Preview Roundups
May 16, 2014
Milwaukee at Chi. Cubs 2:20 PM ET
The Milwaukee Brewers begin a season-long 10-game road trip Friday afternoon with the first of three at the Chicago Cubs. Milwaukee owns the National League's top winning percentage on the road, boasting a 12-5 mark after opening 11-1 away from home. It enters the trip on a positive note after a walk-off 4-3 win over Pittsburgh on Thursday, the Brewers' fourth win in five games following a 2-7 stretch.
Oakland at Cleveland 7:05 PM ET
The Oakland Athletics posted 39 runs during a recent six-game winning streak and they are tied for second in the American League in scoring. The Athletics look to keep that type of production going when they start a tough nine-game road trip at the Cleveland Indians on Friday. Oakland’s win streak ended with a 4-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, but the Athletics have been comfortable on the road (13-6) and could get leadoff batter Coco Crisp (neck) back in the lineup.
Cincinnati at Philadelphia 7:05 PM ET
The Cincinnati Reds have struggled offensively over the first quarter of the season and are feeling the urgency to get the bats moving as they begin a three-game road series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Reds have lost five of their last eight games and have scored three or fewer runs in each of the defeats. Philadelphia also is experiencing a tough time with three consecutive losses and seven in nine games.
NY Mets at Washington 7:05 PM ET
The Washington Nationals overcame slow starts and made the New York Mets look foolish at the plate in each of their first three games. The Nationals, who host the Mets on Friday for the first time since Washington embarrassed New York at home in the first series of the season, trailed after the opening frame in every one of the teams’ first three meetings. The Nationals recovered each time, however, outscoring the Mets 22-4 after the first inning.
Pittsburgh at NY Yankees 7:05 PM ET
The New York Yankees have relied on strong pitching to get back on track following a four-game losing streak, which may come as bad news to the Pittsburgh Pirates when they visit the Bronx for the opener of a three-game interleague set on Friday. Masahiro Tanaka ended New York’s slide in which it surrendered 32 runs by tossing a four-hit shutout against the New York Mets on Wednesday. The Yankees repeated the feat on Thursday, posting their fourth shutout as four pitchers stymied the Mets.
Detroit at Boston 7:10 PM ET
The Boston Red Sox left the Detroit Tigers just short of the World Series last October, taking the American League Championship Series in six games before knocking off the St. Louis Cardinals for the title. The Tigers will try to take some small measure of revenge when they visit the Red Sox for the start of a three-game series on Friday. Detroit owns the best record in the AL at 24-12 while Boston is enduring a slower start at 20-20.
Toronto at Texas 8:05 PM ET
The Texas Rangers got off to a promising start with 15 wins in their first 24 games, but losses and players added to the disabled list have begun to accumulate. The Rangers look to turn their fortunes around when they begin a five-game homestand against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday while continuing to fight the injury bug. Starting pitchers Martin Perez and Matt Harrison were the latest to join the 13-player DL for Texas, which lost for the 12th time in 17 games on Wednesday.
Baltimore at Kansas City 8:10 PM ET
The Baltimore Orioles had some concerns at the back of the bullpen after a rough series against Detroit but appear to have settled some of those issues. The Orioles will try to take the first two in the series when they visit the Kansas City Royals in the second of a four-game set on Friday. Baltimore received 3 2/3 perfect innings from the bullpen in Thursday’s 2-1 series-opening victory and broke in a new closer.
Chi. White Sox at Houston 8:10 PM ET
The Houston Astros haven't won three straight since last September, but they can change that with a series-opening victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox on Friday. Houston carries the worst record in the American League into the three-game set but has won two straight and three of its last four. The White Sox have slipped to last place in the AL Central but snapped a four-game skid with Wednesday's 4-2 win at Oakland.
Seattle at Minnesota 8:10 PM ET
Despite a series win over the defending world champions, the Minnesota Twins probably won’t enter Friday’s home series opener against the Seattle Mariners with much confidence. The Twins recorded two walk-off victories against the Boston Red Sox, but their bullpen gave up nine runs (six earned) over 12 innings during the three-game set. Although reliever Michael Tonkin incurred most of the Boston’s wrath, closer Glen Perkins was also tagged for a pair of runs in Thursday’s 10-inning win.
Atlanta at St. Louis 8:15 PM ET
The St. Louis Cardinals took two of three games from Atlanta earlier this month and attempt to win another series from the visiting Braves when the teams open a three-game set on Friday. St. Louis’ success concluded a stretch in which Atlanta lost eight of nine contests and the Braves have rebounded to go 4-2 since despite losing to San Francisco on Wednesday. The Cardinals defeated the Chicago Cubs on Thursday to win for the third time in four games.
San Diego at Colorado 8:40 PM ET
Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki looks to continue his torrid hitting at Coors Field when the Rockies open a three-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres on Friday. Tulowitzki is batting .608 with six homers and 22 RBIs in only 51 home at-bats, a key component for why he leads the majors with a blistering .391 average. San Diego took two of three from Cincinnati to win a road series for the first time this season.
LA Dodgers at Arizona 9:40 PM ET
After absorbing their worst loss of the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers look to regain their footing when they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday in the opener of a three-game set. The Dodgers have won seven of the eight meetings this season against the Diamondbacks and outscored their National League West rivals by a 46-28 margin. Los Angeles was on the wrong end of an offensive explosion on Wednesday as Miami cruised to a 13-3 victory.
Tampa Bay at LA Angels 10:05 PM ET
Mike Trout needed some type of spark to snap out of a monthlong slump and he couldn’t have asked for a better one than his game-winning, three-run homer Thursday. Trout looks to build off those heroics when his Los Angeles Angels host the Tampa Bay Rays in the second of a four-game series Friday night. Trout was 7-for-50 this month before belting his ninth-inning homer as the Angels won for the sixth time in seven games and thwarted Tampa Bay’s chance at a third straight victory.
Miami at San Francisco 10:15 PM ET
San Francisco’s Yusmeiro Petit takes the mound Friday in place of injured starter Tim Hudson when the Giants host the Miami Marlins, who have lost six of their last seven. Hudson was scratched due to a strained left hip, but he’s expected to avoid the disabled list and hopes to make his next scheduled start May 22 at Colorado. The Giants recorded 12 hits and won Thursday’s series opener 6-4 behind Matt Cain’s seven-plus innings and Michael Morse’s 10th home run.