MLB Betting News and Trends For Sunday 9/2318

Week 3 - Sunday Blitz
September 22, 2018
By Kevin Rogers

Colts at Eagles (-6 ½, 47 ½) – 1:00 PM EST

Philadelphia’s title defense started with an ugly home victory over Atlanta in a playoff rematch in Week 1. However, the Eagles were torched by a pair of 75-yard touchdowns in a 27-21 defeat to Tampa Bay last week in the final game played without Carson Wentz at quarterback. Super Bowl MVP and backup Nick Foles threw for 334 yards and a touchdown against the Buccaneers, but Wentz will be back in the fold on Sunday for the first time in a regular season game since tearing his ACL in a Week 14 victory over the Rams last season.

The Eagles welcome in old friend and former offensive coordinator Frank Reich and the Colts, who face an NFC East opponent for the second straight week. Indianapolis rebounded from an opening week setback to Cincinnati as the Colts cruised past the Redskins last Sunday in D.C. as six-point underdogs, 21-9. The Colts held Washington to three field goals, while quarterback Andrew Luck tossed two touchdown passes for his first win since 2016.

Philadelphia is riding a 12-1 SU and 10-3 ATS run in the last 13 games at Lincoln Financial Field since Week 16 of 2016, while winning five consecutive matchups with AFC opponents dating back to 2015. Indianapolis last won consecutive games in 2016, while posting a 1-2 ATS record off a victory last season with the lone cover coming as a 10 ½-point underdog against Pittsburgh. The Eagles and Colts last hooked up in Week 2 of the 2014 season in Indianapolis as Philadelphia pulled out a 30-27 road ‘dog victory.

Best Bet: Eagles 20, Colts 17

Saints at Falcons (-3, 53 ½) – 1:00 PM EST

New Orleans has gone from a 10-point favorite in consecutive home games to a short underdog in its first road contest of the season on Sunday. The Saints couldn’t stop the Buccaneers in a 48-40 opening week defeat, while coming a kick away from losing to the Browns last week. New Orleans staved off Cleveland, 21-18 by scoring 18 fourth quarter points, highlighted by a pair of Drew Brees touchdown tosses to Michael Thomas. The Saints dropped to 2-7 ATS in their last nine regular season contests, which includes a 2-4 ATS mark at the Mercedes Benz Superdome.

The Falcons rebounded from an opening week loss to the Eagles by winning their home opener over the Panthers last Sunday, 31-24. Atlanta cashed as 5 ½-point favorites thanks to a pair of touchdown passes by Matt Ryan, while the Falcons’ quarterback also rushed for two scores. The Falcons improved to 6-0 in its past six home games against division opponents, while Atlanta has won three of the previous four home matchups with New Orleans since 2014.

These two NFC South rivals each won at home last season in a pair of December matchups. The Falcons rallied from a 17-10 fourth quarter deficit by scoring the final 10 points of a 20-17 win as 2 ½-point favorites, in spite of Ryan getting intercepted three times. The Saints slumped to a 1-3 ATS mark as a road underdog in the 2017 regular season, one year after putting together a 6-1 ATS record in the same role.

Best Bet: Saints 31, Falcons 24

Chargers at Rams (-7, 48) – 4:05 PM EST

The battle of Los Angeles is the key game to watch among the three late kickoffs on Sunday. One season removed from winning the NFC West title, the Rams haven’t missed a beat in two blowout victories over the Raiders and Cardinals. L.A. has outscored its opponents, 67-13, while easily covering each time. Running back Todd Gurley rushed for only 42 yards, but found the end zone three times, while quarterback Jared Goff threw for 354 yards in last week’s 34-0 pounding of the Cardinals.

The other L.A. squad broke through the win column for the first time last week with a rout of its own by drilling the Bills, 31-20. Buffalo scored a touchdown in the final minute to make the score look closer, as the Chargers jumped out to a commanding 28-3 lead as Philip Rivers tossed three touchdown passes. The Lightning Bolts rank third in the NFL in yards per game at 445, while Rivers is averaging 329 yards per game, which also ranks third in the league.

The Chargers closed out last season as a tremendous UNDER team by cashing in 10 of its final 11 games. However, the Bolts have hit the OVER in their first two contests of 2018, while the Rams have gone the opposite way with a pair of UNDERS. The Rams captured all four wins over AFC opponents last season, but did lose three times as a home favorite against the Redskins, Seahawks, and Eagles, all off a win the prior week.

Best Bet: Chargers 28, Rams 23

SUPERCONTEST PICKS

Kevin Rogers (2-3 last week, 3-6-1 on season)
Indianapolis +6 ½
Carolina -3
Oakland +3
N.Y. Giants +6 ½
Seattle -2

Chris David (2-3 last week, 6-4 on season)
Washington +2 ½
N.Y. Giants +6 ½
Arizona +6
Dallas +2
New England -7

SURVIVOR PICKS

Kevin Rogers (New Orleans last week – 2-0)
Minnesota over Buffalo

Chris David (L.A. Rams last week – 2-0)
Minnesota over Buffalo

BEST TOTAL PLAY (0-1 last week, 1-1 this season)

UNDER 44 ½ - Broncos at Ravens

After an easy win in Week 1 between the Redskins and Cardinals, it was a blowout loss for the UNDER in Week 2 as the Chiefs outlasted the Steelers, 42-37. The Broncos have depended on the ground game through two weeks, while trying to keep the ball out of quarterback Case Keenum’s hands. Baltimore fell behind Cincinnati 28-7 last week before losing, 34-23 as the defense couldn’t stop A.J. Green, who scored three touchdowns. Last season, Denver lost seven of eight road games, while scoring 16 points or less in five of those defeats.

TRAP OF THE WEEK

Is it crazy to think the Cardinals can pull off the upset of the Bears at home? It doesn’t seem like much of an upset as the Bears are coming off their first win last week, but Arizona’s offense has totaled six points in two losses to Washington and Los Angeles. In the last two seasons, the Cardinals are a perfect 5-0 when coming off back-to-back losses, while the Bears are 2-14 in this same span away from Soldier Field.

BIGGEST LINE MOVE

The Texans are one of two 0-2 teams listed as a favorite this week (Seattle the other). The Giants travel to the Lone Star State for the second straight week after falling to 0-2 following a 20-13 loss at Dallas. The Texans opened up as 3 ½-point favorites at the Westgate Superbook, but the line has spiked up to six at many books and even 6 ½ at several outfits. In 2014, 2015, and 2017, the Giants also started 0-2. In each of those seasons, New York covered the spread in the third game, including last season in a three-point setback at Philadelphia.

BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW

As a follow-up to the Texans (along with the Seahawks and Chiefs), teams playing their first home game of the season following back-to-back road games are not squads to support. Since 2008, home clubs are 8-20 ATS in this situation, including a horrific 4-19 ATS record in the role of a favorite. Houston, Seattle, and Kansas City are all listed as favorites, but the Seahawks have never started 0-3 under Pete Carroll as they host the Cowboys.

Total Talk - Week 3
September 22, 2018
By Chris David

Total bettors saw a stalemate (8-8) in the second week of the season and most of the results were never in doubt. You could argue that the Vikings-Packers ‘over’ (45) only cashed due to the late surge but the pair did have 24 points posted at halftime. Bettors chasing the high side in the second-half again cashed tickets with a 9-7 mark.

2018 Total Results - Game & Halves
O/U Game 1st Half 2nd Half
Week 2 8-8 8-8 9-7
O/U Game 1st Half 2nd Half
Year-to-Date 17-15 15-17 19-13

The two non-conference games in Week 2 went ‘under’ and the early divisional trend leaning to the ‘over’ came back to life with a 5-3 lean to the low side.

2018 Results - Other
O/U AFC-NFC Divisional Indoor Coast to Coast
Week 2 0-2 3-5 1-1 1-0
O/U AFC-NFC Divisional Indoor Coast to Coast
Year-to-Date 2-4 7-5 4-2 1-1

Keep an Eye On

-- Nine teams have watched the ‘over’ cash in each of their first two games while seven teams have watched the ‘under’ go 2-0.

-- It was noted in our Hot & Not Report that the four teams in the NFC East are 7-1 to the ‘under’ and it did double-count the Giants-Cowboys result from Week 2.

-- Fireworks are expected for a quarter of the games in Week 3 with four games having totals listed in the fifties. Week 2 had two games close in the 50s and the ‘over/under’ went 1-1. No games in Week 1 were in this range but a pair closed at 49 ½ and the same total result (1-1) occurred.

Line Moves and Public Leans

Listed below are the largest line moves for Week 3 as of Saturday morning per BookMaker.eu.

Green Bay at Washington: 47 ½ to 45
Chicago at Arizona: 40 to 38 ½
New England at Detroit: 50 to 54
Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay: 50 to 54

Listed below are the five largest leans for Week 3 per the betting trend percentages on the VI Matchup index as of Saturday morning.

Cincinnati at Carolina: 92% Over
New England at Detroit: 92% Over
N.Y. Giants at Houston: 85% Over
Oakland at Miami: 83% Over
Denver at Baltimore: 78% Over

Divisional Action

Tennessee at Jacksonville: The ‘over’ is on a 4-1 run in this series and last year’s ‘under’ result could be tossed out with the Jaguars resting players in Week 17. The Titans won that game 15-10. Tennessee has scored 20 in each of its first two games but injury concerns at quarterback could keep that production in the same neighborhood. The Jaguars have allowed just 12.7 points per game in their last seven games at home.

New Orleans at Atlanta: Nine of the last 10 encounters between the pair have seen totals in the fifties and this week’s number (53 ½) is in that range. The ‘over’ has gone 6-3-1 during this span and based on what we’ve seen from the Saints defense (33 PPG), it’s hard to imagine Atlanta not getting at least four scores at home. First road game for New Orleans and it averaged 25.7 PPG away from home last season. This Falcons defense was great last season and it showed in Week 1 at Philadelphia but the unit has been affected by two huge injuries (Deion Jones, Keanu Neal) and it showed last week by allowing 439 yards to Carolina.

NFC vs. AFC

Half of the 16 matchups in Week 3 are non-conference tilts. Looking above, you can see the ‘under’ has gone 4-2 in these games so far this season.

Indianapolis at Philadelphia: This is a tough game to handicap for a couple reasons. For starters, you have QB Carson Wentz returning for the Eagles on Sunday since injuring his knee last December and rust could certainly be a factor. Second, former Philadelphia offensive coordinator Frank Reich is the head coach for the Colts. Will his knowledge be able to temper the Birds? The Philadelphia defense was great at home last season (12.4 PPG) and it held Atlanta to 12 points in the opener. While QB Andrew Luck has made a few mistakes (3 INTs) for the Colts, he’s almost back to his form and the Colts offense is ranked first in third down conversions (61%). Going back to the 2016 season, Indy has averaged 25.8 PPG in their last nine road games with Luck under center.

Cincinnati at Carolina: The Bengals have been a surprise so far at 2-0 and while the defense (23 PPG, 402.5 YPG) looks suspect, they’ve forced five turnovers through two games. The Cincy offense takes a hit with the loss of running back Joe Mixon but QB Andy Dalton appears confident for now. Including one win this season, the Panthers have captured six straight at home and the offense has averaged 27.5 PPG in those victories.

N.Y. Giants at Houston: The New York offense (14 PPG, 289.5 YPG) continues to be a mess and Houston’s hyped-up attack (18.5 PPG) under Deshawun Watson hasn’t been much better. Both clubs enter this game with 2-0 ‘under’ records and the Giants have seen the ‘under’ go 8-1 in their last nine regular season games.

Buffalo at Minnesota: Based on the odds for this matchup, the books are expecting Minnesota to win this game 28-12 over Buffalo. The Vikings have watched the ‘under’ go 6-2 in their last eight regular season games at home and no opponent has scored over 16 points during this span.

San Francisco at Kansas City: Andy Reid and the Chiefs have become the most popular team to back and it’s easy to see why. They lead the league in scoring (40 PPG) and they have to because their defense (32.5 PPG, 508 YPG) is one of the worst units in the league. While this total (55) is high, the ‘over’ is certainly doable based on the tendencies for Kansas City. The Chiefs have averaged 29 PPG in their last five home games versus NFC foes.

L.A. Chargers at L.A. Rams: The Bolts averaged 27.5 PPG in two road games versus NFC teams last season and more points expected here in this local rivalry. This is a big step up in class for the Chargers, who just faced two of the weakest defensive teams. The Rams defensive unit (6.5 PPG, 266 YPG) has been lights out albeit versus the Raiders and Cardinals. In two games versus AFC teams at home last season, the Rams only allowed a combined 16 points.

New England at Detroit: (See Below)

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay: (See Below)

Under the Lights

The ‘under’ went 2-1 in primetime games last week and through eight games, the low side owns a 5-3 mark on the season which includes Thursday’s outcome between the Browns and Jets. Home teams have won six of those contests and a visitor hasn’t won since the road teams (Jets, Rams) swept the double-header on Monday Night Football in Week 1.

SNF – New England at Detroit: A Patriots-Over combination on SNF would be a disaster for the house and the books are hoping former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia can rally his new club to an upset. You might be surprised to know that Patricia and the Lions (347.5 YPG) have the better defense than the Patriots (402.5 YPG). New England was diced up by the Jaguars (480 yards) on the road last week and they made Blake Bortles (376 yards, 4 TDs) look like Tom Brady. Detroit is on an 8-2 ‘over’ run its last 10 games at Ford Field, which was helped by Lions attack (25.7 PPG). Make a note that the Patriots have seen the ‘over’ go 4-2 in their last six games against NFC opponents and they’ve scored 30-plus in four of those games, which includes their last two Super Bowl results.

MNF – Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay: The opening number (50) was quickly pushed up and it appears that bettors are certainly overreacting to what we’ve seen in the first two weeks. Tampa Bay has turned some heads but they’ve done it with big plays and you wonder what happens when the Buccaneers are forced to move the sticks. The Steelers were lit up at home last week to the Chiefs, who hold a slight lead over Tampa Bay (10-9) with big passing plays (25-plus yards) this season. As bad as both defensive units have looked, you would have to think that Tampa Bay (30.5 PPG) or Pittsburgh (31.5 PPG) will improve as the season progresses. Make a note that including the tie at Cleveland in Week 1, the Steelers have gone 7-1-1 in their last 9 road games and the defense (15.7 PPG) has been very solid during this span. And as great as Tampa Bay QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has played through two games, he’s 0-5 in five career starts against Pittsburgh and his teams only averaged 14.4 PPG.

Fearless Predictions

A couple clear-cut winners were upended by the Jets-Dolphins ‘over’ and turnovers clearly doomed that outcome. The teaser was shot at halftime of the Chiefs-Steelers game and that loser cost us juice ($10) on the weekend. Bankroll (+185) still positive and plenty of weeks left. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end – Good Luck!

Best Over: Cincinnati-Carolina 44
Best Under: Oakland-Miami 44 ½
Best Team Total: Over 17 ½ N.Y. Giants

Three-Team Total Teaser (+7.5, +105)
Under 52 ½ Green Bay-Washington
Under 46 Chicago-Arizona
77Over 46 ½ New England-Detroit

National League
Mets (72-83) @ Nationals (78-77)
Matz is 0-0, 2.31 in his last four starts (under 2-0-2). Team in his starts: 13-15, 7-6 away
5-inning record: 8-14-6 Allowed run in 1st inning: 9-28

Fedde is 1-0, 3.60 in his last three starts (over 4-4-1). Team in his starts: 3-6, 0-5 home
5-inning record: 2-3-4 Allowed run in 1st inning: 2-9

Mets lost five of their last eight games; nine of their last 11 games stayed under. Washington lost three of its last four home games; over is 8-4 in their last 12 home games.

Brewers (88-67) @ Pirates (78-75)
Miley is 3-0, 1.69 in his last three starts; under is 3-1 in his last four. Team in his starts: 10-4, 6-2 away
5-inning record: 7-5-2 Allowed run in 1st inning: 2-14

Kingham is 0-4, 9.00 in his last four starts (under 7-6). Team in his starts: 4-9, 3-4 home
5-inning record: 5-6-2 Allowed run in 1st inning: 7-13

Brewers are 9-5 in their last 14 games; six of their last seven games stayed under. Pittsburgh won nine of its last ten home games; five of their last seven games stayed under.

Reds (66-90) @ Marlins (61-93)
Lorenzen allowed one run in four IP (52 PT) in his first ’18 start (under 1-0). Team in his starts: 1-0, 1-0 road
5-inning record: 1-0 Allowed run in 1st inning: 0-1

Richards is 0-2, 12.71 in his last three starts; his last six starts went over. Team in his starts: 9-14, 4-6 home
5-inning record: 9-9-5 Allowed run in 1st inning: 9-23

Reds lost nine of their last 13 road games; under is 10-0-1 in their last 11 games. Miami lost six of its last ten games; Marlins’ last three games stayed under.

Phillies (78-76) @ Braves (87-68)
Nola is 1-2, 4.45 in his last five starts; under is 4-2-2 in his last eight. Team in his starts: 21-10, 7-7 road
5-inning record: 11-10-10 Allowed run in 1st inning: 9-31

Sanchez is 0-3, 3.12 in his last six starts; (under 4-2). Team in his starts: 12-10, 4-6 home
5-inning record: 7-12-3 Allowed run in 1st inning: 5-22

Phillies are 7-19 in their last 26 road games; over is 7-3-1 in their last 11 road games. Atlanta clinched division yesterday; they won their last four games; seven of Braves’ last nine games went over.

Giants (72-83) @ Cardinals (86-69)
Suarez is 3-2, 2.41 in his last five starts (under 4-0-1). Team in his starts: 12-15, 6-8 away
5-inning record: 8-10-9 Allowed run in 1st inning: 8-27

Mikolas is 3-0, 3.38 in his last three starts; over is 6-1 in his last seven. Team in his starts: 22-8, 10-5 home
5-inning record: 17-10-3 Allowed run in 1st inning: 4-30

Giants are 3-10 in their last 13 road games; under is 11-5 in their last 16 games. St Louis won five of its last six games; over is 9-3 in their last 12 games.

Rockies (84-70) @ Diamondbacks (79-76)
Freeland is 4-0, 2.90 in his last five starts; under is 6-3 in his last nine. Team in his starts: 21-10, 9-8 away
5-inning record: 15-10-6 Allowed run in 1st inning: 9-31

Godley is 0-3, 9.95 in his last three starts; over is 5-2 in his last seven. Team in his starts: 16-14, 5-5 home
5-inning record: 14-15-1 Allowed run in 1st inning: 9-30

Rockies lost five of their last eight games; under is 8-3 in their last 11 games. Arizona lost eight of its last ten games; over is 7-2 in their last nine home games.

Padres (62-93) @ Dodgers (86-69)
Lucchesi is 1-1, 4.60 in his last three starts; over is 7-2 in his last nine. Team in his starts: 10-14, 4-5 away
5-inning record: 11-9-4 Allowed run in 1st inning: 5-24

Ryu is 2-2, 3.60 in his last four starts; over is 4-1 in his last five. Team in his starts: 8-5, 5-2 home
5-inning record: 7-4-2 Allowed run in 1st inning: 2-13

Padres are 6-5 in their last 11 games; over is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games. Dodgers won eight of their last ten games; over is 4-2 in their last six games.

American League
Baltimore (44-110) @ New York (95-59)
Cobb is 2-0, 3.14 in his last five starts; under is 5-2 in his last seven. Team in his starts: 7-20, 6-11 away
5-inning record: 7-16-4 Allowed run in 1st inning: 8-27

Happ is 1-0, 1.00 in his last three starts (over 4-3-2). Team in his starts: 8-1, 5-1 home
5-inning record: 5-2-2 Allowed run in 1st inning: 2-9

Baltimore is 4-16 in its last 20 games; four of their last five road games went over. New York won four of its last five games; over is 8-4 in their last 12 home games.

Rays (86-68) @ Blue Jays (71-84)
Snell is 8-0, 1.37 in his last eight starts; under is 9-2-1 in his last 12 starts. Team in his starts: 20-9, 10-6 away
5-inning record: 19-6-4 Allowed run in 1st inning: 4-28

Borucki is 1-1, 1.77 in his last three starts; over is 6-3 in his last nine. Team in his starts: 7-8, 2-4 home
5-inning record: 5-5-5 Allowed run in 1st inning: 6-15

Tampa Bay won 14 of its last 19 games; over is 5-3 in their last eight games. Blue Jays won six of their last eight games; over is 5-3 in their last eight home games.

Red Sox (105-50) @ Indians (86-68)
Velasquez is 0-2, 7.71 in his last five starts (over 4-3). Team in his starts: 5-2, 3-1 away
5-inning record: 2-3-2 Allowed run in 1st inning: 1-7

Plutko is 0-4, 6.00 in his last six starts (under 5-1). Team in his starts: 5-6, 3-3 home
5-inning record: 7-4 Allowed run in 1st inning: 2-11

Red Sox split their last eight games; under is 6-3-1 in their last ten games. Cleveland won six of its last ten home games; under is 7-5-4 in their last 16 home games.

Royals (53-102) @ Tigers (63-92)
Keller is 4-1, 2.80 in his last seven starts; over is 3-1-1 in his last five. Team in his starts: 9-10, 2-6 away
5-inning record: 9-7-3 Allowed run in 1st inning: 5-19

Norris is 0-4, 5.40 in his six starts (under 5-1). Team in his starts: 1-5, 1-3 home
5-inning record: 0-3-3 Allowed run in 1st inning: 1-6

Royals lost six of their last seven games; seven of their last ten games went over. Detroit lost 11 of its last 15 home games; under is 8-4 in their last 12 home games.

Mariners (85-69) @ Rangers (65-89)
LeBlanc is 1-1, 2.15 in his last five starts (under 4-1). Team in his starts: 16-9, 7-5 away
5-inning record: 14-8-3 Allowed run in 1st inning: 7-25

Sampson is 0-2, 2.53 in two starts (under 2-0, Texas was shut out both games). Team in his starts: 0-2, 0-1 home
5-inning record: 0-2 Allowed run in 1st inning: 1-2

Mariners won six of their last nine games; under is 11-6 in their last 17 games. Texas lost five of its last six games; over is 3-0 in their last three games.

Angels (75-80) @ Astros (97-57)
Skaggs is 1-2, 10.91 in his last four starts (over 3-1). Team in his starts: 12-10, 8-4 away
5-inning record: 10-10-2 Allowed run in 1st inning: 7-22

Morton is 3-0, 5.66 in his last four starts; under is 7-2 in his last nine. Team in his starts: 17-11, 9-6 home
5-inning record: 16-5-7 Allowed run in 1st inning: 5-28

Angels lost seven of their last nine games; over is 6-1 in their last seven games. Houston is 15-4 in its last 19 games; over is 8-4 in their last 12 games.

Twins (71-83) @ A’s (94-61)
Gibson is 1-4, 6.75 in his last five starts; over is 4-1-1 in his last six. Team in his starts: 13-17, 7-10 away
5-inning record: 10-16-4 Allowed run in 1st inning: 9-30

Cahill is 1-1, 8.44 in his last four starts; over is 5-0-1 in his last six. Team in his starts: 12-7, 8-2 home
5-inning record: 10-6-3 Allowed run in 1st inning: 8-20

Minnesota won four of its last six games; over is 7-2 in their last nine games. Oakland won its last four games, scoring 41 runs; over is 12-2 in their last 14 home games. A’s won first two games of this series, despite going 0-14 with RISP.

Interleague
Cubs (89-64) @ White Sox (61-92)
Hendricks is 3-1, 2.27 in his last five starts; under is 9-2 in his last 11 starts. Team in his starts: 16-15, 7-8 away
5-inning record: 11-13-7 Allowed run in 1st inning: 15-31

Rodon is 0-3, 6.00 in his last four starts (under 3-0-1). Team in his starts: 9-9, 4-4 home
5-inning record: 5-8-5 Allowed run in 1st inning: 3-18

Cubs won five of their last eight games; under is 8-3 in their last 11 games. White Sox lost four of their last six games; under is 6-4-1 in their last 11 games.

Umpires
NY-Wsh: Over is 16-4-2 in last 22 Wolf games.
Mil-Pitt: Six of last eight Winters games stayed under.
Cin-Mia: Over is 13-7-1 in last 21 May games.
Phil-Atl: Underdogs are 5-3 in last eight Knight games
SF-StL: Over is 7-1-1 in last nine Ortiz games.
Col-Az: Over is 16-1-2 in last 19 Guccione games.
SD-LA: Under is 16-3 in last 19 Reynolds games.

Balt-NY: Under is 5-2 in last seven Barry games.
TB-Tor: Four of last six Barber games stayed under.
KC-Det: Underdogs won five of last six TGibson games
LA-Hst: Three of last four DeJesus games went over.
Bos-Clev: Four of last five Carapazza games went over.
Sea-Tex: Over is 9-4-1 in last 14 Rackley games.
Min-A’s: Under is 6-2-1 in last nine Randazzo games

Chi-Chi: Four of last six Eddings games went over.

Preview: Orioles at Yankees
Gracenote
Sep 22, 2018

The New York Yankees have wrapped up a wild-card berth and one of the burning questions in the Bronx is who would draw the start in a one-game elimination. The leader in the clubhouse is left-hander J.A. Happ, who attempts to remain unbeaten with the Yankees when he faces the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Sunday in the finale of a three-game set.

New York clinched a playoff spot on Saturday but is trying to hold off Oakland for home-field in the wild-card game, which Happ is on target to start. Happ is undefeated in nine starts for the Yankees since he was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline, posting a 6-0 record and 2.39 ERA. Aaron Hicks homered and delivered a walk-off RBI double in Saturday's 3-2, 11-inning win, while Luke Voit went deep again and has four homers along with eight RBIs during a four-game hitting streak. Cedric Mullins and DJ Stewart each had two hits and an RBI in Baltimore's 110th loss and have both hit safely in four straight.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, TBS, MASN (Baltimore), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Alex Cobb (5-15, 4.90 ERA) vs. Yankees LH J.A. Happ (16-6, 3.62)

Cobb returns to the mound for the first time since leaving a game against Oakland on Sept. 11 after just two innings due to a blister on his right middle finger. He was in the midst of his best stretch of the season, going 3-1 with six quality starts in seven outings, including two six-inning stints against the Yankees in which he gave up a combined three runs. Giancarlo Stanton is 1-for-12 against Cobb.

Happ allowed two runs or fewer for the seventh time in nine starts with the Yankees, although he had to settle for a no-decision after tossing six innings of one-run ball (zero unearned) versus Boston on Tuesday. He beat the Orioles in Baltimore on Aug. 25, striking out nine and giving up two runs and five hits over six innings. Happ has flustered Chris Davis, who is is 4-for-25 with 12 strikeouts against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees RF Aaron Judge has a 32-game on-base streak versus the Orioles - the longest against them since they moved to Baltimore in 1954.

2. Davis has fanned seven times in the series and is 1-for-37 with 20 strikeouts in the last 10 games.

3. Voit is 9-for-19 with four homers and 10 RBIs in five games against Baltimore this season.

PREDICTION: Orioles 3, Yankees 2
__________________

Preview: Rays at Blue Jays
Gracenote
Sep 22, 2018

First baseman Rowdy Tellez is making the best of his first trip to the major leagues and looks to finish off a strong series when the Toronto Blue Jays host the Tampa Bay Rays for the finale of a four-game set Sunday afternoon. Tellez, a 30th-round pick by the Blue Jays in 2013, is 6-for-12 in the series with two homers, two doubles and six RBIs while pushing his batting average to .404 in 16 games since his arrival.

Tellez had three hits and three RBIs to back rookie Thomas Pannone’s strong 6 2/3 innings as Toronto won for the sixth time in eight games overall Saturday, and the second in three tries during the series, with a 5-2 triumph. It won’t be easy for Tellez and the Blue Jays to remain hot Sunday as they face Cy Young candidate Blake Snell, who can pass David Price (20) for the franchise record in wins during one season. Fellow left-hander Ryan Borucki is slated to go for Toronto and he will take on a Rays lineup that had totaled 28 runs in three games before being held down in Saturday’s contest to move to the brink of playoff elimination. Tommy Pham homered for Tampa Bay on Saturday and is 12-for-25 with three blasts, two triples, six runs scored and seven RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), Sportsnet, OMNI (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Blake Snell (20-5, 1.97 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Ryan Borucki (4-4, 3.86)

Snell has been brilliant since spending a few weeks on the disabled list in late July, allowing eight runs (seven earned) over 50 innings with 66 strikeouts while going 8-0 in nine outings. The 25-year-old Washington native limited Texas to one hit and two walks over five innings last Tuesday, improving to 4-0 with a 1.50 ERA in September. Snell struck out six while pitching five hitless innings to beat Toronto on Aug. 10 and is 3-2 in six career games against the Blue Jays.

Borucki comes in off the best start of his rookie season, limiting Baltimore to three hits and one walk over eight scoreless innings with seven strikeouts last Monday. The 24-year-old Illinois native, who was a 15th-round pick in 2012, owns a 1.77 ERA in three outings this month and boasts four quality starts in his last five tries. Borucki suffered a hard-luck loss in his first career start against Tampa Bay on Sept. 4, giving up two runs on three hits and two walks across six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tampa Bay SS Willy Adames is 10-for-29 with two homers and six RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

2. Toronto SS Aledmys Diaz is 9-for-22 with five RBIs over his last eight contests after registering two hits Saturday.

3. Rays CF Kevin Kiermaier was left out of the lineup Saturday due to an undisclosed injury and is day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Blue Jays 1
__________________

Preview: Royals at Tigers
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018

Victor Martinez effectively ended his major-league career with the unlikeliest of hits on Saturday, and his Detroit Tigers teammates made sure to send him out as a winner in his last game. The Tigers wrap up their home schedule and try to secure a series victory against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday as the American League Central rivals conclude their four-game set.

Martinez is known as one of baseball's slowest runners - as evidenced by three triples among his 2,153 career hits, including none in seven seasons with Detroit - but the 39-year-old was able to beat out a chopper to shortstop in the first inning Saturday and immediately was replaced by a pinch-runner. "I think that's the perfect way to get my last hit. I had to work for it, and I had to grind it out. That's what my career has been about," Martinez told reporters after the game. Niko Goodrum and Mikie Mahtook each finished with two RBIs while Nicholas Castellanos recorded three hits to help give Martinez a proper sendoff in a 5-4 victory. Whit Merrifield reached base in all four plate appearances Saturday and is batting .333 during his 13-game hitting streak for Kansas City, which has dropped six of seven contests.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Brad Keller (8-6, 3.17 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Daniel Norris (0-5, 5.71)

Keller worked at least six innings for the fourth straight start but did not factor in the decision on Monday at Pittsburgh, permitting four runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out seven over six frames. It marked the first time in seven turns the 23-year-old rookie yielded more than two earned runs. JaCoby Jones has hit a solo homer in two at-bats against Keller, who will make his first career start versus the Tigers after going 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four relief appearances against them..

Norris cruised through his first five innings against Minnesota on Tuesday before running into trouble in the sixth and recording only one more out, getting charged with his fourth loss in five starts after permitting two runs on five hits and three walks. The 25-year-old Tennessean is winless since beating Kansas City in his last turn of 2017 and has allowed left-handed hitters to post a .303 average against him this season. Norris held up well against the Royals in his first start of the season on April 20, yielding one run in 4 2/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Martinez will not play Sunday or during Detroit's season-ending six-game road trip that begins Monday, but he intends to accompany the team.

2. Kansas City OF Alex Gordon has collected nine RBIs over his last seven contests after belting a solo homer on Saturday.

3. Castellanos has gone 13-for-23 with five multi-hit performances over his last six contests and is batting .405 with nine doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs in 19 games this month.

PREDICTION: Royals 5, Tigers 3
__________________

Preview: Reds at Marlins
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018

Austin Dean has struggled to adjust to major-league pitching like most rookies, but he showed why he may be ready to stick around with the Miami Marlins for good sooner rather than later. The 24-year-old outfielder, who is one of Miami's top prospects, attempts to follow up the best offensive performance of his brief career Sunday as the host Marlins wrap up their season series against the Cincinnati Reds with the finale of their four-game set.

Dean, who earned his promotion on Aug. 15 after batting .345 with 12 home runs and 68 RBIs over 109 combined games at Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans, flashed at times over his first 28 contests with Miami but entered Saturday batting just .204. After receiving the club's Minor League Player of the Year award during a pregame ceremony on Friday, the former fourth-round draft pick singled home a run during a two-run fifth inning and hit a two-run homer during a three-run sixth in Saturday's 5-1 victory. Cincinnati fell for the seventh time in 10 games and has struggled for offense throughout the slide, scoring fewer than two runs six times while totaling only 13. The Reds also have had their fair share of problems in recent years in Miami, dropping 10 of their last 11 contests at Marlins Park.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), FS Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (3-1, 3.03 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Trevor Richards (3-9, 4.95)

Lorenzen was strong over four innings in Milwaukee on Tuesday in his first start since 2015, permitting an unearned run on one hit and one walk while striking out three. The Cal State Fullerton product is 4-9 with a 5.25 ERA in 22 career starts and went 3-1 with a 3.21 ERA in 42 appearances out of the bullpen before joining the rotation. Derek Dietrich is 3-for-9 with two doubles against Lorenzen, who is 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA in seven career games (two starts) versus Miami.

Richards has dropped all four of his decisions since notching his last win on July 14 but settled for a no-decision Monday against Washington after allowing four runs and a pair of homers in six innings. The 25-year-old rookie has struggled since going 1-0 with a 2.30 ERA in July, surrendering 30 runs - 28 earned - over 37 1/3 frames in eight turns. Right-handed hitters are batting .289 versus Richards, who will face Cincinnati for the first time.

WALK-OFFS

1. Saturday's victory guaranteed the Marlins their fourth consecutive season series win over the Reds.

2. Cincinnati rookie OF Gabriel Guerrero ended the team's 19-inning scoreless streak in the eighth inning with his first major-league homer.

3. Miami has held Cincinnati to fewer than two runs in three of the clubs' six meetings this season.

PREDICTION: Reds 3, Marlins 1
__________________

Preview: Mets at Nationals
Gracenote
Sep 22, 2018

One day after they were knocked out of contention for the National League East title, the Washington Nationals were officially eliminated from the wild-card race. With nothing left to play for except a winning record, the Nationals will attempt to salvage a split of their four-game series with the visiting New York Mets on Sunday afternoon.

Matt Wieters belted a three-run homer and Trea Turner added a two-run blast as Washington snapped a modest two-game slide with a 6-0 rout of New York on Saturday. Turner extended his hitting streak to 10 games and on-base streak to a career-best 22 while teammate Anthony Rendon has at least a hit in eight straight contests while reaching base safely in 30 consecutive games. Michael Conforto accounted for the lone hit for the Mets to boost his totals to 3-for-8 with a homer, two RBIs and seven walks in the series. New York's offense could get a lift from Sunday's scheduled starter, Steven Matz, who has homered in each of his last two appearances.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, WPIX (New York), MASN 2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Steven Matz (5-11, 4.03 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Erick Fedde (2-3, 5.02)

Although he has not won in nearly two months, Matz has pitched exceptionally well in his last six starts, allowing more than two runs just once. He picked up his fourth straight no-decision at Philadelphia on Tuesday with five scoreless innings of two-hit ball. Matz was pounded by the Nationals for seven runs in two-thirds of an inning on July 31 but held them to one run over seven innings on Aug. 26.

With the exception of a one-inning cameo against Boston on July 4, Fedde started the season by allowing at least three runs in every start before putting together a pair of back-to-back solid outings. He produced his best effort on Sept. 11 against the Phillies, earning the win by striking out nine and allowing two hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Fedde worked 4 1/3 innings of two-run ball at Miami last time out.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals RF Bryce Harper set a team record with his 125th walk and is one RBI shy of his career best of 99.

2. Mets 3B Todd Frazier is 3-for-30 with zero extra-base hits and RBIs over his past nine games.

3. Turner swiped his 41st base Saturday, tying the Nationals' career mark of 122 set by Ian Desmond.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Nationals 3
__________________

Preview: Phillies at Braves
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018

The Atlanta Braves spent most of the season beating up on the other teams in the National League East, and the newly minted division champions close a four-game home series Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies looking to continue that dominance. The Braves clinched their first postseason berth in five years with a 5-3 victory Saturday, a third consecutive victory over the Phillies that extended Atlanta’s record in division games this season to 46-23.

With seven games left in the regular season, winning the East title gives Atlanta the chance to rest some of its regulars like first baseman Freddie Freeman, who has started all but one game this season and contributed a two-run single in the clinching victory. The Phillies have nobody to blame but themselves for not keeping the division close, going 14-27 since opening up a 1 1/2-game lead on Aug. 7. Philadelphia has struggled mightily at times in the series offensively, scoring 12 runs in the three games and not collecting its first hit Saturday until the seventh inning. Second baseman Cesar Hernandez drove in two runs Saturday and has 12 RBIs in his past 14 games.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Philadelphia, FS South (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Aaron Nola (16-5, 2.44 ERA) vs. Braves RH Anibal Sanchez (6-6, 3.01)

Nola has established himself as one of the top pitchers in baseball in his third full season, lowering his ERA by more than a full run from last year while leading the NL in WAR for pitchers (9.6) and ranking third in WHIP (0.98). The 25-year-old has hit a speed bump in September, posting a 5.01 ERA while going 1-2 in four starts with eight homers allowed. Nola, who gave up two runs with nine strikeouts in a no-decision Tuesday against the New York Mets, is 1-1 with a 2.95 ERA in three starts against Atlanta in 2018.

Sanchez has become one of the unsung heroes for the Braves in 2018, as the 34-year-old a candidate for NL Comeback Player of the Year after being signed during the final week of spring training. He makes his 23rd start (24th appearance) after giving up two runs on four hits with nine strikeouts in a loss Tuesday to St. Louis but has allowed fewer than four earned runs 13 times in his past 15 starts. Sanchez, who has yet to face Philadelphia this season, is holding opponents to a .216 batting average.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta CF Ender Inciarte, who went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a stolen base Saturday, is hitting .421 with 14 runs scored in his past 11 games.

2. Philadelphia RHP Jake Arrieta pitched just two innings Saturday, the shortest start of his nine-year career.

3. The Braves have won four in a row at home after going 4-14 in their previous 18 home contests.

PREDICTION: Phillies 6, Braves 2
__________________

Preview: Brewers at Pirates
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018

The Milwaukee Brewers' quest for the National League Central division title took a big hit Saturday, but they have a chance for a series win Sunday in the finale of a three-game series at the Pittsburgh Pirates. A 3-0 loss Saturday dropped the Brewers 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the division, and their lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for the top wild-card spot was cut to two games with seven to play.

Christian Yelich had one of Milwaukee's five hits and its only walk as it fell to 6-12 against the Pirates this year. The Brewers (88-67) leave Pittsburgh after Sunday's contest to begin a crucial three-game set at St. Louis before closing the regular season with three at home against Detroit. They will try to enter that stretch on a good note behind veteran lefty Wade Miley, who starts the finale opposite rookie Nick Kingham. Starling Marte had a two-run double to lead the way Saturday for the Pirates (78-75), who have won six of seven but trail the Cardinals by seven games with nine to play.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin, Dish455 (Milwaukee), AT&T SportsNet - Pittsburgh

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers LH Wade Miley (5-2, 2.08 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Nick Kingham (5-6, 4.69)

Miley is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA in three September starts after holding Cincinnati scoreless over five innings en route to his third win in as many starts Monday. He has gone through five straight starts without allowing a home run and surrendered just three in 73 2/3 innings on the year. The 31-year-old gave up two runs in five innings in each of his first two matchups - a pair of no-decisions - with the Pirates in 2018.

Kingham will be making his first start since Sept. 2 after scheduled starter Joe Musgrove was scratched. The 26-year-old rookie last pitched Sept. 8 against Miami and allowed a run in two innings of relief. Kingham is 2-0 with a 5.27 ERA in three meetings (two starts) against the Brewers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Brewers CF Lorenzo Cain (ribcage soreness) was not in the starting lineup for the third straight time Saturday but came off the bench to hit in the eighth inning.

2. Musgrove (abdomen) was scratched from his scheduled start and will not pitch again this season.

3. Milwaukee is 8-16 on Sundays and 80-51 on all other days.

PREDICTION: Brewers 6, Pirates 4
__________________

Preview: Angels at Astros
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018

The Houston Astros are inching closer to clinching the American League West and putting on an offensive show of late. The Astros will try to take advantage of the stumbling Los Angeles Angels and pull off the series sweep when they host the finale of a three-game set on Sunday.

Houston cut its magic number to clinch the division to five by rallying for nine runs in the eighth inning to earn a 10-5 victory over on Saturday. The Astros (97-57), who set a season high for runs in an inning with the go-ahead outburst, remain mathematically alive for the best record in the AL and the top seed in the playoffs while sitting 3 1/2 games ahead of the Oakland Athletics in the West. The Angels are not heading to the playoffs or finishing strong while being outscored 52-11 during a four-game slide. Left-hander Tyler Skaggs will try to turn that terrible pitching trend around when he takes the mound on Sunday opposite veteran Astros right-hander Charlie Morton.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), AT&T SportsNet - Southwest (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Tyler Skaggs (8-8, 3.69 ERA) vs. Astros RH Charlie Morton (15-3, 3.15)

Skaggs is making his second start since a month-plus stint on the disabled list and struck out three in three hitless innings at Oakland on Tuesday. The 27-year-old, who was out with a groin strain, is trying to finish off a solid season that saw him carry a 2.62 ERA into late July. Skaggs fired off a pair of quality starts against the Astros already this season, including seven scoreless innings in a win at Houston on April 23.

Morton went a week or more between each of his last three starts and is taking the mound for the first time since posting a quality start against Arizona on Sept. 15. The New Jersey native, who dealt with some shoulder discomfort last month, scattered two runs and three hits across six innings versus the Diamondbacks to reach a career high with his 15th win. Morton is seeing the Angels for the first time since April 24, when he was reached for four runs on five hits and five walks in four innings without factoring in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros SS Carlos Correa (back) has missed the first two games of the series and is not expected to play on Sunday.

2. Angels 1B Jose Fernandez left Saturday's game with a bruised hand after being hit by a pitch and is day-to-day.

3. Houston RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) rejoined the team on Saturday and could pitch as soon as Monday.

PREDICTION: Astros 4, Angels 3
__________________

Preview: Cubs at White Sox
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018

The Chicago Cubs have felt the wild swings of a pennant race recently, but they need only a few more good days to wrap up their third consecutive National League Central title. The Cubs will try to make Sunday another upswing when they face the host Chicago White Sox in the season finale of the Crosstown Cup.

The Cubs (90-64) won 8-3 on Saturday to even the series at a game apiece and reduce their magic number to clinch the NL Central to six. They lead Milwaukee by 2 1/2 games after the Brewers were blanked 3-0 at Pittsburgh on Saturday. "Of course, you'd like to be clinched by now, but who knows?,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon told reporters. “Sometimes when you get pressed a little bit like this, it can make you better. I just don't want us to get fatigued. There's not a manager or a team alive that will tell you they wouldn't prefer clinching well in advance.” The White Sox (61-93) need two wins in their final eight games to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1970.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ABC 7 (Cubs), NBCS Chicago (White Sox)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (12-11, 3.58 ERA) vs. White Sox LH Carlos Rodon (6-6, 3.22)

Hendricks has been on a good run, allowing two or fewer earned runs in six straight starts with a 1.63 ERA over that stretch. The 28-year-old came within one out of a complete game Monday at Arizona, allowing one run and three hits with eight strikeouts. Hendricks is 0-2 with a 4.10 ERA in five starts against the White Sox.

Rodon is winless in four starts with a 5.25 ERA this month. The 25-year-old lost his third straight decision when he gave up five runs (four earned) over seven frames at Cleveland on Tuesday. Rodon is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two starts against the Cubs.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Cubs are 12-7 in interleague play.

2. White Sox SS Tim Anderson hit his 20th home run Saturday, making him the first shortstop in franchise history with 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in the same season.

3. The Cubs added INF Mike Freeman to the roster Saturday to add infield depth with SS Addison Russell on administrative leave while Major League Baseball investigates allegations of domestic violence against his former wife.

PREDICTION: Cubs 4, White Sox 3
__________________

Preview: Giants at Cardinals
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018

The St. Louis Cardinals are heating up at the right time as they continue their postseason push Sunday, when they attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants. St. Louis has followed a four-game slide by winning five of six contests, including the first two of six straight at Busch Stadium - its final homestand of the season.

Tyler O'Neill belted a two-out homer in the 10th inning on Saturday to provide a 5-4 victory for the Cardinals, who maintained their 1 1/2-game lead over Colorado for the second wild card in the National League. St. Louis sits two games behind Milwaukee for the first spot and 4 1/2 in back of the Chicago Cubs for first in the NL Central. Yadier Molina also went deep on Saturday as he passed Brad Ausmus for 10th place on the all-time list by making his 1,767th career start at catcher. Rookie Aramis Garcia went 4-for-4 and drove in two runs while Joe Panik collected three hits and an RBI for San Francisco, which is 2-3 on its six-game road trip and 4-15 overall this month.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), FS Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Andrew Suarez (7-11, 4.24 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Miles Mikolas (16-4, 3.01)

Suarez avoided losing a third straight start Monday as he allowed two runs and four hits over a career-high 7 2/3 innings in a victory at San Diego. The triumph was the first on the road for the 26-year-old Floridian rookie since June 29, ending his six-start drought. Suarez, who will be facing St. Louis for the first time, has worked at least six frames in five consecutive outings.

Mikolas attempts to pull even with Washington's Max Scherzer for the NL lead in victories as he vies for his fourth in a row and ninth in 10 decisions. The 30-year-old, who also hails from the Sunshine State, gave up two runs and four hits over five innings in a triumph at Atlanta on Monday. Mikolas has permitted one run and six hits over 5 1/3 frames in four career relief appearances against San Francisco, which he has not faced since 2013 while with San Diego.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals 2B Kolten Wong sat out Saturday's contest due to hamstring cramps that forced him to leave the previous night's game.

2. San Francisco registered 11 hits on Saturday but just one for extra bases.

3. Molina's blast on Saturday was his 145th in the major leagues, moving him one ahead of brother Bengie for family bragging rights, and put him within one of the second 20-homer season of his career.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Giants 4
__________________

Preview: Mariners at Rangers
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018

The Seattle Mariners have been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention but still have been playing hard as they prepare to close out their final road trip of the season. The Mariners will try to make it seven wins in 10 games on the trek when they visit the Texas Rangers on Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game series.

Seattle dropped a rain-shortened 8-3 decision in the series opener on Friday but posted its third shutout of the road trip with a 13-0 demolition that evened the set. The Mariners are getting strong individual performances from the likes of Robinson Cano, who went 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs on Saturday and is 11-for-15 with six extra-base hits over his last four games. The Rangers, who are operating under the guidance of interim manager Don Wakamatsu after firing Jeff Banister on Friday, managed three hits in the middle contest of the series and fell for the fifth time in six games. Texas will try to bounce back behind Martin Perez while Seattle counters with Wade LeBlanc.

TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Wade LeBlanc (8-4, 3.49 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Martin Perez (2-6, 6.33)

LeBlanc continues to be a steadying veteran presence in Seattle's rotation as he turned in 5 1/3 solid innings at Houston on Monday, yielding one run and three hits without factoring in the decision. The native of Louisiana has surrendered fewer than three earned runs in each of his last five turns and seven of the last eight. LeBlanc started at Texas on Aug. 6 and breezed through 6 1/3 innings, allowing one run and two hits, but did not record a decision.

Perez will be making his first start since Aug. 25 after six consecutive relief appearances - five of which were scoreless and four in which he worked at least two innings. The 27-year-old Venezuelan has lost four straight decisions after splitting his first four turns of the season, including his most recent start in which he yielded four runs and five hits over five frames at San Francisco. Perez is 7-4 with a 3.30 ERA in 19 career appearances (17 starts) against Seattle, including a 1-0 record and 3.46 ERA in two turns this year.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners RF Mitch Haniger has hit safely in 11 consecutive games.

2. Texas SS Elvis Andrus has gone 5-for-48 over his last 13 contests.

3. Seattle 2B Dee Gordon hit his third home run on Saturday, one shy of tying his career high.

PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Mariners 3
__________________