Author: Roger

The New York Yankees lost the first game of a 3-game set to the Oakland Athletics yesterday but, keep in mind, they played a matinée in the Bronx on Sunday then had to travel across the country to play another day game yesterday. That is hard to do. With the loss yesterday, the Yankees have now lost five in a row at the Coliseum but trends can be broken. J.A. Happ gets the call for New York. The southpaw is 15-6, with a 4.00 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and he is 4-1 in his career against the Athletics with a 3.69 ERA. Liam Hendriks will make his second start of the season for Oakland and he is 0-1, with a 7.82 ERA and a 2.13 WHIP. The Yanks’ Giancarlo Stanton is 0-11 in his last 3 games so he is due, and Andrew McCutchen is 2-4 in his career against Hendriks with a double and a triple.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Arizona Diamondbacks have lost three in a row and now find themselves one game back of the Dodgers for the NL West lead. Tonight they should be able to right the ship because the San Diego Padres come to town. The Friars have not fared well against the Snakes, going 1-6 in the last 7 meetings, and they are 0-5 in their last 5 road games. San Diego will send Bryan Mitchell to the hill and he has yet to notch a victory. Mitchell is 0-3, with a 7.08 ERA, and a 2.03 WHIP. Arizona will have Zack Godley tapping the rubber. Godley is 14-7, with a 4.42 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP, and he is 2-0 this year against the Padres. The Diamondbacks need to win this game and they know it.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

The Chicago Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday, 7-1, at Citizens Bank Park but it won’t be that easy today because Aaron Nola will be on the hill for the Phillies. Nola is having a Cy Young type year, with a record of 15-3, a 2.10 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and he is a perfect 9-0 at home with an ERA of only 1.94. The Cubs give the nod to the southpaw, Jon Lester, and he is doing what he does best – deliver. Lester is 14-5, with a 3.67 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP. The Phillies have had success at home against lefties, going 21-7 in their last 28 games and it’s hard to go against Nola at home.
TODAY’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

The Atlanta Braves have lost three in a row and had better get back on track soon because the Philadelphia Phillies are breathing down their necks for the NL East lead. That should happen tonight when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates at SunTrust Park. Kevin Gausman will get the nod for Atlanta and since being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles, he’s been spectacular. Gausman is 4-1, with a stingy ERA of 1.69, and a WHIP of only 0.88. That can’t be said for Chris Archer who will tap the rubber for Pittsburgh. Since joining the Pirates from Tampa, Archer is a disappointing 1-2, with an elevated 6.45 ERA, and a 1.75 WHIP. The Bucs are 5-12 in their last 17 overall and 3-7 in their last 10 road games.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ATLANTA BRAVES

The Saint Louis Cardinals have been on fire, winning 21 of their last 27 games, and sit just 4-1/2 games back of the Chicago Cubs in the N.L. Central. Tonight they open a 3-game set at Busch Stadium against a struggling Cincinnati Reds team. The Cards will send the lefty, Austin Gomez, to the mound and he has been delivering, with a record of 4-0, a 2.79 ERA, and a 1.30 WHIP. The Reds will counter with Homer Bailey. Bailey’s season has been a disaster. He is 1-12, with a 6.17 ERA, and a 1.62 WHIP. Cincinnati is 3-14 in their last 17 road games and 6-20 in Bailey’s last 26 turns against St. Louis.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

The Detroit Tigers will take their dismal 19-46 road record to the Bronx tonight to open a 4-game set against the New York Yankees. The Tigers have lost 5 in a row and will have their struggling southpaw, Francisco Liriano, on the hill. Liriano has not won a game since April and is 0-3 in his last 3 starts, with an ERA of 8.25 and a 2.25 WHIP. J.A. Happ will start for New York. Since joining the Yankees from Toronto, Happ has yet to lose with a record of 5-0 and a 2.37 ERA. With the way the Bombers hit lefties at home, going 22-7 in their last 29, it could be an early exit for Liriano.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The Washington Nationals will go for the sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies when they round out a 3-game set tonight at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies are in a tailspin and had better get back on track if they want to contend for the National League East title. Philadelphia will send the former Cy Young winner, Jake Arrieta, to the hill. Arrieta comes into tonight’s contest 9-9, with an ERA of 3.37 and a 1.22 WHIP. Gio González will tap the rubber for the Nats. He is 7-11, with a 4.35 ERA, and a 1.52 WHIP. Washington is just 1-7 in his last 8 starts overall and 0-8 in his last 8 road starts. Philly needs to win this game.
TONIGHT’S PICK: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES