Preview Roundups
July 27, 2014
Toronto at NY Yankees 1:05 PM ET
With the business of ending their road woes in New York out of the way, the Toronto Blue Jays look for their first series win in Yankee Stadium since Aug. 27-29, 2012, on Sunday when the division rivals meet in the rubber match of a three-game set. Toronto halted a 17-game road slide against the Yankees with Saturday’s 6-4 victory, stopping the second-longest road skid to one team in club history. The streak was also the fourth-longest such run in the majors since divisional play began in 1969.
Washington at Cincinnati 1:10 PM ET
With a seven-game losing streak now behind them, the Cincinnati Reds try to get their slumping offense going when they host the Washington Nationals on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series. The Reds, playing without injured Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips in the middle of the lineup, have totaled 14 runs in eight games since the All-Star break after a 1-0 victory Saturday. The Nationals are 15-7 in their last 22 contests to take over first place in the National League East.
Arizona at Philadelphia 1:35 PM ET
Philadelphia hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday in the finale of a three-game series that could mark the last home contest for Chase Utley in a Phillies uniform. While Utley is on record as saying "I don't plan on going anywhere" and can veto any trade, the 35-year-old Californian has reportedly attracted interest from teams such as San Francisco and Oakland. Either of those destinations could interest Utley, whose wife is from San Francisco and that's where they live in the offseason.
Boston at Tampa Bay 1:40 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays seek their 10th straight win and look to further sink the visiting Boston Red Sox when the teams meet in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday. Tampa Bay's 3-0 victory on Saturday ran the club's winning streak to nine, three shy of matching the franchise mark established in 2004. It also sent Boston to its fifth straight defeat to end a day in which the defending world champs began to wave the white flag on their 2014 season.
Chi. White Sox at Minnesota 2:10 PM ET
The Minnesota Twins were largely responsible for the Chicago White Sox’s season-high five-game losing streak last month. They can also serve as the reason why the White Sox match their longest winning streak of the season when Chicago tries to complete a four-game road sweep of the Twins on Sunday. The White Sox dropped four in a row in Minnesota from June 19-22 during a five-game slide that came during a 3-11 stretch after Chicago (51-54) reached the .500 mark at 33-33 on June 11.
Cleveland at Kansas City 2:10 PM ET
The Kansas City Royals attempt to complete their fifth sweep of the season when they host the Cleveland Indians in the finale of their four-game series Sunday. Kansas City is in position to record its second sweep against Cleveland thanks to Billy Butler, who hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in a pinch-hitting role Friday before swatting another in a 7-5 triumph the following night. The Royals, who have won five in a row, also won a brief two-game set versus the Indians at home last month.
Miami at Houston 2:10 PM ET
Christian Yelich continues to prosper in the leadoff spot for the Miami Marlins, setting the table for run producers Giancarlo Stanton and Casey McGehee on a much-improved offense. Yelich looks to stay hot as the visiting Marlins attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros on Sunday. The 22-year-old has posted at least two hits in 12 of his 21 games this month, including a pair in Saturday's 7-3 victory as Miami won for the sixth time in seven contests.
NY Mets at Milwaukee 2:10 PM ET
Jacob deGrom looks to put together his fourth consecutive strong outing when the New York Mets conclude their four-game series against the host Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. The 26-year-old has emerged as a solid starter for New York, and manager Terry Collins is bullish on deGrom’s talents. “He’s always flown under the radar – still is,” Collins told reporters. “This guy’s got numbers to match up with any rookie in the league and you never hear his name mentioned.”
St. Louis at Chi. Cubs 2:20 PM ET
St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright looks to get back on track when he leads his team into the rubber match of a three-game series at the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. Wainwright came out of the All-Star break with a difficult start against the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing six runs (four earned) in only 4 2/3 innings on Tuesday. In addition, he will be returning to Wrigley Field, where he gave up six runs and a season-high 10 hits in five frames to get the loss May 2.
Detroit at LA Angels 3:35 PM ET
The Los Angeles Angels look to wrap up their 10-game homestand on a high note when they take on the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers on Sunday. Los Angeles split the first six games of the lengthy home stretch before dropping the opener of the four-game series against Detroit. Efren Navarro and the pitching staff then took control, with the former driving in the winning run on consecutive nights and the latter limiting the Tigers to one run and 10 hits in the victories.
Baltimore at Seattle 4:10 PM ET
The Seattle Mariners hope to ride the momentum of a much-needed victory and parlay it into a split of their four-game series with Baltimore when they close the set against the visiting Orioles on Sunday. Seattle snapped a four-game losing streak with Saturday’s 4-3 triumph – a contest in which they scored more than two runs for only the seventh time over the last 19 games. Baltimore remains three games ahead of both Toronto and the New York Yankees in the American League East.
Pittsburgh at Colorado 4:10 PM ET
The Colorado Rockies try for a three-game sweep against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday as the team with the worst ERA in baseball (5.01) continues to receive solid pitching. Colorado recorded its second straight 8-1 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday while recording its third straight quality start and seventh in eight games since the All-Star break. The turnaround is starting to translate into victories as the Rockies have won three consecutive games after losing seven in a row.
San Diego at Atlanta 5:05 PM ET
Atlanta fans have a full schedule on Sunday, starting with the Baseball Hall of Fame inductions and ending when the Braves continue their four-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres. Atlanta is well-represented at the Hall of Fame ceremonies, with pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, manager Bobby Cox and player-manager Joe Torre among the inductees. This year’s edition of the Braves enters Sunday 1 1/2 games behind first-place Washington in the National League East.
Oakland at Texas 7:05 PM ET
The Texas Rangers haven’t won a series since late June and have a chance to end that dubious fact when they host the Oakland Athletics on Sunday in the finale of a three-game set. Texas has lost 28 of its past 34 games after falling to the Athletics on Saturday and last won a series when it took two of three from the Minnesota Twins from June 27-29. Oakland bounced back from Friday’s series-opening loss by pounding four homers in Saturday’s 5-1 win.
LA Dodgers at San Francisco 8:07 PM ET
The San Francisco Giants are hoping new acquisition Jake Peavy can help them salvage Sunday’s series finale against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, who have pulled one-half game ahead of the Giants in the National League West. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series by a combined 13-1. Peavy, who was acquired from Boston on Saturday for two minor-league pitchers, owns a 14-2 record with a 2.21 ERA in 25 career starts against the Dodgers.