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ACCESS
PICKS FOR TODAY TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2017 |
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NBA |
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5/23/2017 |
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FOUND
1
GAME |
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COMING
UP
8:38 PM EST |
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5/23/2017 8:38 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+1,243
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+15 (-105)
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Over 216.5 (-110)
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OFF
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-15 (-115)
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Under 216.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
May 22, 2017 CLEVELAND -- Forget playing like he had throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.If LeBron James was even a shell of his usual self in Game 3 against the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers would be up 3-0 in the conference finals and beginning to size up the Golden State Warriors for what would be an NBA Finals rematch.Game 4 is Tuesday in Cleveland."No blame. We're all to blame," Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said Monday, a day after his team was stunned 111-108 by the Celtics. "We lost; it happens. For a guy who played great for five straight months, he's got to have a bad game sooner or later. He's human. He didn't shoot the ball well. It wasn't his ordinary game. But Kevin (Love, 28 points) and Kyrie (Irving, 29 points) had it going early and they played well, so it kind of got him out of rhythm a little bit in that first half. That's no excuse." It wasn't just James' 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting that killed Cleveland, although it was surprising, given the 68 points he'd scored in the first two games of this series. It was his shocking inactivity in the fourth quarter against the Celtics, given his historic efforts against them and Jae Crowder -- who typically defends James.James took just three shots in that fourth quarter and missed them all. He didn't get to the free-throw line."He's got to be aggressive, get downhill, play like he's been playing, play confident," said Cavaliers teammate and friend J. R. Smith, who scored 13 points with eight rebounds in Game 3."That's what I always think, when people of his stature or people like him, you've got to play confident the whole night and play aggressive. It's the Eastern Conference finals. It's not enough for him. For what he does, what he brings, it's not enough. He knows that. We know that. Just expect him to be better in Game 4." According to cleveland.com, James' teams are 1-10 in the playoffs when he scores 15 or fewer points. Perhaps foreshadowing what's to come from him in Game 4, James is averaging 24.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in the nine playoff games following such a loss (the 10th game will be Tuesday).James is 20-0 in playoff series in which his team won the first two games, and the Cavaliers are 14-0 in those sets. James hasn't lost a playoff series against an Eastern team since the second round in 2010, when the Celtics knocked out Cleveland in six games.James had one of his worst playoff games ever in that series -- in Game 5, at home, he scored 15 points on 3-of-14 shooting and the Cavaliers were blown out. The Celtics took Game 6 and the series.Cleveland still has control in these conference finals and is 13-2 in its last 15 playoff games at Quicken Loans Arena."I mean, a game like that just happens," Lue said. "You move on and hopefully be better the next game. It's not something we're going to hang our head on. But we definitely understand that this (Boston) team is not going to quit, they're going to fight, they're going to compete." The Celtics have to fight on without leading scorer Isaiah Thomas, who is out for the remainder of the playoffs with a hip injury. His teammates celebrated with Thomas via FaceTime following their Game 3 win. They all know not to expect the same, unusually tame James in Game 4."I think he's going to be aggressive," said Avery Bradley, who scored 20 points and made the game-winning 3-pointer. "I mean, LeBron James understands how to play the game, and he understands what this team needs from him. He's most likely going to be a lot more aggressive. It's our job to make sure that we defend him as best we can and just make every -- take other guys out of the game." Boston trailed 2-0 in the first round against Chicago, but won the next four. This is a whole different deal, however, facing the defending champions without their own best player in Thomas.And now there may be more adversity for the Celtics. Coach Brad Stevens told the Boston Globe that forward Amir Johnson has a sprained right shoulder and is questionable for Game 4. Johnson was replaced in the starting lineup for Game 2 by Gerald Green, but after a 44-point loss and with Thomas out, Stevens went back to Johnson in Game 3.Stevens would rather play Kelly Olynyk (15 points in Game 3) and Jonas Jerebko (10 points) than Johnson anyway."We always believe in ourselves," said Avery Bradley, who scored 20 points and made the game-winning 3-pointer in Game 3. "It's not always the outcome that we want, but that's part of the game."You're going to have ups and downs. You obviously hear people saying that it's all about how you respond, and we don't feel like people believed in us and counted us out, but that just put another chip on our shoulder, which I think is good. And I hope we can continue to play with that chip on our shoulder and come out the same way next game." Stevens looked beyond the scoring numbers James put up in Game 3."Well, one of the things, as you go back and watch the film, I thought LeBron made a lot of the right plays," Stevens said. "When you've got guys that are all on fire the way they are, the right basketball play is to find them. He just made it over and over."The guy is a tremendous basketball player. He makes the right play over and over, and he thinks the game, he sees the game. He's a really good defender. He can read situations. So I thought he was pretty darned good. But like I said last night, I'm not going to be critical of the best player in the world."
 Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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MLB |
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5/23/2017 |
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FOUND
15
GAMES |
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COMING
UP
7:05 PM EST |
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5/23/2017 7:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+150
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+1.5 (-155)
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Over 7 (-110)
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-167
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-1.5 (+135)
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Under 7 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:05 PM EDT Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Ill., 60613 CHICAGO -- The last time Johnny Cueto pitched at Wrigley Field, he spun a three-hit, one-run masterpiece against the Chicago Cubs last October in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. The Cubs claimed a 1-0 victory that day on a Javier Baez eighth-inning home run and were equally delighted to avoid a second meeting with the San Francisco Giants right-hander in a potential Game 5 showdown. Chicago rallied with a four-run ninth in Game 4 for a 6-5 victory to clinch the series, launching the Cubs on the way to the NLCS and eventually the World Series." I'm telling you, Game 4 pretty much won the World Series for us," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Monday prior to the opener of a four-game series with the Giants. "I did not want to see Mr. Cueto pitching back here again." I'll get to see him tomorrow, but that's OK." A little more than seven months later, Cueto is back to face the Cubs on Tuesday for the 25th time. He will go again against left-hander Jon Lester, the winning pitcher in that Oct. 7 NLDS showdown. Cueto has 9-8 career regular-season record against the Cubs with a 3.24 ERA. Most of those starts came while he was in the same division as Chicago, pitching for the Cincinnati Reds from 2008-15. He is 4-3 with a 4.50 ERA in nine starts this season. After a 3-0 start, he has gone 1-4 with two no-decisions in his past five appearances. Cueto is coming off a 6-1 Giants loss on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers during which he gave up five runs on eight hits and five runs, struck out six and walked one in six innings. The game also featured a benches-clearing brawl." I don't think he pitched his sharpest," Giants catcher Buster Posey said after that contest. Cueto is a two-time All-Star (2014 and 2016). The Giants are 6-3 in his starts so far this year. Lester (2-2, 3.57 ERA) makes his 10th start of the season on Tuesday. He is coming off his second win of the season, a 9-5 Cubs victory over the Reds on Thursday. Lester allowed six hits and three runs over six-plus innings in that game, striking out five. He remains unbeaten in his last 18 Wrigley Field starts and is 13-0 in that span." We're trending in the right direction, which is good," he said. "Hopefully we can keep it going." Lester is 4-1 with a 2.25 ERA in five career regular-season starts against San Francisco. He threw a complete game in his first start against the Giants on June 27, 2010, as well as his most recent regular-season outing vs. San Francisco on Sept. 2, 2016. He tossed eight shutout innings and allowed five hits against the Giants in Game 1 of the 2016 NLDS. The Giants were 1-5 at Wrigley Field last season, and they are 2-9 against the Cubs over their last 11 in Chicago even after a 6-4 win on Monday.
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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5/23/2017 7:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-135
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-1.5 (+120)
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Over 8.5 (-125)
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+122
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+1.5 (-140)
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Under 8.5 (+105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:05 PM EDT Venue: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA, 19148 PHILADELPHIA -- The Colorado Rockies have already assured themselves of no worse than a .500 record on their longest road trip of the season, and they could guarantee a winning trip with a victory in the second game of a four-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night. After winning two of three against the Minnesota Twins and then the Cincinnati Reds to start the 10-game trip, the Rockies started well in Philadelphia on Monday night, getting seven strong innings from rookie Jeff Hoffman in a 8-1 victory. Now they will turn to another rookie to try to keep the momentum going. German Marquez, Colorado's Tuesday starter, has had a strong beginning to the year away from Coors Field. He is 1-0 with an 0.82 ERA in two road starts, giving up just one earned run in 11 innings. Overall, he is 2-2 with a 4.34 ERA. However, in his last two starts (one home, one road), he has given up just one run in 13 innings, lowering his ERA from 7.31 and picking up his first two wins of the season. His last time out, just his eighth major league start, he gave up one run on four hits spread over five innings on Thursday, defeating the Twins ace Ervin Santana in a 5-1 victory." I have a lot of pride in beating Santana, one of the best pitchers in the game right now," Marquez told the Denver Post after that outing. "He's a guy that's been in the big leagues for 11-plus years now, so there is definitely a lot of pride in beating him." Marquez is one of four rookies who have started games this year for Colorado, but it hasn't been a problem for a team that has the best record in the National League, 29-17." There's a core of these young guys developing, which I think is great," Rockies manager Bud Black said Monday night. "I think those guys are digging it that they're in the big leagues and doing well." Tuesday will be Marquez's first career start against the Phillies. The right-hander will look for support from a Rockies offense that is clicking of late, collecting double-digit hits in each of the past four games, including 13 hits Monday night." I think we played good offense tonight in the sense that we didn't just hit balls over the fence," said Colorado center fielder Charlie Blackmon, who went 2-for-5 with three RBIs on Monday, "but we did a really good job getting the sacrifice bunts down and in situations where you can make an out and still get an RBI, we were able to put the ball in play, avoid the strikeout and just play good situational offense." The Rockies will try to keep raking against Phillies righty Zach Eflin, who is still looking for his first victory as he makes his seventh start. Eflin (0-1, 4.25 ERA) has faced the Rockies once in his career, picking up a win last July while allowing just two runs over six innings of a 10-3 win. To make it 2-for-2, he is going to need help from an offense that has been anemic of late. The Phillies (15-27) managed just three hits and one run in the loss on Monday. They have scored more than five runs only once in their past 10 games, and they haven't scored double-digit runs since May 1." We got three hits today, we got three hits yesterday," manager Pete Mackanin said Monday. "Not going to win a lot of games when you're getting three hits."
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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5/23/2017 7:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+129
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+1.5 (-165)
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Over 9 (+100)
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-143
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-1.5 (+144)
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Under 9 (-120)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:05 PM EDT Venue: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Md., 21201 BALTIMORE -- Dylan Bundy will try to rebound on Tuesday after his first non-quality start of the season. It will not be an easy task for the Baltimore Orioles right-hander. Bundy (5-2, 2.97 ERA) will face Minnesota Twins ace Ervin Santana (6-2, 2.07) in the middle game of a three-game series at Camden Yards. Bundy has lasted at least six innings of each of his nine starts, but he did not give up more than three runs until his last outing. The Detroit Tigers touched him up for six runs in six innings on Thursday in a 6-5 victory over the Orioles. Still, he made it through the sixth, which gave a tired Baltimore bullpen a break. Bundy has pitched just once against Minnesota, throwing a scoreless inning last year. The Orioles will need his help after the Twins scored 12 consecutive runs and rallied from an early five-run deficit to post a 14-7 victory in the series opener Monday. Orioles manager Buck Showalter wants his team to shake off the loss." If you're tough mentally. I don't think guys dwell on it," Showalter said. "But as long as they feel like there's a silver lining there, something that's coming that's going to get better, (that's good)." Santana also is trying to rebound from a defeat. He gave up five runs on six hits in seven innings on Thursday, taking the loss against the Colorado Rockies. Still, that was the fifth time in nine starts that Santana went at least seven innings. The 34-year old right-hander certainly has earned the respect of manager Paul Molitor." He's a poised pitcher who's not intimidated," Molitor said. "Since he's been here, he's pitched good baseball for Minnesota. In a very bleak season (last year), he was one of our lone bright spots. He's a guy who attacks with his fastball." Santana, who is 4-5 with a 4.87 career ERA against the Orioles, ranks first in the majors in lowest opponents' batting average this year (.144). The Orioles still are battling a number of injury issues. Manager Buck Showalter said before the game Monday that Ryan Flaherty, on the disabled list due to a strained shoulder, was getting a plasma-rich platelet injection before going out to do rehab work in Florida. Manny Machado played on Monday after X-rays on his left hand were fine, and he went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI double. He was hit in the hand by a pitch on Sunday, and Showalter said the hand still was not perfect a day later. The Orioles also recalled right-hander Tyler Wilson for some bullpen help on Monday after optioning right-hander Miguel Castro back to Double-A Bowie following the Sunday game. Wilson allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits in 1 1/3 innings Monday and took the loss. Baltimore also reinstated right-hander Gabriel Ynoa (right hamstring strain) from the disabled list Monday and immediately optioned him back to Triple-A Norfolk. The Twins, meanwhile, recalled right-hander Kyle Gibson (1-4) to start the series opener, and he allowed six runs in five innings but still got the win. He snapped a nine-start winless streak. Thanks to a four-run fifth inning and six-run sixth, Minnesota improved its road record to 12-5.
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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5/23/2017 7:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+131
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+1.5 (-160)
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Over 8.5 (-120)
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-145
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-1.5 (+140)
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Under 8.5 (+100)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:05 PM EDT Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY, 10451 NEW YORK -- Five days ago, Danny Duffy enjoyed tremendous success in shutting down the New York Yankees. A effective slider was a key element that day, and Duffy looks to replicate it Tuesday night when the Kansas City Royals continue a four-game series with the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. According to fangraphs, Duffy (3-3, 2.97 ERA) is throwing his slider a career-high 29.3 percent this season, up from 23.5 percent in the previous two seasons. On Thursday in Kansas City, he pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed three hits and two walks and struck out 10 in the Royals' 5-1 victory. He entered the game with a strikeout rate of 17.7 percent but increased it to 19.1 percent by making liberal use of the slider." Not babying it, not trying to manipulate the movement," Duffy said of the difference in the slider's effectiveness Thursday. "Just let the grip and the release point play for itself." He used the pitch to get six strikeouts and three other outs. Overall, Duffy threw the pitch 40 times as opposed to 17 times in his previous start against the Baltimore Orioles." I think I was (using it more), but not as much as I would have liked," Duffy said. "I was getting to 0-2, 1-2 and throw a strike slider when I needed to bounce it." With the Thursday win, Duffy improved to 2-2 with a 5.46 ERA in eight career outings (six starts) against the Yankees." Danny was just on the attack all night," Royals manager Ned Yost said. Duffy turned in his fourth career double-digit strikeout game. He also threw a season-high 108 pitches while completing seven innings for the fifth time this year." When you see a slider, you can see the spin, but on his slider I didn't see it," Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro said. "He didn't make too many mistakes." Duffy's last outing also saw him thrive with runners in scoring position. He held the Yankees hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position after allowing a .333 average in those situations during his first eight starts. Duffy made a pair of scoreless relief appearance in New York when the teams met in mid-May of last season. On Sept. 6, 2014, in New York, he exited after throwing one pitch due to a shoulder injury and was not credited with making a start. Duffy will be hoping his teammates can be more productive than they were Monday. The Royals (18-26) opened the series with a 4-2 loss by going 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, resulting in their fifth loss in seven games since getting within five games of .500 on May 14. The Yankees claimed the series opener by getting home runs from Brett Gardner, Didi Gregorius and Chris Carter. Michael Pineda pitched effectively into the seventh, and the Yankees are hoping for similar results Tuesday from Jordan Montgomery. Montgomery (2-3, 4.81 ERA) will oppose Duffy for the second straight start. He took the loss after allowing a career-high five earned runs and four hits in five innings Thursday. Unlike Duffy, Montgomery made a few mistakes with a slider, specifically on the pitch Mike Moustakas turned into a three-run home run." A slider that didn't slide," Montgomery said. "I didn't have the best command. Still, I knew they were going to be free swingers at the first pitch, and I left a couple of balls up." Despite the worst of his seven career starts, Montgomery is still doing well in other areas. Opponents are batting .216 (8-for-37) with runners in scoring position against him, and his ratio of allowing 0.92 home runs per nine innings is the lowest among New York starting pitchers.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
7:05 PM EST |
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5/23/2017 7:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+134
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+1.5 (-160)
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Over 9 (-105)
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-148
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-1.5 (+140)
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Under 9 (-115)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:05 PM EDT Venue: Nationals Park, Washington, D. C., 20003 WASHINGTON -- It is amazing what leaving Denver can do for pitchers and their confidence, not to mention their ERAs. That appears to be the case for Christian Bergman, who is slated to start on the mound for the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday at Washington in the first of a three-game interleague series against the first-place Nationals. Bergman posted ERAs of 5.93, 4.74 and 8.39 from 2014-16 in his first three seasons in the majors with the Colorado Rockies. Last year he appeared in 15 games, including one start. Now in his first year with last-place Seattle (20-25), Bergman will make his third start and fourth appearance on Tuesday. He is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA and went 7 1/3 scoreless innings with a career-high nine strikeouts against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday." He really stepped up and was in total control from the get-go," Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters. Bergman had not posted a win as a starter since Sept. 21, 2014." If I strike out five or six in a game it feels like 10. It's not something I normally do," Bergman told reporters after his last start. "It was a good night." Bergman, 29, has faced the Nationals just once, allowing two runs in one inning out of the bullpen for the Rockies last season. Washington right fielder Bryce Harper has a homer in his only official at-bat against Bergman. It will be the first series for Seattle in Washington since 2011, when the Nationals swept a three-game set. Washington is 6-0 at home against the Mariners. The Nationals (26-17) did not immediately name a starter for Tuesday following their 3-2 win on Sunday in Atlanta against the Braves. On Monday, the team announced that right-hander Joe Ross (1-0, 7.47 ERA) will be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to rejoin the rotation. Ross, who went 7-5 with a 3.43 ERA for Washington in 2016, won his season debut but was pounded in his next two outings, leading to his demotion at the beginning of May. But it is who is on the mound at the end of the game for the Nationals that has been the topic du jour in baseball circles in the nation's capital for the past few weeks. Washington's bullpen has been a disaster for most of this season and has a league-worst 5.40 ERA through Sunday. With that in mind, and as a possible solution, the Nationals began using top pitching prospect Erick Fedde out of the bullpen last week after he made seven starts this year for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League. Fedde, 24, allowed one hit and one run in one inning out of bullpen on May 16 against the Bowie Baysox and then went two innings in relief on Friday at Richmond, allowing one hit and one run with three strikeouts." We see Erick Fedde as a starting pitcher of the future," Washington general manager Mike Rizzo told 106.7 The Fan last week. But with a possible bullpen need for the Nationals, and the fact that Fedde is on an innings limit after he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2014, using him a reliever for now makes sense for the Nationals." We see this as killing two birds with one stone," Rizzo said, referring to bullpen help and keeping Fedde's innings down. Mark Scialabba, the director of player development for the Nationals, was in Harrisburg last week as the Senators hosted the Bowie Baysox." He has value long term as a starter," Scialabba, standing back of home plate, said of Fedde. "Mike and Dusty (Baker) and the rest of our staff decided this was the time to transition him into this role (out of bullpen). We are very excited about his future." The Nationals snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 win Sunday in Atlanta as right-hander Koda Glover got the last four outs for his third save. Washington turned a double play in the ninth as Matt Adams lined out to first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who stepped on the bag to retire Matt Kemp." Sometimes it's good to be lucky," Glover told reporters.
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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5/23/2017 7:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+118
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+1.5 (-185)
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Over 8 (-115)
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-130
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-1.5 (+160)
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Under 8 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:10 PM EDT Venue: Citi Field, Flushing, NY, 11368 NEW YORK -- A pair of teams on the verge of receiving some vital reinforcements will square off Tuesday night when the New York Mets host the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game series at Citi Field. Both teams were off Monday night. The Mets saw their two-game winning streak end Sunday with a 12-5 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Angels. The Padres snapped a five-game losing streak Sunday, when Clayton Richard tossed a complete-game five-hitter in a 5-1 win over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks." There was just a little more importance with it today, with how the last couple days have went," Richard said following the victory. "I really wanted to be out there as long as I could to give the team a little breathing room." Despite the win Sunday, the Padres (16-30) still own the worst winning percentage in baseball. San Diego continued tinkering with its roster Sunday, when it claimed utility man Chase d'Arnaud off waivers from the Boston Red Sox. D'Arnaud will likely be in uniform Tuesday, when the Padres are expected to recall infielder Carlos Asuaje from Triple-A El Paso. In addition, San Diego will need to recall a starting pitcher later in the week to replace injured right-hander Jered Weaver, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Saturday due to right hip inflammation. Chase d'Arnaud probably won't be the only member of his family to arrive at Citi Field this week. Travis d'Arnaud, the younger brother of Chase and the Opening Day catcher for the Mets (18-24), will likely be activated from the 10-day DL during the series. Travis d'Arnaud, out since May 3 because of a bruised right wrist, played his fifth rehab game Monday, when he started at catcher for Triple-A Las Vegas. He went 0-for-3, leaving him 5-for-19 (.263) in the minors. Once Travis d'Arnaud returns to the majors, Mets manager Terry Collins will have to figure out how to divide playing time at catcher, where Rene Rivera has thrived. Rivera had a career-high 11-game hitting streak snapped Saturday and is batting .308 with two homers and 14 RBIs in 78 at-bats. Travis d'Arnaud is hitting just .203 with four homers and 16 RBIs in 59 major league at-bats." He's been absolutely a brilliant, important piece of our lineup the last two weeks," Collins said Sunday of Rivera. "And when Travis comes back -- we haven't made any decisions -- but certainly Rene's going to get some playing time." The Mets' Matt Harvey (2-3, 5.56 ERA) is scheduled to face the Padres' Jhouyls Chacin (4-3, 4.61 ERA) on Tuesday in a matchup of veteran right-handers. Harvey's winless streak hit six starts last Wednesday, when he didn't factor into the decision after giving up three runs over 5 1/3 innings as the Mets fell to the Diamondbacks 5-4. He is 2-1 with a 3.38 ERA in four career starts against the Padres. Chacin pitched well in a no-decision last Wednesday, when he allowed one run and surrendered a season-low two hits while striking out a season-high eight hits over seven innings in the Padres' 3-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He is 1-4 with a 4.84 ERA in seven career games (six starts) against the Mets.
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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5/23/2017 7:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+104
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+1.5 (-200)
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Over 8.5 (-105)
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-114
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-1.5 (+170)
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Under 8.5 (-115)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:10 PM EDT Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL, 33705 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Angels are two teams nearly tethered to .500. They started their four-game series Monday with identical 23-23 records, each seeking the impetus to set up a sustained run of wins." Just trying to keep the momentum going," said Cameron Maybin, who hit a solo home run and scored twice for the Angels in a 3-2 win. "We're playing some good baseball lately, and it's a good way to start the series off." Game 2 of the series Tuesday pits two starting pitchers who won each of their past two decisions and are trying to build some personal momentum as well. No Angels starting pitcher has won more than two straight decisions all season, but that is what Matt Shoemaker (3-2, 4.47 ERA) will try to do Tuesday. He tossed six shutout innings to beat the Detroit Tigers on May 12, then gave up four runs (three earned) in 6 1/3 innings to top the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. Shoemaker has fared well against the Rays in his career, owning a 3-0 record with a 2.60 ERA against them, but his last start against Tampa Bay was nearly two years ago, in June 2015. On the other side, Rays right-hander Alex Cobb has back-to-back victories for the first time since he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2015. He hasn't won three in a row since 2014. His last outing saw him match his season high with seven strikeouts in a win at Cleveland on Wednesday, when he held the Indians to three runs in seven innings. Cobb has not been successful against the Angels in his career, amassing a 1-1 record with a 7.08 ERA in four career starts. His last outing against them was in 2012, when he gave up eight runs -- matching a career high -- and 12 hits, one off his most ever. The Rays did a good job Monday of handling the Angels' two most dangerous batters, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols, who have combined for 66 RBIs. The duo went a combined 0-for-6 with three strikeouts, but the Rays' walks -- eight total -- cost them a close game. Rays relievers walked four in the pivotal seventh inning, and the decisive run scored on a wild pitch. Tampa Bay, which had bounced back nicely entering the series after falling a season-low three games below .500 last week, got three hits in the first inning in jumping out to a 2-1 lead. However, the Rays managed just four hits, all singles, the rest of the way. The Rays went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position in what amounted to a quiet night at the plate. Finding consistency at the plate is a must if Tampa Bay is to be anything more than a .500 team the rest of the way." We started off really hot and had the energy," said Rays leadoff hitter Corey Dickerson, who has six home runs in his last six games, including one Monday on his 28th birthday. "Whenever you don't string at-bats, it kind of gets you down, but there's always tomorrow. We felt like something was going to happen. It was one run, and we felt like we had to score to get above that tie, but it didn't happen."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
7:10 PM EST |
|
5/23/2017 7:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+174
|
+1.5 (-120)
|
Over 9 (-110)
|
|
|
-194
|
-1.5 (+100)
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Under 9 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:10 PM EDT Venue: Fenway Park, Boston, Mass., 02215 BOSTON -- The red-hot Texas Rangers have 11 wins in their last 12 games, but they hit Fenway Park to face the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night with a starting pitcher who has lived a long nightmare on the road. Andrew Cashner, who faces reigning Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello in the opener of a three-game series -- and a six-game Boston homestand -- has failed to win a road game since Sept. 16, 2015. Pitching for three different teams, Cashner is 0-8 in his last 17 road starts and has failed to win in 21 of his last 22 away from home. Lifetime, while just 23-26 at his three home parks, he is a woeful 9-30 on the road, where he has pitched to a 4.85 ERA, compared to 2.82 in home games. Cashner is 0-2 in three road starts for Texas this season, but it is his work in his last two starts -- finally healthy (bicep) and both at home -- that have the Rangers optimistic as they come in to face the struggling Red Sox. Cashner, who will face the Red Sox for the first time, has allowed three runs over 13 innings, going 1-0 with a no-decision in his last two starts -- the win over the Philadelphia Phillies being Cashner's first in his home state of Texas. The Rangers (24-21) are winning -- this run bringing them from oblivion -- to within striking distance of the Houston Astros in the American League West. They have survived without third baseman Adrian Beltre, still making his way back from a calf injury that has seriously delayed his 2017 debut." We are just playing good baseball," Mike Napoli said after Sunday's win at Detroit. "This is what we envisioned in spring training, how we wanted to play. We got off to a rough start, but we got it figured out. We need to just need to keep it rolling." The same cannot be said for the Red Sox, one of Napoli's former teams. Boston salvaged a win Sunday in Oakland, avoiding a four-game sweep and keeping the record over .500. The Red Sox, picked by many to win the division and go all the way to the World Series, ended their weekend just as far from last place as they were from first -- four games. They scored 12 runs Sunday." We had everybody get a hit today," manager John Farrell said. "Any time you get a game where everyone is contributing, it's a widespread positive." Porcello has already lost more games -- five -- in 2017 than he did all last season. In 2016, the right-hander received more offensive support than any other major league starter. This season? Not so much. Right-handed hitters, who batted .235 with a .396 slugging percentage last season, are batting .314 with a .504 slugging percentage in 2017. Porcello is 5-4 but with a lofty 5.69 ERA in nine career starts against Texas. Beltre is 10-for-24 (.417) with a homer lifetime against Porcello, but he's not quite ready to return as he just started running the bases over the weekend. Napoli is 6-for-18 (.333) and Rougned Odor 4-for-6 (.667) against Porcello, but Elvis Andrus is just 4-for-22 (.182) against the veteran. Napoli, who won a World Series with Boston in 2013, has a .639 career slugging percentage against the Red Sox -- the highest by any active player with at least 100 at-bats against them. Boston's Hanley Ramirez, who had three hits Sunday to raise his road batting average to .167 (.329 at home), was 3-for-20 (.150) in the National League. Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland will face his old team for the first time Tuesday." It'll be kind of bittersweet," Moreland said. "Obviously I still have a lot of friends and people over there that I care about and check on. It'll be good to see those guys and I'll be a lot of fun to compete against them." On Monday, utility man Chase d'Arnaud, who appeared in just two games, going 1-for-1 at the plate and scoring twice, was claimed off waivers by the San Diego Padres after being designated for assignment by Boston.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
7:10 PM EST |
|
5/23/2017 7:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-162
|
-1.5 (+100)
|
Over 8.5 (-115)
|
|
|
+146
|
+1.5 (-120)
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Under 8.5 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:10 PM EDT Venue: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202 CINCINNATI -- The Cleveland Indians got a bit of a scare when right-hander Carlos Carrasco left his May 15 start in the fourth inning due to pectoral tightness. The injury was not serious, and after a couple of extra days of rest, the 30-year-old right-hander is ready to make his ninth start of the season Tuesday night against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park." No issues, he's been fine the whole week," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "We just backed him up a couple days. Once he got examined, he felt pretty good. If something was going the wrong direction, you would get a pretty good indication pretty quickly." Carrasco (4-2, 2.60 ERA) will be facing the Reds for the first time since July 29, 2015. He is 2-0 lifetime against them with a 4.09 ERA. Carrasco allowed five runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays before the pectoral tightness forced him to exit. The Reds will counter with rookie left-hander Amir Garrett (3-3, 5.18 ERA), who is facing the Indians for the first time. He turned 25 on May 3. Cincinnati (21-23) has lost eight of 10 and is dealing with pitching staff inconsistency due to injuries and a parade of young arms. However, there isn't much wrong with the Reds' lineup, which is formidable top to bottom, beginning with leadoff batter Billy Hamilton, who had reached base in 21 straight games, a streak that ended Sunday. The Reds are averaging more than five runs per game and are batting .265 as a team, which ranks third in the National League. Scott Schebler homered for a third consecutive game Monday as the Reds beat the Indians 5-1 in the series opener." Their whole lineup is swinging it," Francona said. "That's not an issue for them. They've got a pretty deep, balanced lineup. We'll need to score." The Indians (23-20) swept the first-place Houston Astros over the weekend, a sign that they are getting hot as well, as is Yan Gomes. The catcher has recovered from a slow start to the season to bat .367 since April 17." They have a lot of things going for them," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "They already had a good lineup, and they made themselves a lot better by adding (Edwin) Encarnacion. Their pitching, their starters in particular, is something that's allowed them to turn things around, and their bullpen is shutdown. That makes a difference." Cincinnati has the upper hand in this year's Ohio Cup after winning Monday night. The Reds have won or tied 11 of the 19 series with the Indians, including eight of the past 11, but they lost the last two season series. Last May, the Indians swept the Reds en route to an American League pennant. The Reds have won 18 of the past 26 games against Cleveland at Great American Ball Park, but they have lost four of the past six games there against the Tribe. Interleague play doesn't carry as much significance now that the novelty has worn off a bit. The Reds and Indians share a spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz., so not much bad blood exists to fuel a rivalry between the clubs." I'm sure the people of Ohio enjoy it more than I do," Price said. "I'd rather manage against National League teams."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
7:35 PM EST |
|
5/23/2017 7:35 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+100
|
+1.5 (-210)
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Over 9.5 (-110)
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|
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-110
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-1.5 (+176)
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Under 9.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:35 PM EDT Venue: SunTrust Park, Atlanta, GA, 30339 ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves will go old-school with their pitching staff on Tuesday when they send starter R. A. Dickey to the mound on three days' rest. Dickey (3-3, 4.13 ERA) will start the second game of a four-game series with the Pirates. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow (2-3, 7.34) gets the ball for Pittsburgh. Atlanta won the series opener 5-2 on Monday behind homers from Brandon Phillips and Matt Adams. Dickey, a knuckleballer, isn't believed to require as much rest as a typical pitcher, and Atlanta manager Brian Snitker didn't hesitate to send the veteran to the mound on non-typical rest. The move allows Snitker to squeeze Dickey in the rotation between hard-throwing Mike Foltynewicz and Julio Teheran, thus giving the starting staff a different look." We wanted to use R. A. to break up a couple of similar guys," Snitker said. "It gives us the opportunity to do that. If it was up to him, he'd pitch every fourth day anyway." Dickey has made eight career starts on three days' rest, going 3-4 with a 6.20 ERA. This season, the right-hander has made eight starts, recording 26 strikeouts and 21 walks in 48 innings. He has made nine career appearances, eight starts, against the Pirates, going 3-3 with a 2.76 ERA. He lost to Pittsburgh on April 8 when he allowed six runs, three earned, in 5 2/3 innings. In his most recent outing, Dickey tossed 5 1/3 innings and yielded four runs, two earned, in a no-decision against the Washington Nationals on Friday. Glasnow is 23, 19 years younger than Dickey. The rookie, considered the best pitching prospect in the organization, will make his first career appearance against Atlanta. He beat the Nationals in his last start on Thursday, allowing four runs, two earned, on three hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out six. If Glasnow can't go deep into the game -- his longest stint is 6 1/3 innings -- the Pirates will turn to a reliable bullpen anchored by Felipe Rivero, Juan Nicasio and Tony Watson. The Pittsburgh bullpen worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings on Monday. Nicasio has made 13 straight scoreless appearances. Rivero has a team-high 11 holds. Watson, who earned his 10th save on Sunday, has converted 10 of his 11 save opportunities. Manager Clint Hurdle said, "It's been a long run (for Nicasio). I don't know the last time he gave up a run. I think it's been a while. He's been aggressive. It hasn't been one thing, because it's not like they're all strikes. He's had some extended counts. I think the split changeup is something he's been able to combat the left-handers." Watson is succeeding even though his strikeout rate is down. He has 14 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings. Last season, he registered 58 strikeouts in 67 2/3 innings." I think as pitchers mature, they get a better feel of what they want to do and how they want to do it on the mound," Hurdle said. "His feel for pitching, I just think, is maturing. He knows himself really well. It's not just missing bats now. It's weak contact." Pittsburgh may know more by game time about the severity of the injury to shortstop Jordy Mercer, who left the Monday contest early after taking a ground ball off the base of his right thumb. He was examined by the medical staff and ruled day-to-day. The Braves have won eight of their past 11 games. The Pirates have won six of their past nine. Despite the loss on Monday, Pittsburgh has won 15 of the past 22 games against Atlanta.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
7:40 PM EST |
|
5/23/2017 7:40 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-103
|
+1.5 (-215)
|
Over 8.5 (-110)
|
|
|
-107
|
-1.5 (+180)
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Under 8.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:40 PM EDT Venue: Miller Park, Milwaukee, Wis., 53214 MILWAUKEE -- Despite a 13-6 loss Sunday at Wrigley Field, the Milwaukee Brewers are still atop the National League Central standings heading into the opener of a two-game interleague series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night at Miller Park. The Brewers (25-19) have been something of a pleasant surprise so far, riding a potent offense that ranked third in on-base-plus-slugging percentage, runs scored, homers and stolen bases through the Sunday games. That makes them a tough test for opposing pitchers. Their own pitchers, though, have been another story. The Brewers' starting rotation ranked 21st in ERA, 26th in WHIP and 30th in walks per nine innings through the weekend." Offensively, we have been in a good groove all year," said Milwaukee third baseman Travis Shaw, who brings a career-high, 11-game hitting streak into the Tuesday game. "We have a lot of young, hungry guys." There's a lot of new faces in this clubhouse, myself included, and when a young team like this clicks at the same time, it can be a fun thing, and I think that's what we're in the middle of right now." Right-hander Jimmy Nelson (2-2, 3.86 ERA) will try to keep that going when he takes the mound against the Blue Jays, looking to continue what has been an impressive month. Nelson was 1-2 with a 5.34 ERA through his first five starts, but he is 1-0 with a 1.15 ERA in three outings since, holding batters to a .193 average while striking out 18 and walking only five in 15 2/3 innings. He pitched six strong innings his last time out, holding the San Diego Padres to two runs while striking out eight in a 6-2 victory on May 16." I didn't throw any changeups because the curveball was so good," Nelson said after the outing. "I just kept going to it." While the Brewers have surprised the baseball world, the Blue Jays have gotten off to a disappointing start. Toronto (19-26) comes to Milwaukee last in the American League East." We're not happy with where we're at," Toronto manager John Gibbons said, "but with everything we've been through, we're not upset about it, either. We dug ourselves a pretty good hole, but we think there's still time to get out of it. We could sure use some reinforcements." The Blue Jays' Tuesday starter, Joe Biagini, threw one scoreless inning of relief when Milwaukee swept an early two-game set in Toronto, allowing a walk with two strikeouts in a 4-3 loss in April 11. Biagini (1-2, 3.41 ERA) made 14 relief appearances earlier this season, posting a 3.38 ERA with one save, but since moving into the rotation on May 7, he has gone 1-1 with a 3.46 ERA in three starts. The 26-year-old right-hander is still growing into the starting role and is expected to throw between 80-85 pitches against the Brewers." My fastball has been up a little bit early in games, every start that I've made," Biagini said. "I think something to be taken from that is to take a look at my pregame routine, see if I can make an adjustment, because I think what's different about the bullpen ... is that you throw before the game, your arm gets a chance to settle down, and as soon as you have to get ready to throw, you get up quickly, and then you're in the game." For me, the starting process of throwing long on the field, then going into the bullpen and throwing more pitches, I think there might be a need to make a slight adjustment to that."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
8:10 PM EST |
|
5/23/2017 8:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+192
|
+1.5 (-110)
|
Over 9 (+105)
|
|
|
-215
|
-1.5 (-110)
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Under 9 (-125)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 8:10 PM EDT Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX, 77002 HOUSTON -- After five-plus seasons in the minor leagues, Astros right-hander Jordan Jankowski finally got the call to the big leagues on Monday. He joined a team in desperate need of his services ahead of a series against the Detroit Tigers. With the Astros rearranging their pitching staff due in large part to injuries, Jankowski (1-1, 1.42 ERA with Triple-A Fresno) offers the club a long reliever with a capable arsenal and a lengthy track record of success in the Houston farm system." Another right-hander down there with a good slider against (the Detroit Tigers) has a chance to be effective," Astros manager A. J. Hinch said. "We wanted him to get to the big leagues over the last few transactions and it hasn't fallen his way, so I'm happy for him." There's a great excitement, especially for him. He's been stagnant in Triple-A just outperforming that league for a couple years now. He's got real weapons. He's answered every challenge except major league hitters and major league competition. His fastball-slider combination is really good." The Astros (30-15) got by without Jankowski on Monday, when four Houston pitchers combined on a one-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Tigers. Houston wouldn't mind not needing Jankowski's services again Tuesday when Astros right-hander Lance McCullers (4-1, 2.65 ERA) starts against Tigers right-hander Jordan Zimmermann (4-2, 6.25 ERA). McCullers owns the longest active scoreless-innings streak in the American League at 17. He has not allowed an earned run in three consecutive starts, all on the road. He is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in one career start against Detroit. Zimmermann will make his sixth career appearance against the Astros, against whom he is 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA. Zimmermann last faced Houston on April 30, 2014, allowing seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over 6 1/3 shutout innings. He is 2-2 with a 3.42 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings over four career starts at Minute Maid Park. Detroit (21-22) continues to sputter along, appearing listless offensively in the series opener. Mikie Mahtook's one-out single in the third inning was all that kept Houston from throwing a no-hitter even though the Astros were employing right-hander Brad Peacock as a spot starter. The Tigers fell to 9-10 this month. They have hovered around .500 for most of this season, seemingly unable to build any measure of positive momentum." We are grinding," Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera said. "We know we've got a tough schedule in May. If we can get through May, I know we're going to be OK. We're going to grind, and we're not going to use it as an excuse. Hopefully, we can get some rest today and be ready tomorrow." Rest might serve as a temporary antidote. The Tigers played late Sunday night at home before traveling and arriving in Houston early Monday morning. After completing the current four-game series, the Tigers will travel to Chicago early Friday morning to contest a straight doubleheader against the White Sox that same day." I've played on teams that got no sleep and scored double-digit runs," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Monday. "You don't want to do it regularly. I don't think (fatigue) was an effect today. I just thought it had more to do with their pitching."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
9:40 PM EST |
|
5/23/2017 9:40 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+166
|
+1.5 (-120)
|
Over 11 (-110)
|
|
|
-185
|
-1.5 (+100)
|
Under 11 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 9:40 PM EDT Venue: Chase Field, Phoenix, Ariz., 85004 PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks will try to continue their mastery of interleague play Tuesday night when they play the middle game of a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox. After a 5-1 win over the White Sox on Monday behind Zack Greinke, the Diamondbacks own a 6-1 record against American League opposition. Then again, the Diamondbacks are faring well against most everybody. Arizona (27-19) is 6-1 in its past seven games and 9-3 in its past 12. The White Sox (20-23) had a three-game winning streak snapped Monday. The D-backs are capable of playing small ball, stealing bases and advancing runners, traits normally associated with National League play, while still carrying the lumber to win high-scoring games, more linked to the AL." This is a pretty good ballclub," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said of the D-backs. "All around, they're very balanced. They've done a nice job both offensively and with their pitching staff. They're an aggressive ballclub. They hustle." For Renteria, the series in Arizona offers a chance to manage with NL rules, just as he did when he led the Chicago Cubs in 2014. The NL forces managers to weigh the value of keeping the pitcher in the game awhile longer or pinch-hitting for him in the middle or later stages of the game." All those things come into play," Renteria said. "(But mostly,) our starters need to continue to go out there and pitch and get some outs." The D-backs will send left-hander Patrick Corbin (3-4, 4.38 ERA) to the mound Tuesday for his first appearance vs. the White Sox." He's attacking the zone on both sides of the plate and is able to make adjustments and understands why those adjustments are made," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said of Corbin. "I just love the idea he's on the mound, competing the way he does. He has got a great mix of pitches. He expects to go out and win each battle." Corbin will be opposed by rookie Dylan Covey (0-3, 7.64). The right-hander is scheduled to make the eight start of his career and of the season, his sixth on road and first against Arizona. Covey got off to a rocky start to the season, allowing at least six runs in three of five appearances. He got a no-decision against the San Diego Padres on May 13, then yielded four runs over six innings in another no-decision at Seattle on Thursday." His last two outings have been much, much better," Renteria said. "His fastball command has improved. I think his velocity is starting to go up. We're just trying to get him to attack the strike zone as much as we can." His last couple of outings, he's been a little more poised. I think he's growing in confidence. For a young man who hasn't pitched beyond Double-A ball, quite honestly, to be put in the situation where he's pitching at the major league level, you have to give him a little room and see what adjustments he makes." He's been working very hard to do that. I think he's taken positive steps forward."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
10:05 PM EST |
|
5/23/2017 10:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+116
|
+1.5 (-180)
|
Over 9 (+100)
|
|
|
-128
|
-1.5 (+155)
|
Under 9 (-120)
|
|
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|
|
|
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 10:05 PM EDT Venue: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA, 94621 OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics powered their way to a 3-1 series win over the Boston Red Sox last weekend at Oakland Coliseum, hitting eight home runs to give them 64 for the season. Now the A's will try to continue their power surge when they open a two-game interleague series against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night at home. The A's are on pace to hit 236 home runs -- 67 more than they did last season. They've gone deep in 14 of their past 15 games and led the American League in home runs entering their off day Monday. Khris Davis leads the A's in home runs with 13, and Yonder Alonso, who is expected to return to the starting lineup after missing four games with a strained left knee, has a career-high 12. But five other A's have at least five home runs: Ryon Healy (seven), Jed Lowrie (six), Trevor Plouffe (six), Chad Pinder (five) and Matt Joyce (five). Mark Canha and Adam Rosales each have three." It means we have some depth as far as that goes," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "We're not just relying on Yonder (Alonso) and Khris (Davis). It's everybody that's got some power throughout the lineup as far as a team, knowing that you have the ability to score quickly." Now, you're not always going to hit homers and you have to do other things well, but that's a nice little dynamic to have knowing one swing can put a couple runs up on the board." The A's are 19-16 when going deep this season and 1-8 when they go without a home run." That's always huge to be a pitcher and go out there with some run support," said A's right-hander Jesse Hahn, who will make his eighth start of the season Tuesday. "Home runs are big plays. They just bring a type of energy, not only on the field but in the dugout. That's positive energy." That's always the energy we're looking to go out there with, that's the energy you need to win. Guys keep doing that, then it's looking really good for this team going forward." Going deep against Marlins right-hander Jose Urena could be a challenge for the A's. In three starts since moving from the bullpen to the rotation, Urena has allowed one home run in 17 2/3 innings. As a starter, Urena is 1-2 with a 1.53 ERA. Urena has lost back-to-back starts to Atlanta and Houston, but he allowed just two runs in six innings of an 8-4 loss to the Braves and three runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 3-0 loss to the Astros on Wednesday." He's got stuff, and he really pitches fearlessly," Miami manager Don Mattingly said after Urena's last outing. "He's fun to watch because he's on the attack. There is absolutely no fear in this guy." You could tell by the way he pitches, he's coming after you and he don't really care who you are." Urena has a mid-90s fastball and has begun mixing in more sliders and changeups to keep hitters off-balance." The confidence is there," Urena said after his loss to Houston. Hahn is 1-3 with a 3.02 ERA in nine appearances, including eight starts. He went 1-1 with an 1.80 ERA in his first three starts but 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA in his past four. Hahn has allowed only one home run in 47 2/3 innings." I feel great," Hahn said. "I like what I'm doing right now. Mentally, physically, I feel great. The wins will come." This will be Hahn's first career appearance against Miami and Urena's first career outing against Oakland. The A's (20-24) have been a markedly better team at home than on the road. They've won five straight series at home. Overall, the A's are 14-9 at home with four walk-off wins and 6-15 on the road." It's a different type of energy we have when we're home," Hahn said. "Especially we've shown late in games this year, we don't give in, we fight till the end, and those wins carry over to the next game." Miami (15-28) has lost its past four road series but actually has a better record on the road than at home. The Marlins are 6-14 at home and 9-14 on the road. Miami, which had an off day Monday, dropped three of four games to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in a series that ended Sunday with a 6-3 loss. The Marlins are 5-20 in their past 25 games. The last time the A's and Marlins met, Oakland swept a three-game series on June 27-29, 2014, at Marlins Park. Miami won two of three in its last trip to the Coliseum on June 28-30, 2011.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
COMING
UP
10:10 PM EST |
|
5/23/2017 10:10 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+230
|
+1.5 (-105)
|
Over 7 (+100)
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-260
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-1.5 (-115)
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Under 7 (-120)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 10:10 PM EDT Venue: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA, 90012 LOS ANGELES -- Familiarity will become a trend when the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game series Tuesday at Dodger Stadium. Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn (4-2, 2.78 ERA) will oppose Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.15 ERA) in the opening game, the first of seven contests in the next 10 days between the two clubs. The Dodgers and Cardinals also will play a four-game set May 29-June 1 in St. Louis." It's going to be a test, for sure," Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright told MLB.com. "We have some road games, some tough teams, some tough ballparks to try to go win games in. But I think our team is rested and ready to do that." Lynn, whose ERA ranks fifth in the National League, is coming off a 6-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox on May 16. Lynn gave up four runs (two earned) in six innings. He has limited opponents to two runs or fewer in five of his eight starts this season. Against the Dodgers, Lynn is 3-1 with a 4.35 ERA in six career starts. Five of those outings have occurred at Dodger Stadium, where his is 2-1 with a 4.68 ERA. Kershaw, who has won his last three starts and is second in the NL in ERA, threw seven innings of shutout ball in a 6-1 decision over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. He struck out five and walked none in that game. Kershaw is 6-5 with a 3.18 ERA in 15 starts against the Cardinals. St. Louis leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler is batting .400 in 50 at-bats against the lefty. The Dodgers (26-19) took three of four from the Miami Marlins over the weekend to improve to 16-7 at home. Los Angeles got a boost Sunday from ailing first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who had his first extra-base hit in almost a month while going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs in the Dodgers' 6-3 win. Gonzalez has been fighting through a variety of injuries, including a herniated disk in his back." The first month of the season, my back was sore, which means I didn't have any power in my legs," he said. "I'm feeling healthy now. My body is definitely better. It was good to contribute and find some holes." The Cardinals (22-19) lost two of three in a weekend series with the Giants, avoiding a sweep with an 8-3 victory on Sunday. St. Louis has dropped four of its past five contests. Both Los Angeles and St. Louis hope to get back injured players. Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong, who left the Saturday defeat with a sore elbow, is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday. St. Louis right fielder Stephen Piscotty, who came out Saturday after being hit by a pitch in his forearm and crashing into a wall catching a foul ball, also could return. Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, who missed the past two starts after experiencing back stiffness in a Friday win over the Marlins, should be back. Puig, who is 6-for-12 with three walks against Lynn, struck out in a pinch-hitting appearance Sunday. The Dodgers also plan to activate infielder Logan Forsythe, who has missed the past 28 games with a broken toe and a hamstring strain.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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NHL |
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5/23/2017 |
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FOUND
1
GAME |
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COMING
UP
8:08 PM EST |
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5/23/2017 8:08 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-145
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-1.5 (+210)
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Over 5 (-140)
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+125
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+1.5 (-260)
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Under 5 (+120)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 8:00 PM EDT Venue: Canadian Tire Centre, Kanata, ON, Canada, K2V 1AS OTTAWA -- Down to their last out, the Ottawa Senators plan on retreating to the style that brought them to the Eastern Conference finals. That means the neutral zone should be a crowded piece of ice when the Pittsburgh Penguins look to eliminate the Senators on Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centre." We can't be sitting in our mud puddle," Senators coach Guy Boucher said Monday, less than 24 hours after a 7-0 shellacking put Ottawa behind 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. "We've got to get up and go." Boucher said the Senators opened up early in the Game 5 loss, and that was what got them in trouble. He has since had what he feels were productive conversations with the team about returning to a 1-3-1 defensive structure for which he has become known." We went in last game trying to run and gun it with the best offensive team in the league, and that's the result we got," Boucher said. "We got slapped, and hard enough. So the reality sets back in, and we know how we have to play to give ourselves a chance. I have total confidence in them that they will, and then the game goes on, and we need to manage what we need to manage at that point." There exists the possibility that no matter what the Senators do, it may not be enough to stop a Penguins team that appears to be operating on all cylinders. Held without a point in the first two games, Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby scored in each of the next three. Fellow star Evgeni Malkin had three assists and was dominant in Game 5, when the Penguins had seven different goal-scorers. Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan juggled his lines so all of them have a combination of finesse and grit. The result saw the Penguins break through the security guarding the Senators' zone to score five goals from within 13 feet of the net." I think it's critically important that we have that determination and play with that necessary conviction in order to give ourselves the best chance to win," Sullivan said as the Penguins try to become the first team to play in consecutive Stanley Cup finals since they and the Detroit Red Wings met in in 2008 and 2009." So we talk a lot about the puck battles and the thankless jobs that you can't necessarily quantify, but they help teams win. And those thankless jobs are critically important at this time of year." The Senators will go back to No. 1 goalie Craig Anderson, who was pulled in Game 5 after giving up four goals on 14 shots. Boucher also said defenseman Erik Karlsson and center Derick Brassard, who were in the dressing room nursing injuries at the conclusion of the Sunday game, would be good to go. After frittering away a 3-1 series lead against Washington before finally winning Game 7, Pittsburgh thinks it is better prepared to close out Ottawa with the first chance. Crosby said the Penguins didn't play with enough desperation when they had the Capitals down." We have to learn from that and make sure it's there (Tuesday) night," Crosby said. "I think that it's something that in the playoffs you have to get better and better to improve, and that's one area we've got make sure we improve on." The Penguins also can take confidence from the strong form of Matt Murray. The 22-year-old goalie has been stellar since returning to action as a sub in Game 4 vs. Ottawa after missing the first 2 1/2 rounds of the playoffs due to a lower-body injury he sustained in warmups before the postseason opener. He has stopped 68 of the 71 shots he has faced, including a 25-save shutout on Sunday.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2017 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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TENNIS |
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| 5/23/2017 |
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FOUND 8 PICKS |
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OTHER |
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| 5/23/2017 |
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FOUND 9 PICKS |
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