O's end Cubbies' 14-game home winning streak
Baseball Betting Lines
06/25/2008 -
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nick Markakis and Luke Scott drove in two runs
each for Baltimore, as the Orioles bested the Chicago Cubs, 7-5, in the opener
of a three-game interleague set at Wrigley Field.
Markakis was 2-for-5 with a run scored and Scott added a triple, single and a
run scored. Brian Roberts was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a run batted in
for Baltimore, which halted a two-game slide. George Sherrill got out of a
bases-loaded jam with nobody out in the ninth with three straight strikeouts
to earn his 26th save.
Jeremy Guthrie (4-7) tossed six effective innings, surrendering four runs on
seven hits and a walk. Guthrie was mainly hurt by a three-run homer in the
seventh and pitched well otherwise to earn the win. The hard-luck righthander
has surrendered two earned runs or fewer in seven of his last 11 starts with
only four wins to show for it.
Jim Edmonds connected for a three-run homer and Kosuke Fukudome was 2-for-5
with a home run and two runs scored. Aramis Ramirez added two hits, an RBI and
a scored a run for Chicago, which ended both a three-game winning streak and
the Cubs' 14-game winning streak at Wrigley Field, their longest such
streak since June 4-July 10, 1936.
"These guys basically are ready to go," Cubs manager Lou Pinella said while
addressing a letdown following the Cubs sweep of the White Sox. "The White Sox
had nothing to do with this. Absolutely nothing. Baltimore came in here and
played a good ballgame. Give them credit."
Sean Marshall (0-1) lasted only 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven
hits and a walk. The righthander recorded seven strikeouts in the loss.
Baltimore got to Marshall in the fourth for the game's first runs. Kevin
Millar worked a one-out walk and Ramon Hernandez singled to left before
Scott laced a triple to right, scoring both baserunners. Marshall recovered to
get Adam Jones and Alex Cintron on strikeouts, stranding Scott.
Fukudome got one back in the home half, with a leadoff home run over the
center-field wall.
The O's came back with two in the fifth. Roberts lined a single to center and
Markakis doubled to left plating one. Markakis tagged, moving to third on a
fly out, and scored on a Millar single back up the middle ending Marshall's
day. Michael Wuertz came on for the final out.
Baltimore added three more runs in the sixth. Scott reached on an error and
scored when Cintron lined a one-out double to left. Wuertz got Guthrie
swinging but Roberts laced a triple to the gap in right-center, scoring
Cintron. Neal Cotts entered for Wuertz and allowed an RBI single to Markakis.
"(Sean) Marshall was OK," Cubs manager Lou Pinella said. "Middle relief wasn't
very good. They've been struggling. They've got to get better."
Edmonds erased Baltimore's three-run sixth with a three-run blast to the
stands in left in the seventh. Derrek Lee and Ramirez both singled to start
the inning in front of Edmonds. Edmonds' homer ended Guthrie's day as Jim
Johnson came on to record all three outs in the inning.
Chicago inched closer with a run in the eighth. Pinch-hitter Daryle Ward
worked a leadoff walk and Fukudome grounded into a force out at second. Eric
Patterson followed with a single and Johnson was pulled in favor of Chad
Bradford. Lee hit into a force out at second moving Fukudome to third and
Ramirez followed with an RBI single to right.
The Cubs loaded the bases off Sherrill in the ninth. Geovany Soto led off with
a single and Mark DeRosa drew a walk. Ryan Theriot managed an infield single
to load the bases with nobody out but Sherrill bore down and retired Ronny
Cedeno, Fukudome and pinch-hitter Henry Blanco on three consecutive strikeouts
to end the game.
"I made the first few hitters look pretty good," Sherrill said. "But somehow I
was able to get out of it. That's what a closer does. They battled and battled
us. But we were able to hold on and come out on top. I don't get nervous when
I'm out there. I get nervous when it's somebody else, not me."
Game Notes
This is the Orioles first-ever visit to Wrigley Field. The Cubs took two of
three from the O's in a 2003 meeting at Camden Yards...Roberts extended
his hitting streak to 11-games and has hit safely in 18 of his last 19
contests...The Cubs recalled Marshall from Triple-A Iowa prior to Tuesday's
contest and activated Ward from the 15-day disabled list. Chicago also placed
outfielder Reed Johnson on the 15-day disabled list and optioned infielder
Micah Hoffpauir to Iowa...Roberts recorded his 1,000th career hit in the win.
<< Vizquel plays hero in homecoming as Giants edge Tribe
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Omar Vizquel laid down a sacrifice bunt in
executing a ninth-inning suicide squeeze play for the deciding run, as the San
Francisco Giants edged the Cleveland Indians, 3-2, in the first of a three-
game in
<< Greinke, Gordon keep Royals streaking with win over Rockies
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Gordon hit a two-run home run and Zack
Greinke was effective on the hill, as the streaking Kansas City Royals beat up
on the Colorado Rockies, 7-3, in the second of a three-game, interleague set
at Kauf
<< Cards tame Tigers in rematch of '06 Fall Classic
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brendan Ryan went 3-for-4 with a two-run double
and scored, and the St. Louis Cardinals doubled up the Detroit Tigers,
8-4, in a rematch of the 2006 World Series.
Yadier Molina went 3-for-5 and scored
<< BoSox score four runs in eighth to stun D-Backs
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Lowell hit a two-run double, and Jason
Varitek drove in the go-ahead run in an eighth-inning Boston rally, as the Red
Sox stunned Arizona, 5-4, in the middle contest of a three-game interleague
set.
<< Fresno State blasts Georgia to force third CWS finals game
Omaha, NE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Steve Susdorf went 2-for-5 with a home run and
four RBI, as Fresno State batted its way to a staggering 19-10 win over
Georgia in the second game of the College World Series finals.
Georgia used an eigh
Buehrle, ChiSox crush Dodgers >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mark Buehrle tossed eight solid innings to
help lead the Chicago White Sox past the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-1, in the
first of three straight interleague meetings at Chavez Ravine.
Buehrle (5-6) allo
Los Angeles Avengers (AFL) >>
Fired head coach Ed Hodgkiss and assistant coaches Brent Winter and Michael Church.
Brown's HR in seventh helps A's send Phils to sixth straight loss >>
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Emil Brown belted a three-run homer in the
seventh inning, and the Oakland Athletics downed the flailing Philadelphia
Phillies, 5-2, in the opener of a three-game set.
Jack Cust added a two-run homer
Back-to-back homers in ninth help Twins sink Pads >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brendan Harris and Brian Buscher each slugged
solo home runs on back-to-back pitches off Trevor Hoffman in the top of the
ninth inning to propel the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 victory over the San Diego
Padres
Marlins sign top pick Skipworth >>
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins signed their top draft
pick, catcher Kyle Skipworth, to a $2.3 million contract on Wednesday.
Skipworth, who was selected sixth overall, will report to the Marlins Gulf
Coast League
Betting the NFL preseason
Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."
When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules.
The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.
The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.
“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”
The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.
“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”
The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.
“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”
Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.
“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."
So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?
“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.
Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.
Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.
Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.
“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.
Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.
The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.
“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.
Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.
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