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Cubs carry hot bats into Steel CityBaseball Betting Lines05/04/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After getting their offense to break out in a home series over the weekend, the Chicago Cubs hit the road for six straight games beginning with tonight's first of three straight meetings with the Pittsburgh Pirates from PNC Park. The Cubs enter the Steel City off three consecutive victories over visiting Arizona in which the club racked up 28 runs and swatted eight homers. Chicago went deep three times in Sunday's finale, with Alfonso Soriano homering twice to pace a 15-hit barrage that led to a 10-5 triumph over the Diamondbacks. Soriano finished the day 3-for-4 with four RBI and drove in a whopping 10 runs over the Cubs' three wins in the four-game set. He belted four homers and batted a scorching .636 (7-for-11) as well during that time frame. Marlon Byrd also homered while knocking in three runs in Sunday's win, with Chad Tracy adding three hits, including an RBI single, and crossing the plate three times. Chicago battered Arizona starter Edwin Jackson for eight runs and 11 hits over the first four innings. "[Jackson's] a guy where you just have to wait for your pitch," said Byrd. "We got a day where he was a little bit off his game, and we're swinging the bats well, so it was a good combination for us." Tom Gorzelanny (1-3) was far more effective for the Cubs, with the left-hander establishing a career high with 10 strikeouts and holding Arizona to two runs over seven innings to notch his first win of the season. Chicago's big bats will be taking their swings against a Pittsburgh pitching staff that has combined for a major league-worst 6.79 earned run average so far this season and was beat up again in Sunday's 9-3 loss at Los Angeles. The Dodgers banged out 16 hits, seven of which went for extra bases, in dealing the Bucs a third straight loss. Most of the Dodgers' damage came against Jeff Karstens (0-1), with the Pirates starter being tagged for six runs and 11 hits in just five innings of work. "Too many balls were elevated," Karstens said. "Every ball they hit was elevated." Garrett Jones and Bobby Crosby both went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Pittsburgh, which finished 3-7 on a 10-game road trip through Houston, Milwaukee and Los Angeles. Paul Maholm will attempt to get the Pirates back on track when he takes the ball for tonight's opener. The southpaw has been one of the team's better hurlers in the early going, having pitched into the seventh inning in each of his last three starts. Maholm allowed four runs over seven frames in each of his past two outings, a loss at Houston on April 23 and a no-decision against Milwaukee last Wednesday. In his most recent appearance at home, the former first-round pick limited Cincinnati to two runs and four hits over a solid 6 2/3 innings to earn his lone victory of the season. The 27-year-old sports a 4-1 record in nine career starts against the Cubs despite having compiled a 7.06 earned run average during that span. Maholm was hit hard in his only encounter with Chicago last season, a four-inning stint at Wrigley Field in which he was rocked for seven runs on seven hits. Soriano has homered three times off Maholm in the past and owns a .333 (6- for-18) lifetime average off the Pirates starter. Ryan Dempster gets the call for Chicago this evening and will be vying for a fourth consecutive winning decision over Pittsburgh. The veteran righty was 2-0 in three starts versus Pittsburgh a year ago and shut out the Bucs on a five-hitter last September at Wrigley Field. Although he has not lost to Pittsburgh since September 5, 2006, Dempster is just 6-7 with a 5.46 ERA over 42 career appearances against the Pirates, 17 of which have come as a starter. However, he's posted a 3-0 mark with a 3.73 ERA through five starts in this series over the previous two seasons. The right-hander, who turned 33 on Monday, had won back-to-back decisions before being dealt a tough-luck loss by Washington last Wednesday. Dempster worked a season-high eight innings against the Nationals and allowed three runs on only four hits, but wound up on the wrong end of a 3-2 decision. In five overall starts thus far in 2010, Dempster has gone 2-1 with a strong 2.78 ERA and has held opposing hitters to a .197 average. Chicago went 10-4 against the Pirates last season, including a 5-1 record at PNC Park, and has prevailed in 15 of the past 19 matchups between these National League Central foes. The Cubs have emerged victorious in eight of their last nine games played at PNC Park.
<< Dodgers welcome Brewers to Chavez Ravine
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Dodgers aim to build off their first three-game winning streak of the 2010 campaign when the reigning National League West champions begin a three-game series with the slumping Milwaukee Brewers this evening a
<< Braves, Heyward head into DC to face Nats
<< Lakers aim to continue dominance over Jazz at Staples Center
<< Hawks, Magic kick off Eastern semis in Orlando
<< Bulls fire Del Negro
BoSox aim to bust out once again versus slumping Angels >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jon Lester hopes for the same type of run support the Boston Red Sox provided Clay Buchholz with on Monday as his team continues a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim tonight at Fenway Park. Boston's b
White Sox to resume home set with division-rival Royals >>
Burnett, Yanks hope for case of deja vu against Orioles >>
Blue Jays' Romero gets his chance to try to shut down Indians >>
Cards, Wainwright aim for another win over Phils >>
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses 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.'' 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. ”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?'' For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee. "I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are." To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Mastercard needs. |
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