05/11/2008 - St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carl Crawford blasted the go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays used 15 hits to beat the Angels, 8-5, completing a three-game weekend sweep.
Crawford had three hits and stole two bases, while Akinori Iwamura went 3-for-5 and scored twice for the Rays. B.J. Upton added three hits, scoring three times.
Cliff Floyd had two RBI in his first action since coming off the disabled list on Friday. Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine went five innings, surrendering five runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out three.
J.P. Howell (2-0) came on to pitch three strong innings, retiring seven straight and nine of 10 to secure the win. Tampa Bay extended its franchise- record nine-game winning streak at home and has won four straight overall. Troy Percival came on in the ninth to record his ninth save of the season.
"That's just the beginning hopefully," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We feel pretty good about ourselves right now. I believe we're capable of playing this way consistently."
Torii Hunter had three hits and drove in two runs for the Angels. Garret Anderson had two hits and two RBI and Vladimir Guerrero added two hits and knocked in a run in defeat.
Los Angeles starter Ervin Santana lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on nine hits and one walk. He did strike out seven and left with a one-run lead, but remained at 6-0 on the season.
"Ervin started off a little slow, picked it up, and actually got into a pretty good rhythm," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I thought he had to work hard to get out of some innings but he settled in and gave us a chance to win."
The Angels have dropped four straight, their longest slide since dropping six in a row, April 12-18, 2007.
Tampa Bay erased the Halo's 5-4 lead with a four-run sixth off Justin Speier (0-3).
Dioner Navarro led off with a single, but Santana retired the next two batters before being lifted in favor of Speier. Iwamura roped a double to left-center, but Navarro had to be held at third. Crawford then gave an offering a ride to the right-field seats, making it 7-5. Upton followed with a double off the center-field wall and Speier uncorked consecutive wild pitches to bring in Tampa Bay's eighth run.
The Rays jumped on Santana, getting runs in the first for the second consecutive day. Upton singled in a run, while Evan Longoria lofted a sacrifice fly, and Floyd's base hit drove in Upton.
The Angels, who had been blanked by consecutive 2-0 finals in the first two outings, broke out of their series slump in the third scoring three runs to tie the game. Jeff Mathis walked and Sean Rodriguez singled to start the inning. After two fly ball outs, Guerrero, Anderson and Hunter collected RBI base-hits.
The Rays wasted no time in regaining the lead at 5-4, posting a run in the bottom half on Floyd's second single of the day, plating Upton who led off with a base hit.
Los Angeles continued to hit in the fifth getting another two runs to take the lead. Erick Aybar started with a one-out single and Guerrero followed with a double to left. Anderson singled to right plating Aybar. but right fielder Gabe Gross gunned down Guerrero trying to score for the second out. Hunter then smoked a first-pitch fastball to the gap in right-center for a triple, scoring Anderson.
Game Notes
Los Angeles' runs in the third snapped a 25-inning scoreless streak for Rays starting pitching and a 33-inning streak for Tampa Bay hurlers at home...Los Angeles opens a seven-game homestand against the Chicago White Sox on Monday after finishing a six-game road swing at 2-4...The Rays are off to their best start in club history at 21-16...Tampa continues its homestand, opening a four-game series with the New York Yankees on Monday...Iwamura extended his nine-game hit streak for Tampa.
<< Beltran, Mets blast Reds
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Beltran hit a two-run home run and
an RBI double, and the New York Mets downed the Cincinnati Reds, 8-3, in the
rubber match at Shea Stadium.
Oliver Perez (3-3) went six innings, holding the Re
<< Rockies call up prospect Reynolds, option struggling Redman
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies sent scuffling pitcher
Mark Redman to the minor leagues on Sunday, while calling up top prospect Greg
Reynolds to start their game against the San Diego Padres.
Reynolds went 1-2 with
<< Vintage Sorenstam romps in Williamsburg
Williamsburg, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After a year filled with injury, Annika
Sorenstam proved she is back to her old form on Sunday.
Sorenstam fired a five-under 66 to cruise to a seven-shot win at the Michelob
Ultra Open at Kingsmill. Sh
<< Rockies send struggling Redman to minors
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies sent scuffling pitcher
Mark Redman to the minor leagues on Sunday, calling up Greg Reynolds to start
their game against the San Diego Padres.
The 34-year-old left-hander, who is 2-3
Twellman returns to lead New England over Chivas >>
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Taylor Twellman scored less than 15 minutes into
his season debut Sunday and the New England Revolution defeated Chivas USA 2-1
in Major League Soccer.
Twellman missed New England's first seven matches followi
Braun leads Brew Crew past Cards >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Braun's fourth career multi-homer
game helped the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in
the third of a four-game set at Miller Park.
Jeff Suppan (2-2) gave up one run
Gagne relieved of closing duties for Brewers >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost announced
before Sunday's 5-3 win over St. Louis that Eric Gagne had been relieved of
his closer duties and will approach the ends of games with a closer-by-
committ
Atletico Madrid pulls level with Barcelona >>
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Diego Forlan scored as Atletico Madrid edged
Deportivo, 1-0, to pull even in points with third-place Barcelona, which blew
a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to Mallorca on Sunday in the Spanish La Liga.
Atletic
MySportsbook.com refunds all bets on Oakland, Green Bay and Tampa Bay from NFL week one.
(September 14, 2007) – Week one of NFL action saw three teams go scoreless for the first time since 1977. Another four were unable to get a touchdown and almost half of the underdogs covered the spread. Those three teams saved bettors at MySportsbook.com from losing out completely, thanks to the company’s unique NFL Shutout Rule -- which ensures that if the team you backed goes scoreless, your wager is refunded.
MySportsbook.com refunded tens of thousands of dollars to customers who bet on Oakland, Green Bay and Tampa Bay, the three teams that stunk up the field so badly that their fans and backers never had a chance to get up from their couches and cheer. In the spirit of the low scoring start to the season, odds makers at the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino have set odds on how many total shutouts there will be this season.
MySportsbook.com has posted updated betting lines for week two of the season. Ben Roethlisberger’s health status is still questionable, so Willie Parker will try to lead Pittsburgh again as they travel to Jacksonville as a one point favorite. After beating up on his little brother last week, Peyton Manning will look to lead the Colts to victory against Houston. Indianapolis is a whopping 13.5 favorite in the match-up.
Seattle, last year’s highest scoring team, showed the power of their defense with their gritty 9-6 win in Motown over the ravenous Lions. They take their act back home to the comforts of Qwest Field where they will face the resurgent Arizona Cardinals. The Seahawks are favored by a touchdown.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.