Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Oakland Athletics Preview and Predictions 05-25-2018
24th May 2018 by Gracenote
the arizona diamondbacks' nine-game road trip has been nothing short of a disaster thus far, but they look to turn things around friday as they visit the oakland athletics for the opener of a three-game interleague series. arizona began its trek by being swept in three-game sets at the new york mets and milwaukee brewers, and it arrives in oakland having lost seven straight overall and 13 of its last 14 contests.
the diamondbacks suffered a 9-2 loss on wednesday, with paul goldschmidt and john ryan murphy belting solo homers, to finish with four runs and 10 hits in the three-game series against the brewers. oakland salvaged the finale of its three-game set against seattle on thursday, scoring four runs in the first inning and holding on for a 4-3 triumph. marcus semien singled and scored a run for the athletics to avoid going hitless in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
tv: 9:35 p.m. et, fs arizona, nbcs california (oakland)
pitching matchup: diamondbacks lh patrick corbin (4-1, 2.60 era) vs. athletics lh sean manaea (5-4, 2.71)
corbin's winless streak reached five starts on saturday as he came away without a decision in his home state after allowing two runs on four hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings against the host new york mets. the 28-year-old has issued nine free passes in his last three turns after giving out the same amount over his first seven outings this season. corbin, who hasn't recorded a decision in four road starts this year, will be facing oakland for the first time in his career.
manaea's season has taken a turn since the calendar turned to may, as he has gone 1-2 with a 5.96 era in four starts while surrendering four runs in each outing. the 26-year-old native of indiana allowed a total of five runs while posting a 4-2 record in six turns prior to this month. manaea has yet to face arizona but is 2-4 with a 3.63 era in eight career interleague starts.
walk-offs
1. semien has hit safely in 11 of his last 13 games, registering seven two-hit performances in that span.
2. goldschmidt, who has hit .297 or better each of the last five seasons, is batting just .200 in 2018 and has not recorded a multi-hit performance since going 3-for-5 at philadelphia on april 26.
3. oakland turned five double plays on thursday, its highest total since aug. 2, 2010 versus kansas city and one shy of the team record.
prediction: athletics 4, diamondbacks 2
San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers Preview and Predictions 05-25-2018
24th May 2018 by Gracenote
the los angeles dodgers are starting to turn things around after a disastrous start to the season and it appears that facing better teams has elevated their play. the dodgers will look to make it three series wins in a row for the first time this season when they host the san diego padres on friday night in the opener of a three-game set.
since losing six in a row against last-place teams cincinnati and miami, los angeles has won six of its last seven, following a three-game sweep at washington by taking two of three from national league west-leading colorado. "you can see the energy in the clubhouse," said dodgers closer kenley jansen. "everybody's like, we're going to get out of this. things are finally starting to go our way." san diego, which lost seven in a row to los angeles before winning two straight earlier this month, avoided a sweep by taking the finale in washington to improve to 4-3 on its 10-game road trip. "you look back at this road trip, and i know we continue in (los angeles) but we're heading back to the west coast with an off day," padres manager andy green said. "it's a good 4-3 east coast swing for us."
tv: 10:10 p.m. et, fs san diego, sportsnet la (los angeles)
pitching matchup: padres lh clayton richard (3-5, 4.87 era) vs. dodgers rh ross stripling (1-1, 2.08)
richard answered a five-start winless drought (0-4) by winning his last two trips to the mound, allowing two runs over 7 1/3 innings at pittsburgh after limiting st. louis to two runs and five hits over eight frames. the 34-year-old became the first san diego pitcher to work into the eighth inning in three straight starts since 2005. matt kemp (13-for-35), justin turner (9-for-19) and yasiel puig (7-for-19) have lit up richard.
making his fourth start of the season at washington on saturday, stripling gave an injury-ravaged rotation a boost by striking out a season-high nine batters while allowing one run on four hits over six innings. he faced san diego in mexico on may 6, yielding four hits and fanning five over four scoreless innings. in his last three starts, stripling has allowed three runs with 21 strikeouts and two walks in 15 1/3 innings.
walk-offs
1. turner is 10-for-33 in nine games since making his season debut.
2. padres 1b eric hosmer has hit safely in 10 of his last 12 games.
3. puig has hit all his five homers in his last nine games and recorded five rbis in his last three.
prediction: dodgers 4, padres 2
Minnesota Twins vs. Seattle Mariners Preview and Predictions 05-25-2018
24th May 2018 by Gracenote
james paxton has overcome a slow start to the season and looks to produce another solid performance when the seattle mariners host the minnesota twins on friday in the opener of their three-game series. paxton has posted a 1.70 era over his last five starts, a stretch that includes a no-hitter in addition to a career-best 16-strikeout effort.
paxton allowed two runs and three hits in a complete-game victory over detroit in his last turn. the left-hander will look to help seattle get back on track after the club's five-game winning streak was halted with thursday's 4-3 loss at oakland. twins slugger miguel sano, who will be back for the series opener after missing 24 games with a hamstring injury, is 4-for-8 with a homer against paxton. minnesota is kicking off a six-game road trip after having its three-game winning streak snapped with wednesday's 4-1 loss to the tigers.
tv: 10:10 p.m. et, fs north (minnesota), root northwest (seattle)
pitching matchup: twins rh fernando romero (2-0, 1.66 era) vs. mariners lh james paxton (3-1, 3.30)
romero is coming off the worst of his four major-league starts as he allowed four runs - three earned - and three hits in five innings of a no-decision against milwaukee. the promising 23-year-old didn't allow a run over his first 15 2/3 frames and has yet to give up more than four hits in a game. romero, who was ranked as minnesota's no. 2 prospect entering the season, has struck out 22 while issuing 11 walks in 21 2/3 innings.
paxton has gone 2-1 with a 3.04 era while holding opponents to a .179 batting average in four home starts. the 29-year-old canadian has fanned 10 or more batters on three occasions this season and has registered a total of 79 strikeouts in just 62 2/3 innings. paxton is 2-1 with a 2.91 era in four career starts versus the twins, giving up two runs and four hits over five frames in a no-decision on april 5 - a day remembered more for having a huge eagle land on his shoulder prior to the game in minneapolis while he was standing for the national anthem.
walk-offs
1. mariners dh nelson cruz is 2-for-22 over his last seven contests and has gone 15 games without a homer.
2. minnesota optioned of jake cave to triple-a rochester to open the roster spot for sano.
3. seattle rf mitch haniger (wrist) went 0-for-3 with a walk on thursday after missing one contest.
prediction: mariners 4, twins 1