Cubs' Lilly to make possible showcase start against Astros
Baseball Betting Lines
07/27/2010 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Slumping lefty Ted Lilly faces a team against which he's
had career-long success tonight, when the Chicago Cubs meet the Houston Astros
in the second test of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.
In Monday's opener, Ryan Theriot hit his first home run of the season and
Carlos Silva worked five innings to push Chicago past Houston, 5-2.
Theriot finished with a pair of hits and Alfonso Soriano doubled twice, scored
a run and drove in a run to lift the Cubs to their third win in four games.
Silva (10-4) yielded a lone run on five hits while walking one and fanning
four for Chicago. Carlos Marmol worked a scoreless ninth inning to preserve
the win and earn his 19th save of the season.
Wesley Wright (0-1) absorbed the loss in his second big-league start after
giving up four runs on eight hits over five innings. He walked one and struck
out four for the Astros, who have dropped three out of four.
Lilly, rumored to be a hot commodity on the trade market as the non-waiver
transaction deadline approaches at the end of the month, has won seven of
eight decisions in 11 career starts against Houston while maintaining a stingy
2.36 earned run average in 72 1/3 innings.
He pitched well enough for an eighth win when facing the Astros in his most
recent start on July 21, scattering seven hits and allowing a single run in 7
1/3 innings of a game the Cubs eventually lost, 4-3, at Wrigley Field.
The tough-luck no-decision is part of a recent rough stretch for the 34-year-
old Californian, who is winless in four starts since defeating Pittsburgh on
June 29. He's 0-2 with two no-decisions in the subsequent efforts, while
allowing 28 hits and 20 runs in 24 2/3 innings.
A 1996 draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Lilly is 1-4 in seven road
starts this season.
Houston counters with red-hot right-hander Brett Myers, who by contrast, has
not lost since June 29.
The 29-year-old Jacksonville product, who'll turn 30 next month, has beaten
St. Louis and Pittsburgh and racked up a pair of no-decisions in his last four
starts, while giving up just 19 hits and six runs in 28 2/3 innings.
Myers also got a tough-luck no-decision after facing Lilly in the
aforementioned July 21 game at Wrigley, allowing five hits and a run with
eight strikeouts in seven innings in Houston's one-run win. He's pitched at
least seven innings in three straight starts and has struck out 17 batters
while walking just three.
Lifetime against the Cubs, Myers is 8-3 with a pair of complete games and a
2.52 ERA in 85 2/3 innings. He's unbeaten so far in 2010 at home, having gone
5-0 in nine starts.
Houston has won six of 10 matchups with the Cubs this season.
<< Resurgent Phils to begin home set with Diamondbacks
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies are starting to play like the
team that won back-to-back National League titles. Tonight they shoot for a
sixth straight win when they open a three-game series against the Arizona
Diamondbacks at Cit
<< Mets return home to face Wainwright following disastrous trip
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After a disastrous road trip, the New York Mets return home
in the hopes of finding their offense. Too bad they have St. Louis ace Adam
Wainwright waiting for them.
Wainwright will look to extend his scoreless innings stre
<< Dodgers hope to gain some ground in San Diego
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After stumbling out of the gate to begin the second half,
the Dodgers have finally started to turn things around. It's a good thing,
because the National League West-leading Padres have had no such troubles
since the All-Star
<< Blue Jays try to continue mastery of Orioles
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Plenty of teams have given the Baltimore Orioles trouble
over the course of this season, but none has proven to be a tougher opponent
than the Toronto Blue Jays.
Having won all 10 meetings between the American League East
<< Shields and Verlander square off at the Trop
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After being on the receiving end of several no-hitters over
the past year, the Tampa Bay Rays finally got one of their own last night.
Fresh off Matt Garza's pitching gem, the Rays will attempt to pin an eighth
consecutive
Reds seek revenge in clash with streaking Brewers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Edinson Volquez aims to start another Cincinnati win streak
when the Reds visit Miller Park tonight for the second test of a four-game
series with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Cincinnati had beaten the Brewers six straight times
White Sox put home streak on line against Mariners >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago White Sox shoot for their ninth straight home
win this evening, when they continue their four-game series against the
Seattle Mariners at U.S. Cellular Field,
After a 4-6 road trip, Chicago returned to the Wind
Johnson hopes for record-setting start in Marlins-Giants tilt >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Josh Johnson could put himself into the record books when
the Florida Marlins continue their four-game series with the San Francisco
Giants this evening at AT&T Park.
Johnson has gone 13 straight starts without allowin
Lackey returns to Anaheim as Red Sox take on Angels >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John Lackey returns to Anaheim for the first time since
leaving for Boston as a free agent when the Red Sox continue their three-game
set against the Angels this evening.
Lackey, who was 49-32 with a 3.72 earned run averag
A-Rod continues quest for 600 vs. Indians >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees used the long ball to come through
with a win over the Cleveland Indians last night, but none came off the bat of
Alex Rodriguez.
With their star slugger still stuck on 599 career home runs, the Yankee
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
|