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[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Long Sheet

Tuesday, August 13

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SAN FRANCISCO (52 - 65) at WASHINGTON (57 - 60) - 7:05 PM
MADISON BUMGARNER (L) vs. GIO GONZALEZ (L)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN FRANCISCO is 52-65 (-24.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 21-28 (-15.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 3-12 (-10.2 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 51-61 (-22.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 31-41 (-16.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 25-38 (-20.6 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 21-34 (-22.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
GONZALEZ is 38-19 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 38-19 (+15.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 56-41 (+13.4 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 23-8 (+14.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 57-60 (-15.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 4-12 (-10.5 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday this season.
WASHINGTON is 57-60 (-15.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
WASHINGTON is 27-29 (-9.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 2-1 (+0.5 Units) against WASHINGTON this season
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+2.0 Units)

MADISON BUMGARNER vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
BUMGARNER is 2-2 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 2.65 and a WHIP of 1.000.
His team's record is 2-3 (-1.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-2. (+0.8 units)

GIO GONZALEZ vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
GONZALEZ is 2-2 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 2.87 and a WHIP of 1.301.
His team's record is 3-3 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-4. (-2.6 units)

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PHILADELPHIA (53 - 65) at ATLANTA (72 - 47) - 7:10 PM
ETHAN MARTIN (R) vs. KRIS MEDLEN (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 53-65 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 53-65 (-17.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 64-80 (-23.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 72-47 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 40-17 (+13.0 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ATLANTA is 77-44 (+23.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 71-46 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ATLANTA is 31-12 (+11.1 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 56-28 (+17.4 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.
MEDLEN is 39-16 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
MEDLEN is 21-4 (+16.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents since 1997. (Team's Record)
MEDLEN is 39-16 (+19.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field since 1997. (Team's Record)
MEDLEN is 31-9 (+19.6 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
MEDLEN is 19-3 (+14.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
PHILADELPHIA is 12-4 (+8.3 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 365-335 (+42.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 6-4 (+0.9 Units) against PHILADELPHIA this season
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

ETHAN MARTIN vs. ATLANTA since 1997
MARTIN is 0-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 12.47 and a WHIP of 2.540.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

KRIS MEDLEN vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
MEDLEN is 2-2 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 5.60 and a WHIP of 1.683.
His team's record is 3-2 (+0.7 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+1.0 units)

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CINCINNATI (66 - 52) at CHICAGO CUBS (52 - 66) - 8:05 PM
HOMER BAILEY (R) vs. JEFF SAMARDZIJA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CINCINNATI is 165-120 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 644-716 (+55.6 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 306-329 (+32.3 Units) against the money line in road games against division opponents since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 165-120 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 420-464 (+36.7 Units) against the money line in road games in night games since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 464-515 (+44.8 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 322-335 (+47.8 Units) against the money line in road games after a win since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 95-54 (+18.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 204-165 (+45.7 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1997.
BAILEY is 29-10 (+16.8 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)
CHICAGO CUBS are 113-167 (-29.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 23-34 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 1-9 (-8.3 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 7 or less this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 11-29 (-14.1 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 12-29 (-13.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 49-83 (-22.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 23-34 (-12.1 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 194-205 (-69.7 Units) against the money line in home games in night games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 79-122 (-26.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 23-43 (-11.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 137-180 (-59.4 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.

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 11-3 (+6.3 Units) against CHICAGO CUBS this season
9 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.9 Units)

HOMER BAILEY vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
BAILEY is 7-2 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 4.38 and a WHIP of 1.472.
His team's record is 10-2 (+7.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-4. (+3.2 units)

JEFF SAMARDZIJA vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
SAMARDZIJA is 1-2 when starting against CINCINNATI with an ERA of 3.52 and a WHIP of 1.369.
His team's record is 2-3 (-0.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+1.0 units)

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PITTSBURGH (70 - 47) at ST LOUIS (67 - 50) - 8:15 PM
CHARLIE MORTON (R) vs. ADAM WAINWRIGHT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 24-44 (-21.0 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 224-446 (-95.5 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
PITTSBURGH is 95-222 (-68.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
ST LOUIS is 55-32 (+12.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 199-131 (+46.7 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.
PITTSBURGH is 70-47 (+26.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 29-27 (+8.2 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 13-4 (+10.8 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday this season.
PITTSBURGH is 12-1 (+10.6 Units) against the money line when playing with a day off this season.
PITTSBURGH is 30-18 (+14.2 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
PITTSBURGH is 70-47 (+26.2 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
PITTSBURGH is 45-28 (+16.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
PITTSBURGH is 58-36 (+26.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
PITTSBURGH is 28-18 (+11.3 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ST LOUIS is 33-32 (-10.9 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
ST LOUIS is 56-67 (-25.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 7-3 (+5.0 Units) against ST LOUIS this season
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.2 Units)

CHARLIE MORTON vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
MORTON is 2-8 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 6.30 and a WHIP of 1.867.
His team's record is 3-9 (-5.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-7. (-3.8 units)

ADAM WAINWRIGHT vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
WAINWRIGHT is 8-4 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 5.00 and a WHIP of 1.475.
His team's record is 9-7 (-2.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 12-1. (+11.3 units)

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SAN DIEGO (53 - 65) at COLORADO (56 - 64) - 8:40 PM
ERIC STULTS (L) vs. JEFF MANSHIP (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 5-18 (-11.1 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 this season.
SAN DIEGO is 11-28 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
SAN DIEGO is 129-151 (+2.0 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 21-16 (+10.3 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 129-148 (+5.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
STULTS is 36-27 (+16.4 Units) against the money line in all games since 1997. (Team's Record)
STULTS is 22-16 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
STULTS is 16-8 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLORADO is 120-162 (-30.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 108-115 (-30.0 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 193-250 (-58.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 31-62 (-29.0 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 81-108 (-36.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 3 seasons.
COLORADO is 26-30 (-11.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 11-3 (+8.0 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-1.1 Units)

ERIC STULTS vs. COLORADO since 1997
STULTS is 3-0 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 3.50 and a WHIP of 1.333.
His team's record is 6-0 (+6.6 units) in these starts. The OVER is 3-2. (+0.7 units)

JEFF MANSHIP vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
No recent starts.

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NY METS (54 - 62) at LA DODGERS (68 - 50) - 10:10 PM
MATT HARVEY (R) vs. HYUN-JIN RYU (L)
Top Trends for this game.
NY METS are 18-39 (-17.4 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 68-50 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 11-1 (+10.8 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
LA DODGERS are 65-50 (+5.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA DODGERS are 46-32 (+7.9 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
LA DODGERS are 88-63 (+15.6 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 32-14 (+11.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
LA DODGERS are 15-4 (+9.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
RYU is 16-6 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
RYU is 15-6 (+9.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
RYU is 12-4 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
RYU is 8-0 (+8.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season. (Team's Record)
NY METS are 39-25 (+20.1 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 67-73 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 106-109 (+25.3 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
NY METS are 22-16 (+10.4 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
NY METS are 56-53 (+17.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 3 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 204-214 (-53.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA DODGERS is 3-1 (+2.0 Units) against NY METS this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.2 Units)

MATT HARVEY vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
HARVEY is 0-0 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 4.50 and a WHIP of 0.833.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

HYUN-JIN RYU vs. NY METS since 1997
RYU is 0-0 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 1.29 and a WHIP of 0.857.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

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LA ANGELS (53 - 64) at NY YANKEES (60 - 57) - 7:05 PM
JASON VARGAS (L) vs. C.C. SABATHIA (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA ANGELS are 53-64 (-26.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 31-35 (-13.9 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
LA ANGELS are 53-64 (-26.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 35-50 (-28.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
LA ANGELS are 11-19 (-12.2 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
LA ANGELS are 24-39 (-25.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
LA ANGELS are 24-36 (-15.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LA ANGELS are 688-682 (+53.9 Units) against the money line in road games since 1997.
VARGAS is 35-25 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
VARGAS is 27-18 (+14.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY YANKEES are 157-144 (-27.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY YANKEES is 2-2 (+0.3 Units) against LA ANGELS this season
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.0 Units)

JASON VARGAS vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
VARGAS is 0-3 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 6.68 and a WHIP of 1.452.
His team's record is 2-4 (+0.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-4. (-2.3 units)

C.C. SABATHIA vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
SABATHIA is 9-8 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 3.70 and a WHIP of 1.338.
His team's record is 9-10 (-4.8 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 9-10. (-2.3 units)

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BOSTON (71 - 49) at TORONTO (54 - 64) - 7:05 PM
RYAN DEMPSTER (R) vs. TODD REDMOND (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 52-62 (-22.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 15-25 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 96-104 (-24.9 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 91-100 (-25.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 71-49 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BOSTON is 31-17 (+12.2 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
BOSTON is 36-17 (+13.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
DEMPSTER is 28-14 (+14.8 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
TORONTO is 54-64 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
TORONTO is 29-31 (-9.6 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
TORONTO is 18-30 (-10.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
TORONTO is 29-42 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TORONTO is 32-35 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
TORONTO is 5-17 (-12.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 8-5 (+0.8 Units) against TORONTO this season
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.2 Units)

RYAN DEMPSTER vs. TORONTO since 1997
DEMPSTER is 1-1 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 5.28 and a WHIP of 1.345.
His team's record is 4-1 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-3. (-1.2 units)

TODD REDMOND vs. BOSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

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SEATTLE (54 - 63) at TAMPA BAY (66 - 50) - 7:10 PM
ERASMO RAMIREZ (L) vs. CHRIS ARCHER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 35-18 (+13.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season.
TAMPA BAY is 22-10 (+13.3 Units) against the money line after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 109-59 (+31.7 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

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

ERASMO RAMIREZ vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
No recent starts.

CHRIS ARCHER vs. SEATTLE since 1997
No recent starts.

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DETROIT (69 - 48) at CHI WHITE SOX (45 - 72) - 8:10 PM
MAX SCHERZER (R) vs. HECTOR SANTIAGO (L)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 164-128 (-14.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 73-76 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 156-122 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 47-52 (-16.6 Units) against the money line in road games in night games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 15-23 (-13.2 Units) against the money line in road games against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
SCHERZER is 19-4 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
SCHERZER is 20-4 (+14.1 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SCHERZER is 59-30 (+19.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
SCHERZER is 16-3 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)
CHI WHITE SOX are 45-72 (-28.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 108-112 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 14-34 (-21.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 43-67 (-25.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 25-47 (-22.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 34-54 (-20.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 7-4 (+0.0 Units) against CHI WHITE SOX this season
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.8 Units)

MAX SCHERZER vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
SCHERZER is 7-4 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 2.31 and a WHIP of 0.959.
His team's record is 8-7 (-0.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 7-8. (-1.5 units)

HECTOR SANTIAGO vs. DETROIT since 1997
SANTIAGO is 0-2 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 3.46 and a WHIP of 1.308.
His team's record is 0-2 (-2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)

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CLEVELAND (63 - 56) at MINNESOTA (53 - 63) - 8:10 PM
ZACH MCALLISTER (R) vs. SAM DEDUNO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 15-35 (-18.1 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 9-32 (-22.0 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 6-22 (-16.8 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 53-63 (+6.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 124-77 (+36.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Tuesday since 1997.
MINNESOTA is 52-57 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
DEDUNO is 9-1 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CLEVELAND is 63-56 (+11.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 60-53 (+9.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CLEVELAND is 35-21 (+12.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MINNESOTA is 91-126 (-34.3 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 9-24 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in home games in August games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 60-91 (-31.6 Units) against the money line in home games against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 7-18 (-10.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-5 (+1.3 Units) against CLEVELAND this season
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.5 Units)

ZACH MCALLISTER vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
MCALLISTER is 0-3 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 8.00 and a WHIP of 2.556.
His team's record is 0-3 (-3.6 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-2. (-1.1 units)

SAM DEDUNO vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
DEDUNO is 2-1 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 4.13 and a WHIP of 1.292.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+0.9 units)

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HOUSTON (37 - 80) at OAKLAND (67 - 50) - 10:05 PM
JORDAN LYLES (R) vs. BARTOLO COLON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 92-186 (-47.5 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 38-98 (-28.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 6-32 (-22.5 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 90-181 (-47.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 67-139 (-37.2 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 59-125 (-34.1 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 14-48 (-20.2 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HOUSTON is 17-53 (-20.6 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.
LYLES is 14-43 (-21.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LYLES is 14-42 (-20.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LYLES is 2-16 (-12.5 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
OAKLAND is 67-50 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
OAKLAND is 86-51 (+30.5 Units) against the money line in home games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 267-196 (+67.5 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
OAKLAND is 63-45 (+24.5 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 64-46 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
OAKLAND is 42-27 (+13.6 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
OAKLAND is 110-75 (+41.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 40-26 (+12.0 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
OAKLAND is 38-22 (+11.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
OAKLAND is 39-16 (+18.3 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.
COLON is 17-6 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
COLON is 14-4 (+11.9 Units) against the money line against division opponents over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLON is 17-6 (+9.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
COLON is 21-7 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
COLON is 64-56 (-21.2 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 11-1 (+9.4 Units) against HOUSTON this season
8 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.0 Units)

JORDAN LYLES vs. OAKLAND since 1997
No recent starts.

BARTOLO COLON vs. HOUSTON since 1997
COLON is 6-2 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 3.02 and a WHIP of 1.140.
His team's record is 6-3 (+1.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-4. (+0.3 units)

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

MILWAUKEE (51 - 67) at TEXAS (69 - 50) - 8:05 PM
MARCO ESTRADA (R) vs. ALEXI OGANDO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 51-67 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 4-17 (-15.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
MILWAUKEE is 58-83 (-23.6 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 51-67 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
TEXAS is 42-37 (-17.0 Units) against the money line in home games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
TEXAS is 6-11 (-12.7 Units) against the money line in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 1-1 (-0.1 Units) against MILWAUKEE this season
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.2 Units)

MARCO ESTRADA vs. TEXAS since 1997
No recent starts.

ALEXI OGANDO vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
No recent starts.

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

MIAMI (44 - 73) at KANSAS CITY (62 - 54) - 8:10 PM
JOSE FERNANDEZ (R) vs. BRUCE CHEN (L)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 113-166 (-36.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 9-24 (-15.4 Units) against the money line in an inter-league game over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 112-162 (-33.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 62-101 (-28.2 Units) against the money line after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 83-139 (-35.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 62-54 (+8.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 26-14 (+16.8 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 59-53 (+5.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
KANSAS CITY is 95-92 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 47-35 (+13.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
CHEN is 11-3 (+11.0 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
MIAMI is 332-375 (+40.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
FERNANDEZ is 13-8 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)
FERNANDEZ is 10-3 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
KANSAS CITY is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against MIAMI this season
0 of 0 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+0.0 Units)

JOSE FERNANDEZ vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
No recent starts.

BRUCE CHEN vs. MIAMI since 1997
CHEN is 3-1 when starting against MIAMI with an ERA of 3.02 and a WHIP of 1.272.
His team's record is 6-2 (+3.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.3 units)

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

BALTIMORE (65 - 53) at ARIZONA (60 - 57) - 9:40 PM
MIGUEL GONZALEZ (R) vs. RANDALL DELGADO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BALTIMORE is 65-53 (+7.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BALTIMORE is 75-55 (+20.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 80-65 (+34.4 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 32-20 (+20.2 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 24-13 (+12.4 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 29-13 (+19.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Tuesday over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 60-45 (+9.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BALTIMORE is 46-32 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BALTIMORE is 47-33 (+13.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
BALTIMORE is 33-19 (+13.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
BALTIMORE is 36-23 (+14.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BALTIMORE is 35-32 (+13.1 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.
GONZALEZ is 23-13 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 12-4 (+9.3 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 20-10 (+10.9 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 18-9 (+10.2 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
GONZALEZ is 13-6 (+11.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ARIZONA is 53-51 (-15.0 Units) against the money line in home games in night games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+1.2 Units)

MIGUEL GONZALEZ vs. ARIZONA since 1997
No recent starts.

RANDALL DELGADO vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
DELGADO is 0-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 0.500.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.2 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Middle of night/morning lineup for the ESPN college basketball marathon, held November 11-12 all over the country........

1am--- Western Kentucky at Wichita State

3am-- Akron at St Mary's

5am-- New Mexico State at Hawai'i

7am-- Hartford at Florida Gulf Coast

9am-- Quinnipiac at LaSalle

11am-- LSU at UMass


*****

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.........

13) A Cuban 1B named Jose Dariel Abreu has apparently defected and could hit the major leagues next season; after the success Cespedes/Puig are having in the big leagues, Abreu could be looking at a contract in the $70-80M range. Red Sox would be a team with money that could use a 1B.

12) Cuban OF Henry Urrutia got called up by the Orioles last month after running amok in the minors; he is hitting.283 in 46 AB’s, but with no walks and only one extra base hit. He is lot thinner than Cespedes/Puig and might not hit with enough power to be a corner OF, or a regular player.

11) Have to feel bad for the football juniors/seniors at Arkansas State; HC Bryan Harsin is their 4th head coach in the last four seasons, after Freeze/Malzahn bolted for SEC jobs after each going 10-3 in one season in Jonesboro. They’ve won a lot of games, but have to feel at least a little like second-class citizens.

10) Of the 14 SEC football teams, Kentucky/Tennessee are the only teams that haven’t been to a bowl the last two seasons. Vols have 123 starts back on an experienced offensive line this year.

You have to think QB Tyler Bray screwed up last winter by declaring for the NFL Draft (he wasn’t drafted) instead of playing his senior year for the Vols, and raising his draft stock. Bray is currently in training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs.

9) Surprising stats: Auburn/Ole Miss are only two SEC teams that won their last five bowl games. Utah Utes have a 13-4 record in bowl games.

8) ESPN announced the schedule for its November 12 college hoops marathon, which is a holiday at Armadillo World HQ. Western Kentucky-Wichita and Akron-St Mary’s are on in the middle of the night. 7am game is Hartford-Florida Gulf Coast, 9am game is Quinnipiac-LaSalle.

7) It bears repeating about the rapid rise of Florida Gulf Coast; they play in Atlantic Sun, a league Belmont dominated until they moved to the OVC last year. if Belmont stays in the A-Sun, Andy Enfield is still in Fort Myers, instead of raking in a $1M+ a year at USC. He got a great opportunity and ran with it, but sometimes you need to be a little lucky, too.

6) FGCU hired former Kansas assistant Joe Dooley to take over for Enfield; tough act to follow, for sure. Hope he keeps the reins loose and lets the kids run- thats what made the team popular.

5) This is how deep LSU’s football team is, how great a recruiter Les Miles is; they’ve finished in the top 12 in national special teams rankings five years in a row. That is not easy to do, but it speaks to the depth he has amassed in Baton Rouge.

4) You look at the SEC this year, who has/doesn’t have experience returning in the offensive line, and Bama/LSU/Kentucky will be three least experienced OLs in the SEC, by far. The talent level at Bama and LSU will be way above Kentucky’s guys, but still, they’ll have veteran QB’s playing behind inexperienced offensive lines.

3) Syracuse in the ACC; it just doesn’t make sense yet and it’ll make less sense when the basketball magazines come out.

2) Hey its August 12 and the 76ers finally hired a coach, Spurs assistant Brett Brown. Gregg Popovich is going to be breaking in some new assistants this year- the Atlanta Hawks hired Mike Budenholzer as head coach.

1) There is something oddly comforting knowing that at 9am on November 12, three months from now, I’ll be sitting in my palacial living room eating breakfast from McDonald’s while watching the Quinnipiac-LaSalle game. Some of us are more easily amused than others.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday, August 13

Game Score Status Pick Amount

LA Angels - 7:05 PM ET NY Yankees -146 500
NY Yankees - Over 8.5 500

San Francisco - 7:05 PM ET San Francisco +118 500 POD # 2
Washington - Under 6.5 500

Boston - 7:07 PM ET Boston -130 500
Toronto - Over 10 500

Philadelphia - 7:10 PM ET Philadelphia +234 500 POD # 8
Atlanta - Under 8.5 500

Seattle - 7:10 PM ET Seattle +165 500 POD # 1
Tampa Bay - Under 8 500

Cincinnati - 8:05 PM ET Cincinnati -140 500
Chi. Cubs - Over 7.5 500

Milwaukee - 8:05 PM ET Texas -195 500
Texas - Under 9 500

Detroit - 8:10 PM ET Detroit -191 500
Chi. White Sox - Under 7.5 500

Cleveland - 8:10 PM ET Cleveland +111 500 POD # 5
Minnesota - Over 8.5 500

Miami - 8:10 PM ET Miami +125 500 POD # 3
Kansas City - Over 6.5 500

Pittsburgh - 8:15 PM ET St. Louis -175 500
St. Louis - Over 7.5 500

San Diego - 8:40 PM ET San Diego +115 500 POD # 4
Colorado - Under 10 500

Baltimore - 9:40 PM ET Arizona +103 500 POD # 7
Arizona - Over 9 500

Houston - 10:05 PM ET Oakland -265 500
Oakland - Under 7.5 500

NY Mets - 10:10 PM ET NY Mets +110 500 POD # 6
LA Dodgers - Under 6 500

[StarDust Bum]

Diamond Trends - Tuesday

August 13, 2013


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Red Sox are 11-0 since April 13, 2013 when they are off a loss in which they held the lead and it is not the last game of a series for a net profit of $1137.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Mariners are 10-0 OU since May 03, 2007 as a dog vs. AL teams after scoring 3 runs or less and winning as a favorite and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $1000 when playing the over.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Max Scherzer starts the Tigers are 17-0 since June 15, 2010 as a 140+ favorite after more strike outs than hits allowed on the road for a net profit of $1700.

MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Padres are 9-0 (+$995) in database history when they allowed 13+ runs last game and scored between 2 and 11.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Mariners are 0-11 since August 12, 2004 as a 140+ dog vs a team that has lost at least their last four games for a net profit of $1100 when playing against.

-- When Jordan Lyles starts the Astros are 0-16 since June 052011 as a 140+ dog vs a team that has won at least their last two games for a net profit of $1600 when playing against.

[StarDust Bum]

Pitchers to Watch

August 13, 2013


As the pro baseball season comes to a close, I’ve identified three starting pitchers who are very much on the rise and merit your attention over the last six weeks. Also, I strongly believe that two pitchers are on the verge of a downfall in the near-future and potentially should be avoided.

For those unfamiliar with my work, I study only totals (over/under), as you can even see in my game log, without ever taking a day off, and the root of my work lies in my feelings on the starting pitchers involved, as it is they who dictate the pace and outcome of a game more than any other position in professional sports, which makes baseball totals a very winnable endeavor - if you put the time and work in. That being said, here are three pitchers to pay close attention to that the oddsmakers may not have noticed yet, and two that they still might be overrating down the stretch.

Let’s start with the emerging starters…

Three Ascending Starting Pitchers

Brett Oberholtzer – Houston Astros
This first choice really doesn’t apply as much to those who focus on sides, as it’s hard to bank on any pitcher from the lowly Houston Astros for a victory, given how atrocious their bullpen is and the tendency of their lineup to not show up on a lot of days, but when it comes to unders, Brett Oberholtzer is a very intriguing name to be aware of. After a couple of cups of coffee at the Major League level earlier this season, Oberholtzer was recalled at the very end of July when a spot opened up in the Houston rotation, and the rookie left-hander hasn’t looked back since. Up to this point, the former 8th-round pick has made three starts - against the Rangers, Red Sox, and Orioles, no less - all of which resulting in quality outings. In fact, Oberholtzer has surrendered just two runs combined in those three assignments, while working against some of the top lineups in all of baseball. The remarkable thing about Oberholtzer, though, is that he’s not just simply limiting the damage done by these potent bats - he’s overpowering them with conviction, as evident in his 14:4 K:BB ratio in 20 innings of work. In other words, he’s been dazzling.

If I had to make a comparison, I would equate Oberholtzer to J.A. Happ circa-2010 when he was first acquired by Houston that summer. As soon as he came over from Philadelphia, Happ went on to string together a really nice stretch of solid pitching, in amassing a 5-4 record in 13 starts with a 3.80 ERA and 1.33 WHIP, while striking out 61 batters in 71 innings of work. Oberholtzer reminds me of that same type of lefty, and appears to have already locked down a spot on the pitching staff for years to come. Another fellow starter who will be a big part of their future, Jarred Cosart, also deserves honorable mention as their potential No. 2 guy in the future, but it looks like Vegas has already caught on to him. Thus, Oberholtzer is the guy to watch closely, as well as the lines related to his starts, over these next several weeks.

Henderson Alvarez – Miami Marlins
Believe it or not, the Miami Marlins are shaping up to be my biggest Over Win Total bet in 2014 (Much like the Cleveland Indians were for me this season), although that’s another lengthy discussion for a later time. In the meantime, it is their starting pitching as a group that has me absolutely wowed and thinking that they can compete as early as next year. Obviously, everyone already knows about Jose Fernandez, who looks like he’s going to be one of the National League’s top aces for the next ten years, if not more (Or less, depending on when Jeffrey Loria decides to hold his next fire sale), so that would defeat the purpose of this article if I was to focus on him here. Jacob Turner, slotted right behind him, has pitched considerably well in a Miami uniform after coming over from Detroit in the Anibal Sanchez trade a season ago, but by this point, with 20 starts as a Marlin under his belt, Vegas has taken notice of his delightful work and reacted accordingly, based on his typical over/under lines. Behind them are Nathan Eovaldi and Henderson Alvarez, and while I do really like both, I feel it is Alvarez who has the highest ceiling in solidifying himself as an upper echelon starter for years to come.

I noticed the right-hander as soon as he debuted two years ago with the Blue Jays, and while he’s been mostly up-and-down since breaking into the big leagues, I’m confident that Alvarez is on the verge of permanently turning the corner and developing into the ultra-consistent starter that I always pegged him to be. It certainly looks like he has for the time being, as the 23-year old is 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.16 WHIP this year through his first eight starts with his new club, while allowing no more than four runs in any of his outings. Aside from possessing good stuff in his arsenal, I just feel like he has all the “little things” down to pat, which you can only notice by watching him. I’m impressed every time I see him - his attitude and composure - and reading more on him, it all begins to make sense: Alvarez has always idolized Felix Hernandez, and if you’ve watched him pitch, you’d recognize that he actually mimics the former Cy Young winner very closely, from his mannerisms down to his demeanor on the mound. It’s very fascinating, and to me, it’s also a main reason why I know Henderson Alvarez will be a successful starter for quite some time.


Chris Rusin – Chicago Cubs
It’s awfully hard to get excited about anything within the Chicago Cubs organization, as most Cubs fans might even attest to, but based on his early work this season since being recalled, it looks like left-hander Chris Rusin is here to stay as a big-league starter. Thus far, Rusin has only made five starts in 2013, and while his overall statline hasn’t been overly impressive or anything (2-1, 3.08 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 18:9 K:BB ratio in 26 innings), I still feel there’s enough evidence here to warrant a “sleeper” label for the youngster. Yes, if you look at his stats, you’ll notice a very ugly rookie campaign for the southpaw a year ago, when he registered a 6.37 ERA and 1.65 WHIP (Yikes) in seven starts, but I’m telling you: This is someone who is on the rise, and because of how opposing hitters drilled him for a .314 batting average in 2012, Vegas may not catch on until it’s too late. Although he’s only produced modest work in just five starts this season, this is someone who looks poised to be a part of the Cubs’ pitching staff for the foreseeable future.

In his most recent assignment, Rusin contributed the brightest outing of his still-very-young Major League career, when he went into St. Louis and beat the mighty Cardinals by shutting them out over six terrific shutout innings, scattering seven hits and striking out five. Two starts prior, he went into San Francisco and blanked the defending World Champions over seven innings, while out-dueling the seemingly unbeatable-at-home Madison Bumgarner. And right before that, his assignment was in Arizona, where he proceeded to keep those dangerous D-Back bats at bay, en route to an impressive victory. Yes, the sample size is small, and yes, Rusin is only a former 23rd-round pick, but I see something here. And when I latch on to a new pitcher very early on, good results usually follow. Vegas might not even be giving much thought to Chris Rusin, which potentially makes them very vulnerable if they provide a higher-than-anticipated line on an under he’s in.

Honorable Mention: Jarred Cosart, Liam Hendriks, Dan Straily, Tyson Ross, Tyler Thornburg (When he’s permanently in Milwaukee’s rotation)

Two Descending Starting Pitchers

Corey Kluber – Cleveland Indians
While still quite young and relatively inexperienced, I believe Corey Kluber has already peaked and contributed the best pitching we may ever see from him. That might be a bold statement, considering Kluber is just 27-years old and in only his second year as a big-league starter, but from what I’ve seen while watching him on the hill, his ceiling is very low. At the moment, the right-hander has very desirable numbers - a 7-5 record, 3.54 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and an outstanding 116:26 K:BB ratio in 122 innings - but I just don’t see him keeping it up. Not only that, I don’t even envision him coming close to resembling that type of a marvelous pace, as I have him clocking in as a guy who consistent sits with a mid-4’s ERA year in and year out.

In my opinion, Kluber’s unusual high strikeout rate is just that: unusual. Without question, it’s a large contributing factor in his 2013 success, something of which he wasn’t doing much of last year, and as long as those whiff numbers decline, which I anticipate, Kluber should go back to getting clobbered again (5.14 ERA, 1.49 WHIP in 2012). Admittedly, I might be a little biased, as I latched on to him as soon as he was called up last year and used him as an overs machine, which worked out nicely, with 7 of his 12 starts resulting in the total score surpassing ten combined runs, but at the end of the day, I’ve watched him numerous times now and I just don’t see him keeping up what he’s done this year. At the moment, the Cleveland right-hander currently sits on the disabled list with a sprained finger (And it’s on his throwing hand, which could also be crucial in halting any potential progress), adding even more fuel to the fire. Pay attention to when he comes back from injury and see how Vegas treats his games; if they keep showing him respect, such as offering over/unders of 8 or lower with him involved, then that’s money to be made, as far as overs are concerned. You can bet I’ll be watching as close as anyone, obviously.

John Lackey – Boston Red Sox
There’s no denying that John Lackey has done some pretty special things this season, made even more remarkable by the fact that he didn’t even pitch last year, not to mention how he was one of the unfortunate scapegoats of that infamous 2011 Red Sox squad when he had the worst campaign of his career, and was seemingly on his way out of Boston. Alas, two years later, Lackey is pitching like his old self again out of nowhere in posting a true renaissance season, as he currently carries a very pleasant 3.32 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and a fabulous 123:29 K:BB ratio in 133 innings. He’s provided quality steady pitching all season long, while helping the Red Sox attain first-place in the always-tough AL East, but that’s exactly my point: Exactly how much longer can he keep it up?

You obviously have to give credit where credit is due and acknowledge what a model of consistency Lackey has been this entire year (He’s gone six innings or more in 17 of his 21 starts, including 11 straight), and that’s certainly indicated in his over/unders record, as all but three of his games have resulted in unders, which is an astounding one-sided record in that department. In fact, it’s the best record by a pitcher - by far - for unders in all of baseball. But again, that just adds to my feeling here that there has to be some sort of decline sooner rather than later. Not only do you have to consider the vastly underrated Law of Averages, which should bring his over/unders record more towards the norm, but also consider that Lackey is starting to get hit a bit, as three of his past five outings have seen the right-hander yield four runs or more. Even if the wheels don’t completely come off his splendid campaign, as long as Vegas continues to show him respect for what he’s done from his whole body of work in 2013 in terms of offering a relatively low line for his games, there’s money to be made in his overs down the stretch. Keep an eye out for those.

Honorable Mention: Randall Delgado, Kris Medlen, Chris Tillman

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Indians (64-56) at Twins (53-64)
Game: 3
Venue: Target Field
Date: August 14, 2013 1:10 PM EDT


With the way the all-or-nothing Minnesota Twins have been performing at the plate, the Cleveland Indians figure to be in good shape as long as they can keep them in the park.

Carlos Carrasco takes on that difficult task as he tries to avoid his 10th straight defeat Wednesday while handing Minnesota consecutive losses for the first time in August.

Josh Willingham went deep Tuesday to give the Twins (53-64) homers in six straight games, totaling 14 during that span. They've scored 23 of their last 24 runs via the home run, but haven't been able to manufacture much else.

Minnesota went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position in Tuesday's 5-2 loss, ending its four-game home winning streak. The Twins are 3 for 49 (.061) in those situations over the last six games.

Willingham is 3 for 23 with two homers in that stretch, while Justin Morneau is 5 for 26 with three home runs.

"We can't rely on home runs all the time,' manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It's nice when we hit them but we're going to have to drive in some of these runs with less than two outs and a man's on third.'

The Twins, winners in eight of 12, haven't dropped two in a row since a four-game skid July 28-Aug. 1. They'll try to avoid that fate against Carrasco (0-4, 7.75 ERA), who is 0-9 with an 8.49 ERA in his last 12 starts and hasn't earned a victory since June 29, 2011.

The right-hander went 0-2 with a 9.88 ERA during a three-start stretch before getting sent to the minors July 9. He was recalled Friday and pitched one-hit ball over five scoreless innings of relief in a 5-2 loss to the Angels.

"He was very good,' manager Terry Francona said. "It was good for the whole team's confidence. Any time you see somebody go out there and do what he did, that's terrific.'

Carrasco is 1-2 with a 2.45 ERA in five starts against the Twins, but allowed three runs, six hits and four walks over 4 2-3 innings in a 5-3 loss June 23.

Minnesota starter Kyle Gibson (2-3, 6.43) hasn't won since July 14, going 0-1 with a 6.41 ERA while allowing seven home runs over his last four starts. He gave up three runs and four hits - including two homers - in 5 2-3 innings before leaving without a decision in a 7-5 win over the White Sox on Friday.

"It's just something where I've got to make sure I stay out of patterns, but at the same time, don't go away from my strength," Gibson told the league's official website. "If my strength is an inside fastball, even if the hitters know it's coming, I still have to be able to throw it."

Since pitching six strong innings against Kansas City to win his major league debut June 29, the right-hander has been tagged for 12 runs and 20 hits over 8 1-3 innings in his last two starts at Target Field.

He will, however, be facing an Indians (64-56) team averaging 2.9 runs and batting .188 while dropping seven of nine.

Lonnie Chisenhall (3 for 28), Nick Swisher (6 for 39), Carlos Santana (4 for 40), Asdrubal Cabrera (6 for 48) and Michael Bourn (11 for 62) are among the Indians struggling.

Teammate Ryan Raburn had gone hitless in 12 at_bats over his previous four games before homering Tuesday.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Indians at Twins
Mon, Aug 12 Final 0 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Indians at Twins
Tue, Aug 13 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Indians at Twins
Wed, Aug 14 - 1:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Tigers (69-49) at White Sox (46-72)
Game: 3
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 14, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


Though the last-place Chicago White Sox have a dismal record within the AL Central, they're in position to sweep the division leaders at home for the first time in seven years.

Hoping John Danks can end his struggles versus Detroit, the White Sox try to accomplish that feat by handing the Tigers a fourth straight loss Wednesday.

Chicago (46-72) is 15-34 against Central opponents, including 7-17 at home where for only the second time this season it's won consecutive games against a division foe. The White Sox improved to 5-7 versus Detroit (69-49) with a 4-3, 11-inning win Tuesday.

The Tigers have dropped three straight and four of five following a season-high 12-game winning streak.

``We battled again,' said Max Scherzer, who was denied his 18th win. ``We're playing good baseball. We're playing hard. We're doing a lot of things right."

Chicago, which last swept a home series of at least three games against the Tigers from Aug. 11-13, 2006, has won six of nine on a 10-game stay at U.S. Cellular Field to secure its first winning homestand since it went 5-2 from May 20-27.

Alejandro De Aza delivered the winning single with the bases loaded for the White Sox, who could not hold a 3-1 lead. Avisail Garcia had a two-run double and also scored the winning run against his former team.

Acquired in the three-way deal that sent Jake Peavy to Boston, Garcia is 4 for 17 (.235) in five games for the White Sox.

"I'm just trying to do my job, play hard and do something good for my team," he said. "I'm trying to win games."

Danks (2-9, 4.52 ERA) dropped to 0-4 with a 9.79 ERA in his last five starts against the Tigers after yielding solo homers to Torii Hunter, Jose Iglesias and the suspended Jhonny Peralta over seven innings of a 3-0 loss at Comerica Park on Aug. 3.

All but one of the nine runs Danks has allowed in two starts versus Detroit this season have come via six homers.

The left-hander has served up 10 home runs while going 0-4 with a 4.66 ERA in his last seven starts overall. He gave up a solo shot, two other runs and set season highs with nine strikeouts and five walks in six innings while not factoring in the decision of a 7-5 loss to Minnesota on Friday.

Prince Fielder is 5 for 9 with a homer against Danks. With two hits Tuesday, Fielder's hit .324 (11 for 34) the last seven games after going 6 for 41 (.146) the previous 11.

Scheduled Detroit starter Rick Porcello (8-6, 4.32) is 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his last six starts. That stretch includes three outings versus Chicago where he's gone 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA.

The right-hander, who allowed four hits over seven scoreless of a 6-2 at win at U.S. Cellular on July 23, is 7-1 with a 2.33 ERA in his last 10 starts against the White Sox.

Detroit has gone to extra innings in each of his last two outings, including a 3-2, 12-inning home win over Chicago in which he gave up a solo homer to Adam Dunn over 7 2-3 innings Aug. 4.

He allowed three runs in five innings of a 4-3, 10-inning loss at Yankee Stadium on Friday.

Tigers star Miguel Cabrera went 0 for 5 to snap his four-game home-run stretch and 10-game hitting streak in which he batted .432 with 12 RBIs.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at White Sox
Mon, Aug 12 Final 2 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Tigers at White Sox
Tue, Aug 13 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Tigers at White Sox
Wed, Aug 14 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Marlins (45-73) at Royals (62-55)
Game: 7
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: August 14, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


As dazzling as the pitching staff has been in the Miami Marlins' wins this month, it has been fairly awful in the defeats.

Jacob Turner's road struggles may mean the club is headed for more of the latter.

After the Marlins got another victory via shutout, Turner looks for the first road win of his career in the finale of a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.

Miami (45-73) owns the worst record in the NL and is 4-8 this month. The pitchers, however, have provided flashes of brilliance.

The staff has pitched shutouts in each of those four victories, including Tuesday's 1-0, 10-inning win over Kansas City (62-55). Opposing batters have hit .129 in those wins compared to .292 in the eight defeats while the Marlins have posted a 5.05 ERA.

Another dominant showing could make the Marlins the first team to post shutouts in five straight wins since the Los Angeles Dodgers did it June 27-July 9, 2011.

Giving the ball to Turner (3-4, 2.95 ERA) in Kansas City may not inspire much confidence since he's 0-7 in 11 career road starts. He does have a respectable 3.71 ERA in those games but hasn't been very good in losing the last four, giving up 13 runs and 23 hits in 22 innings.

The 22-year-old right-hander matched his career high by giving up three homers Friday in Atlanta, allowing all of the Braves' runs and walking three in a 5-0 loss.

"I just didn't make pitches," Turner told the team's official website.

He failed to do that for Detroit in his only meeting with the Royals on Sept. 1, 2011. Turner was tagged for six runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings, not getting a decision in an 11-8 loss in just his second major league game.

He may gain some inspiration from Jose Fernandez's gem Tuesday, when the 21-year-old phenom allowed three hits in seven innings.

Fellow rookie Christian Yelich, 22, is also having an impact since being recalled from Double-A Jacksonville last month. The left fielder had three hits Tuesday, including the go-ahead single, and has a .378 average in nine wins compared to .240 in 12 defeats.

The Royals are looking to re-establish themselves offensively after being limited to four singles Tuesday. They were batting .293 and averaging 5.0 runs while winning 17 of the previous 20 games.

Alcides Escobar had two hits for the second straight game to give him a .447 average in the past 10. Billy Butler singled and has a .464 average over his last seven.

Ervin Santana (8-6, 3.25) is scheduled to take the mound, and the Royals have won each of his last five starts. He's earned the win in three of them, but he's coming off his worst performance of the stretch.

The right-hander surrendered six runs and nine hits while hitting two batters in 3 2-3 innings of a 9-6 home win over Boston on Friday. He had a 1.27 ERA over his previous four outings.

Santana has lost both of his career starts versus the Marlins, with the most recent coming June 21, 2011, with the Los Angeles Angels.

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GAME 1

Marlins at Royals
Mon, Aug 12 Final 2 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Marlins at Royals
Tue, Aug 13 Final 1 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Marlins at Royals
Wed, Aug 14 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (67-52) at Cubs (52-67)
Game: 3
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: August 14, 2013 2:20 PM EDT


The Chicago Cubs finally ended their lengthy home scoreless streak, but might have a tough time generating more offense against a pitcher who's had their number there.

Bronson Arroyo will attempt to win his sixth straight decision at Wrigley Field and lead the Cincinnati Reds to their 15th victory in 16 games there Wednesday.

Brandon Phillips had three hits and Shin-Soo Choo hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the 11th inning as the Reds (67-52) continued their dominance over the Cubs with a 6-4 victory Tuesday. They've won 21 of 25 overall versus Chicago (52-67).

Nate Schierholtz, Dioner Navarro and Donnie Murphy homered as the Cubs snapped a franchise-record home scoreless stretch at 33 innings.

Still, they've totaled 10 runs and hit .152 with runners in scoring position while dropping six straight home games. Schierholtz (5 for 38) and Starlin Castro (5 for 39) are among those scuffling at home.

The Cubs haven't lost seven in a row at Wrigley since an eight-game skid from Aug. 6-20, 2010. They'll try to avoid that mark as they face Arroyo (10-9, 3.51 ERA), who looks to lead the Reds to their seventh win in eight games overall.

The right-hander hopes to build on an outstanding performance in his last start, when he allowed one run and four hits over seven innings in a 7-2 win over San Diego on Friday. He matched a season high with seven strikeouts after posting a 10.00 ERA over his previous two outings.

"You just keep going out and preparing yourself," Arroyo said. "You might dissect your preparations after two or three starts to try and pinpoint why you might not have been prepared. If it keeps up, you start thinking you're on the down side of the mountain.'

It's been a serious uphill climb at Wrigley Field for the Cubs against Arroyo. He's gone 5-0 with a 2.53 ERA over his last seven starts there, with the Cubs hitting .205 against him.

He also seeks his fourth straight win versus Chicago overall after giving up three runs over six innings in a 7-4 home win on May 24.

David DeJesus (4 for 22), Darwin Barney (2 for 17) and Navarro (1 for 7) haven't been able to figure out Arroyo.

The Cubs haven't done much lately at the plate for Chris Rusin (2-1, 3.08), who has received a total of nine runs in his last four starts.

Rusin yielded four runs over five innings in a 6-4 loss to the Dodgers in his only start at Wrigley on Aug. 1, but he's coming off a strong effort in St. Louis on Friday. He had a season-high five strikeouts and allowed seven hits over six innings in a 3-0 victory.

"His ball can move so much, he gets some swings and misses at balls quite a way out of the zone," manager Dale Sveum said. "He makes the ball move and keeps the ball down."

The left-hander, however, was knocked around in his only start against the Reds, yielding five runs and 10 hits over five innings in a 6-5, 11-inning home loss Sept. 19, 2012.

Joey Votto went 2 for 3 with a double against Rusin in that contest and is batting .367 in his last 14 games. Phillips is batting .333 with 12 RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak at Wrigley.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Cubs
Mon, Aug 12 Final 2 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Reds at Cubs
Tue, Aug 13 Final 6 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Reds at Cubs
Wed, Aug 14 - 2:20PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Padres (54-65) at Rockies (56-65)
Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: August 14, 2013 3:10 PM EDT


Don't try telling Jorge De La Rosa that Coors Field is still a hitters' paradise.

The left-hander tries to continue his impressive season in Denver when his Colorado Rockies face the San Diego Padres in Wednesday's finale of this three-game set.

De La Rosa (11-6, 3.26 ERA) is 7-1 with a 2.59 ERA at hitter-friendly Coors Field. That ERA is six-tenths of a run lower than the previous best in stadium history over a single season - Ubaldo Jimenez's 3.19 in 2010 - consisting of at least eight starts.

He has allowed one run or fewer in four straight home starts and allowed just two home runs in 62 2-3 innings in Denver.

De La Rosa picked up another win at Coors on Friday, scattering eight hits and three walks to allow a single run in five innings of a 10-1 victory over Pittsburgh. Six hits and two walks came in the first two innings.

"The game could've gone either way early," manager Walt Weiss told the team's official website. "That's a great job of minimizing some damage there."

De La Rosa's struggles haven't been limited to Friday's early innings, though. He's allowed 33 baserunners in 14 innings over his last three outings and hasn't made it more than six innings in nine straight starts.

Though his record doesn't show it, De La Rosa's home outings versus San Diego (54-65) have generally been a disaster. He has a 7.12 ERA in his past seven starts against the Padres in Denver - allowing five homers in his past 22 1-3 innings - but is 3-1 thanks to a 9.57 run-support average.

San Diego's Andrew Cashner (8-6, 3.87), on the other hand, has seemingly figured out his issues with the long ball. The right-hander has allowed two home runs over his last 11 starts after giving up seven over his first eight.

Wildness has been a problem, as he has surrendered 17 walks over his last six starts, including four his last time out. He gave up five runs - three earned - in five innings of a 7-2 loss at Cincinnati on Friday.

"I got into some counts I wanted to be in," Cashner said. "I just didn't execute late in the counts."

Cashner has posted a 3.75 ERA without allowing a home run in two starts against Colorado this season after allowing four over his first 8 2-3 innings against the Rockies (56-65).

The Padres broke out of a lengthy offensive tailspin on Tuesday. After scoring 13 runs and hitting .196 while losing five of their previous six games, they mustered seven runs and 12 hits in rallying back from a 4-1 first-inning deficit.

"You can't completely wash it out," San Diego's Jedd Gyorko said. "We showed resiliency to fight back the way we did."

Will Venable has begun August with a 10-game hitting streak, batting .368 with three home runs, two triples and three doubles.

The Rockies, meanwhile, have apparently figured out how to deal with the loss of Carlos Gonzalez, who is on the DL with a sprained right middle finger. After scoring three runs in the first three games of Gonzalez's absence, Colorado has totaled 38 in its last five.

That surge has been led by Nolan Arenado, who is batting .432 during a 10-game hitting streak. He has three doubles, a triple and four RBIs over the Rockies' last five games.

Catcher Wilin Rosario is 9 for 23 with a homer and nine RBIs in the past five, but he may miss the finale after straining his right hamstring Tuesday.

"I think he'll be sore (Wednesday)," Weiss told the team's official site. "We'll check with him, but he was pretty sore the rest of the game."

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Padres at Rockies
Mon, Aug 12 Final 2 to 14
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Padres at Rockies
Tue, Aug 13 Final 7 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Padres at Rockies
Wed, Aug 14 - 3:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (65-54) at Diamondbacks (61-57)
Game: 3
Venue: Chase Field
Date: August 14, 2013 3:40 PM EDT


More than half of Paul Goldschmidt's hits over the last three weeks have left the ballpark, and his last three home runs have helped provide thrilling victories for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

They'll look to finish off a three-game sweep of the visiting Baltimore Orioles as Arizona's Patrick Corbin opposes Chris Tillman in an intriguing pitching matchup Wednesday afternoon.

Arizona (61-57) has won a major league-most 25 games in its last at-bat, and Goldschmidt has played a major role in two of the last three. He hit a walkoff homer in Friday's 5-4 win over the New York Mets before homering on the first pitch of the bottom of the 11th in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over Baltimore.

Goldschmidt also homered leading off the ninth to tie the game. He is just 14 for 68 (.206) over his last 18 games, though he's hit eight homers in that stretch. His 10 home runs in the seventh inning or later rank behind only the 12 of Baltimore's Chris Davis.

"Goldy, at the end of a game, it's pretty special what he can do,' manager Kirk Gibson said. ``He's a good guy to have on your side.'

Davis hit his major league-leading 44th homer in the fourth for the Orioles (65-54), who suffered their second straight walkoff loss after Adam Eaton homered in the bottom of the ninth to give the Diamondbacks a 7-6 win Monday.

``They (the losses) were tough, but you know, we move on,' manager Buck Showalter said.

Davis is hitting .245 against left-handers compared to .329 against righties, and he may have trouble improving his average against southpaws as he faces Corbin.

Corbin (12-3, 2.36 ERA) has pitched at least six innings in all but one of his 23 starts, including when he gave up two runs in six frames of Arizona's 5-4 win over the Mets on Friday. He's 3-2 with a 1.99 ERA in his last six outings while striking out 44 in 40 2-3 innings, but he wasn't impressed with his latest performance.

"My mechanics were off a little bit," Corbin said. "I didn't really control my pitches too well, but I think down the stretch I made some pitches, felt a little better."

The left-hander had allowed only one run each of his previous five home starts prior to Friday. Corbin is 3-1 with a 1.48 ERA in his last six at Chase Field, and his 1.60 mark is the fifth-best home ERA in the majors.

Tillman (14-3, 3.73), meanwhile, has been particularly solid on the road, going 7-1 with a 2.97 ERA in 10 outings compared to his 4.36 ERA at home.

Baltimore has won 13 of Tillman's last 14 starts overall, including when he allowed one run and struck out nine in eight innings of Friday's 5-2, 10-inning victory at San Francisco.

The right-hander has gone 11-1 in that stretch while posting a 3.86 ERA.

"It's something we knew he was capable of," Showalter said of Tillman. "We thought in the offseason we needed one of our guys to kind of pop and go to the next level, and I think Chris is in the process of doing that."

Closer Jim Johnson hasn't, though. After blowing three saves all of last season on his way to a majors-best 51, he's blown an AL-most eight already in 2013.

``It is heartbreaking, but we have to forget about it,' Johnson said after Tuesday's defeat.

The Diamondbacks have won 11 of 14 all-time meetings with the Orioles.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Diamondbacks
Mon, Aug 12 Final 6 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Orioles at Diamondbacks
Tue, Aug 13 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Orioles at Diamondbacks
Wed, Aug 14 - 3:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Angels (53-65) at Yankees (61-57)
Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: August 14, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Bronx Bombers may finally be a suitable nickname.

The New York Yankees seek their fourth straight win when they host the Los Angeles Angels and one of baseball's hottest pitchers Wednesday night.

The Yankees (61-57) have 11 home runs in their last six games, already surpassing their total from their previous 30 contests.

They rallied from an early 2-0 deficit Tuesday to beat the Angels 14-7 behind a season-high 19 hits - including three home runs.

"We got behind tonight and were able to come back, and we were able to tack on runs and put up 10 runs in three innings and that's something we haven't done a whole lot of this year," manager Joe Girardi said. "It is encouraging."

Alfonso Soriano had two of those homers and a season-high six RBIs, while Vernon Wells hit his first home run since May 15 and recorded his third multi-hit performance in five games.

"It felt more like the old days," Soriano said.

Wells was hitting .301 with 10 home runs on May 15, before batting .199 over 64 consecutive games without a home run.

New York's power surge could be bad news for Jered Weaver, who allowed two homers in his last appearance after yielding two over his previous eight starts spanning 55 2-3 innings.

A victory Wednesday would give Weaver (7-5, 2.87 ERA) the most wins of any pitcher since the start of July.

He is 6-1 with a 1.78 ERA and 10 walks in eight starts since the beginning of July. That carried into Cleveland Friday, when he surrendered two runs in seven innings of a 5-2 victory. The right-hander finished strong, retiring 10 of the final 11 batters he faced.

That outing at Progressive Field marked one of his better performances on five days' rest. Weaver will be back to four days' rest Wednesday, from which he has posted a 1.91 ERA while giving up three home runs and six walks in 42 1-3 innings. He has a 4.04 ERA with seven home runs and 16 walks allowed in 49 innings on five days' rest.

Weaver is looking to break a string of bad starts against the Yankees.

On May 28, 2012, he limped off the mound at Angel Stadium with a back injury after just 12 pitches. He has allowed five runs apiece in two subsequent starts against New York, including June 16, when he gave up five runs and four walks in six innings.

Alex Rodriguez, who has four RBIs in his last three games, is 8 for 24 with five homers off Weaver.

Ivan Nova (5-4, 2.93) will try to help send the Angels (53-65) to their fourth straight loss and eighth in 10 games.

After posting a 5.79 ERA through his first five starts this season, Nova has a 1.60 ERA since rejoining the rotation July 5. The right-hander has allowed one home run over his last 43 innings.

He's just 3-2 during that span due to an offense that has provided him with five runs over his last four starts. Nova failed to record a decision Friday despite limiting Detroit to one run in seven innings of a 4-3 victory.

He went 2-1 with a 7.23 ERA in three starts against the Angels last season. Nova surrendered six home runs in those games, including three in his last meeting July 15, 2012.

Mark Trumbo, who hit his team-best 26th homer Tuesday, is 8 for 13 with two home runs against Nova.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Angels at Yankees
Mon, Aug 12 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Angels at Yankees
Tue, Aug 13 Final 7 to 14
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Angels at Yankees
Wed, Aug 14 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Angels at Yankees
Thu, Aug 15 - 1:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Sox (72-49) at Blue Jays (54-65)
Game: 2
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: August 14, 2013 7:07 PM EDT


For much of this season, Jon Lester has hardly looked like the pitcher he was a few years ago for the Boston Red Sox.

When he has, though, it's often been against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Two of Lester's three scoreless outings have come against the Blue Jays, and he'll take a crack at another Wednesday night while looking for his fourth win of 2013 versus Toronto.

Lester (10-7, 4.37 ERA) has had two outings in which the Blue Jays have scored four-plus runs off him, but he's also had a pair where he's shut them down completely. The left-hander went seven strong in a 13-0 win at Rogers Centre on April 7 and only surrendered one hit while going the distance in a 5-0 win May 10.

The Red Sox (72-49) - winners of nine of their last 13 at in Toronto - have given Lester 32 runs of support against the Blue Jays (54-65), but have only provided him 15 runs since the beginning of July as he's gone 2-3 with a 3.77 ERA in seven starts.

They didn't score any for him Thursday at Kansas City as Lester allowed three runs - one earned - in seven innings of a 5-1 loss.

He'll face a Blue Jays lineup struggling in the absence of Colby Rasmus, who could be headed for the disabled list with an injured oblique muscle. Toronto has scored just three runs in two games and is batting .191 since Rasmus - who was hitting .331 since the beginning of July - got hurt.

"We've had some good pitching these last few days but our offense has just dried up," manager John Gibbons said after Tuesday's 4-2 loss in 11 innings.

That's in spite of the fine work of Brett Lawrie, who has hit safely in 14 of Toronto's last 15 games. Lawrie is batting .418 during that stretch to lift his average from .204 to .254.

The Blue Jays, who have already allowed a major-league worst 72 runs in August, may have lost Josh Johnson for the season as well.

With Johnson currently on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right forearm, Toronto will reinsert Esmil Rogers (3-7, 5.12) into the starting rotation three days after he was sent to the bullpen. That demotion followed a seven-start stretch in which he went 0-4 with an 8.50 ERA.

Friday marked his shortest start of the season, as he allowed seven runs - including three homers - in three innings of a 14-6 loss to Oakland.

"I can't even use my breaking pitch because I can't even throw it for a strike," Rogers said. "When I'm only using my fastball, everybody can hit the fastball at this level."

Rogers, however, posted his best start of the season against Boston, tossing six scoreless innings in Toronto's 6-2 win at Fenway Park on June 29.

The Blue Jays' biggest problems of late have been in the bullpen. Toronto's relievers have an 8.84 ERA over the last five games, allowing all four runs from the seventh inning on Tuesday.

It was the Red Sox's 28th comeback win of the year and their seventh rally in their past nine victories.

"Much like we've seen of late here, if we get down early we continue to grind, continue to be relentless at the plate, provide or build opportunities," manager John Farrell said.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Tue, Aug 13 Final 4 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Wed, Aug 14 - 7:07PM EDT

GAME 3
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Thu, Aug 15 - 7:07PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Giants (52-66) at Nationals (58-60)
Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: August 14, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Tim Lincecum tossed a no-hitter last month, and a change in approach made his latest performance nearly as impressive.

He hasn't come close to being that effective against the Washington Nationals in recent years.

Lincecum attempts to turn in another strong outing to help the San Francisco Giants avoid a seventh straight loss in the nation's capital on Wednesday night.

Lincecum (6-11, 4.18 ERA) threw his first career no-hitter in a 9-0 win at San Diego on July 13, but he followed that up nine days later with his shortest outing of the season. He lasted just 3 2-3 innings, surrendering eight runs in an 11-0 loss to Cincinnati.

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner has been outstanding in three games since, compiling a 1.23 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 22 innings.

Lincecum was superb again Thursday, allowing only a third-inning single while going eight scoreless in a 4-1 win over Milwaukee.

"I think I'm just trying to stay within myself," Lincecum said, adding that he relied on his overhand curve more than he had in any start this year. "I know I'm not going to throw a 95 mph fastball anymore, so why try to throw it? I guess I got to use what I got and get outs."

The right-hander will now try to maintain his impressive stretch by beating the Nationals (58-60) for the first time since June 6, 2008. He's 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA over his last five starts against them.

The Giants (52-66) have dropped six in a row in Washington, including Tuesday's 4-2 defeat in the opener of this three-game series. They stranded 12 runners and went 1 for 9 with men in scoring position.

Buster Posey is hitting .164 with two RBIs in 18 games, and his season average has plummeted 24 points to .300. That may not change in Washington since the All-Star catcher is 2 for 17 there over his last five visits.

The Nationals are looking to match a season high with their fifth straight victory, and they're hitting .341 while outscoring opponents 27-9 during this run.

Even though Washington, which is 8 1/2 games behind Cincinnati for the NL's second wild-card spot, is playing better, frustration has been apparent in recent weeks. Jayson Werth and Gio Gonzalez were seen in a verbal altercation after the first inning Tuesday, as Werth was angry with Gonzalez for being late covering first base on a ground out.

"Just a little camaraderie going on," manager Davey Johnson said. "Jayson sometimes can get a little vocal."

Gonzalez said "it stays between me and Werth," while Werth refused to comment.

Jordan Zimmermann (13-6, 3.10) will take the mound for the Nationals looking to bounce back after going 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his first four starts since the All-Star break. That includes a 9.95 ERA in three home games.

The right-hander was pulled after 88 pitches in four innings at home last Wednesday, giving up two runs and seven hits while not getting a decision in a 6-3 loss to Atlanta.

Zimmermann is 3-1 with a 2.19 ERA over his last four starts against the Giants.

Bryce Harper may be back after he was held out of the starting lineup Tuesday with the flu, though he later pinch hit.

Harper is 1 for 6 versus Lincecum.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Nationals
Tue, Aug 13 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Nationals
Wed, Aug 14 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Giants at Nationals
Thu, Aug 15 - 4:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Phillies (53-66) at Braves (73-47)
Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: August 14, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Brandon Beachy doesn't believe he's reached the level that helped him possess the majors' best ERA at the time of his injury last season, though his most recent outing proves he may be getting closer.

He'll try to beat the Philadelphia Phillies for the first time in nine tries - and second this month - while helping the Atlanta Braves to a sixth straight series win Wednesday night at Turner Field.

Beachy (1-0, 5.00 ERA) had a baseball-best 2.00 ERA when he tore a ligament in his pitching elbow June 16, 2012, forcing him to undergo Tommy John surgery. It has been a difficult recovery, but it appears Beachy is beginning to get settled.

The right-hander allowed three hits in eight innings of Friday's 5-0 win over Miami after posting a 9.00 ERA through his first two outings. He picked up his first victory since pitching a five-hit shutout against the Marlins on May 17, 2012.

"I still have a lot of room for improvement with the curveball and especially the slider," Beachy said. "Fortunately I was able to command the (fastball and change-up) well enough to where I can get by and continue to work on the others and hopefully piece it all together, little by little, each start."

Beachy's second start this season came against Philadelphia on Aug. 3, when he allowed four runs - three earned - in 6 1-3 innings before the Braves won 5-4 in 12. He's 0-3 with a 3.77 ERA in eight career starts versus the Phillies, who took the series opener 5-1 before Atlanta (73-47) responded with a 3-1 win Tuesday.

Chris Johnson, leading the NL with a .337 average, hit a two-run homer for the East-leading Braves, who have split four games following their 14-game winning streak. They haven't lost a series since splitting a four-game set with the New York Mets from July 22-25.

Atlanta got a solid performance from starter Kris Medlen on Tuesday that helped bring the team's ERA to 3.21, which ranks second in the majors.

"Every one of these (pitchers), it seems like every time they go out there it's like they're trying to prove something," Johnson said. "They're doing an amazing job and we're winning because of them."

Johnson has three homers and nine RBIs in his last seven games against Philadelphia (53-66), which has dropped 18 of 22 while scoring two runs or fewer 12 times.

Chase Utley went 3 for 4 on Tuesday and scored the lone run on Domonic Brown's RBI single in the sixth.

The Phillies, whose 4.25 ERA ranks among the worst in the NL, will send John Lannan to the mound Wednesday.

Lannan (3-5, 4.81) opposed Beachy earlier this month, giving up four runs - two earned - in 4 1-3 innings. That outing is part of his current four-start stretch in which he's 1-2 with a 7.52 ERA.

The left-hander allowed a career worst-tying eight runs in five innings of Friday's 9-2 loss to Washington.

"This wasn't a great day," Lannan said after his latest outing. "There were times when I thought I found something I could kind of build off of, but then I kind of lost it."

Lannan is plenty familiar with the Braves, having pitched in the NL East his entire seven-year career. He's 6-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 lifetime starts against them.

Jason Heyward is 1 for 11 in his career off Lannan, but he is 4 for 8 in this series and hitting .480 over his last six games.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Phillies at Braves
Mon, Aug 12 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Phillies at Braves
Tue, Aug 13 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Phillies at Braves
Wed, Aug 14 - 7:10PM EDT