MLB Betting Info - Saturday 5/7

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Red Sox (17-12) at Yankees (10-17)

Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: May 07, 2016 1:05 PM EDT

The last time David Price and Nathan Eovaldi took the mound opposite each other, the game ended up being about neither of them. Both were hit hard before the Boston Red Sox escaped with a series sweep over the New York Yankees earlier this week.

The last-place Yankees played soundly in the latest matchup, and Eovaldi will try to help them to a series win over Price and the visiting Red Sox on Saturday.

New York (10-17) won for just the second time in eight games with Friday's 3-2 victory in the opener, also just its second win in the last eight games of this series. Still, the Yankees are off to their worst start since 1991.

Aaron Hicks hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning and David Ortiz was ejected after striking out with the bases loaded in the ninth before Yankees closer Andrew Miller fanned Hanley Ramirez.

'We've been struggling,' manager Joe Girardi said. 'I thought it was important that we win this game (Friday night).'

Boston manager John Farrell and Ortiz were tossed by home plate umpire Ron Kulpa for arguing balls and strikes in the ninth, closing a frustrating game for the Red Sox (17-12).

Ortiz had harsh words for Kulpa after he called a 3-1 slider a strike that would have tied the game if tabbed a ball.

'The bad thing about it is that the whole world watches these games,' Ortiz said. 'The umpire was having a hard time in the game. It's a situation when the game is on the line, and (he's) got to focus better.'

Price will try to settle his shaky start with a rare positive performance against New York.

Price (4-0, 6.14 ERA) was hit hard by the Yankees earlier this week, adding to his inconsistent start in a Red Sox uniform. He surrendered eight hits and six runs in seven innings but still earned the win in Boston's 8-7 Sunday victory.

The left-hander has given up at least five runs in half of his six starts, and he holds a 4.17 ERA in 32 career appearances against the Yankees. That number balloons to 6.45 in the last seven meetings.

Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann have combined for six home runs in their careers against Price, while Jacoby Ellsbury has hit .366 with seven doubles, two triples and a homer in the matchup. Ellsbury's 71 at-bats against Price are the most of any MLB player, but he will likely be out for a few days after straining his hip on Friday.

Price has a 2.57 ERA in his two road starts, walking four and striking out 24 in 14 innings.

Eovaldi (1-2, 5.46) hopes to rebound from Sunday's disappointing effort against the Red Sox. The right-hander took a massive step back, getting knocked around for 10 hits and six runs in five innings.

Travis Shaw launched a fifth-inning two-run homer off Eovaldi, and the Red Sox finished off their sweep with their second straight eight-run, 14-hit game in this series.

Eovaldi has a 5.73 career ERA and 1.68 WHIP in four career starts against Boston, which has a .337 batting average in the matchup. Hanley Ramirez (6 for 16) and Dustin Pedroia (5 for 9) have homered off him.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Dodgers (14-15) at Blue Jays (16-15)

Game: 2
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: May 07, 2016 1:07 PM EDT

The last time Clayton Kershaw took the mound he ended the Los Angeles Dodgers' slide with one of the most dominant efforts his manager had ever seen.

Now the left-handed ace will be tasked with snapping another losing streak Saturday when he faces the suddenly surging Toronto Blue Jays for the first time.

Even though Los Angeles (14-15) had totaled 11 runs while hitting .175 during a six-game losing streak, those offensive struggles made no difference to the three-time NL Cy Young award winner heading into Sunday's outing versus San Diego.

Kershaw took over the game with an RBI single and a season-high 14 strikeouts while completing a three-hitter in a 1-0 victory. All three hits allowed were singles and only two of the 27 outs he recorded reached the outfield in his 13th career shutout.

"That's as dominant as I've seen him," manager Dave Roberts told MLB's official website. "As prepared and as much conviction as he has every fifth day, knowing what we were going through as a team, you talk about great players putting their team on their backs. He won't say that, but that's exactly what happened."

Kershaw (3-1, 1.96 ERA) would like to do it again as Los Angeles looks to avoid its third straight loss and ninth in 11 games. The Dodgers couldn't capitalize on their 10 hits Friday in a 5-2 loss in the opener of this three-game series at Rogers Centre.

Kershaw has never faced the Blue Jays, though he's 2-0 with an 0.95 ERA with 40 strikeouts over his last five interleague road outings. Troy Tulowitzki has seen him the most of any Toronto player, hitting .270 with three homers in 63 at-bats.

The star shortstop, however, has gone 3 for 33 over his last nine games.

Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer Friday before Kevin Pillar provided a go-ahead three-run shot in the bottom of the eighth inning in the team's season-high fourth straight win. Pillar is batting .396 with two homers over his last 13 games.

"Naturally, you try to do too much. I think I got caught up in that the swing before," said Pillar, who hit a 1-2 pitch into the left field bullpen. "Just had to gather myself and do what I've been doing, just try to hit the ball hard."

Drew picked up the save for the Blue Jays because closer Roberto Osuna was sidelined with a sore groin. Osuna is expected to be available Saturday.

Right-hander R.A. Dickey (1-3, 5.73) hopes to add to a stretch on the mound in which Toronto (16-15) had posted a 1.80 ERA while winning five of its last six games.

After allowing 13 runs over 11 innings in his previous two home starts, the knuckleballer surrendered only one over 6 1/3 in Monday's 2-1 loss to Texas.

Dickey hasn't faced the Dodgers since 2012, though Carl Crawford is 3 for 7 with a home run off him and Chase Utley has gone 5 for 16 with two doubles.

Crawford, Utley, Joc Pederson and Justin Turner had two hits apiece Friday. Turner has been a bright spot with five hits in 12 at-bats over his last three games.

Roberts said Crawford would serve as the team's designated hitter Saturday with regular first baseman Adrian Gonzalez sliding into the role Sunday.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Athletics (13-16) at Orioles (16-11)

Game: 1 & 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: May 07, 2016 1:05 PM, 7:05 PM EDT

Riding a four-game losing streak into a nine-game trip is less than ideal, but that's the position the slumping Oakland Athletics find themselves in this weekend.

Handing the ball to the pitcher who's done the most consistent work for them is the best scenario for the A's as they open a day-night doubleheader Saturday against a Baltimore Orioles club that's been struggling to score.

Friday's series opener between Oakland (13-16) and Baltimore (16-11) was postponed by rain, setting up a twin bill because this marks the only trip to Charm City for the A's, who have lost eight of their last 11 at Camden Yards.

Oakland moved above .500 with six consecutive victories April 16-22, but the train has since jumped the track with a 3-9 stretch that has featured a few tough losses over the last week. Three of the defeats on the skid have come by a run, and it even managed to lose while getting the better of Felix Hernandez.

The A's scored eight times in four-plus innings against the Mariners ace Wednesday, though only four were earned, before the bullpen coughed up a four-run lead in a 9-8 loss that capped a three-game sweep on their home field.

Oakland's starters have absorbed three of the losses on the slide behind a 6.29 ERA and .303 opposing batting average, so getting another quality outing from Rich Hill (3-3, 2.53 ERA) in Game 1 would be a big boost to a rotation that took another hit Friday.

Right-hander Chris Bassitt underwent elbow ligament replacement surgery and is out for the rest of the season. He was 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA in five starts.

"From what I understand, the surgery went really well," manager Bob Melvin said. "So I think he can be optimistic that, with the proper timetable it takes to get through these things, he'll be back and pitching faster than he was before. A lot of power pitchers come back and throw just as hard if not harder, at times."

Fellow starters Jarrod Parker and Felix Doubront were also lost for the year to elbow issues, but the A's have been lucky with the rotation depth they have.

Hill is sitting atop that chart with the club's lowest ERA among its remaining starters, and the journeyman has a 1.42 mark in his previous three starts. The left-hander was outstanding Sunday with two hits and two runs allowed in six innings, but he lost 2-1 to Houston.

Now he'll try to hold down Baltimore, which has scored one or no runs in three of its last four games. The Orioles lost 7-0 to the New York Yankees on Wednesday and needed 10 innings to break through for a 1-0 win Thursday.

Hill will be opposed by right-hander Mike Wright (1-2, 5.18), who tossed an inning of scoreless relief Wednesday after making four starts. His most recent start was his best, allowing two runs in six innings but being left with a no-decision in a 6-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on April 29.

Oakland will trot out Jesse Hahn in the nightcap after the right-hander pitched very well in his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville. Hahn, who was sent down because of an erratic spring, tossed 6 2/3 innings of three-hit ball in a 2-0 win over the Astros last Saturday.

Ubaldo Jimenez (1-3, 5.20) will take the hill for the Orioles in Game 2 looking to end a string of three straight losses since winning his first start.

Jimenez had little room for error going up against White Sox ace Chris Sale on Sunday and was done in by a five-run fifth in a 7-1 loss. The right-hander gave up seven hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings.

"Nothing changed," said Jimenez, who is 3-1 in six starts against the A's despite a 5.28 ERA. "I think I had everything working. Just one of those innings that you just shake your head and go like, 'Wow, I can't believe this is happening.'"

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Rangers (16-14) at Tigers (14-14)

Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: May 07, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

A.J. Griffin is enjoying a career renaissance with the Texas Rangers in his long-awaited return to the majors. Mike Pelfrey couldn't be off to a worse start in his first season with the Detroit Tigers.

Griffin looks to continue dominating opponents Saturday at Comerica Park while Pelfrey again tries for his first victory, but the Detroit right-hander has shown no signs of coming close to earning one.

Texas (16-14) took a chance on Griffin by signing him to a minor league contract in December after he was released by Oakland. The right-hander spent his first two seasons with the Athletics and went 21-11 with a 3.60 ERA in 47 starts, but he hadn't pitched in the majors since 2013 following elbow and shoulder injuries.

Griffin is off to a 3-0 start and ranks among the AL leaders in ERA (2.32), opponent batting average (.180), WHIP (1.00), opponent on-base percentage (.254) and opponent slugging percentage (.306).

Those numbers are mostly due to a devastating curveball. Of the 44 pitchers who have thrown a curve at least 75 times, Griffin's velocity of 67.0 miles per hour is the lowest and opponents are batting .087 on the pitch.

"(My curveball) makes my fastball play at a lot faster velocity, and it's a huge weapon for me to have," Griffin told MLB's official website.

He was solid again Monday at Toronto, allowing one run and three hits with a career high-tying nine strikeouts over six innings while not receiving a decision in a 2-1 win.

Griffin went 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in three starts against Detroit, including one in the 2012 AL division series, before his injuries. Miguel Cabrera should be happy to see him again after going 4 for 8 with two homers and a double in their matchups.

Pelfrey could use that type of support since the Tigers (14-14) have scored twice with him on the mound, and those runs came in his last outing. However, he hasn't helped himself by posting a 5.68 ERA while going 0-4 in five starts.

Minnesota knocked him out in the fifth inning Sunday as Pelfrey allowed five runs and eight hits in a 6-5 win. His strikeout-to-walk ratio of 0.80 is the worst in the majors among starters who have pitched at least 25 innings.

"It's not always easy," he said. "I just want to do my part, because these guys in here are so good. ... These guys picked me up. I'd prefer they not have to do that, so that part of it is frustrating, you know? I'm going to be better. I know I'm better than what I'm showing. I'll get it figured out here."

Pelfrey went 0-2 with a 7.02 ERA in his first three starts against Texas before giving up one run and four hits over seven innings of an 11-1 win Aug. 12. He's had trouble with Prince Fielder, who's 11 for 31 with three homers and two doubles when facing him.

The Rangers have won six of the last seven meetings following a 5-1 victory in Friday's series opener that snapped their three-game losing streak. Rougned Odor went 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs, and he's batting .381 while homering three times in the last 10 games.

"We look to Rougie to be a force in the lineup," manager Jeff Banister said. "Early on, it was a little sporadic, but he's found a nice little rhythm."

Detroit was held to two hits, both by Ian Kinsler, as it lost its fourth straight following a five-game run. The Tigers have scored eight times during the skid after averaging 7 runs on the win streak.

"It's frustrating for the team when you know you can hit and it's not going the way you would hope," manager Brad Ausmus said. "In the long run, this team is going to hit. I said it from Day 1, and I still believe it."

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Pirates (16-13) at Cardinals (15-15)

Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: May 07, 2016 2:15 PM EDT

For a pitcher whose numbers through six starts resemble a struggling fifth starter, Adam Wainwright doesn't sound overly concerned.

Some would say he even sounds surprisingly confident.

He might not have reason to be Saturday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, who will try to make it five wins in as many tries in the early going against Wainwright's St. Louis Cardinals.

Wainwright (2-3, 6.68 ERA) eased back from a torn left Achilles late last season and into the playoffs by pitching out of the bullpen, and his return to the rotation hasn't gone well. He's given up at least three runs in each of his six starts, hasn't thrown a pitch past the sixth inning and has struck out just 18 in 33 2/3 innings.

So why, then, is the three-time All-Star feeling good about himself after another seemingly pedestrian outing - three runs allowed over six in Monday's 10-3 win over Philadelphia?

"Everything was good," Wainwright said. "I've got to get my hook going better. I've got to get the curveball to not be so loopy. I expect it to be right and it will be eventually. I was very confident coming into the game. From the first pitch I threw in Arizona (on April 27), I knew I was on the right track."

The curve hasn't been fooling nearly as many hitters as it usually does. Opponents are hitting .204 against his hook, which doesn't sound bad until seeing that no one has hit better than a .177 clip against that pitch since 2008.

"I'm very close," Wainwright said. "I really am."

He's already in a good place at the plate, with a homer, triple and double along with six RBIs in his past two games.

That's more than the Cardinals (15-15) can say so far against Pirates pitching, which has limited them to nine runs, a .179 average and recorded 49 strikeouts in 38 innings.

Francisco Liriano struck out 10 for the second time in as many starts against St. Louis in Friday's 4-2 victory, but Jung Ho Kang was the story with a pair of homers in his first game since tearing his MCL on Sept. 17.

"I don't need to give him a thumbs up or a thumbs down or thumbs sideways like we do with the replay right now," manager Clint Hurdle said of Kang. "We're going to plug him in the lineup and let him go. He was definitely on time the last two at-bats."

The Pirates (16-13) will hope Jeff Locke (1-2, 4.73) can keep their early dominance of St. Louis going after bouncing back from two brutal starts with a pair of good ones. The left-hander has struck out 14 in 13 innings over his last two outings after holding Cincinnati to three runs and four hits in seven innings in Sunday's 6-5, 10-inning loss.

"He pitched a great game," catcher Chris Stewart told MLB's official website. "It's unfortunate we couldn't get the win for him."

Locke pitched seven scoreless in his first start at Busch Stadium in 2013 but is 0-3 with a 6.92 ERA in his last three.

Saturday would be Wainwright's first up-close look at Kang as the two never crossed paths due to their injuries last season. Wainwright allowed three runs in six innings to the Pirates in a 4-1 loss on opening day after going 5-2 with a 2.08 ERA in his previous nine starts in the series, including the playoffs.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Nationals (19-10) at Cubs (22-6)

Game: 3
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: May 07, 2016 4:05 PM EDT

The Washington Nationals added Daniel Murphy after missing out on Ben Zobrist, a move that's paid off thus far.

Zobrist's decision to join the Chicago Cubs is working out just fine as well.

Zobrist looks to continue his recent power surge when the soaring Cubs aim for a season-high sixth straight win in Saturday's matchup with the Nationals.

The offseason signing of Zobrist didn't garner quite the attention - or the financial commitment - as that of new teammate Jason Heyward, but it's proving to be a very astute pickup. The five home runs and 24 RBIs of one of Joe Maddon's favorites rank only behind Anthony Rizzo in a loaded Cubs lineup and are a big reason why Chicago is the first team to win 22 of its first 28 games since the 2003 New York Yankees.

Zobrist drove in four more runs while homering twice off Max Scherzer in Friday's 8-6 win, giving him four home runs and 11 RBIs over his last three games. He's amassed 14 RBIs while going 7 for 18 over a five-game hitting streak.

"Probably a week ago both of those balls I hit would have been caught," he said. "Just feeling good right now and I think we're playing great baseball."

Rizzo and Tommy La Stella also homered off Scherzer as the Cubs rocked Washington's ace for seven runs in five innings in their second straight win to begin this four-game series of division leaders.

"I felt like I was predictable, and they were just able to kind of key on that," Scherzer said. "It's almost like they had a better understanding of me than me."

Murphy, the MVP of the New York Mets' NLCS win over the Cubs in October, finished 4 for 4 with two runs scored to raise his MLB-leading average to .406. He's 15 for 29 with seven RBIs and eight runs scored over a seven-game tear.

While Murphy continues to rake with his new team, Bryce Harper's recent slump lingered with Friday's 0-for-3 effort. The reigning NL MVP is hitting .147 with two RBIs over his last 10 games.

Washington (19-10) has lost three of four on a 10-game trip against 2015 playoff teams it started with four consecutive wins.

After both teams combined for six home runs on Friday, Saturday's contest pits two of the NL's current top four in ERA in the Nationals' Gio Gonzalez and Chicago's Jason Hammel, a longtime Washington nemesis.

Hammel (4-0, 1.24 ERA) has won eight consecutive starts against the Nationals and is 9-0 with a 3.01 ERA in 11 career meetings with Washington. The righty extended his impressive streak with eight strong innings in a 4-2 win at Nationals Park in June.

He enters this matchup on a roll as well, winning a fourth straight start by holding Pittsburgh to two runs over five-plus innings in Monday's 7-2 victory.

Harper is 2 for 14 with five strikeouts against Hammel but Murphy is 6 for 11 off him.

Gonzalez (2-1, 1.15) trails only Chicago's Jake Arrieta for the NL ERA lead and has yielded one earned run or fewer in four of his five starts. He limited Kansas City to four hits through six sharp innings in Monday's 2-0 win.

The left-hander owns a 5.74 ERA in three Wrigley Field starts but was outstanding in the most recent one, allowing two hits and striking out seven in seven innings of a 3-0 win on June 28, 2014.

Rizzo is hitting .346 with seven homers and 17 RBIs over his last 14 games but is 1 for 14 lifetime against Gonzalez.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Royals (14-14) at Indians (14-12)

Game: 2
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: May 07, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

Coming into this season, the Cleveland Indians felt they had as good a chance as any to dethrone the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central.

Right now, they're playing like it.

Cleveland gives Cody Anderson another chance in the rotation Saturday as he tries to help hand the visiting Royals their ninth loss in 11 games.

After finishing above. 500 in each of manager Terry Francona's first three seasons with the club and appearing in the 2013 AL wild-card game, the Indians (14-12) figured to contend in what was thought to be a wide-open division this season.

Everyone is chasing the Chicago White Sox at the moment, but Cleveland has won four in a row after Jose Ramirez doubled twice and drove in a career-high five runs in Friday's 7-1 win over Kansas City (14-14).

Anderson (0-1, 7.65) will try to help the Indians continue rolling, but he's allowed five runs in each of his last three starts. The most recent came April 26 when he gave up 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings and got a no-decision in a 6-5 loss to Minnesota.

The right-hander was sent to Triple-A Columbus following his rough start, but Francona said he's "thrilled" for Anderson to rejoin the big club.

"You never want to get sent down," Anderson told MLB's official website. "But still, to have them have confidence in me to go down and figure it out in one start, that's pretty special. I'm going to keep doing everything I can to fix what needs to be fixed."

Anderson gave up seven runs in 5 2/3 innings in his only start against the Royals on July 27, and they're hoping he's just as inefficient in this outing. Kansas City has been outscored 55-21 during a 2-8 stretch with its starters posting a 6.98 ERA.

"Energy dropped down a little bit (Friday), but I fully expect them to come back tomorrow full of energy and ready to go," manager Ned Yost said.

Ian Kennedy will try to help the reigning World Series champions get back on track. Kennedy (3-2, 2.61) allowed one run and four hits in five innings of Sunday's 4-1 win over Seattle, but he also threw 104 pitches. He walked four and gave up five runs in six innings in his previous start against the Los Angeles Angels on April 25.

"At least I had a good fastball going," he said. "Good location, good life on it. It was one of those days where I was trying to get by with the one good pitch I had."

The right-hander hasn't faced the Indians since 2011, but Marlon Byrd is hitting .400 with two homers off Kennedy in their matchups.

Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas hasn't started in three of the last four because of a thumb injury, and his status for this contest is unclear.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Brewers (11-18) at Reds (13-17)

Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: May 07, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

Even though they're showing signs of life offensively, the Cincinnati Reds have been waiting for first baseman Joey Votto to find his All-Star form.

As Votto looks to continue his success versus the Milwaukee Brewers, the hosts hope to keep swinging the bats well against Jimmy Nelson on Saturday night when they chase a season-high fourth straight win.

Since totaling 10 runs and hitting .156 with runners in scoring position over a six-game losing streak, Cincinnati (13-17) has turned things around at the plate by averaging 5.7 runs and batting .368 in those situations in the last six.

Brandon Phillips has heated up, going 5 for 11 with three home runs and seven RBIs over the last three games. Adam Duvall is 5 for 13 with three homers in his past four.

'I'm just trying to remind people that I can still play the game,' Phillips said.

Perhaps the best sign came Friday when Votto homered and walked twice in four plate appearances in a 5-1 win. Votto, who recently said he'd rather quit than struggle, entered the game with a .337 slugging percentage - far below his .529 career mark.

Votto, who is batting .462 with three homers in his last nine games versus Milwaukee, will try to lead the Reds to their longest winning streak since June.

Cincinnati's bullpen ended its dubious MLB record of allowing at least one run in 23 straight games Friday. Brewers starters have struggled with a MLB-worst 6.34 ERA, but Nelson has limited foes to two earned runs or fewer in five of his six outings.

The right-hander won for the third time in his last four starts Monday when he allowed two runs and four hits over seven innings in an 8-5 home win over the Los Angeles Angels. He also had two hits and knocked in the winning run.

"It seems like he's into that role where he's kind of the guy who becomes the stopper, who becomes our ace," outfielder Ryan Braun told MLB's official website.

Nelson (4-2, 3.05 ERA) went 1-2 with a 10.38 ERA in three starts at hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park last season. Jay Bruce gave him a tough time, going 5 for 10 with two home runs while Phillips was 3 for 11 with a home run.

Brandon Finnegan (1-1, 3.97) will try to send Milwaukee to its fourth straight loss. He surrendered three runs over six innings Monday before the bullpen coughed up his three-run lead in a 9-6 home loss to San Francisco.

Manager Bryan Price said he had to pull Finnegan because of a sore left hamstring.

"I'll be fine. Nothing serious at all," Finnegan said. "They checked it out and nothing bad. I've just got to take care of it and get treatment every day and I'll be fine."

In his only career start versus Milwaukee (11-18), the hard-throwing left-hander gave up one run and three hits over five innings in a 5-3 road victory Sept. 18.

Chris Carter homered in his only at-bat against him while with Houston. Carter has been rejuvenated with Milwaukee, batting a career-high .283 to go with 10 homers.

The Brewers could get leadoff hitter Domingo Santana back after he was out of the lineup Friday for the fourth time in five games because of shoulder discomfort.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Phillies (16-14) at Marlins (16-12)

Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: May 07, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

Jeremy Hellickson has been roughed up by the long ball. Tom Koehler hasn't lasted long enough in most of his starts to give hitters enough chances to hit them.

The right-handers square off Saturday night in Miami as the Marlins attempt to take the first two of a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Marlins (16-12) opened the series with Friday's 6-4 win, which has them in position to go five games over .500 for the first time since being 20-15 in 2014. They've won 11 of 12 while averaging 5 runs and batting .298.

Giancarlo Stanton homered for the second time in three games and is 5 for 9 in that span, Martin Prado is batting .429 in his last 11, and Christian Yelich has three homers and seven RBIs in the last four.

"You've got to find a way to keep going," manager Don Mattingly said. "Nobody's going to feel sorry for you. It's just been nice that the guys keep playing. You have to find a way to get a win every day. And they expect to get a win every day."

Philadelphia (16-14) has lost three straight and four of five since consecutive three-game sweeps of Washington and Cleveland. The formula has been simple in that 11-game span: If the Phillies give up four runs or more, they lose. If they don't, they win, so Hellickson (2-2, 4.88 ERA) might not give them much hope.

He's posted a 6.04 ERA and allowed seven home runs in 25 1/3 innings over his last five starts.

Possibly the worst one he's had with his new team came in Monday's 10-3 loss in St. Louis, with Hellickson surrendering six runs and seven hits - three homers - with four walks in 5 1/3 innings.

"Just couldn't find the zone," Hellickson told MLB's official website. "I didn't throw too many first-pitch strikes and I couldn't get myself back into counts with off-speed. Just a lot of balls up. A lot of balls early in the count."

Hellickson is 0-1 with a 3.97 ERA in four starts against the Marlins and has given up a home run in each of the last three. Stanton has a homer in four at-bats in the matchup, but no Marlins player is batting over. 286 against him.

Hellickson has also walked seven batters in 12 1/3 innings over his last two starts, but his 2.87 walks per nine innings are nothing compared to Koehler.

Koehler (2-3, 7.25) has a 5.24 rate, which has made it difficult to pitch into the sixth inning. He's only done it once and that was in his first start. He has a 9.00 ERA in his last four outings and was at his worst in Sunday's 14-5 loss in Milwaukee.

Koehler gave up eight runs, eight hits â?? two homers â?? and two walks in 2 1/3 innings for the shortest start of his career. He's averaging under five innings per start, and this is coming from the Marlins innings leader over the past three seasons.

"It was one of those games that just didn't seem like we were getting any outs," Mattingly said. "Tom is one of those guys who usually hangs in there and keeps pitching and battling, and today, it was just one of those days we weren't able to get any outs right there. Just didn't get us very far."

Koehler is 2-3 with a 4.53 ERA in nine starts and two relief appearances against the Phillies, and much of the bad came last season with him going 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA in four starts.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Diamondbacks (13-18) at Braves (7-21)

Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 07, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

The Arizona Diamondbacks haven't lived up to their billing as a National League contender, and Shelby Miller hasn't yet turned into their solid No. 2 starter.

The visiting Diamondbacks finally snapped a lengthy losing streak in their opener against the lowly Atlanta Braves, and Miller hopes to follow with his first win on Saturday night against his former team.

Arizona (13-18) ended a season-high six-game skid with Friday's 7-2 victory - its fourth in the last six games of this series.

After scoring 21 runs during a 2-8 stretch, the Diamondbacks pounded out 10 hits for their highest scoring game since April 25. David Peralta had three hits and Welington Castillo added a two-run single.

Arizona hadn't scored more than four runs in its previous nine games.

"The at-bats were good," manager Chip Hale said. "Obviously, we left some runs out there, but we're getting better."

Miller (0-3, 8.49 ERA) pitched for Atlanta in 2015, but his 3.02 ERA was good enough for just a 6-17 record. The right-hander was traded to Arizona in December and has yet to scratch the win column, but this time it's been more his own fault.

He holds MLB's second-worst ERA for pitchers who have logged more than 21 innings. His 8.49 mark sits behind only Jake Peavy's 9.00 in that category, and he's failed to last four innings in three of his last four starts.

However, Miller's 1.82 ERA in four starts against Atlanta is his best among teams he has faced more than twice in his career.

Freddie Freeman is 4 for 10 with a home run against Miller and Kelly Johnson 4 for 9 with a double, while A.J. Pierzynski's one hit in three career matchups was a homer.

Miller's former teammate Julio Teheran will take the mound for the baseball-worst Braves (7-21) hoping to lead them to their fourth win in eight games.

Teheran (0-3, 3.72) is coming off his two best starts of the season, surrendering just eight hits and one run in 14 innings while walking four and striking out 17.

However, the right-hander was still denied his first win as the Braves combined to score three runs in those contests, falling 1-0 to Boston on April 25 and 4-3 at the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.

Teheran has won his last three career starts against Arizona, allowing three runs in 19 innings. He has a 2.17 career ERA in the matchup and struck out 24 in the previous three meetings.

Atlanta has never held a worse record through 28 games since its inaugural 1900 season, and the club is 1-13 at home after losing its last eight at Turner Field.

"I don't know if there are any words to describe it," Freeman said. "When you start 1-13 in front of your own fans at home, it's definitely not the start you want. We've got to pick it up and start playing better."

The Braves rank last in baseball with a .226 team batting average and 3.04 runs per game. Atlanta has totaled six runs in its last four games.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Mariners (17-12) at Astros (11-19)

Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 07, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

Dallas Keuchel insists he's ready to begin a new home winning streak, but riding one of the worst three-game stretches of his career doesn't instill confidence.

After roughing up the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner at the end of April, the Seattle Mariners will try to get to him again Saturday night when they look to avoid their first back-to-back losses in more than two weeks against the Houston Astros.

Keuchel (2-4, 5.11 ERA) had won 17 in a row at Minute Maid Park before allowing five runs, seven hits and five walks over a season-low 4 1/3 innings in a 6-2 loss to Minnesota on Monday. He had a 1.47 ERA over his previous 22 regular-season home starts.

"I'll just start a new (winning streak)," the left-hander told the league's official website. "That's baseball. I mean, you can be the highest of high and the lowest of low and you've got to just try to stay on an even keel, and that's what I've got to do, get back to focusing on every pitch and make sure I'm doing a good job."

The performance, however, wasn't merely an aberration. Keuchel has posted an 8.82 ERA while allowing 26 hits over his first three-game losing streak since August 2012.

He's given up two runs over 15 innings in winning his last two home starts versus Seattle (17-12), but allowed five over six in a 11-1 road loss April 26. Ketel Marte went 2 for 3 with a double off him in that contest and Chris Iannetta added a double.

Nelson Cruz is 8 for 17 with two home runs and a double lifetime when facing Keuchel, while Iannetta has gone 6 for 18 with a homer. Kyle Seager (6 for 28), Leonys Martin (4 for 20) and Robinson Cano (4 for 22), though, haven't fared as well.

Manager A.J. Hinch says the club will have to provide Keuchel with some help as it goes after its fourth victory in five games following Friday's 6-3 win.

"All the pressure isn't on Dallas to be some stopper," he said.

Houston (11-19) is showing life offensively, averaging 7.8 runs and hitting .382 with runners in scoring position over its last four games. Jose Altuve had been 7 for 9 in his previous two games before going hitless Friday when Houston evened this series.

George Springer is 5 for 16 with two home runs in his last five games, while Carlos Correa has gone 6 for 11 with two homers and five RBIs over his past three.

They'll try to keep it going against right-hander Nathan Karns (3-1, 3.81), who is looking to win a fourth consecutive decision. He allowed two hits and struck out six over seven scoreless innings when he opposed Keuchel in late April.

On Monday, Karns held Oakland to three runs over six innings in a 4-3 road win. He hopes to help Seattle avoid its first consecutive defeats since April 17 and 19.

Karns is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA with 14 strikeouts in two starts versus Houston.

Seager and Marte had four of the Seattle's five hits Friday. Seager is 12 for 29 in his past seven games and Marte is 10 for 28 while hitting safely in his last seven.

"We made it interesting. I credit our guys for not packing it in," manager Scott Servais said Friday after his team tried to rally from a five-run deficit.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Twins (8-21) at White Sox (20-10)

Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: May 07, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

Chris Sale has been able to do enough to lead the Chicago White Sox to victory even when he's not at his best.

That hasn't been the case when he's faced the Minnesota Twins recently.

He'll take the hill Saturday night looking to help Chicago beat visiting Minnesota for the fifth straight time this season.

Sale (6-0, 1.66 ERA) is coming off the shortest of his six outings after allowing one run but walking four in 5 1/3 innings of Sunday's 7-1 win at Baltimore. He threw 112 pitches after going at least seven innings in each start.

'They worked him over a little bit,' manager Robin Ventura said of Sale, who's the first White Sox pitcher to win his first six starts since Jon Garland began 8-0 in 2005. 'He wasn't as sharp as he's been, but even then he didn't give up anything.'

For all of the left-hander's success, the Twins have ate him up. Sale is 0-4 with an 8.67 ERA and a .457 average against on balls in play in his last five outings against them.

Brian Dozier has gone deep three times against Sale, but he didn't start Friday because of a sore hamstring and his status is unclear.

"We talked a lot about it," said Dozier, who's batting .220 but went 6 for 11 with a homer and four RBIs in his previous three games. "Sometimes you just don't want to push those things."

The White Sox (20-10) won the series opener 10-4 after dropping the final two of a three-game set with Boston and tied their season high for runs. Melky Cabrera went 4 for 5 with three RBIs and Jose Abreu homered as the AL's top team handed the AL-worst Twins (8-21) their seventh defeat in eight games.

It got a little heated at one point, with Ventura being ejected following a benches-clearing incident after Abreu was hit with a pitch.

'We're not going to back down or be afraid in that situation,' Ventura said. 'You back the guy up. For me, there was intent there.'

Ervin Santana (0-1, 3.15) looks to cool off the White Sox. Santana gave up five runs - two earned - in five innings against Milwaukee in his last start April 19 before landing on the disabled list because of a lower back strain.

Prior to his last outing, the right-hander allowed three runs in seven innings of a loss to the White Sox on April 14. He has a 2.70 ERA in his last three starts against them, and Brett Lawrie and Todd Frazier are a combined 3 for 24 when facing Santana.

Avisail Garcia is 4 for 8 with a homer and a double against Santana, and he's batting .458 with two home runs during a seven-game hitting streak.

Santana is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last five road starts, which could bode well for a Twins team that is 2-13 away from home.

'Obviously, the losing piles up,' manager Paul Molitor said. 'That's how it's going right now.'

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Mets (17-11) at Padres (13-17)

Game: 3
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: May 07, 2016 8:40 PM EDT

Bartolo Colon is the oldest player in the majors and turns 43 later this month, but at times he's looked like the Cy Young Award winner of yesteryear.

Keeping the San Diego Padres off the scoreboard entirely might be necessary given the New York Mets' difficulty pushing runs across the plate in the series.

The Mets send Colon to the hill Saturday night looking to avoid a fifth loss in seven games as James Shields tries to keep their bats quiet once again.

Colon (2-1, 2.56 ERA) is in his third season with the Mets (17-11) and hasn't shown any signs of slowing down despite having made his debut in 1997. His last All-Star appearance was in 2005, the same year he won the Cy Young with the Los Angeles Angels.

He's coming off his best outing of the season after striking out seven in eight scoreless innings of a 4-1 win over Atlanta on Monday. Colon has fanned 28 and walked only three over 31 2/3 innings over five starts and one relief effort.

"Bartolo with a lead, you know he's going to pound the strike zone," third baseman David Wright said. "You know he's going to keep the opposing hitters off balance. It allows him to keep his pitch count down and pitch deep into the ballgame like he did tonight. It's nice to get on top early. It's nice to be able to allow Bartolo to set it on cruise control."

The right-hander didn't even give the Mets' offense a chance to back him the last time he faced the Padres, though. He gave up two runs before New York had an at-bat, finished with six runs and 10 hits allowed over 2 1/3 innings and lost 7-3 on July 29.

That began San Diego's four-game winning streak over the Mets, and its pitching has kept New York at bay in the first two of this series. The Padres have held the Mets to three runs and seven hits after winning 2-0 on Friday.

New York has been shut out twice in its last four.

Shields (1-4, 3.23) hopes the trend continues. He started slow, but he's given up two runs in 13 innings over his last two starts after beating Colorado 2-1 on Monday.

He's received seven runs of support in 39 innings over six outings but needed only Matt Kemp's two-run double in the first.

'I feel I didn't give up (nine hits) because of the kind of hits they were," Shields said. "It feels good. I felt like for the most part I was pitching well."

The right-hander split two starts against the Mets last season, going seven innings in each and allowing five runs. Curtis Granderson is tied for the fifth-most at-bats against Shields, but he's just 8 for 64 (.125) with 14 strikeouts.

Padres starters have a 1.64 ERA over their last eight, helping them go 6-2 in that stretch despite the offense hitting .231 and striking out 77 times in that span.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Preview: Rays (13-14) at Angels (13-16)

Game: 2
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: May 07, 2016 9:05 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Angels seemed to be back on track with a late-April sweep of the defending World Series champions. A miserable road trip and a rough start to a homestand have suggested otherwise.

The injury-plagued Angels hope Jered Weaver can solve his pitching issues and reverse their fortunes when the visiting Tampa Bay Rays go for a series win Saturday night.

The Rays (13-14) won for just the third time in seven games with Friday's series-opening 5-2 victory - their fourth in the last six games of this series.

Brad Miller went 4 for 5 with a solo homer, Corey Dickerson hit a three-run shot and Chris Archer shut out the Angels over six innings.

Meanwhile, the Angels (13-16) lost for the fifth time in seven games since sweeping Kansas City from April 25-27. After closing a 2-4 trip with a dozen hits in Wednesday's 7-3 win in Milwaukee, they opened a six-game homestand with six singles and two doubles.

Worse news earlier in the day was the likely loss of ace Garrett Richards for the season. Richards is expected to need surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow, joining injured pitchers Andrew Heaney, C.J. Wilson and Tyler Skaggs.

"We have some time to process this and be relatively pragmatic," general manager Billy Eppler said, noting the difficulty of making major trades in May. "That causes you to test the depth you signed in the minor leagues, and to look at internal candidates."

Weaver (3-1, 5.40 ERA) is off to a miserable start, and his worst outing came in Monday's 8-5 loss at Milwaukee. The right-hander held the Brewers scoreless through four innings and then failed to retire eight of the next 11 batters he faced. He ended up allowing 11 hits and seven runs in five innings.

"Frustrating," Weaver told MLB's official website. "I hit a little speed bump, just couldn't slow down."

Just six days earlier, the 11-year veteran gave up seven extra base hits in a 9-4 win over the Royals. He allowed four runs in that contest, and his ERA has jumped from 3.12 to 5.40 over his last two starts.

Weaver has a 3.81 ERA in a dozen career starts against the Rays, tossing at least seven innings in half of them. Evan Longoria is 6 for 21 with three doubles and a home run against Weaver, while Logan Forsythe is 3 for 10 with a double in the matchup.

Jake Odorizzi (0-1, 3.12) has rebounded from his worst outing of the season by allowing just nine hits and two runs over 12 innings in his last two starts. The right-hander held Toronto to two hits and a solo homer in seven innings of Sunday's 5-1 loss.

Odorizzi tossed nine innings in his previous two starts combined, throwing 97 pitches in each - nine fewer than he finished with Sunday.

"When you have a game plan of quicker outs, it's easy to say, but to actually go and do it is actually a different story," Odorizzi told MLB's official website. "So you have to be around the zone and make quality pitches in the zone. I thought I did that for the most part (Sunday)."

Odorizzi has faced the Angels just twice in his career, and he lasted just three innings against them in August 2014. He was tagged for eight hits and five runs while walking three and striking out one.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

Five to Follow MLB Betting: Saturday, May 7, 2016, Opening Line Report
by Alan Matthews

I haven't seen any "first manager to be fired props" at any sportsbooks recently, but it's looking like Atlanta's Fredi Gonzalez will be the first one gone, and it could happen any day. The Braves are truly awful, but didn't they expect this? They have traded off nearly everyone of note the past two years other than Freddie Freeman in an effort to save some money and be competitive starting next year in their new suburban stadium. What's the point of firing Gonzalez now? Why didn't you do it after last year? It's pretty much widely known that Gonzalez won't be leading the team into the new stadium. So the rumors are the club may use an interim guy -- former Brave Terry Pendleton? -- the rest of this year and then hire former Padres manager Bud Black after the season. Black spent four years in the Indians' front-office working for John Hart, who now is the Braves' president of baseball operations. Black was nearly hired this offseason by Washington before contract negotiations killed that handshake deal.


Pirates at Cardinals (-143, 8)

Pittsburgh was expected to get some good news on Friday in activating infielder Jung Ho Kang from the disabled list. He was terrific as a rookie last year, hitting .287 with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs before his season ended in rather gruesome fashion on Sept. 17. Kang was the first position player to jump straight from the Korean Baseball Organization to MLB. He's expected to be the everyday third baseman this season, although he might not play every single game right off the bat. Pittsburgh goes with lefty Jeff Locke (1-2, 4.73) here. He threw a second straight quality start last time out, allowing three runs and four hits over seven innings vs. the Reds. Locke was 0-2 with a 4.32 ERA in three starts vs. the Cards in 2015. Matt Holliday is 5-for-14 off him with a homer and four RBIs. Kolten Wong 2-for-5 with a homer. Adam Wainwright (2-3, 6.68) goes for St. Louis. He hasn't been very good this year but did have a quality start in his most recent outing, allowing three runs over six innings vs. the Phillies. He pitched in Pittsburgh on Opening Day and allowed three runs over six innings as well in a loss. Andrew McCutchen is 13-for-45 off him with five doubles and a homer. Starling Marte is just 5-for-26.

Key trends: The Pirates are 1-6 in Locke's past seven road starts vs. teams with a winning record. The Cards are 5-1 in their past six vs. a lefty. The Cards are 7-0 in Wainwright's past seven at home vs. Pittsburgh. The "over/under" is 9-2-3 in Wainwright's past 14 at home vs. the Bucs.

Early lean: Cardinals and over.

Rockies at Giants (-168, 7.5)

Will San Francisco allow at least 12 runs in an inning for the second time in little over a week? If this game was in Coors Field, I'd say maybe. But then again, Thursday's game between these two was at AT&T Park and the Rockies scored 13 runs in the fifth inning alone in a 17-7 win. The modern record, if you are wondering, for runs scored in an inning is 17 by the Red Sox against Detroit in 1953. San Francisco also allowed 13 runs at home against San Diego on April 27. So much for AT&T Park being pitcher-friendly. The Rockies face Johnny Cueto (4-1, 3.61) here. He had his worst outing of the year on Monday, allowing six runs and seven hits in Cincinnati -- his first start ever vs. his former team. The Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez is 5-for-16 with a homer and six RBIs off him. Colorado starts top pitching prospect Jon Gray (0-1, 7.98). He was roughed up his first two starts but got out of Coors Field on Monday and allowed two runs over six innings in San Diego and struck out a career-high 11. Gray has never faced the Giants.

Key trends: The Rockies are 2-10 in Gray's past 12 starts. The under is 4-1 in his past five on the road.

Early lean: Giants and under.

Twins at White Sox (-175, 7)

Minnesota manager Paul Molitor got the dreaded vote of confidence from ownership on Thursday with the Twins having the AL's worst record. I actually think there's little chance Molitor is fired since he did such a fine job last season. Plus he's a former Twin and a Hall of Famer. Minnesota starts Ervin Santana (0-1, 3.18) here. He hasn't pitched since April 19 due to a back problem but pitched a simulated game on Tuesday and apparently is good to go. He lost to the White Sox on April 14, allowing three runs and seven hits over seven innings. Avisail Garcia is 4-for-8 with a homer off him. Jimmy Rollins is 1-for-11 with four strikeouts. It's AL Cy Young leader Chris Sale (6-0, 1.66) for the Pale Hose. He has allowed just two runs in his past four starts. For some reason, the Twins owned him in 2015 as Sale was 1-4 with a 7.36 ERA in six starts vs. Minnesota. That was by far his worst against any team. Fluke. Brian Dozier is 11-for-38 off him with three homers, 11 RBIs and 11 strikeouts. Miguel Sano is 4-for-5.

Key trends: The Twins are 2-5 in Santana's past seven vs. teams with a winning record. The Sox are 13-5 in Sale's past 18 with five days of rest. The under is 6-1 in his past seven at home.

Early lean: White Sox and under.

Mariners at Astros (-154, 8.5)

I still can't believe how bad Houston is, and certainly one huge problem has been the performance of reigning Cy Young winner and lefty Dallas Keuchel (2-4, 5.11). He lasted only 4.1 innings and allowed five runs in a home loss to the Twins on Monday. Keuchel had been 17-0 with a 1.47 ERA over his previous 22 home starts. He has walked at least five hitters twice this season, matching his number of five-walk games from his four previous seasons combined. Keuchel's walk rate has jumped from 5.6 percent in 2015 to 11.2 percent in 2016. In addition, right-handers are killing him. Keuchel lost in Seattle on April 26, allowing five runs and six hits over six innings. Nelson Cruz is 8-for-17 with two homers and five RBIs against him. Seth Smith is 4-for-13 with two dingers. Seattle's Nathan Karns (3-1, 3.81) was opposite Keuchel on April 26 and got the win, shutting out Houston on two hits over seven innings in easily Karns' best start of the year. Carlos Correa is 1-for-6 with a homer off him.

Key trends: The Astros are 19-9 in Keuchel's past 28 vs. the AL West. The over is 4-0 in his past four vs. Seattle.

Early lean: Mariners and over.

Diamondbacks at Braves (-115, 7.5)

Arizona seriously might have to think about moving Shelby Miller to the bullpen for a spell if he struggles again here. Miller (0-3, 8.49) is in the running for worst pitcher in baseball this season. GM Dave Stewart believes Miller is pressing by trying to live up to expectations off that big trade from Atlanta this past offseason. Miller has lasted more than five innings once all season and has walked a whopping 19 in 23.1 innings. Maybe facing his former team will settle Miller down. Some Braves have faced him from his St. Louis days. Freeman is 4-for-10 with a homer. A.J. Pierzynski is 1-for-3 with a homer. Atlanta counters with Julio Teheran (0-3, 3.72). He has been excellent over his past three outings, allowing three earned runs combined over 19.1 innings. He shut out the powerful Cubs on two hits over seven innings last Sunday but was unable to get his first win. Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt is 1-for-12 off him with five strikeouts. Jean Segura is 4-for-12 with a homer.

Key trends: The Braves are 5-1 in Teheran's past six at home vs. teams with a losing record. The over is 5-0-1 in Miller's past six starts. The under is 5-0 in Teheran's past five vs. Arizona.

Early lean: Diamondbacks -- giving Miller one more chance -- and under.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

MLB

Saturday's games

National League games

Nationals @ Cubs
Gonzalez is 2-1, 1.72 in five starts this year (under 4-1).

Hammel is 4-0, 1.24 in five starts this year (over 2-2-1).

Washington lost three of its last four games, three of which went over. Cubs won nine of last ten games; over is 10-3-1 in their last fourteen games.

Phillies @ Marlins
Hellickson is 1-2, 7.32 in his last four starts; four of his last five went over.

Koehler is 2-3, 8.06 this season; three of his last four starts went over.

Phillies lost four of their last five games; under is 7-3-1 in their last 11. Marlins won ten of last 11 games; four of their last six home games stayed under.

Diamondbacks @ Braves
Former Brave Miller is 0-3, 8.39 in his first six starts for Arizona (over 5-1). .

Teheran is 0-1, 1.40 in his last three starts (over 4-1-1).

Arizona lost six of its last seven games; six of its last eight games stayed under total. Braves lost 12 of last 15 games- they're 1-13 at home.

Brewers @ Reds
Nelson is 4-1, 4.06 in his last five starts; three of his last four went over.

Finneran is 0-1, 6.06 in his last three starts; four of his last five went over.

Milwaukee is 3-9 on road; over is 10-3-2 in its last 15 games. Cincinnati won its last three games; over is 7-2-1 in its last ten at home.

Pirates @ Cardinals
Locke is 1-0, 2.07 in his last two starts; three of his last four went over.

Wainwright is 2-2, 6.75 in his last four starts; four of his last five went over.

Pirates lost four of last five games but won seven of last eight on road; over is 9-3 in their last 12 road games. St Louis won three of its last five games.

Mets @ Padres
Colon is 2-1, 2.67 in five starts this year (under 3-2).

Shields is 1-2, 2.42 in his last four starts (under 5-1).

New York lost three of last four games; they didn't score in first eight innings last two games. Over is 8-3 in its last 11 on the road. Padres are 6-2 in their last eight games; six of their last eight games stayed under the total.

Rockies @ Giants
Gray is 0-1, 7.98 in three starts this year (over 2-1).

Cueto is 2-1, 3.52 in three home starts this year (over 3-1-1 in his last five starts). .

Colorado won five of its last eight e games; three of its last four road games went over. Giants won six of their last eight home games; over is 13-2 in their last 15 home games.


American League games

A's @ Orioles
Hill is 3-0, 1.42 in three road starts; four of his last five starts stayed under. Hahn shut Houston out for 6.2 innings in his first '16 start.

Jimenez is 0-3, 6.53 in his last four starts; four of his five starts stayed under. Wright is 2-2, 5.40 in four starts this year (over 2-2).

A's lost their last four games; over is 9-5 in their last 14 games. Orioles lost three of their last five games; under is 10-4-1 in their home games.

Red Sox @ Bronx
Price is 3-0, 6.31 in his last four starts; Boston scored 31 runs in those five games. His last three starts all went over.

Eovaldi is 1-2, 5.46 in five starts this year; three of his last four stayed under.

Boston won 11 of its last 14 games; six of their last eight games stayed under total New York lost 15 of last 21 games; eight of its last ten games stayed under the total.

Rangers @ Tigers
Griffin is 2-0, 1.80 in his last three starts (over 3-2).

Pelfrey is 0-4, 7.46 in five starts this year; three of his last four stayed under.

Texas lost seven of last nine road games; 11 of its 15 road games stayed under total. Detroit lost its last four games; nine of its last 13 games went over.

Royals @ Indians
Kennedy is 3-2, 2.61 in five starts this season (under 4-0-1).

Anderson is back from AAA; he is 0-2, 7.65 in four starts (over 4-0).

Royals lost eight of their last ten games; six of their last eight road games stayed under total. Cleveland won its last four games; four of its last five games at home went over the total.

Twins @ White Sox
Santana is off DL; he is 0-1, 4.50 in four starts, three of which stayed under.

Sale is 6-0, 1.87 this season (over 3-2-1).

Minnesota is 2-13 on the road; over is 7-1-1 in their last nine road games. Chicago won 12 of last 17 games; nine of their last 11 home games stayed under.

Mariners @ Astros
Karns is 3-0, 3.47 in his last four starts (under 3-2).

Keuchel is 0-3, 5.92 in his last three starts (over 3-2-1)

Mariners won 12 of their last 16 games; five of their last six road games went over the total. Houston is 6-11 in its last 17 games; over is 9-3-1 in its last 13.

Rays @ Angels
Odorizzi is 1-0, 2.74 in his last four starts; five of his six starts stayed under.

Weaver is 2-0, 3.75 in two home starts this year; three of his last four starts went over the total.

Tampa Bay lost four of its last seven games; five of its last six road games went under the total. Angels lost five of last seve games- they've won four of last six at home. Under is 7-2 in their last eight home games.


Interleague

Dodgers @ Blue Jays
Kershaw is 3-1, 2.15 in six starts this season (over 3-3).

Dickey is 0-3, 6.75 in his last five starts; three of his last four stayed under.

Dodgers lost eight of last ten games; four of their last six road games went over the total. Toronto won six of its last eight games; seven of its last nine games stayed under the total


Teams won-lost records when this pitcher starts:

Wsh-Chi-- Gonzalez 3-2; Hammel 4-1
Phil-Mia-- Hellickson 3-3; Koehler 2-3
Mil-Cin-- Nelson 4-2; Finnegan 2-4
Az-Atl-- Miller 2-4; Teheran 1-5
Pitt-StL-- Locke 1-4; Wainwright 3-3
Col-SF-- Gray 1-2; Cueto 5-1
NY-SD-- Colon 3-2; Shields 1-5

A's-Balt-- Hill 3-3, Hahn 1-0; Jimenez 2-3, Wright 2-2
Bos-NY-- Price 4-2; Eovaldi 2-3
Tex-Det-- Griffin 4-1; Pelfrey 1-4
KC-Clev-- Kennedy 3-2; Anderson 0-4
Minn-Chi-- Santana 0-4; Sale 6-0
Sea-Hst-- Karns 4-1; Keuchel 2-4
TB-LAA-- Odorizzi 3-3; Weaver 3-2

LA-Tor-- Kershaw 5-1; Dickey 1-5


Starting pitchers allowing 1+ runs in first inning:

Wsh-Chi-- Gonzalez 0-5; Hammel 1-5
Phil-Mia-- Hellickson 2-6; Koehler 4-5
Mil-Cin-- Nelson 2-6; Finnegan 2-6
Az-Atl-- Miller 0-6; Teheran 1-6
Pitt-StL-- Locke 0-5; Wainwright 2-6
Col-SF-- Gray 2-3; Cueto 2-6
NY-SD-- Colon 1-5; Shields 1-6

A's-Balt-- Hill 3-3, Hahn 0-1; Jimenez 2-3, Wright 1-4
Bos-NY-- Price 3-6; Eovaldi 1-5
Tex-Det-- Griffin 1-5; Pelfrey 4-5
KC-Clev-- Kennedy 1-5; Anderson 2-4
Minn-Chi-- Santana 2-4; Sale 0-6
Sea-Hst-- Karns 2-5; Keuchel 2-6
TB-LAA-- Odorizzi 1-6; Weaver 2-5

LA-Tor-- Kershaw 1-6; Dickey 2-6


Umpires

Pitt-StL-- Three of four Demuth games went over the total.
Wsh-Chi-- Over is 9-4 in last thirteen Fagan games.
Col-SF-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Culbreth games.
Mil-Cin-- Five of six Cooper games stayed under total.
Phil-Mia-- Nine of last ten Scott games went over total.
Az-Atl-- Three of last four Holbrook games went over.
NY-SD-- Seven of last ten Wendelstedt games stayed under.

Bos-NY-- Favorites won nine of last 12 Conroy games.
Tex-Det-- Three of last four Marquez games stayed under.
KC-Clev-- Eight of last nine Blakney games went over.
Sea-Hst-- Over is 3-0-1 in May games this season.
Minn-Chi-- Underdogs are 10-9 in last 19 Miller games.
TB-LAA-- Home side won seven of last ten Bellino games.

LA-Tor-- Underdogs won three of five Hoye games this year.

 

[NewYorkKnight]

StatFox Super Situations

MLB | NY METS at SAN DIEGO
Play Against - All favorites with a money line of -125 to -175 (NY METS) with a starting pitcher whose ERA is 3.00 or better on the season (NL), good power team - averaging 1.25 or more HR's/game on the season
27-13 over the last 5 seasons. ( 67.5% | 21.8 units )
1-1 this year. ( 50.0% | 0.1 units )


StatFox Situational Power Trends

MLB | NY METS at SAN DIEGO
NY METS are 86-39 (+39.0 Units) against the money line when the money line is -100 to -150 over the last 3 seasons.
The average score was: NY METS (4.9) , OPPONENT (3.1)

 

[NewYorkKnight]

GAME: Boston Red Sox (17-12) at New York Yankees (10-17)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, May 07 - 1:05 PM EST
WHERE: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A


David Ortiz has been blistering-hot at the plate against the New York Yankees this season, but the veteran slugger lost his cool en route to being ejected in the series opener. Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox look to regain their composure on Saturday afternoon when the American League East rivals play the second contest of their three-game set in New York.

Ortiz belted his 452nd homer with Boston to tie Carl Yastrzemski for second on the team's all-time list, but the eight-time All-Star was fit to be tied after arguing balls and strikes in a 3-2 setback on Friday. Ortiz is 6-for-16 with three homers versus New York this season and is 4-for-8 in his career against Saturday starter Nathan Eovaldi. While Boston fell for just the third time in 12 outings on Friday, cellar-dwelling New York posted its second win in nine contests - although the injury bug made its presence felt early. Former Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury suffered a hip injury in the first inning and is scheduled to have an MRI.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH David Price (4-0, 6.14 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Nathan Eovaldi (1-2, 5.46)

While Price's win-loss record speaks for itself, the offseason acquisition's gaudy ERA leaves a bit to be desired. Price allowed at least six runs and eight hits for the second time in three outings on Sunday, but still improved to 14-7 versus the Yankees following an 8-7 triumph. The 30-year-old has fared significantly better on the road, winning both decisions while posting a 2.57 ERA and striking out 24 in 14 frames.

The Yankees will need more out of Eovaldi in the wake of the news that veteran left-hander CC Sabathia was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a strained left groin. Eovaldi was fortunate to escape with a no-decision on Sunday despite yielding six runs on 10 hits in five innings. The 26-year-old needs to keep an eye on Hanley Ramirez, who has nine RBIs during his 10-game hitting streak and is 6-for-16 in his career versus the hurler.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York manager Joe Girardi announced that 3B Alex Rodriguez is nursing a Grade "one-plus" strained hamstring and RHP Ivan Nova was promoted from the bullpen to replace Sabathia in the rotation.

2. Boston CF Jackie Bradley Jr. is riding a 12-game hitting streak.

3. Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts is 8-for-18 in four contests versus the Yankees this season.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 3, Yankees 1

 

[NewYorkKnight]

GAME: Oakland Athletics (13-16) at Baltimore Orioles (16-11)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, May 07 - 1:05 PM EST
WHERE: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A


The Baltimore Orioles scored five runs in three games against the New York Yankees and still managed to win the series. After rain postponed the opener of a three-game set with the Oakland Athletics, the host Orioles look to get the bats going in the first game of a day-night doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.

Baltimore recorded just one run in the final 22 innings of their set with the Yankees, but it led to a 1-0 victory in 10 innings on Thursday - giving the club two of three in the series and an 11-4 record at home. Among the many Orioles mired in a slump are slugger Chris Davis, who was 0-for-11 with six strikeouts versus New York, and Adam Jones, who went 1-for-11 in the series and hasn't homered since April 16. The Athletics have lost four straight and nine of their last 12 after being swept at home by Seattle earlier in the week. They will turn to surprising veteran Rich Hill in the opener while Baltimore counters with Mike Wright.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), MASN2 (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Rich Hill (3-3, 2.53 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Mike Wright (1-2, 5.18)

Hill turned in his third straight quality start Sunday against Houston but suffered the loss despite allowing two runs in six innings. He limited the Astros to a season-low two hits but recorded four strikeouts after producing 34 in 23 1/3 frames over his previous four outings. The University of Michigan product, who pitched in 14 games for the Orioles in 2009, has given up 23 earned runs in 21 2/3 career innings at Camden Yards.

Wright finished off a 7-0 loss to New York on Wednesday with an inning of work out of the bullpen but will be looking to build off his best start of the season. He gave up two runs and struck out a season-high six in six frames of a win over the Chicago White Sox on April 29, which was his third straight outing of at least six innings. The 26-year-old, who never has faced Oakland, is 2-3 with a 5.22 ERA at home.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore's bullpen owns a 2.45 ERA.

2. A's LF Khris Davis registered three home runs and five RBIs in the series versus Seattle.

3. Orioles LF Hyun Soo Kim is 10-for-18 on the season.

PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Orioles 4

 

[NewYorkKnight]

GAME: Los Angeles Dodgers (14-15) at Toronto Blue Jays (16-15)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, May 07 - 1:07 PM EST
WHERE: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A


Kevin Pillar is known more for his glove in center field, but his bat has also been a major factor for the Toronto Blue Jays at key times. Pillar’s three-run homer broke a tie in the opener of a three-game interleague series and he looks to follow that up with another big performance when the Blue Jays host Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday afternoon.

Pillar is 4-for-9 with five RBIs in his last two contests to raise his average to .296 and recorded five doubles in his past seven games for Toronto, which has won a season-high four in a row. The Dodgers fell under .500 (14-15) with the 5-2 loss Friday, scoring two or fewer runs for the sixth time during their current 2-8 slump. Kershaw will try to start the turnaround after registering the 13th shutout of his career last time out. Los Angeles first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is beginning to snap out of his slump with four hits in the last three contests.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (3-1, 1.96 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (1-3, 5.73)

Kershaw comes in off his best start of the season when he struck out 14 in a three-hit shutout against San Diego on Sunday. The three-time National League Cy Young winner, who has permitted two or fewer runs in five of six starts, boasts 54 strikeouts and just three walks in 46 innings. Troy Tulowitzki is 17-for-63 with three homers versus Kershaw, who meets Toronto for the first time in his career.

Dickey has allowed three or fewer earned runs in four of six starts, including Monday when he gave up one tally in 6 1/3 frames during a no-decision against Texas. The 41-year-old knuckleballer has struck out 25 batters and issued 14 walks in 33 innings. Carl Crawford is 3-for-7 with a homer in his career against Dickey, who is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in four games (three starts) versus Los Angeles.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tulowitzki got a day off Friday after a 3-for-33 slump but is expected back in the lineup for the second game of the series.

2. Los Angeles RHP Kenley Jansen is 10-for-10 in save opportunities and has been spotless in his last 22 chances, dating back to last season.

3. Toronto recalled INF Andy Burns on Friday and optioned RHP Ryan Tepera to Triple-A Buffalo.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 4, Blue Jays 1