CNOTES June MLB POD'S and Stats,News !

[h=1]Capping the calendar: June's best and worst MLB pitchers[/h]





The MLB calendar flips to June and we look at which pitchers perform well in the third month of the schedule and which ones run out of gas in June.

Listed below are hurlers that have enjoyed a 2-to-1 or better success ratio in team starts the last three seasons during the month of June. On the flip side, we’ve also listed pitchers that struggle in June team starts, winning 33 percent or less of their efforts. To qualify pitchers must have made a minimum of 10 starts with at least one start each June over the last three years.

GOOD JUNE PITCHERS

Joe Blanton, Los Angeles Angels • 7-3

This might take a leap of faith to back the Angels right-hander who is on pace to have the worst year of career. If he’s going to help his team the rest of the season, giving up over 1.5 hits per innings pitched has to change immediately. Maybe turning the calendar will help.

Clay Buchholz, Boston Red Sox • 11-1

Buchholz begins this month after missing a start with irritation in his collarbone/AC joint. Otherwise, the Red Sox righty has done little wrong in 2013, as opposing batters are below the Mendoza Line (.200 batting average) against his tosses this year. The biggest difference is his ability to be focused for each start, which was not the case previously.

Johnny Cueto, Cincinnati Reds • 10-4

Having returned from the DL on May 20, Cueto is expected to continue what was the start of a quality campaign. Being backed with a ballclub which can score runs helps, but the Dominican native hides the ball expertly with a lively two and four-seam fastballs and a quick biting slider. Confident hurler.

Ryan Dempster, Boston Red Sox • 11-3

The 36-year-old right-hander has struggled to find his pitch location, explaining his mediocre record. The fastball has lacked the tailing action of the past and left-handed batters are squaring up his tosses more often. It’s time for Dempster to start contributing for Boston.

R.A. Dickey, Toronto Blue Jays • 12-4

The dancing knuckleball has not been there for the Cy Young winner. Consistently, Dickey has not had the same dropping action from his knuckler as last year, which is why he’s been so prone to the long ball. The conundrum is exasperated by the fact this has not happened even when he changed speeds. It is time for Dickey to start earning his wages.

Jason Hammel, Baltimore Orioles • 11-5

In spite of a solid record this year, Hammel still has an ERA over 5.00. Where he’s been generally improved is more quality starts, but when Orioles starter has an “off day”, he is hammered. If the 6-foot-6 right-hander can maintain the same win percentage in June as in the past, manager Buck Showalter will take it.

Tommy Hanson, Arizona Diamondbacks • 12-2

Has been on the restricted list and on May 25 threw a five-inning, 75-pitch simulated game in Arizona and appears to be on the verge of rejoining the Angels' staff. With the Angels’ recent play; they would really like to have one of their main starters back to strengthen the rotation and the bullpen. Having Hanson put together another hot June would be a big plus.

Ubaldo Jimenez, Cleveland Indians • 11-5

No longer the mid-to-upper 90’s pitcher from his Colorado days, Jimenez is a back of the rotation starter for Cleveland, capable of two or three solid outings in a row and then struggle with his complicated delivery and be tagged. Always the key for this 29 year old is not walking batters, since that is when things unravel.

Mat Latos, Cincinnati Reds • 12-4

Since arriving in Cincinnati, Latos has grown up and pitched with greater maturity. He is less bothered with mistakes and moves on to the next pitch instead of dwelling on what happened two batters ago. Could reach the next level as a pitcher if he develops a better plan for going through the lineup the third and fourth time.

Jon Niese, New York Mets • 13-4

Not having a very good season on a below average club, Niese has started to focus on himself. The lefty has developed bad mechanics, leaning to the side and forward in his delivery instead of being straight up. The Mets year is probably lost, but Niese can turn it around by doing what he does best with his drop-and-drive motion.

David Price, Tampa Bay Rays • 12-5

Price has been on the DL since May 15 with a left triceps strain in the midst of his worst professional season. Maybe the rest will help and the velocity will return for the current AL Cy Young winner. Hard to imagine Tampa Bay makes the playoffs without Price finishing the year strong when he returns.

C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees • 14-2

For really the first time, the Yankees big man is starting to show some mileage. Sabathia’s batting average allowed is on a pace for a career-worst and he is well ahead of surrendering the most home runs of his storied career (11 to this point; 22 HR is previous high). The fastball has lost a couple of miles per hour and his slurvy breaking pitches have not yet had the usual bite. Nonetheless, he’s still C.C. and chances are he will figure out how to win more games.

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers • 14-3

After a couple of domineering years, Detroit’s ace has been ordinary by his standards in 2013. Verlander is permitting a hit an inning, something he has not done since his breakout year in 2006. His past suggests he could return to his usual productive ways at any moment and this is typically a sendoff point for him.

Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels • 8-4

The tall, lanky Halos hurler is back from a broken left elbow and is expected to do what he throughout his career, win nearly two out three decisions (102-53 record). This premier starter works all four corners of the strike zone like a surgeon.

C.J. Wilson, Los Angeles Angels • 14-1

Interesting to note there are four Anaheim starters on this list, thus if history is a predictor of the future, the Halos could have a monster June. A little hesitant at first being an ace when Weaver was injured, the left-hander looked more comfortable as time wore on and at least looked the part. Has owned this month.

BAD JUNE PITCHERS

Jeremy Guthrie, Kansas City Royals • 3-10

After setting a Kansas City franchise-record with 17 consecutive starts without a loss, Guthrie was roughed up the latter part of May and seen his ERA begin to return to career norms. Unless the Royals offense displays the ability to score like they did in sharp 17-10 start to the season, it is going to be difficult to back Guthrie.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies • 5-12

The Phillies’ left-hander has already lost more games (8) than all of last season (6). After a rocky start, Hamels’ ERA has been in the mid-four’s since late April and though run support has been an issue from time to time, his yo-yo performances have made a bad situation worse. Hamels’ unusually high ERA at home (5.35) is what has really hurt him and finishing above .500 could be quite a task.

Justin Masterson, Cleveland Indians • 5-10

Playing on his best team since joining Cleveland, Masterson is trending positively. The Jamaican-born sidearm pitcher is at career-lows in batting average allowed and WHIP and if he can surpass the problems he’s endured in past June’s, he is setting himself up for a fine campaign.

Brian Matusz, Baltimore Orioles • 4-13

Has only been used in relief by Baltimore this season and appears to have found a niche as a non-starter.

Ricky Nolasco, Miami Marlins • 5-12

The Corona, CA native is statistically having his best year since 2007, when he was 15-8 with a 3.52 ERA. Unfortunately, Nolasco can’t be expected to come close to matching the same win total, playing for an abysmal Marlins outfit. He has to be considered prime acquisition material for a contender before the season heads too much further down the road.

Anibal Sanchez, Detroit Tigers • 5-10

Unlike Nolasco, Sanchez has been saved from Miami, pitching for Detroit. More comfortable in his first full season in MoTown, Sanchez’s 5-4 record does not indicate how well he thrown for the Tigers. His previous negative numbers figure to be in the past with a championship contender.

Top 5 MLB Trends

ARI
CHC Under is 8-0-2 in Samardzijas last 10 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.

DET
BAL Over is 8-0-1 in Verlanders last 9 starts after scoring 5 runs or more in their previous game.

DET
BAL Over is 7-0-1 in Tigers last 8 vs. American League East.

HOU
LAA Under is 8-0 in Angels last 8 during game 2 of a series.

TOR
SD Over is 7-0-1 in Blue Jays last 8 interleague games vs. a left-handed starter.

Saturday FOX Tips

May 31, 2013

The Saturday baseball card showcases five terrific night matchups that will be televised regionally on FOX. The Cubs look to stay hot against the Diamondbacks, while the Cardinals and Giants hook up at Busch Stadium. We'll begin in the Bronx with the league's biggest rivalry on center stage, as the Red Sox and Yankees play for first in the AL East.

Red Sox at Yankees - 7:15 PM EST

Starting pitchers: Felix Doubront (3-2, 5.29 ERA), Phil Hughes (2-3, 4.97 ERA)

Season series: Tied at 2-2, as all four meetings took place in the Bronx. The 'over' is 2-2, with the Sox averaging 7.5 runs in the two victories, but the Yankees rebounded on Friday with a 4-1 triumph.

Last 10 overall: Boston 6-4, New York 3-7

Last 10 totals: Boston 5-3-2 to 'over,' New York 5-4-1 to 'under'

What to know: Yankees have scored three runs or less in four of the last six games. The Red Sox have won seven of their previous 11 road contests.

Giants at Cardinals - 7:15 PM EST

Starting pitchers: Madison Bumgarner (4-3, 3.12 ERA), Adam Wainwright (7-3, 2.48 ERA)

Season series: St. Louis, 2-1, as the Cardinals won the final two matchups at AT&T Park in early April. The Cards won two of three at Busch Stadium in last season's NLCS against the Giants, but San Francisco grabbed the final three games en route to a World Series title.

Last 10 overall: San Francisco 5-5, St. Louis 7-3

Last 10 totals: San Francisco 5-4-1 to 'under,' St. Louis 4-4-2 to 'over'

What to know: Giants have struggled on the road recently by dropping seven of the last eight away from AT&T Park. The Cardinals own a 7-2 record the previous nine Game 2's of a series, while splitting six games as a home favorite of -130 or less.

Reds at Pirates - 7:15 PM EST

Starting pitchers: Mike Leake (4-2, 3.02 ERA), Francisco Liriano (3-1, 2.35 ERA)

Season series: Pirates, 3-1, as Pittsburgh swept a three-game set at PNC Park in mid-April. Reds had an opportunity to avoid sweep in finale, building a 5-0 lead. However, Pirates scored 10 runs in the seventh and eight innings combined to pull off the first home sweep of the Reds since 2010. Cincinnati blanked Pittsburgh in the series opener on Friday, 4-0.

Last 10 overall: Cincinnati 7-3, Pittsburgh 8-2

Last 10 totals: Cincinnati 6-4 to 'under,' Pittsburgh 6-4 to 'under'

What to know: The Reds are just 2-5 the last seven games against left-hander starting pitching, while the Pirates have taken nine of the previous 12 contests within their division.

Nationals at Braves - 7:15 PM EST

Starting pitchers: Gio Gonzalez (3-3, 3.90 ERA), Tim Hudson (4-4, 5.37 ERA)

Season series: Braves, 5-3, as Atlanta grabbed the first five meetings this season. The two division rivals split a four-game set at Turner Field in late April/early May, as the Nationals held the Braves to a combined one run in two victories to get the split. Washington has currently won three straight against Atlanta, including a 3-2 nail-biter on Friday.

Last 10 overall: Washington 5-5, Atlanta 7-3

Last 10 totals: Washington 6-3-1 to the 'over,' Atlanta 6-4 to the 'over'

What to know: The Nationals have stumbled as a road underdog with only one victory in their last nine opportunities, while the Braves have compiled a solid 8-1 record the previous nine as a home favorite.

Diamondbacks at Cubs - 7:15 PM EST

Starting pitchers: Ian Kennedy (2-3, 4.70 ERA), Jeff Samardzija (3-6, 2.85 ERA)

Season series: Cubs won first meeting on Friday at Wrigley Field, 7-2, as the game finished 'under' the total of 11. Chicago has now taken each of the last four matchups with Arizona on the North Side.

Last 10 overall: Arizona 5-5, Chicago 5-5

Last 10 totals: Arizona 6-4 to the 'under,' Chicago 4-4-2 to the 'over'

What to know: The Diamondbacks bounce back nicely in Game 2's of a series on the road, posting a 4-1 record the last five games. The Cubs are playing well at the Friendly Confines of late with six wins in their past nine cont

Diamond Trends - Saturday

June 1, 2013


SU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Cardinals are 12-0 since September 16, 2010 at home after a loss in which they had at least five more team-lefton- base than their opponent for a net profit of $1210.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Athletics are 10-0 OU since June 04, 2008 as a favorite when they are off a game that was tied at the end of at least six separate innings win for a net profit of $1000 when playing the over.

PITCHER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- Justin Verlander has produced a team record of 15-0 since May 07, 2011 when he starts after the bullpen allowed at least three runs yesterday for a net profit of $1515.

MLB BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- Matt Cain has produced a team record of 16-0 (+$1,652) since 2012 after throwing more than 100 pitches in a win his previous start.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Dodgers are 0-8 since August 16, 2012 as a dog when they are off a win in which they never trailed for a net profit of $800 when playing against.

-- The Nationals are 0-7 since September 14, 2012 as a dog when they are off a win in which they never trailed and it is not the last game of a series for a net profit of $700 when playing against.

Preview: Rays (30-24) at Indians (29-25)
Game: 2
Venue: Progressive Field
Date: June 01, 2013 1:05 PM EDT


Fewer than 12 hours after the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Indians completed their series opener, both hope the weather will cooperate when they take the field again.

The visiting Rays look for a season-high seventh consecutive victory Saturday against the Indians.

After three rain delays totaling 4 hours, 49 minutes, Tampa Bay (30-24) recorded the final out of its 9-2 victory over Cleveland at 2:53 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday.

With the forecast for this 1:05 p.m. start as well as Sunday's contest calling for more heavy rain, the umpires felt the Friday contest would provide the best chance of completing at least one game in the set.

"It's a very awkward way to do this," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "But if you're going to stick around that long you might as well win.'

James Loney homered twice, Matt Joyce added a two-run shot and four pitchers combined on a one-hitter for the Rays, who have won 16 of 22 and went an AL-best 18-10 in May.

Tampa Bay has averaged 7.0 runs during the six-game winning streak.

Joyce has homered in back-to-back games and is batting .359 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in his last 11. Loney, hitting .331, has three of his seven home runs in the last two contests.

Chris Archer will make his season debut Saturday for the Rays against the team that selected him in the 2006 draft. The right-hander never pitched for the Indians and was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2008, then to Tampa Bay as part of the Matt Garza deal in 2011.

"This does add a little extra, but it's not super over-the-top or anything," Archer told the Rays' official website of facing Cleveland. "I know there are some coaches in the Indians organization who always want to see me succeed and do well, so to come up here and play in front of them is going to be pretty cool."

Archer made his major league debut last season when he went 1-3 with a 4.60 ERA in six games - four starts - for the Rays. He was 5-3 with a 3.96 ERA in 10 starts for Triple-A Durham this year.

"It really comes down to throwing your fastball for a strike," Maddon said. "He has a really good breaking ball, slider, a really good changeup. Physically, he can compete here. Mentally, he can compete here. His pitch ability needs to increase a little bit."

He'll face a Cleveland team that has lost eight of 11 and managed only Ryan Raburn's RBI double Friday. The Indians (29-25) totaled 12 runs and 20 hits in two straight home wins over Cincinnati.

Ubaldo Jimenez (3-3, 5.57 ERA) has gone 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA in his last three starts, but has allowed two runs each time in two of those. The most recent time was Monday, when he gave up four hits in seven innings and didn't get a decision in a 4-2 road loss to the Reds.

"I was trying to go after hitters and that's what I did,' said Jimenez, who allowed a leadoff homer to former teammate Shin-Soo Choo.

The right-hander has gone 2-1 with a 3.93 ERA in three starts against the Rays.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Rays at Indians
Fri, May 31 Final 9 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Rays at Indians
Sat, Jun 1 - 1:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Rays at Indians
Sun, Jun 2 - 1:05PM EDT

Preview: Mariners (24-31) at Twins (23-29)
Game: 2
Venue: Target Field
Date: June 01, 2013 1:10 PM EDT


It's been nearly a month since the Seattle Mariners won three in a row.

They could change Saturday at Target Field against the Minnesota Twins if Aaron Harang delivers like he did earlier this week.

After dropping a season-high eight straight, Seattle (24-31) won four of six to close out May. Friday's 3-0 series-opening victory was the Mariners' ninth win in 10 games against the Twins (23-29).

Winner of eight of 11 in Minneapolis, Seattle will go for its first 3-0 stretch since May 1-4 with Harang (2-5, 6.51 ERA) coming off one of the best starts of his career. The right-hander threw a four-hitter with a season-best eight strikeouts in Monday's 9-0 home win over San Diego for his first shutout and complete game since 2009.

"The big thing was coming out and pounding the strike zone and getting ahead in the count," he said.

Harang's only start against the Twins came during his 2002 rookie season with Oakland.

Kevin Correia (5-4, 3.96) will get the ball for Minnesota, which had its four-game winning streak snapped Friday. The club was on a 5-1 run after dropping a season-high 10 straight.

Correia had an encouraging start his last time out, throwing six innings of three-run ball - all on solo homers - in Monday's 6-3 win at Milwaukee to avoid a third consecutive losing start.

"I was kind of off in the first,' he said after escaping a bases-loaded, no out jam. "... I felt great the rest of the game.'

The right-hander, though, didn't have a great May, finishing 2-3 with a 6.26 ERA after going 3-1 with a 2.23 ERA in five April starts.

Correia is 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA in two starts versus Seattle, with the last coming in 2010 while with San Diego.

He can expect to face Kendrys Morales for the first time. Morales has homered in back-to-back games and is batting .417 (20 for 48) with 14 RBIs in the last 11 contests.

"He's been phenomenal the last couple of weeks," said Kyle Seager, who scored on Morales' two-run homer Friday.

Morales has started at first base the last six games in place of the injured Justin Smoak (strained right oblique), who likely won't return to the lineup until Sunday at the earliest.

Michael Morse's availability this weekend is also in question. Morse, the team leader with 11 homers, has missed three games with a quad injury.

Raul Ibanez is 4 for 7 with a homer off Correia.

Ryan Doumit, who finished 0 for 4 with two strikeouts Friday, has 10 hits in 29 at_bats against Harang, including three homers and two doubles.

A victory for the Mariners would give them their fourth consecutive series win at Minnesota.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mariners at Twins
Fri, May 31 Final 3 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mariners at Twins
Sat, Jun 1 - 1:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Mariners at Twins
Sun, Jun 2 - 2:10PM EDT

Preview: Tigers (29-24) at Orioles (31-24)
Game: 2
Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Date: June 01, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


Justin Verlander isn't happy with his recent performances.

Facing the Baltimore Orioles, especially at Camden Yards, would seem to be an ideal way to change his mood.

The Detroit Tigers ace will try to continue his dominance of the surging Orioles on Saturday.

Verlander (6-4, 3.68 ERA) is 2-2 with an ugly 8.69 ERA in his last four starts after going 4-2 with a 1.55 ERA in his first seven.

"I expect the bar to be high," said Verlander, the 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner. "That's where I set it for myself."

The right-hander's performances have drawn sharp criticism lately, but he was better Monday, collecting a season-high 13 strikeouts while yielding three runs in seven innings of a 6-5 win over Pittsburgh.

Still, Verlander wasn't satisfied.

"Better? Yes. Where I want it? No," he said. "You have a couple bad starts, and the world's on your shoulder - 'What's wrong? What's wrong?' - but hey, that comes with the territory. I'm OK with that. I can deal with it."

Nothing has been wrong when Verlander faces the Orioles (31-24). He's 7-0 with a 2.85 ERA in 11 career starts against them, going 5-0 with a 2.05 ERA in six at Baltimore.

The Orioles, however, have won eight of 11 and are looking to match their season-high four-game winning streak set May 4-8.

That seemed unlikely after they trailed by two in the ninth inning of Friday's series opener, but Chris Dickerson capped a four-run rally with a three-run homer in a stirring 7-5 win.

It was the second time in the last three games that Baltimore used a big inning to rally for a victory.

"It's an amazing feeling, just to contribute in such a big situation," Dickerson said. "This team just claws back every single time. I'm just so happy I could cap it off for them."

The Tigers (29-24) matched a season high with their fourth straight loss.

``We obviously let one get away,' manager Jim Leyland said.

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones is hitting .349 with five homers, 11 runs and seven RBIs over the past 10 games. He had three hits, including a two-run shot Friday, giving him a .467 average with seven RBIs and 11 runs in his last eight home meetings with Detroit.

Jones, though, is 1 for 21 with seven strikeouts versus Verlander.

Jason Hammel (7-2, 4.98) starts for Baltimore looking to match his win total from all of last year.

The right-hander has rebounded from a dismal stretch by winning his last two starts, allowing four runs in 14 2-3 innings. His latest performance was his best of the year, as he limited Washington to two runs over eight innings and struck out a season-high eight in a 6-2 win Monday.

"For the year, definitely the best start," Hammel said. "It was all because of the fastball command."

Hammel is facing the Tigers for the first time since July 13, when a knee injury forced him to exit in the fourth inning of a 7-2 home loss. He needed arthroscopic surgery, and didn't return until September.

He's won two of his last three starts versus Detroit despite a 5.28 ERA.

Miguel Cabrera - 4 for 10 off Hammel - hit his 16th home run Friday, leaving him three behind Baltimore's Chris Davis for the major league lead.

Cabrera leads the majors with a .372 average and 61 RBIs and is batting .457 with five homers and 10 RBIs in his last nine visits to Camden Yards.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Tigers at Orioles
Fri, May 31 Final 5 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Tigers at Orioles
Sat, Jun 1 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Tigers at Orioles
Sun, Jun 2 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: White Sox (24-28) at Athletics (32-24)
Game: 2
Venue: O.co Coliseum
Date: June 01, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


While the Oakland Athletics continue to surge, the Chicago White Sox have not won since moving back to .500 last weekend.

The A's look to extend their home winning streak to seven games while trying to hand the White Sox a fifth consecutive defeat Saturday.

Bartolo Colon tossed a five-hitter and Josh Reddick came off the disabled list to deliver a tiebreaking double as Oakland (32-24) scored all its runs in the eighth inning for a 3-0 win over Chicago on Friday. Coco Crisp added a two-run single to help the A's win for the 12th time in 14 games.

Oakland has not won seven straight at home since a 10-game run Aug. 11-Sept. 1, 2006.

Reddick, on the DL since May 8 with a sprained wrist, hit the second of consecutive doubles in the eighth inning. The A's managed two hits through seven before recording three in the eighth.

After setting career highs with 32 homers and 85 RBIs for the A's last season, Reddick was batting .158 with a home run and 15 RBIs in 30 games this year. He simply wants to contribute as much as he can and help Oakland continue its current success.

"I just hope I don't screw anything up,' he said. "Those guys have done a heck of a job without me, on the DL and with me not playing and producing. I just hope I can come in here and jump on this train and keep it going. Not necessarily driving it, just jump on the back cart and keep it going.'

Crisp, meanwhile, has hit .349 (15 for 43) with eight RBIs in 11 games to raise his average from .257 to .283.

Scheduled Oakland starter Dan Straily (3-2, 5.08 ERA) was 0-2 with an 8.84 ERA in his first previous four starts, but has allowed a run and six hits over 13 innings to win two in a row. He gave up that run and four hits over six in Monday's 4-1 victory over San Francisco.

"I worked a lot quicker. Really, that's the pitcher I am,' he said. "I was finally able to break through that and be myself - work quick, fill up the strike zone.

"I've always said I'm a strike thrower and not a strikeout pitcher. That's what I truly believe.'

This will be the right-hander's first appearance against the White Sox (24-28), who have been outscored 27-6 and shut out twice while dropping four straight since reaching .500 for the first time since April 10.

``It seems like it's kind of been a theme this year - our pitching's kept us in pretty much every ballgame except a few all year, and we're just not able to get anything going offensively,' Adam Dunn said. ``We've got to find a way to get on base somehow, someway and start creating things.'

Right fielder Alex Rios is 2 for 23 in six contests since he batted .375 during an 18-game hitting streak.

Chicago's Jose Quintana (3-2, 3.75) takes the mound after he allowed four runs for the second time in three starts. On Monday, he lasted six innings as his teammates managed two hits during a 7-0 loss to the Cubs.

The left-hander gave up six hits and struck out 14 over 13 2-3 scoreless innings to go 1-0 in his first two road starts of 2013, but has yielded 11 runs and 20 hits over 16 2-3 frames while not factoring in the decision of his last three away from home.

Quintana has never faced Oakland, which has won eight of 12 at home from the White Sox.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
White Sox at Athletics
Fri, May 31 Final 0 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
White Sox at Athletics
Sat, Jun 1 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
White Sox at Athletics
Sun, Jun 2 - 4:05PM EDT

Preview: Royals (22-30) at Rangers (34-20)
Game: 2
Venue: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
Date: June 01, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


The Texas Rangers appear to be back on track offensively. Staying that way could prove to be a challenge against one of the toughest starters in the league.

The AL West-leading Rangers try for their third straight win and fourth in a row at home when they face James Shields and the road-weary Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

Since totaling 10 runs during a three-game losing streak, Texas (34-20) has scored 16 in the past two contests.

Nelson Cruz hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the third inning of Friday's 7-2 win over the Royals (22-30), who had played until 3:14 a.m. Central Time at St. Louis a night earlier.

"The offense is going to do their part as long as I do mine,' winning pitcher Derek Holland said. "And our guys came back and did what they're capable of doing, get some runs.'

Adrian Beltre went 4 for 4 with his 11th homer and is hitting .413 with five homers and 16 RBIs in his past 18 games. The third baseman, however, is 9 for 39 (.231) with 17 strikeouts against Shields (2-6, 2.96 ERA), though four of his hits in the matchup went for extra bases.

Shields has lost four straight starts, receiving seven runs of support in that span. The right-hander posted a 2.35 ERA in the first three losses before turning in his worst outing of the season Monday, allowing six runs and five walks in six innings of a 6-3 defeat to St. Louis.

The Royals have scored three or fewer runs for him in nine of his 11 starts.

"I don't care about run support,' Shields said after his latest start. "I care about my pitching. I didn't do my job and it resulted in an `L'.'

Shields is 7-3 with a 2.78 ERA in 11 career starts against the Rangers. He's given up one run in 16 innings while striking out 16 over his last two matchups, going 1-1.

He has handled Texas hitters Cruz (2 for 11), Mitch Moreland (2 for 17), David Murphy (4 for 21) and A.J. Pierzynski (7 for 33).

Elvis Andrus, however, is 11 for 23 with four extra-base hits off of Shields.

The Rangers' Nick Tepesch (3-4, 3.88) will make his first career start against the Royals. Since allowing 11 runs over 10 2-3 innings in losing back-to-back starts, Tepesch has gone 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in three outings.

He yielded two runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-3, 13-inning loss at Seattle on Sunday.

Tepesch will be facing a Kansas City team that's averaged 2.2 runs while losing nine of 10.

"That's part of the reason we've been struggling a little bit," manager Ned Yost said.

Alex Gordon, the team's leading hitter at .329, went 0 for 4 in the opener and is batting .206 with one extra-base hit over his last nine games.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Royals at Rangers
Fri, May 31 Final 2 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Royals at Rangers
Sat, Jun 1 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Royals at Rangers
Sun, Jun 2 - 3:05PM EDT

Preview: Brewers (20-33) at Phillies (26-29)
Game: 2
Venue: Citizens Bank Park
Date: June 01, 2013 4:05 PM EDT


After ending a rough May on a positive note, the Milwaukee Brewers hope for better things as the calendar turns.

The Brewers look to open June by winning two straight for the first time in a month Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Catcher Jonathan Lucroy went 5 for 5 with two home runs and four RBIs to help Milwaukee (20-33) snap a season-high six-game skid with an 8-5 win at Philadelphia on Friday. Yuniesky Betancourt added three hits as the Brewers rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to conclude a month they'd like to forget.

Milwaukee's 6-22 mark in May ties the Seattle Pilots - in August 1969 of their lone season before becoming the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970 - for the worst month in the history of the franchise.

"We've had problems this month?' joked Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. "Yes, it was a big win.'

However, with a hard-fought victory under their belts and the beginning of a new month, the Brewers should feel confident while trying to win back-to-back games for the first time since April 29-30.

"It's been tough but the guys are still battling,' winning pitcher Yovani Gallardo said.

Gallardo settled down after allowing a three-run, first-inning homer to Domonic Brown and helped hand Philadelphia (26-29) its fourth loss in six games.

Lucroy is batting .424 (14 for 33) in nine games to raise his average from .208 to .253. He's 8 for 12 in his last three against the Phillies.

Milwaukee's Wily Peralta (3-6, 6.35 ERA) looks to avoid a fifth consecutive losing start when he takes the mound Saturday. The right-hander, who has an 8.15 ERA in his last four outings, allowed four runs and walked a career-high five in five innings of a 6-3 loss to Minnesota on Monday.

Saddled with lofty expectations after going 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in September, Peralta ranks among the major league leaders with 48 runs allowed and could soon find himself out of Milwaukee's rotation if he doesn't turn things around.

"He's got a tremendous upside, but he's got to be confident when he's doing this,' Roenicke said. "How do you get a guy confident? It comes with success. Right now, he's not that guy.'

This will be Peralta's first appearance against the Phillies, who have dropped two in a row since again moving within a game of .500.

Brown, who also homered in the sixth inning, ended May by hitting 12 of his team-leading 15 home runs and driving in 25 runs in 28 games. Six of the eight hits in his last 20 at_bats have left the park.

He's 5 for 8 with eight RBIs in his last two games against the Brewers.

Scheduled Philadelphia starter Tyler Cloyd (1-1, 5.74) allowed two runs in each of his first two starts this season but was tagged for six and nine hits, including two homers, in 2 1-3 innings of a 9-3 loss at Boston on Monday.

"The ball was up. I couldn't get it down in the zone,' the right-hander said. "It had good movement, but it's hard when it's up a lot.'

Cloyd will be making his first home start of 2013 and first ever against the Brewers.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Brewers at Phillies
Fri, May 31 Final 8 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Brewers at Phillies
Sat, Jun 1 - 4:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Brewers at Phillies
Sun, Jun 2 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Mets (22-30) at Marlins (14-41)
Game: 2
Venue: Marlins Park
Date: June 01, 2013 4:10 PM EDT


The Miami Marlins may own the worst record in baseball, but Marcell Ozuna and Jose Fernandez are giving them some hope for the future.

Ozuna looks to extend the longest active hitting streak in the majors while Fernandez tries to rebound from the worst outing of his rookie season when the Marlins host the New York Mets on Saturday.

The calendar may be flipping to June, but Miami (14-41) seems headed for a third straight season with a losing record. Ozuna and Fernandez (2-3, 3.78 ERA), however, have been rare bright spots.

Ozuna, 22, leads the Marlins with a .330 average since being recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville after Giancarlo Stanton went on the disabled list due to a strained right hamstring April 30.

Stanton is still out, and Ozuna is making the most of his opportunity. The rookie right fielder is batting .356 during a 16-game hitting streak, the team's longest since Jose Reyes' 26-game run last year. It's also the second-longest by a Marlins rookie behind Edgar Renteria's 22-game hit streak in 1996.

"I feel good because I'm enjoying my game," Ozuna said. "The manager and coaches give me confidence and always stress that I remain calm and also have fun."

Ozuna seems to enjoy facing the Mets (22-30), going 6 for 11 in three meetings after collecting three hits and an RBI in Friday's 5-1 win. The Marlins snapped a nine-game skid behind seven shutout innings from Jacob Turner, another of their top prospects.

Fernandez will try to make it two straight in the middle game of this series by bouncing back from his shortest outing of the season in Monday's 10-6 loss at Tampa Bay. The 20-year-old right-hander was roughed up for a season-high seven runs - four earned - with six strikeouts and three walks in 3 1-3 innings.

He had been 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA over his four previous outings.

"The most important part is I'm learning from it," Fernandez told the team's official website.

Facing an NL East rival may be just what Fernandez needs. He has a 1.33 ERA in five starts within the division but is 1-0 since he's been backed by eight runs.

Fernandez has yet to receive a decision while allowing three runs with 12 strikeouts in nine innings over two starts against New York.

"He's got one of the better arms in the entire league," Mets manager Terry Collins said.

Collins would like to see his club get back on track after its season-high five-game winning streak was halted in the series opener.

Daniel Murphy may play a role in that since he's hitting .389 over his past 18 games after getting two hits Friday, including an RBI double. He has a .333 average in his last 13 visits to Miami, getting at least one hit in 12 of them.

Collin McHugh is expected to get a spot start after Jonathon Niese was ruled out of at least one outing with left shoulder tendinitis.

McHugh has made two relief appearances since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on May 14. The right-hander has allowed four runs and two homers in three innings, last pitching against Cincinnati on May 21.

McHugh went 0-3 with a 7.16 ERA in four starts last year, and this will be his first against the Marlins. He surrendered a walkoff single in the 11th inning in Miami on Oct. 2.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Mets at Marlins
Fri, May 31 Final 1 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Mets at Marlins
Sat, Jun 1 - 4:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Mets at Marlins
Sun, Jun 2 - 1:10PM EDT

Preview: Dodgers (23-30) at Rockies (28-27)
Game: 2
Venue: Coors Field
Date: June 01, 2013 4:10 PM EDT


Zack Greinke claims there are no lingering effects from an injury suffered in a benches-clearing brawl more than seven weeks ago.

Whether that's the case or not, the former Cy Young winner has undoubtedly been off his game since returning.

Greinke will try to help the Dodgers win their first road series against the Colorado Rockies in three seasons Saturday.

Signed to a $147 million, six-year deal in the offseason, Greinke (2-1, 4.38 ERA) is trying to get back into form after missing more than a month with a broken collarbone suffered during a fight in San Diego on April 11. The right-hander has made three starts since returning, going 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA in the last two - each lasting just four innings.

"I felt good, actually," Greinke told the Dodgers' official website after giving up six runs - four earned - and 10 hits in Monday's 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Manager Don Mattingly doesn't seem too concerned about Greinke's recent struggles.

"I feel he's been behind the 8-ball the whole year, but I do think he'll get where he needs to get to," Mattingly said.

Greinke is 1-1 with a 5.13 ERA in five starts against Colorado, none since 2011 while with Milwaukee.

He'll toe the rubber after the Dodgers (23-30) avoided a third consecutive defeat with Friday's 7-5, 10-inning victory. Los Angeles rallied after Todd Helton's game-tying, two-run homer in the ninth.

The victory capped off a 10-17 month - the worst May percentage-wise (.370) in club history - but the last-place Dodgers are just 6 1/2 games behind NL West-leading Arizona.

"If we can just stay afloat until these big boys come back, we'll be fine," Skip Schumaker, who is replacing the injured Matt Kemp (right hamstring strain) in center field, said after extending his hitting streak to eight.

The Rockies (28-27) aren't fine, dropping six of seven following a 6-1 run that had them tied with the Diamondbacks atop the West. Four of Colorado's last six losses have been by two runs or fewer.

"We've played a lot of tight games this year and sometimes the reward for competing like that is getting punched in the gut," manager Walt Weiss said.

Jhoulys Chacin (3-3, 3.90) will get the ball as Colorado tries to avoid a season-worst fourth consecutive home loss. The right-hander, 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA in three May starts at Coors Field, threw seven innings of two-run ball in his last appearance, Monday's 3-2, 12-inning loss at Houston.

Chacin's only start against the Dodgers last season was a bad one, yielding seven runs and a career high-tying 11 hits over 4 2-3 innings of a 7-6 home loss May 1.

He gave up a three-run homer to Andre Ethier in that game. Ethier is a .438 hitter (7 for 16) off Chacin.

Juan Uribe is hitless in 15 at_bats in that matchup, but he's 10 for 22 in his last eight games after going 2 for 4 on Friday with an RBI double and a 10th-inning single that plated Schumaker.

Carlos Gonzalez should return to the Rockies' lineup after striking out in a pinch-hitting appearance Friday. Gonzalez has the second-best batting average (.360) against the Dodgers among active players.

He's 3 for 9 with a double off Greinke.

The Dodgers' last series win in Denver was a three-game sweep Sept. 27-29, 2010.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Dodgers at Rockies
Fri, May 31 Final 7 to 5
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Dodgers at Rockies
Sat, Jun 1 - 4:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Dodgers at Rockies
Sun, Jun 2 - 4:10PM EDT

Preview: Red Sox (33-23) at Yankees (31-23)
Game: 2
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: June 01, 2013 7:15 PM EDT


With their losing streak over and two key members of their lineup back from injury, the New York Yankees hope they can now begin to get on a roll.

Phil Hughes is on one of his own against the Boston Red Sox, as he'll look to win a fourth straight start over them in the middle game of this three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Saturday night.

New York (31-23) had lost a season-high five in a row, including a four-game sweep by the New York Mets, before beating Boston 4-1 on Friday.

Mark Teixeira (partially torn tendon in right wrist) made his season debut and Kevin Youkilis (back) played for the first time since April 27. Teixeira went 0 for 3 with a walk and a run while Youkilis added an RBI single.

The infielder is batting .357 during a seven-game hitting streak against his former team.

The returns of Youkilis and Teixeira are timely for a Yankees club that has been ravaged by injury throughout the season.

``These guys grind out at_bats,' manager Joe Girardi said. ``I think their impact is big, and we need to keep them healthy.'

Hughes (2-3, 4.97 ERA) will try for a third straight strong outing as looks to put a pair of rough games further behind him. The right-hander allowed 13 runs in 6 1-3 innings over a pair of starts in mid-May, but he's given up three runs in 13 innings in two outings since.

Hughes allowed one run in seven innings of a 2-1 loss to the Mets on Monday.

He has been dominant during his three-start win streak against Boston, posting a 1.27 ERA and giving up no earned runs in the past two matchups.

Boston (33-23) will look to end that run while attempting to get back on track offensively. The Red Sox have dropped three of four after a 10-3 stretch, totaling five runs in the past three defeats.

Boston leads the major leagues in runs.

Dustin Pedroia had three hits Friday to extend his hitting streak to five. He's gone 15 for 31 in his last eight against the Yankees.

Boston played the series opener without Jacoby Ellsbury due to a tight left groin. He stole a team-record five bases in a 9-2 win over Philadelphia on Thursday and experienced tightness after the final one.

``We're expecting to be a day-to-day and hopefully not too long of a situation,' manager John Farrell said.

The Red Sox will send Felix Doubront to the mound Saturday as he seeks his first victory in six starts.

Doubront (3-2, 5.29) has posted a 3.18 ERA over his last three outings but has received two runs of support in that stretch. He allowed four runs - two earned - and struck out eight in six innings against Cleveland on Sunday before the Red Sox rallied for four in the bottom of the ninth to win 6-5.

The left-hander is 1-1 with a 2.52 ERA in four starts against the Yankees. He opposed Hughes the last time he faced them, giving up two runs and walking five in 6 1-3 innings of a 2-0 defeat Sept. 13.

Hughes struck out seven in 7 1-3 innings.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Red Sox at Yankees
Fri, May 31 Final 1 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Red Sox at Yankees
Sat, Jun 1 - 7:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Red Sox at Yankees
Sun, Jun 2 - 8:05PM EDT

Preview: Nationals (28-27) at Braves (32-22)
Game: 2
Venue: Turner Field
Date: June 01, 2013 7:15 PM EDT


With Stephen Strasburg's early exit in the series opener, the Washington Nationals may be without two young stars for a while as they try to catch the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.

The short-handed Nationals, though, will try to keep gaining ground in the division by winning their second straight over the host Braves on Saturday night.

Washington (28-27) received a scare in its 3-2 victory Friday when Strasburg left after two innings with a strained right oblique. The ace is expected to head back to the nation's capital to have his side examined.

Strasburg has gone 2-1 with a 0.96 ERA in his last four starts.

"We seem to be having all kinds of problems, but we'll get through it,' manager Davey Johnson said. "Hopefully Stras won't miss too much time.'

Outfielder Bryce Harper was already out of the lineup Friday for the fifth straight game with bursitis in his left knee. Harper, hitting .287 with a team-high 12 homers and 23 RBIs, is unlikely to play in this series.

"We've got to try to figure out whether he needs more rest or what we have to do to get him by that," said Johnson.

Johnson's club could certainly use Harper's bat, as it's hit .239 while dropping eight of 13. The Nationals, however, moved to within 4 1/2 games of the Braves (32-22) with Friday's win.

Washington will send another outstanding pitcher to the mound Saturday, though it hasn't provided much support for Gio Gonzalez (3-3, 3.90 ERA) of late. The left-hander has gotten eight runs while going 0-1 over his last four starts despite a 2.36 ERA.

He yielded four runs and four walks over 5 2-3 innings in his shortest outing since April on Monday, a 6-2 loss to Baltimore.

Gonzalez hasn't pitched well against the Braves, going 2-4 with a 6.75 ERA in six career starts. He's given up 12 runs, eight walks and 14 hits - three homers - over nine innings in two losses to Atlanta this season.

Andrelton Simmons homered off Gonzalez in both of those meetings, and he's 4 for 9 with four RBIs lifetime against him. Simmons has gone 10 for 27 in his last six games overall.

Evan Gattis, 7 for 14 with two homers in his last four contests, is 3 for 5 with two doubles and three RBIs against Gonzalez.

Since winning eight in a row, the Braves have lost four of six. Their scheduled starter for this game is also struggling.

Tim Hudson (4-4, 5.37) has gone 0-3 with an 8.69 ERA in his last four starts. The right-hander, though, is 3-0 with a 2.97 ERA in five starts at home this season.

He's also pitched very well versus Washington, going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts in 2013 and 16-5 with a 2.55 ERA in 28 career matchups.

Hudson gave up one run and three hits over seven innings to beat Gonzalez and the Nationals 8-1 in Atlanta on April 30. Gonzalez lasted four innings and allowed five runs with five walks, though he recorded nine of his 12 outs via strikeout.

Freddie Freeman went 3 for 5 with three RBIs in that contest and homered off Strasburg on Friday. He's 11 for 22 with two homers in his last five games.

Washington's Denard Span, who went 3 for 4 with two triples in the series opener, has gone 6 for 8 with four extra-base hits in his last two games at Turner Field.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nationals at Braves
Fri, May 31 Final 3 to 2
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Nationals at Braves
Sat, Jun 1 - 7:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Nationals at Braves
Sun, Jun 2 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Diamondbacks (30-24) at Cubs (23-30)
Game: 2
Venue: Wrigley Field
Date: June 01, 2013 7:15 PM EDT


Jeff Samardzija proved nearly unhittable earlier this week while throwing his first career shutout.

The surging Chicago Cubs may not need him to be as sharp given their recent efforts at the plate.

Enjoying their longest winning streak in nearly two years, the Cubs try to hand the Arizona Diamondbacks a 10th loss in 11 games at Wrigley Field on Saturday night.

Samardzija (3-6, 2.85 ERA) was at his best Monday, throwing a two-hitter while striking out eight and walking two in a 7-0 road win over the White Sox.

"Sometimes he reverts back to probably thinking a little too much instead of just knowing what he is. He is a big-time power guy," manager Dale Sveum said.

"You guys saw his split-finger pitch tonight, it is pretty much a non-hittable pitch when he is committed to it and throwing it like that. Not that he's not a pitcher, but sometimes he wants to be this pitcher that is pitching like a Greg Maddux. He is not that kind of a pitcher."

The right-hander ranks second in the NL with 9.91 strikeouts per nine innings and is among the league leaders with a .196 opponents' batting average. He's thrown at least seven innings in each of his last three starts, going 2-1 with a 1.13 ERA and allowing 10 hits in 24 innings.

"I am going out with the mindset to pitch deep in every game," he said. "If you want to be one of the guys the team turns to in a big situation, that's the number one thing, pitch deep into games and give your offense a chance to win the game."

After enduring a season-worst six-game skid, the Cubs (23-30) have batted .395 with runners in scoring position, hit 11 homers and averaged 7.2 runs while posting five consecutive victories - their longest run since taking seven straight July 31-Aug. 6, 2011.

Chicago won 7-2 in the opener of this three-game set Friday, as Scott Hairston hit a grand slam and Alfonso Soriano added a two-run shot. Cody Ransom also went deep.

"We've been really confident lately and catching our breaks," Hairston told the Cubs' official website. "A lot of balls we're hitting hard are finding holes now; before they weren't."

The Cubs have hit .294 with 18 homers in taking nine of 10 from the Diamondbacks (30-24) at Wrigley, including four straight by a 22-5 margin.

Soriano is batting .400 with 17 homers and 37 RBIs during his last 29 games against Arizona, and he's 6 for 11 with three home runs off Saturday's scheduled starter Ian Kennedy (2-3, 4.70).

The right-hander was scratched from Monday's outing due to a laceration on his right index finger.

"The only thing that really bothered me was spinning on my knuckle curve," he told MLB's official website. "It would just split open. I haven't been able to throw any curveballs, but my fastball has been good in the bullpens."

Kennedy is 1-0 with a 3.50 ERA over his last three starts. He's gone 2-2 in six matchups versus Chicago while compiling a 6.94 ERA, his second-highest mark against any NL opponent.

Besides Soriano, Kennedy will need to be wary of Starlin Castro, who's 6 for 16 with two doubles and a triple in their matchups. Castro, though, is hitting .189 with two extra-base hits over his last 12 games.

In his only start against Arizona, Samardzija was tagged for five runs in as many innings during a 6-1 road loss June 22.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Diamondbacks at Cubs
Fri, May 31 Final 2 to 7
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Diamondbacks at Cubs
Sat, Jun 1 - 7:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Diamondbacks at Cubs
Sun, Jun 2 - 2:20PM EDT

Preview: Reds (34-21) at Pirates (34-21)
Game: 2
Venue: PNC Park
Date: June 01, 2013 7:15 PM EDT


There wasn't much for the Pittsburgh Pirates to celebrate in their 1,000th game at PNC Park, but they still finished their best month in 21 seasons.

Francisco Liriano will try to get the Pirates off to a good start in June when their series with the Cincinnati Reds continues Saturday night.

After winning six straight and 10 of 11 at home, Pittsburgh (34-21) fell 6-0 on Friday for its fifth loss in 21 games overall.

The Pirates had one hit, a fifth-inning single by Brandon Inge, for their fewest since Cincinnati's Homer Bailey threw a no-hitter and won 1-0 at PNC on Sept. 27.

"Luckily Brandon saved us all with a half-swing base hit," second baseman Neil Walker said. "Maybe we should all have half-swinged tonight. Nothing else really worked for us."

Still, the Pirates finished May with a 19-9 mark for their best month since going 21-8 in September 1992, the last year they made the postseason.

The Pirates are tied with the Reds (34-21) for second in the NL Central behind St. Louis, giving the division three teams with winning percentages of .600 or better through May 31. It's the first time that's happened since Boston, New York and Baltimore were over .600 heading into June in 1986.

Pittsburgh will try to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since May 8-9 with Liriano (3-1, 2.35 ERA) looking to rebound from his worst outing of the season.

The left-hander surrendered four runs and eight hits in five innings of Monday's 6-5 loss at Detroit. Liriano had a 1.00 ERA in his first three starts.

"I know that I've got to hit my spots and make good pitches if I don't want to get beaten up," he said.

Liriano has never faced the Reds or second baseman Brandon Phillips, who's batting .448 (13 for 29) with four homers and nine RBIs in a seven-game hitting streak against Pittsburgh.

Phillips went 2 for 4 with a solo homer and Jay Bruce also homered Friday to help Cincinnati avoid a third consecutive loss and win for the first time in four tries at Pittsburgh this season.

Mike Leake (4-2, 3.02) will try to build on Johnny Cueto's brilliant eight-inning performance when he gets the ball Saturday. He's 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA in his last three outings after striking out a season high-tying seven with no walks while not receiving a decision in Monday's 4-2 win over Cleveland.

"He's been lights out lately," shortstop Zack Cozart told the Reds' official website of the right-hander, who allowed one earned run in 7 1-3 innings. "He's pounding the zone, and I think when you do that, you keep your defense in the game and you get ahead of guys. And when you get ahead of guys, it's proven that you're successful, and I think that's what he's doing."

This will be Leake's second start against the Pirates in 2013. He didn't factor in the decision after allowing season highs of five runs and 10 hits in a 6-5 loss at Pittsburgh on April 12.

Walker had two hits off Leake that night to improve to 9 for 23 (.391) in their matchups.

Left fielder Alex Presley, 6 for 15 with two homers, a triple and a double against Leake, could get the start after getting called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday.

Pittsburgh is 488-512 at PNC since it opened with an 8-2 loss to the Reds on April 9, 2001.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Reds at Pirates
Fri, May 31 Final 6 to 0
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Reds at Pirates
Sat, Jun 1 - 7:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Reds at Pirates
Sun, Jun 2 - 1:35PM EDT

Preview: Giants (29-25) at Cardinals (35-18)
Game: 2
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: June 01, 2013 7:15 PM EDT


The San Francisco Giants hope their latest victory will provide some much-needed momentum as they begin a difficult stretch of games.

Returning to the place where they began their undefeated run to the 2012 World Series title, the Giants face the St. Louis Cardinals in a day-night doubleheader Saturday after the series opener was postponed because of rain.

San Francisco (29-25) has lost 10 of 16 but hopes to build on Thursday's 5-2 win over Oakland that prevented a season series sweep at the hands of its Bay Area rival.

"If this game got away from us, it would have been a long flight to St. Louis, believe me," manager Bruce Bochy said. "I thought (Thursday) was really critical."

Pablo Sandoval delivered a go-ahead two-run single to highlight a four-run sixth inning for the Giants, who remain confident despite their recent struggles.

"We've been losing some games but the attitude's been good. That's one thing we never lose," center fielder Angel Pagan told the Giants' official website. "We play with a lot of perseverance and determination to go out there and try to get everything better and play hard and believe that things will change."

Perhaps a return to Busch Stadium will help San Francisco start to string together wins again.

The Giants trailed the Cardinals 3-1 in last year's NL championship series but ran off seven straight victories to win the World Series, starting with a 5-0 win at Busch in Game 5.

St. Louis (35-18), however, owns the best record in the majors and outscored the Giants 20-7 while taking two of three at San Francisco in early April. This series begins a stretch of 12 of 14 on the road for the Giants, featuring games against the NL's top teams in the Cardinals, Arizona, Pittsburgh and Atlanta. San Francisco also hosts Toronto for two games during that span.

"We have to be on top of our game," Bochy said.

Game 1 starter Matt Cain (4-2, 5.00 ERA) has gone 4-0 with a 3.48 ERA in five starts this month for San Francisco, allowing four runs and six hits in 12 innings to go 1-0 in his last two. He gave up two runs and walked five in five innings of a 7-3 win over Colorado on Sunday.

However, the right-hander is 0-3 with a 7.04 ERA in four starts at St. Louis, including postseason. He allowed nine runs over 3 2-3 innings of a 14-3 home loss to the Cardinals on April 7.

Matt Carpenter is 7 for 9 with a home run against Cain, and has batted .395 during an overall nine-game hitting streak.

Carpenter went 2 for 4 in Thursday's 4-2 loss to Kansas City that ended after 3 a.m. Central Time due to an hour rain delay to start and one of 4 hours, 32 minutes in the ninth inning. The Cardinals led 2-1 heading into the ninth, but fell to 20-7 in May.

Shelby Miller (5-3, 2.02) will oppose Cain looking to end his recent struggles. After allowing one run and striking out 24 in 20 2-3 innings while going 2-0 in his first three May starts, he's given up six runs in 11 innings to go 0-1 in the last two.

The right-hander allowed three runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 5-3 win at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.

"I don't think my fastball was as good as it had been earlier on (in the season)," Miller told the Cardinals' official website. "I feel just a little off, but not much. Hopefully I can get that taken care of."

He allowed two runs and walked four in 5 1-3 innings of a 6-3 win at San Francisco on April 6.

Adam Wainwright (7-3, 2.48) will start the nightcap for St. Louis. The right-hander has won back-to-back starts, giving up one run in 7 1-3 innings of a 10-2 victory over San Diego on May 21 before allowing three runs in eight innings of a 6-3 win at Kansas City on Monday.

"I think as a pitcher, no matter what happens on the other side, you just have to keep battling and eventually if you keep making pitches things will work out," Wainwright said.

He has tossed at least seven innings in eight of his 11 starts, including when he allowed two runs in seven innings to beat San Francisco on April 7.

Wainwright has gone that same distance while posting a 1.71 ERA during a three-start winning streak against the Giants, which includes an 8-3 victory in Game 4 of the NLCS.

He'll be opposed by Madison Bumgarner (4-3, 3.13), who went 3-0 with a 1.55 ERA over six starts in April but is 1-3 with a 5.17 ERA in five starts since. He allowed four runs and walked a career worst-tying five in 6 2-3 innings of Monday's 4-1 loss to Oakland.

Bochy still was impressed with the outing.

"That's the kind of pitching we're going to need," Bochy said. "It doesn't go down as a quality start, but he left the game with a really good start and that's what we're going to need playing these good clubs. He did all he could."

The left-hander has a 6.88 ERA while losing three straight starts against the Cardinals. He gave up six runs and eight hits - including two-run homers to Carlos Beltran and David Freese - over 3 2-3 innings of a 6-4 loss in Game 1 of the NLCS the last time he faced them.

Beltran's two hits in six at_bats off Bumgarner are homers, while Freese went deep on two of his three hits in seven at_bats against him.

Bochy announced prior to Friday's rainout that Sandoval would likely miss this series and possibly a full week because of a strain in his right foot.

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SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Giants at Cardinals
Fri, May 31 - 8:15PM EDT
Recaps

GAME 2
Giants at Cardinals
Sat, Jun 1 - 7:15PM EDT

GAME 3
Giants at Cardinals
Sun, Jun 2 - 2:15PM EDT

Preview: Astros (18-37) at Angels (25-30)
Game: 2
Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Date: June 01, 2013 10:05 PM EDT


The Los Angeles Angels appeared to be putting it all together during a recent tear, but they may have a tough series on their hands against the Houston Astros.

The Angels will try to get back on track after having their home winning streak snapped, while the suddenly hot Astros seek their longest run in more than a year Saturday night.

Carlos Pena had three hits and Jason Castro added his seventh home run to help Houston (18-37) stop Los Angeles' season-best six-game home win streak with a 6-3 victory. The Angels had won 10 of 12 overall.

The Astros, who won their third straight, haven't taken four in a row since May 21-25, 2012.

"We're just trying to ride this out,' center fielder Brandon Barnes said. "We're going out there and playing hard-nosed baseball.'

Los Angeles has scored 10 runs in its past four games after averaging 7.3 in the previous nine. It will now face a Houston team that's posted a 2.63 ERA in winning four of five.

Bud Norris (4-4, 3.71 ERA) will try to keep the Angels' bats quiet again while beating Los Angeles for the third time in as many matchups this season. Norris has held the Angels to one run in 15-plus innings in the two games.

Since allowing a season-high seven runs over five innings of a 7-2 loss at Detroit on May 13, Norris has given up two runs over 13 innings in his last two starts.

He worked his way out of several jams Monday, giving up two runs over seven innings of a 3-2, 12-inning win over Colorado on Monday.

"He was absolutely fantastic,' manager Bo Porter said. "He kept his composure and just made quality pitch after quality pitch.'

Josh Hamilton homered off Norris in the right-hander's last start against the Angels, a 3-1 victory May 8.

Hamilton went 1 for 4 on Friday after missing two of the previous three games with back spasms. He's batted .345 with 12 homers and 32 RBIs in 39 career games against the Astros.

Albert Pujols, who has been battling chronic foot and knee problems, is expected back in the lineup after getting the night off in the opener. He's 7 for 31 (.226) with no homers against Norris.

Erick Aybar provided one of the few Angels highlights Friday, going 2 for 4 with his first home run. He's 9 for 26 in his past six games.

Jerome Williams (4-1, 2.58) has given Los Angeles' rotation a boost, going 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA over his last four starts. He'll try to cool off a Houston team that's totaled 19 runs in its past three games.

Castro has been on a tear, going 14 for 26 with three home runs and six RBIs in his last eight contests.

Chris Carter, who had an RBI single Friday, is 8 for 21 with three homers and eight RBIs against the Angels this season.

------------------------------------------------------------

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Astros at Angels
Fri, May 31 Final 6 to 3
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Astros at Angels
Sat, Jun 1 - 10:05PM EDT

GAME 3
Astros at Angels
Sun, Jun 2 - 3:35PM EDT

GAME 4
Astros at Angels
Mon, Jun 3 - 10:05PM EDT

Preview: Blue Jays (23-32) at Padres (25-29)
Game: 2
Venue: PETCO Park
Date: June 01, 2013 10:10 PM EDT


The San Diego Padres seem to be benefiting from interleague play.

They're also finding success in extra innings.

A day after needing 17 innings to get their latest victory over an AL foe, the Padres will try to make things easier on themselves when they face the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night.

San Diego (25-29) has won five of seven in interleague play after being swept in a three-game series at Tampa Bay from May 10-12.

The Padres are also 3-1 in extra innings, winning two of their last three when playing beyond the ninth.

Jesus Guzman delivered the decisive blow Friday, singling in Jedd Gyorko with two outs in the 17th to clinch a 4-3 victory in the opener of this three-game set.

The hit made Guzman 2 for 22 over his last 12 games.

Gyorko has been much more consistent, particularly at home and during interleague play. The rookie second baseman is batting .347 at pitcher-friendly Petco Park compared to .198 on the road.

He's also 10 for 25 (.400) with one homer, four RBIs and six runs in his last six contests against AL opponents.

With originally scheduled starter Clayton Richard getting the win in relief Friday, the Padres will recall Robbie Erlin from Triple-A Tucson to make his first career start.

"We talked about it, whether to use a position player or go to one of our starters, and we felt that was the thing to do," manager Bud Black said. "We wanted to win the game."

That leaves Black relying on Erlin, whose only experience in the majors is allowing two runs in two innings over two relief outings before returning to the minors May 2.

The 22-year-old left-hander is 4-0 with a 3.79 ERA in eight games - all starts - for Tucson, but he's pitched past the fifth inning just once. That could be an issue since the Padres used eight pitchers Friday.

Toronto (23-32), which has dropped four of five on the road, is in the same position after going to the bullpen seven times in the opener. However, the Blue Jays are scheduled to turn to Mark Buehrle (2-3, 5.51 ERA), who is second among active pitchers with 2,746 innings pitched and fifth with 28 complete games.

He's completed at least six innings in each of his last six starts.

The veteran left-hander did that again Monday, allowing one run with six strikeouts in six innings of a 9-3 win over Atlanta. He had been 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA over his previous seven outings.

"Everything's been down in the zone, so when you're down in the zone pretty much the only thing they can do with it is hit it down," Buehrle told the team's official website. "It's always good when I'm getting ground balls instead of fly balls - I'll take fly-ball outs - but when they're hitting the ball on the ground, that's kind of my game."

Buehrle is 1-0 with a 0.54 ERA in two career starts versus the Padres. He was superb at Petco on May 2, 2012, tossing a five-hitter in a 4-1 win with Miami.

It's unclear if he'll have to face Yonder Alonso, who suffered a right hand contusion after being hit by a pitch from Aaron Loup in the seventh inning Friday. The first baseman has at least one hit in 16 of the past 19 games, compiling a .313 average.

--------------------------------------------------------

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Blue Jays at Padres
Fri, May 31 Final 3 to 4
Boxscores • Recaps

GAME 2
Blue Jays at Padres
Sat, Jun 1 - 10:10PM EDT

GAME 3
Blue Jays at Padres
Sun, Jun 2 - 10:10PM EDT

April & May's Total of all Selections:

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record
04/30/13 15-*15-*0 50.00% -*365 Detail
04/29/13 11-*11-*2 50.00% -*360 Detail
04/28/13 23-*9-*0 71.88% +*7255 Detail
04/27/13 18-*12-*0 60.00% +*2330 Detail
04/26/13 6-*21-*1 22.22% -*8355 Detail
04/25/13 11-*10-*3 52.38% +*995 Detail
04/24/13 13-*15-*0 46.43% -*1595 Detail
04/23/13 14-*12-*1 53.85% +*790 Detail
04/22/13 12-*10-*0 54.55% +*720 Detail
04/21/13 16-*15-*1 51.61% -*265 Detail
04/20/13 17-*15-*0 53.13% +*555 Detail
04/19/13 9-*3-*0 75.00% +*3030 Detail
04/18/13 11-*6-*1 64.71% +*2720 Detail
04/17/13 10-*13-*1 43.48% -*1265 Detail
04/16/13 14-*11-*1 56.00% +*1560 Detail
04/15/13 12-*4-*0 75.00% +*3650 Detail
04/14/13 15-*13-*0 53.57% +*530 Detail
04/13/13 14-*16-*0 46.67% -*1510 Detail
04/12/13 10-*6-*0 62.50% +*2555 Detail
04/11/13 5-*6-*1 45.45% -*460 Detail
04/10/13 15-*10-*1 60.00% +*2240 Detail
04/09/13 14-*14-*0 50.00% -*440 Detail
04/08/13 12-*7-*1 63.16% +*2080 Detail
04/07/13 15-*13-*2 53.57% +*840 Detail
04/06/13 11-*18-*0 37.93% -*4805 Detail
04/05/13 17-*12-*0 58.62% +*2035 Detail
04/04/13 15-*7-*0 68.18% +*4160 Detail
04/03/13 15-*15-*0 50.00% -*350 Detail
04/02/13 8-*6-*0 57.14% +*1305 Detail
04/01/13 10-*13-*0 43.48% -*1935 Detail

Totals 388-*338-*16 53.44% +17645


Date WLT Pct Net Units Record
05/31/13 13-*12-*0 52.00% +*780 Detail
05/30/13 9-*6-*1 60.00% +*2025 Detail
05/29/13 18-*8-*1 69.23% +*6205 Detail
05/28/13 11-*13-*0 45.83% -*1220 Detail
05/27/13 18-*13-*1 58.06% +*1795 Detail
05/26/13 17-*11-*2 60.71% +*3080 Detail
05/25/13 16-*14-*0 53.33% +*660 Detail
05/24/13 9-*18-*1 33.33% -*5175 Detail
05/23/13 3-*5-*0 37.50% -*1375 Detail
05/22/13 9-*16-*3 36.00% -*3760 Detail
05/21/13 17-*13-*0 56.67% +*2015 Detail
05/20/13 11-*10-*1 52.38% +*440 Detail
05/19/13 16-*11-*1 59.26% +*2685 Detail
05/18/13 11-*16-*0 40.74% -*2880 Detail
05/17/13 9-*20-*1 31.03% -*6225 Detail
05/16/13 9-*6-*1 60.00% +*980 Detail
05/15/13 9-*19-*2 32.14% -*7045 Detail
05/14/13 12-*17-*1 41.38% -*2870 Detail
05/13/13 10-*8-*0 55.56% +*680 Detail
05/12/13 12-*18-*0 40.00% -*3075 Detail
05/11/13 13-*17-*0 43.33% -*2165 Detail
05/10/13 16-*14-*0 53.33% +*550 Detail
05/09/13 10-*10-*0 50.00% -*155 Detail
05/08/13 13-*13-*0 50.00% -*880 Detail
05/07/13 15-*12-*0 55.56% +*985 Detail
05/06/13 8-*10-*0 44.44% -*1870 Detail
05/05/13 15-*11-*1 57.69% +*1790 Detail
05/04/13 11-*16-*1 40.74% -*2375 Detail
05/03/13 12-*16-*0 42.86% -*2225 Detail
05/02/13 6-*7-*0 46.15% -*1090 Detail
05/01/13 19-*11-*0 63.33% +*4395 Detail

Totals 377-*391-*18 49.09% -*15320



Saturday, June 1

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Tampa Bay 0 Bot 0 Cleveland -125 500
Cleveland 0 Under 9.5 500

Seattle - 1:10 PM ET Minnesota -125 500
Minnesota - Over 8.5 500

San Francisco - 1:15 PM ET San Francisco +141 500 POD # 1
St. Louis - Over 7.5 500

Detroit - 4:05 PM ET Baltimore +126 500 POD # 3
Baltimore - Over 8.5 500 POD # 2

Chi. White Sox - 4:05 PM ET Oakland -154 500
Oakland - Over 7.5 500

Kansas City - 4:05 PM ET Texas -131 500
Texas - Over 9 500

Milwaukee - 4:05 PM ET Milwaukee +110 500 POD # 5
Philadelphia - Under 9.5 500

LA Dodgers - 4:10 PM ET LA Dodgers +122 500 POD # 4
Colorado - Over 9 500

NY Mets - 4:10 PM ET NY Mets -105 500
Miami - Under 7 500