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MLB DAILY: 04/23 MON - Previews/Trends
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Probable Starting Pitchers
(Monday, April 23rd - All Times Eastern)
AL
Oakland Athletics at Baltimore Orioles, 7:05 pm
(R) Danny Haren (1-2) vs. (L) Erik Bedard (3-1)
Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox, 7:05 pm
(R) Tomo Ohka (0-2) vs. (R) Tim Wakefield (2-1)
New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 7:10 pm
(L) Kei Igawa (1-0) vs. (L) Casey Fossum (1-1)
Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers, 8:05 pm
(R) Cha-Seung Baek (0-0) vs. (R) Kevin Millwood (2-2)
Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals, 8:10 pm
(L) Mark Buehrle (1-0) vs. (R) Gil Meche (1-1)
Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins, 8:10 pm
(L) Jeremy Sowers (0-1) vs. (R) Carlos Silva (1-1)
Detroit Tigers at LA Angels of Anaheim, 10:05 pm
(L) Mike Maroth (2-0) vs. (R) Jered Weaver (0-1)
NL
Atlanta Braves at Florida Marlins, 7:05 pm
(R) Kyle Davies (0-0) vs. (L) Dontrelle Willis (3-1)
Houston Astros at Philadelphia Phillies, 7:05 pm
(R) Chris Sampson (2-0) vs. (R) Adam Eaton (1-1)
Colorado Rockies at New York Mets, 7:10 pm
(R) Taylor Buchholz (1-0) vs. (R) John Maine (2-0)
Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 pm
(R) Claudio Vargas (1-0) vs. (R) Carlos Zambrano (1-2)
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Weather
Atlanta Braves at Florida Marlins, 7:05 p.m.
Partly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing in from center field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 80.
Colorado Rockies at New York Mets, 7:10 p.m.
Clear. Winds blowing out to center field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 80.
Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m.
Mostly cloudy with a 60-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing out to right field at 15-20 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 65.
Houston Astros at Philadelphia Phillies, 7:05 p.m.
Clear. Winds blowing out to right field at 10-20 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Near 85.
Oakland Athletics at Baltimore Orioles, 7:05 p.m.
Clear. Winds blowing out to right field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 85.
Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox, 7:05 p.m.
Clear. Winds blowing out to left field at 15-20 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Near 80.
Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers, 8:05 p.m.
Partly cloudy. Winds blowing in from right field at 15-20 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Near 85.
Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals, 8:10 p.m.
Clear. Winds blowing in from center field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 75.
Detroit Tigers at Los Angeles, 10:05 p.m.
Partly cloudy. Winds blowing out to center field at 5-10 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Near 70.
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Injuries
Arizona Diamondbacks
04/12/07 Jeff DaVanon CF Ankle, shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/19/07 Randy Johnson SP Back DL 15-day DL. Might return for April 24 start vs. San Diego
04/18/07 Micah Owings RP Leg Questionable Questionable for April 22 at San Francisco
Atlanta Braves
04/10/2007 Tanyon Sturtze RP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
04/19/07 Willy Aybar 3B Hand DL 15-day DL. On team-imposed suspension
04/17/07 Lance Cormier RP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
04/19/07 Mike Gonzalez RP Elbow Doubtful Doubtful for April 19 vs. Chicago Cubs
04/16/07 Mike Hampton SP Elbow DL 60-day DL. Out for the season
04/14/07 Chad Paronto RP Groin DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
Baltimore Orioles
04/19/07 Ramon Hernandez C Oblique DL 15-day DL. Doubtful for April 20-22 series vs. Toronto
04/19/07 Jay Payton LF Hamstring DL 15-day DL. On Triple-A rehab assignment. Might return for April 20-22 series vs. Toronto
04/01/07 Sendy Rleal RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least May
04/12/07 Jaret Wright SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
03/25/07 Kris Benson SP Shoulder DL 60-day DL. Out for the season
Boston Red Sox
03/28/2007 Matt Clement SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-July
04/19/07 Jon Lester SP Lymphoma DL 15-day DL. Expected to make Class A rehab start April 20
Chicago Cubs
04/17/2007 Juan Mateo SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
04/17/2007 Kerry Wood SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
04/20/07 Alfonso Soriano LF Hamstring Questionable Questionable for April 23-25 series vs. Milwaukee
Chicago White Sox
04/17/2007 Toby Hall C Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late May
04/17/07 Scott Podsednik LF Groin DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
Cincinnati Reds
04/17/2007 Jared Burton RP Hamstring DL 15-day DL. On Triple-A rehab assignment
04/15/2007 Bill Bray RP Finger DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
04/15/2007 Jerry Gil SS Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/15/2007 Jeff Keppinger 2B Finger DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/15/2007 Elizardo Ramirez SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
04/13/07 Chris Denorfia LF Elbow DL 60-day DL. Out for the season
04/19/07 Ken Griffey CF Illness Questionable Questionable for April 20-22 vs Philadelphia
04/02/07 Eddie Guardado RP Elbow DL 60-day DL. Out until at least mid-June
Cleveland Indians
04/18/07 Cliff Lee SP Abdomen DL 15-day DL. Expected to make Triple-A rehab start April 21
04/01/07 Matt J. Miller RP Forearm DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/19/07 Trot Nixon RF Flu Probable Probable for April 20-22 series at Tampa Bay
Colorado Rockies
04/14/2007 Tom Martin RP Groin DL 15-day DL. On Triple-A rehab assignment
04/16/07 Byung-Hyun Kim SP Thumb DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/19/07 Rodrigo Lopez SP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/15/07 Kaz Matsui 2B Back DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
Detroit Tigers
04/01/2007 Tony Giarratano SS Shoulder DL 60-day DL. Out for the season
04/01/2007 Kenny Rogers SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least July
04/18/07 Jose Mesa RP Groin Out Out until at least April 20-22 series vs. Chicago White Sox
04/09/07 Vance Wilson C Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
03/31/07 Edward Campusano RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out for the season
03/31/07 Roman Colon RP Neck DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
Florida Marlins
04/10/2007 Jose L. Garcia SP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/01/2007 Carlos Martinez RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-July
04/19/07 Miguel M. Cabrera 3B Torso Questionable Questionable for April 20-22 series vs. Washington
04/18/07 Alejandro De Aza CF Ankle DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/08/07 Jeremy Hermida RF Knee DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/19/07 Sergio Mitre SP Finger Game Gametime decision for April 22 start vs. Washington
04/09/07 Ricky Nolasco SP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
03/30/07 Josh Johnson SP Forearm, biceps DL 15-day DL. Out until at least June
03/30/07 Logan Kensing RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Might be out for the season
Houston Astros
03/29/2007 Brandon Backe SP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out for the season
04/01/07 Hector Gimenez C Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out for the season
04/17/07 Jason Jennings SP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/19/07 Roy Oswalt SP Personal Probable Probable for April 22 start at Milwaukee
Kansas City Royals
04/18/2007 Mark Grudzielanek 2B Back Questionable Questionable for April 20-22 series vs. Baltimore
04/15/2007 John Bale RP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/15/2007 Luke Hudson SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
04/11/2007 Octavio Dotel RP Oblique DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
04/05/2007 Leo Nunez RP Wrist DL 60-day DL. Out until at least June
03/29/2007 Joe Nelson RP Shoulder DL 60-day DL. Might be out for the season
04/17/07 Scott Elarton SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. On Double-A rehab assignment
03/29/07 Angel L. Sanchez SS Elbow DL 60-day DL. Out for the season
Los Angeles Angels
04/17/07 Bartolo Colon SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Expected to return for April 21 start vs. Seattle
04/13/07 Kelvim Escobar SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
04/16/07 Chone Figgins CF Finger DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
04/18/07 Vladimir Guerrero RF Wrist Out Out until at least April 20-22 series vs. Seattle
04/19/07 Howie Kendrick 1B Finger DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late May
04/01/07 Dallas McPherson 3B Back DL 60-day DL. Might be out for the season
04/01/07 Juan Rivera LF Leg DL 15-day DL. Out until at least June
Los Angeles Dodgers
04/18/2007 Matt Kemp CF Shoulder DL 15-day DL. On Triple-A rehab assignment. Eligible to return April 25 vs. San Francisco
04/18/07 Yhency Brazoban RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. On Class A rehab assignment
04/09/07 Hong-Chih Kuo SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/01/07 Jason Repko CF Hamstring DL 15-day DL. Out for the season
04/18/07 Jason Schmidt SP Arm DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
Milwaukee Brewers
04/17/2007 Corey Koskie 3B Concussion DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
04/17/2007 Laynce Nix CF Oblique DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
Minnesota Twins
03/24/2007 Lew Ford LF Knee DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
03/24/2007 Francisco Liriano SP Elbow DL 60-day DL. Out for the season
04/10/07 Jeff Cirillo 3B Knee DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
04/19/07 Torii Hunter CF Shoulder Out Might return for April 20-22 series at Kansas City
04/17/07 Nick Punto 3B Ankle Questionable Questionable for April 18-19 at Seattle
04/18/07 Rondell White LF Calf DL 15-day DL. Questionable for 20-22 series at Kansas City
03/25/07 Alejandro Machado SS Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Might be out for the season
New York Mets
04/15/2007 Juan Padilla RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out for the season
03/31/2007 Duaner Sanchez RP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least August
03/31/2007 Dave Williams SP Neck DL 15-day DL. Out until at least June
02/25/2007 Guillermo Mota RP Suspension Suspend Eligible to return May 27 at Florida
04/19/07 Paul Lo Duca C Hand Questionable Questionable for April 20-22 series at Atlanta
03/31/07 Pedro Martinez SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-July
New York Yankees
04/18/07 Jeff Karstens SP Elbow DL 15-day DL. On Class A rehab assignment. Probable for April 21 start at Boston
04/18/07 Hideki Matsui LF Hamstring DL 15-day DL. Expected to begin Class A rehab assignment April 20. Might return for April 23-25 series at Tampa Bay
04/18/07 Mike Mussina SP Hamstring DL 15-day DL. Might return for April 27 start vs. Boston
04/15/07 Carl Pavano SP Forearm DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/19/07 Humberto Sanchez SP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out for the season
04/01/07 Jose Veras RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early June
04/19/07 Chien-Ming Wang SP Hamstring DL 15-day DL. Probable for April 24 start at Tampa Bay
Oakland Athletics
04/18/2007 Milton Bradley RF Hamstring Questionable Questionable for April 20-22 series at Texas
04/19/07 Mark Ellis 2B Shoulder Questionable Questionable for April 20-22 series at Texas
04/18/07 Rich Harden SP Shoulder Out Out until at least April 24 start at Baltimore
04/17/07 Dan Johnson 1B Hip DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/18/07 Esteban Loaiza SP Shoulder, neck DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
03/29/07 Mark Kotsay CF Back DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
Philadelphia Phillies
04/18/07 Ryan Budde C Oblique DL 15-day DL. On Class A rehab assignment
04/19/07 Ryan Howard 1B Leg Questionable Questionable for April 20-22 series at Cincinnati
04/01/07 Scott Mathieson SP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Might be out for the season
Pittsburgh Pirates
04/15/2007 John Grabow RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. On Triple-A rehab assignment
San Diego Padres
04/18/2007 Scott R. Cassidy RP Knee DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/17/07 Josh Bard C Groin DL 15-day DL. Eligible to return for April 27-29 series vs. L.A. Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
No injuries reported.
Seattle Mariners
04/01/2007 Mark Lowe RP Elbow DL 60-day DL. Out until at least June
04/19/07 Jose Guillen RF Hand Probable Questionable for April 19 vs. Minnesota
04/19/07 Felix Hernandez SP Elbow, forearm Out Out until at least early May
04/01/07 Cesar Jimenez RP Elbow DL 60-day DL. Out until at least June
04/12/07 Arthur Rhodes RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out for the season
St. Louis Cardinals
04/12/07 Chris Carpenter SP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/17/07 Juan Encarnacion RF Wrist DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/20/07 Scott Rolen 3B Illness Questionable Questionable for April 20-22 series at Chicago Cubs
03/29/07 Josh Kinney RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out for the season
03/29/07 Mark Mulder SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least June
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
04/01/2007 Greg Norton RF Knee DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/18/07 Akinori Iwamura 3B Flu Questionable Questionable for April 20 vs. Cleveland
04/18/07 Dioner Navarro C Flu Questionable Questionable for April 20-22 series vs. Cleveland
03/31/07 Jon Switzer RP Shoulder DL 60-day DL. Out until at least late May
Texas Rangers
04/18/2007 Joaquin Arias SS Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/18/2007 John Rheinecker SP Back DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/19/07 Brad B. Wilkerson LF Knee Questionable Questionable for April 19 at Chicago White Sox
04/13/07 Jamey Wright SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
Toronto Blue Jays
04/17/2007 Troy Glaus 3B Heel DL 15-day DL. Eligible to return April 28 vs. Texas
04/16/2007 B.J. Ryan RP Elbow DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late May
04/15/2007 Brandon League RP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/16/07 Reed Johnson LF Back DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-July
04/15/07 Davis Romero RP Shoulder DL 60-day DL. Out for the season
03/31/07 John Thomson SP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late May
Washington Nationals
04/15/2007 Alex Escobar CF Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
03/28/2007 Nick Johnson 1B Leg DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
04/12/07 Luis Ayala RP Elbow, neck DL 15-day DL. Out until at least mid-May
04/04/07 Cristian Guzman SS Hamstring DL 15-day DL. Out until at least late April
04/12/07 Ray King RP Shoulder DL 15-day DL. Out until at least early May
04/03/07 Nook Logan CF Foot DL 15-day DL Out until at least late April
04/18/07 Mike O'Connor SP Elbow DL 60-day DL Out until at least June
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Previews
AL
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (9-9) AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES (11-7), 7:05 P.M.
The Baltimore Orioles try to win their fifth straight game this evening when they begin a brief two-game set with Oakland Athletics at Camden Yards.
Baltimore continued its surprising start to the season over the weekend, as it completed a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays, culminating with a 7-3 win on Sunday at Rogers Centre. Miguel Tejada went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Nick Markakis was 2-for-4 with a double, triple, three runs batted in and a pair of runs scored for the Orioles, who have won eight of nine.
Baltimore, which is in the midst of a seven-game homestand, has won six in a row at home.
Steve Trachsel (1-1) went 5 1/3 innings, scattering four hits and one run, striking out three but walking four. Chad Bradford, Scott Williamson, and Jamie Walker combined for 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, but Brian Burres ran into some trouble in the ninth, giving up three hits and two runs before recording the final out.
Getting the call for the Orioles tonight will be staff ace Erik Bedard, who has won his last three starts. Bedard's latest victory came on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, as he allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings to run his record to 3-1 this season to go along with a 5.40 earned run average.
Bedard has faced the A's four times and is 0-1 against them with a 4.32 ERA.
Oakland will counter with Dan Haren, who is 1-2 this season despite a sparkling 1.44 ERA. Haren picked up his first win of the year in his last start on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, as he scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings.
The A's have managed just eight runs in his four starts this season.
Haren is 1-2 lifetime against the Orioles with a 4.30 ERA in four starts.
Oakland enters this series on a sour note after dropping the final two games of their three-game set with the Texas Rangers over the weekend, including a 4-3 setback in Sunday's finale.
Shannon Stewart hit a two-run home run and Mike Piazza went 2-for-4 with one RBI for the Athletics, who will be trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season tonight.
Justin Duchscherer (1-1) was saddled with loss and allowed three runs and two hits in just two-thirds of an inning. Chad Guadin started for the A's and gave up a run on four hits in six frames.
The A's, who will be playing the fourth leg of a five-game road trip tonight, are 4-6 away from home this season.
Oakland beat Baltimore four of the six times they played last season and is 17-6 against them since the start of the 2004 season. The A's have also had success on the road in this series, winning 11 of their last 13 at Camden.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (8-10) AT BOSTON RED SOX (12-5), 7:05 P.M.
The Boston Red Sox target their sixth straight win this evening when they begin a brief two-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox enter this series after sweeping a three-game set from the New York Yankees over the weekend, culminating with a 7-6 win in Sunday's finale. Mike Lowell hit one of four consecutive Boston homers in the third inning and belted the go-ahead three-run blast in the seventh.
Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew, Lowell and Jason Varitek all hit solo shots in the third off Chase Wright, with the four consecutive homers equaling a major league record.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (2-2), pitching against the Yankees for the first time in his career, struck out seven over seven-plus frames, but gave up eight hits and six runs, as Boston won for the eighth time in its last nine games.
Heading to the hill tonight for the Red Sox will be veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who is 2-1 with a 1.35 earned run average. Wakefield won his second straight start in his last outing on Wednesday against Toronto, as he allowed a run on four hits in seven innings.
Wakefield, who has allowed one run in each of his first three starts, is 13-8 lifetime against the Blue Jays with a save and a 3.85 ERA in 41 games, 31 of which have been starts.
Toronto will counter with right-hander Tomo Ohka, who is winless in three starts this season. Ohka was on the losing end to Wakefield and the Red Sox last Wednesday, as he surrendered four runs and four hits in 6 1/3 innings to fall to 0-2 on the year.
Ohka, who is pitching to a 7.02 ERA this season, will be facing Boston for just the second time in his career. He broke into the majors with the Red Sox back in 1999.
Toronto enters this series after getting swept in a weekend set by the Baltimore Orioles, including a 7-3 setback in Sunday's finale. Alex Rios was 2-for-5 with a pair of runs driven in for the Blue Jays, who have lost five straight.
Gustavo Chacin (2-1) completed only 4 1/3 innings, but took the loss by yielding five hits and six runs -- all earned -- with a pair of walks and one strikeout.
Boston took two of three from the Blue Jays last week, but is just 16-24 in the series since the start of the 2005 campaign. Toronto has also won 10 of its last 18 in Beantown.
NEW YORK YANKEES (8-9) AT TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS (7-11), 7:10 P.M.
Rookie left-hander Kei Igawa tries to get the New York Yankees back on track this evening when they open a brief two-game set with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Tropicana Field.
New York comes into this series after getting swept in a three-game weekend series by the Boston Red Sox, including a 7-6 setback in Sunday's finale. Jason Giambi drove in three runs and Derek Jeter belted a solo homer for the Yankees, who were swept in a three-game series at Fenway Park for the first time since August 31 - September 2, 1990.
Chase Wright gave up five hits and four runs over three innings for the Yankees, who also pressed Andy Pettitte into relief duty, as he threw a scoreless frame. Wright also became just the second pitcher in history to allow four consecutive homers in an inning, as the Red Sox went back-to-back- to-back-to-back on him in the third.
The Yankees, who have scored a major league best 108 runs this season, should get a boost this evening with the return of left fielder Hideki Matsui, who is expected to be activated from the disabled list. Matsui was placed on the DL April 8 with a strained left hamstring he suffered the previous day running out a grounder in a win over Baltimore.
Igawa, meanwhile, is coming off his first major league win in his previous start, as he held the Cleveland Indians to two runs and five hits in six innings to improve to 1-0, while lowering his earned run average to 6.06.
Tampa will counter with a southpaw of its own in Casey Fossum, who is 1-1 with a 6.11 ERA. Fossum picked up the win in his last start on Tuesday against Baltimore, as he allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings.
Fossum is 4-4 lifetime against the Yankees with a 4.57 ERA in 18 games, nine of which have been starts.
Tampa comes into this series after dropping two of three to Cleveland, culminating with a 4-0 setback in Sunday's rubber match. Carlos Pena homered, while B.J. Upton and Carl Crawford each had one RBI for the Devil Rays, who have dropped three of four. James Shields' first career start against the Tribe was wasted as he struck out a career-high 12 in eight strong innings, allowing two runs on just two hits with one walk.
Brian Stokes (1-3) was tagged with the loss, as he surrendered four runs and two hits in just a third of an inning.
The Yankees split a two-game series with the Devil Rays to open the season and are 14-6 in the last 20 meetings with them. New York also won six of nine in Tampa a year ago.
SEATTLE MARINERS (5-9) AT TEXAS RANGERS (8-10), 8:05 P.M.
Cha Seung Baek makes his season debut this evening when the Seattle Mariners open a brief two-game set with Texas at Rangers Ballpark at Arlington.
Baek, who will be starting in place of injured phenom Felix Hernandez, has been impressive over the course of his young career against Texas, going 3-0 against them with a miniscule 0.83 earned run average in three starts.
The 26-year-old right-hander started six games for the Mariners down the stretch last season and was 4-1 with a 3.67 ERA. For his career he is 6-5 with a 4.55 ERA in 13 games, 11 of which have been starts.
Seattle lost its sixth straight game on Sunday, as it dropped a 6-1 decision to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium. Adrian Beltre homered and Raul Ibanez was 1-for-2 with two walks for the Mariners, who have lost seven of their last nine.
Jeff Weaver (0-3) exited after three full innings, giving up seven hits and three runs, striking out three and not walking a batter.
Texas, meanwhile, won the final two games of its three-game series with the Oakland Athletics, including a 4-3 win on Sunday. Hank Blalock went 3-for-4 and drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth to seal the win.
Blalock also scored a run and finished with two RBI, while Sammy Sosa knocked in a run for the Rangers, who have won two straight since dropping three in a row. Kenny Lofton recorded his 2,300th career hit, ending 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Willie Eyre (1-0) earned the win in 1 2/3 innings of relief of Robinson Tejeda, who pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits with six strikeouts.
Akinori Otsuka recorded his second save of the season by getting two outs in the ninth. Eric Gagne started the ninth and left with one out with a hip injury.
Gagne, who almost had to leave Saturday's win with back spasms, will be re- evaluated today, but likely won't be available to pitch tonight.
Getting the call for Texas tonight will be veteran right-hander Kevin Millwood, who is 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA. Millwood was tagged with the loss in his last start on Wednesday against Chicago, as he allowed five runs and five hits in five innings.
Millwood is 6-3 lifetime against the Mariners with a 3.45 ERA in 10 games.
Seattle took two of three from the Rangers earlier in the season, but Texas is 37-23 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign. The Mariners have also struggled in Arlington, where they have lost in 21 of their last 29 visits.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (9-8) AT KANSAS CITY ROYALS (6-12), 8:10 P.M.
Mark Buehrle takes the mound for the first time since becoming the latest pitcher to throw a no-hitter as the Chicago White Sox open up a short two-game series with the host Kansas City Royals tonight at Kauffman Stadium.
Buehrle tossed the first no-no by a White Sox hurler since Wilson Alvarez in 1991 with Wednesday's brilliant performance against the Texas Rangers. The quick-working left-hander allowed only a fifth-inning walk to Sammy Sosa, who was then picked off first base, and faced the minimum 27 hitters in Chicago's 6-0 win.
The only pitcher to throw consecutive no-hitters was Cincinnati's Johnny Vander Meer in 1938.
Buehrle has given up only four runs through 17 1/3 innings of work in the early going and is limiting opposing hitters to a .127 batting average.
The 28-year-old is 15-6 with a 3.26 earned run average over 30 career games (28 starts) against Kansas City. In five starts versus the Royals last season, he posted a 3-0 record and a strong 2.53 ERA.
Kansas City will counter with ace Gil Meche, who so far has lived up to the five- year, $55-million contract he signed with his new club over the winter. The talented right-hander has recorded a 2.22 ERA over four outings and has not allowed an earned run in each of his last two starts.
Meche gave up three unearned runs and just six hits over eight strong innings Wednesday in Detroit, but did not factor in the decision of a game the Royals won in extra innings. Six days earlier, he threw six shutout frames at Baltimore in another no decision.
The former Seattle Mariner owns a 5-2 lifetime record against the White Sox with a 4.62 ERA in nine starts. He has not lost to Chicago since May 10, 2003.
Kansas City comes into this series on a rare roll, having won three of its last four contests. The Royals took two of three games from Minnesota at home over the weekend and received a gem from Jorge De La Rosa in Sunday's finale.
De La Rosa allowed just one run on five hits over a career-high eight innings to lead Kansas City to a 3-1 triumph. Ross Gload put the Royals on top with a two-run homer in the third inning, while Mike Sweeney added an RBI single later in the day and finished 3-for-4 at the plate.
Rookie Joakim Soria struck out two during a scoreless ninth to notch his second save of the year.
Chicago appeared to be on the way to a fifth straight victory Sunday in Detroit, but Marcus Thames hit a game-tying two-run homer off Sox reliever David Aardsma with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the Tigers went on to win 6-5 in 12 innings.
With regular closer Bobby Jenks getting the day off, Aardsma came in to protect a 5-3 lead and retired the first two Detroit hitters in the ninth before Carlos Guillen singled. Thames followed by blasting a two-run homer to left-center to even things.
The Tigers won the game on Placido Polanco's RBI single in the 12th.
Chicago starter Jon Garland yielded just three runs -- two earned -- on six hits and a walk through the first eight innings. Nick Masset (1-1) suffered the loss after walking Ivan Rodriguez, who later scored on Polanco's hit, in the 12th.
Joe Crede slugged a two-run homer for the White Sox and A.J. Pierzynski had a solo shot in the loss.
Chicago took 11 of 19 meetings with the Royals last season, but went just 4-5 in games played at Kauffman Stadium. The White Sox are 14-13 in Kansas City since the start of the 2004 campaign.
CLEVELAND INDIANS (8-7) AT MINNESOTA TWINS (11-7), 8:10 P.M.
The Minnesota Twins open up a four-game homestand tonight as the Cleveland Indians invade the Metrodome for the first of two meetings between the American League Central foes.
The Twins went 4-2 on last week's six-game road trip, although the defending division champions did lose two of three to cellar-dwelling Kansas City over the weekend. In Sunday's rubber match, Jorge De La Rosa held Minnesota to one run over a career-high eight innings to lead the Royals to a 3-1 victory.
De La Rosa outdueled Ramon Ortiz (3-1), who was denied a fourth straight win to start the season despite throwing seven strong innings. The veteran righty yielded three runs on seven hits and struck out four without walking a batter.
Joe Mauer collected two hits for Minnesota and Michael Cuddyer knocked in the team's lone run with a sixth-inning RBI double.
The Twins, who will host Kansas City for two games following this set with the Indians, are 6-4 at home so far this season. The club posted a major-league best 54-27 mark at the Metrodome in 2006.
Cleveland comes in off a dramatic comeback victory Sunday at Tampa Bay, as Ryan Garko blasted a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to give the Tribe a 6-4 triumph.
Trailing 4-2 in the ninth, the Indians rallied with four runs, highlighted by Garko's blast, to forge ahead.
Grady Sizemore was first hit by a pitch from Brian Stokes (1-3), who then got Jason Michaels to fly out. Travis Hafner followed with a walk before Victor Martinez's base hit to center plated Sizemore. With runners at first and second, Garko came up big and sent a 2-2 fastball into the left field seats.
The homer made a winner of reliever Tom Mastny, who got the final two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Jake Westbrook threw the first seven innings for Cleveland and was charged with four runs on just four hits and a pair of walks.
Jhonny Peralta added a two-run homer for the Indians, who took two of three games from the Devil Rays.
Jeremy Sowers tries to rebound from a recent rough outing when he takes the mound for Cleveland this evening. The young lefty had the shortest start of his brief major league career Wednesday in New York, where Sowers was pounded for six runs on nine hits over 2 2/3 innings of a 9-2 loss to the Yankees.
Sowers had surrendered only three runs over 13 combined innings in a pair of no decisions against Chicago and the Angels to begin his 2007 campaign.
The former first-round pick faced the Twins twice as a rookie last season and went 1-1 with a 2.81 earned run average in those games. Sowers lost his only previous start in the Metrodome after allowing five runs and 11 hits in seven innings last July.
Carlos Silva looks to continue his strong April when he gets the call for Minnesota in tonight's opener. The native Venezuelan has given up only four runs and just one homer in 18 total innings over his first three starts. He served up a major league-high 38 long balls in 2006.
Silva got his first victory of the year Wednesday in Seattle after allowing three runs on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings during Minnesota's 5-4 decision.
The right-hander is 4-3 with a 4.87 ERA in 13 career games (12 starts) versus Cleveland and posted a 2-0 mark with a 4.07 ERA over five outings against the Tribe last season.
Minnesota won 11 of 19 encounters with the Indians in 2006. Cleveland lost six of nine in the Metrodome last year and is just 9-18 as the visitor in this series over the previous three seasons.
DETROIT TIGERS (10-8) AT LA ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (9-9), 10:05 P.M.
Coming off a hard-fought series in Chicago, a weary Detroit Tigers squad heads west for back-to-back meetings with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beginning tonight.
Three of Detroit's last four contests have gone into extra innings, including the final two encounters of its three-game set with the White Sox. The Tigers came out on the short end in the first two of those extended matchups, but rebounded with a thrilling 6-5, 12-inning triumph over Chicago Sunday at U.S. Cellular Field.
Marcus Thames sent the game into additional frames with a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth, while Placido Polanco delivered the game- wining single in the 12th as the Tigers put an end to a three-game losing streak.
Polanco finished 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI and Magglio Ordonez added a two- run single for Detroit, which avenged Saturday's 7-5, 10-inning defeat to the Sox. The Tigers also lost in 10 innings to Kansas City on Wednesday.
Tigers starter Justin Verlander surrendered three runs on just four hits over seven innings of work in a no decision. Jason Grilli (1-1) earned the win with a scoreless top of the 12th.
Detroit will be facing a resurgent Anaheim club fresh off a three-game home sweep of Seattle over the weekend. The Angels had lost six in a row prior to the series.
In Sunday's finale, Ervin Santana threw seven strong innings to lead Los Angeles to a 6-1 victory over the struggling Mariners.
Santana (2-2) scattered six hits and allowed one run while striking out five with just one walk. Gary Matthews Jr., Vladimir Guerrero and Casey Kotchman each finished with two hits and an RBI at the plate, while Garret Anderson added an RBI double in the win.
The Angels have now won eight of their 10 home games so far in 2007.
Jered Weaver makes his second start off the disabled list for Anaheim in tonight's opener. The young standout had a losing -- albeit encouraging -- effort in Oakland last Tuesday, as Weaver allowed four runs (three earned) and just four hits in a six-inning stint. He was done in by a rough fourth inning in which the Athletics scored all four of their runs.
The 24-year-old, who missed the first two weeks because of tendinitis in his right biceps, put together a sensational rookie campaign in 2006. Weaver posted an 11-2 record and an outstanding 2.56 earned run average in 19 starts after being called up from the minors in late May. He also yielded just 94 hits and recorded 105 strikeouts over 123 innings of work.
This will be Weaver's first career start against Detroit.
The Tigers counter with Mike Maroth, who won his first two starts of the season before turning in a no decision at home against Kansas City on Tuesday. The left-hander allowed four runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings in that game.
Maroth owns a 4-2 record despite a career 5.55 ERA in eight previous starts against the Angels. He lost his only outing against Anaheim last season, however, giving up four runs and nine hits over six frames in Angel Stadium on April 26, 2006.
Detroit dropped two of three games to the Angels in their lone visit to southern California last season and is just 5-11 as the visitor in this series since 2004. Los Angeles took five of the eight overall matchups between the clubs last year.
NL
ATLANTA BRAVES (12-6) AT FLORIDA MARLINS (8-10), 7:05 P.M.
The Florida Marlins aim for their third straight victory when they welcome the Atlanta Braves to Dolphin Stadium this evening for the start of three-game series.
The Marlins have won two straight since a six-game losing streak, including Sunday's 12-6 rout of Washington. Dan Uggla homered twice and knocked in a career-high six runs to pace Florida's victory.
Miguel Cabrera belted a home run and Uggla finished with three hits for the Marlins, who improved to 2-3 on their current eight-game homestand. Josh Willingham added a two-run homer for Florida.
Marlins starter Wes Obermueller (1-0) went six-plus innings, yielding two runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out five. Kevin Gregg picked up his first save of the season despite allowing four runs in three innings of relief.
Left-hander Dontrelle Willis takes the mound for Florida this evening. Willis won his first three starts of the season, including a victory over the Braves on April 13, before suffering his first setback of the year Wednesday against the Mets. In that outing, the lefty was rocked for eight runs -- six earned -- on 10 hits in a season-low five innings of work.
Willis was effective when he faced the Braves earlier this season, as he gave up three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in seven innings. He is 5-4 with a 4.72 earned run average in 15 career starts against Atlanta and has won his last three starts against the Braves.
The Braves will put the ball in the hands of right-hander Kyle Davies, who has yet to post a decision through two starts so far this season. After allowing two runs on four hits over 6 2/3 innings in his first outing, Davis was touched for four runs on six hits over 5 1/3 frames last Wednesday against the Cubs.
Davis is 0-2 in five appearances against the Marlins, with three of those being starts. He has a high 9.22 earned run average over that span, having allowed 14 runs over just 13 2/3 innings.
Atlanta also comes into the game on a winning note, and in first place of the NL East, after topping the New York Mets by a 9-6 count in their rubber match at Shea Stadium.
Kelly Johnson homered twice, including a three-run shot in the eighth inning that put the Braves ahead for good, for his first career two-homer game.
Johnson finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored for Atlanta, which has won four of six. Edgar Renteria hit a three-run homer and Jeff Francoeur had a two-run single.
Braves starter John Smoltz did not factor in the decision. He allowed six runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out three. Ex-Met Tyler Yates (1-0) pitched a perfect seventh for the win, while Bob Wickman picked up his sixth save in as many chances with a scoreless ninth.
The Braves continue their nine-game road trip with this series and bring an impressive 6-2 away mark into tonight's game.
Florida and Atlanta split a weather-shortened two-game series at Turner Field earlier in the season. The Braves won 11 of their 19 matchups with the Marlins last season, though the Marlins took five of nine at home.
COLORADO ROCKIES (8-11) AT NEW YORK METS (11-6), 7:10 P.M.
John Maine aims to extend his hot start to the season this evening, when his New York Mets welcome the Colorado Rockies to Shea Stadium for the start of a three-game series.
Maine is 2-0 through his first three starts of 2007 and has a stellar 1.93 earned run average. Opponents are hitting just .136 against the right-hander.
Maine, who will make his first career start against the Rockies, picked up the win his last time out, as he allowed just two runs on two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts over seven innings against Florida.
Colorado counters with right-hander Taylor Buchholz, who is taking the spot of the injured Rodrigo Lopez in the rotation. Buchholz will become the Rockies' seventh different starter already this season when he takes the mound this evening.
Buchholz has made four relief appearances this season and is 1-0 with a 5.68 ERA. He last pitched on Wednesday against the Dodgers and allowed one run and four hits in two innings of relief.
The righty made his lone career start against the Mets back in July of last season while with Houston. He started opposite Maine and allowed seven runs -- six earned -- on six hits over five innings to take the loss.
The Rockies come into the game having stopped a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 home win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday.
Jason Hirsh (2-1) scattered four hits and two walks while striking out seven over seven innings of two-run ball. Manny Corpas pitched a perfect eighth and Brian Fuentes allowed just one hit in the ninth, recording his fourth save of the season.
Matt Holliday singled, doubled and tripled for the Rockies, who are 3-6 as the visitor this season. Garrett Atkins had two hits and Todd Helton had an RBI and run scored.
The Mets, meanwhile, fell out of first place in the NL East by dropping two of three against Atlanta over the weekend. In the series' rubber match on Sunday, Kelly Johnson homered twice -- including a three-run shot in the eighth inning that put the Braves ahead for good -- as the Braves topped New York, 9-6.
Tom Glavine, who spent the first 16 years of his career in Atlanta, had a shaky outing for the Mets. He surrendered three runs on seven hits over six innings, striking out five and not walking a batter.
Shawn Green hit a solo home run while Jose Reyes added a bases-clearing triple for New York, which is 4-4 at home this season and plays the second half of a six-game homestand with this series. Paul Lo Duca added two hits and an RBI.
The Mets won five of six against the Rockies last season, including all three matchups in New York, and have won 13 of the last 14 meetings at Shea Stadium in the series.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS (11-7) AT CHICAGO CUBS (7-11), 8:05 P.M.
Carlos Zambrano will try to get back on track when the Chicago Cubs begin a three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers this evening at Wrigley Field.
Zambrano has turned in consecutive forgettable outings and has lost his last two decisions overall. The ace of the Chicago staff gave up five runs on eight hits and five walks over six innings in his last start Wednesday against Atlanta, ballooning his earned run average to 7.77.
That outing was on the heels of a four-inning, six-run shelling at the hands of the Reds that dropped him to 1-2 on the season.
However, the right-hander's lone win of the season came against Milwaukee back on April 7. That day Zambrano allowed only three runs over seven innings to record the victory.
He is 8-7 with a 4.17 ERA in 17 career games -- 16 starts -- against the Brewers. Zambrano needs just one inning to reach 1,000 for his career.
The Cubs enter the series on a down note after Albert Pujols blasted a three- run homer in the 10th inning to lift the St. Louis Cardinals over Chicago, 12-9, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.
Michael Barrett and Aramis Ramirez both had home runs in the loss, while Jacque Jones had two hits and a pair of RBI for Chicago.
Barrett has homered in three straight games and has six RBI over that span.
Cubs starter Wade Miller was rocked in his 4 2/3 innings, yielding nine hits and seven runs, including three home runs.
The Cubs, just 3-7 at home this season, did welcome back Alfonso Soriano on Sunday. Soriano, who had missed the previous five games with a left hamstring injury, did not start, but pinch hit in the ninth and came up with a key double.
Claudio Vargas makes his third start of the season tonight for the Brewers. In his last start on Wednesday, Vargas earned his first victory in a Milwaukee uniform when he scattered two runs and five hits with a career-high 11 strikeouts over six innings in a win over the Pirates.
Vargas, who has posted a 1.64 ERA over his last two starts, is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in five career appearances, including one start, against the Cubs. His only career start against the Cubs came last season, when he was tagged for seven runs on eight hits over four innings in a 9-3 loss.
Vargas will aim to duplicate the success of Dave Bush, who threw eight-plus strong innings to lead the Brewers past the Houston Astros, 4-3, at Miller Park on Sunday.
Bush (2-1) allowed three runs on five hits and one walk. Francisco Cordero picked up his seventh save of the season, despite yielding one hit and two walks in the ninth.
Bill Hall had three hits, including a homer, and Geoff Jenkins hit two doubles and a single for the Brewers, who have won four of their last five games.
The Brewers begin a six-game road trip this evening and are 4-3 as the visitor on the season.
These two NL Central rivals squared off in a three-game series in Milwaukee during the season's first week, with the Cubs taking two of three. They split 16 meetings in 2006.
HOUSTON ASTROS (9-8) AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (6-11), 7:05 P.M.
The Philadelphia Phillies go for their third straight win this evening, when they host the Houston Astros in a makeup game at Citizens Bank Park.
This contest was originally scheduled for April 15 in what would have been the finale of a three-game series, but it was postponed due to rain. The clubs split the other two meetings.
The Phillies won four of six against the Astros last season after losing 12 straight to the club dating back to the start of the 2004 campaign.
Philadelphia won back-to-back games for the first time this season by taking the final two of a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend, including Sunday's 9-3 victory.
Freddy Garcia notched his first victory with the Phillies, while Ryan Howard returned to the lineup and hit a two-run homer.
Garcia (1-1) made his second start of the season and allowed just two runs on four hits in five-plus innings. The veteran right-hander struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Howard returned to action after missing the last three games with a sprained ligament in his left knee and finished with three runs batted in.
Chase Utley went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, three runs scored and an RBI in the victory. Aaron Rowand finished 2-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 10 games for Philadelphia.
The Phillies turn to right-hander Adam Eaton for tonight's game. Eaton is 1-1 with a 6.62 earned run average this season and earned a no decision last time out, after allowing four runs on four hits in six innings against Washington in what was eventually a 13-inning loss for the Phillies.
Eaton is 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA in four career outings against Houston, but has not faced the club since September of 2003 while with San Diego. He took the loss in that outing after allowing five runs on seven hits in six innings.
Tonight's game is the first of seven straight at home for the Phillies, who next welcome Washington to Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia is just 1-5 at home on the season.
Houston counters with right-hander Chris Sampson, who makes his third start of the season. Sampson began the year in the bullpen and made one appearance before making two straight starts, both wins.
He bested the Cubs with five shutout innings on April 10 before allowing just two runs and five hits over seven innings against the Reds last Wednesday. The pair of runs he allowed were his first of the season, moving his ERA to 1.20.
He has twice pitched against the Phillies in his career, one start and one relief outing, and has yet to yield a run over 5 2/3 total innings.
Tonight's makeup game extends Houston's current road trip to nine games in four different cities. The Astros, who next head to Pittsburgh, fell to 3-2 thus far on the trek with Sunday's 4-3 setback to Milwaukee.
Houston starter Roy Oswalt (3-1) gave up four runs on seven hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out two.
Morgan Ensberg had two hits and an RBI for the Astros, who had won seven of their last eight games coming in.
Ensberg extended his hitting streak to 10 games, tying a career-high, while Adam Everett and Lance Berkman each had an RBI for Houston in the loss.
Last edited by Jedini; 04-23-07 at 06:17 PM.
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