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Baseball Capsules


September 26, 2015


CHICAGO (AP) Gerrit Cole outpitched Jon Lester as the Pittsburgh Pirates hung on for their seventh straight win, beating Chicago 3-2 to delay the Cubs' playoff celebration until later Friday.


Pittsburgh increased its lead for the NL's top wild card to 4 1/2 games over the Cubs, who would have secured their first postseason appearance since 2008 with a victory. Chicago clinched later Friday when San Francisco lost to Oakland.


Cole (18-8) and Lester (10-12) each lasted seven innings, and Mark Melancon held off a rally attempt in the ninth for his major league-leading 51st save in 53 chances.


RANGERS 6, ASTROS 2


HOUSTON (AP) - Shin-Soo Choo homered and drove in three runs as Texas beat Houston for the eighth straight time, extending its AL West lead over the Astros to 4 1/2 games.


Houston star second baseman Jose Altuve exited early after being hurt in a collision with shortstop Carlos Correa while chasing a popup. Manager A.J. Hinch said Altuve didn't have a concussion and hoped to play on Saturday.


The Rangers improved to 16-7 this month while Houston lost its third in a row and fell to 7-15 in September. The Astros' lead for the second AL wild-card spot was whittled to a half-game over the Los Angeles Angels, who played later.


Ross Ohlendorf (3-0) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings for the win.


Scott Kazmir (7-11) yielded 10 hits and six runs, lasting just 3 2-3 innings for the second straight game. He hasn't won since Aug. 22, a span of six straight starts.


ANGELS 8, MARINERS 4


ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Albert Pujols and C.J. Cron hit two-run homers, and Los Angeles surged within a half-game of playoff position with a victory over Seattle.


Mike Trout went 3 for 5 with an RBI double as the Angels (79-74) won their third straight and nearly closed the gap on the Houston Astros (80-74), who lost to Texas, for the second AL wild card spot.


Los Angeles also moved past the Minnesota Twins (78-75), who lost at Detroit.


Johnny Giavotella tripled and drove in two runs in his return from a 31-game injury absence for the late-charging Angels. They dropped to the fringe of the pennant race while going 10-19 in August, but they're 14-8 in September, including six wins in eight games.


BREWERS 4, CARDINALS 3


ST. LOUIS (AP) - Khris Davis homered off Trevor Rosenthal leading off the ninth inning and Milwaukee beat St. Louis.


The loss cut the Cardinals' NL Central lead to three games over Pittsburgh with eight games remaining.


Rosenthal (2-3) was St. Louis' eighth reliever after Carlos Martinez lasted just seven pitches before leaving with tightness in his pitching shoulder.


Davis' 24th homer was just the second allowed by the St. Louis closer; the other was by Pittsburgh's Jung Ho Kang on May 3 in St. Louis. Davis was 1 for 5 with four strikeouts against Rosenthal before lining a 1-1 fastball into the right-field bullpen.


Will Smith (7-2) got the Brewers out of danger in the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez earned his 36th save in 38 chances.


Milwaukee has lost 12 of 17 against the Cardinals this season and 53 of the last 77 meetings.


ROCKIES 7, DODGERS 4


DENVER (AP) - Corey Dickerson hit one of Colorado's three solo homers in the fourth inning and the Rockies beat prevented Los Angeles from moving a step closer to clinching its third straight NL West title.


The magic number for Los Angeles remained at three.


Charlie Blackmon, Carlos Gonzalez and Dickerson hit homers off Mike Bolsinger (6-5). Dickerson finished a triple shy of the cycle, striking out in his final at-bat. He drove in three runs.


David Hale (5-5) allowed five hits and one run over five innings in his first start since Aug. 23. He stepped in for Yohan Flande, who's sidelined with a bruised knee.


John Axford pitched a perfect ninth for his 25th save as Colorado snapped a five-game skid.


BLUE JAYS 5, RAYS 3


TORONTO (AP) - R.A. Dickey pitched seven innings to earn his 100th career win, Josh Donaldson hit his 40th home run and Toronto Moved closer to clinching its first playoff berth in 22 years.


Toronto leads the AL East and hasn't been to the postseason since winning its second straight World Series in 1993.


Jose Bautista and Kevin Pillar also went deep for Toronto, which leads the majors with 217 homers, the fourth highest total in team history. The Blue Jays hit 257 homers in 2010.


Dickey (11-11) settled down after a shaky first. He retired 18 of the final 19 batters he faced, including the last 11 straight.


Jake Odorizzi (8-9) allowed four runs in five innings.


WHITE SOX 5, YANKEES 2


NEW YORK (AP) - CC Sabathia gave up two costly homers in the seventh inning and prized rookie Carlos Rodon pitched out of trouble all night as Chicago damaged New York's playoff drive.


Mike Olt hit a tiebreaking shot off Sabathia that soared into the second deck in left field. One out later, No. 9 batter Gordon Beckham homered off Sabathia (5-10).


The Yankees fell four games behind first-place Toronto in the AL East after the Blue Jays beat Tampa Bay. New York still has a firm hold on the league's top wild-card spot.


New York grounded into four double plays, which helped Rodon (9-6) overcome five walks and two hit batters in winning his third consecutive start.


Ex-Yankees closer David Robertson got his 32nd save in 39 chances. It was his first outing against New York since signing a $46 million, four-year contract with the White Sox in December.


Chicago stopped its nine-game losing streak at Yankee Stadium dating to 2012.


METS 12, REDS 5


CINCINNATI (AP) - Lucas Duda hit a pair of three-run homers, and Noah Syndergaard dominated with his 99 mph fastball while pitching into the eighth inning, leading New York over Cincinnati and to the verge of its first playoff spot since 2006.


The Mets' magic number for clinching the NL East was reduced to one with Washington's 8-2 loss to Philadelphia.


Duda was the catalyst as New York stretched its road winning streak to nine games, matching the club record from 2006. He had a pair of RBI doubles on Thursday night in a 6-4 win, and hit three-run homers off Anthony DeSclafani (9-12) and Tony Cingrani on Friday. His six RBIs were a career high.


Syndergaard (9-7) struck out 11 over 7 2-3 innings, the fourth time he's reached double-digits in strikeouts.


ATHLETICS 5, GIANTS 4


OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - World Series champion San Francisco was eliminated from playoff contention, falling to Sonny Gray and Oakland.


The Giants' third straight loss put the Chicago Cubs into the postseason for the first time since 2008.


San Francisco, which won the World Series in three of the past five seasons, fell to 79-74 this year. Far behind the NL West-leading Dodgers, the Giants were chased from a possible wild-card spot.


Billy Burns hit a two-run homer and Billy Butler added a solo shot as the A's snapped a five-game losing streak.


Gray (14-7) struck out seven in six innings to bounce back from two rough starts in which he had no-decisions.


Matt Duffy and Jarrett Parker homered for the Giants. Mike Leake (10-10), acquired earlier this season to help for the stretch run, took the loss.


TIGERS 6, TWINS 4


DETROIT (AP) - Rajai Davis hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning, and Detroit past playoff-chasing Minnesota.


It was the type of loss the Twins may look back on if they don't make the postseason. They entered the day trailing Houston by 1 1/2 games for the second wild card in the American League, and they led 4-1 in the seventh against the sub-.500 Tigers before the bullpen gave away the lead.


Victor Martinez tied it with a two-run double off Glen Perkins in the seventh, and Perkins (2-5) also allowed Davis' opposite-field homer to right an inning later.


Alex Wilson (3-3) got the win in relief, and Neftali Feliz pitched the ninth for his third save.


The Tigers outhit Minnesota 13-2.


INDIANS 6, ROYALS 0


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Carlos Carrasco pitched a one-hitter, allowing only a seventh-inning single, and struck out a career-high 15 to lead Cleveland over Kansas City.


The AL Central champion Royals didn't come close to a hit until Alex Rios lined a single to center with one out in the seventh.


Carrasco (14-11) was trying to pitch Cleveland's first no-hitter since 1981, when Len Barker threw a perfect game.


On July 1, Carrasco was within one strike of a no-hitter against Tampa Bay when Joey Butler singled on an 0-2 pitch with two outs in the ninth.


This was the sixth time this season the Indians took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning.


Jose Ramirez, Abraham Almonte and Roberto Perez homered for the Indians.


Edinson Volquez (13-9) took the loss.


PHILLIES 8, NATIONALS 2


WASHINGTON (AP) - Rookie Aaron Altherr had four hits, including an inside-the-park grand slam and a solo homer, and Philadelphia beat Washington in what was likely Jordan Zimmermann's home farewell.


The Nationals lost their fourth straight and trail the Mets by 8 1/2 games in the NL East. New York cut its magic number to one Friday, beating Cincinnati 12-5.


Zimmermann (13-9), who will be a free agent this offseason, exited after allowing six earned runs on six hits over five innings and suffered his first loss since Aug. 12.


Philadelphia rookie Jerad Eickhoff (2-3) won for the first time since his Aug. 21 debut, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out 10.


Altherr drove in five and capped his first four-hit game with a double in the seventh and a ninth-inning single. He legged out his grand slam when center fielder Michael Taylor whiffed diving for a sinking liner in the third.


MARLINS 12, BRAVES 11


MIAMI (AP) - Jose Fernandez became the first pitcher in the modern era to win his first 17 career home decisions, overcoming a rough start Friday to help the Miami beat Atlanta.


Fernandez gave up a homer to Nick Markakis to start the game and allowed four runs in a 35-pitch first inning. He tied a career high by allowing six earned runs in five innings.


But the Marlins rallied with four runs in the first, led 11-4 by the fourth inning and totaled 20 hits in the matchup of the majors' two lowest-scoring teams.


Rookie Justin Bour hit his 20th homer, and Dee Gordon's three hits hiked his average to .332.


Fernandez (6-0) needed the support. He also needed 96 pitches to make it through five innings and qualify for the victory, which made him 17-0 in 26 home starts over his three-year career.


RED SOX 7, ORIOLES 0


BOSTON (AP) - Rich Hill kept up his startling comeback, pitching a two-hitter and striking out 10 as Boston beat Baltimore.


The 35-year-old Hill (2-0) was released by Washington in June, then played for the Long Island Ducks in an independent league before signing a minor league deal with the Red Sox in August.


Hill threw his second career shutout - the other came in 2006 with the Chicago Cubs. The game ended when right fielder Mookie Betts made a leaping catch at the wall, robbing Chris Davis of a homer.


Hill gave up a hit to the first batter he faced before holding Baltimore hitless until Dariel Alvarez opening the ninth with an infield single.


Earlier this month, Hill became the first Red Sox pitcher to fan 10 or more in his initial two starts.


David Ortiz had three doubles and three RBIs. Kevin Gausman (3-7) took the loss.


DIAMONDBACKS 6, PADRES 3


SAN DIEGO (AP) - A.J. Pollock hit his first career grand slam and drove in a career-high five runs in his first two at-bats, and Arizona beat San Diego in Casey Kelly's first big league start in just under three seasons.


Kelly, acquired along with three other players in the deal that sent Adrian Gonzalez to Boston in December 2010, last started for the Padres on Sept. 27, 2012. He underwent reconstructive elbow surgery on April 1, 2013.


Kelly (0-1) allowed six runs and six hits in five innings, struck out one and walked one.


Arizona's Rubby De La Rosa (14-8), who underwent Tommy John surgery on Aug. 9, 2011, reached a career high in wins. He allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits in 5 2-3 innings. He walked three and struck out two.

LEADING OFF: Bucs vs Cubs, Rangers vs Astros, Huddy vs Zito


September 25, 2015


A look at what's happening around the major leagues Saturday:


BIG BUCS


The Pirates will try to follow Friday's win over the Cubs with another at Wrigley Field with postseason implications. Pittsburgh has won seven straight and is trying to catch St. Louis for the NL Central lead while holding off Chicago for the first wild-card spot. Francisco Liriano (11-7, 3.41) goes for Pittsburgh, while Jason Hammel (9-6, 3.79) has a 6.41 ERA in his last four starts.


TEXAS TWO-STEP


Derek Holland attempts to get back on track after a rough run of starts as the Rangers continue a pivotal series at Houston. He dazzled in his first few outings after returning in August from a shoulder injury, but has a 9.00 ERA his last three times out. The Astros call on Collin McHugh (17-7, 3.93) in their bid to keep pace with the AL West-leading Rangers.


STAYIN' PERFECT


The Mets' Matt Harvey (12-7, 2.80) tries to stay perfect against the Reds as New York closes in on the NL East title. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against Cincinnati and is making his second start at Great American Ball Park, where he won in 2012. The Reds send out John Lamb (1-3, 4.60).


FOR OLD TIME'S SAKE


As their careers come to a close, the Giants' Tim Hudson and A's Barry Zito will face off at the Coliseum, where both began as big leaguers more than 15 years ago. ''I don't know that I could have written a better ending to the story,'' said the 40-year-old Hudson, who plans to retire at year's end. ''It's very surreal. It's a storybook kind of thing.''


MORE OLD FRIENDS


The Rays' Chris Archer will pitch against his former teammate and mentor David Price for the first time. Archer crashed Price's session with the media Friday, jokingly asking the Blue Jays ace, ''What will it be like to face your protege tomorrow?'' Price, who was traded from Tampa Bay to Detroit last summer and again to Toronto in July, deadpanned, ''I'm terrified, man.'' The Blue Jays are on the verge of ending a 22-year playoff drought. ''We are trying to play spoiler,'' Archer said.


HANGING ON


Stephen Strasburg looks to keep the Nationals' narrowing playoff hopes flickering for another day in a matchup against last-place Philadelphia. Strasburg (10-7, 3.81) has struck out 37 over his last three outings, setting a Nationals record since the move to Washington. Rookie Aaron Nola (6-2, 3.84) is up for the Phillies.

Preview: Rays (75-78) at Blue Jays (87-65)
Game: 2
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: September 26, 2015 1:07 PM EDT

(AP) - David Price was standing in front of the Toronto Blue Jays dugout, surrounded by cameras and reporters, when a voice piped up from the back.


'Um, excuse me,' came the question. 'What will it be like to face your protégé tomorrow?'


Turning to see who was doing the talking, the left-hander deadpanned an answer, telling his questioner, 'I'm terrified, man.'


That was the first of several funny exchanges in an impromptu interview with Price conducted by Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer. Archer will pitch against Price, his former teammate and mentor, for the time first time Saturday at Rogers Centre.


More than a year after Price was traded by Tampa Bay, he remains popular with his former teammates. Price stopped by the Rays clubhouse for a visit before batting practice Friday.


'Everybody feels like they're best friends with him,' Archer said. 'Hopefully, I can be that influence on some younger guys who aren't even here yet.'


Price repaid the compliment, calling Archer 'a good friend' and 'great teammate.'


Archer is 12-12 with a 2.92 ERA.


'He's definitely made very big strides out there on the mound,' Price said. 'It's fun to see. I think he's kind of scratching the surface of what he could be. He's going to be very good.'


Price was dealt to Detroit at the deadline in 2014, then was traded to Toronto on July 30. He is 8-1 with a 1.95 ERA in 10 starts for the AL East-leading Blue Jays and 17-5 with a 2.34 ERA overall.


'We've still got a lot of pitchers who still do things because Price did them,' Rays manager Kevin Cash said. 'That's what they talk about, is David Price. I think that speaks volumes about him as a person, as a leader, as a pitcher. It certainly seems like they're following the right guy because he's a had a tremendous career so far.'


Archer still has vivid memories of his first meeting with Price. A high-schooler who'd been drafted by Cleveland in 2007, Archer was doing offseason workouts at Vanderbilt, where Price was an All-American. Because they shared the same agent, Archer was throwing to a young catcher named Josh Donaldson, now Toronto's star third baseman and an AL MVP candidate. Price came in to throw after Archer's session was done, and the right-hander introduced himself to the star lefty.


'I'll never forget it,' Archer said. 'He's everything I wanted to be.'


Still, Archer and the Rays won't be taking it easy on Toronto, which is on the verge of ending a 22-year playoff drought.


'We are trying to play spoiler,' Archer said.


Archer, though, is just 0-2 with a 4.03 ERA in four starts this month after walking a career high-tying five and tying a season low with three strikeouts in five innings of Tampa's 8-7 loss to Boston on Monday.


The Rays (75-79) had their three-game winning streak snapped with Friday's 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays (88-65), who picked up their 88th victory for the first time since 1998.


Donaldson hit his 40th homer and Jose Bautista also went deep for Toronto, which extended its division lead to four games after New York lost to the Chicago White Sox.


Donaldson joined Carlos Delgado (2000) and Shawn Green (1999) as the only Blue Jays with 40 homers and 40 doubles in a season.


'He's had a huge year, an MVP year,' manager John Gibbons said.


Price is 10-1 with a 3.14 ERA in 14 career starts at Rogers Centre. He allowed five runs in a 10-2 loss to the Rays in his last start for the Tigers on July 28.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Rays at Blue Jays
Fri, Sep 25 Final 3 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Rays at Blue Jays
Sat, Sep 26 - 1:07PM EDT


GAME 3
Rays at Blue Jays
Sun, Sep 27 - 1:07PM EDT

Preview: Orioles (76-76) at Red Sox (72-80)
Game: 2
Venue: Fenway Park
Date: September 26, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

With two series remaining against postseason contenders, a last-place team is threatening to deliver the biggest blow to the Baltimore Orioles' playoff hopes.


The Boston Red Sox will go for a series win over visiting Baltimore on Saturday as the Orioles try to improve their dwindling wild-card chances.


The Orioles (76-77) had won 11 of 15 entering Friday's opener, but a 7-0 loss kept them stuck in the middle of a crowded wild-card race. Baltimore won 11 of its first 15 against Boston this season, but the Red Sox have taken the last two.


'We can't throw in the towel now just because we lost,' said catcher Caleb Joseph after Rich Hill's two-hit shutout.


The Orioles finish an 11-game road trip with two more at Fenway Park before closing the season at home against AL East leader Toronto and wild card-leading New York.


A three-game winning streak for Baltimore and a three-game losing streak for the Red Sox ended when Mookie Betts robbed Chris Davis of a home run for the final out of the series opener.


The Orioles hope Wei-Yin Chen (10-7, 3.36 ERA) can mimic Hill's performance in the middle game.


Chen regrouped from a pair of rough outings with wins in his last two. The left-hander allowed three earned runs in 14 innings in wins over Kansas City and Tampa Bay.


He picked up his career-high 19th quality start last Saturday, holding the Rays to one run in seven innings of a 2-1 victory.


Chen's six career wins against the Red Sox are his most versus any opponent, but they have beaten him four times behind a .292 batting average.


Dustin Pedroia has crushed Chen with a .486 average, six doubles and a triple. David Ortiz (.308), Jackie Bradley Jr. (3 for 6) and Hanley Ramirez (2 for 5) have also fared well against Chen.


Ortiz had three doubles and three RBIs in the series opener, while Pedroia is hitting .386 with three home runs and eight RBIs in his last 10. Sixty two of Ortiz's 104 RBIs have come at home.


"I've been saying all year you can just book him for 30 and 100, it's a given here at Fenway Park," interim manager Torey Lovullo told MLB's official website.


As Boston (73-80) continues to change things up in its front office - the latest move hiring Frank Wren as senior vice president of baseball operations Friday - one role has also shifted on the field.


Craig Breslow (0-3, 4.53) has made 522 relief appearances in his career but gets his first start Saturday. The left-hander is expected to throw around 40 pitches in what the Red Sox are calling a "bullpen day."


Breslow has made 43 appearances this season, struggling to an 0-2 record and 8.36 ERA since Aug. 4. He has a 2.01 ERA in 38 outings against Baltimore, but it rises to 4.22 over his last seven.


He has held Davis (1 for 16), J.J. Hardy (0 for 9) and Matt Wieters (0 for 5) in check, though Manny Machado has a home run and double in six at-bats.


Baltimore's Adam Jones has missed four straight games dealing with back spasms, while Boston's Pablo Sandoval has been out the last five due to pneumonia.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Orioles at Red Sox
Fri, Sep 25 Final 0 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Orioles at Red Sox
Sat, Sep 26 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Orioles at Red Sox
Sun, Sep 27 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Giants (79-73) at Athletics (64-89)
Game: 2
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: September 26, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

(AP) - All Tim Hudson and Barry Zito need is Mark Mulder climbing the mound in a green and gold Athletics jersey to complete the `ol Big Three in Oakland.


"See if he can't catch our bullpen," Hudson joked.


Oh, Mulder will be there, all right - just not pitching. He wouldn't miss this. On Sunday, the three of them will throw out ceremonial first pitches together.


But first, Hudson and Zito will face off Saturday before both head into their planned retirements, and they will do it right back where their big league careers began, at the Oakland Coliseum. What a nostalgic moment it will be, even if it only lasts a few innings.


"I don't know that I could have written a better ending to the story," Hudson said Friday, sitting alongside Zito in his familiar A's No. 75 uniform. "It's very surreal. It's a storybook kind of thing.


"I feel like it's almost a celebration of both our careers."


The San Francisco Giants, who are eight games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West with nine to play, were eliminated from the wild-card race with Friday's 5-4 loss.


Zito and Hudson have each pitched on both sides of the bay, Hudson with a nine-year detour to Atlanta before he signed with San Francisco for $23 million in November 2013. Zito took last season off after completing a $126 million, seven-year deal with the Giants, then came back this year with the A's.


"It's awesome," Giants CEO Larry Baer said.


Zito pitched at Triple-A Nashville all season with a stint on the disabled list.


"Did he need to go down to Triple-A and travel through those road trips you have to go on, whether it's buses or getting up at 4 in the morning to catch a plane? No, he didn't," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "But he loves baseball. He still had it in his blood and he wanted to give it one more shot and felt like he still had the stuff to do it, and here he is in the big leagues. Good for him."


Hudson finally won a World Series ring last season with San Francisco. Zito got his two in 2010 and `12 for the Giants, playing a key role in the second championship after being left off the roster entirely for the first title run.


The 40-year-old Hudson has spent some time appreciating every moment this season, the ups and the downs. The Giants will honor him during their last homestand.


"It's been a year of a lot of reflection," Hudson said. "I've known for a while that this is going to be it. I've taken this year and really focused on things that are going to be really special to me. I'm sure after I'm done playing, I'll have a chance to reflect on my whole career."


The 37-year-old Zito won the 2002 AL Cy Young Award with Oakland and went 102-63 with a 3.53 ERA over seven seasons with the A's before joining the Giants in December 2006.


The left-hander with that nasty curveball delivered two crucial wins during San Francisco's 2012 World Series run. He earned a victory in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium facing elimination, then in the opener at home of a World Series sweep against Detroit.


"It's great when you think about the game and how those two have been some pillars for the Bay Area," Giants reliever Javier Lopez said. "To see those two finish their career, it's going to be a special time for everyone involved and particularly the teammates that have been able to play with them."


By the time the A's promoted Zito on Sept. 16, he had gone home and figured his chance was over to reach the big leagues this year.


"I'm so grateful I get to end everything on a Bay Area note," said Zito, who spent his entire career with the Bay Area teams. "It's cool to have a little stake in both the teams' history. It's such a rare opportunity."


Newly promoted Giants infielder Kevin Frandsen had bought a ticket to be in the stands Saturday, but now he will have a better seat in the dugout.


"When you do what Barry Zito's done in the Bay Area and for the Oakland Athletics, I never understood that there was any question to why he wouldn't come up and throw his last pitch as an Oakland A," Giants pitcher Jake Peavy said.


Hudson and Zito have 387 career wins between them - and those combined three World Series rings. Mulder won 103 games in nine years and was done after 2008.


"It definitely was fun to watch Huddy go out, Mulder go out and do their thing," Zito said. "We all did it in different ways. Mulder was the king of the 2-hour game, Huddy would just go out there with his sinker-split, punching guys out left and right. I had the curveball and the changeup. We definitely enjoyed watching each other."


A's third base coach Ron Washington can't wait to see the special reunion.


"When we started putting things together here in Oakland in the early years when I was here in the `90s, they were the backbone of it," he said. "We knew every night we had a chance to win."




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Giants at Athletics
Fri, Sep 25 Final 4 to 5
Recaps


GAME 2
Giants at Athletics
Sat, Sep 26 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Giants at Athletics
Sun, Sep 27 - 4:05PM EDT

Preview: Phillies (57-96) at Nationals (78-74)
Game: 2
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: September 26, 2015 4:05 PM EDT

Although it's likely too little, too late, Stephen Strasburg is finally pitching the way the Washington Nationals hoped he would throughout the entire season.


The right-hander will try to extend his strong stretch while helping host Washington stave off elimination Saturday against the major league-worst Philadelphia Phillies.


The Nationals were the darlings of many prognostications to win the 2015 World Series, but instead they're on the verge of missing the playoffs after four consecutive defeats.


Washington's 8-2 loss in Friday's series opener left it 3-8 at Nationals Park since Sept. 7 and 8 1/2 games behind the first-place New York Mets with nine remaining.


It looked as though Strasburg had suffered another setback during this injury-plagued season Aug. 30 when he left after four innings due to discomfort in his back. He's already missed close to two months with neck tightness and then an oblique strain.


But after getting some extra rest, Strasburg has come back stronger than ever while striking out at least 10 in three consecutive starts for the first time in his career. He's posted a 1.61 ERA with 37 strikeouts and only three walks over 22 1-3 innings in those outings.


Strasburg (10-7, 3.81 ERA) won for the second straight time Sunday, allowing one earned run and fanning 10 over seven innings in a 13-3 home win over Miami.


"I don't have the innings I would hope for," he told MLB's official website. "I try to focus on the now. I can't really worry about the past or the future. I try to focus on each pitch - one at a time - and execute each one to the best of my ability."


Strasburg has gone 7-2 with a 2.27 ERA in 15 starts against the Phillies (58-96), including three wins in four outings this season. He's hoping to match his most recent meeting Sept. 15 when he yielded one hit and had a career high-tying 14 strikeouts over eight innings in a 4-0 win.


Aaron Altherr went 4 for 5 with two home runs Friday, including the majors' first inside-the-park grand slam since Tampa Bay's Randy Winn in 1999. Darin Ruf and Cody Asche also homered for Philadelphia, which seeks its first back-to-back road wins since Aug. 22 and 23.


After allowing six runs and nine hits - three home runs - over five innings in an 8-7, 11-inning home loss to the Nationals (78-75) on Sept. 14, Aaron Nola (6-2, 3.84) responded by giving up one run over seven Sunday before leaving without a decision in a 2-1 loss at Atlanta.


The rookie right-hander, who had been 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA over his first eight starts, could be making his last appearance since the Phillies are monitoring his workload.


Jayson Werth hit a grand slam and Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon added solo shots off Nola earlier this month. Werth also went 2 for 4 with a home run in the opener, leaving him 7 for 17 with five homers in his last four games against his former team.


Harper, hitless with three strikeouts Friday, is 0 for 10 during the losing streak.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Phillies at Nationals
Fri, Sep 25 Final 8 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Phillies at Nationals
Sat, Sep 26 - 4:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Phillies at Nationals
Sun, Sep 27 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Twins (78-74) at Tigers (71-81)
Game: 2
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: September 26, 2015 7:08 PM EDT

Pitching this late in a season is new territory for Tyler Duffey, and just how much more ground Minnesota allows him hasn't been officially stated. The rookie's recent performances, however, are making it that much harder to shut him down.


Duffey will try to continue making that silent argument to remain on the mound for the rest of the season Saturday night in Detroit with the Twins trying to avoid another disappointment against the Tigers.


In Friday's 6-4 loss to the Tigers (72-81), the Twins (78-75) blew a four-run lead but remained 1 1/2 games back of Houston for the second wild card. They've dropped seven of nine, three straight to the last-place Tigers and six of seven in Detroit this season.


Joe Mauer's span of 43 games reaching base came to an end as Minnesota managed two hits, dipping its average in Detroit to .180 with 1.9 runs per game this year.


"This one hurts," manager Paul Molitor said. "We had it set up fairly well with nine outs to go, and we didn't finish it off."


Duffey (4-1, 3.15 ERA) pitched 138 innings in the minors prior to his 45 2-3 with the big league club, surpassing his previous professional high from last year by 34 innings.


"You don't want to put the kid's arm in jeopardy," Molitor told MLB's official website. "It's proving to be pretty valuable for him right now."


Well aware of that, the Twins have worked in the occasional extra day of rest, though there's still a chance this will be his final start.


Since a rough debut Aug. 5, the right-hander is 4-0 with a 2.06 ERA in seven starts. His best came Sunday in an 8-1 home win over the Los Angeles Angels. He allowed three hits with seven strikeouts in seven scoreless innings to win his second straight.


Prior to that, he held the Tigers to a run and seven hits with seven strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings of a 7-1 home win Sept. 14, adding some appeal to getting him back on the mound against the division foe.


Perhaps most importantly, Duffey feels fine.


"I've had a little more rest," he said after beating the Angels. "My fastball felt better than it has in the past few starts. I think it had a little more on it. That worked well for me."


For Alfredo Simon, though, the season can't end soon enough. Simon (13-10, 5.21) allowed eight runs and 13 hits in 4 1-3 innings of Sunday's 10-3 home loss to Kansas City.


The right-hander is 2-3 with an 8.02 ERA in his last six starts, but the struggles haven't been that contained. It's just part of a 6-7 span with a 7.35 ERA after going 7-3 with a 2.58 mark in his first 12 outings with his new club.


Simon's struggles against the Twins haven't been as pronounced with a 1-1 record and 4.96 ERA in three starts this season, though that comes with a .343 opponent batting average. Kurt Suzuki is 6 for 13 with two home runs against him.


The Tigers have won three straight, and the pitching staff has a 2.35 ERA and .152 opponent batting average over the last five.


"You still have enough pride that you go out there, regardless of where you're at in the last week of the season, and you go out to win," manager Brad Ausmus said.


Miguel Cabrera was 0 for 3 and continues to make the AL batting title more interesting by sliding back. The two-time MVP is batting .183 in his last 17 games, and his .334 average leads Boston's Xander Bogaerts by nine points.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Twins at Tigers
Fri, Sep 25 Final 4 to 6
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Twins at Tigers
Sat, Sep 26 - 7:08PM EDT


GAME 3
Twins at Tigers
Sun, Sep 27 - 1:08PM EDT

Preview: Indians (75-76) at Royals (89-63)
Game: 2
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: September 26, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

When Kansas City's Kris Medlen and Cleveland's Josh Tomlin faced off earlier this month, it was the former getting the win and the latter throwing a complete game. Both again did their jobs in follow-up efforts to further their impressive, albeit abbreviated seasons.


The rematch of AL Central starters enjoying comeback campaigns comes Saturday night at Kauffman Stadium with the Indians looking to get within two games of the second wild card.


Cleveland (76-76) beat the Royals 6-0 on Friday behind Carlos Carrasco's one-hitter, gaining a game on struggling Houston for the final playoff spot. The Indians have split their last 10 games, but the rotation has more than done its part with a 2.30 ERA and .205 opponent batting average.


Kansas City (89-64), meanwhile, has lost 15 of 24 and is just a game up on Toronto for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Manager Ned Yost didn't regret resting regulars in the opener.


"We accomplished the main goal we wanted to in the regular season, and now it's on to the secondary goals," Yost told MLB's official website. "We wanted to win the division. We did that. We were focused on winning the All-Star Game so we can get home-field advantage in the World Series. We did that. Now it's just about home-field advantage from here on."


Alex Rios had the Royals' only hit Friday, is batting .392 in his last 21 games, and his .270 season mark is higher than it's been since beginning June at .281.


Medlen (5-1, 3.51 ERA) allowed three unearned runs in five innings of Sunday's 10-3 win in Detroit for his second straight victory after limiting the Indians to five hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 2-0 road win Sept. 15.


The right-hander, who returned just after the All-Star break from elbow surgery, made seven relief appearances before joining the rotation Aug. 24. After struggling through his first three starts, he is 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA in his last three, though he's still working through some things.


"When he came into the dugout, I asked, 'How did you feel?'" Yost said after the start against Cleveland. "And he said, 'Man, I was fighting my mechanics all night.' And I thought, 'That's a good sign. Imagine what he'll be like with good mechanics.'"


Medlen has won both of his career starts against the Indians with 11 hits in 13 1-3 scoreless innings.


Tomlin (6-2, 2.43) might have had better stuff in the loss, giving up two runs and four hits in nine innings. The right-hander followed it up with Sunday's 6-3 home win over the Chicago White Sox, surrendering four hits in 5 2-3 scoreless innings to win for the sixth time in seven starts since dropping his season debut Aug. 15.


He is just eight starts into his return from shoulder surgery and has two complete games in four outings this month while posting a 1.84 ERA and .163 opponent batting average.


"It feels good right now to be out there and contributing to this team and being consistent, and going out every fifth day and not worrying about my arm or anything going haywire or getting a start pushed back or anything like that," Tomlin said.


Tomlin is 2-3 with a 5.77 ERA in five starts and four relief appearances against the Royals since the start of 2012. Salvador Perez (8 for 12 with a home run), Rios (6 for 14 with a homer) and Mike Moustakas (6 for 15 with two homers) have had the most success, but Ben Zobrist is 1 for 17.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Indians at Royals
Fri, Sep 25 Final 6 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Indians at Royals
Sat, Sep 26 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Indians at Royals
Sun, Sep 27 - 2:10PM EDT

Preview: Braves (62-91) at Marlins (66-87)
Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: September 26, 2015 7:10 PM EDT

The Atlanta Braves were putting together their best run in five weeks with a combination of unusually good hitting and solid pitching efforts.


Not even their strongest offensive performance in nearly five months could make up for the staff's troubles in the series opener with the Miami Marlins.


Julio Teheran looks to help the Braves get back on track as he takes the hill Saturday night at Marlins Park.


Atlanta (62-92) won five of six behind a 2.04 ERA, and the majors' lowest-scoring team scored six runs in each of the previous two.


The lineup shined again Friday with four runs in the first and a valiant comeback effort in the late innings, but it wasn't enough in a 12-11 loss. The Braves scored their most runs since tying a season high with 12 on April 28 as Freddie Freeman, who is playing through a sore right wrist, hit a two-run homer and finished 3 for 4.


Hector Olivera and Michael Bourn also had three hits for Atlanta, which lost for the first time in seven games in Miami.


'We battled,' manager Fredi Gonzalez said. 'When you score four off of (Jose) Fernandez in the first inning, you feel pretty darn good, because he doesn't (normally) give up four in three starts (combined).'


Teheran (10-7, 4.20 ERA) had one of the Braves' best pitching performances during their hot stretch, tossing six perfect innings before leaving after 8 1-3 of a 2-1 walk-off win over Philadelphia on Sunday.


The right-hander is 1-0 with a 1.67 ERA in four starts this month while holding opponents to a .196 average and .556 OPS.


'Everything was working,' Teheran said. 'I was ahead in the count most of the day, and I was attacking hitters. That was the difference."


Teheran is 5-1 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 starts against the Marlins with the Braves winning all three this season. He'll likely need another solid effort against Miami (67-87) to end its three-game winning streak.


The Marlins are 15-8 since Aug. 31, a stretch that began with a three-game sweep at Atlanta. Justin Bour had a three-run homer Friday and joined Dee Gordon, Christian Yelich and Miguel Rojas with three hits.


Martin Prado went 2 for 4 and drove in two runs after missing the previous six with a left wrist injury, and Jeff Mathis' four RBIs also helped Fernandez become the first pitcher in the modern era to win his first 17 home decisions.


Miami looks to stay hot behind Justin Nicolino (3-4, 4.50), who pitched seven scoreless innings to beat the Braves on Sept. 1. He's gone 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in three starts since, though, and the rookie allowed a season-worst seven runs in a 13-3 loss at Washington on Sunday.


The left-hander departed after giving up a three-run homer with two outs in the sixth.


'That's when you find out who you are as a pitcher,' Nicolino said. 'That's when you find out what you have in that situation. After I made the first out, I made a few mistakes and they ended up costing me.'


Freeman went 1 for 3 off Nicolino earlier this month and is batting .327 with two homers and three doubles during a 12-game hitting streak at Marlins Park.



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Braves at Marlins
Fri, Sep 25 Final 11 to 12
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Braves at Marlins
Sat, Sep 26 - 7:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Braves at Marlins
Sun, Sep 27 - 1:10PM EDT

Preview: Brewers (64-89) at Cardinals (97-56)
Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: September 26, 2015 7:15 PM EDT

Jaime Garcia's return to form earlier this week was a welcome sight for St. Louis. A gem from the left-hander would mean even more after the Cardinals lost another starter.


Garcia will try to spell an exhausted bullpen and help the Cardinals bounce back Saturday night as they continue a four-game home series against the Milwaukee Brewers.


St. Louis (97-57) had its five-game winning streak snapped with a 4-3 loss Friday that was just their fifth in 17 games against the Brewers this year and second in the last 10. It also trimmed their NL Central lead over Pittsburgh to three games with eight to play.


More concerning might have been Carlos Martinez's exit with shoulder tightness after throwing only seven pitches. Martinez had leveled this season's loss of Adam Wainwright, ranking among the NL leaders in wins (14) and ERA (3.01).


He said he didn't have a lot of pain after the game, but there was some weakness. An MRI is scheduled for Saturday.


"I'm not too concerned about it," Martinez said through an interpreter. "But I'm going to wait till tomorrow and see what happens."


Garcia (9-5, 2.45 ERA) dealt with his own groin and shoulder injuries earlier this year but will be counted on to relieve a bullpen that handled the final 8 2-3 innings Friday and 15 2-3 over the last three games.


Garcia has 14 quality starts but hit a bump in back-to-back outings this month, allowing 10 runs in 10 2-3 innings between an 11-0 loss to Cincinnati and a 5-4 win over Milwaukee. He regrouped Monday, holding the Reds to one run over seven in a 2-1 victory.


The veteran stymied the Brewers over two starts earlier this year, surrendering five hits and one run in 14 innings, but he allowed four runs in 6 1-3 on Sept. 16.


Khris Davis hit the winning homer in the ninth Friday and is 1 for 6 lifetime against Garcia. Jean Segura is 6 for 18 with a double versus the St. Louis starter.


While the Cardinals hope Martinez isn't out for the stretch run, Milwaukee (65-89) has dealt with its own share of injuries. The Brewers moved pitchers Jimmy Nelson and Michael Blazek to the 60-day disabled list this week, while Ryan Braun (back), Jonathan Lucroy (concussion) and Elian Herrera (thigh) are still on the road back.


To help fill the gaps, Milwaukee called up four pitchers and two position players from Double-A Biloxi on Tuesday following its Southern League Championship Series loss Monday.


"It gets us back to, I think, a safe number of players," manager Craig Counsell told MLB's official website. "Now we've got a normal roster, plus a little extra."


One of the promotions went to Tyler Wagner, who takes the mound for his second big league start. Wagner (0-0, 12.27) made his debut May 31 against the Diamondbacks, but it didn't last long as the right-hander surrendered nine hits and five runs in 3 2-3 innings of an eventual 7-6 win for Milwaukee in 17 innings.


He will pitch against a red-hot Jhonny Peralta, who has five hits through the first two games of the series, including a home run Thursday. Peralta is hitting .333 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 16 games against the Brewers this year.


Braun lined out as a pinch-hitter Friday, while Lucroy pinch-hit and stayed in at first base, finishing 1 for 2 with an RBI.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Brewers at Cardinals
Thu, Sep 24 Final 3 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Brewers at Cardinals
Fri, Sep 25 Final 4 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 3
Brewers at Cardinals
Sat, Sep 26 - 7:15PM EDT


GAME 4
Brewers at Cardinals
Sun, Sep 27 - 2:15PM EDT

Preview: Dodgers (87-65) at Rockies (63-90)
Game: 2
Venue: Coors Field
Date: September 26, 2015 8:10 PM EDT

It's no secret who the Los Angeles Dodgers will turn to in their first two playoff games. Brett Anderson may have a chance to officially get them there.


Anderson might be taking the mound with the opportunity to help the Dodgers clinch their third straight NL West title on Saturday night against the Colorado Rockies.


Despite falling 7-4 at Colorado on Friday, Los Angeles reduced its magic number in the West to two games with nine remaining when San Francisco lost to Oakland.


The Dodgers should take the field Saturday already knowing if clinching is possible since the Giants face Oakland earlier in the day.


"That would be nice and ideal for us, if we can take care of business now," outfielder Carl Crawford said. "But we're not looking forward to nothing."


With Los Angeles (87-66) all but guaranteed to reach the playoffs, it's also practically certain that Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke will start the first two games of the NL division series.


Anderson (9-9, 3.52 ERA) seems the most likely candidate to start the next game.


The left-hander has two scheduled starts left in what would be his first complete - and healthy - season in the majors since he was a rookie with Oakland in 2009.


Anderson, though, dismissed talk of fatigue after he was tagged for five runs and 10 hits - two homers - in 4 2-3 innings of an 8-4 loss to Arizona on Monday.


"My stuff was fine," Anderson told MLB's official website. "It was just a bad outing. I only have a couple more and I expect to pitch better."


Anderson feels he'll be better as his remaining starts come on four days' rest after getting at least five over his last three.


"I would like to be on normal rest to get back in the rhythm," said Anderson, who is 7-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 13 starts on four days' rest. "It's tough, trying to get me extra rest. I'm in uncharted territory with starts and stuff; still, I'd like to get in a normal routine. That's when I was pitching the best, every four or five days and knowing what I'm doing day in and day out."


Anderson, who pitched for Colorado last season, is 1-0 with a 2.20 ERA in three starts against the Rockies - all this year. He allowed three runs with seven strikeouts in six innings of a 5-4 loss in 16 on Sept. 15.


The Rockies (64-90) send Kyle Kendrick (6-13, 6.37) to the mound sporting the highest ERA of any pitcher with at least 100 innings. It's also the highest for any Rockies pitcher with at least 130 since Darryl Kile had a 6.61 mark in 1999. That year, Pedro Astacio and Brian Bohanon served up a team-record 22 homers at Coors Field, and Kendrick is two shy of matching them.


He's allowed a major league-high 32 home runs overall despite spending six weeks on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.


Kendrick was roughed up for a career-high four homers and six runs in four innings of a 10-4 home loss to San Diego on Sunday.


The right-hander is 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA over his last six starts against Los Angeles. He allowed six runs and 10 hits over 5 1-3 innings in an 11-4 loss at Coors on June 1.


Kendrick hasn't allowed a homer to Adrian Gonzalez, but the Dodgers slugger is 10 for 20 with five doubles off him.



SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Dodgers at Rockies
Fri, Sep 25 Final 4 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Dodgers at Rockies
Sat, Sep 26 - 8:10PM EDT


GAME 3
Dodgers at Rockies
Sun, Sep 27 - 4:10PM EDT

Preview: Diamondbacks (74-80) at Padres (72-82)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: September 26, 2015 8:40 PM EDT

Both starting pitchers will be seeking a little redemption when the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres continue their series at Petco Park on Saturday.


Jeremy Hellickson looks to rebound from a rocky performance against the Padres last week, while Robbie Erlin will try to move past a forgettable return to the majors.


After missing almost a month due to a strained left hamstring, Hellickson (9-10, 4.73 ERA) only recorded three outs while allowing five runs in a 10-3 home loss to San Diego on Sept. 14. The right-hander later called it the worst inning of his career.


"It wasn't the return I was looking for, that's for sure," he told MLB's official website.


Hellickson managed to bounce back when he gave up two runs and three hits over five innings in a 5-1 loss at San Francisco on Sunday. Now he'll try to build on that performance in a rematch with a San Diego team that hasn't treated him well all season.


The 28-year-old has gone 1-3 with an 8.37 ERA in five meetings. Cory Spangenberg is 4 for 7 with a triple and a double off him, while Wil Myers has gone 4 for 8 with two home runs and Justin Upton 5 for 11 with two homers.


Derek Norris and Alexi Amarista, however, are 3 for 25 lifetime in the matchup.


Myers, Amarista and Jedd Gyorko drove in the only runs Friday as San Diego (72-82) fell two games back of third-place Arizona and clinched its fifth straight losing season.


Erlin (0-1, 21.00) hoped to make a positive impression on the Padres on Saturday in his first big-league start since Sept. 28, 2014. Instead, he gave up seven runs and nine hits while lasting just three innings in a 10-2 loss at Colorado.


The left-hander, who missed most of last season with elbow soreness, is one of the club's top prospects but posted a 5.60 ERA over 24 starts at Triple-A El Paso this year.


Erlin gets another opportunity at Petco Park, where he's 4-2 with a 2.55 ERA in 11 starts. He also went 1-0 with a 2.08 mark in two 2013 outings against Arizona (74-80).


The 24-year-old will have to be careful with Diamondbacks All-Stars A.J. Pollock (.318) and Paul Goldschmidt (.318), who are tied for fifth in the NL batting race.


Goldschmidt had an RBI double in the opener to help Arizona snap a four-game skid. He's 8 for 20 with three homers in his last five. Pollock had his first career grand slam and a career-high five RBIs. He has the NL's second-best average since Aug. 10 at .353.


"He's had a great second half," manager Chip Hale said. "He's probably been our hottest hitter the last month and a half."


The Diamondbacks will try to improve to 6-3 on a 10-game road swing, though they're one defeat away from their fourth consecutive season without a winning record.


Arizona shortstop Nick Ahmed could miss his fourth straight game with a sore lower back.


San Diego third baseman Yangervis Solarte might be able to return after sitting Friday due to a right hamstring cramp. He's hitting .328 over his last 16 games versus Arizona.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Padres
Fri, Sep 25 Final 6 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Padres
Sat, Sep 26 - 8:40PM EDT


GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Padres
Sun, Sep 27 - 4:10PM EDT

Preview: Mariners (74-80) at Angels (79-74)
Game: 2
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: September 26, 2015 9:05 PM EDT

In order to have a chance to take the lead in the race for the AL's second wild-card spot, the Los Angeles Angels will again have to solve Felix Hernandez.


After beating Hernandez for the first time in two years last week, the Angels seek their fourth straight win Saturday against the Seattle Mariners.


Los Angeles (79-74) enters Saturday one-half game behind Houston for the league's second wild card with nine left in the regular season. That deficit will change before the Angels take the field since the Astros host Texas earlier in the day.


The Angels, who beat Seattle 8-4 on Friday, are trying for their longest winning streak since a season-high seven-game run July 12-22.


"It's right where you want to be, definitely," said Albert Pujols, whose 37th homer matched his most since 2011 - his final season with St. Louis.


"But we haven't earned anything. We're just playing baseball, and we still have a few games left. We just need to win series and do whatever it takes to come out with the 'W' every night, and then we'll see what happens at the end."


Los Angeles' attempt to continue rolling, however, may require beating Hernandez (18-9, 3.54 ERA) in back-to-back meetings for the first time since 2006.


The Angels got the better of the Mariners ace in a 4-3 win at Seattle on Sept. 15. The right-hander's only mistakes in seven innings were a three-run homer by David Murphy in the third and Mike Trout's solo shot in the sixth.


Hernandez was 6-0 with a 0.74 ERA over his previous nine starts against Los Angeles, including a 2-0 record and 0.82 ERA in five road matchups.


The six-time All-Star enters this outing tied for the most wins in the league, and another would match his career high from 2009. He has two starts left to try to become the Mariners' third 20-game winner and first since Jamie Moyer had a team-record 21 in 2003.


Hernandez earned a 9-2 win at Texas on Sunday, yielding two runs and matching his season high with five walks before leaving after 5 2-3 innings with a stiff elbow.


"It's not a big deal. ... I'll be fine," Hernandez said.


He's struggled with Trout, who is hitting .349 with four homers and 13 RBIs in 63 at-bats against him, including 4 for 14 with two homers this year.


Trout is batting .356 with six homers and 12 RBIs in the past 12 games. He went 3 for 5 with an RBI double in Friday's opener of this three-game set, giving him a .444 average with seven RBIs over his last seven meeting with Seattle (74-80).


The Angels give the ball to Andrew Heaney (6-3, 3.30), who is 1-3 with a 4.42 ERA over his last 10 starts but has been much better of late.


The rookie left-hander allowed two runs and two hits with six strikeouts in six innings of Saturday's 4-3 win in 12 at Minnesota, six days after tossing five scoreless innings and not getting a decision in a 5-3 loss to Houston.


Heaney is a candidate to start a potential wild-card game depending on the status of Garrett Richards, who could pitch the regular-season finale at Texas on Oct. 4.


"We're not gonna hold anything back to get to the part we need to," manager Mike Scioscia told MLB's official website. "Garrett's definitely stepped up and thrown the ball - with Andrew Heaney - as well as anybody we have in our rotation."


Heaney was terrific at Seattle on July 12 with seven shutout innings in a 10-3 win.




SERIES AT A GLANCE


GAME 1
Mariners at Angels
Fri, Sep 25 Final 4 to 8
Boxscores • Recaps


GAME 2
Mariners at Angels
Sat, Sep 26 - 9:05PM EDT


GAME 3
Mariners at Angels
Sun, Sep 27 - 3:35PM EDT

MLB MONEYLINE


MLB > (975) TEXAS@ (976) HOUSTON | 2015-09-26 13:05:00 - 2015-09-26 13:05:00
Play ON TEXAS using money line when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 22 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (+19.47 units)


MLB > (963) ARIZONA@ (964) SAN DIEGO | 2015-09-26 20:40:00 - 2015-09-26 20:40:00
Play ON ARIZONA using money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125
The record is 18 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+13.35 units)

MLB > (979) SAN FRANCISCO@ (980) OAKLAND | 2015-09-26 16:05:00 - 2015-09-26 16:05:00
Play AGAINST OAKLAND using money line in September games
The record is 16 Wins and 32 Losses for the last two seasons (-26.3 units)


MLB > (955) NY METS@ (956) CINCINNATI | 2015-09-26 16:10:00 - 2015-09-26 16:10:00
Play ON NY METS using money line in day games
The record is 48 Wins and 29 Losses for the last three seasons (+31.09 units)


MLB > (971) MINNESOTA@ (972) DETROIT | 2015-09-26 19:05:00 - 2015-09-26 19:05:00
Play ON MINNESOTA using money line when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 44 Wins and 31 Losses for the this season (+20.15 units)


MLB > (969) BALTIMORE@ (970) BOSTON | 2015-09-26 16:05:00 - 2015-09-26 16:05:00
Play AGAINST BOSTON using money line against division opponents
The record is 27 Wins and 46 Losses for the last two seasons (-26.9 units)


MLB > (973) CLEVELAND@ (974) KANSAS CITY | 2015-09-26 19:10:00 - 2015-09-26 19:10:00
Play ON KANSAS CITY using money line against right-handed starters
The record is 61 Wins and 36 Losses for the this season (+20.65 units)

MLB RUNLINE


MLB > (975) TEXAS@ (976) HOUSTON | 2015-09-26 13:05:00 - 2015-09-26 13:05:00
Play ON TEXAS on the road when the total is 8 to 8.5
The record is 25 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+17.3 units)


MLB > (969) BALTIMORE@ (970) BOSTON | 2015-09-26 16:05:00 - 2015-09-26 16:05:00
Play AGAINST BOSTON when playing with a day off
The record is 8 Wins and 28 Losses for the last two seasons (-25.55 units)


MLB > (973) CLEVELAND@ (974) KANSAS CITY | 2015-09-26 19:10:00 - 2015-09-26 19:10:00
Play ON KANSAS CITY when playing with a day off
The record is 29 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+24.1 units)


MLB > (953) PHILADELPHIA@ (954) WASHINGTON | 2015-09-26 16:05:00 - 2015-09-26 16:05:00
Play AGAINST WASHINGTON when the total is 7 or less
The record is 26 Wins and 52 Losses for the this season (-33.95 units)


MLB > (955) NY METS@ (956) CINCINNATI | 2015-09-26 16:10:00 - 2015-09-26 16:10:00
Play ON NY METS in day games
The record is 17 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+13.9 units)


MLB > (957) ATLANTA@ (958) MIAMI | 2015-09-26 19:10:00 - 2015-09-26 19:10:00
Play AGAINST ATLANTA in September games
The record is 5 Wins and 17 Losses for the this season (-15.4 units)

MLB TOTALS


MLB > (979) SAN FRANCISCO@ (980) OAKLAND | 2015-09-26 16:05:00 - 2015-09-26 16:05:00
Play OVER SAN FRANCISCO on the total as a road favorite of -125 to -150
The record is 11 Overs and 0 Unders for the this season (+11.25 units)


MLB > (969) BALTIMORE@ (970) BOSTON | 2015-09-26 16:05:00 - 2015-09-26 16:05:00
Play UNDER BALTIMORE on the total when playing on Saturday
The record is 4 Overs and 21 Unders for the last two seasons (+16.1 units)


MLB > (959) MILWAUKEE@ (960) ST LOUIS | 2015-09-26 19:15:00 - 2015-09-26 19:15:00
Play OVER MILWAUKEE on the total in September games
The record is 18 Overs and 5 Unders for the this season (+13.2 units)


MLB > (963) ARIZONA@ (964) SAN DIEGO | 2015-09-26 20:40:00 - 2015-09-26 20:40:00
Play OVER SAN DIEGO on the total in games played on a grass field
The record is 91 Overs and 57 Unders for the this season (+32.9 units)


MLB > (955) NY METS@ (956) CINCINNATI | 2015-09-26 16:10:00 - 2015-09-26 16:10:00
Play OVER NY METS on the total when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season
The record is 16 Overs and 5 Unders for the this season (+11.35 units)


MLB > (973) CLEVELAND@ (974) KANSAS CITY | 2015-09-26 19:10:00 - 2015-09-26 19:10:00
Play OVER KANSAS CITY on the total when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 47 Overs and 29 Unders for the this season (+17.35 units)