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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Marlins (56-97) at Nationals (82-71)
Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: September 20, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Jordan Zimmermann has a good chance to finish with the most wins in the NL this season, but he would gladly trade those victories for the chance to return to the playoffs.

Given the Nationals sizable deficit in the NL wild-card race, that likely won't happen, but Zimmermann will try to boost the Nationals' faint hopes by earning his 19th victory Friday night against the Miami Marlins.

Zimmermann (18-8, 3.33 ERA) currently has sole possession of the NL victories lead, with St. Louis' Adam Wainwright his closest pursuer. Wainwright is not slated to build on his 17 victories until Monday, meaning the Nationals right-hander could take a two-game lead Friday.

Zimmermann will try to do that by improving to 4-0 this month. He allowed two runs over seven innings Sunday against Philadelphia and got some impressive support from his teammates in an 11-2 rout.

"It feels good, but then again, I'll trade all those wins in for a spot in the playoffs," Zimmermann told the team's website. "That's the only thing that matters right now."

The Nationals (82-71) need another strong start from Zimmermann as they're five games behind Cincinnati in the wild card with nine remaining. They've managed to keep their slim chances alive by winning 11 of 13, including a 3-2 victory in Thursday's series opener.

Bryce Harper accounted for the offense with a three-run, first-inning homer, but Denard Span had his MLB-best 29-game hit streak snapped.

"I like being in those pressure situations, crucial situations of playing for the wild card," Harper said. "All year long you try to play for the playoffs and try to go to the next round. Now it's getting to that point where we're turning it on and playing the game how we should have played it all year."

The Nationals are 7-0 at home versus the Marlins (56-97) this season and have won 12 of 16 between the teams. Zimmermann is 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA in two starts against Miami in 2013, winning both in April.

The Marlins, losers in 11 of 14, will give Jacob Turner another attempt to snap a lengthy skid. The right-hander is 0-6 with a 4.60 ERA in his last 11 starts, but he had a solid outing Saturday against the New York Mets, giving up three runs over five innings in a 3-1 loss.

"I feel like that was probably the best I've thrown in a while, as far as making quality pitches," Turner told the team's website.

Turner (3-7, 3.51) was charged with five runs over four innings in a 6-4 defeat to Washington on Sept. 8. He's 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA in three lifetime starts against the Nationals, his worst ERA versus any NL opponent.

Wilson Ramos went 3 for 3 with a home run against Turner in the win earlier this month and Ryan Zimmerman, batting .395 with four homers in his last nine games, had a solo shot.

Harper is 3 for 6 with two homers versus the right-hander.



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SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Marlins at Nationals
Thu, Sep 19 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Marlins at Nationals
Fri, Sep 20 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Marlins at Nationals
Sat, Sep 21 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Marlins at Nationals
Sun, Sep 22 - 1:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mets (68-84) at Phillies (71-81)
Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: September 20, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


The Philadelphia Phillies may be feeling confident about extending a successful home stretch behind Cole Hamels, but the New York Mets are also optimistic about the return of their captain.

Hamels and the Phillies seek their eighth win in 10 home games Friday night when David Wright is expected to be back in the lineup for the Mets.

Wright, who leads the team with a .309 average and .904 OPS, was batting .385 during a six-game hitting streak when he suffered a high-grade right hamstring strain in early August. Following a seven-week absence, the All-Star third baseman appears ready to help the Mets (68-84) in the opener of this three-game series.

It might be perfect timing since Wright is 15 for 38 with three home runs and nine RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak against Philadelphia (71-81). He's also 8 for 20 with two homers and seven RBIs when facing Hamels the past two seasons.

Hamels (8-13, 3.48 ERA) has been on a roll lately, going 4-0 with a 2.18 ERA while limiting opponents to a .220 batting average in nine starts since his last loss July 26. The Phillies have won the left-hander's last seven outings.

Now he'll try to add to an outstanding stretch by Philadelphia starters, who have a 2.79 ERA in victories during a 7-2 home stretch.

"We have guys that are playing for positions next year, and ultimately we're trying to win a ballgame, no matter what the opponent is and no matter what they're going toward," Hamels told MLB's official website.

The Mets were the last club to beat Hamels in Philadelphia on June 21 when they tagged him for four runs and seven hits over six innings in a 4-3 victory. He's 1-4 with a 6.08 ERA in his last five home starts against New York but 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA in his last eight there overall.

New York's Juan Lagares is 5 for 10 with three doubles when facing Hamels and 14 for 29 with seven RBIs in his last 10 games versus the Phillies. Eric Young, 7 for 17 against Hamels, has gone 8 for 19 with three doubles and five RBIs in five career games in Philadelphia.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-3, 6.12) will try to guide the Mets to their fifth win in eight games.

Since posting a 10.95 ERA while dropping his first three starts, Matsuzaka has allowed two runs over 12 2-3 innings to lead New York to wins in his last two. The right-hander gave up one run and two hits over seven innings to earn his first victory Saturday, 3-1 over visiting Miami.

"I'm not surprised," manager Terry Collins said. "This guy competes. He has competed his entire life at any stage, any situation, never gives in."

Matsuzaka, 1-1 with a 4.41 ERA in three career starts against Philadelphia, allowed four run and four walks over 4 1-3 innings in a 6-2 home loss to the Phillies on Aug. 28.

He'll attempt to cool off Chase Utley, who is batting .414 with 13 RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak at home. Rookie Cesar Hernandez (9 for 16) and Jimmy Rollins (10 for 17) have also been hot at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies have won 9 of 16 meetings, splitting six home games against the Mets.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Reds (87-66) at Pirates (88-65)
Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: September 20, 2013 7:05 PM EDT


Currently atop the wild-card standings, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds know what's at stake this weekend.

Pittsburgh's Francisco Liriano goes toe-to-toe with Cincinnati's Mat Latos as these NL Central rivals open a crucial three-game set Friday night at PNC Park.

After managing four runs during a three-game skid, the Pirates (88-65) beat San Diego 10-1 on Thursday to move one game ahead of the Reds (87-66) in the wild-card standings and also one game behind St. Louis for the division lead. These teams play six of their final nine regular-season games against each other.

"We are going to hold our destiny in our hands the next week and a half," Latos told MLB's official website.

Pittsburgh has taken seven of 13 in the series, including four of six at home.

"It's going to be really exciting. I'm juiced," said Reds third baseman Todd Frazier, batting .350 during a 10-game hitting streak against the Pirates. "You're going to feel a little fall atmosphere. Hopefully, it's a little nippy out there. I love it like that. It keeps me in tune. Hopefully, it will be a packed house, and a lot of craziness will happen and we come out with victories."

While Liriano (16-7, 2.92 ERA) is enjoying the best season of his career, he has compiled a 4.41 ERA in losing each of his three starts against the Reds. Pittsburgh, though, has backed him with only one total run in those games.

The left-hander is 8-1 with a 1.37 ERA at home, with his only loss coming 2-0 to Cincinnati on June 1. Shin-Soo Choo is 6 for 27 with nine strikeouts in their matchups, and Jay Bruce is 0 for 8.

Liriano took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before surrendering a two-run homer in Sunday's 3-2 win over the Chicago Cubs, resulting in his first no-decision.

"He battles and he competes," manager Clint Hurdle said of Liriano, who was removed after 107 pitches. "Francisco's a pro and he realizes it wouldn't benefit anyone for him to throw 130 pitches on Sept. 15."

Latos (14-6, 3.14) had gone 6-2 with a 2.15 ERA in his previous 10 starts before yielding all five runs in 6 2-3 innings last Friday in a 5-1 loss at Milwaukee.

"It's just one of those days where you just have to hit the reset button and go after them again the next time you go out," he said.

Latos is 5-1 with a 2.66 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 10 career starts against the Pirates spanning 61 innings. He has had his way with several of their hitters, including Pedro Alvarez (5 for 22), Clint Barmes (1 for 15), Garrett Jones (2 for his last 21) and Starling Marte (2 for 13).

Alvarez snapped an 0-for-18 slump with his 34th homer Thursday, tied for the most in the NL. Marte missed the game due to the birth of his first child, leaving his status for this one unclear.

The Reds are coming off a three-game sweep at Houston, winning 6-5 in 13 innings Wednesday. Bruce stayed hot with three hits and three RBIs, delivering a tiebreaking two-run double in the 13th.

The slugging right-fielder is 9 for 17 with a homer and 10 RBIs in his last four games.

Cincinnati also got a boost from speedster Billy Hamilton, who went 3 for 4 with two runs and became the first player since 1920 to steal four bases in his first big league start.

"My job is to steal bases, no matter how many I get," said Hamilton, who has nine steals in as many tries in eight games since getting called up Sept. 2. "That's a really big accomplishment for one game. So who knows what comes next."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Blue Jays (70-82) at Red Sox (93-61)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: September 20, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


While the Boston Red Sox are officially headed back to the postseason, they aren't satisfied just yet.

The Red Sox can clinch the AL East in Friday night's series opener against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.

Stephen Drew hit a two-run homer and John Lackey threw a two-hitter in Thursday's 3-1 win over Baltimore, helping Boston (93-61) lock up its first playoff berth since 2009.

"We've still got some other goals ahead of us," Lackey said. "Hopefully, here in the next night or two we can get a party going."

Coming off a last-place finish in 2012, the Red Sox's magic number to clinch the division was later cut to one with Tampa Bay's loss to Texas. Boston can also clinch if the Rays lose to Baltimore on Friday.

"The next step is a more important one than this," manager John Farrell said. "Winning the East, that's been the stated goal since day one of spring training. That's getting closer and I think that will probably be a little bit more the realization of where we've come from and where we are at that moment."

Boston has to be feeling good about giving the ball to Jon Lester (14-8, 3.75 ERA), who is 4-1 with a 1.81 ERA in his last six outings and 6-2 since the All-Star break.

"It's not uncommon for power pitchers to really hit their stride in the second half of the season," Farrell told MLB's official website. "He's an example of that. His delivery becomes that much more efficient, and he repeats it more consistently. With that rhythm comes power, and that's what we've all seen in Jon over the course of the time here."

The left-hander allowed one run and three hits in eight innings to beat the New York Yankees 5-1 on Saturday, his eighth consecutive quality start.

"He's been doing great," teammate Mike Napoli said. "You can see he's confident out there. He's just getting the ball and throwing."

Lester has gone 3-0 with a 2.80 ERA in five starts versus Toronto this season, improving to 14-7 with a 3.64 ERA in his career against the Blue Jays. Adam Lind (3 for 29 with 12 strikeouts), Brett Lawrie (3 for 22), Jose Reyes (1 for 12) and J.P. Arencibia (8 for 41 with 16 strikeouts) have all struggled in their matchups.

Toronto (70-82) took two of three from the Yankees this week, winning 6-2 on Thursday. Anthony Gose went 3 for 4 with a home run and Lind added a three-run shot for his third homer in six games.

The Blue Jays now turn to Esmil Rogers (5-7, 4.47), who is 2-0 with a 2.32 ERA in his last five starts. After throwing 14 scoreless innings in winning back-to-back outings, the right-hander allowed three runs in six innings and didn't receive a decision in Saturday's 4-3 victory over Baltimore.

"I just think about giving the opportunity to win the game, and try to help the team," said Rogers, who matched a career high with seven strikeouts. "The only way you can get out people is when you make good pitches."

Rogers has posted a 0.75 ERA and struck out 12 in as many innings in two starts versus the Red Sox this year, both Blue Jays wins. Dustin Pedroia is 5 for 10 with two doubles against him.

Boston outfielder Shane Victorino missed Thursday's win with a jammed right thumb, leaving his status for Friday unclear. Victorino is hitting .359 with seven homers, 21 RBIs and 25 runs in his last 26 games.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Orioles (81-71) at Rays (83-69)
Game: 1
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: September 20, 2013 7:10 PM EDT


The Tampa Bay Rays will try to protect their razor-thin lead in the AL wild-card race by continuing their success against a fellow contender.

David Price will seek to provide another solid outing against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night while leading the Rays to their eighth win in the last 10 matchups.

After passing Texas for the top wild-card spot, Tampa Bay (83-69) dropped back into a tie for the two playoff berths after an 8-2 loss to the Rangers on Thursday. Four teams - including Baltimore (81-71) - remain within 3 1/2 games of the co-leaders, with Cleveland another half-game back.

The Orioles' chances of cutting their two-game deficit depend on whether they can end their recent struggles against the Rays. Price helped Tampa Bay win two of three in the latest matchup Aug. 19-21 by earning a 4-3 victory in the series opener.

Price (8-8, 3.42 ERA) gave up two runs despite allowing 10 hits over five innings in that game and is 3-0 with a 2.15 ERA in last seven starts against Baltimore.

"It's big. If they come in here and beat me up, that has them feeling good going against everybody else after me," Price told the team's website. "If I can come out here and throw the way I expect to, it might put a little doubt in their mind and give us some confidence. That's what we need."

The left-hander is also 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA in three home matchups with the Orioles but 0-3 with a 4.13 ERA in his last four starts. Price, though, has yielded two runs in each of his last two outings.

He was in line for the win when he exited Sunday's game in Minnesota after 6 1-3 innings, but the Rays bullpen couldn't hold on to a lead in a 6-4 defeat.

He'll face an Orioles team that had won three straight - including two games against AL East-leading Boston - before getting no-hit in the first six innings of a 3-1 loss Thursday.

"Who cares about this getting two out of three?" said outfielder Adam Jones, who matched a career high with his 32nd homer. "At this point in time, winning the series means nothing. We need wins. 'Good job getting the series' if this was June, but it's September. We need wins."

Jason Hammel (7-8, 5.12) will try to lead Baltimore to a victory while snapping a six-game losing streak. The right-hander has made only three starts since the All-Star break and had his first since coming back from the disabled list last Friday in Toronto.

Hammel, who had been dealing with an ailing forearm, gave up three runs and three hits over five innings against the Blue Jays but did not get a decision as Baltimore rallied for a 5-3 win. His teammates have given him one run over his last three starts.

Hammel is 0-2 with a 7.15 ERA in last two starts against the Rays but gave up two runs over 6 2-3 innings in a 2-1 loss at Tropicana Field on June 7.

Ben Zobrist is 5 for 7 with a home run and a double against Hammel this season but is hitting just .167 (6 for 36) in his last nine games.

Danny Valencia is 9 for 12 with two doubles lifetime against Price and Matt Wieters is 5 for 8 with three doubles and a home run in their matchups this season.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rangers (83-69) at Royals (80-72)
Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: September 20, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


Having regained their power in their most recent series, the Texas Rangers will try to keep slugging their way toward a playoff berth.

The Rangers will try to earn some much-needed victories in a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals, another AL wild-card contender, that begins Friday night.

Texas (83-69) hit seven home runs while winning two of its final three games against Tampa Bay, the team that's tied with the Rangers atop the wild-card standings. They went deep three times in the third inning Thursday while cruising to an 8-2 victory.

Before that stretch, Texas didn't have a home run during a season-high seven straight losses.

"You can see how everything's starting to fall on track," said shortstop Elvis Andrus, who has two homers and six RBIs in the last three games. "Everybody's feeling better, relaxed out there."

The Rangers will try to keep heading in the right direction by continuing their recent success against the Royals (80-72), who are three games back in the wild card. Kansas City took two of three from another contender Cleveland earlier this week and has stayed in the race by winning 16 of 24.

"We've got a lot of guys in here that believe we can do it," first baseman Eric Hosmer told the team's official website after a 7-2 win Wednesday. "When you've got guys that are fighting for one goal and doing anything we can to win ballgames, it's real fun to come to the field and play every day, and that's what we're doing."

Texas has won seven of 10 over the Royals and took two of three in the only other matchup this season May 31-June 2.

The Rangers are hoping Martin Perez (9-5, 3.64 ERA) can get this series off to a strong start by regaining his winning form. The left-hander is 0-2 with a 5.56 ERA in two outings since a six-start win streak but had a solid performance Sunday against Oakland, allowing three runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 5-1 loss.

"In September, it's a big month for us. When you like to compete, it's easier when the games are big," he told the team's website. "There is no pressure. I just do what I have to do and throw strikes."

Ervin Santana (9-9, 3.23) will try to build on an impressive outing that snapped a losing streak. Santana gave up five hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 1-0 win in Detroit on Saturday after going 0-3 with a 4.76 ERA in his previous seven outings.

"Everything was working pretty good," Santana said. "I threw a lot of strikes and most of the time ahead in the count. That was the key."

Santana is 2-5 with a 6.89 ERA in his last nine starts against the Rangers but gave up only an unearned run and three hits over seven innings in his only matchup this season, a 3-1 loss June 2.

Perez is facing Kansas City for the first time.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cardinals (89-64) at Brewers (68-84)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: September 20, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


Shelby Miller experienced a small portion of the St. Louis Cardinals' pennant race last season, though he was in a role that didn't carry the same significance as what he's been trusted with this year.

With the Cardinals' NL Central lead down to one game, Miller looks to win his third straight start and beat the host Milwaukee Brewers for the fourth time Friday night.

Miller (14-9, 3.01 ERA) has pitched very well in his first full season after making five relief appearances and one start in September of last year. He also pitched twice in relief the NL championship series as St. Louis lost in seven games to San Francisco.

The right-hander, who became the first Cardinals rookie to win 14 games since Dick Hughes won 16 in 1967, now is trying to help St. Louis (89-64) push toward a division title. It leads Pittsburgh by one game and Cincinnati by two with nine to play after its 7-6, 15-inning loss to Colorado on Thursday.

"Last year, I pitched in games when we were down or we were winning by a lot and I had a role, but it wasn't near as big as it is this year," Miller told the team's official website. "This year, there's more pressure on my part as far as knowing that when I take the ball every five days we've got to get a win, no matter what. We're trying to win this thing, not just the division but the whole thing."

Miller can help St. Louis increase its chances of winning the Central with another dominant performance against Milwaukee on Friday. He's 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA while striking out 25 and allowing three runs in 25 innings.

Jean Segura is 0 for 12 with five strikeouts against Miller, though its unclear if the Brewers' rookie shortstop will play this series as he nurses a strained right hamstring.

The All-Star sat out Thursday's 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs after suffering the injury while scoring from second base in Wednesday's 7-0 win. Manager Ron Roenicke said he's not going to rush Segura back, especially with nothing to play for.

"He's day to day," Roenicke said. "And I say day to day, but that doesn't mean tomorrow. We're not going to be dumb about this. I'd like to get him back out there, but not at the risk of putting him out there too early."

The Brewers (68-84) had won four straight and six of seven prior to Thursday's defeat, mustering only four hits. They've been outscored by 32 runs while dropping 12 of 16 meetings with the Cardinals this season.

St. Louis is averaging 7.0 runs over its last five games. Jon Jay, Carlos Beltran and David Freese each had two hits in Thursday's loss, while Matt Holliday finished 3 for 4 with three walks and two RBIs.

Holliday went 8 for 12 over the final three games of the four-game split with Colorado.

The Cardinals look to win for the seventh time in eight meetings at Miller Park this season as they face the struggling Johnny Hellweg on Friday.

Hellweg (1-4, 8.31) will be making his sixth start of his rookie season after allowing four runs and eight hits in five innings while suffering a 7-3 loss to Cincinnati on Saturday. He hit three batters, and he's walked 17 in 21 2-3 innings in six appearances overall.

The 6-foot-9 right-hander has yet to face St. Louis.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (77-75) at Rockies (70-84)
Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: September 20, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Arizona Diamondbacks held the NL West lead in late July, but they're on the verge of falling out of the playoff race altogether as they begin a seven-game road trip Friday night against the Colorado Rockies.

Arizona led the last-place Los Angeles Dodgers by 9 1/2 games before play June 22 and held a one-half game edge July 21 before relinquishing the lead for good.

It was unable to hold off surging Los Angeles, which clinched the division by beating the Diamondbacks 7-6 on Thursday.

Martin Prado drove in two runs for Arizona (77-75), which trails Cincinnati by 9 1/2 games for the NL's second wild-card spot with 10 to play.

"You just take it in and reflect on some things," manager Kirk Gibson said. "We still have to play hard the rest of the way out. It is disappointing."

The Diamondbacks have lost four of their six road meetings with the Rockies this season, but they took two of three at home from Colorado last weekend.

Paul Goldschmidt, batting .514 with three homers and 12 RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak, went 4 for 4 with five RBIs in Sunday's 8-2 victory in the series finale. Randall Delgado picked up his first win since beating Boston on Aug. 2 after allowing two runs in six innings.

Delgado (5-6, 3.98 ERA), who went 0-3 with a 5.31 ERA in his previous seven outings, has allowed 14 home runs over his last nine starts, though, after giving up a two-run shot to pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson on Sunday.

The right-hander will face the Rockies again Friday.

"It's unusual that the only runs he gives up are on home runs," Gibson said. "But as he gets more matured and more experience, you'll see that go down. He's thrown very well for us overall this year, and he has a very good future for us."

In a rematch of Sunday's pitching matchup, Delgado will oppose Jhoulys Chacin, who had his shortest outing of the season in that contest.

Chacin (13-9, 3.22) gave up six runs - four earned - in four innings in the loss after going 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA while pitching seven innings in each of his previous four starts.

"I just wasn't throwing strikes," Chacin said. "I was pitching up, overthrowing my pitches. I didn't make my pitches at any point in the game."

The right-hander is 1-1 with a 3.78 ERA in three starts versus Arizona this season, and he'll look to get back on track against a Diamondbacks team that has won five of the last six meetings with Colorado.

The Rockies (70-84) will be trying to win back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 28 and 30 after Thursday's 7-6, 15-inning victory over St. Louis to earn a split of their four-game series with the NL Central leaders.

Corey Dickerson went 3 for 7 and drove in DJ LeMahieu with a triple in the bottom of the final inning for his second RBI of the contest. Dickerson went 2 for 16 over his previous five games.

Charlie Blackmon had four hits, while Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton homered.

The Rockies will look to slow Goldschmidt, who is 11 for 21 with two homers and 10 RBIs in his last six against Colorado.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mariners (67-86) at Angels (74-78)
Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: September 20, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


A week shy of his 27th birthday, Matt Shoemaker finally gets his shot in the majors, and it comes against one of the AL's worst offenses.

Filling in for the Los Angeles Angels ace, Shoemaker makes his major league debut Friday night against the visiting Seattle Mariners.

The Angels (74-78) announced Thursday that Jered Weaver had been scratched from his scheduled start due to right forearm tightness he first experienced Sept. 9. He is only expected to miss one start, but it gives Shoemaker an opportunity to debut against a Seattle team batting an AL-worst .239 this year and scoring only 3.1 runs per game since Aug. 23.

The right-hander went 11-13 with a 4.64 ERA in 29 starts for Triple-A Salt Lake this year - his sixth in the minors. He allowed two earned runs or less in each of his last five starts, though he hasn't pitched since Aug. 30.

"It gives Shoe an opportunity to show what he can do at the big league level," general manager Jerry Dipoto told the Angels' official website. "We called him up for a reason. He fits very well down the stretch and in Triple-A. He's had nothing but consistent durability throughout his minor league career."

Shoemaker opposes Erasmo Ramirez (5-2, 4.98). The right-hander lost his only start of the year against the Angels on Aug. 24, allowing three runs - two earned - in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-1 home defeat. He's 0-2 with a 3.55 ERA in two career starts against them.

Ramirez is running into a hot Angels team and coming off a shaky start in St. Louis on Sunday, when he allowed five runs and eight hits in four innings of a 12-2 loss.

The Angels have won seven of nine and are a major league-best 19-7 since Aug. 23, a stretch which began with a three-game sweep of the Mariners. Their 3.02 ERA is the best in the AL since the start of that series.

Josh Hamilton has keyed the offense during this hot stretch, including Wednesday in a 5-4 win over Oakland as he hit the game-tying two-run homer in the ninth inning and the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 11th.

The right fielder is batting .328 since Aug. 9, bumping his season average from .217 to .245.

"I feel like I am having good at_bats even if the results aren't always there," Hamilton said. "If I can build off this last month of quality at_bats, it would be good."

A win would bring the Angels within three games of .500 for the first time since July 20 when they were 46-49.

The Mariners (67-86) are in danger of falling 20 games under .500 for the first time this season. They've lost nine of 11 but beat Detroit 8-0 on Wednesday and nearly defeated the AL Central leader again Thursday, leading in the seventh inning only to lose 5-4.

"We're not looking for moral victories, but I am very appreciative of the way these guys are fighting and stepping up to these teams at this time of the year," manager Eric Wedge told the team's official website.

Kyle Seager broke a 2-for-40 slump with two hits Thursday, and Dustin Ackley had a three-run homer after going 10 straight games without an extra-base hit.

The Angels lead the season series 9-7 and will win it with one victory in this three-game set.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Twins (65-87) at Athletics (90-63)
Game: 2
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: September 20, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


The Oakland Athletics are closing in on another AL West title, and giving the ball to Bartolo Colon should get them even closer.

It could also improve his chances at another AL Cy Young Award.

Colon attempts keep the A's rolling against the Minnesota Twins by continuing his strong stretch run Friday night.

Oakland (90-63) has won 10 of 13 games to build a 6 1/2-game lead on second-place Texas in the division chase with nine to play.

The A's magic number at back-to-back West crowns is at four after opening this four-game set with an 8-6 win over Minnesota on Thursday.

"I know we're close," said center fielder Coco Crisp, who had two hits, including a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth. "We've got to keep the same philosophy. Hopefully we can get there and win this division."

Facing the Twins (65-87) may help since the A's have won eight of the past 10 meetings, and turning to Colon (16-6, 2.73 ERA) should improve their odds further.

The 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner with Los Angeles, Colon is second in the league in ERA and tied for third in wins. He's been superb over his past four starts, compiling a 1.13 ERA with a 2-1 record.

The right-hander has won his last two, yielding one run while striking out 14 in 14 innings. He was dominant again Saturday, outpitching Yu Darvish by fanning seven while scattering seven hits in eight innings of a 1-0 road win over the Rangers.

"I think that's probably as high velocity as I've seen him," third baseman Josh Donaldson told the team's official website.

Colon is facing the Twins for the first time since a loss with the Chicago White Sox in 2009.

Crisp, who has homered in consecutive games while totaling four RBIs, could be a factor again. He's 10 for 25 (.400) with three homers while driving in six runs and scoring 10 in his latest six meetings with Minnesota.

The Twins have dropped seven of nine, leaving manager Ron Gardenhire three victories shy of becoming the eighth active manager with 1,000.

He'll give the ball to Andrew Albers (2-3, 3.81) for the first time against Oakland, and he's in search of his first win since beating Cleveland on Aug. 12.

The rookie left-hander is 0-3 with a 5.85 ERA in six starts since, getting charged with a 7-0 defeat to Tampa Bay in his last time out Saturday. He gave up four runs and six hits in four innings.

Taking the mound on the road may not help Albers, who has no record in his past two away starts while giving up 10 runs in 7 1-3 innings.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Twins at Athletics
Thu, Sep 19 Final 6 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Twins at Athletics
Fri, Sep 20 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Twins at Athletics
Sat, Sep 21 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Twins at Athletics
Sun, Sep 22 - 4:05PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Dodgers (88-65) at Padres (71-81)
Game: 1
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: September 20, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


The Los Angeles Dodgers have gone from being a major disappointment to NL West champions in less than three months.

After securing their first division title in four years, visiting Los Angeles sends former San Diego Padres pitcher Edinson Volquez to the mound Friday night.

Los Angeles sat in last place and was 9 1/2 games behind Arizona with a 30-42 record after falling 5-2 to San Diego on June 21. It improved to 58-23 since with Thursday's 7-6 win over the Diamondbacks to wrap up its first West championship since 2009.

Hanley Ramirez, hitting .447 over his last 10, went 4 for 5 with a three-run homer and solo shot for the Dodgers (88-65), who won for only the second time in seven games.

"I want to keep going," Ramirez said. "I think that we've got a couple of more steps to do. We've got to keep working and stay together all the way through to the end."

They'll look to get on a roll behind Volquez (9-11, 5.94 ERA), whose most recent disappointing start in San Diego also marked his last in a Padres uniform.

The right-hander went 20-21 with a 4.96 ERA in 59 starts with the Padres after being acquired from Cincinnati in the Mat Latos trade Dec. 17, 2011. His stint in San Diego ended unceremoniously Aug. 23, when he allowed six runs in two-thirds of an inning before the Padres rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs 8-6.

Volquez was designated for assignment the next day and later released before signing with the Dodgers on Aug. 30. His first appearance with Los Angeles came in relief that same night, when he pitched one scoreless inning in the Dodgers' 9-2 home win over the Padres.

He's gone 0-1 with a 5.74 ERA in three starts and is excited to be receiving a fourth. Volquez left his last outing with a thumb blister after giving up three runs and striking out seven in 5 2-3 innings of the Dodgers' 4-3 loss to San Francisco on Sunday.

"They're giving me four starts," Volquez told the team's official website. "Maybe they like what they see."

Padres fans surely didn't like much of what they saw from Volquez the last time he pitched at Petco Park, and he's 4-7 with a 5.72 ERA in 14 starts there this season.

San Diego (71-81) has been outscored 22-6 while dropping five straight to the Dodgers, including a three-game sweep Aug. 30-Sept. 1. It has won 11 of 16 since that series but had its four-game winning streak snapped with Thursday's 10-1 loss to Pittsburgh.

Rookie first baseman Tommy Medica drove in Chris Denorfia with a single in the first inning to give him an RBI in three straight, and fellow rookie Robbie Erlin (2-3, 5.18) will look to continue his solid stretch Friday.

Erlin is 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA in three starts since being recalled from the minors, though he's received just four runs of support during that stretch. He didn't get any support while allowing two runs in six innings of Saturday's 2-1 loss to Atlanta.

"Robbie's still developing," manager Bud Black said. "Every pitch he throws in the majors, it's a learning experience for him. Robbie pitched well enough to get a 'W.'"

The left-hander, 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA in three home starts, has yet to face the Dodgers.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Texas at Kansas City
The Rangers look to build on their 5-0 record in Martin Perez' last 5 road starts. Texas is the pick (+110) according to Dunkel, which has the Rangers favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Texas (+110). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Game 901-902: Atlanta at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Maholm) 15.160; Cubs (Baker) 13.643
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-135); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-135); N/A

Game 903-904: Miami at Washington (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami (Turner) 14.830; Washington (Zimmermann) 14.393
Dunkel Line: Miami by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Washington (-260); 7
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+220); Over

Game 905-906: NY Mets at Philadelphia (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Matsuzaka) 14.157; Philadelphia (Hamels) 15.704
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-200); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-200); Over

Game 907-908: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Latos) 16.355; Pittsburgh (Liriano) 15.215
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1; 6
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-120); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (+100); Under

Game 909-910: St. Louis at Milwaukee (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Miller) 15.802; Milwaukee (Hellweg) 14.279
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-175); 9
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-175); Under

Game 911-912: Arizona at Colorado (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Delgado) 15.275; Colorado (Chacin) 14.100
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1; 11
Vegas Line: Colorado (+135); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (+115); Over

Game 913-914: LA Dodgers at San Diego (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Volquez) 15.778; San Diego (Erlin) 14.100
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 915-916: Houston at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Oberholtzer) 16.425; Cleveland (McAllister) 15.576
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-240); 8
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+200); Over

Game 917-918: Chicago White Sox at Detroit (7:07 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Rienzo) 14.874; Detroit (Scherzer) 14.425
Dunkel Line: Chicago White Sox by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Detroit (-310); 8
Dunkel Pick: Chicago White Sox (+270); Over

Game 919-920: Baltimore at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Baltimore (Hammel) 15.470; Tampa Bay (Price) 17.007
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-180); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-180); Under

Game 921-922: Toronto at Boston (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Rogers) 15.299; Boston (Lester) 16.837
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Boston (-230); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-230); Over

Game 923-924: Texas at Kansas City (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Perez) 16.832; Kansas City (Santana) 15.933
Dunkel Line: Texas by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-130); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Texas (+110); Under

Game 925-926: Seattle at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Ramirez) 16.434; LA Angels (Shoemaker) 15.784
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 927-928: Minnesota at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Albers) 13.606; Oakland (Colon) 15.973
Dunkel Line: Oakland by 2 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Oakland (-235); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-235); Under

Game 929-930: San Francisco at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Francisco (Lincecum) 15.319; NY Yankees (Sabathia) 16.734
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-145); 8
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-145); Over

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, September 20

Hot pitchers
-- Baker is 0-0, 0.82 in two starts, both later lost by Cubs' bullpen. Maholm is 1-0, 3.18 in his last three starts.
-- Zimmerman is 3-1, 3.29 in his last four starts.
-- Phillies won last seven Hamels starts (4-0, 2.65).
-- Liriano is 4-0, 0.80 in his last five home starts.
-- Miller is 2-0, 1.54 in his last couple starts.

-- Lincecum is 4-0, 3.77 in his last five starts.

-- Oberholtzer has a 2.14 RA in his last three starts, but no wins.
-- Lester is 4-1, 1.81 in his last six starts. Rogers is 2-0, 1.35 in his last three.
-- Santana is 1-1, 2.63 in his last two starts.
-- Colon is 2-0, 0.64 in his last couple starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Turner is 0-3, 6.64 in his last four starts.
-- Matsuzaka is 0-4, 6.38 in his five starts (0-1, 2.31 in last two).
-- Latos is 1-2, 4.40 in his last four starts.
-- Hellweg is 1-4, 10.89 in five starts this year.
-- Delgado is 1-3, 4.93 in his last six starts. Chacin is 0-2, 5.50 in his last three.
-- Erlin is 1-1, 2.60 in his last three starts. Former Padre Volquez is 0-1, 5.74 in three starts for LA.

-- Sabathia is 2-3, 5.51 in his last five starts.

-- McCallister is 1-2, 6.30 in his last four starts.
-- Scherzer is 0-2, 5.48 in his last four starts. Rienzo is 1-2, 8.24 in his last four.
-- Hammel is 0-4, 5.50 in his last six starts. Price is 0-3, 4.45 in his last four.
-- Perez is 0-2, 5.56 in his last couple starts.
-- Ramirez is 0-1, 4.41 in his last three starts; Shoemaker is making first start in majors; he was 11-13, 4.64 in 29 AAA starts this season.
-- Albers is 0-4, 6.12 in his last six starts.

Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in the first inning. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Maholm 7-24 (4 of last 8); Baker 0-2
-- Turner 6-20 (5 of last 9); Zimmerman 5-29
-- Matsuzaka 2-5; Hamels 6-31
-- Latos 11-30 (3 of last 4); Liriano 5-24 (1 of last 7)
-- Miller 7-24 (2 of last 15); Hellweg 3-5
-- Delgado 6-17; Chacin 3-29 (1 of last 24)
-- Volquez 11-30; Erlin 2-7

-- Lincecum 11-31; Sabathia 10-31 (5 of last 9)

-- Oberholtzer 1-8; McCallister 5-22 (0 of last 10)
-- Rienzo 0-9; Scherzer 6-30
-- Hammel 8-22; Price 6-24 (0 of last 6)
-- Rogers 6-18 (4 of last 8); Lester 8-31 (0 of last 7)
-- Perez 8-17; Santana 12-30 (1 of last 5)
-- Ramirez 5-11; Shoemaker 0-0
-- Albers 2-8; Colon 7-28 (1 of last 5)

Totals
-- Six of last seven Atlanta games stayed under total.
-- Seven of last nine Miami games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Philly games went over the total. Five of Mets' last seven games stayed under.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Pittsburgh games. Four of last five Cincinnati tilts went over.
-- Last four Milwaukee games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Arizona games went over the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven San Diego games.

-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Bronx games.

-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Cleveland games.
-- cws-det
-- Over is 4-0-1 in last five Tampa Bay games; last six Baltimore games went under the total.
-- Four of last five Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Texas games.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Seattle games.
-- Six of last nine Oakland games went over the total.

Hot teams
-- Washington won 11 of its last 13 games. Marlins lost five of their last six.
-- Phillies won four of their last five home games.
-- Reds won four of their last five games.
-- Milwaukee won four of its last five games. Cardinals are 6-1 in game following their last seven losses.
-- Padres won four of their last five games.

-- Giants won five of their last six games.

-- Indians won six of their last eight games.
-- Tigers won four of their last five games.
-- Baltimore won three of its last four games.
-- Red Sox won six of their last eight home games.
-- Kansas City won four of last five home games.
-- Angels won seven of their last nine games.
-- A's won seven of their last nine games.

Cold teams
-- Cubs lost seven of their last nine games. Braves lost three of their last four.
-- Mets lost five of their last seven road games.
-- Pirates lost three of their last four games.
-- Arizona lost eight of its last twelve road games. Colorado is 0-6 in the game following its last six wins.
-- Dodgers lost five of their last seven games; they clinched division yesterday.

-- Bronx lost five of its last six games.

-- Astros lost their last six games, outscored 32-10.
-- White Sox lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Tampa Bay is 4-7 in its last eleven home games.
-- Blue Jays lost six of their last nine games.
-- Rangers lost eight of their last ten games.
-- Mariners lost nine of their last eleven games.
-- Twins lost seven of their last nine games.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Friday, September 20

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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2:20 PM
ATLANTA vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Atlanta's last 14 games when playing Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 7 games
Chi Cubs are 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chi Cubs's last 7 games when playing at home against Atlanta

7:05 PM
SAN FRANCISCO vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games
San Francisco is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of NY Yankees's last 8 games at home
NY Yankees are 14-5 SU in their last 19 games at home

7:05 PM
MIAMI vs. WASHINGTON
Miami is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing Washington
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Miami
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami

7:05 PM
HOUSTON vs. CLEVELAND
Houston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Cleveland is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games

7:05 PM
CINCINNATI vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Cincinnati's last 19 games when playing Pittsburgh
Cincinnati is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games at home
Pittsburgh is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

7:05 PM
NY METS vs. PHILADELPHIA
NY Mets are 6-12 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Mets's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games
Philadelphia is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games

7:08 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games on the road
Chi White Sox are 4-9 SU in their last 13 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Detroit's last 9 games when playing Chi White Sox
Detroit is 9-4 SU in their last 13 games when playing Chi White Sox

7:10 PM
BALTIMORE vs. TAMPA BAY
Baltimore is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Tampa Bay
Baltimore is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 6 games when playing at home against Baltimore

7:10 PM
TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Boston
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games at home
Boston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home

8:10 PM
TEXAS vs. KANSAS CITY
Texas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Kansas City
Texas is 16-8 SU in its last 24 games on the road
Kansas City is 16-8 SU in its last 24 games
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Texas

8:10 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. MILWAUKEE
St. Louis is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
St. Louis is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games
Milwaukee is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing St. Louis

8:10 PM
ARIZONA vs. COLORADO
Arizona is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Arizona's last 5 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Colorado's last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games when playing Arizona

10:05 PM
SEATTLE vs. LA ANGELS
Seattle is 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing LA Angels
Seattle is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
LA Angels are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games
LA Angels are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Seattle

10:05 PM
MINNESOTA vs. OAKLAND
Minnesota is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Oakland
Minnesota is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Oakland
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Oakland's last 9 games
Oakland is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home

10:10 PM
LA DODGERS vs. SAN DIEGO
LA Dodgers are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of San Diego's last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Diego's last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Friday, September 20

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday's MLB betting notes and tips
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL

Atlanta Braves at Chicago Cubs (+114, OFF)

Cold pitching stat: Braves right-hander Paul Maholm is just 4-8 with a 5.86 ERA in 15 road starts this season.

Hot batting stat: Cubs SS Starlin Castro is a career 9-for-21 hitter with three doubles versus Maholm.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with a 60 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out to right field at 12 mph.

Key betting note: Atlanta is 17-7 in its last 24 series openers.


Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh Pirates (-124, 6.5)

Hot pitching stat: Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano has surrendered just three runs over 12 innings in his last two starts.

Cold batting stat: Reds OF Jay Bruce is batting just .148 with 17 strikeouts in 54 at-bats against the Pirates in 2013.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with a 35 percent chance of showers. Wind will blow from right to left field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: Pittsburgh has won Liriano's last seven home starts.


New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies (-202, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Phillies lefty Cole Hamels is 4-0 in his last nine starts and has surrendered three or fewer earned runs in each of them.

Hot batting stat: Mets OF Eric Young, Jr., is 7-for-17 in his career against Hamels.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with sunny skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 9-1-1 in Hamels' last 11 home starts.


Miami Marlins at Washington Nationals (-248, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann has won his last three starts, allowing just seven runs in 19 innings over that stretch.

Hot batting stat: Washington OF Bryce Harper has homered twice in six at-bats against Marlins right-hander Jacob Turner.

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

Key betting note: Miami has lost 10 of Turner's last 11 starts.


St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers (+157, 9)

Hot pitching stat: Cardinals rookie right-hander Shelby Miller has dominated the Brewers, going 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in four starts against them.

Hot batting stat: St. Louis C Yadier Molina is hitting .364 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 55 at-bats against Milwaukee this season.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to left-center field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: The Cardinals have won six of the last seven games in Milwaukee.


Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies (-135, 9.5)

Cold pitching stat: Rockies right-hander Jhoulys Chacin is 0-2 in his last three starts, allowing 11 runs over 18 innings in that span.

Hot batting stat: Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt has three home runs and 14 RBIs in 16 games against Colorado this season.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with sunny skies. Wind will be calm.

Key betting note: Colorado is 6-1 in Chacin's last seven starts on four days' rest.


Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres (OFF, OFF)

Cold pitching stat: Dodgers right-hander Edinson Volquez is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three starts and one relief appearance since joining Los Angeles from the San Diego Padres.

Cold batting stat: Members of the San Diego roster are hitting just .129 in 31 at-bats against Volquez.

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

Key betting note: The over is 10-2-1 in San Diego's last 13 Friday games.


AMERICAN

Houston Astros at Cleveland Indians (-225, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Astros left-hander Brett Oberholtzer is 2-1 with a 2.93 ERA in 27 2/3 road innings this season.

Hot batting stat: Houston 1B Chris Carter is 3-for-5 with a homer against Cleveland starter Zach McAllister.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-70s with a 60 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out to right-center field at 13 mph.

Key betting note: Cleveland is 7-1 in its last eight games against a left-handed starter.


Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers (-300, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer is 7-5 with a 2.58 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 115 1/3 career innings against the White Sox.

Cold batting stat: White Sox SS Alexei Ramirez has just four hits in 39 at-bats against Scherzer.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with an 80 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow from right to left field at 7 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 10-2 in the Tigers' last 12 Friday games.


Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox (-222, 8.5)

Hot pitching stat: Red Sox lefty Jon Lester is 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA in his last three starts, all against American League East foes.

Cold batting stat: Blue Jays C J.P. Arencibia is batting .195 with 16 strikeouts in 41 career-at bats versus Lester.

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

Key betting note: Boston is 10-2 in Lester's last 12 home starts.


Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays (-175, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Rays left-hander David Price has surrendered just one home run over his last nine games.

Hot batting stat: Tampa Bay 1B James Loney is a career .333 hitter with three home runs in 27 at-bats against Baltimore starter Jason Hammel.

Weather: Dome.

Key betting note: The under is 5-0 in Price's last five starts against the American League East.


Texas Rangers at Kansas City Royals (-120, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Rangers left-hander Martin Perez has lost consecutive starts, allowing seven runs over 11 1/3 innings in that stretch.

Hot batting stat: Texas 3B Adrian Beltre has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 54 all-time at-bats against Kansas City starter Ervin Santana.

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

Key betting note: The Rangers are 2-10 in their previous 12 games against American League Central teams.


Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels (OFF, OFF)

Cold pitching stat: Mariners right-hander Erasmo Ramirez was torched for five runs on eight hits over four innings in his previous start.

Hot batting stat: Angels OF Mike Trout is hitting .393 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 61 at-bats against Seattle this season.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s under clear skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 4-1 in the last five head-to-head meetings.


Minnesota Twins at Oakland Athletics (-225, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Athletics right-hander Bartolo Colon has won back-to-back starts, allowing one run while striking out 14 over 14 innings in that span.

Cold batting stat: Entering Friday, Twins OF Josh Willingham has 14 home runs in 363 at-bats after belting 35 in 2012.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will blow out to right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Oakland is 10-2 in Colon's last 12 starts on five days' rest.


INTERLEAGUE

San Francisco Giants at New York Yankees (-138, 8)

Cold pitching stat: Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia is 4-5 with a 6.58 ERA in 11 starts since the All-Star break.

Cold batting stat: New York 1B Mark Reynolds is 3-for-21 with 13 strikeouts against Giants starter Tim Lincecum.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-70s with sunny skies. Wind will blow from right to left field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 8-2-2 in the Giants' last 12 interleague games.


** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 8:05 p.m. ET Thursday.