Wednesday 5/18/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox at Royals

GAME: Boston Red Sox (24-15) at Kansas City Royals (19-19)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, May 18 - 8:15 PM EST
WHERE: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

After calming an increasing unrest among a legion of Boston Red Sox fans, ace David Price looks to build on the success of his last start when he faces the host Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in the second game of a day-night doubleheader. The twin bill was necessitated by a rainout of Monday's series opener.

Price has lost only once in six decisions, but his bloated 6.00 ERA is not exactly what the Red Sox had in mind when they inked the left-hander to a seven-year, $217 million deal in the offseason. Boston lost for only the second time in nine games despite another big night from third baseman Travis Shaw, who is 14-for-31 with three homers and 12 RBIs in his last eight games. The Nos. 7-9 hitters in Kansas City's lineup combined for eight hits in Tuesday's 8-4 victory, capped by Paulo Orlando's three-hit, four-RBI night. Edinson Volquez will oppose Price in Game 1 on Wednesday while Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy faces knuckleballer Steven Wright in the opener.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH David Price (5-1, 6.00 ERA) vs. Royals RH Edinson Volquez (4-3, 3.51)

After getting blasted for 12 runs and 15 hits by the New York Yankees over his previous two starts, Price returned to form with a dominant outing versus Houston, striking out 12 while allowing one run on six hits over 6 2/3 innings. Price, who has shown an alarming inability to escape trouble, has permitted at least five runs in four of his previous six turns. Price is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in six appearances (five starts) versus Kansas City.

Volquez snapped a three-start losing streak with a stellar performance in his last outing, limiting Atlanta to one run on six hits over seven innings and not walking a batter for only the second time. He has a pair of rocky starts on the road during his three-game skid, giving up 13 runs and 19 hits over 9 1/3 innings in losses at Cleveland and the Los Angeles Angels. Volquez has been outstanding at home with a 3-1 record and 1.35 ERA in five starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Boston has homered in 17 straight contests, the longest string since the franchise-record 19-game run in 1996.

2. Royals 1B Eric Hosmer is 9-for-23 during a six-game hitting streak.

3. Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts has his safely in 11 straight games while 1B Hanley Ramirez is riding an eight-game streak.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, Royals 3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Yankees at Diamondbacks

Current Conditions - Phoenix

P/SUNNY 70 °F
Wind: SW 16
5-Day Forecast
GAME: New York Yankees (16-22) at Arizona Diamondbacks (19-23)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, May 18 - 9:40 PM EST
WHERE: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The Arizona Diamondbacks have been abysmal at home this season, but having the New York Yankees in town has sparked a sudden turnaround. Arizona has won the first two games of its three-game set with the Yankees and looks to complete its first home series sweep of the season on Wednesday.

Arizona is just 7-16 at Chase Field and entered the series with seven consecutive home losses before combining for 17 runs and 25 hits in the first two contests. Jake Lamb is 4-for-8 with two homers and five RBIs in the series, while Jean Segura and Nick Ahmed both are 4-for-9. New York's Mark Teixeira, who struck out three times in four hitless at-bats on Tuesday, has gone 29 games without a homer and hasn't driven in a run since May 1. The consecutive losses at the beginning of a seven-game trip continue the Yankees' season-long road woes - their 4-12 record is better than that of only Minnesota (4-18) and Cincinnati (3-14).

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, YES (New York), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (3-2, 4.85 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Shelby Miller (1-4, 6.94)

Eovaldi has won his last three decisions, including a victory over Kansas City in his last outing. He has allowed just five runs in his three wins and has given up 18 in his other four outings. Eovaldi is 2-0 with a 3.08 ERA in seven career appearances (four starts) against Arizona and has handled Paul Goldschmidt (2-for-10, four strikeouts) while struggling against Rickie Weeks (2-for-7, two homers).

Miller has been a major disappointment and has pitched five or fewer innings on five occasions. He has experienced major control issues, walking 23 batters in 35 frames while also serving up eight homers. Miller lost his lone career start against the Yankees as he gave up a career-high seven earned runs to go with nine hits in five innings on May 28, 2014 while with St. Louis.

WALK-OFFS

1. Diamondbacks RHP Brad Ziegler notched his eighth save on Tuesday and has converted 36 straight opportunities since last blowing one on May 27, 2015.

2. New York on Tuesday recalled INF Rob Refsnyder, RHP Luis Cessa and LHP James Pazoa from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, optioned RHPs Chad Green and Conor Mullee to the same club and designated LHP Phil Coke for assignment.

3. Arizona RHP Rubby De La Rosa (finger blister, groin), who allowed one hit over 6 2/3 innings in his last outing, will miss his scheduled start on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 7, Yankees 5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers at Angels

Current Conditions - Anaheim

M/CLOUDY 67 °F
Wind: S 9
5-Day Forecast
GAME: Los Angeles Dodgers (21-19) at Los Angeles Angels (17-22)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, May 18 - 10:05 PM EST
WHERE: Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The Los Angeles Dodgers look to make it two wins in a row as their four-game Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels shifts to Anaheim on Wednesday. The Dodgers rode ace Clayton Kershaw's sixth straight double-digit strikeout performance to a 5-1 victory Tuesday that completed their 5-4 homestand.

Slugger Adrian Gonzalez missed his first game of the season Tuesday and likely will sit out another contest because of tightness in his lower back. "At this point — and I know that he's completely against going on the DL — right now, we're going to give it a couple days and see where we're at," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the team's website. The Angels managed only four hits — all singles — Tuesday as they had their four-game winning streak snapped and finished 4-1 on their road trip. The club aims to get back on track offensively as it scored 36 runs over five games before running into Kershaw.

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Dodgers), FSN West (Angels)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Mike Bolsinger (2015: 6-6, 3.62 ERA) vs. Angels RH Nick Tropeano (1-2, 3.68)

Bolsinger will be making his season debut after suffering a strained oblique during spring training. The 28-year-old Texan has been on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he allowed two runs and six hits over eight innings in two starts without receiving a decision. Bolsinger — who never has faced the Angels — failed to complete five innings in any of his final four starts of 2015, going 0-3 in the process.

Tropeano settled for a no-decision at Seattle on Friday, allowing two runs and five hits in five innings to remain winless in six starts since notching the victory in his season debut at Oakland on April 11. The 25-year-old native of West Islip, New York, has yielded more than two runs only twice this season but has yet to last six frames. Tropeano made his only career start against the Dodgers on Sept. 7, 2015, giving up three runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers SS Corey Seager is riding an eight-game hitting streak after belting a solo homer Tuesday.

2. The Angels placed OF Daniel Nava and RHP Cory Rasmus on the disabled list with groin injuries and recalled OF Rafael Ortega and RHP A.J. Achter from Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday while agreeing on a minor-league contract with LHP David Huff.

3. Dodgers LF Trayce Thompson went 4-for-6 with two homers and three RBIs in the first two games of the Freeway Series.

PREDICTION: Angels 6, Dodgers 4

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants at Padres

Current Conditions - San Diego

CLOUDY 59 °F
Wind: WSW 12
5-Day Forecast
GAME: San Francisco Giants (23-18) at San Diego Padres (17-23)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, May 18 - 10:10 PM EST
WHERE: Petco Park, San Diego, California
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

The San Francisco Giants won the World Series in the last three even-numbered years and are showing signs that the trend may continue in 2016 as they visit the San Diego Padres on Wednesday in the middle contest of their three-game series. San Francisco extended its season-high winning streak to six games and its record versus San Diego to 4-0 this season with a 5-1 victory Tuesday as the starting rotation lowered its ERA to 1.80 over the last 11 contests.

Brandon Crawford drove in all the runs Tuesday — highlighted by a three-run homer — and has knocked in the last six for the Giants (23-18), including what proved to be the winning run in Sunday's 2-1 victory in Arizona. The Padres (17-23) dropped three of their last four games and have been shut out nine times while scoring two or fewer runs in 18 of 40 games this season, and are batting a major league-worst .230. Right fielder Matt Kemp is 6-for-42 over his last 10 games after belting a solo home run in the ninth inning Tuesday to see his average drop 39 points to .250. The Giants' Johnny Cueto and the Padres' Drew Pomeranz square off in a matchup of pitchers excelling in their first seasons with their new teams.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (5-1, 2.97 ERA) vs. Padres LH Drew Pomeranz (4-3, 1.80)

Cueto allowed two runs and eight hits while striking out nine in seven innings of a 4-2 victory in Arizona on Thursday for his sixth quality start in eight turns this season. ''He's been so consistent and done a great job of giving us quality innings,'' San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. ''He's fun to watch." Alexei Ramirez is 9-for-14 with a home run and Jon Jay is 13-for-33 with three homers and seven RBIs versus Cueto, who is 5-3 with a 3.34 ERA in nine starts versus San Diego after pitching a seven-hitter while striking out a season-high 11 in a 1-0 victory over the Padres on April 26.

Pomeranz matched a season and career high with 10 strikeouts while yielding three hits and three walks in six innings of a 1-0 victory over the Cubs in Chicago last Wednesday to run his consecutive scoreless innings streak to 15. ''In pro ball, this is the best I've ever felt,'' the 27-year-old Tennessee native told reporters. ''I felt strong and I was almost getting better as the game went along. That's a positive for me. Early in my career, I'd kind of burn out early and taper off.'' Buster Posey is 5-for-8 with two home runs versus Pomeranz, who is 1-3 with a 6.08 ERA in seven games (five starts) versus the Giants after allowing four runs (three earned), seven hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings of a 5-4 loss in San Francisco on April 25.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants 1B Brandon Belt went 2-for-4 with a run scored Tuesday and matched his career high by reaching base safely in his 24th consecutive game.

2. Kemp has 20 home runs, 79 RBIs and 88 runs against the Giants — all most among active players. The 20 homers are tied with the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez.

3. San Francisco has left 303 runners on base, second-most in the majors to Pittsburgh's 314.

PREDICTION: Giants 3, Padres 2