Saturday, July 28th (All times eastern)
DETROIT TIGERS (60-42) AT LA ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (59-42), 3:55 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Detroit - Andrew Miller (5-3, 3.78) LA Angels - Joe Saunders (4-0, 2.89)
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim gun for their third straight win today, as they continue their three-game series with the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium.
On Friday, Chone Figgins went 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored and Gary Matthews Jr. finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, as the Angels defeated the Tigers, 11-6, in the series’ opener.
Maicer Izturis drove in three runs for the Angels, who have won two in a row and three of five.
Jered Weaver (7-5) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on 11 hits, while walking one and striking out three.
Placido Polanco tied a career-high for hits, going 5-for-5 with a homer, and Curtis Granderson also homered for the Tigers, who have lost two in a row and four of five.
Nate Robertson (6-8) was tagged for eight runs on 10 hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Trying to get the Tigers back on track today will be rookie Andrew Miller, who is coming off a rough outing against the Chicago White Sox on Monday. In that game, the 22-year-old left-hander was tagged for five earned runs and a career-high 10 hits in just 4 2/3 innings of a no-decision.
Miller, who has never faced the Angels before, is an even 2-2 with a 3.71 ERA in five starts away from home this season.
Joe Saunders counters for the Angels and he will look to solidify his spot in the starting rotation. The young left-hander has been called upon for emergency starts several times this season and he has fared well, winning four straight decisions and allowing three runs or fewer in five of his starts.
In his last start on Sunday, Saunders held the Minnesota Twins to just two earned runs and six hits over seven innings of a 7-2 victory. It was another solid performance by Saunders, who was just 4-7 with a 5.11 ERA in 14 starts for Triple-A Salt Lake City this season.
Saunders made his first and only career appearance against the Tigers last September, yielding one earned run and five hits in 7 1/3 innings of work. He fanned five, but did not factor in the decision.
Detroit and Anaheim have split six prior meetings this season. The Angels, however, are 21-12 against the Tigers since the start of the 2004 season.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (49-54) AT SEATTLE MARINERS (55-46), 4:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Chad Gaudin (8-5, 3.66) Seattle - Horacio Ramirez (5-3, 6.75)
With their longest losing streak of the season now behind them, the Seattle Mariners will try to continue their run at first place today, as they resume a four-game series with the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field.
Last night, Felix Hernandez struck out seven batters over seven solid innings, as the Mariners snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 7-1 victory. Jose Guillen homered for the Mariners, who sit four games back of the Los Angeles Angels for first place in the AL West. Jose Vidro and Ichiro Suzuki both had a pair of hits, scored twice, and drove in a run.
Hernandez (7-6) snapped a two-start losing streak by allowing just one run on seven hits while walking only two.
Nick Swisher homered for the Athletics, who have lost two of their last three. Mark Kotsay ended 2-for-4 in the loss.
Dallas Braden (1-6) allowed seven runs - four earned - on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts over four frames for Oakland.
Chad Gaudin will toe the rubber for the A’s today and he is in desperate need of a solid start. The young right-hander has struggled greatly over his last three starts, going 0-2 with a 9.88 ERA and 17 walks in 13 2/3 innings. On Monday, Gaudin was reached for five earned runs and six hits in just 3 2/3 innings of an eventual 12-6 win over the Angels.
In his career versus the Mariners, Gaudin is 2-0 with a 4.85 ERA in 10 games, three starts. In his only start versus Seattle this season, Gaudin surrendered two earned runs and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings of a 3-2 triumph on July 5th.
Countering for the Mariners will be Horacio Ramirez, who is coming off one of his worst starts of the season in an 8-7 loss to the Texas Rangers on Monday. In that contest, the left-hander was tagged for eight earned runs and 11 hits in just 4 2/3 innings of work.
Ramirez, however, has been dominant at home this season, winning all five of his starts while posting a 2.27 ERA over that period.
Ramirez is 1-0 with a 7.59 ERA in two career starts versus the A’s, but he has not faced them since 2005.
The Athletics dominated last year’s season series with Seattle, taking 17 of the 19 meetings between the divisional foes. The Mariners have had the upper hand this year, though, having won eight of the 11 matchups thus far.
Oakland has compiled a 16-8 record at Safeco Field since the start of the 2005 campaign.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (51-51) AT CHICAGO WHITE SOX (47-56), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Toronto - Roy Halladay (11-4, 4.15) Chicago - Mark Buehrle (7-6, 3.23)
In what should be a pitcher’s duel, the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Chicago White Sox in the second tilt of a three-game series at U.S. Cellular Field tonight.
The Blue Jays will send their ace Roy Halladay to the hill tonight, while the White Sox will counter with their top pitcher, Mark Buehrle. These two pitchers locked horns back on May 31st, with Toronto posting a 2-0 win. Halladay yielded six hits over seven scoreless innings for the win, while Buehrle allowed just two solo homers in a complete game effort.
Halladay appears to be ready for a repeat effort, as he is coming off a dominant outing against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. In that game, the right-hander tossed a three-hit complete game shutout in an 8-0 triumph.
Halladay, who is 2-2 with a 3.08 ERA in seven career starts against the White Sox, has struggled a bit on the road this season, going 4-3 with a 5.25 ERA.
While Halladay appears to be on the rise, the same can’t be said about Buehrle, who was pounded for a season-high seven earned runs and 14 hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 9-6 loss against the Detroit Tigers on Monday. It was the first time since June 5th that the left-hander had allowed more than two earned runs in a game.
In nine career appearances, including eight starts, versus Toronto, Buehrle is an even 2-2 with a 3.52 ERA.
Last night, Juan Uribe’s two-out, two-run double in the sixth put Chicago on top, and it held on for a 4-3 win over Toronto the series opener. Jermaine Dye went 3-for-4 with a solo homer for the White Sox, who have won four out of five.
Jon Garland (8-7) gave up 10 hits, but only three runs in 7 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking one. Bobby Jenks pitched the scoreless ninth for his 29th save.
Reed Johnson went 4-for-5 for the Blue Jays, who saw their five-game winning streak come to an end.
Josh Towers (5-7) gave up seven hits and four runs with five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
The Blue Jays and White Sox met in Toronto from May 31-June 3, with the Blue Jays winning three of four. Chicago held a slight 5-4 edge in the series last year.
NEW YORK YANKEES (55-48) AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES (48-54), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: New York - Roger Clemens (3-4, 3.72) Baltimore - Brian Burres (4-4, 4.33)
Roger Clemens looks to give New York another solid start tonight, as the Yankees continue their series with the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Clemens has been sharp for the Yankees this season, although he has just a 3-4 record to show for it. Still, the 24 year veteran has allowed three earned runs or fewer in six of his nine starts this season, while holding batters to just a .239 average.
In his last start on Monday, Clemens held the Kansas City Royals to two earned runs and four hits over seven strong innings of a 9-2 triumph. The right-hander didn’t surrender a single walk in picking up his first win in four road starts this season.
Clemens has fared well in his career versus the Orioles, going 22-13 with a 3.48 ERA in 50 starts. Earlier this season, however, Clemens was reached for four earned runs and seven hits in six innings of a 4-0 loss to Baltimore on June 27th.
Getting the nod for the Orioles tonight will be Brian Burres, who is trying to end a personal two-game slide. The left-hander was last on the hill on July 16th, when he allowed four earned runs and nine hits in six innings of a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
In his career versus the Yankees, Burres is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in three relief appearances.
Burres will try to duplicate the efforts of last night’s starter Jeremy Guthrie, who hurled six solid innings in a 4-2 win over New York.
Guthrie (7-3) allowed just two runs on six hits to win his third straight start for the Orioles, who have beaten New York five of seven times this season.
Ramon Hernandez was 3-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs for Baltimore while Jay Gibbons was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Alex Rodriguez, who was celebrating his 32nd birthday, finished 0-for-2 with a run scored and remained stuck on 499 career homers. Rodriguez is vying to become the youngest man in major league history to reach 500 home runs.
Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano each drove in a run for New York.
Andy Pettitte (6-7) was the hard-luck loser for the Yankees, who are now eight games behind Boston in the AL East and five games behind Cleveland in the wild card race. The left-hander surrendered three runs on eight hits in seven innings.
It wasn’t all bad for the Yankees, however. Before the clubs began their regularly scheduled game, they finished a contest that was suspended on June 28 in the top of the eighth inning with the Yankees leading 8-6. New York held on in that one for an 8-7 win when Mariano Rivera nailed things down despite a shaky ninth inning.
The Orioles won the first two tests of that late June series with the Bronx Bombers at Camden Yards prior to last night’s games. The Yankees went 7-3 in Baltimore last season.
MINNESOTA TWINS (51-51) AT CLEVELAND INDIANS (60-43), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Minnesota - Johan Santana (11-8, 2.94) Cleveland - Jake Westbrook (1-6, 6.20)
The struggling Minnesota Twins will attempt to snap a season-high five-game losing streak tonight, as they take on the Cleveland Indians in the second contest of a three-game series at Jacobs Field.
On Friday, Jhonny Peralta hit a three-run and a two- run home run as Cleveland pounded Minnesota 10-4. Josh Barfield went 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while newly- acquired Kenny Lofton finished 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Indians, who had lost three of four coming into the game.
Paul Byrd (9-4) got the win as he gave up four runs on 10 hits in seven-plus innings of work.
Jason Kubel hit a two-run home run while Justin Morneau went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for the Twins, who have dropped eight of their last 10 outings to fall well back of Detroit and Cleveland in the AL Central standings. The Twins now sit nine games behind the first-place Tigers, who lead the Indians by a 1/2 game at the moment.
Boof Bonser (5-7) dropped his fifth straight decision as he gave up six runs — four earned — on nine hits in just 2 2/3 innings of work, his shortest outing of the season.
The Twins will turn to their ace, Johan Santana, to get them back on track tonight. The dominant left-hander, however, has dropped two straight starts and is coming off his worst outing of the season in a 6-4 loss at Toronto on Monday. In that game, Santana yielded a season-high six earned runs and seven hits in just five innings of work. He surrendered four home runs and struck out just four in the setback.
Santana, who is 7-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 11 road starts this season, is an incredible 41-6 with a 2.16 ERA in 62 second-half starts since the 2003 season.
In his career versus Cleveland, Santana is 7-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 26 appearances, 16 starts. Santana, however, is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA in two starts against the Indians this season.
Jake Westbrook gets the starting nod for the Indians tonight and he is in search of his first win in more than three months. The right-hander, who missed seven weeks between May and June because of a strained abdominal muscle, hasn’t won since defeating the Baltimore Orioles on April 27th. Since that win, Westbrook has gone 0-4 with a 5.03 ERA in seven starts.
In his last start on Monday, Westbrook was tagged for five earned runs and 10 hits in six innings of a 6-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The loss dropped him to 1-3 at home, where has posted a 4.42 ERA over seven starts this season.
Westbrook has made 14 lifetime starts against Minnesota, going 6-8 with a 3.65 ERA over that span.
Cleveland has won all six encounters with the Twins this season. The teams will also face one another four times at the Metrodome from August 3-6.
BOSTON RED SOX (63-40) AT TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (38-64), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Boston - Jon Lester (1-0, 3.00) Tampa Bay - James Shields (8-6, 4.44)
The Boston Red Sox will try to send the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to their eighth straight loss tonight, as the two teams resume a three- game series at Tropicana Field.
On Friday, Tim Wakefield allowed one run over six innings and Kevin Youkilis hit a three-run homer as Boston picked up a 7-1 win. Coco Crisp drove in two runs and Manny Ramirez had two hits for the Red Sox, who have won seven of eight.
Wakefield (12-9) surrendered six hits and three walks with seven strikeouts.
Tampa Bay starter Jason Hammel (1-1) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on just one hit and two walks while striking out four.
Akinori Iwamura and BJ Upton had two hits apiece and Dioner Navarro also had two hits with an RBI for the Devil Rays, who have lost seven in a row and 24 of 29.
Tampa Bay will try to end their losing ways by sending James Shields to the hill tonight. The right-hander, however, has struggled greatly of late, going 2-6 with a 7.26 ERA in eight outings since June 15th. On Sunday, Shields put forth the worst effort of his career, yielding 10 earned runs and 10 hits in just 3 1/3 innings of a 21-4 loss to the New York Yankees.
In two career starts versus Boston, Shields is 0-1 with a 6.10 ERA.
Getting the call for the Red Sox will be Jon Lester, who is set to make his second start since returning from a fight with cancer. In his debut on Monday, the young left-hander allowed just two earned runs and five hits over six strong innings of a 6-2 win over the Cleveland Indians. He struck out six and walked three in the triumph.
Lester, who went 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 15 starts for the Red Sox last season, has never faced Tampa Bay in his brief career.
While Boston has dominated Tampa Bay at home in the series, going 27-5 against them at Fenway since the start of the 2004 season, the club is just 14-15 in St. Petersburg over that same span.
True to form, the Red Sox swept a three-game set against the Devil Rays at home from July 3-5.
TEXAS RANGERS (46-57) AT KANSAS CITY ROYALS (45-57), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Texas - Kevin Millwood (7-8, 5.56) Kansas City - Odalis Perez (5-9, 5.80)
A couple of teams residing at the bottom of their respective division standings meet up at Kauffman Stadium tonight, as the Texas Rangers do battle with the Kansas City Royals in the second contest of a three-game series.
Neither team has had much success this season with the Rangers bringing up the rear in the AL West and the Royals doing the same in the AL Central.
These two teams met for the first time this season on Friday, a game won by the Royals 6-1.
Mark Grudzielanek had three hits, drove in a run, and scored a run, while Ross Gload went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the win. Billy Butler homered for the Royals, who won their second straight.
Brian Bannister (7-6) scattered four hits with six strikeouts and two walks over seven innings for KC. The rookie right-hander has won his last two starts, scattering eight hits and just one run in 14 innings.
Sammy Sosa homered for Texas, which had a four-game winning streak snapped. He recorded the only run, and was the lone Ranger with two hits.
Jamey Wright (3-3), who posted back-to-back wins for Texas before control problems plagued him the last time out, allowed five runs on 10 hits with four walks and two strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings.
Getting the call for the Rangers tonight will be Kevin Millwood, who is 3-1 with a 2.51 ERA in five starts this month. On Monday, the right-hander gave up four earned runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-7 triumph over the Seattle Mariners.
In his career against the Royals, Millwood is 3-2 with a 3.13 ERA in five starts. He has yet to lose at Kauffman Stadium in his career, posting a 3-0 mark with a 2.25 ERA in three starts.
Odalis Perez will get the nod for the Royals tonight, but that may not be a good thing considering he is 0-5 with a 6.17 ERA over his last eight home starts. Those struggles continued on Monday, when he was reached for four earned runs and eight hits over seven innings of a 9-2 loss to the New York Yankees.
The left-hander has never faced the Rangers in his major league career.
This series marks the first meeting between the Royals and Rangers in 2007. Both clubs split six games last year.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS (44-58) AT NEW YORK METS (57-45), 12:10 P.M. & 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Game One: Washington - Tim Redding (1-2, 2.92) New York - Orlando Hernandez (6-4, 3.14)
Game Two: Washington - Joel Hanrahan (0-0.0.00) New York - Mike Pelfrey (0-7, 6.12)
The New York Mets try to get back in the win column today when the play a day/night doubleheader against the Washington Nationals at Shea Stadium.
The Mets dropped their second straight game in the opener of this four-game set on Friday, as Mike Bacsik pitched seven strong innings, leading the Nationals to a 6-2 win.
Bacsik (4-6) scattered eight hits and allowed two runs with no strikeouts and one walk. Ryan Church and Austin Kearns each homered for the Nationals, who have won four of six.
Jorge Sosa (7-6) let up a season-high nine hits and five runs in six innings of work.
Moises Alou returned to left field for the Mets. Alou, who had been sidelined since May 17 with a strained left quad, went 1-for-4 with a double and scored a run for New York, which had won five of six before its current slide.
The Mets continued to be without centerfielder Carlos Beltran, who missed his third straight game with a strained abdomen. Beltran will likely miss today’s doubleheader and could be headed to the disabled list.
Orlando Hernandez gets the call for the Mets in the first game. Hernandez, who is 6-4 with a 3.14 earned run average on the season, picked up a no decision on Sunday against Los Angeles, as he allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings.
Hernandez lost to the Nats earlier in the year and is 2-2 lifetime against them with a 3.72 ERA in four starts.
Opposing him will be right-hander Tim Redding, who is 1-2 with a 2.92 ERA. Redding, who is 1-0 lifetime versus the Mets, was impressive against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, but did not get a decision. Redding scattered five hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings of his team’s 3-0 win.
Mike Pelfrey will take the hill for the Mets in the nightcap, as he searches for his first win of the season. The right-hander, who is 0-7 with a 6.12 ERA, will be starting for the first time since July 6, when he allowed four runs over six innings in a 4-0 loss at Houston.
Pelfrey, who hasn’t won since July 18, 2006, did not receive a decision in his only career appearance against the Nationals on April 13, allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Toeing the rubber for the Nationals tonight will be 26-year-old righty Joel Hanrahan, who will be making his major league debut. Hanrahan, taking the place of the injured Jason Bergmann, was 5-4 with a 3.70 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings for Triple-A Columbus this season.
The Mets and Nationals have split six meetings so far in the season.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (57-46) AT ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (46-53), 1:10 P.M. & 8:10 P.M
Probable Starting Pitchers: Game One: Milwaukee - Manny Parra (0-0, 3.86) St. Louis - Brad Thompson (6-4, 4.93)
Game Two: Milwaukee - Chris Capuano (5-6, 4.64) St. Louis - Anthony Reyes (0-10, 6.40)
The Milwaukee Brewers hope to stay on the winning track this evening when they continue their four-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals with a day/night doubleheader at Busch Stadium.
The doubleheader was scheduled to make up for an April 13 rainout.
Milwaukee’s offense got this series off on the right note on Friday, as Corey Hart had three hits, including a homer, and knocked in two runs to lead the Brewers to a 12-2 win.
Bill Hall also had three hits and two RBI, J.J. Hardy drove in two runs and Tony Graffanino knocked in three for the Brewers, who had 19 hits, snapped a two-game skid and widened their lead to three games over the Chicago Cubs atop the NL Central.
Kevin Mench added four hits and scored three times in the win.
Claudio Vargas (9-2) picked up the win and allowed nine hits and two runs in eight innings, while walking one and fanning eight. Scott Linebrink, acquired from the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, threw the final inning for Milwaukee.
Mike Maroth (0-4) was charged with 11 hits and seven runs over four-plus innings to suffer the loss.
Gary Bennett drove in both runs for the Cardinals, losers in three of their last four games overall and five of six to the Brewers this season.
Heading to the hill in game one for the Brewers will be lefty Manny Parra, who will be making his first ever start. Parra has made two relief appearances this season and has pitched to a 3.86 earned run average in those outings.
Opposing the rookie will be righty Brad Thompson, who is 6-4 with a 4.93 ERA. Thompson received a no-decision on Sunday against Atlanta, as he allowed two runs and six hits in six innings of his team’s 7-2 win.
Thompson will be starting against the Brewers for the first time in his career this afternoon, but has faced them 13 times out of the bullpen without recording a decision.
In the nightcap Milwaukee will pin its hopes on left-hander Chris Capuano, who is winless since beating the Washington Nationals back on May 7. Capuano, though, has pitched well in his last two starts, but has nothing to show for it. Against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday Capuano allowed a run on seven hits in eight innings, but did not factor in the decision of his team’s 2-1 loss.
Capuano, who is 5-6 with a 4.64 ERA, is 4-3 lifetime against the Cards with a 5.14 ERA.
St. Louis will recall Anthony Reyes from Triple-A to start the second game. Reyes was 0-10 with a 6.40 ERA before being sent to Memphis. He has dropped 12 straight decisions dating back to last season, matching Bill Kissinger’s franchise record set from 1896-97.
Reyes has faced the Brewers six times (five starts) in his young career and is 2-2 with a 4.94 ERA against them.
ATLANTA BRAVES (54-50) AT ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (57-48), 3:55 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Atlanta - John Smoltz (10-5, 2.78) Arizona - Doug Davis (7-10, 4.13)
The Arizona Diamondbacks go for their eighth straight win this afternoon when they play the middle contest of a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field.
Arizona won in dramatic fashion once again on Friday, as Tony Clark led off the bottom of the 11th inning with a game-winning home run to lift the Diamondbacks to an 8-7 victory.
Clark, who came into the game in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter, went down and golfed a 2-2 pitch from Wilfredo Ledezma (0-2) over the wall in left for his 10th home run of the year. It was the first right-handed home run for the switch hitter this year and also the first home run Ledezma has allowed all season.
Stephen Drew, Eric Byrnes, who won Thursday’s game with a walk-off homer, and Chris Young also homered for the streaking Diamondbacks, who have won eight of 10.
Yusmeiro Petit started on the hill and allowed five runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings of work. Edgar Gonzalez (4-2) earned the win with two innings of perfect relief.
The ageless Julio Franco was 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Brian McCann finished 1-for-5 with a two-run double for the Braves, who lost their third straight game.
Doug Davis gets the call for the Diamondbacks today, as he tries to win his third straight decision. Davis picked up the win on Monday against Florida, as he allowed three runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings to run his record to 7-10 to go along with a 4.13 ERA.
Davis has made two career starts against the Braves, but had not recorded a decision, despite pitching to a 2.25 ERA in those outings.
Atlanta will counter with 40-year-old right-hander John Smoltz, who is 10-5 with a 2.78 ERA. Smoltz earned the victory on Monday against Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants, as he allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits in seven innings.
Smoltz is 2-2 lifetime against the D-Backs with three saves and a 3.46 ERA in 12 games, five of which have been starts.
The Diamondbacks dominated the season series last year, winning six of seven over Atlanta. However, the Braves’ lone win came in Arizona.
SAN DIEGO PADRES (55-47) AT HOUSTON ASTROS (45-58), 3:55 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: San Diego - Greg Maddux (7-7, 4.19) Houston - Roy Oswalt (9-6, 3.80)
Roy Oswalt tries to continue his dominance of the San Diego Padres this afternoon when the Houston Astros play the third game of their four-game series against them at Minute Maid Park.
Oswalt has faced the Padres nine times (seven starts) in his career and is 6-1 against them with a 2.44 earned run average. He did not meet them last season, but was 2-0 with a sparkling 1.80 ERA against them in 2005.
The 29-year-old right-hander, whose last scheduled outing was skipped due to an upper chest injury, is 9-6 this season and is coming off a win in his last start on July 20 in Pittsburgh. Oswalt allowed a run on seven hits in six innings of that one, as he lowered his ERA on the season to 3.80.
San Diego will counter with future Hall-of-Famer Greg Maddux, who is 7-7 with a 4.19 ERA this season. Maddux did not factor in the decision of his team’s 7-5 loss on Monday in Colorado, as he surrendered two runs and five hits in six innings.
Maddux is 26-14 lifetime against the Astros with a 2.77 ERA in 48 games, 47 of which have been starts. However, he is 0-3 in his last three starts against them with a 5.59 ERA.
In the second game of this series on Friday, Jake Peavy tossed seven solid innings, putting the brakes on a five-start winless streak, as San Diego cruised to a 9-4 win. Brian Giles knocked in a season-high three runs, Geoff Blum finished with two RBI and two runs scored, and Milton Bradley added a solo homer for the Padres, who won for just the second time in eight games.
Peavy (10-5) allowed just one run on four hits, with a pair of walks and eight strikeouts. He had been 0-4 with a 4.06 earned run average in his previous five trips to the mound, including a personal three-game losing streak.
Brian Giles knocked in a season-high three runs, Geoff Blum finished with two RBI and two runs scored, and Milton Bradley added a solo homer for the Padres, who won for just the second time in eight games.
Woody Williams (5-12) yielded five runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out four over six innings in the loss.
Carlos Lee had three hits and knocked in a run for the Astros, who had a three-game winning streak halted.
San Diego and Houston are playing their first series since both ballclubs split six meetings in 2006. The Astros are 9-7, though, in the last 16 matchups.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES (42-59) AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (53-49), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Pittsburgh - Shane Youman (2-2, 3.24) Philadelphia - J.D. Durbin (2-2, 5.76)
J.D. Durbin tries to build upon the best start of his career this evening when the Philadelphia Phillies play the middle contest of their three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park.
Durbin was brilliant against the San Diego Padres on Sunday, as he tossed a five-hit shutout to improve to 2-2 this season, while lowering his earned run average to 5.76.
The 25-year-old right-hander, who is still looking for his first home win this season, has never faced the Pirates.
Pittsburgh will counter with left-hander Shane Youman, who is also coming off a solid start in his last trip to the hill. However, unlike Durbin, Youman was tagged with the loss for his effort on Sunday against Houston. Youman allowed a run on four hits in eight innings of that one, but still fell to 2-2 to go along with a 3.24 ERA.
Youman will be making his first-ever appearance against the Phils tonight.
In its first game without All-Star second baseman Chase Utley, Philadelphia prevailed, as lefty Jamie Moyer won his second straight start in the Phillies’ 8-1 rain-shortened win.
The game was called after seven innings due to the weather.
Moyer (9-8), who had dropped consecutive starts to Houston, Colorado and the Los Angeles Dodgers from July 2-16 before rebounding with a 12-4 defeat of San Diego on July 21, gave up one unearned run on six hits with four strikeouts over seven innings.
Pat Burrell homered and knocked in three runs for the Phillies, who have won six of their last seven. Michael Bourn, playing for the injured Aaron Rowand, who hurt his left shoulder playing tag with children, finished 4-for-4 and scored twice in the win.
Right-hander John Van Benschoten (0-5), returning to the Pittsburgh rotation after having his last turn skipped, gave up seven runs on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings.
Ronny Paulino went 3-for-3 with an RBI for the Pirates, who have dropped four of five and are at the bottom of the National League.
Utley, meanwhile, had successful surgery on Friday to repair a broken bone in his right hand. Utley, hit by a pitch from Washington’s John Lannan on Thursday, had a pin inserted into his hand during a 20-minute procedure and could miss up to four weeks.
To help ease the loss of Utley, the team acquired second baseman Tadahito Iguchi from the Chicago White Sox on Friday for a minor league pitcher.
This is the first series between the two clubs this season after they split six games in 2006.
CHICAGO CUBS (53-48) AT CINCINNATI REDS (45-59), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Chicago - Sean Marshall (4-4, 3.25) Cincinnati - Aaron Harang (10-2, 3.45)
The Chicago Cubs try to put the brakes on a two-game losing streak this evening when they play the second of three games versus the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.
The Cubs lost for the fourth time in six chances on Friday, as Edwin Encarnacion singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Reds to a 5-4 win in the series opener.
Bob Howry (5-6) started the inning on the hill for Chicago and allowed a leadoff single to Norris Hopper. Pinch-hitter Juan Castro moved Hopper over with a sacrifice bunt, and Encarnacion followed by ripping a 3-2 pitch to left that allowed Hopper to score standing.
The euphoria came after the Cubs scored a pair of runs off David Weathers (2-3) in the top of the frame. Aramis Ramirez ignited the rally with a single to left, and a base hit by Cliff Floyd put runners at the corners with no outs. Mark DeRosa’s base hit cut it to 4-3, and after Jacque Jones was retired on a fielder’s choice, Jason Kendall’s single to left scored pinch-runner Angel Pagan with the tying run.
It was the fifth blown save for Weathers, who couldn’t hold the lead for starter Bronson Arroyo after the right-hander allowed two runs on four hits, with a walk and five strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings.
Encarnacion also added a solo homer for the Reds, who have won four of their last five games.
DeRosa finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Ryan Theriot had a pair of hits and knocked in a run for the Cubs, who are still a major league-best 31-17 since June 3.
Chicago, which is three games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in the NL Central, has not lost three in a row since its season-high six-game slide from May 27-June 2.
Hoping to get the Cubs back in the win column tonight will be lanky left- hander Sean Marshall, who is winless in his last four starts. Marshall suffered the loss on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, despite a pretty solid effort. He surrendered a run on five hits in six innings of that one, but still fell to 4-4 to go along with a 3.25 ERA in his team’s 3-0 setback.
Marshall has never faced the Reds.
Cincinnati will counter with Aaron Harang, who is 10-2 with a 3.45 ERA. Harang had one of the most impressive outings of his career in his last trip to the hill on Monday against Milwaukee when he allowed a run and seven hits in 10 innings. Harang didn’t get the victory in that one, but Cincinnati won the contest and has now won his last nine starts.
Harang defeated the Cubs earlier in the year and is 6-1 lifetime against them with a 4.23 ERA in 11 starts.
The 29-year-old right-hander, who hasn’t lost at Great American Ball Park since May 5, is 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his last seven home starts.
The Reds have bested the Cubs in five of their seven meetings this year, including a 3-1 mark at home. The teams split 10 games in Cincinnati last season.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS (57-46) AT COLORADO ROCKIES (51-51), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Los Angeles - Brett Tomko (2-7, 5.42) Colorado - Jeff Francis (10-5, 4.22)
The National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers will try to gain some more breathing room in the standings when they resume what is now a three-game series with the division-rival Colorado Rockies tonight at Coors Field.
This series was slated to be a four-game set, but Friday’s contest was postponed due to rain.
Los Angeles is one game ahead of the surging Arizona Diamondbacks in the division race and recorded a 5-4 win over the Rockies in Thursday’s series opener. All-Star pitcher Brad Penny lasted six innings, but left in the seventh with an abdominal strain. He yielded three runs on five hits before suffering the injury while beating out an infield single.
Penny is now unbeaten over his last 12 starts, going 8-0 over that span. He joins Josh Beckett of Boston, Fausto Carmona and C.C. Sabathia of Cleveland and Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs, for the major league lead with 13 wins.
Takashi Saito pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 26th save.
Rafael Furcal hit a two-run homer and Nomar Garciaparra drove in a pair of runs for the Dodgers, who won for just the third time in eight games.
Taking the ball for LA this evening will be Brett Tomko, who is 2-7 with a 5.42 ERA in 28 games (10 starts) this season. Tomko is 1-0 over his past two starts and did not record a decision his last time out on July 20 against the New York Mets. Tomko was reached for just one unearned run in six innings of a 4-1 loss at Chavez Ravine.
The right-hander will try to improve on his lifetime record against the Rockies, as he is 6-8 with a complete game and a 3.85 earned run average in 24 career games (18 starts).
Tomko faced Colorado on April 10 and failed to record a decision in the 2-1 triumph at Dodger Stadium. He tossed six shutout innings of one-hit ball with a season-best nine strikeouts.
Colorado has dropped four of its last six games to fall 5 1/2 games off the top spot in the NL West. In last night’s loss to the Dodgers, starting pitcher Rodrigo Lopez gave up five hits and three earned runs over 6 2/3 innings for the loss. Lopez was taken out in the seventh with tightness in his right forearm.
Brad Hawpe went 2-for-4 with three RBI for Colorado, who left eight runners stranded and lost for the 19th time in their last 25 games against the Dodgers. Los Angeles, which has also won nine of its last 12 in Denver, is 4-2 against the Rockies this season.
Colorado will hand the ball to Jeff Francis, who is 10-5 this season and unbeaten in his last eight starts. Francis, who is pitching to a 4.22 ERA this season, received a no-decision in his last start on Monday against San Diego, as he allowed five runs and 10 hit sin six innings of his team’s 7-5 win.
Francis is 2-1 lifetime against the Dodgers with a 2.89 ER in six starts.
FLORIDA MARLINS (48-56) AT SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (44-57), 9:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Florida - Dontrelle Willis (7-10, 5.15) San Francisco - Matt Cain (3-12, 4.02)
Barry Bonds will try and match Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record this evening when the San Francisco Giants play the second game of their three-game series with the Florida Marlins at AT&T Park.
Bonds connected for home run No. 754 of his career in the first inning of a 12-10 San Francisco victory on Friday. The seven-time NL MVP struck a 2-1 pitch from Rick Vanden Hurk over the wall in left-center field to give the Giants an early lead in what turned out to be a wild slugfest.
It was Bonds’ first homer since he hit two on July 19 in a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. It was also his first in San Francisco, where just about all of his milestone home runs have occurred, since he hit No. 750 back on June 29.
Bonds, who now has 20 home runs on the season, didn’t have an official at-bat the rest of the night, walking in the third, fifth and sixth when the Giants scored six times to go in front for good. Bonds also came back from an 0-2 count to Taylor Tankersley to walk in the eighth.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig wasn’t at AT&T Park as he prepares for Sunday’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, NY. Instead, MLB president and chief operation officer Bob DuPuy was there to witness Bonds’ blast.
Ray Durham and Pedro Feliz both homered and drove in three runs, as the Giants won their third straight, but remained in last place in the NL West, 12 games behind the first place Los Angeles Dodgers, who San Francisco will visit after this series.
Vinnie Chulk (4-2) threw two-thirds of an inning to get the win, while Renyel Pinto (2-4) was hammered for three hits and four runs in the sixth inning uprising and absorbed the defeat.
Hanley Ramirez homered and had four RBI for Florida, which has lost five in a row. Cody Ross also homered for the Marlins.
Hoping to keep Bonds in the ballpark this evening will be 25-year-old left- hander Dontrelle Willis, who has lost his seven decisions. Willis’ most recent setback came on Monday against Arizona, as he surrendered four runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings to fall to 7-10 on the year, while raising his earned run average to 5.15.
Willis, whose last win came back on May 29, is 1-3 lifetime against the Giants with a 5.91 ERA in six games.
Bonds is 1-for-3 with four walks lifetime against Willis.
San Francisco will counter with a struggling young hurler of its own in 22- year-old righty Matt Cain, who is 3-12 with a 4.02 ERA. Cain dropped his third straight start on Monday against Atlanta, as he allowed four runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Cain has never faced the Giants.
San Francisco and Florida are playing their first series since splitting six matchups in 2006.
