05/09/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of American League West members on good recent rolls begin a three-game series tonight in the Lone Star State, where the Texas Rangers take on an Oakland Athletics squad in search of a fifth consecutive victory.
Oakland enters this set off a three-game home sweep of Baltimore that culminated with an extra-inning win on Wednesday. Mark Ellis provided the heroics, as the second baseman slugged a walkoff solo homer with two outs in the 10th inning to lift the Athletics to a 6-5 triumph.
Ellis also had a single, walk, and a stolen base, while Kurt Suzuki finished 2-for-5 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored for the A's.
Dallas Braden earned the win for Oakland after delivering 2 1/3 outstanding innings of relief. The left-hander did not allow a run or a hit during his time on the mound.
Texas has ripped off seven victories in its last nine contests and took the final three tests of a four-game home series with slumping Seattle. The Rangers posted shutouts in each of the two most recent wins, including Thursday's 5-0 decision.
Ramon Vazquez finished 4-for-5 and Ian Kinsler hit a two-run homer for Texas in a game marred by an ugly benches-clearing fracas in the fourth inning.
The incident began when Rangers starter Kason Gabbard threw up and in on the Mariners' Richie Sexson, who charged the mound and flung his helmet at the left-hander as both benches emptied. Gabbard wound up leaving the game with bruised legs as a result of the skirmish.
Franklyn German (1-0) allowed one hit and struck out three in 1 2/3 innings in relief of Gabbard to pick up the victory.
Tonight's series opener features a pitching rematch of the most recent meeting between these divisional foes, with rookie standout Greg Smith taking the mound for the Athletics and Scott Feldman getting another start for the Rangers.
Smith baffled the Rangers in this past Sundays 3-1 Oakland victory, although the young left-hander couldn't garner enough run support to come out with a win. He held Texas to one run and three hits over the first six innings, while racking up a career-best 10 strikeouts before reaching his pitch count. The A's were trailing, 1-0, at the time of Smith's departure.
The 24-year-old has yielded two runs or less in each of his last three starts and has compiled an outstanding 2.54 earned run average in six outings since joining Oaklands rotation in early April.
Feldman, who was making just his second big league start on Sunday, also pitched well before running into trouble late. The converted reliever shut the As out over the first six innings but was touched for three runs in the seventh to be saddled with the loss. He finished with a line of six hits allowed and five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of work.
The 25-year-old, now 0-1 with a 2.92 ERA in six overall appearances against Oakland, has been moved into a startling role due to recent injuries to regular rotation members Jason Jennings and Luis Mendoza.
Texas took two of three from the A's last week at McAfee Coliseum and went 6-3 against Oakland in Arlington last season.
<< A pair of aces to highlight Padres-Rockies opener
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A solid pitching matchup is on tap tonight at Petco Park,
where Jake Peavy will lead the San Diego Padres against Aaron Cook and the NL
West-rival Colorado Rockies.
Peavy is 4-1 with a 2.22 earned run average in seven
<< Reeling Brewers return home to face Central-leading Cards
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Milwaukee Brewers are back at home after a lengthy road
trip, and they will try to stop a six-game slide tonight in the first of four
straight games versus the St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park.
Milwaukee went 2-7 o
<< Marlins try to keep up season success against Nats
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NL East-leading Florida Marlins will try to extend
their current winning streak to a season-high five games tonight, when they
begin a seven-game road trip with the first of three straight meetings with
Washing
<< Braves take hot streak into Pittsburgh
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Braves will try to stay unbeaten this month as
they open a seven-game road trip with tonight's first of four straight games
against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
Atlanta is coming off a perfect six
Golf Tidbits: Inkster's major streak to end >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There have been significant winning
streaks in golf over the years, and there have also been plenty of players who
have stressed family over golf. Occasionally the two intersect.
Consider the case of Juli
Wolfsburg, Stuttgart highlight key Bundesliga games >>
Wolfsburg, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath described
Saturday's Bundesliga match against Stuttgart as a "final."
Wolfsburg has climbed from 11th at the halfway point of the season to seventh
- only Bayern Munich an
Cubs activate Eyre >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs activated pitcher Scott Eyre
from the 15-day disabled list and optioned left-handed pitcher Sean Marshall
to Triple-A Iowa on Friday.
Eyre, 35, has missed the first 34 games this seas
Columbus gunning for fifth straight win at San Jose >>
Santa Clara, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When asked how the Columbus Crew, who have
won four straight and five of six, could continue their early-season success,
forward Alejandro Moreno had a simple answer.
"Well," Moreno said, "we keep doing t
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
Additional baseball lines can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
Sports Betting News: Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting