Preview Roundups
April 30, 2014
Milwaukee at St. Louis 1:45 PM ET
Even with a recent rash of injuries to many of their star players, the Milwaukee Brewers are loving life away from home. The Brewers eye their first three-game road sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals since October 2009 on Wednesday after persevering through two extra-inning affairs to improve to 11-1 away from Miller Park. Khris Davis, who delivered the game-winning triple in the 12th inning during Monday’s 5-3 series-opening win, also scored the decisive run in the 11th in Tuesday’s 5-4 triumph.
Detroit at Chi. White Sox 2:10 PM ET
Two-time defending American League MVP Miguel Cabrera’s power numbers are still lacking, but he is starting to find his golden swing. Cabrera looks to remain hot after collecting 11 hits and eight RBIs in the last six contests when his Detroit Tigers visit the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in the finale of a two-game set. Cabrera was 2-for-4 in the opener Tuesday as the Tigers rallied for a 4-3 victory, improving to 6-3 over their last nine to seize the lead in the AL Central.
Pittsburgh at Baltimore 7:05 PM ET
Thanks in part to their major league-best 15-5 record in interleague play, the Pittsburgh Pirates ended 20 years of futility last season. The Pirates look to recapture that same magic to end their recent struggles on Wednesday as they begin a two-game road set against the Baltimore Orioles. Pittsburgh is the only team in the majors that has yet to play outside of its division (the National League Central) but has fallen on hard times after a 6-3 start, dropping 13 of its last 17 contests.
Cleveland at LA Angels 7:05 PM ET
The Los Angeles Angels look to move over .500 for the first time since Opening Day 2013 in Wednesday’s series finale against the visiting Cleveland Indians. Los Angeles handed the Indians their fifth straight loss on Tuesday when Erick Aybar continued his recent tear with four hits in the 6-4 victory. The Angels shortstop has raised his average by 100 points to .292 while hitting 18-for-44 over his last 11 games.
NY Mets at Philadelphia 7:05 PM ET
The New York Mets have quietly developed one of the best pitching staffs in the majors. Bartolo Colon aims to continue the Mets' trend of strong pitching performances Wednesday when New York wraps up a quick two-game road series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets are 7-3 away from home this season and enter this matchup with a 7-2 record in their last nine games.
Seattle at NY Yankees 7:05 PM ET
Robinson Cano was the subject of jeers in his return to Yankee Stadium and will look to send the New York fans home unhappy for the second straight night when the Seattle Mariners face the Yankees on Wednesday. Cano, a five-time All-Star with New York, opted for a 10-year, $240 million free-agent deal from the Mariners in the offseason and went 1-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI in Tuesday’s 6-3 victory. Mike Zunino contributed a career-best four hits for Seattle.
Tampa Bay at Boston 7:10 PM ET
The Boston Red Sox are starting to pick things up on the offensive end, beginning with the bottom of the lineup. The Tampa Bay Rays will try to slow that surge and even the series when they visit the Red Sox on Wednesday. Boston scored as many as seven runs once in the first 23 games but has reached the mark in three of the last four as Will Middlebrooks, A.J. Pierzynski and Jackie Bradley Jr. led the charge.
Atlanta at Miami 7:10 PM ET
A wayward pitch on the final day of spring training delayed Ed Lucas’ season debut, but the Miami Marlins’ infielder celebrated his first game of the season with three hits Tuesday. The Marlins host Atlanta on Wednesday in the second of a three-game set, hoping Lucas – who hit .256 in 94 games as a rookie in 2013 following 11 years in the minors – helps jump-start an offense that scored 14 runs on a six-game road trip last week, but pounded the Braves 9-0 in the series opener.
Chi. Cubs at Cincinnati 7:10 PM ET
The Cincinnati Reds have a chance to complete an abbreviated sweep of the visiting Chicago Cubs when the National League Central rivals wrap up a water-logged series Wednesday. After the scheduled series opener was rained out Monday, the teams endured three rain delays totaling an hour and 45 minutes Tuesday with the Reds holding on for a 3-2 victory. Cincinnati has won three of four meetings this season.
Oakland at Texas 8:05 PM ET
After Oakland was swept at home by Texas in a three-game series last week, the Athletics get a chance to exact revenge when they visit the Rangers on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game set. Oakland, which leads Texas by two games in the American League West, dealt the Rangers their first three-game losing streak of the season with a 9-3 victory Tuesday behind three RBIs apiece from Derek Norris and Josh Reddick. The Athletics are 17-10, including 11-4 on the road - both tops in the AL.
Washington at Houston 8:10 PM ET
The Washington Nationals look to maintain their mastery of the Houston Astros when the teams meet Wednesday in the second half of a quick two-game set in Houston. A run in the eighth and another in the ninth lifted the Nationals to a 4-3 win in the opener Tuesday, which gave them five straight wins in the all-time series. Dating back to 2011, the Nationals have taken nine of the last 10 meetings.
LA Dodgers at Minnesota 8:10 PM ET
The Minnesota Twins will try to get back on the field when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. The Twins haven’t played since Saturday because of rain postponements on a Sunday and Tuesday with an off-day in between. Weather reports call for additional rain the next three days in Minneapolis, which could complicate matters because it's an interleague series and Los Angeles is not scheduled to come to town again.
Toronto at Kansas City 8:10 PM ET
If there were any questions about whether Salvador Perez had emerged from a month-long slumber, his performance Tuesday night eliminated any doubt. Perez looks to continue swinging the hot bat as his Kansas City Royals continue their three-game series against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Perez homered and drove in four runs - all in the seventh and eighth innings - as the Royals stormed back to earn a 10-7 triumph in the series opener.
Colorado at Arizona 9:40 PM ET
The Colorado Rockies try for their first four-game winning streak on the road since 2012 and a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. Colorado (16-12) is 4-1 on its six-game trip after Tuesday's 5-4 victory as Drew Stubbs, who entered in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement, hit a solo homer in the ninth and made a running catch near the wall in center to end the game. Troy Tulowitzki homered for the second straight contest and is 5-for-6 in the series.
San Diego at San Francisco 10:15 PM ET
The San Francisco Giants seek their sixth victory in seven games as they wrap up a three-game series against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday. Backup catcher Hector Sanchez had three RBIs as the Giants blanked the Padres 6-0 on Tuesday to improve to 9-5 at home and maintain a half-game lead over the Colorado Rockets in the National League West. San Diego was blanked for the fourth time this season and ranks last in the majors with 75 runs scored.