Scouting Report: Gorzelanny, who missed his last start due to tightness in his lower back, tossed 7 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits. He recorded four strikeouts in improving his record to 3-3 with a 5-2 win over the Braves on May 10. He is 0-1 this year against the Cubs in two starts. He absorbed a 13-1 loss on April 19 when he pitched 2 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs on six hits.
Cubs: Gallagher brought a 4.50 ERA into his first Major League start after making two relief appearances. He gave up four runs on five hits and three walks (one intentional) in 4 1/3 innings, also striking out six. Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he will probably start the 22-year-old again Friday against the Pirates, and ship Jon Lieber back to the bullpen. This is Rich Hill's spot as long as he performs well in Triple-A, but the Cubs like Gallagher's stuff. He said he relied mostly on his fastball and slider Sunday, and after a one-run first inning, he worked three good ones before getting knocked around in the fifth.
Scouting Report: Brewers: Suppan will be facing the team with which he broke into the Major Leagues in 1995 and spent parts of three seasons, going 7-9 with a 6.10 ERA in 29 outings at Fenway Park. He will hope for better results as the Brewers begin Interleague Play and is coming off one of his best starts this season, a seven-inning, one-run performance against the Cardinals at Miller Park. The win snapped Suppan's two-game losing streak.
Red Sox: Matsuzaka is looking for his seventh win in eight starts this season. After a season-high eight walks on May 5 in Detroit, Matsuzaka settled down last Saturday in Minnesota and issued three over his seven innings, allowing six hits and two runs while earning his second win of the month. The right-hander will look to become the fourth Red Sox hurler this decade to start a season 7-0, joining Josh Beckett (9-0 in 2007), John Burkett (7-0, 2002) and Pedro Martinez (7-0, 2002).
Scouting Report: Mets: Santana allowed 10 hits -- that equaled his career high -- walked one and struck out five in six innings in his most recent start Saturday against the Reds. Despite allergies that bothered him, he threw 116 pitches. His stuff wasn't sharp, but the Mets won for the sixth time in his eight starts, including his five most recent outings.
Yankees: Rasner will get the ball for his third start on Friday against the Mets, pitching on an extra day of rest. Rasner was sharp in his last start, on Saturday at Detroit, allowing a first-inning homer to Matt Joyce but otherwise spinning six-plus solid innings of two-run ball. Rasner abandoned his changeup in the first inning but navigated a tough Tigers lineup by mixing his fastball, curve and cutter. His season ended last May in a start against the Mets when Endy Chavez broke Rasner's right index finger with a first-inning comebacker at Shea Stadium.
Scouting Report: Blue Jays: Thanks to inclement weather that forced the Jays and Indians to postpone their game on Sunday, Toronto will need an extra starter for the opener of an Interleague series in Philadelphia. The likely candidate is Purcey, who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse to make a spot start for the Jays on April 18. The lefty is 3-3 with a 2.22 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A this season.
Phillies: The 45-year-old is coming off his worst outing of 2008, an effort in which he allowed six earned runs in four innings, and allowed nine hits for the fourth time in eight starts. His ERA is in line with his 2008 performance, and he still has the ability to keep the Phillies in games. The lefty has made 36 appearances vs. Toronto, going 13-8 with a 5.31 ERA.
Scouting Report: Nationals: Sunday's loss against the Marlins spoiled a great outing from Hill, who pitched seven innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He struck out three batters and walked none. Hill was pleased with the outing and felt he had a lot of good action on his pitches.
Orioles: Olson has taken Adam Loewen's rotation slot -- vacated by an injury -- by storm, pitching into at least the sixth inning in all three of his starts. The southpaw, who finished third in the International League in ERA last season, has temporarily managed to shake the command problems that plagued him in his first big league audition.
Scouting Report: Indians: The Indians have not announced it, but the rainout Sunday and doubleheader Monday puts the rotation in a pinch, which means an extra arm will be needed. Sowers looks to be the choice. He's looked good in Triple-A Buffalo, and his one outing he had in the bigs went well, too. Whatever his problems were last season seem to have sorted themselves out. He's throwing with more confidence and with more velocity.
Reds: Cueto was roughed up six runs and eight hits, including five extra-base hits, over 4 2/3 innings during the Reds' 8-3 loss to the Mets at Shea Stadium. The 22-year-old rookie had decent velocity but located his pitches to the very hittable middle portion of the plate and got pummeled.
Scouting Report: Royals: Tomko couldn't repeat the sharpness he showed in seven shutout innings against the hard-hitting Angels in his previous start. Facing the Orioles last Saturday, Tomko gave up six runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings and absorbed his fourth loss. After surrendering a three-run homer in the first inning, he occupied himself during a nearly two-hour rain delay by studying videotapes of more successful games and that helped when he returned. A former National Leaguer, Tomko is 7-2 in his career against the Marlins.
Marlins: More polish is starting to come with each outing for Miller. The 6-foot-6 lefty has now won three straight decisions. They've come over a stretch of four starts. He last suffered a defeat on April 12 at Houston. In his last outing, his best of the season, he matched his career high with seven innings. He didn't allow a run, and he scattered two hits in beating the Nationals. Miller also matched his career high for strikeouts, seven, and he logged 103 pitches, another high.
Scouting Report: A's: Eveland had another solid start in Saturday's loss to the Rangers, allowing three earned runs in six innings. Eveland has pitched into the sixth inning in seven of his eight starts. He gave up a two-run home run to Milton Bradley on Saturday, but that matched his home runs allowed for the season. Eveland has allowed just two home runs in 47 2/3 innings this season, and seven homers in 111 2/3 career innings.
Braves: The Braves have decided to bring Jurrjens back on short rest for the first time in his career. The 22-year-old rookie right-hander threw 69 pitches while allowing three runs in five innings against the Pirates on Monday afternoon. The only damage he incurred came courtesy of a fifth-inning, two-out, three-run double. He had won each of his previous three decisions and pitched into the sixth inning in each of his previous seven starts.
Scouting Report: Astros: It's not exactly a record he's proud of, but it's a record nonetheless. Chacon has made eight starts this year and has yet to record a decision, the longest such streak in franchise history. He's also tied for the all-time MLB record for the most starts to begin a year without a decision. The right-hander has six quality starts, the most among all of Houston starters.
Rangers: Ponson struggled in his last outing, Sunday against Oakland, allowing six runs (all earned) on seven hits with five walks and a strikeout over 5 1/3 innings. He gave up four runs in the first, but then settled down and was able to make it to the sixth inning. Ponson said he didn't have command of any of his pitches and relied mostly on mixing up pitches. In his career against the Astros, Ponson is 0-2 with a 2.08 ERA. In Interleague Play, Ponson has a lifetime record of 8-14 with a 4.47 ERA.
Scouting Report: Rays: Sonnanstine had picked up wins in four consecutive starts prior to Sunday's outing against the Angels, when he allowed five runs on eight hits while walking two to take a no-decision. Sonnanstine's best pitch is the slider, but in order for him to pitch well, he needs to locate his fastball to set up the vast array of pitches he throws from all different angles. He is 3-0 with a 4.05 ERA in three road starts this season. This will be his first career start against the Cardinals.
Cardinals: Looper skipped his side session after working 8 1/3 innings in the thin Colorado air the start before, but he said he felt physically fine when he allowed four runs in six innings against Milwaukee. He struggled keeping the ball down, and Ryan Braun took advantage by smacking two home runs in the Cardinals' 5-3 loss. Looper only walked one and hit another batter -- but both of those scored in the first inning to spot the Brewers an early lead.
Scouting Report: Twins: Blackburn earned his third victory of the season in a 9-6 victory over the Red Sox on Sunday. At times the right-hander struggled, but worked through six innings, giving up four earned runs on nine hits. He also struck out five batters, walked one and hit two batters. The Twins rookie showed some grit in working out of two jams that could have led to big innings for Boston. He will look to build on his success as Minnesota opens up Interleague Play against the Rockies on Friday in Colorado.
Rockies: The right-hander didn't allow many hits in his last start, but a three-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez proved to be the back-breaker. Jimenez allowed three runs on five hits and three walks with a career-high 11 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings to take the loss for his first decision in his last five starts. His lone win came at home against the Braves on April 15 and Jimenez has failed to get past six innings in seven of his eight starts this season.
Scouting Report: Tigers: Bonderman's first-inning troubles continued in his last start. He struck out the Yankees' Johnny Damon to start the game, but then served up a home run to Derek Jeter. Two hits and two walks later, another run scored. Bonderman lasted just four innings, giving up five earned runs on six hits and four walks. He faced the Royals in the third game of the season and lasted 6 1/3 innings, giving up four earned runs on eight hits, two of which were home runs.
D-backs: Haren pitched well in his start last, Friday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, but Ted Lilly was just a little better. Haren allowed just two runs on five hits over seven innings. The right-hander cruised through the first four innings and struck out the first two in the fifth. He then gave up a double to Mark DeRosa and walked Reed Johnson intentionally to bring up Lilly, who stroked a fastball into center to score a run. Alfonso Soriano followed with an RBI double. In his start prior to that, Haren didn't get a decision in a matchup with New York's Johan Santana.
Scouting Report: Dodgers: Hiroki Kuroda rebounded from his shortest start of the season (3 1/3 innings) to keep the Astros hitless through 6 2/3 on Sunday. When the Dodgers desperately needed a starting pitcher to pitch well and go deep in the game, Kuroda did just that, stopping a three-game losing streak and striking out a career-high five batters.
Angels: The southpaw is coming off his first loss of the season, in which he scattered one run over six innings, but the Angels' bats were unable to generate any offense. Saunders struggled early, allowing a pair of walks and the lone run in the opening inning, but settled down for five scoreless frames after that.
Scouting Report: Padres: After dropping two of his first three decisions, Young has won two of his past three starts. He allowed one run on five hits in six innings in a 6-1 win over the Rockies on Sunday.
Mariners: Batista rebounded well from one of his shortest outings of the season, going from a brief and ineffective 2 1/3-inning performance against the Rangers to a workmanlike 5 1/3-inning effort against the White Sox. The veteran right-hander stranded six runners in scoring position through five innings. He needed 33 pitches just to make it through the first inning, and he finished the day with a season-high 115 pitches.
Scouting Report: White Sox: Floyd had his worst start, by far, of the season Sunday in a loss to Seattle. One start after his near no-hitter against Minnesota, he didn't even make it out of the fourth inning. He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits and five runs without a strikeout. The Giants will be the first National League team he has faced.
Giants: Sanchez did not finish the fifth inning for the second straight start, and he has a 10.38 ERA for his two starts in May. Against the Phillies on Sunday, he matched his career high with five walks. Two of those walks came around to score. He'll be making his first career appearance against the Chicago White Sox.
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