Astros vie to extend series win streak over Cubs
Baseball Betting Lines
07/28/2010 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros have yet to lose a series to the Chicago Cubs this year. Starting pitcher Bud Norris getting his first victory in well
over two months would keep that stretch going.
Norris and the Astros aim for a fourth series win over the Cubs in as many
tries this year in Wednesday night's finale of a three-game series at Minute
Maid Park.
The Astros have won seven of 11 versus the Cubs in 2010 and evened this series
on Tuesday behind Brett Myers' complete game and a big seventh inning by the
Houston offense that led to a 6-1 triumph.
Myers scattered one run and matched a career high with 12 strikeouts while
going the distance for the first time since Sept. 14, 2008 with Philadelphia,
while Lance Berkman capped a six-run seventh inning with a grand slam.
"Mr. Myers does it again, just an absolute outstanding performance," Houston
manager Brad Mills said after his team improved to 2-3 on a nine-game
homestand. "He just continues to battle. It's fun to watch."
Myers allowed just Tyler Colvin's ninth-inning homer to fall short of the
shutout. The Cubs, who have lost two of three, failed to back Ted Lilly's
scoreless 5 2/3 innings in the start. Reliever Andrew Cashner was charged with
all six Houston runs over 1 1/3 innings of work.
Both Lilly and Myers have been involved in trade rumors leading up to
Saturday's deadline, but Chicago manager Lou Piniella didn't think that
affected his left-hander last night.
"I can tell you it wouldn't bother him," Piniella said. "I rode in with him
from the hotel [Wednesday]. We talked a little bit about his situation. He
wants to stay here, but he understands."
The Astros will hope Norris can notch his first win since May 13, and the
right-hander is 0-3 with a 6.13 earned run average in seven starts since that
outing. He has yielded 13 earned runs over his last three starts, losing
consecutive games before a no-decision versus the Reds on Friday.
The right-hander yielded four runs on four hits and three walks over six
innings in that outing and is 2-7 with a 6.08 ERA on the season.
Norris has yet to win at home this year, having gone 0-4 with a 7.13 ERA in
seven starts, and is making his first career start versus the Cubs this
evening. The 25-year-old did face them in relief a season ago, his first
appearance in the majors, and allowed a run over three frames of work.
After a slow start, Cubs starter Randy Wells has started to put things
together and brings a 14-inning scoreless streak into this outing.
The 27-year-old has hurled consecutive outings of seven innings, getting a no-
decision versus the Phillies on July 17 before besting St. Louis on Friday.
Wells held the Cardinals to five hits and three walks in a 5-0 triumph,
while also striking out seven.
Wells is 5-7 with a 4.07 ERA on the season, but 2-1 with a 1.30 ERA over his
last five starts. He is 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA in four career starts versus the
Astros, but did lose in Houston on June 6 after giving up six runs on nine
hits over 5 1/3 innings. The righty yielded a run-scoring single to Berkman
and a two-run homer to Carlos Lee in the first inning to fall behind early.
Wells will look to slow down Astros third baseman Chris Johnson, as the rookie
is hitting .415 (17-for-41) with three homers and nine RBI on an 11-game
hitting streak.
<< White Sox, Buehrle hope to extend home streak versus Mariners
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mark Buehrle tries to lead the Chicago White Sox to their
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Buehrle has been a big reason behin
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Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New England Patriots and first-round draft
pick Devin McCourty have agreed to terms of a contract.
McCourty's agent, Andy Simms, posted the news on his Twitter feed Wednesday
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Terms of the
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Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Carolina Panthers have reportedly agreed
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T
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Red Sox turn to Beckett aiming for sweep of Angels >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Josh Beckett makes his second start since returning from
the disabled list this afternoon when the Boston Red Sox try to complete a
three-game sweep against the LA Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium.
Boston, which was swep
Struggling Rockies seek to bring skid to a close against Pirates >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies try to avoid their eighth straight
loss this evening when they play the middle test of their three-game series
with the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field.
Following a 2-9 road trip, things didn't get a
Santana, Garcia duel again in Mets-Cards clash >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jamie Garcia
faced New York Mets ace Johan Santana, the rookie was able to match the two-
time Cy Young Award winner pitch-for-pitch.
He may find that to be more difficult tonight.
Posey puts 20-game hit streak on the line as Giants battle Marlins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rookie Buster Posey tries to extend his 20-game hitting
streak this evening when the San Francisco Giants and Florida Marlins resume
their four-game series at AT&T Park.
San Francisco stayed hot on Tuesday, as Juan Uri
Rangers seeking to extend lead on second-place A's >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cliff Lee sure is one tough act to follow.
Colby Lewis will have to do just that tonight as he aims to pitch the Texas
Rangers to a fourth straight victory over the Oakland Athletics in the middle
contest of a three-game s
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.
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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.
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