Saturday 7/2/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mohawk: Saturday 7/2 Analysis
By Garnet Barnsdale

DRF HARNESS

Race 1 - $30,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool

Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool


20-CENT PICK 5: 1,6,8/4/1,2,3,4,6/1,2,7,8/1,3,8,10 = $48

EARLY PICK 4: 1,2,7,8/1,3,8,10/3/2,4 = $32

LATE PICK 4: 6/3,4/1,3,6,9/2,3,6,8 = $32

MEET STATS: 172 - 520 / $934.00 BEST BETS: 31 - 49 / $104.60

SPOT PLAYS: 9 - 48 / $49.20

Best Bet: BETTING LINE (8th)

Spot Play: CROCADILE CANYON (3rd)


Race 1

(6) AMAZING CONTROL raced evenly a class higher now drops back to the bottom level where she should show speed. She is one of many that could win the opener. (8) MISCHIEVIOUSGIRLS closed well off excess cover last time and she will get there in the class one of these times when the pace falls apart late. (1) CASE DISMISSED didn't show much after taking lots of action last out but she gets the stable's main driver now who could wake her up. (3) ST LADS PENNY LANE closed a lot of ground in the back 1/2 last week which could be a signal that a top effort is coming.

Race 2

(4) MAJOR HILL couldn't keep pace with his stablemate late in the race last week but that rival is in another division tonight and this gelding should be prominent here. (1) SOME GOLD was first-up in the same race and finished on even terms with the choice. He should be the main threat. (3) BLAYDE HANOVER should be much closer early here which gives him a better chance. (5) WHATASHOWINONTARIO raced okay from the 11-hole vs. many of these now gets a chance to show his early speed in a short field. He should share.

Race 3

(1) CROCADILE CANYON gets to drop in class again and he returns to a 7-day cycle here. Expect Zeron to start this gelding's move earlier. (4) VEGAS ROCKS went a big trip vs. a strong winner last week and he should be tough in here. (6) SPORTSMANSHIP has returned to his best form and will be passing many of these late. (2) AMERICAN ROCK couldn't hold off a strong first-over challenger last time but he should take another share here from on or close to the pace.

Race 4

(2) LYONS RIVER PRIDE wasn't far back vs. the top sophomore pacing fillies in North America last time. She should appreciate the easier company here. (1) NAUGHTY LADY B had speed both early and late in a sharp win and she should get a good trip here from the inside. (7) PARTY IN ROME can factor here from on or off the pace. (8) FREE SHOW raced better last time and is another speed threat here.

Race 5

(1) BET YA closed a big gap vs. a dominant winner now moves inside nine posts and should get put into this race much earlier; slight nod. (8) DELIGHTFUL HILL went a big trip on the rim in the same race and would be very tough if she could clear early here. (3) LEGAL PROCESS steps up off a win for a very hot barn and she shouldn't be taken lightly. (10) GOOD WILL HANOVER faces easier here but also must deal with post 10; tricky call.

Race 6

(3) MAGNUM J paced his back 1/2 in 52 2/5 in the North America Cup and still couldn't get close. He is a solid bet to go right down the road here. (6) PRINT MEDIA has one win this season, but notice that victory came in an OSS Gold race similar to this one. (8) SEMI AUTOMATIC was flying late last time and should be closing again here for a share. (5) NVESTMENT BLUECHIP has improving form and should share here.

Race 7

(4) MACH CODE is in top form and can race well using a variety of styles; call to repeat. (2) DUC DORLEANS drops and will likely be sent hard early here. He is the main danger. (3) COOL ROCK couldn't withstand the winner's powerful brush last week. He will likely look for a helmet to follow here and take a share. (5) ASAP HANOVER failed as a big chalk when trying a brush-and-crush move last week. He could do better here with a different trip.

Race 8

North America Cup champ (6) BETTING LINE surfaces vs. OSS competition here; enough said. (7) SINTRA has been spectacular so far this year but would need to shave a few more seconds off here to beat the choice. He likely completes a puny exacta. (8) PIRANHA has been in top form also and could challenge for the place spot. (2) WAR N MUNN has had a productive campaign and he should share here.

Race 9

(3) ELLIS PARK and (4) REVEREND HANOVER meet again and will likely settle this late similar to the race two back. Give a slight edge to the choice who has a recency edge. (6) EVENIN OF PLEASURE raced big in the Gold Cup and can't be counted out, but he may not land in his favored pocket slot early here. (2) ROCKIN IN HEAVEN looks next best and can share off a following trip.

Race 10

(6) THATSOVERYVERYNICE raced tough first-over last week to gut out a win and may be good for another here with the slight step up in class. (3) BAROCKEY should be leaving here with the move inside and that makes her dangerous. (1) P L HURRICANE fell just short in a blanket finish last time. She can be close here too and may leave much better this time. (9) RIDE AWAY SHARK was motoring late last week and she could leave here and get a spot near the front early. She is in with an upset chance.

Race 11

(6) ERLE DALE N dodges Reverend Hanover here and he should be a big pace threat vs. these. (2) PIERCE HANOVER blew the field away with a powerful third 1/4 move last time. He should be one of the main players here. (8) WAZZUP WAZZUP drops slightly and should be blasting early looking for a spot near the front. (3) SHADES OF BAY could show much more early zip here leaving from the inside.

Race 12

(7) DIALAMARA was in a good spot last time but couldn't pass when the pace accelerated noticeably late. With the slight drop in class he could be sent on a speed mission here. (2) MOONWRITER was confidently-driven to win last week and can be a threat again here now that he has found his best form. (4) NEW YORK NIGHTMARE was claimed by a potent outfit and he could make some noise here at a price. (3) VITAL SIGN will be passing many of these late and the faster they go early, the better it is for him. (1) UFDRAGONS ROCKET steps back up off a loss but his form is good enough that he can take a minor share here.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Meadowlands: Saturday 7/2 Analysis
By Derick Giwner

DRF HARNESS

Race 3 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Race 7 - $40,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

CHAMPIONSHIP MEET STATS: 65 - 186 / $388.40 (+$16.40)

BEST BETS: 8 - 16 / $20.10 (-11.90)

Best Bet: J EAGLE FEATHER (9th)

Spot Play: MILLWOOD FAITH N (5th)


Race 1

(1A) SPICEBOMB jumped it off at the start and lost all chance last week but against this softer group I have to jump on her possibly emptier bandwagon. (2) WINNING LINC has been in against faster foes of late and could easily step up against this group. (5) HOLLYROCK HEYDEN doesn’t look great on paper, but this barn has been going good.

Race 2

(8) GOIN TO THE LIMIT was in over his head in the Goodtimes and now freefalls back to the cozy confines of NW2 country. I’d be surprised if Bongiorno didn’t fire off the gate and put him in play. (1) SOUTHWIND PEARL didn’t fire over a sloppy surface in the NJSS final. I have concerns about her missing four weeks of action and sporting an 0-13 record, but this field came up rather soft. (4) ENJOY THE JOURNEY seems to be coming along slowly but surely and could be ready for a peak effort.

Race 3

(8) STORMIN RUSTLER continues to race well at this level week after week. I wouldn’t say I feel confident he’ll win this time around, but he should be in with a big chance. (3) IT WAS AN HONOR and (4) BROOKSTONE sandwiched the top choice at the wire last week while finishing first and third, respectively. All three rate highly in the rematch.

Race 4

(4) DABUNKA has been closing very well from tough spots of late and now finally draws in the middle of the gate where his late rally might not come up short. (9) OUREA NOURRIR can grind all day and shouldn’t be affected by the outside draw. You have to like the driver change to Greg Merton as well. (5) ROADWAY hails from a barn that was red hot last weekend and certainly looks fast enough to compete on paper. (6) RING WARRIOR has plenty of form; worth using.

Race 5

(6) MILLWOOD FAITH N is a bit of a flyer play considering she only has one non descript U.S. qualifier which I didn’t even see. That said, she has decent Down Under earnings and appears to fit nicely with this lower level conditioned field. (3) JARNAC drops down and seems highly likely to be hustled away from the gate for position. (4) M Z JACKIE comes off an improved effort and gets a more accomplished driver in the bike.

Race 6

(7) DEALT A WINNER won in style in his 2016 debut at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Four-year-old had a strong sophomore campaign and looks ready to take on older foes. (5) HAWK’S RED CHIEF has big early speed and should take this field a long way. (4) AMERICANPRIMETIME comes off a nice win but loses Bongiorno.

Race 7

(9) DIVINE CAROLINE finally showed some signs of life last week and I want to get in at a decent price this week. (1) PURITY drops back down and draws well. (3) ROYAL ENGAGEMENT is certainly sharp but facing tougher this week.

Race 8

(7) AMPED UP has been on my radar for a couple of weeks without anything to show for it. Now he moves into the Richard Johnson barn and picks up Merton, so I’ll take one more shot. (6) URBANITE HANOVER also moves into a new barn and did record a solid 1:51 3/5 win here last year. (1) BJ’S RAMEAU picks up an aggressive driver and draws well; not impossible.

Race 9

(4) J EAGLE FEATHER returns to the Meadowlands at a reduced level and should prove very difficult to beat. (1) STRATOCASTER drops down and draws better; worth using. (6) BLATANTLY BEST has back class and did improve in this condition last time.

Race 10

(7) NOBLES FINESSE has been much improved since adding Lasix and only needs a reasonable trip to get the job done. (1) ONEISALONELYNUMBER gets post relief and a catch-driver. (4) STIMULUS has been closing well from outside posts and draws better this week.

Race 11

(2) JANIE BAY doesn’t have great form, but seems to be in a better spot and has some class. (5) BEACH STORY continues to grind out good checks and will get over the top one day. (3) BODACIOUS BECKY moves into a new barn and drops in class; hard to ignore those angles. (4) ARABELLA J comes off a win.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Saturday 7/2 Analysis
By Matt Rose

DRF HARNESS

MEET STATS: 213 - 629 / $1149.00 BEST BETS: 30 - 53 / $105.70

Best Bet: MACH IT SO (6th)

Spot Play: GREAT VINTAGE (7th)


Race 1

(1) MYSHARONA BLUECHIP lands the best post shipping in from Pocono and despite lacking the class of others Dube may be able to work out a winning trip. (6) MATTAMERICAN was a winner last out at The Big M and was a winner versus similar here a couple of months ago; logical. (2) RU READY TO ROCK may have needed last week's race after being scratched sick.

Race 2

(6) E Z NOAH'S last local race was a disaster and now he's missed time but if right the Allard trainee may be best. (4) WESTERN ROCKSTAR bumps up off a solid uncovered score. (1) ROCK ICON was Bartett's choice of three in here.

Race 3

(4) BETTOREVER was in the Levy when last seen locally; he's back in comfortable surroundings and is reunited with Bartlett. (1) STOLEN CAR just missed last week and now moves all the way inside; big player. (6) CLINT WESTWOOD gets Dube back in the bike after having no chance last week.

Race 4

(5) BLOOD BROTHER did nothing last week in that speedy mile but he gets Bartlett back and I expect much more tonight. (3) BJ'S GUY raced well last out with decent speed at both ends and he should land a big piece here. (2) J T kept up well for Abbatiello last out and he's inside again.

Race 5

(4) BIG N BAD didn't fire last week after being in a tough spot but his form prior to that was stellar; from this improved post I'll give him the call to rebound. (1) ANNIESWESTERNCARD is on the comeback trail for Burke. (5) SECOND WIND N is back with Stratton and he moves inside a couple of spots; definite closing threat.

Race 6

(1) MACH IT SO is better than these and somehow got to draw for his post, ending up with the rail. Down the road at 2/5. (2) SOMEWHERE IN L A held pretty well off an uncovered trip last week; threat. (5) SANTA FE BEACHBOY returns to Yonkers and has proven he can go with these.

Race 7

(3) GREAT VINTAGE likely needed last week's start where he went evenly from too far back; Dube's driving tonight and he can be more aggressively handled. (2) LETTUCEROCKTHEM A is a clear talent for Allard who appears a bit off his game recently; perhaps the move back to Yonkers helps his cause. (1) ALLBEEF N NOBULL was a wire-to-wire winner in his last local appearance.

Race 8

(1) GO DADDY GO tied the track record last week in a scintillating performance; whay can't he repeat? (4) IN THE ARSENAL has underwhelmed this season but clearly he's capable of better. (2) JENERAL PATTON gets some needed post relief and must be included.

Race 9

(6) BIG BOY DREAMS is reunited with Sears after taking a shuffle last week; two back they teamed to be front-end winners in 1:51 1/5. (2) NORTHVIEW PUNTER N gets needed post relief and hails from a barn that's going well now. (1) PHIL YOUR BOOTS will be close up throughout but always seems to burn money; use caution.

Race 10

(5) HILLBILLY HANOVER has been solid in his two local starts and should be a decent price in a tough-to-figure event. (3) WICK N gets Brennan in the bike and may be more aggressively handled. (2) IDEALBEACH HANOVER has been a bit short in his last couple but if he reverts back to his form from three and four back he's a big threat.

Race 11

(3) LUMINOSITY seems like routine selecting given his generous post assignment. (7) MAJOR ATHENS bounced back in a big way last week and is a legit Open commodity. (5) ALLERAGE STAR was used hard early last week and tired late; threat.

Race 12

(6) THE REAL ONE has Dube driving again for Lachance and he only needs to be close enough to roll by late. (3) UF ROCKIN DRAGON has been solid in his last three yet still may offer a decent price. (7) BETTOR ROCK ON N needs an alert getaway or else he'll be too far back.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Saturday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Arlington (1st) Rambling Richie, 9-2
(8th) Church Road, 7-2


Belmont Park (4th) Kabang, 5-1
(10th) Risky Sour, 4-1


Belterra Park (2nd) Brother Stuart, 9-2
(6th) Old South Ball, 6-1


Canterbury (6th) Erlenmeyer, 6-1
(8th) Rarin to Go, 3-1


Charles Town (1st) Ruby Wine, 7-2
(3rd) Skim the Rail, 7-2


Churchill Downs (6th) Emmett Park, 6-1
(11th) Bad Student, 7-2


Delaware Park (3rd) Tazmanian Charlie, 3-1
(8th) Q's Jack, 7-2


Ellis Park (3rd) Theycallhimthekid, 7-2
(7th) Sugar Kate, 6-1


Emerald Downs (2nd) Young Sinatra, 5-1
(6th) Confisio, 8-1


Evangeline Downs (3rd) Sunny Oak, 5-1
(8th) String King, 4-1


Finger Lakes (4th) I'll Be At the Bar, 7-2
(5th) I Am Patriotic, 5-1


Gulfstream Park (5th) Ari's Pride, 7-2
(13th) Hidden Journey, 4-1


Indiana Grand (3rd) I'veseenthisbefore, 8-1
(8th) Regal Justice, 8-1


Laurel (2nd) Pirate's Cove, 9-2
(5th) Nimble Foot, 9-2


Lone Star Park (5th) One True Sun, 5-1
(7th) Boogie Monster, 7-2


Louisiana Downs (1st) Saintly Dip, 3-1
(4th) Silky Lady, 4-1


Monmouth Park (4th) Che La Luna, 8-1
(7th) Wise Mac, 7-2


Mountaineer (1st) This Dream of Mine, 4-1
(2nd) Laranquiada, 7-2


Parx Racing (7th) Baby Ue, 4-1
(8th) Germanic, 6-1


Penn National (2nd) Britesunnysky, 5-1
(3rd) Quiet Virtue, 4-1


Pleasanton (4th) Hula Girl, 6-1
(10th) Flashy Gold, 7-2


Prairie Meadows (1st) Listen You Fool, 5-1
(8th) W. B. Smudge, 9-2


Santa Anita (7th) Profound Visionary, 7-2
(8th) Pioneerof the West, 4-1


Thistledown (4th) Shakespeare's Girl, 6-1
(8th) Reign of Kings, 3-1


Woodbine (7th) Papa Zulu, 7-2
(10th) Eumenides, 8-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Let the home plate umpire be your guide when wagering on baseball
By JOE FORTENBAUGH

On April 10, 2016 at the pitcher-friendly confines of AT&T Park, southpaw Scott Kazmir of the Los Angeles Dodgers and World Series champion Johnny Cueto of the San Francisco Giants took the mound for their respective clubs in an N.L. West blood feud that featured an over/under of 7.5 runs.

The 32-year-old Kazmir, who had posted an incendiary 2.38 ERA in 18 starts with the Oakland Athletics last summer before being shipped to Houston at the trade deadline, entered his April 10 showdown against Cueto with a 1-0 record thanks to a 3-0 victory in San Diego just five days prior in which the lefty blanked the Padres for six innings while surrendering only one hit.

Cueto, who signed a six-year, $130 million deal with San Francisco last December, also entered that April 10 matchup with a 1-0 record due to a brilliant Orange & Black debut in Milwaukee in which he limited the Brewers to just one run on six hits over seven solid innings of work en route to a 2-1 victory.

So the stage has been set: Two talented and accomplished starting pitchers taking the mound on a Sunday afternoon in a ballpark that allowed fewer home runs than any other venue in baseball last season with a Las Vegas over/under of 7.5. This sort of feels like a game in which we might lean to the under, doesn’t it?

Hopefully all of you passed on that instinct because over bettors were celebrating a win after just three innings of baseball in which Kazmir and Cueto both allowed five runs to cross home plate in what eventually became a wild 9-6 victory for the Giants.

So how exactly did two of the game’s more accomplished starting pitchers find themselves so bruised and battered in the box score so quickly while playing at AT&T Park?

There are several reasons, actually, for what went down on April 10 ranging from Cueto’s potential nerves in his home debut for the Giants to Kazmir’s issues with consistency to two talented and highly productive lineups.

But the one reason that tends to slip between the cracks when trying to explain an anomaly game such as this one has to do with the man in the mask behind home plate.

Yes, I’m talking about the umpire.

When betting on baseball, whether it be the side, run line or total, it is essential to research and evaluate the man tasked with differentiating balls and strikes. On April 10 in San Francisco, that man was Alan Porter, who was behind the plate for 29 games during the 2015 Major League Baseball season. And in those 29 games, the over went 15-11-3 with an average of 8.79 runs scored per contest. But for those of you who are willing to go the extra mile, your research would have indicated that in games featuring an over/under of exactly 7.5 runs during the 2015 season with Porter behind the plate, the over went 6-3.

So far during the 2016 campaign, the over is 9-5 with an average of 9.86 total runs scored per game with Porter behind the plate.

This isn’t to suggest that Porter’s presence on April 10 was the sole reason the over hit in such immediate fashion, but it does help to partially explain why a matchup between Johnny Cueto and Scott Kazmir at AT&T Park could go from being viewed as a pitcher’s duel to a shootout in such a short span of time. More importantly, however, it helps to reinforce the point of how essential it is to study the umpire assignments before placing each and every MLB bet you consider.

Entering Saturday’s slate of action, with the 2016 MLB regular season approximately 46% complete, here’s a breakdown of some key umpire date that will prove useful in your baseball handicapping:

TOP FIVE OVER UMPIRES

Brian Gorman: 7-2 (.778), 9.8 runs per game
Jerry Meals: 10-3 (.769), 10.7 runs per game
Bill Welke: 10-3 (.769), 9.4 runs per game
Bill Miller: 12-4 (.750), 9.3 runs per game
Jerry Layne: 8-3 (.727), 9.3 runs per game

TOP FIVE UNDER UMPIRES

Eric Cooper: 9-2 (.818), 5.9 runs per game
Mark Ripperger: 11-3 (.786), 5.6 runs per game
Todd Tichenor: 10-3 (.769), 6.0 runs per game
D.J. Reyburn: 8-3 (.727), 5.7 runs per game
Larry Vanover: 8-3 (.727), 7.9 runs per game

TOP FIVE HOME UMPIRES

Bill Welke: 11-2 (.846), 9.4 runs per game
Clint Fagan: 10-2 (.833), 11.7 runs per game
Fieldin Culbreth: 10-3 (.769), 8.8 runs per game
Ted Barrett: 12-4 (.750), 10.1 runs per game
Bill Miller: 12-4 (.750), 9.3 runs per game

TOP FIVE ROAD UMPIRES

Adam Hamari: 11-2 (.846), 9.0 runs per game
Tom Hallion: 10-3 (.769), 7.9 runs per game
Jim Reynolds: 10-3 (.769), 9.1 runs per game
Ryan Blakney: 10-4 (.714), 9.1 runs per game
Andy Fletcher: 9-5 (.642), 9.1 runs per game

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB Betting: Division Underdogs

Just about half of a team’s 162 game MLB schedule is against division rivals and these games have a lot more meaning to them as team's try to either win a division title or get into the playoffs. If you're going to bet on underdogs, it's a great idea to focus on divisional games as there is extra incentive for team's in these matchups and under the right set of circumstances can deliver big profits.

At this point in the season, divisional home underdogs have won 53 games, lost 86 with a negative impact of -$2045 against the money line. Division road underdogs have walked off winners in 137 and at the wrong end of a decision 167 times. But, the road pooches have been a good choice, stuffing betting accounts to the tune of +$1533. Of course, you can't blindly bet on divisional road underdogs every time and expect to come out ahead in the long run, so let’s take a look at a situation where it favors you.

Our MLB number crunching machine chips in small to medium divisional road underdogs priced between +$1.00 and +$1.50 delivered the goods. In this situation the home favorite essentially has an edge but isn't overly superior meaning the underdog in what is basically a tossup game can easily upset the odds offering good value. In 221 situations so far, division road underdogs in the +$1.00 to +$1.50 range won at a 48.4% clip (107-114) rewarding backers with +$1527 at the betting window.

An even better ROI can be had focusing on fewer plays with less total money at risk. In this situation we want to concentrate strickly on a division road underdog that won the first game of the series and getting little respect in game-two as they won at a 55.3% clip (21-17) cashing +$788 worth of tickets.

While there's no guarantee small to medium divisional road underdogs in the above mentioned situation will continue to perform the rest of the way, the angle is definitely worth keeping an eye-out for.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Interleague Over Gamblers Cashing'

Three month's worth of baseball in the books 'Over' gamblers are cashing at a healthy 56.9% clip when American League clubs take on National League teams. The 'Over' has been the correct choice in 188 games vs 124 'Under', 18 'Push'.

In the Junior Circuit, the Detroit Tigers (10-2 O/U), Los Angeles Angels (11-3-1), Minnesota (11-1-1) lead the way. In the Senior Circuit it's San Diego Padres (7-1 O/U), Pittsburgh Pirates (9-3), Colorado Rockies (8-2) cashing consistently for 'Over' gamblers.

Over the weekend, Kansas City-Philadelphia, Pittsburgh-Oakland, NY Yankees-San Diego will be trying to keep 'Over' bettors happy

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

July Pitchers Report
By Marc Lawrence

Fireworks and the MLB All-Star game go hand-in-hand during the month of July. It also denotes the start of the 2nd half of the MLB campaign. And as we’ve come to learn the key to each and every team’s fortune lies on the pitching staff.

Can they sustain or will they unravel like Jose Canseco going back on a fly ball? Stay tuned. What we do know is that certain pitchers love hurling this time of the season while others tend to get lit up like a roman candle on the 4thof July.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of July.

On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in July, winning 33% percent or less of their team-start efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each July over the last three years.

And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.

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

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

*Chen, Wei-Yin - 9-4 (5-1 H)

The Miami left-hander has not been terribly effective with an ERA hovering around 5. If Chen can develop more command, he's shown again this year he's tough when in challenging situations, allowing .186 batting average and .271 on-base percentage with runners in scoring position.

Garza, Matt - 9-3 (5-1 H)

Since coming back from spring training injury on June 14th, the Milwaukee right-hander has been a mix of good and bad, but come through when it counted. Opposing hitters are batting over .300 against Garza, but he's held those runners in check and induced a heavy dose of ground balls that have led to outs. If he continues, this Brewers starter might be effective.

Greinke, Zack - 11-4 (6-2 H)

Though Arizona is falling short of preseason expectations, the Diamondbacks ace is not and, other than Clayton Kershaw, has arguably been as effective as any pitcher since the end of April with batters hitting around .200 against him. Once again his array of pitches are finding the right spots and fastball is cooking!

Kazmir, Scott - 10-5 (6-2 H)

When Kazmir misses on location for fastball, the other team's lineup begins to look for off-speed stuff, which has caused his inconsistency this season. When he's working the corners on the knees early in the count, this sets up secondary pitches. In the past he's done so in July, let's see what he comes up with this time.

*Kershaw, Clayton - 12-3 (8-0 A)

When either Kershaw loses or has a less than stellar performance, which is infrequent, it is home page news on most sports websites. With opponents batting just .185 against him, baseball's best pitcher has close to as many home runs surrendered (6) as walks (9) to start the month over 121 innings. It’s no wonder his name is whispered in the same company as Sandy Koufax.

Kluber, Corey - 13-4 (9-2 H)

Since winning the Cy Young award in 2014, Kluber has not been able to match that magical season, but is part of a very good Cleveland rotation. Looking ahead, if the Indians righty can do a better job than permitting .281 batting averages with runners in scoring position, all his numbers will drop and his victories will go up. Note: Kluber’s numbers above also reflect his career team mark during July.

*Liriano, Francisco - 12-2 (7-0 H)

After several fine seasons with Pittsburgh, Liriano has not been effective in 2016. Walks and home runs have done him in and in order to reflect past results of July, he's going to have to stop leaving pitches in the heart of the plate.

Peralta, Wily - 8-4 (5-1 H)

Peralta has been thoroughly ineffective all season (6.68 ERA) and was sent to minors after June 11th start. His return this month or this season depends on his Triple-A results. Note: Peralta’s numbers above also reflect his career team mark during July.

Price, David - 11-5 (7-1 A)

To date, the Boston lefty could be described as a mild disappointment, with an ERA north of 4.5 most of the season. No longer owning an upper 90's heater, Price does not blow away as many hitters as before and the fastball lacks some of the previous movement of the past. The slider has not had the usual bite from start to start. Red Sox need this ace to be one.

Ross, Tyson - 10-4 (4-1 H)

Ross has not pitched since he hit the DL with right shoulder inflammation after first start in April. San Diego Union reports a return even this month appears optimistic.
Note: Ross’ numbers above also reflect his career team mark during July.

Santana, Ervin - 11-4 (8-1 H)

Like his teammates, Santana is not having a good year, as opposing hitters are clocking him for nearly .300 average, compared to .256 over his 11-year career. Little reason to believe this month will match the past even if he improves with this Twins club.

*Volquez, Edinson - 10-5 (6-1 A)

Never a frontline hurler, Volquez numbers this campaign have matched the Royals, being very ordinary to date. The Dominican Republic native has done the job against right-handed batters, who have been knocking him around for nearly .300 average.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

Wood, Alex - 4-8 (0-6 A)

Wood – the only pitcher to appear on the July Bad Month list this season - was initially expected to be shut down for four weeks after landing on the 15-day disabled list at the end of May with a posterior impingement in his throwing elbow. Currently, the timetable is for mid-July return, but the oft-injured pitcher can hardly be counted on as record shows. Note: Wood’’s numbers above reflect his career team mark during July.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Win Total Update - July

Three months of the 2016 pro baseball season are in the books and bettors investing in “Win Total” wagers can start to get a clearer picture on their investments.

Listed below are each team’s win totals and their records through June 30.

National League Win Totals

Team Win Total - 2016 Record - 5/2/16 Record - 6/1/16 Record - 7/1/16

Arizona 82 12-15 23-32 36-45
Atlanta 67 ½ 6-18 16-36 27-52
Chicago Cubs 93 ½ 17-6 36-15 51-27
Cincinnati 70 10-15 18-35 29-51
Colorado 71 ½ 12-12 24-28 37-41
L.A. Dodgers 89 ½ 13-13 28-26 44-37
Miami 79 ½ 12-12 28-25 41-38
Milwaukee 70 9-15 24-29 35-43
N.Y. Mets 89 ½ 15-8 29-23 41-37
Philadelphia 65 ½ 15-10 26-27 35-45
Pittsburgh 85 ½ 15-10 29-23 38-41
San Diego 73 ½ 9-16 21-33 33-46
San Francisco 88 ½ 13-13 33-22 50-31
St. Louis 86 ½ 12-13 28-26 40-38
Washington 89 ½ 17-7 33-21 48-32


AmericanLeague Win Totals

Team Win Total - 2016 Record - 5/2/16 Record - 6/1/16 Record - 7/1/16

Baltimore 78 14-10 29-22 47-31
Boston 87 ½ 15-10 32-21 42-36
Chicago White Sox 81 18-8 29-25 40-39
Cleveland 86 ½ 10-12 27-24 48-30
Detroit 81 14-10 25-27 41-38
Houston 88 8-17 25-29 42-37
Kansas City 85 13-11 30-22 42-36
L.A. Angels 80 ½ 12-13 24-29 32-47
Minnesota 79 7-18 15-37 25-53
N.Y. Yankees 86 8-15 24-28 39-39
Oakland 76 ½ 13-13 25-29 35-44
Seattle 82 ½ 13-11 30-22 40-39
Tampa Bay 82 11-13 22-29 33-45
Texas 83 ½ 14-11 31-22 51-29
Toronto 86 ½ 12-14 29-26 43-38

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians (49-30) at Blue Jays (43-39)

Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: July 02, 2016 1:07 PM EDT

TORONTO -- The Cleveland Indians had to work overtime to set a club record with a 14-game winning streak.

They needed 19 innings to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 on Friday afternoon with Carlos Santana hitting a leadoff homer in the 19th against infielder Darwin Barney, who played the first 18 innings at second base before being pressed into service on the mound.

"That's a weird game," Indians manager Terry Francona said. 'Shoot, they're matching up with infielders."

The matchup is of a different nature Saturday for the third contest of the four-game series.

The Indians were trying to determine who might start for them as Trevor Bauer, the scheduled starter for Saturday, pitched five innings of relief Friday to earn the win.

With an afternoon game Saturday, it might be difficult from a time perspective to call up a pitcher so the possibility was that it could be a game that Francona tries to piece together from the bullpen.

"We're working through that right now," Francona said. "We've got some things we've got to talk through."

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays will be going with their best starter this season, Marco Estrada.

The right-hander has pitched six innings and allowed five or fewer hits in 12 straight starts, a major league record.

"He's an ace," Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis told the Toronto Star. "I think that's the biggest thing that gets misconstrued because he doesn't throw 95 and he doesn't have a bunch of flash to his pitches. ...There's zero flash to his game."

Travis said it is fun to play when Estrada pitches.

"I told him the other day, 'When I watch you pitch, that's how I wish myself and everybody could play baseball,' " Travis said. "He's out there having fun, he smiles. He gives up a home run, he comes in the dugout and he's the exact same guy. After the game, same guy, whether he just threw seven (shutout) or gave up five runs -- which I can't remember the last time that happened."

Estrada has faced the Indians once, allowing two runs in seven innings while earning a no-decision last season.

The Indians, meanwhile, not only are on a 14-game winning streak but are 8-0 on their road trip. They are 19 games over. 500 (49-30) for the first time since the end of the 2013 season when they were 22 games above. 500.

The Indians are getting it done with teamwork, regardless of who is starting and the win Friday was an example.

"When TB (Bauer) came in, the day before he's supposed to start, the innings he logged where huge innings," said Josh Tomlin, who started and allowed one run in six innings "What he did today was pretty spectacular.

"We're playing as a team. We're doing whatever it takes to win a game today and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow."

But even in the bottom of the 19th, there was a moment of uncertainty that Santana's home run might not be enough.

In the bottom of the 19th, Josh Donaldson hit a deep fly to right that became the second out when at first it appeared that the game might be tied again.

"It looked like that ball was a home run off the bat," Francona said.

"I thought he hit it out for sure," Bauer said. "He hit it and I was like 'You've got to be kidding me.'"

But it worked out again in Cleveland' favor. It usually does these days.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (52-29) at Twins (25-54)

Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: July 02, 2016 2:10 PM EDT

Texas needed extra innings to stave off its first three-game skid since late May on Friday night, but it got the job done.

The American League-leading Rangers (52-29) look to start a new winning streak as they face the Twins in the second contest of a three-game set Saturday afternoon in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, the Twins (25-54) are no strangers to losing streaks. They have strung together skids of three or more games 12 times this season, and earned another after Friday's 3-2 loss in the series opener.

Ian Desmond led off the 10th inning with a 418-foot homer, giving the Rangers a win in extras after Texas' Martin Perez and Minnesota's Ervin Santana each turned in stellar starts before giving up two runs apiece in the seventh.

Jurickson Profar's two-run single broke the scoreless tie in the Twins' seventh, but Trevor Plouffe socked a two-run blast in the bottom of the frame to pull even again.

Brian Dozier singled to set the table for Plouffe, extending his career-best hitting streak to 13 games.

"There's nothing wrong with a little adversity, especially at this point in the season," said Desmond, who has 15 homers this season and finished a triple shy of the cycle. "We see what we're made of. We had some good bounce-back performances today."

After a classic pitchers' duel in the opener, both teams turn to a pair of youngsters Saturday as Rangers right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-0, 9.00 ERA) opposes Twins righty Tyler Duffey (3-6, 5.59 ERA).

Duffey carries momentum into his first career start against the Rangers.

The 25-year-old enjoyed one of his best outings Sunday against the New York Yankees, giving up a solo homer and two hits but nothing more while striking out eight in an eight-inning victory.

"Throwing the ball over the plate does wonders," Duffey said after pitching 5 2/3 perfect innings and carrying a shutout into the eighth. "I was able to spot my fastball well and everything worked off of that."

It was his first win in six starts, snapping a three-decision losing streak, and marked the first time in eight starts since May 15 that Duffey allowed fewer than four runs.

Duffey had been touched for six runs in each of his past three starts, going 0-2 while pitching to a 11.37 ERA.

Gonzalez makes his second big league start of the year after being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock on Monday to face the Yankees. He allowed five runs on 10 hits and two walks in a five-inning no-decision.

The 24-year-old was 3-6 with a 5.04 ERA in 14 starts with Round Rock before assuming Colby Lewis' spot in the starting rotation.

Plouffe took Gonzalez deep for a solo homer in Texas' 6-5 win over Minnesota last August 13. Gonzalez lasted 5 2/3 innings, surrendering five runs on five hits and a career-high-tying five walks with four strikeouts.

Eduardo Escobar (1-for-2) also recorded a hit against Gonzalez.

The Rangers and Twins meet five more times this season after Saturday's showdown, with a July 7-10 four-game series in Arlington taking both teams into the All-Star break.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers (35-44) at Cardinals (41-38)

Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 02, 2016 2:15 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS -- The long national nightmare is over, at least for a few hours.

When the St. Louis Cardinals polished off a 7-1 victory Friday night over the Milwaukee Brewers, it snapped a seven-game losing streak at Busch Stadium -- their longest skid at home in 33 years.

"We've won at home before and we'll win a lot more at home," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said when asked about ending the streak. "Hopefully, we'll cool that talk off for a few more days and piece together some more wins."

Weather permitting, the Cardinals (41-38) get that opportunity Saturday when they resume their series with Milwaukee. There is an 80 percent chance of rain Saturday and a 100 percent chance of rain for Sunday's series finale, with some forecasts predicting between 3-to-5 inches of rain for the weekend's remainder.

If the rain holds off, St. Louis will try to build on Friday night's game while continuing its recent trend of success against the Brewers. It is 5-2 against Milwaukee this year, outscoring it 45-14.

In the previous three years, the Cardinals have won 39 of 57 games against the Brewers, including 13 of 19 last year.

"We haven't played well against this team," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "I don't have any explanation for it ... we just haven't played well."

The matchup of starting pitchers suggests the Brewers might be in for another tough time. St. Louis is going with Adam Wainwright (6-5, 5.04 ERA), who faces Milwaukee for the first time since rupturing his Achilles' tendon April 25, 2015 at Miller Park.

Wainwright is coming off a 6-2 loss Monday night in Kansas City, but is 12-8 with a 2.32 ERA in 32 career appearances (25 starts) against the Brewers. Four of his last nine starts against them have resulted in complete games.

On the other hand, Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson is 0-5 with a 9.51 ERA in six games (five starts) against the Cardinals. Nelson (5-6, 3.60) fired five shutout innings Sunday but was no-decisioned in the Brewers' 3-2 loss to Washington.

Nelson will have to deal with a St. Louis lineup that profited from the return of rookie shortstop Aledmys Diaz on Friday night. Diaz, who missed the last three games after fouling a pitch off his right eye Monday night in Kansas City, bagged two hits and an RBI while fielding 11 chances flawlessly.

"He played pretty good defense behind me with one eye," joked Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia, who picked up the win with eight innings of work.

St. Louis could also welcome back right fielder Stephen Piscotty to the lineup. He's missed the last two games since injuring his ankle in the 12th inning of a 3-2 loss Wednesday night to Kansas City as he slid toward Alcides Escobar's eventual game-winning double.

Piscotty was held out of the lineup Friday night, although he reported the range of motion had returned to his ankle. He's been the team's cleanup hitter most of the year, batting .288 with nine homers and 40 RBIs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marlins (42-38) at Braves (27-53)

Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: July 02, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

ATLANTA -- On paper, the third game of the series between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves on Saturday hardly seems like a fair fight.

The Marlins will send right-hander Jose Fernandez, one of the best in the league, against Atlanta's Lucas Harrell, who will be recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to serve as an emergency starter.

Atlanta found itself with a hole in the rotation after trading veteran right-hander Bud Norris to the Los Angeles Dodgers this week in exchange for a pair of pitching prospects. Norris, who was nearly designated for assignment after April, got a second chance as a starter when Mike Foltynewicz was placed on the disabled list, and he responded with a 2.15 ERA over four starts.

Norris would have been the starter Saturday. His abrupt trade left the club scrambling to find a starting pitcher. The options were limited, with John Gant and Williams Perez already on the disabled list and Joel De La Cruz recalled earlier in the week from Triple-A.

Harrell was 2-1 with a 2.81 ERA in nine appearances, five starts, for Gwinnett. In his starts, he did not allow more than three runs. He pitched six scoreless innings in his last start against Charlotte on Sunday.

Harrell has major league experience, going 18-33 with a 4.84 ERA over five years. He won 11 games for the Astros in 2012. His last start in the major leagues was in April 2014 with Houston.

"I think he's a groundball-sinker guy," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "He's been through the wars, so that's good, and he's been pitching OK down there. Hope he can extend the game for us."

Fernandez (10-3, 2.28 ERA) will make his 16th start of the season. He was 2-1 with a 1.67 ERA in four starts in June.

Fernandez has been overpowering at times, and he ranks third in the league with 138 strikeouts and averages a league-best 13.1 innings per nine innings. His ERA is fifth in the NL.

"I'm learning," Fernandez said. "I'm learning a lot how to pitch. I think I'm becoming a pitcher, not just a young guy that has a lot of talent that can strike people out."

He has been a difficult opponent against Atlanta over the years. Fernandez is 4-1 with a 2.15 ERA in seven career starts against the Braves. This season, he has made one start against Atlanta, but received no decision after throwing seven innings of scoreless, one-hit ball on June 21.

Fernandez is coming off a strong seven-inning effort in a 6-1 win over the Chicago Cubs. He struck out 13 batters and fanned each of the Cubs in the starting lineup.

"I thought he had a really good fastball," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "It seemed like he was able to beat a lot of guys with that, which always sets up his other pitches."

Reliever Fernando Rodney joined the Marlins on Friday. He was acquired in a trade with San Diego the previous day. Rodney had 17 saves with the Padres, but he will become the eighth-inning setup man for Miami in front of closer A.J. Ramos, who has 24 saves.

"Fernando makes us better," Mattingly said. "We're totally excited about having him and think that he's a guy who's going to help us out."

Rodney did his job Friday, tossing a scoreless eighth inning, but Ramos blew a save for the first time this year by allowing a solo homer to Atlanta's Tyler Flowers in the ninth. The Marlins went on to pull out a 7-5, 12-inning win.

The Braves won the series opener 8-5 on Thursday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: White Sox (40-40) at Astros (43-37)

Game: 2
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: July 02, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- Having squandered all of the momentum following their surprisingly scorching start to the season, the Chicago White Sox could at least hang their hat on their recent performances on the road, where they'd won three of four games entering their series opener against the Houston Astros.

But following their 5-0 setback Friday -- their fourth shutout loss on the season -- Chicago (40-40) dropped back to .500. At least it has its ace on the mound for the middle game of the series Saturday.

White Sox left-hander Chris Sale (13-2, 2.79 ERA), the first pitcher in the majors to reach 13 wins this season, pursues his second victory over Houston this season. Sale defeated the Astros 2-1 on May 19, allowing one run on four hits with nine strikeouts while tossing a complete game. Astros catcher Evan Gattis recorded the lone run against Sale with a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning.

Sale has dominated the Astros throughout his career, posting a 4-1 record and 0.66 ERA in five career starts against them. He has allowed three earned runs while posting 56 strikeouts in 41 innings against Houston.

"We've got Sale tomorrow so we have a pretty good chance of winning the ballgame and (left-hander Jose) Quintana afterwards, so we've just got to keep our heads up and keep grinding," said White Sox right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, who suffered the loss Friday night despite allowing just three hits and two earned runs over seven strong innings.

Right-hander Doug Fister (8-4, 3.36 ERA) gets the start for the Astros and seeks to rebound after the Royals snapped his seven-game winning streak in Kansas City on Sunday. Fister allowed four runs on eight hits while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings in the 6-1 setback.

For Fister, that streak was the longest of his career. The Astros had won 10 consecutive games in which Fister started, a streak that tied their single-season record set by right-hander Donnie Wall in 1996.

Fister is 3-4 with a 3.77 ERA in 10 career starts against the White Sox, including a 5-3 win in Chicago on May 18 when he pitched into the seventh inning.

The Astros have won 13 of 15 games at Minute Maid Park and opened a key 10-game homestand with their third shutout win and sixth in succession at home. Once 11 games below .500, the Astros (43-37) continue to put distance between their sluggish start with a successful mix of effective starting pitching and timely, productive at-bats.

"We've played really well and we've gotten ourselves back into relevance," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "And I'm proud of this group.

"We're playing pretty good baseball. We've got a great energy about us, the vibe is good, our personality is good, they're having a lot of fun. We're winning games we should win when we're in position to win. What comes with that is a much better standing in July than it did in April. What that gives us is positive momentum going into the last nine games of this homestand and the first half."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (42-38) at Rays (33-46)

Game: 3
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: July 02, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers have scored 10 runs in three straight games, and the task of stopping those scorching bats Saturday falls on rookie Blake Snell, who makes just his fifth career start.

Snell has one of the Rays' two wins in the last 16 games, but if he's going to win, he'll have to beat one of the American League's best in Justin Verlander, who takes the mound as Detroit seeks its fifth win in a row.

"I think every single one of us knows what we're capable of," said Friday's Rays starter Drew Smyly, who gave up six runs in dropping to 2-9 on the season. "We just have to go out and do it. No team's going to let us just take one. We have to go out and take it ourselves."

Verlander is a mortal 7-6 this season with a 4.30 ERA, and struggled in his last outing, giving up nine hits and eight earned runs in 4.2 innings in a loss to red-hot Cleveland. That ended a run of four straight victories for him that had dropped his ERA from 4.11 to 3.78.

In his career against the Rays, Verlander is 7-3 with a 3.49 ERA -- in his only meeting against Tampa Bay last season, he dominated, giving up just one earned run in eight innings while striking out 10 batters.

Snell was USA Today's Minor League Pitcher of the Year last season, and he has a 3.54 ERA in his first four appearances. He has yet to give up a home run in four starts, the second longest streak to open a career in Rays history.

He'll face a Tigers lineup that's ridiculously hot at the plate -- they've scored 10 or more runs in three straight games for the first time in nearly 20 years. They had scored 18 straight runs against the Rays before Brad Miller's two-run home run in the ninth inning Friday.

The biggest bats have been Cameron Maybin -- six hits in the last two games -- and Victor Martinez, who crushed two three-run home runs in Friday's win. Martinez has a .354 career average against the Rays, the second-highest all-time among opponents with 250 plate appearances, trailing only the Twins' Joe Mauer. His average at Tropicana Field is even stronger at .368 -- his best of any park in which he's played 10 or more games in his career.

"He's got a bunch of hits and had the RBIs early," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said of Maybin's recent surge. "He's been like that since he came back. He does a nice job getting on base, he's a threat to steal, he's had good at-bats, for the most part since his return from the DL. He brings a great energy to our dugout."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (42-37) at Phillies (36-45)

Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 02, 2016 5:50 PM EDT

Aaron Nola was expected to anchor the Philadelphia Phillies' rotation this year, his first full season in the major leagues.

Lately, however, Nola has come undone.

He is 0-3 with a 15.23 ERA in his last four starts, pitching no more than 3 2/3 innings in any of them, and manager Pete Mackanin said Saturday's outing against the Kansas City Royals is "very important" for the confidence of the 23-year-old right-hander.

"Four (bad) starts in a row is not something we want to see," Mackanin said of Nola, the club's first-round pick (seventh overall) in 2014. "It's a matter of him getting back to where he was."

More than anything else, Nola (5-7, 4.45 ERA) will be looking to improve his location when he opposes Royals left-hander Danny Duffy (3-1, 3.24).

"The more I think about it, and the more I look at the video, all his good starts, the ball was down at the knees," Mackanin said. "All his bad starts, the ball's elevated. He's not keeping the ball down in the zone."

Pitching coach Bob McClure has discussed that with Nola since his last start, a no-decision Sunday in San Francisco in which he allowed five runs and 10 hits over 3 1/3 innings. While Nola has done his usual bullpen work this week, he did not play catch, as is customary. The hope, Mackanin said, is that backing off "just kind of cleared his mind a little bit."

Nola, an LSU product, sped through the Phillies' minor league chain. He made his major league debut on July 21, 2015, and finished last season 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA. He also logged 10 quality starts among his first 12 outings this season, giving Mackanin reason for optimism.

"I'll go out on a limb and say he's going to be special," Mackanin said in early June. "I see no reason why he can't be an outstanding pitcher down the road. He's pretty good right now."

Duffy, meanwhile, made 16 appearances out of the bullpen before joining the Kansas City rotation in mid-May. Saturday's start will be his 10th of the season. He matched his career high of eight innings in a 6-2 victory over St. Louis on Monday.

The only runs he allowed came on Matt Holliday's two-run homer in the first inning.

"I didn't really feel a need to settle down after that," Duffy told mlb.com. "I thought I made a good pitch. He's just so strong. You just tip your cap in that situation."

Duffy wound up surrendering six hits while striking out eight. He didn't walk a batter.

"It's nice to go eight innings," he said, according to MLB.com. "Any time you can save the bullpen it's a good thing. Very gratifying."

Duffy, who has never faced Philadelphia, finished June with 45 strikeouts in 36 innings -- the most by a Royals pitcher in a calendar month since Zack Greinke had 49 in August 2009.

He will face a resurgent Philadelphia lineup. The Phillies hit .326 and scored 57 runs while going 5-4 on a road trip that wrapped up Wednesday, then had 12 hits in Friday's 4-3 victory. Cameron Rupp, who has hit safely in seven straight games, had three of them, while Odubel Herrera, Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez had two apiece.

Peter Bourjos also singled to extend his hitting streak to 10 for Philadelphia, which has won four straight.

Kansas City's Alcides Escobar extended his hitting streak to 12 games, matching his career long, with a double Friday, and Kendrys Morales added a two-run homer. Morales, who batted at a .403 clip in June, has hit safely in seven straight games. He did, however, see his string of multi-hit games snapped at six.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Reds (29-52) at Nationals (49-32)

Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: July 02, 2016 7:15 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- It was clear going into this season that starting pitching would be a strength for the Washington Nationals, who won the National League East division in 2012 and 2014.

In the midst of an even-numbered year, what may be a surprise is that the Nationals have become a Murderer's Row of sorts on the offensive side of the equation.

The Nationals enter Saturday night's game with the last-place Cincinnati Reds -- who have a 5.45 team ERA and a battered bullpen -- with an NL-most 107 home runs this season.

The challenge of trying to shut down the Nationals on Saturday will fall on right-hander Dan Straily, who is 4-5 with a 4.38 ERA this season in 17 games (14 starts).

"One of the reasons I think he is capable of being successful is because his arsenal is complete even when he is behind in the count and that is a difference maker," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He has had stretches, recently, where he has lost command of the strike zone."

Straily, in his only appearance against the Nationals, gave up two runs and two hits in seven innings and did not figure in the decision as the Reds won 6-3 on June 4 in Cincinnati.

He made his big league debut in 2012 with the Oakland Athletics.

He will oppose Joe Ross (7-4, 3.30), who did not pitch when the Nationals played in Cincinnati a few weeks ago. Ross, called up to the majors in June 2015, has never faced the Reds.

While Ross pitches Saturday, the starter for the Nationals on Sunday is up in the air. It could be Stephen Strasburg (10-0) if he comes off the disabled list or rookie Lucas Giolito (0-0), who made his big league debut Tuesday.

"I talked to Strasburg yesterday and he said he's feeling pretty good. He's expecting to take it, but we will see," manager Dusty Baker said Friday.

Washington receives pop from throughout the lineup as shortstop Danny Espinosa hit two home runs and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman hit one in a 13-4 thrashing of the Reds on Thursday.

"They have some components that are good, with one of them being Espinosa hitting eighth with 15 home runs," Price said Friday.

The Espinosa two-homer game came one night after second baseman Daniel Murphy hit two homers against his former team, the New York Mets.

The Nationals have six players with at least 10 homers: right fielder Bryce Harper (16), Espinosa (15), Murphy (14), catcher Wilson Ramos (12), Zimmerman (11) and left fielder Jayson Werth (10).

Murphy has already tied a career-high for homers in a season, set last year when he was with the New York Mets. Ramos got the night off Friday as Jose Lobaton made the start at catcher though Ramos did enter the game as a pinch-hitter.

"In order to keep Ramos productive, we have to give him days off," Baker said.

The Nationals hit .276 as a team in June with a .346 on-base average and a .465 slugging mark. Washington scored 149 runs in the month (5.5 per game) and gave up 112.

The Washington pitching staff has allowed just 77 homers while the Reds pitchers have given up 137.

The Nationals are at the halfway point of the season after they played game 81 on Friday against the Reds. They are in the midst of a 10-game homestand -- the first of more than seven games this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (51-28) at Mets (42-37)

Game: 3
Venue: Citi Field
Date: July 02, 2016 7:15 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets feel far better about themselves midway through a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs than they did beforehand.

However, the Mets and Cubs both know how quickly things can change before the series ends Sunday.

The Mets will look to win their third straight against the Cubs on Saturday night when the teams meet at Citi Field. New York hit five homers Friday in a 10-2 win marred by three rain delays.

"It's baseball, and there's nights where the good teams get beat," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We had two well-pitched games. We've held that team down. They've got a very, very good team, and we've got to continue to play well."

The Mets (42-37) scored just 13 runs in the six games prior to Thursday's series opener, but they outscored the Cubs by a total of 14-5 the past two nights.

"I realize that it's the gloomiest days when you lose here, or if you lose two or three in a row, it's very hard to deal with," Collins said. "But it's a long year, and you can have some 'up' times as well."

The Cubs (51-28) have spent most of the year enjoying those "up" times, but they are just 12-13 since June 5 and 4-8 in their past 12 games.

Chicago remains 10 games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central, but the Cubs are only 1 1/2 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants (51-31) in the race for the NL's best record and are in a virtual tie with the Texas Rangers (52-29) for the best record in baseball.

Not surprisingly, perpetually upbeat Cubs manager Joe Maddon chose to look on the bright side Friday.

"I'm very happy with where we're at," Maddon said. "We talked about getting off to a good start so that we can absorb some tough moments. The tough moment for us right now is playing .500. Not bad."

It's also easier for a manager to remain optimistic when he has the reigning Cy Young Award winner and an ace left-hander ready to start the next two games. Jake Arrieta, who is 12-2 record and 2.10 ERA, is scheduled to start Saturday's game against Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon (6-4, 2.86 ERA).

Veteran Jon Lester (9-3, 2.03) is scheduled to pitch the series finale Sunday afternoon against Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard (8-3, 2.49).

"It's the power of 24 hours," Maddon said. "We've got two good pitchers coming up and a chance to split the series."

Arrieta will be looking to snap out of a mini-skid Saturday. Over his past two starts, Arrieta allowed seven runs (six earned) and issued nine walks in 10 innings.

In five career starts against the Mets, Arrieta is 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA.

Colon, the oldest player in baseball at 43, is 3-1 with a 1.80 ERA in his past seven starts. He is 0-2 with a 3.89 ERA in six career starts against the Cubs, who are one of just two teams -- along with the Arizona Diamondbacks -- that Colon has never beaten.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Angels (32-48) at Red Sox (43-36)

Game: 2
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: July 02, 2016 7:15 PM EDT

BOSTON -- Clay Buchholz takes another stab at trying to find the form that made him a two-time All-Star when he faces the Los Angeles Angels in the second game of a three-game series Saturday night.

Hector Santiago starts for the last-place Angels, who come in with 10 losses in their last 11 games after falling 5-4 at Fenway Park on Friday night.

Exiled to the bullpen last month, Buchholz returned to the rotation because the team had no one else to start in his place -- and he showed decent stuff out of the 'pen. In two starts since returning, he is 0-2, having allowed eight runs (seven earned) and 11 hits in 10 1/3 innings.

In both cases, the first inning was the problem for Buchholz (3-8, 5.90 ERA). The first start opened with a home run, a double and two runs in the first. Last Sunday at Texas, the first six batters reached, five on hits, in a three-run first.

"There's been an inning inside of each game where it's probably proved to be the difference," Boston manager John Farrell said before Friday night's series opener. "He'll settle in for a stretch of innings, a consecutive number of at-bats where he's been very effective, but the ability to go out and execute from Pitch 1 is (of) utmost importance."

Buchholz is 6-4 with a 4.83 in 12 career starts against the Angels, who have hit .285 against him over the years. Albert Pujols is 6-for-15 with a home run and Mike Trout 6-for-16 with two homers.

Santiago (4-4, 5.27 ERA) won just one of his past eight starts, but he has pitched well in two of the last three. After allowing just five hits and two runs in 12 1/3 innings over his previous two starts, he gave up six runs in seven hits in six innings against the Oakland Athletics his last time out -- Santiago getting a no-decision Sunday in a game the Angels won 7-6.

He is 1-3 with a 3.56 ERA in six career games, five starts, against the Red Sox. He is 0-2 with a 6.08 ERA in three appearances, two starts, at Fenway Park. Santiago started twice against Boston last season, going 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA.

He has only allowed one home run in 30 1/3 career innings against Boston, and none of the current Red Sox hitters have taken him deep. Xander Bogaerts is 5-for-8, but Mookie Betts is 0-for-6, Hanley Ramirez 1-for-9 and David Ortiz 3-for-11.

Santiago tied for the American League lead by allowing 29 home runs last season, and he yielded his 16th and 17th of this season, including a grand slam by Coco Crisp, in his last start, an outing that saw him walk four and throw 116 pitches in his six innings.

"My stuff was great besides the four walks," Santiago said after that game. "Some of the guys I walked are usually aggressive and swinging at those pitches, but all-around I thought it was a good game. It was one bad pitch. ... Take away one pitch (the slam) from the day, and it's a completely different game."

The turn of the calendar could be a good thing for Santiago, who is 27-32 with a 3.79 ERA lifetime but 6-2 with a 2.67 in the month of July.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pirates (39-41) at Athletics (35-45)

Game: 2
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Date: July 02, 2016 10:05 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Left-hander Rich Hill will try to pick up where he left off when he makes his first start for the Oakland A's in more than a month Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Oakland Coliseum.

Hill is 8-3 with a 2.25 ERA and has a five-game winning streak, but he hasn't started since May 29 against the Detroit Tigers, when he sustained a groin injury that sent him to the disabled list.

Despite his long layoff, Hill said his game plan won't change.

"I think just the same thing I was doing before, which was staying in the moment," Hill said Friday before the A's fell 7-3 to the Pirates in the opener of a three-game series. "That's really the biggest thing is focusing in on the task at hand, and that doesn't change at any stage of the game. That's what I did in my rehab outing, that's what I've done in my bullpens. I think for me that's the most beneficial way to go about my business."

Hill went 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA in four September starts for the Boston Red Sox last year -- his first major league starts since 2009 -- and he parlayed that performance into a one-year, $6 million contract with the A's and a spot in their rotation.

Hill has gone 7-1 with a 1.76 ERA over his past eight starts, relying heavily on a nasty curveball.

"I think it's always been something I've been able to throw," Hill said. "I've had it my whole life. To be able to have that in conjunction with my fastball has been great. They've been working well this year."

Hill threw 66 pitches for Class A Stockton in his lone rehab start, and he likely will be on a pitch count Saturday.

"It will be a little more mindful than just sending him out there on a regular start," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "You're probably not going to see him throw 110 pitches."

The Pirates will send rookie right-hander Chad Kuhl to the mound for his second career major league start. Kuhl made his debut Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and left-hander Clayton Kershaw at PNC Park and got the win in a 4-3 victory. He allowed three runs on four hits over five innings.

"Just a lot of excitement, a lot of emotion," Kuhl said of his debut. "I had a bunch of family there. It was just a really special time and experience.

"I tried to get out there a little extra early. I got out there, took it in. I stretched earlier, I threw earlier. I allowed myself time to walk in from the bullpen, look around. Even before first pitch, just really take it in and get acclimated. And when it was time to play, just went after it."

Kuhl, 23, said he expects to be more relaxed as he progresses.

"When I went out for my second inning, I thought to myself, 'All right, it's not your first time anymore,'" Kuhl said. "So the second inning obviously went a lot smoother than my first inning. It definitely helps."

The Pirates drafted Kuhl in the ninth round in 2013, and he made a quick trip to the major leagues. Last year, he went 11-5 with a 2.48 ERA for Double-A Altoona. This year, he was 6-2 with a 2.58 ERA for Triple-A Indianapolis, earning a promotion.

Starting his major league career with a victory against Kershaw and the Dodgers was "very sweet," Kuhl said.

"You get called up, that's the one thing on your mind, you want to get up here, you want to help win ballgames. That's why I'm here."