Wednesday 9-6-17 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[New York Knight]

GAME: Cleveland Indians (82-56) at Chicago White Sox (54-83)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, September 06 - 8:10 PM EST
WHERE: Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago, Illinois
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Preview: Indians at White Sox
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

The American League Central-leading Cleveland Indians look to match the franchise record of 14 consecutive victories when they visit the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday for the third contest of their four-game series. Cleveland rolled to a 9-4 victory on Tuesday for its 13th win in a row - one shy of the mark set by last season's team.

Jose Ramirez belted two homers during Tuesday's triumph as the Indians extended the longest winning streak in the major leagues this season. The hot-hitting Ramirez has launched five shots in his last three games, registered three multi-homer performances in his last eight contests and is a torrid 19-for-38 with seven blasts over his last nine games. The White Sox have dropped six of their last eight and are a horrid 29 games below .500. Chicago's Matt Davidson slugged a three-run homer on Tuesday but is just 3-for-32 over his last eight contests.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), CSN Chicago

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Carlos Carrasco (13-6, 3.67 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Reynaldo Lopez (0-2, 6.06)

Carrasco is 3-1 over his last five outings and has allowed fewer than two runs in four of the starts. The 30-year-old is one victory away from matching the career high he set in 2015 and 17 strikeouts shy of his second campaign with 200. Carrasco has gone 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in three turns against the White Sox this year to improve to 5-9 with a 4.82 ERA in 20 career appearances (19 starts).

Lopez lost to Tampa Bay in his last outing as he gave up three runs and five hits over six innings. The 23-year-old has struck out 19 in 16 1/3 frames over three starts for Chicago but also has served up four homers. Lopez is 5-5 with 61 strikeouts in 60 1/3 big-league innings, including 11 appearances (six starts) with Washington last season.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Indians have outscored their opponents 93-25 during their 13-game winning streak.

2. Cleveland OF Jay Bruce (neck) has missed four straight games and is questionable for Wednesday.

3. Chicago requested waivers on disappointing LHP Derek Holland, activated 2B Yoan Moncada (shin) from the 10-day disabled list - he was 1-for-5 on Tuesday - and recalled LHP Jace Fry from Double-A Birmingham.

PREDICTION: Indians 8, White Sox 2

[New York Knight]

GAME: San Francisco Giants (54-87) at Colorado Rockies (74-64)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, September 06 - 8:40 PM EST
WHERE: Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Preview: Giants at Rockies
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

With an enormous road trip on the horizon, the Colorado Rockies look to prepare for it with a sweep as they host the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday for the finale of their three-game road trip. Colorado has bounced back from a 1-5 start to its nine-game homestand with a pair of wins over San Francisco, including Tuesday's 9-6 triumph.

Charlie Blackmon went 0-for-5, marking just the second time in 13 games he was held without a hit, but each of the next seven batters in the Rockies' lineup recorded at least one hit and one RBI as the club increased its lead over Milwaukee for the second wild card in the National League to 2 1/2 games. DJ LeMahieu enters Wednesday with a 13-game hitting streak for the Rockies, who take to the road Thursday for four-game series against the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona - which occupies the first wild-card spot. Trevor Story went deep on Tuesday and needs one home run to give Colorado four players with at least 20 blasts. Joe Panik recorded one-third of his team's 12 hits and has gone 7-for-9 with a homer and three RBIs over the first two games of the series for San Francisco, which has lost seven of its last eight contests.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, NBCSN Bay Area (San Francisco), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (6-7, 4.54 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (11-9, 3.89)

Cueto returned from a 1 1/2-month absence due to blister and forearm issues on Friday and settled for a no-decision after allowing two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings against St. Louis. The 31-year-old Dominican is unbeaten in his last five outings, a stretch that has followed losses in three of his previous four turns. Cueto is 8-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 14 career starts against Colorado but was tagged for six runs and eight hits over five frames in a setback at Colorado on April 21.

Freeland's winless streak reached five starts on Friday, when he yielded three runs on five hits and three walks over four innings in a loss to Arizona. The 24-year-old rookie from Denver has not been victorious since July 30, when he defeated the Nationals in Washington for his third consecutive win. Freeland won his first two starts against the Giants before losing on June 28, when he surrendered four runs and seven hits in six frames at San Francisco.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants RHP Jeff Samardzija was named the National League Player of the Week after tossing a three-hit shutout at San Diego on Aug. 28 and limiting St. Louis to one run and two hits over seven innings of a no-decision five days later.

2. Colorado recalled RHP Shane Carle, who tossed a perfect inning of relief at San Francisco on April 14 in his only major-league appearance, from Triple-A Albuquerque.

3. San Francisco recalled Reyes Moronta from Triple-A Sacramento, purchased the contract of fellow RHP Roberto Gomez from the River Cats, activated OF Austin Slater (groin) from the 10-day disabled list and designated OF Carlos Moncrief for assignment.

PREDICTION: Giants 7, Rockies 4

[New York Knight]

GAME: St. Louis Cardinals (71-67) at San Diego Padres (62-77)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, September 06 - 10:10 PM EST
WHERE: Petco Park, San Diego, California
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Preview: Cardinals at Padres
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

The injury bug is hitting the St. Louis Cardinals at the worst possible time, but several key reserves are keeping their playoff hopes very much alive. St. Louis sits three games behind Colorado for the second National League wild-card spot heading into Wednesday’s matchup against the host San Diego Padres, who have opened the four-game series with back-to-back losses.

Jose Martinez hit two home runs and Harrison Bader recorded three RBIs in Tuesday’s 8-4 victory as St. Louis climbed within four games of the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. The Cardinals are thriving despite a spate of injuries to key starters such as Dexter Fowler (hip), Kolten Wong (back), Tommy Pham (shoulder) and Matt Shoemaker, who is battling a strained right shoulder but hopes to return this weekend. The rebuilding Padres received a boost Tuesday from reliever Carter Capps, who struck out three over two innings in his longest appearance since returning from Tommy John surgery last month. Manager Andy Green also was encouraged by the performance of Rule 5 rookie Miguel Diaz, who tossed four scoreless frames on Tuesday in relief of starter Travis Wood.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Jack Flaherty (0-0, 11.25 ERA) vs. Padres RH Dinelson Lamet (7-6, 4.40)

Flaherty is set to make his second major-league start after allowing five runs and eight hits over four innings in Friday’s 11-6 loss to San Francisco. The 21-year-old is a native of Southern California who was born in Burbank and graduated from Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles. Flaherty earned the promotion to the majors after posting a 2.18 ERA in 25 starts covering 148 2/3 innings between Double- and Triple-A this season.

Lamet was a hard-luck loser after allowing one run in six innings and striking out 10 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and ace Clayton Kershaw on Friday. “I think for the long term, it’s exciting,” Green told reporters. “You lose a game short term, but to see somebody square off against Clayton Kershaw, and for the most part match him, you can’t ask for anything more from him.” The 25-year-old rookie has posted a 2.49 ERA over eight starts since July 23.

WALK-OFFS

1. Martinez is 11-for-20 with three homers and six RBIs during his seven-game hitting streak.

2. Green said the Padres are moving to a six-man rotation, with RHP Jordan Lyles getting the start for Friday’s series opener in Arizona.

3. St. Louis recalled INF Breyvic Valera from Triple-A Memphis.

PREDICTION: Padres 6, Cardinals 4

[New York Knight]

GAME: Arizona Diamondbacks (81-58) at Los Angeles Dodgers (92-46)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, September 06 - 10:10 PM EST
WHERE: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Preview: Diamondbacks at Dodgers
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

The Arizona Diamondbacks have matched the longest winning streak in franchise history and look to post their 13th consecutive victory on Wednesday, when they conclude a three-game series against the host Los Angeles Dodgers. Arizona equaled the club mark set in 2003 by recording a 3-1, 10-inning win on Tuesday.

The Diamondbacks, who are cruising toward a National League wild-card berth, only recorded four hits while handing Los Angeles its fifth straight defeat and 10th in 11 games. The Dodgers have been the best team in the majors most of the season but have dropped five straight against Arizona, which possesses the third-best record in the National League. Diamondbacks All-Star Paul Goldschmidt (elbow) underwent an MRI exam that displayed no structural damage and could return Wednesday after a three-game absence. Yasmani Grandal hit his 19th homer of the season for the Dodgers on Tuesday, but his failure to catch a throw to the plate allowed the two 10th-inning runs to score.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Arizona, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Taijuan Walker (8-7, 3.42 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Kenta Maeda (12-6, 4.19)

Walker is 2-0 with a 0.54 ERA over his last three starts but has worked fewer than six innings in two of them. The 25-year-old is 5-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 13 road outings this season. Walker is 1-0 with a 4.22 ERA in two starts against Los Angeles this season and 1-1 with a 6.14 ERA in three career turns.

Maeda was pounded for seven runs and eight hits in three innings while losing to the Diamondbacks on Thursday as he served up homers to Chris Iannetta and A.J. Pollock. The 29-year-old from Japan has struggled all season against Arizona, going 0-2 with a 9.53 ERA while allowing eight blasts over 17 frames in four starts to fall to 3-3 with a 5.19 ERA in 10 career turns. Maeda has a ragged 6.64 ERA over his last four starts but is 2-2 during that span.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers SS Corey Seager (elbow) is expected to return to the starting lineup on Friday against Colorado.

2. Arizona hasn't trailed in any of its last 10 games, which matches the major-league record.

3. Los Angeles recalled OFs Joc Pederson and Trayce Thompson from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Diamondbacks 4

[New York Knight]

GAME: Houston Astros (85-53) at Seattle Mariners (69-70)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, September 06 - 10:10 PM EST
WHERE: Safeco Field, Seattle, Washington
LINE: N/A TOTAL: N/A

Preview: Astros at Mariners
Gracenote
Sep 6, 2017

Lance McCullers Jr. makes his first appearance since July 30 when the Houston Astros visit the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday for the finale of their three-game series. McCullers was shelved due to back discomfort and will be looking to regain his early-season form as American League West-leading Houston seeks its seventh consecutive victory.

The 23-year-old McCullers was 7-1 with a 2.69 ERA in 15 starts through the end of June but fell on hard times in July, when he posted a 9.64 ERA before being placed on the disabled list. "You know, as a pitcher, there are certain things you need to work on to be the guy you want to be, to be the guy I was when I was a first-half All-Star, et cetera," McCullers told reporters. "I know what I have to do to be that, and that's what I'm going to be working on. I'm not going to say what it is because then the other team will be looking for it." Seattle has lost seven of its last 10 games as its playoff hopes remain in flux, with it trailing the Los Angeles Angels by three games for the AL's second wild-card spot. Seattle's Nelson Cruz hasn't homered or recorded a multi-hit performance in his last 14 appearances and is just 2-for-14 with eight strikeouts against McCullers.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Lance McCullers Jr. (7-3, 3.92 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Andrew Moore (1-3, 6.34)

McCullers is 2-0 with a 3.45 ERA in three starts against the Mariners this season, allowing just one run in each of the victories. He has experienced solid success against Seattle in his short career, going 5-2 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. McCullers traditionally struggles on the road, where he is 6-11 with a 4.81 ERA in 27 career starts, although he has gone 2-2 with a 3.05 ERA in four career outings at Safeco Field.

Moore will be making his seventh start for Seattle - and first since July 26 - as the club pushed veteran Mike Leake's turn back to Friday. The 23-year-old has trouble keeping the ball in the park as he has served up 11 homers in just 38 1/3 major-league innings. Moore has issued just five free passes and didn't walk anyone in 15 innings over his first two starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Mariners 2B Robinson Cano recorded three hits on Tuesday and is 9-for-17 with two homers over his last four contests.

2. Houston OF Cameron Maybin hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in Tuesday's 3-1 victory and has gone deep twice in five games since joining the team.

3. Seattle LHP James Paxton (pectoral) and RHP Felix Hernandez (shoulder) both are slated to pitch simulated games on Friday.

PREDICTION: Astros 4, Mariners 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Best Sports Capper

MLB RED SOX ‑170

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Monster Sports Picks

MLB WASHINGTON ‑125

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tommy King Wins

MLB SAN DIEGO +100

[Can'tPickAWinner]

AASI Wins

MLB WASHINGTON NATIONALS ‑120

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Sports Betting Tips

MLB CUBS/PITTSBURGH PIRATES o8

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tys Terrific Tips

MLB ANGELS ‑135

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Power Play Wins

MLB METS ‑110

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Clan Deportivo

MLB TEXAS ‑110

[Can'tPickAWinner]

MVP Lock Club

MLB YANKEES +100

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Dezthecapper

MLB CLEVELAND ‑270