Saturday, July 14th (All times eastern)
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (44-45) AT BOSTON RED SOX (54-35), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Toronto - Dustin McGowan (5-4, 4.65) Boston - Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-8, 3.84)
The Boston Red Sox will try to hold on to their double- digit lead in the American League East when they host the Toronto Blue Jays in the third installment of a four-game set from Fenway Park.
Last night, Reed Johnson and Alex Rios hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the sixth inning, helping Toronto edge the Red Sox, 6-5.
Rios had three hits and Troy Glaus went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored as the Blue Jays won for the fourth time in six games and rebounded from a 7-4 defeat in the opener of this series. Toronto also moved into a tie with the New York Yankees for second place in the American League East, although both teams are 10 games behind the Red Sox.
Boston’s Manny Ramirez went 2-for-5 with a homer and drove in three runs, but came up empty with two men on base in the ninth inning. The All-Star outfielder flied out to right field to end the game.
Mike Lowell had two hits and knocked in two runs for the Red Sox, who suffered their fourth loss in five games.
Toronto starter Shaun Marcum (5-3) allowed seven hits and five runs — three earned — with a walk and six strikeouts over six innings to get the win. Jeremy Accardo threw the final 1 1/3 innings and escaped jams in the eighth and ninth innings to earn his 12th save.
Julian Tavarez was roughed up for nine hits and four runs over four-plus innings for Boston. Kyle Snyder (1-2) suffered the loss after surrendering the go-ahead runs in the sixth.
Red Sox right fielder J.D. Drew left after three innings due to tightness in his right hamstring and is questionable to return to the lineup tonight.
Before the game, the Red Sox activated relief pitcher Joel Pineiro from the 15-day disabled list. Pineiro, who originally injured his right ankle during pregame workouts on June 25 in Seattle, pitched part of the ninth inning on Friday.
Although he did not start the season with the club, Dustin McGowan has been an important part to the Blue Jays rotation and will take the hill tonight in search of his sixth win of the year. Overall, the 25-year-old is 5-4 with a 4.65 ERA.
The last time the right-hander was on the hill, he tossed seven scoreless innings, scattering four hits while striking out four batters en route to a 10-3 victory over Oakland.
Tonight’s matchup will be the first start for the 25-year-old against the Red Sox. McGowan has had little experience against Boston, tossing three scoreless innings in relief over his brief career.
The Red Sox will counter with their big offseason acquisition, Daisuke Matsuzaka. After winning three of his previous four games in which he allowed only two runs in 29 innings of work, the Japanese native suffered a terrible 6-5 setback at the hands of the Detroit Tigers his last time on the hill.
In last Sunday’s loss to the Tigers, the 26-year-old allowed six runs on 10 hits in only five innings of work.
Matsuzaka has done a solid job on the hill at Fenway Park, as the right-hander currently has a 5-2 mark with a 4.13 ERA on his home mound. Matsuzaka will be making his third start of the year against Toronto. In the previous two appearances, he is 1-1 with a stellar 2.08 ERA.
In other Red Sox news, pitcher Brendan Donnelly was scratched from his scheduled rehab start in Lowell on Friday. After enduring a rain delay, Donnelly felt tightness in his right forearm while warming up and was shut down for precautionary reasons.
Boston has won four of its last five meetings with Toronto, but the Blue Jays swept a two-game set at Fenway in late April. The Red Sox own a 6-4 advantage in the 2007 series.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (40-48) AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES (39-50), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Chicago - Javier Vazquez (6-5, 3.65) Baltimore - Daniel Cabrera (6-10, 5.04)
Two teams with plenty of issues will collide on the diamond this evening, when the Baltimore Orioles host the Chicago White Sox in the third installment of a four-game set from Camden Yards.
Both clubs enter tonight’s matchup with disappointing records, although the White Sox have been the more underachieving team through the better part of this season. However, the same can not be said about Chicago’s Javier Vazquez, who will be on the mound tonight.
The 30-year-old hurler is only 6-5 on the season, but comes into this contest with a solid 3.65 ERA and an impressive 1.07 WHIP. The right-hander went into the All-Star break on fire, winning three consecutive games and throwing back- to-back complete-game efforts in his last two starts.
In his most recent complete game, Vazquez allowed just three runs on eight hits while striking out eight batters en route to a 6-3 win over Minnesota last Sunday.
The other complete game came against these very Orioles. Back on July 3, Vazquez surrendered one run and struck out seven batters en route to a 5-1 win over the O’s.
In his career against Baltimore, Vazquez is 6-2 in 10 starts, but has a lackluster 5.14 ERA.
As for the Orioles, they will send the uncontrollable Daniel Cabrera to the mound this evening. Cabrera has downright filthy stuff but can never seem to find the plate on a consistent basis.
In 121 1/3 innings of work this season, Cabrera has 97 strikeouts but has also tossed 61 walks, which leads the AL. Overall on the season, the right-hander is just 6-10 with a 5.04 ERA. In his last six outings, the 26-year-old is just 1-5, and that includes two straight setbacks.
The most recent loss came against the bats of the Texas Rangers on Sunday. Cabrera struck out eight batters in the 2-1 loss, but also allowed six hits and walked five batters.
In his career Cabrera has made six starts against the Pale Hose, but has recorded just a 2-3 ledger with 4.96 ERA in those games.
On Friday, Erik Bedard and three relievers combined on a four-hit shutout as the Orioles blanked the White Sox, 2-0.
Bedard (8-4) went seven innings, allowing just three hits while walking two and fanning seven to increase his major league-leading strikeout total to 156.
Chris Ray allowed two baserunners in the ninth but got out of the jam to earn his 15th save of the season.
Bedard, who has won his last four decisions, has thrown 16 consecutive scoreless innings and is 4-0 over his last five starts.
Nick Markakis and Corey Patterson homered for the Orioles, who won for just the second time in six games.
Mark Buehrle (6-5), who was pitching for the first time since signing a $56 million, four-year contract extension, went eight strong frames for Chicago, allowing two runs on six hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Paul Konerko had two hits for the White Sox, who had a three-game winning streak snapped.
The Orioles and White Sox split a four-game set at Chicago from July 2-5. The White Sox, though, have won 12 of their last 17 meetings with Baltimore.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS (38-51) AT CLEVELAND INDIANS (53-36), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Kansas City - Gil Meche (5-6, 3.54) Cleveland - C.C. Sabathia (12-3, 3.58)
Worst meets first in the American League Central division as the Kansas City Royals clash with the Cleveland Indians this evening in the second contest of a three-game set from Jacobs Field.
The Royals will send Gil Meche to the hill this evening as the All-Star right- hander tries to push even his season record. Meche’s 5-6 ledger does not do the pitcher justice, as he comes into this game with a solid 3.54 ERA.
The 28-year-old did not have his best performance the last time he was on the bump. On July 7, the right-hander surrendered six runs on five hits and four walks against Tampa Bay. Despite the poor outing, Kansas City was able to collect a slim 8-7 victory and leave Meche with a no decision.
The Indians have not been very kind to Meche over his career, as the hurler is just 1-6 with a terrible 5.69 ERA against the Tribe in nine starts.
As for Cleveland, the team will have ace C. C. Sabathia take the mound tonight. Sabathia has been one of the toughest pitchers throughout this season and heads into the second half of the schedule ranked in the top five in the AL in innings (133 1/3), wins (12), strikeouts (119) and complete games (2).
Unfortunately, the All-Star southpaw suffered his shortest outing of the season right before the break. Sabathia lasted just four innings en route to a 12-3 loss to Detroit, with the 26-year-old surrendering seven runs on 10 hits — three of which were home runs.
In his career against the Royals, Sabathia has made 24 starts and posted a 12-6 mark with a stellar 3.14 ERA. One of those victories came earlier this season, as the lefty tossed a gem in a complete-game shutout of Kansas City. In that contest, Sabathia scattered five hits while striking out eight batters.
In Friday’s opener, Ryan Garko singled in the game-winning run in the ninth inning as the Indians downed the Royals, 5-4.
After giving up a one-run lead in the top of the ninth, the Indians won the game in the bottom of the inning. Travis Hafner hit a one-out double, Jhonny Peralta was issued an intentional walk and Garko followed with a single up the middle that Royals center fielder David DeJesus bobbled. Mike Rouse, who was running for Hafner, crossed the plate for the win.
Victor Martinez drove in a pair of runs for the Indians, who had lost four of five coming into the game. Joe Borowski (2-3) got the win despite blowing the save in the ninth.
Jake Westbrook started for Cleveland and gave up three runs on five hits with five walks and two strikeouts in six innings of work.
Mark Grudzielanek went 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Royals, who had a two-game winning streak halted. Zack Greinke (4-5) gave up the winning run in the ninth to suffer the loss.
The Indians have now won six straight and nine of their last 10 at Jacobs field. Cleveland owns a 32-12 record at home, which is best in the majors.
Cleveland owns a 4-3 edge on the Royals in the 2007 season series and has taken three of the four meetings at Jacobs Field. Kansas City has dropped 13 of its last 16 games in Cleveland.
NEW YORK YANKEES (43-44) AT TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (35-54), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: New York - Chien-Ming Wang (9-4, 3.36) Tampa Bay - Andy Sonnanstine (1-3, 5.36)
The New York Yankees will attempt to push their record back to .500 when they battle the Tampa Bay Devil Rays tonight in the third matchup of a four-game set from Tropicana Field.
The Yankees, who are currently 43-44, trail rival Boston by 10 games for first place in the American League East standings and are nine back of Cleveland in the wild card race.
New York appears to have a good shot at drawing even on the season, as ace pitcher Chien-Ming Wang takes the hill tonight.
Wang has done everything to prove his 2006 season was not a fluke and currently heads into this game with six wins in his last eight starts. The last time Wang tasted defeated was back in May against the Angels.
Wang was able to get some revenge on the Angels, as the right-hander closed out the first half of the season with a solid 12-0 win over Anaheim on Sunday. In the victory, the 27-year-old scattered five hits and struck out three batters in 6 1/3 innings of work.
Shockingly enough, Wang has had some trouble with Tampa Bay over the years and is just 4-4 with a 3.84 ERA in nine starts versus the Rays. Earlier this season the Taiwan native surrendered four runs on nine hits against the Devil Rays, lasting just 6 1/3 innings en route to a loss.
As for the Devil Rays, they will counter with youngster Andy Sonnanstine. The 24-year-old has been roughed up since being called up to the majors back on June 2. In seven starts for Tampa, the right-hander is just 1-3 with a 5.36 ERA.
The last time Sonnanstine toed the rubber, he surrendered four runs on six hits in seven innings of work against the Royals on July 7. Tampa eventually suffered an 8-7 loss to KC, but the right-hander did not factor in the decision.
This will be the youngster’s first-ever start against the Bronx Bombers.
Last night, Scott Kazmir hurled six brilliant innings as Tampa Bay downed Roger Clemens and the Yankees, 6-4.
Kazmir (6-6) befuddled New York, as he allowed just one unearned run on four hits while walking four and striking out seven for the Devil Rays, who snapped a three-game skid and won for just the second time in 16 games.
Gary Glover closed the door by getting the final five outs to record his second save of the season.
Delmon Young finished 3-for-4 and drove in a run for Tampa Bay, while Dioner Navarro and Josh Wilson each collected two RBI.
Clemens (2-4) struggled with his control and was ineffective for the Yankees, who have split their last four games. The 44-year old veteran surrendered five runs on five hits in just 5 1/3 innings. Clemens also walked four and struck out just two and remained stuck on 350 career wins.
Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui both homered for New York.
The lowly Devil Rays have now taken four of their six 2007 meetings with New York.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (44-46) AT MINNESOTA TWINS (47-43), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Joe Blanton (8-5, 3.28) Minnesota - Carlos Silva (6-10, 4.58)
Two teams going in the opposite direction will clash tonight at the Metrodome, as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics in the third matchup of a four-game series.
The Twins have won the first two contests of this set and are now 47-43 on the season, while the A’s have dropped five consecutive games and have fallen below .500.
Looking to stop the bleeding tonight for Oakland will be Joe Blanton. The right-hander closed out the first half of the season on a down note, losing to Seattle, 7-3, on Sunday.
In the loss to the Mariners, Blanton surrendered six runs on 12 hits in just six innings of work. Despite the setback, the 26-year-old is still 8-5 on the season and also has a stellar 3.28 ERA.
Earlier this year, Blanton tossed a complete-game shutout against the Twins. He scattered just three hits, while striking out six batters and walking none in the June 2 victory at McAfee Coliseum.
In his five career starts against Minnesota, Blanton is 3-2 with a 4.32 ERA.
As for the Twins, Carlos Silva will take the hill in hopes of snapping a personal two-game losing skid.
It has been a tough July for Silva, who has allowed 12 runs in just 10 1/3 innings of work during the month. The last time the right-hander was on the hill, he surrendered six runs on 10 hits en route to a 6-3 loss to the White Sox last Sunday.
Silva was defeated by the A’s earlier this year, as the 28-year-old matched up against Blanton and received zero run support in the setback. In that outing, Silva threw eight solid innings and allowed just one run on five hits.
Silva is only 2-2 in seven starts against Oakland. However, he has a solid ERA of 3.00 in those games and has walked only five batters in 52 innings.
On Friday, Johan Santana threw seven shutout innings to continue his amazing post All-Star break pitching and lead the Twins to a 5-3 victory over Oakland.
Santana (11-6) allowed four hits, walked one and struck out eight to win his fifth straight start. The left-hander and two-time American League Cy Young Award winner moved to 41-4 after the All-Star break since 2003.
Santana has been remarkable over his last five outings, pitching to a 1.29 ERA in that span. He has also pitched at least five innings in 110 straight starts, the longest current streak in the majors.
Luis Castillo had three hits and drove in two runs for the Twins, who won for the fourth time in six contests.
Eric Chavez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning for the Athletics, whose fifth straight loss equalled a season high. Lenny DiNardo (3-6) allowed eight hits and three runs — two earned — over five innings to suffer the defeat.
Minnesota won six of 10 encounters with the A’s during the 2006 regular season and three of the five games played between the teams this year. However, Oakland swept the Twins in the best-of-five ALDS last October.
TEXAS RANGERS (38-51) AT LA ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (54-35), 9:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Texas - Kameron Loe (5-6, 5.36) LA Angels - John Lackey (11-5, 2.91)
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will try to collect back- to-back wins against the lowly Texas Rangers this evening, when the two squads collide for the second matchup of a three-game series.
The Rangers will send red-hot Kameron Loe to the hill tonight. Loe, who started the year with a dreadful 1-6 ledger, closed out the first half of the season with four wins in his final five starts. During the hot streak, the right-hander lowered his ERA from 7.40 to 5.36 and is now 5-6 overall.
The last time the 25-year-old was on the mound, he tossed an gem against Baltimore. Against the O’s on July 6, Loe pitched six scoreless innings, scattering five hits while striking out three batters. Despite the sensational effort, Loe did not figure in Texas’ 4-3 victory.
This will be the second start for Loe against the Angels this season. The other outing was one he would like to forget, as the right-hander surrendered five runs off eight hits in seven innings of work. The poor outing resulted in a loss.
In his brief major league career, Loe has already made 10 appearances against the Angels, six of which were starts, and is 2-4 with a 5.75 ERA.
The Angels will send John Lackey to the hill as the All-Star tries to help Anaheim keep its lead in the AL West. Despite having some shoulder issues, Lackey has been the main source of production for the Angels rotation and comes into this game with a tremendous 11-5 record and an equally-outstanding 2.91 ERA.
The last time the right-hander was on the bump, the Angels defeated the Yankees, 2-1, on July 7. Lackey did not figure in the decision but played a huge role in the win. He tossed eight innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out 11 batters.
In two starts against the Rangers this season the 28-year-old has been sensational, winning both and posting a 2.03 ERA. Surprisingly enough, however, Lackey has not had similar success against the Rangers before this season. In his career, the native Texan is just 8-8 with a lackluster 5.24 ERA in 21 outings against Texas.
In Friday’s series opener, Casey Kotchman’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the Angels over Texas, 2-1.
After Francisco Rodriguez (3-2) worked a hitless top of the ninth, Gary Matthews Jr. legged out a double to open the home half of the frame. Ron Mahay came in to relieve Joaquin Benoit (3-3) and Garret Anderson’s grounder to second moved Matthews to third.
Kotchman then worked the count full before punching a grounder through the right side of the infield that allowed Matthews to trot home.
Matthews finished with two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Angels, who enter today’s play with a three-game lead on Seattle in the AL West standings.
The Angels got a strong start from Kelvim Escobar, who allowed just one run and six hits with a walk and six strikeouts over eight innings. Escobar is 4-0 in seven starts since his last loss, a 6-2 setback to Baltimore on May 31, and has yielded three or less runs in all but one of those appearances.
Matching him nearly pitch-for-pitch was Kevin Millwood, who yielded one run on five hits, with three walks and seven strikeouts over seven innings, in the start for Texas.
Ramon Vazquez knocked in the lone run for the Rangers, who have lost three of five.
Prior to the game, the Rangers activated first baseman Mark Teixeira from the 15-day DL and optioned outfielder Victor Diaz to Triple-A Oklahoma. Teixeira went 1-for-3 with a ground-rule double on Friday.
The Angels have taken eight of the 11 overall meetings between these divisional foes so far this season and swept a three-game set from Texas at home to begin the 2007 campaign. Since the start of the 2005 season, the Rangers have gone just 5-17 at Angel Stadium.
DETROIT TIGERS (53-35) AT SEATTLE MARINERS (50-37), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Detroit - Kenny Rogers (3-0, 1.04) Seattle - Miguel Batista (8-7, 4.54)
Two teams entrenched in a tight battle for their respective divisions will meet again this evening at Safeco Field, where the Seattle Mariners clash with the Detroit Tigers in the third matchup of a four- game installment.
The Tigers, who were edged by Minnesota for the AL Central crown last season, will have to fend off the Cleveland Indians for division supremacy this year. Detroit currently owns just a half-game lead over the Tribe for first place.
Fortunately the Tigers received a big boost right before the break when Kenny Rogers returned to the rotation. Rogers, who will be on the mound tonight, is 3-0 with an outstanding 1.04 ERA in his three outings since coming back from surgery to remove a blood clot in his left arm.
The last time the forever-young Rogers took the hill, he defeated the Indians on July 4. In the victory, the southpaw tossed 5 1/3 innings and surrendered two runs on seven hits and three walks.
At 42 years old, Rogers has had plenty of experience against the Mariners, having made 51 appearances and 27 starts. He has posted a 10-11 record with a 4.40 ERA versus Seattle.
As for the Mariners, they are just three games behind the Angels in the AL West and are also in the thick of things in the Wild Card race.
Toeing the rubber tonight for Seattle will be Miguel Batista. The right-hander has not been very consistent for the Mariners up to this point and is currently 8-7 with a 4.54 ERA.
Batista heads into this contest on a down note, losing three of his last five games. The last time the veteran was on the hill, he suffered a tough 3-2 loss to Oakland on July 5. In the setback the 36-year-old surrendered three runs on six hits in 7 2/3 innings of duty.
He has not had much success against Detroit, posting an 0-2 mark and a 4.30 ERA in seven previous appearances.
On Friday, Gary Sheffield blasted a grand slam in the third inning to help the Tigers to a 6-3 win over the Mariners.
Sean Casey hit a solo home run while Brandon Inge also drove in a run for the Tigers, who have taken six of their last seven games.
Jeremy Bonderman (10-1), a native of Kennewick, Washington, got the win for Detroit after giving up just three runs on six hits with five strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Tigers closer Todd Jones came onto the mound in the ninth to finish the game, but got into a bit of trouble. Seattle had the tying run at the plate with runners at second and third, but Jones got pinch-hitter Ben Broussard to swing at a high fastball for strike three to pick up his 23rd save of the season.
Adrian Beltre went 3-for-4 with a solo home run while Jose Guillen also added a solo shot for the Mariners, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.
Jarrod Washburn (8-7) was tagged with the loss as he gave up five runs — four earned — on seven hits in six innings of work.
Ichiro Suzuki, who finished the game 1-for-4, agreed to terms with Seattle on a five-year contract extension on Friday that will keep him with the team through the 2012 season. The deal is reportedly in the $100 million range.
In other off-the-field news, Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez was handed a one- game suspension by Major League Baseball for arguing with home plate umpire Mike Winters in Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the Mariners. Rodriguez can appeal the penalty and may be in the lineup tonight.
Detroit took two of three from the Mariners back in May and is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings between the teams. The Tigers won five of six games against Seattle in Safeco Field a year ago.
HOUSTON ASTROS (39-51) AT CHICAGO CUBS (45-43), 3:55 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Houston - Roy Oswalt (8-5, 3.53) Chicago - Ted Lilly (8-4, 3.67)
Chicago southpaw Ted Lilly looks for his fifth straight victory when he and the emerging Cubs face All-Star Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros today in the second test of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.
Lilly, who went 4-0 with a no decision in his final five starts before the All-Star break, is more than halfway to his career high of 15 victories that he established last season with the Toronto Blue Jays.
In his last two starts in particular, the 31-year-old Southern California native has allowed just 11 hits and two runs in 14 1/3 innings.
He’s not beaten Houston in two career starts, going 0-1 with a 5.25 earned run average. He got a no decision against the Astros on April 9 after allowing six hits and three runs in six innings of a 5-3 Cubs loss.
Oswalt also won his last start before the break, then got the call to represent the National League in this year’s Midsummer Classic in place of injured veteran John Smoltz.
Last Sunday against the New York Mets, Oswalt earned his eighth win after allowing seven hits and three runs over seven innings of an 8-3 victory.
He’s beaten the Cubs 10 times in his career, going 10-9 in 22 appearances (21 starts) with a 3.77 ERA in 133 2/3 innings.
Oswalt is a two-time 20-game winner, having reached the number in both 2004 and 2005 while going a combined 40-22 in 71 starts for the Astros.
He’ll try to cool down a scorching Chicago club that has won 13 of its last 17 games and pulled within 3 1/2 games of first-place Milwaukee in the NL Central standings.
On Friday, Carlos Zambrano and a pair of relievers combined on a five-hit shutout as the Cubs blanked Houston, 6-0.
Zambrano (11-7) hurled 6 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while walking three and striking out seven. The flame-throwing right-hander became the first NL pitcher to win 11 games this season and is now a sterling 10-5 in his career against Houston.
Carlos Marmol and Bob Howry came on to finish things with a combined 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Cubs, who also won for the 11th time in their last 15 games at Wrigley Field.
Derrek Lee drove in two runs for Chicago while Aramis Ramirez, Jacque Jones and Zambrano each had one RBI.
Carlos Lee finished 2-for-4 for the Astros, who have lost two of their last three. Hunter Pence, Eric Munson and Mark Loretta had the other hits for Houston.
Astros starter Jason Jennings (1-5) surrendered four runs — three earned — on 10 hits while walking one and fanning seven in 5 1/3 innings.
These divisional foes have split four meetings this season, but the Cubs have won eight of the last 11 encounters overall.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (40-46) AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (45-44), 3:55 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: St. Louis - Mike Maroth (0-1, 4.11) Philadelphia - Cole Hamels (10-4, 3.72)
Being on the verge of accomplishing a most dubious lifetime feat appears to have brought out the best of the Philadelphia Phillies. This afternoon the club takes aim at a third consecutive victory when it plays the second test of a three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals from Citizens Bank Park.
With their next defeat, the Phillies will be the first franchise in North American professional sports to lose 10,000 games. The team has been able to stave off the unwanted milestone for close to a week, however.
After recording loss No. 9,999 last Saturday in Colorado, Philadelphia bested the Rockies the following afternoon and then had four days off because of the All-Star break. The Phillies’ offense came out firing on all cylinders after the rest, pounding out a season-high 23 hits in a 13-3 rout of the Cardinals on Friday.
Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins each homered and knocked in three runs to pace Philadelphia’s offensive onslaught. Utley finished with a game-high four hits on the night, while Rollins ended 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
Greg Dobbs also put forth a 4-for-5 performance at the plate for the Phils, while Ryan Howard and Aaron Rowand each collected three hits in the rout.
Phillies starting pitcher Kyle Kendrick also contributed to the offensive fireworks, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI to go along with seven strong innings on the mound. The rookie right-hander allowed just one run on six hits and a walk to run his season record to 4-0.
On the other side, Cards starter Kip Wells (3-12) failed to make it out of the second inning and was rocked for six runs — four earned — and eight hits before departing.
St. Louis’ Albert Pujols snapped a career-long homerless drought with a solo blast in the eighth inning. The All-Star first baseman had gone 77 at-bats without a long ball.
The Cardinals lost for the third time in four games and got a season-long 10- game road trip off to a bad start. The defending world champions will face another tough challenge this afternoon, as Phillies ace Cole Hamels takes the mound fresh off the first All-Star Game appearance of his young career.
Hamels will be attempting to duplicate an outstanding showing in his most recent start, when he limited Houston to a run on eight hits and walked none in seven innings of a July 5 victory at Minute Maid Park. The standout left- hander then turned in a scoreless frame of relief in Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic at San Francisco’s AT&T Park.
The 23-year-old also recorded eight strikeouts against the Astros, and his 124 K’s on the season is just one shy of San Diego’s Jake Peavy’s National League- leading total.
Hamels faced the Cardinals in St. Louis on June 24 and allowed one run over the first three innings before being removed due to a lengthy rain delay. His initial start against the defending world champs was a gem, as Hamels held the Cards to one run and just two hits while racking up 12 strikeouts in seven innings of an 8-1 win at Busch Stadium last August.
Mike Maroth takes another stab at earning his first win as a Cardinal this afternoon. The southpaw is 0-1 with a 4.11 earned run average in three starts since being traded to St. Louis from Detroit last month.
Maroth surrendered just one run over 7 1/3 innings in his Cardinal debut on June 25 but wasn’t nearly as sharp in his next two starts. His most recent outing was a loss to San Francisco on July 6 in which he yielded four runs, only one of which was earned, and walked four in five innings.
The 29-year-old pitched against Philadelphia twice during his tenure in Detroit and is 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA in a combined 13 innings of work. The loss came at Citizens Bank Park during the 2004 campaign, when Maroth gave up three runs over six frames.
Philadelphia has now taken six of their last seven meetings with St. Louis. The Phillies beat the Cardinals twice in a three-game series at Busch Stadium in late June.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (50-40) AT SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (38-49), 3:55 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Los Angeles - Derek Lowe (8-8, 3.12) San Francisco - Matt Morris (7-5, 3.55)
Baseball’s best rivalry on the West Coast has been a one- sided affair lately, at least when the games have been played at San Francisco’s AT&T Park. This afternoon the Los Angeles Dodgers will shoot for a 10th consecutive road victory over the hated Giants when the teams resume a three-game series.
Los Angeles won their final five games at AT&T Park during the 2006 season and swept a three-game set from the Giants in San Francisco in early April. The Dodgers continued their Bay Area success in Friday’s series opener, as Chad Billingsley threw six shutout innings to lead LA to a 9-1 triumph.
The Dodgers broke open a close game by stringing together seven straight hits during a six-run ninth inning. Andre Ethier capped the uprising with a three- run double and finished with three hits in four at-bats.
Russell Martin and James Loney also collected three hits for Los Angeles, which has put together its longest road win streak against a single team since it won 13 in a row at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park from 1976-77.
The Dodgers are now 11-2 at AT&T Park since the start of the 2006 campaign and moved into a first-place tie with San Diego in the National League West with Friday’s win.
Billingsley (6-0) gave up just four hits and walked three to remain unbeaten on the season.
Barry Bonds remained at 751 career homers, four behind Hank Aaron’s all-time mark, as the Giants slugger went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks. Bonds grounded into a double play in the opening inning, then walked in the fourth and sixth before grounding into another double play in the eighth.
The Giants’ offense continued to provide inadequate support for pitcher Matt Cain (3-10), who allowed three runs — two earned — over five frames. San Francisco has scored three runs or less in nine of the young righty’s last 10 outings, and he has gone 1-9 over that span.
Derek Lowe looks to continue the Dodgers’ dominance when he takes the mound this afternoon. The sinker specialist had an otherwise-solid first half end on a down note with a subpar outing against Florida on July 7.
Lowe surrendered five runs (four earned) and a season-high 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings to take the loss against the Marlins. He had given up one earned run or less in six of eight starts prior to that performance.
Brad Penny was initially slated to pitch today’s contest for Los Angeles, but the All-Star right-hander is dealing with a blister problem which has moved his next start back to Monday.
Lowe is 1-1 with a 2.57 earned run average in two starts against the Giants this season and tossed seven innings of one-run ball to defeat San Francisco at AT&T Park on April 7. In nine lifetime starts against today’s opponent, Lowe is 3-5 with a 3.60 ERA.
The 34-year-old has also handled Bonds well throughout his career, as the seven-time MVP is 0-for-8 with two walks against him.
Lowe will be opposed this afternoon by the struggling Matt Morris, who carries a four-start winless streak into the contest. The veteran righty compiled a 7-3 record and a 2.56 ERA over his first 13 starts of 2007, but has gone 0-2 with a 7.54 ERA since that good beginning.
Morris’ struggles continued in Cincinnati on July 5, when he surrendered six runs in six innings of a 6-3 loss to the Reds.
The 32-year-old has pitched well at AT&T Park this season, bringing a 3-1 record with a 2.60 ERA in eight home starts into today’s tilt, and owns a victory over Los Angeles back on April 24. Morris held the Dodgers to three runs on six hits over six innings in that game.
For his career Morris is 4-5 with a 5.24 ERA in 14 lifetime games (12 starts) against Los Angeles.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS (37-52) AT FLORIDA MARLINS (42-48), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Washington - Matt Chico (4-5, 4.39) Florida - Sergio Mitre (3-4, 2.85)
Precocious lefty Matt Chico hopes to continue a sterling pre-All-Star break stretch tonight, when the Washington Nationals visit Dolphin Stadium for the second of three weekend games with the host Florida Marlins.
Chico, a former third-round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks who turned 23 last month, was 1-0 with a pair of no decisions in his final three starts before the break, allowing just one run and 14 hits in 19 innings.
Before that outstanding run, he had not won since a six-inning effort against Atlanta back on May 17.
Chico has made three starts against the Marlins already this season, losing one and getting a pair of no decisions. Overall against Florida, he’s allowed 19 hits and 12 runs in 13 innings.
A four-inning stint against the Marlins at RFK Stadium on April 4 was Chico’s major-league debut.
Right-hander Sergio Mitre goes for Florida tonight in search of a second straight win. The 26-year-old Californian beat the Los Angeles Dodgers his last time out, scattering 11 hits and allowing two runs in seven innings of a 7-2 victory on July 7.
Prior to that win, he had gone 0-2 with five no decisions in his previous seven starts.
Mitre has faced the Nationals five times - starting once - and posted an 0-1 record with a 7.00 earned run average against Washington.
On Friday, Dmitri Young had a three-run double and four total RBI, while Austin Kearns went 2-for-5 and drove in three runs as the Nationals outlasted the Marlins, 14-10.
Ronnie Belliard went 3-for-6 with two RBI for the Nationals, who have three straight games and four of their last six.
Washington starter Jason Bergmann was handed an 8-1 lead but couldn’t notch the win, as he was ripped for seven hits and eight runs in 4 1/3 innings. Saul Rivera (3-2) earned the win after allowing three hits and a run in 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Florida’s Dontrelle Willis (7-8) did not fit the billing of an ace, as he let up eight hits and eight runs, only three of which were earned, and made a costly error before exiting after just 3 2/3 innings.
Alfredo Amezaga went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBI for the Marlins, while Josh Willingham smacked a three-run shot in defeat.
The Nationals have won four straight against the Marlins and hold a 6-4 advantage in the 2007 series. Florida, though, has won seven of the last 10 meetings at Dolphin Stadium.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES (40-49) AT ATLANTA BRAVES (48-42), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Pittsburgh - Tom Gorzelanny (9-4, 3.10) Atlanta - Chuck James (8-7, 3.96)
Breakout lefty Tom Gorzelanny goes for a fourth consecutive win when the Pittsburgh Pirates head to Turner Field tonight for the middle matchup of a three-game weekend encounter with the Atlanta Braves.
Gorzelanny, who had just two big-league wins in 14 appearances heading into this season, notched his ninth win of 2007 on July 5 with seven innings of four-hit, three-run ball in a 6-3 defeat of National League Central-leading Milwaukee.
He’s 3-0 with a no decision since his last loss, which came in an interleague game against Texas on June 14.
The former second-round draft pick, who turned 25 this week, has never faced the Braves, but he is 5-2 in nine road starts this year with a 3.10 earned run average in 58 innings.
Atlanta native Chuck James goes for a third straight win for the Braves this evening. The 25-year-old lefty, a 20th-round draft pick in 2002, won his last two starts before the All-Star break, including a July 4 defeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers in which he gave up four hits and a run in five innings.
On June 29, James allowed four hits and a run over 6 1/3 innings while downing Florida, 12-3.
James impressively won his lone career start against Pittsburgh on May 12, surrendering just one hit over seven innings at PNC Park in the Braves’ 9-2 triumph.
On Friday, Brian McCann hit a pair of homers and drove in four runs as the Braves pounded the Pirates, 9-1.
Edgar Renteria drove in a pair of runs while Tim Hudson (9-5) gave up just five hits in seven shutout innings of work for the Braves, who have won five of their last six games. Hudson also drove in a run and scored once.
Atlanta’s surge, coupled with the recent struggles of the Mets, has moved the Braves within 1 1/2 games of New York’s lead atop the NL East.
Pittsburgh starter Ian Snell (7-6) was pounded for seven runs (four earned) on eight hits in five-plus innings of work. The right-hander served up three home runs on the evening.
The Braves took two of three over the Pirates in Pittsburgh from May 11-13. The clubs split six games last year.
COLORADO ROCKIES (45-44) AT MILWAUKEE BREWERS (49-40), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Rodrigo Lopez (5-2, 4.83) Milwaukee - Ben Sheets (10-4, 3.41)
With their grasp on first place in the National League Central standings beginning to slip away, the Milwaukee Brewers will turn to their ace in tonight’s middle test of a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies from Miller Park.
After dropping a 10-6 decision to the Rockies in Friday’s opener, Milwaukee has now lost three in a row and six of its last seven games and has seen its once-sizeable lead in the division shrink significantly. The red-hot Chicago Cubs have moved within 3 1/2 games of the Brewers after ripping off 13 victories in their last 17 contests.
Luckily for the Brewers, Sheets has been awfully tough to beat in Milwaukee this season. The All-Star righty brings a 6-1 record with a 2.64 earned run average in eight Miller Park starts this season into tonight’s matchup and has won each of his last four outings at home.
Sheets didn’t display his usual form in his most recent start, however, as he had a personal streak of six consecutive winning decisions snapped with a 6-3 loss at Pittsburgh on July 5.
The 28-year-old was touched for five runs and eight hits, including two home runs, in six innings of work against the Pirates. It marked only the fourth time in 18 2007 starts that he allowed three or more runs in a game.
Sheets did rebound to throw a scoreless inning of relief in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
The Louisiana native is 4-3 with a 4.73 ERA in seven career games against Colorado. In his only start versus the Rockies in 2006, Sheets threw seven innings of one-run ball in a 7-1 Milwaukee victory last August.
He’ll be facing a potent Colorado lineup that slugged three home runs in last night’s win. Troy Tulowitzki and Yorvit Torrealba each belted two-run shots in the fifth inning, while All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday had a solo blast later in the game.
Torrealba finished 3-for-4 to lead the Rockies to their sixth victory in seven games. Todd Helton and starting pitcher Jeff Francis each contributed two-run doubles to the winning effort.
Francis (9-5) also picked up the win despite surrendering six runs over the first five innings. Three of his seven hits allowed were home runs.
Ryan Braun smacked a pair of homers and compiled four RBI for the Brewers and Prince Fielder hit his NL-leading 30th round-tripper of the season in the loss.
Carlos Villanueva (6-1) took the loss after yielding five runs in three innings in relief of Chris Capuano, who also gave up five runs over the first three frames before exiting.
The Rockies will hand the ball tonight to Rodrigo Lopez, who bounced back after back-to-back poor outings to defeat Philadelphia on July 7. The former Baltimore Oriole allowed three first-inning runs to the Phillies, then shut the club out over the remainder of his five-frame stint to help the Rockies to a 6-3 decision.
Lopez had yielded a combined 14 runs and 17 hits over 8 2/3 innings in road losses to the Cubs and Astros heading into that game. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 7.06 ERA in four away starts this season.
This will be Lopez’s third career start against Milwaukee but his first at Miller Park. He went 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA over 13 total innings versus the Brewers while with Baltimore.
Last night’s contest was the first meeting between Colorado and Milwaukee this season. The Brewers were 4-2 against the Rockies in 2006, winning all three games at Miller Park. Milwaukee also swept the Rockies at home in three games in 2005.
CINCINNATI REDS (37-53) AT NEW YORK METS (49-40), 7:30 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cincinnati - Matt Belisle (5-6, 5.28) New York - Tom Glavine (7-6, 4.36)
Tom Glavine will attempt to inch closer to achieving one of baseball’s most coveted pitching milestones when he takes the Shea Stadium mound this evening. More importantly, the 41-year-old has a chance to give the New York Mets a much-needed victory over the Cincinnati Reds when the teams resume a four-game series tonight.
New York has gone in a tailspin so far in July, as the club has dropped seven of 10 games for the month and had its lead atop the National League East reduced. Following Friday’s 8-4 loss to the Reds and Atlanta’s 9-1 win over Pittsburgh, the Braves have moved within 1 1/2 games of the Mets in the division standings.
The Reds got off to a quick start in last night’s triumph, as the first three Cincinnati hitters reached base before Brandon Phillips belted a grand slam for an early 4-0 lead.
Phillips ended 3-for-5 and tied a career-high with six RBI to lead the Reds to their fifth triumph in six games. The second baseman is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak and is batting .366 (15-for-41) during the run.
Alex Gonzalez contributed two hits and a pair of RBI to the winning effort, while Aaron Harang (10-2) won his fifth consecutive decision after allowing three runs and striking out eight in six innings of work.
The Mets’ John Maine (10-5) wasn’t nearly as effective in his first start of the second half. The young righty was tagged for a season-high seven runs — four earned — on six hits over 4 2/3 innings, tying his shortest outing of the season.
New York hopes to get a sharper performance tonight out of Glavine, who takes his third crack at earning career victory No. 298. The two-time Cy Young winner had a solid start his last time out, as he limited Houston to three runs on five hits over seven innings on July 7. He did not factor in the decision, however, of a game the Mets wound up winning in 17 innings.
A return to Shea Stadium could get Glavine one step closer to his goal of 300 wins, as he is 4-1 with a 3.29 earned run average in eight home starts this season. In his last two home outings, the veteran lefty yielded only one run over a combined 14 innings in back-to-back victories over Oakland and St. Louis in late June.
Glavine has also excelled when facing the Reds over the course of his long career, having amassed a 26-12 record with a 3.40 ERA in 47 total starts against Cincinnati.
Toeing the rubber for the Reds tonight will be Matt Belisle, who will be trying to halt a six-start winless streak. The right-hander has two losses and four no decisions over that stretch, as well as an ugly ERA of 7.44.
Belisle’s struggles continued against San Francisco on July 4, as he was touched for five runs over four innings of a 9-5 loss. It marked the third time in four starts he has not been able to pitch into the sixth inning.
The converted reliever does own a 4-1 record with a 4.59 ERA on the road this season, however. Belisle has faced the Mets one time previously, a scoreless 1 2/3-inning stint during the 2005 season.
New York held a slim 4-3 edge over the Reds in the 2006 season series, with the teams splitting four games at home. The Mets have won four of their last six games against Cincinnati.
SAN DIEGO PADRES (49-39) AT ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (48-43), 9:40 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: San Diego - Chris Young (8-3, 2.00) Arizona - Livan Hernandez (5-5, 4.54)
After opening their second half of the season with a crucial victory, the Arizona Diamondbacks try to make it two wins in a row over the San Diego Padres when the National League West rivals continue a three-game set tonight at Chase Field.
After running neck-and-neck with the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in the race for first place in the division for most of this campaign, Arizona fell off the pace with a poor finish to its first half. The Diamondbacks lost eight of their last nine games, including their final five contests, heading into the All-Star break.
Arizona appeared to be refocused in Friday’s series opener, as the club continued its run of success against Greg Maddux with an 8-3 victory.
Jeff Salazar led the charge with three hits in four at-bats, and the Arizona rookie also made a highlight-reel catch in the fifth inning to rob Brian Giles of a home run. Eric Byrnes finished 3-for-5 with an RBI single for the Diamondbacks, who pounded out 15 hits on the evening.
Maddux (7-7) gave up nine hits and four runs in four innings. The future Hall- of-Famer, who has 340 career wins, fell to 1-10 lifetime against the D-Backs, the only National League team that the four-time Cy Young Award winner has a losing record against.
Arizona starter Doug Davis (6-10) scattered five hits and two runs over six innings to pick up the win.
Kevin Kouzmanoff went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, while Jose Cruz also homered for the Padres, who have dropped four of five and fell into a first- place tie with Los Angeles atop the NL West.
The Diamondbacks stand 2 1/2 games behind the division leaders and will be attempting to win back-to-back games for the first time since defeating Baltimore on June 23 and 24. It won’t be an easy task, however, since Arizona will have to go up against All-Star hurler Chris Young this evening.
Young earned the final spot on the NL roster for this year’s Midsummer Classic by compiling an 8-3 record and a major league-leading 2.00 earned run average through 17 first-half starts. The towering righty has been on a remarkable recent run, having posted a 3-0 record and a microscopic 1.03 ERA over his last seven outings. Young did not allow a single run in five of those appearances.
The Princeton product was dominant again in his most recent start, firing seven shutout frames in a July 4 no decision against Florida. Young added nine strikeouts and has fanned 29 batters in 20 innings over his last three games.
Young did not fare well in a start at Chase Field back in April, however. He was tagged for six runs (five earned) over 5 1/3 innings and took the loss in San Diego’s 7-4 setback. In three overall starts against Arizona, Young is 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA.
NL All-Star starter Jake Peavy was originally supposed to pitch tonight’s game, but the right-hander is dealing with a sore biceps muscle and has been moved back to Tuesday.
Livan Hernandez gets the call tonight for Arizona and hopes to end a string of seven starts without a win. The veteran righty has three losses and four no decisions since defeating Houston on May 27.
Hernandez hasn’t pitched that poorly over the stretch. In his most recent start, the Cuban defector held St. Louis to three runs over seven innings in a no decision on July 4. Five days earlier, Hernandez tossed eight frames of three-run ball but did not factor in the decision of an Arizona win at San Francisco.
The 32-year-old went 1-1 with a 7.50 ERA in two early-season starts against the Padres, with the win coming against Young at Chase Field on April 26. He is an impressive 10-3 with a 3.77 ERA in 19 lifetime starts versus San Diego.
Arizona has won four of the six meetings between these NL West rivals this season and took two of three from the Padres at Chase Field in April.
