Cnotes Sports Page For Monday July 6th Best Bets-Trends-News !

[CNOTES]

Preview: Blue Jays (43-41) at White Sox (36-43)
Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: July 06, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Mark Buehrle's legacy with the Chicago White Sox centers around the 2005 World Series championship he helped deliver during his 12 years with the club.


It's also part of the reason Chris Sale believes he has a long way to go in order to match Buehrle's accomplishments, no matter how dominant he's been while wearing the same uniform.


Sale can become the first player in history to record at least 10 strikeouts in nine consecutive starts when he opposes his former mentor in Monday night's series opener against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.


Buehrle signed with Miami for the 2012 season after leaving a lasting impression on Sale, who came up with the White Sox as a reliever in August 2010. Both left-handers work quickly and are extremely competitive, but Sale's overpowering style contrasts with Buehrle's soft-tossing approach.


Sale (6-4, 2.87 ERA) is 3-2 with a 1.56 ERA over his last seven outings after giving up one run in eight innings of a 2-1, 11-inning win over St. Louis on Tuesday. He struck out 12 to tie Pedro Martinez's major league record of striking out at least 10 in eight straight starts, set in 1999.


Sale, striking out 12.28 hitters per nine innings to lead the majors, says he's not thinking about breaking any records.


'Those kinds of things don't really matter to me,' Sale said. 'You start worrying about that stuff right now and we won't be talking about it anymore, that's for sure.'


Sale once said that it would take winning multiple championships to potentially supplant Buehrle as the premier pitcher in White Sox history, and now he'll get his first chance to go head-to-head with the veteran.


Manager Robin Ventura started rookie Carlos Rodon in Sunday's 9-1 loss to Baltimore to give an extra day of rest to Sale, who has thrown fewer than 110 pitches once in his last 10 starts.


"We didn't do that because (Sale would oppose Buehrle), but you notice it," Ventura said. "It could be a quick game."


The 36-year-old Buehrle (9-4, 3.64) is proving he has plenty left in the tank as he prepares to take the mound as a visitor at U.S. Cellular Field for the second time.


He's 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA in his last six starts after allowing one run and four hits in seven innings of Wednesday's 11-2 win over Boston.


"I'm feeling good, I can't tell you why I'm feeling good but â?¦ it's that time of the year," Buehrle said. "I'm having some good outings, making good pitches and when I'm not making good pitches I'm getting away with them."


Buehrle's only start on the South Side not in a White Sox uniform came Aug. 16, when he allowed three runs in 5 1-3 innings of Toronto's 6-3 victory. He's 1-1 with a 3.20 ERA in three starts against the White Sox (36-43), who had a four-game winning streak snapped Sunday.


The Blue Jays (43-41) had dropped three straight before Sunday's 10-5 win over Detroit. Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer and Justin Smoak added a solo shot.


'We definitely needed this one,' manager John Gibbons said. 'We've got Sale tomorrow, so we needed a game where the offense could get things going.'


Sale has struck out six over seven innings in each of his two career starts against the Blue Jays. He gave up three runs in a 3-1 loss in 2013 and two runs with five walks in a 4-3 victory June 28, 2014.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Blue Jays at White Sox
Mon, Jul 6 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 2
Blue Jays at White Sox
Tue, Jul 7 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Blue Jays at White Sox
Wed, Jul 8 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Blue Jays at White Sox
Thu, Jul 9 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rays (43-41) at Royals (46-33)
Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: July 06, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

It was a rewarding Sunday for the Kansas City Royals in more ways than one.


Looking to sustain their momentum for the final week of the first half of the season and ready to show off their newly minted All-Stars, the Royals open a four-game series Monday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.


The AL Central-leading Royals (46-33) endured a rough stretch early last week with a four-game losing streak - including three in a sweep by upstart Houston - before grinding out a four-game split versus Minnesota, their closest pursuers in the division. Eric Hosmer's double in the ninth plated Lorenzo Cain with the winning run as Kansas City rebuilt its division lead over the Twins to 4 1/2 games.


'It's huge. It's as big a game as you're going to play in early July,' manager Ned Yost said. 'Very seldom do you have a chance to make it a two-game swing.'


After the game, Yost - who will manage the AL team after reaching the World Series last year - learned he would have at least four of his players on the bench with him in Cincinnati for next week's All-Star game as catcher Salvador Perez, shortstop Alcides Escobar and outfielders Cain and Alex Gordon were voted as starters by the fans. It's the first time the Royals have had an All-Star starter since Jermaine Dye in 2000, and they likely will match their team record of five set in 1982 since Eric Hosmer could make it as an injury replacement while reliever Wade Davis (0.25 ERA) is an extremely strong candidate.


'It's just been the support of our fans, really, over the last two years,' said Gordon, making his third straight All-Star appearance. 'Winning brings attention and that's what we've been doing. I think we play with a lot of energy, a lot of fun. People have noticed it.'


Edinson Volquez (8-4, 3.48 ERA) again seeks his fifth consecutive victory after arguably his worst outing of the season. He allowed five runs - three coming on two homers - and eight hits in five-plus innings Wednesday, but the Royals rallied to get him off the hook in their 6-5 loss to the Astros.


The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in three lifetime starts against the Rays, pitching eight innings of one-run ball last year in an 8-1 victory. Tampa Bay shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who is 13 for 35 in his last 10 games to raise his average to .226, is 3 for 8 with a homer against Volquez.


The Rays (43-41) righted themselves with an 8-1 victory Sunday over the Yankees to avoid a three-game sweep in the Bronx and end a season-worst seven-game losing streak. James Loney and Logan Forsythe each had two-run singles for Tampa Bay, which shook off a pair of walkoff defeats to avoid falling to .500 for the first time since June 1.


'At the plate we got going, finally,' said Forsythe, who is only 2 for 24 over his last seven games and went hitless in 12 at-bats versus Kansas City in 2014. 'It's nice to have a quality game.'


Alex Colome (3-4, 4.70) is hoping the offense delivers again while potentially fighting to save his spot in the rotation. He's 0-3 with a 4.63 in his last eight starts and was tagged for five runs and eight hits over seven innings in an 8-1 loss to Cleveland on Wednesday.


"They don't say nothing to us," Colome told MLB's official website about possibly being bumped for Jake Odorizzi, who will make a rehab start Monday in Charlotte. "Something you have to ask the manager. The only thing I can do is do my job. Go out and pitch."


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rays at Royals
Mon, Jul 6 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 2
Rays at Royals
Tue, Jul 7 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Rays at Royals
Wed, Jul 8 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Rays at Royals
Thu, Jul 9 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Braves (40-42) at Brewers (36-48)
Game: 1
Venue: Miller Park
Date: July 06, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Kyle Lohse acknowledged after his last outing that his days with the Milwaukee Brewers could be coming to an end.


For now, he's focused on helping the club continue its long winning streak.


The hot-hitting Brewers return home after a perfect road trip seeking a ninth consecutive victory when they face the Atlanta Braves on Monday night.


Lohse (5-9, 6.24 ERA) hasn't been very impressive, but with the July 31 trade deadline looming a number of contending teams are searching for depth in the starting rotation. Despite its run, Milwaukee (36-48) is in last place in the NL Central.


Lohse took the rumors in stride after allowing four runs in 6 1-3 innings of Wednesday's 9-5 win over Philadelphia. The right-hander gave up two runs through six before becoming a bit unraveled to start the seventh.


He's allowed at least four runs in six of his last eight starts.


"Obviously, many of us wish our season stats looked better than they do right now, but you can't fix it all in one night," Lohse said. "You just keep doing the things that you do to be successful. (Wednesday's outing) was another step in the right direction for me."


Lohse has no reason to complain about his recent numbers against the Braves, going 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA in the last three matchups, most recently allowing one run in eight innings of a 6-1 victory May 21, 2014.


Milwaukee has backed its starters with plenty of offense recently, averaging 7.25 runs during the eight-game winning streak. Gerardo Parra homered leading off the seventh inning Sunday and Adam Lind followed with a two-run shot three batters later in a 6-1 win over Cincinnati that completed a seven-game trip.


Jean Segura had three hits and has gone 10 for 16 in his last four. Lind is batting .404 with four homers and 17 RBIs over his last 13.


'It's a great stretch,' manager Craig Counsell said. 'We're getting guys on base (and) everybody's cleaning up with guys on base.'


The Brewers have lost eight of 10 to the Braves (40-42), dropping three of four in Atlanta from May 21-24. They'll get their first look at Matt Wisler in his fourth career start.


Wisler (2-1, 2.60) allowed one hit and overcame five walks in 5 1-3 innings to beat Washington 4-1 on Wednesday. He didn't walk anyone in 11 innings over his first two starts after being called up from the minors to make his debut June 19.


The right-hander also struck out six after striking out two in his previous outings combined.


'The last time I was leaving balls up in the zone,' said Wisler, recalling when he gave up six runs and nine hits in four innings of a 7-0 loss to the Nationals on June 25. '(Wednesday), I finally got down in the zone. That's what helped me a lot with a couple ground balls. ... My misses were not like up in the zone and over the plate.'


Wisler might avoid having to face Carlos Gomez, who sat out Sunday with a left wrist contusion after being hit by a pitch Saturday. Counsell said he doesn't think Gomez will miss much time, leaving it unclear if he'll play against the Braves, who are beginning a seven-game trip.


They had a four-game winning streak snapped with Sunday's 4-0, 10-inning loss to Philadelphia. A.J. Pierzynski had three of the seven hits for Atlanta, which has scored fewer than three runs in three of its last four.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Braves at Brewers
Mon, Jul 6 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 2
Braves at Brewers
Tue, Jul 7 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Braves at Brewers
Wed, Jul 8 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Orioles (43-39) at Twins (43-39)
Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: July 06, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Baltimore Orioles finally got the breakout offensive game they desperately needed.


A matchup with Phil Hughes could make it difficult for them to continue in that direction.


A pair of second-place teams open a three-game series at Target Field on Monday night as the Orioles and Minnesota Twins meet for the first time this season.


Things turned around quickly for Baltimore (43-39), which followed a 16-4 run with five losses in six games before a 9-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.


Manny Machado's two-run homer in the eighth inning of Saturday's 3-2 loss prevented the Orioles from being shut out in three consecutive games for the first time since 1957. They totaled 13 runs, batted .195 and struck out 50 times during the 1-5 stretch.


There were no such problems Sunday as Baltimore cruised behind three hits from Steve Pearce. Jonathan Schoop provided an immediate boost to the struggling offense, homering in his first at-bat in nearly three months following his recovery from a sprained right knee.


'The nerves were all there,' Schoop said. 'I was a little bit excited, but I feel really good.'


Adam Jones had a pair doubles and scored twice after entering Sunday in a 5-for-36 slump.


'It gives you confidence and you have more room to work with,' winning pitcher Miguel Gonzalez said about the run support. 'We did a good job hitting, and our defense was great.'


Chris Davis was robbed of a home run for the second straight day, but knocked in two to give him a team-leading 51 RBIs. He's batting .333 with four homers and 18 RBIs in his last 11 games against the Twins.


Hughes (7-6, 4.27 ERA) takes the mound after his start was pushed back a day to accommodate Ervin Santana's return Sunday.


The right-hander won his third straight outing Tuesday, allowing four runs and eight hits over 6 2-3 innings in an 8-5 victory at Cincinnati. It was a rare struggle for Hughes, who had compiled a 2.43 ERA in his previous four appearances before facing the Reds.


'You always gain confidence when things are going right and you're winning games,' Hughes said. 'It's high right now. I hope it continues.'


The right-hander is 8-5 with a 4.83 ERA in 19 starts against the Orioles, but went 2-0 with a 1.26 ERA in two meetings last season, his first with the Twins.


Machado is 6 for 13 against Hughes, but Jones and Matt Wieters are a combined 15 for 83 (.181).


Minnesota returns home after completing a 4-6 road trip with Sunday's 3-2 loss to Kansas City.


The Twins didn't do much offensively in the second half of the trek, scoring 12 runs and going 6 for 40 (.150) with runners in scoring position in the final five games.


Brian Dozier and Torii Hunter combined to go 5 for 38 in those contests, but both have performed well lately against the Orioles.


Hunter is batting .386 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and a 1.129 OPS in his last 14 meetings. Dozier is batting .361 with 10 runs during a nine-game hitting streak in the series.


Dozier is 5 for 11 with a homer off Wei-Yin Chen (4-4, 2.84), who looks to continue an impressive string of outings.


He is 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA in his last six starts, allowing two earned runs or less in five straight. The left-hander surrendered a pair of solo homers, two other hits and a walk in eight innings Wednesday in a 4-2 victory over Texas.


Chen is 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA in three starts at Target Field.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Orioles at Twins
Mon, Jul 6 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 2
Orioles at Twins
Tue, Jul 7 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Orioles at Twins
Wed, Jul 8 - 1:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Tigers (41-40) at Mariners (38-44)
Game: 1
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: July 06, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

Hisashi Iwakuma's injury has been one of many factors behind the Seattle Mariners' disappointing first half.


They're hoping Iwakuma, making his first start in more than two months, can help open the team's final pre-All Star break homestand with a victory Monday night against the Detroit Tigers.


Iwakuma (0-1, 6.61 ERA) went to the disabled list with a strained back muscle after just three starts, last pitching April 20. Seattle (38-44) is hoping the right-hander can regain the form of his first three seasons when he went 38-20 with a 3.07 ERA.


Iwakuma is replacing Roenis Elias in the rotation. Elias, optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, is 4-6 with a 4.27 ERA, but just 1-3 with an 8.55 ERA in his last four starts.


"Elias has thrown the ball extremely well," manager Lloyd McClendon told MLB's official website. "He probably doesn't deserve to be going down, but we can only carry so many guys on the roster. He has options. These things are tough sometimes, but that's the way it goes."


Iwakuma surrendered five homers before being injured - one more than he allowed in his final nine starts of 2014.


He went 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three rehab starts, earning the victory Tuesday for Tacoma when he gave up one run over 5 2-3 innings versus Las Vegas. He's 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts versus Detroit.


The Tigers (41-40) have dropped four of six while posting a 6.06 ERA with just two quality starts. Justin Verlander gave up seven runs over five innings in Sunday's 10-5 loss to Toronto.


Offense hasn't been much of an issue lately for Detroit, which has averaged 5.1 runs over its last 10. Even without Miguel Cabrera, whom the Tigers lost to a calf injury Friday that will sideline him at least six weeks, they had 11 hits Sunday. Alex Avila has gone 2 for 6 while starting the last two games in place of Cabrera, who was voted the AL's starting first baseman for the All-Star Game.


Ian Kinsler, who tripled Sunday, is hitting .361 with seven RBIs in his last eight games, and he's 9 for 23 with three homers against Iwakuma. Cespedes is 10 for 24 with three home runs and five doubles off the right-hander.


Seth Smith drove in both runs in Seattle's 2-1 win at Oakland on Sunday. Aside from Friday's 9-5 victory, those were the Mariners' only runs in the four-game series.


McClendon will miss the series to attend his sister's funeral, while bench coach Trent Jewett will serve as manager in his absence.


Detroit's Alfredo Simon (7-5, 3.94) has given up 18 runs in his last three outings, spanning 14 2-3 innings. The four home runs given by the right-hander in that span match the amount he allowed in his previous nine starts.


He was clobbered for 15 hits - the most allowed by a Tigers pitcher since 1998 - and six runs over 5 2-3 innings of a 9-3 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday.


The Tigers are hoping he doesn't fall victim to another late-season swoon. He was 12-3 with a 2.70 ERA for Cincinnati before last year's All-Star Break, then went 3-7 with a 4.52 ERA in his final 14 outings.


"We're not to the second half yet," manager Brad Ausmus told MLB's official website. "But certainly, his last three outings haven't been as good as his previous outings."


Simon has a 0.93 ERA over seven career relief appearances against the Mariners.


Seattle won four of six meetings last year.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Tigers at Mariners
Mon, Jul 6 - 10:10PM EDT


GAME 2
Tigers at Mariners
Tue, Jul 7 - 10:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Tigers at Mariners
Wed, Jul 8 - 3:40PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Phillies (28-56) at Dodgers (46-37)
Game: 1
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: July 06, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

After playing 2,090 games for the Philadelphia Phillies, Jimmy Rollins is set to play his first one against them.


Rollins is on the opposite side for the first time Monday night when he and the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Phillies.


Acquired from Philadelphia in exchange for pitchers Zach Eflin and Tom Windle in December, the shortstop enjoyed a storied 14-season tenure with the Phillies. He was a three-time All-Star and the 2007 NL MVP and a key member of the 2008 World Series champion club.


His 2,306 hits are the most in franchise history, but his relationship with the team seemed to sour in recent years.


"It wasn't the best," he said. "After 2011, the magic was gone."


The 36-year-old is batting a career-worst .208, the lowest mark among NL qualifying hitters. He didn't start for the first time in 12 games in Sunday's 8-0 loss to the Mets, but it was said to be a routine day off.


Los Angeles (46-37) gave up 15 hits and managed only three of its own. The Dodgers lost first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch, but he said he expects to play Monday.


Yasiel Puig is hitting .175 over his last 18 games after going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts Sunday, but will hope to continue his success against the Phillies. He's 18 for 46 (.391) with four doubles and three triples in his last 11 matchups.


Carlos Frias was slated to start Monday but went on the disabled list Sunday with lower back tightness. Manager Don Mattingly didn't say who would replace him, though left-hander Eric Surkamp being scratched from Sunday's start for Triple-A Oklahoma City might provide a clue.


"Someone from the minor leagues," Mattingly told MLB's official website. "We'll start somebody tomorrow. We won't forfeit tomorrow."


The Phillies (28-56) defeated Atlanta 4-0 in 10 innings Sunday to snap a six-game losing streak. Cesar Hernandez was 3 for 4, improving to 25 for 54 (.463) over his last 13 contests.


Sean O'Sullivan (1-6, 5.76 ERA) is looking for his first win since May 17. He's given up six runs in each of his last two starts, and allowed a season-high 12 hits over five-plus innings of a 7-4 loss to Milwaukee last Monday.


"I was ahead of guys. The problem was putting them away," he said. "Tonight's on me. I'm pretty disappointed with the results."


O'Sullivan is 0-7 with an 8.39 ERA in eight road starts since May 28, 2011, and has allowed 11 home runs in 27 road innings this year compared to three in 38 2-3 innings at home.


His only experience against the Dodgers was a scoreless inning of relief for the Los Angeles Angels on June 24, 2010.


Philadelphia took four of last year's seven meetings with Ben Revere going 11 for 24.


Revere, who has hit .522 with 10 runs scored in his last 12 against the Dodgers, has only started four of the last 10 games and has missed two straight due to what he said was a sore right hamstring.


"Just a little thing," he told MLB's official website. "Give it a couple days to heal."



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Phillies at Dodgers
Mon, Jul 6 - 10:10PM EDT


GAME 2
Phillies at Dodgers
Tue, Jul 7 - 10:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Phillies at Dodgers
Wed, Jul 8 - 10:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Phillies at Dodgers
Thu, Jul 9 - 10:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mets (42-41) at Giants (42-41)
Game: 1
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: July 06, 2015 10:15 PM EDT

In all likelihood, the last pitcher the New York Mets want to face after breaking out of their lengthy offensive slump is the one who no-hit them last month.


The Mets hope history doesn't repeat itself as they get a rematch versus Chris Heston on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series against the slumping San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.


In his 13th career start on June 9, Heston (8-5, 3.78 ERA) allowed just three hit batsmen and struck out 11 Mets while throwing the season's first no-hitter, calling it the greatest moment of his life.


The rookie didn't throw a pitch faster than 91 mph, utilizing a devastating sinker in the 5-0 victory at Citi Field. It was San Francisco's fourth no-hitter in as many seasons, following Matt Cain's perfect game in 2012 and hitless gems by Tim Lincecum in 2013 and `14.


"What I was impressed by was how he threw his sinker on both sides of the plate," New York manager Terry Collins told MLB' official website. "His breaking ball, we heard it was very good and it is. If his command's on as good as it was last time, we've got our work cut out for us."


Heston has gone 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA in four starts since his no-hitter. He allowed three runs over six innings Wednesday before closer Santiago Casilla blew a two-run lead in a 6-5 loss at Miami.


Now Heston will try to help the Giants (42-41) avoid falling to .500 for the first time since they were 17-17 on May 13. They're coming off an 0-6 road swing following Sunday's 3-1 loss at Washington.


'Well, there's time (to turn things around) before the All-Star break,' manager Bruce Bochy said. 'That's how we have to look at it.'


New York (42-41) had been batting .183 and averaging 1.8 runs during a 5-11 stretch before getting on track with 15 hits - its most since May 16 - in Sunday's 8-0 win at Dodger Stadium.


Wilmer Flores stayed hot with a career-high four hits, while Daniel Murphy and Ruben Tejada added three apiece. Flores was 10 for 13 with five RBIs - lifting his average 25 points to .258 - as the Mets took two of three in the series.


New York dropped two of three to the Giants last month, falling to 3-10 against them since September 2013. The club was swept in its only trip to AT&T Park over that span in June 2014.


The Mets have batted .200 versus San Francisco in the past 13 meetings. Lucas Duda (9 for 52), Ruben Tejada (1 for 27) and Travis d'Arnaud (3 for 24) have scuffled against the Giants.


Jonathon Niese (3-8, 3.90) is on the verge of a career-worst losing streak despite pitching well of late. He's lost six straight decisions but owns a 3.00 ERA over a string of five straight quality starts.


The left-hander allowed one run over seven innings in a 1-0 home loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.


He yielded four runs - two earned - over seven innings but did not factor in a 5-4 home win over the Giants on June 11. He's 1-1 with a 1.71 ERA in three career starts at AT&T Park.


Brandon Crawford homered against Niese last month and is 5 for 12 lifetime in the matchup. He provided the offense Sunday with his 12th homer in the fourth inning.


All-Star Buster Posey extended his hitting streak to 11 games, batting .410 (16 for 39) with four homers, 16 RBIs and a 1.262 OPS in that span. The catcher is 8 for 22 with a homer versus Niese.



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Mets at Giants
Mon, Jul 6 - 10:15PM EDT


GAME 2
Mets at Giants
Tue, Jul 7 - 10:15PM EDT


GAME 3
Mets at Giants
Wed, Jul 8 - 3:45PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

MLB


Monday, July 6


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Blue Jays at White Sox
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Toronto Blue Jays at Chicago White Sox (-142, 7)


Chris Sale has a chance to set a major-league record when he takes the mound for the Chicago White Sox on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Sale has struck out at least 10 batters in eight consecutive starts, tying the all-time mark set by Pedro Martinez with the Boston Red Sox in 1999.


During Sale's historic tear, he has fanned 97 batters while walking only nine over 60 innings, yet he remains winless over his last four turns. The White Sox, who provided a total of five runs of support during Sale's dry spell, had their four-game winning streak snapped when they dropped a 9-1 decision to Baltimore on Sunday. Toronto, which avoided a three-game series sweep with a 10-5 thumping of Detroit in the series finale, sends left-hander Mark Buehrle to the mound to face his former teammates. "It should be fun. It should be fast too," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said of the matchup between Buehrle and Sale.


TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), CSN Chicago


LINE HISTORY: The Sox opened -148 and are now -142. The total opened at 7.


INJURY REPORT: Blue Jays - RF Michael Saunders (Late July, knee). White Sox - N/A


WEATHER WATCH: There is a 37 percent chance of thunderstorms and wind will blow across the field (RF to LF) at around 14 mph.


PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (9-4, 3.64 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Chris Sale (6-4, 2.87)


Buehrle has been putting up impressive numbers of his own, winning back-to-back outings and stretching his unbeaten streak to seven starts after holding Boston to one run over seven innings on Wednesday. He won his previous turn against Texas by giving up two runs over seven innings versus Texas - the sixth straight start he's allowed two runs or fewer. He has been tormented by Melky Cabrera, who is 17-for-30 against him.


Sale was saddled with a no-decision last time out despite a masterful performance in which he struck out 12 and limited major league-best St. Louis to one run and six hits over eight innings. It was the fifth time in seven starts that Sale allowed one run or less, a span in which he allowed four hits or fewer four times. The 6-6 Sale has made five appearances (two starts) against Toronto, posting a 1-2 record and 2.84 ERA.


TRENDS:


* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Chicago.
* Blue Jays are 3-7 in the last 10 meetings in Chicago.
* White Sox are 6-1 in Sales last seven starts with five days of rest.
* Blue Jays are 11-1 in Buehrles last 12 road starts vs. a team with a losing record.


CONSENSUS: Fifty-two percent of users are backing the Jays.

 

[CNOTES]

Monday's Tip Sheet


July 6, 2015




San Diego Padres at Pittsburgh Pirates | 7:05 p.m. EST


When James Shields (7-3, 4.14 ERA) faced the Pirates just over a month ago at Petco Park, he was riding high, carrying an undefeated record and a desirable 3.69 ERA. Flash forward into July now and Shields has suddenly lost three straight games after winning his first seven decisions. His ERA has also climbed over the 4.00-barrier, as the veteran ace has surrendered four runs or more in half of his six starts since that outing opposite Pittsburgh. One thing that hasn’t really changed, though, is Shields’ knack for winning ‘over’ bets in 2015, as he currently owns a 13-3-1 record for overs.


Starting out on a similar path, fellow veteran A.J. Burnett (7-3, 2.05 ERA) hasn’t let up, unlike his counterpart this evening, which is why Burnett is most likely to be tabbed for the upcoming All-Star Game when pitchers are announced, in what looks like his final Major League season. Burnett has been nothing short of fantastic for the Pirates this season, especially considering how woeful he was last year in Philadelphia losing an MLB-high 18 ballgames, as he’s been enjoying the definition of a renaissance year. Burnett has given up more than two runs in a start only three times in his 16 starts, and never more than four runs in an outing. In other words, he’s pretty much been as consistently stingy as anybody. He’ll be a -140 home favorite to kick off this series from PNC Park.


St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs | 8:05 p.m. EST (ESPN)


The only nationally-televised baseball game tonight is emanating from Wrigley Field, as two familiar foes square off in the first game of a four-game National League Central set. The MLB-best Cardinals have been cruising throughout the season, but now find themselves mired in their first rough patch, as they’ve been banged up and are currently starving for offense. In fact, St. Louis has scored three runs or less in six straight games, while losing four of them. If they can’t pick it up at the plate, they’ll hope John Lackey (6-5, 3.30 ERA) can churn out yet another quality start, something he’s done 11 times in his 16 starts this season. Having allowed two runs or less in each of his past four outings, the odds are in his favor of accomplishing that.


For the home side, Jon Lester (4-6, 3.74 ERA) will be getting things started for the Cubs, who currently sit in third in the NL Central, 8.5 games back of the Cardinals, but also own one of the league’s two Wild Card berths entering tonight. While he maybe hasn’t pitched like the dominant ace Chicago thought they were getting when they signed him this past offseason, Lester has still been solid, and comes into this assignment with three quality starts in his last four tries. He’s also been pretty good against St. Louis in his first go-around in the NL, being 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA in two starts opposing the Red Birds. Also of note tonight, Lester will be without his personal catcher David Ross, who is on the seven-day disabled list with a mild concussion after sustaining it last Wednesday. That could be a huge variable so take that into consideration when evaluating Lester’s standing as a -125 home favorite.


Toronto Blue Jays at Chicago White Sox | 8:10 p.m. EST


When the Blue Jays and White Sox kick off their four-game series on this first Monday in July, there will be some history on the line as well. In his latest assignment for the White Sox, Cy Young candidate Chris Sale (6-4, 2.87 ERA) will try to set the Major League record for most consecutive double-digit strikeout games. With ten-or-more strikeouts in each of his last eight starts, Sale tied the record that Pedro Martinez set back in 1999. In the process, he nabbed the American League Pitcher of the Month award for June with a 2-2 record and 1.83 ERA, while striking out an incredible 75 batters (!) in 44.1 total innings of work. For the year, Sale owns a 141/22 K/BB ratio in 103.1 innings on the year, and appears to be on a clear path towards starting the All-Star Game for the AL. This will be his second-to-last start before the All-Star break so Sale will certainly want to further solidify his chances in accomplishing that.


Also in play for this affair is another interesting storyline, this one involving former longtime White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle (9-4, 3.64 ERA), who will be making his second start opposing his former organization at U.S. Cellular Field since departing as a free agent prior to the 2012 season. Additionally, Buehrle was also a former mentor to Sale when the two were teammates from 2010-11, and Chicago pitching coach Don Cooper, who coached both in that era, deemed it “the way it should be” as far as Sale going for the record against the veteran southpaw. Buehrle is having yet another nice season in ’15, and when he faced the White Sox for the first time last year, he held them to three runs in five-plus innings, en route to a win. He may fare better this time around, considering his former club current ranks last in the AL against left-handed pitching in team batting average (.221), on-base percentage (.268), and slugging percentage (.305). As a result, Sale and the White Sox are a -145 home favorite, and the over/under is 7.


Detroit Tigers at Seattle Mariners | 10:10 p.m. EST


With an unbelievable 16 straight ‘over’ bets cashed, the Detroit Tigers have registered the longest over/unders streak as a team in at least several years. Even having a streak of more than ten in a row is rare (although the last team to accomplish that was the Washington Nationals earlier this year with their own extensive run of overs), and there’s a solid chance it could continue through tonight, given the pitching matchup. The Tigers will have Alfredo Simon (7-5, 3.95 ERA) on the hill, and based on how he’s pitched as of late, this is a starting pitcher who would benefit a hopeful ‘over’ bet. Simon has yielded a whopping 18 runs over his past three starts, spanning just under 15 innings of work combined, and he’s been doing it consistently, with five-plus runs given up in each outing. In the process, his ERA has jumped up more than a full run, and he’s also seen the over hit in his last five starts.


This series opener from Safeco Field also marks the return of Hisashi Iwakuma (0-1, 6.61 ERA), who’s absence from the rotation was really hurting the Mariners earlier in the season. Iwakuma hasn’t pitched since April 20 due to a right lat strain, but was struggling before that, as he allowed four runs in each of his three starts this season, while uncharacteristically surrendering at least one home run as well. Additionally, the Mariners dropped all three contests. For those wanting to ride Detroit’s remarkable streak, you’ll have to hope Iwakuma’s success in his rehab outings is no indication how he’ll fare tonight; in three starts for Triple-A Tacoma throughout the upper portion of June, Iwakuma posted a shiny 1.35 ERA and 0.98 WHIP, as the opposing minor league lineups could only hit .216 off the Japanese right-hander. The total score tonight will have to surpass 7 for the streak to continue.

 

[CNOTES]

Team Pitcher Open Line Movements Current Runline Scores


7:05 PM EDT


951 CINCINNATI REDS (R) Desclafani, A 7.5u20 7.5 / 7.5o15 / 7.5 7.5o15 +1.5(-200)
952 WASHINGTON NATIONALS (R) Fister, D -160 -142 / -140 / -130 -128 -1.5(+170)


TV: FS-Ohio, MASN, DTV: 640, 661 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 60% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND OUT TO LEFT 6-11. GAME TEMP 82, RH 69% HEAT INDEX 87


7:05 PM EDT


953 SAN DIEGO PADRES (R) Shields, J 7u15 7u25 / 7u30 / 6.5o20 6.5o25 +1.5(-190)
954 PITTSBURGH PIRATES (R) Burnett, A -160 -147 / -142 / -140 -133 -1.5(+160)

TV: FS-San Diego, ROOT-Pittsburgh, DTV: 659, 694 | PARTLY CLOUDY, HAZY, 30% CHANCE SHOWERS EARLY. WIND RIGHT TO LEFT 5-10. GAME TEMP 80, RH 69% HEAT INDEX 84


8:05 PM EDT


955 ST LOUIS CARDINALS (R) Lackey, J 9u20 8.5u25 / 8o15 / 8 8o15 +1.5(-195)
956 CHICAGO CUBS (L) Lester, J -125 -131 / -129 / -125 -127 -1.5(+165)

STL-LF-Matt Holliday-OUT | TV: ESPN, FS-Midwest, WGN, DTV: 206, 307, 671 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 40% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND OUT TO CENTER 10-15. GAME TEMP 81, RH 64% HEAT INDEX 84


8:10 PM EDT


957 ATLANTA BRAVES (R) Wisler, M 8 8 8o20 +1.5(-175)
958 MILWAUKEE BREWERS (R) Lohse, K -135 -147 / -142 / -140 -133 -1.5(+155)


TV: FS-Wisconsin, DTV: 669 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 60% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND IN FROM RIGHT CENTER 11-16. GAME TEMP 78, RH 73% HEAT INDEX 81 (MILLER PARK ROOF CLOSES IN WET WEATHER)


10:10 PM EDT


959 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (R) O'sullivan, S 8o15 8o15 8u15 +1.5(-110)
960 LOS ANGELES DODGERS (L) Surkamp, E -210 -210 / -205 / -220 -225 -1.5(-110)


LAD-1B-Adrian Gonzalez-? | TV: CSN-Philadelphia, SportsNet LA | CLEAR, WIND OUT TO LEFT 6-11. GAME TEMP 77, RH 51% HEAT INDEX 79


10:15 PM EDT


961 NEW YORK METS (L) Niese, J 7u20 7u20 7u25 +1.5(-190)
962 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (R) Heston, C -170 -140 / -141 / -140 -133 -1.5(+160)


TV: CSN-Bay, SNY, DTV: 639, 696 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND OUT TO LEFT CENTER 10-20. GAME TEMP 69, RH 65%


7:10 PM EDT


963 HOUSTON ASTROS (L) Keuchel, D 7u20 7u20 / 7u30 / 7u22 7u20 +1.5(-225)
964 CLEVELAND INDIANS (R) Carrasco, C -113 -123 / -118 / -110 -109 -1.5(+195)

TV: ROOT-Southwest, SportsTime Ohio, DTV: 662, 674 | PARTLY CLOUDY, HAZY, WIND IN FROM RIGHT CENTER 4-9. GAME TEMP 81, RH 52% HEAT INDEX 82


8:10 PM EDT


965 BALTIMORE ORIOLES (L) Chen, W -105 -124 / -122 / -119 -114 -1.5(+145)
966 MINNESOTA TWINS (R) Hughes, P 7.5o20 8.5u15 / 8 / 8.5u34 8u20 +1.5(-165)


TV: FS-North, MASN2, DTV: 641, 668 | PARTLY CLOUDY, WIND LEFT TO RIGHT 12-17. GAME TEMP 67, RH 67%


8:10 PM EDT


967 TAMPA BAY RAYS (R) Colome, A 7.5u20 7.5u20 / 7.5o13 7.5o15 +1.5(-190)
968 KANSAS CITY ROYALS (R) Volquez, E -150 -151 / -145 / -135 -132 -1.5(+160)

TV: FS-Kansas City, SunSports, DTV: 653, 672 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 70% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND OUT TO CENTER 12-17. GAME TEMP 83, RH 64% HEAT INDEX 88


8:10 PM EDT


969 TORONTO BLUE JAYS (L) Buehrle, M 7 7o15 / 7o25 / 7o30 7.5u15 +1.5(-190)
970 CHICAGO WHITE SOX (L) Sale, C -160 -142 / -140 / -133 -129 -1.5(+160)

TV: CSN-Chicago, DTV: 665 | MOSTLY CLOUDY, 40% CHANCE SHOWER/STORMS. WIND RIGHT TO LEFT 10-15. GAME TEMP 82, RH 62% HEAT INDEX 85


10:10 PM EDT


971 DETROIT TIGERS (R) Simon, A 7o20 7o20 / 7o30 7o20 +1.5(-150)
972 SEATTLE MARINERS (R) Iwakuma, H -145 -159 / -160 / -164 -166 -1.5(+130)

DET-1B-Miguel Cabrera-OUT | TV: ROOT-Northwest, DTV: 687 | CLEAR, WIND OUT TO RIGHT CENTER 3-8. GAME TEMP 86, RH 32% HEAT INDEX 85

 

[CNOTES]

MLB

Monday, July 6


Orioles cashing bets when Chen gets the ball

The Baltimore Orioles head into their meeting with the Minnesota Twins with a five-game winning streak in games that Wei-Yin Chen starts.

Chen (4-4, 2.84 ERA) is slated to get the ball as a -115 favorite in Minnesota Monday. The Twins are expected to counter with Phil Hughes.

The is lefty is currently 18th in starting pitcher money standings ($467).


Surkamp to make first MLB start since 2013

Left-hander Eric Surkamp will get the start for the Los Angeles Dodgers after Carols Frias (back) was placed on the disabled list. It will be Surkamp's first start since 2013 for the San Francisco Giants.

The lefty has made seven career MLB starts and is 2-3 with a 7.36 ERA in those outings.

Surkamp and the Dodgers are presently -214 with the Philadelphia Phillies in town Monday evening. The Phils, expected to counter with Sean O'Sullivan, are +196.


This matchup has a history of going under

The Houston Astros and the Cleveland Indians begin a four-game series Monday, in a matchup that has seen the under go 22-5-2 in the last 29 meetings.

That includes going under in 10 consecutive meetings between the two teams.

Dallas Keuchel (2.03 ERA, 7-10 O/U) gets the call for the Astros, while the Indians counter with Carlos Carrasco (3.88 ERA, 10-6 O/U). The total is currently at 7.0 runs.

 

[CNOTES]

MLB Consensus Picks


SIDES (ATS)


Time Away Line Picks Pct Home Line Picks Pct Detail Odds


7:05 PM Cincinnati +114 335 26.57% Washington -123 926 73.43% View View


7:05 PM San Diego +102 361 27.75% Pittsburgh -110 940 72.25% View View


8:10 PM Tampa Bay +121 353 28.84% Kansas City -131 871 71.16% View View


10:10 PM Philadelphia +210 200 30.72% LA Dodgers -230 451 69.28% View View


10:15 PM NY Mets +125 457 38.89% San Francisco -135 718 61.11% View View


8:10 PM Atlanta +136 551 46.54% Milwaukee -148 633 53.46% View View


8:10 PM Toronto +108 607 50.97% Chi. White Sox -117 584 49.03% View View


10:10 PM Detroit +153 593 52.29% Seattle -166 541 47.71% View View


8:10 PM Baltimore -116 632 54.53% Minnesota +107 527 45.47% View View


8:05 PM St. Louis +116 698 57.12% Chi. Cubs -126 524 42.88% View View


7:10 PM Houston +111 797 63.91% Cleveland -120 450 36.09% View View






TOTALS (OVER/UNDER)


Time Away Total Over Pct Home Total Under Pct Detail Odds


8:05 PM St. Louis 8.5 158 30.86% Chi. Cubs 8.5 354 69.14% View View


7:05 PM San Diego 7 281 39.19% Pittsburgh 7 436 60.81% View View


7:10 PM Houston 7 335 41.61% Cleveland 7 470 58.39% View View


10:15 PM NY Mets 7 289 41.88% San Francisco 7 401 58.12% View View


8:10 PM Tampa Bay 7.5 290 42.46% Kansas City 7.5 393 57.54% View View


8:10 PM Toronto 7.5 375 49.08% Chi. White Sox 7.5 389 50.92% View View


8:10 PM Atlanta 8 380 55.07% Milwaukee 8 310 44.93% View View


7:05 PM Cincinnati 7.5 386 55.30% Washington 7.5 312 44.70% View View


8:10 PM Baltimore 7.5 413 56.42% Minnesota 7.5 319 43.58% View View


10:10 PM Philadelphia 8 272 60.04% LA Dodgers 8 181 39.96% View View


10:10 PM Detroit 7 484 65.23% Seattle 7 258 34.77% View View




Games are highlighted when more than 59% of all cash contests players choose outcome.

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack


-- Daytona is a 2.5-mile track; any idea how much it costs to pave it?


-- Robin Lopez signs with the Knicks for four years, $54M.


-- Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul hurt his hand in a fireworks-related accident over the weekend and could have nerve damage in one finger. We hope he recovers soon.


-- Giants were going to pay him $14.8M this coming season, but he hadn't signed the deal yet, so if he can't play, the Giants could still pull the deal.


-- Speaking of the Giants, they've lost seven of last eight home games with Philly, as we begin to look at NFL stuff for the coming season.


-- Overtime in the CFL; Toronto beats Saskatchewan 42-40 in Regina.


**********


Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend......


13) Thanks to NASCAR for starting their Daytona race after 11:30 pm so I had live entertainment while typing this. I know nothing about cars but for some reason, I like watching/listening to the races. Am guessing it would be too loud in person.


12) David Ortiz played first base Sunday, the first time he played the field in an AL game since 2006 at Tampa Bay. Mike Napoli has been really struggling.


11) 24-year old Danny Lee won his first PGA tournament Sunday, winning a 4-man playoff at Greenbrier. He was so happy in the interview after, kind of cool to see. He has played 27 tournaments this year, most of anyone.


10) Robert Streb lost in the playoff; not even sure how he got in, after playing the last nine holes with no putter- he broke his on the ninth green and used a pitching wedge to putt on the last nine holes, somehow still making five birdies.


9) Which is the worst birthday: December 26, January 2 or July 5?


8) I'm not sure who added all this up, but the guy who won the hot dog contest on Saturday consumed this much in ten minutes during his win:


-- 17,360 calories, 1,116 grams of fat and 48,360 kilograms of sodium. Oy.


7) Unintended consequence: the Home Run Derby is better theater than the All-Star Game itself, especially in years like this one, in a small ballpark.


6) I remember watching the 2013 Home Run Derby in Las Vegas in the sportsbook at Planet Hollywood; I'm sitting at the bar playing video poker (bad idea, the machines just outside the coffee shop are lot more generous) and I just remember how annoying Chris Berman was.


"Back, back, back....." 50 or 60 times gets old.....Cespedes was in the running so I kept watching, but asked the bartender if they could mute the TVs and put music on, thats how annoying Berman gets with his self-promoting act.


5) Golfer Jason Bohn played his college golf at Alabama, until he won $1M making a hole-in-one at a charity event in 1992- then he became a pro. He also once shot a 58 on the Canadian Tour and has won two PGA Tour events, the BC Open in 2005 and the New Orleans tournament in 2010.


4) Hitters don't get out of the way of inside pitches anymore; they react as if it is illegal to throw the ball inside. Watch some film from the 60's/70's; batters would turn their bodies away from inside pitches, to avoid getting hit. Now guys expose their hands to being hit (and bones broken) by 95 mph fastballs. Not good.


George Springer broke a bone in his hand this weekend; Carlos Gomez got hit on the wrist yesterday and left the game. Players have to protect their hands.


3) Stupid baseball scheduling: Giants played in Washington this weekend, and play at home against the Mets tonight, which is fine, but they can't be the Sunday night game if they have a game 3,000 miles away the next night. It is terrible scheduling.


Giants are actually flying home Monday morning and playing same night, which almost never happens in pro sports. ESPN should've picked another game.


2) If baseball playoffs started today, they would look like this:
AL: Houston-Kansas City-Bronx. Wild cards: Balt or Minn @ Angels
NL: Washington-St Louis-Dodgers. Wild cards: Cubs @ Pirates


1) Every kid who wants to be a high school, college or pro basketball player should be watching these NBA Summer League games on NBA TV. It is so difficult to make it to the NBA or even the Division I college ranks; you have to practice and refine your skills to maximize your game. Shooting, passing, lower-body strength; that is how you become a better player, one that coaches will sign up to help them win games.

 

[CNOTES]

WNBA JUNE/ JULY RECORD:




*****...............................2 - 7 - 2
DOUBLE PLAY....................13 - 17
TRIPLE PLAY......................5 - 3
SLAM DUNK.......................10 - 7




MLB RECORD FOR JUNE/JULY:




*****.............................50 - 57 - 1 .............................- 7.22
double play......................83 - 87 - 2 .............................- 13.99
triple play........................31 - 27 - 1 .............................+ 15.90
grand slam......................47 - 54 - 1...............................- 38.12




CFL JUNE/JULY RECORD:


SINGLE PLAY.................................0 - 0
DOUBLE PLAY................................3 - 2
TRIPLE PLAY..................................1 - 0
BLOW OUT....................................0 - 1

 

[CNOTES]

MONDAY, JULY 6


Game Score Status Pick Amount


Cincinnati - 7:05 PM ET Cincinnati +114 500
Washington - Over 7.5 500 *****


San Diego - 7:05 PM ET San Diego +102 500 *****
Pittsburgh - Over 7 500


Houston - 7:10 PM ET Houston +114 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Cleveland - Under 7 500


St. Louis - 8:05 PM ET Chi. Cubs -126 500
Chi. Cubs - Under 8.5 500


Baltimore - 8:10 PM ET Baltimore -116 500
Minnesota - Under 7.5 500


Toronto - 8:10 PM ET Chi. White Sox -117 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Chi. White Sox - Under 7.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY


Tampa Bay - 8:10 PM ET Kansas City -131 500
Kansas City - Under 7.5 500


Atlanta - 8:10 PM ET Milwaukee -148 500 GRAND SLAM
Milwaukee - Over 8 500 GRAND SLAM


Detroit - 10:10 PM ET Seattle -166 500
Seattle - Under 7 500


Philadelphia - 10:10 PM ET Philadelphia +210 500 DOUBLE PLAY
LA Dodgers - Over 8 500


NY Mets - 10:15 PM ET NY Mets +125 500 GRAND SLAM
San Francisco - Under 7 500 GRAND SLAM

 

[CNOTES]

Diamond Trends - Monday


July 6, 2015




SU TREND OF THE DAY:


-- The Reds are 0-11 SU since May 18, 2014 as a dog after a loss in which they allowed 12+ hits.


PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:


-- When John Lackey starts the Cardinals are 0-10 OU since August 03, 2014 after his team scored a total of fewer than three runs in his last start.


MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:


-- The Braves are 2-18 since September 2011 as a road dog after a loss in which they used 5+ pitchers.


CHOICE TREND:


-- The Phillies are 0-10 SU against since May 24, 2015 and when they are off a game in which their starter had a quality start.


ACTIVE TRENDS:


-- When Carlos Carrasco starts the Indians are 0-9 since April 09, 2013 when their team used 5+ pitchers yesterday.

 

[CNOTES]

Cards, Cubs clash at Wrigley


July 6, 2015




ST LOUIS CARDINALS (53-28) at CHICAGO CUBS (44-36)


Sportsbook.ag Line: Chicago -126, St. Louis +116, Total: 8.5


The St. Louis Cardinals head to Wrigley Field to continue their rivalry with the Chicago Cubs as they begin a four-game series on Monday night.


The Cardinals have not slowed down with their winning despite taking on a few tough injuries and come into this divisional battle with victories in 10 of their last 15 games as they hold a healthy six-game lead in the division. They did struggle somewhat earlier last week, though, losing four straight contests against both the White Sox and Padres while scoring a meager six runs before finishing off San Diego with two victories and a split in the series at home. The final two games of the set were won with pitching as St. Louis gave up just two runs and capped it off with a nice 3-1 effort on Sunday in which they allowed three hits. OF Thomas Pham (.273) hit his first career homer as the leadoff man and will look to give his team a nice power and speed combo moving forward.


The Cubs remain in the hunt for the postseason and they have continued their stellar campaign with wins in five of their last six outings. In that time they have dominated their opposition, outscoring them 19-5 with three shutouts against both the Mets and Marlins. Over the weekend, they took 2-of-3 from Miami and gained the edge in the rubber-match, a 2-0 victory in which they were a mere 1-of-8 with RISP but did just enough to back starter Kyle Hendrick’s start (7.1 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 6 K). Phenom 23-year-old, 3B Kris Bryant (.279), brings a six-game hitting streak into this contest and aided his team with a huge effort (2 HR, 6 RBI) on Saturday against the Marlins.


A few seasoned veterans will battle it out on Monday as RHP John Lackey (6-5, 3.30 ERA) of the Cardinals goes head-to-head with LHP Jon Lester (4-6, 3.74 ERA) of the host Chicago group. St. Louis has been able to get it done on the road to the tune of a 22-17 record as they take on these Cubbies who are 22-16 when playing in the “Windy City” during 2015. These NL Central clubs have taken each other on 47 times since the start of the 2013 season with the Cardinals holding a 29-18 edge overall, but are an even 10-10 when playing on the road. It has been all St. Louis again this year as they are 7-2 against Chicago, but have yet to play at Wrigley Field.


Trends show that Lackey’s teams have gone 20-8 (.714) in road games during the month of July in his career while the Cubs are a solid 59-42 (.584) after batting .240 or worse over a 15 game span in the past two years.


Plenty of regulars continue to be out for the Cardinals with OFs Matt Holliday (Quad), Jon Jay (Wrist) and 1B Matt Adams (Quad) remaining on the DL while Chicago is without OF Jorge Soler (Ankle), 2B Tommy La Stella (Ribs) and 3B Mike Olt (Wrist).


If you ignore the first two seasons that Lackey spent in Boston, when he posted ERAs of 4.40 and 6.41, the righty has put together another eight seasons since 2005 in which his ERA has been less than 3.90. He has never been a big strikeout guy with a career mark of 7.1 K/9 and has been effective in 2015 once again despite mowing down just 6.7 batters per nine innings. His control has been phenomenal (2.3 BB/9) and he has greatly diminished his homers allowed (0.69 HR/9) after giving up more than a long ball per nine innings in each of the last three years. Since May 29th (7 starts), the Cardinals are 5-2 when Lackey is on the mound and in six of those outings he has gone at least seven frames while giving up three or fewer earned runs.


In his time against the Cubs (5 starts), he is 2-1 (4-1 team record) with a 2.34 ERA (1.27 WHIP) and has dominated them this year with three runs on 13 hits to go along with a 15:4 K/BB ratio in two starts (14.2 IP). OF Chris Coughlan (8-for-14, 2 RBI) has had no issues getting to Lackey when matching up, but 3B Kris Bryant, OF Dexter Fowler and 1B Anthony Rizzo have gone a cumulative 2-for-20 with nine strikeouts against the 36-year-old.


The Cards possess some of the best relievers in the game and as a result the ‘pen has gone 15-9 with a 2.16 ERA (1.21 WHIP) and is 33-for-38 (87%) in save chances. Trevor Rosenthal (0.70 ERA, 24 saves) has just one of the five blown saves and has a 13:3 K/BB ratio with nine hits and a run allowed over his last 10 appearances (10.1 IP).


Lester was a huge addition to this young Cubs ballclub in the offseason and although his ERA is approaching 4.00, he has been able to give the team a legitimate veteran presence. Chicago is just 3-5 in his last eight outings and he has not won a game since May 16th despite having five appearances with at least six innings pitched and two or fewer runs allowed. His strikeouts (8.7 K/9) and walks (2.6 BB/9) have remained consistent from other years, but he is giving up his most homers (0.93 HR/9) since 2012 as 12.2% of the opposition’s flyballs are leaving the park.


He’s had some great starts when meeting with the Cardinals, going 3-1 (4-1 team record) with a 1.85 ERA (1.15 WHIP) against them and earned a victory when he last saw them in May, going seven innings with four runs allowed (1 ER) on seven hits and whiffed six batters. OF Jayson Heyward has had a ton of success off of Lester, going 8-for-15 with four doubles and a homer against him in his career as SS Jhonny Peralta (8-for-31) has also shown some power with three round-trippers. Nobody on the offense for St. Louis has really struggled in their time against the lefty, but 1B Mark Reynolds (8-for-32, 3 doubles, 1 HR, 4 RBI) has not really excelled either.


Chicago has amassed a solid bullpen as they are 19-13 with a 2.88 ERA (1.21 WHIP) and have successfully saved 20-of-30 (67%) contests. Hector Rondon (2.10 ERA, 12 saves) has recently been used earlier in games as veteran Jason Motte (2.84 ERA, 4 saves) begins to get some opportunities in the ninth inning.

 

[CNOTES]

Pirates put Harrison on DL, add Ishikawa


July 6, 2015


PITTSBURGH (AP) Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman and leadoff hitter Josh Harrison was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday with a left thumb injury.


Harrison jammed his thumb Sunday while stealing a base in the seventh inning of a win over the Cleveland Indians. He is scheduled to undergo testing to see if there is any structural damage and also to determine a timetable for his return.


In 75 games, Harrison is hitting .279 with four home runs and nine stolen bases. He was second in the NL last season with a .315 batting average in his first year as a regular.


''We play with dings and bruises all the time,'' Harrison said. ''That's part of the game. That's baseball. You can't get upset about it.


''We have a great training staff and we'll get with those guys and get back in the lineup as soon as possible.''


First baseman Travis Ishikawa was added to the active roster, a day after being claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants.


Rookie infielder Jung Ho Kang was scheduled to start at third Monday night against the San Diego Padres and will likely get the majority of playing time there while Harrison is sidelined.


Right fielder Gregory Polanco, who is hitting .231, was scheduled to bat leadoff on Monday. Manager Clint Hurdle said he might try some different players in that spot.


Also, left fielder Starling Marte was not in the lineup after leaving Sunday's game with discomfort in his left side during a fourth-inning plate appearance.