Friday, June 29th (All times eastern)
LA ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (49-30) AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES (34-43), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: LA Angels - Kelvim Escobar (9-3, 2.81) Baltimore - Steve Trachsel (5-6, 4.55)
Kelvim Escobar tries to get the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim back on the winning track when they open a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles this evening at Camden Yards.
Escobar won his third straight decision on Saturday against Pittsburgh, as he allowed a run on five hits in eight innings to run his record to 9-3 on the season, while lowering his earned run average to 2.81.
The 31-year-old right-hander lost to the Orioles earlier this season, but is 12-5 lifetime against them with nine saves and a 3.87 ERA in 34 games, 18 of which have been starts.
Los Angeles will need another strong effort from Escobar tonight as the team tries to bounce back from a three-game sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals, culminating with a 1-0 setback in Wednesday’s finale.
Jered Weaver (6-4) was the hard-luck loser in his first start in 11 days, despite allowing only four hits and one run with six strikeouts over seven frames.
Baltimore, meanwhile, had its game with the New York Yankees suspended due to rain last night. The Orioles blew a two-run lead, as the Yankees scored four times in the eighth inning to take an 8-6 advantage. The game was then stopped with two outs in the top of the eighth and will be resumed July 27, when New York returns to Camden Yards, at the point it was stopped.
The Orioles took the first two games of the series and have won five of seven overall. The club is 5-3 under interim manager Dave Trembley.
Getting the call for Baltimore tonight will be veteran right-hander Steve Trachsel, who is 5-6 with a 4.55 ERA. Trachsel dropped his second straight start Sunday against Arizona, as he surrendered five runs and seven hits in four innings.
Trachsel has faced the Angels five times in his career and is 2-2 with a 4.05 ERA against them.
The Angels took three of four from the Orioles earlier in the season and are 19-10 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign. The Angels, though, have dropped four of their last five in Baltimore.
MINNESOTA TWINS (40-37) AT DETROIT TIGERS (46-31), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Minnesota - Johan Santana (8-6, 2.83) Detroit - Justin Verlander (9-2, 2.78)
A terrific pitching matchup highlights the opener of a three-game series in the Metrodome this evening, as Johan Santana and the Minnesota Twins welcome Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers to town.
Santana has won his last two starts and is 8-6 with a 2.83 earned run average this season. The AL’s reigning Cy Young Award winner has been incredible in his last two starts, allowing just one earned run in 15 innings.
Against the Florida Marlins on Sunday, Santana allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in six innings to run his unbeaten streak to three games.
Santana lost to the Tigers earlier this season, but is 10-3 lifetime against them with a save and a 2.70 ERA in 23 games, 17 of which have been starts.
Verlander has followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2006 with an even better season. The 24-year-old right-hander has won his last four starts and is 9-2 with a 2.78 ERA. His latest win came on Saturday in Atlanta, as he held the Braves to one run and four hits in seven innings, while striking out 11.
Verlander lost to the Twins back on April 28 and is 3-2 in his career against them with a 2.90 ERA in five starts.
Detroit enters this series after salvaging the finale of its rain-shortened three-game series with the Texas Rangers on Thursday. Gary Sheffield hit a two-run homer and Magglio Ordonez knocked in two runs in the Tigers’ 5-2 win at Comerica Park. Placido Polanco finished 2-for-4 and scored two runs for the Tigers, who have eight wins over their last 10 games.
Ordonez, who leads the majors with a .377 batting average, has hit safely in 14 straight games and is hitting .442 (23-for-52) during that run. Carlos Guillen also has a career-best 14-game hitting streak and has had at least one RBI in 11 straight games — one shy of the club record shared by Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane and Rudy York.
Veteran Kenny Rogers (2-0) made his second start of the season for Detroit and gave up just one run on four hits in six innings. He also fanned three and walked just one.
Minnesota, meanwhile, won as well after Torii Hunter homered twice to lead the Twins to an 8-5 victory to earn a split of their four-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays. Jason Bartlett also homered for the Twins, who rallied from a 5-1 deficit to win for the fourth time in six games.
Carlos Silva (6-8) went seven innings, allowing five runs on six hits, while walking two and striking out five. Juan Rincon threw a scoreless eighth and Joe Nathan a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 17 opportunities.
The Tigers have split six games with the Twins this season, but they are 14-11 in the series since the start of last season.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (40-38) AT NEW YORK YANKEES (36-39), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Joe Kennedy (2-5, 3.98) New York - Mike Mussina (3-5, 4.98)
The New York Yankees hope a return home will reverse their fortunes, as they kick off a 10-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics tonight at Yankee Stadium.
New York had won 11 of 12 games before hitting the road for a nine-game road trip back on June 20. Since then the Yankees were swept by the Colorado Rockies, dropped two of three to the San Francisco Giants and lost the first two games of their series with the Baltimore Orioles before Thursday’s tilt was suspended due to rain.
The Yankees, who trail the Boston Red Sox by 11 games in the AL East, rallied to take an 8-6 lead in the eighth inning when the rain came. The contest was stopped with two outs in the inning and will resume at the point which it was stopped on July 27, the Yankees’ next trip to Baltimore.
Heading to the hill tonight for New York will be right-hander Mike Mussina, who has lost his last two starts. Mussina was tagged with the loss on Sunday in San Francisco, as the Giants reached him for three runs (two earned) on five hits in five innings to drop him to 3-5 this season to go along with a 4.98 ERA.
Mussina will be facing the A’s for the 34th time in his career and he is 16-10 against them with a 3.90 ERA.
Oakland will counter with lefty Joe Kennedy, who is 2-5 with a 3.98 ERA. Kennedy was tagged with the loss on Sunday against the New York Mets, as he surrendered five runs and eight hits in four innings.
Kennedy received a no-decision earlier this season against the Yanks and is 3-5 lifetime against them with a 5.82 ERA in 14 games, nine of which have been starts.
Oakland enters this series on a sour note after dropping three of four to the Cleveland Indians, including a 4-3 setback in Thursday’s finale, at Jacobs Field.
Joe Blanton started on the mound for Oakland and pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He also struck out three and walked one. Ron Flores (0-2) absorbed the loss after giving up one run on two hits in just one-third of an inning.
Dan Johnson went 4-for-4 with a home run for the Athletics, who have six losses in the their last seven games.
Oakland took two of three from the Yanks earlier this season and is 8-4 against them since the start of last season. The A’s have also won four of their last six in the Bronx.
TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (33-44) AT CLEVELAND INDIANS (46-32), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Tampa Bay - Edwin Jackson (1-8, 7.39) Cleveland - Jake Westbrook (1-3, 7.08)
The Cleveland Indians will attempt to maintain their season-long success at home, as well as the club’s recent mastery of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, when the two foes start up a four-game series at Jacobs Field this evening.
The Indians improved to a 27-12 at home this year by rallying for a 4-3 victory over Oakland on Thursday. Jason Michaels put Cleveland ahead with a three-run homer off Ron Flores in the bottom of the seventh inning, while relievers Rafael Betancourt and Joe Borowski teamed up to hold the Athletics scoreless over the final two frames to preserve the lead.
Paul Byrd (7-3) worked the first seven innings for the Tribe and allowed three runs on 10 hits. Borowski worked around a pair of Oakland singles in the ninth to notch his 22nd save of the season.
Michaels has now hit safely in 11 straight games and is batting .395 (15- for-38) with nine RBI during the tear.
Josh Barfield finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored for Cleveland, which took three matchups of its four-game series with Oakland and currently stands a half game back of first-place Detroit in the American League Central standings.
The Indians will now face a Tampa Bay team it has owned in recent years. Cleveland has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the squads and the Devil Rays have dropped five consecutive games at Jacobs Field.
Cleveland took two of three games from the Rays in St. Petersburg back in April.
Jake Westbrook makes his second start off a lengthy stint on the disabled list for the Tribe in tonight’s opener. The reliable right-hander had been sidelined with an abdominal strain since May 2 before returning to the mound Sunday in Washington.
Westbrook threw seven solid innings against the Nationals and surrendered three runs on seven hits without a walk. However, he wound up on the short end of a 3-1 decision, however.
The 29-year-old owns a 5-2 record with a 4.18 earned run average in 10 career starts against the Devil Rays. He faced Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field on April 22 and gave up four runs (three earned) and just four hits in a seven-inning no decision.
Westbrook will be opposed tonight by young right-hander Edwin Jackson, who finally halted a string of eight straight losing decisions when he defeated his former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, on Sunday.
Jackson, who entered the contest 0-8 with a 7.85 ERA on the season, held Los Angeles to two runs on nine hits over six innings. It was the 23-year-old’s first major league victory since September 26, 2005, when he was a member of the Dodgers.
The well-regarded prospect started against the Indians on April 20 and received a no decision after allowing three runs and five hits over six innings. Jackson also tossed 2 2/3 scoreless frames of relief versus Cleveland last October.
Tampa Bay begins a 10-game road trip tonight and is coming off four straight home defeats to the previously-struggling Chicago White Sox. In Thursday’s finale, Javier Vazquez yielded one run and struck out 10 over seven innings to hand the Devil Rays a 5-1 setback.
Rays starter Scott Kazmir (5-4) recorded nine strikeouts in his 5 1/3 innings of work, but the left-hander gave up a pair of homers and was reached for four runs in the loss.
On a positive note, Tampa rookie Delmon Young extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in his first at-bat. The outfielder is batting .368 (19-for-53) over that span. TEXAS RANGERS (32-46) AT BOSTON RED SOX (7-8, 4.52), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Texas - Jamey Wright (1-1, 7.43) Boston - Tim Wakefield (7-8, 4.52)
The American League’s top and bottom teams get together for a four-game weekend series beginning tonight at Boston’s Fenway Park, where the AL East-leading Red Sox welcome the lowly Texas Rangers.
Boston currently owns a comfortable 9 1/2-game lead over second-place Toronto and a whopping 11-game cushion on the rival New York Yankees in the division standings, despite the fact that the team is coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of the surging Seattle Mariners.
Seattle came through in extra innings during Wednesday’s finale, with Jose Lopez’s double off ex-Mariner Joel Pineiro bringing home Ichiro Suzuki with the game-winning run in a 2-1 decision.
The Red Sox wasted a gem by starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Japanese right-hander allowed just one run on three hits, while striking out eight and walking one over eight innings of work.
Boston’s lone run came on a seventh-inning sacrifice fly by Coco Crisp, who also collected two hits on the afternoon. However, the Red Sox 3-4-5 hitters — David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis — were a combined 0-for-14.
Julio Lugo, demoted from the leadoff spot to the No. 9 hole, went 0-for-2 for Boston and is now hitless in his last 31 at-bats.
The Red Sox completed a nine-game road trip with Wednesday’s loss and went 4-5 on the trek. The club is an outstanding 23-12 at Fenway Park, where it plays the first of seven straight contests tonight, on the season.
Although the Rangers own the AL’s worst record at 32-46, they have been playing pretty well as of late. Texas has won six of its last eight games and took the first two tests of a three-game set with the powerful Detroit Tigers before dropping Thursday’s finale.
Former Ranger Kenny Rogers held his ex-mates to a run and four hits over the first six innings to lead Detroit to a 5-2 win. Gary Sheffield slugged a two- run homer in the triumph, while Magglio Ordonez added a pair of RBI.
Texas starter Kevin Millwood (4-7) pitched six innings, allowing three runs on five hits to go along with six walks and six strikeouts. Michael Young and Sammy Sosa knocked in the Rangers’ lone runs with sacrifice flies.
Jamey Wright makes his third start since spending more than two months on the disabled list with a shoulder inflammation for the Rangers tonight. The journeyman pitcher recorded his first win in a Texas uniform on Saturday by holding Houston to two runs over 5 2/3 innings.
Wright walked six Astros in his last outing, but struck out five and surrendered just three hits in his longest start of the season.
The 32-year-old, who has spent the majority of his career in the National League, has never faced the Red Sox in his 12 big-league seasons.
Veteran Tim Wakefield looks to rebound from a subpar performance in his last start when he takes the mound for Boston this evening. The knuckleball specialist was tagged for six runs on eight hits — three of them homers — over 5 1/3 innings in Saturday’s 6-1 loss at San Diego.
Wakefield had won back-to-back starts prior to Saturday’s setback, but is just 2-3 with a 7.06 earned run average during the month of June.
The 40-year-old did defeat Texas on May 26 after allowing four runs over seven innings of a 7-4 Boston victory. However, Wakefield is only 8-14 with a 5.85 ERA in 20 career appearances, including 23 starts, against the Rangers.
Boston has won the last four meetings between the teams this season following a pair of losses to the Rangers in early April. This will be Texas’ first visit to Fenway Park in 2007.
The clubs split six games in Beantown a year ago. CHICAGO WHITE SOX (33-42) AT KANSAS CITY ROYALS (33-46), 8:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Chicago - Jose Contreras (5-8, 4.63) Kansas City - Brian Bannister (4-4, 3.78)
Two teams on season-high winning streaks will clash tonight, when the Kansas City Royals welcome the Chicago White Sox to Kauffman Stadium for the opener of a three-game series.
Both teams have won four straight games, the first time the Royals have done that this season. The White Sox, meanwhile, are on their third four-game winning streak of the year.
Chicago hasn’t won five in a row since August 10-14 of last year, while Kansas City has won five straight since June 10-16, 2005.
The White Sox won their first four meetings with the Royals this season before KC bested the club in their last meeting on May 13.
Chicago is coming off its first sweep of the season, as it took all four games against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, including a 5-1 victory on Thursday. Paul Konerko homered twice in the win.
Javier Vazquez (4-5) allowed one run over seven solid innings. The right- hander scattered seven hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks.
White Sox starter Jose Contreras will try to rebound tonight from a tough-luck loss on Sunday against the Cubs. Contreras allowed only two runs on 10 hits over seven innings in that game, but received no run support in the 3-0 setback that was his fourth defeat in six starts (1-4).
How long the right-hander continues to pitch for the White Sox is anybody’s guess. Contreras is 5-8 with a 4.63 earned run average on the year and has reportedly waived his no-trade clause, which would allow the struggling White Sox to deal him.
For now, the Cuban will just concentrate on Kansas City, a club he is 7-2 with a 2.96 ERA against in 11 starts.
While the White Sox bested a last-place club for its current winning burst, the Royals extended their victorious ways with a three-game sweep of the AL West-leading LA Angels of Anaheim.
Kansas City sneaked past the Angels, 1-0, in Wednesday’s finale, to wrap a nine-game road trip at 5-4. Mark Teahen’s RBI single in the third inning accounted for the only run of the game.
Jorge De La Rosa (5-9) scattered 10 hits over six shutout innings, while Joey Gathright singled and scored in the win.
The Royals begin a nine-game homestand tonight.
Brian Bannister attempts to rebound from his last start that saw his four-game winning streak come to an end. On Saturday versus Milwaukee, Bannister was lit up for six runs on six hits and three walks. He also struck out seven over five innings to fall to 4-4 with a 3.78 ERA for the season.
The right-hander made his first career start against the White Sox on April 24 and posted a no decision after yielding four runs (three earned) on five hits in 4 1/3 frames. TORONTO BLUE JAYS (39-39) AT SEATTLE MARINERS (42-33), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Toronto - Dustin McGowan (4-3, 4.83) Seattle - Jarrod Washburn (6-6, 4.09)
The Seattle Mariners will play the final portion of their 12-game homestand when they begin a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays tonight at Safeco Field.
The Mariners improved to 7-2 on the residency after completing a three-game sweep of Boston on Wednesday. Jose Lopez’s double in the 11th inning scored Ichiro Suzuki to give Seattle a 2-1 win in the finale.
Jason Davis (2-0) got the win with two innings of one-hit relief. The right- hander was part of a Seattle bullpen corps that allowed just two hits over six innings of work.
Suzuki ended 2-for-4 and drove in a run for the Mariners, who have won five in a row and seven of eight. Seattle moved within five games of the Angels for first place in the AL West.
Jarrod Washburn takes the hill for Seattle tonight and will go for back-to- back wins. Washburn moved to 6-6 on the season last time out, when he limited the Reds to one run and seven hits over eight innings of a 9-1 victory.
The victory halted a personal four-start winless stretch in which he had two losses and a pair of no decisions.
The left-hander has made seven career starts against Toronto and is just 1-6 with a 4.60 ERA. He has lost five consecutive starts against them.
Toronto celebrated a milestone on Thursday, but not a victory. Frank Thomas belted his 500th career homer, a three-run shot in the first inning, but the Blue Jays still fell 8-5 to Minnesota in the finale of a four-game set.
Thomas became the 21st member of the exclusive club with his three-run blast of 396 feet into the left-field stands off Minnesota starter Carlos Silva. He also had an RBI double and matched his season high with four RBI, but was ejected in the ninth by plate umpire Mark Wegner after being called out on strikes for the second time in the contest. Toronto manager John Gibbons was also tossed after coming out to argue.
Matt Stairs went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Blue Jays, who have lost two of three since a four-game winning streak. The club is 2-2 on a 10-game road trip and is second in the AL East, 9 1/2 games behind first-place Boston.
Toronto starter A.J. Burnett was tagged for five runs on six hits in just four-plus frames. Jason Frasor (1-3) took the loss after surrendering two runs in one inning.
Dustin McGowan toes the rubber for Toronto tonight and is coming off the first shutout — and arguably the best start — of his career. McGowan limited the Rockies to only one hit and a single walk with seven strikeouts in a 5-0 victory.
He carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning, but the bid was broken up when Jeff Baker led off the frame with a single up the middle. McGowan then retired the next three batters to finish the game, a contest that saw Thomas hit the 499th homer of his career.
The win improved the right-hander to 4-3 on the season, while lowering his ERA to 4.83, and was his fourth win in six starts (4-1). The 25-year-old has never started against Seattle but has faced the club twice as a reliever, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless frames without a decision.
This is the first meeting between these two clubs this season. Toronto won five of nine from the Mariners last year, though the clubs split six games in Seattle. NEW YORK METS (43-33) AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (41-37), 1:35 & 7:05 P.M. (DH)
Probable Starting Pitchers: Game 1: New York - Orlando Hernandez (3-3, 2.77) Philadelphia - J.D. Durbin (0-0, 94.50)
Game 2: New York - John Maine (8-4, 2.87) Philadelphia - Cole Hamels (9-3, 3.80)
National League East supremacy could be on the line this weekend, when the division-leading New York Mets visit the Philadelphia Phillies for a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The important set between division rivals kicks off today with a day-night doubleheader.
New York is three games ahead of Philadelphia in the division, but the Phillies are 4-3 against the Mets this season. The Mets, who have won five of their last six games overall, had the finale of a four-game series with St. Louis postponed on Thursday because of rain.
The Mets took two of three from the Cardinals, including Wednesday’s 2-0 triumph in a rain-shortened affair at Shea Stadium. Tom Glavine collected the 297th victory of his career as he allowed one hit, struck out one and issued two walks through six innings. The game was called after 5 1/2 innings due to weather conditions.
David Wright hit a two-run homer and ended 1-for-1 with a walk for New York, which went 6-3 on its homestand and will open an 11-game road trip this afternoon in South Philadelphia. The Mets are 20-14 on the road in 2007.
New York will hand the ball to Orlando Hernandez in the first game. Hernandez is 3-3 with a 2.77 earned run average over 11 starts this season, but owns an 0-2 record in his last four trips to the mound.
The high-kicking right-hander last pitched on Saturday against the Oakland Athletics and did not post a decision. Hernandez hurled seven scoreless innings with seven K’s and two walks in a 1-0 victory at Shea Stadium.
Hernandez faced the Phillies on June 6 this season and did not factor in the decision. He pitched six shutout innings of three-hit ball, but the bullpen imploded en route to a 4-2 setback. In four career starts against Philadelphia, “El Duque” is 0-1 with a 7.58 earned run average.
Countering for the Phillies this afternoon will be J.D. Durbin, who will make his Philadelphia debut after being claimed off waivers in early April. Durbin had a Spring Training stint with Minnesota before Arizona picked him up. He made one appearance with the D’backs on April 4 and was reached for seven runs in just two-thirds of an inning. He is 0-0 with a 94.50 ERA.
Durbin, who was selected in the second round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft by Minnesota, was then waived by Arizona before Boston briefly picked him up. The Phillies then made a move on Durbin, who went 2-4 with a 4.55 earned run average in 10 starts with their Triple-A affiliate in Ottawa.
Durbin will make his second career start and sixth overall appearance at the major league level. He is 0-1 with a 14.63 ERA in five games (one start) in his career and will make his first-ever start against the Mets.
Philadelphia has won five of its last eight games, including Thursday’s 8-7 win in 10 innings over the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.
Jimmy Rollins collected four hits, including the game-tying RBI triple in the eighth and the game-winning RBI single in the 10th. Chase Utley hit a pair two-run homers for Philadelphia, which is 21-18 at home this season. Reliever Clay Condrey tossed a scoreless 10th inning to collect the victory, while starter Adam Eaton was ripped for six hits and five runs in six innings.
Taking the ball for the Phillies in the nightcap will be ace Cole Hamels, who is 9-3 with a 3.80 ERA in 16 starts this season.
Hamels is 1-1 over the last four trips to the hill and did not factor in the outcome on June 24 against St. Louis. He lasted three innings because of a rain delay and gave up one run and three hits.
The lanky left-hander will take on New York for the third time this season and is 0-0 with a 3.46 ERA in two starts. He did not post a decision on April 9 after giving up three runs — two earned — in six innings of an 11-5 loss.
Hamels then faced the Mets again on June 7, surrendering three runs and 10 hits through seven innings of a 6-3 triumph. In three career starts against the Mets, Hamels is 1-0 with a 2.14 earned run average.
New York will counter with John Maine tonight and he will try to stretch his recent winning streak to three games. Maine, who is 8-4 with a 2.87 ERA in 15 starts this season, is riding a personal two-game winning streak.
In his last start on June 24 against Oakland, Maine pitched seven strong innings and gave up two runs in a 10-2 blowout of the Athletics.
The right-hander will take on Philadelphia for the third time this season and is 0-0 with a 3.08 earned run average in two starts. He first faced the Phillies on April 9 and did not factor in the outcome, allowing two runs in 4 2/3 innings of an 11-5 win.
He then squared off with the Phillies on June 7 and surrendered a pair of runs in seven innings of a 6-3 loss. In five career starts against Philly, Maine is 3-0 with a 2.40 earned run average. MILWAUKEE BREWERS (46-32) AT CHICAGO CUBS (38-39), 2:20 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Milwaukee - Yovani Gallardo (1-0, 2.70) Chicago - Rich Hill (5-5, 3.13)
The National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers open a 10-game road trip today with the first of three games against the division- rival Chicago Cubs at historic Wrigley Field.
Milwaukee, which is 16-19 on the road this season, is fresh off a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros and has won 12 of the last 14 games. In Wednesday’s series finale versus Houston at Miller Park, Damian Miller was the hero with a game-winning three-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift Milwaukee to victory.
Bill Hall was 3-for-5 with a run-scoring double and scored twice for the Brewers, who are 7 1/2 games ahead of the Cubs in the NL Central standings. Miller collected three hits and drove in four runs, while Prince Fielder knocked in the other run in the winning effort.
Dave Bush pitched a pair of scoreless innings to earn the win and starter Jeff Suppan allowed seven hits and three runs over six innings, striking out seven without walking a batter in the no-decision.
Brewers rookie Yovani Gallardo will make his third career start today for the Brewers and is 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA.
Gallardo got the win in his debut on June 18 against San Francisco after pitching 6 1/3 innings and giving up three runs during a 5-4 victory. He did not post a decision in his next outing on June 24 against Kansas City, permitting just a run and five hits through seven frames of a 4-3 loss.
The right-handed Mexican will get a taste of the rival Cubs for the first time in his career.
Chicago is on a roll, having won six straight games thanks to series sweeps over the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies. The Cubs extended their streak with Wednesday’s 6-4 win over the Rockies at Wrigley, as Mark DeRosa belted a three-run homer and starter Carlos Zambrano tossed six strong innings to complete the sweep.
Zambrano gave up two runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and three walks for the Cubs, who moved to within one game of .500 at 38-39. Mike Fontenot went 3-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored to extend his hitting streak to 10 games in the victory.
Rich Hill gets the call this afternoon for the Cubs and is 5-5 with a 3.13 ERA in 15 starts this season.
Hill has just one win over his previous nine starts (1-4) since recording a 3-1 mark with a 1.73 ERA over his first six outings of the 2007 season. In his most recent start on June 23 against the Chicago White Sox, Hill did not record a decision after yielding one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Cubs won the game, 2-1.
The left-hander will face Milwaukee for the third time this season and is 1-1 with a 3.29 ERA in two starts. Hill got the win on April 6, hurling seven innings of one-run ball to preserve a 9-3 victory. On April 24, however, he was saddled with the loss after giving up four runs in 6 2/3 frames during a 4-1 setback.
In four career appearances (three starts) against the Brewers, Hill owns a 1-1 record with a 2.52 earned run average.
Chicago is 5-4 against the Brewers this season, including a shaky 1-2 record in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.
ATLANTA BRAVES (41-38) AT FLORIDA MARLINS (37-42), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Atlanta - Chuck James (6-7, 4.29) Florida - Jason Johnson (0-2, 14.85)
Jason Johnson tries once again for his first win tonight when the Florida Marlins host the Atlanta Braves to begin a three-game National League East series at Dolphin Stadium.
Johnson, a fourth-round selection in 2002, was a 12-game winner in his first full big-league season in 2006. He’s been hit hard in two outings since returning to the rotation in June, allowing nine hits and eight runs in a 10-6 loss to the Chicago White Sox, then surrendering eight hits and seven runs in an 11-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
In those two starts, he’s walked seven and struck out five.
Lifetime against the Braves, Johnson is 2-0 in six appearances - five starts - with a 2.23 earned run average in 32 1/3 innings.
Slumping lefty Chuck James makes his fourth career appearance against the Marlins.
In three previous outings - two starts - the 25-year-old Atlanta native is 1-1 with a 1.62 ERA in 16 2/3 innings.
He’s dropped three of four decisions in June, including a 5-0 verdict to Detroit on June 24 when he gave up five hits and four runs in five innings.
He was 11-4 in a full-time major-league debut last season, pitching 119 innings in 25 outings.
On Thursday in Miami, Matt Treanor homered and Scott Olsen struck out the first five batters he faced and finished with 10, one shy of his career high, as the Marlins held off the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-7, in the finale of a three-game set at Dolphin Stadium.
Mike Jacobs had three hits and Treanor and Brett Carroll had two RBI apiece for the Marlins, who snapped a four-game slide.
Scott Olsen (6-6) went six-plus innings, allowing five runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out 10, including the first five batters he faced, a franchise record.
On Wednesday in Atlanta, John Smoltz struck out seven batters over five frames, as the Braves got a much-needed sweep of the Washington Nationals when the National League East rivals concluded a three-game series at Turner Field with a 13-0 shutout.
The Braves’ 22 hits were their most in a game since April 18, 1999 against Colorado.
Smoltz (9-4) scattered five hits and walked just one batter to shake off a subpar performance on Friday and earn the win. Oscar Villarreal, Wilfredo Ledezma and Chad Paronto allowed just three hits to complete the shutout.
Brian McCann homered for Atlanta, which entered this set mired in a season- high five-game losing streak in which the club was shut out four times, but has turned things around at the expense of the cellar-dwelling Nationals. Chipper Jones finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and scored once. Jeff Francoeur went 3-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored in the rout.
Florida has won six of its nine meetings with the Braves this season. Atlanta, though, is 38-27 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign. WASHINGTON NATIONALS (32-46) AT PITTSBURGH PIRATES (33-45), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Washington - Matt Chico (3-5, 5.08) Pittsburgh - Ian Snell (6-5, 2.92)
Pittsburgh right-hander Ian Snell will try to get back on the winning side of the ledger tonight when the Pirates host the Washington Nationals to begin a three-game series at PNC Park.
Snell, a right-hander from Delaware, was tagged for 10 hits and five runs in six innings in a 10-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on June 23.
Previously, he’d given up 16 hits and three earned runs while going 2-0 with a no-decision in a three-start stretch between June 2 and June 13.
Snell has no record in four career outings against the Nationals, allowing 11 hits and eight runs in 16 innings.
Lefty Matt Chico looks again for his first win since May 17.
The former third-round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks has gone 0-1 with six no-decisions after the triumph, including a six-inning outing against Cleveland on June 23 in which he allowed four hits and a run in a 4-3 Nationals loss.
He got another no-decision against Pittsburgh on June 7 after giving up four hits and two runs in seven innings.
The start was Chico’s lone career appearance against the Pirates.
On Thursday in Miami, Matt Treanor homered and Scott Olsen struck out the first five batters he faced and finished with 10, one shy of his career high, as the Florida Marlins held off the Pirates, 9-7, in the finale of a three- game set at Dolphin Stadium.
Adam LaRoche had three hits, including a two-run homer and Freddy Sanchez went 3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored for the Pirates, who have lost six of eight.
Zach Duke (3-7) was tagged for six runs — five earned — on 11 hits in just four frames.
On Wednesday in Atlanta, John Smoltz struck out seven batters over five frames, as the Braves got a much-needed sweep of the Nationals when the National League East rivals concluded a three-game series at Turner Field with a 13-0 shutout.
Ryan Church and Ronnie Belliard both ended 2-for-4 for Washington, which has lost six of eight. Micah Bowie (4-3), who had posted a 5-0 record and a 3.60 ERA since moving from the bullpen to the rotation in mid-May, gave up six runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings.
Pittsburgh won two of three from the Nats earlier this season after the teams split their six matchups a year ago. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (34-41) AT CINCINNATI REDS (30-49), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: St. Louis - Brad Thompson (6-3, 5.04) Cincinnati - Bronson Arroyo (2-9, 5.14)
Right-hander Brad Thompson looks for his third win in four decision tonight when the St. Louis Cardinals head to Great American Ball Park to open a three-game series with National League Central foe Cincinnati.
Thompson, who’d made just one start in 83 career appearances heading into this season, will make his ninth of 2007 against the Reds, who he faced on June 6 while picking up a no-decision and allowing seven hits and four runs in six innings.
He defeated Kansas City in a seven-inning stint on June 19, scattering seven hits and allowing a single run. Since, he’s made a pair of relief stints, losing to Philadelphia on June 24 and downing the New York Mets on June 26 with 1 1/3 innings of one-hit shutout ball.
Overall, Thompson has allowed 84 hits and 39 runs in 69 2/3 innings.
Cincinnati’s Bronson Arroyo has struggled throughout the season and heads into the game winless since a May 6 defeat of Colorado.
The 30-year-old Key West, Fla. native is 0-7 with two no-decisions since, including a 6-4 loss against Thompson and the Cardinals on June 6 in which he allowed nine hits and six runs over 6 2/3 innings of work.
In his last start, on June 24 at Texas, Arroyo gave up 10 hits and three runs in seven innings of a 3-2 loss to the Rangers.
He has allowed three or more earned runs in seven straight outings.
On Thursday in Philadelphia, the Reds wrapped up a nine-game road trip in disappointing fashion, as they fell in 10 innings, 8-7, to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Adam Dunn, Edwin Encarnacion, and Alex Gonzalez all homered for the Reds, who have dropped three of four. Victor Santos (1-3) gave up two hits and a run in the 10th. Scott Hatteberg went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
In New York, Thursday’s game between the New York Mets and the Cardinals at Shea Stadium was postponed due to rain. No makeup date has been announced.
The Cardinals, though, have dropped three of four.
St. Louis has won four of its six matchups with the Reds this season. Cincinnati, though, won nine of 15 last season, including four of six in the Queen City.
COLORADO ROCKIES (38-41) AT HOUSTON ASTROS (33-46), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Josh Fogg (3-6, 4.81) Houston - Chris Sampson (6-5, 3.71)
One night after capping a special evening in franchise history with a dramatic extra-inning victory, the Houston Astros shoot for a second consecutive win over the Colorado Rockies when the teams continue their four-game set at Minute Maid Park.
In Thursday’s series opener, longtime Astro Craig Biggio became the 27th player in major league annals to reach the 3,000-hit milestone. However, teammate Carlos Lee delivered the game’s most memorable blow when he belted a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the 11th inning to give Houston a thrilling 8-5 triumph.
Biggio entered the night three hits shy of the 3,000 mark and arrived at the coveted number with a seventh-inning single off Rockies starter Aaron Cook. The veteran second baseman collected two more base hits during the game, including a two-out infield single in the 11th to keep the Astros alive, and finished 5-for-6 with an RBI and one run scored.
Hunter Pence followed Biggio’s last hit with a double and Colorado closer Brian Fuentes (0-3) hit Lance Berkman with a pitch to load the bases. Lee then crushed the first pitch he saw inside the left-field foul pole to end an improbable Houston comeback.
The Astros trailed 4-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but drew even on a Berkman solo homer and a two-run blast from Mike Lamb off LaTroy Hawkins.
Colorado regained the lead in the top of the 11th when Troy Tulowitzki drilled a solo home run off Brian Moehler (1-2), who finished out the inning and wound up receiving the win.
Tulowitzki ended 3-for-5 for the fading Rockies, who have lost all seven tests thus far on a 10-game road trip. Chris Ianetta and Ryan Spilborghs also homered in the stinging defeat.
Colorado has also dropped 18 of its last 21 games in Houston.
The Rockies will turn to veteran Josh Fogg in hopes of breaking out of their funk tonight. The right-hander had won back-to-back starts before being tagged for five runs in six innings of Sunday’s 5-0 loss at Toronto.
Fogg was much sharper his previous time out, when he limited the Yankees to a run and four hits over seven frames to lead the Rockies to a 3-1 victory on June 19.
The 30-year-old faced the Astros in Coors Field earlier this month and surrendered six runs and 11 hits in five shaky innings, although he did not factor in the final outcome. For his career Fogg is just 3-6 with a 6.39 earned run average in 15 appearances (14 starts) against Houston.
Houston, which halted a three-game slide with last night’s rally, will send Chris Sampson to the mound this evening. The second-year hurler has not recorded a decision in three starts since defeating the White Sox on June 8.
In his most recent time out, Sampson held Texas to three runs and five hits over seven solid innings of work. He was denied a potential win, however, when the Astro bullpen yielded four runs in the eighth inning.
The right-hander has pitched well at Minute Maid Park this season, bringing a 3-1 record with an impressive 2.41 ERA in six home appearances (five starts) into tonight’s tilt. This will be Sampson’s first career outing against Colorado.
The Rockies took two of three games from Houston at Coors Field earlier this month and have claimed six of 10 matchups between the clubs since the beginning of the 2006 season.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (45-35) AT SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (33-44), 10:15 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Arizona - Livan Hernandez (5-5, 4.68) San Francisco - Matt Morris (7-4, 3.39)
The Arizona Diamondbacks will try to regain some consistency when they open a three-game series with the NL West-rival San Francisco Giants this evening at AT&T Park.
Arizona just dropped three of four games to the Dodgers and fell a half game behind both San Diego and Los Angeles for the top spot in the National League West standings. In Thursday’s 9-5 loss in the series finale at Chase Field, starting pitcher Randy Johnson battled through back pain and yielded four runs — three earned — on six hits in just three innings.
The 43-year-old Johnson was 4-0 with a 1.52 ERA in his last five starts coming in, but had not pitched since June 10 when he threw six innings of one-run ball against Boston. He skipped his next outing against Baltimore before landing on the DL with the same back injury that had previously required offseason surgery this past winter, causing him to miss the start of the 2007 season.
Eric Byrnes had a two-run single and Orlando Hudson added two RBI for the Diamondbacks, who will open a 10-game road trip tonight by the Bay.
Arizona will hand the ball to Livan Hernandez for Friday’s series opener against San Francisco. Hernandez is 5-5 with a 4.68 ERA in 16 starts this season, but owns an 0-3 mark over his previous five trips to the mound. The right-hander last pitched on June 23 against Baltimore and was reached for four runs and nine hits in four innings of a 7-4 victory over the Orioles.
Hernandez posted a no decision against the Giants on June 7 this season after permitting five runs — three earned — in seven innings of a 5-4 loss at Chase Field. In 10 career starts against San Francisco, Hernandez is 3-4 with a pair of complete games and a 2.82 earned run average.
The Giants will counter with Matt Morris tonight and he is 7-4 with a 3.39 earned run average in 15 starts this season. Morris has alternated wins and losses over his last six decisions and did not factor in the outcome the last time out on June 23 against the New York Yankees. He was reached for four runs and 13 hits during a 5 2/3 innings of a 6-5 victory at AT&T Park.
Morris, who is 3-1 in seven home starts this season, is 0-2 with a 3.60 ERA in two starts against Arizona this season. He faced them on April 29 and lost after giving up five runs in seven innings of a 5-4 setback. Morris then lost again on June 6, yielding a run in eight innings during a 1-0 setback.
The right-handed Morris is 4-5 with three complete games and a 3.36 earned run average through 12 career games (10 starts) against Arizona.
San Francisco has lost two straight after a three-game winning streak. In Wednesday’s 4-2 loss against the San Diego Padres in the finale of a three- game series, starting pitcher Matt Cain was the tough-luck loser for the Giants, giving up four hits and two runs through 7 2/3 innings with seven K’s and a pair of walks.
Pedro Feliz homered for San Francisco, which is last in the NL West standings — 11 games off the pace.
Barry Bonds did not play, but was on the on-deck circle before the final out of the ballgame was recorded. Bonds is six home runs shy of tying Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record of 755. In 14 at-bats against tonight’s pitcher Hernandez, Bonds owns three home runs and five RBI.
Arizona is 5-4 against the Giants in 2007, but was swept in three games at AT&T Park earlier this season from April 20 - 22.
SAN DIEGO PADRES (44-33) AT LOS ANGELES DODGERS (45-34), 10:40 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: San Diego - Chris Young (7-3, 2.08) Los Angeles - Hong-Chih Kuo (1-3, 6.33)
The Los Angeles Dodgers knocked one team out of first place this week. They will try to do so again when they begin a 10-game homestand with tonight’s opener of a three-game series with the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers are coming off a four-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who led the National League West by a game over San Diego following last weekend’s play. Los Angeles went on to win three of four in the series, knocking Arizona to into third place in the standings.
The Padres now occupy the top spot in the NL West, a percentage point ahead of LA.
The Dodgers ensured a series win over Arizona with a 9-5 victory on Thursday. Russell Martin fell a triple shy of the cycle in the win, hitting a two-run homer in the first inning, a double in the fourth and a single in the sixth.
Randy Wolf (9-6) tossed six-plus innings and was charged with three runs on four hits for Los Angeles. He walked six batters and struck out four.
Hong-Chih Kuo is set for his sixth start of the season for the Dodgers and has lost his last two outings. He was shelled for eight runs in just 1 2/3 innings on June 20 versus Toronto, then allowed three runs and four hits with eight strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings versus Tampa Bay on Sunday.
The left-hander is 1-3 with a 6.33 earned run average on the season and will make his second career start against San Diego. Kuo, who has also pitched against the Padres twice as a reliever, faced the Padres on June 7 and didn’t factor into the decision after yielding one run and three hits and four walks over six innings.
San Diego was idle yesterday after winning its second straight game on Wednesday, a 4-2 victory over the Giants. Greg Maddux (7-4) tossed seven strong innings, holding San Francisco to five hits and one run for career win No. 340.
Khalil Greene homered for the Padres and Trevor Hoffman pitched a scoreless ninth for his 21st save.
San Diego’s lineup is expected to get a big boost for this series, as the club activated Brian Giles from the 15-day disabled list yesterday. Giles had been sidelined since May 20 due to a right knee contusion.
Even more help could be on the way, as the San Diego Union-Tribuen reported that the Padres are set to acquire outfielder Milton Bradley from the Athletics in exchange for a minor league pitcher. The paper reported Bradley could join the Padres for Sunday’s series finale.
Chris Young brings the National League’s second-best ERA at 2.08 into tonight’s start. The right-hander is 3-0 over his last seven starts and hasn’t posted a loss since May 12 against St. Louis.
The 6-foot-10 hurler is coming off a brilliant outing last time out that saw him toss seven shutout innings of one-hit ball, to go along with two walks and 11 strikeouts, in a 6-1 win over Boston. The victory improved Young to 7-3 on the year.
Young has faced the rival Dodgers twice this season and is 0-1 with a 4.00 ERA. He took a loss at Los Angeles on April 15 before getting a no decision at home on June 5 despite throwing seven shutout frames. Overall, he is 0-2 with a 2.97 ERA in seven career starts versus LA.
The Padres have won three straight over the Dodgers and own a 5-4 overall record against the club this season. They won 13 of 18 meetings against Los Angeles in 2006.
