THE SPORTS ADVISORS
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Philadelphia (37-26) at Atlanta (32-30)
A matchup of young pitchers is set for Turner Field tonight, as Kyle Kendrick (5-2, 5,00 ERA) of the Phillies battles Atlanta?s Jo Jo Reyes (2-3, 4.78) in the middle game of a series between N.L. East rivals. Philadelphia got a run in the top of the ninth and two in the 10th to rally past Atlanta 4-3 in Friday?s opener. The Phillies are 10-2 in their last 12, and they?ve given up just seven runs in their last four contests. Also, Charlie Manuel?s club is on streaks of 5-1 against the N.L. East, 5-2 on the road and 6-0 against a left-handed starter. Atlanta has alternated wins and losses in its last four games, but is just 6-9 going back to May 23, including 5-4 at home. Still, the Braves are 25-9 at Turner Field this season, the third best home mark in the majors, and they?ve lost two straight home contests just once this year. Also, they?re 7-2 in their last nine against the N.L. East and 21-5 in their last 26 home games against right-handed starters.
The Phillies have won five of the last six series meetings, including taking two of three at home in mid-May in the first series between the clubs this season. The host is 7-4 in the last 11 clashes. Philadelphia is 8-1 in Kendrick?s last nine trips to the mound, including three straight wins over the Astros (7-5), Rockies (7-4) and Reds (5-4). Despite earning the victory in all three contests, Kendrick wasn?t exactly dominant, posting a 5.60 ERA. For the season, the Phillies are 9-3 when Kendrick starts, including 4-1 on the road, despite the right-hander?s 6.23 ERA as a visitor. Kendrick outdueled Reyes and Braves at home on May 13, allowing three runs on six hits and four walks in six innings en route to the 5-4 victory. He?s 2-0 with a 4.24 ERA in three lifetime starts the last two seasons against Atlanta. Reyes is coming off back-to-back quality starts against the Brewers and Marlins, giving up a combined four runs on seven hits and four walks with 13 strikeouts in 13 innings. However, he doesn?t have anything to show for it, losing 1-0 at Milwaukee and getting a no-decision in his team?s 7-5 win over the Marlins on Monday. The Braves are 4-1 in Reyes? five starts at Turner Field, with the southpaw posting a 5.25 ERA. Also, in his start at Philadelphia a month ago, Reyes got tagged for all five runs on 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings. It was his first-ever battle against the Phillies. The over is 8-4 when Kendrick pitches this season, including 5-1 on the road. Conversely, the under is 4-2 in Reyes? six starts (2-2 at home). The under is on streaks of 37-17-3 for the Braves overall, 5-0 for the Phillies overall and 11-3 for the Phillies on Saturdays. However, the over is 5-1-1 in the Braves? last seven home games, 4-2-1 in the Braves? last seven against the N.L. East, 4-1 in Philly?s last five against the N.L. East and 5-0 in Philly?s last five against southpaw starters.
ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE
AMERICAN LEAGUE
L.A. Angels (38-24) at Oakland (33-28)
The top two teams in the A.L. West continue a weekend series at McAfee Coliseum, with Jon Garland (5-3, 3.99) set to toe the rubber for the Angels against Oakland?s Greg Smith (3-4, 3.56). Behind another dominating start from ace John Lackey, Los Angeles took Friday?s series opener 3-1 to extend its winning streak to six in a row while halting Oakland?s four-game winning run. The Angels are now 20-11 on the road this year, while the A?s are 20-14 at McAfee, including 8-3 in the last 11.
The clubs split a four-game series in Los Angeles in the first clashes of 2008 between the clubs. The road team is 6-3 in the last nine series meetings, and the Angels have won four of the last five in Oakland.
The Angels scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Blue Jays on Sunday to win 4-3 and get Garland off the hook for a loss. In the outing, Garland gave up three runs on five hits and four walks in five innings. It was his shortest stint since going five innings at Seattle on April 12, a span of nine starts. Also, the Angels are 6-3 in Garland?s last nine outings. Garland is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA on the road this season, but he?s 3-9 with a 5.01 ERA in 14 career starts against the A?s, including 2-5 with a 3.86 ERA at McAfee Coliseum. In fact, the right-hander?s worst start of the season came at home against Oakland on April 28, as he got lit up for seven runs on 10 hits and three walks in six innings, falling 14-2.
Smith is coming off by far his worst start of the season, as he got rocked for seven runs on seven hits in five innings on Sunday at Texas, though the A?s bailed him out in a 13-8 victory. Oakland is 7-4 in Smith?s 11 outings this year, with the southpaw giving up three earned runs or fewer in nine of those contests. Smith is 2-1 with a 2.27 ERA in five home starts this year. However, in his first career start against the Halos on April 29 in L.A., he took a 2-0 loss despite giving up just the two runs on three hits in eight innings. Since getting crushed in that 14-2 loss to the A?s, Garland has stayed under the total in six consecutive starts. Meanwhile, Smith?s start at Texas on Sunday easily flew over the total, ending a 6-0 ?under? run with the 24-year-old on the hill. For Los Angeles, the under is on runs of 22-7 overall, 8-2 on the road, 7-1 against left-handed starters and 11-1-1 on Saturdays. Conversely, the over is 4-2 in Oakland?s last six overall and 5-1-2 in its last eight on Saturdays. Finally, the under is 39-16-2 in the past 57 series meetings between these rivals, including 5-0-1 in the last five battles in Oakland.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER