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**TheGame** · 04-24-2016, 07:41 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Rays (7-10) at Yankees (7-9)

Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: April 24, 2016 1:05 PM EDT

The New York Yankees don't care how it's done, as long as they find ways to win games.

Following a walk-off triumph, the Yankees can record their first home sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays in seven years Sunday.

After he delivered a tying RBI with an infield single in the seventh inning, Brett Gardner hit a solo home run with two outs in the ninth to give New York (7-9) a 3-2 victory Saturday. The victory came one night after Jacoby Ellsbury's steal of home highlighted a 6-3 win over Tampa Bay (7-10).

"At this point, we'll take it any way we can get it," Gardner said after his second three-hit game in seven days.

The Yankees have found some life through the first two games of the series after losing seven of eight. They've still scored three or fewer runs in nine of their last 11 games and struck out 84 times over those contests.

"It's such a long season," said Gardner, who was 0 for 23 in his previous six games against the Rays. "It's important to put things into perspective. The past week, week-and-a-half, we've had trouble scoring runs but we've got some good pitching the last two days. ... We've got a great group of guys."

New York last swept a home series from Tampa Bay by taking four straight in September 2009. The Yankees might not have an easy time doing it again while facing Drew Smyly (0-2, 2.91 ERA), who is 1-0 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts against them.

All five runs the left-hander allowed in those starts came via home runs.

Smyly surrendered three homers in his first 2016 start, but none in the last two during which his teammates failed to back him with any runs. He tied a career high by striking out 11 for a second consecutive outing Tuesday, and gave up one hit over eight innings of the 3-0, 10-inning victory at Boston.

Smyly's WHIP of 0.65 entered play Saturday the second-lowest in baseball.

"Drew kept us in that game and did a phenomenal job,' teammate Kevin Kiermaier said. 'He's just so much fun to play behind. He works quick and just throws a bunch of strikes."

Corey Dickerson had three hits and Kiermaier added two Saturday for Tampa Bay, which has dropped three of four since winning three in a row. Kiermaier is 7 for 18 with two homers in five games after going 0 for 19 in his previous eight.

Teammate Logan Morrison went 1 for 4 on Saturday, but is 3 for 45 with 19 strikeouts through the first 15 games of his Tampa Bay tenure.

Kiermaier and Morrison are a combined 3 for 14 against Michael Pineda (1-1, 5.29), who has allowed two earned runs over six innings in each of his last two starts after yielding six through five of his first 2016 outing. The right-hander fanned seven with one walk in Tuesday's 3-2, 11-inning home loss to Oakland.

New York's Alex Rodriguez endured his second straight 0-for-4 performance Saturday and is 7 for 53 with 18 strikeouts this season. Including the postseason, he's 1 for 7 with five strikeouts against Smyly.

**TheGame** · 04-24-2016, 07:41 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Athletics (10-8) at Blue Jays (9-10)

Game: 3
Venue: Rogers Centre
Date: April 24, 2016 1:07 PM EDT

Opponents liked to see Drew Hutchison's name listed as Toronto's probable starter last season. The Blue Jays' lineup just liked it more, and those bats seem to have shown up just in time for his return.

The right-hander was eight games over .500 and left off the postseason roster because of a 5.57 ERA, but he's back with the big league club for a spot start Sunday as the Oakland Athletics wrap up a three-game series in Toronto. Expect some offense.

The Blue Jays aren't replacing or skipping anyone in the rotation, only electing to give a starting staff that's thrown an AL-leading 117 1/3 innings an extra day of rest. They complete 16 games in as many days on Wednesday.

Hutchison went 13-5 in 28 starts and two relief appearances last season, and his .722 winning percentage went down as the best ever for a pitcher with an ERA over 5.50. The next closest is 15-8 seasons (.652) by Colorado's Shawn Estes in 2004 and Bill Hawke with Baltimore in 1894, who strangely had the exact same ERA (5.84).

His 150 1/3 innings were 11 2/3 shy of qualifying for individual leaders categories, but his 7.90 run-support average would have blown away last season's leader - teammate Mark Buehrle (6.89). Hutchison's mark would have gone down as the highest since David Wells' 7.97 in 2005 with Boston and only the seventh north of 7.75 in RSA data available back to 1974.

The 25-year-old lost out to Aaron Sanchez in a competition for the No. 5 spot in Toronto's rotation and has gone 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA and .208 opponent batting average in three starts for Triple-A Buffalo. Those numbers blew up with five runs and 10 hits allowed in six innings of a 9-6 win on Monday after giving up a hit and two runs over his first 9 1/3 innings.

One of his better efforts last year came at home against the A's, limiting them to two runs and four hits in seven-plus innings in a 4-2 win on Aug. 11.

He's opposed by Eric Surkamp, whose brief tenure as Oakland's No. 5 starter has gone smoothly enough, though he's still seeking his first win as a starter since 2011. The left-hander has given up two runs in each of his first three starts, though eight walks in 14 2/3 innings have stopped him from getting through six innings yet. Surkamp (0-1, 3.68 ERA) gave up seven hits with three walks in 5 2/3 innings of Tuesday's 3-2, 11-inning win at the New York Yankees.

He faced the Blue Jays six times in relief in 2014 while with the Chicago White Sox, giving up a run and two hits in 4 1/3 innings. Toronto has a .630 OPS against lefties a season after posting a major league-best .818 mark.

Toronto evened the series with Saturday's 9-3 victory ending its three-game losing streak and Oakland's six-game winning streak. Troy Tulowitzki was 3 for 4 with two home runs for his first multihit game, and former A's third baseman Josh Donaldson went 3 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs to help the Blue Jays (9-10) to their seventh win in the last eight meetings in Toronto.

"We've been waiting on that kind of day," said manager John Gibbons after his team's top offensive output of the season. "Hopefully we can build off that. It should loosen a lot of guys up."

The A's (10-8) got a home run in a second straight game from Mark Canha but lost on the road after a 7-0 start. They've hit six homers in the last three games and are batting .276 on the 6-1 span after opening at .212 over their 4-7 start.

"The offense did well again today, and I just didn't give us a chance, and that's the most disappointing thing," starter Chris Bassitt told MLB's official website.

**TheGame** · 04-24-2016, 07:42 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Indians (8-7) at Tigers (8-8)

Game: 3
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: April 24, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

Despite a strong finish against the Detroit Tigers, a miserable 2015 record within the AL Central kept the Cleveland Indians from contention.

Continued success against their neighbors to the north has provided a better start this season.

Carlos Carrasco hopes to continue his roll Sunday while lifting the visiting Indians to their first sweep in Detroit in nearly eight years.

Cleveland (8-7) sputtered within its own division a year ago, compiling a 32-43 record to finish in the middle of five teams. A 2-9 start against Detroit (8-8) didn't help, though the Indians closed the season with wins in five of the final seven matchups.

The Indians entered the first meeting this season having lost four of six but have taken the first two of the weekend series, setting up a chance for their first sweep in the Motor City since Aug. 25-27, 2008. Cleveland is 21-44 in Detroit since that series, even with three straight wins there.

Home runs from Carlos Santana and Marlon Byrd off Justin Verlander lifted the Indians to Friday's 2-1 victory, and they broke out for 15 hits in Saturday's 10-1 rout - their fourth straight road win.

Starters Josh Tomlin and Corey Kluber combined to allow two runs and six hits in 14 2-3 innings, walking one and striking out 14. If Carrasco (2-0, 2.79 ERA) continues that trend, he would improve on his own awful numbers in this series.

The right-hander holds a 6.29 ERA and 1.86 WHIP in 15 appearances, 10 of them starts, against the Tigers. Their .346 batting average against Carrasco is the highest of any team. His 5.00 ERA and .296 batting-average against in three 2015 outings actually improved those career numbers, thanks largely to eight solid innings in an 8-2 victory in June.

After a shaky 2016 debut, Carrasco has settled in. He surrendered three home runs in his first start but has since given up just two runs over 14 1-3 innings, posting an 0.84 WHIP in consecutive victories over Tampa Bay and Seattle.

"Every start, I just take a little bit from there. I kind of learn a little bit," Carrasco told MLB's official website. "Sometimes you have to make an adjustment. That's what I did. I was trying to make my pitches."

Carrasco will face a Detroit lineup that has totaled two runs and 11 hits during a three-game skid.

J.D. Martinez, Miguel Cabrera, Mike Aviles and Justin Upton have each homered off Carrasco while hitting at least .333 against him lifetime. Martinez has homered twice off him but enters in a 1-for-14 slump without an RBI in five straight games. Cabrera is hitless in 12 straight at-bats.

Shane Greene (1-1, 7.15 ERA) starts for the Tigers against a Cleveland lineup that broke out Saturday. Yan Gomes had a three-run homer and five RBIs as the Indians posted their first 10-run game and most hits since they had 17 against the New York Yankees on Aug. 11.

Greene's ERA is inflated due to the seven runs he coughed up in 4 1-3 innings of Tuesday's 8-6 loss in Kansas City. The only time he's ever allowed more runs came in his most recent start against Cleveland, giving up eight in four innings of a 13-1 defeat a year ago to the day of this game.

Detroit has lost six of eight after a 6-2 start and has opened 2-4 at Comerica Park. The clubhouse was closed for almost 30 minutes following Saturday's loss for what manager Brad Ausmus called a "discussion."

'We're trying to fix things and help guys get better,' Ausmus said. 'We're in here working to win games.'

**TheGame** · 04-24-2016, 07:42 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Twins (5-13) at Nationals (13-4)

Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: April 24, 2016 1:35 PM EDT

No one questions Stephen Strasburg's ability to dominate when he's healthy. Of course, he hasn't always been 100 percent.

Strasburg hasn't shown any signs of problems so far, and another solid outing Sunday could help the Washington Nationals sweep this three-game series with the visiting Minnesota Twins and set a record for the best start in franchise history.

Six disabled list stints - two of which came last year - have interrupted the right-hander's career, but he's been fantastic since his latest return and carried it over into 2016.

Strasburg (3-0, 1.25 ERA) struck out 10 and scattered three hits over eight innings of a 7-0 win over Miami on Tuesday. The Nationals (13-4) have won his last seven starts, with Strasburg posting a 0.89 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 50 2-3 innings during that span.

"He's coming into his own. It's incredible," said Bryce Harper, who hit a grand slam to back Strasburg. "You see what he did in college. He had so much pressure going through the minors, coming up and everything, got hurt, trying to get back into it with his ankle and things like that. Then, the second half last year was absolutely ridiculous. Now, he's putting up video game numbers again."

Strasburg was limited to 23 starts last year and finished with a 3.46 ERA, the highest of his career. He tried to put that out of his mind during the spring.

"I don't really try and worry about injuries and everything like that," Strasburg said. "Last year, it is what it is, but I learned a lot from it, so I'm just trying to build off of each outing."

Strasburg has helped Washington tie the 1981 Montreal Expos and 2012 Nationals for the best start in franchise history. Nationals pitching struck out 18 in Saturday's 2-0 win over the Twins (5-13), tying the team mark for the most in a nine-inning game set in 1980.

Harper doubled twice after going 3 for 18 over his previous five.

Minnesota has dropped four of five since a four-game winning streak and managed only two hits Saturday. It has struck out at least 10 times in six games this season and was just one short of tying the franchise record.

"That's a big number, no matter who's out there (pitching)," manager Paul Molitor said.

Molitor made a lineup change Saturday, putting right fielder Miguel Sano at third base for the first time in 2016. He should be back in the outfield for this one with Eduardo Nunez playing third.

Byung Ho Park is expected to play first in place of Joe Mauer.

Tyler Duffey will get the ball for his season debut after Ervin Santana was scratched with back soreness. Santana said he felt pain when he bent over to pick up a ball during batting practice Friday, but he's expected to make his next start and won't go on the disabled list.

Duffey went 5-1 with a 3.10 ERA in 10 starts as a rookie last season. He was given an opportunity to make the rotation out of camp, but a poor spring led to him starting the season in Triple-A.

The right-hander has a 1.72 ERA in three starts for Rochester and likely will be sent back down after the game.

**TheGame** · 04-24-2016, 07:42 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Rangers (10-7) at White Sox (11-6)

Game: 3
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: April 24, 2016 2:10 PM EDT

Coming off a nomadic 2015 season, Mat Latos seems quite comfortable in his new home.

The rejuvenated right-hander looks to continue a stellar stretch from White Sox starters and pitch surprising Chicago to a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers on Sunday.

Plagued by knee troubles and banished to the bullpen by the end of last season, Latos (3-0, 0.49 ERA) has been an early revelation during his short time with Chicago. The three-time 14-game winner has yielded one run through 18 1/3 innings in three White Sox victories while helping his new team lead the AL with a 2.35 ERA.

Latos posted a career-worst 4.95 ERA and finished 4-10 with three teams in 2015, causing him to remain on the market until signing with Chicago shortly before spring training.

The move has paid off so far, as Latos has allowed three hits or less while working at least six innings in all three outings. He held the Los Angeles Angels to two hits over 6 1/3 innings to win his U.S. Cellular Field debut 5-0 on Tuesday.

'Fastball command has been there. Slider is really good,' he said. 'I made pitches when I needed to.'

He's fit in well in a rotation that's combined for a 1.09 ERA over the last five games. Chicago (12-6) posted its second shutout during that run behind Jose Quintana's seven-inning gem in a 5-0 win in Friday's opener.

The White Sox are still struggling somewhat at the plate, though Todd Frazier homered for the third time in five games and Jose Abreu delivered a bases-loaded RBI single in the 11th inning in Saturday's 4-3 victory.

Frazier is 6 for 18 after hitting .154 over the first 13 games and Abreu ended an 0-for-18 slump with his game-winning hit.

'You're always looking for a silver lining that makes you feel good,' manager Robin Ventura said. 'Josie getting a hit right there, it's something to build off of. ... That's a step in the right direction.'

Texas (10-8), which entered the series with four straight wins, received six innings of one-run ball from Colby Lewis and forced extras with a run off David Robertson in the ninth.

'That's a great character builder for a ballclub that's going to continue to battle and fight through games,' manager Jeff Banister said of his team. 'If you were a fan and you walk away unsatisfied, you don't like baseball.'

Derek Holland (2-0, 2.70) will attempt to prevent a fifth straight Rangers loss in Chicago and build off his latest effective outing. After working 6 2/3 innings in an 8-0 win at Seattle on April 12, the left-hander held Houston to two runs in a 105-pitch, five-inning stint in Tuesday's 7-5 victory.

Holland faces Chicago for the first time since April 7, 2012, and is 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in three prior starts against the White Sox.

Melky Cabrera, 5 for 8 with a homer and four runs scored for the series, is 4 for 15 against Holland.

Texas' Adrian Beltre is hitting .435 over a six-game hitting streak and Rougned Odor is batting .357 with seven RBIs over his last eight. Odor homered off Latos in the latter's relief outing with the Angels on October 3.

Chicago last swept a three-game set from Texas July 3-5, 2012 at home.

**TheGame** · 04-24-2016, 07:42 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Red Sox (8-8) at Astros (5-12)

Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: April 24, 2016 8:05 PM EDT

One of Colby Rasmus' finest performances at the plate allowed the Houston Astros enjoy their highest-scoring game in nearly two weeks.

Rasmus and his teammates will try to sustain their offensive momentum Sunday night while spoiling Henry Owens' season debut for the Boston Red Sox.

Rasmus hit his fifth career grand slam and drove in five runs, one shy of matching his personal high, in an 8-3 victory Saturday that ended Houston's four-game slide. The Astros (6-12) surpassed their run total from their prior three games and plated more than five for the first time since an 8-2 win over Kansas City on April 11.

They produced an average of 2.7 runs in their 10 subsequent contests while batting .136 with runners in scoring position and .215 overall.

"We've had a tough stretch, so to be able to do something for the team I feel blessed and thankful that that gave us a spark,'" said Rasmus, who has three of his six homers in the past three games. "We had some good energy, got the crowd going with us and everybody was having a good time."

Houston will seek to win its three-game series over the visiting Red Sox (8-9) when it faces Owens, a former top prospect and 2011 first-round draft pick. The 23-year-old left-hander couldn't win a spot in the rotation out of spring training but is coming back up after posting a 1.00 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 18 innings over three starts at Triple-A Pawtucket.

Owens went 4-4 with a 4.57 ERA in 11 starts in his first major league season but did not face the Astros.

"In the final outing of the spring, I thought he pitched with a lot more crispness, better command, and he's maintained that through his starts at Pawtucket thus far," manager John Farrell told MLB's official website. "This is also someone who came up last year and handled this environment well. With major league innings under his belt, he's the guy we're going to."

The Astros haven't won in any of Scott Feldman's three starts, and the chances of earning a victory don't appear promising given his struggles against Boston. Feldman (0-2, 4.11) is 1-4 with a 9.37 ERA in seven career starts versus the Red Sox and has a 15.23 ERA in losing the last three starts, with the most recent Aug. 14, 2014.

The right-hander gave up four runs - three in the first of his five innings - in a 7-5 loss in Texas on Tuesday. He was coming off his best outing of the season, two unearned runs allowed in 6 1-3 innings in a 4-2 defeat to Kansas City.

"I've got to come out better than that," said Feldman, who also gave up three first-inning runs at Milwaukee on April 8. "I settled down a little bit, but next time I've got to come out better in the first."

Dustin Pedroia, 7 for 15 with three extra-base hits in his last three games, is 10 for 23 lifetime against Feldman. Christian Vazquez is 4 for 5 with two doubles against the veteran starter while Brock Holt has two doubles and a triple in six at-bats.

The Red Sox are hoping to get Xander Bogaerts back in the lineup. He sat out Saturday after being hit on the right wrist by Astros pitcher Luke Gregerson on Friday.

**TheGame** · 04-24-2016, 09:22 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Miguel Cabrera is not in the Tigers' lineup on Sunday.
Justin Upton is also getting a breather, as the Tigers are resting their struggling sluggers. Andrew Romine is handling first base and Mike Aviles is in left field Sunday.

**TheGame** · 04-24-2016, 09:23 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Yoenis Cespedes (leg) remained out of the Mets' lineup Sunday.

**TheGame** · 04-24-2016, 09:56 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Bryce Harper is absent from the Nationals' lineup on Sunday.

**Satch** · 04-24-2016, 10:24 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Rays at Yankees
GAME: Tampa Bay Rays (7-10) at New York Yankees (7-9)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, April 24 – 1:05 PM EST
WHERE: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
The New York Yankees were mired in an ugly slump but have managed to turn things around at the expense of the Tampa Bay Rays. The Yankees rebounded from a 1-7 slide by winning the first two games against visiting Tampa Bay and will go for a series sweep against their American League East rival on Sunday afternoon.
New York squeezed out a 3-2 victory in dramatic fashion on Saturday afternoon as Brett Gardner delivered a two-out, walk-off homer in the ninth inning. Gardner also plated the tying run with an infield single as part of a three-hit day to improve to 11-for-25 in his last seven games. Corey Dickerson is 6-for-14 with three doubles and four RBIs over the past four games for the Rays, who are 2-3 on their six-game trek. Left-hander Drew Smyly, still seeking his first win despite striking out 22 in his last two starts, opposes Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda in the series finale.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Drew Smyly (0-2, 2.91 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Michael Pineda (1-1, 5.29)
Smyly turned in one of the more dominant performances of the season and still couldn’t come away with the victory despite striking out 11 and permitting one hit in eight scoreless innings at Boston on Tuesday. The 26-year-old Arkansas native also fanned 11 in his previous turn, a 4-1 loss versus Cleveland in which he gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits over seven innings. He is 1-0 with a 1.82 ERA in six appearances (three starts) versus New York.
Although not as overpowering as Smyly, Pineda also deserved a better fate after turning in consecutive quality starts in which he permitted two earned runs over six innings. Ironically, the 27-year-old’s lone victory came in a rocky season debut when he surrendered three homers and six runs over five innings. Pineda has a strong record against Tampa Bay, going 2-1 rwith a 2.70 ERA in seven starts, while holding Evan Longoria to two hits in 20 at-bats.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees OF Aaron Hicks received a cortisone shot in his left shoulder and will be shut down for four or five days.
2. Rays CF Kevin Kiermaier is riding a five-game hitting streak after going hitless in his previous eight contests.
3. Yankees RHP Branden Pinder has a partial tear of his ulnar collateral ligament and must decide between rehab and Tommy John surgery.
PREDICTION: Rays 4, Yankees 3

**Satch** · 04-24-2016, 10:25 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Athletics at Blue Jays
GAME: Oakland Athletics (10-8) at Toronto Blue Jays (9-10)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, April 24 – 1:07 PM EST
WHERE: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
The Toronto Blue Jays have been waiting for Troy Tulowitzki to break out of a slump and join the trio of sluggers in front of him in a fearsome lineup. Tulowitzki did just that on Saturday and will try to lead the Blue Jays to a series win when they host the Oakland Athletics in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday.
Tulowitzki was batting .150 and managed one extra-base hit in seven games prior to taking the series opener off on Friday to rest a sore hip. The former All-Star looked refreshed in his return on Saturday, when he went 3-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs in the 9-3 victory. Josh Donaldson added a three-run blast against his former team as the Blue Jays snapped a three-game slide and ended Oakland’s six-game winning streak. The Athletics had allowed an average of 2.4 runs during the first five games of the winning streak but have surrendered 14 runs in two games against the Blue Jays.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Eric Surkamp (0-1, 3.68 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchison (2015: 13-5, 5.57)
Surkamp is getting his first chance to stick as a major league starter and has yet to complete six innings in any of his first three turns. The 28-year-old is pitching for his fourth organization in the majors and went a season-high 5 2/3 innings at New York on Tuesday, allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks without factoring in the decision. Surkamp has made six career appearances against Toronto – all in relief – and yielded a total of one run and two hits in 4 1/3 innings.
The Blue Jays are attempting to manage the workloads of young starters Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman and will call up Hutchison to make a spot start on Sunday in order to give the two each an extra day of rest. Hutchison was Toronto’s opening day starter in 2015 but eventually lost his place in the rotation and failed to win it back in spring training. The 25-year-old is 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 15 1/3 total innings for Triple-A Buffalo this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays OF Michael Saunders (hamstring) sat out the first two games of the series and is day-to-day.
2. Oakland 1B Mark Canha homered in each of his last two games and drove in a run in three straight.
3. Toronto LHP Chad Girodo, who took the roster spot of suspended 1B Chris Colabello, will be sent back to Triple-A to clear a spot for Hutchison.
PREDICTION: Athletics 6, Blue Jays 5

**Satch** · 04-24-2016, 10:25 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Indians at Tigers
GAME: Cleveland Indians (8-7) at Detroit Tigers (8-8)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, April 24 – 1:10 PM EST
WHERE: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
Slugger Carlos Santana looked comfortable in the leadoff spot the last two contests and may get another shot Sunday when his Cleveland Indians go for a three-game sweep of the host Detroit Tigers. Santana is 4-for-9 in the series, including a homer to open the game Friday and a run-scoring double to support Yan Gomes’ five-RBI outburst during Saturday’s 10-1 rout.
“I don’t think (Santana) is going to be a leadoff hitter the rest of his career,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona told reporters of his designated hitter, who has worked seven walks this year. “But, I also think that he can do some things that are pretty special as a leadoff hitter that can change a game.” Jarrod Saltalamacchia had nine homers all of last season but belted his sixth in the first month of 2016 to provide the only run Saturday for the Tigers, who have scored just twice while losing three straight. Former MVP Miguel Cabrera continues to struggle for Detroit, going 2-for-24 the last six games, and big-ticket free agent acquisition Justin Upton is 3-for-28 the last seven contests with 30 strikeouts on the season. “It’s clearly something with my timing or mechanical,” Upton told reporters. “It’s just not clicking right now.”
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (2-0, 2.79 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Shane Greene (1-1, 7.15)
Carrasco has been outstanding his last two starts, allowing two runs and eight hits combined over 14 1/3 innings to gain a pair of victories. The 29-year-old Venezuelan boasts 18 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings overall, but has given up four homers. Cabrera is 9-for-24 with a homer and J.D. Martinez 6-for-18 with a pair of blasts versus Carrasco, who is 4-6 with a 6.29 ERA in 15 games (10 starts) against the Tigers.
Greene struggled last time out while surrendering seven runs on six hits and four walks over 4 1/3 innings to lose at Kansas City. The 27-year-old Floridian, who makes his home debut, won at Pittsburgh with six strong innings and gained a save in his first appearance of the campaign. Mike Napoli is 2-for-3 with a homer and a double versus Greene, who is 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two games against Cleveland.
WALK-OFFS
1. Detroit 2B Ian Kinsler went 0-for-3 Saturday, going hitless for just the second time in 16 games this season.
2. Cleveland OF Rajai Davis has hit safely in his last eight games with an at-bat and boasts five RBIs in his past two outings.
3. The Tigers, who are expected to recall LHP Matt Boyd for bullpen depth Sunday, are 2-4 in six home games and gave up at least seven runs in three of the losses.
PREDICTION: Indians 5, Tigers 1

**Satch** · 04-24-2016, 10:25 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Cubs at Reds
GAME: Chicago Cubs (13-5) at Cincinnati Reds (9-9)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, April 24 – 1:10 PM EST
WHERE: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
The Cincinnati Reds finally broke out the bats against the Cubs, and they’ll try to keep the offense rolling as they aim to salvage a split of a four-game series against visiting Chicago on Sunday. The Reds snapped an eight-game skid against the Cubs with a 13-5 victory Saturday, smacking four home runs.
Chicago had outscored Cincinnati 46-7 while winning the first five meetings of the season, including a combined 24-1 margin in the first two games of the series. Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel will try to get Chicago’s pitching staff back on track after allowing a season-high run total in Saturday’s defeat. Hammel looks to continue his strong performance in the first month of the season – his 18 wins in April over the past six seasons are the most in the majors during that stretch. Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez, who led the way with four RBIs and a homer among his three hits Saturday, is 4-for-11 against Hammel.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Jason Hammel (2-0, 1.00 ERA) vs. Reds RH Alfredo Simon (0-1, 12.15)
Hammel did it all in his last outing, holding St. Louis to one run over six innings and delivering a two-run single in a 2-1 win. The 33-year-old has more RBIs (3) than runs allowed (2) through his first three starts, which included a win over the Reds on April 14 in which he threw six shutout innings. Hammel is 2-1 with a 3.90 ERA in 10 games (nine starts) against Cincinnati.
Simon didn’t get out of the first inning when he started against the Cubs on April 13, allowing five runs on four hits with three walks in two-thirds of an inning. The 34-year-old was then shelled for four runs (three earned) in one inning of relief at St. Louis two days later before being shelved for more than a week due to biceps tendinitis. HIs rough outing against the Cubs was an anomaly, as he’s now 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA in 16 games (six starts) against Chicago.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs 3B/LF Kris Bryant has hit all four of his home runs this season against the Reds and has 11 RBIs against Cincinnati.
2. Reds SS Zack Cozart recorded his fifth multi-hit game in 13 appearances this season Saturday and has hit safely in 12 of those 13 games.
3. Chicago CF Dexter Fowler has reached base via hit or walk at least three times in four of the past five games.
PREDICTION: Cubs 7, Reds 4

**Satch** · 04-24-2016, 10:26 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 4/24

Preview: Twins at Nationals
GAME: Minnesota Twins (5-13) at Washington Nationals (13-4)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, April 24 – 1:35 PM EST
WHERE: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A
Behind their stable of quality starting pitchers, the Washington Nationals are not giving teams much of an opportunity, especially at home. The Nationals have a great chance to keep alive their home winning streak when they send Stephen Strasburg to the mound in the finale of a three-game interleague set with Minnesota on Sunday.
Washington has claimed the first two contests in the series, including a 2-0 triumph behind starter Tanner Roark’s career-high 15 strikeouts on Saturday that stands as the club’s seventh consecutive triumph at Nationals Park. Opponents have been held to two runs or fewer five times in the winning streak and the Nationals’ staff owns a 2.12 ERA at home. Right fielder Bryce Harper doubled twice and scored one of Washington’s two runs Saturday, pushing his league-leading slugging percentage to .803. Minnesota was expected to start Ervin Santana opposite Strasburg, but the veteran was scratched due to a lower back injury, opening the door for Tyler Duffey to get the call from the minors for a fill-in start.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Tyler Duffey (2015: 5-1, 3.10 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (3-0, 1.25)
Duffey was in line to earn a spot in the rotation to begin the season but struggled in Grapefruit League action by giving up 10 runs in 12 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old was 3-0 with a 1.95 ERA in his final five starts last season and began this year with a 1.72 mark in three starts for Triple-A Rockester. The Texas native has let up only five homers in 211 2/3 innings across three levels since the start of the 2015 campaign.
Strasburg has won six straight decisions and 11 of his last 13 dating to last season after dominating the Miami Marlins his last time out with eight scoreless frames. Opponents are hitting .183 in 2016 against the San Diego State product and he has not allowed a home run in five consecutive outings overall. Strasburg, who owns a stellar 2.64 ERA in 71 career starts at home, has never faced the Twins.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington’s 13-4 start matches the franchise’s best through 17 games (also accomplished in 2012 and by the 1981 Montreal Expos).
2. Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy has hit safely in 14 of his first 16 games.
3. Twins 1B Joe Mauer is batting .340 in 12 career games against Washington.
PREDICTION: Nationals 4, Twins 2

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MLB Betting Info. 4/24

MLB Betting Info. 4/24

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