Tuesday, June 12th (All times eastern)
CLEVELAND INDIANS (37-25) AT FLORIDA MARLINS (31-33), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cleveland - Fausto Carmona (7-1, 3.11) Florida - Scott Olsen (4-5, 5.27)
Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Fausto Carmona is riding a hot streak as of late and will try to get his team back in the win column tonight, when the Tribe open a three-game interleague series against the Florida Marlins at Dolphin Stadium.
Carmona, who is 7-1 with a 3.11 ERA in 11 starts this season, will try to keep his unbeaten streak intact when he takes the hill in South Beach. After losing his 2007 debut on April 13 against the Chicago White Sox, Carmona is 7-0 over his previous 10 trips to the mound. In his last start on June 7 against Kansas City, Carmona hurled seven strong innings of one-run ball in an 8-3 triumph over the Royals.
The young right-hander will take on Florida for the first time in his career for Cleveland, which has lost two in a row, three of four and six of its last nine games. In Monday’s 8-7 loss against the Seattle Mariners in a makeup game at Jacobs Field, Casey Blake went 3-for-5 with two RBI to extend his career-high hit streak to a current major-league best 20 games. The game was made up after a four-game snow out earlier this season.
Kelly Shoppach had three hits and drove in a run, while Travis Hafner finished with a pair of RBI in a losing cause. Indians starter Paul Byrd did not factor in the outcome but was torched for seven runs and 11 hits in just four innings. Closer Joe Borowski suffered the loss after giving up the go-ahead run in the ninth inning.
Cleveland is now just a game ahead of the Detroit Tigers for the top spot in the American League Central standings.
Florida, meanwhile, has dropped two straight following a three-game winning streak and suffered a 9-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Sunday at Dolphin Stadium. Starter Rick Vanden Hurk struggled in the loss and gave up five runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked three.
Jeremy Hermida, Miguel Cabrera and Miguel Olivo all homered for the Marlins, who sit six games behind the New York Mets for the lead in the National League East division.
Florida will hand the ball to Scott Olsen for Tuesday’s series opener and he is 4-5 with a 5.27 earned run average over 13 starts this season.
Olsen has dropped his last two decisions and is 1-4 in his past seven trips to the rubber. He did not record a decision in his last outing on June 6 against Atlanta, yielding a pair of runs through 4 1/3 innings of a 7-4 victory over the NL East-rival Braves.
The left-hander will square off with Cleveland for the first time in his career.
Cleveland and Florida are meeting for the first time since the Marlins took two of three game against the Tribe at Jacobs Field in 2004. Florida, which is 100-74 in interleague play, also won three straight against the Indians at home in 2002. Cleveland is 96-85 all-time against the Senior Circuit.
In 1997, the Marlins won their first of two World Series titles by defeating the Indians in seven games.
COLORADO ROCKIES (31-32) AT BOSTON RED SOX (40-22), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Aaron Cook (4-2, 4.54) Boston - Tim Wakefield (5-7, 4.22)
The American League East-leading Boston Red Sox are playing mediocre baseball right now and will try to get back on track this evening, when they open a three-game interleague series against the Colorado Rockies at Fenway Park.
Boston had a three-game winning streak stopped in Sunday’s 5-1 setback to the Arizona Diamondbacks and lost for the fifth time in eight tries. In the finale of the three-game set in the desert, Red Sox rookie Daisuke Matsuzaka was outdueled by D’backs veteran Randy Johnson and lasted six innings, allowing two runs on four hits with nine strikeouts and four walks. The struggling Matsuzaka has dropped his last three trips to the mound.
Mike Lowell knocked in the lone run for the Red Sox, who are 9 1/2 games ahead of the rival New York Yankees in the division standings.
Tim Wakefield will try to stop a personal two-game losing streak when he toes the rubber this evening for Boston.
Wakefield, who is 5-7 with a 4.22 ERA in 12 starts this season, has lost four of his last five outings, including a June 6 performance against Oakland in which he gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 3-2 setback.
The right-handed knuckleballer is 0-3 with a 5.79 earned run average in four career games (3 starts) against Colorado.
Colorado has won two straight and six of its last eight games, including Sunday’s 6-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the finale of a three-game series at Camden Yards. Ryan Spilborghs led the charge with two home runs and six RBI. He entered the game with just four home runs for his career and had only six runs batted in on the season.
Todd Helton and Matt Holliday each scored twice in the win, while starting pitcher Jason Hirsh tossed nine strong innings of one-run, five-hit ball for the win after going 0-5 in his previous eight starts.
Aaron Cook will attempt to regain his winning ways when he steps on the bump tonight for the Rockies.
Cook is 4-2 with a 4.54 ERA in 13 starts this season and is 0-1 in his last two outings since winning four consecutive decisions. He did not factor in the outcome the last time out against Houston on June 6, permitting five runs in six innings of an 8-7 Colorado victory.
The right-hander has pitched against Boston just once in his career and was saddled with the loss. On June 17 of the 2004 season, Cook surrendered three runs in five innings of an embarrassing 11-0 loss at Coors Field.
Boston and Colorado are meeting for the first time since the Rockies won two of three matchups at Coors Field during the 2004 season. The Red Sox are 97-84 in interleague play, while Colorado is 69-82 against the American League.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (37-31) AT NEW YORK YANKEES (30-31), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Arizona - Brandon Webb (6-3, 3.13) New York - Chien-Ming Wang (5-4, 3.73)
The New York Yankees try to extend their season-high winning streak to seven games this evening, when they open a three-game interleague set against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium.
New York has caught fire of late and enters this series on the heels of sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend, culminating the series with a 13-6 rout on Sunday. Alex Rodriguez homered twice and Bobby Abreu finished 4-for-4 with four runs scored and three runs batted in to lead the attack.
Rodriguez, who finished with four runs scored, clubbed a three-run homer in the fourth to erase a one-run deficit and added a two-run shot in the sixth. He is 12-for-30 with five homers and 18 RBI over his last eight games.
Abreu stroked a double, a triple and two singles to go along with a walk. The rightfielder is 18-of-38 (.474) with nine walks, nine RBI, seven extra-base hits and 14 runs scored over his last 10 games. His batting average has gone from .228 to .272 with the hot streak.
Hideki Matsui added two runs batted in and Derek Jeter scored twice for New York, which has won nine of its last 11 to claw within one game of the .500 mark.
The Yankees haven’t won seven straight since a 10-game run from May 7-17, 2005.
Getting the call for the Yankees tonight will be right-hander Chien-Ming Wang, who is 4-1 with a 2.50 earned run average over his last five starts. Wang, who has never faced the D-Backs, picked up a complete-game win in his last trip to the hill on Wednesday in Chicago. He surrendered one run on five hits to improve to 5-4 on the year, while lowering his ERA to 3.73.
Arizona will counter with reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb, who has won his last three starts. Webb was again brilliant on Wednesday, when he scattered six hits over seven scoreless innings against San Francisco to run his record to 6-3.
Webb, who lost in his only other start against the Yankees, has given up just three runs over his last three outing, spanning 22 innings, to lower his season ERA to 3.13.
Arizona salvaged the finale of its three-game weekend series with the Boston Red Sox, as Eric Byrnes went 3-for-5 with a double in the Diamondbacks’ 5-1 victory Sunday at Chase Field.
Veteran left-hander and former Yankee Randy Johnson started on the mound for Arizona and gave up just one run on four hits while striking out nine and walking three in six frames. Johnson (4-2), who will obviously not pitch in this series, now has four victories in his last five starts.
Chris Young, Stephen Drew and Carlos Quentin each knocked in a run for the Diamondbacks, who won for the first time in four games.
Arizona topped the Yankees in seven games in the thrilling 2001 World Series. New York has exacted a measure of revenge, though, winning four of the six regular season matchups since, including two of three in the Bronx in 2002.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (34-29) AT DETROIT TIGERS (36-26), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Milwaukee - Jeff Suppan (7-6, 3.92) Detroit - Justin Verlander (6-2, 3.12)
Jeff Suppan will face off against Detroit for the first time since last season’s World Series when the Milwaukee Brewers begin a three-game series with the Tigers tonight at Comerica Park.
Suppan last faced the Tigers in Game 4 of last year’s World Series while with St. Louis and allowed three runs in six innings of a no decision, a game his team won 5-4. The Cardinals went on to defeat the Tigers in five games to capture the series.
This season the right-hander, who signed with the Brewers as a free agent this winter, is 7-6 with a 3.92 earned run average on the year. He is coming off a loss in his last start Wednesday against the Cubs, as he yielded five runs (four earned) on seven hits over five innings of a 6-2 loss.
Suppan, a former Red Sox and Royal, has made 20 career regular season starts against the Tigers and is 8-6 against them with three complete games and a 4.63 ERA.
The Brewers come into this set after beginning a nine-game road trip with a three-game series at Texas. Milwaukee dropped the first two contests with the Rangers, but rebounded with a 9-6 victory on Sunday, as Geoff Jenkins belted a three-run homer in the 12th inning to guide his club to victory.
Prince Fielder, whose father Cecil spent time in Detroit during his career, ripped his NL-leading 23rd home run and Craig Counsell also homered for Milwaukee, which stopped a three-game skid and still leads the NL Central by 5 1/2 games over Chicago and St. Louis.
Milwaukee starter Dave Bush allowed six hits and four runs — three earned — in 4 1/3 innings, fanning four and walking a pair. Carlos Villanueva (5-0) tossed two scoreless innings of relief and Claudio Vargas picked up his first save of the season.
The Tigers have won four of five and took two out of three over the weekend against the New York Mets. Detroit is now just one game behind Cleveland for first place in the AL Central.
On Sunday against the Mets, Gary Sheffield led the way by going 4-for-5 with a home run and fell a double short of the cycle in a 15-7 rout of New York. Sheffield shared AL Player of the Week honors with Yankee Alex Rodriguez on Monday.
Brandon Inge added three hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in a career-high five runs for the Tigers, who won the final two games of this series after dropping the opener.
Detroit rookie Andrew Miller (2-0) got the win in only his second career start. The left-hander, who was recalled from Double-A prior to the game, surrendered four runs on five hits, while striking out five and walking three, in 5 1/3 innings.
On the injury front, Carlos Guillen (right hamstring spasm) is questionable for tonight’s game, while Magglio Ordonez (stiff left knee) is probable.
Reigning AL Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander will aim to build off his last start, in which he threw seven shutout innings of five-hit ball in a victory over Texas on Wednesday. Verlander improved to 6-2 with a 3.12 ERA on the year after striking out six and walking only two.
The righty has never faced Milwaukee in his young career, but is on a roll as of late. Verlander has allowed more than two runs in just one of his last seven outings.
Detroit and Milwaukee met for the first time since 2001 last year, with the Tigers winning two of three at Miller Park. The Brewers are 66-79 all-time in interleague play, while the Tigers are 91-90.
TEXAS RANGERS (23-40) AT PITTSBURGH PIRATES (26-37), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Texas - Kevin Millwood (2-5, 7.57) Pittsburgh - Zach Duke (2-6, 5.75)
The Pittsburgh Pirates will try to halt a three-game losing streak when they begin a three-game series with the Texas Rangers tonight at PNC Park.
Milwaukee and Texas will meet for the first time since 2004, when the Rangers swept a three-game series at home. The only other time the teams have met in the regular season was in 2002, with the Rangers again sweeping a three-game series, this time in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates come into this series having been swept in three games in the Bronx by the New York Yankees. Pittsburgh was outscored 27-13 over the series.
The set culminated on Sunday, when the Pirates were pounded 13-6 by the Yankees. Former Yankee Shawn Chacon (2-1) took the loss in his return to the Bronx.
Chacon, who was an important acquisition for New York during the 2005 season, was shelled for seven runs on eight hits in just 3 1/3 innings.
Jose Bautista, Jose Castillo and Chris Duffy each drove in two runs for the Pirates, who have lost nine of their last 12.
Zack Duke will battle Texas for the first time in his career and is still in search of his first home win of the season. Duke, who is 0-3 in six starts at PNC Park this year, got a no decision at Washington on Wednesday after he gave up five runs (four earned) on nine hits in six innings.
The left-hander hasn’t tasted victory at home since September 17, 2006 against the New York Mets and is just 2-6 with a 5.75 earned run average overall this year.
Kevin Millwood will try again for his first win since April 13 when he starts for Texas tonight. Millwood is 0-4 over his last six starts and was handed a loss last time out on Wednesday versus Detroit. The right-hander was tagged for seven runs on nine hits in just 3 2/3 innings to fall to 2-5 with a 7.57 ERA on the year.
Millwood, who has spent time on the disabled list this year because of a left hamstring ailment, has made 10 career starts against the Pirates. In that span, the former Brave and Phillie is 4-4 with a 3.72 ERA and one shutout.
Texas comes into the game sporting a major league worst 23-40 mark. The club did win its first two games with the NL Central-leading Brewers before losing the series finale on Sunday. Geoff Jenkins belted a three-run homer in the 12th inning to lead Milwaukee to a 9-6 win.
Marlon Byrd was 4-for-6 with two RBI and two runs, while Michael Young had three RBI singles for Texas. Vicente Padilla was rocked for 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings, but allowed only two runs while fanning five for the Rangers, who have dropped five of eight.
Reliever Willie Eyre (2-3) gave up Jenkins’ homer in the 12th.
Texas is 86-96 all-time in interleague play while Pittsburgh is 52-87.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS (26-37) AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES (29-34), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Washington - Micah Bowie (2-2, 3.79) Baltimore - Daniel Cabrera (5-6, 4.70)
Lefty Micah Bowie looks to remain unbeaten as a starter for the Washington Nationals when they visit the Baltimore Orioles tonight for the opener of a three-game interleague series at Camden Yards.
Bowie, who was 0-2 with a blown save in 20 relief appearances to begin the season, was pressed into the starting rotation after a series of injuries hit the Nationals’ rotation.
He began with a 3 1/3-inning stint against the Orioles on May 20, allowing four hits and two runs in a 4-3 Washington victory.
Since then the 32-year-old has given up nine hits and six runs over 15 1/3 innings while defeating St. Louis and Los Angeles and getting a no-decision against Pittsburgh.
The initial start was also Bowie’s first career appearance against the Orioles.
Baltimore’s Daniel Cabrera went eight innings in defeating Seattle, 9-5, on June 6, ending a skid in which he had dropped three of four starts.
Cabrera has faced the Nationals once in his career, allowing five hits and six runs in a loss while walking five and striking out three.
He is 4-2 in eight home starts in 2007, allowing 28 earned runs in 49 2/3 innings.
On Sunday in Minnesota, Jason Bartlett was 3-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs as Minnesota doubled up Washington, 6-3, to salvage the finale of a three-game set at the Metrodome.
Torii Hunter finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored for the Twins, who won for just the second time in eight tries. Jeff Cirillo also drove in a run for Minnesota.
Boof Bonser (5-2) allowed three runs on nine hits in five innings of work to pick up the win. Joe Nathan hurled a perfect ninth to earn his 14th save.
Ronnie Belliard was 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Nationals, who took two of three in the series. Felipe Lopez and Brian Schneider also drove in a run apiece for Washington.
Mike Bacsik (1-3) gave up four runs — three earned — on nine hits in five innings of work en route to the loss.
In Baltimore, Ryan Spilborghs had a career day, belting a pair of homers and posting six runs batted in to guide the Colorado Rockies past the Orioles, 6-1, in the finale of a three-game interleague set at Camden Yards.
Spilborghs came into the game with just four home runs for his career, and had only six RBI on the season. He finished 3-for-5 to up his average to .325.
Jason Hirsh, meanwhile, broke out of his personal slump in style, tossing nine strong innings of one-run, five-hit ball. Hirsh (3-6) had not tasted victory since April 22, and was 0-5 in his last eight starts coming in.
Todd Helton and Matt Holliday each scored twice for the Rockies, who have won four of five.
Aubrey Huff knocked in his team’s lone run while Erik Bedard took the loss for Baltimore, which has dropped seven of nine. Bedard (4-4) allowed three runs — two earned — and nine hits over five innings.
The Nationals and Orioles met in May for three games in Washington with Baltimore winning two of three. The clubs split six games last year as well.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (27-33) AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (33-31), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Chicago - Jose Contreras (4-6, 4.23) Philadelphia - Cole Hamels (8-2, 3.57)
The Chicago White Sox hope Jose Contreras can get them back on the winning track when the club resumes a three-game interleague series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
The White Sox, who are nine games off the lead in the American League Central division, have lost 13 of their last 16 games, including Monday’s 3-0 setback in the series opener. Starter Javier Vazquez has lost five of his last six decisions and allowed three runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts over six innings of work.
Juan Uribe had two of Chicago’s five hits and slugger Jim Thome made his return to Philadelphia but did not play. He was on deck in the ninth inning before Phillies reliever Antonio Alfonseca struck out Luis Terrero to end the ballgame. Alfonseca recorded his fifth save in the process.
Thome signed a big free agent contract with the Phillies prior to the 2003 season and spent three years in the City of Brotherly Love, including an injury-plagued 2005 campaign. Thome was hampered by back and elbow problems that year, not to mention having to watch the emergence of rookie Ryan Howard, and was dealt to Chicago for Aaron Rowand as part of a four-player deal.
Contreras will try to get the Sox back on track tonight and owns a 4-6 record with a 4.23 ERA in 12 starts this season. Contreras has lost his last two decisions and is 1-3 over the previous five outings. He was saddled with the loss his last time out on June 7 against the New York Yankees, yielding three runs in 7 1/3 innings of a 10-3 setback.
The right-handed Cuban will take on the Phillies for the first time in his career.
On the injury front for the White Sox, third baseman Joe Crede is expected to undergo back surgery and is out indefinitely.
Philadelphia received a strong outing from starting pitcher Adam Eaton last night in South Philly. Eaton hurled seven scoreless innings and gave up four hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Eaton has won four of his last five trips to the mound and benefited from solo home runs by Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell and Jimmy Rollins.
THe Phillies have won five of their last seven games and pulled within four games of the New York Mets in the NL East standings. The division-leading Mets suffered a 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. Atlanta is just two games off the pace in the East.
The National League’s co-leader in wins takes the ball tonight for the Phillies, as Cole Hamels tries to keep his unbeaten streak alive against the Pale Hose.
Hamels, who is 8-2 with a 3.57 ERA in 13 starts this season, has won his last two decisions and is 6-1 with a 3.76 earned run average over the last eight trips to the mound.
The southpaw last toed the rubber on June 7 against the NL East-rival New York Mets and did not factor in the outcome after giving up three runs in seven innings. Hamels actually gave up three straight home runs but was bailed out by the offense and bullpen in a 6-3, 10-inning win at Shea Stadium.
Hamels, who is tied for second in the majors with 96 strikeouts, has never pitched against the White Sox in his career.
The White Sox and Phillies are meeting for the first time since Chicago won two of three games at home during the 2004 season.
Chicago is 102-80 all-time in interleague play, while the Phillies own an 82-94 mark against the American League.
SAN DIEGO PADRES (36-26) AT TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (28-33), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: San Diego - Greg Maddux (5-3, 3.82) Tampa Bay - Scott Kazmir (4-3, 3.92)
Ageless right-hander Greg Maddux faces a favorite, albeit rare foe tonight when the San Diego Padres open a three-game interleague series at Tropicana Field with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
The 41-year-old Texan has faced Tampa Bay three times, allowing 18 hits and only two runs over 27 innings, good for a 0.67 earned run average. He’s won all three decisions, walking just two and striking out 23 batters.
Maddux is 2-0 with a no decision in his last three starts overall, defeating Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Dodgers while allowing 23 hits and six earned runs in 18 2/3 innings.
He went 15-14 while splitting time with the Chicago Cubs and the Dodgers last season.
Southpaw Scott Kazmir faces the Padres for the first time while seeking his first win at home.
Now 23, the former first-round selection of the New York Mets in 2002 is 0-2 in seven starts at Tropicana Field this season with a 3.40 ERA in 39 2/3 innings.
In his last start on June 6, Kazmir allowed six hits and two runs in five innings while beating Toronto, 6-2.
On Sunday, Brendan Harris hit a three-run homer and knocked in a career-high five runs as the Devil Rays defeated the Florida Marlins, 9-4, taking two of three in the series at Dolphin Stadium.
Akinori Iwamura chipped in with two doubles, an RBI and a pair of runs scored, while Raul Casanova hit a solo homer and scored twice for Tampa Bay, which has won two in a row and six of its last eight.
Andy Sonnanstine (1-0) pitched seven solid innings in earning his first major- league win for the Devil Rays. The right-hander gave up two runs on seven hits while striking out 10. He didn’t allow a walk and also helped himself with the bat, going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles, an RBI and a run scored.
In San Diego, Willie Bloomquist scored the go-ahead run on a Jose Lopez ground out in the ninth inning, as the Seattle Mariners won 4-3 and completed a three-game sweep of the Padres at PETCO Park.
Ichiro Suzuki drove in two runs and Jamie Burke went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Mariners, who rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win for the seventh time in eight games.
Mike Cameron and Terrmel Sledge each homered for the Padres, who ended a six-game homestand at 3-3.
With the game tied 3-3 and San Diego’s Trevor Hoffman starting the inning on the hill, Bloomquist started the ninth by reaching on a throwing error by third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff. Pinch-hitter Jose Vidro then sacrificed him to second and after Suzuki was intentionally walked, Bloomquist stole third with Lopez at the plate. Then, on a 2-1 pitch, Lopez grounded out to second, scoring Bloomquist for the winning run.
Hoffman (2-3) suffered the loss, yielding the unearned run in a hitless frame.
The Padres and Devil Rays last met in 2004, when Tampa Bay swept a three-game set in San Diego. The Padres, though, took two out of three in Tampa in 2002. San Diego is 76-91 all-time in interleague play while Tampa Bay is 69-97.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (40-24) AT CINCINNATI REDS (25-39), 7:15 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: LA Angels - Kelvim Escobar (7-3, 2.76) Cincinnati - Bronson Arroyo (2-7, 5.01)
Venezuelan right-hander Kelvin Escobar looks to maintain success against the Cincinnati Reds tonight when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim visit Great American Ball Park for the opening game of a three-game interleague set.
Escobar, who’s won six of his last eight starts, has faced the Reds just once, hurling a four-hit shutout while walking one and striking out eight. Away from home this season, the 31-year-old is 2-1 in three starts with a 4.76 earned run average.
He defeated Minnesota his last time out, allowing three hits and a run over nine innings in a 5-1 Angels victory on June 5. He’s lasted at least seven innings in four straight starts since exiting after just 2 1/3 in an 11-3 loss to Seattle on May 15.
The Reds counter with right-hander Bronson Arroyo, a non-winner in six starts since defeating Colorado, 9-3, on May 6. In 31 2/3 innings since, the 30-year- old native of Key West, Fla. has surrendered 49 hits and 29 earned runs while going 0-5 with a no-decision.
He’s faced the Angels five times in his career, going 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 28 1/3 innings.
Arroyo was beaten, 6-4, by St. Louis in June 6, allowing nine hits and six runs in 6 2/3 innings.
On Sunday in Cincinnati, Alex Gonzalez’s run-scoring single with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning lifted Cincinnati over Cleveland, 1-0, in a pitchers’ duel at Great American Ball Park.
Pinch hitter Chad Moeller ripped a one-out double to left off Aaron Fultz (3-1) to set the table for the Reds. Fultz intentionally walked Edwin Encarnacion and flirted with getting out of the inning when Josh Hamilton lined out to deep right. But, the Tribe called on Matt Miller to get Gonzalez and the veteran grounded a base hit up the middle to win the game.
The Indians, who lost two of three in the series, wasted another great performance by C.C. Sabathia. The big left-hander was spectacular tossing nine shutout innings. Sabathia surrendered three hits and walked just one while fanning six en route to the no-decision. Sabathia was vying to become the first pitcher in the majors to win his 10th game of the season.
Aaron Harang hurled seven scoreless innings for the Reds, who have won three of four games. Harang allowed just three hits and two walks while punching out 10. Marcus McBeth (1-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief.
Gonzalez finished 2-for-5 with the game’s only RBI.
In St. Louis, Albert Pujols hit a pair of home runs and drove in five runs to lead the Cardinals over the Angels, 9-6, in the finale of a three-game set at Busch Stadium.
Scott Spiezio added a three-run homer and David Eckstein went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Cardinals, who ended a three-game slide and finished a six-game homestand, 3-3.
St. Louis starting pitcher Todd Wellemeyer (2-1) got the win in just his third major league start, surrendering five runs — four earned — on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked two to win his second straight decision.
Orlando Cabrera had two hits and drove in two runs for the Angels, who lost for only the second time in nine games.
The Angels lost starting pitcher Jered Weaver in the third inning with tightness in his lower back. The right-hander allowed three runs on five hits with two walks. He avoided the loss, which went to Chris Bootcheck, who yielded the three-run homer to Pujols in the fifth that put the Cardinals ahead for good.
Bootcheck (1-1) went two innings and was charged with three runs on two hits.
The Angels and the Reds last met in 2002, with LA winning two of three at home.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (34-28) AT HOUSTON ASTROS (26-37), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Joe Kennedy (2-4, 3.23) Houston - Roy Oswalt (6-4, 3.38)
The red-hot Oakland Athletics attempt to maintain their interleague success in today’s opener of a three-game series with the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.
Oakland invades the Lone Star State fresh off a three-game sweep of Bay Area rival San Francisco over the weekend and has recorded victories in eight of its last nine games.
The A’s are also 5-1 against the National League so far this season and own one of the best all-time marks in interleague competition at 108-74.
Oakland received another outstanding pitching performance in Sunday’s finale with the Giants, as three hurlers teamed for a five-hit shutout to lead the way in a 2-0 decision.
Lenny DiNardo held San Francisco scoreless over the first six frames before Santiago Casilla (2-0) threw two perfect innings to nail down the win. Alan Embree then tossed a shutout ninth to notch his seventh save.
Marco Scutaro broke a scoreless deadlock with a solo home run to lead off the eighth inning, while Shannon Stewart’s RBI single in the ninth provided some insurance for the A’s.
Oakland starting pitchers have yielded two earned runs or less in each of the club’s last 13 contests. Joe Kennedy looks to keep that streak intact when he takes the mound tonight.
Kennedy has delivered back-to-back strong outings to begin June. The left- hander limited Minnesota to one run over eight innings in a no decision on June 1, then followed with seven innings of two-run ball to defeat Boston last Wednesday. Kennedy also struck out a season-best seven Red Sox that night.
The 28-year-old, who previously pitched in the NL with Colorado, owns a 1-2 record with a 4.79 earned run average in three career starts against Houston.
The struggling Astros send out Roy Oswalt in tonight’s opener and hope the ace right-hander can snap a string of five consecutive winless starts.
Oswalt is 0-2 with three no decisions since defeating Arizona on May 12 and has surrendered four or more runs three times since his most recent win. The two-time All-Star had a shaky start Thursday in Colorado, where Oswalt gave up four runs and nine hits in a six-inning no decision.
This will be only Oswalt’s second career appearance against Oakland, with the other coming on June 7, 2002 at McAfee Coliseum. He wound up with the loss in that game after allowing five runs (four earned) and walking five over 5 2/3 innings.
Houston wrapped up a seven-game road trip with a loss to the Chicago Cubs in a makeup of an earlier rainout. Carlos Zambrano pitched eight outstanding innings and added a solo home run at the plate as the Cubs edged the Astros by a 2-1 count.
Woody Williams (2-9) threw well in defeat for Houston, which ended the trek with a 3-4 record. The veteran right-hander gave up just two runs and four hits while striking out five over seven innings.
The Astros mustered only three hits — all singles — on the evening.
These clubs have only faced one another one time previously, with the A’s sweeping a three-game set from Houston in Oakland in June, 2002.
SEATTLE MARINERS (33-26) AT CHICAGO CUBS (28-34), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Seattle - Jarrod Washburn (5-5, 3.94) Chicago - Rich Hill (5-4, 2.71)
The Seattle Mariners make their first-ever visit to historic Wrigley Field, where the club puts a four-game win streak on the line in tonight’s opener of a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs.
After steamrolling the National League West-leading San Diego Padres over the weekend, the surging Mariners posted a wild 8-7 victory over host Cleveland on Monday in one of the makeup games of an April series that was postponed due to a freak snowstorm.
Seattle blew an early 7-0 lead but moved back ahead on Raul Ibanez’s run- scoring double in the top of the ninth inning. Ibanez finished 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBI to lead the Mariners to their eighth win in nine games.
Jose Lopez added a two-run homer and Jose Guillen went 2-for-5 with an RBI for Seattle, which pounded out 16 hits on the evening.
Ibanez’s final hit made a winner out of rookie Brandon Morrow (3-0), who allowed the Indians to tie the game in the eighth but held the Tribe scoreless in the ninth to preserve the triumph.
Ex-Mariner manager Lou Piniella’s Cubs have also been playing well as of late. Chicago earned its sixth victory in its last nine contests with Monday’s 2-1 decision over Houston, a game which was also rescheduled because of an earlier rainout.
Carlos Zambrano was the star of the night for Chicago. The excitable righty delivered eight stellar innings on the mound and added a solo home run at the plate.
Zambrano (7-5) allowed only one unearned run on three hits and struck out eight before turning the game over to Ryan Dempster, who threw a scoreless ninth to notch his 13th save.
Mike Fontenot went 2-for-3 and scored the game’s first run on a second-inning single off the bat of Ryan Theriot.
Monday’s victory was only the 12th in 29 games at Wrigley Field this season for the Cubs. The club began a seven-game homestand last night.
Rich Hill will attempt to match Zambrano’s performance this evening. The young left-hander was equally as sharp in his last start, when Hill limited Atlanta to a run and just three hits while tying a career high with 11 strikeouts over eight innings during Thursday’s 2-1 Cubs’ win.
Hill has surrendered just two earned runs in 21 total innings over his last three outings and has compiled a 2-1 record and a 2.03 ERA in four starts at Wrigley this season. This will be the 27-year-old’s first-ever appearance against Seattle.
The Mariners counter with a tough southpaw of their own in Jarrod Washburn, who looks to rebound from a pair of rough recent starts.
The veteran hurler took a loss Wednesday against Baltimore after yielding five runs and nine hits over 4 2/3 innings. He lasted just 3 2/3 frames in his previous start but did not factor in the decision of a June 1 loss at Texas. Washburn allowed five runs (four earned) and walked four before exiting.
Washburn has never previously faced the Cubs but is 3-1 with a 2.28 ERA in four road starts thus far in 2007.
The Cubs and Mariners met at Safeco Field during the 2002 campaign, with Chicago taking two of the three encounters. Seattle brings an eight-game road winning streak in interleague play and is an impressive 102-80 all-time against the National League.
Chicago is 72-76 overall when facing the American League.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (27-33) AT KANSAS CITY ROYALS (24-40), 8:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: St. Louis - Brad Thompson (4-1, 4.56) Kansas City - Brian Bannister (2-3, 3.33)
The St. Louis Cardinals hope to end this season’s struggles against the American League when the defending world champions play the first of three consecutive games against the in-state rival Kansas City Royals tonight at Kauffman Stadium.
St. Louis had lost its first five interleague matchups of 2007 before salvaging Sunday’s finale of a three-game set with the Angels at Busch Stadium. Albert Pujols belted a pair of homers and drove in five runs to power the Cardinals to a 9-6 triumph.
Scott Spiezio added a three-run homer and David Eckstein went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for St. Louis. Starting pitcher Todd Wellemeyer (2-1) picked up the win despite allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The Cardinals also struggled against the AL during the 2006 regular season, recording a 5-10 overall mark in interleague games last year. The club did take four of six meetings from the Royals, however, and swept a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.
St. Louis has taken 11 of the last 14 encounters between the teams and gone 10-1 in Kansas City over that span.
The lowly Royals are coming off a series win over Philadelphia during the weekend, with Kansas City rolling to a 17-5 rout in Sunday’s rubber match.
Mark Grudzielanek went 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBI to lead the Royals’ offensive explosion, while David DeJesus had two hits, two RBI and four runs scored. Emil Brown and Tony Pena also knocked in a pair of runs, with Pena also contributing his first homer of the season.
Zack Greinke (3-4) was credited with the win after tossing two shutout innings of relief. Starter Jorge De La Rosa was knocked out after just 3 2/3 frames, surrendering three runs on four hits and issuing four walks.
Brian Bannister aims for a third consecutive winning start tonight for Kansas City. The young righty has turned in back-to-back terrific performances, including Wednesday’s effort at Cleveland in which he held the Indians to one unearned run and five hits while not walking a batter.
Bannister was even better five days earlier, when he limited Tampa Bay to a run and only two hits over eight stellar frames in a win at Tropicana Field.
This will be the 26-year-old’s first career appearance against St. Louis. Bannister is 2-3 with a 3.33 ERA in eight starts for the Royals this season.
St. Louis’ Brad Thompson also brings a two-decision win streak into tonight’s tilt. The converted reliever has gone 3-1 with a 4.50 earned run average in six outings since moving in the team’s rotation in early May because of injuries.
Thompson received a no decision in his last start after giving up four runs on seven hits over six innings against Cincinnati on Wednesday. He worked a career-high 7 2/3 innings to defeat Colorado his previous time out and surrendered just a pair of runs in that May 31 victory.
The 25-year-old has made four previous relief appearances against Kansas City and allowed just one earned run and three hits in six innings over those games.
ATLANTA BRAVES (35-29) AT MINNESOTA TWINS (30-31), 8:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Atlanta - Kyle Davies (3-4, 5.31) Minnesota - Kevin Slowey (1-0, 4.09)
The Atlanta Braves should have Chipper Jones back in the lineup this evening when they open a three-game interleague set with the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome.
Jones, who is hitting .300 with a team-leading 12 home runs to go along with 27 RBI, has been sidelined since injuring his thumb back on May 23 against the New York Mets. However, he took batting practice for the first time on Sunday, one day after fielding ground balls with no pain in the thumb and is expected to be activated prior to tonight’s game.
The Braves did not need Jones on Sunday, as they rallied to defeat the Chicago Cubs, 5-4, at Turner Field. Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 3-for-4 with a double and a run, and Kelly Johnson homered for the Braves, who have won two in a row after dropping six of seven.
Chad Paronto (3-1) tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, and Bob Wickman picked up his 11th save.
All the news was not good, though, for the Braves, as shortstop Edgar Renteria was plunked in the wrist in the first inning by Ted Lilly, who was ejected, and could miss tonight’s game. He is listed as day-to-day with a left hand contusion.
Getting the ball for the Braves tonight will be right-hander Kyle Davies, who has lost two of his last three starts. Davies was tagged with the loss in his last start on Wednesday against Florida, as he surrendered five runs and six hits in five innings to fall to 3-4, while raising his earned run average to 5.31.
Davies has never faced the Twins.
Minnesota, meanwhile, will counter with 23-year-old right-hander Kevin Slowey, who will be looking to build upon his first major league win. In just his second big league start on Wednesday, Slowey held the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to five runs (four earned) on 10 hits in five innings to improve to 1-0 with a 4.09 ERA.
Slowey had given up just a run on five hits to the Oakland Athletics in his major league debut.
The Twins won for just the second time in eight tries on Sunday, as they salvaged the finale of their three-game set with the Washington Nationals on Sunday, 6-3.
Jason Bartlett was 3-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs, while Torii Hunter finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored for Minnesota, which banged out 15 hits.
Boof Bonser (5-2) allowed three runs on nine hits in five innings of work to pick up the win. Joe Nathan hurled a perfect ninth to earn his 14th save.
Of course these teams met in the thrilling 1991 World Series, which was won by Minnesota in seven games. The Braves, though, took two of three from them in the only other regular season meeting between the teams back in 2002.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (30-33) AT SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (29-34), 10:15 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Toronto - A.J. Burnett (5-5, 4.01) San Francisco - Noah Lowry (5-5, 3.49)
A.J. Burnett hopes for some run support this evening when the Toronto Blue Jays resume their three-game series with the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
Burnett has been outstanding for the Jays over his last three starts, but has zero wins to show for it. On Thursday against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays Burnett gave up three runs and seven hits over seven innings, while striking out 13 only to get a no decision in his team’s 5-3 loss.
The 30-year-old right-hander, who is 5-5 with a 4.01 earned run average on the year, has allowed just nine earned runs over his previous three starts, spanning 22 1/3 frames, and has fanned 33 batters in that time.
Burnett, who pitched the first seven years of his major league career with the Florida Marlins, has been sensational against the Giants, going 5-1 with a sparkling 1.62 ERA against them in six starts.
San Francisco will counter with Noah Lowry, who is 5-5 with a 3.49 ERA this season. Lowry did not factor in the decision of his team’s 5-4 win on Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as he allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings.
Lowry has never faced the Blue Jays.
In the opener of this set on Monday, Barry Bonds inched closer to Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record, smashing the 747th of his career, as the Giants edged Toronto, 4-3.
Matt Morris (7-3) gave up three runs in the first inning, but rebounded to pitch his third complete game of the season and 23rd of his career. It was the second straight time he’s gone the distance, also accomplishing the feat in a 1-0 loss at Arizona last Wednesday.
Bonds, who stands eight homers shy of tying Aaron, hit an 0-1 pitch from Josh Towers over the wall in right-center field, an estimated 438 feet, to tie the game with no outs in the fourth inning. Ryan Klesko singled prior to Bonds’ blast, which evened the score at 3-3.
This was the end of a long homer drought for Bonds, who hadn’t hit one in his previous 12 games, spanning 33 at-bats. His last long ball came against Colorado’s Taylor Buchholz on May 27 at AT&T Park.
It was Bonds’ 13th homer of the season and occurred in the first game he was facing Towers in his career. Bonds has homered off a major league-record 440 pitchers in his career.
Ray Durham followed Bonds with a double to right and Bengie Molina singled. Durham then scored on an Omar Vizquel squeeze bunt to give the Giants the lead for good, as they snapped a three-game skid and won for just the fifth time in the last 17 games.
Towers (2-4) surrendered five hits and four runs — three earned — before being lifted after the fourth inning.
Hill had a two-run double for the Blue Jays, who lost for the fourth time in six games.
San Francisco has won six of seven from the Blue Jays and swept them in a three-game set at home the last time the teams faced off back in 2004.
NEW YORK METS (36-26) AT LOS ANGELES DODGERS (36-28), 10:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: New York - John Maine (6-3, 2.78) Los Angeles - Hong-Chih Kuo (0-1, 4.85)
The New York Mets will try to end a three-game losing streak when they continue their three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight at Chavez Ravine.
The Mets were defeated by the Dodgers, 5-3, in the series opener on Monday and have now dropped seven of their last eight overall. New York now leads the Braves by just two games for first place in the NL East.
On the other hand, Los Angeles won for only second time in seven games, but moved within a game of idle San Diego for first place in the NL West.
James Loney’s run-scoring double in the sixth inning helped pace LA to the win, while Luis Gonzalez had two doubles and scored twice for the Dodgers.
Los Angeles starter Randy Wolf (8-4) went six innings, surrendering three runs on nine hits. The left-hander also struck out three and did not walk a batter.
David Wright, who had homered in four straight games coming into the contest, went 1-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 13 games for the slumping Mets. Orlando Hernandez (3-2) started for New York and gave up five runs — four earned — on seven hits in 5 2/3 frames.
John Maine will hope for some run support when he takes the hill for New York tonight. Maine is 1-3 over his last six starts, although he has allowed just two runs in each of his last two outings.
He lost to Arizona on June 1 by a score of 5-1 and was then saddled with a no decision on Thursday versus Philadelphia. Maine went seven innings against the Phillies and allowed six hits without a walk in addition to the pair of runs.
The right-hander, who is 6-3 on the year, saw his earned run average dip to 2.78 after the outing.
Maine has made one career start against the Dodgers, with that game coming on September 8 of last year. He took the loss after allowing four runs — two earned — on six hits in five innings.
Left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo will make just his third start of the season for the Dodgers and is coming off an encouraging outing last time out. After taking a tough loss against Pittsburgh on June 2, Kuo allowed only one run on three hits and four walks in a no decision against San Diego on Thursday. Kuo also struck out eight while lowering his earned run average to 4.85.
The Taiwan native has faced the Mets three times during the regular season, once as a starter, and is 1-0 against them. His three outings versus New York have spanned nine innings, and Kuo has yet to give up a run while scattering four hits and striking out 12 over that span.
Kuo also started against New York in last year’s National League Division Series and took the loss in Game 2. He allowed two runs over 4 1/3 innings.
New York is facing the Dodgers for the first time since sweeping the best-of- five NLDS last October. The Mets also held a 4-3 edge in their season series with LA last year, and won two of three at Dodger Stadium.
