0 with a 2.09 ERA over his previous seven starts.

``I'm not pitching well,' Hellickson said. "The last two weeks have been very frustrating, but I'll be OK.'

The right-hander has been solid against the Blue Jays this season, though, going 2-0 with a 2.52 ERA in four starts. He won the last two, giving up one hit in seven innings of a 4-1 victory June 24 before allowing two runs in five frames of a 4-3 win July 20.

Hellickson is 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA in four career home starts versus Toronto, but Jose Bautista is 8 for 21 (.391) with three homers lifetime against him.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (59-61) at Braves (74-47)
Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: August 16, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


With the Atlanta Braves owning a comfortable lead in the NL East, perhaps the only intrigue surrounding this weekend's series with Washington is what type of controversy Nationals star Bryce Harper might find himself in the middle of with their division rival.

The Braves look to pad that lead with a sixth straight victory over Harper and the Nationals on Friday night at Turner Field.

A winner in 17 of 19, Atlanta (74-47) holds a whopping 14 1/2-game lead over Washington. The Braves' current surge included a three-game road sweep of the Nationals (59-61) last week.

Washington is 3-10 against the Braves in 2013, and batting .178 while totaling 10 runs during a five-game series skid. Harper is 5 for 33 with two homers and three RBIs during the season series, and even drawn the ire of the Atlanta organization.

After Harper homered early in Washington's 2-1 loss Aug. 6, he was hit by Julio Teheran the next time up. Harper took exception, the benches cleared but no punches were thrown,

However, "Clown move bro' was posted to the Braves' official Twitter account shortly after. The Nationals then went to their own team account with, "Which part, giving up the home run, or drilling the 20-year-old on the first pitch his next time up?'

Braves general manager Frank Wren said later that a tweet directed at Harper was "an inappropriate attempt at humor."

There were no incidents during Atlanta's 6-3 win a night later, but Washington manager Davey Johnson said the beaning of Harper was something to file away "for future reference."

Harper's struggles have not been limited to the Braves as he's gone 6 for 40 in his last 11 games overall.

Whether anything happens this weekend remains to be seen as the Nationals try to cool off Atlanta and bounce back after Rafael Soriano allowed a two-out, three-run homer in the ninth inning of Thursday's 4-3 loss to San Francisco.

The defeat snapped a five-game winning streak for Washington, which got a two-run double from Ian Desmond.

"A lot more positives than negatives,' Desmond said of Washington's recent play. "But right now, I think we're just kind of resting on the negative. Shake that off and we'll be ready to go (Friday in Atlanta).'

Desmond is 11 for 24 with three RBIs in the last six games, and batting .333 while hitting safely in nine straight at Turner Field.

Washington will get its first look at Atlanta rookie Alex Wood (2-2, 2.78 ERA), who is 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA in four starts since joining the rotation July 25. He allowed two hits and struck out seven in six innings of a 1-0 loss to Miami on Saturday that snapped the club's 14-game winning streak.

"I feel like I'm really starting to hit my stride," the left-hander told the Braves' official website. "I feel really good."

He'll be opposed by fellow rookie Taylor Jordan (1-3, 4.14), who has never faced the Braves.

The right-hander has yielded four runs in each of his last two outings, the latest along with seven hits over five innings while not factoring in the decision of an 8-5 win over Philadelphia.

Jordan will try to contain Atlanta's Chris Johnson, who leads the NL with a .337 batting average. However, he's 5 for 32 with 11 strikeouts in his last eight games versus Washington.

Teammate Jason Heyward is batting .179 in eight against the Nationals this season, but .467 (14 for 30) in his last seven overall.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mariners (55-65) at Rangers (70-51)
Game: 1
Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Date: August 16, 2013 8:05 PM EDT


Following his team's dreadful stretch at the plate in July, Adrian Beltre has been on a tear that's helped the Texas Rangers return to the top of the AL West.

If Beltre can match his performance from the last time he faced Hisashi Iwakuma, the Rangers certainly stand a better chance of continuing their run Friday night against the visiting Seattle Mariners.

After averaging 2.4 runs and batting .232 while dropping 12 of 15 from July 10-28, Texas has turned things around by scoring 5.8 per game and hitting .285 during a 14-2 stretch.

"We never feel like we're out of the game - we play all nine innings,' said Ian Kinsler, whose two-run single in the seventh inning was the difference in Wednesday's 5-4 win over Milwaukee.

The Rangers (70-51) trailed Oakland by six games in the division as recently as July 29, but the hot stretch has moved them 1 1/2 ahead of the Athletics.

Beltre has played a key role in the resurgence, batting .426 with 15 RBIs during that 16-game span. He's also hitting .423 with two homers in his last six games against the Mariners (55-65), who have dropped 12 of 18 following Thursday's 7-1 defeat at Tampa Bay.

Iwakuma (10-6, 3.02 ERA) will try to provide a lift for a Seattle rotation that has a 5.26 ERA in those 18 contests. He surrendered a pair of home runs to Beltre in a 5-4 loss in Arlington on July 4, and the third baseman is 6 for 17 lifetime in this matchup.

After going 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA over his previous five starts, the right-hander hopes to regroup following one of his worst outings. He matched a season high by allowing six runs - all in the seventh inning - and a season-worst nine hits over 6 2-3 innings in a 10-0 loss to Milwaukee on Saturday.

Iwakuma has yielded three runs and eight hits over 14 2-3 innings against the Rangers in two home starts - both Seattle victories - but he gave up four runs over six-plus innings in the July loss at Texas.

The Rangers counter with Derek Holland (9-6, 3.07), who is 4-2 with a 2.53 ERA in his last nine starts. He allowed three runs and six hits over six innings before leaving without a decision in Saturday's 5-4 win at Houston.

Although Holland is 7-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 13 road starts, he's 2-5 with a 3.48 ERA in 11 at home.

The left-hander has pitched well against the Mariners, going 7-2 with a 3.34 ERA in 11 starts. He's limited them to two earned runs with 20 strikeouts over 12 2-3 innings in two meetings this season.

Michael Saunders (0 for 11) and Dustin Ackley (3 for 19) haven't been able to figure out Holland, but Kyle Seager is batting .353 with a home run in 17 career at_bats.

Seager is hitting .418 (23 for 55) versus the Rangers this season, while Ackley has gone 5 for 40 (.125).

Seattle has dropped eight of 13 against Texas this year, including four of six in Arlington.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (69-52) at Brewers (52-69)
Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: August 16, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Cincinnati Reds hold the final wild-card spot in the NL, but a Central Division title remains a strong possibility if they continue to play the way they have of late.

Trying to match a season high with their sixth consecutive victory, the visiting Reds look to continue their surge by handing the Milwaukee Brewers a third straight defeat Friday night.

While Pittsburgh and St. Louis have struggled of late, Cincinnati (69-52) has won five straight and eight of nine to move within one-half game of the second-place Cardinals and 2 1/2 behind the division-leading Pirates.

"The Pirates lost (6-5 in 12 innings at St. Louis on Thursday), so we picked up another game on them, it was really big,' winning pitcher Tony Cingrani said after Thursday's 2-1 victory at Milwaukee.

Cingrani pitched 6 1-3 strong innings and Joey Votto hit a go-ahead solo homer in the sixth to help the Reds prevail.

Cincinnati won six in a row May 10-16.

Reds pitchers have a 1.55 ERA the last nine games, and the starters have yielded five of their six earned runs on four homers over 34 2-3 innings during the five-game winning streak.

Scheduled Cincinnati starter Mike Leake (10-5, 2.86) is 0-1 in his last three starts but has allowed two and no runs during a pair of seven-inning outings during the stretch. He gave up one earned in seven innings of a 3-2, 13-inning victory over San Diego on Sunday.

The right-hander surrendered two runs, four hits and walked four in 8 1-3 innings of a 6-2 win at Milwaukee on July 10.

He won't have to face Milwaukee (52-69) All-Star outfielder Carlos Gomez, who sprained his right knee while making a leaping catch at the center field wall in the fourth inning Thursday. Gomez is expected to undergo an MRI on Friday.

"When I start walking around, it starts to feel better but when I try to run, my knee doesn't let me,' said Gomez, who is 8 for 50 with 17 strikeouts in his last 16 games.

Losers in six of eight at Miller Park, the Brewers hope Tom Gorzelanny (3-4, 2.51) can build on his last outing when he allowed three hits and fanned seven in seven innings of a 10-0 rout of Seattle on Saturday.

The veteran left-hander is 2-3, but with a 2.61 ERA while making six straight starts.

"I'm not calling it a renaissance. I'm just trying to do my best out there and have a good effort each time,' said Gorzelanny, who bounced back after he left in the first inning from taking a liner to the elbow in his previous start versus Washington on Aug. 2. "I'm not really thinking about what could happen or how things will shake out.'

He's 0-3 with a 4.44 ERA in his last four starts against the Reds, but has not faced them since 2010.

Votto, who is 3 for 20 with seven strikeouts versus Gorzelanny, is batting .356 with three homers and 10 RBIs in his last 12 at Miller Park.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Brewers
Thu, Aug 15 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Reds at Brewers
Fri, Aug 16 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Brewers
Sat, Aug 17 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Reds at Brewers
Sun, Aug 18 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: White Sox (46-74) at Twins (54-65)
Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: August 16, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


Thanks in part to a power surge at the plate, the Minnesota Twins are enjoying a successful run against the Chicago White Sox.

Their offense certainly hasn't been lacking when they've faced Jose Quintana.

The Twins look for their eighth win in nine games versus the White Sox on Friday night while handing Chicago its 11th straight road loss overall.

Minnesota (54-65) has won nine of 14 following a dramatic 4-3 victory over the White Sox (46-74) in Thursday's opener. Chris Herrmann provided a pinch-hit, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth for the Twins' 10th win in 13 games in this season series.

"Fortunately for us, Herrmann bangs one through and there you have it," manager Ron Gardenhire told the league's official website. "It was a nice win after a really, really tough loss. Some good things happened out there."

Trevor Plouffe went 2 for 4 with a home run, giving Minnesota 20 over a nine-game homer streak versus the White Sox. The Twins have also averaged 5.6 runs and batted .286 while winning seven of eight against them.

Oswaldo Arcia is hitting .370 with four home runs in his last six games, and Justin Morneau is batting .327 with four homers and 17 RBIs in his last 11 versus Chicago.

Now the Twins will attempt to continue their success against Quintana (6-4, 3.70 ERA) and extend Chicago's longest road skid since an 11-game drought Aug. 14-Sept. 1, 2007.

They dealt the left-hander one of his worst starts Sunday, reaching him for a season high-tying five runs as well as six hits - including two homers - in five innings of a 5-2 victory. Quintana had gone 3-1 with a 2.58 ERA over his previous seven outings.

Quintana hasn't fared well in any of four career starts against Minnesota, going 0-2 with a 9.15 ERA while allowing 29 hits in 19 2-3 innings.

Joe Mauer, who hit one of those two homers Sunday, is 4 for 9 lifetime in this matchup, while Josh Willingham is 5 for 9 with two homers.

The Twins could be getting more help with the return of Ryan Doumit, who has missed eight games while on the concussion disabled list. He's 7 for 12 with three doubles in his last three games against the White Sox.

Minnesota starter Kevin Correia (8-8, 4.59) faces a Chicago team that has averaged 2.2 runs while hitting just four home runs during its road slide. The right-hander hopes to match his Sunday start against the White Sox, when he beat Quintana by scattering five hits over seven shutout innings for his first victory since July 20.

While he's 3-7 with a 6.10 ERA in 12 road starts, Correia has been much more effective with a 5-1 record and 3.28 ERA in 11 outings at Target Field. He'll take the mound there looking to improve on his 2-1 record and 2.61 ERA in three starts against the White Sox.

Correia has held sluggers Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko to a combined 1 for 15 this season, though Dayan Viciedo is 3 for 5 with a home run. Viciedo, however, could miss his seventh straight game with a thumb injury.

Teammate Gordon Beckham, hitting .366 over his last 11 contests, could also be out after leaving Thursday's game with a strained right quadriceps.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
White Sox at Twins
Thu, Aug 15 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
White Sox at Twins
Fri, Aug 16 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
White Sox at Twins
Sat, Aug 17 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
White Sox at Twins
Sun, Aug 18 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Astros (39-81) at Angels (54-66)
Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: August 16, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


Many expected the Astros to finish their first season in their new league at the bottom of the AL West. Few foresaw the Angels finishing only one spot ahead of them.

However, that's where the teams currently reside in the standings as they open a three-game series in Los Angeles on Friday night.

The Astros are a major league-worst 39-81, though it hasn't entirely come as a surprise with a young roster geared toward the future. The Angels (54-66), on the other hand, have little excuse for being 15 1/2 games behind front-running Texas despite one of baseball's highest payrolls.

Los Angeles has struggled especially against its own division with am 18-33 mark - the fourth-most intradivisional losses in the majors behind Houston and both Chicago clubs.

The Angels avoided a four-game road sweep at the hands of the New York Yankees on Thursday largely due to the unlikely performance of Chris Nelson in an 8-4 victory. The former Yankee had gone 11 games without an extra-base hit before connecting for his first two homers of the year, including a grand slam.

"It's good to see his bat come alive," manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's got some pop and he hasn't really shown it this year in the 100 or so at_bats he's had, but you saw it today and hopefully it's a sign of more to come."

Houston lost 5-0 at Oakland on Thursday but wasn't entirely discouraged after taking the first two games of the series. However, the Astros managed only five hits in being shut out for the 12th time this season.

They'll try to extend a 10-start winless stretch for Los Angeles starter Jerome Williams (5-8, 4.85 ERA), who is 0-6 with a 7.35 ERA in that span.

Williams, who has allowed at least four runs in seven of eight outings, appeared headed for his first win since June 12 until the Angels' bullpen buckled in a 6-5 loss at Cleveland on Sunday.

He had allowed one hit through 5 2-3 innings before surrendering four runs, though he still exited with the lead.

"With two outs in the sixth, Jerome just got fuzzy," Scioscia said. "Up until that point, he was in total command. He showed so many good things out there today, even with the way things ended, I thought he pitched a strong game."

The right-hander has experienced some tough luck versus Houston, going 0-1 in two starts this season despite a 2.03 ERA. Astros batters hit just .186 against him in those games.

Houston starter Brad Peacock (1-4, 6.43) also saw a lead evaporate after exiting his most recent start. He was in line for a win before one of the Astros' AL-leading 22 blown saves in a 5-4 home loss to Texas on Saturday.

Peacock gave up a two-run homer to Hank Conger in 1 1-3 innings of relief in a 5-4 win at Los Angeles on June 2.

The 5.27 ERA by Houston's relievers is the worst in baseball, while the Angels also rank near the bottom with a 4.42 mark.

J.D. Martinez is 3 for 6 off Williams.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Indians (65-56) at Athletics (68-52)
Game: 1
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: August 16, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


Neither the Cleveland Indians nor the Oakland Athletics have played overly well of late, but both remain entrenched in the AL wild-card chase.

This weekend's series between the clubs could go a long way in determining their postseason fate.

The Athletics look to avenge a four-game sweep at the hands of Cleveland earlier this year as they host the Indians on Friday night.

Oakland (68-52) is currently in the driver's seat for a wild-card berth, battling Tampa Bay for the top spot and 3 1/2 games ahead of Cleveland (65-56), though the Athletics have lost nine of 14 and the Indians are 3-7 in their last 10 with victories over the sub-.500 Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota.

Cleveland, however, did win its second straight road series with a 9-8 victory over the Twins in 12 innings on Wednesday. Michael Brantley drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly after Chris Perez blew a save opportunity in the 10th inning.

"We just need to keep trying to win series," said Mike Aviles, who was 2 for 6 with two RBIs. "I think the biggest thing is going game-by-game and hopefully the series will start piling up."

The Indians will likely need a much better showing from Justin Masterson (13-8, 3.59 ERA). The right-hander has surrendered nine earned runs over 11 1-3 innings in his last two starts after allowing four in his previous four outings.

He lasted only 4 1-3 innings Sunday against the Angels and would have been on the hook for a second straight loss if not for Cleveland's late offensive outburst.

It was the sinkerballer's shortest start since Aug. 30 against Oakland when he gave up eight runs and eight hits over four innings of a 12-7 home loss.

"It wasn't going the way we'd like it to," Masterson told the team's official website. "But the boys came back and you saw some offensive power, and I think that's a great thing to see by this team."

The Athletics had regularly been a nuisance for Masterson until a 4-3 win over Oakland on May 8, allowing three runs and four hits over seven innings. It was his first win versus the Athletics since 2010 after losing his previous three starts against them, though he still owns a 7.42 ERA in 11 career appearances.

The Athletics will call on A.J. Griffin (10-8, 3.88), who was on the losing end of that May 8 contest, yielding four runs over 6 2-3 innings. The three earned runs came on two homers, including one by Nick Swisher, who is 3 for 7 off Griffin with another home run.

Griffin has yielded a major league-worst 28 home runs but kept Toronto inside the park while allowing three runs - two earned - over 5 2-3 innings before leaving without a decision in Oakland's 6-4 road win Sunday, though he did walk a career-high six. He had given up 10 homers in his previous four starts.

Oakland had lost six of seven at home prior to a 5-0 win over Houston on Thursday as Sonnie Gray earned his first win and fellow rookie Nate Freiman drove in four runs on four hits.

Alberto Callaspo was hitless Thursday but is 8 for 20 over his last eight games with five doubles. He's just 4 for 19 off Masterson.

Oakland had won eight straight in the series prior to Cleveland's four-game sweep earlier this year.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mets (55-64) at Padres (54-67)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: August 16, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


The San Diego Padres were counting on a change of scenery benefiting Ian Kennedy when they acquired him at the trade deadline, and he has yet to disappoint.

His history against the New York Mets suggests that run could continue.

Kennedy looks to remain unbeaten against the Mets as he takes the mound Friday night at Petco Park.

Padres general manager Josh Byrnes held the same title in Arizona when he acquired Kennedy from the New York Yankees in December 2009. The right-hander went 21-4 in 2011 and was a 15-game winner in 2012 before struggling this season.

Byrnes, though, again traded for Kennedy (4-8, 4.97 ERA) this year hoping he could overcome his issues.

Kennedy continued his solid stretch Sunday, giving up two runs and three hits in eight innings before San Diego beat Cincinnati 3-2 in 13 innings. He's 1-2 with a 3.34 ERA over his last five starts.

The right-hander has had a tough season overall, but he's been good in two starts for the Padres (54-67) since the trade.

"He was excellent (Sunday)," pitching coach Darren Balsley told the team's official website. "It's not fixing things or changing them, but it's more getting them back to normal."

Kennedy is used to beating the Mets, as he's 4-0 with a 3.45 ERA in five career starts against them. His winning streak versus New York was snapped despite a solid performance July 4, when he allowed two runs and struck out eight in seven innings of the Diamondbacks' 5-4, 15-inning win.

Ike Davis is 3 for 7 lifetime off Kennedy with each hit a solo homer, though he went hitless Thursday as the Mets (55-64) beat the Padres 4-1.

Marlon Byrd hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth and John Buck added a solo homer in the ninth for New York, which was coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Mets will look to take the second of this four-game set as Jonathon Niese takes the mound Friday.

Niese (4-6, 4.45) returned from a partially torn left rotator cuff Sunday and allowed four runs in six innings of a 9-5 victory over Arizona. It was his first start since suffering the injury June 20 against Atlanta.

``It feels like good,' Niese said. ``There's nothing like pitching in the big leagues. It's good to get back out there with all the guys.'

The left-hander is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA over his last seven starts, and manager Terry Collins was pleased with Niese's performance in his return.

"You know it's been awhile since he's been out there," Collins said. "I was very happy with the way he threw.'

Niese has been solid against the Padres ever since allowing a leadoff single and retiring the next 27 batters in a 3-0 win June 10, 2010. He's 2-2 with a 2.15 ERA in four career outings against San Diego after allowing two runs in 6 2-3 innings of an 11-2 win opening day April 1.

The Padres have dropped seven of nine, getting outscored 52-23 in that stretch. Will Venable extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 with a single in the fifth, and Jeff Decker drove in the only run Thursday with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

San Diego has scored two runs or fewer seven times while dropping seven of the last 10 meetings with the Mets.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mets at Padres
Thu, Aug 15 Final 4 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mets at Padres
Fri, Aug 16 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Mets at Padres
Sat, Aug 17 - 8:40PM EDT

GAME 4
Mets at Padres
Sun, Aug 18 - 4:10PM EDT