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**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:10 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

MLB roundup: Cubs' Arrieta ends losing streak
By The Sports Xchange

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Right-hander Jake Arrieta pitched eight shutout innings and ended his three-game losing streak as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Oakland A's 4-0 on Saturday afternoon at Oakland Coliseum.
Arrieta (13-5) allowed three hits, struck out four and walked one, winning for the first time since June 27 against Cincinnati. Arrieta, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, was 0-3 with a 4.88 ERA in his previous five starts after going 12-2 with a 2.10 ERA in his first 16.
The Cubs won their sixth straight game and improved to 68-41, the best record in baseball.
Ben Zobrist went 2-for-5 and drove in two runs for the Cubs.
Oakland right-hander Sonny Gray (5-11) allowed two runs and five hits but was taken out after just five innings and 72 pitches because of what the A's called right extensor muscle soreness. He struck out two, walked none and retired the final seven batters he faced.
The A's lost for the seventh time in their past eight games.

Dodgers 4, Red Sox 0
LOS ANGELES -- Ross Stripling worked five shutout innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen did the rest in Los Angeles' win.
A.J. Ellis, Corey Seager and Adrian Gonzalez each drove in a run for the Dodgers, who bounced back from a 9-0 shellacking on Friday night.
Stripling (3-3) struck out four and walked one while allowing four hits. He threw 75 pitches (49 strikes) before manager Dave Roberts lifted him in the bottom of the fifth for pinch hitter Chris Taylor.
Relievers Grant Dayton and Joe Blanton combined for three scoreless frames before Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his 33rd save.

Indians 5, Yankees 2
NEW YORK -- Corey Kluber threw eight strong innings for Cleveland, and Andrew Miller earned his 10th save -- his first since the Indians acquired him from the Yankees last Sunday -- with a one-hit ninth.
Kluber (11-8) allowed two runs -- both in the second inning -- on five hits and one walk while striking out eight. The Indians had gone 1-4 in their previous five games, a stretch in which Cleveland starting pitchers produced a 15.58 ERA (30 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings).
An RBI double by Gary Sanchez and wild pitch that produced another run gave the Yankees an early 2-0 lead.
Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia held Cleveland hitless until Jason Kipnis' leadoff homer in the fourth. Rajai Davis tied the game with an RBI single in the fifth before Mike Napoli's one-out homer in the sixth put the Indians ahead.

Rays 7, Twins 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Rays pitcher Chris Archer, with one win in his past 10 starts, looked like his old self, holding the Twins to three hits in six innings.
Archer (6-15) had zero runs of support in his previous two starts, but the Rays helped him out Saturday, with three solo home runs -- by Evan Longoria, Logan Forsythe and Bobby Wilson.
Archer struck out seven batters to give him 168 for the season, moving back ahead of Detroit's Justin Verlander for the American League lead.
Reliever Danny Floro pitched badly enough to turn a 7-1 game into a save situation for Alex Colome, who got the final two outs for his 27th save with the tying run on deck.

Royals 4, Blue Jays 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Danny Duffy won his seventh straight decision and Eric Hosmer delivered a clutch two-run single in the fifth inning to pace Kansas City's win.
Duffy (8-1) limited the Blue Jays to two runs and five hits over 6 2/3 innings, while striking out six and walking two.
Aaron Sanchez (11-2) absorbed the defeat, snapping his personal 10-game winning streak. Sanchez was replaced by Danny Barnes to start the seventh, after giving up four runs on nine hits.
Toronto's Devon Travis opened the game with a home run for the second straight day. The Blue Jays made it 2-0 in the top of the fifth on Travis' RBI single.
The Royals forged ahead in the bottom of the inning with three runs, the big hit being Hosmer's two-run single.

White Sox 4, Orioles 2
CHICAGO -- The White Sox broke a tie with runs in the seventh and eighth innings and made them stand up.
After scoring a run on Omar Narvaez's RBI single in the seventh to lead 3-2, Adam Eaton led off the eighth with his ninth home run to give closer David Robertson a two-run lead in the ninth. Robertson picked up his 27th save to reward Nate Jones with a win for pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Eaton and Melky Cabrera each went 2-for-4 and drove in a run, while Tyler Saladino hit a solo home run.
Chris Tillman (14-4), who started for Baltimore, went seven innings and took the loss.

Pirates 5, Reds 3
PITTSBURGH -- Ivan Nova was impressive in his Pittsburgh debut, surrendering three runs through seven innings in his first start since being acquired from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline.
Starling Marte led Pittsburgh's offense by going 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Andrew McCutchen, John Jaso and Francisco Cervelli each added an RBI.
Brandon Phillips hit two home runs off Nova, his first homers since May 7.
Homer Bailey had a rough outing in only his second start of the season for the Reds. He gave up eight hits, five runs and a walk in three innings, while striking out four.

Rangers 3, Astros 2
HOUSTON -- Jonathan Lucroy belted two home runs to support a relief corps that produced 5 1/3 strong innings in the Rangers' victory.
Lucroy smacked his 15th and 16th homers on the season in consecutive at-bats in the sixth and eighth innings. It marked his seventh career multi-homer game and first this season.
Before departing with a left quad contusion in the seventh inning, Carlos Beltran produced an RBI single that scored Shin-Soo Choo and gave the Rangers the lead for good. Beltran and Lucroy were both acquired at the non-waiver trade deadline on Monday along with right-hander Jeremy Jeffress, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Rangers starter Lucas Harrell yielded just one run but gave up five hits and five walks in his 3 2/3 innings of work.

Braves 13, Cardinals 5
ST. LOUIS - Emergency Braves starter Roberto Hernandez won his first major-league game in more than a year with the help of four homers by his teammates.
Ender Inciarte and Matt Kemp had two-run homers, and Freddie Freeman and Adonis Garcia had three-run shots for Atlanta, which used a six-run ninth to put the game away.
Hernandez, a former American League All-Star and 19-game winner while pitching as Fausto Carmona with the Cleveland Indians from 2006 to 2012, last won on July 3, 2015, as a member of the Houston Astros. Hernandez lasted five-plus innings, giving up six hits and three runs with a walk and four strikeouts.

Tigers 6, Mets 5
DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs with a double and a single to reach 74 RBIs and the streaking Tigers won for the 10th time in their last 11 games.
New York, which has lost eight of 11, took advantage of two Detroit errors to cut a thee-run deficit to 6-5 in the seventh.
Francisco Rodriguez posted his 32nd save of the season with a run-free ninth -- with right fielder J.D. Martinez throwing Jay Bruce out at the plate trying to score from second on a two-out single to right.

Giants 7, Nationals 1
WASHINGTON -- Eduardo Nunez went 4-for-5 with two triples and a double and scored three times and Brandon Belt had three hits and drove in two runs as the Giants beat Stephen Strasburg.
Nunez, acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Twins on July 28, entered the game hitless in his previous 16 at-bats. He tripled and scored in the fourth and fifth and tied a career high for hits in a game.
Giants starter Matt Cain (4-6) went five innings plus one batter and gave up zero runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
Strasburg (15-2) lost for the second time in his last four starts after allowing four runs and eight hits while striking out eight in 4 2/3 innings -- his shortest outing of the season.

Rockies 12, Marlins 6
DENVER -- Charlie Blackmon had four hits, including a homer, and four RBIs as the Rockies parlayed a seven-run sixth inning into a tory.
Blackmon, hitless in 10 at-bats entering the game, Blackmon finished a double shy of the cycle.
Miami's Ichiro Suzuki, pinch-hitting in the eighth, chopped a bouncer and beat the throw of third baseman Nolan Arenado for his 2,999th career hit, ending an 0-for-11 drought with his single.
Ichiro batted in the ninth against Scott Oberg, and he hit a high bouncer that Oberg jumped and grabbed. The ball slipped out of his glove and Oberg slipped as he retrieved and threw with a knee on the ground just in time.
The Rockies trailed 3-2 when they zeroed in on Andrew Cashner (4-8) in the sixth, driving him from the game after he gave up four straight hits and a walk to start the inning.

Brewers 15, Diamondbacks 5
PHOENIX - Milwaukee's Ryan Braun hit two homers and tied a franchise record with seven RBIs and Keon Broxton had five hits in the Brewers' victory.
Braun hit three-run homers in the sixth and seventh innings to give the Brewers a 9-0 lead. He had a sacrifice fly in the first inning and a single in a six-run ninth.
Broxton had four singles and a double and had two RBIs, and Jonathan Villar had four hits and two RBIs for the Brewers, who have won six of nine.
Milwaukee right-hander Matt Garza (3-4) gave up three runs (two earned) and won his second straight start while pitching into the seventh inning for the first time this season.

Padres 9, Phillies 7
SAN DIEGO -- Christian Bethancourt hit a three-run double in the first inning and Yangervis Solarte drove in another three runs on a pair of singles to lead San Diego.
The Padres scored four runs in the first off Phillies right-hander Jake Thompson, who was making his major-league debut. Thompson allowed six runs in 4 1/3 innings to take the loss.
Left-handed Padres reliever Buddy Baumann retired all five hitters he faced, with three via strikeouts, to get his first major-league win.
Leadoff man Travis Jankowski paced the Padres' offense, reaching base four times in five plate appearances and scoring four runs.

Mariners 8, Angels 6
SEATTLE -- Former Angel Shawn O'Malley delivered the big blow with a three-run homer that gave Seattle its first lead as the Mariners rallied from another big early deficit to beat Los Angeles.
O'Malley, who made his major league debut with the Angels in 2014 but was released after the season, hit his second home run of the season to put the Mariners ahead 8-6 on a night when Mike Trout belted a first-inning homer that gave Los Angeles a 3-0 lead for the second straight game.
The Angels led 5-1 in the third inning and were clinging to a 6-4 lead when reliever Jose Valdez, promoted from Triple-A earlier in the day, came on in the seventh and promptly walked three of the four batters he faced. After Seattle's Leonys Martin cut the Los Angeles lead to 6-5 with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly, O'Malley took Angels reliever Deolis Guerra deep to right field.

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:11 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Indians (62-46) at Yankees (55-55)

Game: 3
Venue: Yankee Stadium
Date: August 07, 2016 1:05 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- A pair of teams adjusting to unusual late-season roles will face off Sunday afternoon when the New York Yankees host the Cleveland Indians in the finale of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

The Indians evened the series Saturday, when right-hander Corey Kluber threw eight solid innings in a 5-2 victory. Kluber's performance stopped a skid for Cleveland starters, who posted a 15.58 ERA in the previous five games -- four of which the Tribe lost.

The Indians (62-46) are two games ahead of the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central. Cleveland is in first place this late in a season for the first time since 2007, the last time the franchise won a division title, but manager Terry Francona said he's not worried about the pressure wearing on his club.

"When there are outside expectations -- we haven't really had that here -- the way to combat that is the expectations in our clubhouse," Francona said. "We expect a lot of ourselves. So when you prepare and play the game right, that takes away all the anxiety from the outside.

"The guys that have been through it know how much fun it is to be in a pennant race. And the guys that haven't will learn how much fun it is."

No team is more accustomed to the fun of a pennant race than the Yankees, who reached the postseason in 18 of the previous 21 seasons. But New York began rebuilding at the trade deadline last month, when it dealt away pitchers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller and outfielder Carlos Beltran in exchange for 11 players, mostly young prospects.

Still, just because they are looking toward the future doesn't mean the Yankees (55-55) are giving up on the present. They have scored 32 runs since losing Beltran, who led New York in all three Triple Crown categories.

"Obviously we miss him," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Beltran. "But we've actually had some pretty good run outputs in the six games since he's been gone."

The Yankees are six games behind Detroit in the race for the AL's second wild card.

"We still believe that we have a shot," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We're still playing to get in."

Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka (7-4, 3.40 ERA) and Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco (7-5, 3.12) look to bounce back from rough starts when they take the mound Sunday afternoon.

Tanaka took the loss Tuesday, when he gave up seven runs (six earned) over 6 1/3 innings as the Yankees fell to the New York Mets 7-1. The runs allowed and earned runs allowed each tied season highs for Tanaka, who hasn't won in his last three starts.

Carrasco also took the defeat Tuesday, when he gave up a career-high eight runs in a 10-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins. He hadn't allowed more than six runs in a start since July 6, 2013.

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:11 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Twins (44-66) at Rays (45-64)

Game: 3
Venue: Tropicana Field
Date: August 07, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor will be happy not to have to play Evan Longoria again this season after Sunday's series finale.

"He's had a pretty good season against us," Molitor said after Longoria hit his 24th home run of the season as part of the Tampa Bay Rays' 7-3 win over the Twins on Saturday night. "I don't know what his totals are, but every time we get him out, I'm relieved."

In six games against the Twins, Longoria has six home runs this year. That matches the most of any major-league player this year against Minnesota. Cleveland's Mike Napoli also has six, but in 13 games. Longoria has 14 career home runs against the Twins, his most against any non-division opponent.

"He's made us pay," Molitor said. "All six games, I think he's been a contributing factor."

The Rays hit three more solo home runs in Saturday's win -- they're on pace for a team-record 211 home runs this season, though manager Kevin Cash was also happy to see some "small-ball" scoring with multiple stolen bases and aggressive baserunning on wild pitches.

"Love the home runs," Cash said. "But the way we have found some ways to manufacture some runs here of late has been really nice. We struggled with doing that for a lot of the season."

The Rays are 6-3 on their homestand, which secures their first winning homestand of the season. The Arizona Diamondbacks are now the only team that has gone all season without at least one series win.

The Rays will send Matt Andriese, literally stretching himself back out to be a starter after an extended stint in the Tampa Bay bullpen, to mound Sunday. His first start Tuesday saw him throw 58 pitches in four effective innings, and he should be able to work longer this time around.

Andriese (6-2, 2.72) beat the Twins on June 4, despite giving up eight hits and three runs (two earned) in five innings. Last year, he struggled in relief against Minnesota, giving up five runs in three innings. He'll remember Twins leadoff hitter Brian Dozier, who's 3-for-5 against him with a home run and four RBIs.

That's still better than Minnesota's Sunday starter, fellow right-hander Kyle Gibson, who is 0-4 for his career against the Rays with an 8.85 ERA, having allowed 20 earned runs in 20 1/3 innings. This season, Gibson is 3-6 with a 4.94 ERA, but he'll need to be careful with Tampa Bay's 3-4 hitters -- Longoria has a .400 career average against him and Brad Miller is at .455.

The two teams, with nearly identical records at the bottom of the American League standings, go in opposite directions after Sunday's game. Tampa Bay hits the road for a six-game swing in Toronto and New York, and the Twins return home for seven games against the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals.

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:11 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Mets (56-54) at Tigers (61-49)

Game: 3
Venue: Comerica Park
Date: August 07, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

DETROIT -- J.D. Martinez brought his big bat back to the Detroit lineup on Wednesday, but just days later the Tigers lose another important part of their offense.

Third baseman Nick Castellanos was lost to the club for at least a month Saturday night when he was hit in the left hand by a pitch, suffering a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metacarpal.

Detroit recalled veteran Casey McGehee from Triple-A Toledo to replace him.

McGehee, with Detroit briefly twice earlier this season, brings a veteran bat that doesn't have much pop but can be filled with base hits. He was hitting .325 for Toledo.

"Casey McGehee is a guy that's proven, played well at the big league level, at times, and he's playing well down at Toledo," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "I don't have any hesitation playing him."

Ausmus has used light-hitting multi-position player Andrew Romine and similar Mike Aviles at third from time to time this season. McGehee is probably the better offensive option with Romine seeing a lot of action at the position as a late-inning replacement for Castellanos.

"It's probably going to be a minimum of four weeks," Ausmus said. "It's certainly not good news for us. We're looking really at some point in early September we hope to get him back.

"You keep moving forward. Keep looking through the windshield and not the rearview mirror."

The Mets are going through tough times and injury problems themselves.

New York has lost eight of 11 games entering Sunday while Detroit has won nine of 10.

The Mets saw the tying run thrown out at the plate to end the game Saturday night.

"It's really tough to lose this one," New York manager Terry Collins said, "because we had so many good at-bats in the last few innings, and we just couldn't get the one big hit.

"Then, when we finally get one, J.D. Martinez makes a great throw and we don't get anything out of it."

Martinez returned last week after missing six weeks with a non-displaced fracture in his right elbow.

Anibal Sanchez will make an important start Sunday for Detroit as he fights to remain a viable starter.

The right-hander's career has been trending downward ever since his 2.57 ERA was the American League's best in 2013.

He has battled injuries, control problems and a penchant for giving up home runs the last three seasons.

He was ushered to the bullpen earlier this season after a string of really bad starts. He pitched well in low-leverage bullpen outings and was returned to the rotation when injuries struck other Detroit starters.

Sanchez (6-11, 6.26 ERA) will make his 18th start and 26th appearance of the season Sunday. He has started 11 times against New York in his career with a 4-5 record and 4.45 ERA.

He gave up one run in six innings against the Chicago White Sox his last time out after pitching four shutout innings in his final four innings of a start against the White Sox. Sanchez gave up four runs in the first two innings of that six-inning outing.

Sanchez no longer throws his fastball in the mid-90s. He needs to spot his low-90s fastball and be precise with his secondary pitches to be successful.

The Mets will counter with right-hander Jacob deGrom, who faces Detroit for the first time in his short major league career.

DeGrom (7-5, 2.41 ERA) won his most recent start, beating the New York Yankees on Aug. 2 with seven innings of shutout ball. He is 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA since the All-Star break.

He has made nine starts against American League opponents, posting a 4-3 record and 2.25 ERA over 60 innings.

New York has seen injuries rip through the formidable rotation that carried it to the World Series last year, but physical problems have also plagued the everyda" players on the team. Three-fourths of the infield has been hurt and it seems like one or two regular outfielders have always been forced to the sidelines.

Jose Reyes, acquired to fill an infield hole, has been out with an oblique problem but begins a rehab assignment this coming week. How much he has left in the tank is a question.

The club will be without power-hitting run producer Yoenis Cespedes for at least two weeks as he recuperates from a quad injury.

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:12 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Reds (44-65) at Pirates (55-53)

Game: 3
Venue: PNC Park
Date: August 07, 2016 1:35 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates will attempt to get back into the wild-card hunt by finishing off a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday at PNC Park.

After winning the first two games, the Pirates will send right-hander Gerrit Cole to the mound, where he will look to continue his recent string of impressive starts.

Cole picked up his second consecutive win despite going just five innings against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday after pitching his first career complete game in a 10-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on July 27.

Pittsburgh's erratic pitching staff has primarily led to an inconsistent performance that has followed them into the second half of the season. That unpredictability likely won't change until the starters, with Cole at the forefront, begin to provide its balanced offense with more substantial outings.

If Cole can work deep into the game Sunday, he could hand another lead to closer Tony Watson, who recovered from blowing a save on Friday by retiring the Reds in order during the ninth inning on Saturday.

"That's the role of a closer, is to have a short memory as long as they have good stuff," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "We showed confidence in him and gave him the ball. We've done it in the eighth inning before. ... You can't get off of him because of one mark, so it was a nice result tonight."

Cincinnati would like to keep Pittsburgh from finding its footing Sunday, when it counters with right-hander Dan Straily, who has been on an uptick of his own.

Straily has pitched well in his past six starts since allowing seven earned runs in an 11-8 loss to the Chicago Cubs on June 27. In his last start, Straily surrendered two earned runs in six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

In Straily's previous three appearances against the Pirates this season, he has been difficult to hit. He allowed fewer than three runs in each of those outings and surrendered two in each of his two starts against Pittsburgh.

Straily first faced the Pirates on April 10, when he struck out three batters and walked one in three hitless innings.

The Reds will have to put together a better effort at the plate to aid Straily if he's to defeat Cole. One player Cincinnati can seemingly rely on is second baseman Brandon Phillips, who has provided the bulk of the offense in the first two games of the series.

Phillips homered twice in the Reds' 5-3 loss on Saturday, ending a career-long stretch of 286 at-bats without a home run dating to May 7. That came after he went 2-for-3 with one RBI in Cincinnati's 3-2 loss on Friday.

Reds manager Bryan Price said he was never concerned about Phillips' drought.

"I don't keep tabs on that stuff too much but everyone else does," Price said. "It seems right now, he's getting the barrel on the bat every time he's up to bat and the results are starting to show."

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:12 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Giants (63-47) at Nationals (65-45)

Game: 3
Venue: Nationals Park
Date: August 07, 2016 1:35 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- When the Nationals and Giants met last weekend in San Francisco, neither Stephen Strasburg or Madison Bumgarner pitched in the four-game series.

It almost happened this time as the two All-Stars were originally slated to face each other Sunday. But the Nationals made a pitching change and will go with Tanner Roark on Sunday after Strasburg went Saturday against the Giants and suffered the 7-1 loss.

"It was a big game," said manager Bruce Bochy, whose club had lost 14 of its previous 19 outings.

The Giants got a lift Saturday from third baseman Eduardo Nunez, who came to the team in a trade in late July. He had four hits Saturday, including two triples.

"You saw what he could do tonight. You saw what he could do tonight. He brings a lot of energy to the lineup," Bochy said of Nunez. "He can do a lot of things for you. I knew I was going to play him today. It is important to get him going. This year he came into his own and made the All-Star team. This kid is talented. He adds a dimension with speed and energy he brings to the club."

The Giants try to gain some momentum with Bumgarner (10-6, 2.25 ERA), who has made 23 starts this year and averages nearly seven innings per outing. He has gone 155 2/3 innings and allowed 122 hits and 38 walks with 174 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting just .211 against him.

While Bumgarner is a former World Series MVP, Roark may be one of the most underrated starters in the game.

Roark, a 25th-round pick by the Texas Rangers, became a starter for the Nationals in 2014 and won 15 games.

He was used mostly out of the bullpen last year but has been in the rotation again this year.

The University of Illinois product is 11-6 with a 3.02 ERA in 23 games (22 starts). He has gone 143 innings and allowed 125 hits and 43 walks with 119 strikeouts. Opponents have an average of .239 against Roark.

He had a career-high 15 strikeouts against the Twins on April 23.

"I was just locked in. Every single pitch was on point," Roark said in the team's Inside Pitch magazine.

Giants hitters have very little track record against Roark. Buster Posey is 4-for-9 against Roark while Brandon Crawford is 2-for-7.

Bumgarner is 0-1 in his last three starts while Roark is 2-1 with a 4.42 ERA in that span.

Roark is 4-0 with a 3.32 ERA in five games (two starts) against the Giants. He faced them on July 28 and gave up just one run in seven innings. Roark leads the league in outings in which he has allowed no runs while going seven innings, which he has done six times.

While the Nationals only face the Giants in two series per year, Washington batters have fared well against North Carolina native Bumgarner in a small sample size.

Anthony Rendon is hitting .444 in nine at-bats and Ben Revere is 7-for-14.

Clint Robinson, a backup first baseman, has hit .667 in three at-bats against Bumgarner.

The availability of right fielder Bryce Harper may be in question Sunday for Washington.

He grimaced while fouling off a pitch in his second at-bat Saturday night. He stayed in the game but struck out for the third time in three trips to the plate before he was replaced in right field by Brian Goodwin.

"He's OK. He's had a stiff neck for a couple of days," Washington manager Dusty Baker said. "Anybody who has ever had a stiff neck, I mean, you know you're not yourself. So I took him out for precaution. We'll see if it's any better tomorrow.

"You can wake up in the morning and it's an issue. He's been dealing with this for a couple of days. I think this was the second day. I decided to take him out of the game."

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:12 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Orioles (62-47) at White Sox (53-57)

Game: 3
Venue: U.S. Cellular Field
Date: August 07, 2016 2:10 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- Dylan Bundy will try to continue his stellar streak as the Baltimore Orioles aim to win their three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday afternoon.

Bundy, a rookie right-hander, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning in each of his last two starts. He allowed one hit in a career-high seven shutout innings Tuesday against the Texas Rangers in his fourth major league start.

After the Orioles drafted him fourth overall in 2011, Bundy (4-3, 3.05 ERA) pitched in two major league games before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2013 and dealing with shoulder soreness in 2015.

"He's pitching well and giving us a good potential to win on the day he pitches," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "It's been a long process."

Bundy joined the rotation after he threw 38 relief innings. As a starter, he is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA. He has allowed three earned runs in 17 2/3 innings in his last three starts.

"Dylan has really developed a real mental toughness through all of it," Showalter said. "He already had it a little bit, but something you've done your whole life and all of a sudden it's kind of taken away from you and you're kind of wondering if you're going to be able to do it again, it makes you really savor and enjoy the good things that can come your way. It's actually made him a little better pitcher.

"He's developed some secondary pitches where he can go out there on some nights and not carry a big fastball and be able to survive. One of those rare guys who's 6-foot tall and can create some angle. ...Dylan's one of those guys who pitches tall."

In one career appearance against the White Sox, Bundy struck out one and allowed three hits in two scoreless innings.

The Orioles lead Toronto by percentage points in the American League East. Baltimore split the first two games of the series against the White Sox, who are third in the AL Central.

"September is the time to start looking at (the standings)," Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy said. "It's a little bit early. Fifty-something games is still a long time. Obviously, we're going out there trying to win every single game we can and see where we're at at the end."

For the White Sox, right-hander James Shields (5-13, 4.92) will start. He allowed six runs in five innings Tuesday in a loss to Detroit, ending a streak of six quality starts. He went 2-3 with a 1.78 ERA in July.

Shields is 11-7 with a 3.52 ERA in 26 career games against the Orioles.

Rookie shortstop Tim Anderson doubled and committed an error in his return to the White Sox lineup Saturday after he suffered a bruised left hand when he was hit by a pitch Thursday.

"Yesterday, I couldn't grip it, but today was the day where I could grip it real good," Anderson said. "I'd say I'm 90 to 95 percent."

Orioles first baseman Chris Davis was dropped two spots to sixth in the lineup Saturday. He was hitting .218 entering the game. Showalter indicated the move could be temporary.

"Just fit better," Showalter said. "He'll be back up (Sunday). Every day we look at it."

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:13 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Rangers (64-47) at Astros (57-53)

Game: 3
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: August 07, 2016 2:10 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish has experienced his fair share of memorable moments at Minute Maid Park, but Texas manager Jeff Banister isn't looking for Darvish to flirt with a perfect game when Texas attempts to claim the rubber match against the Astros on Sunday.

Darvish famously opened the 2013 season in Houston by retiring the first 26 batters before surrendering a seeing-eye single through the box to Marwin Gonzalez with two outs in the ninth inning. Darvish departed that 7-0 victory with 14 strikeouts and one hit allowed over 8 2/3 innings and is 4-3 with a 3.41 ERA in 10 career starts against Houston.

This season, Darvish (2-3, 3.29 ERA) is methodically working his way back from Tommy John surgery. He landed on the 15-day disabled list following his lone appearance against the Astros on June 8, surrendering one run on three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in five innings before departing with tightness in his right shoulder.

Darvish has been good, not great, since returning from the DL. He lost Tuesday in Baltimore after allowing three solo home runs over 6 1/3 innings while walking just one batter and recording nine strikeouts.

"He needs to build on some of the things that he's been doing, what he did last outing," Banister said of Darvish. "Obviously you take away the home runs ... this is a special pitcher for us. We look for big things from Yu so give him an opportunity to go out there and pitch for us and give us an opportunity to get out of here with a couple wins."

The Astros (57-53) counter Sunday with rookie right-hander Joe Musgrove, who makes his first career start after delivering a rousing debut Tuesday night against the organization that drafted him, the Toronto Blue Jays.

Musgrove pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out eight batters in relief to match a major league record. He faces Texas (64-47) needing to pitch effectively for a team feeling the pressure of an offensive collapse and a shot at a division title quickly slipping away.

That frustration bubbled over Saturday night when second baseman Jose Altuve earned a seventh-inning ejection arguing balls and strikes with plate umpire Alan Porter. Altuve has shown increasing frustration with varying umpires' strike zones of late and his emotions boiled over before manager A.J. Hinch could sprint in from the dugout.

"He knows the strike zone as well as anybody, and he didn't appreciate the call and took matters into his own hands," Hinch said. "I think it symbolizes how important these games are and how much we are grinding mentally and physically to try to get the momentum back in our direction.

"He garners as much respect as anybody in the league. He never argues unless he is right. He was right in my opinion. I know Alan was giving him as much time as he could and ultimately decided to run him."

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:13 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Braves (40-70) at Cardinals (58-52)

Game: 3
Venue: Busch Stadium
Date: August 07, 2016 2:15 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS -- It was a sight interim manager Brian Snitker hasn't seen at all this year.

The Atlanta Braves, who entered Saturday night's game with the fewest homers in the majors at 66, not only clouted a season-high four in a game, but also tallied a season-high 13 runs in a rout of the St. Louis Cardinals.

"It was nice," Snitker said. "We haven't done that much, but I think we're more capable now."

Atlanta's offensive capability gets a test in Sunday's rubber game of the weekend series as it will have to solve St. Louis veteran Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.14 ERA), who owns an 8-2 mark and a 2.95 ERA in 16 career outings (11 starts) against the organization which drafted him.

Wainwright is coming off a no-decision Tuesday night in a 7-5 loss at Cincinnati, going just five innings and allowing two runs. Wainwright's pitch count reached 101 at his stint's end, and manager Mike Matheny's decision to remove Wainwright led to a series of double-switches and moves to the bullpen that culminated in closer Seung Hwan Oh yielding a walkoff three-run homer to Scott Schebler.

The Braves (40-70) send hard-throwing right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (4-5, 4.60) to the bump. Foltynewicz, a former first-round pick of the Houston Astros, is coming off a 5-3 loss Tuesday night to Pittsburgh, but has shown the potential to be a stopper at times this year.

The Cardinals (58-52) enter this one tied with Miami, a 12-6 loser Saturday night in Colorado, for the National League's second wild-card spot. But they are 2-3 in a nine-game stretch against Cincinnati and Atlanta, two of the league's three last-place teams.

It is not known whether St. Louis will have catcher Yadier Molina available Sunday. He left Saturday night's game in the eighth inning for pinch-hitter Matt Adams with a right hand contusion after getting hit with a foul tip.

Second baseman Matt Carpenter also departed Saturday night's game early as part of a double-switch following the fifth inning. Matheny said that Carpenter didn't look right swinging the bat, and Carpenter's status for Sunday isn't known

Matheny did take some solace in his team's comeback from a 7-2 deficit. The Cardinals drew within 7-5 with a two-run eighth inning and had the tying run at the plate before Kolten Wong fanned for the third out.

"I thought we showed a lot of life in that particular inning, putting the pressure on them," Matheny said of the eighth. "We almost put the go-ahead run at the plate."

As for the Braves, they at least appear to have improved their offense with the addition of left fielder Matt Kemp last weekend in a trade with San Diego. Kemp swatted his first homer for Atlanta Saturday night, a two-run clout in the ninth.

It was the 24th homer of the year for Kemp, who when added to Freeman and red-hot center fielder Ender Inciarte (17-game hitting streak) gives the Braves something to build around.

"I think that first homer could give Matt a little bit of confidence," Snitker said. "I'm sure he was pressing a bit with a new team."

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:13 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Blue Jays (63-48) at Royals (52-58)

Game: 3
Venue: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
Date: August 07, 2016 2:15 PM EDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Yordano Ventura, who starts Sunday for the Kansas City Royals in the series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays, can be exasperating -- excellent one start, mediocre the next.

Examine Ventura's home record. He won his first four decisions this season at Kauffman Stadium, posting a 3.75 ERA. However, he's lost his past three home starts, allowing 13 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings for a 6.75 ERA.

Ventura is 0-5 with a 5.40 ERA in his past seven starts. He has not picked up a victory since June 17, when he defeated the Detroit Tigers 10-3. The Royals are averaging 2.7 runs per game in his starts since the 'W.'

The numbers do not equate to a right-arm that can throw a 100 mile per hour fastball and average 96 mph.

There can be some comparisons between Ventura and Royals left-hander Danny Duffy, who started the season in the bullpen and has developed into club's best starter. Duffy won his seventh straight decision in beating the Blue Jays 4-2 on Saturday night.

"There's no frustration there because you know he's grown into it," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "It's the same way with Ventura. You can't get frustrated. They're growing. They're getting better. They're learning what it takes to be successful. The light bulb is just starting to go on. You can see him getting a little better, a little better and understanding a little more and understanding a little more."

Ventura had some unkind twitter words for Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista after a dugout clearing shouting match last August at the Rogers Centre. Ventura tweeted out to Bautista: "We'll meet again later," and called him a "nobody" who steals signs. The remarks were later removed and Ventura apologized.

Ventura made two no-decisions starts against the Blue Jays in the postseason last October, allowing four runs in 10 2/3 innings on 12 hits, while striking out 11, walking four and hitting four.

The Blue Jays counter with Marcus Stroman, who is 2-1 with a 3.72 ERA in his past seven starts. Stroman struck out 13 Houston Astros in a Monday start.

With closer Roberto Osuna unavailable Friday after pitching in three of the four previous games, manager John Gibbons used Joaquin Benoit, who was acquired in a late July trade with Seattle, in the ninth inning to protect a one-run lead.

Benoit has allowed two hits and no runs over six innings since joining the Blue Jays.

"I like everything I've seen," Gibbons said of Benoit. "I don't know how they let him go. We really didn't know what to expect. He's been around a while. He came in against us when he was with Seattle and his arm was still there; you could tell that. And he's been perfect since he's been here. It seems like he enjoys it. I think he's happy to come over here."

With the additions of Benoit and Jason Grilli, who was acquired May 31 from Atlanta, plus Osuna, Gibbons has at his disposal three veteran right-handers who have closed games.

"Everybody knows Osuna's the guy," Gibbons said. "Now the key is we've got to be able to use them all because we're one less guy than we usually carry (in the bullpen) and you've got to watch those guys and get some innings out of the starters or it could blow up on us, like some of those extra-inning games."

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:14 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Cubs (68-41) at Athletics (48-62)

Game: 3
Venue: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Date: August 07, 2016 4:05 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- For a No. 5 starter, Chicago Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks has been doing a pretty good impersonation of an ace this season.

Hendricks is 10-7 with an ERA of 2.22, second lowest in the National League. Over his past nine appearances, including eight starts, he is 6-1 with a 1.04 ERA, 47 strikeouts and 16 walks. He is coming off a shutout of the Miami Marlins and will try to continue his hot streak against the Oakland A's on Sunday afternoon.

Last season, his second in the big leagues, Hendricks went 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA.

"I think I learned a lot from last year, the struggles I kind of went through," Hendricks said Saturday before the Cubs' 4-0 victory against Oakland. "I lost my mechanics a little bit. Kind of getting back into that. I learned a lot about myself. ... I was able to carry that through the offseason, came into spring and still felt good with it. Did a lot of work in spring just to make sure my mechanics were solid, ready for the year.

"There have been a lot of other changes. I'm using my curveball a lot more this year, my four-seam fastball a lot more. I've been pitching more. I'm pitching inside better. I've been doing a lot of different things."

Cubs manager Joe Maddon pointed to Hendricks' improved fastball command as the key reason for his turnaround.

"He's always had it but not to the level or extent he's had it this year," Maddon said. "And everything plays off of that. In addition to that, more curveballs recently and a little bit more four-seam fastball elevated, which I love. So I think he's kind of added in a subtle way some mixes to what he's doing that have benefited him, but primarily throwing his fastball for a strike.

"He gets a lot of takes, a lot of called strikes where the hitter is scratching his head but doesn't really argue with the umpire a whole lot because it was a strike. There's great movement on his pitches."

The A's will send rookie left-hander Sean Manaea to the mound for his 16th career major-league start. In his previous start he gave up five runs, four of them earned, on six hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to the Angels. Two of those hits allowed were two-run homers.

"Last time it was like two pitches that got me," Manaea said. "I definitely learned from that. Just got to calm myself when I get in those situations. In my bullpen, it was all about just locating my fastball. I worked really hard in the bullpen and I'm feeling really good for my next start."

Manaea has gone 1-2 with a 3.14 ERA in seven games, including six starts, after returning from the disabled list on June 29. He went on the DL on June 14 with a left pronator strain. He is 0-1 with a 2.51 ERA over his past five games.

The A's acquired Manaea on July 28 last season from the Kansas City Royals, along with right-hander Aaron Brooks, for current Cubs second baseman Ben Zobrist.

Manaea grew up in Indiana, not far from Chicago, and he'll face the Cubs for the first time.

"I think it's fun, just because I grew up watching the Cubs," Manaea said. "They are really good this year. It's going to be a fun matchup. I'm excited to see how things go tomorrow."

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:14 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Marlins (58-52) at Rockies (55-55)

Game: 3
Venue: Coors Field
Date: August 07, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins meet in the rubber game of their series Sunday against the backdrop of history.

Ichiro Suzuki is one hit shy of becoming the 30th player in major league history to reach 3,000 hits. He got No. 2,999 with a pinch-single in the eighth inning on Saturday night, stayed in the game and narrowly missing No. 3,000 in the ninth when pitcher Scott Oberg bobbled Suzuki's high-bouncer, slipped to one knee while retrieving the ball and narrowly threw him out.

After the Marlins' 12-6 loss, manager Don Mattingly would not say whether he plans to start Suzuki on Sunday afternoon against Rockies right-hander Jon Gray.

Ichiro declined to speak Saturday night, saying through a Marlins public relations official that after a loss he had no desire to talk about his personal accomplishment or anything upbeat.

Regardless, the baseball world will be watching Sunday, waiting and hoping that Suzuki makes history. One of those with more than passing interest in his quest is Ken Griffey Jr., who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in July and was Suzuki's teammate in Seattle. The Mariners provided the following remarks by Griffey.

"I got a first row (seat) to watch one of the greatest ballplayers to (ever) play ... to watch what he's done, day in and day out," Griffey said. "It's pretty impressive ... for him to go out there and roll out the hits that he has, it's pretty incredible.

"It's a tribute to his work ethic and everything that he believes in. ... It is something special, not just for the guys who played with him but for all of baseball and all the people in Japan. This is something that's huge. I know that he doesn't take it lightly. He works hs butt off day in and day out."

Opposing Gray for the Marlins will be Adam Conley, who is 7-6 with a 3.41 ERA in 22 starts. Right-handed hitters have hit 10 homers against Conley but are batting just .225 (78-for-347). Left-handed hitters haven't homered against Conley but are batting .306 (33-for-108) against him.

He has been much more effective against right-handed hitters.

Conley is 3-3 with a 3.92 ERA on the road, including his last start on Monday in Chicago where he lost 5-0 to the Cubs and gave up two runs, five hits and six walks with four strikeouts in four innings.

Gray, a rookie in his first full season in the majors, is 8-4 with a 3.77 ERA overall in 19 starts and 5-0 with a 3.83 ERA in nine starts at Coors Field.

In Gray's past seven outings, he is 4-1 with a 2.18 ERA, and he's 3-0 with an 0.69 ERA (26 innings, two earned runs) in four starts since the All-Star break with eight walks and 25 strikeouts. Not surprisingly, Gray is brimming with confidence.

"Even when I'm not on my game, I know I can keep us in the game, just by competing," Gray said.

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:14 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Brewers (49-59) at Diamondbacks (44-66)

Game: 3
Venue: Chase Field
Date: August 07, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

PHOENIX -- The Milwaukee Brewers shifted their infield when shortstop Orlando Arcia was recalled from the minors on Tuesday.

So far, so good.

Arcia had his first career hit Friday, and he was just getting started. He reached base on two hits and two walks and scored four times in a 15-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night, evening the series at Chase Field at one game apiece.

Arcia has made four straight starts at shortstop, and it has not seemed to faze former shortstop Jonathan Villar, who has thrived since moving to third base.

Villar had six hits and three walks in the first two games of the Arizona series, with four hits and two RBIs on Saturday.

Villar, who leads the major leagues with 41 stolen bases, has remained in the leadoff spot and manager Craig Counsell moved Arcia into the No. 2 spot in the order against Patrick Corbin, the first left-handed starter the Brewers faced since right-handed bat Arcia joined them from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

"Jonathan has been a machine, he really has," Counsell said. "He was on base four times last time, five time tonight. That's incredible. He does a heck of a job. And it's a tough at-bat. He lays off tough pitches. It's impressive."

The Brewers will send right-hander Jimmy Nelson (6-10) against right-hander Archie Bradley (4-7) in the third straight rematch of the pitching pairings from the first time these teams met in Milwaukee on July 25-28.

The Brewers won three of four in that series and are seeking their third road series victory of the season on Sunday. The last came the first week of July when they took two of three at Washington.

Milwaukee is 19-34 on the road. Arizona has won four home series and is 18-39 at home.

Bradley gave up one run in seven innings in an 8-1 victory over the Brewers on July 27, when right fielder Yasmany Tomas had two homers and five RBIs off Nelson, who lasted 4 2/3 innings.

Tomas singled in five at-bats Saturday and has four homers against the Brewers in six games this season, hitting .346 with four homers and 10 RBIs. He has hit safely in his last 12 starts, going .388 with three doubles, eight homers and 14 RBIs.

"There are things he is really starting to grasp," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "Pitch selection. He has gotten better and better as the season has gone on. Understanding what the pitchers are trying to do to him. Every at-bat is an adjustment in this league. They are going to make an adjustment to you, and you have to make an adjustment.

"The mistakes he's getting, he is putting them in the seats, which is important. His approach at the plate is much better. When things are going well, he is swinging at the right pitches. We're seeing that more often."

Ryan Braun had two three-run homers Saturday while tying the franchise record with seven RBIs. He has four homers and is 7-for-15 since returning to the lineup in the second game of a series in San Diego on Aug. 2.

"It's such a challenging game," Braun said. "We deal with so much failure, so much adversity. So when you have those rare games that are special, like tonight, you definitely have to appreciate those."

Braun receives a healthy round of boos, usually depending on the extent of damage he has done during the game, every time he is announced at Chase Field. Braun was the National League MVP in 2011 when the Brewers beat Arizona in the NLDS but later was reported to have failed a drug test that season. He was suspended for half a season in 2013 for violating baseball's drug policy.

"It's a non-factor for me," Braun said. "Regardless of the reception, I'm doing my best to compete as hard as I can and do my best."

**TheGame** · 08-07-2016, 08:15 AM

Re: MLB Betting Info. 8/7

Preview: Angels (49-61) at Mariners (56-53)

Game: 3
Venue: Safeco Field
Date: August 07, 2016 4:10 PM EDT

SEATTLE -- The Seattle bullpen had been an Achilles heel this season, but a series of changes and the emergence of rookie closer Edwin Diaz seem to have shored up that part of the Mariners.

Diaz, 22, has earned four saves on five nights and probably won't be available when the Mariners (56-53) host the Los Angeles Angels in the finale of a three-game series at Safeco Field on Sunday. Even without Diaz, the Seattle bullpen has been pretty strong as of late, particularly during the team's four wins over its past five games.

That hasn't stopped the Mariners from making moves to address the bullpen. Seattle added two more relievers in right-hander Arquimedes Caminero and switch-pitcher Pat Venditte on Saturday.

"We're kind of piecing it together down there," manager Scott Servais said after the Mariners' second consecutive comeback win Saturday night. "... Our bullpen kept us right there (Saturday) when it could have gotten away from us."

The Angels (49-61) have their own set of problems in the bullpen, and they cropped up again Saturday night as Los Angeles squandered another early lead. Jose Valdez, called up from Triple-A before the game, walked three of the four batters he faced and ended up taking the loss on a night when the Angels held leads of 3-0 and 6-2.

It's been an ongoing problem for a Los Angeles team that has been ravaged by injuries to its starting rotation.

"Everything that's happened in our bullpen is directly connected to our rotation," manager Mike Scioscia said.

The bullpen woes have overshadowed a Los Angeles offense that has been performing well lately. Part of the Angels' recent success has to do with reliable center fielder Mike Trout. He went 2-for-3 with a home run, a triple and four RBIs on Saturday night and is 10-for-21 in his last seven games since July 30. Trout celebrates his 25th birthday Sunday while enjoying another impressive season from an individual standpoint. He's among the American League leaders in batting average, hits, doubles, RBIs, on-base percentage and OPS. He ranked among the top 10 in major league history in home runs (160), runs scored (565), extra-base hits (363) and walks (436) before the age of 25.

Trout and the Angels face a Sunday starter who's coming off one of his best outings of the season. Seattle left-hander James Paxton allowed just one run over eight innings his last time out.

The bigger question is who will finish the game for the Mariners. Diaz has gotten plenty of work since supplanting struggling veteran Steve Cishek as closer, and Seattle also had to use former closers Tom Wilhelmsen and Drew Storen on Saturday.

The Angels plan to start right-hander Matt Shoemaker (6-11, 4.08 ERA). After that, the Los Angeles rotation is in a state of flux with veteran Tim Lincecum being designated for assignment before Saturday's game.

"Where Tim is now," Scioscia said, "and where he needs to be, there's a big gap there."

Lincecum, who was trying to make a comeback at age 32, had a 9.16 ERA after nine starts with the Angels.

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MLB Betting Info. 8/7

MLB Betting Info. 8/7

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