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[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

English Premier TODAY 20:00

Arsenal

v

Liverpool

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		3/4	3	4	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ARSENAL	RECENT FORM
HDHWNWNWHLAW​ Most recent​	4 - 1 2 - 1 2 - 0 2 - 2	HWADHLALAWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Both teams have scored in 18 of the last 23 meetings

EXPERT VERDICT: Arsenal’s home clashes with Liverpool have tended to be full of goals in recent years and there is little reason to believe that we won’t be served up more of the same this time. The last six meetings at the Emirates have produced 18 goals and the quality of each team’s attacking options suggests we could be set for another entertaining encounter.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Michael Oliver STADIUM:

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB Preview: Indians (58-65) at Cubs (71-51)

Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: August 24, 2015 2:05 PM EDT

The Chicago Cubs got back on a roll in their latest series at Wrigley Field and will get one more game there before leaving town for a pivotal series.

A matchup of high-profile pitchers seeking to rebound from difficult outings will highlight Monday's makeup contest at the Friendly Confines, where Cleveland Indians ace Corey Kluber will be the latest to face a high-powered Cubs lineup.

Chicago (71-51) bounced back from three consecutive losses by sweeping four from Atlanta, and the club added to its power surge Sunday with a season high-tying five homers in a 9-3 victory. Kris Bryant went deep twice, helping give the Cubs a major-league best 28 longballs in their last 11 games.

"What I like is that we didn't settle for a split. We didn't settle for three out of four. We came out and played it for four out of four," manager Joe Maddon told MLB's official website. "That's impressive. You gotta give our players and coaches a lot of credit for that."

The Cubs are also averaging 7.7 runs on this seven-game homestand and will try to pad that in their first matchup against Kluber (8-13, 3.52 ERA), who won last year's AL Cy Young Award. The right-hander is coming off a 6-4 loss at Boston on Wednesday in which he gave up a season high-tying six runs and a career-worst four homers in six innings.

Kluber, who'd come off tossing back-to-back complete games, and manager Terry Francona said that pitching at Fenway Park hardly helped. His next start will come in another older stadium that also has its quirks, namely which direction the wind is blowing.

Chicago will try to add to Kluber's woes while earning its 20th win in 24 games before traveling to the West Coast. The Cubs have three games against their closest pursuer in the NL wild card race, San Francisco, and three against NL West-leading Los Angeles.

Choosing to keep their rotation on schedule instead of using a spot starter, Chicago hands the ball to Jon Lester (8-9, 3.58) as he seeks to bounce back from a 15-8 loss to Detroit on Wednesday. The left-hander gave up a season-high seven runs in 2 2-3 innings and ended a five-start stretch in which he went 4-0 with a 2.04 ERA.

Lester, who spent his first six seasons pitching for Francona in Boston, is 4-0 with a 1.77 ERA in his last six starts against the Indians - the most recent on June 12, 2014.

He'll face a team that played spoiler on the road this weekend, taking three of four from the New York Yankees and dropping them out of first place in the AL East. Cleveland (58-65) logged a 2.83 ERA in that series and yielded five hits in a 4-3 victory Sunday.

Francisco Lindor provided three hits and a home run for the second straight game.

"He's a good hitter," Francona said. "He's got bat speed from both sides of the plate, and he doesn't stop playing. ... There's a lot to love about this kid."

After a rainout June 15, the Indians took two of three from Chicago but endured their most lopsided defeat in 13 years June 17. Kyle Schwarber went 4 for 5 with two RBIs in that 17-0 victory, which marked his first major league start, and went 2 for 4 with his first homer in a 4-3 loss the next night.

Schwarber has 11 homers and 32 RBIs while batting .284 in his first 40 games with the Cubs, who have won 26 of those contests.

Addison Russell, batting .393 in his last eight, is day to day with an ailing groin.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

National League
Mets @ Phillies
deGrom is 4-0, 1.29 in his last seven starts; his last three on road went over.

Morgan is 2-1, 3.32 in his last three starts; under is 3-1-1 in his last five.

Mets won nine of last ten games with Philly; three of last four went over the total. New York won four of last five games; six of their last seven went over total. Phillies won four of their last five; four of their last six went over total. .

Rockies @ Braves
de la Rosa is 1-1, 2.92 in his last four starts; four of his last six went over.

Teheran is 2-0, 2.45 in his last four starts; under is 4-2-1 in his last seven.

Colorado won its last five games with Atlanta; three of last four stayed under the total. Rockies lost eight of last ten games (over 6-4). Braves lost their last seven games (over 5-2).

Pirates @ Marlins
Happ is 1-0, 0.79 in his last two starts; his last three stayed under.

Koehler is 0-5, 7.81 in his last five starts (over 4-1).

Pirates won eight of last ten games with Miami; last three stayed under total. Pittsburgh won nine of last 11 games; four of last five stayed under. Marlins lost four of last five games; over is 6-2-1 in their last nine.

Cardinals @ Diamondbacks
Lynn is 1-3, 6.38 in his last four starts; five of his last seven stayed under.

Ray is 0-4, 5.48 in his last four starts (under 4-0).

St Louis won nine of last ten games with Arizona; seven of last nine in series stayed under. D'backs won last four games, scoring 26 runs; four of their last seven stayed under. Cardinals are 3-4 in last seven; last three went over.

American League
Astros @ Bronx
Feldman is 1-0, 2.25 in his last five starts; three of his last four road starts stayed under the total.

Eovaldi is 7-0, 3.32 in his last ten starts; his last four at home stayed under.

Astros are 6-4 in last ten games with Bronx; five of last six in series stayed under total. Houston won five of last six games (under 6-0). Bronx lost three of last four games overall; under is 6-4-1 in their last eleven.

Orioles @ Royals
Jimenez is 1-0, 3.50 in his last three starts; five of his last seven went over.

Medlen is making first start since 2013; he's allowed four runs in 14.1 IP in seven relief stints for Royals this year. Medlen is 34-20 in his career; this is his 62nd major league start- he is 1-1, 3.56 in six AAA starts this year.

Orioles lost their last six games with Kansas City; under is 5-3 in last eight series games. Baltimore lost five of last six games; last three stayed under the total. Royals won seven of last nine games (over 2-0-1 in last three). .

Red Sox @ White Sox
Kelly is 3-0, 2.08 in his last three starts; over is 4-0-1 in his last five.

Samardzija is 0-4, 9.27 in his last four starts; five of his last six went over.

Red Sox lost three of last four games with Chicago; six of last seven series games got over total. Boston won four of last six games; over is 11-1-1 in its last thirteen games. White Sox won three of last four games; five of their last six went over.

A's @ Mariners
Doubront is 0-0, 4.30 in his last three starts; over is 3-1-1 in his last five.

Seattle is 7-1 in last eight Iwakuma starts (3-0, 1.96 in his last three); six of his last eight starts stayed under the total.

Oakland lost seven of last nine games with Seattle; three of last four stayed under the total. A's are 3-9 in their last 12 games overall. Mariners lost six of last nine games (over 6-2-1).

Interleague
Tigers @ Reds
Farmer is 0-2, 9.82 in his three starts this year (over 3-0).

Sampson is 2-2, 4.66 in his four starts (under 3-1) this year.

Detroit lost last three games, scoring five runs; their last four games stayed under the total. Cincinnati lost its last nine games; three of its last four went over. Tigers are 5-3 in last their eight games with the Reds.

Indians @ Cubs
Kluber is 2-1, 3.00 in his last three starts; four of his last five went over.

Lester is 4-1, 3.55 in his last six starts; his last three went over the total.

Cleveland lost five of last seven games with the Cubs; three of last four went under the total. Indians won three of last four games; five of their last seven went over the total. Cubs won last four games, scoring 30 runs; five of their last six went over.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
NY-Phil-- deGrom 16-7 (7-0 last 7); Morgan 6-4
Col-Atl-- de la Rosa 11-10; Teheran 14-11
Pitt-Mia-- Happ 9-14/2-1; Koehler 10-13 (1-7 last 8)
StL-Az-- Lynn 13-10; Ray 4-11

Hst-NY-- Feldman 8-8; Eovaldi 16-8
Balt-KC-- Jimenez 13-11; Medlen 0-0
Bos-Chi-- Kelly 9-11 (4-0 last 4); Samardzija 11-14 (0-4 last 4)
A's-Sea-- Doubront 2-3/1-0; Iwakuma 7-5 (7-1 last 8)

Det-Cin-- Farmer 0-3; Sampson 2-2
Clev-Cubs-- Kluber 9-17; Lester 13-11

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
NY-Phil-- deGrom 6-23; Morgan 1-10
Col-Atl-- de la Rosa 7-21; Teheran 8-25
Pitt-Mia-- Happ 9-23; Koehler 5-23
StL-Az-- Lynn 8-23; Ray 2-15

Hst-NY-- Feldman 4-16; Eovaldi 8-24
Balt-KC-- Jimenez 7-24; Medlen 0-0
Bos-Chi-- Kelly 9-20; Samardzija 12-25
A's-Sea-- Doubront 1-5; Iwakuma 4-12

Det-Cin-- Farmer 1-3; Sampson 2-4
Clev-Cubs-- Kluber 10-26; Lester 7-25

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (67-56) at Phillies (50-74)

Game: 1
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: August 24, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The New York Mets' season has become considerably more intriguing since David Wright last appeared in the lineup in April.

The Mets were the surprise team in baseball in that month, and they've ridden that hot start to the top of the NL East. Jacob deGrom has gone from a top prospect to a Cy Young candidate, and Yoenis Cespedes and others have arrived to power a resurgent offense.

The Mets get another positive development in a season full of them when Wright makes his long-awaited return in the opener of a four-game road series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night.

What started as a mild right hamstring strain April 14 turned into a career-threatening diagnosis of lumbar stenosis for Wright. Months of uncertainty ended with an eight-game rehab stint at Class-A St. Lucie, in which Wright hit .321, and was followed by the news of his impending return.

Wright joins the Mets (67-56) after their three-game sweep in Colorado that pushed their division lead to five games over Washington.

"The surroundings are a little different now than they were in the middle of April," manager Terry Collins told MLB's official website. "Each and every game is huge. It means a lot."

Collins said Wright will not be used every day at third base in order to keep him healthy. Still, the addition of New York's longest-tenured player should be a boost.

"I can honestly tell you I'm excited to have him back because his presence on our team is big," Collins said. "You've seen the difference in our clubhouse when he's there. There's a different atmosphere."

Wright has watched from afar as deGrom has grown into one of the league's best pitchers, and he'll get a closer look Monday.

DeGrom (12-6, 1.98 ERA) has gone 4-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his last seven starts with 56 strikeouts and 26 hits allowed in 48 2-3 innings.

His .155 opponent batting average in that span that started July 8 is the lowest in the majors during that time, while his 0.72 WHIP is second to Clayton Kershaw's 0.71.

DeGrom has gone 2-0 with a 1.67 ERA in four career starts against the Phillies. He's limited them to two runs over 13 2-3 innings in two starts this season, both Mets victories.

Philadelphia (50-74) has won three straight and four of five behind strong pitching from a young staff, with Adam Morgan (4-4, 3.92) a part of that group.

The rookie left-hander has gone 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA in his last three starts, and his seven innings in a 7-4 win over Toronto on Wednesday matched a career high. He held the highest-scoring team in the majors to two runs and five hits.

"Any team you face is a good team," Morgan said. "So any team I face and do well against is a confidence booster."

Andres Blanco has been on a tear for the Phillies, extending his hitting streak to six games with a 2-for-4 effort in Sunday's 2-0 victory over Miami. He's batting .417 with two home runs in that stretch and has four doubles in his past three.

Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz are a combined 3 for 21 against deGrom, while Freddy Galvis has three singles in six at-bats.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Astros (69-56) at Yankees (68-55)

Game: 1
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: August 24, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

In order for a pitcher to consistently receive tremendous run support, it helps to have his club's most productive hitter in the lineup.

Nathan Eovaldi won't have that advantage Monday night since New York Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira is unlikely to play in the opener of a three-game home series against the Houston Astros.

Eovaldi (13-2, 4.24 ERA) is second in the majors with a 7.48 run-support average and is 8-0 with a 3.29 ERA in his last 11 starts.

Getting support Monday will be a challenge if Teixeira misses a third straight game with a shin injury. Teixeira, who took batting practice before Sunday's 4-3 home defeat to Cleveland, leads the Yankees (68-55) with 31 homers and 79 RBIs.

"Obviously, it's a good sign that we have him on the field to do some stuff, but it's still not where it needs to be,' manager Joe Girardi said. "My hope was it was going to be (Monday). I'm not sure about that now."

Rookie Greg Bird, hitting .273 with two homers and six RBIs in nine games, has been starting in Teixeira's absence.

The Yankees will likely have Alex Rodriguez back in the starting lineup for the first time in three games. The 40-year-old is batting .157 this month for one of baseball's worst marks.

"Just trying to give him a couple days in a row to refresh him," Girardi said.

The Yankees, who fell one-half game behind Toronto in the AL East race, totaled 14 runs in losing three of four to the Indians.

Rodriguez is 5 for 16 with two homers against Astros starter Scott Feldman (5-5, 4.05), who is 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA in six outings since returning July 18 after right knee surgery. Jacoby Ellsbury is also 5 for 16 in the matchup, while Stephen Drew is 6 for 13 with two homers.

Feldman is 1-0 with a 1.89 ERA in his last three outings. He went 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in two 2014 starts versus the Yankees.

Fellow right-hander Eovaldi can move into a tie for the AL lead with his 14th win. He is 5-0 with a 3.46 ERA in 11 home starts.

Eovaldi lasted seven innings for the first time in 12 starts Wednesday and allowed three runs to notch a 4-3 victory over Minnesota. The Houston-born starter gave up two runs in six innings June 26 to earn a 3-2 road victory over the Astros.

The Houston hitter he has faced the most is Evan Gattis, who is 5 for 17 in this matchup. Gattis, like Rodriguez, has struggled in August with a .194 average.

AL West-leading Houston (69-56) starts a six-game trip after a three-game weekend sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers capped a 7-3 homestand. Jason Castro's solo homer in the 10th inning was the difference in Sunday's 3-2 victory.

"We are a first-place team and the atmosphere here (is) we are the best team in baseball," rookie shortstop Carlos Correa said.

Astros starters have a 1.67 ERA in the last six games and the bullpen has pitched 17 consecutive scoreless innings.

These clubs split four games in Houston in June.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockies (49-73) at Braves (53-71)

Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: August 24, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Atlanta Braves are probably glad to be home, though a warm reception may be out of the question following a winless road trip.

They begin a nine-game homestand Monday night with a manageable opponent in the Colorado Rockies, but even those meetings have gone poorly for the free-falling Braves this summer.

Atlanta (53-71) completed a 0-7 trip with Sunday's 9-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs, recording its longest overall slide of the season while falling to an MLB-worst 11-29 dating to July 8. The rotation has posted a 7.57 ERA on the skid and the staff as a whole has allowed 18 home runs - nine coming in the last two games at Wrigley Field.

"Everything we threw in these four games, it either fell in the basket or went over the fence," Freddie Freeman said.

Julio Teheran has been an exception. In Wednesday's 3-2 loss at San Diego, a solo homer was all the damage he allowed with a total of four hits and seven strikeouts in six innings. Teheran (8-6, 4.32 ERA) is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in four starts this month.

"I feel really good about what I've been doing," Teheran told MLB's official website. "I've been battling the whole season. Right now, I feel right where I want it to be."

The right-hander has been more successful at home with a 6-1 record and 2.44 ERA in 12 starts, and he's 3-1 with a 3.33 ERA in four career starts against Colorado.

The Rockies (49-73), who swept the Braves in four games July 9-12 in Colorado, are coming off being swept in three games at home by the New York Mets. Sunday's 5-1 loss was their 11th in 13 games, and another would put them 25 games under .500 for the sixth season in franchise history and third time in the last four years.

"I felt our energy was pretty low," manager Walt Weiss said after the latest loss. "I think it's the result of 10 days at home and playing in some really long games and being on the losing end of those long games. The guys haven't checked out whatsoever. They are still battling."

The road, however, hasn't provided a refuge. The Rockies have dropped four straight away games, and their 16-37 record since opening the season with six straight road wins is second-worst in baseball to the Braves (18-47).

Jorge De La Rosa has been better away from Coors Field. The left-hander is 5-3 with a 3.17 ERA in 10 away starts, but he's 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA in six career games against Atlanta and 0-1 with a 12.46 mark in two starts at Turner Field.

De La Rosa (7-5, 4.50) limited Washington to four hits in six scoreless innings of Wednesday's 4-1 home loss, though he matched a season high by issuing six walks. His 4.34 walks per nine innings is his highest mark since a 6.15 in 2006 with Kansas City and Milwaukee.

"High walks, a lot of extended counts and he couldn't get any further than six innings, but he did a heck of a job," Weiss said.

Jonny Gomes is 3 for 6 with a home run and a double off De La Rosa, but Nick Markakis is 0 for 6 with three strikeouts.

Nick Swisher might be the guy to be most concerned with. The Braves' Aug. 7 acquisition is 6 for 9 with two home runs, a double and six RBIs in his last three games.

For Colorado, Charlie Blackmon is hitting .382 on a nine-game hitting streak and .591 with seven RBIs in his last five against the Braves.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pirates (74-48) at Marlins (50-74)

Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: August 24, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The last time Pittsburgh and Miami met, the Pirates were in the midst of an impressive stretch of pitching performances that resulted in seven straight wins.

They aren't quite as hot entering Monday night's series opener, but the scuffling Marlins could help the Pirates reach a water mark not seen since Barry Bonds' last year with the club.

Pittsburgh (74-48) is a win away from being 27 games over .500 for the first time since 1992, which was one of Bonds' three MVP seasons in Pittsburgh.

The former MVP currently on the roster, Andrew McCutchen, helped the Pirates to Sunday's 5-2 victory over San Francisco with a home run. Pedro Alvarez also left the yard and is batting .390 with five homers in his last 14 games.

They've won nine of 11 but remain 3 1/2 games back of St. Louis and three games clear of the Chicago Cubs in the competitive NL Central. A win in the opener would give them a season-best five-game road winning streak.

The Marlins (50-74) lost the last three of a four-game home set with Philadelphia and have scored three runs while batting .154 on the skid. Since the All-Star break, they're 12-23 and are back in a tie for last place with the Phillies.

"We had like (six of eight) games where we grinded out 10 or more hits, scored six or more runs, and then all of a sudden, it disappears," manager Dan Jennings told MLB's official website. "We'll be back at it tomorrow. We'll start a new series. Hopefully we can continue to get good starting pitching and put some runs up that will allow us to help."

The Pirates swept a three-game series in Pittsburgh from May 25-27, giving them five straight wins in the series and 10 in the last 12. They held Miami to five runs in those three games, and J.A. Happ seemed sharp enough in his latest start to rival those numbers.

Happ (1-1, 2.87 ERA) has gotten better in each of his three starts with the Pirates, though he's yet to make it beyond six innings. The left-hander gave up two hits in six scoreless innings of Wednesday's 4-1 home win over Arizona.

"Just pitching with a lot more confidence, figuring himself out," manager Clint Hurdle said. "I think he was able to make some minor adjustments and it was fun to watch him out there tonight."

Including his time with Seattle, the left-hander is 2-4 with a 5.63 mark in 12 away starts this season. In his early days in the NL, Happ went 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA in six starts against the Marlins, but he hasn't faced them since 2012 with Houston. Ichiro Suzuki is 4 for 7 against him, so he could be in the lineup against a left-hander.

Happ will be opposed by Tom Koehler, whose year has shifted drastically downward.

Koehler (8-11, 4.02) was putting together a strong season until just after the All-Star break, reaching 8-6 with a 3.16 ERA with a win July 23. He's since lost five straight starts with a 7.48 ERA. The worst of the bunch came in Wednesday's 8-7 loss in Milwaukee as the right-hander gave up seven runs and nine hits with four walks in 4 1-3 innings.

The last three have come on the road, and he's 4-3 with a 3.07 ERA in nine home starts despite surrendering 11 earned runs over 10 1-3 innings of his last two at Marlins Park.

Koehler has also lost all three of his starts against Pittsburgh with a 6.75 ERA. McCutchen is 2 for 4 with a home run in the matchup.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (59-64) at Reds (51-71)

Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: August 24, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

After facing veteran starters in three consecutive defeats, the Detroit Tigers will see an inexperienced pitcher in their next game.

The scuffling Cincinnati Reds will have a rookie starter on the mound for the 25th consecutive time in Monday night's makeup game at the Great American Ball Park.

Detroit (59-64) was held to five runs after winning the opener of its four-game set versus Texas, with Colby Lewis and Yovani Gallardo producing scoreless efforts in the first two games, and they fared little better against Cole Hamels in Sunday's 4-2 defeat.

"If you look at the numbers, we're top of the league, offensively, in a lot of categories," second baseman Ian Kinsler said. "Are we supposed to produce six runs every game? Is that how baseball works?"

Despite the loss, Miguel Cabrera stayed hot by going 2 for 4. The Detroit slugger is batting .548 with seven doubles and a home run in his last eight games.

The Tigers - now five games behind the Rangers in the AL wild-card race - face Keyvius Sampson (2-2, 4.43 ERA), who is making his fifth major league start. The right-hander is tasked with helping the Reds avoid their first 10-game losing streak since they dropped 11 in a row in June 1998 and first nine-game home skid since May 27-June 19, 2001.

"We've got to start winning some games," said fellow rookie outfielder Ryan LaMarre, who collected his first major league hit Sunday.

The Reds' 24 consecutive starts by rookie pitchers are the most in the majors since at least 1914, and Cincinnati (51-71) has a 4.92 ERA from its kiddie corps since July 28, nearly one point higher than its 4.09 mark over the first 98 games.

Raisel Iglesias gave up two runs and fanned 13 in seven innings Sunday, matching Noah Syndergaard of the New York Mets for the most strikeouts by a rookie in a start this year, but the Reds produced just five hits in a 4-0 loss to Arizona.

In his latest outing Wednesday, Sampson gave up four runs in 3 1-3 innings - the shortest of his four starts - in a 4-3 loss to Kansas City. He had won his previous two outings while giving up a combined three runs in 11 innings.

The Tigers will try to send him to another interleague defeat while avoiding their first four-game skid since June 16-20. That streak began with two losses to the Reds, including an 8-4 loss in Cincinnati on June 17 before a rainout the next day.

Detroit is also seeking to win a season high-tying three in a row on the road for the first time since June 21-23.

Buck Farmer (0-2, 8.39) can add a personal milestone - his first MLB win - in his return to the rotation. The Tigers have openings with Anibal Sanchez and Daniel Norris on the disabled list.

Farmer made his fifth career start July 31 in Baltimore and did not get a decision in an 8-7 loss, allowing four runs in 4 1-3 innings. He has an 11.14 ERA as a starter and has taken all three of his major league losses in that role.

Cabrera went 4 for 11 with a home run and six RBIs in the three games against the Reds earlier this season. Cincinnati's Todd Frazier had four homers and seven RBIs in the final two contests, and Jay Bruce went 7 for 9.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (62-61) at Royals (75-48)

Game: 1
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: August 24, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Kansas City Royals look poised to return to the AL Championship Series with the league's best record and a 12 1/2-game lead in the Central.

The Baltimore Orioles have a much more difficult path to get back into position to play for the pennant.

These teams meet for the first time since last year's playoffs when they open a four-game series Monday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City (75-48) swept Baltimore (62-61) in the 2014 ALCS, with the four games decided by six runs. Lorenzo Cain was 8 for 15 with five runs in that series and Eric Hosmer went 6 for 15, while the Royals' bullpen posted a 1.13 ERA.

Kansas City looks even more powerful this year as it returns home after a 4-2 trip that ended with Sunday's 8-6 victory over Boston. Hosmer delivered a tying two-run, two-out single in the ninth inning and Mike Moustakas followed with a go-ahead, two-run double.

'There were some great at-bats,' manager Ned Yost said. 'It was an awesome ninth inning for us. Just a succession of great at-bat after great at-bat.'

Baltimore is part of the crowded wild-card race and will try to avoid its third five-game slide. The Orioles start a seven-game trip after being swept by Minnesota in four, with the final three decided by one run.

"Nobody's going to feel sorry for you and we all know that," manager Buck Showalter said.

Baltimore is fourth in the majors with 161 homers, though Gerardo Parra was the only Oriole to go deep in the Twins series.

'We lost four, so obviously where we are right now, we want to play better and win some of these games, especially these one-run games where we feel normally we have a good shot and we pull those out,' closer Zach Britton said. 'So, (it's) frustrating.'

Kansas City is last in the AL with 97 home runs, with its offensive success predicated on the second-best batting average in the league at .269. The Royals had 26 hits in the final two games in Boston.

Catcher Salvador Perez will likely be back in the Kansas City lineup after backup Drew Butera started Sunday.

Baltimore's Ubaldo Jimenez (9-7, 3.97 ERA) went 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA in two regular-season starts against the Royals last year and did not face them in the postseason. Hosmer hits .346 against him and Cain is 6 for 14, with Moustakas and Alcides Escobar each going 4 for 28 in the matchup.

Jimenez has failed to last past the fifth inning in back-to-back starts. In his last four road outings, he has sandwiched scoreless efforts around two in which he allowed 14 runs over seven total innings.

He'll be opposed by fellow right-hander Kris Medlen (1-0, 2.51), who will make his first Royals start after seven appearances in the bullpen. Medlen is taking the place of Jeremy Guthrie, who has been demoted to the bullpen after posting a 7.17 ERA in his last four starts.

"It gives us another option (for the postseason) to see what direction we want to go," Yost told MLB's official website. "Obviously there's been with Jeremy some production (issues), but it's more about finding out about Medlen."

Medlen went 15-12 with a 3.11 ERA in 32 games - 31 starts - for Atlanta last year. He has never started against Baltimore.

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy is reportedly headed to the disabled list with a groin injury. Outfielder Steve Pearce, out since July 18 with a left oblique strain, could be activated Monday. He played nine innings in his rehab start for Double-A Bowie.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (56-68) at White Sox (58-64)

Game: 1
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 24, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Chicago White Sox hope to bring home the hot hitting they found during the second half of their West Coast trip.

The majors' lowest-scoring team at home faces one of the worst-hitting road clubs in Monday night's series opener against the Boston Red Sox.

After totaling four runs in three losses to start their trip through Anaheim and Seattle, the White Sox scored 31 in the final four games to grab three wins. Jeff Samardzija could use that type of run support as he tries to avoid a career-high fifth consecutive losing start.

The right-hander threw seven innings of one-run ball but suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Angels on Wednesday, matching his four-start skids from 2012 and '13 while with the Cubs. He's received no runs of support twice and two runs once in the current span, though Samardzija (8-9, 4.64 ERA) posted a 12.91 ERA in the first three losses.

He rediscovered his splitter Wednesday and struck out seven.

"For me, it's about calming down and working my way through situations instead of pressing and trying to do too much," Samardzija told MLB's official website.

The veteran is 1-1 with a 6.28 ERA in three games - two starts - against Boston after giving up four runs in eight innings of a 9-4 road victory July 28.

The White Sox (58-64) average 3.45 runs at U.S. Cellular Field.

They'll be facing a Red Sox team that's scoring 3.71 runs away from Fenway Park, among the lowest marks in baseball. Boston (56-68) piled up 82 runs on its 10-game homestand, though 37 came in the first two games.

The Red Sox will be trying to avoid a third straight loss after falling 8-6 to Kansas City on Sunday. Pablo Sandoval went 2 for 5 and has a six-game hitting streak, though he's batting just .296 in that span. The third baseman is 4 for 10 with two home runs against Samardzija.

Hanley Ramirez is 10 for 23 against Samardzija, but he's 1 for his last 17.

While Samardzija is on the verge of a career-worst fifth losing start in a row, Joe Kelly (6-6, 5.37) is looking to match a career best with a victory in his fifth consecutive start.

The right-hander has posted a 3.22 ERA in his past four outings and has been well-supported by his teammates, with the Red Sox giving him 33 runs.

"We've been scoring a lot of runs, so that always helps," Kelly told MLB's official website. "I've been throwing some off-speed pitches for strikes, and that's definitely helped, especially with guys on base."

Kelly was roughed up in a 10-8 loss to the White Sox on July 27, allowing five runs - four earned - in 3 1-3 innings. Melky Cabrera is 4 for 8 with three doubles against Kelly.

Samardzija and Kelly have pitched well in four appearances against each other when Samardzija was with the Cubs and Kelly was with St. Louis. Samardzija posted a 2.63 ERA and Kelly a 1.45 mark.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (78-45) at Diamondbacks (62-61)

Game: 1
Venue: Chase Field
Date: August 24, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

With one of the best records in the majors over the past four weeks, the Arizona Diamondbacks have been quietly working their way back into the NL West race.

That momentum may stall if they don't change their fortunes against MLB's best club.

The Diamondbacks seek their fifth straight win Monday night in the opener of a four-game home series versus the St. Louis Cardinals, who have won four in a row and nine of the last 10 meetings.

Arizona (62-61) seemed to be heading toward a lost season when it sat seven games under .500 and 2 1/2 in front of last-place Colorado following a 2-9 stretch in late July.

Since July 25, however, the Diamondbacks are tied for baseball's third-most wins at 18-10. They moved above .500 for the first time since April 22 and closed within five games of the slumping first-place Los Angeles Dodgers with Sunday's 4-0 win at Cincinnati.

"I thought I'd get a beer shower or something for (getting above .500)," manager Chip Hale said.

Hale's club has shined offensively during its winning streak, batting .322 with eight home runs and 6.5 runs per game. Welington Castillo hit his 16th homer and David Peralta added his 13th on Sunday.

Now A.J. Pollock is expected to return after resting in the finale of the four-game series. He's batting .481 in his last 11 after going 11 for 15 with four RBIs and four stolen bases against the Reds.

Arizona looks to end its struggles against St. Louis (78-45) in the opener of a seven-game homestand. The Cardinals swept a three-game home series in late May and have won seven of their last 10 at Chase Field.

The Diamondbacks haven't had much success against Lance Lynn, who is 2-0 with a 2.91 ERA in six starts against them. He allowed two earned runs over six innings but did not factor into the decision in a 4-3 home win May 27.

The right-hander hasn't been sharp recently, recording only two outs while giving up seven runs in a 10-5 home loss to Pittsburgh on Aug. 13. He then walked a season-high five Tuesday but yielded only two runs over 6 2-3 innings in a 2-0 loss to San Francisco.

Pollock went 2 for 2 when facing Lynn (9-8, 2.94 ERA) in May, while Peralta is 3 for 4 with a home run and Castillo 4 for 6 with a homer in the matchup. Star slugger Paul Goldschmidt could be out any day now as he and his wife are expecting their first child.

The Cardinals had their lead atop the NL Central trimmed during a 2-4 stretch before bouncing back with a 10-3 win at San Diego on Sunday - avoiding their first sweep of the season. Rookie Stephen Piscotty had season highs with two home runs and five RBIs.

"Every game is important, but everyone had a great game, hit the ball hard, and had a lot of energy," Piscotty said. "That's what we're going to keep going with the momentum."

The Cardinals hope to do just that as they face Robbie Ray for the first time. The left-hander allowed three runs over six innings Wednesday but didn't get any runs from the offense for the second consecutive outing in a 4-1 loss at Pittsburgh.

Ray (3-9, 3.38) has gone 0-5 with a 4.97 ERA in seven starts since his last victory at Texas on July 7.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Athletics (54-71) at Mariners (57-67)

Game: 1
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: August 24, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

When he was last on the mound at Safeco Field, Hisashi Iwakuma was mobbed by his teammates in what has been the pinnacle of his return from a frustrating injury.

Now the right-hander looks to continue his stellar stretch when the Seattle Mariners try to send the Oakland Athletics to their longest road skid in 10 years Monday night.

Iwakuma has been a much different pitcher since posting a 7.17 ERA over his first four starts and missing two and a half months with a strained muscle in his back and side. He's gone 5-1 with a 2.48 ERA while Seattle (57-67) has won seven of his last eight outings.

Iwakuma (5-2, 3.74 ERA) has been particularly good in August, going 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in four starts.

He threw the fourth individual no-hitter in Mariners history Aug. 12, joining Hideo Nomo as the only Japanese pitchers to do it in a 3-0 win over Baltimore.

The drama ended early Tuesday as he allowed a hit in the first inning at Texas. He went on to yield two runs and five hits while striking out six over seven in a 3-2 victory.

"I'm proud of what I've been doing the last couple starts, just helping the team win," Iwakuma told MLB's official website through his translator. "As a starter, you want to go as long as you can in each game and I think I've been able to do that with quality starts."

Iwakuma's only meeting with the A's in the past two seasons was a 6-2 home win July 12, 2014, in which he gave up two runs over 8 2-3 innings.

Billy Burns had three hits and Mark Canha was 2 for 4 with four RBIs Sunday for Oakland (54-71), which scored seven times in the seventh inning en route to an 8-2 win over visiting Tampa Bay.

'The numbers might not totally reflect how resilient this team is,' said reliever Sean Doolittle, who made his first appearance since late May due to a strained left shoulder. "They've come back an awful lot this year. To a man, they fight.'

The A's, however, have been outscored 62-27 during an eight-game road losing streak. They haven't dropped nine straight on the road since an 11-game slide in 2005.

Felix Doubront (1-1, 3.89) will try to help snap the skid in his second start since joining Oakland's rotation. He allowed no earned runs and one hit while striking out a season-high eight over six innings of Tuesday's 5-4, 10-inning win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The left-hander is 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA in four career games - two starts - against the Mariners.

After totaling 15 runs during a 1-4 stretch, Seattle went 5 for 9 with runners in scoring position Sunday and snapped a three-game skid with an 8-6 win over the visiting Chicago White Sox.

Robinson Cano hit his 14th home run and Nelson Cruz extended his on-base streak to a career-high 33 games. Cano, however, is 2 for 21 against Doubront.

The Mariners are 7-3 against the A's and swept them in three games at Safeco in May.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB roundup: Astros, Cubs earn sweeps
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

HOUSTON -- Jason Castro drilled an opposite-field, walk-off home run with one out in the 10th inning to cap the Houston Astros' 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday and complete a three-game interleague series sweep.

Castro lifted a 2-0 pitch from Chris Hatcher into the first row of seats in left field to give the Astros their first sweep over the Dodgers since May 9-11, 2008, at Dodger Stadium.

Astros closer Luke Gregerson earned the win in relief. Houston won four games on its 10-game homestand via walk-off hits.

Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw Kershaw allowed one run on seven hits and recorded 10 strikeouts over eight innings.

Cubs 9, Braves 3

CHICAGO -- Chicago hit five home runs, including two from Kris Bryant, en route to a victory over Atlanta and a four-game series sweep.

The victory put the Cubs a season-high 20 games above .500 after sweeping their fourth four-game series of the season for the first time since 1945.

Cubs right-handed starter Jason Hammel (7-5) broke a run of three straight no-decisions with his first win since July 31 as he worked 6 1/3 innings. Bryant went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and scored four times.

Rangers 4, Tigers 2

DETROIT -- Mitch Moreland's two-run double in the sixth inning brought Texas from behind for a victory over Detroit.

Left-hander Cole Hamels (7-8) worked in and out of trouble for his six innings, during which he allowed two runs on eight hits plus two walks to get the win. He walked two. Three Rangers relievers took it from there.

Right-hander Keone Kela limited the Tigers to a single in the seventh, right-hander Sam Dyson pitched the eighth and right-hander Shawn Tolleson got his 25th save for working the ninth.

Royals 8, Red Sox 6

BOSTON -- Kansas City hammered reliever Junichi Tazawa for four runs on six hits in the ninth inning to pull out a victory over Boston.

The win gave the Royals a split of the four-game series. Mike Moustakas, who stroked an RBI double in the fourth and capped a nine-pitch at-bat with a solo homer in the sixth, went 10 pitches with Tazawa (2-6) before delivering a two-out, two-run, bases-loaded double in the ninth.

The last-place Red Sox finished interim manager Torey Lovullo's first homestand with a 6-4 record.

Indians 4, Yankees 3

NEW YORK -- Francisco Lindor hit a tiebreaking home run with one out in the top of the eighth inning as Cleveland blew a two-run lead before getting a victory over New York.

The Indians beat the Yankees for the fifth time in their last six visits to New York and did so despite going 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Their inability to get big hits nearly cost them when Bryan Shaw allowed a game-tying, two-run bloop double to Carlos Beltran in the seventh.

Instead Shaw (2-2) was credited with the win when Lindor drove a full-count fastball from Dellin Betances with one out in the eighth over the right field fence. It was Lindor's seventh home run and second in as many games.

Nationals 9, Brewers 5

WASHINGTON -- Wilson Ramos and third baseman Anthony Rendon, who have both battled recent slumps, hit home runs during a four-run fifth inning and Washington beat Milwaukee to avoid losing more ground in the National League East.

The Nationals had seven extra-base hits, including five doubles, and drew seven walks off the beleaguered Brewers staff. Ramos had two hits while Rendon drove in three runs with his homer and walked and scored twice for the Nationals, who prevailed despite allowing three homers.

Danny Espinosa also drove in three runs for the Nationals and Bryce Harper had two doubles to the opposite field and scored once.

Phillies 2, Marlins 0

MIAMI -- Rookie right-hander Aaron Nola pitched eight scoreless innings as Philadelphia defeated Miami.

Nola (4-1) allowed three hits and two walks and struck out six. He did not allow a runner past second base and struck out the last batter he faced, pinch hitter Casey McGehee, who swung and missed at a 75-mph changeup.

Nola won a battle between rookie starting pitchers as Marlins left-hander Adam Conley (1-1) took the loss, allowing three hits, four walks and one run in six innings.

Diamondbacks 4, Reds 0

CINCINNATI - Chase Anderson threw 6 2/3 shutout innings while Wellington Castillo and David Peralta hit home runs as Arizona beat Cincinnati to complete a four-game sweep.

It was the second time this month that Anderson outdueled Reds rookie Raisel Iglesias, who struck out 13 and allowed just three hits in seven innings. As good as Iglesias was, Anderson was better in raising his record to 6-5 on the season. He allowed the Reds just five hits and only three runners to reach past first base.

Twins 4, Orioles 3 (12 innings)

BALTIMORE -- Minnesota took advantage of two Baltimore errors in the top of the 12th inning, the second coming when newly-inserted third baseman Jimmy Paredes booted Shane Robinson's two-out grounder, a miscue that let Eduardo Escobar score the go-ahead run.

That completed a four-game series sweep for the Twins (63-61), with three of the victories of the come-from-behind variety. Minnesota also won all seven games of the season series with the Orioles (62-61) and moved ahead of Baltimore in the tight American League wild-card race.

In the 12th, Escobar reached when Manny Machado, just moved to shortstop, couldn't come up with his one-out grounder off left-hander Brian Matusz (1-3). Escobar hustled to second and was still there when Robinson grounded to Paredes, and he couldn't make the play as the ball bounced into short left. That let Escobar score from second and gave left-hander Glen Perkins (2-4) the win.

Mets 5, Rockies 1

DENVER -- In his first major league start, Logan Verrett filled in exceptionally well for Matt Harvey as New York beat Colorado and sweep the three-game series.

Verrett, who won his first game in the majors, allowed four hits and one run in eight innings. He made a spot start in place for Harvey, whom the Mets skipped to limit his innings to about 190 this year following Tommy John surgery in 2013.

The win was the Mets' 11th straight against the Rockies and seventh this season and enabled New York to maintain its five-game lead over Washington in the National League East.

Blue Jays 12, Angels 5

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Toronto took over first place in the American League East by rallying to defeat Los Angeles Angels in front of 37,060 at Angel Stadium.

Edwin Encarnacion led the Blue Jays' 17-hit attack with four hits, including his 24th home run of the year, and drove in four runs. Encarnacion thus extended his hitting streak to 19 games, a career best and the longest active streak in the major leagues.

Jose Bautista added three hits, including a double and his 29th homer, as R.A. Dickey earned his fifth consecutive win.

A's 8, Rays 2

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Kendall Graveman pitched six shutout innings, and Mark Canha hit a three-run triple in a seven-run, seventh-inning rally, leading Oakland over Tampa Bay.

Graveman allowed just three hits while striking out three and walking one. He left the game with a 1-0 lead after throwing 84 pitches and got a no-decision.

Mariners 8, White Sox 6

SEATTLE -- Nelson Cruz continued his torrid offensive pace with a two-run double and Robinson Cano added a two-run home run to lead Seattle over Chicago.

The Mariners jumped out to a 7-1 lead but had to rely on their revamped bullpen to hold on after a five-run sixth pulled Chicago to within 7-6.

Three Seattle relievers combined to finish off the win after the Mariners' bullpen failed to do so in the first two games of the series. Veteran Tom Wilhelmsen earned his third save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

Cardinals 10, Padres 3

SAN DIEGO -- Stephen Piscotty drove in five runs with the first two-homer game of his Major League Baseball career and Michael Wacha held San Diego to one run over six innings to pick up his 15th win as St. Louis avoided its first, three-game sweep of the season.

Piscotty hit a two-run triple in the Cardinals' four-run first, added a solo homer in the seventh and hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Padres closer Craig Kimbrel.

Wacha limited the Padres to five hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Colin Rea allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks in four innings for San Diego.

Pirates 5, Giants 2

PITTSBURGH -- Francisco Liriano survived some shaky defense to win his fifth consecutive decision while Andrew McCutchen and Pedro Alvarez hit solo home runs as Pittsburgh defeated San Francisco.

Liriano gave up two unearned runs in 5 1/3 innings -- the Pirates made three errors behind him, including two by Alvarez at first base -- while allowing seven hits and three walks. The left-hander struck out five in staying unbeaten in 10 starts since a June 20 loss at Washington.

McCutchen, the All-Star center fielder, hit his 19th homer of the season in the sixth inning off left-handed reliever Jeremy Affeldt and Alvarez connected for his 20th off rookie lefty Josh Osich in the seventh to push the Pirates' lead to 5-2.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mariners boot relievers Rodney, Farquhar
By THE SPORTS XCHANGE

The Seattle Mariners removed two struggling relievers after their bullpen blew another game Saturday night.

Right-hander Fernando Rodney, who had lost his closer role, was designated for assignment, and right-hander Danny Farquhar was demoted to Triple-A Tacoma after suffering the loss in a 6-3 defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Mariners promoted right-hander Logan Kensing and left-hander Roenis Elias from Triple-A.

Rodney, 38, blew six saves this year and posted a 5.68 ERA in 54 appearances. It was quite a fall from 2014, when he had the most saves in baseball (48) and was named an All-Star.

"It just never worked for him," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "This is a funny game."

Rodney was not surprised.

"I know when you don't do your job and what you are supposed to do that something is coming," he said. "I think I've been waiting for the moment."

Farquhar, 28, allowed three runs and didn't record an out Saturday, and his ERA rose to 5.75 with the Mariners this season.

"I thought I had things figured out," said Farquhar, who was recalled from Triple-A two weeks ago. "One bad outing, I guess that's what happens."

Elias, 27, is back in Seattle for the second time this season. He is 4-6 with a 4.27 ERA in 13 starts. The Mariners likely will add him back to the rotation, allowing Vidal Nuno, who threw 6 2/3 innings in a start Saturday, to move back to the bullpen.

Kensing, 33, has played for the Miami Marlins, Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies. At Tacoma this year, he is 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in 31 1/3 innings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yankees LHP Sabathia exits with knee injury
The Sports Xchange

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia exited Sunday's game with two outs in the top of the third inning with a right knee injury.

Sabathia left his 24th start of the season after getting a strikeout of Cleveland Indians catcher Yan Gomes. After getting Gomes on a fastball clocked at 91 mph by the Yankee Stadium scoreboard, trainer Steve Donahue and manager Joe Girardi came out.

The Yankees said Sabathia had right knee pain and sent him for an MRI and examination by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad.

Sabathia, who has a 4-9 record and a 5.27 ERA, had his right knee drained twice in early July. Last year, he did not pitch after May 10 and had surgery July 23.

Before leaving, Sabathia allowed a two-run homer to first baseman Carlos Santana in the first inning among four hits.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Under trending when Astros and Yankees collide
Stephen Campbell

When the New York Yankees and Houston Astros get together, low-scoring games tend to follow.

The Under is 11-2 in the last 13 meetings between the two clubs. They'll renew acquaintances in the Bronx Monday with Scott Feldman and Nathan Eovaldi scheduled to start for the Astros and Yankees, respectively.

The total for the game is currently off the board at sportsbooks.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Indians a poor bet as road dogs behind Kluber
Stephen Campbell

When pegged as underdogs on the road, the Cleveland Indians are a paltry 1-6 in Corey Kluber's last seven starts.

Cleveland finds themselves in that ballpark once again Monday (+117) opposite Jon Lester and the Chicago Cubs.

At the time of writing, the total hadn't hit the board.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Royals' Medlen to make first start since 2013 Monday
Stephen Campbell

Kris Medlen is scheduled to make his first start since 2013 for the Kansas City Royals versus the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.

Since recovering from Tommy John Surgery, Medlen has only pitched out of the bullpen for the Royals. The 29-year-old is replacing the ineffective Jeremy Guthrie, who was originally slated to get the nod before the decision was made by manager New Yost.

As of this writing, the line and total for the game were off the board.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Harrington Raceway

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 8 - Post: 7:29 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 87 - Purse:$11000 - H & G WINNERS OVER $50,000 LIFETIME THAT ARE NON WINNERS OF $85,001 LIFETIME AE: NW 8


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 4 MY ZACH BROMAC N 8/5


# 5 PRONOLOGY Z TAM 5/2


# 2 ONE LAST ROADIE 9/1

The consensus in this event is that MY ZACH BROMAC N is the one to beat. Has really strong TrackMaster Speed Ratings and clearly has to be thought of for a bet in this event. This entrant has shown us some prior ability, just look at the 87 avg class number. Should play well here. With a really good 87 speed rating last time out, will most definitely be a factor in this race. PRONOLOGY Z TAM - Feel the need for speed, this standardbred has been turning in some excellent speed ratings averaging around 89. The handicapping group gives this contender a formidable chance to come home a winner, class ratings are tops in the race. ONE LAST ROADIE - Can't ignore this solid standardbred, especially in exotics. Pace ratings put him in the mix for this one.