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

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  • Preview: Cubs (62-82) at Reds (82-64)
    Game: 3
    Venue: Great American Ball Park
    Date: September 11, 2013 12:35 PM EDT


    The Cincinnati Reds appeared to have a prime opportunity to keep driving toward the NL Central lead with a series against the lowly Chicago Cubs.

    Instead, the Reds will be seeking to avoid their first home sweep to the Cubs in 12 years Wednesday, and Mike Leake will try to help with another strong outing against Chicago.

    Heading into this three-game set, Cincinnati (82-64) had taken six of seven against Central leader St. Louis and the West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds had also won 22 of 26 over the Cubs (62-82) but have been outscored 11-1 in the first two games.

    Chicago hasn't won three in a row since July and hasn't swept a series in Cincinnati since May 28-30, 2001.

    "I don't know if you can call it a letdown. I don't know if you call it not focused. I don't know if you call it not enough energy. I don't know if you call it those guys came in to play spoilers," outfielder Ryan Ludwick said. "I don't think anyone wanted to lose two to the Cubs. They're a major league team, but they're in last place, and we're trying to chase down a couple of teams in front of us."

    The Reds were held scoreless in the first 15 innings of this series until Corky Miller's RBI double in the seventh of Tuesday's 9-1 defeat. Welington Castillo hit two homers and Donnie Murphy drove in three runs as Chicago recorded back-to-back wins in Cincinnati for the first time in two years.

    The Reds were within 1 1/2 games of St. Louis in the NL Central and tied with Pittsburgh for second before this series. They're now three games behind the Cardinals and two back of the Pirates.

    Leake (12-6, 3.46 ERA) will try to get his club's playoff push back on track by improving on his 2-0 record and 2.18 ERA in three matchups with Chicago this season. He gave up one run and three hits over eight innings to win the most recent one, 2-1 on June 12.

    The right-hander heads into this outing after beating the Dodgers on Friday, yielding two runs in 7 2-3 innings of a 3-2 victory. He had given up at least four runs in each of his previous four starts and was 0-1 with a 9.28 ERA in the last two.

    Leake is 3-0 with a 2.21 ERA in five career home starts against Chicago and will pitch opposite a struggling Jeff Samardzija in this one.

    Samardzija (8-11, 4.29) has given up a combined 11 runs and 17 hits, including three homers, in 12 2-3 innings over his last two starts. He didn't receive a decision either time.

    "My baseball command has been spotty," Samardzija told the team's website. "It needs to be better."

    The right-hander has a 6.75 ERA in his last two starts against the Reds - both in Chicago - but also avoided decisions in those games. Samardzija performed better in his only start in Cincinnati this season, giving up two runs - one earned - and four hits over six innings May 4, but the Cubs bullpen couldn't hold a two-run lead in a 6-4 defeat.

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

    SERIES AT A GLANCE

    GAME 1
    Cubs at Reds
    Mon, Sep 9 Final 2 to 0
    Boxscores • Recaps

    GAME 2
    Cubs at Reds
    Tue, Sep 10 Final 9 to 1
    Boxscores • Recaps

    GAME 3
    Cubs at Reds
    Wed, Sep 11 - 12:35PM EDT
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

    Comment


    • Preview: Pirates (83-61) at Rangers (81-63)
      Game: 3
      Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
      Date: September 11, 2013 2:05 PM EDT


      The Pittsburgh Pirates' major league-best interleague record could be tested by the Texas Rangers with Matt Garza on the mound.

      The Texas Rangers are 5-0 in Garza's home starts and will try to avoid a three-game sweep Wednesday while adding to A.J. Burnett's road woes.

      Pittsburgh (83-61) had been 0-6 all-time in Arlington before this series but former Texas batting coach Clint Hurdle has no doubt enjoyed watching his team open this set with two one-run victories, 1-0 on Monday and 5-4 on Tuesday.

      "We're still hunting for more,' said Jordy Mercer, who had two doubles among his four hits Tuesday. "We want to get more, as much as we can, that's for sure.'

      The Pirates, 14-5 in interleague play, trail St. Louis by one game in the NL Central race. They lead Cincinnati by two for home-field advantage in a possible wild-card contest.

      Texas (81-63) is in similar position, trailing Oakland by two games in the AL West and leading Tampa Bay by 2 1/2 to host a possible wild-card game.

      Garza (3-3, 4.31 ERA) is 2-0 with a 3.48 ERA in his home starts with Texas, which acquired him July 22 from the Chicago Cubs. He hasn't been stellar with a 5.03 ERA over his last seven outings.

      The right-hander made his first start of 2013 against Pittsburgh on May 21, pitching five scoreless innings in a 5-4 loss after starting the season on the disabled list with a strained left lat.

      Garza is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four career outings versus the Pirates. Former Cubs teammate Marlon Byrd has homered twice off him in 14 at_bats while Pedro Alvarez is 5 for 12.

      Hurdle did not start Neil Walker on Tuesday but Wednesday could have been a better day to sit him. The second baseman is 0 for 9 against Garza and hitless in his last 15 at_bats.

      Interleague play has also been kind to Burnett (7-10, 3.31). He has a 2.70 ERA and .176 opponent batting average in three starts against the AL although he's 0-1.

      Pittsburgh has lost seven of Burnett's last eight road starts, with the right-hander going 1-4 with a 4.80 ERA. He allowed five runs over a season-low three innings Friday to suffer a 12-8 defeat at St. Louis.

      Burnett is 4-3 with a 3.66 ERA in 11 career regular-season starts against the Rangers, who he last faced in Game 4 of the 2010 ALCS. He gave up five runs over six innings in a 10-3 loss for the New York Yankees.

      Adrian Beltre, 3 for 8 in this series, is a .323 hitter against Burnett with six doubles in 31 at_bats. Beltre struck out against Mark Melancon to end Tuesday's game with two runners aboard.

      "We know what his track record is and what he's capable of doing," manager Ron Washington said. "He's a guy who always rises to a challenge. I'm looking forward to him coming back."

      Andrew McCutchen is 5 for 9 in this series and 15 for 32 with six walks during a nine-game hitting streak, although he's 2 for 8 against Garza.

      Neither team has excelled in day games, with Texas at 19-22 for the worst mark among winning teams while Pittsburgh has split 52 such contests.

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

      SERIES AT A GLANCE

      GAME 1
      Pirates at Rangers
      Mon, Sep 9 Final 1 to 0
      Boxscores • Recaps

      GAME 2
      Pirates at Rangers
      Tue, Sep 10 Final 5 to 4
      Boxscores • Recaps

      GAME 3
      Pirates at Rangers
      Wed, Sep 11 - 2:05PM EDT
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

      Comment


      • Preview: Rockies (67-79) at Giants (65-80)
        Game: 3
        Venue: AT&T Park
        Date: September 11, 2013 3:45 PM EDT


        Yusmeiro Petit is trying to stay focused after being one strike away from a perfect game in his last start for the San Francisco Giants.

        He'll try to win for the fourth time in as many starts for San Francisco in Wednesday's home matchup with the Colorado Rockies.

        Petit (3-0, 2.05 ERA) was recalled from Triple-A Fresno on Aug. 23 for his second stint with the Giants (65-80) and has been stellar in posting a 1.71 ERA in winning all three starts.

        His most spectacular effort came Friday when he retired the first 26 Arizona hitters before pinch-hitter Eric Chavez singled in the ninth inning just in front of right fielder Hunter Pence in a 3-0 victory.

        Petit finished off the 95-pitch gem by getting the next hitter out for his first complete game. The Venezuelan says he has received numerous messages from friends and family, and will block all of that out as he gets ready for Wednesday.

        "The key element now is to try and keep my concentration, to go ahead and study the hitters I have to face tomorrow and remind myself that the page that I wrote was a very beautiful page, but it's in the past," Petit told the Giants' official website. "So I have to concentrate on tomorrow's game."

        The right-hander won't have to learn about a new opponent since his first start with San Francisco was a 5-3 victory at Colorado on Aug. 27 in which he allowed two runs in six innings.

        Petit's five starts against the Rockies (67-79) are his most against any club. He's 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA in those outings.

        Todd Helton is 4 for 9 off Petit and will likely play at AT&T Park for the last time. The Rockies stalwart is expected to retire after this season and he leads all active players with 244 hits against the Giants.

        "I've always appreciated how he plays the game,' Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

        Michael Cuddyer is 0 for 3 against Petit and remains in a tight race for the NL batting title with a .330 average - the same mark as Atlanta's Chris Johnson. Cuddyer homered twice and had four RBIs in Tuesday's 9-8 victory with a tiebreaking solo shot in the ninth inning.

        The Rockies rallied from six runs down and snapped a four-game slide.

        "It's a character-building win for us,' Cuddyer said.

        While Cuddyer was Tuesday's hitting star for Colorado, Pence went 4 for 5 and matched a career high with six RBIs. Pence, who has six straight 20-homer seasons, has 20 RBIs against the Rockies - the single-season high in Giants' history.

        Rockies starter Juan Nicasio (8-7, 4.68) could be pitching in the wrong park Wednesday. He's 2-0 with 12 scoreless innings in two home outings against the Giants this season and has a 0-0 mark with a 5.40 ERA in two at AT&T Park, with Colorado losing both of them.

        The right-hander has limited Pablo Sandoval to one hit in 12 at_bats and Brandon Belt to one in 10.

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

        SERIES AT A GLANCE

        GAME 1
        Rockies at Giants
        Mon, Sep 9 Final 2 to 3
        Boxscores • Recaps

        GAME 2
        Rockies at Giants
        Tue, Sep 10 Final 9 to 8
        Boxscores • Recaps

        GAME 3
        Rockies at Giants
        Wed, Sep 11 - 3:45PM EDT
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

        Comment


        • Preview: Yankees (77-68) at Orioles (77-67)
          Game: 3
          Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
          Date: September 11, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


          Andy Pettitte has fared well against Chris Davis, but baseball's home run leader did take him deep earlier this year like he's done to so many pitchers.

          Davis looks for his 50th homer Wednesday night against Pettitte when the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees continue this crucial four-game set at Camden Yards.

          Baltimore (77-67) and Cleveland are 1 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay for the AL's second wild card, and New York (77-68) is two games back.

          Davis hit his 49th homer Tuesday, but the Yankees evened the series with a 7-5 victory and will send Pettitte (10-9, 4.03 ERA) to the mound Wednesday.

          Pettitte is 8-0 with a 2.99 ERA in his last 12 regular-season starts against the Orioles. He yielded three runs over seven innings in a 3-2 defeat in a Game 2 loss at Camden Yards in last year's division series.

          That's the last time the left-hander pitched in Baltimore, where he owns a 16-4 mark for the most victories by a visiting pitcher at Camden Yards.

          He is 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in two starts against the Orioles this year. Davis is 1 for 6 in those games with a first-inning homer July 6 and is 3 for 13 overall against Pettitte.

          The slugger hit a two-run shot in the fifth inning Tuesday to give Baltimore a 4-1 lead. He's one shy of Brady Anderson's franchise record set in 1996.

          The Yankees responded with two runs in the sixth inning and four in the eighth. Alfonso Soriano hit two home runs and former Baltimore slugger Mark Reynolds also went deep.

          Soriano has 15 homers and 47 RBIs in 43 games with New York, which acquired him from the Cubs on July 26. He needs two RBIs to reach 100 for the fourth time.

          "They made a good acquisition," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. "He's been a good player for a long time. It's a good pickup for them."

          Soriano will face another player who began 2013 with the Cubs in Scott Feldman (5-4, 3.63), who yielded one run over seven innings in a 1-0 loss Aug. 31 at Yankee Stadium. The right-hander is 3-4 with a 3.58 ERA in seven career starts against New York.

          Feldman has a 1.31 ERA in winning his last three outings at Camden Yards, including a five-hitter for his first career shutout in a 4-0 victory over the White Sox on Friday.

          "If I go nine or seven, whatever it is, as long as we win it's a good game," he said.

          Curtis Granderson is 6 for 14 off Feldman, Vernon Wells is 7 for 14 and Soriano is 0 for 3.

          Alex Rodriguez, 4 for 8 with a homer and two doubles in this series, is 4 for 13 against Feldman. The third baseman exited Tuesday after he experienced tightness in his left hamstring.

          "I iced it," Rodriguez said. "It feels pretty good right now."

          The Yankees announced after Tuesday's win that they have acquired slick-fielding shortstop Brendan Ryan from Seattle for a player to be named - perhaps a sign that Derek Jeter isn't coming back from his sore ankle anytime soon.

          Catcher Austin Romine also left Tuesday due to a concussion.

          The Yankees expect David Robertson to be available Wednesday. The reliever had tendinitis in the back of his right shoulder and hasn't pitched since Thursday.

          Adam Jones is 8 for 23 against Pettitte while Matt Wieters is 2 for 12. Nick Markakis is 0 for 7 this year off the lefty and expects to play even though his wife is expected to induce labor Wednesday morning.

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

          SERIES AT A GLANCE

          GAME 1
          Yankees at Orioles
          Mon, Sep 9 Final 2 to 4
          Boxscores • Recaps

          GAME 2
          Yankees at Orioles
          Tue, Sep 10 Final 7 to 5
          Boxscores • Recaps

          GAME 3
          Yankees at Orioles
          Wed, Sep 11 - 7:05PM EDT

          GAME 4
          Yankees at Orioles
          Thu, Sep 12 - 7:05PM EDT
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • Preview: Angels (68-76) at Blue Jays (67-77)
            Game: 2
            Venue: Rogers Centre
            Date: September 11, 2013 7:07 PM EDT


            C.J. Wilson is on the verge of recording the longest win streak of his career and matching the most victories he's had in any season.

            The Los Angeles Angels will try to help their left-hander accomplish both goals with another strong performance at the plate against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night.

            Wilson (15-6, 3.42 ERA) hasn't always been at his best in recent weeks - he has a 4.58 ERA over his last three starts - but has gotten ample support during most of his last 11 starts. The Angels have given him 50 runs over that stretch as he's gone 7-0, equaling his career-best win streak from July 18-Aug. 30, 2010.

            Los Angeles did all of its scoring while he was still in the game Friday, when he gave up four runs and served up two homers in 6 2-3 innings of a 6-5 win over Texas.

            "It's not one of my best games, but I got favorable run support today," Wilson said.

            With another strong game from the Angels' offense, Wilson might match the 16 wins he had with Texas in 2011. Los Angeles (68-76) had 18 hits Tuesday and snapped the Blue Jays' three-game win streak with a 12-6 victory.

            Mark Trumbo became the franchise's first player with five hits and five runs in a game, and he tied another club record with four extra-base hits (three doubles and a home run). Josh Hamilton drove in four runs, matching his total from the previous 19 games.

            "It was unbelievable, man," Hamilton said. "Every time he went up there, you expected something good to happen."

            The Angels are batting .339 with 75 runs in its last 11 games against the Blue Jays (67-77), but Wilson is 0-3 with a 5.30 ERA lifetime in Toronto.

            The Blue Jays have won 10 of 14, and scheduled starter R.A. Dickey (12-12, 4.29) has won three in a row while posting a 2.61 ERA.

            He's pitched into the seventh inning in seven consecutive starts.

            "I feel good. I feel like I've gotten stronger as the year has gone on. I feel like I've been able to carry my workload just fine," Dickey said. "I've got four more starts left, and hopefully I'll be able to log a lot more innings."

            Dickey is making his first start against the Angels since April 18, 2008. He's 3-2 with a 3.58 ERA in six starts versus Los Angeles.

            Hamilton is the only current Angels player with more than one hit against the knuckleballer, going 2 for 3 with a double.

            The Blue Jays would like to get Edwin Encarnacion back from a sore left wrist. Encarnacion, day-to-day after missing the past two contests, is batting .407 during an eight-game hit streak against the Angels and is 4 for 12 with a home run versus Wilson.

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

            SERIES AT A GLANCE

            GAME 1
            Angels at Blue Jays
            Tue, Sep 10 Final 12 to 6
            Boxscores • Recaps

            GAME 2
            Angels at Blue Jays
            Wed, Sep 11 - 7:07PM EDT

            GAME 3
            Angels at Blue Jays
            Thu, Sep 12 - 7:07PM EDT
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • Preview: Padres (66-77) at Phillies (66-78)
              Game: 2
              Venue: Citizens Bank Park
              Date: September 11, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


              Impressive pitching performances have been plentiful during the San Diego Padres' recent run of success. Eric Stults has been one of the few members of the staff not contributing positively, however.

              Stults will get yet another chance to end his lengthy losing streak Wednesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, though he'll be matched up against Cliff Lee, who has been dominant of late.

              The Padres (66-77) picked up their fourth straight win and sixth in seven games with an 8-2 victory in Tuesday's opener at Citizens Bank Park as Andrew Cashner limited the Phillies (66-78) to two runs over 7 2-3 innings. San Diego owns a collective 1.50 ERA over its last six victories.

              Stults (8-13, 4.07 ERA) was responsible for the team's lone loss in its last seven contests when he surrendered a career-worst seven runs and nine hits - including three homers - in 4 2-3 innings of a 13-5 defeat to San Francisco last Wednesday.

              Stults hasn't won since before the All-Star break, going 0-6 with a 5.68 ERA over his last nine starts, though his offense hasn't helped him much with an average of 2.92 runs of support in those games.

              He's failed to pitch at least seven innings in 11 of his last 13 starts after doing so seven times in his previous 16 starts, raising speculation that he is wearing down as the season draws to a close.

              Stults has pitched 179 1-3 innings this year after never throwing more than 99 in a season.

              "I feel fine physically but obviously this is a time of the year when a lot of guys ... September is a hard month," Stults said. "But you just have to keep pushing through it."

              The southpaw didn't record a decision in his only career start versus Philadelphia, yielding two runs and seven hits over seven innings of a 4-3 win June 24.

              Roy Halladay, who has been suffering from flu-like symptoms, has been shifted to start Thursday with Lee (12-6, 3.01) taking his place Wednesday.

              He is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA over his last four starts, striking out 27 in 28 innings. He gave up only a solo homer and one additional hit while throwing eight innings in a 2-1 win over Atlanta on Friday. His 10 strikeouts were one shy of a season high.

              Lee's 3.57 run-support average is higher than only eight other qualifying pitchers, all of whom have fewer than 12 victories.

              He gave up two runs in eight innings of a 4-3 loss at San Diego on June 24. He had been 1-2 with a 7.79 ERA in his three previous starts against the Padres.

              Chase Headley, who has collected at least one hit in 14 of his last 16 games and was 3 for 5 on Tuesday, is 6 for 13 off Lee with two doubles.

              Philadelphia had won 23 of the past 30 meetings prior to Tuesday.

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

              SERIES AT A GLANCE

              GAME 1
              Padres at Phillies
              Tue, Sep 10 Final 8 to 2
              Boxscores • Recaps

              GAME 2
              Padres at Phillies
              Wed, Sep 11 - 7:05PM EDT

              GAME 3
              Padres at Phillies
              Thu, Sep 12 - 7:05PM EDT
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • Preview: Braves (87-57) at Marlins (53-90)
                Game: 3
                Venue: Marlins Park
                Date: September 11, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


                Miami Marlins fans haven't had much to cheer all season unless Jose Fernandez is pitching.

                This is their last chance to see it for quite a while.

                With the 21-year-old All-Star near a predetermined innings limit, the Marlins say his final start will come Wednesday night against the Atlanta Braves.

                A likely-to-be spirited Miami crowd will include 30 of Fernandez's friends and relatives as the right-hander closes his case for NL Rookie of the Year honors.

                "I'm looking at it like, 'I've got to go home already?'" he said. "It flew by."

                Fernandez (11-6, 2.23 ERA) leads the majors in opponent batting average (.181) and ranks second in ERA. He has 182 strikeouts - easily the most among rookies - through 165 2-3 innings.

                Miami set a 170-inning limit and is sticking to it even though he's remained dominant, not allowing a run in four of his past seven outings while posting a 0.98 ERA. His best performance may have come Friday, surrendering only an infield single in seven innings in a 7-0 win over Washington.

                He'll remain with the team despite being relegated to the role of cheerleader.

                "Really I was going to ask if I can be a bat boy for some games because I don't imagine myself just sitting in the dugout, I need to do something," Fernandez said. "I'm the guy that's always moving around."

                The NL-worst Marlins (53-90) have 30 wins at home, with 12 coming in games Fernandez started. He's 8-0 with a 1.19 ERA in 14 home starts.

                "(Jose) brings so much excitement to the ballpark and this team and you can just tell the guys really feed off of that," manager Mike Redmond said.

                Fernandez's only loss in his last 10 outings came Aug. 30 in his lone start against the Braves (87-57). A two-run homer to Freddie Freeman was one of three hits he allowed in six innings, striking out eight in the 2-1 defeat.

                Fernandez didn't face Evan Gattis, who has posted three straight two-RBI games with two homers, two doubles and a single. Gattis is hitting .414 with 10 RBIs in eight matchups with Miami this year.

                It's unclear whether Justin Upton will play after leaving Atlanta's 4-3 win Wednesday with a bruised knee.

                B.J. Upton replaced him after being out of the starting lineup for a second straight game along with Dan Uggla. Upton is hitless in 16 straight at_bats, Uggla is in a 5-for-60 slump and Atlanta's two highest-paid players are both batting below .200.

                "You've got to go with whatever you think is best to win that day," manager Fredi Gonzalez told the Braves' official website.

                Gonzalez will send Mike Minor (13-6, 3.06) to the mound. He has a 1.87 ERA in his last 10 road starts after giving up two runs and striking out nine in seven innings of a 2-1 loss at Philadelphia on Friday.

                The left-hander has given up four runs in each of his three home starts against the Marlins this year, but he's yielded one run in 13 innings at Miami while going 1-0. He has a 1.50 ERA in his last four outings there.

                Justin Ruggiano is 6 for 13 with two homers off Minor this season, and Giancarlo Stanton's three hits in 16 career at_bats against him were all home runs. Stanton had an RBI double Tuesday after missing two games with a sore ankle.

                The Braves have won the first two of this four-game set and are 21-5 at Miami since the start of 2011.

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

                SERIES AT A GLANCE

                GAME 1
                Braves at Marlins
                Mon, Sep 9 Final 5 to 2
                Boxscores • Recaps

                GAME 2
                Braves at Marlins
                Tue, Sep 10 Final 4 to 3
                Boxscores • Recaps

                GAME 3
                Braves at Marlins
                Wed, Sep 11 - 7:10PM EDT

                GAME 4
                Braves at Marlins
                Thu, Sep 12 - 12:40PM EDT
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                Comment


                • Preview: Nationals (75-69) at Mets (64-79)
                  Game: 3
                  Venue: Citi Field
                  Date: September 11, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


                  The Washington Nationals may be hopeful Bryce Harper can return to the lineup.

                  They should at least have Jayson Werth, and that may be enough to for the Nationals to continue their road dominance of the New York Mets on Wednesday night.

                  Harper has missed five of the last six games and four in a row with an ailing hip, but seems to be nearing a return.

                  "Running has not been that much of a problem," head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz told the team's official website. "Most of the time, it would be when he was swinging when it became really bothersome for him. Right now, he looks good."

                  Despite Harper's absence, the Nationals (75-69) have won four straight games. Tuesday's 6-3 victory over the Mets was their 17th in 21 visits to Citi Field.

                  Werth is powering Washington's winning streak, going 10 for 18 with two homers, five doubles, five RBIs and as many runs in four games. The right fielder had two doubles and a homer while driving in two runs Tuesday, giving him a .432 average with three homers, nine RBIs and 12 runs in his last 10 games versus New York (64-79).

                  He's also giving the Nationals some hope that they can cut into the six-game gap on Cincinnati for the NL's second wild-card spot, despite having only 18 contests left.

                  "It's not over," Werth said. "We're in a bad spot, that's for sure."

                  Harper's return could keep Washington rolling since he's a .333 hitter with three homers, seven RBIs and seven runs in nine games in Flushing.

                  Another big offensive showing may be needed since Dan Haren (8-13, 5.23 ERA) is expected to get the ball.

                  The right-hander is coming off two of the shortest outings of his career, including an 11-3 home defeat to the Mets on Aug. 31. He was pulled with two outs in the third inning, surrendering seven runs and nine hits.

                  Haren followed that up by giving up five runs in three innings of Friday's 7-0 loss at Miami.

                  "I'm at a loss for words," said Haren, who was 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA in seven games - six starts - prior to the loss to New York.

                  Facing the Mets again could prolong Haren's troubles. He's lost three of his last four starts against them behind a 9.68 ERA.

                  The Mets, though, are 2-7 since the latest meeting with Haren, and are expected to again counter with Zack Wheeler (7-4, 3.38). The rookie right-hander allowed two runs in 6 2-3 innings opposite Haren last month.

                  Wheeler was charged with Friday's 8-1 loss at Cleveland, allowing three runs in five innings. Still, manager Terry Collins is encouraged with the 23-year-old, who has a 2.65 ERA over his last six starts after compiling a 3.91 in his first nine.

                  "He's pitching a lot better," Collins told the team's official website. "I'll tell you, he's really gotten better, and that's why it's exciting to think, after experiencing what it's like to have a whole season up here, to think what you're going to have down the road. He learns, and he learns fast."

                  Wheeler allowed Werth to homer for his only hit in three at_bats against him.

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

                  SERIES AT A GLANCE

                  GAME 1
                  Nationals at Mets
                  Mon, Sep 9 Final 9 to 0
                  Boxscores • Recaps

                  GAME 2
                  Nationals at Mets
                  Tue, Sep 10 Final 6 to 3
                  Boxscores • Recaps

                  GAME 3
                  Nationals at Mets
                  Wed, Sep 11 - 7:10PM EDT

                  GAME 4
                  Nationals at Mets
                  Thu, Sep 12 - 1:10PM EDT
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                  Comment


                  • Preview: Red Sox (88-58) at Rays (78-65)
                    Game: 2
                    Venue: Tropicana Field
                    Date: September 11, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


                    A stellar pitching performance got the Boston Red Sox's drive toward an AL East title back on track.

                    Ryan Dempster will try to get the Red Sox's magic number into single digits Wednesday night with another solid outing against the sputtering Tampa Bay Rays.

                    Boston (88-58) has closed in on its first division title since 2007 by winning 13 of 16 but headed into Tampa Bay after a 4-3 loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday. The Red Sox bounced back with a 2-0 victory in Tuesday's series opener.

                    "We've played good in a lot of aspects of the game," outfielder Jonny Gomes told the team's website. "That's what we have to do to stay in first in major league baseball. You need to pitch, you need to play D and you need to touch the dish. It's something we've done."

                    That result pushed Boston's lead over the Rays (78-65) to 8 1/2 games and dropped its magic number to 10.

                    "We want to keep our foot on the gas," second baseman Dustin Pedroia said.

                    Dempster (8-9, 4.79 ERA) will try to follow with his third straight win since a five-game suspension for intentionally hitting the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez on Aug. 18. He'll also seek to improve on his 2.77 ERA in two matchups with Tampa Bay this season.

                    The right-hander, though, is 0-1 in those matchups in large part because of a combined four runs of support. He hasn't had that problem in recent starts and benefited from a 20-4 rout of Detroit on Wednesday.

                    Dempster gave up four runs and struck out seven over six innings in that game, and the Red Sox tied a franchise record with eight homers.

                    "One through nine, we have a guy that can hit the ball over the fence," Dempster said. "That's something not a lot of teams have."

                    The Rays, losers in 12 of 16, are 1 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore and Cleveland for the AL's wild-card berth.

                    Tampa Bay has scored only 41 runs in those 16 games while batting .180 with runners in scoring position.

                    "We've got 19 games left, so you go now or we won't be hanging around in October," pitcher David Price said.

                    Alex Cobb (8-3, 2.99) will try to give Tampa Bay a much-needed boost with a better performance against the Red Sox. The right-hander gave up a season-high six runs over four innings in his most recent matchup with Boston, a 10-8 home loss June 10.

                    "This September time of the year is fun regardless, but it being even more heated with Boston coming in. It's definitely a little bit of added adrenaline to the game," Cobb told the team's website.

                    Cobb was 2-2 with a 2.79 ERA in his previous five games against the Red Sox but enters this one winless in his last three outings. After allowing two runs or fewer in five straight games, Cobb gave up four runs over six innings in a 6-4 loss in Seattle on Friday.

                    Pedroia is 4 for 9 this season against Cobb and could be batting leadoff for the second straight game Wednesday. He was in that spot for the first time in four years in Tuesday's win because of Jacoby Ellsbury's broken right foot.

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

                    SERIES AT A GLANCE

                    GAME 1
                    Red Sox at Rays
                    Tue, Sep 10 Final 2 to 0
                    Boxscores • Recaps

                    GAME 2
                    Red Sox at Rays
                    Wed, Sep 11 - 7:10PM EDT

                    GAME 3
                    Red Sox at Rays
                    Thu, Sep 12 - 7:10PM EDT
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • Preview: Tigers (83-62) at White Sox (58-86)
                      Game: 3
                      Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
                      Date: September 11, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


                      Anibal Sanchez is having a career year, and that's a big reason why the Detroit Tigers seem headed for a third straight AL Central title.

                      Seeking a seventh straight victory, Sanchez goes for a career high in wins Wednesday night, when the Tigers conclude a three-game set with the Chicago White Sox.

                      Sanchez (13-7, 2.61 ERA) leads the AL with the lowest ERA of his eight-year career, and he's already matched his highest win total set in 2010 with the Marlins.

                      The right-hander owns a 2.17 ERA over his last 10 starts, a stretch that began with a 1-0 defeat at Kansas City on July 19. He has matched a career best by winning all six decisions since, and Detroit has been victorious in eight of those nine outings.

                      Sanchez was impressive again Friday, yielding one run in seven innings while the offense gave him plenty of help by pounding out 26 hits in a 16-2 road win over the Royals.

                      "You can talk about the hits until the cows come home, but Sanchez shut their offense down and that's the key to the game," manager Jim Leyland told the team's official website.

                      Sanchez's emergence as a major contributor to Detroit's rotation is also key to the team's 5 1/2-game lead on second-place Cleveland in the division.

                      Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez are also helping.

                      Fielder is hitting .422 with three homers and nine RBIs over the past 12 games, while Martinez has a .413 average over the last 16. They combined for six hits in Tuesday's 9-1 win at Chicago, helping end the Tigers' three-game skid.

                      Martinez is batting .453 over his last 20 meetings with the White Sox (58-86), going 10 for 19 (.526) in the past six.

                      Chicago, loser of 10 of 12, tied its season high with four errors Tuesday.

                      The White Sox are expected to send Jose Quintana (7-6, 3.70) to the mound, and he's 0-2 with a 3.97 ERA over his last four starts. He can't be entirely to blame, though, since he's been backed by five total runs in that stretch.

                      The left-hander was charged with a 3-1 loss to Baltimore on Thursday, giving up all of the scoring on three homers while the offense mustered five singles.

                      "He gave up three solo home runs and he pitched well otherwise," first baseman Paul Konerko told the team's official website. "Another tough loss for him. He's pitched real well for us this year and we haven't got wins for him."

                      Quintana has received an average of 8.2 runs of support and Chicago has won all three of his starts versus the Tigers, while he's 2-0 with a 3.66 ERA.

                      Conor Gillaspie is enjoying a strong stretch at the plate, hitting .395 over his last 13 games while going 6 for 10 with three doubles in the past three. However, he had two throwing errors Tuesday and missed a ground ball.

                      "Obviously it was very difficult," Gillaspie said, "and I can honestly say that's probably the worst I've ever felt playing defense."

                      Gillaspie is 1 for 8 in his career against Sanchez.

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

                      SERIES AT A GLANCE



                      GAME 1
                      Tigers at White Sox
                      Mon, Sep 9 Final 1 to 5
                      Boxscores • Recaps

                      GAME 2
                      Tigers at White Sox
                      Tue, Sep 10 Final 9 to 1
                      Boxscores • Recaps

                      GAME 3
                      Tigers at White Sox
                      Wed, Sep 11 - 8:10PM EDT
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                      Comment


                      • Preview: Athletics (83-61) at Twins (63-80)
                        Game: 2
                        Venue: Target Field
                        Date: September 11, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


                        While Sonny Gray has pitched well since joining the Oakland Athletics' rotation, he hasn't been backed by much support.

                        Manager Bob Melvin's offense couldn't get it done in the opener of this three-game set, either.

                        Gray tries to bounce back from a hard-luck loss Wednesday night as AL West-leading Oakland continues its playoff push against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.

                        Gray (2-3, 2.51 ERA) has mostly been superb since getting called up for the second time Aug. 10, recording a 2.77 ERA and 38 strikeouts in six starts spanning 39 innings. While the 23-year-old rookie has surrendered two or zero earned runs in all but one of those outings, he hasn't been helped by a 3.69 run-support average.

                        The A's failed to come through for Gray again in Thursday's 3-2 loss to Houston. The right-hander yielded three runs - two earned - and seven hits in a season high-tying eight innings.

                        "Obviously the offense didn't do much," third baseman Josh Donaldson said. "It was just a wasted opportunity for him."

                        Gray induced 17 groundball outs and retired 19 of the final 20 batters he faced.

                        "He settled in really nicely, similar to what we've done here recently, which was pitch very well," Melvin told MLB's official website.

                        Gray will try to help Oakland (83-61) get back on track following Tuesday's 4-3 loss. The A's, who had won three straight and 11 of their previous 14, couldn't get much going aside from Alberto Callaspo's two-run homer.

                        The A's still remain two games ahead of second-place Texas, which also lost Tuesday.

                        Minnesota (63-80) has followed a 10-game home losing streak by posting back-to-back wins there. Josh Willingham went deep twice to snap an 0-for-15 slump and a 21-game homerless drought.

                        "Obviously he feels a little bit better," manager Ron Gardenhire said of Willingham, who spent 2011 with the A's. "So that was nice to see him get that, he needed to get a smile on his face. It's been a battle for him."

                        Willingham has hit safely in nine of 10 games against his former team, going 15 for 37 (.405) with seven homers and 17 RBIs.

                        The Twins now give the ball to Mike Pelfrey (5-11, 4.97). The right-hander, who went 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in six starts last month, saw his woes resume Friday in a 6-5 loss to Toronto. He allowed all six runs in six innings, including five in the third.

                        "I felt like it was kind of a wasted day," he said. "I thought my stuff was good, but I didn't make enough quality pitches in the third inning and they kicked my butt. I guess you tip your cap, because I went out there and gave it everything I have and they beat me. But that third inning can't happen and ended up being the ballgame."

                        Pelfrey is 0-5 with a 5.85 ERA in his last 11 home starts.

                        While he has never faced Oakland, Pelfrey has struggled against Seth Smith, who is 6 for 13 with a homer, a double and a triple in their matchups. Chris Young is 7 for 21 with two extra-base hits.

                        Fellow outfielder Yoenis Cespedes could also give him trouble. He's 14 for 35 (.400) with two homers and five RBIs in nine games this month.

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

                        SERIES AT A GLANCE

                        GAME 1
                        Athletics at Twins
                        Tue, Sep 10 Final 3 to 4
                        Boxscores • Recaps

                        GAME 2
                        Athletics at Twins
                        Wed, Sep 11 - 8:10PM EDT

                        GAME 3
                        Athletics at Twins
                        Thu, Sep 12 - 1:10PM EDT
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                        Comment


                        • Preview: Brewers (62-81) at Cardinals (84-60)
                          Game: 2
                          Venue: Busch Stadium
                          Date: September 11, 2013 8:15 PM EDT


                          After an inauspicious start, the St. Louis Cardinals picked up where they left off following a crucial weekend sweep, knocking off the Milwaukee Brewers at home Tuesday.

                          They'll likely need Lance Lynn to turn around his recent struggles in order to defeat the Brewers again Wednesday night, which would mark their first five-game winning streak since early July.

                          The Cardinals (84-60) wrestled control of the NL Central away from Pittsburgh over the weekend by winning all three meetings at Busch Stadium. Their division lead remained at one game after Tuesday's 4-2 win over Milwaukee coupled with Pittsburgh's 5-4 victory at Texas.

                          St. Louis was held hitless until Matt Holliday's two-run homer in the sixth inning. Fortunately for the Cardinals, starter Shelby Miller also turned in 6 2-3 shutout innings as they won for the 10th time in 12 home contests.

                          "We know what's at stake," Miller said. "We're watching the other teams, we're keeping up with it all. I think it makes it more fun for us."

                          The wins could continue to pile up with five more games to play on the current homestand, though they might need a bigger offensive night with Lynn (13-10, 4.37 ERA) on the mound.

                          He hasn't won since Aug. 4, going 0-5 with a 6.88 ERA in six outings, losing the last four and surrendering at least four runs in each of the last five.

                          Lynn gave up three homers for the second time in his career, accounting for three of the four runs against him over five innings of a 6-2 loss at Cincinnati on Thursday.

                          His winless stretch includes a six-inning effort in a 6-3 loss at Milwaukee on Aug. 20 in which he gave up six runs - four earned - and nine hits.

                          He faces a Brewers (62-81) offense without upstart rookie Khris Davis, who told the team's official website he likely won't return until Thursday at the earliest as he nurses a sore left wrist. Davis is hitting .298 with nine homers and 21 RBIs in 33 games since replacing Ryan Braun on the club's active roster but Tuesday marked the fourth straight game he's missed. Milwaukee is 24-24 in games in which Davis plays.

                          Pinch-hitter Logan Schafer produced the club's only runs Tuesday with a two-run homer in the ninth.

                          The Brewers will start Marco Estrada (6-4, 4.49), who has struggled against St. Louis, going 0-1 with an 8.14 ERA in four starts this year.

                          He's 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA over his last five games overall but will be pitching for the first time in 11 days, mainly due to the nature of Milwaukee's schedule. Estrada told the team's official website he tried to keep things similar, working through the routine he would normally use between starts twice during the layoff.

                          He's 1-0 with a 2.65 ERA in three games with six-plus days' rest this year and 3-4 with a 4.72 ERA in 12 such starts in his career.

                          "You're already in great shape (and) you've pitched through the season," manager Ron Roenicke said. "You should come back (from a longer layoff) feeling refreshed. Your arm should feel good, you throw two or three bullpens in between, and it should work out."

                          Yadier Molina is 12 for 21 lifetime off Estrada while Holliday is 6 for 18.

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

                          SERIES AT A GLANCE

                          GAME 1
                          Brewers at Cardinals
                          Tue, Sep 10 Final 2 to 4
                          Boxscores • Recaps

                          GAME 2
                          Brewers at Cardinals
                          Wed, Sep 11 - 8:15PM EDT

                          GAME 3
                          Brewers at Cardinals
                          Thu, Sep 12 - 8:15PM EDT
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                          Comment


                          • Preview: Astros (49-96) at Mariners (65-80)
                            Game: 3
                            Venue: Safeco Field
                            Date: September 11, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


                            The Seattle Mariners are skipping Felix Hernandez's scheduled start yet again as he continues to nurse an injury. It could be coming at an especially bad time as they try to cool off a suddenly hot Houston Astros offense.

                            Rookie Brandon Maurer gets the ball for a spot start Wednesday night against Houston at Safeco Field.

                            Hernandez already missed his scheduled start Sunday against Tampa Bay due to back stiffness after leaving his most recent outing Sept. 2 due to lower back cramps. Now he'll be scratched again with no set timetable for his return.

                            "I guess you'd call it a minor oblique strain on the left side, if you had to put a label on it, but it was more just stiffness," manager Eric Wedge said.

                            Maurer (4-7, 6.85 ERA) started the year in the rotation for the Mariners (65-80) but was sent to Triple-A Tacoma after going 2-7 with a 6.93 ERA in 10 starts in the season's first two months. Perhaps the worst came in a 16-9 shelling versus Houston on April 9 as the right-hander gave up six runs and seven hits in only two-thirds of an inning.

                            Maurer has been used as a long reliever since being recalled in late July, posting a 6.64 ERA over eight appearances spanning 20 1-3 innings. He hasn't thrown since a 1 1-3-inning appearance in a 7-6 loss at Kansas City on Thursday.

                            "I'm excited. I'm ready to give it another go. I just didn't know when," Maurer told the team's official website. "I think I can go 100 (pitches). I feel good, so I will go until they tell me I can't go anymore. I feel about as fresh as I can right now."

                            The Astros (49-96) had another solid night at the plate, collecting 17 hits in a 13-2 victory over Seattle on Tuesday despite missing All-Star Jason Castro for a third straight game due to a sore right knee. Matt Dominguez, Chris Carter and Jose Altuve were a combined 9 for 15 with five doubles and six RBIs. Altuve's 21 hits this month lead baseball.

                            Houston is averaging 5.3 runs over its last nine games while batting .280, including a .333 clip with runners in scoring position.

                            "It definitely is contagious," manager Bo Porter said after his club recorded a season-high 10 extra-base hits. "You start to swing the bat and you start to see your teammates getting hits."

                            Starter Brad Peacock (4-5, 5.62) could likely use another big night from the offense given his results against the Mariners this year. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 9.64 ERA.

                            Kyle Seager, Dustin Ackley and Justin Smoak are a combined 9 for 20 off him.

                            The Mariners dealt shortstop Brendan Ryan to the New York Yankees on Tuesday night in exchange for a player to be named later. The emergence of rookie shortstop Brad Miller, who is hitting .259 with 35 runs in 66 games, made Ryan more expendable as he was hitting a career-low .192.

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

                            SERIES AT A GLANCE

                            GAME 1
                            Astros at Mariners
                            Mon, Sep 9 Final 6 to 4
                            Boxscores • Recaps

                            GAME 2
                            Astros at Mariners
                            Tue, Sep 10 Final 13 to 2
                            Boxscores • Recaps

                            GAME 3
                            Astros at Mariners
                            Wed, Sep 11 - 10:10PM EDT
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                            Comment


                            • Preview: Diamondbacks (72-72) at Dodgers (85-59)
                              Game: 3
                              Venue: Dodger Stadium
                              Date: September 11, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


                              Staggering success at home is playing a major role in the Los Angeles Dodgers closing in on an NL West crown.

                              Facing the Arizona Diamondbacks is also playing a part.

                              The Dodgers attempt to match their longest home winning streak of the season and continue their dominance of the Diamondbacks in the finale of this three-game set Wednesday night.

                              Los Angeles (85-59) has won 18 of its last 22 home games, and is on the brink of its second seven-game winning streak of that stretch. The Dodgers won at home again Tuesday, as pinch-hitter Scott Van Slyke hit a two-run, walkoff homer in a 5-3, 11-inning win over Arizona.

                              "Everybody is excited about it," Van Slyke said. "We're on a roll and we want to continue winning games. I think our attitude will continue to be the same after we clinch."

                              They're getting closer to doing just that, with their magic number to secure the division down to six. Los Angeles leads the second-place Diamondbacks (72-72) by 13 games with 18 to play in the regular season.

                              The Dodgers have won five in a row against Arizona by a 32-11 margin. They've batted .300 with 10 home runs in those games.

                              Adrian Gonzalez has keyed that success with a .451 average, three homers and 11 RBIs in the last 13 meetings. He has five hits in this series after going 3 for 4 on Tuesday, improving to 10 for 17 over the past four games overall.

                              Hyun-Jin Ryu (13-5, 3.02 ERA) is expected to take the mound for Los Angeles after a back injury forced him to miss his latest scheduled start Friday.

                              The rookie left-hander was solid in his most recent outing Aug. 30, yielding one run with six strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings of a 9-2 win over San Diego. He had lost his two previous starts while surrendering seven runs in 12 1-3 innings.

                              Ryu has been superb at home, going 7-2 with a 2.07 ERA. However, he allowed three runs and 11 hits in six innings of an 8-6 loss in 12 in his only home meeting with Arizona on June 12.

                              The Diamondbacks have lost seven of 10 this month, batting .173 during a three-game skid.

                              Those offensive struggles won't provide much comfort for Patrick Corbin (13-6, 2.97), who is 0-3 with a 7.85 ERA in his last three starts. The left-hander, however, was better in Friday's 3-0 defeat at San Francisco. He allowed three runs in eight innings after surrendering 14 in 10 1-3 over the previous two outings.

                              "I just think he's locating better," manager Kirk Gibson told the team's official website. "He made a couple of mistakes, but he's locating the ball better, getting it to both sides of the plate. He's throwing strikes to the inside corner to the righties. It just seemed like he had more arm speed. He's very comfortable out there."

                              Corbin is 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA in four career starts against the Dodgers. The worst of those outings came June 12, when he gave up four runs - all in the fifth - and eight hits over five innings opposite Ryu on June 12.

                              He pitched three-hit ball for six innings in a 3-0 home win against them April 12.

                              Gonzalez is 1 for 6 with three strikeouts against Corbin.

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

                              SERIES AT A GLANCE

                              GAME 1
                              Diamondbacks at Dodgers
                              Mon, Sep 9 Final 1 to 8
                              Boxscores • Recaps

                              GAME 2
                              Diamondbacks at Dodgers
                              Tue, Sep 10 Final 3 to 5
                              Boxscores • Recaps

                              GAME 3
                              Diamondbacks at Dodgers
                              Wed, Sep 11 - 10:10PM EDT
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                              Comment


                              • MLB
                                Dunkel

                                Oakland at Minnesota
                                The Twins look to build on their 5-2 record in Mike Pelfrey's last 7 home starts. Minnesota is the pick (+140) according to Dunkel, which has the Twins favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+140). Here are all of today's picks.

                                WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

                                Game 951-952: Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati (12:35 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Samardzija) 15.860; Cincinnati (Leake) 14.639
                                Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 9
                                Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-170); 8
                                Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+150); Over

                                Game 953-954: Colorado at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Nicasio) 14.526; San Francisco (Petit) 15.901
                                Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 1 1/2; 6
                                Vegas Line: San Francisco (-145); 7 1/2
                                Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-145); Under

                                Game 955-956: San Diego at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Stults) 15.575; Philadelphia (Lee) 13.846
                                Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1 1/2; 7
                                Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-135); 8 1/2
                                Dunkel Pick: San Diego (+115); Under

                                Game 957-958: Atlanta at Miami (7:10 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Minor) 13.978; Miami (Fernandez) 15.051
                                Dunkel Line: Miami by 1; 7
                                Vegas Line: Miami (-110); 6 1/2
                                Dunkel Pick: Miami (-110); Over

                                Game 959-960: Washington at NY Mets (7:10 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Haren) 16.150; NY Mets (Wheeler) 14.246
                                Dunkel Line: Washington by 2; 7
                                Vegas Line: Washington (-120); 7 1/2
                                Dunkel Pick: Washington (-120); Under

                                Game 961-962: Milwaukee at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Estrada) 15.955; St. Louis (Lynn) 15.126
                                Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1; 9
                                Vegas Line: St. Louis (-175); 8
                                Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+155); Over

                                Game 963-964: Arizona at LA Dodgers (10:10 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Corbin) 13.818; LA Dodgers (Ryu) 16.040
                                Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 2; 8
                                Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-140); 7
                                Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-140); Over

                                Game 965-966: Kansas City at Cleveland (12:05 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Shields) 15.179; Cleveland (Kazmir) 16.407
                                Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1; 7
                                Vegas Line: Kansas City (-125); 8
                                Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+105); Under

                                Game 967-968: LA Angels at Toronto (7:07 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Wilson) 16.179; Toronto (Dickey) 15.048
                                Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1; 7
                                Vegas Line: Toronto (-115); 8
                                Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (-105); Under

                                Game 969-970: NY Yankees at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Pettitte) 14.615; Baltimore (Feldman) 16.188
                                Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1 1/2; 10
                                Vegas Line: Baltimore (-130); 8 1/2
                                Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-130); Over

                                Game 971-972: Boston at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Dempster) 15.035; Tampa Bay (Cobb) 16.484
                                Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 9
                                Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-135); 8
                                Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-135); Over

                                Game 973-974: Oakland at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Gray) 14.632; Minnesota (Pelfrey) 15.508
                                Dunkel Line: Minnesota by 1; 8
                                Vegas Line: Oakland (-160); 8 1/2
                                Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+140); Under

                                Game 975-976: Detroit at Chicago White Sox (8:10 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Sanchez) 16.355; White Sox (Quintana) 14.818
                                Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 9
                                Vegas Line: Detroit (-160); 8
                                Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-160); Over

                                Game 977-978: Houston at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Peacock) 14.863; Seattle (Maurer) 13.598
                                Dunkel Line: Houston by 1 1/2; 7
                                Vegas Line: Seattle (-145); 8 1/2
                                Dunkel Pick: Houston (+125); Under

                                Game 979-980: Pittsburgh at Texas (2:05 p.m. EST)
                                Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Burnett) 14.071; Texas (Garza) 15.427
                                Dunkel Line: Texas by 1 1/2; 7
                                Vegas Line: Texas (-140); 8 1/2
                                Dunkel Pick: Texas (-140); Under
                                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                                Comment

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