Preview: Astros at Rockies
Gracenote
Jul 23, 2018
The Colorado Rockies have played a team with a winning record since June 26 and could continue to do so until Aug. 19 as they host the defending world champion Houston Astros in a two-game interleague series beginning Tuesday. Colorado (53-46) has started the challenging stretch 15-6 as it sits within striking distance of first place in the National League West and an NL wild-card spot.
"We can play with anybody,'' Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters prior to Sunday's 6-1 loss in Arizona that snapped a seven-game winning streak. "But we all know it's a long season, so you just have to keep moving ahead.'' Houston (66-36) boasts a five-game lead in the American League West after beginning a five-game road trip by taking two of three from the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend with Sunday's 14-5 loss their worst of the season. The Astros' George Springer (.253, 16 home runs, 52 RBIs) went 4-for-10 with a home run, six RBIs, three runs scored and four walks in the Angels series after batting .220 over the first 14 games in July. All-Star right-hander Gerrit Cole, who set a club record with 177 strikeouts in 128 1/3 innings prior to the All-Star break, takes the ball for Houston and opposes Tyler Anderson, who has a 0.96 ERA over his last four starts.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Gerrit Cole (10-2, 2.52 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (6-3, 3.72)
Cole allowed one run, three hits and four walks while striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings of a 9-1 victory over Detroit on July 14 to reach 10 wins for the fifth time in his six major-league seasons. The 27-year-old Californian, whose strikeout total is fifth-best in baseball, has yielded one earned run or fewer in four of his last five starts and boasts a 0.98 WHIP this season. Nolan Arenado is 5-for-11 with two home runs but the rest of the active Rockies are 8-for-48 versus Cole, who is 3-1 with a 2.49 ERA in four starts - including a victory in his only start at Coors Field in 2016 when he permitted two earned runs in six innings.
Anderson earned a no-decision after allowing two runs, five hits and one walk with six strikeouts in six innings of Colorado's 4-3 victory at Seattle on July 15. The 28-year-old Las Vegas native has recorded six quality starts in his last eight outings and boasts a 1.21 WHIP this season. Anderson, who is 1-3 with a 4.84 ERA in six interleague starts, has never faced the Astros or any of their players.
WALK-OFFS
1. Houston 3B Alex Bregman (.282, 20 home runs, 66 RBIs), the MVP of the All-Star Game, has reached base safely in 25 straight contests - the longest active streak in the majors - and is hitting .333 during that stretch. Bregman had a 31-game on-base run earlier this season.
2. Colorado 1B Ian Desmond (.238, 58 RBIs), who is batting .320 in his last 35 games to raise his average 49 points, has hit 14 of his 19 home runs on the road.
3. The Astros have the highest road winning percentage in baseball (.694) and their 34 wins away from home are the second-most in the majors to Boston.
PREDICTION: Astros 3, Rockies 2
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Preview: White Sox at Angels
Gracenote
Jul 24, 2018
Chicago All-Star first baseman Jose Abreu is displaying signs of breaking out of his slump as the White Sox enter Tuesday's contest against the host Los Angeles Angels. Abreu went 2-for-4 with a homer in Monday's 5-3 victory in the opener of the four-game set after being 6-for-51 over the previous 15 games.
Abreu's first-inning blast was his second in the past 20 games and he also had a run-scoring single in the sixth as Chicago won for the fifth time in eight games following a six-game slide. "He's never lost confidence," White Sox manager Rich Renteria told reporters prior to Monday's contest. "It's just a matter of, honestly, getting good pitches to hit. Staying in his zone. Continuing to trust the things he's capable of doing and the things he has done over a long period of time in his career." Angels slugger Albert Pujols (knee) was activated off the disabled list Monday and went 1-for-4 and remains tied for sixth place on the all-time home run list with Ken Griffey Jr. (630). Los Angeles star Mike Trout didn't have an official plate appearance in the opener as he walked four times, hit a sacrifice fly and stole two bases.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Carlos Rodon (2-3, 3.56 ERA) vs. Angels RH Felix Pena (1-0, 3.42)
Rodon's final start before the All-Star break was a great one as he allowed three hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings while defeating the St. Louis Cardinals. The 25-year-old has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his seven outings since returning from shoulder surgery. Rodon is 1-2 with a 4.11 ERA in three career starts against the Angels and he has served up homers to Pujols, Ian Kinsler and Justin Upton during his four years in the majors.
Pena is making his sixth start of the season and has yet to pitch longer than 5 1/3 innings. The 28-year-old has struck out 32 against nine walks in 26 1/3 innings. Pena has a 4.76 ERA at Angel Stadium this season compared to a 0.96 mark on the road.
WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago's victory Monday snapped a six-game slide at Angel Stadium as well as being only its second win in its last 16 games in Anaheim.
2. In addition to activating Pujols, Los Angeles also recalled RHP Jaime Barria -- who pitched five-plus innings on Monday -- optioned Deck McGuire to Triple-A Salt Lake and designated fellow RHP Oliver Drake for assignment.
3. Chicago RF Avisail Garcia (illness) was a late scratch but later entered the contest as a defensive replacement and is expected to be in the lineup Tuesday.
PREDICTION: White Sox 7, Angels 5
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Preview: Giants at Mariners
Gracenote
Jul 23, 2018
The Seattle Mariners will begin tapping into their Big Maple again when they host the San Francisco Giants for a two-game interleague series beginning Tuesday. Ace left-hander James Paxton, who threw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays in his native Canada on May 8, is scheduled to return from the disabled list after a bout with a stiff lower back and will try to help Seattle solidify its hold on the second American League wild-card spot.
"He felt fine, threw all his pitches and got after it in his bullpen, so no hesitation about bringing him back," Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters after a 40-pitch bullpen session Saturday. Seattle (60-40), which trails first-place Houston by five games in the American League West, limped into the All-Star break by losing four straight before taking two of three over the weekend from the Chicago White Sox. The Giants (51-50) dropped two of three in Oakland over the weekend with both losses coming in walk-off fashion and sit on the fringes of contention in the National League West and NL wild-card races. Rookie left-hander Andrew Suarez, who had a string of six starts with two or fewer runs allowed snapped in his last outing, takes the ball for San Francisco.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Andrew Suarez (3-6, 3.94 ERA) vs. Mariners LH James Paxton (8-4, 3.70)
Suarez allowed four runs, four hits and two walks while striking out five in five innings of a 6-2 loss to Oakland on July 15. The 25-year-old Miami native was 2-1 with a 2.28 ERA in his previous eight starts with 40 strikeouts and 11 walks over 47 1/3 innings during that span. Suarez, who has never faced Seattle or any of its players, has seen San Francisco score only 51 runs in his 16 starts.
Paxton left the Mariners' 11-2 road loss to the Los Angeles Angels on July 12 after throwing only 17 pitches and giving his club a scare. The 29-year old British Columbia native, who is fifth in the AL with 155 strikeouts, is 2-3 with a 5.70 ERA in his last six outings. Paxton, who missed only one start thanks to the All-Star break, faces San Francisco for the first time.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle 1B Ryon Healy (.244, 20 home runs, 53 RBIs) had three hits Sunday, including a pair of three-run homers and a career-best six RBIs, after going 3-for-21 in his previous six games.
2. Giants 3B Evan Longoria (.246, 10 home runs, 34 RBIs), who has missed 32 games after breaking his left hand June 14, could return as early as Tuesday after a rehab stint with Triple-A Sacramento.
3. The Mariners' run differential of plus-1 is the worst in major league history among teams who have won at least 60 of their first 100 games.
PREDICTION: Mariners 3, Giants 2
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