MLB News and Notes Tuesday 6/22

Tuesday MLB Tips
By Kevin Rogers

Interleague play is coming down the stretch this week with two more rounds of action before returning to normalcy next Monday. Several of the big matchups to keep an eye on aren't exactly ones that fans thought would matter at this point of the season. We'll start in Tampa Bay with a battle of two clubs that that let pitching do most of the talking.

Padres at Rays - 7:05 PM EST

San Diego continues to be one of the top stories in baseball as the Padres sit atop the NL West at 40-29. Bud Black's team heads cross-country for a week in the Sunshine State, starting with the struggling Rays at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay has dropped four of five, while falling out of first place in the AL East.

The last time Mat Latos (7-4, 3.19 ERA) pitched in his home state of Florida, the Padres' righty allowed seven earned runs in 2.2 innings of a 10-1 loss to the Marlins on April 26. Since that horrendous outing, Latos has given up 14 earned runs in his last nine starts, as San Diego is 6-3 in that span. Five of Latos' seven road starts have finished 'under' the total, while the second-year hurler beat the Mariners and Blue Jays in interleague play over the last month.

Wade Davis (5-7, 4.94 ERA) has struggled recently for Tampa Bay, as the Rays are 1-4 in his last five trips to the mound. Davis lasted just five innings in his last start at Atlanta, yielding seven hits and three runs in a 6-2 defeat. The right-hander hasn't seen much success at the Trop of late, losing three of his previous four home outings. The gopher ball has been a problem for Davis, allowing nine homers in his last seven starts.

The Padres own a 7-5 mark in interleague action, but have played only three games against AL opponents on the road by taking two of three at Seattle. The Rays are 9-3 the last 12 interleague home contests dating back to last season.

Cardinals at Blue Jays - 7:05 PM EST

Both these clubs are coming off home series victories over the weekend, as the Cards make their first visit north of the border since 2005. St. Louis remains at the top of the NL Central race ahead of slumping Cincinnati, while the Jays are 5 ½ games out of first place in the loaded AL East.

Two solid left-handers take the mound at Rogers Centre as Jaime Garcia and Brett Cecil each try to bounce back from losses in their last start. The Cardinals are 2-4 in Garcia's (6-3, 1.59 ERA) last six starts, with the rookie allowing two earned runs or less in each outing. Garcia is the most prominent 'under' starting pitcher in baseball with 12 of his 13 starts finishing 'under' the total. In Garcia's seven road outings this season, six times the opponent has scored three runs or less, as all seven starts on the highway resulted in an 'under.'

Cecil (7-3, 3.58 ERA) had a five-game winning streak snapped in his last trip to the hill by falling at San Diego, 8-2. The lefty allowed six runs during his five consecutive victories, but gave up five runs to the Padres in six innings of work. Each of Cecil's last two starts at home has been strong outings, going eight innings each in wins over the Yankees and Orioles.

St. Louis has not played a road interleague series this season, as the Cards won four of six on the highway last season against AL foes. Following a 1-5 start in interleague for the Jays, Toronto has captured four of the last six against the National League, including series wins over San Diego and San Francisco.

Tigers at Mets - 7:10 PM EST

A pair of second-place teams hook up at Citi Field as Detroit and New York have rolled in interleague play. Over the last nine games, the Tigers are 8-1 and the Mets are 7-2, while each club tries to cut the deficit in their respective divisions.

Detroit sends out its ace for the series opener as Justin Verlander (8-4, 3.54 ERA) goes for his fourth consecutive victory. Verlander is coming off comfortable wins over the Pirates and Nationals at home, as the Tigers are 12-3 in his last 15 regular season starts against the NL. The powerful right-hander has thrown at least 110 pitches in 11 of his last 12 outings, while facing the Mets for the first time in his career.

Since coming off the DL at the start of June, Jonathon Niese (4-2, 3.64 ERA) has won three in a row. The Mets' southpaw has allowed four earned runs in this span, including home victories over the Marlins and Padres. Niese tossed a one-hitter against San Diego two starts ago for his first career complete game. The Mets are 5-1 in Niese's six home starts, while five of those games have finished 'under' the total.

New York owns a NL-best 9-3 interleague ledger this season, coming off a 5-10 mark in 2009. The Tigers are 5-1 to the 'over' the last six games, while going 5-6 as a road favorite this season.

Braves at White Sox - 8:10 PM EST

Two red-hot clubs meet on the South Side of Chicago for the first time since 2004 as both teams look to extend winning streaks. The Braves have won five straight, while the Sox are riding a six-game hot streak. Both squads are coming off different kinds of sweeps over the weekend with Atlanta winning three high-scoring games and Chicago squeaking out three low-scoring victories at Washington.

Tommy Hanson (7-3, 3.38 ERA) has continued to impress atop the Braves' rotation, as Atlanta have won his last six starts. Hanson shut down the Rays his last time out, going seven scoreless innings and scattering three hits in a 6-2 triumph. Atlanta is 5-1 in Hanson's six starts as a road favorite, but only two of those outings have come against teams that are currently above .500.

The White Sox counter with John Danks (6-5, 3.18 ERA), who is coming off consecutive solid efforts after he suffered back-to-back losses to the Indians and Rays. Danks allowed five hits and two earned runs in wins over the Tigers and Pirates, but coming off a road win at Pittsburgh isn't a good thing for the Chicago southpaw. The Sox are 1-9 dating back to last season when Danks is off an away victory in his previous outing.

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MLB RoundUp For 6/22
By Dan Bebe

National League

Giants (-160) @ Astros with a total of 6.5
Freddy Sanchez is 11-for-33 off Oswalt.
REMATCH ALERT! Not sure if this is one to play the opposite side or leave it alone, but I certainly have my inklings, and they're not in that direction. Lincecum went 7 shutout against the 'Stros earlier this year, and he's a perfect 4-0 against Houston with a 1.33 ERA lifetime. Oswalt has actually struggled a tad with the Giants, going 5-7 in his career, though the 3.67 ERA isn't all that bad. I certainly wouldn't pay for Timmy against a bad team like the Astros, but I'm not sure I'd have the nuts to play Oswalt, either. Leans: None

Interleague Play

Indians @ Phillies (-185) with a total of 10
Anderson Hernandez is 5-for-13 with 2 RBI off Moyer;
Austin Kearns is 7-for-16 off Moyer with 2 RBI since '05;
Jhonny Peralta is 4-for-his-last-8 off Moyer.
Moyer is almost uncappable these days, using just numbers alone. The line movement has been pretty solid with Jamie this year, and his 7-1, 3.01 lifetime mark against the Indians makes it seem, on paper, like this should be a Phils win. Talbot has been slipping a bit, giving up a ton of hits, generally in 1 or 2 bad innings, but that's not going to cut it against a Phils team that's catching fire again. Leans: None

Marlins (-140) @ Orioles with a total of 8.5
I'm not sure the Marlins are really good enough to be this large of a road favorite when anyone besides Josh Johnson is on the mound. I'd love to back the Orioles here, but again, there's some intestinal fortitude that goes into such a decision. They're absolutely the value side, and the Marlins rely awfully heavily on those bats to get it done, so if Guthrie can somehow put together 6 or 7 innings of 2-run ball, the O's have a decent shot. This one probably isn't strong enough to put money on, though, unless you're a volume bettor. Leans: Orioles

Royals @ Nationals (-115) with a total of 9
Interestingly, coming off last night's low-scoring affair, it was almost like a battle to see which team could screw things up LESS, and Washington won that affair. Now, back they come with Luis Atilano, who has been pretty bad after a decent start to his rookie campaign. Lerew, on the other side went 6 innings and allowed 2 runs to the Astros in his only work this year, so you have to think that he has the slight edge based just on the fact that Washington doesn't know a ton about him. Tough to back KC right now, though, since they're struggling mightily on this road trip. Leans: Royals

Cardinals (-117) @ Blue Jays with a total of 7.5
I will admit, I'm a little concerned about both starting pitchers, moreso about Cecil. The Jays starter got knocked around a bit in his last start down in San Diego, which snapped a long stretch of hot pitching. The question, I suppose is whether he's hitting a little rut, or if it was a one-time aberration. He still only allowed 7 hits, but the Padres managed to cash in. Garcia, on the other side, is still sporting that 1.59 ERA, though he's been giving up 1-3 runs in just about every start after a few zeros early in the season. When will the wheels fall off, completely? Maybe this one, maybe not for a bit, yet, but the Cardinals weak recent road play makes this one a tad more dicey than if they were hitting away from home. Leans: Cardinals

Tigers (-130) @ Mets with a total of 7.5
This is somewhat pricey for Verlander, considering the level of competition, but my guess is that Niese just isn't drawing much in the way of respect, but to his credit, Niese has pitched extremely well since coming off the DL, and the Mets have won all 3 of his starts. The Tigers have won Verlander's last 3 starts, too, and 10 of his 14 trips to the hill have resulted in Tigers' victories, but this team is a total clunker on the road, and I would almost never back the Tigers away from home, especially at a favorite price. Verlander does have a tendency to give up 1-3 runs, so he's not untouchable, but that ERA stays in the 3's because he generally goes 7-8 innings. He's a horse, and he's good. Tough to go against the big righthander, but that's the only way to go in this one. Leans: Mets

Padres @ Rays (-126) with a total of 8.5
This seems like a pretty cheap price, even for Wade Davis, especially against a team like the Padres that struggles to get a ton of public betting action. I know Latos has been solid, posting a WHIP under 1 this far into a season, but the Rays can certainly score some runs, and Latos might be lucky to go 6 innings. I suppose only time will tell, but this opening line, to me, is pretty strongly in favor of the Padres, who remain a solid road team. Tampa, quietly, is struggling a bit, too. This one could end up as a battle of the bullpens, both quite good. Leans: Padres

Pirates @ Rangers (-250) with a total of 10
Well, you know we aren't going anywhere near the side in this one. The Pirates can't win a game on the road to save their lives (though I suppose their lives haven't yet been threatened), and they send 0-5 Ross Ohlendorf to try to get a win. Tommy Hunter, a rather large kid, is 2-0 for Texas so far, and the Rangers are really rumbling along right now, winners of 8 in a row. The total is the only thing I'd even look at, since you guys know how I feel about home run lines, and the high number here is either a gift for under-bettors, or is laying the groundwork for the Rangers to score 11 by themselves. Leans: None

Braves (-120) @ White Sox with a total of 8
Both of these pitchers are really rolling, right now. The White Sox are starting to score enough to win, and after a bit of a slump, Danks is back on his game, giving up just 2 runs in his last 15 innings, over 2 starts. The Braves have won Hanson's last 6 starts, though he hasn't been going all that deep in games. He's not giving up much, either, but I suppose if it came right down to it, and it might, I'd have to give the nod to the White Sox bullpen. Danks seems to have greater longevity in the game, when his stuff is on point, so if we're seeing 3 innings of Braves relievers, and only 1-2 of Sox, well, there's your tiny lean. Leans: White Sox

Twins (-130) @ Brewers with a total of 9.5
Prince Fielder is 7-for-17 with 2 HR and 3 RBI.
Scott Baker is coming off a thoroughly dominant performance, at home, over the Colorado Rockies, recording a crazy 12 strikeouts, 3 more than he's had in any other start this year. Now, just a -130 favorite in Milwaukee against a rather bad home team and a rather bad starting pitcher, well, this one is the ultimate head-scratcher of opening lines. Milwaukee is coming off a win over the Rockies to salvage 1 of 3 in that series, and the Brewers head back home, where they're 8 games under 500 on the season. I just can't figure this line out. It's in that "either this is a monster play gift line, or the Brewers are going to clobber Baker, and oddsmakers saw Baker throw a terrible bullpen between starts" weird window.
Leans: Line Movement Dictation

Red Sox (-145) @ Rockies with a total of 8.5
This line is a little less screwball, considering the Rockies are actually quite strong at home, and neither starter has looked all THAT great over their last couple starts. We know what Lester can do, though, so I'm pretty hesitant to go against him. Coors Field can really get into a pitchers' head, though, and I have to wonder if Lester battles any mental blocks heading into this start. We know what Chacin can do, and what he does is get teams out the first time he faces them, and now the scouting report is getting out. Boston is red hot, but that Coors Field red flag makes me want to wait and see... Leans: Red Sox

Yankees (-143) @ Diamondbacks with a total of 9.5
Robinson Cano is 6-for-19 off Haren since '05;
Derek Jeter is 6-for-19 off Haren since '05, as well;
Chris Snyder is 4-for-10 off Pettitte;
Stephen Drew is 3-for-6 off Pettitte.
Dan Haren, believe it or not, is 4-0 against the Yankees in his career, but he's been so up and down this season, that he's a pretty tough cat to back. The Yankees are "struggling" just a little bit, though admittedly, they're still winning games, just not 3 or 4 in a row. Haha, hey, standards are standards, I guess. Pettitte still has that ERA in the mid 2's, though he's just 2-5 lifetime against the D'backs. This one appears to have some value on the home dog, but Haren could easily surrender 6 runs in 6 innings, or 2 in 8 innings. Leans: D'backs

Reds @ Athletics (-120) with a total of 7.5
Scott Rolen is 3-for-7 off Braden;
Gabe Gross is batting .346 in 26 AB with 2 HR and 2 RBI off Arroyo;
Conor Jackson is 4-for-10 off Arroyo;
Kevin Kouzmanoff is 11-for-16 with 2 HR and 7 RBI off Arroyo.
This game intrigues me, though we'll know a bit more after the previous game wraps up. Arroyo is coming off a solid outing against the Dodgers, though the number of double play balls the Dodgers hit into was astounding, and without those, Arroyo's numbers might not have been as impressive. He walked 6 and got away with it. Braden finally had a decent start his last time out, but lost when he got no run support. Interestingly, though, it was basically his first truly good start since the perfect game, and I can't help but wonder if he's turning the corner. Leans: Athletics

Dodgers (-115) @ Angels with a total of 8
Casey Blake is 6-for-14 with 2 HR and 4 RBI off Santana since '05;
Russ Martin is 4-for-11 off Santana with 2 RBI.
I know the Angels swept the Dodgers last weekend, and Boston swept the Dodgers this most recent weekend, but I can't help but think the Dodgers have the slight leg up in this one. Both teams are rested, each getting an off-day on Monday, so the bullpens are ready, and both are coming back from pretty far East, the Dodgers just a tad farther, so that, to me, is a bit of a wash. Kershaw is 1-0 with an 0.75 ERA against the Angels, so he's pitched well against them, and Santana, while 2-3 against the Dodgers, is coming off 2 rough starts in a row, and I wonder if he's hitting a little skid. Leans: Dodgers

Cubs (-113) @ Mariners with a total of 6.5
Xavier Nady is 3-for-9 off Vargas with 1 RBI.
These two starters both achieve decent success, but almost do it completely differently. Dempster throws a ton of pitches, walks guys, strikes out guys, and goes 6 strong. Vargas doesn't walk anyone, doesn't strike out anyone, gives up a ton of hits, but goes a little deeper. The Mariners are on one of the most tenuous win streaks of any team this year. They've taken 4 in a row, but they've scored a grand total of 9 runs in those 4 games. Rarely do you see a team post a win streak while averaging 2.25 runs, but these punchless M's are getting it done on the hill. The Cubs are coming off a monster offensive burst on Sunday, but does it continue? Leans: Mariners

Diamond Trends - Tuesday
By Vince Akins

Dodgers at Angels - The Dodgers are 7-0 since April 18, 2010 when Clayton Kershaw starts after his team won the last time he started vs this opponent for a net profit of $710.

Giants at Astros - The Giants are 8-0 since July 29, 2009 as a 140+ favorite when they won the last time they faced this starting pitcher for a net profit of $800. The Giants are 0-6 since April 12, 2009 when Tim Lincecum starts after he had a WHIP of at least 2 his last start for a net profit of $845 when playing against. The Astros are 0-9 since April 10, 2009 as a dog after a loss in which they allowed 12+ hits and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $900 when playing against.

Reds at Athletics - The Reds are 8-0 since July 10, 2009 on the road within 20 cents of pickem after scoring 6+ runs for a net profit of $820. The Athletics are 0-7 since June 10, 2009 when Dallas Braden starts in June for a net profit of $765 when playing against.

Cardinals at Blue Jays - The Cardinals are 8-0 since July 23, 2009 after a loss in which they had fewer than five team-left-on-base for a net profit of $815. The Blue Jays are 7-0 since September 04, 2009 as a favorite when they scored two or fewer runs for their starter in his last start for a net profit of $700.

Twins at Brewers - The Twins are 7-0 since July 17, 2009 within 20 cents of pickem after a win and it is the first game of the series for a net profit of $730. The Brewers are 0-14 since May 20, 2009 within 20 cents of pickem when they are off a win in which they scored in at most two separate innings for a net profit of $1420 when playing against.

Yankees at Diamondbacks - The Yankees are 6-0 since June 19, 2009 when Andy Pettitte starts as a road favorite after throwing more than 100 pitches for a net profit of $600. The Diamondbacks are 0-8 since October 03, 2009 after a win in which they had fewer team-left-on-base than their opponent as a dog for a net profit of $810 when playing against. The Diamondbacks are 7-0 since August 14, 2009 when Dan Haren starts at home after his team lost the last time he started for a net profit of $700.

Cubs at Mariners - The Cubs are 0-10 since April 24, 2009 when Ryan Dempster starts after winning as a home favorite in his last start for a net profit of $1225 when playing against. The Cubs are 0-7 since April 10, 2009 on the road after a 5+ run win and it is the first game of a series for a net profit of $785 when playing against. The Mariners are 8-0 since August 25, 2009 as a favorite after scoring 3 runs or less and winning for a net profit of $800.

Tigers at Mets - The Tigers are 8-0 since July 10, 2009 as a favorite after a win in which their opponent left fewer than 10 men on base for a net profit of $800. The Tigers are 6-0 since July 29, 2009 when Justin Verlander starts on the road within 20 cents of pickem for a net profit of $625. The Mets are 6-0 since August 05, 2009 when Jonathon Niese starts at home vs a team that has hit more grounders than fly balls season-to-date for a net profit of $665.

Royals at Nationals - The Royals are 0-10 since May 10, 2009 on the road after a loss in which they allowed 6 or fewer hits for a net profit of $1015 when playing against.

Marlins at Orioles - The Marlins are 6-0 since September 22, 2009 when Anibal Sanchez starts vs a team that lost their starters last two starts for a net profit of $745. The Orioles are 0-8 since April 17, 2010 after a loss in which they had fewer than five team-left-on-base as a dog for a net profit of $800 when playing against. The Orioles are 0-6 since May 08, 2009 when Jeremy Guthrie starts as a home dog after losing as an away dog in his last start for a net profit of $600 when playing against.

Indians at Phillies - The Indians are 0-9 since July 07, 2009 as a 140+ dog vs a team that has lost at least their last two games for a net profit of $900 when playing against. The Phillies are 0-7 since September 26, 2009 after a loss in which they allowed 1 or fewer walks for a net profit of $880 when playing against. The Phillies are 0-5 since August 04, 2009 when Jamie Moyer starts after the team lost their last two games for a net profit of $590 when playing against.

Pirates at Rangers - The Rangers are 7-0 since April 28, 2009 as a home favorite after a win in which their opponent left fewer than 10 men on base for a net profit of $700. The Rangers are 6-0 since July 27, 2009 when Tommy Hunter starts as a favorite after his team won the last time he started for a net profit of $600.

Padres at Rays - The Padres are 4-0 since May 07, 2010 when Mat Latos starts on the road vs a team that lost their starters last two starts for a net profit of $520.

Red Sox at Rockies - The Red Sox are 0-6 since September 04, 2009 as a road favorite after a win and it is the first game of the series for a net profit of $740 when playing against. The Rockies are 0-8 since April 18, 2009 as a dog after a loss in which they were shut out in the last 6 innings for a net profit of $800 when playing against.

Braves at White Sox - The Braves are 8-0 since June 07, 2009 when Tommy Hanson starts in June for a net profit of $805. The White Sox are 0-8 since September 11, 2009 as a dog when they are off a win in which they came back from a deficit for a net profit of $800 when playing against.

Tips and Trends

San Francisco Giants at Houston Astros

Giants (-160, O/U 6.5): San Francisco is quite happy to see the Astros in this series, as they have won all 6 meetings with them this year. In total, San Francisco is 14-5 SU this year against teams in the National League Central division. The Giants are 38-30 SU overall this year, 1.5 games behind the Padres in their division. The Giants are +3.17 and +0.17 units both SU and on the RL respectively this season. The Giants have received world class pitching efforts from their starting rotation of late, as they've held 8 of their last 9 opponents to 4 runs or fewer. Offensively, the Giants have scored 6 runs or more in 3 of their last 6 outings. P Tim Lincecum will get the start tonight, as he looks to build on another impressive season. Lincecum is 7-2 this year, with an ERA of 3.11 and a WHIP of 1.22. The Giants are 20-7 in their last 27 games against a starter with a WHIP less than 1.15. Giants are 1-4 in their last 5 road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Giants are 4-0 in Lincecum's last 4 starts against the National League Central. San Francisco is 7-1 in Lincecum's last 8 starts with 5 days of rest. The Giants are 7-2 in Lincecum's last 9 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.

Giants are 6-2 last 8 road games against a team with a home winning percentage less than .400%.

Over is 7-3 last 10 road games.

Key Injuries - LF Mark DeRosa (wrist) is out.

PROJECTED SCORE: 3 (UNDER - Total of the Day)

Astros: Houston is in complete turmoil, as they have the 2nd worst record in the National League at 26-44 SU. Only Pittsburgh has a worse record in the National League entering today. Houston has lost 4 consecutive games, and 8 of their past 10 overall. Things aren't going to get any easier, as they face off against a team that has already beaten them all 6 times they've played this year. Offensively, the Astros have been limited to 4 runs or fewer in each of their past 5 games. P Roy Oswalt will take the mound today, as he continues to pitch well despite no run support from his teammates. Oswalt is only 5-8 this year despite a season long ERA of 3.12 and a WHIP of 1.08. The Astros are 16-43 in their last 59 games following a loss. The Astros are 21-47 in their last 68 games against a right-handed starter. Houston is 37-15 in Oswalt's last 52 home starts against a team with a winning record. The Astros are 44-18 in Oswalt's last 62 starts against the National League West. Houston is 1-6 in Oswalt's last 7 Tuesday starts overall.

Astros are 5-0 last 5 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 7-3 last 10 home games against a team with a winning record.

Key Injuries - C Humberto Quintero (head) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 1

Los Angeles Dodgers at Los Angeles Angels

Dodgers (-115, O/U 8): The Dodgers limp into their interleague series with their crosstown rival tonight. The Dodgers have lost their past 4 games, and 7 of their last 10 overall. After leading the National League West division briefly, the Dodgers have since fallen back to 3rd place. The Dodgers are 38-31 SU overall, including 15-18 SU on the road. The Dodgers are +0.22 and -5.08 units both SU and on the RL this season. Offensively, the Dodgers are really struggling with their team batting average. The Dodgers simply aren't consistent enough offensively of late, with Manny Ramirez being one of the biggest culprits. Lefty P Clayton Kershaw will take the ball today, as he looks to lead his team to their 11th win in his 16 starts overall this year. Kershaw is 7-3 this year, with an ERA of 2.96 and a WHIP of 1.28. The Dodgers are 15-6 in their last 21 games against a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30. The Dodgers are 8-25 in their last 33 interleague road games against a right-handed starter. The Dodgers are 9-0 in Kershaw's last 9 starts against a team with a winning record. The Dodgers are 4-0 in Kershaw's last 4 road starts against a team with a winning record. The Dodgers are 1-9 in Kershaw's last 10 starts during game 1 of a series.

Dodgers are 13-3 last 16 after allowing 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 last 5 road games against a team with a winning home record.

Key Injuries - 3B Blake DeWitt (knee) is probable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 4 (Side of the Day)

Angels: The Angels are excited to meet up with their crosstown rivals yet again this month, and they are hoping for a similar outcome in this series. The Angels swept the Dodgers earlier this month, scoring 20 runs in their 3 game series. Speaking of 20 runs in a series, that's exactly how many runs they scored against the Cubs in their most recent series. The Angels are 39-33 SU overall this year, 3.5 games behind the Rangers in the American League West standings. The Angels are +5.65 and +9.11 units both SU and on the RL respectively this year. P Ervin Santana will take the mound tonight, as he is 6-5 with an ERA of 3.91 and a WHIP of 1.36 this year. The Angels are 5-1 in their last 6 games against a left-handed starter. The Angels are 14-5 in their last 19 interleague games against a left-handed starter. The Angels are 4-1 in Santana's last 5 home starts against a team with a winning record. The Angels are 14-4 in Santana's last 18 starts during game 1 of a series. The Angels are 1-4 in Santana's last 5 interleague starts overall.

Angels are 6-1 last 7 games following a loss.
Over is 6-1 last 7 interleague games against a team with a winning record.

Key Injuries - SS Erick Aybar (knee) is questionable.

PROJECTED SCORE: 2