Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting
08/23/2010 - Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Todd Helton recorded his first four-hit game since the summer of 2009, and his final hit back through the middle scored Carlos Gonzalez with the eventual winning run, as the Colorado Rockies edged the Atlanta Braves, 5-4, in the first of three games at Coors Field.
Jonny Venters (4-1) failed to retire any of the three big Colorado hitters, as Gonzalez singled and Troy Tulowitzki walked before Helton battled the tough southpaw over a nine-pitch at-bat. He was buzzed on a pitch that actually hit his bat then stood in and stroked a run-scoring single to center.
Helton's heroics made a winner of Rafael Betancourt (4-1), who gave up the tying run at the time on two hits with one walk while striking out the side. Gonzalez had two hits and Ian Stewart hit a two-run home run for the Rockies, winners in two straight.
The top of the Braves order did all of their damage, as Omar Infante, Jason Heyward and Martin Prado finished a combined 7-for-14 with three runs scored. Prado hit a two-run home run for the Braves, who have dropped two of three. Atlanta remained 2 1/2 games in front of Philadelphia in the National League East standings, as the Phillies lost, 3-2, to Houston.
Tim Hudson started on the mound for the Braves, but got a no-decision after yielding four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk over six frames. The right-hander was 5-0 with a 0.82 earned run average over his previous six starts.
Jason Hammel opposed the Braves right-hander and held his own, giving up three runs on nine hits with six strikeouts over 6 1/3 frames.
The Braves left two men on base in the top of the third, then Colorado struck first in the home half. Dexter Fowler grounded a single to center and Gonzalez followed with a double past Heyward in right for the early lead.
The home-standing Rockies added two more runs in the fourth as Helton ripped a double and Stewart crushed a 1-2 fastball into the rock formation in center field for a 3-0 edge.
Atlanta finally got to Hammel with a two-out rally in the fifth as Heyward laced a single to left and Prado drove an eye-high fastball over the wall in center for a 3-2 game.
Tulowitzki kicked off the sixth with his 25th two-bagger of the season and he quickly came around to score on Helton's single to center.
The Braves chipped away, tying the game with single runs in the seventh and eighth frames. Rick Ankiel clubbed a solo shot to right in the seventh then Alex Gonzalez hit a perfectly-placed double into left-center field, scoring Prado with the tying run. Ankiel, however, struck out to leave two runners in scoring position.
Game Notes
Colorado manager Jim Tracy picked up his 700th managerial victory...Helton's last four-hit game came on July 10, 2009...Hudson has surrendered 17 runs in his last 15 innings over three starts at Coors Field...Hammel gave up seven runs on eight hits in just 1 2/3 frames versus the Braves back on April 16.
<< Safina, Dementieva win Pilot Pen openers
New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former world No. 1 Dinara Safina and two-
time Grand Slam runner-up Elena Dementieva were among Monday's opening-round
winners at the $600,000 Pilot Pen Tennis event, a final hardcourt U.S. Open
tune-up
<< Chris Johnson, Gado rush Titans past Cardinals
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Samkon Gado, signed last week after an injury
to Stafon Johnson, rushed for a pair of touchdowns, as Tennessee toppled
Arizona, 24-10, in preseason play.
Gado, who spent parts of the last two seasons w
<< So close to perfection: Rangers miss no-hitter, still blank Twins
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer broke up a
combined no-hitter with a one-out single off Neftali Feliz in the ninth
inning, but the Texas Rangers used sensational pitching to defeat the Twins,
4-0, in
<< DeWitt, Coleman help Cubs win in Quade's debut
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Blake DeWitt went 3-for-5 with a home run
and two RBI, and Casey Coleman picked up his first major league win in Mike
Quade's debut as interim manager for the Cubs, as Chicago thumped Washington,
9-1.
Police: OSU lineman found naked in stranger's home >>
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -A redshirt Oregon State University football player has been dismissed from the team after police say they found him naked and intoxicated in a stranger's home and had to use stun guns to take him into custody.Corvallis police s
Giants blast Reds >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Cain pitched eight solid innings,
while Aubrey Huff and Pablo Sandoval each registered three runs batted in, as
San Francisco blasted Cincinnati, 11-2, in the first of three games from AT&T
Par
Shields, Rays down Angels, regain share of first in AL East >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - James Shields pitched six-plus innings and
fanned 10 batters as Tampa Bay edged the Angels, 4-3, and moved back into a
first-place tie in the AL East.
B.J. Upton hit Scott Kazmir's first pitch of the
Army's next goal is a bowl game >>
WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) -Rich Ellerson's first season at Army was successful in several ways. The Cadets won five games and were more competitive than they had been in years.The goal now for Ellerson will be building on the accomplishments of the firs
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting