Preview Roundups
August 11, 2014
NY Mets at Philadelphia 1:05 PM ET
The Philadelphia Phillies finally figured out a way to take down the New York Mets on Saturday and will try to earn a split of the four-game series when they host the finale on Monday. The Phillies had dropped 11 of 12 at home to the Mets before storming back from a 6-1 deficit on Saturday. New York’s bullpen has been up and down over the weekend, with Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia taking turns being unavailable on the back end.
NY Yankees at Baltimore 7:05 PM ET
The Baltimore Orioles lit up the scoreboard over the weekend while the New York Yankees' offense remained in the dark in its last two contests. After exploding for 25 runs and 41 hits in taking two of three from St. Louis, Baltimore looks to extend its lead in the American League East when it opens a three-game series versus visiting New York on Monday. Baltimore has won 14 of its last 20 contests overall and six of the nine meetings with New York.
Detroit at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates own the best home record in the National League but have lost two in a row at PNC Park as they prepare to host the Detroit Tigers on Monday in the opener of a four-game, home-and-home set. The Pirates scored five runs in dropping two of three to San Diego over the weekend and continue to struggle with injuries to reigning National League MVP Andrew McCutchen and second baseman Neil Walker. The Pirates won three of four versus Detroit in 2013 - two by 1-0 shutouts.
LA Dodgers at Atlanta 7:10 PM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers bring the National League’s best record into Monday’s opener of a four-game series with the Atlanta Braves, and the NL West leaders send Kevin Correia to the mound to give their starting rotation a breather. Correia, acquired in a Saturday night trade with Minnesota, allows Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly to potentially go to a six-man rotation. The Dodgers swept Atlanta in a three-game series July 29-31 in Los Angeles.
St. Louis at Miami 7:10 PM ET
After busting out for a season-high 17 hits, the St. Louis Cardinals look to ride that momentum heading into the opener of a three-game series against the host Miami Marlins on Monday. Kolten Wong matched a career high with four hits and scored twice as St. Louis salvaged the finale of its three-game interleague set with Baltimore in Sunday's 8-3 triumph.
Milwaukee at Chi. Cubs 8:05 PM ET
The Milwaukee Brewers survived a big test from the top two teams in the National League West and hope to take advantage of a lesser-regarded opponent. The Brewers open up a seven-game trip at the last-place Chicago Cubs on Monday. Milwaukee took two of three each from the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers last week and sit two games clear of the St. Louis Cardinals atop the NL Central.
Tampa Bay at Texas 8:05 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays have split the first six games of a 10-game road excursion and look to finish it strong against the struggling Texas Rangers, beginning with Monday’s opener of the four-game set. Tampa Bay lost in 12 innings to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday to miss an opportunity for a three-game sweep and fell 6 1/2 games behind the Kansas City Royals for the American League’s second wild-card spot. Texas, which lost two of three to the Houston Astros, is opening a seven-game homestand.
Minnesota at Houston 8:10 PM ET
Tommy Milone is slated to make his team debut on Monday with the Minnesota Twins, but the likely long-awaited return of a team icon figures to steal his thunder. Joe Mauer is expected to play for the first time since July 1 as the Twins visit the Astros for the first of three games in Houston. A six-time All-Star, Mauer has missed Minnesota’s last 34 games due to right oblique injury, but proved his readiness by going 6-for-15 during a four-game rehab assignment for Single-A Cedar Rapids.
Oakland at Kansas City 8:10 PM ET
The Kansas City Royals are enjoying their recent run against West Coast competition and creating chaos in the American League Central as a result. The Royals, who host the Oakland Athletics for the first of four games on Monday, have won seven straight following three-game sweeps of Arizona and San Francisco. Kansas City, which also won 10 in a row in June, has posted two winning streaks of at least seven games in the same season for the first time since 1985 - the last time it made the playoffs
Colorado at San Diego 10:10 PM ET
The San Diego Padres attempt to continue their recent torrid play when they open a three-game series against the visiting Colorado Rockies on Monday. San Diego took two of three road games from playoff contender Pittsburgh over the weekend and has won eight of its past 11 games. Colorado has struggled mightily on the road as Sunday’s victory as Arizona was only its third in its last 23 away contests.
Toronto at Seattle 10:10 PM ET
The Toronto Blue Jays will attempt to summon up some energy after a marathon win and a long flight west to begin an important three-game series at Seattle on Monday. Jose Bautista's RBI single in the bottom of the 19th inning gave Toronto a 6-5 win over Detroit on Sunday in the longest game in Blue Jays history. The win pulled Toronto back even with Seattle in the race for the second wild-card spot in the American League, with both teams resting 1 1/2 games behind Kansas City.