Today In The National League West: 05/25/14

Today in the National League West four of the five games are rubber matches, with only the San Francisco Giants having won their series over the Minnesota Twins. The Giants, currently the best team in baseball at 31-18, continue to lead the division over the second place Colorado Rockies by four games.

Minnesota Twins

vs

San Francisco Giants

Today’s First Pitch: 1:05 PM PDT

Location: AT&T Park

Starters: RHP Rickey Nolasco (2-4, 5.50) - Madison Bumgarner (5-3, 3.38)

Last Night: The Giants defeated the Twins, 2-1 to win their interleague series. Ryan Vogelsong (3-2, 3.20) pitched 6 ⅔ scoreless innings giving up three hits and striking out seven. The victory gives the Giants a Major League best 31 wins and their sixth straight interleague win dating back to last season. Hunter Pence’s 10 game hitting streak came to an end as he went 0-2 with two walks.

Today’s Game Notes: The Giants have won 14 of their last 19 home games. Bumgarner is making only his second career start against the Twins. On June 21, 2011 Bumgarner had his worst start of his career and one of the worst starts in Giants history. Bumgarner faced only 10 batters in the start, recording just one out (Twins starter Carl Pavano) while giving up eight earned runs in the first inning. The Giants are 23-4 when scoring first.

Colorado Rockies

vs

Atlanta Braves

Today’s First Pitch: 5:10 PM EDT

Location: Turner Field

Starters: LHP Franklin Morales (3-3, 5.30) - RHP Julio Teheran (3-3, 1.92)

Last Night: The Rockies beat the Braves 3-1 to even the best of three series. Juan Nicasio earned his first career win over the Braves by pitching six shutout innings, giving up just two hits while striking out five and walking four. Michael Cuddyer and Troy Tulowitzki both homered. Charlie Culberson started at third for the injured Nolan Arenado and went 2-4, scoring the Rockies third run in the seventh with a terrific headfirst slide into home. Carlos Gonzalez sat out for the third straight game with the swollen finger.

Today’s Game Notes: The Rockies go for their first series win in Atlanta since 2005. Today marks Franklin Morales’ 10th start of the season, a career high, and his second career start against the Braves. Michael Cuddyer continues on a hot streak since returning from the disabled list as he is batting .350 (7-for-20) with two home runs and a double in five games.

Los Angeles Dodgers

vs

Philadelphia Phillies

Today’s First Pitch: 1:35 PM EDT

Location: Citizens Bank Park

Starters: RHP Josh Beckett (2-1, 2.89) - RHP A.J. Burnett (3-3, 3.32)

Last Night: The Dodgers lost to the Phillies 5-3 and the series is now tied. Dan Haren (5-3, 3.16) pitched six innings, giving up five runs (2 earned) on six hits and struck out seven. Hanley Ramirez was a late scratch from the lineup due to a sore calf. Yasiel Puig went 2-4 with a triple and scored a run.

Today’s Game Notes: The Dodgers go for the series win today. Beckett is 9-5 in 19 career starts against the Phillies with a 3.98 ERA (51 ER in 115.1 IP) and has limited Phillies batters to a .234 batting average (101-for-431). He last faced the Phillies as a member of the Boston Red Sox on May 20, 2012. In that game Beckett went 7 ⅔ innings, giving up one run on seven hits in the win.

Chicago Cubs

vs

San Diego Padres

Today’s First Pitch: 1:10 PM PDT

Location: Petco Park

Starters: RHP Jason Hammel (5-2, 2.91) - RHP Ian Kennedy (2-6, 3.79)

Last Night: The Padres lost 3-2 to the Cubs which evens the series. Carlos Quentin, who missed the last four games with a groin injury, ended the Cubs shutout bid with a two-run, 405 ft pinch-hit blast off the left field facade. It’s Quentin’s second pinch-hit homer this week. Billy Buckner, making his 2014 debut, pitched 5 ⅔ innings, giving up three runs on six hits, striking out four and walking four.

Today’s Game Notes: Ian Kennedy is making his ninth career start against the Cubs and is 3-2 with a 6.33 ERA The Cubs are batting .264 against him. On Saturday the Padres traded catcher Nick Hundley to the Baltimore Orioles for LHP Troy Patton. Patton will be in the bullpen and is expected to be with the Padres today. RHP Andrew Cashner will be throwing long toss on the side today as he recovers from his elbow injury. The Padres are 16-2 this season when scoring four or more runs.

Arizona Diamondbacks

vs

New York Mets

Today's First Pitch: Game 1- 1:10 PM EDT

Game 2- Following completion of Game 1

Location: Citi Field

Starters: Game 1- RHP Bronson Arroyo (4-3, 4.45) - RHP Rafael Montero (0-2, 6.97)

Game 2- RHP Zeke Spruill (2014 Season Debut) - RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-0, 2.14)

Last Night: The Diamondbacks snapped a three-game losing streak, and a five game losing streak to the Mets, with their 3-2 victory on Saturday. Josh Collmenter (3-2, 3.91) won his third consecutive start after pitching six innings, giving up two runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Martin Prado went 2-for-3 with two RBI’s.

Today's Game Notes: A double header will be played today to make up for the rainout on Friday night. In 15 career starts against the Mets, game one starter Bronson Arroyo is 8-4 with a 4.29 ERA. Game two starter, Zeke Spruill, was called up from the Triple-A Reno Aces to pitch in this game.

Standings

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