Sports World: 04/23/10

Los Angeles Dodgers vs Washington Nationals Live Streaming

Friday, April 23, 2010

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7:05 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

Manny Ramirez is obviously a big reason why the Los Angeles Dodgers have the most productive lineup in the majors. Ryan Zimmerman has been equally important for the improved Washington Nationals in 2010. Both teams, however, will be without their All-Stars when they open a weekend series Friday night at Nationals Park. Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said Ramirez will be out at least two days and possibly for the entire weekend series after the slugger strained his right calf running out a single during Thursday’s 8-5 loss at Cincinnati. Ramirez, batting .415 with two homers and 12 RBIs this season, missed two games last week because of tightness in the same calf. Though the two-time defending NL West champion Dodgers lead the majors in runs and batting average, they’ve yet to spend a day above .500 in 2010. Losing Ramirez for any extended period could be tough even with Andre Ethier, Rafael Furcal, Matt Kemp and Russell Martin all hitting well.

Ethier hit his fifth homer and second in two nights Thursday, while Kemp singled to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, but Los Angeles dropped two of three to the Reds despite outscoring them 28-25 in the set. After leading the majors with a 3.41 staff ERA in 2009, the Dodgers have an ERA of 5.52 this season. Los Angeles knuckleballer Charlie Haeger will make his third start Friday. The right-hander, who’s never faced the Nationals, looks to bounce back after giving up seven runs and walking five in three innings of a 9-0 loss to San Francisco on Saturday. Zimmerman won’t have the chance to face Haeger, as the Washington third baseman will sit out his second consecutive game with a right hamstring injury. Hitting .341 with two home runs and 10 RBIs, Zimmerman missed five games earlier this season with a strained left hamstring. He hopes to return sometime this weekend.

Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bay Rays Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

It might be hard for Tampa Bay to play any better than it did on its first road trip of the season. However, with Matt Garza on the mound and Toronto in town, the Rays might be able to do so. They look to build on that successful trip while trying for a sixth straight home win over the Blue Jays on Friday night. After splitting a six-game homestand to open the season, Tampa Bay concluded a 9-1 road swing with a 10-2 win at Chicago on Thursday. Off to its best start ever, Tampa Bay returns home after outscoring Baltimore, Boston and the White Sox 69-23 on the trip. Facing Toronto could help the Rays carry their success from the road back to Tropicana Field. Though the Blue Jays won the final five of their opening six-game trip to Texas and Baltimore earlier this month, they went 1-8 at Tampa Bay in 2009. Toronto has been outscored 31-10 during its five-game skid at Tropicana Field.

Garza is 6-3 with a 1.70 ERA versus the Blue Jays. He’s 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA in his last four starts against them. The right-hander has been the AL’s top pitcher on the young season, giving up two earned runs in 24 innings. He allowed four hits in eight scoreless innings of a 7-1 win at Boston on Sunday. Toronto’s Aaron Hill is 6 for 18 against Garza, and is expected to come off the disabled list from a hamstring injury Friday. An All-Star last season, Hill has gone 1 for 8 in two games in 2010. Toronto’s Vernon Wells is batting .339 with seven homers this season, but is 4 for 20 against Garza. The Blue Jays, who concluded a 4-6 homestand with a 4-3, 10-inning loss to Kansas City on Wednesday, give the ball to Brett Cecil for the first time this season Friday. Cecil, who went 7-4 with a 5.30 ERA as a rookie last year, began this season in the minors and was called up after Brian Tallet was placed on the disabled list with a forearm injury. Cecil was 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in three spring training games, but was unable to crack the rotation.

San Diego Padres vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

The San Diego Padres are one of the biggest surprises in baseball, but they’re not letting this fast start get to their heads. The NL West-leading Padres look to extend their winning streak to seven when they open a three-game set against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night at Great American Ball Park. After losing six of its first nine games to drop to last place in the West, San Diego has rallied to win six straight, vaulting to the top of the division. This is the latest into a season the Padres have been in first place since they were 76-62 on Sept. 4, 2007. They finished 20 games behind West-winning Los Angeles in 2009. The Padres, in the midst of their longest winning streak since reeling off 10 in a row last May 15-25, haven’t been to the playoffs since winning the West in 2006. Pitching has keyed this winning streak, as the starting rotation has a 0.75 ERA over the last six games. Kevin Correia looks to continue that trend when he takes the ball in the opener.

After allowing two runs in 5 2-3 innings in a 17-2 win over Atlanta on April 12, Correia gave up three hits while striking out eight in 5 2-3 innings in Saturday’s 5-0 victory over Arizona. Correia, who hasn’t won three straight starts since Aug. 25-Sept. 5, 2007, won both of his outings versus the Reds last season and is 4-0 with a 4.21 ERA in seven career starts against them. The Padres went 6-1 against Cincinnati in 2009, winning three of four at Great American Ball Park as Adrian Gonzalez went 6 for 16 with three homers, two doubles and four RBIs. Gonzalez, who hit his third homer Wednesday, is batting .352 with seven doubles and 12 RBIs in 13 career games at Cincinnati. The Reds are coming off Thursday’s 8-5 win over the Dodgers to take two of three in the series following a five-game skid. Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and Scott Rolen hit a go-ahead, two-run double to spark a four-run seventh.

Baltimore Orioles vs Boston Red Sox Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

It’s been 14 years since the Boston Red Sox have started a season so poorly. Three games against the Baltimore Orioles, the team with the worst record in baseball, could be just what the Red Sox and John Lackey are looking for. Lackey will try to rebound from his worst performance since joining his new team and help the Red Sox continue their dominance of the Orioles on Friday night. Boston is off to its worst start since going 3-13 in 1996, en route to a third-place finish in the AL East. The Red Sox could find themselves in the same position this October with East-leading Tampa Bay and the second-place New York Yankees owning the top two records in baseball. Their sluggish start continued with Thursday’s 3-0 loss to Texas as they fell for the seventh time in 10 home games and were booed by their fans. A series with Baltimore might be coming at an opportune time.

The Red Sox have won 23 of 26 meetings with the Orioles behind a .336 batting average. They’ve taken 13 of 14 at Fenway Park in that span, while their overall winning streak has reached eight games. Lackey has also thrived against Baltimore, going 5-1 with a 2.44 ERA in seven starts. He beat the Orioles twice with the Los Angeles Angels last year, allowing three runs while striking out 13 in 15 innings. Lacey could use another strong effort in order to rebound from his worst outing after arriving in Boston as a free agent in the offseason. He was tagged for eight runs and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings of an 8-2 loss to the Rays on Monday. That performance came after he allowed two runs in his previous two starts. The Orioles are hitting .225 on the season and .184 during a three-game slide after getting swept by Seattle with a 4-1 loss Wednesday. They could get an offensive spark with the expected return of Miguel Tejada, who missed four games with a strained groin.

Atlanta Braves vs New York Mets Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

The rivalry between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves could get rejuvenated by a pair of youngsters in Ike Davis and Jason Heyward. The impressive rookies will get their first experience in this NL East matchup Friday night when the Mets and Braves open a three-game series at Citi Field. Heyward, considered one of the top prospects in baseball, garnered attention after getting two hits with one homer and four RBIs in a season-opening win over Chicago on April 5. The 20-year-old right fielder leads the Braves with four homers and 16 RBIs. Davis’ .480 batting average in spring training wasn’t enough to win the starting job at first base for the Mets, but after he hit .364 in the minors, they opted to recall him Monday while designating veteran Mike Jacobs for assignment. The 23-year-old Davis is off to a fast start in New York, going 6 for 15 with one double, one RBI and three runs in four games.

The two youngsters now get their first taste of this division rivalry, which Atlanta dominated last season by winning the last eight meetings to finish 13-5 against New York. The Braves quickly got accustomed to brand new Citi Field, going 7-2 there with a .297 batting average and 10 homers - seven more than the Mets. Atlanta could use an offensive boost, entering this series with a .229 average following consecutive losses to Philadelphia, including an 8-3 defeat Thursday. Heyward is also sputtering, going 0 for 5 in the last two games to see his average drop 29 points to .269. Davis, meanwhile, had three hits and scored twice Thursday in a 5-2 victory over the Cubs, helping New York win three of four in the series. It was the Mets’ first series win of the season after dropping the previous four.

Detroit Tigers vs Texas Rangers Live Streaming

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8:05 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera is off to a red-hot start, leading the AL in RBIs. This shouldn’t come to any surprise to the Texas Rangers. Cabrera looks to continue to feast on Rangers pitching as the Tigers, in the midst of their longest road trip of the season, open a four-game series in Texas on Friday night. After opening the 11-game trip by dropping two of three in Seattle, Detroit won the final two contests in Los Angeles to split a four-game set there. In Thursday’s 5-4 win over the Angels, Cabrera drove in his league-leading 19th RBI, while Carlos Guillen(notes) knocked in two before leaving in the fifth inning with a strained left hamstring. Cabrera is 8 for 21 with two homers, five doubles and eight RBIs during a five-game hitting streak, and will likely be asked to carry more of Detroit’s offense with Guillen being placed on the 15-day disabled list. Guillen is batting .311 with a home run and eight RBIs in 61 at-bats.

Cabrera shouldn’t have much trouble generating extra offense in this series. In nine games against the Rangers last season, Cabrera batted .432 with two home runs, three doubles and 12 RBIs, leading the Tigers to seven victories. Since being acquired by Detroit in 2008, the four-time All-Star has 24 RBIs in 18 games against Texas. Cabrera hasn’t done anything special against scheduled starter Scott Feldman, going 2 for 5, but the Rangers right-hander has had plenty of other problems with Detroit’s lineup. Feldman is 0-1 with an 8.82 ERA in seven games - five starts - lifetime against the Tigers. In his only outing against them last season, he was tagged for six runs and 10 hits in 2 1-3 innings of a 13-5 loss. Feldman, who led the Rangers with 17 wins in 2009, was also pulled with one out in the third against New York on Saturday. He gave up four runs and seven hits in a 7-3 loss.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Houston Astros Live Streaming

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8:05 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

The Pittsburgh Pirates are looking to move on and bounce back from a series they’d like to forget. Facing Roy Oswalt might not make doing that so easy. Coming off their worst loss ever, the visiting Pirates open a weekend series against the Houston Astros on Friday night. Pittsburgh began a six-game homestand by sweeping Cincinnati last weekend, but then was outscored 36-1 while getting swept by Milwaukee in the final three games. The Pirates’ 20-0 loss to the Brewers on Thursday was the most lopsided defeat in club history. To put that series in the past and get back on track, the Pirates must show some improvement at the plate and on the mound this weekend. The Pirates hit .189 and recorded 18 hits against the Brewers. Andrew McCutchen went 4 for 11 with two doubles in the series, but he’s hitting .184 lifetime against the Astros.

Pittsburgh hit .236 and scored 23 runs while going 3-6 at Houston last season. It will likely be in for a major challenge against Oswalt, who’s 13-7 with a 2.64 ERA in 25 starts against the Pirates. He is 7-2 in his last 11 outings against them. The ace right-hander earned his first win of the season after giving up five hits and striking out six in seven scoreless innings of a 4-3 win at Chicago on Saturday. A hard-luck loser in his first two starts of 2010, Oswalt’s latest victory moved him into second place on the Astros’ career wins list with 138 - six shy of leader Joe Niekro. Paul Maholm hopes to provide a solid outing in this contest after Pittsburgh starters allowed 19 runs in 9 2-3 innings against Milwaukee. The left-hander has been able to do that of late against the Astros. While Maholm is 8-4 with a 4.01 ERA all-time against them, he’s posted a 2.17 ERA while winning his last four starts at Houston. Maholm earned his first win of the season after he gave up two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 5-3 victory over the Reds on Sunday.

Seattle Mariners vs Chicago White Sox Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

After being traded from Chicago’s North Side team during the winter, Milton Bradley spoke out about feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome in the city. He’ll try to create some fonder memories on the South Side this weekend. Bradley and the Seattle Mariners open a three-game series with the slumping Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field on Friday. A notorious malcontent, Bradley spent 2009 with the Cubs, hitting .257 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs before being suspended Sept. 20 for the remainder of the season for conduct detrimental to the organization. He was traded to Seattle in December for pitcher Carlos Silva. In March, Bradley said in an interview that he’d felt uncomfortable playing in Chicago, adding that fans’ attitudes toward him played a part in his struggles. He also talked about his family having problems with people in the city.

Bradley’s most recent visit to U.S. Cellular Field last June was especially memorable. He got into an angry exchange with Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who sent him home during the game. Bradley sat out Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Orioles with tightness in his left calf, but is expected to be in the lineup Friday. Despite a paltry .167 batting average thus far, he seems happy with his new home. The Mariners have been up recently, as Thursday’s victory completed a 7-2 homestand and a three-game sweep of Baltimore. They’ve lost five of their last six in Chicago, but are taking on a White Sox team that has played miserably recently, losing six of seven, including dropping two of three at home against Tampa Bay this week. After winning the opener 4-1, Chicago fell 12-0 on Wednesday and 10-2 on Thursday. The White Sox are off to their worst start since 1997, when they opened 4-12. They are hitting a major league-worst .215 and have scored two or fewer runs in four of their last six games.

Chicago Cubs vs Milwaukee Brewers Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

When the Milwaukee Brewers faced the Chicago Cubs earlier this month, they dropped two of three despite putting 19 runs on the board. The Brewers scored more than that in their last game alone. Offensive fireworks could be in store this weekend when the sizzling Brewers return home for a three-game set with the NL Central rival Cubs.These teams played an entertaining series at Wrigley Field from April 12-15, with the Cubs outscoring the Brewers 22-19 and both clubs plating at least five runs in each game. Milwaukee appeared bound for a disastrous nine-game trip after leaving Chicago and dropping its first two in Washington by a combined 13-3 score, but its dangerous lineup has since ignited. The Brewers beat the Nationals 11-7 in that series’ finale before sweeping a three-game set in Pittsburgh, outscoring the Pirates 36-1. Milwaukee concluded its trip Thursday with a 20-0 rout, the fifth-most lopsided shutout in the major leagues since 1900.

Braun’s three hits Thursday raised his average to .417, and he’s 8 for 16 with two homers and eight RBIs during the Brewers’ four-game winning streak. He also thrived in the series at Wrigley, going 7 for 14 with two homers and seven RBIs. Prince Fielder ended his April drought Thursday with his first home run, and Jim Edmonds and Rickie Weeks each doubled twice as 12 of Milwaukee’s 25 hits went for extra bases. Fielder believes the Brewers are surging because they’re having fun again. One of Braun’s home runs against the Cubs came off Ryan Dempster, who will get the ball for Chicago on Friday. The right-hander got his only win April 12 against Milwaukee in a 9-5 victory despite allowing season highs of five runs, seven hits and four walks in 6 1-3 innings. He’s 12-3 with a 2.88 ERA lifetime versus the Brewers - the only opponent he’s defeated more than nine times.

Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

Aside from Carl Pavano’s terrible outing, the Minnesota Twins had a mostly successful series against the Kansas City Royals this past weekend. The Twins, opening a nine-game road trip Friday night, hope a change of venue will help Pavano avoid another poor performance against the Royals. After a 6-3 homestand, Minnesota won’t be back at Target Field until May 3. The Twins had a chance to close the home stretch with their first sweep of the season, but lost 8-1 to Cleveland on Thursday to end a three-game set. Poor pitching hurt Minnesota, just as it did in its attempt to sweep Kansas City on Sunday. In the finale of that three-game series, Pavano gave up seven runs and 11 hits in 3 1-3 inning of a 10-5 loss. The right-hander, set to start the first of another three contests versus the Royals, is 4-5 with a 7.84 ERA in nine starts and one relief appearance against them. Pavano, though, has won his last three starts at Kansas City, posting a 4.26 ERA and getting 21 runs to work with.

Joe Mauer is expected to be Pavano’s batterymate after getting a day off. Minnesota had a quick turnaround after beating the Indians 6-0 on Wednesday night. Mauer went 5 for 8 in the final two games of the last series against Kansas City. The Twins will again be facing Gil Meche, who like Pavano endured a rough outing during that set. Meche surrendered five runs and walked four in six innings of a 6-5 loss Saturday. Still, it was an improvement over his first start of the season, when the veteran right-hander gave up seven runs in 3 1-3 innings of an 8-6 defeat to Boston on April 11. Meche is 9-6 with a 4.79 ERA in 20 starts against the Twins. Kansas City got a strong performance from ace Zach Greinke against Toronto on Wednesday, but needed a solo home run from Alex Gordon in the 10th inning to win 4-3.

Florida Marlins vs Colorado Rockies Live Streaming

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9:10 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

The Rockies are returning to Colorado after completing a road trip that encompassed a wide range of emotions. Set to play at Coors Field for the first time since the death of team president Keli McGregor, the Rockies open a three-game series against the Florida Marlins on Friday night. Colorado’s road trip got off to an unforgettable start with Ubaldo Jimenez throwing the first no-hitter in the franchise’s 18-year history in Atlanta on Saturday. The elated feeling took a sudden turn, though, as the 48-year-old McGregor was found dead in his hotel room in Salt Lake City on Tuesday morning. The popular McGregor, who grew up in Colorado, played football at Colorado State and was drafted by the Denver Broncos, had been with the Rockies since 1993. The team will have a memorial service for him at Coors Field before Sunday’s finale.

Jimenez pitched another gem Thursday, limiting the Nationals to five hits in 7 1-3 innings, helping the Rockies win for the third time on the seven-game trip. Colorado finished with four hits Thursday, but two of them were homers from Ian Stewart and Miguel Olivo. The Rockies are struggling a bit offensively, scoring three runs or fewer in three of five games, and getting back on track against Ricky Nolasco might not be that easy. After struggling against two of the NL’s worst teams - New York and Cincinnati - Nolasco managed to shut down one of baseball’s top offenses Saturday. At Philadelphia’s hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, the right-hander was one out away from his second career shutout when Jayson Werth hit a solo homer. Nolasco ended up allowing five hits and three walks with four strikeouts in a complete-game 5-1 victory.

New York Yankees vs Los Angeles Angels Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

Last week, the New York Yankees picked up where they left off in October against the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees look to continue their strong start when they open a three-game series against the Angels on Friday in Anaheim. In their first meeting since last October’s AL championship series, New York took two of three against Los Angeles from April 13-15 in the Bronx. The Yankees, who received their World Series rings in the opener of that series, won the pennant by beating the Angels in six games. New York hit five homers - two apiece by Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter - and scored 16 runs in last week’s series versus the Angels. Alex Rodriguez went 3 for 11 with two RBIs after batting .429 in the ALCS with three homers, two doubles and six RBIs.

The third baseman enters the weekend hitting .315 with two homers and 10 RBIs on the season. He went 4 for 10 against Oakland this week to help the Yankees take two of three from the A’s to begin their nine-game road trip. They lost Thursday’s finale 4-2 despite Rodriguez helping turn the franchise’s first triple play since 1968. Rodriguez also drew the ire of Oakland starter Dallas Braden in a bizarre sixth-inning incident. Rodriguez was running between second base and third when Cano fouled off a pitch, forcing him back to first. After the Yankees star cut across the pitcher’s mound, Braden started shouting at Rodriguez and the argument continued until A’s manager Bob Geren came out and walked Braden off the field.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Arizona Diamondbacks Live Streaming

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9:40 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

Injuries are mounting for the Philadelphia Phillies, and that could put the onus on Cole Hamels to re-establish himself as a consistent and effective starter. The left-hander looks to build on his best performance of the season Friday night when the Phillies open a three-game series against the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Philadelphia has been hit hard with key injuries already this season, with second baseman Jimmy Rollins, starter Joe Blanton and closer Brad Lidge on the disabled list. The Phillies’ rotation suffered another blow Thursday when left-hander J.A. Happ was put on the 15-day DL with a strained forearm. Despite the key absences, Philadelphia leads the NL East. Consistency from Hamels could also provide a lift for Philadelphia.

Hamels is trying to regain the form that earned him MVP honors in the 2008 NL championship series and World Series, as he helped the Phillies to their second title. Last season, he was 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA in the regular season before posting a 1-2 record and 7.58 ERA in four playoff games as Philadelphia lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series. He labored through his first two starts of 2010, but his latest outing showed flashes of his 2008 form. Hamels allowed two runs and seven hits with eight strikeouts Sunday, but the lineup managed only four hits in a 2-0 loss to Florida. Hamels is 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three games against the Diamondbacks, with both victories coming at Arizona. He yielded one run while fanning nine in eight innings of a 4-3 win at Chase Field on July 28. The Phillies have won six of seven against Arizona, and enter this series coming off a pair of wins at Atlanta, including Thursday’s 8-3 victory.

Cleveland Indians vs Oakland Athletics Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

Cleveland’s Jake Westbrook and Oakland’s Justin Duchscherer are working their way back from injuries that kept them sidelined for all of 2009. Each pitcher walked away from his last start with reason for optimism. Westbrook and Duchscherer will square off Friday to open a three-game series between the Indians and Athletics. Westbrook is winless since beating the Angels on April 8, 2008, but is coming off one of his best outings since undergoing elbow surgery that kept him sidelined last year. The right-hander, who won 44 games from 2004-06, pitched seven innings against the White Sox on Saturday, allowing two runs and five hits in a 3-2 win. The Indians had lost his previous two starts. Westbrook has won his last five decisions against Oakland, posting a 2.34 ERA over those six starts. He has not faced the Athletics since 2007.

It’s been a similar journey for Duchscherer, a former All-Star who missed last season due to an elbow injury and clinical depression. After pitching 7 1-3 scoreless innings against Seattle on April 12, he gave up two unearned runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 4-3 win over Baltimore on Saturday. He did not factor in the decision. The right-hander went 1-1 with a 1.54 ERA in two starts against the Indians in 2008. He’s also made nine career relief appearances versus Cleveland. Oakland snapped a three-game losing streak Thursday by beating the New York Yankees 4-2 in an eventful finale of a three-game series. Kurt Suzuki hit a three-run homer, but also hit into a triple play in the sixth inning. The game also included a spat between Alex Rodriguez and Oakland starter Dallas Braden, who was upset when the Yankees star cut across the mound after Robinson Cano fouled off a pitch during the sixth inning.

St. Louis Cardinals vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming

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10:15 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

The San Francisco Giants have stopped hitting during a four-game losing streak, and a St. Louis Cardinals team that boasts one of best ERAs in baseball may not give them much of an opportunity to get back on track offensively. They might not need many runs, however, with Tim Lincecum on the mound. Lincecum, who has not allowed a run in two of his three starts, will look to improve to 4-0 when the Giants begin a three-game set against the visiting Cardinals on Friday night. San Francisco averaged 6.2 runs in opening 8-3, but scored five runs in the past four games. The Giants allowed only nine runs in three games at San Diego this week, but the Padres finished off a sweep with a 5-2 victory Wednesday night. The Cardinals’ starting staff has a 2.82 ERA that is tops in the NL, not much of a surprise with Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright and Brad Penny in the rotation. What’s fairly shocking is that Jaime Garcia has been the team’s best starter.

The rookie left-hander held his own against New York Mets ace Johan Santana on Saturday, giving up one hit over seven scoreless innings before St. Louis went on to win 2-1 in 20 innings. Garcia’s task doesn’t get any easier Friday. Lincecum’s 2.55 ERA since the beginning of 2008 is the lowest in baseball. Lincecum has looked more than capable of being the first to win a third straight Cy Young Award since Randy Johnson won four from 1999-2002. Lincecum held Los Angeles to four hits over six innings while striking out seven Saturday, also driving in three runs in a 9-0 victory. Lincecum has won all four of his starts against St. Louis with a 1.61 ERA, and threw a two-hitter in a 10-0 victory at Busch Stadium on June 29. The Cardinals have taken two of three in each of their first five series. After scoring 18 runs during a six-game homestand, they broke out offensively at Arizona, piling up 20 runs in the three-game set and capping it off with a 9-4 win Wednesday.

Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat Live Streaming

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7:00 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

They’re expecting 19,600 fans to come see the Miami Heat try to save their season, the overwhelming majority of them sure to be dressed in black at the team’s urging. And those ticketholders will be booing someone. Answers shall be forthcoming Friday night when Miami hosts Boston in Game 3, the Celtics looking to move one win away from the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs and the Heat aiming for just one glimmer of hope that could quickly turn this series back their way. No one need remind Miami of how vital Game 3 is, since no team has ever rallied from an 0-3 deficit in NBA playoff history. At the same time, no one was making any decrees or guarantees at practice Thursday, where somehow—after a 34-10 run in the second half helped give Boston a comeback victory in Game 1, and a wild 44-8 burst turned Game 2 into a Celtics rout—the Heat mood remained upbeat.

Confidence won’t be a problem for Boston, either. Especially after the way the first two games of this series went. The Celtics have now beaten Miami in 13 of the last 14 meetings between the teams, and in the one loss, neither Garnett nor Rondo played. Both will be in the lineup Friday, and Garnett’s return makes a team that just embarrassed the Heat by 29 on Tuesday night will get stronger for Game 3. Garnett has never seen a Miami crowd in the playoffs before, at least not as up-close-and-personal as he will Friday. That being said, Garnett said he still remembers what the place was like when he watched the Heat run to the 2006 NBA title, especially how much the home court was a factor when Miami ousted Detroit that year in the Eastern Conference finals.

Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs Live Streaming

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9:30 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

Tim Duncan turns 34 this weekend. The birthday planning began a year ago, when the San Antonio Spurs told their stiff and sore superstar to take an extra month off in the summer. The Spurs have a reputation in the NBA for front-office smarts, but this decision hardly required brainpower: give Duncan a longer rest, and maybe they would get a few more good weeks out of him. But on the cusp of May, who saw this roaring playoff start against Dallas coming? After laboring in the final weeks of the regular season, Duncan is averaging 26 points and 12.5 rebounds against the Mavericks, who head to San Antonio on Friday with the series tied at one game apiece. Duncan perhaps saved the Spurs from coming home in a 2-0 hole. As the Mavs threatened to erase a 20-point deficit Wednesday night, the Spurs went to their franchise cornerstone on four straight possessions in the fourth quarter. Duncan delivered each time.

Hardly anything new—but hardly anything the Spurs have seen recently. Crunch-time baskets over the last month had been the job of Manu Ginobili, whose resurgence since the All-Star break salvaged a Duncan-era worst No. 7 playoff seed for San Antonio. Duncan, meanwhile, averaged 15.5 points down the stretch. He looked tired and rigid in his movement. As recently as late March he limped out of the locker room favoring his balky left knee, which has been guarded with a brace all season. But maybe this was the Spurs showing their wisdom again, knowing what others might have forgotten: that Duncan was saving his best for a championship run.

Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz Live Streaming

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10:30 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

The Denver Nuggets are trying not to dwell on how much has changed in their opening-round playoff series against Utah. There will be no sweep of the short-handed Jazz, who are without two injured starters but feeling quite comfortable and confident with the series tied at 1-1. Game 3 is on Friday night and the outlook is considerably different for both teams after Utah’s win in Denver on Monday. The Jazz are thrilled to be tied—and not facing a 2-0 deficit against a team that won the regular season series 3-1.The Nuggets, meanwhile, know they blew a chance at taking command in the series with some sloppy play that allowed the Jazz to achieve the split in Denver.

Williams finished with 33 points and 14 assists while leading the Utah to the win that could be pivotal if the Jazz can win the next two games at home, where they are a notably more difficult team to play. Dantley knows firsthand how rowdy the Utah crowds can get. He played 461 games for the Jazz and his No. 4 was retired by the team three years ago. It hangs in the rafters not far from where Dantley will be at the head of the Nuggets’ bench. Dantley took over when coach George Karl left the team to undergo treatment for neck and throat cancer. Karl is still recovering from the aggressive treatment, but was feeling up to talking a little basketball with Dantley on Wednesday night. Dantley said the two coaches agreed that the Nuggets need to focus on not letting Williams come close to what he did Monday as the Jazz outslugged the Nuggets in the latest round of the Northwest Division rivalry.

Boston Bruins vs Buffalo Sabres Live Streaming

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7:00 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

Coach Lindy Ruff spoke softly on the day after one of the most difficult losses in Buffalo Sabres history. He was ruffled still, maybe, but optimistic nonetheless. The Sabres suffered a crushing defeat Wednesday night in Boston, losing 3-2 in double overtime to the Bruins on a power-play goal by former Sabres star Miroslav Satan to fall behind 3-1 in the seven-game series. What made the loss so tough was that Boston got the decisive power play in the second extra period when the Sabres were caught with too many men on the ice. Buffalo enters Game 5 at home on Friday night on the brink of elimination despite having trailed for less than 20 minutes in the first four games. The Sabres were 31-6-4 in the regular season when scoring first and are 1-3 in this series, and they were 30-0-0 when entering the third period with a lead during the season and are 1-2 against Boston after squandering a 2-0 lead in their latest setback.

Injured left wing Thomas Vanek, the Sabres’ leading scorer, skated for about 45 minutes on Thursday and said his left foot was feeling better. Still, Vanek was favoring the leg when he walked into the locker room after the workout. He said he would skate again on Friday, talk to Ruff, and make a decision about whether to play in Game 5. It might. The Sabres have not scored a power-play goal in 14 tries and Vanek has a real knack with the advantage. He led the NHL with 20 power-play goals in 2008-09. Rivet was a member of the Montreal Canadiens when they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat Boston in the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Bruins were anticipating perhaps their stiffest test in what has been a grueling first-round series.

Montreal Canadiens vs Washington Capitals Live Streaming

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7:00 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

After spending several overnight hours on an airport tarmac because of weather and customs delays, Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau found a bit of a silver lining. True, the Capitals aren’t among the thousands whose lives have been disrupted because of flight cancellations following the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano, but an unexpected travel adventure did put a kink in Thursday’s preparation for Game 5 of Washington’s first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens. Given that his players stayed up virtually all night trying to get home from Wednesday’s Game 4, Boudreau had little choice but to cancel practice. The Capitals, with a 3-1 lead, can wrap up the series Friday. Now they have even more incentive to do so.

Flying home after the 6-3 Game 4 win, the Capitals ran into fog that kept them from landing at Dulles International Airport or Reagan National Airport, so they touched down at Baltimore-Washington International Airport a little after 1 a.m. But there were no custom agents on duty at BWI, so the team sat on the plane for nearly 3 hours. Some calls were made, agents were found, and the team finally cleared customs. The Capitals are the first to say that they’ll need to be re-energized for Game 5. They came from 3-1 down to oust the New York Rangers in the first round last year, so they know the Canadiens are capable of doing the same. Still, it’s worth noting the other three Eastern Conference series also started 3-1. The Capitals don’t want to be the last team to wrap up business in the first round.

Detroit Red Wings vs Phoenix Coyotes Live Streaming

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10:00 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

The Phoenix Coyotes have been successful this season without an efficient power play.They ranked 28th in the NHL in the regular season, but they still won 50 games. Phoenix has gone a combined 0 for 9 with a man advantage over the past two playoff games with the Detroit Red Wings and still managed a split. But as the Coyotes prepare for Game 5 on Friday with the teams tied at two games apiece, the feeling in their locker room is they must improve their special-teams play if they are to win this series. Phoenix also needs better results from a penalty-kill unit that has allowed Detroit to score on 4 of 11 power plays after the Red Wings’ 1 for 6 performance in Game 1. Detroit, while not happy with the number of penalties it has taken, is pleased with how it has dominated in this area. That was the case in Game 4. After Detroit went up 1-0 on a power-play goal in the second period, Phoenix had three man advantages but couldn’t even the score.

Not only were the Coyotes not finding the back of the net, they weren’t putting themselves in good enough position on the power play, coach Dave Tippett said. The Red Wings put the game away by scoring twice in a span of 25 seconds late in the third. Shane Doan’s physical play sparked Phoenix’s power play in Game 1, and he said he is hopeful he can return for Game 5. Phoenix’s captain missed Game 4 with an upper body injury after leaving Game 3 on Sunday when he stumbled over Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard and went crashing into the boards during the second period. Doan participated in the first half of Thursday’s practice before leaving the ice for treatment. Tippett said Doan will be a game-time decision Friday.

Los Angeles Kings vs Vancouver Canucks Live Streaming

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10:00 pm EDT Fri Apr 23, 2010

The Vancouver Canucks know exactly how the Los Angeles Kings feel after blowing a late lead and a great opportunity. Vancouver was within 3 minutes of taking a 3-1 series lead against Chicago in the second round of last year’s playoffs, but after a late goal they lost Game 4 in overtime. They also lost their momentum, their composure, and two games later, the series. Now, after overcoming a third-period deficit to win Game 4 in Los Angeles on Wednesday and tie this year’s best-of-seven series 2-2, the Canucks go into Game 5 on Friday hoping the Kings feel the same way they did about being so close. The Canucks learned from that experience, and say it’s paying off in a more even-keel approach to this series, not panicking when they’re behind or forcing things against the tight-checking Kings.

They also say part of that playoff learning curve is not counting on the young Kings coming apart and making it easy the rest of the way. Momentum may be on Vancouver’s side after outscoring Los Angeles 4-1 in the third period on Wednesday. However, momentum has been fleeting throughout a series that has seen the team scoring first lose each of the first four games. To do that, the Kings are counting on a veteran group that includes four Stanley Cup winners to help several key players experiencing the emotional roller-coaster of the postseason for the first time. Captain Dustin Brown, leading scorer Anze Kopitar, top defensemen Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson, and No. 1 goalie Jonathan Quick are all in their first NHL playoff series. There are several positives for the veterans to point out to the sixth-seeded Kings.

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