Tuesday 9/6/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Tuesday

TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE

Finger Lakes (5th) Holly's Star, 4-1
(6th) Nowyouwillknow, 7-2


Fort Erie (1st) Malenkaya, 4-1
(6th) Awfully Sinful, 5-1


Indiana Grand (1st) Miss Catwood, 9-2
(7th) Hip Tang, 3-1


Mountaineer (3rd) Feelin Great, 5-1
(9th) Voynich, 5-1


Parx Racing (5th) Surfer Moon, 6-1
(6th) True History, 5-1


Presque Isle Downs (1st) Wildcat Friendship, 8-1
(4th) Rascality, 8-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

September Pitchers Report
By Marc Lawrence

Much like our waistlines after a tasty Labor Day barbeque, MLB rosters have expanded to accommodate September, the final month of the season. And as College Football and the NFL crash onto the scene, MLB pitchers take the final spotlight in hopes of leading their teams on to the playoff trail.

The question is which ones can we count on and which ones figure to be candidates for offseason Weight Watchers meetings?

Check it out.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team starts the last three seasons during the month of September. On the flip side, we’ve also listed pitchers that struggle in September team starts, winning 33% percent or less of their efforts.

To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each September over the last three years.

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

Enjoy the games.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Arrieta, Jake - 12-2 (8-1 H)

For nearly two full seasons, Arrieta has been as good as it gets in baseball as a starting pitcher. While strikeouts have been down a bit and walks are up of late, at this time it hard to find fault with a hurler who has opposing batters hitting below .200 against him and has a 2.84 ERA to start the month.

Cole, Gerrit - 14-3 (6-0 H)

The Pittsburgh ace has frankly had a mediocre injury-plagued season and on August 27th had an MRI on his elbow, which revealed no damage. If Pirates the are going to snare a third consecutive Wild Card bid, they will need the Cole of the past two years. Note: Cole’s record also represents his MLB career team start mark during the month of September.

*Grenike, Zack - 13-3 (7-1 H)

Greinke's ERA is higher than past year's but pitching in thinner air of Arizona has contributed to this. While the Diamondbacks have little too play for, expect Grienke to be tough as nails like usual.

Hamels, Cole - 12-5 (6-2 H)

Need a big game pitched in September? It’s hard to go wrong with Hamels, whose ERA of 2.91 is well below career mark of 3.26. Still owns lively fastball and changeup is knee-buckling. A true professional.

*Jimenez, Ubaldo - 12-1 (6-0 H)

Still toeing the rubber every five days or for Baltimore in spite of mid-sixes ERA. Baltimore has few options and Jimenez is not trustworthy in the bullpen either. Orioles need big month from their big man to reach the playoffs and this is his best month.

*Kershaw, Clayton - 12-3 (6-1 A)

Kershaw threw in simulated game on August 30 and later said "feeling really good" and if all goes well, the Dodgers hope Kershaw can pitch in September and beyond in some role, which only makes the Dodgers a bigger threat. Best pitcher in baseball.

Kluber, Corey - 10-3 (5-1 A)

Has been back to Cy Young form since the All-Star break with an ERA under 2.00 and Cleveland has won his last six outings. When he commands both sides of dish with fastball, for whatever reason, his curveball has more break. A true established ace for the Tribe trying to win the division.

Koehler, Tom - 10-5 (5-1 A)

Been very effective in a quiet way nationally, but has been extremely dependable for two months leading to this month for Miami, supplying six to seven solid innings per start. If he's throwing strikes inside to batters, he’s tough to hit. Note: Koehler’s record also represents his MLB career team start mark during the month of September.

Peavy, Jake - 11-3 (5-1 H)

Went on DL in late August with lower back strain. Had been working out of bullpen most of August and future status with San Francisco is as cloudy as the weather in the Bay.

*Price, David - 12-5 (7-2 H)

After a largely below season in Boston, Price has been much sharper in latter stages of August, which is what the Red Sox need. What has changed is Price became more effective in keeping the ball lower and is getting more fly ball outs as a power pitcher, which are genuinely more routine.

*Scherzer, Max - 11-4 (6-3 H)

After a somewhat slow start, Scherzer has been getting better and better and base hits allowed are well below innings pitched (128 vs. 190), yet walking few batters (45), especially compared to strikeouts (238). Back to pacing around mound like the king of the jungle.

*Shields, James - 13-4 (8-0 A)

It has been a wild ride for Shields this season, with numerous hideous outings blended in with several sharp ones. At this stage, hard to think the 34-year righty can duplicate the past seasons.

Strasburg, Stephen- 9-4 (5-1 A)

Starts the month on the DL after some very ugly starts last month. If Washington is to do anything in the postseason, Strasburg needs to regain early season form, which features moving fastball and big breaking curve.

*Zimmermann, Jordan - 11-4 (6-2 A)

If rehab assignments go well, September 10th is target date for return. Zimmermann has not been very effective for quite some time and easy to forget he had ERA of 2.45 in mid-May, compared to current 4.44.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

*Hellickson, Jeremy - 2-10 (1-5 H)

All things considered, Hellickson has not had a bad year in Philadelphia. However, upon closer inspection, most of his numbers are now near career norms and if that ends being the same this month, real bet against potential.

Leake, Mike - 5-10 (1-7 A)

The Cardinals right-hander has been a lot like his teams, when Leake has been good, he and St. Louis have generally won, when not they have too often lost badly. Cards are hoping not to see a repeat performance from the veteran.

Ross, Tyson - 3-11 (1-6 A)

Started on Opening Day and has not been seen since for San Diego with bum shoulder. Still trying to work way bad through rehab. Probably best to forget 2016.

*Sale, Chris - 2-12 (0-8 A)

It is almost unimaginable Sale could have a record like this in September, yet he does. Part of it is the White Sox offense is too unreliable and Sale's miscues end up being quite costly. Let's see what the final month brings for the big lefty.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB roundup: Tanaka, Yankees stymie Blue Jays
By The Sports Xchange

NEW YORK -- Masahiro Tanaka dodged trouble for 6 2/3 innings and three relievers combined to escape a seventh-inning jam as the New York Yankees held on for a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday afternoon.
Jacoby Ellsbury tied a season-high with three RBIs by hitting a two-run homer and an RBI single off R.A. Dickey (9-14). Rookie first baseman Tyler Austin added a two-run double which turned out to be the winning runs.
Jose Bautista had an RBI single and Edwin Encarnacion added a two-run base hit for Toronto.
The Yankees (71-65) won for only the fifth time in their last 16 home meetings with the Blue Jays and little was easy about it, especially in the seventh.
Tyler Clippard pitched a hitless eighth and Dellin Betances did the same in the ninth for his ninth save.

Tigers 5, White Sox 3 (11)
CHICAGO -- Justin Upton drilled a three-run homer in the 11th inning to power Detroit over Chicago.
Miguel Cabrera finished 4-for-5 with two home runs as the Tigers improved to 5-3 in extra innings and won for the sixth time in last last seven games. Chris Beck (1-1) sustained the loss after allowing Upton's go-ahead homer with two outs in the 11th -- a towering shot to right-center field for his 21st homer of the yeaer.
Francisco Rodriguez got the final three outs while allowing a run to pick up his 39th save. Justin Verlander set a career high with his 11th consecutive quality start but did not factor into the decision. Verlander limited the White Sox to two runs and eight hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out 11 to secure his sixth career 200-strikeout season and his first since 2013.
Chris Sale also got a no-decision despite pitching at least eight innings for the fourth straight start. Sale held the Tigers to two runs and six hits in eight innings.

Padres 2, Red Sox 1
SAN DIEGO -- Edwin Jackson pitched seven shutout innings and Adam Rosales hit a two-run homer off Drew Pomeranz in the bottom of the fourth inning as San Diego defeated Boston at Petco Park.
The loss kept the Red Sox a game behind division-leading Toronto in the American League East race.
Jackson, who replaced Pomeranz in the San Diego rotation after the Padres traded the left-hander to Boston on July 14, allowed four hits and two walks with 11 strikeouts.
The shutout bid ended when pinch-hitter Chris Young homered off Brad Hand in the eighth.

Angels 10, A's 7
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mike Trout banged out three hits for the sixth time in his last 11 games and Los Angeles took advantage of rookie Raul Alcantara's wildness in the opener of a three-game series.
Kole Calhoun smacked his 16th home run and Albert Pujols had a two-run double, helping the Angels win for the eighth time in nine games overall and seventh time in their past nine road outings.

Cardinals 12, Pirates 6
PITTSBURGH -- St. Louis solidified its National League wild-card standing by blistering Pittsburgh at PNC Park.
St. Louis pounded out 14 hits against five Pirates pitchers to win its second consecutive game and hand Pittsburgh its season-worst seventh loss in a row. The Cardinals (72-64) hold the second NL wild-card spot but climbed within a half-game of San Francisc, which is in the first wild-card position.
Adam Wainwright (10-8) won for the first time in nine starts, dating to July 16, giving up four runs and seven hits in five innings. He also had a game-best three RBIs.

Twins 11, Royals 5
MINNEAPOLIS -- Brian Dozier homered three times for Minnesota but the collective bats of Kansas City were too much in a victory for the visitors at Target Field.
Kendrys Morales and Eric Hosmer each homered and the Royals pounded out 16 hits as Kansas City started a critical six-game road trip with a win.
The Royals trail the Baltimore Orioles by four games for the second wild-card spot in the American League and their next 13 games are against teams that are currently under .500.

Nationals 6, Braves 4
WASHINGTON -- Trea Turner went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs and Max Scherzer won his fourth start in a row as Washington scored five runs in the third inning and beat Atlanta.
Turner had a double in the first inning, a two-run homer in the third and a run-scoring single in the fourth. Scherzer (16-7) allowed two earned runs and seven hits with five strikeouts in seven innings and improved to 3-0 against the Braves this year. He leads the majors with 243 strikeouts.
The first-place Nationals (80-57) remained 8 1/2 games ahead of the New York Mets in the National League East. The Braves (54-84) had their season-high six-game winning streak end.

Rockies 6, Giants 0
DENVER -- Chad Bettis pitched a complete-game shutout and Carlos Gonzalez hit a grand slam as Colorado beat slumping San Francisco.
Bettis (12-7) threw a two-hitter with no walks and seven strikeouts. It was the Rockies first complete game of the season. The loss was the fifth in seven games for the Giants, whose 16-31 record since the All-Star break is the worst in the majors. That slide includes 18 losses in 25 road games.
Gonzalez's grand slam highlighed a six-run explosion in the third against Matt Moore (2-4). It was his sixth career grand slam and second this season.

Mariners 14, Rangers 6
SEATTLE -- Franklin Gutierrez had three hits and drove in four runs as Seattle survived another rough start from Felix Hernandez to beat Texas.
Gutierrez went 3-for-4 with his 14th home run of the season and came a triple short of hitting for the cycle on a day when the Mariners piled up 14 hits and chased Texas starter Cole Hamels in the second inning.
Gutierrez and Robinson Cano each homered for the Mariners, who used a six-run sixth inning to pull away. Dae-Ho Lee added two hits and three RBIs.
Rougned Odor hit his 30th home run, and his sixth in six games, as the Rangers tried to rally from an early 7-0 deficit. His leadoff shot in the sixth pulled Texas within 8-6.

Orioles 7, Rays 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Chris Davis went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs to lead Baltimore over Tampa Bay.
Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez (6-11) pitched a complete game and retired 25 of the final 26 batters he faced.
Davis hit a solo homer, his 34th of the season, off Rays starter Matt Andriese in the top of the fourth inning and added a two-RBI single in the top of the fifth.
Baltimore (75-62) erased an early three-run deficit and blew the game open with five runs in the fifth inning.
Davis' short single to center plated both runners to give the Orioles a 4-3 lead. Right fielder Mark Trumbo and second baseman Jonathan Schoop added RBI singles to finish the surge.

Cubs 7, Brewers 2
MILWAUKEE -- A four-run eighth inning helped Chicago break open a tight game and cruise over Milwaukee.
Chris Coghlan drove in a pair of those runs, and three on the day, while going 2-for-2 after entering the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh.
Chicago also got two hits each from Jorge Soler, Javier Baez and Miguel Montero.
Reigning National League Pitcher of the Month Kyle Hendricks continued his recent run of success, holding Milwaukee to five hits and two runs with six strikeouts in six innings of work. Hendricks (14-7) hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in his last 19 starts.

Mets 5, Reds 0
CINCINNATI -- Matt Reynolds and Kelly Johnson homered and Bartolo Colon pitched six shutout innings, lifting bleary-eyed New York in the opener of a three-game series.
Colon (13-7) allowed only five hits over his six innings in the 11th shutout win this season for New York.
The Mets beat the Nationals in a nationally televised game Sunday night and didn't arrive at their hotel in Cincinnati until approximately 4 a.m. As a result, manager Terry Collins chose to rest several regulars, including Curtis Granderson, Yoenis Cespedes, Asdrubal Cabrera and Jose Reyes.
Jay Bruce went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his first game in Cincinnati since being traded to the Mets in July. He received a standing ovation from fans in right field in the first inning and was well-received prior to each of his at-bats.

Phillies 6, Marlins 2
MIAMI -� Freddy Galvis hit a two-run home run as Philadelphia further damaged Miami's fading playoff hopes.
The Phillies (61-76) snapped a six-game losing streak and sent Miami (68-70) to its fourth straight loss. The Marlins have also lost nine of their last 10 games, putting them further behind in their pursuit of the second and final NL wild-card berth.
Miami made three errors in a sloppy performance. In addition, shortstop Miguel Rojas left the game because of a groin injury.
Jerad Eickhoff (10-13) earned the win, allowing six hits, no walks and two runs in six innings.

Astros 6, Indians 2
CLEVELAND -- Alex Bregman had two hits, including a home run and two RBIs, and Jose Altuve and Colby Rasmus had two hits each as Houston beat Cleveland at Progressive Field.
The loss snaps Cleveland's six-game winning streak.
Houston starter Mike Fiers (10-6) pitched five innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

Dodgers 10, Diamondbacks 2
LOS ANGELES -- Corey Seager had three hits, including a double and a home run, drove in three runs and scored twice to lead Los Angeles to a rout of Arizona at Dodger Stadium.
Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson, Justin Turner and Yasmani Grandal each added a home run for the Dodgers, who extended their lead in the National League West to four games over the second-place San Francisco Giants.
The Dodgers beat up on Arizona's Zack Greinke, who was making his first start in Dodger Stadium against his former teammates. Greinke (12-5) served up five home run balls and allowed eight runs in just 4 2/3 innings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blue Jays (77-60) at Yankees (71-65)

Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: September 06, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The Toronto Blue Jays' streaky offense is one of those funks.

However, it has yet to cost Toronto a share of first place in the American League East, but on Monday at Yankee Stadium, it made the division race slightly closer.

The Blue Jays look to reverse things at the plate Tuesday night when they continue a three-game series with the New York Yankees.

Toronto has split its past 16 games, but on the smaller scale, the Blue Jays have dropped three of four. The offense has scored 16 times in the past four games but has produced one home run, six extra-base hits and a .222 batting average.

"These guys are what they are, whether you like it or not," Toronto manager John Gibbons said Monday before his team's 5-3 loss to the Yankees. "Sometimes you've just got to ride it out and take the good with the bad, because eventually that will change."

Jose Bautista hit an RBI single Monday, and Edwin Encarnacion had a two-run single. Bautista has three hits in last 17 at-bats, while Encarnacion had three hits in his previous 24 at-bats before going 3-for-4 on Monday. Josh Donaldson has three hits in his past 13 at-bats.

Two players who are not slumping, Russell Martin and Troy Tulowitzki, figure to be back in the lineup Tuesday. Martin did not start since knuckleballer R.A. Dickey pitched, while Tulowitzki sat because Gibbons said he needed a day off.

"We understand this game, we have a lot of time in this game, we have to keep going and don't worry about what is in the past," Encarnacion said. "We've got to focus on tomorrow's game and the next three weeks."

Coincidentally, a similar situation preceded Toronto scoring 19 times during a three-game series in its last visit to New York, Aug. 15-17. The Blue Jays' offense was shut out in the opener, then produced an eight-run inning en route to a 12-6 win in the second game. Toronto posted a 7-4 victory in the series finale.

Since that series, the Blue Jays have always held at least a share of first place, but the fourth-place Yankees are currently only 5 1/2 games back. The Boston Red Sox are a game out, while the Baltimore Orioles are two back.

The Yankees are 3 1/2 games behind Baltimore and Detroit in a six-team race for the second wild-card spot. They have won seven of their past nine series, but winning two of three each time still might not be good enough.

"It's almost imperative," New York left fielder Brett Gardner said. "At this point, we have to win every series the rest of the way. We've got to play well, and two out of three is the worst-case scenario for us."

New York won for the eighth time in 12 games Sunday. Jacoby Ellsbury homered and drove in three runs in a game that featured contributions from a few young players.

Rookie first baseman Tyler Austin had a two-run double that wound up being the decisive hit, while first-year catcher Gary Sanchez reached base for the 20th straight game and also threw out Melvin Upton Jr. trying to steal second.

Aaron Judge made two good defensive plays in right field but struck out three times. Although he homered in his first two games Aug. 13-14, he has not done much since and has 35 strikeouts to go along with a .169 average.

Even with the low numbers, Judge likely will remain in right field due to an injury to Aaron Hicks.

"We got to help him fight through it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Judge's slump. "We know he has the ability, and we believe he can do it."

Aaron Sanchez (13-2, 2.88 ERA) will make his second start following a 10-day break in the minors. Sanchez is second on Toronto's pitching staff in wins, and his ERA is the lowest among Blue Jays starters.

Sanchez had a 5.29 ERA in three starts before the layoff but returned Wednesday in Baltimore and allowed an unearned run and five hits in six innings.

Sanchez was sharp in the 12 2/3 innings he pitched against the Yankees this season. He allowed an earned run and three hits in six innings during a no-decision April 12 in Toronto, and June 1 at Rogers Centre, he struck out six and allowed seven hits in 6 2/3 innings during a 7-0 victory.

Luis Cessa (4-0, 4.17 ERA) makes his fourth start since entering New York's rotation. As a starting pitcher, Cessa is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA.

Cessa has pitched six innings in each start, although he has allowed four of his nine home runs as a starting pitcher. The right-hander allowed two homers Wednesday in Kansas City but did not get a decision when New York rallied from a four-run deficit.

In his lone career appearance against Toronto, he pitched a scoreless inning on May 24.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Braves (54-84) at Nationals (80-57)

Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: September 06, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

WASHINGTON - Gio Gonzalez is picking the right time to pitch his best baseball of the season.

With just a few weeks left in regular-season play, the veteran left-hander has thrown well in his last few starts for the Washington Nationals. He is 2-0 with a 3.06 ERA in his last three starts.

He will take the mound Tuesday night at home to face the Atlanta Braves, who will start right-hander Williams Perez.

And Braves interim manager Brian Snitker knows that Perez will have to contend with rookie Trea Turner, has been a spark plug in the leadoff spot for the Nationals.

Turner went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs in a 6-4 win over the Braves on Monday.

"He is something else," Snitker said. "He is a very, very special young player. He is making the most of this opportunity that is for sure. He is tough."

Turner, now hitting .343, has been grateful for his opportunity. All three of his hits Monday came with two strikes.

"Put the ball in play," he said of his two-strike approach. "I have an idea what they are going to throw me. With two strikes it is hard to guess. I try to see the ball and put the bat on it. I would rather swing a close pitch than take it for strike three."

Teammate Gonzalez is 10-9 this season with a 4.14 ERA and is 0-0 with a 2.31 ERA against the Braves in two starts this season. He has won at least 10 games in every season, when he pitched for the Oakland A's.

Gonzalez was acquired in a trade with Oakland before the 2012 season and that year he won 21 games for the Nationals. He is 101-75 in his career with a 3.67 ERA.

Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman, who hits the Nationals very well, and outfielder Matt Kemp have had success against Gonzalez in the past.

Freeman is hitting .290 with two homers and 10 RBIs against Gonzalez. Kemp is hitting .308 in 13 at-bats.

Gonzalez had been able to neutralize Atlanta right fielder Nick Markakis, a left-handed batter. The former Orioles outfielder is hitting .167 in 18 at-bats against the Washington left-hander and he had three hits Monday.

Perez was activated from the 60-day disabled list when rosters expanded on Sept. 1 and he will make his first start since June 6, when he strained his right rotator cuff.

Perez made three rehab starts in the minor leaguers, with five shutout innings in his last start for Triple-A Gwinnett in the International League.

There are few Washington hitters with a track record against Perez, who is 2-2 with a 4.62 ERA this year in nine starts and 1-0 with a 5.68 ERA in two games, with one start,

in 2016 against Washington.

Clint Robinson is 2-for-3 against Perez, Bryce Harper is 1-for-4 with a homer, Daniel Murphy is 3-for-6 and Anthony Rendon is 1-for-3.

The Nationals won Monday as normal reserves Robinson, Chris Heisey (three-run homer), Ben Revere, Brian Goodwin and Jose Lobaton were starters. All but Robinson got a hit.

"That's what they're here for," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said of his bench. "I've always said you can't win with just your regulars. You've got to get those other guys some opportunities to play. We feel very confident, especially for a short period of time, that those guys can do the job. ... The circle is not completed unless you're dependent on everybody in that circle, so everybody in that circle is important. That was a big day today, to win that game.

"The guys feel good about themselves, the regulars got a day off, get a good night sleep. (Bryce Harper) said it best, sitting

next to me in the dugout. He said, 'I love this team because we are a team.' That's the kind of attitude you want to have on a team."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (72-66) at Reds (57-79)

Game: 2
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: September 06, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

CINCINNATI -- The visiting clubhouse at Great American Ball Park will get more crowded on Tuesday, with the New York Mets expected to call up several players now that minor league seasons have ended.

On Monday, the Mets recalled infielder Matt Reynolds from Triple-A Las Vegas, and on Tuesday they plan to promote five more players from Vegas.

The rosters expanded on Sept. 1, giving the clubs the option to add players. Although manager Terry Collins isn't a fan of adding players just to add them, it will give the Mets some additional options off the bench.

"They're bodies to come and give us options of double switches or pinch runners or pinch hitters, all that stuff," Collins said. "It is September. You always have extra people. When you're in the minor leagues, September was kind of a cool month. When you're in the major leagues, it changes the game. Not a big proponent of it, but it is what it is."

The Mets should be better rested before facing the Reds on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park after a brutally short turnaround between Sunday night's game against the Nationals at Citi Field and Monday's series opener in Cincinnati.

Right-hander Rafael Montero joined the ball club in Cincinnati on Monday. He will be formally recalled prior to starting Tuesday against the Reds.

In his last major-league start on August 29, Montero tossed five scoreless innings but received a no-decision in a 2-1, 10-inning victory over the Miami Marlins. As a starter in the majors, Montero is 1-3 with a 3.69 ERA in 10 career starts.

Left-handed Brandon Finnegan, who twice this season has taken a no-hitter into the seventh, will take the mound for Cincinnati. It will be Finnegan's second career start against the Mets.

In his last three starts, Finnegan limited opponents to a .132 batting average but he lost two of them. That's been a theme for Finnegan at time this season. He's been the victim of blown saves four times.

On May 23 at Dodger Stadium, Finnegan allowed only a run in eight innings but was outdueled by Clayton Kershaw, who tossed a complete-game shutout in a 1-0 win. Finnegan also started the 16-0 loss on April 21 against the Cubs, a game in which Jake Arrieta tossed his second career no-hitter.

The Mets have won 12 straight games against the Reds dating to Sept. 7, 2014, their second-longest streak against any opponent. The club record is 15 straight wins over Pittsburgh from 1986 to 1987.

New York is 9-2 in its last 11 games at Great American following Monday's 5-0 series-opening win. The Mets hit two home runs on Monday and now have 18 homers in the past 11 contests in Cincinnati.

The Mets plan to recall outfielder Brandon Nimmo, infielder T.J. Rivera, infielder Eric Campbell, left-handed pitcher Josh Edgin and right-hander Erik Goeddel on Tuesday. New York also plans to select the Triple-A contract of infielder Gavin Cecchini and move Neil Walker to the 60-day disabled list.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (72-64) at Pirates (67-68)

Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: September 06, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals are feeling as if it is September.

That means different things to the clubs, which meet Tuesday in the middle game of a three-game series at PNC Park.

The Cardinals blistered the Pirates 12-6 in the series opener Monday, inching themselves closer to a playoff spot, while Pittsburgh lost for a season-worst seventh game in a row and might be seeing the possibility of the postseason slipping away.

Pittsburgh is 4 1/2 games behind St. Louis, which sits in the second National League wild-card spot and has a chance to overtake the San Francisco Giants for home-field advantage in the wild-card game.

"It's a big one, a big win against a very tough team in a tough place to win here in Pittsburgh. We'll take it, man," said St. Louis' starter and winner Monday, Adam Wainwright. "We'll take it and we'll move on to the next one."

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had such a good time watching his club produce on offense Monday that the nearly 3 1/2-hour game flew by.

"We're scoring, I don't care how long we stay out there," said Matheny, whose team has won two games in a row following a three-game losing streak during which St. Louis scored just four runs. "I just like watching guys get into a good place offensively."

Offense has been just one of the problems for Pittsburgh.

While starting pitching has been mostly a strength with the bullpen inconsistent, the Pirates had their rookie starter, Chad Kuhl, knocked out after two innings Monday, and the bullpen wasn't a lot better.

In addition, the Pirates are struggling to score. Their six runs Monday was their most in seven games. They have been shut out in three of their past six games.

"We're trying to figure ourselves out and get out of this and get back to playing baseball the way we want to play," Pittsburgh shortstop Jordy Mercer said. "We just have to keep going. Every day is a new day, a new start.

"I don't know the reason for it. We just haven't played the baseball we want to play."

Manager Clint Hurdle, who heard the home fans boo loudly at times Monday, is keeping his chin up.

"You've got to fight every day for success," he said, and he believes his players are still willing to do that.

"I think they're realistic about it," Hurdle said. "There comes a point in time you play at this level, honest self-evaluation plays a part of it. It's not just a trend. It's not just a cycle. You've got to find ways to get better and win.

"Guys are showing up and playing. Sometimes you just don't play as well as you need to play to win a game."

St. Louis right-hander Luke Weaver (1-2, 3.86 ERA) is scheduled to make his fifth major league start Tuesday against Pittsburgh. He has 17 strikeouts over his past two starts. Weaver has never faced the Pirates.

Pittsburgh will counter with veteran right-hander Ryan Vogelsong (3-4, 3.56 ERA). He is 2-3 with a 3.44 ERA in six starts since being reinstated from the disabled list after surgery for facial fractures.

Vogelsong's lone appearance against St. Louis this year came in relief, when he allowed two hits and a walk but no runs in one-third of an inning on May 8. For his career against the Cardinals, Vogelsong is 3-7 with a 5.75 ERA in 22 games (11 starts).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phillies (61-76) at Marlins (68-70)

Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: September 06, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

MIAMI -- With four consecutive losses and nine defeats in their past 10 games, the Miami Marlins are sinking from the National League wild-card playoff race that offered them hope just two weeks ago.

The latest setback was a 6-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday afternoon at Marlins Park.

Reasons for the defeat can be found in the list of five pitchers the Marlins trotted out to the mound Monday. All five were in the minors at some point this year, and two of them -- including starter Jake Esch -- made their major league debuts this season.

"We know what kind of club we have," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "But we also knew that we were going to be challenged depth-wise."

On Tuesday, the Marlins (68-70) will start yet another pitcher -- right-hander Jose Urena -- who spent a majority of the season in the minors.

Urena is 3-5 with a 5.40 ERA, but he has pitched much better lately. In his past four starts, Urena has a 3.42 ERA. He has gone at least six innings in three of those four outings.

In addition, Urena's fastball has been heating up, touching 97 mph at its peak.

Philadelphia, which snapped a six-game losing streak Monday, was bounced from the wild-card race long ago. However, there is such a thing as finishing strong, and that is exactly what manager Pete Mackanin wants to see from the Phillies (61-76).

On Tuesday, he will send left-hander Adam Morgan (1-9, 6.21 ERA) to the mound. Morgan's stat line is awful, but he is coming off perhaps his best start of the year, when he allowed just three hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Washington Nationals.

He will hope to get support from a Phillies offense that was held scoreless for 18 consecutive innings before scoring in the fifth frame Monday in the win over Miami.

"I was just happy to get a couple of runs," Mackanin said. "It was nice to see. Maybe now that we are on the road, we can start hitting better."

Given how badly the Marlins are going, it is hardly a surprise the Phillies snapped out of their slump against Miami.

The Marlins got more bad news on Monday when shortstop Miguel Rojas injured his groin. He is considered day-to-day, but Rojas did not seem optimistic he could play on Tuesday.

Fortunately for Miami, starting shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria can step in, although he has been slumping at the plate lately.

Perhaps first baseman Justin Bour, who could return on Tuesday, will provide Miami with a boost. He has not played since July 2 due to an ankle injury. Bour would give the Marlins much-needed power in the middle of the lineup, assuming he is healthy and ready to go.

Given how long he has been out, though, it might be unfair to ask too much of Bour.

Still, the Marlins are desperate.

"We've needed a little bit of luck, everything to fall in its slots," Mattingly said of what the Marlins hoped for in the second half. "But in the past month and a half, it's probably fallen the wrong way, and it's put us in a bind. We have some guys who probably should be coming up but not necessarily being part of (close games)."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (73-64) at Indians (79-57)

Game: 2
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: September 06, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

CLEVELAND -- In game two of the four-game series between the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros Tuesday night at Progressive Field, it was supposed to be an all-Cy Young Award pitching matchup.

Cleveland's Corey Kluber, who won the award in 2014, was supposed to face Houston's Dallas Keuchel, who won the award last year. But that matchup will not take place.

Keuchel has been scratched from the start due to left shoulder inflammation. He has been sent back to Houston for further examination. Keuchel had been scheduled to start Sept. 2 at Texas, but he was scratched from that start, and had it pushed back to Tuesday. But those plans were canceled Monday, and nobody knows when, or even if, Keuchel will pitch again this year.

"He's not going to be pitching for us for a while," said Astros manager A.J. Hinch.

The Astros will recall Brad Peacock from Triple-A Fresno to start Tuesday's game in Cleveland. In 21 starts at Fresno, Peacock was 5-6 with a 4.23 ERA. He was up with the Astros earlier this season and made five relief appearances and had no record and a 3.86 ERA.

"Part of the game of baseball is somebody needs to step up. Peacock will get the chance (Tuesday)," Hinch said.

Keuchel's numbers this year (9-12, 4.55) are dramatically down from last year, when he was 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA. The Astros were handling him carefully this year after he pitched a career-high 232 innings last year, 246 innings if you count the 14 innings he pitched in the postseason.

Kluber (15-8), who has entered into the Cy Young discussion for this year, has been arguably the best pitcher in the American League for the last two months. He hasn't lost a game since July 3. In 10 starts since then, he is 7-0 with a 1.94 ERA. In those 10 starts, Kluber has held opposing hitters to a .216 batting average and .274 on base percentage.

Kluber faced Houston once this year and it was one of his worst starts of the year. In a 7-1 loss on May 9, he threw 54 pitches in 2 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits with three walks.

However, in six career appearances, five starts, vs. Houston Kluber is 4-2 with a 2.73.

Kluber's start on Tuesday will be even more important, given that the Indians used seven relievers in a 6-2 loss Monday night. That happened because manager Terry Francona wanted to skip struggling Josh Tomlin's turn in the rotation.

Even with the September call-ups, the Indians' bullpen could be a little short going into Kluber's start Tuesday, which is probably why they recalled left-hander Kyle Crockett from Triple-A Columbus on Monday. Crockett will serve as a second left-hander in the bullpen behind Andrew Miller.

As for Tomlin, no decision has been made when he will go back into the rotation. He did pitch a scoreless ninth inning on Monday, but his future in the rotation for the rest of the season remains up in the air.

"We haven't decided anything on that yet. We want to keep all of our options open," said Francona.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (75-62) at Rays (58-78)

Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: September 06, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

ST PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Baltimore Orioles will look to right-hander Yovani Gallardo to pick up where Ubaldo Jimenez left off when they face the Tampa Bay Rays in the second game of a three-game series Tuesday at Tropicana Field.

Jimenez led the Orioles to a 7-3 win Monday with the team's first complete game in two years. He retired the last 16 batters he faced.

Gallardo (4-7) has struggled this season but showed signs of improvement in his last start against Toronto when he gave up three runs in the first inning but held the Blue Jays scoreless for the next five innings to register a quality start. He has lost his last four decisions and the Orioles have dropped his last five starts.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter is hopeful Jimenez's start can energize the rest of the rotation.

"I think the guys in the rotation are starting to step up and we need them to because these are important games now," Showalter said. "Gallardo pitched well his last time out and I think he'll pitch well again."

Baltimore's offense is also starting to find its way again, especially first baseman Chris Davis, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs on Monday. Davis is 6-for-15 with two home runs and five RBIs in his past four games as he tries to break out of a long slump.

"These guys have been picking me up all season and I'm hoping that I can keep this going," Davis said. "I'm starting to feel good at the plate again."

Baltimore will have to figure out a way to get to Rays starter Jake Odorizzi (9-5), arguably the best pitcher in the league since mid-July.

Odorizzi is 6-0 since the All-Star break and the Rays have won seven out of his past nine starts. He has a 1.89 ERA since the break, which is the lowest in the American League.

"I'm just feeling confident in everything out there right now," Odorizzi told MLB.com. "I have a feel of all my pitches. It's nice to go out there and get my work in every six days."

The right-hander's recent surge started with a win against the Orioles on July 17, when Odorizzi gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings and struck out seven.

Tampa Bay may be without third baseman Evan Longoria, who is day-to-day with soreness in his right hand after being hit by a pitch Monday. X-rays on the hand were negative.

"It never feels good when you get hit in the hand, but we got lucky," Longoria said. "X-rays negative is always a great thing. I wouldn't say I 100 percent expect to play (Tuesday). I don't know how it's going to feel. I was trying to stay in the game but I felt like I was becoming a liability out there -- especially defensively -- because I didn't feel like I could grip the ball. But if I feel good enough to play I will."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (89-48) at Brewers (60-77)

Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: September 06, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

MILWAUKEE -- There are a lot of reasons the Chicago Cubs are making a laughing stock of the National League Playoff race, but their bench corps might be the team's most overlooked component.

Monday, it was a pair of reserves -- Chris Coghlan and Miguel Montero -- who led the way, combining for four hits, three RBI and a pair of runs as Chicago rallied late for a 7-1 victory at Milwaukee.

"We're so deep," said Coghlan, who went 2-for-2 and drove in three after entering the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh. (Manager) Joe (Maddon) picks his spots, gives guys breathers and the guys on the bench can be playing every day for different teams."

Coghlan was dealt to Oakland in February but returned though a June trade and is hitting .231 in 65 at-bats. Montero began the season as Chicago's starting catcher but lost that job in August after prospect Wilson Contreras was summoned from Triple-A.

"I give them a lot of credit, because it would be easy to turn the dimmer switch down a bit, and they have not," Maddon said. "They've gone the other way."

Chicago will try to take another step toward locking down a postseason berth Tuesday when Jason Hammel takes the mound against the Brewers at Miller Park.

Hammel snapped a two-game losing streak with his last outing, giving up just a run on three hits with three walks and six strikeouts over six innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"He was really good," Maddon said. "His stuff was very good."

Hammel has thrived against the Brewers. In 14 career starts, he's 10-1 against them with a 2.50 ERA , and is 1-1 this season after tossing seven scoreless innings on Aug. 16 at Wrigley Field.

Milwaukee, which had won four in a row before dropping the series opener, looks to get back to its winning ways behind right-hander Wily Peralta.

Peralta had the worst ERA (6.68) among qualifiers when he was demoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs in June but since returning in early August, he has a 3.00 ERA over his last five starts and is starting to look much more like the pitcher Milwaukee had in mind when Peralta was named the team's opening day starter.

Peralta took the no-decision his last time out but pitched well, holding the St. Louis Cardinals to just a run on three hits with 10 strikeouts over a season-best seven innings in a 2-1 loss at Miller Park.

"That was his best start of the year, for sure," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "The slider and the fastball were both equally good. The fastball was down and heavy, the slider was certainly swing-and-miss tonight. He pitched very, very well. He's really strung together a bunch of good starts since he's been back. He's pitched well since he's been back, he's pitched very well."

The Cubs, though, have been a bit of a nemesis for him. Peralta's faced Chicago 11 times over his career, going 3-7 with a 4.09 ERA. He has yet to face the Cubs this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (75-62) at White Sox (65-72)

Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: September 06, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- Detroit Tigers left-hander Matt Boyd will look to maintain his recent success when he takes the mound against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.

Boyd, 25, has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his past nine starts. He is 5-0 with a 2.55 ERA since July 9, which has improved his season record to 5-2 with a 4.00 ERA.

Boyd's impressive second half of the season has mirrored that of Detroit (75-62). The Tigers remain tied with the Baltimore Orioles for the second American League wild-card playoff spot after their 5-3, 11-inning win against the White Sox on Monday afternoon.

Detroit has won six of its past seven games and 11 of its past 14.

"I like where we're at," Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander said. "I like the grit that this team has late in the season. Really, this last week or so, (we've had) a never-say-die attitude. We've won a bunch of games where we were down, some games that we were probably losing early on in the season.

"Now's the right time to get hot. This is what we work so hard for."

Meanwhile, the reality of another disappointing season is setting in for Chicago (65-72). The White Sox dropped to 5-12 against Detroit after the Monday loss, and they have posted a dismal 13-32 record against opponents from the AL Central since May 23.

"I can tell you, top to bottom, no one's happy about it," White Sox left-hander Chris Sale said. "It falls on us, mostly. You just have to look at yourself in the mirror and say, 'What have we got to do to change it?'

"We have to find a way to be better next year. Hold your head up high, but we've got to change something."

One thing the White Sox hope to maintain is their good work against Boyd. The second-year pitcher has faced Chicago three times this year and has no decisions despite an ugly 6.39 ERA.

Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez is scheduled to return from the 15-day disabled list to start for Chicago. The 32-year-old veteran has been sidelined since Aug. 12 because of a strained right groin.

Gonzalez is 2-6 with a 4.05 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) this season. During his career, Tigers hitters have battered him for 30 earned runs on 49 hits in 30 innings. He is 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA in eight games (six starts) against Detroit.

Before his groin injury, Gonzalez was pitching well. He recorded seven consecutive quality starts from July 1 to Aug. 5 and posted a 2.76 ERA (14 earned runs in 45 2/3 innings) during that span.

Gonzalez faces a difficult assignment against a Tigers team filled with hot hitters.

Miguel Cabrera went 4-for-5 with two home runs in the series opener to improve his batting average to .316 with 31 home runs and 87 RBIs. Justin Upton is also hit, as he is batting .339 (19-for-56) with four doubles, eight home runs and 21 RBIs in his past 15 games.

"Honestly, I've been on time a lot more," Upton said. "I've been giving myself a better opportunity to see the ball and put good swings on it. That's what I've done."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (71-66) at Twins (51-87)

Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: September 06, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Kansas City Royals will try and find a way to slow down Brian Dozier of the Minnesota Twins when the teams play the middle contest of a three-game series Tuesday night at Target Field.

Dozier hit three home runs in the series opener Monday afternoon and has 10 against Kansas City this season, the most ever allowed to an opponent by the Royals. No other Kansas City opponent ever hit more than eight homers in a year.

Despite the offensive outburst by Dozier, the Twins were unable to back him up with any pitching as Kansas City took the game 11-5.

"He's so hot right now, you make a mistake and he's not missing it," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "The best way to (get him out) is not to throw fastballs down the middle. That's what we did."

Dozier became the first Twin since Harmon Killebrew in 1970 to surpass 35 home runs in a single season, boosting his season total to 38, which ranks second in the majors.

Dozier has homered in 18 of the past 35 games he has played in. He has 24 homers since the All-Star break and has hit at least one over the fence in four consecutive games, blasting six total in those games.

"You don't see runs like this very often," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "They just keep coming. He did what he could to give us a chance today."

Kansas City's Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales homered Monday, and Alcides Escobar, Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando all earned praise from Yost for how they have played of late. Escobar, Dyson and Orlando combined for seven hits in the series opener.

"Key at-bats, good at-bats by everybody," Yost said.

After the Royals had a disappointing 2-4 homestand against the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers, one in which Yost said he thought his club deserved a better fate, starting a six-game road trip with a win was paramount.

The Royals trail the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers by four games for the second American League wild-card spot, and Kansas City's next 13 games are against teams that are currently under .500.

"We definitely have a run left in us," Yost said. "Our guys are playing hard, they're getting after it. We still feel like we're not out of this by any stretch of the imagination."

Right-hander Dillon Gee (6-7, 4.33 ERA) will get the nod for the Royals on Tuesday. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk in six innings in his last start against the New York Yankees on Aug. 29, earning the victory. He allowed one run on five hits in seven innings against the Twins on Aug. 18 at Kauffman Stadium but is 1-2 in three starts vs. Minnesota in 2016.

Former Royals right-hander Ervin Santana (7-10, 3.54 ERA) will start for the Twins after a tightrope act against the Chicago White Sox his last time out. The right-hander allowed 11 hits but just two runs in five innings, stranding 10 White Sox in helping the Twins snap their 13-game losing skid.

He is 0-2 with a 4.86 ERA in three starts against Kansas City this year.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants (73-64) at Rockies (66-71)

Game: 2
Venue: Coors Field
Date: September 06, 2016 8:40 PM EDT

DENVER -- San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy can only hope that the Giants' offense, which has been faltering for weeks, might have bottomed out Monday when they were shut out at, of all places, Coors Field.

The Giants were held to two hits by Chad Bettis, who threw a complete game Monday as the Colorado Rockies won the series opener 6-0.

Since the All-Star break, the Giants are a major league-worst 16-31, a tailspin that includes 18 losses in their past 25 road games. The Giants are hitting a mere .219 (91-for-416) with runners in scoring position in the second half. According to STATS Inc., this is the first time the Giants have been held to four or fewer hits in five straight games since 1913.

"We have to find a way to come out of this," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We couldn't generate the energy level up to get the offense going. Their guy pitched great. I'll give him that, but at the same time, we've been in this for a little while. It's time for us to wake up here.

"We're looking for that magic wand. We are looking for someone to get us going ... to see if somebody can jump start us and get this offense going. We are better than this. This thing is contagious. It has been here awhile, too long."

Catcher Buster Posey, first baseman Brandon Belt and shortstop Brandon Crawford -- the Giants' top three home-run hitters -- have combined for 243 at-bats since one of them last hit a home run -- 142 at-bats by Posey, 71 by Belt and 30 by Crawford, the last of that group to go deep when he homered Aug. 27.

"The boys have to get their confidence back, no question about that," Bochy said. "These things are hard to explain. Crawford, Belt, Posey, the guys that normally have a few more home runs -- but the last thing you can do in this game is start thinking about it and trying for it. Now you're going to get really out of synch. You try to go up there and get a good swing off and see what happens."

Jeff Samardzjia will start Tuesday for the Giants. He's 11-9 with a 4.06 ERA and wasn't involved in the decision Thursday at Chicago when he allowed three runs on five hits in four innings as the Giants lost 5-4 to the Cubs. Samardzjia threw a career-high 47 pitches in the first inning and finished with 87 pitches. In two starts this season against the Rockies, Samardzjia is 1-1 with a 2.30 ERA. In his lone start this season at Coors Field, he allowed two runs in eight innings April 12 and was the winning pitcher in the Giants' 7-2 victory.

Left-hander Tyler Anderson will start for the Rockies. He's 5-5 with a 3.43 ERA, which is the lowest in franchise history by a Rockies starter in his first 15 career starts. Anderson has allowed three or fewer runs in 12 outings, including Wednesday when he worked 6 1/3 scoreless innings in the first game of a doubleheader against the Dodgers and won 7-0. In his lone start against the Giants on July 4 at San Francisco, Anderson allowed three runs on four hits, including homers by Angel Pagan and Posey, in six innings and took the loss as the Rockies fell 3-1.

Bettis' magnificent start Monday gave the Colorado bullpen a day off. Going forward, Rockies manager Walt Weiss will pick his spots to restore the confidence of Carlos Estevez, a 23-year-old rookie with a fastball that can easily touch 100 mph and sits at 97-98 mph. On Sunday against Arizona, Estevez, who is 3-7 with a 5.14 ERA in 56 games with 23 walks, 54 strikeouts and 42 hits allowed in 49 innings, gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning. He had hit two batters in his previous 55 appearances before hitting two Arizona hitters Sunday in the space of four batters and yielding a two-run single.

Estevez had a 3.66 ERA in his first 42 appearances but has since allowed 15 hits and 12 runs in his past 9 2/3 innings.

"I think every player's confidence gets shaken in this league," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "It's what you do with it, because everybody fails. For Carlos, he's going through some of that right now. Some of it's mechanical, and we're working on that because it comes down to command. He obviously has major weapons.

"It's about commanding the ball, staying in good counts. If you can't get in (good) counts and use the weapons, it's a tough league to pitch in. Nothing's changed for me as far as what I think about Carlos. I think he's got a tremendous future. He's supremely gifted, and he's a great kid. He's going to be fine -- just working through some things like every player has to."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Diamondbacks (58-79) at Dodgers (77-60)

Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: September 06, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- One of the offseason's most disappointing acquisitions will try to influence the race in the National League West when the Arizona Diamondbacks face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.

Right-hander Shelby Miller, whom the Diamondbacks acquired in a five-player trade from the Atlanta Braves in December, seeks to end a four-game losing streak against the team that leads the second-place San Francisco Giants by four games.

Miller has lost 10 of 12 decisions, compiled a 6.81 earned-run average and allowed 93 hits -- including 13 home runs -- in 75 1/3 innings. Things got so bad that the club optioned the 25-year old to Triple-A Reno on July 14.

But pitching in the minor leagues appeared to make a difference. In eight starts at Reno, Miller went 5-1 with a shutout and 55 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings.

"I feel like I found my old mechanics while I was down there," Miller told the Arizona Republic. "I went back to the basics and didn't really think about anything, as far as staying back or whether my glove was too high or something. I was just trying to be an athletic pitcher. Usually, when you get yourself in a good position to throw a baseball, everything just kind of clicks."

Recalled on Wednesday to face the San Francisco Giants, Miller recorded his first quality start since June 20. Despite suffering his fourth successive defeat, the right-hander conceded just two runs, six hits, one walk and a hit batsman in six innings while collecting three strikeouts.

"I'm excited about the outing," Arizona manager Chip Hale told MLB.com afterward. "He was in attack mode all the way. When guys got on, it didn't rattle him. He got out of it."

Being in attack mode reflects a new-found sense of confidence.

"You have to believe in yourself," Miller told MLB.com. "If you can't do that, things go wrong and you struggle even more. It's not easy. It's a grind. I obviously struggled early and had to go down, and that's never fun. It's good to be back here and part of this group."

Diamondbacks catcher Welington Castillo believes Miller's performance bodes well for the future.

"He knew how to control the tempo and the situation in the game," Castillo told the Arizona Republic. "I think he's learning. He seemed like a different guy. I think it's going to be way better for him now."

The Dodgers will counter with right-hander Ross Stripling, who will try to break a personal three-game losing streak. In his past four starts, the 26-year-old rookie allowed 28 hits -- including four home runs -- in 23 innings and recorded a 5.09 ERA.

But in his last appearance, Stripling produced a quality start against the Colorado Rockies. The right-hander permitted just three runs on nine hits and a walk in six innings, despite suffering a 7-0 loss at Denver's Coors Field.

"It was nice to be efficient, especially in a park like this against an offense like theirs," Stripling told MLB.com afterward. "I needed to pitch inside and in a park like this, that can be intimidating. If you miss, it can go a long way."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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

Game: 2
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Date: September 06, 2016 10:05 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics will attempt to keep beating up upon each other when they square off on the second night of a three-game series Tuesday.

The Angels won at Oakland for the sixth time in seven games this season when they pounded out 14 hits in a 10-7 victory in the series opener Monday.

All nine starting position players got into the hitting act as the Angels moved four games ahead of the A's in the battle for last place in the American League West.

Cole Calhoun homered, C.J. Cron extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games and Albert Pujols ran his streak to 11 straight in the win. But it was Mike Trout who once again led the way, recording three singles after he'd been hit by a pitch in the first inning.

Trout has recorded three or more hits in six of his last 11 games, and is hitting .453 (24-for-53) over his last 15 games.

Trout, Jefry Marte and Jeff Bandy all got hit by pitches in a wild -- and testy -- first inning, the first of A's right-hander Raul Alcantara's career.

Pujols had words with A's catcher Bruce Maxwell after almost getting beaned by Alcantara's first pitch after the one that struck Trout on the elbow, and home plate umpire Vic Carapazza got an earful from the Angels bench later in the inning, prompting a meeting between the ump and LA manager Mike Scioscia as his team took the field.

A's manager Bob Melvin felt compelled to share words with Carapazza after Oakland's half of the first inning, trying to get an explanation as to what was angering the Angels.

"He wasn't trying to hit guys, but he hit three of our guys," Scioscia explained. "Of course there's going to be back and forth."

Alcantara lasted only three innings, forcing Melvin to use Tuesday's projected starter, Ross Detwiler, in long relief.

That pushed Zach Neal into Tuesday's start.

Neal has never started against the Angels. Nor has he allowed them any runs over 4 1/3 innings in two relief appearances.

But he'll be facing an Angels team that's homered in 11 straight games, with Kole Calhoun adding to that total on Monday.

The A's countered Calhoun's shot with two of their own Monday, with Khris Davis belting his 35th of the season and Danny Valencia his 16th.

That raised Oakland's total to 19 in 13 games against the Angels this season.

Angels right-hander Ricky Nolasco will seek to end that streak Tuesday. He not only did not allow a homer, but also didn't allow a run in his last start, a 3-0 shutout win over the Cincinnati Reds last Wednesday.

Valencia, Ryon Healy and Max Muncy all homered off Nolasco the last time the A's saw him, on Aug. 4. Oakland scored twice in the 10th against the Angels bullpen to win that one 8-6.

If Tuesday's game comes down to bullpens, the A's will have one of their most trustworthy arms at their disposal.

Left-hander Sean Doolittle made his first appearance since June 25 with a scoreless, two-strikeout inning Monday.

Last place or not, he's excited to be back.

"I did a pretty good job of controlling my energy level, but it was definitely an adrenaline rush," he said of his seventh-inning return. "I really appreciated the ovation from the crowd. That gave me goosebumps for sure."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (82-56) at Mariners (70-67)

Game: 2
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: September 06, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

SEATTLE -- In a division rivalry that has been one-sided but has featured plenty of offense from both teams, Texas Rangers starter Martin Perez did the unthinkable against Seattle last Wednesday.

The 25-year-old left-hander actually kept the Mariners off the scoreboard.

That has been a rarity when the teams have played this season, and Perez and the Rangers will get another shot at Seattle on Tuesday night.

Texas (82-56) owns an 11-5 record against the Mariners this season but has allowed seven or more runs in six of those games. The latest came Monday afternoon, when Seattle posted five first-inning runs and two more in the second against Rangers starter Cole Hamels on the way to a 14-6 win.

It marked the second consecutive start for Hamels against Seattle, and he allowed 14 hits and 13 runs in six innings over those two outings. While Hamels had some blister issues in recent starts, manager Jeff Banister said health was not an issue in his recent struggles.

As Hamels said: "It's just a matter of not executing pitches. ... I feel good. It's just, unfortunately, I'm not doing what I know I'm capable of doing."

Sandwiched between the Hamels starts was Perez's six innings of shutout ball. It was an outlier not only in this rivalry but also for Perez, who had allowed six earned runs in each of his previous two starts. He is 9-10 with a 4.30 ERA on the season.

Silencing the Seattle bats for a second start in a row might be a tough task. The Mariners (70-67) rank third in the American League in home runs with 186, one more than the Rangers have hit. Seattle piled up 14 hits Monday, getting huge contributions from right-handed platoon players Franklin Gutierrez (3-for-4, four RBIs) and Dae-Ho Lee (2-for-5, three RBIs).

"It's not a secret that we're not having the best record against left-handed pitching," Gutierrez said after the win. "It's important for us to do our job, get on base and play our game."

Gutierrez and Lee are likely to be in the lineup again Tuesday, as the Rangers will throw another southpaw at the Mariners. The last three times Seattle faced a left-handed Texas starter, the Mariners scored a total of 25 runs.

The offensive outburst Monday came a little too late for the Mariners to get back into the AL West race, as their final glimmer of hope was extinguished last week when they were swept in Texas.

Seattle is still within five games of the AL's second wild-card spot, but there are plenty of teams in the mix. It might take a minor miracle for the Mariners to overtake the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros and New York Yankees in that crowded race.

"We're going to fight until the end and see what happens after the last game," Gutierrez said.

Seattle will send left-hander James Paxton (4-5, 3.83 ERA) to the mound Tuesday. Paxton came out of his last start with a torn fingernail, so the Mariners gave him an extra day between starts to get healthy.

Paxton has already made two starts against the Rangers this season, going 0-0 with a 3.18 ERA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (76-61) at Padres (57-80)

Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: September 06, 2016 10:10 PM EDT

SAN DIEGO -- After three straight appearances out of the bullpen, right-hander Clay Buchholz returns to the Boston rotation Tuesday night to face the Padres at Petco Park.

"Because of how he's been used, Clay might be fresher at this point of the season more than at any other time in his career," Red Sox manager John Farrell said Monday.

"We excited. We're inserting a guy back into the rotation who is fresh."

Not that Buchholz was struggling before going to the bullpen after his Aug. 23 start at Tampa Bay, where he allowed one run on five hits and two walks with nine strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.

"Tampa Bay was an encouraging start," said Farrell. "His velocity was 94-95."

Buchholz is 5-10 on the season with a 5.20 earned run average in 32 games (16 starts). But in his last five outings (two starts, three relief appearances), the right-hander has allowed four runs on 14 hits with four walks and 13 strikeouts over 15 1/3 innings for a 2.35 ERA.

And he has allowed two runs over 12 1/3 innings in his last two starts.

Of course, there is a new twist to Buchholz. He's working full time out of the stretch now.

"The reduction of body parts moving allows him to repeat his delivery more consistently," said Farrell. "It has allowed his release point to be the same. He's executing a high number of pitches."

The rebounding Buchholz might not be the biggest question facing the Red Sox Tuesday night as they oppose Padres right-handed starter Paul Clemens, who is 1-4 with a 4.79 ERA since joining the Padres on June 28 as a waiver claim from the Florida Marlins.

The Red Sox have scored one run over two straight losses after scoring 35 runs in three wins before that. When Chris Young homered as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning of a 2-1 loss to the Padres Monday afternoon at Petco Park, it snapped a run of 16 straight scoreless innings by the Red Sox -- their longest scoreless innings streak of the season.

Clemens might be the perfect medicine for the Red Sox short slump.

On the season, Clemens has a 4.93 ERA and has allowed 10 homers in a total of 45 2/3 innings.

Opposing batters have hit .277 against Clemens since he joined the Padres. He has given up five homers in 35 2/3 innings and has allowed fewer than three earned runs in only three of his first seven starts with the Padres while pitching into the sixth inning only once. His average start as a Padre has lasted 4 1/3 innings.

Last Wednesday, Clemens lasted only three innings in Atlanta, although he allowed only one earned run (two total) on four hits and two walks. He needed 82 pitches to negotiate the three innings.

"He has to be more efficient," said Padres manager Andy Green. "It's very difficult to be successful to be a starter when you are continually working behind in the count and throwing upwards of 20 pitches an inning. That taxes not only the starter, but usually the bullpen."

The Padres like Clemens stuff, particularly the breaking ball.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Tuesday, September 6, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

Monday was Labor Day, one of the last big regular-season days of the year in Major League Baseball, so it's a good time to check out updated division odds at Bovada. And you can only bet on three of them because the Cubs are lapping the field in the NL Central, and the Nationals and Rangers are going to win the NL East and AL West, respectively, barring a collapse of epic proportions. The most interesting race has to be in the AL East with Toronto holding a one-game lead over Boston and three over the Orioles as of Monday. The Jays are -110 favorites, with the Red Sox at +120 and O's at +650. I like Boston there. In the AL Central, the Indians are -2500 and have a 5.5-game lead over Detroit (+1000). The Tribe should hang on. And in the NL West, the Dodgers (-250) have a three-game lead over the Giants (+170), but I like San Francisco at that price.


Astros at Indians (-170, 8)

Potential ALDS preview? The Indians are battling for the best record in the American League, and of course the top seed in each league faces the wild-card winner in the division series. Houston is right there in the wild-card mix. I didn't think Corey Kluber deserved the 2014 Cy Young Award, but he won it in a close vote over Felix Hernandez. Kluber (15-8, 3.09) might add a second Cy Young if he keeps rolling. He hasn't personally lost since July 3, and the Tribe have won his past seven. Kluber beat the Twins on Wednesday, allowing three runs over eight innings and striking out 11. He has pitched at least six innings in 10 straight starts and has a 1.94 ERA in them. Kluber was really inconsistent the first two months of the season, and he pitched in Houston on May 9 and allowed five runs in a season-low 2.2 innings in a loss. Jose Altuve is 4-for-15 career off him. Carlos Correa is 1-for-5. Houston's Dallas Keuchel (9-12, 4.55), last year's Cy Young winner, was supposed to start Saturday but the team pushed him back again as he was dealing with some arm fatigue. Keuchel hasn't faced the Tribe this year. Mike Napoli is 4-for-9 with a homer off him. Coco Crisp is 7-for-26 with three doubles.

Key trends: The Astros are 0-6 in Keuchel's past six with at least nine days of rest. The Indians are 4-0 in Kluber's past four vs. the AL West. The "over/under" has gone under in four of Kluber's past five vs. teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Indians and under.

Blue Jays at Yankees (+146, 9)

Hard to believe that New York is still in the wild-card race with all of the veterans being traded or cut loose. The Bombers could be a good team next year if they can add one very good starting pitcher. Here, the Yankees go with rookie Luis Cessa (4-0, 4.17). He has three straight quality starts -- his first three in the majors; he had pitched some in relief previously -- and New York has won them all. Cessa gave up three earned in six innings last time out in Kansas City. Cessa has thrown a scoreless inning vs. the Jays this year. Toronto's Aaron Sanchez (13-2, 2.88) had a 10-day layoff ahead of his last start to keep his innings down and he won in Baltimore, allowing an unearned run and five hits in six innings. Sanchez is 1-0 with a 0.71 ERA in two starts this year against the Yankees. Brian McCann is 1-for-7 off him with a homer. Mark Teixeira is 0-for-8.

Key trends: The Jays are 7-1 in Sanchez's past eight vs. the AL East. The under is 5-1 in his past six on the road.

Early lean: Blue Jays and under.

Mets at Reds (+107, 9)

It's the Mets, so of course I have to talk potential injury, and this time it's to pitcher Jacob deGrom, who was scheduled to go here. DeGrom (7-8, 3.04) had a third straight shaky start and loss Thursday in Miami, allowing three runs and walking four over five innings. The team is skipping him due to inflammation in his forearm. I've said it before and I'll say it again: these are the dangers you risk when you build with young pitching instead of young hitters like the Cubs did. So it's Rafael Montero (0-0, 3.68) here. His third big-league appearance and first start this season was Aug. 29 vs. the Marlins, and he shut them out on two hits over five innings but did walk six. He has never faced the Reds. Cincinnati goes with lefty Brandon Finnegan (8-10, 4.19). He lost at the Angels on Wednesday, allowing two runs and five hits over seven innings. He took a no-decision at the Mets on April 26, allowing three runs and five hits over 6.1 innings. Yoenis Cespedes is 1-for-5 off him with a homer.

Key trends: The Mets are 4-1 in Finnegan's past five vs. teams with a winning record. The over is 4-1 in his past five at home.

Early lean: Reds and over.

Diamondbacks at Dodgers (-174, 8.5)

At this point of the season for disappointing Arizona, it should all be about getting Shelby Miller right for next season. Miller (2-10, 6.81) has been arguably the worst pitcher in baseball. .He was sent down to the minors in mid-July to work out his issues and returned Wednesday in San Francisco and pitched well, allowing two runs and six hits over six innings, albeit in a loss. Miller had allowed at least five runs in his previous three starts. He hasn't faced the Dodgers this year. Adrian Gonzalez is 4-for-7 off him with a homer. Chase Utley is 4-for-12. L.A. has lost four straight starts by Ross Stripling (3-6, 4.15), who is only in the rotation because of all those Dodgers pitchers injured. Stripling lost in Colorado on Wednesday in giving up three runs and nine hits over six innings. He has two appearances (one start) against Arizona in 2016 and has a 3.72 ERA in 9.2 innings. Paul Goldschmidt is 0-for-4 off him. Jake Lamb is 1-for-3 with an RBI.

Key trends: The Diamondbacks are 0-6 in Miller's past six vs. teams with a winning record. The Dodgers are 0-5 in Stripling's past five vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 6-2-1 in Miller's past nine vs. the NL West. The under is 6-1 in Stripling's past seven at home.

Early lean: Diamondbacks and over.

Red Sox at Padres (+176, 8.5)

The only interleague series of the early week and thus Boston loses the DH. So will David Ortiz sit all series or get a start at first base in a game? And will the Padres honor him even though he rarely played in that city? Of course, Boston and San Diego made a pretty big trade in July with the Padres sending their best pitcher, Drew Pomeranz, who was to start Monday's series opener, to Boston for the Sox's top pitching prospect, Anderson Espinoza, who is still a while from the majors but throws triple-digit heat. Here, Boston was to start knuckleballer Steven Wright (13-6, 3.33), but he hasn't been sharp in two starts since returning from the DL and is still dealing with shoulder issues. So Clay Buchholz (5-10, 5.20) gets the call. His last three appearances have been in relief. Buchholz last started on Aug. 23 at Tampa Bay and allowed a run and five hits with nine strikeouts in a win. Only a few Padres have seen him. Wil Myers is 0-for-3. The Friars go with Paul Clemens (2-4, 4.93), who lasted only three innings last time out vs. Atlanta and allowed two runs with four hits and four walks. A few Red Sox have faced him. Ortiz is 1-for-1 with a homer. Chris Young is 1-for-3.

Key trends: The Red Sox are 2-6 in Buchholz's past eight starts. The under is 5-1 in his past six.

Early lean: Red Sox and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tuesday's Diamond Notes
By Joe Williams

Hottest team: Angels (8-1 past nine, 7-2 past nine on road)

It's way too little and too late for their postseason hopes, but the Halos are showing a lot of fight down the stretch after a difficult summer. Their offense has come alive, and so has their pitching, helping the Angels to an 8-1 mark over their past nine outings. They're also 7-2 in their past nine games as an underdog, and 7-2 in their past nine games on the road. They'll continue their series in Oakland Tuesday night, and they'll once again be slight underdogs with veteran Ricky Nolasco on the hill against rookie Zach Neal. The Angels have won seven in a row against right-handed starting pitchers, including 5-0 in their past five on the road vs. RHP. The A's have dropped nine in a row against divisional foes, and five straight vs. RHP.

Coldest team: Marlins (1-9 past 10, 3-8 past 11 at home)

The Marlins had postseason aspirations this summer, but after dropping nine of the past 10 to slip two games under .500, Miami is on life support. Pitching has been a major issue for Miami, as they have given up six or more runs in four straight, and four or more runs in each of their past seven. As a result, the 'over' is 4-0-1 over their past five games. They fell to Philadelphia 6-2 in Monday's series opener. Miami is heavily favored (-165) to top Philadelphia in Tuesday's game despite the fact they're just 3-9 in Jose Urena's past 12 outings, 1-6 in their past seven against teams with a losing record and 1-4 in their past five against divisional foes.

Hottest pitcher: Corey Kluber, Indians (15-8, 3.09 ERA)

The Klubot is up to 15 wins for just the second time in his career, and first time since winning 18 games in 2014 during his Cy Young Award winning season. His WHIP of 1.05 is actually slightly better than 2014, and he has managed 189 strikeouts over 183 2/3 innings. He has improved dramatically as the season has gone on, showing no signs of slowing down. Kluber is 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 26 strikeouts over the past 20 2/3 innings. The Indians have won six of their past seven games overall, and they're 36-16 over their past 52 games at home. The Tribe has also won seven straight starts with Kluber on the hill. Houston is just 3-11 in their past 14 trips to Cleveland, and 7-17 in the past 24 meetings overall.

Coldest pitcher: Yovani Gallardo, Orioles (4-7, 5.62 ERA)

Gallardo has cooled off significantly, going 0-3 with a 8.16 ERA and 1.67 WHIP over his past three outings while striking out six and walking just six in 14 1/3 innings. While the Orioles are 7-1 in Gallardo's past eight starts against a team with a losing record, they're just 1-4 in his past five road outings and 0-5 in his past five overall. The O's are also just 2-6 in his past eight games against right-handed pitching, and 0-5 in Gallardo's past five outings against American League East Division foes.

Biggest UNDER run: Giants (4-0 past four, 9-2-1 past 12)

The Giants have struggled at the plate lately, averaging just 2.4 runs per game over their past seven outings, with the 'under' going 5-1-1 during the span. The 'under' streak continued Monday night with a 6-0 setback at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies. The 'under' is 4-0 in San Francisco's past four outings on the road, 4-0-1 in their past five againt National League West Division foes and 6-1-1 in Jeff Samardzija's past eight starts overall. The 'under' is 4-1 in Colorado's past five against teams with a winning record, and 6-2 in Tyler Anderson's past eight starts against teams with a winning overall record.

Biggest OVER run: Rays (5-0 past 5, 9-1 past 10)

The Rays have been involved in some high-scoring games lately, with a total of 10 or more runs in six of the past eight outings. With a total of 10 runs (8.5 line), the 'over' hit again in Monday's series opener against Baltimore. The over is 6-2 in Baltimore's past eight road games, although the 'under has been the dominant trend for the O's. The 'over' is 5-1 in Baltimore's past six road games against a right-handed starter. The over is also 23-6 in Tampa's past 29 games overall, 20-6 in their past 26 vs. RHP and 5-0 in their past five divisional games. The over is 9-2 in their past 11 home games againts a right-handed starter, too.

Matchup to watch: Padres vs. Red Sox

The Padres nipped the Red Sox 2-1 in the series opener, cashing as a huge home underdog (+180). In Tuesday's game the Padres are once again huge 'dogs with Paul Clemens on the hill, and they might have a better than good chance to make chalk eaters sick for a second straight night. The Red Sox have won just once in the past five interleague road games, they're 2-6 in Clay Buchholz's past eight outings and 9-20 in his past 29 tries against a team with an overall losing record. The 'under' has cashed in each of the past seven meetings in San Diego, and the 'under' is 13-3 in the past 16 meetings overall against the two sides.

Betcha didn’t know: The Mariners and Rangers hook up in a battle of left-handed starting pitchers. Texas is 10-2 in their past 12 games against American League West opponents, and they're 5-2 in their past seven games against left-handed starting pitchers. The Rangers are just 1-8 in Martin Perez's past nine road outings against a team with a winning overall record. Seattle is just 2-5 in their past seven vs. RHP, and they're 1-4 in James Paxton's past five overall. Texas is also 6-2 in Martin Perez's past eight outings against the Mariners, while the Rangers are 5-1 in the past six meetings in this series. The over has also hit in five straight, including 8-1 in Martin Perez's past nine starts against the M's.

Biggest public favorite: Nationals (-220) vs. Braves

Biggest public underdog: Orioles (+130) at Rays

Biggest line move: Blue Jays (-130 to -150) at Yankees