Tuesday, June 26th (All times eastern)
NEW YORK YANKEES (36-37) AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES (32-43), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: New York - Andy Pettitte (4-5, 3.28) Baltimore - Jeremy Guthrie (4-1, 2.42)
Andy Pettitte will try to get the New York Yankees back to their winning ways when he takes the mound this evening in the opener of a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Pettitte is 4-5 with a 3.28 ERA in 17 games, 15 starts, this season, but is 1-2 over the past five trips to the hill. In his previous outing on June 20 against Colorado, Pettitte was roughed up for six runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 6-1 setback at Coors Field.
The veteran left-hander has a solid record against Baltimore in his career, going 20-5 with a 3.77 earned run average in 30 appearances (28 starts). Pettitte tossed a scoreless inning of relief against the Orioles this season on April 8 during a 6-4 loss in the Bronx.
Pettitte will try to snap New York’s two-game losing streak, as the Yankees are just 3-6 since opening the month of June with a 13-3 mark. In Sunday’s finale of a three-game series against San Francisco, Yankees starter Mike Mussina allowed three runs on five hits over five innings in a 7-2 loss.
Alex Rodriguez and Andy Phillips each had an RBI for New York, which is 11 games behind Boston for the top spot in the American League East division.
Baltimore, meanwhile, has lost two in a row after a three-game winning streak. In Sunday’s 8-3 setback to Arizona in the finale of a three-game series, starter Steve Trachsel was reached for five runs on seven hits in four innings of work. Brian Roberts went 4-for-5 with a home run Melvin Mora also homered for the Orioles, who have dropped 16 of 21 overall.
Jeremy Guthrie will also try to pitch his club back in the win column tonight. Guthrie, who is 4-1 with a 2.42 ERA in 16 games — 10 starts — this season, is unbeaten over his last nine starts (3-0).
Guthrie won his last start on June 20 against San Diego after hurling eight innings of one-run, four-hit ball during a 7-1 victory at Petco Park. The right-hander made his only appearance against the Yankees on August 31 of the 2004 season as an Indian, tossing two shutout innings of relief for the no decision.
Baltimore won two of three games against New York earlier this season from April 6 - 8 at Yankee Stadium.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (39-36) AT CLEVELAND INDIANS (44-31), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Dan Haren (9-2, 1.78) Cleveland - Cliff Lee (4-4, 5.46)
Streaking right-hander Dan Haren looks to push his win streak to 10 straight decisions tonight when the Oakland Athletics visit Jacobs Field for game two of four with the Cleveland Indians.
Haren, a 2001 draft choice of the St. Louis Cardinals, has gone 9-0 with five no-decisions since dropping a 2-1 verdict to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on April 7. That loss followed a season-opening 4-0 loss at Seattle on April 2.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder gave up six hits and three runs in seven innings on June 20, defeating Cincinnati, 5-3. He’s pitched at least seven innings in eight straight starts and is 3-2 in seven road starts this season.
In four career starts against Cleveland, Haren is 1-2 with a 6.45 earned run average.
Cleveland lefty Cliff Lee received a no- decision back on May 13 against the A’s after allowing seven hits and four runs in five innings. He’s won his last two starts overall, downing Florida and Philadelphia in a pair of interleague games while giving up 11 hits and four runs in 12 innings.
Lee has made five career starts against Oakland, going 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 30 innings.
On Monday, C.C. Sabathia struck out eight batters and retired 20 of the last 24 hitters for his 14th career complete game and second this month, as the Indians topped the Athletics, 5-2.
Sabathia (11-2) scattered nine hits for two runs and didn’t walk a batter. The left-hander entered the game 0-4 against Oakland since last beating the Athletics on July 30, 2003.
Travis Hafner homered for the Indians, who have won three of their last five. Ryan Garko stroked a go-ahead two-run double, while Jhonny Peralta finished 1- for-3 with an RBI and scored twice.
Right-hander Chad Gaudin (6-3), a 24-year-old from New Orleans, had won five straight decisions between May 8 and June 14, but has lost consecutive starts. He allowed three runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts over six innings.
Oakland and Cleveland met for three games in mid-May, with the Athletics taking two of three at home. Oakland also won six of nine meetings last year with the Indians.
TEXAS RANGERS (31-45) AT DETROIT TIGERS (45-30), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Texas - John Koronka (0-2, 7.84) Detroit - Nate Robertson (4-6, 5.07)
Lefty John Koronka looks for his first win of the season in his third start tonight when the Texas Rangers visit Comerica Park for the second game of a four-game set with the Detroit Tigers.
Koronka, a 1998 draft choice of the Cincinnati Reds who reached the majors in 2005 with the Chicago White Sox, has allowed 16 hits and nine runs in just 10 1/3 innings with the Rangers this season in losses to Houston and Oakland.
He reached the Texas staff when veteran Vicente Padilla was placed on the disabled list.
Koronka is 0-1 in two career starts against the Tigers with a 14.21 earned run average.
Detroit goes with southpaw Nate Robertson, who’s lost three straight starts and five of his last six since beating Baltimore on May 2. In his last outing, a June 5 start against the Rangers, Robertson failed to record an out while allowing four hits and six runs in a 7-4 Tigers loss.
In nine career starts against Texas, he is 3-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 56 innings.
Robertson is 3-2 in seven home starts this season.
On Monday, Kameron Loe kept streaking, winning his third straight decision, leading Texas past Detroit 8-3, and in turn handing Jeremy Bonderman his first defeat of the season.
Bonderman (8-1) had surrendered 13 earned runs over his last 17 frames, equating to a 7.64 earned run average and three victories in starts against the New York Mets, Philadelphia and Washington.
The flood of runs dried up against the right-hander Loe (4-6), who looked shaky in the first, but pounded a hard sinker during seven innings of two-run, seven-hit ball with one strikeout and two walks.
Detroit topped Texas in two of three meetings on the road in early June. The clubs split 10 meetings in 2006.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (30-42) AT TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (33-41), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Chicago - Jon Garland (4-5, 3.51) Tampa Bay - James Shields (6-2, 3.64)
James Shields tries to stop a personal two-game losing streak this evening when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays continue a four-game set with the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field.
After winning his first six decisions and pitching extremely well through his first 13 starts, Shields has hit the skids of late, dropping his last two outings. Shields was hammered by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, as he surrendered six runs and 10 hits in five innings to fall to 6-2, while raising his earned run average to 3.64.
Shields started one other game against the White Sox, but did not receive a decision and gave up four runs and 10 hits in seven innings.
Chicago will counter with righty Jon Garland, who is 4-5 with a 3.51 ERA. Garland lost his second straight start on Wednesday to the Florida Marlins, despite a pretty solid effort. He allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in seven innings in that one, but was charged with the loss nonetheless.
Garland is 4-1 lifetime against the Devil Rays with a 3.71 ERA in eight starts.
In the opener of this set on Monday, Andy Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored and Paul Konerko knocked in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to lead Chicago to a 5-4 win.
Scott Podsednik went 2-for-5 with two runs scored for the White Sox, who ended a five-game losing streak and won for just the sixth time in their last 28 games.
John Danks (4-6) picked up the win despite pitching five unspectacular innings. The left-hander gave up four runs on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Chicago’s bullpen combined to pitch four innings of one-hit ball, with Bobby Jenks pitching a 1-2-3 ninth to record his 19th save of the year.
Jonny Gomes homered and Josh Wilson knocked in a pair of runs for the Devil Rays, who saw their modest two-game winning streak come to an end.
Fellow southpaw J.P. Howell pitched five innings, yielding three runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Casey Fossum (5-7), though, blew the lead for him and was tagged with the loss.
These teams split a rain-shortened two-game series earlier in the year, but the White Sox have won five of the last nine matchups. Chicago is also 12-8 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (38-37) AT MINNESOTA TWINS (38-36), 8:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Toronto - Shaun Marcum (4-2, 3.38) Minnesota - Scott Baker (2-2, 6.75)
The Toronto Blue Jays try to extend their season-high winning streak to five games this evening when they continue their four-game series with the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome.
In the series opener on Monday, Matt Stairs’ two-run homer in the eighth put the Blue Jays on top, and Toronto held on for an 8-5 win. Vernon Wells and Alex Rios each had three hits, and hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning for the Blue Jays, who have won five of six.
Roy Halladay (9-2) won despite a spotty performance, giving up five runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts over seven innings.
Frank Thomas finished 0-for-3 and failed in his quest to hit his 500th career homer. However, he could reach the milestone at some point in this series, as his 49 homers against the Twins are his most against any opponent.
Mike Redmond went 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Twins, who lost for only the second time in six tries.
Twins starter Kevin Slowey was pulled after five innings, having let up five runs — four earned — on six hits, fanning five and walking none. Matt Guerrier (1-3) gave up three runs on four hits in only 1 1/3 innings.
Getting the call for the Blue Jays tonight will be Shaun Marcum, who is 4-2 with a 3.38 earned run average on the season. Marcum started the year in the bullpen, but has been in the rotation since mid-May and has recorded a 3-0 record with a 2.45 ERA in eight starts.
Marcum, who lost his only other start to the Twins, did not pick up the decision in his last start, as he allowed two runs and three hits in six innings of an 8-4 loss.
Minnesota will counter with righty Scott Baker, who will try to string-back- to-back wins together for the first time this season. Baker defeated the New York Mets on Wednesday, as he allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings to improve to 2-2 on the year, while lowering his ERA to a still lofty 6.75.
Baker received a no-decision against the Blue Jays earlier in the season, giving up three runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 4-3 win back on May 25.
The Twins got some good news on the injury front on Monday, as reigning AL MVP Justin Morneau was released from a Florida hospital. He had been there since Friday night following a collision at home plate with Marlins catcher Miguel Olivo which caused a bruised lung. He could be back in the lineup as soon as later this week.
Minnesota took two of three from the Blue Jays earlier in he season and is 12-11 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign.
BOSTON RED SOX (48-27) AT SEATTLE MARINERS (40-33), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Boston - Kason Gabbard (1-0, 3.60) Seattle - Felix Hernandez (4-4, 4.00)
Felix Hernandez hopes to follow up his brilliant performance against the Boston Red Sox from earlier this season, as the Seattle Mariners continue their three-game series against them at Safeco Field.
Hernandez stymied Boston hitters back on April 11, holding them hitless until J.D. Drew’s eighth inning single to spoil Daisuke Matsuzaka’s Fenway Park debut. That was the only hit Hernandez allowed that night, as he improved to 2-0 lifetime against the Red Sox to go along with a sparkling 1.13 earned run average.
The 21-year-old right-hander got back to his winning ways on Thursday against Pittsburgh, scattering six hits over eight scoreless innings and striking out nine. The win was his first in five starts and ran his record to 4-4 this season, while lowering his ERA to 4.00.
Boston will counter with left-hander Kason Gabbard, who will be starting in place of the injured Curt Schilling. Gabbard, who won a spot start against the Atlanta Braves back on May 20, was 7-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 14 starts with Triple-A Pawtucket.
Gabbard’s major league debut came against Hernandez and the Mariners last July 22 at Safeco and surrendered three runs in 5 1/3 innings to get charged with the loss. He also hurled a scoreless inning of relief against them.
In the opener of this set on Monday, Kenji Johjima and Adrian Beltre hit back- to-back homers in the seventh inning and Seattle rolled to a 9-4 victory. Willie Bloomquist went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Mariners, who have won three straight and five of six.
Jeff Weaver (2-6) turned in his second straight solid outing after a horrible start to the season, allowing six hits and two runs — one earned — with three strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-4, ending his hitting streak at 19 games. However, he still leads the league with 110 hits.
Julian Tavarez (5-5) was pulled after 4 1/3 innings, having allowed six runs — three earned — on six hits with three walks and a strikeout.
Drew had a two-run single and Kevin Youkilis a two-run double to provide the offense for the Red Sox, who lost for only the second time in their last six tries.
Julio Lugo, though, was hitless in three at-bats and is now 0-for-29 at the plate — the worst stretch of his career.
Boston took two out of three from the Mariners earlier in the season, but Seattle holds a slim 10-9 edge in the series since the start of the 2005 campaign. The Red Sox have also lost seven of their last 10 in the Emerald City.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS (31-46) AT LA ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (49-28), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Kansas City - Gil Meche (4-6, 3.21) LA Angels - Ervin Santana (5-7, 5.06)
The Kansas City Royals try to make it three straight wins this evening when they continue a three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium.
Kansas City defeated Anaheim for the third time in five tries this season on Monday, as John Thomson outdueled 10-game winner John Lackey in his season debut in a 5-3 Royals win.
Thomson (1-0) won for the first time since donning a Braves uniform against San Diego on May 24, 2006. The right-hander gave up three runs — two earned — on six hits over seven innings. Octavio Dotel threw five straight balls to start the ninth, but settled down to record his seventh save.
Lackey (10-5), scheduled to pitch Sunday before shoulder tendinitis pushed the start back to Monday, hurled five straight scoreless frames after a rough start through three innings. In total, Lackey surrendered five runs — three earned — on seven hits with one walk and seven strikeouts during eight innings.
Vladimir Guerrero finished 2-for-4 with a double, while Howie Kendrick and Kendry Morales each scored and drove in a run for the Angels, who saw their four-game winning streak come to an end.
Gil Meche will get the call for the Royals this evening, as he tries to improve upon his 4-6 record and 3.21 ERA. Meche did not pick up a decision on Wednesday against St. Louis, giving up four runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 7-6 loss.
Meche defeated the Angels earlier this season and is 6-2 lifetime against them with a 5.17 ERA in 16 starts.
Los Angeles will counter with right-hander Ervin Santana, who is 5-7 with a 5.06 ERA. Santana also did not receive a decision in his last start, as he surrendered four runs and nine hits to Houston in 6 2/3 innings of an 8-4 win.
Santana, who is 4-1 in his seven home starts this season, was roughed up by the Royals back on May 2, giving up three runs on a season-high 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings. He is 1-1 in his career against them with a 5.19 ERA in three starts.
Los Angeles split a four-game series with the Royals in Kansas City earlier in the season, but the Angels own a 23-8 mark in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign. The Royals also have just four wins in their last 14 visits to Anaheim.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES (31-44) AT FLORIDA MARLINS (36-40), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Pittsburgh - Paul Maholm (3-10, 5.01) Florida - Dontrelle Willis (7-6, 4.90)
Starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis has shrugged off a forearm injury and will lead the Florida Marlins tonight, when they open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dolphin Stadium.
Willis, who is 7-6 with a 4.90 ERA in 16 games this season, is 0-3 in the past four starts and was forced to leave his previous outing on June 19 against the Chicago White Sox because of a tight forearm. Willis left after just one inning on the mound, matching the shortest start of his career, and gave up four runs and three hits in a 7-5 win.
The high-kicking left-hander owns a 2-3 record with a 2.82 earned run average over seven career appearances versus the Pirates.
Florida has dropped two straight and seven of its last 11 games, including Sunday’s 7-4 setback in the finale of a three-game series against Minnesota in South Beach. Dan Uggla and Miguel Cabrera both homered for the Marlins, who are seven games behind the New York Mets for the top spot in the NL East.
Starter Byung-Hyun Kim was touched for seven runs — six earned — on seven hits in six innings of work for the loss. The right-hander also walked five and fanned six batters.
Meanwhile, the Pirates have lost five straight and were handed a 4-3 loss in 10 innings on Sunday against the LA Angels of Anaheim.
Xavier Nady went 2-for-5 with the game-tying RBI single and Jack Wilson had two hits and an RBI for the Pirates, who are 12 1/2 games off the pace in the National League Central standings.
Pirates reliever Matt Capps surrendered the game-winning hit to Erick Aybar in the bottom of the 10th inning to suffer the blow. Bucos starter Tom Gorzelanny lasted six solid innings and yielded three runs on seven hits. The left-hander struck out four and walked three.
Taking the ball for the Pirates tonight will be Paul Maholm, who is just 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA in 15 starts this season. Maholm, who is 1-5 in seven road starts this season, was roughed up in his last start on June 20 against Seattle. He permitted six runs — four earned — and nine hits in seven innings of a 7-0 drubbing at Safeco Field.
The lefty is 1-6 in his last eight trips to the mound and 0-2 with a 5.25 ERA in two career outings against Florida. He was beaten by the Marlins on May 15 of this season after giving up five runs in six innings of a 9-3 loss.
The 2007 series between Florida and Pittsburgh is tied at two games apiece. The Marlins and Pirates split a four-game set from May 14 - 17 at PNC Park.
Florida went 5-2 against the Bucos last season with a 3-1 mark in South Beach.
CINCINNATI REDS (29-47) AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (39-36), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cincinnati - Homer Bailey (2-0, 4.00) Philadelphia - Kyle Kendrick (1-0, 4.50)
The Philadelphia Phillies will try to show some consistency tonight, when they open a three-game series versus the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park.
Philadelphia has alternated wins and losses over its last six games and took two of three games against the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend. In Sunday’s 5-1 win in the series finale, Shane Victorino stroked a pinch-hit, bases-loaded triple in the eighth to put the game away and Michael Bourn went 3-for-5 with two RBI for the Phillies, who are 3 1/2 games behind the New York Mets for the lead in the NL East standings.
Brian Sanches got the win thanks to two hitless innings of relief, while ace Cole Hamels pitched three innings of one-run ball. Hamels’ outing was cut short due to extensive rain delays.
The Phillies will send rookie Kyle Kendrick to the mound tonight and he is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts this season. Since being recalled from Double-A Reading on June 13, the righty has hurled six innings and permitted three runs in each of his first two appearances.
In his last trip to the mound on June 19 against Cleveland, Kendrick tossed six innings of three-run ball during a 9-6 triumph at Jacobs Field. He will now make his first appearance versus the Reds.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, has lost three of its last four games and was handed a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Sunday at Safeco Field. Ken Griffey Jr. made his return to the Emerald City and belted two home runs to pass Mark McGwire for seventh place on the all-time list.
Griffey’s two homers against his former ballclub were the 583rd and 584th of his illustrious career. Bronson Arroyo took the hill for the Reds and went seven innings, allowing three runs on 10 hits.
Rookie Homer Bailey gets the nod for Cincy tonight and is 2-0 with a 4.00 earned run average in three starts this season. He last toed the rubber on June 19 against Oakland and earned the win, yielding just one run and two hits over seven strong innings of a 5-2 victory.
The right-hander will take on Philadelphia for the first time in his career.
Philly won two of three games against Cincinnati earlier this season from April 20 - 22 at Great American Ball Park. The Phillies are 10-6 over the past 16 meetings with the Reds.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (33-40) AT NEW YORK METS (42-32), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: St. Louis - Todd Wellemeyer (2-0, 4.66) New York - Oliver Perez (7-6, 3.16)
Veteran right-hander Todd Wellemeyer looks for a third straight victory tonight when the St. Louis Cardinals visit Shea Stadium for the second game in a four-game series against the host New York Mets.
A former fourth-round draft choice of the Chicago Cubs, Wellemeyer defeated Colorado on May 30 and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on June 10. The Cardinals have won the last eight games in which he’s appeared.
In his last outing, on June 20 against Kansas City, he gave up five hits and two earned runs in five innings while getting a no-decision against the Royals. The victory against the Angels was his first since 2006 when he pitched for Kansas City.
He’s made three career relief appearances against the Mets, allowing five hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Mexican southpaw Oliver Perez has dropped three of his last four decisions since opening the season at 6-3. In his last appearance, a June 20 start against Minnesota, he gave up five hits and four runs over 5 1/3 innings in a 6-2 loss to the Twins.
His last win was June 15 in the Bronx, when he scattered five hits over seven scoreless innings in a 2-0 defeat of the New York Yankees.
Perez is 2-5 in 11 career starts against the Cardinals, posting a 4.83 ERA in 63 1/3 innings.
On Monday, Shawn Green’s homer in the 11th inning lifted the Mets over the Cardinals, 2-1.
Green’s homer was just the third hit of the game and first since Carlos Gomez led off the third inning with a homer for New York, which has won four in a row after losing 13 of 16 games.
Carlos Delgado had the only other hit, a ground-rule double in the second inning, for the Mets, who are 4-0 against the Cardinals this season. New York swept a three-game set in St. Louis to start the season, somewhat avenging a loss to the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series a season ago.
So Taguchi had one of eight hits for the Cardinals and drove in the only run, as St. Louis has lost two straight and three of four. Taguchi ended 1-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to 17 games.
The Cardinals got a strong start on the mound from newcomer Mike Maroth. The left-hander, who was acquired on Friday from the Detroit Tigers for a player to be named later, allowed just one run on two hits, striking out four and walking two, over 7 1/3 innings.
Before Green led off the 11th inning with a homer on a 3-2 pitch New York had just three baserunners after Gomez led off the third with a home run. One of those runners reached on a walk, the other two on errors by first baseman Albert Pujols.
The blast came off Russ Springer (3-1), who came on to start the inning, and made a winner of Aaron Heilman (6-3). The right-hander tossed a one-hit top of the inning.
New York swept the Cards in a three-game set earlier this season and has won seven straight and eight of the last 10 regular season matchups.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS (32-44) AT ATLANTA BRAVES (39-38), 7:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Washington - Mike Bacsik (1-4, 4.70) Atlanta - Buddy Carlyle (1-2, 6.11)
Journeyman right-hander Buddy Carlyle tries to end a three- start skid tonight when the Atlanta Braves host the Washington Nationals in the middle game of a three-game series at Turner Field.
Carlyle, a 29-year-old who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 1996, is 1-0 in a pair of lifetime appearances against the Nationals with a 6.43 earned run average in seven innings.
He’s made six appearances - five starts - for the Braves this season and has not won since a 3-1 decision over Florida on June 5. Since, he’s 0-1 with a pair of no-decisions in three starts, allowing 22 hits and 13 earned runs in 16 innings.
The defeat of the Marlins was Carlyle’s first win since defeating Washington in September 1999.
Lefty Mike Bacsik hasn’t won in five starts since downing Cincinnati, 4-3, on May 24.
He’s 0-4 in five subsequent starts, with one no-decision.
He allowed six hits and three runs in five innings in a June 20 start against Detroit, a game the Braves lost, 8-4.
Bacsik allowed two hits and walked one in his lone career appearance against the Braves.
On Monday, Brian McCann hit a three-run homer and knocked in four, while Tim Hudson threw seven solid innings as the Braves downed the Nationals, 4-1. Willie Harris and Chipper Jones had two hits apiece for the Braves, who snapped a five-game losing streak that had included four shutout losses.
Hudson (7-5) yielded just one run on seven hits, while walking none and striking out nine.
Bob Wickman got three outs in the ninth for his 13th save in 16 chances.
Brian Schneider went 3-for-4 and knocked in the lone run for the Nationals, who have lost five of seven.
Jason Bergmann (1-4) allowed one run on four hits in just four innings and was charged with the loss.
Washington has split its 10 matchups with the Braves this season, but is just 26-40 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign.
COLORADO ROCKIES (38-38) AT CHICAGO CUBS (36-39), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Rodrigo Lopez (4-0, 2.93) Chicago - Ted Lilly (5-4, 3.90)
Alfonso Soriano getting hot has led to a bunch of wins for the Cubs. Chicago will try to extend its four-game winning streak when Soriano and the club continue a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
Soriano is riding an eight-game hitting streak, batting .400 over that span, and has driven in a run in four consecutive games, all wins. He homered in all three games of the Cubs’ weekend series before redeeming his bullpen with a big hit on Monday.
Soriano stepped to the plate 0-for-5, but hit a two-run single to right-center field in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Cubs over the Rockies 10-9. Chicago had blown a five-run lead at the top of the frame, leading to Soriano’s heroics.
Mike Fontenot went 5-for-5, drove in two runs and scored twice for the Cubs, who are 7 1/2 games behind first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central. Angel Pagan added a three-run homer and Mark DeRosa went 3-for-5 with three RBI.
The red-hot Fontenot has a hit in his last seven plate appearances and during his current eight-game hitting streak is batting .424 (14-for-33).
Chicago’s season high for consecutive wins is five, set from May 2-6.
Troy Tulowitzki capped a six-run top of the ninth inning with a three-run homer for the Rockies, who have lost the first four games of their current 10- game road trip and are 5 1/2 games off the pace in the NL West. The club’s four straight losses are a season high.
Kaz Matsui had two hits and scored twice, but had a costly error in the ninth. Colorado has not won since completing a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees last week.
The Rockies’ Rodrigo Lopez will try to string together his third consecutive win with tonight’s start. Lopez bested Tampa Bay on June 15 before knocking off the New York Yankees on Thursday behind 5 2/3 innings of two-run, seven- hit ball. In fact, the right-hander has allowed just two runs in each of his last three starts to improve to 4-0 on the season with a 2.93 earned run average.
The long-time Baltimore Oriole is in his first season with the Rockies and has never faced the Cubs before.
Ted Lilly toes the rubber for the Cubs and is coming off an unimpressive outing. The left-hander received a no-decision on Thursday against the Rangers, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk. However, he did strikeout 10 batters in what was eventually a 6-5 loss by the Cubs.
Lilly, who is 5-4 on the year with a 3.90 ERA, has made just one start against the Rockies in his career and it was a forgettable one as he was blitzed for five runs (four earned) in just 1 2/3 innings of work on May 21 of last season while with Toronto.
The Rockies won four of their six meetings with the Cubs last year, including a 2-1 mark at Wrigley Field.
HOUSTON ASTROS (32-44) AT MILWAUKEE BREWERS (44-32), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Houston - Wandy Rodriguez (4-6, 4.20) Milwaukee - Claudio Vargas (6-1, 4.09)
Thanks to Prince Fielder, Milwaukee is hardly missing Carlos Lee’s powerful bat. Fielder will try to continue his impressive season when the Brewers host the Houston Astros in the second of three straight games at Miller Park.
Fielder hit his National League-leading 27th home run of the season in yesterday’s series-opening 6-1 win for Milwaukee. J.J. Hardy, who had missed the last three games due to stiffness in his back, also homered, while starter Ben Sheets won his fifth straight decision.
Sheets (9-3) went six innings and allowed one run on five hits, walking three and striking out five. Ryan Braun had two hits and Corey Hart extended his hit streak to a career high 12 games for the NL Central-leading Brewers, who have won 10 of 12 since being no-hit by Detroit’s Justin Verlander on June 12.
Fielder’s 27 long balls are one shy of New York Yankee Alex Rodriguez’s ML- best 28 homers. Fielder hit 28 home runs last year in 157 games. He has appeared in 76 contests so far this year.
Former Brewer Lee belted his 13th homer of the season for the Astros, who have lost four of five. Lee played in Milwaukee in 2005 and for part of 2006 before being dealt to Texas for a handful of players, including current Brewers closer Francisco Cordero.
Lee was booed loudly by the Miller Park crowd as he rounded the bases after going deep in the sixth inning.
Houston starter Jason Jennings (1-2) surrendered three runs on five hits in seven innings. Stephen Randolph gave up three runs while recording only one out.
Second baseman Craig Biggio did not play in yesterday’s game, but should be in the lineup for Houston tonight. Biggio has 2,996 hits in his career, leaving him four shy of the 3,000 mark.
Biggio has just one hit in 12 career at-bats against tonight’s starter Claudio Vargas, who will try to continue his successful month for the Brewers. Vargas is 3-0 with a 4.67 earned run average in four June outings this year and posted his first career save in that span on June 10 against Texas.
The right-hander has won back-to-back starts, including a win against the Giants on Wednesday. On that day he yielded four runs on four hits and four walks in five innings to improve to 6-1 on the year with a 4.09 ERA.
Vargas is 3-2 in seven games (five starts) lifetime against Houston with a 3.60 ERA. He posted a win against the club on the road on April 29 of this season behind five shutout innings of work.
Wandy Rodriguez brings a 4-6 mark and 4.20 ERA into tonight’s start for Houston. He earned a no-decision last time out on Wednesday versus the Angels, yielding four runs (three earned) on five hits over 6 1/3 frames of an 8-4 setback.
The left-hander has faced the Brewers eight times in his career, seven times as a starter, and is 2-3 with a 4.95 ERA against them.
Milwaukee is 5-2 against Houston so far this season, including a 3-1 mark at home. The Astros, though, went 20-10 against them over the previous two years.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (43-33) AT ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (44-33), 9:40 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Los Angeles - Chad Billingsley (4-0, 3.26) Arizona - Edgar Gonzalez (3-2, 4.44)
The Los Angeles Dodgers will attempt to continue their recent success against the Arizona Diamondbacks and leapfrog them in the NL West standings as well when the two clubs continue a crucial four-game set tonight at Chase Field.
Brad Penny threw eight innings of one-run, four-hit ball in Monday’s series opening 8-1 win for the Dodgers, moving the club to within a half-game of Arizona for first place in the division.
The win improved the Dodgers to 5-1 against the Diamondbacks this season and 9-2 over the last 11 meetings.
Wilson Betemit homered for the Dodgers, who improved to 4-3 on a 10-game road trip. Russell Martin finished 2-for-4 with two RBI in the win. Jeff Kent fouled a pitch off his left toe in the sixth and left with an injured foot. He is listed as day-to-day after X-rays were negative.
After 23 relief appearances this season, Chad Billingsley will make his second start of the year for the Dodgers tonight. The right-hander lasted just 3 2/3 frames in his transition from the bullpen to the rotation, allowing two runs on a pair of hits and three walks in a no-decision on Thursday at Toronto. On the year he is 4-0 with a 3.26 earned run average.
Inserted into the rotation because of the season-ending injury to Jason Schmidt, Billingsley is 3-0 in four games (two starts) lifetime against Arizona with a sparkling 1.06 ERA.
Edgar Gonzalez will get another start tonight in the place of the injured Randy Johnson, who is sidelined due to a herniated disk but is close to returning. Gonzalez last started for the Diamondbacks on June 16 versus Baltimore and earned the win after five innings of one-run, two-hit ball. He then tossed a scoreless inning of relief on Friday against the Orioles.
Gonzalez is 3-2 on the season with a 4.35 ERA, and is 0-3 in four games (three starts) against the Dodgers with a 9.92 ERA. He made a start against them on April 16 and took the loss by giving up five runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 frames.
Conor Jackson went 3-for-4 and scored the lone run yesterday for the Diamondbacks, who lost for the second time in six games. Micah Owings (5-2) gave up four runs — one earned — on six hits to halt a 10-start unbeaten streak.
SAN DIEGO PADRES (42-33) AT SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (33-42), 10:15 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: San Diego - David Wells (3-5, 4.71) San Francisco - Barry Zito (6-8, 4.83)
Barry Zito will attempt to halt a personal three-game losing streak tonight when the San Francisco Giants continue their three-game series with the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park.
Zito, who signed a big offseason deal with the Giants, fell to 6-8 with a 4.83 earned run average on Wednesday versus Milwaukee after getting tagged for six runs on five hits and a walk in just four innings of a 7-5 loss.
The left-hander, who has allowed 17 runs (15 earned) over his skid, is 0-2 in three career starts against the Padres with a 3.86 ERA. One of those starts came in his Giants debut on April 3, a 7-0 loss that saw Zito allow three runs (two earned) over five frames.
David Wells will try to avoid a third straight losing start when he goes for the Padres tonight. He dropped his second consecutive outing on Thursday against Baltimore after yielding three runs (two earned) on 10 hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 frames of a 6-3 setback. The loss dropped Wells to 3-5 on the year with a 4.71 ERA.
The left-hander has made seven starts in his career against the Giants and is 2-2 with a 4.40 ERA.
San Francisco captured the opener of the set on Monday, as Pedro Feliz singled in Barry Bonds with the winning run in the 11th inning, boosting the Giants to a 4-3 victory and their fourth straight win.
Bonds, who went 1-for-4 with a single in the 11th inning and also walked, remained at 749 career homers, six shy of Hank Aaron’s all-time mark. Bonds is a career .350 hitter with three long balls in 20 career at-bats versus Wells.
Vinnie Chulk (3-2) threw one inning to get the win, while Tim Lincecum allowed four hits and fanned eight over seven shutout innings.
Mike Cameron blasted a three-run homer in the eighth inning for the Padres, who lost for the fifth time in six games. The club is third in the NL West, a game behind first-place Arizona.
Justin Germano gave up three hits and a pair of runs over six innings for San Diego. Justin Hampson (2-2) got the loss.
The Giants are 3-4 against the Padres this season, but have won 14 of the last 20 matchups in the series.
(Monday, June 25th)
Final Score: Cleveland 5, Oakland 2
Cleveland, OH - C.C. Sabathia struck out eight batters and retired 20 of the last 24 hitters for his 14th career complete game and second this month, as the Cleveland Indians topped the Oakland Athletics, 5-2, to begin a four-game series at Jacobs Field. Sabathia (11-2) scattered nine hits for two runs and didn’t walk a batter. The left-hander entered the game 0-4 against Oakland since last beating the Athletics on July 30, 2003. Travis Hafner homered for the Indians, who have won three of their last five. Ryan Garko stroked a go-ahead two-run double, while Jhonny Peralta finished 1- for-3 with an RBI and scored twice. Right-hander Chad Gaudin (6-3), a 24- year-old from New Orleans, had won five straight decisions between May 8 and June 14, but has lost consecutive starts. He allowed three runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts over six innings. Dan Johnson went 2- for-4 with an RBI for the A’s, who have lost seven of nine and entered the contest having been swept in a three-game series in New York against the Mets. Shannon Stewart also ended 2-for-4 in the loss.
Final Score: Texas 8, Detroit 3
Detroit, MI - Kameron Loe kept streaking, winning his third straight decision, leading Texas past Detroit 8-3, and in turn handing Jeremy Bonderman his first defeat of the season. Bonderman (8-1) had surrendered 13 earned runs over his last 17 frames, equating to a 7.64 earned run average and three victories in starts against the New York Mets, Philadelphia and Washington.The flood of runs dried up against the right-hander Loe (4-6), who looked shaky in the first, but pounded a hard sinker during seven innings of two-run, seven-hit ball with one strikeout and two walks. Bonderman’s main difficulty resulted from his own fielding error, allowing a pair of unearned runs to score during Texas’ four-run third. The right-hander yielded four runs — two earned — and seven hits with nine strikeouts and four walks over seven innings. He had a 17-start unbeaten string broken, losing for the first time since September 10, 2006.
Final Score: Chicago 5, Tampa Bay 4
St. Petersburg, FL - Andy Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored and Paul Konerko knocked in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as the Chicago White Sox held on to beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 5-4, in the opener of a four-game set. Scott Podsednik went 2-for-5 with two runs scored for the White Sox, who ended a five-game losing streak and won for just the sixth time in their last 28 games. John Danks (4-6) picked up the win despite pitching five unspectacular innings. The left-hander gave up four runs on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Chicago’s bullpen combined to pitch four innings of one-hit ball, with Bobby Jenks pitching a 1-2-3 ninth to record his 19th save of the year. Jonny Gomes homered and Josh Wilson knocked in a pair of runs for the Devil Rays, who saw their modest two-game winning streak come to an end. Fellow southpaw J.P. Howell pitched five innings, yielding three runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Casey Fossum (5-7) took over for Howell to start the sixth and the White Sox greeted him with three consecutive base hits to tie the game at 4-4. Toby Hall led off with a single before Podsednik’s double put runners on second and third. Gonzalez ripped a single to center that chased Hall and tied the game.
Final Score: Toronto 8, Minnesota 5
Minneapolis, MN - Matt Stairs’ two-run homer in the eighth put the Blue Jays on top, and Toronto held on for an 8-5 win over the Minnesota Twins in the first of a four-game set. Vernon Wells and Alex Rios each had three hits, and hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning for Toronto, which won its fourth straight. Toronto ace Roy Halladay (9-2) won despite a spotty performance, giving up five runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts over seven innings. Mike Redmond went 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Twins, who had won four of five entering the game. Twins starter Kevin Slowey was pulled after five innings, having yielded five runs — four earned — on six hits, fanning five and walking none. Matt Guerrier (1-3) gave up three runs on four hits in only 1 1/3 innings.
Final Score: Kansas City 5, LA Angels of Anaheim 3
Anaheim, CA - John Thomson outdueled 10-game winner John Lackey in his season debut, as Kansas City downed the Angels, 5-3, in the first installment of a three-game series. Thomson (1-0) won for the first time since donning a Braves uniform against San Diego on May 24, 2006. The right-hander gave up three runs — two earned — on six hits over seven innings. Lackey (10-5) was scheduled to pitch Sunday before shoulder tendinitis pushed the start back to Monday. He pitched five straight scoreless frames after a rough start through three innings. In total, Lackey surrendered five runs — three earned — on seven hits with one walk and seven strikeouts during eight innings.
Final Score: Seattle 9, Boston 4
Seattle, WA - Kenji Johjima and Adrian Beltre hit back-to- back homers in the seventh inning and the Seattle Mariners topped the Boston Red Sox, 9-4, in the opener of a three-game set. Jeff Weaver (2-6) turned in his second straight solid outing after a horrible start to the season, allowing six hits and two runs — one earned — with three strikeouts and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. Willie Bloomquist went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Mariners, who have won three straight and five of six. Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-4, ending his hitting streak at 19 games. Julian Tavarez (5-5) was pulled after 4 1/3 innings, having allowed six runs — three earned — on six hits with three walks and a strikeout. J.D. Drew had a two-run single and Kevin Youkilis a two-run double to provide the offense for the Red Sox, who had won four of their last five entering the game.
Final Score: Atlanta 4, Washington 1
Atlanta, GA - Brian McCann hit a three-run homer and knocked in four, while Tim Hudson threw seven solid innings as the Atlanta Braves downed the Washington Nationals, 4-1, in the first of a three-game set at Turner Field. Hudson (7-5) yielded just one run on seven hits, while walking none and striking out nine. Bob Wickman got three outs in the ninth for his 13th save in 16 chances. Willie Harris and Chipper Jones had two hits apiece for the Braves, who snapped a five-game losing streak that had included four shutout losses. Brian Schneider went 3-for-4 and knocked in the lone run for the Nationals, who have lost five of seven.
Final Score: New York 2, St. Louis 1 (11 innings)
Flushing, NY - Shawn Green’s homer in the 11th inning lifted the New York Mets over the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-1, in the opener of a four- game set at Shea Stadium. Green’s homer was just the third hit of the game and first since Carlos Gomez led off the third inning with a homer for New York, which has won a season-high tying four in a row after losing 13 of 16 games. Carlos Delgado had the only other hit, a ground-rule double in the second inning, for the Mets, who are 4-0 against the Cardinals this season. New York swept a three-game set in St. Louis to start the season, somewhat avenging a loss to the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series a season ago. So Taguchi had one of eight hits for the Cardinals and drove in the only run, as St. Louis has lost two straight and three of four. Taguchi ended 1-for-5 to extend his career-high hitting streak to 17 games.
Final Score: Milwaukee 6, Houston 1
Milwaukee, WI - J.J. Hardy and Prince Fielder homered, and Ben Sheets won his fifth straight decision as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Houston Astros, 6-1, in the first of a three-game set at Miller Park. Sheets (9-3) went six innings allowing one run on five hits, while walking three and striking out five. Ryan Braun had two hits for the Brewers, who have won 10 of 12 since being no-hit by Detroit’s Justin Verlander on June 12. Carlos Lee belted his 13th homer of the season for the Astros, who have lost four of five.
Final Score: Chicago 10, Colorado 9
Chicago, IL - Alfonso Soriano’s two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Chicago Cubs over the Colorado Rockies, 10-9, in the opener of a three-game set at Wrigley Field. Soriano’s lone hit of the night came at the most opportune time for Chicago, which had blown a five-run lead in the top of the inning to go into its half of the frame down one run. Mike Fontenot went 5-for-5, drove in two runs and scored twice for the Cubs, who opened a six-game homestand by rallying to win their fourth straight game. Angel Pagan added a three-run homer and Mark DeRosa went 3-for-5 with three RBI for Chicago, which swept their downtown rival White Sox over the weekend. Troy Tulowitzki capped a six-run top of the ninth inning with a three-run homer for the Rockies, who have lost all four games of their current 10-game road trip. Kaz Matsui had two hits and scored twice, but his error in the bottom of the ninth allowed the Cubs to get the win. Colorado has not won since completing a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees last week.
Final Score: Los Angeles 8, Arizona 1
Phoenix, AZ - Brad Penny, tossing eight strong innings, became the National League’s first 10-game winner as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed Arizona, 8-1, for the first of four straight games against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Penny (10-1), who allowed one run on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts, has won three straight starts and is 5-0 over his last seven outings. Jonathan Broxton pitched the ninth to complete the five-hitter. Wilson Betemit homered for the Dodgers, who pulled within a half game of Arizona in the NL West. Russell Martin finished 2-for-4 with two RBI in the win. Luis Gonzalez singled in the sixth to tie Dwight Evans for 97th on the all-time hits list. Conor Jackson went 3-for-4 and scored the lone run for the Diamondbacks, who took two of three from Baltimore over the weekend. Micah Owings (5-2), who entered the contest on a 10-start unbeaten streak, posting four wins in that span, gave up four runs — one earned — on six hits with two strikeouts and a walk over six frames as the streak ended.
Final Score: San Francisco 4, San Diego 3 (11 innings)
San Francisco, CA - Pedro Feliz singled in Barry Bonds with the winning run in the 11th inning, boosting the Giants to their third straight win, 4-3 over the San Diego Padres. Bonds, who went 1-for-4 with a single in the 11th inning and also walked, remained at 749 career homers, six shy of Hank Aaron’s all-time mark. Feliz drove in two runs and Omar Vizquel homered for San Francisco, which won its second extra-inning game in three days after edging the Yankees in 13 frames on Saturday. Vinnie Chulk (3-2) threw one inning to get the win, while Tim Lincecum allowed four hits and fanned eight over seven shutout innings. Mike Cameron blasted a three-run homer in the eighth inning for the Padres, who lost for the fifth time in six games. They are in third in the NL West, a game behind first-place Arizona. Justin Germano gave up three hits and a pair of runs over six innings for San Diego. Justin Hampson (2-2) was called upon to start the bottom of the 11th on the mound, but promptly walked Ray Durham and surrendered a single to Bonds. Ryan Klesko tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but Durham was thrown out at third. Bengie Molina then lofted a fly ball to right field, but Bonds failed to move to third. Feliz then grounded a single into left-center field, and Bonds scored easily, trotting to home plate.
