Friday, June 22nd (All times eastern)
CHICAGO CUBS (32-39) AT CHICAGO WHITE SOX (29-39), 4:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Chicago Cubs - Carlos Zambrano (7-6, 4.53) Chicago White Sox - Mark Buehrle (4-3, 3.45)
Fiery Venezuelan Carlos Zambrano looks to continue a stretch of three straight quality starts today when the Chicago Cubs visit U.S. Cellular Field to open a three-game interleague series with the crosstown rival Chicago White Sox.
Zambrano, a 26-year-old right-hander, has gone 2-1 in his last three outings while allowing just 10 hits and three earned runs in 23 2/3 innings. He was tough-luck loser in his last start, allowing two hits and a run in a nine- inning effort that yielded a 1-0 loss to San Diego on June 16.
He started against the White Sox on May 20 at Wrigley Field, allowing six hits and seven runs in 6 2/3 innings while dropping a 10-6 decision. Lifetime against the White Sox, Zambrano is 4-2 in 10 games - eight starts - with a 4.94 earned run average in 54 2/3 innings.
He is 5-1 away from home this season, posting a 3.61 ERA in seven starts, comprising 47 1/3 innings.
Lefty Mark Buehrle is also streaking, having won two straight starts since surrendering 11 hits and five runs in a six-inning outing against the New York Yankees on June 5.
Since, against Houston and Pittsburgh, the former 38th-round draft pick has gone 16 innings while allowing 15 hits and just two runs.
The White Sox won the games by scores of 6-3 and 6-1.
Buehrle is 2-2 with a 3.74 ERA against the Cubs in seven career starts. He went 6 2/3 innings against them on May 18, getting a no-decision in a 6-3 loss while allowing six hits and three runs.
On Thursday in Texas, Frank Catalanotto’s base hit in the bottom of the ninth pushed the Rangers past Chicago, 6-5, in the finale of a three-game interleague series.
Against Bob Howry (3-4), Kenny Lofton led off the ninth with a single, and went to second on Adam Melhuse’s sacrifice bunt. Brad Wilkerson followed with a comebacker to the mound, and although Lofton was caught in a rundown between second and third, Howry failed to get the ball into second for the out, leaving men on first and second.
Catalanotto then lofted a slicing ball to right field which bounced out of Angel Pagan’s glove as he dove near the foul line, allowing Lofton to score the winning run.
Ted Lilly gave up six hits and five runs over seven innings in his start for Chicago. He finished with 10 strikeouts, the most he has recorded in one start since coming to the Cubs.
Derrek Lee went 3-for-4, scored a run and drove in two for the Cubs, who have dropped two in a row and four of five. Pagan finished 3-for-5 with an RBI, Alfonso Soriano collected two hits and scored a run, and Mark DeRosa and Rob Bowen knocked in a run each.
On Wednesday in Chicago, Jason Wood’s pinch-hit three-run homer in the eighth inning gave Florida the lead and the Marlins held on to defeat the White Sox, 5-4, in the finale of a three-game set at U.S. Cellular Field.
Paul Konerko homered and Rob Mackowiak had two hits, drove in a run and scored for the White Sox, who have dropped three of four. Josh Fields and Luis Terrero also had an RBI apiece for Chicago, which has lost 19 of its last 23 contests.
Jon Garland (4-5) was hit with the loss, his second straight, allowing three runs — two earned — on three hits in seven-plus innings. He struck out six and walked one, suffering his third setback in four decisions over his last six starts.
Bobby Jenks had a string of 17 straight save conversions come to an end.
The Cubs won two of three at Wrigley Field over the White Sox from May 18-20, though the White Sox won the season series 4-2 last year.
MINNESOTA TWINS (36-34) AT FLORIDA MARLINS (35-38), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Minnesota - Boof Bonser (5-3, 4.33) Florida - Scott Olsen (5-6, 4.89)
Left-hander Scott Olsen looks for just his second win since May 22 tonight, when the Florida Marlins host the Minnesota Twins in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Dolphin Stadium.
Olsen, a 12-game winner last season in his first full stint with the Marlins, allowed 10 hits and five runs in dropping a 5-4 decision to Kansas City on June 17. He’s been solid in two straight starts before, however, allowing seven hits and two runs in 11 1/2 innings while getting a win and a no- decision against Cleveland and Atlanta, respectively.
He has never faced the Twins, but has a 2.08 earned run average in six career interleague starts.
In seven outings at home this year, Olsen is 3-2 with a 4.22 ERA.
Minnesota’s Boof Bonser had won four straight decisions to close out May, but is 1-2 and has allowed 26 hits and 13 runs in 16 2/3 innings in three June outings.
In his last start on June 16, he gave up five hits and four runs in 6 1/3 innings while dropping a 5-2 verdict to Milwaukee.
Bonser has never faced the Marlins.
On Thursday in New York, Torii Hunter hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth inning as the Twins downed the Mets, 6-2, to close out a three-game interleague set at Shea Stadium.
Joe Mauer drove in a pair of runs and Justin Morneau and Mike Redmond each added an RBI for the Twins, who have won three of their last four.
Scott Baker (2-2) got the win as he was charged with just two runs on seven hits in five innings of work.
In Chicago, Jason Wood’s pinch-hit three-run homer in the eighth inning gave Florida the lead and the Marlins held on to defeat the White Sox, 5-4, in the finale of a three-game set at U.S. Cellular Field.
Aaron Boone ended 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for the Marlins, who won the final two games of this set to finish a six-game road trip 3-3. Josh Willingham also had two hits and Jeremy Hermida drove in a run and scored once for Florida, which won for only the fourth time in 11 outings.
Justin Miller began the bottom of the eighth on the hill for the Marlins and allowed a leadoff single to Konerko and a double to A.J. Pierzynski before striking out Jermaine Dye. Closer Kevin Gregg then entered the game and got Mackowiak to ground out before walking Fields and Terrero to force home a run.
Gregg, though, recorded the final out to nail down his 13th save of the season and get the win for reliever Taylor Tankersley (4-1). The right-hander benefited from Wood’s blast, recording the final two outs of the seventh.
This will be the first meeting between the two clubs since 2002, when the Twins captured two of three at home.
CLEVELAND INDIANS (42-29) AT WASHINGTON NATIONALS (30-42), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cleveland - Fausto Carmona (8-2, 3.12) Washington - Micah Bowie (4-2, 3.78)
Dominican right-hander Fausto Carmona looks for a ninth win in his last 10 decisions tonight when the Cleveland Indians open up a three- game interleague series with the Washington Nationals at RFK Stadium.
Carmona, who won’t turn 24 until December, defeated Atlanta, 5-2, on June 17 after allowing five hits and two runs in seven innings. He dropped a 3-0 verdict to Florida on June 12 to end a stretch of 10 starts without a loss that went back to mid-April.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder, who’s never faced the Nationals, is 4-1 in seven starts away from home this season, allowing 48 hits and 16 earned runs in 47 2/3 innings with a 3.02 earned run average.
Journeyman southpaw Micah Bowie makes his fourth career appearance against the Indians after allowing two hits and no runs over 2 2/3 innings in three relief efforts.
Bowie has won four straight decisions, including a 4-2 triumph over Toronto on June 17. In the four victories, the 32-year-old has been touched for 14 hits and 10 runs in 22 1/3 innings.
On Thursday in Cleveland, Trot Nixon had three hits and knocked in two runs, as the Indians used an eight-run sixth inning to down Philadelphia, 10-6, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Jacobs Field.
Josh Barfield went 2-for-3, scored twice and knocked in a pair of runs for the Indians, who have three wins in their last four games. Casey Blake added two hits and two RBI in the victory.
Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia (10-2) hurled six innings, allowing four runs on five hits to become the American League’s third 10-game winner this season.
In Washington, Carlos Guillen hit a two-run home run and Curtis Granderson knocked in a pair of runs in a five-run sixth inning for Detroit, as the Tigers defeated the Nationals, 8-4, to complete a three-game sweep at RFK Stadium.
Ryan Church went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Nationals, who have lost five of six.
Brandon Watson, who broke an International League record with a 43-game hitting streak earlier this week for Washington’s Triple-A club, had his contract purchased by the Nationals before the game and started in center field. He finished hitless in three at-bats before Washington pinch-hit for him in the eighth inning with the bases loaded.
With the score tied at 3-3, the Tigers knocked around the Nationals’ bullpen in the sixth inning to surge in front.
Saul Rivera (1-2) took over for Washington starter Mike Bacsik to start the inning and gave up a pair of walks surrounded by a Guillen single to load the bases.
These two franchises haven’t met since 2002, when the Nationals were still known as the Montreal Expos. That three-game set took place in Canada with the Expos winning two of three over the Indians.
COLORADO ROCKIES (38-34) AT TORONTO BLUE JAYS (34-37), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Jason Hirsh (3-6, 4.78) Toronto - Josh Towers (2-5, 5.29)
The Colorado Rockies are having a terrific month of June and will try to keep the ball rolling tonight, when they open a three-game interleague series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
The Rockies are fresh off their first-ever sweep of the New York Yankees and have won seven of their last eight games. They improved to 13-5 this month with Thursday afternoon’s 4-3 victory over Roger Clemens and the Bronx Bombers at Coors Field.
Troy Tulowitzki had three hits, including a home run, and Garrett Atkins went deep and ended with two runs batted in for Colorado, which pulled within 3 1/2 games of the top spot in the National League West standings. Todd Helton finished 2-for-4 in the winning effort.
Colorado starter Rodrigo Lopez gave up two runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings for the victory and improved to 4-0 on the season. Closer Brian Fuentes registered his 20th save of the season with a perfect ninth inning.
Jason Hirsh gets the nod this evening for Colorado and is 3-6 with a 4.78 ERA in 14 starts this season.
Hirsh was 0-5 in eight starts before going 1-0 in his previous two trips to the hill. In his last start on June 16 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Hirsh did not post a decision after giving up five runs in just 4 1/3 innings of a 10-5 triumph at Coors Field.
The right-hander, who is 1-4 in eight home starts this season, will make his first-ever appearance against Toronto.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays have lost three of their last four games and suffered an 8-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday at home. Aaron Hill homered and Matt Stairs ended 2-for-3 and scored twice in the loss for the Jays, who are 12 games behind the Boston Red Sox for the lead in the AL East division.
Toronto starter Shaun Marcum was aiming for his third straight winning start, but allowed two runs on three hits with one strikeout and three walks over six innings for the no-decision. Casey Janssen did not record an out during a pivotal six-run eighth inning and was charged with all six runs and five hits to suffer the loss.
Toronto will hand the ball to Josh Towers tonight and he is 2-5 with a 5.29 earned run average in 12 games (six starts) this season.
Towers has lost back-to-back starts, including a June 17 performance against the Washington Nationals in which he allowed four runs over seven frames of a 4-2 setback.
The right-handed Towers took on Colorado the only time in his career on May 19 last season in an 8-3 loss. Towers lasted five innings that day and permitted five runs and eight hits.
Colorado and Toronto are meeting for the first time since the Rockies swept a three-game series last season at Coors Field. The Blue Jays took all three games from Colorado in Canada during the 2002 campaign.
The Rockies are 76-84 all-time in interleague play, while Toronto owns a 90-100 mark against the National League.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (41-31) AT TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (31-39), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Los Angeles - Derek Lowe (7-6, 3.08) Tampa Bay - Andy Sonnanstine (1-1, 7.11)
Veteran pitcher Derek Lowe will take the mound this evening, when he leads the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Tropicana Field.
Lowe is 7-6 with a 3.08 earned run average through 15 starts this season and is 3-1 over the last five trips to the hill. He last pitched on June 15 at home against the LA Angels of Anaheim, recording the win after seven innings of one-run ball with a season-high 11 K’s and one walk in a 2-1 victory.
The right-hander is 4-4 in nine road starts this season and owns a 9-3 record with 10 saves, a complete game and a 3.05 earned run average in 37 career games (13 starts) against the Devil Rays.
Los Angeles has won two of three and six of its last nine games, including Thursday’s 8-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of a three-game series at Rogers Centre. LA put the game out of reach with a six-run eighth inning, as Russell Martin stroked the go-ahead two-run double in the frame.
Jeff Kent hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers, who are a half-game behind both San Diego and Arizona for the lead in the National League West standings. Tony Abreu finished 2-for-4 with an RBI in the win, while relief pitcher Rudy Seanez earned the win after getting two outs in the seventh.
Starter Chad Billingsley lasted 3 2/3 innings in his first of the season and was reached for two runs on two hits. Billingsley was taking the place of Jason Schmidt, who was placed on the disabled list due to a right shoulder injury and underwent season-ending arthroscopic surgery.
Andy Sonnanstine takes the ball for Tampa Bay tonight and the rookie is 1-1 with a 7.11 ERA in three starts.
Sonnanstine was saddled with the loss his last time out on June 16 against Colorado, yielding seven runs in five innings of a 10-5 loss at Coors Field.
The right-hander, who was promoted from Triple-A Durham earlier this month, will take on Los Angeles for the first time in his career
Tampa Bay has dropped two straight and six of its last eight games. In Wednesday’s series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Carlos Pena hit a solo home run and Akinori Iwamura went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Devil Rays, who sit 14 1/2 games off the lead in the American League East division.
D-Rays starter James Shields was reached for six runs on 10 hits in five innings of work to get the loss.
Los Angeles and Tampa Bay are meeting for the first time since the Dodgers won two of three games in Florida during the 2002 campaign. LA is 84-89 all-time against the American League, while Tampa Bay is 72-103 in interleague play.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (39-32) AT NEW YORK METS (38-32), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Lenny DiNardo (2-3, 2.21) New York - Tom Glavine (5-5, 4.67)
The month of June hasn’t been so kind for the NL East- leading New York Mets and they will try to right the ship when they host the Oakland Athletics for the first of three games tonight at Shea Stadium.
The Mets have lost two straight, four of five and fell to 4-18 this month following Wednesday’s 6-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins in the finale of a three-game interleague series in New York.
Carlos Beltran went 3-for-4 with an RBI and starting pitcher Oliver Perez suffered the loss after he was roughed up for four runs on five hits with five walks and three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings for the struggling Mets, who saw their lead in the National League East shaved down to 1 1/2 games over Atlanta and two games over Philadelphia.
Mets starter Tom Glavine will try to get his ballclub back in the win column when he toes the rubber this evening. Glavine, who is still stuck on 295 career wins, is 5-5 with a 4.67 ERA in 15 starts this season and 0-4 with a 7.31 earned run average over his last five outings.
Glavine was roughed up in his last start on June 16 against the New York Yankees in the Bronx, surrendering seven runs and eight hits in a season-low four innings of an 11-8 setback.
The veteran left-hander, who is 2-1 in six home starts in 2007, took on Oakland just once in his career on June 14 of the 2005 season. Glavine was dealt the loss after giving up four runs — three earned — on 10 hits through six frames of a 5-0 blanking by the A’s.
Oakland will hand the ball to Lenny DiNardo tonight and he is 2-3 with a 2.21 earned run average in 15 games (four starts) this season.
DiNardo owns a 1-2 mark over his previous seven starts and absorbed the loss his last time out on June 16 against St. Louis, yielding five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings of a 15-6 drubbing by the Cardinals.
The lefty, who will make his 12th career start tonight, has never pitched against the Mets in his career.
The A’s are enjoying a terrific June unlike the Mets and have won two of three and own a 13-6 record this month, In Wednesday’s 5-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a three-game set, Jack Cust hit a two-run homer and starter Dan Haren pitched seven solid innings, allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks for his ninth-straight winning decision.
Alan Embree retired the final six batters of the game to record his eighth save of the season and Shannon Stewart also homered for the A’s, who are six games behind the LA Angels of Anaheim for the top spot in the AL West.
Oakland and New York haven’t met since the Athletics won two of three games against the Mets from June 14 - 16 of the 2005 season. The A’s are 113-78 all- time in interleague play, while the Mets own an 88-90 mark against the American League.
DETROIT TIGERS (42-29) AT ATLANTA BRAVES (38-35), 7:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Detroit - Kenny Rogers (0-0, 0.00) Atlanta - John Smoltz (8-3, 2.84)
It took a while, but Kenny Rogers will make his 2007 debut tonight for the Detroit Tigers when the club begins a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
Rogers tied for the club lead with 17 wins last year and had a 3.84 earned run average in 34 outings (33 starts) in his first season with Detroit. However, he experienced what the club called a fatigued arm in Spring Training and had to undergo surgery in late March to remove a blood clot from his left shoulder.
The veteran left-hander was placed on the 60-day disabled list, and his return will be welcomed by the Tigers as Rogers won all three of his postseason starts last season in helping guide Detroit to the World Series.
Rogers has faced the Braves just once in the regular season, and did so as a reliever. He threw four shutout innings, working around two hits and four walks.
The Tigers are 5-1 on a current nine-game road trip and have won four in a row. That includes a recent three-game sweep of Washington at RFK Park. Detroit culminated the set with an 8-4 win on Wednesday.
Carlos Guillen hit a two-run home run and Curtis Granderson knocked in a pair of runs in a five-run sixth inning for Detroit, which is tied for first place in the AL Central with Cleveland. Magglio Ordonez went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in the win.
Jeremy Bonderman pitched just five innings before getting pulled for pinch- hitter Gary Sheffield in the sixth inning. Bonderman (8-0) gave up three runs on five hits to win his eighth-straight decision. The right-hander hasn’t had a loss since September 10th of last year.
The win did come at a price, as catcher Ivan Rodriguez left the game in the fourth inning with a hamstring spasm in his right leg. He is listed as day-to- day and is questionable for tonight’s game.
Atlanta sends a veteran of its own to the hill tonight in the form of John Smoltz. The right-hander returned on Saturday after skipping a start to rest his right shoulder and earned the win at Cleveland.
Smoltz allowed two runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts in six innings, improving to 8-3 on the year with a 2.84 ERA.
The 40-year-old has had better success against as a closer versus Detroit than as a starter. He is 0-1 with two saves in three appearances (one start) against them with a 13.50 ERA, allowing eight runs in just 5 1/3 frames.
The Braves come into the game after having dropped the final two games of their three-game series with Boston that began a nine-game homestand. Atlanta was outscored 15-0 over the last two games, including an 11-0 shelling on Wednesday.
Chipper Jones ended 1-for-2 for the Braves, who still trail the New York Mets by only 1 1/2 games for the lead in the NL East. Buddy Carlyle (1-2) allowed seven runs on nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings in his first-ever appearance against Boston.
Jones, though, is questionable for tonight’s game due to a sore groin.
These two clubs engaged in a trade on Wednesday, as the Tigers sent pitcher Wilfredo Ledezma to the Braves in exchange for pitcher Macay McBride.
The Tigers won two of three against the Braves at Detroit in 2004, but Atlanta captured two tilts of a three-game set at home in 2002.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS (29-44) AT MILWAUKEE BREWERS (41-31), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Kansas City - Jorge De La Rosa (4-7, 5.23) Milwaukee - Jeff Suppan (7-7, 4.69)
The Kansas City Royals will try to recapture their interleague success in Milwaukee tonight, as the club begins a three-game set with the Brewers at Miller Park.
The Royals have a 9-6 mark in interleague play this year, and had won their first four series against the National League before dropping two of three to St. Louis.
Kansas City, which has still won eight of their last 10 series against the NL dating back to last year, failed to make it five in a row this year after losing to the Cardinals in extra innings, 7-6, on Wednesday.
Ryan Ludwick’s homer off Jorge De La Rosa, leading off the bottom of the 14th inning boosted St. Louis to the win in a game that took five hours, 21 minutes to complete and featured 30 hits and six errors.
De La Rosa (4-8), the listed starter for tonight’s game, served up a 2-2 pitch to Ludwick, who blasted it over the wall in center field.
Starter Gil Meche went just 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Alex Gordon had four hits and scored once for the Royals, who had won four of five before dropping two straight.
De La Rosa will be right back in action after an off day on Thursday. The left-hander is winless over his last seven outings (0-5) including Wednesday’s extra-inning defeat.
The 26-year-old, whose last win came on May 13 at the White Sox, last started on Saturday and was hammered for seven runs and 13 innings in 4 2/3 innings against Florida.
The lefty was acquired by the Royals at mid-season last year from the Brewers for Tony Graffanino and has never faced his former club before.
Jeff Suppan will start tonight for Milwaukee and is 0-2 over his last three starts. Suppan picked up a no-decision on Saturday against Minnesota, the first time he failed to factor into the decision all year. The right-hander was the first Brewer to receive a decision in his first 14 starts of the season since Cal Eldred and Bill Wegman in 1993.
However, Suppan, who is 7-7 on the year with a 4.69 earned run average, allowed nine runs on 10 hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings of his team’s 10-9 setback. He was 5-2 in his first seven starts, but has gone 2-5 with a 6.75 ERA in eight starts since.
The 32-year-old is just 1-3 in six lifetime games (five starts) against the Royals with a 5.61 ERA.
The Brewers began a nine-game homestand on the right foot after sweeping a three-game set with the Giants. The club put a big exclamation point on the sweep Wednesday with a 7-5 victory, a game that featured a grand slam and a career-high five runs batted in by Bill Hall.
Ryan Braun went 2-for-4 with a triple and RBI for the Brewers, who have seven victories in their last eight games and lead the NL Central by 7 1/2 games over St. Louis.
Milwaukee shortstop J.J. Hardy, who missed Tuesday’s game with tightness in his left hip, returned to the lineup and walked, doubled and scored two runs before leaving after three innings with tightness in his lower back.
Starter Claudio Vargas (6-1) pitched five-plus frames, allowing four runs on four hits. Francisco Cordero nailed down his 27th save of the campaign with a scoreless ninth.
The Royals bested the Brewers in two of their three matchups last year at home and also took two of three versus the club in Milwaukee in 2001.
HOUSTON ASTROS (31-41) AT TEXAS RANGERS (28-44), 8:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Houston - Woody Williams (3-9, 5.50) Texas - Kevin Millwood (3-6, 7.62)
The Houston Astros continue a nine-game road trip not too far away from home tonight when they head to Texas for the opener of a three- game series at Rangers Ballpark at Arlington.
Houston is 1-2 on the trip so far after losing their series to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. That includes an 8-4 setback in the rubber match on Wednesday.
Hunter Pence homered for the Astros, who suffered just their second loss in six games. Lance Berkman ended 2-for-5 with an RBI in the loss. Craig Biggio ended 0-for-5, and still needs eight more to become the 27th player in history to record 3,000 hits.
Wandy Rodriguez allowed four runs - three earned - on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings for Houston. Dave Borowski (1-2) took the loss in relief.
Woody Williams will try to halt a personal three-game road losing streak with tonight’s start for Houston. Williams’ last win away from Minute Maid Park came on May 9 against Cincinnati, but the right-hander did pick up a win at home his last time out.
On Saturday against Seattle, Williams allowed four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings of a 9-4 victory. He improved to 3-9 on the season with a 5.50 earned run average.
The 40-year-old is 4-3 with a 4.34 ERA in 17 games (nine starts) lifetime against Texas. He took the loss at home against the Rangers on May 20 after four innings of five-run baseball.
While the Astros’ bullpen is without closer Brad Lidge, who is on the disabled list with a strained left oblique, they should have reliever Chad Qualls. Qualls was suspended for three games for his actions on Monday against the Angels, but has appealed his suspension.
Kevin Millwood will start for the Rangers and is coming off his first win since April 13. On Sunday against the Reds, Millwood struck out 10 batters and yielded four runs on six hits over six innings to improve to 3-6 on the year with a 7.62 ERA.
The contest marked the first time Millwood had gone six innings since April 23 and halted a personal five-decision losing streak.
The right-hander is 5-3 with a 3.38 ERA in nine career starts against Houston. He last faced them on July 2, 2006 of last year and took the loss after allowing six runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings.
The Rangers come into the contest on a two-game winning streak after downing the Cubs, 6-5, in a rubber match of a three-game series on Thursday. Frank Catalanotto’s base hit in the bottom of ninth scored Kenny Lofton for the go- ahead run.
Eric Gagne (2-0) held the Cubs off the board in the ninth to earn the victory. Starter Vicente Padilla allowed 10 hits and four runs over four-plus innings, fanning five and walking three.
Victor Diaz and Adam Melhuse homered for the Rangers, who have won three of four but still own the AL’s worst record at 28-44. Marlon Byrd was 2-for-4 with a two-run single.
Texas and Houston met in mid-May with the Rangers winning two of three at Minute Maid Park. The Astros, though, won four of the six meetings last year in the series.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES (31-41) AT ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (42-31), 9:40 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Baltimore - Daniel Cabrera (5-8, 5.20) Arizona - Brandon Webb (7-4, 3.14)
Feeling wounded and rejected, the Baltimore Orioles head to Arizona and Chase Field tonight to begin a three-game series with the Diamondbacks.
The Orioles defeated San Diego, 6-3, in the rubber match of a three-game set with San Diego on Thursday, but the win came at an enormous price. Erik Bedard (5-4) threw six innings of five-hit, two-run ball before leaving the game with a left hamstring Grade 1 strain. He also struck out nine before leaving.
More alarming, though, was the early exit of shortstop Miguel Tejada. Tejada was hit on the wrist with a pitch in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Padres, and then left in the first inning yesterday after bunting into a fielder’s choice.
Tejada’s appearance that saw him lifted for a pinch runner after the bunt extended his streak of consecutive games played to 1,152. However, an American League source told ESPN that Tejada has a fractured left wrist, putting the fifth-longest streak in league history in serious jeopardy.
Alberto Castillo homered and knocked in a pair of runs to lead the Baltimore in its win, which came on the same day that former Marlins skipper and reigning NL Manager of the Year Joe Girardi declined an offer to become the Orioles next manager.
The 42-year-old Girardi met with Orioles brass in Chicago on Tuesday and apparently made a good impression. He opted to remain in the broadcast booth for now, however.
Interim manager David Trembley, meanwhile, improved to 2-1 at the helm.
Daniel Cabrera enters tonight’s start for the Orioles having lost his last two outings. Cabrera was tagged for seven runs on June 12 in a setback to Washington before allowing five runs on six hits in eight innings of a 4-8 loss to Arizona on Saturday.
Cabrera, who fell to 5-8 with a 5.20 earned run average, is 0-2 in two lifetime starts against the Diamondbacks with a 4.80 ERA.
Brandon Webb will try to string together back-to-back wins tonight for Arizona. Last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner is 4-1 over his last five starts and earned the win on Sunday against Baltimore after allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits over seven frames. The victory improved Webb to 7-4 on the year with a 3.14 ERA.
The right-hander has faced the Orioles twice in his career and is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA, allowing just five runs (three earned) over 12 innings.
The Diamondbacks are 2-1 on a 10-game homestand after winning their three-game series with Tampa Bay. Eric Byrnes and Chad Tracy each hit a three-run home run in Arizona’s 7-4 victory in the finale on Wednesday.
Orlando Hudson drove in the other run and Miguel Montero went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Diamondbacks, who have won five of their last six games and are just a couple of percentage points behind San Diego for first place in the NL West.
Micah Owings (5-1) won his fourth straight decision as he gave up four runs on eight hits with a pair of walks and seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of work. Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his 23rd save of the season.
The Diamondbacks swept a three-game set in Baltimore from June 15-17 and have won four in a row and six of seven against the Orioles.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES (31-41) AT LA ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (46-27), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Pittsburgh - Zach Duke (3-6, 5.68) LA Angels - Joe Saunders (3-0, 2.22)
Joe Saunders fills in for an injured Jered Weaver this evening when the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim open a three-game interleague series with the Pittsburgh Pirates at Angel Stadium.
Weaver was scratched with discomfort in his shoulder, so Saunders was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to make his first start since June 2. Saunders, who will be making his first-ever interleague start, has been brilliant as a starter this season, going 3-0 with a 2.22 earned run average.
As a rookie last season Saunders went 7-3 with a 4.71 ERA in 13 starts.
The Angels enter this series as one of the hottest teams in baseball and just one game back of the Boston Red Sox for the best overall mark in the league. LA won its eighth straight series on Wednesday, as it toppled the Houston Astros, 8-4, to win the rubber match of that three-game set.
Vladimir Guerrero’s three-run homer was the lone hit during a six-run, seventh-inning rally for the Angels, who have won four of their last five.
A win tonight would put them 20 games over .500 for the first time since they finished 95-67 in 2005.
Pittsburgh, meanwhile, was blanked for the second straight game on Thursday, as Seattle shut it out, 3-0, in the finale of that three-game set from Safeco Field. The Pirates have been blanked a major league-high eight times this season and haven’t scored in their last 20 innings.
John Van Benschoten (0-2) was touched for six hits and three runs over five frames, as the Pirates lost for the fifth time in their last six road contests.
Getting the call for the Bucos tonight will be left-hander Zach Duke, who is 3-6 with a 5.68 ERA on the season. Duke, who has never faced the Angels, did not record a decision in his last start on Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, as he allowed five runs and eight hits in six innings of his team’s 8-7 loss.
The Pirates took two of three from the Angels the last time these teams met back in 2004. Anaheim, though, won two of three at home against the Pirates in 2002.
Los Angeles is tied with Detroit for the best interleague mark in the majors this season at 11-4. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is just 5-7 against the AL.
BOSTON RED SOX (46-25) AT SAN DIEGO PADRES (41-30), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Boston - Daisuke Matsuzaka (8-5, 4.18) San Diego - Greg Maddux (6-3, 3.90)
Daisuke Matsuzaka tries to build upon the best start of his major league career this evening when the Boston Red Sox open a three-game series with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
Matsuzaka snapped a three-start losing streak in his last trip to the hill with a brilliant effort against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday. Dice-K scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings and struck out eight, as he improved to 8-5 on the season, while lowering his earned run average to 4.18.
The 26-year-old, who obviously has never faced the Padres, has surrendered just four runs in his last three starts, spanning 20 innings, but has only the one win to show for it.
Boston, as a team, enters this series with the best mark in baseball at 46-25 after taking the final two games of its three-game set with the Atlanta Braves, including an 11-0 rout in Wednesday’s rubber match at Turner Field.
Julian Tavarez scattered just three hits over seven innings and five batters homered in the win for the Red Sox, who have won five of their last six games and hold a 10 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees in the AL East.
Tavarez (5-4) walked one and struck out four before Joel Pineiro and Mike Timlin finished off the shutout.
San Diego, meanwhile, comes into tonight’s tilt on a sour note after dropping a 6-3 decision to the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. Marcus Giles had an RBI and a run scored in the loss for the Padres, who have dropped two straight on the heels of a three-game winning streak.
Michael Barrett played his first game in a Padres uniform since being dealt from the Chicago Cubs for reserve catcher Rob Bowen and Single-A outfielder Kyler Burke and went 0-for-4 with a passed ball.
David Wells (3-5) allowed three runs — two earned — on 10 hits over 6 1/3 frames en route to the loss.
Heading to the hill tonight for the Padres will be future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, who is 6-3 with a 3.90 ERA this season. Maddux remained unbeaten in his last five starts on Sunday, as he picked up the win over Chicago, giving up three runs and seven hits in six frames.
Maddux is a perfect 5-0 against the Red Sox with a 3.42 ERA in seven starts.
Boston has won four of six from the Padres and is an impressive 10-5 versus the Senior Circuit this season. San Diego, on the other hand, is just 5-7 against the AL.
CINCINNATI REDS (28-45) AT SEATTLE MARINERS (37-32), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cincinnati - Aaron Harang (7-2, 3.88) Seattle - Ryan Feierabend (1-1, 4.50)
Emotions should be running high this evening, as Ken Griffey Jr. returns to Seattle for the first time since being dealt to Cincinnati when the Reds and Mariners start a three-game set at Safeco Field.
Griffey, of course, became the premier player in baseball while with the Mariners, bursting on the scene at the age of 19 in 1989. In his time with the Mariners Griffey went to 10 All-Star games, won nine gold gloves and was the 1997 AL MVP. He still holds the team record for home runs (389) and slugging percentage (.569), and is second in nine other categories.
However, after hitting 56, 56 and 48 home runs in consecutive seasons, the Mariners sent their franchise player to the Reds and got Mike Cameron, Brett Tomko, Antonio Perez and Jake Meyer in return in February, 2000. Griffey then signed a $116.5 million, nine-year contract with Cincinnati, but has been plagued by injuries since.
Griffey, though, has stayed relatively healthy this season and has 19 home runs to move within one of tying Mark McGwire (582) for seventh on the all- time list.
Cincinnati enters this series on a sour note after dropping two of three in Oakland, culminating with a 5-3 loss in Wednesday’s rubber match at McAfee Coliseum. Josh Hamilton hit a two-run homer and Adam Dunn added a solo shot for the Reds, who have dropped six of eight.
Heading to the hill tonight for the Reds will be ace Aaron Harang, who is unbeaten in his last five starts. Harang picked up the win in his last start on Saturday against Texas, as he allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits in 5 2/3 innings to run his record to 7-2, while lowering his earned run average to 3.88.
Harang is winless against Seattle in his career, going 0-3 against the Mariners in four games (three starts), despite a 2.11 ERA.
Seattle will counter with 21-year-old Ryan Feierabend, who is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA. Feierabend, considered one of the M’s top pitching prospects, started two games for Seattle and pitched to a 5.40 ERA in those outings before being moved to the bullpen, where he made one scoreless appearance.
The Mariners posted their second straight shutout on Thursday, as Felix Hernandez struck out nine batters over eight shutout innings and the Mariners blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-0, to conclude a three-game series.
The 21-year-old right-hander scattered six hits and walked one to win for the first time in five outings. Hernandez (4-4) posted his first victory since May 25 at Kansas City.
J.J. Putz allowed a single to Jason Bay to start the ninth, but struck out Ryan Doumit and then induced Xavier Nady to ground into the game-ending double play to notch his 20th save.
This is the first time the Mariners have posted back-to-back shutouts since June 11-12, 2004 against Montreal.
Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 16 games and had an RBI single during a three-run fifth inning. Jose Lopez added a two-run double, as the Mariners won the final two contests of the series after losing six in a row.
Seattle, which is 7-8 in interleague play this season, swept a three-game set from the Reds in 2002. Cincinnati is 6-9 against the AL this year.BC-
NEW YORK YANKEES (35-35) AT SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (30-41), 10:15 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: NY Yankees - Kei Igawa (2-1, 7.63) San Francisco - Matt Cain (2-7, 3.15)
Kei Igawa makes his return to the big leagues this evening, as the New York Yankees visit San Francisco for the first time since the 1962 World Series in the opener of a three-game set with the Giants at AT&T Park.
After bidding $26 million to negotiate with Igawa, then signing him to a five- year $20 million contract, the Yankees were bitterly disappointed with the results from their Japanese import. Igawa was 2-1 with a 7.63 ERA in six games (five starts) before they shipped him to Single-A Tampa on May 7.
Igawa made two starts for Tampa and was moved up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes- Barre, where he made four starts. In those six appearances, the 27-year-old left-hander went 3-3 with a 2.65 ERA and struck out 33 over 34 innings.
The Yankees will need a big start from Igawa, as they enter this series on the heels of getting swept by the Colorado Rockies, culminating with a 4-3 loss in Thursday’s finale at Coors Field.
New York starter Roger Clemens (1-2), who was aiming for the 350th win of his career, lasted just 4 1/3 frames, allowing four runs on seven hits. The 44- year-old also fanned six while walking just one.
Hideki Matsui hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, who are now 10 1/2 games behind first-place Boston in the AL East. They had won 11 of 12 before starting a nine-game road trip in Denver.
In the usually hitter friendly confines of Coors, the Yankee bats fell silent, hitting just .223 (21-for-94) with one homer. They drew five walks and struck out 22 times, while going a paltry 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
San Francisco, meanwhile, has dropped seven in a row after getting swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-game set from Miller Park. The Giants are hitting just .214 and have pitched to a 6.95 ERA during their slide.
Barry Bonds has also struggled of late, going 4-of-16 with one home run over his last seven games. He is still seven shy of tying Hank Aaron’s all-time record of 755.
In his only other action against the Yanks, Bonds went 4-for-7 with a home run and three RBI in a series in the Bronx back in 2002.
Heading to the hill tonight for the Giants will be 22-year-old right-hander Matt Cain, who is 2-7 with a 3.15 ERA. Cain is winless in his last six starts and was tagged with the loss on Saturday against Boston, despite a pretty solid effort. He surrendered a run on three hits in seven innings of that one, as the Giants were blanked 1-0 by Daisuke Matsuzaka.
New York last played in San Francisco back in the seventh game of the 1962 World Series, a game won 1-0 by the Yankees. These teams have met in the World Series seven times. The Giants won in 1921 and ‘22 before the Yankees took the Fall Classic in ‘23, ‘36, ‘37, ‘51 and ‘62.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (37-35) AT ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (32-37), 8:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Philadelphia - Jamie Moyer (6-5, 4.40) St. Louis - Anthony Reyes (0-8, 6.34)
The St. Louis Cardinals shoot for their third straight win when they host the Philadelphia Phillies in the first of three games this evening at Busch Stadium.
The Cardinals took the last two games of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals, including Wednesday’s 7-6 victory in 14 innings. Ryan Ludwick was the hero with a game-winning home run in the bottom of the 14th inning, while Aaron Miles had five hits and scored three times for St. Louis, which had 17 hits and won for the fourth time in five tries.
Todd Wellemeyer started for the Cardinals and allowed four runs — two earned — in five innings of work. Kip Wells was the eighth St. Louis pitcher used and threw two shutout innings of relief to collect the triumph.
St. Louis is second in the National League Central standings, 7 1/2 games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
Cardinals starter Anthony Reyes gets the nod tonight and is still searching for his first win of the 2007 campaign.
Reyes is 0-8 with a 6.34 ERA in 10 starts this season and the Cardinals are 1-9 when he steps on the mound. In his last start on June 17, Reyes gave up five runs in five innings of a 10-6 win over the Oakland Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.
The straight-brimmed righty has never faced the Phillies in his career.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, has lost four of its last six games and dropped two of three to the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field. In Wednesday’s 10-6 setback in the series finale, starting pitcher Jon Lieber, who left the game in the sixth inning with a right ankle strain, gave up seven runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings for the loss.
Rod Barajas went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and Shane Victorino added a pair of RBI for the Phillies, who surrendered eight runs in the decisive sixth inning. They are still two games behind the NL East-leading New York Mets, while the Atlanta Braves are 1 1/2 games off the pace.
Jamie Moyer takes the mound in Friday’s series opener for the Phillies and is 6-5 with a 4.40 ERA in 14 starts this season.
Moyer was 0-2 in three starts before collecting a win on June 16 against the Detroit Tigers. He gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings of a 6-3 triumph at Citizens Bank Park.
The veteran left-hander, who is 4-3 in eight road starts this season, is 3-1 with two complete games and a 2.86 ERA in nine career appearances (eight starts) against St. Louis.
Philadelphia and St. Louis are meeting for the first time in the 2007 season. The Phillies and Cardinals split a six-game series last year after Philly went 4-2 during the 2005 season.
