Baseball continues to rumble towards the playoffs with more regular season action on the Thursday scoreboard. Our team of writers and handicappers hands out their picks for Thursday.
Toronto Blue Jays (78-67) at Chicago White Sox (81-64)
With just a one-game lead in the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox are probably relieved that the Toronto Blue Jays will be leaving town soon.
After finally getting their first victory this season against Toronto, the White Sox look for a split of this four-game set on Thursday.
Chicago (81-64) snapped a three-game losing streak Wednesday, beating the Blue Jays 6-5. Toronto had won the first six games in the season series, including sweeping a doubleheader on Tuesday, while outscoring the White Sox 23-8.
Shaun Marcum (8-6, 3.42) counters for the Blue Jays. Marcum pitched seven scoreless innings Saturday against Tampa Bay, allowing four hits while striking out seven before Toronto won 7-4 in 13 innings.
The right-hander is 3-1 with a 2.83 ERA in his last five starts.
Marcum is 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA in three starts against the White Sox. He scattered two hits in 6 2-3 scoreless on May 2 in a 2-0 win.
Pick: Toronto - Best line +105 SBG Global
Colorado Rockies (67-79) at Atlanta Braves (64-82)
The Colorado Rockies' hopes of another September charge to the postseason are taking a serious hit.
Looking to snap a four-game losing streak, the struggling Rockies also will try to avoid being swept in their three-game road set with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night.
Colorado (67-79) lost 9-5 on Wednesday and fell eight games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West with only 16 remaining. Last season, the Rockies went 20-8 in September and won 14 of their final 15 contests to reach the postseason and ultimately win the NL pennant.
The Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez (10-12, 4.20) hopes to cool off Jones as the right-hander tries for his second straight win after giving up three runs and five hits while striking out six in six innings of a 5-3 victory over Houston on Friday.
Jimenez is 1-2 with a 6.32 ERA in three career starts versus Atlanta and 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA against them in 2008.
Pick: Atlanta - Best line -125 SBG Global
Chicago Cubs (87-58) at St. Louis Cardinals (78-67)
The way the Chicago Cubs have played of late, they can certainly use a healthy and effective Rich Harden down the stretch.
Coming off some extra rest, Harden looks for his fifth consecutive winning decision while trying to help the Cubs to a second straight victory in the deciding game of their road series with the injury-riddled St. Louis Cardinals.
While Harden (4-1, 1.50 ERA) is not suffering from any particular injury, the club had planned since the time they traded for him in July to rest the right-hander late in the season based on his history of arm troubles.
Harden, who failed to earn a decision in a 3-2 win over Philadelphia on Aug. 29, was limited to seven games in 2007 and nine in 2006 because of elbow problems. The Cubs wanted to make sure he would be available as they try for a second straight trip to the postseason.
St. Louis (78-67), meanwhile, had its three-game winning streak snapped while dropping 4 1/2 games behind the Brewers for the wild card and falling into fourth place in the Central for the first time this season.
Pujols had two hits and is batting .400 (16-for-40) with 10 RBIs in 11 games versus the Cubs this season. Pujols, batting .362 and trailing Chipper Jones (.363) for the NL batting title, has become with Ludwick the only current power options for the Cardinals.
Pick: CHI Cubs - Best line -130 SBG Global