Watch Srilanka vs New Zealand Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13

Match Facts
Friday, August 13, 2010
Start time 1430 (0900 GMT)

Watch Srilanka vs New Zealand Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13

New Zealand came into this tournament looking at it as a chance to sample subcontintental conditions in the build-up to the World Cup but, in Dambulla, they found a track with plenty of swing and seam, unlike most pitches in Asia. They even went into their first match with a distinctly un-subcontinental bowling line-up, having no frontline spinners. Scott Styris had talked about the 'lack of respect' from the opposition and the media ahead of the tournament, but after their 200-run demolition of India, they won't be taken lightly by Sri Lanka.Watch Srilanka vs New Zealand Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13

Sri Lanka are a tough team to beat at home and are the only side in this tournament with something resembling a full-strength squad. They will be using the tri-series to assess their lower middle-order: Thilina Kandamby and Farveez Maharoof have been axed, while Chamara Silva and Thisara Perera have been recalled after solid performances on the A tour of Australia. It will be an important tournament for Ajantha Mendis as well, returning to the squad after being left out of the Asia Cup.Watch Srilanka vs New Zealand Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13

WATCH HERE LIVE

For those interested in the ICC one-day rankings, the next week will be an exciting one. With only six points separating five teams, there could be four different teams officially rated as the world's second best in the next few days. New Zealand parked themselves in the No. 2 spot two days ago, but a loss on Friday will send them sinking to fifth.

Form guide
(most recent first)
Sri Lanka: LWWWW
New Zealand: WWLLL

Watch out for...
Martin Guptill has been a regular with the New Zealand team for more than nineteen months, and in a top order containing newcomers like Peter Ingram and Kane Williamson, the responsibility on him increases. He has also had a bit of a lean run, not making too many runs in the five one-dayers against Australia, and New Zealand will be desperate for him to return to form.

Several members of the New Zealand side have never faced Lasith Malinga and his slingy action, which makes his yorker-and-bouncer mix even more dangerous on Friday.

WATCH HERE LIVE

Team news
Jacob Oram is a doubtful starter due to a hamstring problem, though a final decision on his availability has not been taken yet. BJ Watling is recovering from a stomach bug and, if fit, could be handed a one-day debut.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Peter Ingram/BJ Watling, 3 Ross Taylor (capt), 4 Kane Williamson, 5 Scott Styris, 6 Grant Elliott, 7 Gareth Hopkins (wk), 8 Jacob Oram/Nathan McCullum, 9 Daryl Tuffey, 10 Kyle Mills, 11 Andy McKay

Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Upul Tharanga, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Angelo Mathews, 6 Chamara Kapugedera, 7 Chamara Silva/Thisara Perera, 8 Suraj Randiv, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Ajantha Mendis/Rangana Herath, 11 Nuwan Kulasekara

Stats and trivia

    * The team winning the toss has elected to bat in 20 out of 21 day-night matches in Dambulla.

Pitch and conditions
The second match will be played on the same pitch used in the opening game. Seamers dominated on Tuesday, but there was sharp spin on offer as well.

Quotes
"I think the history on this ground in 50-50, the team that wins the toss always bats but the win ratio is about 50%. I'm sure if the team that bowls first tomorrow gets a few early wickets and negate a little period, the middle period might be a little different."
Ross Taylor does not think the toss is such a big factor in Dambulla

"During the day there was more swing, in the night there was more nibble off the track and I think it's always the nibble off the track that is more difficult to play."

Watch Sri Lanka (SL) vs New Zealand (NZ) Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13

Preview:
Kumar Sangakkara believes New Zealand are tough opponents because of their discipline, which he said was an attribute other teams should pick up from Ross Taylor's side. New Zealand lack the big names of the other two teams in the tournament but started off with a crushing victory over India, serving notice to anyone under-estimating them.
Watch Srilanka vs New Zealand Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13

 
"The great thing about New Zealand is they are very competitive," Sangakkara said before the start of his team's practice session under lights. "They play very orthodox, very structured cricket. Strategies are set and they always try to execute those strategies. That's the discipline that I think we can all learn from New Zealand.

WATCH HERE LIVE

"It's very important in Twenty20 and one-day cricket now that you have applied executable strategies out in the middle that everyone understands and everyone can execute according to their own abilities. New Zealand does that probably the best in the world, so that makes them a very tough side."

The discipline and strategy are particularly important when batting second in the challenging conditions in Dambulla, where the team batting first has had a distinct advantage in recent matches. "It's not mostly skill, it's about being mentally attuned to what's happening there and being ready with not just one but two or three plans," he said.

The tournament is seen as a part of the team's fine-tuning ahead of the World Cup but the pitches in Dambulla aren't the traditional subcontinental flat tracks. "Playing in conditions like this is very good for us because when it is a challenge, you got to relish it," Sangakkara said. "The harder the things you have to do out in the middle, the improvement becomes faster. For us, that is how we are going to look at this tournament."

One aspect of Sri Lanka's cricket which will be closely watched is the spin bowling. With no Muttiah Muralitharan around, it's a chance for any of Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath to establish themselves in the side. "It depends on the opposition we are playing," Sangakkara said when asked about the first-choice spinner. "Depending on that, we will pick one or the other [Randiv or Mendis]. We got Rangana Herath in the wings as well. So each time we will make sure that we play the right combination for the opposition unless there is a huge difference in form between the bowlers."

New Zealand had gone in without a spinner in the first match, but that could change in case Jacob Oram fails to recover from his hamstring problem. "We have a little bit of a niggle with Jacob Oram, just a tight hamstring, hopefully he can recover well tonight, we'll see how he goes tomorrow," the captain Ross Taylor said. "He's an outstanding bowler for us, top-10 in the one-day rankings, if we were to lose him, it will be a huge loss but it will be an opportunity for whoever comes in."

A win on Friday will virtually put New Zealand in the final, but Taylor was not looking that far ahead. "I don't want to get carried away, it was one victory and the team played well. Sri Lanka are a difficult opponent in their home conditions and we have to come out with the same attitude and the same intent in the next game, we know if we do that we give ourselves a good chance."

Tags:
Watch Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (NZ) Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13Watch Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (NZ) Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13Watch Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (NZ) Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13Watch Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (NZ) Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13Watch Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (NZ) Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13Watch Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (NZ) Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13Watch Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (NZ) Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13Watch Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (NZ) Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13

Watch Lanka vs New Zealand Live Cricket Match ODI match Stream August 13

WATCH HERE LIVE:

Sri Lanka
vs
New Zealand
Watch Srilanka vs New Zealand Live Cricket Streaming Online Broadcast August 13
Match scheduled to begin at 14:30 local time (09:00 GMT)
Current time: 12:09 local, 06:39 GMT

    Sri Lanka squad
KC Sangakkara*†, DPMD Jayawardene, TM Dilshan, CRD Fernando, HMRKB Herath, S Randiv, CK Kapugedera, KMDN Kulasekara, SL Malinga, AD Mathews, BAW Mendis, NLTC Perera, TT Samaraweera, LPC Silva, WU Tharanga

    New Zealand squad
LRPL Taylor*, GD Elliott, MJ Guptill, GJ Hopkins†, PJ Ingram, NL McCullum, AJ McKay, KD Mills, JDP Oram, JS Patel, TG Southee, SB Styris, DR Tuffey, BJ Watling, KS Williamson

Watch San Diego Padres vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming online broadcast internet tv online Baseball game , August 13, 2010

San Francisco's Jonathan Sanchez is confident his team will overtake San Diego for the NL West lead by the end of the weekend. To do that, the Giants must play better than they have against the Padres this season.

With Sanchez on the mound, San Francisco looks to avoid a sixth straight home loss to San Diego when the division rivals open a three-game series Friday night.Watch San Diego Padres vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming online broadcast internet tv online Baseball game , August 13, 2010

Earlier this week, the left-hander, who no-hit the Padres last season, said the Giants will sweep San Diego (67-46), which holds a 2 1/2-game lead over San Francisco.

"We're going to beat them three times," Sanchez told the Giants' official website. "If we get to first place, we're not going to look back."

WATCH LIVE NOW

Though the Giants (66-50) just won three of four from the struggling Chicago Cubs, they've totaled 16 runs while losing seven of eight to the Padres this year. San Francisco was held to four runs while being swept by San Diego at home May 11-13.

The Padres, with the best record in the NL and riding a four-game winning streak after sweeping Pittsburgh at home, prefer to let their play speak for itself.Watch San Diego Padres vs San Francisco Giants Live Streaming online broadcast internet tv online Baseball game , August 13, 2010

"We're feeling good about ourselves," said pitcher Jon Garland, the winner in Thursday's 3-0 victory over the Pirates. "We can't get a little overexcited. We just need to go up there and continue to play the baseball we've been playing and let it go the way it's going to go."

There are 10 meetings left between the teams, including six in San Francisco.

"It's definitely a big series," Giants pitcher Matt Cain said. "We have to play well."

The Giants are a different team than the one that struggled against San Diego in April and May. A big reason is the presence of veteran Pat Burrell and rookie Buster Posey, neither of whom was on the roster for the first eight games with San Diego.

Posey is batting .331 with eight homers and 41 RBIs since being recalled from the minors May 29. Burrell is hitting .299 with 10 home runs and 28 RBIs in 53 games for the Giants, who acquired him after being waived by Tampa Bay.

Burrell hit two homers, including a grand slam, in an 8-7 win over the Cubs on Thursday. He has homered three times in two games and is 11 for 25 with 10 RBIs in his last seven.

Though Sanchez (8-7, 3.55 ERA) is 0-2 in three starts against the Padres this season, he has a 2.57 ERA in those games. The Giants have been shut out in both losses.

To help make good on his prediction, the left-hander likely will need to improve upon his outing Sunday when he allowed four runs in four innings of a 6-3 loss at Atlanta.

"I think he'll have more pressure on himself now pitching against us, just because he predicted something that he can only handle for one game out of three," Padres closer Heath Bell said.

San Diego will start Clayton Richard (9-5, 3.83), who should feel confident facing the Giants after going 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA in three starts against them this season.

Though Richard is 2-0 in his last three outings overall, the left-hander looks to bounce back after he allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings of 6-5 loss at Arizona on Saturday.

Ryan Ludwick will face the Giants for the first time in a Padres uniform. Though the former All-Star is 9 for 39 in 11 games with his new team, he homered three times and drove in five runs in the series with Pittsburgh.

He is a lifetime .311 hitter against San Francisco but is 7 for 33 at AT&T Park.

Watch Toronto Blue Jays vs Los Angeles Angels Live mlb-stream.

Gaining confidence, the Los Angeles Angels feel they are still in the AL West race. Bobby Abreu's surge at the plate is a big reason why.WATCH LIVE NOW

The right fielder will try to help keep the Angels hot when they open a three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.Watch Toronto Blue Jays vs Los Angeles Angels Live mlb-stream.

Los Angeles (59-57) is 7 1/2 games back of division-leading Texas, but the club feels it's not out of it after going 5-1 in six games following a three-game sweep by league-worst Baltimore.

"It's not over for us," right fielder Torii Hunter said. "The fat lady, she hasn't sang yet."

WATCH LIVE NOW

Abreu's move to the leadoff spot following the Orioles series has sparked the club. Known for his patience at the plate, he is hitting .375 with three doubles, two homers and six RBIs since the switch.

Abreu hit a walkoff homer in a 2-1, 10-inning victory over Kansas City on Wednesday as the Angels swept the three-game series.

"Bobby really works the pitcher," Hunter said of Abreu, who sees 4.3 pitches per at-bat, among the most in the majors. "He gives you a chance to see what the pitcher is doing. He's hitting a lot better in the leadoff spot."Watch Toronto Blue Jays vs Los Angeles Angels Live mlb-stream.

While Abreu has been a catalyst atop the lineup, a rejuvenated Scott Kazmir (8-9, 6.57 ERA) is also looking to boost Los Angeles' playoff hopes.

The left-hander returned from his latest injury with a strong performance Saturday, allowing one unearned run and three hits in five innings of a 10-1 win at Detroit.

He posted a 13.73 ERA during a four-start losing streak before arm fatigue landed him on the disabled list July 10 -- his second trip to the DL this year.

"We're talking about a guy that, if he pitches to his potential, will be a Cy Young candidate," manager Mike Scioscia said. "This season hasn't gone as scripted, but he has never given up, and you saw that again (Saturday)."

Kazmir is 2-0 with a 4.94 ERA in four starts against the Blue Jays (60-54).

The Angels have won five of six season meetings with Toronto, taking two of three at home from May 24-26.

The Blue Jays are coming off a stirring 6-5 win over Boston on Thursday, as Fred Lewis capped a four-run ninth-inning rally with a walkoff sacrifice fly. That allowed Toronto to avoid a three-game sweep.

The Blue Jays won't have Brandon Morrow as they try to build on the victory, as he is being skipped in the rotation to give him extra rest after his last outing.

Morrow had career highs of 17 strikeouts and 137 pitches Sunday, when he came within one out of a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over Tampa Bay.

The Blue Jays will instead turn to Marc Rzepczynski (0-1, 7.15), who will be recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Rzepczynski hasn't appeared for Toronto since struggling with his mechanics in a 5-2 loss at Kansas City on July 21. He allowed five runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.

The left-hander, 2-5 with a 4.27 ERA in 13 starts over two seasons, hasn't won since last facing the Angels on Aug. 21. He yielded one run and three hits with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of a 5-4 home victory.

Watch Milwaukee Brewers vs Colorado Rockies Live Mlb-stream.blogspot.com August 13.

Returning home from another disappointing road trip, the Colorado Rockies realize time is running out to make a playoff push.WATCH LIVE NOW

With another trip looming, continuing their home dominance against the Milwaukee Brewers is imperative.
Watch Milwaukee Brewers vs Colorado Rockies Live Mlb-stream.blogspot.com August 13.
The Rockies look to beat the Brewers for the 12th time in 14 games at Coors Field in Friday night's series opener.

Colorado (59-55) finished a seven-game trip against NL-worst Pittsburgh and the slumping New York Mets with three wins. The Rockies return home six games back of wild card-leading San Francisco following Thursday's 4-0 loss to the Mets, the second time in three days they were shut out.

"The clock is on," Carlos Gonzalez told the Rockies' official website. "We know we have to do something about it, because we don't have very much time. But at the same time, we don't need to add any pressure, or it's going to be worse."

Returning home should help reduce some of the pressure.

Colorado has the league's third-best home record at 36-19, but isn't home for long. This three-game series against the Brewers marks the Rockies' only home dates in a 16-game stretch. Colorado, 5-13 away from Coors since the All-Star break, opens a six-game trip Tuesday against the Dodgers.

First, the Rockies hope to take advantage of Milwaukee (54-62), which has lost six of nine away from Miller Park.Watch Milwaukee Brewers vs Colorado Rockies Live Mlb-stream.blogspot.com August 13.

Colorado took two of three from the Brewers at Coors in late June, and has won 11 of 13 meetings there.

Troy Tulowitzki is leading this charge. The All-Star shortstop, who missed the last Milwaukee series with a fractured left wrist, is batting .625 with three homers, three doubles and seven RBIs in six career home games against the Brewers with the Rockies winning each time.

WATCH LIVE NOW

Tulowitzki, hitting .485 with five RBIs in his last eight, is also 4 for 9 with two doubles lifetime against scheduled starter Yovani Gallardo (11-5, 2.86 ERA).

Gallardo gave up four runs and eight hits while striking out seven in six innings in Sunday's 11-6 win over Houston.

The right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.30 ERA in his last five road starts -- a stretch that includes an 8-7 loss at Coors Field on June 19, when he gave up one run in six innings without a decision. Gallardo struck out nine Rockies in that game, and his 10.1 strikeouts per nine-inning ratio is best in the NL.

He'll look to keep this going against a Colorado team that struck out 10 times Thursday, and ranks fourth in the majors with 892.

The Brewers, just behind the Rockies with 885 strikeouts, avoided a four-game sweep to Arizona with Thursday's 8-4 win. Casey McGehee went 4 for 4 with a homer and three RBIs, and set a franchise record with his ninth straight hit to break the mark set by Ryan Braun in 2008.

Braun is 0 for 6 with three strikeouts after sitting out a game with a sore left wrist, and a series against Colorado might help him get back on track.

The three-time All-Star has a 17-game hitting streak against the Rockies, batting .391 with three homers, seven doubles and 14 RBIs. He is also 6 for 7 with a homer and two doubles lifetime against scheduled starter Jorge De La Rosa (4-3, 5.01).

De La Rosa gave up three runs, five hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings in Saturday's 8-7, 10-inning loss to Pittsburgh.

This will be the right-hander's first start against Milwaukee since giving up two runs and four hits with eight strikeouts in six innings of a 4-2 win June 10, 2009. He had a 14.54 ERA in losing his first two starts versus the Brewers

Watch Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Live sports MLB-stream 13/8

Coming off an emphatic sweep that vaulted them into first place in the NL Central, the St. Louis Cardinals are playing with a profound swagger.

That doesn't bode well for the sputtering Chicago Cubs.Watch Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Live sports MLB-stream 13/8

Minus manager Tony La Russa, the surging Cardinals look to win their fourth in a row Friday night against the Cubs in the first meeting of the season between these clubs at Busch Stadium.

WATCH LIVE NOW

St. Louis (64-49) began a three-game series at Cincinnati on Monday two games back of the first-place Reds, but left with a one-game lead after outscoring them 21-8. Colby Rasmus hit his first career grand slam in Wednesday's 6-1 win, and Matt Holliday finished the series 7 for 11 with four RBIs.

"If we play like this from here to the end, we've got a heck of a chance," La Russa told the Cardinals' official website. "This is a very solid series in just about every department."Watch Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals Live sports MLB-stream 13/8

The series was made even more compelling by comments from Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips, who said he hates the Cardinals. Those remarks spurred a bench-clearing brawl in the first inning Tuesday.

La Russa has been fined an undisclosed amount of money and suspended for the first two games of this series for his role in that skirmish.

By responding to Phillips' comments with a convincing sweep, St. Louis made a strong statement to the Reds that the defending NL Central champion won't go down lightly.

Jake Westbrook (0-0, 3.46 ERA) looks to set the tone for this series when he takes the ball, again seeking his first win with his new team.

After allowing two runs and four hits with seven strikeouts in six innings without a decision in a 9-4 loss to Houston in his St. Louis debut Aug. 2, Westbrook gave up three runs while striking out a season-best nine in seven innings in Saturday's 5-4, 10-inning loss to Florida.

The impressive strikeout totals are surprising for Westbrook, who averaged 5.2 strikeouts per nine innings while pitching for Cleveland. He has doubled that average with the Cardinals (11.1).

"I can't explain (the strikeouts)," the right-hander said. "Probably, for a lot of these guys, it's the first time facing me."

This will be Westbrook's first career appearance against the Cubs (48-67), and he hopes to take advantage of a Chicago team that is sixth in the majors with 865 strikeouts. The Cubs have averaged 9.1 strikeouts per game during their current 2-13 slump.

These teams have split their first six meetings, but the Cardinals should have better luck with a series in St. Louis. They went 7-2 at home against Chicago last season and are 12-3 at Busch Stadium since July 4.

Albert Pujols, 5 for 20 with four homers and eight RBIs versus the Cubs this year, is batting .478 with four home runs and seven RBIs in his last five home games.

Chicago arrives in St. Louis following Thursday's 8-7 loss in San Francisco. The Cubs dropped three of four in that series, with each loss coming by one run. Chicago is 13-29 in one-run games this season, the most such losses in the majors.

"It's just not fun at all," outfielder Marlon Byrd said. "You get sick and tired of losing. One-run games, 10-run games, it just gets old."

Thomas Diamond (0-2, 8.00) will make his third career start when he takes the mound in the opener.

Diamond lasted just three innings in Sunday's 11-4 loss to Cincinnati, allowing five runs and four hits. The right-hander had one strikeout after getting 10 against Milwaukee on Aug. 3 to tie Mark Prior for the most by a Cubs pitcher in his debut since 1920.

Watch Oakland Athletics vs Minnesota Twins Live MLB-stream August 13.

With Carl Pavano on the mound and their name atop the AL Central standings, the Minnesota Twins couldn't feel much better as they begin a nine-game homestand.Watch Oakland Athletics vs Minnesota Twins Live MLB-stream August 13.

The Twins hope to harness the momentum from a pivotal series victory as they return to Target Field to face the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.

Minnesota (65-50) and Chicago were tied for the division lead when they began a three-game series this week, but the Twins seized a one-game edge by taking two of three to finish a 10-game road trip.

WATCH LIVE NOW

"It's a battle," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said after Thursday's 6-1 victory. "I don't expect it any other way. ... It's two good teams getting after each other and that's why we're right at the top of our division and we'll hopefully remain there right until the end."Watch Oakland Athletics vs Minnesota Twins Live MLB-stream August 13.

The Central's contenders are scheduled for another three-game set next week, but first the Twins try to extend a four-game home winning streak while welcoming Oakland to Target Field for the first time.

Reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer is still looking for his first home run at the new outdoor ballpark, but he'll bring a red-hot bat into this series. The catcher is hitting .435 with 14 doubles, three homers and 27 RBIs in 23 games since the All-Star break.

He's helped the Twins average more than six runs in that stretch despite playing without star first baseman Justin Morneau, who continues to recover from a concussion.

Jason Kubel has done his best to compensate, homering four times in his last six games, including a three-run shot after an intentional walk to Mauer on Thursday.

Pavano (14-7, 3.28 ERA) has also been vital for Minnesota lately, going 9-1 in his last 12 starts. The right-hander bounced back from his lone loss in that stretch with seven strong innings in a 7-2 win at Cleveland on Saturday.

"He knows how to pitch and he's a leader," Gardenhire said.

Pavano, who has a chance to match New York's CC Sabathia and Tampa Bay's David Price for the AL lead in wins, will make his first home start since July 17, when he beat the White Sox. He's 4-0 with a 2.65 ERA in his last five home outings.

Oakland's Gio Gonzalez (10-7, 3.51) should also be confident as he returns to the mound after pitching seven shutout innings in the A's 6-2 win over Texas on Saturday to secure his first 10-win season.

"Everyone wants to win 10 games or more," Gonzalez said. "This is a difficult milestone. The 10th win is special for me and for the team. I don't want to stop now."

The emerging left-hander also can build on a strong outing against Minnesota. Gonzalez posted a 28.59 ERA in two miserable starts against the Twins last year, but he held them to two runs in seven innings of a 5-4 home win June 6.

"I did my homework this time," Gonzalez said.

The A's (57-56) lost two of three at Seattle to begin their road trip, but avoided a sweep with a 5-1 win Wednesday afternoon. With that victory, Oakland improved to 28-11 in day games, but the first two games of this series are in the evening.

This trip has been frustrating for Oakland prospect Chris Carter, who made his major league debut Monday but went 0 for 9 with five strikeouts against the Mariners.

The A's hoped Carter would provide some power after he hit 27 homers for Triple-A Sacramento this year. Oakland ranks 29th in the majors with 70 homers -- one in its last eight games.

Watch New York Yankees Vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming online broadcast internet tv online Baseball game August 13, 2010

The New York Yankees' ace led them to a victory in their series opener at Kansas City, and they're hopeful a temporary replacement in their rotation can produce the same result Friday night against the lowly Royals.Watch New York Yankees Vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming online broadcast internet tv online Baseball game August 13, 2010

CC Sabathia tied for the AL lead with his 15th victory in a 4-3 win Thursday, extending the Yankees' edge in the AL East to two games over the idle Rays.

WATCH LIVE NOW

Three more games at Kauffman Stadium this weekend only figure to help New York (71-43), which took three of four from the Royals at home from July 22-25. The Yankees are 60-20 against Kansas City since the start of 2000; the clubs have the best and worst overall records in the majors in that stretch.Watch New York Yankees Vs Kansas City Royals Live Streaming online broadcast internet tv online Baseball game August 13, 2010

Even a recent void in their rotation hasn't slowed down the reigning World Series champions, who've won two of Dustin Moseley's three starts since he began filling in for the injured Andy Pettitte.

Moseley (2-1, 3.86 ERA) returns to the mound after beating Boston on Sunday, when he worked 6 1/3 innings in a 7-2 victory and drew praise from the Yankees' captain.

"He throws a lot of strikes, works quick. He's going to make you hit his pitch and he's not going to walk too many guys," shortstop Derek Jeter said. "He challenges guys. He knows how to pitch."

The right-hander baffled the Royals in relief on July 24, replacing the ineffective Sergio Mitre and allowing one hit in 4 2/3 shutout innings to finish New York's 7-4 defeat.

Kansas City starter Kyle Davies (5-7, 5.21) picked up the win in that game despite allowing three home runs -- two by Mark Teixeira -- in 5 1/3 innings.

That remains the only victory for Davies in his last 12 starts, dating to the end of May. The right-hander has gone even longer since his last home win, which came against Seattle on April 26.

The Royals (47-68) have again lost five straight, their third skid of at least that length since July 9. Their 8-22 record in that stretch is the worst in the majors.

A stagnant offense has been the primary problem lately. Kansas City has scored more than three runs once in its last 10 games, batting .218 as a team over that span.

The Yankees, meanwhile, lead the majors in runs. They got a boost Thursday from newcomer Austin Kearns, who hit his first home run since New York acquired him from Cleveland in a July 30 trade.

Curtis Granderson went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI, getting both hits against Royals left-hander Bruce Chen. Granderson was in a 3 for 29 slump overall and was batting .206 against lefties this season before the game.

"They're a good ball club, they're hot, and they're playing good," Chen said of the Yankees.

New York could be even tougher Friday with star closer Mariano Rivera available. Rivera had pitched on four of the previous five days before Thursday, when David Robertson got the final out for his first save of the year, stranding the tying run on third base.

Watch Detroit Tigers vs Chicago White Sox Live stream 2010 MLB online

After falling to second place in the AL Central, the Chicago White Sox will try to regroup by adding to their recent success against the Detroit Tigers.Watch Detroit Tigers vs Chicago White Sox Live stream 2010 MLB online

Before getting a chance for revenge versus the team they're battling for the division lead, the White Sox look to take advantage of the slumping Tigers during a three-game set beginning Friday night at U.S. Cellular Field.

A 6-1 home win over Minnesota on Wednesday night pushed Chicago into a tie with the Twins in the Central. The White Sox, however, suffered a 6-1 defeat the next evening to lose a home series for the first time in nearly 2 1/2 months.

WATCH LIVE NOW

Chicago (64-51) left the bases loaded in the fifth and sixth innings while finishing 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.

"We missed a lot of opportunities offensively," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "We got people on base almost every inning and we couldn't get a base hit."Watch Detroit Tigers vs Chicago White Sox Live stream 2010 MLB online

Guillen's club opens a six-game road trip Tuesday in Minnesota but first will try to earn its 12th win in 16 games against the Tigers (55-59). The White Sox picked up three of those victories during a four-game series at Comerica Park Aug. 3-5 and took two of three at U.S. Cellular from June 8-10.

Mark Buehrle (10-9, 4.04 ERA) will try to help his team break out of a 2-5 slump with his fifth straight win over the Tigers and second in 11 days. The left-hander gave up two runs over 7 2/3 innings in a 12-2 rout Aug. 3.

Buehrle has won seven of his last 10 decisions but lost Sunday in Baltimore, giving up four runs and 10 hits over seven innings in a 4-3 defeat.

He's 15-8 with a 2.95 ERA in 28 career starts against the Tigers, including 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA in seven matchups since July 23, 2007.

Detroit salvaged the finale of a three-game home series against Tampa Bay with a 3-2 victory Wednesday, but has dropped 22 of 29 overall and 12 of 13 on the road. The Tigers are 17-35 away from home, third-worst in the AL.

"Hopefully we're able to carry (the win over Tampa Bay) into Chicago and New York and beat up some tough teams," pitcher Justin Verlander said. "Chicago is one of the teams we need to catch and we need to gain some ground on them."

Jeremy Bonderman (6-7, 4.96) will make his first road start since a win over Minnesota on June 28. He has a 6.50 ERA in his last eight outings overall and lost his most recent one on three days' rest, giving up four runs and four walks over 4 1/3 innings in Saturday's 10-1 defeat to the Los Angeles Angels.

Bonderman had lost four straight starts versus the White Sox before winning his only game against them this year, going 6 2/3 strong innings in a 7-1 home victory Aug. 3. However, he's 2-5 with a 5.48 ERA in eight career games at U.S. Cellular.

The status of Chicago reliever Bobby Jenks is unknown after he left in the ninth inning of Thursday's loss with back spasms.

Watch Philadelphia Phillies vs New York Mets Live stream mlb-stream.blogspot.com August 13

The last time the Philadelphia Phillies visited Citi Field, they were embarrassed in historic fashion.
A similar result seems unlikely this time considering how the Phillies and New York Mets have fared lately, including last weekend when they faced each other.Watch Philadelphia Phillies vs New York Mets Live stream mlb-stream.blogspot.com August 13

Philadelphia got some revenge in that series and hope for more in this three-game set starting Friday night.

WATCH LIVE NOW

The lone series between these NL East foes at Citi Field this year came May 25-27, and the Phillies were shut out three straight days for the first time since 1983. No team had blanked another in a three-game set since 2004, and the only other time the Mets did it was at Philadelphia in September 1969 en route to winning the World Series.Watch Philadelphia Phillies vs New York Mets Live stream mlb-stream.blogspot.com August 13

New York (57-57) is unlikely to make another championship run, nine games behind first-place Atlanta due to its 9-17 record since the All-Star break. The Mets have hit .215 in that span while averaging 3.0 runs.

The Phillies (64-50) are within two games of the Braves thanks to their 16-4 record since July 21. During that stretch, the two-time reigning NL champions are batting .300 while averaging 5.5 runs.

The teams hadn't met since that series in New York until last weekend. Philadelphia totaled 13 runs and 23 hits in two wins and was shut out in the other game, but that came against Johan Santana and he won't pitch in this series after throwing a four-hitter to beat Colorado 4-0 on Thursday.

That win gave New York only its second series victory since June 27.

"Every game for us is very important," Santana told the Mets' official website. "Every time we go out there, we go out there with the mentality of winning."

Cole Hamels (7-8, 3.45 ERA) should be happy not facing Santana again after losing to the Mets ace in Saturday's 1-0 defeat despite a season-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings.

Hamels received no runs of support for the seventh time in 14 starts, a stretch during which he's 2-6 despite a 3.15 ERA.

"I think if I can just go out there and play my part as much as I possibly can, and go deep in ballgames and execute, that's all I can really do and that's all I can really control," Hamels told the Phillies' official website.

He's 1-6 in his last eight outings against the Mets, getting nine runs of support -- none in two losses this year. The left-hander is 0-3 with a 4.98 ERA in six starts in Queens.

Battery mate Carlos Ruiz delivered the game-winning two-run double in the ninth inning Thursday of a 10-9 victory over Los Angeles. Jayson Werth, batting .480 in his last seven games, drove in two runs for the Phillies, who scored eight times in the final two innings.

Philadelphia now looks to beat R.A. Dickey (7-5, 2.65) again after handing the knuckleballer his worst start of the season Sunday, when he was tagged for six runs and eight hits in three innings of a 6-5 defeat. He had a 1.59 ERA in his previous five outings.

Dickey, however, is 4-1 with a 1.53 ERA at home and beat Philadelphia there May 25, going six innings in an 8-0 victory.

The Phillies have never scored in 15 innings against Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, but he won't be available for at least the series opener due to his arrest Wednesday for assaulting his girlfriend's father at Citi Field. Rodriguez was placed on the restricted list Thursday for two days without pay.

"He feels sorry about what happened, but it's too late," New York's Carlos Beltran said. "We all have family issues. But those family issues should be addressed at the house, not near the ballpark."

Watch Seattle Mariners vs Cleveland Indians Live stream MLB online August 2010

Daren Brown's first series as interim manager of the Seattle Mariners went well. He hopes his next one will bring the club some rare success on the road.Watch Seattle Mariners vs Cleveland Indians Live stream MLB online August 2010

The Mariners look to avoid an eighth straight road loss when they open a season-high 12-game trip against the Cleveland Indians on Friday night.

WATCH LIVE NOW

Seattle (44-71) took two of three at home against Oakland in its first series since Brown replaced the fired Don Wakamatsu as manager Monday. The Mariners hope that successful set will be the boost they need to salvage something positive from a disappointing season.Watch Seattle Mariners vs Cleveland Indians Live stream MLB online August 2010

"I've enjoyed the first three games," Brown told the Mariners' official website. "I like the fact we took two-out-of three, (but) it's always a matter what are you going to do tomorrow?"

That means winning on the road, something Seattle hasn't done much in 2010.

The Mariners, an AL-worst 15-39 away from home, are mired in their worst road losing stretch since dropping 13 straight in September 2008. They went 0-7 on their last trip and carry a 21-inning road scoreless streak heading into their first meeting this season with the Indians (48-67). Seattle went 4-3 at Cleveland in 2009.

Despite the Mariners' road struggles, Brown is eager to embark on his first trip as manager for a team that has won four of six.

"I'm looking forward to it," Brown said. "I look at the positives of it. We just won two series in a row. Hopefully, that's a positive going in. If we get good pitching, play good defense and get some timely hits, I think we'll be OK."

Not getting those timely hits has plagued the Mariners, who have a .233 average with runners in scoring position and are last in the majors with 370 runs. However, a couple of Seattle's stars have hit well of late.

Former Indian Franklin Gutierrez is batting .250, but he's 10 for 31 with six RBIs in his last nine games. Ichiro Suzuki is hitting .351 in his last nine.

Suzuki, though, is 2 for 10 against Cleveland's scheduled starter, Fausto Carmona (11-9, 3.90 ERA).

The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA in three starts against the Mariners, but he's looking to bounce back after giving up five runs in 7 1/3 innings of a 7-2 loss to Minnesota on Saturday.

Carmona has a 6.88 ERA while losing two of his last three outings.

"I want to win," Carmona told the Indians' official website. "I have to keep the ball down and make them hit groundballs."

Michael Brantley had four hits and Trevor Crowe drove in two runs as Cleveland snapped a four-game skid with a 4-1 win over Baltimore on Thursday.

Crowe is 6 for 13 with three RBIs in his last four games, and Brantley is 9 for 24 in his last six. Neither player has faced Seattle during their careers.

The Indians will get their first look at Seattle's David Pauley (0-4, 3.38), who makes his 19th career appearance and 11th start still searching for his first victory.

In his fifth start this season, the right-hander allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings of a 2-1 loss to Kansas City on Saturday.

Watch Pittsburgh Pirates vs Houston Astros Live stream MLB-stream 8/13

Brett Myers has been the most consistent pitcher in the Houston Astros' starting rotation this season. He's also pitched consistently well against the Pittsburgh Pirates of late.Watch Pittsburgh Pirates vs Houston Astros Live stream MLB-stream 8/13

Looking to win a fourth straight start against the Pirates, Myers tries to help the Astros to a seventh consecutive home victory over their NL Central foe Friday night.

WATCH LIVE NOW

Myers (8-7, 3.21 ERA) extended his franchise record for consecutive starts of at least six innings to open a season to 23 when he allowed four runs in six innings of a 5-2 loss at Milwaukee on Saturday. The last pitcher to begin a season with at least 23 starts of six innings or more was Curt Schilling, who had 35 straight with Arizona in 2002.Watch Pittsburgh Pirates vs Houston Astros Live stream MLB-stream 8/13

"I say it every time, he's been unbelievable all year long," Astros manager Brad Mills said of Myers, 3-1 with a 2.36 ERA in his last seven starts.

The right-hander has been even better versus Pittsburgh (39-75) of late, posting a 2.11 ERA while winning his last three starts. He is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA against the Pirates this season.

Though the Astros (48-65) have lost six of seven overall, Myers gives them a good chance to improve to 7-0 at home against the Pirates. Houston has outscored Pittsburgh 33-13 at Minute Maid Park this season.

Houston rookie Chris Johnson is 3 for 21 against the Pirates this year, but is batting .441 with a homer and 12 RBIs in his last nine games. The third baseman is hitting .361 with five home runs and 33 RBIs in 48 games this season.

"This is a lot of fun," Johnson told the Astros' official website. "I look forward to coming here every day. Whether I'm doing good or doing bad, I'm going to look forward to it."

Though Hunter Pence went 2 for 10 while the Astros lost two of three to Atlanta this week, he is 12 for 30 with two home runs and six RBIs against the Pirates in 2010. He is 6 for 16 against scheduled starter Ross Ohlendrof (1-9, 4.23).

Ohlendorf is 0-6 with a 7.49 ERA in seven starts against Houston, including 0-1 with a 6.48 ERA in two this season.

Though the right-hander has not won since July 2, he has a 2.55 ERA over his last four starts. He allowed two runs and struck out six in six innings of an 8-7, 10-inning win over Colorado on Saturday.

Pittsburgh looks to avoid a fifth straight loss overall and eighth in a row on the road after being swept at San Diego. Ryan Doumit had two of the Pirates' four hits in a 3-0 loss to the NL West-leading Padres on Thursday.

Doumit, 4 for 12 in four games since coming off the disabled list while recovering from a concussion, is 11 for 24 against the Astros this season.

To have success this weekend, Pittsburgh likely will need leadoff hitter Andrew McCutchen to get back on track after he went 0 for 10 against the Padres. McCutchen is 4 for 7 with a double against Myers.

Watch Boston Red Sox vs Texas Rangers MLB live stream 13/8.

With the largest division lead in the majors, the Texas Rangers are in good position to secure their first playoff berth in more than a decade. The Boston Red Sox's chances of making the postseason for the fourth straight time have taken another hit.Watch Boston Red Sox vs Texas Rangers MLB live stream 13/8.

The Rangers continue their homestand Friday night when they face the Red Sox in Arlington for the first time this season.

WATCH LIVE NOW

The Rangers (65-48), trying to reach the postseason for the first time since 1999, begin this three-game series with a 7 1/2-game advantage over Los Angeles in the AL West. That's allowed Texas to keep things in perspective after losses such as Wednesday's 7-6 defeat to New York, its third in four games.Watch Boston Red Sox vs Texas Rangers MLB live stream 13/8.

The Rangers led 6-1 in the sixth inning with ace Cliff Lee on the mound.

"It's definitely tough, but (it's) just one game," outfielder David Murphy told the team's official website. "A sign of a good team is resiliency. ... We've shown it all season and we'll do it again on Friday."

Giving the ball to Tommy Hunter (9-1, 3.01 ERA) could help the Rangers get back on track. The right-hander bounced back from his first loss by pitching 6 1/3 innings of a 6-0 victory at Seattle last Thursday.

The Mariners went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position against Hunter.

Like Texas, Boston (66-50) is looking to rebound after being on the wrong end of a comeback victory. Three outs away from their fourth straight win, the Red Sox surrendered four ninth-inning runs as Jonathan Papelbon suffered his AL-worst sixth blown save in a 6-5 loss to Toronto on Thursday.

Boston, trailing Tampa Bay by four games for the wild card, fell to 4-3 on its 10-game trip.

"I didn't have much power or energy in my delivery today," said Papelbon, one save shy of becoming the first pitcher to reach 30 in his first five seasons.

Josh Beckett (3-2, 6.21) will look to bounce back while helping the Red Sox do the same.

The right-hander is coming off his worst outing of the year, allowing seven runs and a season-high 11 hits over 4 2/3 innings of a 7-2 road loss to the Yankees on Sunday.

While Beckett owns a 6.23 ERA in seven road starts this season, he is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three career outings in Arlington.

Josh Hamilton, the only player selected ahead of Beckett in the 1999 draft, is 4 for 9 with a homer against him. The major leagues' leading hitter at .357, Hamilton has batted .438 with 12 homers and 33 RBIs at home since May 11.

He went 10 for 27 with five doubles and a home run as Texas took four of seven at Boston this season.

Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is batting .310 on the trip and hit a solo homer Thursday. Ortiz, though, has gone 2 for 18 with eight strikeouts versus Texas this season.

He has two hits and a homer in eight at-bats against Hunter, who has gone 6-0 with a 2.53 ERA in seven home starts.

Texas, winner of 11 of 16 against Boston since the beginning of last season, went 5-1 at home against the Red Sox in 2009.

Watch Atlanta Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live stream MLB August 13.

The Atlanta Braves' return from a successful road series was tempered by the news of Chipper Jones' potential career-ending knee injury.Watch Atlanta Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live stream MLB August 13.

Another superb outing from Tim Hudson could put the short-handed Braves in a more positive mood.

The right-hander will try to win his fifth consecutive start as the NL East leaders open a seven-game homestand Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Watch Atlanta Braves vs Los Angeles Dodgers Live stream MLB August 13.

WATCH LIVE NOW

The Braves (66-48) earned their third consecutive series victory Wednesday with an 8-2 victory in 10 innings over Houston. They've won six of eight and enter this four-game set two games ahead of Philadelphia in the division.

The Braves, though, lost Jones for the season when he hurt his left knee Tuesday. The 38-year-old third baseman was diagnosed with a torn ACL following an MRI exam Thursday.

The injury comes at a time when Atlanta already had one of its top hitters, Martin Prado, on the disabled list with a fractured finger. Plus, the status of rookie outfielder Jason Heyward is unclear after a sore right knee forced him to miss the last two games.

At the time of his injury, Jones was hitting .307 in his previous 44 games and was 11 for 23 (.478) in his last six. Omar Infante and Brooks Conrad are expected to split time at third in his place, though Prado could shift to that spot from second base upon his expected return early next week.

"His presence in our lineup has been increasing based on his performance the last couple of months," general manager Frank Wren said of Jones. "He was a force. So, yeah, we're losing a lot."

Fortunately for Atlanta, Hudson (13-5, 2.24 ERA) has been at his best lately. The right-hander has a 0.63 ERA in his last four starts and yielded three hits over eight innings in Saturday's 3-0 win over San Francisco.

Hudson will try to build off that performance for his first win over the Dodgers (59-56) since May 31, 2006. He's 0-2 with a 5.04 ERA in his last four starts against them, including one at Dodger Stadium on June 6.

Hudson allowed four runs and nine hits over seven innings in that game but did not get a decision in a 5-4 defeat.

He enters this matchup 8-2 with a 1.92 ERA in his last 10 home starts, winning the past three while allowing one run in 21 innings.

The Braves, 34-11 at home since April 29, split four games in Los Angeles from June 3-6.

The Dodgers are coming off a deflating 10-9 loss to Philadelphia on Thursday night, which denied them a first road series win since the All-Star break. Los Angeles led 9-2 through seven innings but four relievers, including closer Jonathan Broxton, combined to give up four runs in each of the final two.

Broxton failed to record an out during his third blown save in five chances since the All-Star break, walking two batters and hitting another before giving up the game-winning two-run double.

"Guys play on their heels when the pitcher's not throwing strikes," said Broxton, who has a 10.13 ERA with 11 walks in his last eight appearances.

The Dodgers, losers in 11 of 13 away from home, will try to rebound by helping Hiroki Kuroda (8-10, 3.65) avoid a career high-tying third consecutive defeat. The right-hander, who already has two three-game losing streaks this season, is 1-5 with a 4.54 ERA in his last seven starts.

Kuroda is 1-2 with a 2.14 ERA in three career matchups with Atlanta, losing his only game at Turner Field on April 20, 2008.

Watch Baltimore Orioles Vs Tampa Bay Rays Live stream baseball August 13

The Tampa Bay Rays have hit a rough patch with six losses in eight games.

Facing the Baltimore Orioles right now isn't necessarily going to help them shake that slump, either.Watch Baltimore Orioles Vs Tampa Bay Rays Live stream baseball August 13

Coming off a disappointing road trip, the Rays return to Tropicana Field on Friday night looking to make up ground in the AL East with the first of three games against the Orioles.WATCH LIVE NOW

After closing a homestand with two losses to Minnesota, Tampa Bay (69-45) was swept in Toronto for its first five-game skid of the season. The Rays rebounded with two wins in Detroit before failing to complete the sweep with Wednesday's 3-2 loss.
Watch Baltimore Orioles Vs Tampa Bay Rays Live stream baseball August 13

Despite the 2-6 stretch, Tampa Bay is only two games behind the AL East-leading Yankees and four ahead of Boston in the wild-card race.

"Our standards are set high," manager Joe Maddon said. "We are aiming to win a division and go deep into the postseason, so we want to win every game."

Maddon will be happy to get back home where his club has won 14 of 18. The Rays have posted a 2.96 ERA during that span compared to a 4.68 mark in their last 18 road games.

Tampa Bay is 16-5 at home versus the Orioles since 2008 and won two of three at Tropicana Field against Baltimore (40-75) in April.

The Orioles team the Rays faced then, however, has a different look now.

Most notable is new manager Buck Showalter, who has guided the club to eight wins in 10 games since taking over for Juan Samuel.

Getting leadoff batter Brian Roberts back also has helped the Orioles, who are 30-62 this season without their second baseman and 10-10 since he returned to the lineup July 23.

"I've liked their personnel a lot," Maddon told the Rays' official website. "Now they've got Roberts back and they've got (Matt) Wieters back. They've got (Luke) Scott back. That's three major offensive players. Their biggest concern has been their pitching, and their pitching has picked up, too."

No Baltimore pitcher has picked it up more lately than Jeremy Guthrie (6-11, 4.04 ERA), who looks to win three straight starts for the first time in two years. The right-hander has been outstanding in five outings since the All-Star break, going 3-1 with a 1.77 ERA. He has walked three and struck out 21 in that span.

Guthrie outpitched White Sox ace Mark Buehrle in a 4-3 victory Sunday, yielding one run and six hits over eight innings.

He has had quality starts in five of six career outings at Tampa Bay but is 0-4 with a 4.84 ERA.

The Rays counter with James Shields (10-10, 4.91), who became only the eighth pitcher in the modern era to surrender six homers in a game in Saturday's 17-11 loss at Toronto. Bidding to win his fourth consecutive start, the right-hander allowed eight runs and nine hits -- all for extra bases -- in four innings.

"I've forgotten about it," Shields said. "I threw a bullpen and I'm exactly where I need to be. So you kind of forget about it and move on."

Shields, who gave up five home runs in six outings before Saturday, is 7-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 17 starts against Baltimore.

Adam Jones is 10 for 22 with a homer and five doubles against Shields.