Wednesday's Diamond Notes
Hottest team: Indians (13-0 last 13) at White Sox
The last time Cleveland lost a game, it came on August 23 at home to Boston. Since that defeat, the Indians have run off 13 straight wins, including sweeps over the Royals, Yankees, and Tigers. Cleveland is halfway to another sweep after capturing the first two games at Chicago, capped off by a 9-4 triumph over the White Sox on Tuesday. The Tribe extended its streak to 12 consecutive contests in which their pitching staff has allowed four runs or fewer, while picking up its fifth straight win on the run-line.
Cleveland will be another heavy favorite on Wednesday as Carlos Carrasco heads to the mound. Carrasco has struck out eight batters in each of his past two starts, while going seven innings each time. The Indians are 3-0 in Carrasco’s last three road appearances, while Cleveland owns a perfect 3-0 record in his three starts against Chicago this season.
Coldest team: Marlins (1-8 last nine) vs. Nationals
Miami’s playoff hopes are diminishing by the day as the Marlins have slipped to 67-71 following a 2-1 defeat to the Nationals on Tuesday. The offense has sunk recently by scoring two runs or fewer in seven of the past nine contests, while posting an 0-5 record in this span against Washington. Prior to this skid, Miami compiled a 66-63 record, while sitting 4 ½ games behind Colorado for the second Wild Card spot. Now, the Marlins are seven games behind the Rockies with 24 games remaining in the season.
The Fish look to avoid the sweep as left-hander Dillon Peters takes the hill in the series finale. Although Peters picked up a no-decision in his debut against the Phillies, he tossed seven scoreless innings and scattered three hits in a 2-1 defeat
Hottest pitcher: Kevin Gausman, Orioles (10-9, 4.79 ERA)
For the second time this season, Gausman has posted consecutive scoreless outings, as the Orioles blanked the Red Sox and Blue Jays in his past two starts. Gausman tossed six innings in a 1-0 win in 13 innings against Toronto his last time out, as Baltimore improved to 3-5 in his past eight starts at Camden Yards. The Orioles have won each of Gausman’s two home outings against the Yankees this season, including a 10-4 victory on May 31.
Coldest pitcher: Dinelson Lamet, Padres (7-6, 4.40 ERA)
Lamet has actually pitched recently, although he resides in this category due to San Diego’s 1-4 record in his past five starts. The right-hander is coming off a 10-strikeout performance opposite Clayton Kershaw in a 1-0 defeat to the Dodgers, while allowing one earned run in his second straight outing. The Padres have plated only two runs in his previous three starts, while going winless in Lamet’s past two outings at Petco Park.
Biggest OVER run: Mets (9-2 last 11)
Although New York scored only one run on Tuesday in a blowout loss to Philadelphia, the Mets cashed their third straight OVER. During this stretch, the results have been mixed as the offense has plated six runs or more four times, but the pitching staff has allowed seven runs or more in five of the past six contests.
Biggest UNDER run: Pirates (7-3 last 10)
Even though Pittsburgh isn’t headed to the postseason, its pitching has stepped up of late by allowing four runs during its current four-game winning streak. Following a 12-0 shutout of the Cubs on Monday, the Pirates edged the defending champions on Tuesday, 4-3 to record its fifth UNDER in the last seven games at PNC Park. Ace Gerrit Cole will look to keep Pittsburgh’s sharp pitching going in Game 3 of this series as the right-hander has hit the OVER in four of his past five starts. Cole has performed well against the Cubs this season by allowing three runs in 13 innings of work, while finishing UNDER the total in two starts.
Matchup to watch: Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers
Behind Cleveland’s 13-game hot streak is Arizona’s 12-game winning streak after the D-backs knocked off the Dodgers in extra innings on Tuesday, 3-1. Arizona is closing in on hosting the Wild Card game in early October following this tremendous run, but it will not be enough to catch Los Angeles. The D-backs trail the Dodgers by 11½ games in the NL West, even though Arizona has trimmed off nine games over the last 10 days.
The Dodgers are melting down at the wrong time by losing nine of their past 10 games, as Kenta Maeda heads to the mound. Maeda was racked by Arizona the last time he faced them on August 31, allowing seven earned runs in three innings of an 8-1 defeat. However, Maeda is a different pitcher at Chavez Ravine by owning an 8-1 record at home, while Los Angeles is 9-0 in his past nine starts at Dodger Stadium.
Taijuan Walker looks to keep this streak going for Arizona, coming off a 10-strikeout performance in a 9-5 victory at Colorado in his previous outing. The D-backs are 3-0 in Walker’s last three starts, while Arizona has beaten Los Angeles twice as an underdog this season when the right-hander takes the hill. The Snakes have won four of their past six road series finales, while running off nine straight wins in the underdog role.
Betcha didn’t know:
The Blue Jays couldn’t hold onto a 2-0 ninth inning lead over the Red Sox on Tuesday as Toronto basically needed to play an extra game – and lost. Boston rallied for two ninth inning runs and eventually beat Toronto, 3-2 in 19 innings as the Sox used 12 pitchers. Toronto hasn’t fared well in the final game of an away series recently by going 2-6 in the last eight opportunities.
Biggest public favorite: Indians (-280) at White Sox
Biggest public underdog: Padres (+100) vs. Cardinals
Biggest line move: Dodgers (-155 to -170) vs. Diamondbacks
Hottest team: Indians (13-0 last 13) at White Sox
The last time Cleveland lost a game, it came on August 23 at home to Boston. Since that defeat, the Indians have run off 13 straight wins, including sweeps over the Royals, Yankees, and Tigers. Cleveland is halfway to another sweep after capturing the first two games at Chicago, capped off by a 9-4 triumph over the White Sox on Tuesday. The Tribe extended its streak to 12 consecutive contests in which their pitching staff has allowed four runs or fewer, while picking up its fifth straight win on the run-line.
Cleveland will be another heavy favorite on Wednesday as Carlos Carrasco heads to the mound. Carrasco has struck out eight batters in each of his past two starts, while going seven innings each time. The Indians are 3-0 in Carrasco’s last three road appearances, while Cleveland owns a perfect 3-0 record in his three starts against Chicago this season.
Coldest team: Marlins (1-8 last nine) vs. Nationals
Miami’s playoff hopes are diminishing by the day as the Marlins have slipped to 67-71 following a 2-1 defeat to the Nationals on Tuesday. The offense has sunk recently by scoring two runs or fewer in seven of the past nine contests, while posting an 0-5 record in this span against Washington. Prior to this skid, Miami compiled a 66-63 record, while sitting 4 ½ games behind Colorado for the second Wild Card spot. Now, the Marlins are seven games behind the Rockies with 24 games remaining in the season.
The Fish look to avoid the sweep as left-hander Dillon Peters takes the hill in the series finale. Although Peters picked up a no-decision in his debut against the Phillies, he tossed seven scoreless innings and scattered three hits in a 2-1 defeat
Hottest pitcher: Kevin Gausman, Orioles (10-9, 4.79 ERA)
For the second time this season, Gausman has posted consecutive scoreless outings, as the Orioles blanked the Red Sox and Blue Jays in his past two starts. Gausman tossed six innings in a 1-0 win in 13 innings against Toronto his last time out, as Baltimore improved to 3-5 in his past eight starts at Camden Yards. The Orioles have won each of Gausman’s two home outings against the Yankees this season, including a 10-4 victory on May 31.
Coldest pitcher: Dinelson Lamet, Padres (7-6, 4.40 ERA)
Lamet has actually pitched recently, although he resides in this category due to San Diego’s 1-4 record in his past five starts. The right-hander is coming off a 10-strikeout performance opposite Clayton Kershaw in a 1-0 defeat to the Dodgers, while allowing one earned run in his second straight outing. The Padres have plated only two runs in his previous three starts, while going winless in Lamet’s past two outings at Petco Park.
Biggest OVER run: Mets (9-2 last 11)
Although New York scored only one run on Tuesday in a blowout loss to Philadelphia, the Mets cashed their third straight OVER. During this stretch, the results have been mixed as the offense has plated six runs or more four times, but the pitching staff has allowed seven runs or more in five of the past six contests.
Biggest UNDER run: Pirates (7-3 last 10)
Even though Pittsburgh isn’t headed to the postseason, its pitching has stepped up of late by allowing four runs during its current four-game winning streak. Following a 12-0 shutout of the Cubs on Monday, the Pirates edged the defending champions on Tuesday, 4-3 to record its fifth UNDER in the last seven games at PNC Park. Ace Gerrit Cole will look to keep Pittsburgh’s sharp pitching going in Game 3 of this series as the right-hander has hit the OVER in four of his past five starts. Cole has performed well against the Cubs this season by allowing three runs in 13 innings of work, while finishing UNDER the total in two starts.
Matchup to watch: Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers
Behind Cleveland’s 13-game hot streak is Arizona’s 12-game winning streak after the D-backs knocked off the Dodgers in extra innings on Tuesday, 3-1. Arizona is closing in on hosting the Wild Card game in early October following this tremendous run, but it will not be enough to catch Los Angeles. The D-backs trail the Dodgers by 11½ games in the NL West, even though Arizona has trimmed off nine games over the last 10 days.
The Dodgers are melting down at the wrong time by losing nine of their past 10 games, as Kenta Maeda heads to the mound. Maeda was racked by Arizona the last time he faced them on August 31, allowing seven earned runs in three innings of an 8-1 defeat. However, Maeda is a different pitcher at Chavez Ravine by owning an 8-1 record at home, while Los Angeles is 9-0 in his past nine starts at Dodger Stadium.
Taijuan Walker looks to keep this streak going for Arizona, coming off a 10-strikeout performance in a 9-5 victory at Colorado in his previous outing. The D-backs are 3-0 in Walker’s last three starts, while Arizona has beaten Los Angeles twice as an underdog this season when the right-hander takes the hill. The Snakes have won four of their past six road series finales, while running off nine straight wins in the underdog role.
Betcha didn’t know:
The Blue Jays couldn’t hold onto a 2-0 ninth inning lead over the Red Sox on Tuesday as Toronto basically needed to play an extra game – and lost. Boston rallied for two ninth inning runs and eventually beat Toronto, 3-2 in 19 innings as the Sox used 12 pitchers. Toronto hasn’t fared well in the final game of an away series recently by going 2-6 in the last eight opportunities.
Biggest public favorite: Indians (-280) at White Sox
Biggest public underdog: Padres (+100) vs. Cardinals
Biggest line move: Dodgers (-155 to -170) vs. Diamondbacks
