Cnotes Best Bets For Monday May 4th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

[CNOTES]

MLB MONEYLINES


MLB > (905) LA DODGERS@ (906) MILWAUKEE | 05/04/2015 - 07:20 PM
Play AGAINST MILWAUKEE using the money line in All games in night games
The record is 1 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-13.1 units)


MLB > (915) TAMPA BAY@ (916) BOSTON | 05/04/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play AGAINST BOSTON using the money line in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 15 Wins and 33 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.65 units)


MLB > (919) TEXAS@ (920) HOUSTON | 05/04/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play ON HOUSTON using the money line in All games in all games
The record is 17 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+12.22 units)


MLB RUNLINE


MLB > (911) SAN DIEGO@ (912) SAN FRANCISCO | 05/04/2015 - 10:15 PM
Play AGAINST SAN FRANCISCO using the in All games when playing on Monday
The record is 3 Wins and 17 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.05 units)


MLB > (905) LA DODGERS@ (906) MILWAUKEE | 05/04/2015 - 07:20 PM
Play AGAINST MILWAUKEE using the in All games in night games
The record is 2 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (-13.4 units)


MLB TOTALS


MLB > (917) OAKLAND@ (918) MINNESOTA | 05/04/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play OVER OAKLAND on the total in All games in all games
The record is 19 Overs and 6 Unders for the this season (+13.25 units)


MLB TOP POWERLINES


MLB > (905) LA DODGERS @ (906) MILWAUKEE | 05/04/2015 - 07:20 PM
Line: MILWAUKEE +150 BTB PowerLine: MILWAUKEE 337
Edge On: MILWAUKEE (162)


MLB > (919) TEXAS @ (920) HOUSTON | 05/04/2015 - 08:10 PM
Line: HOUSTON -205 BTB PowerLine: HOUSTON -270
Edge On: HOUSTON (65)


MLB > (907) CHICAGO CUBS @ (908) ST LOUIS | 05/04/2015 - 08:10 PM
Line: ST LOUIS -160 BTB PowerLine: ST LOUIS -185
Edge On: ST LOUIS (25)


MLB > (909) ARIZONA @ (910) COLORADO | 05/04/2015 - 08:40 PM
Line: COLORADO -135 BTB PowerLine: COLORADO 134
Edge On: COLORADO (49)


MLB > (921) SEATTLE @ (922) LA ANGELS | 05/04/2015 - 10:05 PM
Line: LA ANGELS +120 BTB PowerLine: LA ANGELS -145
Edge On: LA ANGELS (65)

 

[CNOTES]

NBA MONEYLINE


NBA > (703) CHICAGO@ (704) CLEVELAND | 05/04/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON CHICAGO using the money line in Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 27 Wins and 12 Losses for the last two seasons (+24.85 units)


NBA FIRST HALF


NBA > (703) CHICAGO@ (704) CLEVELAND | 05/04/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON CHICAGO in the first half in Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 15 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+10.6 units)


NBA TOTALS


NBA > (707) LA CLIPPERS@ (708) HOUSTON | 05/04/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play UNDER HOUSTON on the total in Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 6 Overs and 20 Unders for the this season (+13.4 units)


NBA > (703) CHICAGO@ (704) CLEVELAND | 05/04/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play UNDER CLEVELAND on the total in Home games after 3 or more consecutive unders
The record is 2 Overs and 13 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.8 units)


NBA TOP POWERLINE


NBA > (703) CHICAGO @ (704) CLEVELAND | 05/04/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: CLEVELAND -4.5 BTB PowerLine: CLEVELAND -5
Edge On: CLEVELAND (0.5)

 

[CNOTES]

NHL MONEYLINE


NHL > (67) NY RANGERS@ (68) WASHINGTON | 05/04/2015 - 07:35 PM
Play ON NY RANGERS using the money line in All games in a road game where where the total is 5 or less
The record is 20 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+15.8 units)


NBA PUCKLINE


NHL > (67) NY RANGERS@ (68) WASHINGTON | 05/04/2015 - 07:35 PM
Play ON NY RANGERS using the in All games in a road game where where the total is 5 or less
The record is 20 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+15.8 units)

 

[CNOTES]

Wild turn to Haula after Fontaine injury


May 3, 2015


CHICAGO (AP) - Erik Haula replaced injured right wing Justin Fontaine for the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night against the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals.


Coach Mike Yeo says Haula's speed and some of his past performances against the Blackhawks were the main factors. Haula had three goals and two assists in last year's playoff series against Chicago.


Sunday night's game was Haula's first appearance of this postseason. He had seven goals and seven assists in 72 games in the regular season this year.


Fontaine sustained a lower-body injury in Minnesota's 4-3 loss in Game 1 on Friday night. He had been playing on Minnesota's fourth line with Kyle Brodziak and Matt Cooke.


The timeline for Fontaine's return is unclear.


--------------------------------------------------------


Canadiens' Desharnais out with injury


May 3, 2015


MONTREAL (AP) - Montreal center David Desharnais was scratched from the lineup Sunday night for Game 2 of the Canadiens' playoff series against Tampa Bay because of the flu.


He was replaced by Brian Flynn, who sat out the previous two games.


Desharnais has no goals and two assists in seven playoff games this season.


The Lightning won Game 1 in double overtime Friday night.

 

[CNOTES]

Second Round Predictions


May 3, 2015


The NBA playoffs is down to eight teams, as the top three seeds in each conference are still alive. To no surprise, the Warriors and Cavaliers advanced to the semifinals in a sweep, while the Hawks needed six games to escape past the eighth-seeded Nets. The Clippers outlasted the Spurs in seven games in a series for the ages, as a new champion will be crowned with San Antonio’s exit.


The Hawks owned the Wizards in the regular season by beating their division rival in three of four matchups. Washington swept Toronto in the opening round, but VegasInsider.com NBA analyst Chris David isn’t sold on the Wizards getting past the top seed, “I like Washington and I think it has a nice core but its sweep against Toronto was a tad overrated to me and I don’t expect the production to carry over in this series. I thought the opening series price on Atlanta is a too short and largely due to its struggle against the Nets in the first round. Bettors often dismiss teams on the hardwood because they’re not successful at the sportsbooks and that’s the case with Atlanta, who went 2-4 ATS versus Brooklyn in the first round.”


In the other Eastern Conference matchup, the Cavaliers and Bulls hook up in a battle of Central Division powers. Cleveland is down several key pieces heading into this round as NBA analyst Tony Mejia looks at how this will affect the Cavs, “The Bulls would’ve been a difficult out for Cleveland if it was at full strength. Without Kevin Love for the entire series and J.R. Smith for the opening two home games, the Cavs now find themselves in a situation where they’ll have to play LeBron James out of position at power forward for far too long, not to mention going much deeper into their bench at other spots.”


Out in the Western Conference, the top-seeded Warriors step up in class with a matchup against playoff veteran Memphis. David gives his spin on this series, “We only had one Game 7 in the first round but I believe that changes now and I expect a dogfight in the most expensive series. The Warriors are receiving a lot of attention but I’d warn people not to overlook Memphis, who has a ton of playoff experience. Combine that with the best frontcourt in basketball that stresses defense and you have all the qualities to advance. As good as Golden State is, the Warriors have only won two playoff series with their current nucleus and I’m not putting much stock into its first round sweep against New Orleans. The coaching matchup is a wash but the key factor is Mike Conley’s health. If he can provide 30-40 minutes of quality action, this series will go seven games.”


The final matchup unveiled late Saturday night when the Clippers held off the Spurs, as Los Angeles will battle another Texas squad in Houston. Chris Paul’s status for the opener is up in the air due to the hamstring injury he suffered in the Game 7 win over San Antonio. VI senior handicapper Kevin Rogers says the rested Rockets will up to the task, “After losing the first two meetings with the Clippers, Houston bounced back with a pair of victories over L.A., while each matchup finished ‘under’ the total. The Rockets has covered nine of their last 12 games at home, including each of the three wins over the Mavericks in the opening round.”

 

[CNOTES]

Warriors' Curry to be named NBA MVP


May 3, 2015


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Some called him too small. Others too fragile.


Stephen Curry has another label now: NBA MVP.


The Golden State Warriors point guard has won the league's most coveted individual award, a person familiar with the decision said Sunday.


The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league has not released the voting results. An official announcement is expected Monday, and Curry will be presented with the award on the court before Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against Memphis on Tuesday night.


Curry had 22 points and seven assists in Golden State's 101-86 win over the Grizzlies on Sunday. Asked about the MVP award following the game, Curry said he had no idea.


''It's obviously just, in the middle of a playoff series, it's hard to kind of separate yourself with other things that may or may not happen,'' he said.


''Obviously, I know what the situation is, and just trying to focus on the game, and if I get a call (Monday), I'll definitely be happy, and there will be a lot of people that can be proud of that moment, as well, and we'll enjoy it.''


Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area, the official television partner of the Warriors, first reported Curry won. He beat out Houston's James Harden, Cleveland's LeBron James and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, among others, for MVP honors.


Curry carried the top-seeded Warriors to a franchise-record 67 wins, surpassed his own record for most 3-pointers in a season and added to his growing reputation as one of the most entertaining spectacles in sports. He's the franchise's first MVP since Wilt Chamberlain in 1960, when the Warriors played in Philadelphia.


Curry, nicknamed the ''Baby-Faced Assassin'' and a member of the ''Splash Brothers'' duo with teammate Klay Thompson, has overcome obstacles at every level.


He grew up in the shadow of his famous father, former NBA player Dell Curry. Most major colleges didn't offer him a scholarship coming out of high school in Charlotte, North Carolina, believing he was too small. And some professional scouts wondered whether his game could transition to the NBA, where point guards are bigger and defenses are tougher.


Instead, Curry has gone from a shooting guard who dazzled at Davidson during the NCAA Tournament to a polished professional point guard who can shoot, dribble and distribute with the best of them. In a game dominated by big men and played by some of the world's greatest athletes, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Curry controls the flow without physically overpowering defenders.


But there were times when it seemed Curry's potential might not be reached. Two surgeries on his right ankle in his first three seasons with Golden State fueled questions about his durability. He even had to prove his worth to the team that drafted him seventh overall in 2009.


Curry signed a $44 million, four-year contract extension with the Warriors before the 2012-13 season. Back then, the deal looked like a major risk for the Warriors considering Curry's injury history.


Now? Well, Curry is clearly one of basketball's best bargains.


Curry eclipsed his own record of 272 3-pointers set two years ago, hitting 286 from beyond the arc this season. He already owns three of the five most prolific 3-point shooting seasons in NBA history.


Curry averaged 23.8 points, 7.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and two steals this season. He shot 48.7 percent from the floor and 44.3 percent from 3-point range.


Off the floor, his popularity is also soaring.


Curry received more All-Star votes than any player, won his first 3-point contest and joined James and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the league's biggest marketing events during All-Star weekend in New York, where his face plastered posters in subway stations and televisions in taxi cabs.


With the revitalized Warriors winning at a historic pace, Curry's case for MVP echoed around the league as loud as the nightly chants at rowdy Oracle Arena. He beat out Harden, James - a four-time MVP - and Westbrook despite the incredible seasons they had.

 

[CNOTES]

CP3 questionable for Game 1 vs. Rockets


May 3, 2015


HOUSTON (AP) - When the Houston Rockets open their second-round Western Conference playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, it will have been six days since they last played.


The Clippers are in a much different situation after clawing their way out of the first round with a gritty performance in downing the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 on Saturday night.


''It's been good to have our rest - (Monday's) going to be a big game for us, especially with our energy,'' Houston's James Harden said. ''They're coming off a really tough Game 7. So we just have to do a really good job of coming out here with energy, making sure we're playing well on both ends of the floor.''


The Rockets are in the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2009 and 13th overall. The Clippers have advanced to the second round for the fourth time and second straight year.


Along with the possible fatigue of starting a series about 48 hours after finishing the last one, the Clippers are also dealing with an injury to eight-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul.


Paul strained his left hamstring in the first quarter on Saturday night. He returned soon after departing and hit the game-winning shot with a second left, but it was clear he was struggling with the injury.


Coach Doc Rivers said he was very concerned about Paul's injury after the game and discussed his chances of playing in Game 1 against Houston.


''My guess right now if I had to guess, I would say no,'' Rivers said Saturday. ''But I'm not sure.''


Paul tried to be positive about the situation and hopes he'll be helped by some divine intervention.


''I'm going to get with our training staff and ... I know my grandmother back in North Carolina is praying right now,'' Paul said. ''She's praying, and she'll let my mom pray over it and all that too, and it will be all right.''


The Rockets know they'll have their hands full with the Clippers even if Paul isn't able to play early in the series.


''He's a great player, obviously he's their leader,'' Harden said. ''But they've got a really good team and Blake Griffin has been playing extremely well, also.''


Some things to know about the Clippers-Rockets series:


HACK-A-SHAQ


In a series with some of the league's worst free throw shooters, it's natural to wonder if the Hack-A-Shaq technique of intentionally fouling will play a major role. Clippers big man DeAndre Jordan has made just 38.4 percent of his free throws in the postseason and Houston's Dwight Howard (46.3 percent) and Josh Smith (43.5 percent) have also struggled.


''We haven't done it a lot,'' Houston coach Kevin McHale said. ''We've done it occasionally. I'm not opposed to doing it, but I'd be shocked if we were depending on it. But I'm not saying we won't do occasionally.''


BACKUP POINT GUARDS


With Paul's status for the series in question, the spotlight could be on the Clippers' backup point guards, Austin Rivers and Lester Hudson. Hudson was signed on April 11 after playing 50 games in the Chinese Basketball Association this season. Rivers started the season with the Pelicans before he was traded to his father's team in January.


Rivers has averaged 5.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in the postseason and Hudson scored five points and had two assists in one playoff appearance.


Doc Rivers is glad the Clippers signed Hudson.


''It's funny how coaches think,'' the coach said. ''With three minutes left, I'm thinking: `OK, If we win this game thank God I signed Lester because we have two guards left.' We almost went big, and then we would ... have no other guards left. That was the first thing I thought.''


THE OLD GUYS


When Patrick Beverley had season-ending wrist surgery in late March, the Rockets were left with a pair of point guards in Jason Terry and Pablo Prigioni who, at 37, are among the oldest players in the NBA. Prigioni's a few months older than Terry and will turn 38 on May 17. But their advanced age hasn't kept them from producing for Houston.


''The grandpas have done a great job all year,'' Harden said. ''They've done a great job seriously of doing everything right, defensive schemes, knocking down shots, being vocal leaders, going out there and being ready every single night and it's carried us.''


SEASON SERIES


These teams split the season series 2-2, but Howard didn't play in any of those games. That's one of many reasons why McHale doesn't put too much stock in what happened in the regular season.


''You can only put so much on the regular season,'' McHale said. ''We've got to play.''

 

[CNOTES]

Cavs ready to take on raging Bulls


May 3, 2015


INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) - LeBron James embraces challenges, big or small, personal or professional. They drive him, push him, make him dig deeper.


He's about to face another daunting one. Actually, a dozen of them.


The Bulls are charging at him.


On Monday, the Cleveland Cavaliers, missing two starters, will open their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals against a confident and finally healthy Chicago team looking to exact some revenge on James, who has eliminated them from the NBA playoffs three times since 2010.


The Cavs, who entered the postseason as the East's favorite to make the NBA Finals, will be without power forward Kevin Love and his 10 rebounds and floor-spacing ability for the rest of the postseason after he underwent shoulder surgery. And, they'll also be missing starting guard J.R. Smith, who has been suspended for Games 1 and 2.


Down two key players, Cleveland appears vulnerable - except James is still around.


''Nah, we're not vulnerable at all,'' James said. ''It's just basketball. You go out and play, you try to win and give it your best shot.''


Speaking of shots, the Cavs know they'll get some hard ones from the Bulls.


Cleveland is coming off a four-game series sweep over Boston that was anything but easy. The Celtics were physical with the Cavs, who lost Love when Boston's Kelly Olynyk yanked his shoulder from the socket in Game 4. The Bulls are one of the league's toughest, most defensive-minded teams, and the Cavs are preparing for a dogfight.


''Without a doubt,'' Cavs guard Iman Shumpert said following practice Sunday. ''If not more (physical). I just think that's just every round you go through, it just gets a little more physical because, guys don't want to go home.''


James has some history with the Bulls. He's never lost to them in the playoffs, beating Chicago in 2010 in his first stint with Cleveland and twice with Miami (2011, 2013). He's averaging 27.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists while going 12-3 against the Bulls in postseason.


Despite his dominance of the Bulls, James dismissed any thought the past gives him any confidence.


''Every year is different,'' he said. ''Yes, I've had success but that doesn't mean anything today. My approach is always the same but every playoff run is different and for me I have to make sure myself and my guys are ready for a very, very competitive and well-coached ball club.''


Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau first crossed postseason paths with James as an assistant in Boston. He didn't have much luck scheming ways to stop James then either.


''The only thing you can do with him is try to make him work for his points,'' Thibodeau said. ''You can't really give him a steady diet of anything. You have to mix it up on him. The thing that makes him who he is he can beat you a lot of different ways. It's not only his scoring. It's his passing. He's seen every type of defense there is.''


And unlike past Cleveland teams, the Cavaliers have two All-Stars: James and guard Kyrie Irving, who averaged 23.3 points against the Celtics in his first playoff series.


''Any team that has LeBron and Kyrie, you're not short-handed,'' Thibodeau said.


Here are some other things to keep in mind when the Bulls and Cavs tangle:


PUBLIC ENEMY: Bulls center Joakim Noah has spent the past few seasons needling Cleveland - and James.


In the past, Noah has criticized the city for not being exciting, and he and James have had their share of physical and verbal confrontations. Still, James respects Noah and what he means to the Bulls.


''A guy that you hate to compete against but if he's your teammate you love him,'' James said. ''He's one of their glue guys. He plays well, they play well. His energy, his effort, he's a guy that you as a fan love to watch him, as a competitor you hate him.''


LONG LAYOFF: When the Cavs take the floor Monday, it will be their first game in eight days, a rest that could lead to some noticeable rust. Chicago, by contrast, has played twice in that span.


''It's a concern,'' Cavs coach David Blatt said. ''I'd be lying if I said it wasn't because that's a long time, and our opponent obviously played games during that time. I hope we respond well. Exactly what that's going to look like initially, it's hard for me to say.''


NO LOVE: The script is flipped for the Bulls. For once, they have all their key players available, while the other team is missing pieces.


''I guess that's the irony there,'' Chicago's Mike Dunleavy Jr. said. ''We certainly have (empathy) because we've been in that situation before.''


The last time the Bulls had Derrick Rose available for the duration of the postseason was in 2011, when he capped an MVP season with a loss to Miami in the conference finals.


SEASON SERIES: Cleveland went 3-1 vs. Chicago during the regular season, winning the most recent matchup 99-94 on April 5. Rose missed that game with a knee injury.

 

[CNOTES]

May Pitchers Report


May 1, 2015


For baseball purists, May is simply the 2nd month of the 2015 MLB season. But for die-hard baseball fans, namely those who enjoy handicapping America’s pastime, it signals our annual May Good Month/Bad Month pitchers report.


Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team-starts over the course of the last three seasons during the month of May. On the flip side, we've also listed pitchers that struggle in April, winning 33% percent or less of their team-start efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each April over the last three years. And for your convenience alongside each record we break down each pitcher’s greatest success or greatest failure rate either home (H) or away (A) within his good or bad month.


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


GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:


Bailey, Homer - 12-6 (7-0 H)


The Reds right-hander will start the month on the DL with a with a right elbow ligament sprain. This is coming off September surgery that repaired a torn flexor mass tendon in the same elbow. When right, Bailey has two good fastballs he can work either corner and go up or down the ladder. His splitter is one hitter’s will chase with two strikes.


*Buehrle, Mark - 15-2 (8-1 H)


The Toronto lefty continues to pitch well early in the season when he’s at his strongest now that he’s 35 years old. Buehrle has never thrown hard and his best fastball today might reach 85 MPH on a hot day, but he’s a craftsman working both sides of the plate.


*Cain, Matt - 12-2 (6-1 A)


The former ace of the San Francisco staff began playing catch on April 28th as he works his way back from a flexor tendon strain in his throwing arm. Cain has not pitched since spring training, and had an injury-plagued 2014 season come to an end with August elbow surgery to remove bone chips. His return is unknown.


*Cobb, Alex - 7-3 (3-1 A)


The 27-year-old right-hander has been sidelined with forearm tendinitis since March 17 and late in April tossed 21 pitches with no problem. He will continue rehab and if all goes well could be back later in May.


Lynn, Lance - 12-5 (8-2 H)


Lynn has inconspicuously become one of the best No. 2 starters in the National League. His trade skill is pounding the strike zone and he cuts his fastball to RH hitters. His big looping curveball will freeze opposing batters.


Sale, Chris - 10-1 (5-0 A)


Only 25, the White Sox left-hander has a herky-jerky delivery, hides the ball expertly and dives towards batters at the end of his delivery. His low to mid-90’s fastball commands both sides of the dish and varies the speed of his slider. A tough customer to face.


*Scherzer, Max - 13-4 (8-2 A)


The high-priced Washington ace has not been quite as advertised just yet, but has been known to heat up like the weather. In today’s world Scherzer is a workhorse and intelligently uses his variety of pitches to be able to confound opposing hitters even their third or fourth time at bat.


* Vogelsong, Ryan (12-4 (5-1 A)


At 37, Vogelsong’s best days are behind him, but with the Giants scrambling for starting pitching, he will again fit nicely in the back of the rotation. As long as the Charlotte native keeps the ball low, a quality start is possible.


Weaver, Jered - 10-2 (5-1 A)


Like Buehrle, Weaver lacks the big fastball, but survives on guile and knowing how to pitch, which is actually his best trait. When spots the fastball all his off-speed pitches are that much more effective.


BAD MONTH PITCHERS:


*Chacin, Jhoulys - 1-10 (0-5 A)


Was surprisingly cut by Colorado in April and signed a minor league deal with Cleveland on April 24th. Could be brought up in May or June if Indians need a warm body to start.


Correia, Kevin 5-11 - (2-5 H)


With San Francisco starting pitching woes, signed minor league deal in early April and could be called up if effective or if the Giants need a fifth starter.


Haren, Dan 6-12 - (3-8 A)


Haren used to throw low 90’s, not anymore and his off-speed breaking pitches and splitter are flatter compared to years gone by. They are all among the reasons his May record is terrible and his career is heading south at 34.


*Jackson, Edwin - 3-12 (1-8 A)


Moved to the Cubs bullpen and will be available as a spot starter. Would have been traded but current contract is unworkable for suitors.


Kennedy, Ian - 5-11 (2-6 A)


For Kennedy to be effective his mechanics have to be right or he tends to keep everything up in the zone. With already one trip to the DL this campaign, it is hard to imagine when the righty will rediscover his ability to keep the ball down.


Lincecum, Tim - 6-12 (4-8 H)


The two-time Cy Young winner has lost five MPH on his fastball and breaking pitches since 2011, which is precisely why he’s not the same pitcher he used to be. Unfortunately, getting your haircut does not make you throw harder.


*Lohse, Kyle - 5-11 (3-7 A)


Lohse is more of a feel pitcher and past May’s have shown he has not felt well. It has been even worse this season to date with gargantuan 7.28 ERA to start this month. Rest assured, playing for this Milwaukee bunch will not lead to more success.


*Nolasco, Ricky - 6-12 (3-7 A)


Been on the DL since April 9 with right elbow inflammation but pitched five innings, giving up one unearned run on three hits with five strikeouts on April 27th. The Twins management will decide the plan for Nolasco going forward and if he'll need another rehab start. Should be with Minnesota soon but not near the pitcher he was in Miami.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Marlins (12-12) at Nationals (11-14)
Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: May 04, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Although the Miami Marlins have won nine of 11 to recover from a dismal start, another losing streak could be on the way.


Jordan Zimmermann might be the pitcher best suited to again slow them, and visits with the Washington Nationals haven't been kind to manager Mike Redmond's team.


The clubs begin a three-game series Monday night at Nationals Park, where Zimmermann will try for an encore of his no-hitter last fall.


Zimmermann (2-2, 4.88 ERA) is 7-0 with a 2.70 ERA in his last 12 starts against the Marlins, including the one-walk effort in a 1-0 win Sept. 28 - the last time he encountered them at home. Zimmermann also faced them in a 3-2 loss in Miami on April 24, surrendering two runs and six hits in six innings without factoring into the decision.


In his one start since - Wednesday's 13-4 victory in Atlanta - he allowed three earned runs and eight hits, earning the win while completing seven innings for the first time this season.


Still, his ERA in five starts was his worst ever in April after entering the year with a 2.76 mark in 22 outings.


May has traditionally been his worst month - 8-11 with a 4.32 ERA over 28 starts - but he hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in 17 home outings since April 9, 2014, going 8-3 with a 2.20 ERA in that span.


"I feel like I'm real close right now," Zimmermann told MLB's official website. "Once I get the slider and curveball working in the same game, I feel like I'll be right where I need to be. The fastball's coming back and I feel good. I'm just really close. Hopefully the next start I'll be there."


He'll be charged with extending Washington's 18-inning scoreless streak. Sunday's 1-0 road win over the New York Mets was the club's second straight by that score, and it hasn't posted three straight shutouts since May 1989 while the franchise was in Montreal.


Zimmermann's start in Miami was around the time the Marlins (12-13) began turning things around, but Sunday's 5-2 loss to Philadelphia ended a four-game winning streak and denied them from topping .500 for the first time since Aug. 22.


Even after a six-hit effort, they're batting an MLB-best .305 over a 9-2 stretch. The letdown, however, came with hot-hitting Dee Gordon, Martin Prado and J.T. Realmuto getting a day of rest before a 10-game trip - part of 13 straight days of play to open the month.


"I'd love to sit here and say we can play nine guys for 162 games, but that's not possible," Redmond said.


Gordon leads the majors with a .440 average and is 20 for 31 on an eight-game hitting streak that began with Miami sweeping three home games against the Nats from April 24-26.


The Marlins, however, are 4-15 in Washington since the start of 2013, despite Giancarlo Stanton's .336 average at Nationals Park trailing only his .358 mark at Coors Field. The slugger's 14 home runs there lead all visiting players, and he's homered there more than any other opposing ballpark.


David Phelps (1-0, 3.38) will try to help Stanton change those fortunes after posting a 1.53 ERA and .175 opponent average in three starts since joining the rotation April 17.


The right-hander allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings of Tuesday's 4-3 win over the New York Mets but didn't factor into the decision. After walking five in 11 2-3 innings of his first two starts, he didn't issue a free pass to the Mets.


"(I'm) trusting my stuff and almost making them hit it," Phelps said. "We have amazing infield defense and our outfield can run down a lot of balls, too."

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Phillies (8-17) at Braves (11-13)
Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 04, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The one season Aaron Harang spent with the Atlanta Braves began in incredible fashion, and his first start against his old club 10 days ago was every bit as strong.


The veteran returns Monday night for his first outing in Atlanta since joining the Philadelphia Phillies, and Turner Field could provide a comfortable environment as he attempts to bounce back from his worst start of the season.


Through five starts with Atlanta last year, Harang (2-2, 2.51 ERA) was 3-1 with a 0.85 ERA. The right-hander was in similar form in a 1-0 win over the Braves (12-13) on April 24, limiting them to two hits in eight innings, though he didn't earn the decision.


However, he followed that up by allowing five runs and nine hits in six innings of Wednesday's 5-2 loss in St. Louis.


Though Harang completed last season with the Braves with losses in his final four home starts, his 3.38 career ERA at Turner ranks third among the 12 ballparks at which he's made at least 10 starts. He pitched seven innings in each of his last two outings at Atlanta, giving up three total runs.


Among Harang's former teammates, Freddie Freeman (1 for 14 with five strikeouts) and Kelly Johnson (1 for 9) might be most unhappy about the reunion.


Harang will go up against Alex Wood for the second time in less than two weeks. Wood (1-1, 4.03) also didn't get a decision April 24 after allowing five hits in 5 2-3 scoreless innings and like Harang, delivered his worst start to date in his next outing. The left-hander surrendered five runs in five innings of a 13-4 home loss to Washington on Wednesday.


"Mechanically and from a stuff standpoint, I feel that is the best I've been all spring," Wood told MLB's official website. "I was happy with the process, but I was pretty disappointed with the results."


Philadelphia (9-17), averaging a major-league worst 2.77 runs, seems to provide him with a strong chance to bounce back. Wood is 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA in five starts in the series, though Freddy Galvis (3 for 5), Carlos Ruiz (4 for 7) and Ben Revere (4 for 9) have had success against him.


The Phillies scored more than five runs for the second time this season in Sunday's 6-2 win at Miami, avoiding a three-game sweep and ending a five-game skid. Revere had his first three-hit contest and has batted .353 over his last nine after entering that stretch at .172. Ryan Howard was 2 for 4 with a triple and two RBIs.


"This is the kind of game you want to build off of," said Howard, who homered in the last two games against Atlanta last month. "This is one that we definitely needed."


The Phillies took two of three from the Braves from April 24-26 at Philadelphia and won six of nine in Atlanta last year. However, they've dropped their last seven road series, going 6-18 in that stretch.


The Braves salvaged a four-game split with Cincinnati on Sunday, winning 5-0 as they head into the final three of a 10-game homestand.


Johnson homered for the second time in three games while Freeman went 2 for 4 to give him a .419 mark in the past eight contests.


A win Monday would give Atlanta consecutive victories for the first time since a 5-0 start. The 7-13 stretch that's followed includes a 4.93 ERA, better than only Colorado in the NL in that span.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Dodgers (15-8) at Brewers (6-18)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: May 04, 2015 7:20 PM EDT

The Milwaukee Brewers' slow start cost manager Ron Roenicke his job. Jump-starting their season doesn't figure to be any easier against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday as Clayton Kershaw tries to extend his dominance at Miller Park while moving on from his own early season woes.


Despite winning back-to-back games for the first time this year after Sunday's 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs, the Brewers (7-18) fired Roenicke, who led them to the 2011 NL Central title in his first season. He had a winning record in three of his four full seasons in Milwaukee, but the team's fade after entering last July with a 6 1/2-game lead atop the division and early season struggles proved too much to ignore.


"This has been a difficult start to the season, something that we certainly didn't anticipate," general manager Doug Melvin said in a statement. "Over roughly the last 100 games, we have not performed at the level that we should. It's all about wins and losses, and after the first month of play this year we didn't see the progress and improvement we had hoped for."


Melvin said the team would announce its next manager prior to Monday's game.


Kershaw (1-2, 3.73 ERA), the two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner and 2014 NL MVP winner, may not give the Brewers a chance to make any progress as he looks to find his groove. He had a 5.46 ERA through his first five outings of 2009 before finding his groove that season to begin a six-year run of sub-3.00 ERAs.


His first of four straight ERA titles started when he won his first Cy Young in 2011, and he put together the best campaign of his career in 2014 while going 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA for his third.


The left-hander hasn't been as dominant this season, though. After pitching fewer than seven innings in five of his 27 starts last year, Kershaw failed to reach the seven-inning mark in his first four outings.


He allowed two runs and struck out eight in seven innings of a 2-1 loss to San Francisco on Tuesday.


"I had a little better command of everything," said Kershaw, who's one win shy of 100. "The slider is just a little bit better, but not where I want it. Some good, some bad."


Kershaw has been very good in his career at Miller Park, winning all four starts while posting a 0.87 ERA. He's opposed Kyle Lohse three times in his career, with Lohse taking the loss each time.


Lohse (1-4, 7.28) is 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA in his last three starts against the Dodgers (16-8), a stretch that includes a 2-0 loss to Kershaw on April 28, 2013, when they last faced each other.


Lohse, though, has allowed at least four runs in four of his five starts this season. The right-hander gave up four on three homers over seven innings of Tuesday's 4-2 loss to Cincinnati.


Jean Segura's status is unclear after he was hit on the helmet with a pitch in the eighth. He tried to remain in the game, but Roenicke said the Brewers shortstop was feeling nauseous.


'You hope a guy doesn't get a little tentative in what he's doing," Roenicke said. "You hope it doesn't start to bother him.'


Aramis Ramirez is 8 for 16 with two homers while hitting safely in his last five games.


The Dodgers scored 21 runs while winning their previous three before Yasmani Grandal's homer leading off the 13th gave them a 1-0 win over Arizona on Sunday. The catcher also threw out a runner at the plate after a wild pitch to end the top of the 13th, helping the bullpen extend its scoreless-inning streak to 26.


'After the second game of the season, there were a lot of people who said the bullpen wasn't good enough, Grandal said. "That bothered me a lot. Lately it's been lights-out.'


Los Angeles, which is beginning a seven-game road trip, has won five of its last six against the Brewers.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Athletics (10-15) at Twins (12-12)
Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: May 04, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Minnesota Twins are the hottest team in the AL Central, and that's been without much help from staff ace Phil Hughes.


The Oakland Athletics don't figure to grant Hughes any favors on Monday night when they look to continue their offensive dominance in Minnesota.


Hughes (0-4, 4.55 ERA) earned a five-year contract after going 16-10 with a 3.52 ERA in a career-high 209 2-3 innings last season, but has failed to impress thus far in 2015. The Twins (13-12) have dropped all five of Hughes' starts this season, and due to a left hip flexor strain, Hughes lasted a season-low five innings while allowing three runs and seven hits in a 10-7 loss to Detroit on Wednesday.


Hughes' home run rate has been his most concerning statistic. The right-hander posted his first homer-free outing Wednesday, yet still ranks among the worst starters in the AL with six home runs allowed.


The Twins have won four straight since Hughes' last start and broke out for 13 runs against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Trevor Plouffe and Kennys Vargas each hit home runs, and Minnesota's bullpen worked 5 2-3 scoreless innings.


"We were doing a lot of stuff with a fungo, things we hadn't been doing previously," Plouffe said of his team's improved offense. "We did that a lot and fixed what we needed to fix. So we said let's back off now and just go up there and hit. That's what we've been doing the last couple of days."


A fifth consecutive victory would mark the Twins' longest winning streak since reeling off five straight from April 15-23, 2013.


Oakland (11-15) also enjoyed a strong offensive day Sunday, winning 7-1 over Texas. Stephen Vogt upped his OPS to 1.126 with two home runs, leading the Athletics to their third consecutive seven-run game.


The wins haven't exactly followed the production, however. The Athletics rank among the league leaders with 131 runs scored, yet their 15 losses are tied for second-most in the AL.


They could turn it around at Target Field, where they've beating the Twins in eight of the last nine meetings while scoring 8.2 runs per game in that span.


Jesse Hahn (1-1, 2.86) will take the mound for the Athletics, looking to continue his solid run with Oakland. The right-hander, who was acquired from San Diego in the offseason, has yet to allow more than three runs in a start, walked four in his four starts and surrendered only 3.3 hits per game in his last three.


Still, after allowing three runs in five innings to the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday without receiving a decision in Oakland's 6-3 loss, manager Bob Melvin expects more out of Hahn moving forward.


"He was a little bit rusty at times in where he was throwing the ball, but overall, we knew we were going 90 pitches with him," Melvin said. "He'll be sharper next time out."


Billy Butler is in the midst of an 0-for-20 slump, and was held out of Sunday's win. Ben Zobrist is hitting .050 lifetime versus Hughes - his worst mark against any pitcher with at least 20 at_bats.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rangers (8-15) at Astros (17-7)
Game: 1
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 04, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Houston Astros' roster isn't a who's who of major league stars, but rather a something-to-prove group making up baseball's biggest early surprise.


Those unfamiliar with Dallas Keuchel better take notice.


The left-hander takes the mound Monday night against the visiting Texas Rangers looking to guide the Astros to an 11th consecutive victory.


Houston's six-year stretch of below-.500 seasons includes three straight 100-loss campaigns from 2011-13 and a 70-92 finish last year. It hired A.J. Hinch as manager to take over a revamped club, and the Astros have turned some heads thus far.


Off to its best 25-game start in franchise history, Houston (18-7) has won 10 in a row for the first time since a 12-game run in 2004 after beating Seattle 7-6 on Sunday. Evan Gattis hit a three-run homer before his go-ahead solo shot in the eighth for the Astros, who are outscoring opponents 76-37 and batting .291 during their streak.


Four of Gattis' five hits over the last three games have been homers. Jason Marisnick had an RBI single in the first Sunday and is batting .432 during an 11-game hitting streak.


'It's just nice from where we've come from the last couple of years that we lost a lot of games,' said Chris Carter, who hit a two-run homer. 'It's nice to have this run we're having.'


Keuchel (3-0, 0.73 ERA) is in the second season of his turnaround after posting a 5.20 ERA in 38 starts and nine relief efforts over his first two years. He went 12-9 with a 2.93 ERA in 2014, allowing two earned runs or fewer in his final five starts, and has carried that success into this season.


The 27-year-old has the best ERA in baseball and is allowing the fewest hits per nine innings at 3.89 after giving up one run and three hits in eight innings of a 7-2 win over San Diego on Wednesday.


Houston has won 10 straight games Keuchel has started.


"At the end of the year, if it's still the lowest (ERA), I'll take something," Keuchel said. "I don't really take much out of the first five starts. I've got to continue to grind and try to get better each and every time out."


The Rangers (8-16) scored two of the three runs Keuchel has allowed this season, both coming in Keuchel's seventh and final inning of the Astros' 6-4 victory in 14 on April 12.


Ross Detwiler should be happy he didn't have to face Houston's surging offense as the Astros took two of three in that series. Detwiler (0-3, 8.66) yielded five earned runs in each of his first three outings before giving up two in 5 1-3 innings of Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Seattle.


The left-hander has allowed 30 hits and walked nine in 17 2-3 innings while averaging 19.5 pitches per inning. He pitched exclusively out of the bullpen for Washington last season and gave up one run in 2 2-3 innings in two appearances against the Astros.


Detwiler hasn't allowed a hit to Gattis in four at_bats, but right-handers are hitting .394 with six homers off him this season.


The Rangers, who have lost five of six after falling 7-1 to Oakland on Sunday, have dropped seven of nine meetings in Houston heading into this three-game set.


'It's not the start that we want,' losing pitcher Yovani Gallardo said. "There's not much you can do other than keep battling and keep working hard like the guys are doing in this clubhouse.'

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cubs (13-9) at Cardinals (17-6)
Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: May 04, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

The season's first month has been an exciting resurgence for the Chicago Cubs.


For the St. Louis Cardinals, it's been business as usual.


In a meeting between the NL Central's top two clubs, the Cubs head to St. Louis to open a four-game series with the streaking Cardinals on Monday night.


St. Louis (18-6) has taken 11 of 13 at home this season and has won six straight overall following a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh. The Cardinals prevailed in extra innings in each victory over the Pirates, winning 3-2 on a 12th-inning walk-off home run from Kolten Wong on Sunday.


Chicago (13-10) looked primed for a long streak of its own after taking four in a row April 24-28, but has since dropped three of four. The Cubs averaged 5.5 runs during the winning streak but have scored 1.5 per game in the 1-3 stretch.


The Cubs struck out a league-high 18 times against major league-worst Milwaukee in a 6-1 defeat Saturday, then lost 5-3 on Sunday.


They'll turn to Travis Wood (2-1, 3.04 ERA) to right the ship at Busch Stadium, where the Cubs went 4-6 last season.


"This is a good test," right-hander Jason Hammel told MLB's official website. "We've got to win these games. To be the best, you've got to beat the best. (The Cardinals) are hot and we're going into their territory. We'll find out what we're made of in the series."


Wood made five starts against the Cardinals last year and went 2-1 with a 5.20 ERA. Those numbers were largely representative of his 2014, as the left-hander ended the season with a 5.03 ERA and five starts of seven or more innings, none of which came after June 15.


He's been much better this season through four starts and is coming off a seven-inning, two-run effort Tuesday in which he struck out nine in a 6-2 win over Pittsburgh. Wood, who recorded his second outing of at least seven innings, didn't walk anyone for the first time in 29 starts.


"It means you've been attacking the strike zone and getting some quick outs, and not letting them get deep and not giving any free passes," he said. "Free passes bit me before in the past - they bite every pitcher. To keep that off the board is a good thing."


Carlos Martinez (3-0, 1.73) makes his first start against the Cardinals' archrival. The right-hander turned in his fourth strong effort in as many starts Wednesday, giving up two runs in six innings of a 5-2 win over Philadelphia.


"I thought he did a real nice job," manager Mike Matheny said. "He had a good changeup, used his breaking ball, got guys chasing out of the zone and still had all the velocity he needed."


Martinez's 8.31 strikeouts per nine innings ranks second among St. Louis pitchers with at least 25 innings behind Lance Lynn (11.0).


Both teams enter this meeting with bullpens looking to bounce back after usually dominant relievers struggled Sunday. Chicago's Pedro Strop gave up two runs in the eighth inning to snap a 3-all tie after allowing two runs in his previous 32 appearances, while St. Louis' Trevor Rosenthal blew his first save of the season.


Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina have fared extremely well against Wood, with each hitting above .370 and combining for seven home runs, eight doubles and 22 RBIs.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Diamondbacks (10-13) at Rockies (11-12)
Game: 1
Venue: Coors Field
Date: May 04, 2015 8:40 PM EDT

Tyler Matzek got the Colorado Rockies off to a good start on their road trip by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks, but nothing went right during the remainder of it.


Matzek will try to help the Rockies end a five-game slide by beating the Diamondbacks again in the opener of a three-game series in Denver on Monday night.


Colorado (11-13) won 5-4 at Arizona last Monday as Matzek (2-0, 2.70 ERA) yielded two runs over five-plus innings, continuing a strong start to a season in which he has given up one or two runs in every outing.


That was the only victory for the Rockies on the six-game trip, capped by a weekend sweep by San Diego in which Colorado was outscored 26-11.


"We need to get better," said third baseman Nolan Arenado, who homered three times over the weekend. "We need to do everything - pitch better, hit better with men on base. All around, we are not very good right now. We need to start changing it up because losing gets contagious and people start to get out of it. We need to start winning.'


Matzek will try to start this six-game homestand on a winning note after getting some extra rest last Monday, when he left his outing with cramping in his left hamstring. He blamed the desert conditions for his exit after 80 pitches and has had no setbacks in two ensuing bullpen sessions.


The left-hander is 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA in three starts against the Diamondbacks, holding Ender Inciarte hitless in nine at_bats.


"He's kept the opposing team from scoring this year," manager Walt Weiss told the Rockies' official website. "He's had some baserunners, but he's made pitches. He keeps us in position to win games."


Arizona (10-14) has won the last four starts by Josh Collmenter (2-3, 2.76) against Colorado, with the right-hander going 1-0 with a 3.08 ERA in that span. The victory was Wednesday's 9-1 rout in which Collmenter yielded an unearned run in eight innings and retired 12 straight at one point.


He's 0-1 with a 5.49 ERA in four starts at Coors Field, however.


Numerous Rockies have enjoyed success against him, including Troy Tulowitzki (6 for 20), Carlos Gonzalez (5 for 15), Charlie Blackmon (5 for 14) and Nick Hundley (6 for 14). DJ LeMahieu is 0 for 10 in the matchup.


Hundley was rested in Sunday's 8-6 loss. He can extend his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games after going 13 for 32 in his last nine.


Blackmon has gone 5 for 9 with three solo homers in his past two games and 14 for 33 in his last seven.


The Diamondbacks opened a six-game trip by getting swept over the weekend by the Los Angeles Dodgers, falling 1-0 in 13 innings Sunday. A.J. Pollock was 1 for 13 in the series and rookie Yasmany Tomas 2 for 12.


Slugger Paul Goldschmidt has gone 15 for 27 over his last six games, including 9 for 14 against Colorado. He's reached base in his last 20 contests against the Rockies, batting .475 with five homers, 14 walks and 27 RBIs.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mariners (10-14) at Angels (11-13)
Game: 1
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: May 04, 2015 10:05 PM EDT

The losses have piled up for the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels entering Monday night's meeting.


The pitching matchup favors the Mariners, who will look to Felix Hernandez to extend his recent dominance in the series.


Hernandez (4-0, 1.82 ERA) has led Seattle to wins in each of his five starts this year, and his team has gone 24-8 in his last 36 outings.


The Mariners need the right-hander to play the stopper role again following a four-game sweep by Houston. Seattle (10-15) nearly overcame a five-run deficit Sunday but fell 7-6.


'It was a tough game where they could have laid down, but they fought back and really grinded it out,' manager Lloyd McClendon said. 'They showed a lot of fortitude, which leads me to believe this team is going to be just fine.'


Hernandez's recent history against the Angels (11-14) is another reason for McClendon to be confident. The ace has been overpowering in his last nine meetings, going 5-1 with a 1.07 ERA and striking out 81 in 59 innings. He's given up four or fewer hits in the past eight matchups.


The most recent came on opening day April 6, when he struck out 10 in seven innings of a 4-1 victory in which he yielded a first-inning home run to Mike Trout and retired 17 of the next 20. Hernandez allowed two hits.


Trout is the one Angel that Hernandez hasn't been able to figure out, with the reigning AL MVP batting .365 with three home runs and eight extra-base hits in the matchup.


Erick Aybar owns Los Angeles' second-best average against Hernandez at .215 while Albert Pujols has struck out 11 times - his most against any pitcher since joining the Angels in 2012.


Hernandez needs two strikeouts to reach 1,989 and pass Johan Santana for the most by a Venezuelan pitcher in major league history.


The Angels' Matt Shoemaker (2-1, 6.00) threw 5 2-3 innings of three-run ball in his last start, a 6-3 loss at Oakland on Wednesday. He didn't get the decision.


The right-hander, though, allowed three runs in six innings of a 5-3 victory April 8 to win his third consecutive start against Seattle. He's 3-0 with a 2.39 ERA in five games - four starts - in his career versus the Mariners.


The Angels need that trend to continue after being swept in three games by San Francisco.


"We had a bad weekend," manager Mike Scioscia told MLB's official website. "We didn't do a lot of the things we need to do at the plate and on the field, and some things got away from us on the mound."


Los Angeles managed three singles in a 5-0 defeat Sunday.


"Of course we're surprised," Aybar said. "Our offense is good. It's been almost a month, and we still haven't done much. But there's still a lot of baseball left. We have to do the little things to win games."

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Padres (13-12) at Giants (11-13)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 04, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

Madison Bumgarner showcased an improved form in back-to-back starts against one of the NL's leading teams, and his latest outing was his finest of the season.


The San Francisco left-hander will try to build on that performance against the visiting San Diego Padres, who like the Giants will seek a season-high fourth consecutive victory Monday night.


Bumgarner was 1-1 with a 5.29 ERA in his first three starts, then posted a 1.88 mark in his two against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He got his first win in four outings Tuesday with a 2-1 road victory, allowing one run in eight innings and striking out nine while outdueling Clayton Kershaw.


"He was as good as I've seen him this year," catcher Buster Posey said. "Everything was really crisp."


Bumgarner (2-1, 3.73 ERA) was at his worst April 11 in San Diego, failing to make it past the third inning while giving up five runs and 10 hits in a 10-2 drubbing. He's 0-2 with a 10.13 ERA in his past two starts against the Padres (14-12), who took three of four in that series.


He'll face a team that outscored Colorado 26-11 in a three-game home sweep this weekend, capped with an 8-6 victory Sunday. San Diego hit .284 in that series after batting .199 with 25 runs while losing seven of their previous eight.


The Giants (12-13) will attempt to keep the Padres at bay while extending a six-game home win streak. San Francisco dropped six of its first seven at AT&T Park, its worst start there since 2000.


"Anytime you're in a funk early on, everybody kind of hits the panic button," second baseman Joe Panik said. "This is the type of ball that we know how to play."


The Giants, also winners in eight of 11 overall, have a 1.80 ERA during their home win streak after a 5-0 win over the Angels on Sunday, and their starters have combined for a 1.99 mark. They had a 3.95 ERA in their first seven, with the rotation posting a 4.46 ERA.


Tyson Ross is looking to win a fourth consecutive start against San Francisco. The right-hander has benefited from a combined 10 runs in his 11 1-3 innings in the past two meetings, including a 6-4 victory April 12.


Ross (1-2, 4.55), who gave up three runs in six innings, hasn't earned a win since then, going 0-2 with a 5.17 ERA. He gave up four runs in five innings Tuesday in a 14-3 loss to Houston.


"It's early, but I've got to get better and start to do what I was doing last year," Ross said.


The Bay Area native earned his first win in three starts in San Francisco in his only visit last year, a 6-4 victory April 28.


Angel Pagan, batting .395 in his last nine games, is 5 for 12 in his career against Ross.


Justin Upton, who went 7 for 12 with seven RBIs versus the Rockies, is batting .407 (11 for 27) lifetime against Bumgarner. He singled in each of his two at_bats against the left-hander last month.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Yankees (16-9) at Blue Jays (12-14)
Game: 1
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: May 04, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

The New York Yankees completed a weekend sweep of a team with poor starting pitching and now face the only club that is even worse in that category.


The Yankees seek a seventh straight road win Monday night in the opener of a three-game series against winless R.A. Dickey and the Toronto Blue Jays.


New York (16-9) is enjoying its longest road streak since a seven-game run June 3-17, 2012, after sweeping three games in Boston, which has a 5.66 starters' ERA that is second-worst in baseball. The Yankees scored five runs off Joe Kelly in Sunday's 8-5 win.


Toronto (12-14) has struggled more - its rotation has produced a 5.70 ERA - and Dickey (0-3, 5.23 ERA) is a big part of those woes. His five-start winless stretch to begin the year is his worst.


The right-hander allowed one run over 6 1-3 innings and did not get a decision in his season debut April 8, a 4-3 loss at New York. The knuckleballer has pitched worse in every outing since and yielded four runs over seven innings in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to the Red Sox.


Dickey has a run support average of 2.61 for a team on which Mark Buehrle (11.89) and Drew Hutchison (11.49) lead the majors in that department.


Alex Rodriguez is 8 for 24 against Dickey, including 0 for 2 this year as he tries to hit homer No. 661 and pass Willie Mays for sole possession of fourth place on the all-time list. Jacoby Ellsbury is 6 for 16 off Dickey.


Ellsbury is 14 for 26 over a six-game hitting streak, and Brett Gardner went 5 for 14 with six RBIs in Boston.


The Yankees have 33 homers, good for second in the AL, and Toronto is third at 32.


The Blue Jays have posted winning home marks against the Yankee over each of the five previous years. They capped a 3-7 trip by blowing a five-run lead in Sunday's 10-7 loss to Cleveland.


"You'd like to chalk this up as one of those wacky baseball days, but it's been happening way too often," manager John Gibbons said. "It's very deflating having a 6-1 lead and losing - that's pretty obvious - but it's a big man's sport. We've got to iron some stuff out and get better."


Toronto starters posted a 7.36 ERA on the trip. The Blue Jays have baseball's worst ERA (5.13) and have issued the second-most walks (100).


A bright spot Sunday was Devon Travis' first grand slam. Travis leads all rookies with a .316 average and seven homers, including one in his big-league debut at Yankee Stadium on opening day.


"The kid is good and he's been pretty good all season," Gibbons said. "There is no silver lining today, but he's a pretty special find for us."


Jose Bautista went 0 for 12 with eight strikeouts in the opening series against New York but was 6 for 16 with five doubles in the four-game split in Cleveland. Bautista went 2 for 4 with a homer last year against Chase Whitley (1-0, 1.80), who will make his second start for New York after allowing one run in five innings in Tuesday's 4-2 win over Tampa Bay.


The right-hander went 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA last year as a rookie before posting a 1.17 ERA this spring.


"I feel like I've pitched good in spring training, I've felt like I've continued to do that," Whitley said. "For me, it's just about being consistent."

 

[CNOTES]

-Rays (13-12) at Red Sox (12-13)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: May 04, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Tampa Bay Rays have labored at the plate in their last six games but get to face a team that's consistently struggled to keep opponents off the scoreboard for much of this season, especially the past two weeks.


Clay Buchholz will try to begin changing that for the Boston Red Sox with another strong outing against the Rays, and he'll start opposite Jake Odorizzi in a rematch of last month's pitching duel.


Tampa Bay (13-12) is batting .178 with 10 runs and one homer in a 2-4 stretch. James Loney had that lone longball in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Orioles, wrapping up a three-game series that was played in Florida because of the unrest in Baltimore.


"If we keep the mindset of having good at_bats like we have been the whole year and kind of keeping the line moving, we'll get back to where we were," said infielder Logan Forsythe, 8 for 20 in his last five games and 2 for 4 with an RBI single Sunday.


The Rays, who averaged 4.3 runs while hitting .247 in their first 19 contests, will try to get back on track in their three-game visit to Fenway Park. Boston (12-13) has a 6.14 ERA in losing eight of its last 11 and endured a three-game sweep to the New York Yankees that was capped with an 8-5 loss Sunday.


That performance raised their team ERA to 5.04 and their rotation's to 5.66.


'For us to right our course, we still need the pitching from that rotation,' Boston manager John Farrell said.


Buchholz (1-3, 5.76 ERA) had one of the Red Sox's best efforts in the past 11 games on April 23 in Tampa Bay. The right-hander yielded one run and two hits in six innings while fanning 10, but he did not get a decision in a 2-1 loss, the finale of a three-game series in which Boston lost twice.


Odorizzi (2-2, 2.41) also did not factor in the decision after giving up one run and three hits in 6 2-3 innings.


The two pitchers couldn't carry their momentum to their most recent starts. Buchholz failed to make it out of the third inning in an 11-8 loss to Toronto on Tuesday and was charged with five runs.


Odorizzi gave up four in 6 1-3 innings in a 4-2 loss to the Yankees on the same day. He had a 1.65 ERA in his first four outings.


Odorizzi went 0-2 with a 14.21 ERA in his two visits to Fenway Park in 2014, failing to make it past the fourth inning in either game. Buchholz, meanwhile, has lost four consecutive starts in Boston dating back to a 6-2 defeat to Tampa Bay on Sept. 23, the Red Sox's only loss in the final six matchups at Fenway in 2014.


He has a 6.04 ERA in those games and received a combined six runs of support.


Evan Longoria doesn't appear poised to assist Odorizzi in this matchup, having gone 2 for 18 with six strikeouts in his last five games. He's also 9 for 43 (.209) with 15 strikeouts lifetime against Buchholz.


Boston's David Ortiz, batting .344 with seven RBIs in his last eight games, is 1 for 13 versus Odorizzi in his career. Pablo Sandoval, hitting .480 (12 for 25) with seven RBIs in his past seven contests, is 3 for 24 in six career games against Tampa Bay.