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

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MLB

Thursday, July 9

Trend Report

1:05 PM
OAKLAND vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oakland's last 7 games when playing NY Yankees
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Oakland's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of NY Yankees's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of NY Yankees's last 12 games at home

2:10 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. KANSAS CITY
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Tampa Bay's last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing Kansas City
Kansas City is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Tampa Bay
Kansas City is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay

2:10 PM
TORONTO vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Chi White Sox's last 14 games at home
Chi White Sox are 8-4 SU in their last 12 games when playing Toronto

7:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. PITTSBURGH
The total has gone OVER in 7 of St. Louis's last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games at home

7:10 PM
HOUSTON vs. CLEVELAND
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston

7:10 PM
CINCINNATI vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 6 games when playing Miami
Cincinnati is 7-17-1 SU in its last 25 games ,on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 6 games when playing Cincinnati
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games at home

8:10 PM
DETROIT vs. MINNESOTA
Detroit is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games on the road
Minnesota is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Detroit
Minnesota is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

8:40 PM
ATLANTA vs. COLORADO
Atlanta is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing on the road against Colorado
Colorado is 1-5-1 SU in its last 7 games ,
Colorado is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games when playing Atlanta

10:10 PM
LA ANGELS vs. SEATTLE
LA Angels4-0-1 SU in their last 5 games
LA Angels are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Seattle
Seattle is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games at home

10:10 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. LA DODGERS
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 10 games on the road
Philadelphia is 4-17 SU in its last 21 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Dodgers's last 5 games

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB roundup: Gomez homers twice as Brewers rally

MILWAUKEE -- Carlos Gomez hit two home runs -- including a three-run, go-ahead shot in the eighth inning -- as the Milwaukee Brewers rallied for a 6-5 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.

The Brewers trailed 4-0 after the Braves hit two home runs in the third inning -- a three-run shot by Cameron Maybin and a solo blast by Kelly Johnson.

Khris Davis hit a two-run homer for the Brewers in the fourth inning, and Gomez hit a solo homer in the sixth inning and the winner in the eighth. It was the third multi-home run game of Gomez's career and his first in nearly two seasons.

Mets 4, Giants 1

SAN FRANCISCO -- All-Star Jacob deGrom pitched eight shutout innings and combined with two relievers on a five-hitter as New York beat San Francisco.

Eric Campbell singled and scored off right-hander Jake Peavy in the seventh inning, then belted a two-run, game-clinching home run off reliever Jean Machi in the ninth, enabling the Mets to win two out of three in a series that featured two shutouts.

DeGrom (9-6) became just the NL's seventh nine-game winner, and he lowered his ERA to 2.14, the fifth-best mark in the league.

Twins 5, Orioles 3

MINNEAPOLIS -- Brian Dozier's sixth-inning home run kick-started the Twins' offense as Minnesota earned its first sweep of Baltimore since 2007.

One of five players competing in the American League's Final Vote campaign for the last spot in next week's All-Star Game, Dozier had two hits and stole two bases. His two-run blast in the sixth off Bud Norris gave Minnesota a 2-1 lead. It was his 18th homer of the season, the most among big-league second basemen.

Joe Mauer followed with a solo home run into the seats in left field, the first time this season Minnesota hit back-to-back home runs.

Tigers 5, Mariners 4

SEATTLE -- Rookie Jefry Marte went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs and Nick Castellanos delivered the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning as Detroit beat Seattle.

Castellanos also hit an RBI single in the first inning, and Marte homered in the fourth inning to put Detroit up 4-2.

Dustin Ackley drove in two runs for Seattle, and Mark Trumbo went 3-for-5 and scored twice.

Indians 4, Astros 2

CLEVELAND -- David Murphy's two-run double in the eighth inning broke at 2-2 tie and lifted Cleveland past Houston.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Francisco Lindor doubled off Joe Thatcher (1-3). Michael Brantley drew a walk. Murphy then ripped a line drive over the head of right fielder Preston Tucker. The ball bounced off the wall for a double, driving in both runners and giving Cleveland a 4-2 lead.

Trevor Bauer (8-5) gave up two runs on six hits, with nine strikeouts and no walks to get the win. Cody Allen pitched the ninth inning to pick up his 17th save.

Red Sox 6, Marlins 3

BOSTON -- Rick Porcello snapped a career-worst seven-game losing streak with a little help from his offense, and Boston stretched its winning streak to a season-high four games with a win over Miami.

Porcello (5-9) lasted six innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four as Boston swept the two-game series.

David Ortiz had two hits, including a two-run homer in the Red Sox's four-run third inning. Koji Uehara picked up his 21st save by throwing a scoreless ninth inning.

Pirates 5, Padres 2

PITTSBURGH -- Gregory Polanco delivered his second winning hit in as many games, driving home Travis Ishikawa from first base with a two-out single off the right field wall in the eighth inning to give Pittsburgh a victory over San Diego.

Pittsburgh won its fifth straight, and San Diego lost its fifth in a row. It was also Pittsburgh's 22nd come-from-behind win of the season.

Padres starter Andrew Cashner was in control through six innings, allowing just one hit as San Diego clung to a 2-1 lead. However, Pittsburgh broke through in the seventh to tie the score after Neil Walker led off with a double, advanced to third on Jung Ho Kang's fly ball and scored on Francisco Cervelli's groundout.

Yankees 5, A's 4

NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira hit solo home runs in consecutive at-bats, and New York held off Oakland.

Teixeira recorded his 39th career game with at least two home runs and second this season but did not get a chance at a third home run when he was intentionally walked with two outs in the seventh.

Both home runs came off reliever Evan Scribner (2-2), who came on after Oakland starter Scott Kazmir exited with left triceps tightness in the third inning.

Cardinals 6, Cubs 5

CHICAGO -- Jhonny Peralta's two-run homer in the ninth helped lift St. Louis to a come-from-behind victory over Chicago.

The victory salvaged a 2-2 series split for the Cardinals while the Cubs saw a two-game winning streak snapped.

Peralta lined a 1-2 pitch off reliever Pedro Strop into the left-field basket for his 12th homer of the year and scored pinch runner Pete Kozma.

White Sox 7, Blue Jays 6 (11 innings)

-- CHICAGO – Adam Eaton drilled a walk-off solo homer on the second pitch in the 11th inning to give Chicago a victory against Toronto at U.S. Cellular Field.

Eaton's sixth homer of the season came off right-handed closer Roberto Osuna, who had picked up his fourth save the night before after cementing the closer's role for Toronto.

Chicago finally had a big night offensively at home. The White Sox finished with 16 hits and scored more than four runs in front of their home fans for the first time since May 9, a string of 24 straight games.

Diamondbacks 7, Rangers 4

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Arizona took advantage of scoring opportunities with two outs to beat Texas and complete a two-game sweep of the interleague series.

The Diamondbacks scored all seven of their runs with two outs, with homers from A.J. Pollock and Welington Castillo the big blows.

Pollock's three-run homer capped a five-run second inning against Texas starter Matt Harrison, who was making his first big-league start since last May because of a back issue that led to spinal fusion surgery.

Royals 9, Rays 7

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson homered and Alcides Escobar stroked four hits as Kansas City held on to beat skidding Tampa Bay.

The victory, however, may have been costly for the Royals as All-Star left fielder Alex Gordon was carted from the field in the fourth inning with a left groin injury. He was taken for a MRI to determine the severity of the injury.

Rays right-hander Chris Archer (9-6), who was a candidate to start the All-Star game, had his worst outing of his career, giving up a career-high nine runs and 12 hits in six innings. Archer entered the game 6-0 with a 0.77 ERA in seven road starts this season. He had allowed three or fewer earned runs in a club-record 20 straight road starts.

Dodgers 5, Phillies 0

LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw pitched a complete-game shutout, leading Los Angeles to a shutout victory over Philadelphia at Dodger Stadium.

Catcher A.J. Ellis and shortstop Jimmy Rollins homered as the National League West-leading Dodgers bounced back from a 7-2 thrashing by the Phillies on Tuesday. Ellis went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Rollins was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Kershaw (6-6), who hasn’t allowed a run by the Phillies in 31 innings, struck out 13 and scattered eight hits. It was Kershaw’s first win since he blanked the St. Louis Cardinals for eight innings in an 8-0 romp by Los Angeles on June 6.

Angels 3, Rockies 2

DENVER -- A single by Johnny Giavotella with two outs and the bases loaded in the ninth gave Los Angeles a win over Colorado and a sweep of their two-game series.

Giavotella, who has thrived in late-inning situations, singled off closer John Axford (1-2). The game-winning rally began when David Freese singled with one out.

Joe Smith (3-2) pitched the eighth and former Rockies closer Huston Street earned his 24th save in 26 opportunities this season.

Reds at Nationals, ppd. (rain)

WASHINGTON -- The series finale between Cincinnati and Washington was rained out. A makeup date was not immediately announced.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

BIG AL

Our complimentary selection for Thursday, July 9 is:

Pittsburgh (Locke) PK over St. Louis (Martinez).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cubs' Bryant to participate in HR Derby

NEW YORK (AP) The Reds' Todd Frazier is paired with two-time champion Prince Fielder of Texas in the first round of Monday's All-Star Home Run Derby in Cincinnati.

In this year's new format, Chicago Cubs rookie Kris Bryant is in a pairing with the Los Angeles Angels' Albert Pujols, Toronto's Josh Donaldson is in a bracket with the Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo, and Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson takes on Baltimore's Manny Machado.

The Frazier-Fielder winner faces Donaldson or Rizzo, and the Bryant-Pujols winner goes against Pederson or Machado.

Brackets were based on season home run totals through Tuesday.

Each batter gets five minutes per round, and home runs in each batter's final minute stop the clock. Players can earn up to 1 minute, 30 seconds of bonus time based on home run distance.

''Swinging for five minutes, that's going to be a really long time. Really long,'' Pederson said. ''Hopefully I don't have to go first and I can watch how some of the veterans go about it.''

Pederson has selected Triple-A coach Johnny Washington to pitch to him.

''He's been with me since Day 1,'' he said. ''It's only appropriate that he gets to come along and gets to share in this event, see how far we've come together.''

Bryant said his father, Mike, will throw to him. Mike Bryant taught Kris to hit at a young age, passing along the lessons he learned from Ted Williams during the two spring trainings he was a Boston Red Sox farmhand in the early 1980s.

''I'm probably doing it more for him so he can experience it with me,'' Kris Bryant said Wednesday. ''We always talked about it growing up and now it's here.''

Bryant thinks Rizzo may have an advantage at Great American Ball Park.

''Cincinnati's a pretty good left-handed hitter's ballpark,'' Bryant said. ''Hopefully, I win it, but if he wins, that's great, too.''

Fielder won the derby in 2009 and 2012. He will be participating for the sixth time, matching Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa, and trailing only Ken Griffey Jr. and Mark McGwire.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Nationals' Span out with back spasms

WASHINGTON (AP) Nationals center fielder Denard Span will be sidelined through the All-Star break because of lingering back spasms.

The leadoff hitter won't play in any of Washington's remaining four games before the All-Star game. The NL East leaders host Cincinnati on Wednesday night and play at Baltimore this weekend.

''No, no chance,'' Span said.

Span had an MRI this week. A specialist will examine the results Thursday, manager Matt Williams said. For now, Span won't be put on the disabled list.

Span is batting .305 with a team-high 11 stolen bases.

''I've still been maintaining my play on the field. We didn't think it was anything serious,'' he said. ''But it's got to the point now where I've got to figure out what's going on. This is bigger than today. I want to play another 10 years so I need to figure this out.''

Span missed five of Washington's last 12 games, including the final two games against the Reds.

''I'm definitely not helping the team by doing what I've been doing for the last three or four weeks, missing games here and there,'' Span said.

Williams deemed the injury ''perplexing.''

''Four or five days in a row he's great and then all of a sudden it crops up again,'' the manager said. ''We'll get him to see a specialist and talk about it. ...Hopefully at some point (Thursday) we'll have a better answer.''

Infielder Yunel Escobar (hamstring strain) is available off the bench Wednesday after sitting out Tuesday's 5-0 loss, Williams said.

The Nationals also recalled right-hander Taylor Hill and optioned righty Taylor Jordan to Triple-A Syracuse.

Hill made six appearances over two previous stints with the Nationals this season, going 0-0 with a 3.75 ERA. He went 3-3 with a 4.68 ERA in 12 starts at Syracuse.

Jordan is 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA in three games with Washington this season.

 

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Dodgers send reliever Garcia to Triple-A

LOS ANGELES (AP) The Los Angeles Dodgers sent reliever Yimi Garcia to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday to get in extra work around the All-Star break.

Garcia was sent down two days after making his first start since 2011 when he was in the minors. He replaced Carlos Frias, who went on the disabled list last week, in the rotation against Philadelphia, and gave up two runs and four hits in two innings.

Manager Don Mattingly said the move is to give Garcia ''a breather'' since he has made a team-high 40 appearances and allow him time to work on his fastball command. The 24-year-old right-hander is 3-2 with a 4.10 ERA while striking out 53 in 37 1/3 innings.

After opening the season by allowing one run in his first 14 appearances, Garcia has posted a 6.26 ERA in his last 26 games since May 11.

The All-Star break begins Monday. The Dodgers resume play on July 17, when they open a 10-game road trip in Washington.

The Dodgers selected the contract of right-handed reliever Chin-hui Tsao from Triple-A and recalled right-hander Josh Ravin from Oklahoma City. They optioned left-hander Ian Thomas to Triple-A along with Garcia, and designated left-hander Eric Surkamp for assignment.

 

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Royals' Vargas to return after break


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The Royals could soon have their banged-up starting rotation back to normal.

Right-hander Yordano Ventura will come off the disabled list Thursday to start the series finale against Tampa Bay, and left-hander Jason Vargas is expected to return from the DL after the All-Star break. Both have been out since early June.

Ventura has been dealing with ulnar neuritis, a condition involving the inflammation of the ulnar nerve in the arm that causes weakness in the hand. Vargas has had a left flexor strain.

The Royals optioned reliever Brandon Finnegan to Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday and recalled right-hander Aaron Brooks, who served as their 26th man in Tuesday's doubleheader.

The Royals will need to make another roster move when Ventura is activated.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

LEADING OFF: King Felix faces Angels once again, Price rolls


A look at what's happening all around the major leagues Thursday:

YOU AGAIN?

Mariners ace Felix Hernandez starts for the 44th time in his career against the Angels. He's 13-13 in those games, but is 5-0 with an 0.93 ERA in his last nine tries. King Felix opposes Garrett Richards at Safeco Field.

ENCORE, ENCORE

Marlins star Jose Fernandez starts the opener of a four-game series at home against Cincinnati. He won last week in his return from Tommy John surgery, pitching six innings vs. San Francisco and hitting a home run, too.

CAMPAIGN STOP

Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki would be thrilled to make his fifth All-Star team, but not if it means pushing his way in. He's among the five candidates in fan voting for the last roster spots in each league - balloting ends Friday. ''If I gather enough votes from the fans, that it would obviously be appreciated. And an honor,'' he said. ''But I don't think I'll do much campaigning on my part.'' Tulowitzki and the Rockies host Atlanta.

STATE YOUR CASE

Zack Greinke (7-2) makes his final push to start the All-Star Game when he pitches at Dodger Stadium for first-place Los Angeles against Kevin Correia (0-3) and last-place Philadelphia. Greinke leads the majors with a 1.48 ERA and is working on a career-best scoreless streak of 27 2-3 innings.

PRICE IS RIGHT

All-Star lefty David Price (8-2, 2.54 ERA) has won four straight decisions - two with complete games - going into his start for the Tigers at Minnesota, a team he has beaten twice this season. Price has the third-best road ERA in the league (1.86). He will face Twins righty Mike Pelfrey.

 

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Baseball Capsules


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) All-Star Jacob deGrom allowed two hits over eight innings, Eric Campbell hit a two-run homer and the New York Mets beat the San Francisco Giants 4-1 Wednesday to win consecutive road series for the first time this season.

Juan Lagares also drove in a run for the Mets, who took advantage of an error by All-Star shortstop Brandon Crawford to break a 0-0 tie in the sixth.

DeGrom (9-6) allowed a double to Hunter Pence in the third inning and a bloop single to Brandon Belt in the fourth, then retired 13 consecutive batters. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year, deGrom struck out 10 and walked one. He is 5-1 with a 1.09 ERA in day games.

Mets starting pitchers have allowed three or fewer hits in each of their last four starts.

Jeurys Familia got two outs for his 24th save in 26 chances.

In his second start after missing 2 1/2 months because of a strained back, Jake Peavy (0-4) gave up two runs - one earned - and six hits in seven innings.

BREWERS 6, BRAVES 5

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Carlos Gomez hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth inning and also had a solo shot in the sixth to help Milwaukee beat Atlanta.

The Brewers trailed 5-3 before Gomez's eighth home run off reliever Luis Avilan (2-3), who failed to hold the lead for Julio Teheran and Atlanta. Shane Peterson and Gerardo Parra each reached on bloop hits before Avilan struck out Jonathan Lucroy. Gomez followed and drilled a 3-1 pitch into the seats.

Jeremy Jeffress (3-0) picked up the win with 1 1-3 scoreless innings of relief, and Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 19th save in as many chances.

Teheran pitched seven strong innings but Atlanta failed to sweep the three-game series.

TWINS 5, ORIOLES 3

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer hit back-to-back home runs with two outs in the sixth inning, propelling Minnesota past Baltimore to complete a three-game sweep.

Manny Machado and Chris Davis hit consecutive homers off Casey Fien in the eighth for the Orioles, but Glen Perkins got his 28th save in 28 attempts with a perfect ninth.

Tommy Milone (5-1) stayed unbeaten in seven starts since being brought backfrom Triple-A Rochester at the beginning of June, striking out five in seven innings to lower his ERA to 2.84.

Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez pitched five scoreless innings, but he needed a season-high 110 pitches to finish them. Bud Norris (2-9), who was bumped from the rotation last week, took over in the decisive sixth.

TIGERS 5, MARINERS 4

SEATTLE (AP) - Jefry Marte got an RBI double for his first major league hit, then added a solo home run that sent Detroit over Seattle.

Marte made his big league debut last Sunday and had struck out in his only at-bat. The 24-year-old played first base while the Tigers are minus injured Miguel Cabrera.

Making his first start, Marte doubled during a three-run second and scored later in the inning.

Marte homered in the fourth against J.A. Happ (4-6) to make it 4-2.

Nick Castellanos hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh that broke a 4-4 tie.

Anibal Sanchez (8-7) got the win. Joakim Soria put two runners on base in the ninth but finished for his 19th save in 21 opportunities.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Athletics (39-47) at Yankees (44-39)
Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: July 09, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

Masahiro Tanaka is enduring the longest winless stretch of his career and he's up against a pitcher who has dominated the New York Yankees.

The Oakland Athletics' Jesse Chavez is 4-0 against New York, though his 1-5 record in day games could be a cause for concern Thursday.

The Yankees and Athletics have traded one-run wins in this series heading into this finale in the Bronx that features right-handers on the mound.

Tanaka (4-3, 3.94 ERA) is 0-2 with a 6.26 ERA in his last four starts after yielding three runs over six innings in Friday's 7-5, 12-inning home win over Tampa Bay. He did not allow a homer after he was taken deep three times in each of his previous two starts.

The Japanese star won his lone start against Oakland (39-48) by surrendering one run over six innings in a 2-1 home victory June 5, 2014.

Chavez (4-8, 3.20) owns a 21-31 career mark with a 4.40 ERA and has only beaten one team more than twice - the Yankees. He is 4-0 with a 1.63 ERA in five appearances - three starts - against them.

The journeyman can become the 15th pitcher to improve to 4-0 in as many starts versus New York (45-39) among pitchers whose careers began in 1914 or later. He scattered seven hits over eight innings in a 3-0 home victory May 31.

Chavez dropped his second straight outing Friday by giving up four runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 9-5 loss to Seattle. He is 1-5 with a 3.89 ERA in seven day games - six starts.

Mark Teixeira has faced him the most among the Yankees, going 3 for 12. Brett Gardner is 2 for 11 and Brian McCann is hitless in seven at-bats with four strikeouts.

McCann is expected to return to the lineup after resting in Wednesday's 5-4 victory.

The Yankees bounced back from Tuesday's 4-3, 10-inning defeat behind Teixeira's two solo homers and some excellent defensive work by the first baseman.

"I've been saying it all year long, he's a run producer and so important to us defensively and he had a great day," manager Joe Girardi said.

Stephen Drew also homered to raise baseball's worst average among qualifying hitters to .179. The Yankees' three homers matched their total from their first five meetings with the A's.

"That's a big part of our game and that's how we're going to win games by hitting the ball out of the ballpark," Girardi said. "And we're designed to do that here, that's what we're made up to do."

Jacoby Ellsbury went 1 for 4 in his return from the disabled list while Chase Headley will likely miss a second straight game with a sore right calf.

The A's are a major league-worst 7-22 in one-run games. They look to improve to 14-7 in their last 21 day games after starting 1-13.

Oakland's Billy Burns is 12 for 28 against New York and 8 for 23 in a five-game hitting streak. He leads all rookies with 81 hits.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Athletics at Yankees
Tue, Jul 7 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Athletics at Yankees
Wed, Jul 8 - Final 4 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Athletics at Yankees
Thu, Jul 9 - 1:05PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rays (43-43) at Royals (48-33)
Game: 4
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: July 09, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

Just when the Kansas City Royals' rotation is getting healthy, the AL leaders lost Alex Gordon to an injury.

Yordano Ventura makes his first start in nearly a month as the Royals look to overcome the absence of one of their All-Stars and go claim a fifth straight win Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kansas City (49-33) beat Tampa Bay 9-7 on Wednesday, but it will attempt to complete a four-game sweep without Gordon.

The left fielder collapsed to the ground with a strained groin chasing Logan Forsythe's inside-the-park homer in the fourth inning.

"He heard it pop, which isn't good," manager Ned Yost said. "The doctors didn't think it detached from the bone, which is a good thing. But it kind of took the wind out of the sails."

Yost told MLB's official website Gordon underwent an MRI on Wednesday night.

The Royals will be at full strength on the mound once Jason Vargas returns from a left hip flexor sprain after the All-Star break.

Ventura (3-6, 4.68 ERA), meanwhile, is back in the rotation after a bout with ulnar neuritis, a condition in the arm that causes weakness in the hand. That limited him to three innings of a loss at St. Louis on June 12.

He gave up four runs with nine strikeouts and six walks in two rehab starts in the minors.

"He's ready," Yost told MLB's official website. "He's ready to go."

Ventura, however, is 1-6 with a 5.17 ERA over his last 10 starts, losing three of four at home behind a 5.75 ERA.

He's allowed four runs in 11 innings while not getting a decision in two starts against the Rays (43-44), but all of that damage came on a grand slam by Kevin Kiermaier in a 5-4 road win July 9, 2014.

Jarrod Dyson replaced Gordon on Wednesday and hit a two-run inside-the-park homer. He has two hits and four runs in two games during this series and is 8 for 24 in his last 10 contests, increasing his season mark 20 points to .273.

Lorenzo Cain is 14 for 26 with five doubles and six RBIs in his last seven games after finishing a triple shy of the cycle with three RBIs on Wednesday.

One of six Royals named to Tuesday's All-Star Game, Cain is hitting .391 over his last 11 meetings with Tampa Bay.

The Rays - batting .215 while losing 10 of 11 games - squandered a 14-hit effort Wednesday.

Nathan Karns (4-4, 3.21) would appreciate any offensive help as he faces the Royals for the first time.

The right-hander has a 1.78 ERA and 10.09 strikeouts per nine innings over his last five starts but he's 1-1 since he's been backed by two total runs - none in the last three games.

Karns gave up two scores in the opening inning Saturday before tossing six scoreless, striking out a career-high 10 and not figuring in the decision of a 3-2 loss to the New York Yankees.

"You know sometimes curveball better in one inning, changeup the other," Karns told MLB's official website. "Overall just the ability to be able to mix it up throughout the game and keep all three pitches throughout the game I think was what worked for me, and ultimately throwing strikes."

Karns is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in six road starts.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Royals
Mon, Jul 6 - 8:10PM EDT ( rain out )
Recaps

GAME 2
Rays at Royals
Tue, Jul 7 Final 1 to 7 5 to 9
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Rays at Royals
Wed, Jul 8 - Final 7 to 9
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Rays at Royals
Thu, Jul 9 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (54-30) at Pirates (49-34)
Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: July 09, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates have clawed their way back into what seemed to be a runaway divisional race, and following yet another series sweep, have a chance to pull even closer in the NL Central.

They open a critical four-game set Thursday night with the St. Louis Cardinals, who seem to have finally recaptured some momentum following a lackluster stretch.

St. Louis (54-31) owns a 4 1/2-game lead over Pittsburgh (50-34), but has watched its sizable advantage diminish with six losses in the last 10 games. The Cardinals were swept in a doubleheader Tuesday but rallied Wednesday on Jhonny Peralta's two-out, two-run go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

"Any win against the division is huge for us," Michael Wacha told MLB's official website. "That homer was pretty big for us. It gives us a little happy flight going into Pittsburgh, and hopefully we can take care of business there."

The Pirates, who trailed St. Louis by nine games on June 29, have experienced no such adversity, piling up an MLB-best 32 wins since May 22. They have won five straight and matched a franchise record with their 10th sweep Wednesday, beating San Diego 5-2.

Andrew McCutchen is 6 for 15 with four RBIs over Pittsburgh's current winning streak, and the Pirates' pitching staff has posted a 2.02 ERA.

"They played so well for so long, and it just goes to show how our guys persevered," manager Clint Hurdle said. "They stayed the course, kept taking care of today's game, and it has gotten us here."

St. Louis' Carlos Martinez (9-3, 2.70 ERA) could derail that run, as the right-hander has a 6-1 record and 1.35 ERA over his last nine starts. But looking to make his final case to make the All-Star team, Martinez is facing one of the few teams who hit him hard this season.

Martinez, who is one of five players contending for the NL's All-Star Final Vote, allowed a season high-tying seven runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 7-5 loss to Pittsburgh on May 9.

"Carlos is really just getting on the map here," manager Mike Matheny said of his 23-year-old starter. "I think the fact that he's in those discussions right now is a huge compliment to him. You never know how this can play out."

Martinez will face Jeff Locke (5-4, 4.15), who is coming off the best start of his career. The left-hander yielded two hits and struck out six over eight innings of a 1-0 win against Cleveland on Saturday - his first scoreless start of seven or more innings since June 19, 2013.

For Locke, that dominant showing proved he belongs in a rotation that features three pitchers - A.J. Burnett, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano) with a sub-3.00 ERA.

"Everyone in the rotation has done it most of the season, and you never want to feel like you're the weak link," Locke said. "You want to put forth the best effort."

Locke has led Pittsburgh to a victory in four of his six career starts against the Cardinals and pitched 6 2-3 solid innings while not factoring into the decision of a 4-3 win May 10.

Neil Walker is 3 for 10 with two home runs and a triple against Martinez, and Gregory Polanco is 4 for 5.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Cardinals at Pirates
Thu, Jul 9 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 2
Cardinals at Pirates
Fri, Jul 10 - 7:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Cardinals at Pirates
Sat, Jul 11 - 7:15PM EDT

GAME 4
Cardinals at Pirates
Sun, Jul 12 - 8:05PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (49-37) at Indians (39-44)
Game: 4
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: July 09, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Cody Anderson won't be able to set a record for the lowest ERA through four starts, though what he is doing is quite impressive.

The rookie right-hander has been mowing down major league hitters and faces the team with baseball's most homers for the first time in Thursday night's home contest against the Houston Astros.

Anderson (1-1, 0.76 ERA) is the first pitcher to throw at least 7 2-3 innings in each of his first three starts since Pittsburgh's Tim Wakefield did it in 1992. He's the first to pitch at least seven innings in three in a row since Oakland's Rich Harden in 2003.

"I'm just going out focusing on what I have to do to help our team win," Anderson said. "I'm just trying to do the best I can and then use tomorrow to get better."

A shutout Thursday would lower his ERA to 0.56. The lowest mark in the majors for a pitcher in his first four starts since 1914 is shared by Detroit's Bernie Boland, the New York Yankees' Cliff Markle and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Fernando Valenzuela at 0.25.

Anderson went the distance for the first time Saturday as he threw a six-hitter in a 1-0 loss at Pittsburgh. He is limiting hitters to a .171 average.

Cleveland pitchers have recorded 780 strikeouts - 31 in this series - to lead baseball while Houston (49-38) hitters have struck out 816 times to top the majors.

"These guys have good pitching," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Our guys, we haven't been able to scratch out enough."

The Astros, though, also have a major league-best 121 homers and look to add to that total and split this four-game set. They opened it with Monday's 9-4 victory before totaling two runs the next two nights.

Houston could have Luis Valbuena back in the lineup after the third baseman missed the last three games with a sprained big toe. Valbuena, who leads the team with 19 homers, is fourth-worst in the majors with a .203 average.

This would mark Valbuena's first game in Cleveland since he played for the Indians from 2009-11.

Teammate Chris Carter is second-worst with a .190 average and mired in a 3-for-39 slide in his last 10 road games while failing to go deep. He's also hitless in his last 12 at-bats.

Evan Gattis matched Carter with his 15th homer in Wednesday's 4-2 defeat. Gattis is batting .371 during a nine-game hitting streak.

Cleveland (40-44) has captured seven of 10. Michael Brantley is 4 for 7 with a homer and four runs scored in his last two games.

The Astros will recall Brett Oberholtzer (2-1, 4.32) from Triple-A Fresno - his seventh call-up from Triple-A not including rehab stints since 2013 - to start. He was sent there after allowing six runs over 1 1-3 innings in a 9-6 loss to the New York Yankees on June 27 in which he did not get a decision.

The left-hander is 0-3 with a 2.21 ERA in three starts against the Indians in which the Astros have totaled two runs. Lefty-swinging Michael Bourn is 1 for 11 against him and could be rested for this game while Mike Aviles is 2 for 10 in this matchup.


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Astros at Indians
Mon, Jul 6 Final 9 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Astros at Indians
Tue, Jul 7 Final 0 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Astros at Indians
Wed, Jul 8 - Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Astros at Indians
Thu, Jul 9 - 7:10PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (43-41) at Twins (46-39)
Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: July 09, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

David Price got back on track quickly after one of his least effective performances in the past two months and will try to keep his win streak intact in his final start before the All-Star break.

A matchup with Minnesota could help Price, given his recent outings against the Twins, and he'll try to deny them a fourth consecutive win Thursday night.

Price (8-2, 2.54 ERA) was charged with four earned runs for the first time in 10 starts since May 8 in a 5-4 win against the Chicago White Sox on June 28, but he rebounded with an 8-3 victory versus Toronto on Saturday by yielding one run - on a solo homer - in seven innings.

"I felt good. That's a tough team. They score runs in bunches so I'm definitely very happy with the outcome," the left-hander said.

Price will head to his fifth All-Star Game next week but first will try to earn a fifth consecutive win. He enters this matchup with a 1.90 ERA during his win streak - which has covered six outings - and also has a 1.21 ERA in beating the Twins (46-39) in three straight starts.

He began this season coming one out shy of a shutout in a 4-0 victory April 6 and yielded three runs in 6 1-3 innings in a 5-4 win at Target Field on April 27. Price is 6-1 with a 2.31 ERA in his last eight starts versus the Twins.

With Price's help, the Tigers (43-41) are 7-2 against their AL Central rivals this year and took two of three in their only other visit to Minnesota from April 27-29.

The Tigers head into this series batting .328 and averaging 6.0 runs in their last 12 games despite Miguel Cabrera going on the disabled list Saturday. The first baseman is expected to miss at least six weeks because of a strained left calf.

Detroit had 11 hits in a 5-4 victory over Seattle on Wednesday - its fourth in six games - and Jefry Marte had the first two of his career, a solo homer and an RBI double.

The Twins, meanwhile, completed a three-game sweep of visiting Baltimore with a 5-3 victory Wednesday as Brian Dozier's two-run homer highlighted a three-run sixth and Eric Fryer added a two-run double an inning later.

Dozier, one of five candidates for the AL's final All-Star spot, has a league-best 47 extra-base hits and is among MLB's leaders with 64 runs.

"I hope people are paying attention," manager Paul Molitor said. "You just couldn't ask for more for a first-half performance. I hope he gets rewarded."

Minnesota hasn't won four in a row since matching a season high with five consecutive victories May 23-27, and Mike Pelfrey (5-5, 3.94) will likely need an improved performance to get the Twins there.

The right-hander is 0-3 with an 8.51 ERA in his last five starts and failed to pitch past the fifth inning for the third time in that stretch Saturday, giving up three runs in four-plus innings in a 5-3 win at Kansas City.

Pelfrey was charged with five runs and 10 hits in 4 2-3 innings in a 13-1 loss in Detroit on May 14. He was 2-0 with a 2.29 ERA in his previous three matchups, including a 3-2 home victory April 28.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Twins
Thu, Jul 9 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 2
Tigers at Twins
Fri, Jul 10 - 8:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Tigers at Twins
Sat, Jul 11 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 4
Tigers at Twins
Sun, Jul 12 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Blue Jays-White Sox Preview

(AP) -- Having finally scored a bevy of runs at home following a record streak, the Chicago White Sox might keep rolling when they face one of the worst road pitchers in the majors.

The White Sox will get a matchup against R.A. Dickey to finish off their four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.

Chicago (38-44) had scored four runs or fewer in a team-worst 24 consecutive home games dating back to May 10 before a 7-6 victory in 11 innings Wednesday. Adam Eaton finished off his team's sixth win in eight contests with his sixth homer of the season and had the tying infield single in the sixth.

"In the past week and a half, we've been playing better baseball," Eaton said. "We've been battling and scoring more runs lately, but at least our pitching has been there."

The White Sox will next get to face Dickey, 0-6 with a 6.04 ERA in eight road starts for the worst record there among qualifying starters. He allowed five runs - four in the first inning - and matched a career high by giving up 11 hits over 5 2-3 innings in an 8-3 loss in Detroit on Saturday, his third in a row.

"Sometimes that's the nature of the game. You have a rough first inning, sometimes you have rough fifth innings," Dickey told MLB's official website.

Dickey (3-9, 5.02 ERA) is 2-3 with an 8.69 ERA in six career starts against the White Sox, and his 8.21 ERA in 10 lifetime appearances versus Chicago is his worst against any opponent. He dropped to 0-2 with a 9.56 ERA in his past three matchups May 26.

The knuckleballer gave up five runs in five innings but the Blue Jays were leading when he exited that 10-9 victory. Dickey is 1-2 with a 13.50 ERA in three lifetime road starts against the White Sox with the most recent June 10, 2013.

In his next one, he'll try to keep Toronto (44-43) from dropping to .500 for the first time since it was 30-30 on June 9. The Blue Jays, losers in seven of 10, will face Jeff Samardzija (5-4, 4.33), who is reportedly drawing some trade interest from Toronto.

The right-hander yielded one run in 7 2-3 innings and matched a season high with nine strikeouts Saturday against Baltimore but did not get a decision in a 3-2 home win.

Samardzija has a 3.00 ERA in his last five games and has pitched at least seven innings in six straight, but he has one victory in that stretch, a 6-2 win in Minnesota on June 23. He's gotten a 4.00 run support average in his last five games but has received a combined four runs in 14 2-3 innings in his last two at home.

Samardzija, 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays, gave up one unearned run in seven innings in Toronto on May 27 but did not get a decision in a 5-3 win.

Jose Abreu will try to help him come away with a victory this time while extending a 10-game hit streak. Abreu's three home runs in six career at-bats off Dickey are his most against any pitcher.

Alexei Ramirez, 5 for 13 (.385) with two homers in this matchup, is batting .435 (10 for 23) in a seven-game hit streak to start this month.

Toronto's Russell Martin has four hits in his last nine at-bats against Samardzija, including a pair of doubles, but is 2 for 29 in his past 10 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

BIG AL

Kansas City

The Rays offense had very little power to begin with, and now with Steven Souza landing on the DL with a finger laceration, the power is virtually non-existent. Souza leads the team with 15 home runs, but the next player in line, 3B Evan Longoria, hasn't even reached double digits yet. KC swept past the Rays in a double-header on Tuesday before winning again yesterday, so this afternoon they look to complete a four-game sweep, sending RHP Yordano Ventura to the mound for the first time since June 12, when he exited his start with an arm injury which, although not serious, landed him on the DL. For the Rays, RHP Nate Karns has been one of a very few pleasant surprises this season, but Karns got off to a rough start last Saturday against the Yankees before settling down and posting a quality start in a Rays loss, 3-2. Unfortunately for Karns and the other Rays starters, with Souza out of action, quality starts in losing efforts is going to be a recurring theme for a while. With the lopsided loss on Wednesday, the Rays are now 5-17 in the last 22 meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Athletics at Yankees

GAME: Oakland Athletics (39-48) at New York Yankees (45-39)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 09 - 1:05 PM EST
WHERE: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
LINE: 123, -133 TOTAL: 7.5

The New York Yankees attempt to secure their second straight series victory when they host the Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon in the rubber match of their three-game set. After taking two of three at home from Tampa Bay, the Yankees fell in extra innings in the opener against Oakland before holding on to edge the Athletics 5-4 on Wednesday.

All-Star Mark Teixeira belted a pair of solo homers and Stephen Drew added one of his own as New York opened a 5-2 lead and withstood a ninth-inning comeback attempt for its fourth win in its last six at home. Teixeira - who matched his 22-homer output of last season - raised his career total to 385 blasts, moving him past Harold Baines and into a tie with Dwight Evans for 61st place on the all-time list. Marcus Semien launched a two-run shot in the ninth for Oakland, which had its seven-game road winning streak come to an end. The run of success followed a five-game slide away from home for the Athletics, who visit Cleveland for three contests before heading into the All-Star break.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN California (Oakland), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jesse Chavez (4-8, 3.20 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (4-3, 3.94)

Chavez suffered his second straight loss Friday, giving up four runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings against Seattle. The 31-year-old Californian has won only two of his last six outings, yielding three or more runs five times in that span. Chavez improved to 4-0 lifetime against New York on May 31, when he scattered seven hits over eight scoreless frames at home to lower his career ERA versus the Yankees to 1.63.

Tanaka's winless streak reached four starts Friday, when he settled for a no-decision against Tampa Bay after allowing three runs in six innings. The 26-year-old native of Japan has surrendered 18 runs - 16 earned - over 23 frames during his drought after yielding fewer than two in each of his previous four turns. Tanaka won his only career outing against Oakland on June 5, 2014, as he gave up one run and five hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Teixeira's two-homer performance was the 39th of his career and second multi-homer effort this season.

2. Oakland RHP Evan Scribner has allowed a total of five home runs in his last three games, including two in each of his last two appearances.

3. New York CF Jacoby Ellsbury (knee) and LHP Andrew Miller (forearm) returned from the disabled list, with the former going 1-for-4 and the latter notching his 18th save despite yielding two runs in one inning.

PREDICTION: Yankees 7, Athletics 5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jays at White Sox

GAME: Toronto Blue Jays (44-43) at Chicago White Sox (38-44)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 09 - 2:10 PM EST
WHERE: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, Illinois
LINE: -104, -104 TOTAL: 8

The Chicago White Sox’s offense finally took a little pressure off the pitching staff and led the team to a win on Adam Eaton’s walk-off homer on Wednesday. The White Sox will try to earn a win of the four-game series when they host the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale on Thursday afternoon.

Chicago has won six of its last eight games and the pitching staff held opponents to two or fewer runs in the first five of those triumphs. The Blue Jays got to the White Sox staff on Wednesday but Eaton tied it at 6-6 with an RBI infield single in the sixth and won it on a solo homer in the 11th for a 7-6 triumph. Toronto, which lost for the seventh time in 10 games and is just one game above .500 (44-43), is still in the race in an AL East that gets tighter by the day, as all five teams hover within five games of first place. R.A. Dickey will have the responsibility of shutting down that Chicago offense while Jeff Samardzija gets the ball for the White Sox.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, RSN (Toronto), CSN Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (3-9, 5.02 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Jeff Samardzija (5-4, 4.33)

Dickey matched a career high with 11 hits allowed and surrendered five runs over 5 2/3 innings to suffer his third straight loss at Detroit on Saturday. The veteran knuckleballer had a string of six straight starts yielding three earned runs or fewer come to an end with the loss. The streak started after a turn against the White Sox on May 26 in which he was reached for five runs and eight hits in five innings without factoring in the decision.

Samardzija owns just one win in his last eight starts but has gone at least seven innings in each of the past six outings. The former college football star was strong against Baltimore on Saturday, allowing one run on three hits and a pair of walks while striking out nine over 7 2/3 innings in a no-decision. Samardzija was almost as sharp at Toronto on May 27, when he surrendered an unearned run and eight hits in seven frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays 3B Josh Donaldson was announced as a Home Run Derby participant and will take on Chicago Cubs rookie Kris Bryant in the first round on Monday.

2. White Sox 1B Jose Abreu has hit safely in 10 straight games.

3. Chicago 3B Gordon Beckham is 1-for-24 since June 24.

PREDICTION: White Sox 4, Blue Jays 2

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals at Pirates

GAME: St. Louis Cardinals (55-30) at Pittsburgh Pirates (50-34)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 09 - 7:05 PM EST
WHERE: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
LINE: -110, 102 TOTAL: 7

The Pittsburgh Pirates look to extend their winning streak and close the gap in the National League Central when they host the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday in the opener of their four-game series. Pittsburgh posted its fifth consecutive victory and eighth in nine contests on Wednesday, completing a three-game sweep with a 5-2 triumph over San Diego.

Gregory Polanco snapped a 2-2 tie with a two-out RBI single in the eighth while Andrew McCutchen and Jung Ho Kang each added a run-scoring base hit later in the inning as the Pirates overcame an early 2-0 deficit to secure their league-leading 10th sweep of the year. St. Louis maintained its 4 1/2-game lead over second-place Pittsburgh by rallying for a 6-5 road victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. After the Cardinals squandered a 4-0 lead, Jhonny Peralta belted a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to help the team earn a split of the four-game series. The division rivals have not met since May, when St. Louis began the month with a three-game sweep at home before losing two of three in Pittsburgh a week later.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (9-3, 2.70 ERA) vs. Pirates LH Jeff Locke (5-4, 4.15)

Martinez was forced to settle for a no-decision against San Diego on Saturday after allowing just one run in 6 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old Dominican has given up two runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 starts and three in the other, going 6-2 in that span. The impressive stretch began after Martinez was tagged for seven runs on seven hits and four walks over 5 1/3 frames at Pittsburgh on May 9 in falling to 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in 11 career games (two starts) versus the Pirates.

Locke continued his strong surge on Saturday, when he picked up the victory after limiting Cleveland to two hits in eight scoreless innings. The 27-year-old has yielded fewer than three earned runs in each of his last five outings but is only 2-1 in that stretch. Locke is 2-2 with a 3.82 ERA in six career starts against St. Louis, including a no-decision on May 10 in which he allowed three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Pirates have allowed three runs or fewer in each game during their winning streak.

2. Summoned from Triple-A Memphis earlier in the day, 1B Dan Johnson made his debut for St. Louis on Wednesday and went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles.

3. McCutchen enters the series with a 15-game hitting streak thanks to his RBI single on Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 4, Pirates 3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rays at Royals

GAME: Tampa Bay Rays (43-44) at Kansas City Royals (49-33)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, July 09 - 2:10 PM EST
WHERE: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
LINE: 122, -132 TOTAL: 7

The Kansas City Royals are riding high with the best record in the American League and a possible seven All-Stars, but not everything is going their way. The Royals hope to have some good news about All-Star left fielder Alex Gordon when they go for a four-game sweep of the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.

Gordon was carted off the field in the fourth inning of Wednesday’s 9-7 win – the fourth straight for Kansas City – and diagnosed with a left groin strain. Gordon, who is batting .279 with a .394 on-base percentage and was 7-of-10 with six RBIs in the series against the Rays, went down while chasing a line drive and was expected to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. The Rays are losers of 10 of their last 11 games and watched the pitching staff surrender 25 runs in the first three games of the series. Tampa Bay will turn to right-hander Nathan Karns to change the recent fortunes of its staff while the Royals will counter with Yordano Ventura.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Nathan Karns (4-4, 3.21 ERA) vs. Royals RH Yordano Ventura (3-6, 4.68)

Karns posted one win in his last five starts despite allowing two runs or fewer in each. The 27-year-old struck out a career-high 10 and yielded two runs on five hits in seven innings at New York on Friday but was held out of the decision in a game Tampa Bay went on to lose 3-2. Karns, making his first career start against the Royals, is 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in six road starts this season.

Ventura is making his return after a layoff of nearly a month due to a hand injury. The 24-year-old Dominican worked three innings in each of his final two starts before hitting the disabled list and has not won since May 19. Ventura did not earn a decision in either of his two career starts against the Rays while surrendering a total of four runs and seven hits in 11 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals SS Alcides Escobar is 8-for-13 with five runs in the first three games of the series.

2. Tampa Bay DH John Jaso (left wrist) is 6-for-8 in three games following a three-month layoff.

3. Kansas City OF Jarrod Dyson came in for Gordon on Wednesday and hit an inside-the-park homer.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, Rays 1