Cubs extend lead over Brewers in NL Central
Baseball Betting Lines
07/31/2008 -
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Theriot went 3-for-3 with three runs
batted in, and Ryan Dempster allowed just one run over seven dominant innings
as the Chicago Cubs continued to pull away from the Milwaukee Brewers with a
7-2 win in the third of four games at Miller Park.
Dempster (12-4) allowed just five hits and struck out nine while walking one
for the Cubs, who have won four straight to open up a four-game lead over the
Brewers in the NL Central. Chicago also holds a four-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals, who topped the Braves, 7-2, on Wednesday.
"Guys are coming through in big ways, picking each other up, coming up with
two-out hits, two-out RBI, and the guys in the bullpen are coming in and doing
their jobs," Dempster said.
Reed Johnson and Alfonso Soriano picked up three hits a piece for the Cubs,
who won despite going 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position and stranding
15 men on base.
"We got some big situational hits," Theriot said. "We've been hitting with two
strikes and two outs well. It comes in spurts, and when you're getting those
hits, you've got to take advantage of it."
Prince Fielder homered for the Brewers, losers of four straight since tying
the Cubs atop the Central on Saturday. Manny Parra (9-4) was tagged for five
runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 frames while striking out five and walking four.
Parra also doubled and tripled to notch two of Milwaukee's six hits.
"I made some good pitches and they hit them," Parra said. "I made some bad
ones and they capitalized on those, too."
The Cubs were handed two runs in the first inning and never looked back. With
runners at the corners and two outs, Johnson fanned to seemingly end the
inning. But, Parra's pitch got past Jason Kendall, and Soriano came in to
score as Johnson beat out Kendall's throw to first. Mark DeRosa then made
Parra pay further for the extra out, plating Derrek Lee with a single up the
middle.
The Brewers got a run back in the home half as Ray Durham led off with a
ground-rule double, moved to third and scored on a wild pitch with two outs.
The Brewers had a chance to tie the game in the fifth, but a baserunning error
doomed their chances. Kendall singled with one out, but was thrown out trying
to steal second. That proved costly, as Parra followed with his first career
triple, then was stranded there when Durham grounded out.
Chicago pulled away with three more in the sixth. Dempster and Soriano singled
with one out, and Theriot ripped a line drive past Corey Hart in right for a
two-run triple that chased Parra. Two batters later, Johnson singled off
Carlos Villanueva to score Theriot for a 5-1 lead.
"The big one was the triple, that really got us going," said Cubs manager Lou
Piniella. "We've won three in a row, let's see if we can finish it off
tomorrow."
The Cubs loaded the bases against Brian Shouse in the ninth before a walk to
Theriot plated another run. Guillermo Mota came on in relief, but the Cubs
padded their lead to 7-2 when Lee grounded into an RBI force out.
Fielder's one-out blast to right off Neal Cotts in the home half secured the
final margin.
Game Notes
Cubs closer Kerry Wood was scheduled to throw a simulated game on Wednesday
but skipped it due to blister issues that have kept him on the DL since July
11...The Brewers were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position...Theriot drew
two walks and reached base in all five of his plate appearances...Fielder's
homer was his 21st of the season.
<< Braves P Hudson likely done for season
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson will likely
undergo season-ending surgery on his injured right elbow after he was
evaluated by team surgeon Dr. Xavier Duralde and noted surgeon Dr. James
Andrews
<< Ivanovic, Jankovic advance to third round at Rogers Cup
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Ana Ivanovic and fellow Serbian
Jelena Jankovic were second-round winners Wednesday at the $1.34 million
Rogers Cup tennis event.
The world No. 1 Ivanovic, who is the French Open champion
<< Floyd powerful on mound as ChiSox top Twins
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gavin Floyd allowed one run on just four
hits as the Chicago White Sox earned an 8-3 win over the Minnesota Twins in
the third matchup in a four-game set.
Floyd (11-6) lasted 7 2/3 innings yielding
<< Marlins rough up Pelfrey again as Mets fall out of first place
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Josh Johnson pitched into the seventh inning for
his first victory since August of 2006, and the Marlins dealt Mike Pelfrey his
first loss in over two months with a 7-5 triumph over the New York Mets in the
rubber
<< Angels dominate Boston again; Manny's last game for Red Sox?
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Garret Anderson drove in four runs, as the
Angels flattened the Boston Red Sox, 9-2, to complete a three-game sweep at
Fenway Park.
Anderson finished 4-for-5 with a two-run homer and a double for Los
Billingsley tosses five-hitter as Dodgers creep above .500 >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chad Billingsley tossed a five-hitter
for first major league shutout, as the Dodgers earned a 4-0 victory over the
San Francisco Giants.
Matt Kemp extended his career-high hitting streak to 17 games
Tracy, Reynolds spark D-Backs past Padres >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chad Tracy and Mark Reynolds each went 2-
for-4 with a pair of runs batted in, and the Arizona Diamondbacks charged past
the San Diego Padres, 7-3, in the rubber match of a three-game set at Petco
Park.
White Sox deal for Griffey >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago White Sox have added a
future Hall of Famer for their stretch run on Thursday, as Ken Griffey Jr.
agreed to leave his hometown Cincinnati for a chance at a championship.
The
Deng signs multi-year deal with Bulls >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Restricted free agent Luol Deng has re-signed
with the Chicago Bulls, inking a six-year contract.
"Signing Luol has always been a priority for this organization and we have
always felt that he was a big
Zimmerman leaves game after bottom of the third >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Zimmerman was hit on the hand by
Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Kyle Kendrick, stayed in the game to run,
but left after the bottom of the third inning.
An x-ray was negative and the third
Betting the NFL preseason
Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."
When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules.
The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.
The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.
“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”
The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.
“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”
The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.
“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”
Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.
“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."
So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?
“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.
Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.
Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.
Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.
“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.
Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.
The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.
“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.
Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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