Lincecum goes after third straight complete game against Astros
Baseball Betting Lines
07/04/2009 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Lincecum hopes for the same type of run support San
Francisco provided Ryan Sadowski in the opener of this set when the Giants
play the middle test of their three-game series with the Houston Astros at
AT&T Park.
Although, considering the way Lincecum has been pitching of late, he may not
need it.
The NL's reigning Cy Young Award winner, who was just named the NL's Pitcher
of the Month for June, won for the fourth time in his last five starts and for
the eighth time in his last nine decisions on Monday in St. Louis, as he
tossed a two-hit shutout to improve to 8-2, while lowering his earned run
average to 2.37. He also struck out eight and has fanned at least that many in
his last four starts, while leading the league in that category with 132.
"It was one of his best games. His fastball was moving, he had command of all
his pitches. He was just locked in out there," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said
of his ace.
It was his second consecutive complete game and his third in four starts, two
of which have been shutouts.
"He wants to be the guy to complete a game," Bochy added. "That's the
mentality you want your starters to have."
Lincecum, who has allowed two runs or less in seven of his last eight outings,
is 1-0 in four starts against the Astros with a 2.13 ERA.
San Francisco's offense exploded early on Friday, as it scored a season-high
13 runs over the first three innings in a 13-0 win.
Sadowski (2-0) followed up six shutout innings in his big league debut on
Sunday with seven more scoreless innings and allowed just three hits and a
walk while fanning four for San Francisco, which was coming off a 5-5 road
trip.
Nate Schierholtz and Edgar Renteria each contributed three hits to the
onslaught, Pablo Sandoval added two more, including a homer and three RBI, and
Travis Ishikawa belted a three-run homer for the victors.
"We don't do that very often, but the offense was there," said Bochy.
"(Sadowski) was good. He was outstanding. We had it all going tonight:
offense, pitching. It was good to see the guys bounce back."
Houston starter Felipe Paulino (2-5) lasted just two innings, getting tattooed
for nine runs -- eight earned -- on nine hits for the Astros, who lost the
opener of this three-game set after taking three of four from San Diego.
"He just didn't have good location," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said of his
starter. "[His] curveball wasn't as good as it was before. Probably got too
many pitches in the zone. He didn't hit his spots very well and seemed like
they knew what was coming the way they were swinging."
Houston will turn to veteran righty Russ Ortiz, who is 3-3 with a 3.36 ERA.
Ortiz, who started his career with the Giants, did not get a decision on
Sunday against Detroit, despite giving up just two runs and six hits in 7 1/3
innings of a 4-3 loss.
Ortiz has faced his former team seven times and is 0-3 in those outings with a
7.46 ERA.
Drafted by San Francisco in 1995, Ortiz went 67-44 from 1998 through 2002 with
the Giants before leaving via trade in 2002. After stops in Arizona and
Baltimore, Ortiz returned to San Francisco in 2007 and appeared in 12 games
before undergoing an operation on his throwing elbow that cost him the 2008
season.
Houston and San Francisco are meeting for the first time since the Astros took
seven of the eight meetings a year ago. Houston went 3-1 at AT&T Park in 2008.
<< Report: Clemens' lawyer claims he passed steroid test in '03
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens
was reportedly not among the 100-plus players who tested positive for
performance-enhancing substances in 2003, when the league conducted an
anonymo
<< Giants option INF Downs; activate INF Aurilia
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Following the Giants' 13-0 win over the
Astros, the team optioned infielder Matt Downs to Triple-A Fresno to make room
for infielder Rich Aurilia, who was activated from the bereavement list.
The 25-ye
<< Twins place Slowey on DL; recall Swarzak
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Following the Twins' 16-inning 11-9 loss to
the Tigers, Minnesota placed pitcher Kevin Slowey on the 15-day disabled list
with a strained right wrist.
Slowey started on the mound for the Twins Friday bu
<< Raburn, Tigers use three-run 16th to edge Twins
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Raburn's RBI single in the 16th
proved to be the game-winner as the Detroit Tigers took an 11-9 win over the
Minnesota Twins in a 16-inning contest to open a three-get set at the
Metrodo
<< Huff leads O's past Angels
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aubrey Huff went 2-for-4 with a three-run home
run, as the Baltimore Orioles hung on to edge the Los Angeles Angels of
Anaheim, 6-4, in the second test of a four-game series.
Luke Scott stroked a two-ru
Rookie hurlers face off in Anaheim >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will take to the field
this evening, as they host the Baltimore Orioles in the second matchup of a
three-game stint at Angel Stadium.
Sean O'Sullivan has been a solid fill in for an Ange
Rays hope the Price is right in Arlington >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Still trying to work out some kinks, the Tampa Bay's
phenom lefty David Price will take the hill this evening against the hard-
hitting Texas Rangers in the second contest of a three-game stint.
Price, a playoff hero for
Last place teams continue set in Cleveland >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The cellar dwellers from the AL Central and AL West will
collide once again this evening when the Cleveland Indians host the Oakland
Athletics at Progressive Field.
Toeing the rubber this evening for Oakland will be Vin Ma
Halladay, Wang square off in Bronx >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In his second start since coming off the disabled list, Roy
Halladay will take the mound for the Blue Jays when Toronto takes on the New
York Yankees in the second matchup of a four-game stint at Yankee Stadium.
The strong
Moyer shoots for third straight win in middle tilt with Mets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies hope Jamie Moyer can give them
the same type of effort that Rodrigo Lopez did on Friday, when they continue
their three-game series against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park.
Lopez (1-0), w
MySportsbook.com favors Bears, Bengals, Chargers and Colts to remain perfect
LAS VEGAS , Sept. 28 - Two big match-ups of undefeated teams have fans salivating at the Week Four schedule in the NFL. The Chicago Bears stifling defense looks to provide a less than hospitable welcome to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in a battle of two 3-0 teams in the NFC conference. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers (2-0) head to Maryland to face the surprising Baltimore Ravens (3-0) as both try to keep pace atop the conference standings. Betting Lines makers at MySportsbook.com, online sportsbook and casino, have set the Bears as 3.5 point favorites while the Chargers are a 2.5 point bet.
Of the three remaining undefeated teams, only one, New Orleans, enters this week's game as an underdog. Despite an emotional and resounding win over Atlanta on Monday night, the Saints are a 7.5 point underdog against the struggling Carolina Panthers. Indianapolis looks to stay perfect when they face the New York Jets as a 9 point road favorite while the Cincinnati Bengals are a 6 point favorite at home to the New England Patriots.
Six teams enter the week still looking for their first win, with a seventh, Tampa Bay, on a bye week. The prospect of dropping another game would not bode well for a potential playoff run. Since 1990, just three teams -- the 1992 Chargers, 1995 Detroit Lions and 1998 Buffalo Bills -- have overcome losing their first three games of the season to earn a postseason berth. And only the Chargers managed to accomplish the feat after starting 0-4.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.
Big East Conference odds
Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence
Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.
Work left to do:
Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.
Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.
DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...
West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.
Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.
For more March Madness odds go to MySportsbook.com
For more College Basketball betting lines go to BettingExpress.com
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