Cnotes Sports Page For Thursday August 20th Best Bets-Trends-News !

Preview: Rangers (61-58) at Tigers (58-61)
Game: 1
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: August 20, 2015 7:08 PM EDT

The Texas Rangers have had a strong seven games thanks in large part to some impressive offense, and it could get even better against Alfredo Simon.


The right-hander has allowed at least four runs in nine of his last 10 starts, but he's at least likely to avoid Josh Hamilton on Thursday night as the Rangers and Tigers open a four-game series in Detroit.


After Wednesday's 7-2 home win over Seattle, the Rangers (61-58) have won six of seven with 5.9 runs per game. The last four have come with Hamilton out with a sore left knee, and the fragile outfielder may be headed to the disabled list as recently acquired Will Venable joins the team Thursday.


"If I could play through it, I would be out there right now," Hamilton told MLB's official website. "If I went out there right now, we would be back where we were four days ago: swollen or worse."


Simon (10-7, 4.84 ERA) has gone 1-1 with a 7.27 ERA in his last three starts as he's dealt with a groin injury, walking eight with just four strikeouts in 17 1-3 innings over that span.


He allowed four runs in five innings of Friday's 5-1 loss in Houston. That gave him a 3-4 record and 8.19 ERA in 10 starts after going 7-3 with a 2.58 ERA in his first 12 with Detroit.


Seven of Simon's eight games against Texas have come in relief, posting a 5.54 ERA without a decision. He lasted 1 1-3 innings and allowed three solo home runs in his only start in 2009, a 7-5 road loss.


Venable is 2 for 2 with a home run and a triple in the matchup and Adrian Beltre is 2 for 5 with a homer. Elvis Andrus is 0 for 5 against Simon.


Detroit's offense, however, seems like it could be capable of making a game of it even if Simon's struggles continue. The Tigers (58-61) concluded a two-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs with Wednesday's 15-8 win to salvage a split on an eight-game road trip.


They scored 25 runs with 40 hits at Wrigley Field, with the 21-hit finale marking season-best outputs in both categories.


"The two nights here, we swung the bats very well," manager Brad Ausmus said. "It was a little bit quieter in Houston, but since the off day and then two days in Chicago, the guys have had good at-bats, they've driven the ball, they've come up with big hits with men on and they kept tacking on even when ... the Cubs were chasing us back."


Nick Castellanos was 5 for 9 with two homers, two doubles and seven RBIs in the series. J.D. Martinez has gone 6 for 13 in his last three with homers in two straight and Ian Kinsler is batting .434 in his last 18 games.


Kinsler has hit .483 in seven career games against Texas, his former team.


That's all waiting for Martin Perez, whose first three starts after being removed from the disabled list in July were a collective disaster. He's been far better in August with a 1-0 record and 2.21 ERA in three starts.


Perez (1-2, 5.29) gave up three runs - two earned - in six innings of Friday's 5-3 home win over Tampa Bay but didn't earn the decision.


The left-hander hasn't faced Detroit since 2013, but he probably remembers both of his career outings as the Tigers tagged him with a loss and nine earned runs in 6 1-3 innings. Like Simon, he allowed three homers in his only start against his next opponent.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rangers at Tigers
Thu, Aug 20 - 7:08PM EDT


GAME 2
Rangers at Tigers
Fri, Aug 21 - 7:08PM EDT


GAME 3
Rangers at Tigers
Sat, Aug 22 - 7:08PM EDT


GAME 4
Rangers at Tigers
Sun, Aug 23 - 1:08PM EDT

Preview: Indians (55-64) at Yankees (67-52)
Game: 1
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: August 20, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

Although the New York Yankees braced for the worst when Mark Teixeira suffered a leg injury, Greg Bird's emergence is making his absence easier to swallow.


Bird hopes to continue his best Teixeira impersonation as the Yankees seek their seventh win in eight games Thursday night in the opener of a home series against the Cleveland Indians.


After hitting .209 with 25 home runs over 138 games in 2013-14, Teixeira is enjoying a resurgence this season with 31 homers and his highest OPS (.912) since 2009.


The All-Star, however, left Monday's 8-7 home win over Minnesota after fouling a ball off his lower right leg. Manager Joe Girardi then said that Teixeira was still too sore to play in Wednesday's 4-3 win that completed a three-game sweep.


With the slugger sidelined, Bird made the most of his opportunity by going 5 for 9 with five RBIs in the series. The 22-year-old first baseman hit his first two home runs Wednesday and received his first curtain call from the Bronx faithful.


'I'm not saying this is what my expectation is, but Miguel Cabrera had a slow clock and really had an understanding of what he wanted to do," said Girardi, who managed Cabrera with the Marlins in 2006. "And I think Greg Bird has an understanding of who he is and what he wants to do."


Since batting .157 while totaling nine runs during a 1-6 stretch, the AL East-leading Yankees (67-52) have hit 11 home runs and scored four runs or more six times while winning six of their last seven.


They'll try to keep it going for Ivan Nova, who insists he's fine after taking a comebacker off his right ring finger in his last start. The right-hander hasn't faced the Indians since June 2011 when he yielded two runs over seven innings in a 11-7 home win.


Nova (5-4, 3.57 ERA), who missed the first three months this season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, seeks his fifth win in six starts after holding Toronto to three runs and five hits over a season-high seven innings in Friday's 4-3 road win.


The Indians have batted .210 in dropping four of their last five games. They had scored once Wednesday until Yan Gomes' three-run homer in the eighth inning of a 6-4 loss at Boston.


Michael Brantley, who went 3 for 4, has hit .457 over his last 11 games. Francisco Lindor (6 for 13), Gomes (5 for 11) and Chris Johnson (5 for 12) led the attack last week when the AL Central-worst Indians (55-64) took two of three from the visiting Yankees.


Josh Tomlin (0-1, 2.84) hopes to build on a promising debut after recovering from right shoulder surgery. He allowed two runs and five hits over 6 1-3 innings in Saturday's 4-1 loss at Minnesota.


"It felt pretty good to be back out there and competing," Tomlin told MLB's official website.


The right-hander hasn't had much success in New York despite holding down some of the team's key hitters. He's 0-2 with an 11.57 ERA in three games - including a pair of starts - at Yankee Stadium.


Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury are a combined 4 for 21 when facing Tomlin, while Alex Rodriguez is just 1 for 14 in this season series. Beltran, however, is hitting .367 with four home runs and eight RBIs in his last eight games versus Cleveland.



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Indians at Yankees
Thu, Aug 20 - 7:05PM EDT


GAME 2
Indians at Yankees
Fri, Aug 21 - 7:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Indians at Yankees
Sat, Aug 22 - 1:05PM EDT

Preview: Giants (65-55) at Pirates (71-47)
Game: 1
Venue: PNC Park
Date: August 20, 2015 7:05 PM EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates can't alter the course of history by traveling back in time to the first night of October, when the San Francisco Giants rolled to a wild-card win at PNC Park that started their march to a third World Series title in five years.


As the champs return, the Pirates can take a big step toward ensuring they won't see the Giants in another one-game playoff.


Pittsburgh will try to put some distance between itself and third-place San Francisco as this four-game series gets underway Thursday night.


The Pirates (71-47) still have St. Louis in their sights in the NL Central - they trail the Cardinals by five - but hosting a third straight winner-take-all game at PNC, where they've won 32 of 42, is the likelier scenario.


The Giants (65-55) have a better chance of returning to the postseason as a division winner, sitting two behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the West. A poor showing in Pittsburgh might make that route all the more probable, as San Francisco trails the wild card-leading Pirates by seven games and second-place Chicago by three.


Pittsburgh swept three from the Giants at AT&T Park in June while missing Madison Bumgarner, whose first look at the Pirates since completing the 8-0 wild-card win will come Friday.


Brandon Crawford, whose grand slam broke that game open, brings a career-high 13-game hitting streak into the opener.


Jake Peavy (3-5, 4.18 ERA) wasn't around for the June series either, part of an 11-week stretch in which he was recovering from a strained back. The right-hander posted a 2.74 ERA in his first seven starts after returning but struggled Saturday, allowing 12 baserunners and five runs over 5 2-3 innings of a 12-6 win over Washington.


This will be Peavy's first start against the Pirates since April 2009 - two months before Andrew McCutchen made his major league debut.


McCutchen had two more hits and a walk Wednesday as the Pirates beat Arizona 4-1 to take two of three. The five-time All-Star boosted his OPS at PNC Park to 1.155 since May 20, second best in the majors at home over the past three months behind the New York Mets' Lucas Duda.


He's 20 for 41 with eight extra-base hits in his last nine regular-season home games against the Giants.


San Francisco came into its series in St. Louis off a four-game sweep of Washington in which it totaled 28 runs, then only scored six while dropping two of three to the Cardinals. Half of those came in Wednesday's finale, but all eight Giants hits were singles in a 4-3 loss that followed San Francisco announcing it will put Hunter Pence on the disabled list with a strained oblique.


'That oblique is a hard one to figure out,' manager Bruce Bochy said. 'This is a moderate strain so we hope two weeks, he'll be ready to go.'


The good news is Nori Aoki is expected to come off the concussion DL, giving the Giants back a leadoff hitter who also happens to lead the majors with a .368 road batting average. Aoki, though, is hitting .209 in 13 games since returning from a fractured fibula.


He's 3 for 7 off Charlie Morton (7-4, 4.36), who tossed six scoreless innings in Saturday's road start before allowing the Mets to tie it with three runs - two earned - on a pair of homers in the seventh of a 5-3 win.


The right-hander has allowed nine homers in 88 2-3 innings, matching the total he surrendered last season in 157 1-3.


He's kept the ball in the park in his last seven starts spanning 44 2-3 against the Giants, posting a 2.22 ERA.



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Giants at Pirates
Thu, Aug 20 - 7:05PM EDT


GAME 2
Giants at Pirates
Fri, Aug 21 - 7:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Giants at Pirates
Sat, Aug 22 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 4
Giants at Pirates
Sun, Aug 23 - 8:05PM EDT

Preview: Royals (73-46) at Red Sox (54-66)
Game: 1
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: August 20, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

With their biggest contributions coming from some unlikely sources, the Boston Red Sox continue to pound the baseball during a week of change in the front office.


They were on a similar roll at the plate the last time they took on the Kansas City Royals.


The resurgent Red Sox will try to win three in a row Thursday night when they look to deny the AL-best Royals their sixth straight in the opener at Fenway Park.


Boston has turned it on with a .337 average, 19 home runs and 8.4 runs per game over its last 11. The Red Sox scored all their runs off Corey Kluber in Wednesday's 6-4 home win over Cleveland.


David Ortiz, Travis Shaw, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Ryan Hanigan homered to help Boston take two of three from the Indians. The Red Sox haven't won three straight since July 30-Aug. 1.


"We played with energy and drove the baseball offensively," interim manager Torey Lovullo said.


Ortiz was batting just .241 on Aug. 6 before going 21 for 42 with five home runs and 15 RBIs over his last 11 games. Shaw is 13 for 27 with four homers over his past six, while Bradley - a career .204 hitter - has gone 15 for 31 with four longballs and 16 RBIs in his last eight.


All this while the club learned Tuesday that general manager Ben Cherington is leaving the team and former Detroit boss Dave Dombrowski would be brought in as president of baseball operations.


Boston batted .362 and totaled 24 runs while taking two of three at Kansas City (73-46) in June. The Red Sox swept a three-game series in the most recent meeting at Fenway in July 2014.


Mookie Betts has gone 15 for 31 with two home runs in seven career games against the Royals. After resting Wednesday, Betts, Hanley Ramirez and Xander Bogaerts are expected to play in the opener.


Danny Duffy (6-5, 4.03 ERA) is tasked with cooling off the Red Sox (54-66) after alternating between good and bad performances over his last five starts. The left-hander was on the good side Friday when he allowed one run over six innings in a 4-1 home win over the Los Angeles Angels.


Duffy has gone 0-2 with a 5.23 ERA in four career starts versus Boston, though he gave up one earned run over 6 2-3 innings in a 2-1 road loss July 19, 2014. Ortiz has three doubles in eight at-bats off him.


Boston's Wade Miley has similarly fluctuated over his last five starts. He looked comfortable with a big lead Saturday, giving up two runs and four hits while striking out eight in a 22-10 win.


In his only meeting since joining Boston, Miley (9-9, 4.58) yielded five hits over six scoreless innings in a 13-2 win at Kauffman Stadium on June 21. Salvador Perez is 3 for 3 with a home run off him.


The Royals have built a 14 1/2-game lead in the AL Central during this 10-2 stretch. Ben Zobrist had four hits in Wednesday's 4-3 win at Cincinnati, leaving him 13 for 23 in his last six.


'He kept the line moving all night long,' manager Ned Yost said. 'He set up run-scoring opportunities.'


Eric Hosmer had an RBI single in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Royals at Red Sox
Thu, Aug 20 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 2
Royals at Red Sox
Fri, Aug 21 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Royals at Red Sox
Sat, Aug 22 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Royals at Red Sox
Sun, Aug 23 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Phillies (47-73) at Marlins (49-71)
Game: 1
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: August 20, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies have relied on youth for some time now, so the trade of another veteran only supports that eye toward the future.


With Chase Utley now gone, the visiting Phillies move on by trying for a fifth consecutive victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.


Hours after news broke that the six-time All-Star second baseman was in the process of being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a pair of prospects, Philadelphia (47-73) snapped a four-game skid with Wednesday's 7-4 victory over Toronto. Since breaking into the majors in 2003, Utley had played his entire career with the Phillies.


He joins starter Cole Hamels and closer Jonathan Papelbon as the big names Philadelphia has traded during a third straight disappointing season. Only Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz remain from the Phillies team that won the 2008 World Series.


'The hardest part is leaving the city of Philadelphia,' Utley said. 'They've been so supportive of me for so long and I can't thank them enough.'


In his first full season, Cesar Hernandez should see most of the time at second the rest of the year but is 3 for 21 in the last five games. Rookie center fielder Odubel Herrera, however, is batting .349 while hitting safely in 19 of his last 20 contests.


Also a potential part of the Phillies' future, outfielder Aaron Altherr had three RBIs and clubbed a two-run homer for one of the two hits in his second career game Wednesday.


'It was good to be out there and get that first hit out of the way," he said. "I hope I can just keep producing up here and helping the team win.'


After struggling for most of the season, 33-year-old Jerome Williams (4-8, 5.47 ERA) is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in three starts this month. He also hasn't issued a walk through 13 innings of the last two.


The right-hander is 1-0 with a 4.09 ERA in two starts this season against the Marlins (49-71), who were swept in a three-game set at Philadelphia in the teams' most recent meeting July 17-19.


Miami appeared in good position to complete a series sweep of Milwaukee on Wednesday, but blew an early 4-0 lead en route to an 8-7 defeat. Justin Bour hit a two-run homer and Derek Dietrich had three hits as the Marlins lost for the third time in the last nine games.


'Very pleased with the offense,' said manager Dan Jennings, whose team has totaled 28 runs and 46 hits in the last four contests. 'The quality of the at-bats speak for themselves. Usually you score seven runs, you feel pretty good about coming out on top."


Dietrich is 8 for 16 in those four games.


Cole Gillespie had two hits for a second straight day and is batting .472 with six RBIs in his last 10 contests.


Dee Gordon has batted .373 in the last 13 games, .409 in five against Philadelphia this season and is 4 for 9 when opposing Williams.


Miami's Brad Hand (2-3, 4.74) is 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five starts against the Phillies but last faced them in that capacity in 2014. The left-hander makes a fourth straight start trying to rebound from yielding six runs and 11 hits in six innings of a 6-2 loss at St. Louis on Saturday.



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Phillies at Marlins
Thu, Aug 20 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 2
Phillies at Marlins
Fri, Aug 21 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Phillies at Marlins
Sat, Aug 22 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 4
Phillies at Marlins
Sun, Aug 23 - 1:10PM EDT

Preview: Braves (53-67) at Cubs (67-51)
Game: 1
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: August 20, 2015 8:05 PM EDT

Following a stellar 16-game stretch, the Chicago Cubs find themselves in a bit of a slide.


With Jake Arrieta looking to continue his two-month run of success, the Cubs try to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat and add to the Atlanta Braves' misery on the road Thursday night.


Chicago (67-51) won 15 of 16 before it was cooled off with three consecutive losses. Cubs starters posted a 2.82 ERA and allowed nine home runs during that winning stretch but have a 13.06 ERA while matching that same homer total in the last three.


"Those things happen," manager Joe Maddon said.


Jon Lester gave up seven runs on three homers in 2 2-3 innings of Wednesday's 15-8 loss to Detroit.


Three games ahead of San Francisco for the second wild-card spot in the NL, the Cubs publicly don't claim to be scoreboard watching.


"All we really care about is what we're doing," said rookie Kris Bryant, who went 4 for 4 Wednesday and is batting .355 with three homers and seven RBIs in nine games at Wrigley Field this month.


The Cubs should feel confident behind Arrieta (14-6, 2.39 ERA), who has allowed one home run while going 8-1 with a 1.35 ERA and held opponents to a .166 batting average over his last 11 starts. He won his third straight start Saturday, giving up three runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 6-3 victory over the White Sox.


"I could have been more efficient," said Arrieta, who could become the majors' first 15-game winner.


The right-hander had little trouble July 19, when he allowed three hits and struck out 10 over seven scoreless innings of a 4-1 victory at Atlanta.


The Braves (53-67) have averaged 2.4 runs and hit 13 homers during a 2-18 stretch on the road. They managed five runs while being swept in a three-game set at San Diego this week.


"It can't keep going like this forever," first baseman Freddie Freeman told MLB's official website after Atlanta dropped its fifth straight road contest, 3-2 on Wednesday.


Despite the Braves' road struggles, Nick Markakis had three hits with two RBIs on Wednesday and ranks among the major league leaders with a .324 batting average away from home. However, he's 1 for 24 with seven strikeouts in his last six games against Chicago overall.


Teammate A.J. Pierzynski is 7 for 11 with two homers against Arrieta.


Rookie Mike Foltynewicz (4-4, 5.61), who attended high school an hour southwest of Wrigley in Minooka, Ill., makes his first appearance against the Cubs looking to rebound after he allowed six runs and nine hits in 4 2-3 innings of an 8-4 defeat to Arizona on Saturday.


Though inconsistency has plagued the right-hander in 13 starts this season, manager Fredi Gonzalez sees promise.


"You see some good glimpses coming out of (Foltynewicz's arm)," Gonzalez said. "Now we've got to get the whole thing together - the pitches, the location, his pitchability and getting through innings."


He'll try to contain Kyle Schwarber, who can become the first Cubs rookie since 1914 to homer in four straight home games. Four of Schwarber's five hits in 11 at-bats in the last three home contests have left the park.



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Braves at Cubs
Thu, Aug 20 - 8:05PM EDT


GAME 2
Braves at Cubs
Fri, Aug 21 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Braves at Cubs
Sat, Aug 22 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 4
Braves at Cubs
Sun, Aug 23 - 2:20PM EDT

Preview: Rays (59-61) at Astros (66-55)
Game: 4
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: August 20, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

Although he hasn't been off his game very often for the Tampa Bay Rays, Chris Archer has wasted little time getting back on track following those rare occasions.


He'll likely need to be at his best while opposing the MLB's co-leader in home wins since last August.


The Rays will try to avoid their sixth loss in seven games Thursday night when Collin McHugh looks to lead the AL West-leading Houston Astros to their 19th win in 23 games at Minute Maid Park.


After posting a 2.18 ERA with 43 strikeouts over his previous five starts, Archer allowed eight runs and 11 hits while fanning only four over 5 1-3 innings in Saturday's 12-4 loss at Texas.


'I know the guys rely on me to give a better performance,' he said. 'To boil it down to one thing: pitch execution with two strikes. ... I wasn't able to put guys away like I normally can.'


The 26-year-old finished with his fewest strikeouts in nine starts and failed in his second attempt to reach a career-high 11th victory. However, he's allowed two runs or fewer while working into the seventh inning in three starts that followed outings in which he gave up five or more.


'It's motivating because there's always room for improvement,' the first-time All-Star said.


Archer (10-9, 2.53 ERA) is 2-1 with a 1.09 ERA in four starts against the Astros. But he yielded six runs - one earned - over three innings in a 7-3 loss in his last outing at Houston on June 14, 2014.


The Astros have batted .215 while averaging 2.7 runs over their last 11 games. Carlos Correa shined Wednesday, hitting his 15th home run and delivering a walkoff single in the 13th inning of a 3-2 win.


Houston (66-55), which has won five of seven overall, would seem to have the right man on the mound as it tries to win its seventh consecutive home series to wrap up this four-game set.


McHugh (13-6, 4.09) looks to match ace Dallas Keuchel for the team lead in wins after posting a 1.80 ERA through his first three August outings. He allowed one run and four hits over seven innings Saturday but got no run support in a 4-2, 11-inning home loss to Detroit.


The right-hander has been at his best at Minute Maid Park, going 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA in his last six starts. He's tied for the MLB lead in home victories since Aug. 1, 2014, at 14-2 over his past 17 outings.


McHugh has a 3.00 ERA in three career starts against the Rays (59-61), though he's received just two total runs of support while taking the loss in all three. He surrendered three runs and four hits over seven innings in a 3-1 loss at Tropicana Field on July 10.


Brandon Guyer took him deep in that contest, but Kevin Kiermaier is 1 for 9 with four strikeouts lifetime in the matchup and Evan Longoria is 0 for 8 with four strikeouts. Guyer is 8 for 16 over a six-game hitting streak after finishing with three hits Wednesday.


Tampa Bay's bid for an AL wild-card spot has taken a hit with back-to-back walkoff defeats.


'(Losses) all count the same," manager Kevin Cash said after the team fell to 1-5 on this 10-game trip. "I don't think there's any sense of desperation at all.'



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rays at Astros
Mon, Aug 17 Final 9 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rays at Astros
Tue, Aug 18 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
Rays at Astros
Wed, Aug 19 Final 2 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
Rays at Astros
Thu, Aug 20 - 8:10PM EDT

Preview: Nationals (60-59) at Rockies (48-70)
Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: August 20, 2015 8:40 PM EDT

The last time Max Scherzer pitched at Coors Field, he was experiencing one of a number of inconsistent stretches that defined his one full season with Arizona.


The Cy Young Award winner has evolved out of a great deal of that, but he'll take the mound in Colorado on Thursday night in a similar kind of rut for the Washington Nationals as they try for a three-game sweep of the Rockies.


Scherzer (11-9, 2.73 ERA) gave up six earned runs for the first time in his last 42 starts in Friday's 8-5 loss in San Francisco. The right-hander allowed seven hits in three innings with two leaving the yard, and he's given up five homers in his last two starts. Over three August outings, he's 0-1 with a 7.80 ERA and .306 opponent batting average.


"I get it. I stunk. There is no getting around that," Scherzer told MLB's official website. "... My arm slot is a little low right now. It causes my fastball to flatten out. When you think about the results tonight, a lot of damage was done against the fastball."


The previous start came against the Rockies (48-70) on Aug. 9 as Scherzer avoided the decision after giving up four runs and eight hits with 10 strikeouts in six innings of a 6-4 loss. Scherzer last pitched in Colorado in 2009 and is 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in three career starts there. Carlos Gonzalez is 3 for 9 with three home runs in their matchups.


Scherzer is again facing Yohan Flande (2-1, 4.19), who has yet to lose in four starts this season. He's been fortunate to avoid that fate in his last two. The left-hander has a 5.91 ERA with five home runs allowed in 10 2-3 innings, and the first was against the Nationals (60-59) as Flande allowed a pair of solo homers to Ryan Zimmerman and one to Jayson Werth.


Flande is 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA in three starts against Washington with Zimmerman (4 for 6) and Ian Desmond (3 for 6) hitting him well.


With Wednesday's 4-1 win, the Nationals are 10-6 at Coors since last losing a series there in 2010. They have a .312 average in that time with Desmond batting .538 on a 12-game hitting streak in Denver.


They could also finally be getting some top-of-the-order help from Werth, who's strung together multihit games for just the second time this season after a 1-for-16 slump.


"It felt like something clicked," said Werth, who helped the team get within 3 1/2 games of the New York Mets in the NL East. "Hopefully I hold onto that going forward."


But what might have been most encouraging about the win was it was easily their best pitching performance in 10 games and one of their best of the season after limiting the Rockies to two hits. The staff had a 5.52 ERA over the preceding 2-7 span.


Colorado has lost eight of nine, and its terrible home pitching has reached new lows. Since the All-Star break, the Rockies have a 6.54 ERA and .311 opponent batting average in a 5-9 home span while limiting opponents to fewer than five runs twice. The staff's 5.55 season ERA at Coors is on pace to be the worst in baseball since the 2012 Rockies turned in a 5.97 mark.


The bullpen gave up all four runs Wednesday and has an 11.16 ERA with a 1.013 opponent OPS in the last six games.


"These things can be contagious, good and bad," manager Walt Weiss said. "It's on the bad side right now, running through the bullpen."



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Nationals at Rockies
Tue, Aug 18 Final 15 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Nationals at Rockies
Wed, Aug 19 Final 4 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Nationals at Rockies
Thu, Aug 20 - 8:40PM EDT

Preview: White Sox (55-63) at Angels (63-57)
Game: 4
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: August 20, 2015 10:05 PM EDT

Much like last week's road series against the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels have struggled to produce with runners in scoring position in their rematch at home.


Unlike that first series, the Angels are in position to sweep this four-game set thanks to their opponent's own offensive struggles.


The Angels can do so by handing the White Sox a ninth consecutive loss at Anaheim on Thursday night.


Los Angeles (63-57) was outscored 14-4 and went 1 for 32 with runners in scoring position while being swept on Chicago's South Side from Aug. 10-12. The Angels have managed eight runs and are 1 for 16 in those situations through the first three of this series. However, they've held the White Sox (55-63) to four runs and a 1-for-19 effort with runners in scoring position.


Carlos Perez's sixth-inning homer was the difference in Wednesday's 1-0 victory for Los Angeles, which has recorded six of its runs on five homers in the series. The Angels held on thanks to a game-ending double play that needed replay to overturn a safe call at first.


"It's one of those things where one error can hurt you, one bad pitch can hurt you," winning pitcher Jered Weaver said. "It's exciting.'


Mired in its third seven-game road losing streak of the season, Chicago has dropped 14 of 17 at Anaheim.


Losers of 13 of 19 overall, the White Sox turn to Jose Quintana (6-10, 3.62 ERA), who is 0-2 with a 5.06 ERA in three road starts against the Angels. He's 0-1 with a 4.34 ERA and has received seven runs of support in three starts this month.


"I love the kid," manager Robin Ventura told MLB's official website after the left-hander allowed three runs in six innings of Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Cubs.


"He's a competitor. When he goes (to the mound), the other teams know they're in for a fight. He's grinding the whole time. His record is one thing, but we know what he is. ... That record, you can throw it out the window."


Mike Trout and Albert Pujols are each batting .333 with a home run against Quintana. Trout, however, is 1 for 15 in the last five games.


Pujols, who's homered in each of the first two games of this series and three of four overall, is expected to be in the lineup after being rested Wednesday.


"I don't think it's ever easy for Albert to have a day off," manager Mike Scioscia said. "With Albert, I think there's a definite parallel between the strength in his legs and his foundation and his production, and you want to make sure that stays there."


Los Angeles has recalled Nick Tropeano (1-1, 3.00) from Triple-A Salt Lake to make this start in place of Matt Shoemaker, who was sent down Sunday. The right-hander has started twice this season, most recently July 24 when he gave up four runs in six-plus innings of a 4-2 loss to Texas.


Tropeano will try to cool off Chicago second baseman Carlos Sanchez, who is batting .417 with nine doubles in his last 18 road contests.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
White Sox at Angels
Mon, Aug 17 Final 1 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
White Sox at Angels
Tue, Aug 18 Final 3 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 3
White Sox at Angels
Wed, Aug 19 Final 0 to 1
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 4
White Sox at Angels
Thu, Aug 20 - 10:05PM EDT

MLB


Thursday, August 20




Pitcher change - Jake Arrieta, Chi. Cubs


Chi. Cubs vs. Atlanta on August 20 at 8:05 PM. Previous Starter: Kyle Hendricks.




Williams doing little to help Phillies on the road


Jerome Williams has started on the road 11 times this season, with the Philadelphia Phillies going 2-9 in those occasions. Williams is 1-6 with a 6.47 ERA away from Citizen Bank Park this season.


The Phillies are 19-43 on the road this season, which has them firmly entrenched as the worst in the MLB.


The Phils will visit the Miami Marlins Thursday.




Phillies deal franchise icon Utley to Dodgers


Thirteen years of excellence, a tenure that included six All-Star appearances, can't be summed up easily.


Is there a way to encapsulate one of a franchise's all-time greats?


Chase Utley is now the Philadelphia Phillies' former second baseman.


Utley was traded Wednesday night to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a pair of a minor league prospects, right-hander John Richy and outfielder Darnell Sweeney. The Phillies sent the Dodgers $2 million toward the $6 million Utley will make in the remainder of this season. Los Angeles will be responsible for a $2 million buyout of Utley's 2016 option.


The 36-year-old veteran leaves behind a glittering legacy, one that can be measured by sheer numbers but is better reflected in his tireless work ethic and ability to withstand baseball's endless grind.

MLB


Thursday, August 20




Another hot day for home teams


Home teams have another hot night on the diamond, going 12-3 straight up Wednesday night.


That is a success rate of 80 percent and brings home teams to 60-34 in the last seven days, which is good for a 63.83 success rate.


The Kansas City Royals, the Detroit Tigers and the Washington Nationals were the lone road teams to secure a win last night.

Thursday's Preseason Tips


August 19, 2015


Week 2 of the preseason gives us an opportunity to digest all the happenings from the opening week which saw plenty of stars play for a limited time. In Week 1, home teams posted an impressive 11-5 straight-up and against the spread mark, as the Packers, Panthers, and Broncos were the only three underdogs to cash (and win outright). The ‘over’ went 8-7-1 last week, while eight teams scored 11 points or fewer.


Lions at Redskins (-2 ½, 40) – 7:30 PM EST


Detroit
Head Coach: Jim Caldwell (6-11 SU, 8-9 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Matthew Stafford, Dan Orlovsky, Kellen Moore, Garrett Gilbert


The Lions dominated the woeful Jets in their preseason opener, 23-3 as four-point home favorites. Detroit racked up over 400 yards of offense, including 193 yards on the ground, highlighted by Nebraska rookie Ameer Abdullah’s 67 yards. Detroit accumulated 26 first downs, compared to six from New York, as the Lions improved to 4-1 in their last five preseason openers.


Since 2011, the Lions have turned into one of the best underdogs in preseason action, covering six of the last seven when receiving points in the exhibition season, including a 3-0 ATS mark in 2014. In five preseason games since Caldwell took over, Detroit has cashed the ‘under’ four times.


Washington
Head Coach: Jay Gruden (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Robert Griffin III, Colt McCoy, Kirk Cousins


The Redskins rallied from a 14-3 deficit to beat the Browns, 20-17 last Thursday in a pick-em spot. In spite of the close score, Washington outgained Cleveland by 198 yards, as the Redskins turned the ball over twice in the win. Kirk Cousins put together a solid outing for the ‘Skins by completing 12 of 14 passes for 154 yards, while leading Washington to the go-ahead score in the third quarter.


Washington may not have performed well in the 2014 regular season by going 4-12, but the Redskins won three of four preseason games last August. The ‘under’ improved to 4-1 in Gruden’s preseason tenure, while the Redskins enter Thursday’s action riding an eight-game home exhibition winning streak since 2011.


Bills at Browns (-3, 40) – 8:00 PM EST


Buffalo
Head Coach: Rex Ryan (11-14 SU, 11-14 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Tyrod Taylor, Matt Cassel, E.J. Manuel, Matt Simms


The Bills are definitely not sold on a quarterback as they creep closer to their regular season opener against the Colts. Buffalo dropped its preseason opener to Carolina, 25-24 as three-point favorites, in spite of racking 368 yards of offense. The Bills held the ball for over 37 minutes, as E.J. Manuel tossed a 51-yard touchdown pass in third quarter. However, Manuel isn’t the front-runner for Buffalo’s starting quarterback.


Former Raven Tyrod Taylor gets the start at Cleveland, coming off a 5 for 8 effort against Carolina for 49 yards. Taylor will give way to Matt Cassel, who threw just one incompletion in eight attempts last week, then Manuel will likely see time in the second half after all the starters are out. LeSean McCoy is sidelined this week after suffering a hamstring injury, but another ex-Eagle stepped up against the Panthers as Bryce Brown rushed for 52 yards and one touchdown on six carries.


The Bills have dropped three of their past four preseason games away from Orchard Park, while Buffalo is 1-7 ATS in its last eight preseason contests overall.


Cleveland
Head Coach: Mike Pettine (1-4, SU, 2-3 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback Rotation: Josh McCown, Johnny Manziel, Thaddeus Lewis


The Browns didn’t accomplish much offensively in their 20-17 setback to the Redskins last Thursday, accumulating 170 yards. The lone highlight came from Johnny Manziel, who scampered for a 12-yard touchdown run several plays following a Washington fumble on a punt return. Manziel didn’t put up bad numbers, completing 7 of 11 passes for 42 yards, but the Heisman Trophy winner will once again play second-fiddle to Josh McCown, who makes his second straight start.


Cleveland hasn’t performed well in the preseason under Pettine, losing four of five games. Three of the four defeats have come by three points or less, while owning a 1-3 ATS record as a favorite. Can the Browns bust out of the gate against the Bills like they did against the Redskins? Cleveland scored 14 points in the first half last Thursday, a stark contrast from last preseason when the Browns failed to put up more than seven points in the opening half in three of four exhibition games.

Preseason Week 2 Essentials


August 17, 2015




Week 1 of the preseason went in the books with a Tim Tebow touchdown run as the final score. That’s fitting since the exhibition season often feels like Fantasyland. There’s always something teasing the imagination that can lead you to some wild proclamations.


For instance, the Vikings are 2-0 and clearly a lock for the Super Bowl since Adrian Peterson sat both games out and star safety Harrison Smith barely played. Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel is about to set the league on fire.


A lot of people out there got more ammo for their argument, disproven to this point, that Kirk Cousins would be a better quarterback for Washington than Robert Griffin III. The Patriots are going to be 0-1 with Jimmy Garoppolo if Tom Brady fails to pull off a full pardon on his suspension via appeal.


It’s a Small World here. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride over there.


The latter could definitely be utilized as an accurate description of Jameis Winston’s and Marcus Mariota’s debuts, or my fun run going 17-2-1 against the spread.


The preseason isn’t necessarily as random as the natural inclination to disparage it as meaningless forces you to believe. In some ways, it’s more easily predictable than the regular season despite far more participants and varying degrees of skill. Minnesota still has a ways to go before making reservations for Santa Clara and RG III still gives Washington its best chance to win, but not all we saw was a mirage.


Kansas City’s Daniel, if nothing else, has likely lit a fire under Alex Smith. Andy Reid isn’t going to ride out a lengthy slump. What we saw out of Winston and Mariota was likely a microcosm of what we should expect. There was some brilliance surrounded by plenty of miscues. Jimmy G. didn’t look so hot. Tebow is fourth on the Eagles pecking order of quarterbacks and showed why in between an impressive opening drive and his final glorious plunge into the end zone, struggling with reads and pressure.


There’s going to be considerably more material to scrutinize in Week 2, especially with more talent taking the field for longer periods. Here’s how the schedule unfolds:


Thursday, Aug. 20


Detroit at Washington: The Griffin-Cousins debate surges on in D.C. Since the next home game will be in the final week of the preseason, this will be the lone opportunity for the fans at FedEx Field to put in their two cents and have it register. RG III was 4-of-8 in the opener and needs to play well against a Lions team that should again compete for a playoff spot if healthy.


Buffalo at Cleveland: This nationally televised showcase pits Rex Ryan against his former defensive coordinator and confidant Mike Pettine for the first time as head coaches. With QB competitions going on in both cities, it will be interesting to see who stands out. Tyrod Taylor and Johnny Manziel are running second, but hoping to stand out by making plays with their legs that projected starters Matt Cassel and Josh McCown can’t.


Friday, Aug. 21


Atlanta at N.Y. Jets: The NYJ QB gig is Ryan Fitzpatrick’s now, so don’t expect them to risk losing him given the lack of experience behind him. You may ultimately see him draped in heavy duty plastic couch covers before the preseason is through. Rookie Bryce Petty threw for just 50 yards on 18 pass attempts against Detroit and will take the bulk of the snaps here too. The early battles between Falcons receivers and Jets corners might be the only reason to watch.


Seattle at Kansas City: There are a ton of intriguing story lines in this one, but none better than former K-State star Tyler Lockett taking his show to Arrowhead after an electric home debut where he racked up over 200 yards in returns. We’ll also see if Daniel can exploit a depleted Seahawks secondary after going 17-for-21 with three touchdown passes at Arizona.


Saturday, Aug. 22


Miami at Carolina: The Panthers are looking for their offensive line to gel throughout this month, so getting subjected to Ndamakong Suh this early is likely a blessing. Cam Newton led a scoring drive but struggled with his accuracy, while Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill was clutch in leading a scoring drive in his lone series against Chicago. Both will get more work here.


Baltimore at Philadelphia: Two of the three teams to score 30 or more in their preseason opener square off here. All eyes will be on Sam Bradford, expected to make his debut after missing all of last season after re-tearing his ACL last August. Considering how shaky Mark Sanchez looked, the Eagle faithful on hand will be crossing their fingers that he’ll look healthy and ease their concerns.


Chicago at Indianapolis: The Bears won their preseason opener 27-10 on the strength of their backups and third-stringers because the Jay Cutler-led offense and rebuilt defense were actually disappointing. Their first units will see more action against the Colts, who are likely to dust off Andrew Luck for more than the few snaps he took on Sunday.


New England at New Orleans: Since Tom Brady unexpectedly played last week, you know he’ll be a part of the equation here. Still, getting Garropolo more comfortable should be the main concern in this second preseason test. Drew Brees makes his debut as he moves on from departed favorite target Jimmy Graham.


Jacksonville at N.Y. Giants: The Eli Manning-led first unit managed one first down and 38 yards in four series against the Bengals, so boos may be heard insanely early if the listless play continues against the Jaguars. TE Julius Thomas broke his right hand on Friday, so Jacksonville’s newest weapon will miss the rest of the preseason.


Denver at Houston: Veteran Peyton Manning will need to avoid a meeting with J.J. Watt for a drive or two, debuting after sitting out last week’s win in Seattle. The Texans will have Ryan Mallett and Brian Hoyer continue their QB battle after both had solid showings against the 49ers on Saturday night.


Oakland at Minnesota: No, Peterson won’t play, but a defense that continues to look terrific can take another step forward as head coach Mike Zimmer looks to improve his preseason record to 7-0. The Raiders gave up three points themselves in stifling St. Louis 18-3 last Friday, so facing a quality opponent on the road could be a real confidence builder for an improving young team.


San Diego at Arizona: The Cardinals welcomed back Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton, showed them love and made sure they stayed upright in brief cameos. Expect more of the same against the Chargers, who didn’t even crack 75 passing yards against Dallas last week.


Sunday, Aug. 23


Green Bay at Pittsburgh: How much of two of the NFL’s most prolific offenses will we get to see here? If this were a regular-season affair, the total would be set over 50. Rodgers actually threw the ball 19 times against New England, so we might get a fun opening half if both coaches are feeling frisky and willing to trust their offensive lines to keep their franchise quarterbacks upright.


Dallas at San Francisco: Cowboys running back Gus Johnson separated his shoulder to bow out in the race to replace DeMarco Murray, but banged-up top candidates Joseph Randle, Darren McFadden and Lance Dunbar may all suit up and get some action at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers got 120 total yards out of Aussie rugby player Jarryd Hayne in the preseason opener, so he won’t be sneaking up on the Cowboys.


St. Louis at Tennessee: The Rams got nothing going with their backups in Oakland, failing to score after starter Nick Foles left the game. Foles should get a longer look here, as will Mariota, who threw his first interception in his opening quarter against live action after going through camp unblemished.


Monday, Aug. 24


Cincinnati at Tampa Bay: The season’s unoffical first Monday night game has some appeal. Winston attempts to bounces back from a rocky debut to the Andy Dalton-led offense looking to go 2-for-2 on dominating opening drives. A.J. Green caught a pass, Jeremy Hill broke off a few strong runs and an offense that has the personnel to be imposing looked mighty impressive against the Giants.

Coaching Props - 1st Fired


August 19, 2015


The NFL regular season begins on Thursday Sept. 10 and some pundits believe there are already a handful of coaches on the proverbial hot seat for the 2015 campaign.


Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.ag are once again offering up a popular NFL prop for the upcoming season:


First NFL Head Coach to be Fired


The major offshore outfit opened Jay Gruden , head coach of the Washington Redskins, as the top betting choice with 5/2 odds (Bet $100 to win $250).


Listed shortly behind Gruden is Cleveland's Mike Pettine at 5/1 odds.


Other notable names with short odds include the Saints' Sean Payton (10/1) and Dolphins' Joe Philbin (12/1).


New Orleans won the Super Bowl in 2009 with Payton as coach but haven't advanced the Divisional Playoff round and are coming off a 7-9 season.


Many Miami fans have been calling for Philbin's termination since he arrived in 2012 and he's produced a 23-25 record in his first three years with no playoff berths. With expectations high in 2015 and an easy early schedule on tap, a losing record out of the chute could seal his fate by November.


Longshots at 500/1 odds include last year's Super Bowl coaches Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll.


Listed below are all the odds.


First NFL Head Coach to be Fired - per Sportsbook.ag


Jay Gruden (Washington) 5/2
Mike Pettine (Cleveland) 5/1
Ken Whisenhunt (Tennessee) 8/1
Sean Payton (New Orleans) 10/1
Joe Philbin (Miami) 12/1
Gus Bradley (Jacksonville) 15/1
Jim Tomsula (San Francisco) 15/1
Bill O Brien (Houston) 20/1
Ron Rivera (Carolina) 20/1
Todd Bowles (New York Jets) 20/1
Chip Kelly (Philadelphia) 25/1
Jeff Fisher (St. Louis) 25/1
Tom Coughlin (New York Giants) 25/1
Jack Del Rio (Oakland) 30/1
Jim Caldwell (Detroit) 30/1
Lovie Smith (Tampa Bay) 30/1
Rex Ryan (Buffalo) 30/1
Andy Reid (Kansas City) 40/1
Mike McCoy (San Diego) 40/1
Dan Quinn (Atlanta) 50/1
John Fox (Chicago) 50/1
Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati) 50/1
Mike Zimmer (Minnesota) 50/1
Jason Garrett (Dallas) 70/1
Bruce Arians (Arizona) 100/1
Gary Kubiak (Denver) 100/1
John Harbaugh (Baltimore) 100/1
Mike McCarthy (Green Bay) 100/1
Chuck Pagano (Indianapolis) 150/1
Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh) 250/1
Bill Belichick (New England) 500/1
Pete Carroll (Seattle) 500/1

Wednesday's Sports In Brief


August 20, 2015


NFL


NEW YORK (AP) A federal judge made clear the NFL's four game suspension of Tom Brady over ''Deflategate'' is in jeopardy as the star New England quarterback returned to practice.


U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman, who's been asked by the NFL Players Association to void the suspension, warned a league lawyer during oral arguments in the scandal over underinflated footballs that there was precedent for judges to toss out penalties issued by arbitrators.


Berman continued to push for a settlement in the dispute - a potential result he called ''rational and logical.'' But throughout the hearing, he also cited several weaknesses in the way the NFL handled the controversy that could become the basis for handing a victory to Brady and his union.


If there is no deal, the Manhattan judge has said he hopes to rule by Sept. 4, six days before the Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL's season-opening game.


EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - Eli Manning didn't ask the New York Giants to make him the NFL's highest-paid quarterback.


A perplexed and slightly miffed Manning shot down a report that he wants to be the league's top-paid quarterback, insisting that was not the goal in contract talks.


The two-time Super Bowl MVP is in the final year of a contract that will pay him a $17 million base salary. His agent, Tom Condon, has been negotiating a new deal, but the two sides are not close to an agreement, Giants co-owner John Mara said Monday.


Manning insisted neither he nor Condon told the Giants to make him the highest-paid quarterback. He said he speaks with Condon occasionally, but he isn't looking for constant updates on the talks.


FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - The New York Jets have signed veteran quarterback Matt Flynn, adding depth to the position with Geno Smith sidelined six to 10 weeks with a broken jaw.


Flynn took a physical with the Jets last Friday, but didn't work out for the team. The 30-year-old Flynn, who was dealing with a hamstring issue, was released by New England last week.


The Jets announced the signing a day after general manager Mike Maccagnan said the team would look into acquiring a veteran to back up starter Ryan Fitzpatrick. Smith was injured last week when then-teammate Ikemefuna Enemkpali punched him in the locker room.


BASEBALL


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Chase Utley is reuniting with Jimmy Rollins in Hollywood.


The Philadelphia Phillies traded the six-time All-Star second baseman to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Triple-A outfielder Darnell Sweeney and Single-A right-hander John Richy.


Utley didn't play in the Phillies' 7-4 win over Toronto, but got a standing ovation afterward and he tipped his cap to the crowd.


Utley had to waive his no-trade rights to go to his hometown Dodgers and he already cleared waivers. He joins Rollins, the franchise's all-time hits leader and his double-play partner for 12 seasons. The NL West-leading Dodgers lost second baseman Howie Kendrick to a hamstring injury earlier this month.


AUTO RACING


BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) - Ryan Blaney took the lead from Matt Crafton off a restart in a green-white-checkered finish and held off Kyle Busch to win the NASCAR Camping World Truck race at Bristol Motor Speedway.


Blaney rebounded after losing a lap early on the 0.533-mile oval when he was given a pass-through penalty for jumping a restart while leading. Blaney raced to his first victory of the year and fourth overall. Starting on the inside line on the final restart, he made the winning pass after beating Crafton to the first turn.


John Hunter Nemechek was third, followed by Daniel Hemric, Brandon Jones and Erik Jones.


OLYMPICS


RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - South Korean wind surfer Wonwoo Cho got his first ride in an ambulance the other day, taken to a Rio de Janeiro hospital with dehydration, vomiting, a headache and dizziness.


Cho is one of four athletes to have ''officially'' fallen ill so far at the week's Olympic sailing test event in Rio de Janeiro's polluted Guanabara Bay. Officials acknowledge the reporting is incomplete with many teams and some of the 300 athletes skittish about disclosing illnesses.


The 20-year-old Cho was back to ''50-60 percent'' strength Wednesday and out training, 24 hours after his hospital stay. He said he doesn't know ''the exact reason why I got so sick.''


His coach has fewer doubts.


''Probably it's from the water,'' Danny Ok, Cho's coach and an exercise physiologist, told The Associated Press.


NBA


SAN ANTONIO (AP) - San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan has been named the Twyman-Stokes Award winner given annually to the NBA's teammate of the year.


A panel of NBA stars from the past nominated a panel of six candidates. Then nearly 300 active players voted for the winner.


Duncan received 72 first-place votes. Vince Carter of the Memphis Grizzlies finished second and Atlanta's Elton Brand finished third.


PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Joel Embiid will have to wait at least one more season to start his NBA career.


Embiid, the injury-riddled Philadelphia 76ers center, is expected to miss the season following a second surgery on his right foot. His recovery should take five to eight months, the same timeframe the center was given following the first surgery last year. The Sixers were cautious with their prized prospect and held him out for the entire season. Team president Sam Hinkie said Wednesday the organization would follow a similar path again.


Embiid had a bone graft Tuesday, with two existing screws replaced and a graft using bone from his hip.


Hinkie said the foot did not break again, there was simply less healing than expected.


TENNIS


MASON, Ohio (AP) - Serena Williams pumped her fist after each important point and screamed as she smacked another emphatic shot. The defending Cincinnati champion wasn't going to ease into the tournament.


Williams put a lot of emotion into her opening match at the Western & Southern Open, a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Tsvetana Pironkova that made her the first of the top seeds to advance.


Novak Djokovic won his rain-delayed opening match, beating Benoit Paire 7-5, 6-2. Third-seeded Andy Murray and eight-seeded Rafael Nadal also advanced in rain-delayed matches that ended after midnight.

CFL Betting Recap - Week 8


August 16, 2015


League Betting Notes


-- Favorites went 3-1 SU in Week 8
-- Favorites went 3-1 ATS in Week 8
-- Home/road teams posted a 2-2 SU record in Week 8
-- Home/road teams posted a 2-2 ATS record in Week 8
-- The 'Over/under' went 2-2 in Week 8




Team Betting Notes


-- Calgary (5-2) came off of their bye week and looked rejuvenated as they smashed Ottawa (4-3) by a 48-3 count. The Stampeders entered the game 0-6 ATS, but covered by a mile. They actually took care of the 'over' on their own, just their second over in seven tries this season.


-- The RedBlacks will be on the road again in Toronto (5-2), and they're not nearly as effective on the road as they are at home. Ottawa is 1-2 SU/ATS as the away team, and 3-1 SU/ATS at home. One thing that has been consistent for the RedBlacks has been the 'over', cashing for the fourth time in five games.


-- Winnipeg (3-5) was dropped at home by a 27-20 count against Toronto. The Blue Bombers have had the 'under' hit in six straight games, mostly due to their ineptitude on offense. They have average just 13.5 points per game over their past four outings.


-- Montreal (2-5) lost for the third straight games, and they failed to cover for the second consecutive outing. After starting out 3-1-1 ATS, the Alouettes have failed to cover in each of the past two. The 'under' is the play when involving Montreal, as the 'under is 6-1 overall.


-- Hamilton (5-2) slaughtered the BC Lions (3-4), winning their fourth straight game. Even more impressive, they have covered four in a row, and six of their seven games overall. The offensive outburst stopped a four-game 'under' streak, too.


-- Edmonton (5-2) will host Hamilton Friday in an early-season clash of titans. The Eskimos have covered five of the past six games, and the 'under' has also hit in five of the past six.


-- Saskatchewan (0-7) returns Saturday to host Calgary. They have dropped all seven of their games, but five of their losses have been by a combined 16 points.