Sports World: 05/05/10

Boston Bruins vs Philadelphia Flyers Live Streaming

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

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7:00 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

Ten years after the Flyers counted on Brian Boucher to help bail them out of an 0-2 playoff hole, they’re needing the goalie to deliver again. Boucher was in the net the last time—and one of only two times in team history—Philadelphia rallied from an 0-2 hole to win a round. He’ll get the start against Boston in Game 3 on Wednesday and the Flyers facing the same deficit. The Flyers won four straight games against Pittsburgh in the 2000 Eastern Conference semifinals, including the classic five-overtime Game 4. In 2000, the Flyers dropped the first two at home. This year, they lost two in Boston. The Flyers were beaten, but not terribly outplayed, in their first two losses to the Bruins. The Flyers hope a return to home ice and a rowdy arena for Game 3 on Wednesday can help get them back in the series. But it will take more than a hostile crowd and a dose of pregame nostalgia to spark the Flyers.

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette gave the team the day off to rest. The Bruins held an optional practice in Massachusetts and most of the top players took the day off. Both teams were ready to move on from a supposed biting incident in Game 2. Flyers forward Daniel Carcillo accused Bruins forward Marc Savard of biting his finger. Carcillo complained that Savard bit him after a whistle at the 5:55 mark of the second period. Bruins coach Claude Julien pointed a finger at Carcillo, a regular atop the NHL’s penalty minutes, for exaggerating the chomp. Two points are quickly obvious: Philadelphia needs more goals from players other than Richards and Briere and it has to start winning faceoffs. Richards and Briere have four of the Flyers’ six goals in this series, a clear sign they miss injured scorers Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne. There is hope, albeit, slim as a stick blade, that Gagne could return in this series. Gagne broke his right foot blocking a shot in Game 4 against New Jersey. He was walking around the Flyers’ practice facility Tuesday without crutches and his foot will be examined on Friday. He’s hopeful he could start skating this weekend. It’s still too early to determine if Gagne could return at any point in the best-of-seven series.

Chicago Blackhawks vs Vancouver Canucks Live Streaming

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9:30 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

The Vancouver Canucks have talked at length about lessons they have learned from past postseason failures. Now they have a chance to prove it. The Canucks’ 4-2 loss at Chicago on Monday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal series looked very much like Vancouver’s defeat at the hands of the Blackhawks last year in Game 4. Vancouver went into the third period of both games ahead with the chance to take a two-game lead in the series. Both times, the Canucks sat back and missed their chance to take control. The Canucks never recovered last year. They blew leads the next two games, including several in a decisive 7-5 loss as the Blackhawks eliminated Vancouver in six games. After splitting two games in Chicago in the rematch, the Canucks are heading home for Game 3 on Wednesday night—eager to erase bad memories.

The Blackhawks, who used a similarly late comeback to spark a first-round win over Nashville, view their home split differently. Bolland combined with Andrew Ladd and Kris Versteeg to limit Vancouver’s top line to a 5-on-3 goal. Versteeg then scored the winner with 90 seconds left. After a 5-1 blowout win in Game 1, the Canucks jumped out to a 2-0 lead five minutes into Game 2, outshooting Chicago 9-1. But instead of pressing, Vancouver let Chicago rookie goalie Antti Niemi off the hook. The Canucks managed just 15 shots over the final 55 minutes and none during a pair of third-period power plays. One of those advantages produced a short-handed goal by the Blackhawks that tied the game. It wasn’t the all-out retreat of a year ago, but it was still a departure from the plan for the Canucks, who have built on leads all season rather than sit on them. The Blackhawks had a lot to do with it.

San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns Live Streaming

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9:00 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

The San Antonio Spurs need only look back a few days for a reminder that a Game 1 playoff loss in Phoenix is not the end of the world. A San Antonio victory in Game 2 Wednesday night would send the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series to San Antonio tied 1-1. In the first round, the Spurs lost Game 1 in Dallas, then won Game 2 and eliminated the Mavericks in six. The Spurs watched video of Monday night’s 111-102 loss and came away liking their Game 2 chances. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said “I don’t know” when asked if he would move Tony Parker into the starting lineup after the speedster’s big game off the bench Monday night. Parker said an abrupt “no” when asked if thought he would start. He has been coming off the bench since his return April 6 after missing 16 games with a broken bone in his right hand. George Hill has been the starter, but Steve Nash made Hill look like a statue early in Game 1. The Suns’ playmaker made his first five shots and had 17 points by the end of the first quarter. He finished with 33 points and 10 assists, the sixth “30-10” playoff game of his career.

Hill struggled all night at both ends of the court, finishing with nine points on 2 of 7 shooting. Parker has given the Suns fits throughout his career. He had 26 points in 35 minutes on Monday. Nash had rested his strained right hip for three days, and was uncertain how he would feel when Game 1 tipped off. Parker said Nash’s early offensive assault was “a little bit” of a surprise. Nash expects a much more aggressive defense against him on Wednesday. Ginobili, playing with a broken nose and defended most of the game by Grant Hill, overcame a slow start to finish with 27 points on 9 of 20 shooting, 2 of 9 from 3-point range. Overall, the Spurs made 4 of 19 3s to 7 of 20 for Phoenix. Ginobili, Parker and Duncan scored all but 29 of San Antonio’s points. Richard Jefferson made 1 of 3 shots and finished with five points and three rebounds in 32 1/2 minutes.

Toronto Blue Jays vs Cleveland Indians Live Streaming

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12:05 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

A power surge has helped put the Toronto Blue Jays in position to earn a rare sweep of the Cleveland Indians. Following yet another successful game at the plate, the Blue Jays look to sweep the Indians for the first time since 2002 as they conclude a three-game set Wednesday. Toronto has won three straight and five of six, including an 8-5 win over Cleveland on Tuesday night. The Blue Jays now have a chance to sweep the Indians for the first time since a three-game series on the road from Sept. 9-11, 2002. Strong production at the plate has played a large role in Toronto’s recent success, and light-hitting Cleveland hardly seems to be in any position to keep up. The Blue Jays have 14 home runs in their last six games and lead the majors with 42. The Blue Jays’ pitchers, meanwhile, have done an outstanding job of keeping opponents from going deep. The staff has surrendered one homer in its last 89 innings, dating to April 24 at Tampa Bay.

Brandon Morrow, set to take the mound for the Blue Jays, hasn’t given up a homer in his last three starts, going 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA. The right-hander allowed two runs and struck out nine in six innings to earn a win in Toronto’s 10-2 victory over Oakland on Friday night. This is Morrow’s first start against the Indians. He’s 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in six relief appearances against them. Cleveland will counter with Fausto Carmona, who is coming off his worst start this season, surrendering six runs in six innings of a 9-3 loss to Minnesota on Friday night. The right-hander gave up three runs or fewer in each of his previous four outings. Carmona is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts versus the Blue Jays. Cleveland’s pitchers haven’t been getting much support. The Indians have been held to three or fewer runs in 16 of their 26 games. The four runs scored by Cleveland in the third inning were as many as it had in its previous 20 innings. The Indians were without shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, and he’s expected to miss the next couple of days due to a strained left quadriceps.

New York Mets vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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12:35 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

While a solo homer provides only one run, Rod Barajas is providing them at the most opportune times for the New York Mets. The catcher tries to extend his power surge Wednesday afternoon when the Mets wrap up their three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. A lifetime .238 hitter, Barajas joined the Mets - his fifth team - in the offseason after hitting 19 homers for Toronto in 2009. The journeyman has given New York some pop of late, hitting five homers in his last nine games. He leads the team with seven home runs overall, six with the bases empty. His go-ahead solo shot in the ninth broke a 4-all tie Tuesday as the Mets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory. Four of Barajas’ last five homers have either tied the game or given the Mets a lead.

While Barajas is 6 for 16 with four homers in his last five games, David Wright extended his hitting streak to eight games with a solo shot of his own in the fourth. The third baseman has driven in 10 of his team-high 20 runs in the last seven games. Neither player has ever gone deep against Reds scheduled starter Johnny Cueto, with Barajas 0 for 3 and Wright 2 for 8. Additionally, Cueto is coming off his first win after yielding two runs in five innings of a 3-2 victory over St. Louis on Friday. The right-hander did not resume pitching after a 2-hour, 32-minute rain delay in the middle of the sixth. Cueto has struggled versus the Mets, going 0-2 with a 9.60 ERA in three starts. In his only outing against them last season, he was reached for four runs and nine hits in five innings of a 4-0 loss. Jonathon Niese will try to send Cincinnati to its fourth loss in five games. The left-hander has only one win to show for three consecutive solid starts in which he has limited opponents to two earned runs in 18 innings while striking out 20.

Baltimore Orioles vs New York Yankees Live Streaming

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1:05 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

There are many reasons why the New York Yankees haven’t lost a season series to the Baltimore Orioles in well over a decade. Andy Pettitte’s dominance is among the biggest. Pettitte looks to win his seventh consecutive decision against lowly Baltimore and help the Yankees complete a three-game sweep Wednesday afternoon. With 232 career victories, Pettitte has had a good deal of success against nearly every team he’s faced in his 16 seasons, but there’s no opponent he’s enjoyed matching up against more than the Orioles. He is 26-6 with a 3.60 ERA in 40 games versus Baltimore - his most wins against any team. That dominance has only gotten stronger recently, as he’s 6-0 with a 3.14 ERA in his last eight starts against the Orioles.Pettitte will look to rebound Wednesday following his first disappointing start of the season. He allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings Friday against the White Sox, leaving with the game tied before the Yankees won 6-4. The veteran left-hander had surrendered only four runs in his first 28 innings.

Nick Markakis is one of the few Orioles to experience any success against Pettitte, going 11 for 32 with two home runs. Pettitte will try to follow the lead set by CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, who have limited the Orioles to one earned run in the first two games of this series. Burnett allowed one unearned run in 7 1-3 innings Tuesday night, and Francisco Cervelli went 3 for 3 with two runs scored in New York’s second straight 4-1 victory. New York has won the first two games of this series despite getting only two hits in 29 at-bats from the top four spots in its order. The Yankees appear on their way to winning the season series against the Orioles for the 12th time in 13 seasons, with the clubs splitting 18 games in 2007. New York has won four of five meetings in 2010, and is 24-6 in the past 30.

Detroit Tigers vs Minnesota Twins Live Streaming

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1:10 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

An important early-season series against the Minnesota Twins continues to get worse for the Detroit Tigers. In danger of being swept for the first time in 2010, the Tigers enter Wednesday’s contest at Target Field with heavy hearts following the death of longtime broadcaster Ernie Harwell. These teams jockeyed for first place in the AL Central last season, with Minnesota prevailing after winning a one-game tiebreaker. The Tigers had a chance to leapfrog the Twins into first this week, but have lost the first two contests of the three-game set to fall 2 1/2 games back. Detroit lost the middle game 4-3 on Tuesday night, learning of Harwell’s death shortly before the contest began. The Hall of Fame announcer, who called Tigers games for 42 years of his 55-year career and became one of the most beloved Michigan sports figures in history, died after a battle with cancer. He was 92.

Despite the sad news, Detroit made a strong comeback bid, getting a game-tying homer from Brennan Boesch in the top of the ninth. However, Twins shortstop J.J. Hardy saved a run later in the inning with a brilliant defensive play, then tripled and scored on a wild pitch in the bottom half. Minnesota has won three straight, batting .354 and scoring 22 runs. Now, the Twins will face Rick Porcello for the first time since his strong performance in the AL Central tiebreaker. Minnesota won that Oct. 6 game 6-5 in 12 innings, but Porcello limited the Twins to two runs and struck out eight in 5 2-3 innings. Porcello is 1-2 with a 2.79 ERA in five starts against the Twins. However, the 21-year-old right-hander is off to a terrible start after going 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA as a rookie last year. He is 1-2 with an 11.20 ERA in his last three outings. Porcello earned a win despite giving up five runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings against Los Angeles on Friday night, with the Tigers prevailing 10-6.

Texas Rangers vs Oakland Athletics Live Streaming

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3:35 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

Colby Lewis has played an unexpectedly significant role in the Texas Rangers’ pitching success. His performance with the Oakland Athletics three years ago hardly suggested he could be so effective. Coming off the most dominant start of his career, Lewis faces his former team Wednesday as the Rangers try to bounce back from a loss to the Athletics. Texas had won four straight before losing the middle contest of this three-game set 7-6 on Tuesday night. The Rangers’ lead over the A’s in the AL West slipped to one-half game. Texas has every reason to feel confident about its chances of rebounding with Lewis on the mound. He is off to an outstanding start after not having pitched in the majors since 2007, when he had a 6.45 ERA in one start and 25 relief appearances for Oakland. The right-hander’s last outing was particularly impressive. He surrendered three hits in nine innings Friday night before Texas beat Seattle 2-0 in the 12th. It was the longest career outing for Lewis, who retired 21 straight batters at one point and struck out 10 for the third time in five starts. Lewis is 2-0 with a 3.98 ERA in four starts against Oakland.

Another big game from Vladimir Guerrero would certainly help Texas give Lewis some run support this time. Guerrero hit a grand slam and had five RBIs on Tuesday, ending a string of seven games in which he didn’t drive in a run. The Rangers now face Trevor Cahill, who struggled in his first start of the season Friday night, surrendering eight runs in five innings of a 10-2 loss to Toronto. Cahill gave up three home runs after allowing a rookie franchise-record 27 last season. The 22-year-old right-hander was called up to pitch in place of Brett Anderson, who has a strained forearm. Cahill went 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA - his lowest against any AL opponent - in four starts versus the Rangers as a rookie. The A’s didn’t get a strong start from Vin Mazzaro on Tuesday, but reliever Andrew Bailey made sure they secured the victory. Bailey got the final four outs for his fourth save in as many chances.

St. Louis Cardinals vs Philadelphia Phillies Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

The Philadelphia Phillies announced earlier this week that Kyle Kendrick will stay in the rotation despite struggling mightily in four of his five starts. Facing the St. Louis Cardinals might give him a good chance to make that decision look like a wise one. Kendrick looks to shake off his early issues and improve to 4-0 against the Cardinals on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park as the two NL division leaders continue their four-games series. Kendrick has one outstanding start to his credit, pitching eight shutout innings at Atlanta on April 20, but his other four have been rather forgettable. The right-hander has an 11.49 ERA in those games, yielding six homers in 15 2-3 innings. He gave up four runs on three homers over five innings Friday in a 9-1 loss to the New York Mets, but on Sunday, manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee said they don’t plan to remove Kendrick from the rotation.

Keeping him in to face the Cardinals might prove to be a good move. Kendrick is 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts versus St. Louis - none since June 2008 - and he’s 9-2 lifetime against the NL Central leaders. Matt Holliday, Ryan Ludwick and Albert Pujols are a combined 3 for 22 against Kendrick, though Holliday and Ludwick have taken him deep. It was an extra-inning homer that ended Tuesday’s pitcher’s duel and allowed Philadelphia to even the series at one. After a fan ran on the Citizens Bank Park field for a second straight game and St. Louis tied the score at 1-all in the ninth, Carlos Ruiz’s leadoff blast in the bottom of the 10th gave the Phillies a 2-1 win. Philadelphia was held to four hits over eight innings against Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright, who delivered the rotation’s 13th consecutive quality start and extended the starting staff’s streak without allowing a homer to 21 games spanning 143 2-3 innings.

Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

The Chicago Cubs’ red-hot bats cooled off in their series opener against Pittsburgh, but Lou Piniella’s team figures to have a good shot at bouncing back immediately. The Pirates’ Charlie Morton takes the mound Wednesday night looking to lower his major league-worst ERA against the visiting Cubs, who had two rather contrasting experiences against the right-hander last season. Chicago came into PNC Park having scored 33 runs while taking three of four at home from Arizona, but didn’t generate much offensive momentum in the series opener. Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto hit solo homers off Paul Maholm, but Ryan Church’s two-run shot off Ryan Dempster proved to be the difference in the Pirates’ 3-2 win.

Soriano homered for the fourth straight game, a stretch in which he’s hit five total and driven in 11 runs. He’s struck out in all three career at-bats against Morton, but the right-hander didn’t have an easy time getting anyone out in five April starts. Morton’s ERA is the highest of any pitcher to have made at least four starts, but he felt he made some strides in his latest appearance. Only three of the six runs Morton allowed in Saturday’s 6-2 loss at Los Angeles were earned, and he struck out six over six innings. Morton had vastly different results in two starts against the Cubs last season, both at Wrigley Field. He allowed 10 runs and seven hits before being lifted without recording a second-inning out in a 17-2 loss on Aug. 14, but came back Sept. 30 to pitch his lone career complete game, striking out eight in a 4-0 victory. Morton’s opponent that day was Ted Lilly, who allowed four runs in seven innings to fall to 4-2 with a 4.02 ERA in 10 career starts against the Pirates.

Atlanta Braves vs Washington Nationals Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

Just when it seemed the Atlanta Braves were back on track, their struggles on the road continue to threaten their progress. The Braves look to avoid a ninth consecutive road loss when they continue their series with the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night. Coming off a brutal 0-7 road trip to New York and St. Louis, Atlanta bounced back by sweeping a three-game home set with Houston over the weekend. Even with some renewed confidence, the Braves were unable to carry it over and fell 6-3 at Washington on Tuesday to open a nine-game road swing. Atlanta, 3-11 away from Turner Field, is mired in its longest road losing stretch since dropping 10 straight Aug. 31-Sept. 14, 1996. The Braves have hit .228 and scored 17 runs during their eight-game road skid. Rookie Jason Heyward hit his eighth homer and Brian McCann had two hits with an RBI on Monday for the Braves, who’ve scored 12 runs during a five-game losing streak to Washington.

Heyward has bounced back from a 1-for-20 stretch by going 9 for 16 with four homers and eight RBIs in his last five games. After starter Kenshin Kawakami lasted just five innings in the series opener, the Braves hope for a longer outing from Tommy Hanson as he tries to continue his success against the Nationals. The right-hander has pitched into the seventh inning in all four career starts versus Washington, going 2-0 with a 2.28 ERA. Hanson, who had not lasted more than six innings in any of his first four starts this year, allowed two runs and struck out seven without a walk in eight innings of a 4-2 win over Houston on Friday.Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham are a combined 1 for 19 against Hanson, but each homered Tuesday as the Nationals avoided a third straight loss with their third win in four games at home. Dunn is batting .316 with four of his five home runs on the season in his last 10 games.

San Francisco Giants vs Florida Marlins Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

Barry Zito came into this season determined to stop worrying about his struggles over the three previous years with the San Francisco Giants and living up to his $126 million contract. Whatever Zito is doing has worked. The veteran left-hander seeks to build on the best April of his 11-year career and continue his recent dominance over the host Florida Marlins on Wednesday night. Zito has seemed to recapture the form that made him an AL Cy Young Award winner in 2002, and motivated the Giants to sign him to a seven-year deal Dec. 29, 2006. That contract led San Francisco fans to boo Zito lustily while he went 31-43 over his first three seasons after moving across the bay. Zito’s Aprils were particularly poor, as he was 2-11 with a 5.48 ERA in the first month during those seasons. Two years ago, he dropped his first eight decisions.

The Giants will gladly take this version of himself. Zito is on his longest winning streak since a six-game run in 2006. He lasted eight innings for the second straight outing Friday, allowing two runs and five hits in a 5-2 home win over Colorado. Zito has also posted a 0.68 ERA while winning his last four starts against the Marlins. Two of those came last season, including a 2-1 victory in Florida on June 5. Meanwhile, Marlins left-hander Nate Robertson ended April with a pair of losses. He gave up five runs, five hits and four walks over four innings in each outing, including a 6-4 home loss to San Diego on April 28. Robertson didn’t have much luck in his only career start against the Giants, a 4-0 loss for Detroit on June 17, 2005. The Marlins fell short Tuesday night in their attempt to win a season-high third straight, dropping the series opener 9-6 in 12 innings. San Francisco’s Aaron Rowand tied it with a solo homer with two outs in the ninth, setting the stage for Aubrey Huff to hit the go-ahead two-run single three innings later. Huff has six RBIs in his last four games.

Los Angeles Angels vs Boston Red Sox Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

Four games below .500 and mired in their longest losing streak in more than three years, the Los Angeles Angels could use a stopper. Unfortunately for them, John Lackey is now in the opposing dugout. Seeking to avoid a sixth straight loss, the Angels will face their former ace for the first time Wednesday night as they continue their four-game set against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Angels, who have won the AL West three straight years and five of the last six, suddenly look quite vulnerable. They’ve dropped the first five contests on a 10-game road trip, including a 17-8 rout to the Red Sox on Monday and a 5-1 defeat Tuesday. If they lose again Wednesday, they’ll be off to their worst start since opening 11-18 in 1994. This is already the Angels’ longest skid since April 12-18, 2007, when they dropped six in a row including a three-game sweep at Fenway.

It’s tough to overstate Lackey’s importance to the Angels. He ranks in the top five in franchise history in starts, wins, strikeouts and innings pitched, and was the winning pitcher in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series to clinch the Angels’ only title. Lackey has been solid but not dominant thus far in Boston. The right-hander has yielded three runs or fewer in four of his five starts, but opponents are hitting .307 off him. He limited the Orioles to three runs - two earned - in seven innings Friday, but failed to earn a decision as the Red Sox lost 5-4 in 10 innings. Boston will also take its hacks against a former teammate, albeit not one who made a major impact during his Red Sox tenure. Joel Pineiro posted a 5.03 ERA in 31 relief appearances for Boston in 2007, eventually getting traded to St. Louis for a minor leaguer.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Houston Astros Live Streaming

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8:05 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

It’s been 10 days since Brett Myers earned his first win with the Houston Astros. His team hasn’t celebrated a victory since. Myers will try to help the NL’s worst club avoid a season-high ninth straight loss Wednesday night when they continue a four-game series with the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. Myers allowed two runs and scattered 11 hits over six innings April 25 in a 10-3 home win over Pittsburgh. That victory helped Houston sweep the Pirates and get off to a 5-1 start on its previous homestand. The Astros, though, dropped their final three games in that stretch, suffered a three-game sweep in Atlanta and have opened a seven-game homestand with back-to-back losses to the Diamondbacks. After getting blown out 9-1 in the series opener, Houston’s foundering offense struggled again in a 1-0 loss Tuesday—its fourth shutout loss this season. Justin Upton drove in the lone run on a 447-foot homer in the third inning. The Astros have scored a major league-low 73 runs, only 13 during their losing streak and three in their four games this month.

Myers could use a little more help against Arizona, which has scored an NL-best 154 runs and will try for a season-high third straight win Wednesday. He’s 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in five career starts against the Diamondbacks and gave up seven runs over five innings in his previous matchup, an 8-3 loss for Philadelphia on May 8, 2008. The right-hander got only two runs in a 4-2 defeat in Atlanta on Friday, yielding home runs to heralded Braves rookie Jason Heyward and Nate McLouth. His counterpart in Wednesday’s game, right-hander Rodrigo Lopez, made only one big mistake in his previous start, an 11-5 loss Friday in Chicago. Lopez was charged with an error when he collided with first baseman Adam LaRoche on a missed pop fly in the sixth inning. That paved the way for Alfonso Soriano’s go-ahead, three-run homer.

Kansas City Royals vs Chicago White Sox Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

Kansas City has fared well against Chicago at U.S. Cellular Field of late. It’s been even better against Freddy Garcia. The visiting Royals look to continue their success against the veteran right-hander when they try for a series win Wednesday night against the White Sox. A day after being held to six hits in a 5-1 loss to Chicago, Kansas City pounded out 16 in a 7-2 win Tuesday to even the three-game set. Though Tuesday’s contest snapped Chicago’s four-game home winning streak, the Royals are 6-5 at U.S. Cellular Field since the start of the 2009 season when they won two of the three series played there. Kansas City has a good chance to take another series from the underachieving White Sox with Garcia on the mound. Garcia’s rarely seemed to pitch well against the Royals, going 8-13 with a 6.03 ERA in 25 career starts versus Kansas City, including 0-7 with a 7.40 ERA in his last eight. Garcia allowed four runs in six innings but didn’t factor in the decision of a 6-4 loss at New York on Friday.

Former White Sox outfielder Scott Podsednik had two hits Tuesday and is 3 for 9 with two RBIs in the series. After Luke Hochevar allowed one run and three hits over six innings Tuesday, the Royals hope Brian Bannister can give them another strong start in this contest. Bannister gave up one run and two hits in a season-high seven innings, but didn’t factor in a 3-2 win at Tampa Bay on Friday. The right-hander is 3-4 with a 7.61 ERA in 12 starts against the White Sox. Chicago’s A.J. Pierzynski, 11 for 26 with two home runs against Bannister, homered Tuesday. Juan Pierre added two hits for the White Sox, who’ve alternated wins and losses in their last six games. Though Pierzynski is batting .210 this season, he’s 6 for 16 in his last four games overall and hitting .446 in his last 17 versus the Royals. Dropped from the leadoff spot last week, Pierre could be back there for the time being after going 3 for 7 with three runs scored from that spot in the series.

Colorado Rockies vs San Diego Padres Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

Aaron Cook’s road struggles from the end of last season have carried over to this one. Facing the San Diego Padres could help him turn things around. Looking to continue his dominance over the Padres, the Colorado right-hander again goes for his first victory away from home Wednesday night as the Rockies try to win their first road series of 2010. Cook has been a different pitcher in 2010 depending on where he pitches. In the familiar surroundings of Coors Field, Cook is 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA in two starts. Away from home, he’s 0-3 with an 8.79 ERA. Cook, however, has a chance to end that skid against San Diego. Though the Padres are the surprise leaders in the NL West and rallied to even the series with a 3-2 win Tuesday, Cook is 13-4 with a 2.33 ERA in 21 starts against them. He’s 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last five at Petco Park. The Rockies hope Cook can continue that success as they try to win their first road series since taking two of three at Arizona from Sept. 18-20. Colorado, which won 5-2 in the series opener Monday, is 6-9 away from Coors Field this season. Despite their history against Cook, the Padres should have some momentum heading into the finale after scoring twice in the final two innings to erase a 2-1 Colorado lead Tuesday.

Chase Headley, who’s 5 for 13 lifetime against Cook, delivered the game-winning hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth for the Padres’ sixth win in eight games. After Wade LeBlanc gave up two runs in six solid innings Tuesday, the Padres hope Clayton Richard can build on his first win of the season when he takes the ball in this contest. The left-hander allowed four runs and tied a career high with eight strikeouts in six innings of a 3-0 win over Milwaukee on Friday. Richard is 0-1 with a 4.00 ERA in three starts versus the Rockies. The loss came after he gave up three runs in seven innings of a 7-0 defeat at Colorado on April 9.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Seattle Mariners Live Streaming

Tampa Bay Rays vs Seattle Mariners Live | Tampa Bay Rays vs Seattle Mariners | Tampa Bay Rays vs Seattle Mariners Streaming | Tampa Bay vs Seattle MLB Live Stream | Tampa Bay Rays vs Seattle Mariners Live Webcast

10:10 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

Cliff Lee’s first game with the Seattle Mariners couldn’t have gone much better, except for the result. After falling short of a win last time out, the left-hander will try to help his team avoid a season-high fifth straight defeat Wednesday night by winning his fifth consecutive start over the Tampa Bay Rays. After missing most of the season’s first month with a lower abdominal injury, Lee made his long-awaited debut Friday night at home against Texas. The 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner lived up to billing by scattering three hits and striking out eight over seven innings, but the Mariners fell 2-0 in 12 innings. In his next start, the left-hander draws a difficult task in trying to shut down the best team in the majors. With a 5-2 win in Tuesday night’s series opener, the Rays improved to 19-7 - the best start in the majors since the 2005 Chicago White Sox opened 24-7.

Tampa Bay’s start is impressive given its 10-1 start on the road. Evan Longoria led the way by belting his fourth homer in six games and went 3 for 4 to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. The Rays third baseman is 19 for 39 during that streak and is third in the AL with a .364 average. Wakamatsu, meanwhile, had to hold an afternoon meeting to stress better fundamentals from his hitters before Tuesday’s loss. The Mariners have batted .215 during a 2-8 stretch and scored six total runs during their four-game losing streak. That’s not the best way to head into a matchup with Tampa Bay right-hander Matt Garza, who has helped the Rays post an AL-best 2.97 ERA - just ahead of Seattle’s 3.28.After suffering his first loss, Garza bounced back Thursday by scattering five hits and striking out a season high-tying nine over six innings in an 11-1 win over Kansas City.

Milwaukee Brewers vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live Streaming

Milwaukee Brewers vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live | Milwaukee Brewers vs Los Angeles Dodgers | Milwaukee Brewers vs Los Angeles Dodgers Streaming | Milwaukee vs LA Dodgers MLB Live Stream | Milwaukee Brewers vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live Webcast

10:10 pm EDT Wed May 5, 2010

The Milwaukee Brewers’ longest road trip of the season couldn’t have started much worse for the offense, which totaled two runs while losing three of the first four games. A trip up the Southern California coast seems to have ignited the lineup. After routing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the series opener, the Brewers look to continue the hot hitting Wednesday night against Chad Billingsley. Milwaukee hit two solo homers in San Diego. While that was enough to earn a 2-1 win Saturday, the Brewers got shut out by the Padres in the other three games over the weekend. The Brewers, who have twice scored at least 17 runs this season, returned to potency in Los Angeles. Prince Fielder and Gregg Zaun homered and Ryan Braun doubled in three runs in Milwaukee’s nine-run second inning Tuesday, paving the way to an 11-6 victory. It was just the third homer for Fielder, who had 46 last year but is now batting .232 and has four hits in his last 28 at-bats.

Billingsley will try to get the Dodgers back on track, which is what he’s done individually over his last two starts. The right-hander posted a 7.07 ERA in his first three outings, but allowed one run in six innings April 25 at Washington, then held Pittsburgh to two runs over six innings in a 6-2 win Friday. Billingsley is 2-0 with a 4.26 ERA in three starts against the Brewers. He’s limited Milwaukee to a .191 average, but has walked 10 in 19 innings. Fielder and Ryan Braun are a combined 2 for 12 against Billingsley, though Fielder has four walks. Milwaukee may need another big offensive night with Doug Davis on the hill. The veteran left-hander’s has a 5.14 lifetime ERA in April, but has been worse than usual early this season. Davis thought he had turned a corner April 24, when he allowed two runs over 6 1-3 innings against the Chicago Cubs, but he was hit hard again Thursday in San Diego, surrendering six runs and eight hits over four innings of a 9-0 loss.

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