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[CNOTES]

Preview: Rangers (37-37) at Blue Jays (40-35)
Game: 2
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: June 27, 2015 1:07 PM EDT

Impressive pitching has been the key for the Toronto Blue Jays' mastery of the Texas Rangers over the last few years. After the club's crafty left-hander extended the trend, a rookie lefty making his first career start will try to keep it going.


The Blue Jays plan to promote Matt Boyd from Triple-A Buffalo to start Saturday in the second of a three-game series against the Rangers at Rodgers Centre.


Toronto (40-35) dropped five of the final six meetings with Texas (37-37) in 2012 before taking all four series over the following two seasons with 10 wins in 13 games.


The 24-year-old Boyd may have caught a glimpse of veteran Mark Buehrle continuing that dominance in Friday's 12-2 win. Buehrle gave up only a two-run homer to Prince Fielder over seven innings, allowing four other hits with five strikeouts and two walks.


Toronto's pitchers have now posted a 2.15 ERA, including a 2.36 mark from the starters, over its last 14 against the Rangers. Texas has hit just .213 in that span, with Elvis Andrus struggling the most at 9 for 59.


Edwin Encarnacion hit a pair of home runs Friday, including a grand slam, and Russell Martin and Danny Valencia also went deep to help Toronto improve to 24-14 at home. The Blue Jays had won nine in a row there before dropping two straight to Baltimore last weekend.


"Every time he steps in the box, he's got a chance to go deep," Toronto manager John Gibbons said of Encarnacion, who flew out to the warning track in his last at-bat.


Boyd, who will start in place of Aaron Sanchez (strained back muscle), has gone 7-2 with a 1.26 ERA over 14 starts for Double-A New Hampshire and Buffalo. His emergence has come after he tweaked his offseason training program and lifted his fastball velocity into the mid-90s, giving him a nice complement to his curve, change-up and slider.


A solid outing from the 24-year-old could help Toronto extend the Rangers' season-worst losing streak to seven. Texas, which had been on a 21-8 tear, is now riding its longest slide since an eight-game skid Aug. 30-Sept. 6, 2014.


Opposing Boyd will be Yovani Gallardo (6-6, 2.98 ERA), who will try to win his fourth straight decision during an occasionally trying season in which he's gotten one or no runs of support in six of his 15 starts.


The Rangers, however, have won five of the eight games he's pitched since he suffered a four-start losing streak April 22-May 8. Gallardo, who received a total of two runs of support during his skid, has put in some solid work over his last six outings.


The right-hander has a 1.22 ERA in that span, working at least six innings in four of those starts and allowing no earned runs in three of them, including the previous two. Gallardo, who hasn't allowed a run over his last 15 innings, has logged three consecutive scoreless starts only once in his career from June 10-20, 2013.


He's also kept the ball in the yard over those six outings after allowing seven homers in his first nine. Gallardo, who spent his first seven seasons with Milwaukee, won his only career start against Toronto with 6 2-3 innings of three-run ball on June 20, 2012.


"He's as competitive as they come," Rangers manager Jeff Bannister told MLB's official website. "He's got ice water in his veins when he's out there on the mound."


Fielder's home run Friday was the 300th of his career, and he joined dad Cecil as only the second father-son duo to reach the plateau after Bobby (332) and Barry Bonds (762). Cecil Fielder hit 319 homers during his 13-year career.


"That's pretty good company," Fielder said.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rangers at Blue Jays
Fri, Jun 26 Final 2 to 12
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rangers at Blue Jays
Sat, Jun 27 - 1:07PM EDT


GAME 3
Rangers at Blue Jays
Sun, Jun 28 - 1:07PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Twins (39-33) at Brewers (27-47)
Game: 2
Venue: Miller Park
Date: June 27, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

The Minnesota Twins have been unable to carry their home success onto the road, and that's especially true for their offense.


The Twins will try to get their bats going against struggling Matt Garza in the middle game of this series with the last-place Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.


Minnesota (39-34) is among the best home teams in the AL with a 25-15 record and a .276 batting average. However, that hasn't translated on the road, where the Twins are 14-19 while hitting a paltry .219.


That's enough to leave them 4 1/2 games back of Kansas City for the Central lead.


Minnesota has dropped three in a row and five of six away from home after falling 10-4 at Milwaukee (28-47) in the opener of this 10-game road trip Friday.


The Twins seem to have an ideal chance to break out offensively against Garza (4-9, 5.48 ERA), who owns one of the worst qualifying ERAs in baseball and the most losses since going 10-10 with the Chicago Cubs in 2011.


Garza, though, is 2-0 with a 0.89 ERA in his last three starts with the Twins, yielding one run in seven innings of a 4-2 win at Minnesota on June 6.


He hasn't come close to being that effective while losing his last two starts, surrendering 16 runs and 26 hits in 12 innings.


The right-hander's frustrations grew Sunday, becoming the first pitcher since Brandon Backe in 2008 to allow 10 runs in two starts in the same season after a 10-4 loss to Colorado.


"It hasn't been my year," said Garza, who is trying to avoid being the first 10-game loser in the majors. "Everything has been just falling the right way. You can only keep working. It is frustrating."


Brian Dozier will try to capitalize on a meeting with Garza since he has a homer and two doubles in nine at_bats against him.


The second baseman has hit safely in all 18 career meetings versus the Brewers, compiling a .390 average after going 3 for 4 with a solo homer Friday.


He's 15 for 36 (.417) in eight games at Milwaukee, but he's 11 for 17 with two homers and four RBIs in the last four.


The Twins may need a solid offensive effort since they're turning to Kyle Gibson (4-6, 3.35), who has a 5.25 ERA in four starts this month compared to a 1.36 ERA and 3-1 record in six May outings.


The right-hander's rough June started with a 10-5 loss to Milwaukee on June 5, during which he surrendered five runs and a career-high three homers in the fifth inning before leaving after the seventh.


Gibson has since lost a career-high three straight starts behind a 4.76 ERA.


He labored through 102 pitches in five innings Sunday, allowing two runs and six hits in an 8-0 loss to the Cubs.


Gibson has struggled with Jonathan Lucroy, who is 4 for 6 with a homer in the matchup.


The catcher is a .352 hitter in 25 career games against Minnesota, going 7 for 18 in four meetings this year. However, he's mired in a 4-for-22 funk over the last six games overall.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Twins at Brewers
Fri, Jun 26 - Final 4 to 10
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Twins at Brewers
Sat, Jun 27 - 2:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Twins at Brewers
Sun, Jun 28 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Nationals (41-33) at Phillies (26-49)
Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: June 27, 2015 3:05 PM EDT

For Gio Gonzalez, the only streak carrying any pressure Saturday is extending the winning one the Washington Nationals are enjoying.


Gonzalez and the Nationals seek an eighth consecutive victory as they continue their series against the punchless Philadelphia Phillies.


A run for the ages by Washington's rotation ended in Friday night's 5-2 victory as Max Scherzer's bid to match Johnny Vander Meer's back-to-back no-hitters ended with Freddy Galvis' one-out double in the sixth.


The shutout streak by the starters ended at 47 1-3 innings - the second-longest in the expansion era - in the seventh on a two-out, two-base hit by Domonic Brown over the head of center fielder Michael A. Taylor.


"Eventually, I was going to run out of luck there," Scherzer told MLB's official website. "Was it a letdown? Yes. But at the same time, your focus is to win the ballgame."


Scherzer had more than enough to put away the worst team in the majors, yielding five hits and striking out seven in eight innings.


The Nationals (41-33) are enjoying their best run since a 10-game winning streak from Aug. 12-21, and Gonzalez (5-4, 4.41 ERA) gets the challenge of lowering the starters' already minuscule 0.53 ERA with three runs allowed in 51 1-3 innings during this run.


The left-hander contributed seven innings to that shutout streak, scattering four hits and two walks Sunday in a 9-2 victory over Pittsburgh. Gonzalez has split two starts against the Phillies this year, limiting them to one run in 6 1-3 innings of a 4-1 win in the most recent May 24.


He's 7-5 with a 3.02 ERA in 14 lifetime outings versus Philadelphia, including a 4-3 mark at Citizens Bank Park. Galvis is 7 for 20 with a homer and two doubles in this matchup, but slugger Ryan Howard is 0 for 11 with six strikeouts.


After an outburst of 31 runs in a three-game win streak, the Phillies (26-49) have reverted to form with four in losing the last two. Pete Mackanin, who replaced manager Ryne Sandberg on an interim basis following his resignation prior to Friday night's defeat, watched his team lose for the 25th time in 31 games.


"He wasn't real happy about his decision, but I think he might be a little relieved at this point," Mackanin said of Sandberg.


Adam Morgan (1-0, 1.59) will try to build on a strong major league debut Sunday in which he shut down St. Louis on a solo homer and five other hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 9-2 victory. The left-hander was efficient, striking out six in a 78-pitch effort.


"I'm just very, very happy for the opportunity. Very grateful," said Morgan, who had been 0-6 at Triple-A before his call-up. "I didn't want to try to do too much or overthink. The main thing was keeping the ball down."


Nationals slugger Bryce Harper may miss a third straight game due to a hamstring issue, and center fielder Denard Span is day to day after being a late scratch Friday with back spasms. Second baseman Yunel Escobar is also questionable after leaving early with a bruised left hand.


After going 9 for 13 with three homers, two doubles and 11 RBIs during Philadelphia's three-game win streak, rookie Mikael Franco is 0 for 8 in his last two contests.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Nationals at Phillies
Fri, Jun 26 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Nationals at Phillies
Sat, Jun 27 - 3:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Nationals at Phillies
Sun, Jun 28 - 1:35PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: White Sox (32-41) at Tigers (38-36)
Game: 3
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: June 27, 2015 4:08 PM EDT

As the Chicago White Sox continue to struggle, patience might be wearing thin within their front office.


With executive vice president Kenny Williams watching in person, the visiting White Sox look to rebound from another frustrating defeat Saturday against the Detroit Tigers.


Making his first trip of the season, Williams saw the underachieving White Sox (32-41) fall to 2-3 on a nine-game trek after blowing three leads in Friday's 5-4 loss. Despite the additions of veterans Adam LaRoche, Melky Cabrera and relievers David Robertson and Dan Jennings, Chicago has the worst record in the AL. It ranks near the bottom of the majors in runs (253), batting average (.240), on-base percentage (.295), and is last in slugging (.355).


"I told my mother I wouldn't cuss in the newspaper any more, so I can't tell you," Williams told MLB's official website. "You have to imagine the words I have to describe how I'm feeling on this. We have a lot more people around here that are a lot more patient than I."


Though the jobs of general manager Rick Hahn and manager Robin Ventura appear safe for now, Williams admits turning things around to the point of being a postseason contender in 2015 is a tall order.


"Certainly right now, if I'm being honest, I don't see any indication of that," he said. "But you never know what's going to click at a given time and you go on a roll."


Chicago clubbed three homers Friday but went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position. Embattled shortstop Alexei Ramirez is 5 for 41 in his last 11 games, and 2 for 12 at Detroit (38-36) this season.


Adam Eaton homered to open the first two of this four-game series. Baltimore's Brady Anderson in 1996 was the last to do so in three consecutive contests, but expected day-long rain could delay Eaton's chance at matching that feat.


Eaton is 1 for 6 versus Kyle Ryan (1-1, 4.56 ERA), who allowed five hits in six scoreless innings of an 8-4 win over the White Sox in his debut Aug. 30. In his first 2015 start, Ryan yielded two runs over seven innings of a 4-3, 11-inning loss at Chicago on June 5.


Though the left-hander gave up two runs over two-thirds of an inning out of the bullpen Wednesday at Cleveland, manager Brad Ausmus never doubted Ryan would make his fifth career start Saturday. He yielded three runs while lasting 3 2-3 innings of an 8-5 victory over the Indians in his last start Monday.


Miguel Cabrera had three hits and J.D. Martinez delivered a tiebreaking homer in the eighth Friday to help the Tigers even the set.


Martinez has homered in three straight for the second time in 14 days, and is hitting .347 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs in his last 12 contests.


'It just feels like I'm getting maybe one hit a game, but it just happens to be a home run,' Martinez said.


Cabrera is batting .479 (23 for 48) with 14 RBIs in his last 13 games.


He homered off John Danks (3-8, 5.38) on June 6, when the left-hander allowed five runs in a fifth inning he never finished and a season-high 11 hits in a 7-1 loss. That defeat began a stretch a four consecutive losing starts for Danks, who has a 6.85 ERA during that span.


He yielded a season-high nine runs - five earned - over 5 1-3 innings of a 13-2 loss at Minnesota on Monday.


'I stunk,' said Danks, 0-2 with a 7.59 ERA on the road this month.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
White Sox at Tigers
Thu, Jun 25 Final 8 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
White Sox at Tigers
Fri, Jun 26 Final 4 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
White Sox at Tigers
Sat, Jun 27 - 4:08PM EDT


GAME 4
White Sox at Tigers
Sun, Jun 28 - 1:08PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Braves (35-39) at Pirates (41-32)
Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: June 27, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

The Atlanta Braves' week began with listless efforts in three consecutive losses, and they're heading into the weekend on a similar note.


Failing to take advantage of a strong relief performance in their series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Braves look to regroup Saturday and avoid a season-worst fifth straight loss.


Atlanta (35-39) scored only two runs while being swept at Washington and continued its offensive slump with a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh in 10 innings on Friday. Juan Uribe hit a solo home run, but the Braves tallied only six hits and went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position.


Atlanta's bullpen was a bright spot in the defeat despite closer Jason Grilli taking the loss. Luis Avilan, Nick Masset and Jim Johnson combined for 4 1-3 scoreless frames in relief of Williams Perez, who left in the fifth inning after Josh Harrison hit a comebacker off his left ankle.


The Braves' pen has a 0.93 ERA over its last 19 1-3 innings dating back to last Friday.


Julio Teheran (5-3, 4.67 ERA) will follow that effort after bouncing back from an subpar five-game stretch with seven one-hit innings in a 1-0 win over the New York Mets. He had previously posted a 6.97 ERA while going winless from May 26-June 16, hardly resembling the top-end starter who had a 3.03 ERA in 63 starts over the last two seasons.


The right-hander credited his increased aggressiveness for the strong performance.


"I think I was more focused," Teheran told MLB's official website. "I was trying to pound the zone and trying to attack the hitters. Every time I attack the hitters it's a different game."


Teheran's longest outing of the year came against Pittsburgh on June 6, when he allowed four runs in 7 1-3 innings and did not factor into the decision of a 5-4 victory. The Braves have won all five of Teheran's career meetings with the Pirates, and he has a 1.02 WHIP in those contests.


Pittsburgh will start Charlie Morton (5-1, 3.97), whose last outing is the worst by an NL pitcher this season. The right-hander allowed nine runs and recorded only two outs in Sunday's 9-2 loss to Washington, posting a single-game ERA of 121.50.


"The good pitches I made, they hit 'em. The bad pitches I made, they hit 'em," Morton said. "That's embarrassing. ... But you've got to shake it off, learn from it and get ready for the next one."


Morton began his career in Atlanta, and has pitched well in four career starts against his former team. He has a 3.50 ERA with two quality starts in the last three meetings, and dealt five innings of a 10-8 victory on June 5.


Like Atlanta, the Pirates' offense has hardly impressed recently, scoring three or fewer runs in five of their last seven games. Andrew McCutchen scored twice Friday and Pedro Alvarez had two RBIs to pace Pittsburgh, which has left 23 runners on base over its last two contests.


McCutchen is 5 for 12 with two homers and four RBIs against Teheran.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Braves at Pirates
Fri, Jun 26 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Braves at Pirates
Sat, Jun 27 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Braves at Pirates
Sun, Jun 28 - 1:35PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Dodgers (42-33) at Marlins (30-45)
Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: June 27, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

With three Cy Young Awards, an MVP, four NL ERA titles and a no-hitter, there isn't much Clayton Kershaw hasn't accomplished with the Los Angeles Dodgers.


There's one thing he's yet to do that he wants no part of.


Kershaw has never lost three straight regular-season starts, a fate he'll try to avoid Saturday in Miami against a struggling Marlins team that might be without baseball's biggest power threat.


Impressive by almost anyone's standards, it's been a relatively rough first three months for Kershaw (5-5, 3.33 ERA) a season after he became the first NL pitcher since Bob Gibson to win both the MVP and Cy Young.


His strikeouts per nine innings (11.79) lead the NL and are on pace to top his career best from last season, and hitters are swinging and missing at 32.0 percent of his pitches - well above anything he's done up to this point.


But after doing an incredible job of keeping the ball in the park the last two seasons - he gave up an NL-low 0.41 homers per nine - hitters have taken some good swings off Kershaw. He matched last season's total by allowing his ninth homer June 17 in a 5-3 loss to Texas, then surrendered two more to account for the three runs he gave up over seven innings as the Dodgers (42-33) fell 4-2 at Wrigley Field on Monday.


"It's always frustrating to lose," Kershaw told MLB's official website. "It's a couple pitches here and there. I wish they were doubles instead of home runs.


"As long as they're solo shots, it doesn't matter. Right now, it feels like that's how I give up runs. If you make a bad pitch, you make a bad pitch. Hopefully they stay in the ballpark."


Kershaw has lost back-to-back starts eight times over 224 career outings, but he's responded with a 1.63 ERA - and just 34 hits over 55 1-3 innings - in his next trip to the mound while allowing just one home run.


That's about the only way the Marlins (30-45) are plating runs these days. They've lost eight of nine after being held to six singles while falling 7-1 Friday, and 10 of their 18 runs in this ugly stretch have come via homer.


Manager Dan Jennings gave a pep talk before his team lost a fifth straight, but a little postgame soothing may have been in order after Giancarlo Stanton felt some pain in his left palm when batting in the ninth Friday. He had an X-ray after the game, the results of which weren't immediately known.


"On a swing, my bat dug into my hand a little bit and didn't feel the greatest," he said. "It got worse and worse."


Is he worried?


"My concern will be when I know exactly what's up," Stanton said.


Seven of the homers Kershaw has surrendered have come on the road, equaling his total from the last two seasons. But the left-hander has won his last four against Miami behind a 1.15 ERA, allowing 13 hits and two homers - one off Stanton's bat - in 31 1-3 innings.


This game could be missing another power-hitting right fielder if Yasiel Puig sits a fourth straight with a callus on his left hand, but he pinch-hit Friday and could return to face a right-hander who's been one of baseball's best pitchers at home.


Tom Koehler (5-4, 3.76) has a 1.52 ERA in seven outings at Marlins Park, most recently limiting the New York Yankees to a run in seven innings there June 15 before missing his latest start with a stiff neck.


Koehler is 1-2 with a 2.91 ERA in four starts against the Dodgers after allowing a run in six innings at Chavez Ravine in May.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Dodgers at Marlins
Fri, Jun 26 Final 7 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Dodgers at Marlins
Sat, Jun 27 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Dodgers at Marlins
Sun, Jun 28 - 1:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Reds (34-38) at Mets (38-37)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: June 27, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Before the New York Mets give the six-man rotation another try, they'd like Matt Harvey to continue his recent revival.


He'd certainly appreciate a little help.


Harvey will try to lead the Mets to a fifth straight home win Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds.


New York's short-lived experiment with the six-man rotation ended earlier this month after an ineffective Dillon Gee was designated for assignment.


The Mets (38-37) are going to try again with highly touted prospect Steven Matz taking the mound in Sunday's finale. General manager Sandy Alderson expects the six-man setup "will continue for a period of time."


They'd like Harvey's success to keep going as well. The right-hander has allowed one run in 13 2-3 innings while splitting his last two starts after losing three of his previous four with a 7.20 ERA.


"I think the work that we've been doing in between starts is definitely paying off," Harvey told MLB's official website. "I just have to keep that rolling, keep that going. (My) body feels great, everything feels fine right now."


Harvey (7-5, 3.18 ERA) wasn't feeling too good about the offense Sunday, when he allowed one run in 6 2-3 innings while New York was four-hit in a 1-0 loss at Atlanta.


The Mets are hitting .167 during a 2-7 stretch, but only needed two hits to back Noah Syndergaard's eight-inning gem and edge Cincinnati 2-1 on Friday.


"We've got the pitching," manager Terry Collins said. "There's nothing wrong with our pitching. We've just got to give them some help."


Curtis Granderson is one of the few Mets doing it, going 9 for 21 with four homers during a six-game hitting streak. He had a leadoff shot Friday, giving him four homers among his seven hits in his last 23 at_bats against the Reds (34-38).


New York has won seven of the past nine matchups with Cincinnati despite batting .222.


The Reds, who didn't arrive at their hotel until 4:17 a.m. Friday, are turning to rookie Michael Lorenzen (3-2, 3.56), who has won consecutive starts behind a 2.08 ERA.


The right-hander turned in one of his best performances Sunday, yielding two runs in seven innings of a 5-2 win over Miami despite battling an illness. He also added an RBI single, giving him two hits and three RBIs in three games.


"I felt pretty bad all day," Lorenzen said. "I woke up and my throat was really sore. It felt like it was closed up and I had these body aches. It was a battle out there."


Lorenzen, who is facing the Mets for the first time, has yielded one earned run in three of his four road starts.


Joey Votto is 1 for 23 in his last six meetings with the Mets after going 0 for 4 in the opener. He's 2 for 3 with a homer off Harvey, who is 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in two starts against Cincinnati.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Reds at Mets
Fri, Jun 26 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Reds at Mets
Sat, Jun 27 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Reds at Mets
Sun, Jun 28 - 1:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Yankees (39-34) at Astros (43-32)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: June 27, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Both Masahiro Tanaka and manager Joe Girardi are confident the New York Yankees right-hander can successfully move on from his worst start of the season.


Tanaka gets that chance Saturday at Minute Maid Park against the Houston Astros.


Shortly after Tanaka (4-3, 3.17 ERA) matched a career high by allowing seven runs - five earned - and 10 hits, including three homers, in five innings of Sunday's 12-4 loss to Detroit, Girardi showed no reason for concern.


"These are human beings that go out there," he told MLB's official website. "Some days they just don't have it. A lot of times we try to make too much out of it. He'll get back on track."


Girardi's confidence stems from the fact that Tanaka did not allow more than two runs in any of his previous five starts and had a 1.71 ERA while winning two of his first three since missing more than a month with a strained forearm.


"Hopefully I can get it back and be better next time," Tanaka said.


He worked with pitching coach Larry Rothschild to fine-tune some things, especially considering he walked two batters after not issuing any in his previous three starts.


"It actually all comes down to the pitch form or the pitching mechanics," Tanaka said. "I think I need to tweak just a little bit to get myself right back for my next outing.


"I feel that I'm at a pretty good place. I was able to work on that in the bullpen. The one thing I need to do is get that out in the game, take what I've been working on and do that in the games."


This will be his first appearance against the Astros (43-33), whose four-game home winning streak ended after the Yankees evened this series with a 3-2 victory Friday.


"The one thing that'll make me feel relieved is to go out there and pitch well, and the team winning," Tanaka said.


Houston native Chris Young delivered a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh for one of his three hits, and New York (40-34) matched its run total while losing the previous three on the road. The veteran outfielder is batting .471 (16 for 34) with two homers and eight RBIs while hitting safely in nine consecutive games.


"He's been really hot and that's why he's playing every day," Girardi said.


Young's .410 average in 25 games at Minute Maid Park is his highest at any ballpark in which he's had more than four at_bats.


Evan Gattis is 4 for 8 with three RBIs in the series for Houston, which looks to bounce back behind Brett Oberholtzer (2-1, 2.81).


The left-hander has not allowed more than three earned runs while going 2-1 in five starts since missing almost three weeks with a blister on his throwing hand.


Oberholtzer labored at times while throwing 101 pitches, hitting a batter and walking a season-high four in 5 2-3 innings Monday, but allowed only a two-run homer and three other hits while not factoring in the decision of a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.


"I thought Obie battled," manager A.J. Hinch said.


Oberholtzer is 0-2 with a 4.96 ERA in three starts against the Yankees.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Yankees at Astros
Thu, Jun 25 Final 0 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Yankees at Astros
Fri, Jun 26 -3 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Yankees at Astros
Sat, Jun 27 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Yankees at Astros
Sun, Jun 28 - 2:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Red Sox (32-42) at Rays (41-33)
Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: June 27, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

The Boston Red Sox are at the bottom of the AL East looking up at the Tampa Bay Rays, but they leaned on clutch hitting to knock off the division leaders in this series opener.


They'll look for some more timely offense Saturday to back Wade Miley, who has had little trouble in his career versus the Rays.


Brock Holt hit an RBI single in the 10th inning Friday to lead Boston (33-42) to a 4-3 win over Tampa Bay (41-34), which has followed an 8-1 stretch with losses in four of five. The Rays stranded a leadoff double in the ninth inning, dropping their average with runners in scoring position over the last seven games to .151.


'It's definitely frustrating. We had several situations to get a job done and we just didn't get it done, plain and simple,' Steven Souza Jr. said. 'In order to win ballgames like that, we have to come with clutch hits in those big opportunities.'


History indicates that they could again struggle against Miley (7-6, 4.50 ERA). The left-hander is 3-0 in three career starts against the Rays with a 0.47 ERA - his best versus any opponent - after going 5 2-3 in a 1-0 win on April 21.


Two dismal performances toward the beginning of the season inflated Miley's ERA, but he has delivered seven quality starts in his last 10. Miley tossed six shutout innings Sunday in a 13-2 win at Kansas City after failing to record an out beyond the fourth in his previous two road starts.


"I was able to make a couple of pitches in situations that we needed it and got out of some jams, but overall it was good," Miley told MLB's official website.


Matt Andriese (2-2, 3.79) will go for the Rays following a lackluster effort in an 8-5 loss to Toronto on Monday. The right-hander hadn't allowed an earned run in two appearances following his recall from Triple-A on June 12, but gave up four runs and three homers in 5 1-3 innings against the Blue Jays.


Kevin Kiermaier is batting .407 over a six-game hitting streak with five runs and Logan Forsythe is batting .526 in his last five. Marc Krauss also contributed quickly, picking up an RBI double in his Rays debut Friday after coming over from the Los Angeles Angels a day earlier.


Krauss hit .143 in 11 games with the Angels but posted a .868 OPS in Triple-A.


"He's a guy who has hit in the minor leagues, but maybe he hasn't had the most opportunities up here," manager Kevin Cash said before Friday's game. "He's a nice addition for us. Hopefully we can provide him with a good opportunity and he can run into some balls."


Boston's Mookie Betts, who has 11 extra-base hits during his 13-game hitting streak, has a 1.040 OPS in 14 career games against the Rays.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Red Sox at Rays
Fri, Jun 26 - Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Red Sox at Rays
Sat, Jun 27 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Red Sox at Rays
Sun, Jun 28 - 1:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Indians (33-39) at Orioles (39-34)
Game: 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: June 27, 2015 7:15 PM EDT

While Chris Tillman is cashing in on a run-support binge, Cody Anderson did everything but get the win in his major league debut.


The Cleveland rookie takes on Baltimore's fortunate veteran in the second of a three-game series at Camden Yards Saturday night, and the Orioles are showing no signs of slowing their offensive production.


Tillman (5-7, 6.22 ERA) is 3-0 with a 6.98 ERA in his last four starts. The only game he didn't win in that span was the one in which he didn't last long enough after allowing six runs and six hits in 1 1-3 innings of Sunday's 13-9 win in Toronto.


The brevity of the outing allowed him to stake claim to a start without a walk for the first time this season, but with at least three in five of his previous six starts, he's showing no signs of lowering his major league-leading rate of 4.48 walks per nine innings.


"I'm falling behind - and even the guys I get ahead (of), it's right back in their favor almost immediately," Tillman told MLB's official website. "I've got to do a better job of keeping me on the offensive, instead of defending against their swings."


The right-hander, who has been worse at home with a 2-4 record and 6.81 ERA that's near the bottom of baseball, has a season run-support average of 6.47. It's spiked significantly on the June unbeaten streak at 14.90 per game.


More good news is four of his worst starts have come against one opponent - Toronto - and the best start on the recent anomalous span was in Cleveland. Tillman gave up two runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-2 win on June 5 to improve to 3-2 with a 4.73 ERA in six starts against the Indians.


Jason Kipnis is 3 for 8 with a home run off Tillman, but Ryan Raburn (0 for 8) and Brandon Moss (1 for 12) have struggled.


Kipnis is batting .400 on a career-best 20-game hitting streak, as well as .373 on a 16-gamer against Baltimore. Both Raburn and Moss homered along with Carlos Santana in Friday's 4-3 loss as the Indians (33-39) allowed Baltimore (39-34) to reach five games over .500 for the first time this year.


It was six games under entering play on June 4 and has gone an MLB-best 16-5 since to get within 1 1/2 games of first-place Tampa Bay.


Jimmy Paredes is batting .396 in his last 12 games, Manny Machado is at .429 in eight, and J.J. Hardy is hitting .341 in 10 games after spending his first 34 at .217 or worse. The recent success has come with Adam Jones (sore right shoulder) missing the last five games and eight of 10, which could result in a stint on the DL.


The Orioles have taken three of four in the season series while limiting the Indians to 2.5 runs per game, but that'd be an upgrade for Anderson.


The only thing missing from Anderson's first big league start was a victory after limiting Tampa Bay to six hits in 7 2-3 innings of Sunday's 1-0 home win. The right-hander looked more the part of the veteran while issuing one walk and needing 94 pitches to become just the fourth Indians pitcher to throw that many scoreless innings in his debut.


"I'm sure there's a lot of guys in player development today that are really proud," manager Terry Francona said. "And, they should be, because he did a heck of a job."


If he's able to continue the scoreless streak, he's got a shot at Scott Lewis' 15-inning scoreless stretch from 2008, which is the franchise's longest to begin a career in records dating to 1974.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Indians at Orioles
Fri, Jun 26 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Indians at Orioles
Sat, Jun 27 - 7:15PM EDT


GAME 3
Indians at Orioles
Sun, Jun 28 - 1:35PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cubs (39-32) at Cardinals (48-24)
Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: June 27, 2015 7:15 PM EDT

Since joining the NL in 1892, St. Louis has reached 50 wins in 74 games or fewer once. It happened in 71 contests, but the 2015 Cardinals should be forgiven for slightly trailing that mark.


They don't have a Stan Musial batting .369 as part of the hot start and a fellow infielder beating him out for MVP. In fact, three of the top players on the present roster remain on the disabled list.


Even so, when they continue this series against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night at Busch Stadium, they'll try to come closer than any club since Musial and curious MVP Marty Marion paced one of the best Cardinals teams ever in 1944.


After Friday's 3-2 win over Chicago (39-33) in 10 innings, the Cardinals (49-24) are also 25 games over .500 this early in the season for the first time since the 1944 team did so in 64. The 73 it took this season's club is 10 games faster than any other since. The 1987 Cardinals did it in 83, and both the '44 and '87 teams won the World Series.


St. Louis is seeking its fifth winning streak of at least five games and its second eight-gamer at home, where it's gone an MLB-best 27-7. The Cardinals have won five of seven in the season series with Kolten Wong going 9 for 17 in the last five.


Chicago's Starlin Castro has an 11-game hitting streak in the series, but the Cubs are in danger of matching their season-worst four-game losing streak in large part because they've managed four runs in three games.


Should the Cardinals get to 50, they may do it with Michael Wacha accounting for 20 percent of those.


Wacha (9-3, 2.85 ERA) has been on and off lately, trading wins and losses in his last six starts. The off reached a new level in Sunday's 9-2 loss in Philadelphia as the right-hander gave up a season-high five runs and eight hits in five innings. Over his last three starts, he's 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA.


"I guess you could think of (the good starts), but right now it stinks pretty good and you definitely don't want to experience this feeling too many times," Wacha told MLB's official website.


If he gets the 10th win, he'll double his total from last season in four fewer starts.


The 23-year-old is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA in four starts and a relief effort against the Cubs while never allowing more than three runs. Castro (5 for 11) and Anthony Rizzo (4 for 11) have both homered off him.


Wacha is up against a pitcher who hasn't stood on a major league mound this season. Donn Roach is making his Chicago debut as Tsuyoshi Wada misses a start due to shoulder cramping.


Roach went 1-0 with a 4.75 ERA in a start and 15 relief appearances last season as a rookie with San Diego. The start didn't go well as the right-hander gave up four runs and four hits in three innings of an 8-6 loss in Colorado on May 18.


"There's less of the butterfly effect - I still have some, it's still the big leagues - but this isn't my first big league start or big league appearance," Roach said.


The Cubs acquired the 25-year-old off waivers in November, and he's gone 7-1 with a 2.29 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 14 starts with Triple-A Iowa. That's a significant improvement from his 5.24 and 1.78 marks in 19 games with San Diego's Triple-A El Paso club in 2014, so Chicago's hoping he's turned a corner.


"I had to go backwards to go forwards," Roach said.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Cubs at Cardinals
Fri, Jun 26 - Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Cubs at Cardinals
Sat, Jun 27 - 7:15PM EDT


GAME 3
Cubs at Cardinals
Sun, Jun 28 - 8:15PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rockies (33-40) at Giants (40-35)
Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: June 27, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

Matt Cain and Jake Peavy are returning to the rotation, and that could mean Tim Lincecum is headed to the bullpen again.


Another poor outing would increase that likelihood.


Lincecum will try to bounce back from the shortest start of his career Saturday against the Colorado Rockies.


San Francisco (40-35) is two games back of Los Angeles for the NL West lead, and Cain has been out for nearly a year after right elbow surgery. A back strain has limited Peavy to two starts.


Both are expected back next week, so the Giants' rotation is about to undergo changes.


"You just go about your business, and whoever makes the decision for that to happen, it's up to them," said Lincecum, who was demoted to the bullpen last summer. "You can't control that, so you've just got to worry about what you can control - and that's what you do when you get out there."


Lincecum (7-4, 3.86 ERA), a two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, has failed to make a case for himself, going 3-2 with a 7.00 ERA over his last six starts.


The right-hander was hammered for five runs and seven hits while retiring only four of the 12 batters he faced in Sunday's 10-2 loss to the Dodgers.


"My fastball location wasn't there," Lincecum said. "I'm not finishing hitters off the way I used to, and I'm giving them more chances than need be."


Lincecum is 0-3 with a 5.59 ERA over his last six starts against the Rockies (33-40), and five of those have come at home. He gave up four runs in five innings of a 4-2 home defeat April 15, and hasn't beaten them there since Sept. 18, 2012.


The Giants have dropped eight of 11 against Colorado at AT&T Park, including four straight following Friday's 8-6 loss in the opener of this three-game set.


The Rockies have won five of six games while averaging 7.7 runs and hitting .322.


Nolan Arenado is on a 13-game hitting streak, during which he's compiled a .380 average with 17 RBIs. He had a three-run shot and a solo blast Friday, giving him six homers in five games.


Carlos Gonzalez broke out of his slump in the opener, matching his career high with five hits and coming a home run shy of the cycle. He had gone 5 for 29 over his previous 10 games.


Gonzalez, though, is 1 for 11 over the last three years versus Lincecum, while Arenado is 5 for 12 (.417) with a homer.


Chris Rusin (3-2, 5.03) takes the mound after allowing three runs in six innings of a 10-4 home win over Milwaukee on Sunday. The left-hander had lost his two previous starts on the road, surrendering 13 runs and 20 hits - four homers - in 9 1-3 innings.


"When I'm more on the side of the ball, I don't get my sink," Rusin told MLB's official website. "I don't get ground balls. I get line drives, bloopers, home runs and that's where I was ... We really stuck to it, worked hard in between starts and were able to keep the ball down with sink."


Rusin scattered three hits in seven innings of a 1-0 win at San Francisco on July 27, 2013 - his only career meeting with the Giants.


He'll face Joe Panik for the first time, and the second baseman has three hits in each of the last two games. He's hitting .331 at home and is 12 for 26 in his last seven overall meetings with the Rockies.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rockies at Giants
Fri, Jun 26 Final 8 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rockies at Giants
Sat, Jun 27 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Rockies at Giants
Sun, Jun 28 - 4:05PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Royals (42-28) at Athletics (34-42)
Game: 2
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: June 27, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

Although the Oakland Athletics' longest winning streak of the season has ended, Scott Kazmir has a chance to continue his success at home.


Kazmir brings the lowest home ERA in the majors into his start Saturday against the surging Kansas City Royals.


Beginning with a May 27 start in which he left after three innings because of shoulder tightness, Kazmir (4-4, 2.70 ERA) has yielded one run and seven hits in 18 1-3 innings while going 2-0 in his last three at home.


Kazmir's 1.27 home ERA in seven starts is MLB's best and remained intact after he allowed a run in 7 1-3 innings of a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.


"He's a gamer, man," Angels slugger Albert Pujols told MLB's official website about Kazmir. "That's what I like about him."


The left-hander gave up two runs in 7 1-3 innings while not factoring into the decision of a 4-2 loss at Kansas City on April 19. He also contributed to the bad blood that boiled over during that series by plunking Lorenzo Cain in the first inning.


Meeting Friday for the first time since that heated series, neither of the benches cleared and the only batter hit during Kansas City's 5-2 win was Oakland's Stephen Vogt - albeit unintentionally by Franklin Morales in the ninth.


"Nobody on my team has even mentioned (the previous series) or thought about it, and I doubt very seriously anybody over there has," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "There's been a lot of time since that series and a lot of water under the bridge."


Vogt was hit in the wrist and hand, but X-rays were negative and he hopes to play.


"Obviously, it was painful, but I'll be OK," he said.


Alex Gordon homered for one of his three hits and Edinson Volquez yielded a run and three hits over seven solid innings as the AL-leading Royals (42-28) snapped Oakland's five-game winning streak by prevailing for the 12th time in 17 contests.


Gordon is batting .383 in his last 16 games and is 6 for 11 this season against the A's (34-42), who managed four hits after averaging 6.9 runs and 11.2 hits while winning nine of their previous 11.


Oakland will look to rebound against Chris Young (6-3, 2.83), who has not allowed a run in his last 16 1-3 innings on the road but must bounce back after he was tagged for a season-high seven runs and three homers in 4 2-3 innings of Sunday's 13-2 loss to Boston.


"Over the course of the season you're going to have a few of (these games)," the 36-year-old Young said. "It's not enjoyable. You expect to be your best each time out, but that's not going to be the case."


The right-hander went 1-3 with a 4.38 ERA in five starts against the A's last season while with Seattle.


Former Royal Billy Butler is 1 for 6 versus Young and 1 for 19 in his last six games. He's 3 for 14 against his former team this season.


Teammate Sam Fuld, who has three RBIs in the last two games, is 4 for 7 with two home runs against Young.


Oakland's Ben Zobrist is batting .390 with 12 RBIs in his last 12 contests.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Royals at Athletics
Fri, Jun 26 Final 5 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Royals at Athletics
Sat, Jun 27 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Royals at Athletics
Sun, Jun 28 - 4:05PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mariners (34-40) at Angels (37-37)
Game: 2
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: June 27, 2015 7:15 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Angels have been hugging .500 for the better part of 22 games since reaching a season-best four over on June 1, and their inability to string much together has much to do with a 5.15 ERA since that high-water mark.


More consistency from Garrett Richards could help, and matchups with Seattle have always treated him well. He'll try to nail that point home Saturday night at Angel Stadium, but it's the Mariners with a shot at taking the first two of the three-game series.


The Mariners (34-40) won 3-1 Friday to sent the Angels (37-37) back to level for the eighth time in 19 games. Robinson Cano hit just his fourth home run of the season, but two have come in the last four games. Teammate Mark Trumbo was 1 for 3 in his return to Los Angeles for his only hit in his last 20 at_bats at the park.


Over the last 20 games, Los Angeles has been more than one game over or under .500 only twice, and Richards (7-5, 3.66 ERA) has been a part of the shuffled deck of wins and losses. In his latest outing, he gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings of Sunday's 3-2 loss in Oakland.


"I felt like I had good command of all three of my pitches," Richards said.


But there's also no denying the Angels need more from the 27-year-old. By this point last season, Richards had found his groove with an 8-2 record, 2.76 ERA and .203 opponent batting average through 16 starts. His OBA is 25 points higher, which might not sound terrible, but add in that his walks per nine innings has jumped to 3.66 this year from 2.72 last season, and inconsistency is understandable.


At home, however, he's been right there with his 2014 self. The right-hander is 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA and .188 OBA in six starts at Angel Stadium as opposed to 3-4 with 5.17 and .267 marks in seven on the road.


Richards last faced Seattle on May 5 and limited the AL West foe to one run and five hits in seven innings to improve to 3-1 with a 1.66 ERA and .174 OBA in six career starts in the series. He's gone at least seven innings in each and surrendered just two runs in 29 1-3 innings of the last four starts.


Cano is 5 for 14 against him, but Austin Jackson (1 for 13), Nelson Cruz (2 for 14) and Brad Miller (2 for 11) have all struggled.


Richards will face J.A. Happ, who hasn't been able to land on the right side of a decision since May 9.


After Sunday's 6-2 home loss to Houston, Happ (3-4, 3.78) has a three-start losing streak and is winless in his last eight. The left-hander's 4.24 ERA over that stretch is in line with his career numbers, but he has a 2.45 run-support average in that span.


His manager is starting to feel for him after allowing three runs -two earned - and seven hits in five innings.


"I thought J.A. pitched behind in the count early in the ballgame, but as the game went on I thought he started to find his groove," Lloyd McClendon told MLB's official website. "Really, if you think about it, he pitched well enough to win the day."


Another loss would match four-start losing streaks in 2011 and 2012 as his longest, and his three losses in as many starts against the Angels with a 9.82 ERA doesn't bode well for avoiding that. Kole Calhoun (3 for 4 with a home run), Chris Iannetta (4 for 7 with a homer) and Erick Aybar (3 for 7) have had success against Happ.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Mariners at Angels
Fri, Jun 26 Final 3 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Mariners at Angels
Sat, Jun 27 - 7:15PM EDT


GAME 3
Mariners at Angels
Sun, Jun 28 - 3:35PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Diamondbacks (35-38) at Padres (36-40)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: June 27, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The San Diego Padres have not won consecutive games in three weeks, and will rely on one of their most disappointing starting pitchers to accomplish the feat Saturday night.


Stuck in a monthlong slump, Andrew Cashner takes the mound looking to regain his top form against the team he most recently struggled against, the Arizona Diamondbacks.


Cashner (2-9, 4.35) had a 3.00 ERA through his first 10 starts, posting a 1.27 WHIP for San Diego (36-40). But in his last five, the right-hander has a 7.62 ERA and 1.85 WHIP.


He's failed to reach 100 pitches in his last four, with Sunday's four-inning stint in which he allowed seven runs - three earned - over four innings in a 7-2 loss to Arizona (35-38) registering as his shortest of the season.


"You make your own breaks," Cashner told MLB's official website. "I have to stop the bleeding at some point."


Perhaps most surprising during Cashner's recent skid has been the lack of strikeouts. After punching out 12 batters on June 1, Cashner has failed to strike out six in any of his four starts - a feat he managed in eight of his first 11 outings.


He struck out 4.80 batters for every walk up until his last four outings, when he has 14 walks to 11 strikeouts.


"It's one of the toughest stretches I've been through for sure," Cashner said. "You just have to show up, put it behind you and keep going forward."


He'll follow Tyson Ross, who held the Diamondbacks for two hits in six innings of a 4-2 win on Friday. Paul Goldschmidt drove in both Diamondback runs, but was outdone by RBIs from Matt Kemp, Yonder Alonso and Justin Upton.


The Padres last won consecutive games during a four-game streak June 2-6, and have gone 7-12 since.


"We're not on all cylinders by any stretch of the imagination," said interim manager Pat Murphy. "We're real pleased ... that was an overall great game tonight."


Unlike his counterpart Saturday, Arizona's Jeremy Hellickson (5-4, 4.94) has been a vision of consistency in recent weeks. The right-hander has allowed two runs in six innings five times in his last seven starts, and posted exactly that stat line in Sunday's win over Cashner.


Hellickson left after only 84 pitches due to a back injury, but felt no discomfort in this week's bullpen sessions.


"Monday morning really was the only day I had trouble - just getting out of bed," Hellickson said. "I haven't really felt anything since then."


Hellickson's first two meetings with the Padres did not go as smoothly, as he was smacked around for five runs over 6 2-3 innings in a 5-1 loss on April 14, then again allowed five runs and was chased after 4 2-3 of a 6-5 defeat May 8.


Goldschmidt has hit safely in seven straight and is 6 for 17 with a home run against Cashner. He has reached base in 67 of 73 games this season and 25 of his last 26 against San Diego.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Padres
Fri, Jun 26 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Padres
Sat, Jun 27 - 10:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Padres
Sun, Jun 28 - 4:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mercury (3-4) at Lynx (6-2)


Date: June 27, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Brittney Griner is eager to make her season debut after being entangled in a series of troubling off-court episodes.


The 6-foot-8 star will return to the Phoenix Mercury lineup Saturday night against the Minnesota Lynx having served her record seven-game suspension after a domestic violence arrest in April.


'Basketball is my safe zone, being back on the court means everything for me, basketball is my life,' Griner said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. 'I'm ready to go. I definitely have been watching and I have been doing everything off the court to be on the court.'


Besides the WNBA suspension, Griner pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and agreed to undergo 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling. If she completes it, the charges will be dismissed. Griner and her then-fiancee Glory Johnson were arrested April 22 at their home in the Phoenix suburb of Goodyear.


It's been a crazy nine months for Griner since she helped the Mercury win the WNBA championship in September. First, she was the victim of a random knife attack in China, where she suffered a small cut when she was struck by a man while boarding a bus after practice last November.


Then there was the soap opera of the past few months with Johnson. The two All-Stars were arrested and then married a few weeks later. On June 4, Johnson announced via Instagram that she was pregnant through in vitro fertilization. A day later Griner said she was filing for an annulment.


Griner said her largest takeaway from the whirlwind six weeks was to 'listen to your gut. That's kind of like the biggest thing right now. If you see warning signs, listen to your gut. Get that gut feeling, take a step back.'


Last season's Defensive Player of the Year isn't the only one happy she's playing again.


'We're definitely a different team with her in the middle,' Mercury coach Sandy Brondello said. 'The good news, at least, is that even though she was suspended, she was able to practice with us so she's already familiar with this group.'


Griner, who has been playing 3-on-3 full court to get in game shape, averaged 19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks over three games as Phoenix beat the Lynx in the Western Conference finals.


In the final game of her suspension, the Mercury (3-4) lost to previously winless San Antonio 76-71 on Thursday. DeWanna Bonner had 17 points for Phoenix, which missed its first 10 shots and trailed 17-9 after one quarter.


Bonner led three Mercury starters in double figures with 17 points in an 81-66 win over the Mercury on June 14, their fourth victory in the last five regular-season meetings.


The Lynx (6-2) won for the third time in four games since that matchup Thursday, rallying from 18 down to beat Seattle 76-73. Damiris Dantas converted a go-ahead 3-point play with 18 seconds left to give Minnesota its first lead since being up 2-0.


Seimone Augustus led Minnesota with 24 points and moved past Chamique Holdsclaw for 16th place on the WNBA scoring list.


The Lynx missed all nine 3-point attempts against Phoenix earlier this month.


WNBA HEAD TO HEAD


Jun 14, 2015 Score ATS Results
MIN 66 Under: 147
PHO « 81 Cover: 23
Tools:


Sep 2, 2014 Score ATS Results
MIN 78 Over: 174
PHO « 96 Cover: 13
Tools:


Aug 31, 2014 Score ATS Results
PHO 77 Under: 159
MIN « 82 Cover: 2
Tools: Recaps


Aug 29, 2014 Score ATS Results
MIN 71 Under: 156
PHO « 85 Cover: 9.5
Tools: Recaps


Aug 9, 2014 Score ATS Results
MIN 80 Cover: 3
PHO « 82 Over: 162
Tools: Recaps


Jul 31, 2014 Score ATS Results
PHO 67 Under: 142
MIN « 75 Cover: 6
Tools: Recaps


Jun 18, 2014 Score ATS Results
MIN 79 Over: 171
PHO « 92 Cover: 8.5
Tools: Recaps


Jun 15, 2014 Score ATS Results
PHO « 80 Cover: 13.5
MIN 72 Under: 152
Tools: Recaps

 

[CNOTES]

Saturday, June 27


Edmonton Eskimos (13-7 SU, 13-7 ATS) vs. Toronto Argonauts (8-10 SU, 7-11 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -4 ½
Total: 50


Game Overview


If the Stampeders are the team to beat in the West in 2015, then Edmonton probably has the best shot to take them down as a second-favorite to win this season’s CFL title. Mike Reilly is back at the helm at quarterback with Justin Goltz in place as his backup. The Eskimos also have Adarius Bowman back after leading the CFL in receiving yards last season as well as running back John White to help lead the ground game.


The Argonauts failed to make the playoffs last season after falling to third-place in the East. They will have to try and avoid a slow start this season with quarterback Ricky Ray still on the shelf for the first few weeks. Toronto also has to be leery of a defense that was ranked near the bottom of the CFL in points allowed last year.


Betting Trends


The Eskimos went 11-5 ATS in their last 16 road games and they ended last season 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Edmonton is 5-1 ATS in its last six road games against Toronto and the total has gone OVER in the last five meetings overall.


Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-11 SU, 8-9-1 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-9 SU, 7-12 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan 8 ½
Total: 49


Game Overview


The Blue Bombers move to the West Division last season was partly to blame for their losing record. Given just how stacked this division remains, it is very likely they will be bringing up the rear again with the longest odds in the West to win a title at +1175. The one bright spot was the play of Drew Willy at quarterback, after passing for the third most yards in the CFL last year.


Saskatchewan still managed to make the playoffs out of the West last season despite a collapse when quarterback Darian Durant was lost to injury. He should be ready to go against the Bombers in the season opener along with first round pick at wide receiver, Nic Demski. The Roughriders should also have a solid run game with Anthony Allen leading the way.


Betting Trends


The Blue Bombers are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against Saskatchewan and the total has gone OVER in five of the last eight meetings overall. The Roughriders are 36-15 ATS over the course of their last 51 season openers.

 

[CNOTES]

Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


Connecticut Sun 7 1 .875 0 3-1 4-0 3-1 7-1 W-7


Chicago Sky 5 3 .625 2 2-0 3-3 4-2 5-3 W-3


Washington Mystics 5 3 .625 2 2-2 3-1 4-2 5-3 L-1


New York Liberty 4 4 .500 3 3-2 1-2 3-3 4-4 L-1


Atlanta Dream 4 6 .400 4 3-3 1-3 3-6 4-6 W-1


Indiana Fever 3 6 .333 4.5 1-4 2-2 2-5 3-6 L-2



WESTERN CONFERENCE


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


Tulsa Shock 7 1 .875 0 4-0 3-1 4-1 7-1 W-7


Minnesota Lynx 6 2 .750 1 2-1 4-1 5-2 6-2 W-1


Phoenix Mercury 3 4 .429 3.5 2-1 1-3 3-1 3-4 L-1


Seattle Storm 2 5 .286 4.5 1-3 1-2 2-4 2-5 L-3


San Antonio Stars 1 6 .143 5.5 1-3 0-3 1-4 1-6 W-1


Los Angeles Sparks 0 6 .000 6 0-3 0-3 0-3 0-6 L-6

Updated Fri Jun 26 10:37 PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Saturday, June 27

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

EDMONTON (13 - 7) vs. TORONTO (8 - 10) - 6/27/2015, 5:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
EDMONTON is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 3-1 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 3-1 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

WINNIPEG (7 - 11) at SASKATCHEWAN (10 - 9) - 6/27/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SASKATCHEWAN is 3-2 against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
SASKATCHEWAN is 4-1 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 

[CNOTES]

CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up


Week 1


Edmonton @ Toronto-- Argos won four of last five series games; eight of last nine in series went over total. Eskimos lost 36-33/33-32 in last two visits here. Eskimos covered 11 of last 16 road games, eight of last 10 games overall. Edmonton covered five of last six visits here. Toronto QB Ray is still hurt, will miss first few weeks......


Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan-- Riders won 14 of last 16 games vs Winnipeg, sweeping three games LY, by 6-5-6 points. Blue Bombers lost last 11 visits to Regina, covering only twice in last seven visits here (last three here went over). Winnipeg struggled last year because they moved to the much stronger Western Division, with Ottawa re-joining CFL.