Here’s a quick look at selected series this week, with a focus on the front-running teams.

More after the jump.

Cubs@Cardinals – Redbirds take 3 of 4 to reach .750 mark

• You know things are going your way when your starter is knocked out before pitching 5 innings and you still win, as St. Louis did in the first two games of this set. It’s the first time in twenty years (since May 6-7, 1995 against the Astros) that the Cardinals have done that in consecutive games against the same opponent.
• This is the first time since at least 1914 that St. Louis has won 21 of its first 28 games. In 14 of their 19 pennant-winning seasons, the Cardinals won at least 16 of their first 28 games. But, there’s still hope for their NL rivals, as there’s a better than average chance that one of them will claim the pennant. Surprised? Here is how the Cardinals have fared, pennant-wise, when starting a season since 1914 with wins in:
  • 19+ of 28 – .400 (2 of 5 pennants)
  • 18+ of 28 – .357 (5 of 14 pennants)
  • 17+ of 28 – .370 (10 of 27 pennants)
  • 16+ of 28 – .341 (14 of 41 pennants)

Yankees@Blue Jays – Toronto takes 2 of 3 to cool red-hot Yanks

• In the opener, R.A. Dickey recorded his third quality start this season, but the first Toronto has won. Dickey’s whiff-less start was the first by a Blue Jay of 8+ IP allowing 3 hits or less since David Wells pitched 8 scoreless against the Royals on Jul 24, 1990, only to see the bullpen blow the save in the 9th.
• The Yankees squared the series with a 6-3 win behind Michael Pineda‘s 8 scoreless frames. Pineda’s 6 starts of 5+ IP allowing one walk or less is tied with Tiny Bonham in 1944 for the second longest streak by a Yankee right-hander to start a season, trailing only Jon Lieber‘s 9 games in 2004. The record for a Yankee left-hander is a remarkable 15 games by David Wells in 2003.
• In the finale, Mark Buehrle allowed only a first-inning run in beating New York for just the second time in his career, and the first in his home ballpark. Buehrle admitted after the game that he got away with some bad pitches, perhaps explaining his early hook after 5 innings and only 77 pitches, the fewest of his career in a winning start. Russell Martin homered for the second day in the row and was 7 for 9 for the series. After starting the season on a 1 for 24 slide, Martin has slashed .383/.471/.850, with 7 home runs in 18 games.

Orioles@Mets – Mets take pair from O’s to extend division lead

• In the opener, the Mets bunched 3 hits in the 5th inning for 3 quick runs and held on  for a 3-2 win as Bartolo Colon collected his 5th win of the season. Colon has a 38-20 record since 2013 (.655 W-L%), for now the best winning percentage in 50+ decisions in a pitcher’s age 40+ seasons (just ahead of Roger Clemens with 61-33, .649). Jeurys Familia picked up his 11th save, breaking John Franco‘s team record of 10 saves in the first 30 games of the season. Familia also allowed a home run, his second of the season when recording a save, again the most by a Met in the first 30 games of the season.
• New York completed the mini-sweep with a 5-1 win as Jacob deGrom went 7 strong innings to even his record at 3-3. Dilson Herrera went 3 for 3 with a home run for the victors. Herrera now has 4 home runs in 23 career games, the first Met second baseman who can say that since Gregg Jefferies in 1988.

Tigers@White Sox – Detroit drops 2 of 3 to Sox team that loves home cooking

• Chicago took the opener 5-2, with all the scoring coming in the first 3 innings. David Robertson collected his 3rd save with his 10th consecutive scoreless appearance of exactly one inning. He would make it 4 and 11 the next day, only the 8th time a reliever has started the season with a streak that long, half of them coming this season (also Wade Davis) and last (Rafael Soriano and Francisco Rodriguez‘s record 19 game streak).
• In game 2, Detroit looked to have the game well in hand, taking a 6-3 lead into the home 8th. Joba Chamberlain retired his first two batters starting that frame but then the wheels came off as 7 consecutive Sox batters hit safely, four of them scoring, all while rested closer Joakim Soria cooled his heels in the Tiger bullpen.
• Detroit salvaged the finale with a 4-1 win. When Melky Cabrera singled in the home 8th with two out and the bases empty, Brad Ausmus immediately summoned Soria who recorded his first four-out save of the season on only 16 pitches. Might have been an even better idea the day before.
• The Sox have spanked their opponents with an 8-3 home record, but have been more supine in compiling a 2-11 mark on the road.

Dodgers@Brewers – LA takes finale for split of four-game set

• The Brewers took the opener 4-3 to spoil a solid outing from Clayton Kershaw. The Dodger ace took a 3-1 lead into the 8th, but allowed a home run and a double before being relieved by Chris Hatcher, who would give up the winning run on a two-out RBI infield single by Ryan Braun. Milwaukee had two pinch-hit extra-base hits (a double and triple) plus another triple and a home run from Hector Gomez, the 7th Brewer shortstop with that pair of XBHs (no Brewer shortstop has ever added a double to a triple and home run, much less hit for the cycle).
• The Dodgers took game 2 as Zach Greinke improved to 5-0, allowing just a run on two hits over 7.2 stellar frames. Greinke’s .747 W-L% (68-23) since 2011 is tops in the majors among starters with 80 decisions over that period.
• In game 3, the Brewers jumped to a 4-0 lead before starter Joe Wieland, making his Dodger debut, recorded an out. Wieland can take solace in knowing he’s in good company – teammate Zach Greinke and HOFers Sandy Koufax and Don Sutton are all Dodgers who started a road game the same way.
• In the finale, Yasmani Grandal was the hero with two 3-run home runs and a two-RBI single, the first searchable 8 RBI game by a Dodger catcher, surpassing Mike Piazza‘s 7 RBI against the Phillies on Aug 27, 1995.

Rangers@Astros – Rangers surprise with sweep of division leaders

• In the opener, Dallas Kuechel continued his mastery, shutting out the Rangers for 7 innings before a walk, stolen base and single in the 8th tied the game at 1-1. Chad Qualls pitched the 9th and was greeted by two base hits leading to a 2-1 Texas win. Kuechel’s 0.80 ERA (516 ERA+) and 0.756 WHIP lead the universe this season, as does his 45 IP and zero home runs allowed. This was Kuechel’s 11th straight start of 6+ IP allowing no more than two earned runs; one more will tie him for the second longest such streak by an Astro, trailing only Mike Scott‘s 14 starts in 1986.
• In the middle game, Texas jumped on former Ranger Scott Feldman for 4 runs on 6 first inning hits and coasted to a 7-1 win behind 8 innings of 3-hit ball by Wandy Rodriguez.
• After a home run the day before, Carlos Peguero added a pair of jacks in the finale. Peguero’s career .204 BA and .404 SLG are both top marks among 5 active players (excl. pitchers) with more than twice as many whiffs as hits in 200+ career PA. Colby Lewis allowed only a run over 8 innings to even his record at 2-2.
• This was the fourth time the Rangers have won three straight away games against the same opponent with the starting pitcher going 7+ innings and allowing one run or less. Two of the earlier occasions came in the Rangers’ pennant-winning 2011 season.

Indians@Royals – KC rolls on, taking two of three from Cleveland

• In the opener, Jason Vargas got touched for two first inning runs but his teammates picked him in the bottom of the frame on Eric Hosmer‘s 3-run jack. Vargas settled down from there, retiring 16 of the last 18 Indians he faced to pick up his 3rd W of the season. Hosmer now has 35 hits for the season after collecting 34 in the first 30 games last year. It’s only the second time a Royal first baseman has collected 30 hits in the team’s first 30 games in back-to-back seasons. Quiz: Who was the first to do it?
• The Indians got to Danny Duffy early and often to take the middle game by a 10-3 score. Alex Gordon had the golden sombrero for the Royals, the first of his career when batting only 4 times in a game.
• The Royals took the rubber match 7-4 as Franklin Morales improved to 3-0, all in relief. Six Royal pitchers saw action, a franchise high in games allowing 4 hits or less.