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CC-----------------------Tampa Bay
Mill-----------------------Detroit
No Limit----------------Texas
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Re: 6-19-09
Brandon Lang
10 Dime White Sox - Looks like Jose Contreras has officially escaped early-season doldrums. After a 0-5 start to the season, not to mention an 8.19 ERA in his first six starts, I suppose it's safe to say Contreras' demotion to Triple-A Charlotte on May 10 did him so good. Fact is, the right-hander is an entirely different pitcher since returning on June 8, as he's allowed a mere three hits and three walks over 16 scoreless innings. He comes in after a stellar outing against another N.L. Central Division foe, as he limited the Brewers to just two hits and two walks while fanning eight in eight innings of a 7-1 win over them. That alone should provide enough momentum for him to get this one done on the road, while the entire team will have its own momentum thanks to a 9-0 streak against Cincinnati. Chicago is 12-2 all-time versus the Reds, and tonight will make it 13-2.
10 Dime Cardinals - The Royals have given up 12 runs in each of their past two games, and with St. Louis rolling into town for this Freeway Series, it could get worse with Albert Pujols in town. The same way the Diamondbacks pounded out 15 hits in a 12-5 rout on Wednesday, and 16 hits - nine for extra bases - in an identically scored 12-5 win on Thursday, I suspect the Cardinals will just pick up where the Snakes left off. Kansas City starter Kyle Davies has a 7.04 ERA in seven home starts, so that certainly doesn't help the Royals one bit. Instead, we rely on Brad Thompson, who remains in as a starter for Kyle Lohse. Thompson, who hails from my hometown of Vegas, has always been a great spot starter and rolls into this one after a quality start against Cleveland on Saturday, when he three hits and one unearned run over six innings in a 3-1 win. The Cardinals have won 13 of 17 in Kansas City, and it all comes together for a balanced win tonight.
10 Dime Mets - Pitching mismatch here, and you'd think it would be the other way. But thanks to a strong outing - and victory - against the Yankees last Saturday, Mets starter Fernando Nieve has earned himself another start. He made the spot start at the new Yankee Stadium in place of John Maine, and limited the Bombers to just two runs over 6-2/3 innings, handcuffing the Yankees in their hitter-friendly ballpark. On the flipside, once promising Andy Sonnanstine has the highest ERA in the majors. I know he has won six consecutive Interleague decisions, and this would seemingly be the right spot to take him, he is a dismal 1-6 with an 8.55 ERA on the road, where he’s allowing batters to shred him for a .343 batting average. Forget the fact he's 7-2 with a 3.88 ERA in 10 career starts against the senior circuit, including a perfect 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA this season, it means nothing; Sonnanstine has allowed seven home runs in his last three starts alone, and 13 in his past seven. Look for the Mets to go yard early and often to win this one easily.
FREE - Angels
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