TEAM TIPS Astros: Houston is just 5-12 in its last 17 interleague matchups. The Astros have lost seven of their past nine games to Minnesota. Left-hander Wandy Rodriguez does not have a strong interleague mark and is in bad form right now. Rodriguez is 5-6 with a 5.02 EA in 14 interleague starts. Houston is 7-19 in Rodriguez’s last 26 road outings versus a team with a winning record. Rodriguez opened with a 5-2 record and 1.83 ERA during his first nine starts this season. Since then, though, he has dropped four of his last five appearances and has a 6.93 ERA during that span. Rodriguez was whacked around in his last start. He yielded six runs, six hits and five walks in just four innings during a 6-1 loss to the Rangers Tuesday. The Rangers smacked three home runs against him. Lance Berkman is 3-for-30 against American League opponents this season.
PROJECTED SCORE: 4
The Twins have yet to lose an interleague series this season. Minnesota is 8-3 in interleague competition. The Twins have won 11 of the past 12 times in interleague play when home against a left-handed starter. The Twins have won 72 percent (39-15) of their past 54 interleague home contests. Twins starter Glen Perkins is rounding into shape after coming off the DL because of elbow inflammation. Perkins allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings during an 8-2 win against the Pirates in his last start Tuesday. Perkins has never faced the Astros. He is 3-0 with a 3.96 ERA in four career interleague starts. Joe Mauer is batting .417 with 42 RBIs in 45 games since returning from the DL because of kidney surgery. The Twins could be without second baseman Nick Punto. He’s day-to-day with bruised ribs suffered in Saturday night’s loss to the Astros. PROJECTED SCORE: 5 (Side of the Day)
TEAM TIPS Dodgers: The Dodgers have won 12 of their last 17 road games. The Dodgers, however, are not good historically in interleague competition and have struggled through the years playing the Angels on the road. Los Angeles is 14-38 in its last 52 interleague away contests. The Dodgers have lost 20 of their last 27 games on the road against their cross-town rivals, the Angels. The Dodgers are 1-4 in Clayton Kershaw’s past five interleague starts. Kershaw bounced back from his worst start of the season by blanking the Athletics for 5 2/3 innings Tuesday. Kershaw, though, walked three and threw 105 pitches. He did fan eight. In his previous start June 10, Kershaw was roughed up by the Padres in just 2 2/3 innings. He allowed three earned runs on five hits and walked four. The 21-year-old lefty is 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA in one career start versus the Angels.
PROJECTED SCORE: 4
Angels starter John Lackey is one of the most successful pitchers in interleague history. The Angels have won 17 of Lackey’s last 22 interleague starts. Lackey has been brilliant versus the Dodgers. He’s 5-1 against them in eight starts with a 1.50 ERA in 54 innings pitched. Lackey received his first win in his last five starts on Monday defeating the Giants on the road, 9-7. Lackey gave up three earned runs in seven innings. He scattered 10 hits and had 10 strikeouts and did not yield a base on balls. He threw 106 pitches, of which 74 were strikes. The Angels had their season-high seven-game winning streak halted Saturday night by the Dodgers. The Angels are 18-7 in their last 25 interleague home contests. The Angels also are 18-7 in Lackey’s past 25 Sunday starts. The under is 16-5-3 in Lackey’s last 24 interleague starts.
Smart - money 6/21
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