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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Tigers (91-66) at Twins (66-90)
Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: September 24, 2013 8:10 PM EDT


The Detroit Tigers' attempt to move a step closer to an AL Central title was undone in their series opener with the Minnesota Twins.

Doug Fister will try to help the Tigers wrap up that third straight division crown by delivering another solid outing against the Twins on Tuesday night.

Detroit (91-66) had a 3-2 lead heading into the ninth inning Monday at Target Field, but Brian Dozier hit a tying solo homer off Joaquin Benoit, who blew his first save in 23 chances this year. Dozier eventually scored the winning run on Josmil Pinto's single in the 11th, and that 4-3 loss kept the Tigers' magic number at two.

"Obviously, it's tough," pitcher Justin Verlander said. "We're sitting here knocking on the door and every win counts. It was a tough pill to swallow, but that's the lovely thing about baseball. We come out here tomorrow and we have another day and another crack at a win."

Fister (13-9, 3.71 ERA) will try to help his club bounce back and avoid a third straight loss Tuesday. The Tigers need a victory and a Cleveland loss to the Chicago White Sox to win the AL Central.

The right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.42 ERA in his last four starts against Minnesota (66-90), and he gave up two runs and two hits over 7 2-3 innings in his latest matchup, a 5-2 win at Target Field on June 16

Fister, though, has been inconsistent lately - giving up four runs or more in three of his last five outings. He allowed four runs and nine hits over 7 2-3 innings Thursday against Seattle, but Detroit gave him the win by rallying for a 5-4 victory.

"That's what a team does is trust one another," Fister told the team's website after striking out 10. "I think that's what kind of sets us apart right now. We're trusting one another. We're playing well together."

The Tigers will try for another complete effort against Scott Diamond (6-11, 5.54), who is 2-7 with a 6.32 ERA in his last 12 major league starts. The left-hander, though, earned his first win since June 20 on Wednesday in his second start since being recalled from a month-long stint at Triple-A Rochester.

Diamond gave up three runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 4-3 victory at the last-place Chicago White Sox.

"I think just going down to Rochester was kind of that reset for me," Diamond said. "I feel like I'm just building off of that a little bit."

Diamond is 1-1 with a 4.67 ERA in three matchups with Detroit this season after posting a 1.98 ERA in his previous four. He kept the Tigers scoreless in the first five innings of his most recent matchup June 14 before allowing four runs in his final frame of a 4-0 loss.

Miguel Cabrera is 3 for 7 with a home run and a double against Diamond this season and 10 for 21 (.476) lifetime. Cabrera went 2 for 4 and drove in a run Monday after sitting out Sunday's 6-3 loss to the White Sox with soreness in his groin.

Dozier is 5 for 9 with two doubles and a home run against Fister in his career. He'll try to help manager Ron Gardenhire earn career win No. 999.

Detroit's only other run of three straight regular-season titles came from 1907-09.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Twins
Mon, Sep 23 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Tigers at Twins
Tue, Sep 24 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Tigers at Twins
Wed, Sep 25 - 8:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (84-73) at Cardinals (92-65)
Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: September 24, 2013 8:15 PM EDT


The St. Louis Cardinals eliminated the Washington Nationals again.

Another victory pulls them closer to an NL Central title.

Carlos Beltran looks to continue pounding the Nationals on Tuesday night and help the Cardinals beat them for a fifth straight time since last fall.

St. Louis (92-65) beat Washington in five games during last year's division series and has won all four regular-season meetings this year.

Opening this three-game set with a 4-3 victory Monday knocked the Nationals out of contention for the two wild-card spots, allowing division rivals Cincinnati and Pittsburgh to clinch.

"It doesn't feel too good," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "Now, we're spoilers. So it's not over for us."

Washington should have plenty of motivation in that role since the Cardinals are trying to hold off the Reds and Pirates, leading both by two games.

Beltran will likely play a part in potentially expanding that lead. The right fielder is hitting .415 with five homes, 12 RBIs and 10 runs over his last 11 meetings with Washington, including the postseason.

He had two hits Monday, including a two-run homer to end a season-high 24-game drought.

"I don't think about things like that," said Beltran, who has six RBIs in five games. "It's not about homers. It's about helping the team."

It's unclear if the Cardinals will have Matt Holliday back in the lineup after he missed his second straight game with back spasms.

The left fielder is 13 for 22 with seven RBIs and eight runs in five games, and owns a .371 average over his last 17 regular-season games versus the Nationals.

The last time the Cardinals faced Gio Gonzalez (11-7, 3.39 ERA) was a 9-7 win at Washington in Game 5 of last year's division series.

Gonzalez allowed three runs with four walks in five innings while not getting a decision. He also struggled in a 3-2 win in Game 1, matching his career high by issuing seven walks while giving up two runs in five innings and not factoring in the decision.

Those performances were a tremendous departure from Gonzalez's only regular-season meeting with St. Louis, a five-hitter in a 10-0 win Aug. 31, 2012.

The left-hander enters this matchup winning four of his last five starts with a 1.87 ERA. He earned a 3-2 win over Miami on Thursday, allowing two runs in six innings.

The Cardinals will counter Gonzalez with rookie Michael Wacha (3-1, 3.21), who is facing Washington for the first time.

The 22-year-old right-hander is 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA in four starts since being recalled from Double-A Springfield and inserted in the rotation.

Wacha, though, is 0-1 while allowing six runs and 16 hits with 14 strikeouts in 9 2-3 innings over his last two outings.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Cardinals
Mon, Sep 23 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Nationals at Cardinals
Tue, Sep 24 - 8:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Nationals at Cardinals
Wed, Sep 25 - 1:45PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Red Sox (95-62) at Rockies (71-86)
Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: September 24, 2013 8:40 PM EDT


With home-field advantage in the AL still up for grabs, the Boston Red Sox won't take it easy during the final week of the regular season.

John Lackey looks to build on his best start of the year when the Red Sox visit the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night looking for an eighth win in 10 road games.

Headed to the postseason for first time in four years as East champions, Boston (95-62) hopes to hold off Oakland and Detroit in the race for the league's best record.

"We're going out to win games and be aggressive," said Felix Doubront, the winning pitcher in Sunday's 5-2 victory over Toronto. "We'll try to go hard every game."

Lackey (10-12, 3.44 ERA) likely won't let up after striking out eight during his two-hit gem in Thursday's 3-1 victory over Baltimore. The right-hander did not give up a hit until Adam Jones' homer in the seventh inning, then yielded a single to J.J. Hardy in the eighth to bounce back after he allowed 11 runs and 15 hits in 12 innings of his previous two starts.

"I felt pretty good," Lackey told the Red Sox's official website. "My arm felt good. It was fun."

In preparation for the playoffs, Boston originally intended to pitch Lackey out of the bullpen during this two-game set at Coors Field. However, they decided to push Jake Peavy to Wednesday and start Lackey on Tuesday and in Sunday's regular-season finale at Baltimore.

"We still want to play a good brand of baseball," manager John Farrell said. "We don't see the clinching of the division as a breather. It's a matter of continuing on and playing a very sound brand of baseball."

Lackey fanned a season-high 12 and gave up two runs over seven innings in a 5-3 home victory over Colorado on June 26, but pitching at Coors Field for the first time since 2010 might not be as easy. He's 1-4 with a 5.45 ERA in five road starts since the All-Star break.

The Rockies (71-86) have little to play for this week, but Michael Cuddyer still has the NL batting title in his sights. After missing the previous three games with a sore left wrist and forearm, Cuddyer raised his average to .334 with three hits in Sunday's 13-9 loss to Arizona.

He went 4 for 9 with two homers as Colorado was swept in two games by the Red Sox in June. With a solo shot off Lackey in that series, four of Cuddyer's seven hits in 22 at_bats against him have been home runs.

Boston's Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia each went 5 for 9 in that series.

Pedroia is 2 for 2 with a walk against the Rockies' Tyler Chatwood (7-5, 3.36), who gave up four runs over six innings in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to St. Louis. The right-hander has a 4.34 ERA in four September starts since returning from a month on the DL due to right elbow inflammation.

Chatwood gave up two runs and walked five in six innings in his only start against Boston, a 2011 outing with the Los Angeles Angels.

This will be the second-to-last home game for Colorado's Todd Helton, who will retire after 17 seasons. He had three hits and four RBIs on Sunday and is 12 for 30 in eight home games - including a pair in the 2007 World Series - versus Boston.

"It's good knowing that I can go out and be productive and help the team every once in awhile," Helton told the Rockies' official website.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Athletics (94-63) at Angels (76-80)
Game: 2
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: September 24, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


The Oakland Athletics aren't satisfied with a second straight AL West title.

Jed Lowrie will try to keep them rolling and help Oakland earn a share of the best record in the league Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Angels.

The A's (94-63) are one game behind Boston for the best record in the AL and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

They don't appear to be letting up after clinching the West with Sunday's 11-7 win over Minnesota. Oakland followed that up by pounding out 13 hits to beat Los Angeles 10-5 in the opener of this three-game set and moved a season-best 31 games over .500.

"Just because we clinched (Sunday), that doesn't mean we're not going for more," said Tommy Milone, Monday's winning pitcher. "Home-field advantage, whatever it is. We're not going to stop."

The A's have won 11 of 13 games, including five in a row after dropping two of three at home to the Angels last week.

Lowrie is playing a vital role.

The shortstop is 10 for 28 (.357) with three homers, seven RBIs and eight runs over the past six games, homering in back-to-back contests. His three-run shot Monday was his first in 16 games at Anaheim.

Oakland sends A.J. Griffin (14-9, 3.78 ERA) to the mound hoping he can improve on his 4-0 record and 3.48 ERA over his last five starts. He's yielded one or two runs in three of those outings, including Wednesday's 5-4, 11-inning loss to the Angels. The only hit he allowed in six innings was a two-run homer by Mike Trout in the first before retiring 17 of the final 18 batters he faced.

"I'm able to repeat my delivery more often," Griffin said. "I can get the ball and let it fly."

Griffin was a 4-1 loser in his last visit to Anaheim on July 19, giving up four runs and three homers in five innings. The right-hander had won his two previous games there, yielding one run over 16 innings.

The Angels will again counter Griffin with Jason Vargas (8-7, 4.28), who allowed four runs and two homers in six innings Wednesday.

The left-hander is 0-2 with a 4.56 ERA in his last four starts versus Oakland. Lowrie is 3 for 6 off Vargas this year.

A meeting at home may not help since Vargas is 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA over his last three starts at Angel Stadium.

Some production from Trout would certainly help.

The star center fielder is 2 for 14 with six strikeouts and four walks in his past four games.

``He's just a little bit out of sync,' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``Maybe he's just getting a little tired. It's that part of the year where he's been grinding and playing hard. At times, you're not going to be playing locked-in, and tonight he had a couple of tough at_bats. But you've got to keep going.'

Trout's struggles come after he hit one homer in each game of the previous series against the A's, totaling four hits with six RBIs.

Trout has homered on both of his hits in nine at_bats versus Griffin this year.

"He's good at baseball," Griffin said.

Oakland has won 12 of 16 in Anaheim.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Angels
Mon, Sep 23 Final 10 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Athletics at Angels
Tue, Sep 24 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Athletics at Angels
Wed, Sep 25 - 3:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Royals (83-73) at Mariners (68-89)
Game: 2
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: September 24, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


Back-to-back extra-inning victories have aided the Kansas City Royals' playoff push.

The visiting Royals can record their highest win total in 20 years Tuesday night when they send Bruce Chen to the mound to face the Seattle Mariners.

Kansas City (83-73) will finish with a winning record for the first time in 10 years and can win 84 games for the first time since 1993.

Making the playoffs, however, will be difficult since the Royals trail Cleveland by three games for the AL's second wild card and are also two games behind Texas with six left for every club.

``Every game from now to the last game of the season is important to us,' Royals catcher Salvador Perez said. ``We can't think about the other teams, what happened. We just need a win. We can't control other teams. The only thing we can control is our game.'

Dramatic wins to close a six-game homestand and open a seven-game trip, however, are cause for optimism. Justin Maxwell's grand slam in the 10th inning was the difference in Sunday's 4-0 win over the Rangers.

The Royals followed that up by blowing a two-run lead in the eighth inning Monday to open this three-game set before heroics by left fielder Alex Gordon and Perez in extra innings helped them avoid a crushing defeat.

That duo combined on the game's two key plays. Gordon threw out Kyle Seager at the plate with Perez making the tag to for a double play that ended the 10th inning and scored on Perez's two-out double in the 12th to lift the Royals to a 6-5 victory.

``Alex Gordon's golden arm, and great tag play by Salvy,' Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Closer Greg Holland walked the first two hitters in the bottom of the 12th before retiring the next three for his 45th save, tying the club record set by Dan Quisenberry in 1983 and matched by Jeff Montgomery 10 years later.

Kansas City is 11-4 in extra innings while Seattle has lost eight straight such games to fall to a major league-worst 6-15.

Six relievers combined to work the final 6 1-3 innings for the Royals, who will turn to Chen (8-3, 3.13 ERA).

The left-hander is 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA over his last five starts, allowing two runs in five innings last Wednesday to earn a 7-2 victory over Cleveland. Manager Ned Yost felt the veteran gives his team a boost in this race.

"I felt really good about Bruce being on the hill for us," Yost said.

Chen is 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in 10 starts against Seattle, although Seager is 4 for 8 with two homers against him.

He has fared better versus Raul Ibanez (3 for 15), Justin Smoak (2 for 11) and Michael Saunders (3 for 12).

Seattle (68-89) is 21-29 when facing left-handed starters and will counter with fellow southpaw James Paxton (2-0, 2.12), who will make his fourth big-league start.

Paxton, a 2010 Mariners fourth-round draft pick, won his first two outings before he gave up three runs in five innings Thursday in a 5-4 loss at Detroit.

Perez finished with his third three-hit game this season against the Mariners. He's batting.373 with 15 RBIs over his last 18 overall.

Seager is 14 for 33 (.424) during an eight-game hit streak versus Kansas City for Seattle, which has dropped five straight at home and 12 of 15 overall.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Mariners
Mon, Sep 23 Final 6 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Mariners
Tue, Sep 24 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Royals at Mariners
Wed, Sep 25 - 10:10PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Diamondbacks (79-77) at Padres (73-83)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: September 24, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


The Arizona Diamondbacks couldn't keep their hot hitting going in the series opener against the San Diego Padres and were kept from moving a step closer to a winning season.

The Diamondbacks hitters will try to bounce back with another strong showing against San Diego's Tyson Ross while Arizona's Wade Miley will try to avoid another loss to the Padres on Tuesday night.

Arizona (79-77) was batting .332 with 70 runs during a 7-4 stretch but couldn't generate enough offense in a 4-1 loss in San Diego on Monday. The Diamondbacks had seven hits and went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position after batting .282 in those situations in their previous 11 games.

Nick Hundley put San Diego (73-83) ahead for good with a three-run homer in the sixth inning as the Padres improved to 6-1 at home versus Arizona.

"We had some opportunities. The guys got frustrated," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "We had some lost opportunities."

Arizona will try to fare better against Ross (3-8, 3.24), who will seek to continue putting a miserable outing further in the past. The Padres right-hander failed to make it out of the first inning and was charged with six runs in a 10-5 loss in Philadelphia on Sept. 12.

He gave up two runs and three hits over seven frames Wednesday in Pittsburgh but did not get a decision in a 3-2 victory.

"A great win and Ross pitched great," manager Bud Black told the team's website. "He didn't deserve to lose that game, so it's fitting that he didn't."

Ross also gave up six runs to Arizona on Aug. 26, but over six-plus innings in a 6-1 loss. He was much better in his only other start against the Diamondbacks on July 28, yielding just three hits in eight innings of a 1-0 win.

He might have a chance at another victory over Arizona given Miley's struggles against the Padres. The left-hander is 1-6 with a 5.96 ERA in eight lifetime matchups and 0-4 with a 5.82 ERA in four this season.

Miley, though, had a solid performance in the most recent of those games. He gave up two runs over seven innings in a 5-1 defeat Aug. 28.

Miley (10-10, 3.75) has also given up three runs or fewer in each of his last three outings and was in line for a second straight victory Thursday before the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a 7-6 win. He gave up three runs and five hits over five innings in that start.

Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt will try to help his starter by producing the Diamondbacks' first 14-game hit streak of the season. He's batting .442 with 11 extra-base hits - including four homers - and 16 RBIs during his run, but is 1 for 6 with two strikeouts against Ross.

Jesus Guzman is 7 for 17 (.412) with two doubles and a home run all-time against Miley, but he's 0 for 11 in his past three starts.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Padres
Mon, Sep 23 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Padres
Tue, Sep 24 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Padres
Wed, Sep 25 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Diamondbacks at Padres
Thu, Sep 26 - 6:40PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Dodgers (90-66) at Giants (72-84)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: September 24, 2013 10:15 PM EDT


While they've clinched their first NL West title in four years, the Los Angeles Dodgers still have something to play for during the final week of the regular season.

The visiting Dodgers will try to keep fighting for home-field advantage in the playoffs by winning for the fifth time in seven games Tuesday night against the rival San Francisco Giants.

With six games remaining, Los Angeles (90-66) hopes to finish ahead of St. Louis for the No. 2 seed in a potential NL Division Series matchup. That could be important since the Dodgers hold the league's second-best home record at 19-8 since July 26 despite losing the final three of a four-game set with the Giants (72-84) earlier this month.

Los Angeles also has an outside chance to catch NL East champion Atlanta for the league's best record.

The Dodgers will attempt to close those gaps as they try for a third straight shutout behind Hyun-Jin Ryu (13-7, 3.03 ERA).

Although Ryu has lost four of five starts, he's been given just seven runs of support over that span. He was outstanding in a complete-game effort in his last outing as he yielded two runs and two hits in a 2-1 loss at Arizona on Sept. 16.

The left-hander's only mistake came in the first inning on Paul Goldschmidt's two-run home run.

"I threw 100 pitches but that one pitch was the decision-maker of the game," Ryu said. "It was an error on my part."

Ryu is 1-2 with a 2.81 ERA in four starts against San Francisco, allowing three runs over 13 1-3 innings to help the Dodgers win his last two meetings.

This time, he could eventually give way to former Giants closer Brian Wilson, who returns to San Francisco for the first time since signing with the Dodgers in July.

Wilson spent seven seasons with the Giants and recorded the final out for the 2010 World Series champions. He threw 1 2-3 hitless innings in a pair of appearances against his old club earlier this month.

"I'm sure with any personality that goes to a rival, it's not going to be a warm and fuzzy reaction," Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly told MLB's official website. "I don't understand that, though. They could have signed him. They let him go."

Matt Cain (8-9, 4.06) has been solid with a 2.24 ERA in his last nine starts, though the Giants have lost seven of those outings while providing him with 12 runs of support.

The right-hander gave up no earned runs over 7 2-3 innings before the bullpen blew a four-run lead in Wednesday's 5-4 road loss to the New York Mets.

"He was great," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He pitched well. It's a shame we couldn't get a win for him."

After going 3-0 with a 1.49 ERA in five home starts against the Dodgers, Cain was tagged for eight runs over 2 1-3 innings in a 10-2 loss July 5. He pitched better in his most recent meeting when he allowed one earned run over seven innings in a 3-2, 10-inning loss in Los Angeles on Sept. 12.

Andre Ethier has faced Cain more than any other batter, hitting .441 in 68 at_bats. Ethier had been out since Sept. 13 with a left ankle injury before pinch-hitting in Sunday's 1-0 win in San Diego, and he could return to the starting lineup.

The Dodgers, however, might be without Hanley Ramirez, who was removed after six innings due to nagging back and hamstring injuries.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Dunkel

Tampa Bay at NY Yankees
The Rays look to build on their 9-1 record in Matt Moore's last 10 starts as a road favorite. Tampa Bay is the pick (-115) according to Dunkel, which has the Rays favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-115). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

Game 901-902: Philadelphia at Miami (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia (Miner) 14.749; Miami (Alvarez) 13.608
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Miami (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-105); Over

Game 903-904: Milwaukee at Atlanta (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Thornburg) 13.129; Atlanta (Garcia) 14.562
Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Atlanta (-145); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-145); Under

Game 905-906: NY Mets at Cincinnati (7:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Niese) 15.404; Cincinnati (Leake) 14.397
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-185); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+165); Over

Game 907-908: Pittsburgh at Chicago Cubs (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Cole) 15.824; Cubs (Rusin) 14.372
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-155); No Run Total
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (-155); N/A

Game 909-910: Washington at St. Louis (8:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Gonzalez) 15.331; St. Louis (Wacha) 16.762
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-135); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-135); Over

Game 911-912: Arizona at San Diego (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Miley) 13.524; San Diego (Ross) 15.010
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: San Diego (-120); 7
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-120); Under

Game 913-914: LA Dodgers at San Francisco (10:15 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Ryu) 15.398; San Francisco (Cain) 14.519
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 7
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-125); 6 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (+105); Over

Game 915-916: Tampa Bay at NY Yankees (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Moore) 16.442; NY Yankees (Kuroda) 15.033
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (-115); Under

Game 917-918: Chicago White Sox at Cleveland (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Santiago) 14.523; Cleveland (Jimenez) 16.309
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 2; 7
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-230); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-230); Under

Game 919-920: Toronto at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto (Redmond) 15.235; Baltimore (Tillman) 14.836
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1/2; 9
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-160); 8
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+140); Over

Game 921-922: Houston at Texas (8:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston (Peacock) 15.188; Texas (Darvish) 14.122
Dunkel Line: Houston by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Texas (-340); 8
Dunkel Pick: Houston (+290); Under

Game 923-924: Detroit at Minnesota (8:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Fister) 14.458; Minnesota (Diamond) 13.103
Dunkel Line: Detroit by 1 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Detroit (-200); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-200); Over

Game 925-926: Oakland at LA Angels (10:05 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Griffin) 15.364; LA Angels (Vargas) 16.587
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1; 9
Vegas Line: Oakland (-120); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+100); Over

Game 927-928: Kansas City at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Chen) 16.767; Seattle (Paxton) 15.203
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-130); 7
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-130); Under

Game 929-930: Boston at Colorado (8:40 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lackey) 16.590; Colorado (Chatwood) 13.620
Dunkel Line: Boston by 3; 11
Vegas Line: Boston (-145); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-145); Over

[StarDust Bum]

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, September 24

Hot pitchers
-- Thornburg is 2-1, 1.75 in six starts this season. Garcia is 1-0, 3.00 in two starts for the Braves.
-- Leake is 3-0, 0.84 in his last three starts.
-- Cole is 2-0, 1.89 in his last three starts.
-- Gonzalez is 4-1, 2.94 in his last five starts. Wacha is 1-1, 2.38 in his last four.
-- Ross has a 2.73 RA in his last four home starts.
-- Cain is 1-1, 2.90 in his last five starts.

-- Jimenez is 3-0, 0.95 in his last four starts.
-- Redmond is 3-0, 2.70 in his last four starts.
-- Peacock is 2-0, 3.38 in his last three starts. Darvish is 1-2, 1.89 in his last three outings.
-- Chen is 3-1, 4.18 in his last five starts. Paxton is 2-0, 2.65 in three starts for Seattle this season.
-- Griffin is 4-0, 3.48 in his last five starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Alvarez is 2-4, 5.30 in his last seven starts. Minor pitched three scoreless innings in his first '13 start, his first start since '09.
-- Niese is 1-2, 5.12 in his last three starts.
-- Rusin is 0-4, 4.06 in his last seven starts.
-- Miley is 1-2, 4.67 in his last five starts.
-- Ryu is 1-4, 3.58 in his last five starts.

-- Lackey is 2-2, 4.12 in his last six starts. Chatwood is 0-1, 4.34 in his last four starts.

-- Kuroda is 0-5, 7.24 in his last seven starts. Moore is 1-1, 4.74 in his last five.
-- Santiago is 0-2, 6.39 in his last three starts.
-- Tillman is 1-3, 4.28 in his last four starts.
-- Fister is 0-2, 4.15 in his last three starts. Diamond is 1-2, 6.75 in his last four outings.
-- Vargas is 0-2, 8.41 in his last four 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........
-- Miner 0-1; Alvarez 3-14
-- Thornburg 1-6; Garcia 1-2
-- Niese 7-22 (1 of last 7); Leake 7-30
-- Cole 7-17 (4 of last 4); Rusin 3-12 (1 of last 5)
-- Gonzalez 9-31 (1 of last 5); Wacha 1-8
-- Miley 10-26; Ross 5-14
-- Ryu 10-28 (4 of last 6); Cain 8-29 (1 of last 10)

-- Lackey 10-28 (1 of last 7); Chatwood 6-19

-- Moore 8-25; Kuroda 9-31 (3 of last 5)
-- Santiago 5-21 (1 of last 5); Jimenez 6-30 (0 of last 8)
-- Redmond 2-12; Tillman 8-31
-- Peacock 4-13 (1 of last 7); Darvish 10-29 (3 of last 4)
-- Fister 8-31; Diamond 6-21 (0 of last 6)
-- Griffin 4-31; Vargas 3-22
-- Chen 3-13 (1 of last 6); Paxton 1-3

Totals
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Philly games.
-- Six of last nine Cincinnati games went over the total.
-- Nine of last eleven Atlanta games stayed under total.
-- Nine of last ten Cub games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Cardinal games went over the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Arizona games went over the total; under is 9-1-1 in last eleven San Diego games.
-- Last four San Francisco games stayed under total.

-- Five of last six Boston games stayed under the total.

-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Tampa Bay games. Under is 5-0-1 in Bronx' last six games.
-- Six of last eight White Sox games went over the total.
-- Seven of last ten Baltimore games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Texas games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Detroit games went over the total.
-- Ten of last thirteen Oakland games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Kansas City games stayed under.

Hot teams
-- Reds won seven of their last nine games; Mets won three of last four.
-- Milwaukee won six of its last nine games.
-- Washington won 13 of its last 16 games. Cardinals won five of last seven. .
-- Padres won seven of their last ten games.
-- Dodgers won three of their last four games. San Francisco is 9-5 in its last 14 games, 6-3 in last nine at home.

-- Red Sox won three of their last four games.

-- Tampa Bay won nine of its last twelve games. Bronx won three of its last four home games.
-- Indians won five of their last six games.
-- Tigers won six of their last nine games.
-- Royals won five of their last seven games.
-- AL West champ A's won 11 of their last 13 games. Angels won nine of their last thirteen games.

Cold teams
-- Phillies lost last four games, allowing 23 runs. Marlins lost seven of last ten.
-- Braves are 3-5 in their last eight games.
-- Pirates lost five of their last eight games, but clinched a playoff spot with a win Monday. Cubs lost ten of their last 13.
-- Arizona is 6-10 in its last sixteen road games.

-- Rockies lost six of their last nine games.

-- Orioles are 5-10 in their last fifteen games. Blue Jays lost nine of their last thirteen games.
-- White Sox lost ten of their last fourteen games.
-- Astros lost their last ten games, outscored 59-14. Rangers lost ten of their last fourteen games.
-- Twins lost ten of their last thirteen games.
-- Mariners lost 12 of their last 15 games.

Umpires
-- Phil-Mia-- Four of last five Tichenor games stayed under.
-- Mil-Atl-- Four of last five Demuth games stayed under total.
-- NY-Cin-- Seven of last nine Vanover games went over total.
-- Pitt-Chi-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight Barry games.
-- Wsh-StL-- Favorites won last seven Schrieber games.
-- Az-SD-- Underdogs won five of last seven Porter games.

-- Hst-Tex-- Underdogs won seven of last ten Emmel games.
-- Det-Minn-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight O'Nora games.
-- A's-LA-- Seven of last ten Davidson games went over total.
-- KC-Sea-- 16 of last 21 Miller games stayed under the total.

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, September 24

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Trend Report
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7:05 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. NY YANKEES
Tampa Bay is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Tampa Bay's last 9 games
NY Yankees are 16-6 SU in their last 22 games at home
NY Yankees are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing Tampa Bay

7:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chi White Sox's last 7 games when playing Cleveland
Chi White Sox are 6-18 SU in their last 24 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox
Cleveland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

7:05 PM
TORONTO vs. BALTIMORE
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Toronto's last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Baltimore's last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Baltimore is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Toronto

7:10 PM
NY METS vs. CINCINNATI
NY Mets are 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of NY Mets's last 9 games when playing Cincinnati
Cincinnati is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cincinnati's last 7 games at home

7:10 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. MIAMI
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Miami's last 13 games
Miami is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

7:10 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games on the road
Milwaukee is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Atlanta's last 11 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Atlanta is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games at home

8:05 PM
HOUSTON vs. TEXAS
Houston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games on the road
Texas is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games at home
Texas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston

8:05 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. CHI CUBS
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing Chi Cubs
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Chi Cubs's last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

8:10 PM
DETROIT vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Detroit's last 18 games when playing Minnesota
Detroit is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Minnesota's last 18 games when playing Detroit

8:15 PM
WASHINGTON vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing St. Louis
St. Louis is 14-3 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Washington
St. Louis is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home

8:40 PM
BOSTON vs. COLORADO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Colorado is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Colorado's last 14 games at home

10:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. LA ANGELS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oakland's last 5 games when playing LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Oakland's last 15 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
LA Angels are 7-14 SU in their last 21 games at home
LA Angels are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing Oakland

10:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. SEATTLE
Kansas City is 3-6-1 SU in its last 10 games ,when playing Seattle
Kansas City is 0-4-1 SU in its last 5 games ,when playing on the road against Seattle
Seattle is 0-4-1 SU in its last 5 games ,at home
Seattle is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games ,when playing Kansas City

10:10 PM
ARIZONA vs. SAN DIEGO
Arizona is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Diego
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Diego
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Diego's last 6 games
San Diego is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Arizona

10:15 PM
LA DODGERS vs. SAN FRANCISCO
LA Dodgers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
LA Dodgers are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
San Francisco is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against LA Dodgers
San Francisco is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Dodgers

[StarDust Bum]

MLB

Tuesday, September 24

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Tuesday's MLB betting notes and tips
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NATIONAL

Philadelphia Phillies at Miami Marlins (-115, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Marlins right-hander Henderson Alvarez is 2-4 with a 4.71 ERA in seven home starts.

Cold batting stat: The Miami roster is a collective 2-for-10 against Phillies right-hander Zach Miner.

Weather: Temperatures will be high-70s with a 50 percent chance of showers or thunderstorms. Wind will blow out to right-center field at 4 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 2-0-4 in Alvarez's last six starts.


New York Mets at Cincinnati Reds (-185, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Cincinnati right-hander Mike Leake is 2-1 with a 1.31 ERA and zero home runs allowed in five career starts versus the Mets.

Cold batting stat: New York 3B David Wright is 1-for-13 with five strikeouts in his career against Leake.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will be calm.

Key betting note: The under is 7-1 in Leake's last eight Tuesday starts.


Milwaukee Brewers at Atlanta Braves (-145, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Braves right-hander Freddy Garcia has surrendered just two runs in 13 innings over his previous two starts.

Hot batting stat: Milwaukee 3B Aramis Ramirez is 8-for-18 with a homer and four RBIs lifetime against Garcia.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s with mostly cloudy skies. Wind will blow from right to left field at 5 mph.

Key betting note: The home team is 8-1 in umpire Dana DeMuth's last nine games behind home plate involving Atlanta.


Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs (+136, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole has won his last three starts, allowing two runs while striking out 28 over 20 innings in that span.

Cold batting stat: Members of the Chicago roster are hitting .227 with six strikeouts in 22 at-bats against Cole.

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

Key betting note: The under is 8-1 in Cole's previous nine starts on four days' rest.


Washington Nationals at St. Louis Cardinals (-131, 7.5)

Hot pitching stat: Nationals lefty Gio Gonzalez has surrendered just seven earned runs over his last five starts, going 3-1 over that stretch.

Cold batting stat: None of the the St. Louis Cardinals has driven in a run against Gonzalez, batting a collective 6-for-32 with eight strikeouts.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-70s with a 20 percent chance of rain. Wind will be calm.

Key betting note: Washington is 14-2 in Gonzalez's last 16 starts against the National League Central.


Arizona Diamondbacks at San Diego Padres (-119, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Diamondbacks left-hander Wade Miley is 4-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 12 starts since the All-Star break.

Cold batting stat: Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt and C Miguel Montero are a combined 1-for-12 with five strikeouts against Padres starter Tyson Ross.

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

Key betting note: The under is 13-3 in the Padres' last 16 games versus the National League West.


Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants (-118, 6.5)

Hot pitching stat: Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu has surrendered more than three earned runs in just one of his previous nine starts.

Hot batting stat: Los Angeles 1B Adrian Gonzalez is a .299 career hitter with four homers and 13 RBIs in 67 at-bats against Giants starter Matt Cain.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s with sunny skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 13 mph.

Key betting note: The Dodgers are 10-1 in Ryu's last 11 starts against teams with losing records.


AMERICAN

Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles (-161, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman was mediocre in his previous start against Toronto, surrendering four runs on six hits over eight innings en route to a 4-3 loss.

Hot batting stat: Toronto 3B Brett Lawrie is 3-for-10 with a home run in his career against Tillman.

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

Key betting note: Baltimore has won eight of Tillman's previous 10 home starts.


Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians (-225, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Indians right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez is 3-0 while surrendering just two earned runs and striking out 31 over his last four starts.

Hot batting stat: Cleveland 2B Jason Kipnis has four hits, including a double, in 13 at-bats against Chicago starter Hector Santiago.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-60s under clear skies. Wind will blow in from right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: The Indians are 10-1 in their last 11 home games versus a left-handed starter.


Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees (-104, 7.5)

Cold pitching stat: Rays left-hander Matt Moore is coming off one of his worst outings of the season, charged with six runs - five earned - on seven hits over four innings in an 8-2 loss to Texas.

Hot batting stat: Tampa Bay 2B Ben Zobrist is 5-for-10 with two doubles, a triple and two home runs against Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda.

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

Key betting note: Tampa Bay is 8-2 in Moore's last 10 road starts against teams with winning records.


Houston Astros at Texas Rangers (-308, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish is 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 54 strikeouts over 37 2/3 innings against the Astros.

Cold batting stat: The Houston roster is batting .129 with 43 combined strikeouts in 101 at-bats against Darvish.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-80s under sunny skies. Wind will blow out to right field at 6 mph.

Key betting note: Texas is 0-6 in Darvish's previous six starts on grass.


Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins (+170, 8.5)

Cold pitching stat: Twins left-hander Scott Diamond has been dreadful at home in 2013, going 2-8 with a 6.60 ERA in 11 starts.

Hot batting stat: Tigers 3B Miguel Cabrera has 10 hits, including three doubles and a homer, in 21 at-bats versus Diamond.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the mid-60s with partly cloudy skies. Wind will be calm.

Key betting note: The Twins are 1-12 in Diamond's last 13 home starts against teams with winning records.


Oakland Athletics at Los Angeles Angels (-104, 8)

Hot pitching stat: Athletics right-hander A.J. Griffin is 4-0 with a 3.48 ERA in his previous five starts.

Hot batting stat: Oakland OF Coco Crisp is a career .359 hitter with two home runs in 39 at-bats against Angels starter Jason Vargas.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the high-60s under sunny skies. Wind will blow out to center field at 4 mph.

Key betting note: Los Angeles has lost eight of its last 10 Tuesday games.


Kansas City Royals at Seattle Mariners (+115, 7)

Hot pitching stat: Royals left-hander Bruce Chen is 4-1 with a 3.21 ERA in 10 starts and four relief appearances against the Mariners.

Cold batting stat: Mariners 1B Justin Smoak has just two hits in 11 career at-bats against Chen.

Weather: Temperatures will be in the low-50s with a 70 percent chance of rain. Wind will blow out to right-center field at 4 mph.

Key betting note: The under is 6-1 in Chen's last seven starts against teams with losing records.


INTERLEAGUE

Boston Red Sox at Colorado Rockies (+133, 9.5)

Cold pitching stat: Red Sox right-hander John Lackey is 3-6 with a 4.23 ERA in the second half after going 7-6 with a 2.78 ERA before the break.

Hot batting stat: Rockies OF Michael Cuddyer is 7-for-22 with four home runs lifetime against Lackey.

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

Key betting note: The under is 22-5-1 in Lackey's last 28 starts.


** Odds, stats, weather forecast and probable pitchers as of 10:45 p.m. ET Monday.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday, September 24

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Toronto 0 Top 2 Baltimore -153 500
Baltimore 0 Under 8 500

Chi. White Sox 0 Top 2 Cleveland -222 500
Cleveland 0 Over 7.5 500

Tampa Bay 3 Bot 1 Tampa Bay -105 500
NY Yankees 0 Under 7 500

Milwaukee 0 Bot 1 Milwaukee +113 500
Atlanta 0 Over 7.5 500

NY Mets 0 Bot 1 NY Mets +165 500
Cincinnati 0 Under 7.5 500

Philadelphia 2 Top 1 Miami -110 500
Miami 0 Over 7.5 500

Pittsburgh - 8:05 PM ET Chi. Cubs +149 500 POD # 2
Chi. Cubs - Over 7 500

Houston - 8:05 PM ET Texas -325 500
Texas - Under 8 500

Detroit - 8:10 PM ET Minnesota +184 500 POD # 1
Minnesota - Over 8.5 500

Washington - 8:15 PM ET Washington +108 500 POD # 3
St. Louis - Over 7 500

Boston - 8:40 PM ET Boston -137 500
Colorado - Under 10 500

Oakland - 10:05 PM ET Oakland -118 500
LA Angels - Over 8 500

Arizona - 10:10 PM ET San Diego -116 500
San Diego - Under 6.5 500

Kansas City - 10:10 PM ET Kansas City -129 500
Seattle - Over 7 500

LA Dodgers - 10:15 PM ET San Francisco -110 500
San Francisco - Under 6.5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Diamond Trends - Wednesday

September 25, 2013

SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Reds are 11-0 since April 03, 2013 at home when they are off a loss in which they had at least three times as many hits as runs for a net profit of $1100.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- When Phil Hughes starts the Yankees are 10-0 since September 22, 2007 at home vs a team that has won at least their last two games for a net profit of $1035.

MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Phillies are 20-1 since September 2004 as a favorite of more than 110 when they are off a win in which they scored first and did not score after the third inning.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Mariners are 11-0 since August 24, 2011 within 20 cents of pickem after a win in which they left 18+ men on base for a net profit of $1107.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Rangers are 10-0 since July 30, 2013 as a favorite vs a team that has lost at least their last two games and it is not the first game of a series for a net profit of $1000.

-- The Nationals are 0-11 since June 04, 2009 as a dog after a loss in which they allowed 1 or fewer walks and it is the last game of a series for a net profit of $1100 when playing against.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Mets (72-85) at Reds (90-68)
Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: September 25, 2013 12:35 PM EDT


The Cincinnati Reds' hopes of winning the NL Central are practically gone.

Giving the ball to Mat Latos at home could at least improve their chances of hosting the wild-card game.

Latos looks to continue his impressive success at Great American Ball Park in order to keep the playoff-bound Reds alive in the division race Wednesday against the New York Mets.

Cincinnati (90-68) is headed to the postseason, but the team was eying a bigger prize that could become out of reach with one more defeat.

The Reds are third in the division race, one game back of Pittsburgh for second and three behind first-place St. Louis with four games to play.

A loss Wednesday combined with the Cardinals beating the Nationals would eliminate Cincinnati from the Central chase.

After concluding this three-game set with the Mets, the Reds close the season at home with three versus the Pirates that will at least determine home-field advantage for Tuesday's wild-card game.

The Reds' division chances took a major dent Tuesday, losing 4-2 as New York (72-85) scored all its runs in the second inning off Mike Leake.

"We'll forget about this one," manager Dusty Baker said. "Four games to go."

Baker will turn to Latos (14-6, 3.23 ERA), who is probably getting his last chance at a career high in wins.

The right-hander is 0-1 with a 5.49 ERA while allowing opponents to hit .316 over his last three starts. However, taking the mound at home could be just what he needs to reach the milestone.

Latos has the most victories of any pitcher over the last two seasons at Great American Ball Park, going 17-4 with a 3.06 ERA in 32 starts. He's 9-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 13 games there this year, winning each of his last five decisions behind a 2.55 ERA.

Latos, though, wasn't very sharp on the road Friday, giving up four runs and two homers in six innings of a 6-5, 10-inning win at Pittsburgh.

He's 2-1 with a 3.19 ERA in six starts against the Mets, going 1-1 with a 1.89 ERA in three at home.

Latos will have to contend with Daniel Murphy, who is 5 for 12 (.417) off him.

The second baseman enters this matchup hot, batting .366 with three homers, eight RBIs and nine runs over his last 10 games.

He hit a three-run homer for one of his two hits Tuesday, giving him a .383 average with 10 RBIs and 11 runs over 11 career visits to Cincinnati.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (2-3, 5.52) is expected to get the ball looking to continue his recent success in his first meeting with the Reds.

He's 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA over his last three starts, a dramatic improvement after compiling a 10.95 ERA while losing his first three with the Mets.

The right-hander was victimized by a four-run fourth inning Friday, but only two were earned as he pitched six innings in a 6-4 win at Philadelphia.

"Overall, my command was pretty good except the fourth inning," Matsuzaka said through an interpreter. "Looking back I could've pitched differently to keep those runs from scoring."

-------------------------------------------------------
SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mets at Reds
Mon, Sep 23 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mets at Reds
Tue, Sep 24 Final 4 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Mets at Reds
Wed, Sep 25 - 12:35PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nationals (84-74) at Cardinals (93-65)
Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: September 25, 2013 1:45 PM EDT


A brilliant effort from a rookie pitcher moved the St. Louis Cardinals closer to an NL Central title.

Shelby Miller is now getting his chance, but Jordan Zimmermann is looking to become a 20-game winner.

Miller will try to follow a superb performance from Michael Wacha and help the Cardinals take another step toward a division title Wednesday against the Washington Nationals.

Wacha came within an out of throwing a no-hitter Tuesday, allowing an infield single to Ryan Zimmerman before exiting the 2-0 victory.

"For a kid to do that against a lineup like that, at this point in the season, it's hard to get your head around it," manager Mike Matheny said.

Matheny's team is chasing its first division crown since 2009, sitting two games ahead of Pittsburgh and three in front of Cincinnati with four to play.

All three teams have clinched at least a wild-card spot, while St. Louis' magic number in the division race is three.

In an effort to reduce that number further, the Cardinals (93-65) will start another impressive rookie in Miller (14-9, 3.12 ERA).

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA in his last four starts. He's been even better in his last three at home, winning each while posting 0.96 ERA.

Miller, though, wasn't close to being that sharp Friday, yielding four runs in six innings of a 7-6 win in 10 at Milwaukee.

Miller allowed two unearned runs and three hits with eight strikeouts over 6 2-3 innings in a 3-2 road win against the Nationals (84-74) on April 22.

With wins in the first five meetings against Washington this year, St. Louis is on the brink of sweeping a season series of at least six games for the first time since going 7-0 against the Dodgers in 2006.

Cardinals pitchers have limited the Nationals to seven runs and 24 hits in those five games, walking eight and striking out 42.

Another win in the season series won't be easy with Zimmermann (19-8, 3.18) on the mound.

The right-hander is bidding to join Gio Gonzalez (2012) and Ross Grimsley (1978) as the only 20-game winners in franchise history.

Reaching that milestone would mean beating the Cardinals for the first time. He's 0-3 with a 9.40 ERA in six starts against them, including two in last year's division series, which Washington lost in five games.

Zimmermann has been superb of late, winning all four of his starts this month behind a 2.25 ERA.

He turned in his best performance of that stretch Friday, tossing a two-hitter with nine strikeouts in an 8-0 victory over Miami.

Now, Zimmermann will make his final scheduled start of the year despite dealing with a stiff neck that has finally subsided.

He has personal highs in wins, innings (206 1-3) and strikeouts (159), while his 1.10 WHIP is his lowest.

"It's actually fun waking up the morning," Zimmermann said, "knowing there's not going to be any pain in your neck."

Yadier Molina is 7 for 13 versus Zimmermann, including playoffs. He's 6 for 12 with a homer and three RBIs in his last three home games.

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

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Cardinals
Mon, Sep 23 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Nationals at Cardinals
Tue, Sep 24 Final 0 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Nationals at Cardinals
Wed, Sep 25 - 1:45PM EDT