Matchups

Seattle's Nelson Cruz is having an MVP-type season, but an injury could prevent him from continuing to torment his former team when the Mariners host the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday afternoon in the rubber match of their three-game series. Cruz extended his hitting streak to 21 games — the longest active run in baseball — with his major league-best 34th home run in Seattle's 6-5 victory in 10 innings Tuesday, but departed after the sixth inning with neck spasms.

The Arizona Diamondbacks attempt to continue their onslaught and complete a sweep when they host the Philadelphia Phillies in the finale of their three-game series Wednesday afternoon. Arizona feasted on Philadelphia pitching in the first two games of the set, totaling 26 runs and 32 hits.

The San Diego Padres attempt to complete a sweep when they host the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of their three-game set Wednesday afternoon. San Diego halted its six-game losing streak with a 2-1 triumph in the series opener before erupting for an 11-6 victory on Tuesday.

The road has been unkind to the Houston Astros, who have dropped 17 of their last 20 games away from Minute Maid Park. Despite their road woes, the Astros hold a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West heading into Wednesday’s series finale against the host San Francisco Giants, who sit 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

The Boston Red Sox began the season with obvious questions about the starting pitching and have watched the offense go into prolonged slumps. The Miami Marlins, who will go for a sweep of the visiting Red Sox in the finale of a two-game interleague set Wednesday, are picking on Boston’s current biggest problem – the bullpen.

The white-hot Toronto Blue Jays go for their 10th consecutive victory on Wednesday night when they continue their three-game series against the visiting Oakland Athletics. The Blue Jays have won 12 of 13 overall - including 12-0 with Troy Tulowitzki in the starting lineup - to pull within a half-game of the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East.

CC Sabathia returns to the city where he won 106 games as the New York Yankees look to overcome a crushing defeat when they visit the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night for the second of a three-game series. The Yankees suffered their fourth straight loss, blowing a two-run, 10th-inning lead before falling in the 16th to cut their lead atop the American League East to a half-game over Toronto.

The Tampa Bay Rays will have a rested back of the bullpen when they go for a two-game interleague sweep of the visiting Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. Tampa Bay was able to sit Jake McGee (1.99 ERA) and Steve Geltz (American League-leading 55 appearances) for a second straight day and Brad Boxberger (28 saves) for a third in Tuesday’s 2-0 victory.

The New York Mets look to continue both their home dominance this season as well as their mastery of the visiting Colorado Rockies when the clubs play the third contest of their four-game series on Wednesday. After rallying for a 4-2 victory in the opener, National League East-leading New York improved its home mark to 40-18 by winning its eighth straight versus Colorado at Citi Field with a 4-0 triumph on Tuesday.

The Chicago Cubs look to match their longest winning streak of the season when they continue a three-game series with the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. The surging Cubs aim for their third six-game streak of the year — and their second in two weeks — when the National League Central rivals meet for the sixth time in 12 games.

The Los Angeles Angels look to prevent their first nine-game road losing skid in over 22 years when they try to salvage the finale of their three-game series versus the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. After getting blitzed in an 8-2 rout in the opener, Los Angeles dropped a 3-0 decision on Tuesday to put itself in danger of losing nine in a row for the first time since July 17-25, 1993.

The Kansas City Royals’ dominance at home this season isn’t only making a mockery of the American League Central, but also helping the club reach heights it hasn’t seen in years. The Royals eye their first series sweep of the Detroit Tigers since Aug. 28-30, 2012, on Wednesday when the division rivals conclude their three-game set.

The Minnesota Twins were looking for a spark when they held a players meeting before Tuesday’s series opener and found it on the field with a walk-off win. The Twins attempt to parlay that momentum into back-to-back victories when they host the Texas Rangers in the middle contest of their three-game series on Wednesday.

The Pittsburgh Pirates got off to a great start in their run of three straight series against division leaders, but they really need the current set to turn around quickly. The Pirates attempt to even the series at one win apiece when they visit the National League Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

All eyes will be on Washington’s lineup card Wednesday when the Nationals face the host Los Angeles Dodgers in the rubber match of a three-game series. Star right fielder Bryce Harper was scratched from Tuesday’s lineup with left knee soreness, but Nationals manager Matt Williams said he could return for Wednesday’s series finale.