Sports World: June 2010

New York Mets vs Florida Marlins Live Streaming

Monday, June 28, 2010

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7:05 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

The Florida Marlins have told interim manager Edwin Rodriguez that he’ll remain with the team throughout a series in his native Puerto Rico. There are no guarantees, however, that he’ll remain the Marlins’ manager for each of the three games there. Looking to gain any edge in the competition for the team’s full-time job, the majors’ first Puerto Rican-born manager will try to impress during the series against the New York Mets that begins Monday night, but red-hot starter R.A. Dickey could spoil his homecoming. Rodriguez won his debut Wednesday in Baltimore after taking over for the fired Fredi Gonzalez, but the Marlins have dropped four straight since then. Reliever Brian Sanches gave up a two-run homer in the eighth inning to suffer Sunday’s 4-2 loss to San Diego. Florida hasn’t lost five consecutive games since May 10-15, 2009, and reaching that mark Monday could hurt Rodriguez’s seemingly faint chances of taking over the team full-time. Former Mets manager Bobby Valentine is reportedly the front-runner for the job, and former Marlins coach Bo Porter, currently with Arizona, is also being considered.

Leading his team past Dickey could help Rodriguez distinguish himself. Dickey, a knuckleballer, limited Detroit to four hits and two walks over eight innings in a 5-0 victory Wednesday, missing a chance at his second career shutout only because closer Francisco Rodriguez needed some work. According to the Mets’ official website, Dickey is the team’s first pitcher to go 6-0 in his first seven starts with the club. The right-hander now has a chance to become the first Mets pitcher to win seven consecutive outings since Steve Trachsel from June 9-July 14, 2006. Dickey gave up three runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 4-3 win over Florida on June 4. Another win Monday could give the Mets a shot at first place in the NL East as they moved within a half-game of Atlanta with Sunday’s 6-0 victory over Minnesota. That win - highlighted by home runs from David Wright, Ike Davis and Jeff Francoeur - helped New York to its sixth series victory in seven tries, a run that began with a three-game home sweep of Florida earlier this month.

Toronto Blue Jays vs Cleveland Indians Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

With two weeks left before the All-Star break, the Cleveland Indians are getting a head start on next season. Mired in last place in the AL Central with one of baseball’s worst records, the Indians look to end a four-game home losing streak when they face the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night. The Indians are 13 1/2 games out of first place and appear committed to a youth movement after trading slugger Russell Branyan to Seattle for two minor leaguers Saturday. The deal clears the way for prized prospect Matt LaPorta to take over as the everyday first baseman. Cleveland called up catcher Carlos Santana, another top prospect, June 11 and the 24-year-old has hit .333 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 15 games. Outfielder Michael Brantley, acquired two years ago in the CC Sabathia trade along with LaPorta, will also likely be promoted soon. Three years removed from coming within one win of the World Series, the Indians have the third-worst record in the majors and are on pace to lose 100 games for the first time since 1991.

Shin-Soo Choo homered twice to help the Indians end a seven-game skid with a 5-3 victory at Cincinnati on Sunday. Acta’s club won’t be unhappy to see interleague play end. The Indians lost 13 of 18 against the NL for the second consecutive season.Facing the Blue Jays, however, hasn’t been a pleasant experience either lately. Toronto swept a three-game series at Progressive Field in May, and has won six of the last seven meetings there. Struggling Jake Westbrook gets the start for Cleveland in the opener of this four-game set. The right-hander has gone 1-1 with a 6.38 ERA in his past four outings. He wasn’t sharp again at Philadelphia on Wednesday, yielding four runs and seven hits in five innings before leaving without a decision in a 7-6 loss. He was lifted after 3 2-3 innings against Toronto on May 4, allowing four runs, five hits and five walks in an 8-5 loss. Westbrook will face a Blue Jays team that is coming off an 11-2 loss to the Phillies on Sunday, the club’s fifth in seven games.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

After struggling for weeks, the high-powered Philadelphia Phillies are finally swinging the bat with confidence. They’ll now try to keep pace with the NL’s top offense. Coming off another lopsided victory, the Phillies look to continue their surge Monday night when they open a three-game series against the NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds. With an 11-2 victory over Toronto on Sunday, Philadelphia won for the eighth time in 11 games after losing 15 of its previous 21. The Phillies’ normally prolific offense was virtually nonexistent during that awful stretch, plating 51 runs while batting .218, but appears to be back on track, scoring 75 runs while hitting .274 in the last 11. Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth are leading this charge. The All-Star first baseman is batting .349 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in the last 11 games, while Werth is batting .324 with three homers and eight RBIs. The two also battered Cincinnati pitching last year, as Howard had three home runs and five RBIs in seven games and Werth homered four times and drove in nine. The Phillies went 5-2 against the Reds in 2009, and have won 12 of 17 at Great American Ball Park.

Cincinnati, though, has been one of baseball’s biggest surprises this season. The Reds lead the league in runs and slugging percentage, and are one-half game ahead of St. Louis in the Central. This is the latest in a season that Cincinnati has been in first place since 1999. Staying atop the division, however, won’t be easy. Following this series, the Reds, whose five-game winning streak ended with Sunday’s 5-3 loss to Cleveland, open a season-high 11-game road trip that leads into the All-Star break. Cincinnati’s pitching should be in good shape for the opener, as Baker gives the ball to Johnny Cueto. The Reds are 9-2 with Cueto on the mound since April 30. Cueto, who has yielded two runs or fewer in six of his last nine outings, gave up three hits in seven innings in Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Oakland.

Chicago White Sox vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

The Chicago White Sox dominated the NL during an 11-game winning streak, but their record against their own division is far from impressive. Coming off the team’s first loss in two weeks, the White Sox will try to bounce back Monday night when they open a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Chicago went on a tear through interleague play the last two weeks, pulling within 1 1/2 games of AL Central-leading Minnesota after trailing by 9 1/2 games on June 9. The White Sox won 15 of 16, including 11 straight against NL teams, before an 8-6 loss to the Cubs on Sunday left them with a 15-3 interleague record. The defeat snapped a stretch of 10 straight quality starts by Chicago pitchers. John Danks gave up six runs and seven hits in five innings, but said the team feels good heading into this week.

Playing better against the Central is a must. The White Sox are 12-15 against their own division, splitting six games versus the Royals. Chicago has given up four or more runs in four of those games. One of those starts was by Mark Buehrle, who was reached for six runs and eight hits in six innings of a 6-1 loss at Kansas City on May 14. The left-hander, however, has been superb lately and is looking to win his fourth straight start. He gave up two runs in six innings of a 4-2 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday, and has a 1.80 ERA during his three-start win streak. The White Sox have won six of his past seven outings after losing his previous six. Buehrle is 20-10 with a 3.64 ERA against the Royals, but has been roughed up for a 7.00 ERA in the last three meetings. Kansas City has won three of four following a five-game skid, beating St. Louis 10-3 on Sunday. Wilson Betemit hit a three-run homer, Jason Kendall added a pair of two-run doubles and Jose Guillen extended his career-best hitting streak to 21 games with a single in the third.

Washington Nationals vs Atlanta Braves Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

As he attempts to rebound from his first loss, Washington Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg might not have to face the man he could end up battling for NL Rookie of the Year honors. A potentially intriguing matchup with Atlanta Braves star Jason Heyward might not happen Monday night for Strasburg as he tries to add to what’s been a thrilling start to his major league career. In his latest effort Wednesday, Strasburg broke a 55-year-old major league record with 41 strikeouts in his first four starts, but he was on the wrong end of a 1-0 defeat to visiting Kansas City. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed a season-high nine hits, but he also struck out nine in six innings and issued no walks for the third time.While Strasburg’s addition has not kept Washington out of the NL East basement, Atlanta is at the top thanks in part to Heyward. The 20-year-old right fielder leads all rookies with 45 RBIs and is second with 11 homers, but he’s been battling a sore thumb and will get an MRI on Monday. Heyward, hitting .181 in June after batting .337 in May, was used as a pinch hitter Saturday and sat out Sunday.

His decreased production has hurt the Braves, batting .232 over their last 10 games.
However, Atlanta is a major league-best 26-8 at home this season, winning 16 of 18 at Turner Field. The Braves had a seven-game home win streak snapped Sunday with a 10-4 loss to Detroit. Washington, meanwhile, has dropped 20 of 24 away from home and is coming off a road sweep to the majors’ worst team. The Nationals fell 4-3 in Baltimore on Sunday for their fourth straight loss overall. They have dropped 10 of 12, hitting .213 while getting held to 34 runs, and now they have to face Tim Hudson. The veteran right-hander has won his last seven decisions against them and is 8-1 with a 1.62 ERA in 14 all-time matchups with the Nationals franchise. Hudson gave up two runs and five hits over seven innings May 6 at Washington in a 3-2 defeat.

Detroit Tigers vs Minnesota Twins Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

The Minnesota Twins have been in control of the AL Central virtually the entire season, but that won’t be the case much longer if they can’t break out of their slump. Clinging to a one-half game lead over Detroit, the Twins open a key three-game series against the Tigers on Monday night at Target Field. Minnesota is likely glad interleague play is over after going 5-9 against NL opponents since June 12. That disappointing stretch cut four games off the Twins’ division lead over the Tigers. Most of Minnesota’s recent troubles have come away from home, as the team completed a 3-6 trip to Philadelphia, Milwaukee and New York. The Twins lost to the Mets 6-0 on Sunday, their fifth defeat in six games. The Twins, who haven’t been out of the top spot in the Central since they were 5-2 on April 11, hope a return home can reverse their luck. Minnesota swept a three-game series from the Tigers at Target Field from May 3-5, and has won six of its last seven home games against AL opponents.

The Tigers arrive in Minnesota after pounding out 17 hits in Sunday’s 10-4 win over Atlanta, their 10th victory in 15 games. Brennan Boesch led the way, homering and driving in three runs. The rookie left fielder is batting .365 with eight homers and 21 RBIs in his last 22 games. Although the Tigers seem to be heading into this series with some momentum, they’re also struggling on the road, winning just four of their last 14 away from Detroit, including two of six on the trip that ended Sunday. Bonderman is facing the Twins for the first time since an 8-3 loss on Oct. 1, when he hit Delmon Young on the right knee on the first pitch of the ninth inning in a game with significant playoff implications. The right-hander, pitching in a relief role, was immediately ejected and suspended for three games the following day. The Tigers, who could have clinched the division with a win in that game, eventually lost the Central five days later in a one-game playoff.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs Live Streaming

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8:05 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

The Chicago Cubs managed to close a tumultuous week with a much-needed victory. They will try to begin stringing wins together - and put an ugly incident behind them - when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates, losers of 17 straight on the road, Monday night. Chicago has dropped six of nine and is dealing with the indefinite suspension of pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who had to be separated from teammate Derrek Lee during a dugout meltdown Friday. The club is awaiting feedback from Major League Baseball to determine the length of his suspension, with general manager Jim Hendry saying he hopes to get a response “in the next day or so.” The Cubs managed to avoid a sweep by their crosstown rivals Sunday, beating the White Sox 8-6 to snap their 11-game winning streak. Three years ago, the Cubs turned things around and went on the win the NL Central after Zambrano fought in the dugout and clubhouse with former catcher Michael Barrett and manager Lou Piniella got ejected in back-to-back games against Atlanta.

Tyler Colvin hit a three-run home run and finished with three hits and four RBIs. It was only the second time in eight games that Chicago scored more than three runs. The Cubs should be in good position to put together a win streak, as the Pirates have not won on the road since May 25 and have dropped six straight overall. Chicago, though, has lost seven of nine to Pittsburgh this season, scoring 27 runs while hitting .227. The Cubs dropped two of three to the Pirates from May 14-16 in the only matchup at Wrigley Field in 2010. Pittsburgh moved within two defeats of matching the longest road losing streak in team history, set in 1985, by getting swept by Oakland over the weekend. The Pirates were outscored 22-6 in the three games and made four errors in a 3-2 loss Sunday. The Pirates have a 7.21 ERA in the last six games. They’ll look for a better effort from Paul Maholm, who is coming off the shortest start of his career. Maholm gave up seven runs - five earned - and four walks in one inning of a 13-3 loss to Texas on Wednesday.

Houston Astros vs Milwaukee Brewers Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

Strong pitching of late has the Milwaukee Brewers feeling confident despite a deficit to make up in the NL Central. The Brewers hope Manny Parra can continue the trend when he takes the mound Monday night in the opener of a three-game home series against the Houston Astros. Milwaukee finished interleague play 9-6, its first winning record against the AL since going 8-7 in 2007. After sweeping first-place Minnesota, the Brewers took two of three from Seattle, including a 3-0 victory Sunday. Chris Narveson continued the team’s recent strong pitching, scattering four hits over a career-best eight innings with seven strikeouts. Milwaukee has a 2.14 ERA during a 6-1 stretch, getting quality starts four times in that span. Weeks has also played a key role in the surge, batting .419 with three homers and 10 RBIs in his last eight games. The Brewers remain in third place in the Central, trailing first-place Cincinnati by 7 1/2 games and second-place St. Louis by seven. They can cut into that deficit when they visit St. Louis for a four-game set beginning Thursday.

Parra looks to continue his run of solid starts. The left-hander has pitched into the sixth inning in each of his last four outings and hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any appearance. He gave up two runs, seven hits and struck out six in 5 2-3 innings of a 5-3 victory over the Twins on Wednesday. Parra is 4-3 with a 4.91 ERA in seven starts against the Astros and Carlos Lee is responsible for part of that damage, going 8 for 15 with a home run against the southpaw. Houston should be happy to be finished with interleague play after going 3-12. The Astros lost of three in Arlington against Texas over the weekend, getting outscored 17-3 in the final two games. Roy Oswalt gave up eight runs in 4 2-3 innings of Sunday’s 10-1 loss. Houston has lost seven of nine on the road, during which its starters have an 8.32 ERA while pitching five or fewer innings six times.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs St. Louis Cardinals Live Streaming

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8:15 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

The St. Louis Cardinals missed a chance to take over a share of first place in the NL Central. They should have a good shot at claiming the top spot with Chris Carpenter returning to the mound. Carpenter looks to win his sixth consecutive decision and stay perfect against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night at Busch Stadium. St. Louis lost for the third time in four games Sunday, managing four hits while getting routed 10-3 at Kansas City. The Cardinals remained a half-game behind Cincinnati in the division. Carpenter will try to vault the Cardinals past the Reds by moving to 6-0 in nine starts since his last loss May 13. St. Louis needed some of Carpenter’s best work to get a 1-0 win at Toronto on Wednesday. The right-hander limited the Blue Jays to three hits in eight innings, and Matt Holliday delivered an RBI single in the ninth.

Carpenter has gone 4-0 with a 2.36 ERA in 10 games versus the Diamondbacks, but 0-0 with a 4.15 ERA in two outings against them this season. Arizona’s Kelly Johnson is 6 for 12 with a home run and four walks against Carpenter, while Chris Young is 6 for 10 with a homer and two doubles. Justin Upton has gone 0 for 8 with seven strikeouts against the Cardinals ace. The Diamondbacks will counter with Dan Haren, who is in danger of losing three straight starts for the first time since his first three outings of 2009. The right-hander held the New York Yankees to three runs while striking out eight in seven innings Tuesday, but didn’t get a lot of help in a 9-3 loss. He provided most of the offense, driving in two runs and hitting two singles to lift his season average to .452. The Diamondbacks took two of three at Tampa over the weekend, but the lineup still isn’t clicking. Arizona totaled six runs in the series and got all its offense in a 2-1 win Sunday on Gerardo Parra’s homer in the fifth.

Colorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

After shutting down one opponent after another to start the year, Ubaldo Jimenez stumbled for the first time last week. A start against the light-hitting San Diego Padres at pitcher-friendly Petco Park should help him get back on track. Jimenez looks to bounce back from his worst outing of the season and continue his dominance over the Padres when he takes the ball for the Colorado Rockies in Monday night’s series opener. Seeking to become the first NL pitcher since 1912 to win 14 of his first 15 starts, Jimenez was staked to an early four-run lead against Boston on Wednesday. That seemed safe considering Jimenez hadn’t allowed more than three runs in a start all season, but he gave up six runs and 10 hits in a season-low 5 2-3 innings, causing his ERA to jump from 1.15. The right-hander had been sent home sick the night before, but didn’t want to blame it on his health.

Despite the subpar performance, Colorado still rallied to win 8-6. The Rockies are 14-1 with Jimenez on the mound compared to 25-35 in their other games. Colorado lost to the Los Angeles Angels 10-3 on Sunday, dropping six games back of NL West-leading San Diego. The Padres, winners in six of seven, have their largest division lead since winning the West in 2005, despite struggling offensively. San Diego has scored the third-fewest runs in the NL and has the league’s third-worst batting average. Not surprisingly, this punchless offense has had its problems against Jimenez. The Colorado ace has posted a 2.67 ERA in winning his last four starts against the Padres. In two outings against San Diego this year, Jimenez has yielded three runs while striking out 20 over 13 innings. Jimenez, 8-1 with a 0.80 ERA in nine starts away from Coors Field this season, struck out a career-best 13 in a 5-2 win at Petco Park on May 3. The Padres are returning to Petco after sweeping a three-game weekend series in Florida, capped by Sunday’s 4-2 win. Will Venable hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the eighth inning, his third tiebreaking homer since Wednesday and fourth home run in seven games.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming

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10:15 pm EDT Mon Jun 28, 2010

Two weeks ago, the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers were tied for second place in the NL West, just out of the top spot. The clubs are still in the mix for second, but they’re quickly falling out of the playoff race. The sputtering rivals look to break out of their funks when they open a three-game series Monday night in San Francisco. The race for the division crown was shaping up to be very interesting with San Diego holding a half-game lead over the Giants and Dodgers on June 14. The West was the only division in which the top three teams were separated by one game. That’s not the case anymore, however, as the Padres have the largest division lead in the NL. San Francisco has dropped six of nine to fall 4 1/2 games out of first, while Los Angeles has gone 4-11 in its last 15 and fallen five back. Los Angeles has had its share of disheartening losses over the last few weeks, but is coming off one of its toughest defeats. Playing the New York Yankees in manager Joe Torre’s first series against his former team, the Dodgers coughed up a four-run ninth-inning lead and lost 8-6 in 10 on Sunday.

Slumping Matt Kemp was given a rare day off Sunday. The center fielder has hit .182 with 21 strikeouts in his last 14 games, but is 16 for 35 against scheduled starter Barry Zito. The Giants, who lost two of three at Dodger Stadium from April 16-18, are coming off a 5-1 loss to Boston on Sunday. San Francisco opens a season-high 11-game road trip after this series, and knows it needs to string some wins together to get back in the division hunt. Bochy hopes Zito can set the tone. The left-hander gave up five runs in a season-low four innings of a 6-3 loss at Houston on Wednesday. He has allowed five runs in two of his last four starts after giving up that many once in his first 11 outings. Zito appears to have a good chance to bounce back at AT&T Park, where he is 5-1 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts. One of Zito’s best starts of the year came at Dodger Stadium on April 18, when he gave up one run and four hits in 7 1-3 innings of a 2-1 loss. He didn’t receive a decision.

San Diego Padres vs Florida Marlins Live Streaming

Sunday, June 27, 2010

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1:10 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

San Diego Padres pitcher Mat Latos has impressed managers around the majors over the last two months, but the young left-hander hasn’t done much to distinguish himself to anyone in the Florida Marlins dugout. Latos looks to continue his recent dominance Saturday in Miami, where the Padres finish a three-game series against the Marlins, who have had no problems solving the 22-year-old. Latos has come on strong for San Diego this season, and he’s been especially effective lately. He held Tampa Bay to three hits while striking out eight in seven scoreless innings of a 2-1 road win Tuesday, getting the attention of Rays manager Joe Maddon. Maddon isn’t the only manager that’s had to acknowledge Latos’ success lately. Since the start of May, Latos is 7-2 with a 1.92 ERA in 10 starts. He has allowed more than two runs in a game just once in that stretch.

A strong outing against Florida could help prove just how far Latos has come. He had his worst outing of the season April 26 against the Marlins, getting tagged for seven runs and lasting only 2 2-3 innings in a 10-1 road defeat. He was only marginally better in his first game against Florida, allowing five runs in 3 1-3 innings of a 6-4 defeat Aug. 30. The Marlins, though, haven’t shown much offensive punch in the first two games of this series. They fell 3-0 in Friday’s opener and 2-1 on Saturday night, dropping to 1-3 under interim manager Edwin Rodriguez, who formally interviewed for the permanent job earlier in the day. The NL West-leading Padres have won four of five on this six-game road trip in Florida heading into the finale, with three of those wins coming by one run.

Cleveland Indians vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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1:10 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

The Cincinnati Reds haven’t won six straight in nine months. If Bronson Arroyo can replicate his last performance, the Reds could have a good chance at equaling that mark. Arroyo looks to win his third consecutive start Sunday afternoon when the NL Central-leading Reds try to sweep their series against a Cleveland Indians team that’s dropped a season-high seven in a row. Cincinnati regained a one-half game division lead over St. Louis with Saturday’s 6-4 win over Cleveland. For the third straight season, the Reds also won the Ohio Cup, given annually to the team that wins this battle of the Buckeye State. The Reds, who clinched their seventh consecutive series win against Cleveland on Saturday, look to extend their overall winning streak to a season-high six in the finale. Cincinnati last won six in a row Sept. 20-26. The Reds have to like their chances if Arroyo can pitch as well as he did his last time out. After walking a career-high six in a 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 17, the veteran right-hander did not allow a free pass in Tuesday’s 4-2 victory at Oakland. It was the first time this season he didn’t issue a walk.

Arroyo, who is 7-1 with a 3.45 ERA in his last 11 starts, yielded four runs and seven hits in a 7-4 victory at Cleveland on May 21. The Indians, who have lost eight of nine at Great American Ball Park, are 4-13 against the NL and a season-low 21 games below .500. They’ll complete their interleague schedule Sunday with Mitch Talbot on the mound. The right-hander was solid in Tuesday’s 2-1 loss at Philadelphia, giving up two runs in seven innings of four-hit ball after getting tagged for eight runs in his previous outing. Talbot will make his first start versus Cincinnati. Looking to help the Indians avoid their first eight-game slide since an 11-game skid Sept. 13-24, Talbot faces a Reds team that is batting a NL-best .275 with 4.9 runs per game. He should be careful pitching to Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips, who is 4 for 10 in the series and batting .435 during the team’s winning streak. Phillips is 9 for 21 versus the Indians this season.

Minnesota Twins vs New York Mets Live Streaming

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1:10 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

After finishing with a winning interleague record in each of the previous four years, the Minnesota Twins enter Sunday hoping to salvage a .500 mark against NL foes in 2010.The New York Mets, who have already secured a far better interleague fate, will be looking to win their sixth straight home series overall as they decide the teams’ three-game set. The Twins went a major league-best 53-19 in interleague play from 2006-09, but have encountered problems this year, causing their AL Central lead to shrink. They were swept at Milwaukee last week and had lost a season-worst four in a row before beating their former ace, Johan Santana, 6-0 on Saturday at Citi Field. Another victory would make Minnesota 9-9 against the NL, but taking two of three in Queens has been difficult for visitors lately. The Mets have won nine of their last 10 home series, boasting a 13-3 record in their last 16 home games to help them challenge Atlanta for the NL East lead.

New York, which took the opener of this series 5-2 on Friday night, hopes a bounce-back effort from rookie starter Jonathon Niese can help it finish 13-5 against AL foes. The left-hander won his first three starts following a stint on the disabled list, posting a 1.57 ERA in that stretch, but that run came to an end Tuesday against Detroit, when Niese gave up six runs in 4 2-3 innings, failing to get credit for the Mets’ 14-6 victory. Niese didn’t allow a hit through three innings of that outing, but he wasn’t the same following a lengthy delay due to rain and the Mets’ eight-run third inning. Niese would seem to have an advantage facing a Twins lineup heavy on left-handed sluggers, but the difference in batting average has been negligible for Minnesota, which hits .270 against lefties and .272 against righties. The Twins scored four runs in the first inning Saturday against the southpaw Santana, getting a brilliant pitching performance of their own as Carl Pavano tossed a three-hitter.

Washington Nationals vs Baltimore Orioles Live Streaming

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1:35 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

Consecutive comeback victories have the Baltimore Orioles on the verge of their longest winning streak of the season. The Orioles try for a season-high fourth consecutive win and sweep of their home series with the struggling Washington Nationals on Sunday. After overcoming a six-run deficit to win 7-6 on Friday, Baltimore rallied from five down to beat Washington 6-5 on Saturday. The Orioles, 3-2 against their interleague rivals this year, secured their first winning series since taking two of three from Seattle May 11-13. The Orioles have a chance to record their second sweep after winning all three with Boston at home April 30-May 2. The Orioles have never swept the Nationals since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005. Miguel Tejada and Matt Wieters each had three hits as the Orioles scored six runs in the final five innings Saturday and improved to 6-11 in interleague play.

Hitting .330 in June, Tejada has six RBIs in his past three games. While Baltimore looks to continue its winning ways, Jeremy Guthrie hopes to snap his five-game losing streak as he takes the ball in the finale. Trying for his first win since beating Oakland on May 25, Guthrie has a 5.57 ERA while losing his last five starts. He allowed six runs in six innings of a 10-4 loss to Florida on Tuesday. The right-hander has fared well against the Nationals, going 1-1 with a 1.91 ERA in five starts. Guthrie will try to contain Washington’s Adam Dunn, who’s driven in six runs in the series and has 26 RBIs in his past 29 games. The Nationals, however, have dropped three in a row and 11 of 14. Washington, 5-12 during interleague play, looks to avoid a sixth straight road loss.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Toronto Blue Jays Live Streaming

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1:35 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

The Toronto Blue Jays may not have been thrilled to be displaced from their home stadium because of the G20 Summit, but they’ve found Citizens Bank Park also suits their home run-happy ways. It will only take one homer off Philadelphia’s Jamie Moyer on Sunday to make history. The next home run Moyer allows will give him sole possession of the all-time record in that category, and the Blue Jays hope to do the honors while deciding their three-game series with the Phillies. The financial summit in Toronto forced this series to be moved from Rogers Centre, although the Blue Jays are still wearing their home uniforms and batting last as the teams use the DH while finishing up interleague play. Shut down by former Toronto ace Roy Halladay in a 9-0 loss Friday, the Blue Jays’ bats were more comfortable in Saturday’s 5-1 victory as Aaron Hill, Alex Gonzalez and John Buck all homered to extend the club’s major league-leading total to 114.

Philadelphia’s cozy ballpark, where Toronto had won five straight before this series, has been especially prone to home runs. Since Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004, only Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park and Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field have witnessed more homers. Despite those numbers, Moyer may be happy for the extra start in Philadelphia. The 47-year-old left-hander has gone 3-1 with a 1.36 ERA in his last four home starts, including a 2-1 victory Tuesday in which he limited Cleveland to one run and two hits over eight innings. The only run Cleveland managed was a solo homer by Russell Branyan, the 505th allowed by Moyer during his lengthy career - tying him with Phillies legend Robin Roberts for the major league record. A pair of homers hurt Toronto’s Brett Cecil in his most recent start, a 9-4 loss to St. Louis on Tuesday during which he gave up six runs in five innings. The left-hander has a 9.00 ERA while losing his last two starts after going 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA in his previous five outings.

Detroit Tigers vs Atlanta Braves Live Streaming

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1:35 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

The Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers rely upon Tommy Hanson and Justin Verlander for consistency on the mound, and the occasional outstanding performance. Neither pitcher delivered in his most recent start. Hanson and Verlander attempt to rebound from their worst performances of the season Sunday when they start opposite each other as the NL East-leading Braves try to complete a sweep of the visiting Tigers. Hanson is one of the top young arms in baseball, but was roughed up in Tuesday’s 9-6 loss to the Chicago White Sox. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed career highs of nine runs and 13 hits in 3 2-3 innings while failing to record a strikeout for the first time. Verlander, Detroit’s wins leader, wasn’t much better in his outing Tuesday, giving up five runs and five hits with three walks in two-plus innings of a 14-6 road loss to the New York Mets. The right-hander had won seven of nine starts with a 2.71 ERA before turning in his shortest outing since Sept. 1, 2008.

Verlander was impressive in his only start against the Braves on June 23, 2007, yielding one run and striking out 11 in seven innings of a 2-1 victory at Turner Field. Hanson will be facing the Tigers for the first time, as the Braves attempt to sweep this three-game set after winning 4-3 on Saturday. Atlanta has held Detroit to four runs and nine hits over two games, running its home winning streak to seven. The Braves have also won 16 of 17 at Turner Field to improve their home record to a major league-best 26-7 - a major reason Atlanta leads the East by 1 1/2 games over the New York Mets. The Tigers, who trail first-place Minnesota by 1 1/2 games in the AL Central, are trying to shake out of a 4-12 road funk during which they’ve hit .233 as a team. Magglio Ordonez is 3 for 20 in his last five games away from Detroit, including 0 for 7 in this series. The right fielder has a .207 average with no homers and one RBI in eight career games at Atlanta.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Tampa Bay Rays Live Streaming

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1:40 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

Tampa Bay’s series with Arizona didn’t get off to a positive start, but it has a chance for a successful conclusion. The Rays try for a second consecutive victory over the Diamondbacks while going for their first series win in more than two weeks Sunday at Tropicana Field. Less than 24 hours after being no-hit for the third time in less than a year, Tampa Bay bounced back with a 5-3 win over Arizona on Saturday. Stymied by former teammate Edwin Jackson’s 149-pitch performance Friday, the Rays managed five hits to win for the fifth time in 15 games. Tampa Bay has not won a series since taking two of three from Toronto from June 8-10. Sean Rodriguez and Jason Bartlett each drove in two runs, but the Rays stranded 12 runners. Tampa Bay is 6 for 47 with runners in scoring position over the last five games.

The Rays have played the last two games without Carl Crawford in the starting lineup. Batting .306, Crawford is day to day with a sore left shoulder. Even without one of its top offensive catalysts, Tampa Bay was able to benefit from 11 walks and a hit batter Saturday. Rodrigo Lopez hopes to change that when he takes the ball for Arizona hoping to build on his first victory since May 15. The right-hander snapped his personal four-decision skid by holding the New York Yankees to three runs in eight innings of a 10-4 win Monday. Lopez, a former Baltimore Oriole, is 10-5 with a 4.75 ERA in 15 starts against Tampa Bay, but he hasn’t faced the Rays since 2007. Tampa Bay counters with Wade Davis, who tries to avoid losing a fifth consecutive start. The right-hander lasted 4 1-3 innings in a 2-1 loss to San Diego on Tuesday, throwing 103 pitches and giving up two runs with five walks. Davis, who won three of his first five starts, is 0-4 with a 7.32 ERA in June.

Chicago Cubs vs Chicago White Sox Live Streaming

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2:05 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

Less than three weeks ago, the Chicago White Sox weren’t even worth mentioning in the AL Central race. Riding the franchise’s longest winning streak in 49 years into Sunday’s finale against the Chicago Cubs, the Sox are now the talk of the town. The White Sox were 9 1/2 games behind division-leading Minnesota on June 9, but they have moved within 1 1/2 games of the Twins with 15 wins in their last 16 games. Paul Konerko’s solo homer in the eighth inning propelled the White Sox to their 11th consecutive victory on Saturday, 3-2 over the Cubs. The White Sox have tied the longest winning streak in the majors this season, which is one shy of the club’s longest surge since a 12-game run June 17-27, 1961. Saturday’s victory moved the White Sox into a second-place divisional tie with Detroit and five games above .500 for the first time since July 23.

While the White Sox are averaging 4.6 runs during the streak, the team’s starting pitching has been outstanding during this stretch, going 8-0 with a 2.16 ERA. The last White Sox starter not to complete at least six innings was Freddy Garcia, who went 5 2/3 inning in a 6-4 victory at Pittsburgh on June 15 that started this run. The left-hander allowed three runs in the first two innings of his last start, but retired 15 of the last 18 he faced in Tuesday’s 9-6 win over Atlanta. Danks, 5-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his last six interleague starts, is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in three career outings in the crosstown series. He’ll face a Cubs team that’s a season-low 10 games below .500 at 32-42. Improved hitting would help. The Cubs are batting .193 and scoring 1.2 runs per game while losing four of five. Derrek Lee’s RBI single in the sixth inning Saturday was the team’s first run in 15 innings.

St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming

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2:10 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

The St. Louis Cardinals took two of three games in each of their first four series against the AL. They’ll have a good chance to do the same at Kauffman Stadium in their interleague finale. Unheralded Jaime Garcia has the majors’ second-best ERA, and the left-hander can earn his rookie-leading eighth victory in Sunday afternoon’s series decider against the Kansas City Royals. The Cardinals haven’t dominated the AL, but heading into this weekend they’d done something only the Chicago White Sox had also pulled off - win each of their interleague series. Garcia has gotten his first taste of the AL in his past two starts, and he’s continued to fare well after missing most of last year due to Tommy John surgery. He gave up two runs over seven innings in a 2-1 loss to Seattle on June 16, then allowed three runs over six in a 9-4 win at Toronto on Tuesday. Garcia’s one area of concern has been walks - he issued 34 in his first 12 starts - but he seems to be resolving his control issues. He didn’t issue a free pass to the Blue Jays, the first time he’s done so.

Issuing walks isn’t usually a concern against the Royals. Kansas City has the fewest in the AL, though its average is among the best in the majors. The Royals have been particularly impatient against the NL. They’ve walked 16 times in their last 10 interleague games, including once in Saturday’s 5-3 loss. One of Kansas City’s freest swingers is Jose Guillen, though lately that strategy has paid off. Guillen extended his hitting streak to a career-best 20 games Saturday, tying Texas’ Josh Hamilton for the majors’ longest this season. He’s hitting .367 during the streak, with three walks in 83 plate appearances. Only one of his 29 hits, however, has left the park, and that lack of power hasn’t been limited to Guillen. Kansas City hasn’t homered in a week’s worth of games, its longest drought since going eight straight without one from July 30-Aug. 7, 2000.

Seattle Mariners vs Milwaukee Brewers Live Streaming

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2:10 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

Seattle’s Jason Vargas has more than held his own this season. The left-hander looks to continue his surprise season with a fifth straight victory Sunday in the conclusion of the Mariners’ road series with the Milwaukee Brewers. After entering spring training hoping to simply win a spot in Seattle’s rotation, Vargas is among the AL leaders in ERA with teammate Cliff Lee. He’s also outpitched fellow Mariner Felix Hernandez through the first three months of the season. Vargas, who couldn’t stick with Florida and the New York Mets before going 3-6 with a 4.91 ERA for Seattle in 2009, allowed four hits and struck out seven in seven innings of a 2-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. He is 4-0 with a 2.11 ERA in his last nine starts.

Making his first start against Milwaukee, Vargas may be needed to put forth another long outing to save a short-handed bullpen. Reliever Shawn Kelley is on the disabled list with an elbow injury and Brandon League has moved into the closer role while David Aardsma is away for the birth of his child. Brian Sweeney likely won’t be available after throwing four scoreless innings of relief in Saturday’s 5-4 win over the Brewers. Jose Lopez hit a two-run homer and Milton Bradley added a solo shot as Seattle avoided a third straight loss. The Mariners have won seven of nine overall. Lopez is batting .325 during a 10-game hitting streak. Prince Fielder homered Saturday for the Brewers, who had their season-high five-game winning streak snapped. After totaling 31 runs during that span, Milwaukee was limited to a four-run third inning Saturday.

Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Angels Live Streaming

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3:35 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

The Los Angeles Angels might be trying to avoid overlooking their interleague finale with a key series against the AL West leaders looming. Entering that set with some momentum could be valuable. The Angels look to conclude their interleague schedule in strong fashion Sunday when they host the Colorado Rockies. Los Angeles is second in the West, 4 1/2 games behind first-place Texas with the rivals slated to open a three-game series at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night. While that series is important for the Angels and their bid for a fourth straight division title, they don’t want to look past the Rockies in the finale of this three-game set.Los Angeles evened the series Saturday as Hideki Matsui connected for a grand slam in the first inning, while Joe Saunders and two relievers made it hold up for a 4-2 win. Matsui’s homer was his 150th in the major leagues and 482nd since he began playing with Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants.

The Angels turn to Ervin Santana as he tries to improve upon a strong performance in Tuesday’s 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The right-hander allowed three runs in seven innings after losing his previous two starts with a 9.00 ERA. Despite some recent struggles, Santana has won six of eight outings behind a 3.46 ERA after going 1-3 with a 4.40 ERA in his first seven games of 2010.He’s faced the Rockies once, allowing two runs in seven innings while not getting a decision in a 6-2 home loss on June 28, 2006. The Rockies will give the ball to Jhoulys Chacin, who is looking to build on his first win in a month. The 22-year-old right-hander was solid in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Boston, yielding four hits with five walks in 6 2-3 scoreless innings while out-pitching Jon Lester. That performance ended a personal four-start losing streak, during which he posted a 5.32 ERA.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Oakland Athletics Live Streaming

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4:05 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

The Oakland Athletics couldn’t get much offense going in their last series. A matchup with the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates has helped change that. The A’s go for the three-game sweep Sunday afternoon when the Pirates try to snap a 16-game road losing streak. After scoring six total runs and getting swept by Cincinnati to open its six-game homestand, Oakland has found its hitting stroke in two games against the Pirates, totaling 19 runs and 25 hits. The A’s won 5-0 on Saturday to improve to 23-1 this season when they score at least that many runs. Coco Crisp has been a sparkplug at the top of the lineup in this series. After coming a homer shy of the cycle in Friday’s 14-4 win, Crisp scored three runs for the second straight game Saturday and went 2 for 3 with a walk. He has at least one hit in each of his four games since coming off the disabled list.

With Crisp getting on base directly in front of him in the order, A’s first baseman Daric Barton is enjoying his best series of the season. He drove in two runs Friday, then matched a career high with four RBIs on Saturday when he tied a franchise record with three doubles. While the A’s are seeking their first three-game winning streak since a four-game run May 26-29, Pittsburgh has not won a road game since May 25. The 16-game skid is the club’s longest on the road since dropping 19 straight July 23-Aug. 30, 1985. Having Ross Ohlendorf on the mound may not be the answer the road-weary Pirates are seeking. The right-hander has lost three straight starts, and hasn’t won since Aug. 18. Ohlendorf needed just 36 pitches to retire the first 10 batters Tuesday in Texas, but was out of the game after 4 2/3 innings, giving up four runs and five hits in Pittsburgh’s 6-3 defeat.

Boston Red Sox vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming

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4:05 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

The Boston Red Sox overcame the losses of their emerging ace and former MVP to continue their interleague success. Doing that against Tim Lincecum will be a much tougher challenge. The Red Sox will try to solve the two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner as they conclude their interleague schedule against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. Boston was already reeling after Dustin Pedroia was placed on the disabled list after breaking his left foot by fouling a ball off it during Friday’s loss. The following day, 10-game winner Clay Buchholz hyperextended his left knee running the bases in the second inning, but the Red Sox were still able to beat the Giants 4-2 to even this three-game series. Boston is 12-5 during interleague play, which has spurred a 23-11 stretch overall. Buchholz’s status for his next start is uncertain, but replacing Pedroia’s bat is a problem. The second baseman and 2008 AL MVP was hitting .491 with four homers and 13 RBIs in his last 14 games.

Bill Hall, who went 0 for 2 with a walk Saturday, likely will start in Pedroia’s place. Hall is batting .226 with five homers and 16 RBIs. The Red Sox now have to contend with Lincecum, who has a 1.64 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 22 innings in winning his last three starts. The hard-throwing right-hander was superb Tuesday, yielding an unearned run and scattering seven hits while fanning seven in eight innings of a 3-1 win at Houston. Lincecum has been outstanding in his last six interleague starts, going 5-1 with a 1.53 ERA. However, he’ll make his first appearance against Boston, which is averaging 5.9 runs over 34 games. The Red Sox will counter the two-time All-Star with Jon Lester, who wouldn’t mind getting some support in his first meeting versus the Giants. The left-hander had his eight-game winning streak end in hard-luck fashion Tuesday, when he allowed one run with six strikeouts in six innings of a 2-1 loss at Colorado.

New York Yankees vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live Streaming

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8:05 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

Having dropped to third place in the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers are desperate for wins regardless of the opponent. Getting two straight against the team with the best record in baseball would be an added bonus. The Dodgers hope to achieve that and close interleague play on a positive note Sunday night in the finale of a three-game set against the New York Yankees. After losing the opener of this series Friday in manager Joe Torre’s first game against his former team, Los Angeles rebounded with a 9-4 victory Saturday. Shut down by CC Sabathia the previous night, the Dodgers took advantage of an ineffective A.J. Burnett as James Loney matched a season high with four RBIs. The win was only the second in nine games for the Dodgers, who had dropped four straight at home for the first time since August. Los Angeles improved to 4-10 in interleague play.

Although the Dodgers had a big offensive performance Saturday, slumping Russell Martin was limited to one hit in four at-bats. He is 2 for his last 23 and has only four RBIs in 21 games this month. Mark Teixeira’s three-run homer in the first inning staked the Yankees to an early lead, but another poor start by Burnett sent New York to its second loss in seven games. The Yankees are 10-7 against the NL and assured of a winning interleague record for the 11th straight year. Andy Pettitte will be asked to help New York avoid a series loss. The left-hander is putting together another outstanding season, ranking among the AL leaders in wins and ERA while excelling in nearly every category. He was very good again Tuesday in a 9-3 victory at Arizona, allowing two runs and seven hits in seven innings while striking out seven and walking two. Pettitte has pitched at least seven innings in six straight starts, his longest such stretch since July 15-Aug. 31, 2005. He is 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA in five road starts this season.

Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers Live Streaming

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8:05 pm EDT Sun Jun 27, 2010

While the Texas Rangers are one of baseball’s hottest teams largely thanks to their powerful lineup, some might not be convinced they have the pitching staff to hold up in the postseason. Adding Roy Oswalt could certainly change that. The Rangers have publicly acknowledged their interest in acquiring the Houston Astros’ long-time ace, and Texas will get a first-hand look at the three-time All-Star in Sunday night’s series finale as it seeks a fourth straight series win over its intrastate rivals. Rangers president Nolan Ryan used the terms phenomenal and special while referring to Oswalt before Texas played last weekend in Houston, and though no significant discussions between the teams have taken place, Oswalt said a potential in-state deal would be fine by him.

The Astros have certainly seen what slugger Josh Hamilton and Texas are capable of. Hamilton singled in Saturday’s 7-2 win over Houston to extend his hitting streak to 20, tied with Kansas City’s Jose Guillen for the majors’ longest this season. He’s hitting .494 with 25 RBIs during his streak, and is batting .486 during a personal eight-game run against the Astros. Saturday, though, Ian Kinsler did the bulk of the damage. Kinsler’s three-run shot in the fourth inning was his first homer in 33 games. While Oswalt could wind up pitching for the Rangers later this summer, he won’t be too thrilled about facing them. Oswalt is 0-4 with a 4.81 ERA in five outings in the series since his last victory, June 24, 2005. Texas is hitting .331 against Oswalt in that stretch, and no player has done more damage than Kinsler. The second baseman is 6 for 13 with a homer, triple and double off Oswalt.

Minnesota Twins vs New York Mets Live Streaming

Saturday, June 26, 2010

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1:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

Johan Santana wandered over behind the batting cage, hugged Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire and chatted with old buddy Francisco Liriano. A couple of Twins coaches stopped by, and Joe Mauer patted the pitcher on his back as he ran past. Santana and his ex-teammates were all smiles Friday evening during a mini-reunion at Citi Field. They’ll be much more serious Saturday, though, when the left-hander starts for the New York Mets in the middle game of their interleague series against the Twins. It will be Santana’s first regular-season matchup with Minnesota, the team he pitched for during his first eight major league seasons. That’s where he blossomed into an ace and won two AL Cy Young Awards while helping the Twins capture four division titles. Minnesota’s dangerous lineup features several of Santana’s former teammates, including Mauer and fellow slugger Justin Morneau. The pitcher said he still follows what’s going on with the Twins and he knows what’s ahead of him. Mets manager Jerry Manuel thinks it will be an emotional experience for Santana, too. The matchup comes at the end of a tumultuous week for Santana.

Santana, who is married with three children, was with the woman on a golf course in a gated Lee County community on the night of Oct. 27. The woman told detectives Santana forced himself sexually on her, though she repeatedly told him she didn’t want to have sex. Afterward, she said she watched him play tennis. The state attorney’s office declined to prosecute the case, citing lack of evidence and inconsistent statements. Santana said Wednesday that “the case is closed” and said he would not comment any further. The Mets said the situation is a personal matter. Santana pitched for Minnesota from 2000-07. As he neared his chance to become a free agent, the cost-conscious Twins traded him to the Mets in February 2008. He signed a $137.5 million, six-year contract with New York. Santana said he’s a little surprised that the Twins, playing in a new outdoor ballpark this season, have increased their payroll substantially since he left. But he said he’s happy for them and their success.

St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming

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2:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

The St. Louis Cardinals’ offense is suddenly slumping, but there’s reason to believe they can get back on track. After being shut down by the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner in the opener of a three-game set against the Royals, the Cardinals look to avoid losing their third straight game Saturday when they face slumping Kansas City starter Kyle Davies. St. Louis got off to a strong start to its six-game road trip with Tuesday’s 9-4 win over Toronto, but it hasn’t done much since, plating three total runs in its last three games. In Friday’s 4-2 loss to the Royals, Zack Greinke limited the Cardinals to six hits through eight scoreless innings before running into a little trouble in the ninth. After Ryan Ludwick reached on catcher’s interference to open the ninth, Ryan Ludwick doubled and Greinke was lifted. Both those runners eventually scored, but St. Louis couldn’t complete the comeback and fell one-half game back of Cincinnati in the NL Central.

The heart of St. Louis’ batting order is in the middle of this slump, as Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols are a combined 2 for 14 in the last two games. The two have fared much better against Davies, going 5 for 13 with a homer and a double. Davies struggled with his command in Atlanta on Sunday, allowing four runs, four hits and a career-high seven walks in 4 1-3 innings of an 8-5 loss, but didn’t receive a decision. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 9.78 ERA in his last five starts after recording a 2.65 ERA in his previous three outings. Breaking out of this funk at home against the Cardinals could be tough, though. Davies has posted a 10.00 ERA in losing both career both career starts against them at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals snapped a five-game home losing streak to St. Louis on Friday, and are trying to win just their second home series against their in-state rivals since 2002. Kansas City, which beat Washington 1-0 on Wednesday, is also trying to win three in a row for the first time since May 26-28.

Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers Live Streaming

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3:05 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

The Texas Rangers’ longest winning streak in 19 years is history. Now they can focus on avoiding their first series loss to the Houston Astros in exactly two years. The AL West-leading Rangers look to even the series Saturday afternoon when the teams resume their three-game set in Arlington. Texas had its 11-game winning streak snapped Friday, losing 7-4 to Houston. It ended the longest winning streak in the majors this season and the longest for the Rangers since a franchise-record 14-game run in May 1991. Despite the loss, Rangers left fielder Josh Hamilton continued his torrid pace at the plate with three more hits. The two-time All-Star is batting .506 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs during a career-best 19-game hitting streak. Hamilton and the Rangers, who are looking to avoid their first series loss to Houston since June 24-26, 2008, will look to make Josh Banks’ season debut a short one Saturday. Signed to a minor league deal in the offseason after spending the last two seasons with San Diego, Banks gets the start for Houston after Felipe Paulino was placed on the disabled list Thursday with right shoulder tendinitis. Banks, who went 8-5 with a 2.97 ERA in 15 starts at Triple-A Round Rock, makes his first start against Texas. His last victory was June 30 versus Houston.

Banks will try to help the Astros match a season-high four-game winning streak. A victory would also give Houston its first series win in Arlington since taking two of three from June 30-July 2, 2006. The Astros, who need one victory in the next two games for their first series win in an AL ballpark since June 19-21, 2009, against Minnesota, could benefit from more solid hitting from Chris Johnson. The rookie third baseman had career highs with four hits and three RBIs on Friday, and he’s batting .538 in three games since being called up from Round Rock on Tuesday. Astros right fielder Hunter Pence had an RBI double Friday and is batting .330 in 22 career games against Texas. The Arlington native is 4 for 8 lifetime versus Saturday’s scheduled starter C.J. Wilson. Making his first career start versus Houston following 10 relief appearances, Wilson did not get a decision in Sunday’s 5-4, 10-inning win at Minute Maid Park, giving up four runs and six hits over seven innings. The left-hander did not allow a run in his final five frames.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Toronto Blue Jays Live Streaming

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4:05 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

In his first game against his former team, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay handled the Toronto Blue Jays with ease. While Toronto won’t have to worry about facing its longtime ace again anytime soon, Philadelphia’s surging offense has been even tougher to overcome lately. The Phillies look to continue their hot streak at the plate as they go for their season high-tying fifth straight win Saturday against the struggling Blue Jays. Halladay had no problems against his former club Friday night, limiting Toronto to six hits over seven innings to avoid the first four-start losing streak of his career. The 2003 Cy Young Award winner got plenty of support from his offense as the Phillies cruised to a 9-0 victory. Philadelphia has been better at providing its pitchers with that kind of support lately. After averaging 2.4 runs and batting .218 while dropping 15 of 21 from May 22-June 15, the Phillies have averaged 7.0 runs and batted .283 while winning seven of nine. They’ve totaled 28 runs over their last three games, helping them put together their first five-game winning streak since April 9-14.

Toronto will try to bounce back against Philadelphia starter Cole Hamels, who hasn’t given up more than three earned runs in any of his last nine games, going 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA. The left-hander gave up four runs - three earned - and five hits in seven innings in Philadelphia’s 13-10, 11-inning loss to Minnesota last Saturday. Hamels is 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA in two career starts against the Blue Jays. Toronto, though, has struggled against lefties this season, batting .201 - the worst average in the majors by 26 points. Toronto’s Adam Lind, hitting .115 against lefties this season, is 3 for 6 with a homer against Hamels. The Blue Jays will hand the ball to Shaun Marcum. The right-hander held San Francisco to two runs - one earned - and four hits while striking out eight in five innings Sunday. He didn’t get a decision in Toronto’s 9-6 defeat.

Washington Nationals vs Baltimore Orioles Live Streaming

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4:05 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

Finding something to build on has been extremely difficult for the major league-worst Baltimore Orioles. Erasing a huge deficit and winning in their final at-bat should instill some much-needed confidence. The Orioles look to match a season high with their third straight win Saturday when they continue a three-game set against the visiting Washington Nationals. Trailing 6-0 after four innings of Friday night’s series opener, the Orioles scored three times in the fifth and tied it with a three-run eighth - highlighted by Scott Moore’s pinch-hit two-run homer. The game appeared headed for extra innings before Washington second baseman Cristian Guzman’s throwing error on Julio Lugo’s potential double-play ball in the ninth allowed pinch-runner Jake Fox to score the winning run. Baltimore’s biggest comeback of the season gave it consecutive wins for the first time since a three-game run May 12-14. The Orioles’ only other three-game win streak this season was a sweep of Boston from April 30-May 2.

Adam Dunn had four RBIs and Nyjer Morgan added four hits and three runs scored for Washington, but the Nationals committed a season-high four errors and lost for the 10th time in 13 games. They have dropped 18 of 22 on the road and are a season-high eight games below .500 for the second time this season. Baltimore’s offense has come to life lately, averaging 6.0 runs while batting .309 in the last six games. The Orioles averaged 2.3 runs and hit .243 in their previous 19 contests, resulting in 16 losses. Brad Bergesen is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and start for the Orioles. The right-hander was sent to the minors for the second time this season June 13 after a brief stint in the bullpen. He went 0-1 with a 10.05 ERA in his previous three starts. The sinkerballer was roughed up by the Nationals for six runs and a career high-tying 11 hits May 22 but escaped without a decision in Baltimore’s 7-6 loss.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Tampa Bay Rays Live Streaming

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4:05 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

The Tampa Bay Rays have a potent lineup, but it can go severely cold at times. For the third time in less than a year, the Rays look to bounce back from being no-hit as they continue a home set with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday. Arizona’s Edwin Jackson held Tampa Bay without a hit despite walking eight and throwing an astounding 149 pitches in a 1-0 win Friday. Jackson pitched for the Rays from 2006-08 and was a vital part of their run to the World Series two years ago. The victory was the third in 10 games for the Diamondbacks. Jackson is the fourth pitcher to throw a no-hitter this season, joining Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez, Oakland’s Dallas Braden and Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay. Braden and Halladay threw perfect games. Braden’s came against Tampa Bay on May 9, making the Rays the first team since San Diego in 2001 to be no-hit twice in the same season. Tampa Bay was also held to one hit against Boston on May 25.

The last team to accomplish that feat was the 1917 Chicago White Sox. Add Mark Buehrle’s perfect game against the Rays in Chicago on July 23, and Tampa Bay is the first team in major league history to be no-hit three times in less than a year. Though they are among the major league leaders in runs and on-base percentage, the Rays have recorded 11 runs and 29 hits while losing four of five. Tampa Bay hopes facing Arizona’s scheduled starter Ian Kennedy will help turn things around Saturday. Not only does the right-hander and former New York Yankee have the challenge of following up Jackson’s effort, but he’s also 1-2 with a 6.64 ERA in four starts versus Tampa Bay. Kennedy allowed three runs - on two homers - in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-1 loss at Detroit on Sunday.

Seattle Mariners vs Milwaukee Brewers Live Streaming

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4:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

The Milwaukee Brewers knew they were going to have to make a run in the weeks leading up to the All-Star break to improve their playoff chances. They appear to be doing just that. The Brewers look to extend their season-high winning streak to six games Saturday when they continue their series against the Seattle Mariners at Miller Park. Milwaukee opened a stretch of 16 of 20 games at home by sweeping a three-game series from AL Central-leading Minnesota this week, then beating the Mariners 8-3 in Friday’s series opener. The Brewers have won five in a row overall, picking up 2 1/2 games in the standings to move within 7 1/2 of NL Central-leading St. Louis. Rookie catcher Jonathan Lucroy’s first career homer - a three-run shot - was the big hit Friday for Milwaukee, which hasn’t won six straight games since reeling off seven in a row May 12-19, 2009.

Lucroy will likely be back behind the plate Saturday to catch Randy Wolf. After being pounded for a season-worst eight runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 9-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs on June 9, Wolf has recorded a 1.93 ERA in his last two starts. The left-hander gave up one run and three hits in seven innings at Colorado on Sunday, but didn’t get the decision in Milwaukee’s 6-1 victory. Wolf has lost his only two career starts against the Mariners, both of which came in 2008. Seattle has lost two straight following a season-high six-game winning streak. Pitching had been carrying the Mariners prior to Friday’s loss, yielding six runs over the previous seven games. Freshly activated from the 15-day disabled list, Doug Fister will take the ball Saturday looking to help the staff bounce back. Fister, who had led the AL in ERA until Wednesday when he no longer had pitched enough innings to qualify, went on the DL following his start against Minnesota on May 31 with right shoulder fatigue.

Detroit Tigers vs Atlanta Braves Live Streaming

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4:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

The Atlanta Braves are the best home team in baseball, but Kenshin Kawakami still has nothing to show for it. Perhaps a start against the road-weary Detroit Tigers will change that. Kawakami will try again to end his lengthy losing streak Saturday when the Braves attempt to continue their dominance at Turner Field. Atlanta is 25-7 at home, winning 15 of 16 after beating Detroit 3-1 to open this three-game series Friday. That success is a major reason the Braves lead the NL East by one-half game over the New York Mets. Kawakami would like to add to that lead and get his first win since beating Florida on Aug. 31. Since then, the right-hander is 0-11 with a 4.45 ERA in 21 games - 14 starts - for the Braves’ longest slide since Jim Acker dropped 13 straight from Sept. 29, 1987-Aug. 16, 1989. Kawakami’s 0-9 start this season is a franchise record for a starter, and another defeat would make him the first 0-10 pitcher since St. Louis’ Anthony Reyes in 2007. The Braves, however, have won four of Kawakami’s six starts at Turner Field, where he’s 0-2 with a 4.66 ERA.

His most recent outing came at home and was his shortest of the season, lasting two-plus innings after getting tagged for five runs and six hits before the Braves rallied for an 8-5 win over Kansas City on Sunday. Kawakami’s time in the rotation may end with Jair Jurrjens expected to return from a strained left hamstring soon. Kawakami is competing with Kris Medlen - Friday’s winning starter - for the No. 5 spot in the rotation. The Tigers trail AL Central-leading Minnesota by one-half game, and some improved play on the road could vault them into first. Detroit has dropped 11 of 15 as the visitor since consecutive victories at Oakland from May 19-20. The staff held the A’s to three total runs in those wins, but has since compiled a 6.02 ERA on the road. Max Scherzer could help begin reversing that trend while also matching a personal-best three-game winning streak with Arizona from June 11-23, 2009. The right-hander has won consecutive starts and is 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 31 innings in five games since returning from a stint with Triple-A Toledo to work on his mechanics.

San Diego Padres vs Florida Marlins Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

The uncertainty surrounding their managerial situation could be a distraction for the Florida Marlins. Sending Josh Johnson to the mound might help them forgot about that for the time being. The right-hander tries for a fourth straight victory while looking to help the Marlins avoid a third consecutive loss and even their series with the NL West-leading San Diego Padres on Saturday night. Florida fell to 1-2 under interim manager Edwin Rodriguez after a 3-0 loss to San Diego on Friday. While Rodriguez is in charge for now, reports continue to surface that veteran manager Bobby Valentine remains the frontrunner to permanently replace the recently fired Fredi Gonzalez. However, talks between Valentine and the team were slowing down temporarily. Former Marlins and current Arizona third base coach Bo Porter also appears to be a candidate for the job.

The present has a chance to be pretty good for the Marlins with Johnson taking the ball Saturday. Among the major league leaders in ERA, Johnson has allowed four earned runs and struck out 51 batters in 57 innings while going 5-1 in his last eight starts. Johnson gave up a run and struck out nine in a 4-1 win over Tampa Bay on Sunday. Johnson has been very good versus San Diego, going 1-0 with an 0.64 ERA in two starts. He tossed a three-hitter and struck out 12 in a 10-1 home victory over the Padres on April 26. The Padres are playing well enough to make matters tough on Johnson this time. Will Venable hit a two-run homer and Chase Headley added two hits Friday as San Diego won for the fourth time in five games and improved to 3-1 at Florida this season. Venable has homered three times in five games, all coming after a 45-game stretch without one.

Boston Red Sox vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

Clay Buchholz has quickly developed into one of the best pitchers in baseball. He’ll try to back up that claim by taking sole possession of the AL lead in wins. Buchholz will try to become the league’s first 11-game winner Saturday night when the Boston Red Sox face the San Francisco Giants in the middle game of this series in San Francisco. Buchholz has won seven of eight starts behind a 1.62 ERA after splitting his first six games of the season with a 3.82 ERA. He has 10 wins in 14 starts in 2010 after totaling nine victories in 31 starts over the previous two years. The outstanding turnaround could help the right-hander become the AL’s starter for next month’s All-Star game in Anaheim, and gaining sole possession of the league’s lead in victories could boost those chances. Buchholz is tied with Tampa Bay’s David Price and Phil Hughes of the New York Yankees for the most wins in the AL. Price will start against Arizona on Saturday.

Buchholz is also third in the league in ERA, two-hundredths of a point behind Price for second. He’s closed the gap in that category by seeing three of his last five outings result in shutout victories for the Red Sox. Buchholz turned in another superb effort Sunday, yielding three hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Another strong effort from Buchholz could help soften the blow of the potential absence of Dustin Pedroia, who left Friday’s 5-4 loss to the Giants after fouling a ball off his left foot. X-rays were negative, but the second baseman had a hard time putting weight on the foot and will undergo more tests Saturday. The Giants are looking to win for the eighth time in nine games at AT&T Park. Juan Uribe has spurred that stretch with a .379 average, three homers and five RBIs. He hit a solo shot in the series opener. Joe Martinez will take the mound for his first start since June 15, when he allowed four runs and eight hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 4-1 loss to Baltimore in his season debut.

New York Yankees vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

A.J. Burnett has come a long way from where he started the season, but that’s not a good thing. Coming off his latest in a string of terrible outings, Burnett looks to avoid losing five straight starts for the first time in five years when he takes the ball for the visiting New York Yankees on Saturday against the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers. Burnett displayed All-Star form the first month of the season, posting a 1.99 ERA through his first six starts while opening a career-best 4-0. He began to slip a bit over the following four weeks, going 2-2 with a 4.99 ERA, before completely derailing this month. The right-hander has posted a 10.35 ERA while losing his four June starts. Against Arizona on Monday, Burnett was knocked around for seven runs and nine hits in four innings of a 10-4 loss. Most of the damage came in the first inning, when he was tagged for five runs - all scoring on three homers.

This probably won’t happen if he can’t keep the ball in the park. After giving up four homers in his first 11 outings, Burnett has surrendered nine in 20 innings during his skid. It’s the most homers he’s allowed in a four-start span in his 12-year career. Burnett hasn’t lost five straight starts since Aug. 24-Sept. 14, 2005, the worst stretch of his career. Immediately before the start of that losing skid, Burnett held Los Angeles to six hits in eight innings of a 3-0 win for Florida on Aug. 19, 2005 - still his last outing against the Dodgers. He is 3-2 with a 2.45 ERA in seven career starts versus Los Angeles. The AL East-leading Yankees won Friday’s series opener 2-1, as Alex Rodriguez homered in the sixth inning to snap a 1-all tie in manager Joe Torre’s first game against New York since leaving as manager following the 2007 season.

Chicago Cubs vs Chicago White Sox Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

With their first double-digit winning streak in 34 years in tow, the next task for the Chicago White Sox is going for their first 11-game streak in nearly a half-century. They have a favorable set of circumstances to do it. Freddy Garcia has won five straight starts and is 4-0 in his career against the Chicago Cubs, who have a worn-out bullpen and a clubhouse controversy to worry about as they try to cool off the White Sox on the South Side on Saturday night. The White Sox haven’t lost since June 13 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, and that 1-0 defeat seemed like a distant memory in Friday afternoon’s series opener. Ozzie Guillen’s club jumped on Carlos Zambrano in the first inning, with Carlos Quentin’s three-run homer highlighting a four-run inning and providing all the offense the White Sox would need in a 6-0 win.

The South Siders have won 10 in a row for the first time since May 18-26, 1976, and Saturday they’ll go for their first 11-game streak since a 12-game run June 17-27, 1961. They’ll have a few factors working in their favor, perhaps none more significant than the recent success of Garcia. The right-hander has an unimpressive 4.42 ERA since May 5, but he’s 8-1 in that stretch behind an average of 7.07 runs of support. Garcia delivered his fourth quality start during his five-game winning streak Sunday at Washington, allowing three runs over seven innings in a 6-3 win at Washington. The two-time All-Star hasn’t faced the Cubs since 2007, but he’s 4-0 with a 1.25 ERA in five career starts versus the North Siders - including 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA while wearing a White Sox uniform. The Cubs turn to their most effective starter in an effort to avoid a seventh loss in eight games to their crosstown rivals, and they’ll desperately need Carlos Silva to take them deep in the game.

Cleveland Indians vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

The Cincinnati Reds haven’t had a problem scoring runs against the Cleveland Indians this season. Rookie starter Sam LeCure could use that kind of run support. The NL Central-leading Reds try for their fifth straight win Saturday night when they continue their intrastate series with the visiting Indians. After averaging hitting six homers while taking two of three in Cleveland from May 21-23, Cincinnati tagged Indians pitching for 12 hits in Friday’s 10-3 series-opening victory. Drew Stubbs homered and drove in a career high-tying four runs and Scott Rolen hit his third home run in his last two games against the Indians. The Reds, one-half game ahead of St. Louis for the division lead, are batting an NL-best .275 and averaging 4.9 runs.

LeCure has not benefited from that type of support. Since winning his major league debut May 28 against Houston, the right-hander has pitched opposite St. Louis’ Chris Carpenter, San Francisco right-hander Matt Cain, reigning AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke and Seattle’s Felix Hernandez, losing each time as the Reds have totaled five runs in those games. LeCure will try to help the Reds clinch their seventh consecutive series win against Cleveland, which dropped a season-worst 20 games below .500 with Friday’s loss. The Indians are 1-10 since a four-game winning streak, have dropped six straight on their current road trip, and have lost 22 of their last 28 games in NL parks.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Oakland Athletics Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

Facing Trevor Cahill and the Oakland Athletics might not present the ideal scenario for the Pittsburgh Pirates to snap their lengthy road skid. The right-hander tries for a sixth straight victory while looking to help the A’s hand the Pirates their 16th consecutive road loss Saturday night. Oakland snapped a three-game skid with a 14-4 rout of Pittsburgh on Friday. The A’s are 7-0 versus the Pirates, mired in their longest road losing stretch since dropping 19 in a row July 23-Aug. 30, 1985. Facing Cahill for the first time might add to the challenge of ending that drought. The 22-year-old is 5-0 with a 2.62 ERA in seven starts since losing to the Los Angeles Angels on May 16. He allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, but didn’t factor in the decision of a 3-2 win at St. Louis on Sunday.

Cahill, 2-0 with a 3.44 ERA in three interleague starts this season, hopes for the same kind of support the A’s gave Ben Sheets and four relievers Friday. Among the lowest-scoring teams in the majors with 304 runs, the A’s broke out Friday for their highest scoring game of the season after totaling 20 total runs while losing seven of their previous eight. Coco Crisp, Cliff Pennington and Ryan Sweeney each had three hits as the A’s improved to 7-16 in June. Pennington is 20 for 42 in his last 13 games. Looking to win two straight for the first time since May 28-29, the A’s face Pittsburgh’s Daniel McCutchen, who is expected to be called up from the minors to start Saturday. McCutchen takes the spot of Zach Duke, who is expected to miss at least two more starts with an elbow strain. The right-hander, 4-5 with a 3.86 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Indianapolis, hasn’t gone more than four innings in any of his three major league starts in 2010.

Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Angels Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Sat Jun 26, 2010

With a rare chance to move closer to the top of the AL West, the Los Angeles Angels couldn’t take advantage of their opportunity. The Angels look to keep pressure on the division leaders Saturday night when they continue their series with the Colorado Rockies. Trailing division-leading Texas by 4 1/2 games entering Friday, the Angels lost 4-3 in 11 innings to the Rockies and couldn’t make up any ground on the Rangers, who had their 11-game winning streak snapped with a 7-4 defeat to Houston.Looking to avoid a third straight loss for the first time since a season-high seven-game slide April 30-May 6, the Angels give the ball to Joe Saunders. The left-hander is 0-2 with an 11.88 ERA in his last two starts - both against NL clubs - after posting a 4-1 record in his previous six outings. Saunders matched a season low with 2 2/3 innings in Sunday’s 12-1 loss at the Chicago Cubs, giving up five runs and nine hits.

Saunders is 1-6 with a 6.75 ERA in eight starts at Angel Stadium this season. The Rockies, winners in six of eight, will counter with Aaron Cook. The veteran right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in two career starts in Anaheim, but he is 0-4 with a 7.38 ERA in eight road starts this season. Cook hasn’t won outside Denver since July 16 at San Diego. Cook, among the NL leaders with a 6.39 run support average, will look for more backing after the Rockies were held to a season-low three hits in his last start, Sunday’s 6-1 loss to Milwaukee. Colorado has an opportunity to win its third straight series, which would be a first for the club since September.

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