Davis goes for seventh straight win in Baltimore
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09/05/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wade Davis has been awfully tough to beat over the past two-plus months. Against the Baltimore Orioles, the Tampa Bay Rays pitcher has been just about invincible during his brief tenure in the majors.
Davis tries to extend a club rookie record for consecutive victories and lead the Rays to a series win over the Orioles when the two American League East inhabitants play the rubber match of a three-game set this afternoon at Camden Yards.
In an eight-start stretch beginning on July 3, Davis has won six times without a loss and posted a solid 3.66 earned run average over the course of his unbeaten run. The young right-hander has allowed two runs or less in each of those six wins and now owns an 11-9 mark over 23 outings during his first full season in the big leagues.
The soon-to-be 25-year-old wasn't slowed down by a brief stint on the disabled list last month due to a strained shoulder. Davis has won both of his two starts since being activated and pitched very well in Monday's home triumph over Toronto, yielding just two runs on six hits over 7 2/3 innings.
Davis' best work has come against the Orioles, however, and especially so on the road. He's 3-0 in three career meetings with Baltimore and permitted a mere two runs over a combined 24 innings versus today's opponent, while holding the O's to one run over eight stellar frames in a July 19 matchup at Camden Yards.
The Florida native's first major league win also took place in Baltimore during September of last season, with Davis surrendering just four hits and striking out 10 batters in a complete-game shutout that night.
Tampa Bay has also fared quite well as a team against the Orioles in 2010. The Rays have prevailed in 10 of 14 matchups between the clubs this year and are 6-2 at Camden Yards for the season.
Baltimore was able to best the playoff-hopeful Rays on Saturday, though, with the Orioles pounding out 15 hits and receiving seven strong innings out of Jeremy Guthrie to come through with an 8-4 verdict.
Nick Markakis belted a two-run homer in the first inning and Matt Wieters knocked in two more men with a double during a three-run third that gave Baltimore an early 5-1 advantage. Both players finished with two hits on the night, with Felix Pie going 2-for-5 with two RBI to aid the Orioles as well.
Guthrie (9-13) didn't need all that much support, as the right-hander limited Tampa Bay to two runs and struck out seven to improve to 6-2 in 10 starts since the All-Star break.
Baltimore halted a three-game losing streak with last night's result and is now 5-3 over its last eight contests overall.
"It's been going good so far," said Markakis after the game. "We've just got to keep it going against the teams that we're going to be facing for awhile."
The loss was a costly one for Tampa Bay. With the Yankees defeating Toronto earlier in the day, the Rays fell to 2 1/2 games behind New York in the battle for first place in the AL East. The team still managed to lengthen its lead over Boston in the league's Wild Card standings, though, after the Red Sox lost both ends of a doubleheader with Chicago on Saturday.
Matt Joyce ended 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI and recently-acquired Brad Hawpe also went deep for Tampa Bay, which had won five of its last six coming in.
Rays starter James Shields (13-12) struggled through 4 1/3 innings, with the right-hander reached for six runs on eight hits.
"I don't think I did a very good job of getting ahead in the count today," he stated afterward.
The Rays will attempt to bounce back in today's clash with O's rookie Chris Tillman, a pitcher whom the club battered in a showdown at Camden Yards earlier in the year. The highly-regarded rookie was rocked for eight runs on seven hits and issued four walks in that loss, while lasting only 2 2/3 innings.
Tillman was sent down to Triple-A Norfolk immediately following that disaster and received a promotion when rosters expanded in September. The young righty finished with an 11-7 record and a 3.34 ERA in 21 starts with the Orioles' International League affiliate.
The 22-year-old also took a loss against the Rays last season and is 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA over three career encounters with Tampa Bay. Tillman has also lost all three of his Camden Yards assignments this season and given up 15 runs (14 earned) in just 10 innings, with the opposition batting .435 against him.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Streaking righty Armando Galarraga can stay perfect for his career against Kansas City today when the Detroit Tigers visit the Royals in the finale of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium. The Tigers won Friday's opener
<< Ishikawa wins playoff in Japan
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Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Juan Uribe hit a two-run homer in the ninth
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Dodgers, 5-4, in the middle test of a three-game series.
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After putting what could be the final nail in the coffin in regards to the Boston Red Sox' playoff hopes with Saturday's performance, the Chicago White Sox now set their sights on earning their first series sweep in Fenway Pa
Yanks should have A-Rod back for finale with Jays >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees have put together their longest
winning streak of the season without the presence of Alex Rodriguez in their
lineup. The All-Star third baseman hopes to provide the American League East
leaders a further
Minor shoots for fourth straight win in rubber match with Marlins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rookie Mike Minor goes for a fourth straight win this
afternoon when the Atlanta Braves play the rubber match of their three-game
series against the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium.
After getting a no-decision in his b
Cellar-dwellers wrap up set at PNC Park >>
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PNC Park when the host Pittsburgh Pirates and visiting Washington Nationals
meet in the rubber game of a three-game weekend series.
The Nationals dropped Friday's o
Red-hot Phils attempt season sweep of Brewers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies shoot for their sixth straight
win and try to complete season sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon
at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies, who also swept the Brewers in a three-game set back
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Colts give the ‘D’ its due
The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
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FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract
Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.
NFL Betting
After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."
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