Detroit Tigers vs. Seattle Mariners Preview and Predictions 05-20-2018
20th May 2018 by Gracenote
life without second baseman robinson cano hasn't been too hard on the seattle mariners, who will try for their third straight victory over the visiting detroit tigers on sunday. seattle improved to 4-2 without cano, who broke his hand sunday before getting suspended 80 games by major league baseball on tuesday, after saturday's 7-2 victory as dee gordon has made a seamless transition back to the keystone after the mariners had converted him to a center fielder.
gordon (.306) is 1-for-8 with three rbis, including a two-run double saturday, while playing error-free ball in his first two games of the season at second base and seattle will need him to continue producing if it is to remain a contender in the american league west. detroit (20-25) hopes to kick start its offense, which has produced nine runs in its last four games - three losses - as it played without miguel cabrera (.323) on saturday for the 17th time in 18 may games. the tigers' francisco liriano looks for a return to the early season form that saw him go 3-1 with a 2.97 era in his first six starts and opposes wade leblanc, who has filled in admirably for the injured erasmo ramirez. leblanc has allowed one run in 15 innings over three starts since moving into the rotation in place of ramirez, who is out with a shoulder injury.
tv: 4:10 p.m. et, fs detroit, root northwest (seattle)
pitching matchup: tigers lh francisco liriano (3-1, 4.03 era) vs. mariners lh wade leblanc (0-0, 2.51)
liriano allowed five runs, seven hits and three walks while striking out three in 4 1/3 innings of detroit's 9-8 victory over cleveland on tuesday. the 34-year-old dominican republic native wasn't much better in his previous start, yielding three runs, four hits and four walks in four innings of the tigers' 5-4 loss at texas on may 9. nelson cruz and kyle seager have each homered and are a combined 5-for-15 against liriano, who is 6-3 with a 3.36 era in 14 games (11 starts) versus seattle.
leblanc permitted three hits and struck out four in six innings of the mariners' 1-0 victory at minnesota on monday. "we got a little bit more than we were hoping to get out of him, which was great," seattle manager scott servais told reporters about the 33-year-old louisiana native. "just an awesome job." jose iglesias (.248 batting average this season, 5-for-13 in last four games) is 2-for-3 versus leblanc, who allowed four runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings versus detroit in one start and one relief appearance in his career without earning a decision.
walk-offs
1. tigers 3b niko goodrum (.265) went 1-for-3 on saturday to extend his career-high hitting streak to eight games. he is 12-for-30 with three home runs, three doubles, seven rbis and seven runs scored during that span.
2. mariners ss jean segura (.316) is 19-for-44 with eight rbis and eight runs scored in his last 10 games, raising his average 36 points.
3. iglesias was 7-for-13 with a home run, double, five rbis and two runs scored in his first four games versus seattle this season before going 0-for-3 on saturday.
prediction: mariners 3, tigers 2
Cleveland Indians vs. Houston Astros Preview and Predictions 05-20-2018
19th May 2018 by Gracenote
the cleveland indians have homered in a season-high 10 straight games, with most of the power coming from the top of the order. right fielder michael brantley has thrived in the second spot in the lineup and owns a nine-game hitting streak for the indians, who face the host houston astros in the rubber match of their three-game series on sunday.
brantley belted a solo homer in saturday's 5-4 victory and is 14-for-39 during his streak with 19 rbis in 16 games this month. corey kluber struck out 10 batters over seven strong innings saturday while third baseman jose ramirez had two hits and improved to 10-for-22 with a pair of homers and seven rbis during his six-game hitting streak. the astros saw their three-game winning streak come to an end despite homers by carlos correa, alex bregman and marwin gonzalez. outfielder josh reddick, batting .227 with six home runs and 17 rbis, was held out of the starting lineup for a second straight day with a skin infection above his left knee but appeared as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and hopes to return to the lineup sunday.
tv: 8:08 p.m. et, espn
pitching matchup: indians rh carlos carrasco (5-2, 3.66 era) vs. astros rh lance mccullers jr. (5-2, 3.63)
carrasco is pitching on an extended five days' rest after his last start on may 14 at detroit, where he allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings in a 6-3 loss. the 31-year-old native of venezuela has thrown at least 110 pitches in four of his last seven starts, including three in a row. reddick is 6-for-9 with a home run against carrasco, who owns a 3-1 record and 2.67 era in six career games (five starts) versus houston, including 2-0 with a 0.00 era in two outings at minute maid park.
mccullers turned in a solid outing but took the loss against the los angeles angels last monday, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings. the 24-year-old has 58 strikeouts in 52 innings and has only given up three home runs, including none in his last five starts. yonder alonso is 4-for-8 against mccullers, who struggled in his only previous start against cleveland, giving up five runs over five frames in a 7-6 loss on april 26, 2017.
walk-offs
1. cleveland of lonnie chisenhall (right calf strain) will begin his rehab assignment on monday with triple-a columbus.
2. the astros lead the majors in run differential at plus-96.
3. the indians plan to recall rhp adam plutko from triple-a columbus to start against the chicago cubs on wednesday, with rhp josh tomlin moving to the bullpen.
prediction: astros 6, indians 3