Cnotes Best Bets For Monday April 27th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

NBA ATS


NBA > (513) MEMPHIS@ (514) PORTLAND | 04/27/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play AGAINST PORTLAND using the against the spread in Home games after 3 or more consecutive losses
The record is 3 Wins and 16 Losses for the last three seasons (-14.6 units)


NBA MONEYLINE


NBA > (511) MILWAUKEE@ (512) CHICAGO | 04/27/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON CHICAGO using the money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 71 Wins and 41 Losses for the last three seasons (+44.45 units)

NBA > (513) MEMPHIS@ (514) PORTLAND | 04/27/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play AGAINST PORTLAND using the money line in All games in April games
The record is 2 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-12.7 units)

NBA > (509) ATLANTA@ (510) BROOKLYN | 04/27/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON ATLANTA using the money line in All games in all games
The record is 59 Wins and 22 Losses for the this season (+27.1 units)


NBA FIRST HALF


NBA > (513) MEMPHIS@ (514) PORTLAND | 04/27/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play AGAINST PORTLAND in the first half in All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 10 Wins and 31 Losses for the last three seasons (-24.1 units)


NBA TOTALS


NBA > (509) ATLANTA@ (510) BROOKLYN | 04/27/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the total in All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 19 Overs and 42 Unders for the this season (+21.1 units)

NBA > (513) MEMPHIS@ (514) PORTLAND | 04/27/2015 - 10:35 PM
Play UNDER MEMPHIS on the total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 7 Overs and 21 Unders for the this season (+13.3 units)


NBA TOP POWERLINE


NBA > (509) ATLANTA @ (510) BROOKLYN | 04/27/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: BROOKLYN 4 BTB PowerLine: BROOKLYN 1
Edge On: BROOKLYN (3)


NBA > (511) MILWAUKEE @ (512) CHICAGO | 04/27/2015 - 08:05 PM
Line: CHICAGO -8 BTB PowerLine: CHICAGO -7
Edge On: CHICAGO (1)


NBA > (513) MEMPHIS @ (514) PORTLAND | 04/27/2015 - 10:35 PM
Line: PORTLAND -3 BTB PowerLine: PORTLAND 3
Edge On: PORTLAND (6)

MLB MONEYLINE


MLB > (955) MILWAUKEE@ (956) CINCINNATI | 04/27/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play AGAINST MILWAUKEE using the money line in All games in all games
The record is 3 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (-13.2 units)


MLB > (965) KANSAS CITY@ (966) CLEVELAND | 04/27/2015 - 06:05 PM
Play ON KANSAS CITY using the money line in Road games in night games
The record is 42 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (+23.85 units)


MLB > (969) CHI WHITE SOX@ (970) BALTIMORE | 04/27/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON BALTIMORE using the money line in Home games in night games
The record is 46 Wins and 20 Losses for the last two seasons (+24.1 units)


MLB RUNLINE


MLB > (963) SAN FRANCISCO@ (964) LA DODGERS | 04/27/2015 - 10:10 PM
Play AGAINST SAN FRANCISCO using the in All games when playing on Monday
The record is 3 Wins and 16 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.5 units)


MLB TOTALS


MLB > (963) SAN FRANCISCO@ (964) LA DODGERS | 04/27/2015 - 10:10 PM
Play OVER LA DODGERS on the total in Home games in games played on a grass field
The record is 56 Overs and 31 Unders for the last two seasons (+25.1 units)


MLB TOP POWERLINE


MLB > (971) TAMPA BAY @ (972) NY YANKEES | 04/27/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: NY YANKEES -140 BTB PowerLine: NY YANKEES -200
Edge On: NY YANKEES (60)


MLB > (969) CHI WHITE SOX @ (970) BALTIMORE | 04/27/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: BALTIMORE -150 BTB PowerLine: BALTIMORE -206
Edge On: BALTIMORE (56)


MLB > (953) WASHINGTON @ (954) ATLANTA | 04/27/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: ATLANTA +115 BTB PowerLine: ATLANTA 190
Edge On: ATLANTA (55)


MLB > (957) PITTSBURGH @ (958) CHICAGO CUBS | 04/27/2015 - 08:05 PM
Line: CHICAGO CUBS -134 BTB PowerLine: CHICAGO CUBS 165
Edge On: CHICAGO CUBS (79)


MLB > (963) SAN FRANCISCO @ (964) LA DODGERS | 04/27/2015 - 10:10 PM
Line: LA DODGERS -110 BTB PowerLine: LA DODGERS -197
Edge On: LA DODGERS (87)

NHL PUCKLINE


NHL > (19) TAMPA BAY@ (20) DETROIT | 04/27/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play ON TAMPA BAY using the in Road games when trailing in a playoff series
The record is 11 Wins and 3 Losses for the since 1992 (+11.25 units)


NHL TOTAL


NHL > (19) TAMPA BAY@ (20) DETROIT | 04/27/2015 - 07:05 PM
Play OVER TAMPA BAY on the total in Road games after allowing 4 goals or more
The record is 15 Overs and 4 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.9 units)

Preview: Blue Jays (9-9) at Red Sox (10-8)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: April 27, 2015 6:10 PM EDT

Coming off an embarrassing loss in their series finale at Baltimore, the Boston Red Sox could use some quality pitching at home in their opener against Toronto.


Joe Kelly looks to give them that Monday night when the right-hander takes the hill opposite Aaron Sanchez in the first of a three-game set with the Blue Jays at Fenway Park.


Boston (10-9) opened its weekend series against the Orioles with a 7-5 victory Friday before being outscored 23-11 in losing the next two. Most of that damage occurred Sunday when Baltimore pounded out 20 hits in an 18-7 rout.


It was the most runs the Red Sox have ever allowed against the Orioles.


After Wade Miley failed to get out of the third inning for the second time in four starts, the Red Sox would welcome a deep outing from Kelly (1-0, 4.08 ERA), who is making his fourth start against an AL East opponent this season.


"I will say in general, we have to do better in all phases of the game," manager John Farrell said, "and it starts with how the game is controlled from the mound."


Kelly had a stellar season debut in a win against the Yankees on April 11 and a workmanlike outing to help Boston beat Baltimore five days later, but he slipped a bit in his most recent start Wednesday. Although he struck out seven in five innings at Tampa Bay, he blamed falling behind in the count for the five runs he gave up in a 7-5 loss.


"I didn't get ahead of hitters," Kelly said. "... I tried to get too fine and fell behind hitters, and had to throw it down the middle from there."


Kelly was impressive in his lone start against Toronto, however, tossing six innings of three-hit ball while giving up just two earned runs in a 5-2 loss Aug. 27.


Boston's bats weren't the problem Sunday, with Hanley Ramirez homering twice and Pablo Sandoval adding another, but the bullpen followed Miley with a sub-par performance -particularly Heath Hembree, who was charged with six earned runs in 1 1-3 innings.


The Red Sox bullpen entered the game with a 2.88 ERA, which ranked eighth in MLB.


Toronto (9-10) is also in need of a strong start from Sanchez (1-2, 5.14) after a three-game sweep against the Rays concluded with Sunday's 5-1 loss. The Blue Jays allowed 21 runs in the series, including a 12-4 loss in Friday's opener.


Their bats also need to return to the type of production that plated 24 runs in a sweep of Baltimore that preceded their pummeling by the Rays.


"I think over the course of the year we have to be consistent," left-hander Mark Buehrle told the team's official website Sunday. "When we're scoring 10 runs a game it's good ... but we just need to be consistent all around, in all aspects of the game."


That begins with Sanchez, who hasn't started against the Red Sox but made five relief appearances against them in 2014 and allowed one run in five innings.


Although the right-hander didn't get off to a good start with a rough outing at Baltimore on April 11 - he was yanked after 3 1-3 innings - he's tossed 5 1-3 in each of his last two starts and appears to be righting himself.


He took the loss April 16 against Tampa Bay, giving up three runs and five hits in Toronto's 4-2 defeat before allowing just two hits and two runs in a 4-2 home win over the Orioles on Wednesday.

Preview: Royals (12-5) at Indians (6-10)
Game: 1
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: April 27, 2015 6:10 PM EDT

For all of the well-documented success the Kansas City Royals had a season ago, they struggled with Corey Kluber as much or more than anyone.


The reigning AL Cy Young winner will try to kick his 2015 campaign into similar gear and jump-start a struggling rotation Monday night when the Cleveland Indians welcome the Royals for a three-game series.


Kluber (0-2, 3.90 ERA) went 2-1 with a 1.15 ERA in four 2014 starts against the Royals and went at least 8 1-3 innings in three.


This season, Kluber was strong for his first three starts before allowing six runs and 13 hits in six-plus innings of Wednesday's 6-0 road loss to the Chicago White Sox. The Indians have lost in all four of his starts while providing him with a 1.63 run-support average.


"It's a hard way to pitch when we're throwing up zeroes as an offense," manager Terry Francona told MLB's official website. "I think he probably feels like he has to be perfect, and that's a hard way to pitch."


Kansas City's main struggles against the right-hander have come from Salvador Perez (2 for 16), Lorenzo Cain (2 for 15) and Alcides Escobar (5 for 25 with 10 strikeouts). Eric Hosmer and Alex Gordon are both 4 for 25 with a combined 16 strikeouts but have each homered twice against Kluber. Mike Moustakas is 8 for 21 with a home run and four doubles.


Run support hasn't been a problem for Jason Vargas, but the Kansas City left-hander hasn't been able to quiet opposing lineups. Vargas (1-1, 6.75) allowed five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings of Tuesday's 6-5 home win over Minnesota and didn't earn the decision. He's received a 5.52 runs of support while allowing a .348 opponent batting average in three starts.


Vargas was lucky enough to catch Kluber in the one meeting last year in which the Royals managed more than a run, but he was 1-1 with a 4.94 ERA in four starts against the Indians.


The Royals (12-6) are in danger of dropping three straight for the first time since the end of August after losing two of three to the White Sox. Sunday's 5-3 defeat came after taking a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning. It followed the completion of Friday's suspended game, in which the Royals fell 3-2.


Kansas City was hitting a major league-best .310 through 14 games but has fallen off with a .243 mark with eight runs in its last four. That lineup could at some point be without Cain, one of four Royals suspended after Thursday's brawl with Chicago, but the outfielder is appealing.


"You have to pay the consequences. We'll see what happens," Cain said. "I appealed it, but we'll see what happens."


The Indians (6-11) haven't won a series since opening the season by taking two of three in Houston. They've gone 4-10 since with a 5.43 ERA from the starting rotation after Sunday's 8-6 loss in Detroit. At home, they're 1-4 with an 8.66 mark from their starters.


The series loss to the Tigers came despite scoring 20 runs in three games, but the positive is some of the key parts of the lineup are coming around. Michael Brantley was 8 for 13 and hit .405 against Kansas City a season ago. Carlos Santana was 4 for 9 with four walks and is batting .361 with seven home runs and 16 RBIs in his last 16 games against the Royals.


The Indians have won 12 of the last 18 meetings in Cleveland.

Preview: White Sox (7-9) at Orioles (8-10)
Game: 1
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: April 27, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The Baltimore Orioles are yet to win a game in which they've scored fewer than four runs, and while their concerns on the mound can't be ignored, there's another reason they haven't yet won a pitchers' duel.


Over the last nine games, they're batting .310 and averaging 6.11 runs.


They'll try to carry that offense into a three-game home series with the White Sox beginning Monday night, and the Orioles might catch a break by avoiding Chris Sale and Jeff Samardzija as Chicago's top starters await word on suspension appeals.


The offense erupted in Sunday's 18-7 home win over Boston with 20 hits to match their top totals since managing 22 on Aug. 17, 2008. The Orioles (9-10) got five RBIs from Delmon Young, who is 13 for 29 in his last eight games. He's hit Chicago at a .333 clip, which is his best average versus any team he has at least 50 career at_bats against.


"It was one we kind of needed; we had been playing sloppy baseball," Young told MLB's official website. "So it was good to get out of the rut. We've been swinging the bats well. We just haven't been playing on the other side of the ball well."


Baltimore's 5.04 ERA is the highest in the majors, and it'll be turning to the erratic Ubaldo Jimenez in the series opener. Jimenez (1-1, 2.30 ERA) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings of Wednesday's 4-2 loss in Toronto, and while he's held opponents to a .135 average, he's walked six in 8 2-3 innings over his last two starts.


Still, 4.02 walks per nine innings is an improvement over a 4.68 mark over the previous three seasons. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 5.45 ERA in six starts against the White Sox in that time. Conor Gillaspie is 5 for 11 against Jimenez, Adam Eaton is 3 for 4 and Jose Abreu is 1 for 3 with a home run.


Baltimore's entire season thus far has come against AL East teams, and Chicago might be a good team to step out of the division against. Since the start of 2012, the Orioles are 15-6 versus the White Sox.


Chicago (8-9), however, completed two wins over Kansas City on Sunday - the regularly scheduled 5-3 win and a 3-2 victory from Friday's suspended game - and are 8-5 since dropping their first four.


"Over the last five or six games we've played a really good brand of baseball," White Sox reliever Zach Duke said.


Abreu was 1 for 4 in Sunday's contest with an RBI and is batting .424 with three homers and 12 RBIs on an eight-game hitting streak.


Sale and Samardzija were among those suspended for Thursday's brawl with Kansas City, both being given five-game bans, and were scheduled to start the second and third games of the series.


No matter how the appeals work out, Hector Noesi will start the opener, and he's probably not the guy the White Sox want facing a hot Baltimore lineup. Noesi (0-2, 5.23) has dropped five consecutive starts dating to the middle of September, and he's walked seven in 10 1-3 innings of his two starts this season.


The right-hander is 0-3 with a 7.08 ERA in four starts against Baltimore with Adam Jones going 6 for 10 with two home runs in their matchups. Left fielder Alejandro De Aza, acquired from Chicago in August, is 5 for 8 and could face his former team for the first time.

Preview: Nationals (7-11) at Braves (9-8)
Game: 1
Venue: Turner Field
Date: April 27, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Few would have predicted the Washington Nationals to be towards the bottom of the NL East standings as the season nears the end of its first month, but that's exactly where they are heading into a three-game set with the Atlanta Braves.


Looking to snap a five-game losing streak Monday night, the Nationals will turn to Doug Fister, whose stretch of quality starts ended with a substandard performance his last time out.


Each of the Nationals' five starting pitchers failed to secure a win their most recent time through the rotation, dropping two contests to St. Louis before being swept in three games at Miami.


Gio Gonzalez was the latest to falter, surrendering six runs and 10 hits in five innings of a 6-2 loss to the Marlins. The defeat dropped the Nationals (7-12) into a tie for last place in the division with Philadelphia.


Fister (1-0, 2.37 ERA) opened the losing streak by allowing five runs - four earned - in six innings of a 7-5 loss on Wednesday. Including the postseason, he had previously allowed two or fewer earned runs while pitching at least six innings in seven consecutive starts.


"I wouldn't make too much of it," manager Matt Williams said following last week's loss. "Tonight, he just left one over. I wouldn't make too much of that. He's throwing the ball effectively."


Fister has been dominant in three starts against Atlanta (9-9), posting a 3-0 record and 1.23 ERA. He may need another outstanding game Monday considering Washington's offense has produced only five runs over its last four games. Bryce Harper, who hit his fifth home run of the season Sunday, has combined with Denard Span to drive in all five runs.


'We surely didn't want to start like this,' Harper said. 'We're a great team, and we'll get it going.'


Jayson Werth has headlined Washington's struggles, batting only .189 since returning to the lineup on April 13. Ian Desmond is 2 for 16 since Thursday, while Ryan Zimmerman has gone 2 for 15.


They'll look for better luck against Atlanta's Eric Stults (0-1, 4.50). The 35-year-old journeyman has been solid in three starts for the Braves and limited the New York Mets to one run and four hits through six innings on Wednesday.


He was chased after 2 1-3 innings in his last outing against Washington on June 8. Desmond hit a two-run home run as Stults allowed eight hits and six runs in a 6-0 loss while with San Diego.


The Braves lost to the Phillies 5-4 on Sunday, their fifth defeat in six games. Alberto Callaspo hit a pinch-hit home run in the ninth inning, but Atlanta stranded two runners to end the game.


"One thing about our club is you may beat us, but the other team will go back to the locker room and say, 'We're in it for a fight with these guys,'" Fredi Gonzalez said. "They battle, but we came a little short there."


Freddie Freeman is batting .323 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs against the Nationals in his career.

Preview: Brewers (3-15) at Reds (8-9)
Game: 1
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: April 27, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Cincinnati Reds leaned on their ace to keep pace with Milwaukee's Jimmy Nelson in their last meeting with the right-hander. The 25-year-old figures to have better luck this time around against the back end of Cincinnati's rotation.


Looking for their first back-to-back victories, the Brewers will turn to their youngest starting pitcher Monday night against Reds right-hander Jason Marquis.


Nelson has been a revelation for the Brewers' staff through three starts, and put his ability on display against the Reds on Wednesday. He allowed only three hits and one run through eight innings, but was matched by Johnny Cueto in a 2-1 victory for the Reds.


"Outstanding ballgame," manager Ron Roenicke said following last week's loss. "His fastball command was great, he kept it down, he went up when he needed to. His curveball was great, a lot of really good sliders. It's a shame to (waste) that kind of outing."


Nelson (1-1, 1.35 ERA) has been perhaps the only bright spot during a so-far dismal season for Milwaukee, which lost three of four against Cincinnati in that series and sits nine games back of first-place St. Louis.


Injuries have been partly to blame for the poor start. Jonathan Lucroy is out four to six weeks with a broken toe, Carlos Gomez remains on the disabled list with a right hamstring strain and Scooter Gennett is working his way back from a left hand laceration.


Additionally, both Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez requested days off Sunday. The Brewers prevailed in spite of those absences, beating the Cardinals 6-3 to avoid a sweep.


Marquis (1-1, 7.20) will take the hill for Cincinnati, which looks to bounce back from a two-game sweep by the Chicago Cubs. The Reds fell 7-3 in 11 innings on Friday, were rained out Saturday and lost 5-2 on Sunday.


Marquis was on the winning end of a 16-10 slugfest with the Brewers on Tuesday, although his outing was hardly dominant. The veteran right-hander allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings, raising his opposing OPS to .936.


The Reds have not produced the same offensive support in their four games since Wednesday's outburst, averaging just 2.25 runs. Manager Bryan Price hopes to see that trend end Monday.


"It's not where we want to be offensively," Price said. "We create opportunities. We just can't cash in. We've got to get better at it."


Billy Hamilton stood as a bright spot for the Reds against Chicago, stealing four bases over the two games to bring his total to 13. That speed led to Cincinnati's only run against Nelson on Wednesday, as Hamilton singled to lead off the game, stole second and promptly scored on Joey Votto's single.


Votto was 6 for 17 with two homers in that series and Zack Cozart hit three.


Jay Bruce should be back Monday after a day off Sunday. The slugging right fielder is mired in an 0-for-14 slump and had only two hits during the four-game set with Milwaukee.

Preview: Mariners (7-10) at Rangers (6-11)
Game: 1
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: April 27, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

The Texas Rangers are hoping their latest effort at the plate is the start of an offensive turnaround, and a three-game set with the Seattle Mariners could be just what they need.


The Rangers look to take advantage of one of the worst pitching staffs in baseball Monday night when they try to win back-to-back games for the first time this year against the Mariners.


Texas (7-11) owns the lowest batting average in the majors at .211, but it showed some signs of life in Sunday's 5-4, 11-inning win over the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers collected nine hits after batting .198 while scoring eight runs during a three-game skid.


"We had a couple of tough ones in this series. So to be able to scratch that one out and grind it out to the end and take a win home to start the homestand is going to be nice," said first baseman Mitch Moreland, who had three hits and two RBIs.


Leonys Martin has turned around his sluggish start. The center fielder hit .343 during the 3-5 road trip after going 6 for 42 through his first 10 games.


Martin had two hits Sunday, including a leadoff homer in the 11th for his first of the season.


"It was nice to see Leonys get the ball up in the air and out of the ballpark, and nice to see that these guys' efforts were rewarded," manager Jeff Banister said. "It should give us some confidence."


Martin should have plenty against Seattle (7-11) since he's 17 of 33 over the past eight matchups, including 6 of 13 in three this year.


The Rangers dropped two of three at Seattle earlier this month. They're hoping to at least reverse that in Arlington against a Seattle staff that ranks among the worst in baseball with a 4.47 ERA, with its rotation compiling a 4.81 mark - 1.33 higher than last season.


The Mariners' offense didn't help Sunday, going 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position while the bullpen gave up two runs in the 11th in a 4-2 loss to Minnesota.


Taijuan Walker (0-2, 10.66 ERA) gets the ball looking to build on his best performance of the season. The right-hander allowed one run and matched his career high with eight strikeouts in 5 1-3 innings before the bullpen wasted his effort, yielding five runs in the eighth of a 6-3 loss to Houston on Tuesday.


Walker surrendered 14 runs in 7 1-3 innings over his first two starts.


"I thought he was outstanding," manager Lloyd McClendon told MLB's official website Tuesday. "He did exactly what I thought he was going to do."


Walker is making his first start against the Rangers. He allowed one hit while getting the final four outs of a 1-0 loss at Texas on Sept. 7.


The Rangers will counter with Yovani Gallardo (2-2, 3.92), who looks to bounce back from an 8-5 loss at Arizona on Wednesday. The right-hander was hammered for five runs - three earned - and six hits in five innings after winning his two previous starts, including six scoreless innings of a 3-1 win at Seattle on April 17.


Gallardo has struggled with Nelson Cruz, who is 5 for 5 with two homers off him.

Preview: Pirates (10-8) at Cubs (9-7)
Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: April 27, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

It's a small sample size, but for the Chicago Cubs so far, the kids are all right.


Addison Russell was the latest rookie to make a contribution, and he's expected to make his Wrigley Field debut Monday night when the Cubs host a Pittsburgh Pirates team in search of its sixth straight win.


The 21-year-old was called up last week, joining fellow highly touted prospects Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler in the big leagues as Chicago (10-7) appears to have finished rebuilding. While Russell has yet to find his offensive stride - he's just 3 for 22 in his first five games - he did deliver a bases-loaded double to cap a four-run fourth in Sunday's 5-2 victory at Cincinnati.


'I'm just understanding this whole process,' Russell said. 'It may be overnight, it may take a few games, it may take a few at_bats. I'm just trying to stay patient and stay with my approach and believe in my talent.'


His first appearance at the Friendly Confines, where he told MLB.com's official website that his parents and fiancee will be in attendance, could provide an additional sense of ease.


"He's going to keep coming offensively," manager Joe Maddon said. "Defensively, he'll get more used to playing where he's supposed to be, and that's when you'll see even better play at second base."


Bryant went 0 for 4 with a run scored but he's still batting .333 over his first nine major league games. Soler, though, could be in line for a day off since he's 0 for 15 with 10 strikeouts over his last four games.


Vance Worley (2-1, 4.00 ERA) kept the trio in check Wednesday in a 4-3 victory, limiting them to two hits in 12 combined at-bates. It was part of a workmanlike effort by the right-hander, who yielded an unearned run and six hits in 5 2-3 innings to improve to 3-0 with a 1.97 ERA in five lifetime starts versus Chicago.


The Pirates (11-8) started their winning streak by taking the final two games of their four-game set versus the Cubs and are coming off a three-game sweep at Arizona. Francisco Liriano and three relievers combined on a three-hitter as Pittsburgh rolled to an 8-0 win Sunday, giving the starters a 1.71 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 31 2-3 innings during the Pirates' run.


'We're playing better baseball and it continues to start with our mound work,' Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.


Neil Walker went 3 for 4 with a two-run double, capping a successful series in which he went 7 for 12 and extended his hitting streak to nine games. The second baseman has also enjoyed success against scheduled Cubs starter Travis Wood (1-1, 3.24), going 7 for 20 with a homer and two doubles


Wood did not get a decision Tuesday against Pittsburgh, yielding three runs - two on solo homers - and four hits in five-plus innings before Chicago rallied for a 9-8 win. The left-hander's lone start at home in the young season was a good one - scattering three hits and two walks in seven innings of a 5-0 victory over Cincinnati.


He has yet to beat the Pirates at Wrigley Field, however, going 0-5 with a 5.28 ERA in six starts, and Wood was tagged for seven runs and nine hits in 1 2-3 innings of the most recent one - a 10-4 defeat Sept. 7.

Preview: Tigers (12-6) at Twins (7-10)
Game: 1
Venue: Target Field
Date: April 27, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

David Price kicked off Detroit's season in splendid style by helping blank Minnesota and the Tigers nearly kept the Twins off the scoreboard during the entire series.


After struggling mightily in his latest outing, Price will try for another superb performance against Minnesota on Monday night while getting Detroit started on another successful road trip.


Price (1-1, 3.28 ERA) came within one out of recording his third career shutout and first in three years in a 4-0 win over Minnesota on April 6. That effort put the Tigers (13-6) on their way to setting a modern-day AL record with 24 consecutive scoreless innings to open the season, and they outscored the Twins 22-1 in a three-game sweep.


Detroit had a 1.82 ERA in a 9-1 start but has a 5.78 mark its last nine games. Its rotation has seen its ERA rise from 1.55 to 3.38 in that same span.


The Tigers, though, did claim a 4-1 win over Cleveland on Saturday but needed their bats to take the three-game series with the Indians. Miguel Cabrera hit a pivotal two-run homer in the sixth in an 8-6 victory Sunday and was 3 for 4 with three RBIs after going 3 for 18 in his prior six games.


Cabrera and Price will try to help the Tigers start a 10-game trek on the right foot. Detroit won five of six on its first trip this season April 10-15.


The Tigers will face two other AL Central opponents, Kansas City and Chicago, on this journey.


"If you can get hot at the right time against your division, it can be a huge help," manager Brad Ausmus said. "It was good to win two out of three (against Cleveland) after losing three of four to the Yankees, but we have Minnesota, Chicago and Kansas City on the road staring us in the face."


Price is coming off one of the worst showing of his career, eight runs and 10 hits allowed in 2 1-3 innings in Wednesday's 13-4 drubbing to the New York Yankees. He had a 0.40 ERA in his first three games.


Price is 6-3 with a 2.29 ERA in 11 career starts against Minnesota and has pitched 16 scoreless innings in the past two.


The Twins (8-10) saw their average drop to .223 after a 2-0 loss in Seattle on Friday but took the final two games while producing a combined 12 runs and 19 hits. Joe Mauer tripled in the go-ahead runs in a 4-2 victory in 11 innings Sunday.


"After losing the opener here and salvaging a .500 road trip, that's a step up for us," manager Paul Molitor said. "To go home 3-3 after losing the first game here, that's pretty good."


Mauer, batting .344 in his last eight games, had three of Minnesota's 14 hits in the three games in Detroit, but is 5 for 27 (.185) lifetime against Price.


Tommy Milone's teams have provided more than enough support in his five regular-season starts against Detroit, winning them by a combined 59-17 score. He's gone 3-0 with a 2.93 ERA in those games.


Milone (2-0, 3.38) gave up five runs and 10 hits in 4 1-3 innings in his latest matchup Aug. 22, but the Twins won 20-6.


He failed to earn a win for the first time this season Tuesday, giving up four runs in 5 2-3 innings in a 6-5 loss in Kansas City.

Preview: Phillies (6-12) at Cardinals (12-4)
Game: 1
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: April 27, 2015 8:15 PM EDT

John Lackey was hit hard in his latest start and, unsurprisingly, it came on the road.


Three starts into his first full season in St. Louis, a trend that began immediately upon arriving there at last season's trade deadline is again taking form. His home starts have been great. His road work has been terrible.


The next comes Monday night at Busch Stadium against the Philadelphia Phillies, so the likelihood for the Cardinals to get back in the win column seems high. Seeing that fellow starter Adam Wainwright could be headed for an extended absence due to an Achilles and left ankle injury, they might need Lackey to expand his territory.


They've also been without Yadier Molina for two games as he recovers from getting hit by a foul tip on Friday.


"The response and the answer is we knew that some tests were going to come," manager Mike Matheny told MLB's official website. "This is a big one that we're getting early."


Lackey (1-0, 4.34 ERA) surrendered five runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings of Wednesday's 7-5 win in Washington but didn't earn the decision. In seven away starts with the Cardinals, he's 1-3 with a 6.81 ERA. At home, he's 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA in six starts, including a 4-0 win over Milwaukee on April 16.


It's part of the club's five-game home winning streak while allowing six runs. In six home games, the Cardinals (12-5) have posted a 1.50 ERA. Overall, they've won nine of 11 with Lackey's start against the Nationals being one of two in which St. Louis starters have surrendered more than a run.


The other was its 6-3 loss in Milwaukee on Sunday, falling short in a bid for a three-game sweep and fifth straight win. The Cardinals had 13 hits but were poor with runners in scoring position for a third straight game (3 for 27).


For the season, their .223 mark is impressing no one, but the Phillies are the worst in the majors at .169 with a 5-for-35 mark over five games.


Lackey faces Cole Hamels, whose inconsistency has been more nomadic, and this time of year hasn't been kind to him regardless of venue. Hamels (0-2, 3.75) has gone three straight seasons without winning in his first four starts. April has traditionally been his worst month, and he's gone 1-7 in April with a 4.73 ERA dating to 2013.


This year, he's probably deserved a pair of victories, including Wednesday's 6-1 home loss to Miami. The left-hander allowed an unearned run and five hits in six innings, and it was his first game without allowing a home run after serving up seven in his first three starts. He did allow three more walks, raising his season total to 12 in 24 innings.


"There's still a lot of work to do," Hamels said. "You strive for perfection and you never really seem to reach it. That's kind of the case."


Over the past five seasons against the Cardinals, Hamels is 0-2 with a 2.41 ERA and .202 opponent batting average in five starts.


Whether that's enough for the Philadelphia offense remains to be seen. The Phillies (7-12) won two of three in Atlanta with Sunday's 5-4 victory, but it came on six hits after they'd totaled five runs in the previous four games. Freddy Galvis had three of the hits, and the shortstop is batting .400 over his last 16 games. Ryan Howard hit a three-run homer, but the middle of the order has been awful with Howard batting .193 and Chase Utley at .121.


Utley hit .207 against the Cardinals a season ago, but Howard, who has homered three times in his last five games, has hit .372 over the previous three seasons against St. Louis.

Preview: Rockies (10-8) at Diamondbacks (8-9)
Game: 1
Venue: Chase Field
Date: April 27, 2015 9:40 PM EDT

Because of a rainout, Tyler Matzek didn't get to start against the only team he's earned a win against this season.


Instead, he's getting perhaps a more advantageous matchup.


The Colorado Rockies left-hander will face a struggling Arizona Diamondbacks lineup in the opener to a three-game road series Monday night.


Matzek (1-0, 2.40 ERA) was supposed to face San Francisco on Sunday and help his team bounce back from the end to a three-game win streak, but is getting an extra day of rest because of inclement weather. He'll take on an Arizona team that's batting .204 with 17 runs in its last seven games.


The Diamondbacks (8-10) were outscored 14-2 in a three-game home sweep to Pittsburgh this weekend and had just three singles in an 8-0 drubbing Sunday. Paul Goldschmidt went 0 for 2, dropping to 1 for 12 in his last four games, and Mark Trumbo was 1 for 8 in the series.


"You want to be (ticked) off and I think we are (ticked) off. What's the most productive way to handle it? Come back (Monday) and be ready to go," Trumbo told MLB's official website. "Look at the big picture. We've done a lot of good things this year. Let's get back to what we do well."


Matzek went 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts against Arizona in his rookie season and was a 2-0 winner in his most recent matchup Aug. 30 at Chase Field, pitching three-hits ball over seven innings.


He was in line for a victory Tuesday against San Diego after giving up two runs in five innings but the Padres rallied for a 7-6 victory. Matzek limited the damage despite a career-high six walks.


"In the past when stuff was not going well, I'd crumble," Matzek said. "I've moved past that. I've been able to hang in and keep things together."


Chase Anderson will try to end Arizona's three-game skid and keep it from losing five in a row to Colorado (10-8) for the first time since a seven-game skid in 2004.


The right-hander had his finest outing of this season Tuesday against Texas, yielding one run and three hits in seven innings, but the Diamondbacks lost 7-1.


Anderson (0-0, 3.00) has gotten an average of 2.0 runs of support per outing and that wouldn't be nearly enough if he repeats his latest effort against Colorado. He gave up six runs in five innings in a 15-3 loss Sept. 19 after going 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his first three matchups.


Rafael Ynoa finished a home run shy of the cycle in his three at_bats against Anderson while driving in three runs. He was 7 for 13 with four doubles and six RBIs in his four games against Arizona in 2014.


Troy Tulowitzki, 14 for 28 with four homers and 10 RBIs in the season series, is batting .438 with 11 homers and 31 RBIs in his last 30 games against the Diamondbacks.


Goldschmidt is hitting .439 with five homers, seven doubles and 23 RBIs in his past 17 versus Colorado.

Preview: Giants (8-11) at Dodgers (11-6)
Game: 1
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: April 27, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The San Francisco Giants began emerging from one of their worst starts since coming to the Bay Area with a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, and Tim Lincecum kicked off that three-game set by earning his first win of the season.


After having his latest start rained out, the right-hander is expected to get the chance to lead the Giants to another win in Monday night's series opener in Los Angeles.


San Francisco has won four of five since its 4-10 start, which matched its worst since moving from New York after the 1957 season. The Giants (8-11) didn't have a chance to earn another victory Sunday because their finale in Colorado was postponed.


San Francisco split its two games in Denver after its home sweep of the Dodgers (11-7) and ended a four-game road losing streak with a 5-4 win in 11 innings Saturday. Lincecum (1-1, 2.00 ERA) was scheduled to pitch the finale but is tentatively set to face Los Angeles for the second time in a week.


"We're going to discuss it more, but right now we're staying in order," manager Bruce Bochy told MLB's official website. "Right now, Timmy's going (Monday)."


Lincecum yielded one run in six innings against the Dodgers in a 6-2 victory Tuesday. He was 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in his prior two matchups.


"It's just about pitchability and making good pitches when you have to and putting the bad ones behind you when you can and moving on," Lincecum said. "I've felt like that's kind of been what plagued me in the past, I let them kind of drag me down.


"I'm not saying this is a whole different evolution of a pitcher, I'm just trying to make my way with what I've got."


Lincecum hasn't started at Dodger Stadium since a 19-3 win Sept. 14, 2013, his third in his last four decisions there.


Los Angeles has batted .232 with 21 runs while dropping four of six, beginning with the matchup against the Giants right-hander. The Dodgers had 13 hits in a 11-8 win in San Diego on Saturday but couldn't complete a three-game sweep the next day, managing five in a 3-1 defeat.


They batted .288 and scored 63 runs in the first 12 games.


Adrian Gonzalez went 0 for 4 on Sunday, dropping his average from .403 to .380. He still leads the NL with seven homers and also has 18 RBIs.


Alex Guerrero went 2 for 3 with a solo homer in the finale in San Diego, and is batting .500 with five homers and 13 RBIs in 11 games. He went 4 for 5 with two homers in the three games against the Giants, and Los Angeles could use more of that production after putting Yasiel Puig (hamstring) on the disabled list Sunday.


"With Yasiel down, it changes something," manager Don Mattingly said. "A guy that's swinging the bat, you're going to find a place to play him. That's the way this game is."


Guerrero will try to provide support for Brett Anderson (1-1, 5.40) as he attempts to rebound from losing to Lincecum. The left-hander didn't make it past the fourth inning, giving up four runs and nine hits, and dropped to 0-3 with a 6.19 ERA in his four starts against the Giants.


Justin Maxwell, batting .381 with three homers in his last six games, is 3 for 5 lifetime against Anderson and tripled off him in Tuesday's game.

Preview: Astros (10-7) at Padres (10-9)
Game: 1
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: April 27, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

Collin McHugh has already put together the best stretch by a Houston Astros' pitcher in 13 years, but he's now aiming to tie the franchise record for the most consecutive winning starts.


McHugh's bid to enter the record books comes in his first meeting with the San Diego Padres on Monday night, with the Astros looking for their eighth victory in nine tries.


McHugh (3-0, 2.41 ERA) lost a sixth straight start in a defeat to Miami on July 27, but he's 10-0 with a 1.91 ERA in 13 starts since - the longest winning streak by an Astro since Wade Miller won 12 decisions in a row from July 7-Sept. 21, 2002.


Prior to his impressive stretch, McHugh was 4-17 with a 5.36 ERA in 30 games - 24 starts - with Houston, Colorado and the New York Mets.


Now, he's trying to tie Roy Oswalt's Astros record of winning nine straight starts set in 2002.


McHugh has a 2.00 ERA in the previous eight victories, and he needed help to keep the streak going Tuesday. The right-hander gave up three runs in four innings before leaving after the seventh only to have the offense rally for five in the eighth for a 6-3 win at Seattle.


"I don't put a whole lot of an emphasis on the winning streak but (Tuesday) was big," McHugh said. "To be able to battle through some innings was tough."


The Astros (11-7) rallied for another victory Sunday. Evan Gattis' two-run double in the top of the ninth to put them ahead for good in a 7-6 win to complete a three-game series sweep at Oakland.


Gattis finished with two hits and four RBIs to match his career high. The catcher was hitting .109 before collecting four hits in two games boosted his average 47 points.


"I'm glad to finally contribute to a win, to come through with the hit that puts us ahead," Gattis said.


That's been a rarity for Houston at San Diego, losing nine of the past 11 games there while batting .199 and averaging 2.1 runs.


Offense may again be at a premium since the Padres (11-9) are countering McHugh with James Shields (2-0, 3.24), who is 2-1 with a 1.74 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 31 innings in four career starts against the Astros.


The right-hander collected 12 strikeouts while allowing one run and four hits in eight innings of a 5-1 win at Houston on April 17, 2014.


Shields has been effective through four starts this season, holding opponents to .215 at the plate and leading the team with 29 strikeouts. He yielded three runs in six innings while not figuring in the decision of a 5-4 loss Wednesday at Colorado.


That was the start of San Diego's four-game slide, which was snapped with Sunday's 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.


Despite the victory, the Padres are hitting just .208 and averaging 3.2 runs over the past five games after batting .314 with 8.0 runs per game over the previous four.


Matt Kemp, however, continues to be a consistent threat at the plate, hitting .350 after going 6 for 15 (.400) over the past four games. The right fielder, though, is 0 for 3 versus McHugh.

Preview: Mets (14-5) at Marlins (8-11)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: April 27, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The New York Mets own the best record in baseball and have already swept a series from the Miami Marlins this season.


It's the Marlins, however, who are the hot team heading into this three-game series.


Miami goes for a sixth straight win Monday night while the Mets attempt to rebound from a sloppy loss.


New York (14-5) has won 12 of the past 15 meetings with the Marlins (8-11) after sweeping a four-game set at home from April 16-19.


That sweep was part of the Mets' 11-game winning streak, which came to an end with Friday's 6-1 loss at Yankee Stadium. After posting an 8-2 victory Saturday against their crosstown rivals, the Mets committed four errors in Sunday night's 6-4 defeat.


"In a game like this, you can't make those mistakes," manager Terry Collins said. "Just a bad night for us."


The Marlins haven't made many mistakes lately, hitting .324 while averaging 6.4 runs during a five-game winning streak, their longest since taking six straight from July 24-29.


They pulled closer to that mark Sunday, beating Washington 6-2 and sweeping a series from the Nationals for the first time since May 2012.


"When we play our way, when we play relaxed and loose and confident, we're as good as anybody," manager Mike Redmond said.


Adeiny Hechavarria has been at the forefront of Miami's turnaround, hitting .460 with 15 RBIs and 13 runs in 13 games after going 1 for 22 to start the season.


The shortstop is 11 for 20 with nine RBIs during the win streak and ranks among the major league leaders with 16 RBIs.


"I feel great at the plate right now," said Hechavarria, who has a .326 average in his last 13 meetings with the Mets, but just a .146 mark in 15 at home.


He's 1 for 8 against scheduled starter Dillon Gee.


Gee (0-1, 5.60 ERA) is 3-1 with a 3.30 ERA in seven career starts against the Marlins, but wasn't terribly sharp April 16. The right-hander gave up four runs and two homers with seven strikeouts over 5 2-3 innings in a 7-5 win.


That performance resulted in a meeting between Gee and Collins after it appeared his spot in the rotation was in jeopardy. However, Gee responded by allowing two runs in seven innings in a 3-2 win over Atlanta on Wednesday.


"I think I just needed to talk and he was there for me and we talked about a lot of things. I think I was going about a lot of things the wrong way," said Gee, who expressed frustration about being the subject of trade rumors during the offseason. "It comes down to me executing and resolving to stay out there."


Miami will again counter Gee with Jarred Cosart (1-1, 3.63). The right-hander tossed four scoreless innings April 16 before surrendering five runs and being pulled with one out in the sixth.


He bounced back by yielding one run and four hits in six innings of a 6-1 win at Philadelphia on Wednesday, ending the Marlins' five-game slide.


New York's Juan Lagares had six hits and four runs in his last two games against the Yankees and is 13 for 32 (.406) in his past nine at Marlins Park.

Preview: Rays (11-8) at Yankees (11-8)
Game: 1
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: April 27, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Alex Rodriguez put himself on the brink of catching Willie Mays on the all-time home run list while helping the New York Yankees take a series from a red-hot team.


He'll seek career homer No. 660 on Monday night while aiding the Yankees' attempt to slow down another surging club, the Tampa Bay Rays.


Rodriguez hit a solo homer in the first inning and doubled in a four-run second that paved the way for a 6-4 win over the New York Mets on Sunday. The Yankees' crosstown rivals were seeking to claim the spotlight in the city after a 13-3 start that featured 11 consecutive wins but dropped two of three in the Bronx.


With his fifth home run of the season, Rodriguez also moved one away from potentially making himself $6 million richer but it's unclear if he'll see that money without a legal fight. The Yankees made a $30 million marketing deal that could give him bonuses for up to five accomplishments, but the timetable for those payments will be determined by the team.


That agreement was made before A-Rod's suspension for performance-enhancing drugs in 2014 and the Yankees might not prove eager to pay up. They've reportedly provided little publicity in his pursuit of fourth place on the home run list.


"I don't have a marketing degree, so I'm just focusing on playing baseball," he said.


Rodriguez will get to chase that milestone at Yankee Stadium for three more games before a six-game trip to Boston and Toronto. In the first of those, New York (11-8) will try to end Tampa Bay's string of five consecutive victories.


The Rays (11-8) have outscored opponents 30-12 while batting .317 and had 13 hits in a 5-1 win over Toronto on Sunday. Brandon Guyer hit a leadoff homer and drove in a career-high four runs.


Evan Longoria improved to 7 for 7 in his last two games and has gone 11 for 19 in the win streak, raising his average from .186 to .306. He's reached base in each of his last eight plate appearances.


"Offensively, we're top to bottom putting together good at_bats. It's been fun to watch," he said.


The Rays third baseman was just 1 for 9 in a three-game home sweep to the Yankees from April 17-19 and is batting .167 with two extra-base hits in his last 13 meetings.


Tampa Bay was outscored 19-7 while batting .202 in that sweep, and Rodriguez hit a pair of homers in the series opener, the first off Monday's starter Nathan Karns (1-1, 5.32 ERA). It remains his only multihomer game since May 23, 2012.


Karns allowed two runs and two hits in his five innings in that 5-4 loss, and did not get a decision in his first start against the Yankees. The right-hander gave up five runs in six innings Wednesday against Boston and avoided a loss when Tampa Bay rallied for a 7-5 victory that started its current streak.


The Rays won more than five in a row just once last season - a nine-game streak in July - and Adam Warren (1-1, 5.40) will try to prevent them from reaching that mark.


The right-hander also pitched opposite Karns on April 17 and gave up four runs in four innings in his only start against Tampa Bay. He surrendered four runs and four walks over 5 2-3 innings Wednesday in Detroit but got the win in a 13-4 victory.


This will be Tampa Bay's first game this season in open air after playing 12 home games and its seven road contests against Miami and Toronto. No major league team has ever gone this far into a season playing all its games under a roof.

Dodgers, Giants hook up


April 27, 2015


SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (8-11) at LOS ANGELES DODGERS (11-7)


First pitch: Monday, 10:10 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Los Angeles -135, Total: 7.5


The Los Angeles Dodgers head back home and take on the San Francisco Giants for the second time in a week.


The Giants didn’t look much like the club that won the 2014 World Series when they went on an eight-game losing streak recently, but have rebounded of late with victories in five of their last seven contests. They were in the thin air of Colorado over the weekend, getting only two games in as Sunday’s was postponed, and split those with their win coming in extras on Saturday. It was a 5-4 victory where the offense tallied 12 hits but could have easily done much more if they had done better than 1-for-16 with RISP. OF Angel Pagan (.355) has been able to get multiple hits in four of his last five performances and was 4-for-6 with a double on Saturday.


The Dodgers haven’t exactly been lighting up the league as they’ve been expected to over the last few seasons and are 2-4 in their last two series. They were able to get a 2-1 series win in San Diego most recently, though, scoring a total of 15 runs in the three games behind a big 11-8 victory on Saturday. They couldn’t complete the sweep on Sunday when the Padres took a 3-1 win at home as Los Angeles managed a mere five hits. OF Alexander Guerrero (.500) has forced himself into the lineup with his amazing offense and has a homer in each of the last three games he’s played in, going 5-for-7 with four RBIs. San Francisco will send RHP Tim Lincecum (1-1. 2, 2.00 ERA) to the bump as he goes against LHP Brett Anderson (1-1, 5.40 ERA) of the host team.


The Giants haven’t been the worst on the road this year, but still sit under .500 (4-5) and will be taking on this Dodgers group which is a solid 8-1 when at home. Los Angeles traveled to see the Giants just under a week ago and they were swept in three fairly low scoring games as San Francisco outscored the Dodgers 12-6. Overall in the last three seasons, the Giants hold a 23-18 edge in this matchup and have done well (11-9) when playing on the road in that time. Trends show that San Francisco is 92-79 (.538) against divisional opponents in the last three years while Los Angeles is 7-2 when revenging a three-game sweep in the same timeframe. The injury report will continue to have OF Hunter Pence (Arm) on the DL for the Giants as the Dodgers will be playing without OF Yasiel Puig (Hamstring) for the near future.


Lincecum is certainly not the pitcher who won back-to-back Cy Young awards (2008, 2009), but has still put up double-digit wins in each of the last seven seasons despite his strikeout rate hitting a career-low 7.8 K/9 in 2014. He has begun to adjust well to his fewer strikeouts and has been effective through three starts this year, leaving 82.5% of runners on base and inducing groundballs 60.4% of the time. He has also kept the ball in the park with one homer allowed in 18 innings (0.50 HR/9) and is coming off a quality start (6 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 5 K) against this Los Angeles team last week. In his 25 career starts against them, he has gone 9-7 (16-9 team record) with a 3.11 ERA (1.32 WHIP) and owns a 16:3 K/BB ratio over his last three outings (15.1 IP).


There isn’t many on the Dodgers who have done well against “The Freak” with OF Andre Ethier (14-for-51, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 13 K) and 3B Juan Uribe (9-for-32, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 10 K) putting up solid numbers as 1B Adrian Gonzalez, SS Jimmy Rollins and C Yasmani Grandal have combined to go a putrid 23-for-108 (.213) with two doubles, nine RBIs and 29 strikeouts. The San Francisco bullpen has been solid thus far, going 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA (1.33 WHIP) and are 5-for-6 in save chances. Santiago Casilla (3.12 ERA, 5 saves) blew his first save on Saturday and has not been too great with 10 hits and three runs allowed over 8.2 frames.


Anderson has been quite effective when he has been able to pitch, but unfortunately that has not been too often as he has totaled a mere eight starts per game in the previous four seasons. He has gone a meager five innings per start in his first three outings of 2015 and has seen minimal strikeouts (4.8 K/9) while continuing to show great control (1.2 BB/9). He had just one strikeout over four innings of four-run, nine-hit baseball in a loss to the Giants last week and has gone 0-3 (1-3 team record) with a 6.19 ERA (1.63 WHIP) in his career against San Francisco. No player for the Giants has had more than six at-bats against this lefty, but the trio of OF Justin Maxwell (3-for-5, 1 triple), SS Brandon Crawford (2-for-3, 1 double, 1 RBI) and C Buster Posey (2-for-6, 1 double, 2 RBI) have all done well.


On the other hand, OF Angel Pagan (1-for-4) and 1B Joaquin Arias (0-for-4) have done poorly in the matchup. The relievers on Los Angeles are a combined 3-4 with a 2.63 ERA (1.13 WHIP) as they’ve gone 5-for-7 in their save opportunities. Without Kenley Jansen available, the Dodgers have gone to multiple players to close out games and Yimi Garcia (0.93 ERA, 1 save) was on the mound in the ninth in the last save chance.

Weekly Betting Notes


April 27, 2015




Upcoming Series to Watch


San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers


Don’t look now but all of a sudden, the defending champion Giants are starting to heat up. They’ve won five of their past seven to somewhat fix their early season woes, getting to 8-11 on the year, and their current run also includes a surprising three-game sweep of these same Dodgers last week at AT&T Park. To begin this week, one of baseball’s best rivalries will enter its second meeting of the season, shifting over to Dodger Stadium this time. Los Angeles has lost four of its past six following a seven-game win streak so they’ll certainly want this series or most likely fall out of first place in the division.


When the Giants dispatched of the Dodgers the first time these clubs met, they mostly did it utilizing terrific starting pitching, riding nice efforts from Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, and Mike Bolsinger. Lincecum will get the nod in game one, in what will actually be a rematch, as he squares off for the second time with new Dodgers starter Brett Anderson, who is out to a fine start with his new organization. Most notably, Los Angeles has a standout record at home for overs, producing a 7-2 mark, and both teams are in the top ten in baseball in team batting average. Additionally, the Dodgers have slugged an NL-leading 26 home runs. The result should be another closely-contested, entertaining series between the two that could shift the pendulum in the NL West.


Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees


This definitely is a series that merits considerable attention, given how hot both these AL East rivals have been. It was very recent that each of these clubs spent a little bit of time in the division cellar, before propelling on to their current runs. The Yankees have won eight of ten since starting the year 3-6, including a huge series win at home this weekend over the in-state nemesis Mets. That’s even more important than usual, considering the ramifications involved in that clash concerning momentum in New York. Now with that in their back pocket, and the already-existing confidence they have from sweeping the Rays last weekend, the Yankees could be on their way to a monumental streak.


However, the Rays have been streaking lately as well, winners of five in a row to surge past .500 again. That also consists of a statement three-game sweep over the Blue Jays, which served in helping lock them up with the Yankees for first place in the division. And that’s exactly the scenario these teams find themselves in entering tonight, each having a share of first. In the series opener, it will be rookie Nate Karns taking on another unfamiliar face, Adam Warren, who is a new fixture to the Yankee rotation and has three starts under his belt. Both hurlers possess ERAs over 5.00, which could make for a scoring fest in game one, especially being in a hitter’s park like Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have one of the best home records for overs in baseball, being 6-1-2 (12-5-2 overall) in that department. Interestingly, the over/under for the first game currently stands at 8.


Houston Astros at San Diego Padres


Who would’ve thought that before the end of April, the Astros would be in a meaningful series? Well, as meaningful as one can get in the first month of the season. That’s because to the surprise of many, in a division chock full of rugged, fiery teams, it is the unlikely Astros that currently sit atop the American League West, despite being the biggest underdog in the group entering the campaign. Their opponent for this intriguing Interleague series, the Padres, can also relate, as they also find themselves hovering around first place after years of being anchored towards the bottom of the National League.


That being known, this is a clash to pay attention to involving two upstart teams that look like they’re serious about snapping their respective playoff droughts. The Astros are one of the hottest teams in baseball right now, having won seven of eight, including an impressive sweep of the Athletics in Oakland, to suddenly lead the division by 2.5 games over second-place Anaheim, so it’s hard to go against them from a betting perspective. Their offense is heating up, already ranked amongst the top teams in home runs with 22. The Padres, however, are ranked right behind them in that category with 21, a total that already surpasses their amount from the entire first two months of last season. Homers may be hard to come by in game one, as new Padres ace James Shields takes on the still-ascending Collin McHugh in what could be a duel.


Team to Watch


Chicago White Sox


Despite currently being 8-9, the White Sox are a team to monitor closely over the next few weeks. With a bit of a recent surge this past week in taking consecutive three-game series from the division-rival Indians and Royals, the Pale Hose are potentially on the verge of pulling off an extensive run, which, if you look at their roster, is very much possible. That’s why I had them finishing in second place in the AL Central this year. Offensively, they’re getting the expected impactful start from Jose Abreu, who, in only his second season, has already solidified himself as a perennial MVP candidate. Around him, there hasn’t been much but you know guys like Adam LaRoche and Adam Eaton will get going, and once that spark goes off, the White Sox can boast one of the higher-scoring lineups in the league.


Most importantly, they got their ace Chris Sale back without a hitch, as he’s resembled the dominant pitcher that he’s been in recent years. The left-hander has made three starts now, en route to going 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, while putting together a 16/3 K/BB ratio in his 19 innings of work. He’s been very consistent as well, going at least six strong in all of his outings and surrendering two runs or less. When Sale is on top of his game, he can go toe-to-toe with anyone in baseball. Offseason acquisition Jeff Samardzija has also been good since a slow start, now owning a very acceptable 3.33 ERA on the year. The bullpen has done nice work, with one of their other big acquisitions, David Robinson, earning every dollar thus far of his big contract with eight nearly perfect shutout innings. Even more impressive, he has more than a 2/1 K/IP ratio, having 17 punch-out in just 8 innings! As I anticipated, this would be their most critical pick-up, as Chicago’s bullpen was, by far, their biggest undoing a year ago, and now that they’re not blowing games regularly, it’s making a difference already in their record. That will also be the biggest factor in their emergence, which I’m confident will come at some point sooner than later, which is why it’s important to start tracking, and potentially tailing them, at this moment.


Fearless Prediction


-- Believe it or not, the Nationals enter this fourth week of the 2015 season in last place in the NL East, despite the fact that they were the biggest division-winning favorite in all of baseball, and by a large margin as well (-500 prior to Opening Day). On tap this week, they have a somewhat important series in Atlanta against the rival Braves, and I think this is a series they’ll take. The Braves have cooled off after their hot start, and losing that series decisively over the weekend to the Marlins could affect their psyche in this next series. We know Washington is much better than how they’ve played, and they’ve proven already they can quickly put an end to slumps before they snowball. As a result, this is a series you might want to consider taking the Nats.

Dodgers place Puig, Peralta on DL


AN DIEGO (AP) - The Los Angeles Dodgers placed right fielder Yasiel Puig and reliever Joel Peralta on the 15-day disabled list Sunday.


Puig strained his left hamstring running out a ground ball in Friday night's victory against San Diego.


Peralta has been dealing with what he described as a ''dead arm.''


The Dodgers selected the contract of right-hander Scott Baker from Triple-A Oklahoma City and recalled right-hander Carlos Frias. Baker started Sunday in the series finale against the Padres.


Puig was disappointed with the move, manager Don Mattingly said.


''He thinks he's going to be ready to play in four to five days. I think Yasiel plays at one speed. That's where it's tough for him to say hey, `You've got to back off.' That's where you've got to protect him from himself,'' Mattingly said.


To make room for Baker on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers moved reliever Brandon League to the 60-day DL.