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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Brewers (57-73) at Pirates (76-54)
Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: August 27, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


After faltering at the end of a road trip, the Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to get back on track before a crucial series.

The Pirates will try to accomplish that feat by adding to their recent dominance over the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-game set that begins Tuesday night.

Pittsburgh (76-54) won four of its first five games in California before falling twice to San Francisco over the weekend. The Pirates managed three hits in a 4-0 loss Sunday.

"We're looking forward to getting home for a while," manager Clint Hurdle told the team's official website.

Pittsburgh will take on St. Louis, tied with the Pirates for the NL Central lead, in a three-game set starting Friday.

First, the Pirates will try to extend a five-game win streak over Milwaukee (57-73) and earn their seventh straight home victory in the series.

Pittsburgh, though, will face Kyle Lohse (9-8, 3.22 ERA) to open its six-game homestand Tuesday. The right-hander has gone 4-1 with a 2.05 ERA in his last seven starts and earned a 6-3 win over his former club, St. Louis, last Tuesday.

"I know we have a stretch here where we play a lot of teams contending for playoff spots, and I don't care who it is, it feels good to kind of hurt teams' chances," Lohse told the team's official website after giving up three runs over six innings.

Lohse has gone 4-0 with a 2.89 ERA in his last seven starts against Pittsburgh but has not gotten a decision in his two this season. He gave up two runs over 5 2-3 innings May 14 before the Pirates rallied for a 4-3 win, and he was pulled after a rain delay in the second inning of a 2-1 road loss June 30.

Lohse will pitch opposite a struggling Jeff Locke (9-4, 3.01). The left-hander is 0-2 with a 6.59 ERA in his past six starts and gave up three runs and walked four in four innings of a 10-5 win over San Francisco on Thursday.

Locke has issued 14 walks in 18 innings this month.

"I've been throwing and missing on the corners a lot more, because I definitely don't want to miss (in the) middle," he told the team's website. "If I could go out there and pump the strike zone, I would. Sometimes, (I'm) giving hitters more credit than they deserve."

Locke has gone 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts against the Brewers this season. He pitched six scoreless innings and struck out seven in his most recent matchup, a 5-2 road win May 25.

Carlos Gomez should present a challenge, as the Brewers outfielder has batted .397 with four homers in his last 16 games against Pittsburgh and is 3 for 6 with a home run and a double versus Locke.

Milwaukee rookie Khris Davis is batting .432 with five homers and 10 RBIs during an 11-game hit streak.

The Pirates' Jose Tabata is 12 for 23 against Lohse, the best performance of any active player who's faced Lohse 20 or more times. Tabata is 5 for 11 in three starts against the Brewers this season.

Milwaukee took two of three from Cincinnati over the weekend after losing five of eight.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (70-59) at Red Sox (77-55)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: August 27, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


After taking an interleague series from baseball's hottest team, the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox look like they could make a deep postseason run.

A playoff berth is less certain for the Baltimore Orioles, but the next week and a half could go a long way toward determining their postseason aspirations.

The Orioles open a difficult nine-game road trip Tuesday night against a Red Sox team brimming with confidence.

Boston (77-55) made a big statement over the weekend, taking two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. Jake Peavy pitched a three-hitter and Mike Napoli drove in three runs as the Red Sox won 8-1 on Sunday, handing the Dodgers their first series loss since June 14-16.

"This shows the caliber of ballclub that we are,' Peavy said. "We're on the same level with those guys. I knew the day I walked into this clubhouse what we had here. And every guy, man for man, knows that we're capable of playing with anybody on a given day. It's just up to us to be prepared to do that.'

The Red Sox have a 5 1/2-game lead over third-place Baltimore in the East, and could put a dent in the Orioles' playoff chances. Boston, however, hasn't enjoyed much success against Baltimore, going 4-6 in the season series and losing 11 of the last 14 meetings at Fenway.

Even if the Orioles (70-59) continue their success against the Red Sox, they'll still face critical matchups in their next two series. Baltimore, which pulled within two games of Oakland for the second wild-card spot with a 10-3 win over the Athletics on Sunday, meets the New York Yankees this weekend followed by a set against Cleveland.

"We've just got to carry this momentum on this next road trip,' said right fielder Nick Markakis, who doubled and homered Sunday for his first extra-base hits in 32 games. "We've got a tough road trip, every team we're playing is in it. We've got a pretty hectic little schedule at the end of the year, and we all realize that.'

The Orioles had lost six of nine before taking two of three from the A's, scoring 19 runs and hitting five homers in the wins.

"It's huge for us,' said third baseman Manny Machado, batting .341 in his last 10 games. "Any win from now on is going to count for us at the end of the road.'

Machado is hitting .364 with eight RBIs against the Red Sox this year, and Chris Davis has four homers and eight RBIs in the season series. Machado is 4 for 8 with a home run off Felix Doubront (9-6, 3.79 ERA), while Davis is 6 for 12 with a homer and double off of him.

Adam Jones and Matt Wieters are a combined 3 for 27 with 14 strikeouts against Doubront.

The left-hander allowed a run in eight innings of Wednesday's 12-1 win over San Francisco after giving up 10 runs over eight innings in his previous two starts. In his lone outing against the Orioles on June 13, he yielded four runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 5-4, 13-inning loss.

Baltimore turns to Wei-Yin Chen (7-6, 3.19), who gave up two runs in seven innings of a 4-2 win over Tampa Bay on Wednesday. It was his ninth quality start in 10 outings.

The left-hander made his only start of the season against the Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 8, allowing three runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 3-1 loss.

Dustin Pedroia, batting .377 with eight runs in his last 12 games, is 4 for 10 lifetime against Chen, but David Ortiz is hitless in six career at_bats.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Indians (71-59) at Braves (78-52)
Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: August 27, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


The Cleveland Indians continued their improbable run for a playoff spot over the weekend. To extend their surge, they'll have to win in the toughest stadium for opponents in the major leagues.

The Atlanta Braves, however, haven't been at their best since Jason Heyward was lost to a broken jaw, and they'll be looking to put a rough stretch behind them when these teams open a three-game series at Turner Field on Tuesday night.

Cleveland (71-59) beat Minnesota 3-1 on Sunday for its fifth win in six games and ninth in 13 since a six-game skid that seemed to signal the end of its playoff hopes. The Indians committed four errors and made several other mistakes in the field and on the bases, but Drew Stubbs hit a tiebreaking two-out homer in the eighth inning.

"We were trying every way we could to give it away,' Stubbs said. "We played a very sloppy game, but it says a lot about this team that we were able to hang in there and pull out the win.'

Locked in a tight battle for a wild-card spot and within striking distance of the AL Central lead, Cleveland hasn't been fazed by this road-heavy stretch in which it plays 15 of 18 away from home, going 6-3 in road games so far.

That prowess in opposing stadiums should be tested as Atlanta's 44-18 record at Turner Field is the best in baseball. The Braves' 78-52 mark is also tops in the majors and has them 13 games up in the NL East.

Plus, they'll send out a red-hot rookie to open the set, with Alex Wood (2-2, 2.50 ERA) looking for a fifth straight outstanding start. Wood has posted a 1.11 ERA in going 1-0 in four August starts, not allowing more than one run in any of them.

The left-hander went six innings and gave up one run in a 4-1, 10-inning victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday.

That game, however, also saw Heyward get injured on a pitch from the Mets' Jonathan Niese, and his team appeared to feel the effects of his possible loss for the season in the next series. Among the top three in the NL in runs, the Braves scored five times in dropping three straight to St. Louis before avoiding the sweep with a 5-2 win Sunday.

"You don't want to get swept especially by a team that's a playoff team that you have the potential of seeing,' said outfielder Jordan Schafer, who broke out of a slump by going 2 for 4 with a double, triple and an RBI. "You don't want them to have confidence if you face them in the playoffs.'

Atlanta opens a nine-game homestand by facing Danny Salazar (1-1, 3.52), like Wood a rookie who has put together some impressive performances. The right-hander gave up one run in 5 1-3 innings of a 4-1, 14-inning win over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday in his fourth career start.

He struck out seven, giving him 29 in 23 innings, and allowed three hits. Salazar has given up 15 hits in his four outings.

First baseman Nick Swisher continued his roll Sunday, going 2 for 3 to leave him at 13 for 43 (.302) with three home runs and nine RBIs in his last 10 games. He has gone hitless once in that span.

Cleveland has posted a 1.83 ERA in the past six contests.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Phillies (60-71) at Mets (58-71)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: August 27, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Matt Harvey's rise as the New York Mets' ace had the struggling franchise feeling good about the future.

Now, that future may include Tommy John surgery.

A day after Harvey was lost for the season, the Mets will try to avoid matching their longest slide of 2013 on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.

New York (58-71) hasn't reached the playoffs since 2006 and seems headed for a fifth straight losing season for the first time since a six-year stretch from 1991-96.

Harvey was giving the Mets optimism that at least one of those streaks would end soon.

Instead, the 24-year-old phenom was ruled out for the remainder of 2013 after a partially torn ligament in his right elbow was discovered Monday. Harvey and the Mets are hopeful that he'll avoid Tommy John surgery, but that decision isn't likely to come for at least two more weeks.

"It was tough. Obviously it was the last thing I was expecting. I am going to do everything I can to avoid surgery," said Harvey, the NL starter in last month's All-Star game at Citi Field and owner of a 2.27 ERA - second-lowest in the majors.

Hours after learning of Harvey's injury, New York's losing streak reached five with a 2-1 defeat in the opener of this four-game series between NL East rivals that are virtually out of playoff contention.

The Mets have been outscored 26-6 during their slide, putting them on the brink of their third six-game losing streak, with the most recent coming May 10-15.

Jonathon Niese (5-6, 4.03 ERA) is scheduled to get the ball in an effort to continue a strong stretch after missing over seven weeks with a torn rotator cuff. The left-hander is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA and has 23 strikeouts in 19 innings over three starts since returning.

He yielded one run and struck out nine in seven innings of a 4-1, 10-inning loss to Atlanta on Wednesday.

Niese was charged with a 5-1 home loss to Philadelphia on April 28, allowing three runs - one earned - in 6 2-3 innings. He had been 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA over his previous four meetings at Citi Field.

The Phillies (60-71) have won seven of nine after losing the first two games following the firing of manager Charlie Manuel.

"We're grinding it out a little more, just playing hard from the start to the finish," said Cliff Lee, Monday's winning pitcher. "It's just more of a get-after-it-and-let's-go-frame of mind."

Production from Cody Asche is helping. The rookie third baseman is 11 for 29 (.379) with six RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak after batting .185 in his first 17 contests.

"He's really feeling comfortable in his whole game," interim manager Ryne Sandberg said. "With his approach and line-drive stroke that he naturally has, I think he's really relaxed and he's really starting to show that he's got a good chance to hit the ball every time."

Kyle Kendrick (10-10, 4.51) is expected to take the mound, and he's won four straight starts against the Mets behind a 3.18 ERA. The right-hander, however, was bailed out by the offense July 19, when he was reached for six runs and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 13-8 victory in Queens.

Kendrick is 2-4 with a 7.46 ERA in his last seven starts.

He yielded one run in five innings Thursday before giving up a three-run homer and leaving with no outs in the sixth of Philadelphia's 5-4 walkoff win over Colorado.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Phillies at Mets
Mon, Aug 26 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Phillies at Mets
Tue, Aug 27 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Phillies at Mets
Wed, Aug 28 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Phillies at Mets
Thu, Aug 29 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (58-71) at Rays (74-55)
Game: 1
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: August 27, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Clinging to the first AL wild-card spot, the Tampa Bay Rays are coming off a performance to forget.

If their recent efforts against the Los Angeles Angels are any indication, they may have a good chance to regroup Tuesday night.

The Rays go for a 13th win in 14 games against the visiting Angels as these teams meet for the first time this year.

Tampa Bay (74-55) enters this three-game set looking to avoid a third consecutive loss after falling 11-1 at Kansas City on Monday in a makeup of a snowed-out game from May. Evan Longoria and Wil Myers went hitless in a combined eight at_bats as the Rays went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

"They beat us up," manager Joe Maddon said.

The Rays have to be feeling good about bouncing back against Los Angeles (58-71). Tampa Bay has averaged 5.2 runs in taking 12 of 13 in the series, including the last six by a 42-14 margin.

Longoria is hitting .307 with eight homers, 22 RBIs and 22 runs in 29 career games against the Rays. Ben Zobrist is batting .345 with four homers and nine RBIs over the last eight in the series.

The Angels followed a 4-13 stretch with a three-game sweep at Seattle over the weekend, winning 7-1 on Sunday. Kole Calhoun hit a two-run homer and Chris Nelson added two RBIs for Los Angeles, which went 5 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

"The overall picture is not great, but this is a very good series for us. Sometimes, when other things aren't attainable, you start looking for other things that you can do," first baseman Mark Trumbo said.

"If we go on a nice little streak, that'd be awesome. Because there are some new faces, and if you can jell with the guys that you're currently playing with, you're that much better for it down the road."

Angels starters have a 1.27 ERA over the last five games, a stretch C.J. Wilson (13-6, 3.30 ERA) started last Tuesday in a 4-1, 14-inning loss to Cleveland.

The left-hander allowed four hits over 7 1-3 innings of one-run ball, extending his unbeaten streak to eight outings. He is 9-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his last 13 starts.

Wilson, though, is 0-3 with a 6.56 ERA in his last four against Tampa Bay, including a loss in the 2011 ALDS while with Texas. Zobrist hit two homers and a double in eight at_bats in their matchups last year.

Tampa Bay counters with Roberto Hernandez (6-13, 4.97), who is 0-2 with a 7.53 ERA in three starts this month. The right-hander threw a scoreless inning of relief in Friday's 7-2 win over the New York Yankees.

Hernandez went 0-4 despite a 2.44 ERA in eight starts versus Los Angeles while with Cleveland. Josh Hamilton is 1 for his last 12 against Hernandez, though that hit left the yard.

Hamilton has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 23 for 66 (.348) with three homers and nine RBIs in his last 16 games.

Tampa Bay's Desmond Jennings is 0 for his last 13 overall and 2 for 18 with six strikeouts against Wilson, including the postseason.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Astros (44-86) at White Sox (54-76)
Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 27, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox possess two of the lowest-scoring offenses in the AL, though both clubs showed they have some pop in the series opener.

Chris Carter looks to lift Houston to a sixth win in seven meetings with Chicago on Tuesday night.

These last-place clubs combined for only 25 runs as the Astros (44-86) took three of four from the visiting White Sox (54-76) from June 14-17. Neither lineup had much trouble at the plate Monday, though, as Houston earned a wild 10-8 victory.

Matt Dominguez hit a tiebreaking homer with two outs in the ninth and Carter followed with his second of the game for the Astros, who also got home runs from Jason Castro and Brett Wallace.

Houston, which blew a five-run lead before storming back, had five homers in its previous four games combined.

"You look at the (White Sox's) five-run (sixth) inning, and for these guys to respond the way they responded it speaks to the resilience of the ballclub," manager Bo Porter said. "I couldn't be more proud of them."

Carter had three hits after going 2 for 20 over his previous six games. He is 6 for 13 with three homers in the last four versus the White Sox, who drafted Carter before trading him to Arizona for Carlos Quentin in December 2007. He was sent to Oakland less than two weeks later.

"It's great to beat the team that drafted you and traded you away when you come back and (hit two homers) here," Carter said.

Chicago (54-76), which has scored the fewest runs in the AL, had won eight of nine prior to Monday.

"It's one of those that you just chalk it up to a bad night," manager Robin Ventura said.

Alejandro De Aza, who had gone 4 for 29 over his previous seven contests, went 4 for 5 while Jeff Keppinger and Adam Dunn homered. Dunn's two-run shot was his 30th, giving him at least that many for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.

The White Sox now look to spoil the first major league start for Houston's Paul Clemens (4-4, 6.36 ERA), who slides into the rotation spot that opened when Erik Bedard was moved to the bullpen.

The 25-year-old rookie made 30 relief appearances earlier in the season, but he hasn't pitched in the majors since giving up six runs and recording only one out in a 12-6 loss to Toronto on July 26.

Clemens will be opposed by Jose Quintana, who is coming off back-to-back solid outings.

Quintana (7-4, 3.67) beat Minnesota on Aug. 16, giving up two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-2 win, before allowing three runs in seven frames of a 4-3, 12-inning victory over Kansas City on Thursday.

The left-hander got into some early trouble in his only start against Houston, giving up two runs and five hits while walking three and tossing 104 pitches in 4 2-3 innings of a 4-2 win June 17.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Astros at White Sox
Mon, Aug 26 Final 10 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Astros at White Sox
Tue, Aug 27 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Astros at White Sox
Wed, Aug 28 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Royals (66-64) at Twins (57-72)
Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: August 27, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


While they face a considerable deficit in the playoff race, the Kansas City Royals are on pace to finish with a winning record for the first time in 10 years.

They'll try to move closer to accomplishing that feat during a favorable portion of the schedule.

The Royals begin a stretch of 10 straight games against sub-.500 clubs Tuesday night with a Minnesota Twins team it regularly frustrates.

Kansas City (66-64), which hasn't won more than 75 games since finishing 83-79 in 2003, has won two in a row following a seven-game skid. The Royals blew out playoff contender Tampa Bay 11-1 in a makeup game Monday, and are batting .336 with 29 runs in the last four games after hitting .211 with 21 runs in their previous 10 contests.

"The offense to me looks like it is back on track," manager Ned Yost said.

Before a three-game series in Toronto and four games against Seattle, Kansas City will first try to improve on this season's 12-4 record against Minnesota.

The Twins (57-72) have lost six of seven to the Royals and seven of 10 overall. They once again struggled with runners in scoring position in a 3-1 loss to Cleveland on Sunday, going 3 for 19 and failing to take advantage of four Indians errors.

Minnesota is batting an AL-worst .228 in those situation this season and .167 in its last 10 games. The Twins likely won't have star catcher Joe Mauer for this series as he's recovering from a concussion-like symptoms.

Mauer went on the seven-day disabled list this past Tuesday.

"As much as anything, we just want him to lay low," assistant general manager Rob Antony told the team's website. "The doctors said the best thing for those things is rest, so that's what he's doing."

Kansas City extended its win streak at Target Field to four after sweeping a series there July 30-Aug. 1.

The Royals will face Kevin Correia (8-10, 4.52 ERA), who is 0-2 with a 7.08 ERA in his four matchups this season. The right-hander was tagged for six runs in two innings in a 13-0 drubbing Aug. 5.

Correia has a 2.57 ERA in three starts since. He was charged with four runs - two earned - over 6 2-3 innings in a 7-1 loss to Detroit on Wednesday.

James Shields (8-8, 3.22) is 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA in his last three starts but gave up a season-high seven runs over six innings in a 7-0 loss to Minnesota on Aug. 6. Shields was 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA in his previous four matchups, including two this season.

Billy Butler looks to improve on his .407 average against the Twins this season, his best against any opponent. Butler, batting .390 with four homers in his last 20 overall games, has 14 RBIs in those 16 matchups with Minnesota.

Butler is 3 for 8 against Correia this season, and David Lough is 5 for 5 with three doubles. Mike Moustakas is 5 for 11.

Brian Dozer is 5 for 9 with a home run and two doubles against Shields this year while Justin Morneau has two homers and two doubles in his nine at_bats versus the right-hander.

While he's hitting just .214 this season, Josh Willingham is batting a team-best .370 (10 for 27) against Kansas City.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (74-58) at Cardinals (77-54)
Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: August 27, 2013 8:15 PM EDT


One swing from Allen Craig is greatly responsible for the St. Louis Cardinals being back alone atop the NL Central.

Facing Mat Latos could knock them off their perch.

Craig and the surging Cardinals will try to begin building a cushion in the division race Tuesday night when they try to solve Latos and beat the Cincinnati Reds again.

St. Louis (77-54) leads the Central by one-half game over Pittsburgh and is 3 1/2 ahead of third-place Cincinnati (74-58).

Craig helped push the Cardinals back into sole possession of first place for the first time since July 29. His third hit of the game Monday was his first career grand slam with two outs in the seventh, completing a rally that gave St. Louis an 8-6 win in the opener of this three-game series.

"No bigger or better at-bat all season," manager Mike Matheny said. "He's been so good in that situation."

Craig is 7 for 10 with 20 RBIs with the bases loaded this season. He leads the majors with a .452 average with runners in scoring position, a major reason why he's amassed a career-high 95 RBIs to lead the team.

The All-Star first baseman is 10 for 20 with seven RBIs in his past six games for St. Louis, which has won eight of 10.

A meeting with Latos (13-4, 2.93 ERA), however, could pose a problem for the Cardinals.

The right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA over his last four starts against them, three of which came this season. He last faced them June 8 and got the win, yielding two runs in seven innings of a 4-2 home victory and limiting Craig to an infield single in three at_bats.

Latos is looking to match his career high of 14 wins and is on a dazzling run, surrendering three runs in 30 1-3 innings this month. He's 5-1 with a 1.47 ERA over his last seven starts.

He overcame an illness to beat Arizona on Thursday, getting sick before the game and twice more over eight innings while yielding one run in a 2-1 victory.

"Latos gave us what we wanted," manager Dusty Baker said. "A security guard told me he was vomiting underneath the stands."

St. Louis counters by giving Joe Kelly (5-3, 3.01) his first start versus the Reds. He's 1-0 in two relief appearances against them, allowing one run in five innings.

The right-hander is 5-0 with a 2.33 ERA in eight starts since joining the rotation July 6.

"He's like having a Ferrari in your garage," second baseman Matt Carpenter said. "He's settling in as a starter and he's running with it. I love it when he goes out there and competes. He's aggressive and he's pitching with confidence."

That was certainly on display Thursday, when Kelly beat the Braves as he battled through a career-high 109 pitches while allowing two runs in six innings of a 6-2 win.

He'll have to contend with Zack Cozart, who is 8 for 21 in his last six games and has eight RBIs over the past four.

While Cozart doubled and tripled while driving in three runs Monday, Jay Bruce homered and singled to make him 10 for 29 (.345) in seven games at St. Louis this year.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Cardinals
Mon, Aug 26 Final 6 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Reds at Cardinals
Tue, Aug 27 - 8:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Cardinals
Wed, Aug 28 - 8:15PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Giants (58-73) at Rockies (62-71)
Game: 2
Venue: Coors Field
Date: August 27, 2013 8:40 PM EDT


While the Colorado Rockies are playing very well at Coors Field, one player who has keyed that success might not be able to help it continue.

The short-handed Rockies may be missing Dexter Fowler as they try for their eighth win in nine home games Tuesday night against the San Francisco Giants.

Following a 4-6 road trip, Colorado (62-71) continued its winning ways back home with a 6-1 victory in Monday's series opener. Todd Helton and Charlie Blackmon homered and Nolan Arenado added three hits for the Rockies, who won for the sixth time in eight home games versus the last-place Giants (58-73).

Colorado scored 3.5 runs per game while batting .186 with runners in scoring position on its trip, but has hit .330 in those situations over the last eight home games while averaging 6.8 runs. Arenado has hit .516 in that span at Coors.

Fowler also has keyed that stretch as he's hit .429 with seven RBIs and nine runs scored, and he ranks among the NL's top 10 with a .316 batting average at home. He singled in his only at-bat Monday, but left in the second inning because of a left lateral knee bruise and is day-to-day.

The Rockies already have been without Carlos Gonzalez since Aug. 4 due to a strained finger, though fellow All-Star Troy Tulowitzki is expected to return after missing the past two starts with a sore oblique.

Tulowitzki is hitless in seven at_bats against Yusmeiro Petit (0-0, 3.38 ERA), who is replacing an injured Matt Cain in the Giants rotation to make his first major league start since Sept. 23. He's made one appearance with San Francisco this season, striking out seven and giving up two runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 9-3 loss to Cincinnati on July 23.

The right-hander has gone 0-1 with an 8.18 ERA in three career starts at Coors Field, though he hasn't pitched there since 2009 while with Arizona.

Helton, three hits away from 2,500 for his career, is 4 for 7 lifetime against Petit.

Colorado counters with rookie Chad Bettis (0-2, 4.50), who takes his sixth shot at his first major league victory.

Bettis bounced back from his worst performance, allowing eight runs - two earned - in 2 2-3 innings of a loss at Baltimore, with a solid effort Thursday in Philadelphia. He had a career-high five strikeouts and allowed one run over 5 1-3 frames before the bullpen blew a three-run lead in a 5-4 loss.

"Everything was working pretty well," Bettis said. "I had better location than my last start. I had the same stuff but my command and location were better."

He may get to avoid Buster Posey, who is batting .491 with six home runs and 14 RBIs over a 13-game hitting streak at Coors. He's reached base in 49 straight games overall against Colorado, but manager Bruce Bochy told the team's official website that he would "probably" give Posey the night off Tuesday.

"I've played him every day here for a while," said Bochy, whose Giants have lost six of nine.

Pablo Sandoval is 5 for 42 (.119) in his last 10 in Denver.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Rockies
Mon, Aug 26 Final 1 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Rockies
Tue, Aug 27 - 8:40PM EDT

GAME 3
Giants at Rockies
Wed, Aug 28 - 8:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Padres (59-72) at Diamondbacks (67-63)
Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: August 27, 2013 9:40 PM EDT


Just two years ago, Ian Kennedy was the ace of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He's looked capable of regaining that status, but with the San Diego Padres.

Kennedy goes for another strong outing Tuesday night when he faces the Diamondbacks for the first time since they dealt him to the Padres.

Kennedy (5-9, 4.88 ERA) went 21-4 with a career-low 2.88 ERA in 2011, tying for the NL lead in wins while helping Arizona to a division title and its most recent playoff appearance.

The right-hander failed to remain that effective for the Diamondbacks, going 18-20 with a 4.47 ERA over the next season and a half before being sent to San Diego prior to the non-waiver trade deadline July 31.

Kennedy is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA in four games with the Padres (59-72), turning in his best performance Wednesday to beat Pittsburgh. He tossed seven shutout innings while striking out eight in a 2-1 win.

"We're seeing the pitcher we thought we'd get," manager Bud Black told the team's official website.

Now, Kennedy will take the mound at Chase Field for the first time as a visitor.

"It's going to be emotional for him," Black said. "It's a different feel. I've been there. I think that it's a unique feeling."

Black's club has been struggling offensively, scoring 18 runs over the past seven games while hitting .143 with runners in scoring position. The Padres fell 6-1 on Monday in the opener of this three-game series as they mustered five hits - all singles, and one came from starting pitcher Tyson Ross.

Will Venable had two of those hits. The veteran outfielder is among the NL's top hitters this month with a .374 average in 22 games, getting at least one hit in 21 of them.

He's 9 for 25 (.360) in 13 season meetings with Arizona (67-63).

The Diamondbacks have won seven of nine at home, including four in a row. They haven't had a longer winning streak in Arizona since an eight-game run July 6-24, 2012.

Paul Goldschmidt, who has a career-high 31 homers, is hitting .349 with 10 RBIs in the last 10 games after connecting for a two-run triple Monday. He's the first Diamondbacks player to amass 103 RBIs since Luis Gonzalez had 104 in 2003.

Martin Prado is looking to continue his own impressive production, hitting .365 with 27 RBIs in his last 23 games. He's driven in eight runs over the past three contests, including three in the series opener.

"I'm taking advantage of the situation," Prado said. "I had a difficult course over the first few months and it's good to get going this way."

Trevor Cahill was scheduled to get the ball Tuesday, but he tossed the final four innings of Saturday's 12-7 win in 18 at Philadelphia.

The Diamondbacks are now expected to send David Holmberg to the mound for his major league debut in a spot start.

The 22-year-old left-hander is considered one of the team's top pitching prospects. He's 5-7 with a 2.66 ERA in 25 starts for Double-A Mobile this year, including a 1.59 ERA over his last six.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Diamondbacks
Mon, Aug 26 Final 1 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Padres at Diamondbacks
Tue, Aug 27 - 9:40PM EDT

GAME 3
Padres at Diamondbacks
Wed, Aug 28 - 9:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (76-55) at Mariners (59-71)
Game: 2
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: August 27, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


The Texas Rangers regrouped with an offensive surge in the series opener, but that could prove difficult to continue facing one of the best pitchers in the AL.

They may not need it if Derek Holland can extend his dominant run against the Seattle Mariners.

Holland will try to lead the Rangers to their 11th win in 13 road games Tuesday night when he opposes Hisashi Iwakuma in an intriguing pitching matchup at Safeco Field.

A.J. Pierzynski and Mitch Moreland homered, Elvis Andrus had three hits and Texas defeated the Mariners 8-3 on Monday. The Rangers (76-55) remained 2 1/2 games up on Oakland in the AL West following the Athletics' win in Detroit.

Andrus notched his third straight multihit game, and Alex Rios had two RBIs for the second time in three contests after a 10-game stretch in which he had one.

Texas went 4 for 10 with runners in scoring position after going 1 for 14 in those situations over the weekend in consecutive losses to the White Sox.

The Rangers, however, may find things a bit more difficult against Iwakuma (12-6, 2.98 ERA), who has held opponents to a .183 average with runners in scoring position. He also ranks in the AL's top 10 in wins, ERA, opponent batting average (.223) and innings (178).

Iwakuma has won his last two starts, giving up four runs and 11 hits over 14 innings.

The first of those victories came in Texas on Aug. 16, when he allowed one run and four hits while striking out eight over seven innings in a 3-1 win. He's 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA in four starts against the Rangers this season, limiting them to a .179 average.

"They have a very good lineup and I was just keeping the ball down, trying to miss down and not up if I did miss," Iwakuma told the team's official website through an interpreter. "I was making good pitches when I needed and was able to get out of some jams."

Holland (9-6, 2.95) actually outpitched Iwakuma in that game, giving up two hits in seven scoreless innings. He has a 1.67 ERA in his last four starts but only one win in that span.

The left-hander has been tough on the Mariners, going 2-0 with an 0.66 ERA in his last four outings against them. Holland has not allowed an earned run over 23 1-3 innings in three career starts at Safeco and won them all.

"The weather is nice and the roof is closed, but you still have to keep the ball down," Holland said. "Even though it's a pitcher's park, the ball can still go out of here."

Seattle (59-71) has lost four straight at home and has totaled seven runs in its last six games there.

Former Mariner Adrian Beltre is batting .419 over an 11-game hitting streak against his old club and has hit .415 in his last 26 games overall. He's also had Iwakuma's number, going 5 for 11 with two home runs.

Seattle's Kyle Seager hit his 20th home run Monday and is batting .424 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in his last 14 games versus the Rangers.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Mariners
Mon, Aug 26 Final 8 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rangers at Mariners
Tue, Aug 27 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Rangers at Mariners
Wed, Aug 28 - 3:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cubs (55-76) at Dodgers (77-54)
Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: August 27, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


After Zack Greinke's performance in the series opener exemplified how the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting rotation is among the best in the majors, Clayton Kershaw will look to provide an encore.

Kershaw takes the mound for the NL West leaders Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium as they look to win a ninth straight meeting with the Chicago Cubs for the first time in franchise history.

The Dodgers' rotation has a baseball-best 3.13 ERA after Greinke came within one out of recording his fifth career shutout in Monday's 6-2 win. He also added an RBI single for Los Angeles (77-54), which matched its club-record winning streak against Chicago set from June 9, 1974-May 19, 1975.

"Pitching is like the business and hitting is more the fun part," Greinke said.

The Dodgers shined offensively, too, as Hanley Ramirez and Yasiel Puig, who had three hits, homered to help them remain 9 1/2 games ahead of second-place Arizona in the West.

Los Angeles scored just five runs while dropping two of three to Boston over the weekend.

"Zack throwing zeros early gives us a chance to shake out the cobwebs from the last series," manager Don Mattingly said

Kershaw (13-7, 1.72 ERA) has tossed up plenty of zeros while leading the majors in ERA. He's in position to join Lefty Grove (1929-31) and Greg Maddux (1993-95) as the only pitchers since 1901 to finish at the top of that category in three straight seasons.

The left-hander has pitched eight innings in five of his last six starts, going 4-1 with a 0.78 ERA. He has won three straight outings and threw eight scoreless innings in each of the last two, including Thursday's 6-0 win at Miami.

"He keeps coming after people," Mattingly said. "He raises the bar pretty high pretty much every time out. He has a rough inning or two and we worry about (how he will react mentally). He sets the bar high, but that's okay."

Kershaw has been great against the Cubs in his career as well, going 3-1 with a 1.61 ERA in four starts. Starlin Castro is 0 for 13 against him.

Chicago (55-76), which has dropped six of seven, had only three hits through eight innings Monday before Brian Bogusevic's two-run double with two outs on Greinke's final pitch.

"We really didn't muster up a whole lot until that last inning," said manager Dale Sveum, whose club has hit .175 with runners in scoring position over the last 14 games.

Chicago likely won't have it any easier against Kershaw as it looks to end the skid against the Dodgers with help from Travis Wood, who is 1-2 with a 7.65 ERA in four career starts versus Los Angeles.

Wood (7-10, 3.22) is 0-3 with a 5.16 ERA in his last five outings overall, a stretch that began when he allowed five runs and seven hits while walking five in a season-low 3 1-3 innings of a 6-2 loss to the Dodgers on Aug. 2.

The left-hander allowed four runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-4, 13-inning loss to Washington on Thursday.

The Cubs have lost four straight at Dodger Stadium.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cubs at Dodgers
Mon, Aug 26 Final 2 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Cubs at Dodgers
Tue, Aug 27 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Cubs at Dodgers
Wed, Aug 28 - 3:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Cleveland at Atlanta
The Indians look to build on their 12-3 record in their last 15 games against a left-handed starter as they open a series against the Braves on Tuesday. Cleveland is the pick (+125) according to Dunkel, which has the Indians favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+125). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27

Game 901-902: Miami at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Eovaldi) 14.562; Washington (Ohlendorf) 16.159
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Washington (-160); 8
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-160); Under

Game 903-904: Milwaukee at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Lohse) 15.584; Pittsburgh (Locke) 15.125
Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-150); 7
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+130); Over

Game 905-906: Philadelphia at NY Mets (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Kendrick) 15.470; NY Mets (Niese) 14.306
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 9
Vegas Line: NY Mets (-140); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+120); Over

Game 907-908: Cincinnati at St. Louis (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Latos) 16.305; St. Louis (Kelly) 14.951
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-115); Under

Game 909-910: San Francisco at Colorado (8:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Petit) 15.290; Colorado (Bettis) 14.082
Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1; 11
Vegas Line: Colorado (-125); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (+105); Over

Game 911-912: San Diego at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Kennedy) 13.629; Arizona (Holmberg) 15.503
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 2; 7
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 913-914: Chicago Cubs at LA Dodgers (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Wood) 13.320; LA Dodgers (Kershaw) 16.003
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 2 1/2; 5
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-290); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-290); Under

Game 915-916: NY Yankees at Toronto (7:07 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Pettitte) 14.717; Toronto (Happ) 15.508
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 10
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-120); 9
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+100); Over

Game 917-918: Oakland at Detroit (7:08 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Milone) 14.823; Detroit (Verlander) 16.138
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Detroit (-200); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-200); Under

Game 919-920: LA Angels at Tampa Bay (2:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Wilson) 15.646; Tampa Bay (Hernandez) 14.711
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-135); 8
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+115); Over

Game 921-922: Baltimore at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Chen) 16.289; Boston (Doubront) 15.397
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1; 10
Vegas Line: Boston (-135); 9
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+115); Over

Game 923-924: Kansas City at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Shields) 16.414; Minnesota (Correia) 14.792
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-145); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-145); Under

Game 925-926: Houston at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Clemens) 15.308; White Sox (Quintana) 16.842
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-200); 9
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (-200); Under

Game 927-928: Texas at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Holland) 14.131; Seattle (Iwakuma) 15.212
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Texas (-125); 7
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (+105); Over

Game 929-930: Cleveland at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Salazar) 16.647; Atlanta (Wood) 15.850
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-145); 7
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+125); Over

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, August 27

Hot pitchers
-- Eovaldi is 1-1, 3.28 in six road starts this season. Washington won all three Ohlendorf starts (1-0, 3.06).
-- Lohse is 4-1, 2.45 in his last seven starts.
-- Niese is 2-0, 2.84 in three starts since coming off DL.
-- Kelly is 5-0, 1.79 in his last seven starts. Latos is 5-1, 1.91 in his last seven.
-- Former D'Back Kennedy is 2-1, 3.20 in four starts for San Diego.
-- Kershaw is 3-0, 0.75 in his last three starts.

-- AWood is 2-0, 1.72 in his last five starts.

-- Pettitte is 2-0, 2.84 in his last couple starts. Happ is 1-1, 5.82 in his last four starts.
-- Wilson is 2-0, 1.89 in his last three starts.
-- Quintana is 2-1, 3.91 in his last four starts.
-- Shields is 2-0, 2.57 in his last three starts.
-- Iwakuma is 2-0, 2.57 in his last two starts. Holland is 1-0, 1.67 in last four.

Cold pitchers
-- Kendrick is 0-2, 7.05 in his last three starts.
-- Locke is 0-2, 6.91 in his last six starts. Bettis is 0-2, 6.75 in five starts this season.
-- TWood is 0-3, 5.16 in his last five starts.

-- Salazar is 0-1, 4.41 in his last three starts.

-- Milone is 1-2, 6.00 in his last five starts. Verlander is 0-1, 4.91 in his last three outings.
-- Hernandez is 0-2, 8.56 in his last three starts.
-- Chen is 1-3, 4.10 in his last four starts. Doubront is 1-3, 4.84 in his last four starts at Fenway.
-- Correia is 0-2, 5.79 in his last couple starts.

Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in the first inning. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Eovaldi 3-13; Ohlendorf 1-3
-- Lohse 7-26 (0 of last 8); Locke 5-25
-- Kendrick 5-14; Niese 6-17
-- Latos 8-26 (0 of last 7); Kelly 0-9
-- Petit 0-0; Bettis 3-5
-- Kennedy 9-25; Holmberg 0-0
-- TWood 4-26; Kershaw 3-27 (0 of last 7)

-- Salazar 2-4; AWood 1-7

-- Pettitte 10-23 (8 of last 10); Happ 2-11
-- Milone 6-23 (0 of last 6); Verlander 8-27 (4 of last 7)
-- Wilson 5-26 (1 of last 14); Hernandez 10-23 (3 of last 3)
-- Chen 3-16 (1 of last 10); Doubront 5-23 (1 of last 9)
-- Shields 11-26; Correia 6-25 (0 of last 11)
-- Clemens 0-0; Quintana 9-26
-- Holland 3-26; Iwakuma 6-27 (1 of last 11)

Totals
-- Last five Washington games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Milwaukee games went over total.
-- Under is 11-3-1 in last fifteen Philadelphia games.
-- Three of last four Cincinnati games went over total.
-- Under is 6-0-1 in last seven Colorado games.
-- Four of last five San Diego games stayed under total.
-- Under is 14-5-2 in last 21 Dodger home games.

-- Four of last five Atlanta games stayed under the total.

-- Five of last six Oakland games went over the total.
-- 11 of last 15 Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last nine Tampa Bay games stayed under total.
-- Seven of last ten Baltimore games went over the total.
-- Eight of last eleven White Sox games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Houston games went over the total.
-- Six of last nine Seattle home games went over total.

Hot teams
-- Nationals won five of their last six games.
-- Brewers are 7-4 in their last eleven road games.
-- St Louis won eight of its last ten games.
-- Phillies won seven of their last nine games.
-- Rockies won three of their last four games.
-- Arizona won seven of its last nine home games.
-- Dodgers are 47-12 in last 59 games, 5-4 in last nine.

-- Indians won five of their last six games.

-- Detroit won six of its last nine games.
-- Angels won last three games, outscoring foes 14-2. Tampa Bay won eight of its last twelve games, but lost last two.
-- Orioles/Red Sox both won three of last four games.
-- White Sox won eight of their last ten games. Houston won three of last four.
-- Texas won 20 of its last 26 games.

Cold teams
-- Marlins lost five of their last six games.
-- Pirates lost ten of their last sixteen games.
-- Mets lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Cincinnati lost three of its last four games.
-- Giants lost six of their last nine road games.
-- San Diego lost four of its last five road games.
-- Cubs lost 16 of their last 23 games.

-- Braves lost three of their last four games.

-- Oakland is 6-7 in its last 13 games.
-- Blue Jays lost 12 of their last 18 games, but won their last two. Bronx lost three of last four.
-- Mariners lost their last four games, outscored 22-5.
-- Kansas City lost nine of their last thirteen games, but won last two. Twins lost seven of their last ten games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, August 27

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Trend Report
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7:05 PM
MIAMI vs. WASHINGTON
Miami is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Miami's last 17 games on the road
Washington is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Miami
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Pittsburgh's last 10 games when playing Milwaukee
Pittsburgh is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home

7:07 PM
NY YANKEES vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Yankees's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of NY Yankees's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
Toronto is 1-10 SU in their last 11 games when playing NY Yankees

7:08 PM
OAKLAND vs. DETROIT
Oakland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oakland's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Detroit's last 8 games when playing at home against Oakland
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Oakland

7:10 PM
CLEVELAND vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games at home
Atlanta is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games at home

7:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Baltimore's last 8 games when playing Boston
Baltimore is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Boston is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Baltimore

7:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. TAMPA BAY
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of LA Angels's last 10 games when playing Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Angels's last 5 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels
Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Angels

7:10 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. NY METS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games on the road
Philadelphia is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games when playing NY Mets
NY Mets are 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games at home

8:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Houston is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chi White Sox
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games when playing at home against Houston
Chi White Sox are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against Houston

8:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. MINNESOTA
Kansas City is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Kansas City is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing at home against Kansas City
Minnesota is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Kansas City

8:15 PM
CINCINNATI vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Cincinnati's last 14 games on the road
Cincinnati is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of St. Louis's last 10 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

8:40 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. COLORADO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 15 of San Francisco's last 23 games when playing Colorado
Colorado is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against San Francisco
Colorado is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home

9:40 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. ARIZONA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 6 games on the road
San Diego is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Arizona
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 6 games when playing at home against San Diego
Arizona is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:10 PM
TEXAS vs. SEATTLE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Texas's last 6 games on the road
Texas is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Texas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 6 games

10:10 PM
CHI CUBS vs. LA DODGERS
Chi Cubs are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers
Chi Cubs are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games at home
LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs