Preview Roundups
August 16, 2014
Philadelphia at San Francisco 4:05 PM ET
The San Francisco Giants have sold out their last 308 regular season home games, but they haven’t given their loyal fans much to cheer about lately. The Giants have gone 8-23 in their last 31 games at AT&T Park heading into Saturday’s contest against the Philadelphia Phillies, who snapped a three-game losing streak with Friday’s 5-3, 10-inning victory. San Francisco has lost six of its last seven and stands 5 1/2 games back of first-place Los Angeles in the National League West.
NY Yankees at Tampa Bay 4:10 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays’ pitching staff has not missed a beat since the trade of former American League Cy Young Award winner David Price, boasting a 2.53 ERA in August. The Rays have allowed three or fewer runs in a club-record 11 straight contests as they prepare to host the struggling New York Yankees on Saturday in the second of a three-game series. Drew Smyly, acquired in a deal for Price on July 31, looks to extend that to a dozen when he makes his third start with Tampa Bay.
Baltimore at Cleveland 7:05 PM ET
The Cleveland Indians look to ride the momentum of a dramatic victory when they continue a three-game series at home against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday. Cleveland lost a one-run lead in the eighth inning of the series opener Friday before Mike Aviles delivered a walk-off solo homer in the 11th for a 2-1 win. It was the fourth victory in five games for the Indians, who remained five games out in the race for the second wild-card spot in the American League.
Pittsburgh at Washington 7:05 PM ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates were unable to dig out of an early hole in their series-opening loss to the Washington Nationals, but another comeback in the same game may end up meaning more in the long run. The Pirates, who continue their three-game set in Washington on Saturday, welcomed Neil Walker back to the lineup in Friday’s 5-4 loss. The second baseman -- making only his second start in the last 13 games due to lower back tightness – went 1-for-4 and scored a run out of the cleanup spot.
Seattle at Detroit 7:08 PM ET
The Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners are two teams heading in opposite directions of late. The Mariners will look to take advantage of the stumbling Tigers when they visit Detroit for the second of a three-game series on Saturday. Seattle has won five in a row and took the series opener 7-2 on Friday to leapfrog over the Tigers and into the second wild card spot in the American League.
Arizona at Miami 7:10 PM ET
The Miami Marlins welcome back a key member Saturday as they continue their four-game series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. Miami suffered a one-run defeat Friday after posting an extra-inning victory in the series opener, falling to 3-2 on its nine-game homestand. Giancarlo Stanton and Garrett Jones each drove in a run for the Marlins, who are four games back in the race for the second wild-card spot in the National League.
Houston at Boston 7:10 PM ET
Sitting 21 games under .500, the Houston Astros are searching for any reason to celebrate, and they pulled off a daily double of sorts on Friday. Houston posted its first-ever victory at Fenway Park and matched last year's win total with its 51st to even the four-game series at one triumph apiece heading into Saturday's matchup with the Boston Red Sox. "We know that we’ve come a long way from last year and how miserable it was day in and day out," staff ace Dallas Keuchel said.
Oakland at Atlanta 7:10 PM ET
Sonny Gray is in the midst of the first slump of his young major-league career, but the right-hander looks to end a three-start skid when he takes the mound Saturday for the Oakland Athletics in the middle contest of a three-game series at the Atlanta Braves. The 24-year-old Gray lost only three times in 12 appearances during his first season in 2013, and started 12-3 this year before the losing streak. The Athletics certainly can use a good outing, having dropped five of their past six.
Toronto at Chi. White Sox 7:10 PM ET
After getting blasted in the first four contests of their eight-game road trip, the Toronto Blue Jays look to reverse their fortune when they continue their three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. Toronto has been outscored 30-9 during its slide and is 3-10 in August to fall four games behind Seattle in the race for the second wild card in the American League. Melky Cabrera, who had a two-run homer in Friday's 11-5 setback, has collected 14 hits in his last 10 contests.
Chi. Cubs at NY Mets 7:10 PM ET
The New York Mets hope that the one timely hit in the series opener ignites their sputtering offense as they continue their four-game set versus the visiting Chicago Cubs on Saturday. Eric Campbell made the most of his first start in a week by belting a three-run homer as New York snapped its three-game skid with a 3-2 triumph on Friday. The free-swinging Cubs struck out 14 times in the opener and have done so 91 times in their last eight contests.
Kansas City at Minnesota 7:10 PM ET
Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost cannot find much fault in his team's play of late but he did point a finger at himself after closer Greg Holland struggled to finish off Friday's 6-5 win. "I'm wearing Greg out. I can't find any way to give him a break," Yost said after the Royals made it 11 wins in 12 games to open a 1 1/2-game lead in the American League Central. Holland will get the day off Saturday as the Royals continue their four-game set with the host Minnesota Twins.
San Diego at St. Louis 7:15 PM ET
The St. Louis Cardinals are revving up for a strong postseason push as they continue their four-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres on Saturday. St. Louis has won three straight contests, including the first two of its set versus San Diego, to grab hold of the first wild-card spot in the National League and climb within two games of first-place Milwaukee in the Central Division.
LA Angels at Texas 8:05 PM ET
The Los Angeles Angels are tracking down the Oakland Athletics atop the American League West. The Angels will attempt to draw even closer when they visit the lowly Texas Rangers in the second of a three-game series on Saturday. The Rangers are sitting in the basement of the AL West and have dropped six of their last eight as the injuries continue to mount.
Cincinnati at Colorado 8:10 PM ET
The Cincinnati Reds try to build on the momentum of Friday's 3-2 victory when they visit the Colorado Rockies on Saturday for the third contest of their four-game series. Rookie Kris Negron on Friday capped his first four-hit performance with a tiebreaking RBI single in the ninth inning as Cincinnati - 10-17 since the All-Star break - moved within three games of the final wild-card spot in the National League and is 6 1/2 behind Milwaukee in the Central Division.
Milwaukee at LA Dodgers 9:10 PM ET
The Milwaukee Brewers appear to have figured out how to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Brewers, who took two of three from the Dodgers at home last weekend, will try to clinch a second straight series win over the fellow division leaders when they visit Los Angeles again Saturday. Milwaukee looked lost for most of the night in Friday’s series opener but finally got to the Dodgers bullpen in the eighth and came from behind to grab a 6-3 win.