Trend sheet 6/2

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Hot Pitchers
-- Santana is 3-0, 5.40 in his last three starts (Mets 21 runs).
-- Lincecum has 2.57 RA in his last four road starts.
-- Wells has 1.80 RA in four starts, but no wins.
-- Arroyo is 2-1, 1.88 in his last three starts.
-- Peavy is 3-0, 2.11 in his last three starts.
-- Haren is 4-1, 2.78 in his last eight starts. Wolf is 2-0, 2.35 in his last six starts.

-- Porcello is 5-0, 1.50 in his last five starts.
-- Padilla was 2-0, 1.96 in his last three starts being going on the DL.
-- Saunders is 4-1, 4.50 in five road starts this season. Halladay is 3-0, 1.66 in his last five starts (Toronto bullpen lost last two).
-- Slowey is 3-0, 2.73 in his last four starts.
-- Former Oriole Bedard has a 2.31 RA in his last four starts. Rookie Hernandez beat Detroit in first start (one run in 5.2 IP).


Cold Pitchers
-- Duke has 2.68 RA in his last seven starts, but Pirates are 0-5 in Duke starts if they score less than seven runs.
-- Stammen is 0-1, 5.56 in his first two big leagure starts.
-- Kawakami is 2-6, 5.56 in his last eight starts.
-- Parra has a 6.95 RA in his last four starts. Sanchez comes off DL to start; he is 0-4, 7.89 in his last four starts.
-- Thompson is making first '09 start; he is 19-12, 4.34 in his big league career; this is his 25th career start.
-- Rockies lost last five Jimenez road starts (0-4, 5.46). Astros are 0-6 when Paulino starts (0-4, 6.27).
-- Bastardo was 3-2, 1.89 in seven minor league starts this year.

-- Matsuzaka is 0-3, 8.82 in his last four starts.
-- Burnett is 0-1, 4.78 in five home starts this season.
-- Davies is 0-3, 6.27 in his last three starts. Sonnanstine is 2-2, 11.34 in his last four starts.
-- Huff is 0-1, 10.97 in three starts this season.
-- Colon is 0-2, 18.90 in his last two home starts. Mazzaro makes first big league start here; he was 2-2, 2.38 in nine AAA starts this year.

Hot Teams
-- Mets won five of their last seven games, but are 2-6 in last eight road contests.
-- Giants won five of last six games, but lost five of last six on road.
-- Brewers won three of last four games, but lost four in row on road.
-- Rockies are 5-1 in second game of road series if they lose the opener. Astros won three of their last four games.
-- Phillies won nine of their last eleven road games.
-- Arizona won seven of its last nine road games.


-- Tigers are 10-3 in their last thirteen home games.
-- Bronx won eight of their last ten home games. Rangers won seven of their last ten games.
-- Rays won seven of their last ten home games.
-- Angels won five of their last seven road games.
-- White Sox won nine of their last twelve games.
-- Orioles won seven of their last ten games.


Cold Teams
-- Pirates lost seven of their last eleven games.
-- Nationals were 0-6 last week, outscored 36-19.
-- Braves lost five of their last seven games. Cubs lost eight of their last nine road games.
-- Marlins lost 13 of their last 18 home games.
-- Cincinnati lost six its last seven road games. Cardinals lost three of their last four games, but are 5-2 in last seven at home.
-- Padres lost three of last four games, but are 10-1 in last 11 at Petco.
-- Dodgers are 5-6 in last 11 home games after a 13-0 start.

-- Red Sox lost eight of last twelve road games.
-- Blue Jays lost 10 of last 12 games, but are 6-2 in last eight at home.
-- Royals lost their last four games, allowing 31 runs.
-- Indians lost three of their last four games. Twins lost three of their last four games, but are 8-2 in their last ten at home.
-- Oakland lost nine of its last twelve road games.
-- Mariners are 5-8 in their last thirteen home games.

Totals
-- Under is 5-2-1 in Mets' last eight road games.
-- Seven of last nine San Francisco road games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Chicago road games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 7-1-1 in Florida's last nine home games.
-- Last four Colorado road games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Cincinnati games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in Phillies' last seven road games.
-- Four of last five Arizona road games stayed under the total.

-- Five of last six Boston road games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 7-3 in last ten games in the Bronx.
-- Four of last five Angel games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Kansas City road games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Cleveland games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 9-2 in White Sox' last eleven home games.
-- Four of last five Oriole games stayed under the total.

 

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BOSTON vs. DETROIT
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Detroit is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games

NY METS vs. PITTSBURGH
NY Mets are 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
NY Mets are 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Pittsburgh's last 17 games when playing NY Mets

SAN FRANCISCO vs. WASHINGTON
San Francisco is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing Washington
Washington is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Washington's last 12 games at home

TEXAS vs. NY YANKEES
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Texas's last 9 games on the road
Texas is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of NY Yankees's last 10 games

LA ANGELS vs. TORONTO
LA Angels are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Angels's last 5 games
Toronto is 9-4 SU in their last 13 games when playing at home against LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels

KANSAS CITY vs. TAMPA BAY
Kansas City is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay
Kansas City is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Tampa Bay is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Tampa Bay's last 5 games when playing Kansas City

CHI CUBS vs. ATLANTA
Chi Cubs are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Atlanta is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

MILWAUKEE vs. FLORIDA
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Milwaukee's last 17 games when playing Florida
Milwaukee is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Florida is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 7 games

COLORADO vs. HOUSTON
Colorado is 4-13 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Colorado's last 23 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Colorado
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Houston's last 23 games when playing at home against Colorado

CLEVELAND vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games
Cleveland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota
Minnesota is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota's last 10 games when playing Cleveland

OAKLAND vs. CHI WHITE SOX
Oakland is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Oakland's last 14 games when playing Chi White Sox
Chi White Sox are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Chi White Sox's last 10 games

CINCINNATI vs. ST. LOUIS
Cincinnati is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of St. Louis's last 8 games when playing Cincinnati
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Cincinnati

PHILADELPHIA vs. SAN DIEGO
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Philadelphia is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games on the road
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
San Diego is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games

ARIZONA vs. LA DODGERS
Arizona is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Arizona is 2-9 SU in their last 11 games when playing LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games when playing Arizona
LA Dodgers are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against Arizona

BALTIMORE vs. SEATTLE
Baltimore is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
Baltimore is 6-15 SU in its last 21 games on the road
Seattle is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Baltimore
Seattle is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Baltimore

 

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Tuesday's Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards

With the calendar striking June and the NBA Finals not set to start until Thursday, bettors have to focus on baseball whether they like it or not ? at least for the next 48 hours.

If you haven?t been betting much bases, we?ll try to lead you to some winners with a few tips and factoids in the next few minutes.

First of all, I suggest fading Washington and doing so on a daily basis. The Nationals are the laughingstock of the majors and have served as a goldmine for gamblers, assuming they have been betting against them. They have lost six in a row and are poised to host San Francisco on Tuesday.

Manny Acta?s bullpen has been an unmitigated disaster since Opening Day. The Nats have a 5.86 ERA with relievers blowing 12 of 20 save opportunities.

Let?s check out a few of tonight?s games.

**Cubs at Braves**

--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Atlanta (25-25, -285) as a minus-120 favorite with a total of nine flat (minus-110 either way). Gamblers can take the Braves on the run line (minus 1 ? runs) for a plus-170 payout (risk $100 to win $170).

--Chicago (25-24, -514) is looking to bounce back from Sunday?s 8-2 loss to the Dodgers at Wrigley Field. The Cubs open a nine-game road trip in this spot. They are 9-14 on the road and will head to Cincinnati and Houston after battling the Braves at The Ted.

--Bobby Cox?s team is 4 1/2 games back of the National League East leaders, the Phillies, who won 5-3 at San Diego last night. The Braves are coming off a 2-5 road trip and open a 10-game homestand here. After getting swept at San Francisco, they salvaged the final two games by winning Saturday and Sunday at Arizona.

--Cox will turn to Kenshin Kawakami (3-6, 4.87 ERA), who has pitched much better at The Ted. The 33-year-old righty from Japan is 2-3 with a 3.60 ERA in five home assignments.

--Lou Piniella will give the starting nod to Randy Wells (0-2, 1.80), a rookie that has been snake bitten in three straight quality starts. He?s taking the spot of Carlos Zambrano, who was suspended six games for his antics last Wednesday.

--The Cubs are in fourth place in the NL Central, four games behind division-leading Milwaukee. They could be without Alfonso Soriano in the series opener. According to LVSC?s Sports Screen, Soriano is ?questionable.?

--Atlanta first baseman Casey Kotchman was hit in the shin by a pitch in Sunday?s 9-3 win at Arizona. Kotchman, who is hitting .277 with a pair of homers and 24 RBIs, is listed as ?doubtful? and could miss several games.

--Atlanta LHP Tom Glavine is tentatively set to return to the rotation on June 12. He is expected to make one more minor-league rehab start. Omar Infante remains ?out,? while Tim Hudson is on schedule to return in August.

--The ?under? is on a 14-5 run in the Cubs? last 19 games. For the season, they have watched the ?under? go 25-22 overall, 11-10 in their road games.

--The ?under? is 25-22 overall for Atlanta, 11-9 in its home games.

--Chicago swept the season series with Atlanta last year with six consecutive victories. The ?over? is on a 6-2-1 run in the last nine head-to-head meetings between these NL rivals.

--WGN will have the telecast at 7:10 p.m. Eastern.

**Rangers at Yankees**

--LVSC opened New York (29-21, -47) as a minus-185 favorite with a total of 10 ?over? (-120). As of early this morning, most books had the Yankees as minus-200 ?chalk? with a total of 11 ?under? (-115). Bettors can take the Bronx Bombers on the run line at a minu-105 price.

--Texas (30-20, +1138) is in first place in the AL West, 4 ? games in front of the Angels. As for the Yankees, they have sureged into the AL-East lead, one game ahead of the Red Sox and two games in front of the Blue Jays.

--Joe Girardi?s team return to the Bronx after winning five of seven on its recent road trip that included a visit to Arlington, where the Yankees won two of three from the Rangers.

--New York is 14-9 at home, while Texas is 12-11 on the road.

--Texas RHP Vicente Padilla (3-2, 4.71) will return from the DL to make his first start since May 16. The veteran right-hander was 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his three appearances prior to being sidelined. Padilla is 1-1 with a 5.51 ERA in three lifetime starts against the Yankees.

--A.J. Burnett (3-2, 4.78) will be on the rubber for the team in pinstripes. In his last outing, Burnett worked six scoreless innings in a 9-2 win at Texas. The righty is now 2-2 with a 4.02 career ERA against the Rangers.

--While the Rangers enjoyed a day off Monday, New York captured a 5-2 win at Cleveland behind a strong effort from Joba Chamberlain.

--The ?under? is 6-2-1 in the Yankees? last nine games.

--Texas All-Star OF Josh Hamilton is "out" after recently going on the disabled list with an abdominal injury. Hamilton is struggling this year with a .240 average, six homers and 24 RBIs.

 

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

Cincinnati (27-23) at St. Louis (29-22)

These N.L. Central rivals continue their four-game series at Busch Stadium, with Cardinals right-hander Brad Thompson (0-1, 4.30 ERA) set to make his first start of the season against the Reds? Bronson Arroyo (7-3, 5.12).

Cincinnati lost starting pitcher Edinson Volquez to injury after just one inning Monday, but rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win 5-3 and halt a three-game slide overall and a six-game road losing skid. Despite last night?s win, the Reds are still just 4-7 in their last 11 against right-handed starters, but they?re 7-3 in their last 10 Tuesday outings.

St. Louis has followed up a 9-2 run by dropping consecutive games. Still, the Redbirds are on surges of 23-10 at Busch Stadium (6-2 last eight), 5-2 against N.L. Central foes, 7-2 against teams with a winning record and 4-0 in Game 2 of a series.

The Reds have now taken three of four meetings against the Cards this season, but the host has won eight of the last 11 clashes dating to last summer. Additionally, Cincinnati is still just 16-36 in its last 52 games in St. Louis.

Arroyo was sensational in Wednesday?s 6-1 home win over Houston, pitching a complete-game five-hitter, and he needed just 92 pitches to finish the job. He?s 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA in his last three starts, allowing just five runs in 24 innings after surrendering 14 runs in his previous two starts covering only eight innings.

Cincy is 7-3 in Arroyo?s last 10 starts overall and 8-3 in his last 11 on Tuesday, and the veteran right-hander is 4-1 with a 3.06 ERA in five starts on the highway (as opposed to 3-2 with a 7.58 ERA at home). However, Arroyo is just 5-6 with a 4.40 ERA in 19 career games (17 starts) against the Cardinals, with the Reds losing four of his last five starts in St. Louis.

Thompson?s season has been limited to nine relief appearances covering 14 2/3 innings, and he?s given up six runs on 10 hits in 10 innings at home (5.40 ERA). Last year at Busch, he went 3-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 games (three starts). St. Louis won six of Thompson?s last eight starts overall in 2008, it is 9-2 in his last 11 at home and 8-1 in his last nine against N.L. Central rivals. Finally, the right-hander is 3-0 with a 3.70 ERA in 19 career games (four starts) against Cincinnati.

The under is 5-1 in Thompson?s last six starts overall, 4-0-1 in his last five on Tuesday, 4-1 in Arroyo?s last five road outings, 5-1-1 in his last seven on Tuesday and 6-1-1 in his last eight starts versus the Cardinals.

St. Louis carries ?under? streaks of 10-3 overall, 7-0 at home, 6-1 versus divisional rivals and 7-1 against right-handed starters. Meanwhile, the under is 15-6-1 in the Reds? last 22 road games and 11-3-3 in their last 17 on Tuesday. Finally, last night?s game barely stayed under the total, ending a seven-game ?over? streak in this rivalry.

ATS ADVANTAGE: ST. LOUIS and UNDER


AMERICAN LEAGUE

Boston (29-22) at Detroit (28-21)

The surging Tigers return to Comerica Park following a winning road trip and open a three-game series against the Red Sox with Rick Porcelllo (6-3, 3.48) set to oppose winless Boston right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-3, 8.82).

Detroit finished a 4-3 road trip with consecutive wins over the Orioles over the weekend, prevailing 6-3 on Saturday and 3-0 on Sunday. The Tigers are 11-5 in their last 16 contests and they?ve won 10 of their last 13 at Comerica Park, though they?ve struggled offensively, scoring four runs or fewer in eight of their last 11 games. Detroit is 13-3 in its last 16 contests when favored and it has won five straight against clubs with a winning record, but Jim Leyland?s team has lost 10 of its last 12 on Tuesday and five of its last six after an off day.

Boston, which also was idle Monday, is coming off Sunday?s 8-2 rout of the Blue Jays in Toronto, but remains just 4-6 in its last 10 overall, including 3-4 on a current 10-game road trip. The Red Sox have also dropped four of their last five as an underdog. On the bright side, Terry Francona?s squad remains on streaks of 14-6 against winning teams, 48-18 after a day off, 47-20 against the A.L. Central, 22-9 in series openers and 23-11 on Tuesday.

The Red Sox went 3-2 against the Detroit last year, taking three of four meetings at Comerica Park. Still, the home team 9-5 in the last 14 head-to-head clashes.

Matsuzaka?s miserable 2009 season continued Wednesday at Minnesota as he allowed three runs on nine hits and three walks in five innings, losing 4-2 in his second start back after missing five weeks with an arm injury. The right-hander hasn?t had a quality start in four trips to the mound this season, going 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA in two road outings., Despite Matsuzaka?s struggles this season, the Red Sox are still 31-11 in his last 42 starts overall, 8-2 in his last 10 road starts, 8-1 in his last nine against the A.L. Central.

Dice-K is 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA in four career starts against the Tigers, including 2-0 with a 0.77 ERA in two contests last season (5-0 home win, 6-3 victory in Detroit).

Porcello was outstanding in five starts in May, going 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA, including 3-0 with a 0.95 ERA at home. He walked six and struck out 20, and of the 13 home runs allowed last month, six came on home runs. The rookie right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in four starts at Comerica Park, and tonight marks his first career appearance against the Red Sox.

The under is on a 10-4-2 roll in this rivalry. Additionally, Boston carries ?under? streaks of 5-1 overall (all on the road), 5-1 as an underdog, 4-0 when facing right-handed starters, 9-3-1 when playing on grass and 4-0 when Matsuzaka faces A.L. Central foes. Finally, the ?under? for the Tigers is on runs of 10-3 overall, 6-0 at home, 10-1 on Tuesday, 9-3 against righty starters and 7-3 versus the A.L. East.

ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER

 

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Rangers head to Bronx for slugfest with Yankees
By ********

While Belmont Stakes betting players await this Saturday?s big race, a pair of baseball thoroughbreds will clash in the Big Apple as two first-place teams go head to head. West-leading Texas will face the Yankees, who have stormed to the top of the American League East. Offshore sportsbook odds should favor the Yankees at home, and those who bet on sports should also check out the posted total. Both of these teams rank in the top five in the majors in terms of runs scored. The Rangers could be missing Josh Hamilton, who is scheduled for a MRI on his injured groin.

Rangers vs Yankees ? Tuesday, June 2-Thursday June 5

Vicente Padilla (3-2, 4.71) vs A.J. Burnett (3-2, 4.78)

Padilla is returning to the rotation after missing a couple of starts with a shoulder problem, and coming back to Yankee Stadium where players are hitting broken-bat homers probably isn?t the best thing for his confidence. He has a 1-1 mark in three starts against the Yankees, but an ERA of 5.51 isn?t promising. Burnett scattered three hits over six innings of a 3-2 win in Texas last week, improving his record to 2-2 in six starts against the Rangers with a 4.02 ERA. Look for Padilla to get bombed in this outing.

MLB betting edge: Yankees

Scott Feldman (4-0, 3.91) vs Andy Pettitte (5-1, 4.10)

Feldman is fitting nicely into the Rangers? rotation, and three of his four wins have come on the road this season. He?s split a pair of career starts against the Yankees, racking up a 4.15 ERA. Pettitte is 9-8 in 20 starts against the Rangers with a 5.51 ERA, but he?s been complaining of back problems. In his last start, Pettitte struck out only one batter, and walked five. The Rangers will tee off on him on Wednesday.

MLB betting edge: Rangers

Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 4.35) vs C.C. Sabathia (5-3, 3.46)

McCarthy is yet another surprise in the Texas rotation, and he has a 1-0 record in three outings (one start) against the Yankees. Sabathia won his fourth decision in five starts and is starting to look like the pitcher that New York $161 million for, and he?s done well against the Rangers, going 7-3 in 13 career starts with an ERA of 4.50. Take Sabathia?s experience and momentum against McCarthy, who is allowing opponents to hit .261 off of him.

MLB betting edge: Yankees

 

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Tuesday's streaking and slumping starting pitchers
By ********

Streaking

Roy Halladay (Toronto Blue Jays)

The Toronto Blue Jays have lost Roy Halladay's last two starts, but it certainly hasn't been their ace's fault.

Halladay tries again for his major league-leading ninth victory Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels.

Toronto (29-24) saw Halladay (8-1, 2.63 ERA) win five straight starts from April 26-May 17, but he's failed to receive decisions in his last two.

It's not because the right-hander hasn't pitched well. He threw seven scoreless innings May 22 in a 1-0 loss at Atlanta, and gave up three runs over seven innings Wednesday at Baltimore before the bullpen blew a five-run lead. The Blue Jays eventually lost 12-10 in 11 innings.

"We know Doc goes out there every fifth day and does his thing on the mound. We just try to pick up what's left, and usually, it's not a lot," Toronto reliever Brian Wolfe said.

Halladay is 7-5 with a 4.35 ERA in career 15 outings against the Angels, against whom he is looking to win a third straight start. He beat Los Angeles (25-24) on May 6 in Anaheim by allowing one run over eight innings of a 13-1 victory.

Rick Porcello (Detroit Tigers)

Rick Porcello can't be happy that May is over.

The Detroit Tigers rookie will try to win his sixth straight start Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game home series against the Boston Red Sox.

Porcello (6-3, 3.48 ERA) went 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA in five starts last month, becoming the first Detroit rookie to record five victories in May since at least 1954.

The 20-year-old right-hander went 1-3 with a 6.23 ERA in his first four big league starts, but feels much more comfortable now. He gave up two runs in six innings of an 8-3 victory at Kansas City on Wednesday.

"I've had a couple of starts now and I'm able to settle in a little better out there and focus. And all the jitters are kind of gone," Porcello said. "I think I'm getting a little more comfortable with each start."

The Tigers (28-21) are being careful with their prized young pitcher, who hasn't gone past the sixth inning in his last four outings. He has never faced the Red Sox.

Slumping

Andy Sonnanstine (Tampa Bay Rays)

After James Shields, David Price and Matt Garza delivered solid starts in the three-game set against the Twins, Andy Sonnanstine (3-5, 7.66 ERA) looks to continue improving the starters' ERA of 5.00.

In his last outing Wednesday, Sonnanstine yielded a season-high eight runs in a 12-7 loss at Cleveland. In his last 17 innings of work, Sonnanstine has allowed 21 runs on just 30 hits.

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 4.96 ERA in three home starts this season. He's 1-1 with a 3.48 ERA in three career starts against Kansas City.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (Boston Red Sox)

This is the first meeting of the season between Boston and Detroit. The Red Sox went 5-2 against the Tigers last year.

Two of the Boston victories were earned by Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-3, 8.82), who posted a 0.77 ERA in the two outings. He's 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA in four starts versus the Tigers.

The Red Sox haven't seen anything resembling that kind of pitching from the right-hander this season. He hasn't lasted past the sixth inning, most recently allowing three runs in five innings of a 4-2 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday.

Matsuzaka walked three and threw four wild pitches as he had trouble working with backup catcher George Kottaras.

"There were cases out there today that our signs didn't match up all the time or our timing didn't match up," Matsuzaka said through an interpreter. "All that comes from experience."

Returning

Anibal Sanchez (Florida Marlins)

Florida is expected to activate Anibal Sanchez (1-4, 5.79) from the disabled list to make his first start since leaving a 4-2 loss against Atlanta on May 7 with shoulder pain.

The right-hander, who underwent rotator cuff surgery in 2007, suffered from a shoulder sprain this time. Sanchez has a 7.89 ERA while losing his last four starts and likely will be limited to 75-80 pitches in this contest.

"We can't ask any more from him," Gonzalez told the Marlins' official Web site. "He's done everything we've asked him to with his rehab stuff. I think that he'll give us a good opportunity to win."

Sanchez is 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in three starts against Milwaukee, but hasn't faced the Brewers since 2007.

Vicente Padilla (Texas Rangers)

Vicente Padilla (3-2, 4.71 ERA) is scheduled to be activated from the disabled list to start the series opener.

Padilla, out with a strained right shoulder, hasn't pitched since allowing three runs and 10 hits in eight innings of a 5-3 win over the Angels on May 16. The right-hander went 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in three starts prior to going on the DL.

In his only start against the Yankees last season on Aug. 8, Padilla gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings of a 9-5 win, but didn't factor in the decision. He's 1-1 with a 5.51 ERA in three career starts versus New York.

Debuting

Vin Mazzaro (Oakland Athletics)

Right-hander Vin Mazzaro will make his major league debut for Oakland on Tuesday. The 22-year-old was a third-round pick in 2005 and went 2-2 with a 2.38 ERA for Triple-A Sacramento.

"He's pitched about as good as you can pitch at that level so this is the next step, obviously,'' Oakland manager Bob Geren said. "Honestly, he gives us the best chance to win."

Mazzaro joins fellow rookies Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson and Josh Outman in the Athletics' rotation.

Brad Thompson (St. Louis Cardinals)

St. Louis' Brad Thompson (0-1, 4.30) is set to make his first start of the season, taking the place in the rotation for the injured Joel Pineiro, who has back spasms.

Thompson, who hasn't pitched since May 17, went 3-2 with a 4.91 ERA in five spot starts last season. The right-hander won both starts against the Reds in 2008, posting a 4.50 ERA.

Antonio Bastardo (Philadelphia Phillies)

The Phillies will hand the ball to Antonio Bastardo for his major league debut, hoping he can fill the void left by Brett Myers, who's expected to miss about three months to recover from hip surgery scheduled for later this week.

Bastardo was 3-2 with a 1.89 ERA in 11 games - seven starts - in the minors before he was called up Sunday. He wasn't made available to reporters, but Phillies reliever Sergio Escalona - Bastardo's teammate with Triple-A Lehigh Valley earlier this season - had good things to say about the left-hander.

"Antonio is very talented," Escalona told the Phillies' official Web site. "He has a good fastball and can change things up. I'm sure he is very happy to be here with the Phillies."

 

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Chicago Cubs at Atlanta Braves (-120, 9)

The Chicago Cubs were supposed to have Carlos Zambrano on the mound to open their three-game series against the Atlanta Braves, but an emotional outburst in his last start earned him a suspension.

The way Randy Wells is pitching, the Cubs shouldn't feel too badly about their backup plan.

Wells has pitched well despite a lack of run support in four starts, and he'll hope for more offense as he seeks his first major-league win when the Cubs begin their season series with the Braves on Tuesday night at Turner Field.

Zambrano was having one of his best starts of the season Wednesday against Pittsburgh, before he vehemently disagreed with a close call at home plate in the seventh inning. His on-field antics, which included giving the umpire an ejection sign and tossing the baseball toward center field, garnered a six-game suspension.

Wells didn't get any support during his seven innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, when he gave up two runs and eight hits while striking out seven in a 2-1 loss.

Wells faces a Braves lineup dogged by inconsistency. Atlanta (25-25) had totaled seven runs in four games prior to a 10-6 victory Friday at Arizona. After falling 3-2 on Saturday, the Braves salvaged a four-game series split by pounding out 15 hits - three apiece from Kelly Johnson, Yunel Escobar and Chipper Jones - in a 9-3 win Sunday.

Chicago also split a four-game series over the weekend, but manager Lou Piniella's club has had trouble scoring lately. The Cubs averaged 2.8 runs while dropping nine of their final 13 games in May, including an 8-2 home loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night.

"Who cares if we're .500 at the end of May?" said first baseman Derrek Lee, who's hitting .248 and appears to be missing injured third baseman Aramis Ramirez behind him in the lineup. "That's not the goal. What if you're 10 games over at the end of May? It'd be nice, but that's not the goal."

Lee and the Cubs will try to get turned around against Atlanta's Kenshin Kawakami (3-6, 4.73), who couldn't build on his best start of the season. After tossing eight shutout innings in a win over Toronto on May 22, the Japanese rookie right-hander gave up nine hits and four runs - three earned - over 5 2-3 innings in a 6-3 loss at San Francisco last Wednesday.

Chicago outscored Atlanta 49-18 in sweeping six meetings last season, with catcher Geovany Soto (.476, nine RBIs) leading the way.

Pick: Cubs


Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins (-170, 9.5)

Banged up and struggling on the road, the Minnesota Twins hope a brief return home along with another strong outing from Kevin Slowey can create some momentum ahead of their next trip.

Slowey looks to win his third consecutive start and fourth straight decision as the Twins begin a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday.

The Twins (25-27) needed Monday off to get some players healthy after snapping a three-game win streak with a 3-2 victory Sunday at Tampa Bay that improved their road record - the worst in the majors - to 6-16.

Michael Cuddyer is day-to-day with a strained index finger suffered in the victory, and Minnesota is already without Joe Crede (knee) and Nick Punto (groin). Joe Mauer did not play Sunday after fouling a ball off his right leg Saturday, and Mike Redmond couldn't come out of Sunday's game after taking a stinger off his left wrist.

Home has been a steady salve of late for the Twins, who have won eight of their last 10 at the Metrodome. Slowey (7-1, 4.11 ERA) - trying to become just the third pitcher in the majors with eight wins - has been effective there, going 6-0 with a 4.64 ERA in seven starts while getting an average of 10.13 runs of support.

He allowed two runs in six innings of a 4-2 win over Boston on Wednesday and also limited the Indians to one run in eight innings of a 7-1 victory on April 25.

Cleveland can empathize with Minnesota's mounting injury list. The Indians have eight players on the disabled list and only Tampa Bay with nine has more. On Monday, reliever Rafael Betancourt (right groin strain) was placed on the DL, one day after Grady Sizemore was for an inflamed left elbow that may require surgery if rest does not reduce the pain.

After winning seven of nine, Cleveland comes in after losing three of four with the New York Yankees, including a 5-2 loss Monday. Victor Martinez hit a solo homer, but the Indians issued 11 walks - four by reliever Greg Aquino over 1 1-3 innings.

Pick: Twins on the runline