Dodgers send Kershaw to the hill in finale with Phillies
Baseball Betting Lines
08/12/2010 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Dodgers plan on leaving the City of Brotherly Love
with a series win over Philadelphia this evening, starting pitcher Clayton
Kershaw may have to do something he's never done before.
Kershaw is scheduled to pitch in Thursday's finale of a three-game series
against a Phillies team he hasn't been able to beat in four career regular-
season starts. He is 0-3 with a 6.64 earned run average in his career against
Philadelphia, which previously beat him during last year's NLCS.
The left-hander has lost two straight starts overall and three of his last
four decisions. Kershaw was last in action during Friday's 6-3 loss versus
Washington and yielded six runs and seven hits in six innings. Kershaw, who
fell to 10-7 in 23 starts and raised his ERA to 3.19, owns a 4-4 mark in 10
outings as the guest this season.
Los Angeles is still alive in the playoff race and sits 5 1/2 games off the NL
Wild Card lead. It's also eight games behind San Diego for the top spot in the
National League West Division and suffered a 2-0 loss last night after taking
Tuesday's series opener by a 15-9 score. Phils starter Roy Oswalt held the
Dodgers in check with seven shutout innings, while Scott Podsednik ended with
a team-best three hits for the Dodgers.
Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley pitched well enough for the win, but allowed
two runs with three walks and three K's to absorb his seventh loss (9-7).
"You just can't make too many mistakes in these types of games," Billingsley
said after LA's three-game winning streak came to an end.
Philadelphia is in the same situation as Los Angeles and is also fighting for
a playoff spot. It is tied with Cincinnati at one game behind San Francisco in
the NL Wild Card standings and remained 2 1/2 games in back of Atlanta for NL
East bragging rights.
Oswalt was on point in his home debut for the Phils, as he struck out five and
walked two batters for the win. Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge both tossed a
scoreless innings of relief, with Lidge picking up his 15th save.
"I pitched here before and I like the mound here," Oswalt said of his home
debut with the Phillies. "It really wasn't too bad."
Raul Ibanez extended his hitting streak to a career-best 18 games with two
hits and an RBI. Ibanez is batting .409 with four homers and 17 RBI during his
run. Domonic Brown drove in the other run for the Phillies, who have won seven
of their last nine games. The Phillies saw another player go down because of
injury after Ross Gload exited the game with a groin problem. Veteran Mike
Sweeney replaced him and could start tonight for the Phils, who are already
without Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Shane Victorino.
The Phillies would like to see Joe Blanton keep the winning tradition going
when he toes the rubber tonight. Blanton has posted back-to-back no-decisions
and is coming off a strong start last Friday in a 7-5 win over the New York Mets. Blanton held the despised NL East foes to a pair of runs in seven
innings, and remained at 4-6 in 18 starts to go along with a 5.65 ERA.
Blanton is 3-2 in nine home starts this season and will make his fifth career
start against Los Angeles tonight. He is 1-0 with a 2.88 ERA in four career
matchups -- all starts -- with the Dodgers.
Philadelphia took all three matchups at home in defeating Los Angeles in five
games during last year's NLCS, but the Dodgers have won in three of their last
five visits to Citizens Bank Park in the regular season.
<< First place in AL Central on the line in Twins-White Sox finale
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - First place in the American League Central is on the line
tonight in Chicago, where the White Sox wrap a three-game series with the
Minnesota Twins at U.S. Cellular Field.
The Twins and White Sox entered this series tied
<< Internacional wins first leg of Copa Lib final
Guadalajara, Mexico (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Giuliano and Bolivar scored in a four-
minute span of the second half, and Brazil's Internacional defeated Mexico's
Guadalajara, 2-1, on Wednesday night in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores
final.
<< Brewers place Hawkins on DL
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Milwaukee Brewers have placed pitcher
LaTroy Hawkins on the 15-day disabled list because of right shoulder weakness.
Hawkins is on the DL for the second time this season, as he was sidelined from
May
<< Red Sox have brooms ready in finale at Toronto
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox try to continue their recent mastery of
the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon when they go for a sweep in their three-
game series at Rogers Centre,
Boston won for the ninth time in 11 chances against
<< Showalter's Orioles shoot for sweep of Tribe
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles hope to continue their resurgence
under new manager Buck Showalter this evening, when they shoot for a season-
high fifth straight win in the finale of a three-game set with the Cleveland
Indians
Liverpool acquires Poulsen from Juventus >>
Liverpool, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Liverpool acquired Danish midfielder
Christian Poulsen from Juventus on Thursday and signed him to a three-year
contract.
Poulsen, 30, cost Liverpool about $7 million. The defensive midfielde
American defender Lichaj signs new deal at Villa >>
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - American defender Eric Lichaj signed a
new three-year contract with Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Lichaj joined Aston Villa in 2007, but has yet to break into the first team.
He spent parts of the last t
Thorn joins Sixers as club president >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rod Thorn wasn't out of work long, as the
former New Jersey Nets president has landed the same role with the
Philadelphia 76ers.
Thorn spent 10 years as team president and general manager o
Isiah nixes Knicks? Not so fast >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Isiah Thomas' status in New York is all
about semantics now.
Consultant or not, it's clear Thomas still has the ear of Madison Square
Garden chairman James Dolan, a scary thought for Knicks fans who regard
Cards send a message in Cincinnati >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the St. Louis Cardinals manage to hold on and win
their second straight National League Central title, they may very well point
to Tuesday as being the turning point in their season.
And, they will have Cincinnati sec
Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.
NFL Betting
After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."
NFL Betting Lines
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Chiefs' Treen Green out for Sunday's game
How long Trent Green will remain sidelined is unknown. Coach Herm Edwards said Monday he will miss a second straight start Sunday when the Chiefs host the San Francisco 49ers.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Green was going into a feet-first hook slide when he was knocked unconscious by a thunderous, head-snapping hit from Cincinnati's Robert Geathers.
Oddsmakers at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com currently have the Chiefs listed as 7-point favorites versus the 49ers.
The 49ers got beat by Philadelphia 38-24 as a 6.5-point underdog last week. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (42.5).
Alex Smith completed 27-of-46 passes for 293 yards with a touchdown. Michael Robinson rushed for 29 yards and a pair of touchdowns on five carries.
The Chiefs lost 9-6 to Denver last week as an 11-point underdog. The combined score was well UNDER the posted over/under total (38).
Larry Johnson rushed for 126 yards on 27 carries. Damon Huard completed 17-of-23 passes for 133 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
To visit this online sports book got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
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