Preview Roundups
September 20, 2014
LA Dodgers at Chi. Cubs 1:05 PM ET
For the better part of the last four years, few teams have felt more comfortable in the “friendly confines” of Chicago’s Wrigley Field than the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hoping to increase their 3 1/2-game lead in the National League West, the Dodgers vie for their seventh straight win in Wrigley on Saturday when they continue a four-game set against the Cubs.
Detroit at Kansas City 1:05 PM ET
The Kansas City Royals head into Saturday’s contest against the visiting Detroit Tigers looking to bounce back from one of their most disappointing efforts of the season. Detroit recorded 19 hits en route to a 10-1 victory in the series opener and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Royals in the American League Central. Kansas City, which fell one-half game behind Oakland for the top wild-card spot, should be well rested after manager Ned Yost replaced most of his starters early.
Toronto at NY Yankees 4:05 PM ET
Although the schedule is dwindling, Derek Jeter isn't slowing down as he has produced multi-hit performances in each of the first two games of his final homestand. The retiring superstar looks to continue his strong surge when the New York Yankees vie for their fourth straight victory overall when they face the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. After belting a solo homer in a 3-2 series-opening victory, Jeter slapped a pair of singles in New York's 5-3 triumph on Friday.
Philadelphia at Oakland 4:05 PM ET
The Oakland Athletics cannot afford many more losses over the last nine days of the regular season. The Athletics will try to put back-to-back wins together and hang on to the top American League wild-card spot when they host the Philadelphia Phillies in the second of a three-game series on Saturday. Oakland is one game ahead of the third-place Seattle Mariners in the wild-card race, with the Kansas City Royals sitting in between in the No. 2 spot.
Arizona at Colorado 4:10 PM ET
The potent display at the plate of Michael Cuddyer and Wilin Rosario is one of the primary reasons that the Colorado Rockies have escaped the cellar in the National League West. The two look to continue their blistering play when the Rockies face the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks in the third contest of their four-game series on Saturday.
Boston at Baltimore 7:05 PM ET
Boston Red Sox fans have not had a lot to cheer about this season, but David Ortiz is giving them a reason to smile. The veteran slugger looks to continue a strong finish when the Red Sox visit the Baltimore Orioles for the second contest of a three-game series on Saturday. Ortiz hit a pair of home runs in Friday’s opener, including a two-run blast in the 10th inning that proved to be the decisive hit in the 5-3 victory.
Milwaukee at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM ET
Milwaukee was dealt a big blow in the opener of the series and the Brewers badly need to rebound when they visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday. The Brewers were five outs away from picking up a game on the Pirates for the National League’s second wild card before Pittsburgh catcher Russell Martin hit a go-ahead three-run homer that dropped Milwaukee 4 1/2 games behind in the race. The Pirates have won 12 of their last 14 games while the Brewers have lost three straight.
NY Mets at Atlanta 7:10 PM ET
The Atlanta Braves finished fourth in the National League in runs scored en route to winning the NL East title in 2013, but this season has been a far different story. The Braves, who are on the verge of being eliminated from the NL wild-card race, host the New York Mets on Saturday looking to wake up an offense that is 14th in the NL in scoring and has plated runs in only six of the past 64 innings. The Mets captured the series opener Friday 5-0 as Daniel Murphy collected four hits.
Chi. White Sox at Tampa Bay 7:10 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays are one loss away from the end of an impressive streak as they continue a three-game series at home against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. Tampa Bay's next defeat will be its 81st, which would end baseball's second-longest streak of winning seasons at six. The Rays are currently tied with St. Louis in that category, well behind the New York Yankees' run of 21 straight years over .500.
Cleveland at Minnesota 7:10 PM ET
If the Cleveland Indians are still entertaining thoughts of a run at a wild-card spot, they are going to need to find a way around the Minnesota Twins. The Indians will try to bounce back from a crushing loss in the series opener when they visit the Twins for the second of a three-game series on Saturday. Cleveland allowed the tying run in the bottom of the ninth before falling in the 10th in the series opener.
Seattle at Houston 7:10 PM ET
The Seattle Mariners are trying to land an American League wild-card spot, and making sure they don’t stumble against the host Houston Astros will bolster their chances. Seattle won the opener of the three-game set with an offensive explosion in a 10-5 victory and is one-half game behind Kansas City for the second wild card entering Saturday's middle contest. Houston's Jose Altuve went 3-for-3 in the opener to raise his major league-best average to .343.
Washington at Miami 7:10 PM ET
With the postseason right around the corner, the Washington Nationals are playing some of their best baseball of the season at the perfect time. Having won 10 of their last 13 games, the Nationals hope to stay hot Saturday when they continue their road series with the Miami Marlins. Washington has limited Miami to two runs in each of the series' first two games, including a 3-2 victory on Friday in which Adam LaRoche hit a two-run homer.
Cincinnati at St. Louis 7:15 PM ET
The St. Louis Cardinals look to move closer to their second straight division title as they continue their three-game series against the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. St. Louis, which captured the National League Central crown five times over the previous 10 seasons, reduced its magic number for the 2014 title to seven with a 2-1 triumph in Friday's series opener.
San Francisco at San Diego 8:40 PM ET
San Diego is playing the role of the spoiler and the San Francisco Giants will try to keep it from happening on consecutive nights when they visit the Padres on Saturday. San Francisco fell 3 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West race after San Diego recorded a 5-0 victory in the series opener. The Giants have hold of the NL’s top wild-card spot with just nine games remaining.
Texas at LA Angels 9:05 PM ET
The Los Angeles Angels appear to have put it on cruise control since clinching the American League West title. After being blitzed in the series opener, the Angels look to snap their modest two-game skid Saturday when they continue their three-game set against the visiting Texas Rangers. Brennan Boesch provided a spark with a two-run homer Friday, but Los Angeles offered little punch and dropped a 12-3 decision to Texas.