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[CNOTES]

Preview: Angels (10-11) at Giants (9-13)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 01, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

While C.J. Wilson will start five days after having fluid drained from his elbow, he might not have Albert Pujols around to provide any run support.


Not that Pujols' early season struggles have provided much of that, but the Los Angeles Angels' lineup needed all the help it could get in a disappointing April.


The light-hitting Angels showed positive signs in their first game without the slugger and will hope for better as the calendar turns to May on Friday night in San Francisco, as will the low-scoring Giants.


Pujols, who hit .208 in his worst April ever, missed Thursday's 6-5 win at Oakland and is day to day because of a hamstring injury.


As a result, Mike Trout moved to the third spot in the lineup and Kole Calhoun hit cleanup. Both had two hits, and Calhoun backed up manager Mike Scioscia's move with three RBIs.


The right fielder is batting .405 in his last nine games after the Angels (11-11) matched their top run production over a 5-3 span. The 12-hit effort gave Los Angeles a season-high .232 average, but it was the Angels' worst April since batting .231 in 1995.


"Out of all the guys you'd want to hit behind Mike, right now it's Kole," Scioscia told MLB's official website. "... It's a deviation from what we really want to do in our lineup, but I think the circumstances are very clear. Right now, there's a lot of guys trying to find their game. And with Albert out of the lineup, we have to make some adjustments."


It could continue with Trout versus San Francisco (9-13), against which the MVP is 7 for 13. In NL parks, Trout (50 for 125) and Calhoun (10 for 25) are .400 hitters.


Wilson's last start came two days after his scheduled spot in the rotation because of elbow soreness, but he isn't concerned it'll become an ongoing issue after allowing a run and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings of Saturday's 4-1 win over Texas.


"None. There's a formula," said Wilson (1-2, 3.12 ERA), who didn't earn the decision. "I know what to do. We know what the process needs to be. If we just stick to that process, we'll be fine."


The left-hander has labored in his last nine interleague starts despite a 5-2 record, posting a 4.39 ERA dating to a win over the Giants in 2012. It was his only time facing San Francisco and he's never pitched at AT&T Park.


The Giants are opening a 10-game homestand after concluding a trying April with Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco is scoring 3.00 runs per game, which ranks ahead of only Philadelphia. It's been even worse at home (2.60).


Buster Posey has started to come around with six hits in four games, but he's a .203 career hitter against the AL.


On the mound, Chris Heston needs a bounce-back effort after his worst start in the majors. Heston (2-2, 2.77) limited opponents to a .203 average with two earned runs in his first three outings before allowing six runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings of last Friday's 6-4 loss in Colorado.


"A lot of balls were up," said the right-hander, who has never faced the AL. "Sinker was up tonight and the breaking balls were up. They made me pay when I left them up there."


The Angels have won six of seven in the series and five straight in San Francisco. The clubs haven't played there since 2009.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Nationals (9-13) at Mets (15-7)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Matt Harvey has received generous run support during his return from Tommy John surgery but hasn't usually needed too much help when he's faced the Washington Nationals.


The Nationals, though, have been locked in at the plate and will try to spoil Harvey's attempt to improve to 5-0 in a tantalizing pitching matchup with Max Scherzer on Friday night.


While he's done his part with a 3.04 ERA, Harvey has gotten 26 runs from the Mets (15-8) in his four starts. He finished one out shy of his second career complete game in Saturday's 8-2 win against the New York Yankees, yielding two runs and striking out seven.


"The biggest help was the run support and getting a little bit more comfortable out there," Harvey said.


The right-hander has 31 strikeouts to three walks and fanned nine while issuing one free pass in his highly anticipated season debut April 9 against Washington, a 6-3 win in the nation's capital.


Harvey pitched six scoreless innings and struck out nine to improve to 2-1 with a 0.82 ERA in five starts against the Nationals (10-13). That ERA is his second-lowest versus any NL opponent behind a 0.60 mark in two games against Colorado.


He'll try to become the first in the majors to reach five wins and the first Mets starter to win his first five outings since Pedro Martinez in 2006. Harvey won his first four starts and first five decisions in 2013.


Washington heads into this matchup after scoring 34 runs and batting .350 in three consecutive wins. It had 12 hits in an 8-2 victory Thursday that ended the Mets' 10-0 start at home.


Bryce Harper is 5 for 12 with four doubles in the past three games and drove in three runs Thursday. However, he's 0 for 10 with five strikeouts against Harvey.


The Nationals hit .189 and scored 14 runs while dropping their previous six.


"It's just the law of averages, I guess. That's why we play six months," first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. "I think everyone knew we weren't going to score two runs per game for the whole season. It evens out in the end. We just have to keep working hard like we do every day."


Scherzer (1-2, 1.26) hasn't seen that kind of performance at the plate in most of his four starts. He has gotten 11 runs of support with seven coming in a win against Philadelphia on April 17.


Scherzer yielded two runs in seven innings in his latest start April 23, a 4-1 loss to St. Louis. He was scratched Tuesday because of an ailing right thumb which he hurt while batting, but manager Matt Williams said the right-hander felt good after throwing on flat ground Wednesday.


Scherzer is 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four starts against the Mets and was charged with three unearned runs over 7 2-3 innings in a season-opening 3-1 loss.


Nationals center fielder Denard Span, 7 for 14 with two homers and four doubles in the last three games, might sit out Friday because of general soreness. He was lifted after five innings Thursday.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Nationals at Mets 8 - 2
Thu, Apr 30 - 7:10PM EDT


Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Nationals at Mets
Fri, May 1 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Nationals at Mets
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Nationals at Mets
Sun, May 3 - 1:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Wild (46-28) at Blackhawks (48-28)


Date: May 01, 2015 9:30 PM EDT

CHICAGO (AP) - Five games in 2013, a small speed bump in Chicago's run to the Stanley Cup title. Six games in 2014, a more difficult challenge for the Blackhawks.


Now the Minnesota Wild are in the second round for the second straight postseason, and standing in the way is their usual playoff roadblock. And even they are interested to see how they respond, beginning with Game 1 on Friday night in Chicago.


'We think we're in a better place, but we won't know until after,' coach Mike Yeo said. 'All we have is an opportunity to keep pushing and prove that we are better and that we're up to the task of knocking off a great hockey team.'


Minnesota was in a bad spot during a six-game slide in January that dropped the Wild to 18-19-5. But a trade for goaltender Devan Dubnyk fueled a resurgence that continued with a six-game victory over St. Louis in the first round of the playoffs.


With a deep group of forwards and Dubnyk on the best run of his career, the Wild are looking forward to measuring their progress against one of the league's traditional powers.


'They've been the team to beat, them and L.A., in the Western Conference, they've been the teams to beat the last couple of years,' winger Zach Parise said. 'When you get a chance, yeah, you see where you're at. If you want to get out of the West, you have to beat them.'


Chicago is going for its third Stanley Cup championship since 2010. It made it all the way to the conference finals a year ago, but its title defense ended with an epic seven-game loss to the eventual champion Kings.


Fast forward to this season, and the Blackhawks stumbled into the playoffs on a four-game losing streak. But they got Patrick Kane back from a broken collarbone in time for the series opener against Nashville, and their best players rose to the occasion once again in a six-game victory over the Predators.


Jonathan Toews is tied for the NHL lead with eight points in the playoffs, and defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook each made a couple of big plays in the first round. Mix in more brilliance from Marian Hossa and Kane's offensive presence, and the Blackhawks had enough to overcome a small goaltender controversy that concluded with starter Corey Crawford back in the net.


'In the Nashville series, I think we snuck out some games there, but for the most part we improved in a lot of areas and I think that's good news for us, but we're excited for the challenge,' Toews said.


Here are a few more things to watch when the Wild and Blackhawks meet:


THOSE SPECIAL, SPECIAL TEAMS: Minnesota leads the NHL in power-play percentage through the first round of the postseason, converting four of its 12 tries against St. Louis. Chicago allowed a league-worst six power-play goals against Nashville. Special teams, always a crucial part of the playoffs, could take on added importance in this series between familiar foes.


STOPPING BRYAN BICKELL: For all the talk about Toews, Kane and the rest of Chicago's biggest stars, Bryan Bickell has really hurt the Wild over the years. The rugged winger had four goals and two assists in last year's playoff series against Minnesota, and then collected four goals and an assist in five games versus the Wild this season.


When Bickell is playing well, he gives Chicago a physical presence in front of the net. If Dubnyk has any difficulty with rebound control, Bickell could present a problem for Minnesota.


'With Dubnyk in the net, he's a 6-foot-5-plus goalie who can see over - you name it,' Bickell said. 'We need to get traffic and hopefully we get opportunities that way.'


HOME SWEET HOME: The Blackhawks are 22-4 in their last 26 home playoff games, outscoring their opponents 88-54 in that stretch. The Wild are winless in six postseason games at Chicago, managing just eight goals in those losses.


Minnesota, which won at St. Louis in Game 2 of the first round, will need at least one road win to move on. The good news for the Wild is they were successful on their last trip to the Windy City, with Dubnyk making 32 saves in a 2-1 victory on April 7.


'It's not a secret, we haven't had any success there in the playoffs the last couple of years,' Parise said. 'It is a hard building. But like we've said the last little while and the last round, we've been playing well on the road. That's a good sign for us.'


MISSING VANEK: Thomas Vanek helped Montreal make it to the Eastern Conference finals a year ago, finishing with five goals and five assists in 17 playoff games. The winger then signed a $19.5 million, three-year deal with Minnesota, but managed just two assists in the first round against the Blues. Getting the veteran scorer untracked against the Blackhawks would provide a big lift for the Wild.


Notes: The Blackhawks said forward Kris Versteeg was out day-to-day with a lower-body injury that is 'not serious,' coach Joel Quenneville said following Thursday's practice. ... Chicago forward Daniel Carcillo, who had a concussion, was cleared to play. He skated in only three of the final 25 regular-season games, and didn't play against Nashville.

 

[CNOTES]

May Pitchers Report


April 29, 2015


For baseball purists, May is simply the 2nd month of the 2015 MLB season. But for die-hard baseball fans, namely those who enjoy handicapping America’s pastime, it signals our annual May Good Month/Bad Month pitchers report.


Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of May. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in April, winning 33% percent or less of their team-start efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each April over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.


Note: * designates a categorical repeat appearance by this pitcher, maintaining status quo from last season’s May list.


GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:


Bailey, Homer - 12-6 (7-0 H)


The Reds right-hander will start the month on the DL with a with a right elbow ligament sprain. This is coming off September surgery that repaired a torn flexor mass tendon in the same elbow. When right, Bailey has two good fastballs he can work either corner and go up or down the ladder. His splitter is one hitter’s will chase with two strikes.


*Buehrle, Mark - 15-2 (8-1 H)


The Toronto lefty continues to pitch well early in the season when he’s at his strongest now that he’s 35 years old. Buehrle has never thrown hard and his best fastball today might reach 85 MPH on a hot day, but he’s a craftsman working both sides of the plate.


*Cain, Matt - 12-2 (6-1 A)


The former ace of the San Francisco staff began playing catch on April 28th as he works his way back from a flexor tendon strain in his throwing arm. Cain has not pitched since spring training, and had an injury-plagued 2014 season come to an end with August elbow surgery to remove bone chips. His return is unknown.


*Cobb, Alex - 7-3 (3-1 A)


The 27-year-old right-hander has been sidelined with forearm tendinitis since March 17 and late in April tossed 21 pitches with no problem. He will continue rehab and if all goes well could be back later in May.


Lynn, Lance - 12-5 (8-2 H)


Lynn has inconspicuously become one of the best No. 2 starters in the National League. His trade skill is pounding the strike zone and he cuts his fastball to RH hitters. His big looping curveball will freeze opposing batters.


Sale, Chris - 10-1 (5-0 A)


Only 25, the White Sox left-hander has a herky-jerky delivery, hides the ball expertly and dives towards batters at the end of his delivery. His low to mid-90’s fastball commands both sides of the dish and varies the speed of his slider. A tough customer to face.


*Scherzer, Max - 13-4 (8-2 A)


The high-priced Washington ace has not been quite as advertised just yet, but has been known to heat up like the weather. In today’s world Scherzer is a workhorse and intelligently uses his variety of pitches to be able to confound opposing hitters even their third or fourth time at bat.


* Vogelsong, Ryan (12-4 (5-1 A)


At 37, Vogelsong’s best days are behind him, but with the Giants scrambling for starting pitching, he will again fit nicely in the back of the rotation. As long as the Charlotte native keeps the ball low, a quality start is possible.


Weaver, Jered - 10-2 (5-1 A)


Like Buehrle, Weaver lacks the big fastball, but survives on guile and knowing how to pitch, which is actually his best trait. When spots the fastball all his off-speed pitches are that much more effective.


BAD MONTH PITCHERS:


*Chacin, Jhoulys - 1-10 (0-5 A)


Was surprisingly cut by Colorado in April and signed a minor league deal with Cleveland on April 24th. Could be brought up in May or June if Indians need a warm body to start.


Correia, Kevin 5-11 - (2-5 H)


With San Francisco starting pitching woes, signed minor league deal in early April and could be called up if effective or if the Giants need a fifth starter.


Haren, Dan 6-12 - (3-8 A)


Haren used to throw low 90’s, not anymore and his off-speed breaking pitches and splitter are flatter compared to years gone by. They are all among the reasons his May record is terrible and his career is heading south at 34.


*Jackson, Edwin - 3-12 (1-8 A)


Moved to the Cubs bullpen and will be available as a spot starter. Would have been traded but current contract is unworkable for suitors.


Kennedy, Ian - 5-11 (2-6 A)


For Kennedy to be effective his mechanics have to be right or he tends to keep everything up in the zone. With already one trip to the DL this campaign, it is hard to imagine when the righty will rediscover his ability to keep the ball down.


Lincecum, Tim - 6-12 (4-8 H)


The two-time Cy Young winner has lost five MPH on his fastball and breaking pitches since 2011, which is precisely why he’s not the same pitcher he used to be. Unfortunately, getting your haircut does not make you throw harder.


*Lohse, Kyle - 5-11 (3-7 A)


Lohse is more of a feel pitcher and past May’s have shown he has not felt well. It has been even worse this season to date with gargantuan 7.28 ERA to start this month. Rest assured, playing for this Milwaukee bunch will not lead to more success.


*Nolasco, Ricky - 6-12 (3-7 A)


Been on the DL since April 9 with right elbow inflammation but pitched five innings, giving up one unearned run on three hits with five strikeouts on April 27th. The Twins management will decide the plan for Nolasco going forward and if he'll need another rehab start. Should be with Minnesota soon but not near the pitcher he was in Miami.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Phillies (8-14) at Marlins (10-12)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: May 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

With a dazzling young core and some veteran leadership, the Miami Marlins' current hot spell is a realization of the success many envisioned heading into 2015.

An ongoing influx of offense can help the Marlins further distance themselves from last place in the NL East, a spot now owned by the offensively challenged Philadelphia Phillies as they head to Miami on Friday night.

Miami (10-12) has won seven of eight to rebound from a rough start to the season that included three losing streaks of three or more games. The Marlins have scored 5.5 runs per game over the hot stretch, up from 3.79 through April 21.

Giancarlo Stanton and Adeiny Hechavarria have paced that effort with nine RBIs and eight runs apiece over the past eight games, while Stanton has three home runs and Hechavarria is 13 for 29 (.448).

This sort of production was expected of Stanton, as evidenced by his 13-year, $325 million contract, but Hechavarria had primarily been known as a defensive standout prior to this offensive outburst.

Hechavarria hit .251 over the past two seasons while totaling 76 RBIs, but he's on pace for 118 this year and is batting .321.

"You're talking about your seven- or eight-hole guy getting better," Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill told MLB's official website. "It makes you have a deeper lineup, which ultimately will help you score more runs and win more games."

The 26-year-old is among Miami's large contingent of budding stars along with the 25-year-old Stanton. Dee Gordon (27) is hitting .409 and on pace for 58 stolen bases, Marcell Ozuna (24) is hitting .342 in his last 11 games and J.T. Realmuto (24) - Miami's No. 2 rated prospect according to MLB - has assumed full-time catching duties. Christian Yelich (23) remains sidelined with a lower back strain.

On the elder side, the Marlins have enjoyed solid production from 41-year-old Ichiro Suzuki, who hit his first home run in Wednesday's 7-3 win over the New York Mets.

"I just think he's enjoying this atmosphere," manager Mike Redmond said. "It's been great for our guys to see how much fun he has continuing to play the game and how he competes and how he prepares and how he is in huge situations."

The Phillies (8-15) dropped two of three against the Marlins from April 21-23 and enter Friday's contest following three straight losses in St. Louis. They've scored more than three runs only three times in their last nine games and rank last in the majors with 2.74 runs per game.

Chase Utley, who was rested Thursday as the Phillies lost 9-3 to the Cardinals, is batting .114 and has three hits in his last 45 at_bats. Jeff Francoeur is in an 0-for-16 drought.

Philadelphia was held to one run in each loss of the Marlins series after winning the opener 7-3.

Jerome Williams (2-1, 3.80 ERA) won that day by allowing three runs - two earned - in six innings, and he'll look to win a third straight start Friday. He defeated Atlanta with 6 2-3 innings of three-run ball Sunday.

Williams will oppose Tom Koehler (2-2, 4.50), looking to carry momentum from a strong start Saturday, when he pitched 7 1-3 innings in an 8-0 win over Washington. Koehler last faced the Phillies in 2014, going 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA in four starts.

The Marlins starting staff has surrendered 10 earned runs in its last 50 2-3 innings.

Philadelphia's Ben Revere is 8 for 16 against Koehler in his career, and Utley is 5 for 13 with two doubles.

Odubel Herrera continues to be a bright spot in the Phillies lineup. The 23-year-old rookie is batting .412 with five RBIs in his last four games.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Reds (10-11) at Braves (10-11)
Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 01, 2015 7:35 PM EDT

Cincinnati's lineup is driving the ball out of the park, and Joey Votto's bat might be coming back to life.

Meanwhile, Atlanta could be in more trouble against Anthony DeSclafani after a listless offensive performance in the series opener.

The Reds seek their fourth win in five games Friday night against the Braves at Turner Field.

Cincinnati (11-11) enjoyed a strong all-around showing in Thursday's 5-1 victory, getting eight scoreless innings from Mike Leake, who hit his fifth career home run. Todd Frazier and Tucker Barnhart also went deep for the second straight game and Billy Hamilton supplied a solo shot, giving the Reds 10 homers over their last three games. Their 31 this season rank second in baseball.

Votto, hitting a team-high .317, doubled twice and is 4 for 10 over his last three games after going 0 for 15 with seven strikeouts in his previous four. He also has seven doubles in his last 11 against Atlanta.

The Braves (10-12), losers of eight of 10, were held to four hits and have only four home runs in their last 11 contests.

They've never seen DeSclafani (2-1, 1.04 ERA), who has been one of the NL's toughest pitchers through the first month, though he failed to record a quality start for the first time Sunday against the Chicago Cubs. He gave up five runs over five innings in a 5-2 loss, though only one was earned as Cincinnati committed two errors behind him in the fourth inning.

Regardless of the defensive miscues, DeSclafani wasn't thrilled with his performance.

"I was missing too much over the plate," said the right-hander, who had a 16-inning scoreless streak snapped. "I didn't have a really effective slider."

Opponents are still batting just .154 against him.

With Trevor Cahill demoted to the bullpen, the Braves are giving 23-year-old Mike Foltynewicz a shot in the rotation. Cahill was 0-3 with an 8.03 ERA in his first three starts, then gave up four runs in two innings of relief in Wednesday's 13-4 loss to Washington.

Foltynewicz, one of three players acquired from Houston in January in exchange for Evan Gattis, was 0-1 with a 5.30 ERA in 16 relief appearances for the Astros last year. The 23-year-old struggled in spring training, going 0-2 with a 5.84 ERA, prompting the organization to send him to Triple-A Gwinnett.

He went 0-3 in four starts despite a 2.08 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 21 2-3 innings. The 23-year-old failed to log more than five innings in three of his four outings.

Though Atlanta's pitching wasn't hit hard again like it was in giving up 26 runs and 30 hits over back-to-back defeats to the Nationals, the bullpen struggled again. Braves relievers allowed two of Cincinnati's home runs and have surrendered 18 runs in 12 innings over the last four games.

Chris Johnson will be placed on the disabled list after breaking his hand sliding into second base in the fourth inning, freeing a roster spot for Foltynewicz.

A.J. Pierzynski didn't play Thursday but has hit safely in all 12 games, batting .422 with 14 RBIs.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Braves
Thu, Apr 30 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores

GAME 2
Reds at Braves
Fri, May 1 - 7:35PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Braves
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Reds at Braves
Sun, May 3 - 1:35PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Athletics (9-13) at Rangers (7-14)
Game: 1
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: May 01, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin elected to give Scott Kazmir an extra day of rest, and given the lineup he'll now face, he still might not have to overexert himself.

The in-form left-hander takes the mound Friday night as the Athletics open a three-game road series against the Texas Rangers.

Kazmir (2-0, 0.99 ERA) has contributed once already to Texas' futile offense, limiting it to a hit in seven innings of a 10-0 win in his season debut April 8. Prince Fielder was 0 for 2 and fell to 1 for 11 in their matchups, while Adrian Beltre (9 for 40 with 12 strikeouts) and Robinson Chirinos (1 for 10) have also struggled.

Kazmir struck out 10 and improved to 4-1 with a 3.18 ERA in five starts against the Rangers while with Oakland.

He's limiting opponents to a .158 average and has struck out 30 in 27 1-3 innings. The three runs he's allowed have come on the road, but his last four away starts have resulted in a 2-1 record and 1.59 ERA.

In last Friday's 5-4 loss in 11 to visiting Houston, Kazmir allowed five hits in seven innings, and his teammates recognize he probably deserves more than two wins.

"What he's done for us his first four starts has been something special," outfielder Josh Reddick told MLB's official website.

The rotation in general had been pretty special to that point, but the starters posted a 5.86 ERA in the next five games. In Thursday's 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, the A's (9-14) fell just shy of rallying from four down in the ninth.

Reddick was in on it as part of a 2-for-4 day, and he's 13 for 26 during an eight-game hitting streak. Reddick is also batting .395 with 12 RBIs in his last 12 against the Rangers.

It was Oakland's sixth loss in seven games and eighth in as many day games, during which it has a 4.81 ERA and is averaging 3.50 runs. At night, it's posted a 3.02 ERA and scored 5.47 runs per game. Every other team in the majors has won a day game, though the A's won't have to worry about that in the first two in Texas.

The season-opening series between these clubs in Oakland resulted in a four-game split, and the A's won seven of 10 in Texas last season.

Texas (7-14) is still seeking its first series win, and it wasn't even close in a three-game home sweep at the hands of Seattle. The Rangers fell 5-2 on Wednesday behind five hits, and their .210 April average was the worst in the majors. Over the previous two seasons, excluding two March games, their best month has been May at .277.

"We haven't produced," manager Jeff Banister said. "We're not where we want to be or where we're going to be. The numbers say we need to be better and we're going to be better."

The offensive shortcomings have placed plenty of pressure on Colby Lewis, who has received a 2.63 run-support average in four starts. Lewis (1-2, 3.75) yielded two runs and four hits in five innings of Saturday's 4-1 road loss to the Angels.

His win came 3-1 on April 7 in Oakland, surrendering a run and three hits in six innings. In his last 12 starts against the A's, the right-hander is 7-1 with a 2.86 ERA. Stephen Vogt is 0 for 8 against Lewis and Eric Sogard is 1 for 9.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Pirates (12-10) at Cardinals (14-6)
Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: May 01, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

A.J. Burnett considered retirement during his second successful season with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013, then did so again following one the worst campaigns of his career after bolting in free agency.

What seems to be sure about Burnett, though, is that a Pirates uniform brings out the best in him.

Burnett takes the hill as Pittsburgh seeks a rare victory at Busch Stadium in the series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.

After going 26-21 with a 3.41 ERA in two years with the Pirates, Burnett opted against retirement and instead moved his family closer to his Maryland home by signing with Philadelphia for 2014.

Burnett, who went back on his word after saying he'd re-sign with Pittsburgh or retire, discussed retirement again while going 8-18 with 4.59 ERA in Philadelphia. He then left more than $4 million on the table by declining a player option and agreeing to a one-year, $8.5 million deal to return to Pittsburgh in the offseason.

That appears to have been a wise decision. Burnett (0-1, 1.80 ERA) has allowed just five runs in four starts after giving up one in seven innings of the Pirates' 2-1 win over Arizona on Saturday.

It's the first time since Aug. 9-19, 2005, while with the Marlins that the right-hander has allowed fewer than two runs in three consecutive starts.

'It's different now than it was a couple of years ago with velocity and stuff,' Burnett said. 'I just pitch and not get stubborn thinking I can sneak some balls by the hitters. Sometimes I can set that up. Just pitch and use the movement to my advantage.'

Burnett's best start with the Phillies came against the Cardinals on June 20, when he pitched his only complete game of the season in a 5-1 victory. That win came in St. Louis, where the Pirates (12-10) have dropped 14 of 17 including the 2013 postseason.

Pittsburgh lost the first two of its series with the Chicago Cubs before salvaging Wednesday's finale. Andrew McCutchen finished April hitting just .194, but he collected his 1,000th career hit and had a two-run triple in the 8-1 victory.

"It's nice to get out of here without getting swept," winning pitcher Gerrit Cole said. "We can relax a little more on the off day, clear our minds and get ready for St. Louis this weekend."

The Cardinals (15-6) improved to 8-2 at home by taking the final three of a four-game set with Philadelphia. Matt Adams hit a two-run homer and finished with three hits in Wednesday's 9-3 victory.

Adams is just 1 for 14 in his career off Burnett, but he enters this contest 8 for 13 over his last three as the Cardinals totaled 25 runs.

'When you get this offense really going, it's one of the best in the majors, and right now everybody it seems is producing,' Adams said. 'It seems like everything is starting to really come around, not just for me but for the offense itself."

Lance Lynn went 1-1 with a 1.56 ERA over his first three outings before giving up six runs and 10 hits in five innings of Sunday's 6-3 loss to Milwaukee. Lynn (1-2, 3.63) has made just one start at home, where he's 7-3 with a 1.83 ERA over his last 13 regular-season starts.

McCutchen is 6 for 38 (.158) with 14 strikeouts lifetime against Lynn, but the right-hander is just 1-3 with a 6.34 ERA in his last seven against the Pirates.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Diamondbacks (10-11) at Dodgers (13-8)
Game: 1
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 01, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The numbers seem to refute Jimmy Rollins' contention that Dodger Stadium is not a hitters' park as Los Angeles continues producing at home.

The Arizona Diamondbacks recently have shown they possess the ability to match any club run for run.

Former Dodger Rubby De La Rosa hopes to cool Los Angeles' bats as the clubs begin a three-game set Friday night.

Rollins hit one of the Dodgers' four home runs to help them improve to 10-2 at home with Wednesday's 7-3 victory over San Francisco. His shot leading off the third inning came after Joc Pederson, Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier went deep in the first.

Los Angeles (13-8) ranks near the top of the majors with 32 homers, with 19 coming at home. The 33 long balls in all hit at Dodger Stadium also rank among the most at any stadium in baseball, and the Dodgers' .290 home average is near the top of the majors.

The most recent power surge came after manager Don Mattingly shuffled his lineup around injuries to Carl Crawford (torn oblique muscle) and Yasiel Puig, who joined Crawford on the disabled list Sunday with a left hamstring injury.

"(Baseballs) seem to go to the outfield and die here very often," Rollins said. "I don't think anybody in here worried about whether we led the major leagues in home runs, as long as we were winning our division. That's the only thing we've focused on and will focus on.'

Arizona (10-11) is hitting .260 on the road and had a .229 mark at home before registering 21 runs and 28 hits to take the final two of a three-game home series with Colorado.

Jordan Pacheco hit a three-run homer and Paul Goldschmidt finished 9 for 14 in the series after recording three hits in Wednesday's 9-1 victory. A.J. Pollock, batting .517 during an eight-game hitting streak against the Dodgers, went hitless for the first time in nine games.

"If there was something easy, we'd probably do it every game," said Goldschmidt, who has homered in his last two at Dodger Stadium. "We'll need to do that a lot more going forward."

The Diamondbacks' offense wasn't able to back De La Rosa (2-1, 4.68 ERA) in one of his best starts Saturday as Arizona fell to Pittsburgh 2-1. The right-hander matched a career best by going seven innings while allowing one run and four hits and striking out a career high-tying eight.

"What I did (Saturday), the rest of my starts I have to do it and try to get more confident and throw more strikes," De La Rosa said.

De La Rosa will be facing his former club for the first time since he was sent to Boston in October 2012 to complete the blockbuster trade that sent Gonzalez and others to the Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks acquired De La Rosa from the Red Sox for Wade Miley in December. De La Rosa will oppose Carlos Frias, who is fighting for a vacant spot in the Dodgers' rotation after Brandon McCarthy had Tommy John surgery.

Frias hasn't allowed a run in 2 1-3 innings over two relief efforts, picking up the victory in Monday's 8-3 win over the Giants. He struck out two in two hitless innings in his lone appearance against the Diamondbacks last season.

The right-hander has made two career starts, and the last one didn't go very well. He gave up eight runs and 10 hits in just two-thirds of an inning of a 16-2 loss to Colorado on Sept. 17.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rockies (11-10) at Padres (11-12)
Game: 1
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: May 01, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The only time the San Diego Padres flexed some offensive muscle during a dreadful eight-game stretch was squandered by Ian Kennedy's worst outing in nearly two years.

Looking to redeem himself and put the Padres back on track after a string of poor showings, Kennedy will take the hill Friday against a Colorado Rockies team that pushed San Diego into its losing ways.

The Padres (11-12) have dropped seven of their last eight games, scoring more than four runs only once in that span with an 11-8 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. Kennedy (0-1, 10.80 ERA) allowed eight earned runs over 4 1-3 innings in his least effective start since surrendering 10 runs on June 6, 2013.

Although San Diego followed that defeat with a 3-1 win against the Dodgers, both the team's pitching and hitting have disappeared in the three games since. The Padres scored 3.0 runs per game while allowing 10.0 in a three-game sweep at home against Houston.

Andrew Cashner surrendered only two earned runs through seven innings Wednesday, but San Diego's bullpen fell apart late in a 7-2 loss.

"It's been a tough month," Cashner said. "We've hit when we haven't pitched, we've pitched when we haven't hit. It's a tough first month, but we're one game under .500. Considering the teams I've been on here, it's a positive start.

"This team's better than we've been playing, definitely. You've yet to see us pitch the way we're capable of pitching."

The opponent that sparked San Diego's poor play was Colorado (11-10), which took the last two of a four-game series April 20-23. The Rockies have treaded water since with two wins in five games after being outscored 21-6 in back-to-back losses to Arizona on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"You know, it's the cycles of a season," Rockies manager Walt Weiss told MLB's official website. "We had a period already where we lost five straight. We bounced back from that. It happens to every club. Nobody is exempt from the rough spots of the season."

Troy Tulowitzki continued his solid hitting in spite of the series loss, going 6 for 17 in his last four games with a 1.036 OPS. Charlie Blackmon is 9 for 24 (.375) over his last five. They combined for six hits - four for extra bases - in four games with San Diego but were outshined by Corey Dickerson, who went 4 for 9 with three home runs.

Eddie Butler (2-1, 3.27), who did not pitch in that series, takes the hill for the Rockies to open this three-game set. The 24-year-old tossed six innings and allowed a season-high in hits (nine) and runs (four) on April 24, yet earned the win in a 6-4 victory against San Francisco.

Colorado's bullpen, which worked three scoreless innings in that win, has been shaky in four games since, allowing 10 earned runs in 16 2-3 innings. The absence of closer Adam Ottavino figures into those struggles and he remains on the DL with right triceps inflammation.

San Diego's Wil Myers went 6 for 18 against the Rockies and is 7 for 22 with two home runs and six runs scored in his last five games overall. Justin Upton has only three hits in his last five contests - all home runs.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Angels (10-11) at Giants (9-13)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 01, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

While C.J. Wilson will start five days after having fluid drained from his elbow, he might not have Albert Pujols around to provide any run support.

Not that Pujols' early season struggles have provided much of that, but the Los Angeles Angels' lineup needed all the help it could get in a disappointing April.

The light-hitting Angels showed positive signs in their first game without the slugger and will hope for better as the calendar turns to May on Friday night in San Francisco, as will the low-scoring Giants.

Pujols, who hit .208 in his worst April ever, missed Thursday's 6-5 win at Oakland and is day to day because of a hamstring injury.

As a result, Mike Trout moved to the third spot in the lineup and Kole Calhoun hit cleanup. Both had two hits, and Calhoun backed up manager Mike Scioscia's move with three RBIs.

The right fielder is batting .405 in his last nine games after the Angels (11-11) matched their top run production over a 5-3 span. The 12-hit effort gave Los Angeles a season-high .232 average, but it was the Angels' worst April since batting .231 in 1995.

"Out of all the guys you'd want to hit behind Mike, right now it's Kole," Scioscia told MLB's official website. "... It's a deviation from what we really want to do in our lineup, but I think the circumstances are very clear. Right now, there's a lot of guys trying to find their game. And with Albert out of the lineup, we have to make some adjustments."

It could continue with Trout versus San Francisco (9-13), against which the MVP is 7 for 13. In NL parks, Trout (50 for 125) and Calhoun (10 for 25) are .400 hitters.

Wilson's last start came two days after his scheduled spot in the rotation because of elbow soreness, but he isn't concerned it'll become an ongoing issue after allowing a run and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings of Saturday's 4-1 win over Texas.

"None. There's a formula," said Wilson (1-2, 3.12 ERA), who didn't earn the decision. "I know what to do. We know what the process needs to be. If we just stick to that process, we'll be fine."

The left-hander has labored in his last nine interleague starts despite a 5-2 record, posting a 4.39 ERA dating to a win over the Giants in 2012. It was his only time facing San Francisco and he's never pitched at AT&T Park.

The Giants are opening a 10-game homestand after concluding a trying April with Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco is scoring 3.00 runs per game, which ranks ahead of only Philadelphia. It's been even worse at home (2.60).

Buster Posey has started to come around with six hits in four games, but he's a .203 career hitter against the AL.

On the mound, Chris Heston needs a bounce-back effort after his worst start in the majors. Heston (2-2, 2.77) limited opponents to a .203 average with two earned runs in his first three outings before allowing six runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings of last Friday's 6-4 loss in Colorado.

"A lot of balls were up," said the right-hander, who has never faced the AL. "Sinker was up tonight and the breaking balls were up. They made me pay when I left them up there."

The Angels have won six of seven in the series and five straight in San Francisco. The clubs haven't played there since 2009.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Nationals (9-13) at Mets (15-7)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Matt Harvey has received generous run support during his return from Tommy John surgery but hasn't usually needed too much help when he's faced the Washington Nationals.

The Nationals, though, have been locked in at the plate and will try to spoil Harvey's attempt to improve to 5-0 in a tantalizing pitching matchup with Max Scherzer on Friday night.

While he's done his part with a 3.04 ERA, Harvey has gotten 26 runs from the Mets (15-8) in his four starts. He finished one out shy of his second career complete game in Saturday's 8-2 win against the New York Yankees, yielding two runs and striking out seven.

"The biggest help was the run support and getting a little bit more comfortable out there," Harvey said.

The right-hander has 31 strikeouts to three walks and fanned nine while issuing one free pass in his highly anticipated season debut April 9 against Washington, a 6-3 win in the nation's capital.

Harvey pitched six scoreless innings and struck out nine to improve to 2-1 with a 0.82 ERA in five starts against the Nationals (10-13). That ERA is his second-lowest versus any NL opponent behind a 0.60 mark in two games against Colorado.

He'll try to become the first in the majors to reach five wins and the first Mets starter to win his first five outings since Pedro Martinez in 2006. Harvey won his first four starts and first five decisions in 2013.

Washington heads into this matchup after scoring 34 runs and batting .350 in three consecutive wins. It had 12 hits in an 8-2 victory Thursday that ended the Mets' 10-0 start at home.

Bryce Harper is 5 for 12 with four doubles in the past three games and drove in three runs Thursday. However, he's 0 for 10 with five strikeouts against Harvey.

The Nationals hit .189 and scored 14 runs while dropping their previous six.

"It's just the law of averages, I guess. That's why we play six months," first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. "I think everyone knew we weren't going to score two runs per game for the whole season. It evens out in the end. We just have to keep working hard like we do every day."

Scherzer (1-2, 1.26) hasn't seen that kind of performance at the plate in most of his four starts. He has gotten 11 runs of support with seven coming in a win against Philadelphia on April 17.

Scherzer yielded two runs in seven innings in his latest start April 23, a 4-1 loss to St. Louis. He was scratched Tuesday because of an ailing right thumb which he hurt while batting, but manager Matt Williams said the right-hander felt good after throwing on flat ground Wednesday.

Scherzer is 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four starts against the Mets and was charged with three unearned runs over 7 2-3 innings in a season-opening 3-1 loss.

Nationals center fielder Denard Span, 7 for 14 with two homers and four doubles in the last three games, might sit out Friday because of general soreness. He was lifted after five innings Thursday.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Mets 8 - 2
Thu, Apr 30 - 7:10PM EDT

Boxscores • Recaps
GAME 2
Nationals at Mets
Fri, May 1 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Nationals at Mets
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Nationals at Mets
Sun, May 3 - 1:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Wild (46-28) at Blackhawks (48-28)

Date: May 01, 2015 9:30 PM EDT

CHICAGO (AP) - Five games in 2013, a small speed bump in Chicago's run to the Stanley Cup title. Six games in 2014, a more difficult challenge for the Blackhawks.

Now the Minnesota Wild are in the second round for the second straight postseason, and standing in the way is their usual playoff roadblock. And even they are interested to see how they respond, beginning with Game 1 on Friday night in Chicago.

'We think we're in a better place, but we won't know until after,' coach Mike Yeo said. 'All we have is an opportunity to keep pushing and prove that we are better and that we're up to the task of knocking off a great hockey team.'

Minnesota was in a bad spot during a six-game slide in January that dropped the Wild to 18-19-5. But a trade for goaltender Devan Dubnyk fueled a resurgence that continued with a six-game victory over St. Louis in the first round of the playoffs.

With a deep group of forwards and Dubnyk on the best run of his career, the Wild are looking forward to measuring their progress against one of the league's traditional powers.

'They've been the team to beat, them and L.A., in the Western Conference, they've been the teams to beat the last couple of years,' winger Zach Parise said. 'When you get a chance, yeah, you see where you're at. If you want to get out of the West, you have to beat them.'

Chicago is going for its third Stanley Cup championship since 2010. It made it all the way to the conference finals a year ago, but its title defense ended with an epic seven-game loss to the eventual champion Kings.

Fast forward to this season, and the Blackhawks stumbled into the playoffs on a four-game losing streak. But they got Patrick Kane back from a broken collarbone in time for the series opener against Nashville, and their best players rose to the occasion once again in a six-game victory over the Predators.

Jonathan Toews is tied for the NHL lead with eight points in the playoffs, and defensemen Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook each made a couple of big plays in the first round. Mix in more brilliance from Marian Hossa and Kane's offensive presence, and the Blackhawks had enough to overcome a small goaltender controversy that concluded with starter Corey Crawford back in the net.

'In the Nashville series, I think we snuck out some games there, but for the most part we improved in a lot of areas and I think that's good news for us, but we're excited for the challenge,' Toews said.

Here are a few more things to watch when the Wild and Blackhawks meet:

THOSE SPECIAL, SPECIAL TEAMS: Minnesota leads the NHL in power-play percentage through the first round of the postseason, converting four of its 12 tries against St. Louis. Chicago allowed a league-worst six power-play goals against Nashville. Special teams, always a crucial part of the playoffs, could take on added importance in this series between familiar foes.

STOPPING BRYAN BICKELL: For all the talk about Toews, Kane and the rest of Chicago's biggest stars, Bryan Bickell has really hurt the Wild over the years. The rugged winger had four goals and two assists in last year's playoff series against Minnesota, and then collected four goals and an assist in five games versus the Wild this season.

When Bickell is playing well, he gives Chicago a physical presence in front of the net. If Dubnyk has any difficulty with rebound control, Bickell could present a problem for Minnesota.

'With Dubnyk in the net, he's a 6-foot-5-plus goalie who can see over - you name it,' Bickell said. 'We need to get traffic and hopefully we get opportunities that way.'

HOME SWEET HOME: The Blackhawks are 22-4 in their last 26 home playoff games, outscoring their opponents 88-54 in that stretch. The Wild are winless in six postseason games at Chicago, managing just eight goals in those losses.

Minnesota, which won at St. Louis in Game 2 of the first round, will need at least one road win to move on. The good news for the Wild is they were successful on their last trip to the Windy City, with Dubnyk making 32 saves in a 2-1 victory on April 7.

'It's not a secret, we haven't had any success there in the playoffs the last couple of years,' Parise said. 'It is a hard building. But like we've said the last little while and the last round, we've been playing well on the road. That's a good sign for us.'

MISSING VANEK: Thomas Vanek helped Montreal make it to the Eastern Conference finals a year ago, finishing with five goals and five assists in 17 playoff games. The winger then signed a $19.5 million, three-year deal with Minnesota, but managed just two assists in the first round against the Blues. Getting the veteran scorer untracked against the Blackhawks would provide a big lift for the Wild.

Notes: The Blackhawks said forward Kris Versteeg was out day-to-day with a lower-body injury that is 'not serious,' coach Joel Quenneville said following Thursday's practice. ... Chicago forward Daniel Carcillo, who had a concussion, was cleared to play. He skated in only three of the final 25 regular-season games, and didn't play against Nashville.

 

[CNOTES]

May Pitchers Report

April 29, 2015

For baseball purists, May is simply the 2nd month of the 2015 MLB season. But for die-hard baseball fans, namely those who enjoy handicapping America’s pastime, it signals our annual May Good Month/Bad Month pitchers report.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of May. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in April, winning 33% percent or less of their team-start efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each April over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.

Note: * designates a categorical repeat appearance by this pitcher, maintaining status quo from last season’s May list.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Bailey, Homer - 12-6 (7-0 H)

The Reds right-hander will start the month on the DL with a with a right elbow ligament sprain. This is coming off September surgery that repaired a torn flexor mass tendon in the same elbow. When right, Bailey has two good fastballs he can work either corner and go up or down the ladder. His splitter is one hitter’s will chase with two strikes.

*Buehrle, Mark - 15-2 (8-1 H)

The Toronto lefty continues to pitch well early in the season when he’s at his strongest now that he’s 35 years old. Buehrle has never thrown hard and his best fastball today might reach 85 MPH on a hot day, but he’s a craftsman working both sides of the plate.

*Cain, Matt - 12-2 (6-1 A)

The former ace of the San Francisco staff began playing catch on April 28th as he works his way back from a flexor tendon strain in his throwing arm. Cain has not pitched since spring training, and had an injury-plagued 2014 season come to an end with August elbow surgery to remove bone chips. His return is unknown.

*Cobb, Alex - 7-3 (3-1 A)

The 27-year-old right-hander has been sidelined with forearm tendinitis since March 17 and late in April tossed 21 pitches with no problem. He will continue rehab and if all goes well could be back later in May.

Lynn, Lance - 12-5 (8-2 H)

Lynn has inconspicuously become one of the best No. 2 starters in the National League. His trade skill is pounding the strike zone and he cuts his fastball to RH hitters. His big looping curveball will freeze opposing batters.

Sale, Chris - 10-1 (5-0 A)

Only 25, the White Sox left-hander has a herky-jerky delivery, hides the ball expertly and dives towards batters at the end of his delivery. His low to mid-90’s fastball commands both sides of the dish and varies the speed of his slider. A tough customer to face.

*Scherzer, Max - 13-4 (8-2 A)

The high-priced Washington ace has not been quite as advertised just yet, but has been known to heat up like the weather. In today’s world Scherzer is a workhorse and intelligently uses his variety of pitches to be able to confound opposing hitters even their third or fourth time at bat.

* Vogelsong, Ryan (12-4 (5-1 A)

At 37, Vogelsong’s best days are behind him, but with the Giants scrambling for starting pitching, he will again fit nicely in the back of the rotation. As long as the Charlotte native keeps the ball low, a quality start is possible.

Weaver, Jered - 10-2 (5-1 A)

Like Buehrle, Weaver lacks the big fastball, but survives on guile and knowing how to pitch, which is actually his best trait. When spots the fastball all his off-speed pitches are that much more effective.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

*Chacin, Jhoulys - 1-10 (0-5 A)

Was surprisingly cut by Colorado in April and signed a minor league deal with Cleveland on April 24th. Could be brought up in May or June if Indians need a warm body to start.

Correia, Kevin 5-11 - (2-5 H)

With San Francisco starting pitching woes, signed minor league deal in early April and could be called up if effective or if the Giants need a fifth starter.

Haren, Dan 6-12 - (3-8 A)

Haren used to throw low 90’s, not anymore and his off-speed breaking pitches and splitter are flatter compared to years gone by. They are all among the reasons his May record is terrible and his career is heading south at 34.

*Jackson, Edwin - 3-12 (1-8 A)

Moved to the Cubs bullpen and will be available as a spot starter. Would have been traded but current contract is unworkable for suitors.

Kennedy, Ian - 5-11 (2-6 A)

For Kennedy to be effective his mechanics have to be right or he tends to keep everything up in the zone. With already one trip to the DL this campaign, it is hard to imagine when the righty will rediscover his ability to keep the ball down.

Lincecum, Tim - 6-12 (4-8 H)

The two-time Cy Young winner has lost five MPH on his fastball and breaking pitches since 2011, which is precisely why he’s not the same pitcher he used to be. Unfortunately, getting your haircut does not make you throw harder.

*Lohse, Kyle - 5-11 (3-7 A)

Lohse is more of a feel pitcher and past May’s have shown he has not felt well. It has been even worse this season to date with gargantuan 7.28 ERA to start this month. Rest assured, playing for this Milwaukee bunch will not lead to more success.

*Nolasco, Ricky - 6-12 (3-7 A)

Been on the DL since April 9 with right elbow inflammation but pitched five innings, giving up one unearned run on three hits with five strikeouts on April 27th. The Twins management will decide the plan for Nolasco going forward and if he'll need another rehab start. Should be with Minnesota soon but not near the pitcher he was in Miami.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mariners (10-12) at Astros (15-7)
Game: 2
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 01, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Heading into May, the Houston Astros are tied for the best record in the American League.

They'll look to continue their surge while trying to win eight straight for the first time in seven seasons Friday night against the visiting Seattle Mariners.

The majors' biggest surprise, Houston (15-7) has joined reigning league champion Kansas City atop the AL while sharing the second-best mark in baseball. The Astros' win total for April is their most for the month since posting 16 in 2006, and their .682 winning percentage is the best since going 14-6 (.700) in 1986.

'The last week and a half, it has been good magic,' infielder Marwin Gonzalez said. 'We have come back over and over and are playing real good baseball. It's exciting.'

A winner in 11 of 12, Houston can win eight in a row for the first time since Aug. 27-Sept. 3, 2008, after pulling out a 3-2, 10-inning victory over Seattle (10-12) on Thursday.

"We got the team to do it," said star second baseman Jose Altuve, whose third hit of the night drove home the winning run. "We're going to do everything we can to win."

Altuve continues to do his part, batting .487 (19 for 39) with nine RBIs while recording at least two hits in eight consecutive contests - one shy of matching the club record shared by Jesus Alou (1969) and Billy Hatcher (1987). He's hit .429 with five doubles and eight RBIs in his last eight against the Mariners.

Winners in four straight and eight of nine against the AL West, the Astros are 11-5 within the division.

They'll try to continue that success behind Samuel Deduno (0-0, 2.89 ERA), who makes his first start after five relief appearances. The right-hander, who went 2-4 with a 5.91 ERA while making eight starts with Minnesota and one for Houston in 2014, gets this shot after Asher Wojciechowski was demoted to Triple-A Fresno.

"It's nice though that Sammy gets a chance to start," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow told MLB's official website. "We don't want that long (reliever) role to be a place where you don't have a shot to get to the rotation."

Deduno hasn't disappointed as a starter versus Seattle, going 3-1 with a 1.38 ERA.

Austin Jackson, however, is 5 for 14 with a homer against him. Jackson had three of his team's 11 hits Thursday, but Seattle's three-game winning streak ended after it did not score after the first inning.

Teammate Roenis Elias (0-0, 3.18) walked six but posted a 1.59 ERA while not factoring in the decision of two 2014 starts against the Astros that came at home.

Called up to make his 2015 debut in place of the injured Hisashi Iwakuma, the left-hander allowed two runs, six hits, walked three and struck out six in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-2, 11-inning loss to Minnesota on Sunday.

"Started to get in a rhythm as the game went along," Elias said. "Obviously, it's the first start of the year and just wanted to help the team get a win. I got comfortable as the game went along.

"The changeup and the curveball were working really well, I just have to work on the command of my fastball a little more."

Altuve's only hit in six at_bats versus Elias left the park.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Astros
Thu, Apr 30 Final 2 to 3

Boxscores
GAME 2
Mariners at Astros
Fri, May 1 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Mariners at Astros
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Mariners at Astros
Sun, May 3 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: White Sox (8-11) at Twins (10-12)
Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: May 01, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Minnesota Twins haven't had much success against Jose Quintana in recent years, though they're likely feeling confident after an offensive outburst against one of baseball's top pitchers.

Minnesota will try to put up another big number Friday night against the visiting Chicago White Sox.

The Twins (10-12) have hit .290 while winning four of six and had 13 hits in Thursday's series-opening 12-2 victory, including nine in three innings against Chris Sale. Minnesota totaled 12 runs in dropping two of three at Chicago from April 10-12.

"Hitting is contagious," Sale said. "You give a team like that energy, and they're going to roll with it. And that's what they did."

Joe Mauer had three hits and drove in two runs for the second straight game. He has hit .411 with 12 extra-base hits and 15 RBIs in his last 18 home games against the White Sox (8-11).

Brian Dozier was 2 for 5 with a homer and four RBIs, improving to 6 for 19 with two home runs and six RBIs against Chicago this season. He's 12 for 63 (.190) with no homers and four RBIs against other teams.

Quintana (1-1, 6.55 ERA) was shelled for a career-worst nine runs over four-plus innings in a 9-1 loss at Detroit on April 19 but bounced back last Friday by holding Kansas City to two runs over seven in a suspended game Chicago won 3-2 on Sunday.

The left-hander struggled initially against Minnesota, going 0-2 with a 9.15 ERA in his first four meetings. He's 3-0 with a 1.91 ERA in his last six, however, and struck out a career-high 13 in a 5-1 victory Sept. 13.

Mauer is 9 for 21 with two homers against Quintana, while Dozier is 5 for 25 with seven strikeouts.

Chicago had 12 hits Thursday but stranded 10 men and scored fewer than four runs for the fourth time in five games. Manager Robin Ventura was more bothered by the team's sloppy defense, as the White Sox committed two errors and have five in the last four games.

"We also didn't help (Sale)," Ventura said. "We haven't been sharp defensively the last three games. Any time you give them more opportunities, you put a guy in a bind."

Kyle Gibson (1-2, 4.84) has been erratic for the Twins, allowing nine earned runs over 8 2-3 innings in his two losses. He comes off a solid outing, though, limiting Seattle to two runs over seven-plus in a 4-2 win in 11 on Sunday.

Gibson has won his last three home starts while posting a 2.75 ERA. He had been 5-6 with a 5.32 ERA in his first 16 outings at Target Field.

The right-hander hasn't had a chance to face Chicago at home, going 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA in two games at U.S. Cellular Field. Five of the six runs he gave up in 12 2-3 innings came on three homers.

Jose Abreu has a hit in all 10 career games at Target Field, going 14 for 41 (.341) with 10 RBIs after driving in a run Thursday.

Kurt Suzuki has hit .397 with 16 RBIs in 18 games against the White Sox since joining the Twins prior to last season.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
White Sox at Twins
Thu, Apr 30 Final 2 to 12
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
White Sox at Twins
Fri, May 1 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
White Sox at Twins
Sat, May 2 - 2:10PM EDT

GAME 4
White Sox at Twins
Sun, May 3 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Tigers (15-8) at Royals (15-7)
Game: 2
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: May 01, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

With Edinson Volquez suspended, veteran right-hander Chris Young is getting his first start for the Kansas City Royals.

Kyle Lobstein has already experienced the life of a fill-in starter and will try to get the Detroit Tigers back in the win column against their AL Central rivals Friday night.

Young (1-0, 1.86 ERA) is getting the call after Volquez was banned five games for his role in a brawl with the Chicago White Sox last week. Volquez's 1.91 ERA is the best in Kansas City's rotation.

Young, who has made five relief appearances, went 12-9 with a 3.70 ERA in 29 starts with Seattle last season. He was 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two against Detroit.

Alex Gordon drove in two runs in a series-opening 8-1 victory for the Royals (15-7) on Thursday, giving him eight RBIs in his past five games, and Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer for the second straight contest.

Kansas City's 15 wins were the second-most in April in franchise history.

"It's a great way to start the season," manager Ned Yost said. "I'm just pleased with all phases our game right now."

Kansas City lost eight of 10 home games to the Tigers and 13 of 19 overall in 2014 en route to finishing one game behind Detroit in the division.

"We're a different team than the last time we faced them," Hosmer said. 'We said it would be a good test for our team to see where we're at. It's only one game, but these games are important."

The Royals, who turned their wild-card berth into a trip to the World Series, are heading into May with a half-game lead over Detroit (15-8) in what's shaping up as another duel in the Central. The Tigers hit .308 with 29 runs while winning four of five before Thursday.

"I'm not worried about this club," manager Brad Ausmus said. "We'll come ready to play."

With Justin Verlander recovering from a strained right triceps, Lobstein (2-1, 3.50) will try to boost his club with another solid performance. The left-hander allowed three runs in seven innings, matching his longest outing in nine career starts, in an 8-6 win over Cleveland on Sunday.

Lobstein received seven runs of support in each of his two wins and got none in the defeat, which was also one of his better performances. He gave up one run and three hits in six innings of a 5-2 loss to the New York Yankees on April 21.

Lobstein will pitch against the Royals for the first time and no one on Kansas City has faced him.

Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Yoenis Cespedes are a combined 4 for 39 with nine strikeouts against Young.

The status of Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar for the rest of this series is unknown because of concussion symptoms suffered when he was hit in the helmet by a pitch Wednesday in Cleveland.

Escobar, batting .291 in 19 games, hit .370 in his final seven against Detroit last season.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Royals
Thu, Apr 30 Final 1 to 8
Boxscores

GAME 2
Tigers at Royals
Fri, May 1 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Tigers at Royals
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT

GAME 4
Tigers at Royals
Sun, May 3 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Weekend Primer

May 1, 2015


Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals

One of the top stories early on, and really still up to this point, has been the growing rivalry between the AL Central-residing Tigers and Royals, which really started to become significantly bigger towards the tail-end of last season when both teams were neck-and-neck for first place. At this juncture of the campaign, it might be safe to say that we’re in for much of the same in 2015, as both teams are separated by a half-game for the division-lead heading into this first clash of the year.

In game one of this momentous four-game series, the Royals prevailed easily, 8-1, as left-hander Danny Duffy contributed a solid effort. This win might be more remembered, though, for cracking the shield of Alfredo Simon, who was excellent in his first four starts before getting knocked around by KC for six runs in 4 1/3 innings. The Royals’ offense has been tremendous this season, plating the second most runs in the American League, and in the process, have registered a 13-7-2 record towards over bets, which is one of the best records in that department.

I think it’s still too early to tell who the superior club is, if one were thinking about taking the series odds here. On one side, the Royals are firing on all cylinders, as evident in the fact that they own the largest run differential in all of baseball -- and by a large margin -- at +45. Detroit, despite cooling off a bit since their 11-2 start, is also elite and arguably has the most stacked lineup in the game that is completely relentless. It should definitely be a fun series, and there could be some more runs in the second game with Kyle Lobstein taking on ageless Chris Young.

Washington Nationals at New York Mets

Since a blazing hot start to the year, the uprising Mets are suddenly slumping a bit, having lost five of their past seven, including last night’s opener of this compelling four-game series with division nemesis Washington. In turn, it is the Nationals, who were probably baseball’s biggest disappointment in the early going, now that are surging, currently carrying a very crucial three-game winning streak after previously being 7-13 earlier in the week.

And that brings us to this important NL East series to kick off May, with the Mets looking to prove that their breakout is indeed real (since I predicted it, they certainly don’t need to prove it anymore to me), and the Nationals seeking to continue making up lost ground from the start of the year. It could be a very telling series moving forward.

With the Nationals having their full outfield back healthy, the offense has picked it up considerably, and that was the No. 1 culprit in the club’s lackluster beginning. They were missing two key players from their core, Jayson Werth and Denard Span, but with them back, the offense is producing like normal again, and is currently on a streak where they’ve scored a whopping 38 runs over their past four games. When Anthony Rendon comes back, that could be the difference, but in the meantime, they’ll have some tough pitching to deal with and continue their offensive onslaught. They were able to -- thanks to a really, really horrendous error by Wilmer Flores on the easiest double-play ball you’ll ever see -- scratch some runs out of Jacob deGrom in the opener, but must now deal with “The Dark Knight” himself, Matt Harvey, in the second game. They’ll counter with former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, who has been phenomenal in his first handful of starts with the Nationals, and this could end up being one of the better pitcher’s duels of the season. Tread carefully with the over/under being 6, especially with the Mets being a very notable 14-7-2 towards the over.

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

It’s always an eventful happening when baseball’s most decorated rivalry, the Yankees and Red Sox, meet up once more, as these two storied franchises will be engaging in a series for the second weekend in three weeks. In that first meeting, Boston took two out of three, and will now be hosting the proceedings at Fenway Park.

Since losing that series, though, the Yankees have been one of the hottest teams in all of Major League Baseball, being 11-5 over the current stretch and winning four straight series in the process, including over the Tigers and Mets. The Red Sox, meanwhile, have lost five of eight, but are still maintaining their dangerous offense.

Unsurprisingly, when both clubs hooked up for their first three matchups of 2015, all of them resulted in overs. It’s no secret that Boston’s offense has come to life this year in a monster way, after unexpectedly being one of the lower-scoring teams in the AL a season ago. In fact, entering the weekend, they’ve recorded the third most runs by any team, having 113. The Yankees’ lineup has also been very live, with Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira experiencing renaissance years thus far, and they’re right behind Boston with 109 runs. Considering Boston has the worst team ERA of any starting rotation, it should be more likely than not that the Bronx Bombers continue with their impressive offensive ways. And with both teams being a combined 27-17-2 towards over bets on the season, that could once again be the theme for this three-game set. C.C. Sabathia starts it off for the Yanks against Justin Masterson.

Other Weekend Thoughts

-- When the Giants and Angels get together for a three-game set beginning tonight, it will not only be an intriguing rematch of the 2002 World Series, but it could also be something that instantly springboards one of these potential contenders. Obviously, with San Francisco coming off their third world championship in five years, expectations were relatively high, despite the significant injury to Hunter Pence, and entering this slate with a 9-13 record, they’re certainly underachieving. At 11-11, you can say the same for the Angels, but they’ve won five of seven and appear to be in better shape than their opponent for this weekend. As a result, they’re probably the better bet here to pull this series out.

-- The series between the Mariners and Astros is going to be real fresh and interesting to watch. That’s because this will be a showdown between the surprise team in all of baseball, Houston, who many still figured was another year or two away from legitimately contending, this even after a dreadful four-year period that easily ranks up there as the worst stretch in franchise history. And then there’s Seattle, a trendy pick to win the AL West this season, if not more. Instead, it’s the Astros who are comfortably in front of the pack, and after a few weeks, certainly look like they’re going to be hanging around contention all year long. These two met a couple of weeks ago, with Houston taking two out of three, and if they can win another series from the Mariners, it could go even further in solidifying their current standing. All in all, Houston does look like they’re for real, as I touched on last week. This is no mirage and they should be relied on accordingly.

Fearless Prediction

--The Pirates are 3.5 games back of the first-place Cardinals -- and all-too familiar sight in this current era -- but I think they’ll make a statement this weekend and win this three-game series on the road at Busch Stadium. They’ve won six of eight entering the weekend, and can start to put a dent into St. Louis while they potentially become vulnerable in the absence of staff ace Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals, however, currently sport baseball’s best record at 15-6 and appear to be in their usual rhythm. In recent years, this has become one of the NL’s best rivalries and that should continue this weekend. Pittsburgh offers promising value from a series odds standpoint.

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

-- Washington 2, Rangers 1-- Joel Ward scored in last two seconds for the win.

-- Anaheim 6, Calgary 1-- Flames are 1-23 in last 24 games in Orange County.

-- Bulls 120, Bucks 66-- Ugly end to a promising season for Milwaukee.

-- Clippers 102, Spurs 96-- Road team won four of six series games.

-- Royals 8, Tigers 1-- Kansas City is now 8-0 in series openers.

-- Nationals 8, Mets 3-- Last six Washington games went over the total

**********

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Happy May Day, everyone...........

13) After months and months of speculation, Round 1 of the draft was marked by the expected happening-- not many surprises at all Thursday night. Makes you wonder why so many media outlets pay so many people to speculate on whats going to happen, when nothing out of the ordinary happens.

Then again, Round 2 is tonight and the rest of the draft is Saturday; could be some wheeling and dealing then, or is this draft a little talent-shy, so people aren't willing to take a chance on a big trade?

12) ESPN has a new star in Louis Riddick, who is excellent on TV; he only got on because Ray Lewis begged out after the problems in Baltimore, but they are idiots if Riddick doesn't become a big part of their pregame show.

11) There are more than 3,000 hats stored backstage at the draft; all 32 teams in every size. Merchandising is big business.

10) Odd but true: since he came into the NFL, Matt Ryan has made more money than Tom Brady- go figure.

9) Only two trades last night; San Diego traded up to get RB Melvin Gordon, which will boost their offense- they gave up a lot to move up two slots.

8) Speaking of the Chargers, Mrs Philip Rivers is pregnant with the couple's 8th child-- San Diego was wise to hang onto the veteran QB.

7) Washington Huskies were only team to have three kids drafted last night, which I'm sure makes coach Petersen happy-- good ammunition for when he goes out recruiting for the next year.

6) One of those three players was CB Marcus Peters, who Petersen tossed off the team LY after an series of arguments with assistant coaches. Kansas City scouts talked with Petersen's staff and with former coach Steve Sarkisian, and they must've found Sarkisian more convincing- they drafted the kid.

5) Saints are going to run the ball more; why else would they draft 6-7, 313-pound Andrus Peat in the first round?

4) Marc Trestman will be Baltimore's fourth OC in four years; his QB coach is Marty Mornhinweg, who somehow keeps getting NFL jobs, despite showing nothing that would distinguish him as an assistant or head coach.

3) Hard to believe, but when the Giants drafted Ereck Flowers, he was the first Miami Hurricane drafted in first round since Kenny Phillips in 2008, also by the Giants. Before that, Miami had gone 14 years in a row with a first round pick.

2) Interesting hearing NFL Network guys saying that Leonard Williams was "the best player in the draft." More than one guy said that. Jets got themselves a good deal.

1) Elsewhere, Billy Donovan left Florida for the NBA-- big story next week will be who gets the Florida job and how many dominos does that create, job-wise?

 

[CNOTES]

MLB
Dunkel

Friday, May 1

Pittsburgh Pirates @ St. Louis Cardinals

Game 959-960
May 1, 2015 @ 8:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh Pirate
(Burnett) 15.073
St. Louis Cardina
(Lynn) 16.644
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
St. Louis Cardina
by 1 1/2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
St. Louis Cardina
-135
7 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
St. Louis Cardina
(-135); Under

Arizona Diamondbacks @ Los Angeles Dodgers

Game 961-962
May 1, 2015 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona Diamondba
(De La Rosa) 15.723
Los Angeles Dodge
(Frias) 17.313
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles Dodge
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles Dodge
-145
8
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles Dodge
(-145); Under

Colorado Rockies @ San Diego Padres

Game 963-964
May 1, 2015 @ 10:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Colorado Rockies
(Butler) 16.538
San Diego Padres
(Kennedy) 15.429
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado Rockies
by 1
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Diego Padres
-150
7
Dunkel Pick:
Colorado Rockies
(+130); Over

Tampa Bay Rays @ Baltimore Orioles

Game 965-966
May 1, 2015 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tampa Bay Rays
(Colome) 15.587
Baltimore Orioles
(Tillman) 16.429
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Baltimore Orioles
by 1
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Tampa Bay Rays
-120
8
Dunkel Pick:
Baltimore Orioles
(+100); Over

Toronto Blue Jays @ Cleveland Indians

Game 967-968
May 1, 2015 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto Blue Jays
(Buehrle) 15.732
Cleveland Indians
(Carrasco) 12.404
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto Blue Jays
by 3 1/2
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland Indians
-130
8
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto Blue Jays
(+110); Over

New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox

Game 969-970
May 1, 2015 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York Yankees
(Sabathia) 17.784
Boston Red Sox
(Masterson) 15.404
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York Yankees
by 2 1/2
10
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston Red Sox
-130
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New York Yankees
(+110); Over

Oakland Athletics @ Texas Rangers

Game 971-972
May 1, 2015 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oakland Athletics
(Kazmir) 16.833
Texas Rangers
(Lewis) 13.305
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oakland Athletics
by 3 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oakland Athletics
-135
8 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oakland Athletics
(-135); Under

Milwaukee Brewers @ Chicago Cubs

Game 951-952
May 1, 2015 @ 2:20 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee Brewers
(Peralta) 14.693
Chicago Cubs
(Lester) 13.515
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee Brewers
by 1
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago Cubs
-175
No Run Total
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee Brewers
(+155); N/A

Seattle Mariners @ Houston Astros

Game 973-974
May 1, 2015 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Seattle Mariners
(Elias) 13.305
Houston Astros
(Deduno) 14.819
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston Astros
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston Astros
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Houston Astros
N/A

Washington Nationals @ New York Mets

Game 953-954
May 1, 2015 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington Nation
(Scherzer) 18.329
New York Mets
(Harvey) 13.315
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington Nation
by 5
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New York Mets
-120
6
Dunkel Pick:
Washington Nation
(+100); Under

Detroit Tigers @ Kansas City Royals

Game 975-976
May 1, 2015 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit Tigers
(Lobstein) 14.315
Kansas City Royal
(Young) 12.722
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit Tigers
by 1 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Kansas City Royal
-125
9
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit Tigers
(+105); Under

Philadelphia Phillies @ Miami Marlins

Game 955-956
May 1, 2015 @ 7:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia Phil
(Williams) 13.457
Miami Marlins
(Koehler) 18.329
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami Marlins
by 5
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami Marlins
-165
8
Dunkel Pick:
Miami Marlins
(-165); Over

Chicago White Sox @ Minnesota Twins

Game 977-978
May 1, 2015 @ 8:10 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago White Sox
(Quintana) 15.352
Minnesota Twins
(Gibson) 16.282
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota Twins
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago White Sox
-115
8
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota Twins
(-105); Under

Cincinnati Reds @ Atlanta Braves

Game 957-958
May 1, 2015 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cincinnati Reds
(DeSclafani) 15.141
Atlanta Braves
(Foltynewicz) 12.210
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cincinnati Reds
by 3
9
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cincinnati Reds
-120
7
Dunkel Pick:
Cincinnati Reds
(-120); Over

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim @ San Francisco Giants

Game 979-980
May 1, 2015 @ 10:15 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles Angel
(Wilson) 13.320
San Francisco Gia
(Heston) 14.897
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Francisco Gia
by 1 1/2
8
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Francisco Gia
-115
7
Dunkel Pick:
San Francisco Gia
(-115); Over