Sunday, June 24th (All times eastern) MINNESOTA TWINS (37-35) AT FLORIDA MARLINS (36-39), 1:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Minnesota - Johan Santana (7-6, 2.91) Florida - Byung-Hyun Kim (3-3, 5.22)
Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana makes his second career start against the Florida Marlins today when the Minnesota Twins visit Dolphin Stadium to wrap up a three-game interleague series.
The 28-year-old Venezuelan, who was 19-6 in 2006, tossed a four-hit shutout against the New York Mets in his last start. The triumph earned Santana the chance to shave the head of Twins broadcaster Bert Blyleven, who said before the game that he’d provide the chance if Santana could record a shutout.
Santana allowed four hits and a run in 5 1/3 innings in his only meeting with the Marlins.
He is 4-2 with a 1.84 earned run average in seven road starts this season.
Veteran reliever/starter Byung-Hyun Kim makes his eight appearances - seventh start - with Florida since coming over from Colorado earlier this season.
Kim, who has never faced the Twins, was 1-2 in three appearances with the Rockies.
In his last start, against the Chicago White Sox on June 18, he allowed four hits and two runs in just 2 2/3 innings, getting a no-decision in a 10-6 loss.
On Saturday, Joe Mauer and Jason Bartlett drove in three runs apiece as the Twins beat up on the Marlins, 11-1. Jeff Cirillo had four hits, two RBI and a run scored for the Twins, who have won three of their last four games.
Jason Kubel also had a big night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored as Minnesota pounded out 17 hits.
The Twins played without reigning AL MVP Justin Morneau, who suffered a bruised lung following a collision at home plate with Florida catcher Miguel Olivo in Friday’s game.
Morneau remains in the hospital, but a CT scan was normal, and X-rays were negative. He will be sidelined for at least a couple of games, ending his consecutive-games streak at 191, the fourth-longest among active players.
Carlos Silva (5-8) had a strong outing on the hill for Minnesota, allowing just one run and four hits with five strikeouts over seven innings.
Josh Johnson (0-2) yielded seven runs on eight hits in just three innings of work and was tagged with the loss. The 23-year-old was making just his second start of the season for the Marlins after missing the first three months with nerve irritation in his elbow. He was also crushed in his season debut against the White Sox on Monday, surrendering eight runs — four earned — on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. His ERA stands at 14.85 on the season.
This is the first series between the two clubs since 2002, when the Twins captured two of three at home.
COLORADO ROCKIES (38-36) AT TORONTO BLUE JAYS (36-37), 1:07 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Josh Fogg (3-5, 4.58) Toronto - Dustin McGowan (3-3, 5.68)
The Colorado Rockies will attempt to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon at Rogers Centre.
On Saturday, Frank Thomas went 4-for-4, hitting the 498th home run of his career, and drove in four runs to help Toronto to an 11-6 win. Matt Stairs also homered, ending 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, for the Blue Jays, who have won the first two games of this three-game interleague set.
Adam Lind added two hits and two RBI for Toronto, which has never lost in five home games against the Rockies and has won six of its last nine games overall.
Troy Tulowitzki homered and scored twice for Colorado, which has yet to win since completing a three-game sweep of the Yankees on Thursday for its ninth win in 11 outings.
Slated to be on the hill for Colorado this afternoon will be Josh Fogg, and while he is just 3-5 this season with a modest 4.58 ERA, there is certainly good news to report. Last time out, Fogg limited a talented Yankees’ lineup to one run on four hits in seven innings of action. The win was the second straight for Fogg, and the team has won his last four starts.
Fogg has only faced Toronto once in his career and did pick up a win in that contest.
Dustin McGowan is the scheduled starter for the Blue Jays, and while his 3-3 record is solid, his 5.68 ERA could certainly stand some improvement. He had put together a string of five consecutive quality starts, but in his most recent outing against the Dodgers, McGowan was torched for six runs over 1 2/3 innings of work.
McGowan has never faced the Colorado organization in his career.
The Rockies are 76-86 all-time in interleague play, while Toronto owns a 92-100 mark against the National League.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (39-34) AT NEW YORK METS (40-32), 1:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Joe Kennedy (2-4, 3.62) NY Mets - John Maine (7-4, 2.90)
The month of June hasn’t been so kind for the NL East- leading New York Mets, but they do have a chance to complete a weekend sweep of the Oakland Athletics today at Shea Stadium.
David Wright’s run-scoring double in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Mets a 1-0 victory over the Athletics yesterday in the middle contest of a three-game set in Flushing.
New York starter Orlando Hernandez turned in a strong performance, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing six hits while striking out seven and walking just one. Billy Wagner (1-0) notched the victory after tossing a scoreless ninth.
Wright and Carlos Beltran finished with two hits each for the Mets, who have won two straight, but have just four wins in their last 13 games overall.
Oakland starter Joe Blanton matched Hernandez’s strong performance, allowing no runs over eight innings while fanning six and walking only one. Santiago Casilla (2-1) absorbed the loss by allowing the game-winning run in the ninth. Mark Ellis and Bobby Crosby each had two hits for the Athletics, who have dropped two straight.
Oakland’s Joe Kennedy has pitched fairly well this season if you consider his 3.62 ERA, but his 2-4 record does not reflect that fact. He was most recently in action last Sunday when he gave up three earned runs in five innings to the Cardinals. He has not been working deep into games lately, though.
John Maine is the expected starter for the Mets today in front of the home crowd and he owns a 7-4 record this season to go along with an equally impressive 2.90 ERA. Maine was outstanding in the beginning of the season, and although he did slump for a while, the right-hander’s most recent outing yielded a victory. He gave up just one run over 7 1/3 innings against Minnesota.
Kennedy has never faced the Mets, while Maine lost his only career start against the Athletics.
Oakland and New York haven’t met in a series since the Athletics won two of three games against the Mets from June 14-16 of the 2005 season. The A’s are 113-80 all-time in interleague play, while the Mets own a 90-90 mark against the American League. CLEVELAND INDIANS (43-30) AT WASHINGTON NATIONALS (31-43), 1:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cleveland - Jake Westbrook (1-2, 2.84) Washington - Jason Simontacchi (4-5, 6.31)
Right-hander Jake Westbrook comes off a month-plus stint on the disabled list to face the Washington Nationals today when the Cleveland Indians visit RFK Stadium to wrap up a three-game interleague series.
Westbrook, who’s never faced the Nationals, left a May 2 start against Toronto after just 1 1/3 innings with a strained left abdominal muscle and was placed on the DL the following day.
He began the season with two losses and two no-decisions in four starts, then picked his lone win with 6 1/3 innings of six-hit, three-run ball against Baltimore on April 27 in a 5-4 Cleveland victory.
Overall, he’s allowed 32 hits and 24 earned runs in 27 1/3 innings.
Washington counters with veteran Jason Simontacchi, who was ripped for 10 hits and 10 runs over three poor innings in a 15-1 loss to Detroit on June 19.
That loss ended a two-start win streak for the 33-year-old Californian, who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals back in 1996. He defeated Minnesota and Baltimore in those two victories, allowing a combined 15 hits and five runs in 14 2/3 innings.
Simontacchi has never faced the Indians.
On Saturday, Victor Martinez belted a three-run home run in the ninth inning to lift the Indians over the Nationals, 4-3.
Trailing 3-1, Cleveland scored three runs off closer Chad Cordero (1-2) in the ninth. Franklin Gutierrez and Casey Blake both singled before Martinez belted a three-run shot to center field on the first pitch he saw.
Washington loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth on Joe Borowski after Brian Schneider singled, Nook Logan doubled, and Cristian Guzman was intentionally walked. Felipe Lopez grounded a dribbler to the mound where Borowski got the out at home before catcher Kelly Shoppach caught Logan off the bag at third for the game-ending double play and Borowski’s 21st save of the season.
Grady Sizemore also homered for the Indians, who have won two of three. Paul Byrd, who was tagged with the loss in his last start last Saturday against the Atlanta Braves, allowed three runs on seven hits with a walk and four strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings for the Tribe. Tom Mastny (5-2) got the win after tossing the scoreless eighth.
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.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (42-32) AT TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (32-40), 1:40 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Los Angeles - Hong-Chih Kuo (1-2, 6.65) Tampa Bay - Edwin Jackson (0-8, 7.85)
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are set to collide in the rubber match of a three-game interleague series at Tropicana Field.
Yesterday, Dioner Navarro’s home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh gave Tampa Bay the lead, and the Devil Rays held on for a 4-3 victory. Akinori Iwamura went 2-for-4 with a home run, double and two runs scored for Tampa Bay, which ended a three-game losing streak.
After scoring three runs in the sixth inning off Devil Rays starter Scott Kazmir to tie the game at 3-3, the Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh but came up empty, and Navarro’s blast in the bottom of the inning put Tampa Bay in front.
Then, with two outs in the ninth, Matt Kemp walked and Andre Ethier singled to put runners on the corners. However, Al Reyes struck out pinch-hitter Luis Gonzalez to preserve the win and record his 17th save of the season.
Kazmir gave up three runs on seven hits in six innings, while Casey Fossum (5-6) got the final out of the tumultuous seventh inning to pick up the win.
Ethier went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Dodgers, who had won three of four.
Randy Wolf (8-6) was tagged for four runs on 10 hits through 6 2/3 innings
Hong-Chih Kuo will be on the hill for the Dodgers today, as he moves up a day so ace Brad Penny can pitch the opener of Monday’s pivotal division series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kuo, though, is coming off an atrocious outing in his last start on Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays, who tagged him for eight runs and six hits in just 1 /2 innings. The loss dropped him to 1-2 on the season, while ballooning his ERA more than three runs to 6.65.
Edwin Jackson is the scheduled starter for Tampa Bay today. Jackson has yet to record a single win, as he is 0-8 with a 7.85 ERA in 13 starts. He is suffering from an injury to his right index finger, so it would not be surprising if he is replaced prior to the game.
The last pitcher to open a season with 14 straight starts without a victory was Scott Elarton, who went 16 games before his first win for Colorado and Cleveland in 2004. His last win came back on September 26, 2005.
Kuo has never faced the Devil Rays in his career, and the same can be said for Jackson in regard to the Dodgers. Jackson, though, pitched for the Dodgers from 2003-05.
Los Angeles and Tampa Bay are meeting in a series for the first time since the Dodgers won two of three games in Florida during the 2002 campaign. LA is 85-90 all-time against the American League, while Tampa Bay is 73-104 in interleague play.
CHICAGO CUBS (34-39) AT CHICAGO WHITE SOX (29-41), 2:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Chicago Cubs - Sean Marshall (3-2, 2.84) Chicago White Sox - Jose Contreras (5-7, 4.81)
Towering lefty Sean Marshall makes his seventh start of the season today when the Chicago Cubs wrap up a three-game crosstown interleague series with the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
Marshall, a 6-foot-7, 205-pounder, arrived in Chicago last season and went 6-9 for the Cubs in his first 24 major-league starts.
He had won three decisions in 2007 before a no-decision at Texas on June 19. In that outing, he allowed five hits and four runs in four innings in a 5-4 Cubs win. Prior to that last start, Marshall hadn’t surrendered more than two earned runs in any outing.
Marshall faced the White Sox once last season, allowing eight hits and four runs in six innings while getting tagged with a loss.
Righty Jose Contreras ended a four-start winless streak in his last outing, scattering eight hits and five runs over 6 2/3 innings while downing Florida, 10-6.
Previously, he’d gone 0-3 with a no-decision since a May 21 defeat of Oakland.
Contreras, who won 13 games last season, is 1-1 in three career starts against the Cubs.
On Saturday, Ryan Theriot’s suicide squeeze bunt in the ninth inning broke a tie and sent the Cubs past the White Sox, 2-1. Alfonso Soriano hit his 14th home run of the year for the Cubs, who have won two in a row and three of five.
Michael Wuertz (1-2) retired one batter in the eighth to record his first win of the season, and Bob Howry hurled a scoreless inning to earn his first save. Starter Rich Hill allowed six hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings, fanning six and walking two.
Bobby Jenks (2-3) took the loss, allowing two hits and the winning run in 1 1/3 frames of relief for starter Javier Vazquez, who yielded five hits and one run over seven innings, striking out eight with no walks in the no-decision.
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.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS (29-46) AT MILWAUKEE BREWERS (43-31), 2:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Kansas City - Odalis Perez (4-7, 6.06) Milwaukee - Yovani Gallardo (1-0, 4.26)
The Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers will finish up a three-game interleague set at Miller Park this afternoon.
Yesterday, Dave Bush held the Royals to one run through seven innings and Corey Hart collected three hits, an RBI, and two runs as the Brewers beat Kansas City, 7-1.
Bush (5-6) scattered eight hits, fanning five and walking one for the Brewers, who won their fifth straight and their 10th in 12 games. Bill Hall homered for Milwaukee, which wore white threads with black pinstripes in honor of the 1924 Milwaukee Bears.
Brian Bannister (4-4) gave up six hits and six runs in five innings, striking out seven and walking three for the Royals, who dropped their fourth straight.
David DeJesus went 2-for-3, and Ryan Shealy had an RBI single for Kansas City, which wore the black uniforms with white pinstripes of the 1924 Kansas City Monarchs.
Odalis Perez is the scheduled starter for Kansas City today and he will try to better his 4-7 record and 6.06 ERA. Perez is coming off a solid effort against the Cardinals and he will attempt to carry some confidence into this afternoon’s clash.
Perez owns a 3-0 record with a 2.97 ERA in five career starts against Milwaukee.
Milwaukee fans finally got their wish when promising young righty Yovani Gallardo made his first start this past week and he picked up a victory over the Giants. Not only did he pitch fairly well in that clash, Gallardo hit an RBI double as well. He surrendered only four hits in 6 1/3 innings and has the tools to be one of the best strikeout pitchers in the majors.
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.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES (31-43) AT LA ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (48-27), 3:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Pittsburgh - Tom Gorzelanny (7-4, 3.01) LA Angels - Bartolo Colon (6-3, 6.17)
Bartolo Colon tries to lead the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a sweep of their three-game interleague set with the Pittsburgh Pirates at Angel Stadium.
Colon, though, has been one of the few Angels that has struggled over the last month, going just 1-3 with a 9.79 earned run average over his last five starts. He was tagged with the loss in his last start on Tuesday against the Houston Astros, as he surrendered seven runs and 11 hits in six innings to fall to 6-3 on the year, while raising his ERA to 6.17.
The 34-year-old right-hander has faced the Pirates three times and is 2-1 against them with a sparkling 1.13 ERA.
Pittsburgh will counter with left-hander Tom Gorzelanny, who is 7-4 with a 3.01 ERA. Gorzelanny, who will be making his first-ever start against the Angels, earned the win on Tuesday against Seattle, giving up two runs and eight hits in seven innings.
In the second game of this set on Saturday, Vladimir Guerrero had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Kelvim Escobar allowed just one run over eight solid innings, as the Angels routed Pittsburgh, 10-1.
The Angels, who are off to their best start in franchise history at 48-27, moved to 21 games over .500 for the first time since finishing 95-67 in 2005.
Escobar (9-3) scattered just five hits, walked two batters and fanned four. He has won five of his last six decisions and seven of his last 10 overall.
Howie Kendrick had two hits, drove in two runs and scored three times for the red-hot Angels, who have won three in a row, six of seven and 15 of 20 overall.
Ian Snell (6-5) gave up five runs and 10 hits over six innings for Pittsburgh, which has dropped four straight and five of seven. Snell was pitching for the first time in 10 days, after missing his last start due a blister on his right index finger.
Ronny Paulino went 2-for-3 and had the lone RBI for the Pirates, who had just five hits.
Los Angeles is tied with Detroit for the best interleague mark in the majors this season at 13-4. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is just 5-9 against the AL.
BOSTON RED SOX (47-26) AT SAN DIEGO PADRES (42-31), 4:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Boston - Josh Beckett (10-1, 3.14) San Diego - Jake Peavy (9-1, 1.98)
A terrific pitching matchup is on tap this afternoon in San Diego, as Jake Peavy and the Padres play the rubber match of their three- game series against Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox.
Peavy has been absolutely incredible for the Padres this season, going 9-1 with NL-bests in earned run average at 1.98, as well as strikeouts with 110. His nine wins are also tied for the NL lead. Peavy won his sixth straight decision on Tuesday against Baltimore, allowing three runs and six hits in six innings.
The 26-year-old right-hander, whose lone loss came at the hands of the Washington Nationals at home back on April 30, has never faced the Red Sox,
Beckett, meanwhile, is tied with three other pitchers for the major league lead in wins with 10. He bounced back from his only loss of the year in his last start to defeat the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. Beckett scattered four hits over six scoreless innings in that one, as he improved to 10-1, while lowering his ERA to 3.14.
The 27-year-old righty, who has won all five of his road starts, will be making his sixth start against the Padres and is 4-1 against them with a 2.14 ERA.
In the second game of this set on Saturday, Khalil Greene smacked two home runs and Chris Young struck out 11, as San Diego rolled to a 6-1 win. Josh Bard hit a two-run home run and finished with three RBI, while Mike Cameron had two hits, including a double, and scored two runs for the Padres, who ended a three-game slide.
Young, who made his first since being ejected last Saturday for fighting with Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, pitched seven scoreless innings of one- hit ball. Young (7-3) has been suspended for five games by the league for his incident with Lee, but he has appealed it.
Boston starter Tim Wakefield (7-8) was roughed up for six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Mike Lowell knocked in the lone run of the contest for the Red Sox, who had a three-game win streak end. David Ortiz is 0-for-6 with two walks in the series and hasn’t gone hitless in any series this year.
Boston has won five of eight from the Padres and is an impressive 11-6 versus the Senior Circuit this season. San Diego, on the other hand, is just 6-8 against the AL. CINCINNATI REDS (29-46) AT SEATTLE MARINERS (38-33), 4:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cincinnati - Bronson Arroyo (2-8, 5.24) Seattle - Miguel Batista (7-6, 4.99)
Bronson Arroyo tries to snap an eight-game winless streak this afternoon when the Cincinnati Reds play the rubber match of their three- game series with the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.
Arroyo’s latest setback came last Sunday against the Texas Rangers, as he allowed seven runs (six earned) and eight hits in six innings to fall to a dismal 2-8 on the year, while raising his earned run average to 5.24.
The 30-year-old right-hander has not won since beating the Colorado Rockies back on May 6 and is 0-6 over his last eight starts with a 7.83 ERA.
Arroyo is 1-0 in his career against the Mariners with a save and a sparkling 0.53 ERA in three games, two of which have been starts.
Seattle will counter with veteran right-hander Miguel Batista, who is 7-6 with a 4.99 ERA. Batista dropped his second straight start on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, as he surrendered four runs (two earned) and six hits in 5 1/3 frames.
Batista is a perfect 3-0 lifetime against the Reds with a 2.45 ERA in 13 games, three starts.
In the second game of this set on Saturday, Raul Ibanez hit a grand slam, Richie Sexson homered twice and Ben Broussard added a two-run shot as the Seattle pummeled the Reds, 9-1.
Ibanez, who connected on his fourth career slam, left the game in the fifth inning with tightness in his right hamstring. He is day-to-day and is doubtful for today’s tilt.
Ichiro Suzuki went 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to a major league- leading 18 games. It is the second time this season Suzuki has hit safely in 18 or more straight games.
Jarrod Washburn (6-6) allowed just one run on seven hits, with three walks and five strikeouts over eight innings for the Mariners, who have won three of four.
Kyle Lohse (3-10) was roughed up for Cincinnati, yielding eight runs on six hits over six innings in the loss. Lohse walked three, struck out two and was generally in trouble from the start, as the game was a complete reversal of Friday’s series opener when the Reds scored a season-high 16 runs.
Seattle, which is 87-9 in interleague play this season, swept a three-game set from the Reds in 2002. Cincinnati is 7-10 against the AL this year. NEW YORK YANKEES (36-36) AT SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (31-42), 4:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: NY Yankees - Mike Mussina (3-4, 5.10) San Francisco - Noah Lowry (6-6, 3.74)
Mike Mussina will try and get the New York Yankees back above .500 this afternoon when they play the rubber match of their three-game series with the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
Mussina has just one win in his last seven starts and is coming off a loss to the Colorado Rockies in his last outing on Tuesday. Mussina surrendered three runs and seven hits in six innings of that one, as he slipped to 3-4 on the year to go along with a 5.10 ERA.
The 38-year-old right-hander won his only other start against the Giants, allowing a run on eight hits in six innings.
San Francisco will counter with young lefty Noah Lowry, who is 6-6 with a 3.74 ERA. Lowry also enters this game on the heels of a loss in his last start, as he fell to the Milwaukee Brewers, giving up five runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Lowry, 26, has never faced the Yankees.
In the second game of this set on Saturday, Nate Schierholtz’s two-out single in the bottom of the 13th inning knocked in the game-winning run as San Francisco snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 6-5 win.
Ryan Klesko led off the 13th with a single off Scott Proctor (1-4) and moved to second on Bengie Molina’s sacrifice bunt. After Pedro Feliz, who homered earlier in the game, flied out to center, Omar Vizquel beat out an infield single, sliding into first base to put runners on the corners.
Schierholtz then stepped to the plate and hit a fly ball to shallow center field on the first pitch he saw. Yankees center fielder Melky Cabrera sprinted forward to make the catch, but the ball fell to the grass as Klesko crossed home plate to win it for San Francisco.
The Giants scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-4 lead on Barry Bonds’ two-out, bases-loaded walk, but Alex Rodriguez led off the ninth inning with his major-league leading 28th homer of the year to tie the game and force extra innings.
A day after hitting the 749th home run of his career, Bonds went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and two RBI. He remains six home runs shy of tying Hank Aaron’s record.
Vinnie Chulk (2-2) pitched a scoreless 13th to pick up the win for the Giants, who won for just the third time in their last 14 games.
Rodriguez had his second-straight four-hit game, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored for the Yankees, who took the opener of this three-game interleague series on Friday, but lost for the fourth time in five games to even their record at 36-36.
In eight career games in San Francisco, A-Rod is 21-for-32 (.656) with three homers.
Derek Jeter went 2-for-5 with an RBI to extend his hitting streak to 17 games before leaving the game with a slight left hip strain. He is questionable for today’s contest.
Prior to this series, New York’s last visit to San Francisco came 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. BALTIMORE ORIOLES (32-41) AT ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (42-32), 4:40 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Baltimore - Steve Trachsel (5-5, 4.24) Arizona - Doug Davis (4-8, 4.26)
The Baltimore Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks will wrap up a three-game weekend series this afternoon at Chase Field.
In the second game of this set on Saturday, Eric Byrnes’ majestic solo homer kicked off a three-run fifth for Arizona, as the Diamondbacks dug out of an early four-run hole to pick up a 7-4 win.
Mark Reynolds capped the fifth inning with a two-run triple for the D-Backs, who rebounded from a 7-1 loss in the opener of the series to win their sixth game in eight tries.
Arizona starter Livan Hernandez lasted just four-plus innings, giving up nine hits and four runs. Juan Cruz (3-1) tossed two scoreless innings of relief, and Jose Valverde picked up his 24th save.
Brian Burres started for the Orioles and, though he helped himself with an RBI single, was pulled after just 4 1/3 innings after letting up four hits and four runs with five walks. Rob Bell (0-1) gave up four hits and three runs in an inning of work.
Freddie Bynum hit a two-run homer for the O’s, who had their three-game win streak stopped.
On the mound for Baltimore this afternoon will be veteran right-hander Steve Trachsel, who has been mediocre thus far. Trachsel is 5-5 with a 4.24 ERA and he has posted a 6.97 ERA in June. He has surrendered at least one home run in four consecutive outings, so avoiding the long ball today will obviously be a focus.
Trachsel is 4-2 lifetime against Arizona with a 3.44 ERA.
Arizona’s Doug Davis is expected to get the ball in front of the home crowd this afternoon and his 4-8 record could certainly stand some improvement. Davis has been beaten up three times by AL East opponents, a trend he obviously hopes to halt in this contest. He has an 11.08 ERA in his last three contests, pushing a once impressive 3.05 ERA to 4.26 on the season.
In his career against Baltimore, Davis is 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA.
The Diamondbacks swept a three-game set in Baltimore from June 15-17.
DETROIT TIGERS (44-29) AT ATLANTA BRAVES (38-37), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Detroit - Andrew Miller (2-1, 3.63) Atlanta - Chuck James (6-6, 4.11)
The Detroit Tigers and the Atlanta Braves conclude their weekend interleague series at Turner Field tonight.
On Saturday Justin Verlander scattered four hits and one run with 11 strikeouts over seven innings, as Detroit clipped Atlanta, 2-1, sending the Braves to their fourth straight loss.
The contest also featured the record-tying ejection of manager Bobby Cox. Cox was tossed in the ninth inning by home plate umpire Chad Fairchild after Fairchild had tossed Braves catcher Brian McCann for arguing a called third strike.
The ejection was the 131st of Cox’s managerial career, which tied John McGraw for most early departures in major league history. Cox already holds the record for most ejections by a manager, since 14 of McGraw’s came as a player.
Verlander (9-2) threw 110 pitches - 71 for strikes - in the start, walking two and giving up a home run in his fourth consecutive win in as many outings. Todd Jones picked up his 18th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Carlos Guillen was 2-for-3 with a homer and scored both runs for the Tigers, who have won six games in a row. Sean Casey added an RBI single.
Kyle Davies (3-7) went 6 1/3 innings, charged with three hits and two runs, with six strikeouts and three walks before leaving with a left oblique strain on a 1-2 pitch to Brandon Inge in the seventh inning. He is listed as day-to- day and will be evaluated by the team’s medical staff on Sunday to determine the full extent of the injury.
Andrew Miller is a young lefty for the Tigers who has earned a spot in the starting rotation of one of baseball’s top staffs. He is 2-1 this season with 3.63 ERA and will take his game on the road this evening. Miller was outdueled by the Phillies’ Jamie Moyer in his last outing and he will attempt to bounce back this evening in front of a national television audience.
Expected to get the ball for Atlanta is Chuck James, and he will attempt to improve his mediocre 6-6 record and 4.11 ERA. James is coming off a win over the Red Sox, and while he did surrender two home runs in that clash, both were of the solo variety.
Miller and James are making their first starts against their respective opponents tonight.
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. HOUSTON ASTROS (31-43) AT TEXAS RANGERS (30-44), 8:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Houston - Chris Sampson (6-5, 3.70) Texas - Robinson Tejeda (5-7, 6.29)
Rangers Ballpark at Arlington will be the venue for tonight’s interleague finale between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers.
Gerald Laird’s home run on the eighth- inning’s first pitch sparked a four-run frame and Michael Young also drove in four runs, as Texas downed the Astros, 7-2..
Kenny Lofton finished 3-for-3 and scored twice for the Rangers, who won their season-best fourth straight. Marlon Byrd ended 2-for-5 with an RBI in the win.
Fresh off the disabled list, Jamey Wright (1-1) allowed two runs on three hits with six walks and five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings for Texas. He had missed two months because of a shoulder injury.
Morgan Ensberg got the only extra-base hit for the Astros, who lost their third straight game. Mike Lamb went 1-for-3 and scored twice.
Roy Oswalt (7-5) allowed three runs on eight hits with four walks and two strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings for Houston.
The Astros will give the ball to Chris Sampson this evening and he has won six games this season to go along with a 3.70 ERA. The right-hander did allow 14 hits in his last outing, and although 12 of those were singles, he hopes to have a better showing this evening.
Sampson has never faced the Rangers in his career.
Texas will counter with Robinson Tejeda, who is 5-7 this season with a 6.29 ERA. Tejeda did not factor in the decision of his most recent outing against the Cubs, as he permitted four runs, but only two earned, in five innings. Tejeda has only one career appearance against Houston and he did pick up the win in that tilt.
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.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (38-36) AT ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (33-38), 2:15 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Philadelphia - Cole Hamels (9-3, 3.82) St. Louis - Kip Wells (3-11, 6.75)
Emerging southpaw star Cole Hamels looks to begin another win streak today when the Philadelphia Phillies visit Busch Stadium to wrap up a three-game National League series with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Hamels had a three-decision win streak snapped in his last start, when he gave up eight hits and six runs over five innings of a 10-1 loss to Cleveland.
In four previous starts — three wins and a no-decision — he’d given up 27 hits and 10 runs over 30 innings.
Hamels, whose 4-2 in eight starts away from home in 2007, has faced the Cardinals one time, allowing two hits and a run in seven innings while walking two and striking out 12.
Struggling righty Kip Wells faces one of his favorite opponents in the Phillies, against whom he is 5-0 with a 1.26 ERA in five career starts.
This season, however, Wells has tumbled, losing 11 of his first 13 decisions before finally breaking through with another victory in his last appearance on June 20 against Kansas City. In that win, he allowed a hit and struck out one in a two-inning relief stint.
Wells is 2-4 in seven appearances - six starts - at home this season.
On Saturday, Juan Encarnacion hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the fourth inning as St. Louis downed the Phillies, 8-3. Encarnacion finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Chris Duncan hit a two-run home run and drove in three for the Cardinals, who have won three of four.
Adam Wainwright (6-6) got the win as he gave up just two runs on seven hits in six innings of work.
Jimmy Rollins went 3-for-5 with an RBI while Adam Eaton (7-5) got the loss as he was banged up for six runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings of work the Phillies, who have dropped four of their last six games.
The Phillies and Cardinals split a six-game series last year after Philly went 4-2 during the 2005 season.
