Los Angeles Angels vs. Seattle Mariners Preview and Predictions 05-06-2018
6th May 2018 by Gracenote
two-way sensation shohei ohtani is set to make his first start on the mound in nearly two weeks on sunday, when the los angeles angels visit the seattle mariners for the rubber match of their three-game series. ohtani missed his scheduled start on tuesday with a mild left ankle sprain but threw a 30-pitch bullpen session on friday and was cleared to start for the first time since april 24.
ryon healy delivered a walk-off rbi single in the bottom of the 11th inning to give seattle a 9-8 victory on saturday in a wild game that featured five runs scored in extra innings after justin upton tied the game in the ninth with a two-run homer off edwin diaz. healy recorded three hits and mike zunino belted a two-run homer for seattle, which has won 10 of its last 15 contests. the angels saw their four-game winning streak come to an end saturday and need more production from kole calhoun, who is batting .167 with 33 strikeouts against four walks. "i think he's trying to work through some things," manager mike scioscia told reporters. "just hasn't been able to translate them out there on the field yet. he's making some progress."
tv: 4:10 p.m. et, fs west (los angeles), root northwest (seattle)
pitching matchup: angels rh shohei ohtani (2-1, 4.43 era) vs. mariners rh felix hernandez (4-2, 4.89)
ohtani struggled with his command in his last start and received a no-decision after yielding four runs with five walks in 5 1/3 innings against houston. the 23-year-old has registered 26 strikeouts, a record for an angels pitcher after the first four games of his career. "it's been a while since my last start, so i'm a little anxious," ohtani told reporters through interpreter ippei mizuhara. "but i just have to concentrate. this is going to be my next big test."
hernandez won his second straight start on tuesday, allowing three runs while striking out seven over six innings against oakland. "that was probably one of the sharper outings he's had all year to this point, which is a great sign," manager scott servais told reporters. mike trout is 29-for-79 with seven homers and 19 rbi against hernandez, who owns a 16-16 record and 3.36 era in 51 career starts versus the angels.
walk-offs
1. angels ss andrelton simmons is 19-for-40 during his 10-game hitting streak.
2. seattle is 16-4 when scoring four or more runs.
3. angels 3b zack cozart returned saturday after missing two games due to back tightness and had two hits in six at-bats.
prediction: angels 5, mariners 3
Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals Preview and Predictions 05-06-2018
6th May 2018 by Gracenote
The St. Louis Cardinals will try to match their season high with a fifth straight win and complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Chicago Cubs on Sunday. The Cardinals are aiming for a second straight series sweep after taking two games from the Chicago White Sox earlier this week.
St. Louis trailed 4-0 before rallying for an 8-6 win on Kolten Wong's walk-off homer in the 10th inning Saturday - the Cardinals' eighth comeback win of the season. It has been a potentially costly series for the Cardinals, though, as outfielder Tommy Pham (groin), catcher Yadier Molina (groin) and closer Bud Norris (triceps) all suffered injuries Saturday after reliever Dominic Leone (biceps) left Friday's game and is expected to hit the disabled list. The Cubs snapped a streak of nine straight games in which they scored three runs or fewer on Saturday, but they suffered their fourth-straight loss when St. Louis tied it on Marcell Ozuna's two-run double in the ninth and won it on Wong's blast in the 10th. The Cardinals have homered in four straight games after going deep just once in their previous four contests.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jon Lester (2-1, 2.73 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Michael Wacha (4-1, 3.62)
Lester has not allowed an earned run in three of his six outings this season, including his no-decision against Colorado last time out. The 34-year-old yielded two unearned runs in 5 2/3 innings versus the Rockies. Lester beat the Cardinals on April 19, allowing one unearned run and two hits in six frames, and is 6-4 with a 2.16 ERA in 15 career meetings.
Wacha has won four straight decisions, and the Cardinals have won his last five starts. The 26-year-old allowed two runs and five hits over five innings in a no-decision against the White Sox on Tuesday. Wacha missed the Cubs in the last series, which he probably didn't mind - he is 4-7 with a 6.41 ERA in 16 career games (14 starts) against them, including an 0-3 mark last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Cardinals have played six extra-inning games (3-3), tied with Atlanta for the most in the majors.
2. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant is riding a five-game hitting streak but is just 5-for-21 during that stretch.
3. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo, who has homered in three of his last four contests, is 18-for-38 with three homers against Wacha.
PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Cardinals 3