05/11/2008 - Los Angeles, CA (Baseball Betting) - Hunter Pence went 3-for-4, drove in two runs and scored twice as the Houston Astros fought off Hiroki Kuroda's no-hit bid and rallied for six runs in the eighth inning and an 8-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers to complete a three-game sweep.
Brad Ausmus added a two-run single for Astros, who have won eight of nine. Miguel Tejada went 2-for-4 and scored a pair of runs, while Mark Loretta Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee and Michael Bourn drove in a run apiece.
Geoff Geary (1-1) earned the win with a scoreless inning in relief of Shawn Chacon, who held the Dodgers to two runs on seven hits over six frames. Jose Valverde only had to record one out for his eighth save.
Jonathan Broxton (1-1) allowed six runs in one-third of an inning for the Dodgers, losers of four straight. Kuroda took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and allowed a run on one hit over 6 2/3 frames, striking out five and walking three.
James Loney hit a two-run homer, while Blake DeWitt went 3-for-4 and scored twice. Andre Ethir had three hits, including a double, and Delwyn Young drove in a run and scored a run.
After managing just one hit through seven innings, the Astros took the lead with five straight singles in the eighth.
Matsui and Tejada started the eighth with singles off Broxton, and the Astros pulled within one when Berkman grounded a single to left to plate Matsui. Lee dropped a single to left to score Tejada and tie the game, then Pence bounced a single back through the middle that allowed Berkman to give the Astros a 4-3 lead when Kemp's throw bounced off the mound.
Pence stole second, and after Wigginton struck out, Ausmus singled through a drawn-in infield to bring in two more runs. Hong-Chih Kuo came on in relief, but was greeted with a pinch-hit double by Darin Erstad. Bourn lofted a sacrifice fly to score Ausmus, before Kuo finally ended the six run, seven hit onslaught with a strikeout of Matsui.
Pence added an RBI double in the ninth, while the Dodgers picked up two runs off Doug Brocail in the bottom half. After putting men on second and third with nobody out, Chin-Lung Hu knocked in DeWitt with a groundout, then Andruw Jones crushed a sac fly to deep center that was snagged by Michael Bourn, who smashed into the wall making the catch. After Mark Sweeney's pinch-hit single, Valverde came on and got Ethier to pop out to third and end the game.
Loney's two-run shot helped the Dodgers to a first inning lead, but they couldn't put another run across against Chacon.
Pence finally broke up Kuroda's no-hit bid with two outs in the seventh, lining a single to left. Ty Wigginton drew a walk, and after Kuroda fell behind pinch-hitter Geoff Blum 1-0, Joe Beimel came on in relief. But, Beimel issued back-to-back walks to Blum and pinch-hitter Loretta to force in Houston's first run.
L.A. tacked on a run in the bottom of the seventh, as DeWitt doubled off Wesley Wright, then scored when Matsui couldn't handle Wright's throw on Young's bunt attempt.
Game Notes
The Astros completed their first three-game sweep at Dodger Stadium since 1992...The Astros left eight men on base, while the Dodgers stranded six...Pence added a pair of stolen bases...The Dodgers begin a three-game series in Milwaukee on Tuesday...The Astros travel to San Francisco on Monday to open a four-game set...Time of game was 3:31...Attendance was 40,217.
<< Brown keys Oakland's win over Rangers
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in, including a three-run homer, as the Oakland Athletics avoided a weekend
sweep and clobbered the Texas Rangers, 12-6.
Daric Barton hit a two-run homer an
<< Jazz tie series with OT win; Kobe fights through injury
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doled out 14 assists as the Utah Jazz survived a late surge and downed the Los
Angeles Lakers, 123-115, in overtime to knot their Western Conference
semifin
<< Cubs top D-Backs
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Daryle Ward's two-run pinch-hit double in
the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Chicago Cubs over the Arizona
Diamondbacks, 6-4, to complete a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field.
The start of g
<< Atletico Madrid pulls level with Barcelona
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Diego Forlan scored as Atletico Madrid edged
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a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to Mallorca on Sunday in the Spanish La Liga.
Atletic
Holm's first career homer propels Giants past Phillies >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Steve Holm's first major league home
run in the bottom of the seventh inning drove in the winning run, as the San
Francisco Giants edged the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3, in the rubber match at
AT&
Flyers D Coburn leaves after getting hit with puck >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Braydon
Coburn left in the first period of his team's playoff game against Pittsburgh
after the puck hit him in the face.
Just 1:51 into the second game of the Easte
Knost rallies for first Nationwide victory >>
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day, Colt Knost closed with a five-under 65 to come from behind and win the
Fort Smith Classic.
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Ibanez homers as Mariners snap skid >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Raul Ibanez launched a monstrous go-ahead
two-run homer and the Seattle Mariners snapped a five-game losing streak with
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Ichiro Suzuki was 3-for-4 and scored twic
American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6
The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.
Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com. "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis. It's like Week 1 of the NFL. Pre-season means nada!
We do know the 24 finalists however.
Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24. He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway. He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien.
Brandon Rogers - Who?
Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition. He should go a good distance.
Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was. And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition. He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice! People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way.
"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks. He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes. But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.
A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”
Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes.
"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate. "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past. He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far. Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."
Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts)
And the others:
Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter
The girls
"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis. "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has. The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive. I think she will go far."
Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.
"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams. Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth. "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.
Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.
Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.
Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan
MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with).
Last two contestants will be?
1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)
2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)
2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)
MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines.
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 Smith and 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 Bears in 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 back Deuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts US credit cards
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