Friday, August 17th (All times eastern)
LA ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (70-49) AT BOSTON RED SOX (72-48), 1:05 P.M. & 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Game One: LA Angels - John Lackey (15-6, 3.07) Boston - Clay Buchholz (0-0, 0.00)
Game Two: LA Angels - Ervin Santana (5-11, 6.22) Boston - Josh Beckett (15-5, 3.24)
A pair of division leaders will square off today in a day/night doubleheader, as the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim kick off a four-game series at Fenway Park.
The double-dip was made necessary due to a rainout in Beantown back on April 15.
Boston enters this series with a 5 1/2-game edge on the New York Yankees in the American League East division, but has lost five of its last nine games. The Angels, meanwhile, hold a slim 3 1/2-game advantage on the surprising Seattle Mariners in the AL West.
However, both of the leaders picked up a half-game on Thursday. The idle Red Sox took advantage of New York’s loss to Detroit with LA extending its lead with a win in Toronto, as Seattle had the day off.
In Toronto, Kelvim Escobar tossed seven strong innings against his former team and Gary Matthews homered and scored twice, leading the Angels to a 4-3 win over the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre. Escobar (13-6) allowed one run on five hits while striking out nine for Angels, who snapped a brief two-game skid to win for the seventh time in its last 10 tries.
Francisco Rodriguez had a rough ninth inning but survived to record his 30th save of the season.
Heading to the hill for the Angels in game one this afternoon will be John Lackey, who is 15-6 with a 3.07 earned run average. Lackey won his third straight start on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, giving up a pair of runs and 10 hits in eight innings.
Lackey lost to the Red Sox earlier in the year and has struggled in his career against them, going just 1-5 with a 5.75 ERA in 10 starts.
Getting the call in the night cap for the Halos will be Ervin Santana, who will be recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to make the start. Santana started the year in the Angels’ rotation, but struggled mightily, posting a 5-11 mark to go along with a 6.22 ERA.
Santana, who is 1-2 in his career in three starts against the Red Sox, lost his last four starts before the demotion.
Boston will pin its hopes on highly touted right-hander Clay Buchholz in the opener, as the 23-year-old will be making his major league debut. Buchholz, the 42nd player chosen in the 2005 draft, was 8-3 with a 2.15 ERA in 22 games combined at Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket this season, and is averaging nearly 13 strikeouts per nine innings in 22 minor league games.
The majors’ other 15-game winner will toe the rubber for Boston in the second game, as righty Josh Beckett tries to win his third straight start. Beckett came one out shy of a complete game win in Baltimore on Saturday, as he allowed a pair of runs and eight hits in 8 2/3 frames to run his record to 15-5, while lowering his ERA to 3.24.
Beckett beat Santana the last time he faced the Angels and is 2-0 in his career against them with a 2.50 ERA in three starts.
Boston has won four of its six matchups with the Angels this season and is 18-13 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign. The Red Sox have also won all three games played between the teams at Fenway this season, outscoring the Halos 25-3 in the process.
DETROIT TIGERS (67-54) AT NEW YORK YANKEES (67-54), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Detroit - Nate Robertson (7-9, 5.01) New York - Andy Pettitte (9-7, 3.93)
Mired in a three-game losing streak, the New York Yankees will send one of their hottest pitchers to the mound tonight in an attempt to even their key four-game series with the visiting Detroit Tigers.
Detroit took the opener of this long-awaited showdown between 2006 playoff participants on Thursday. The Tigers put up six early runs off Mike Mussina en route to an 8-5 victory at Yankee Stadium.
Carlos Guillen set the tone by belting a grand slam in the first inning and Ivan Rodriguez finished 2-for-4 with a solo home run for Detroit.
Thursday’s clash was the first meeting between these teams since the Tigers took three of four games from New York in last October’s American League Division Series. It also marked the return of Gary Sheffield to Yankee Stadium for the first time since the controversial outfielder was traded from New York to Detroit over the winter.
Sheffield went 0-for-3 with a pair of walks and was booed loudly by the home crowd during each plate appearance.
Justin Verlander surrendered three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of work to pick up the win, Detroit’s fourth in its last six games.
The victory moved the Tigers a half-game ahead of Cleveland in the race for first place in the AL Central. The Yankees dropped one half-game behind Seattle for the top spot in the wild card standings and 5 1/2 back of first- place Boston in the AL East.
Bobby Abreu was 2-for-5 with a two-run homer for the suddenly-struggling Yankees. Hideki Matsui ended 3-for-5 with two RBI while Derek Jeter went 2- for-4 with two runs scored.
Mussina was battered for seven runs — six earned — on nine hits in just five innings of work en route to the loss.
New York expects to get better pitching tonight out of Andy Pettitte, who has posted victories in each of his last three starts and is 5-1 with a 3.15 earned run average in seven outings since the All-Star break.
Pettitte put fourth another impressive performance Sunday at Cleveland’s Jacobs Field, as the veteran lefty held the Indians to two runs on seven hits over 7 1/3 innings in a 5-3 Yankees’ win.
The 35-year-old is 9-8 with a 3.64 ERA in 21 career starts against Detroit.
Nate Robertson takes the mound for the Tigers tonight shooting for a second straight winning start. The left-hander benefited from plenty of offensive support in Sunday’s 11-6 triumph over Oakland, a game in which Robertson allowed four runs and issued five walks in 5 2/3 innings of work.
The win was Robertson’s first since July 17. He had gone 0-3 with a 6.39 ERA in four starts prior to Sunday’s appearance.
The Wichita State product is just 1-4 with a 4.46 ERA in six regular-season starts against the Yankees and was hit hard by New York in last year’s ALDS. Robertson was tagged for seven runs and 12 hits in just 5 2/3 innings during Detroit’s Game 1 loss at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees won five of seven regular-season clashes with Detroit in 2006 and are 10-4 against the Tigers since the start of the 2005 campaign. Detroit has lost five of seven at Yankee Stadium over that span.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES (56-63) AT TORONTO BLUE JAYS (61-59), 7:07 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Baltimore - Garrett Olson (1-1, 4.60) Toronto - A.J. Burnett (6-6, 4.09)
A.J. Burnett tries to string back-to-back wins together for the first time in nearly three months this evening when the Toronto Blue Jays open a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre.
Burnett returned from the disabled list on Sunday in winning fashion, as he held the Kansas City Royals to one run and three hits in 7 1/3 innings to push his record to 6-6 on the year, while lowering his earned run average to 4.09.
The 30-year-old right-hander, who hasn’t won two straight starts since winning three in a row from May 11-22, beat the O’s the last time he faced them and is 3-0 lifetime against Baltimore with a 2.97 ERA in four starts.
Baltimore will counter with 23-year-old lefty Garrett Olson, who is 1-1 with a 4.60 ERA in his three major league starts. Olson, who has never faced the Blue Jays, was tagged with the loss on Saturday against Boston, as he surrendered four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Toronto lost for only the fifth time in its last 21 home games on Thursday, as it dropped a 4-3 decision to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Dustin McGowan (8-7) yielded four runs — three earned — over six-plus frames for the Blue Jays, who lost for just the third time in their last eight overall.
Reed Johnson had a pair of hits and an RBI in defeat.
The Orioles, meanwhile, enter this series after a thrilling win on Wednesday against the New York Yankees. Baltimore blew a three-run lead in the ninth, but rallied for three runs in the 10th off of Mariano Rivera to post a 6-3 victory, winning its second straight series and improving to 18-13 since the All-Star break.
Toronto has won five of its nine matchups with the Orioles this season and is 26-21 in the series since the start of the 2005 campaign. Baltimore has also struggled north of the border, losing all three contests there this season. It has also won just three times in its last 13 visits.
CLEVELAND INDIANS (66-54) AT TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (46-74), 7:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cleveland - Paul Byrd (10-5, 4.53) Tampa Bay - Edwin Jackson (3-11, 5.84)
Paul Byrd hopes to bounce back from a horrific outing in his last start when the Cleveland Indians begin a three-game set with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays tonight at Tropicana Field.
Byrd was roughed up by the New York Yankees on Saturday, as he gave up seven runs and seven hits in just two innings to fall to 10-5 on the year, while raising his earned run average to 4.53.
The 26-year-old right-hander is 1-2 lifetime against the Devil Rays with a 5.75 ERA in six starts.
Cleveland could certainly use a big start from Byrd, as it enters this series a half game back of the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central. The Tribe earned a split in their two-game set with the Tigers with a 5-2 win on Wednesday, but fell a half-game back of them on Thursday, as Detroit topped the Yankees.
The Indians, though, have still lost four of their last five and five of their last seven.
Tampa, meanwhile, enters this series on a rare winning note after salvaging the finale of its three-game series with the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, 6-5, at Fenway Park. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Devil Rays, who own the worst mark in the majors at 46-74.
Heading to the hill for Tampa Bay tonight will be right-hander Edwin Jackson, who is 3-11 with a 5.84 ERA on the year, but is coming off one of the most impressive outings of his career. Jackson tossed a four-hit shutout on Saturday against the Texas Rangers.
Over his last three starts Jackson has given up two earned runs and 16 hits in 21 frames.
Jackson has yet to record a decision against the Indians in three appearances (two starts), but has pitched to a 2.45 ERA in those outings.
Cleveland has dominated the Devil Rays as of late. The Tribe is 6-1 against them this season and has won 13 of the last 15 meetings.
TEXAS RANGERS (53-67) AT MINNESOTA TWINS (60-60), 8:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Texas - Leo Nunez (2-0, 1.80) Minnesota - John Rheinecker (1-1, 6.75)
The Minnesota Twins try to stay in the hunt for an AL Central title this evening when they open a three-game series with the Texas Rangers at the Metrodome.
The third-place Twins currently trail the Detroit Tigers by 6 1/2 games in the division, while sitting six back of the Cleveland Indians. They are also seven games behind Seattle in the wild card.
Minnesota enters this series on a positive note after winning the final two games of its three-game affair with the Mariners at Safeco Field, including a 6-1 win in Wednesday’s finale. Torii Hunter hit a grand slam and drove in five runs to lead the way in that win.
Hunter ended 2-for-5 and Rondell White also homered for the Twins, who won the final two of this series to conclude a nine-game road trip 3-6.
Outside of Hunter, it was a lackluster offensive effort from Minnesota. The Twins hit just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position, as it was Hunter who came through with both knocks. His bases-loaded single in the eighth put the Twins in front 2-1 and his slam in the ninth broke the game open.
Pat Neshek (7-2) worked a perfect 1 1/3 innings of relief to nail down the win.
Getting the call for the Twins tonight will be right-hander Carlos Silva, who is 9-12 with a 4.30 ERA. Silva received a no-decision on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, despite a terrific outing. Silva scattered two hits over seven scoreless innings in that one, but had to leave with a hamstring injury. His team went on to lose, 4-3.
Silva is 2-4 lifetime against the Rangers with a 5.49 ERA in seven starts.
Texas will counter with Kason Gabbard, who will be making his fourth start since being dealt by Boston as part of the Eric Gagne deal. Gabbard, who is 5-1 with a 3.83 ERA on the year, had his last start cut short because of an injury on Sunday, as he was forced to leave his outing against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with a stiff forearm after just 1 1/3 innings.
Gabbard has never faced the Twins.
The Rangers had their brief three-game winning streak stopped on Thursday, dropping a 6-2 decision to the Kansas City Royals in the finale of their three-game set at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Minnesota has won two of its three meetings with the Rangers this season after going 7-11 against them the previous two seasons.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (54-66) AT SEATTLE MARINERS (66-52), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Chicago - Jose Contreras (6-14, 6.24) Seattle - Miguel Batista (12-8, 4.13)
The Seattle Mariners aim to maintain their newfound sole possession of the American League wild card lead when the club starts up a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox tonight at Safeco Field.
Seattle entered Thursday’s off day tied with the New York Yankees for the top spot in the wild card standings, but moved one half-game ahead of the Bronx Bombers after New York’s 8-5 loss to Detroit last night. Cleveland is one game behind the Mariners in the race.
The Mariners will be trying to regroup from back-to-back home losses to Minnesota earlier in the week, including a 6-1 setback in Wednesday’s finale of a three-game series.
Torii Hunter snapped a 1-1 tie with an RBI single in the eighth inning, then put the game out of reach with a grand slam in the ninth.
Jarrod Washburn took a hard-luck loss for Seattle, as the veteran lefty was charged with two runs — one earned — and struck out five in seven-plus innings.
Raul Ibanez hit a solo home run for the Mariners, who had won six of seven prior to the consecutive defeats to the Twins.
Seattle just took two of three games from the White Sox in Chicago last weekend, with Miguel Batista producing a solid mound effort to help the Mariners to one of those wins.
Batista takes the mound tonight off Saturday’s victory over the White Sox in which he allowed two runs and fanned six over 5 2/3 frames.
The 36-year-old has been strong since the All-Star break, having posted a 4-1 record with a 2.97 earned run average in six second-half starts.
For his career Batista is 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA and one save in nine appearances, including six starts, versus Chicago.
Jose Contreras opposed Contreras in last weekend’s matchup and delivered five shutout innings in his first start since being re-inserted in the Chicago rotation.
The Cuban defector lost his role as a starter after being ripped for seven runs over 2 2/3 innings in a loss at Yankee Stadium on July 31, which gave Contreras a 5-14 record and a horrid 6.60 ERA for the season. He rebounded with two scoreless frames of relief to pick up a victory over Cleveland on August 8.
Contreras is 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA in four career games (three starts) against Seattle and won his only lifetime start at Safeco Field with seven innings of three-run ball on August 27, 2005.
Chicago got this six-game road swing off to a bad start, as the club lost all three meetings with Oakland. The Athletics completed the sweep when Kurt Suzuki hit a game-winning three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to give his team an 8-5 win.
A.J. Pierzynski went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Darin Erstad was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored for the White Sox, who have lost five in a row overall.
Matt Thornton served up Suzuki’s walkoff blast to take the loss. Sox starter Javier Vazquez gave up four runs on seven hits over the first six innings.
Seattle has taken four of five meetings with the White Sox this season and swept a two-game set at Safeco Field in early May. Chicago has lost five of its last six as the visitor in this series.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS (53-67) AT OAKLAND ATHLETICS (60-62), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Kansas City - Brian Bannister (8-7, 3.41) Oakland - Dan Meyer (0-0, 0.00)
The Kansas City Royals enter Oakland’s McAfee Coliseum tonight for the opener of a three-game series with an Athletics squad trying to tie a season high for consecutive victories.
Oakland recorded its fourth straight win and 11th triumph in its last 16 games on Thursday. Rookie Kurt Suzuki blasted a game-winning three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning as the A’s completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox with a dramatic 8-5 victory.
Suzuki finished 2-for-4 with four RBI. Mike Piazza added a two-run homer for Oakland and ended with three hits on the evening.
Athletics starter Dan Haren allowed four runs — two earned — and struck out seven in a six-inning no decision. Ruddy Lugo held the White Sox scoreless in the top of the 10th to record the win.
Oakland last won five straight games from July 2-6.
The Royals come in off Thursday’s 6-2 decision over Texas at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Kansas City scored four times in the top of the eighth inning to avoid being swept in the three-game set.
Royals catcher John Buck delivered the game’s biggest blow, a three-run double in the eighth which accounted for the final margin. Alex Gordon added a solo home run and scored twice in the win, while Mark Grudzielanek finished 3-for-5 on the night.
Kansas City starter Leo Nunez was removed after just three innings after tearing a blister on his right thumb, but the Royals bullpen picked up the slack with six frames of one-run ball. Ryan Braun picked up his first major league win with 2 2/3 scoreless innings of work.
The Royals hope to make it two in a row tonight behind Brian Bannister, who had a string of strong starts end with Sunday’s rough outing against Toronto. The young righty lasted only 4 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on seven hits to suffer the loss.
Bannister had gone 3-0 with a 1.61 earned run average in four starts prior to Sunday’s game. He pitched seven innings in each of those games.
The 26-year-old faced Oakland for the first time on May 15 and recorded a no decision despite holding the A’s to two runs and five hits over six innings.
Oakland will hand the ball tonight to Dan Meyer, who will be making his first major league start.
Meyer made a pair of relief appearances for Atlanta in September of 2004 and was traded to the Athletics the following offseason as one of the key members of the deal that sent Tim Hudson to the Braves.
The one-time highly-regarded prospect has been set back by injuries and inconsistency since, but has rebounded with a strong campaign for Triple-A Sacramento this year. The 26-year-old Meyer has gone 6-2 with a 3.40 ERA for the River Cats and registered 93 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings of work.
These teams have met seven times so far in 2007, with Kansas City taking four of those tilts. The Royals won three of four games at McAfee Coliseum back in May.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (58-60) AT CHICAGO CUBS (61-59), 2:20 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: St. Louis - Braden Looper (10-9, 5.08) Chicago - Rich Hill (6-7, 3.85)
Right-hander Braden Looper looks for a third straight win and fourth in five starts today, when the St. Louis Cardinals visit Wrigley Field to open a four-game National League Central division series with the Chicago Cubs.
Looper, who made 572 straight relief appearances before this season, reached double digits in wins with a 6-1 defeat of the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last start on August 11.
In that win, he allowed four hits and a run over six innings, striking out three and walking one.
Looper downed the Cubs to begin his current run, pitching seven innings of five-hit, one-run ball in seven innings of work at Busch Stadium on July 26.
Southpaw Rich Hill is winless in his last five starts and will take the ball this afternoon for the Cubs.
The 27-year-old Boston native last won on July 16 against San Francisco, allowing four hits and two runs over eight innings of a 3-2 triumph.
He’s 0-1 with four no-decisions since, including a 15-2 drubbing at Colorado in his last start in which he gave up nine hits and seven runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Hill’s last win equaled his career-best total of six, which he posted last season while going 6-7 with a 4.17 earned run average.
On Thursday in Milwaukee, Yadier Molina went 3-for-3 with two homers, three RBI and three runs scored to lead St. Louis over the Brewers, 8-0, in the finale of a three-game set from Miller Park.
David Eckstein added a three-run double for the Cardinals, who swept the series and have won five straight to pull within 2 1/2 games of Milwaukee for first place in the NL Central. Albert Pujols also knocked in a run.
Adam Wainwright (11-9) hurled seven innings of two-hit shutout ball, fanning eight and walking three for his first win in his last three starts.
In Chicago, Mark DeRosa went a perfect 5-for-5 with four runs batted in, as the Cubs used a seven-run seventh to blow past the Cincinnati Reds, 12-4, in the finale of a three-game series.
Ryan Theriot added two RBI and scored three times for the Cubs, who had dropped four in a row coming in. By virtue of this win and Milwaukee’s loss to St. Louis, Chicago pulled within a half game of the Brewers for first place in the NL Central.
Jacque Jones had four hits and drove in a pair in a winning effort. Jones left in the eighth inning, however, after rolling his right ankle while coming out of the batter’s box.
Jason Marquis (10-7) was roughed up for four runs in the second inning, but blanked the Reds over the remainder of his six-plus innings of work. The bullpen allowed just two hits the rest of the way.
Chicago is 5-3 against St. Louis this season.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (51-70) AT FLORIDA MARLINS (56-65), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: San Franscisco - Barry Zito (8-11, 5.13) Florida - Scott Olsen (9-9, 5.39)
Big-contract disappointment Barry Zito hopes to end a recent skid tonight, when the San Francisco Giants travel to Dolphin Stadium to open a four-game series with the Florida Marlins.
Zito, who inked a seven-year deal with the Giants after winning 102 games in seven seasons with Oakland, has won just once in five starts since defeating the Chicago Cubs, 4-2, on July 17.
He allowed six hits and three runs over six innings in his last start on Sunday, dropping a 5-0 decision to Pittsburgh to fall to 8-11 for the season.
Zito last faced the Marlins on July 27, getting a no decision after pitching four innings and yielding six runs in a 12-10 San Francisco win.
Marlins lefty Scott Olsen has strung together two straight quality starts and will take the mound tonight for Florida.
The former sixth-round draft pick gave up six hits and three runs over 7 1/3 innings of a 6-5 win against Houston on August 5, then got a no decision after giving up six hits and three runs in six innings of the Marlins’ 7-5 defeat of the New York Mets on Saturday.
Olsen won a career-best 12 games last season and can reach double digits for the second time with his next 2007 victory.
His last loss came July 31 against Colorado, when he was touched for seven hits and six runs in five innings.
San Francisco enters this series off Thursday’s 9-3 win in Atlanta. Bengie Molina hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs as the Giants avoided a sweep of the three-game series.
Randy Winn hit a solo homer and drove in two runs while Dave Roberts went 2- for-5 with two runs scored for the Giants, who had lost seven of eight coming into the game.
Tim Lincecum (7-3) got the win after he gave up three runs on five hits in five innings of work. Patrick Misch followed with three perfect innings before Brian Wilson threw the ninth to finish the game.
The Marlins were bested at home by Arizona, 5-4, in Thursday’s rubber match of a three-game set. Diamondbacks starter Livan Hernandez weathered an early storm and hung around long enough to best his former team.
Florida’s Daniel Barone (0-1) was roughed up in his second big-league start, surrendering five runs — four earned — on seven hits over just four frames. He threw 89 pitches during that time.
Hanley Ramirez homered and scored twice while Mike Jacobs followed a 4-for-4 night with a two-run shot for the Marlins, who have lost two in a row and three of four.
San Francisco took two of three games from Florida at AT&T Park last month but is just 2-5 in its last seven matchups with the Marlins at Dolphin Stadium.
NEW YORK METS (67-53) AT WASHINGTON NATIONALS (55-66), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: New York - Tom Glavine (10-6, 4.25) Washington - Matt Chico (5-6, 4.85)
Veteran Tom Glavine looks to extend a seven-start unbeaten streak and score win No. 301 tonight when the New York Mets visit RFK Stadium for the first of three weekend games with the Washington Nationals.
The 41-year-old southpaw, who made his MLB debut 20 years ago today, earned the milestone triumph with an 8-3 defeat of the Chicago Cubs on August 5, but settled for a no-decision against Florida after allowing seven hits and two runs over 6 1/3 innings of a 7-5 Mets loss on Saturday.
Glavine’s last loss came July 2 at Colorado, when he was touched for nine hits and six runs in six innings.
He got a no-decision against Washington on April 28, allowing three hits and a run in six innings of a 6-2 New York win.
Lefty Matt Chico has pitched well at home for the Nationals.
The 24-year-old Californian is 5-1 in 13 starts at RFK, including a July 31 defeat of Cincinnati in which he gave up nine hits and two runs in five innings of Washington’s 6-3 victory.
Conversely, he’s 0-5 and has allowed 61 hits and 33 earned runs over 58 innings of work on the road.
Chico beat the Mets, 4-3, with 5 1/3 innings of nine-hit, two-run ball on April 27.
On Thursday in Pittsburgh, Jason Bay went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored as the Pirates downed the Mets, 10-7, in the finale of a three-game set at PNC Park.
Carlos Beltran hit a two-run homer and Luis Castillo drove in a pair of runs for the Mets, who had won three straight.
Aaron Heilman (7-5) was saddled with the loss. Brian Lawrence gave up four runs on four hits with four walks and three strikeouts in five innings of work. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored. He is hitting .286 on the season.
New York now has a three-game lead on second-place Philadelphia, which defeated Washington, 4-2.
In Washington, Cole Hamels tossed 6 2/3 innings of four- hit ball, striking out six and walking two, as the Phillies took the rubber match of a three-game series with the Nationals, 4-2.
Joel Hanrahan (2-1) took the loss for Washington despite striking out eight and giving up just two earned runs on four hits in five innings.
Ronnie Belliard went 2-for-4 with a home run and Austin Kearns had a pair of hits in the losing effort.
The Mets have won five of their nine meetings with the Nationals this season and are 38-27 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign. Washington, though, has had a modicum of success in Flushing, where it has split six matchups this season and is 18-15 in its last 33 visits.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (64-56) AT PITTSBURGH PIRATES (50-69), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Philadelphia - J.D. Durbin (4-2, 5.73) Pittsburgh - Tom Gorzelanny (11-6, 3.29)
The Philadelphia Phillies will continue a six-game road trip when they play the first of three games this evening against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
Philadelphia just took two of three from the Washington Nationals and posted a 4-2 victory in Thursday’s series finale at RFK Stadium. Phillies ace Cole Hamels did not allow a run over 6 2/3 innings and yielded just four hits with six strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Carlos Ruiz went 2-for-2 with a two-run homer while Jayson Werth scored twice for the Phillies, who are one game behind San Diego in the NL wild card race and three games back of the New York Mets for the top spot in the National League East standings. Philly has won seven of its last 10 games and three consecutive series.
The Phillies will try to stay close in the hunt for the playoffs when they send J.D. Durbin to the hill tonight in the Steel City. Durbin is taking the place of injured starter Adam Eaton in the rotation. Eaton landed on the DL earlier this week with right shoulder inflammation.
Durbin is 4-2 with a 4.14 ERA in 10 games (four starts) with the Phillies this season. He also made an appearance with Arizona before Philadelphia claimed him off waivers. Durbin is also unbeaten over his last seven trips to the mound, going 4-0 with a save and two no decisions.
The right-hander last toed the rubber during a 7-5 loss to Atlanta on August 11 and did not factor in the outcome. Durbin hurled 1 2/3 shutout innings of relief and gave up one hit and issued three walks.
He faced Pittsburgh for the first time in his career on July 28 and recorded the win despite giving up five runs in five innings of a 10-5 victory at Citizens Bank Park.
Pittsburgh ended a three-game losing streak with Thursday’s 10-7 win over the Mets in the finale of a three-game series at PNC Park. Jason Bay led the way with three hits, three RBI and a run scored. Adam LaRoche chipped in a two-run blast and scored three times for the Pirates.
Damaso Marte earned the win for pitching a scoreless eighth inning. Pirates starter Tony Armas was banged up for five runs on six hits with five walks in just 2 2/3 innings of work.
Taking the ball for the Buccos tonight will be Tom Gorzelanny, who is coming off perhaps the best outing of his young career. Gorzelanny, who is 11-6 with a 3.29 ERA in 23 starts this season, posted the first shutout of his career Sunday at San Francisco. He scattered five hits with four strikeouts and one walk in a 5-0 win at AT&T Park.
Gorzelanny has won his last two starts and is 5-2 over his previous nine outings. He will face Philadelphia for the first time in his career tonight.
The Phillies swept the Pirates in three games at Citizens Bank Park from July 27-29 of this season. Philadelphia is 8-3 in the past 11 matchups with Pittsburgh, including a 1-2 mark as the guest.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (69-53) AT ATLANTA BRAVES (64-57), 7:35 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Arizona - Brandon Webb (12-8, 2.77) Atlanta - Lance Cormier (0-2, 13.50)
Arizona Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb is on fire and will try to stay hot this evening in the opener of a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
Webb is coming off back-to-back shutouts and hasn’t allowed a run in 33 straight innings. The right-hander is 4-0 in his last four outings and posted the first of his consecutive blankings on August 5 at Los Angeles, allowing seven hits with four strikeouts in a 3-0 win over the Dodgers.
The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner went the distance six days later versus Washington and gave up five hits with 10 strikeouts in a 1-0 triumph at Chase Field.
Webb, who is 12-8 with a 2.77 earned run average in 25 starts this season, recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time since last season. He did it on May 20 against Atlanta and then on May 26 versus Cincinnati.
He hasn’t permitted a run since the sixth inning of a 6-2 setback against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on July 20 and is 26 scoreless innings shy of Orel Hershiser’s major league record of 59, set during the 1988 campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Webb is also 1-1 with a 1.53 ERA in four career starts against the Braves.
Arizona leads the National League West division by three games over the San Diego Padres and just took two of three contests from the Florida Marlins at Dolphin Stadium.
In Thursday’s 5-4 win in the series finale, Chris Young had three hits, including a home run, and scored a pair of runs. Mark Reynolds also went deep as the D’backs won their eighth straight series.
Starter Livan Hernandez allowed four runs in seven innings before Brandon Lyon pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Jose Valverde posted his 37th save with a shutout ninth. Arizona has won nine of its last 12 games.
Atlanta was aiming for a sweep of the San Francisco Giants until it dropped Thursday’s finale of a three-game series by a 9-3 score. Yunel Escobar and Mark Teixeira each drove in a run in the defeat.
Braves starter Chuck James suffered the loss after he was reached for six runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings.
The Braves are just 4-4 over their last eight games and sit 1 1/2 games off the wild card lead and 3 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the NL East standings.
Taking the ball for the Braves tonight will be Lance Cormier, who is 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in four games (three starts) this season.
In his last start on Saturday at Philadelphia, Cormier did not post a decision after allowing four runs in four innings of a 7-5 victory.
The right-hander, who began his career with the Diamondbacks, faced Arizona for the only time on May 20 of last season and posted a no decision in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Cormier was reached for six runs in a 13-0 loss in the desert.
Arizona won two of three games against the Braves from July 27-29 of this season at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks are 8-2 over the last 10 encounters in the series and swept a four-game set in their previous visit to Turner Field from June 1-4 of last season.
CINCINNATI REDS (52-68) AT MILWAUKEE BREWERS (62-59), 8:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cincinnati - Bronson Arroyo (5-13, 4.63) Milwaukee - Jeff Suppan (8-9, 4.90)
The Milwaukee Brewers are losing their grip on the NL Central lead and will try to stop a four-game losing streak tonight in the opener of a three-game series versus the Cincinnati Reds at Miller Park.
Milwaukee has lost eight of 10 and owns just a half-game lead over the Chicago Cubs in the Central standings. The Brewers were just swept in three games at home by the St. Louis Cardinals and suffered an 8-0 loss in Thursday’s series finale.
Brewers starter Dave Bush was charged with seven hits and three runs over seven innings in defeat, striking out four and walking one. Gabe Gross notched a pair of hits for Milwaukee, which has dropped four in a row at home.
Jeff Suppan will take the mound for the Brewers this evening and is 8-9 with a 4.90 ERA in 25 games this season. Suppan is 0-2 in nine starts since his last win on June 22 against Kansas City.
Suppan last pitched Saturday at Houston and recorded his third straight no decision with 5 2/3 innings of four-run ball. He gave up nine hits in Milwaukee’s 7-4 win over the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
In eight career starts against Cincinnati, the right-hander is 2-1 with a 6.65 earned run average. Suppan lost to the Reds on July 25 after he yielded five runs and 10 hits in five innings of a 7-3 setback at Great American Ball Park.
Cincinnati has lost four of its last seven games, including Thursday’s 12-4 setback in the finale of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Starting pitcher Bobby Livingston suffered the loss after yielding five runs over five innings. Adam Dunn homered in defeat and Ken Griffey Jr. finished with three hits and an RBI for the Reds.
Bronson Arroyo gets the nod tonight for the Reds and he is 5-13 with a 4.63 earned run average in 25 starts this season. Arroyo owns a 1-3 mark in his last five outings and was beaten by San Diego on Sunday. He gave up five runs and nine hits in six frames of a 10-4 loss to the Padres.
Arroyo, who is 2-9 in 13 road starts in 2007, is 4-3 with a 3.56 ERA in 10 career games (seven starts) against Milwaukee.
Cincinnati leads the season series with Milwaukee by a 4-2 count. The Reds have won two straight over the Brewers and four of the last five matchups.
HOUSTON ASTROS (54-67) AT SAN DIEGO PADRES (65-55), 10:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Houston - Woody Williams (6-12, 5.09) San Diego - Jake Peavy (13-5, 2.23)
San Diego Padres ace Jake Peavy will try to run his unbeaten streak to five games tonight in the first of three straight encounters versus the Houston Astros at Petco Park.
Peavy has won his last four starts and has amassed a 1.01 ERA over that span, and is 13-5 with a 2.23 earned run average in 24 starts this season. In his last outing Sunday at Cincinnati, Peavy was reached for four runs — two earned — over 6 2/3 innings of a 10-4 victory.
The All-Star right-hander will take on Houston for the second time this season after beating the Astros on July 27 at Minute Maid Park. Peavy surrendered just one run and four hits in seven innings during a 9-4 victory.
In 11 career appearances against Houston, Peavy is 6-4 with a 2.33 earned run average.
San Diego has won three of its last four games and recorded an 11-9 triumph over the Colorado Rockies on Thursday in the finale of a three-game set at Petco Park.
Mike Cameron and Pete Laforest each homered during a nine-run fifth inning to lead the NL wild card-leading Padres. Laforest finished with a career-high three hits, including his second career home run.
Cameron knocked in three runs and Brian Giles, Geoff Blum and Adrian Gonzalez all recorded two hits for San Diego, which is one game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild card race and three games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.
Padres starter Clay Hensley posted the win despite giving up six runs on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Trevor Hoffman worked the ninth for his 30th save of 2007.
Toeing the rubber for the Astros tonight will be Woody Williams, who is 6-12 with a 5.09 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) this season.
Williams is 1-0 over his past four trips to the mound and did not factor in the outcome of a 6-4 win over Milwaukee on Sunday. Williams held the Brewers to a pair of runs in seven innings at Minute Maid Park.
The veteran righty suffered his first career loss to San Diego back on July 27. Against his former ballclub, Williams gave up five runs through six innings of a 9-4 setback at home.
Williams is now 4-1 with a 3.08 earned run average in five career starts against the Padres, a team he pitched for the previous two seasons.
Houston has lost two straight after a three-game winning streak. In Thursday’s 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the finale of a four-game set, Carlos Lee and Mike Lamb each drove in a run for the Astros while Craig Biggio finished 2-for-4 in a losing effort.
Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez permitted four runs — two earned — on five hits in five innings for the loss.
The 2007 season series between Houston and San Diego is tied at two games apiece after the teams split a four-game set from July 26-29 at Minute Maid Park.
COLORADO ROCKIES (62-58) AT LOS ANGELES DODGERS (62-59), 10:40 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Colorado - Josh Fogg (7-7, 4.64) Los Angeles - Eric Stults (0-1, 4.50)
Two National League West foes begin an important three-game series tonight in Los Angeles, where the slumping Dodgers entertain a Colorado Rockies team that has struggled on the road.
The Dodgers held first place in the division just a few weeks back, but a stretch of 13 losses in 18 games has the club now in fourth place in the competitive West. Colorado is one-half game in front of Los Angeles in the current standings.
Both teams remain in the thick of the crowded NL wild card race. The Rockies are three games behind San Diego for the top spot, with the Dodgers 3 1/2 games back of the Padres.
Colorado missed out on an opportunity to close the gap earlier this week, but the Rockies lost two of three tests with San Diego at Petco Park. In Thursday’s rubber match, the Padres erupted for nine runs in the fifth inning and held on for a wild 11-9 win.
The Rockies entered the bottom of the fifth with a 6-2 lead, but starting pitcher Elmer Dessens and relievers Jeremy Affeldt and Matt Herges failed to hold on to that advantage.
Dessens surrendered five runs on six hits over the first 4 2/3 innings in his Colorado debut. Affeldt received the loss after getting charged with five runs allowed without recording a single out. The lefty yielded four hits, including a two-run homer to Pete Laforest, and walked a batter.
Troy Tulowitzki, Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins all had two hits and a pair of RBI for the Rockies, who have lost four of their last five on the road. Colorado is just 27-35 as the visitor this season.
The Dodgers have finally been showing signs of breaking out of their funk during this homestand. After dropping four straight contests, including the first two matchups of a four-game home series with Houston, Los Angeles rebounded to win the final two encounters against the Astros.
Los Angeles earned the series split with Thursday’s 6-2 decision. Derek Lowe delivered seven shutout innings to lead the way.
Lowe allowed just five hits and did not walk a batter to record his first victory since June 22. The right-hander had offensive help from Jeff Kent, who doubled three times and knocked in two runs, as well as a pair of RBI from Rafael Furcal.
Houston spoiled the shutout with two runs off Roberto Hernandez in the ninth, but Takashi Saito came on to get the final two outs for his 31st save.
The Dodgers have recalled Eric Stults from Triple-A Las Vegas to start tonight’s opener. The young lefty will be making his second stint with the big club this season and replaces an ineffective Mark Hendrickson in the rotation.
Stults made five appearances for the Dodgers last month, including a start against the Mets on July 22 in which he pitched well despite not getting a decision. Stults held New York to two runs on five hits and struck out five without a walk in 5 1/3 innings.
The 26-year-old made a pair of relief outings against Colorado last September and surrendered one run over a combined two innings of work.
Colorado sends out streaking righty Josh Fogg tonight. The veteran right- hander has won two straight starts and is 3-1 with an excellent 2.61 earned run average in five games since the All-Star break.
Fogg is coming off Saturday’s quality outing against Chicago in which he limited the Cubs to a pair of runs over six innings. Five days earlier, he tossed seven frames of two-run ball to defeat Milwaukee.
The 30-year-old is just 2-4 with a 4.40 ERA in nine games (seven starts) against the Dodgers, however. Fogg has yet to face Los Angeles this season.
These two NL West rivals have split eight meetings so far this year, with Los Angeles taking two of three at Dodger Stadium in April. The Dodgers went 15-4 against Colorado a year ago, including an 8-2 mark at home.
