Cleveland at Toronto - First Pitch 7:07pm
Yankee fans will be pulling for the Indians (63-66) over the next few days as the Tribe begins a series against the American East leading Blue Jays (74-56). The Blue Jays enter the series with a 1.5 game lead on the Yankees. The Indians, while out of the playoff race, are closing in on .500 and are on a five game winning streak.
Danny Salazar, who missed his last start with an illness, starts tonight for the Tribe. Salazar is 11-7, with a 3.30 ERA on the season and is among the leaders with 10.10 strikeouts per nine innings. He is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA against Toronto. Salazar will be facing Toronto's ace David Price. In five starts with the Blue Jays, Price is 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA. He is 13-4 with a 2.42 ERA overall and is 9-1 against the Indians in his career.
Prediction: Price dominates and Blue Jays win.
To listen to the game tune to WJAW FM100.9 at 6:37pm.
Cincinnati at Chicago (NL) - First Pitch 8:05pm
It's been a rough month of August for the Reds (53-76) who take on the Cubs (74-55) tonight at Wrigley Field. For the month the Reds are a major league worse 7-21, and have lost 14 of their last 16. The Cubs are coming off of Jake Arrieta's no-hitter last night and are five-and-a-half games up on the Giants for the second National League Wild Card spot.
Tonight the Cubs send the struggling Kyle Hendricks to the mound. Hendricks is 2-2 with a 5.97 ERA in his last seven starts, and is 6-6, with a 4.11 ERA overall. In his last start against the Reds he gave up five runs over six innings. The Reds counter with, whom else, a rookie pitcher. Michael Lorenzen who went 0-6 with a 9.82 ERA in his last seven major league starts, was recalled after good outings in Triple-A. On the season Lorenzen is 3-8 with a 5.46 ERA.
Prediction: In a high scoring contest the Cubs best the Reds.
This game can be heard on WMOA AM1490 beginning at 8:00pm.
Game of the Night: San Francisco at Los Angeles (NL) - First Pitch 10:10pm.
Today is the last day before the last month of the season and it's fitting that it ends and begins with two teams in one of the tightest races in baseball. The Giants (69-61) look to gain ground on the National League West leading Dodgers (72-57) in their next to last series against them. Entering tonight's action the Dodgers are 3.5 games up on the Giants. If the Giants are going to gain any ground they'll have to win tonight and then take one from either Kershaw or Greinke, a tall order for any team.
The Dodgers have Brett Anderson on the mound tonight, who is 1-4 in seven career starts against the Giants. He began 0-4 with a 5.67 ERA against them before winning his last outing. On the season Anderson is 8-8, with a 3.36 ERA. The Dodgers will face their old nemesis in the form of the Giants' Jake Peavy (4-6, 4.21). Peavy has had his way with the Dodgers over his career. In 27 starts against LA he is 14-3, with a 2.30 ERA.
Prediction: The Giants are able to gain a game behind Peavy, who continues his mastery of the Dodgers.
Today in Baseball History
1954 - The Indians win their 26th game of the month by beating the Yankees. This mark ties the 1931 Philadelphia A's record.
1964 - Ground is broken for the future home of the Angels, Anaheim Stadium.
1990 - The Griffeys, Ken Sr. and Ken Jr., become the first father-son duo to play as teammates when they both start for the Mariners. A
