Atlanta: 81 runs på 22 matcher, snittar 3.68 runs per match.
Houston: 68 runs på 21 matcher, snittar 3.24 runs per match.
Gemensamt snitt: 6.94 runs per match

T. Hanson: ERA 2.14, 21 IP, 26 SO
B. Myers: ERA 3.81, 26 IP, 18 SO
Gemensam ERA: 5.95

Braves:

The big right-hander has followed up his outstanding rookie season (11-4, 2.78) with a strong start to his sophomore campaign. After four starts, Hanson has a 1-2 record but an impressive 2.14 ERA and his last start was arguably his strongest. He allowed one unearned run on five hits and struck out eight in his five-inning rain-shortened complete game loss to the Mets on Sunday.

Astros:

Myers makes his fifth start for the Astros and is coming off his first win of the season, beating the Pirates on Sunday by allowing 11 singles and two earned runs in six innings. Myers has struggled against the Braves in his career. He's appeared in 28 games vs. Atlanta (21 starts) and is 4-9 with a 4.52 ERA. He's 3-3 lifetime at Turner Field with a 5.25 ERA in 12 games, including eight starts. He's 0-4 against the Braves since his win against them, which occurred in 2006. Myers has given up 35 hits and struck out 18 batters in 26 innings this year.

Trends

Under is 7-0-1 in Astros last 8 road games.
Under is 5-0-1 in Astros last 6 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 5-0 in Astros last 5 road games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Under is 4-0-1 in Astros last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Under is 3-0-1 in Astros last 4 games as a road underdog of +151 to +200.
Under is 7-1 in Astros last 8 games following a loss.
Under is 9-2 in Astros last 11 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Under is 13-3-1 in Astros last 17 games as an underdog of +151 to +200.
Under is 4-1-2 in Astros last 7 during game 1 of a series.
Under is 20-7 in Astros last 27 after scoring 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 11-4-1 in Astros last 16 overall.
Under is 11-4-1 in Astros last 16 on grass.
Over is 11-4 in Astros last 15 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
Under is 18-7-1 in Astros last 26 games as a road underdog.
Under is 5-2-2 in Astros last 9 when their opponent allows 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 7-3 in Astros last 10 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Under is 7-3-1 in Astros last 11 games as an underdog.
Under is 9-4-1 in Astros last 14 games vs. a right-handed starter.

Under is 4-0 in Braves last 4 games as a favorite.
Under is 5-1 in Braves last 6 home games vs. a right-handed starter.
Under is 5-1 in Braves last 6 home games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Under is 8-2 in Braves last 10 games with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Under is 4-1 in Braves last 5 home games.
Under is 12-3-2 in Braves last 17 games vs. a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30.
Under is 4-1-1 in Braves last 6 after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.
Under is 7-2-1 in Braves last 10 games as a favorite of -151 to -200.
Under is 9-3 in Braves last 12 overall.
Under is 3-1-1 in Braves last 5 games as a home favorite of -151 to -200.
Under is 9-3 in Braves last 12 on grass.
Under is 6-2 in Braves last 8 games vs. a right-handed starter.
Over is 5-2 in Braves last 7 when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 5-2 in Braves last 7 games following a loss.
Under is 19-9 in Braves last 28 vs. National League Central.
Under is 6-0 in Hansons last 6 home starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Under is 4-0-1 in Hansons last 5 starts as a favorite.
Under is 4-0 in Hansons last 4 starts with 4 days of rest.
Under is 4-0-1 in Hansons last 5 starts on grass.
Under is 4-0 in Hansons last 4 starts during game 1 of a series.
Under is 5-0 in Hansons last 5 starts as a home favorite.
Under is 4-0-1 in Hansons last 5 starts with the total set at 7.0-8.5.
Under is 4-0-1 in Hansons last 5 starts overall.
Under is 6-0 in Hansons last 6 home starts.
Under is 4-0 in Hansons last 4 starts vs. National League Central.
Under is 5-1 in Hansons last 6 starts when their opponent scores 2 runs or less in their previous game.
Under is 4-1-1 in Hansons last 6 starts vs. a team with a losing record.
Under is 6-2-1 in Hansons last 9 starts following a team loss in their previous game.
Under is 3-1-1 in Hansons last 5 starts after allowing 5 runs or more in their previous game.

"There is a rivalry," the veteran goaltender Robert Luongo acknowledged. "(But) it makes for some good games. Every time we play them there's some high intensity games, back-and-forth. Call it whatever you like, but for our side, we're excited and ready to go."

Injury report: Vancouver forward Ryan Johnson, who broke his foot in early April, is progressing quicker than expected and could return to the lineup at some point in this series. Samuelsson did not practice Thursday because of a sore back, but he's expected to be in the lineup Saturday.

Who's hot: Daniel Sedin scored the series-clinching goal for the Canucks late in Game 6 and had three goals and five assists over the final four games against the Kings. Samuelsson scored seven goals in the first five games and assisted on two goals in the finale. He has since been tied for the NHL lead in goals after Joe Pavelski tallied twice in the Sharks' Game 1 win over the Red Wings in their conference semifinal.

It didn't take long for Wade LeBlanc to realize he needed a change of pace on the mound in the big leagues.
The solution: more fastballs.

"When he came up, he wasn't quite ready," Padres manager Bud Black said. "I don't think he understood a starting pitcher has to throw fastballs in the strike zone."

Call LeBlanc a quick study. Primarily using his fastball, he threw 6 1/3 shutout innings and also had three hits in the Padres' 9-0 victory over the Brewers on Thursday. On Tuesday, the San Diego starter will take the mound against Colorado's Greg Smith in the second of three games at PETCO Park.

LeBlanc was promoted from Triple-A Portland on April 18 after pitcher Chris Young was placed on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder. The left-hander allowed a few hard-hit balls on Thursday, but he avoided any collateral damage in the later innings on his way to his third solid start since being recalled. He allowed eight hits with no walks and six strikeouts in the victory while lowering his ERA to 0.52.

LeBlanc's secret is really no secret at all.

"It starts with good use of the fastball," Black said. "We're seeing early-count strikes and keeping them off-balance."

By contrast, Smith is still seeking the recipe for success. The Rockies need him to find it soon.

Smith has given up 10 runs on 12 hits in his last 10 innings. He's also allowed six home runs over his five starts and walked 15. He pitched well in a victory over the New York Mets on April 13, but he hasn't been the same since.

He's been told that he has "battled" in games but is not exactly sure how to feel about the term.

But is "battling" a good thing?

"It feels like you don't have your best stuff," he said. "It's a compliment, and I take it as a compliment when somebody says, 'Hey, you battled.' It means you did keep your team in the game. You competed. But the word 'battle' to me makes you feel like, 'You [stunk] today, but we almost did it.'"

Smith will be making his first career appearance against the Padres.

"My approach needs to be to throw a quality strike. It's the fine-tuning of the strikes and not falling behind to begin with," he said. "It's important for us, as a staff, to go deep in games, especially lately, and I take full responsibility for that."

Padres: LeBlanc blanks opponents
LeBlanc has not given up a run in his last 16 1/3 innings. The Padres have thrown shutouts in each of his last two starts.

"The starters have been doing an unreal job," Heath Bell said. "They're going out there and attacking hitters, pitching inside, pitching away, being aggressive and that's what we need to do to be successful."

Rockies: Home away from home?
With a record of 29-27, the Rockies are the only National League West team to have a winning record against the Padres at PETCO Park. ... Ubaldo Jimenez had his scoreless-innings streak snapped at 25 1/3 on Monday when Yorvit Torrealba doubled home Will Venable in the fourth inning. The streak is a club record for a starting pitcher.

Worth noting
The Padres can handle strong pitching. The offense has scored three runs against Jimenez in his 13 innings pitched against San Diego this season. All other opponents have combined to score one run in 28 1/3 innings against him.

Rockies:

There's no easy way to sugarcoat Smith's last outing: it was terrible. The Rockies need him to get right since their starting rotation is currently struggling. Smith pitched well in a home victory over the New York Mets on April 13, but hasn't been the same since. He's given up 10 runs on 12 hits in his last 10 innings. He's already allowed six home runs over his five starts and walked 15. He'll be making his first career appearance against the San Diego Padres.

Padres:

LeBlanc tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings and had three hits in the Padres' 9-0 victory over the Brewers on Thursday. LeBlanc, promoted from Triple-A Portland on April 18 after pitcher Chris Young was placed on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder, had his third consecutive strong start since his being recalled. Balancing his plus-changeup with good fastball command, the left-hander allowed a few hard-hit balls early in the game but avoided any collateral damage. He allowed eight hits with no walks and six strikeouts while lowering his ERA to 0.52. "It starts with good use of the fastball," Padres manager Bud Black said. "We're seeing early-count strikes and keeping them off-balance."

Magisk match mot Sevilla

Getafe tog en mycket värdefull seger på söndagskvällen då man mötte Sevilla hemma. Efter en match som kan beskrivas som en av Getafes bästa denna säsong stod man vid kvällens slut som segrare med 4-3. Getafe inledde målskyttet med Adrians mål men fick sedan lov att resa sig två gånger. Först till 2-2 genom Pedro León och sedan till 3-3 genom Manu. Slutligen slog Parejo på straff in 4-3 på tilläggstid och gav Getafe en ypperlig position i kampen om den sista platsen i Europa League. Man är nu tillsammans med Athletic endast två poäng bakom Villarreal.

When the Giants and Marlins meet in the middle game of a three-game series at Sun Life Stadium, left-handers Barry Zito and Nate Robertson will square off, and while Zito would like to continue his recent form, Robertson will try to reverse his.
Zito is off to the best start of his career, coming into this game at 4-0 with a 1.53 ERA and a .167 opposing batting average in his first five starts. The four straight winning decisions is his longest such streak since winning six straight from May 17-June 16, 2006, for the Oakland A's.

In his last start, Zito went eight strong innings at home to beat Colorado, and he said that he's still working hard to get results even though they seem to be coming more easily than they have during his first three years with the Giants.

"It's still a grind," Zito said. "Anyone will tell you that pitching is a grind. I think earlier in my career, when I was kind of on autopilot, I could just go out there and be like, 'Oh yeah, this game's going to go good.' But the reality is, I don't know how the game's going to go. Regardless of how confident I am, anything can happen."

Meanwhile, Robertson, who has lost two games in a row and put up almost identical linescores while doing it -- four innings and five runs apiece against Colorado and San Diego -- is looking to turn things around, and his pitching coach, Randy St. Claire, has an idea of what needs to be done for that to happen.

"For me, he needs to get ahead of hitters more," St. Claire said. "We've talked about it in his side sessions. To me, once you get ahead on strike one, it cuts down on walks. They have to become defensive. They have to be swinging at borderline pitches. They can't be taking them. For me, that's what we've been focusing on. Staying aggressive.

"I know he wants to throw a lot of pitches, and I think he is capable of doing that if he is the aggressor."

Giants: Improved offense helping
The Giants' starting pitching makes all the headlines, but San Francisco's offense is quietly ranked third in the National League with a .278 (238-for-855) batting average. Last season the Giants finished 11th in average (.257) and 13th in runs scored. After Tuesday's game, San Francisco is averaging 4.5 runs per game in 2010. ... Zito has excelled against Florida, with a 4-0 record, a 2.35 ERA and an opposing batting average of .183 in five career starts against the Marlins.

Marlins: Rotation a complete success
The Marlins might have set a Major League record for going 301 straight games without a complete game from a starting pitcher (Sept. 16, 2006-Aug. 19, 2008), but that is a thing of the past. This year, the Florida staff is tied with the Phillies for the MLB lead in complete games with three. Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson and Chris Volstad have each gone the distance for the Marlins. "I think as the years have gone on, we're to the point now where you can say we've stopped developing," Nolasco said. "We're not young any more. Well, we are young, but we have some experience. Now it's time to go out there and throw as many as we can." ... Robertson is 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA in one career start against the Giants.

Worth noting
Zito is the only Giants pitcher who regularly displays the three stripes on the club's new socks, which were the brainchild of Bill Neukom, the Giants' managing general partner and CEO. But every player on the team's Double-A affiliate, the Richmond (Va.) Flying Squirrels, wears high socks with three red stripes per an organizational mandate. ... Giants pitching combined to strike out the Marlins 20 times in Tuesday's 12-inning game, one shy of Florida's franchise record. On Sept. 10, 2000, vs. Arizona, the Marlins fanned 21 times in 12 innings. ... The Marlins reinstated right-handed pitcher Clay Hensley from the bereavement list Tuesday and optioned right-hander Tim Wood to Triple-A New Orleans. Outfielder John Raynor, selected by Pittsburgh in the Rule 5 Draft, was returned to the Marlins.

Zito is 4-0 for the first time in his career. He was 0-7 over his last two Aprils. He's posted five consecutive quality starts. In his last one, he allowed two runs over eight innings. The four consecutive wins is his longest such streak since winning six straight from May 17, 2006, to June 16, 2006, with the Oakland A's.

After going on short rest in his previous start, Robertson will be well-rested for his sixth start of the season. Due to two scheduled team days off, the left-hander will be taking the mound exactly one week after his last outing. On April 28 against the Padres, Robertson was going on three days' rest. For four innings, it wasn't a factor, as he allowed just one hit in that span. But everything changed in the fifth. Robertson faced six batters in the inning, and all reached. He was charged with five runs, all in the inning. He threw 79 pitches and lost his second straight decision.

It's been only six starts, but it appears that Roy Halladay has already turned the National League into a league of his own.
So far, the Phillies starter is 5-1 with a 1.47 ERA and has thrown three complete games, including two shutouts. He leads the Majors in shutouts, complete games, innings with 49 and strikeout-to-walk ratio with 9.75.

He'll look to add to his resume on Thursday, when he takes on Kyle Lohse and the Cardinals in the final game of their four-game series.

"Roy is one of the best pitchers in baseball," second baseman Chase Utley said. "You know what you're going to get out of him every game."

As good as Halladay has been, the most important component of the pitching staff at this point could be the bullpen. Brad Lidge is back. Ryan Madson is out, but Jose Contreras and J.C. Romero are filling in .

"We talk about consistency," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "It's a real good time for our guys, like last year Contreras did good, he did a good job, that's a good sign. If we get guys in the bullpen to start showing consistency, you can kind of see how it plays out and define what your role is and keep doing it. We're not there right now."

Lidge, when he is completely healthy, will pitch in the ninth inning.

"We signed Lidge three years ago to be our closer and nothing has changed," Manuel said. "When we went to Spring Training, we had in mind that he was our closer, and it's the same. I look at him as he's our closer. He's still got the talent."

The setup role belongs to Contreras -- for now.

"He's going to get a lot of time in the eight-hole," Manuel said. "When we get Romero going an inning or four outs, I know Romero can get lefties. And I think when we get him really going right he can throw in the seventh and eighth inning for us, too."

As for Lohse, he's coming off his best start in nearly a year, going seven innings against the Reds with eight strikeouts. Lohse got ahead, threw strikes and kept the ball down, which is a pretty good plan for nearly anybody.

"The goal is for the team to win," Lohse said. "I just want to go out there and pitch well, pitch well enough to get the win. Sometimes you don't. Sometimes you do. Doesn't matter as long as we walk away winners."

Cardinals: Streaking in Philadelphia
Albert Pujols extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the fourth on Wednesday. ... David Freese also extended his hitting streak to nine with a single in the seventh inning.

Phillies: Feeling historic
The last time a Phillies pitcher had three or more complete games in his first six starts was in 1981, when Steve Carlton threw four and started the season 5-0 with a 2.65 ERA. In 1972, Carlton threw five complete games -- including two shutouts -- in his first six starts.

Worth Noting
Brad Penny (six innings, three earned runs) extended the Cardinals' streak of 14 consecutive quality starts Wednesday. It's the club's longest stretch since May, 20, 1973, when they also had 14 in a row.

The home run allowed by Penny in the fourth inning was his first of the season, a span of 37 2/3 innings. He had pitched 54 2/3 innings since allowing his last home run, which came on Sept. 9, 2009.

If Lohse has really found something, an already good year may be about to get even better for the Cardinals. He's coming off his best start in nearly a year, seven excellent innings against the Reds with eight strikeouts. Lohse got ahead, threw strikes and kept the ball down, which is a pretty good plan for nearly anybody. He'll be returning to a park he briefly called home, but it's worth noting that pitching away from Busch Stadium has not suited Lohse well since he joined the Cardinals.

Halladay has been the real deal since he joined the Phillies. He is 5-1 with a 1.47 ERA. He has thrown three complete games, including two shutouts. He leads the Majors in wins, shutouts, complete games, innings (49) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (9.75). He is fourth in strikeouts (39). Halladay has delivered, but so far he has not rubbed off on the rest of the rotation. He can't help that, but he can continue to win. They hope he does that Thursday against the Cardinals.

After dropping their fifth consecutive game with Wednesday's 8-3 loss to the Rays, the Mariners will be looking for more offense in the finale of a three-game series on Thursday at Safeco Field.
Seattle has scored nine runs in those five losses, and center fielder Franklin Gutierrez is the only Mariners position player with a higher batting average this season than in his career.

Seattle will try to improve on that on Thursday against Tampa Bay right-hander Jeff Niemann, while left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith will start for the Mariners.

"For us, it's trying to get guys back to their career averages, and the toughest thing is looking at that board every night, especially the guys that are not used to that," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. "There is no excuse for that. To us, it's not trying to focus so much on getting 10 or 12 hits a game, but to play the game the right way, get a sac bunt down when we need to, can we drive in a run when we have to?"

Meanwhile, the Rays have won eight of their past 10 games and currently have the best record in baseball. They're riding a three-game winning streak that has seen them score easily, with 14 runs in those three contests. Wednesday's win improved Tampa Bay's road record to 11-1 and was its 20th victory of the season, tops in the Majors.

First baseman Carlos Pena also has a chance to set a franchise mark in Thursday's game, as he needs two walks to tie Fred McGriff for the all-time club mark. Pena has walked 303 times with the Rays, which is two fewer than McGriff's 305 free passes from 1998-2001 and '04.

"If I'm walking, I'm hitting," Pena said. "[Rays manager] Joe [Maddon] says that, and I'm agreeing with him 100 percent of the time. And if you think about it, a walk is just as good as a hit. You're on first. You heard that, right? That's a very popular line. It's true. ... You're on first base, and you're helping your team out."

Rays: Jaso gets the start
Despite the fact the Rays are facing a left-hander in Rowland-Smith, left-handed-hitting catcher John Jaso will get the start in place of Dioner Navarro. Jaso is batting .357 with a home run and 10 RBIs, and the club is 8-1 in games he has started this year. Jaso also currently leads American League rookies with a .513 on-base percentage and a .571 slugging percentage, while walking nine times and striking out just once.

Mariners: Kelley recalled
Reliever Shawn Kelley rejoined the Mariners prior to Wednesday's 8-3 loss to the Rays after being sent to Triple-A five days earlier to make room on the roster for left-hander Cliff Lee. Kelley, who has a 2.57 ERA in seven innings this season, replaced Mark Lowe on the roster after he was placed on the 15-day disabled list with lower back disc inflammation. "It was short, and you never want to see anything happen to someone else, but I'm glad to be back here," Kelley said. "I was there five days and pitched twice. I was disappointed and a little bit shocked when they sent me down, but I understand the business side and [general manager] Jack [Zduriencik] was very up front with me. He told me what the process was, that I was young and had options left. He laid it out there and told me face-to-face what the decision was, and I appreciated that."

Worth noting
Mariners shortstop Jack Wilson, who beat out a bunt for a one-out single in the third inning, was forced to leave the game at the end of the frame because of tightness in his right hamstring. ... Rays reliver J.P. Howell, who has been battling an injured left shoulder, has thrown breaking pitches, and throwing back-to-back side sessions is next on his ladder of progression. There is still no timetable for his return, but he said he expects to be back by the end of May. ... Rays reliever Grant Balfour is friends with the Mariners' scheduled starter, Rowland-Smith, who is also from Australia. When asked about his friend, Balfour noted: "He's a pretty good surfer."

Niemann will make his sixth start of the season against the Mariners, following up his 7 1/3-inning, three-hit performance on Friday against the Royals. The big right-hander gave up just one earned run to Kansas City while striking out three batters and walking four, one of which was intentional. Niemann benefited from some great defense behind him in that outing, including three inning-ending double plays. He works quick, as he is averaging only 13.6 pitches per inning -- putting him just below Minnesota's Francisco Liriano, who led the American League in that category before Friday's game with 13.9.

After a lackluster start, Rowland-Smith seemed a good candidate to get bumped to the bullpen upon Cliff Lee's return. But manager Don Wakamatsu is showing confidence in the Australian, who has a reputation for being a slow starter. He lived up to that so far, going 0-1 in five starts, and he hasn't made it through the sixth inning in any of his outings on the road. He fares better at home, as his fly-ball-inducing style (69 fly balls and 32 ground balls) fits better at Safeco Field. He has struck out just nine of the 127 batters faced, putting him in the Doug Fister category of pitching to contact and letting the Mariners' defense do the heavy lifting.

Sometimes a friendly rivalry can be a good thing.

It's certainly been the case for Rays starting pitchers as they lead the Majors with a combined 18 wins and a 2.41 ERA.

Rays left-hander David Price continued that trend by allowing no earned runs over 7 1/3 innings in a 4-1 win over the A's on Friday, and right-hander Wade Davis will look to keep it going on Saturday when he starts opposite A's righty Ben Sheets.

"Everybody's throwing so well that you don't want to be the guy that's holding everybody down," Davis said. "It's definitely been fun and hopefully we can keep it going."

Davis has been solid in just his second season in the Majors with a 3-1 record and 2.79 ERA in five starts. But he's simply been part of impressive rotation that includes James Shields (4-0 with a 3.15 ERA), Matt Garza (5-1, 2.09), Jeff Niemann (2-0, 2.23) and Price (4-1, 1.91).

Davis, though, said he hasn't been surprised by his club's pitching staff that currently has helped the Rays to the best record in the Majors at 22-7 and a five-game winning streak.

"No doubt," said Davis, when asked if he expected such a great start. "They're all super competitive. They go out there to win every game."

Meanwhile, the A's rotation has also been solid with a 4.33 ERA, but Sheets has struggled a bit with 1-3 record and 7.12 ERA. He's especially had trouble recently, as he's allowed 17 earned runs over his last two starts, totaling just a combined 7 1/3 innings.

Sheets didn't have answer for why he's struggled so much this season, but pointed to shaky command and adjusting to the American League after eight seasons with the Brewers.

"Coming to a new league, it's kind of like you're a rookie all over again," Sheets said. "There's no comfort zone. You try to go off the scouting reports, but you also try to stay true to yourself. I feel like as I see them more, I'll be better. But I gotta be better than this.

"I feel like my stuff is right there. My stuff's fine. My breaking ball is not fine. My breaking ball is absolutely hitting a wall every time I throw it. I'll keep working on that and try to get it breaking like I know it should."

Rays: Rodriguez gets in on the action
Second baseman Ben Zobrist was held out of the lineup for just the second time this season on Friday and Sean Rodriguez started in his place. The move certainly worked out with Rodriguez going 1-for-3 with a two-run double in the seventh inning that gave the Rays two insurance runs. Zobrist, who is batting .266 this season, even chipped in with a pinch-hit single and a run scored in the ninth inning after replacing Gabe Kapler.

A's: Duchscherer to the DL, Ramirez called up
The A's rotation took a hit on Friday when right-hander Justin Duchscherer was placed on the 15-day disabled list with left hip inflammation, retroactive to April 30, and was replaced on the 25-man roster by reliever Edwar Ramirez. Duchscherer was 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in five starts before his injury and said he expects to be back when he is eligible on May 5. "If I feel like this, I don't see why I wouldn't be able to pitch then," he said. "I feel great.

Worth noting
A's left-hander Brett Anderson, who is on the 15-day disabled list with a combination of forearm tightness and elbow tendinitis, tossed 30 throws "pain-free" in the outfield on Friday, A's manager Bob Geren said. Anderson is expected to rejoin the rotation in 2-to-3 weeks. ... A's second baseman Mark Ellis (hamstring) and outfielder Travis Buck (oblique muscle) are eligible to be reinstated from the disabled list at any time, and Geren said the former is likely closer to being lifted off the DL than the latter. Catcher Kurt Suzuki (intercostal strain) is also eligible to come off the DL on Sunday but isn't expected to be activated until next week. ... Rays third baseman Evan Longoria saw his 12-game hitting streak come to end on Friday when he went 0-for-1 with three walks.

Roughed up in his last two starts, Sheets will face the Rays seeking his second win of the season. On Sunday in Toronto, Sheets lasted just 3 1/3 innings, giving up nine runs (all earned) on 10 hits. Sheets has faced the Rays once before, when they tagged him for eight runs (all earned) and nine hits in four innings on April 27 in Tampa Bay. In six starts this year, Sheets has a higher walks-per-nine-innings rate (4.7) than any other year in his career. His previous high is 2.9, which he accumulated in each of his first two years in the Majors.

Davis outdueled AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke on Sunday to earn his third win of the season. The 24-year-old right-hander held the Royals scoreless on three hits while walking three and striking out five in seven innings of work. Davis has great command of his pitches, and he isn't afraid to throw a breaking ball in any situation. Aside from his quality stuff, Davis always seems to maintain his composure, which might be his biggest asset. Davis will be making his second career start against Oakland. He picked up the win against the Athletics on April 27, when he allowed four earned runs in five innings in a game won by the Rays, 8-6.

Padres:
Garland walked five over seven scoreless innings in his last start against the Brewers, but allowed three hits, and, as is the case when he's throwing well, got 12 ground-ball outs thanks in large part to his sinker. "You can't discount what the starters have done this entire season," Padres manager Bud Black said. "When Jon's on, you're going to see a lot of grounders." Garland, a free-agent acquisition by first-year general manager Jed Hoyer, has pitched well since two not-so-good outings to open the season in Arizona and Colorado. "It's quality pitches, keeping the ball down and not making mistakes," said Garland, a line he's no doubt used countless times during his 10-year Major League career.

Astros:
Paulino lost his fourth consecutive start on Monday at home against Arizona. He gave up five hits, including a homer, and four earned runs in six innings. He has lasted at least five innings in all five of his starts. He struck out eight D-backs, but has been hurt by walks this season. He has struck out 23 and walked 18 in 27 2/3 innings. He has thrown 106 pitches or more in four of his five games, with a high of 124 vs. Arizona.

Heading into the second game of their three-game weekend set, the Padres and Astros have their offensive fortunes heading in opposite directions.
After Friday's 7-0 victory at Minute Maid Park, the Padres have gone 15-5 over their past 20 games, outscoring their opponents, 93-49.

Across the diamond, the momentum is heading the other way. The Astros were shut out on three hits Friday, the fifth shutout in just 29 games and the second in the last four games. The Astros have lost 10 of their last 11 and are hitting .227 as a team with 11 homers in 29 games

"We're caught in a bad situation where you're not getting any kind of breaks at all, everything that's on the ground goes right to somebody," said veteran Lance Berkman. "You can't seem to break through."

The Astros will try again to do that Saturday, this time against veteran right-hander Jon Garland, off to a solid start in his first season with the Padres. Felipe Paulino will take the mound for the Astros.

Scott Hairston, the fourth leadoff man the Padres have tried this year, was the offensive hero Friday with two homers, and he says the Padres have kept things rolling because they're not leaning on just one or two players.

"The depth is very important, having guys who can fill in," Hairston said. "Every good team has a really good bench. It makes it easier for [manager Bud Black] to use everyone."

Padres: Garland heads in hot
Garland enters this outing as one of the hotter starters in the game, having gone 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in his past three outings. Garland is 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA in five career starts against the Astros. He is 17 strikeouts shy of 1,000 for his career. ... Chase Headley continued his strong performance batting behind Adrian Gonzalez on Friday, hitting a two-run homer and extending his current hitting streak to four games while hitting safely in 25 of his past 28 games.

Astros: Pence takes another day
Right fielder Hunter Pence didn't have an at-bat Friday, but he got in a lot of swings. Pence was out of the lineup for the second time in five games, instead working with hitting coach Sean Berry prior to the tilt. Pence entered Friday in a 2-for-18 slump and is hitting .210 with two homers and seven RBIs.

"Every day is a day you want to snap out of it," Pence said. "I've been through some similar stretches, and it takes one day where it clicks and all of a sudden you get hot. You feel you can hit everything. When it's not hot, everything's on the corners. It's just baseball, and you've got to continue to be confident and be up there and take aggressive swings, and that's all you can do. I know I'm going to find a way to hit."

Worth noting:
After this weekend, the Astros will have played 22 of their first 31 games of the season at home, the first time since 1944 a team has had that many home games through the first 31 games, according to STATS Inc. After Friday's game, the Astros are 6-14 at Minute Maid Park.

A day after being on the wrong side of history, the Rays will look to regroup against the Angels in a three-game series that begins Monday at Angel Stadium.
The Rays, who are second only to the Yankees in runs scored this year, were the victims Sunday when A's left-hander Dallas Braden threw the 19th perfect game in Major League history.

Amazingly, it was the second time in the last two seasons that the Rays had a pitcher throw a perfect game against them, as the White Sox's Mark Buehrle accomplished the feat last season on July 23.

Tonight, they'll look to do as they did last year and bounce back with a series-opening win. In 2009, the Rays followed Buehrle's perfection with two straight wins over the Blue Jays.

As surprising as Sunday's perfect game was, the Rays offense had been scuffling, as it entered the game mired in a hitting slump, batting just .207 over their previous eight games.

The Rays will hope to get back to their old ways against Angels, but they've had troubles at Angel Stadium in the past. The Angels are 13-1 at home against the Rays since 2006 and 34-6 at home against Tampa Bay in last 40 games at Angel Stadium.

But Angels manager Mike Scioscia warned fans not to jump to any conclusions, as the Rays' 22 wins are the most in baseball.

"Let's not jump ahead," Scisocia said. "The schedule brings a tough game every day. It doesn't matter who you're playing or where you're playing, so you're going to have to go out there and play well. That's what we're going to do. They're a good team."

Monday's game also has the makings of a pitchers' duel with Angels right-hander Joel Pineiro starting opposite Rays right-hander Matt Garza, who also took the hill for the game right after Buehrle's perfecto.

Pineiro has been solid this season, and his 5.30 ERA is a bit deceiving, as he had one bad outing, when he allowed nine runs in just 3 1/3 innings against the Tigers on April 30. Without that poor outing, Pineiro would have a 3.34 ERA.

In his last start, Pineiro was effective against the Red Sox, allowing just two runs over six innings, but it wasn't enough to beat former Angels pitcher John Lackey, who allowed just one run on two hits in a Red Sox win.

"Lackey outpitched me," said Pineiro of his last start. "It was a matter of one extra hit. One bounce here or there changes the game around."

Garza, meanwhile, has been one of the best pitchers in the American League this season with five wins and a 2.09 ERA in six starts. He dominated the Mariners in his last start on Tuesday, when he allowed two runs over eight innings.

Rays: Navarro's strengths overlooked
Catcher Dioner Navarro went 0-for-3 on Sunday and is now batting just .150 on the season. Rays manager Joe Maddon still had positive things to say about Navarro on Saturday, especially about he brings behind the plate. "With everybody dwelling on his batting average, I think he's playing really well," Maddon said. "You look at all the little things he did [Friday] night. How many hits does that actually equal? I have no idea. What he did defensively and on the bases -- for me, I thought he had a great game, and that's really overlooked."

Angels: Hunter expects to be in lineup
Center fielder Torii Hunter missed Sunday's game with a bruised right knee after a foul tip hit above his right knee during Saturday's 4-3 win against Seattle. Hunter, though, is expected to be in the starting lineup Monday. "I've never had this happen before, but that's baseball," Hunter said. "It's a long way from the heart, so I won't be going on the DL or nothing like that. So don't worry about that."

Worth noting
Angels left-hander Joe Saunders didn't earn a decision in his start Saturday, but with his next win, the Angels would become the only team with five starting pitchers with at least 50 career wins. ... The home run Angels first baseman Kendry Morales hit off the Mariners' Doug Fister on Saturday gave him a league-leading 26 since the 2009 All-Star break.

Pineiro rebounded from a pair of subpar outings to deliver a quality start in Boston on Wednesday night, but it wasn't good enough on a night John Lackey tied his former teammates in knots. Pineiro yielded two earned runs across six innings on eight hits and three walks, striking out five men. He delivered 117 pitches, with 73 in the strike zone. Pineiro is 2-4 in 10 career games, nine as a starter, against Tampa Bay with a 5.70 ERA.

Garza outdueled Cliff Lee on Wednesday night in Seattle to claim his fifth win of the season. The 26-year-old right-hander allowed two runs on five hits in eight innings, walking one and striking out five. He has pitched eight innings in four of his six starts this season. Garza has the best stuff on the staff, which he can put on display in any given start, and he seems to be maturing on the mound, which has led to his no longer allowing his emotions to get the best of him. Garza is 0-1 with a 6.46 ERA in three career starts against the Angels; he is 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA in one start at Angel Stadium.