ARIZONA at MONTREAL: The Expos debut at Olympic Stadium was a big success as Tomo Ohka blanked the D-Backs, 4-0. Arizona has really struggled at the dish, scoring three runs or less in 12 of 20. Elmer Dessens tries to get them back on track and become Arizona's first two game winner, when he faces Livan Hernandez in Game 2. Dessens was ineffective in his last outing, allowing five runs and eight hits in five innings en route to a 6-3 loss in St. Louis. He is 2-0 against Montreal with a 2.70 ERA. Hernandez lost his last outing, 14-8, getting tagged for four runs and eight hits in six innings by the Braves.
COLORADO at PHILADELPHIA: Jason Jennings has apparently fallen victim to the sophomore jinx after winning NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2002. The Rockies hurler has yet to turn in a quality start, allowing 31 hits in 19 innings and posting a bloated 8.05 ERA. Brett Myers was pushed back on night in the rotation with Kevin Millwood getting the call in the series opener and pitching the Phillies to a 5-2 victory. He has pitched effectively in two his three previous starts, limiting the Marlins to three runs in seven innings but coming up short on the scoreboard, 3-1. Jennings has prospered against NL-East foes, winning eight of nine and he is 7-2 on the road as an underdog of between +125 and +175.
MILWAUKEE at FLORIDA: The Brewers Glendon Rusch likes pitching at Pro Player Stadium, where he has won two of three with a 1.63 ERA in four previous starts. Florida took care of business in the series opener behind Brad Penny to win for the fifth time in its last six at home. Carl Pavano gets the call in Game 2, shooting for his fourth consecutive quality start. In his last three trips to the hill, Pavano is 2-1 with a 2.97 ERA. Rusch has come up short in 14 of his last 18 as a road dog of up to +150 and he is 1-7 on the highway in April. Pavano has topped the total in five of his last six at home in April.
SAN FRANCISCO at PITTSBURGH: San Francisco rookie Jessie Foppert fell victim to early jitters in his big league debut and the Pirates took advantage, 5-2. The Giants are banking on veteran southpaw Kirk Rueter to halt their first two-game slide this season when he faces Jeff D'Amico in the second game of the series. Rueter was ripped in his last start, giving up five runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings while losing to Houston, 8-5. The soft thrower is 18-4 versus NL-Central clubs and he has won 27 of his last 40 on the road. D'Amico hasn't given the Pirates many innings this season, failing to get past the fifth inning in his last two starts but he only allowed four earned runs in 10 innings. San Francisco is 18-2 as road favorites of -150 to -175 the last three years. Rueter has seen 22 of his last 31 on the road top the total against NL-Central opposition.
HOUSTON at METS: The Astros sent David Cone to an early shower and won the series opener, 6-2. Houston sends Roy Oswalt to the mound in Game 2 to face Mets ace Al Leiter. Oswalt has been roughed up in his last two appearances, surrendering nine earned runs and 17 hits in 11 2/3 innings. He is 2-0 versus the Mets during his brief career with a 0.66 ERA and he has won six of his last seven against NL-East foes. Leiter hasn't pitched well against Houston, dropping five of six lifetime with a 6.23 ERA. He has been lights out in four starts this season, posting a 3-1 mark and a 2.23 ERA. Leiter has dipped 'under' in his last six at home facing teams from the NL-Central.
LOS ANGELES at CINCINNATI: The Dodgers hope to have better luck at the plate against Chris Reitsma, making his first start of the season for the Reds, than they did against Wilson. Reitsma was recalled from Lousiville to replace Jimmy Haynes in the rotation. He started 21 games for Cincinnati last season, posting a 6-12 record and a decent 3.64 ERA. Darren Dreifort looks to pitch Los Angeles to its first three-game winning streak of the year. He has been a welcome addition to the staff after missing all of 2002, turning in three straight effective starts while allowing only eight earned runs in 19 innings and striking out 16. Reitsma was 7-19 in the Reds old park and 4-15 under the lights at home. The Reds have jumped 'over' in 12 of 14 against right-handers this season. Driefort has topped the total in six of seven on the road when it was between 10 and 10 ?.
WHITE SOX at BALTIMORE: Bartolo Colon has been everything the White Sox expected when they handed him the big bucks. The burly right-hander has turned in four straight quality starts in a Chicago uniform, winning three straight with a nifty 3.21 ERA. He has won five of seven career decisions against Baltimore with a 2.55 ERA, splitting four at Camden Yard with a 2.77 ERA. Colon is 10-1 as a road favorite of from -150 to -175. Jason Johnson tries to get the Orioles back on track after their two-game win streak came to an end in the series opener, 3-1. Johnson has emerged as manager Mike Hargrove's most reliable hurler, turning in three straight strong outings where he allowed just six earned runs in 18 2/3 innings. Johnson is 1-8 as a home dog of +125 or more, however. He has lost three of five against the White Sox with a lofty 9.51 ERA. Colon has slipped below the number in his last three starts this year and in 10 of his last dozen in April. He has also stayed 'under' in 12 of 15 on the road when the total was between eight and 8 ?. Johnson has dipped 'under' in 19 of 26 at home during the first half of the season.
TORONTO at TAMPA BAY: The D-Rays knocked off the Blue Jays for the fifth time in the last six meetings at Tropicana Field in the series opener, 4-3. The loss, Toronto's 11th in 12 games, dropped them into the basement in the AL-East, one half game arrears of Tampa Bay. Victor Zambrano gets the ball in Game 2 against Mark Hendrickson. Zambrano is 0-6 as a home dog the last three seasons. He has been battered in three of four starts this season, with his only effective outing coming against the Yankees. Hendrickson pitched proficiently in his last chance, limiting the Red Sox to two runs in six innings in a losing cause, 7-3.
BOSTON at TEXAS: The Red Sox have the third best record in the American League after winning for the eighth time in nine games in the series opener behind Pedro Martinez. The Boston bullpen almost blew another big lead for Martinez but held on, 5-4. Tim Wakefield faces John Thomson in the second game of the series. The Rangers have pounded Wakefield at home, winning six of eight and tagging him for 6.00 ERA. Thomson, after turning in a pair of quality starts, was thumped in his last effort, allowing eight runs, five unearned, and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings against Oakland. He has slipped below the number in 14 of 18 at home when it was 10 or higher and 20 of 28 under the lights.
MINNESOTA at KANSAS CITY: The Royals remained the only unbeaten team at home this season, handing the slumping Twins their fifth straight loss last night, 4-3. Precocious lefty Chris George looks to continue the magic when he tackles Brad Radke. George has been the shakiest member of Tony Pena's rotation. He didn't have a clue in his last outing, surrendering eight runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings versus the White Sox. Radke has alternated good starts and bad starts this season and he is coming off a stinker where he gave up seven runs and nine hits in five innings to the Yankees. The Twins veteran has slipped 'under' in 40 of 53 under the lights and 31 of his last 45 on the road.
YANKEES at ANAHEIM: The Yankees have won six straight for the first time this season and send Angel killer Roger Clemens to the mound to extend that streak tonight. Looking for win No. 297, "The Rocket" has captured 27 of 35 against the Angels with a 2.50 ERA and is 12-4 at Edison Field. Since reeling off five straight wins from April 9-13, Anaheim has faltered in six of eight and dropped three of four at home. Mickey Callaway gets the ball in Game 2 after struggling in his last two starts. He opened the year with a 10-0 over Texas but in his last two outings was tagged for nine earned runs in 9 2/3 innings. Anaheim has topped the total in six straight and nine of its last 11 and New York has followed suit in 10 of 11 on the road.
DETROIT at OAKLAND: The Tigers had a couple of moral victories last night but still lost their eighth straight. Detroit extended the A's to extra innings and scored more than four runs for the first time since its season high of six on April 9. They are off to the worst start since the Orioles began the '88 campaign by dropping 21 in a row. Rookie Jason Bonderman, figures to be the sacrificial lamb when he faces Oakland's Barry Zito. The 2002 AL Cy Young winner is 22-1 at home in his last 31 starts and 11-1 in his last 14 with a 2.31 ERA. After getting cuffed about in his first two major league starts, Bonderman pitched effectively against the Twins on April 17, allowing three earned runs in six innings while being tagged with a 6-0 loss.
CLEVELAND at SEATTLE: Mike Cameron bailed out the Mariners' reeling bullpen last night, hitting a walk off grand slam homer in extra innings to crush the Indians, 8-5. Seattle, winners in eight of 10, send Gil Meche to the hill in the second game of the series to face the Tribe rookie Ricardo Rodriguez. Meche limited Oakland to one unearned run and four hits in six innings in his last start. Rodriguez has taken over from C.C. Sabathia as the Indians best this season, spinning four straight quality starts and allowing a meager six earned runs in 26 innings. Meche is 10-1 as a home favorite since '97 and 9-2 at Safeco Field under the lights.