Cnotes Best Bets For Wednesday May 6th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

[CNOTES]

MLB MONEYLINE


MLB > (923) CLEVELAND@ (924) KANSAS CITY | 05/06/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play AGAINST KANSAS CITY using the money line in Home games in May games
The record is 9 Wins and 23 Losses for the last three seasons (-19.75 units)

MLB > (929) BALTIMORE@ (930) NY METS | 05/06/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play ON BALTIMORE using the money line in All games in night games
The record is 79 Wins and 47 Losses for the last two seasons (+37.05 units)

MLB > (911) LA DODGERS@ (912) MILWAUKEE | 05/06/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play AGAINST MILWAUKEE using the money line in All games in night games
The record is 2 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-11.55 units)


MLB > (917) TAMPA BAY@ (918) BOSTON | 05/06/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play AGAINST BOSTON using the money line in Home games in games played on a grass field
The record is 40 Wins and 56 Losses for the last two seasons (-30.6 units)


MLB RUNLINE


MLB > (925) DETROIT@ (926) CHI WHITE SOX | 05/06/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play AGAINST CHI WHITE SOX using the in All games as a home favorite when the run line price is +135 to +160
The record is 3 Wins and 29 Losses for the last three seasons (-24.45 units)


NBA TOTALS


MLB > (921) OAKLAND@ (922) MINNESOTA | 05/06/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play OVER OAKLAND on the total in All games in all games
The record is 20 Overs and 6 Unders for the this season (+14.25 units)

MLB > (917) TAMPA BAY@ (918) BOSTON | 05/06/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play UNDER TAMPA BAY on the total in Road games against division opponents
The record is 1 Overs and 10 Unders for the this season (+9.05 units)


MLB TOP POWERLINE


MLB > (901) MIAMI @ (902) WASHINGTON | 05/06/2015 - 01:05 PM
Line: WASHINGTON -220 BTB PowerLine: WASHINGTON -193
Edge On: WASHINGTON (27)


MLB > (905) SAN DIEGO @ (906) SAN FRANCISCO | 05/06/2015 - 03:45 PM
Line: SAN FRANCISCO -125 BTB PowerLine: SAN FRANCISCO -171
Edge On: SAN FRANCISCO (46)


MLB > (915) NY YANKEES @ (916) TORONTO | 05/06/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: TORONTO -109 BTB PowerLine: TORONTO -168
Edge On: TORONTO (59)


MLB > (917) TAMPA BAY @ (918) BOSTON | 05/06/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: BOSTON -128 BTB PowerLine: BOSTON 133
Edge On: BOSTON (41)


MLB > (919) TEXAS @ (920) HOUSTON | 05/06/2015 - 08:10 PM
Line: HOUSTON -140 BTB PowerLine: HOUSTON -159
Edge On: HOUSTON (19)


MLB > (923) CLEVELAND @ (924) KANSAS CITY | 05/06/2015 - 08:10 PM
Line: KANSAS CITY -125 BTB PowerLine: KANSAS CITY -223
Edge On: KANSAS CITY (98)


MLB > (925) DETROIT @ (926) CHI WHITE SOX | 05/06/2015 - 08:10 PM
Line: CHI WHITE SOX -145 BTB PowerLine: CHI WHITE SOX -105
Edge On: CHI WHITE SOX (20)


MLB > (911) LA DODGERS @ (912) MILWAUKEE | 05/06/2015 - 08:10 PM
Line: MILWAUKEE +100 BTB PowerLine: MILWAUKEE 139
Edge On: MILWAUKEE (19)


MLB > (913) CHICAGO CUBS @ (914) ST LOUIS | 05/06/2015 - 08:15 PM
Line: ST LOUIS -130 BTB PowerLine: ST LOUIS -142
Edge On: ST LOUIS (12)


MLB > (927) SEATTLE @ (928) LA ANGELS | 05/06/2015 - 10:05 PM
Line: LA ANGELS -140 BTB PowerLine: LA ANGELS -160
Edge On: LA ANGELS (20)

 

[CNOTES]

NBA ATS


NBA > (715) LA CLIPPERS@ (716) HOUSTON | 05/06/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play ON HOUSTON using the against the spread in All games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 13 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+10.8 units)


NBA MONEYLINE


NBA > (715) LA CLIPPERS@ (716) HOUSTON | 05/06/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play AGAINST HOUSTON using the money line in Home games against Pacific division opponents
The record is 7 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (-21.85 units)

NBA > (713) CHICAGO@ (714) CLEVELAND | 05/06/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON CLEVELAND using the money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 27 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (+15.85 units)


NBA FIRST HALF


NBA > (713) CHICAGO@ (714) CLEVELAND | 05/06/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON CLEVELAND in the first half in Home games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 17 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+12.6 units)


NBA TOTALS


NBA > (715) LA CLIPPERS@ (716) HOUSTON | 05/06/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play UNDER HOUSTON on the total in Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 7 Overs and 20 Unders for the this season (+12.3 units)


NBA > (713) CHICAGO@ (714) CLEVELAND | 05/06/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play UNDER CLEVELAND on the total in Home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 2 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+9.8 units)


NBA TOP POWERLINE


NBA > (713) CHICAGO @ (714) CLEVELAND | 05/06/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: CLEVELAND -5.5 BTB PowerLine: CLEVELAND -3
Edge On: CLEVELAND (2.5)

 

[CNOTES]

NHL MONEYLINE


NHL > (75) NY RANGERS@ (76) WASHINGTON | 05/06/2015 - 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 7 Losses for the this season (+14.8 units)


NHL PUCKLINE


NHL > (75) NY RANGERS@ (76) WASHINGTON | 05/06/2015 - 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 7 Losses for the this season (+14.8 units)

 

[CNOTES]

NBA Championship Futures redo


May 4, 2015


On one of the busiest Saturdays we’ll see throughout the sports calendar’s year, the NBA lost its defending champion.


I lost my future. Chris Paul’s heroics stomped it out.


That sounds pretty gloomy, but I’m just talking about wagers on San Antonio to get out of the West (2-to-1) and win the Finals (7-2) yet again, so family and friends need not make any concerned phone calls. For the first time in three seasons, Gregg Popovich won’t coach Tim Duncan and the Spurs in the NBA’s championship round. For the first time all century, way back to Utah’s 1998 appearance, the West champion won’t be the Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks or Thunder.


We’ll have new blood.


LeBron James still looms on the East side, captaining the favored Cleveland Cavaliers, but an upset would mean the 2015 NBA Finals could be extremely thin on players that either have a ring or have even played for one.


So, who wins the championship now? What team will salvage my future? Here’s a breakdown of the candidates (odds via Sportsbook.ag as of Monday, May 4):


Golden State (-150): Newly minted MVP Stephen Curry still has room on the bandwagon despite the opening game of a potentially complicated series against a Grizzlies team that aims to slow you down going decisively in his Warriors’ favor. At this point, there doesn’t appear to be much value in riding the chalk. That said, you should probably wait until the first dose of non-injury related adversity, hope the odds get closer to even money and violently fling yourselves on board the GSW train. Steve Kerr appears to be the modern day Midas, blessed with quality depth and a homecourt edge that’s second to none in the entire league. Considering their 67 wins guarantee that every series opener and potential Game 7 will be played inside Oakland’s Oracle Arena, that alone is a major draw. The team most likely to take them down, San Antonio, will now sit and watch like the rest of us. The prospect of having Defensive POY Kawhi Leonard and proficient defender Danny Green to match up with the Splash Brothers, not to mention the Spurs’ edge in experience, would’ve made a potential Western Conference Finals showdown awfully challenging for Golden State. To say it will be smooth sailing from here on out would be extreme, but the path certainly cleared up for them, meriting the favorite’s role the Warriors have now snatched from the Cavaliers.


Cleveland (+300): Those who have backed LeBron can’t like not having Kevin Love for the remainder of the postseason or J.R. Smith for the opening two games of the key semifinal series against Chicago. Although Love was largely a disappointment in his first year rounding out the new Big 3 in Cleveland, he did help space the floor while doubling as his team’s top rebounder. James will now have to play out of position at power forward, something he dislikes doing, for major stretches going forward. He’ll ditch the headband and get his hands dirty, but there’s no question that oddsmakers have readjusted their position on the Cavs for a reason. This Bulls series is going to be a killer, far more challenging than whoever they meet in the Eastern Conference Finals should they survive. Considering they would start on the road regardless of who they would face in the championship round, I’ll continue to pass. As was the case in Miami, James’ first season after making waves with a change of scenery will come up short of a title.


Chicago (+1200): So much value here. Beating the vulnerable Cavs early in their series would bring this number plummeting, but if the Bulls manage to swipe homecourt advantage with an early win at the Q, they’ll have a chance to do something special. Injury concerns over whether Derrick Rose or Jimmy Butler will hold up weren’t completely eradicated in the first round, but both looked far better than expected. The layoff between games also means Joakim Noah is likely to get healthier the deeper we get into this, so sign me up for backing Chicago to get out of the East. Thanks to the friendly odds, that makes them the choice to try and cash in on come Finals given the potential return on the investment. Since the Cavs will be trying to figure things out minus Love and Smith over the first few games of this series, getting them out of the way now winds up working in Chicago’s favor, a nice reward for not tanking after they chose to play things straight up down the stretch rather than slipping to No. 4 in the East to avoid Cleveland. Expect more good fortune to be in store.


Houston (+1200): If they can overcome their free-throw shooting woes, the Rockets have a lot going for them. From James Harden’s scoring prowess and his ability to get to the line to how deadly and prolific they can be from 3-point range, they’ll never be out of any game. Dwight Howard looks like he’s back to 100 percent and has Finals experience, carrying the 2009 Orlando Magic to the promised land. His defense, ability to avoid foul trouble and yes, free-throw shooting, will all be critical factors. Jason Terry and Trevor Ariza have rings, making Houston the only team besides Cleveland who have multiple players that have won championships.


L.A. Clippers (+1500): Paul, that dream-crusher, is locked in. He’s the type of player who can will a team to a title, but his body has to cooperate. Considering his injured hamstring is a major legitimate concern, you’ll have to pump the brakes on making a move here until you see him moving around fluidly. The Clippers have no chance if he can’t get to 80 percent. DeAndre Jordan, like Howard, can change the game at both ends, but can also hurt his team at the stripe. Blake Griffin has put up great numbers, but hasn’t eased concerns that he comes up short in critical moments. Despite Doc Rivers being the most accomplished of any head coach left in the fight, L.A.’s lack of a bench and Paul’s injury make them a team to avoid in spite of their conquest of San Antonio.


Atlanta (+2000): There’s some value here in that the Hawks will probably not see better odds the rest of the way. If you take a shot, they could certainly reverse their deficit against Washington and would have homecourt advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals and against any team other than Golden State in the championship round. Kyle Korver and Jeff Teague have gone cold at an inopportune time, but when those guys are right, the Hawks execute at a level that should be feared.


Washington (+2200): Not to slight where they’ve gotten thus far, but it’s hard to imagine Randy Wittman hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy come June. This run will, however, do wonders for the confidence of key cogs John Wall, Bradley Beal and Marcin Gortat. Even with Paul Pierce still effectively draining clutch shots and supplying leadership, it’s hard to imagine the Wizards even reaching the NBA Finals, much less winning it all.


Memphis (+6000): Come back soon, Mike Conley! Without their starting point guard, the Grizzlies are staring a sweep in the face. There’s no question Memphis has championship-caliber pieces, but it can’t fall too far behind Golden State, a team it simply doesn’t match up well with. The odds are great, but friendly for a reason.

 

[CNOTES]

Cavs face big test in healthy Bulls


May 3, 2015


The Western Conference has managed to upstage its weaker counterpart for the better part of the last decade-plus and seems to be back at it. Since Michael Jordan’s departure from the Bulls, the East has lost 11 of 16 NBA Finals and needed Big 3s to form in Boston and Miami just to be competitive and enticing. Because of the Celtics and Heat, both teams the public enjoyed rooting against, the Eastern Conference has managed to stay relevant in spite of its inferiority.


There’s been far less venom directed at LeBron James’ return to Cleveland than his 2010 departure for Miami drew, but this season’s Cavs have still become a big draw, doubling as both the betting favorite to win the 2015 NBA Finals and the team television viewers most tune into watch. Despite finishing as the No. 2 seed behind Atlanta, they’re the “it” team, the brand-builder. In the chase for ratings, James’ Cavs will be counted on to make a run into June, which is what makes their upcoming series with Chicago so attractive.


The Cavaliers are in serious trouble. An early exit might await the "it" team.


Despite the absence of Kevin Love, Cleveland is still a significant favorite (-220) according to Sportsbook.ag, so there's now tremendous value in backing the Bulls (+185) in a spoiler role, especially since they will be the healthier group. Even with the Eastern Conference finals weeks away, this semifinal series may wind up being the one anybody remembers from the East portion of the postseason. Game 1 of Hawks/Wizards was entertaining, but no one walked away thinking, "those are two championship-caliber teams there."


While the better basketball will undoubtedly be played in the West as its elite field down to two, all eyes will be on Chicago-Cleveland throughout the next few weeks. The defending champion Spurs are gone. If the Bulls pull off the series upset, the Eastern Conference finals may see a steady ratings decline, especially since last year’s version between the Heat and Pacers delivered an intriguing matchup between teams that had become rivals.


Bulls/Hawks or Bulls/Wizards wouldn’t pack the same time of punch.


That’s going to bring out the conspiracy theorists who claim the NBA will steer the Cavs past Chicago at all costs, but we’re not endorsing fairy tales here. The fact is that circumstances have conspired to tie Cleveland’s hands some, doing significant enough damage that even a few friendly whistles may not make a difference.


While it’s true James piloted the Cavs on cruise control against Boston, he’s not going to have the help he envisioned once taking his energy level up a few notches. Sweeping the Celtics in a series that lacked much intrigue until the controversial Game 4 proved costly since the clincher was filled with injuries and cheap shots. Love got his shoulder caught up in an arm bar from Boston’s Kelly Olynyk as the two chased a rebound, leading to Kendrick Perkins and J.R. Smith retaliating later in the game.


Love will miss the series and the rest of the postseason. Smith is done for the first two games of the series, while Perkins avoided league discipline but will certainly be on a shorter leash going forward.


Without Love, Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson are now under pressure to not only increase their production, but to do so without landing in foul trouble. Life against Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson was already going to be complicated, but now it’s poised to potentially become a major weakness. Perkins was signed to play a role in Cleveland’s pursuit of a ring, but he’s more of an enforcer to be relied upon in short spurts as opposed to a key rotation player, which he now figures to be with Love out.


Kyrie Irving faces a much stiffer test against Derrick Rose, who actually looks like his former self. Check that. This version is shooting the long ball a lot better. Over the first four games of the Bucks series, dealing with the defense of long guard Michael Carter-Williams, Rose was 12-for-26 from 3-point range. He cooled off later in the series, but looks to be letting it fly with confidence. Irving has been a bright spot in his first postseason, but he’s never been a strong defender and faces a significant upgrade in the caliber of competition. While Iman Shumpert is sure to see significant time on Rose as well, the point is that Irving’s challenge intensifies at a time where he’s got to make sure James gets enough help. He shot just 38 percent in four regular-season meetings with the Bulls this season, the seventh-worst clip he’s shot against a team. Not having Smith early in the series also presses Matthew Dellavedova, Mike Miller or Shawn Marion into David Blatt's rotation, which comes with its own set of variables.


Finally, there’s James’ challenge. He’ll go from squaring off with Evan Turner and Jae Crowder to tangling with the supremely athletic Jimmy Butler at both ends of the court. If you hadn’t caught Butler’s act this season before these playoffs, you’re no longer wondering how he made the jump to All-Star, one that will also likely yield the Most Improved Player award. He scored over 30 points twice against Milwaukee and averaged 18.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in four games against the Cavs this season. Physically, he can make an impact against Jamesand poses a real threat to further cement household-name status as Paul George was once able to against James. It helps that LeBron will likely wear down having to play significant minutes at power forward so that the Cavs can have James Jones play the three and spread the floor the way Love did, especially without Smith available.


Although the Cavaliers have won 22 of their last 23 home games, being without two key players to open the series could put them in a vulnerable position right out of the gate. Even at full strength, this battle between teams that oddsmakers projected as the top two in the Eastern Conference before the season began was always going to be James’ biggest pre-Finals challenge. It’s here. It remains to be seen if the Cavs are truly ready.


There’s no question this Chicago-Cleveland series is going to be great. Enjoy it, because the East is unlikely to produce anything better.

 

[CNOTES]

LeBron to be more aggressive in Gm 2


May 5, 2015


INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) - LeBron James leaned against a padded basket stanchion and spun a ball on his index finger. As it rotated, his brain seemed to be turning just as quickly.


He's plotting his next move against the Bulls.


After losing Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series to Chicago, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers regrouped on Tuesday to watch film, work on outside shooting and devise a better defensive scheme to stop a pick-and-roll play the Bulls executed to near perfection during their 99-92 victory.


James came within one assist of a triple-double, but he wasn't happy with his performance, and with Cleveland missing starters Kevin Love and J.R. Smith, the four-time league MVP knows it's going to be up to him and All-Star guard Kyrie Irving to even the series Wednesday night.


''I've never went into a game saying, `OK I'm going to be ultra-aggressive,''' he said. ''I've always had to feel out things, but last night it was a little bit too much feel out. I only had two shots at one point. I was just not as aggressive offensively as I was defensively. We'll see. I think I may have to change my mindset a little bit with Kev being out.''


Playing their first game in eight days, the Cavs fell behind by 16 in the first half and rallied but failed to make plays down the stretch in the loss. Cleveland won't have Love for the remainder of the postseason and they'll again be without Smith, serving the second game of his league-imposed suspension.


James, who has beaten Chicago in three different postseason series and never lost, labeled Game 2 ''a game that we must have.''


''You can't go down 0-2 on your home floor,'' he said.


Forced to adjust his lineup and rotations, Cavs coach David Blatt started veteran forward Mike Miller with disastrous results. Miller couldn't guard Mike Dunleavy, who went 5-for-5 and scored 13 points in the first quarter, helping the Bulls blast to a 14-point lead. Miller contributed three points and five rebounds, but he recorded a plus-minus of minus-20 during 16 minutes.


Blatt said he's contemplating changes ''to get an edge'' but did not divulge any plans.


Cleveland's biggest adjustment needs to come on defense as Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol exploited the Cavs with a ''pick-and-pop'' play. Gasol set high screens for Rose, who either drove to the basket or passed the ball to the veteran forward. Gasol went 10 of 16 from the field and scored 21.


Blatt said there's 12 ways to defend a pick-and-roll, but the Cavs didn't find one that could stop Gasol, who was wide open on many of his shots.


''It wasn't miscommunication,'' James said when asked why the Cavs couldn't stop one of basketball's most basic plays. ''Some of it was some of our game plan, and some of it was we could've gave a better effort.''


As is always the case, James' effort was analyzed and criticized. Some fans and observers seemed to think he could have done more.


James went just 9-of-22 from the floor, but what most upset him was his six turnovers, including two in the final 4:30. There were times when he appeared passive on offense, but he also had to guard nearly every player in Chicago's lineup as the Cavs scrambled on defense against a Bulls team growing in confidence.


Blatt said all the Cavs need to step up their games, not just James.


''Overall we all have to do a better job offensively,'' he said. ''And I said this before at the start of the playoffs; it's not fair to put it all on one guy. Teams win and lose games and everyone has to give a little bit more at both ends of the court. Our margin for error is smaller and we have to make up for that with multiple effort on the part of everyone.''


The Bulls can sense that James may shift into another gear in Game 2.


They've seen it before.


''I think he's going to try and dictate the whole game from both sides of the ball,'' said Rose, whose right shoulder is fine after he sustained a ''stinger'' late in Game 1. ''That's something we have to be prepared for because he can actually do that.''

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Marlins (12-14) at Nationals (13-14)
Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: May 06, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

Though Max Scherzer has little to show for how well he's pitched, the right-hander isn't looking for sympathy.


His Washington Nationals teammates hope to provide more support as Scherzer tries to avoid matching a career high with his third straight losing start Wednesday against the visiting Miami Marlins.


Scherzer (1-3, 1.26 ERA) has the lowest ERA among NL starters but he's received two or fewer runs while on the mound in four of his five outings, including one total in the last two. According to his teammates, Scherzer hasn't complained about the lack of support.


"He is the last person who wants you to feel sorry for him," second baseman Dan Uggla told MLB's official website. "He is about the team. He is about winning and getting things going. It's not about his personal stats."


Pitching on seven days' rest because of a thumb issue, Scherzer allowed a solo homer and struck out 10 over seven innings of Friday's 4-0 loss to Matt Harvey and the New York Mets. The only other time he dropped three straight starts came in May 2010.


"We understand that he has pitched his (butt) off this year. It just so happens we haven't given him much run support," said Uggla, who's batting .204. "That's the way the game goes sometimes. It's not going to be like that all year. He knows that. We know that."


The Nationals (13-15) have been held to one run three times and shut out another over the last five contests. One night after recording 12 hits in Monday's 6-4 win over Miami (13-14), Washington managed three and went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position during a 2-1 defeat.


Wilson Ramos had two of those hits for the Nationals, who had won six of seven and remain concerned after right-hander Stephen Strasburg left with a shoulder issue after three innings Tuesday.


Hitless in six at_bats for the series, teammate Bryce Harper is 1 for 17 this month. He's 2 for 15 against Miami's Tom Koehler (2-2, 4.67), but one of those hits left the park.


The right-hander allowed six hits in 7 1-3 innings during an 8-0 win April 25 to improve to 3-3 and drop his ERA to 3.22 in six starts against the Nationals. He followed by giving up a three-run homer and three other hits in five innings while not factoring in the decision of Friday's 4-3 victory over Philadelphia.


Ichiro Suzuki recorded his fourth straight two-hit game against the Nationals and had an RBI on Tuesday for the Marlins, who have won four of the first five with Washington. The 41-year-old Suzuki hit .217 with one RBI mostly off the bench in the first 13 games, but is batting .327 with six RBIs over the last 14 while replacing the injured Christian Yelich.


Out since April 20 with a lower-back strain, Yelich could return for this week's four-game series at San Francisco.


"He's probably not far off," manager Mike Redmond said.


Suzuki is batting .361 while hitting safely in 19 of 20 career games against the Nationals, including 11 in a row. He's 3 for his last 6 versus Scherzer, whose only previous appearance versus Miami came in 2009 with Arizona.


Leading the majors with a .422 average and 22 for 40 (.550) during a 10-game hitting streak, Dee Gordon is 4 for 11 with a homer and a double against Scherzer.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Marlins at Nationals
Mon, May 4 Final 4 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Marlins at Nationals
Tue, May 5 - Final 2 - 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Marlins at Nationals
Wed, May 6 - 1:05PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Diamondbacks (10-14) at Rockies (11-13)
Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: May 06, 2015 6:40 PM EDT

The first two days of the Arizona Diamondbacks' series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field resulted in a lot of rain and no games.


They'll try to get in a full day of baseball Wednesday with a doubleheader scheduled, but with more rain in the forecast it's possible day No. 3 could end up like the first two.


Monday's game was called 2 hours, 30 minutes after it was supposed to begin and the teams didn't even bother waiting out the rain Tuesday, announcing the postponement 1 hour, 40 minutes before the scheduled first pitch.


It's possible the Diamondbacks (10-14) could leave Colorado without playing at all with rain expected the rest of the week. The last time an entire series of at least three games was postponed due to weather was April 6-9, 2007, when a four-game set between Seattle and Cleveland in Ohio was postponed.

'I don't mind one day off,' Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado said. 'Two, though, is frustrating.'


The Rockies (11-13) have already had three straight home games washed away by soggy conditions with an April 26 matchup against San Francisco postponed before a road trip.


Colorado opened the trek with a 5-4 win at Arizona on April 27 but has since been outscored 47-17 in losing five straight. Carlos Gonzalez is 3 for 17 with 10 strikeouts during the losing streak while Corey Dickerson is 3 for 21, dropping his average 46 points to .292.


Arizona has also been scuffling, losing three in a row and seven of nine, with its only wins coming over the Rockies. The Diamondbacks were shut out twice in getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend as A.J. Pollock was 1 for 13 in the series and Mark Trumbo went 1 for 12.


The consecutive postponements have given the pitching staffs some extended rest.


Arizona's Josh Collmenter (2-3, 2.76 ERA) and Colorado's Tyler Matzek (2-0, 2.70) were scheduled to start Monday and they're slated to go in Wednesday's opener.


Collmenter gave up an unearned run and five hits in eight innings of a 9-1 win over the Rockies last Wednesday.


'It's got to be hard. It's not easy,' Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said of the lengthy layoff between starts. '(Collmenter) is one guy we feel comfortable with being able to handle it the best. He's so easygoing and can make adjustments on the fly. We think he's OK doing this.'


Arizona has won the last four starts by Collmenter against Colorado, with the right-hander going 1-0 with a 3.08 ERA. However, he is 0-1 with a 5.49 ERA in four starts at Coors Field.


Matzek was on the mound for Colorado's last win, giving up two runs in five innings to improve to 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA in three career starts against Arizona. He left with cramping in his left hamstring, blaming the desert conditions for his exit after 80 pitches. The left-hander has had no setbacks in ensuing bullpen sessions.


In the second game, the Diamondbacks will call up Robbie Ray to face Jordan Lyles (2-2, 4.25).


Ray made his major league debut last season, going 1-4 with an 8.16 ERA in nine games - six starts - for Detroit. The left-hander was 1-3 with a 4.01 ERA in five starts for Triple-A Reno.


Not yet on the major league roster, Ray wasn't allowed to throw at Coors Field on Tuesday. Hale said he 'went to a park or maybe out in the street' to get in some throwing.


Lyles pitched opposite Collmenter last week, surrendering seven runs, eight hits and five walks in five innings. The right-hander, who had a 2.92 ERA in his first four starts, is 1-3 with a 7.07 ERA in seven versus Arizona.


Paul Goldschmidt is 5 for 11 against Lyles and 15 for 27 with a homer, four doubles and six RBIs in his last six games. He's reached base in his last 20 against the Rockies, batting .475 with five homers, 14 walks and 27 RBIs.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Rockies
Mon, May 4 - 8:40PM EDT RAIN OUT


GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Rockies
Tue, May 5 - 8:40PM EDT RAIN OUT


GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Rockies
Wed, May 6 - 6:40PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Yankees (16-10) at Blue Jays (13-14)
Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: May 06, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

CC Sabathia is mired in the longest winless stretch of his career, but that pales in comparison to Mark Buehrle's lifetime struggles against the New York Yankees.


Sabathia looks for his first victory in nine starts Wednesday night when he takes on the Toronto Blue Jays and Buehrle, who has one win in his career against New York - and it came 11 years ago.


Sabathia is 0-4 with a 5.40 ERA in five outings after having his 2014 season end in May due to right knee surgery. The left-hander went 0-2 with a 6.43 ERA in his final three starts a year ago.


As for Buehrle, he's 1-14 with a 6.21 ERA in 21 starts against the Yankees and 0-12 with a 7.27 ERA in 17 since beating them in April 2004 with the Chicago White Sox.


That 1-14 record is the worst by any active pitcher against any opponent with a minimum of 10 decisions, and since 1914 it's the fourth-worst against the Yankees with a minimum of 10 decisions.


Sabathia has actually pitched pretty well in three starts on the road, posting a 3.43 ERA after allowing two runs over six innings of a 3-2 win over Boston on Friday. He's got a 9.28 ERA in two outings at Yankee Stadium.


Sabathia is 4-0 with a 3.00 ERA in five starts in Toronto since joining the Yankees (17-10) in 2009. For his career, he's 7-1 with a 2.95 ERA in nine outings there and 15-5 with a 3.25 ERA in 21 overall matchups.


Buehrle (3-2, 6.75) is probably looking forward to pitching at home following a pair of rough road outings. The left-hander lost both of those starts by allowing 13 runs and 24 hits over 10 innings.


'His location's off, he's getting too much of the plate and that's not him,' manager John Gibbons said 'When he does that he's going to get hit.'


Buehrle has won both of his starts at home despite a 4.50 ERA, getting 11 runs of support in each. He ranks last in the majors with a 1.93 WHIP.


'I've had bad games before, I've had bad stretches,' he said. 'All you can do is keep battling and go out there for your next start.'


Buehrle has had trouble against Stephen Drew (8 for 19), Brian McCann (11 for 27) and Brett Gardner (12 for 32). They've all homered off him and Carlos Beltran has gone deep four times, but he's hitting .211 (12 for 57) in their matchups.


Jose Bautista is expected to return to the starting lineup for Toronto (13-15) after being rested Tuesday before walking as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of a 6-3 loss. He's 3 for 29 with 10 strikeouts against Sabathia.


Mark Teixeira hit his 10th home run and 373rd of his career Tuesday to tie Beltran for fourth all-time among switch hitters, and Jacoby Ellsbury remained hot with a 3-for-5 night.


Ellsbury is batting .514 with seven stolen bases during an eight-game hitting streak for New York, which has won 10 of 12 on the road and 14 of 18 overall.


"It's hard to imagine to be any hotter than he is, he's been amazing at the top of the order," manager Joe Girardi said.


Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run double to pass Willie Mays and move into a tie with Ken Griffey Jr. for 43rd on the all-time list with 524. Rodriguez remains tied with Mays for fourth all-time with 660 homers.


Russell Martin homered for Toronto in the ninth, giving him three in a four-game stretch in which he's 9 for 15.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Yankees at Blue Jays
Mon, May 4 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Yankees at Blue Jays
Tue, May 5 - Final 6 - 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Yankees at Blue Jays
Wed, May 6 - 7:07PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Reds (12-13) at Pirates (12-13)
Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: May 06, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Good things come in fours for Gerrit Cole, but there's yet to be a high five.


Looking to continue his fast start, Cole again tries to be a stopper in his latest bid to win a career-high fifth consecutive start Wednesday night when the Pittsburgh Pirates continue their series against the Cincinnati Reds.


The NL pitcher of the month for April, Cole (4-0, 1.76 ERA) burst onto the scene in 2013 by winning his first four starts after a June call-up. He also won his last four starts of that season and put together a four-start victory streak in the stretch run last year as the Pirates claimed a wild-card berth for the second straight season.


Cole began his current streak after his season debut April 8 against Cincinnati, when he yielded three runs and five hits - one being the only homer he's allowed thus far - in five innings of a 5-4, 11-inning loss. The right-hander has a 1.05 ERA during his run after limiting the Chicago Cubs to an unearned run in six innings of an 8-1 victory last Wednesday to help Pittsburgh avoid a sweep.


"He's a gamer," center fielder Andrew McCutchen told MLB's official website after that win. "He's going to give you everything he's got. That's what he does."


Cole has limited opponents to a .198 batting average and three extra-base hits. He's shut down teams the first two times through the lineup - opponents are 14 for 82 (.171) with 27 strikeouts.


"The fastball and the way he commands it makes him dynamic," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He wants to be a master craftsman out on the mound, and that's what he has been."


Pittsburgh (12-14) has dropped four straight since Cole last pitched and six of seven overall after a 7-1 defeat Tuesday. The Pirates have totaled seven runs in those losses while going 3 for 32 with runners in scoring position.


Cincinnati (13-13) will again try to get over the .500 mark for the first time since owning an 8-7 record April 22. Marlon Byrd and Todd Frazier homered as each of the top five hitters in the Reds' lineup had multihit games. Frazier - tied or the NL lead with nine homers - has fared well against Cole, going 3 for 9 with two homers, and Byrd is 2 for 7.


'It's the toughest time since I turned things back around two years ago,' said Byrd, who has raised his average 30 points to .193 the last two games. 'I've been putting in a lot of time in with (hitting coach) Don Long and things are slowly starting to come around.'


Mike Leake (1-1, 3.03) has also hit Cole well, going 2 for 4 with a homer and a double, and he leads all pitchers with 70 hits since 2010. While being able to help himself offensively is a bonus, the right-hander is coming off his best start of the season after allowing two hits and two walks in eight scoreless innings of a 5-1 victory over Atlanta on Thursday.


'It's fun not feeling the ball come off your bat, but my job's to pitch,' Leake said after hitting his fifth career homer.


Leake pitched opposite Cole last month, conceding three runs and five hits while walking six in 5 2-3 innings.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Reds at Pirates
Tue, May 5 - Final 7 - 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Reds at Pirates
Wed, May 6 - 7:05 EDT


GAME 3
Reds at Pirates
Thu, May 7 - 7:05PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rays (14-12) at Red Sox (12-14)
Game: 3
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: May 06, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Justin Masterson has endured his share of problems against the Tampa Bay Rays.


His Boston Red Sox are about to get their first look at a pitcher they've never seen - one who has never lost on the road.


Masterson will square off against Alex Colome in Wednesday night's series finale at Fenway Park.


Masterson's career 6.83 regular-season ERA against the Rays is his worst against any AL club. Tampa Bay has been a nemesis for him as well in the postseason, eliminating his clubs in 2008 and 2013.


The right-hander is 2-6 with a 7.07 ERA in 10 career starts against the Rays. Evan Longoria has the most experience against him among Tampa Bay hitters, going 7 for 23 with a homer in regular-season play.


David DeJesus (2 for 11), Asdrubal Cabrera (3 for 5) and James Loney (0 for 2) are the only other available Tampa Bay hitters who have faced Masterson.


That's more experience than Boston (13-14) has versus Colome, who has never faced a Red Sox hitter and is 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA in four career road starts.


That does not include the right-hander's "road" outing Friday at home against the Orioles in which he worked five innings in a 2-0 victory in a contest moved to Tampa Bay due to the unrest in Baltimore. Colome made his season debut after being reinstated from the 15-day disabled list after he was hospitalized during spring training with pneumonia.


"I can't wait to see him again next time," manager Kevin Cash told MLB's official website.


Masterson (2-0, 4.71 ERA) yielded two runs over six-plus innings in Friday's 3-2 home defeat to the New York Yankees.


These teams split two games to start this series, with Tampa Bay (14-13) winning 5-1 on Monday and Boston ending a four-game slide the next night with a 2-0 victory.


The Red Sox are without Hanley Ramirez, who sprained his left shoulder running into a wall Monday and won't be back until Friday at the earliest. Ramirez's 10 homers are double the total of anyone else on the club.


Allen Craig started in his place and went 1 for 2 with a walk to increase his average to .163.


Mookie Betts was Tuesday's hitting star with his first career multihomer effort. He is 11 for 33 with eight RBIs in his last eight games.


"I think we just needed a win," he said. "But a win like this was huge."


Pablo Sandoval is hitless in eight at_bats in this series and 2 for 20 against the Rays this year while David Ortiz is 3 for 19 in the season series.


Dustin Pedroia went 0 for 3 with a walk Tuesday after batting .400 during an eight-game hitting streak.


DeJesus is 4 for 8 in this series and Steven Souza Jr. is 4 for 7 for Tampa Bay, which has totaled 15 runs in a 3-5 stretch.


Longoria recorded his 1,000th hit Tuesday and is in third place in franchise history, 16 behind Ben Zobrist.


"That's pretty cool," Cash said. "Hopefully he gets another thousand in that time frame. He's a pretty impressive baseball player."


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rays at Red Sox
Mon, May 4 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rays at Red Sox
Tue, May 5 - Final 0 - 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Rays at Red Sox
Wed, May 6 - 7:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Phillies (10-17) at Braves (12-14)
Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 06, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Mike Foltynewicz's season debut was a hit, but he's seeking improvement.


He'll try to help the Braves get back to .500 by concluding this three-game set with the Philadelphia Phillies with back-to-back wins Wednesday night.


Atlanta (12-14) acquired Foltynewicz - a first-round draft pick in 2010 - in a five-player trade with Houston in the offseason, and he overcame some early jitters to win his Braves debut Friday.


The right-hander gave up two runs in a 28-pitch first inning before settling down to yield one unearned over the next four in a 4-3 win over Cincinnati. He also helped himself with a two-run double. The performance was much better than spring training, during which he went 0-2 with a 5.84 ERA that led to him starting the year at Triple-A Gwinnett.


"The dream about just pitching in the major leagues and getting a win is pretty incredible," said Foltynewicz, who claimed his last at-bat was in high school. "My teammates and I celebrated. It was pretty fun. It's awesome."


Foltynewicz, though, feels he need to improve his wind up and delivery, alluding to the five stolen bases he allowed - three in the opening inning.


"The turn at the top of the rotation - it's just kind of helping me to stay back and don't rush," he said. "But sometimes things get amped up in the game and I rush a little bit."


He allowed two runs and four hits in the final two innings of a 10-3 loss at Philadelphia (10-18) on Aug. 6.


Foltynewicz could gain some inspiration from Shelby Miller's performance from Tuesday. The right-hander tossed 99 pitches in a three-hitter while the offense pounded out 12 hits in a 9-0 win over the Phillies.


Freddie Freeman is batting .436 with 10 runs in 10 games, going 6 for 12 with four RBIs over the last three. He hit a two-run homer in the first inning Tuesday and finished with three hits and three runs.


The Phillies, who are 4-12 on the road, are 3-6 heading into the finale of this 10-game trip.


They're turning to Jerome Williams (2-1, 4.08), who has been much better at home than on the road.


The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA in three home starts, compared to 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA over two as the visitor. He gave up three runs and seven hits while failing to reach the sixth on the road again and not getting a decision in Friday's 4-3 loss at Miami.


Williams' home success includes a 5-4 win over Atlanta on April 26, allowing three runs and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings. It was his first win over the Braves since August 2005 with the Chicago Cubs, going 0-3 with a 7.50 ERA in four starts in between.


He'll try to do a better job versus Freeman, who had two doubles last month and is 3 for 6 lifetime, while Kelly Johnson is 9 for 23 (.391) against Williams.


Johnson has three homers among his last five hits and eight RBIs over the past five games, connecting for a three-run shot on Tuesday to go with a bases-loaded walk




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Phillies at Braves
Mon, May 4 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Phillies at Braves
Tue, May 5 - Final 5 - 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Phillies at Braves
Wed, May 6 - 7:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Orioles (12-11) at Mets (16-10)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 06, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The New York Mets are hoping their offense is back on track, and they'd like to see Jacob deGrom do likewise at home.


DeGrom attempts to bounce back from his worst performance at Citi Field and help the Mets to the longest active winning streak by an NL team over an AL one in interleague play Wednesday night against the Baltimore Orioles.


New York (17-10) snapped a 21-inning scoreless streak with a three-run fourth inning in Tuesday's 3-2 win over Baltimore (12-12) in the opener of this two-game set. The seven hits - three of them doubles - were a relief after the Mets totaled 11 while losing back-to-back 1-0 games to Washington last weekend.


The Mets are looking for deGrom (2-3, 3.34 ERA) to regroup after giving up five runs in 5 1-3 innings of an 8-2 loss to Washington on Thursday. Last year's NL Rookie of the Year had gone 7-0 with a 0.95 ERA over his eight previous outings at Cit Field.


Manager Terry Collins, though, isn't concerned about the right-hander.


"You hate to admit it, but it's a great experience for him," Collins told MLB's official website. "He's got to learn to slow himself down and make pitches count when he needs to, and you can't rush the game. You got to let it come to you a little bit. I'm not too worried about it."


DeGrom has lost two of three interleague starts behind a 3.79 ERA and gave up six runs and three homers in five innings of a 6-1 loss to the New York Yankees on April 24.


New York, though, has won seven straight meetings with the Orioles for the longest interleague winning streak in franchise history. It's also tied with Milwaukee's run against Cleveland for the longest active by an NL team.


Daniel Murphy went 2 for 3 with an RBI on Tuesday, giving him a .353 average (12 for 34) while driving in nine runs over the past nine games.


The Orioles have won five of seven games during a stretch that's been interrupted and adjusted due to the riots in Baltimore.


Ubaldo Jimenez (2-1, 1.59) was on the mound for the most bizarre game over that stretch, allowing two unearned runs in seven innings of an 8-2 win over the Chicago White Sox last Wednesday in an empty Camden Yards that was closed to the public due to safety concerns.


"We all know everything the city is going through," Jimenez said. "So that's something you put in your mind, you have to go out there and do something that would be good for the fans."


Jimenez hasn't allowed an earned run in 14 innings while winning two home starts, but the right-hander is 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA in two road games.


He's 0-2 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts at New York, losing the most recent with Colorado on Aug. 10, 2010.


It's unclear if Steve Pearce will be in the Orioles' lineup after missing one game with a stomach bug. He's 4 for 21 in nine meetings with the Mets.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Orioles at Mets
Tue, May 5 - Final 2 - 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Orioles at Mets
Wed, May 6 - 7:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Tigers (17-9) at White Sox (8-14)
Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: May 06, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Jeff Samardzija delivered a sorely needed well-pitched game for the Chicago White Sox in the opener of this three-game series.


They could use another from Chris Sale on Wednesday night against the visiting Detroit Tigers, whom the left-hander has defeated more than any other pitcher since 2013.


The White Sox (9-14) had scored 10 runs while losing a season-worst five straight, though they hadn't been given much of a chance by their starters, who posted a 9.97 ERA.


Samardzija's gem might be a turning point. He limited Detroit to two runs over seven innings in a 5-2 victory Tuesday, knocking the Tigers from atop the AL Central.


"We just needed to regroup and understand that we have a great team here and we just need to go out and do what we do," Samardzija said. "We came out and played a strong game."


Sale (2-1, 5.32 ERA) is coming off an ERA-inflating outing, allowing eight earned runs over three innings - both tying career worsts - in Thursday's 12-2 loss at Minnesota. He had been essentially the only reliable cog in Chicago's rotation through his first three starts, holding opponents to five runs over 19 innings.


"I didn't put guys away when I should have or had the chance," he said. "Hitting is contagious. You give a team like that energy, and they're going to roll with it. And that's what they did."


His track record suggests he'll be much better against Detroit. He has turned in nine straight quality starts, going 4-1 with a 1.78 ERA in the last seven. His five victories against the division rival since 2013 are the most in baseball and only Kansas City's Jeremy Guthrie has more than three.


The Tigers (17-10) have slowed down offensively, scoring two runs or fewer in four of five after averaging 4.9 runs previously.


"We hit some balls pretty hard that got caught," manager Brad Ausmus said. "Sometimes, you lose, sometimes you beat yourself, sometimes they beat you and tonight, they just beat us."


Miguel Cabrera was hitless for the third time in four games and hasn't fared well against Sale, going 7 for 32 with 12 strikeouts. Victor Martinez is hitting .203 but is 15 for 32 with three homers and three doubles off Sale.


Alfredo Simon (4-1, 3.13) is hoping to shake a disastrous showing of his own Thursday at Kansas City. The right-hander gave up six runs over 4 1-3 innings of an 8-1 loss after yielding five runs over 27 1-3 while winning his first four starts.


Simon hasn't faced the White Sox since 2010, posting an 8.31 ERA in four relief appearances with Baltimore that season.


The end of the White Sox's losing streak didn't mean the end of their poor defensive play. They committed three errors two days after being charged with four against Minnesota.


"You have to be able to clean it up to win consistently," manager Robin Ventura said. "That's never going to change. No team stays that consistent if you can't clean up your defense."


Jose Iglesias was a late scratch for the Tigers due to groin tightness, which caused him to leave Sunday's 6-4 win at Kansas City. The shortstop, who is 3 for 16 over his last six games, could be back as soon as Wednesday.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Tigers at White Sox
Tue, May 5 - Final 2 - 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Tigers at White Sox
Wed, May 6 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Tigers at White Sox
Thu, May 7 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Indians (9-15) at Royals (16-9)
Game: 2
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: May 06, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Cleveland Indians have lost more games to left-handed starters than anyone else and face another one Wednesday night.


They'll try to hand Danny Duffy his first home defeat in nine starts and even this three-game series against the Kansas City Royals.


The Royals' Jason Vargas allowed two runs over six innings in Tuesday's 5-3 victory to drop Cleveland (9-16) to 2-9 against left-handed starters. The Indians totaled four hits.


Kansas City (17-9) is 3-0 at home in games started by Duffy (2-0, 3.45 ERA), who allowed one run over seven-plus innings in Thursday's 8-1 rout of Detroit at Kauffman Stadium. He is 2-0 with a 2.72 ERA in his last eight home starts.


Duffy went 1-1 with a 1.75 ERA in four 2014 starts versus the Indians, with Mike Aviles, Jason Kipnis, Michael Bourn and Lonnie Chisenhall going a combined 4 for 34 in their matchups. Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana each went 5 for 13.


Cleveland manager Terry Francona didn't start Bourn on Tuesday while facing a left-hander and isn't planning to start him in this contest. Bourn is batting .189 against lefties.


The decision to sit Bourn is in part because the Indians activated Nick Swisher, who went 0 for 4 and struck out to end the game in his season debut after being out due to knee surgery.


Kansas City will welcome back Lorenzo Cain, who has finished serving a two-game suspension for his role in a brawl with the Chicago White Sox. He leads the club with a .333 average.


Cain is also known for making spectacular catches in the outfield and the Royals turned in several such plays Tuesday.


'We hit some balls real well,' Francona said, 'but their outfield catches everything, almost.'


The Royals' bullpen tops the majors with a 1.08 ERA and will receive a boost Wednesday with the return of Greg Holland, who has been out since April 17 with a right pectoral strain.


"He's fine and he's ready to go," manager Ned Yost told MLB's official website.


Wade Davis has been the closer in Holland's absence, recording his sixth save Tuesday.


Cleveland is 3-0 when Carlos Carrasco (3-2, 4.98) starts at Kansas City and 0-4 when he starts against the Royals at home. The right-hander, who is 2-0 with a 4.08 ERA in those starts at Kauffman Stadium, gave up four runs in six innings Friday to get credit for a 9-4 victory over Toronto.


Alex Gordon is 2 for 17 off Carrasco and Cain and Salvador Perez are each 2 for 10. Eric Hosmer, who homered and drove in four runs Tuesday, is 3 for 9.


Hosmer has hit safely in 12 straight starts against the Indians, going 18 for 53 with 13 RBIs.


The Royals lead the majors with a .293 average.


"We've got good hitters," Yost said. "And when you've got good hitters, they'll put together nice innings and more consistently than we have in a long, long time."


Brantley hit a two-run homer Tuesday and is 9 for 19 with eight RBIs in his last five games.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Indians at Royals
Tue, May 5 - Final 3 - 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Indians at Royals
Wed, May 6 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Indians at Royals
Thu, May 7 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Dodgers (16-9) at Brewers (8-18)
Game: 3
Venue: Miller Park
Date: May 06, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

As the Milwaukee Brewers hope for better days under their new manager, the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to show why it's hard to keep them down for too long.


The visiting Dodgers look to continue their surge Wednesday night against the Brewers.


One night after Los Angeles' four-game winning streak ended with a 4-3 loss in the opener of this four-game series, it bounced back to win 8-2 on Tuesday. Justin Turner recorded three of his four RBIs on a sixth-inning homer and Zack Greinke yielded an unearned run over 7 2-3 innings for his 10th straight winning decision as the Dodgers (17-9) won for the eighth time in 11 games.


The Dodgers have scored at least eight runs four times in 10 contests, and Turner has hit all four of his home runs and recorded nine of his 10 RBIs in his last six.


"Most days we shoot for four (runs), and with our pitching staff that sounds pretty good," first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. "If we add more there's a really good chance we're gonna win."


Gonzalez and Jimmy Rollins each hit two-run homers as Los Angeles handed Craig Counsell his first defeat in his second game since replacing Ron Roenicke as Milwaukee manager.


The loss snapped a season-high three-game winning streak for the Brewers (8-19), whose owner Mark Attanasio spoke Tuesday in support of general manager Doug Melvin's decision to fire Roenicke.


'Doug Melvin came to me on the off day and said he was thinking seriously that we needed a manager change, so we did our evaluation in a short period of time to make a decision, and decided to move forward with Craig," Attanasio said.


Aramis Ramirez had two of Milwaukee's three hits and an RBI. He's batting .417 with seven RBIs in his last seven games.


Teammate Wily Peralta (0-4, 4.35 ERA) is trying to avoid losing five straight starts for the first time, but he's allowed three runs over his last two and hasn't received one run of support over 19 innings in the past three. Peralta's 0.87 run-support average is the lowest among all qualifying starters.


The right-hander gave up a home run over six innings of Friday's 1-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs. He's 2-1 with a 4.61 ERA against Los Angeles.


As the Dodgers look to give Carlos Frias an extra day of rest, Joe Wieland will make his season debut Wednesday. The right-hander was 3-0 with a 3.60 ERA in four starts for Triple-A Oklahoma City after going 1-0 with a 7.15 ERA in four games - two starts - with San Diego last season.


Wieland took tips from ace Clayton Kershaw during spring training on how to prepare for his starts.


"I saw what he did to get ready and copied it all," Wieland told MLB's official website. "If it works for him, he's got to be doing something right."


In his only appearance against Milwaukee on April 30, 2012, Wieland allowed five runs and two homers to Ryan Braun over five innings while striking out eight during an 8-3 loss.


Gonzalez has 10 home runs and 27 RBIs while hitting .404 in 26 games at Miller Park - the highest average among those with at least 75 at_bats there.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Dodgers at Brewers
Mon, May 4 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Dodgers at Brewers
Tue, May 5 - Final 8 - 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Dodgers at Brewers
Wed, May 6 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Dodgers at Brewers
Thu, May 7 - 1:40PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Athletics (11-16) at Twins (14-12)
Game: 3
Venue: Target Field
Date: May 06, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Oakland Athletics cooled off the Minnesota Twins' surging offense behind a dominant pitching performance in the middle game of this four-game series.


Scott Kazmir looks capable of keeping the Twins in check, though his teammates will have to help end his hard luck in order for the Athletics to win back-to-back games for the first time in three weeks.


Kazmir takes the mound Wednesday night at Target Field, where the improved Kyle Gibson continues to shine.


The Athletics (12-16) had scored exactly seven runs in four straight games, losing Monday's series opener 8-7. Though their lineup was quiet Tuesday with Josh Reddick's hitting streak snapped at 12 games, Jesse Chavez limited the Twins to an unearned run over 7 1-3 innings as the A's won 2-1.


Minnesota (14-13) had hit .350 while averaging 7.8 runs during a five-game winning streak. The Twins moved the tying run to third base with one out in the eighth but Torii Hunter struck out before a Joe Mauer flyout. Kennys Vargas was 0 for 4 after four multihit efforts in five games.


"We had been rolling pretty good offensively. I don't know if he took it personally or what, but he went out there and threw a lot of fastballs," manager Paul Molitor said of Chavez. "Had good command, had it moving in both directions."


Kazmir (2-0, 1.62 ERA) continues to impress, though the offense hasn't shown up behind him recently. He's winless in his last three starts, getting two runs of support over 20 1-3 innings. Oakland didn't back him with any runs before he exited after allowing three runs in six innings of Friday's 7-5 victory at Texas.


The left-hander has received plenty of run support in the past against Minnesota, however. He's 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA in his last 10 meetings while being backed by an average of 6.13 runs. The A's supplied him with 14 runs over 12 2-3 innings in two victories last year.


Gibson (2-2, 3.56) owns a 2.03 ERA since giving up six runs in his first start at Detroit. After an erratic first two seasons with a 15-16 record and 4.92 ERA, the 2009 first-round pick might finally be proving his worth as a late bloomer.


The 27-year-old right-hander enjoyed one of the best outings of his career Friday, yielding four hits over eight innings in a 1-0 victory against the Chicago White Sox.


"There's times where when I execute I'm pretty confident," he said.


Gibson is 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA over his last four home starts dating to last season, though he's never faced the A's there. He dropped his only outing in Oakland on Aug. 8 after allowing six runs, five hits and five walks over five-plus innings.


Recent callup Billy Burns continued to be a spark at the top of the Oakland lineup, going 2 for 5 on Tuesday to improve to 7 for 19 in four games. He might be out of a roster spot Wednesday, though, with fellow center fielder Coco Crisp expected to make his season debut after undergoing elbow surgery last month. Crisp hit .246 and stole 19 bases in 126 games last year.






SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Athletics at Twins
Mon, May 4 Final 7 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Athletics at Twins
Tue, May 5 - Final 2 - 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Athletics at Twins
Wed, May 6 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Athletics at Twins
Thu, May 7 - 1:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rangers (9-16) at Astros (18-8)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 06, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Kyle Blanks is giving the Texas Rangers some pop at the plate, and impressive pitching has them on the verge of their first series sweep of the season.


Giving the ball to Colby Lewis against the Houston Astros is usually an ideal option.


The Rangers are looking for Lewis to re-establish his dominance of the Astros in the finale of this three-game Lone Star Series on Wednesday night.


Blanks is 9 for 23 (.391) with three homers and five RBIs in six games since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock to replace the injured Mitch Moreland.


He's collected four hits in this series, connecting for a solo homer among his three in Tuesday's 7-1 win at Houston (18-9).


The Rangers' arms are also helping, as Wandy Rodriguez combined with Shawn Tolleson on a three-hitter Tuesday. That came after Ross Detwiler and two relievers held the Astros to four hits in a 2-1 win.


"We knew that we weren't going to go all year without putting back-to-back wins together," first-year manager Jeff Banister said. "You'd like to have it happen earlier, but we'll take it anytime we can get it."


Texas' last series sweep came in three home meetings with Houston in September.


Lewis (1-2, 3.00 ERA) is 4-0 with a 1.73 ERA over his last six starts against the Astros, winning all three of his starts in Houston behind a 1.33 ERA.


The right-hander, though, wasn't that effective at home against the intrastate rival April 12, giving up four runs and two homers in 7 1-3 innings of a 6-4 loss in 14. That outing opened a four-game stretch during which Lewis has gone 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA, with each contests ending in a loss for Texas (10-16).


Lewis was on his way to a victory Friday, yielding two hits with eight strikeouts in six innings as Texas built a 5-0 lead. However, his relievers were hammered during a seven-run eighth in a 7-5 loss to Oakland.


"It was a rare game for them," Lewis told MLB's official website.


The Astros own the best record in the AL, but they're trying to avoid their longest slide of the season after winning 10 in a row.


Jose Altuve batted .455 with 11 RBIs and 10 runs during that streak, but he's gone 1 for 7 in this series and grounded out with the bases loaded Tuesday.


Despite his performance so far through this series, the All-Star second baseman is a .356 career hitter at home against the Rangers. He's also 5 for 14 (.357) versus Lewis.


Samuel Deduno (0-0, 2.70) is getting a second chance to prove he deserves a regular spot in the rotation after Asher Wojciechowski was demoted to Triple-A Fresno last week.


Deduno, who made his first five appearances of the season out of the bullpen, yielded one run and three hits with four strikeouts in four innings of a 4-3 win over Seattle on Friday.


"This is like a new opportunity," Deduno said. "This is a good team, a winning team, and I have to be good, too, to stay in the starting rotation."


Deduno is 0-1 with an 8.04 ERA in three career starts versus Texas, but he tossed a scoreless 14th to get his first career save April 12.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rangers at Astros
Mon, May 4 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores


GAME 2
Rangers at Astros
Tue, May 5 - Final 7 - 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Rangers at Astros
Wed, May 6 - 8:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cubs (13-11) at Cardinals (19-6)
Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: May 06, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

Jon Lester's tenure with the Chicago Cubs started on the wrong foot on opening night against the St. Louis Cardinals.


After finally finding his bearings with his new club, the left-hander is likely relishing another shot at his new division rival - and ending St. Louis' longest winning streak in five years would be an especially satisfying revenge.


He'll try to stabilize Chicago's struggling rotation Wednesday night at Busch Stadium.


Lester (1-2, 4.71 ERA) appears to be turning the corner after initially failing to deliver on the big expectations that came with his $155 million deal signed in December. He posted a 6.23 ERA in four April starts before earning his first victory against Milwaukee on Friday, scattering three hits over seven innings and retiring 15 of the final 16 batters he faced in a 1-0 win.


"This is a big day for me personally," Lester said. "I think it always goes back to your first start in spring training, your first start of the season, get that first 'W.' Obviously you would have liked it to happen a little while ago, but that's not the case ... We'll celebrate this."


Lester's tough April might not have been entirely surprising given his history. He owns a 4.05 ERA in March and April compared to a 3.51 mark in all other months.


St. Louis was the first early speed bump, reaching him for three runs and eight hits over 4 1-3 innings in a 3-0 opening night win. It was Lester's shortest outing in 20 starts.


The Cubs' rotation has been dreadful since Lester's last turn, recording a 7.29 ERA during a four-game losing streak. Kyle Hendricks was tagged for four runs over five innings for Chicago (13-12) in Tuesday's 7-4 loss.


"We're not pitching to all of our capabilities," manager Joe Maddon said. "Some guys are pitching really well, but I think there's another gear."


The Cardinals (20-6) came from behind for the fifth straight game to extend their winning streak to eight and improve upon the best start in modern franchise history. They went ahead on Mark Reynolds' sixth-inning pinch-hit double, a night after he was 2 for 3 with a grand slam.


This run is St. Louis' longest since 2010, and the club hasn't won nine in a row since Aug. 27-Sept. 5, 2004.


"I don't think there's anyone in this clubhouse that doesn't think we're going to win every night," Reynolds said.


Lance Lynn (1-2, 3.07) lost the second game of last month's series despite only giving up an earned run and two hits while striking out nine over six-plus innings in a 2-0 defeat. The right-hander struggled in his second loss on April 26 at Milwaukee, yielding six runs, but bounced back to fan 10 over seven innings in St. Louis' 2-1 win over Pittsburgh on Friday.


Lynn is 1-3 in his last five starts versus the Cubs, but 4-1 with a 1.41 ERA in six career home meetings.


Jason Heyward is 14 for 33 (.424) with 10 runs during an eight-game hitting streak against the Cubs and 7 for 12 off Lester with a home run and four doubles. Matt Holliday is 17 for 37 in his last nine matchups.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Cubs at Cardinals
Mon, May 4 Final 9 to 10
Boxscores


GAME 2
Cubs at Cardinals
Tue, May 5 - Final 4 - 7
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Cubs at Cardinals
Wed, May 6 - 8:15PM EDT


GAME 4
Cubs at Cardinals
Thu, May 7 - 1:45PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Padres (14-13) at Giants (13-13)
Game: 3
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 06, 2015 3:45 PM EDT

Rookie Chris Heston is next in line as the San Francisco Giants try to match a franchise record with a fourth consecutive shutout.


The Giants are enjoying win streaks of five straight overall and eight in a row at home and send Heston to the mound Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep of the San Diego Padres.


San Francisco (14-13) can match the franchise record set from June 25-28, 2012, if it posts another shutout. Heston, who is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in three home starts, has some tough acts to follow in the Giants' rotation.


This shutout streak began Sunday when Tim Lincecum worked eight innings in a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. San Diego (14-14) was then blanked 2-0 on Monday when Madison Bumgarner went 7 1-3 innings and 6-0 on Tuesday when the previously struggling Ryan Vogelsong lasted seven.


"It's good to see these guys starting to get locked in and that's a good offensive club we're going against too and it's all about making your pitches and these guys have been doing that," manager Bruce Bochy said.


Heston (2-2, 2.51 ERA) made his first major league start in the 2014 regular-season finale against the Padres, allowing three runs over four innings in a 9-3 home victory.


The right-hander appears to be a far better pitcher this year, earning a spot in the rotation after posting a 2.40 spring ERA.


Heston did not get a decision Friday after allowing one run over 6 1-3 innings in a 3-2 victory over the Angels that began the overall winning streak.


The Giants won Tuesday without Angel Pagan, who leads the team with a .350 average but was scratched with a cut on his middle finger. The injury occurred Monday when Pagan stole second and his finger was stepped on.


Brandon Crawford had three hits and scored twice and Brandon Belt also scored twice. Pagan is day to day.


"Pagan needed a day and guys picked it up offensively," Bochy said.


Padres starter Ian Kennedy (1-1, 7.11) will face the Giants for the first time since suffering a strained left hamstring that forced him to leave after 2 1-3 innings in a 1-0, 12-inning loss in the home opener April 9. Kennedy has made two starts since returning, yielding five homers and 10 runs over 10 1-3 innings.


Among the 43 hitters who have made at least 20 plate appearances against the right-hander, Buster Posey is batting .405 (15 for 37) for the second-best mark versus Kennedy. Belt is 8 for 25 with 10 strikeouts in this matchup.


Kennedy has faced the Giants more than any opponent, going 9-4 with a 2.48 ERA in 21 starts.


The Padres could give catcher Austin Hedges his first career start in place of Derek Norris. Hedges, a highly regarded prospect, was recalled from the minors Monday and struck out as a pinch-hitter against Bumgarner in his big league debut.


San Diego has gone 20 innings without scoring. Norris and Matt Kemp are each 0 for 8 in this series, Will Middlebrooks is 0 for 6 and Wil Myers is 0 for 7 in his last two games.


The Giants are on their longest home win streak since a 10-game run Aug. 26-Sept.12.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Padres at Giants
Mon, May 4 Final 0 to 2
Boxscores


GAME 2
Padres at Giants
Tue, May 5 Final 0 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Padres at Giants
Wed, May 6 - 3:45PM EDT