Cnotes Best Bets For Saturday May 2nd - MLB - NBA -NHL !

MLB MONEYLINE


MLB > (925) DETROIT@ (926) KANSAS CITY | 05/02/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play AGAINST KANSAS CITY using the money line in Home games in May games
The record is 8 Wins and 21 Losses for the last three seasons (-18.75 units)

MLB > (921) TAMPA BAY@ (922) BALTIMORE | 05/02/2015 - 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 > (915) NY YANKEES@ (916) BOSTON | 05/02/2015 - 01:35 PM
Play AGAINST BOSTON using the money line in All games at home with a money line of -100 to -125
The record is 7 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (-15.15 units)


MLB RUNLINE


MLB > (913) ARIZONA@ (914) LA DODGERS | 05/02/2015 - 09:10 PM
Play ON LA DODGERS using the in Home games vs. right-handed starters
The record is 9 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+9.8 units)


MLB > (925) DETROIT@ (926) KANSAS CITY | 05/02/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play AGAINST KANSAS CITY using the in Home games in May games
The record is 5 Wins and 24 Losses for the last three seasons (-20.6 units)


MLB TOTALS


MLB > (927) OAKLAND@ (928) TEXAS | 05/02/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play OVER OAKLAND on the total in All games against division opponents
The record is 16 Overs and 4 Unders for the this season (+12.2 units)


MLB > (913) ARIZONA@ (914) LA DODGERS | 05/02/2015 - 09:10 PM
Play OVER LA DODGERS on the total in Home games against right-handed starters
The record is 50 Overs and 23 Unders for the last two seasons (+27.2 units)

MLB > (929) LA ANGELS@ (930) SAN FRANCISCO | 05/02/2015 - 04:05 PM
Play OVER LA ANGELS on the total in All games as a road underdog of +100 to +125
The record is 23 Overs and 8 Unders for the last two seasons (+14.85 units)


MLB TOP POWERLINES


MLB > (917) CHI WHITE SOX @ (918) MINNESOTA | 05/02/2015 - 02:10 PM
Line: MINNESOTA -110 BTB PowerLine: MINNESOTA -120
Edge On: MINNESOTA (10)


MLB > (901) PITTSBURGH @ (902) ST LOUIS | 05/02/2015 - 02:15 PM
Line: ST LOUIS -119 BTB PowerLine: ST LOUIS -105
Edge On: ST LOUIS (14)


MLB > (903) MILWAUKEE @ (904) CHICAGO CUBS | 05/02/2015 - 02:20 PM
Line: CHICAGO CUBS -190 BTB PowerLine: CHICAGO CUBS -180
Edge On: CHICAGO CUBS (10)


MLB > (929) LA ANGELS @ (930) SAN FRANCISCO | 05/02/2015 - 04:05 PM
Line: SAN FRANCISCO -115 BTB PowerLine: SAN FRANCISCO 124
Edge On: SAN FRANCISCO (19)


MLB > (905) PHILADELPHIA @ (906) MIAMI | 05/02/2015 - 04:10 PM
Line: MIAMI -130 BTB PowerLine: MIAMI 108
Edge On: MIAMI (18)


MLB > (921) TAMPA BAY @ (922) BALTIMORE | 05/02/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: BALTIMORE +129 BTB PowerLine: BALTIMORE -167
Edge On: BALTIMORE (96)


MLB > (923) SEATTLE @ (924) HOUSTON | 05/02/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: HOUSTON -150 BTB PowerLine: HOUSTON -201
Edge On: HOUSTON (51)


MLB > (925) DETROIT @ (926) KANSAS CITY | 05/02/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: KANSAS CITY -110 BTB PowerLine: KANSAS CITY 109
Edge On: KANSAS CITY (19)


MLB > (907) WASHINGTON @ (908) NY METS | 05/02/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: NY METS +105 BTB PowerLine: NY METS -115
Edge On: NY METS (20)


MLB > (927) OAKLAND @ (928) TEXAS | 05/02/2015 - 08:05 PM
Line: TEXAS +110 BTB PowerLine: TEXAS -102
Edge On: TEXAS (12)


MLB > (911) COLORADO @ (912) SAN DIEGO | 05/02/2015 - 08:40 PM
Line: SAN DIEGO -145 BTB PowerLine: SAN DIEGO 123
Edge On: SAN DIEGO (48)


MLB > (913) ARIZONA @ (914) LA DODGERS | 05/02/2015 - 09:10 PM
Line: LA DODGERS -164 BTB PowerLine: LA DODGERS -175
Edge On: LA DODGERS (11)

NBA MONEYLINE


NBA > (551) SAN ANTONIO@ (552) LA CLIPPERS | 05/02/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON SAN ANTONIO using the money line in All games in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points
The record is 18 Wins and 6 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.1 units)


NBA FIRST HALF


NBA > (551) SAN ANTONIO@ (552) LA CLIPPERS | 05/02/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON SAN ANTONIO in the first half in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 21 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+14.4 units)


NBA TOTALS


NBA > (551) SAN ANTONIO@ (552) LA CLIPPERS | 05/02/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the total in Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 6 Overs and 23 Unders for the this season (+16.4 units)


NBA TOP POWERLINE


NBA > (551) SAN ANTONIO @ (552) LA CLIPPERS | 05/02/2015 - 08:05 PM
Line: LA CLIPPERS -2 BTB PowerLine: LA CLIPPERS -2
Edge On: LA CLIPPERS (0)

NHL MONEYLINE


NHL > (59) WASHINGTON@ (60) NY RANGERS | 05/02/2015 - 12:35 PM
Play ON NY RANGERS using the money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 27 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (+16.55 units)

NBA Playoffs - Game 7 Facts


May 1, 2015


Game 7 Quick Facts


-- The NBA has had 119 Game 7’s in playoff history


-- The home team is 95-24 (79%) in those games


-- The 2014 postseason has featured five Game 7's. The home team went 4-1 in those games and the lone visitor to win was Brooklyn, who defeated Toronto 104-103 in overtime..


-- San Antonio owns a 4-5 record in Game 7's


-- Since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles, the team is 2-1 in Game 7's.


-- Doc Rivers has coached in 10 Game 7's and owns a 5-5 career record (Orlando 0-1, Boston 4-4, Los Angeles 1-0)


-- Gregg Popovich owns a 3-2 record in five Game 7's with San Antonio.


San Antonio Game 7 History
1979 Western Conference Semifinals
San Antonio Spurs 111 vs. Philadelphia 76ers 108


1979 Western Conference Finals
Washington Bullets 107 vs. San Antonio Spurs 105


1981 Western Conference Semifinals
Houston Rockets 105 at San Antonio Spurs 100


1990 Western Conference Semifinals
Portland Trail Blazers 108 vs. San Antonio Spurs 105 (OT)


2005 NBA Finals
San Antonio Spurs 81 vs. Detroit Pistons 74


2006 Western Conference Semifinals
Dallas Mavericks 119 at San Antonio Spurs 111 (OT)


2008 Western Conference Semifinals
San Antonio Spurs 91 at New Orleans Hornets 82


2013 NBA Finals
Miami Heat 95 vs. San Antonio Spurs 88


2014 Western Conference First Round
San Antonio Spurs 119 vs. Dallas 96


L.A. Clippers Game 7 History


2006 Western Conference Semifinals
Phoenix Suns 127 vs. L.A. Clippers 107


2012 Western Conference First Round
L.A. Clippers 82 at Memphis 72


2014 Western Conference First Round
L.A. Clippers 126 vs. Golden State 121


ALL-TIME GAME 7 ROAD WINNERS


Year Road Team Home Team Round


2014 Brooklyn 104 Toronto 103 First round


2013 Chicago 99 Brooklyn 93 First round


2012 L.A. Clippers 82 Memphis 72 First round


2008 Orlando 101 Boston 82 Conference semifinals


2007 San Antonio 91 New Orleans 82 Conference semifinals


2007 Utah 103 Houston 99 First round


2006 *Dallas 119 San Antonio 111 Conference semifinals


2005 Detroit 88 Miami 82 Conference finals


2005 Indiana 97 Boston 70 First round


2002 *L.A. Lakers 112 Sacramento 106 Conference finals


2000 New York 83 Miami 82 Conference semifinals


1995 Indiana 97 New York 95 Conference semifinals


1995 Houston 115 Phoenix 114 Conference semifinals


1982 Philadelphia 120 Boston 106 Conference finals


1981 Kansas City 95 Phoenix 88 Conference semifinals


1981 Houston 105 San Antonio 100 Conference semifinals


1978 Washington 105 Seattle 99 NBA Finals


1976 Phoenix 94 Golden State 86 Conference finals


1974 Boston 102 Milwaukee 87 NBA Finals


1973 New York 94 Boston 78 Conference finals


1971 Baltimore 93 New York 91 Conference finals


1969 Boston 108 L.A. Lakers 106 NBA Finals


1968 Boston 100 Philadelphia 96 Division finals


1948 Philadelphia 85 St Louis 46 Semifinals


(*) Asterisk denotes overtime

Game 7 - Spurs at Clippers


May 1, 2015




San Antonio at L.A. Clippers (TNT, 8:05 p.m. ET)


Western Conference - 1st Round
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA


The NBA Playoffs will try to steal some of the attention on Saturday from the Kentucky Derby and Mayweather-Pacquiao fight with its first Game 7 of this year’s postseason.


On Thursday, the Clippers answered the bell again and defeated the Spurs 102-96 as 5 ½-point road favorites. Bettors expecting Los Angeles to survive also had the opportunity to cash a generous money-line payout at 2/1 odds (Bet $100 to win $200).


Blake Griffin (26 points) and Chris Paul (19 points) led the Clippers starting unit in Game 6, which was the difference. Los Angeles’ starting five had an 87-48 advantage in the box score on Thursday and VegasInsider.com NBA expert Tony Mejia is well aware of that gap but he believes the key to Game 7 will be the reserves.


Mejia explained, “As we’ve seen throughout this series, odds are this comes down to bench play, especially since the Clippers are at home and the second-stringers should feel more comfortable performing there. Given the volume of minutes Doc Rivers has been forced to play his starters, getting anything out of the reserves would provide a huge boost against the deeper defending champions. San Antonio needs Tony Parker, Tiago Splitter and Danny Green to come up large after slumping for much of the series.”


In Thursday’s loss, the Spurs’ bench outscored the Clippers 48-15 behind a monster performance from Marco Belinelli, who had 23 points while shooting 7-of-11 from 3-point range.


Will Belinelli produce another effort like that on Saturday? The correct answer is doubtful but I also don’t expect the Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard to go 3-of-15 from the field and post 12 points again.


Mejia mentioned that the Spurs need Parker to get going and I just don’t see it happening. It’s clear that he’s playing injured and head coach Gregg Popovich knows it, which is why he’s playing backup Patty Mills more in this series than he did in the regular season.


If you look at his numbers, you can say that Mills is the X-factor for the Spurs. In three wins, he’s averaging 12.3 points per game while only 9.6 PPG in the losses. He’s 26-years-old while Parker is 32 and the Australian product has a better chance keeping up with CP3.


Thursday’s win by Los Angeles was its second straight victory at the AT&T Center and also the third consecutive win by the visitor in this series.


For Game 7, oddsmakers sent out Los Angeles as a two-point favorite and the line jumped up to 2 ½ at a few shops but it’s currently holding steady at two as of Friday evening.


The allure of a Game 7 always brings out the historians and Mejia doesn’t seen an edge for either club.


He said, “Despite reaching consecutive NBA Finals, this is only the third Game 7 the Spurs have played over the last three seasons and just the fourth since the 2006-07 championship run. Most recently, the Spurs lost to the Miami Heat to fall short of a championship in 2013 and survived Dallas in last year’s first round, while the Clippers also won their most recent Game 7, defeating Golden State in last year’s first round. While San Antonio is indeed more experienced in these situations, that’s not what this clincher will come down to.”

In the 2014 NBA Playoffs, there were five Game 7’s and coincidentally they all occurred in the first round and the home team went 4-1 in those games.


Indiana 92 vs. Atlanta 80
Oklahoma City 120 vs. Memphis 109
L.A. Clippers 126 vs. Golden State 121
San Antonio 119-96 vs. Dallas
Brooklyn 104 at Toronto 103


The lone visitor to pull off the upset was Brooklyn and it took them overtime to barely beat Toronto.


You can check out the Fast Facts and see that history does tell you that the home team in the NBA Playoffs has captured Game 7 nearly 80 percent of the time.


San Antonio owns a 4-5 all-time record in Game 7’s while the Clippers are 2-1 in Game 7’s since they moved to Los Angeles.


Doc Rivers has more experience in Game 7’s and he’s produced a respectable 5-5 record, which includes a 1-0 mark with the Clippers. Popovich is 3-2 in Game 7’s with the Spurs and he led one of the 24 teams to capture a decisive win on the road.


Ironically, that victory came in the 2007 playoffs when San Antonio defeated New Orleans in “The Big Easy” and that was when Chris Paul was playing with the Hornets. In case you don’t recall, New Orleans led that series 2-0 and 3-2 before the Spurs finished them off with back-to-back victories. Part of me is buying the narrative that Paul remembers that series and how he would love to get revenge in this spot on Saturday night.


We all know that beliefs don’t win bets rather facts and it’s hard to ignore this particular one on San Antonio.


Most are well aware that the Spurs have never won back-to-back championships in franchise history, but it’s also true that they’ve only been knocked out in the first round once following a title, which occurred in the 2000 postseason against Phoenix.


I predicted the Clippers to win this series when the matchup was set and I’m a little surprised it hasn’t ended sooner. I’m not shying away from that prediction and expect them to finally get over the hump in this spot but I’d wait to bet this game since both clubs have shown resilience and have made rallies. Outside of the two double-digit outcomes, you’ve had four tight games and if you’re savvy with Live Betting, you can catch a better price.


The total is hovering around 204 points and that’s a fair number considering the ‘over/under’ has gone 3-3 in this series. The pace for Game 6 was very slow and neither team had any rhythm offensively, plus they didn’t shoot high percentages. The Clippers aren’t a great free throw shooting team due to DeAndre Jordan, who is 25-of-64 (39%) from the stripe in this series. Make a note that the Spurs have an Achilles heel at the free throw line too in Tiago Splitter, who is 5-of-16 (31%) versus the Clippers. If either of those two can get those numbers up to 50 percent, ‘over’ bettors would likely cash, but that’s a big “if” to bet on.


Despite not owning homecourt in this series, San Antonio was dubbed the favorite and a lot of that had to do with its championship pedigree. Before the series began, bettors could’ve invested in the Exact Games Props for NBA Series at Sportsbook.ag. The top betting choice for this matchup at 5/2 odds was the Spurs winning in six games, which was denied on Thursday.


4 Games Clippers Win 20/1
4 Games Spurs Win 8/1
5 Games Clippers Win 13/2
5 Games Spurs Win 7/2
6 Games Clippers Win 8/1
6 Games Spurs Win 5/2
7 Games Clippers Win 7/2
7 Games Spurs Win 6/1


The winner of this series will face Houston in the Western Conference semifinals, which will begin on Monday from the Toyota Center. The Rockets have home-court advantage for the best-of-seven series.


I asked Jay Kornegay, Vice President of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, on possible odds for the next round.


Per the SuperBook:


Houston +120
San Antonio -140


Houston -120
L.A. Clippers EVEN

Rangers look to rebound from tough loss


May 1, 2015


GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) - Putting a brutal, last-second loss to the Washington Capitals in the opening game of the Eastern Conference semifinals behind them isn't something the New York Rangers are worried about.

Playoff hockey is all about short-term memory. You win, you forget about it. You lose, you forget about it faster.


Players remember the mistakes and the need to correct them.


That's the approach the Rangers are taking heading into Game 2 of their best-of-seven series with Alexander Ovechkin and Capitals on Saturday afternoon (12:30 p.m. EDT) at Madison Square Garden.


They've stopped thinking about Joel Ward's game-winning goal with 1.3 seconds to play on Thursday night in Washington's 2-1 win and the questionable hit by Nicklas Backstrom on defenseman Dan Boyle that set up the goal. They're not talking about the lack of a penalty call on the play.


The focus is evening the series at 1-all, or in Washington's case, taking a 2-0 lead home for Monday night's Game 3.


''You wake up the next day and go to work,'' Rangers forward Martin St. Louis said Friday after a short 20-minute practice in the team's Westchester training facility. ''You correct the mistakes and get ready for the next one.''


The Capitals, who got a goal and an assist from Ovechkin, did not practice on Friday.


''He's working hard and doing the right things,'' Capitals forward Troy Brouwer said of `Ovi' at the team's hotel. ''It sparked our team. We as players want to play behind him, play with him and win because over the years he's had a little bit of a reputation of not being able to push his team deep into the playoffs. We want to change that for him this year.''


This marks the first time the Rangers, the NHL's best team in the regular season, have been behind in the playoffs this season. They beat Pittsburgh in five games in the opening round.


''You don't want to dig too deep into it,'' center Derek Stepan said of the need to win. ''It's a loss Game 1 and we have to come out and get ourselves ready and give us at least a good chance to win Game 2.''


Boyle, who was dazed by Backstrom's hit, practiced on Friday. He refused to discuss his thoughts on the hit.


Rangers coach Alain Vigneault also refused to say anything about the referees. He said his team needs to learn from the play, and the most important thing is not to stop playing. The Rangers hesitated after Boyle was hit. The Capitals didn't stop and scored the winning goal.


Capitals coach Barry Trotz watched a videotape of the Backstrom hit and saw nothing wrong with it.


''If you really watch it again, even the people right in front (of the glass), they didn't flinch,'' he said. ''Usually if it is a questionable hit, everybody jumps up and puts their hands up and all that. The fans right there, nothing. It really was nothing. It was the right call.''


The NHL reviewed the hit on Friday and did not take any action.


Vigneault wants his team has to play better against the Ovechkin line in Game 2 and to capitalize on scoring chances. New York has scored one goal in regulations in each of its last three playoffs games and that's not good enough.


---


Calgary at Anaheim, Anaheim leads series 1-0, Game 2, Sunday 10 p.m. EDT.


FLYING DUCKS: after sweeping Winnipeg, the Ducks rolled to a 6-1 win in Game 1 on Thursday, chasing former teammate Jonas Hiller to the bench in the second period.


It also extended the Flames' futility at the Honda Center, where Calgary hasn't won since the 2006 playoffs and has lost 20 consecutive regular-season games since January 2004.


---

Preview: Yankees (13-9) at Red Sox (12-10)
Game: 2
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: May 02, 2015 1:35 PM EDT

Alex Rodriguez's return to the New York Yankees' lineup can't be any more dramatic than his lone at-bat in this series against the Boston Red Sox.


Rodriguez can move into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time home run list Saturday when the Yankees seek their first five-game road win streak in two years.


Manager Joe Girardi left Rodriguez out of his starting lineup for the second time in three games in Friday's series opener because the slugger was mired in a 4-for-31 slump and was facing a tough assignment in starter Justin Masterson.


That decision delayed the opportunity for the Red Sox faithful to boo the disgraced Rodriguez until he pinch-hit in the eighth inning. He silenced the Fenway Park crowd with home run No. 660 to break a 2-2 tie and match Hall of Famer Willie Mays on the all-time list.


'I'm actually very excited, trying to stay in the moment,' Rodriguez said. 'It's good to do it in a good team win.'


Rodriguez's blow was decisive in a 3-2 victory for New York (14-9), which last won five straight on the road May 8-13, 2013. The Yankees have won 11 out of 14 overall.


Rodriguez will start Saturday and face Wade Miley (1-2, 8.62 ERA) after going 1 for 3 off the left-hander in a 6-5, 19-inning win by Boston on April 10.


Miley gave up two runs over 5 1-3 innings in that contest in his Red Sox debut before surrendering seven runs in two of his next three outings, including last Sunday's effort of 2 1-3 innings as he suffered an 18-7 defeat at Baltimore.


"It's embarrassing. I know I'm better than this," said Miley, who also gave up seven runs in 2 1-3 innings in his Boston home debut in a 10-5 loss to Washington on April 15.


Girardi may not want to start Chase Headley, who is 3 for 19 against Miley and hitting .167 against left-handers.


Miley's mound opponent in last month's start in New York was Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 4.15), who yielded three runs in 5 1-3 innings that night in his first career appearance against Boston (12-11).


The Yankees right-hander gave up three runs or fewer in his first three outings before surrendering four in 4 1-3 innings Sunday in a 6-4 victory over the New York Mets.


Eovaldi will pitch at Fenway for the first time and will try to slow down Pablo Sandoval, who is 10 for 14 against him including 2 for 3 this year.


Boston catcher Ryan Hanigan left in the seventh inning Friday with a broken knuckle that will require surgery. Hanigan was replaced by Sandy Leon and Blake Swihart is expected to be called up and could make his big league debut this weekend.


Allen Craig homered and Mike Napoli doubled and walked. Napoli has reached base in 32 straight starts against the Yankees for the longest streak by a Red Sox player since Wade Boggs did it in 54 consecutive between 1984-89.


Designated hitter David Ortiz has reached base in his last 26 home games against New York, batting .440 with five homers, 19 RBIs and 19 walks. He's hitting .375 at home compared to .136 on the road.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Yankees at Red Sox
Fri, May 1 - 7:10PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Yankees at Red Sox
Sat, May 2 - 1:35PM EDT


GAME 3
Yankees at Red Sox
Sun, May 3 - 8:05PM EDT

Preview: White Sox (8-11) at Twins (10-12)
Game: 3
Venue: Target Field
Date: May 02, 2015 2:10 PM EDT

It's been nearly a year since the Minnesota Twins were at the .500 mark and 10 months since Ricky Nolasco last won at Target Field.


Nolasco returns from a trip to the disabled list as the Twins try to get back to the break-even mark Saturday against the slumping Chicago White Sox.


Minnesota (11-12) hasn't been at .500 since it was 23-23 on May 24 en route to a 70-92 finish. Following a 1-6 start this season, the Twins are on the cusp of reaching that point again after winning 10 of 16, including each of the first two games in the series.


They slugged their way to a 12-2 victory Thursday before getting their lone run in a 1-0 victory Friday when Kennys Vargas came home on a wild pitch in the fifth inning. The White Sox have totaled four runs in three consecutive defeats and are also dealing with a bout of flu going through their clubhouse.


"We're going through one of those stretches where we are just not getting it going across the board," designated hitter Adam LaRoche told MLB's official website. "It will turn. It just (stinks) going through it."


Minnesota will seek to win for the eighth time in 12 home games while sending the White Sox to a fifth consecutive road defeat. Chicago (8-12) has dropped nine of 11 away from home and its .353 road winning percentage since the start of the 2013 season (61-112) is only higher than Colorado's .328.


Nolasco is set to make his first home start of the season after landing on the DL with right elbow inflammation following his season debut. The veteran right-hander, who is 0-4 with a 6.12 ERA in six home starts since defeating Kansas City on July 1, permitted six runs, six hits and four walks in three-plus innings in an 11-0 drubbing in Detroit on April 8.


"I'm just glad to be getting back to normal and to being on my five days," he said.


Nolasco is 0-2 with a 5.92 ERA in four starts against Chicago, giving up two runs or fewer in two of the starts and five or more in the other two. He yielded two runs in 5 1-3 innings in a 5-4 home win in his last matchup June 20.


Hector Noesi (0-2, 5.23) will face Minnesota for the second time in three starts this season. The right-hander gave up two runs in 4 2-3 innings and walked six - one shy of matching a career high - in a 6-0 loss April 10.


He hasn't pitched since allowing four runs and four hits - including two homers - in 5 2-3 innings of a 6-2 loss to Cleveland on April 21 because Monday's game in Baltimore was postponed due to protests in the city. Noesi has a 5.28 ERA in losing his last five starts, a stretch that began with a 6-4 defeat to Minnesota on Sept. 14.


Joe Mauer, who went 0 for 3 Friday after going 6 for 10 in his previous two games, singled and walked twice against Noesi last month.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
White Sox at Twins
Thu, Apr 30 Final 2 to 12
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
White Sox at Twins
Fri, May 1 - 8:10PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
White Sox at Twins
Sat, May 2 - 2:10PM EDT


GAME 4
White Sox at Twins
Sun, May 3 - 2:10PM EDT

Preview: Brewers (5-17) at Cubs (12-8)
Game: 2
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: May 02, 2015 2:20 PM EDT

For a Chicago Cubs team desperate for top-end pitching in 2014, Jake Arrieta emerged as one of the more dominant arms in the NL.


Through four starts in 2015, he's been even better.


Now a core member of the Cubs, Arrieta will look to continue his impressive beginning Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, who could get All-Star Carlos Gomez back from the disabled list.


Arrieta (3-1, 2.03 ERA) had a 0.99 WHIP last season and was at 0.94 this April, so far looking like the ace of a rotation that added Jon Lester in the offseason.


The right-hander had his shortest outing so far Sunday, but allowed only four hits and two runs through six innings of a 5-2 victory against Cincinnati.


"That's what you talk about when a guy doesn't cave in. That matters," manager Joe Maddon told MLB's official website." You're not going to have your best stuff, best everything every night. You've got to be able to win with less than your best, and he did.


"That's a tribute to him and his work and his mental focus."


He'll take the mound on the heels of Lester's best performance thus far. The left-hander limited Milwaukee to three hits through seven scoreless innings Friday, and 21-year-old Addison Russell supplied the offense with his first career home run as the Cubs (13-8) picked up a 1-0 victory.


"You have to win 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 to win championships," Maddon said. "I'm really proud of the guys today. ... Right now the energy is really good, and the process is good, too."


The Brewers (5-18) have been shut out four times this season and rank near the bottom of the league with 3.09 runs per game. Adam Lind, who did not play Friday, is Milwaukee's only regular hitting above .300.


The lineup should get a boost Saturday with the return of Gomez, who was on the DL with a hamstring injury. He's scored a team-leading 175 runs over the past two seasons,


"For the last 15 days, I've been really frustrated. I couldn't do anything to help my team move forward," Gomez said. "I think when I'm in the lineup, it's a little bit different. We're going to be a little bit better. The team has started to play better. We still lost some games, but it's not like before."


The starting pitching has been much better of late, producing six quality starts in the last nine games after managing only two through the first 14.


None of those belong to Mike Fiers (0-3, 5.79), who has failed to get an out after the fourth inning in his last two starts. His strikeout rate remains appealing (10.61 per nine innings), but its done little good considering his opponents' batting average of .358 - one of the worst in baseball.


Anthony Rizzo is 5 for 7 with a homer and a double against Fiers. He has reached safely in 10 consecutive games, and owns a 1.105 OPS in that span.


Kris Bryant owns a .458 on-base percentage since joining the major league club, second only to Rizzo's .479 mark that's among the best in baseball.


Chicago has won eight of its last 10 meetings with Milwaukee.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Brewers at Cubs
Fri, May 1 Final 0 to 1
Boxscores


GAME 2
Brewers at Cubs
Sat, May 2 - 2:20PM EDT


GAME 3
Brewers at Cubs
Sun, May 3 - 2:20PM EDT

Preview: Blue Jays (11-12) at Indians (7-14)
Game: 3
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: May 02, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Considering how well things unfolded last season, Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is confident Corey Kluber will overcome another rough start.


That's assuming his teammates can help him out.


The Indians try for a sixth time to win their first game with the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner on the mound Saturday against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.


A year ago, Kluber went 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA in six April starts then 16-6 with a 2.13 ERA in his last 28 to become Cleveland's third Cy Young winner in eight seasons.


"He's about where he was last year at this time," Francona told MLB's official website. "I do think with Klubes, we've seen it, when he gets on a roll, he'll be better.


"There is never a question about Corey's effort, and I'll take him any day of the week."


Though Kluber (0-3, 4.24) has allowed 12 runs and 23 hits over 12 1-3 innings while losing his last two starts, the Indians (8-14) have managed seven runs overall with him on the mound and been shut out twice.


The right-hander is trying to avoid becoming the first pitcher since Frank Viola in 1989 to have his team lose his first six starts the season after winning the Cy Young.


Publicly, Kluber seems more concerned with the welfare of his team and not himself.


"The way things are going is frustrating,' he said. 'I don't focus as much on me, individually, as I do on the team as a whole."


Kluber, who went 1-1 with a 3.95 ERA against Toronto in 2014, hopes his teammates stay hot after they had 13 hits during Friday's 9-4 victory. Brett Hayes hit a three-run homer, Michael Brantley delivered a two-run shot and Jason Kipnis had a solo drive to help Cleveland move on from a dismal April.


'I always feel like the next day, regardless of what month, let's go play today's game,' Francona said. 'Normally when you're looking for those types of things, you need to look for them, because you're scuffling. Regardless of how many days are in April, if we play well and win, we're all for it.'


After failing to homer in their first five games at Progressive Field, the Indians have seven in the last five.


Brantley, 5 for 9 in the first two games of this series, is batting .367 with two home runs and seven RBIs in his last eight at home against the Blue Jays (11-13).


The Indians get their first look at Aaron Sanchez (1-2, 5.03), who allowed four runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 6-5 walk-off loss at Boston on Monday.


Josh Donaldson homered to lead off Friday's game and Kevin Pillar went 2 for 4 with two RBIs for Toronto, which blew an early three-run lead to fall to 2-6 on its 10-game trip.


After going 0 for 10 in the first three games of the trip, Pillar is 9 for 20 with five extra-base hits and five RBIs in the last five.


"The reports we all had in the minor leagues is that this kid can flat-out play," manager John Gibbons said. "Now, the big difference is that he's out there everyday. He wasn't the last couple years, he was playing a platoon role and facing lefties and there aren't many lefties. Now he's playing everyday and he's settled in. He's been tremendous."


Donaldson is 3 for 9 with a home run against Kluber.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Blue Jays at Indians
Thu, Apr 30 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Blue Jays at Indians
Fri, May 1 - 7:10PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Blue Jays at Indians
Sat, May 2 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Blue Jays at Indians
Sun, May 3 - 1:10PM EDT

Preview: Phillies (8-15) at Marlins (10-12)
Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: May 02, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Dee Gordon and Marcell Ozuna are red-hot at the plate, and that's a big reason why the Miami Marlins have turned around their sluggish start.


Gordon and Ozuna will try to continue pacing the Marlins on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies.


Miami (11-12) is hitting .307 and averaging 5.3 runs while winning eight of nine games after batting .243 with 3.8 runs per game through its first 14.


Gordon has been superb from the start, and he leads the majors with a .423 average. He's gone 17 for 28 (.607) over the past seven games.


Ozuna, however, was batting .194 (6 for 31) through his first nine games before hitting .405 over the past 12.


The center fielder's hot stretch continued Friday, when he went 4 for 4, and his third double was a walkoff that drove home Giancarlo Stanton from first in a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Philadelphia (8-16).


"It continues to show the character of this team," manager Mike Redmond said. "Things don't go our way, but we keep battling."


Things certainly aren't going in favor of Cole Hamels (1-2, 3.19 ERA) when he takes the mound against the Marlins. The left-hander owns a 2.50 ERA over his last 11 starts, but he's 1-4 since he's been backed by three runs or fewer in 10 of those games.


Run support was again an issue versus Miami on April 22, when the left-hander allowed an unearned run in six innings while not figuring in the decision of a 6-1 home loss.


Hamels finally got enough help with a three-run seventh Monday, as he allowed one run with nine strikeouts and left after the inning in a 4-1 victory against St. Louis.


"I think personal wins aren't something I really focus on that much," Hamels said. "It's more for the team. You want to set the tone no matter what."


Hamels is pitching amid rumors he'll be traded to a playoff contender since Philadelphia is rebuilding, and that's been clear with its .221 average and 2.8 runs per game, which rank last in the NL.


"I'm living in the moment, and that's kind of all I can do," Hamels told MLB's official website. "In order to be accountable for what I have to do, I can't think in the future or the past. I've got to be here in the present."


His past is impressive against Gordon, who is 0 for 9 with five strikeouts against Hamels. Ozuna, though, has homered on three of his seven hits in 23 at_bats.


The Marlins will counter Hamels with Dan Haren (2-1, 3.38), who is 1-6 with a 4.64 ERA in 11 career starts against the Phillies. He was charged with a 7-3 loss to them April 21, giving up four runs and two homers with seven strikeouts and three walks in six innings.


The right-hander, though, followed that up with an improved effort five days later, yielding two runs and three hits in five innings of a 6-2 win over Washington.


Haren has struggled with Grady Sizemore, who is 11 for 23 (.478) with three homers off him. The right fielder, however, is hitting .158 with one RBI on the season.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Phillies at Marlins
Fri, May 1 - 7:10PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Phillies at Marlins
Sat, May 2 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Phillies at Marlins
Sun, May 3 - 1:10PM EDT

Preview: Rays (12-10) at Orioles (10-10)
Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: May 02, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Since last facing the Baltimore Orioles, Chris Archer has produced a franchise-record run of dominance for the Tampa Bay Rays.


The right-hander seeks to extend his streak of starts with zero earned runs allowed when he faces the Orioles again Saturday night.


Archer (3-2, 0.84 ERA) gave up four runs in 5 2-3 innings to Baltimore in the Rays' season opener, a 6-2 defeat April 6. Since then, he has yielded one unearned run in 26 2-3 innings over four starts - Tampa Bay's most in a row without an earned run - while striking out 32 and walking five.


He has also given up two hits or fewer in three of those outings, including a 5-1 win over Toronto on Sunday. Archer shook off an illness to pitch seven scoreless innings, strike out seven and walk one.


"I don't think we could ask for a better month out of a starting pitcher. He's been as good as I've ever seen," manager Kevin Cash said.


Archer, 0-2 with a 7.65 ERA in his last four starts against Baltimore, will try to become the first pitcher to go five consecutive starts without giving up an earned run since the Chicago Cubs' Ryan Dempster in 2012.


No AL pitcher has accomplished that feat in one season since Oakland's Cory Lidle in 2002.


"I'm going to strive for perfection," Archer told MLB's official website. "And not beat myself up over not being perfect."


Archer will also try to follow up Alex Colome's successful return from pneumonia, a 2-0 win in Friday's series opener. The Rays (13-10) and Orioles (10-11) are playing their three-game set at Tropicana Field because of rioting in Baltimore.


The Orioles had won their previous three games, including an 8-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in front of zero fans at Camden Yards. They were batting .351 with 36 runs in their prior four contests but finished with four singles against Tampa Bay.


"It'd be a very convenient excuse. It might seem strange, but once the game starts they're doing something they've done their whole lives," manager Buck Showalter said. "We pitched real well. They just pitched a little better."


Miguel Gonzalez (2-1, 3.42) will attempt to get his club started on another win streak in his second start against Tampa Bay this season. The right-hander gave up one run to the Rays in 5 2-3 innings in his season debut April 8 but took a 2-0 loss.


Gonzalez went 1-1 with a 1.42 ERA in his first two starts but had a 5.73 ERA in his past two, both against Boston. He was charged with four runs in six innings April 24, giving up all of those in the fifth, and avoided a defeat in the 7-5 loss when the Orioles rallied to tie the game in the seventh.


Archer gave up one run in his first four innings against Tampa Bay last month before Alejandro De Aza hit a two-run shot in the fifth and Steve Pearce followed with a solo homer in the sixth. De Aza is 3 for 29 in his last eight games and Pearce is 5 for 31 in his past 10.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rays at Orioles
Fri, May 1 - 7:05PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rays at Orioles
Sat, May 2 - 7:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Rays at Orioles
Sun, May 3 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Tigers (15-8) at Royals (15-7)
Game: 3
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: May 02, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

David Price has yet to experience the rivalry between the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals.


He'll take part for the first time Saturday night and try to help the visiting Tigers avoid a third straight defeat in this four-game series.


Price (2-1, 3.48 ERA) has made fewer starts against Kansas City than any AL team outside of Tampa Bay, his first major league club. He is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three starts versus the Royals, whom he last faced three seasons ago.


The available Kansas City hitter that the left-hander has faced most is Kendrys Morales, who is 4 for 14 against him and 11 for 35 with 11 RBIs in an eight-game hitting streak. Morales has driven in nine runs in his last four games, going 3 for 8 with four RBIs in this series.


Detroit (15-9) has won four of five starts by Price, who hasn't been happy with how he has pitched. He gave up three runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-4 victory at Minnesota on Monday.


"That's what makes a good starting pitcher, that's what makes a major league baseball player is consistency," Price said. "And I haven't shown that yet."


Kansas City (16-7) has turned in superior starting pitching in this series. Danny Duffy allowed one run in seven innings in Thursday's 8-1 rout and Chris Young pitched five hitless innings in Friday's 4-1 victory.


Tigers starters Alfredo Simon and Kyle Lobstein were charged with 10 runs in those contests.


The Royals took a no-hitter into the eighth Friday before Nick Castellanos singled off reliever Kelvin Herrera. Their bullpen leads the majors with a 1.08 ERA.


"It just shows you the great job that (general manager) Dayton Moore did in trying to look ahead and try to look into the future and try to foresee situations and acquire guys who could not miss a beat," manager Ned Yost said.


Detroit's top six RBI leaders - Miguel Cabrera, Yoenis Cespedes, J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler, Victor Martinez and Castellanos - have failed to drive in a run in this series. Anthony Gose has both RBIs.


Royals starter Edinson Volquez (2-2, 1.91) hopes that trend continues as he takes the mound after surrendering five runs - one earned - over 5 2-3 innings in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox. Volquez fell to 0-2 on the road with a 2.70 ERA compared to 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two home outings.


The right-hander is back after serving a five-game suspension for his role in a brawl with the White Sox on April 23.


Volquez won for the first time in three career starts against Detroit by allowing two runs over six innings for Pittsburgh in a 4-2 victory Aug. 12.


Cabrera reached base all three times against Volquez in that game with a single and two walks. Victor Martinez is 0 for 7 against Volquez and J.D. Martinez is 0 for 4.


Kansas City has 24 hits in this series with seven players recording multihit efforts. The Royals lead the majors with a .306 average while the Tigers are second in the AL at .280.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Tigers at Royals
Thu, Apr 30 Final 1 to 8
Boxscores


GAME 2
Tigers at Royals
Fri, May 1 - 8:10PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Tigers at Royals
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Tigers at Royals
Sun, May 3 - 2:10PM EDT

Preview: Reds (11-11) at Braves (10-12)
Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 02, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Atlanta Braves may be in bit of an offensive rut, but they'll likely come out swinging with a matchup against Cincinnati Reds veteran Jason Marquis.


The Braves look to take advantage of Marquis' early-inning struggles Saturday night to win back-to-back games for the first time since the season's first week.


Atlanta (11-12) has plated nine runs while batting .193 in its last three games after combining for 20 runs and 30 hits in its previous two. The top three hitters in Friday's lineup - Nick Markakis, Alberto Callaspo and Freddie Freeman - were a combined 0 for 10 with four strikeouts and two walks and the team finished with five hits. The Braves managed to snap a three-game losing streak, however, as Kelly Johnson hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fifth inning - just his second hit in 11 at_bats - in a 4-3 victory.


"We wanted to come out here and give ourselves an opportunity to win this series so now we evened it up," said Eric Young Jr., who is 1 for 11 in his last five games. "We got the matchup tomorrow and got a chance to win this thing."


The Braves, who opened 5-0, could have an easier time offensively against Marquis (2-1, 5.48 ERA), whose 311 opponents' batting average is one of the highest in the NL. Most of the damage against the former Brave is coming early as opponents are hitting .387 off him with a .457 OBP their first time through the order.


The right-hander was able to work his way out of trouble after allowing seven hits and two walks Monday against Milwaukee. He allowed two runs over eight innings - his longest outing in nearly two years - in a 9-6 victory after recording a 7.20 ERA in his first three starts.


Markakis is 5 for 10 with a double against Marquis while Freeman is 2 for 6 with four walks.


In 10 career starts against Atlanta, Marquis has a 6.95 ERA - his highest against any NL opponent. That inflated ERA, however, mostly came from his first four starts. Since 2008, he has a 3.92 ERA against the Braves, last facing them in 2013.


The Braves counter with Eric Stults (1-1, 4.03), who limited Washington to two runs and four hits over 6 1-3 innings in Monday's 8-4 victory. The left-hander has 2.19 ERA in his last two starts without yielding a homer after recording a 6.30 ERA while serving up three home runs in his first two.


The Reds (11-12) failed to homer Friday after totaling 10 in their previous three contests, but Joey Votto managed to stay hot.


Votto had two more hits and is 6 for 13 with a homer and two doubles in his last four contests. He is hitless in his last 11 at_bats against lefties, however, and 2 for 7 with a double against Stults


Brandon Phillips, who missed Thursday's series opener due to an illness, is 4 for 8 in his last two games and 4 for 6 with a homer off Stults.


In two starts versus the Reds, Stults is 1-1 with a 1.42 ERA.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Reds at Braves
Thu, Apr 30 Final 5 to 1
Boxscores


GAME 2
Reds at Braves
Fri, May 1 - 7:35PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Reds at Braves
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Reds at Braves
Sun, May 3 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Nationals (10-13) at Mets (15-8)
Game: 3
Venue: Citi Field
Date: May 02, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Matt Harvey restored the New York Mets' home dominance, and Jonathon Niese is poised to follow suit Saturday when the upstart Mets continue their series with the Washington Nationals.


Harvey became the first five-game winner in the majors Friday night, combining with Alex Torres and Jeurys Familia on a six-hitter in New York's 4-0 victory. The Mets (16-8) snapped a three-game overall losing streak and improved to 11-1 at Citi Field, where their starters have picked up all 11 wins while compiling a 2.59 ERA.


'That's what the definition of an ace is,' outfielder Michael Cuddyer said of Harvey. 'When you've got a losing streak, he goes out and puts up zeros.'


Familia has picked up a save in 10 consecutive appearances, and he's conceded only a solo homer and one other hit in 8 2-3 innings at home - where he has eight saves in as many outings.


Though Familia's availability is uncertain after a five-out save Friday night, Niese (2-1, 2.74 ERA) may not need much help. He's won both his starts at Citi Field this year with a 1.38 ERA, but the left-hander was thwarted in a bid for a third straight victory Sunday after giving up six runs and eight hits in five innings of a 6-4 loss to the New York Yankees.


Niese had a 5.82 ERA in losing all three of his starts against the Nationals (10-14) last year. He's 3-3 with a 3.41 ERA in 10 lifetime starts.


Daniel Murphy, whose three-run eighth-inning double sealed the win, is 9 for 23 with eight RBIs over his last six games to raise his average 67 points to .212. He's fared well against Gio Gonzalez (1-2, 5.01), going 6 for 17 with a triple.


While Gonzalez has had plenty of success at Citi Field himself - he's 5-1 with a 1.88 ERA in eight starts there - the loss came in his last outing Sept. 12, and the lefty is already 0-2 on the road versus NL East opponents this year after Miami roughed him up for six runs and 10 hits in five-plus innings of a 6-2 defeat Sunday.


'As a starting pitcher, you have to go out there and minimize the damage, and obviously I didn't do that," Gonzalez said.


That extended his struggles against division rivals, dropping to 3-9 with a 4.94 ERA in his last 13 starts. Gonzalez went 2-3 versus the Mets in 2014 and stifled them on one hit in seven innings with a career-high 12 strikeouts in a 3-0 win Sept. 25.


Friday was just the second loss in Washington's last 17 games at Citi Field as its offensive problems resurfaced. The Nats had scored 34 runs in winning their previous three games but dropped to 2-8 when scoring two or fewer runs.


"We had some good at_bats," manager Matt Williams told MLB's official website. "That one swing of the bat, we didn't have it tonight."


Ian Desmond hasn't had that one swing for a longer period of time and is mired in an 0-for-29 slump. The Nationals are hoping center fielder Denard Span will be available after sitting out Friday due to general soreness.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Nationals at Mets
Thu, Apr 30 Final 8 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Nationals at Mets
Fri, May 1 - 7:10PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Nationals at Mets
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Nationals at Mets
Sun, May 3 - 1:10PM EDT

Preview: Mariners (10-12) at Astros (15-7)
Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: May 02, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Carefree and confident, the Houston Astros continue to roll.


As Collin McHugh looks to extend the majors' longest active undefeated stretch, the Astros try to win nine straight for the first time in nine seasons Saturday night against the visiting Seattle Mariners.


Jose Altuve had two more hits and Houston (16-7) hit three home runs before hanging on to win for the 12th time in 13 games, 4-3 on Friday.


Tied with Kansas City for the best record in the AL, the Astros can match the club's best 24-game start set in 1980 by recording their first nine-game winning streak since September 2006. Victorious in five straight and nine of 10 against the AL West, Houston is 12-5 within the division.


'They believe,' manager A.J. Hinch said. 'They're getting rewarded tremendously for playing clean baseball, and there's a nice vibe around us. It's fun to come to the ballpark.'


Altuve is 21 for 42 while recording at least two hits in nine straight games, tying a franchise record shared by Jesus Alou (1969) and Billy Hatcher (1987). He's batting .447 in his last nine against the Mariners (10-13).


Almost as hot is center fielder Jake Marisnick, batting .448 with two home runs and six RBIs in his last nine contests.


Houston has won nine consecutive starts by McHugh (3-0, 2.92 ERA) and has gone 12-2 while he's 10-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 14 starts since taking a loss at Miami on July 27.


"I don't put a whole lot of emphasis on winning streaks," McHugh insisted.


What the right-hander wants is to be more effective after allowing three runs and seven hits in each of his last two starts, the first over seven innings in a 6-3 win at Seattle on April 21. McHugh followed by giving up all his runs in the fifth and lasted six while not factoring in the decision of Monday's 9-4 win at San Diego that ended his run of eight straight winning starts.


"Sometimes you've got like a machine gun and sometimes you've got a pocket knife," said McHugh, who has struck out 78, walked 11 and allowed three home runs during his unbeaten run.


McHugh, however, often looked like he used a scissor while going 1-2 with 7.31 ERA at home versus Seattle in 2014.


Nelson Cruz is 1 for 6 with three strikeouts versus McHugh but hit his major league-leading 11th homer for one of the Mariners' two in the ninth Friday. The towering drive hit the train atop Minute Maid Park but didn't help Seattle from dropping the first two of this set after sweeping Texas to open their 10-game trip.


'I'm not going to, after (23) games, say the season is burning,' manager Lloyd McClendon said. ' That's not very responsible."


Cruz is batting .409 with four home runs and 13 RBIs in his last 12 games at Houston.


Taijuan Walker (1-2, 6.86) is 3-0 with a 2.67 ERA in five starts against the Astros, and didn't factor in the decision while giving up one run, four walks and eight strikeouts opposite McHugh last month.


The right-hander allowed 14 runs in 7 1-3 innings to lose his first two starts, but two over 12 1-3 of the last two. Walker yielded an unearned run and one walk in seven innings of Monday's 3-1 victory at Texas for his first win against a team other than the Astros.


Altuve is hitting .385 with two doubles versus Walker.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Mariners at Astros
Thu, Apr 30 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores


GAME 2
Mariners at Astros
Fri, May 1 - 8:10PM EDT
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Mariners at Astros
Sat, May 2 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Mariners at Astros
Sun, May 3 - 2:10PM EDT

Preview: Athletics (9-14) at Rangers (7-14)
Game: 2
Venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington
Date: May 02, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

The Texas Rangers own the worst record in the AL, but Nick Martinez is looking to build on the best April in the history of the franchise since it relocated 43 years ago.


Martinez tries to help the Rangers end a four-game losing streak Saturday night against the Oakland Athletics.


Texas has dropped nine of 11 after three relievers gave up seven runs in the eighth inning of a 7-5 defeat Friday to open this three-game series.


The only victories over that stretch have come with Martinez (2-0, 0.35 ERA) on the mound, and the Rangers (7-15) have won all four of his starts.


The right-hander compiled the lowest qualifying ERA in April by a Ranger since Tom Cheney had a 0.00 mark in 1963 when the team was the Washington Senators.


It was also the lowest in the majors in April since Roger Clemens' 0.28 ERA in 1991.


"It's been a good month, but it's only April and I've got to carry it on," Martinez said. "The ultimate goal is to finish strong and help this team get to the playoffs."


Martinez has also pitched well against the A's, going 2-1 with a 1.91 ERA in five games - four starts - after tossing seven scoreless innings in a 10-1 win at Oakland on April 9.


Josh Reddick, though, is 4 for 6 in their matchups and is batting .483 with nine RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.


The Rangers have totaled nine runs in four games since Martinez pitched six scoreless innings in Sunday's 5-4 win in 11 over the Los Angeles Angels.


While Texas' .213 batting average is the lowest in baseball, Prince Fielder continues to do his part. The first baseman leads the team with a .341 average and 11 RBIs after hitting a solo homer and a double Friday.


Fielder is 7 for 15 with four RBIs in the last four meetings with Oakland.


The A's (10-14) are aiming for back-to-back wins for the second time after rookie Mark Canha led off the eighth with a homer on the first pitch before hitting an RBI single when Oakland batted around.


"Any time you win a game that looked like you were going to lose, it gives you some confidence," manager Bob Melvin said.


Canha is 5 for 8 with two homers and five RBIs over the past two games and 6 for 13 with six RBIs in three against Texas.


Oakland hands the ball to Drew Pomeranz, who is 0-2 with a 6.60 ERA in three starts since allowing two hits over seven scoreless innings to beat Seattle in his season debut.


The left-hander gave up five runs - three earned - with three walks in five innings while not figuring in the decision of a 7-6 loss to Houston on Sunday.


Pomeranz (1-2, 4.50) didn't even get to the fifth in his only start against the Rangers, getting pulled with two outs in the fourth while being charged with eight runs in a 14-8 loss in Oakland on June 16.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Athletics at Rangers
Fri, May 1 - 8:05PM EDT
Boxscores


GAME 2
Athletics at Rangers
Sat, May 2 - 8:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Athletics at Rangers
Sun, May 3 - 3:05PM EDT

Preview: Pirates (12-11) at Cardinals (16-6)
Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: May 02, 2015 2:15 PM EDT

Francisco Liriano has the difficult task of facing a St. Louis Cardinals team that's off to its best start in 71 seasons.


The Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander, however, has shined in his rare appearances in St. Louis and is looking to build on one of his best outings of the season Saturday.


St. Louis is 16-6 for the first time since winning 18 of its first 24 games in 1944 and has claimed nine of those victories in its 11 home contests. The Cardinals defeated Pittsburgh 2-1 in 10 innings Friday for a fourth straight win.


Matt Adams ended the game with a two-out, bases-loaded single and has seven of his team-best 15 RBIs in the last four games. He's also 9 for 18 with a homer and three doubles during the win streak.


"We needed something to happen and he made it happen," manager Mike Matheny said. 'Guys like him, they want to be up in that situation. He's been taking some real good at_bats."


The Cardinals, winners in 13 of 16, have taken 15 of the last 18 home games against Pittsburgh (12-11), including the postseason. St. Louis began that stretch after a 5-1 loss to Liriano on Aug. 14, 2013.


Liriano (1-1, 2.22 ERA) is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in three career starts at Busch Stadium, his lowest ERA at any park he's pitched at least three times. He was limited to just two scoreless innings in his only outing there last year because of flu-like symptoms.


Liriano hasn't given up more than three earned runs in his last 11 overall starts dating back to a home matchup against the Cardinals on Aug. 25, going 5-1 with a 1.58 ERA. He pitched six scoreless innings in that 3-2 loss and is 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA in nine career starts versus St. Louis, including one in the 2013 division series.


Liriano is coming off an 8-0 victory at Arizona on Sunday in which he yielded two hits in 6 1-3 innings and didn't let six walks hurt him. The Pirates also gave him four runs of support, matching their output from his first three games.


"This guy competes, and that's what we need," manager Clint Hurdle told MLB's official website. "He's an experienced guy who gives us what we need every time out."


John Lackey (1-1, 4.21) pitched opposite Liriano in his most recent matchup with the Pirates, allowing one run in seven innings to get the win Aug. 25. That was his first start against Pittsburgh in 10 years.


The right-hander pitched six scoreless innings before giving up three runs in the seventh in Monday's 4-1 loss to Philadelphia.


"I'll take 30 more of those and we'll see what happens," Lackey said.


The Pirates have not allowed a home run in nine consecutive contests - their longest streak since a 10-game run May 19-29, 1991 - and have served up just two in their past 14 games. Yadier Molina and Mark Reynolds were the only current Cardinals to homer off Liriano last season but they've gone deep once in a combined 99 at_bats this year.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Pirates at Cardinals
Fri, May 1 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Pirates at Cardinals
Sat, May 2 - 2:15PM EDT


GAME 3
Pirates at Cardinals
Sun, May 3 - 2:15PM EDT

Preview: Angels (11-12) at Giants (10-13)
Game: 2
Venue: AT&T Park
Date: May 02, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

The San Francisco Giants are feast or famine on the mound, especially when it comes to their rotation.


After Joe Panik came through in the clutch, the Giants are looking for Tim Hudson to snap his worst start to a season Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels.


San Francisco's results have been largely dictated by its pitchers, who have a 1.59 ERA in its wins compared to 5.73 in losses.


The Giants (10-13) have a much larger discrepancy with their starters, who have compiled a 1.62 ERA in victories as opposed to 7.13 in losses.


That trend continued Friday, when Chris Heston allowed one run in 6 1-3 innings before Panik delivered a pinch-hit, walkoff single in a 3-2 win over the Angels (11-12) to open this three-game set.


"He has ice in his veins," catcher Andrew Susac said of Panik. "Joe and I grew up in the minors together. He's always had that even keel."


Hudson (0-2, 3.91 ERA) is winless through his first four starts for the first time in his 17 seasons. The 39-year-old right-hander was in position to end that drought last Saturday, allowing three runs and leaving with a lead after the seventh before San Francisco eventually won 5-4 in 11 innings at Colorado.


"The main thing is that we won the ballgame," Hudson told MLB's official website. "Obviously, I had a chance to personally get a notch in the win column here, but this game would have really stung if we'd have lost, just from a team standpoint. I gave us a good chance to win."


A return to San Francisco may not help, as Hudson has lost seven decisions in a row there with a 6.18 ERA in nine starts. That includes losing both games with the Giants this year.


He's facing the Angels for the first time since a loss with Atlanta on May 20, 2011.


Los Angeles has dropped four of six on the road after going 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position Friday.


The Angeles are sending Hector Santiago (2-1, 2.28) to the mound after he struggled with his command in a 5-4, 11-inning loss to Texas on Sunday. The left-hander walked six - matching his total from his first three starts - while throwing a season-high 109 pitches, but he was able to limit the damage to one earned run and two overall before leaving with one out in the sixth.


"Hector got himself into trouble, and he got himself out of trouble," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Command was an issue. His stuff looked good, but at times he had trouble with his release point, and his pitch count went up quickly."


Despite his control problems, Santiago is 2-0 with a 1.47 ERA in his last three starts. He's facing the Giants for the first time, and he went 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA in two road interleague starts last year.


Santiago will have to contend with hot-hitting Angel Pagan, who is hitting .352 on the season. The center fielder is 13 for 30 (.433) in the past seven games after getting two hits and an RBI on Friday.


It's unclear if Albert Pujols (sore hamstring) will miss his third straight game. The first baseman is 14 for 32 with three homers versus Hudson.


"We'll see how he does and how things line up," Scioscia said.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Angels at Giants
Fri, May 1 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores


GAME 2
Angels at Giants
Sat, May 2 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Angels at Giants
Sun, May 3 - 4:05PM EDT

Preview: Rockies (11-11) at Padres (12-12)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: May 02, 2015 8:40 PM EDT

The Colorado Rockies seem to bring out the best in the San Diego Padres' offense.


Jorge De La Rosa experienced that first-hand.


Looking for another big effort against the veteran left-hander, the Padres try to build on their latest rout of the Rockies on Saturday at Petco Park.


San Diego (12-12) totaled 25 runs while losing seven of eight before matching its highest-scoring game of the young season with Friday's 14-3 victory. The Padres, who have taken three of the first five meetings with Colorado and also won 14-3 at Coors Field on April 20, are batting .317 with 58 hits while owning a 40-19 run advantage in those contests.


The Padres have scored 79 runs in their other 19 games.


Justin Upton, Derek Norris and Yonder Alonso each recorded three hits and Yangervis Solarte had four RBIs as the Padres snapped a three-game skid and beat the Rockies (11-11) at Petco for the 11th time in 14 meetings.


Norris is 9 for 19 with six doubles, seven runs and seven RBIs this season versus Colorado, which has been outscored 35-9 during a three-game overall skid and committed four errors Friday.


'It proves that these guys are human beings,' Rockies catcher Nick Hundley said. 'They are so good and so talented and have so much range that when something doesn't go as planned, it's just so out of the ordinary that you are so unused to it. But when it shows up and it's glaring more because the players of that caliber made a mistake.'


De La Rosa (0-1, 11.57 ERA) is 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA in seven starts at Petco, but was tagged for a career-high-tying nine runs plus nine hits in two innings in that April 20 defeat in his season debut after opening on the disabled list with a strained groin.


"His velocity was up, but pitches were up, too," manager Walt Weiss said. "It looked like everything was elevated, fastball and changeups."


He was better last Saturday while giving up two runs and striking out seven in five innings of a 5-4, 11-inning loss to San Francisco.


San Diego's Jedd Gyorko is batting .135 and is 0 for 11 in his last five games, but 11 for 16 with four doubles versus De La Rosa. Matt Kemp is batting .415 with three homers and five doubles against him and Upton is at .381.


Teammate Brandon Morrow (1-0, 2.67) allowed five runs in six innings of a 7-6 win at Colorado on April 21 in his lone road start. He's given up three runs on two homers over 21.0 innings to 1-0 in three at Petco. The right-hander bounced back from that rough outing at Coors to yield one run in seven innings of Sunday's 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.


It was the first victory since April 9 of last year for Morrow, who appeared in 13 games and missed four months with a hand injury in 2014.


"I feel like I've been throwing the ball really well," the right-hander told MLB's official website. "To give the team a chance to win and log innings, that's what we're out there to do. I'm healthy now, so it feels good to go out there and pitch a good ballgame."


Justin Morneau is 3 for 6 against Morrow, but 0 for 8 in the last two games after going 10 for 17 in his previous four.


Nolan Arenado is batting .360 with three homers and five RBIs in his last six versus San Diego.