THE SPORTS ADVISORS
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Francisco (46-59) at L.A. Dodgers (58-49)
Barry Zito (7-10, 5.28 ERA) looks to get his disappointing season back on track when he leads the Giants against Brett Tomko (2-8, 5.57 ERA) in the rubber match of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.
After falling 3-1 in Tuesday’s series opener, the Dodgers scored four times in the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday to erase a 4-2 deficit en route to a 6-4 win. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for Los Angeles, which is still just 4-8 in its last 12 overall and 5-9 in its last 14 at home.
Despite blowing last night’s game, San Francisco is still 5-2 in its last seven. However, the Giants are 5-16 in their last 21 games against the Dodgers, including 4-7 this year. Prior to last night, the visitor had won 15 consecutive battles in this rivalry.
It’s been a dismal first season in San Francisco for Zito, who has now given up at least six runs in five of his last eight outings. In his last two against the Brewers and Marlins, he surrendered 13 combined runs on 16 hits in just 9 1/3 innings. The Giants are just 2-7 in his last nine trips to the mound.
Zito is 4-7 with a 5.94 ERA on the road, including 1-4 with an 8.22 ERA in his last six on the highway.
Zito has faced the Dodgers just once this season, way back in the first week of the season, and he got rocked for eight runs on nine hits in six innings, losing 10-4 at home. Tonight marks his first-ever start at Dodger Stadium.
Tomko’s struggles as a starter continued on Saturday at Colorado, as he gave up five runs on seven hits and four walks in six innings, suffering a 6-2 loss. Tomko is 2-6 in 11 starts this year, with the Dodgers going 2-7 in his last nine.
Whether starting or relieving, Tomko has struggled at home, going 0-5 with a 6.88 ERA. L.A. has lost four of his five home starts.
Tomko, who once pitched for the Giants, is 4-4 with a 4.93 ERA in 15 games (11 starts) against his former team. One of those starts came in San Francisco back on July 15, and the righthander yielded three runs (one earned) in five innings, winning 5-3.
The under is 6-2 in Tomko’s last eight starts, but the over is 5-3 in Zito’s last eight outings (4-2 on the road).
The total has alternated in San Francisco’s last six games, while L.A. is on a 4-2 “under” run. However, the over is 9-2-2 in the last 13 Dodgers home games.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. DODGERS
AMERICAN LEAGUE
L.A. Angels (62-44) at Oakland (51-57)
Fresh off a three-game series in Seattle, the Angels head south to Oakland to begin a four-game weekend series against the A’s. L.A. is set to go with Joe Saunders (4-0, 3.16) in tonight’s contest, while Oakland will counter with Chad Gaudin (8-6, 3.71).
The Angels are coming off Wednesday’s tough 8-7, 12-inning loss at Seattle. Despite the defeat, they’re still on a 5-2 roll, though they’ve alternated wins and losses in their last four.
Oakland just took two of three from Detroit at home, including yesterday’s 3-2 win. However, the A’s are still just 9-18 in their last 27 games, including 6-10 at home.
The A’s lead the season series 6-3, winning the only two games played at McAfee Coliseum by the combined tally of 7-1.
Los Angeles is 16-6 in Saunders’ 22 career starts, including six consecutive wins this season. In his most recent outing on Saturday against the Tigers, the southpaw failed to register a decision after giving up three runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings, as the Angels went on to a 10-3 victory.
Saunders is 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his only two road starts this year, beating the Twins 7-2 and the Indians 4-1.
Gaudin was outstanding for the first three months of 2007, but he had an ugly July, going 1-3 with a 6.44 ERA in five starts. He’s allowed at least four runs in each of his last four outings, which has caused his ERA to rise from 2.88 to 3.71.
Gaudin has faced the Angels three times this season. He was awesome in the first two, allowing a combined three runs on nine hits in 12 2/3 innings, winning 4-3 at home and 4-1 on the road. However, in the most recent start against the Halos on July 23, Gaudin gave up five runs on six hits in just 3 2/3 innings, but Oakland rallied for a 12-6 road win.
Saunders is 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA in three career starts against Oakland. He pitched opposite Gaudin in that 4-3 Oakland win in Anaheim on April 5, surrendering three runs on nine hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.
The under is 14-7-1 when Gaudin starts, including 6-2 in his last eight efforts, but the over is 3-1-1 in Saunders’ last five trips to the mound.
The under is 13-5 in Oakland’s last 18 games, including 7-2 in its last nine at home. Also, the under is 36-15-1 in the last 52 battles between these division rivals.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER