Preview: Twins at Athletics
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018
The Oakland Athletics have posted back-to-back walk-off wins in completely different ways and can walk off to the postseason on Sunday, when they attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins in their final home contest of the season. Oakland won the series opener on a 10th-inning leadoff homer by Khris Davis and recorded a 3-2 triumph on Saturday as Stephen Piscotty opened the ninth with a double and scored on a two-out wild pitch.
The victory was the fourth in a row for the Athletics, who can clinch a playoff spot on Sunday with a win over the Twins or a loss by Tampa Bay in Toronto. Oakland owns a 7 1/2-game lead over the Rays for the second wild card in the American League and trails the New York Yankees by 1 1/2 for the first spot while sitting 3 1/2 behind Houston for first place in the AL West with seven games remaining. Marcus Semien has been swinging a hot bat for the Athletics as he is 5-for-12 with eight RBIs over his last three games after belting a two-run homer on Saturday. Willians Astudillo went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Minnesota, which looks to conclude its final road trip of 2018 with a 5-5 record.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kyle Gibson (8-13, 3.78 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Trevor Cahill (6-3, 3.77)
Gibson managed to halt his four-start losing streak last Sunday at Kansas City despite surrendering five runs and 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old native of Indiana did not walk a batter, however, marking the first time in 11 turns - and second in 30 outings this season - he didn't issue a free pass. Gibson is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA in three career starts against the Athletics but will be facing them for the first time this year.
Cahill has lost just one of his last 14 turns but will be making his first start since Sept. 9 due to discomfort in his upper back. The 30-year-old Californian lasted only 2 2/3 innings in that outing against Texas as he yielded three runs on two hits and six walks - the second time in three turns he issued a half-dozen free passes - but escaped with a no-decision. Cahill's lone setback in his last 14 outings came on Aug. 23 in Minnesota, where he was tagged for five runs and eight hits over five frames to fall to 1-2 with a 4.98 ERA in seven career appearances (five starts) versus the Twins.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Twins suffered their 15th walk-off loss of the year on Saturday, matching the club record that was set in 1964.
2. Oakland went 13-0-2 in its final 15 home series of 2018 - the club's longest such unbeaten streak since a 17-0-2 run in 1931.
3. Minnesota transferred RHP Ervin Santana (finger) to the 60-day disabled list on Saturday and purchased the contract of C Juan Graterol from Triple-A Rochester.
PREDICTION: Athletics 5, Twins 2
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Preview: Rockies at Diamondbacks
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018
Starting pitching continues to be a surprising asset for the Colorado Rockies, who aim for a three-game sweep of the host Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. Antonio Senzatela tossed seven strong innings in Saturday’s 5-1 victory as the Rockies remained 1 1/2 games behind both the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West and St. Louis for the second wild-card spot.
Chris Iannetta drove in three runs and Charlie Blackmon singled twice to extend his hitting streak to 14 games for Colorado, which returns home Monday to close the regular season with seven games against Philadelphia (four) and Washington (three). Shortstop Trevor Story has missed the last four games due to an elbow injury and is unlikely to play Sunday, but the MVP candidate could return as soon as Monday. Arizona has dropped 11 of 14 to fall out of playoff contention as it begins a four-game series at home against the Dodgers on Monday before concluding the season with three in San Diego. A.J. Pollock belted his 19th homer in Saturday’s loss, but the heart of the Diamondbacks' order – David Peralta, Paul Goldschmidt and Daniel Descalso – went hitless in nine at-bats.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, TBS, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (15-7, 2.95 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Godley (14-10, 4.79)
Freeland allowed two runs and five hits over 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Dodgers on Tuesday. The 25-year-old native of Denver hasn’t lost since Aug. 1 and owns a 7-1 record and 2.69 ERA in 12 turns since the All-Star break. Pollock is 5-for-14 with a home run versus Freeland, who is 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA in seven career starts against Arizona – including a 1-0 record and 4.50 mark in three games at Chase Field.
Godley lost his third straight start on Sept. 15, when he surrendered five runs - four earned - on seven hits and six walks over 3 2/3 innings against Houston. The 28-year-old from South Carolina has given up a total of 13 runs - 12 earned - and 16 hits over 12 2/3 frames in his last three turns, raising his ERA from 4.42 to 4.84. Nolan Arenado is 1-for-13 with five strikeouts against Godley, who owns a 4-1 record and 3.99 ERA in eight career games (six starts) versus Colorado.
WALK-OFFS
1. Peralta is one blast shy of becoming the sixth Arizona outfielder ever to reach the 30-homer plateau.
2. Colorado’s starting pitchers have recorded six quality outings over the last eight games.
3. Arizona MGR Torey Lovullo stated that RHP Matt Koch will start Tuesday against the Dodgers.
PREDICTION: Rockies 6, Diamondbacks 2
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Preview: Padres at Dodgers
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018
One day after setting the franchise record for home runs in a single season, the Los Angeles Dodgers look to move a step closer to their sixth consecutive division title when they face the visiting San Diego Padres on Sunday in the rubber match of their three-game series. Manny Machado belted a three-run homer in Saturday’s 7-2 win as the Dodgers remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Colorado in the National League West.
Yasmani Grandal and Joc Pederson also went deep while Rich Hill tossed seven strong innings for Los Angeles, which won for the eighth time in 10 contests and improved to 19-9 since Aug. 24. Machado entered the contest in a 5-for-30 slump but crushed a three-run shot in the third inning for the Dodgers, who have hit 222 homers with seven games to play. San Diego has lost five of its last eight despite the play of Hunter Renfroe, who has homered in back-to-back games and recorded eight extra-base hits in his last 14 contests. Rookie Franmil Reyes went 0-for-4 in Saturday’s loss, ending his career-high 12-game hitting streak.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Joey Lucchesi (8-8, 3.74 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (5-3, 2.18)
Lucchesi came away without a decision against San Francisco on Tuesday after yielding three runs and seven hits over five innings. One of just 20 rookies to have reached the 20-start plateau in franchise history, the 25-year-old has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 12 of his 15 outings since June 20. Enrique Hernandez is 3-for-6 with a home run against Lucchesi, who is 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA in two starts versus the Dodgers.
Ryu turned in one of his best outings of the season on Monday, tossing seven scoreless innings in an 8-2 victory over Colorado. “He’s always been a big-game pitcher, and I’ve seen it from the other side,” Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “He was in complete command and his stuff was really good. It was good to see.” Ryu is 6-1 with a 2.52 ERA in nine career starts versus San Diego – including a 2-0 record and 2.31 mark in two outings this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles is 13-5 against San Diego this season – including 6-2 at Dodger Stadium.
2. The Padres are 4-78 when trailing after seven innings.
3. The Dodgers open a three-game series at Arizona on Monday and will start Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler and Ross Stripling, in that order.
PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Padres 3
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Preview: Red Sox at Indians
Gracenote
Sep 23, 2018
The Boston Red Sox had a shot at clinching the best record in baseball and setting a franchise record for wins on Saturday but fell just short with an extra-innings loss. The Red Sox will try to accomplish both feats again when they visit the Cleveland Indians for the rubber match of a three-game set on Sunday.
Boston, which could see the Indians in a potential American League Championship Series, already clinched the AL East but needs one more victory or Houston loss to ensure that it will finish with the top seed in the AL playoffs. The Red Sox suffered a 5-4 loss on Saturday in 11 innings but did get an encouraging sign for the postseason when the middle relief tandem of Brian Johnson and Joe Kelly combined for four scoreless innings. Cleveland was the first team to clinch its division (AL Central) and is trying to get its bullpen in line for the postseason as well but watched left-hander Brad Hand allow an inherited runner to score while getting knocked around in the eighth inning. Both teams figure to go to the bullpen early when swing starters Hector Velazquez of Boston and Adam Plutko of the Indians square off on Sunday.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Hector Velazquez (7-2, 3.18 ERA) vs. Indians RH Adam Plutko (4-5, 5.27)
Velazquez is making his eighth start in his 45th appearance and is 2-2 with a 4.00 ERA in that role. The Mexico native last started at Atlanta on Sept. 5 and allowed two runs on five hits and three walks in four innings without factoring in the decision. Velazquez worked one-third of an inning in relief on Friday for his lone action against Cleveland this season.
Plutko is jumping back into the rotation for a turn as Cleveland spreads out the starters in advance of the playoffs and is hoping for better results. Plutko was ripped for five runs on nine hits - three homers - over 4 2/3 innings at Toronto in his last start on Sept. 8. The 26-year-old, who surrendered three blasts in each of his last two starts, kept the ball in the yard at Boston on Aug. 23 but was knocked around for five runs on as many hits in 4 1/3 innings to suffer a loss.
WALK-OFFS
1. Red Sox RF Mookie Betts (left side) could return to right field on Sunday.
2. Cleveland became the first team in history to have four different pitchers reach 200 strikeouts when RHP Mike Clevinger hit the mark on Saturday.
3. Indians 3B Josh Donaldson is 4-for-10 with a homer and two RBIs in the series.
PREDICTION: Indians 9, Red Sox 6
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