Sunday 8/9/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (71-39) at Brewers (47-65)

Game: 3
Venue: Miller Park
Date: August 09, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

Already owning the most dominant staff in the majors, St. Louis Cardinals pitchers have reached an even more impressive level this week.

John Lackey will try to help the Cardinals secure their longest single-season scoreless streak since at least 1912 and their most consecutive shutouts in one year since 1943 on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

St. Louis' 2.58 ERA easily outpaces the next-closest in the majors, Pittsburgh's 3.20, and is the lowest in the majors since Baltimore's 2.53 and Oakland's 2.58 in 1972. The Cardinals (71-39) have saved their best for a six-game road trip that ends Sunday, allowing six runs in five games and yielding none in the past 36 innings.

St. Louis needs to add seven scoreless for their longest single-season streak since at least 1912. The Cardinals also posted their last set of four consecutive shutouts in one season in their 42-inning run July 6-11, 1943, and their latest string of four straight road shutouts in one season.

The last major league team to record four consecutive blankings away from home was the 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers. The 2012 San Francisco Giants were the last to pull off that feat in four straight overall games.

"It's a battle, especially when this pitching staff rolls in here against us," Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. "From their bullpen to their starters, they're really good. They've got the best staff in baseball."

Jaime Garcia yielded two singles in a 3-0 win Saturday, and Lackey (9-7, 2.85 ERA) will try to complete the three-game sweep at Miller Park.

Lackey gave up three runs in six innings in a 3-2 loss in Cincinnati on Tuesday, ending a nine-game stretch in which he allowed two runs or fewer while pitching at least 6 2-3 innings.

He is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts this season against Milwaukee (47-65) but gave up 10 hits and three runs in seven innings in his latest, a 7-4 win June 3. He allowed six runs in six innings in his only start at Miller Park on Sept. 5.

The Cardinals, winners in 19 of 25 in Milwaukee, will seek their first sweep of three games or longer there since winning four straight May 2-5, 2013.

They'll have to take on a pitcher who's on a superb run of his own, Jimmy Nelson (9-9, 3.57), who hasn't allowed an earned run in three consecutive starts (20 2-3 innings). The right-hander yielded one unearned in 6 2-3 innings in a 4-1 win over San Diego on Tuesday, improving to 6-1 with a 1.88 ERA in his last eight outings.

"It's really nice to throw a run together," Nelson told MLB's official website. "It's good for your mentality, too, not having all the ups and downs like a rollercoaster ride. Consistency gives everybody confidence."

Nelson has struggled mightily in three career starts against St. Louis, going 0-3 with a 10.05 ERA. He gave up seven runs in five innings in a 7-4 loss June 3 - his lone matchup this season.

Matt Carpenter, who had two singles in three at-bats against him in that game, is batting .395 with six homers and six doubles in his last 10 contests. He has at least one extra-base hit in eight of those games, including each of the last five.

Jean Segura is 6 for 11 lifetime against Lackey, who is seeking to reach double-digit wins for the 12th consecutive season. Adam Lind is 16 for 35 (.457) with six doubles, but has one hit in his last seven at-bats versus the right-hander.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: White Sox (51-57) at Royals (65-44)

Game: 3
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: August 09, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

Jose Quintana has been remarkably consistent for much of the season after a rough first couple of months. A win against Kansas City has remained elusive, however.

He'll look to end one of the worst individual pitching slumps against one opponent in history Sunday as the Chicago White Sox visit the Royals.

Quintana (6-9, 3.50 ERA) gave up five or more runs three times while going 2-5 in his first nine starts. Since then, he has recorded quality starts in 12 of 13 games.

The only non-quality outing in that span came against Kansas City, however, as the left-hander surrendered four runs and 10 hits over 5 1-3 innings in a 7-6, 13-inning home loss July 18. The White Sox rallied in the ninth to take him off the hook for a loss, as he remained 0-6 with a 4.63 ERA in 15 all-time matchups without a decision in three meetings this year.

Only six other pitchers since 1914 have failed to record a win in at least their first 15 starts against a single opponent, and three, Herm Wehmeier against St. Louis, and Don Larsen and Joe Mays against Cleveland, finished their careers winless against that club.

Quintana is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in three starts since last facing the Royals, including his first career complete game his next time out at Cleveland.

He'll be dealing with a lineup that continues to come up big in key situations. The Royals (65-44) put themselves in position for a three-game sweep by going 4 for 8 with runners in scoring position in Saturday's 7-6 win, and are batting .326 in those situations over their last eight contests.

Kansas City got two hits and two RBIs apiece from Kendrys Morales and Salvador Perez, while Lorenzo Cain hit safely for the 16th time in 17 meetings. Cain, who is batting .412 with 15 RBIs in that span, is hitting .368 with 13 extra-base hits in his last 20 home games.

Cain is batting .357 off lefties this season and is 5 for 8 with two doubles against Quintana this year.

Chicago (51-57) was led by two solo shots from Jose Abreu, but fell to 3-9 in the season series. The White Sox's six-game losing streak in Kansas City is their longest there since dropping eight in a row Aug. 26, 1984-Sept. 4, 1985.

"This one, when you score that many against these guys, you have to kind of earn it," manager Robin Ventura said. "For them, they put the runs up. It's our job to try to stop them, and right now it's just not happening."

The Royals turn to a southpaw as well in Danny Duffy (5-5, 4.04), who has completed six or more innings while allowing two runs or fewer in five of his last six outings. He bounced back from a five-run, three-homer start by limiting Detroit to one run over seven innings in a 5-1 victory Tuesday, though he walked four for the second straight time.

Duffy is 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA in three matchups with Chicago this year, most recently holding the White Sox to one run over a career-best eight-plus innings in a 4-1 win July 19.

Chicago's .342 slugging percentage versus left-handers ranks last in the AL, though Abreu is 5 for 13 with a home run and double against Duffy.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants (59-51) at Cubs (61-48)

Game: 4
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: August 09, 2015 2:20 PM EDT

As focused as the Chicago Cubs have been during a meaningful week of baseball, they haven't forgot to enjoy themselves.

The surging Cubs can continue the fun by completing a four-game sweep of the visiting San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

After splitting a rain-shortened two-game road set against NL wild card-leader Pittsburgh, Chicago (61-48) is in position to sweep a home series of least three games from San Francisco for the first time since May 1994, and first four-gamer over the Giants there since June 1977. Kris Bryant homered and had three RBIs and fellow rookie Addison Russell recorded three hits as the Cubs moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the reigning World Series champs for the second wild-card spot with Saturday's 8-6 victory.

The Cubs, who were 49-65 at this time last season, have won nine of the last 10 and are 13 games over .500 for the first time since finishing 97-64 in 2008. They've averaged 6.0 runs while batting .308 against the Pirates and Giants (59-51) this week.

"We're just rolling with it, having a lot of fun," said Bryant, who is batting .316 in his last six games after going 0 for 13 in his previous five.

Chicago's rookie foursome of Bryant, Russell, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler have batted a combined .419 and drove in 14 of its 20 runs in this series.

'We have a lot of confidence,' Bryant said.

The Cubs look to stay hot behind Jake Arrieta (12-6, 2.50 ERA), who is 6-1 with a 1.37 ERA in his last nine starts. Despite walking three for a fourth straight outing, the right-hander allowed two hits in seven innings of Tuesday's 5-0 victory over the Pirates.

"He's an interesting pitcher," Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. "I will say it again, he's not there yet. He's still learning how to utilize all his weapons. There's another level of Arrieta.'

That might not bode well for the Giants even though they scored four runs and recorded seven hits off Arrieta in six innings of a 4-0 victory over Chicago last season.

San Francisco is 3-6 on a 10-game trip but has won the last four starts by Jake Peavy (2-4, 3.77). The right-hander has gone 2-0 with a 2.96 ERA in those games, and yielded one run over 12 innings in the last two.

"Certainly I expect to make a difference and expect to win on my day,' Peavy said after he gave up that run and struck out eight in six innings while not factoring in the decision of Tuesday's 8-3 win at Atlanta. 'We've done that the four times out of the (All-Star) break and I am extremely excited about that.'

He's 8-5 with a 2.76 ERA in 16 starts against the Cubs, and has won three of his last four at Wrigley Field. Peavy hopes to continue that success and break the current trend set by Giants starters, who have a 9.75 ERA while failing to complete five innings in this series.

'They're having a tough time getting us deep in the game,' manager Bruce Bochy said. 'But we've got another tough game facing a tough pitcher and we've got to come out here ready to go and put these behind us. We've got no way to look at it but move on, focus forward and keep pushing.'

Chris Coghlan is 3 for 7 in the last two games, and 4 for 10 against Peavy.

San Francisco's Brandon Belt has homered twice in the series for his only hits in 19 at-bats over the last five games. Brandon Crawford has four RBIs in the set, and is batting .349 in 15 games at Wrigley.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (56-53) at Angels (58-51)

Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: August 09, 2015 3:37 PM EDT

If the Los Angeles Angels aren't going to be led out of this slump by the offense, their pitching staff could sure use a shot in the arm

They're hoping Jered Weaver can provide that in his first start in seven weeks Sunday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles.

Los Angeles (58-51) has averaged 3.5 runs during a 4-11 stretch - to go from leading the AL West by two games to 1 1/2 games back of first-place Houston - batting .191 in the last nine. Saturday's 5-0 loss marked the fourth time the Angels have been shut out in the last 15. They were blanked five times in their previous 94 contests.

The starting rotation has also been lackluster with a 4.67 ERA over the last 15, almost a full run higher than its season mark.

Weaver (4-8, 4.75 ERA) hasn't thrown since June 20 because of an inflamed left hip. He made two rehab starts with Class-A Inland Empire, allowing two earned runs over 9 1-3 innings.

"If it means he's good from now until the end of the year, then it was well worth the price you had to pay to miss him," manager Mike Scioscia told MLB's official website. "I don't necessarily think that the fact that a guy misses three or four weeks is going to translate to him staying fresher, but he's at a level now that he needs to be, and we need to maintain that."

Given the way Weaver has struggled this year, it's unclear exactly how much of a boost he can provide. His ERA is the highest of his career, and in 15 starts, he's four shy of his career high for losses set over 34 outings in 2010. He almost certainly won't meet the 11-win plateau he reached each of his first nine seasons.

Weaver lost each of his last four starts before being sidelined, tying the longest slump of his career Aug. 17-Sept. 4, 2010. He's only been backed by four runs of support in that span, though he also owns a 6.58 ERA while giving up six homers.

Facing the Orioles could help Weaver get back on track if his history against them holds true. He's 6-2 with a 2.83 ERA in his last nine meetings and held Baltimore to a solo shot by J.J. Hardy and two other hits over 7 1-3 innings in a 3-1 road victory May 15.

Chris Davis, who owns a 1.181 OPS with 26 RBIs over his last 19 games, is batting .189 with eight strikeouts in 37 at-bats against the right-hander.

Baltimore (56-53) has won 10 of 14 to pull within two games of the Angels for the second wild-card spot and Manny Machado and Caleb Joseph went deep Saturday, the eighth time in 11 games the Orioles have homered twice. Machado is hitting .412 over his last eight games.

Miguel Gonzalez (9-8, 4.32), trying to avoid losing a third straight start for the first time in his career, has seen his season go south with a 4-4 record and 6.05 ERA over his last eight outings. Opponents own a .383 on-base percentage in that span compared to .290 previously.

He allowed three runs, five hits and three walks and needed 94 pitches to get through 5 1-3 innings in a 5-0 loss at Oakland on Tuesday.

"I have to stay aggressive and try and throw strikes as quick as possible so my defense can be on its toes," he said.

The right-hander has completed at least seven innings in three of his four previous matchups with the Angels, going 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (61-51) at Athletics (50-62)

Game: 4
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: August 09, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

The Houston Astros have been stymied by the Oakland Athletics' starting pitchers in two straight games.

Chris Bassitt will make it three in a row if he duplicates his latest effort on Sunday.

Coming off his best outing of the season, Bassitt will attempt to pitch the A's to a series win over a slumping Astros team that continues to scuffle offensively on its current road trip.

After hitting three home runs in a 12-9 loss to Texas that began this nine-game trek, the Astros have scored 13 runs while batting .185 in losing four of their next five. They've managed just three runs in 23 innings against Oakland starters while dropping two of the first three games of this series.

Sonny Gray allowed a run and five hits in a complete game to help the A's (50-62) win Friday, and Jesse Chavez followed with seven innings of one-run ball in Saturday's 2-1 triumph.

Bassitt (1-4, 2.64 ERA) delivered an outstanding performance of his own Tuesday against Baltimore, scattering five hits across seven scoreless innings to record his second major league win.

The rookie right-hander has posted a 2.43 ERA in six 2015 starts but previously had little to show for it, receiving only five runs of support while losing four of the first five.

"Since he's been in the rotation, you see each and every time he's out there he's more and more confident," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "He's on a roll."

Bassitt's lone prior meeting with the Astros came in relief on April 25, when he allowed one earned run in 4 1-3 innings.

Houston (61-51), which has now lost 13 of 15 on the road, has been plagued by slumps throughout the lineup. Recent addition Carlos Gomez is 1 for 15 over the last four games, Evan Gattis is 0 for 11 in the series and Colby Rasmus 2 for 12.

Jose Altuve did go 2 for 5 Saturday to extend his hitting streak at O.co Coliseum to 19 games, the longest active streak at the venue.

Mike Fiers makes his first start for Houston since being obtained along with Gomez from Milwaukee for four prospects July 30. The right-hander made his Astros debut in relief Monday in Texas, surrendering six runs in five innings.

Fiers, who went 5-9 with a 3.89 ERA in 21 starts for the Brewers, lost his final two starts with Milwaukee but was solid in his last, yielding two runs and four hits over six-plus innings in a 5-0 defeat at San Francisco July 29. He has never previously faced Oakland.

"I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible and go out there and start like I've been doing all year, being aggressive in the zone and making them swing the bats," Fiers told MLB's official website. "I'll try to go as deep as possible and put up as many zeros as possible."

Danny Valencia drove in both A's runs on Saturday with a first-inning double and is 5 of 12 with a homer and three RBIs in three games since being claimed off waivers from Toronto on Monday. Marcus Semien has been swinging a hot bat as well, hitting .400 with two homers and six RBIs in eight August games.

Coco Crisp, hitting .082 in 61 at-bats this season, exited Saturday's game after two innings due to illness but is expected to return for the series finale.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Reds (49-59) at Diamondbacks (53-56)

Game: 3
Venue: Chase Field
Date: August 09, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

As Patrick Corbin continues to find his form following Tommy John surgery, the Arizona Diamondbacks plan to remain cautious with someone they expect to be a key part of their future.

The left-hander hopes to have a more efficient outing than his last when he takes the mound in Sunday's decisive finale against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

Corbin (2-3, 3.99 ERA) allowed three runs, six hits and walked two while throwing 54 pitches in only 1 1-3 innings before manager Chip Hale took him out of a 5-4 loss at Washington on Tuesday.

'We're always going to err on the conservative side with him,' Hale said. 'We almost didn't let him go out for the second."

Corbin completed at least five innings in each of his first five starts - and yielded two or fewer runs in four of them - since returning July 4 from elbow surgery.

"We have to be very careful - we want to get through 2015 healthy,' Hale said. 'He's going to be our guy in '16, we know that. In '15, he's already proven in his six starts that he deserves to be that guy.'

A 14-game winner in 2013 who missed all last season, the 26-year-old Corbin understands the point of view of the Diamondbacks (53-56) as an organization.

"I know I'm going to be on a tight limit if I get into some trouble," he told MLB's official website.

Corbin is 1-1 with a 2.28 ERA in three starts against Cincinnati (49-59), which snapped a 30-inning scoreless drought to even this three-game set with Saturday's 4-1 victory. Brandon Phillips, Eugenio Suarez and Marlon Byrd each homered to help the Reds snap a three-game skid.

Though four Cincinnati players recorded two hits, All-Star third baseman Todd Frazier went hitless in four at-bats and is batting .104 with 16 strikeouts over the last 12 contests.

"It's just a matter of getting out of it quick," Frazier said. "Right now, it's a slow pace."

He's 2 for 9 with a double against Corbin.

Making his first career appearance against the Diamondbacks, Anthony DeSclafani (7-7, 3.71) is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his last three starts. He yielded a two-run homer and struck out a career-high nine in six innings of Tuesday's 3-2 victory over St. Louis.

"He has good stuff and he trusts it," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It's more attitude than anything. I don't think he has any fear.'

The right-hander won't face infielder Cliff Pennington, who was traded to Toronto for minor league shortstop Dawel Lugo prior to Saturday's contest. The deal came less than 24 hours after the Diamondbacks sent reliever Oliver Perez to Houston.

Despite sitting 8 1/2 games out of first in the NL West, eight back of the final wild-card spot and jettisoning a pair of veterans, the Diamondbacks aren't giving up.

"Our goal has not changed," Hale said. "We're going to sprint it to the finish and we're going to battle every night to win."

Paul Goldschmidt no longer leads the majors in batting after his average dropped to .332 while going 3 for 27 with 12 strikeouts in seven games this month.

'We always count on him to be that guy but it is not that easy to do all the time," Hale said. "They are pitching him pretty well."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phillies (44-67) at Padres (52-59)

Game: 3
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: August 09, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Sweeping a series at Petco Park is nothing new for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Neither is seeing them play well anymore.

The Phillies have baseball's best record since the All-Star break and can complete their sixth sweep at the 12-year-old ballpark by handing the San Diego Padres a season high-tying sixth straight defeat Sunday.

Philadelphia (44-67) improved to 15-5 since the break with Saturday's 4-2 victory. The top three hitters in the lineup - Chase Utley, Cesar Hernandez and Odubel Herrera - were 6 for 12 with all four runs and all three RBIs.

'It's fun to watch these guys,' interim manager Pete Mackanin said. 'They are having a good time playing aggressive and they are pulling for each other. It is contagious.'

Hernandez is hitting .400 in his last eight starts and will likely move back to second base Sunday since Utley, who is 3 for 9 in his first series since June 22 after being out due to right ankle inflammation, will likely rest.

Philadelphia is 29-10 at Petco for the best record among visiting teams. It posted sweeps there in its first two visits in 2004 and 2005 along with ones in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The Phillies are enjoying renewed confidence after moving out of sole possession of the NL East cellar for the first time since May 27, though it may be hard to be optimistic Sunday since Jerome Williams (3-8, 6.09 ERA) will start. He is 0-6 with an 8.02 ERA in nine road starts and 0-5 with a 7.17 ERA in his last nine overall.

One factor in Williams' favor is that he is 3-3 in seven outings versus San Diego with a 2.18 ERA for his best mark against any opponent. No Padres batter has more than one hit versus him, with Derek Norris and Melvin Upton Jr. each going 0 for 6.

The right-hander took a step in the right direction Tuesday by yielding one run in five innings in a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in his third outing since being activated off the disabled list July 21.

San Diego (52-59) seeks to avoid matching a six-game slide from July 4-10. The Padres are batting .220 with 12 runs scored in their last five games and are hitting .217 with an average of 2.3 runs in their past eight at home.

That kind of production is something Sunday starter Andrew Cashner (4-11, 4.08) is accustomed to since he owns one of baseball's worst run support averages at 3.02.

Cashner, however, has won both starts against Philadelphia and has a 1.25 ERA in eight total appearances for his lowest mark against an opponent he has faced multiple times. He has held Freddy Galvis hitless in seven at-bats.

The right-hander has allowed three runs over 14 innings in winning consecutive home outings after the Padres dropped his first six Petco starts. He yielded two runs in six innings in Tuesday's 4-1 defeat at Milwaukee.

"Cash was good," interim manager Pat Murphy said. "He pitched well enough to win."

San Diego's Yangervis Solarte is hitting .388 with seven RBIs and eight runs scored in his last 11 games.

Teammate Will Venable has been reinstated off the paternity list and could return to the lineup Sunday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (55-54) at Mariners (51-60)

Game: 3
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: August 09, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

After being hit hard in a pair of interleague starts, Felix Hernandez gets to face a familiar opponent he's handled well this season.

Hernandez can become the AL's first 14-game winner when the Seattle Mariners ace takes on the resurgent Texas Rangers on Sunday at Safeco Field.

Matchups against NL West inhabitants Arizona and Colorado proved formidable for Hernandez (13-6, 3.13 ERA), though he managed to earn win No. 13 Monday despite surrendering four runs and 11 hits over 6 2-3 innings in an 8-7 road triumph over the Rockies. The All-Star was reached for a season-high 12 hits and seven runs in losing to the Diamondbacks on July 29 in Seattle.

"He's done that time and time again for us, when we've needed a big win, particularly when he's come off a tough start," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon told MLB's official website. "He's more determined than ever."

Hernandez has fared far better within the division, going 6-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 starts. He has a 1.98 ERA in winning each of his two starts against the Rangers, including a 3-1 decision at Safeco Field on April 18, when he struck out 12 in seven innings while yielding a run and two hits.

Prince Fielder is 0 for 17 versus Hernandez and Josh Hamilton is hitting .169 with 21 strikeouts in 65 at-bats in the matchup. Texas has had plenty of success in the past against the right-hander, though, as Hernandez is 14-21 - by far his most losses to one opponent - with a 3.92 ERA in 44 career starts.

The Rangers' bats did plenty of damage late in Saturday's game, scoring eight 11th-inning runs and opening the frame with seven consecutive hits en route to an 11-3 victory for their eighth win in 10 games. Fielder capped the barrage with a two-run homer and finished with three RBIs to help Texas (55-54) halt a six-game series losing streak.

'Sometimes that happens where the whole team gets hot, puts good swings on the ball and gets hits,' Fielder said.

Mike Napoli started at first base for the Rangers a day after being acquired from Boston, going 0 for 2 with a walk.

Nelson Cruz went 2 for 4 for Seattle (51-60) to extend his MLB-best hitting streak to 18 games. The All-Star slugger is batting .425 with 11 home runs and 15 RBI during the tear and is hitting .471 with four homers in eight season meetings with the Rangers.

Cruz is 2 for 8 lifetime off Colby Lewis (12-4, 4.68), who enters the finale having won four consecutive starts while often backed by strong run support. That was the case in Lewis' last outing, when he allowed seven runs and three homers in six innings during Monday's 12-9 decision over Houston.

Lewis is 8-1 over his past 12 starts and has won four straight on the road while posting a 2.48 ERA. He allowed three runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings when facing Hernandez on April 18, however.

Several Mariners have fared well against Lewis. Robinson Cano is 7 for 15, Kyle Seager is 10 for 23 with two homers and Austin Jackson has gone 13 for 31 with a home run.

Cano has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games and is batting .342 with six homers and 20 RBI since the All-Star break.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Marlins (43-68) at Braves (51-60)

Game: 4
Venue: Turner Field
Date: August 09, 2015 5:10 PM EDT

Despite continuing to pitch respectably, Shelby Miller hasn't earned a win since his near no-hitter against the Miami Marlins on May 17.

Miller will try to end his drought with another stellar performance against Miami and lead the Atlanta Braves to their first four-game sweep of the Marlins in nine years Sunday.

Since coming within one out of a no-hitter, Miller has gone 0-7 with a 3.14 ERA in 14 starts and received a combined 14 runs of support. He's gotten none in seven games.

The Braves matched their best support in that winless stretch Tuesday with three runs in his seven innings against San Francisco. Miller (5-8, 2.44 ERA allowed two runs but the Braves bullpen gave up six in an 8-3 loss, dropping the team to 2-12 in his last 14 starts.

"My job is to go out there and put zeros up whether I go five innings, seven innings, whether I have good games, bad games," Miller said.

Miller is the first to have a .385 winning percentage or lower and a sub-2.50 ERA in at least 20 starts since Joe Magrane went 5-9 (.357) with a 2.18 ERA in 24 starts for St. Louis in 1988.

Miller's losing streak is the longest by a Braves pitcher since Kenshin Kawakami dropped 11 in a row from 2009-10. The last Atlanta starter to go 15-plus games without a win was Jo-Jo Reyes with an 18-game streak from 2008-09.

A matchup with Miami could end his streak as he's 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA in three starts this season. The Marlins (43-68) have dropped 13 of 15, including six in a row, and 21 of 26 on the road.

The Braves are 10-2 against Miami this season and have won the last six following a 7-2 victory Saturday. Nick Swisher helped seal the victory with a two-run double in his Atlanta debut and first game since going on the disabled list for left knee inflammation June 14.

Nick Markakis went 3 for 5 to extend his NL-best hit streak to 15 games, and A.J. Pierzynski now has a 13-game streak after going 2 for 4.

The two will try to extend those runs while leading Atlanta to its first four-game sweep of the Marlins since May 15-18, 2006. The Braves dropped 18 of 24 before this series.

They'll face Brad Hand (1-2, 4.71) in his second game since returning to the rotation. The left-hander pitched four scoreless innings Tuesday in a 5-1 loss to the New York Mets.

"I just come here every day with a positive attitude, and whatever they decide is totally up to them," Hand told MLB's official website. "I've just got to be ready to pitch."

Hand, 1-1 with a 4.60 ERA in four starts this season, took a 4-0 win in his most recent start against Atlanta on Sept. 7, throwing six innings. He was 0-3 with a 6.06 ERA in his previous three starts versus the Braves.

Markakis and Pierzynski are hitless in a combined four at-bats against Hand, all this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers (62-48) at Pirates (64-44)

Game: 3
Venue: PNC Park
Date: August 09, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates' series with the Los Angeles Dodgers is just the beginning to a nine-game stretch that looks like the sternest test of their playoff hopes.

The Pirates are off to a promising start with a pair of one-run wins and will try to add to that in emphatic fashion with their first three-game sweep of the Dodgers in 15 years Sunday night.

Pittsburgh is playing three consecutive three-game series against NL division leaders with the next two - against St. Louis and the New York Mets - on the road. The Pirates (64-44) haven't squandered the opportunity to play the Dodgers at home, winning 5-4 in 10 innings Friday before Saturday's 6-5 victory.

Starting pitcher Francisco Liriano hit a three-run homer in the latest win, and Neil Walker added a solo shot as Pittsburgh held on for its 14th win in 17 home games. The Pirates have also taken 10 of 14 overall while moving six games up on a playoff berth and staying 3 1/2 ahead of the Chicago Cubs for the top spot in the wild-card race.

Pittsburgh will next seek its first three-game sweep of Los Angeles (62-48) since Sept. 4-6, 2000, at Dodger Stadium. The Pirates haven't swept three home games from the Dodgers since May 31-June 2, 1999, but will enter this attempt having won seven of nine overall against them since the beginning of last season.

Los Angeles had won six of seven before this series with four wins at home and two against one of the NL's worst teams, Philadelphia. The Dodgers have lost five of seven on the road.

Charlie Morton (7-4, 4.19 ERA) will try to complete the sweep while building on his first win in six starts, a 3-0 victory in Cincinnati last Sunday. The right-hander struck out a season-high seven and walked none in seven innings after going 0-3 with a 5.04 ERA in his previous five outings.

"He had his best delivery today. He repeated his delivery all day long. It was a very solid effort," manager Clint Hurdle said.

While Morton will face the Dodgers for the first time since 2010, Alex Wood (7-7, 3.65) opposes the Pirates for the third time this year. He is 1-1 with a 2.19 ERA in those two starts and tossed 7 1-3 scoreless while fanning eight in a 2-1 victory at PNC Park in his latest June 28.

Wood is 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA in two lifetime starts in Pittsburgh.

The left-hander was a 6-2 loser at Philadelphia on Tuesday in his Dodgers debut, giving up four runs in 6 1-3 innings. He was charged with three after he exited when Joel Peralta gave up a grand slam to Maikel Franco.

"He didn't deserve to be the guy with an L on his back after that," manager Don Mattingly told MLB's official website. "You want him to come out of there with a good experience his first time. It should be more on us."

Wood, acquired from Atlanta on July 30, had a 2.61 ERA in his previous 19 road starts dating back to July 30, 2014.

Andrew McCutchen, batting .448 with nine RBIs and 10 runs in his last nine games, is 1 for 6 against him this season.

Jimmy Rollins, hitting .333 in his last 14 contests, is 7 for 11 with two doubles lifetime against Morton.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Blue Jays acquire Pennington from Diamondbacks
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

NEW YORK -- Seeking some help at second base, the Toronto Blue Jays acquired infielder Cliff Pennington from the Arizona Diamondbacks during Saturday's game against the New York Yankees.

The Blue Jays also will acquire cash considerations and will send minor league shortstop Dawel Lugo to the Diamondbacks.

Pennington can play shortstop and second base and has a reputation for good defensive range. He is expected to split time at second base with Ryan Goins until rookie Devon Travis returns from a left shoulder injury and occasionally fill in for newly acquired shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

In 157 plate appearances with the Diamondbacks this season, Pennington batted .237. He had been previously been linked to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals in the days leading up to last week's non-waiver trade deadline.

Pennington began his career with the Oakland Athletics and is a career .248 hitter in parts of eight seasons. He is making $3.25 million this season and is eligible for free agency after the season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Span's return on hold with Nationals
The Sports Xchange

Center fielder Denard Span's return to the Washington Nationals will be delayed after he suffered a setback in his rehab from a back injury.

Span, who last played in a game on July 6 and has been on the disabled list, recently began working out on the field and felt good initially before his progress stalled.

Nationals manager Matt Williams said Saturday that Span will remain with the team for a few days and then likely head to Florida for more rehab.

In 59 games this season, Span is batting .304 with five home runs, 22 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.

The Nationals also announced that backup second baseman Dan Uggla was put on the 15-day disabled list with back spasms. That cleared a roster spot for right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who returned from the DL after recovering from an oblique injury to start Saturday night against the Colorado Rockies.

Uggla was batting .191 with one homer and 14 RBIs in 56 games this year for the Nationals.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Lackey dominating the Brewers this season
Justin Hartling

John Lackey has taken to the mound against the Milwaukee Brewers twice this season, with the veteran dominating the Brew Crew. Lackey is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA with the Brewers hitting .259 this season.

Lackey has not pitched as well on the road this season however, with a 1.89 ERA at Busch Stadium and a 4.36 everywhere else. Despite also pitching one less game on the road, Lackey has given up twice as many earned runs compared to his home starts.

The St. Louis Cardinals will send Lackey to the mound Sunday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

National League

Giants @ Cubs
Peavy is 2-0, 2.96 in his last four starts (over 3-1).

Arrieta is 5-1, 1.63 in his last seven starts; under is 4-0-1 in his last five.

Cubs won nine of their last ten games (over 4-0 in last four). Giants lost last three games with Chicago; four of last five series games went over the total. SF lost five of last seven games; over is 6-1-1 in last eight.

Dodgers @ Pirates
Wood is 1-2, 4.85 in his last four starts.

Morton is 1-0, 2.13 in his last two starts; under is 4-1-1 in his last six.

Dodgers lost eight of last ten games with Pittsburgh; over is 8-3 in last 11 series games. LA won six of its last nine games (over 6-2-1). Pirates won eight of last eleven games; their last three went over.

Rockies @ Nationals
Flande is 1-0, 2.70 in his two starts (over 1-1).

Scherzer is 1-0, 2.08 in his last two starts; five of his last seven stayed under.

Colorado lost six of its last eight games with Washington; Rockies lost seven of last ten games overall-- five of their last seven went over. Nationals lost six of last eight games, with five of last six going over the total.

Marlins @ Braves
Hand is 1-2, 4.60 in his four starts (under 3-1).

Braves lost last nine Miller starts (0-4, 4.31 in his last five); five of his last six starts stayed under the total.

Braves won five of last seven games (over 7-0-2 in last nine). Marlins lost 13 of last 15 games (over 7-1 in last eight). Atlanta won 10 of last twelve games with Miami; seven of last eight went over the total.

Cardinals @ Brewers
Lackey is 5-3, 1.91 in his last ten starts (under 2-0-1 in last three).

Nelson is 3-0, 1.67 in his last four starts; under is 3-1-1 in his last five.

Cardinals won eight of last ten games with Milwaukee (under 7-3); they won five of last six games overall (under 6-0), and haven't allowed a run since the 4th inning on Wednesday. Brewers won three of last five games; under is 5-1 in their last six- they got shut out last two nights.

Reds @ Diamondbacks
DeSclafani is 2-0, 2.25 in his last three starts; under is 3-1-1 in his last five.

Corbin is 1-1, 3.14 in his last three starts; six of his last nine went over.

Cincinnati won seven of last 11 games with Arizona (under 8-2 in last ten); Reds lost four of last six games overall; under is 10-1-1 in their last 12. Arizona is 8-5 in its last 13 games; eight of its last 11 went over.

Phillies @ Padres
Williams is 0-3, 7.25 in his last five starts; over is 6-3-1 in his last ten.

Cashner is 2-0, 1.93 in his last two home starts; under is 3-1-1 in his last five starts overall.

Phillies are 15-5 in their last 20 games-- over is 4-2-2 in their last eight. San Diego lost last five games, allowing 30 runs; nine of their last 11 went over. Philly won three of last four games with the Padres (over 4-2 in last six)


American League

Red Sox @ Tigers
Owens allowed three runs in five IP (96 PT) in his first MLB start.

Detroit is 1-8 in Verlander starts, but he is 1-1, 2.74 in his last three; last three all stayed under-- Tigers scored four runs in the three games.

Red Sox won four of last six games with Detroit; over is 4-2-1 in last seven series games. Boston lost four of last six games overall (over 6-3-1 in last ten). Tigers won four of last six games (over 2-0-1 in last three).

Blue Jays @ Bronx
Estrada is 2-0, 2.19 in his last two starts; four of his last five stayed under.

Tanaka is 4-1, 3.93 in his last five starts; over is 5-3 in his last eight.

Blue Jays won seven in row, ten of last 11 games; they scored 26 runs in last four games, with five of their last seven going under. Toronto won five of last six games with Bronx, which lost three of last four (under 7-2 in last 9).

Twins @ Indians
Hughes is 6-1, 3.12 in his last nine starts (over 5-3-1).

Kluber is 2-3, 4.10 in his last five starts; three of his last five went over.

Twins lost six of last seven games, outscored 56-27; five of their last nine games stayed under. Indians lost five of their last seven games; six of their last nine stayed under. Minnesota won four of last six games with Cleveland; nine of last 11 in series went over total- these teams scored 40 runs the last two nights.

White Sox @ Royals
Quintana is 2-0, 1.69 in his last three starts; three of his last four went over.

Duffy is 3-1, 2.18 in his last five starts; his last seven stayed under.

Chicago lost five of last six games with Kansas City; under is 7-2-1 in last ten series games. White Sox lost seven of last nine games overall; 11 of their last 12 went over the total. Royals lost six of last ten games; four of their last six stayed under.

Orioles @ Angels
Gonzalez is 0-2, 8.31 in his last two starts; six of his last eight went over.

Weaver comes off DL to start here; he is 0-4, 6.91 in his last four starts, with seven of last ten staying under.

Orioles lost four of last six games with the Angels; nine of last eleven went under the total. Baltimore is 8-4 in its last 12 games; over is 5-3-1 in its last nine. Halos lost eight of last eleven games (over 7-5 in last 12).

Astros @ A's
Fiers is making first start for Astros; he was 1-2, 4.50 in his last four starts for Milwaukee-- over is 5-3-1 in his last nine starts.

Bassitt is 1-4, 2.43 in his six starts for Oakland (under 5-1); A's scored total of 14 runs in the six games.

Astros lost five of last six games overall; they're 3-15 in last 18 road games. A's lost ten of last 16 games (under 11-5). Houston won seven of last ten games with Oakland but lost last two days; three of last four in series stayed under the total.

Rangers @ Mariners
Lewis is 4-0, 4.33 in his last four starts; five of his last seven went over.

Hernandez is 3-2, 3.11 in his last seven starts; four of his last five went over.

Seattle won six of last seven games with Texas; seven of last ten stayed under. Mariners won four of last si games; their last five went over. Rangers are 8-2 in last ten games; over is 5-3-1 in their last nine.


Interleague

Mets @ Rays
Colon is 1-4, 5.65 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over.

Archer is 1-2, 2.33 in his last four starts (under 3-1).

Mets won six of last nine games with Tampa Bay; last six games in series went over total. New York won seven of last eight games, allowing 21 runs; five of last six went over. Tampa Bay won four of its last six; seven of their last eight games went over the total.


Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
SF-Chi-- Peavy 4-4 (4-0 last 4); Arrieta 14-8 (6-1 last 7)
LA-Pitt-- Wood 8-14, 0-1; Morton 9-4
Col-Wash-- Flande 1-1; Scherzer 13-9
Mia-Atl-- Hand 1-3; Miller 9-13 (0-9 last 9)
StL-Mil-- Lackey 12-10; Nelson 10-12
Cin-Az-- DeSclafani 11-10; Corbin 2-4
Phil-SD-- Williams 6-11; Cashner 8-13

Bos-Det-- Owens 0-1; Verlander 1-8
Tor-NY-- Estrada 9-8; Tanaka 11-4 (6-1 last 7)
Min-Clev-- Hughes 12-10; Kluber 7-16
Chi-KC-- Quintana 9-13; Duffy 10-6 (5-1 last 6)
Balt-LAA-- Gonzalez 11-9; Weaver 6-9 (0-4 last 4)
Tex-Sea-- Lewis 11-11 (4-0 last 4); Hernandez 15-7
Hst-A's-- Fiers (11-10 w/Mil); Bassitt 2-4

NY-TB-- Colon 10-11 (1-7 last 8); Archer 13-10


Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
SF-Chi-- Peavy 0-8; Arrieta 4-22
LA-Pitt-- Wood 6-22; Morton 7-13
Col-Wash-- Flande 1-2; Scherzer 3-22
Mia-Atl-- Hand 1-4; Miller 4-22
StL-Mil-- Lackey 5-22; Nelson 7-22
Cin-Az-- DeSclafani 4-21; Corbin 1-6
Phil-SD-- Williams 6-17; Cashner 8-22

Bos-Det-- Owens 1-1; Verlander 3-9
Tor-NY-- Estrada 3-17; Tanaka 3-15
Min-Clev-- Hughes 6-22; Kluber 10-23
Chi-KC-- Quintana 12-22; Duffy 3-16
Balt-LAA-- Gonzalez 4-20; Weaver 4-15
Tex-Sea-- Lewis 5-22; Hernandez 7-22 (3 of last 3)
Hst-A's-- Fiers 1-21; Bassitt 1-6

NY-TB-- Colon 6-21; Archer 5-23


Umpires
LA-Pitt-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Wegner games.
SF-Chi-- Underdogs are 6-5 in lst eleven Reynolds games.
Col-Wsh-- Last three Porter games stayed under total.
StL-Mil-- Seven of last nine Hernandez games went over.
Mia-Atl-- Six of last nine Hudson games went over total.
Cin-Az-- Six of last eight Carapazza games went over.
Phil-SD-- Four of last five Blakney games stayed under.

Tor-NY-- Last three Foster games stayed under total.
Hst-A's-- Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Hoberg games.
Tex-Sea-- Six of last seven LBarrett games went over.
Bos-Det-- Seven of last nine May games stayed under.
Chi-KC-- Underdogs are 8-8 in last 16 Marquez games.
Min-Clev-- Four of last five Danley games stayed under.
Balt-LAA-- Favorites won five of last six Little games.

NY-TB-- Four of last five Woodring games went over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees August 9, 1:05 EST

History shows the Yankees have thrived in the situation they find themselve today. The club has a smart 4-1 record this season avoiding a three game sweep. Yankees have also thrived at home following a defeat by 5 or more runs posting a 10-4 record last fourteen times they've been taken behind the woodshed. Adding to those numbers, Yankees have a 5-0 home streak vs a division opponent w/Tanaka and are 11-1 last 12 vs. a team with a winning record handing the ball to Tanaka. Sportsbooks have Yankees -$1.40 favorite in their own backyard.


Miami Marlins at Atlanta Braves August 9, 5:05 EST

Atlanta Braves are 1-12 in Shelby Miller's last thirteen outings. It's not entirely the righthander's fault. Miller has allowed one earned run or less in eight of those starts but Braves have provided Miller with just 1.9 runs of support over the 13 games. One bright spot in attempting to stop the bleeding Sunday. Atlanta has won each of Miller's three starts vs Marlins including a sparkling 9 inning, 2 hit shutout by the hurler in his last appearance vs Miami. Miller and the Braves are -$1.40 in their own ball park.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five To Follow MLB Betting: Sunday, August 9, 2015 Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

I'll admit that when the Texas Rangers acquired Cole Hamels from the Phillies at last Friday's trade deadline that I expected the Rangers were doing so for 2016 and beyond. But GM Jon Daniels told anyone who would listen that he thought his team was still capable of winning the AL West or taking a wild-card spot. And Daniels might be right as the Rangers are playing good baseball and still very much alive in both races (+1600 to win the AL West -- I don't see that happening, however). What Texas needs to start doing is beating the bad teams. The Rangers are a crazy 36-22 against teams above .500 but way below .500 against lousy clubs.


Rangers at Mariners (-170, 7)

Don't like Texas' chances in Sunday's series finale at Safeco Field as it's Felix Hernandez (13-6, 3.13) for the home side. Although King Felix hasn't looked like himself the past two starts in allowing 11 runs and 23 hits over 13.1 innings. Ah, it's the dog days of summer, and that happens to even the best of them (look at Chicago's Chris Sale of late). Hernandez has had no trouble with Texas this year, going 2-0 with a 1,98 ERA in two starts. Elvis Andrus is a career .300 hitter off him in 80 at-bats. Josh Hamilton can't hit Hernandez much, going 11-for-65 with 21 strikeouts. The Rangers counter with Colby Lewis (12-4, 4.68), who as you can see by his ERA and wins gets plenty of run support. That showed last time out as Lewis gave up seven runs and 10 hits over six innings but still got the win against Houston. He pitched in Seattle on April 18 and allowed three runs over 5.2 innings in a loss. Red-hot Robinson Cano is 7-for-15 with two RBIs off him. Austin Jackson hits .419 in 31 at-bats off Lewis.

Key trends: The Rangers are 4-0 in Lewis' past four on the road. The Mariners are 1-5 in Hernandez's past six against Texas at home. The "over/under" is 7-3 in Lewis past 10 in Seattle. The Mariners are 1-5 in Hernandez's past six at home vs. Texas.

Early lean: Sometimes trends don't matter. Mariners and under.


Mets at Rays (-160, 6.5)

If I'm living in the Tampa Bay area and planning on attending this game, it's a bummer that the Mets have the DH because that means no at-bat for Mets pitcher Bartolo Colon, and there are few more entertaining things than watching that chubby guy hit or run. The Mets had lost seven straight starts by Colon (10-10, 4.72) until last time out when he was great in Miami, allowing a run over eight innings. He hasn't faced Tampa in three years. Evan Longoria is 4-for-11 with two doubles off him. Asdrubal Cabrera is 1-for-14 with five strikeouts. Rays All-Star Chris Archer (10-8, 2.54) beat the White Sox (and Sale) last time out, allowing two runs over seven innings. He is 3-6 with a 2.74 ERA in 13 home starts. Only a few Mets have ever seen him. Yoenis Cespedes is 2-for-6 with two RBIs.

Key trends: The Mets are 0-7 in Colon's past seven as a dog. The Rays are 1-4 in Archer's past seven as home favorite. The over is 8-2 in Colon's past 10 on the road against teams with a losing record.

Early lean: Rays and under.


Giants at Cubs (-165, TBA)

This game is nationally televised on TBS and will have live betting at sportsbooks. Also features a pair of Jakes on the mound. For the Giants, it's Jake Peavy (2-4, 3.77). San Francisco has won his past four starts, and last time out he held the Braves to a run over six innings. Peavy's eight strikeouts were a season high. Chicago's Chris Coghlan is 4-for-10 off him. Miguel Montero, who just came off the disabled list, is 6-for-23 with a homer. With Montero back and mostly behind the plate, that means rookie masher Kyle Schwarber will play more in left field now. For the Cubs, it's Jake Arrieta (12-6, 2.50), who deserves some Cy Young votes. He shut out the Pirates on two hits over seven innings on Tuesday. He is 6-1 with a 1.37 ERA over his last nine outings. Hunter Pence is 2-for-4 off him. Buster Posey is 0-for-4.

Key trends: The Giants are 0-5 in Peavy's past five against teams with a winning record. The Cubs are 6-1 in Arrieta's past seven vs. team with a winning record. The under has hit in eight of Arrieta's past 11 at home.

Early lean: Cubs.


Astros at A's (-101, 7.5)

When Houston acquired Carlos Gomez from Milwaukee at the trade deadline, Mike Fiers (5-9, 4.17) was more than a throw in. He was expected to stabilize the back end of the Houston rotation. However, Fiers' Houston debut wasn't a good one as he allowed six runs over five innings in a loss at Texas. That was in relief. So this will be his Astros starting debut and his first career look at Oakland. For the A's, it's Chris Bassitt (1-4, 2.64). He comes off easily his best outing of the season, shutting out the Orioles over seven innings on Tuesday. He has allowed three runs in 4.1 innings this season vs. Houston.

Key trends: The Astros are 2-10 in their past 12 against right-handers. The under is 6-2-1 in Houston' past nine as a road favorite. The under is 4-0 in Bassitt's past four at home.

Early lean: Oakland and under.


Dodgers at Pirates (+107, 8)

This is the Sunday night ESPN game and thus will have live betting at sportsbooks -- although it's opposite the NFL Hall of Fame Game exhibition opener in Canton between the Steelers and Vikings. Sadly, even a meaningless NFL game will dwarf the MLB game in ratings and betting take at books. But that's America. It's lefty Alex Wood (7-7, 3.65) for the Dodgers. In his L.A. debut on Tuesday in Philadelphia, Wood allowed four runs and eight hits over 6.1 innings in a loss. Wood pitched in Pittsburgh on June 28 while with Atlanta and blanked the Pirates on five hits over 7.1 innings. Starling Marte is 4-for-12 with three RBIs off Wood. Pittsburgh's Charlie Morton (7-4, 4.19) shut out the Reds over seven innings in his last start. This will be his first start against the Dodgers since 2010. Jimmy Rollins is 7-for-11 with two doubles off Morton in his career, but that all came with the Phillies.

Key trends: The Pirates are 8-2 in their past 10 at home vs. a lefty. They are 1-4 in Morton's last five against teams with a winning record. The over is 5-1 in Morton's past six against teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Pirates and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday's six-pack

-- There were 671 fumbles in the NFL LY; 308 of them (45.9%) were recovered by the other team.

-- Philadelphia Eagles (-8) turned ball over 36 times LY, most in the NFL. Green Bay and New England (13 each) both turned it over the least.

-- Houston (31), Dallas (30) led the NFL in takeaways; Jets 13 (-11) had the least. How does a Rex Ryan defense have the least turnovers in the league?

-- NFL kickers made 94-154 (61%) of 50+-yard field goals LY.

-- Demarco Murray ran ball for 1,845 yards LY, 484 yards more than anyone else. Dallas ran him into the ground, then let him walk; now he's an Eagle. Hmmm....

-- Jacksonville (450), Washington (414) lost the most yards on sacks LY; Houston (108) and Denver (118) lost the least.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dave Cokin

Bonus Play Sunday

BLUE JAYS (Estrada) @ YANKEES (Tanaka) 1:05 PM

Take: BLUE JAYS +126

No need to go into great detail about what’s happening with the Blue Jays right now. That is one scorching hot baseball team and they’re now in position to finish off what would be a huge weekend sweep at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees have not had the greatest week of all time. Michael Pineda is off to the disabled list, the Yanks really didn’t add anything of substance at the deadline, and the offense got bogged down thanks in part to having had to face a pair of knuckleballers who happened to have that goofy pitch dancing all over the place.

Maybe it gets a little easier today for the Yankees as they face Marco Estrada. But the 2015 version of Estrada has not resembled past editions. Estrada is never going to be an ace, but one thing he’s done a great job of limiting this year is the home run ball. That has always been an issue for Estrada, but whether it’s just some fluke luck or something else, Estrada’s fly balls are not leaving the year this season. Of course, that could change at any moment and Yankee Stadium can be hell on a fly ball tendency righty. But I think Estrada could be okay here.

Masahiro Tanaka and his elbow will take the mound for the Yankees. I’m honestly amazed that Tanaka has hung in all season when it certainly looked as though elbow surgery was in his future back in the early portion of the campaign. But one has to also wonder about how effective Tanaka is going to be down the stretch. He has tailed off a bit lately and while there hasn’t been a velocity dip, he’s simply been more hittable lately. If that’s the case again today, watch out, as this Toronto team is just crushing baseballs.

I’m not brimming with confidence as far as Estrada goes, but all he has to be is acceptable to allow his teammates an excellent chance at winning another game. I certainly like the idea of getting a nice price with an insanely hot team and unless Tanaka is razor sharp, it’s tough envisioning him dominating this Toronto lineup. I’ll take my chances with the Blue Jays as dogs today.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports

Bonus Play Sun Seattle w/ Hernandez -170

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Scott Spreitzer

Boston Red Sox vs Detroit Tigers

Bonus Play Boston Red Sox

I'm recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. Henry Owens makes his second Major League start of his career on Sunday. The Red Sox southpaw had his way with hitters during his time in the minors, posting a 3.30 ERA & .207 BAA since 2012. While his Major League debut ended in a 13-3 Boston loss in the Bronx on August 4, I felt the 23-year old showed plenty of promise. Owens held the Yankees to three earned runs, five hits, and one walk, while striking out five batters in a very tough environment for a first time starter. Suffice it to say, there are plenty of Red Sox personnel who're excited about the young prospect from Huntington Beach. Justin Verlander looked solid in recent back-to-back starts, before getting shelled for five earned runs on 10 hits in five innings last time out against Kansas City. The Tigers enter this one, just 1-8 in Verlander's nine starts in 2015. David Ortiz owns a .345 batting average with six extra-base hits in 29 at-bats against the Tiger hurler, and Pablo Sandoval has lit-up the right-hander, also. There's also a good chance the Boston lineup will face the Tigers' bullpen, (ranked 27th in ERA), for at least a couple of innings. Henry Owens is an unknown by many at this point, but we like what we saw against the Yanks and we'll back the lefty here as a short dog. I'm recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.