Cnotes Best Bets For Satuday May 23rd - MLB - NBA -NHL !

MLB MONEYLINE


MLB > (969) OAKLAND@ (970) TAMPA BAY | 05/23/2015 - 04:10 PM
Play AGAINST OAKLAND using the money line in All games in all games
The record is 14 Wins and 29 Losses for the this season (-20.6 units)

MLB > (977) ST LOUIS@ (978) KANSAS CITY | 05/23/2015 - 07:15 PM
Play ON KANSAS CITY using the money line in All games at home with a money line of -100 to -125
The record is 28 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.35 units)


MLB > (951) NY METS@ (952) PITTSBURGH | 05/23/2015 - 04:05 PM
Play ON NY METS using the money line in Road games in day games
The record is 40 Wins and 23 Losses for the last three seasons (+27.89 units
)
MLB > (981) SAN FRANCISCO@ (982) COLORADO | 05/23/2015 - 09:10 PM
Play ON SAN FRANCISCO using the money line in All games in May games
The record is 33 Wins and 14 Losses for the last two seasons (+20.75 units)

MLB > (957) SAN FRANCISCO@ (958) COLORADO | 05/23/2015 - 04:10 PM
Play ON SAN FRANCISCO using the money line in All games in May games
The record is 33 Wins and 14 Losses for the last two seasons (+20.75 units)

MLB > (973) LA ANGELS@ (974) BOSTON | 05/23/2015 - 07:15 PM
Play AGAINST BOSTON using the money line in All games at home with a money line of -100 to -125
The record is 8 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.55 units)


MLB > (971) MINNESOTA@ (972) CHI WHITE SOX | 05/23/2015 - 04:10 PM
Play ON MINNESOTA using the money line in All games against left-handed starters
The record is 13 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+10.8 units)


MLB RUNLINE


MLB > (977) ST LOUIS@ (978) KANSAS CITY | 05/23/2015 - 07:15 PM
Play ON KANSAS CITY using the in All games at home when the run line is (+1.5, -155) to (-1.5, +160)
The record is 23 Wins and 14 Losses for the last two seasons (+21.9 units)


MLB > (971) MINNESOTA@ (972) CHI WHITE SOX | 05/23/2015 - 04:10 PM
Play AGAINST CHI WHITE SOX using the in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 7 Wins and 21 Losses for the this season (-19.55 units)


MLB > (967) HOUSTON@ (968) DETROIT | 05/23/2015 - 04:05 PM
Play ON DETROIT using the in All games in day games
The record is 15 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+13.25 units)

MLB > (951) NY METS@ (952) PITTSBURGH | 05/23/2015 - 04:05 PM
Play ON NY METS using the in All games in day games
The record is 11 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+12.3 units)


MLB > (961) SAN DIEGO@ (962) LA DODGERS | 05/23/2015 - 10:10 PM
Play ON LA DODGERS using the in Home games vs. right-handed starters
The record is 14 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+11.7 units)


MLB TOTALS


MLB > (961) SAN DIEGO@ (962) LA DODGERS | 05/23/2015 - 10:10 PM
Play OVER LA DODGERS on the total in Home games against right-handed starters
The record is 56 Overs and 25 Unders for the last two seasons (+31.25 units)

MLB > (973) LA ANGELS@ (974) BOSTON | 05/23/2015 - 07:15 PM
Play UNDER BOSTON on the total in Home games in May games
The record is 5 Overs and 20 Unders for the last two seasons (+14.75 units)


MLB > (969) OAKLAND@ (970) TAMPA BAY | 05/23/2015 - 04:10 PM
Play OVER OAKLAND on the total in All games against right-handed starters
The record is 22 Overs and 9 Unders for the this season (+13.1 units)


MLB TOP POWERLINES


MLB > (965) TEXAS @ (966) NY YANKEES | 05/23/2015 - 01:05 PM
Line: NY YANKEES -160 BTB PowerLine: NY YANKEES 118
Edge On: NY YANKEES (53)


MLB > (975) CINCINNATI @ (976) CLEVELAND | 05/23/2015 - 04:05 PM
Line: CLEVELAND -205 BTB PowerLine: CLEVELAND -235
Edge On: CLEVELAND (30)


MLB > (951) NY METS @ (952) PITTSBURGH | 05/23/2015 - 04:05 PM
Line: PITTSBURGH -110 BTB PowerLine: PITTSBURGH 157
Edge On: PITTSBURGH (47)


MLB > (967) HOUSTON @ (968) DETROIT | 05/23/2015 - 04:05 PM
Line: DETROIT -120 BTB PowerLine: DETROIT 119
Edge On: DETROIT (19)


MLB > (953) PHILADELPHIA @ (954) WASHINGTON | 05/23/2015 - 04:05 PM
Line: WASHINGTON -160 BTB PowerLine: WASHINGTON -151
Edge On: WASHINGTON (9)


MLB > (969) OAKLAND @ (970) TAMPA BAY | 05/23/2015 - 04:10 PM
Line: TAMPA BAY -145 BTB PowerLine: TAMPA BAY -129
Edge On: TAMPA BAY (16)


MLB > (955) MILWAUKEE @ (956) ATLANTA | 05/23/2015 - 04:10 PM
Line: ATLANTA -121 BTB PowerLine: ATLANTA -134
Edge On: ATLANTA (13)


MLB > (977) ST LOUIS @ (978) KANSAS CITY | 05/23/2015 - 07:15 PM
Line: KANSAS CITY -115 BTB PowerLine: KANSAS CITY -130
Edge On: KANSAS CITY (15)


MLB > (979) BALTIMORE @ (980) MIAMI | 05/23/2015 - 07:15 PM
Line: MIAMI -115 BTB PowerLine: MIAMI 119
Edge On: MIAMI (14)


MLB > (959) CHICAGO CUBS @ (960) ARIZONA | 05/23/2015 - 10:10 PM
Line: ARIZONA +110 BTB PowerLine: ARIZONA 126
Edge On: ARIZONA (16)

NBA MONEYLINE


NBA > (509) GOLDEN STATE@ (510) HOUSTON | 05/23/2015 - 09:05 PM
Play ON HOUSTON using the money line in All games as a home underdog of +135 or less
The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+10.45 units)


NBA TOP POWERLINE


NBA > (509) GOLDEN STATE @ (510) HOUSTON | 05/23/2015 - 09:05 PM
Line: HOUSTON 1 BTB PowerLine: HOUSTON 0
Edge On: HOUSTON (1)

NHL MONEYLINE


NHL > (65) ANAHEIM@ (66) CHICAGO | 05/23/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON ANAHEIM using the money line in Road games on Saturday games
The record is 20 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+18.15 units)


NHL PUCKLINE


NHL > (65) ANAHEIM@ (66) CHICAGO | 05/23/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play ON ANAHEIM using the in Road games on Saturday games
The record is 20 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+18.15 units)


NHL TOTALS


NHL > (65) ANAHEIM@ (66) CHICAGO | 05/23/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play UNDER CHICAGO on the total in All games revenging a loss versus opponent
The record is 10 Overs and 26 Unders for the this season (+15.5 units)

Preview: Rangers (18-23) at Yankees (22-19)
Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: May 23, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

Houlihan Park on the campus of Fordham University is a short drive from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.


The Texas Rangers' Nick Martinez once called the former his home and will be pitching in the latter Saturday when he opposes the New York Yankees' CC Sabathia in the middle game of this series.


Martinez (3-0, 1.88 ERA) has developed into one of baseball's biggest surprises with the AL's second-lowest ERA. He began his college career as an infielder at Fordham, which is located about three miles away from Yankee Stadium.


"It's always exciting to come back to the Bronx, hang out with my college buddies and pitch against the Yankees," he told MLB.com's official website.


The right-hander faced New York (22-20) twice in July, going 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA, and pitched 5 1-3 scoreless innings in a 2-1 loss in the Bronx on July 22.


Martinez won his first two starts and failed to receive a decision in his next five before giving up one run in five innings to earn Sunday's 5-1 home win over Cleveland.


Brett Gardner went 4 for 5 with a homer last year against Martinez.


Martinez will square off with Sabathia (2-5, 4.67) for the first time. The Yankees starter has posted consecutive wins after allowing one run in seven innings last Saturday in a 5-1 win at Kansas City.


New York has dropped four straight and eight of nine, with Sabathia accounting for its last two wins. Manager Joe Girardi believes that the left-hander is past his slow start in April since Sabathia's 4.24 career ERA that month is his worst.


"CC has not been a strong pitcher in April for much of his career," Girardi said. "But look at what he's done his last few starts. Hopefully he keeps rolling."


The Yankees are 7-0 when Sabathia starts against the Rangers (19-23), including two postseason outings. Sabathia is 5-0 with a 4.78 ERA in those games.


He has limited Adrian Beltre to a .233 average, though Elvis Andrus is 6 for 17 off him. Right-handed hitter Jake Smolinski, who has never faced Sabathia, is expected to start after he was called up from the minors Friday.


Prince Fielder is 4 for 14 against Sabathia and recorded his 26th career multihomer game in Friday's 10-9 win to open this three-game set. He had a three-run blast in a seven-run third inning and a solo homer in the seventh.


'We needed all of those,' Fielder said. 'Hopefully we don't have to do that much often.'


The Yankees have committed eight errors in the last nine games, yielding six unearned runs during this four-game losing streak.


'I look at the extra outs we've been giving and that's the difference in the streak a little bit and it cost us a couple of games," Girardi said.


New York has lost twice since leading hitter Jacoby Ellsbury was placed on the disabled list with a right knee sprain on Wednesday. Rookie Slade Heathcott, who was recalled that day, went 2 for 3 in his first major league start Friday.


The Yankees are last in the majors in day games in runs per game (2.80) and batting average (.198). Mark Teixeira, who homered for the second time in three games Friday, has the AL's third-worst average in day games at .100.


Texas can match its season-high, four-game win streak from May 4-7.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rangers at Yankees
Fri, May 22 - Final 10 - 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rangers at Yankees
Sat, May 23 - 1:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Rangers at Yankees
Sun, May 24 - 8:05PM EDT

Preview: Mariners (18-22) at Blue Jays (19-24)
Game: 2
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: May 23, 2015 1:07 PM EDT

James Paxton has pitched well over the last few weeks and has looked especially untouchable in his last two outings.


He was far from that in his only previous game in his home country, but gets a chance to redeem himself Saturday when he takes the mound for the Seattle Mariners against the Toronto Blue Jays.


Paxton (2-2, 3.59 ERA) has logged four straight quality starts and owns the majors' longest active scoreless streak at 20 innings, which is also a personal high. He's won back-to-back games and completed a career-best eight innings in a 5-0 victory against Boston on Sunday.


"He's pretty good, eh?" manager Lloyd McClendon told MLB's official website. "I don't think there's really been a big change. It's just been a matter of finding his groove."


A native of Ladner, British Columbia, Paxton gave up a career-high nine runs along with seven hits and six walks over 2 2-3 innings in a 14-4 road loss at Toronto on Sept. 22. That outing is part of a six-start road winless stretch for Paxton, who is 0-3 with a 5.30 ERA in that span.


The Mariners (19-22) scored four runs for the fourth straight game in a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays on Friday, its third win in 11 road contests.


Seattle's victory came despite its top three hitters going 0 for 11, but Nelson Cruz hit his major league-leading 17th homer and Nos. 7 and 8 batters Logan Morrison and Mike Zunino combined for three RBIs.


Toronto (19-25) lost for the 10th time in 13 games and has scored three runs or fewer in four of six. Josh Donaldson's first absence of the season likely didn't help. Manager John Gibbons told MLB's official website the club's second-leading RBI man is nursing a calf injury, though it's not serious.


"He needs it," Gibbons said of the day off. "He's banged up, he's been playing on a bad calf and his body is beat up."


Donaldson is expected to rejoin the lineup Saturday but has hit .157 in his career versus Seattle. Devon Travis, third on the team with 26 RBIs, went on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation after Thursday's 8-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels.


Edwin Encarnacion continues to produce, though, homering for the second straight day and seventh time in 14 games. He also has nine home runs in his last 21 meetings with Seattle.


Mark Buehrle (5-3, 5.36) recorded his first complete game since 2013 his last time out, throwing a six-hitter in a 4-2 loss at Houston on Sunday.


"It was a good day. I felt strong throughout," he said. "I felt like everything was working for the most part. I made some mistakes, and they made me pay for them. I got away with a few of them."


The left-hander gave up two solo homers, already the third time he's given up multiple home runs this year. He allowed multiple homers four times in 40 starts over the last two seasons.


Buehrle has won all three starts at Rogers center this year with a 3.71 ERA. He's 6-1 with 3.49 mark over his last 11 matchups with Seattle, completing seven-plus innings eight times.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Mariners at Blue Jays
Fri, May 22 - Final 4 - 3
Boxscores


GAME 2
Mariners at Blue Jays
Sat, May 23 - 1:07PM EDT


GAME 3
Mariners at Blue Jays
Sun, May 24 - 1:07PM EDT

Preview: Astros (27-15) at Tigers (25-17)
Game: 3
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: May 23, 2015 4:08 PM EDT

The Detroit Tigers have been the AL's best team in day games so far this season, and Miguel Cabrera's performances have played a significant role.


The slugger will carry a 10-game hit streak into Saturday afternoon's matchup with the Houston Astros and try to lead the Tigers to their longest run of victories since the opening week.


Detroit (26-17) is 16-4 in the daylight, slightly better than Houston's and Kansas City's 9-3 marks. Cabrera is batting .455 with nine of his 10 homers and 27 of his 31 RBIs in those 20 afternoon contests.


He's also hitting .421 with four home runs in his current hit streak and recorded his second straight multihit game in a 6-2 victory Friday. J.D. Martinez had a three-run homer - his first in seven games against his former team - and James McCann provided some cushion with a two-run single with two outs in the eighth.


"It's nice to hit a homer against anyone, but I feel like I squashed (bitterness against Houston) last year," Martinez said. "Everything happens for a reason, and I'm here now, trying to help the Tigers win games."


The Tigers now try to secure a fourth consecutive victory against Lance McCullers (0-0, 1.93 ERA), who's making his second major league start. Detroit hasn't won four in a row since its 6-0 start and is seeking to match its four-game home win streak to open this season.


McCullers, whose father pitched for the Tigers in 1990 as part of a seven-year career, yielded one run and three hits in 4 2-3 innings in a 2-1 loss to Oakland on Monday. The 21-year-old right-hander was called up by Houston (27-16) to fill in for an ailing Brett Oberholtzer, whose blister could heal for the Astros' homestand that begins May 29.


McCullers is currently slated to start the first of those seven consecutive games at Minute Maid Park but there's a chance that Oberholtzer could be back in the rotation if he doesn't need a rehab start. Manager A.J. Hinch indicated there's a chance McCullers could remain even after Oberholzer's return.


"I don't want him out on the mound thinking he's pitching for his life in the big leagues and that this is the only impression he can make," Hinch told MLB's official website. "What we're finding is the depth we have. We're looking for somebody to take over that No. 5 spot, and right now, it's his opportunity. The better he pitches, the more opportunity comes his way."


Detroit's Kyle Lobstein (3-4, 4.29) will seek to avoid losing a third consecutive start in his first against Houston. The left-hander had an improved showing in a 3-2 loss to Milwaukee on Monday, giving up three runs in 6 2-3 innings after getting tagged for six in 2 1-3 innings in a 6-2 defeat to Minnesota on May 13.


Lobstein, who has been starting in place of the injured Justin Verlander, is 3-0 with a 2.75 ERA in day games this season and 0-4 with a 5.64 ERA at night. Only the New York Mets' Bartolo Colon has a better record in the afternoon at 4-0.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Astros at Tigers
Thu, May 21 Final 5 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Astros at Tigers
Fri, May 22 Final 2 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Astros at Tigers
Sat, May 23 - 4:08PM EDT


GAME 4
Astros at Tigers
Sun, May 24 - 1:08PM EDT

Preview: Reds (18-22) at Indians (17-23)
Game: 2
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: May 23, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

It took some time but Corey Kluber might be regaining the form that won him the AL Cy Young Award last season.


Coming off back-to-back stellar performances, Kluber can help the Cleveland Indians record a fifth straight victory by sending the visiting Cincinnati Reds to a seventh consecutive defeat Saturday.


After going 0-5 with a 5.04 ERA in his first seven starts, Kluber (1-5, 3.79 ERA) allowed a hit and struck out 18 without a walk in eight innings of a 2-0 victory over St. Louis on May 13. Five days later, the right-hander gave up one run, five hits and fanned 12 over nine during Cleveland's most recent defeat - 2-1 in 10 innings to the Chicago White Sox.


"Oh boy, he was so special," manager Terry Francona said.


Kluber's 30 strikeouts in those two starts tied Sam McDowell from 1968 for the second-most in team history over a two-game span. He'll take aim at Luis Tiant, whose 41, also in 1968, are the most by an Indian over a three-game stretch since 1914.


"(Kluber's) probably the best pitcher in the game," Chicago's Chris Sale, who opposed him Monday, told MLB's official website. "He has the nastiest stuff I've ever seen, really."


Kluber apparently isn't too concerned with personal accolades, especially when Cleveland (18-23) has won once in his nine starts.


"I think Klu's biggest thing when he goes out there to pitch is if we win," Francona said.


In his only appearance versus Cincinnati (18-23) on Aug. 4, Kluber allowed a run and struck out seven over 7 1-3 innings in a 7-1 home victory.


Indians starters have a 1.73 ERA while the staff has yielded nine runs over the last four contests. Carlos Carrasco struck out seven and allowed two runs in six innings and Jason Kipnis added three more hits with two RBIs during Friday's 7-3 win over Cincinnati.


Cleveland has averaged 4.9 runs and batted .270 while winning six of eight.


'We're playing a lot better right now,' said outfielder Brandon Moss, who homered and had three RBIs on Friday. 'Obviously we're disappointed with the way we started off, but when you've done well before and have that experience of doing well you don't panic.'


Kipnis has 11 RBIs while leading the majors with a .463 average and .546 on-base percentage in May. The second baseman is batting .600 (24 for 40), has a .680 on-base percentage and is slugging .925 during a 10-game home hitting streak this month.


He's 9 for 19 in his last five against the Reds, who have been outscored 47-16 during a six-game skid and are a season-worst five games below .500.


'This will end and things will get better for us, but it's the worst feeling right now," manager Bryan Price said.


Anthony DeSclafini (2-4, 3.80) didn't help matters as he fell to 0-4 and saw his ERA rise to 6.38 over his last five starts after allowing a season-high six runs in a season-low three innings of Sunday's 9-8 loss to San Francisco.


"It's not going my way now, but I've got to keep working at it and trying to make adjustments and try to catch a rhythm in the next few starts," said the right-hander, who makes his first appearance against the Indians.


Teammate Joey Votto, who struck out three times Friday, is 3 for 20 in the last five contests.


Todd Frazier, meanwhile, is batting .328 in his last 16.


The Reds have lost five straight and 10 of their last 11 interleague contests.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Reds at Indians
Fri, May 22 Final 3 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Reds at Indians
Sat, May 23 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Reds at Indians
Sun, May 24 - 1:10PM EDT

Preview: Phillies (18-25) at Nationals (24-17)
Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: May 23, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

Since laboring in his most recent start against the Washington Nationals, Cole Hamels has often been on top of his game and perhaps made himself even more desirable to other teams.


The Philadelphia Phillies left-hander will seek to win a fourth consecutive start in Saturday's rematch with the Nationals while Bryce Harper will seek to extend his team's season-high win streak to seven games by furthering his power surge.


Hamels (4-3, 3.24 ERA) is 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA in his six starts since a 5-2 loss at Washington on April 16 and has a 1.69 ERA in his string of three consecutive victories. He gave up one run in 7 1-3 innings in a 4-3 win at Colorado on Monday and improved to 11-0 since the beginning of last season when the Phillies (18-26) give him three or more runs of support.


"He's just focused on the task at hand, the challenge on the field of getting hitters out and winning," pitching coach Bob McClure told MLB's official website. "He's so competitive. He just wants the ball every fifth day and wants to win."


Hamels, a consistent subject of trade rumors in the early season, was charged with five runs in six innings in last month's loss to the Nationals (25-17). This time, he'll face a red-hot lineup that's led the way during an 18-4 stretch.


The Nationals, batting .299 and averaging 6.3 runs in those 22 games, had six hits in Friday's series opener but got two key ones from Harper and Ian Desmond in a 2-1 victory. Harper hit his 11th home run in 14 games - and NL-best 16th overall - and Desmond had a tiebreaking double in the sixth.


"I like where he's at. I think he's taking his at_bats seriously," manager Matt Williams said of Harper, batting .522 with 24 RBIs in his last 14 contests. "He's being patient enough to get good pitches to hit and if they don't give him good pitches, he's gladly taking his walks."


Harper has three hits in his last 15 at_bats versus Hamels and no home runs. He's 0 for 3 with three walks this season against the lefty and 6 for 23 (.261) with four homers in eight games versus Philadelphia this season.


Hamels is 0-3 with a 3.35 ERA in six starts versus Washington since a 5-4 win Sept. 14, 2013, and yielded one run in seven innings in a 3-2 home victory April 11.


Hamels hasn't won four consecutive starts since a five-game run in May 2012.


If facing a red-hot Harper wasn't daunting enough, Hamels might have to outduel Stephen Strasburg (3-4, 5.98), who has often shined against the Phillies. The right-hander is 5-0 with a 1.02 ERA in his last nine matchups and yielded one run in 7 1-3 innings in a 4-1 home win April 19.


Strasburg had an improved showing in a 10-5 win in San Diego on Sunday following one of his worst performances of his career. He gave up three runs in five-plus innings against the Padres after allowing eight in 3 1-3 of a 14-6 drubbing in Arizona on May 12.


Strasburg will also try to send the Nationals to an eighth consecutive home victory. They won a franchise record-tying 10 in a row and nine straight at home in August.


Hamels has allowed one home run in 40 1-3 innings since giving up two in last month's loss to Washington.


The Phillies' Ryan Howard, batting .400 with three homers in his last nine games, is 3 for 21 with eight strikeouts lifetime against Strasburg. Chase Utley, hitting .458 in his last seven contests, is 4 for 25.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Phillies at Nationals
Fri, May 22 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Phillies at Nationals
Sat, May 23 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Phillies at Nationals
Sun, May 24 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Mets (24-18) at Pirates (18-22)
Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: May 23, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

Matt Harvey hasn't allowed a run in 16 innings, but he has no wins to show for it. That's certainly not the case with A.J. Burnett's recent dominance.


Harvey is looking for some offensive help opposite Burnett on Saturday when the New York Mets face the Pittsburgh Pirates.


Harvey (5-1, 1.98 ERA) is 0-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 21 innings over his last three starts, getting one run of support in each outing. The bullpen didn't help the right-hander in the last two games, blowing both saves while he tossed 15 innings with 18 strikeouts and three walks.


His overall scoreless streak is 2 1-3 innings shy of Jacob deGrom's stretch from last month, the longest by a Met since R.A. Dickey went 32 2-3 in 2012.


Harvey fanned a season high-tying nine over eight innings before John Mayberry hit a walkoff single in the 14th of Monday's 2-1 win over St. Louis.


"You've just got to hope we come up and score a run," Harvey told MLB's official website. "You've got to take the win-loss thing out of the books and concentrate on cheering your teammates on in the bottom half of the inning, so we can score and get out of here a little earlier than we all imagined."


Run support has been an issue for several Mets (24-19) pitchers lately, with the team hitting .205 and scoring eight runs while losing three of four since Harvey's last start. They were limited to six singles in Friday's 4-1 loss at Pittsburgh (19-22), which won for only the second time in eight games.


Burnett (3-1, 1.38) may empathize with Harvey since he had a 1.45 ERA over his first five starts, but failed to record a win after being backed by five total runs. The 38-year-old right-hander, though, has received an average of 6.86 runs of support and won his last three starts with a 1.29 ERA.


He last won four straight starts from July 21-Aug. 5, 2012, during his first stint with the Pirates.


Burnett, who lost a career-high 18 games with Philadelphia last year, allowed three hits with seven strikeouts and a season-high five walks in seven innings of a 3-0 road win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday.


"Just trying to keep the ball down. I mean, that's it," Burnett said. "Not get away from my game, try to keep to my strengths, no matter what the guys at the plate are trying to do."


He has a 9.00 ERA during a three-start losing streak against the Mets, but the Pirates have won six of the past eight home matchups.


Pittsburgh rookie Jung Ho Kang is 12 for 28 (.429) over the last seven home games to increase his average there to .357. He singled home Andrew McCutchen on Friday, improving to 9 for 21 in five games overall.


McCutchen is hitting .375 (12 for 37) with seven runs and six walks during a nine-game hitting streak versus the Mets.


New York's Daniel Murphy has a 12-game hitting streak against the Pirates, compiling a .333 average after going 1 for 3 on Friday. He's 6 for 18 with two doubles versus Burnett.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Mets at Pirates
Fri, May 22 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Mets at Pirates
Sat, May 23 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Mets at Pirates
Sun, May 24 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Twins (23-17) at White Sox (18-20)
Game: 2
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: May 23, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

The Minnesota Twins own baseball's most wins over left-handed starters and already hammered Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale once this year.


The Twins will face Sale for the third time Saturday as they try to even this three-game series in Chicago.


Minnesota (23-18) is 13-5 against left-handers, entering the weekend third in the majors with a .290 average against them.


The usually tough Sale (3-1, 4.36 ERA) is allowing left-handed hitters to bat .364 against him. He is 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts against the Twins this year.


Most of that damage came the last time he saw them. Sale was tagged for a career-worst nine runs over three innings that matched his shortest ever start in a 12-2 road loss April 30.


Brian Dozier went 2 for 3 against him in that game with a homer - his third off Sale in 25 at_bats. He's the only player ever to take Sale deep while wearing a Minnesota uniform. Joe Mauer is 3 for 6 off Sale this year and Danny Santana 3 for 5.


Sale has looked more like himself in his last two outings, going 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 16 innings. He gave up a run in eight innings in Monday's 2-1, 10-inning win over Cleveland.


He is 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA in four career home starts versus the Twins.


Minnesota's Trevor May (2-3, 5.15) was the beneficiary of the massive run support the last time his club faced Sale and will duel once again with the southpaw. May improved to 3-0 with a 4.32 ERA in three career starts against Chicago (19-20) after yielding two runs in 5 2-3 innings.


The right-hander hasn't won since, going 0-2 with a 6.06 ERA in his last three outings. May surrendered three runs over 6 2-3 innings last Saturday in a 6-4 win over Tampa Bay.


May could face a couple of tough matchups Saturday. Jose Abreu is 4 for 9 against him and the White Sox star is batting .318 during a 17-game hitting streak that is four shy of his career high.


Avisail Garcia, who is 3 for 8 against May, hopes to return after he was scratched from Friday's 3-2 victory because of inflammation in his right knee.


"Avi, he just felt some discomfort in that knee again and (we're) just playing it cautious with him," manager Robin Ventura said. "We'll see how he feels tomorrow."


J.B. Shuck took his place and went 2 for 3 with the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the eighth inning as the White Sox ended a three-game slide and improved to 9-4 in one-run games.


"Shuck, this is part of having a guy that knows how to play the game and compete," Ventura said. "He had a great game tonight."


Dozier, Santana and Torii Hunter combined to go 1 for 11 with no RBIs on Friday. That trio entered the contest batting .357 with 15 RBIs in the season series.


The Twins have won five of eight meetings, with the home team winning seven times.


The White Sox will retire Paul Konerko's No. 14 before the contest. The slugger is second in club history in homers (432), RBIs (1,383) and games (2,268).




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Twins at White Sox
Fri, May 22 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Twins at White Sox
Sat, May 23 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Twins at White Sox
Sun, May 24 - 2:10PM EDT

Preview: Brewers (15-27) at Braves (20-20)
Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: May 23, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

When the Atlanta Braves acquired Shelby Miller during the offseason, the organization felt he had the potential to be an elite pitcher.


He's proving them right.


Coming off a near no-hitter, Miller tries to continue his dominance this month and against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.


After Miller (5-1, 1.33 ERA) followed a 15-win campaign by going 10-9 with a 4.50 ERA during his second full season in 2014, Atlanta made a curious move by dealing offensive staple Jason Heyward to St. Louis in a deal that brought the right-hander south.


"We loved Shelby and we didn't blink," Braves president of baseball operations John Hart told MLB's official website. "We just went with it. ... We just felt it was the right deal for us.


"We valued Shelby and felt there was still upside."


Ranked among the major league leaders in ERA and WHIP (0.83), Miller has certainly shown that upside. In his last three starts, he's gone 2-0 with two complete games, allowed one run and eight hits over 25 innings while walking four and striking out 20.


"He's got it going on," Hart said. "He's got some weapons and he's developed those weapons."


His no-hit bid Sunday ended with two outs in the ninth of a 6-0 victory at Miami.


"Obviously things didn't finish as we wanted to," said Miller, who yielded two hits and one walk while facing 29 Marlins. "In the end I had a lot of fun.'


Hart credits Miller's tireless work ethic on and off the field for his success this season.


"He's made a lot of adjustments and it's been a lot of fun to watch," Hart said. "The one thing that I like is this guy is prepared and he's taking ownership in his career. He's in the video room and the weight room. He's paying attention and he's experimenting. This is a pretty special young man on top of what he has been able to do for us on the mound."


Miller's often been at best his while going 5-0 with a 2.20 ERA in eight starts against Milwaukee (16-27), which evened the set with an 11-0 rout Friday. After pounding out 11 hits in Thursday's 10-1 series-opening victory, Atlanta was held to three.


The Brewers had two hits in the opener then recorded 12 while improving to 4-4 on a 10-game trip.


With a two-run homer and four RBIs Friday, Milwaukee's Ryan Braun has homered in three of the last four games and is batting .358 with six and 20 RBIs in his last 16 contests.


'The challenge is doing it over the course of a season, but the last month I've swung the bat a lot better than I have in a long, long time," said Braun, who is 4 for 12 versus Miller.


Teammate Aramis Ramirez is 0 for 6 in the series but 7 for 16 with two home runs against Miller.


Milwaukee's Mike Fiers (1-4, 4.75) is 0-3 with a 6.29 ERA in five home starts but 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA in three on the road. He allowed two runs for a second consecutive outing while lasting 5 2-3 innings and not factoring in the decision of Monday's 3-2 win at Detroit.


This will be the right-hander's first appearance against the Braves.


Milwaukee reliever Will Smith was suspended eight games for having a foreign substance on his arm Thursday. He's available to pitch until his appeal is heard.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Brewers at Braves
Thu, May 21 Final 1 to 10
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Brewers at Braves
Fri, May 22 Final 11 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Brewers at Braves
Sat, May 23 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Brewers at Braves
Sun, May 24 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Athletics (14-29) at Rays (23-19)
Game: 3
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: May 23, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

Since the start of last year, the Oakland Athletics simply do not score more than three runs against the Tampa Bay Rays.


Well-rested Rays starter Nathan Karns hopes to help maintain that streak and post his third straight win Saturday when he faces the stumbling Athletics for the first time.


Oakland won four of six games against Tampa Bay in 2014 despite scoring three runs or fewer in all of them. The Athletics haven't been as fortunate in this four-game set, with their only runs through two games coming in Friday's 5-2 defeat. They also have failed to score more than three in eight straight in Tampa, going 2-6.


Oakland has averaged fewer than three runs (2.94) while losing 14 of 16 overall. The club's record through 44 games is the worst for any team the year after reaching the postseason since the 1998 Florida Marlins also began 14-30.


"We don't have that, 'Here we go again' personality. That's when stuff just snowballs," losing pitcher Scott Kazmir said Friday. "I feel like we're out there positive, thinking about the next at-bat. I think that's all you can do when you're struggling like we are."


Karns (3-1, 3.77 ERA) has not pitched since allowing two runs in five innings in a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees on May 13. He was originally slated to start Tuesday in Atlanta but had his outing pushed back to give him additional rest.


The right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.95 ERA in seven outings since losing his season debut to Baltimore. He has allowed one homer in his last 21 2-3 innings after yielding five in his first 23 2-3 and is third in the league in opponent batting average at .196.


Karns leads all rookies with 44 strikeouts as he faces an Oakland club that has struck out 21 times in this series. Brett Lawrie is 2 for 8 with four strikeouts in those two games, and Billy Burns is 1 for 13 with five strikeouts in the last three.


The Athletics figure to re-insert shortstop Marcus Semien in the lineup. He did not start Friday and has been working with former Texas manager Ron Washington, brought on as a special instructor to help Semien cut down on his major league-high 16 errors.


Semien homered off Karns last year with the Chicago White Sox.


Oakland is a major league-worst 1-13 in day games with 30 of its 39 homers at night.


Tampa Bay (24-19) has outhomered Oakland 4-1 in this series, with three Rays connecting Friday. Evan Longoria had the big blow with a three-run shot in the fifth inning to erase a 1-0 deficit.


The bullpen came up big from there and has posted a 1.35 ERA in the last 10 games, walking nine and striking out 39 over 33 1-3 innings. The Rays are 7-3 in that span.


"That's what's nice about playing on a good team: your teammates bail you out," starter Chris Archer said. "The fact that our bullpen is the best in baseball, that's comforting."


Oakland will recall Kendall Graveman (1-2, 8.27) from Triple-A Nashville to start this game in his second 2015 stint with the club. He was sent to the minors April 26 the day after he was tagged for six runs over 4 2-3 innings in a 9-3 defeat to Houston.


The right-hander went 2-1 with a 1.85 ERA in four starts at Nashville, yielding two runs in seven innings Sunday. He has never faced the Rays.


Billy Butler's .229 average at Tampa is his worst in an AL city. Tropicana Field is the closest major league stadium to his hometown in the Jacksonville area.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Athletics at Rays
Thu, May 21 Final 0 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Athletics at Rays
Fri, May 22 Final 2 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Athletics at Rays
Sat, May 23 - 4:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Athletics at Rays
Sun, May 24 - 1:10PM EDT

Preview: Angels (21-20) at Red Sox (19-22)
Game: 2
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: May 23, 2015 7:15 PM EDT

While the Boston Red Sox are coming off a respectable offensive performance - a rarity lately - their pitching staff turned in one of its worst showings.


A growing list of injury concerns doesn't make for an encouraging prognosis, either.


Boston looks to avoid a fourth straight loss Saturday night against the visiting Los Angeles Angels.


The Red Sox (19-23) had dropped four of six, scoring no more than one run in each loss. They recorded their highest run total in 10 games Friday but couldn't contain Los Angeles' offense in a 12-5 defeat. They also committed three errors and have seven over the last four games.


"There's definite frustration. And that's shared by all in our clubhouse," manager John Farrell said. "We expect more from ourselves."


Pablo Sandoval was expected to rejoin the lineup but missed a third straight start after taking a pitch on the left knee Tuesday. Shane Victorino sat out for a second game with a sore left calf and is day to day, while Hanley Ramirez left with a sore left hand after being hit by a pitch and it's unclear if he'll play Saturday.


"We'll check him when he comes in tomorrow." Farrell said. "He had a difficult time gripping the bat, and I had to get him out of there."


Fenway Park continued to bring the best out of the Angels (22-20), who have averaged 6.8 runs while winning 11 of 13 there. They scored nine runs in the fifth inning, more than they had scored in 39 of 41 games.


Albert Pujols, back in the lineup two days after being hit on the wrist by a pitch, Erick Aybar and Chris Iannetta homered. Mike Trout was 3 for 6 to improve to 20 for 51 in 11 career games at Boston.


C.J. Wilson (2-2, 3.06 ERA) is unbeaten in five outings but had a streak of three straight quality starts snapped in the Angels' 10-6 loss at Toronto on Monday, yielding four runs and a season-worst 10 hits over five innings. The left-hander has been good against the Red Sox, though, going 6-2 with a 2.64 ERA in 10 career starts.


Dustin Pedroia, 3 for 5 on Friday, is 3 for his last 20 against left-handers, but he's 10 for 24 with a home run and three doubles versus Wilson. David Ortiz is 8 for 23 over his last six games but hitting .125 against lefties this year and 3 for 17 with five strikeouts against Wilson.


Mike Napoli hit his fifth homer Friday and has 13 in his last 31 meetings with his former club.


Rusney Castillo was 1 for 4 while starting in right field in his season debut after being recalled from Triple-A. The native Cuban, signed to a seven-year deal last August, hit .333 with two homers in 10 games in 2014.


Red Sox right fielders, primarily a mix of Victorino, Daniel Nava and Brock Holt, came in hitting a major league-worst .156 with seven extra-base hits and nine RBIs.


"He's someone who has got the ability to impact the baseball," Farrell told MLB's official website.


Farrell gives the ball to Steven Wright (1-1, 4.02) for his fourth career start and second of the season as a fill-in for the injured Justin Masterson. The knuckleballer gave up three runs - two earned - over five innings in a 5-0 loss at Seattle on Sunday.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Angels at Red Sox
Fri, May 22 Final 12 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Angels at Red Sox
Sat, May 23 - 7:15PM EDT


GAME 3
Angels at Red Sox
Sun, May 24 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Cardinals (27-14) at Royals (26-14)
Game: 2
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: May 23, 2015 7:15 PM EDT

Kendrys Morales hadn't faced St. Louis in more than 20 months before Friday, but not much has changed - he still loves hitting against the Cardinals.


He'll look to power the Kansas City Royals to a fifth straight victory Saturday night against St. Louis.


Morales went 3 for 5 with his fifth and sixth home runs of the season and five RBIs in a 5-0 victory. He's 12 for 26 with four homers, two doubles and nine runs driven in seven career meetings, and Friday's was his first since Sept. 15, 2013.


Morales has 14 RBIs in his last 10 games, pushing his season total to an AL-best 37 and helping the Royals (27-14) overtake St. Louis (27-15) for the majors' best record.


"I didn't know I was leading the league in RBIs," he said through an interpreter. "That's the first I heard of it."


Salvador Perez was 3 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to eight games, while Lorenzo Cain, who had been 7 for 35 in his last nine, was 2 for 4.


The Cardinals were shut out for a second straight game, but unlike Thursday's 5-0 loss to the New York Mets, they couldn't capitalize on opportunities. They recorded 11 hits after being held to two by New York, but were 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position to match their worst performance of the season in those situations.


"This is not a game we should be shut out," manager Mike Matheny. "You're going to have those nights but this shouldn't have been one of them."


St. Louis hasn't been blanked in three straight games since Oct. 2-3, 1976, but it looks like a possibility given how good Edinson Volquez (3-3, 2.74 ERA) has been. He scattered three hits over seven innings in a 6-0 win Sunday against the New York Yankees.


Kansas City is 5-3 with Volquez on the mound, with a lack of run support largely to blame in the losses, as he was backed with four runs over 19 1-3 innings.


"It's fun to just sit back and watch him deal," Eric Hosmer told MLB's official website. "And then all we have to do is get some runs and you know we can win."


Volquez was very familiar with the Cardinals last year, going 1-1 with a 3.16 ERA in five starts against them for Pittsburgh.


Kansas City starters have given up 18 hits and four walks over 26 scoreless innings during the winning streak.


John Lackey (2-2, 2.96) seeks his first road win in seven starts going back to August and is 1-5 with a 5.31 ERA in his last 10 on the road. He did his part opposite Matt Harvey at Citi Field on Monday, limiting the Mets to one run and three hits over seven innings, but received no run support for the second straight game in the club's 2-1, 14-inning loss.


Perhaps frustrated by the lack of offense or that the only run came on a seeing-eye single, Lackey declined to speak to reporters afterward.


The right-hander is 3-4 with a 3.54 ERA in 10 matchups with Kansas City. Alex Gordon is 6 for 13 with a home run and two doubles off Lackey.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Cardinals at Royals
Fri, May 22 Final 0 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Cardinals at Royals
Sat, May 23 - 7:15PM EDT


GAME 3
Cardinals at Royals
Sun, May 24 - 2:10PM EDT

Preview: Orioles (18-20) at Marlins (16-26)
Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: May 23, 2015 7:15 PM EDT

The Miami Marlins aren't making a very good impression on this homestand. The same could be said of new manager Dan Jennings.


The Marlins attempt to put the brakes on an eight-game losing streak Saturday night against the Baltimore Orioles.


Miami failed to protect an early three-run lead Friday and went 3 for 19 with runners in scoring position en route to its eighth straight loss, 8-5. The Marlins (16-27) have lost nine straight at home for the first time since matching a franchise record with 11 straight defeats from April 15-May 9, 2006.


The latest loss dropped the team to 0-8 on this 10-game homestand, and matters were only made worse when no players showed for a charity event benefiting an inner cities baseball program Friday.


"I hope our fans will cut these guys some slack on this event," said Jennings, who replaced the fired Mike Redmond earlier this week after acting as general manager since 2013.


Jennings has lost all five games since moving to the bench for the worst start by a rookie manager since Brad Mills went 0-8 with Houston in 2010.


"It's little things, and right now it just snowballs," reliever Steve Cishek said. "We just want to win a game and tell ourselves we can do it at this point. It'll happen, no doubt. I'm just thankful it's early in the season. But we don't want to wait around much longer. We need to win now."


Miami's starting rotation, which has posted a 5.68 ERA during the eight-game skid, took a big hit Friday when Mat Latos (knee) and Henderson Alvarez (shoulder) were put on the disabled list. Those two are a combined 1-8 with a 6.23 ERA.


"It's tough," Jennings said. "Someone is going to get an opportunity to step up. Hopefully it will be a boost to us."


The Orioles (19-20) have won four of five, batting .281 and totaling 27 runs. Manny Machado had two hits and three RBIs on Friday in his first game back in his hometown, where Baltimore is 2-11 all-time.


'We've been struggling with the bats,' Machado said. 'It was great to come back after being down a couple of runs. It's something that hopefully we keep it going.'


Jimmy Paredes continued his breakout season with three more hits, raising his average to .353. He ranks second in the AL now that he has enough at_bats to qualify.


He'll get his first look at Dan Haren (4-2, 3.47 ERA), who is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four home starts. He allowed two runs and five hits over eight innings against Arizona on Monday, an eventual 3-2 loss in 13 innings.


The right-hander's effort was a significant improvement after he surrendered season highs of six runs and 11 hits - two homers - in 4 1-3 innings of an 11-1 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 12.


He's 0-2 with a 4.58 ERA over his last three starts against the Orioles, but hasn't faced them since May 2013.


Baltimore attempts to match its longest win streak of the season with Mike Wright on the mound. The right-hander was outstanding in his major league debut Sunday, receiving a standing ovation after allowing four hits with six strikeouts in 7 1-3 innings of a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels.


"I just wanted to kind of savor it," Wright said. "Most of the advice I got was that you only make your debut once. There's plenty of games, but you only make your debut once, so soak it all in. And that's definitely what I tried to do."




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Orioles at Marlins
Fri, May 22 Final 8 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Orioles at Marlins
Sat, May 23 - 7:15PM EDT


GAME 3
Orioles at Marlins
Sun, May 24 - 1:10PM EDT

Preview: Giants (23-18) at Rockies (15-23)
Game: 2
Venue: Coors Field
Date: May 23, 2015 4:10 PM EDT

The San Francisco Giants have an opportunity to secure their longest win streak in 11 years Saturday.


To accomplish that feat, they'll have to sweep a doubleheader from the Colorado Rockies.


San Francisco (24-18) won its seventh straight by holding on 11-8 in Friday's opener at Coors Field. The Giants scored four runs in the ninth then gave up four and allowed the tying run to come to the plate in the bottom of the inning.


Brandon Belt had three hits and homered for the fourth time in six games.


"That was a typical Coors Field game," manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's one of those long nights, but you're glad to get away with a win. ... We had some boys in the pen that had a rough night, but they'll bounce back."


That victory gives San Francisco a chance to pursue its first eight-game win streak since September 2011 and its first of nine or longer since a 10-game run in May 2004.


Buster Posey will also be looking to extend a 14-game hit streak after going 2 for 4 with three RBIs on Friday. Posey, who has two hits in each of his last two games against Colorado, is batting .375 with 13 RBIs in his run and has reached base safely in 23 consecutive contests.


Chris Heston (3-3, 3.72 ERA) will start the opening game for the Giants and try to bounce back from his shortest start. The right-hander was charged with five runs in two-plus innings Sunday in Cincinnati but avoided the loss when San Francisco rallied for a 9-8 victory.


Heston, owner of a 4.84 ERA on the road and a 2.77 home mark, gave up six runs in 5 1-3 innings in a 6-4 loss at Colorado on April 24. He allowed two runs in seven innings in a 2-0 home defeat to the Rockies (15-24) on April 13.


He'll be opposed by Jordan Lyles (2-4, 4.53), who will seek to avoid dropping to 0-4 in his last five starts. The right-hander has a 6.63 ERA in his past four games and gave up four runs in six innings in a 4-3 defeat to Philadelphia on Monday.


Lyles went 0-1 with a 6.57 ERA in his two starts against San Francisco last season and allowed six runs in 6 1-3 innings in a 12-7 home loss Sept. 2.


Yusmeiro Petit (1-0, 3.27) will make his first start of the season for the Giants in the finale following 13 relief appearances. The right-hander made 12 starts in 2014 and two against Colorado, going 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA.


Petit is 2-1 with a 5.73 ERA in eight career starts versus the Rockies.


David Hale, meanwhile, will make his season debut for Colorado. The right-hander, acquired from Atlanta in a four-player deal Jan. 30, has made eight starts in two seasons and 47 appearances.


"I threw (at Coors Field). I threw in Albuquerque, which is actually higher elevation than (Denver), which was news to me. As for knowing I can do it at this level, I did it last year. That helps with my confidence," he told MLB's official website.


Posey is 2 for 9 lifetime versus Lyles and 0 for 1 with a walk against Hale. D.J. LeMahieu is a combined 9 for 19 against the two Giants starters and has hit safely in eight of his last nine games.


San Francisco, winners of four consecutive road games, last took five in a row from April 23-May 5, 2014, and six straight in August 2012.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Giants at Rockies
Fri, May 22 Final 11 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Giants at Rockies
Sat, May 23 - 9:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Giants at Rockies
Sun, May 24 - 4:10PM EDT

Preview: Padres (20-23) at Dodgers (25-16)
Game: 2
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: May 23, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Dodgers' offense is scuffling, but their rotation has been solid of late.


Mike Bolsinger has been an unexpected contributor, and he takes the mound seeking a third straight win as the Dodgers face the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.


Through May 15, Los Angeles (25-16) topped the NL with a .272 average while leading the majors with 54 homers and 5.26 runs per game. However, the Dodgers have since batted .184 with one homer and four runs during a 2-4 stretch that includes going 2 for 33 with runners in scoring position.


"We've been hitting so good all year and you're not going to do it all year," starter Zack Greinke said.


Greinke allowed one run in 7 2-3 innings Friday before Joc Pederson's solo homer in the eighth provided the difference in a 2-1 win over San Diego (20-23) in the opener of this three-game set.


"We've had runners in scoring position the last few days and no one really came through," said Pederson, whose team-high 11 homers not only lead all first-year players but are the most by a Dodgers rookie through 41 games of a season.


Los Angeles' rotation, meanwhile, has a 2.57 ERA over the past 11 games, yielding one run or none in four of the past six.


Bolsinger (2-0, 1.04 ERA) has been a pleasant surprise after going 1-6 with a 5.50 ERA in 10 games - nine starts - for Arizona last year.


The right-hander has won both of his starts since being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on May 12. He yielded one run in 5 2-3 innings against Miami that day, then allowed three hits and struck out six in six innings of Sunday's 1-0 win over Colorado.


"He's learned how to pitch a little bit better by knowing what he can do with different types of pitches, where to throw them and when to throw them in different types of counts," catcher Yasmani Grandal said. "That's what's worked out for him so well."


Bolsinger pitched well in his only career start against the Padres but lost, allowing two runs and three hits with six strikeouts and four walks over six innings in a 2-1 defeat June 29.


He may not have Grandal behind the plate after he was struck in the mask with a bat and a foul ball in separate incidents Friday, forcing him to leave in the fourth.


The Padres have a .184 average while losing six of seven, and they've scored just three times during a three-game slide.


Matt Kemp is batting .147 in the last 18 games, dropping his season average 73 points to .254. He was 0 for 3 on Friday after batting .417 in his first six games against his former team.


The Padres are turning to Ian Kennedy (2-3, 6.75), who has lost his last two starts while surrendering 11 runs, 11 hits and seven walks in 9 2-3 innings.


The right-hander tossed four no-hit innings Sunday before giving up six runs and getting pulled after walking the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth of a 10-5 loss to Washington.


"It's pretty frustrating because it was such a good start," Kennedy said.


He's 0-6 with a 5.74 ERA over his last 10 starts against the Dodgers. He was battered for eight runs in 4 1-3 innings of an 11-8 loss to Los Angeles on April 25, with Adrian Gonzalez, Howie Kendrick and Andre Ethier all homering off him.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Padres at Dodgers
Fri, May 22 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Padres at Dodgers
Sat, May 23 - 10:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Padres at Dodgers
Sun, May 24 - 4:10PM EDT

Game 3 - Warriors at Rockets


May 23, 2015


The Warriors are two victories away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1975, as Golden State looks to build a commanding 3-0 lead at Houston in the Western Conference Finals. The Rockets have proven so far in the playoffs that they will not go away, as evidenced by erasing a 3-1 deficit to knock off the Clippers in the second round. However, Houston faces a tall task in spite of picking up a pair of covers in the first two losses at Oracle Arena.


The Rockets squandered a 16-point lead in the Game 1 loss to the Warriors, but Houston erased a 17-point second quarter deficit to tie Golden State at halftime in Game 2. Steve Kerr’s squad built an eight-point lead, 98-90 with 1:30 remaining in regulation to creep close to a cover as 10-point favorites, but James Harden scored six straight points to get the Rockets within 99-96 in the final minute. Harden was unable to get a shot off on the final play in regulation, as Houston lost, 99-98, but cashed as a double-digit underdog for the second straight game.


The Warriors shot better in Game 2 than Game 1 by knocking down 53% from the floor on Thursday. Stephen Curry lit up the Rockets once again with 33 points, while his backcourt mate Klay Thompson struggled for the second straight game by hitting just 6-of-15 shots, including 1-of-7 from long distance. An unexpected contribution came from center Andrew Bogut, as the former top pick scored 14 points on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting, while pulling down eight rebounds.


Dwight Howard was a question mark heading into Game 2 with a knee sprain, but the All-Star center came through with a 19-point, 17-rebound performance in the loss. Harden came within one assist of a triple-double in Game 2, scoring 38 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists. Following Trevor Ariza’s 20 point output in the series opener, the former UCLA standout struggled in Game 2 by putting up just seven points in 39 minutes of action.


The Rockets return to the Lone Star State with a spectacular 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS record at the Toyota Center this postseason. Houston won the final two home games against Los Angeles by double-digits each, while five of its playoff victories at home have come by nine points or more. In the second round, the Rockets lost back-to-back games on the road, then responded with a 124-103 home underdog victory in Game 5.


Golden State opened as a 1 ½-point road favorite for Game 3 and VegasInsider.com NBA analyst Chris David was surprised by the number.


“Based on the opening line for Game 3, the oddsmakers are telling you Houston has a chance to win or they believe the public is buying that narrative and I’m leaning with the latter. It’s very rare to see this big of a swing and I thought a fair line would be Golden State listed as high as a four-point favorite,” said David.


The last time Houston was a double-digit underdog in consecutive road playoff games came back in 2013 against Oklahoma City in the first round. The Rockets returned home to battle the Thunder down 0-2, and were listed as one-point favorites in Game 3, but lost 104-101 and eventually lost that series in six games.


The Warriors dropped three of four road games last postseason, but have compiled a 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS record away from Oracle Arena through the first two rounds. However, Golden State hasn’t covered a Game 3 yet in the playoffs, failing to cash in an overtime win at New Orleans and losing outright to Memphis.


According to David, he believes you can make a strong case for both teams in Game 3 and you might be better off passing.


He explained, “During the regular season, the Warriors were listed as road favorites between 1 and 3 points 12 times. In those games, they went 8-4 (67%) and produced a 5-6-1 ATS mark with a pair of one-point victories creating the small disparity. Meanwhile, Houston is 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS as a home underdog this season and that includes two outright wins over the Clippers in the conference semifinals.”


Will we see a third straight ‘under’ in this series?


The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook sent out the total on Game 3 at 217 ½ and the number has dropped to 216 as of Friday evening. David weighs in on the total and believes the oddsmakers made proper adjustments.


David said, “After watching the first two games go ‘under’ the number, the books were happy to take money from the betting public, who still believe Golden State is a run ‘n gun club. The Warriors do like to run but their defense is underrated and they keep teams off the free throw line. Houston attempted 19 freebies in Game 2, well below its season average of 28 attempts. While I’m very high on the defense that Kerr has employed, I do believe a drop-off will occur in Game 3.”


“New Orleans put up 119 and Memphis scored 99 at home in Game 3’s versus the Warriors, often riding the momentum from the crowd, which gave both teams confidence. Houston is averaging 112.5 PPG in seven home playoff games and that includes the ugly 101 spot they put versus the Clippers in Game 1. If you like to play team totals, I’d lean towards Houston team total ‘over’ (107) on Saturday night.”

Warriors head to Houston up 2-0


May 22, 2015


HOUSTON (AP) - Stephen Curry has been playing like the MVP he is to help the Golden State Warriors to 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.


Now things get tougher as the Warriors head to Houston for two games beginning Saturday night.


Curry scored 34 points in Game 1, 33 in Game 2 and has made 11 3-pointers in the series.


''You put a lot of hard work into your craft, and when you rely on that work, you kind of just are in the moment, and those shots, when you rise up to take them, it feels natural, it feels normal,'' Curry said. ''I feel confident, and you just live with the results.''


The Warriors took the first game by four points and won the second one by a point when MVP runner-up James Harden couldn't fight through a double team to get a shot up for Houston before time expired.


''It hurts, but they did what they had to do,'' Harden said. ''They won two games at home. We're going back home to get two games.''


The Warriors had a 17-point lead Thursday night before a big run by the Rockets got them back into it. Golden State was unhappy that it let the game become so dramatic at the end.


''They feel like they lost two games they should have won,'' Golden State's Draymond Green said. ''We feel like we almost gave this one away ... we have a ways to go, there's a lot we can get better at. But we're sitting here 2-0 and that's the most important thing.''


Houston point guard Jason Terry, who won a title with Dallas in 2011, said Game 3 is the most important one of the series for the Rockets.


''This is a must-win game for us,'' he said. ''Must-win time. You have to love it. It's the Western Conference finals. What better place to be? Going home and the sense of urgency is going to be there from the tip.''


Some things to know heading into Game 3.


HOWARD'S HEALTH


Houston center Dwight Howard is listed as probable for Game 3 after spraining his left knee in Game 1. He was injured when teammate Josh Smith crashed into him on Tuesday night and he struggled to get ready for Game 2. But he shook off the injury to finish with 19 points and 17 rebounds in 40 minutes.


''We know that no matter what's going in, I'm not going to let it defeat me - an injury, losing a game or two - I'm not going to let it defeat my spirits,'' Howard said. ''I want the team to fight through and that's the only way to go. That's the only way you succeed.''


Coach Kevin McHale was impressed by Howard's performance.


''What can you say? I mean, the guy played fantastic,'' McHale said. ''His knee is bothering him a lot and ... one thing about Dwight is when Dwight starts a game, he very seldom wants to come out.''


TURNOVERS


The Warriors finished with 16 turnovers in Game 2 and five of them came in a 10-minute span ending with about 10 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. Those miscues helped Houston erase a 17-point deficit and take a 58-55 lead. Golden State coach Steve Kerr pinpointed a reason for the turnovers.


''I think sometimes our group competes so hard that the distinction between making the simple play and playing as hard as you can gets blurred,'' he said. ''You have to be able to separate those two things. You've got to compete like crazy and then you have to take a breath and just make the simple play.''


THREES, THREES AND MORE THREES


The Warriors and Rockets love long-range shooting and showed it in the first two games of the series. Don't expect that to change Saturday with some of the league's best 3-point shooters on the court. Golden State is averaging 29.3 3-point attempts in the postseason, which leads the NBA, and Houston is fourth with 27.6 tries a game. The Warriors also lead all playoff teams by making 11.1 a game to 9.6 by the Rockets. These teams have combined to make 33 3-pointers in this series, with the Warriors leading in that category with 18.


CURRY VS. HARDEN


For a stretch Thursday night it seemed as if Curry and Harden were involved in a game of one-on-one with each player making shot after shot. Some of their teammates talked about enjoying the matchup within the game, but Kerr wasn't one of them.


''I'll look at that on tape, and maybe in a few months I'll look back and enjoy the duel,'' he said. ''But right now it's just possession by possession, trying to get it done.''

Harden's unique game hard to stop


May 22, 2015


HOUSTON (AP) - Whether he's stirring the pot after a big shot or flailing his arms to draw contact en route to the basket James Harden evokes strong reactions from fans and players alike.


The internet abounds with people complaining that his game isn't aesthetically pleasing, but he's even tougher to stop than his game is to like.


The Warriors did shut him down on the final play to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals. There is a lot of ongoing chatter about his decision to pass the ball to teammate Dwight Howard at the 3-point line in the final seconds. The talk will likely continue until Game 3 tips off on Saturday.


But the discussions won't deter the Rockets' bearded star as Houston looks to hold serve at home. And whatever success they have, it will start with Harden.


Fear the Beard? Love the Beard? Hate the Beard?


Opinions vary, but everyone who knows basketball seems to respect the game of arguably the best shooting guard in the NBA - especially the Warriors.


''He gets a head of steam going towards the rim, and it's tough to stop,'' Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.


Harden has one of the most complete offensive arsenals in the league.


''Obviously he can shoot that pull-up shot, and he can get all the way to the rim, and he's a great passer ... we try to do what we can to slow him down, make him take tough shots, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't,'' Kerr said.


Don't forget this 3-point range and that he is shooting 90 percent from the foul line.


But Harden, the MVP runner-up to Golden State's Stephen Curry, just doesn't have a game as lovable as other stars. He doesn't have Curry's flair, doesn't dominate like LeBron James or wow fans with Derrick Rose-like athleticism.


Nonetheless, he gets it done - often by getting to the line.


Harden led the league in the regular season in both free throw attempts (824) and free throws made (715) in a season where nobody else compared to his knack for getting to the line. Second-place Russell Westbrook attempted 170 fewer free throws than Harden and made 169 less.


He got to the line 10 times a game in the regular season and is averaging 10.1 trips in the postseason.


''He does a great job of swinging his arms out and trying to seek out contact,'' Golden State's Andrew Bogut said. ''It's kind of an unorthodox basketball play, but he's very smart with it.''


And he's left-handed, which some would say is also an advantage.


Harden handles the ball more like a point guard, and teams throw several different guys at him to try and slow him down. The Warriors have tried it.


He scored 28 points in Game 1 against Golden State and poured in 38 in Game 2. Though the Rockets couldn't steal a road win, they feel good.


''We had plenty of opportunities to win both of the games, so we have all the confidence in the world,'' said Harden, who is doing a bit of everything for the Rockets.


He finished just one assist shy of a triple-double in each of the first two games in this series after collecting a triple-double in Game 5 against the Clippers.


''We have to stop him from going downhill,'' Golden State's Andre Iguodala said. ''When the guy gets downhill, he's either going to get a basket or an assist or get the benefit of the doubt with the whistle. It's tough, but we've got to stop it.''


Klay Thompson said the goal is to force Harden right so he's using his non-dominant hand.


''But he's got incredible ball skills,'' Thompson said. ''He's a great ball-handler, he's a big, strong guy. He lulls you to sleep, and he's a great finisher.''


Then there's that celebration once he gets ''cooking.''


Houston fans love Harden's pot-stirring gesture and many have started wearing chef's hats to pay homage to it. Harden said it's caught on with non-Houston fans, though not always in support of the bearded one.


Clippers guard Austin Rivers mocked it when he got on a hot streak in their series against Houston.


It didn't faze Harden, who said he's ''just trying to be who I am and just go out there and make an impact on the game of basketball and for myself.''


The Rockets hope he can stir it up enough for win in Game 3.