Cnotes Sports Page For Wednesday July 1st Best Bets-Trends-News !

[CNOTES]

MLB MONEYLINE


MLB > (915) TEXAS@ (916) BALTIMORE | 07/01/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON TEXAS using the money line in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 15 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+17.02 units)


MLB > (921) MINNESOTA@ (922) CINCINNATI | 07/01/2015 - 12:35 PM
Play ON MINNESOTA using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 29 Wins and 16 Losses for the this season (+18.8 units)


MLB > (929) CHI WHITE SOX@ (930) ST LOUIS | 07/01/2015 - 08:15 PM
Play ON ST LOUIS using the money line in All games in home games
The record is 29 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+19.55 units)


MLB > (901) MILWAUKEE@ (902) PHILADELPHIA | 07/01/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST MILWAUKEE using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 5 Wins and 18 Losses for the this season (-14.15 units)


MLB > (917) CLEVELAND@ (918) TAMPA BAY | 07/01/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play AGAINST TAMPA BAY using the money line in All games at home when the total is 7 or less
The record is 23 Wins and 37 Losses for the last two seasons (-25.85 units)

MLB > (919) KANSAS CITY@ (920) HOUSTON | 07/01/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play ON KANSAS CITY using the money line in All games against right-handed starters
The record is 32 Wins and 16 Losses for the this season (+15.5 units)


MLB > (923) COLORADO@ (924) OAKLAND | 07/01/2015 - 03:35 PM
Play AGAINST COLORADO using the money line in All games in an inter-league game
The record is 12 Wins and 35 Losses for the last three seasons (-26.55 units)




MLB RUNLINE


MLB > (915) TEXAS@ (916) BALTIMORE | 07/01/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON TEXAS using the in Road games in games played on a grass field
The record is 29 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+18.25 units)


MLB > (919) KANSAS CITY@ (920) HOUSTON | 07/01/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play ON KANSAS CITY using the in All games when playing with a day off
The record is 25 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (+22.05 units)

MLB > (901) MILWAUKEE@ (902) PHILADELPHIA | 07/01/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play AGAINST MILWAUKEE using the in Road games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 2 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-12.6 units)

MLB > (917) CLEVELAND@ (918) TAMPA BAY | 07/01/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play AGAINST CLEVELAND using the in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 11 Wins and 27 Losses for the this season (-19.85 units)


MLB > (923) COLORADO@ (924) OAKLAND | 07/01/2015 - 03:35 PM
Play AGAINST COLORADO using the in All games in an inter-league game
The record is 14 Wins and 33 Losses for the last three seasons (-26.45 units)


MLB TOTALS


MLB > (903) SAN FRANCISCO@ (904) MIAMI | 07/01/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play OVER SAN FRANCISCO on the total in Road games against right-handed starters
The record is 20 Overs and 7 Unders for the this season (+12.95 units)


MLB > (925) SEATTLE@ (926) SAN DIEGO | 07/01/2015 - 03:40 PM
Play OVER SAN DIEGO on the total in All games in all games
The record is 48 Overs and 29 Unders for the this season (+18.45 units)


MLB > (923) COLORADO@ (924) OAKLAND | 07/01/2015 - 03:35 PM
Play OVER OAKLAND on the total in All games in games played on a grass field
The record is 43 Overs and 26 Unders for the this season (+16.85 units)


MLB TOP POWERLINES


MLB > (921) MINNESOTA @ (922) CINCINNATI | 07/01/2015 - 12:35 PM
Line: CINCINNATI -183 BTB PowerLine: CINCINNATI -219
Edge On: CINCINNATI (36)


MLB > (911) BOSTON @ (912) TORONTO | 07/01/2015 - 01:05 PM
Line: TORONTO -143 BTB PowerLine: TORONTO -177
Edge On: TORONTO (34)


MLB > (923) COLORADO @ (924) OAKLAND | 07/01/2015 - 03:35 PM
Line: OAKLAND -180 BTB PowerLine: OAKLAND -157
Edge On: OAKLAND (23)


MLB > (925) SEATTLE @ (926) SAN DIEGO | 07/01/2015 - 03:40 PM
Line: SAN DIEGO -125 BTB PowerLine: SAN DIEGO -144
Edge On: SAN DIEGO (19)


MLB > (915) TEXAS @ (916) BALTIMORE | 07/01/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: BALTIMORE -185 BTB PowerLine: BALTIMORE -142
Edge On: BALTIMORE (18)


MLB > (927) PITTSBURGH @ (928) DETROIT | 07/01/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: DETROIT -120 BTB PowerLine: DETROIT -110
Edge On: DETROIT (10)


MLB > (917) CLEVELAND @ (918) TAMPA BAY | 07/01/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: TAMPA BAY +108 BTB PowerLine: TAMPA BAY -126
Edge On: TAMPA BAY (34)


MLB > (907) CHICAGO CUBS @ (908) NY METS | 07/01/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: NY METS +102 BTB PowerLine: NY METS 142
Edge On: NY METS (20)


MLB > (903) SAN FRANCISCO @ (904) MIAMI | 07/01/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: MIAMI +107 BTB PowerLine: MIAMI -102
Edge On: MIAMI (9)


MLB > (929) CHI WHITE SOX @ (930) ST LOUIS | 07/01/2015 - 08:15 PM
Line: ST LOUIS -162 BTB PowerLine: ST LOUIS -192
Edge On: ST LOUIS (30)

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Twins (41-36) at Reds (35-41)
Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: July 01, 2015 12:35 PM EDT

In a 10-game stretch during which Minnesota has watched opponents rack up seven double-digit hit totals, the Twins did the out-slugging in their second game in Cincinnati.


Given how their next starting pitcher fared the last time out, they might need to up the production even more Wednesday night if they're to earn a third straight series win over the Reds.


Minnesota (41-36) evened the three-game set with Tuesday's 8-5 victory behind 15 hits, and Torii Hunter was 3 for 5 with his fourth home run and third double in four games.


"He's had a really good trip," said manager Paul Molitor, whose club is 2-3 on its 10-game trek. "His bat seems fresh and quick. He's really rallying the troops."


Cincinnati (35-41) had 10 hits a night after scoring 11 runs with 17 hits, and the Twins have been tagged with a 4.81 ERA and .303 opponent batting average during a 4-6 span.


The Reds have dropped four of five and are 10-23 against the AL since the start of last season, though they continued to get some offensive help from Eugenio Suarez. The shortstop hit his second home run and is batting .441 in his last nine games to pace the club's .298 average.


Todd Frazier has hit safely in all of those, but the duo has been without fellow infielder Brandon Phillips for both games in the series because of sore hands.


Phillips is considered day to day, and he might want to be in the lineup against Trevor May. May (4-6, 4.62 ERA) could be on his way out of the rotation after this start with Ervin Santana scheduled to make his Minnesota debut on Sunday after completing his 80-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs.


Any progress May had made while limiting opponents to five runs in his previous four starts abruptly ended when he gave up one more than that in 1-3 of an inning of Friday's 10-4 loss in Milwaukee. The right-hander surrendered six runs - five earned - and six hits in easily the shortest and worst outing of his career.


"It's my job to get deep into games and give us the best chance of winning, and I didn't do either one of those things," May told MLB's official website. "It's not anyone's fault but my own."


The 25-year-old fell to 2-3 with a 6.41 ERA in six road starts and 0-2 with a 7.15 in three against the NL - numbers that rarely find their way into Johnny Cueto's pitching lines.


Cueto (4-5, 2.98) gave up two runs and two hits in six innings of Friday's 2-1 loss at the New York Mets while matching a season high with three walks, but he was just happy to get through the start without issue after going eight days between starts due to elbow stiffness.


"I want to make something clear: Thank God everything is OK," Cueto said through a translator. "The few days I had off were a manager's decision. Everything's OK with my elbow. I'm doing fine."


He's been better at home with a 2-1 record and 1.74 ERA in six starts, though he's 1-1 with a 4.35 against three AL teams.


The right-hander's only career start versus the Twins back in 2012 ended in a 6-0 win after allowing three hits and striking out nine in seven innings. Kurt Suzuki is 2 for 5 with a home run off Cueto, but Trevor Plouffe has three strikeouts in as many at_bats.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Twins at Reds
Mon, Jun 29 Final 7 to 11
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Twins at Reds
Tue, Jun 30 Final 8 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Twins at Reds
Wed, Jul 1 - 12:35PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Red Sox (36-43) at Blue Jays (41-38)
Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: July 01, 2015 1:07 PM EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays' production lately hasn't matched its status as the majors' highest-scoring team aside from an offensive outburst to back Mark Buehrle five days ago.


That slump has helped the Boston Red Sox reach the brink of their longest winning streak of the season.


Buehrle takes the mound Wednesday when the Blue Jays look to prevent visiting Boston from winning a fourth straight game.


Toronto's 424 runs by far are the most in baseball, but it has scored three or fewer six times during a 3-4 stretch. The Blue Jays (41-38) did so for the fourth consecutive contest Tuesday, falling 4-3 to the last-place Red Sox (36-43) after losing Monday's series opener 3-1.


Jose Reyes hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning, but Jose Bautista went hitless again and is 0 for 23 over his last seven.


'We didn't get anything going,' manager John Gibbons said. "... Just couldn't come up with that big hit.'


The Blue Jays had plenty of them Friday when they beat Texas 12-2, as Buehrle (8-4, 3.81 ERA) allowed two runs in seven innings. He capped a terrific June, during which he went 2-0 with a 1.75 ERA in five starts.


Buehrle, who improved to 4-1 with a 3.25 ERA in seven home starts, allowed two runs or fewer while recording a quality start in each outing.


The left-hander is 4-1 over his last five against the Red Sox, with his 3.09 ERA in that stretch a bit inflated due to giving up six earned runs in one of those outings. He allowed five combined in the other four.


David Ortiz has homered four times off Buehrle - tied for the second-most of any player against the veteran - and his third-inning solo shot Tuesday was his second home run in three days.


Jackie Bradley Jr. also homered for Boston, which has won a season-high three straight for the third time this season. The Red Sox are 4-2 since Dustin Pedroia went on the 15-day disabled list with right hamstring tightness.


Hanley Ramirez also has missed the last six because of a left hand injury, but he took full batting practice Tuesday and manager John Farrell said he expects him in the lineup for this contest.


'Guys have stepped up,' Farrell said. 'More than anything, we're getting stability from the guys that walk to the mound and that's the biggest key.'


Boston's starters, who have a 4.66 ERA on the season, have posted a 2.01 ERA over the last five. That run began Friday when Rick Porcello allowed three runs in six innings of a 4-3, 10-inning win over Tampa Bay.


Despite the solid outing, Porcello (4-8, 5.54) is 0-6 with a 7.07 ERA in seven starts since beating Seattle on May 16.


"Obviously you want to win and help the team any way you can, and when you don't it's frustrating. It's even more frustrating when you feel like you're not too far off from having quality starts,' Porcello said. 'It's certainly been a frustrating stretch, but (Friday) is a positive start (and) I hope from here to keep getting better and get back to the right track.'


The right-hander had one of his best starts of the season April 29 at Toronto, giving up one run and two hits in seven innings of a 4-1 victory. Josh Donaldson is 0 for 11 versus Porcello and Russell Martin is 1 for 11, but Bautista is 8 for 20 in their matchups.


Donaldson went 0 for 4 on Tuesday to snap a five-game hitting streak.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Mon, Jun 29 Final 3 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Tue, Jun 30 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Wed, Jul 1 - 1:07PM EDT


GAME 4
Red Sox at Blue Jays
Thu, Jul 2 - 7:07PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rockies (34-43) at Athletics (35-45)
Game: 3
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: July 01, 2015 3:35 PM EDT

Nolan Arenado has the longest active hitting streak in the majors and Troy Tulowitzki isn't far behind.


Arenado and Tulowitzki look to continue their hot hitting as the Colorado Rockies attempt to win a series in an AL park for the first time in four years Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics.


Arenado is having a breakout season with career highs of 24 homers and 68 RBIs to rank among baseball's leaders in each category. The 24-year-old third baseman has also put together a 17-game hitting streak during which he's batting .364 with nine homers and 21 RBIs.


It's the longest streak by a Rockie since Arenado's franchise-record 28-game run from April 9-May 8, 2014.


Tulowitzki is batting .382 during a 14-game streak.


They each had a single in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Oakland as Colorado (34-43) snapped its 14-game road losing streak during interleague play. The Rockies now enter this decisive finale with a chance to win their first series in an AL park since taking two of three from Cleveland from June 20-22, 2011. They've lost 11 series and split two others.


"Every win is important. Every win is gold," manager Walt Weiss said after Colorado ended its three-game skid. "Our last few games have been tough, but ... it was a big win."


Chad Bettis (4-2, 3.56 ERA) gets the ball against the A's (35-45) for the first time, but he's 0-2 with an 8.49 ERA in six career games - two starts - in interleague play.


The right-hander, though, enters this matchup having won back-to-back starts by yielding four runs in 12 1-3 innings after losing his previous two with a 7.20 ERA. Bettis gave up three runs in six innings of Friday's 8-6 win at San Francisco.


The A's are hitting .222 while dropping four of five games after winning five straight behind a .302 average.


Billy Butler, though, has a homer and a double among his four hits in this series while adding three RBIs. He's 12 for 35 (.343) in 11 career meetings with Colorado


The A's are turning to Jesse Hahn (5-6, 3.47), who should feel very comfortable with an afternoon start. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.53 ERA in five day games compared to 2-5 with a 4.72 ERA in 10 at night.


Hahn struggled with the lights on again Friday, surrendering five runs and nine hits - two homers - in six innings of a 5-2 loss to Kansas City. Two of the runs he allowed scored on Ike Davis' error with two outs in the third, as he botched a flip to Hahn at first.


"It was a weird night, very strange," Hahn told MLB's official website. "I do think I could have done a lot better job of getting ahead of hitters."


He gave up three runs in five innings in his only career start against Colorado on Aug. 11.


Hahn will be facing Tulowitzki for the first time, while Arenado is 1 for 4 against him.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rockies at Athletics
Mon, Jun 29 Final 1 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rockies at Athletics
Tue, Jun 30 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Rockies at Athletics
Wed, Jul 1 - 3:35PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Mariners (35-42) at Padres (37-42)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: July 01, 2015 3:40 PM EDT

Perhaps a return to Petco Park is what James Shields needs to end his first losing stretch with the San Diego Padres.


Home or away, Taijuan Walker has looked strong for the Seattle Mariners over the last month.


As Shields tries to avoid losing a third consecutive start and remain undefeated at home, Walker hopes to win his fifth consecutive start in Wednesday's finale of this two-game set.


Shields (7-2, 4.24 ERA) went 7-0 with a 3.59 ERA in 14 starts before giving up four runs, eight hits and a season-high four walks in six innings of a 4-2 loss at Arizona on June 19. The right-hander then had his worst outing as a Padre on Thursday, allowing seven runs and nine hits over four-plus innings of a 13-8 defeat at San Francisco.


'You wish some of those balls could be hit right at people,' interim manager Pat Murphy said.


Shields has a 6.45 ERA while San Diego (37-42) has dropped his last four starts and scored three runs with him on the mound in the three most recent.


Three of those four outings came on the road, where he's 4-2 despite a 5.50 ERA in nine outings. At Petco, he's 3-0 with a 2.78 ERA and has allowed more than two earned runs once in his seven starts.


Shields faced Seattle (35-42) on the road May 13, giving up a Brad Miller solo homer, striking out nine and throwing a season-high 115 pitches in six innings of a 4-2 victory.


'That team put together some really good at_bats all day long from the very first at-bat on,' said Shields, who is 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his last four against the Mariners. 'It was a grind."


He bested Walker (6-6, 4.64), who gave up two runs in the third inning of the six he lasted in that contest. The right-hander went 1-5 with a 7.33 ERA in his first nine starts but since is 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA while splitting those home and away.


Walker allowed a first-inning homer and lasted seven during Friday's 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on the road, where he's yielded a run each to win three straight. It also marked his third consecutive start without a walk.


'I think there's just been a growth period for Taijuan,' Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. 'A young pitcher like Walker was going to have some ups and downs and there were going to be some struggles along the way. But we knew that eventually, he would get it and make us all proud.'


Mike Montgomery allowed his only hit in the seventh inning of his second straight shutout and Miller belted a two-run homer in Seattle's 5-0 victory Tuesday.


"We're still a work in progress," said McClendon, whose club went 11-16 in June. "We'll see how we do (Wednesday)."


Miller has hit .438 (7 for 16) while the Mariners have split the first four of their nine-game trip.


Robinson Cano is 0 for 10 with four strikeouts in the last three contests but is batting .402 with four homers, nine doubles and two triples versus Shields.


Will Middlebrooks homered off Walker this season but is dealing with an ankle injury that limited him to a pinch-hitting role Tuesday. He's batting .145 with a homer and two RBIs in his last 19 games.


The Padres have been shut out a major league-leading 12 times.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Mariners at Padres
Tue, Jun 30 Final 5 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Mariners at Padres
Wed, Jul 1 - 3:40PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Rangers (40-38) at Orioles (41-36)
Game: 3
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: July 01, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

By the time he takes the mound at Camden Yards, it'll be exactly a year since the Baltimore Orioles dealt Nick Martinez one of his worst outings in the majors.


Martinez probably wishes he wasn't coming off another weak performance.


Despite a glut of quality starts this season, the right-hander seeks only his second win in just over a month when the Texas Rangers and Orioles continue this four-game series Wednesday night.


Martinez (5-4, 3.39 ERA) was roughed up for nine runs and gave up a pair of homers in six innings of a 12-2 loss at Toronto on Friday. He allowed the first three batters to reach before serving up a grand slam after giving up five earned runs over his prior three starts.


"I fell behind a lot of guys," Martinez said of his shaky first inning. "I was just trying to find the strike zone."


Keeping the ball in the park was a big reason for his hot start, but Martinez has allowed seven in as many outings after giving up one over his first eight. His ERA in those first eight was 1.88 but jumped to 5.10 in his last seven.


Martinez will also need to forget a dreadful outing in his lone appearance at Camden Yards on July 1. The 24-year-old also had trouble with the long ball in that one, allowing a career-worst three in an 8-3 loss to the Orioles (41-36).


Martinez gave up six earned runs in five innings as he fell to 0-2 with an 8.71 ERA in two career starts against the Orioles, who have batted .356 against him while hitting five homers.


Although the homers have started piling up again, Martinez has 11 quality starts in 15 outings to rank among the AL leaders. The problem has been the six times the Rangers (40-38) have scored two or fewer runs for him in those games.


If the Rangers stay hot after launching eight homers in the first two of this set, they can win a series against the Orioles for the first time since August 2012. Prior to their two-game outburst, they had lost 11 of 12 against Baltimore.


Mitch Moreland has hit four of Texas' homers in the series and Josh Hamilton returned Tuesday with two singles after being out since May 31 with a strained left hamstring.


"We're starting to get some guys back in the lineup," manager Jeff Banister said. "We got Hamilton back in there and (he'll) be able to provide that offense for us and stretch that lineup out. This is an offense that can be dangerous and powerful at times."


Opposing Martinez will be Wei-Yin Chen (3-4, 2.90), who has been impressive in his last four starts with a 2-0 record, 2.13 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 25 1-3 innings - and more importantly just three homers allowed after giving up 10 in his first 10 outings.


After tossing eight innings in a 4-0 win over Philadelphia on May 16, the left-hander was briefly optioned to the minors to make room for Chris Parmelee before returning to the rotation with a solid outing Friday.


Chen, who expressed frustration via Twitter upon being sent down, went six innings and gave up two solo homers but didn't get a decision in a 4-3 win over Cleveland.


"We haven't had a chance to talk today, but I don't think there is any problem," Chen said of manager Buck Showalter. "We talked before I got optioned. So, I don't think there's anything between us."


Chen has dominated Texas in his career, going 4-0 in as many starts with a 1.67 ERA. Shin-Soo Choo, who's homered in both games of this series, is 2 for 4 with two homers off Chen.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rangers at Orioles
Mon, Jun 29 Final 8 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rangers at Orioles
Tue, Jun 30 Final 8 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Rangers at Orioles
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:05PM EDT


GAME 4
Rangers at Orioles
Thu, Jul 2 - 7:05PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Pirates (43-33) at Tigers (39-37)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: July 01, 2015 7:08 PM EDT

The A.J. Burnett retirement tour was looking more like a victory lap until the 38-year-old recently got a few reminders that maybe his 17th and presumed final season in the majors wouldn't be quite so smooth.


He still limited the damage in his two latest outings, but he'd prefer not to run into so much trouble Wednesday night at Comerica Park as the Pittsburgh Pirates look for another win against the Detroit Tigers.


After posting baseball's third-lowest ERA (1.89) and a .233 opponents' batting average through his first 13 starts, Burnett (6-3, 2.01 ERA) has found himself in some sticky situations in his last two. He gave up 22 hits over 12 2-3 innings, but only allowed four earned runs in those outings while some poor defense cost him two more.


The right-hander shook off a run apiece in both the first and second innings Thursday against Cincinnati to make it through the next four unscathed in a 5-4, 13-inning loss.


"Eventually it was a matter of time before I knew I'd settle in and start getting ahead a little better, get a quick inning here or there," Burnett told MLB's official website. "You've got to go deep if you want to win games. Got to get into the seventh, get into the eighth."


He wound up throwing 110 pitches against the Reds, one fewer than his season high April 14 against the Tigers (39-37). Burnett gave up only a run through 6 2-3 that day while striking out eight in a 2-0 loss.


Detroit took two of three in that series in Pittsburgh, winning 1-0 a day later behind eight innings of two-hit ball from Alfredo Simon (7-4, 3.57).


The right-hander has been at his best at Comerica (2.33 ERA) in his first season with Detroit, but he's struggled both home and away in his last two. Simon gave up a career-high seven earned runs and lasted just 2 2-3 innings June 20 in the Bronx, then surrendered five in 6 1-3 Thursday in an 8-7, 10-inning home loss to the White Sox.


The Pirates (43-33) have three regulars who are either switch hitters or left-handed, and it might take something from that trio of Pedro Alvarez, Gregory Polanco and Neil Walker to win this one. Righties are hitting just .193 against Simon and seven of the eight homers he's allowed have come from the other side of the plate.


Those three Pirates, however, are a combined 6 for 38 (.158) against Simon.


Walker was the hero for Pittsburgh in Tuesday's opener, which didn't end until early Wednesday morning. His two-out double scored Josh Harrison after Gorkys Hernandez's base-running gaffe likely prevented the Pirates from scoring one batter earlier, and Deolis Guerra closed out a 5-4 win with his third scoreless inning.


"I didn't think we were going to get away with (Hernandez's mistake)," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Luckily, Neil came up big to save us."


Tuesday's game wound up being extended thanks to a two-run homer from J.D. Martinez, who went 3 for 6 to cap an outstanding final three weeks of June. The eighth-inning blast off Tony Watson was his 11th in 18 games, a stretch in which his OPS is an AL-best 1.204.


"We battled and had our opportunities, but we just didn't get that big hit," Martinez said. "There were some two-out chances we had there, they had one and got the hit. That's about it."


Martinez is 1 for 13 in his career against Burnett.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Pirates at Tigers
Tue, Jun 30 Final 5 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Pirates at Tigers
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:08PM EDT


GAME 3
Pirates at Tigers
Thu, Jul 2 - 1:08PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Yankees (41-37) at Angels (41-37)
Game: 3
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: July 01, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Albert Pujols never failed to reach the 30-home run mark in a season that wasn't significantly shortened by injuries until 2014.


It doesn't appear like that will be a problem this year.


After adding another homer to his AL-leading total, Pujols looks to help the Los Angeles Angels match their longest winning streak of the season as they complete a nine-game homestand against the slumping New York Yankees on Wednesday night.


Pujols finished with 28 home runs in 159 games last season after hitting 17 while missing 61 games with plantar fasciitis in 2013. He's already nearing last year's total after hitting his 24th in Tuesday's 2-1 victory.


He finished June with 13, matching the franchise record for a month set by Tim Salmon in June 1996 and Mo Vaughn in May 2000. It marked Pujols' first homer in seven games, a stretch during which he's hitting just .160.


Erick Aybar immediately followed Pujols' homer with one of his own to put the Angels (41-37) ahead for good as they moved four games over .500 for the first time since June 1. Los Angeles improved to 6-2 on its homestand and is on the verge of winning five straight for the third time this season.


'We're grinding it out,' said manager Mike Scioscia, who downplayed a report of a renewed rift with general manager Jerry Dipoto prior to Tuesday's win. 'We're pitching well and we're playing defense."


One defeat on the homestand came Friday despite a solid outing from Matt Shoemaker, who is 0-5 with a 4.82 ERA in seven home starts. He has a 2.25 ERA over the last four in Anaheim, though, after allowing two runs in six innings of a 3-1 loss to Seattle.


Shoemaker (4-6, 5.03 ERA) pitched on six days' rest after giving up five runs in four innings at Oakland on June 19.


'With that extra time off, I just worked on a few more things - just getting my upper half and lower half working better together,' Shoemaker said. 'When I do that, I can see my pitches better and I felt like we did that. I kind of got my timing back, which was really positive.'


The right-hander has never faced the Yankees (41-37), who have scored one run in each contest during a three-game losing streak. They mustered just two hits for the second time in that stretch Tuesday.


Brett Gardner singled and is batting .486 during an eight-game hitting streak. Mark Teixeira homered after going 1 for 18 over his previous five.


'We hit a lot of balls hard, but right at people,' said Alex Rodriguez, who went hitless and is 2 for 14 over his last four. 'We just have to maintain our aggressiveness.'


The Yankees look to bounce back behind Nathan Eovaldi, who has half of New York's victories during a 4-7 stretch.


Eovaldi (7-2, 4.81) has allowed two runs in six innings in each of his last two outings, beating Detroit 14-3 on June 20 and Houston 3-2 on Friday.


"I think he's making progress," manager Joe Girardi said of the 25-year-old, who set a new career high for victories. "Even though he's been in the league (since 2011), he's still young. He's learning how to use his stuff and I thought he used it as good (Friday) as he has (been) all year long."


The right-hander walked a season-high four but limited the damage against the Angels on June 5, giving up a run and four hits over 5 1-3 innings of an 8-7 victory.


Pujols is 4 for 9 and Mike Trout 4 for 8 against Eovaldi.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Yankees at Angels
Mon, Jun 29 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Yankees at Angels
Tue, Jun 30 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Yankees at Angels
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:05PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Brewers (31-48) at Phillies (27-52)
Game: 3
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: July 01, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Although the Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies are the two worst teams in baseball, Milwaukee is showing signs of life behind Ryan Braun.


If Braun and the Brewers can continue pounding the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night, they may post their longest winning streak of the season.


Milwaukee (31-48) has only a slightly better record than Philadelphia (27-52), but the Brewers have won six of eight after dropping eight of their previous nine.


While their .241 batting average is among the worst in the majors, they've piled up 26 hits with six doubles and 11 runs while winning the first two of this four-game series.


That may not be too surprising since Milwaukee has batted .337 with 7.2 runs per game while winning five straight at Philadelphia after rallying for Tuesday's 4-3 victory.


"A win you feel like you snatched it a little bit," manager Craig Counsell said.


Braun got four of his seven series hits Tuesday and is 16 for 32 in his past nine, raising his season average 30 points to .275. A career .408 hitter against the Phillies, Braun has batted .513 with 24 RBIs and as many runs over his last 20 road matchups.


Production at the plate could be key with the Brewers turning to Kyle Lohse (4-9, 6.28 ERA) in an effort to win a season-best fourth straight game, but he's trying to win back-to-back starts for just the second time this year.


The right-hander was staked to a nine-run lead after two innings and yielded four runs and two homers before leaving after the sixth in a 10-4 win over Minnesota on Friday. He had lost all five of his previous decisions with a 7.59 ERA over six starts.


"It was more of a grinding kind of an outing - I kept getting ahead of guys, then going deep in counts," Lohse told MLB's official website. "It's just not being quite as sharp as I want to be. Bottom line, we won the game, so you go home happy with that."


Lohse may be thrilled to face the Phillies since he's 3-1 with a 2.38 ERA in his last six starts against them, including 2-0 with a 1.86 mark in three on the road.


Philadelphia, which has dropped five of six, learned Tuesday that interim manager Pete Mackanin will remain in place for the rest of the season.


He'll give the ball to Aaron Harang (4-10, 3.56), who is on the brink of becoming the first Phillies pitcher to lose eight straight starts since Jim Nash in 1972.


Harang has a 6.05 ERA while losing his last seven outings after compiling a 1.82 ERA through his first nine. The veteran right-hander lost a career-worst nine consecutive decisions over a 13-game stretch with Cincinnati from May 30-Aug. 3, 2009.


He lost his fourth straight home game Friday, surrendering five runs and nine hits in six innings of a 5-2 defeat to Washington.


Harang is 2-1 with a 2.19 ERA over his last six starts against the Brewers and has limited Braun to a 1-for-12 performance at the plate over the past four years.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Brewers at Phillies
Mon, Jun 29 Final 7 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Brewers at Phillies
Tue, Jun 30 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Brewers at Phillies
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:05PM EDT


GAME 4
Brewers at Phillies
Thu, Jul 2 - 6:35PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Nationals (43-34) at Braves (36-41)
Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: July 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Washington Nationals' rotation may have watched their overall shutout streak end, but against the Atlanta Braves they just keep on going.


Back to their winning ways and with the starters in position to begin another shutout streak, Doug Fister looks to extend the Washington Nationals' scoreless run versus the Atlanta Braves as their series continues Wednesday.


Monday's off day served Washington (43-34) well as it emphatically bounced back from having its eight-game winning streak snapped in the second game of its Sunday doubleheader at Philadelphia by cruising past Atlanta 6-1 to open this three-game set.


Jordan Zimmermann, who previously contributed eight of the rotation's 47 1-3 consecutive scoreless innings while beating the Braves last week, kept Atlanta at bay for another 7 2-3 while scattering six hits Tuesday. That extended Washington's shutout streak versus Atlanta by its starters to 27 2-3 innings over the last four between the teams.


"We're just trying to win the series and take two out of three every time we face somebody and just go from there," Zimmermann said.


Even including their 8-5 loss to the Phillies, the Nationals' starters have been flat-out dominant. During this 10-game run, they are 8-1 with a 1.69 ERA and 0.84 WHIP - yielding 13 runs in 69 1-3 innings, including all eight Sunday. In the nine victories, the rotation has posted a 0.65 ERA and 0.71 WHIP by conceding only five runs in 66 innings.


Fister (3-3, 4.15 ERA) provided seven shutout innings to the previous streak Thursday versus Atlanta, giving up four hits and one walk while throwing a season-high 111 pitches in a 7-0 triumph. The right-hander, though, was more concerned with keeping himself in sync than adding to the zeroes - a mindset he'll likely carry again into this contest.


"... Honestly when I'm at my best I have no idea what inning it is. I really try and stay simple," he said. "I want to take things one pitch at a time, and if I get anything bigger than that, I'm in trouble myself."


This will mark the fourth start of the season against Atlanta for Fister, who yielded eight runs and 16 hits in 12 1-3 innings in the other two - including a defeat April 27. That marked his only loss in six lifetime starts versus Atlanta and also his only career outing at Turner Field, where he was touched for five runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.


Nick Markakis has enjoyed some success versus Fister, going 9 for 29 with a homer.


The Braves are hitting .192 (20 for 104) against Washington's starters over the last four games. Atlanta has totaled three runs in those defeats, going 0 for 21 with runners in scoring position, and only avoided a shutout Monday on Juan Uribe's ninth-inning homer.


Matt Wisler (1-1, 3.75) allowed six runs and nine hits in four innings opposite Fister in his second career start last week, and his ineffectiveness was compounded by two Braves errors that contributed to two runs being unearned.


The 23-year-old rookie was comfortable at home in winning his major league debut June 19, limiting the New York Mets to one run in eight innings of a 2-1 victory.


Since that April 27 defeat, Washington has reeled off nine straight wins over Atlanta by a combined 66-31 margin. It matches the Braves' longest losing streak to the Expos/Nationals franchise set June 18, 1972-June 5, 1973.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Nationals at Braves
Tue, Jun 30 Final 6 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Nationals at Braves
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Nationals at Braves
Thu, Jul 2 - 7:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Giants (42-36) at Marlins (32-46)
Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: July 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

While the San Francisco Giants have had little trouble scoring runs on the road for Chris Heston, the Miami Marlins haven't done anything at the plate to support Dan Haren of late.


As Heston tries to record a fourth consecutive road victory while pitching for the first time in his home state, Haren looks to avoid his fourth straight losing decision Wednesday night.


Despite a 4.43 ERA, Heston (8-5, 3.73 ERA) is 5-1 in seven road starts and has received an average 8.65 runs of support - second highest in the majors. San Francisco (42-36) has scored at least five runs with the rookie right-hander on the mound while winning his last five away from home.


"When I'm out there, they're swinging the bats really well for me," he told MLB's official website.


The Giants took that offensive success behind Heston home with them Thursday when he allowed two runs in seven innings of a 13-8 victory over San Diego.


This will be the first appearance versus Miami (32-46) for Heston, who hails some 170 miles up the coast in Palm Bay. Prior to the start of this series, Heston received the keys to that city in honor of his no-hitter against the New York Mets on June 9.


The Marlins failed to provide Haren (6-5, 3.38) with a single run in his last three outings, going 1 for 21 with runners in scoring position while being outscored 14-2.


"It's hard, especially at my age, at this stage of my career, it's hard to deal with," said Haren, who turns 35 in September. "I feel for the other 24 guys in here."


For the third time in 15 starts, the right-hander yielded more than four runs Thursday with four over six-plus innings of a 5-1 home defeat to St. Louis.


"Definitely have to execute better," he said.


The Marlins gave Haren plenty of support May 7 when he allowed two runs in seven innings of a 7-2 win at San Francisco. In the last three seasons, Haren is 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in three starts against the Giants.


Dee Gordon, a roommate of Heston at the former Seminole Community College, hit a three-run inside-the-park homer as Miami scored more than three runs for the first time in eight games to win 5-3 on Tuesday. It was the first homer of the season for Gordon, whose .351 average ranks among the major league leaders and is 6 for 14 with four RBIs in three games versus San Francisco this season.


Gordon joked he might need to improve his power numbers to help fill the void left by injured slugger Giancarlo Stanton.


'I've got to pick up the power with him gone,' the lanky Gordon said. 'We're like the same size.'


Despite the victory, Miami went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position, and is 3 for 48 on a 2-5 homestand.


With a home run Tuesday, San Francisco's Buster Posey is 11 for 24 with two home runs, four doubles and 13 RBIs in his last six contests. He's 2 for 9 with a homer versus Haren.


Angel Pagan is 6 for 11 with a double, triple and home run against Haren.


Dealing with injuries to veterans Hunter Pence and Tim Lincecum, the Giants finished 12-14 in June after going 21-9 in May.


'I'm not happy with it, but we're trying to hold ground here,' manager Bruce Bochy said.






SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Marlins
Tue, Jun 30 Final 3 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Giants at Marlins
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Giants at Marlins
Thu, Jul 2 - 12:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Cubs (40-35) at Mets (40-38)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: July 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Joe Maddon brought in a magician to snap the Cubs out of a funk. He can only hope Jon Lester fell under his spell.


After some excellent pitching helped the Cubs end their longest slide of the season, Maddon is looking for that to rub off on Lester as the left-hander tries for his first win in more than six weeks Wednesday night against the New York Mets.


With Chicago (40-35) mired in a five-game losing streak, Maddon hired a magician to entertain the team in another of his tension-reducing stunts that made him popular with Tampa Bay.


It seemed to do the trick, as the Cubs got an RBI double from Matt Szczur to edge the Mets 1-0 in Tuesday's opener. They've won seven straight over New York (40-38), one shy of their record in the all-time series most recently done from 2003-04.


"I just felt more comfortable and, I'm sure the guys felt the same, because he kind of tones it down a little bit, lets you relax," Szczur said about Maddon. "It was a fun time."


Lester (4-6, 4.03 ERA) isn't having much fun as he struggles to live up to the six-year, $155 million free-agent contract he signed over the winter. The three-time All-Star owns the most losses on the team and his ERA is his highest in three years.


Lester is 0-4 with a 4.43 ERA in seven starts since beating Pittsburgh on May 16. However, he's only been backed by seven runs over that stretch, getting one or none in five.


"I feel good going into starts," Lester said. "It's not like I'm searching for things."


He was searching for his command in Thursday's 4-0 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He surrendered four runs with five strikeouts and four walks in four innings in his shortest outing as a Cub.


"It just comes down to the things I keep preaching and harping on, is fastball location and executing pitches," Lester said. "That's what it comes down to, and I'm not doing it consistently enough right now to help this team."


He gave up three runs and two homers while issuing four walks in six innings of a 4-3 win over New York on May 11.


Lester could be in for some better results Wednesday. The Mets are hitting .176 while averaging 1.8 runs during a 4-8 stretch. They mustered just three hits in the series opener as their four-game winning streak came to an end.


New York has a .192 average with 10 runs in five meetings with the Cubs this season, with Michael Cuddyer going 2 for 17. He's 2 for 28 over his last nine games overall.


The Mets are turning to their own struggling veteran in Bartolo Colon (9-6, 4.89), who is 3-5 with a 6.50 ERA over his last eight starts to nearly double his ERA from his first seven.


The right-hander has lost his last two, surrendering 11 runs and 19 hits in 10 1-3 innings. Both of those outings came on the road, though, and he's won six of eight home starts and three in a row behind a 3.79 ERA.


Colon is 0-2 with a 4.73 ERA in five career starts against Chicago, one of two teams (Arizona) that he's failed to defeat in his 18-year career.


Cubs rookie Kris Bryant is 7 for 16 with two homers, five walks and four RBIs against the Mets.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Cubs at Mets
Tue, Jun 30 Final 1 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Cubs at Mets
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Cubs at Mets
Thu, Jul 2 - 1:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Indians (35-41) at Rays (42-37)
Game: 3
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: July 01, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Carlos Carrasco faced Tampa Bay less than two weeks ago and was about as hittable as he's been all season.


The way the Rays are batting entering Wednesday night's game at Tropicana Field, it looks as though the Cleveland Indians right-hander might have a decent shot at getting back at them and becoming the third AL pitcher to reach 10 wins.


After Tuesday's 6-2 victory, Cleveland (35-41) has taken the first two of the four-game set and three straight over Tampa Bay (42-37).


The Rays have scored three runs while batting .132 in those games, and the first four in the order - Kevin Kiermaier, Grady Sizemore, Evan Longoria and David DeJesus - are a combined 2 for 29 to open this series. Tampa Bay has also dropped seven of nine while scoring 2.4 runs per game.


"We'll get out of this funk," manager Kevin Cash said. "The bats, they're going to come alive. We're in one of those ruts."


It's also been a simple matter of location for Tampa Bay, which is 21-25 at Tropicana compared to 21-12 on the road.


Jason Kipnis continued to be a menace to Rays pitching with a home run. The second baseman, who's batting an MLB-leading .397 since the start of May, is 10 for 19 in the season series.


Carrasco (9-6, 4.16 ERA) is coming off one of his better starts, limiting Detroit to two runs and five hits in eight innings of last Wednesday's 8-2 home win. The right-hander came away with the decision to improve to 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA in his last seven starts after beginning the season 4-4 with a 4.98 mark through eight.


At least in the latest start, he credited the success to using more of the plate.


"I think it was important to throw inside," Carrasco told MLB's official website. "That's what I did from the beginning of the inning to the last one. I think that's more important to start throwing inside so all of the pitches down and away, they can't get."


The previous one came June 19 against Tampa Bay and Carrasco was stuck with the decision in a 4-1 loss after giving up three runs and a season high-matching 10 hits in 6 2-3 innings. Joey Butler and former Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera both homered off Carrasco and are 2 for 3 against him.


In the time Carrasco has racked up five wins, Alex Colome has zero. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 4.30 ERA in his last seven starts. The team has lost all seven, though Colome (3-3, 4.50) has at times deserved better with three runs and five hits allowed in 13 innings over his last two starts.


That was certainly the case in a 1-0 loss in Cleveland on June 21 in which Colome gave up a hit in seven scoreless innings for his longest and best start of the year.


He's 1-0 without allowing a run in 13 1-3 innings of two career starts against the Indians while holding Carlos Santana (0 for 6), Mike Aviles (0 for 4), David Murphy (0 for 4) and Yan Gomes (0 for 3 with three strikeouts) hitless.


Control, however, is becoming more of an issue. Colome gave up three runs and four hits with five walks in six innings of Friday's 4-3 home loss to Boston. He didn't receive the decision, though he's walked at least two batters in each start on the winless stretch for a rate of 4.78 per nine innings after posting a 1.11 over his first five.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Indians at Rays
Mon, Jun 29 Final 7 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Indians at Rays
Tue, Jun 30 Final 6 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Indians at Rays
Wed, Jul 1 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Indians at Rays
Thu, Jul 2 - 12:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Royals (44-30) at Astros (46-34)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: July 01, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

A home series sweep of the AL leading Kansas City Royals might provide another reason to believe the Houston Astros can remain a serious playoff contender as they approach the halfway point of the season.


They can do so by preventing Edinson Volquez from winning a fifth consecutive start Wednesday night.


Having witnessed Kansas City's surprise run to the World Series last season, Houston (46-34) might have the makings of a club on a similar path following four straight 90-loss seasons. After outscoring the Royals (44-30) 10-1 in the first two of this set, the Astros continue to move closer to the reigning AL champions.


Dallas Keuchel struck out seven over eight innings and George Springer hit a two-run homer to help the AL West leaders to a third consecutive victory, 4-0 on Tuesday. Though Keuchel fell short of his second straight complete game, he and the Astros have their sights set on the big picture.


"Most importantly we need to get through the game and get done, and have everybody feel good on the accumulation over the season," the left-hander said.


Kansas City totaled 21 runs during a four-game winning streak it took into this series, but has managed only a Salvador Perez homer and 12 other hits. The only time the Royals have been swept this season in a series of at least three games came at Yankee Stadium from May 25-27.


Volquez (8-4, 3.18 ERA) is 6-0 with a 2.09 ERA in eight starts against the Astros, but has not faced them since 2012.


The right-hander has a 2.96 ERA over his last four starts, and allowed one run, three hits and recorded his 1,000th strikeout in seven innings of Friday's 5-2 win at Oakland.


'I've been in the big leagues a long time, and that's like a goal,' said Volquez, who has fanned a team-high 65. 'I finally got it.'


Luis Valbuena and Colby Rasmus are a combined 8 for 21 (.381) with two homers and four doubles versus Volquez. Rasmus, though, is expected to miss a fifth consecutive contest due to a skin infection on his left arm caused by a bug bite.


Evan Gattis is 0 for 5 against Volquez, but batting .389 in the last five games.


Teammate Vincent Velasquez (0-0, 3.72) lasted 6 1-3 innings - the longest of his four career starts - and gave up two runs during a 3-2 loss to the New York Yankees on Friday.


"All the other starts I wasn't having fun but (Friday), I really locked in and went out there and was myself," the right-hander told MLB's official website.


Manager A.J. Hinch also saw progress from Velasquez, who walked one after yielding 10 in the first three outings.


"Just a really, really good start to build on for him," he said. "That's his best outing, his best stuff."


Velasquez likely won't have to face Eric Hosmer, who is expected to miss a third straight game with a sprained left ring finger.


"We'll let the swelling go down and soreness go out," manager Ned Yost said."


Lorenzo Cain, who doubled twice and singled Tuesday for the Royals, is batting .360 in his last 14 games.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Royals at Astros
Mon, Jun 29 Final 1 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Royals at Astros
Tue, Jun 30 Final 0 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Royals at Astros
Wed, Jul 1 - 8:10PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: White Sox (33-42) at Cardinals (51-25)
Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: July 01, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

Chris Sale mowed through the St. Louis lineup on his way to entering the record books and helping the Chicago White Sox snap a pair of Cardinals winning streaks.


Another left-hander now looks to help the White Sox accomplish something no team has done at Busch Stadium all season.


Jose Quintana takes the mound Wednesday night as Chicago seeks a two-game sweep of St. Louis.


Sale matched Pedro Martinez's MLB record set in 1999 of striking out at least 10 in eight straight starts by fanning 12 Cardinals over eight innings in the White Sox's 2-1, 11-inning win Tuesday night.


Randal Grichuk homered in the fourth for St. Louis (51-25), which had won nine straight at home and six in a row overall. Every Cardinals starter struck out at least once by the sixth inning.


'It's good to get out there and face that type of competition,' said Xavier Scruggs, who struck out three times after going 7 for 11 over his previous three games. 'You always want to face the best.'


Quintana (3-7, 3.95 ERA) isn't as overpowering as Sale, but his approach has helped him post a 2.97 ERA over his last six starts. Another solid outing could help the White Sox (33-42) become the only team to sweep the Cardinals in a series of any length at Busch Stadium.


St. Louis is a baseball-best 29-8 at home, and the only visitor to win twice in a series there is Detroit on May 15 and 16.


Quintana, who won his only start in St. Louis by giving up one run in 5 1-3 innings June 12, 2012, allowed three runs and 11 hits in six innings of Chicago's 5-4 loss to Detroit on Friday. It marked the first time in 15 outings that he didn't walk a batter.


Quintana was in line for the victory before the Tigers tied it with a homer leading off the seventh. Five of Quintana's defeats have come when he's allowed three runs or fewer.


"I tried to get my outs, tried to get the game close," Quintana said. "(I'll) come back (in my next start)."


The White Sox didn't need many runs Tuesday, and they'll now try to win back-to-back road games for the first time since May 27 and 28. Jose Abreu's single in the third drove in Sale before Tyler Flowers hit a two-out homer in the 11th.


'You don't want to waste those opportunities," Flowers said.


Chicago could again find itself scrounging for runs as John Lackey (6-4, 3.35) takes the hill.


Lackey is 2-0 with a 2.05 ERA in three starts since giving up 10 runs in four innings at Colorado on June 8. He held the Chicago Cubs to two runs in seven innings Friday before the Cardinals rallied for a 3-2 victory in 10.


The right-hander threw 95 pitches through five innings but needed just 11 to get through the next two.


"He's a guy that thrives in a game like that," manager Mike Matheny said. "He figures out a way to keep us close."


Lackey, who is 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA in eight home starts, hasn't faced the White Sox since 2010 while with Boston. He's had some experience against Melky Cabrera, who is 10 for 33 with three doubles in their matchups.


Cabrera hit .444 over his previous seven before going 0 for 4 on Tuesday.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
White Sox at Cardinals
Tue, Jun 30 Final 2 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
White Sox at Cardinals
Wed, Jul 1 - 8:15PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Dodgers (44-35) at Diamondbacks (37-40)
Game: 3
Venue: Chase Field
Date: July 01, 2015 9:40 PM EDT

Brett Anderson feels he's executing certain pitches as well as he has over his first few months in Los Angeles, resulting in his most promising stretch with the club.


The ultimate test of that progress might be coming Wednesday night in Arizona in the form of Paul Goldschmidt, the Diamondbacks slugger who has accounted for a third of the home runs the Dodgers left-hander has given up this season.


Anderson (4-4, 3.13 ERA) has consecutive wins and a 1.71 ERA in his last three, giving the injury-prone pitcher a shot at winning five games for the first time since going 7-6 in 2010 with Oakland. He gave up a run and five hits with a career high-matching 10 strikeouts in seven innings of Friday's 7-1 win in Miami.


"My stuff was probably the best overall that it's been with the sinker," Anderson told MLB's official website. "Then I got some strikeouts with the slider, which hasn't really quite been there."


Anderson's four career starts against Arizona have all come since the start of last season, and he's gone 0-1 with a 3.91 ERA. Goldschmidt is 6 for 8 with two homers against Anderson this year and 7 for 11 lifetime. Yasmany Tomas is 2 for 5 with a home run.


Anderson will be opposed by Robbie Ray, whose transformation has been far more drastic and is one the Diamondbacks would like to see continue in order to start reversing a 6.39 ERA out of their rotation during a 3-5 span.


In his six starts last season, Ray (2-3, 1.98) gave up 22 earned runs. Through his first six this year, he's trimmed that by 275 percent to eight.


That upswing, however, has yet to bring him any wins in bunches. Ray has lost consecutive starts, but he's still yet to allow more than three earned runs this season.


In Friday's 4-2 loss in San Diego, two of the three runs the left-hander gave up were earned as he surrendered five hits in six innings.


"His stuff was very good," manager Chip Hale said. "He threw his offspeed pitch more, threw his breaking ball and changeup, which was impressive, his fastball was electric again."


The 23-year-old pitched in a 3-1 loss at Dodger Stadium on June 9, yielding two runs and four hits with four walks in 6 2-3 innings. Howie Kendrick homered in that game just as he did in the 10th inning of Tuesday's 6-4 win that sent the Dodgers (44-35) to their 30th victory in the last 40 against Arizona (37-40).


Los Angeles is seeking its 11th series win in the 14 covering that span.


Kendrick was 4 for 5 with two RBIs and the second baseman is 12 for 21 in five games as well as hitting .370 in 14 career contests against Arizona.


Joc Pederson homered for a second straight game to extend his MLB rookie-leading total to 20. That moves him past Yasiel Puig's mark of 19 from 2013 and into a tie for fifth in Dodgers' history with Greg Brock (1983) and Eric Karros ('92).


He's on pace to top Mike Piazza's club record of 35 from 1993, as well as the NL record of 38 set by Wally Berger in '30 and matched by Frank Robinson in '56.


Yasmani Grandal has also homered in both games in the series and three straight against Arizona. The catcher is batting .400 with five homers in 10 games in the season series.


Goldschmidt was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI, giving him a .432 average in 11 games against the Dodgers this season. He's batting .385 against left-handed pitching since the start of 2014.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Mon, Jun 29 Final 6 to 10
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Tue, Jun 30 Final 6 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Wed, Jul 1 - 9:40PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet


July 1, 2015




New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | 7:05 p.m. EST (ESPN)


On ESPN tonight, the Yankees and Angels wrap up a three-game set at Angel Stadium, with the Halos seeking a series sweep. They’ve won four in a row overall, and as a result, have vaulted over the Texas Rangers in the AL West for second place, while also being just four games back of first-place Houston. They’ll hand the ball to right-hander Matt Shoemaker (4-6, 5.03 ERA) tonight, and while the second-year starter has not had an enjoyable 2015 thus far, he has been better since mid-May, yielding three runs or less in all but one of his six starts from that point. Plus, it would be easy to forget that Shoemaker actually finished as the runner-up to Jose Abreu for last year’s AL Rookie of the Year award, so perhaps he has turned it around. He’s a -125 home favorite.


Tasked with preventing the sweep will be the mercurial Nathan Eovaldi (7-2, 4.81 ERA), who has been inconsistent in his first year with the Yankees. He’s exhibited plenty of flashes of the dominant pitcher he is capable of being with his high-90’s fastball, as he’s allowed two runs or less in more than half of his 15 starts. His ERA is probably higher than it should be, as Eovaldi also endured arguably the worst outing by a starter all year, when he surrendered eight runs in two-thirds of an inning in his return to Miami. In any event, while his win-loss record looks sparkling, so does his record for ‘over’ bets, being 10-5 in that department. The over/under for this one sits at 8.


Chicago Cubs at New York Mets | 7:10 p.m. EST


Two of the National League’s brightest surprises continue their three-game series in Flushing tonight, as the Cubs look to make it two in a row. They’ll send out their Opening Day starter Jon Lester (4-6, 4.03 ERA) for this assignment, in what will be his second start of the year opposing the Mets. In the first instance at Wrigley Field, he was solid in recording a quality start, giving up three runs in six innings while striking out six, and picking up the win. Now, he gets a Mets lineup that has remarkably scored two runs or less in 10 of their last 12, seeing the ‘under’ go 10-2 over that span as well. Lester has pitched in four straight unders himself entering this middle affair in the series, and the over/under currently sits at 7.


The Mets, meanwhile, will counter with the ageless treasure Bartolo Colon (9-6, 4.89 ERA), who will be looking to get New York back into the win-column after their crucial four-game winning streak was snapped last night. Colon has been far from his best this season, but if nothing else, he’s been a consistent innings-eater, as he’s gobbled up six innings or more in 12 of his 15 starts. In the process, he’s also maintained an excellent 71/10 K/BB ratio in his 92 innings of work. The linesmakers have understandably listed him as a +105 home ‘dog, despite losing three of his past four.


Kansas City Royals at Houston Astros | 8:10 p.m. EST


Despite having two of the more impactful offenses in baseball, the Royals and Astros have produced some low-scoring affairs thus far in the first two games of their three-game set at Minute Maid Park. The Royals will be trying to avoid the sweep here, and have Edinson Volquez (8-4, 3.18 ERA) leading the effort in trying to do just that. They couldn’t really pick a better option, considering they’ve won nine of the last ten games started by Volquez, who has also probably been their most consistent starter. In fact, he’s allowed no more than four runs in any of his 15 starts this season, and he’s given up exactly four runs only three times. He’s also been really good on the road this year, being 3-2 in seven road starts with a 3.14 ERA and stingy .230 BAA.


Two interesting notes concerning Astros rookie right-hander Vincent Velasquez (0-0, 3.72 ERA): he’s one of ten pitchers in Major League history to receive a no-decision in his first four career starts, and he’s the first player in baseball with the initials V.V. since former Pirates starter Virgil Vasquez. Okay, that latter note is meaningless, as I just wanted to include Vasquez, who was horrendous during his time in the big leagues, in an article in 2015. But the second note is intriguing, as Velasquez has deserved some better luck in his starts, such as his last time out when he held the mighty Yankees to two runs in six-plus innings. Velasquez has shown an ability to rack up strikeouts, having 19 punch-outs in 19 innings, but is also prone to free passes, issuing out 11 so far. He’s sitting as a -115 favorite to lead Houston to the sweep.


Chicago White Sox at St. Louis Cardinals | 8:15 p.m. EST


It’s scary to think where the White Sox would be right now without ace Chris Sale, who once again carried them to a victory last night, albeit in extra innings. Even so, it’s a huge series-opening win for Chicago against the best team in baseball, as they look to finally make their push up the standings. They’ll trot out Jose Quintana (3-7, 3.95 ERA) in game two, and while the 26-year-old doesn’t necessarily have the most desirable stats this season, he’s actually been pretty dependable. In fact, Quintana has logged six innings or more in nine straight starts, which is a testament of the steady pitching that he usually brings. However, the White Sox are just 6-9 in his outings, and currently are listed as +140 road ’dogs at Busch Stadium tonight.


Veteran John Lackey (6-4, 3.35 ERA) takes the ball for St. Louis, who, despite the loss last night, are still sitting comfortably atop all of Major League Baseball with an outstanding 51-25 record. Lackey has had a little something to do with that, continuing his nice pitching from a year ago when the Cardinals first acquired him around the trade deadline. He’s impressively gone five innings or more in all but one of his 15 starts, and is currently in his best groove of the season, having registered five quality starts in his last six tries. Additionally, Lackey has been a constant for ‘under’ bettors, having a 10-5 record for ‘under’ bets. He’ll have to help keep this game under 7 if he wants to add another tally in the win column.

 

[CNOTES]

July Pitchers Report


July 1, 2015


Fireworks and the MLB All-Star game signal the month of July. It also signifies the start of the 2nd half of the MLB campaign. The key to each and every team’s fortune lies on the pitching staff. Can they sustain or will they unravel like a cheap suit? Stay tuned. What we do know is certain pitchers love hurling this time of the season while others tend to get lit up like a roman candle on the 4th of July.


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


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


GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:


Chen, Wei-Yin - 10-3 (5-1 H)


The Orioles Chen is having another solid season as his 2.90 ERA indicates he's just not gotten a lot run support which is explains his 3-4 record. Very good life on a low to mid 90's fastball and if the Baltimore bats stay hot, the wins will come for Chen.


Colon, Bartolo - 11-5 (5-0 A)


Hard to believe the rolly-polly 42-year old right-hander is still around in the big leagues and still throwing 80 percent fastballs at his age. Though he still has a winning record, Colon 's ERA is almost five and opposing teams are hitting .282 against him. Let's see if he has a typical July for him as his numbers are beginning to slip.


Fister, Doug - 12-3 (5-1 H)


Started the season poorly, got injured and is working his way back. You know Fister is on his game when there are a lot of ground ball outs or lazy fly balls. Has to keep top of hand on top of the ball to get the sinking action he needs.


Hellickson, Jeremy - 8-4 (4-1 A)


Really nothing more than a back of the rotation pitcher with ordinary stuff. Hellickson can put together two or three quality starts than get hit like a stalled car on the tracks with a train coming. Not sure he will have same success this month going from Tampa Bay to Arizona.


Hernandez, Felix - 11-5 (5-2 A)


After a sensational first two months, King Felix saw his ERA jump from 1.91 in late May to 3.24 on June 22. He only had 21 strikeouts in that five starts stretch and allowed nine or more fly balls on three different occasions, very unusual for Hernandez. Still opposing hitters are only batting .204 against and chances are he will return to being the King.


*Hudson, Tim - 11-4 (7-1 A)


Another elder statesman who turns 39 this month, Hudson enjoyed a long and great career. No question he's at the end of the line with opposing hitters batting .291 against vs. .251 lifetime but still capable of quality starts and keeping San Francisco in games when he takes the ball.


*Kershaw, Clayton - 13-4 (7-2 A)


As July commences, Kershaw will be working a three-game losing for the first time in his career. Nothing physically wrong with the three-time Cy Young winner, just pitching into bad luck and making a mistake or two a game which we are not used to seeing. However, there is no doubt he could be unbeatable this month like in the past.


Liriano Francisco - 10-5 (5-2 H)


Despite a below .500 record, the Pirates lefty has held opposing hitters to .189 and his WHIP is 1.01. All Liriano needs is a few more runs from his Pittsburgh teammates and his three-pitch arsenal will start adding up to more victories.


Lohse, Kyle - 12-5 (8-1 H)


The Milwaukee right-hander season has mirrored that of his Brewers teammates with a 4-9 record and 6.28 ERA. Besides allowing well over a hit an inning, Lohse has given up almost as many home runs as walks permitted (19 vs.20) this campaign. No sure Lohse will duplicate past success.


*Porcello, Rick - 9-4 (6-1 H)


Almost every off-season signing has backfired for Boston including bringing in Porcello. His sorry 4-8 record is well-deserved as his 5.54 ERA indicates. Enemy hitters are getting great cuts and knocking him around for a .286 batting average. Like Lohse, Porcello has one of the worst ERA's among hurlers with 10 or more starts. Can he turn it around?


Price, David - 12-4 (7-1 A)


Though he does not win every time, it has to make any manager very comfortable to be handing the ball to Price every five games. Expertly commands two and four-seam fastballs and can strikeout anybody with his a couple of hard-breaking curves or changeups. Has almost a 5-to-1 K/W ratio and fun to watch as a maestro.


Samardzija, Jeff - 10-5 (5-2 H)


After a strong season a year ago, has returned to prior form of most of his career on the other side of Chicago. He's not fooling anybody with a .286 BA allowed and he's on pace to surrender 27 homers. Needs big July to help the White Sox.


Scherzer, Max - 11-4 (6-2 H)


The best pitcher in baseball in 2015 thus far with a minuscule 1.79 ERA and WHIP you need reading glasses to find at 0.79. In 110 1/3 innings he fanned 130 and walked 14 (not a misprint), with one hit batter that prevented perfect game. Walks around the mound like he's king of the jungle... and he is.


*Tillman, Chris - 10-5 (5-1 H)


It has not been an easy campaign for the Baltimore hurler with a losing record, with an ERA over 5.50 the first three months of the season and a wayward WHIP of 1.51. The top four hitters on the opposing teams lineup card have .375 OBP against Tillman. He will have to regain confidence to match past numbers this month.


Volquez, Edinson - 10-5 (6-2 A)


Having a good year with the defending AL champion Royals at 8-4 with a 3.18 ERA and doing splendid work controlling lefty batters who are at just .210 against Volquez. Should continue with another stellar July.


BAD MONTH PITCHERS:


Hammel, Jason - 2-11 (0-4 H)


Not many pitchers actively want to pitch in Wrigley Field and for the Chicago Cubs, but Hammel is a rare exception. The Greenville, SC native might have stunk it up for other teams with a below .500 record and 4.46 ERA, but Hammel is 5-3 with 2.92 ERA on the north side of Chi-Town this season. Will his turnaround continue?


Haren, Dan - 3-8 (0-6 A)


Having a much stronger year than anticipated with a 3.38 ERA and WHIP of 1.01. Haren was about ready to retire but decided to give one more shot, but has not won in four starts with poor run support and not being as effective as he was the first two months. On a lousy team without Giancarlo Stanton, Haren might be in line for another miserable month.


Keuchel, Dallas - 4-10 (1-4 H)


Be all appearances, the Astros ace might be doing a 180-degree turn based on previous July's. Now extremely confident in his abilities, the Houston lefty has a .194 BA conceded and a WHIP under one (0.96). Why opposing managers even have a left-handed bat in the lineup is a mystery since they are hitting a feeble .136 against Keuchel.


*Norris, Bud - 2-11 (1-6 A)


Though Baltimore has blossomed to take over first place in the AL East, Norris has not been a part of their turnaround. The right-hander's ERA is 'down' to around 7.00 and his WHIP of 1.61 explains how hittable he's been, plus walking other batters. Looks like ‘Play Against’ material until further notice.


Strasburg, Stephen - 5-12 (2-8 H)


Strasburg was a wreck, but maybe the time on the DL has straightened out his arm, body and head. In his last two starts of June, Strasburg had 15 strikeouts and just eight hits allowed in 12 innings. Do not imagine baseball bettors are willing to compare him to teammate Scherzer yet, and will take a wait and see attitude on the 26-year old.

 

[CNOTES]

Win Total Update - June


June 30, 2015


The All-Star break is near in Major League Baseball as several teams closed out June on fire. The Blue Jays, Orioles, Pirates, and Cardinals all put together tremendous records in June, while the Twins took a step backwards following a great month of May. Not many teams went in the tank this month, as half the league finished within two games of .500 in June, including the Dodgers, Giants, Rangers, Astros, Tigers, and Angels, all clubs that are in the thick of the playoff race.


Toronto began the month of June at 23-29, but the Blue Jays put together an 11-game winning streak to remain above the .500 mark heading into July. The Jays lost consecutive games only twice, while winning road series against a pair of first-place squads, at Tampa Bay and Washington. Toronto’s offense lifted the team to an 11-4 record at Rogers Center, as the Jays plated at least six runs in nine home contests.


The NL Central division continues to be owned by the Cardinals, who put up another solid month at 18-7 to become the first team to reach the 50-win plateau. The Pirates aren’t letting St. Louis run away with the division, as Pittsburgh went 16-9 in June to own the fourth-best record in baseball heading into July. The Bucs started the month winning 13 of their first 16 games before stumbling to a 3-6 mark to close June, but the highlight of June came when the pitching staff tossed five shutouts in a six-game span.


The Twins dominated in May to lead the AL Central race heading into June, but Minnesota took a nosedive to fall out of first place in the division. Minnesota struggled by putting together a 10-17 record in June, which includes losses in seven of their past nine games away from Target Field. Even playing at home wasn’t beneficial for the Twins, who lost series to the Brewers, Royals, and Cubs in June, with the lone highlight coming in a sweep of a two-game home set with the Cardinals.


Below are each team’s records for April, May, and June along with their current pace to cash their season ‘over’ or ‘under’ win totals.


NATIONAL LEAGUE WIN TOTALS


Team Win Total - 2015 April Record May Record June Record Projection


Arizona 72 ½ 10-11 13-15 14-14


Atlanta 73 ½ 10-12 15-13 11-16

Chicago Cubs 81 ½ 12-8 14-14 14-13


Cincinnati 79 11-11 11-16 13-14


Colorado 70 ½ 11-10 11-16 12-17


L.A. Dodgers 91 13-8 16-12 15-15


Miami 81 ½ 10-12 10-19 12-15


Milwaukee 80 5-17 12-17 14-14

N.Y. Mets 81 15-8 13-15 12-15

Philadelphia 67 8-15 11-18 8-19


Pittsburgh 85 ½ 12-10 14-13 17-9


San Diego 84 11-12 13-15 12-15

San Francisco 85 9-13 21-9 12-14


St. Louis 87 ½ 15-6 18-11 18-8


Washington 93 10-13 18-9 15-12






AMERICAN LEAGUE WIN TOTALS


Team Win Total - 2015 April Record May Record June Record
Projection


Baltimore 84 ½ 10-10 13-16 18-10


Boston 86 12-10 10-19 14-14


Chicago White Sox 82 8-11 15-15 10-16


Cleveland 81 7-14 17-12 11-15

Detroit 81 15-8 13-15 11-13

Houston 73 ½ 15-7 16-13 15-14

Kansas City 83 15-7 14-12 15-11


L.A. Angels 87 ½ 11-11 15-13 14-13


Minnesota 68 ½ 10-12 20-7 11-17

N.Y. Yankees 80 13-9 13-16 15-12

Oakland 82 ½ 9-14 11-19 15-12

Seattle 85 10-12 14-14 11-16


Tampa Bay 77 ½ 12-10 14-15 16-12


Texas 76 ½ 7-14 19-11 14-13


Toronto 83 ½ 11-12 12-17 18-9

 

[CNOTES]

Midseason Report


June 30, 2015




First Half Roundup


162 games is a long season. Every year teams sprint out of the gate in April and May with October dreams, only to come back to the pack by July. It's not a sprint, of course, but a marathon, where a strong balance of pitching, defense and offense carries the best teams into the postseason. Injuries, too, are key, as well as trades made before the July deadline. Teams have figured out their strengths and weaknesses now and are beginning to look for pieces to add before the deadline, while others are figuring out whom to dump. Here's a look at some recent baseball surging and slumping teams.


Royals: Didn’t everyone bail on last year’s AL champs? “Lost too many players, plus they were a fluke…” Well the 2015 Royals are pretty good, too, giving Detroit and surprising Minnesota a run for their money in the AL Central. The offense has not taken a step back, still running around the base paths ranked in the Top 10 in on base percentage.


The Royals are 19-7 as a dog and 35-18 away against righties. The one concern is quality starting pitching, with Edinson Volquez walking too many and Danny Duffy and Jeremy Guthrie regressing. The Royals still rely on a lights out pen, but will they wear down as the summer gets hotter and the workload longer?


Mets: The NY Mets have gotten Matt Harvey back and he’s anchored a strong staff behind Jonathon Niese, Jacob deGrom and the amazing Bartolo Colon, who adds hundreds of pounds and years but never seems to break down. The Mets are 38-13 as home chalk.


However, this offense is not great, bottom 10 in runs scored and on base percentage. They can struggle against good pitchers and note that the Mets are 13-30 against a pitcher with a WHIP less than 1.15. They probably will be in the market for a productive bat in July.


Astros: Wow! A bold pick to win the 2018 World Series a few years ago by some, Houston is way ahead of schedule. Diminutive 25-year old 2B Jose Altuve is having a monster season with the bat and stealing bases with his legs. The balanced lineup is hitting almost twice as many homers as opponents. Astros centerfielder Jake Marisnick turned an unassisted double play in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels.


The Houston pitching staff has a pair of young aces in Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh helping the team rip off an impressive 7 game road win streak. Sports bettors take note: the Astros are 16-5 when Keuchel is an underdog and 20-6 under the total following a defeat.


Mariners:Seattle was the talk of the offseason, a young team ready to roll out West. Any team with an ace like Felix Hernandez won’t have long losing skids. However, the Mariners have fallen short, without much in the rotation beyond King Felix and J.A. Happ. And with Fernando Rodney as a closer, their manager needs a trunk full of blindfolds and antacid.


The offense, too, has been a huge problem, bottom 10 in runs and OBP. Kyle Seager and Nelson Cruz are doing their part but getting little help. Seattle is 37-15-2 under the total at home in spacious Safeco Field.


Pirates: What is going on with Pittsburgh? This young team was supposed to take off in 2015. They have an impressive rotation of A.J. Burnett, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano, anchoring a pitching staff averaging close of 9 strikeouts per 9 innings. And the Pirates are 38-18 at home against a righty starter, so why aren’t they running away with the division?


Ah yes, offense, the other half of the game. The Pirates haven’t hit, bottom 14 in runs scored, slugging and on-base percentage. Might be a good time to go shopping for a bat -- and a team to look at under the total in the second half?


Red Sox: Boston spent a lot in the offseason bug management hasn’t gotten its money’s worth. Like last year they are good at drawing walks and little else. They started April 7-3 with the owner pointing out that “Clay Buchholz is an ace.” It’s been all downhill since, with a lack of clutch hitting they experienced in 2014, an injury to Hanley Ramirez and a dreadful pitching staff. The poor performance of Buchholz and the other starters have already cost the pitching coach his job. More pink slips will follow if they don’t turn it around and a July fire sale wouldn’t surprise.