American League Previews from The Sports Network
Thursday, September 2nd
(All times eastern)
OAKLAND ATHLETICS (65-67) AT NEW YORK YANKEES (83-50), 1:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Oakland - Dallas Braden (9-9, 3.28)
New York - CC Sabathia (18-5, 3.14)
(Sports Network) - Oakland Athletics starter Dallas Braden won't have to worry
about Alex Rodriguez running across his pitching mound this afternoon due to
the slugging third baseman currently being on the disabled list.
Braden, making his first appearance against the Yankees since his verbal spat
with A-Rod, will have plenty of other concerns in today's finale of a four-
game series as New York's CC Sabathia aims to become baseball's first 19-game
winner and extend his 20-start home unbeaten streak.
The 26-year-old Braden got the best of the Yankees at home on April 22 with
six innings of two-run ball, Oakland's lone victory in nine meetings with New
York this year, but his victory was overshadowed by his jawing with Rodriguez
after the former MVP jogged across the pitcher's mound following a fouled-off
pitch.
Braden said he felt Rodriguez violated an unwritten rule in baseball.
"You don't run across a pitcher's mound in between an inning or during a
game," Braden said. "I was just dumbfounded that he would let that slip his
mind. If he wants to run across the pitcher's mound, let him go run laps in
the bullpen."
Braden and Rodriguez won't rematch tonight as the New York third baseman has
been on the DL since Aug. 21 due to a strained left calf.
"He just told me to get off his mound," Rodriguez said. "It was a little
surprising, I never quite heard that, especially from a guy that has a handful
of wins in his career."
Perhaps motivated by Rodriguez's comments, Braden threw a perfect game three
starts after the Yankees win versus the Rays on May 9. He hurled his second
career shutout and fifth complete game of the season last time out on Friday
in Texas, a four-hitter in which he did not walk a batter.
The left-hander improved to 3-1 over his last four starts and is 9-9 with a
3.28 earned run average this year. Braden, though, is just 1-1 with a 5.87 ERA
in five games versus the Yankees, two starts.
Braden will find it tough to pick up a win at Yankee Stadium today given that
Sabathia hasn't lost on his home mound in over a year. He is 15-0 with a 2.17
ERA over his 20-game home unbeaten streak that dates back to July 18, 2009 and
is the longest for a New York pitcher since Ron Guidry posted 16 straight
winning decisions at home in 1985-86.
The 30-year-old Sabathia has won his last five starts overall, but was a
little off in his last win at the White Sox on Saturday as he allowed five
runs over seven innings in a 12-9 triumph. The left-hander still became
baseball's first 18-game winner and has a 3.14 ERA on the season.
After losing to Braden back in April, Sabathia struck out 10 batters over 7
2/3 innings of one-run ball to best hosting Oakland on July 6. He improved to
6-8 with a 5.36 ERA in 20 career starts against the A's.
While Braden is starting opposite one of the top pitchers in baseball, he also
has to deal with a red-hot Mark Teixeira, who is 8-for-10 in this series with
two homers and seven RBI. New York's first baseman had three hits and three
RBI in last night's 4-3 victory, helping A.J. Burnett earn his first victory
since July 28.
"It is a good win for me, but my numbers are not important. I'm trying to get
some good momentum in this last month," said Burnett after allowing three runs
over six innings.
New York's fifth straight win -- its longest since a seven-game run from July
3-9 -- maintained a one-game lead over the Rays at the top of the American
League East standings.
Brett Anderson took the loss for Oakland despite allowing a single earned run
and eight hits in six innings. However, it was the lefty's throwing error that
ultimately led to three Yankee runs in the second.
Kevin Kouzmanoff hit a two-run homer in the setback, which dropped Oakland to
4-5 on a 10-game road trip and 9 1/2 games behind AL West-leading Texas.
New York has won six in a row over Oakland and has won 19 of the past 22
meetings between the clubs.
BOSTON RED SOX (75-58) AT BALTIMORE ORIOLES (49-84), 7:05 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Boston - Daisuke Matsuzaka (8-4, 4.19)
Baltimore - Brad Bergesen (6-9, 5.55)
(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox have missed the playoffs only once in
the previous seven years, but are in danger of being left out for the first
time since the 2006 campaign.
The Red Sox are seven games off the wild card lead and eight games behind for
the top spot in the American League East Division, and will shoot for a series
win tonight against the division-foe Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. They
were able to even the set with Wednesday's 9-6 come-from-behind victory in
which Boston scored six runs during the seventh inning.
Marco Scutaro hit a two-run homer, Victor Martinez plated a run with a double
and Adrian Beltre capped the scoring with a three-run blast for the Red Sox,
who rebounded from Tuesday's series opening loss and improved to 2-3 on a six-
game road trip. J.D. Drew also homered in the win. Beltre needs three RBI for
1,000 in his career and leads the Red Sox with 91 for the season.
Jon Lester started for the victors and recorded the win, despite allowing
eight hits and five runs over six innings. The lefty, who fanned 10 batters,
is now 13-0 lifetime against the Orioles.
"I don't think it really matters how many losses in a row we have or wins,"
Lester said. "We just need to chip away and get some wins. It's obviously nice
to come back tonight and do that."
Jonathan Papelbon posted a scoreless ninth for his 34th save.
Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka has allowed four runs in three straight and
four of five starts, and is expected to take the mound Thursday night. He is
0-1 with a 5.31 earned run average in his last three trips to the hill and did
not record a decision in his last start on August 21 versus Toronto.
The right-hander lasted eight innings and was reached for four runs and six
hits with eight strikeouts. He has struck out at least six batters in four
straight starts and is 8-4 in 19 outings this season. Matsuzaka, who is 4-2 in
11 road appearances this season, made his 2010 debut at Baltimore on May 1 and
suffered the loss in the 12-9 decision. The Orioles posted seven runs -- six
earned -- in 4 2/3 innings against the Japanese hurler.
Matsuzaka is 3-2 with a 5.65 ERA in seven career starts against the O's.
Baltimore scored four runs in the first inning and had a 5-3 lead before
surrendering six runs in the seventh. Mark Hendrickson took the loss for his
contributions to the explosion, as he allowed three runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Jake Arrieta tossed the first five innings and allowed three runs on six hits
with five strikeouts, while Alfredo Simon was also touched for three runs in
relief for the Orioles, who had a four-game winning streak halted.
"Jake battled his way through five innings and kept the damage to a minimum,
but there are a lot of good players over there with a track record, and they
make you pay for the mistakes you do make," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter
said on the club's website.
Showalter is still one win away from 900 career victories. He will become the
64th manager in baseball history to achieve the feat.
Adam Jones drove in two runs in last night's loss, and both Ty Wigginton and
Felix Pie finished with two hits and an RBI. Jones left the game in the
seventh inning with back soreness, but should be able to play today. Jake Fox
took over for Jones in the outfield.
Since losing five consecutive starts more than a month ago, Orioles starter
Brad Bergesen has turned things around to the tune of a 3-0 mark with a 2.70
ERA in his last six starts, with his team going 5-1 in that span. He is slated
to make his 25th appearance (23rd start) Thursday night.
In his most recent start at Angel Stadium last Friday, Bergesen held the
homestanding Angels to only a run and four hits in eight innings. The righty
improved to 6-9 with a 5.55 ERA this season.
Bergesen is 1-1 in two starts against Boston this season and 1-2 lifetime with
a 3.71 ERA in four starts in this series.
Boston and Baltimore have split 14 matchups this season.
DETROIT TIGERS (65-68) AT MINNESOTA TWINS (77-56), 8:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Detroit - Justin Verlander (14-8, 3.58)
Minnesota - Scott Baker (12-9, 4.55)
(Sports Network) - The American League Central-leading Minnesota Twins will
continue their homestand tonight and try for a second sweep of the Detroit
Tigers this season in the finale of a three-game series at Target Field.
The Twins have won five of their last six games and kicked off their nine-game
residency by taking the first two portions of this set with the division-rival
Tigers. They won Tuesday's series opener by a 4-3 score, then squeezed out a
2-1 win in 10 innings last night on Danny Valencia's game-winning single that
plated Michael Cuddyer.
Cuddyer singled off of Tigers reliever Ryan Perry to start the inning, stole
second after Delmon Young went down swinging and crossed the plate on
Valencia's ensuing base hit to center.
"Great feeling. My first walk-off hit in pro baseball. It was nice to come in
a situation like this," said Valencia. "We are in a pennant race. There are
some teams that are right behind us."
Minnesota remained four games ahead of Chicago for the AL Central lead. The
White Sox defeated Cleveland yesterday afternoon. Jose Morales was credited
with an RBI in the fifth inning to get the Twins on the board, while starter
Francisco Liriano struck out seven over seven shutout innings. Jon Rauch got
the win for tossing a scoreless 10th inning. Liriano entered the game with a
6-0 mark and a 2.47 ERA since the All-Star break.
Scott Baker has an unbeaten streak of his own and will take the ball Thursday
for the Twins. Baker is 5-0 with a 3.02 earned run average in his last seven
starts -- all Minnesota wins -- and pitched in last Friday's 6-3 victory at
Seattle. He allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings and struck out four, improving
to 12-9 overall in 26 starts this season.
The right-hander is 1-0 in two starts against Detroit this season and 6-4 with
a 4.55 ERA in 19 career starts in this series. Baker will also try to improve
on his 8-3 record in 13 home starts tonight.
Detroit is fading from the playoff picture and sits 12 games behind Minnesota
in the Central standings and 17 games off the wild card lead. It is 2-4 so far
on a 10-game road trip after Perry surrendered the game-winning hit in the
bottom of the 10th inning.
Max Scherzer pitched nine innings and fanned nine batters in the no-decision
for the Tigers, who were swept in three games by Minnesota on the road from
May 3-5 at Target Field.
"It was great pitching performance by both guys. We had opportunities but we
had a tough time with that," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland.
Jhonny Peralta had two hits and drove in the only run for Detroit in the
eighth inning. Austin Jackson also finished with a pair of hits.
The Tigers will send All-Star pitcher Justin Verlander to the mound tonight
with hopes of him salvaging this series. Verlander is 2-1 in his last three
decisions, spanning four starts, and did not record a decision his last time
out on Friday in Toronto.
Verlander struck out eight, allowed two runs and walked two batters over eight
innings. He remained at 14-8 this season in 27 starts to go along with a 3.58
ERA. The right-hander is 1-1 in two starts against Minnesota this season and
6-7 with a 4.00 ERA over 16 starts for his career in this matchup.
Minnesota is 9-5 against Detroit this season, with a 7-1 mark as the host.
CLEVELAND INDIANS (53-80) AT SEATTLE MARINERS (52-81), 10:10 P.M.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Cleveland - Josh Tomlin (2-3, 4.08)
Seattle - Doug Fister (4-10, 3.73)
(Sports Network) - The Cleveland Indians will take their four-game losing
streak out west for seven straight games starting with tonight's opener of a
four-game series against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field.
The Indians are coming off a three-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago
White Sox, culminating with Wednesday's 6-4 loss in the series finale. Carlos
Carrasco made his 2010 debut for the Tribe and pitched well enough in the no-
decision, allowing three runs in 7 1/3 innings.
Justin Germano gave up two runs in the eighth inning to suffer the loss, as
the Indians blew a 4-1 lead and allowed four runs in the decisive eighth
frame. Jensen Lewis was reached for a run in the ninth.
"It was a tough series emotionally," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "I hope
we learned from it. I thought our starters threw very well, but we struggled
from the back end."
Asdrubal Cabrera and Jordan Brown both knocked in a run, while Shin-Soo Choo
and Jayson Nix finished with three hits and a run scored for Cleveland, which
is last in the Central and will also visit the LA Angels of Anaheim.
Rookie Josh Tomlin will take the mound Thursday for the Indians and is 2-3
with a 4.08 ERA in six starts. He has lost three straight outings before
topping Kansas City last Friday in a 15-4 rout at Progressive Field. He held
the Royals to three runs in five innings, despite walking a career-high four.
The right-hander, who is 0-2 in three road starts, has never faced Seattle.
Seattle has lost eight of its last 11 games and dropped two of three meetings
with the Angels in the Emerald City. In Thursday's 4-2 loss, Jason Vargas was
touched for three runs over seven innings and struck out four in defeat. He
allowed the go-ahead, two-run homer by Hideki Matsui in the seventh inning.
"Vargas was good tonight," Mariners manager Daren Brown said. "I thought he
did an outstanding job. Actually, 6 2/3 solid innings then he left a pitch up
to Matsui at the wrong time in the game and it cost him. But, I thought he did
a nice job."
Franklin Gutierrez had two hits and the lone RBI for the Mariners, who are the
cellar dwellers in the AL West. Ichiro Suzuki has recorded at least 200 hits
in each of his nine seasons and currently has 171. He has two hits in each of
his last three games.
Doug Fister gets the nod for the M's tonight and he's 4-10 with a 3.73 ERA in
22 starts this season. Fister, who is just 1-9 in his last 15 starts, suffered
a hard-luck loss the last time out in a 1-0 setback versus Minnesota last
Saturday. He allowed the only run in seven innings with six strikeouts.
The righty, who faced Cleveland for the first time in his career back on
August 22 of last season in a no-decision, owns a 3-5 ledger in 13 starts at
Safeco Field this season.
Seattle won two of three meetings with Cleveland last month from Aug. 13-15 at
Progressive Field. The Indians, however, are 6-3 in the last nine meetings.
09/02 11:03:20 ET
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