Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins Live Streaming

Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins Live | Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins | Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins Streaming | Philadelphia vs Boston NHL Live Stream | Philadelphia Flyers vs Boston Bruins Live Webcast

7:00 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

The Philadelphia Flyers had a strong second period and an even better third. Now they just have to work on their start and finish. The Boston Bruins dominated the first period and attacked early in overtime in the opener of the Eastern Conference semifinal. That energy—and Marc Savard’s winning goal in his first game in seven weeks—gave them a 5-4 victory Saturday. Savard played his first game since March 7 when he suffered a Grade 2 concussion from a blindside hit by Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke. Coach Claude Julien limited Savard’s shifts Saturday and he felt strong as the game went on. The Flyers were sloppy at the start. So one of their major goals in Monday night’s second game of the best-of-seven series is being sharp from the opening faceoff. The Flyers went eight days without a game after eliminating the New Jersey Devils in five games. The Bruins had four days off after their six-game victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

Savard used that time to build his conditioning and return to full-scale practice. But now the Bruins must go on without another top offensive player. Left wing Marco Sturm, who led them with 22 goals this season, tore ligaments in his right knee about 25 seconds into Saturday’s game after throwing a check at Matt Carle. Sturm faces surgery in four to six weeks and is expected to need about six months to recover after the operation, which would sideline him at the beginning of next season. But Sturm had struggled offensively in the playoffs without a goal and an assist. They still have to throw shots at the net and get traffic in front of goalie Tuukka Rask. They must forecheck better and keep the Bruins from getting second chances in front of goalie Brian Boucher. They must do it without Jeff Carter, their top goal scorer. He’s recovering from foot surgery. The Flyers also are missing Simon Gagne, out indefinitely with a broken toe, and Ian Laperriere, sidelined with a concussion.

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Vancouver Canucks vs Chicago Blackhawks Live Streaming

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9:00 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

Playing catch-up is getting old for the Chicago Blackhawks. They’ve lost the first game of their last four playoff series and now they’re in a hole against a talented Vancouver team with lots of speed and a stellar goalie. In Monday’s Game 2 at the United Center, the Blackhawks must find a day to solve Roberto Luongo, something they failed to do in the opener. They stormed the Canucks goalie early, but he made 17 of his 36 saves in the first period, shutting off two power plays. Vancouver used its speed and depth, getting scoring from all four if its lines—something coach Alain Vigneault stressed would be pivotal against the Blackhawks. Vancouver beat Chicago at its own puck possession game, outhustling the Blackhawks with quickness and aggressiveness and attacking rookie goalie Antti Niemi, who was pulled after two periods. Coach Joel Quenneville quickly squashed a question about making a goaltending change.

The Blackhawks were unable to bother Luongo with traffic at the net, a strategy that was so effective a year go when Dustin Byfuglien parked his big frame near the crease, or beat him with rebounds. Chicago also lost the first game of the previous round at home to Nashville before capturing the series in six games. But the Predators do not play such an electric type offense as do the Canucks. The Blackhawks also dropped the opener in Vancouver last year before regrouping to win the series in six games. But these Canucks led the Western Conference in scoring. Quenneville cited his team’s poor play in the defensive end, especially controlling or clearing the puck, as the major factor in the Canucks’ offensive display. The Canucks’ Mason Raymond scored with 10.5 seconds left in the first period and Henrik Sedin took a pass from his brother for another goal 32 seconds into the second. Those goals really took the buzz out of the crowd and pretty much the Blackhawks, as well.

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Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers Live Streaming

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8:00 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

As the Boston Celtics wore down and showed their age in the fourth quarter of Game 1, one of them was still accelerating. The Cavaliers couldn’t slow Rajon Rondo.Cleveland’s humongous center flattened Rondo on a drive to the basket in the closing minutes, a hard—and mostly clean—two-handed foul that may have contributed to the Cavaliers’ 101-93 win as much as LeBron James’ 35 points or Mo Williams’ surprising slam dunk over Paul Pierce. As Rondo, who finished with 27 points and 12 assists, approached the basket, O’Neal came across the lane and knocked the Celtics’ speedy point guard to the floor. After spending a few minutes gathering himself and making sure all his limbs were still functioning, Rondo missed the first free throw before making the second.

The Celtics led by 11 in the third quarter of Game 1 and would be up in this best-of-seven series if not for a second-half fizzle that can be partially blamed on their aging roster as well as some blown opportunities late in the game. With Cleveland leading 92-91, Ray Allen missed a 3-pointer when he was accidentally bumped by referee Jason Phillips. Boston trailed 94-91 when Pierce tried a short jumper that bounced off the rim. Kevin Garnett was alone underneath for an easy putback but misfired. The Celtics had their chances. They missed them. Jason Phillips blocked Ray’s wide-open 3 one time. It’s not Jason’s fault, but Rondo got it to Ray in a great spot and the official ran into him. Kevin had a point-blank look. I’m not that upset late in the game with some of the shots we had. I was just really upset at our guys with the execution and the next pass.

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San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns Live Streaming

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10:30 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

In their last three NBA championship seasons, the San Antonio Spurs eliminated the Phoenix Suns along the way. The last two, Phoenix had the homecourt advantage. Here they are again, opening the Western Conference semifinals in Phoenix on Monday night, the Suns seeded No. 3 and San Antonio No. 7. These are not the Spurs and Suns of the past, though. George Hill and Richard Jefferson fill important roles for San Antonio, Bruce Bowen and Robert Horry are long gone. The Suns have a deep bench and Jason Richardson, who averaged 23.5 points against Portland in the first round and shot 51 percent from 3-point range. Phoenix even plays periods of inspired defense, for heaven’s sake. Then there’s Suns 7-footer Robin Lopez, who when he was healthy defended Duncan one-on-one. A back injury has sidelined Lopez since March 26 and the second-year pro from Stanford has been slowly coming back since. He even scrimmaged some full-court on Sunday. Lopez is to be re-evaluated by a specialist on Monday and it’s possible he could play a few minutes in Game 1.

Yet for all the talk of Hill’s talent, Jefferson’s roller-coaster season following his signing as a free agent, the Suns’ energetic reserves, Richardson’s offense and Lopez’s return, this series is likely to be decided by those Steve Nash calls “the usual suspects.” For San Antonio, that’s Duncan, Tony Parker and, especially, Manu Ginobili. The same could be said of the Suns when Richardson is on. Phoenix is 29-4 this season when he’s scored at least 20. Nash sat out practice for the second day in a row to rest his sore right hip. He didn’t talk to reporters on Sunday, but said Saturday that he expects the time off to be of great benefit Monday night. The 36-year-old point guard has been at the center of the playoff drama with San Antonio in the past and his role is no less crucial this time. He pushes the offense and establishes the tempo and ball movement that makes the Suns successful. Unlike the Phoenix teams the Spurs played in 2005 and 2007, these Suns are not truly a fastbreak squad. Their strength lies in spacing the floor and establishing a rapid rhythm to keep defenders on their heels.

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St. Louis Cardinals vs Philadelphia Phillies Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

Although Ryan Howard signed a massive contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies last week to become one of baseball’s highest paid players, most believe St. Louis’ Albert Pujols is the first baseman more deserving of such money. There is no question of which slugger has the edge, however, when the Phillies and Cardinals square off. Howard looks to continue to feast on St. Louis pitching, while Pujols tries to break out of his slump against Philadelphia when the division leaders open a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night.Howard agreed to a $125 million, five-year contract extension through 2016 with the Phillies last Monday. The 2005 NL Rookie of the Year and ’06 league MVP now trails only Alex Rodriguez’s $27.5 million average for tops in baseball. While Howard, a St. Louis native, is averaging 49.5 homers and 143 RBIs over the last four seasons, Pujols has been a threat to win the triple crown nearly every year since his 2001 rookie season.

Pujols is in the final year of a seven-year, $100 million contract with St. Louis, and last week Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said the three-time MVP is deserving of $50 million a year, because he’s twice as good as any player in the majors. With seven home runs, 24 RBIs and a .340 batting average, Pujols has helped lead the defending Central champion Cardinals to the NL’s best record and a 4 1/2-game lead in the division. The eight-time All-Star had a three-run double in Sunday’s 6-0 win over Cincinnati, St. Louis’ seventh victory in eight games. Although Pujols is one of the most-feared hitters in the game, Philadelphia has done an excellent job of silencing his bat. Pujols was 4 for 21 with a homer and two RBIs as the Cardinals dropped four of five to the Phillies last season, and his .171 average against Philadelphia since 2008 is his lowest against any team in that span. He is also 1 for 8 lifetime against scheduled starter Joe Blanton.

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Baltimore Orioles vs New York Yankees Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

CC Sabathia’s debut with the New York Yankees was a poor outing against the Baltimore Orioles. He’s dominated Baltimore since. Sabathia looks to win his sixth straight start against the Orioles on Monday night when the Yankees open a three-game home set. Before signing with New York last year, Sabathia went 5-0 with a 2.38 ERA in nine starts against Baltimore. He lasted 4 1-3 innings in his Yankee debut last year, allowing six runs in a 10-5 loss. The left-hander has reverted to form in posting a 1.91 ERA to win his last five outings versus the Orioles, including last Wednesday’s 8-3 road victory. Sabathia allowed three runs over 7 2-3 innings and matched a season high with 111 pitches. Sabathia will once again be opposed by right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, who allowed seven runs in 4 2-3 innings last week. Guthrie beat Sabathia on opening day last season, but is 0-5 with a 6.44 ERA in five outings against the Yankees since. The Orioles have lost all five of the right-hander’s starts this season.

Baltimore still has baseball’s worst record, but doesn’t have to apologize for its play over the weekend. The Orioles completed a three-game home sweep of Boston with a 3-2, 10-inning victory Sunday. Nick Markakis went 7 for 12 with five runs scored and five RBIs in the series. The Orioles will try to a better job of containing Robinson Cano than they did in losing two of three in last week’s series. Cano went 8 for 13 with three solo homers. New York slugger Mark Teixeira may be coming out of his slump after he tied a career high with four hits in Sunday’s 12-3 win over the White Sox. Teixeira has six hits the last two games after a .136 April. Alex Rodriguez was given Sunday off after he was pinch run for in the ninth inning Saturday. Reports say that the superstar has a “muscle-related” injury to his right leg.

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Toronto Blue Jays vs Cleveland Indians Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

The Toronto Blue Jays flexed their muscles by homering 10 times in their last series. Going deep against Cleveland Indians starter Mitch Talbot could be a challenge, however. The Blue Jays will get their first look at the impressive rookie in the opener of a three-game road set Monday night. Toronto is tied for the major league lead with 38 homers, hitting 24 at home - the most in baseball. Alex Gonzalez and John Buck each had three of the Jays’ 10 home runs against Oakland over the weekend, with Toronto winning 9-3 on Sunday to take three of four.Buck went 8 for 11 with seven RBIs in three starts in the series after going 9 for 58 in his first 18 games. The catcher doubled three times Sunday as the Jays had 10 extra-base hits. No Toronto hitter has faced Talbot, who has not allowed a homer in his last 19 1-3 innings and is looking to win his fourth straight start. He gave up one run over 6 1-3 innings to earn a 9-2 road victory over Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Cleveland was outhomered 6-1 over the weekend in losing two of three at home to Minnesota. The Indians fell 8-3 on Sunday and have hit 14 homers, third fewest in the majors. Cleveland has received solid production from a pair of unheralded hitters. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera went 7 for 14 against the Twins while Austin Kearns is 11 for 25 during a six-game hitting streak. Toronto’s Brett Cecil will make his third start of the year. He allowed one run over six innings of a 2-0 home loss to Boston on Wednesday. The left-hander went 7-4 with a 5.30 ERA as a rookie last season. Cecil was 0-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two starts versus Cleveland last season, making his major league debut against the Indians on May 5, 2009. The Blue Jays are 6-3 on the road. They split eight meetings with the Indians last season.

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New York Mets vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

It hasn’t taken long for Mike Leake to emerge as a surprising talent in the Cincinnati Reds rotation. New York Mets veteran Oliver Perez, meanwhile, is struggling once again to hold on to his spot. The pitchers face off Monday as the Mets and Reds open a three-game series at Great American Ball Park. Cincinnati, which returns home after a disappointing finish to a six-game road trip, has gotten immediate results from Leake, a 22-year-old right-hander who earned a spot in the rotation this spring despite never having pitched in the minors. The rookie was outstanding in his last start, giving up one run and five hits in seven innings of a 6-4 win at Houston on Wednesday. Leake has won his last two starts and has pitched into the seventh inning in all four of his outings - three of which the Reds have won.

Leake will try to help turn around his team’s pitching fortunes against New York. The Mets have averaged 5.8 runs while winning eight of their last 13 games in Cincinnati, including two of three last season. The Reds won the first four games of their road trip before dropping the final two over the weekend in St. Louis. They recorded three hits and struck out 10 times in a 6-0 defeat Sunday. Aaron Harang was the hard-luck loser, giving up three runs in six innings. Cincinnati starters are 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA over the last six games. The Mets haven’t been so fortunate with their starting pitching. They dropped the final two contests of a three-game weekend series in Philadelphia, losing the finale 11-5 after ace Johan Santana gave up 10 runs in 3 2-3 innings. It marked the third time in five games that the Mets’ starting pitcher failed to reach the fifth inning. New York starters have an 8.14 ERA in that stretch. Perez began the run of poor performances from the rotation, giving up three runs and walking four in 3 2-3 innings of a 10-5 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday.

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Los Angeles Angels vs Boston Red Sox Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

As if things weren’t bad enough for the Boston Red Sox after their first losing April in 14 years, they were swept by the worst team in the majors to begin May. Even a return to Fenway Park is not as reassuring as it once was. The Red Sox hope their upcoming 10-game homestand brings better results than their last one - starting Monday night against the Los Angeles Angels, who eliminated Boston from the 2009 playoffs in their last appearance at Fenway. Los Angeles has faced the Red Sox in an AL division series each of the last three years, and the Angels finally managed to beat Boston with a three-game sweep in October. The Red Sox will need to climb out of an early hole if they hope to reach the playoffs again. Their first sub-.500 April since 1996 was sealed with Friday night’s 5-4 loss at Baltimore, where Boston then dropped two more over the weekend.

Boston only won four of 10 on its last homestand, slipping to 5-8 at Fenway. The team went 56-25 at home each of the last two years, the best home record in the majors in that stretch. This season’s club has had problems in all areas. The Red Sox were held to seven hits Sunday, playing without cleanup hitter Kevin Youkilis. Outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Mike Cameron are on the disabled list.Boston’s pitchers allowed 12 runs for the second time on the road trip Saturday, and the team made four errors in three games against Baltimore. The Angels are only one half-game ahead of Boston, but their chances of recovering are much better in the AL West. The Red Sox already trail Tampa Bay by seven games and the New York Yankees by 5 1/2. Los Angeles, however, will also be trying to rebound from a sweep after beginning its 10-game trip with three straight losses at Detroit. The Angels were limited to four hits in a 5-1 defeat Sunday.

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Arizona Diamondbacks vs Houston Astros Live Streaming

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8:05 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ pitchers are struggling through their worst stretch of the season, and they have to start a rookie in their next game. Fortunately, there is perhaps no better team to break in a pitcher against than the Houston Astros. Losers of three straight, the Diamondbacks will send Cesar Valdez to the mound to make his major league debut against the light-hitting Astros on Monday night.Arizona lost the final three games of a four-game set with Chicago, falling 10-5 on Sunday. It was the latest poor pitching performance for the Diamondbacks, who posted a 9.00 ERA over their last six games. Arizona’s 5.90 ERA ranks 29th in the majors.Kris Benson was scheduled to start Monday against the Astros, but the veteran was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a strained shoulder. Arizona will turn to Valdez, who went 1-1 with a 3.80 ERA in four starts with Triple-A Reno this season, striking out 25 in 23 2-3 innings.

The right-hander was named the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2008. A matchup with the Astros could help Valdez gain some early confidence. Houston has lost six in a row, scoring two runs or fewer in each of its last four contests. The Astros have a major league-low 72 runs. They went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position in a 7-1 defeat to Atlanta on Sunday. Houston failed to respond after holding a team meeting after a 10-1 loss Saturday. Mills tweaked his lineup, moving Carlos Lee from cleanup to third in the order with Lance Berkman taking over as the No. 4 hitter. Lee had two hits to raise his average to .191. The veteran has yet to homer after hitting at least 26 each of the past four seasons.

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Kansas City Royals vs Chicago White Sox Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

Jake Peavy’s career with the Chicago White Sox got off to a promising start late last season, but his rocky first month of 2010 has created concern about his transition to the AL. Gil Meche’s April was even worse. Each veteran right-hander will be looking for his first win Monday night as Meche’s Kansas City Royals continue an 11-game road trip with the first of three in Chicago. Peavy was on the disabled list with an ankle injury when the White Sox acquired him from San Diego at the July 31 trade deadline. The 2007 NL Cy Young winner returned in time to make three starts before the end of 2009, going 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA. The results have been drastically different this year. Peavy has walked 20 in 28 2-3 innings, perhaps the biggest reason his ERA ranks last in the AL. Peavy gave up five runs in the first inning of Wednesday’s 6-5 loss at Texas, although he recovered to retire 16 of 18 at one point.

Peavy, who also lost his previous outing to Tampa Bay, has not dropped three straight starts since July 2007. He’ll be trying to steady a White Sox staff that has allowed 35 runs in its last five games. The New York Yankees racked up 16 hits while beating Chicago 12-3 on Sunday to take two out of three in the weekend series. Only Paul Konerko’s major league-leading 12th home run, a three-run shot, prevented Chicago from a shutout. Konerko has four homers and 10 RBIs in his last four games. The White Sox rank last in the majors with a .223 batting average and their starting pitchers have an AL-worst 5.30 ERA. The Royals’ biggest problems have been in their bullpen, but Meche has certainly not helped the cause after starting the season on the disabled list with shoulder problems. Not only are opponents hitting .338 against Meche, but he has also walked 15 in 18 2-3 innings as Kansas City has lost all four of his starts. The right-hander avoided a decision Wednesday after allowing five runs in six innings of a 6-5 defeat to Seattle.

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Detroit Tigers vs Minnesota Twins Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

The Minnesota Twins couldn’t get much going at the plate against the Detroit Tigers last week. Doing so could be even more challenging if they don’t have Joe Mauer. In a matchup for first place in the AL Central, the Twins may again be without the reigning AL MVP as they host the surging Tigers in the opener of a three-game series Monday night. Minnesota leads Detroit by a half-game heading into the teams’ second series of the season. The Twins beat the Tigers 2-0 on Tuesday night to kick off a three-game set, but dropped the next two contests, including a 3-0 loss in the finale Thursday. That was the only time Minnesota has been shut out this season. The Twins now will likely have to get by without Mauer, who is expected to miss his third straight game and perhaps the rest of this series due to a bruised left heel.
Mauer was hurt Friday night in a 9-3 win over Cleveland when he awkwardly stepped on first base while trying to beat out an infield single.

Mauer went 1 for 11 in this season’s first series with the Tigers, but he’s batting .345 overall. Last season, he became the first catcher to be voted AL MVP since Ivan Rodriguez for Texas in 1999. The Twins didn’t seem to miss Mauer on Sunday, getting a strong performance from his replacement and posting a season-best 20 hits in an 8-3 win over the Indians. Minnesota recalled Wilson Ramos from Triple-A Rochester to give it some depth at catcher, and the top prospect was impressive in his major league debut, going 4 for 5. Ramos is the first Twin with four hits in his debut since Kirby Puckett on May 8, 1984. If Ramos gets a second straight start, he will be Scott Baker’s batterymate. Baker struggled versus the Tigers on Wednesday night, giving up five runs and nine hits in four innings of an 11-6 loss. The right-hander is 5-4 with a 4.60 ERA in 18 starts against Detroit.

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Colorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

Just over three weeks ago in his second start of the season, Ubaldo Jimenez surrendered a couple of runs to San Diego Padres. The Colorado Rockies’ ace hasn’t been scored upon since. Jimenez looks to extend his scoreless streak and win his sixth consecutive start Monday night when the Rockies open a three-game series against the NL West-leading Padres at Petco Park. Jimenez leads the majors in ERA and is quickly emerging as one of the best pitchers in the NL. He’s the first Colorado pitcher to have a five-win April, and extended his scoreless streak to a franchise-best 22 1-3 innings with six shutout innings in Tuesday’s 12-1 win over Arizona. His run started with a no-hitter in Atlanta on April 17, the first in the history of the Rockies.

Jimenez, however, hasn’t yielded a homer yet this season. He also hasn’t given up a run since April 14, when San Diego scored two in the sixth - the final inning Jimenez pitched in a 4-2 win. Jimenez, who has posted a 3.15 ERA in winning his last three starts against the Padres, gave up two runs and seven hits while striking out seven, as the Rockies took two of three from San Diego. Colorado arrives in San Diego after defeating San Francisco 4-1 on Sunday to snap a three-game skid. Melvin Mora hit a two-run single, while rookie Jhoulys Chacin allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings in his season debut. The Padres are coming off Sunday’s 8-0 win over Milwaukee to take three of four in the series. Scott Hairston and Kyle Blanks hit consecutive homers in the fifth for San Diego, but it was pitching that led the way.

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Texas Rangers vs Oakland Athletics Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Mon May 3, 2010

While he showed flashes of brilliance during his time in Oakland, Rich Harden’s tenure with the Athletics is likely remembered most for his many stints on the disabled list. Harden faces his former team for the first time since his July 2008 trade as he tries to extend a string of impressive outings by Texas Rangers starters in the opener of a three-game series against the Athletics on Monday. Harden began his career in the Bay Area with Oakland, going 21-12 with a 3.40 ERA in 53 appearances - 50 starts - in 2004 and 2005. After a promising start, the right-hander struggled with injuries the next two years, making only 13 starts from 2006-07 before he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2008. He went 9-9 with a 4.09 ERA with the Cubs in 2009 before signing a free-agent deal with the Rangers over the winter. In total, Harden has made seven trips to the DL since May 2005, mostly for shoulder problems.

While he got off to a slow start, Harden is coming off his first victory with his new team after giving up three runs and four hits in six innings of a 6-5 win over the White Sox on Wednesday. He’ll look to build on that victory Monday night at Oakland Coliseum, where he was 18-9 with a 2.98 ERA in 49 appearances. He takes the mound after Texas completed a three-game road sweep at Seattle over the weekend, capped by a 3-1 victory in 11 innings Sunday. David Murphy tied the game in the ninth with an RBI single, then hit another single in the 11th to score Julio Borbon. C.J. Wilson didn’t earn the win, but gave up one run in seven innings. Texas starters are 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA over their last six games. While the Rangers have been playing better since their slow start because of their pitching, the Athletics seem to be heading in the opposite direction because of theirs. Oakland has dropped five of six, including three of four at Toronto over the weekend.

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