Cnotes Best Bets For Wednesday June 10th - MLB - NBA -NHL !

MLB MONEYLINE


MLB > (973) TEXAS@ (974) OAKLAND | 06/10/2015 - 10:05 PM
Play ON TEXAS using the money line in All games in road games
The record is 19 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (+16.32 units)


MLB > (969) KANSAS CITY@ (970) MINNESOTA | 06/10/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play ON MINNESOTA using the money line in All games in all games
The record is 33 Wins and 24 Losses for the this season (+15.35 units)


MLB > (965) SEATTLE@ (966) CLEVELAND | 06/10/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play AGAINST SEATTLE using the money line in All games in games played on a grass field
The record is 20 Wins and 31 Losses for the this season (-16.75 units)


MLB RUNLINE


MLB > (971) HOUSTON@ (972) CHI WHITE SOX | 06/10/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play AGAINST CHI WHITE SOX using the in All games as a home favorite when the run line price is +135 to +160
The record is 5 Wins and 36 Losses for the last three seasons (-28.45 units)

MLB > (969) KANSAS CITY@ (970) MINNESOTA | 06/10/2015 - 08:10 PM
Play ON MINNESOTA using the in All games in night games
The record is 21 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+13.6 units)


MLB TOTALS


MLB > (973) TEXAS@ (974) OAKLAND | 06/10/2015 - 10:05 PM
Play OVER OAKLAND on the total in All games against division opponents
The record is 20 Overs and 7 Unders for the this season (+13.15 units)

MLB > (965) SEATTLE@ (966) CLEVELAND | 06/10/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play UNDER SEATTLE on the total in All games when playing on Wednesday
The record is 7 Overs and 24 Unders for the last two seasons (+16 units)

MLB > (961) ARIZONA@ (962) LA DODGERS | 06/10/2015 - 10:10 PM
Play OVER LA DODGERS on the total in Home games in games played on a grass field
The record is 70 Overs and 40 Unders for the last two seasons (+29.9 units)

MLB > (957) SAN FRANCISCO@ (958) NY METS | 06/10/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play OVER SAN FRANCISCO on the total in All games as a road underdog of +125 to +150
The record is 18 Overs and 5 Unders for the last two seasons (+12.8 units)

MLB > (959) SAN DIEGO@ (960) ATLANTA | 06/10/2015 - 07:10 PM
Play OVER ATLANTA on the total in All games in all games
The record is 35 Overs and 19 Unders for the this season (+15.15 units)


MLB TOP POWERLINE


MLB > (977) WASHINGTON @ (978) NY YANKEES | 06/10/2015 - 01:05 PM
Line: NY YANKEES -123 BTB PowerLine: NY YANKEES -112
Edge On: NY YANKEES (11)


MLB > (953) ST LOUIS @ (954) COLORADO | 06/10/2015 - 03:10 PM
Line: COLORADO +100 BTB PowerLine: COLORADO 112
Edge On: COLORADO (12)


MLB > (979) CHICAGO CUBS @ (980) DETROIT | 06/10/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: DETROIT -105 BTB PowerLine: DETROIT 136
Edge On: DETROIT (21)


MLB > (963) BOSTON @ (964) BALTIMORE | 06/10/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: BALTIMORE -120 BTB PowerLine: BALTIMORE -138
Edge On: BALTIMORE (18)


MLB > (955) MILWAUKEE @ (956) PITTSBURGH | 06/10/2015 - 07:05 PM
Line: PITTSBURGH -147 BTB PowerLine: PITTSBURGH -172
Edge On: PITTSBURGH (25)


MLB > (967) LA ANGELS @ (968) TAMPA BAY | 06/10/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: TAMPA BAY -105 BTB PowerLine: TAMPA BAY 111
Edge On: TAMPA BAY (16)


MLB > (957) SAN FRANCISCO @ (958) NY METS | 06/10/2015 - 07:10 PM
Line: NY METS -165 BTB PowerLine: NY METS -153
Edge On: NY METS (12)


MLB > (969) KANSAS CITY @ (970) MINNESOTA | 06/10/2015 - 08:10 PM
Line: MINNESOTA -107 BTB PowerLine: MINNESOTA 106
Edge On: MINNESOTA (13)


MLB > (973) TEXAS @ (974) OAKLAND | 06/10/2015 - 10:05 PM
Line: OAKLAND -160 BTB PowerLine: OAKLAND -112
Edge On: OAKLAND (23)


MLB > (961) ARIZONA @ (962) LA DODGERS | 06/10/2015 - 10:10 PM
Line: LA DODGERS -175 BTB PowerLine: LA DODGERS -217
Edge On: LA DODGERS (42)

NHL MONEYLINE


NHL > (7) TAMPA BAY@ (8) CHICAGO | 06/10/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play AGAINST CHICAGO using the money line in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 29 Wins and 37 Losses for the last two seasons (-29.6 units)


NHL PUCKLINE


NHL > (7) TAMPA BAY@ (8) CHICAGO | 06/10/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play AGAINST CHICAGO using the in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 29 Wins and 37 Losses for the last two seasons (-29.6 units)


NHL TOTALS


NHL > (7) TAMPA BAY@ (8) CHICAGO | 06/10/2015 - 08:05 PM
Play UNDER CHICAGO on the total in All games in non-conference games
The record is 8 Overs and 22 Unders for the this season (+14 units)

Chicago can't cash in chances, trail Stanley Cup Final 2-1


June 8, 2015


CHICAGO (AP) - Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane came up empty-handed for the Chicago Blackhawks. Marian Hossa missed a wide open net, too, against a goalie who looked like he was having trouble moving.


It all added up to a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals and one big missed opportunity for the Blackhawks.


''It's frustrating,'' Toews said. ''A lot of the things that we did today gave us the feeling we were going to come out on top.''


An ailing Ben Bishop stood his ground in goal and Cedric Paquette scored in the closing minutes to give Tampa Bay the victory and a 2-1 lead in the series.


Chicago outshot the Lightning 38-32, but couldn't solve Bishop. And just when the United Center crowd was getting ready for overtime, Paquette netted the game-winner on a beautiful pass from defenseman Victor Hedman at 16:49.


The Blackhawks trail 2-1 in the series and will once again have to rely on the resolve that has carried them to two Stanley Cups since 2010 after they let a game that seemed to be theirs for the taking slip away. Game 4 is at the United Center on Wednesday.


The Blackhawks were playing at home after splitting the first two games on the road and facing a goalie whose status was in question after he left the previous game. A 19-7 edge in shots in the first period resulted in only one goal, with Hossa missing a wide open net and Teuvo Teravainen failing to convert another chance not long after that.


As frustrating as those missed opportunities were, the lack of scoring from Toews and Kane also stood out.


The two superstars have combined for just one point in the series, an assist by Toews. Kane at least had three shots on goal after failing to register one in Game 2.


But neither scored even though Bishop was clearly not at full strength.


''We could see that. He's fighting just like anyone else is in this series,'' Toews said.


The Blackhawks took a 2-1 lead at 4:14 of the third period when Brandon Saad fired in a one-timer from the slot off a pass from Hossa in the left point for his seventh goal of the postseason. But Tampa Bay's Ondrej Palat tied it just 13 seconds later when he knocked a loose puck past Chicago goalie Corey Crawford's glove.


The big question coming in was whether Bishop would be in goal for the Lightning after he left Game 2 in the third period, returned for a brief stretch and exited for good.


Tampa Bay was tight-lipped about his ailment. The Lightning even had third-string goalie Kristers Gudlevskis ride the bus to the arena. But Bishop, Tampa Bay's single-season victories record-holder, was in the lineup instead of Andrei Vasilevskiy.


He seemed to be struggling to move in net and found himself face down on the ice after Saad got pushed into him and hit him in the face with his left hand late in the second period. In the end, he was up for the task - especially in the opening period. Tampa Bay went more than 13 minutes without a shot at one point, but Chicago simply could not convert.


Hossa let a huge chance slip away, missing a wide open net after an awkward deflection took Bishop out of position. Hossa got tripped by Tampa Bay's Braydon Coburn and the shot went wide. Then, Teravainen just missed another open net.


The Blackhawks finally caught a break and tied it at 1-1 on a power play goal at 14:22 by Brad Richards, whose shot from the blue line deflected off Bishop's glove.


''I liked their first period,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''We had two empty nets and didn't capitalize on either one. We still had 1-1. Scored a big power play goal, got some excitement. The crowd was there. I thought we had a good first, they had a good second. Third was even. Tough loss.''

Lightning's road success becoming a key


June 9, 2015


CHICAGO (AP) - Thousands of fans crowded Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa to watch Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, braving both rain and 92-degree Florida heat while celebrating another victory for the Tampa Bay Lightning more than 1,000 miles to the north.


The way their team is playing on the road, those fans might hope the Lightning don't come home until they've got the Stanley Cup.


Tampa Bay has won four straight road games by a combined 13-4, the culmination of a remarkable turnaround for a subpar regular-season road team. The Lightning are 8-3 on the road in the postseason, with a chance to add a ninth win in Game 4 on Wednesday night.


Tampa Bay's road transformation is the type of development that wins championships, even while the players doing it can't explain why.


''I'm not sure if we know exactly the one detail,'' forward Brendan Morrow said Tuesday. ''If we did, we'd do it at home, too. It could be a combination of a lot of things. But maybe when we get on the road, there may be isn't as much focus, because we can't have it, on matchups. We just go out and play. We're a team that when we have no hesitation to our game, we're very successful. So that could be part of it. You turn off the thinker a little bit.''


If the Lightning aren't thinking, it's working wonders - particularly lately. They took three in a row from the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden in the Eastern Conference Finals last month before staring down Chicago and its raucous, anthem-cheering fans to seize Game 3 on Cedric Paquette's late goal.


The Lightning have already compiled the best playoff road record in franchise history, and they're two wins shy of the Los Angeles Kings' NHL-record 10 road victories during their 2012 Stanley Cup run.


This is the same team that went a pedestrian 18-16-7 away from Amalie Arena during the regular season. The Lightning had the fewest road wins among the 16 playoff teams - and fewer than Columbus, Dallas and San Jose, who all missed the postseason.


''The way we've been able to play on the road, I think, has been the thing that's impressed us, and probably a lot of people,'' captain Steven Stamkos said. ''We didn't have a great record during the season on the road. That was something a lot of people talked about. It's just our willingness to play that tight checking game - knowing that if there's limited scoring chances, we have the talent and the depth. If we get those one or two at the end, we can find a way.''


While remarkable, the Lightning's transformation isn't without playoff precedent. The 2012 Kings also weren't an impressive road team in the regular season, winning just 18 games - but when they sneaked into the playoffs as the eighth seed, they rattled off 10 consecutive road wins while rampaging to their first title.


Stamkos and defenseman Victor Hedman are the only two Tampa Bay players left from the last roster to make a significant playoff run, losing the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011. The playoffs' progressively bigger stages can be intimidating to newcomers - or they sometimes don't know they're supposed to be intimidated by the Blackhawks and their wild fans.


''I truly believe we've grown as a team through some of our struggles,'' Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. ''You just think of (Game 3). We're in a pretty hostile environment. It's a 1-1 game. We go down in the third. There was no hang-the-head (attitude). It was, `OK, now we've got to dig the heels in and go get this one.' That's what I love about this group. It's just the never-say-die.''


The Lightning's road grit showed in the third period of Game 3: Just 13 seconds after Tampa Bay yielded Brandon Saad's go-ahead goal, Ondrej Palat charged the net and evened the score. Several minutes later Victor Hedman set up Cedric Paquette's tiebreaking goal, and the Lightning calmly put it away in the final minutes.


With one more road win, the Lightning will be on the brink of their second Stanley Cup title largely because of their work away from Tampa Bay.


''I think we've learned since the beginning of the playoffs, it might not happen the first shift,'' Stamkos said. ''Might not happen with five minutes left. It might happen with three minutes left, like last game. When you have that confidence, it's easy to look down the bench to the guy beside you, knowing he could be a hero.''

Blackhawks draw on history, experience


June 9, 2015


CHICAGO (AP) - Jonathan Toews remembers his first postseason series in 2009, and the emotions that went along with each game. These days, the playoffs are a much different experience for the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks.


There was no panic for Toews and company on Tuesday, a day after a 3-2 loss to steady Tampa Bay shoved Chicago into a 2-1 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final. No outward display of frustration.


Trying for their third NHL title in six seasons, the Blackhawks expected a fight - and the skilled Lightning are delivering just that on every level.


''If you don't want that challenge, if you don't want that spotlight almost, then you shouldn't be here,'' Toews said. ''I think we all work for that. We want to play those important games.''


One of those important games is coming up on Wednesday night. The Lightning have clamped down on Toews and Patrick Kane, limiting the high-scoring duo to a single point in the series, and can grab control of the final with their fifth straight road win in Game 4.


''This is going to be a good test for this group,'' Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said. ''Obviously they have the experience. But we're going through it. Like I said a couple minutes ago, you have to go through these situations to gain that experience. We seem to rise to the occasion every round.''


The Lightning jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second round against Montreal, and then dropped two in a row before eliminating the Canadiens with a 4-1 win in Game 6. They headed home with a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers, and then had to return to Madison Square Garden for a 2-0 victory in Game 7.


Tampa Bay's experience playing with the lead in its previous two playoff series could help in the final against Chicago.


''I truly believe we've grown as a team through some of our struggles,'' coach Jon Cooper said. ''You just think of last night's game. We're in a pretty hostile environment. It's a 1-1 game. We go down in the third. There was no hang the head. It was, `OK, now we got to dig the heels in and go get this one.'''


The Lightning replied 13 seconds after the Blackhawks grabbed a 2-1 lead, with Ondrej Palat stuffing home a rebound for the tying goal. Cedric Paquette then scored with 3:11 remaining to put Tampa Bay in front for good.


Palat's goal continued a disturbing trend for the Blackhawks, who have allowed 10 goals within two minutes after they scored in the playoffs, including five inside of a minute, according to STATS.


''We got to be better in situations like that,'' defenseman Brent Seabrook said. ''It's happened a few times throughout the playoffs.''


The Blackhawks were hampered by an upper-body injury for Johnny Oduya, who missed the last part of the second period and played five minutes in the third. Any issue for Chicago's top four defensemen could have a major impact on the series, but coach Joel Quenneville said he thinks Oduya will be OK.


''He looked all right today,'' he said. ''We'll see how he is tomorrow.''


The same could be said of Quenneville's team, which is used to coming up with clutch postseason goals, not digging them out of its own net.


Since Quenneville took over in October 2008, the Blackhawks are 30-30 in Games 1-3 of playoff series. But they have a 40-14 record in Games 4-7, according to STATS.


''Well, we got a great core of leaders,'' Quenneville said when asked about the team's success late in playoff series. ''They're competitive as heck. They find a way to get better each and every game. They make guys around them better.''


They also have a history of rebounding from playoff disappointment.


Chicago dropped two of the first three games in the 2013 final against Boston and came back to win the series 4-2. It trailed 3-2 in this year's Western Conference finals after Anaheim's 5-4 overtime win in Game 5, and then outscored the Ducks 10-5 in the next two games.


''I don't think there's one thing you can put a finger on,'' Seabrook said. ''I think, you know, the guys in the room, we want to be out there and win. We want to be out there in those situations and play in big games. For whatever reason, I think we play our best games when our backs are up against the wall.''

Keith carrying impressive load for Blackhawks


June 9, 2015


CHICAGO (AP) - Between his production and the amount of time he is spending on the ice, the numbers this postseason for Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith sure are impressive.


With his boundless energy, the two-time Norris Trophy winner is playing a huge role for a team eyeing its third Stanley Cup in six years.


He's not the only defensemen carrying a big load. The Blackhawks are a bit short-handed in that area, a concern as they try to erase a 2-1 deficit against Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup finals.


Game 4 is Wednesday and they could be without Johnny Oduya. But whether he suits up or not, the Blackhawks will still have one of the game's best defensemen on their side in Keith.


''He's one of those special, special athletes that, you know, won't give up,'' teammate Brent Seabrook said. ''He's fun to have been around and watched him progress into this player that he is. I think, like I said, he's got so many great qualities that set him apart from different players in the league that make him great.''


Keith leads the league with a plus-14 rating in these playoffs and has been nothing short of a workhorse for the Blackhawks.


He is averaging 31 minutes, 20 seconds in the postseason and has played at least 40 minutes in three overtime games. In another game, he came within nine seconds of that mark, and he's doing it in an age where the tempo is quick. Teams are on the move, looking to push the pace.


Keith, Chris Pronger and Nicklas Lidstrom are the only defensemen to log more than 31 minutes per game in a significant playoff run since 2001, according to STATS. His 18 assists put him in a tie for fifth on the single postseason list with Ray Bourque and Larry Murphy, trailing only Paul Coffey (25), Al MacInnis (24), Brian Leetch (23) and Bobby Orr (19). And his 20 points are tied for 15th all-time among defensemen.


''I think it's probably harder in this day and age because this game is so fast and quick,'' said New Jersey Devils co-head coach Scott Stevens, who retired as the all-time leader in games played by a defenseman. ''It's a puck pressure game. It's like a track meet. I think when teams are pushing the pace and you're skating, you have no choice but to move and skate yourself. That takes a lot of energy. You need to be in great shape. It's hard to log those minutes.''


Keith certainly isn't the only defenseman carrying a heavy load for the Blackhawks.


They lost Michal Rozsival to a broken ankle in Game 4 of their second-round series against Minnesota. They have been relying primarily on Keith, Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Oduya, and they could be down another man on Wednesday.


Oduya missed part of Monday's loss with an unspecified upper-body injury, and coach Joel Quenneville said ''we'll see on both'' when asked about him and any potential lineup changes in Game 4. He did add: ''I think (Oduya will) be all right. He looked all right today. We'll see how he is tomorrow.''


Still, the last thing the Blackhawks need is to lose another defenseman. The load the top four have been carrying was a big topic of discussion, particularly in the Western Conference finals against Anaheim. Only four of those games were decided in regulation, and when it comes to total minutes for Chicago's defensemen, the numbers in these playoffs are staggering.


Keith is by far tops on the team with 626:48 through 20 games. Second is Seabrook, nearly 100 minutes behind him at 529:53, followed by Hjalmarsson (519:57) and Oduya (494:52). Center Jonathan Toews (423:29) is fifth.


But after Oduya, the drop in total minutes among defensemen is steep, with Rozsival (174:22) followed by Kimmo Timonen (141:23), Kyle Cumiskey (85:13), David Rundblad (37:25) and Trevor van Riemsdyk (9:01).


Quenneville insisted he has not seen any signs of fatigue from that group.


''The guys take care of themselves to a different level,'' he said. ''They prepare to the excitement and importance of the next game. They find ways where they're ready to compete. Whatever is in front of them, they feel the more they get, the better they'll play. They don't mind playing big minutes.''


Stevens, currently second in games played by a defenseman to Chris Chelios, said the toughest part was the mental grind, the swings that come with winning and losing, particularly this time of year. He also believed the more time he got on the ice, the better he performed.


But he realized there was a balance to strike. He preferred shorter shifts with quick breaks rather than long ones.


He said players need to know when to pull back, maybe letting a rush go when they have no chance to catch up. Nutrition and conditioning were key for him, as they are for Keith - who has talked about the importance of both.


Stevens avoided sugar, loaded up on pasta or fish, drank plenty of water, and never went hungry.


''Everyone wants to play a lot, but sometimes too much might (not) be (beneficial) for yourself and the team,'' he said. ''If you have the people there that you can trust in the other minutes and maybe take a bit away from myself and another key defenseman, why not especially if it's going to be a long series or a long playoff run? But when push comes to crunch or it comes to Game 7, I'm sure you'll be ready for the 30 minutes or 32 minutes or whatever it takes at that point.''

Preview: Marlins (24-34) at Blue Jays (29-30)
Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: June 10, 2015 12:37 PM EDT

After extending their lengthy winning streak in dramatic fashion, the Toronto Blue Jays have a chance to move above .500 for the first time in a month.


They can do so with an eighth consecutive victory Wednesday against the visiting Miami Marlins.


Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give Toronto (30-30) a 4-3 victory Tuesday. The Blue Jays, who won a season-high nine in a row in 2014, last sat above .500 on May 9 at 16-15.


Winners in five straight at home and 11 of 15 overall, Toronto has rallied in the ninth to win two of its last three contests.


'They're a good hitting team and that group in the middle of the lineup is probably as good as any in baseball,' Miami manager Dan Jennings said of a Blue Jays club that leads the majors with 318 runs. 'They hunt the fastball and they're certainly capable of doing damage when they get it.'


Encarnacion's 13th homer was his only hit in three at_bats after missing the previous two games with a sore left shoulder.


'Anything can happen; I don't want to get hurt again,' said Encarnacion, who was wary of being injured in the celebration after receiving a cortisone shot prior to missing those two contests. 'They took care of me.'


Though the veteran slugger is batting .221, he has 36 RBIs in 56 games and manager John Gibbons knows the value of having that potent bat in the mix.


'That's why it's so important to have Eddie in the lineup healthy, because he can do that,' Gibbons said.


"He's a huge threat in our lineup. ... He's one of the best hitters in the game."


A pleasant surprise in the Blue Jays lineup, Chris Colabello had his 18-game hitting streak end Tuesday when he went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts. He's batting .341 in 33 games since making his season debut May 5.


In an effort to conserve the sore arm of right-hander Aaron Sanchez, Toronto will skip his scheduled start Wednesday and hand the ball to fellow rookie Scott Copeland (0-0, 0.00 ERA).


'We can't take a chance so we'll back (Sanchez) off,' Gibbons said.


The right-hander, who made his major league debut by pitching three scoreless innings over two relief appearances in early May, was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo where he's gone 4-1 with a 2.14 ERA in seven starts.


He will try to contain Giancarlo Stanton, who has homered three times in the first two games of this series and recorded eight of his major league-leading 21 in the last 10 contests. Tuesday marked the third time this season Stanton has homered twice in a game and first that he's done so in 85 interleague contests.


The Marlins (24-35) will look to avoid being swept after entering the series winners in six of nine. Prior to Tuesday, A.J. Ramos converted six straight save chances since taking over the closer role.


"You know what? We get the chance (Wednesday), we'll run him right back out there," Jennings said. "That's how much we believe in him.'


Miami's Tom Koehler (4-3, 3.72) has allowed one or no earned runs in four of his last five starts, including Friday when he yielded one over seven innings of a 6-2 victory at Colorado.


The right-hander went 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in his first four interleague starts but is 4-0 in his last five despite a 4.67 ERA.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Marlins at Blue Jays
Mon, Jun 8 Final 3 to 11
Boxscores


GAME 2
Marlins at Blue Jays
Tue, Jun 9 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Marlins at Blue Jays
Wed, Jun 10 - 12:37PM EDT

Preview: Phillies (22-37) at Reds (25-31)
Game: 3
Venue: Great American Ball Park
Date: June 10, 2015 12:35 PM EDT

The Cincinnati Reds have played better baseball since the end of their dreadful losing streak last month, and with a red-hot Joey Votto, that has a good chance to continue.


Following a huge night for Votto, the Reds will look to finish off a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.


Votto hit three home runs for the third time in his career to pace Cincinnati's offensive outburst in an 11-3 win Tuesday. Zach Cozart and Todd Frazier also went deep as the Reds won their third straight.


"Today was wild ... I just happened to get lucky on three pitches,' said Votto. 'A few of them were out of the (strike) zone, that's not typical. You're going to fail a lot if you swing at balls out of the zone.'


Cincinnati (26-31) has gone 8-5 since a nine-game skid in May and Votto has batted .400 with six home runs and 14 RBIs in the last 11. He has 13 home runs and 35 RBIs on the season.


Jerome Williams (3-5, 5.68 ERA) will face the Reds for the first time since 2006. The right-hander has pitched fewer than six innings in seven of his last eight starts and his ERA is among the worst in MLB.


The Phillies (22-38) have lost in each of Williams' last four outings. They've dropped 12 of 15 overall and have been especially bad on the road, where they're a major league-worst 7-22 and have lost six in a row - Philadelphia's worst skid away from home since dropping 11 straight July 20-Aug. 11, 2013.


"We need to play solid games and put some games together," manager Ryne Sandberg said.


Cincinnati's Jon Moscot comes off his major league debut Friday, when he filled in for the injured Raisel Iglesias and allowed four runs and struck out three in five innings of a 6-2 loss to San Diego. The right-hander yielded two home runs and issued three walks but retired 11 of his final 12 batters.


"He's not going to learn anything from the experience by pitching an inning or two innings in that game," manager Bryan Price told MLB's official website. "He needed to stay in the game, find a way to manage that lineup, make better pitches because our expectation here is, if you're going to be in the rotation, you're going to pitch the innings."


Billy Hamilton was held out of Tuesday's game with a sore right hand after stealing two bases Monday. Brandon Phillips will likely sit after straining his groin on a slide.


Chase Utley is hitting .188 and has gone 0 for 16 in his last five games. Maikel Franco has picked up the slack with an eight-game hitting streak and .469 average in that span.


Franco went 2 for 3 with a double Tuesday for his ninth extra-base hit of the hitting streak.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Phillies at Reds
Mon, Jun 8 Final 4 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Phillies at Reds
Tue, Jun 9 Final 2 to 11
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Phillies at Reds
Wed, Jun 10 - 12:35PM EDT

Preview: Nationals (30-27) at Yankees (32-25)
Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: June 10, 2015 1:05 PM EDT

The New York Yankees don't see much of Washington, but the Nationals have been unfortunate enough to be a part of some of the Yankees' longest recent winning streaks.


When the clubs conclude a two-game series Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, New York will try for its first eight-game winning streak in nearly three years and first eight-gamer at home in almost five.


The Yankees (33-25) last won eight straight during a 10-game run June 8-18, 2012, with wins Nos. 7-9 coming in Washington. Their most recent eight-game run at home was Aug. 21-Sept. 4, 2010.


Stephen Drew paced Tuesday's 6-1 victory with two home runs, giving him a pair of two-homer games in his last four after going deep six times in his previous 76. Drew's .292 average in the last seven has only brought his season mark up to .175.


"It's a numbers game and in April I did have some great at_bats and nothing for it," he said.


Brian McCann has gone 6 for 12 in his past three games.


Bryce Harper hit his 20th home run Tuesday but the Nationals (30-28) lost their third straight and ninth in 11, a span in which they've posted a 5.59 ERA. They've also struggled offensively in a 5-11 stretch, averaging 2.50 runs. Ryan Zimmerman is in a 1-for-25 slump.


"We're just not getting a break," Tuesday's losing pitcher Max Scherzer said.


The Yankees are seeking a split in the season series after dropping two in Washington on May 19 and 20. Nathan Eovaldi and Gio Gonzalez matched up in an 8-6 final in the first of those, and both starters will be after better performances.


Eovaldi (5-1, 4.16 ERA) avoided the loss after allowing five runs in 4 1-3 innings. The right-hander saw plenty of Washington the previous two seasons with Miami and is 2-4 with a 5.32 ERA in eight career starts in the series.


Harper is 6 for 14 with a home run in the matchup, while Anthony Rendon is 7 for 17 and Zimmerman 3 for 10 with two homers.


Eovaldi has been better since that meeting with the Nationals, going 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA in three starts after allowing one run in 5 1-3 innings of Friday's 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. He won his third straight start at Yankee Stadium, posting a 2.50 ERA in that span.


Gonzalez (4-3, 4.57) has gone 1-5 with a 7.30 ERA in seven career starts against the Yankees, with the win coming in his first matchup with them in 2009, in which he allowed one run in 6 2-3 innings. He's posted an 8.60 mark in the series since, and the only game he didn't lose in that span was last month when he allowed six runs in five innings.


His mark of 5.84 walks per nine innings against the Yankees is nearly two higher than his career average of 3.88. Mark Teixeira is 6 for 18 with two home runs, two doubles and a .478 on-base percentage against Gonzalez.


Control was also a problem in Gonzalez's last time out as he walked four in Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs. The left-hander allowed both runs and four hits in six innings, giving him a 1-1 mark and 5.86 ERA in his last five starts.


Gonzalez is 2-2 with a 5.71 ERA in six road starts on the season.


Nationals center fielder Denard Span was scratched Tuesday due to back spasms.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Nationals at Yankees
Tue, Jun 9 Final 1 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Nationals at Yankees
Wed, Jun 10 - 1:05PM EDT

Preview: Red Sox (27-31) at Orioles (26-30)
Game: 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: June 10, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Rick Porcello has hardly lived up to the big contract extension he received from the Boston Red Sox this offseason, though he finally flashed some potential last time out.


He'll look for a similar showing Wednesday night against the Baltimore Orioles, who have hit Porcello hard twice already this season.


Porcello (4-5, 5.01 ERA), who came over in a December trade and signed a four-year, $82 million extension with Boston (27-32) after posting a 3.43 ERA last season in Detroit, allowed 13 runs over his final two May starts to drop his ERA to 5.37.


The right-hander bounced back by allowing two runs in eight innings last Wednesday in a 2-0 loss to Minnesota without surrendering a walk or a home run. He had issued seven walks and allowed five homers over his last three outings.


"I didn't walk anybody, and I did a better job of staying out of the middle of the plate," Porcello told MLB's official website. "I didn't give up the home runs that really hurt me the last time out, and the walks. That was the difference."


Baltimore (27-30) had no trouble against Porcello in back-to-back April starts. The right-hander allowed 12 runs in 11 total innings against the Orioles with the majority of the damage coming from Adam Jones, who went 4 for 7 with a home run and a double.


The Orioles will go with Wei-Yin Chen (1-4, 3.18), who continues to pitch well without much to show for it. The left-hander has allowed more than three earned runs only once, and he secured his seventh quality start by yielding two runs in 6 1-3 innings before Baltimore scored a run late in a 3-2 win at Houston on Thursday.


Chen took the loss on April 20 when he allowed five unearned runs to the Red Sox in 4 1-3 innings, then rebounded by matching a career high with eight innings and holding Boston to two runs in a 5-4 win five days later.


He'll pitch with the comfort of a red-hot bullpen, which tossed 4 2-3 scoreless innings Tuesday after Miguel Gonzalez exited with an injury. T.J. McFarland and Chaz Roe combined to allow one hit, and Zach Britton worked a five-out save in Baltimore's 1-0 victory.


Orioles relievers have allowed three runs over their last 18 1-3 innings while holding opponents to a .131 average.


"We are trying to get on a roll, win some games and get out of the dungeon, so to speak, in the standings a little bit," Britton said. "We are playing good ball right now. Offense is scoring just enough runs and we are pitching the way we are capable of pitching, so those are good things."


Baltimore, which has won its last three at home against Boston, saw its bats go silent on Tuesday, scoring the game's only run on a wild pitch. Chris Davis continued his slide with an 0-for-4 night and is 3 for 24 in his last seven games.


Hanley Ramirez's status is uncertain after he fouled a ball off his left knee and exited Tuesday's loss. X-rays were negative and Ramirez, who had gone 8 for 17 in his previous four games, said he wanted to play Wednesday.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Red Sox at Orioles
Tue, Jun 9 Final 0 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Red Sox at Orioles
Wed, Jun 10 - 7:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Red Sox at Orioles
Thu, Jun 11 - 7:05PM EDT

Preview: Cubs (30-25) at Tigers (30-28)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: June 10, 2015 7:08 PM EDT

With Miguel Cabrera and the rest of the offense back on track, the Detroit Tigers are on the verge of their longest winning streak since the season's opening week.


Given the numbers he's put up against the Chicago Cubs, Cabrera may be able to help the Tigers close out this two-game series Wednesday night with their fourth straight victory.


Detroit batted .214 with three home runs while averaging 2.8 runs during an eight-game losing streak that was the team's longest since September 2005. Since then, however, the club has hit .363 with three homers while totaling 19 runs in three consecutive victories.


The Tigers (31-28) also snapped a five-game home slide with Tuesday's 6-0 win. They haven't run off four straight victories since a 6-0 start.


After hitting an uncharacteristic .231 over his previous 11 games, Cabrera went 3 for 3 with an RBI Tuesday. He's reached base in 27 consecutive games and is batting .438 during a 13-game home hitting streak.


The two-time AL MVP hasn't faced the Cubs often, but he's hitting .364 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs in his last 42 games against them.


Jake Arrieta went 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA in three starts versus Detroit while he was with Baltimore. He yielded five runs and 10 hits over 4 2-3 innings in a 5-1 road loss in his most recent meeting in June 2013.


Cabrera is 3 for 9 when facing Arrieta (5-4, 3.04 ERA), homering in the last contest.


The Cubs (30-26) hope to bounce back and finish above .500 on this nine-game road swing. They're also looking to avoid their fourth straight loss in Detroit and 11th in 12 meetings overall.


After allowing 10 runs over 13 innings in his previous two starts, Arrieta got back on track Thursday when he gave up one run and struck out eight over six in a 2-1 win at Washington.


"I was able to throw (my curveball) in the middle, but underneath the zone, at will for the most part to give the appearance of a belt-high fastball," he told MLB's official website.


Detroit's Shane Greene (4-5, 5.40) has posted an 11.57 ERA in losing his last three starts after going 1-0 with a 1.40 mark in his previous three. The right-hander surrendered six runs - four earned - and eight hits over 4 1-3 innings in Thursday's 7-5 home loss to Oakland.


"It is a performance game, so we need him to get back where he was a couple of games ago, getting the ball down and getting ground balls," manager Brad Ausmus said.


Greene will get his first look at a Cubs team that scattered eight hits in the opener. Starlin Castro led the way with two, but Anthony Rizzo went 0 for 3 to end his career-high hitting streak at 12 games.


The Cubs rank in baseball's bottom half with a 3.65 bullpen ERA, but added some depth Tuesday by signing Rafael Soriano to a minor league contract. Soriano had 32 saves and a 3.19 ERA with Washington last season.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Cubs at Tigers
Tue, Jun 9 Final 0 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Cubs at Tigers
Wed, Jun 10 - 7:08PM EDT

Preview: Brewers (21-37) at Pirates (31-26)
Game: 3
Venue: PNC Park
Date: June 10, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

While Charlie Morton has given the Pittsburgh Pirates another reliable starter, the Milwaukee Brewers are still trying to figure why Kyle Lohse can't lower the majors' worst ERA.


Morton will try to continue his home success as he looks to win a fourth straight start Wednesday night when the Brewers try to complete the first sweep by a road team at PNC Park since 2012.


After he had an extended rehab assignment while recovering from hip surgery last September, Morton (3-0, 2.84 ERA) has fit in nicely in a rotation that ranks among baseball's best with a 3.15 ERA.


The right-hander allowed three earned runs over 14 innings while winning his first two starts. He wasn't as sharp but got plenty of support Friday, giving up three earned over five in a 10-8 victory at Atlanta.


"I know we have a good baseball team," he told MLB's official website. "That gives me confidence."


Morton will try to win a career-best fourth consecutive start while keeping the Pirates (31-27) from getting swept in a three-game series at home for the first time since Milwaukee did it from Sept. 18-20, 2012.


He's been exceptional at PNC Park, going 5-2 with a 1.98 ERA in his last 10 starts there. It's the NL's fourth-best home ERA since May 6, 2014, among those with at least 10 starts.


Morton went 2-1 with a 1.19 ERA during a four-start stretch against the Brewers (22-37) before they tagged him for five runs over six innings in a 5-3 home loss last April. That was the second of two losses versus Milwaukee that month, and he opposed Lohse each time.


Carlos Gomez is 5 for 11 with a home run off Morton and Ryan Braun is 8 for 18 with a homer and three doubles. Aramis Ramirez is 6 for 17, but Jean Segura and Jonathan Lucroy are a combined 4 for 28.


Ramirez, who is 3 for 7 in this series, and Jason Rogers each hit solo homers in Tuesday's 4-1 win that gave the Brewers their fourth victory in five games.


Lohse, who had gone 54-30 with a 3.28 ERA over the previous four seasons, showed some of that form when he gave up two runs over 14 innings in consecutive May starts.


The right-hander, however, has since gone 0-2 with a 10.43 ERA over his last three. He yielded five runs over six innings Friday before the Brewers rallied for a 10-5 win at Minnesota.


Since going 11-2 with a 3.38 ERA over his first 21 starts against the Pirates, Lohse (3-6, 6.59) has posted a 9.35 mark while dropping his last three meetings - including a pair in April.


Gregory Polanco is 3 for 5 with two doubles off him this season and Starling Marte has gone 2 for 5 with a home run. Pedro Alvarez, Jordy Mercer and Neil Walker are a combined 2 for 18.


Marte accounted for the only run Tuesday with a second-inning solo shot. He's scuffled of late, going 4 for 35 (.114) over his last 10 games.


Since hitting .287 and averaging 5.4 runs while winning 13 of 16, Pittsburgh has batted .148 while totaling one run in the first two games of this series.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Brewers at Pirates
Mon, Jun 8 Final 2 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Brewers at Pirates
Tue, Jun 9 Final 4 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Brewers at Pirates
Wed, Jun 10 - 7:05PM EDT

Preview: Mariners (25-32) at Indians (27-29)
Game: 2
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: June 10, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Even when Trevor Bauer isn't at his best, Cleveland manager Terry Francona admires the way his right-hander continues to progress.


Taijuan Walker enjoyed the best outing of his career last month when he opposed Bauer and the Indians.


Bauer can record a career-high sixth victory by finally earning his first against a Seattle Mariners team that could be minus the AL home run leader Wednesday night.


Despite four walks, Bauer (5-2, 2.94 ERA) allowed a two-run homer over 6 2-3 innings of a 6-2 win at Kansas City on Thursday. He's 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA in his last five starts and hasn't surrendered more than two runs in eight of his 11 this season.


"He competes, uses his pitches," Francona told MLB's official website. "Again, it seems like as the game progresses, he gets a little bit stronger."


Bauer's 29 walks rank among the most in baseball but he doesn't seem concerned while amid the best start to his second full season in the majors.


"I don't care about walks," he said. "A lot of people care about walks. As long as they don't score, I don't care."


Bauer's lone defeat over the last five came May 29 when he gave up a two-run homer to Seth Smith and struck out 10 with three walks in seven innings of a 2-1 loss at Seattle.


"Other than (the home run), there was some bend, but not break," Francona said. "He wasn't always efficient, but you look up after seven innings at two runs - we'll take it.'


Bauer is 0-3 with a 5.09 ERA versus Seattle (26-32) but might not have to face Nelson Cruz, who is 4 for 6 with a double and a home against him.


Batting .326 with 18 home runs, Cruz is day to day after he left Tuesday's 3-2 series-opening victory with back spasms.


'He said he felt it in batting practice, but he said he could do, but I didn't like the way he was moving at the plate,' manager Lloyd McClendon said.


In the best of his 19 career starts, Walker (2-6, 5.80) allowed two hits and struck out eight without a walk over eight innings opposite Bauer in the May 29 win.


'He worked fast, he threw strikes, he worked ahead in the count, he was in and out, he had a great change," McClendon said. "He did everything we asked him.'


The right-hander followed that outing with another eight-inning effort but gave up three runs on two homers in a 3-1 loss to the New York Yankees last Wednesday.


Robinson Cano is 8 for 44 (.142) in his last 11 games, but he had two doubles - his first extra-base hits since May 30 - and an RBI as the Mariners won for the second time in three games after losing seven in a row.


"Tonight was luck that I was able to hit it where there wasn't nobody," Cano said. "Well, I wish I can continue getting that luck more often."


Seattle, however, has failed to score more than three runs in a franchise-record 13 consecutive contests.


Kyle Seager, who also had two hits, is 4 for 9 with a double against Bauer.


Yan Gomes had his second career two-homer game for Cleveland (27-30), which has totaled nine runs while going 1-3 on a six-game homestand. Gomes, though, is 8 for 20 in his last five contests.


He's batting .375 with four home runs and nine RBIs in his last six home games against Seattle.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Mariners at Indians
Tue, Jun 9 Final 3 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Mariners at Indians
Wed, Jun 10 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Mariners at Indians
Thu, Jun 11 - 12:10PM EDT

Preview: Padres (30-29) at Braves (27-30)
Game: 3
Venue: Turner Field
Date: June 10, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Atlanta Braves might be getting some pop back in the lineup Wednesday night, and they'll probably need it if their starting pitcher's control problems continue.


Kelly Johnson could return from a 24-game absence for the third of a four-game series against the San Diego Padres, who are coming off one of their most disappointing defeats.


After winning Monday's opener, the Padres (30-30) blew a five-run lead entering the bottom of the sixth inning in Tuesday's 6-5 loss to the Braves (28-30).


Nick Markakis was 3 for 4 for the Braves and is batting .364 in eight games this month, while Jace Peterson went 2 for 5 for the second straight game against the team that included him in the Justin Upton deal in December.


Johnson has been on the disabled list since May 14 with a right oblique strain, and despite the extended absence, he's still second on the team with six home runs.


The Braves have an MLB-low 13 home runs since, but that doesn't necessarily mean they've been worse off. The Braves have averaged 4.29 runs and hit .257 without Johnson after posting 4.21 and .254 marks before he landed on the DL, and their .298 average in the last 10 games trails only Colorado.


Likewise, Padres manager Bud Black said Will Myers could join the team Wednesday but might not come off the DL because the Padres may need to add an arm to the bullpen. Myers (wrist tendinitis) has been out since May 11.


San Diego's Will Venable was 3 for 5 with a home run and a double, and the leadoff hitter has five multihit games in his last seven, as well as five straight against the Braves.


But all that really does is cancel out Matt Kemp, who was 0 for 5 and is batting .114 (8 for 70) in his last 18 games in Atlanta without a multihit effort. His .170 career average at Turner Field is easily his worst at any NL ballpark, though he might not have to take his bat off his shoulder against Atlanta's Williams Perez.


Perez (1-0, 3.55 ERA) hasn't been able to locate with nine walks in 12 innings over his last two starts. He got away with it in the first for his first big league win in San Francisco on May 30, but it caught up with him in Friday's 10-8 home loss to Pittsburgh. The right-hander wasn't stuck with the decision but allowed four runs and five hits with five walks in five innings. He'd walked two batters in 11 innings over his first two starts.


"I wasn't commanding my sinker, especially to left-handed hitters," Perez told MLB's official website. "I couldn't hit that outer third."


Perez faces Tyson Ross (3-5, 3.75), who has been far more consistent.


Ross' first road win came in Friday's 6-2 victory in Cincinnati, surrendering two runs and five hits in five innings before a rain delay forced him from the game, and his manager saw improvement.


"The slider was a little better than it was the last couple of outings," Black said.


He hasn't pitched poorly on the road - in fact he hasn't allowed more than three runs in seven starts - but he'd gotten a 2.27 run-support average in the first six.


Overall, he's limited his last seven opponents to at most three runs, and he's only allowed four earned runs twice in his last 28 starts. One of those starts was the only outing of his career against the Braves as the right-hander limited them to two runs in six innings of a 4-3 win on Aug. 3 without earning the decision.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Padres at Braves
Mon, Jun 8 Final 5 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Padres at Braves
Tue, Jun 9 Final 5 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Padres at Braves
Wed, Jun 10 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Padres at Braves
Thu, Jun 11 - 12:10PM EDT

Preview: Giants (32-26) at Mets (31-27)
Game: 2
Venue: Citi Field
Date: June 10, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

Recent struggles and an early homer were enough to motivate Matt Harvey in his last outing. Another opponent may have provided additional inspiration for the New York Mets ace this time.


A day after watching the Mets get no-hit for the first time in 22 years, Harvey will try to help them bounce back against the visiting San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night.


Harvey (6-3, 3.05 ERA) lost all three decisions over his final five starts of May, dropping the last two after surrendering 11 runs in 12 innings.


The right-hander followed that up by serving up a solo homer in the second inning Thursday at Arizona, but he responded by striking out nine and yielding another solo shot before completing seven innings in a 6-2 win.


"I kind of got angry that my last couple starts weren't very good," Harvey told MLB's official website. "I think I needed to put an end to that."


After totaling 21 hits in the previous two games, the Mets (31-28) were held without any by Giants rookie Chris Heston in Tuesday's 5-0 loss. It was the first time New York was no-hit since Houston's Darryl Kile in 1993, and it was San Francisco's fourth in consecutive seasons, a feat last accomplished when the Los Angeles Dodgers got four from Sandy Koufax from 1962-65.


Despite leading the NL East, the Mets are 25th among the 30 teams in runs, a dearth partly due to injuries to David Wright, Daniel Murphy and Travis d'Arnaud.


'Nobody wants to get no-hit, so it's a little deflating,' Michael Cuddyer said. 'But we'll go home tonight, get some sleep and come back and have a good attitude tomorrow.'


It was the eighth loss in nine games against the Giants (33-26) for the Mets, who are batting .161 and averaging 2.1 runs in that stretch.


San Francisco has won three of four after a five-game skid, batting .311 and totaling 21 runs.


Buster Posey accounted for three of the Giants' 13 hits Tuesday and is 7 for 19 in the first four of this six-game road trip. He's 13 for 28 in his last seven games against the Mets.


Posey is the only current member of the Giants with more than one hit off Harvey, going 4 for 5 with a homer and double.


Tim Hudson (3-5, 4.41) seeks his third straight effective outing for San Francisco. Since allowing eight runs over 3 2-3 innings in an 11-2 loss at Colorado on May 24, the right-hander is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA in two starts.


He limited Pittsburgh to two runs over seven innings and matched a season high with six strikeouts in a 5-2 loss last Wednesday.


It was another game with little offensive support for Hudson, who gets the lowest average run support in the NL at 2.21 runs per game. He's received four total runs in his last four starts.


Hudson is 2-0 with a 3.09 ERA in his last five starts against the Mets.


Lucas Duda is 12 for 30 with a homer and two doubles versus Hudson, while Ruben Tejada is 9 for 25.


The Giants will likely be without right fielder Hunter Pence again and he could be headed to the disabled list. Pence has not played since June 2 because of a sore left wrist.


'Possibility. I don't say likely,' Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. 'Ask me that in the next day or so, and then I may switch over to likely.'


San Francisco's Joe Panik homered Tuesday and is batting .389 during a 13-game hitting streak. He's reached base in 21 consecutive games.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Giants at Mets
Tue, Jun 9 Final 5 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Giants at Mets
Wed, Jun 10 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Giants at Mets
Thu, Jun 11 - 7:10PM EDT

Preview: Angels (28-29) at Rays (31-27)
Game: 2
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: June 10, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

With a five-game losing streak behind them and one of their superstars finally living up to that title, things are looking up for the Los Angeles Angels.


Their next starter, however, might warn the team against buying too much into perceived turnarounds Wednesday night as they seek a road series win against the Tampa Bay Rays.


The Angels (29-29) opened this three-game set with Tuesday's 8-2 victory over the Rays (31-28) to end their worst skid of the season. Albert Pujols hit his 536th home run to tie Mickey Mantle for 16th on the all-time list. More importantly for Los Angeles' immediate needs, the slugger is batting .395 with eight home runs in his last 11 games, bumping his average to a season-high .268 after entering that stretch on May 28 at .235.


"Great player, future Hall of Famer," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "Would prefer for him to go ahead and get out of Tampa."


Los Angeles matched a season high with 15 hits after batting .220 on the skid, which included three losses against the New York Yankees to begin a trip that concludes Thursday. Kole Calhoun had a career-high four RBIs after totaling three in his previous 14 games.


"It was nice to break out on this trip," Calhoun said.


Cash's frustration isn't coming from just the one game. The Rays' struggles haven't yet translated to a losing streak like Los Angeles', but they likely will if Tampa Bay can't pick it up at the plate. The Rays have scored nine runs in their last five games while batting .175, but they've got three wins to show for it thanks to a 2.05 ERA.


The likely return of Evan Longoria could help. Longoria hasn't started for three games because of a sore left wrist but expects to be in the lineup Wednesday.


A win would secure either team at worst a split in the season series after the Rays won two of three in Los Angeles to start the month, though neither Jered Weaver or Erasmo Ramirez pitched in that series.


Weaver (4-5, 4.60 ERA) seemed to have finally figured things out before his last start, going 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA in his previous five. Then he allowed a season-high seven runs and nine hits with three home runs in 5 2-3 innings of Friday's 8-7 loss to the Yankees, possibly feeling a return to the 0-4 record and 6.29 ERA of his first six starts.


"Pretty frustrating," Weaver told MLB's official website. "I felt like everything was working."


The right-hander has never had that kind of outing at Tropicana Field. Weaver is 4-0 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts there with three straight victories, though only one has come since 2011.


Ramirez (4-2, 5.10) is trying to win a third straight start after allowing a run and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings of Thursday's 2-1 victory in Seattle. He's limited opponents to a run and 10 hits in 12 1-3 innings over those victories, and is 4-1 with a 2.86 ERA in five starts since re-entering the rotation on May 14. He also issued just two walks in his last two starts after totaling nine in his previous three.


The right-hander is 1-2 with a 2.28 ERA in four starts and one relief effort against the Angels while holding Erick Aybar (1 for 12) and Calhoun (1 for 8) in check. Mike Trout is 5 for 13 with a home run.


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Angels at Rays
Tue, Jun 9 Final 8 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Angels at Rays
Wed, Jun 10 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Angels at Rays
Thu, Jun 11 - 7:10PM EDT

Preview: Astros (34-25) at White Sox (26-30)
Game: 3
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: June 10, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

The Houston Astros raced to the top of the AL West thanks in large part to their dominant play on the road.


Now in the midst of a long losing streak, that one-time strength appears to have become a weakness.


Having dropped six in a row away from home, the Astros will try to avoid a three-game sweep by the host Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.


Houston (34-26) won 12 of its first 15 on the road, but it's gone 3-10 there since. The Astros lost three games in Toronto over the weekend and have totaled three runs in the first two in Chicago after a 4-2 loss Tuesday.


Houston has dropped six in a row overall.


We got alot of fight in us and we're going through a tough stretch,' said manager A.J. Hinch, whose team has scored two or fewer runs in four of the last five road games after averaging 5.9 in the first 15. 'We'll come out of it a better team.'


Astros right-hander Vincent Velasquez will make his major league debut after going 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA in five starts at Double-A Corpus Christi. Following the promotion of fellow rookie Lance McCullers, who's posted a 2.32 ERA in five starts, general manager Jeff Luhnow is hoping for similar results from Velasquez.


"Vince has dominated Double-A in a very similar way that McCullers has dominated, and I think we're emboldened to a certain extent by what McCullers has done up here," Luhnow told MLB's official website. "We're hoping Vince can replicate that, and we do believe he's got the weapons to be a successful major league pitcher and that he's not that far away. The window of opportunity seemed too good to pass up."


Velasquez will try to shut down Jose Abreu after the slugger went 2 for 4 and hit his 10th home run Tuesday. Abreu has gone 9 for 24 with six runs in his last six against the Astros.


"He's earned the respect of getting everybody's best stuff," manager Robin Ventura said. "If you're going to throw somebody your nastiest slider, for our team he gets it."


Chicago (27-30) will go with Jose Quintana (2-6, 4.28 ERA), who hasn't won in his last four starts as he continues to suffer from a lack of run support.


Quintana gave up four runs in 13 1-3 innings over his last two outings and has allowed two or fewer in seven of his 11 starts, but has received two or fewer runs of support in eight outings. He threw 6 1-3 innings of one-run ball while striking out seven in a 3-0 road loss to the Astros on May 30.


Houston rookie shortstop Carlos Correa is 3 for 8 with three RBIs in his first two career contests and hit his first home run Tuesday.


"He's going to contribute, he's very comfortable, and I'm happy for him," Hinch said. "He's coming in as advertised and shown real poise and a real presence."


Luis Valbuena went 0 for 4 on Tuesday in his sixth straight hitless performance. He's 0 for 19 since hitting a home run June 2 and his average is .180 - second worst among qualifying players.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Astros at White Sox
Mon, Jun 8 Final 1 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Astros at White Sox
Tue, Jun 9 Final 2 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Astros at White Sox
Wed, Jun 10 - 8:10PM EDT

Preview: Cardinals (38-20) at Rockies (26-30)
Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: June 10, 2015 3:10 PM EDT

Though they're playing at one of baseball's best hitter's parks, the MLB-best St. Louis Cardinals are having difficulty scoring as their injuries continue to mount.


They hope the majors' top rotation can take some of the pressure off until their key hitters return.


Carlos Martinez will try to improve on MLB's best ERA since mid-May and help the visiting Cardinals avoid a season high-tying third straight loss Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies.


St. Louis (38-21) has batted .176 and struck out 45 times while totaling 12 runs over its last five games. The club managed four hits and left six on base in Tuesday's 4-3 loss at Coors Field.


It certainly hasn't helped that clean-up hitter Matt Adams is out for the season after surgery to repair torn quadriceps and No. 3 hitter Matt Holliday went on the disabled list Tuesday with a quadriceps strain.


Matt Carpenter was hitting .365 on May 3, but he's batting .231 over his last 30 games. He's also 0 for 13 with seven strikeouts over his last five games after fanning a career-high four times Tuesday.


Peter Bourjos had been 1 for 11 over his past six before going 2 for 3 with a home run. Jhonny Peralta had a sixth-inning solo shot for his second homer in three games.


The Cardinals, whose starters have a MLB-best 3.06 ERA, might not need much scoring to avoid getting swept by Colorado (27-30) for the first time since July 6-8, 2010, at Coors.


Martinez (6-2, 2.94 ERA) has limited opponents to two runs or less in nine of 11 starts. The exception being a two-start stretch in early May in which he allowed 14 runs over nine innings.


The right-hander is 3-0 with an 0.33 ERA - the majors' best mark since May 20 - over his last four outings. He had his scoreless innings streak end at 21 2-3 - the longest such run this season - when he gave up one run and struck out a career-high 11 in Friday's 2-1 win at Dodger Stadium.


"You can tell he's becoming more of a pitcher than a thrower and is keeping his emotions more under control," second baseman Kolten Wong told MLB's official website.


Martinez could find the going tougher at Coors, where he allowed four runs and five hits over 1 2-3 innings of relief in a 11-4 win in his only appearance on Sept. 17, 2013. He's never started against the Rockies, but has a 14.54 ERA in four relief outings.


DJ LeMahieu had three hits for the second straight game Tuesday, helping the Rockies clinch their first home series win of the season. LeMahieu is batting .400 over his last 18 games, while Nolan Arenado has homered in the first two of this series.


Troy Tulowitzki is 18 for 36 with five homers and 14 RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.


Chad Bettis (2-0, 2.70) has gone 2-0 with a 1.91 ERA over four consecutive quality starts. He allowed one earned run over six innings last Wednesday but did not get a decision as the Rockies rallied for a 7-6 home win over the Dodgers.


"My motto the whole year - whether I have my best stuff or my worst stuff - is just to pitch my way through a game," Bettis said.


The right-hander made two relief appearances against the Cardinals in September 2013. Jason Heyward homered off him while with Atlanta earlier that season.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Cardinals at Rockies
Mon, Jun 8 Final 3 to 11
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Cardinals at Rockies
Tue, Jun 9 -Final 3 - 4
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Cardinals at Rockies
Wed, Jun 10 - 3:10PM EDT

Preview: Diamondbacks (27-30) at Dodgers (33-25)
Game: 3
Venue: Dodger Stadium
Date: June 10, 2015 10:10 PM EDT

Howie Kendrick has looked good in his return from injury. Facing the Arizona Diamondbacks may keep him rolling.


With Kendrick swinging a hot bat, the Dodgers go for a ninth straight home win over the Diamondbacks in the conclusion of this three-game series Wednesday night.


Kendrick was out of the lineup for four games with a left knee strain, but he's 5 for 8 with a homer and four RBIs in two since returning to second base.


He's a .341 hitter in 11 meetings with Arizona, going 8 for 16 in the past four matchups this year.


Kendrick homered and had a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning of Tuesday's 3-1 win as the Dodgers (34-25) beat the Diamondbacks (27-31) for the 12th time in 13 tries at home.


"You want to get the job done in that situation," said Kendrick, who is settling into the cleanup spot in his first season with Los Angeles after hitting fourth just 52 times previously. "It doesn't matter where I hit. I don't change my approach for where I'm hitting. To be able to come through and give us a victory is awesome. Our biggest thing is just to try to win the series."


Brett Anderson (2-4, 3.29 ERA) takes the mound looking for some help from Kendrick and his teammates. The left-hander has a 3.00 ERA over his last four starts, but has lost all three decisions since he's been backed by three total runs.


He was charged with a 2-1 loss to St. Louis on Friday, when he tossed seven spotless innings before allowing two runs and leaving with two outs in the eighth.


"I'm just giving us a chance with quality starts," Anderson said.


Anderson is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts against Arizona since the start of last season, going six innings before Yasmani Grandal hit a homer in the 13th of a 1-0 home win May 3.


Grandal is 9 for 24 with two homers and two doubles in seven games against the Diamondbacks this year.


Arizona has dropped six of eight on the road with its starters posting a 7.02 ERA, but it should feel somewhat confident handing the ball to Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 4.88).


The right-hander is trying to tie a career high with a fourth straight winning start, and he's posted a 3.38 ERA in this latest stretch. Hellickson yielded two runs with six strikeouts in six innings of a 7-2 win over the New York Mets on Friday.


"Command's definitely been a big part of it," Hellickson said. "I'm just not making as many mistakes with the fastball as I was earlier in the year."


Hellickson has allowed seven runs and 13 hits in 8 1-3 innings over two career starts against the Dodgers - both on the road. He gave up three runs and fanned six before being pulled with one out in the sixth of a 6-4 loss May 2.


He's held Kendrick to two hits in 12 at_bats. Adrian Gonzalez is 4 for 22 off Hellickson, but two of those hits were homers along with a triple and a double.


Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt is hitting .353 with seven homers and 17 RBIs in his last 13 meetings with Los Angeles, but he's only managed to go 1 for 6 in the last two. He's 4 for 8 with a homer off Anderson.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Dodgers
Mon, Jun 8 Final 3 to 9
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Dodgers
Tue, Jun 9 - Final 1 - 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Dodgers
Wed, Jun 10 - 10:10PM EDT

Preview: Rangers (30-27) at Athletics (23-36)
Game: 2
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: June 10, 2015 10:05 PM EDT

As the Texas Rangers continue to surge, the Oakland Athletics again find themselves headed in the wrong direction.


The visiting Rangers can win for the 16th time in 20 games by handing the A's a fifth straight defeat Wednesday night.


Nick Martinez allowed one of Oakland's five hits over six scoreless innings and Mitch Moreland homered to help Texas (31-27) to a 2-1 series-opening victory Tuesday. The Rangers were 9 1/2 games back of first-place Houston in the AL West on May 19 but have moved within two of the reeling Astros.


"It's just a testament to who they are," manager Jeff Banister said. "They love playing together and want to get a win. It's 1 through 25."


Winners of 10 of 12 away from home, the Rangers lead the majors with a 20-12 road record.


'We're not playing different,' Martinez said. 'We're coming to the ballpark going through our same routine as we go in at home. I think it's just worked out that way.'


Moreland is batting .390 with five home runs and 11 RBIs during a 15-game road hitting streak.


"I'm just trying to keep it simple," said Moreland, who has homered in two straight at Oakland.


Prince Fielder is batting an AL-leading .354, and .462 with five RBIs in his last seven games against the A's.


Yovani Gallardo (5-6, 3.54 ERA) went 2-5 with a 4.19 ERA in his first seven starts as a Ranger, but is 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA in his last five. He's allowed one earned run and seven hits while lasting six innings in each of his last two. The run the right-hander yielded during Thursday's 2-1, 11-inning victory over the Chicago White Sox was unearned.


Gallardo posted a 5.91 ERA while dropping two straight to Texas, both part of his rough stretch to open the season.


Ben Zobrist and Stephen Vogt are a combined 5 for 9 and each has a double and a home run off Gallardo.


Vogt's second hit in 23 at_bats over his last seven games Tuesday drove home Zobrist, 3 for 31 in his past 10.


The A's (23-37) have totaled nine runs and batted .194 with runners in scoring position during their fifth losing streak of at least four games.


"We want to nip this on the backside as soon as we can and get back on track," Vogt said.


Jesse Hahn (3-5, 3.51), who's posted a 1.64 ERA while winning two of his last three starts, gave up a run over seven innings of a 7-5 victory at Detroit on Thursday. The right-hander opened his season by allowing three runs and seven hits while hitting two batters in six innings of a 3-1 home defeat to Texas on April 7.


Hahn has never faced Kyle Blanks, who could be activated from the disabled list Wednesday to reinforce a Rangers roster that continues to play well despite injuries to Adrian Beltre and Josh Hamilton. Blanks was batting .322 with three homers in 15 games when he landed on the DL on May 22 to undergo a pilonidal cyst procedure.


"(Wednesday) is a realistic possibility," Banister told MLB's official website. "It depends on how he responds through the day. We'll see how he feels after his workout."


SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rangers at Athletics
Tue, Jun 9 - Final 1 - 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rangers at Athletics
Wed, Jun 10 - 10:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Rangers at Athletics
Thu, Jun 11 - 3:35PM EDT