Sports World: 07/10/10

Boston Red Sox vs Toronto Blue Jays Live Streaming

Saturday, July 10, 2010

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1:07 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

The Boston Red Sox didn’t need to return home to end their losing streak. A trip north of the border served them just as well. The Red Sox seek their eighth consecutive win in Toronto on Saturday when they continue their weekend series against the Blue Jays. Boston has won seven straight games at Rogers Centre - four of them in 2010, including a pair of spectacular offensive performances. The Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 13-12 on April 26, an offensive output that was tied for their best this season until Friday’s series opener. Boston arrived in Toronto having scored 12 runs during a four-game losing streak. The Red Sox exceeded that total in the first four innings Friday, jumping to a 13-0 lead en route to a 14-3 victory. Bill Hall had three hits, four RBIs, and one of Boston’s four homers along with Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Beltre, and Mike Cameron.

John Lackey will hope to benefit from similar offensive support and give the Red Sox three 10-game winners - along with Friday’s winner Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz - heading into the All-Star break. The right-hander failed to earn his 10th win Sunday against Baltimore, giving up four runs - three earned - and eight hits in 7 1-3 innings of a 6-1 defeat that started Boston’s losing streak, but he displayed good command, striking out seven and walking one. Lackey didn’t fool many Blue Jays on May 10 at Fenway Park, yielding six runs in six innings, but got credit for a 7-6 win because Toronto starter Brandon Morrow was worse. Morrow, who will oppose Lackey again Saturday, set a Blue Jays record by walking five batters in one inning as the Red Sox scored four runs in the second. The right-hander yielded six runs with three hits and six walks in 1 2-3 innings. Morrow had been pitching well recently, but he saw his string of seven starts allowing three earned runs or fewer snapped Sunday. He surrendered five runs, nine hits and one walk in six innings of a 10-inning, 7-6 loss at the New York Yankees.

Atlanta Braves vs New York Mets Live Streaming

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4:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

Tim Hudson and Mike Pelfrey may have been considered solid candidates to make the NL All-Star team. Only Hudson got the nod, and Pelfrey’s latest effort made his omission appear justified. Hudson will try to add to the Atlanta Braves’ NL East lead over the New York Mets, who hope Pelfrey can rebound from his worst performance of the season when the rivals continue their series at Citi Field on Saturday. Hudson was one of five Braves named to Tuesday’s All-Star game, thanks in part to ranking among the league leaders in ERA. The right-hander was 6-1 over his first 11 starts but is 2-3 in his last six despite reaching at least the seventh inning each time. He’s one of the reasons the Braves lead the East by season-high four games over the second-place Mets after a 4-2 win in Friday’s series opener. Hudson, 3-1 with a 4.30 ERA in four starts versus the Mets, was a hard-luck loser Sunday, allowing three runs in eight innings of a 3-2 home defeat to Florida.

The right-hander was outstanding in his first 16 games of 2010, going 10-2 with a 2.71 ERA and also recording his first career save. However, he’s 0-1 with a 10.61 ERA in his last two outings and suffered what appeared to be an All-Star snub. The day after being left off the NL roster, Pelfrey turned in his worst effort of the year in Monday’s 8-6 loss to Cincinnati. He suffered a meltdown in the fifth inning after a call was changed from a strikeout to a hit batter with the bases loaded, and gave up five more runs before exiting with two outs. Pelfrey wound up allowing seven runs, nine hits and four walks in 4 2-3 innings. Pelfrey will now try to focus on improving upon his 6-1 record and 2.83 ERA in 10 starts at Citi Field. That includes a rain-shortened 1-0 win over the Braves on April 25, when he allowed five hits in five innings. He beat them again at Atlanta on May 17, yielding two runs in 7 2-3 innings of a 3-2 victory.

Chicago Cubs vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live Streaming

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4:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

The Chicago Cubs are helping the Los Angeles Dodgers overcome their recent struggles at Chavez Ravine. Trying for a third consecutive victory, the Dodgers look to continue their home success over the Cubs on Saturday afternoon. Los Angeles had lost seven of nine at Dodger Stadium prior to winning the first two of its four-game set with Chicago this weekend. Russell Martin hit a three-run homer and Andre Ethier had three hits with two RBIs in the a 9-7 victory Friday. The Cubs, who swept Arizona to open a seven-game trip, have lost seven of nine at Dodger Stadium. Chicago has not won a series in Los Angeles since 2006. The Dodgers are trying for a ninth win in 12 games overall. Los Angeles is tied with Colorado for second place in the NL West, two games behind San Diego. Batting .322 and slated to start in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, Ethier is hitting .378 with five RBIs in his last nine games.

James Loney is 4 for 7 with two RBIs in the series and 15 for 30 in his last eight games. Los Angeles rookie John Ely will face the Cubs for the second time Saturday. He allowed a run and four hits in 7 1-3 innings of a 1-0 loss at Wrigley Field on May 27. Ely has not been nearly as effective over the last month, going 1-4 with a 6.32 ERA in six starts. In the shortest outing of his career, he gave up six runs and nine hits in 2 2-3 innings of a 6-5 loss to Florida on Monday. The right-hander is 0-3 with a 9.24 ERA in his last three starts at Dodger Stadium. The Cubs turn to Tom Gorzelanny as they try to get back on track. Despite giving up a season-high six walks, Gorzelanny allowed three runs in five innings of a 9-4 win over the Diamondbacks on Monday for his first victory since May 19. The left-hander is 1-1 with a 5.16 ERA in four starts against the Dodgers. He was roughed up in his last outing versus Los Angeles, giving up seven runs in five innings of an 8-5 loss May 26.

Minnesota Twins vs Detroit Tigers Live Streaming

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4:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

A nine-game homestand for the Detroit Tigers has shifted the tight AL Central race in their favor, but the margin for error is minimal. Hoping to hold onto first place, the Tigers look for a 17th victory in 19 games at Comerica Park as they continue a three-game series against the sputtering Minnesota Twins on Saturday. Detroit entered this month in second place in the division, 1 1/2 games back of Minnesota. The club has used a 6-1 start to a nine-game homestand to move atop the Central, one-half game ahead of second-place Chicago and three games in front of the Twins. Owners of the best home record in the AL at 31-12, the Tigers have batted .326 and averaged 6.2 runs while winning 16 of 18 at Comerica Park. Detroit showed no signs of slowing Friday, opening this series with a 7-3 win over Minnesota. Though the victory came against the team that won the Central title last year by beating the Tigers in a one-game playoff, manager Jim Leyland feels each game should be treated equally.

While the Tigers are rolling at home, the Twins have dropped eight of 10 on the road and could be without Justin Morneau again. Morneau might miss a third game after suffering a mild concussion when he was accidentally kneed in the head during Wednesday’s 6-5 loss at Toronto. The first baseman is among league leaders with a .345 average, 18 homers and 56 RBIs, and he’s hitting .360 in seven games against the Tigers. Detroit starter Jeremy Bonderman will try to capitalize on Morneau’s potential absence in an effort to rebound from one of his worst performances of the season. The right-hander gave up seven runs and nine hits, including two homers, and had his outing cut short when he was ejected after the fifth for arguing with the home plate umpire in an 8-1 loss to Seattle on Sunday.Bonderman is 2-1 with a 3.98 ERA in eight games - six starts - against the Twins at Comerica Park. He beat them at Minnesota on June 28, yielding four runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 7-5 win. The Twins will turn to Nick Blackburn, owner of the league’s highest ERA among qualifying pitchers.

Cincinnati Reds vs Philadelphia Phillies Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

The Philadelphia Phillies seem to be inspired by winning back-to-back extra-inning games against the Cincinnati Reds. They’ll send Roy Halladay to the mound Saturday night after completing an amazing comeback to take the first two games of this four-game set at Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia saw closer Brad Lidge blow a ninth-inning lead in Thursday’s opener before Brian Schneider came through with a 12th-inning homer for a 4-3 victory. Cincinnati took a 7-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth Friday before the Phillies answered with six runs, winning 9-7 on Ryan Howard’s two-run homer in the 10th. The Reds continue to struggle at Philadelphia, dropping four straight and 10 of 13. Howard’s homer capped his first three-hit game since June 16 and ended a wild night. While facing Halladay probably won’t be easy, one of the NL-leading 27 comeback wins the Reds have enjoyed during this resurgent season came against him in a 4-3 victory June 30.

The Phillies held a 3-0 lead before the Reds rallied with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to set up Jay Bruce’s two-run homer in the eighth off the ace right-hander. Halladay went the distance and allowed a career-high 13 hits, falling to 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA in three career outings versus the Reds. He claimed only homers by Bruce and Joey Votto were hit well. Halladay bounced back with his major league-leading seventh complete game - a five-hitter Monday in a 3-1 win over Atlanta. The Reds will counter with rookie Travis Wood making his third career start. Wood allowed two runs over seven innings in his major league debut in a 3-2, 10-inning win over the Chicago Cubs on July 1. He pitched on three days’ rest Monday when Aaron Harang was scratched and allowed five runs over 4 2-3 innings in an 8-6 victory over the New York Mets. The left-hander was the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2009. He went 5-6 with a 3.12 ERA with Triple-A Louisville, posting a 0.63 ERA in his last four starts.

Kansas City Royals vs Chicago White Sox Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

Two months into the season, Gavin Floyd was struggling badly on a troubled Chicago pitching staff. Heading into the All-Star break, Floyd is leading a resurgent rotation that has helped the White Sox climb into the thick of the AL Central race. Floyd looks to win three straight starts for the first time in two years and lead surging Chicago to a seventh consecutive victory Saturday night against the Kansas City Royals. After being 9 1/2 games out of first place on June 8, the White Sox have won 23 of 28 to pull within one-half game of division-leading Detroit. An 8-2 win over the Royals in Friday’s series opener was Chicago’s sixth in a row overall, and 12th in 13 games at U.S. Cellular Field. Exceptional pitching has keyed the turnaround. Chicago had the AL’s second-worst ERA on June 8 at 4.85, but has recorded a major league-leading 2.38 ERA since. Floyd had posted a 1.23 ERA in six starts during that stretch - a remarkable improvement from the 6.64 ERA he compiled through his first 11 outings.

The right-hander has yielded one run or none in five of his last six starts. The lone outing in which he allowed more came in Kansas City on June 29, when he gave up three runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 4-3 win. Floyd followed that performance by allowing one run in seven innings of a 9-2 home victory over the Angels on Monday. He has won back-to-back starts for the first time since last July, and is trying to win three consecutive outings for the first time since Aug. 20-31, 2008. Floyd’s victory in Kansas City snapped a six-game losing streak to the Royals. He had surrendered 11 runs and 23 hits over 12 1-3 innings while losing his first two starts against Kansas City in 2010. Floyd’s batterymate A.J. Pierzynski hit two homers and drove in four runs Friday after batting .167 with one RBI in his previous 12 games. The catcher is batting .419 with two home runs and five doubles in 31 career at-bats against probable Royals starter Brian Bannister.Carlos Quentin, who returned Friday after sitting out the previous three games with a sore left knee, is 5 for 12 with two homers off the Kansas City right-hander.

St. Louis Cardinals vs Houston Astros Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was understandably discouraged after his team was swept in a particularly disheartening series earlier this week. The opener of a set against the Houston Astros, however, gave La Russa reason for optimism. The Cardinals look to build on a dominant performance and close the gap on first place in the NL Central as they continue a three-game series Saturday night in Houston. St. Louis came into this series after dropping three straight in Colorado, blowing late leads in the first two and failing to keep pace with Cincinnati in the race for the Central title. The Cardinals, though, rebounded in strong fashion Friday night, routing the Astros 8-0 behind eight strong innings from Adam Wainwright and big performances from Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols, each of whom homered and drove in three runs.

Though the Cardinals have lost four of seven, they’ve batted .285 and averaged 6.1 runs in that stretch. Holliday has been a major catalyst lately, batting .389 with four homers, eight RBIs and six runs scored over his last four games. However, he’s hitting .185 against the Astros this season after batting .394 against them in 2009. Holliday’s struggles helped Houston win four of its first six meetings with St. Louis before Friday, when the Astros were shut out for the ninth time this season and third time in seven games. Houston is 1 for 39 with runners in scoring position over the last seven contests. The Astros will try to bounce back behind Brett Myers, who has set a franchise record by lasting at least six innings in each of his first 17 starts to begin a season. Myers limited San Diego to two runs and four hits in six innings Saturday, failing to get a decision as Houston lost 3-2 on a walk-off single.

San Francisco Giants vs Washington Nationals Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

Just when the San Francisco Giants’ offense was starting to come around, their bats were silenced by one of the majors’ most highly touted pitchers. The Giants seem to have a good chance of getting back on track Saturday night when they face the Washington Nationals and Craig Stammen, who is coming off one of his worst outings of the season. After scoring 36 runs in sweeping a four-game series in Milwaukee, San Francisco—11th in the NL with 375 runs—was shut down by Stephen Strasburg in an 8-1 loss Friday. The rookie phenom limited the Giants to one run and three hits while striking out eight in six innings, and the Washington bullpen allowed just one more baserunner. San Francisco’s lone run came on Andres Torres’ leadoff homer. That kept a dubious streak intact for the Nationals, who have allowed a first-inning run in nine consecutive games. Stammen gave up two first-inning runs against the Mets on Sunday and allowed seven runs, eight hits and three walks in 3 1-3 innings of a 9-5 loss.

The right-hander has allowed at least five runs in three of his last six starts, and opponents are hitting .302 off him this season. Stammen didn’t receive a decision against the Giants on May 27 after giving up three runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 5-4 loss. In addition to Strasburg’s gem Friday, the Nationals received another solid performance from Adam Dunn. The slugger homered twice, giving him five in the last three games for Washington, which has won three of four. Dunn, tied for the NL lead with 22 homers, is 8 for 17 with three homers, five RBIs and seven runs in four games against the Giants this season. However, he is 1 for 7 lifetime against scheduled starter Jonathan Sanchez. Sanchez struggled with his command against the Brewers on Monday, issuing six walks and throwing three wild pitches in six innings. The left-hander also allowed five hits but only one run in a 6-1 victory, his third win in four decisions.

Cleveland Indians vs Tampa Bay Rays Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

Matt Garza’s cameo as a closer went well, but Tampa Bay hopes he can get back on track in his more familiar starting role. Making his third appearance this week, Garza tries to help the Rays bounce back from their second loss this month Saturday night against the visiting Cleveland Indians. After winning his previous two starts, Garza allowed four runs and threw 84 pitches in three innings of a 6-5 win over Boston on Monday. However, because of that short outing and with All-Star closer Rafael Soriano needing a day off, Garza earned his first career save by getting two outs to close Wednesday’s 6-4 win over the Red Sox. Back in the rotation, the right-hander looks to improve on his 1-4 record and 5.59 ERA against Cleveland.To do that, Garza will have to cool off Cleveland’s Jayson Nix. The versatile Nix homered for the sixth time in seven games to help the Indians snap Tampa Bay’s six-game winning streak with a 9-3 win Friday.

After scoring six runs during a three-game skid, Cleveland broke out to snap a six-game losing streak at Tropicana Field. Acquired by the Indians after being released by the White Sox late last month, Nix has given a boost to a Cleveland lineup without injured hitters Grady Sizemore, Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo. Two of Nix’s three hits in 23 career at-bats against Tampa Bay have been home runs. After All-Star Fausto Carmona held the Rays to two runs in 6 2-3 innings and helped the Indians even the four-game set, Aaron Laffey looks for a solid outing of his own Saturday. The left-hander is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA in three starts since being recalled from the minors. He allowed two runs in 4 1-3 innings of a 9-3 win at Texas on Monday.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Milwaukee Brewers Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

Despite a pair of rare victories at Miller Park earlier this season, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ prolonged struggles on the road could again prove beneficial to the scuffling Milwaukee Brewers. After rallying to snap a five-game losing streak in the series opener, the Brewers look to continue their home success over the Pirates on Saturday night. Ryan Braun’s two-out single in the 10th inning gave Milwaukee a 5-4 win Friday. The Brewers rallied from a late two-run deficit to win for the fifth time in 14 games. Milwaukee improved to 6-3 this season against the Pirates, who have lost four straight overall and 22 of 24 on the road. Pittsburgh, 11-36 away from home, has dropped 25 of 28 at Miller Park, where it ended a 22-game skid and earned consecutive victories in April. The Pirates had a chance for a third straight win in Milwaukee on Friday, but the Brewers scored a run in the eighth and ninth to force extra innings.

Hitless in 19 at-bats before a sixth-inning single, Braun finished with two hits. Braun is 15 for 39 with 10 RBIs in nine games against the Pirates this season. Fellow All-Star Corey Hart hit his 20th home run for the Brewers. The subject of trade rumors, Hart is batting .347 with 21 RBIs in his last 24 games. The Brewers hope Dave Bush can provide another solid start Saturday after going 2-1 with a 2.13 ERA in his last four. The right-hander allowed a run in six innings but didn’t factor in the decision of a 6-1 loss to San Francisco on Monday. Bush is 4-3 with a 3.96 ERA in 12 starts against the Pirates. He allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings of an 8-1 win at Pittsburgh on April 20. Andrew McCutchen homered and drove in two runs Friday for the Pirates. Despite Pittsburgh’s struggles in Milwaukee, McCutchen is batting .389 with four homers and 10 RBIs in seven career games at Miller Park.

Baltimore Orioles vs Texas Rangers Live Streaming

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8:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

Because the Texas Rangers haven’t been to the playoffs in over a decade and are still seeking their first World Series appearance, there is no time like the present for them to make a serious run. Adding the hottest pitcher in baseball should help them do that. All-Star Cliff Lee will make his Rangers debut Saturday night against the Baltimore Orioles one day after a blockbuster trade sent him from last place to first. Already holding a 4 1/2-game lead in the AL West, the Rangers made a major move Friday to hopefully assure themselves of the franchise’s first postseason appearance since 1999 by acquiring Lee from Seattle as part of a six-player deal. The move came as something of a surprise with Texas involved in bankruptcy proceedings and dealing with an unsettled ownership situation. Lee cost the Rangers rookie first baseman Justin Smoak - one of the top prospects in the majors - and three minor leaguers.

If Lee pitches anything like he did with Seattle, Texas will be more than happy with the trade. The 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner had been brilliant for the Mariners after overcoming an abdominal injury that sidelined him most of April. He is 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts, leads the AL with five complete games and has the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio in the majors. The ace left-hander nearly became the first pitcher since Roy Halladay in 2008 to throw four straight complete games before settling for a dominant eight-inning performance Sunday in an 8-1 win at Detroit. He allowed one run and nine hits with one walk and matched a career high with 11 strikeouts in improving to 7-1 in his last nine starts.Lee is 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA in five starts against the Orioles, giving up two runs over 14 1-3 innings in the last two. Although Lee will be facing the worst team in baseball, Baltimore has rallied from 4-0 deficits to win the first two games of this series. The Orioles got a two-out, game-tying grand slam from Corey Patterson in the ninth inning Friday before Jake Fox’s leadoff homer in the 10th gave them a 7-6 victory.

San Diego Padres vs Colorado Rockies Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

The Colorado Rockies continue to pull out exciting victories on this homestand, and they could finish it with a share of first place in the NL West. The Rockies look to win a season-high sixth straight game Saturday night when they continue their series against the first-place San Diego Padres. Colorado has used late rallies in three of the previous four nights to prevail, and Friday’s 10-8 victory over San Diego was no exception. Ian Stewart’s second home run of the game was a two-out, go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning that capped a five-run rally after the Padres held an 8-5 lead. The Rockies already used a nine-run ninth inning to beat St. Louis 12-9 on Tuesday and won 8-7 the next night after being down by three runs in the eighth inning. The Rockies - 7-1 on this 10-game homestand - moved within two games of the Padres, and can pull even with a sweep. Colorado is 7-3 against San Diego this season.

Colorado last won six straight during an eight-game run from Sept. 4-11, 2009. Stewart finished with a career-high six RBIs on Friday and All-Star center fielder Carlos Gonzalez continued his surge with a homer among his three hits. Gonzalez is 17 for 48 with six homers and 14 RBIs over his last 11 games. Adrian Gonzalez homered for the first time in 19 games against the Rockies. He’s been a big reason for the Padres’ problems in the season series, going 8 for 36 with five of his team-high 56 RBIs and 12 strikeouts. San Diego’s top hitter is 3 for 17 in his career against Colorado starter Jason Hammel, who is 5-0 with a 2.09 ERA in eight starts since his last loss May 21. Hammel earned a decision for the first time in six starts against the Padres on June 29 by yielding three runs in six-plus innings in a 6-3 victory. The right-hander gave up two runs over seven innings Sunday in a 4-3, 15-inning victory over San Francisco. He’s 5-0 with a 2.15 ERA in his last seven outings at home.

Florida Marlins vs Arizona Diamondbacks Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

Although the Florida Marlins have a winning record on their lengthy trip, they haven’t mustered much offense lately. They appear to have a good chance of getting things turned around Saturday night when they face the Arizona Diamondbacks and Ian Kennedy, who tries to avoid losing his fifth consecutive start. With a 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks on Friday, the Marlins won for the fourth time in six games and moved to 6-5 on a trip that started in Puerto Rico on June 28. Florida plated 17 runs in winning its first two games over the Mets in San Juan, but has averaged 3.6 runs in the nine contests since. The Marlins have had plenty of scoring opportunities in that stretch, but they’ve left 64 men on base while batting .192 with runners in scoring position. Power-hitting second baseman Dan Uggla drove in two runs Friday with a pair of singles, but neither was well hit. A bloop single in the third inning gave Florida a 1-0 lead and his broken-bat infield hit in the seventh put the team up 3-2.

Uggla, batting .462 with two homers and 10 RBIs in his last 10 games, and the other Marlins should have better luck making solid contact against Kennedy, who has already allowed 18 homers - tied for seventh-most in the majors. Kennedy was tagged for a career-worst seven runs and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 9-4 loss to the Cubs on Monday, his first start since walking nine in a 5-3 loss in Tampa Bay nine days earlier. Kennedy has posted a 7.61 ERA in losing his last four starts, yielding at least six runs in three of his last six outings. This will be Kennedy’s first career appearance against the Marlins, who counter with Nate Robertson. After making only six starts last season because of various injuries and a stint in the bullpen, Robertson appears to be tiring, going 2-2 with a 7.12 ERA in his last six starts. Against the Dodgers on Monday, the left-hander gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings of a 6-5 win.

Los Angeles Angels vs Oakland Athletics Live Streaming

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9:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

A visit to Oakland was just what the Los Angeles Angels needed to end a losing streak. Challenging in the AL West, however, has just been made tougher. The Angels look to win consecutive games for the first time this month by continuing their road dominance of the Athletics on Saturday night. Los Angeles halted a four-game losing streak Friday when Erick Aybar connected for a solo homer in the 10th inning to clinch a 6-5 win at Oakland in the opener of this three-game set. The victory was just the Angels’ second in eight contests after winning 19 of their previous 28. Los Angeles is 4 1/2 games behind AL West-leading Texas, which bolstered its division-title hopes Friday by adding ace Cliff Lee in a trade from Seattle.

While Lee is scheduled to make his Rangers debut Saturday, the Angels will try to continue their road dominance of the A’s. They’ve won 12 of the last 15 meetings in Oakland. Having Scott Kazmir take the mound at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum may keep Los Angeles rolling there. The left-hander is 5-1 with a 1.49 ERA in six starts at Oakland, and he’s 7-2 with a 2.48 ERA in his last 10 overall meetings with the A’s. Kazmir won in Oakland again June 7, allowing one run in 6 1-3 innings of a 4-2 victory. However, he hasn’t been nearly as effective in his last three starts, posting a 10.43 ERA and losing them all. Kazmir yielded two runs in the first five innings Monday at Chicago, but allowed five in the next 1 1-3 before being pulled in a 9-2 loss. He matched season highs by serving up three homers and walking five.

New York Yankees vs Seattle Mariners Live Streaming

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10:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 10, 2010

The New York Yankees may have caught a break by not having to face Cliff Lee in this series, but Saturday night they’ll still have to face the last starter to beat them. The Yankees hope to extend their season-high winning streak to eight when they take on Felix Hernandez and try to hand the punchless Seattle Mariners a sixth straight loss. New York had been slated to face Lee on Friday, but Seattle dealt the ace left-hander to Texas before the game along with reliever Mark Lowe for rookie first baseman Justin Smoak and three minor leaguers. The Yankees had also been interested in Lee, and reportedly had a deal in place. The Yankees may not have obtained Lee, but eventually took advantage of facing emergency starter David Pauley in a 6-1 victory. Mark Teixeira homered from both sides of the plate and Phil Hughes threw seven solid innings to become the third New York starter to reach 11 victories.

New York has not won eight in a row since a nine-game run May 13-21, 2009. Seattle - last in the AL with 292 runs - has scored 11 during its five-game skid. While the Mariners are clearly rebuilding, Hernandez is now the unquestioned ace. He has certainly pitched like one over his last five outings, going 3-0 with a 1.48 ERA. One of his victories in that span was a two-hitter in a 7-0 rout of New York on June 30, when he struck out a season-high 11. The right-hander improved to 3-3 with a 3.61 ERA in six career starts against New York, with two straight complete-game victories. Hernandez lasted seven innings Monday and yielded two runs in a 6-4, 10-inning loss to Kansas City. Yankee hitters Teixeira and Curtis Granderson have solid averages against Hernandez, but Alex Rodriguez - still three homers shy of 600 - is 2 for 10 with no homers.

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