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Preview: Islanders (45-27) at Lightning (46-31)

Date: April 30, 2016 3:00 PM EDT

The New York Islanders were once again Ben Bishop's nemesis in the opening game of the Eastern Conference semifinals, but they remain humble entering their next matchup with the Vezina Trophy finalist.

The Islanders will seek to cause more woes for the Tampa Bay goaltender while taking a commanding lead over the Lightning on Saturday.

Bishop failed to make it through a start against the Islanders for the second straight time in Wednesday's series opener in Tampa, giving up four goals on 13 shots in a 5-3 defeat. John Tavares' power-play tally midway through the second period sent him to the bench, and Shane Prince scored twice in the opening 20 minutes.

"One of those nights where nothing goes your way. You just have to move on from it," Bishop said. "It's not about the last game. It's about the next one, so I need to focus on that."

Bishop is now 1-3-0 with a 5.00 goals-against average in four starts against the Islanders this season, his worst showing versus any opponent. That's in stark contrast to a 2.07 GAA in 67 overall games, including six in the playoffs.

"He's going to bounce back. He's a great goaltender. It's a long series,' New York coach Jack Capuano said. "It's just one game. But whatever guy's in there, we've just got to continue to do what we need to do and get pucks and bodies to the net. Some of our shots had eyes. Again, you need some puck luck in this game if you're going to win, and we had that tonight."

The only other three times Bishop gave up more than three goals in 31 career playoff games all came in last year's East finals against the New York Rangers. He bounced back from the last two with shutouts, including one in Game 7.

Before Wednesday's loss, Bishop had allowed two goals or fewer in eight consecutive playoff games.

"I expect to be better," he said. "I'm not going to change the way I play. Some nights the puck just finds ways in, some nights maybe those don't go in. It's just one of those things where you stick with your structure and more times than not you'll be successful."

While hoping to see a rejuvenated Bishop, the Lightning will try to avoid heading to Brooklyn on Tuesday with their first 2-0 deficit since being swept by Montreal in the opening round in 2014.

"We had a lot of different experiences last year, and we were a resilient team then and we should be now," forward Brian Boyle said.

The Islanders, meanwhile, will go for a sixth win in seven games against the Lightning. Tavares has four of his team's 25 goals in that stretch and four assists.

Brock Nelson has four goals and five assists in his last seven matchups, and Prince has scored four of his nine career regular-season and playoff goals versus Tampa Bay.

"The team obviously that loses the game, I think always knows how important the next one is and not to lose two in a row," Tavares said. "We obviously expect their best, and we obviously want to raise our game, take it to another level and build off the first one."

It's unclear if New York will get defenseman Ryan Pulock back from an upper-body ailment that's kept him out of the past three games.

It's also unknown if Matt Carle, Erik Condra or Mike Blunden will join Steven Stamkos, Anton Stralman and J.T. Brown on the Lightning's injured list. All three are considered day to day.

Preview: Penguins (48-26) at Capitals (56-18)

Date: April 30, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Washington Capitals' stars shined the brightest in an opening act that will be hard to top.

Now its up to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins to answer in Game 2 when the series resumes Saturday night.

This marquee second-round matchup featuring the NHL's two premier players lived up to its immense hype in Thursday's Game 1, though neither Crosby nor Alex Ovechkin had the greatest impact on the outcome. T.J. Oshie instead played the leading role in Washington's 4-3 victory, completing his first playoff hat trick with a wraparound goal 9:33 into overtime.

'That's kind of the stuff you dream about when you're a kid playing in the backyard by yourself is scoring the OT winner and getting a hat trick,' Oshie said. 'It was awesome. Great way to win.'

Oshie was the unlikely hero on a night when the Capitals' top line outplayed Pittsburgh's unit of Crosby, Patric Hornqvist and Conor Sheary. Despite garnering a reputation as a big-game player for his shootout performance in the United States' win over Russia at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the offseason addition entered the opener with just six goals in 36 career playoff games.

Ovechkin didn't score but was still effective, assisting on Oshie's second goal and finishing plus-3.

Crosby was held to one shot and his line ended minus-3, the one glaring negative on an otherwise strong showing by the Penguins on the road. Pittsburgh outshot the Capitals 45-35 and fought back to force overtime on Nick Bonino's goal 8:42 into the third period.

"This game could have went either way," coach Mike Sullivan said. "It was an even game. Our guys played hard. I thought we carried stretches of momentum for long periods of time. It didn't go our way. We'll learn from it, put it behind us and try to get Game 2."

The line of Bonino, Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel was on the ice for two goals and Evgeni Malkin scored his third in five games since returning from injury. Rookie Matt Murray recorded 31 saves - including two breakaway stops on Ovechkin - in his fourth playoff start in place of Marc-Andre Fleury, who remains out indefinitely with concussion symptoms.

"He made the saves and gave us a chance to win," Sullivan said.

Pittsburgh did have problems matching Washington's physicality, with the Capitals owning a 43-29 advantage in hits. Sheary briefly left the game in the third period following a knee-on-knee collision with Tom Wilson, a play that wasn't penalized but drew a $2,404 fine from the league, the maximum allowable under the current collective bargaining agreement.

"I know we're a bigger team and we're best when we play with our size and weight," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. "You've got to use your assets. If we're going to have puck possession, we're going to have to do it with our size. We're going to have to go to the net. We're going to have to do all the things we do well."

The bigger issue for the Penguins could be solving Braden Holtby, who continued his excellent playoff run with 42 saves. The Vezina Trophy finalist has a 1.12 goals-against average and .960 save percentage this postseason.

Neither team was a factor on the power play, with the Capitals 0 for 6 and Pittsburgh 0 for 2. That also was the case during the teams' five regular-season meetings in which the Penguins went 1 for 18 and Washington 2 for 16.

Both teams had eight power-play goals in the first round, but the Capitals are 0 for 14 in the last four games with the man advantage after converting five times in their 6-1 rout of Philadelphia in Game 3.

NBA playoffs betting preview and odds: Thunder at Spurs

Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs (-6, 200.5)

The matchup between All-Star forwards Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City and Kawhi Leonard of San Antonio has the potential to be the series-deciding element as the Thunder and Spurs collide in the Western Conference semifinals. The teams open the series on Saturday in San Antonio and Leonard, the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, will be assigned to slow down and frustrate Durant.

Durant averaged 26 points as Oklahoma City defeated Dallas in five games in the opening round but his shooting was subpar at 36.8 percent from the field and 26.8 percent from 3-point range. Leonard averaged fewer points (21.5) during San Antonio's first-round sweep of Dallas but he shot 52.7 percent from the field - including a torrid 61.1 from 3-point range - while contributing 2.8 blocked shots and 2.8 steals. "He's grown so much," Durant told reporters of Leonard. "He's probably the best in the league at shooting the mid-range off the dribble. Can post up, dribble, shoot the 3, catch and shoot. Their team, their system, their continuity and how they move allows him to get free a lot of times and utilize his game." This will be the third time in five seasons that the teams have met in the playoffs - the Thunder won in six games in 2012 to reach the NBA Finals and the Spurs' six-game series victory in 2014 also advanced them to the NBA Finals.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Spurs opened Game 1 as 6-point home favorites over the Thunder, were shortly bet up to -6.5, but have since moved back to the opening number. The total meanwhile, has seen considerable movement. It has been bet down two and a half points from 203 to the current number of 200.5. Check out the complete line history here.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (59-28, 40-46-1 ATS, 42-45 O/U): Oklahoma City's four victories in the Dallas series were by an average of 23 points and point guard Russell Westbrook was in top form with five double-doubles - three points-assists and two points-rebounds - while averaging 26 points, 11.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds. "He's got a lot of energy, he's super aggressive and obviously one of the best point guards in the league," Spurs point guard Tony Parker told reporters. "It's just fun to play against him. He brings a lot of excitement to the game. It's always a great matchup." The Thunder would like to see more consistency from backup center Enes Kanter, who had outings of 28 and 21 points against Dallas and scored six or fewer points in two others.

ABOUT THE SPURS (71-15, 47-39 ATS, 36-48-2 O/U): San Antonio won its games against Memphis by an average of 22 points and looked well-oiled with three of the four victories occurring by more than 20 points. Leonard and power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (14.5 average against the Grizzlies) are the offensive mainstays and old playoff stalwarts like center Tim Duncan, shooting guard Manu Ginobili and Parker have accepted lesser roles. "You've got to play both ends of the floor a little differently because he's an All-Star player," Durant said of Aldridge. "He's a guy that can shoot over any shoulder, he can shoot from range, he can roll to the rim, so it's a different dynamic when you play a guy like that, and that's when you've got to be locked in and ready for anything."

TRENDS:

* Thunder are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Spurs are 0-6 ATS in their last six versus Northwest Division opponents.
* Under is 4-0 in Spurs last four home games.
* Under is 4-1 in the last five meetings.

CONSENSUS: The early consensus has 54 percent of bettors backing the home side Spurs. When it comes to the total, 65 percent of wagers are on the over.

Preview: Thunder (55-27) at Spurs (67-15)

Date: April 30, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Two years ago, the Thunder's Kevin Durant tweeted that Kawhi Leonard was a good player who got a lot of help from the San Antonio Spurs' system.

Durant recognizes the Leonard Oklahoma City is about to square off against is much more. In fact, Durant is so impressed that he checks how Leonard performs each game.

'He's grown so much,' Durant said. 'He's probably the best in the league at shooting the mid-range (jumper) off the dribble. He posts up, dribbles, can shoot the three, catch and shoot. Their team, their system, their continuity and how they move allows him to get free a lot of times and utilizes his game.'

Durant respect for Leonard has also grown over the years.

After Leonard was named Finals MVP in 2014, Durant said on Twitter he would take Indiana's Paul George over Leonard, and that Leonard was 'doing work like this because of the system.'

Durant later clarified, saying he meant no disrespect to Leonard, he simply liked George better. Last month, Durant, unprompted, said Leonard is not a 'system player.'

On Saturday, Durant and Leonard will renew acquaintances in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals in San Antonio.

Their individual matchup will be worth keeping an eye on.

Durant is a four-time scoring champion who averaged 28.2 points and a career-high 8.2 rebounds per game this season. Leonard is the two-time reigning defensive player of the year who was a first-time All-Star this season and led the Spurs in scoring.

Leonard knows his job will be difficult because of Durant's versatility.

'Being able to do everything on the floor, shoot, get in the paint, post, create shots for his teammates,' Leonard said of Durant's skills. 'Just active the whole game.'

Leonard has also become more of an offensive threat. His scoring average has increased from 12.8 points per game in 2013-14, to 16.5 last season, to 21.2 this season. He shot a career-high 44.3 percent from 3-point range on a career-high 291 attempts this season.

---

Some things to watch in the Thunder-Spurs series:

ALDRIDGE EFFECT: LaMarcus Aldridge has gotten comfortable in San Antonio after being acquired in the offseason. He averaged 18.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season while allowing Tim Duncan to rest a bit more. 'You've got to play both ends of the floor a little differently because he's an All-Star player,' Durant said. 'He's a guy that can shoot over any shoulder, he can shoot from range, he can roll to the rim, so it's a different dynamic when you play a guy like that, and that's when you've got to be locked in and ready for anything.'

TEXAS-SIZED THREAT: Russell Westbrook had 18 triple-doubles in the regular season, then averaged 26.0 points, 11.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds per game in the first round of the playoffs against Dallas. In 12 career playoff games against the Spurs he averages 22.5 points, 7.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. 'He's got a lot of energy, he's super aggressive and obviously one of the best point guards in the league,' Spurs guard Tony Parker said. 'It's just fun to play against him. He brings a lot of excitement to the game. It's always a great matchup.'

THEY HAVE HISTORY: The Thunder beat the Spurs 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals in 2011-12, then lost to Miami in the NBA Finals. The Spurs beat the Thunder 4-2 in the 2013-14 Western Conference Finals, and San Antonio beat Miami for the NBA title. 'We've had some battles,' Durant said. 'And there were a few battles where the Finals was on the line. Each team really respects each other and definitely wants to compete.'

COACHING MATCHUP: Gregg Popovich is a five-time NBA champion and the league's most successful active coach. Oklahoma City's Billy Donovan just won the first playoff series of his career in his first year in the league. Donovan doesn't look at it as a one-on-one matchup, but he said he learns every time he studies Popovich's teams. 'You watch San Antonio and Pop's teams play, there's a lot of respect and admiration for the way their team plays,' Donovan said.

OFFENSE vs. DEFENSE: Oklahoma City scored 112.0 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting against Dallas in the first round and shot better than 50 percent in each of the final three games. San Antonio held Memphis to 81 points per game on 39.4 percent shooting in a first-round sweep.

Game 1 - Thunder at Spurs
By Kevin Rogers

(3) Thunder at (2) Spurs – 8:35 PM EST – TNT

2015-16 Meetings
Oct. 28, 2015 – San Antonio 106 at Oklahoma City 112 (Thunder -4, Over 207.5)
Mar. 12, 2016 – Oklahoma City 85 at San Antonio 93 (Thunder +8.5, Under 211.5)
Mar. 26, 2016 – San Antonio 92 at Oklahoma City 111 (Thunder -12.5, Under 207)
Apr. 12, 2016 – Oklahoma City 98 at San Antonio 102 – OT (Thunder +13, Under 203)

The two teams chasing down Golden State for the crown in the Western Conference begin their highly-anticipated series on Saturday night from AT&T Center in San Antonio. The Spurs are back in the second round for the fourth time in five seasons after getting knocked by the Clippers in an epic seven-game opening round series in 2015. For the fifth time in six seasons, the Thunder have reached the conference semifinals, as OKC is seeking its fourth conference final appearance since 2011.

San Antonio (71-15 SU, 47-39 ATS) cruised to a first round sweep of an undermanned Memphis squad in the opening round. The Spurs didn’t allow more than 95 points in any of the four victories against the Grizzlies, while three of those wins came by 21 points or more. Gregg Popovich’s squad covered in three of four contests, as the Spurs completed the total season sweep of Memphis by going 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS in eight matchups.

The Thunder (59-28 SU, 40-46-1 ATS) finished off the Mavericks in five games of the conference quarterfinals, as all four victories came in blowout fashion. For the exception of a slip-up in a Game 2 loss as 14-point favorites, Billy Donovan’s club dominated in this series, while pulling away in the series clincher, 118-104, the third straight game in which the Thunder scored at least 118 points. The final three contests finished ‘over’ the total, while both Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook each averaged 26.0 points per game in the series.

The home team won all four meetings this season, with three of the matchups taking place in the last six weeks. Oklahoma City held off San Antonio on opening night to win Donovan’s debut as head coach, 112-106 as four-point home favorites. The Thunder outscored the Spurs in the final quarter, 33-23, as Westbrook led the way for OKC with 33 points and 10 assists, while Durant scored 22 points on 6-of-19 shooting. Kawhi Leonard paced the Spurs by scoring 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting, while LaMarcus Aldridge struggled in his San Antonio debut by shooting 4-of-12 from the floor for 11 points.

In their next matchup on March 12 at the AT&T Center, the Spurs rallied for a 93-85 victory as San Antonio limited OKC to 36 points in the second half. The Thunder were limited to 38% shooting as Durant and Westbrook combined to make 16-of-41 attempts from the floor, while the team knocked down only 2-of-18 shots from three-point range. San Antonio didn’t perform better from downtown by hitting 4-of-24 attempts from long range, while the Spurs won in spite of their starting backcourt of Danny Green and Tony Parker scoring nine points on 1-of-14 shooting.

The final two meetings weren’t fair assessments as important players on each side rested. On March 26 in Oklahoma City, the Spurs sat Parker, Aldridge, Leonard, and Tim Duncan as the Thunder ripped the Spurs, 111-92 to easily cash as 12 ½-point favorites. In the last matchup in San Antonio on April 12, the Spurs held off the Thunder in overtime, 102-98. Oklahoma City covered as 13-point underdogs in spite of Durant and Westbrook sitting out, as the Thunder finished with a perfect 4-0 ATS record against San Antonio this season.

San Antonio and Oklahoma City have turned into postseason rivals over the last few seasons, as the two teams met for the Western Conference championship in 2012 and 2014. The Thunder erased a 2-0 series deficit to beat the Spurs in four straight games to capture the franchise’s first conference title in Oklahoma City back in 2012 before OKC lost in five games of the NBA Finals to Miami. The Spurs picked up revenge two seasons later by eliminating the Thunder in six games of the Western finals, while closing out the series in overtime at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The Thunder haven’t had much luck at the AT&T Center in the postseason by compiling a 1-5 SU and 2-4 ATS record in the last six playoff games at San Antonio. In the 2014 conference finals, the Spurs wiped out the Thunder in all three home contests with the margin of victory being 17, 35, and 28 points. Oklahoma City took care of its business at home in the last two series against San Antonio by winning and covering five of six games, including the series clincher in Game 6 of the 2012 conference finals.

VegasInsider.com editorial director and NBA expert Chris David provides some interesting notes on Oklahoma City in the underdog role, “The Thunder have been installed as an underdog 11 times this season and they went 1-10 in those games. Coincidentally, the lone win came at Utah and the only reason Oklahoma City was an underdog is because Durant was a game-time decision and he was inserted into the starting lineup late. In the 10 losses, OKC was 3-6-1 ATS (33%) and that number right there could have you buying the Spurs.”

The Spurs lost only one home game this season and David doesn’t see San Antonio slowing up at the Alamo, “Another reason to back San Antonio in Game 1 is based on its success at home in the playoffs. The club has gone 23-7 SU and 19-11 ATS in its last 30 games at the AT&T Center and that includes a run of 13 straight wins in the series opener at home. The last time San Antonio dropped its first home game in a playoff series came in the 2011 NBA Playoffs when Memphis knocked them out in six games of their first round series.”

From a totals perspective, David points out that the contrasting styles complicate things for bettors, “The total for Game 1 opened 202 ½ and early action has dropped the number as low as 200 ½ at a few major offshore shops. Similar to analyzing the side, your decision for the total on this matchup will come down to the Spurs top-ranked defense (92.3 PPG) against the second best offense in Oklahoma City (110.3 PPG).”

So what will prevail? “The ‘under’ went 3-1 in the four regular season matchups between the pair and in the lone meaningful game in San Antonio, the Spurs captured an ugly 93-85 win. Including two easy winners in the first round versus Memphis, the Spurs have watched the ‘under’ go 8-2 in their last 10 home playoff games. In the 2014 playoff matchup between OKC and San Antonio, the ‘under’ went 4-2 with totals ranging from 206 ½ to 210,” David notes.

The Spurs are listed as a -270 favorite to advance to the Western Conference finals (Bet $270 to win $100). The Thunder have proven in the past that they can rebound from an early series deficit against the Spurs, as Oklahoma City enters this series at +225 to knock out San Antonio (Bet $100 to win $225). San Antonio is right behind Golden State for the top spot to win the NBA championship, as the Spurs enter this round at 2/1 odds to capture their sixth title in franchise history.

NBA Odds: Conference Semifinals Game 1 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Just one NBA game on Saturday this week and I don't write Sunday for Monday -- we all need one day off -- so I'll switch up a bit here in my Opening Line Report and look at the series opener on Saturday between Oklahoma City and San Antonio and Monday's Game 1 between Atlanta and Cleveland. Entering Friday, those are the only two second-round matchups that are locked in; I expect two first-round series on Friday to conclude but think the third, Raptors-Pacers, will go to a Game 7 on Sunday. As for these two series, I believe one will be highly entertaining and go at least six games and the other to maybe last five. I'm guessing you know which is which.


No. 3 Thunder at No. 2 Spurs (-6.5, 201)

Think about what's on the line here. I don't even really mean this season and an expected matchup with Golden State in the Western Conference Finals. Both the Spurs and Thunder could look very different next season with a series loss here. I'm not sure Kevin Durant re-signs with OKC as a free-agent-to-be if the Thunder lose this series. It probably takes at least a trip to the NBA Finals for Durant to be assured of at least signing a one-year deal and locking his future to Russell Westbrook's after next season. The Spurs, meanwhile, could be saying goodbye to likely future Hall of Famers Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili if they lose this series. But might both put off retirement if the Spurs win the NBA title? After all, the team has yet to repeat. Interesting questions. It's the third time these two have met in the playoffs, and the previous two were in the West Finals. OKC won in 2012 and San Antonio in 2014.

San Antonio destroyed the injury-ravaged Grizzlies in Round 1 in a four-game sweep with a point differential of plus-88. That's one of the highest in NBA history for a sweep. The Thunder lost one game to Dallas when Durant and Westbrook really struggled -- OKC scored just 84 points in that loss but at least 108 in every other game -- but otherwise won each by at least 11 points. Both the Spurs and Thunder are very well rested and healthy. Can't wait to see two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard draped on Durant all series. Durant shot only 39 percent against the Spurs with Leonard on the floor during the regular season and 58 percent when he wasn't on the court. The Spurs and Thunder split four meetings. Throw out the most recent two as key players were rested on one side in each. The first meeting was the season opener and the second in a back-to-back setting for OKC. There's little question the Spurs are the better overall team, so this series will depend largely on what Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter are going to do. With Leonard suffocating Durant and the Spurs to swarm Westbrook when he's in the lane , that means there will be open shots for everyone else. If the Thunder get to 100 points against the NBA's top defense, they probably win. If not, Spurs do.

Series line: Spurs -300, Thunder +250

Key trends: The Thunder are 4-0 against the spread in the past four meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in four of the past five.

Early lean: Spurs and under.

No. 4 Hawks at No. 1 Cavaliers (-7.5, 201)

These teams met in last year's East Finals and the Cavaliers swept, with really only one game that close. It should be noted the Hawks were a bit beaten up then, specifically Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll, who is now in Toronto. Then again, the Cavs didn't have Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving played in only two games and was very limited in them. LeBron James killed Atlanta in that series, averaging 30.3 points, 11 rebounds and 9.3 assists. A whopping 60.9 percent of his baskets came within five feet of the basket while he shot just 32.1 percent outside of that range. This Hawks team is much better defensively -- it entered the playoffs ranked first in the NBA in points allowed per possession since Dec. 15 -- if not quite as good offensively. But clearly the goal will be to make LeBron a jump-shooter again.

Atlanta surprised me with how thoroughly dominant it was in finishing off the Celtics in Game 6 in Boston on Thursday night, 104-92. It was the Hawks' first playoff series win over Boston since the St. Louis Hawks beat Boston in the 1958 Finals. Atlanta blew it open with a 39-point third quarter in which it shot 74 percent from the field. I still wonder how different that series might have been if Boston guard Avery Bradley hadn't gotten hurt. The one concern for Atlanta was that point guard Jeff Teague rolled his ankle but did play through it if not quite 100 percent.

Perhaps the Hawks can steal Game 1 since the potentially rusty Cavaliers have been off since sweeping out Detroit last Sunday. The Hawks were swept by Cleveland this season, dropping the three meetings by an average of almost 10 points (109.3 to 99.7). The Cavs scored 109 or more in each and outshot the Hawks 45.1 percent to 40.7 percent.

Series line: Cavaliers -450, Hawks +375

Key trends: The Hawks were 20-20-1 ATS on the road this season and 19-22 O/U. The Cavs were 20-21 ATS at home during the season and 22-19 O/U. The Cavs were 3-0 ATS vs. the Hawks in the regular season and 2-1 O/U.

Early lean: Cavaliers and over.

Mohawk: Saturday 4/30 Analysis
By Garnet Barnsdale

DRF HARNESS

Race 1 - $30,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool

Race 4 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

20-CENT PICK 5: 1,2,3,8/6/2,3/1,2,3,5/4,5,6,10 = $25.60

EARLY PICK 4: 1,2,3,5/4,5,6,10/1,6/1 = $32

LATE PICK 4: 1,2,5,6,7/2,6,7/5,7,9/7 = $45

MEET STATS: 42 - 121 / $236.70 BEST BETS: 8 - 12 / $37.60

SPOT PLAYS: 2 - 12 / $7.10

Best Bet: JINS SHARK (2nd)

Spot Play: SOMEWHERE FANCY (11th)


Race 1

(2) TOPVILLE CHEETAH made an early power move last week on her way to a new life's mark. These are tougher but she can contend with the dramatic improvement she has shown in her last two and will be a better price here. (3) ARTIAWITCHTOYOU almost scored a big upset on her season debut and will likely be more forwardly placed early here. (1) TERRORCAM was hung the mile last time now draws inside which gives her a much better chance.

Race 2

(6) JINS SHARK has won twice under wraps since shipping north after being bought privately, last week setting a new life's mark. His versatility should make him extra tough here. (5) VELOCITY DRIVEN should get a better spot early leaving from the middle of the gate and he will be passing most of these down the lane if given a reasonable trip. (1) NEWBIE has been a win machine this season but will need to turn up his game a notch to challenge the choice here.

Race 3

(2) SOME GOLD was getting good at the end of last year when turned out and brings a couple of good qualifiers with him for one of the country's best trainers of young horses. I'll give him the nod over (3) SHOCKING IMAGE, an interesting maiden entry who paced much faster in his April 21 qualifier than he ever has in a race for a purse. (1) WAR N MUNN tired and drifted out badly last week which makes me want to try to beat him at a short price here.

Race 4

(2) HOUSE OF TERROR was absolutely flying in the final 1/16th of the mile last week. He is clearly very sharp right now and will likely be sent for a much better position early; top call. (3) CROCADILE CANYON saved his energy for one big late charge and he too was flying late. He gets to drop in class here and is very dangerous. (5) SHADES OF BAY has been razor-sharp at Mohawk and is a threat here from on or near the lead.

Race 5

(6) SOLAR SISTER comes off a big sophomore campaign where she banked more than $500K. This isn't the easiest spot to make her 2016 debut but she is fast and classy and should contend right away. (10) WAASMULA is in tremendous form and may even be able to overcome this post considering how sharp she is. (4) MARLEE B is freshened and should get a good trip on cover here. This is a race with several contenders and possibilities.

Race 6

(1) CROWN CLASSIC made two moves on her way to an easy win in her return race and can double up here if she stays flat. (6) HURRICANE HAZEL went a big trip last week but was nailed late by a repeat winner and she is a top contender here. (3) YANKEE PUZZLE moves inside a bit and can contend here, especially if asked for more speed earlier in the mile.

Race 7

(1) MUCH ADOO went a big trip last week despite having missed five weeks. She should be sharper here returning in seven days; top call. (8) SOUTHWIND GEISHA has thrived at Mohawk and will be a better price here. She is a threat despite the outer post. (2) MAPLELEA should be better tonight with last week's tightener under her belt.

Race 8

(7) RENEGADE MAGIC has reached her best form now and will be a better price here with the move into non-winners of three; slight nod. (5) ELDORADO OF GOLD S was a sharp winner last week after having galloped for the entire mile two back. He is a contender but is erratic. (6) DUH BUBBEES is capable of a much better result if placed on or near the front and offers some potential exotics value here.

Race 9

(7) GERRIES SPORT was an impressive winner first time out for Moreau last week and can double up here. (6) INSPIRATION VIEW won his first three starts at two so is obviously capable off the shelf; using. (2) FLAHERTY gamely held on late in the mile last week and is another obvious contender here.

Race 10

(7) ELLIS PARK has been as sharp as he gets in his last two starts and could trip out here. I'll call him to upset last year's 'O Brien winner for Horse of the Year - (9) STATE TREASURER - who is obviously the best horse but also has bigger fish to fry down the road. Note that the latter was 6th and 3rd in his first two starts last year. (5) ARTHUR BLUE CHIP has been racing very well down south and his good form should transfer well here.

Race 11

(7) SOMEWHERE FANCY was forced to pace a 26 3/5 third 1/4 last week when he couldn't fish out cover and it cost him late. He should take this if provided with a slightly better trip. (2) CHEYENNE REIDER drops and should get a good pace to close into. (4) WAZZUP WAZZUP likely gets sent for the front at some point of this mile on the class drop and will have to be caught. (5) DALTON BROMAC N makes his second start off a vet scratch and gets post and class relief. All of those factors make him a contender here. (3) SHADOW PLACE also drops and could stick around for a slice here.

Meadowlands: Saturday 4/30 Analysis
By Derick Giwner

DRF HARNESS

Race 1 - $30,000 Guaranteed Pick Five Pool

Race 3 - $25,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

Race 7 - $50,000 Guaranteed Pick Four Pool

MEET STATS: 165 - 561 / $965.20 (-$156.80) BEST BETS: 20 - 42 / $81.80 (-$2.20)

Best Bet: WESTERN FAME (5th)

Spot Play: MEL MARA (7th)


Race 1

(5) MR D’S DRAGON found himself in a tough spot for his 3-year-old debut and clearly came up a bit short in the late stages. With that start under his belt, the results should improve. (2) ROLL N CATCH has come back to the races in a new barn off two easy qualifying wins; worth a look in the post parade. (7) CARLOS DANGER is another making his debut for a new barn. American Ideal-sired colt kept good company last year.

Race 2

(3) AMPED UP was left with too much to do for the second start in a row last Saturday. I’m expecting (and hoping) that Callahan will have him closer tonight. (6) RESTLESS NATIVE chased a fast pace and raced well in his first start for the Richard Johnson barn; definite shot tonight. (2) PRINCE PINANG won at the $10k claiming level last week and deserves respect.

Race 3

(2) CITY HALL took care of business as the public’s choice when last seen at this level. I give him a good shot to best possible favorite (1) FOUR STARZZZ Z, who could be controlling the action despite moving up in class. (4) KIWI IDEAL N arrives for a barn that hasn’t been allowed to enter here since 2014. Maybe the big track will perk this guy up.

Race 4

(5) BACKDRAFT HANOVER sees his claiming price cut by 25% tonight and you can bet he’ll revert to on-the-lead tactics. (6) STORMIN RUSTLER was gunned to the front and simply went too fast last time. He drops back down tonight and can take a picture. (8) CAMWISER & (7) MEDOLAND JATE are both sharp and have a chance if the trip works out in their favor.

Race 5

(5) WESTERN FAME finished second last time versus a nice-looking youngster in Lyons Snyder. Tonight he faces a blank field and should roll at 3-5. (2) SOSSY’S KING KONG was facing tough foes in the Weiss at Pocono and can be competitive in here. (8) MENTIRA has some early speed and can hang out for a share.

Race 6

(6) JACKSRLUCKYTOO didn’t exactly have a great trip while facing much better foes than are signed up to this week’s NW11750. I wouldn’t go so far as to say he is a lock, but this looks like a very good spot. (4) RAINBOW ROMANCE N has looked good in limited U.S. action and we’ve all seen how good Down Under imports have been this year. (1) CONCERT ARTIST shows some good lines at Rosecroft. Let’s see how that translates to the Big M.

Race 7

(7) MEL MARA has been closing very well from impossible spots late. Seven-year-old finds himself in a new barn this week and I wouldn’t be shocked if he came up with a big mile. (6) NATIONAL SEELSTER has every right to be sharper in his second start of 2016. Ryder trainee has ability and needs to show more before heading off to stakes assignments. (2) MY HERO RON has a few starts under him now and could be ready for a peak effort. (3) REAL NICE has raced very well here this year.

Race 8

(2) IDEAL SON has been in some difficult spots of late and seems to have caught a soft group this week. (6) BOOK BINGE was a sharp winner in his career debut at age 4. Let’s see if he can build off that effort. (1) OLD MAN CLEARY has been racing reasonably well at Pocono.

Race 9

(1) ALEXIE MATTOSIE had his back class on display last week at the bottom condition. I don’t see any reason he can’t roll home again. (2) BIG JER chased the top one home last time and could be in line for a similar fate tonight. (5) PIECE OF THE ROCK has won two straight; clear player.

Race 10

(4) ALLSTAR LEGEND is better when he is close to the action, so last week’s line is basically a throw-out for me. He plunges to the basement condition tonight and should romp an odds-on. (6) THAT’LL BE THE REI was used in the pace scenario last time; drops tonight. (5) DR C’S Z TAM has been closing well and should get a piece in here. (1) LETTUCEROCKU A is another Cassar shipper; not sure what to expect.

Race 11

(2) OUREA NOURRIR gets post relief and while he is staying in the same class, this field came up pretty light. (3) RELENTLESS DREAMER is in one of those soft spots where his late rally can help him sweep the field. (1) BJ’S RAMEAU is coming off a really nice effort and we are getting a driver change; worth using.

Race 12

(1) ATOCHIA reaches the bottom condition at The Meadowlands after some decent efforts against better company. Classy 11-year-old should dig down deep for a win and push his career earnings over $1.8 million. (6) SOME MAJOR BEACH comes off an improved effort last time and I imagine he’ll be firing off the gate again. (3) NATHAN FEELSGOOD may have picked up some confidence at Vernon. (5) BULLVILLE KYLE finished second at this level two starts back.

Yonkers: Saturday 4/30 Analysis
By Matt Rose

DRF HARNESS

MEET STATS: 144 - 418 / $758.70

BEST BETS: 19 - 35 / $65.30

Best Bet: TWIN B HOLLISTER (10th)

Spot Play: ONE THROUGH TEN (1st)


Race 1

(4) ONE THROUGH TEN hasn't done much recently but that was facing better than he sees tonight; veteran should revert back to speed tactics from this spot. (2) FREESPIN N returns from vacation, draws well enough and could be a player. (5) MCERLEAN has missed some time after last competing in the Levy and he needs to find a way into the race.

Race 2

(1) RURAL ART was a clear second best to a heavy favorite last week and he can trip out tonight from another good post. (3) DRUNKEN DESIRE A couldn't reach in his last two; post relief should help his cause. (5) BIG N BAD is back at the level of his win three back and he's got loads of class.

Race 3

(3) SHORTSTACKED drops back to the level where he's been most competitive and he could offer some value here. (4) MAINLAND KEY N made an uncharacteristic late break after flashing speed last week; veteran hails from the potent Stratton/Tritton team. (5) SNAP TO IT A never had a chance last week; Bartlett can be more involved from this spot.

Race 4

(1) RONNY BUGATTI doesn't seem to win as often as he should but he can certainly trip out from this spot. (4) CYCLONE KIWI N was a solid two-move winner last week versus one notch lesser. (3) KEYSTONE HONOR qualified effectively and he's a decent fit with these.

Race 5

(3) GALACTIC GALLEON N has been very sharp in his last two for Vallee and he seems capable with a live trip. (5) ROCK ON MOE gets some post relief after being unable to reach last week and he's got a proven history here. (1) SOHO JACKMAN A has gone evenly in his last two; he needs to step up his game a bit to hit the top spot.

Race 6

(7) DOMETHATAGAIN held well for third chasing Wiggle It Jiggleit in the Levy consolation last week; Allard trainee may need a bit of help from this outside spot but he certainly is capable. (5) POLAK A failed in the Levy but was a terror in his Open starts prior. (3) MISTER BLING A just missed after a solid try in his U.S debut and he must be followed.

Race 7

(4) SUNFIRE BLUE CHIP flashed good speed last week versus better but lacked needed late punch; note that three back he was a winner at this level at 1/5. (1) KINGS BARNS has been a new horse since moving to the Allard barn. (5) SOHO LENNON A has been rock-solid in his three U.S. starts.

Race 8

(7) MELADY'S MONET was snapped on the wire last week after cutting the pace; he will likely have another clear path to the front and can rebound. (6) LUMINOSITY was never involved last out; I suspect he'll be forwardly placed tonight. (8) MAJOR ATHENS looks for two in a row but the far outside post will certainly complicate matters.

Race 9

(1) STOLEN CAR sports a nice win record this year after being shut out in 2015 and with the move back inside he looms a big player. (5) GHOST PINE gave way on the front end last out after taking the money; he's been sharp recently and deserves another look at an improved price. (4) FOOL ME ONCE is back up in class off an easy win but he loses Bartlett tonight.

Race 10

(1) TWIN B HOLLISTER gets the all-important combo of class and post relief; down the road. (4) GIVENUPDREAMING follows the same pattern as the top choice and he will be more aggressively handled. (2) SOMETHING FOR DOC exits a good try versus lesser.

Race 11

(1) CLINT WESTWOOD was a winner three back at this level when last inside; the major post relief makes him a major player. (5) WESTERN ROCKSTAR A didn't go the smoothest of trips last week being used hard to the front; Sears is back driving. (7) FORTY FIVE RED jogged in last and I have to assume he'll be trying to fire from the gate.

Race 12

(4) GREAT VINTAGE was a dominating winner last out and clearly can repeat facing slightly tougher. (2) THE REAL ONE hasn't really gotten underway yet this year but I have to assume the ship will be righted soon. (5) SAPPHIRE CITY clearly fits with these and he's coming off two solid front-end efforts.

SPOT PLAYS

For Saturday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Belmont Park (4th) True Charm, 7-2
(9th) Gee Pea Ess, 7-2

Belterra Park (2nd) Justfollowmylead, 7-2
(8th) Mercer Slough, 3-1

Churchill Downs (6th) Forty Grinder, 4-1
(9th) Fervent, 7-2


Emerald Downs (2nd) Bet the Harbor, 3-1
(6th) Mister Breeze, 5-1


Evangeline Downs (3rd) Miss Toga, 4-1
(10th) Brilliantbydesign, 7-2


Finger Lakes (2nd) A Chip and a Chair, 6-1
(6th) B E Boston Strong, 4-1


Golden Gate Fields (2nd) Loveintheshadows, 8-1
(6th) Compratore, 7-2


Gulfstream Park (5th) Smorgasbord, 4-1
(8th) Battle Red, 7-2


Hawthorne (3rd) Hero's Highway, 6-1
(8th) Sunny Surprise, 9-2


Indiana Grand (6th) Colbyville, 3-1
(8th) Reeder, 8-1


Laurel Park (2nd) Holiday Mousse, 4-1
(5th) Two Term Leader, 4-1


Lone Star Park (6th) Exothermic, 3-1
(9th) Shotgun, 9-2


Los Alamitos (4th) Trinitys Turn, 9-2
(9th) River Hoss, 6-1


Mountaineer (2nd) Tour for Love, 3-1
(7th) Olympic Smoke, 3-1


Parx Racing (3rd) Hot Feet, 9-2
(4th) Swiss Rosalee, 5-1


Penn National (3rd) Desert Jewel, 9-2
(4th) Misses Knight, 3-1


Prairie Meadows (2nd) Ransom Canyon, 8-1
(6th) Listen You Fool, 9-2


Tampa Bay Downs (5th) Tiz Away, 4-1
(7th) Long to Win, 5-1


Thistledown (2nd) Draw Nigh, 7-2
(6th) Star Mabee, 3-1


Turf Paradise (6th) Attack Mode, 7-2
(8th) Saturdaynitelites, 4-1


Woodbine (4th) Not Asteroid, 6-1
(6th) Bear Skinned, 3-1

Overachieving AL Pitchers
By Joe Nelson

Starting pitching is the biggest component of MLB handicapping and as the first month of the season winds down there are some surprising pitchers off to great starts. Here are a few American League starters with great results through the first few weeks that may be worth fading as their valuation grows.

Mat Latos - Chicago White Sox: Latos looked like one of the NL’s better young pitchers a few years ago with the Padres before having a few moderately successful seasons in Cincinnati. After bouncing around last season with few positive outings, Latos was signed for a very cheap one-year deal by the White Sox last winter. That deal has already paid off with Latos 4-0 with a 0.74 ERA for the surprising White Sox who lead the AL Central.

Three of his four starts have come against three of the five worst scoring teams in the AL at this point and Latos is sporting a FIP nearly three runs higher than his ERA. He has benefitted from an unbelievable .167 BABIP in allowing just 13 hits in over 24 innings of work while producing just 13 strikeouts. With matchups with the Orioles, Red Sox and Rangers in the next few weeks, Latos and the rest of the White Sox pitching staff could see lesser results ahead.

Ian Kennedy - Kansas City Royals: The 2015 World Series champions didn’t make much of an off-season splash with the signing of Kennedy being one of the biggest moves. Kennedy has good numbers through four starts with a 2.77 ERA and 23 strikeouts, but he faced struggling Minnesota and Houston offenses in his first two outings. The numbers have deteriorated a bit in his last two starts and he has already walked nine batters in 26 innings of work. Kennedy has been fortunate to allow only 20 hits this season while standing runners on base at an extremely high rate.

After posting marginal numbers pitching for San Diego the past two seasons, Kennedy isn’t likely to find better results this season moving back to the AL. In the early going, Kansas City’s great bullpen hasn’t been as effective as the past two seasons as the prices on Kennedy may be a bit too high in certain matchups ahead.

Jordan Zimmermann - Detroit Tigers: Zimmermann didn’t endear himself to Tigers fans over the winter as the Wisconsin native made a celebratory tweet after the improbable Packers win over the Lions, but given his first month results all may be forgiven. Zimmermann is 4-0 with a miniscule 0.35 ERA in his move to the AL after several successful but often injury plagued seasons with Washington. Zimmermann only has 16 strikeouts in 26 innings and he has allowed 22 hits despite allowing just one earned run in four starts.

Zimmermann’s past results command respect on the betting line, but his tiny ERA may push those prices even higher even with the Tigers looking like an erratic group in the first month of the season. Zimmermann should have a good season, but he isn’t likely to stay on the Cy Young radar for much longer and fading him while his numbers are among the best in the league will present the best value.

Cole Hamels – Texas Rangers: Hamels is 3-0 this season with the Rangers with a solid 2.52 ERA and a pretty strong strikeout rate. This was after fairly mixed results joining the Rangers last August for the playoff push. Quality starting pitchers don’t sign with the Rangers as the ballpark has been known to take a toll which is why the Rangers were willing to give up so much to get Hamels last summer with his contract going through 2018. So far this season it looks like a shrewd move as Hamels has handled being the staff ace until Yu Darvish can return even though the 2015 AL West champions have had inconsistent results so far this season.

Hamels owns a FIP of 5.14 through four starts, or more than twice his ERA, as he has lacked the precise control he has enjoyed much of his career, already walking 11 so far this season. Hamels has allowed four home runs and 20 hits despite surrendering only seven runs in 25 innings of work as he has been pretty fortunate in the early going. Hamels is capable of having a solid season even in Arlington, but he will look like a risk as a heavy favorite in a ballpark where scoring is commonplace especially with a couple of teams that can handle left-handers in the division.

Overachieving NL Pitchers
By Joe Nelson

Starting pitching is the biggest component of MLB handicapping and as the first month of the season winds down there are some surprising pitchers off to great starts. Here are a few National League starters with great results through the first few weeks that may be worth fading as their valuation grows.

Jason Hammel - Chicago Cubs: With Jake Arrieta’s continued dominance and veterans Jon Lester and John Lackey behind him the Cubs rotation looks formidable. There are some questions on the backend but so far this season, Jason Hammel has delivered great results for the Cubs with a 3-0 record and a 0.75 ERA that is among the best marks in baseball. The 33-year old has bounced around through four organizations while never winning more than 10 games in a season and it looks unlikely that 2016 will be his breakthrough season.

Hammel has been fortunate in the early going stranding over 92 percent of base runners and his xFIP is more than 4 times higher than his ERA. Hammel has walked nine batters in 24 innings of work and he won’t get to face a Reds lineup that he has 12 scoreless innings against all season. On a loaded Cubs team, Hammel can continue to provide useful innings but with Chicago’s great record, Hammel is likely to face favorite valuation that he won’t deserve.

Gio Gonzalez - Washington Nationals: In his first season with the Nationals in 2012, Gonzalez won 21 games with a 2.89 ERA to finish 3rd in the Cy Young voting. He has just 33 wins in the three-plus seasons since producing rather average results that have worsened slightly each season. Gonzalez was never suspended, but he was linked to the Biogenesis documents and now on the wrong side of 30 it seems unlikely that Gonzalez will ever reemerge as a frontline starter.

Washington and Gonzalez have had a great April, but they have faced an incredibly weak schedule and the four starts for Gonzalez have come against the Braves, Phillies, and Twins with three of those four starts at home. Gonzalez has 25 strikeouts in just over 25 innings of work, but he has benefitted from a .243 BABIP at this point in the season and it feels like an unsustainable pace for the left-hander who will face much tougher lineups in the coming weeks.

Jimmy Nelson - Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers aren’t expected to hold up well in the loaded NL Central, but Nelson has been a bright spot in the 8-12 start through 20 games. Nelson won 11 games last season in making 30 starts for a struggling team and in five outings in 2016 he owns solid numbers with a 3.16 ERA with 25 strikeouts. He is walking more than four batters per nine innings and he owns a FIP of 5.35, more than two runs higher than his ERA at this point in the season. Nelson has allowed at least two runs in every start as he has rarely been dominant and he has already allowed six home runs.

Nelson is just 26 and he may continue to be the best option in the Milwaukee rotation, but he will likely earn the highest line valuation of the Milwaukee starters as well. With a manageable schedule in the month of May, he may continue to be viable for a few more weeks but don’t expect to see Nelson among the NL pitching leaders by season’s end.

Ross Stripling - Los Angeles Dodgers: With the many early season injuries on the Los Angeles pitching staff, Stripling has had a chance to join the rotation this and he has made the most of it. The 26-year old right-hander didn’t enter the season as even one of the top 10 prospects for the club and he has never even pitched at the AAA level after mediocre results moving up from A to AA in the middle of last season. Stripling might never have even made the big leagues if not for all the holes in the rotation and he incredibly got 22 outs in his major league debut without allowing a hit. He was pulled from the game and no-hitter was lost by the bullpen and predictably the results have been less impressive in this three starts since.

Since his great debut start, Stripling has allowed 19 hits in 15 innings and he has allowed more than four walks per nine innings. He doesn’t get a great deal of ground balls as it is surprising that he has only allowed one home run but making three of his four starts at Dodger Stadium and AT&T Park helps the cause. Hyun-Jin Ryu and Michael Bolsinger are poised to return to the club in the coming weeks with Brandon McCarthy a possibility to be back mid-summer as well as Stripling isn’t likely to keep this position much longer regardless of the results.

Preview: Braves (5-17) at Cubs (16-5)

Game: 2
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: April 30, 2016 2:20 PM EDT

Quality depth is one reason the Chicago Cubs have some lofty expectations for 2016.

With two prominent players on the disabled list and another ailing, Saturday is another opportunity for the Cubs to tap into their resources while trying for an eighth straight victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves.

Reserve outfielder Matt Szczur hit his first grand slam to highlight a five-run eighth inning in Chicago's fourth straight win, 6-1 on Friday.

In addition to those heroics, backup Javier Baez doubled and scored while starting at third base in place of Kris Bryant (ankle). With another pinch-hit, Tommy La Stella improved to 6 for 9 with a homer and four doubles in his last five games.

"We just come ready to play," manager Joe Maddon said. "A couple of guys were out and the guys that stood in there for them did outstanding work.

"It's all really good stuff."

After spending the past two seasons between the majors and minors, Szczur has become an asset with slugger Kyle Schwarber on the DL. Much like Baez, who could see more time while the Cubs (17-5) remain cautious with Bryant.

"I appreciate (Maddon) giving me chances to succeed," said Szczur, who is 3 for his last 9. "I take pride in that, and I think all of our bench players take pride in that. That's why we're doing so well."

Veteran catcher David Ross is 5 for 16 with two homers and five RBIs in his last five games, and he's no longer relegated to the role of personal catcher for Jon Lester with Miguel Montero also on the DL.

After Lester allowed a run and struck out 10 over seven innings Friday, John Lackey (3-1, 4.97 ERA) hopes to bounce back from giving up six runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings of last Saturday's 13-5 loss at Cincinnati.

Yielding that many runs for the second time in his four starts, Lackey wants to be more aggressive - especially with two strikes.

"Sometimes you can almost throw too many strikes," the right-hander told MLB's official website. "Maybe need to make some people a little more uncomfortable."

Freddie Freeman homered for one of Atlanta's seven hits Friday. Batting .339 in 14 games since going 2 for 25 in the first eight, Freeman has hit three of the Braves' five home runs this year.

Atlanta (5-18) has scored 75 runs while the Cubs' run differential is a major league-best plus-79. It's been outscored 44-16 in the last seven with Chicago.

The Braves totaled 10 runs while losing all five starts made by Julio Teheran (0-3, 4.60). The right-hander, though, has kept his team in the last two while giving up three runs over 12 1/3 innings. One of those runs was issued over seven of Monday's 1-0 loss to Boston.

"That was the first time that I've felt like that this year," Teheran said. "I felt like I had everything working."

He's 2-0 with a 3.82 ERA in five starts against the Cubs.

Anthony Rizzo is 2 for 13 with a homer when facing Teheran, but he's batting .310 with five home runs and 13 RBIs in the last eight games.