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ACCESS
PICKS FOR TODAY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 |
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NFL |
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9/25/2017 |
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FOUND
1
GAME |
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COMING
UP
8:30 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 8:30 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-150
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-2.5 (-115)
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Over 46.5 (-110)
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+130
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+2.5 (-105)
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Under 46.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Sep 20, 2017 GLENDALE, Ariz. -- It's been a month since the Arizona Cardinals have played a football game in their own stadium and they can't wait to finally be on their field. Given the scrutiny he's been under recently, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is probably happy to be playing at University of Phoenix Stadium, too. In a game that could swing either team's early-season fortunes in the right or the wrong direction, the Cardinals (1-1) and the Cowboys (1-1) will meet here on Monday Night Football with a lot on the line for a Week 3 game. For Elliott, the Cowboys' second-year star already mired in controversy as he awaits word on the stay of his six-game suspension stemming from domestic-abuse allegations, it's a chance for redemption inside his own locker room after his efforts were called into question during Dallas' humbling 42-17 loss last Sunday in Denver. Cowboys coach Jason Garrett wasn't pleased with Elliott's hustle or competitiveness when the tailback showed zero-to-little interest in turning into a defensive player following two Dak Prescott interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown and one during which Elliott turned away from the play with his hand on his hips. "One of the things we preach to our team on both sides of the ball when there is a turnover, everybody is involved," Garrett said. "If you're an offensive player, become a defensive player on a fumble or an interception. Zeke is one of the most natural competitors I've ever been around. He loves to play. He loves to practice. I think we've seen that through his first year playing. "Those two plays were not indicative of the kind of competitor that he was and we have to get that addressed. " Elliott had more carries (nine) than rushing yards (eight) in the rout against the Broncos, but Cardinals coach Bruce Arians doesn't see a player that suddenly has lost his way or forgot how to break tackles and squirt through holes. "No. I saw a team that got behind then, obviously, you've got to start throwing it," Arians said. "That changes everything when you're down. " The Cardinals are just happy to be home after playing each of their first two games on the road and three of their past four overall, including the preseason, in an Eastern time zone. They lost their opener at Detroit 35-21 before rebounding on the road last week in overtime at Indianapolis, 16-13. They played their final two preseason games in Atlanta and Houston, respectively. "Yeah, that was a long ago," quarterback Carson Palmer said of getting to play at home. "It seemed longer than that, too, but it's just good that we finally get a chance to play in front of our home crowd, on our grass. They'll be a bunch of Cowboys fans there, I'm sure, but it's been a long four weeks, no doubt. " Offensively, Arizona and Dallas rank 12th and 13th in the league in total average yards per game at 348. 5 and 330. 0, respectively. Both teams are averaging under 100 yards rushing -- 84. 5 by the Cowboys and just 64. 0 by the Cardinals. The Broncos held Dallas to just 268 total yards in Week 2, swallowing up the run game and getting a multitude of hits on Prescott. Arians was asked if Phoenix can use Denver's defense as a blueprint for success Monday night against the Cowboys. "Well, if I could have Von Miller, I'd be happy," Arians said, referring to Denver's disruptive outside linebacker. "He's special. We've got a pretty good one, too, (in Chandler Jones), so yeah, it's a copycat league. But you can't change what you do. They have some unique stuff that they run that you have to be very aware for. Hopefully, our matchups are pretty solid. " If the Cardinals stack the box to try and contain Elliott, the Cowboys will have to rely on Prescott beating Arizona to the outside and that could prove difficult since their best receiver, Dez Bryant, will be shadowed throughout the game by All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson. According to Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, Bryant tends to struggle when facing elite corners. "Dez, to me, is one of the best receivers in the game," Sanders said on the NFL Network's postgame show this past Sunday. "But this is the streets talk. When Dez plays against a dog, he has to hunt. And the last few times Dez has gone against a real, pure dominant corner, they haven't gotten the ball to him or he hasn't made his catches or he hasn't had productivity. "I don't know where the inconsistency with he and Dak (is), but you don't see this with (Steelers receiver) Antonio Brown. You don't see this with (Falcons receiver) Julio Jones. . . . If you're not getting productivity out of Ezekiel like you didn't (against Denver), Dez has to come up. He has to win the one-on-ones and he and Dak have to get on the same page. " The Cardinals could turn to their second new starting running back in two weeks since losing star David Johnson to a left wrist injury in Week 1 at Detroit. Kerwynn Williams was the starter against the Colts last week and it appears Arians will turn to veteran Chris Johnson as the bell cow in Week 3 against the Cowboys. Both teams have injury issues. Besides losing their best player in Johnson, Arizona is expected to be without starting left tackle D. J. Humphries (sprained MCL) and speedy wide receiver John Brown (quadriceps). Dallas, meanwhile, has several issues at cornerback, where Chido Awuzie (hamstring) and Nolan Carroll (concussion) are hurting and Orlando Scandrick is recovering from surgery to repair a fractured bone in his hand. The Cowboys are banged up elsewhere, too, but it's their pride and ego that were wounded the most during the rout at the hands of the Broncos. "I've never judged a team or a player off of one bad performance," Palmer said. "This is a very, very good group that's coming off a tough loss on the road and they're getting to play on Monday Night Football. We'll be ready. "
 Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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MLB |
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9/25/2017 |
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FOUND
11
GAMES |
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COMING
UP
1:05 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 1:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+153
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OFF
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Over 9 (-110)
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-170
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OFF
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Under 9 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Yankees' Judge needs one HR vs. Royals to tie rookie record 1h ago• 3 min read NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge is one home run shy of tying the major league rookie record, and he hopes to make history at the same time the New York Yankees clinch home field in the wild-card game.Judge is one homer shy of Mark McGwire's 1987 record of 49 set in 1987. He gets his first chance to tie and possibly break the mark Monday in a makeup game against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium.New York heads into its final seven games with a 4 1/2-game lead over the Minnesota Twins in the wild-card race, and Judge is among the reasons why the Yankees are planning for the postseason.He homered twice on Sunday in New York's 9-5 loss at Toronto. After slumping through August with a .185 average (17-for-92), Judge is hitting .296 (21-for-71) with 11 homers and 23 RBIs in 21 games this month.Judge's turnaround has helped the Yankees go 16-7 in their past 23 games since getting swept in a three-game series Aug. 28-30 by the Cleveland Indians."I am swinging at the right pitches, getting into good counts and swinging at the right pitches," Judge said. "The biggest thing is to win the ballgame. Do whatever I can to help the team get to October." The Yankees clinched at least a wild-card spot with a 4-1 win at Toronto on Saturday, but by losing two of three over the weekend, they are five games behind the Boston Red Sox for the division title.The Red Sox own a magic number of three to secure the division, and the Yankees own a magic number of three to ensure the wild-card game takes place in New York."If it happens, it happens," Yankees first baseman Chase Headley said of coming back to win the division. "If it doesn't, then we'll figure out the wild-card thing. You couldn't really ask for us to play any better than we have at this month. Unfortunately, Boston got hot at the same time." Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of the division deficit, "It's getting fairly large with seven games to go. Obviously, we're going to keep playing, but I think you have to start to think ahead a little bit, too. It's frustrating because we've played really well the last six weeks." The Royals (76-79) are on the verge of officially being eliminated from the wild-card race after managing five hits during an 8-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.Kansas City is 5 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the second wild card but cannot be eliminated Monday because the Twins are idle.The Royals reached three games above .500 at 64-61 on Aug. 23, but they are 12-18 in their past 30 games. They are 4-6 on their final road trip of the season after Lorenzo Cain's 15th homer accounted for their lone run Sunday.Kansas City's showing on this road trip has mirrored its season-long inconsistencies away from home. The Royals began the season by dropping 11 of its first 13 road games, then won 23 of its next 37, but since July 31, they are 12-18 away from home.CC Sabathia (12-5, 3.81 ERA) will start for the Yankees on Monday, looking to remain unbeaten since returning from a brief stint on the disabled list. Since coming back from a knee injury on Aug. 19, Sabathia is 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA in his past six starts.Sabathia got the win Tuesday when he allowed two runs and six hits in six innings during New York's 5-2 victory over Minnesota.Lifetime against the Royals, Sabathia is 20-11 with a 3.11 ERA in 38 starts. The veteran left-hander beat the Royals on May 16 in Kansas City when he allowed five hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings.Jakob Junis (8-2, 4.05 ERA) makes his 15th start and takes a six-game winning streak into Monday. Since July 24, he is 6-0 with a 2.96 ERA in his past 10 appearances."I've just been impressed with his consistency," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He doesn't get rattled. He just goes out there every start and hits his spots and performs like a veteran." Junis last pitched Wednesday in an 15-5 rout at Toronto when he allowed four runs (two earned) and three hits in 6 1/3 innings. He improved to 6-2 on the road, and his six road wins are tied for the fifth most by a Royals rookie."He comes out and throws strikes," Yost said. "That's what you like to see."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
4:10 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 4:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-111
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OFF
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Over 9 (-105)
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+101
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OFF
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Under 9 (-115)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mets, Braves begin final week with doubleheader 2h ago• 2 min read NEW YORK -- Two teams being led by managers who may be in their final week on the job will square off in a doubleheader Monday when the New York Mets host the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.The doubleheader, necessitated by a rainout in New York on April 25, will be a single-gate affair starting at 4:10 p.m. EDT. The second game will begin 30 minutes after the opener concludes.In the first game, Mets right-hander Chris Flexen (3-4, 7.13 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Braves right-hander Lucas Sims (2-5, 5.14 ERA) in a battle of rookies. New York right-hander Seth Lugo (6-5, 5.03 ERA) is slated to duel Atlanta rookie left-hander Max Fried (1-0, 4.41 ERA) in the nightcap.Both teams lost Sunday, when the Mets fell to the Washington Nationals 3-2 at Citi Field and the host Braves completed their first season at SunTrust Park with a 2-0 blanking at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.With the Braves (70-84) and Mets (66-89) long out of contention, talk has shifted in recent weeks to the fates of Atlanta manager Brian Snitker and New York skipper Terry Collins.Snitker, who is in his first full season at the helm, has an option for 2018 that has not yet been picked up. He met with Braves executives Saturday to discuss his future, but no decision was reached."It was a good meeting and we had a chance to talk about the year going forward," Snitker said. "It was a lot of positive things." The future appears far cloudier for Collins, who is about to complete his seventh season at the helm. While Collins steered the Mets to the World Series in 2015 and has managed the most games in team history, he is unsigned beyond 2017, and general manager Sandy Alderson has repeatedly said any discussions will be held once the season concludes.Collins said Friday afternoon that he hasn't pondered the possibility he could be in the midst of his final homestand. The Mets end the season by visiting the Philadelphia Phillies for three games beginning Friday."I've got enough on my plate trying to figure out this pitching, trying to figure out guys' playing time," Collins said. "That's where the focus is going to be, and it'll be there for the next, certainly, 10 days." The start Monday will be the first since Sept. 3 for Flexen, who made his past four appearances out of the bullpen. Flexen hasn't pitched since Wednesday, when he tossed two scoreless innings in the Mets' 9-2 loss to the Miami Marlins.Sims didn't factor into the decision Wednesday, when he gave up one run in five innings in the Braves' 7-3 loss to the Nationals.Lugo didn't factor into the decision Tuesday, when he allowed one run in five innings as the Mets fell to the Marlins 5-4 in 10 innings.Fried will also start Monday for the first time since Sept. 3. He last pitched Sept. 16, when he faced the Mets for the first time in his career and tossed a scoreless inning in the Braves' 7-3 loss.Flexen has never faced the Braves. Lugo is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two career starts against the Braves. Sims allowed two runs in two innings of relief in his lone appearance against the Mets on Sept. 16.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
7:05 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 7:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+119
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OFF
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Over 8.5 (-119)
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-132
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OFF
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Under 8.5 (-101)
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GAME PREVIEW
Nationals look to stay sharp against Phillies 6h ago• 3 min read PHILADELPHIA -- The Washington Nationals, having comfortably clinched the National League East two weeks earlier, knocked off another checklist item Sunday as the regular season winds down.With a 3-2 win over the New York Mets, the Nationals ensured they will play their National League Division Series playoff round at home. Game 1 will be Oct. 6.A win by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday kept the club 4 1/2 games ahead of Washington for the best record in the NL. It's not mathematically impossible for the Nationals to catch the Dodgers, but with Los Angeles (99-57) only having six games remaining, that possibility is unlikely.So the Nationals (94-61) head to Philadelphia for a three-game series with the Phillies (62-94) without much left to play for.But with hopes for a deep playoff run, don't expect the Nationals to take their feet off the gas just yet."That's why these games are so important," Sunday's winning pitcher Max Scherzer told MLB.com. "Everybody's trying to make those fine-tune adjustments to get on top of their game, so when you do get in the playoffs, you're already accustomed to knowing how you need to play offensively and defensively." Perhaps the only Nationals player who needs fine-tuning is star outfielder Bryce Harper. The Washington Post reported Sunday that Harper (left knee) will be activated for Monday's game. Harper, once an MVP candidate who owns a .326 batting average with 29 home runs and 87 RBIs, hasn't played since Aug. 12.Washington manager Dusty Baker would only say the team was still making up its mind regarding the decision and would not confirm the report.On the mound Monday for the Nationals is RHP A. J. Cole (2-5, 4.43 ERA). He'll face off with Phillies ace Aaron Nola (12-10, 3.56).Cole, who is making his eighth start of 2017, has made four previous appearances against Philadelphia. Monday will be his third start.Cole has a 1-1 record and a 3.63 ERA in 17 1/3 innings against the Phillies. His first start of 2017 came May 6 at Citizens Bank Park, when he picked up a win after allowing one run in six innings.Nola, who since the All-Star break has looked like the ace Philadelphia drafted him to be, will likely be making his final start of the season. The Phillies, who have six games remaining, have deployed a six-man rotation in recent weeks.Nola, 24, is making his fourth start of the year against Washington. He's 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings. For his career, Nola is 1-3 with a 4.69 ERA, the highest ERA he has against any team he has pitched more than 16 innings against.Nola is one of a few promising young Phillies carrying the club to an exciting second half. Rookies Rhys Hoskins, Nick Williams and J. P. Crawford have all shown they could bring meaningful September baseball back to Philadelphia sooner than later.Pushed by his fellow youngsters, 25-year-old Maikel Franco has been raking lately. The third baseman, who hit a solo home run in a 2-0 win in Atlanta on Sunday, is hitting .348 with two doubles, three home runs, eight RBIs and a .949 OPS in 12 games after Crawford came up from Triple-A and started three consecutive games at third base."I think when those guys come up, it always creates an energy spurt in everybody," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin told MLB.com.In the other clubhouse, it is Harper's potential return that could be an opportune energy spurt for Washington as the postseason looms.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
7:10 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 7:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+118
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OFF
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Over 9 (-101)
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-131
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OFF
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Under 9 (-119)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mets, Braves begin final week with doubleheader 2h ago• 2 min read NEW YORK -- Two teams being led by managers who may be in their final week on the job will square off in a doubleheader Monday when the New York Mets host the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.The doubleheader, necessitated by a rainout in New York on April 25, will be a single-gate affair starting at 4:10 p.m. EDT. The second game will begin 30 minutes after the opener concludes.In the first game, Mets right-hander Chris Flexen (3-4, 7.13 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Braves right-hander Lucas Sims (2-5, 5.14 ERA) in a battle of rookies. New York right-hander Seth Lugo (6-5, 5.03 ERA) is slated to duel Atlanta rookie left-hander Max Fried (1-0, 4.41 ERA) in the nightcap.Both teams lost Sunday, when the Mets fell to the Washington Nationals 3-2 at Citi Field and the host Braves completed their first season at SunTrust Park with a 2-0 blanking at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.With the Braves (70-84) and Mets (66-89) long out of contention, talk has shifted in recent weeks to the fates of Atlanta manager Brian Snitker and New York skipper Terry Collins.Snitker, who is in his first full season at the helm, has an option for 2018 that has not yet been picked up. He met with Braves executives Saturday to discuss his future, but no decision was reached."It was a good meeting and we had a chance to talk about the year going forward," Snitker said. "It was a lot of positive things." The future appears far cloudier for Collins, who is about to complete his seventh season at the helm. While Collins steered the Mets to the World Series in 2015 and has managed the most games in team history, he is unsigned beyond 2017, and general manager Sandy Alderson has repeatedly said any discussions will be held once the season concludes.Collins said Friday afternoon that he hasn't pondered the possibility he could be in the midst of his final homestand. The Mets end the season by visiting the Philadelphia Phillies for three games beginning Friday."I've got enough on my plate trying to figure out this pitching, trying to figure out guys' playing time," Collins said. "That's where the focus is going to be, and it'll be there for the next, certainly, 10 days." The start Monday will be the first since Sept. 3 for Flexen, who made his past four appearances out of the bullpen. Flexen hasn't pitched since Wednesday, when he tossed two scoreless innings in the Mets' 9-2 loss to the Miami Marlins.Sims didn't factor into the decision Wednesday, when he gave up one run in five innings in the Braves' 7-3 loss to the Nationals.Lugo didn't factor into the decision Tuesday, when he allowed one run in five innings as the Mets fell to the Marlins 5-4 in 10 innings.Fried will also start Monday for the first time since Sept. 3. He last pitched Sept. 16, when he faced the Mets for the first time in his career and tossed a scoreless inning in the Braves' 7-3 loss.Flexen has never faced the Braves. Lugo is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in two career starts against the Braves. Sims allowed two runs in two innings of relief in his lone appearance against the Mets on Sept. 16.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
7:10 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 7:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+183
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OFF
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Over 9.5 (-110)
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-205
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OFF
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Under 9.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Red Sox, inching toward division title, start series with Jays 35m ago• 3 min read BOSTON -- Drew Pomeranz can't pitch the Boston Red Sox Red Sox into an American League East championship with a win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of a three-game series Monday night.However, the left-hander can bring his team to the brink.The Red Sox enter the final week of the regular season with a magic number of three. Any combination of Boston wins and losses by the New York Yankees adding up to three and the Red Sox will have back-to-back division titles for the first time in franchise history -- and the Yankees, currently five games out, would play in the AL wild-card game.Boston finishes with seven straight games at home, the last four against the Houston Astros, a likely opponent in the American League Division Series -- with the chance of having nine straight games against the same team."We love Fenway Park," Red Sox manager John Farrell said Sunday before his team finished off an 8-1 road trip by completing a sweep of a three-game series in Cincinnati. "Our guys thrive on the environment there. We've had a good year there from a record standpoint."Our team's built for that ballpark. It'll be good to get home and sleep in our own beds. To get back home, to play in Fenway, it'll be good to finish the regular season there." No pitcher on Farrell's staff has enjoyed Fenway more than Pomeranz, who takes a 9-2 record and 3.11 ERA at home as he faces Brett Anderson on Monday night.Chris Sale gets the hype, but Pomeranz, 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA against Toronto this season, also has been a rock in the rotation.Pomeranz (16-5, 3.15 ERA) is 13-2 with a 2.61 ERA in his past 22 starts and is 7-1 with a 2.62 in 13 starts since the All-Star break. He has allowed three runs on 12 hits over 18 1/3 innings in his past three starts.The last-place Blue Jays just took two out of three from the Yankees and are making their second trip to Fenway this month.Jose Bautista, 36, had two hits in what was likely his final home game at Toronto on Sunday, his teammates waiting in the dugout as he took the field alone for the first inning. The Blue Jays are expected to decline Bautista's $17 million option for 2018."The focus was Jose today -- what he's done in this town, for this organization and really the country," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He helped rebuild the team. He was the face of the franchise for a number of years, and he did it the right way." The Jays are just 4-12 against the Red Sox this season -- and Anderson (3-4, 7.15 ERA overall) is coming off a terrible start.After fighting a blister in his previous outing, he lasted just 1 1/3 innings and gave up eight runs on seven hits on Wednesday against the Kansas City Royals. He is 5-4 with a 3.32 ERA against the Red Sox lifetime (0-1 this year) -- 2-2 with a 5.54 in five career starts at Fenway.By the way, the two lefties, Pomeranz and Anderson, were once traded for each other.The current Jays roster has a cumulative .198 batting average against Pomeranz. Justin Smoak is 4-for-9 (.444) and Darwin Barney 4-for-12 (.333), but Steve Pearce is 0-for-7, Josh Donaldson 1-for-12 (.083), Kendrys Morales 1-for-8 (.125) and Kevin Pillar 2-for-13 (.154).Bautista, however, has hit 25 homers in 72 career games at Fenway.For the Red Sox, Mitch Moreland is 3-for-8 (.375) and Dustin Pedroia 6-for-18 (.333) against Anderson. The current Red Sox are 16-for-50 (.320) against Anderson, but without a homer and with just one RBI.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
8:05 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 8:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-129
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OFF
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Over 10 (-120)
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+117
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OFF
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Under 10 (+100)
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GAME PREVIEW
Rangers need to sweep Astros to have postseason chance 1h ago• 3 min read ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers saw their faint playoff hopes get all but extinguished over the weekend, leaving the start of a homestand against the in-state rival Houston Astros devoid of much drama or intrigue.With the season on the line, Texas was swept by the A's in Oakland. An 8-1 loss on Sunday leaves the Rangers 5 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the second wild-card spot with seven games to play."We are making it tougher on ourselves," Texas third baseman/designated hitter Adrian Beltre said. "This was a bad weekend for us. We expected to win this series, and it didn't turn out that way. It's not set in stone yet, but we have to go back home and win as many games as we can." Texas (76-79) arrived in Oakland still in striking distance of the Twins, 2 1/2 games back. The three losses to the last-place A's were a crushing blow for a Rangers squad that hasn't been able to get out of its own way for most of the season."It has been tough the last three games," Texas catcher Robinson Chirinos said. "We came in here with a really good chance for the last wild-card spot. We still have a chance, but it depends on how Minnesota plays in their last games. We have to go home and fight. The fight is not over." Texas likely needs to sweep its final two series at home to have any postseason shot, and that probably won't be enough. The first series is against the Astros, who have long since clinched their first American League West title and are tuning up for the playoffs.The Rangers send Andrew Cashner to the hill for the Monday night series opener at Globe Life Park. The 31-year-old right-hander is 10-10 with a 3.44 ERA, and he has been one of the club's more consistent starters down the stretch.Cashner is 7-3 with a 3.05 ERA since the start of July. He has faced the Astros in each of the first five series between the clubs this year, going 1-4 with a 4.06 ERA.Cashner will be the first Rangers starter to face a single opponent six times in a season since Yu Darvish against the Los Angeles Angels in 2012.The Astros are cruising into the playoffs after lapping the field in the AL West. Houston entered Sunday with a 19-game division lead, which was a season high and a franchise record. The Astros' largest lead to end a season was 12 1/2 games, set over the Chicago Cubs while winning the NL Central in 1998.The Astros (95-60) must win out to match the best record in franchise history, 102-60, set in 1998. The '99 club has the second-most wins at 97.Catching the Cleveland Indians (98-58) for the best record in the AL remains the priority. More important is setting up the rotation for the AL Division Series, and manager A. J. Hinch has yet to tip his hand."We're going to keep playing and try to pile up as many wins as we can," he said. "Obviously, we're going to line things up for the postseason as soon as we need to, but we want our guys to have the mentality to finish strong and finish these games." The Astros open the Texas series with Collin McHugh. The righty's role for the playoffs is uncertain, with moving into the bullpen a possibility. McHugh (3-2, 3.44 ERA) didn't allow a run or get a decision in his only other outing against the Rangers this season.He is coming off a 3-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, when he allowed one run on five hits in five innings.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
8:10 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 8:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-150
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OFF
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Over 10 (-110)
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+135
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OFF
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Under 10 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Angels face White Sox with playoff hopes on life support 1h ago• 2 min read CHICAGO -- The Los Angeles Angels' playoff hopes remain alive -- barely -- just in time for the final stretch.By beating the Houston Astros 7-5 on Sunday night, the Angeles snapped their six-game losing streak and remained 4 1/2 games back of the Minnesota Twins for the second American League wild card. Seven games remain in the regular season for Los Angeles.Needing victories and help from other teams to stay in the race, the Angels (77-78) will face the rebuilding Chicago White Sox (63-92) in the opener of a four-game series Monday night at Guaranteed Rate Field."You gotta win out," Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs said Sunday night. "We know that. We gotta stay loose, play free. Nothing to lose. We're playing the White Sox. I'm not saying they are not as good a team as the Indians and Astros, but those are winnable games." The Angels' scheduled Monday starter, Ricky Nolasco (6-14, 5.06 ERA), is winless in his past six starts. In his most recent outing, the right-hander gave up two runs in five innings against AL Central champion Cleveland. Nolasco is 1-4 with a 6.00 ERA in eight career starts against the White Sox.Chicago will counter with right-hander James Shields (4-7, 5.40 ERA). In his latest outing, Shields took his first loss in three starts, giving up three runs in 5 2/3 innings against the AL West champion Astros. However, he avoided allowing a home run for just the third time in 20 starts this season.Shields started throw from a three-quarters angle during his Aug. 5 start at Boston. Since then, he is 2-4 with a 4.56 ERA with 51 strikeouts and 11 home runs allowed in 53 1/3 innings. In comparison, he started the season with a 6.19 ERA with 15 home runs allowed in 56 2/3 innings."I know he's wanted to do better," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. "Making the adjustments he has made, he's made himself again a major league pitcher that gives his club an opportunity by containing the opponents to a particular number of runs." Shields is 6-4 with a 3.13 ERA in 14 career starts against Los Angeles. Three of those outings have been complete games, including his last start against the Angels on July 16, 2016. He has thrown 11 quality starts and recorded at least 10 strikeouts twice versus the Angels.In mid-May, the Angels swept the White Sox in three games in Los Angeles.On Sunday, led by Luis Valbuena's go-ahead double in the seventh inning, Los Angeles' offense broke out. The Angels had been outscored 29-13 during their six-game losing streak."Anything can happen," Angels second baseman Brandon Phillips told the Orange County Register. "It's not over. I tell everybody just to believe in ourselves." After facing the White Sox, who hold a 1 1/2-game lead over the Detroit Tigers for fourth place in the AL Central, the Angels play host to the AL West's fourth-place team, the Seattle Mariners, for three games.Having taken two of three against the Kansas City Royals over the weekend, the young White Sox could avoid losing 100 games and stay out of last place in the division."Everybody is grinding and hustling the way they are supposed to do," Chicago outfielder Avisail Garcia said. "That's big for the team. This team is going to be interesting for the future, so I can't wait for that."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
8:15 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 8:15 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+111
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OFF
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Over 8.5 (-110)
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-122
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OFF
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Under 8.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Cubs, on verge of clinching division, visit St. Louis 1h ago• 3 min read It took a little while for the Chicago Cubs to get going this season after ending 108 years of frustration by winning the World Series last fall.Now, the Cubs are on the verge of completing the first step toward defending their long-awaited championship -- winning a division title.Chicago takes a magic number of two for clinching the National League Central into the opener of a four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Monday.The Cubs (87-68) were 43-45 and 5 1/2 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers at the All-Star break. They are 44-23 since the break and have been in sole possession of first place since beating the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 13.Milwaukee (82-74) sits 5 1/2 games back, and St. Louis (81-74) is six games back. Because the Brewers are idle Monday, the earliest the Cubs can clinch is Tuesday.Chicago might have been able to clinch Monday if it completed a four-game sweep at Milwaukee. Instead it won three of four, taking the first two games in extra innings before Jose Quintana struck out 10 during a three-hitter during a 5-0 win Sunday.Ben Zobrist is among those looking forward to clinching in front of Chicago's biggest rivals."It will be nice to do it there, I'll just say that," Zobrist said. "We have to win the games. It's a big series."We intend to clinch there, and I think for a lot of guys who have been around here for a long time, it'll be very satisfying." Since scoring three times and getting swept in a three-game series at home against Milwaukee, the Cubs are 10-2 in their past 12 games. Three of those wins occurred Sept. 15-17 at Wrigley Field against St. Louis.St. Louis is on the verge of being eliminated from the division race but is still alive in the wild-card chase. The Cardinals are 2 1/2 games behind the Colorado Rockies (84-72) for the second NL wild card.The Cardinals rebounded from getting swept by winning four consecutive games, but they were outscored 15-7 in losing the final two games of their three-game series at Pittsburgh over the weekend."We just have to keep playing until mathematically you're out of it," St. Louis outfielder Tommy Pham said. "That's how you have to look at it. It's a very tough situation. We need some luck." The Cardinals also need some better hitting. Matt Carpenter homered Sunday, but the offense went 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position in the two losses to Pittsburgh.Another area not helping St. Louis is its performance against the Cubs. The Cardinals are 4-11 in the season series, hitting .222 and pitching to a 4.11 ERA in those games."We've got to find a way to win, and we've got to play them better," Carpenter said. "We haven't had enough to beat them to this point." Besides potentially clinching, the Cubs would like to see Jon Lester (11-8, 4.56 ERA) finish the regular season well. He is 3-1 this month but owns a 5.91 ERA in his past four starts heading into a Monday outing at St. Louis.The left-hander last pitched Wednesday when he allowed seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings at Tampa Bay. Lester also owns a 5.11 ERA since the All-Star break while working around a brief DL stint.Lester is 1-1 with a 3.28 ERA in four starts against St. Louis this season. For his career, he is 4-4 with a 2.36 ERA in 13 starts against St. Louis.Luke Weaver (7-1, 2.05 ERA) opens the series for St. Louis. He is on a seven-game winning streak, the longest by any St. Louis rookie since Ted Wilks in 1944 and the longest by any Cardinal since Matt Morris in 2001.Weaver kept the streak alive by allowing two runs on five hits in five innings during a 9-2 win at Cincinnati on Wednesday. He has struck out at least seven in seven straight starts."For a young guy, he doesn't make a lot of mistakes in the middle of the plate," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Weaver. "He's making quality pitches. It is fun to watch." Weaver is facing the Cubs for the first time this season and making his fourth appearance against a contending team this season. He lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 27 but struck out 18 in 12 innings during a pair of starts against Milwaukee last month.The right-hander's only start against the Cubs occurred Aug. 13, 2013, in Chicago when he allowed two runs and four hits in four innings during a no-decision.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
8:40 PM EST |
|
9/25/2017 8:40 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+149
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OFF
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Over 12 (-110)
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-165
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OFF
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Under 12 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Marlins' Stanton aims to boost homer total at Colorado 33m ago• 3 min read DENVER -- Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton will continue his quest to hit at least 60 home runs Monday when Miami faces the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, where he has a robust history.Meanwhile, the Rockies hold the upper hand in the chase for the second National League wild card and will be trying to move closer to the postseason when they begin the three-game series with the Marlins.Odrisamer Despaigne (0-3, 4.37 ERA) will start for the Marlins with Tyler Chatwood (8-13, 4.56) taking the mound for the Rockies.Stanton hit his 57th home run on Saturday at Arizona. It was his third homer in six games and sixth homer in 20 games this month. That is a decent pace but nothing like his otherworldly August, when Stanton hit 18 home runs in 29 games, including a stretch of six consecutive games with a homer.The Marlins and Rockies will play night games on Monday and Tuesday before concluding their series with an afternoon game Wednesday. Stanton has thrived at Coors Field, where he has said the hitting background beyond the wall in center field at night is unsurpassed.In 20 career games at Coors Field, Stanton is hitting .316 (25-for-79) with a 1.211 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 10 homers, 24 RBIs and 12 walks. He went 4-for-12 with a double, home run and six RBIs in three games over the weekend at Arizona."I'm locked in," Stanton said after going deep Saturday. "I'm not worried about (the attention). I embrace it, understand it, and know the better I do, the more it's going to come. I put that as my hard work. You can't run from it, and know that it's there. Don't let it be a distraction. Have fun with it. It's a cool thing for baseball, a cool thing for a lot of reasons." The Marlins (72-82) swept three games from the Rockies in Miami from Aug. 11-13, winning 6-3, 4-3 and 5-3.Despaigne is 2-0 with a 1.65 ERA in six games (two starts) against the Rockies and 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA in three games (one start) at Coors Field.He has pitched in 16 games for Miami this season and made six starts, including five since Aug. 26. In those five starts, Despaigne went 0-2 with a 4.39 ERA, walking 13 walks and striking out 10 in 27 innings.The Marlins won his last outing 5-4 in 10 innings Tuesday against the New York Mets. Despaigne allowed six hits and three runs in six innings and left the game trailing 3-1.He has been far more successful this season against right-handed batters, limiting them to a .176 average and .509 OPS in 88 plate appearances. Lefties own a .306 average and .834 OPS against Despaigne in 114 plate appearances.Chatwood is 0-1 with a 14.29 ERA in two career starts against the Marlins in 2012 and 2016. Since he returned to the Colorado rotation Sept. 5, Chatwood is 2-1 with a 1.83 ERA. He lost his last start Wednesday at San Francisco when he gave up five hits and three runs in six innings as the Rockies fell 4-0.Colorado (84-72) was shut out in three of four games for the first time in franchise history before beating San Diego 8-4 on Sunday to split a four-game series.The Sunday win coupled with losses by both Milwaukee (82-74) and St. Louis (81-74) left the Rockies two games ahead of the Brewers and 2 1/2 games in front of the Cardinals in the wild-card chase. The Rockies' final six games are at home with the Marlins and the Los Angeles Dodgers."We're in a good place," Colorado center fielder Charlie Blackmon said after the Sunday game. "We just got a really good win, and we're going home. We don't have to worry about travel and all that mess. We can just be at home and worry about baseball."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
10:05 PM EST |
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9/25/2017 10:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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-116
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OFF
|
Over 9.5 (-110)
|
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+106
|
OFF
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Under 9.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Young Athletics open final home series vs. Mariners 2h ago• 3 min read OAKLAND, Calif. -- The rebuilding Oakland Athletics are still stuck in the American League West cellar, but they will take some momentum into their final home series of the season against the Seattle Mariners.The three-game set begins Monday night at the Oakland Coliseum.The A's (72-83), featuring a roster packed with promising rookies, are 14-3 over their past 17 games. The completed a three-game series sweep of the Texas Rangers with an 8-1 victory on Sunday afternoon at the Coliseum."It's been exciting," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said before the game. "This is probably the best feeling we've had as a team all year, here recently. It's the Matt Chapmans and the Matt Olsons and the Chad Pinders, all these guys that have come up and really given us hope and an expectation and confidence going into next season."I've talked to these guys as a group leading up to where we are right now about this is what we want to create for next year, is to create a good feeling, finish up strong, go into the offseason with a positive outlook and certainly let the teams know in our division, too, that we're on our way back, that this three-year period that we've gone through is hopefully over and next year is the sign of good things for us, and I think the way we're playing here at the end would suggest that is the case." The A's have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons after making the postseason three straight years.The Mariners (75-81) were eliminated from wild-card playoff contention on Sunday with a 4-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians at Safeco Field, combined with the Minnesota Twins' 10-4 win against the Detroit Tigers.Seattle has lost eight of its past nine games after winning five of six. The Mariners were swept in three games by the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park and three games by Texas at Safeco Field before losing two of three to Cleveland."The finality of it all hurts," Mariners manager Scott Servais said after the Sunday loss. "There's no question about that. I thought we did an unbelievable job this year to hang in there. As the water was coming into the boat, we kept throwing it out to try and keep afloat. We just kept battling and fighting."It says a lot about our guys to keep it up as long as we did. We struggled through some injuries and pitching injuries. I think you battle so long like that, you get to a point where you just run out of gas and can only go so far. That's what it felt like." Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez, who has been plagued by right shoulder bursitis throughout much of the season, is scheduled to make just his 16th start Monday. He is 5-5 with a 4.57 ERA.Hernandez is 24-9 with a 2.62 ERA in 45 career games against Oakland. He is 12-3 with a 2.73 ERA in 24 starts at the Coliseum.A's rookie right-hander Daniel Gossett (4-9, 5.38 ERA) will make his 17th start of the season."I got two more (starts)," Gossett said. "I just want to get deeper into games. I want to execute my pitches later in the games. I feel like early in the games when I'm fresh, I'm not tired, I feel like that's when I execute my pitches the best."But I want to be able to execute them later in the games, second, third times through the lineup be able to execute pitches with a plan and be able to move deeper into games." Gossett is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in two career starts against the Mariners, both this season at Seattle.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
10:10 PM EST |
|
9/25/2017 10:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+239
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OFF
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Over 8 (-110)
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-270
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OFF
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Under 8 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Dodgers hope for good outing from Darvish vs. Padres 1h ago• 2 min read LOS ANGELES -- As the Los Angeles Dodgers dust themselves off and prepare for another playoff run, things are beginning to fall into place.The National League West champions have won three of four after a prolonged 5-20 stretch had many wondering if they even would reach the postseason.Clayton Kershaw is pitching like a three-time NL Cy Young winner again, and several hitters are showing signs of heating up.What the Dodgers really need is right-hander Yu Darvish to continue demonstrating he is ready to carry the burden of being the No. 2 starter in the playoffs. He will make one of his final postseason preparations when he takes the mound against the visiting San Diego Padres on Monday, the start of the final week of the regular season."I think I'm in a pretty good place," Darvish told MLB.com after his most recent start. "I think I'm where I need to be at this time of the season." Darvish (9-12, 3.96 ERA overall; 3-3, 3.80 ERA with Los Angeles) has not allowed an earned run in his past two starts.He threw seven shutout innings and allowed three hits in a 4-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 13. On Tuesday, he gave up only an unearned run in 5 1/3 innings during Los Angeles' 6-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, his eighth start with the Dodgers since he was acquired from the Texas Rangers on July 31.The downside is the Giants, Phillies and Padres are non-playoff teams. The same is true of the New York Mets, whom Darvish faced in his Dodgers debut on Aug. 4, when he tossed seven shutout innings in a 6-0 victory.Darvish went on the 10-day DL on Aug. 19 and missed a start, then was rocky in his next three outings. He appeared to pull out of the slide at San Francisco 13, then came back with the strong effort at Philadelphia.The Padres will send left-hander Travis Wood (4-6, 6.55 ERA overall; 3-3, 6.23 ERA for San Diego) to the mound Monday in hopes he can pick up where he left off.He allowed two runs and three hits in six innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 6-2 victory on Tuesday. Both runs scored on solo homers by A. J. Pollock, the first on the fifth pitch of the game.It was a much better performance than in Wood's previous two outings, when the lefty didn't get out of the third inning in either game while allowing five home runs in losses to the St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins."This was the first time in the last three starts I thought there was some life to the baseball," Padres manager Andy Green told the San Diego Union-Tribune after the game against Arizona. "Even when Pollock hit that (first-inning) ball, I was optimistic about how the day was going to go." Wood was acquired from the Kansas City Royals in late July, and his Monday performance could carry over to the offseason, when the Padres will need to make a decision regarding the 30-year-old.Wood has definitely proved himself as a threat at the plate. His 11 regular-season home runs rank third among active pitchers behind the Giants' Madison Bumgarner (17) and the Seattle Mariners' Yovani Gallardo (12).
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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SOCCER |
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9/25/2017 |
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FOUND
1
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** IMPORTANT
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