LEADING OFF: Sale goes for No. 9; Hoffman tries for 5th

A look at what's happening all around the majors today:

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SURGING SALE

Red Sox ace Chris Sale goes for his eighth straight win and ninth of the season in the finale of a three-game series at Philadelphia. It would tie Sale, 7-0 in his last eight starts, with Houston's Dallas Keuchel (9-0), Kansas City's Jason Vargas (9-3) and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (9-2) for the major league lead in wins.

STAYING UNBEATEN

Colorado rookie Jeff Hoffman will look for his fifth straight win when the Rockies host San Francisco in the opener of a seven-game homestand. Hoffman is 4-0 with a 2.10 ERA in four starts.

SIXTH MAN

With the New York Mets using a six-man rotation during a long stretch between days off, Robert Gsellman gets another start in the opener of a four-game series against NL East-leading Washington. After making two relief appearances, the rookie right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA in four starts. He faces Nationals lefty Gio Gonzalez, who is 9-1 with a 1.62 ERA in 14 starts at Citi Field.

FIRST START

Matt Strahm makes his first career start in the opener of Kansas City's four-game series at the Los Angeles Angels. The left-hander was 1-3 with a 4.05 ERA in 20 appearances out of the bullpen this season.

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