Monday 9/7/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Rick Needham at Saratoga

RACE #9 - SARATOGA RACE COURSE - 5:11 PM EASTERN POST


The Bernard Baruch Handicap

8½ FURLONGS TURF GRADE II THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD STAKES $250,000.00 PURSE

#2 CONSTITUTION
#7 ALL INCLUDED
#1 IRONICUS
#3 VYJACK

A turf race for 3-year-olds and up since 1961, the Bernard Baruch originally was contested on the main track and restricted to 3-year-olds in its first two editions in 1959 and 1960. Carded at varying distances through the years, it was shorted from 1 1/8 miles to 1 1/16 miles in 2012. A financier, philanthropist and statesman, Bernard Baruch (1870-1965) was an advisor to presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt as well as a racing fan and thoroughbred owner who campaigned horses under the name Kershaw Stable. In 1927, his horse Happy Argo won the Carter. Three times on the cover of Time Magazine, Baruch continued to advise on international affairs until his death at age 94. Here in the 57th running of this stakes event, #2 CONSTITUTION has hit the board in four of his last five outings, winning three times in this recent streak of racing consistency ... he's coming off a "POWER RUN WIN" facing better company (+2) in his last start. #7 ALL INCLUDED, a 5-1 shot, has won 4 of 5 starts in his career to date racing at, or about, 8½ furlongs on the turf, including a trio of "POWER RUN WINS" in his last four "adventures!"

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mohawk: Monday 9/7 Analysis
By Garnet Barnsdale

DRF HARNESS

Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

EARLY PICK 4:3,6,8/3,7,8/5,8/1,2 = $36

LATE PICK 4:5/3,4/3,5,6/1,4,5,6,8 = $30

MEET STATS: 282 - 914 / $1581.30 BEST BETS: 38 - 82 / $126.30

SPOT PLAYS: 11 - 79 / $86.80

Best Bet: STONEBRIDGE QUEST (8th)

Spot Play: HUNCH MAN (11th)


Race 1

(1) DAYLIGHT RUSH closed impressively for 2nd vs. a heavy favorite in his debut and should beat this group with a better start. The downside is he is most likely to be odds on. (2) BLAYDE HANOVER has only faced open stakes colts and should show plenty of improvement here. (3) STAR OF OZ has shown good speed qualifying but hasn't been able to stay flat racing for money. If Menary has him straightened out he could make some noise here.

Race 2

(4) DEWEY DONT CHEAT was a predictable winner last week going into that race off a strong 2nd in an OSS Gold race. He should be even sharper coming back quicker and gets the call to repeat. (1) THISLADYSDYNAMITE has won three of her last five and is the one to beat with her sharp early speed and sure gait. (2) DUNVEGAN DON miscued early last time and lost all hope. He was closing quickly every race prior and will be passing most of these late if he stays trotting.

Race 3

(9) WHEELIN N DEALIN takes a big drop and gets Sylvain Filion back here. Expect a win and a short price. (6) CAL CHIPS BROTHER often looks like a threat to win but never gets there. He should complete this exacta. (5) UTOPIA has a penchant for finishing third and should be closing for a piece of this.

Race 4

(8) CREAMPUFF MACDADDY was discounted totally last time and made most of the public pay with a big two move effort. He can repeat here with a similar effort but will drop at least 40 points from his odds last time. (6) FLYHAWK EL DURADO showed nothing as a big chalk last week. Perhaps he didn't like the off track as that performance was too poor to be believed. (3) TORNADO TIM has been racing solidly in the top class out of town and should be on your pick 4 tickets vs. this group.

Race 5

(3) LOVELY ERIN showed some grit at Georgian last week battling most of the way and holding on. She has a nose for the wire with 8 wins from 15 starts and will be tough in here. (8) WARAWEE QUALLY remarkably has recorded 13 seconds in 25 starts and is typically following along near the front. She isn't without a shot but it's obvious where she is more likely to finish. (7) AINSLEYNOELLE had some traffic issues last week and has already proven more than once she can beat this kind; using.

Race 6

(8) ARAZI left hard last time then got shuffled out of contention. If he clears quickly here, he could take this group a long way. (5) CASIMIR OVERDRIVE closed okay from the 10-hole last week and will most likely be driven more aggressively here with the move to the middle of the gate; using. (10) NATES BUCKY overcame a large deficit last time aided by a slowing pace. He's sharp but likely faces a similar task here.

Race 7

(1) EXEMPLAR seems to be recapturing his best form and should get pointed to the front before the 1/2 by Henry here; top call. (2) FORK was an unlucky loser last week when the winner slipped out of the pocket and got the jump on him. He's a major contender here. (5) JUSTALITTLEFASTER drops a bit in class which gives him a better chance to pass them all with his potent late keep. Keep him on your pick 4 tickets.

Race 8

(5) STONEBRIDGE QUEST has proven to be very tough to beat in these Grassroots dashes. Catch her to greet the cashier. (1) OK HEAVENLY was first up against the choice last week and backed up late. If she could land in her pocket early she'd have a better shot. (7) CAVIART SCARLETT has a potent late kick but may not get the needed pace in front of her to grab more than a minor share here.

Race 9

(3) DUBLIN ROSE has won three of her last four in Grassroots company and can win on the lead or stalking the pacesetter. She'll be tough to beat in here. (4) SOUTHWIND GEISHA drops out OSS Golds and has also been a good performer in the Grassroots but will have trouble with the choice here. (5) NORTHERN STARLET is a pace threat but rarely hangs on.

Race 10

(5) CHARMED LIFE hasn't faced company this easy for a long time. She should get back on track here but will be a very short price. (3) MEGO MOSS showed improvement last time and has upset possibilities. He could be rounding back to 2014's excellent form now. (6) BODY BALANCE has been racing against better and was an easy winner in the top class at Georgian last time out.

Race 11

(5) HUNCH MAN drops to the bottom class and should get an aggressive steer here. He's capable of big speed on his best day; call to upset. (8) CAMAES FELLOW made several moves then stopped last time. A better trip here would give him a better chance. (1) WHOSURPAL has raced okay from outer posts on 1/2 milers the past three. He's in with a decent shot here from the inside. (6) UFDRAGONS ROCKET has been in sharp form out of town and is another to consider in this mixed bag. (4) JOHNNY COME LATELY was working outside in a swift pace last time and held on well. He can get a piece of this.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Monday 9/7 Analysis
By Brewster Smith

DRF HARNESS

Race 7 - $10,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool

MEET STATS: 169 - 807 / $1,172.30 BEST BETS: 18 - 68 / $87.60

Best Bet: TYE SEELSTER (11th)

Spot Play: DULL ROAR (4th)


Race 1

(2) SODYS MOONSHINE is knocking at the door based on his last two trips to the post; very capable of taking these to task. (3) JUNGLE OF TERROR gets a better post to work with and could have a say in here. (1) STORY BOOK should be much better from the fence; we shall see.

Race 2

(2) CAMEO DELIGHT surged late on the scene to nail down the third spot in her recent outing; she can boss these at best. (3) FROST DAMAGE BLUES is unbeaten in all of her three starts and appears to be the one to fear. (5) CRAZY MARVALIS showed good speed last out but tired in deep stretch; beware.

Race 3

(1) RURAL ART moves back to the rail slot and that might be a good bet that this gelding will move forward; maybe. (2) SAMANDAR drops a notch in class so that could help his cause; threat. (6) RANCOUSY did finish a good second at Pocono two starts ago; not out of this.

Race 4

(4) DULL ROAR just missed the victory by a length and a half last time out; he seems to be heading in the right direction; dangerous. (8) FIFTYSHADESDARKER Post hurts but he is quite sharp based on his last three outings; contender. (1) TREND SPOTTER beat lesser down the road last time around and should make some noise once again.

Race 5

(5) STIRLING DELILAH Pacing filly moves up the ladder off a nice victory last week; form seems to be good enough for her to take down another score. (2) LITTLE JOKE Two sharp efforts in a row; her latest where she just miss by only a nose; big threat. (4) CALL JESSICA LE Qualifier was so-so at Philly but could be a exotics factor; watch out.

Race 6

(3) INTOVIEW closed strongly for the third spot in her recent trip; got beat by a 1/2 length and good to see Brennan with the return drive; can take this. (2) CAVIART CHRISTA was sent down the road last out for all the glory and two in a row is not out of the question. (4) HEAVENS LEGACY Quite fast filly will be right square in the mix.

Race 7

(1) MONTREAL PHIL makes his second start at this level; did not fire at odds on last time out but should find this group to his liking and the rail can only help his cause; the pick. (3) CHEYENNE JEFFREY should factor in this event from the 3-hole with a favorable trip. (2) TINK AND TIGER moves down in class and returns to the 2-hole where he was a closing third three tries ago; beware.

Race 8

(5) DONT TELL WAYNE Gelding is sharp; two good outings in a row can get this guy right back into the winner's circle. (7) RONNY BUGATTI did show signs of life in his last start and could have a say in here. (3) ZIGGY SKY flashed some speed at Tioga last out; could land a share.

Race 9

(1) SKYFUL OF LIGHTERS has hit the board in his last four trips; gelding has the speed to boss these from the fence. (5) IDEAL CHAMP raced evenly in his last try at Philly; can't count him out with Brennan at the controls. (2) MONTANA PABLO A led every step of the way recently at Philly for his first score of the year; waters are deep here but could contend; maybe.

Race 10

(1) IDEAL WILLIE might have found a perfect spot to get back into the swing of things; his last victory was in June from the rail so with that said, he could top these at his best. (3) WINDSONG HARLEY showed good speed, stayed in the pocket and laid them down for his fifth score in 2015; dangerous. (4) ROCKIN RAMBARAN needs a better trip than in his last at Pocono; could be a player.

Race 11

(1) TYE SEELSTER was a very game second in his last try; he now moves to the rail and Sears had other options but keeps the faith with this gelding; ready for action. (7) SPARKY MARK Very consistent 8-year-old gets the services of Brennan; has good speed despite the move to the 7-hole; threat. (8) KIWI IDEAL N another one that is sharp; bad post but could contend with these.

Race 12

(1) CHEYENNE ROBIN was over her head in the Lady Maud last week but this seems to be a perfect spot for this gal to get back to her winning ways if she minds her manners; we shall see. (5) STRUT MY STUFF is 1 for 14 this year but she has been picking up good checks; quite dangerous. (6) DAUT FULL has wheeled off two straight victories at Philly; could land a share against this tougher group so watch out.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Monday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE

Arlington Park (6th) Diamondette, 7-2
(7th) Fast Madi, 7-2


Belterra Park (2nd) Knight Glory, 10-1
(5th) Seraglio, 5-1


Canterbury Park (2nd) Born Force, 5-1
(6th) K C's Misfit, 9-2


Del Mar (4th) Athens, 8-1
(7th) Dreamarcher, 4-1


Delaware Park (1st) Daddys Bright Star, 8-1
(8th) Presiding Justice, 6-1


Ellis Park (5th) Angels and Arches, 6-1
(6th) Stormfield, 6-1


Emerald Downs (4th) Dance With Effie, 4-1
(9th) Fire Beauty, 7-2


Finger Lakes (4th) Seriously Sharp, 7-2
(8th) Geaux Mets, 3-1


Golden Gate Fields (8th) Imperial Badger, 3-1
(9th) Desert Melody, 9-2


Gulfstream Park (2nd) Spectacular Flash, 7-2
(7th) Sharp Valor, 8-1


Hastings Park (5th) Holly Hollywood, 6-1
(6th) Burrard Breeze, 7-2


Louisiana Downs (1st) Jungle River, 5-1
(6th) Tiger Gate, 7-2


Monmouth Park (4th) Gintraker, 6-1
(11th) First Ronin, 5-1


Mountaineer (1st) Peace and Serenity, 7-2
(2nd) Summer Forever, 9-2


Parx Racing (1st) Deacon Furr, 3-1
(10th) Trinni Heart, 6-1

Presque Isle Downs (4th) Meinertzhageni, 8-1
(5th) Living the Life, 7-2


Remington Park (5th) The Rock Rolls, 3-1
(8th) Awesome Emmit, 5-1


Retama Park (5th) Bluegrass Affair, 6-1
(9th) Bucking Thunder, 6-1


Saratoga (2nd) Rock Garden, 7-2
(3rd) Alaapatique, 7-2


Thistledown (5th) Frontier Warrior, 3-1
(8th) Night Invader, 4-1


Woodbine (2nd) Glorious Moment, 3-1
(7th) Ramona Kimona, 6-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (75-61) at Nationals (71-65)

Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: September 07, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

Though they've gotten this homestand off to a perfect start, the Washington Nationals still have some work to do on Labor Day.

The preseason NL East favorites begin a possible make-or-break three-game series Monday with the division's current front-runners, the New York Mets.

New York (71-65) caught the Nationals in the standings with a momentum-shifting home sweep July 31-Aug. 2 and has since taken off, with that series and several aggressive moves at the trade deadline sparking a 23-11 run that's opened up a four-game lead on its chief rival.

The sweep began a dismal 4-13 stretch for Washington (71-65), but the club has recovered with wins in 13 of its last 19 and enters the series on a five-game win streak following a four-game home sweep of downtrodden Atlanta.

"Certainly it's tightening up," Mets manager Terry Collins said after his team's 4-3 loss to Miami Sunday.

Washington battered the Braves' pitching for 36 runs in the series and hit seven homers, including three in Sunday's 8-4 victory.

Bryce Harper has homered in three straight and is batting .421 over his last 18 games. Ryan Zimmerman is hitting .439 with six homers and 18 RBIs over a 10-game streak.

"I've been saying all along at some point we're going to make a run. Hopefully this is it," outfielder Jayson Werth said. "We've got our (top) guys going."

The resurgent offense will attempt to help out struggling Max Scherzer (11-11, 2.89), something it failed to do in the staff ace's two prior season meetings with New York.

Scherzer yielded one earned run over 14 2-3 innings in those starts but lost both after receiving only one run of support. He hasn't won at all in six consecutive outings and is 0-3 with a 6.14 ERA in his past four.

The All-Star surrendered 11 hits in six innings Wednesday but held St. Louis to two runs in a 4-3 Washington win.

Scherzer's winless drought has gone on even longer at Nationals Park. Since no-hitting Pittsburgh June 20, he's 0-3 with a 5.16 ERA in five home starts and allowed four runs or more in three of those outings.

The Mets, who dropped two of three in Miami to narrow the gap, send out a slumping pitcher of their own in Jon Niese (8-10, 4.17). The left-hander has permitted 18 runs and 23 hits over a three-start stretch and was reached for six in five innings of Tuesday's 14-8 loss to Philadelphia.

Niese also has lost four straight starts against Washington and is winless in five since tossing 7 1-3 scoreless innings at Nationals Park on Aug. 18, 2012.

The Mets have won each of Niese's last five road starts even though he's allowed 12 runs over 11 1-3 innings in his past two.

New York scored 23 runs in those games and will field a considerably different lineup than Scherzer faced May 1. David Wright and Travis d'Arnaud have returned from injuries and the offense has gotten a needed power boost from Yoenis Cespedes' acquisition and rookie Michael Conforto's promotion.

Cespedes homered for the fourth time in five games Sunday and is 10 for 23 during that span. D'Arnaud is batting .415 with three homers and 15 RBIs over his last 12.

The Mets are 7-6 against Washington in 2015 and have split six games at Nationals Park. The teams conclude the season with three at Citi Field beginning Oct. 2.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rays (67-69) at Tigers (62-74)

Game: 1
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: September 07, 2015 1:08 PM EDT

Fighting to stay in the wild-card race, the Tampa Bay Rays are hoping Drew Smyly can help their cause while getting the better of his former team.

Smyly faces the Detroit Tigers for the first time Monday since he was dealt last year when the teams begin a three-game series.

The Rays (67-69) remained 4 1/2 games behind Texas for the second wild-card spot after losing 6-4 to the New York Yankees on Sunday. Chris Archer made two huge mistakes - giving up back-to-back homers to Brian McCann and Alex Rodriguez - that erased a 3-0 lead and sent Tampa to its third loss in four games.

'I didn't execute in the biggest moment of the game,' Archer said. 'Am I disappointed? Of course. We need to win every single game.'

Smyly (2-2, 3.11 ERA), who was drafted in the second round by the Tigers in 2010 and made his debut in 2012, gets a chance to right the Rays and also put together strong consecutive outings for the first time since missing more than three months due to a torn labrum. The left-hander had his best start among the four he's had since coming back, matching a season high with 10 strikeouts and limiting Baltimore to four hits in seven shutout innings of an 11-2 victory Tuesday.

"I'm looking forward to it for sure," Smyly told MLB's official website. "It's exciting. I played there for three years, loved every bit of it. They've got great fans. Hopefully they'll support me when I come back."

In his two victories since coming back, Smyly hasn't allowed a run in 12 2-3 innings. In his other two outings, he's yielded nine runs and 15 hits in 8 1-3 innings while going 0-1.

Tigers counterpart Randy Wolf (0-3, 6.11) is also hopeful for support - of the offensive kind. The Tigers have failed to score in each of his three starts since being called up last month, and the left-hander was drilled for eight runs in 3 2-3 innings of a 12-1 defeat at Kansas City on Wednesday.

Wolf has dropped five straight starts dating back to a 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay on June 2, 2014, when he limited the Rays to one run in six innings.

Detroit's late-season swoon continued with a 4-0 defeat to Cleveland on Sunday, its third shutout loss while dropping 13 of the last 16. The last-place Tigers, who have matched a season worst by falling 12 games under .500 at 62-74, are 10-19 versus the AL East, getting outscored 182-111 in those games.

"We hit some balls decent, barreled some balls," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "Ball didn't seem to be traveling for us."

Ian Kinsler, who made a pinch-hit appearance Sunday, is 3 for 7 with a homer versus Smyly. Miguel Cabrera has gone 10 games without a homer and is hitting .194 in that span.

Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe is hitting .538 with a 1.379 OPS during a seven-game hit streak.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (65-71) at Yankees (76-59)

Game: 1
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: September 07, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

While Brian McCann has surprisingly emerged as the New York Yankees' leader in RBIs, fellow catcher Matt Wieters is enduring another frustrating year for the Baltimore Orioles.

McCann homered twice over the weekend while Wieters missed two weekend games ahead of Monday's three-game series opener at Yankee Stadium.

New York (76-59) captured two of three from Tampa Bay to begin its 10-game homestand. McCann homered in both of his starts, with his three-run shot in Sunday's 6-4 victory giving him 86 RBIs - his most since a career-high 94 in 2009.

"He's been such a run producer for us all year long," manager Joe Girardi said. "And to get that kind of production out of a catcher doesn't happen very often, just because of what they go through physically."

The former catcher Girardi has done his part to keep McCann fresh by occasionally starting backup John Ryan Murphy, who is mired in a 5-for-26 slump.

Wieters has been limited to 87 games over the last two years after season-ending elbow surgery in 2014. He sat out the final two games of a weekend set in Toronto with a left wrist injury suffered in Friday's 10-2 victory.

Manager Buck Showalter is hopeful Wieters can return Monday. The catcher is hitting .170 in his last 14 games.

"He's better today, it felt better so that was good to hear the improvement and the X-ray was negative so we're hoping," Showalter said.

The Yankees remained 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Blue Jays after a weekend in which Alex Rodriguez also went deep twice. He entered the Rays series homerless in 10 straight, and is now two shy of his first 30-homer campaign since 2010.

Rodriguez is also two hits away from tying Rod Carew (3,053) for 23rd on the all-time list.

New York is 8-5 against Baltimore (65-71), including 6-1 at home. The Yankees will give the ball to Michael Pineda (10-8, 4.07 ERA), who makes his third start after spending a month on the disabled list with a strained right forearm.

Pineda was charged with five runs over 4 1-3 innings in a 6-2 loss to Houston in his first start back Aug. 26 before recovering Tuesday to limit Boston to one run in six innings to earn a 3-1 road win and end a personal three-game slide.

The right-hander is 2-1 with a 5.60 ERA in three starts versus Baltimore in 2015. Jimmy Paredes is 4 for 6 against him this year, Manny Machado is 4 for 8 and Adam Jones 4 for 9.

The last time he faced Baltimore at home, he struck out a career-high 16 on May 10.

The Orioles will start Wei-Yin Chen (8-7, 3.36), who allowed five runs in 4 2-3 innings in last Monday's 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay after going 3-0 with a 2.90 ERA in his previous five outings.

Chen is 1-1 with a 2.79 ERA in three 2015 starts against New York. Chris Young is 4 for 7 with a homer in those games against the left-hander and Chase Headley 3 for 6.

Young is mired in a 4-for-40 slump, including 2 for 22 off left-handers. He bats .323 against southpaws compared to .182 against righties.

Orioles slugger Chris Davis leads the majors with 40 homers and has reached 100 RBIs for the second time. He's 3 for 14 with two homers off Pineda.

Baltimore has dropped 14 of 17.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers (60-76) at Marlins (57-80)

Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: September 07, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

Neither Justin Nicolino of the Miami Marlins nor fellow rookie Zach Davies of the Milwaukee Brewers are known for overpowering stuff.

These inexperienced starters will be looking to rely on their location and guile Monday when these clubs open a three-game set in Miami.

Nicolino (3-2, 3.07 ERA) will make his eighth career start and Davies (0-0, 8.31) his second.

The Marlins starter is seeking his first victory at home, where he's 0-2 with a 5.01 ERA compared to 3-0 with a 0.87 ERA on the road. The left-hander continued his road success Tuesday by throwing seven scoreless innings in a 7-1 rout of Atlanta.

With only 15 strikeouts in 44 innings, it's clear that velocity isn't the reason the 23-year-old Nicolino has posted a 1.98 ERA in his last four outings.

"The thing about Nico, the thing he can do, and he does so well, he knows how to pitch," manager Dan Jennings told MLB's official website.

The 22-year-old Davies (0-0, 8.31) also doesn't throw hard and is known more for a changeup similar to former Brewers starter Shaun Marcum. Davies and batterymate Jonathan Lucroy spent time Friday watching video on Marcum.

That came two days after Davies surrendered four runs in 4 1-3 innings in a 9-4 victory over Pittsburgh with three walks and three strikeouts in his big-league debut. The right-hander said he wants to be more aggressive in this outing.

"Throwing pitches a little off, a little low, making sure I'm going after them and that I know I'm confident in my pitches," he said.

Nicolino's strong four-start stretch began Aug. 17, when he limited Milwaukee (60-76) to two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 6-2 victory even though Ryan Braun was 2 for 2 with a walk against him.

Braun is batting .386 over a 17-game road hitting streak against Miami, going 11 for 26 in six games at Marlins Park - the only current NL stadium in which he has yet to homer.

These teams have turned in encouraging play down the stretch. Milwaukee's six-game win streak ended with Sunday's 6-3 loss at Cincinnati while Miami has won five of six.

The Marlins (57-80) took two of three in walk-off fashion from the NL East-leading New York Mets after Martin Prado's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning of Sunday's 4-3 victory.

Prado went 7 for 14 in the series, also driving in the winning run Friday. He is batting .405 in a nine-game hitting streak at home.

'It's all about momentum," he said. "I feel good about my swing and I was in a good spot, and when things are going like that you feel like you have a pretty good chance to win.'

Braun is 10 for 23 in his last six games while Elian Herrera was 5 for 14 with two homers in the Reds series.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pirates (81-54) at Reds (56-79)

Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: September 07, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

With his rotation spot in question, Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander Jeff Locke will have to secure it during a month that's been notoriously bad for him in his career.

Locke looks for a better result in his second September start as the Pirates open a three-game road series against the last-place Cincinnati Reds on Monday.

The Pirates (81-54) trail St. Louis by 5 1/2 games in the NL Central despite taking two of three from the Cardinals over the weekend, but they're three ahead of the Chicago Cubs and 10 1/2 up on Washington in the wild-card standings.

It remains to be seen what role Locke will play if Pittsburgh makes it to October.

Locke (7-9, 4.66 ERA) coughed up five runs in 3 2-3 innings of Wednesday's 9-4 loss to Milwaukee, and he is 2-3 with a 6.26 ERA since July 24. He has pitched six innings or more just once during that span, allowing 49 hits - seven of them home runs - in 41 2-3 innings while opponents have hit .292 against him.

Locke may find it difficult to regroup in September, a month in which he's gone 2-13 with a 6.60 ERA during his five-year career.

With A.J. Burnett on the verge of returning from an elbow injury, each start becomes more pressing for Locke, whose second-half ERA is 5.88.

"You don't take the mound saying, 'Gee, this could be the last one,'" Locke said. "You go out there and try to win the game for your team."

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle wasn't ready to talk about Locke's immediate future after his brief outing against the Brewers.

"I'm not going to get into that right after a guy goes 3 2-3 innings," Hurdle told MLB's official website. "Those are conversations we'll have internally. We continue to look at ways to make our team stronger all the time. Adjustments in any spot ... those are ongoing conversations."

The Reds (56-79) have lost 17 of 22 and sit last in the Central, but they're 9-4 against Pittsburgh this year and have given Locke trouble in three games. They have 21 hits and 11 runs - nine earned - in 16 innings against him, though that only amounted to one Cincinnati win.

Todd Frazier is 9 for 23 with two home runs against Locke, who is 3-2 with a 3.46 ERA against the Reds in 10 career starts.

Cincinnati's Anthony DeSclafani (7-10, 3.87) has trudged through his own struggles, failing to reach the sixth in two of his last three starts with a 5.09 ERA. The right-hander has lost three of his last four, and the Reds have dropped each of his last five.

He cruised into the sixth with a 3-1 lead Tuesday against the Cubs, but he only recorded two outs and was charged with two runs in the inning. DeSclafani allowed four hits and three runs overall and didn't factor into the decision of a 5-4 loss.

"I ran into some trouble," he said. "I just have to make better pitches."

Brandon Phillips has three games with three or more hits in his last four for the Reds, including a 3-for-4 day with a two-run homer in Sunday's 6-3 win over Milwaukee.

Burnett hasn't pitched since July 30 but could return as soon as Wednesday, while Pittsburgh first baseman Travis Ishikawa (lower back strain) is expected to come off the disabled list

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jays (78-58) at Red Sox (64-72)

Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: September 07, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

Mark Buehrle got an extra day of rest to combat fatigue after his latest outing, and his recent success against the Boston Red Sox perhaps made that decision a little easier for Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons.

The left-hander will seek to win his fourth consecutive start against the Red Sox, who might not have a red-hot David Ortiz on Monday.

Buehrle (14-6, 3.53 ERA) gave up two runs over six innings of a 9-2 victory over Detroit on Aug. 30 - his first win in three outings - but told the Blue Jays he felt tired after that game. In response, Gibbons switched his spot in the rotation with Marco Estrada, giving the veteran a chance to start the series opener at Fenway Park.

"I think it's a little bit of everything. It's just that time of year. I don't know if it's dead arm or whatever," Buehrle told MLB's official website. "I'm going out there trying to give everything I've got."

Buehrle likely doesn't mind as he's 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his last three starts at Fenway and 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in his past three overall against the Red Sox. He yielded one run over seven innings in an 11-2 home win July 1.

Buehrle could see similar support after the Blue Jays' high-scoring lineup appeared to get back on track with Sunday's 10-4 win over Baltimore. Toronto had averaged 3.8 runs in its previous five games, well below its MLB-best mark of 5.5 per game.

Jose Bautista hit his 33rd home run and an RBI double in the Jays' 28th win in 35 games. Toronto (78-58) is the first team since the 2004 Houston Astros to reach 20 games above .500 after previously having a losing record following the All-Star break.

The Blue Jays, 1 1/2 games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East, will try to pad that lead by working toward another sweep at Fenway. They took three straight there June 12-14 but are just 7-6 in this season's series.

Buehrle and his teammates might not have to face Ortiz after he was forced to leave Sunday's 6-2 win against Philadelphia because of tightness in his right calf. Ortiz hit his fifth homer in nine games, the 497th of his career and his 200th at Fenway to help Boston (64-72) complete a three-game sweep.

Ortiz is also batting .393 with nine extra-base hits and 10 RBIs in his last nine contests. He's hit four homers in his past six against Toronto but has four hits in his last 21 at-bats against Buehrle with a solo home run.

"We're trying to figure out how he did it, whether it was during the swing or whether it was when he was running the bases," interim manager Torey Lovullo said. "We thought it was the best thing to take him off the field and re-evaluate him (Monday) morning."

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia is not slated to return from the disabled list (hamstring) until Tuesday at the earliest.

Those absences could hinder Rick Porcello's chances of getting improved support. The right-hander has received a combined four runs in his last five starts, going 1-3 despite a 2.79 ERA.

Porcello (6-12, 5.21) gave up three runs - one earned - in eight innings Tuesday in a 3-1 loss to the Yankees.

He was tagged for seven runs in two innings while pitching opposite Buehrle on July 1 and yielded one run and two hits over seven innings in a 4-1 win at Fenway on April 29.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians (66-69) at White Sox (65-70)

Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: September 07, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis are enjoying strong seasons as the Cleveland Indians' best players.

Neither has fared well against Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale.

There's little at stake in this week's three-game set in Chicago between AL Central rivals, though watching Sale operate against Brantley and Kipnis should provide entertainment in Monday's opener.

Cleveland (66-69) and Chicago (65-70) are essentially out of contention, though both are playing well. The Indians have won eight of 11 and the White Sox are seeking a fifth straight win.

Brantley leads baseball with a .376 average since the start of August. Kipnis is one of the majors' leaders with 17 games with at three hits and has a .311 average that is second on the team to Brantley's .319 mark.

They will have their hands full Monday. Brantley is 4 for 29 with 12 strikeouts against Sale (12-7, 3.29 ERA) while Kipnis is 4 for 17 in this matchup.

Sale leads the majors in strikeouts per nine innings at 12.11, with a career-high 239 to lead the AL. He has thrown 14 scoreless innings over his last two starts at home.

He can become the first pitcher in 13 years with 14 starts with at least 10 strikeouts since Arizona's Curt Schilling had that many in 2002 and teammate Randy Johnson had 15 such outings.

The left-hander is 3-0 with a 2.34 ERA in his last five starts with 53 strikeouts over 34 2-3 innings. Sale gave up four runs in 6 1-3 innings in Tuesday's 8-6 defeat at Minnesota, throwing at least 110 pitches for the fourth straight outing.

Chicago begins a 10-game homestand after totaling 25 runs and batting .351 while sweeping three from AL-leading Kansas City over the weekend. Alexei Ramirez is 10 for 17 in this win streak, going 8 for 14 with five RBIs in the Royals series.

Leadoff hitter Adam Eaton was 8 for 15 with two homers and five RBIs over the weekend although he is dealing with shoulder discomfort.

'Yeah, it's good to win in general, but Kansas City's a high-quality baseball team,' Eaton said. 'It's good to take three from a very, very good team.'

Eaton is 2 for 11 against Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer (10-11, 4.56) while Ramirez is 4 for 13 with a homer.

Bauer fell to 0-3 with a 7.65 ERA in five road starts since the All-Star break after being tagged for five runs over 1 1-3 innings in Wednesday's 5-1 defeat at Toronto.

The right-hander is 2-1 with a 3.08 ERA in four 2015 outings versus Chicago. Slugger Jose Abreu is 7 for 16 in his career with a double and no homers against Bauer.

Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor is hitting .400 in his last 14 games, including a go-ahead, two-run triple in the sixth inning of Sunday's 4-0 victory at Detroit.

"I was just looking for that pitch to drive it, and eventually I got it and I thank the Lord I got it," Lindor said. "I was capable of helping the team win today and that's what it's all about."

Mike Olt went 2 for 4 on Sunday in his White Sox debut after being acquired off waivers the day before from the Chicago Cubs. His new team averages a major league-low 3.46 runs at home.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (78-57) at Cardinals (87-49)

Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: September 07, 2015 2:15 PM EDT

Winning in St. Louis may not be enough to catch the NL Central-leading Cardinals, but Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon knows the value of road victories during a playoff push.

The Cubs will try to win a series in St. Louis for the first time in two years, while the Cardinals look to separate from the pack in Monday's series opener at Busch Stadium.

The Cubs (78-57), who have won three straight and sit 7 1/2 games ahead of Washington for the NL's second wild-card spot, are 12-32 in St. Louis since the beginning of 2011 and have lost six of seven there this season.

Most teams haven't been playing well this year at Busch Stadium, where the Cardinals have built a major league-best 49-22 record. The Cubs are one of the few clubs planning to make a postseason run, and it will likely need to go through St. Louis.

"I've been through this before, when you're playing really good teams like that, you eventually have to beat them in their own ballpark," Maddon told MLB's official website. "If we grab a lead, we gotta learn how to hold onto it there. That's the next level mentally for us."

Chicago lost three of four at Busch from May 4-7 and was swept there June 26-28. The club hasn't won a series there since taking two of three from Aug. 9-11, 2013.

The Cubs' only win in St. Louis this year came against Lance Lynn in a 6-5 victory after they shelled the right-hander for eight hits and five runs over six innings.

Lynn (11-8, 2.80 ERA) is coming off a mild right ankle sprain that forced him to miss his previous scheduled start in Pittsburgh. He suffered the injury during a 6-0 victory in San Francisco on Aug. 29 that began a four-game win streak for St. Louis.

The Cardinals (87-49), though, have lost three of four, including two of three to second-place Pittsburgh over the weekend, to trim their division lead to 5 1/2 games.

"We've had a lot of close games and series that could go one way or the other," manager Mike Matheny said. "That's how it's going to be as we continue to play them."

Lynn is 6-4 with a 2.53 ERA at home this season and was on a roll before his injury, posting a 5-3 record and 2.63 ERA since July 17. He won his last two starts by giving up just two runs in 13 innings against Arizona and San Francisco.

Dan Haren will oppose Lynn looking to help the Cubs improve on a 35-29 road record, which is second-best in the NL behind St. Louis (38-27).

Haren (8-9, 3.89) has only recorded six innings in one of his six starts since coming to the Cubs in a deadline trade with Miami. The right-hander has a 1-2 record and 5.87 ERA with Chicago and has given up nine home runs.

Haren has allowed a homer in nine straight starts and has allowed a major league-leading 30 this season. He draws a favorable matchup in that category, though, as the Cardinals are tied for 11th in the NL with 113 home runs.

"I'm going to give up home runs," Haren told MLB's official website. "I pitch to contact."

Kris Bryant's 495-foot solo homer Sunday gave him 86 RBIs, tying Billy Williams (1961) and Geovany Soto (2008) for the Cubs' rookie record. Bryant is hitting .346 with three home runs and nine RBIs in seven games since Aug. 30.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (75-62) at Athletics (58-79)

Game: 1
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: September 07, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

The Houston Astros continue to show the way in the AL West. How they fare on an upcoming road trip may determine if they can remain on top.

Houston begins a 10-game trek against division opponents with Monday's matchup with a sagging Oakland Athletics team that will try to take Mike Fiers out of an outstanding groove.

The Astros start the three-city tour with a three-game lead on surging Texas and visit the Rangers for four critical games after a stop in Anaheim that follows this three-game set. Houston (75-62) gained a little distance on the Rangers with Sunday's 8-5 come-from-behind win over Minnesota coupled with a Texas loss to the Angels.

Houston scored all its runs after the sixth inning - highlighted by Jed Lowrie's go-ahead grand slam in the seventh - to give Dallas Keuchel his AL-leading 17th win.

While Keuchel has emerged as the unquestioned ace, Fiers (2-0, 2.25 ERA) has given the rotation another strong option since being obtained along with outfielder Carlos Gomez from Milwaukee on July 30.

The right-hander has posted a 0.67 ERA in four starts following the trade, highlighted by a 10-strikeout, 134-pitch no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 21. Fiers showed no effects from the heavy workload next time out, limiting Minnesota to a run and three hits through six-plus innings in a 4-1 win on seven days' rest.

"I felt great," Fiers told MLB's official site. "To get that extra rest after throwing so many pitches helped me out a lot."

Fiers' terrific stretch began in Oakland on Aug. 9, when he allowed Danny Valencia's solo homer among five hits over 6 2-3 innings in his first appearance against the A's.

Oakland (58-79) took three of four in that series but has floundered since, going an AL-worst 7-17 and suffering a fifth straight loss with Sunday's 3-2 defeat to Seattle.

Billy Butler finished 2 for 4 with a solo homer and has been one bright spot during the A's swoon, batting .519 over his last 10 games.

Oakland has homered in 12 consecutive games, the majors' longest active streak. However, Fiers hasn't allowed any in three straight starts.

The A's have won each of Felix Doubront's three starts since he joined the rotation in mid-August. The journeyman left-hander is 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA over that span, collecting his first victory with his new team after allowing four runs across six-plus innings in Monday's 11-5 decision over the Angels.

Doubront (2-1, 3.99), one of a club record 28 pitchers used by Oakland this season, also won his lone career meeting with Houston, permitting three runs in 6 2-3 innings with Boston on April 27, 2013.

Colby Rasmus, the only current Astro with more than five at-bats against Doubront, is 7 for 17 with a homer in the matchup.

A's catcher Stephen Vogt is doubtful for the opener after being struck in the groin by a foul ball Sunday. Josh Reddick was out of Sunday's lineup due to illness but pinch hit in the seventh inning.

Houston is 7-6 against the A's this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants (71-66) at Diamondbacks (65-72)

Game: 1
Venue: Chase Field
Date: September 07, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

The San Francisco Giants have lots of ground to make up for a return to the postseason, and a series with the reeling Arizona Diamondbacks could help matters.

Hoping they've put their road woes behind, the Giants continue their trip with Monday's opener of a three-game set between struggling NL West teams.

A seven-game losing streak that included three to the Los Angeles Dodgers has placed the defending world champions 7 1/2 games behind their rivals in the division and eight back of the Chicago Cubs for the second wild card. San Francisco (71-66) rebounded with back-to-back wins at Colorado, but is just 4-14 in its last 18 on the road.

The Giants swept three games in their last visit to Chase Field from July 17-19 and face an Arizona club that's dropped 11 of 14 since climbing a game over .500 on Aug. 23.

The Diamondbacks (65-72) did San Francisco no favors by losing three straight at Wrigley Field over the weekend. Arizona pitchers served up three homers, including a tiebreaking grand slam to ex-Diamondback Miguel Montero in the sixth of Sunday's 6-4 loss.

"I do think our guys are giving really good effort," manager Chip Hale said. "We're probably not pitching well enough in the bullpen to be a winning ballclub. We have to have a little better at-bats. It's not from lack of effort."

A slumping San Francisco offense came to life in the final two at Coors Field, producing 29 hits and 14 runs. The Giants had 14 runs and one homer during the skid.

Buster Posey went 2 for 4 with his 100th career home run in Sunday's 7-4 victory and is 16 for 31 over an eight-game hitting streak. Matt Duffy went 6 for 14 with four RBIs over the final three games and Marlon Byrd had four hits in the finale.

"Good bounce-back for us," manager Bruce Bochy said. "To lose the first two here, lose three in L.A. and come back and win two games here in a tough ballpark, the boys did well."

Mike Leake (9-7, 3.49 ERA) has been hampered by the offensive inconsistency. The deadline pickup remains winless as a Giant despite allowing two runs or fewer while working six or more innings in three of four starts since being acquired from Cincinnati.

Leake has received six runs of support in those outings and had a tough-luck outcome again Tuesday at Dodger Stadium, where he threw seven effective innings in a 2-1 defeat.

The right-hander is 4-0 in seven career starts against Arizona, however, and won both meetings last season. Though Leake has a 5.30 ERA in three Chase Field appearances, he threw six innings of three-run ball in a 6-4 win there May 30, 2014, and has held Paul Goldschmidt to two hits in 16 at-bats.

While Leake seeks his first win since July 28, Arizona's Patrick Corbin (4-3, 3,67) is 3-0 with a 3.67 ERA since last losing July 24. The 2013 All-Star yielded a pair of solo homers among seven hits over 6 1-3 innings of a 6-4 win at Colorado on Tuesday.

Corbin hasn't bested the Giants since Sept. 16, 2012, though, going 0-4 with a 4.79 ERA in six starts since and losing his last three.

He may benefit from San Francisco's injury-plagued lineup. Hunter Pence (oblique) is 10 for 21 with three homers off Corbin and Hector Sanchez (ankle) is 7 for 13, but neither will play in the series. Nori Aoki remains sidelined due to concussion symptoms.

Aaron Hill, 4 for 15 with a home run against Leake, is expected to miss a fifth straight game with an injured hamstring.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockies (56-80) at Padres (65-72)

Game: 1
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: September 07, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Ian Kennedy's record would be a lot more respectable if the San Diego Padres were providing even an iota of run support for the veteran right-hander.

The Padres may be able to buck that trend in his upcoming start considering their two largest scoring outbursts of the season came against the Colorado Rockies.

Kennedy looks to avoid matching a career worst for losses when he takes the hill Monday in the opener of a four-game set against the Rockies at Petco Park.

Kennedy (8-12, 3.88 ERA) has been mostly consistent this season but owns a slew of hard-luck losses to show for it. Behind the third-lowest run-support average in the majors (3.18), Kennedy has won two straight starts only twice this year.

Although he has allowed one of the highest home run totals in baseball with 27 - one shy of his career worst - Kennedy's 1.24 WHIP is his best in four years and his 9.02 strikeouts per nine innings rank among the top 20 in the big leagues.

In his 25 outings, the Padres have backed Kennedy with more than three runs only four times, a big reason why he's 7-5 across 15 quality starts. He's been outstanding in his previous four with a 1.71 ERA, 37 strikeouts and an opponents' batting average of .189, but he's gone 1-2 with just five total runs of support over 26 1-3 innings.

Kennedy struck out a season-high 12 while outdueling Texas' Cole Hamels on Wednesday and departed with a 3-2 lead after seven before the Padres lost 4-3 in 10.

"It goes unnoticed how great he was," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said of Kennedy after that outing. "Great performance, great performance battling their No. 1."

San Diego (65-72), which dropped three of four to the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend to fall to 2-5 on an 11-game homestand, may find the inspiration to give Kennedy some breathing room in its mastery of the Rockies (56-80) this year.

The Padres have dominated the season series with 112 hits and 77 runs while taking nine of the first 12 matchups, including all five at home. In two of their wins, they scored a season-best 14 runs, and Kennedy was the beneficiary in a 14-3 home win May 1.

San Diego, however, also failed to support Kennedy in a 5-0 loss at Coors Field on Aug. 16 in which he allowed four runs - one earned - and fanned eight in 6 2-3 innings.

The Rockies have dropped four of seven after splitting a four-game weekend series against San Francisco to close a 4-4 homestand. They now hit the road for a 10-game trip looking to win back-to-back away games for only the second time since the end of May.

Kyle Kendrick (4-12, 6.29 ERA) may not be the best arm to get them there despite tossing four solid innings in his first start in a month his last time out. Kendrick gave up one run and three hits in a 5-3 loss to Arizona on Tuesday after spending time on the disabled list for shoulder inflammation in his pitching arm.

The right-hander is 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA in two starts against the Padres this year.

Rockies slugger Nolan Arenado, who is tied for the NL lead with 36 homers, had his home run streak snapped at a team-record six games in Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Giants.

"It was a pretty cool streak. It's hard to think about it because I never thought about it at the plate," he told MLB's official website. "When I was hitting the homers, it never crossed my mind."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (71-64) at Mariners (66-71)

Game: 1
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: September 07, 2015 6:40 PM EDT

After failing to pad their lead for the AL's second wild-card spot, the Texas Rangers appear to have a prime opportunity to improve their position with a four-game series against the fourth-place Seattle Mariners.

The Rangers, however, haven't enjoyed much success against the Mariners this season and Seattle comes in riding a season-high five-game winning streak.

Making matters worse for visiting Texas is that Nelson Cruz, who has tormented his former team this season, is hopeful to return from a quad injury for Monday's opener.

The Rangers (71-64) entered the weekend with a 1 1/2-game lead over Minnesota on the heels of a 15-5 stretch but dropped two of three to the Los Angeles Angels, though their advantage over the Twins didn't change.

Texas finished with four runs in the series and managed two hits in Sunday's 7-0 loss that allowed the Angels to pull within 2 1/2 games of a playoff spot.

"Nobody's gonna let us just walk into the playoffs," catcher Chris Gimenez told MLB's official website. "It's up to us to come back and go up to Seattle and get back to our winning ways."

The problem with that is the Rangers are 4-8 against Seattle (66-71) this season. They took two of three from the Mariners at home in mid-August but earlier in the month lost two of three in Seattle, where they're 2-4 this season.

Adrian Beltre is batting .196 against the Mariners this year and Elvis Andrus .217 in the six August meetings.

Cruz has had no such trouble with Texas, batting .417 with five homers and 10 RBIs. Second in the majors with 39 home runs, Cruz has sat out the last three but could return to face Yovani Gallardo (14-9, 3.27 ERA), whom he's gone 6 for 8 against with two homers.

After tossing 11 1-3 scoreless innings in consecutive outings, Gallardo gave up four runs over five innings in Tuesday's 8-6 win at San Diego. The right-hander has been hit-or-miss in his last eight road starts, throwing 31 shutout innings in five of them but posting a 9.69 ERA in the other three.

Gallardo hasn't faced the Mariners since going 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in a pair of April starts against them.

Seattle returns home after Sunday's 3-2 win in Oakland to cap a 7-3 trip. Kyle Seager and Ketel Marte each drove in a run for the Mariners, who averaged 8.5 runs and hit .336 in the first four games of their winning streak.

"Baseball is always a lot more fun when you win," said Shawn O'Malley, who is 6 for 8 with four walks in three games since being called up. "And it's a lot of fun, too, when you're in the lineup and win. Hopefully, we just continue to win games and finish strong."

Seager has also been a key contributor to Seattle's surge, batting .500 with four homers, four doubles and 12 RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak. He is 0 for 5 against Gallardo, however, while Robinson Cano is 0 for 6.

The Mariners counter with Roenis Elias (4-7, 4.35), who is 0-1 with a 5.25 ERA in two starts since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma. The left-hander walked four in 5 1-3 innings at Houston on Tuesday after issuing two walks over 23 1-3 in his previous four starts for Seattle.

This will be his first game against the Rangers since going 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA in four starts against them last year.

Andrus is 5 for 11 against Elias and batting .359 in his last 17 games against lefties.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Braves (54-83) at Phillies (53-84)

Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: September 07, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

It's been 25 years since the Atlanta Braves had a share of the division cellar after the All-Star break, but they'll get there Monday night if they extend two of their longest skids in franchise history.

The Braves will try to avoid a 13th consecutive loss and 14th in a row on the road in their opener against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Atlanta (54-83) hasn't been in last place in the second half since finishing 65-97 in the NL West in 1990, but is on the verge of dropping into a tie for the NL East cellar with Philadelphia (53-84). The Braves' 12-game losing streak is their longest in one season since a 17-game skid in 1977 and their 13 consecutive road defeats are their most since a 15-game skid in 1935.

"Never seen anything like this," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said after an 8-4 loss in Washington on Sunday. "Just keep battling, come (Monday) and try and win."

The Braves are just three losses shy of matching their longest road losing streak and another poor outing from Williams Perez (4-6, 5.65 ERA) could move them closer to that mark. The rookie right-hander is 0-6 with a 9.50 ERA in his last seven starts, beginning with a 9-3 loss in Philadelphia on July 31.

Perez was tagged for a career-high nine runs in 4 1-3 innings in his only start against the Phillies, and started the Braves on a 35-game stretch in which they've posted a 6.55 ERA. Atlanta has a 7.57 mark while losing 19 of 20 and an 8.14 ERA in its losing streak.

A matchup with a struggling Aaron Harang (5-14, 4.89) would appear to help the Braves' chances of snapping their skids, but the veteran has been dominant in his last four starts against Atlanta, going 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA.

Harang, seeking to avoid becoming MLB's first 15-game loser, is 2-0 with a 0.95 ERA in three matchups this season and will try to use this meeting to earn just his second win in 13 decisions. He has a 7.04 ERA in his last 15 starts and is 0-3 with a 7.99 ERA in his past six.

The Phillies are seeking to work their way toward sole possession of fourth place in the NL East for the first time since Aug. 10. They're 5-2 in visits from the Braves this season and won three of four July 30-Aug. 2.

They're returning home from a 1-5 road trip against the New York Mets and Boston that concluded with a three-game sweep at Fenway Park. Philadelphia took a 6-2 loss Sunday, giving its staff an 8.34 ERA in five games this month.

"Nobody wants to end up in last place," manager Pete Mackanin said. 'We need to do some damage (against the Braves) and then the Cubs. We need to forget this road trip and start over.'

Freddie Freeman is hitting .412 in his last eight games against Philadelphia but is 3 for 20 lifetime versus Harang. A.J. Pierzynski is 9 for 16 in his past four matchups with the Phillies and is 3 for 9 this season against the right-hander.

Cesar Hernandez, batting .345 in his past seven contests, is hitting .433 in a seven-game hit streak against Atlanta, and Freddy Galvis is batting .429 versus the Braves this season. Jeff Francoeur is 7 for 12 in his last five games versus his former team.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Twins (70-66) at Royals (82-54)

Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: September 07, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Although they were swept this past weekend, the Kansas City Royals remain well on their way to clinching their first division title in 30 years.

The Royals can make some real headway beginning Monday night with the second-place Minnesota Twins visiting Kauffman Stadium, and Yordano Ventura will try to help while earning a seventh consecutive victory.

Kansas City (82-54) suffered a three-game home sweep with Sunday's 7-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox but remained 12 ahead of Minnesota in the AL Central because the Twins (70-66) fell 8-5 at AL West-leading Houston.

"It's a long season and this stuff happens," first baseman Eric Hosmer told MLB's official website.

Minnesota's loss dropped the Royals' magic number for the division title to 15, and they could get it to single digits by sweeping three against the Twins.

Having Ventura on the mound could give Kansas City a chance to accomplish the more modest goal of avoiding a season high-tying fourth consecutive defeat.

Ventura (10-7, 4.24 ERA) is 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his last five starts after giving up one run in seven innings of Wednesday's 12-1 rout of Detroit. He also matched a career-high 11 strikeouts from a 5-3 win against Baltimore on Aug. 27.

The right-hander has a 2.82 ERA in his string of six winning decisions, the longest single-season streak by a Royals starter since Zack Greinke in 2009. The last Kansas City starter to take seven consecutive wins in one campaign was Jose Lima in 2003.

Ventura, 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA in his last five home starts, will face Minnesota for the first time since Aug. 16, 2014. He is 1-2 with a 4.08 ERA in three matchups against the Twins, all of them coming last season.

He'll be opposed by left-hander Tommy Milone (7-4, 3.60), who will try to build on his second win in seven second-half starts in a 3-0 victory against the White Sox on Wednesday. Milone went seven innings and fanned seven after going 1-3 with a 6.23 ERA in his previous six starts.

"It's fun to pitch in meaningful games in September," Milone said. "We're going through that right now and we've just got to take it one game at a time and continue to build off of it."

Milone yielded one run over six innings July 3 in his most recent start against Kansas City, which won 3-2 at home in 10. Milone was 1-1 with an 8.15 ERA in four prior matchups.

The Twins opened a nine-game trip by dropping two of three to the Astros but are still 1 1/2 games behind Texas for the AL's second wild-card spot following the Rangers' 7-0 defeat against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

The Royals have won seven of their last 10 against the Twins but split a four-game home series July 2-5.

Lorenzo Cain, batting .360 in his last 13 games, is hitting a team-best .341 versus Minnesota this season. He has five hits in his last nine at-bats against Milone.

Eduardo Escobar, 3 for 5 lifetime versus Ventura, is batting .365 with five homers and eight doubles in his last 17 games. Highly touted rookie Miguel Sano returns to the site of his major league debut, where he went 6 for 15 with two doubles in the four July games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers (78-58) at Angels (69-67)

Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: September 07, 2015 9:05 PM EDT

Zack Greinke has pitched so well this season that it might not matter what opposing teams have done against him in the past.

The Los Angeles Angels hope it does as they welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers to Anaheim to open the Freeway Series on Monday night.

Greinke (15-3, 1.59 ERA) is just 2-5 with a 3.86 ERA against his former team in 11 career appearances, including 10 starts, and the Angels hold the highest batting average against him in the majors at .286.

Mike Trout (5 for 10), Kole Calhoun (4 for 8), Erick Aybar (9 for 25), Albert Pujols (8 for 26) and David Freese (5 for 17) are each batting .294 or better against Greinke. The only Angels hitter with a home run is the injured Matt Joyce, but Trout has a double and two triples and Aybar and Pujols have five doubles apiece.

The leading NL Cy Young candidate, however, has given up five runs in his last five starts and has lost only once since June 18, improving his MLB-best ERA and WHIP (0.85).

Although he's allowed double-digit hits and four or more runs in four starts against the Angels, he's also given up two runs or fewer and worked eight innings in four others.

The latest came during a 5-3 win July 31 in which he held the Angels to five hits and two runs while walking one and striking out eight. The victory was the first of a three-game sweep and the second victory in a 6-1 span for the Dodgers.

Los Angeles is enjoying a similar stretch after taking three of four from San Diego with a 5-1 win Sunday - the club's 11th victory in 13 games. The Dodgers (78-58) now own a 7 1/2-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West and are a season-high 20 over .500.

Dodgers pitchers lowered their MLB-best ERA since Aug. 14 to 2.55 by surrendering five runs in the final three wins over the Padres. Starters Alex Wood and Brett Anderson gave up just seven hits and one run over 12 2-3 innings in the final two games.

"We're playing really good baseball right now, everything is starting to come together," Wood told MLB's official website. "It's a different guy every night."

The Angels (69-67) have lost six straight to the Dodgers but won their fourth in five games with Sunday's 7-0 victory over Texas. They are 5 1/2 back of AL West-leading Houston and 2 1/2 behind the Rangers for the second wild-card spot.

Trout, who went 2 for 3 against Greinke on July 31 and added a home run off Kenley Jansen in the ninth, snapped a career-worst 27-game homer drought Sunday with his 34th.

"There's a lot of baseball left," Trout told MLB's official website. "We won this series, and that's always big."

Nick Tropeano gets the start Monday night in place of Matt Shoemaker, who will miss at least one turn in the rotation with a right forearm strain. Tropeano (1-2, 5.51) was called up from Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday to make his fourth spot start for the Angels.

The right-hander declined through his first three. After tossing six innings in a 2-0 win over Oakland on April 23, he gave up four runs over six in a 4-2 loss to Texas on July 24 and then six runs in 4 1-3 innings of an 8-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 20.

 

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Ortiz exits with calf tightness
The Sports Xchange

BOSTON -- After going 1-for-1 with three RBIs in two plate appearances, including a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly, Boston designated hitter David Ortiz left Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Fenway Park with right calf tightness.

With two outs in the first inning, Ortiz hit a two-run home run off Philadelphia rookie right-hander Jerad Eickhoff for his 497th career home run and 31st of the season. Ortiz came to the plate in the second with one out and the bases loaded and drove an Eickhoff fastball to deep center field for a sacrifice fly that gave Boston a 6-0 lead.

But Ortiz was pinch hit for by Allen Craig to lead off the fifth inning.