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Phils go for another win over NL East-leading BravesBaseball Betting Lines07/06/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The top of the National League East got a little tighter after the Phillies took yesterday's opener of a three-game series with the first-place Braves. Philadelphia will try to inch a little closer to the top spot tonight with a second straight win over visiting Atlanta at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies, losers in four of five heading into Monday's opener, pulled within four games of the Braves after claiming a 3-1 victory on Monday. Roy Halladay won his 10th game of the season with his seventh complete game of 2010, allowing just Chipper Jones' solo homer in the first inning. "As the game progressed, you realize it's going to be a close game," Halladay said of recovering after Jones' homer. "It's like a lot of them -- you're trying to minimize as much as you can and stay ahead in the count." Halladay, who lowered his earned run average to 2.33 after his 56th career complete game, seemed like he might be in line for another tough-luck loss until Greg Dobbs hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning. Juan Castro added an RBI single in the eighth for the Phillies, who have split 10 overall meetings with the Braves this year but have taken three of the four played at home. Derek Lowe took the loss despite allowing just the two runs over seven innings for the Braves, who have dropped four straight on the road and are just 18-25 as the guest this year compared to 30-10 at home. They lead the second-place Mets by two games in the NL East standings. "We're playing solid baseball," Jones said. "We've got some injures right now, as they do. Everybody's got injuries. We just need to tread water until after the break, get healthy and take it the rest of the way." Atlanta played without Troy Glaus, Jason Heyward and Nate McLouth on Monday, while Philadelphia is minus Carlos Ruiz, Placido Polanco, Chase Utley and Brian Schneider. Glaus and Schneider could return this evening for their respective clubs. Jair Jurrjens will make his second start for the Braves since returning from a strained left hamstring that sidelined him for two months. Pitching for the first time since April 29, the right-hander yielded just a run on six hits and two walks over five innings of a victory on Wednesday versus Washington. Jurrjens threw 56 of his 86 pitches for strikes and improved to 1-3 on the season with a 5.59 ERA. "I felt really good, really strong," Jurrjens said. "I got my command and was able to hit my spots when I wanted to. I think that was the whole key to the game." The 24-year-old is 3-3 with a 2.35 ERA in eight career starts versus the Phillies, who counter with struggling lefty Cole Hamels. The 26-year-old has lost consecutive starts and five of his last six decisions, posting a 5.50 ERA over his last three outings. He pitched decent versus the Pirates on Thursday, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks over seven innings, striking out eight in a 3-2 defeat. He also didn't allow a home run for the first time in six starts. Hamels is 6-7 with a 4.07 ERA on the season and has faced the Braves twice this year. He beat them on May 9 despite allowing three runs on eight hits and four walks over just five innings, then took a loss to them in a rain- shortened outing on June 1. Hamels allowed a three-run homer to Glaus and pitched just two-thirds of an inning due to the delay for the shortest outing of his career. In 16 career starts versus the Braves, the southpaw is 8-5 with a 4.28 ERA.
<< Pirates begin series against hosting Astros
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two of the bottom teams in the National League get together tonight when the Houston Astros host the Pittsburgh Pirates in game one of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park. The Astros, who finished fifth in the NL Centr
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTINGNCAA Football BettingMany fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.) "To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good." Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida. Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October. USC Trojans - 10.5 wins A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention. Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2 "There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach." Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1 The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines. Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1 If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J. Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines . |
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