Sports World: 07/17/10

Philadelphia Phillies vs Chicago Cubs Live Streaming

Saturday, July 17, 2010

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1:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

A lack of clutch hitting was a main cause for the Chicago Cubs’ first-half woes, but Aramis Ramirez has done his best to try to help change that since the All-Star break. The third baseman will try to stay hot as Chicago continues its four-game home series with the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. The Cubs were among the NL’s worst in scoring runs and hitting with runners in scoring position before the All-Star break but returned Thursday night with a 12-6 rout of the Phillies. Ramirez hit a pair of two-run doubles to help his team go 4 for 11 with runners in scoring position to start its season-high 10-game homestand. He had three hits in a 4-3 victory Friday, including the tie-breaking homer with two outs in the eighth inning. All-Star outfielder Marlon Byrd, batting .417 in his last 10 games, also hit a tying two-run shot in the sixth. After batting .178 in his first 56 games, Ramirez is 16 for 33 with five homers, 13 runs scored and 14 RBIs over his past eight. Eleven of his hits over that span have gone for extra bases.

The Cubs third baseman had batted .195 in his previous 21 games against Philadelphia entering the series, but he’ll try to keep rolling in Randy Wells’ first matchup with the two-time defending NL champs. Wells could use the help as he’s been given an average of 2.4 runs over his last 13 outings and gone 1-7 with a 5.11 ERA. He’s posted a 2.18 ERA in his last three starts but managed one win.The right-hander gave up three runs and six hits over seven innings July 8 but was on the wrong end of a 3-2 defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his attempt to bounce back, he’ll try to deny Phillies starter Cole Hamels a fourth straight win over Chicago. Hamels enters this matchup fresh off his first win in five starts, 1-0 over Cincinnati on Sunday. After posting a 5.04 ERA over the previous four games, the left-hander yielded six hits over 7 2-3 innings. Hamels hasn’t faced the Cubs since Aug. 28, 2008, but is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA in five career matchups.

Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Indians Live Streaming

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1:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

A doubleheader against the last-place Cleveland Indians gives the Detroit Tigers an excellent opportunity to move back into first place in the AL Central. Winning on the road, however, has been an issue all season for them. The Tigers will send the red-hot Justin Verlander to the mound when they open a day-night doubleheader against the Indians on Saturday. Detroit had won six of eight against Cleveland before a series-opening 8-2 loss Friday. Miguel Cabrera(notes) had an RBI single in the defeat to extend his career-best hitting streak to 20 games. The outcome was especially frustrating because the Central-leading White Sox, who are one game ahead of Detroit, had their nine-game win streak snapped at Minnesota later Friday. While the Tigers have won 20 of 27 overall against the Indians, they are just 16-26 on the road this season. Detroit has been outscored 82-43 while losing nine of 12 away from home.

Sending Verlander to the mound in the opener should help the Tigers’ confidence. The Detroit ace will be looking to win his fourth straight start and move into a tie for the AL lead in wins. Verlander gave up two runs and struck out seven in 5 1-3 innings of a 7-3 win over Minnesota on Friday. It was only the second time in his last 13 starts he failed to make it through the sixth inning. Verlander has won five straight decisions against Cleveland. He gave up three runs and struck out nine in six innings of a 6-4 win at Progressive Field on May 8. Fausto Carmona counters for the Indians in the afternoon game. Carmona gave up two runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings of a 9-3 win over Tampa Bay last Friday for his third straight quality start. The right-hander is 6-3 with a 3.34 ERA in 13 starts against the Tigers, but is 0-2 in his past five outings against them, receiving five runs of support in those games. He limited Detroit to two earned runs over eight innings of a 3-0 loss June 2.

Los Angeles Dodgers vs St. Louis Cardinals Live Streaming

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4:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

Even with Manny Ramirez in the lineup, the Los Angeles Dodgers might have trouble scoring runs off St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright. That challenge could get even more difficult without the slugger in the mix. The Dodgers could be minus Ramirez as they try to avoid a third straight loss to Wainwright and the Cardinals on Saturday at Busch Stadium. St. Louis has outscored Los Angeles 15-5 to win the first two games of this series. Looking for a fourth straight victory overall, the Cardinals could face a Dodgers lineup without Ramirez after he was removed in the first inning of Friday’s 8-4 loss because of tightness in his right calf. Batting .317 with eight homers and 39 RBIs in 61 games, Ramirez had been on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring injury before being activated Thursday. He is day-to-day and is expected to be re-evaluated Saturday.

With or without Ramirez, the Dodgers will face a tough task against Wainwright, who has allowed one run and struck out 20 in 23 1-3 innings to win his last three starts. The All-Star right-hander limited Houston to six hits in eight innings of an 8-0 win July 9, in his final outing before the break. Wainwright is 2-3 with a 3.86 ERA in six starts against Los Angeles. He allowed four runs and a season-high five walks in six innings of a 4-3 loss at Dodger Stadium on June 9. Wainwright’s battery mate Yadier Molina homered and drove in four runs Friday, matching his RBI total from his previous 25 games. Molina is 4 for 8 with five RBIs in this series, bouncing back from a 7-for-71 stretch. Matt Holliday, who is 3 for 5 with four walks in this series, is 7 for 17 against scheduled Los Angeles starter Hiroki Kuroda, who will look to avoid a third straight loss. The right-hander has given up 10 runs over 8 2-3 innings in his last two outings. He allowed four in seven innings of a 4-0 loss to Florida on July 7.

Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees Live Streaming

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4:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

Sheer emotion might help lead the New York Yankees to a winning series as they continue to mourn the passing of owner George Steinbrenner. The same day the Steinbrenner family is scheduled to hold a private funeral for the longtime owner in Florida, the Yankees try for a third straight victory Saturday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. A few hours after a pregame ceremony honored Steinbrenner, who died of a heart attack at age 80 on Tuesday, the AL East-leading Yankees opened up a three-game lead over Tampa Bay by rallying for a 5-4 win Friday. Nick Swisher hit a tying home run in the eighth, then singled home the winning run in the ninth as the Yankees won for the ninth time in 10 games. While Steinbrenner’s funeral will be held Saturday in Tampa, Fla., more ceremonies will take place during Old-Timers Day at Yankee Stadium. Playing their first series in 37 1/2 years without their blustery owner, the Yankees have a chance to further distance themselves from the second-place Rays. The teams have split six games against each other in 2010, and have 12 remaining.

Swisher went 3 for 5 with three RBIs on Friday. The All-Star is 11 for 25 with three home runs in his last six games and 7 for 19 with two homers against the Rays this season. The Yankees turn to A.J. Burnett as he tries for a third straight strong start. Burnett has allowed two runs in 13 2-3 innings over his last two outings. Both runs came in seven innings of a 6-2 win at Oakland on July 7. It was Burnett’s first victory since May 30. The right-hander is 12-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 23 starts against Tampa Bay. However, he allowed six runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 10-6 home loss to the Rays on May 19. Evan Longoria is 11 for 30 against Burnett. The Tampa Bay All-Star went 1 for 4 with an RBI on Friday. Carl Crawford, who had two hits in the opener, is a lifetime .340 hitter versus Burnett. Tampa Bay’s Jeff Niemann comes out of the break to face New York for the first time this season. He is 1-0 with a 2.93 ERA in three starts against the Yankees.

Houston Astros vs Pittsburgh Pirates Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

The Houston Astros insist that Carlos Lee shake off some rust before returning to the lineup. Against Ross Ohlendorf and the Pittsburgh Pirates, he may not need much time to get back on track. With Lee likely to be back, the Astros look to remain unbeaten against Ohlendorf and win their eighth straight against the Pirates on Saturday night. Houston held Lee out of the lineup as it opened this three-game set with a 5-2 win Friday night. Lee missed the team workout the previous day, and manager Brad Mills feels it is necessary for the veteran slugger to participate in baseball exercises before he plays his first game following the All-Star break. Lee, the Astros’ cleanup hitter, leads the team with 45 RBIs and has 12 home runs. He is batting .382 with five homers and 20 RBIs in his last 14 games versus the Pirates. Even without Lee, Houston improved to 7-0 against Pittsburgh this season. The Astros have outscored the Pirates 38-15 in that stretch.

Houston is coming off its first game with former star Jeff Bagwell as its hitting coach, scoring five runs or more for just the third time in its last 10 games. Second baseman Jeff Keppinger, 7 for 13 over his past three games, drove in three runs, including one with a groundout in the first inning. Now Houston looks to take advantage of another matchup with Ohlendorf, who has lost all six of his starts against the Astros, posting a 6.68 ERA. Though he pitched well enough to win, Ohlendorf lost to Houston in his last outing. The right-hander gave up two runs in seven innings of a 2-0 road loss July 8. Ohlendorf has delivered three straight strong outings, going 1-1 with a 0.90 ERA. Houston will counter with Bud Norris, who struggled in his last start, giving up five runs in 7 2-3 innings of an 8-0 loss to St. Louis on July 9. He has surrendered at least five runs in seven of his last nine outings.

Toronto Blue Jays vs Baltimore Orioles Live Streaming

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7:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

No matter how well the Baltimore Orioles have played of late, it still hasn’t been enough to beat the Toronto Blue Jays. The visiting Blue Jays look for an eighth straight victory over the Orioles on Saturday night. Baltimore swept a four-game set at AL West leader Texas heading into the break, but the Orioles fell 4-2 to Toronto on Friday. The Blue Jays are 7-0 against Baltimore this season, including 4-0 at Camden Yards. Toronto, 1-8 at Camden Yards in 2009, has not won eight straight over the Orioles since Sept. 18, 2002-June 23, 2003. Aaron Hill had three hits and homered for the second time in as many games, while shortstop Yunel Escobar went 1 for 4 in his Blue Jays debut. Escobar was acquired by Toronto in a five-player deal with Atlanta on Thursday. Though Hill is hitting .196 with 13 home runs, he is 6 for 15 with three homers and four RBIs in four games against the Orioles this season. Toronto hopes the All-Star break will help Brandon Morrow finally get a road victory.

The right-hander is 0-5 with a 6.80 ERA in nine starts away from home and winless on the road since Sept. 12. The former reliever gave up five runs and five walks in five innings of his only start against the Orioles, a 7-6 win at Baltimore on April 9. Morrow went 2-1 with a 1.32 ERA during a five-start stretch, but is 0-1 6.75 ERA in his last three. He has allowed five runs in each game, including his latest in four innings of a 9-5 win over Boston last Saturday. Baltimore counters with right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, who will try for his first victory since May 25.Guthrie, 0-6 with a 6.32 ERA in his last eight starts, allowed four runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 6-4 win at Texas on July 8. His winless stretch started by giving up four runs in six innings of a 6-1 loss at Toronto on May 30. Guthrie is 2-5 with a 3.74 ERA in 12 starts against Toronto.

Milwaukee Brewers vs Atlanta Braves Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

Tim Hudson and the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves have been nearly unbeatable at Turner Field, but they’ve been vulnerable there recently. Hudson looks to help the Braves begin re-establishing their home dominance Saturday night when they face the Milwaukee Brewers. Atlanta leads the division by five games over the Mets, partly due to owning the best home record in baseball at 31-11. However, the Braves are 5-4 in the last nine at Turner Field, batting .234 with three homers and averaging 3.3 runs in that span. They lost at home again Friday, falling 9-3 to Milwaukee after opening this four-game set with a 2-1 victory a day earlier. Hudson is 5-2 with a 1.85 ERA in seven home starts, but lost his most recent outing there July 4. The right-hander allowed three runs in eight innings of a 3-2 defeat to Florida. The three-time All-Star responded with a stellar effort on the road six days later, limiting the Mets to four hits in seven innings of a 4-0 win.

Hudson hasn’t won consecutive games since a personal three-game winning streak May 11-21. That stretch started with an 11-3 victory over Milwaukee, during which Hudson overcame a career high-tying six walks to yield one run in six innings. He’s 3-2 with a 2.98 ERA in seven starts against the Brewers. The Braves might be without Jones after he sustained a mild left hamstring strain Friday when he hit a popup with the bases loaded in the seventh inning. He went 0 for 3 in the loss, but is hitting .476 with four homers and eight RBIs in his last seven games against the Brewers. Jones said there’s a 50 percent chance of him playing Saturday. Milwaukee’s offense has come alive lately, batting .300 with nine homers and 25 runs during a 4-1 stretch. Ryan Braun is a major reason for that success. He’s hitting .381 with three homers and five RBIs after connecting for a two-run shot Friday.

Colorado Rockies vs Cincinnati Reds Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

Ending a nine-game slide to the Colorado Rockies has the NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds feeling good. Getting Edinson Volquez back earlier than expected from elbow surgery should further raise their spirits. Volquez is scheduled to take the mound for the first time in more than a year when the Reds host the Rockies in the middle game of this series Saturday night. Cincinnati returned from the All-Star break Friday, beating Colorado 3-2 to snap a four-game overall losing streak and a nine-game slide to the Rockies. The Reds lead the Central by one-half game over St. Louis, and Volquez’s return could help them create some breathing room. The right-hander will make his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery last August. He hasn’t appeared for the Reds since getting hurt in a win at St. Louis on June 1, 2009, ending his season with a 4-2 record and 4.35 ERA in nine starts. The previous year, he led Cincinnati with a career-high 17 wins and made the All-Star team.

Volquez, who hadn’t been expected to return until August, was also suspended 50 games earlier this season after testing positive for a banned fertility substance. His presence will be welcome in a Cincinnati rotation missing Aaron Harang and Homer Bailey. However, manager Dusty Baker is tempering expectations for Volquez. Volquez is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA in two starts against Colorado. The Rockies, who opened a season-high 11-game road trip Friday, have dropped consecutive games following a six-game winning streak that put them in the thick of the NL West race. Jorge De La Rosa will make his second start since returning from a torn tendon in his left middle finger. The left-hander, who led Colorado with a career-high 16 wins last year, was tagged for seven runs - five earned - with six strikeouts in 4 1-3 innings of a 10-8 win over San Diego on July 9, hours after being activated from the disabled list.

Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

Cliff Lee pitched like a workhorse in his first start for the Texas Rangers. Now, he’ll try again to break into the win column with his new team. Texas’ prized trade acquisition seeks to pitch the Rangers to a third consecutive victory over the slumping Boston Red Sox on Saturday night at Fenway Park. Obtained July 9 in a six-player deal with Seattle, Lee made his Rangers debut last Saturday in a 6-1 home loss to Baltimore. The 2008 AL Cy Young winner yielded six runs and a season-high three homers. However, the performance wasn’t all bad for the left-hander, who went the distance for his AL-best sixth complete game and fourth in his last five starts. Lee should be rested enough to go nine again despite pitching an inning in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. He needed only six pitches to retire all three NL batters he faced. He will be opposed by Boston’s biggest pitching acquisition of 2010 in John Lackey, who hasn’t lived up to expectations since signing a contract worth $82.5 million over five years.

Lackey will now try to avoid losing three consecutive starts for the first time since Aug. 4-14, 2006, a slump that included a defeat to Texas while with the Los Angeles Angels. He’d probably prefer to face a different team. Lackey is 11-12 with a 5.87 ERA against Texas - the ERA is his highest against any AL opponent. In his last 10 starts versus the Rangers, he’s compiled a 7.74 ERA and a .356 opponent batting average. Young is 31 for 83 off the former AL West rival right-hander - both his most hits off any pitcher and the most hits allowed by Lackey to any batter. The AL West-leading Rangers appear primed to give Lackey fits again, as they’ve had no problems hitting the Boston staff hard while winning the first two games of this series. Texas has racked up 15 runs and 24 hits in the victories. Lackey’s former batterymate Bengie Molina hit for the cycle in Friday’s 8-4 win, including a fifth-inning grand slam to break open a close game.

Washington Nationals vs Florida Marlins Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

Florida Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez is concerned about his team’s lack of offense. He hasn’t had to worry about starter Josh Johnson. Making his first start since a dominant performance in the All-Star game, Johnson looks for another solid outing Saturday when the Marlins try to prevent the Washington Nationals from winning their first series on the road in more than two months.Near the bottom of the NL East with the July 31 trade deadline approaching, Florida doesn’t have much time to improve before likely opting to make some roster changes. A 4-0 loss to Washington on Friday was not a step in the right direction. The Marlins had four hits en route to their fourth shutout loss of the season. They are batting .228 this month while scoring fewer than four runs in seven of 11 games. Reigning NL batting champion Hanley Ramirez has one RBI in his last 10 games, while power-hitting second baseman Dan Uggla has no homers and three RBIs in his last eight.

The Marlins might not need much offense the way Johnson has performed. The right-hander, who owns the best ERA in the majors and ranks among the NL leaders with 123 strikeouts, has allowed one run or none in 10 of his last 11 starts. Making his All-Star debut Tuesday, Johnson struck out two and retired all six batters he faced in the NL’s 3-1 victory. He just missed his first career shutout in his last regular-season outing, throwing eight innings of six-hit ball in a 4-0 win at the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 7.Johnson is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against the Nationals this season and 6-0 lifetime. He will try to prevent Washington, which is 15-29 on the road, from winning its first series outside the nation’s capital since taking two of three May 10-12 at the New York Mets. The Nationals will give the ball to Livan Hernandez, who is looking to bounce back from one of his roughest outings of the season. He lasted five innings in Sunday’s 6-2 loss to San Francisco, giving up five runs.

Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

Strong pitching has helped the Oakland Athletics get back on track, and they have every reason to expect another strong performance with Trevor Cahill set to take the mound. Cahill looks to match his win total from last season as the Athletics seek their fourth straight victory in a matchup with the struggling Kansas City Royals on Saturday night. Oakland opened this three-games series with a 5-1 victory Friday night, getting an outstanding start from Gio Gonzalez. The A’s have given up three earned runs in winning their last three games. They lost their previous four, surrendering 18 runs in the final three contests. Oakland, which has won eight of 10 on the road, will now send Cahill to face Kansas City. After winning 10 games as a rookie last year, Cahill’s strong first half of this season earned him a spot on the American League All-Star team. Cahill, though, couldn’t play in that game Tuesday night because of a new rule that keeps pitchers from participating if they start Sunday. In that outing, the 22-year-old right-hander gave up an unearned run in seven innings to earn a win in Oakland’s 5-2 victory over the Angels.

Cahill has surrendered two runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. He has won both of his career starts against the Royals, posting a 4.09 ERA. Though Cahill has needed little run support, he certainly wouldn’t mind another productive game at the plate from his offense. The A’s have scored 30 runs over their last four games after being held to two or fewer in each of their previous three contests. Designated hitter Jack Cust has two homers and five RBIs over his last four games. He has seven RBIs in his last eight games at Kansas City. Oakland now faces Kansas City starter Bruce Chen, who is coming off his shortest start of the season, surrendering three runs and six hits in 3 1-3 innings of an 8-2 loss to the White Sox on July 9. He went 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA over his previous four starts. The veteran left-hander is 1-2 with a 3.28 ERA in four starts versus Oakland, but this will be his first against the A’s since Aug. 26, 2005.

Chicago White Sox vs Minnesota Twins Live Streaming

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7:10 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

Solid defense helped the Chicago White Sox during their lengthy winning streak. Poor fielding played a major role in ending that run. The AL Central-leading White Sox try to bounce back from their first loss in nearly two weeks Saturday when Mark Buehrle makes his first start at Target Field against the Minnesota Twins. After committing no errors in eight of its previous 10 games, Chicago had four errors in Friday’s 7-4 loss to Minnesota. Dayan Viciedo and Gordon Beckham each had miscues in the fourth inning as the Twins scored three unearned runs off Gavin Floyd and snapped the White Sox’s nine-game winning streak.The White Sox, who have won 26 of 32, will look to rebound behind Buehrle. The veteran left-hander had no success at the Metrodome over the last two seasons, going 0-4 with a 7.16 ERA in five starts. Buehrle, who is 5-1 with a 2.23 ERA in his last six outings, is pitching on seven days’ rest due to the All-Star break. He threw seven shutout innings in an 8-2 victory over Kansas City on July 9.

Buehrle wasn’t sharp in a 5-4 win over the visiting Twins on April 11, but he earned the victory after giving up four runs and eight hits in eight innings. Buehrle is 24-16 with a 4.04 ERA in 42 career starts against Minnesota. While the White Sox are trying to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since late June, the Twins are looking for two straight wins for the first time this month. Carl Pavano has been giving the club plenty of solid starts. Prior to Friday’s victory, the Twins’ previous two wins were starts by the veteran right-hander. Pavano, 5-0 with a 2.87 ERA in his last seven starts, earned the victory in a 3-2 win over the visiting White Sox on May 12 when he gave up two runs in seven innings of six-hit ball. Pavano is 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA in six starts against Chicago.White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin is questionable Saturday after missing Friday’s game with a bruised right wrist. Quentin, who is batting .474 with six homers and 13 RBIs in his last six games, is 0 for 6 lifetime against Pavano.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Diego Padres Live Streaming

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8:35 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

The San Diego Padres don’t seem to be missing Mat Latos too much. Another poor start from Clayton Richard, though, could change that sentiment. With their wins leader on the disabled list, the Padres hope Richard can end his slump as they face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night. Hours after putting Latos and reliever Mike Adams on the 15-day DL due to strained muscles on their left sides, San Diego got a strong start from Jon Garland in a 12-1 win over Arizona on Friday night. Latos and Adams have played significant roles in leading the Padres to the top of the NL West. Latos has a team-best 10 wins and a 2.45 ERA, and Adams is 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA. San Diego leads the majors in ERA, getting strong contributions from starters such as Richard. But the left-hander has had two straight subpar performances, posting an 8.49 ERA. Richard surrendered six runs and walked three in 5 2-3 innings before San Diego came back to beat Colorado 9-7 on Sunday. Richard has never faced the Diamondbacks.

Arizona will counter with Rodrigo Lopez, who is 3-1 with a 3.28 ERA in his last four outings. The right-hander allowed four runs in seven innings to earn a win in Arizona’s 10-4 victory over Florida on July 8. Lopez lost his only start to San Diego despite pitching a complete game for Baltimore in a 2-0 defeat June 12, 2002. Lopez is facing a surging Padres lineup, which has scored 21 runs over its last two games and six or more in five of its last six contests. There has been speculation that San Diego is interested in trading for a hitter, but many of its players believe that isn’t necessary. All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez led San Diego’s latest performance, hitting his 19th homer, a two-run drive in the fourth inning. Gonzalez is batting .429 with five homers and 10 RBIs in his last 11 games versus the Diamondbacks. Third baseman Chase Headley is also coming off a big game for San Diego, delivering three hits - including a solo homer - while matching a career high with four runs. Headley is hitting .357 with 10 RBIs over his past seven contests against Arizona.

New York Mets vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming

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9:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

Superb pitching has the San Francisco Giants surging. It also has the New York Mets baffled. Matt Cain will try to give the Giants another stellar effort on the mound Saturday night and help San Francisco beat the sputtering Mets for the third straight game. San Francisco has won four straight and nine of 11 to get back into the thick of the NL West race. Outstanding pitching has been the biggest reason.Barry Zito turned in the latest stellar effort Friday, going eight innings and combining with closer Brian Wilson on a three-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Mets. That came one night after ace Tim Lincecum opened this four-game series with a six-hitter in a 2-0 Giants victory. New York hasn’t shown much punch at the plate recently, batting .222 and totaling six runs during a 1-5 stretch that’s included three shutout losses. The Mets are trying to avoid being shut out three times in a row for the first time since July 25-27, 1992.

Cain will try to take advantage of the struggling Mets to get his first win since June 13, when he capped a personal four-game winning streak by beating Oakland. The right-hander is 0-4 with a 7.45 ERA in five starts since compiling a 0.55 ERA in his previous four. Cain was roughed up in his most recent outing July 9, giving up eight runs - four in the seventh - and 11 hits including two homers in 6 2-3 innings of an 8-1 loss at Washington. Cain is 3-3 with a 4.26 ERA in seven starts versus the Mets. He limited them to three runs over 13 1-3 innings in two starts last year. Both games resulted in San Francisco wins, with Cain getting credit for one. Injuries are becoming a nuisance for the Mets, who are five games behind NL East-leading Atlanta after losing the first two contests of their key 11-game road trip. Shortstop Jose Reyes was a late scratch Thursday due to pain in his right side, and will not be available until at least Sunday.

Seattle Mariners vs Los Angeles Angels Live Streaming

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9:05 pm EDT Sat Jul 17, 2010

The Los Angeles Angels struggled down the stretch of the first half of the season. A matchup with the lowly Seattle Mariners has helped them get back on track. Angels starter Joe Saunders looks to maintain his dominance over the Mariners on Saturday night when Los Angeles tries to win its eighth straight in this AL West rivalry. Leading the division by one-half game on June 7, the Angels lost eight of 10 and fell 4 1/2 games behind Texas at the All-Star break. Los Angeles, though, has kept pace with the first-place Rangers by winning the first two of this four-game set against the division-worst Mariners. After tagging Seattle pitching for 16 hits in Thursday’s 8-3 victory, the Angels had 10 hits in Friday’s 3-2 win. The Angels, who averaged 2.8 runs and batted .213 in the 10 games leading up to this series, will try to win three in a row for the first time since June 26-29. Saunders is 1-0 with a 5.06 ERA in three starts against the Mariners this season and 8-1 with a 3.58 ERA in 13 career outings against them. Los Angeles has won Saunders’ last 10 starts against Seattle.

Seattle has been heading the wrong direction all month. Since ending June on a 9-3 tear, the Mariners have lost 11 of 13 to fall a season-worst 17 games out of first place. An ineffective offense is the major reason for this slide. Seattle, which is averaging an AL-low 3.4 runs, is scoring just 2.6 per game this month while batting .216. Rookie first baseman Justin Smoak, acquired last week in the deal that sent Cliff Lee to Texas, was 1 for 12 in his first three games with the Mariners before going 2 for 3 with a two-run homer Friday. He is batting .077 against the Angels. Ichiro Suzuki, who is batting .429 in 11 games versus Los Angeles this season, went 0 for 4 Friday to end his 14-game hitting streak. He is 12 for 36 lifetime against Saunders.

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