Sports World: 07/16/10

Philadelphia Phillies vs Chicago Cubs Live Streaming

Friday, July 16, 2010

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2:20 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

The Chicago Cubs had a great start to the second half of the season, but it might be too late to keep left-hander Ted Lilly in town. With the trade deadline looming and the Cubs well out of playoff contention, Lilly could be making one of his final starts with the team Friday when Chicago tries to win back-to-back games at Wrigley Field for the first time in nearly a month. Trailing NL Central-leading Cincinnati by 9 1/2 games coming out of the All-Star break, Chicago opened its season-high 10-game homestand Thursday night with a 12-6 victory over Philadelphia, which had won four straight overall and five in a row at Wrigley Field. Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano and Starlin Castro each had three hits and Aramis Ramirez added a season high-tying four RBIs.

Chicago, which owns one of the worst home records in the NL at 21-23, will look to win consecutive home games for the first time since June 16 and 17 as Lilly tries to focus on the Phillies’ lineup rather than the growing number of questions about his future with the team. A free agent following the season, the veteran left-hander is a prime candidate to be dealt to a contending club prior to the July 31 trade deadline. He wasn’t very successful getting hitters out in his last outing, allowing seven runs and seven hits in Friday’s 9-7 loss at the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is 0-2 with a 12.19 ERA in his last two starts. He has lost his last four starts against Philadelphia, posting an 8.55 ERA during those games. The Phillies will give the ball to Joe Blanton, who was saved a loss in his last outing when his offense rallied for six ninth-inning runs Friday in a 9-7, 10-inning victory over the Reds. The right-hander was tagged for six runs and 12 hits over 5 1-3 innings.

Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Indians Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

In three of the previous four seasons, the Detroit Tigers have come out of the All-Star break as a contender for the AL Central title. Lackluster play, however, cost them the chance to finish atop the standings. The sting of last season’s missed opportunity is especially fresh, but the Tigers hope to put that behind them with a run to their first division title in 23 years, beginning with Friday night’s opener of a four-game road series against the last-place Cleveland Indians. The Tigers were 48-39 and held a 3 1/2-game lead over Chicago at last season’s before going 38-37 in the second half. That allowed Minnesota to catch them on the season’s final day and force a one-game playoff, which the Twins won 6-5 in 12 innings in Minneapolis.That was reminiscent of 2006 when Detroit went 36-38 after the break and gave up the lead to the Twins on the season’s final day. The Tigers, however, ended up with the wild card and won their first pennant since 1984 before losing in the World Series to St. Louis. The following season, Detroit had a slim lead over Cleveland at the break, but faded with a 36-40 record and finished eight games back.

The Tigers resume play set to battle Chicago and Minnesota for the title but could use better performances on the road, where they are 16-25. They split their only two games in Cleveland on May 8-9, but are 8-3 there since the beginning of last season and 20-6 overall against the Indians. Manager Jim Leyland said pitching could prove to be another key, and Max Scherzer’s continued resurgence might help.The right-hander will attempt to extend his career-best win streak to five on Friday, and is 5-2 with a 2.44 ERA since being recalled from Triple-A Toledo on May 30. He was sent there May 15 after going 1-4 with a 7.29 ERA in his first eight starts with the team, including a 7-4 loss on May 9 in Cleveland. He gave up five runs and nine hits over five innings in his only career start against the Indians, but he’ll face a different team in this outing. That could help Scherzer end a four-game road skid.

Houston Astros vs Pittsburgh Pirates Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

The Houston Astros were the worst team in the NL at the end of May, but since then, the Pittsburgh Pirates have had that title all to themselves. The Pirates’ dreadful past two months have them on pace for their most losses since 1952, but they’ll hope to start the second half with some momentum when they open a 10-game homestand Friday night against the Astros. Houston was entrenched in the NL Central cellar after going 17-34 through May 31, but it’s gone 19-19 since then as Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman have bounced back from poor starts. The Pirates’ 21-31 start, on the other hand, has turned far worse despite the June call-up of top prospects Brad Lincoln, Jose Tabata and Pedro Alvarez. Pittsburgh is 9-27 since June 1, and after being swept in consecutive road series heading into the All-Star break, the team is on pace for 107 losses, its most since a 42-112 finish in 1952.

Turning it around against the Astros could be a tall order. Pittsburgh has lost nine consecutive series to Houston, getting outscored 33-13 in two three-game sweeps at Minute Maid Park this season. Brett Myers is a good candidate to help keep the Astros perfect versus the Pirates in 2010. The right-hander is the only pitcher in the majors to last six innings in every start this season, extending his club record to 18 straight as he beat St. Louis on Saturday by giving up a run and five hits over eight innings in a 4-1 win. Myers is 0-3 with a 4.76 ERA in three starts at PNC Park, and road struggles are nothing new to him. He’s 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA at Minute Maid Park, but 1-6 with a 4.37 ERA away from home. The Pirates welcome Zach Duke back to the rotation for the first time since June 16, hoping his strained left elbow has fully recovered. The left-hander was 0-4 with an 8.18 ERA in his last four starts before going on the disabled list, but he surrendered two runs over seven innings in two rehab starts with Double-A Altoona.

Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

The New York Yankees will resume play after the All-Star break mourning two of the most important people in the history of the storied organization. In the wake of the deaths of venerable public address announcer Bob Sheppard and bombastic owner George Steinbrenner, the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays begin a weekend series pitting baseball’s best teams on Friday night in the Bronx. New York leads Tampa Bay by two games in the powerful AL East, but all thoughts of baseball were put aside with the passing of the 99-year-old Sheppard on Sunday and the 80-year-old Steinbrenner on Tuesday. Sheppard started with the Yankees in April 1951 and worked his last game at Yankee Stadium in September 2007, when he became ill with a bronchial infection. He passed away in his Long Island home just months short of his 100th birthday. Sheppard was known for his stylish, elegant stadium introductions. Current captain Derek Jeter liked his so much that he had Sheppard record it for his at-bats to this day.

Two days later, the Yankees lost the iron-fisted Steinbrenner, who owned the team since 1973 and presided over seven of the club’s record 27 World Series titles. Known as “The Boss,” Steinbrenner was feared for his hands-on management style yet also revered by his players. The Yankees will wear patches on their uniforms for the remainder of the season to honor Steinbrenner and Sheppard. Many people associated with the Yankees felt it was fitting that Steinbrenner lived to see New York end a nine-year championship drought in 2009. New York is counting on strong starting pitching in its bid to repeat, and ace CC Sabathia has certainly delivered. Sabathia has posted a 1.81 ERA in winning all eight starts since the beginning of June. He has given up four earned runs over his last 38 2-3 innings, allowing one over seven frames in Sunday’s 8-2 win at Seattle.

Toronto Blue Jays vs Baltimore Orioles Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

The Baltimore Orioles toiled through much of the first half of this season en route to the worst record in the major leagues, but headed into the All-Star break with some momentum. In their first game back, the Orioles will try to earn a season-high fifth consecutive win and end a six-game losing streak to the sliding Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night. While Baltimore is on pace to eclipse its franchise-worst 107-loss season in 1988, it’s coming off a surprising four-game sweep of the AL West-leading Rangers in Texas. The Orioles hit eight home runs while outscoring the Rangers 23-12, and their bullpen didn’t yield an earned run for the fifth straight game in Sunday’s 4-1 victory. Those kind of performances could help manager Juan Samuel, who took over for the fired Dave Trembley on June 4, shed the interim tag. Eric Wedge, Buck Showalter and team announcer Rick Dempsey are among those being considered as manager.

Winning five straight for the first time since June 17-21, 2009, would help the Orioles’ desire to improve, and they start a season-high, 10-game homestand against a Toronto team that’s dropped 14 of 18 on the road. The Blue Jays will also open the second half without Alex Gonzalez, who was tied for fifth in the AL with 43 extra-base hits and had 17 of Toronto’s major league-leading 136 home runs. He was traded to Atlanta on Wednesday for Yunel Escobar in a swap of shortstops, and as part of a five-player deal. While Gonzalez was hitting .259 with 50 RBIs, Escobar has struggled following a career year with a .238 average, no homers and 19 RBIs. General manager Alex Anthopoulos, however, is hopeful Escobar can return to the form that saw him bat .299 with career-best 14 home runs and 76 RBIs last season.

Washington Nationals vs Florida Marlins Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

After surviving a daunting schedule that included trips to Puerto Rico and the West Coast, the Marlins are finally set to play their first game in Florida in nearly three weeks. Waiting for them there will be one of baseball’s most highly touted pitchers. Seeking their first win in Miami in nearly a month, the Marlins will face Stephen Strasburg in the opener of a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Friday night. Florida hasn’t played at home since losing to San Diego on June 27 and hasn’t won in Miami since beating Tampa Bay on June 20. Since losing to the Padres, the Marlins hosted the Mets for a three-game series in Puerto Rico before embarking on a 10-game trek that took them to Los Angeles and Arizona. Florida won five of the final eight contests on the trip, including Sunday’s 2-0 victory over the Diamondbacks.

The Marlins now play their next 10 at home - a stretch team president David Samson said will likely determine if Florida is a buyer or seller at baseball’s trade deadline. The Marlins are known for playing in front of sparse crowds at Sun Life Stadium, but they’ll likely see a boost in attendance with Strasburg scheduled to start. People have flocked to watch Strasburg pitch, and for the most part, the phenom has lived up to the hype. In an 8-1 win over San Francisco last Friday, Strasburg allowed one run and three hits with eight strikeouts in six innings for his first victory since June 13. The hard-throwing right-hander, who turns 22 next Thursday, had only gotten one total run of support in going winless his previous four starts. Dunn is 10 for 20 with five home runs and 10 RBIs in his last five games, but 3 for 17 lifetime against scheduled starter Ricky Nolasco. This will be Strasburg’s first start against the Marlins, against whom the Nationals have split their first six games. Washington, 2-13 away from the nation’s capital since June 1, has lost 13 of 16 in Florida, though.

Colorado Rockies vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

The Colorado Rockies can’t say they’re a division leader like the Cincinnati Reds as baseball’s second half gets under way, but there was a major difference in the way the teams came into the All-Star break. The NL’s hottest club in July, the Rockies head into Friday night’s visit to Cincinnati hoping a few days off didn’t slow them down, while the Reds want to believe a four-day break was all they need to snap their four-game slide. Cincinnati has a slim lead on St. Louis atop the NL Central, but it didn’t go into the break looking like a playoff contender. The Reds closed the first half by dropping a four-game set in Philadelphia, including consecutive 1-0 contests heading into the break. The Rockies certainly fell under Baker’s hate-to-break category, as they won eight of 10 to open July. Colorado had its six-game winning streak snapped Sunday with a 9-7 loss to San Diego, but cut its deficit behind the Padres from five to two during its 10-game homestand.

The Rockies have averaged seven runs in July largely thanks to outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, who hit .409 with five homers to help compensate for the absences of Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton. While All-Star starter Ubaldo Jimenez has been perhaps the biggest key to the Rockies’ success, the pitcher following him in the rotation has been better since the beginning of June. Jimenez’s ERA has risen from 0.78 through May 31 to 4.63 ever since while Jason Hammel has simply improved. Hammel was 2-3 with a 6.93 ERA on June 1, but he’s 5-0 with a 2.05 ERA since. The right-hander held San Diego to two runs over 6 1-3 innings in a 4-2 win Saturday.

Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

A minor knee injury isn’t likely to keep Josh Hamilton from raising his batting average even higher Friday night. After moving into the top spot in that category, Hamilton will likely remain in the lineup following a scare as the Texas Rangers continue their four-game series with the injury-riddled Boston Red Sox. Texas ended a four-game losing streak in its first contest following the All-Star break, beating Boston 7-2 on Thursday night to maintain a comfortable lead in the AL West. After going 1 for 3 in the All-Star game, Hamilton had three hits versus the Red Sox to take over the league lead with a .351 batting average. But the slugger left in the seventh with a sore right knee after leading off the inning with his third double of the game. Hamilton is hitting .350 with two homers, seven doubles and 11 RBIs in 10 games at Fenway Park. His latest performance against the Red Sox helped the Rangers come out of the break strong after they were swept at home in a four-game series by major league-worst Baltimore.

Boston, meanwhile, continues to struggle. The Red Sox have lost six of eight, with injuries continuing to be a major problem. Regular starters Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Beltre, Victor Martinez and Jacoby Ellsbury were all out of the lineup. Beltre seems to be the closest to returning. He was able to play in Tuesday’s All-Star game after tweaking his left hamstring Sunday at Toronto. Beltre is batting .330 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs. The Red Sox, who have been held to five runs over their last two games, now have to contend with Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis. Lewis has a 1.59 ERA in winning his last two road starts, striking out 19 in 17 innings. He was at home for his last outing, surrendering three runs while striking out eight in six innings to earn a win in Texas’ 4-3 victory over Cleveland on July 8. Lewis has not received a decision in two career starts versus the Red Sox, posting a 4.09 ERA.

Milwaukee Brewers vs Atlanta Braves Live Streaming

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7:35 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

Superior pitching is a major reason the Atlanta Braves own the best record in the NL. The Milwaukee Brewers are quite familiar with it, too. Tommy Hanson looks to turn in another stellar performance on the mound as the Braves try to extend their winning streak over the Brewers to six Friday night. This is the first time since the end of 2003 the Braves have had the best record in the league at this date or later. They’re also building a comfortable lead atop the NL East. Atlanta’s pitching has contributed to its strong play of late. The staff has a 2.05 ERA during an 8-3 run that continued with a Thursday’s 2-1 win over Milwaukee in the opener of this four-game series. The Braves also improved to a major league-best 31-10 at home.The Braves’ staff owns a 2.00 ERA during a five-game winning streak against the Brewers.

Hanson dominated Milwaukee in winning 8-2 in his last start against them May 10. The right-hander threw eight scoreless innings while striking out eight and yielding four hits. Hanson, who is 1-1 with a 3.42 ERA in three games against the Brewers, is entering this meeting in impressive form, going 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 12 1-3 innings over two starts. Even if Hanson struggles, the Braves have one of the best bullpens in the league with a 3.16 ERA while holding opponents to a .224 average. That’s a big reason Atlanta is 40-1 when leading after seven innings, tying Los Angeles and Florida for the NL’s best record in that scenario. The relievers are 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA in the last 11 games, and closer Billy Wagner has converted six of seven save chances behind a 1.13 ERA in eight appearances. He pitched a perfect ninth for his 21st save Thursday. The Brewers, who mustered six hits Thursday, have dropped three of four on the road while being outscored 14-2 in the defeats.

Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

Although the Kansas City Royals slumped into the All-Star break, they’re still playing significantly better than earlier this year. Zack Greinke’s return to the rotation should only help. Scratched from his last start, Greinke looks to win his fifth straight decision Friday night against the Oakland Athletics as they face the Royals for the first time this season. After opening 12-23 under manager Trey Hillman, Kansas City is 27-26 since Ned Yost took over on May 14. The Royals had won 10 of 13 before getting swept in a three-game series last weekend to AL Central-leading Chicago. Kansas City was outscored 28-8 - including 15-5 in Sunday’s finale. Still, the team still went into the break with a sense of optimism. DeJesus leads the Royals in hitting at .326, and the team ranks first in the majors with a .282 batting average. Greinke will be taking the hill on nine days rest. The right-hander was slated to start Sunday, but was replaced for precautionary reasons because of soreness in his back right shoulder.

He hasn’t pitched since allowing an unearned run and two hits while striking out nine in seven innings of a 3-2 win in Seattle on July 6. Though he hasn’t duplicated his AL Cy Young Award-winning season from 2009, Greinke is 4-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his last five starts after going 1-8 with a 4.05 ERA in his first 13. Greinke also is 4-0 with a 2.98 ERA in seven career starts against Oakland. While the Royals have improved, Oakland has struggled in recent weeks. The A’s were 28-24 and atop the AL West on May 31, but have lost 22 of 37 since to drop well behind first-place Texas. They managed to take two of three from the Angels last weekend, including a 5-2 win Sunday. Injuries have played a big role in Oakland’s struggles, as three pitchers in the team’s original rotation are on the disabled list. While Justin Duchscherer is out of the year, Dallas Braden and Brett Anderson are expected to return shortly.

Chicago White Sox vs Minnesota Twins Live Streaming

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8:10 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

The Chicago White Sox’s remarkable run put them atop the AL Central at the All-Star break. They added to their division lead in their first game back. Looking to become the first team in nine years to post two winning streaks of at least 10 games in the same season, Chicago continues its four-game set Friday against the Minnesota Twins, who will be without All-Star first baseman Justin Morneau. In third place and 9 1/2 games back of the previous division leader Minnesota on June 8, the White Sox won 25 of 30 to take a one-half game division lead over Detroit heading into the break. Chicago pushed its winning streak to nine and moved a full game ahead of the idle Tigers as it opened a 10-game trip Thursday with an 8-7 victory over Minnesota.

The White Sox, who won 11 straight from June 15-26, will try to become the first team with two double-digit winning streaks in the same season since the 2001 St. Louis Cardinals, who had undefeated stretches of 10 and 11 games. The Twins, meanwhile, have dropped seven of nine and will be without Morneau until at least July 23 after placing him on the disabled list Thursday with a concussion. Facing Gavin Floyd might not be the best way for the reigning division champs to avoid their first four-game slide at Target Field. The right-hander is trying to win a fourth straight start for the first time in his career. Floyd has surrendered one run or fewer in six of seven starts, and the White Sox have won the last five times he’s taken the mound. Francisco Liriano has not enjoyed this type of success lately. The AL pitcher of the month in April, Liriano is 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA in his last five outings. The left-hander gave up a career high-tying seven runs and lasted just 1 2-3 innings in Friday’s 7-3 loss at Detroit.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals Live Streaming

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8:15 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

The St. Louis Cardinals didn’t close the first half of the season on a positive note. Their second half got off to a much better start. The Cardinals try to maintain their home-field edge over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night when the teams continue their four-game series. After dropping seven of 11 heading into the All-Star break, St. Louis returned to the field Thursday with a 7-1 victory over the Dodgers. Pitching on his longest rest of the season, right-hander Chris Carpenter threw eight innings of four-hit ball as the Cardinals improved to 18-4 at Busch Stadium in this matchup since the beginning of the 2004 season. While Carpenter and Adam Wainwright have anchored the Cardinals’ staff as expected, rookie left-hander Jaime Garcia has given the club a surprising lift after earning the fifth spot in the rotation out of spring training.

Garcia, who is among the major league leaders in ERA, has allowed just four homers in 99 2/3 innings and has been dominant in seven home starts, going 3-1 with a 1.20 ERA.This will be Garcia’s first start against the Dodgers, against whom he earned his first career win Aug. 5, 2008, when he threw an inning of scoreless relief in a 6-4, 11-inning victory. While the Cardinals look to continue their push back toward first place, Los Angeles will try to keep pace in a crowded NL West, where 3 1/2 games separate the top four teams. The Dodgers will give the ball to Chad Billingsley, who will seek his fourth straight road win. Billingsley, 1-2 with a 4.73 ERA in five starts against the Cardinals, walked a season high-tying four but struck out nine in last Friday’s 9-7 home win over the Chicago Cubs. It was the right-hander’s first victory since May 26.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Diego Padres Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

While the San Diego Padres believe they have established themselves as a contender, the Arizona Diamondbacks are clearly looking to the future. The best and worst teams in the NL West begin a three-game set Friday night when the Padres host the Diamondbacks. San Diego and Arizona finished with the worst records in the division last season, and not much was expected from either team in 2010. It was anticipated that both clubs would be looking to trade high-priced veterans at this point, with San Diego slugger Adrian Gonzalez a prime candidate to be dealt - as Jake Peavy was in 2009. The Padres have defied the low expectations, moving into first place on April 20 and falling out of the top spot a total of only three days since. They lead Colorado and Los Angeles by two games, and Gonzalez is unlikely to be traded.

Now that the Padres have convinced their ownership they can contend, they want to finish the job. The Diamondbacks already have undergone major changes this season. General manager Josh Byrnes and manager A.J. Hinch were fired July 2 before a 10-game homestand in which Arizona won three games. Interim manager Kirk Gibson insists the club is playing better than it did under Hinch. With Arizona expected to make more changes, one player who could be dealt will take the mound Friday. Dan Haren, who is 0-3 with a 3.67 ERA in his last five outings, may be one of the top pitchers available with the trade deadline nearing. However, he has a 4.47 ERA after the All-Star break since the start of 2006, compared to 2.63 before it. The right-hander beat the Padres on opening day by allowing one run over seven innings in a 6-3 victory, improving to 5-1 with a 3.04 ERA in 12 career starts against them. Gonzalez is 10 for 35 with 10 strikeouts against Haren.

Seattle Mariners vs Los Angeles Angels Live Streaming

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10:05 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

A new rule prohibited Jered Weaver from pitching in the All-Star game. Felix Hernandez, meanwhile, would have been available to take the mound, and it would have been a well-deserved appearance. Four days after being denied a chance to play in that game in front of his home crowd, Weaver looks to remain unbeaten versus the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium as he leads a Los Angeles Angels team that faces a daunting test against Hernandez on Friday night. Weaver received his first All-Star nod, but was held out of the American League’s 3-1 loss at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night. He was restricted by a rule that keeps anyone from pitching in the All-Star game after starting Sunday. Los Angeles gave Weaver his normal five days’ rest entering a matchup with Seattle. The right-hander is 5-0 with a 2.30 ERA in seven home starts against the Mariners.

But Weaver has been struggling, posting a 6.57 ERA en route to losing his last two outings. In his last start, Weaver surrendered five runs in six innings of a 5-2 loss to Oakland. Weaver did strike out seven, giving him the major league lead in that category with 137. Hernandez’s 131 strikeouts put him third on that list. Despite an excellent first half, Hernandez failed to make his second straight All-Star game. Hernandez has been particularly sharp in recent weeks, going 4-0 with a 1.39 ERA in his last six starts. He has tossed nine innings four times over his last five outings. The right-hander is coming off his fourth complete game of the season, striking out nine in a 4-1 win over the Yankees on Saturday night. But Hernandez’s worst start of the season came against the Angels. He surrendered eight runs in 3 1-3 innings of an 8-0 defeat May 7. Hernandez is 4-6 with a 4.40 ERA in 18 starts versus Los Angeles. The Angels had little trouble against Mariners pitching in the opener of this four-game series, winning 8-3 on Thursday night. Los Angeles entered the break with eight losses in 10 games, scoring two runs or fewer in each of the defeats.

New York Mets vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming

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10:35 pm EDT Fri Jul 16, 2010

The San Francisco Giants picked up where they left off before the All-Star break. That may only continue against the struggling New York Mets. The Giants look for their eighth win in nine games Friday night when they continue their four-game home series against the ailing Mets. Following a season-high seven-game slide, San Francisco won seven of nine entering the All-Star break. The Giants returned from the layoff Thursday with a 2-0 win over New York behind ace Tim Lincecum’s six-hitter. San Francisco is fourth in the NL West, but only 3 1/2 games behind first-place San Diego. The Mets appear to be heading in the opposite direction. They’re five games behind East-leading Atlanta after starting their season-high 11-game road trip Thursday by getting six hits - all singles. New York has dropped four of its last five, totaling three runs in the four defeats.

The Mets’ lineup could get a lift if Jose Reyes can return. A late scratch Thursday due to lingering pain in his side, Reyes is having a hard time overcoming an injury he suffered during batting practice June 30, and has sidelined him for seven of 11 games plus Tuesday’s All-Star game. If Reyes is able to play Friday, it would be the first time New York has had both its regular shortstop and Carlos Beltran in the lineup together since May 20, 2009, due to a series of injuries to both. Beltran was 1 for 4 Thursday in his season debut following right knee surgery. Giants starter Barry Zito has won just once in his last 10 starts, but taking the mound at AT&T Park on Friday could help him get back on track. The left-hander is 1-3 with a 5.19 ERA in his last 10 outings, but 1-0 with a 2.73 ERA in four home games during that stretch. On the season, Zito is 5-1 with a 2.83 ERA in nine games in San Francisco.

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