Saturday 9/10/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hawthorne: Saturday 9/10 Analysis
By Jeremey Day

DRF

Race 9 - $20,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Best Bet: ROMA FALLS (5th)

Spot Play: CAFFEINE KID (10th)


Race 1

(6) YANKEE BOUNTY will look to make it three straight at this level. The pacer has finally found himself after struggling earlier in the year. (5) SUNSET DREAMER has trouble keeping up around the turn at the three-quarters. If the pacer can get towed into it he can swoop past late. (3) SIR MAMMO was facing tougher than this at Hoosier. The 4-year-old was very impressive last start.

Race 2

(2) LOUGAZI freshman trotter was the driver's choice and will look to make it four straight wins. (6) LOUSCIPHER might give his stablemate all he can handle off a very nice victory last week. (9) POLAR B came up just a little bit short in the elimination. The 2-year-old will offer a much better price this time out.

Race 3

(6) LOUS CREDIT REPORT is the horse to beat with anything similar to his win in the elimination. (4) DAISY LOU DUKE filly probably gained some confidence off her first career win. (8) FOX VALLEY ELANA has played bridesmaid in three straight. The 2-year-old has a decent pedigree and room to improve.

Race 4

(3) PRINCESS SAGE nice looking filly will need a trouble-free trip from the low percentage pilot. The 2-year-old will offer the best price of the contenders. (2) HOPE HOTSPUR just missed to the morning line favorite last week racing gamely; threat. (7) MY KIND OF DANCE filly will look to make six straight wins and a big payday; short price.

Race 5

(3) ROMA FALLS looks to offer good value and comes into the race very sharp. (8) SURVIVOR DI filly needs to get a good spot off the gate for her best chance to hit the ticket. (9) VENGEFUL three-year-old filly finds herself in a tough spot for the final. If the driver can work out a smooth trip she can crown herself the champion.

Race 6

(7) FEAR was very sharp in the elimination last week. The 3-year-old gelding might be peaking at the right time. (9) HAIL CAESAR when he trots he wins; big chance. (10) PRIMED N POWERFUL looks up against it from the far outside but the 3-year-old is one of the fastest trotters in the field.

Race 7

In a really competitive field, (4) ANTS INER PANTS is more than capable with her best effort and just missed last week from way back. (6) LITTLE MS CHRISSY beat the top choice last week off a perfect trip. The trotter gets sent out for a low percentage pilot and will need a good drive. (5) MACIE RAE trotting mare can upset with a good setup.

Race 8

In a very evenly matched race, (5) FOX VALLEY NEMITZ has been improving all year long and will offer value. (4) FOX VALLEY REGGIE two-year-old might be the fastest pacer in the race but gets sent out for a suspect pilot. (8) GABE HENRY comes into the race as the horse to beat, however the other 2-year-olds might have caught up to him. The pacing colt will offer a very low price and is in a tough starting spot.

Race 9

(4) UNLOCKED never broke a sweat last week in the elimination. The 5-year-old should cruise with a trouble-free trip. (9) A COOL CARD might be the only threat to the top choice with a decent setup. (1) COLE HEAT should be in a perfect spot to save some ground before shaking loose late; use underneath.

Race 10

(8) CAFFEINE KID didn't look like he belonged with the best early in the year. That doesn't appear to be the case anymore. The sophomore will offer good value and has been pacing up a storm late in the mile. (6) ROYALE ROSE has not fared well at this track on the year; vulnerable late. (5) DAN D DUNE always offers low value and has a tendency to come up short.

Race 11

(5) BUCKLEGIRL BOBETTE could try and come from off the pace again. If the 3-year-old filly gets a fast pace to close into she could score at a price. (2) WHISKERSONKITTENS has been knocking heads with the best fillies in the state most of the year and holding her own nicely. (1) LK'S NANCY LEE pacer has always had the ability and finally put it together in two straight impressive victories.

Race 12

(3) RYLIEGH'S LILLY can make amends for the slow start by winning the biggest race of her year. (5) SOUTHERN GIRL well bred pacer dominated an easier bunch last week but will need more. (10) FOX VALLEY CHARM mare is very fast when right. The pacer picks up a positive driver change and has nothing to lose from blasting early.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Mohawk: Saturday 9/10 Analysis
By Garnet Barnsdale

DRF

Race 1 - $30,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool

Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool


20-CENT PICK 5: 1,2/6/3/1,6/ALL = $8

EARLY PICK 4: 1,6/2,3,7,8/4,5/2,4,6 = $48

LATE PICK 4: 1,4,5/5,6/10/2,4 = $12

MEET STATS: 329 - 981 / $1721.40 BEST BETS: 54 - 91 / $172.30

SPOT PLAYS: 20 - 91 / $119.10

Best Bet: MARION MARAUDER (2nd)

Spot Play: FLANAGAN MEMORY (6th)


Race 1

(2) HAPPY HANNAH had an impossible trip in the Shes A Great Lady and still almost got up for a check. She looks best here. (1) EVERYONES WATCHING has improved her late speed in her past three starts. She should be a threat here. (3) BID WRITER was used up early last time. She should get a better trip here and stick around for a good share. (5) BLACK JACK PAT should be an early pace presence and hang on for a smaller share.

Race 2

(6) MARION MARAUDER doesn't meet his arch-rival Southwind Frank here so he should take this Canadian Trotting Classic elimination without much trouble. (3) WINTER HARBOR was flying at the end of the mile last week but he ran out of racetrack. His improving form should put him in the picture here. (2) WAITLIFTER K should improve on last week's mile here returning in 7 days. (1) BLENHEIM is often at the mercy of the pace with his style, but, he should contend here. The short field helps him.

Race 3

(3) SOUTHWIND FRANK is the best of this bunch and he should control this race from start to finish. (4) BEE IN CHARGE was ultra-impressive last week when taking a new life's mark; respect his current sharpness. (6) BAR HOPPING should easily qualify for the final and could threaten the choice with the right trip although the post likely hurts him here. (2) WILL TAKE CHARGE has put together a strong season and he could better this placing.

Race 4

(6) IDEAL WHEEL was on bad cover in the Metro Pace but still finished a decent third. He should be tough to beat here. (1) ODDS ON DELRAY parlayed a good trip into a Metro Consolation win, but he was really moving late and merits Pick 4 consideration off that mile. (5) LINDYTHEFOURTEENTH showed good speed in his debut win in July. If he has his issues straightened out, he could contend here. (2) VERY SPECIAL AGENT is probably unlucky to still be a maiden at this point. He has some upside; toss him on tri bets.

Race 5

(3) SHADOW PLACE moves inside off a good effort. He should get a better trip here, but he is one of a few viable options for multi-race wagers. (2) BOOMBOOM BALLYKEEL fits at this level and will look to sit a following trip in the top flight then pounce late; using. (8) WAZZUP WAZZUP is always a threat at this level and should get a spot near the front early, which is when he races most effectively. (7) ASAP HANOVER takes a big class drop here and picks up Tetrick. He is another that's in the picture here.

Race 6

(4) FLANAGAN MEMORY has raced well in all of his last five starts and he will likely be third or fourth choice here. He could upset on his favorite track with a good trip. (5) RESOLVE is always a threat from close range and he's the one to beat here. (2) SHAKE IT CERRY - although only a one-time winner this year so far - has been racing better lately and should make the final at a minimum. (6) MUSICAL RHYTHM gives pause for concern with that break in his qualifier, but, if he is right, he is a threat.

Race 7

(4) THE WAYFARING MAN remarkably went from 2nd to 6th in the final quarter while pacing a 27 flat 1/4 last week. From an inner post, he should get a better trip here; slight nod. (6) JINS SHARK passed the choice down the lane but couldn't threaten a strong leader. He is sharp and dangerous. (5) CARACCI HANOVER has done well for Moreau and he is another that should threaten from close range here. (3) ALEXAS JACKPOT has taken 25 slices in his past 49 starts and is likely to grab a minor share again here.

Race 8

(1) CLASSIC PRO made an aggressive early move in the Metro final then was lurking late for a share. From the inside here he could get the jump on his main rivals and score a minor upset. (4) BEYOND DELIGHT has gotten very, very good in the past couple of weeks and his potent closing kick will be hard to withstand if he is in striking range turning home. (5) BLOOD LINE had a rough trip from a bad post vs. the top two. He merits consideration moving to the middle of the gate here. (8) SPORTS COLUMN gets the acid test here after handling lesser locally. He could better this prediction if he trips well.

Race 9

(5) HANNELORE HANOVER is having a phenomenal season and boasts a record 1:51 mile over this track. Facing males should not pose much of a problem for her. (6) NAHAR travels here from Sweden after facing some of the best over there recently. This $1.8 million earner should pose a formidable challenge. (2) J L CRUZE is one that will likely leave for good position then hang on late for a slice. (1) IL SOGNO DREAM is winless this year but he is another that can share off a following trip.

Race 10

(10) BETTING LINE shouldn't have any issue with the 10-hole here. Expect the win streak to reach 11. (1) LYONS SNYDER was a game winner last week despite missing a month. He could give the big chalk something to think about here. (8) AMERICAN PASSPORT tired late as a big chalk in the Empire Breeders Classic and was beaten as a big chalk. He can share here but likely won't threaten the choice. (5) MAGNUM J is a good one to use in exotic bets. He's honest and should get a better trip here.

Race 11

(4) CANDLELIGHT DINNER bounced back with a better effort last week but was no match for the top two. These are easier and she should be a major factor. (2) THATS THE TICKET reversed tactics last week and it backfired. Look for her to change back to a closing style here. (5) AWASH gets Zeron and a better post here; consider. (3) BLAMEITONTHENIGHT also moves inside and should be a factor for a minor award vs. these.

Race 12

(4) STATE TREASURER couldn't make any headway first up in the Pacing Derby, but this is assignment is easier, obviously. He should be one of the major players here along with (5) EVENIN OF PLEASURE, who also exits that race and is sure to be put into play early here. (1) AMERICAN VIRGIN looked good winning last week but likely takes a smaller share here in the top class as has been his custom so far. (8) ELLIS PARK always figures in this class but post will likely make him more of a fringe player here.

Race 13

(1) VEGAS ROCKS drops and moves inside. He should be put into this race early and gets a slight nod in a competitive finale. (2) AMERICAN ROCK is another that should benefit from post relief here. (3) PRINCE CLYDE won last time he raced at this level on August 6th; using. (6) ROCK N ROLL LEGACY has been racing well at lower classes and can take a share here. (5) SHIPPEN OUT will be passing horses late and is a good one to use in the minor slots.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Meadowlands: Saturday 9/10 Analysis
By Derick Giwner

DRF

CHAMPIONSHIP MEET STATS: 130 - 343 / $720.90 (+$34.90)

BEST BETS: 18 - 28 / $47.30 (-8.70)

Best Bet: COUGAR BAIT (2nd)

Spot Play: MAAJAACKKOBE (10th)


Race 1

(7) SWEET JUSTICE drops in class and really should get the job done. (4) NOWUCIT NOWUDONT ships in with form and has shown past success over this track. (5) I’M SO FANCY exits stakes action and can certainly make some noise.

Race 2

(4) COUGAR BAIT seems to be a step or two faster than his competition tonight. If he brings anything close to his best game, he should take care of business. (5) ANDY’S IDEAL has the early speed to take charge. If he can sit the pocket behind the favorite he should be primed for a good showing. (1) BETTOR’S OUTLAW has a pretty good closing kick and could enjoy the switch to the big track.

Race 3

(2) MACHIAVELLI has proven to be capable of a big mile and came up with one of those performances last out. If he can come close to that mile again, he wins. (5) MANATTACK won on a bigger track two starts back and raced okay behind Cougar Bait on August 19. If that one wins race two easily, bump this guy’s stock up. (1) DEO DE JANIERO has been racing okay at Philly and can certainly continue to improve.

Race 4

(1) WINDSONG GORGEOUS comes off a pair of basically throw-out miles at Yonkers. His prior start at The Meadowlands was solid; slight edge. (3) ALWAYS N THE MONEY has a 1:51 2/5 win at this track in 2016 and does hail from a barn that can go on a run. (6) DREAMLANDS ART isn’t the most productive horse in the country, but he does have some early speed and picks up a driver that likes that style.

Race 5

(2) AMERAWAY looked good in both of her career races and could be any kind of filly at this point. (1) WELL WHAT’S NEW has been racing reasonably well and was a solid second behind the top choice two back. (3) V STRING & (5) JENNY’S TERROR have shown hints of ability for trainer Noel Daley.

Race 6

(1) CAVIART LUCA takes a sizable drop in class and clearly deserves top billing. (5) TWIN B SCANDAL hasn’t been able to win a race this year, but he does have 10 in-the-money finishes. (4) ONE MORE MIRACLE turned in a nice qualifier versus some top foes last Friday.

Race 7

(6) ART HISTORY got back in the win column last time at Pocono. While he seems to be racing in a class where he wasn’t winning regularly at The Meadowlands, this field came up easy for the NW11500 level. (3) ALEXIE MATTOSIE should be handled aggressively in this spot and give the top one all he can handle. (2) IDEAL ROCKY hasn’t been able to live up to his expected ability. I wouldn’t be surprised if new trainer Julie Miller got him to awaken.

Race 8

(4) MISTER TRUTH is hardly a win machine at 1 for 24 this year, but this looks like a good spot. (9) SPINARAMA finally got some class relief but drew post seven last time at Saratoga. Don’t sell him short in this spot. (1) SOUTHWIND INDY has speed and some form.

Race 9

I have to admit that none of these jump off the page for me. (2) CARMENS BEST has been racing well since moving into the Harmon barn and should be close to the front. (4) VICTORYDAZE WILWIN & (5) BUCKEYE IN CHARGE are certainly down in class but haven’t raced in five weeks.

Race 10

(6) MAAJAACKKOBE went some good miles earlier this year and his return race from a five month break wasn’t bad. In a field with no standout, I’d expect him to take charge. (5) DEERFIELD BEACH lures Sears to the Meadowlands for one drive, but it is worth noting that he owns the horse. Two-year-old should be competitive. (4) BANK SEA has the early speed to be a major factor.

Race 11

(9) DANCIN HILL looks awful on paper, but these easy spots are when this guy tends to wake up with a big mile; taking a shot. (8) STAY UP LATE was a sharp winner in qualifying action. (1) D GS JUSTLIKETHAT races second time on Lasix and stretches out to the big track; could improve.

Race 12

(6) SHOW ME UP put up an easy win in his first start off the claim and seems worth following. (5) BROOKSTONE is another coming off an open-length win; main threat. (1) STORMIN RUSTLER has a good record at this level and did draw nicely. If he is ready off the layoff, he could menace.

Race 13

(4) KIWI IDEAL N hasn’t been in an easy spot like this in quite some time. I’m expecting a big effort. (1) FLIGHT DECK N has to deal with a layoff, but would seem to be comfortable against this weak group. (6) GREAT SOUL moves into a new barn and is eligible to improve. (8) HALL OF TERROR also changes trainers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Saturday 9/10 Analysis
By Matt Rose

DRF

MEET STATS: 313 - 906 / $1,728.70

BEST BETS: 42 - 75 / $142.40

Best Bet: MACH IT SO (5th)

Spot Play: SAPPHIRE CITY (7th)


Race 1

(7) FIRST CLASS HORSE moves to the Milici barn for this owner and that angle connected last week; Bartlett will hopefully be on the move early. (4) HEEZ ORL BLACK N never got close last week but he had missed almost a month; he moves in a few spots and can be more involved. (1) I LIKE DREAMIN draws best and could be in line for a live trip.

Race 2

(1) MASTERSON moves all the way in after being stuck in the eight hole last week; he will look to go wire-to-wire and complete the Milici double. (2) CHEYENNE SEEBER got hung to dry last out but now gets post relief and there doesn't appear to be an abundance of speed outside of him. (5) BAKERSFIELD drops back to a more appropriate level and can be a late threat.

Race 3

(1) BADIOU HANOVER has been racing well in all recent without a victory to show for it; this looks like a very good spot to get the job done. (2) SNAP TO IT A hung in the late stages last out but should be sitting a live trip here. (3) LUCKY MCTRUCKY was an easy winner versus lesser here two back.

Race 4

(2) BIG N BAD jogged in his Milici debut holding off a decent horse in the process; veteran can repeat despite facing better. (1) MICHAEL'S POWER ships back off a nice win at Philly and he has loads of back class. (4) CITY HALL has been flat in his last few but he's capable on his best day.

Race 5

(2) MACH IT SO gets needed class relief and should take full advantage. (6) SOMEWHERE IN L A has an Open win on his resume from five back; can he get into the game earlier from this spot? (7) FORTY FIVE RED has good speed and a driver who likes to take a shot; consider at a big price.

Race 6

(6) MELADY'S MONET switches back to leading driver Bartlett after being winless since the Vincennes on Hambo day; top billing. (1) E R ELLIE hit the board again last week and is a threat to do so again from the best post. (5) LUMINOSITY was an upset winner last week and clearly he's capable of repeating.

Race 7

(3) SAPPHIRE CITY was shuffled and buried along the rail last week in the Open; veteran can fire out from this spot and sit a live trip. (4) GREAT VINTAGE was scratched sick last out but clearly the Takter trainee is a huge threat if right. (2) ARQUE HANOVER got very erratic at the wire last week costing him the win; give him another look in his second local return start.

Race 8

(2) P H SUPERCAM ends up with a very lucky post in this open draw and he should take charge from this spot. (3) DOCTOR BUTCH was going nowhere last week after getting away last from an outside post; prior two efforts were super. (4) BIT OF A LEGEND N has missed some time off a poor showing at Pocono; tough to know what to expect from the Levy champ tonight.

Race 9

(3) THESEYESRCRYING gets needed post relief and has been the victim of some tough trips recently; worth a serious look at that juicy 20/1 morning line. (4) DENNY CRANE N was way short last week after missing almost a month; Vallee charge should be tighter tonight. (1) BADIX HANOVER has raced well since shipping in and he lands the best post.

Race 10

(3) E Z NOAH never really got involved last week but did have some late pace; Allard trainee drops a notch in class and is proven at this level. (8) ROCK ON MOE would be my top choice and the likely favorite if drawn inside; Stratton drives tonight. (1) BJ'S GUY is up in class for the 4th consecutive week while in good form.

Race 11

(1) FASHION CREDITOR broke while on the move last week; toss that out and his prior form is fine. (3) TWEET ME is back in good shape and she returns locally off some good efforts at Pocono. (4) MONEY MAVEN responded well to Brennan in the bike and was a solid winner; he's driving again.

Race 12

(2) FOOL ME ONCE never got involved last week but his prior effort from a similar post he was very game in defeat. (6) FOILED AGAIN is back locally and while he's clearly no longer a stakes commodity he can make a nice living in the overnight wars. (3) MOONLITEONTHEBEACH gets Bartlett in the bike and should be close throughout.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Saturday

TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE

Arlington Park (3rd) Slip Kid, 3-1
(5th) W W Star, 6-1


Belmont Park (1st) Dynamo Flotilla, 4-1
(9th) Araqeel, 4-1


Belterra Park (2nd) Tappin the Magic, 8-1
(6th) Next Event, 6-1


Canterbury Park (5th) Rarin to Go, 6-1
(6th) Seynatawnee, 3-1


Charles Town (5th) Prospect Meadow, 3-1
(8th) Bettieswintergreen, 3-1


Delaware Park (5th) Celtic Moon, 7-2
(7th) Bronx Sandman, 4-1


Emerald Downs (2nd) Afleet Hope, 3-1
(3rd) Kafwain's Ghost, 7-2


Finger Lakes (1st) Social Mobility, 3-1
(6th) Pat on the Back, 8-1


Golden Gate Fields (2nd) So Good to Go, 4-1
(5th) Tiz Fitting, 3-1


Gulfstream Park (7th) Dave Hoeght, 4-1
(8th) Heaven's Door, 5-1


Kentucky Downs (3rd) Sweeping Paddy, 7-2
(5th) Little Dume, 6-1


Laurel Park (1st) Drive at Nite, 3-1
(3rd) Dixie Knight, 5-1


Los Alamitos (3rd) Big Tire, 3-1
(5th) Run Brionie Run, 5-1


Louisiana Downs (5th) My Girl Katherine, 5-1
(9th) Artistic License, 4-1


Monmouth Park (3rd) Make It Gold, 5-1
(4th) Kodiak Katie, 7-2


Mountaineer (2nd) Leeestown's Omega, 9-2
(8th) Keen Smee, 3-1


Parx Racing (2nd) Down with the King, 4-1
(10th) Warrioroftheroses, 5-1


Penn National (3rd) Whippo, 9-2
(4th) The Sundrop Kid, 7-2


Remington Park (3rd) Well's Gold, 7-2
(9th) Kims Star, 7-2


Retama Park (3rd) Darby Says See Ya, 6-1
(8th) Stevie Girl Wonder, 3-1


Thistledown (6th) Princess Malia, 3-1
(7th) Grand Fashioned, 9-2


Woodbine (2nd) Great Start, 6-1
(6th) State Jewel, 4-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

September Pitchers Report
By Marc Lawrence

Much like our waistlines after a tasty Labor Day barbeque, MLB rosters have expanded to accommodate September, the final month of the season. And as College Football and the NFL crash onto the scene, MLB pitchers take the final spotlight in hopes of leading their teams on to the playoff trail.

The question is which ones can we count on and which ones figure to be candidates for offseason Weight Watchers meetings?

Check it out.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a two-to-one or better success ratio in team starts the last three seasons during the month of September. On the flip side, we’ve also listed pitchers that struggle in September team starts, winning 33% percent or less of their efforts.

To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts, with at least one start each September over the last three years.

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

Enjoy the games.

GOOD MONTH PITCHERS:

Arrieta, Jake - 12-2 (8-1 H)

For nearly two full seasons, Arrieta has been as good as it gets in baseball as a starting pitcher. While strikeouts have been down a bit and walks are up of late, at this time it hard to find fault with a hurler who has opposing batters hitting below .200 against him and has a 2.84 ERA to start the month.

Cole, Gerrit - 14-3 (6-0 H)

The Pittsburgh ace has frankly had a mediocre injury-plagued season and on August 27th had an MRI on his elbow, which revealed no damage. If Pirates the are going to snare a third consecutive Wild Card bid, they will need the Cole of the past two years. Note: Cole’s record also represents his MLB career team start mark during the month of September.

*Grenike, Zack - 13-3 (7-1 H)

Greinke's ERA is higher than past year's but pitching in thinner air of Arizona has contributed to this. While the Diamondbacks have little too play for, expect Grienke to be tough as nails like usual.

Hamels, Cole - 12-5 (6-2 H)

Need a big game pitched in September? It’s hard to go wrong with Hamels, whose ERA of 2.91 is well below career mark of 3.26. Still owns lively fastball and changeup is knee-buckling. A true professional.

*Jimenez, Ubaldo - 12-1 (6-0 H)

Still toeing the rubber every five days or for Baltimore in spite of mid-sixes ERA. Baltimore has few options and Jimenez is not trustworthy in the bullpen either. Orioles need big month from their big man to reach the playoffs and this is his best month.

*Kershaw, Clayton - 12-3 (6-1 A)

Kershaw threw in simulated game on August 30 and later said "feeling really good" and if all goes well, the Dodgers hope Kershaw can pitch in September and beyond in some role, which only makes the Dodgers a bigger threat. Best pitcher in baseball.

Kluber, Corey - 10-3 (5-1 A)

Has been back to Cy Young form since the All-Star break with an ERA under 2.00 and Cleveland has won his last six outings. When he commands both sides of dish with fastball, for whatever reason, his curveball has more break. A true established ace for the Tribe trying to win the division.

Koehler, Tom - 10-5 (5-1 A)

Been very effective in a quiet way nationally, but has been extremely dependable for two months leading to this month for Miami, supplying six to seven solid innings per start. If he's throwing strikes inside to batters, he’s tough to hit. Note: Koehler’s record also represents his MLB career team start mark during the month of September.

Peavy, Jake - 11-3 (5-1 H)

Went on DL in late August with lower back strain. Had been working out of bullpen most of August and future status with San Francisco is as cloudy as the weather in the Bay.

*Price, David - 12-5 (7-2 H)

After a largely below season in Boston, Price has been much sharper in latter stages of August, which is what the Red Sox need. What has changed is Price became more effective in keeping the ball lower and is getting more fly ball outs as a power pitcher, which are genuinely more routine.

*Scherzer, Max - 11-4 (6-3 H)

After a somewhat slow start, Scherzer has been getting better and better and base hits allowed are well below innings pitched (128 vs. 190), yet walking few batters (45), especially compared to strikeouts (238). Back to pacing around mound like the king of the jungle.

*Shields, James - 13-4 (8-0 A)

It has been a wild ride for Shields this season, with numerous hideous outings blended in with several sharp ones. At this stage, hard to think the 34-year righty can duplicate the past seasons.

Strasburg, Stephen- 9-4 (5-1 A)

Starts the month on the DL after some very ugly starts last month. If Washington is to do anything in the postseason, Strasburg needs to regain early season form, which features moving fastball and big breaking curve.

*Zimmermann, Jordan - 11-4 (6-2 A)

If rehab assignments go well, September 10th is target date for return. Zimmermann has not been very effective for quite some time and easy to forget he had ERA of 2.45 in mid-May, compared to current 4.44.

BAD MONTH PITCHERS:

*Hellickson, Jeremy - 2-10 (1-5 H)

All things considered, Hellickson has not had a bad year in Philadelphia. However, upon closer inspection, most of his numbers are now near career norms and if that ends being the same this month, real bet against potential.

Leake, Mike - 5-10 (1-7 A)

The Cardinals right-hander has been a lot like his teams, when Leake has been good, he and St. Louis have generally won, when not they have too often lost badly. Cards are hoping not to see a repeat performance from the veteran.

Ross, Tyson - 3-11 (1-6 A)

Started on Opening Day and has not been seen since for San Diego with bum shoulder. Still trying to work way bad through rehab. Probably best to forget 2016.

*Sale, Chris - 2-12 (0-8 A)

It is almost unimaginable Sale could have a record like this in September, yet he does. Part of it is the White Sox offense is too unreliable and Sale's miscues end up being quite costly. Let's see what the final month brings for the big lefty.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB roundup: Boston's Porcello first 20-game winner
By The Sports Xchange

TORONTO -- Rick Porcello pitched seven strong innings to become the first 20-game winner in the majors, Xander Bogaerts and Hanley Ramirez homered and the Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 13-3 Friday night.
The Red Sox (79-61) extended their lead in the American League East to two games over the Blue Jays (77-63), who played sloppy defense that included two errors in losing their fourth game in a row.
Porcello (20-3) allowed six hits, one walk and two runs. He struck out seven in winning his sixth straight decision.
Dustin Pedroia had three hits and four RBIs for the Red Sox, who have won three in a row.

Tigers 4, Orioles 3
DETROIT -- Victor Martinez drilled a go-ahead solo homer in the eighth, lifting Detroit past Baltimore at Comerica Park.
Martinez led off the inning against reliever Brad Brach (8-3) with his blast to right-center as the Tigers tied the Orioles for the second wild-card spot in the American League. J.D. Martinez reached base four times and drove in two runs and Erick Aybar added an RBI double for Detroit.
Alex Wilson (3-0) picked up the win in relief and Francisco Rodriguez nailed down his 40th save. Starting pitcher Michael Fulmer gave up just two runs on three hits with five strikeouts in seven innings.

Yankees 7, Rays 5
NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira hit a grand slam with two outs in the fourth inning and New York withstood three rain delays to run their winning streak to six games with a victory over Tampa Bay.
The Yankees matched their season high with their second six-game winning streak in a game that featured delays totaling a combined 94 minutes.
New York also won six straight May 18-24 and remained two games back in the wild-card race and four behind in the AL East.

Marlins 4, Dodgers 1
MIAMI -- Jose Fernandez tied a career high with 14 strikeouts, improved to 28-2 at home and outpitched Clayton Kershaw as Miami defeated Los Angeles at Marlins Park.
This was Kershaw's first appearance since he injured his back on June 26, and he was clearly off his game, negating what could have been a great pitching matchup.
However, Fernandez (14-8) was sharp, allowing three hits, three walks and no runs in seven innings. He improved to 4-0 in his career against the Dodgers.

Reds 4, Pirates 3
PITTSBURGH -- Jose Peraza delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to lift Cincinnati to a victory over Pittsburgh at PNC Park.
An inning after allowing a one-run lead to slip away, the Reds regained it by playing small ball in the ninth. Eugenio Suarez began the inning with a single to left off closer Tony Watson (2-5) before Ramon Cabrera bunted him to second.
Tyler Holt singled to right and Suarez was held at third to set up Peraza, who provided the Reds their fourth one-run lead of the game.

Cardinals 4, Brewers 3
ST. LOUIS -- Even though Carlos Martinez was far from dominant, he was good enough to deliver a 4-3 win for St. Louis over Milwaukee, thanks to two-run homers from Matt Carpenter and Stephen Piscotty.
Martinez (14-7) allowed nine hits, walked one and hit two batters over seven innings, not recording a 1-2-3 inning until the seventh. He had only one strikeout and needed 102 pitches to get through the seventh.

Nationals 5, Phillies 4
WASHINGTON -- Trea Turner smashed a solo homer to center with two outs in the ninth off Frank Hermann as Washington beat Philadelphia.
The winning pitcher was Mark Melancon (2-1), who tossed a scoreless ninth, while Hermann (0-2) was tagged with the loss. It was the second homer of the game for Turner, who has eight homers. It was the first walk-off homer of his career.
Philadelphia's Cameron Rupp, who had two hits, tied the game at 4 with a three-run homer with one out in the eighth on an 0-2 pitch from rookie reliever Koda Glover.

Cubs 2, Astros 0
HOUSTON -- Jon Lester continued his exceptional second-half pitching while Kris Bryant supplied the offense in Chicago's victory over Houston at Minute Maid Park.
The Cubs improved to 14-4 in interleague games this season behind Lester (16-4), who allowed seven hits while posting seven strikeouts over seven innings. Lester improved to 7-0 with a 1.65 ERA over 10 starts since the All-Star break and has allowed seven runs over his last eight starts covering 53 2/3 innings.
The Astros put leadoff runners on base in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings against Lester yet came away empty. Lester ran into a spot of trouble in the seventh but rallied to record a called third strike against Astros left fielder Colby Rasmus with Yulieski Gurriel and Marwin Gonzalez in scoring position.

Mets 6, Braves 4
ATLANTA -- New York scored four times in the eighth inning for a victory over Atlanta after Curtis Granderson's two-run homer in the sixth had snapped Julio Teheran's 29 2/3-innings scoreless streak against them.
It was the sixth straight victory and 15th in 19 games for the Mets, who have taken hold of a wild-card spot in the National League.
The Mets had just two hits in in their eighth-inning rally, which also included an error by Braves rookie shortstop Dansby Swanson, three walks (one intentional) and a run-scoring hit batter.

White Sox 7, Royals 2
CHICAGO -- Melky Cabrera and Tyler Saladino each drove in a pair of runs and Carlos Rodon allowed only one earned run and struck out a season-high nine batters as Chicago beat Kansas City at U.S. Cellular Field.
Rodon (7-8) worked six innings and scattered six hits to pace the White Sox, who won their third straight game and for the fifth time in their last seven games. The Royals, who are in the hunt for the American League's second wild-card spot, lost for the sixth time in their last nine games.
Saladino broke the game open in the eighth inning with a two-run single, his third hit of the night.

Indians 5, Twins 4
MINNEAPOLIS -- Mike Napoli's mammoth home run to lead off the fifth inning capped off an early see-saw battle and proved to be the difference in Cleveland's victory over Minnesota at Target Field.
The Central Division leading Indians dropped eight of their first 12 meetings with the last-place Twins but won the last five encounters.
Cleveland maintains its six-game cushion over second-place Detroit, which beat Baltimore 4-1 on Friday. The Twins, owners of the worst record in baseball, have lost 18 of their last 21 games.


Mariners 3, Athletics 2
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma pitched 6 2/3 strong innings for his career-high-tying 15th victory, and Norichika Aoki and Mike Zunino hit solo home runs as Seattle defeated Oakland at the Oakland Coliseum.
The Mariners won their third straight game and moved to within 3 1/2 of Detroit and Baltimore for the second wild-card playoff spot in the American League.
Iwakuma (15-11) ended his career-high tying four-game losing streak and had his fourth quality start in his past five outings. He allowed two runs on seven hits, struck out five and walked one, winning for the first time since Aug. 13 at Oakland.

Rockies 4, Padres 1
SAN DIEGO -- Colorado starter Tyler Chatwood almost single-handedly beat San Diego at Petco Park.
Chatwood the pitcher held the Padres one run on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.
Chatwood the hitter went 2-for-3 with a two-run triple and scored ahead of Charlie Blackmon on the center fielder's third-inning, two-run homer off Padres starter and loser (7-9) Luis Perdomo as the Rockies defeated the Padres.

Rangers 2, Angels 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Adrian Beltre's one-out homer in the eighth inning snapped a 1-1 tie and lifted Texas to a win over Los Angeles at Angel Stadium.
The win for the Rangers, coupled with Houston's loss, increased their American League West lead to 9 1/2 games and reduced their magic number to clinch the division to 12.
Most of the game featured a pitchers' duel between Angels starter Tyler Skaggs and Rangers starter Yu Darvish. Skaggs continued his progress since returning from Tommy John surgery, throwing six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and four walks while striking out eight and making 95 pitches.

Giants 7, Diamondbacks 6 (12 innings)
PHOENIX -- Pinch hitter Kelby Tomlinson singled in the winning run with one out in the top of the 12th inning and right-hander Cody Gearrin got a save and played left field in the last of the 12th in San Francisco's victory over Arizona at Chase Field.
Brandon Belt walked off Dominic Leone (0-1) to open the 12th before Joe Panik singled. Eduardo Nunez popped out to bring up Tomlinson.
Gearrin got the first out in the last of the 12th inning before moving to left field when Javier Lopez entered to face lefty Jake Lamb.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Sox (79-61) at Blue Jays (77-63)

Game: 2
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: September 10, 2016 1:07 PM EDT

TORONTO -- The Boston Red Sox can make sure they will return home with the American League East lead with one more win at Rogers Centre this weekend.

They can also open up some daylight in the division with a win Saturday in the middle encounter of a three-game series with the second-place Toronto Blue Jays.

The Red Sox opened a two-game lead over the Blue Jays Friday with a 13-3 romp at Rogers Centre.

The Baltimore Orioles also lost Friday and are three games behind the Red Sox.

The Red Sox return to Fenway Park Monday to open a three-game series with the Orioles.

"In any series you play, the first game is pivotal," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "We were able to do it tonight. We're all sitting here with 22 games to play. Every team is the team to beat right now."

The Blue Jays offered little resistance in losing their fourth game in a row, committing two errors that did not give a real indication of how poorly they played in the field.

"Overall it was a blah, not a very well-played game," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "It was uncharacteristic and we'll just put it behind us. We haven't played good baseball over the last week."

The game Friday was the opener of a six-game homestand for the Blue Jays, who completed a 3-6 road trip to Baltimore, Tampa Bay and New York, where they were swept in three games by the Yankees.

Marco Estrada, who allowed four runs (three earned) in 2 1/3 innings in his shortest start of the season, needed all the defensive help he could get and got none.

"Nothing went our way today and obviously it started with me," Estrada said. "When your starting pitcher is out there making a bunch of pitches like that, it brings everybody down a little bit. I've got to get quick outs, this can't keep happening. We're in a tight race."

The Red Sox got another good start from Rick Porcello, who held Toronto to two runs in seven innings to become the first 20-game winner in the majors this season.

The teams appear to be going in different directions.

"We had some good fortune on our side and were able to take advantage of some miscues on their part," Farrell said. "You give a team extra outs and it's probably going to come back to haunt you a little bit."

The Blue Jays' play has been alarming to their fans and J.A. Happ (17-4, 3.44 ERA) will try to turn things around Saturday when he goes for his 18th win of the season and his first since Aug. 17.

Happ is 0-1 with a 6.43 earned-run average in three starts since his last win.

He did not factor into the decision Sunday in a 5-3 Toronto win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Happ allowed six hits and three runs in 2 2/3 innings in that outing, his shortest since May 16.

In 11 career games, including 10 starts, Happ is 4-3 with a 3.81 ERA against the Red Sox. This season the left-hander is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in one start against them.

The Red Sox will counter with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (2-6, 4.83 ERA).

In nine starts since the All-Star break, Rodriguez has an ERA of 2.73 and has allowed three or fewer earned runs in eight of those outings. In his past five starts, he is 0-2 with a 2.83 ERA. He allowed five runs, four hits and three walks against the Blue Jays on June 5.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rays (59-81) at Yankees (75-65)

Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: September 10, 2016 4:05 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- In the last month, Masahiro Tanaka has been a sure thing on the mound for the New York Yankees.

Tanaka takes a five-game winning streak to the mound Saturday afternoon when the Yankees continue their playoff pursuit in the third contest of a four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.

Tanaka is 12-4 with a 3.11 ERA. He is fourth in the American League in ERA, sixth with a 1.08 WHP, third in walks per nine innings (1.56) and fourth in strikeouts to walk ratio (4.84).

The right-hander also has allowed two runs or fewer in 19-of-28 starts this season, tied for the most in the American League. He is seventh in innings at 179 1/3 and during his last 39, Tanaka is 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA.

Tanaka's last loss was at the New York Mets on Aug. 2, when the Yankees were 53-53, 7 1/2 games out of first place and 5 1/2 back in the wild-card race.

The next day, Gary Sanchez was promoted, Alex Rodriguez played his last game the following week and since Tanaka's last loss, the Yankees (75-65) are 22-12 while one game out of the second wild-card spot and four out of first.

"We're trying to get in," Yankees closer Dellin Betances said. "That's our goal."

Tanaka allowed two runs and seven innings in 6 1/3 innings of a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. Although this year is similar to his rookie season of 2014, Tanaka said he feels more in control even if his high standards are not quite good enough.

"I'm not overly satisfied with the overall way of pitching, how I'm pitching this year," Tanaka said. "... But this year I feel like I'm more in control of myself compared to the first year. In that sense, I feel sort of a sense of maybe satisfaction compared to the first year."

Tanaka will be pitching after Sanchez hit his 12th home run and Mark Teixeira belted a grand slam in Friday's 7-4 victory that was slowed by three rain delays totaling 94 minutes.

The Rays have dropped five of six since getting the first two from Toronto last weekend and clinched a non-winning season at 59-81. They increased their home run total to 190 after Logan Morrison and Steven Souza Jr. hit back-to-back homers off Michael Pineda.

"We're playing at Yankee Stadium, we're playing Toronto, we're playing in Baltimore, we're going to Texas, those games are going to be packed with atmosphere, packed with people," Rays manager Kevin Cash said of the rest of the season.

Tampa Bay received a laborous 2 2/3-inning outing from Blake Snell on Friday and hopes Chris Archer can continue pitching decently and give them some distance.

Archer is 8-17 with a 4.06 ERA. His next loss will tie the team record set by Tanyon Sturtze, who was 4-18 in 2002.

Archer has taken losses despite leading the league with 211 strikeouts.

"You take away the win-loss record, which is obviously not ideal, you look at the other numbers and they're pretty good," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Archer is 4-5 with a 3.03 ERA in his 10 starts since the All-Star break and his ERA is the lowest since it was 3.60 following his first start of the season. Archer last pitched Sunday against Toronto and allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts.

Archer is 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA in 12 career starts against the Yankees. He is 0-4 with a 3.15 ERA in his last six starts against the Yankees and last faced them Aug. 12 in New York, when he allowed Alex Rodriguez's RBI double in his final game and gave up five runs and seven hits in six innings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Reds (58-82) at Pirates (69-70)

Game: 3
Venue: PNC Park
Date: September 10, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates will attempt to bounce back from a tough loss to the Cincinnati Reds when they meet again Saturday at PNC Park.

The Reds (58-82) ended their five-game losing streak by defeating the Pirates 4-3 on Friday. Pittsburgh (69-70) remains in National League Wild Card contention, but cannot afford to allow many more games to slip away in the fashion they did Friday.

The Pirates wasted two lead-off doubles by Gregory Polanco early in their loss, left the bases loaded in the ninth inning and allowed Reds starter Tim Adleman to go 2-for-2 with an RBI.

Brandon Phillips sent his 10th home run of the season into the left field bleachers while Pittsburgh struggled to get anything going offensively.

Following Pittsburgh's loss Friday, manager Clint Hurdle expressed frustration with its lack of offensive execution.

"We hit into four doubles plays and that was problematic, which is an understatement," Hurdle said. "We had a chance to move runners, score runners from third with less than two outs and we didn't get down. We're having problems scoring runs. It's not a secret. I don't think the execution level matches the talent level right now. We need to be better."

Although they had won two straight games entering Friday, the Pirates have lost nine of their last 11 games.

Drew Hutchison will try to help Pittsburgh avoid another slide when he makes his first start for the Pirates on Saturday.

Hutchison, who went 1-0 with a 4.97 ERA with the Toronto Blue Jays this season, is set to fill in for Chad Kuhl, who lasted just two innings and surrendered three runs on four hits when he last appeared against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

Pittsburgh recalled Hutchison and Tyler Glasnow from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday. In 24 starts with Indianapolis, Hutchison has gone 7-6 with a 3.59 ERA.

While Hutchison will look to keep Pittsburgh in the Wild Card hunt, Robert Stephenson (2-1, 3.12) will try to provide a significant roadblock on the Pirates' path to the playoffs.

Despite allowing just two runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched, Stephenson suffered his first major league loss in his third start Monday, falling 5-0 to the New York Mets.

Stephenson won each of his previous two starts earlier this season by surrendering a combined four runs in 12 innings pitched against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 7 and Colorado Rockies on April 19.

After his second start, Stephenson was optioned back to Triple-A Louisville.

Stephenson will take the mound with a confident group coming off a hard-fought win Friday.

"It just shows you that we don't give up," Phillips said. "We try to win every game. We're in a lot of games, but we just don't finish. But today, we go to finish and it really shows that we have a heart.

"We're not giving up. Even though we know we're not going to do anything this year, it's still just in our heads that you just want to finish strong and go out there, play the game and try to get as many wins as possible."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cubs (90-50) at Astros (74-67)

Game: 2
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: September 10, 2016 1:05 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- Cubs left-hander Jon Lester delivered the type of performance Friday night that rendered Chicago's bullpen secondary in the story of a 2-0 victory, but it was impossible to ignore the combined contributions of Hector Rondon and Aroldis Chapman.

Rondon and Chapman blitzed the Astros (74-67) with a steady diet of blistering fastballs in the eighth and ninth innings, combining for three strikeouts while not allowing a baserunner in preserving the victory for Lester. The Cubs (90-50) have thrived on exceptional starting pitching all season, but the addition of Chapman to their reconfigured bullpen presents an additional level of hype for the postseason.

Chicago continues its three-game series Saturday in Houston.

Of the 14 pitches Rondon threw in the eighth inning Friday, nine were fastballs. His average velocity on those four-seam heaters was 97.2 miles per hour, a positive sign in his second appearance since returning from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday.

Chapman entered in the ninth and needed only six pitches to tear through the heart of the Astros' order. His average velocity on those six pitches was 101.4 miles per hour.

"They both had plenty of rest and came out throwing," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It was good to see.

"Hector, that's his second time back so I didn't know exactly what to expect right there honestly. I did not expect that pinpoint control with that velocity. It was over the top, plus an outstanding slider too."

Right-hander John Lackey (9-7, 3.36 ERA) makes his 26th start for the Cubs on Saturday. In his previous outing, he allowed two runs on one hit over five innings in a 3-2 victory over San Francisco. It was his first start since Aug. 14 after being placed on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain. Lackey is 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA over his last five starts.

In four career starts against the Astros, Lackey is 2-1 with a 4.37 ERA. He last faced Houston in 2014 and has a 3.00 ERA in two career starts at Minute Maid Park.

Right-hander Collin McHugh (9-10, 4.96 ERA) makes his first career start and his second appearance against the Cubs on Saturday. The Astros have won each of his last four starts and are 17-11 in games McHugh has started this season.

The Astros learned Friday that left-hander Dallas Keuchel will not pitch in the series. Keuchel, sidelined by left shoulder inflammation, will miss a third turn in the rotation this weekend and is scheduled to begin a throwing programon Monday at the earliest.

Upon returning to Houston earlier this week, Keuchel discovered that there is no structural damage in his shoulder. He remains hopeful of returning to a rotation already missing right-hander Lance McCullers (right elbow discomfort).

"There's really no timetable set for a return but I firmly believe we're going to be still in the playoff hunt so hopefully I can help the guys out here in a week or so," Keuchel said.

"It was really difficult to sit out the first initial days. I don't like to miss any time whether I'm feeling good or not. But I knew it was something I couldn't push through and it was more detrimental to the team than to let somebody else step in and fill my shoes."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Phillies (63-78) at Nationals (83-58)

Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: September 10, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals are certainly thankful they have Max Scherzer, who will start on Saturday night against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Starter Stephen Strasburg was pulled after 42 pitches on Wednesday and has a flexor mass strain.

Another right-handed starter, Joe Ross, who made his big league debut in June, 2015, has been on the disabled list since July.

If the Nationals make the playoffs Scherzer will certainly pitch the first game and the Nationals will most likely need to ride him a long way in October, especially if Strasburg does not return.

"You don't have to be big. You have to be flexible," Washington manager Dusty Baker said of Scherzer. "Some guys are just blessed with that."

Baker pointed to Nolan Ryan, who pitched into his 40s and had a good work ethic -- just like Scherzer.

"Nolan Ryan worked his butt off," Ryan said.

The same can be said of Scherzer, who was signed by the Nationals prior to the 2015 season.

"His legs are good and his mind is strong," said Baker, in his first year with the Nationals.

Baker has asked Scherzer to let rookie pitcher Lucas Giolito follow him around and pick his brain before games.

Some of the Phillies have had little success against Scherzer, who threw two no-hitters last season.

Ryan Howard is hitting .100 in 20 at-bats against Scherzer although Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said it is unlikely Howard starts Saturday.

Maikel Franco (wrist), who did not start for the third day in a row Friday, is hitting .067 in 15 trips to the plate against Scherzer while Freddy Galvis is hitting .182 in 25 at-bats.

Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said after Friday's game that he hopes Franco can play Saturday.

Cesar Hernandez is hitting .238 in 21 at-bats against Scherzer, a native of St. Louis who won a Cy Young Award with the Detroit Tigers.

The Phillies starter on Saturday will be Jerad Eickoff, who was one of three pitchers the Texas Rangers traded to Philadelphia in July, 2015 for veteran lefty Cole Hamels.

Eickoff is 10-13, 3.86 this year in 28 starts and has 138 strikeouts while giving up 166 hits in 167 2/3 innings. He has won five of his last six starts.

He is 0-1, 4.50 against the Nationals this year and 1-1, 3.46 in two starts in his career against Washington.

Eickoff has held Daniel Murphy in check with one hit in nine at-bats. Bryce Harper has just one hit in six trips against him.

He won his 10th game on Monday as he beat the Miami Marlins 6-2.

"Anytime you get double-digit wins, it's a huge testament to what we as pitchers try to do," Eickhoff told reporters after that game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mariners (73-68) at Athletics (60-80)

Game: 2
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Date: September 10, 2016 4:05 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez lost his pitching groove in his past two starts, but history tells us he'll be at the right place to get it back Saturday afternoon when he faces the Oakland A's at the Oakland Coliseum.

Hernandez is 11-3 with a 2.92 ERA in 22 career starts at the Coliseum. Overall against the A's, he's 22-8 with a 2.67 ERA in 42 career starts.

Hernandez is 10-5 with a 3.75 ERA this season, but in his past two starts, both against the Texas Rangers, he went 1-1 with an 11.17 ERA, allowing 12 runs on 10 hits and walking eight in 9 2/3 innings. Hernandez gave up six runs and walked four over 5 2/3 innings Monday in a 14-6 victory against the Rangers.

"He had some (command) issues," Mariners manager Scott Servais said Friday before Seattle's 3-2 victory against Oakland in the series opener. "Kind of got away from him in one inning. He threw 48 or 49 pitches. Very un-Felix like. He did hang in there and get through it. It's been a really weird year for him I think, even from the start of the season before the injury.

"The command, the walks have been up, bottom line. It's not typical of him, but he's found a way to keep us in games. You look up, he's got 10 wins now. He's done what we needed him to do. It just hasn't been the over-the-top domination performances that we're used to seeing."

Hernandez went on the disabled list on June 1, retroactive to May 28, with a strained right calf and missed 43 games. Since coming off the DL on July 20, he's gone 6-1 with a 4.62 ERA in starts over 64 1/3 innings. He allowed 56 hits, including 10 home runs, struck out 54 and walked 30 during that span.

"I think the consistency of his curveball has maybe not been as good," Servais said. "That's always been there for him. Some outings it's better than others. That's the one pitch that probably hasn't been as consistent. The changeup's still there. It's a matter if they can lay off it or not."

The Mariners pulled to within 3 1/2 games of Baltimore and Detroit for the second wild-card playoff spot in the American League.

Gaining more ground Saturday could be a challenge when they face right-hander Kendall Graveman (10-9), the A's hottest pitcher. Over his past six starts, Graveman went 4-2 with a 1.93 ERA. He struck out 21 and walked six over 42 innings during that stretch.

Graveman's worst start during that span came against the Mariners on Aug. 13 in a 4-3 loss at the Coliseum. He allowed four runs on four hits, including first-pitch home runs to Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz, over six innings.

"I thought I threw the ball well, all except a couple of pitches there," Graveman said.

Graveman will make his team- and career-high 28th start of the season. He's the only member of the A's original rotation who hasn't missed a start and hasn't spent time on the disabled list.

"Based on the fact we've had so many guys go down, and to have the stability of a guy making every start and giving the team the confidence they have when he takes the mound is paramount," A's manager Bob Melvin said.

"But for him to know he can go through a season like this and get stronger as the season went along, knock wood, he's done his best work here the last month, and is going deeper in games, too. That's something that's difficult to do over the course of the season and it speaks to his conditioning, how he takes care of himself. Because a lot of times this time of year guys are going the other direction, and he seems to be getting better and better."

After going 1-6 with a 5.36 ERA in his first nine starts, Graveman has gone 9-3 with a 3.18 ERA over his past 18.

Graveman is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three starts against the Mariners this season and 1-2 with a 3.71 ERA for his career. Graveman's lone win against Seattle came last season on July 4 at the Coliseum in his lone career start against Hernandez.

Graveman pitched seven shutout innings in a 2-0 victory, while Hernandez allowed two runs over seven innings and took the tough loss.

"It's going to be a good matchup," Graveman said. "They've been playing some good baseball over there. I'm excited."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dodgers (79-61) at Marlins (70-71)

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

MIAMI -- Left-hander Rich Hill made his major league debut against the Marlins, but so much has changed since then.

Hill made his debut on June 2015 against a team that was then known as the Florida Marlins.

On Saturday, Hill faces the Miami Marlins, and he will do so in the middle of a career year. The 36-year-old was acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a five-player deal that the Oakland A's completed on Aug. 1.

Hill was immediately placed on the disabled list due to a blister issue. But once he got over that, he pitched six scoreless innings in a 1-0 win over the San Francisco Giants.

"The big thing is staying in the moment," Hill told the media after that start. "I just had to focus on each pitch coming out of my hand."

Last Saturday, Hill made his second Dodgers start, and he did not disappoint, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. In the end, Hill struck out eight, allowed just one hit and tossed six scoreless innings.

He enters Saturday's game against the Marlins with career numbers for 2016 -- an 11-3 record with a 1.94 ERA.

Not bad for a guy who has bounced around to eight different major league organizations, and that does not count two different stints with the Boston Red Sox.

Hill's career appeared to be over last year, when he was released by the Washington Nationals on June 24. Hill found no takers and signed with an independent minor league team -- the Long Island Ducks -- in order to try to keep his career alive.

A couple of weeks later, the Red Sox signed him, and then the A's gave him a chance for the 2016 season.

Hill, who did not start a single game for five years -- 2010 to 2014 -- is one win away from a career high in victories. His ERA is miles ahead of what he normally does given his career mark of 4.15.

Now comes the Marlins, a team he has only faced twice -- during that rookie relief appearance in 2005 when he allowed two runs in one inning or during an ill-fated start in 2009.

Hill is in a much better grove now, and he will look to get the best of Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler, who started this year as Miami's fourth starter but has pitched better than that.

In fact, after Jose Fernandez, Koehler has been Miami's second-best starting pitcher. In his past 15 starts, Koehler is 4-4 with a 3.54 ERA.

"We want 'TK' to keep it going," Fernandez said after he beat the Dodgers 4-1 on Friday night. "We need every win we can get."

Indeed, the Marlins (70-71) have a modest two-game win streak after a slump that saw them lose 10 of 12 games.

Due to that slump, they're on the fringes of contention for an NL wild-card playoff berth that is shaping up as a battle between the New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. As it stands now, two of those three teams will make the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers (79-61), who had their five-game win streak snapped on Friday, still lead the Giants comfortably in the NL West.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he thinks the fact that three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw came off the disabled list on Friday to face the Marlins -- even in a losing effort -- will pay dividends for his team down the stretch.

"It's a huge boost to our team," Roberts said. "We've got to take the long view and understand that this was a win for him and for us."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mets (75-66) at Braves (54-87)

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

ATLANTA -- Bartolo Colon was expected to just be a place holder in the New York Mets rotation until Zack Wheeler returned from Tommy John surgery in the second half of the season.

Wheeler, though, had a setback and the Mets have been hit by plenty of other bad pitching news, with Matt Harvey out for the year and most of the other projected starters ailing.

Colon, who turned 43 in May, has gone from a veteran luxury to an ultra-necessary contributor as the Mets, winners of six straight games, try to make it make to the postseason.

In fact, it wouldn't be a stretch to call the stocky right-hander a savior for the Mets' season as they battle for a National League Wild Card spot.

Colon takes a 13-7 record and a 3.22 ERA into Saturday night's start against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field and he has been even better than that has the season has worn down.

The native of the Dominican Republic is 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA in his past seven starts, including six scoreless innings in a victory at Cincinnati on Monday.

"He's been the mainstay," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He's the guy that every fifth day takes the baseball. We don't have to worry about pitch counts, we don't have to worry about innings. He just goes out there and does it.

"He's had two starts where our bullpen was tired and we needed him to get deep in the game, and you looked up and he was in the eighth inning. He's been a tremendous addition to the staff."

Colon tossed eight scoreless innings in a victory over the Braves in New York on May 2 and is 9-3 with a 2.35 ERA in 13 career starts against Atlanta.

Despite what seemed like a deep rotation, the Mets brought Colon back as a free agent on a one-year deal after he went 14-13 last year following a 15-13 season in 2014.

Colon has been even better this season and his 231 career victories rank third among Latin American-born pitchers.

One Braves hitter who has flourished against Colon, though, is Freddie Freeman. The first baseman has a .481 average and one of his 17 homers against the Mets have come against Colon.

Of course, Freeman is hitting well against everyone right now, as shown by his 15-game hitting streak and 31 consecutive games reaching base safely.

"I'm not doing anything different than when I was slumping. I'm just actually hitting the ball," Freeman said. "Early on in the season I was striking out a lot."

Rookie John Gant, who will face off against Colon, returned after missing nearly eight weeks with an oblique strain and worked five innings at Philadelphia in a no-decision, giving up four runs (three earned) and striking out six last Saturday.

Gant is 1-3 with a 4.70 ERA in 14 games, including five starts. His only major league victory came against the Mets in New York on June 17, when he allowed just two hits and a run over 6 2/3 innings while striking out five and walking two.

Gant, 24, was taken by the Mets in the 21st round of the 2011 draft. He was dealt to the Braves in July last year as part of the trade that brought veteran infielders Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe to New York.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Royals (72-68) at White Sox (68-72)

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

CHICAGO -- James Shields has never been driven by statistical superlatives. So after what's been a rocky season, his mission for the stretch run is simple.

"My main focus is to finish strong," Shields said Friday.

Shields (5-17) is 3-10 since joining the Chicago White Sox and is 0-5 in his last seven outings heading into Saturday's start against the Kansas City Royals. Shields is coming off a tumultuous start Sept. 3 when he allowed five runs in just 2 1/3 innings against Minnesota.

And after back pain caused manager Robin Ventura to consider putting Shields on the shelf before declaring him healthy enough to make Saturday's start, Shields is again ready to take his turn.

Shields won't put any extra emphasis on the start or try to salvage a season with one start. But Shields acknowledged that he handles adversity differently than he did in the past, which allows him to keep his focus on what's ahead.

"I think when I was younger I was a little more of a hothead and didn't understand how to deal with adversity," Shields said. "I think I've just dealt with so much adversity in my career, being in the game for as long as I have, I know things are going to be thrown my way. I know what I need to do to deal with it."

How the Royals deal with Shields remains a question mark simply because of this season's unpredictability. Shields was 14-8 with the Royals in 2014 when he helped Kansas City reach the World Series. That familiarity may have come in handy in the past, but manager Ned Yost admitted Shields' roller coaster season throws a wrench into how the Royals prepare to face him.

Edinson Volquez (10-10) will start for the Royals.

"It's hard, but that's baseball -- you just don't know," Yost said Friday. "You can come out one game and give up 10 runs in two innings and then come out the next game and throw eight innings of shutout baseball. It's hard to tell. We know what type of pitcher James Shields is and what type of competitor he is and that he's going to give you everything he has every time he takes that mound."

Shields can't explain why he has again struggled the way he did when he first arrived in Chicago. But he hasn't allowed himself to get wrapped up in the criticism that has come his way, but is more concerned with how he pitches from here on out the rest of the season.

"I'm not getting the job done and I'm not doing my job out on the mound," Shields said. "As a player, it's frustrating -- there's no doubt about it. But I know what I'm capable of doing. I know what I've done in my career. But the fans here in Chicago only have one taste of me and that's what I've done this year. Hopefully, I finish strong here and next year will be a different story."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Brewers (63-78) at Cardinals (74-66)

Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: September 10, 2016 7:15 PM EDT

Adam Wainwright tries to do something he hasn't done in nearly two months Saturday -- win a game at Busch Stadium when the St. Louis Cardinals host the Milwaukee Brewers.

Wainwright (10-8, 4.61 ERA) ended a career-high streak of eight consecutive starts without a win in his last turn Monday in Pittsburgh, but the Cardinals' veteran has not won at home since July 16.

That game was Wainwright's best start of the season, a three-hit shutout of the Marlins, but the veteran is 0-2 in three starts at home since, struggling to win there just as badly as the rest of the Cardinals.

Chase Anderson (8-11, 4.73 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Brewers.

Even though St. Louis defeated Milwaukee 4-3 on Friday night, it is only 31-38 at Busch Stadium and almost certainly headed for its first losing season at home since 1999.

The victory came after Carlos Martinez overcame a sloppy start to last through the seventh inning, raising his record to 14-7.

"He was a little jumpy at the beginning," manager Mike Matheny said. "We had to have him."

The Cardinals need Wainwright too.

They go into Saturday's game a half-game out of the second wild-card spot behind the Mets, who rallied from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Braves 6-4 on Friday night.

"We know the importance of each game," said outfielder Stephen Piscotty, who hit one of the Cardinals' two two-run homers Friday night. "There's no ground to give up now. We've had the mindset of one game at a time all year, and I think that's going to pay off."

Wainwright can increase his chances for success by continuing to come through at the plate. He had three RBIs for the third time this season in his victory over the Pirates, when he won despite pitching only five innings.

Wainwright has 14 RBIs this season on 10 hits -- nine of which have gone for extra-bases. His RBI total is the highest by a Cardinals' pitcher since Rick Wise also had 14 in 1973.

Anderson has pitched better than Wainwright lately, going 4-1 with a 2.65 ERA in his last eight starts, but has not fared well against the Cardinals. He will be making his fourth start against St. Louis, having gone 0-2 with a 3.10 ERA in the three starts this season.

Despite Friday's loss, manager Craig Counsell has been encouraged by his team's play of late. The setback was only their second in the last nine games and they scored double-digit runs in three of their last six contests.

"These are good teams we are scoring these runs against," Counsell said of the Cubs, Pirates and Cardinals. "These are teams that are fighting for playoff spots. We've played well."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Orioles (76-64) at Tigers (76-64)

Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: September 10, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

DETROIT -- Jordan Zimmermann doesn't have much time left to recapture his early season magic. If he can, the Detroit Tigers' rotation should be strong enough to finish off their playoff push.

Zimmermann, signed away from the Washington Nationals as a free agent, went 5-0 with an 0.55 ERA in April and was named the American League's Pitcher of the Month. A minor groin injury forced him to miss a late May start and he was generally ineffective in June before he was sidelined with a neck strain.

He returned for one August start, suffered a setback in that 1 2/3-inning outing, and went back on the 15-day disabled list. Following another lengthy rehab stint, Zimmermann returns. He'll start the second contest of a pivotal three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.

The Tigers tied the Orioles for the second wild-card spot with a 4-3 victory Friday.

"It's probably the worst feeling, knowing you've wasted two or three months and weren't able to pitch and help this team," the veteran right-hander said Friday. "This first couple of months were really good and probably better than I expected. The last two or three have been horrible, so hopefully I can turn it around for the last half a month and finish strong."

Zimmermann (9-5), who expects to throw approximately 90 pitches if the start goes well, is getting thrust right into the heat of the pennant chase.

"I feel like I've been around long enough that I can be thrown into a situation like this and be able to handle it," he said. "Some other guys, they might not trust. I feel like I've done enough in my career that they should be able to trust me and put me into this spot."

Zimmermann's fastball reached only the low 90s in last rehab start, which didn't surprise him.

"I'm not sure if my velocity will be back this year," said Zimmermann, who is 2-3 with a 4.54 ERA in six career starts against Baltimore. "I've had so many ups and downs, and it's down just a tick right now. Hopefully, the more I get out there, the more it's going to come back. But I feel strong, I feel like I can locate pretty good, so we'll see."

Zimmermann will be opposed by Ubaldo Jiminez (6-11), who is coming off his best outing of the season. He tossed his first complete game since 2011 against Tampa Bay, holding the Rays to three runs on two hits in the 7-3 victory.

"It was fun to watch," said Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman, who is expected to come off the DL and start Sunday's finale. "He was pretty dialed in from the get go. He was able to command all his pitches. His stuff is good enough, he just has trouble commanding it sometimes. But from the get go, he established his fastball on both sides and everything played off of that."

Jiminez is 5-11 with a 5.68 ERA in 20 starts against Detroit.

The Orioles are in the thick of the race despite having the 11th-best ERA in the American League while issuing the most walks in the league.

"We kind of enjoy having people scratch their head about us," manager Buck Showalter said. "We get it. In the clubhouse, everybody gets it. A lot of people that are just crunching the numbers don't get it. And I'm OK with that."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Giants (75-65) at Diamondbacks (58-82)

Game: 2
Venue: Chase Field
Date: September 10, 2016 8:10 PM EDT

PHOENIX -- Well, that was different.

San Francisco failed to hold two late-inning leads against Arizona on Friday night, so when the Giants got a third lead, manager Bruce Bochy turned to a Joe Maddon-esque strategy to secure the 7-6, 12-inning victory against the Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series at Chase Field.

It could be the sort of pick-me-up the Giants need to get back in the NL West race.

The Giants certainly had some fun with it.

As it was, San Francisco gained a game on the Dodgers and closed to within four games in the division race while maintaining the slimmest of margins in the wild-card standings with 24 games left when reliever Cody Gearrin got the final three outs, one before he played left field and two afterward.

Gearrin entered to strike out Chris Owings leading off the last of the 12th inning, and that's when the wheels began to turn.

Bochy previously had talked about moving a pitcher in the outfield when left-handed specialist Javier Lopez entered a game, and the occasion arose Friday when lefty-hitting Jake Lamb followed Owings. Gearrin moved to left field to replace Angel Pagan.

"What are you doing out here?" Gearrin was asked by teammates when he arrived.

After Lopez walked Lamb, Gearrin returned to the mound for the final two outs, after a stolen base by Lamb and an intentional walk.

"It felt weird running out to left field from the mound and running back in, but definitely something I'll never forget," Gearrin said.

"It was really exciting."

So the Giants will have two chances to win their 13th series in the last 14 at Chase Field when they send right-hander Johnny Cueto to face right-hander Archie Bradley on Saturday. Matt Moore and Zack Greinke are the scheduled starters Sunday. The Giants have won seven of eight games played in Arizona this year.

Santiago Casilla blew another save Friday when he allowed an 10th-inning homer to Jake Lamb, but the Giants recovered in a game that lasted five hours, 23 minutes.

"Guys are not quitting on each other, and that's the most important thing," Lopez said. "The takeaway is that we battled back. Finally got those last three outs that we needed."

Cubs manager Maddon played three pitchers in the outfield in a game this season, but Friday was a first for the Giants.

"Cory moves around pretty good, so I was comfortable taking a little risk there," Bochy said. "He's a gamer. He was all for it."

Lopez said it is the kind of situation pitchers think about.

"I think every pitcher wants that opportunity, but I would guarantee you that I would be nervous just like everybody else when you are having to go out there and make a play."

Although the Giants won, the game accentuated the trouble they have had holding leads. Casilla has blown eight saves this season, the most in the National League, and the Giants have 27 blown saves after also failing to hold a 5-4 lead in ether seventh inning Friday.

Bochy said the Giants spent the off day Thursday mulling their bullpen options, and he indicated before the game that while Casilla would continue to be used in high-leverage situations, those could come in the eighth inning.

"We're going to put who we think is the right guy for that inning who is coming up," Bochy said of bullpen roles.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Indians (82-58) at Twins (52-89)

Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: September 10, 2016 7:10 PM EDT

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Cleveland Indians seek to extend their winning streak over the Minnesota Twins to six games when the teams meet at Target Field in the second contest of a three-game set.

The American League Central Division-leading Indians (82-58) dropped eight of their first 12 meetings with the last-place Twins (52-89) before their recent tear.

The teams traded leads through five innings in Friday's series opener before the bullpens combined to toss nine shutout innings and Cleveland's left the park with a 5-4 victory.

Cleveland's Mike Napoli went 89 at bats between home runs 29 and 30 but has three in his last five games, including Friday night's 456-foot monster shot to Target Field's upper deck in left.

"I was going through a period where I was just trying to grind my way through at bats," Napoli said. "But I've been feeling better and better, at-bat-by-at-bat, so I feel like I'm going in the right direction."

The timing could not be better for the Indians as they fight to maintain a six-game lead over Detroit in the division standings and Napoli knows it.

"That's what you want coming down the stretch," Napoli said. "I'm in that position to where I can, anytime, change a game so I'm not going up there just trying to hit singles."

For the Twins, it's Byron Buxton who is heating up. The speedy center fielder hit another home run Friday and is batting .433 with four doubles, five home runs, 12 RBIs and 12 runs scored in eight games since he was recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Sept. 1.

"I just think that he's trying to continue to find ways to be a better hitter," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "But he's getting more results and he's getting an opportunity so we'll just keep running him out there."

Mike Clevinger will be on the hill for the Indians on Saturday as Cleveland tries for the second time to use a series of relievers to assume the No. 5 starter spot Josh Tomlin was unable to secure. The Indians hope to get more than the 43 pitches they received from Clevinger on Monday.