The Bum's MLB News-Stats and POD'S Thru The World Series !

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Twins (61-76) at Astros (45-93)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: September 04, 2013 2:10 PM EDT


Sweeps for the Minnesota Twins have been few and far between this season, but they've come a little easier against the Houston Astros.

The Twins will try to close out an impressive offensive series with another win in Houston on Wednesday.

Minnesota (61-76) opened the set with a 10-6 win Monday, tying a season high with four homers including a ninth-inning grand slam courtesy of Chris Colabello. The Twins nearly squandered Tuesday's game after All-Star Glen Perkins blew his fourth save, but they closed out a 9-6 win in 12 innings with Clete Thomas scoring the go-ahead run on a wild pitch and Darin Mastroianni tacking on a two-run double.

The Twins already swept Houston at home from Aug. 2-4. Their only other sweep of at least three games was against the Chicago White Sox from June 18-20.

Trevor Plouffe was 4 for 6 on Tuesday, hitting his 14th home run and extending his hitting streak to eight games. He's batting .328 over his last 16 contests with seven doubles and homers in each of his last two.

Brian Dozier also homered and owns a .917 on-base plus slugging over his last 28 games with eight homers and 20 RBIs.

Alex Presley also continues to give Minnesota a nice spark since being acquired from Pittsburgh last week in the Justin Morneau deal, going 5 for 14 in three games with three runs.

The Twins rank near the bottom of the AL with 133 homers but have recorded nine in their last five games.

That could mean trouble for Houston scheduled starter Jordan Lyles (6-7, 5.12 ERA). He is 2-1 with a 3.54 ERA over his last three starts but has also allowed five homers over his last 13 1-3 innings.

He limited Seattle to four hits and three runs over six innings of a 3-2 loss on Thursday, but all runs came on two homers.

"The stuff wasn't there throughout the game," Lyles said. "They put some really good swings on some pitches. My ball wasn't getting that downward action like I am used to, and a good offensive team will make you pay."

For Minnesota, Liam Hendriks (1-2, 5.13) likely comes in feeling confident after notching his second career win. It came almost a year after the first as he limited Texas to two runs - one earned - and five hits over six innings in a 3-2 road victory on Friday. He pitched opposite Yu Darvish, who had a no-hitter through six innings and fanned 11 batters.

"I don't care who it's against," Hendriks told the team's official website. "I just want to pile them up a little bit. But it was a big thing for my confidence. I relied pretty much solely on my sinker and my slider, and it paid off."

With All-Star Jason Castro day-to-day after spraining his right knee Monday, Houston went with Cody Clark behind the plate Tuesday. Clark was 0 for 4 and still seeks his first major league hit after 17 unsuccessful at_bats with seven strikeouts in his first six games. The Astros could also use Matt Pagnozzi after acquiring him from Atlanta for cash considerations.

Neither starting pitcher has faced the opposing team, though Presley is 4 for 11 off Lyles with a homer and a triple.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Astros
Mon, Sep 2 Final 10 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Twins at Astros
Tue, Sep 3 Final 9 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Twins at Astros
Wed, Sep 4 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (80-58) at Athletics (79-59)
Game: 3
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: September 04, 2013 3:35 PM EDT


The Texas Rangers aren't ready to relinquish control of the AL West just yet, and Yu Darvish wants to regain some himself.

Darvish tries to avoid losing a fifth consecutive start to the Oakland Athletics and help the Rangers add to their slim lead as these division rivals conclude a three-game set Wednesday.

After dropping Monday's opener to fall into a first-place tie in the West, Texas (80-58) regained its lead with Tuesday's 5-1 victory. Mitch Moreland stayed hot with his fifth homer in 11 games and Alex Rios added his 14th of the year as the Rangers won for the 13th time in 16 road games.

They now give the ball to Darvish (12-6, 2.73 ERA) who has posted a 5.18 ERA in dropping his last four to Oakland (79-59) and is winless in his last three starts overall while walking nine. Alberto Callaspo is 7 for 16 against him, and Coco Crisp and Yoenis Cespedes are both 3 for 9 with a homer. Brandon Moss is 2 for 10, though both hits left the yard.

"Yes, I'm very frustrated," he told MLB's official website after his loss Friday at Minnesota.

The hard-throwing right-hander - who leads the majors with 236 strikeouts - carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning there before surrendering back-to-back homers that accounted for all the runs in a 3-2 loss.

"He made two mistakes and they didn't miss them," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said of Darvish, who struck out 11. "Strikeouts are great, but the biggest thing is we've got to win the game."

While Darvish has struggled versus the A's and recently, counterpart Jarrod Parker (10-6, 3.59) has shined, going 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA in six career starts against Texas. David Murphy is 3 for 17 in their matchups, and Adrian Beltre is 4 for 22.

Parker's lone defeat to the Rangers came 3-1 on May 22, but he hasn't lost since. The right-hander has gone 8-0 with a 2.57 ERA in his last 17 starts, including a win over Darvish on June 18, and has yielded three runs or fewer in all but one of those outings.

He gave up three runs and six hits in seven-plus innings but didn't receive a decision in Friday's 4-3 win over the Rays.

Parker will need to be careful against Moreland, who has five homers and seven RBIs in eight games in Oakland this year. The Rangers have hit 21 home runs during their 16-game road surge.

Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus could miss his fourth straight game due to a sore back.

"I feel better for sure than the past few days," Andrus said. "I still feel some pain in the middle of my lower back, but it's a lot less. I'm trying to get my body ready to go but I don't want to be out there 50 percent."

Andrus is 5 for his last 39 (.128) against the A's.

Callaspo, Cespedes and Josh Donaldson each had two hits Tuesday for Oakland, which went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and lost for the seventh time in 10 games between the teams this year.

The A's, though, still lead Tampa Bay by 2 1/2 games for the top AL wild-card spot.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rangers at Athletics
Mon, Sep 2 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rangers at Athletics
Tue, Sep 3 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rangers at Athletics
Wed, Sep 4 - 3:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Marlins (52-85) at Cubs (58-80)
Game: 3
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: September 04, 2013 2:20 PM EDT


For teams out of pennant contention, September is a time when youth is served and seeds for the future are hopefully planted in hopes of eventually becoming a contender.

Brian Flynn will make his major league debut for the Miami Marlins on Wednesday when they wrap up their series with the Chicago Cubs.

Miami (52-85) already appears to have one arm to build around in Jose Fernandez, who likely will be on the short list for NL Rookie of the Year voting with his 10-6 record, 2.33 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 158 2-3 innings.

Now the Marlins will get their first look at the 23-year-old Flynn, whom they acquired last year as part of a five-player trade that sent Anibal Sanchez - himself a promising Marlins rookie pitcher at one point - and infielder Omar Infante to Detroit.

The left-hander went a combined 7-12 with a 2.63 ERA in 27 starts in the minors, making four starts at Double-A Jacksonville before being promoted to Triple-A New Orleans. The 6-foot-7 Flynn struck out 147 in 161 innings over both stops and is excited his debut will be at a venerable place like iconic Wrigley Field.

"It's a great ballpark, a historic ballpark, and I'm a real big fan of baseball, so it's one of those things I couldn't ask for more," he said to the team's official website. "I was really hoping to make it happen this year and get my feet wet at the end of the season."

Another rookie made an impact to put the Marlins in position for their first three-game sweep at Wrigley since May 28-30, 1997, as Christian Yelich had an RBI double to spark a three-run fifth and went 3 for 5 with two RBIs in Miami's 6-2 victory Tuesday night. The 22-year-old left fielder is 11 for 20 with two doubles and a homer while hitting safely in his last five games and is batting .368 in 19 road games.

"He's done a nice job and he just continues to get more and more confident day in and day out,' manager Mike Redmond said of Yelich. "They're bringing in a lot of lefties against him but he's been having good at_bats. I think you're starting to see the results of him facing those lefties. He's starting to get some hits now, but he gives us a great at-bat every time. He's a great young player and he is going to be a great player in the big leagues for a long time.'

One of the Cubs home-grown players - Jeff Samardzija (8-11, 4.13 ERA) - will try to prevent the sweep and win a season-high third straight decision. The right-hander failed to protect a 5-0 lead Friday after being reached for five runs - all of which came after he shut out the Phillies the first five innings - and eight hits in 6 2-3 frames before the Cubs (58-80) eventually lost 6-5.

Samardzija will be making his first appearance against the Marlins this year. He went 0-1 in two starts in 2012, giving up six runs while striking out 12 in 8 2-3 innings.

Chicago's best rookie - left fielder Junior Lake - walked as a pinch-hitter Tuesday, but is 6 for 34 (.176) with 12 strikeouts in his last nine games.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Marlins at Cubs
Mon, Sep 2 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Marlins at Cubs
Tue, Sep 3 Final 6 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Marlins at Cubs
Wed, Sep 4 - 2:20PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jays (64-75) at Diamondbacks (69-68)
Game: 3
Venue: Chase Field
Date: September 04, 2013 3:40 PM EDT


The Arizona Diamondbacks are seeing their chances at a wild-card spot all but disappear, with a hapless offense a big reason to blame.

Their troubles might continue Wednesday when they try to avoid a three-game home sweep to red-hot Mark Buehrle and the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Diamondbacks (69-68) lost for the fifth time in six games Tuesday, a 10-4 defeat that dropped them eight games behind Cincinnati for the second NL wild-card spot with only 25 to play.

Arizona has managed just 12 runs over its last six games and is batting .195 with runners in scoring position during that stretch, going 3 for 32 in such occasions in the five losses. All four runs Tuesday came on three homers as the club went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

Paul Goldschmidt, who leads the NL with 104 RBIs, has gone hitless in four straight games for the first time since Aug. 24-27, 2012.

"We have to figure out how to get something going," said Adam Eaton, who homered on Tuesday. "It is called a grind for a reason and we can't put our heads down and pout about it. We have to get something going, some way and somehow and figure it out."

Turning things around could be a tall task against Buehrle (11-7, 3.92 ERA), who is 6-0 with a 1.93 ERA over his last eight starts. He's also thrown at least seven innings in three of four outings, including a 3-2 home win over Kansas City on Friday when he threw seven shutout innings of four-hit ball for the Blue Jays (64-75).

"He's got so many different weapons," catcher J.P. Arencibia said of Buehrle, who pitched through an upset stomach. "He's so good at executing a plan."

Toronto's pitching staff has posted a 2.56 ERA while winning seven of the last nine contests.

Edwin Encarnacion continued to enjoy his visits to Chase Field on Tuesday, going 3 for 3 and homering in his fifth consecutive game there. He is 10 for 17 with seven homers and 11 RBIs over his last five games at Arizona.

"Eddie hits everywhere," manager John Gibbons said, "but he hits really well here."

Trying to end that streak for the Diamondbacks will be Randall Delgado (4-5, 3.67), who has experienced more success at home than on the road but hasn't been supplied with much offense behind him. He owns a 3.29 ERA in eight starts at Chase Field but is just 1-3 in those games, receiving two runs of support or fewer six times.

He took the loss in a 1-0 defeat to San Francisco on Friday despite yielding one run and three hits over seven innings.

"He threw like Randall can throw," manager Kirk Gibson said. "Great control, had them off balance and his location was pretty (darn) good. He certainly pitched good enough to win. You've got to win them."

Buehrle was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts versus Arizona last year while with Miami. Willie Bloomquist is 19 for 41 (.463) with eight doubles against him.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Blue Jays at Diamondbacks
Mon, Sep 2 Final 4 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Diamondbacks
Tue, Sep 3 Final 10 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Blue Jays at Diamondbacks
Wed, Sep 4 - 3:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Giants (61-77) at Padres (62-76)
Game: 3
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: September 04, 2013 6:40 PM EDT


While his future remains unclear, Tim Lincecum hasn't seemed to let that affect him in his most recent starts.

Having won back-to-back outings for the first time this season, the San Francisco Giants right-hander will try to add to that streak Wednesday when he faces the San Diego Padres for the first time since his no-hitter in July.

Although Lincecum's contract is set to expire after this season, the Giants so far haven't engaged in any significant talks with the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner and member of two championship clubs.

"There's going to be a time when I'm going to have to weigh my options," Lincecum told the team's website. "I've had a great time here with the Giants. I respect the organization and stuff. With that we'll see if the relationship goes further or not. I can't say that exactly right now. I can't decide."

Perhaps some of the Giants' hesitancy regarding Lincecum is that he's 47-52 with a 3.86 ERA in his last four seasons after going 33-12 with a 2.55 ERA in his Cy Young-winning years.

However, he also provided San Francisco (61-77) with one of its highlights in this disappointing season, his first career no-hitter in San Diego on July 13. Lincecum struck out 13 and threw a career-high 148 pitches while becoming the first pitcher to pull off the feat at nine-year-old Petco Park.

Lincecum went 1-4 with a 5.40 ERA in his six starts after that game but has done his best lately to end another inconsistent campaign on a positive note. He's 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA in his last two games and had one of his better outings of the season Friday, pitching six innings in a 1-0 victory in Arizona.

Lincecum would appear to have a good chance at another strong performance Wednesday as he's 2-1 with a 0.79 ERA in three starts against the Padres (62-76) this season. He'll try to move San Francisco back into a tie for last place in the NL West after it lost 3-2 on Tuesday.

Lincecum is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in his last four road starts and will pitch opposite a struggling Eric Stults (8-12, 3.81), who is 0-5 with a 4.91 ERA in his last eight overall outings. The left-hander is also 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA in his last four starts and gave up four runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 9-2 defeat at Dodger Stadium on Friday.

"I think that the results were frustrating for me," Stults told the team's website. "I gave up some hits, but felt better than the results."

Stults, however, is 5-2 with a 1.91 ERA in his last 11 home starts and 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA in his last two matchups with San Francisco. He allowed one run over six innings in his most recent one, a 10-1 win July 14 at Petco.

Pablo Sandoval is 9 for 17 (.529) all-time against Stults and Buster Posey is 7 for 15 (.467) with a homer.

Will Venable, who signed a two-year contract extension with San Diego on Tuesday, is 1 for 9 with five strikeouts this season against Lincecum.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Padres
Mon, Sep 2 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Padres
Tue, Sep 3 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Giants at Padres
Wed, Sep 4 - 6:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: White Sox (56-81) at Yankees (74-64)
Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: September 04, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Two big innings in the first two games of this series have the New York Yankees in position to sweep the Chicago White Sox.

CC Sabathia owns baseball's worst ERA since the All-Star break, but he has pitched his best for the New York Yankees in September.

The Yankees hope Sabathia can begin to solve his woes when they look to continue their push for the playoffs by handing the visiting White Sox a sixth straight defeat Wednesday night.

New York (74-64) is trying to catch Tampa Bay for the AL's second wild card as it seeks its first three-game home sweep of Chicago (56-81) since Aug. 28-30, 2009.

The Yankees used an eight-run fourth inning to post Monday's 9-1 rout, then scored five in the eighth to rally for a 6-4 victory Tuesday.

The Yankees won for the 12th time in 14 home games Tuesday, as Eduardo Nunez's two-run double capped the eighth-inning rally.

"It's a great win for us,' manager Joe Girardi said. "We're trying to gain ground on teams, and every game is important."

It will be up to Sabathia (12-11, 4.91 ERA) to help New York maintain its momentum ahead of a four-game set with AL East-leading Boston that begins Thursday.

Sabathia is 3-3 with a 7.38 ERA since the All-Star break, going 3-1 despite a 6.17 ERA in his last four outings thanks to an offense that has totaled 24 runs of support in that span. He knows that he hasn't been at his best.

"If I can keep these guys in the game, we've got a good chance of winning," Sabathia said.

The left-hander is 9-5 with New York in 20 career starts in September with a 2.82 ERA - his lowest in any month.

Sabathia is 18-4 with a 3.63 ERA in 32 starts against the White Sox, including 4-0 with a 3.53 ERA in six with New York. The Yankees won the first five of those games before Mariano Rivera blew a ninth-inning lead in a 6-5, 12-inning loss Aug. 7 after Sabathia gave up three runs over 7 1-3 innings.

Chicago sluggers Adam Dunn (.156) and Paul Konerko (.228) have fared poorly against Sabathia while Alexei Ramirez (11 for 26) and Gordon Beckham (8 for 20) have enjoyed success.

Derek Jeter had two hits Tuesday, giving him 3,315 to move ahead of Eddie Collins (3,313) for ninth on the career list. Rivera struck out two in a perfect ninth to reach 40 saves for the ninth time.

Girardi chose not to start left-handed hitters Curtis Granderson and Ichiro Suzuki against left-hander Chris Sale on Tuesday. Both could be in the lineup one night later when right-hander Erik Johnson (NR) makes his big league debut for Chicago.

The 23-year-old Johnson is considered one of the White Sox's top prospects. He has a 12-3 record with a 1.96 ERA over 24 combined starts between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte.

"Whenever they send me back out there, I'm going to give it all I've got," Johnson told the White Sox's official website. "Every opportunity I get, I'll make the most of."

Chicago has dropped nine straight on the road against AL East foes.

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GAME 1
White Sox at Yankees
Mon, Sep 2 Final 1 to 9
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
White Sox at Yankees
Tue, Sep 3 Final 4 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
White Sox at Yankees
Wed, Sep 4 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (73-64) at Indians (73-65)
Game: 3
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: September 04, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Regardless of the outcome of the series finale in Cleveland, this has been a very disappointing road trip for the Baltimore Orioles.

Heading home with a series win would at least soften the blow somewhat.

Baltimore's Zach Britton tries to translate his recent minor league success to the big stage Wednesday night when he faces the Indians in his first start in nearly two months.

Taking two of three from contending Oakland late last month had the Orioles (73-64) feeling good about starting their nine-game trip to Boston, New York and Cleveland. The trek, however, began with four losses in five games before they rallied late Sunday to avoid a sweep at Yankee Stadium.

Bud Norris pitched Baltimore to a 7-2 series-opening victory Monday but Nate McLouth's three-run homer in the ninth was all the offense the Orioles could muster in Tuesday's 4-3 loss.

Baltimore failed to gain ground in the wild-card race while the Indians (73-65) moved within one-half game of them.

``We did a lot of good things tonight,' manager Terry Francona said. ``We played a nice crisp game. That's how we have to play.'

Yan Gomes had a two-run double and Asdrubal Cabrera added a pair of sacrifice flies for Cleveland, which needs a win in the finale to avoid losing three consecutive series for the first time since early June.

Gomes delivered a in a key situation Tuesday but that's been a rarity lately for the Indians, who are 6 for 49 (.122) with runners in scoring position the past eight games.

Jason Kipnis is batting .393 (11 for 28) with three homers during an eight-game hitting streak against the Orioles.

He's 3 for 5 with a double against Britton (2-3, 4.76 ERA), who will be inserted into the rotation after being recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Monday. The left-hander, who hasn't pitched in the majors since allowing five runs over five innings in an 8-4 loss to Texas on July 9, went 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA in his last four starts for the Tides.

The Orioles will use a six-man rotation this week, with the other five starters moved back one day.

``This just fit better where we are, physically, right now, but I told all the guys that we'll revisit it after (Sept.) 9th,' manager Buck Showalter said. ``They understand that we're going to put our best foot forward in these final 25 or 26 games.'

Britton was very sharp in his most recent appearance at Progressive Field, tossing six scoreless innings in a 4-3 victory July 22, 2012.

Carlos Santana - hitless in his last nine at_bats overall - is 3 for 6 with a pair of doubles against Britton.

Zach McAllister (7-8, 3.81) looks to bounce back from a disappointing outing for Cleveland. The right-hander was tagged for five runs and six hits with four walks over 3 2-3 innings of a 7-2 loss at Detroit on Friday. He went 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his previous three starts.

McAllister lost his only career start against the Orioles on July 21, 2012. He gave up three runs and five hits - including two homers - over 7 2-3 innings.

J.J. Hardy is 3 for 6 with a home run off McAllister.

A victory Wednesday would give the Orioles their first season series win against the Indians since 2006.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Orioles at Indians
Mon, Sep 2 Final 7 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Orioles at Indians
Tue, Sep 3 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Orioles at Indians
Wed, Sep 4 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (70-68) at Phillies (63-76)
Game: 3
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: September 04, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Jordan Zimmermann didn't get enough run support from the Washington Nationals to benefit from his solid outing last time out and missed his chance to take sole possession of the NL wins lead.

Lackluster support has also hindered the right-hander in some recent matchups with the Philadelphia Phillies, and he won't have Bryce Harper's help in this one.

With Harper expected to rest an ailing hip, Zimmermann will try to remain among the league leaders by helping the Nationals top the Phillies and Roy Halladay on Wednesday night.

Zimmermann (15-8, 3.33 ERA) gave up three runs in 7 2-3 innings Friday against the New York Mets but was on the wrong end of a 3-2 result.

"Other than (a two-run homer to Ike Davis), I thought I pitched great," said Zimmermann, who was coming off a 7-2 win in Kansas City on Aug. 24.

That loss left him in a four-way tie for the NL wins lead and he'll be among three 15-game winners pitching Wednesday. Pittsburgh's Francisco Liriano and Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa are the other two with St. Louis' Adam Wainwright idle until Saturday.

Zimmermann will try to at least keep pace in that race by earning his second win in five career starts in Philadelphia. He gave up two runs over 6 1-3 innings in his most recent outing at Citizens Bank Park on July 11 but took the loss in a 3-1 defeat.

Zimmermann has a 2.89 ERA in his last six starts against the Phillies but only a 2-4 record. He's received one run or fewer in each of those losses.

Harper likely won't be available to help this time as he's slated to get the night off for the Nationals (70-68), who have an off day Thursday.

Harper has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games but is 3 for 18 (.167) in his last five. He went 0 for 5 on Tuesday but scored two runs in a 9-6 victory over Philadelphia.

Wilson Ramos homered and drove in four runs as the Nationals remained 7 1/2 games behind Cincinnati for the NL's final wild-card berth.

They'll try to cut into that sizable deficit when they face Halladay (3-4, 7.94), who has experienced mixed results in his two starts since coming back from shoulder surgery.

The right-hander gave up two runs over six innings in his return, a 9-5 victory against Arizona on Aug. 25, but allowed five runs over five innings in humid conditions Friday at Wrigley Field. He avoided the loss when Philadelphia (63-76) rallied for a 6-5 victory.

"(Halladay) struggled a little bit on command," manager Ryne Sandberg told the team's website. "It was a little warm out there but he battled. … He gave us some innings, and with our bullpen the way that it's been, we were able to keep the score in check and let the offense attempt to come back."

Halladay is 12-1 with a 2.42 ERA in his last 15 starts against the Nationals franchise with the most recent on Aug. 25, 2012.

Ramos is 4 for 9 against the two-time Cy Young Award winner, and Zimmermann is 2 for 3.

The Phillies are hoping Domonic Brown can return from an ailing Achilles as he's 4 for 6 with a double all-time against Zimmermann.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Phillies
Mon, Sep 2 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Nationals at Phillies
Tue, Sep 3 Final 9 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Nationals at Phillies
Wed, Sep 4 - 7:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Tigers (81-58) at Red Sox (83-57)
Game: 3
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: September 04, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


Miguel Cabrera's return to the lineup did little to ignite Detroit's offense.

The Boston Red Sox hope getting Jacoby Ellsbury back at the top of their batting order can provide a spark.

The Tigers and Red Sox meet Wednesday night at Fenway Park to conclude a series between baseball's top two offenses that has been dominated by pitchers.

After dropping Monday's opener 3-0, Boston (83-57) retook a 1 1/2-game lead over Detroit (81-58) for the AL's best record with a 2-1 victory Tuesday. The teams have combined for 29 hits in 129 at_bats for a .225 average - a feeble display for these two potent offenses.

Tuesday's game, however, had a stellar pitching matchup. Jon Lester outdueled Max Scherzer, denying him a chance to become the second pitcher to open a season with a 20-1 record.

"We've got two of the top teams in the American League. We've got great pitchers on both sides going at it. This is what's going to happen,' Scherzer said.

The game also featured the return of Cabrera, who missed three contests with abdominal and groin problems. This year's AL leader in batting average and RBIs went 0 for 4, and is expected to remain in the lineup for the duration of the season.

The Red Sox expect Ellsbury to return after he sat out Tuesday because of a sore left thumb. Manager John Farrell had said his leadoff hitter is likely going to have to deal with the soreness for the remainder of the season, and he'll be given occasional days off to rest.

"Everyday players at this time of the year are going to be dealing with certain things," Farrell told the Red Sox's official website. "His happens to be in his left hand."

Ellsbury has played a big part in Boston's success, batting .379 with four stolen bases and eight runs in the last seven games, and the club is 15-3 when he scores a run since the All-Star break.

Getting him back for the finale seems like a good plan considering he has routinely frustrated scheduled starter Rick Porcello, going 6 for 7 with a homer and double.

Porcello (11-7, 4.44 ERA) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings in Friday's 7-2 win over Cleveland. It was the 10th time in 11 starts the right-hander yielded three runs or less.

Porcello has been at his best on the road, going 4-0 with a 2.53 ERA in his last five outings away from Detroit.

He has struggled in his last two starts against the Red Sox, posting a 10.38 ERA, but has yet to face them in 2013.

Boston's turns to Ryan Dempster (7-9, 4.75), which could help both team's offenses come around.

Dempster has a 6.45 ERA in his last eight starts, but the Red Sox have won seven of them, backing the right-hander with an average of 6.9 runs of support.

Dempster pitched well enough to win on his own against the Chicago White Sox on Friday, permitting three runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 4-3 victory. It was his first start following a five-game suspension for hitting Alex Rodriguez with a pitch on Aug. 18.

"I'm glad I could just slide in and do a little bit of my part,' he said

Dempster isn't too familiar with the Tigers, against whom he has not started since 2002 and faced since 2006.

Torii Hunter, though, is 6 for 9 lifetime against him, but 4 for 21 (.190) with no walks in his last five games.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Red Sox
Mon, Sep 2 Final 3 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Tigers at Red Sox
Tue, Sep 3 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Tigers at Red Sox
Wed, Sep 4 - 7:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (79-59) at Reds (78-61)
Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: September 04, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


It didn't take long for top prospect Billy Hamilton to make his presence felt.

Hamilton and the Cincinnati Reds go for a fourth consecutive win over the slumping St. Louis Cardinals as these NL Central rivals meet again Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park.

After entering as a pinch runner in the seventh inning, Hamilton stole his first base and then came around to score on Todd Frazier's double in Tuesday's 1-0 victory. The 22-year-old outfielder, who set a professional baseball single-season record by stealing 155 bases between Class A and Double-A in 2012, was called up the previous day.

"He (manager Dusty Baker) said, 'I need you to get to second base,'" Hamilton said after his thrilling big league debut. "I was like, 'OK, I got you.'

"That's my job - stealing in important situations. This was a real big situation - a pennant race."

Hamilton's speed could make a big impact down the stretch. He was hitting .256 with six homers and 75 stolen bases in 123 games with Triple-A Louisville before getting called up.

"Watching Billy run - I can watch that every day," Frazier said.

The Reds (78-61) had dropped 10 of 14 to the Cardinals before taking the last three meetings by an 18-2 margin. Cincinnati is now 1 1/2 games behind St. Louis (79-59) for the NL's top wild-card spot and second place in the division.

The Cardinals have hit .176 and been outscored 32-10 in losing five of six. Matt Carpenter singled twice Tuesday, providing both the team's hits.

Infielder Daniel Descalso is mired in a 3-for-32 slump, Jon Jay is 4 for his last 26 and Allen Craig is hitless in his last 10 at_bats.

"We've got an offense that's played a lot of games this year and done extremely well," manager Mike Matheny said. "You can't start trying to reinvent the wheel."

Matheny's club, though, could bounce back against Bronson Arroyo (13-10, 3.66 ERA). The right-hander is 8-16 with a 4.65 ERA in 35 starts versus St. Louis, by far his most losses against any opponent.

Arroyo, 1-8 in his last 13 matchups against the Cardinals, is looking to avoid a fifth consecutive loss in the series after surrendering a season high-tying seven runs in 3 2-3 innings in a 13-3 defeat Aug. 2.

"As good as they can be and as much as they grind at_bats, it's very difficult to kind of keep those guys down," he told MLB's official website. "They got a good ballclub, and they just beat me around the ballpark."

Matt Holliday is 14 for his last 40 with four homers and four doubles versus Arroyo, and Jay is 14 for 34 with four extra-base hits.

Arroyo was also knocked around Friday, giving up six runs in a season-low 3 1-3 innings in a 9-6 loss at Colorado.

"That's just the way it rolls sometimes," said Arroyo, who saw his season-high four-start winning streak snapped.

Arroyo could benefit from getting back home, where he is 9-3 with a 3.20 ERA in 16 outings, 14 of which were quality starts.

The Cardinals counter with Shelby Miller (12-9, 3.13), who is 4-5 with a 4.68 ERA in his last 12 outings. The 22-year-old right-hander labored through 4 1-3 innings in Friday's 5-0 loss at Pittsburgh, surrendering five runs, eight hits and three walks.

While Miller dropped to 2-5 with a 5.80 ERA in his last nine road starts, one of those victories came in Cincinnati. He allowed three runs and struck out eight in five-plus innings opposite Arroyo last month, improving to 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two career matchups against the Reds.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Reds
Mon, Sep 2 Final 2 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Cardinals at Reds
Tue, Sep 3 Final 0 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Cardinals at Reds
Wed, Sep 4 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Cardinals at Reds
Thu, Sep 5 - 7:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mariners (62-76) at Royals (72-66)
Game: 3
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: September 04, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Kansas City Royals are still clinging to hopes of a wild-card playoff berth, using stingy pitching to keep them in the race.

Their offense could be in for the bigger challenge when they encounter a rookie hurler coming off an impressive major league debut.

Kansas City digs in against Taijuan Walker and the visiting Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night.

The Royals (72-66) kept pace in the AL wild-card hunt on Tuesday with a 4-3 home victory over Seattle (62-76), their eighth in 10 games. Salvador Perez was 3 for 4 with his 10th homer and drove in Mike Moustakas with a two-out single in the eighth for the go-ahead run.

Perhaps even more impressive than the piece of clutch hitting was the continued run of excellent pitching by Kansas City. While Tuesday's performance wasn't dominant - five pitchers combined to limit the Mariners to 10 hits - the staff owns a collective 1.25 ERA during a 7-2 stretch.

The Royals' 72 wins match their total from last season, with 24 games to play.

"There's no sitting back and patting your back at 72 wins right now," manager Ned Yost said. "We want to continue pushing, continue playing with confidence the way we are right now, keep winning a bunch more games."

Yost will give the ball to Ervin Santana (8-8, 3.19 ERA), who has plenty of experience versus Seattle from his eight seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, going 12-7 with a 3.94 ERA over 29 starts.

However, Santana is 0-2 with a 4.30 ERA over his last five starts overall and hasn't won since Aug. 4. A sixth straight start without a victory would match a season-long skid.

His teammates could be in for a tough time at the plate if the debut of Walker (1-0, 0.00) was any indication. The right-hander limited Houston to an unearned run and two hits over five innings of a 7-1 road win on Friday in front of about 40 family members and friends. Regarded as one of baseball's top prospects, Walker retired the first eight batters he faced.

"He was more and more comfortable as the game wore on and let the ball go a few times," manager Eric Wedge said of the 2010 first-round pick. "I thought he did a nice job with the secondary stuff, with the breaking ball, with some changeups. He was downhill with the fastball. I thought he was very impressive out there."

Raul Ibanez was 2 for 4 for Seattle on Tuesday after sitting out the club's previous two games, but that did little to spark its scuffling offense. The Mariners were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and are 12 for 73 (.164) while losing nine of 12 games.

Perhaps Justin Smoak - 2 for 4 Tuesday after collecting one hit in his previous 10 games - can help lift Seattle. He's 7 for 18 off Santana with two doubles and a homer, though Mariners batting average leader Kyle Seager, who homered Tuesday, is just 3 for 19 against him.

Carlos Pena played first base for Kansas City in the ninth inning after having his contract purchased from Triple-A Omaha earlier in the day. The Royals signed him to a minor league deal last month after he was released by Houston in late July following a career-low .350 slugging percentage in 85 games.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Royals
Mon, Sep 2 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mariners at Royals
Tue, Sep 3 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Mariners at Royals
Wed, Sep 4 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Mariners at Royals
Thu, Sep 5 - 2:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pirates (81-57) at Brewers (59-79)
Game: 3
Venue: Miller Park
Date: September 04, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Pittsburgh Pirates have ended their run of 20 straight consecutive losing seasons - the longest in North American professional sports history.

The Pirates can next cement a winning record if they complete their first sweep at Miller Park in over nine years.

They'll send Francisco Liriano to the mound Wednesday night when they try to hand the Milwaukee Brewers a sixth straight loss.

Pittsburgh (81-57) ended two decades of frustration Tuesday when pinch-hitter Travis Snider hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning of a 4-3 victory. The Pirates last finished with a non-losing record in 1992 when they won 96 games and a third straight NL East title.

"It was on our to-do list," manager Clint Hurdle said. "We'll move on from here. Our plans are continue to play and compete and go further."

Ironically, the Brewers (59-79) ended 12 straight losing seasons in 2005 by earning win No. 81 in Pittsburgh.

The Pirates boosted their NL Central lead to two games over St. Louis - where Pittsburgh will travel for a three-game weekend set after this contest.

The second decade of the Pirates' run of futility featured plenty of losses at Miller Park - including 34 of 36 between May 4, 2007-Aug. 14, 2011. Now Pittsburgh can complete its first sweep there since April 30-May 2, 2004.

Milwaukee owns baseball's second-worst record against left-handers at 12-26 as it gets ready to face Liriano (15-6, 2.57 ERA), tied for the major league lead among southpaws in victories.

Liriano is 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in two starts against the Brewers this year, and 8-3 with a 1.68 ERA in 11 outings against division opponents with all of the defeats coming versus Cincinnati.

Carlos Gomez is 7 for 14 against Liriano and Jean Segura 3 for 6.

Liriano was brilliant Friday as he yielded two hits and struck out six in eight innings in a 5-0 victory over the Cardinals.

If Liriano doesn't go the distance, Hurdle may give Jason Grilli his first action since July 22. The closer, who was out with a strained right forearm, was activated Tuesday off the disabled list.

The manager won't turn away yet from Mark Melancon, who earned his 11th save Tuesday while filling in for Grilli.

"Our eyes will tell us what to do with him after that, I believe ... his eyes and our eyes," said Hurdle about Grilli. "We eventually plan on transitioning him back to the closer role."

Andrew McCutchen is 4 for 8 with a solo homer in this series, and batting .420 during a 12-game hitting streak against Milwaukee.

The Brewers, who are in a tight race to avoid their first last-place finish since 2004, will give the ball to right-hander Wily Peralta (8-14, 4.51) - who tries to avoid falling into a tie for the major league lead in losses.

Peralta's 5.12 home ERA is one of baseball's worst marks. He has never faced Pittsburgh.

The Brewers are seeking to avoid losing seven straight at home for the first time since dropping eight in a row April 27-May 16, 2010.

Segura, 4 for 8 in this series, has an NL-high 39 steals as he tries to become the second Brewer to lead the league in that category along with Scott Podsednik, who had 70 in 2004.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Pirates at Brewers
Mon, Sep 2 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Pirates at Brewers
Tue, Sep 3 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Pirates at Brewers
Wed, Sep 4 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Dodgers (83-55) at Rockies (65-75)
Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: September 04, 2013 8:40 PM EDT


Holding a sizable lead in the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers can afford to be patient while star rookie Yasiel Puig recovers from a strained right knee.

Edinson Volquez might not get the same treatment should his struggles continue in his first start for the Dodgers on Wednesday night against the Colorado Rockies, who helped hasten his exit from San Diego.

Los Angeles (83-55) holds a 13 1/2-game advantage over Arizona after posting its sixth straight win, 7-4 over Colorado on Tuesday night. Carl Crawford had three hits and drove in two runs to compensate for Puig's absence, and Nick Punto contributed a season-high four hits.

In his first start with the team, Michael Young went 1 for 5 and scored one of Los Angeles' three runs on left fielder Charlie Culberson's ninth-inning error. Young was acquired from Philadelphia on Saturday.

"We have tons of talent in this room," pitcher Ricky Nolasco said. "Veterans, young guys, to be able to give a couple guys breathers and have other guys step up is huge. Everybody comes in ready to play, and when you have depth like that, it's huge for the team."

With Puig's status uncertain, Volquez (9-10, 5.97 ERA) will try to keep the Dodgers rolling after signing a one-year deal on Friday.

Volquez was an All-Star in 2008 with Cincinnati and San Diego's opening day starter in each of the last two seasons. He was released Aug. 27 after going 9-10 with a 6.01 ERA in 27 starts for the Padres.

Volquez is making this spot start to help the Dodgers give their rotation a rest.

"I think the guy's got great stuff," Mattingly told the team's website. "I don't know what happened in San Diego, but he's a lot like Carlos (Marmol, another reclamation project). Guys with quality stuff. He's struggled, but we know it's in there somewhere."

Volquez draws a difficult matchup in this outing - he's 0-5 with a 12.46 ERA in his last six starts against the Rockies (65-75). He is 0-4 with a 13.08 ERA in five matchups this season and 0-1 with a 22.95 ERA in his last two starts in Colorado.

If that wasn't enough, Volquez is facing NL wins co-leader Jorge De La Rosa (15-6, 3.33), who is seeking a sixth consecutive victory. The left-hander is 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA in his last six home starts and gave up three runs over six innings in a 9-6 victory over visiting Cincinnati on Friday despite an ailing thumb.

"It's a little sore," De La Rosa told the team's website. "It bothered me since the first inning; just have to keep pitching and help the team to win as much as I can."

De La Rosa is 1-8 with a 6.14 ERA in 11 career starts against the Dodgers but earned that win in his most recent matchup. He allowed two runs over seven innings in a 7-2 victory June 2 at Coors Field.

De La Rosa would love to get some help from Carlos Gonzalez, 5 for 7 with two triples and two doubles this season versus Volquez, but the outfielder is dealing with a finger injury. Gonzalez was activated from the disabled list Tuesday but it's unknown how much he'll play the rest of the season.

Dexter Fowler (6 for 10), Todd Helton (4 for 8) and Wilin Rosario (5 for 11) have also played significant roles in the Rockies' success against the Dodgers' right-hander this year.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Dodgers at Rockies
Mon, Sep 2 Final 10 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Dodgers at Rockies
Tue, Sep 3 Final 7 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Dodgers at Rockies
Wed, Sep 4 - 8:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rays (76-61) at Angels (64-73)
Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: September 04, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


Matt Moore returned to the Tampa Bay Rays' rotation to help the club in its postseason push. Now it's time for Jeremy Hellickson to do the same.

The struggling Hellickson returns from a week in the minors to start Wednesday night opposite the Los Angeles Angels' Jered Weaver in Anaheim.

Tampa Bay (76-61) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 7-1 victory Tuesday that evened this four-game set. Moore won his seventh straight decision and improved to 15-3 with 5 1-3 strong innings after missing a month on the disabled list due to left elbow soreness.

The Rays increased their lead in the race for the second AL wild card. They entered Tuesday with a two-game edge over Baltimore, and their closest competitors now are the New York Yankees - 2 1/2 games back.

Hellickson (10-8, 5.21 ERA) isn't physically hurt, but a six-start stretch in which he went 0-5 with a 9.00 ERA caused Tampa Bay to send him to the minors Aug. 27. He was officially with Single-A Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery during his week away from the Rays in which he didn't appear in any minor-league games.

The move came after Hellickson allowed five runs and matched the shortest start of his career with 2 2-3 innings Aug. 26 in an 11-1 loss at Kansas City.

"I wanted to keep going out there, try and give us a chance to win," Hellickson told the Rays' official website. "I just wasn't doing my job. I don't think it was a bad idea to do this. As much as I want to be out there to help this team win, it's good to take a few days off to clear my mind. It might be a good thing."

Tampa Bay had won seven starts in a row by the right-hander before losing five of the last six. Hellickson may like his chances of bouncing back Wednesday since he is 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA in three starts against the Angels.

Weaver (9-7, 3.30) has yielded one run over 14 innings in winning consecutive starts - part of a 6-2 stretch with a 2.93 ERA in nine outings since the All-Star break.

The right-hander is 4-2 with a 3.93 ERA in eight starts against the Rays.

Los Angeles (64-73) had its five-game win streak snapped Tuesday with four hits one night after finishing with 16 in an 11-2 rout in the series opener.

Angels star Mike Trout will face Hellickson for the first time. Trout is 7 for 18 with four walks and three steals in the season series, with Los Angeles winning three of five.

J.B. Shuck went 0 for 4 on Tuesday as his eight-game streak ended in which he batted .378.

Fellow rookie Wil Myers has cooled off for Tampa Bay although he doubled twice Tuesday in four at_bats to end a 2-for-31 slide.

Ben Zobrist is 3 for 7 with four RBIs in this series, and batting .391 during a 13-game streak against the Angels.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Angels
Mon, Sep 2 Final 2 to 11
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rays at Angels
Tue, Sep 3 Final 7 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rays at Angels
Wed, Sep 4 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Rays at Angels
Thu, Sep 5 - 10:05PM EDT

[gimmemoney]

Any diamond trend for today?