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

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Friday, August 23

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Trend Report
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7:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. BALTIMORE
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oakland's last 9 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Oakland is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Baltimore is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
Baltimore is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oakland

7:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CLEVELAND
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Cleveland's last 19 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Cleveland is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games at home

7:05 PM
ARIZONA vs. PHILADELPHIA
Arizona is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Arizona's last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Philadelphia is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Arizona

7:10 PM
NY YANKEES vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games
NY Yankees are 5-14 SU in their last 19 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Tampa Bay's last 17 games at home
Tampa Bay is 14-5 SU in their last 19 games when playing at home against NY Yankees

7:10 PM
COLORADO vs. MIAMI
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Colorado is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Miami is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing at home against Colorado

7:10 PM
DETROIT vs. NY METS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games when playing on the road against NY Mets
Detroit is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games at home
NY Mets are 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:10 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CINCINNATI
Milwaukee is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Cincinnati's last 11 games when playing Milwaukee
Cincinnati is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

8:10 PM
TEXAS vs. CHI WHITE SOX
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Texas's last 9 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
Texas is 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi White Sox's last 7 games
Chi White Sox are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games

8:10 PM
WASHINGTON vs. KANSAS CITY
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games
Washington is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
Kansas City is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington

8:10 PM
TORONTO vs. HOUSTON
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games

8:15 PM
ATLANTA vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Atlanta's last 17 games
St. Louis is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Atlanta
St. Louis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:10 PM
CHI CUBS vs. SAN DIEGO
Chi Cubs are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against San Diego
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games when playing San Diego
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games when playing Chi Cubs
San Diego is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home

10:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels's last 6 games on the road
LA Angels are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Seattle's last 6 games when playing LA Angels
Seattle is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Angels

10:10 PM
BOSTON vs. LA DODGERS
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games on the road
Boston is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games when playing Boston
LA Dodgers are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing Boston

10:15 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Pittsburgh is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing San Francisco
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
San Francisco is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburghx

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Friday, August 23

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Friday's MLB betting notes and tips
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NATIONAL

Arizona Diamondbacks at Philadelphia Phillies (-122, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels has recorded five straight quality starts, allowing seven runs over 38 innings in that span.

Cold batting stat: Members of the Philadelphia roster are hitting just .235 with one RBI in 17 at-bats against DBacks starter Wade Miley.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s under sunny skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Arizona has won just two of its last 13 visits to Philadelphia.

Colorado Rockies at Miami Marlins (+128, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Miami right-hander Tom Koehler dominated Colorado in their last encounter July 22, allowing one run while scattering eight hits over seven innings of a 3-1 triumph.

Hot batting stat: Marlins rookies OF Christian Yelich is 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs in his career against Colorado starter Jhoulys Chacin.

Weather: With a 30 percent chance of a shower or thunderstorm, the roof at Marlins Park may be closed. Temperatures will be in the mid-80s while the wind will blow from right to left field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 19-6-2 in Chacin's last 27 road starts.

Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds (-182, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Milwaukee right-hander Yovani Gallardo tamed the Reds in their previous meeting Saturday evening, allowing just three hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings en route to a 2-0 win.

Hot batting stat: Reds 1B Joey Votto is a .310 career hitter with 16 home runs and 60 RBIs in 284 at-bats against Milwaukee.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s under partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: Cincinnati is 2-9 in starter Homer Bailey's last 11 outings on four days' rest.

Atlanta Braves at St. Louis Cardinals (-165, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright is 6-2 with a 3.09 ERA in eight starts and three relief appearances against Atlanta.

Cold batting stat: Atlanta 2B Dan Uggla is 5-for-25 with eight strikeouts all-time against Wainwright.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: The over is 11-2-1 in the Braves' last 14 road games against teams with winning records.

Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres (-120, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Padres right-hander Edinson Volquez has dominated the Cubs in his career, going 5-0 with a 2.76 ERA in seven starts.

Hot batting stat: San Diego 1B Yonder Alonso is 5-for-9 with two doubles and one homer in his career against Chicago starter Edwin Jackson.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s under sunny skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: San Diego is 11-1 in Volquez's last 12 starts against the National League Central.

Pittsburgh Pirates at San Francisco Giants (-139, 6.5)

Hot pitching stat: Giants right-hander Madison Bumgarner is 4-3 with a 2.40 ERA and a .192 opposition batting average in 11 home starts.

Cold batting stat: San Francisco 3B Pablo Sandoval has four hits in 21 at-bats against Pirates starter Charlie Morton.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with sunny skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 13 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 9-2 in Bumgarner's last 11 starts on grass.


AMERICAN

Oakland Athletics at Baltimore Orioles (-129, 9)

Cold pitching stat: Athletics right-hander Dan Straily lost his only prior start against Baltimore, allowing four runs over 4 2/3 innings last Sept. 16.

Cold batting stat: Members of the Oakland roster are batting just .216 in 74 at-bats against Orioles starter Bud Norris.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow in from left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Oakland is 20-8 in its last 28 series-opening games.

Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Indians (-157, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: Twins right-hander Samuel Deduno was rocked in his last start against Cleveland on Aug. 13, charged with five runs on five hits over six innings of a 5-2 loss.

Cold batting stat: Indians 3B Lonnie Chisenhall is hitting just .136 with one home run and three RBIs in August.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with sunny skies. Wind will blow in from center field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 10-1-1 in Deduno's last 12 starts against the American League Central.

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays (-115, 7)

Cold pitching stat: Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda is 1-2 with a 6.11 ERA - his highest against any major-league team other than the Yankees - in three starts versus the Rays.

Hot batting stat: New York OF Brett Gardner is batting .300 with four doubles and two homers in 50 at-bats against Tampa Bay this season.

Weather: Dome.

Key betting note: The under is 22-4-1 in Kuroda's last 27 road starts.

Toronto Blue Jays at Houston Astros (+124, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Toronto right-hander Todd Redmond hasn't registered a decision since July 7, but has a 2.70 ERA over his last five outings.

Cold batting stat: Astros hitters have struck out a league-high 1,195 times this season - over 100 times more than the next closest team.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with a 35 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out to left-center field at 11 mph.

Key betting note: The over is 6-0 in the Blue Jays' last six Friday games.

Texas Rangers at Chicago White Sox (-116, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: White Sox left-hander Chris Sale has won three consecutive starts, surrendering five runs over 23 1/3 innings in that span.

Hot batting stat: Rangers SS Adam Rosales is 4-for-7 with a homer against Sale.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s under sunny skies. Wind will blow from left to right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Texas has lost five straight games in Chicago.

Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners (-178, 7)

Cold pitching stat: Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez has struggled against the Angels in his career, going 8-12 with a 3.97 ERA - nearly a run higher than his career mark.

Hot batting stat: Seattle 2B Dustin Ackley is batting .309 since the All-Star break after hitting just .205 in the first half.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with mostly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Seattle has won 14 of its last 17 games against divisional opponents.


INTERLEAGUE

Detroit Tigers at New York Mets (+148, OFF)

Hot pitching stat: The Tigers are 3-1 in Doug Fister's four August starts.

Hot batting stat: New York 1B Ike Davis has a .310/.477/.536 slash line in the second half after going just .165/.255/.250 prior to the All-Star break.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with sunny skies. Wind will blow in from center field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 10-1 in Fister's last 11 outings against teams with losing records.

Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Dodgers (-115, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Dodgers right-hander Ricky Nolasco is 1-2 with an 8.16 ERA in three career outings against the Red Sox.

Hot batting stat: Los Angeles OF Carl Crawford has had Boston starter John Lackey's number, batting .467 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 45 career at-bats against him.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with sunny skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 4 mph.

Key betting note: Boston is 80-29 in its last 109 interleague games against a right-handed starter.

Washington Nationals at Kansas City Royals (-104, 7)

Cold pitching stat: Royals right-hander Bruce Chen is coming off his worst outing of the season, getting torched for six runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings in a 6-3 loss to Detroit.

batting stat: Kansas City DH Billy Butler is just 3-for-15 lifetime against Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow from right to left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 4-0-2 in the Royals' last six interleague home games.


** Odds, probable starters and weather forecast as of 8:23 p.m. ET Thursday.

[StarDust Bum]

Diamond Trends - Friday

August 23, 2013


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Giants are 10-0 since August 29, 2010 as a home favorite when they are off two losses in which they never led and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1000.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Indians are 0-14 OU since June 10, 2013 it is the first game of the series which is not part of a doubleheader, if they did not win by four or more runs last game for a net profit of $1400 when playing the under.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Kris Medlen starts the Braves are 10-0 since May 31, 2009 vs a team that won their starters last two starts for a net profit of $1073.

MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Phillies are 11-2 (+$815) since September 2010 following a game where they trailed after eight innings and won.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Pirates are 8-0 since June 17, 2012 as a dog after a 5+ run win and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1077.

-- The Braves are 11-0 since April 12, 2013 vs a team that has won at least their last two games and it is not the last game of a series for a net profit of $1129.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Friday, August 23

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ARIZONA (65 - 61) at PHILADELPHIA (57 - 70) - 7:05 PM
WADE MILEY (L) vs. COLE HAMELS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 366-339 (+39.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
ARIZONA is 80-74 (+18.7 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 40-35 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 57-70 (-18.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 73-71 (-18.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 57-70 (-18.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 35-47 (-19.3 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 65-84 (-26.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HAMELS is 8-18 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
HAMELS is 4-9 (-9.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season. (Team's Record)
HAMELS is 8-18 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
HAMELS is 3-13 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
HAMELS is 7-14 (-15.5 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
HAMELS is 30-32 (-20.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 2-2 (+0.2 Units) against ARIZONA this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.0 Units)

WADE MILEY vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
MILEY is 1-0 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.500.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

COLE HAMELS vs. ARIZONA since 1997
HAMELS is 3-2 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 3.42 and a WHIP of 1.158.
His team's record is 6-2 (+3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 6-2. (+3.7 units)

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COLORADO (59 - 70) at MIAMI (48 - 78) - 7:10 PM
JHOULYS CHACIN (R) vs. TOM KOEHLER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 123-168 (-32.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 123-165 (-29.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 28-34 (-13.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MIAMI is 117-171 (-35.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 97-127 (-36.2 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 116-167 (-32.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 43-61 (-19.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 76-119 (-31.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 64-104 (-28.5 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 3-1 (+3.5 Units) against COLORADO this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.0 Units)

JHOULYS CHACIN vs. MIAMI since 1997
CHACIN is 0-3 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 6.75 and a WHIP of 1.813.
His team's record is 0-3 (-4.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)

TOM KOEHLER vs. COLORADO since 1997
KOEHLER is 1-0 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 1.143.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

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MILWAUKEE (55 - 72) at CINCINNATI (73 - 55) - 7:10 PM
YOVANI GALLARDO (R) vs. HOMER BAILEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 55-72 (-14.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 55-72 (-14.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 172-123 (+18.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 172-123 (+18.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 99-56 (+20.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BAILEY is 45-21 (+19.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)
BAILEY is 31-10 (+18.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1997. (Team's Record)
MILWAUKEE is 32-26 (+10.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 329-354 (-89.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 8-5 (+0.8 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
10 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+6.2 Units)

YOVANI GALLARDO vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
GALLARDO is 7-6 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 4.25 and a WHIP of 1.525.
His team's record is 7-11 (-5.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 9-7. (+1.6 units)

HOMER BAILEY vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
BAILEY is 2-7 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 5.55 and a WHIP of 1.439.
His team's record is 6-8 (-3.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 8-6. (+1.0 units)

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ATLANTA (77 - 50) at ST LOUIS (74 - 53) - 8:15 PM
KRIS MEDLEN (R) vs. ADAM WAINWRIGHT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 59-34 (+14.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 202-132 (+48.4 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
ATLANTA is 77-50 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 30-27 (+20.2 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +150 to +175 since 1997.
ATLANTA is 76-49 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 119-75 (+27.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 26-15 (+10.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MEDLEN is 40-16 (+20.5 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
MEDLEN is 40-16 (+20.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
MEDLEN is 32-9 (+20.6 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 37-35 (-10.6 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
ST LOUIS is 59-68 (-23.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-1 (+2.1 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.0 Units)

KRIS MEDLEN vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
MEDLEN is 1-1 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 2.92 and a WHIP of 0.973.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)

ADAM WAINWRIGHT vs. ATLANTA since 1997
WAINWRIGHT is 6-2 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 3.33 and a WHIP of 1.364.
His team's record is 6-2 (+3.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-3. (+0.9 units)

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CHICAGO CUBS (54 - 73) at SAN DIEGO (57 - 70) - 10:10 PM
EDWIN JACKSON (R) vs. EDINSON VOLQUEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 115-174 (-34.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 13-36 (-18.6 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 115-174 (-34.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 81-129 (-30.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 9-30 (-16.2 Units) against the money line in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
JACKSON is 21-35 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JACKSON is 20-35 (-16.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
JACKSON is 9-17 (-10.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN DIEGO is 133-153 (+3.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 66-65 (+12.5 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 16-11 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SAN DIEGO is 24-47 (-23.4 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 2-2 (+0.2 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

EDWIN JACKSON vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
JACKSON is 0-4 when starting against SAN DIEGO with an ERA of 5.56 and a WHIP of 1.735.
His team's record is 1-6 (-5.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-4. (-1.8 units)

EDINSON VOLQUEZ vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
VOLQUEZ is 5-0 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 2.76 and a WHIP of 1.441.
His team's record is 7-0 (+7.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-1. (+3.9 units)

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PITTSBURGH (75 - 52) at SAN FRANCISCO (56 - 71) - 10:15 PM
CHARLIE MORTON (R) vs. MADISON BUMGARNER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 29-49 (-22.0 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 36-41 (-16.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 75-52 (+25.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 29-19 (+11.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
PITTSBURGH is 10-4 (+9.6 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 this season.
PITTSBURGH is 33-30 (+9.2 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 75-52 (+25.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 50-29 (+20.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 43-31 (+13.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
PITTSBURGH is 46-22 (+22.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 56-71 (-26.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 24-33 (-17.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 31-34 (-14.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 17-23 (-15.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 16-26 (-21.4 Units) against the money line in home games in August games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 55-67 (-23.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 34-45 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 40-45 (-13.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 27-42 (-22.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 3-1 (+2.2 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.3 Units)

CHARLIE MORTON vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
MORTON is 2-4 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.12 and a WHIP of 1.265.
His team's record is 2-6 (-3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-7. (-6.1 units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
BUMGARNER is 1-1 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 0.69 and a WHIP of 0.846.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.0 units)

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MINNESOTA (56 - 70) at CLEVELAND (69 - 58) - 7:05 PM
SAM DEDUNO (R) vs. UBALDO JIMENEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 69-58 (+16.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 38-25 (+11.2 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 66-55 (+14.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 45-40 (+7.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CLEVELAND is 40-27 (+12.4 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
CLEVELAND is 40-21 (+17.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
JIMENEZ is 15-9 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 63-83 (+13.5 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 33-34 (+15.3 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 55-64 (+7.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 15-34 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 7-5 (+0.4 Units) against MINNESOTA this season
8 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.3 Units)

SAM DEDUNO vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
DEDUNO is 2-2 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 1.300.
His team's record is 3-2 (+0.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-2. (-0.3 units)

UBALDO JIMENEZ vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
JIMENEZ is 2-2 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 3.25 and a WHIP of 1.302.
His team's record is 2-2 (-0.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-1. (+1.9 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OAKLAND (71 - 55) at BALTIMORE (68 - 58) - 7:05 PM
DANIEL STRAILY (R) vs. BUD NORRIS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 68-58 (+4.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 76-55 (+21.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 28-19 (+12.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 24-11 (+15.1 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 63-50 (+6.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 31-16 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
BALTIMORE is 50-36 (+12.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 86-77 (+10.9 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 37-27 (+10.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
OAKLAND is 167-126 (+42.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 76-69 (+18.5 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 271-201 (+61.4 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
OAKLAND is 158-119 (+38.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 23-16 (+9.1 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
OAKLAND is 112-79 (+34.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 81-66 (+24.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 36-29 (+11.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BALTIMORE is 3-1 (+2.8 Units) against OAKLAND this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.3 Units)

DANIEL STRAILY vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
STRAILY is 0-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 7.71 and a WHIP of 2.141.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

BUD NORRIS vs. OAKLAND since 1997
NORRIS is 0-2 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 7.81 and a WHIP of 1.736.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.4 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NY YANKEES (68 - 59) at TAMPA BAY (72 - 53) - 7:10 PM
HIROKI KURODA (R) vs. CHRIS ARCHER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 508-590 (+24.8 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997.
NY YANKEES are 68-59 (+6.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY YANKEES are 33-14 (+16.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday over the last 2 seasons.
NY YANKEES are 33-29 (+8.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TAMPA BAY is 3-10 (-9.1 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 6-7 (+0.5 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.4 Units, Under=-1.1 Units)

HIROKI KURODA vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
KURODA is 2-1 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 6.11 and a WHIP of 1.585.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-0. (+3.1 units)

CHRIS ARCHER vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
ARCHER is 2-0 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 0.60 and a WHIP of 0.600.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.3 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TORONTO (57 - 71) at HOUSTON (41 - 85) - 8:10 PM
TODD REDMOND (R) vs. JORDAN LYLES (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 57-71 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 16-29 (-12.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TORONTO is 70-78 (-35.7 Units) against the money line as a road favorite of -125 to -150 since 1997.
TORONTO is 32-46 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TORONTO is 42-53 (-8.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
HOUSTON is 96-191 (-44.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 69-141 (-48.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 19-43 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
HOUSTON is 10-37 (-19.4 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 7-27 (-18.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Friday over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 19-43 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 105-222 (-68.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 100-196 (-49.7 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 3-1 (+0.6 Units) against HOUSTON this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.2 Units, Under=-0.4 Units)

TODD REDMOND vs. HOUSTON since 1997
REDMOND is 0-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of 0.833.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JORDAN LYLES vs. TORONTO since 1997
LYLES is 0-0 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 7.20 and a WHIP of 2.400.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TEXAS (74 - 53) at CHI WHITE SOX (52 - 74) - 8:10 PM
MARTIN PEREZ (L) vs. CHRIS SALE (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 90-76 (-17.5 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 21-12 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 35-24 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 28-16 (+12.8 Units) against the money line in road games in night games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 52-74 (-20.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 109-113 (-27.8 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 5-14 (-11.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 50-69 (-17.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 31-48 (-14.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 2-1 (+1.5 Units) against TEXAS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

MARTIN PEREZ vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
No recent starts.

CHRIS SALE vs. TEXAS since 1997
SALE is 3-0 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 3.48 and a WHIP of 1.065.
His team's record is 3-0 (+3.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LA ANGELS (55 - 71) at SEATTLE (59 - 67) - 10:10 PM
GARRETT RICHARDS (R) vs. FELIX HERNANDEZ (R)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 55-71 (-33.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 20-28 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 19-35 (-27.4 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
LA ANGELS are 55-71 (-33.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 36-55 (-33.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA ANGELS are 43-50 (-19.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 26-44 (-28.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
LA ANGELS are 29-28 (-13.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SEATTLE is 31-26 (+9.7 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
SEATTLE is 31-12 (+16.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 689-684 (+52.9 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
LA ANGELS are 252-189 (+42.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Friday since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 7-6 (+2.2 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
8 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.1 Units)

GARRETT RICHARDS vs. SEATTLE since 1997
RICHARDS is 1-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.214.
His team's record is 1-1 (-0.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.2 units)

FELIX HERNANDEZ vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
HERNANDEZ is 8-12 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 3.97 and a WHIP of 1.284.
His team's record is 13-20 (-9.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 15-14. (-1.4 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DETROIT (74 - 53) at NY METS (58 - 67) - 7:10 PM
DOUG FISTER (R) vs. DAISUKE MATSUZAKA (R)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

DOUG FISTER vs. NY METS since 1997
No recent starts.

DAISUKE MATSUZAKA vs. DETROIT since 1997
MATSUZAKA is 4-1 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 3.19 and a WHIP of 1.473.
His team's record is 5-1 (+3.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-3. (-1.0 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WASHINGTON (63 - 64) at KANSAS CITY (64 - 62) - 8:10 PM
GIO GONZALEZ (L) vs. BRUCE CHEN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 63-64 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 63-64 (-14.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 7-19 (-13.2 Units) against the money line in road games after a win this season.
WASHINGTON is 23-33 (-11.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WASHINGTON is 2-12 (-11.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
CHEN is 29-15 (+19.4 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 39-20 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 22-9 (+13.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 39-20 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
KANSAS CITY is 4-17 (-13.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 12-17 (-10.9 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss this season.

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

GIO GONZALEZ vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
GONZALEZ is 3-3 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 6.44 and a WHIP of 1.679.
His team's record is 4-3 (+0.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-4. (-1.6 units)

BRUCE CHEN vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
CHEN is 2-2 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 5.70 and a WHIP of 1.600.
His team's record is 4-2 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+2.0 units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BOSTON (75 - 54) at LA DODGERS (75 - 52) - 10:10 PM
JOHN LACKEY (R) vs. RICKY NOLASCO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 144-147 (-28.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 19-30 (-18.6 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 125-133 (-35.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 98-109 (-30.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 94-102 (-25.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 71-92 (-28.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 28-51 (-23.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 75-52 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 18-3 (+15.7 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
LA DODGERS are 72-52 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 52-33 (+12.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA DODGERS are 45-29 (+10.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
LA DODGERS are 14-3 (+11.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
NOLASCO is 8-3 (+8.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season. (Team's Record)
NOLASCO is 11-21 (-11.9 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

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

JOHN LACKEY vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
LACKEY is 5-2 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 1.92 and a WHIP of 1.016.
His team's record is 6-3 (+3.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-8. (-7.6 units)

RICKY NOLASCO vs. BOSTON since 1997
NOLASCO is 1-2 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 8.16 and a WHIP of 1.186.
His team's record is 1-2 (-0.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.3 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Friday, August 23

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Oakland - 7:05 PM ET Baltimore -118 500
Baltimore - Over 9 500


Arizona - 7:05 PM ET Philadelphia -114 500
Philadelphia - Over 7 500


Minnesota - 7:05 PM ET Cleveland -160 500
Cleveland - Over 8.5 500


Milwaukee - 7:10 PM ET Milwaukee +178 500 POD # 6
Cincinnati - Under 8.5 500


Detroit - 7:10 PM ET Detroit -190 500
NY Mets - Over 8 500


Colorado - 7:10 PM ET Miami +124 500 POD # 3
Miami - Over 7.5 500


NY Yankees - 7:10 PM ET Tampa Bay -110 500
Tampa Bay - Under 7 500


Texas - 8:10 PM ET Texas +112 500 POD # 4
Chi. White Sox - Under 7.5 500


Toronto - 8:10 PM ET Houston +132 500 POD # 5
Houston - Over 9 500


Washington - 8:10 PM ET Washington -104 500
Kansas City - Over 7.5 500


Atlanta - 8:15 PM ET St. Louis -149 500
St. Louis - Over 7 500


Boston - 10:10 PM ET Boston -101 500
LA Dodgers - Over 7.5 500


Chi. Cubs - 10:10 PM ET Chi. Cubs +114 500 POD # 2
San Diego - Under 7 500


LA Angels - 10:10 PM ET Seattle -173 500
Seattle - Under 7 500


Pittsburgh - 10:15 PM ET Pittsburgh +126 500 POD #1
San Francisco - Over 6.5 500

[WThotrod]

I am on all 6 POD's for $300 a piece. Good luck! Let's do this!

[WThotrod]

Nice comeback night, Bum! I took home almost a dime.

[StarDust Bum]

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Athletics (71-56) at Orioles (69-58)
Game: 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: August 24, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


If the Oakland Athletics don't turn things around, they could be tied with the Baltimore Orioles for the AL's final wild-card spot by the end of the weekend.

Looking for a third straight victory, the Orioles hope to further cut into that wild-card deficit by handing the A's a fourth consecutive loss Saturday.

Brian Roberts hit a grand slam, Adam Jones also homered and had three RBIs on Friday as Baltimore (69-58) moved within two games of the A's for the second wild-card spot with a 9-7 victory.

Averaging 5.8 runs while winning four of six, the Orioles scored six times in the fourth and three in the seventh to beat the A's (71-56) for the fifth time in six contests.

"It's fun. This is what we all play for,' said the oft-injured Roberts, who is 13 for 29 with runners in scoring position this season and 3 for 4 with the bases loaded. "You want to be in the race in August and September."

Oakland, which dropped 3 1/2 games behind first-place Texas in the West, is 8-13 since July 30.

"We're going to go out there and play as hard as we can, and if we end up making it to the playoffs that would be fantastic,' said outfielder Coco Crisp, who went 4 for 5 with a homer.

Oakland has homered nine times in five games and might have a good chance to continue that power surge against scheduled Baltimore starter Chris Tillman (14-4, 3.79 ERA).

Joining Oakland's A.J. Griffin as the only two pitchers in the majors to allow at least 26 homers and post an ERA below 4.00, Tillman has yielded a major league-high 20 of his 26 home runs at home. However, he didn't serve up any for the two runs he allowed in six innings of a 7-3 victory at Oakland on April 27.

The right-hander won four straight starts from July 12-Aug. 2, but is 0-1 in three outings since then despite posting a 3.15 ERA. He gave up three of his four runs on two homers in six innings of a 4-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday, snapping his six-start win streak at Camden Yards.

Alberto Callaspo is the only current player on Oakland's roster to homer off Tillman, but Josh Donaldson is 3 for 3 with a double against him.

While the A's offense has managed to deliver of late, their pitching staff has a 6.92 ERA in the last three games.

They hope Jarrod Parker (9-6, 3.71) can end those struggles by continuing his unbeaten run Saturday. The right-hander went 2-6 with a 5.76 ERA in his first 10 starts, but is 7-0 with a 2.59 ERA in his last 15.

He's allowed a run and eight hits in each of his last two outings, most recently during Monday's 2-1 victory over Seattle for his first complete game. He also pitched in the ninth his previous start against Houston.

"That's something I've been trying to build toward," Parker said. "When I can get through the early innings with fewer pitches it helps go deeper into games.'

Parker, however, is 1-1 with a 7.27 ERA in three starts against the Orioles. He was tagged for six runs over 5 1-3 innings in 10-2 loss to them April 25.

Jones is 4 for 8 with a homer and Chris Davis 3 for 8 with two home runs against him.

Jones is batting .342 with two homers and eight RBIs in his last nine games versus Oakland. He is 12 for 31 (.387) with three home runs and nine RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak overall.

---------------------------------------------------------

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Orioles
Fri, Aug 23 Final 7 to 9
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Athletics at Orioles
Sat, Aug 24 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Athletics at Orioles
Sun, Aug 25 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Tigers (75-53) at Mets (58-68)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: August 24, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


A little more than one month after they both started the All-Star game, Max Scherzer and Matt Harvey will square off at Citi Field once again.

Scherzer will look to pick up his 19th victory on Saturday as the Detroit Tigers visit Harvey and the New York Mets.

"I figure this place will be hopping pretty good," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "It should be fun."

It's the first time in history that two All-Star game starters have faced off in the same regular season.

"You can't beat that matchup," Detroit's Torii Hunter said. "If you blink you're going to miss something."

Scherzer (18-1, 2.82 ERA) will look to become the fastest in the major leagues to 19 victories since teammate Justin Verlander picked up his 19th on Aug. 22, 2011, en route to a 24-win season.

Scherzer has bulldozed his way toward the 20-victory mark with five wins and a 1.69 ERA over his six starts since pitching a scoreless first inning against the NL All-Stars. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer each time, giving up just 21 hits in 42 2-3 innings.

He gave up two runs in eight innings of a 6-3 victory over Kansas City on Sunday, pushing his streak without allowing a homer to 34 2-3 innings.

Scherzer has taken advantage of some weak opposition in the second half, making three of his last six starts against the White Sox. The right-hander's other three starts came against Philadelphia and Kansas City, among the major league's worst in runs scored, and slumping Cleveland, which is 26th in runs scored this month.

Scherzer has twice as many victories as Harvey (9-4, 2.25) despite the 24-year-old's lower ERA. Scherzer has the most victories in a season with just one loss since Roger Clemens started 20-1 in 2001. Much like Clemens, who had the fourth-highest run support average in baseball that year, Scherzer has benefited from a league-best 7.47 mark.

"The win-loss record is a little fluky," Scherzer said. "Every time I go out, the guys are putting up runs for me and are playing great defense so I can't take credit for being 18-1."

Harvey has been nearly as good in his last five starts as his first 20, though his record certainly doesn't show it. The Mets (58-68) have lost four of his last five starts despite his 2.34 ERA and 30 strikeouts against three walks.

Harvey has gone 47 2-3 innings since last allowing a homer to San Francisco's Buster Posey on July 8.

Manager Terry Collins certainly wasn't bemoaning Harvey's latest start, when the right-hander allowed two fifth-inning runs and left after six Sunday in San Diego. He was in line for the victory before the Padres scored once apiece in the eighth and ninth to win 4-3.

"Matt pitched great," Collins said. "Cripes, they got a bloop single, an infield single and we're in trouble. He's done what he's done all year for us and that's pitch very well."

Harvey, who fanned three in two innings of the Midsummer Classic, is 1-0 with a 0.72 ERA in three interleague starts. AL batters are hitting just .107 off Harvey, fanning 28 times in 25 innings.

Those outings, however, came against the Twins, White Sox and Yankees, none of whom are in the top half of the majors in runs per game.

The Tigers (75-53) are a different story. Detroit pounded three home runs in Friday's 6-1 win, including a three-run shot from Miguel Cabrera that was his ninth in his last 17 games.

Austin Jackson has home runs in consecutive nights for Detroit and is 10 for his last 22.

Scherzer hasn't faced the Mets since 2009, when he was still with Arizona.

----------------------------------------------------------

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Mets
Fri, Aug 23 Final 6 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Tigers at Mets
Sat, Aug 24 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Tigers at Mets
Sun, Aug 25 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Sox (75-55) at Dodgers (76-52)
Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: August 24, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


There seems to be no slowing down the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The slumping Boston Red Sox will try again after failing in their first attempt.

Baseball's hottest team looks to win its fifth straight overall and eighth in a row at home Saturday against the now second-place Red Sox.

A return to interleague play did nothing to cool the Dodgers (76-52), who rode a stellar performance from Ricky Nolasco and Hanley Ramirez's two-run homer to a 2-0 victory over the Red Sox on Friday in the opener of this marquee series.

The Dodgers earned their major league-leading 18th shutout of the season while improving to 46-10 since June 22. They opened a 10 1/2 game lead in the NL West, their biggest margin since holding the same lead on Sept. 28, 1977.

Nolasco was just the latest Dodgers starter to impress. Their rotation has posted a 1.24 ERA during the four-game win streak and has a 2.47 ERA over their last 56 games, a half-run better than anyone else in the majors.

"We've been playing great," Nolasco said. "We're just staying with our focus no matter what the opponent is. We know how big it is to keep our 'A' game going."

Their 10 shutouts over that stretch are one more than second-place Milwaukee.

"As you get deeper into the season, these guys start dominating," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.

In the first game between these teams since they pulled off one of the biggest trades in baseball history on Aug. 25, the current Dodgers exacted a small measure of revenge. Besides Ramirez's homer, Carl Crawford went 2 for 3 with a run scored against his former team and is 8 for 24 during a six-game hitting streak.

Ramirez is batting .371 with seven RBIs and nine runs in nine games against the AL this season.

Boston (75-55), meanwhile, lost for the sixth time in nine games and dropped percentage points behind Tampa Bay in the AL East.

``We're catching them as hot as they can be and we're definitely not as hot as we can be," outfielder Daniel Nava said. "Hopefully, tomorrow that will be the start of that for us.'

The Red Sox were shut down Friday after they scored 12 runs in a rout of San Francisco on Wednesday, continuing an inconsistent trend from their offense. Boston has scored three runs or fewer five times over the past nine games while totaling 31 runs in the other four contests.

David Ortiz is 0 for his last 11 with four strikeouts and Dustin Pedroia has two RBIs in his last 15 games.

Offense won't be easy to come by again with Hyun-Jin Ryu (12-4, 2.95 ERA) on the mound Saturday for Los Angeles.

The left-hander is 4-1 with a 1.87 ERA in his last five starts, walking four and striking out 30 over 33 2-3 innings. He's been even better at home, going 6-1 with a 1.78 ERA in 11 starts at Chavez Ravine.

The Dodgers had won nine straight Ryu starts until he allowed three runs and six hits over 7 1-3 innings in a 6-2 loss at Miami on Monday.

He'll be opposed by fellow southpaw Jon Lester (11-7, 4.09), who has a 0.94 ERA in his last four road starts with no homers allowed. That's in stark contrast to his first 13 starts away from Fenway Park, when he posted a 5.61 ERA while surrendering 12 home runs.

Lester's road success carried into San Francisco on Monday, as he allowed six hits over 8 1-3 innings of a 7-0 victory.

"Jon threw the ball," Pedroia said. "It was unbelievable. It seems like we were barely on defense."

Lester was lifted after 115 pitches, his third straight game with 114-plus pitches.

Since allowing six runs on a season-worst 11 hits to Arizona on Aug. 2, Lester has posted a 1.25 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .210 batting average.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at Dodgers
Fri, Aug 23 Final 0 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Red Sox at Dodgers
Sat, Aug 24 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Red Sox at Dodgers
Sun, Aug 25 - 8:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Twins (57-70) at Indians (69-59)
Game: 2
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: August 24, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Cleveland Indians will need to show some improvement at home if they're going to return to the postseason for the first time in six years.

The Indians attempt to win for just the second time in nine tries at home Saturday night as they continue their series with the Twins.

Cleveland (69-59) is 2 1/2 games behind Oakland for the AL's second wild-card spot, while Baltimore is two back. The race could be even tighter if not for the Indians losing seven of their past eight games at Progressive Field following an 11-game winning streak there during which they hit .297 and averaged 5.3 runs.

They're batting .205 average while scoring 2.8 runs per game since.

Those issues continued in the opener of this three-game set Friday, when Cleveland mustered six singles in a 5-1 loss to Minnesota following a 6-3 road trip.

"We ain't lost no momentum," center fielder Michael Bourn said. "We're all right. We just lost a game, that's all that was. We'll be back (Saturday) and be ready to play."

Jason Kipnis leads the Indians with a .283 average and 72 RBIs, but he's batting .158 (6 for 38) with 11 strikeouts while driving in two runs over his last 10 home games. The second baseman is 0 for 10 in the last three contests, including an 0-for-4 performance while fanning twice Friday.

He had a .338 average with 21 RBIs over his previous 19 home meetings with the Twins.

The Indians will send Zach McAllister (6-7, 3.59) to the mound as he switches spots in the rotation with Scott Kazmir, who is getting an extra day of rest.

McAllister is looking to capitalize on another meeting with the Twins.

The right-hander allowed two runs - one earned - with seven strikeouts in six innings of a 5-2 win at Minnesota on Aug. 13, one of Cleveland's two victories in that three-game set. He had posted an 8.00 ERA while losing each of his three previous starts against the Twins.

He enters this one coming off another solid performance in a 5-2 road victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, when he yielded one run in 6 1-3 innings.

The Twins are 29-37 on the road, but have won six of their last eight.

They're scheduled to recall Liam Hendriks (0-1, 3.94) from Triple-A Rochester and start him in place of an ineffective Kyle Gibson.

This is Hendriks' third stint with the Twins this year, and he's made three starts - all on the road. His most recent outing came in a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 9, when he allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings.

"He threw the ball well for us," manager Ron Gardenhire told the team's official website. "He used all his pitches, changed speeds. So now we'll see if we can do it again."

Hendriks' return comes after he compiled a 1.93 ERA over his last two starts with Rochester.

"I was throwing the ball well and getting ahead of guys," Hendriks said. "It was fun to pitch, and hopefully I can bring that up here and keep the roll going."

He's 1-0 with a 5.29 ERA over three career starts versus the Indians.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Indians
Fri, Aug 23 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Twins at Indians
Sat, Aug 24 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Twins at Indians
Sun, Aug 25 - 1:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (65-62) at Phillies (58-70)
Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: August 24, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Ryne Sandberg has squeezed a few wins out of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The interim manager will look to lead the Phillies to their fourth straight win and sixth in seven games as they host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

Sandberg's tenure got off to a slow start, as the Phillies (58-70) were shut out in his first two games. They've rebounded to win five of six, including the last three. On Friday night, they posted a 4-3 walkoff victory on Chase Utley's bases-loaded walk.

"Anytime you have walk-off (wins), it creates excitement and right now it's carrying over to the next day," Sandberg said.

Carlos Ruiz, who batted .219 over the 4-21 swoon that ultimately cost ex-manager Charlie Manuel his job, is 12 for his last 20.

Darin Ruf, who had just two home runs in his first 66 at_bats, has homered in consecutive games and eight - tied for the most in the NL in August - in 74 at_bats.

The right fielder is 5 for 12 during the Phillies' current winning streak.

"We're playing together and having fun in here, being able to go out on the field believing in each other,' Philadelphia left-hander Cole Hamels said. "We're taking that direction and have to keep pushing in that direction as long as we possibly can."

The Phillies will now try to back rookie Ethan Martin, who has pitched well over his last three starts.

Martin (2-2, 5.23 ERA) has recovered well after allowing six runs in his first big league start. He has allowed six runs over three subsequent starts, including a win over Colorado on Monday in which he allowed two runs in 6 1-3 innings.

"I felt like I was able to slow things down, be patient and just go at it," Martin said.

Martin looked dominant at times against the Rockies, retiring 18 of the first 20 batters. He fanned five over the first two innings and allowed just two hits over six scoreless innings before yielding both runs in the seventh.

"When you have a pitcher out there setting the tone like Martin did, it goes a long way," said Sandberg, who likely will stick with the 24-year-old the rest of the season with Jonathan Pettibone out for the year.

Martin, who gave up a solo homer to Troy Tulowitzki in the seventh, has allowed at least one home run in each of his four starts.

Arizona's Randall Delgado (4-4, 3.82) suffered his first loss since July 8 on Monday, when he allowed five runs in six innings of a 5-3 defeat to Cincinnati.

Three of those runs came in the fourth inning, when he surrendered hits to the first four batters he faced.

"We just missed some balls down the middle," Arizona catcher Wil Nieves said. "You miss with some fastballs down the middle and they're going to put some hits together."

Delgado's composure has been tested of late. After pitching 14 2-3 scoreless innings, the right-hander has yielded three or more runs in four straight games, giving up six home runs in that span.

"He did a good job all in all," Gibson said. "If you watch Randall this year, he keeps his composure. He toughed it out."

That doesn't bode well at Citizens Bank Park, a hitter-friendly stadium where Delgado will start for the first time. He held the Phillies to two runs in eight innings on May 3, 2012, but lost 2-0 while with Atlanta.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Phillies
Fri, Aug 23 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Phillies
Sat, Aug 24 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Phillies
Sun, Aug 25 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (75-53) at White Sox (52-75)
Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 24, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Thanks to a power resurgence, the Texas Rangers are in position to set the franchise record for consecutive road wins in a season.

With ace Yu Darvish on the mound, the Rangers try for a 10th straight road victory Saturday night against the Chicago White Sox in the annual Civil Rights Game.

Though Texas (75-53) won 10 straight road contests spanning the 2011-12 seasons, it matched the single-season club mark from 1977 with Friday's 11-5 rout of Chicago. Ian Kinsler hit a strange inside-the-park home run for one of the season-high five homers by the AL West-leading Rangers, who won for 19th time in 23 games.

Adrian Beltre, Jeff Baker, Mitch Moreland and Chicago native Adam Rosales also went deep for Texas, which totaled four home runs in its previous 10 contests.

"We've got guys that can hit the ball out of the ballpark, but we just haven't been hitting it out of the ballpark,' manager Ron Washington said. "All that tells me is we're able to win baseball games many, many ways, not just with the long ball.'

Kinsler's third inning line drive rolled into a drainage track under the left-field line wall. By the time Dayan Viciedo was able to find it, Kinsler was about to score.

"The ground rules say that if the ball is trapped and visible, you have to go get it," Washington said. "It was visible.'

Kinsler is 7 for 15 with six RBIs in the last four games, and 8 for 18 with five driven in versus Chicago this season.

Two former White Sox, A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios, did not homer but combined to go 3 for 9 with three runs scored and an RBI.

Darvish (12-5, 2.68 ERA) has posted a 1.73 ERA while going 4-1 in his last six starts, and is 3-0 with a 2.15 ERA in four this month. Two of those August victories came on the road, where he's yielded three solo homers and one other run over 15 innings.

The right-hander, however, wasn't all that sharp at home Sunday when he allowed three runs and seven hits while walking four in 7 1-3 innings of a 4-3 loss to Seattle.

"In many games I have trouble with my command in any inning I throw, but (Sunday) it happened after the sixth inning,' Darvish said.

He is 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA against the White Sox (52-75), but that victory came April 30 when he gave up four runs, seven hits and fanned nine in six innings of a 10-6 win.

Dayan Viciedo is 0 for 3 versus Darvish, but 6 for 13 with seven RBIs in the last three games. He had two hits and two RBIs on Friday as Chicago's season-high six-game winning streak ended.

Chicago starter Hector Santiago (4-7, 3.27) is 1-1 in his last five starts, but has a 2.97 ERA during that span. He allowed nine hits but one earned run in six innings of a 5-2 victory at Minnesota on Sunday.

"That's just kind of the way he pitches,' manager Robin Ventura said. "Over the course of the season, he finds a way to get into a little bit of trouble and then get out.'

Though the left-hander is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in his last seven starts at U.S. Cellular Field, he gave up a homer to Beltre and one other hit while striking out six in 5 1-3 innings of a 3-1 win at Texas on May 2.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at White Sox
Fri, Aug 23 Final 11 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rangers at White Sox
Sat, Aug 24 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Rangers at White Sox
Sun, Aug 25 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (64-64) at Royals (64-63)
Game: 2
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: August 24, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


It wasn't long ago the Kansas City Royals were a season-best eight games over .500 and making their case as a surprising contender for a postseason berth.

While their current slump has dropped them within one loss of the break-even mark, the Washington Nationals are on the verge of moving above that point for the first time in more than a month.

Washington seeks a fifth consecutive victory while dealing the fading Royals a seventh straight defeat as the team's continue their three-game series Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City (64-63) reached its highest point on Aug. 12, when Wade Davis gave up two runs in six innings of a 6-2 win over Miami. Since that victory, though, it has dropped nine of 11 to fall seven games back of Oakland for the AL's second wild-card spot.

The Royals blew a six-run lead and fell 11-10 in Friday's series opener, dropping them 10 1/2 games behind Detroit in the Central. They were 6 1/2 back before their slump.

"It's a game of breaks, and we're getting the bad breaks,' Billy Butler said. "The way things are going right now, the breaks are coming and we're falling on the wrong side.'

Washington (64-64), meanwhile, is doing its best to improve its similarly faint playoff chances. The Nationals rallied Friday with a seven-run fourth and have totaled 31 runs during their winning streak.

Bryce Harper had three RBIs, Ian Desmond and Tyler Moore had three hits, and Jayson Werth hit a two-run homer for the Nationals, who haven't been above .500 since they were 48-47 on July 14.

"We never give up. We never shut it down,' manager Davey Johnson said. "We go hard.'

Washington, which trails Cincinnati by 8 1/2 games for the NL's second wild card, also was busy before Friday's contest, sending catcher Kurt Suzuki to Oakland and recently acquired outfielder David DeJesus to Tampa Bay.

The deals didn't bring back any immediate help for the Nationals, who will look to stay hot while facing Davis (6-9, 5.43 ERA).

Davis originally was scheduled to start Friday, but manager Ned Yost flipped him and Bruce Chen. Given his last performance, Davis likely could have used the extra day off.

He allowed four runs and eight hits in just 3 2-3 innings last Saturday before the Royals fell 6-5 at Detroit. The right-hander had gone 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA over his previous three outings.

The Nationals will counter with Jordan Zimmermann, who also is coming off a poor outing.

Zimmermann (14-7, 3.37) has struggled for a longer stretch, going 3-4 with a 5.96 ERA over his last nine starts. He gave up a career worst-tying eight runs while tying a season high of three walks in five innings of Monday's 11-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

"He's a tremendous pitcher, he's going to be fine,' Johnson said. "This was not good, obviously. But I think he came through it all right.'

The right-hander, who is 1-3 with a 7.31 ERA over his last five road starts, has never faced the Royals, who got three hits each from Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer in Friday's loss.

Hosmer hit a two-run shot and Justin Maxwell added a solo homer in the first inning. Maxwell also had a two-run single in a three-run ninth, but the rally fell short.

The Royals have lost six straight at home.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Royals
Fri, Aug 23 Final 11 to 10
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Nationals at Royals
Sat, Aug 24 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Nationals at Royals
Sun, Aug 25 - 2:10PM EDT