THE SPORTS ADVISORS
INTERLEAGUE
N.Y. Mets (39-40) vs. N.Y. Yankees (43-37)
The Mets hand the ball to ace Johan Santana (7-6, 2.93 ERA) as their four-game series against the Yankees continues at Shea Stadium. The teams split Friday?s doubleheader, with the Mets winning 15-6 at Yankee Stadium and the Yankees returning the favor with a 9-0 rout at Shea. The Mets have won 11 of their last 16 interleague games. Also, they?re 3-1 against the Yanks this season, with the three victories coming by a combined score of 33-12. Andy Pettitte (8-5, 4.04) gets the nod today for the Yankees, who have followed a seven-game winning streak by losing four of their last seven. Despite the recent inconsistency, Joe Girardi?s club is still on a 23-12 overall run, going 10-6 on the road during this run. Also, the Bronx Bombers have won nine of their last 12 interleague games. The Mets are 0-4 in Santana?s last four trips to the mound, including Monday?s 5-2 home loss to Seattle. In that one, the southpaw gave up five runs (only one earned) on seven hits in seven innings. Santana has pitched at least six innings and allowed three earned runs or fewer in six of his last seven outings, but his team is just 2-5 during this stretch. The Yankees are 6-1 in Pettitte?s last seven starts, with the veteran lefty giving up just a single run in his last three outings spanning 21 innings. In fact, Pettitte comes into this contest with a 19-inning scoreless streak. Santana is 3-2 with a 2.68 ERA in seven home starts and 4-0 with a 2.98 ERA in nine career games (six starts) against the Yankees. Meanwhile, Pettitte is 5-2 with a 3.51 ERA on the highway this season and 7-4 with a 3.48 ERA in 17 career starts versus the Mets. These two faced off on May 17 at Yankee Stadium, and Santana and the Mets prevailed, 7-4. Despite that result, the Yanks are still 7-2 in Pettitte?s past nine starts against the Mets. They?re also 11-4 in his last 15 on the road and 14-5 in his last 19 against the N.L. East. The over is 5-1 in the last six series meetings overall and 4-1 in the last five clashes at Shea Stadium. Also, the over is on runs of 4-0-1 when Santana faces the Yankees, 5-2-3 for the Mets in interleague play, 10-3-1 for the Mets against lefty starters, 5-1 for the Yankees on Saturdays and 4-1 for the Yankees on the road.
ATS ADVANTAGE: N.Y. YANKEES and OVER
Chicago Cubs (49-31) at Chicago White Sox (44-35)
Javier Vazquez (7-6, 4.24) looks to continue his dominance at home and avenge Sunday?s loss to the Cubs when he leads the White Sox in the middle game of this three-game set at U.S. Cellular Field. The White Sox pounded out a 10-3 victory on Friday to snap a six-game losing streak to their rivals from the north. Ozzie Guillen?s club has won three of four since getting swept at Wrigley Field last weekend, and the Pale Hose are now 25-11 at home this season, including 21-6 in the last 27. They?re also 14-6 in Vazquez?s last 20 starts overall. The Cubs, who send rookie Sean Gallagher (3-3, 3.97) to the mound in this one, have lost three of four since sweeping the White Sox last week. And, Lou Piniella?s squad is 16-21 on the road this year, compared with 33-10 at home. Going back to last season?s six interleague matchups, the Cubs are still on an 8-2 roll against the White Sox, including sweeping all three games at U.S. Cellular a year ago. Vazquez is 5-1 with a 4.14 ERA in six home starts, including three straight blowout wins in the last three against the Pirates (16-5), Twins (10-6) and Indians (7-2). Also, the Sox are 13-3 in his last 16 at U.S. Cellular dating to last year. However, the veteran right-hander was on the wrong end of Sunday?s 7-1 loss at Wrigley Field, where he gave up five runs (four earned) in six innings. The Sox are 0-3 in Vazquez?s last three starts against the Cubs dating to last season. For his career, Vazquez is 3-4 with a 4.92 ERA against the North Siders. Gallagher hasn?t started since June 19 at Tampa Bay, and he gave up just one unearned run on four hits in six innings, but the Cubs fell, 8-3. The Cubs are 0-3 in Gallagher?s last three starts, all on the road, where the 22-year-old is 0-3 with a 4.38 ERA in six appearances (four starts). Although Friday?s game easily cleared the total, the under is 7-2 in the last nine head-to-head meetings at U.S. Cellular Field, 5-2 in the last seven clashes overall, 5-1 in Gallagher?s last six starts overall and 2-0 in Vazquez?s last two outings versus the Cubs. Also the under is on runs of 4-1 for the White Sox overall, 10-4 for the White Sox on Saturdays, 9-5-1 for the Cubs in interleague road games, 5-2 for the Cubs against the A.L. Central and 36-18-5 for the Cubs against right-handed starters.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
L.A. Angels (48-32) at L.A. Dodgers (37-42)
Jered Weaver (7-7, 4.56) tries to even this Freeway Series against the Dodgers when the rivals meet for Game 2 of this weekend set at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers scored an easy 6-0 upset win on Friday, evening the season series at 2-2. Despite that setback, the Halos still own baseball?s best road record at 26-14, going 10-3 in the last 13 as a visitor, including 5-2 on this current nine-game interleague road trip. Mike Scioscia?s club is also on hot streaks of 9-3 against the N.L. West, 25-11 in interleague play and 7-2 in interleague road games. The Dodgers? Chad Billingsley (6-7, 3.64) goes for his third straight win in this contest. He takes the mound for a team that?s still in the midst of several negative streaks, including 15-39 in interleague play, 5-22 in interleague games against winning teams, 18-44 as an underdog and 3-9 against the A.L. West. The Angels still have a 9-3 advantage over the Dodgers in the last 12 series meetings. However, the home team is 17-4 in the past 21 clashes. Weaver gave up one run in 5 1/3 innings in his most recent outing Sunday at Philadelphia, earning a 3-2 victory. He?s 5-2 in his last seven starts, and the Angels have won six of his last eight outings. However, despite the strong start at Philadelphia, Weaver is just 4-3 with a 5.48 ERA in eight road starts. Billingsley has won his last two starts at Cincinnati (3-1) and over the Indians at home (4-3), giving up a combined four runs in 11 1/3 innings. Previously, the Dodgers had lost four straight games with Billingsley on the bump. The right-hander is 3-3 with a 4.35 ERA at home. Weaver is 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his three career starts against the Dodgers, including a 10-2 rout on May 18 when he gave up just the two runs in 5 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, Billingsley?s lone career start against the Halos ended in a 4-0 road loss back in 2006.
The under is 8-2 in Billingsley?s last 10 starts, including 3-0 in the last three overall and 4-1 in his last five at home. Furthermore, the under is on streaks of 6-2 in this rivalry, 5-0 for the Dodgers overall, 14-5 for the Dodgers at home, 42-18-5 for the Angels overall, 19-7-2 for the Angels on the road, 12-2-2 for the Angels on Saturdays.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. ANGELS and UNDER
