Sunday 9/6/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Flamboro Downs

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 3 - Post: 6:40 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 64 - Purse:$4400 - HORSES & GELDINGS - CLAIMING $10000. - FOR N/W $11000. LIFETIME


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 6 THIRD STUGE 9/5


# 7 ART OF LUCK 6/1


# 5 CONFIDENT FELLA 2/1


After thorough analysis by the handicapping group, THIRD STUGE comes out as the top choice. Reason to like this horse as he has in the sulky one of the best drivers in win percentage this last month. ART OF LUCK - Take a look at this entrant's avg speed rating of 68 and compare to today's class rating. Looks like a great wager. Seems to have a very nice class edge based on the competitors he has faced. CONFIDENT FELLA - Overall statistics look very good. Can't throw him out of the picture.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Lethbridge

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 6 - Claiming - 6.0f on the Dirt. Purse: $4000 Class Rating: 75

FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. THREE YEAR OLDS, 120 LBS.; OLDER, 120 LBS. CLAIMING PRICE $4,000.


RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 2 DOCTOR LENNY 10/1


# 5 KEEPANOSECRETS 9/2


# 3 BULL TIME 5/1


DOCTOR LENNY looks to be a strong contender particularly if the morning line of 10/1 holds. Had one of the top speed figures of this group of horses in this race in his last affair. Weeseekase has this gelding racing well and is a quite good selection based on the formidable Equibase Speed Figures posted in sprint races recently. Has a very solid record at the distance and surface, which makes me back this gelding. KEEPANOSECRETS - Has been running soundly lately and ought to be on or close to the front end early on. Is a solid contender - given the 63 speed rating from his most recent race. BULL TIME - He should be given a chance given the very good speed figs. This gelding could improve now going off Lasix.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Saratoga

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 11 - Maiden Special Weight - 8.5f on the Turf. Purse: $73000 Class Rating: 94

INNER TURF FOR MAIDENS, FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD FOALED IN NEW YORK STATE AND APPROVED BY THE NEW YORK STATE-BRED REGISTRY. THREE YEAR OLDS, 120 LBS.; OLDER, 123 LBS.



RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 10 CONGRESS PARK 7/2


# 13 FOURSTAR CROOK 5/1


# 2 BROKEN BORDER 6/1


I've got to go with CONGRESS PARK. Earning some good money in turf route contests. Castellano has a winning percentage of 18 over the last 30 days. Has been running admirably lately and will almost certainly be up on the front end early on. FOURSTAR CROOK - Could provide positive profits based on very good recent Equibase Speed Figs with an average of 81. Has to be considered - I like the figs from the last competition. BROKEN BORDER - Earned a quite good Equibase Speed Figure last time out.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Bar

Ellis Park - Race #5 - Post: 2:42pm - Maiden Claiming - 8.0 furlongs on the Turf. Purse: $14,500 Class Rating: 84

Rating: Golden DollarGolden DollarGolden DollarGolden Dollar

#1 MIGHTY SKY (ML=7/2)
#2 CALLANS CANDY (ML=9/2)


MIGHTY SKY - This gelding has the top turf fig in his last race. It doesn't take a college grad like The Brain to figure this here horse has a good chance. Another way to assign class is earnings per race. This horse has the top in the group. I think he'll be close at the end. CALLANS CANDY - That recent bullet 101.0 work shows that this colt is ready for a top effort today. The thoroughbred with the top average Equibase class figure in turf events is usually a solid play. This horse fits the bill.

Vulnerable Contenders: #6 QUIETER AMERICA (ML=4/1), #8 RUNMALIBURUN (ML=9/2), #3 HALL O' GLORY (ML=5/1),

QUIETER AMERICA - Earned a most unsatisfactory speed fig last time out in a $16,000 Maiden Claiming race on August 22nd. Doubtful to see an improved performance off of that figure. RUNMALIBURUN - This animal hasn't shown too much in the last couple of events. Will be hard for this horse to beat this group off of that last speed rating. Improbable to improve enough to run a figure close to today's class figure, so put him on the vulnerable contenders list. HALL O' GLORY - This horse hasn't been in the money in either of his last couple of races. Finished eighth in his most recent effort with a somewhat easily forgotten speed fig. When I look at today's class rating, it would take an improved performance to score after that in this field.


STRAIGHT WAGERS:
#1 MIGHTY SKY is the play if we get odds of 7/5 or better

EXACTA WAGERS:
Box [1,2]

TRIFECTA WAGERS:
None

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:
None

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Bar

Mountaineer - Race #4 - Post: 8:06pm - Maiden Special - 5.5 furlongs on the Dirt. Purse: $14,100 Class Rating: 57

Rating: Golden DollarGolden DollarGolden DollarGolden Dollar

#4 ROBBA ROBBA X DOO (ML=6/1)
#7 OLDFASHION JUSTICE (ML=5/1)


ROBBA ROBBA X DOO - Short brings this colt back into a race rather than a workout. He knows his colt is on top of his game. Last workout was the second fastest of the day. Certainly on edge for a good one today. Was in a Maiden Special race at Mountaineer in the last race. That contest had a class figure of 69 and he is moving down right here in this race. A certain strong challenger. This colt's last fig registered on August 26th is utmost in last race Equibase speed figures. OLDFASHION JUSTICE - When this jockey and trainer unite you have to take a look. Houghton and Short have been great together. Faced tougher in the last race at Ellis Park. Based on class figures, this is a weaker bunch, so I will put this one on my list of contenders in this race.

Vulnerable Contenders: #3 MUCHO ROMEO (ML=5/2), #1 PURELY AMAZING (ML=7/2), #6 CONFLUENCE (ML=4/1),

MUCHO ROMEO - If he goes off anywhere close to the M/L odds of 5/2, I'll have to pass. PURELY AMAZING - I don't possess a 'use' vibe about this steed in this event. CONFLUENCE - No picnic to bet on this questionable contender this time around. Make him show you something in a short distance race before you bet on him in a race of 5 1/2 furlongs.


STRAIGHT WAGERS:
Bet on #4 ROBBA ROBBA X DOO to win if you can get at least 7/5 odds

EXACTA WAGERS:
Box [4,7]

TRIFECTA WAGERS:
Skip

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:
None

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Rick Needham at Saratoga

RACE #10 - 5:47 PM


The Prioress Stakes

6.0 FURLONGS DIRT GRADE II THREE YEAR OLD FILLIES STAKES $300,000.00 PURSE

#10 CAVORTING
#9 IRISH JASPER
#3 SKY GOLD
#7 BAR OF GOLD

The Prioress was named after the first American-bred and owned thoroughbred to win in England. A daughter of Sovereign, out of the Glencoe mare Reel, Prioress was descended from the Darley Arabian line and was foaled in South Carolina in 1853. The bay filly was purchased and taken to England in 1856 by Richard Ten Broeck; there she won the Great Yorkshire Stakes and the Cesare Witch Handicap in 1858, taking the latter in a runoff after finishing in a triple dead heat. First run at Jamaica in 1948, the Prioress moved to Aqueduct Racetrack in 1959, and then to Saratoga in 1987. Here in the 68th running of this graded stakes event, #10 CAVORTING takes a class drop (-4), is the pace profile leader in this stakes field, and has produced "POWER RUN PERFORMANCES" in five straight, including a trio of "POWER RUN WINS" being embedded in this recent streak of racing consistency. #9 IRISH JASPER, a 5-1 shot, qualifies as a TrackMaster PLUS "PowerPony," has also posted three "POWER RUN WINS" in her respective last five starts.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Balmoral: Sunday 9/6 Analysis
By Jeremey Day

DRF HARNESS

Race 7 - $30,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Best Bet (39 - 58 / $136.80): MY MINI SNICKERS (8th)

Spot Play: DADE HALL (9th)


Race 1

(2) MYSTICAL BRAT went a huge effort last week just getting beat late. The well bred filly could be starting to figure it out. (4) MORE THAN LIKELY two-year-old faces older but showed really nice closing ability last week. (5) JESSE'S POTION has hit the board in four straight; use underneath.

Race 2

In a prep race for the final next week, (3) BI POLAR ROSE was used very conservatively last race. The 3-year-old just needs to be given a chance to score a victory. (7) LC'SNMOTION has been coming on strong late in the season; threat. (9) FOX VALLEY YOKO filly has some question marks coming off a scratch and is likely using the race as a tune up for next week; use caution.

Race 3

(7) VENGEFUL two-year-old is very fast. The trotter will offer the better price of the contenders. (1) I LUV BLACKHAWKRED has been facing much tougher out east and is the horse to beat with the best post. (6) BOLD DRESSER nice-looking filly trotter will look to make it four of five to kick off her career; threat.

Race 4

(2) PILLAGE AND BURN lightly raced four-year-old has tons of upside and picks back up the top driver. (7) DELIGHT FASHION also gets a big driver change and the faces a much softer bunch. (8) BOYS ROUND HERE has flashed ability but does have some issues with consistency.

Race 5

(3) WAITLIFTER K impeccably bred colt lays over the field on ability; short price. (6) BARRYSCOURT beat up on lesser competition in Kentucky but should get a nice piece with a good effort. (4) JD CHEESE two-year-old could surprise underneath at a price.

Race 6

(5) CAPTAIN GREEDY is having a nice season and is on track to win 3-year-old IL honors. (7) FOX VALLEY QATAR hasn't been quite as good as the top choice this year but is certainly capable. (1) BULLDOG BENJI has made breaks in two straight but can threaten if he minds his manners.

Race 7

(6) COMPANY MAN paced a big effort last week and gets sent out for a trainer with a good history at the track. (5) BEST MAN HANOVER takes a big drop in class and will win with a good effort but will be a very short price. (8) KELLY D has had a very disappointing year so far, however the pacer was really good last week just missing.

Race 8

(2) MY MINI SNICKERS filly would have won for fun last start if she had gotten free earlier. (3) SWISS MOCHA was the driver's choice and has room to improve third start back off the long layoff. (1) MAYFAIR SOPHIE trotting mare is prone to miscues but has beaten better on the year. (9) PERSAUSIVE LOOK has no incentive in the race other than a tune up for the final next week; use underneath.

Race 9

(4) DADE HALL could offer good value for a new barn off an impressive victory. (8) LIL AL BUNDY should offer a big price and drops in for a tag. (7) FOX VALLEY ANDY was real good last week just missing; threat.

Race 10

(4) JO JO SPUR is always capable at this level. (5) HOLY MCMOSES rarely wins but has shown a nice late kick with a good setup; command a price. (6) DOC TELLADAY will offer a monster price and had some sneaky late pace last week.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Sunday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Arlington Park (3rd) Exactness, 6-1
(6th) Awesome Aura, 7-2

Belterra Park (2nd) Yiruma, 7-2
(3rd) Kachina Mana, 7-2

Canterbury Park (4th) Dear Fay, 5-1
(10th) Fiona Cat, 4-1


Del Mar (5th) Unusualy, 5-1
(9th) Prize Exhibit, 9-2


Ellis Park (3rd) Army Ranger, 7-2
(5th) Runmaliburun, 9-2


Emerald Downs (6th) Oh Baby Oh, 3-1
(10th) Slew to Mars, 8-1


Golden Gate Fields (3rd) Stellar Act, 3-1
(9th) Pick By the Box, 8-1


Gulfstream Park (6th) Prime Time Tommy, 5-1
(9th) Flash Jak, 7-2


Monmouth Park (5th) Oliver Zip, 5-1
(7th) Vipera, 4-1


Mountaineer Park (4th) Oldfashion Justice, 5-1
(5th) Morela Bella, 7-2


Parx Racing (4th) Cuadrante, 9-2
(8th) Bucchero, 6-1


Presque Isle Downs (2nd) Wisenbossy, 3-1
(7th) Noor Un Nisa, 3-1


Retama Park (3rd) Bold Gulch, 5-1
(4th) F J Uncle Lew Dee, 6-1


Saratoga (7th) Sidearm, 5-1
(9th) Full Tap, 5-1


Woodbine (2nd) Blue Waters, 6-1
(10th) Luck Seeker, 3-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians (65-69) at Tigers (62-73)

Game: 3
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: September 06, 2015 1:08 PM EDT

The Cleveland Indians seemed to be in the midst of a potential playoff push at the start of their current trip, but that hope may have evaporated as the offense has cooled.

It probably won't get any easier against Detroit's red-hot six-time All-Star.

The Indians try to avoid their fourth loss in five games Sunday when Justin Verlander looks to lead the Tigers to consecutive home wins for only the second time in two months.

Cleveland batted .317 and averaged 6.8 runs during a six-game winning streak that moved it within four games of the AL's second wild-card spot Aug. 31. However, the club has since hit .203 and scored three or less three times while dropping three of four.

After opening this three-game series at Comerica Park on Friday with an 8-1 win, the Indians managed three hits off Alfredo Simon and two relievers in Saturday's 6-0 defeat.

"Once (Simon) got his breaking ball spinning, there was nothing we could do," manager Terry Francona said.

Cleveland (65-69) fell six games out of a playoff spot following Texas' win and would need to jump three other teams to claim a wild card. The club now faces a tough task as it tries to regroup.

Since going 0-3 with a 6.62 ERA in six starts after returning from a triceps strain in June, Verlander has turned back the clock by allowing one or no runs in six of his past eight. He has a 1.53 ERA over that span while striking out seven or more five times.

"I think he's trying to show that Justin Verlander's still here," manager Brad Ausmus told MLB's official website.

After throwing a one-hitter against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 26, Verlander didn't have his best stuff but allowed two earned runs over 6 2-3 innings in Tuesday's 6-5 win at Kansas City.

The 2011 AL MVP has been able to throw his fastball in the upper 90s when needed.

"I still feel like there's more in there, just fine-tune the mechanics a little bit still," he said.

Verlander (3-6, 3.40 ERA) has gone 6-1 with a 2.42 ERA in his last 11 home meetings with Cleveland. He did not get a decision June 13 when he gave up two runs over five innings in a 5-4 defeat.

Carlos Santana hit his sixth career home run versus Verlander in that contest, but he's hitting just .213 in 47 at-bats in the matchup. Yan Gomes is 6 for 18 against him and Michael Brantley is batting .321 in 56 at-bats, though Jason Kipnis is just 3 for 36 with 13 strikeouts.

It was no accident that Brantley and Jerry Sands had two of the three hits in the opener. Brantley is hitting .426 in his last 16 games at Detroit, while Sands is 7 for 17 in the season series.

Cody Anderson (2-3, 4.17) will make his third start since missing 2 1/2 weeks because of an oblique injury. He gave up two runs and three hits over six in Tuesday's 5-3, 10-inning loss at Toronto.

The right-hander, seeking his first win in six starts, faces the Tigers (62-73) for the first time.

Detroit improved to 10-4 in the season series Saturday with only its third win in 15 games. J.D. Martinez hit his 35th homer and Tyler Collins went 2 for 4 with a home run.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rays (67-68) at Yankees (75-59)

Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: September 06, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

A New York Yankees offense that's been seemingly all or nothing the past two weeks has mostly been the latter when facing Chris Archer.

The Tampa Bay Rays ace looks to maintain his excellence against the Yankees and deal New York a second straight costly loss in Sunday's series finale.

The Yankees have dropped seven of eight career meetings with Archer (12-10, 2.78 ERA), who's 5-0 with a 1.78 ERA in those games. The lone win came July 3 at Yankee Stadium, though Archer exited in the seventh inning with a 3-0 lead that evaporated on Brian McCann's three-run homer off Kevin Jepsen in the eighth.

Road success has been a recurring theme during Archer's All-Star season. He's 9-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 13 away starts and been dominant his last two, tossing a one-hit shutout Aug. 20 against Houston and pitching six scoreless innings in Monday's 6-3 win over Baltimore.

He'll take on a New York lineup that's managed nine hits in splitting the first two games of this series. The Yankees rode three homers to a 5-2 victory in the opener but stranded nine, including leaving the bases loaded in the eighth inning, in Saturday's 3-2 loss that snapped a three-game win streak.

'I like the approach, I like the at-bats, we just didn't get the results we wanted," manager Joe Girardi said.

The Yankees have homered 15 times over a 6-2 stretch but 14 of them have come in four games. They've scored three or fewer runs in the other four.

Archer has allowed one home run in 35 career innings at Yankee Stadium and has handled most of New York's sluggers. McCann is 2 for 14 off him and Carlos Beltran 2 for 12, with Alex Rodriguez 0 for 6 with three walks.

Jacoby Ellsbury, 12 for 18 with a home run against Archer, did not start Saturday due to an upset stomach but entered in the seventh inning.

Having fallen 1 1/2 games behind Toronto for the AL East lead, New York (75-59) hopes Ivan Nova (5-7, 4.50) can get back on track in the finale.

Nova has posted a 7.80 ERA in losing three consecutive starts after going 4-1 with a 3.68 ERA in his first five after the All-Star break. The right-hander surrendered three runs on a pair of homers in six innings of Monday's 4-3 defeat at Boston.

The Rays (67-68), winners of four of six, have been a nemesis for Nova in recent years, as he's 0-5 with a 4.71 ERA in six matchups after winning six of his first seven decisions against them. Among those losses was an 8-1 home defeat July 5 in which Nova allowed three earned runs in five innings.

Evan Longoria, who's 10 for 32 with three home runs off Nova and has four homers in five games, hopes to play after leaving Saturday's contest due to being hit by a pitch in his right forearm.

'It actually feels a lot better now after some treatment and ice. I'm fairly certain I'll be able to go,' he said.

Tampa Bay, 13-6 at Yankee Stadium from 2013-14, has lost two of three in each of its two previous visits this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (65-70) at Blue Jays (77-58)

Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: September 06, 2015 1:07 PM EDT

Stopping Toronto's prolific lineup has proved challenging for most pitchers, and the Blue Jays have been incredibly rough on Chris Tillman.

They'll try for another high-scoring performance against the Baltimore Orioles right-hander Sunday at Rogers Centre while padding their slim AL East lead.

Toronto has scored 84 more runs than any other team in baseball but has quieted down lately with an average of 3.8 in the last five games, down from its season average of 5.4. The Blue Jays have homered just twice in that span but still lead the majors with 185 after Jose Bautista hit his 32nd of the season in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Orioles.

Bautista added an RBI double as Toronto (77-58) rebounded from Friday's 10-2 loss to Baltimore and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of New York in the East with the Yankees' 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay.

"We did a lot of good things. They threw some pretty good arms at us," manager John Gibbons said. "It wasn't an easy win by any means. We got it handed to us (Friday) and bounced back pretty good."

With a win in the finale, the Blue Jays would be the first team to be under .500 after the All-Star break and eventually reach 20 games over .500 since the 2004 Houston Astros, who were 61-62 on Aug. 22 before finishing 92-70.

The offense could really break out against the struggling Tillman, who is 0-3 with a 15.00 ERA in four starts versus the Blue Jays this season. Tillman (9-10, 4.87 ERA) has lost three straight outings overall with a 7.27 ERA after giving up seven runs in 4 2-3 innings Tuesday in an 11-2 loss to Tampa Bay.

He's 1-2 with a 12.46 ERA in his last four starts in Toronto and has allowed 13 runs in 5 2-3 innings in his two in 2015.

"(I) definitely have to make an adjustment against these guys moving forward. They seem to see the ball well (off me), and (I've) just got to get better," Tillman told MLB's official website after giving up six runs in 1 1-3 innings when he last faced the Blue Jays on June 21.

While Toronto has won 27 of 34, the Orioles have dropped 13 of 16 to put their playoff hopes in serious doubt. Baltimore (65-70) has lost nine of 11 on the road while Toronto has taken 18 of 23 at home.

Marco Estrada (11-8, 3.16) will start instead of Mark Buehrle because Toronto wanted to give the veteran left-hander an extra day of rest.

Estrada will face the Orioles for the first time since a no-hit bid June 19. He was pulled after giving up his only hit - Jimmy Paredes' single to lead off the eighth inning - and was charged with one run in the 5-4 victory.

The right-hander is 4-2 with a 2.28 ERA in his last seven starts after yielding two runs in seven innings of a 10-inning win over Cleveland on Tuesday. That performance continued his strong pitching at home, where he's 3-1 with a 1.89 ERA in his last five starts.

Paredes is 3 for 4 against Estrada in 2015 while Adam Jones and Steve Pearce are a combined 0 for 11. Chris Davis has one home run in five career at-bats versus Estrada and had five in three games before being held to a single in three at-bats Saturday.

Kevin Pillar is 4 for 8 with two home runs and a double against Tillman this season. Ryan Goins, batting .389 in his last 10 games, is 4 for 4.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (75-60) at Marlins (56-80)

Game: 3
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: September 06, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

Healthy again, Steven Matz is ready to pick up where he left off for the New York Mets.

Looking to continue the success he enjoyed before being injured in July, the touted Mets prospect returns to the mound Sunday against Miami at Marlins Park.

Called up June 28 to make his big league debut, Matz (2-0, 1.32 ERA) allowed two runs in 13 2-3 innings over his two starts before a partially torn lat muscle landed him on the disabled list July 10. Once he healed, New York's second-round pick in 2009 went 1-0 with 1.20 ERA in four rehab starts for Class A St. Lucie and Double A-Binghamton. The left-hander didn't yield a run in his final 11 1-3 innings.

"I think he's going to be fine," New York manager Terry Collins told MLB's official website. "I think his stuff speaks for itself."

Matz, who gave up two hits and struck out eight in six innings of an 8-0 win at Dodger Stadium in his most recent major league start July 5, believes he's capable of strutting his stuff again.

"I was a little worried about having the time off with my sharpness, but I feel like I was able to get that back during my rehab stint," Matz said. "I'm just going to take it day by day, week by week, start by start and go from there, and then let the rest kind of fall into place."

He's taking the place of fellow rookie Noah Syndergaard, whose turn in the rotation is being skipped.

"I'll do whatever they ask," Matz said.

He won't be the only pitcher at Marlins Park returning to a major league mound Sunday.

Jarred Cosart (1-4, 5.36) last pitched for Miami on July 4 when he allowed seven runs, two homers and walked three in 1 2-3 innings of a 7-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs. The Marlins (56-80) optioned the right-hander to Triple-A New Orleans that same night, and he also spent time with Class A Jupiter before earning this September call-up.

Cosart, who also spent time on the DL this season with vertigo, is just glad to be in the majors again.

"I'm just happy to be healthy," said Cosart, who will be making his ninth start of 2015. "Whatever they want me to do. I don't think this is something that is going to make or break anything moving forward. Obviously, I'd like to have a good last month, whatever my role is, whatever my job is."

Cosart has a 3.38 ERA without a decision in two starts against the Mets (75-60) this season. His best outing of 2015 came against them April 27 when he allowed two hits over eight scoreless innings in a 3-1 victory.

Wilmer Flores and Juan Lagares are a combined 7 for 15 against Cosart. Each homered Saturday as New York scored all its runs in the first two innings to even this three-game set with a 7-0 victory.

Lagares is batting .340 with that home run and nine RBIs in 14 games against the Marlins this season.

Martin Prado is hitting .408 in his last 12 games for Miami, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers (60-75) at Reds (55-79)

Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: September 06, 2015 1:10 PM EDT

Jimmy Nelson knew he wasn't pitching up to his capabilities and made enough changes to get things turned around.

The Milwaukee Brewers have followed suit.

Milwaukee seeks a seventh straight victory as it sends Nelson to the hill against the host Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Nelson (11-10, 3.70 ERA) had a 5.24 ERA over his previous four starts before allowing one run in seven innings of Tuesday's 7-4 win over Pittsburgh. He didn't walk any after issuing a career-high eight free passes in a loss to Cleveland in his previous start Aug. 26.

'Obviously, I was better than in my last couple of outings," Nelson said. 'You'd rather have no walks and give up a few more hits here and there because sometimes a lot of those hits can turn into outs."

The right-hander's previous career high for walks was five against the Reds on April 27, when he allowed seven runs in 2 1-3 innings of a 9-6 loss. Nelson has a 6.19 ERA in three starts against Cincinnati this season despite beating the Reds 7-3 on July 4 the last time he faced them.

Milwaukee (60-75) has won eight of the last nine meetings with Cincinnati (55-79) after sweeping Saturday's day-night doubleheader. Elian Herrera hit a solo homer in an 8-6 victory in the opener and added a three-run shot in a 7-3 win in the nightcap.

"(Herrera) is getting better as a player," manager Craig Counsell said. "I really think that. He's doing a nice job. He's played himself into an everyday role. He's earned it, and it's to his credit. He keeps producing."

Shane Peterson hit his first career homer in the second game for the Brewers, who have won six in a row for the first time since a season-best eight-game run from June 28-July 5.

The doubleheader lasted nearly eight hours, including a rain delay of an hour and half.

'It was a long day, but a good day,' Counsell said. 'We played well.'

One of the few bright spots for the Reds was Joey Votto, who went 3 for 7 on the day and extended his hitting streak to eight games. He's batting .519 with three homers during that run, which began against the Brewers on Aug. 28.

Votto leads the majors with a .400 average and 1.309 OPS since the All-Star break.

Cincinnati has dropped 13 of 14 at home and hopes to get more out of Michael Lorenzen (3-8, 5.66) in this contest.

Lorenzen's struggles continued Monday after he allowed five runs in 4 2-3 innings of Cincinnati's 13-6 win over the Chicago Cubs. It marked his first start with the Reds since he was sent to the minors after he gave up seven runs in 1 1-3 innings against San Diego on Aug. 11.

The right-hander is 0-4 with a 12.00 ERA over his last six major league outings, allowing at least five runs four times while failing to get through five innings on three occasions.

Lorenzen made his major league debut against the Brewers on April 29 and has allowed six runs over nine innings while dropping both of his starts to Milwaukee, with the other coming July 3.

Ryan Braun is 3 for 5 with a homer off Lorenzen.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Braves (54-82) at Nationals (70-65)

Game: 4
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: September 06, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

It remains to be seen if the Washington Nationals dug too deep a hole during an August swoon to catch the New York Mets in the NL East race.

At least they still have hope after a strong start to September.

The Nationals look to complete a four-game sweep of Atlanta while dealing the Braves their longest road losing streak in 92 years Sunday.

Washington (70-65) sat alone atop the East before the Mets forced a tie by sweeping a three-game series July 31-Aug. 2 in Queens. The Nationals went 12-17 in August and sit five games back of New York despite winning their last four.

They're looking to extend their longest streak since a season-best eight-game run June 19-28 after beating the Braves 8-2 on Saturday. Bryce Harper hit a two-run homer for his 500th career hit and also doubled twice, improving his average to .415 over his last 17.

Harper's .337 average leads the NL. He'll be 22 years, 353 days old when the season ends and could become the youngest to win the NL batting title since Hank Aaron did it at 22 years, 238 days in 1956.

"The guy is amazing. It's incredible to see him go out there and play the game he plays," winning pitcher Gio Gonzalez said. "It's almost like he's got the cheat codes."

The Nationals have averaged eight runs during their winning streak and hope to provide similar support for rookie Joe Ross (5-5, 3.50 ERA).

Ross won his previous two starts while allowing one earned run in 13 innings, but he walked six and gave up three runs in just 2 2-3 of Washington's 8-5 loss to St. Louis on Tuesday - the shortest of his 12 outings.

"I was just kind of sweaty and trying to wipe my hand off," Ross said after pitching in the 89-degree heat. "My pants were kind of sweaty and then I was just having a tough time finding the zone."

The right-hander could face the same problems with temperatures expected to be in the mid-80s by first pitch.

Manny Banuelos (1-3, 3.33) simply is happy to be back on a major league mound, and it appears he'll have more time to prove himself despite struggling in his last outing.

Banuelos spent more than a month on the disabled list with left elbow inflammation before being activated Tuesday and allowing three runs while throwing 52 pitches in just 2 2-3 innings of a 7-1 loss to Miami.

The rookie left-hander went 1-2 with a 2.49 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance before experiencing tightness and going on the DL on July 24. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Banuelos should get regular opportunities to start down the stretch.

"I'm really happy to be here and I'm very excited to get experience," Banuelos told MLB's official website. "I just want to compete and help my team win."

Banuelos had an impressive major league debut July 2 against the Nationals, allowing two hits and striking out seven in 5 2-3 scoreless innings of Atlanta's 2-1 victory.

Wins have been few and far between for the Braves (54-82), who are 28 games under .500 for the first time since finishing 65-97 in 1990. They're on the verge of dropping 13 straight road games for the first time since 1923, and they haven't lost 12 in a row overall in a single season since 1942.

Atlanta has lost nine consecutive meetings in Washington.

"It's frustrating and it's tough," outfielder Nick Swisher said. "We've got (26) games left and we've got to make a run because you don't want this going into the offseason."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phillies (53-83) at Red Sox (63-72)

Game: 3
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: September 06, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

Young and old have combined to make the Boston Red Sox one of the hottest teams in baseball since mid-August.

While the end result isn't a pennant to chase, the Red Sox seek their first sweep of at least three games since early June against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

A youthful core has helped Boston to an 11-6 record since Aug. 18 after it outscored visiting Philadelphia by a combined 16-7 to open this series with a pair of victories. Boston hasn't swept a three-game set since a home series against Oakland from June 5-7.

The Red Sox (63-72) have 24 hits in the series and are now 27-12 against the Phillies since the beginning of 2004. Four young hitters led the way as Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Brock Holt combined to hit .483 with six doubles, a home run and seven RBIs in the first two games.

"Those young guys have been playing really good baseball for a month now," interim manager Torey Lovullo told MLB's official website. "It's been a lot of fun for us to watch. They're playing wide-open, comfortable, confident baseball that's helping us win games."

And then there's 39-year-old David Ortiz, who had a double and RBI in the opener before hitting his 496th home run Saturday. The homer capped Boston's eight-run fourth and gave Ortiz a club-record nine 30-homer seasons. He passed Ted Williams' previous mark and moved closer to becoming the 27th player with 500 career home runs.

He is hitting .376 with eight homers and 21 RBIs in 24 games since Aug. 8.

"You know we're all engaged every time he comes to the plate," Lovullo said. "It's an exciting time for every one of us."

Ortiz will try to help back another rookie on the mound in the series finale.

Eduardo Rodriguez (8-5, 4.25 ERA) has been strong in his last three outings - all of them at home - with a 2-0 record and 1.89 ERA, though opponents are hitting .274 against him with a pair of home runs.

The left-hander lasted just five innings Monday, but he held the New York Yankees to seven hits and two runs - one earned - in a 4-3 win. He's allowed three earned runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts.

Jerad Eickhoff has had similar success on the mound in his first big-league stint and will try to end a poor stretch for Philadelphia's starters. The Phillies (53-83) have lost five of six with their rotation going 0-5 with an 8.62 ERA in that stretch.

Eickhoff (1-2, 2.84) was part of the deal that sent Cole Hamels to Texas at the trade deadline and has made his case to stick with the Phillies' front five next year.

The right-hander has three quality starts since getting called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Aug. 21, allowing 15 hits and seven runs - six earned - over 19 innings.

However, he's dropped back-to-back starts against the New York Mets, the latest a 3-1 loss Monday in which he allowed three runs over seven innings. Two of the four hits Eickhoff gave up were the first two homers he's surrendered in the big leagues.

"I could always be better," he said. "I'm just trying to improve each start and take something from each team and make the most of it. I'm still attacking like I would at Double- and Triple-A, wherever."

Boston placed Hanley Ramirez on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a sore right shoulder, while Pablo Sandoval was out of the lineup for the second straight day with back tightness.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: White Sox (64-70) at Royals (82-53)

Game: 3
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: September 06, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

While the Kansas City Royals need Johnny Cueto to turn things around on the mound, they also must find a way to score more runs against the Chicago White Sox.

With Cueto in danger of losing a career-worst fourth straight start, the Royals look to avoid being swept in a home series for the first time in more than a year Sunday against the White Sox.

Cueto (2-4, 4.21 ERA) went 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA in his first four starts since coming over from Cincinnati on July 26, but has an 8.47 mark while losing his last three. The right-hander wasn't that bad Tuesday but still allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings of a 6-5 loss to Detroit.

"This is obviously part of the game," Cueto said. "Every player has a streak like this. I'm not concerned because I'm well aware that this is going to turn around and I'm going to help this team."

The ever-confident Cueto yielded four runs and homers to Jose Abreu and Alexei Ramirez in 8 1-3 innings of a 10-4 win over Chicago (64-70) on May 9 while with the Reds.

Batting .536 with six RBIs in his last seven games, Ramirez belted a three-run homer in the fourth inning of Saturday's 6-1 victory.

Though the Royals (82-53) remain in excellent shape to win the AL Central, they've dropped four of six and been outscored 18-2 in the last two games after scoring 27 against Detroit in the two before that. The White Sox, trying to remain relevant in the wild-card race, totaled 21 runs while dropping seven straight at Kauffman Stadium prior to this set.

"It's really fun when you get runs," Saturday's winner Jose Quintana said.

After its string of nine straight winning home series ended Saturday, Kansas City will try to avoid being swept at Kauffman for the first time since Aug. 29-31 of last year by Cleveland. The Royals have scored one run in 16 innings against starters John Danks and Quintana in this series and went 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position Saturday.

Since going 4-3 with a 4.73 ERA in 10 starts over the previous two seasons, Erik Johnson makes his 2015 debut for Chicago. The right-hander earned International League Most Valuable Pitcher honors after going 11-8 with a 2.37 ERA and 136 strikeouts for Triple-A Charlotte this season.

"It has really been a real solid year for him and put him back on the map as a prospect," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn told MLB's official website.

Johnson, meanwhile, just plans to go about his business in the majors the way he did for his minor league club.

"For me, everything that's in my corner, everything I can control with my routine, I'm going to do," said Johnson, who is 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA against Kansas City.

Mike Moustakas, who homered for his only hit in four at-bats against Johnson, is expected to be in the Royals' lineup after not starting the last five games.

Teammate Alex Gordon is 5 for 9 with three RBIs in three games since missing almost two months with a groin injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Twins (70-65) at Astros (74-62)

Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: September 06, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

Dallas Keuchel hasn't been kind to opposing pitchers at Minute Maid Park this season, and there is no reason to think he will change that for Tyler Duffey's homecoming.

The Houston Astros ace will try to improve his sparkling numbers at home, while the Minnesota Twins' rookie will look to improve his on the road in Sunday's series finale.

Keuchel (16-6, 2.24 ERA) has won his first 12 home decisions and will try to become the first pitcher to win 13 straight to start a season since Boston's Boo Ferriss in 1946.

Only two other pitchers have won their first 13 decisions at home since 1914; Boston's Tex Hughson (1944) and Larry Benton of the New York Giants (1928).

Keuchel is 12-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 15 home starts, and another victory would make him the second in the majors to reach 17 this season. A win would also make him the first Astros' pitcher to get to 17 since Roy Oswalt went 17-10 in 2008.

Oswalt is the only pitcher with a sub-2 ERA in a season at Minute Maid Park with a minimum of 81 innings pitched. He had a 1.91 ERA there in 2007.

Keuchel could also break the franchise mark for most consecutive home wins. His 14th straight victory in Houston (74-62), dating back to last year, would pass Danny Darwin's record of 13 set from 1989-90.

The left-hander picked up his last home win in an 8-3 victory over Seattle on Monday, surrendering six hits and one run in seven innings while walking one and striking out eight. The one run came on a Mark Trumbo solo homer, the first home run Keuchel has given up at Minute Maid Park since Aug. 10, 2014.

Consistency has been Keuchel's game this year, but the Astros have wavered of late with three losses in their last four games and five in their last eight.

Houston almost rallied for a victory Saturday, but Jose Altuve's bases-loaded liner was caught by a charging Byron Buxton in center field to seal a 3-2 Minnesota win, cutting the Astros' lead in the AL West to two games over Texas.

"We thought we were going to make a run at it," Astros manager A.J. Hinch told MLB's official website. "I like our competitiveness."

The Twins (70-65) have won 11 of 15 and remained 1 1/2 games back of the Rangers for the second wild-card spot.

Duffey (2-1, 4.56) was born and raised in Houston and played at Rice University. He has filled the void in Minnesota's rotation left by Phil Hughes' back injury over the last month.

'We're hungry for good starts and the more we get from here on out the better our chances are going to be,' Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

Duffey will make his sixth start and fourth on the road, where he is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA compared to 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA at home.

In an 8-6 home win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, the rookie right-hander recorded two outs in the fifth inning before a single, three walks and another single ended his night. He allowed three hits and three runs while walking three and striking out two.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Diamondbacks (65-71) at Cubs (77-57)

Game: 3
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: September 06, 2015 2:20 PM EDT

The Chicago Cubs won again behind a superlative performance from ace Jake Arrieta their last time out. Kyle Hendricks hasn't been anywhere near as good lately, but his starts have generally resulted in victories for his team since the end of July.

That wasn't the case in Hendricks' past two outings, however, and he'll look to end that trend and his four-start winless streak as the right-hander opposes Rubby De La Rosa and the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

Arrieta continued his spectacular pitching Saturday, following up a no-hitter with eight innings of four-hit ball in a 2-0 victory, his major league-best 18th. Arrieta also struck out seven to win his seventh consecutive start.

The victory was the second straight and fourth in six games for Chicago (77-57), which appears to be in full control of the second wild-card berth and is pushing Pittsburgh for the top one.

Manager Joe Maddon wants the Cubs to 'live in the moment' and not get caught up watching the standings. 'A bunch of one-game winning streaks would be kind of nice right now,' he said.

The Cubs have won 16 of 20 at Wrigley Field to give them a 42-28 record there after winning 41 home games last season.

Arrieta starts have amounted to guaranteed wins for his team over the past month, and that was also the case in five consecutive Hendricks outings from July 27-Aug. 21 - a stretch in which he posted a 5.61 ERA but saw the Cubs win each time by scoring 32 runs.

That formula proved unsustainable in Hendricks' past two games, as he gave up seven runs in 11 innings of Chicago defeats Aug. 26 and Monday.

Maddon said Hendricks (6-6, 4.15 ERA) had "good stuff" his last time out in a 13-6 home loss to Cincinnati, as he gave up three earned runs in five innings, scattering five hits while walking three and striking out four. Hendricks, though, hasn't lasted more than six innings in the past four starts, walking three in three of those and recording a 6.98 ERA in that span.

Hendricks, who's issued 19 bases on balls over his previous eight, has never faced Arizona.

Anthony Rizzo went 1 for 4 on Saturday, a day after hitting a grand slam, and is 5 for his last 11. He's batted .343 with six home runs and 15 RBIs in his past nine games against Arizona.

The Diamondbacks (65-71) lost their third straight Saturday, but De La Rosa (12-6, 4.46) appears to give them a good chance to avoid a third consecutive loss in the season series and fourth in six meetings this year. The right-hander has gone 6-1 with a 3.32 ERA in his last nine outings.

De La Rosa, though, faced the Cubs for the first time May 23 and gave up four runs in six innings of a 9-6 home loss. Rizzo's three-run homer in the ninth off Enrique Burgos broke a tie and gave him a career high-tying six RBIs in the game.

Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt had two hits in his return to the lineup after missing two games to be with his wife, Amy, in Phoenix as she gave birth to their first child. Goldschmidt, a .388 hitter with seven home runs and 24 RBIs in 23 career games against Chicago, has batted .439 in the series since the start of last season.

' ... the bullpen did a really good job of holding them down," Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said after Saturday's game. "It's a step in the right direction.'

Dexter Fowler is 3 for 8 with two walks against De La Rosa.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (71-63) at Angels (68-67)

Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: September 06, 2015 3:35 PM EDT

Colby Lewis' margin for error is greater than most every pitcher in the majors because of the Texas Rangers' tendency to score plenty when he's on the mound.

He's beginning to find out what it's like when that isn't the case.

The playoff-hopeful Rangers have kept winning consistently lately despite not pushing as many runs across the plate, and they'll look to take two of three from the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday in Anaheim.

Lewis (14-7, 4.50 ERA) needs one more victory to set a career high, largely due to his 6.62 run-support average that ranks fourth in the majors. Of the 28 pitchers with at least 12 wins, only Toronto's Drew Hutchison (5.07) and Detroit's Alfredo Simon (4.86) have a higher ERA.

The right-hander received a total of four runs of support over his last three starts, though, and has lost the last two, giving up 11 runs - nine earned - while walking six in 10 2-3 innings.

Monday marked just the second time in his 27 starts - and first since May 27 - that the Rangers' offense failed to provide any support.

'(Giving up) two runs (in the third inning), with our offense, I wasn't worried about it," Lewis said after a 7-0 loss at San Diego. "I just told myself I had to go out there and put up zeros. There are no excuses. I just didn't make the pitches when I needed to make the pitches.'

Lewis is 1-2 with a 7.56 ERA in three outings against the Angels this season, including giving up a season-worst 10 earned runs in a 12-6 loss July 5 - one of the two times the Rangers scored one run during Lewis' time on the mound against Los Angeles.

Texas (71-63) didn't need much offense to beat the Angels (68-67) on Saturday, as Rougned Odor's eighth-inning sacrifice fly gave it a 2-1 victory. The Rangers have won seven of nine despite averaging 3.8 runs during that stretch and lead Minnesota by 1 1/2 games for the AL's second wild card.

They also pulled within two games of Houston for the West lead after the Astros lost to the Twins.

The Angels, meanwhile, had their three-game winning streak snapped and fell 3 1/2 behind the Rangers in the wild-card race. Mike Trout tripled, but his career-high stretch without a homer reached 27 games.

Albert Pujols went 0 for 3 with a walk as the designated hitter, and he's likely to start at DH for the rest of the season as he battles a nagging right foot injury.

Los Angeles might have to be more productive at the plate with Hector Santiago (7-9, 3.37) on the mound. Santiago struggled again Monday, allowing five runs and walking three over a season-low 2 2-3 innings in an 11-5 loss at Oakland.

He's dropped his last three starts with a 10.13 ERA while failing to get through the fifth inning each time.

"It's just one of those rough times, and I kind of let it pile up on top of each other, tried to fix some things and change some things I don't need to," Santiago told MLB's official website. "Now I feel like I'm fighting myself mechanically."

The left-hander's eight-start winless stretch began July 25 when he gave up four runs over five innings in the Angels' 7-6 loss to the Rangers. He went 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA the first three times he faced them this season.

Odor is 5 for 9 with a homer and two doubles off Santiago in 2015.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mariners (65-71) at Athletics (58-78)

Game: 3
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: September 06, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

While they're doing just fine offensively without their top slugger, the surging Seattle Mariners could become even more prolific if Nelson Cruz can return.

With Cruz questionable for Sunday's series finale, the visiting Mariners go after their longest winning streak in a year when Hisashi Iwakuma seeks vengeance against the Oakland Athletics.

Seattle (65-71) has opened September on a roll offensively, batting .336 with eight home runs and averaging 8.5 runs in winning all four games. Seth Smith had three hits Saturday, while Logan Morrison and Shawn O'Malley homered in an 8-3 win at O.co Coliseum.

"We sprinted to the lead and held on," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "I thought the guys swung the bats real well."

Morrison is 6 for 11 with three home runs and 10 RBIs this month, and O'Malley has gone 5 for 6 with three RBIs in two games since getting recalled. Kyle Seager is 17 for 34 with four homers, four doubles and 11 RBIs over his past eight.

The Mariners may have to chase their first five-game win streak since Sept. 2-6, 2014, without Cruz. The 35-year-old is second in the majors with 39 homers but hasn't played since Wednesday due to a quad injury. McClendon said he's 50-50 for Sunday.

Seattle, well back in the playoff race, is also seeking its first three-game sweep in Oakland since 2009.

Iwakuma (6-3, 4.22 ERA) went 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA over a four-start stretch that included a no-hitter versus Baltimore before allowing a career high-tying seven runs over 4 2-3 innings in an 11-5 home loss to the A's on Aug. 24. He was 4-2 with a 3.54 ERA in his prior six versus Oakland.

Iwakuma matched a career high with four walks last Saturday, but only gave up two runs over 5 2-3 innings in a 7-6 win at the Chicago White Sox. He's 3-0 with a 2.38 ERA in his last five road starts.

Billy Butler went 2 for 3 with two RBIs Saturday and Mark Canha hit his 12th home run to extend Oakland's homer streak to a season-best 11 games. Butler has gone 12 for 23 over his last nine games, while Stephen Vogt is 11 for 19 in his past six.

Brett Lawrie doubled in the opener, leaving him 14 for 28 in his past eight games versus Seattle.

The AL West-worst A's (58-78) look to avoid their fifth straight loss as Sean Nolin makes his first start since coming over from Toronto in the Josh Donaldson trade in the offseason.

The left-hander had a 2.66 ERA over 14 appearances - including 12 starts - at Triple-A Nashville after missing most of the season following sports hernia surgery and a strained shoulder.

"It's definitely been a long year, but I think just getting everything corrected and doing it right has finally paid off in the past month or so," Nolin told MLB's official website.

In his only other career start, the 25-year-old allowed six runs and seven hits over 1 1-3 innings in Toronto's 10-6 home loss to Baltimore on May 24, 2013. He also gave up one run in one inning of relief in a 14-4 victory over visiting Seattle last September.

Seattle's Franklin Gutierrez is day-to-day with a groin injury, while Oakland's Sam Fuld could return from a back issue. Josh Reddick is uncertain after leaving Saturday's game with an illness.