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Peter Lambert SP | HOU
Astros' Peter Lambert: Takes sixth loss
Lambert (8-6) allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out three batters over five innings in a loss to San Diego on Saturday.
Lambert gave up just one extra-base hit, but it was a solo homer to Jackson Merrill. Beyond that, he fared pretty well, with the only other earned run against him coming as the result of a pair of walks, a single and a fielder's choice in the first frame. Lambert has allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his past seven starts, posting a 2.29 ERA and 43:13 K:BB over 39.1 innings during that span. He's lined up to make his next start at home versus Seattle.
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Michael King SP | SD
Padres' Michael King: Stifles Houston in victory
King (7-8) earned the win over the Astros on Saturday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk while striking out six batters over six innings.
King surrendered a second-inning Taylor Trammell solo homer, but that was the only time Houston scored against him. The right-hander finished with his 11th quality start of the season and snapped a four-outing winless stretch. King also had his swing-and-miss stuff working, racking up 15 whiffs on 93 pitches. Despite being saddled with a mediocre record, King has provided much-needed consistency for a San Diego rotation that has been beset by injuries and poor performances -- he leads the team's starters in just about every major category, including ERA (3.37), WHIP (1.17), strikeouts (114) and innings pitched (136.1).
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Yoshinobu Yamamoto SP | LAD
Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Inefficient in no-decision
Yamamoto allowed three hits, three walks and a hit batsman while striking out six over 5.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Yamamoto had covered at least six innings in each of his previous nine starts, but he fell an out short of that mark in a rare inefficient performance, throwing 62 of 107 pitches for strikes. On the bright side, it was his third scoreless outing in 21 starts this year, though a lack of run support left him without the win. Yamamoto has a stellar 2.65 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 127:32 K:BB through 139.1 innings on the year. He's projected to make his next start at home versus the Brewers.
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Brandon Pfaadt SP | ARI
Diamondbacks' Brandon Pfaadt: Strong again in no-decision
Pfaadt allowed two hits and two walks while striking out two over seven scoreless innings in a no-decision versus the Dodgers on Saturday.
Pfaadt still hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his eight starts since returning to the majors June 30. Over that span, he's given up just eight runs (seven earned) with a 23:7 K:BB across 47.2 innings, with Saturday's outing being only his second no-decision to go with six wins during the hot stretch. The lack of strikeouts is a little troubling, but the run prevention is worth it. Overall, Pfaadt has a 3.36 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 54:24 K:BB through 85.2 innings across 21 games (11 starts) this season. He'll look to keep the dominant run going in his next start, which is projected to be a tough road matchup in Atlanta.
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Gavin Williams SP | CLE
Guardians' Gavin Williams: Strikes out seven in no-decision
Williams allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out seven over 5.2 innings in a no-decision versus the White Sox on Saturday.
Williams was sharp for most of this outing, but he allowed a solo home run to Munetaka Murakami in the sixth inning and couldn't get back on track after that. Williams left after 102 pitches (68 strikes), only for Colin Holderman to fail to get the last out in the sixth, tacking one more run onto Williams' line. Over his last four outings, Williams has allowed four runs across 25.1 innings with 40:4 K:BB, accounting for one of his sharpest stretches of the season. He's at a 3.55 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 185:41 K:BB through 144.2 innings over 24 starts overall. The 27-year-old right-hander is projected to make his next start at home versus the Padres.
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Matthew Liberatore SP | STL
Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore: Stumbles Saturday
Liberatore (5-9) took the loss against Colorado on Saturday, allowing five runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out three batters over five innings.
Liberatore fell behind quickly, giving up a homer to Jake McCarthy to begin the game. Though that was the only long ball the hurler allowed, he surrendered three more runs in the third inning and an additional tally in the fifth. It was the fifth time this season Liberatore has given up at least five earned runs in an outing, and four of those performances have come over has past nine appearances. Though Liberatore has improved his K/9 to a career-best 8.7 this season, he's otherwise struggled with a 5.15 ERA through 113.2 innings.
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Anthony Kay SP | CHW
White Sox's Anthony Kay: Earns ninth win
Kay (9-5) allowed two runs on six hits, a walk and a hit batsman while striking out four over six innings to earn the win over the Guardians on Saturday.
This was a second straight quality start to begin August for the left-hander. He's allowed two runs over his last 12.1 innings, though he has just a 7:2 K:BB during that span. It's the first time he's covered at least six frames in consecutive starts this season. Kay has a 3.96 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 94:43 K:BB through 116 innings over 24 appearances (22 starts) on the year. Kay is projected for a road start in Detroit in his next outing.
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Kyle Freeland SP | COL
Rockies' Kyle Freeland: Last just 4.1 frames Saturday
Freeland allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out three batters over 4.1 innings in a no-decision against St. Louis on Saturday.
Freeland recorded his first career complete game in a win over Kansas City his previous time out, but his outing Saturday went in an entirely different direction. The left-hander's inefficiency resulted in his shortest start since May 26, as he needed 101 pitches to get through 4.1 frames. However, Freeland's ERA actually improved since two of the three runs against him were unearned, courtesy of a first-inning passed ball by Hunter Goodman on what would have been an inning-ending strikeout. Freeland's 6.63 season ERA is still the second worst in MLB among pitchers who have thrown at least 100 frames, though he's projected for a favorable matchup in San Francisco for his next start.
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Kyle Bradish SP | BAL
Orioles' Kyle Bradish: Tough-luck loss Saturday
Bradish (7-11) took the loss against the Rangers on Saturday, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and no walks in six innings. He struck out four.
A pair of throwing errors, one by Bradish himself and then Gunnar Henderson, helped Texas plate two runs in a sloppy second inning by Baltimore's defense. The right-hander's swing-and-miss stuff has waned a bit recently, as he's registered five strikeouts or fewer in seven consecutive starts after fanning at least nine in his prior two outings to that stretch. Bradish will take a 3.69 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 121:54 K:BB over 127 innings into his next scheduled appearance against the Rays in pitcher-friendly Tampa Bay.
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Randy Vasquez SP | SD
Padres' Randy Vasquez: In line to start Sunday
Vasquez will start Sunday's game against the Astros in San Diego, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Vasquez will be making a second straight turn through the rotation after he tossed a gem his last time out Tuesday, holding Arizona scoreless over six innings while allowing just three baserunners. However, he struck out just one batter in the outing and now maintains a lowly 15 percent strikeout rate for the season. That rate places him 90th among the 94 pitches in the majors that have covered at least 100 innings this season.