Cnotes Best Bets ForTuesiday April 21st - MLB - NBA -NHL !

[CNOTES]

MLB MONEYLINE


MLB > (953) ST LOUIS@ (954) WASHINGTON | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST ST LOUIS using the money line in Road games when playing with a day off
The record is 5 Wins and 18 Losses for the last three seasons (-15.5 units)

MLB > (965) BALTIMORE@ (966) TORONTO | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON BALTIMORE using the money line in Road games against division opponents
The record is 29 Wins and 16 Losses for the last two seasons (+19 units)


MLB > (969) BOSTON@ (970) TAMPA BAY | 04/21/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play AGAINST TAMPA BAY using the money line in All games in home games
The record is 37 Wins and 50 Losses for the last two seasons (-30.55 units)


MLB RUNLINE




MLB > (953) ST LOUIS@ (954) WASHINGTON | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST ST LOUIS using the in Road games after a win
The record is 31 Wins and 60 Losses for the last three seasons (-40.4 units)


MLB TOTALS




MLB > (975) OAKLAND@ (976) LA ANGELS | 04/21/2015 - 10:05 PM
Play OVER OAKLAND on the total in All games in April games
The record is 46 Overs and 22 Unders for the last three seasons (+24.1 units)




MLB TOP POWERLINES


MLB > (955) CHICAGO CUBS @ (956) PITTSBURGH | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: PITTSBURGH -160 BTB PowerLine: PITTSBURGH -197
Edge On: PITTSBURGH (37)


MLB > (951) MIAMI @ (952) PHILADELPHIA | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: PHILADELPHIA +115 BTB PowerLine: PHILADELPHIA -111
Edge On: PHILADELPHIA (26)


MLB > (957) ATLANTA @ (958) NY METS | 04/21/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: NY METS -165 BTB PowerLine: NY METS -183
Edge On: NY METS (18)


MLB > (961) SAN DIEGO @ (962) COLORADO | 04/21/2015 - 08:40 PM
Line: COLORADO -125 BTB PowerLine: COLORADO -146
Edge On: COLORADO (21)


MLB > (977) HOUSTON @ (978) SEATTLE | 04/21/2015 - 10:10 PM
Line: SEATTLE -110 BTB PowerLine: SEATTLE 168
Edge On: SEATTLE (58)


MLB > (963) LA DODGERS @ (964) SAN FRANCISCO | 04/21/2015 - 10:15 PM
Line: SAN FRANCISCO +105 BTB PowerLine: SAN FRANCISCO 175
Edge On: SAN FRANCISCO (50)

 

[CNOTES]

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores




7:05 PM EDT
951 MIAMI MARLINS (R) Haren, D -130 -130 / -135 / -120 -123 -1.5(+142)
952 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (R) Williams, J 8u15 8u15 / 7.5o20 7.5u15 +1.5(-154)
TV: FS-Florida, DTV: 654
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7:05 PM EDT
953 ST LOUIS CARDINALS (R) Lynn, L 7o15 7o15 / 7u14 7u20 +1.5(-209)
954 WASHINGTON NATIONALS (L) Gonzalez, G -120 -120 -113 -1.5(+191)
TV: FS-Midwest, MASN, DTV: 640, 671
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7:05 PM EDT
955 CHICAGO CUBS (L) Wood, T 7o15 7o15 7u15 +1.5(-178)
956 PITTSBURGH PIRATES (L) Liriano, F -165 -165 / -160 -145 -1.5(+164)
TV: ROOT-Pittsburgh, WGN, DTV: 307, 659
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7:10 PM EDT
957 ATLANTA BRAVES (R) Cahill, T 7.5 7.5 7.5u20 +1.5(-159)
958 NEW YORK METS (L) Niese, J -160 -160 -165 -1.5(+146)
TV: SNY, SportsSouth, DTV: 639, 646
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8:10 PM EDT
959 CINCINNATI REDS (R) Marquis, J 8o20 8o20 8.5u20 +1.5(-173)
960 MILWAUKEE BREWERS (R) Fiers, M -140 -140 / -133 / -137 -140 -1.5(+159)
MIL-CF-Carlos Gomez-OUT | TV: FS-Ohio, FS-Wisconsin, DTV: 661, 669
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8:40 PM EDT
961 SAN DIEGO PADRES (R) Morrow, B 10 10 / 10u20 10 +1.5(-184)
962 COLORADO ROCKIES (L) Matzek, T -125 -125 -1.5(+169)
TV: FS-San Diego, ROOT-Rocky Mountain, DTV: 683, 694
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10:15 PM EDT
963 LOS ANGELES DODGERS (L) Anderson, B -115 -115 -125 -1.5(+146)
964 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (R) Lincecum, T 7o20 7o20 / 7o15 / 7o18 7o20 +1.5(-159)
TV: CSN-Bay, DTV: 696
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7:05 PM EDT
965 BALTIMORE ORIOLES (R) Norris, B 8.5o20 8.5o20 / 8.5o11 9u25 +1.5(-158)
966 TORONTO BLUE JAYS (L) Buehrle, M -140 -140 / -131 / -130 -136 -1.5(+146)
TV: MASN2, DTV: 641
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7:05 PM EDT
967 NEW YORK YANKEES (R) Eovaldi, N 9u20 9u20 / 9 9u20 +1.5(-171)
968 DETROIT TIGERS (L) Lobstein, K -135 -135 / -145 -135 -1.5(+157)
TV: FS-Detroit, YES, DTV: 631, 663
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7:10 PM EDT
969 BOSTON RED SOX (L) Miley, W 7.5u15 7.5u15 / 7.5u25 7.5u20 +1.5(-185)
970 TAMPA BAY RAYS (R) Archer, C -135 -134 / -130 / -140 -137 -1.5(+170)
TV: NESN, SunSports, DTV: 628, 653
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8:10 PM EDT
971 MINNESOTA TWINS (L) Milone, T 8o20 8o20 +1.5(-156)
972 KANSAS CITY ROYALS (L) Vargas, J -160 -160 -1.5(+144)
TV: FS-Kansas City, FS-North, DTV: 668, 672
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8:10 PM EDT
973 CLEVELAND INDIANS (R) Carrasco, C -125 -130 / -125 / -131 -145 -1.5(+120)
974 CHICAGO WHITE SOX (R) Noesi, H 8.5u20 8.5u20 8o20 +1.5(-130)
TV: CSN-Chicago, SportsTime Ohio, DTV: 662, 665
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10:05 PM EDT
975 OAKLAND ATHLETICS (L) Pomeranz, D 8u15 7.5o20 +1.5(-202)
976 LOS ANGELES ANGELS (L) Santiago, H -120 -120 -1.5(+185)
TV: CSN-California, FS-West, DTV: 692, 698
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10:10 PM EDT
977 HOUSTON ASTROS (R) Mchugh, C 7o20 7o20 +1.5(-206)
978 SEATTLE MARINERS (R) Walker, T -130 -130 -117 -1.5(+189)
TV: ROOT-Southwest, DTV: 674
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9:40 PM EDT
979 TEXAS RANGERS (R) Martinez, N 9u15 9u15 8.5o20 +1.5(-168)
980 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (R) Anderson, C -140 -140 / -135 -141 -1.5(+155)
TEX-P-Yu Darvish-OUT | TV: FS-Southwest, Arizona, DTV: 676, 686
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[CNOTES]

NBA ATS


NBA > (723) WASHINGTON@ (724) TORONTO | 04/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON WASHINGTON using the against the spread in Road games in April games
The record is 11 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+9.9 units)


NBA > (725) DALLAS@ (726) HOUSTON | 04/21/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play AGAINST DALLAS using the against the spread in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 1 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (-10 units)


NBA > (721) BOSTON@ (722) CLEVELAND | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON BOSTON using the against the spread in Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 34 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.5 units)


NBA MONEYLINE


NBA > (721) BOSTON@ (722) CLEVELAND | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST BOSTON using the money line in All games on Tuesday nights
The record is 5 Wins and 17 Losses for the last three seasons (-18.75 units)


NBA > (725) DALLAS@ (726) HOUSTON | 04/21/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play ON HOUSTON using the money line in All games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 18 Wins and 4 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.3 units)


NBA FIRST HALF


NBA > (721) BOSTON@ (722) CLEVELAND | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON CLEVELAND in the first half in Home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 11 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+9.9 units)


NBA TOTALS


NBA > (721) BOSTON@ (722) CLEVELAND | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play UNDER BOSTON on the total in Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 5 Overs and 21 Unders for the this season (+15.5 units)


NBA > (723) WASHINGTON@ (724) TORONTO | 04/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play OVER WASHINGTON on the total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 15 Overs and 4 Unders for the this season (+10.6 units)


NBA > (725) DALLAS@ (726) HOUSTON | 04/21/2015 - 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 18 Unders for the this season (+11.4 units)


NBA TOP POWERLINES


NBA > (721) BOSTON @ (722) CLEVELAND | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: CLEVELAND -11 BTB PowerLine: CLEVELAND -3
Edge On: CLEVELAND (8)


NBA > (723) WASHINGTON @ (724) TORONTO | 04/21/2015 - 08:05 PM
Line: TORONTO -4.5 BTB PowerLine: TORONTO -3
Edge On: TORONTO (1.5)


NBA > (725) DALLAS @ (726) HOUSTON | 04/21/2015 - 09:35 PM
Line: HOUSTON -6 BTB PowerLine: HOUSTON -9
Edge On: HOUSTON (3)

 

[CNOTES]

Team Open Line Movements Current Moneyline Halftime Scores




7:05 PM EDT
721 BOSTON CELTICS 207 207 207.5 +553
722 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS -11 -11 / -11 -05 -11 -754
TV: TNT, DTV: 245
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8:05 PM EDT
723 WASHINGTON WIZARDS 190.5 190.5o13 / 191 / 190.5 191.5 +170
724 TORONTO RAPTORS -5 -4.5 / -5 / -5 -05 -4.5 -200
TV: NBA, DTV: 216
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9:35 PM EDT
725 DALLAS MAVERICKS 214 214 / 215 215.5 +200
726 HOUSTON ROCKETS -6 +02 -5.5 / -5.5 -11 / -5.5 -6 -05 -240
DAL-F-Chandler Parsons-? | TV: TNT, DTV: 245
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[CNOTES]

NHL MONEYLINE


NHL > (63) VANCOUVER@ (64) CALGARY | 04/21/2015 - 10:05 PM
Play ON CALGARY using the money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 24 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (+20.1 units)


NHL > (57) TAMPA BAY@ (58) DETROIT | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST DETROIT using the money line in Home games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 4 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.35 units)


NHL PUCKLINE


NHL > (63) VANCOUVER@ (64) CALGARY | 04/21/2015 - 10:05 PM
Play ON CALGARY using the in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 24 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (+20.1 units)


NHL > (57) TAMPA BAY@ (58) DETROIT | 04/21/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST DETROIT using the in Home games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 4 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.35 units)


NHL TOTALS


NHL > (61) NASHVILLE@ (62) CHICAGO | 04/21/2015 - 09:35 PM
Play OVER NASHVILLE on the total in All games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season
The record is 16 Overs and 4 Unders for the this season (+12.6 units)

 

[CNOTES]

Team Open Line Movements Current Puck Line Scores




7:05 PM EDT
57 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING -120 -120 -1.5(+225)
58 DETROIT RED WINGS 5.5u25 5.5u25 +1.5(-270)
TV: NBCS, DTV: 220
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7:35 PM EDT
59 WASHINGTON CAPITALS 5.5u40 5.5u40 / 5.5u38 5.5u35 +1.5(-245)
60 NEW YORK ISLANDERS -140 -140 -135 -1.5(+205)
TV: USA, DTV: 242
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9:35 PM EDT
61 NASHVILLE PREDATORS 5.5u40 5.5u40 +1.5(-205)
62 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS -165 -165 -1.5(+175)
CHI-G-Scott Darling-Probable | TV: NBCS, DTV: 220
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10:05 PM EDT
63 VANCOUVER CANUCKS 5o40 5o40 +1.5(-295)
64 CALGARY FLAMES -120 -120 -115 -1.5(+245)
TV: USA, DTV: 242
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[CNOTES]

A so so night.....MLB goes 4 - 4...Double Plays 3 - 0, Triple Plays 1 - 2, Grand Slams 0 - 2, NBA 2 - 2....NHL 1 - 2......Look for a better day tomorrow.....




APRIL RATED PLAYS:




MLB




*****...........................17 - 12..................+ 1.47
DOUBLE PLAY.................23 - 27..................- 10.52
TRIPLE PLAY...................16 - 17..................- 12.76
GRAND SLAM..................10 - 12..................- 8.11








NBA PLAYOFFS




*****..................................1 - 1
double play...........................2 - 5
triple play.............................1 - 1
slam dunk.............................0 - 1




NHL PLAYOFFS




*****.............................. 3 - 4 ........,..... - 1.08
double play........................6 - 2 - 1 ..........+ 8.48
triple play..........................2 - 3............... - 6,97
hat trick.............................4 - 2.............. + 8.00

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Dodgers (9-3) at Giants (4-10)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: April 21, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

Just two weeks into the season, the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers have opened a six-game lead over the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants.


It's the same lead they held after 162 games in 2014, and if recent history between the NL West rivals at AT&T Park continues, it should grow in a three-game series that opens Tuesday night.


The Dodgers (9-3) head north with a seven-game winning streak - their longest since a 10-game run in August 2013 - after a 6-0 homestand ended with Sunday's 7-0 win over Colorado.


Howie Kendrick, Scott Van Slyke and Joc Pederson all homered, giving the Dodgers an NL-best 17. Their 56 extra-base hits and .885 OPS both lead baseball.


Justin Turner was 4 for 5 with three doubles and Van Slyke was 3 for 4. Adrian Gonzalez was 0 for 5 but is still batting .469 after hitting safely in his first 11 games. The team is at .325 with a .401 on-base percentage on the streak.


"On a day when our best hitter - and the best hitter in baseball right now - didn't have a single hit, we still put up seven runs and 14 hits," catcher A.J. Ellis said. "That's the mark of a great team."


The hot start has continued even with Yasiel Puig missing four of the last five games because of a hamstring injury.


The Dodgers may have benefited from playing only one series on the road, and the second one is in a city where they have won six of seven games while outscoring the Giants 40-16.


That's bad news for a San Francisco team that isn't hitting or pitching well over a 1-9 stretch, sinking into last place. The Giants (4-10) are on a 10-game homestand which started with a three-game sweep to Colorado and losing three of four to Arizona after Sunday's 5-1 loss.


The Giants and Dodgers play six of their next nine against each other, so there is an immediate opportunity to make up ground after Monday's off day.


"Sure, it's going to be a big series," manager Bruce Bochy said. "The last thing you want to do is get too far behind early. It's time we pick things up."


San Francisco is batting .204 in its last four series while averaging 1.9 runs. Buster Posey is in a 4-for-24 slump and Casey McGehee, taking over at third for Pablo Sandoval, is 2 for 19 without an RBI in his last seven games. Joe Panik is an exception, 9 for 19 in the last four.


The rotation has a 4.79 ERA and .290 opponent batting average in the last 10 with Madison Bumgarner, Jake Peavy and Tim Hudson struggling. Chris Heston and Tim Lincecum have balanced it out some, and Lincecum (0-1, 2.25 ERA) gets the ball in the series opener.


The right-hander has a 1-2 record and 6.16 ERA in his last six games in the series, though Puig (8 for 14) is the only Los Angeles player with more than six at_bats who is hitting higher than .275 against him.


He'll face Brett Anderson (1-0, 3.27), who earned his first decision with the Dodgers in Wednesday's 5-2 win over Seattle by allowing two runs - one earned - in five innings. The left-hander has a 2-0 record and 1.83 ERA in his last six starts dating to July, not long before his 2014 season with Colorado ended because of yet another injury.


Against the Giants, Anderson is 0-2 with a 5.25 ERA in three starts that have all come at AT&T Park.


Wednesday's matchup sends 2014 NL MVP Clayton Kershaw and World Series MVP Bumgarner to the mound.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Yankees (6-6) at Tigers (10-2)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: April 21, 2015 7:08 PM EDT

With the exception of one performance, Detroit's pitching has been virtually untouchable at home.


The Tigers' stopgap for Justin Verlander tries to extend that run of dominance as the New York Yankees' Nathan Eovaldi looks to snap his long winless streak Tuesday night.


The Tigers have allowed one or no runs in five of their last six overall and one or none in all but one game at home, going 6-1 there. The only outlier was a 12-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.


Alfredo Simon delivered the latest gem in Monday's opener of this four-game series, tossing 7 1-3 innings and only allowing Mark Teixeira's fourth home run in a 2-1 victory. Joba Chamberlain and Joakim Soria were perfect in relief as the Tigers (11-2) improved baseball's best record.


Detroit's starting rotation is 9-2 with a 2.37 ERA.


"I think our starting pitching, as ballyhooed as the offensive lineup is, our starting pitching has been the backbone of our start," manager Brad Ausmus said.


New York (6-7) came in averaging 5.3 runs but was limited to seven hits and failed to draw a walk for the first time after drawing 21 in the last four games. Alex Rodriguez was 0 for 4, falling to 1 for 10 since hitting .344 through his first 10 games.


Eovaldi (0-0, 4.35 ERA) has gone 11 starts without a victory, his longest such streak since going 16 from Aug. 12, 2011-June 30, 2012, after winning his first career start.


He's 0-8 with a 5.34 ERA during the drought, though he exited with a lead Wednesday at Baltimore after allowing two runs and striking out nine in five innings. New York's otherwise reliable bullpen, which has a 2.17 ERA, gave up five runs in a 7-5 loss.


Eovaldi was more focused on his inability to eat up innings, though he's failed to complete six in four of his last six outings.


"I feel like this is a short outing for me," Eovaldi told MLB's official website. "Last year, I was able to go seven, eight (innings), deeper into the game. I've just got to do a better job of staying ahead in counts."


The Yankees appear to be catching a break by missing Verlander, who remains sidelined with a strained right triceps with no timetable for his return. Kyle Lobstein makes his second start in his place.


"Right now, he's the guy," Ausmus told MLB's official website. "I guess we'll have to see how it goes."


Lobstein earned his second career win at Cleveland on April 12, allowing three runs in five innings. He limited New York to an earned run in six innings of Detroit's 3-2 victory Aug. 28.


Yoenis Cespedes, who drove in the go-ahead run Monday, is 3 for 7 against Eovaldi.


Jose Iglesias has gone 20 for 46 (.435) in his last 13 meetings with New York after a 1-for-2 effort Monday.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Orioles (7-5) at Blue Jays (6-7)
Game: 1
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: April 21, 2015 7:07 PM EDT

Amid a disappointing homestand, the Toronto Blue Jays could use Jose Reyes back in the lineup - particularly with how he's pestered the Baltimore Orioles.


Toronto's last series win came against Baltimore behind the play of Reyes, who may return Tuesday night following his club's only day of rest through the first month of the season.


It seems like the Blue Jays (6-7) needed a break. They are 2-5 on a 10-game homestand, and both middle infielders are battling injuries.


Rookie second baseman Devon Travis left Sunday's 5-2 loss to Atlanta, and Reyes missed a third straight game due to a cracked rib. The injury may prevent the switch-hitting Reyes from batting left-handed for now, though Toronto hopes the extra day off has provided the shortstop enough recovery time to get back on the field.


"I think the plan is, Tuesday should be good to go," manager John Gibbons told MLB's official website. "He's feeling a little better. He's probably going to hit right-handed, see how that goes, maybe buy him some time that way."


Reyes is a career .354 hitter versus the Orioles and has hit safely in 10 straight against them while batting .436. He was 7 for 12 with two doubles, two runs and two RBIs when these teams met April 10-12 in Baltimore, with the Blue Jays winning two of three.


Travis had a three-run double in a 10-7 win in that series finale, part of a surprising start for the relatively unheralded 24-year-old who leads the team with a .356 average and 12 RBIs. Similar to Reyes, Travis hurt his rib when he was hit by a pitch Sunday, but the injury is only a bruise.


"There's no crack in his rib, which is a great thing," Gibbons said. "We'll see with a day off, he's a tough kid."


Gibbons' club played 12 straight days before resting Monday, and Toronto won't get another day off until May 7.


The Orioles (7-6) are in the middle of playing 13 consecutive days, though their most recent one ended fairly early Monday. They lost 7-1 at Boston in a rain-shortened, 6 1/2-inning game.


Still, Baltimore pitchers surrendered just five hits, and the only team to total more than eight against them is the Blue Jays, who did it twice. The first of those games was started by Bud Norris (0-1, 12.38 ERA), who seeks a much better performance in a rematch with Mark Buehrle (2-0, 3.75).


Norris was ripped for eight runs and seven hits in three-plus innings of that 12-5 defeat after previously being 4-0 with a 2.36 ERA against Toronto. Buehrle had been 1-5 with a 6.25 ERA against Baltimore since joining the Jays but allowed two runs in six innings.


The left-hander was given 11 runs of support that day and in a 12-7 win over Tampa Bay on Wednesday, when he gave up three runs in six innings.


Adam Jones homered, doubled and singled off Buehrle to increase his average against him to .412. The All-Star center fielder's 4-for-4 effort that day sparked a nine-game hitting streak during which he had five homers and 14 RBIs, but he went hitless Monday.


Toronto's top sluggers are scuffling. Edwin Encarnacion has gone 10 games without homering while batting .132. Jose Bautista has three hits in his last 27 at_bats, though they were all home runs.


Bautista doubled and singled off Norris earlier this month after previously being 1 for 13 against him.


Norris was better Wednesday in a 7-5 win over the New York Yankees, giving up three runs and five hits in five innings.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cardinals (8-3) at Nationals (6-7)
Game: 1
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: April 21, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

A disappointing start to the season seems considerably less of an issue for the Washington Nationals following wins in four of their last five games.


That momentum, however, could certainly be derailed during their upcoming series with the red-hot St. Louis Cardinals, whose sterling run of quality pitching has them atop the NL Central.


No team has been suffocated by St. Louis' rotation quite as thoroughly over the past two years as Washington (6-7). The Cardinals have won 11 of 13 meetings while posting a 1.24 ERA, including 0.89 from their starters. The Nationals have not scored more than three runs in any of those games as two-through-five hitters Ian Desmond, Jayson Werth, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman combined to hit .119.


St. Louis' next-best ERA versus an NL opponent in that span is 2.55 against Atlanta.


Comparable performances have the Cardinals (8-3) currently enjoying a five-game winning streak, with their starters allowing four runs while helping lower the team's ERA to a league-best 1.91.


Lance Lynn (1-1, 1.64 ERA) began that stretch by allowing one run in five innings of Wednesday's 4-2 win over Milwaukee. The right-hander has a 2.06 ERA in his last 18 starts dating to July 4, and that doesn't include wins in both matchups with Washington last season as he yielded one run in 13 2-3 innings.


The Nationals similarly struggled through seven games this season, managing only 17 runs while hitting .194, but seem to have found the right approach in their last six with 6.0 runs per game.


Desmond has keyed that stretch by going 13 for 25 with one home run, six runs and four RBIs, trying to atone for his major league-worst eight errors on the season.


"He's swinging at strikes and he's disciplined up there," manager Matt Williams said. "He's hit some balls to his pull side, which is important for him to aggressive. I don't think he's changed anything, I just think he's recognizing well and laying the bat on it."


Zimmerman also has been productive, driving in eight runs over his last five contests. He went 2 for 4 with two RBIs in Sunday's 4-1 win over Philadelphia.


Gio Gonzalez (1-1, 5.11) hasn't been as effective. He surrendered five runs in six innings of Wednesday's 10-5 win at Boston after opening the season with a loss to Philadelphia, where he issued four walks and hit one batter.


Still, Gonzalez has been excellent in three career starts against St. Louis, touting a 1.17 ERA with 21 strikeouts and four walks through 23 innings.


St. Louis' Matt Carpenter has tallied two hits in seven straight games, batting .467 with eight runs and nine RBIs. He opened Sunday's 2-1 victory over Cincinnati with a home run to deep center - the fifth leadoff homer of his career.


"He's just taken the challenge and he's not just going to be a guy that goes up there to take a lot of pitches," manager Mike Matheny said of Carpenter, who led the NL with 4.37 pitches per plate appearance in 2014. "He works into deep counts all the time ... He's got the kind of power where he can let it go early in the count, and if he gets a good pitch to drive, he shouldn't be letting it go in the advantage counts."


Matt Holliday has also been a tough out in the Cardinals' lineup, hitting safely in all 11 games. However, he's 0 for 6 against Gonzalez.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Marlins (3-10) at Phillies (4-9)
Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: April 21, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The starting rotation's inability to eat up innings has taxed the Miami Marlins' bullpen and led to a disastrous start.


Relievers have gotten a bit of a break when Dan Haren gets the ball.


Haren faces a struggling Philadelphia Phillies offense as visiting Miami looks to end a four-game losing streak Tuesday night.


The Marlins (3-10) initially had trouble scoring, but the pitching staff hasn't been able to keep opponents off the scoreboard even as the lineup has gotten going.


No starter recorded more than 16 outs as Miami lost all four to the New York Mets over the weekend. It allowed seven runs in an inning for the second time this season and fell 7-6 in Sunday's finale.


The Marlins' bullpen has pitched 47 2-3 innings - among the most in the majors - and has allowed an NL-worst 26 runs.


"There is a level of frustration," manager Mike Redmond said. "We've got to get the pitching straightened out and get these guys deeper into games to get us opportunities. As an offense, we've got to stay with it, keep fighting, keep battling. We'll figure out a way to put zeros up there on that board."


Haren (1-0, 2.08 ERA) is the only Marlins starter to pitch more than 5 1-3 innings in the club's last eight, going seven while allowing two runs and three hits in Wednesday's 6-2 win at Atlanta.


The right-hander went six while allowing one run against Tampa Bay in his team debut April 10. The rest of the rotation has produced just three six-inning starts.


"We've had a couple of short outings and needed someone to go deep," Redmond said after Haren's last start. "He gave us exactly what we needed."


Haren is 1-1 with a 2.37 ERA in his last three starts against the Phillies (4-9), who have scored two runs or fewer in five of their last seven.


Philadelphia ended a six-game skid with Saturday's 5-3 win over Washington before Freddy Galvis drove in the lone run in Sunday's 4-1 defeat.


The Phillies' 2.46 runs per game are among the fewest in the majors.


'It's tough,' said first baseman Ryan Howard, who is hitting just .175 with 15 strikeouts. 'It's still early enough to where you still have an opportunity. Just trying to take it one day at a time, one pitch at a time, one play at a time.'


Rookie Odubel Herrera has been one of the few offensive bright spots. He went 6 for 12 over the final three against the Nationals, and his seven extra-base hits lead the Phillies.


'He's learning, no question,' manager Ryne Sandberg said. 'He's done an outstanding job.'


Jerome Williams takes the mound looking to bounce back from a rough outing. After giving up one run and striking out six over six innings in his season debut against Washington on April 10, Williams (0-1, 4.09) allowed five runs and 10 hits in five innings of Wednesday's 6-1 loss to the Mets.


"(Wednesday wasn't a) step back," Williams said. "I'll just put this one behind me and move forward."


The right-hander hasn't faced the Marlins since allowing a career-worst 10 runs - since tied - in a 12-6 loss while with Washington in 2007.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cubs (6-5) at Pirates (6-6)
Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: April 21, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The Chicago Cubs are hoping the production from the rookie tandem of Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler in the series opener in Pittsburgh is a sign of things to come.


The Cubs could certainly use repeat performances from the two Tuesday night given their teammates struggles against the Pirates' Francisco Liriano.


Bryant seems to have found his groove at the plate since going 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in his debut. He is 6 for 10 in three contests since with two doubles, four RBIs, four walks and one strikeout. He had a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning in Monday's 5-2 win and finished with three hits and three RBIs.


'He's doing a nice job and there's a really nice slow heartbeat going on right now,' manager Joe Maddon said. 'He's just out there playing the game really like I thought he would coming out of spring training.'


Though not as heralded as Bryant, Soler is another part of Chicago's youth movement. He had a career-high four hits Monday to extend his hitting streak to seven games, during which he's batting .375 with seven RBIs and six runs.


The Cubs (7-5) will add another top prospect to the mix in Addison Russell. At Triple-A Iowa, the shortstop has been playing second base, a major weakness in Chicago's lineup. Cubs second basemen are hitting a combined .146 with no extra-base hits, while Russell is batting .318 with a homer, four doubles and nine RBIs in the minors.


Fellow infielders Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro had two hits apiece Monday and are off to strong starts but have struggled mightily against Liriano (0-1, 2.08 ERA).


Rizzo is 3 for 18 with seven strikeouts against him, while Castro is 2 for 20. Castro's .100 average in their matchups is his worst among the 29 pitchers he has faced at least 20 times.


Not surprisingly, Liriano has routinely shut down the Cubs, going 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA in eight starts since 2013. The left-hander had a 1.20 ERA in three meetings last season.


Despite pitching well this season, Liriano is without a win - something he should be used to by now. After allowing two runs and two hits in seven innings against Cincinnati in the opener, he gave up a solo homer and three other singles over six innings in Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Detroit. Since Aug. 1, his seven starts of at least six innings and two runs or less allowed without a win are the most in the majors.


Andrew McCutchen had two hits Monday as Pittsburgh's three-game win streak ended to continue his torrid hitting against the Cubs. He is batting .397 in his last 14 games in the series and went 5 for 9 with two homers against Travis Wood (1-1, 2.31) last season.


Starling Marte, who hit his fourth homer Monday, was 4 for 7 with a double against Wood in 2014, while Jody Mercer was 3 for 6 with a pair of home runs in their matchups. Mercer may play Tuesday after sitting out the opener with a bruised chest, an injury he sustained Sunday when he was hit by a pitch.


Wood went 1-2 with a 6.63 ERA in four starts against the Pirates (6-7) last season with one terrible outing inflating that ERA. In his last appearance in the series on Sept. 7, he was tagged for seven runs in 1 2-3 innings.


He is 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in his last four starts at Pittsburgh.


Wood, the first left-handed starter the Pirates will face, pitched seven-plus innings of three-hit ball in Wednesday's 5-0 win over the Reds.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Braves (8-4) at Mets (10-3)
Game: 1
Venue: Citi Field
Date: April 21, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The New York Mets have matched the top 13-game start in franchise history, but it has come at a cost that's likely to catch up with them.


With a growing list of injuries, they will try to win 11 of their first 14 games for the first time since their famed 1986 season Tuesday night against the visiting Atlanta Braves and their thinning bullpen.


The surprising Mets (10-3) own the NL's best record, having won eight in a row since dropping their first two games in Atlanta in the second series of the season. They last won 10 of 13 to begin a season in 2006 and went on to a division title, as they did in 1986 before winning the World Series. That team started 13-3.


The winning streak is tied with two 2010 stretches for the club's longest since a 10-game run in July 2008, and the Mets have won their first seven home games for the first time in franchise history. But after Sunday's 7-6 home win over Miami, there wasn't any celebration.


New York lost catcher Travis d'Arnaud to a broken hand and reliever Jerry Blevins to a fractured arm. D'Arnaud was hitting .317 with an .892 OPS but will be out more than three weeks, and Blevins hadn't allowed a baserunner in five innings but is out for at least six weeks.


Catching prospect Kevin Plawecki and right-hander Hansel Robles will be called up from Triple-A Las Vegas.


"As we have done all year, we have to pick up the pieces and move forward," said manager Terry Collins, who is already without third baseman David Wright (hamstring), reliever Vic Black (shoulder) and closer Jenrry Mejia (suspension). Starting pitcher Zack Wheeler and reliever Josh Edgin are out for the season.


The Mets have scored 5.13 runs per game with a .363 on-base percentage on the streak. Newcomer Michael Cuddyer has led the way with a .440 average on a seven-game hitting streak.


The rotation has been good all season, going 9-2 with a 2.84 ERA, and Jonathon Niese (1-0, 1.59 ERA) will look to keep it going. He allowed three runs - one earned - and seven hits in five innings of a 5-3 loss in Atlanta on April 10, then beat Philadelphia in Wednesday's 6-1 win after surrendering a run and nine hits in 6 1-3 innings.


While the record and ERA might look good, his .364 opponent OBP does not. Still, he hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in his last six starts.


"He knows how to get outs when he needs them," Collins said.


Against Atlanta's current lineup, Jonny Gomes has caused the most trouble with a 6-for-10 mark with a home run.


Gomes drove in four runs in Sunday's 5-2 win in Toronto to lead the Braves (8-4) to a series win, while Nick Markakis continued his strong start with his new team, going 2 for 4 and upping his average to .375. They scored 18 runs in the three-game series and might need that kind of production to continue.


Trevor Cahill will be out to recover from a disastrous Atlanta debut. The right-hander made it through just 2 1-3 innings of last Tuesday's 8-2 home loss to Miami after allowing four runs and five hits with three walks.


Cahill, trying to prove himself after struggling greatly in Arizona a season ago, hadn't pitched since March 31.


"When a sinkerballer is giving up fly balls, maybe there's too much rest," manager Fredi Gonzalez told MLB's official website. "But it's just the first start of many."


At Citi Field, he's 0-1 with a 4.00 ERA in two appearances. Cuddyer is 4 for 22 against him, while Curtis Granderson is 1 for 13.


Should he again need significant help from the bullpen, Andrew McKirahan won't be around to help. The left-hander has been suspended for 80 games following a positive test for the banned substance Ipamorelin.


He's the second Atlanta reliever to be suspended this month after Arodys Vizcaino tested positive for Stanozolol. Shae Simmons is already out for the season after undergoing elbow surgery in February.


"You'd like to think you have an endless supply of pitching, but at some point, all of this cuts into your depth," Braves president of baseball operations John Hart said.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Red Sox (7-5) at Rays (6-7)
Game: 1
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: April 21, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Chris Archer has been nearly unhittable in his last two outings for the Tampa Bay Rays. That hasn't been the case when he's faced the Boston Red Sox in his career.


The right-hander looks to extend a 14-inning scoreless streak and help the Rays avoid a fourth straight loss Tuesday night against the Red Sox, who have handed him his most losses and against whom he's posted his highest ERA.


Archer (2-1, 1.37 ERA) has won back-to-back starts after allowing one hit in seven innings at Miami on April 11 and two hits over seven innings while striking out 11 in a 4-2 victory at Toronto on Thursday.


In his first three starts, Archer has given up nine hits and walked four with 21 strikeouts in 19 2-3 innings. Opponents are batting .136 against him.


"I'm not result oriented, it's totally about the process," Archer said. "The process ... has been perfect to me."


He's been nowhere near perfect against Boston (8-5), going 1-4 with a 6.03 ERA in seven starts. His last outing in the series was his worst, as he gave up a career-high eight runs and 10 hits over four innings in an 8-4 home loss Aug. 29.


That was also Archer's first meeting with the Red Sox after David Ortiz hit a three-run homer off him in late July. Ortiz flipped his bat before his home run trot, leading Archer to say that Ortiz 'feels like he's bigger than the game.'


Ortiz is 6 for 15 in their matchups, while Daniel Nava is 5 for 9 with a homer.


The Rays (6-7) could use another shut-down performance from Archer after totaling seven runs and striking out 30 times while losing all three meetings with the New York Yankees over the weekend.


Steven Souza Jr. homered, had three hits and drove in three runs Sunday, but also struck out with a man in scoring position in each of his last two at_bats as the Rays fell 5-3.


'It would have been nice to get that win. We had several opportunities, and I needed to come through, and as a team we needed to get some stuff done,' Souza said. 'But we've played pretty good to this point. It's just a bump in the road and we'll come back against Boston.'


The Red Sox split a four-game home series against Baltimore with a 7-1 win Monday in a game shortened to 6 1/2 innings by rain. They'll now turn to Wade Miley (0-1, 10.57), who was roughed up in his second start Wednesday.


The left-hander gave up seven runs and five hits while walking three over 2 1-3 innings of a 10-5 loss to Washington.


'Really the whole outing wasn't very good,' he said. 'I never established the strike zone, got behind in a lot of counts.'


Miley has been good in his career against Tampa Bay, winning both starts behind a 0.68 ERA while pitching for Arizona.


The only hit by Rays third baseman Evan Longoria in five at_bats against Miley was a home run. Longoria is off to a slow start, batting .200 with one homer and two RBIs.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Indians (4-7) at White Sox (4-7)
Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: April 21, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Carlos Carrasco had to exit in the first inning of his second start after being struck by a line drive.


He'll try to shake off last week's scary incident Tuesday night against the Chicago White Sox in his first outing since, though the Cleveland Indians' bullpen appears to be the bigger question mark after Monday's loss.


Carrasco (1-1, 2.84 ERA) had his start pushed back a day to give him extra time to recuperate after Melky Cabrera's liner hit him on the jaw on his on his eighth pitch against the White Sox last Tuesday.


"It doesn't really do anything other than give him another day," manager Terry Francona said.


Carrasco, charged with the loss after not recording an out in the 4-1 defeat, caught a piece of the ball with his glove to lessen the impact. He threw a bullpen session Friday without any problems.


The right-hander had given up one run over 15 1-3 innings while winning his last two starts against Chicago.


Francona might be more worried about the back end of his relief corps after the collapse in Monday's 4-3 loss. Trevor Bauer combined with Nick Hagadone and Bryan Shaw to go eight innings, but closer Cody Allen surrendered four runs while recording one out.


"If I have that much concern, I would have taken him out," Francona said of Allen. "At no point, I thought he was going to get out of it pretty much the whole inning. That's how much faith I have in him."


Closing out games is a problem that has spilled into 2015 for the Indians (4-8), whose bullpen has gone 0-3 with a 5.23 ERA in the last eight contests. They blew 22 saves in 2014 and have converted only 14 of 25 opportunities in their last 51 games.


Perhaps Monday's big ninth inning can serve as a rallying point for the White Sox (5-7), who had scored two or fewer runs in three of four. Cabrera, who drove in the winning run, is 6 for 11 against Carrasco.


Chicago's Hector Noesi (0-1, 3.84) struggled to find his command in his first start. He walked six and hit another while yielding two runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 6-0 loss to Minnesota on April 10. The damage could have been worse, however, as he left the bases loaded twice.


"He kind of did a Houdini there, getting in and out of stuff, but you can't load the bases that many times and expect good results," manager Robin Ventura told MLB's official website.


Noesi is 1-1 with a 4.23 ERA in five games against Cleveland, walking 10 in 27 2-3 innings.


Michael Bourn, batting .200 with 13 strikeouts in 11 games, was given the day off Monday. He might be able to use this matchup to get on track as he's 4 for 7 with a home run off Noesi.


Ryan Raburn homered Monday and continues to give Chicago problems at U.S. Cellular Field, hitting .364 with 22 RBIs in his last 18 games there.


Michael Brantley has recorded at least one hit in 20 of his last 22 matchups with the White Sox.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Twins (5-7) at Royals (9-3)
Game: 2
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: April 21, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Kansas City Royals have won every series this season with one exception. They now have a chance to exact some revenge against the Minnesota Twins.


Jason Vargas hopes to atone for a dreadful performance and pitch the Royals to a seventh win in eight home games Tuesday night.


Kansas City has shown last season's playoff success was no fluke, winning 10 of its first 13 games for the franchise's best start since 2003.


The Royals have been particularly good at home, opening their Kauffman Stadium schedule with a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox and taking two of three from Oakland over the weekend before winning the first game of this series, 7-1 on Monday.


Edinson Volquez pitched seven innings and Kendrys Morales had two hits and two RBIs as Kansas City evened the season series after dropping two of three at Minnesota last week.


The Royals' vaunted bullpen tossed two more scoreless innings, lowering the majors' best ERA to 0.69.


Vargas (1-1, 6.00 ERA) hopes his relievers won't need to come into the game nearly as early as they did in Thursday's 8-5 loss at Minnesota. The left-hander had his shortest start since 2011, allowing five runs and 10 hits over three-plus innings.


That dismal outing came after Vargas went 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA in four starts against the Twins last season. He tossed seven innings in a 5-0 victory April 18, 2014, in his only home appearance versus Minnesota.


Joe Mauer is batting .400 (12 for 30) against Vargas, while Torii Hunter improved to 15 for 45 with six doubles after he had a pair of hits in three at_bats last week.


The Twins failed to win their fifth in six games overall and dropped to 1-6 on the road. They've totaled 14 runs in those seven contests while batting .192.


Leadoff batter Danny Santana returned to the lineup after getting a day off Sunday and went 1 for 4 to raise his average to .200. He also struck out twice and has fanned a team-high 15 times in 45 at_bats.


"A lot of young players when they're not producing they feel like they're hurting the team and then they try that much harder," Twins manager Paul Molitor told MLB's official website. "Sometimes you have to let the game come to you a little bit more."


Tommy Milone (2-0, 2.08) seeks to win his first three starts for the second time in three years. The left-hander was outstanding in his season debut and did enough to earn the win Thursday against Kansas City. He surrendered a two-run homer to Lorenzo Cain in the first before settling down to allow three runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings.


Milone, who started 3-0 for Oakland in 2013, is 4-2 with a 3.92 ERA in seven starts against the Royals.


Salvador Perez, batting .435 with six RBIs at home this season, is 6 for 14 with two doubles in their matchups, while Mike Moustakas is just 1 for 12.


Already missing closer Greg Holland (pectoral) and outfielder Alex Rios (hand), the Royals feared second baseman Omar Infante could also be headed to the disabled list with a left groin strain sustained Sunday. Infante, though, said he felt better and manager Ned Yost said he could be used in an emergency Tuesday.


Kansas City has won 15 of 20 at home against Minnesota.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Reds (5-7) at Brewers (2-10)
Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: April 21, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Joey Votto has more home runs than the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds would like it to remain that way.


Votto will try to pound the Brewers again as the Reds aim to win the first two games of a series at Miller Park for the first time in almost five years Tuesday night.


Votto leads the Reds (6-7) with a .375 average, five homers and 12 RBIs, collecting two hits in eight of 12 games. The first baseman had his second consecutive two-hit effort Monday, including a two-run homer in a 6-1 win at Milwaukee (2-11) in the opener of this four-game set.


Votto is 10 for 24 (.417) with two homers and eight RBIs in his last six games at Miller Park, and another strong performance could give Cincinnati wins in the first two games of a series there for the first time since Sept. 20-21, 2010.


The major league-worst Brewers had three hits Monday and haven't looked capable of doing much more. They're batting .208 with four homers and averaging 2.4 runs per game.


Milwaukee has totaled 10 runs during a six-game losing streak, a stretch during which its starting pitchers have posted a 6.49 ERA.


"We're playing hard. It is not a matter of we're not playing hard," manager Ron Roenicke told MLB's official website. "We're not playing perfect baseball, but we've made some nice defensive plays. We're not swinging the bat."


They may need to with Mike Fiers (0-2, 5.91 ERA) taking the mound trying to snap a career-high five-start losing streak dating to last season. Included in that span was a 3-1 loss at Cincinnati on Sept. 23, as the right-hander served up solo homers to Todd Frazier and Devin Mesoraco over five innings in that matchup.


Fiers' slide continued Thursday, yielding two runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-0 loss at St. Louis.


He may not have batterymate Jonathan Lucroy after he took a foul tip off his left foot and left in the seventh inning Monday. The catcher is hitting .156 with two RBIs this season and he's 0 for 11 with five walks in his last four games against the Reds.


Cincinnati will turn to Jason Marquis (0-1, 6.30), who got in trouble early in Wednesday's 5-0 road loss to the Chicago Cubs. The right-hander gave up two runs in each of the first two innings and ended up allowing five runs with three walks in four innings.


"He just wasn't as sharp as he was before," manager Bryan Price said. "He had good action on his ball, he just didn't command it as well."


Marquis has compiled a 13.86 ERA during a three-start losing streak against the Brewers, yielding five homers.


This is a very favorable matchup for Ryan Braun, who is 13 for 25 against him. Braun, who hit his first home run of the season Monday, is 4 for 18 (.222) in six home games.


Cincinnati expects Mesoraco to return Tuesday after missing seven games with a left hip impingement. Family reasons kept the catcher away for the opener of this series.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rangers (5-8) at Diamondbacks (7-6)
Game: 1
Venue: Chase Field
Date: April 21, 2015 9:40 PM EDT

For a team many figured to be a bottomfeeder in the NL West, the Arizona Diamondbacks have jumped out to solid start while playing only divisional opponents.


Returning home following a successful road trip, the Diamondbacks will venture outside of the division for a two-game series with the Texas Rangers, who enter Tuesday night's meeting fresh off a tough defeat.


Arizona did not earn its seventh win in 2014 until the 25th game, but it took three of four from San Francisco over the weekend to improve to 7-6.


Paul Goldschmidt hit his fifth home run in Sunday's 5-1 win and has three homers and nine RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak.


'I've been able to have some success,' Goldschmidt said. 'You never know when that's going to change. It could be a terrible series next time. I just try to get a good pitch to hit, hit it hard and keep it simple.'


Arizona ranks near the top of MLB with 4.62 runs per game, a category it finished 25th in last season (3.80).


Chase Anderson (0-0, 4.09 ERA) will get the start for the Diamondbacks after allowing two runs and eight hits in six innings Wednesday at San Diego. That outing began a stretch where Arizona's starters have posted a 2.06 ERA in five games.


Texas (5-8) turns to Nick Martinez (2-0, 0.00), who will be looking to pitch deep into the game considering his team's fatigued bullpen. The Rangers used five pitchers Sunday after Ross Detwiler lasted 2 1-3 innings, and those relievers couldn't hold a five-run lead heading into the seventh.


Tanner Scheppers allowed three runs in the eighth and closer Neftali Feliz blew the save in an 11-10 defeat at Seattle. Feliz may be unavailable after he threw 47 pitches, his most in 197 career relief appearances.


"I felt great," Feliz told MLB's official website. "I was concentrating on doing my job. The outcome wasn't what I wanted but I'm still going to hold my head up high."


Martinez has certainly proved himself capable of extended starts, going seven innings in each of his first two. He has allowed one unearned run and opponents are hitting .191 off the right-hander, which ranks lowest among Texas' starters.


After posting a 4.90 ERA in 24 starts last season, Martinez credits his success to the improvement of his fastball.


"Just attack with the fastball, in and out, up and down, change speeds when I have to," Martinez said. "It's something I worked on a lot this offseason. I had a small mechanical issue that I was able to fix, and I'm zoned in, able to hit my spots consistently."


Texas is 19-10 in the all-time series but was swept in a doubleheader in its last visit to Arizona on May 27, 2013.


Prince Fielder, who tops the Rangers with a .385 average and is tied for the team lead with six RBIs, is a career .300 hitter with 10 homers in 43 games against Arizona.

 

[CNOTES]

Interleague Results

The 2015 MLB regular season will usually feature at least one Interleague game every day. All teams will play exactly 20 Interleague games broken down into eight series, four at home and four on the road.


AMERICAN LEAGUE RESULTS (2013-2015)


Team 2013 2014 2015 (Home-Away)


Baltimore Orioles 11-9 12-8 (0-0, 0-0)


Boston Red Sox 14-6 9-11 (2-1, 2-1)


Chicago White Sox 8-12 11-9 (0-0, 0-0)


Cleveland Indians 11-9 10-10 (0-0, 0-0)


Detroit Tigers 12-8 12-8 (0-0, 2-1)


Houston Astros 8-12 5-15 (0-0, 0-0)


Kansas City Royals 9-11 15-5 (0-0, 0-0)


Los Angeles Angels 10-10 12-8 (0-0, 0-0)


Minnesota Twins 8-12 9-11 (0-0, 0-0)


New York Yankees 9-11 13-7 (0-0, 0-0)


Oakland Athletics 13-7 13-7 (0-0, 0-0)


Seattle Mariners 8-12 9-11 (0-0, 0-3)


Tampa Bay Rays 12-8 10-10 (0-0, 2-1)


Texas Rangers 10-10 10-10 (0-0, 0-0)


Toronto Blue Jays 11-9 13-7 (1-2, 0-0)


AL Totals 164-146 163-137 (3-3, 6-6)




NATIONAL LEAGUE RESULTS (2013-2015)


Team 2013 2014 2015 (Home-Away)


Arizona Diamondbacks 11-9 7-13 (0-0, 0-0)


Atlanta Braves 11-9 7-13 (0-0, 2-1)


Chicago Cubs 13-7 9-11 (0-0, 0-0)


Cincinnati Reds 11-9 6-14 (0-0, 0-0)


Colorado Rockies 5-15 7-13 (0-0, 0-0)


Los Angeles Dodgers 12-8 11-9 (3-0, 0-0)


Miami Marlins 9-11 13-7 (1-2, 0-0)


Milwaukee Brewers 6-14 11-9 (0-0, 0-0)


New York Mets 11-9 11-9 (0-0, 0-0)


Philadelphia Phillies 7-13 7-13 (1-2, 0-0)


Pittsburgh Pirates 15-5 11-9 (1-2, 0-0)


St. Louis Cardinals 10-10 8-12 (0-0, 0-0)


San Diego Padres 8-12 9-11 (0-0, 0-0)


San Francisco Giants 6-14 10-10 (0-0, 0-0)


Washington Nationals 11-9 10-10 (0-0, 1-2)


NL Totals 146-164 137-163 (6-6, 3-3)


Updated - Mon Apr. 20, 2015, 12:15 PM ET