Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
By Covers
Streaking
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox
Lester had been 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his previous three starts, striking out 34 in 22 innings while limiting opponents to a .099 average, but he wasn't as sharp Thursday against Florida. The left-hander gave up two runs and eight hits over five innings - throwing 110 pitches - in a rain-shortened 2-1 loss that was called in the sixth.
"I think it was a difficult night," Francona said. "Things were rushed. He was even a few minutes late getting ready, just because it was difficult for him. I didn't think he commanded very well. ... (But) he still found a way to give us a chance to win. I think that says a lot."
Lester's lone start against the Nationals (20-48) came June 21, 2006, when he gave up a run and three hits over six innings - striking out 10 - in a 9-3 win.
Gavin Floyd, Chicago White Sox
Chicago gives the ball to Gavin Floyd (4-5, 4.65 ERA), who is 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA in his last six starts. The right-hander was denied victories in his last two outings as the bullpen failed to hold the lead.
Bobby Jenks gave up a game-tying homer in the ninth to Detroit on June 11 after Floyd yielded one run in eight innings. In Thursday's 6-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs, Floyd allowed one run in seven innings before the White Sox bullpen gave up five in the final two.
Floyd is 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA in two interleague starts this season, but he is 0-3 with a 10.50 ERA lifetime against the Dodgers.
Nick Blackburn, Minnesota Twins
Nick Blackburn continues to make his case for becoming the new ace of the Minnesota Twins' rotation.
Coming off his first complete game, the right-hander looks for a fifth consecutive winning decision while trying to help the Twins record a sixth straight victory over the struggling Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night at Miller Park.
Blackburn (6-2, 3.09 ERA) allowed one run and six hits in a 5-1 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday for Minnesota's first complete game since Kevin Slowey did it July 28.
Though Slowey has won 10 games for the Twins (36-36) this season, his ERA is almost a run higher than that of Blackburn, who's 4-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his last eight starts.
"(Blackburn's) basically been the stabilizer," pitching coach Rick Anderson told the Twins' official Web site. "It's always nice with a sinkerball guy, because they've got a chance to get you deep in the game."
Blackburn's also fared well in interleague action, going 3-0 with a 3.25 ERA in four starts. His only rough outing came against the Brewers last season when he gave up six runs and nine hits - including four homers - in 4 2-3 innings of a 7-6 win over Milwaukee.
Wednesday is chalk full of quality arms. We searched high and low for jobbers tossing today, but even old reliables like vincent Padilla and Jason Marquis have been performing half decent lately.
We still found one hurler to avoid today, though:
Slumping
Carl Pavano, Cleveland Indians
Carl Pavano has been giving up hits early and often recently.
After being hit hard in his past few starts, Pavano looks to bounce back Wednesday night when the Pirates and Indians continue their three-game set at PNC Park.
Pavano (6-5, 5.73 ERA) had a rough April after signing a one-year deal with the Indians (30-42) in the offseason, going 0-3 with a 9.50 ERA.
The veteran right-hander then went 6-1 with a 3.00 ERA over his next eight starts, but has since reverted back to his early-season struggles. He gave up nine runs over 4 2-3 innings in a loss to Kansas City on June 10, then allowed six runs and nine hits over five innings without getting a decision on June 15 in a wild 14-12 loss to Milwaukee.
"I was inconsistent," Pavano told the Indians' official Web site. "They put up runs for me, and my job is to put up zeros, but I didn't do it."
Right shoulder soreness pushed back Pavano's turn in the rotation to Wednesday, and he'll be looking to help the Indians string together consecutive wins for the first time since June 11-12.
By Covers
Streaking
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox
Lester had been 2-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his previous three starts, striking out 34 in 22 innings while limiting opponents to a .099 average, but he wasn't as sharp Thursday against Florida. The left-hander gave up two runs and eight hits over five innings - throwing 110 pitches - in a rain-shortened 2-1 loss that was called in the sixth.
"I think it was a difficult night," Francona said. "Things were rushed. He was even a few minutes late getting ready, just because it was difficult for him. I didn't think he commanded very well. ... (But) he still found a way to give us a chance to win. I think that says a lot."
Lester's lone start against the Nationals (20-48) came June 21, 2006, when he gave up a run and three hits over six innings - striking out 10 - in a 9-3 win.
Gavin Floyd, Chicago White Sox
Chicago gives the ball to Gavin Floyd (4-5, 4.65 ERA), who is 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA in his last six starts. The right-hander was denied victories in his last two outings as the bullpen failed to hold the lead.
Bobby Jenks gave up a game-tying homer in the ninth to Detroit on June 11 after Floyd yielded one run in eight innings. In Thursday's 6-5 loss to the Chicago Cubs, Floyd allowed one run in seven innings before the White Sox bullpen gave up five in the final two.
Floyd is 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA in two interleague starts this season, but he is 0-3 with a 10.50 ERA lifetime against the Dodgers.
Nick Blackburn, Minnesota Twins
Nick Blackburn continues to make his case for becoming the new ace of the Minnesota Twins' rotation.
Coming off his first complete game, the right-hander looks for a fifth consecutive winning decision while trying to help the Twins record a sixth straight victory over the struggling Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night at Miller Park.
Blackburn (6-2, 3.09 ERA) allowed one run and six hits in a 5-1 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday for Minnesota's first complete game since Kevin Slowey did it July 28.
Though Slowey has won 10 games for the Twins (36-36) this season, his ERA is almost a run higher than that of Blackburn, who's 4-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his last eight starts.
"(Blackburn's) basically been the stabilizer," pitching coach Rick Anderson told the Twins' official Web site. "It's always nice with a sinkerball guy, because they've got a chance to get you deep in the game."
Blackburn's also fared well in interleague action, going 3-0 with a 3.25 ERA in four starts. His only rough outing came against the Brewers last season when he gave up six runs and nine hits - including four homers - in 4 2-3 innings of a 7-6 win over Milwaukee.
Wednesday is chalk full of quality arms. We searched high and low for jobbers tossing today, but even old reliables like vincent Padilla and Jason Marquis have been performing half decent lately.
We still found one hurler to avoid today, though:
Slumping
Carl Pavano, Cleveland Indians
Carl Pavano has been giving up hits early and often recently.
After being hit hard in his past few starts, Pavano looks to bounce back Wednesday night when the Pirates and Indians continue their three-game set at PNC Park.
Pavano (6-5, 5.73 ERA) had a rough April after signing a one-year deal with the Indians (30-42) in the offseason, going 0-3 with a 9.50 ERA.
The veteran right-hander then went 6-1 with a 3.00 ERA over his next eight starts, but has since reverted back to his early-season struggles. He gave up nine runs over 4 2-3 innings in a loss to Kansas City on June 10, then allowed six runs and nine hits over five innings without getting a decision on June 15 in a wild 14-12 loss to Milwaukee.
"I was inconsistent," Pavano told the Indians' official Web site. "They put up runs for me, and my job is to put up zeros, but I didn't do it."
Right shoulder soreness pushed back Pavano's turn in the rotation to Wednesday, and he'll be looking to help the Indians string together consecutive wins for the first time since June 11-12.
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