Friday 8/28/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

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SPOT PLAYS

For Friday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Arlington Park (1st) Legend Forever, 7-2
(5th) Armando's Star, 4-1

Belterra Park (1st) Lady Sasha, 9-2
(6th) Discreet Kiss, 3-1

Canterbury Park (4th) Sunshine Kim, 3-1
(5th) Jeffell, 3-1


Charles Town (6th) Rapid Distinction, 5-1
(7th) Fiddlers Elbow, 4-1


Del Mar (2nd) Madam Aamoura, 7-2
(5th) Ivana Beat Yabad, 6-1


Ellis Park (2nd) Pulpit's Legacy, 4-1
(3rd) Honey C, 5-1


Emerald Downs (3rd) Mz Dyno, 3-1
(4th) Single Launch, 7-2


Evangeline Downs (4th) Quick Count, 8-1
(9th) Bullseye Hayes, 5-1


Finger Lakes (5th) Patron Saint, 3-1
(6th) Get Busted, 8-1


Golden Gate Fields (2nd) Exponentially, 6-1
(7th) Magic Lily, 5-1


Gulfstream Park (4th) War Ready, 8-1
(6th) Afleet Accompli, 4-1


Indiana Grand (5th) Return of the Rock, 4-1
(8th) Hard Limits, 3-1


Louisiana Downs (4th) E Moon, 6-1
(5th) First At the Bar, 7-2


Monmouth Park (6th) Gorgeous Sunrise, 7-2
(9th) Sequiota, 5-1


Penn National (4th) Gwendolyn, 6-1
(5th) Flirting Clara, 3-1


Remington Park (2nd) Messer Mad Cat, 4-1
(5th) Dead On, 7-2


Retama Park (5th) Cocaptain, 7-2
(8th) Henyetta, 5-1


Saratoga (10th) Force, 3-1
(11th) Hushhushmushmush, 7-2


Woodbine (4th) Ethical Funds, 9-2
(7th) Mighty Samson, 6-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Dress Rehearsal'

This week is the closest thing to a regular season game teams play during August. With three games on tap Friday, followed by thirteen running Saturday through Sunday both fans and bettors alike should be in for an entertaining weekend of football. Preseason results don’t count for anything in the end, but any NFL head coach should be somewhat concerned if his team is winless at this stage and should have the troops play with a lot more urgency. At the other end of the spectrum, any NFL head coach who's team is off to a perfect start will want to maintain the positive vibe as it lends to confidence when the games really do count.

At this juncture there are eight winless and eight perfect teams heading into dress rehearsal week. So, do NFLx sports bettors side with the winless or the unblemished ?? History would suggest winless teams as this group has posted a 23-15 ATS record the past five years with those wearing road jerseys the best bets at 11-4 ATS. As for the flawless squads, you back them at some risk. The last thirty-six teams with back-2-back wins heading into WK3 were just 15-21 ATS split betweem 4-10 ATS in front of a friendly crowd, 11-11 ATS in unfriendly territory.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys August 29, 7:00 EST

Minnesota unbeaten in seven preseason games under head coach Mike Zimmer (6-1 ATS) look to remain perfect during these tune-up clashes as they travel to Dallas to take on winless Cowboys. The defensive effort on full display allowing an average 12.2 PPG last August and just 10.3 PPG in their three preseason tilts this year coach Zimmer is shaping up to be one of the few coaches putting an emphasis on winning these meaningless games. Dallas notching a total 13 points in dropping both its contest against San Diego and San Francisco will be scrounging for points against this stingy Minnesota defense. With coach Jason Garrett's troops now 7-12 SU, 6-13 ATS averaging a mesily 14.8 PPG since taking over reigns in Dallas the numbers point toward a 'Play-On' Vikings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marlins (51-77) at Nationals (64-62)

Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: August 28, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

It's been five seasons since Max Scherzer lost three straight starts, and slightly longer since he went a full calendar month without a victory.

The right-hander looks to keep both from happening Friday night when his Washington Nationals host the Miami Marlins.

In his first season as a full-time starter with Arizona in 2009, Scherzer (11-10, 2.79 ERA) went 0-2 with a 3.48 ERA in four April starts. Since, he's earned at least one winning decision in a month that's featured more than three games - a run that's in jeopardy heading into his final outing of August.

Scherzer, who then would throw Sept. 2 at St. Louis, is 0-2 with a 6.86 ERA in four starts this month and in danger of losing three straight for the first time since May 2010. Though he hasn't completed more than six innings in any of those outings and has yielded five homers this month, Scherzer is not discouraged.

'I've been pitching with good stuff,' he said after allowing three runs, eight hits and walking three in six-plus innings of last Thursday's 3-2 loss at Colorado. 'I just got to get back on track and keep going forward and keep pitching well, no matter what."

Scherzer is 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA this season against Miami (51-77), which has totaled 13 runs while losing six of seven.

Washington (64-62) trails the NL East-leading New York Mets by 6 1/2 games, but has averaged 6.4 runs while winning four of five. Ryan Zimmerman, who homered for the second time in three games in Thursday's 4-2 win over San Diego, has nine RBIs in the last four contests.

He went 1 for 16 in his first five games against the Marlins this season but is 5 for 15 over the last four.

Washington, however, won't have Denard Span, who is headed back to the disabled list with hip inflammation. The center fielder played only two games since he was activated Tuesday from a DL stint that began July 10 because of back tightness.

Michael Taylor started in center Thursday but his status remains uncertain after he left with a knee contusion. Third baseman Yunel Escobar also is day to day with a hand contusion.

'I don't know if I've ever seen anything like (the injuries of the season),' manager Matt Williams said. 'But it is what it is. There's not much you can do about it.'

The Nationals get their first look at Adam Conley (1-1, 4.88), who walked four but allowed one run in six innings of a 2-0 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday in his fourth career start. Miami scored 37 runs in his first three starts.

'It's not going to happen every time for us, but the mission is still the same," the left-hander said.

Martin Prado is 6 for 13 against Scherzer, and batting .348 in the last six games.

Christian Yelich went 2 for 3 off Scherzer earlier this season, but he could miss a second straight contest with a bruised right knee. It's the same knee that landed him on the DL from Aug. 10 until Tuesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockies (51-74) at Pirates (77-49)

Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: August 28, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates faced a journeyman starter and a rookie to end their previous series against one of the NL's worst clubs, and that's exactly what they'll see in the first two games against another bottom feeder.

Neither can look much worse than he did in his last outing for the Colorado Rockies.

First up hoping to rebound is top prospect Jon Gray, who looked good in his only other road start but could find success a bit harder to come by against Francisco Liriano and the Pirates on Friday night.

Pittsburgh (77-49) jumped all over Miami veteran Chris Narveson in his first start in three years in Wednesday's 7-2 victory, then used Pedro Alvarez's fourth-inning homer off rookie Justin Nicolino to take three of four with Thursday's 2-1 win.

'He has as much raw power as anybody in the game, except for maybe (Giancarlo Stanton),' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Alvarez, who has six homers and a 1.150 OPS since Aug. 11.

The Pirates should be salivating at the prospect of facing Gray (0-0, 5.94 ERA) and Chris Rusin after that duo managed to surrender 17 runs and 20 hits while lasting a combined 3 2-3 innings a week ago at home against the New York Mets. The rookie gave up seven of those runs, recording only five outs in last Friday's 14-9 loss.

"(His location) wasn't all that bad and our park was playing crazy, like it used to in the old days," said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. "I'm not too worried about Jonny Gray. He's handled himself very well so far. He's a lot more confident than I saw him in spring training. He's a lot more convicted to what he does. He's in a good place."

He was great in his first major league start away from Denver. The only hit Gray allowed in six innings against the Mets on Aug. 10 was a solo home run.

Considering the way the Pirates have hit when Liriano (9-6, 3.23) has been on the mound for the past two months, Gray might be waiting another five days to pick up his first victory. Pittsburgh has won Liriano's last 10 starts, giving him an average of 7.13 runs of support.

Should the Pirates win this one, it will mark the seventh time in franchise history they've won 11 straight games behind an individual starter. They won 12 consecutive A.J. Burnett starts in 2012, their longest run since a franchise-record 14 straight Dock Ellis outings in 1971.

'Every five days I try to do the best I can and win some ballgames,' Liriano said after allowing two unearned runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 5-2 win over San Francisco on Sunday. 'I just try to put some zeroes on the board.'

The left-hander hasn't been doing much of that lately, posting a 4.67 ERA and 1.78 WHIP in his last five starts, but he did hold the Rockies (51-74) to just an unearned run over five while striking out eight at PNC on July 18, 2014.

Nolan Arenado is 3 for 6 against Liriano but Carlos Gonzalez is 0 for 7 with five strikeouts. Gonzalez is hitting .194 against lefties this season while Arenado is batting .184 on the road since July 1.

Colorado has lost five straight in Pittsburgh, but it'll head into this series with a chance to do something it hasn't accomplished in the second half. The Rockies won their final two games in Atlanta this week, giving them a chance for their first three-game winning streak since sweeping the Braves in four right before the All-Star break.

Colorado is 6-1 against Atlanta since July 9 and 10-24 against everyone else.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Padres (62-65) at Phillies (50-78)

Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: August 28, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Aaron Nola approaches each start for the Philadelphia Phillies as another opportunity to learn more about being a successful major league pitcher.

Coming off the best outing of his young career, Nola looks to help the Phillies avoid a fifth consecutive defeat and continue their success against the visiting San Diego Padres on Friday night.

Since making his major league debut July 21, Nola (4-1, 3.59 ERA) has been one of the few bright spots amid a third straight dismal season for Philadelphia (50-78). The Phillies' first-round pick in 2014 was at his most dominant Sunday when he allowed three hits and struck out six in eight innings of a 2-0 victory at Miami.

It was also another lesson learned for the talented right-hander.

"You just want to pound the zone and stay ahead,' he said. 'Getting behind big-league hitters, it's tough to come back and then you have to make that perfect pitch. That's one thing I've learned - once you start getting yourself in jams and walking guys like that ... bad things will happen.'

Hitters seem to be noticing that aggressive mentality. They're 11 for 23 when swinging at Nola's first pitch, with four of the five homers he's allowed coming in those situations.

With Nola and fellow prospects Adam Morgan and Jerad Eickhoff all debuting this season, the Phillies have reason to be optimistic about the future of their rotation.

"It's been fun," Nola told MLB's official website. "I feel like there definitely is competition between us, but on the other side, we're still rooting for each other, trying to learn from each other."

For the first time Nola will face a repeat opponent after allowing three runs and striking out six in six innings of a 4-3, 12-inning win at San Diego (62-65) on Aug. 7.

Though Philadelphia swept the Padres in that three-game series and has won the last five meetings at Citizens Bank Park, its pitchers have posted a 7.11 ERA and allowed 20 home runs while losing seven of their last eight at home. The Phillies were swept in four by the New York Mets after blowing a 5-0 lead in Thursday's 9-5, 13-inning defeat.

Outfield prospect Aaron Altherr had two hits with an RBI in his seventh career game, and could see more action in these final weeks of the season.

"We like what we see," manager Pete Mackanin said of Altherr, whose six hits in 24 at-bats have all gone for extra bases (two homers and four doubles) while plating six runs. "We think Altherr deserves an opportunity."

Altherr could get his first look at Ian Kennedy (8-11, 4.01), who is 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break. He'll try to build on perhaps his most impressive effort of 2015, when he gave up seven hits but struck out 10 and walked one in six-plus innings of Saturday's 8-0 rout of St. Louis.

"It was as good a performance as I've seen all year from anybody," Padres manager Pat Murphy said.

San Diego has totaled 14 runs while dropping three of four following a five-game winning streak in which it averaged 6.8. The Padres were held to three hits in Thursday's 4-2 loss at Washington.

Melvin Upton Jr. tripled for San Diego's lone extra-base hit but is batting .222 with 13 strikeouts in his last 16 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (60-67) at Blue Jays (71-56)

Game: 1
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: August 28, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays failed to pad their AL East lead when their prolific offense couldn't keep rolling in the finale of a road trip.

The Blue Jays will try for a better showing when they return home to face one of their former pitchers in Friday night's series opener against the Detroit Tigers.

Toronto (71-56) totaled 54 runs while batting .347 in a five-game win streak that ended with Thursday's 4-1 defeat to Texas. The Blue Jays went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position while nearly getting shut out for the first time in seven weeks.

Edwin Encarnacion saved his team from that fate with an RBI double in the eighth inning that extended his hit streak to 22 games, the longest in the majors this season. The Blue Jays had their division lead against the idle New York Yankees cut to 1 1/2 games after wrapping up a 6-2 road trip.

'Obviously, the road trip was a successful one. It would have been a superb one if we'd been able to pull that one out,' said Jose Bautista, whose seventh-inning error led to three Texas runs. 'I don't think this loss is going to affect us in any way.'

Toronto, easily the MLB leader with 689 runs and the winner in 21 of 26, will try to get back on track in its first matchup against Matt Boyd (1-4, 7.04 ERA). The left-hander was traded from the Blue Jays to Detroit on July 30 in the David Price deal.

Price won't appear in this series because he pitched in Wednesday's 12-4 victory.

Boyd went 0-2 with a 14.85 ERA in his first two major league starts for the Blue Jays and has a 4.88 ERA in five appearances for Detroit, including four starts. He had a respectable performance Sunday against Texas, giving up three runs in six innings, but lost 4-2.

The Tigers (60-67) have continued to struggle in close games lately and fell 2-0 to the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. Detroit has dropped six of seven, with five losses by two runs or fewer.

"I don't know how to explain it," designated hitter Victor Martinez said. "We just have to fly to Toronto and try again (Friday)."

Detroit took two of three from visiting Toronto in early July and dealt R.A. Dickey an 8-3 defeat in the middle game of the series. The knuckleballer gave up five runs and 11 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Dickey (8-10, 4.26) allowed another five runs - all in the first inning - and 11 hits in his six innings Sunday against the Angels, but got enough support for a 12-5 win. He's won his past five decisions, though he's allowed a combined 10 runs and 20 hits in 10 innings of his past two starts.

Dickey is 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his last four home starts and is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in his two against Detroit since joining the Blue Jays in 2013.

Miguel Cabrera didn't get a chance to improve on his 3-for-17 showing against Dickey in the past six seasons because he went on the disabled list for a strained left calf July 4. Cabrera is batting .460 with two homers, nine doubles and 11 RBIs in 13 games since returning.

Martinez has three hits in his past 14 at-bats against Dickey while Ian Kinsler has six in his last 12, including a pair of homers. Rajai Davis is 5 for 8 with two doubles lifetime against him.

Encarnacion, batting .386 during his hit streak, went 1 for 10 in last month's series in Detroit. Ben Revere, acquired July 31 from Philadelphia, is hitting .483 in his last seven games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Angels (65-62) at Indians (60-66)

Game: 1
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: August 28, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Angels' postseason fortune could hinge on how they handle their remaining road games.

They're off to a good start on a trip that continues Friday night with the first of three meetings with the Cleveland Indians.

After losing 12 of their previous 13 road tilts, the Angels (65-62) began this nine-game trek by winning two of three from Detroit. That series ended with Michigan native Matt Shoemaker limiting the Tigers to one hit through 7 1-3 innings in Thursday's 2-0 victory.

"It's special to be able to do it here, but more importantly to get a win in a tight playoff race," said Shoemaker, whose Angels are among three teams within one game of each other for the AL's second wild-card spot.

Los Angeles had lost 12 of 13 road games before that series win. The Angels are just 26-35 as the visitor this season and play 20 of their final 35 games away from Anaheim, where the team's ERA is 4.41 compared to 3.36 at home.

Though Cleveland (60-66) is an AL-worst 26-34 at home, it has won six of seven at Progressive Field following a two-game sweep of Milwaukee capped by Wednesday's 6-2 victory. Jason Kipnis went 5 for 9 with a homer, three doubles and five RBIs in that series while increasing his MLB-best home average to .383.

Kipnis, hitting an AL-best .325 overall, leads a top three of the order that's been hot. Rookie Francisco Lindor is 12 for 19 with two homers over the last five games, and Michael Brantley is batting .415 with 15 RBIs in his last 15.

"I enjoy being part of it, whether I'm in the middle, the back or I'm just watching them because I got a day off," said Lindor, hitting .310 since being promoted to the majors in mid-June.

The trio takes its first swings against Andrew Heaney (5-2, 3.39 ERA), who is 0-2 with a 5.88 ERA in five August starts after winning five straight June 30-July 26.

Heaney comes in off his worst outing, having surrendered eight runs in 3 1-3 innings in a 15-3 loss to heavy-hitting Toronto on Saturday. The rookie left-hander had yielded two runs or fewer in nine of his 10 previous outings and all four on the road, where he's 2-1 with 2.13 ERA this season.

The Indians are 15-27 against lefty starters, though both Lindor (.315) and Brantley (.313) have fared well versus southpaws.

Like Heaney, Danny Salazar (11-7, 3.30) looks to rebound from a rough last assignment. The hard-throwing righty was reached for five runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings in Saturday's 6-2 loss to the New York Yankees, ending a superb four-start sequence in which he went 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA.

One of those starts came against the Angels on Aug. 5. Salazar allowed a solo homer to Kole Calhoun and two other hits across six innings but was denied a victory when Los Angeles rallied for three runs in the ninth to win 4-3.

Calhoun is 3 for 6 with two homers off Salazar, who is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts versus the Angels despite handling Mike Trout. The reigning MVP is 1 for 6 with four strikeouts in the matchup.

Trout has 33 homers but has failed to hit one in 19 straight games.

The Angels won two of three from Cleveland earlier this month and are 7-3 in the series since the start of last season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (78-49) at Rays (63-64)

Game: 1
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: August 28, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Edinson Volquez will try to steady his personal bumpy ride Friday night while keeping the Kansas City Royals on the fast track up.

With a very comfortable lead in the AL Central, the Royals will hit the road to try to hinder the wild-card chances of the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-game series.

The Royals (78-49) pushed their division lead to 13 games Thursday with a 5-3 victory over Baltimore, their fifth win in six tries.

Volquez hasn't been as consistent, alternating quality and poor starts his last four times out.

Volquez (11-7, 3.40 ERA) allowed one run in seven innings against the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 7, dropping his ERA to 3.11, the lowest it had been since June. But he's gone back and forth in his last three, allowing five earned runs in seven innings against Detroit on Aug. 12, one run in six innings against Cincinnati on Aug. 18, and six over 6 2-3 against Boston on Sunday.

He hasn't received a decision in the last two, but Kansas City rallied to win both games.

Volquez is 2-0 with a 2.49 ERA in four starts against the Rays, tossing five strong innings before leaving without a decision in a 7-1 victory July 7.

After Johnny Cueto struggled in Wednesday's 8-5 loss, Kansas City rode a strong performance from Yordano Ventura to a 5-3 victory Thursday. Mike Moustakas had three hits and two RBIs and went 8 for 14 in the series with a pair of homers, two doubles and seven RBIs. He's batting .452 with four home runs and 12 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

"Moose has had clutch hits, big hits," manager Ned Yost told MLB's official website. "He's starting rallies, finishing rallies. He's just been really key for us."

Moustakas missed a four-game series against the Rays while on the bereavement list in July. Kansas City swept that set and has won 10 of 12 in the series.

Tampa Bay's Erasmo Ramirez will try to reverse that trend. He's 5-3 with a 2.60 ERA in nine starts at Tropicana Field this season, holding opponents to a .208 batting average.

Ramirez (10-4, 3.66) was away from home his last two times out and gave up six runs and 14 hits in 12 2-3 innings while winning his only decision at Houston on Aug. 17.

The right-hander will try to help the Rays (63-64) return to .500 after they ended a three-game skid with Thursday's 5-4 comeback win over Minnesota. Tampa Bay is 2 1/2 games behind Texas for the second wild card.

Ramirez will be asked to spell a bullpen that handled the final 4 2-3 innings.

'We needed that one,' said Rays manager Kevin Cash. 'The bullpen was just outstanding. Really came in and gave us a big boost.'

Ben Zobrist spent the first nine seasons of his career with Tampa Bay and will make his first trip back to Tropicana Field since the Rays dealt him to Oakland in the offseason. Zobrist is 4 for 9 lifetime against Ramirez with two home runs.

Tampa Bay placed outfielder Desmond Jennings on the 15-day disabled list Thursday due to a bruised left knee suffered on Tuesday. He had hit .353 in 10 games since returning from the DL after having surgery on the same knee.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (58-69) at Mets (71-56)

Game: 1
Venue: Citi Field
Date: August 28, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

An innings limit combined with the prospect of postseason baseball are the only things that have slowed down Matt Harvey.

The New York Mets look for their ace to continue his dominance Friday night when they open their first home series with the Boston Red Sox in 14 years.

Harvey (11-7, 2.57 ERA) has tossed 154 innings and New York (71-56) doesn't want him to go more than 190 in his first season back from Tommy John surgery.

It's looking more and more like some of those innings will come in the playoffs, with the Mets leading the NL East by 6 1/2 games over Washington.

That means Harvey is likely to be skipped again after Logan Verrett went eight innings in his place in Sunday's 5-1 win at Colorado.

Harvey is 5-3 with a 1.45 ERA in his last 11 starts, going 4-0 with a 1.11 ERA in his past seven at home. He's taking the mound for the first time since allowing one run in six innings before leaving without a decision in an 8-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Aug. 16.

The right-hander will be backed by a red-hot offense that has powered the Mets to seven straight wins. They have scored 73 runs in that span - the most in a seven-game span in franchise history - while batting .338 with 19 homers. New York's 43 home runs this month are a franchise record.

Daniel Murphy had the key hit Thursday, connecting for a tiebreaking two-run double in the 13th inning of a 9-5 win at Philadelphia. He's batting .356 with 20 RBIs over the last 20 games.

"(Murphy) can stinkin' hit, flat hit," manager Terry Collins said. "When he's swinging good, we're dangerous."

Yoenis Cespedes is also contributing in a big way, batting .361 with six homers and 15 RBIs in the past seven contests. He played 51 games for the Red Sox (58-69) last year, batting .269 with five homers and 33 RBIs before being dealt to Detroit in the offseason.

The Red Sox will give the ball to Henry Owens (2-1, 4.50), who is looking to build on the best of his four major league starts.

The rookie left-hander was hammered for seven runs and three homers with 10 strikeouts in six innings while not getting a decision in a 10-8 loss to Seattle on Aug. 16. However, Owens followed that up five days later by yielding two runs - one earned - in eight innings while outpitching Johnny Cueto in a 7-2 win over Kansas City.

"He's going to be one of the good ones," catcher Blake Swihart told MLB's official website. "He's capable of doing that every night. He's a competitor."

Boston (58-69) took two of three from the Chicago White Sox after winning 3-0 on Wednesday. Rookie Travis Shaw hit a two-run homer, his seventh in 21 games since being recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.

He's hitting .333 with 16 RBIs over that stretch but is just 3 for 35 in 13 road games.

That could be reason enough for the Red Sox to start David Ortiz at first in an NL park. He's 2 for 20 over his last six games but has a .333 average with two homers in seven interleague road games.

"I think everybody that's having success here and doing their job right now is going to be in a situation to be considered for next year, and Travis has done a great job," interim manager Torey Lovullo said.

This is Boston's first series in Queens since July 12-14, 2001.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (63-64) at Rangers (65-61)

Game: 1
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: August 28, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Cole Hamels appears to be getting more and more comfortable with each start he makes for the Texas Rangers, who have the third-most wins in the AL since acquiring the left-hander at the trade deadline.

That solid play over the last four weeks has helped the Rangers pass the Baltimore Orioles in the wild-card race, making this weekend's three-game series crucial as the calendar gets ready to switch to September.

Hamels looks to build on his first win in a Rangers uniform Friday night in his first matchup with the Orioles in over six years.

Texas was three games behind Minnesota for the second wild card and two in back of Baltimore after the smoke cleared from the July 31 deadline. The Rangers, though, have gone 15-9 this month while Baltimore is 11-14.

That has helped the Rangers (65-61) take a one-half game lead over the Twins and Los Angeles for the second wild card, with the Orioles (63-64) falling 2 1/2 back. To make matters worse for Baltimore, it could be without All-Star center fielder Adam Jones after he crashed into the wall and left Thursday's game at Kansas City.

"He feels a lot better now than he did. His vision was - most of it was whiplash," manager Buck Showalter said. "I don't think there's any head trauma, concussion-wise."

Showalter said that Jones would be evaluated Friday.

The Rangers avoided a three-game sweep with a 4-1 win over Toronto on Thursday, while the Orioles fell 5-3 to the Royals for their seventh loss in eight contests.

Texas lost Hamels' first two starts as he posted a 5.93 ERA, but he then allowed three runs in seven innings of a walk-off win over Seattle on Aug. 17. His first victory with the Rangers came Sunday after he gave up two runs over six innings to beat Detroit 4-2.

"I felt like I've not contributed in a way I know I'm capable of doing," Hamels (1-1, 4.73 ERA) told MLB's official website. "I think that's more the case - feeling more united with the team that I've actually pulled some weight around."

He'll be opposed by Kevin Gausman (2-5, 4.30), who has done his part recently but continues to be hurt by a lack of support.

The right-hander has a 3.60 ERA over his last three starts, though the Orioles have dropped each of them while handing him four runs. He's received an average of 2.64 runs in 10 starts, which would be the second-lowest in the majors if he qualified.

Gausman gave up two runs and three hits and tied a career best with eight strikeouts over seven innings of a 4-3 loss in 12 to the Twins on Sunday.

"That might be about as good an outing as he's had," Showalter said.

Gausman pitched 6 1-3 scoreless innings and struck out seven against Texas on July 2, when the Rangers scored twice in the ninth to pull out a 2-0 victory and take three of four in Baltimore.

The Orioles have won six of seven in Arlington, including the 2012 wild-card game.

Baltimore will add rookie outfielder Dariel Alvarez and reinstate Steve Clevenger from the paternity list for this series. Alvarez hit .275 with 16 homers and 72 RBIs at Triple-A Norfolk, while Clevenger is batting .371 in nine games since being recalled Aug. 14.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mariners (59-69) at White Sox (60-66)

Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 28, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Though the Chicago White Sox have struggled to consistently win games this season, that hasn't been the case when facing the AL West - especially at home.

They'll look for a seventh straight home victory over a West opponent Friday night against the Seattle Mariners.

Trying to remain a postseason contender, Chicago (60-66) is five games out of the AL's final wild-card spot but has four teams to hurdle. While that might seem like a tall order, the White Sox have seven games left with West residents Seattle (59-69) and Oakland to potentially help their cause.

Chicago is 18-8 against that division this season, and has a 1.50 ERA while going 9-1 against the West at home. The White Sox, however, are 33-47 overall against the rest of the AL.

Leadoff hitter Adam Eaton had three hits and rookie Trayce Thompson added two more in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Mariners. Eaton is batting .344 in the last eight games, and is 7 for 16 in four against Seattle over that stretch.

Thompson is hitting .519 with six RBIs in 27 at-bats over 12 games since making his major league debut Aug. 4.

"Trayce is swinging it well," manager Robin Ventura said. "You get him in there and he makes things happen."

John Danks (6-11, 4.90 ERA) went 2-0 with a 1.16 ERA in his first three starts against AL West teams this season, but since is 0-2 with an 8.25 ERA in outings that came in his last two overall. The Mariners tagged the left-hander for seven runs and eight hits in five-plus innings of Sunday's 8-6 defeat.

"I think anytime he elevates and doesn't work down in the zone, there's going to be some issues," Ventura said.

Though four of Danks' last six outings have come on the road, he's 3-0 in his last six at U.S. Cellular Field and has allowed two runs over 25 2-3 innings of the last four there.

Austin Jackson and Robinson Cano are batting a combined .435 with five doubles and five home runs against Danks. With two hits in the opener, Jackson is batting .373 in his last 15 contests and is 6 for 13 in the last three against the White Sox.

The Mariners, though, went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position Thursday.

'We had opportunities throughout the game and didn't take advantage,' manager Lloyd McClendon said. "If we went up without a bat, we probably would have had a run in and the bases loaded. That's tough."

Taijuan Walker (9-7, 4.73) improved to 2-0 in his last seven starts after Sunday's win over Chicago, but his ERA rose to 5.37 in the last nine by allowing four of his five runs in a sixth inning he never completed.

"I got a little comfortable with the (7-1) lead and was leaving stuff right down the middle, and they're not going to miss pitches like that," Walker told MLB's official website.

Though Eaton is 1 for 6 against Walker, Jose Abreu is 3 for 5 with a home run off the right-hander.

The Mariners played the opener hours after dealing struggling reliever Fernando Rodney to the Chicago Cubs for cash.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (71-57) at Twins (65-62)

Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: August 28, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

A lethal combination of power and speed has helped the Houston Astros to what could be their best season in over a decade.

It's their starting pitching, however, that is most responsible for their run of success lately.

Scott Kazmir will try to continue an impressive run by Houston's starters Friday night when the AL West leaders open a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.

While improvement was expected from the Astros after six consecutive losing seasons, surpassing last year's win total with a five-game division lead at this point seemed highly unlikely.

Wednesday's 6-2 victory at Yankee Stadium was Houston's seventh win in nine games and 71st of the season, one more than it had all of 2014. Evan Gattis hit a pair of homers and Collin McHugh became the ninth straight Astros starter to allow two runs or fewer, a franchise record.

With almost six weeks left, Houston (71-57) already has achieved its best season since 2010 and is on pace for its first 90-win campaign since finishing 92-70 in 2004.

"You could tell the pieces were here,' said Gattis, who went 6 for 12 with three home runs and six RBIs in New York. 'We're not on an island out there. We could see it.'

Houston leads the AL with a 3.30 ERA, including a major league-best 2.06 mark since Aug. 4.

"It's been nice," manager A.J. Hinch told MLB's official website. "I don't know if it's the extra rest or the momentum, but they're trying to all out-do each other. There's a little competitiveness in there."

Versatility may be the Astros' biggest strength. Besides the outstanding pitching, they lead the majors in homers (174) and the AL in stolen bases (97).

'We have a lot of strengths,' Hinch said. 'We can do a lot of damage.'

Kazmir (7-8, 2.39 ERA) has made Houston's rotation even more formidable, going 2-3 with a 2.41 ERA in six starts with his new team.

He ended a three-start losing streak Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing one run over six innings with eight strikeouts while outpitching Zack Greinke in a 3-1 victory.

The left-hander limited the Twins to one run over 8 1-3 innings in his final start for Oakland on July 18.

Most of Minnesota's roster has struggled against Kazmir but Trevor Plouffe (8 for 24) is an exception.

After winning five of six against the first-place Dodgers and wild card-leading Yankees, Houston faces another challenge against the Twins (65-62), who are 38-24 at home and had their season-best six-game win streak snapped with Thursday's 5-4 loss at Tampa Bay.

'You try to get greedy,' manager Paul Molitor said. 'You try to get wins when you're rolling and keep the momentum going. Hopefully we'll look at the bigger picture of how we put together a nice little run, but in the moment you're a little disappointed you couldn't find a way to finish it off.'

Eduardo Escobar hit his third homer in two games for Minnesota, which dropped one-half game behind Texas for the second wild card.

Kyle Gibson (8-9, 3.96) tries again for his elusive ninth win. Since beating Detroit on July 12, the right-hander is 0-3 with a 7.22 ERA in seven starts.

He struggled with his command at Baltimore on Saturday, walking four, but was able to limit the damage to two runs over 5 2-3 innings before leaving without a decision in a 3-2 win.

Gibson is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA in three career starts against the Astros, allowing one run over 14 2-3 innings in the past two.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Athletics (55-73) at Diamondbacks (62-65)

Game: 1
Venue: Chase Field
Date: August 28, 2015 9:40 PM EDT

The hot streak that moved the Arizona Diamondbacks back into the NL West picture fizzled with four consecutive losses to baseball's best team.

The drought might be in danger of expanding against one of the majors' worst.

Sonny Gray looks to continue his personal roll as his last-place Oakland Athletics try to hand the Diamondbacks their sixth straight loss at home Friday night in the opener of a three-game series.

Arizona (62-65) used a four-game sweep in Cincinnati last week to move within five games of the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. But it all came crashing down with four losses to St. Louis, ending with a 5-3 defeat Thursday.

The Diamondbacks had the bases loaded with no outs in the eighth inning and failed to score.

'Another situation where the anxiety just gets to you,' manager Chip Hale said. 'Guys see it right in front of them, they have a chance to be a hero and want it to bad. That is something with experience we should get better at.'

The sweep gave the Diamondbacks their first five-game skid at home since dropping eight in a row from April 2-16, 2014.

Even worse, it's left them needing a near-miracle to make the postseason with 8 1/2 games to make up on the Dodgers and the wild card a distant 11 1/2 games away.

Gray (12-5, 2.10 ERA) should have a good chance to extend the gap.

The AL's ERA leader has a 1.58 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in his last six starts, but his last two starts haven't exactly been dominant. Gray has allowed four home runs that have accounted for six of the seven runs he's given up.

Three of the four runs the right-hander allowed over 5 2-3 innings in a 4-2 loss at Baltimore on Aug. 17 were unearned. Three of the five hits he gave up over eight in a 5-4 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday left the park.

Gray, 8-2 with a 1.64 ERA in 13 road starts, was still in line for the win before Pat Venditte surrendered two runs in the ninth.

Oakland (55-73) is a major league-worst 14-30 in one-run games.

"We just gotta keep showing up and putting ourselves in good positions and hopefully start pulling some of these close ones off," Gray told MLB's official website.

The Diamondbacks hope Chase Anderson can snap their skid, and if he pitches anything like he did Sunday, he just might.

Anderson (6-5, 4.28) was optioned to Triple-A for two days last week before returning when Jeremy Hellickson landed on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Anderson brushed off allowing 10 earned runs in 9 2-3 innings over his previous two starts to last 6 2-3 innings in a 4-0 win at Cincinnati on Sunday.

"I'm thankful just to be back here and for the opportunity to be sent down then to get called back up in 36 hours," Anderson said. "Doesn't really happen very often."

A's outfielder Billy Burns has nine hits in his last four games to move his total to 123 on the season, the most among AL rookies.

Arizona left fielder David Peralta was back in the lineup Thursday after taking a foul ball off his face the previous day. Peralta has hit .444 during a five-game hitting streak.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (73-53) at Dodgers (70-56)

Game: 1
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: August 28, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers salvaged three games from what could have been a disastrous road trip. On Friday night they will try to squeeze something out of a Clayton Kershaw start.

Kershaw will go for his first win in three outings as the first-place Dodgers return home for a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

Los Angeles (70-56) has come up empty in back-to-back Kershaw gems, 10-inning walk-off losses in Oakland on Aug. 18 and Houston on Sunday.

A 3-2 loss to the Astros wasted eight innings of one-run ball from Kershaw (10-6, 2.29 ERA). More importantly, it was the Dodgers' fifth loss to start their eight-game trip through Oakland, Houston and Cincinnati, and it trimmed their NL West lead to 1 1/2 games over the Giants.

It was also just the second time all season Los Angeles dropped consecutive games from Cy Young candidates Zack Greinke and Kershaw.

'I hope we're panicking a little bit,' Kershaw told MLB's official website. 'I think panic's a good thing to a certain extent. It's obvious we've got five weeks or whatever it is, too. So, there's a sense of urgency.'

The Dodgers took the message into Cincinnati and swept the reeling Reds in the final three games of the trip, lifting their division lead to 2 1/2 games. Greinke did the heavy lifting Thursday with seven innings in a 1-0 win.

The only bad news was the departure of right fielder Yasiel Puig, who paid a heavy price for legging out a ninth-inning infield single by reinjuring his right hamstring.

Puig, who's two singles moved his hitting streak to 10 games, said the injury was worse than the original one he suffered Aug. 18 that forced him to miss two games. Manager Don Mattingly did not say if Puig would undergo an MRI on Friday.

Puig was one of the only players hitting during the road trip, which included Mike Fiers' no-hitter last week. The Dodgers averaged 2.75 runs, just below their underwhelming August number of 3.91.

They likely won't need that much for Kershaw. The reigning MVP has given up one earned run or less in nine of his last 10 starts, a span that includes two shutouts and an ERA of 0.94.

The Cubs (73-53) will face a Cy Young candidate for the second consecutive day after a 9-1 loss to San Francisco's Madison Bumgarner on Thursday cut their lead for the second wild card to 5 1/2 over the Giants.

"You have to learn how to bounce back from a loss," manager Joe Maddon told MLB's official website. "You may be upset for about 30 minutes, and then you move on."

Chicago - which added right-hander Fernando Rodney to its bullpen in a deal with Seattle on Thursday - is 5-2 against former Cy Young winners this year, including a 4-2 win over Kershaw on June 22. Kris Bryant had two home runs, including a two-run shot off Kershaw, and he's batting .370 with three homers during a seven-game hitting streak.

Jason Hammel (7-5, 3.35) will face Los Angeles for the second time this year. One of the right-hander's best outings came during a 1-0, 10-inning win June 23 as he held the Dodgers to two hits over 7 2-3.

Hammel - 2-4 with a 4.96 ERA in 11 starts against the Dodgers - posted his longest outing in eight starts Sunday, allowing two runs in 6 1-3 innings in a 9-3 win over Atlanta.

Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler, who is 17 for 40 against Kershaw, is day to day after fouling a ball off his right shin Tuesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (82-45) at Giants (68-59)

Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: August 28, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

The last time Michael Wacha was seen at AT&T Park, he surrendered the walkoff homer that eliminated the St. Louis Cardinals from the NLCS.

The stakes won't be nearly as high Friday night when Wacha goes for a share of the major league lead in wins against the San Francisco Giants.

Wacha's only playoff appearance last year came with the score tied in the ninth inning of Game 5 at San Francisco. The right-hander, who had shoulder trouble in the regular season, served up a three-run blast to light-hitting Travis Ishikawa in a 6-3 loss.

Wacha (15-4, 2.80 ERA) and the Cardinals (82-45) sure look like they've put that behind them. St. Louis owns the best record in baseball and Wacha is one win shy of matching Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco's Madison Bumgarner for the major league lead.

Wacha is 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA in his last five starts, a stretch that includes St. Louis' 2-1 home win over the Giants on Aug. 17. He allowed one run in seven innings and didn't get a decision while San Francisco went on to take two of three in that series.

Wacha followed that up six days later by yielding one run in six innings of a 10-3 win at San Diego.

"He's been very consistent for us. He's done a terrific job," manager Mike Matheny told MLB's official website. "I didn't think he had his top stuff (Sunday), missed a lot high and out of the zone, which didn't really allow his changeup to have its effectiveness that it normally has.

"He pitched with heart more than anything, and figured out a way to get outs in tough counts."

The Cardinals have put together an 11-4 stretch on the road, winning five straight with Thursday's 5-3 victory at Arizona.

They haven't had a longer streak away from home since a seven-gamer from April 22-May 5, 2013.

The Giants (68-59), 2 1/2 games back of the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, cruised to a 9-1 rout of the Chicago Cubs on Thursday for their 15th win in 18 home games. Rookie Kelby Tomlinson hit his first grand slam and Marlon Byrd added a three-run shot.

Tomlinson has been a pleasant surprise, hitting .346 in 20 games since being called up from Triple-A Sacramento to replace the injured Joe Panik (back).

"It was pretty crazy. Everybody got up and started clapping for me," Tomlinson said. "I'd never experienced anything like that. It's pretty special."

He went 4 for 10 in three games at St. Louis last week.

Mike Leake (9-6, 3.44) makes his third start for the Giants and first at AT&T Park for his new team. The right-hander allowed one run and one hit over six innings before leaving without a decision in a 3-2 loss at Pittsburgh on Saturday after missing nearly three weeks with a hamstring injury.

"What a job he did for us in his first start back," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He gave us what we were hoping for."

Leake should feel very comfortable pitching in San Francisco, where he went 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA in his last four starts for Cincinnati. He walked five and struck out 26 over 31 innings in those games.

He's split six decisions with a 2.81 ERA in his past seven starts against the Cardinals, tossing four-hit ball over eight innings in a 4-0 victory with the Reds on July 28.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

Colorado Rockies at Pittsburgh Pirates August 28, 7:05 EST

Pittsburgh Pirates have won their past ten games when Francisco Liriano takes to the mound. Through those ten games the Pirates have given the southpaw solid run support, averaging 6.7 runs/game in posting 7 'Over' and 3 'Under'. Add in the fact Pirates have won five straight hosting Rockies including two with Liriano on the hill sportsbooks have Bucs as high as -$2.40 favorite with the total set at 7.0 runs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five To Follow MLB Betting: Friday August 28, 2015 Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

No doubt it will be a bittersweet return to San Francisco's AT&T Park on Friday night for St. Louis in the opener of a three-game series with the Giants. The last time the Cardinals visited there was Game 5 of last year's NLCS, which St. Louis was favored to win. However, the Giants finished it off with three straight home wins, capped by a walk-off series-winning three-run homer by Travis Ishikawa. It was the first game-winning homer to send the Giants into the World Series since a little thing called the "Shot Heard 'Round the World" by Bobby Thompson in a 1951 playoff. That might be the most famous homer in MLB history. Ishikawa was just a bit player on that team. He started this year on the Giants but was waived a few months ago and claimed by Pittsburgh.


Cardinals at Giants (+110, 6.5)

The guy Ishikawa hit that homer off of? The Cardinals' 2015 ace, Michael Wacha, and he starts here. Wacha hadn't pitched at all in last year's postseason until that ninth inning and had never made a big-league relief appearance. Former Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval singled to start the ninth. After an out, Brandon Belt walked to bring up Ishikawa, who crushed a 2-0 pitch. Not sure why Manager Mike Matheny used the rusty Wacha (hadn't pitched in three weeks or so) considering lefty Randy Choate was throwing and ready in the bullpen, as was right-hander Seth Maness. Wacha (15-4, 2.80) hasn't allowed more than two earned this season in five straight starts. He took a no-decision against the Giants on Aug. 18 despite allowing just a run in seven innings. The Giants' Mike Leake (9-6, 3.44), returned from the DL last time out and was sharp, allowing a run over six innings in Pittsburgh. His final start with the Reds before the trade deadline was throwing eight innings of shutout ball in St. Louis.

Key trends: The Cards are 6-0 in Wacha's past six road starts vs. teams with a winning record. The Giants are 2-6 in their past eight series openers. The "over/under" is 10-2 in Wacha's past 12 series openers. The over is 6-0-1 in the Giants' past seven Friday games.

Early lean: Cardinals and under.


Royals at Rays (-105, 7.5)

Tampa may have to put outfielder Desmond Jennings on the disabled list. He aggravated his surgically-repaired knee on Tuesday while running the bases. He has missed about 3 1/2 months this season because of that left knee. Jennings was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list on Aug. 14. Tampa goes with right-hander Erasmo Ramirez (10-4, 3.66) here. He hasn't faced the Royals this season and has a 2.55 ERA at home in 2015. Former Ray Ben Zobrist is 4-for-9 with two homers off him. Kansas City goes with Edinson Volquez (11-7, 3.40). He comes off perhaps his worst start of the season, allowing six runs and nine hits over 6.2 innings in Boston. He did avoid a loss, however. Tampa's Evan Longoria is 4-for-12 with three RBIs off him.

Key trends: The Royals are 5-0 in Volquez's past five series openers. The Rays are 6-0 in Ramirez's past six vs. teams with a winning record. The Royals are 18-5 in the past 23 meetings.

Early lean: Royals and under.


Orioles at Rangers (-140, 8.5)

Here's an important series with American League wild-card implications. Entering Thursday, the Rangers are a half-game behind Minnesota for the final spot and Baltimore is two back. Would appear to be a big pitching edge for Texas in the opener as it goes with lefty Cole Hamels (7-8, 3.82). He made his fourth start Sunday since coming over from the Phillies and got his first win as a Ranger, allowing two runs in six innings in Detroit. Baltimore's Gerardo Parra is 2-for-10 with an RBI off him. Adam Jones is 2-for-3 with an RBI. For the O's, it's Kevin Gausman (2-5, 4.30). They have lost his past four, although he has allowed more than three earned just once in that stretch. He shut out Texas over 6.1 innings on July 2 but took a no-decision.

Key trends: The Orioles are 0-6 in Gausman's past six against teams with a winning record. The Orioles have won four straight series openers. Baltimore has won six of its past seven at Texas.

Early lean: Rangers and over.


Yankees at Braves (+195, 7.5)

New York continues to have a solid lead for the top wild-card spot but has lost five of seven and stopped hitting as Toronto has pulled away in the AL East. The Bombers will lose the designated hitter for this series, meaning arguably their team MVP, Alex Rodriguez, has to take a seat. Masahiro Tanaka (9-6, 3.61) gets the call in the series opener. Be interesting to see him bat. Tanaka is 4-2 with a 1.66 ERA in six career Interleague starts but has never faced Atlanta. For the Braves, it's Williams Perez (4-4, 4.76). They have lost his past six and he has been hit around in four of those. Perez has a 6.12 ERA in four starts this month. He has never faced the Yankees.

Key trends: New York is 5-2 in Tanaka's past seven on the road. The Braves are 0-7 in their past seven vs. teams with a winning record. The under is 4-0 in Tanaka's past four interleague starts. The over is 5-1-1 in Perez's past seven vs. teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Yankees and under.


Astros at Twins (+130, 8)

Houston beat the Yankees on Wednesday for victory No. 71 on the season, already surpassing last year's total. With almost six weeks left on the schedule, the Astros already have achieved their best season since 2010. And they are going to be good for several years. Lefty Scott Kazmir (7-8, 2.39) goes for Houston in this series opener. His final start with Oakland before being traded to the Astros was against Minnesota and he held the Twins to a run over 8.1 innings. Brian Dozier is a career .154 hitter off him in 26 at-bats. Torii Hunter is 9-for-33 with a homer. The resilient Twins start Kyle Gibson (8-9, 3.96). He hasn't won since July 12 and has a 6.35 ERA this month. He hasn't faced Houston this year.

Key trends: Houston is 6-1 in its past seven following an off day. The Twins are 2-7 in Gibson's past nine in Game 1 of a series. The under is 5-1 in Kazmir's past six starts. The over is 8-2 in Gibson's past 10 on Friday.

Early lean: Astros and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Friday's six-pack

-- Phillies' attendance is down 19,000 a game from three years ago.

-- Johnny Manziel (elbow) won't play in Browns' last two preseason games, which makes it obvious that Josh McCown will be the Browns' #1 QB in two weeks.

-- Angels are 4-13 in last 17 road games; their series win at Detroit was their first road series win since July 7-8 in Denver.

-- RIP Darryl Dawkins, whose thunderous dunks helped bring about the collapsible rims you see on baskets today.

-- Eagles-Packers total was 49 Thursday morning, was later bet down to 48; 49 was going to be the highest total in an NFL exhibition game since at least 2004.

-- Yasmani Grandal grounded into three double plays yesterday, the first Dodger to do that since Milton Bradley in 2004.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dave Cokin

Bonus Play Friday

ATHLETICS (Gray) @ DIAMONDBACKS (Anderson) 9:40 PM

Take: ATHLETICS -117

This has been a bit of a nightmarish week for the Diamondbacks. Arizona had pushed its way above .500 and the Snakes were suddenly garnering a little attention as a possible contender in the NL West. Maybe it was just a dream after all. The D-Backs had a chance to make a big statement with the Cardinals in town for a four-game set. The Redbirds are now on their way to San Francisco with a 4-0 sweep in their pockets. As for the Diamondbacks, they’re now 8.5 out of first place in their division, and the Padres have caught them in the standings.

I think it’s going to be tough for the Diamondbacks to regroup, although I suppose the fact the A’s are in town might help some. But the wind has gone out of the Arizona sails at this point, and while there’s not likely to be any quit in this team, I don’t think this would be a great time to consider investing in the Snakes.

Making things even more difficult for the hosts tonight is the specter of Sonny Gray on the hill for Oakland. The A’s are a bad baseball team. But as is frequently the case, even lousy entries have a tendency to focus a little more when their ace is on the mound. Gray is clearly the #1 on this staff, and he figures to be tough on a team whose lineup hasn’t seen him and also is not exactly crushing the ball the last few nights.

Chase Anderson has been off an on for Arizona, and I won’t be surprised if he pitches a decent game tonight. None of the A’s have ever faced him and that is often an advantage for the pitcher. But Anderson doesn’t match up especially well head to head vs. Gray in the key categories and I give the Oakland ace a definite edge tonight.

There aren’t may spots where Oakland looks especially playable and the fact they’re road chalk here isn’t something that makes my mouth water with anticipation. But facing a pitcher of Gray’s caliber following what amounts to a disastrous outcome against the Cardinals is a bad deal for the Diamondbacks. I’ll be looking to cash a ticket with the Athletics tonight.