Lee homers twice as Cubs down Brewers
Baseball Betting Lines
07/02/2009 -
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Derrek Lee headlined a home run parade with two
long-balls -- a three-run shot and a grand slam -- for a career-high seven
RBI, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 9-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the
beginning of a crucial four-game series between the NL Central foes.
It was Lee's 20th career multi-homer game, as the Cubs won for the third time
in four games. Jake Fox and Geovany Soto each hit a solo shot in a game that
featured six total homers -- all in the first six innings.
Ryan Dempster (5-5) was the beneficiary of the run support, moving to 10-3
lifetime against Milwaukee after allowing three runs on eight hits and two
walks with nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.
Mike Cameron and Prince Fielder each hit a home run for the Brewers, who have
lost two in a row after winning four of their previous five. Seth McClung
(3-2), in his second start of the year, was hammered for seven runs on seven
hits with two walks and a strikeout in only 3 1/3 innings.
The Cubs got off to a quick start in the first. Sam Fuld drew a walk to lead
off, Ryan Theriot followed with a single, and Lee scored everybody with a
three-run homer to left for an early cushion.
Two batters later, Fox hit his fourth home run of the season for a 4-0 edge.
Cameron, though, answered for Milwaukee, blasting a two-run shot in the second
to cut the Brewers' deficit in half.
To keep the home run parade going, Soto drilled his eighth of the year to lead
off the fourth and give the Cubs a 5-2 lead.
Chicago blew the game wide open in the same frame thanks to more hot hitting
from Lee. Following Soto's homer, Mike Fontenot and Fuld both singled, and
Theriot walked, setting up Lee's grand slam to center for a commanding 9-2
advantage.
Fielder added to the home run tally with a leadoff shot in the sixth, pulling
the Brewers to within 9-3. Ryan Braun produced the first non-homer run of the
game with an RBI single in the seventh, although it still left Milwaukee down
by five.
In the top of the eighth, with one out and Aaron Heilman pitching for Chicago,
Cameron doubled, Corey Hart was hit by a pitch, and Jason Kendall grounded an
RBI single through the left side of the infield for a 9-5 game.
Heilman limited the damage by retiring the next two hitters, and Carlos Marmol
finished off the Brewers in the ninth.
Game Notes
Thursday marked the beginning of an 11-game homestand for the Cubs. They will
also face Atlanta and St. Louis while at Wrigley Field...Chicago leads the
season series, 4-3...Cameron finished 3-for-4, while Fielder was 2-for-4 for
Milwaukee...Fuld and Theriot both had a pair of hits for Chicago...Since May
30, a span of 29 games, Lee is hitting .339 with nine homers and 29 RBI. He
has 14 home runs total this season. It was his 10th career grand
slam...Dempster earned his first win since May 30.
<< Stockton and Gates lead Edmonton Open
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brady Stockton and Robert Gates both fired
rounds of seven-under 65 on Thursday to share the first-round lead of the
Edmonton Open.
Liam Kendregan and Jon Turcott both shot 66s in round one and ar
<< Mayfield a no-show at Daytona
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sprint Cup Series driver and team owner
Jeremy Mayfield was not present at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday,
one day after a federal judge granted him a temporary injunction to race
again,
<< Diaz helps Braves slip past slumping Phils
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Diaz belted a go-ahead RBI double in a
three-run eighth, as the Atlanta Braves recorded their first home sweep of the
Phillies since 2005 with a 5-2 victory at Turner Field.
Garret Anderson added a t
<< Wellemeyer pitches Cardinals over Giants
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Todd Wellemeyer threw 7 1/3 innings to help
the St. Louis Cardinals take a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants and split
a four-game series.
Wellemeyer (7-7) scattered seven hits and two runs with a
<< Cubs reliever Cotts has Tommy John surgery
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Neal Cotts
underwent Tommy John surgery on Thursday and will be sidelined indefinitely.
Cotts was 0-2 this season with a 7.36 earned run average before being demoted
to Tri
Buehrle, ChiSox stop Royals >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mark Buehrle took a shutout into the ninth
inning, as the Chicago White Sox extended their season-high win streak to six
games with a 4-1 win over the Kansas City Royals.
Buehrle (8-2) allowed a run on
Artest joining Lakers >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Free agent forward Ron Artest is
leaving the Houston Rockets to join the Los Angeles Lakers and will provide
the team with more offensive firepower next season, as he'll join Kobe Bryant
and Pau
Rockets lose out on Artest but nab Ariza >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Just moments after losing out to the Lakers for
the services of forward Ron Artest, the Rockets have reportedly come to an
agreement with Trevor Ariza, who was a key part of Los Angeles' championship
run thi
Kings reach agreement on four-year deal with Scuderi >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Kings have reached an
agreement on a four-year contract with former Penguins blueliner Rob Scuderi.
Scuderi was a key cog in helping Pittsburgh claim its third Stanley Cup title
in t
NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees announced >>
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NASCAR on Thursday revealed the 25 nominees
for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class. Nominees included
pioneers, former champions and driver-turned-team owners of the sport.
A 21-member committe
Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds
Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.
The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.
The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.
Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.
MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:
Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)
Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)
Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.
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BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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