Sports World: May 2010

Philadelphia Phillies vs Atlanta Braves Live Streaming

Monday, May 31, 2010

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1:05 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

Just two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Phillies looked like they would cruise to a fourth straight NL East title. A prolonged slump by the two-time defending NL champions and a sudden surge by the Atlanta Braves has changed that. The Phillies hope to avoid falling out of first place for the first time in a month Monday afternoon when they open a three-game series against a Braves team trying to move into the top spot. Philadelphia had the largest division lead of any team May 17 with five-game advantages over Florida and Washington. New York was six games out, while last-place Atlanta was 6 1/2 back. The Braves have won 10 of 12 since to pull within one-half game of first place, a position they haven’t been in this late in the season since winning the East in 2005. While the Braves, a major league-best 15-4 since May 10, are enjoying their run, things might seem a bit more urgent for Philadelphia. With a 1-0 loss to Florida on Sunday, the Phillies were shut out for the fifth time in eight games. Philadelphia, batting .186 in that span, hasn’t homered in a season-high 54 innings and has six extra-base hits in the last six games.

Two of the team’s most feared hitters - Ryan Howard and Chase Utley - are in the middle of the slump. Howard is 4 for 27 with nine strikeouts and one RBI in the last eight games, while Utley is 4 for 30 with one RBI. The Phillies, who haven’t been in second place since May 1, hope to turn things around against scheduled starter Tommy Hanson. After being tagged for a career-worst eight runs in 1 2-3 innings of a 10-9 win over Cincinnati on May 20, Hanson gave up two runs, four hits and five walks in six innings of a 7-3 victory over Florida on Wednesday. The Braves have won seven of Hanson’s last nine starts, including his outing against the Phillies on April 20, when the right-hander gave up two runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 4-3, 10-inning victory. Philadelphia, 4-2 against the Braves this season, counters with Joe Blanton, who looks to bounce back from another shaky performance.

Oakland Athletics vs Detroit Tigers Live Streaming

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1:05 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

A power surge has pushed Miguel Cabrera among the major league leaders in home runs. The Oakland Athletics are probably glad they won’t have to face the Detroit Tigers slugger too much longer. Detroit will try to earn a four-game split with Oakland on Monday afternoon when the teams meet for the final time this season. Cabrera hit his 14th homer, a three-run shot in the eighth inning that helped propel the Tigers to a 10-2 victory Sunday that halted a season-high four-game losing streak. The first baseman has five homers over the last four games with three coming against the A’s on Friday. He’s tied with the White Sox’s Paul Konerko for second in the majors. Cabrera also matched season highs with four hits and four RBIs Sunday, and is batting .352. Against Oakland this year, he is 10 for 21 with five homers and 10 RBIs. Looking to slow down Cabrera, Trevor Cahill will try to win his third straight start for Oakland.

After losing to the Angels on May 16, the right-hander has surrendered two runs and eight hits over 12 2-3 innings in victories against San Francisco and Baltimore. He pitched six innings of two-hit ball in a 6-1 win over the Orioles on Wednesday. However, Cahill’s only career start in Detroit was a disaster. As a rookie, he was tagged for seven runs and seven hits in 2 1-3 innings of an 11-7 loss May 17, 2009. Oakland had outscored Detroit 11-4 in the first two games before Sunday. Daric Barton extended his hitting streak to six games with a two-run homer for the A’s, who struck out 17 times against emergency starter Max Scherzer, Phil Coke and Joel Zumaya. Following an early season demotion, Scherzer fanned a career-high 14 in 5 2-3 innings just hours after being recalled from the minors because scheduled starter Armando Galarraga pitched in relief Friday.

Cleveland Indians vs New York Yankees Live Streaming

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1:05 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

It’s hard to believe that Andy Pettitte hasn’t beaten the Cleveland Indians at home since his second season in the majors. Pettitte will face the Indians for the first time at the new Yankee Stadium on Monday when the New York Yankees try to capture a four-game series. The veteran is 0-4 with a 6.50 ERA in his last six starts in the Bronx against the Indians, including one postseason outing. That’s quite unusual since Pettitte is 105-47 in his career at home for New York, but his only home victory over Cleveland came in 1996. The left-hander hasn’t fared well against the Indians’ Austin Kearns and Jhonny Peralta. The Yankees, though, have won eight of Pettitte’s nine starts this year. He allowed two runs over eight innings Wednesday to earn a 3-2 victory over Minnesota. This Cleveland team - which owns the second-worst record in the AL - doesn’t figure to pose a major threat. In addition, No. 2 hitter Shin-Soo Choo is mired in a 0-for-17 slump while Peralta is 1 for 11 in this series. Veteran slugger Travis Hafner remains the Indians’ major threat, having reached base in 20 straight games and hitting .368 in that span.

The Indians, who learned earlier Sunday that they will be without outfielder Grady Sizemore for at least six to eight weeks, blew a three-run lead in the seventh inning of a 7-3 loss. Derek Jeter singled in two runs and Mark Teixeira added a go-ahead, three-run homer to cap the Yankees’ five-run rally. Teixeira, who has been slumping through most of the season, has four RBIs in the last two games after going 10 straight games without one. Jeter’s fourth straight multihit effort gave him 15 hits in 32 at-bats over his last seven games, raising his average from .267 to .298. He needs one double for 450 in his career and to move into sole possession of second place on the franchise’s all-time list, ahead of Bernie Williams and behind only Lou Gehrig. Jeter’s double-play partner Robinson Cano is also hot, batting .455 with 14 RBIs during a 13-game hitting streak. Cano is 8 for 12 with seven RBIs in this series. The Yankees will get their first look at Cleveland rookie Mitch Talbot, who is 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his last three road starts. The right-hander earned a 7-3 home victory over the Chicago White Sox last Tuesday, allowing two runs over seven innings.

Milwaukee Brewers vs Florida Marlins Live Streaming

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1:10 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

Earlier this month, Hanley Ramirez was benched for failing to hustle. The Florida Marlins star has had no such issues when facing the Milwaukee Brewers. Ramirez will try to extend a lengthy hitting streak against Milwaukee on Monday when the Brewers and Marlins open a four-game set at Sun Life Stadium. The shortstop was benched for one game by manager Fredi Gonzalez after accidentally kicking a ball and then lightly jogging after it, allowing two runs to score in a 5-1 loss to Arizona on May 17. The Marlins have gone 4-7 since then, but all the blame for that record cannot be placed on Ramirez. Last year’s NL batting champion has hit .317 with four multihit games over that stretch. Ramirez, who’s batting .298 overall, doubled and scored Sunday in a 1-0 win over Philadelphia that came less than 24 hours after the Marlins were beaten by the same score in a perfect game pitched by Roy Halladay.

It’s clear Ramirez relishes stepping in the batter’s box against Milwaukee. He’s hitting .460 during a 13-game hitting streak versus the Brewers, and his .413 career average in this series is his highest against any NL club. He has three hits in nine career at-bats against Milwaukee starter Dave Bush, who will try for his first win in nearly six weeks. Since beating Pittsburgh on April 20, the right-hander is 0-5 with a 6.55 ERA in seven starts. In his most recent road outing May 21, Bush was tagged for seven runs and six hits in one-third of an inning as the Brewers fell 15-3 to Minnesota. He bounced back Thursday against Houston, allowing two unearned runs and four hits over five innings as Milwaukee rallied for a 4-3 win in 10. Bush is 1-3 with a 6.65 ERA in four career road starts versus Florida. He has gone past the sixth inning just twice in 10 starts this year, but Milwaukee will want a long outing from Bush given how poorly its bullpen has pitched. Brewers relievers allowed eight runs in four innings of Sunday’s 10-4 loss to the Mets, raising their ERA to 5.89.

Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Live Streaming

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1:35 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

While the Pittsburgh Pirates have had little success against nearly every team this season, there is one club they’ve routinely managed to beat. Trying to avoid losing a sixth straight game, the Pirates look to continue to frustrate the Chicago Cubs as they open a three-game series Monday at PNC Park. Pittsburgh has one of the NL’s worst records and is on pace for its 18th straight losing season. Despite these gloomy figures, the Pirates have had no trouble beating the Cubs. Since April 30, Pittsburgh is 5-1 against Chicago, compared to 5-18 against everyone else. The Pirates’ normally sluggish offense has knocked around Cubs pitching, averaging 5.8 runs while batting .276. The team is averaging 2.2 runs and hitting .228 in the other 23 games in May. Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen is leading this surge against the Cubs, batting .667 with one homer, five RBIs and nine runs.McCutchen, though, like most of his teammates enters this series in a bit of a slump.

The Cubs are experiencing similar offensive troubles, scoring eight runs in losing three of four. Lou Piniella, who said he might shuffle his lineup after Sunday’s 9-1 loss to St. Louis, will give the ball to Randy Wells, who hopes this outing goes a bit better than his last one. Wells failed to get an out in Friday’s 7-1 loss to St. Louis, throwing 16 pitches and yielding six consecutive hits to start the game before being removed. It was Wells’ worst outing since getting tagged for seven runs and five hits in two innings of an 11-1 loss in Pittsburgh on May 6. The right-hander had posted a 2.08 ERA in winning his first two career starts against the Pirates. Wells, 0-3 with a 6.48 ERA in five starts this month, is taking the spot in the rotation of Tom Gorzelanny, who is being moved to the bullpen to make room for Carlos Zambrano, the scheduled starter for Wednesday’s finale. The Pirates counter with Ross Ohlendorf, who was on the mound in Pittsburgh’s lone loss to the Cubs this season. Ohlendorf pitched well, allowing two runs and four hits in six innings of a 4-3 loss at Wrigley Field on May 16, but didn’t receive a decision.

Washington Nationals vs Houston Astros Live Streaming

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2:05 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

The latter half of this month hasn’t been kind to the Houston Astros or Washington Nationals. The good news for one team is that it can conclude May with a victory. The Astros’ Roy Oswalt and Nationals’ Luis Atilano will try to build on impressive wins in Monday’s opener of a four-game series at Minute Maid Park. Houston has dropped 12 of 16 since May 13, but recorded a 2-0 win in 10 innings Sunday at NL Central-leading Cincinnati. Lance Berkman had a two-run double in the 10th as the Astros recorded their second shutout in five days. The Nationals have dropped 11 of 16 since May 14 and missed their chance to win a series over an NL opponent for the first time over that span with Sunday’s 3-2 loss to San Diego. Ryan Zimmerman hit a pair of solo homers, including the tying shot in the sixth inning, but Adam Kennedy’s error set up Nick Hundley’s winning pinch-hit single in the 11th. Lance Zawadski’s grounder deflected off of reliever Sean Burnett’s glove, and Kennedy’s hurried throw went into the Padres’ dugout.

Riggleman’s club will try to avoid dropping two games under .500 since its 3-5 start, but that might not be an easy task against Oswalt. The Astros right-hander is ninth in the NL in ERA but has been hurt by the 2.48 runs per game his teammates have provided. Houston gave him five runs Wednesday in Milwaukee, but Oswalt didn’t need them as he threw a four-hitter and matched his season high with nine strikeouts over eight innings of a 5-0 win. Oswalt will try to help the Astros to consecutive victories for the first time since a four-game run May 9-13, but he hasn’t recorded a decision in seven appearances against Washington since a 3-2 road win July 21, 2005. He will also attempt to record his 11th consecutive quality start to open this season and match Dave Giusti’s team record from 1968. In his first outing against the Astros, Atilano will try to outduel his second All-Star in as many games. The Washington rookie allowed two runs and four hits over 5 1-3 innings Wednesday to hand San Francisco ace Tim Lincecum his first loss in six decisions this season.

Los Angeles Angels vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming

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2:10 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

A second straight walk-off home run may normally have been cause for major celebration for the Los Angeles Angels, but Kendry Morales’ freak injury Saturday caused his team to be more reserved after Sunday’s victory. It will be at least two weeks before they have to worry about celebrating another game-ending hit. The Angels begin their longest road trip of the season - a 14-game trek - with red-hot Ervin Santana on the mound Monday for the first of four against the Kansas City Royals. Morales, Los Angeles’ leader in home runs and RBIs, will miss at least a few months with a broken leg he sustained while jumping onto home plate after his walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning of Saturday’s 5-1 win over Seattle. Howie Kendrick ended Sunday’s 9-7 victory with a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, but his teammates stood back from the plate as he crossed.

The Angels have won four of five overall, a stretch they hope begins a rise from a mediocre start toward a fourth consecutive AL West title. Their lengthy trip includes seven games against division opponents, with visits to Seattle and Oakland before an interleague set at Dodger Stadium. Kansas City may be the most inviting stop. Last year, the Angels won their first nine games against the Royals - including six in Kansas City - before Santana lost 6-3 at Kauffman Stadium on Sept. 7. Santana has been sharp lately, winning his last three starts including a complete-game effort in Tuesday’s 8-3 victory over Toronto. The right-hander yielded four hits, although three were homers. His counterpart, Luke Hochevar, has also been pitching deep into games. The right-hander pitched a complete game in a 9-3 win at Cleveland on May 20, then beat Texas with eight strong innings in a 5-2 victory Wednesday. Hochevar has been wildly inconsistent in the majors since Kansas City selected him first overall in the 2006 draft, but the Royals hope he is finally finding a groove.

Colorado Rockies vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming

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4:05 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

There’s little argument about who has been the NL’s best pitcher in recent seasons after San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum collected his second consecutive Cy Young Award in 2009. This year’s honor, however, appears to be Ubaldo Jimenez’s to lose. The Colorado Rockies right-hander has a chance to join a select group of starters to reach 10 wins before the end of May, but he’ll have to do it in a marquee matchup Monday against Lincecum, who looks to shake off some uncharacteristic control problems. Jimenez is certainly the hotter pitcher coming in, with the hard-throwing Dominican maintaining eye-popping numbers through his first 10 starts. He pitched a no-hitter last month against Atlanta and has allowed a total of seven hits in 15 scoreless innings over his last two outings.

Since 1990, only John Smoltz, Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling and Brandon Webb have notched double-digit wins by the end of May. Jimenez said he’s looking forward to squaring off against Lincecum. Lincecum said a new split-fingered fastball is one reason for Jimenez’s brilliant start, but the Giants’ ace is more concerned with his own performance after allowing six runs in 4 2-3 innings and suffering his first loss of the season Wednesday against Washington. It was hardly Lincecum’s first shaky outing, even though he was 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA through his first eight starts. He has walked five in each of his last three starts and has given up 11 runs in 9 2-3 innings over his last two, prompting Giants manager Bruce Bochy to meet with his star pitcher Thursday.

Cincinnati Reds vs St. Louis Cardinals Live Streaming

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4:15 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

Holding opponents off the scoreboard has become routine for Jaime Garcia this season, but a lack of run support has made picking up victories a more difficult task for the rookie left-hander. Perhaps a resurgent Albert Pujols can help. His uncharacteristic slump behind him, the reigning NL MVP and his St. Louis Cardinals teammates look to pull into a first-place tie with the visiting Cincinnati Reds as the NL Central rivals open their fourth three-game set of the season Monday. Pujols recently went 11 straight games without an RBI, but he has emphatically ended that drought with nine RBIs in his last four games. He homered three times in Sunday’s 9-1 win over the Chicago Cubs as the Cardinals took the series. St. Louis moved within one game of the Reds because Cincinnati’s four-game winning streak was snapped with a 2-0, 10-inning loss to Houston. The Reds have still won 16 of 22. They had scored 27 runs in the first two games of the series, but they were blanked Sunday for the first time since a 6-0 loss at St. Louis on May 2.

Runs may be difficult to come by again for the Reds against Garcia, who has already beaten Cincinnati once, allowing two runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 4-3 win May 14. Garcia ranks second to Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez in ERA, and he hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of his nine starts. Opponents have not managed a run against him in 19 innings at Busch Stadium, but Garcia is just 1-0 in three home outings because of limited run support. The Cardinals have not scored a run for him in each of his last two starts overall, losing both despite Garcia throwing 11 shutout innings in that stretch. He pitched six innings Wednesday in a 2-1, 13-inning defeat at San Diego. Cincinnati’s Bronson Arroyo hasn’t had any problem picking up victories lately, winning his last four starts and five consecutive decisions. He has a 2.66 ERA in his last six outings. The right-hander was wild early Wednesday against Pittsburgh, but he settled down to work 7 2-3 innings in a 4-0 victory.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Toronto Blue Jays Live Streaming

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7:07 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

The Tampa Bay Rays have the major league’s best record, but it has little to do with their play at Tropicana Field. Coming off a disappointing homestand, the Rays open a six-game trip Monday against a Toronto Blue Jays team looking to finish May with another impressive offensive showing. Despite leading the majors with a 34-17 record, Tampa Bay dropped to 15-12 at home following a Sunday’s 8-5 loss to the White Sox. But it’s been a different story on the road, where the Rays are a major league-best 19-5. They’ll face a Blue Jays club that’s won four straight and 10 of 12 at home—and has been going deep often throughout 2010. Toronto hit three more homers in Sunday’s 6-1 win over Baltimore, extending its major league-leading total to 88. The Blue Jays’ 53 home runs in May is a franchise record for any month.

Right fielder Jose Bautista, who leads the majors with 16 homers, needs one Monday to set a career high and a franchise record with 13 in one month. First baseman Lyle Overbay, who has three homers in the last two games, was 3 for 7 with a home run as Toronto dropped two of three at Tampa Bay from April 23-25. The Blue Jays have lost seven straight series to their division rivals, but enter this three-game set having hit 25 homers and scoring 7.3 runs per game in their last nine at Rogers Centre. That kind of production could benefit Brandon Morrow, who is 1-2 with a 9.18 ERA in his last four starts. The right- hander, though, has a 2.37 ERA while winning his last three outings at home. Morrow is 0-1 with a 3.27 ERA in two starts versus Tampa Bay, which counters with Matt Garza. The right-hander will try to help the Rays reach 20 victories on the road 21 games faster than last season. He walked a season-high five and allowed six runs in Wednesday’s 11-3 loss to Boston.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live Streaming

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9:10 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

The Los Angeles Dodgers were successful while enduring two-plus weeks without Andre Ethier. Now the Dodgers are hoping that success continues with their top hitter back in the lineup. Ethier is expected to make his return from the disabled list Monday night and try to help the Dodgers add to their recent NL West dominance as they open a 13-game homestand against the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks. Los Angeles won 10 of 15 after Ethier fractured his right pinkie during pregame batting practice May 15. The Dodgers batted .243 without their outfielder, who is hitting .392 with 11 home runs and 38 RBIs, but they’ve also had the majors’ second-best ERA in that span. Los Angeles gave up two early runs Sunday in Colorado but contained the Rockies until the ninth inning of a 4-3 win. Xavier Paul, who will likely return to Triple-A Albuquerque when Ethier is activated, hit a go-ahead single in the sixth as the Dodgers salvaged a split of their six-game road trip.

Heading into its longest homestand this season, Los Angeles has won 10 of 12 against NL West teams and has a major league-best 15-5 record in its division. The Dodgers are also 5-1 versus Arizona this season and have won 13 of 17 home matchups since Aug. 1, 2008. The Dodgers have a good chance to add more wins as they’ll start a red-hot Chad Billingsley against a Diamondbacks team that’s dropped seven in a row. Billingsley will try to win a career-high fifth consecutive start in a streak that began May 10, when he allowed two runs over 5 1-3 innings of a 7-3 victory. The right-hander, who has a 1.80 ERA in his last four games, wasn’t as successful against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on April 14. He gave up six runs over 5 2-3 innings but escaped without a loss in a 9-7 defeat in 11 innings.

New York Mets vs San Diego Padres Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

Nearly one-third through the season, San Diego Padres manager Bud Black has yet to settle on an everyday catcher. That appears to suit Nick Hundley and Yorvit Torrealba just fine. The tandem tries to keep the NL West-leading Padres rolling Monday night when they continue their homestand against the New York Mets. Hundley has been the hotter hitter of the two backstops of late for San Diego, going 9 for 22 with one homer and seven RBIs in his last seven games. He hit a three-run homer in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Washington, then delivered a game-winning pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the 11th of Sunday’s 3-2 victory. Despite the clutch hits, Hundley hasn’t taken anything for granted and seems unconcerned about who will be behind the plate for this game. Torrealba is 8 for his last 30 but did have three hits in Saturday’s victory and an RBI groundout Sunday that tied the game at 1. He is second on the team among position players with a .292 batting average, and the staff has a 2.40 ERA when he catches.

Whoever catches will try to help Kevin Correia end his recent tailspin. After winning four consecutive starts April 12-28, the right-hander is 0-3 with a 4.24 ERA in four starts in May. The Padres offense is partly to blame, having provided Correia three total runs in those games. He scattered five hits and six walks in six shutout innings of San Diego’s 2-1, 13-inning win over St. Louis on Wednesday. New York continues its road swing with this three-game series after avoiding a sweep at Milwaukee. R.A. Dickey pitched seven solid innings as the Mets climbed back above .500 with a 10-4 victory Sunday. Hisanori Takahashi looks to continue baffling hitters as he makes his first appearance against the Padres and third start since joining the rotation from the bullpen. The left-hander has thrown 12 scoreless innings over two starts and picked up the win Wednesday after limiting Philadelphia to five hits in six innings of a 5-0 victory.

Minnesota Twins vs Seattle Mariners Live Streaming

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10:10 pm EDT Mon May 31, 2010

After appearing to be headed in the right direction, the Seattle Mariners experienced a disappointing end to their brief road trip. Given their recent history at home against Minnesota, returning to Safeco Field to face the Twins would seem like a good way to bounce back, especially with AL ERA leader Doug Fister taking the mound. The Twins, though, will attempt to match their season’s longest win streak in Monday night’s opener of a four-game series. The Mariners ended a 5-19 stretch by winning five of seven, but suffered consecutive walkoff losses to end a three-game set against the Los Angeles Angels. After Brandon League gave up Kendry Morales’ 10th-inning grand slam on Saturday, Seattle closer David Aardsma yielded a three-run shot to Howie Kendrick in a 9-7 loss Sunday. The Mariners blew a season-high, five-run lead for their seventh loss when leading after six innings.

Fister is hoping the change of venue will help him get his first win at home since April 19. The right-hander, who has never faced the Twins, has a 2.40 ERA in his last four starts at Safeco, but hasn’t come away with a win while receiving 2.3 runs of support per outing. He gave up three runs and nine hits over seven innings Tuesday against Detroit, but the Mariners rallied for a 5-3 victory.Fister will next face a Twins’ team that outscored opponents 24-9 over four straight wins and completed a home sweep of former AL West leader Texas on Sunday night. The Twins scored five runs in the first three innings in a 6-3 victory that completed the sweep. That win, however, ended with center fielder Denard Span colliding with second baseman Orlando Hudson while catching the game’s final out. The two players walked off under their own power, but their status is unknown for this game. Span is hitting .404 over his last 11 games and Hudson is batting .438 during the team’s win streak. The absence of those two players could hurt Francisco Liriano’s attempt to snap a three-game slide.

Oakland Athletics vs Detroit Tigers Live Streaming

Sunday, May 30, 2010

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1:05 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

Brett Anderson’s sharp outing was a relief for an Oakland team that has lost Justin Duchscherer for the year. Now, the Athletics need Dallas Braden to put his ankle injury behind him. Braden, who left his last start due to an ailment that has been lingering for the past month, takes the mound for the Athletics as they continue their four-game series with the slumping Detroit Tigers on Sunday. Oakland announced Saturday that Duchscherer will undergo season-ending surgery on his left hip. The two-time All-Star was limited to five starts this year after not pitching at all in 2009. The loss of Duchscherer made Anderson’s performance that much more timely. In his first outing in a month, Anderson - who had been sidelined with elbow and forearm injuries - pitched 5 2-3 innings to lead Oakland to a 6-0 win over Detroit on Saturday night in the second game of this series. Braden, meanwhile, says he has been bothered by a sore left ankle since spraining it in a 4-2 loss to Texas on May 3. He has made four starts since, including a perfect game against Tampa Bay on May 9, but discomfort forced him out of his last outing.

The left-hander has struggled in four road starts, going 1-2 with a 5.32 ERA. Braden is 2-3 with a 6.63 ERA in seven career starts against the Tigers. Oakland, which leads the AL West by one-half game over Texas, has posted a 1.90 ERA while winning seven of its last eight. The A’s have also been hitting well, scoring 24 runs during a four-game winning streak. Second baseman Mark Ellis drove in four runs Saturday, is 8 for 12 over his last three games versus the Tigers and has seven hits in his last three games overall. The A’s will now face Max Scherzer, who is being called up from Triple-A Toledo to make his first start for the Tigers since May 14. To make room for Scherzer, Detroit designated struggling Dontrelle Willis for assignment. If Willis clears waivers, the Tigers have 10 days to release him, trade him or assign him to the minors. Scherzer went 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA in four starts before being sent down, but posted an 0.60 ERA while winning his two starts with Toledo.

Cleveland Indians vs New York Yankees Live Streaming

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1:05 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

Mother Nature prevented the New York Yankees’ A.J. Burnett from continuing his last start, but the result was exactly what he needed. Winless in his last 16 outings, Cleveland Indians starter Justin Masterson might need a victory Sunday at Yankee Stadium just to keep his spot in the rotation. A mismatch on paper, Burnett and Masterson will oppose each other as Cleveland and New York continue their four-game holiday weekend series. After going 4-0 with a 1.99 ERA in his first six starts of 2010, Burnett gave up 16 earned runs and went 0-2 in his next three outings. The right-hander bounced back Tuesday and had his best start in three weeks, striking out five and allowing three hits in five scoreless innings at Minnesota, but the game was suspended due to rain. The Yankees completed the 1-0 victory Wednesday afternoon.

Burnett would have too, but will instead try to maintain that same form against the Indians, who will once again hope for a better effort from Masterson in what may be his last chance. The right-hander allowed five runs and nine hits in four innings of Monday’s 7-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox, dropping his 11th straight decision since a victory against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 20. Masterson, 0-10 with a 6.53 ERA in his last 14 road starts, receives among the lowest run support in the AL - 2.87 per game. The Cleveland offense performed much better than that Saturday. Trailing 10-4 in the fifth inning following Alex Rodriguez’s RBI single, Cleveland scored seven times in the seventh and once in the eighth for a 13-11 win that took 4 hours, 22 minutes to complete. It was the team’s highest scoring output of the season, but the Indians were more concerned with the health of starting pitcher David Huff, who was hit in the head by a line drive from Rodriguez in the third inning. Huff was face down on the mound for several minutes before getting carted off the field and taken to a local hospital, where a CT scan was negative.

Baltimore Orioles vs Toronto Blue Jays Live Streaming

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1:07 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

With two games remaining in May, the Toronto Blue Jays have already set a franchise record for the most home runs in a single month. Given how things have gone this year for the Baltimore Orioles, they may not be too anxious to pitch to their division rivals anytime soon. Looking to increase their home run total, Toronto also will try to win its sixth straight over the last-place Orioles on Sunday in the finale of their weekend set. The homer-happy Blue Jays launched four more in a 5-2 win Saturday, raising their major league-leading total to 85. Lyle Overbay hit two for his first multihomer game of the year, and Aaron Hill and Vernon Wells each went deep for the second straight game. Toronto has hit 50 home runs in May. They have six in the series, and 11 in five wins against the Orioles this year.

Wells’ one-out drive in the eighth inning snapped a 2-2 tie. The Blue Jays center fielder has 13 in 50 games after hitting 15 in 158 contests in 2009. Baltimore hopes to slow down Toronto by sending out Jeremy Guthrie. The right-hander has surrendered only seven homers in 64 1-3 innings. Guthrie struggled early in 2010, going 0-4 with a 4.78 ERA in his first six starts, but has been outstanding in four starts since, posting a 3-0 record with a 2.03 ERA. He surrendered one run for the third consecutive game and six hits over six innings of a 5-1 win over Oakland on Tuesday. Guthrie has made five starts at Rogers Centre, and is 1-2 with a 3.16 ERA while yielding five homers in 37 innings. Baltimore has dropped four in a row overall and seven straight in Toronto. Coming off his poorest outing of the year, Ricky Romero will take the mound for Toronto in search of his first win in three starts.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Florida Marlins Live Streaming

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1:10 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

Anibal Sanchez has won three consecutive starts for the first time since 2006, when as a rookie he pitched a September no-hitter in front of the Florida Marlins’ home crowd. It took nearly four years, but Sanchez is no longer the last pitcher to step off that mound following a transcendent performance. Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay threw the majors’ 20th perfect game Saturday night in Miami, leaving Sanchez with a hard act to follow Sunday afternoon as he looks to help the Marlins avoid a three-game sweep. Halladay had come close to throwing a no-hitter before, getting within one out in his second major league start Sept. 27, 1998, but one of baseball’s top pitchers turned in an even finer performance Saturday. Halladay needed 115 pitches to retire all 27 Marlins he saw, striking out 11 to make an unearned run stand up in Philadelphia’s 1-0 victory.

Halladay joined Oakland’s Dallas Braden, who set down all 27 Tampa Bay hitters on May 9, to give baseball two perfect games in the same season for the first time since 1880. This was the Phillies’ second perfect game, with Jim Bunning having thrown one in 1964. Philadelphia has thrown 10 no-hitters, the last by Kevin Millwood in 2003. The Marlins, who lost their fourth in a row, were more complimentary than upset considering who was on the mound. Sanchez once looked like he could belong among baseball’s elite starters, but after going 10-3 with a 2.83 ERA as a rookie, injuries and inconsistency have kept that from happening. Lately, however, he’s looked far more like the pitcher who no-hit Arizona on Sept. 6, 2006, in his 13th major league start - the last no-hitter at Sun Life Stadium prior to Halladay’s. Sanchez has posted a 1.77 ERA while winning three consecutive starts, the latest 6-4 against Atlanta on Tuesday as he allowed two runs over 6 1-3 innings.

Houston Astros vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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1:10 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

Mike Leake pitched well but didn’t get any run support in his latest start, the second time the straight-to-the majors phenom was denied a fifth straight winning decision. The Cincinnati Reds have given their pitchers plenty of offensive help ever since. The surging Reds seek their fifth straight win overall and try to improve to 6-0 against the Houston Astros in Sunday’s series finale at Great American Ball Park. Leake saw Cincinnati’s bullpen blow a 9-3, ninth-inning lead on May 20 in Atlanta, then didn’t get any support while holding Pittsburgh to one run over 7 1-3 innings Tuesday in a 2-1 loss. The Reds have made sure every starter has had ample support since Leake’s last outing. Cincinnati has averaged 9.8 runs while winning four straight, especially enjoying facing Houston’s pitching. Jonny Gomes helped lead a 15-6 rout on Friday night with four runs and four hits, and Saturday it was Ramon Hernandez and Jay Bruce who led the Reds’ potent offense. Hernandez and Bruce both homered twice and Miguel Cairo and Drew Stubbs also went deep in a 12-2 victory.

The Reds have hit at least one homer in 18 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in franchise history and the longest since the 1986 club homered in 19 straight. Cincinnati, which leads the NL with 264 runs, hasn’t scored at least 10 in three straight games since May 13-15, 1998. The last time the Astros gave up 10 or more in three consecutive games was July 29-Aug. 2, 2007, when they did it four times in a row. Houston is 3-27 when it allows four runs or more this season. The Reds appear to have a good chance at another big day Sunday against Felipe Paulino, who struggled when matched up with Leake on April 28 at Minute Maid Park. The right-hander gave up six runs over five innings while Leake held the Astros to one run in seven innings of Cincinnati’s 6-4 win. While Leake fell victim to poor support in his last outing, the Astros haven’t given Paulino much help all season. He’s received an average of 2.28 runs of support, second-lowest in the majors.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Atlanta Braves Live Streaming

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1:35 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

Even with Brian McCann hurting, the Atlanta Braves have enjoyed a strong run at the plate during a four-game winning streak. Kenshin Kawakami, though, hasn’t benefited from any such performances this year. The Braves, with McCann’s status still uncertain, look to finally give their winless right-hander some support as they conclude a three-game set with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. Atlanta has won nine of 11 and has gone 18-8 in May to move into second place in the NL East, 1 1/2 games behind Philadelphia. The Braves have scored 28 runs during a four-game winning streak, which includes a 6-3 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday night. McCann missed his third straight game with a strained right quadriceps, but Atlanta got a homer from Jason Heyward and three RBIs from Martin Prado. McCann took batting practice before the game, and appears close to returning. Prado, the leadoff hitter, attributes Atlanta’s surge to Heyward’s move to second in the lineup.

Heyward is 8 for 16 with two homers and two doubles in five games against the Pirates and is hitting .368 in his last 10 games overall. Heyward had two RBIs in Kawakami’s last start, but both came after the pitcher was pulled from the game. Kawakami was again the victim of poor run support, taking a loss after allowing three runs in six innings as Atlanta was defeated 6-4 by Florida on Tuesday night. He has gotten three runs or fewer to work with in seven of his nine starts and hasn’t won since beating Florida on Aug. 31. In his only start against Pittsburgh, Kawakami surrendered three runs and struck out five in six innings of a 7-6, 15-inning win June 8. The Pirates will counter with Paul Maholm, who is 1-1 with a 1.33 ERA in four starts versus Atlanta. Maholm didn’t earn a win in his sharpest outing of the season, yielding six hits in seven shutout innings of a 2-1 victory over Cincinnati on Tuesday night. The left-hander is making his sixth start at home, where he is 2-3 with a 4.97 ERA.

Kansas City Royals vs Boston Red Sox Live Streaming

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1:35 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

After putting 16 runs on the board in the first two games of their weekend series against the Boston Red Sox, the Kansas City Royals’ bats suddenly went silent. It won’t be easy for them to make any noise Sunday. Jon Lester seeks to earn his sixth straight win overall, continue his mastery of the Royals and help the Red Sox salvage a four-game split at Fenway Park. Kansas City began this series in brilliant fashion, following a 4-3 victory in the opener with a 12-5 rout Friday in which it had a season-high 20 hits. The outcome was far different Saturday night, when Boston starter Clay Buchholz tossed seven innings of a 1-0 victory to outduel Royals ace Zack Greinke. The only run scored in the fourth, when Mike Lowell’s groundout brought home Adrian Beltre. Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia went hitless for the third straight game, but saved a run in the eighth with a backhanded stop of a David DeJesus grounder.

With a victory, the Royals can still win a series against the Red Sox for the first time since taking two of three at Fenway from July 16-18, 2007, but on Saturday they had to tip their collective caps to Buchholz. Yost’s club will face another pitcher fitting that description in the series finale. Lester has been phenomenal for more than a month now, going 5-0 with a 1.45 ERA and a .152 opponent batting average over his last seven starts. He issued five walks Tuesday at Tampa Bay, but limited the major league-leading Rays to one hit and struck out nine over six innings of a 1-0 win. The left-hander has also been virtually unhittable against the Royals. Lester is 3-1 with a 1.20 ERA in four starts against them and has thrown 17 scoreless innings to win his last two, including a no-hitter at Fenway on May 19, 2008. Kansas City slugger Jose Guillen, who is 1 for 9 through the first two games of this series, is 0 for 11 with five strikeouts versus Lester.

Chicago White Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays Live Streaming

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1:40 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

Part of what may be the best starting rotation in baseball, James Shields has looked very much like an ace this season for the Tampa Bay Rays. Jake Peavy is struggling to fill that role for the Chicago White Sox. Shields will try to pitch the Rays to a four-game series win over Peavy and the White Sox on Sunday at Tropicana Field. While Tampa Bay’s offense is among the most productive in the AL, it is the team’s young and deep rotation that is most responsible for the Rays having the best record in the majors. David Price, Matt Garza, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis and Shields are a combined 27-11 with a 2.98 ERA, while Tampa Bay’s 3.08 staff ERA is by far the best in the AL. Shields has done more than carry his share of the load lately, posting a 2.65 ERA while pitching at least eight innings in three of his five May starts. He dropped to 2-2 during that span with a tough-luck 2-0 loss to Boston on Tuesday despite limiting the Red Sox to two runs and four hits in eight innings.

Shields ranks among the league leaders with 69 1-3 innings pitched and 71 strikeouts. He outpitched Peavy at Chicago on April 22, yielding two runs and six hits over seven innings of a 10-2 victory. Behind three RBIs from struggling slugger Carlos Pena, the Rays beat the White Sox 8-5 on Saturday night and improved to 2-4 on a seven-game homestand. B.J. Upton hit a solo homer and Evan Longoria had three hits for Tampa Bay, which had totaled 11 runs while losing four of its previous five games. Longoria is 8 for 16 in his last four contests, and 10 for 25 with four RBIs in six games against the White Sox this season. The news wasn’t all good for the Rays, who may be without shortstop Jason Bartlett on Sunday. Bartlett left in the fourth inning with a strained right hamstring.

New York Mets vs Milwaukee Brewers Live Streaming

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2:10 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

After an outstanding homestand, the New York Mets are having trouble yet again on the road. A matchup with Randy Wolf may not help matters. Owners of the National League’s worst road record, the Mets look to end their struggles against the veteran left-hander as they conclude a three-game set with the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. New York won the last five contests of a six-game homestand, culminating in three straight shutouts. That momentum has not carried over to this six-game road trip. The Mets are in danger of being swept by the Brewers, who have won four of their last five at Miller Park after a 4-14 start there. New York, meanwhile, has the second-worst road record in the majors, dropping to 6-16 after an 8-6 loss Saturday night in this series’ middle game.

Now, New York has to face a pitcher who has always given it problems. Wolf is 6-0 with a 3.06 ERA in his last eight starts versus the Mets, and 12-5 with a 3.29 ERA in 30 starts all-time. Wolf is coming off his best outing of the season, giving up four hits in seven scoreless innings to earn a win in a 6-1 victory over Houston on Tuesday night. The left-hander dominated after going 1-3 with a 7.66 ERA in his previous four starts. The Mets will give the ball Sunday to R.A. Dickey, who has been strong in two starts since being called up from Triple-A Buffalo on May 19, helping to settle a rotation that had been in flux. The 35-year-old knuckleballer tossed eight scoreless innings and matched his career high with seven strikeouts in an 8-3 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday night. This will be Dickey’s first start against the Brewers. He faced them twice in relief with Minnesota last season, throwing three shutout innings.

St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs Live Streaming

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2:20 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

It’s been over three years since the St. Louis Cardinals won a series at Wrigley Field. Even another strong start from Adam Wainwright against Chicago may not be enough to change that if their offense continues to struggle. Coming off another poor effort at the plate, the Cardinals look to bounce back in the decisive finale of their weekend series with the rival Cubs on Sunday. After scoring 15 runs in its previous two games, St. Louis was stymied by Chicago’s Carlos Silva as the Cardinals were shut out for the second time in five games, 5-0 on Saturday.St. Louis, 2-3 on a six-game trip, has lost four series and split one at Wrigley since taking two of three there April 20-22, 2007. The Cardinals, who recorded five runs and six hits in the first inning of a 7-1 win over Chicago in Friday’s opener, were limited to four hits Saturday. Matt Holliday had two for the Cardinals, who’ve scored three runs and hit .198 in the three losses on the trip.

Holliday is 6 for 12 in his last three games and batting .351 in his last 10 against the Cubs. It might not take much, but the Cardinals hope to give Wainwright more support than his last start while he looks to continue his recent dominance over the Cubs, winners in nine of 13. Wainwright is 4-0 with a 2.44 ERA in his last seven starts versus the Cubs after going 0-3 with an 8.72 ERA in his first four. Though Wainwright’s lost two of his last three starts, he has an impressive 3.15 ERA during that span. The right-hander allowed a second-inning homer to Jerry Hairston Jr., and three other hits while striking out a season-high 12 in seven innings of a 1-0 loss at San Diego on Tuesday. Mike Fontenot is 6 for 17 against Wainwright and could be back in the lineup after he tripled twice and drove in a run Saturday for the Cubs, who are in position to win a third straight series. After Silva was dominant while improving to 7-0, Ryan Dempster looks to give the Cubs a second solid outing in this contest.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Colorado Rockies Live Streaming

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3:10 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

The Colorado Rockies have a chance to end a frustrating rut against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Rockies will try to capture a series from their NL West rivals for the first time in nine tries Sunday at Coors Field. Los Angeles has won eight straight series over Colorado and is poised to win another after Manny Ramirez homered for the first time in Denver in Friday’s series-opening 5-4 victory. The Rockies, though, responded with an 11-3 victory Saturday. Colorado improved to 7-19 against Los Angeles since the Rockies took two of three at Dodger Stadium from Aug. 19-21, 2008. Seth Smith and Miguel Olivo each had three hits and two RBIs and Carlos Gonzalez homered and drove in two runs for the Rockies, who have won seven of nine overall. Gonzalez has scored eight runs in the last four games, and has 25 RBI in his last 26. Jim Tracy notched his 100th victory as Colorado manager - exactly one year after taking over for Clint Hurdle.

The Rockies will start a pitcher Sunday who beat Los Angeles earlier this season in Jhoulys Chacin. The 22-year-old rookie right-hander made his fourth career start May 8 at Dodger Stadium, allowing six hits and striking out seven over 7 1-3 innings of an 8-0 Colorado victory. The Dodgers were impressed with their first look at Chacin. Chacin lost his next two starts before bouncing back to allow two runs over six innings Tuesday in a 3-2 win over Arizona. He’ll be up against a tough opponent in Los Angeles starter Clayton Kershaw, who’s 3-1 with a 0.64 ERA in his last four outings. Kershaw’s three-game win streak ended Tuesday when he allowed one unearned run over six innings of a 3-0 road loss to the Chicago Cubs. The left-hander beat Colorado on May 9 at Chavez Ravine by giving up two hits and striking out nine over eight innings in a 2-0 victory. Kershaw, however, has not fared well in the thin air at Coors Field, going 2-2 with a 6.92 ERA in five starts - a sharp contrast to his 1-1 mark and 0.75 ERA against the Rockies in four outings at Dodger Stadium.

Seattle Mariners vs Los Angeles Angels Live Streaming

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3:35 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

Even in victory, the Los Angeles Angels can’t seem to catch a break. The Angels begin life without slugging first baseman Kendry Morales on Sunday when they try for a second straight victory in the finale of a home set with the Seattle Mariners. Plagued by inconsistency through the first two months of the season, Los Angeles is in search of anything positive to help string together some wins and get back over .500. Saturday could have provided that moment after Morales’ 10th-inning grand slam gave the Angels a 5-1 win over Seattle. Morales, however, broke his left leg during a pileup celebration at home plate and is scheduled to undergo surgery Sunday.
Losing Morales is huge blow for the Angels. He was leading the club in batting average, home runs, total bases and RBI. Morales’ freak injury came after star center fielder Torii Hunter suffered a bruised left hand after bing hit by a pitch from Felix Hernandez earlier in the game. Hunter, who has seven homers and 29 RBIs, is day to day after X-rays were negative. However, he’s more concerned about Morales.

As the Angles try to move on from Saturday’s bittersweet victory, they hope Joe Saunders can continue his success against the Mariners. After going 1-5 with a 7.04 ERA to open the season, Saunders is 2-1 with a 1.57 ERA in his last four. He’s 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA in 11 career starts against Seattle. The left-hander, who’s won six in a row over the Mariners, allowed three runs and five walks in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-3, 10-inning victory at Safeco Field on May 8. In his last start, Saunders gave up three runs and five walks in 6 1-3 innings but didn’t get any help in a 6-0 loss to Toronto on Monday. Jose Lopez had two of the four hits Saturday for Seattle, which scored 18 runs while winning its previous three games. The veteran infielder is 7 for 19 in his last five games, and 7 for 20 against the Angels this season. Ian Snell looks to better his record against the Angels in his second start since returning to the rotation after a stint in the bullpen.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming

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4:05 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

Buster Posey had the same amount of hits in his season debut with the San Francisco Giants as the Arizona Diamondbacks have in the entire weekend series. Posey and the Giants look to complete a sweep Sunday at AT&T Park and hand the punchless Diamondbacks a seventh straight loss. Seeking a boost to its offense, San Francisco called up Posey from Triple-A Fresno before Saturday’s game. The highly-rated prospect did not disappoint. Posey had three hits and three RBIs in his season debut, a 12-1 rout. The converted shortstop is now a catcher, but he played first base Saturday. Bochy indicated that Posey will catch at some point. Posey went 2 for 17 in seven games with the Giants last September. Posey’s three-hit output matched what the Diamondbacks have produced to start this three-game set. Giants starter Matt Cain pitched a one-hitter in Friday’s 5-0 win and Jonathan Sanchez and three relievers combined on a two-hitter Saturday. Arizona, which has totaled 12 runs in its last six games, is trying to avoid matching its season-worst, seven-game slide from May 7-14.

Arizona’s woes could be good news for San Francisco starter Todd Wellemeyer, who got hit hard the last time he faced the Diamondbacks. Wellemeyer gave up five runs, including three homers, over five innings of a 13-1 road loss May 19. One of the homers was by Stephen Drew, who’s 7 for 11 with two homers in his career against Wellemeyer. The Giants right-hander bounced back to earn a 4-2 win over Washington on Tuesday, yielding two runs over six innings. He’s 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA in four home starts. Wellemeyer will once again be opposed by right-hander Ian Kennedy, who earned the victory May 19 by yielding one run over eight innings with a career-high nine strikeouts in his lone career start against the Giants. Kennedy gave up three runs over five innings Tuesday in a 3-2 loss at Colorado. Mark Reynolds, Kelly Johnson and Rusty Ryal are the only Diamondbacks with hits in this series. Drew, Justin Upton and Chris Young are each 0 for 6 in the first two games. Arizona has dropped 12 of 14 at AT&T Park, and is 3-11 on the road against NL West opponents.

Washington Nationals vs San Diego Padres Live Streaming

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4:05 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

After looking like a potential Cy Young Award candidate over his first six starts, Livan Hernandez has finally started to look beatable over his last three outings. Jon Garland, on the other hand, might be getting better as his first season with the San Diego Padres progresses. Garland tries to win a seventh consecutive decision Sunday afternoon as he and the first-place Padres play the decisive finale of a three-game set against Hernandez and the visiting Nationals.Hernandez and Garland rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in NL ERA, but while Hernandez seems like he might be slowing down just a bit, Garland has won six straight. Pitching on his third NL West team since the beginning of 2009, Garland is a big reason the Padres are in first place. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning Tuesday to make it through seven in a 1-0 win over St. Louis, the third time this month Garland has pitched seven scoreless innings.

Garland, 1-0 with a 4.85 ERA in two starts against the Nationals since 2008, has particularly enjoyed his first five outings inside spacious Petco Park with the Padres. He’s 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA. This current stretch, though, is still far from the best in Garland’s career. He won 10 straight starts with a 2.31 ERA from Sept. 26, 2004-May 17, 2005, with the Chicago White Sox. Hernandez, meanwhile, is 0-2 with a 4.67 ERA in his last three starts after beginning the season 4-1 with a 1.04 ERA. After four scoreless innings Tuesday at San Francisco, he came undone in the fifth, allowing five straight two-out hits and four runs en route to a 4-2 loss. While Garland is loving his new home stadium, Hernandez has never found Petco Park to be very inviting. He’s never won there in seven starts, and is 0-5 with a 7.20 ERA in his last five trips.

Texas Rangers vs Minnesota Twins Live Streaming

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8:05 pm EDT Sun May 30, 2010

Some much-needed clutch hitting helped put Minnesota in position to sweep its second series of the season. The Twins try for a fourth straight victory Sunday while looking to sweep the visiting Texas Rangers for the first time in almost three years. Delmon Young’s bases-loaded, two-run double highlighted a six-run seventh inning in Minnesota’s 8-3 win over Texas on Saturday. The Twins, who took Friday’s series opener 2-1, now have a chance for their first series sweep since winning three games against Detroit from May 3-5. They haven’t swept Texas since Sept. 17-19, 2007, at the Metrodome. Though the Twins lead the AL Central and are among the best clubs in the league in both runs and on-base percentage, they entered Saturday’s contest batting .167 with the bases loaded.

After Carl Pavano pitched a solid seven innings Saturday, Minnesota hopes to get a solid effort from Scott Baker as he tries to avoid a third straight loss. The Twins’ opening-day starter, Baker had allowed eight runs and 18 hits in 12 innings while losing his two previous starts before giving up three hits in five scoreless innings of Tuesday’s suspended game against the New York Yankees. He didn’t get a decision in Minnesota’s eventual 1-0 defeat. The right-hander is 2-2 with a 5.25 ERA in six starts against the Rangers. Texas has dropped three straight and five of six since winning a season-high five in a row, falling one-half game behind Oakland for the AL West lead in the process. The Rangers are batting .220 and have totaled six runs during the three-game skid. All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler has been a big part of the struggles, going 1 for 12 in the last three games and 0 for 4 on Saturday. Derek Holland will make his third start since the Rangers called him up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on May 12.

Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Lakers Live Streaming

Thursday, May 27, 2010

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9:00 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

The Lakers’ swagger is more of a stagger after consecutive losses in the Western Conference finals. After leaving town last week to chants of “We want Boston,” Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol realize they won’t even get the chance to defend their NBA title unless Los Angeles starts defending the Phoenix Suns. Although Gasol says Game 5 on Thursday night is “a must-win for us,” the champions’ California cool shows few signs of cracking, beyond Bryant’s grumbling about missed defensive assignments. After surviving a near-identical jam in last season’s conference finals against Denver, the Lakers came away with a confidence they can rise to any occasion—even a best-two-of-three series against a surging, shot-making opponent with rising confidence of its own.

The Lakers have been in this situation three previous times over the past two playoffs: a series tied at 2, with Game 5 at home. Los Angeles won each time, beating Houston and the Nuggets last season before trouncing Oklahoma City last month in the first round. Overall, they’ve won Game 5 seven straight times at home. Yet the Suns hold every smidgen of momentum heading back to Staples Center after winning the last two games with a gimmicky zone defense, impressive bench play and another phenomenal exhibition of offense. Los Angeles’ 58 percent shooting in its first two victories masked its full series of ineffective defense so far: Los Angeles has yielded 113 points per game, and Phoenix has shaken off a brief spell of outside shooting problems. At least the Lakers are back home, where they haven’t lost in seven playoff games this spring.

Houston Astros vs Milwaukee Brewers Live Streaming

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1:10 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

After finally providing their ace with some much-needed run support, the Houston Astros have a chance to win consecutive games and a series for the first time in two weeks.The Astros look to accomplish both as they conclude a three-game road set against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. Lance Berkman had three hits, Carlos Lee added two with two RBIs and Roy Oswalt held Milwaukee to four hits in eight innings as Houston snapped a three-game skid with a 5-0 win Wednesday. The Astros pounded out 12 hits and scored some runs for Oswalt after they averaged a major league-low 2.07 runs during his previous nine starts. Though Houston is last in the majors in runs and batting average, its latest effort could be something to build on. The Astros haven’t won two in a row or a series since sweeping a three-game set at St. Louis from May 11-13.

Berkman broke out after going 0 for 4 in a 6-1 loss at Milwaukee on Tuesday. He’s a lifetime .321 hitter against the Brewers, who have lost 12 of 15. Lee, who totaled two hits over his previous five games, is batting .199 this season, but .304 in his last six against Milwaukee. The Astros hope to replicate Wednesday’s performance at the plate for scheduled starter Brett Myers. Myers takes the ball looking to continue his dominance against the Brewers while trying for a second consecutive victory. The right-hander, 2-1 with a 1.74 ERA in four starts against Milwaukee, allowed one run and struck out seven in seven innings of a 2-1 win over AL East-leading Tampa Bay on Friday. Milwaukee hopes Dave Bush can bounce back from his worst outing of the season while trying to avoid a sixth straight loss. The right-hander allowed seven runs and six hits while getting just one out in a 15-3 loss at Minnesota on Friday. It was the worst start by a Brewer since Ben Hendrickson gave up six runs without recording an out against the Twins on May 20, 2006.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Chicago Cubs Live Streaming

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2:20 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

While John Ely expects to have some supporters among the Wrigley Field crowd, he hopes his Los Angeles Dodger teammates continue to provide him with plenty of offense in his return home. A native of south suburban Chicago, the rookie right-hander tries for his fourth straight victory to help the Dodgers win their road series against the Cubs on Thursday. Though Ely grew up on the south side rooting for the White Sox, it’s likely to be a special moment when he pitches near home for the first time while plenty of friends and family look on from the North Side park. Ely, who was traded by the White Sox to Los Angeles as part of a December deal involving Juan Pierre(notes), has been a pleasant surprise for the Dodgers. After allowing five runs in losing his major league debut against the New York Mets on April 28, the 24-year-old Ely is 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his last four starts. He gave up two runs and the first walk of his career in six innings of a 6-4 win over Detroit on Saturday.

Ely’s teammates have helped ease his transition to the majors, providing him with an average of 5.68 runs. Ely will try to help the Dodgers take this series after they evened the set with an 8-5 win Wednesday. The game was delayed 18 minutes after the lights went out at Wrigley. James Loney was a home run short of the cycle, and Casey Blake homered for the fourth time in eight games as Los Angeles won for the 13th time in 16 contests. Blake is 14 for 34 with eight RBIs in his last nine games, but 6 for 25 with two homers against Chicago scheduled starter Ted Lilly. Since throwing six shutout innings to beat Milwaukee in his season debut April 24, Lilly is 0-4 with a 5.12 ERA in his last five games. He was better in his last outing, giving up two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 2-1 loss at Texas on Friday. The left-hander has pitched well against the Dodgers, going 3-1 with a 3.16 ERA in five starts. Chicago manager Lou Piniella said Carlos Zambrano will be available out of the bullpen for this contest as he continues to move closer to returning to the starting rotation next week at Pittsburgh.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Colorado Rockies Live Streaming

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3:10 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

Colorado is on the verge of sweeping its first series of the season. However, it must get by Arizona’s Dan Haren to accomplish that feat. The Rockies look to extend their season high winning streak to five games with a rare home win over Haren and the Diamondbacks on Thursday. After Ubaldo Jimenez continued his dominance with six strong innings in a 7-3 win over Arizona on Wednesday, Colorado is in position to for its first series sweep since winning three in a row against Milwaukee from Sept. 29-Oct. 1. Seth Smith homered twice for the Rockies, who have scored at least seven runs in two of their last four games. Troy Tulowitzki doubled to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. He’s batting .342 during that span, and is 7 for 18 with four doubles and eight runs in five games against the Diamondbacks in 2010. While Colorado was able to provide more than enough offense for Jimenez to record his major league-leading ninth win, the Rockies hope to get the best of Haren at Coors Field.

The Arizona right-hander is 6-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 12 starts against the Rockies, including 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in six at Colorado. He allowed two runs and struck out 10 in eight innings of a 5-3 win at Coors on April 26. In his last start, Haren avoided a third straight loss by giving up four runs and striking out eight in eight innings of an 8-6 win over Toronto on Friday. He also had two doubles and three RBIs.Looking to avoid a fourth consecutive loss, Arizona might need to get its offense on track to help Haren continue his success in Denver. Mark Reynolds hit a three-run homer in the ninth Wednesday for the Diamondbacks, who have totaled nine runs during their three-game skid and dropped the first two of a nine-game trip. Reynolds is batting .232 this season, but .333 with two homers and nine RBIs in his last six games. However, he’s 1 for 8 against Colorado’s scheduled starter Jason Hammel. Hammel is expected to take the ball even though he’s still bothered by a right groin strain.

Washington Nationals vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming

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3:45 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

The San Francisco Giants have seen one of their Cy Young Award winners get roughed up in back-to-back outings. They would prefer avoiding a similar experience with the other. A day after Tim Lincecum struggled with his control once again, Barry Zito hopes to rebound from his worst start of the season Thursday afternoon when the Giants decide their three-game set with the visiting Washington Nationals. Lincecum and Zito were fifth and sixth, respectively, in NL ERA as of May 19, but those numbers have gone up considerably. Lincecum, the two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, gave up five runs and walked five at Arizona last Thursday, and struggled with his control again Wednesday against the Nationals. He again walked five, and this time allowed six runs over 4 2-3 innings as Washington beat the Giants 7-3.

While Lincecum’s ERA has increased to 3.00 over those two starts, Zito had his take a sharp climb Friday at Oakland. The 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner hadn’t allowed more than three runs in a start this season, but let his former team score six runs over 6 2-3 innings in a 6-1 loss. Zito is 2-2 with a 4.33 ERA in six career starts against Washington, but he’s been flawless against two of the Nationals’ biggest run producers. Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham are a combined 0 for 15 with four strikeouts versus the lefty. While the Giants’ top starters haven’t been quite as dominant of late, the offense has been worse as they’ve lost six of seven. San Francisco has totaled 16 runs and hit .204 during its struggles. The Giants might be able to have more success against Craig Stammen, who’s winless in his last six starts. Stammen has allowed four runs in each of his last three outings, doing so over 5 1-3 innings Saturday against Baltimore in a 7-6 victory.

St. Louis Cardinals vs San Diego Padres Live Streaming

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6:35 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

The San Diego Padres finished last in the majors in runs per game in 2009, and their offense has been inconsistent throughout the first two months of this season. Jerry Hairston Jr. has provided just enough this week. Despite totaling three runs in the first two games of their series with St. Louis - two on Hairston home runs - the first-place Padres will go for their first three-game sweep of the Cardinals in nearly 15 years on Thursday afternoon. Low-scoring games in this series have been no surprise considering the clubs have the NL’s two lowest ERAs. San Diego has been especially stingy at home, with its staff posting a 2.11 ERA and six shutouts while going 14-9 at Petco Park. St. Louis has managed one run in 22 innings there this week, barely avoiding a second straight 1-0 loss thanks to Ryan Ludwick’s RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning Wednesday.

The Padres’ offense averaged 3.9 runs last year and has been held to two or fewer runs 16 times in 2010, but the club has still found a way to win three one-run games during its four-game winning streak. St. Louis’ offense has also been sputtering. Sluggers Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday were a combined 0 for 10 on Wednesday, and Pujols has been held without an RBI in 11 straight games. With Brad Penny on the disabled list, the Cardinals will give P.J. Walters his second major league start and first of 2010. After Penny was injured in Saturday’s 10-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, Walters gave up two runs in four innings of relief. The right-hander had been dominant for Triple-A Memphis before he was called up, going 1-0 with an 0.48 ERA, 23 strikeouts and three walks in three starts. Walters debuted in the majors last year, posting a 9.56 ERA in eight appearances. In his lone start, he gave up three runs in four innings of the Cardinals’ 8-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs on April 17, 2009.

Oakland Athletics vs Baltimore Orioles Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

A seven-game homerless drought is now behind the Oakland Athletics. Their string of road series losses, though, remains intact. The Athletics haven’t won a series away from home since their first one of the season, a drought they can end Thursday night when they conclude a three-game set with the lowly Baltimore Orioles. Adam Rosales hit a three-run shot Wednesday night for Oakland’s first homer in eight games, and the Athletics evened this series with a 6-1 win. Rosales ended Oakland’s longest stretch without a home run in 27 years, helping snap the team’s six-game road losing streak. The A’s were held to six runs during that skid. They haven’t won a road series since taking two of three games from the Angels from April 9-11. Oakland is 18-9 at home and 6-14 on the road, matching Baltimore, Seattle and the Mets for the fewest road wins in the majors. The A’s, though, have won four of five overall and 17 of their last 21 at Camden Yards. Rosales is batting .350 in six career games against the Orioles. His four RBIs on Wednesday matched a career high.

Oakland center fielder Rajai Davis helped out with three hits and a career-high three steals. Davis has been alternating with Cliff Pennington at the top of the lineup. Coco Crisp was slated to fill that role after signing as a free agent in the offseason, but he was put on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this year Wednesday. Crisp was out all season with a fractured pinky before being activated Friday, going 2 for 6 before straining a muscle in his chest. The A’s haven’t needed much production from their lineup over the last five games, with their staff posting a 1.23 ERA. Gio Gonzalez, set to take the mound for Oakland, has won two straight starts and was particularly strong in the last one, surrendering two hits in eight innings of a 1-0 victory over San Francisco on Saturday. The left-hander struck out five, walked one and retired his final 20 batters in a 95-pitch gem.

Philadelphia Phillies vs New York Mets Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

One look at the Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup reveals enough offensive threats to make nearly any club jealous. It also serves as a reminder of the backbone to consecutive pennant winners. Right now, the Phillies would love to remember what any sort of run production feels like. Philadelphia has been shut out in three of its last four games, and will have to solve an emerging Mike Pelfrey on Thursday night if it plans on avoiding a three-game sweep by the New York Mets. Only a few days ago, the Phillies were off to a great start in an attempt to lead the NL in runs for the fourth time in five years despite only having 2007 MVP Jimmy Rollins for 12 games. Since Saturday, however, Philadelphia has looked lost at the plate in losing four straight. The Phillies were one-hit by Boston on Saturday, left 13 men on base in an 8-0 loss at Citi Field on Tuesday and manager Charlie Manuel closed the clubhouse for 15 minutes after Wednesday’s 5-0 defeat.

The Phillies haven’t been blanked in three straight games since May 20-24, 1983, though that team won the NL pennant. They’ll have a tough challenge Thursday against Pelfrey, who’s 4-0 with a 2.43 ERA at home. Pelfrey’s only loss came at Citizens Bank Park on May 1. He allowed six runs and eight hits over four innings of a 10-0 defeat, and has given up four homers in his last two starts against the Phillies. Excluding the May 1 defeat, Pelfrey has a 2.05 ERA. He most recently held the Yankees to one run over six innings in Saturday’s 5-3 victory.. Ryan Howard and Chase Utley are hitting a combined .161 over the last four games, but that won’t be enough to make Pelfrey careless. Howard is 11 for 25 against Pelfrey, while four of Utley’s eight hits have been homers.The Mets, meanwhile have outscored last season’s two World Series representatives 24-7 in winning four straight. Jose Reyes has been the catalyst offensively, going 9 for 19 and hitting his first homer Wednesday.

Atlanta Braves vs Florida Marlins Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

An enlivened offense is one big reason the Atlanta Braves have one of the majors’ best records in May. Tim Hudson is another. The resurgent right-hander looks to cap his brilliant month by winning a fifth straight decision Thursday night as the Braves finish their road trip and decide their three-game set with the Florida Marlins. Atlanta ranked 25th in the majors in runs and 29th in batting average during April, but the club’s 128 runs in May are more than any other NL team. The Braves bounced back from consecutive losses by beating Florida 7-3 on Wednesday, scoring six runs in the seventh inning to improve to 15-8 this month - second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Even struggling shortstop Yunel Escobar chipped in, singling twice in the seventh to snap an 0-for-15 slump and raise his average to .188. Having Hudson on the mound has made things even tougher for opponents. The 34-year-old made only seven starts last season after recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he’s quickly returned to form in 2010.

Hudson has allowed a total of two runs and 12 hits in 22 innings while winning his last three starts, and he’s 4-0 with a 1.26 ERA in five May outings. He limited Pittsburgh to three hits in eight innings of a 7-0 win Friday night. Hudson is 8-2 with a 2.92 ERA in 15 career starts against Florida, including a 6-1 record in Miami. The Braves have won both previous meetings between Hudson and Ricky Nolasco, who lost four of his first five decisions against Atlanta but has won his last two. Nolasco may still be especially careful with the middle of Atlanta’s lineup. Chipper Jones and Brian McCann each have four homers off him, with Jones going 11 for 26 and McCann 10 for 31. Nolasco will be trying to bounce back from his worst outing of the year. The right-hander allowed eight runs and 10 hits - including two homers - in 5 1-3 innings of Friday’s 8-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

May has been the best month of Johnny Cueto’s young career, and the Cincinnati Reds have watched him look particularly good in four starts this season. In one, he was nearly perfect. Cueto faces the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night for the first time since holding them to two baserunners in his first career shutout, and he’ll be seeking his fifth straight win in the finale of a four-game set at Great American Ball Park. Cueto had experienced previous success both in May and against the Pirates before facing them at PNC Park on May 11. The right-hander had a career 3.80 ERA in May, and was 6-2 with a 3.88 ERA in nine lifetime starts against the Pirates. His 10th outing, however, was the best of his three-year career with Cincinnati. An infield single and a hit batsmen were the only baserunners Pittsburgh could muster in Cueto’s 9-0 gem.

Cueto hasn’t been quite that dominant in his two starts since, but he’s still been good. He allowed one run over seven innings in a 6-3 win over Milwaukee on May 17, and two runs over six innings in a 6-4 victory at Cleveland on Saturday before leaving with a minor blister. Cueto, who’s holding opponents to a .190 average this month, improved to 8-4 with a 3.23 ERA in 15 career May starts. The two Pirates to have some success against Cueto also happen to be the team’s two biggest run producers. Garrett Jones is 5 for 13 with two doubles against Cueto, while Andrew McCutchen is 5 for 14 with two homers. Those two couldn’t produce any runs Wednesday, however, and neither could the rest of Pittsburgh’s lineup. The Pirates were held to six singles in a 4-0 loss, their NL-worst seventh shutout. Three of those have come against the Reds.

Chicago White Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

The Tampa Bay Rays’ poor hitting at Tropicana Field has lasted for nearly a month now. Jeff Niemann, in particular, is deserving of much more run support there.Following a terrible performance against an AL East rival, the Rays look to avoid losing a season-high fourth straight game as they send Niemann to the mound against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night. Tampa Bay has the majors’ best record, but it was swept in a three-game series with Boston, tightening the AL East race. The Rays, who lost 11-3 to the Red Sox on Wednesday night, lead the Yankees by 3 1/2 games and Boston by 5 1/2. Overall, Tampa Bay has been strong at the plate, but another unproductive series from its hitters at home is troubling. The Rays have been held to three or fewer runs in nine of 11 games at Tropicana Field, and went 2 for 25 with runners in scoring position versus Boston.

Center fielder B.J. Upton, batting .146 in his last 23 games, is expected back in the lineup after getting a night off. Upton is hitting .353 in 11 home games versus the White Sox, and another big performance against them in the opener of this four-game series would certainly be welcome by Niemann. Niemann is still seeking his first win at Tropicana Field this season despite a 2.95 ERA in four starts there. Tampa Bay’s poor hitting is clearly the culprit, with Niemann getting a total of five runs to work in those contests. He won his last outing, giving up two runs in seven innings of a 4-2 victory over Houston on Saturday night. The right-hander hasn’t given up more than three runs in any of his nine starts. Niemann is 1-2 with a 4.67 ERA in three starts versus the White Sox. Chicago will give the ball to Gavin Floyd, who was sharp in his last start, yielding one run and striking out seven in 6 1-3 innings to earn a win in Chicago’s 4-1 victory over Florida on Saturday. Floyd gave up five or more runs in each of his previous three outings.

Kansas City Royals vs Boston Red Sox Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

Considering how the Boston Red Sox handled a stretch of games against four of the majors’ elite teams, facing the lowly Kansas City Royals at home appears to be a far simpler task. With Daisuke Matsuzaka on the mound for the first time since flirting with a no-hitter, the Red Sox hope to extend their longest winning streak of the season to six Thursday night as they begin a four-game set with the Royals. Not only has Boston played 11 of its last 13 games on the road, but its last four series were against the reigning World Series champion Yankees and division leaders Minnesota, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. The Red Sox have still managed to win eight of nine and five in a row, putting their mediocre start behind them. They became the first team to sweep major league-best Tampa Bay this week, outscoring the host Rays 19-4 in three games.

David Ortiz and Adrian Beltre have keyed Boston’s run. Ortiz is 16 for 39 with six homers and 16 RBIs in his last 11 games, while Beltre has six multihit efforts in his last eight games, going 4 for 5 with two homers and six RBIs on Wednesday. The team’s starting pitching has been arguably even more impressive. Boston starters have a 1.60 ERA in the last eight games after posting a 5.18 ERA before that. Matsuzaka has allowed five or more runs three times since coming off the disabled list, but his other two outings have been brilliant.Saturday’s effort may have been the best of his career. He lost a no-hitter on Juan Castro’s bloop single with two outs in the eighth inning of a 5-0 win at Philadelphia. Matsuzaka struck out 10 Royals in his major league debut April 5, 2007, a total that still matches his career high. He’s posted a 2.84 ERA while winning both of his starts against Kansas City. The Royals have been surprisingly good on offense this season, leading the majors with a .280 batting average - thanks in part to Billy Butler.

New York Yankees vs Minnesota Twins Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Thu May 27, 2010

The New York Yankees are becoming accustomed to getting strong pitching at Minnesota. Javier Vazquez, though, hasn’t been as fortunate. With a chance to sweep their first series at Target Field, the Yankees hope Vazquez can end his struggles in road games against the Twins on Thursday night. New York earned two victories over Minnesota on Wednesday, winning 1-0 to complete a contest that was halted by rain the night before, then getting a homer from Nick Swisher in the top of the ninth to take the series’ middle game 3-2. The Yankees also got a clutch homer in the first game, with Derek Jeter going deep while adding a highlight-reel play at shortstop that saved at least one run. But pitching continues to lead the way for them in Minnesota. New York has posted a 1.83 ERA in winning six straight road games against the Twins, including one contest en route to sweeping last year’s divisional series matchup.

Matching up with Yankees pitching has only extended Minnesota’s woes at the plate. The Twins have lost three straight and six of eight, scoring three runs or fewer in each of the defeats. New York had lost 10 of 15 prior to this series and has a chance to win three in a row for the first time since a six-game run from May 2-8, but Vazquez’s struggles in road games against Minnesota could end its momentum. Vazquez is 1-5 with a 6.21 ERA in seven starts at Minnesota. In two outings there with the Yankees, he’s 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. The veteran right-hander, though, appears to be settling down following a terrible start, going 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA over his last two outings. He is coming off his best performance of the season, allowing one hit and striking out six in six shutout innings of a 2-1 win over the Mets on Friday night.

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