Opening Line: Red Sox -210, Total 9.5 Under (-120)

Daisuke Matsuzaka will try and avoid losing four in a row tonight as the Red Sox host the Blue Jays.  The right-hander has struggled of late, allowing 13 runs in 18 and 1/3 innings while losing three straight.  Dice K does not have a win since August 4^th.  The Red Sox still have a six game lead on New York in the American League East. 
 

Matsuzaka is 13-11 with a 3.88 ERA this season. He is 1-2 with a 6.88 ERA in his last three home starts.  He did win against Toronto 9-4 on July 14^th and is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in three starts against the Blue Jays. The Red Sox have won seven of 12 games over the Blue Jays this year, but surprisingly are only 2-4 at Fenway against them.

Toronto is coming off a three-game sweep over Seattle.  They have won seven of their last 10. "Everything is kind of clicking right now," pitcher A.J. Burnett said. "We're hitting, we're playing D and the pitching staff is doing a good job." Jesse Litsch (5-6, 3.40) gets the start tonight for Toronto.  Litsch gave up two runs and four hits in six innings of a 5-4 win over Oakland on Tuesday, but did not get a decision. In his only start against the Red Sox this season he gave up one run and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings to earn a 2-1 win at Fenway.

Here are the betting statistics for this game.  The Blue Jays are 4-0 in their last 4 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Blue Jays are 5-1 in their last 6 overall. The Blue Jays are 4-1 in Litsch's last 5 road starts. The Blue Jays are 6-2 in the last 8 meetings in Boston.

The Red Sox are 5-1 in their last 6 games as a favorite. The Red Sox are 11-5 in their last 16 home games. The Red Sox are 2-5 in their last 7 vs. the American League East. The Red Sox are 7-3 in Matsuzaka's last 10 home starts. The Red Sox are 1-5 in Matsuzaka's last 6 starts as a favorite. The Red Sox are 0-5 in Matsuzaka's last 5 starts vs. the American League East.

The Under is 10-2 in the Blue Jays last 12 games as a road underdog. The Under is 16-5-1 in the Blue Jays last 22 road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Under is 19-7-1 in the Blue Jays last 27 road games. The Under is 24-9 in the Blue Jays last 33 vs. the American League East. The Under is 4-0 in Litsch's last 4 starts vs. the American League East. The Under is 7-1 in Litsch's last 8 road starts.

The Under is 6-1 in the Red Sox last 7 vs. the American League East. The Under is 5-1 in the Red Sox last 6 overall. The Over is 5-1 in the Red Sox last 6 home games vs. a right-handed starter. The Under is 12-4 in Matsuzaka's last 16 starts overall. The Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Boston between the two teams.

New York Yankees (70-54) at Los Angeles Angels (72-51)

Monday, 10:05 pm Eastern – ESPN 2

Opening Line: Yankees -140, Total of 9.5 Over (-120)

Two of the best teams in baseball begin a three game series tonight in Los Angeles as the Angels host the New York Yankees.  The Angels lead the American League West but have Seattle right at their heels while the Yankees are closing fast on the Red Sox in the American League East in addition to being in the Wild Card hunt.

The Yankees have gone 27-11 since the All-Star break including taking three of four from Detroit over the weekend. Johnny Damon went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and Wilson Betemit added four RBIs. "We have guys who understand this is crunch time, guys who know how to flip the switch,” said Damon. Rookie Phil Hughes (2-1, 4.44 ERA) gets the start for New York tonight. He gave up three runs and five hits in a 6-3, 10-inning loss to Baltimore in his last start. This will be his first-ever start against the Angels.

Current Line: Yankees -147, Total of 10 Over (-115)

Los Angeles got a split against the Red Sox over the weekend as they won 3-1 on Sunday behind Joe Saunders who allowed just one run in 7 2-3 innings.  The Angels now play 17 of their next 20 at home.  Los Angeles has the best home record in baseball at 40-17. Dustin Moseley (4-2, 4.84) goes for the Angels on Monday.  He gave up two runs and nine hits in five innings of the 2-1 loss to Toronto in his last start. Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero is hitting .305 in 49 lifetime games against the Yankees.

The Yankees are 12-2 in their last 14 road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Yankees are 6-1 in their last 7 road games. The Yankees are 13-3 in their last 16 vs. a team with a winning record. The Yankees are 21-8 in their last 29 overall. The Yankees are 3-7 in their last 10 vs. the American League West. The Yankees are 2-6 in the last 8 meetings in Los Angeles.

The Angels are 6-1 in their last 7 games as a home underdog. The Angels are 39-14 in their last 53 home games vs. a right-handed starter. The Angels are 1-4 in Moseley's last 5 starts.

The Over is 4-1 in the Yankees last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Under is 12-5-1 in the Yankees last 18 vs. the American League West.

The Over is 7-3 in the Angels last 10 home games. The Over is 11-5-1 in the Angels last 17 home games vs. a right-handed starter. The Over is 4-1 in Moseley's last 5 home starts. The Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Los Angeles between the two teams.

Opening Line: Yankees -200, Total 10.5 Flat

Roger Clemens comes back from his 5 game suspension on Saturday as the New York Yankees host the Detroit Tigers.  Clemens was suspended for throwing at the Blue Jays Alex Rios August 7th.  Clemens has been up and down this season with a 4-5 record and a 4.00 ERA.  Detroit goes with Chad Durbin who is 7-5 with an ERA of 4.68.  Durbin’s last start was a poor one as he gave up five runs and six hits in 4 and 1/3 innings against Oakland.

Here were the betting statistics heading into Friday’s action.  The Tigers are 6-2 in their last 8 vs. the American League East. The Tigers are 6-13 in their last 19 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Tigers are 3-7 in their last 10 road games. The Tigers are 4-1 in Durbin's last 5 starts as a road underdog. The Tigers are 6-2 in Durbin's last 8 road starts. The Tigers are 1-4 in Durbin's last 5 starts. The Tigers are 7-20 in the last 27 meetings in New York.

The Yankees are 6-1 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record. The Yankees are 5-1 in their last 6 Saturday games. The Yankees are 26-10 in their last 36 games as a home favorite. The Yankees are 12-5 in their last 17 overall. The Yankees are 28-12 in their last 40 games as a favorite. The Yankees are 14-6 in their last 20 home games vs. a right-handed starter. The Yankees are 23-5 in Clemens' last 28 starts vs. the American League Central. The Yankees are 16-7 in Clemens' last 23 Saturday starts. The Yankees are 4-9 in Clemens' last 13 home starts vs. a team with a winning record. The Yankees are 6-0 in Clemens' last 6 home starts vs. the Tigers.

Current Line: Yankees -200, Total 10.5 Flat

The Over is 4-1-1 in the Tigers last 6 vs. the American League East. The Over is 6-2 in the Tigers last 8 road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Over is 20-7-1 in the Tigers last 28 Saturday games. The Under is 4-1-1 in Durbin's last 6 starts vs. the American League East.

The Over is 5-0-1 in the Yankees last 6 games as a home favorite. The Over is 4-0 in the Yankees last 4 Saturday games. The Over is 8-0 in the Yankees last 8 home games vs. a right-handed starter. The Over is 6-1-1 in the Yankees last 8 games as a favorite. The Over is 4-0 in Clemens' last 4 starts overall. The Under is 4-1 in Clemens' last 5 home starts. The Under is 10-4 in Clemens' last 14 Saturday starts. The Over is 7-2 in Clemens' last 9 starts vs. the Tigers.

Opening Line: Yankees -180, Total 10.5 Over (-120)

Gary Sheffield and the Detroit Tigers continue a very important series in New York on Friday against the Yankees. The Tigers go with Nate Robertson on Friday while New York counters with Andy Pettitte.  It could be another high scoring game on Friday as Robertson is 7-9 on the season with an ERA of 5.01 while Pettitte is 9-7 and has an ERA of 3.93. 
 

Robertson has been a little better in his last two starts but still has not regained his form of last year.  Robertson is 1-4 in six career regular-season starts against the Yankees, including 0-2 at New York.

Pettitte won for the fifth time in his last seven starts on Sunday in Cleveland, holding the Tribe to just two runs and seven hits.  He has had seven straight good starts.  He is 9-8 with a 3.64 ERA in 21 career starts against the Tigers in his career.

Pettitte will have to deal with Sheffield on Friday and that is never easy.  Sheffield ripped into Joe Torre and the Yankees and his reception in New York was not pleasant.  "Sheffield fans are going to be Sheffield fans," he said. "And anyone who isn't a fan of mine, they'll do what they always do, whether it's there or anywhere else. I can't say when I played there every fan was my fan. They were fans when I hit a home run, so that's all that is."

Current Line: Yankees -180, Total 10.5 Over (-125)

The Tigers continue to battle the flu but it has not hurt their production. Justin Verlander, Placido Polanco and Craig Monroe continue to battle the flu and Ivan Rodriguez was out of the lineup Wednesday. Todd Jones wasn't feeling well either.  One player that is feeling strong is outfielder Curtis Granderson who has been superb of late.  He has made a number of great diving catches recently. "You play offensively when you're on defense," coach Andy Van Slyke said. "You're in an aggressive, offensive mode. I don't even know if Curtis dives for that ball last year. His caution ruled his play. You have to throw caution to the wind if you want to elevate your game."

The Yankees optioned Tuesday's starter, Jeff Karstens, and right-handed reliever Jim Brower to Triple-A. They released left handed reliever Mike Myers. Roger Clemens returned to the Yankees on Wednesday and is getting ready for his start on Saturday.

Here were the betting statistics heading into Thursday’s action.  The Tigers are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. the American League East. The Tigers are 17-7 in their last 24 road games vs. a left-handed starter. The Tigers are 6-14 in their last 20 overall. The Tigers are 2-7 in their last 9 road games. The Tigers are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record. The Tigers are 0-4 in their last 4 Friday games. The Tigers are 6-13 in Robertson's last 19 starts. The Tigers are 9-20 in Robertson's last 29 starts as an underdog. The Tigers are 0-4 in Robertson's last 4 road starts vs. the Yankees. The Tigers are 6-20 in the last 26 meetings in New York.

The Yankees are 6-0 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record. The Yankees are 26-9 in their last 35 games as a home favorite. The Yankees are 92-36 in their last 128 home games vs. a left-handed starter. The Yankees are 23-9 in their last 32 overall. The Yankees are 36-15 in their last 51 vs. the American League Central. The Yankees are 7-1 in Pettitte's last 8 starts.

The Yankees are 21-6 in Pettitte's last 27 starts vs. the American League Central. The Yankees are 39-13 in Pettitte's last 52 starts as a home favorite.

The Yankees are 15-6 in Pettitte's last 21 Friday starts. The Yankees are 4-0 in Pettitte's last 4 home starts vs. the Tigers.

The Over is 6-0-1 in the Tigers last 7 Friday games. The Under is 4-1 in the Tigers last 5 overall. The Under is 4-1 in the Tigers last 5 road games. The Over is 19-7-3 in the Tigers last 29 games vs. a left-handed starter. The Under is 15-7-2 in the Tigers last 24 vs. the American League East. The Under is 5-1 in Robertson's last 6 starts as a road underdog. The Over is 4-1-2 in Robertson's last 7 Friday starts. The Under is 5-2 in Robertson's last 7 starts vs. the American League East. The Under is 4-1 in Robertson's last 5 starts vs. the Yankees.

The Over is 4-0-1 in the Yankees last 5 games as a home favorite. The Under is 5-2-2 in the Yankees last 9 home games vs. a left-handed starter.

Opening Line: Indians -183, Total 10 Over (-120)

The Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians wrap up their short, but important two game series Wednesday night on ESPN.  The Tigers go with rookie Jair Jurrjens who is making his Major League debut while Cleveland counters with Fausto Carmona.

Jurrjens is taking Kenny Rogers spot in the rotation for at least one start. Jurrjens was 7-5 with a 3.20 ERA in 19 starts at Double-A Erie.  He had 94 strikeouts in 112 2/3 innings with only 31 walks.

Carmona is 1-0 with a 5.54 ERA in two starts against the Tigers this season. He did not pitch up to his standards in his last outing against the Yankees giving up four runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts in seven innings.

The Indians have not been hitting well of late and general manager Mark Shapiro has noticed. "Everybody's tired," general manager Mark Shapiro said. "I'm tired of watching us not hit," The Indians' have hit just .229 and averaged just 3.4 runs per game since July 23. "I think the danger in this game is looking at any juncture in time and taking that as a conclusive evaluation," he said. "It doesn't feel good at the moment. That's the reality of the emotions of the last four to six weeks. But we need to put that behind us and focus on [the schedule from] here on out and recognize the opportunity we've got."

Current Line: Indians -182, Total 10 Over (-120)

The Indians did not do much in the trade market and did not do much before the July 31 non-waiver deadline. Shapiro is happy he did not give away any young players.  "I don't think we missed an opportunity," he said. "We looked hard at every opportunity. I'm thankful for some of the trades we didn't do. Ninety percent of the cases, when you examine July trades, you're going to win or lose ultimately with the club you built in the offseason and the depth you've got."

The Indians are looking at how they will fill their fifth spot in the rotation. Aug. 25 is the day that spot will need to be filled, and the candidates for it are Cliff Lee, Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers. Lee made his fourth start Saturday since his July 27 demotion to the Minors. Lee will make his next start Wednesday on three days' rest. "We have a couple alternatives," Shapiro said. "But we needed to get Cliff in line to be an alternative to make that start." Lee is 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 20 innings at Buffalo. Laffey was sent down last week after making two solid starts in Minnesota and Chicago. Sowers is 1-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 10 starts since being optioned to Buffalo on June 10.

Here were the betting statistics heading into Tuesday’s action. The Tigers are 5-12 in their last 17 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Tigers are 5-13 in their last 18 overall. The Tigers are 1-6 in their last 7 road games. The Tigers are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. the American League Central. The Tigers are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between the two teams.

The Indians are 2-6 in their last 8 games as a favorite. The Indians are 1-4 in their last 5 games as a home favorite. The Indians are 1-4 in their last 5 overall. The Indians are 1-5 in their last 6 Wednesday games. The Indians are 1-5 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record. The Indians are 1-7 in their last 8 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Indians are 1-7 in their last 8 home games. The Indians are 4-1 in Carmona's last 5 starts vs. the American League Central. The Indians are 8-3 in Carmona's last 11 home starts.

The Over is 5-1 in the Tigers last 6 road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Over is 4-1 in the Tigers last 5 games as a road underdog.

Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles

Saturday, 3:55 pm Eastern – FOX

Opening Line: Red Sox -200, Total 9.5 Under (-115)

Josh Beckett goes to the mound in search of his 15th victory of the season on Saturday afternoon as the Red Sox face the Orioles.  Beckett is 14-5 with an ERA of 3.31.  He will be opposed by Garrett Olson who is 1-0 with an ERA of 3.86 for Baltimore.

The National TV game on Saturday is a rare chance for the Orioles to showcase their team.  Baltimore manager Dave Trembley hopes the experience will be a good one. "It's great for the players, and hopefully we'll get tremendous backing from the Baltimore Orioles fans," he said, "I think it's well deserved. Obviously, we're playing one of the top teams in baseball and we're playing them here at home. I would expect that we'd play very well, just like I expect every time."

"When I was in Boston, we played in that game every week," Baltimore’s Kevin Millar said. "We have a chance to do well, to go out there and show people our young players. They'll get a chance to see Nick Markakis on TV. It's a chance to beat the Red Sox on national television, and they're in a big pennant race right now that's getting tighter and tighter as we speak. It's a great opportunity."

Current Line: Red Sox -185, Total 9.5 Under (-120)

Boston’s Josh Beckett went 6 2/3 innings in his last start against Seattle allowing one run on eight hits in the victory. Beckett has gone 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA in three starts against Baltimore this season, and he lost a 5-3 game against Erik Bedard in the last week of July. Beckett is 7-1 with a 1.52 ERA in road games and 5-1 with a 2.53 mark during the day.

The Orioles have dropped two of three in each of their prior series against Boston this year and have dropped the season series in seven of the past eight years. The Red Sox took a two-game sweep at Camden Yards earlier in the season.

Boston has led the American League East all season but the Yankees have been gaining ground and manager Terry Francona has noticed. "I don't claim to be a rocket scientist," he said. "I will say if the Yankees win out, we're probably not going to win. If they win the rest of their games, I bet you we're in trouble, but that's about as far as I'll go. We just need to play good baseball. That's kind of how we feel. I could say it a million different ways, but that's what we care about."

Some good news for Boston is that David Ortiz returned to the lineup on Friday.

Francona had planned to give Ortiz another day off on Friday night vs. the Orioles but Ortiz said he felt better after taking batting practice before the game and told Francona he was well enough to play. "Some guys can play themselves into getting hurt because of their will, but David is pretty awesome about how he feels," Francona said. "He was awesome the other day about not playing and he's that way when he does play. So that helps me a lot."

Here were the betting statistics heading into Friday’s action.  The Red Sox are 4-0 in their last 4 Saturday games. The Red Sox are 5-1 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a losing record. The Red Sox are 9-4 in their last 13 vs. the American League East. The Red Sox are 13-6 in their last 19 overall. The Red Sox are 4-12 in their last 16 road games vs. a left-handed starter. The Red Sox are 8-1 in Beckett's last 9 road starts. The Red Sox are 50-19 in the last 69 meetings in Baltimore.

The Orioles are 1-4 in their last 5 overall. The Orioles are 0-4 in their last 4 home games.

The Under is 5-2 in the Red Sox last 7 vs. the American League East. The Over is 5-2 in the Red Sox last 7 overall. The Under is 9-3 in Beckett's last 12 road starts. The Over is 5-2 in Beckett's last 7 Saturday starts. The Under is 7-3 in Beckett's last 10 starts overall.

The Over is 5-0 in the Orioles last 5 home games. The Over is 5-0 in the Orioles last 5 overall. The Over is 5-0 in the Orioles last 5 home games vs. a right-handed starter. The Over is 4-1 in the Orioles last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Over is 6-2 in the Orioles last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. The Under is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings between the two teams. The Under is 14-6-1 in the last 21 meetings in Baltimore.

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies

Friday, 7:35 pm Eastern – TBS

Opening Line: Phillies -143, Total 9 Over (-125)

The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies open up a big series on Friday as both are in pursuit of the New York Mets in the National League East.  The Braves send Chuck James to the mound while Philadelphia counters with Cole Hamels.

James comes into the game at 9-8 with an ERA of 3.84 while Hamels is 12-5 with an ERA of 3.57.  James got a no-decision against Colorado in his last start, allowing four runs on six hits in five innings. James has pitched well in his past seven starts going 3-1 with an ERA under 3.00. Hamels didn’t pitch his best in his last outing against Milwaukee but still left with the lead but the bullpen couldn’t hold it. Hamels is 2-0 in three starts against Atlanta this season. Here were the betting statistics heading into Thursday’s action.  The Braves are 6-2 in their last 8 vs. the National League East. The Braves are 2-5 in their last 7 road games. The Braves are 2-5 in their last 7 road games vs. a left-handed starter. The Braves are 4-0 in James' last 4 starts as a road underdog. The Braves are 5-2 in James' last 7 starts. The Braves are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Philadelphia.

Current Line: Phillies -145, Total 9 Over (-115)

The Phillies are 5-0 in their last 5 home games. The Phillies are 6-1 in their last 7 home games vs. a left-handed starter. The Phillies are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. the National League East. The Phillies are 8-2 in their last 10 games vs. a left-handed starter. The Phillies are 13-5 in their last 18 overall. The Phillies are 35-17 in their last 52 games as a home favorite. The Phillies are 2-9 in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning record. The Phillies are 6-1 in Hamels' last 7 home starts. The Phillies are 13-5 in Hamels' last 18 starts.

The Over is 6-1 in the Braves last 7 games as an underdog. The Over is 5-1 in the Braves last 6 vs. the National League East. The Over is 5-1 in the Braves last 6 Friday games. The Over is 10-2 in the Braves last 12 vs. a team with a winning record. The Over is 27-9 in the Braves last 36 overall. The Over is 10-4 in the Braves last 14 games vs. a left-handed starter. The Over is 13-6 in the Braves last 19 road games. The Under is 6-1 in James' last 7 road starts. The Under is 4-1-1 in James' last 6 starts vs. National League East.

The Over is 4-1 in the Phillies last 5 home games vs. a left-handed starter.

The Over is 10-4 in the Phillies last 14 games as a favorite. The Over is 16-7 in the Phillies last 23 home games. The Over is 4-1-1 in Hamels' last 6 starts vs. the National League East.  The Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between the two teams.

Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins

Saturday, 3:55 pm Eastern – FOX

Opening Line: Twins -122, Total 9.5 Under (-120)

The Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins continue their series on Saturday with Aaron Laffey facing Matt Garza.  The Twins are trying to focus on baseball after the bridge collapse tragedy in Minneapolis but it has not been easy.  Matt Garza has been good for Minnesota on the season.  He is 1-2 with an ERA of 1.37.  Aaron Laffey is making his first start for Cleveland. 
 

Laffey is taking the spot of Cliff Lee who was sent to the minors.  Laffey was 7-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 14 games at Buffalo.  Laffey had 62 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings, with only 19 walks. Minnesota has their own power pitcher going on Saturday.  Matt Garza struck out a career-high 11 batters in his outing and limited Cleveland to just one run over six innings.

The Twins are -124 favorites with a total of 9 Over (-120) .

Here were the betting statistics heading into Friday’s action. The Indians are 2-6 in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning record. The Indians are 1-4 in their last 5 overall. The Indians are 0-4 in their last 4 games as an underdog. The Indians are 6-2 in the last 8 meetings between the two teams.

The Twins are 5-1 in their last 6 Saturday games. The Twins are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. the American League Central. The Twins are 13-6 in their last 19 games as a favorite. The Twins are 1-6 in Garza's last 7 home starts. The Twins are 1-6 in Garza's last 7 starts as a home favorite.

The Over is 4-1 in the Indians last 5 Saturday games. The Over is 4-1 in the Indians last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The Under is 4-1 in the Indians last 5 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Under is 4-1 in the Indians last 5 overall. The Over is 6-2-1 in the Indians last 9 road games. The Over is 5-2 in the Indians last 7 games as an underdog. The Over is 5-2-1 in the Indians last 8 road games vs. a right-handed starter.

The Under is 5-0 in the Twins last 5 vs. the American League Central. The Under is 4-0-1 in the Twins last 5 home games. The Under is 4-0 in the Twins last 4 Saturday games. The Under is 4-0-1 in the Twins last 5 games vs. a left-handed starter. The Under is 4-0 in the Twins last 4 games as a favorite. The Under is 5-0 in the Twins last 5 overall. The Under is 4-1-2 in Garza's last 7 home starts. The Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between the two teams and the Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings in Minnesota.

New York Mets (62-47) at Chicago Cubs (57-51)

Saturday, 3:55 pm Eastern – FOX

Opening Line: Cubs PK, Total 7.5 Over (-120)

Carlos Delgado hit a tie-breaking RBI double and the Mets scored four runs in the ninth inning as the Mets beat the Cubs 6-2 on Friday.  Carlos Zambrano missed his bid to become the Major Leagues' first 15-game winner.  Zambrano was pulled because of heat-related cramps in the 6th inning.  The Cubs will turn to Ted Lilly on Saturday as they try and even the series. The Cubs were in first in the NL Central on Friday and it was the first time the Mets and Cubs have met while leading their respective divisions since April 14, 1998.

The Cubs Ted Lilly goes for his 12th win on Saturday.  He is 11-5 with an ERA of 3.60 on the season.  The Mets go with John Maine on Saturday.  Maine is looking for his 13th win of the season.  He is 12-5 with an ERA of 2.92 on the season. Maine was great in his last outing.  He went five innings in a rain shortened shutout against the Nationals.

The Cubs are a PK with a total of 8 Under (-120) .

The Phillies snapped Ted Lilly’s winning streak in his last start.  He gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks over five innings in the loss. He had given up seven runs over 34 1/3 innings in his last five starts previous to that effort.

The Cubs and Mets could also be playing for history in this series.  Tom Glavine will be trying to get his 300th career win on Sunday. Greg Maddux was the last pitcher to win 300 games. "It's harder, with the five-man rotation, no question," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "I don't see young kids coming into the game today with that much of a chance to win 300 games. You're looking at a dying breed in my opinion."

Cliff Floyd of the Cubs was a teammate of Glavine’s with the Mets. "He doesn't get the calls like he used to back in the day and he's changed his way of pitching," Floyd said. "He knows when to take a little more off. He messes with the power guys. He's real smart. I don't think you get 299 wins by being dumb. He learned how to pitch at an early age and just perfected it.

"If he's on Sunday, we'll have a tough time beating him," Floyd said. "If he's not, he can win 300 somewhere else." Prior to Glavine, the last two pitchers to reach 300 career wins tried for their milestone at Wrigley Field, but did not succeed.

On June 7, 2003, Roger Clemens took the loss as the Cubs beat the New York Yankees, 5-2, at Wrigley. Clemens picked up No. 300 in his next start, June 13, 2003, vs. St. Louis. On Aug. 1, 2004, Maddux did not get a decision in the Cubs' 6-3 win against Philadelphia at Wrigley. Maddux did get win No. 300 in his next start, Aug. 7, at San Francisco, going five innings in an 8-4 win.

The Mets are 7-2 in their last 9 vs. the National League Central. The Mets are 5-2 in their last 7 Saturday games. The Mets are 6-2 in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning record. The Mets are 6-2 in their last 8 road games. The Mets are 9-4 in their last 13 games vs. a left-handed starter. The Mets are 4-9 in their last 13 games as an underdog. The Mets are 4-0 in Maine's last 4 Saturday starts. The Mets are 9-2 in Maine's last 11 road starts. The Mets are 4-1 in Maine's last 5 starts as an underdog. The Mets are 4-9 in the last 13 meetings in Chicago.

The Cubs are 21-6 in their last 27 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Cubs are 12-6 in their last 18 games as a home favorite. The Cubs are 14-6 in their last 20 home games. The Cubs are 6-1 in Lilly's last 7 starts. The Cubs are 5-1 in Lilly's last 6 starts as a favorite.

The Over is 6-1 in the Mets last 7 vs. the National League Central. The Over is 6-2-1 in the Mets last 9 road games. The Under is 6-1-1 in Maine's last 8 road starts. The Over is 4-1 in Maine's last 5 starts vs. the National League Central. The Under is 6-2-2 in the Cubs last 10 games as a favorite. The Under is 5-2-1 in the Cubs last 8 vs. the National League East. The Under is 4-2-1 in the Cubs last 7 home games. The Over is 5-2 in Lilly's last 7 starts as a favorite. The Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between the two teams.  The Under is 13-4-2 in the last 19 meetings in Chicago.

Philadelphia Phillies (57-51) at Milwaukee Brewers (58-51)

Friday, 8:05 pm Eastern

Opening Line: Brewers -148, Total 9 Over (-120)

The Phillies got a big win on Thursday against the Cubs 10-6 and head into Milwaukee having scored a lot of runs recently.  Jason Werth was the big bat on Thursday, driving in four runs. The game on Friday will feature a matchup of two rookie hurlers, with Milwaukee sending Yovani Gallardo (3-1, 2.72) to the mound and Philadelphia countering with Kyle Kendrick (5-1, 4.04). 

Thursday's win gave the Phillies a split of the four games, and kept them four games back of the Mets in the National League East. Because the Met beat the Brewers, the Cubs and Brewers remained tied for first in the NL Central. The Brewers have blown their NL Central lead and now must fight to stay at the top.

"We're still going to approach it the same way we've been doing for the whole season and taking care of our own business," Milwaukee catcher Damian Miller said. "Sometimes it's hard not to, but you've really got to tell yourself it really doesn't matter what the people behind us do. It matters what you do. But it's a lot easier said than done." The Brewers could be imploding at the wrong time.  They had a dugout blowup between catcher Johnny Estrada and manager Ned Yost during Thursday’s loss to the Mets.

The Brewers are -155 favorites with a total of 9.5 Under (-120) at .

The game on Friday could be a pitcher’s duel.  Kyle Kendrick is 5-1 with a 4.04 ERA for the Phillies while Yovani Gallardo is 3-1 with a sparkling 2.72 ERA for the Brewers. Kendrick bounced back from his only loss this season with two solid starts and matched his longest outing by going seven innings against the Pirates his last time out. His 4.04 ERA is good enough for second among Phillies starters, behind Cole Hamels. The Brewers Gallardo was good early against St. Louis in his last start but gave up four runs in the fifth against the Cardinals and his pitch count was at 100 when he left the game.

The Phillies are 5-1 in their last 6 games vs. a right-handed starter. The Phillies are 9-3 in their last 12 overall. The Phillies are 35-17 in their last 52 vs. the National League Central. The Phillies are 7-2 in Kendrick's last 9 starts. The Phillies are 0-5 in the last 5 meetings in Milwaukee between the two teams.

The Brewers are 9-2 in their last 11 vs. a team with a winning record. The Brewers are 38-14 in their last 52 games as a home favorite. The Brewers are 19-7 in their last 26 home games vs. a right-handed starter. The Brewers are 9-4 in their last 13 series openers. The Brewers are 1-4 in their last 5 overall. The Brewers are 0-4 in their last 4 games vs. a right-handed starter.

The Under is 4-1-1 in the Phillies last 6 vs. the National League Central. The Under is 4-1-1 in the Phillies last 6 overall. The Over is 4-1-2 in the Phillies last 7 road games vs. a right-handed starter. The Over is 8-3 in the Phillies last 11 Friday games. The Over is 13-5-3 in the Phillies last 21 games as an underdog. The Over is 22-9-4 in the Phillies last 35 road games. The Over is 26-12-3 in the Phillies last 41 games vs. a right-handed starter.