07/23/2008 - (Baseball Betting) - The Boston Red Sox have an opportunity for a rare road sweep, a feat the reigning world champions haven't accomplished too many times this season. But they'll have to get through the Seattle Mariners' best pitcher this afternoon in order to complete the task.
Felix Hernandez will be put in charge of preventing the Red Sox from a third straight victory over his Mariners today. The highly-regarded young righty has been one of the few bright spots in a dismal Seattle season, as Hernandez's 2.95 earned run average is the fourth-best number in the American League and he's recorded an impressive 109 strikeouts in 119 innings.
Hernandez picked up right where he left off in his first start after the All- Star break, tossing six strong innings to defeat Cleveland this past Friday at Safeco Field. The 22-year-old held the Indians to two runs and four hits while striking out eight batters.
The native Venezuelan has won five of his last six decisions, which includes a victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park on June 6. Hernandez fired six shutout innings in that 8-0 Seattle triumph, which improved him to 3-1 with a 3.06 ERA over five career starts against Boston.
After beginning their current six-game road trip with three losses to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Red Sox have turned things around at the expense of the lowly Mariners. After dealing Seattle a 4-0 defeat in Monday's opener, Boston received 7 2/3 solid innings out of Daisuke Matsuzaka in last night's 4-2 decision.
Matsuzaka took a shutout into the bottom of the eighth and allowed just two runs and five hits over his 99-pitch stint. After Hideki Okajima got the final two outs in the eighth, Jonathan Papelbon worked a perfect ninth to record his 30th save of the year.
J.D. Drew led Boston's offense by going 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI. Mike Lowell and Jed Lowrie also knocked in runs for the Red Sox, who closed within a half-game of Tampa Bay for first place in the AL East standings.
Seattle starter R.A. Dickey (2-5) received the loss after surrendering four runs on nine hits over the first six innings.
Despite its back-to-back wins over the Mariners, Boston is just 23-32 as the visitor this season and has dropped 10 of its last 14 on the road.
Clay Buchholz, who will take the mound for the Red Sox this afternoon, has had his share of troubles in enemy parks as well. The promising young right-hander is 0-4 with an 8.49 ERA in six away starts this season, and the opposition is batting .326 against him in those games.
Buchholz's road problems continued in Friday's setback to the Angels, a game in which he was rocked for eight runs (4 earned) and eight hits before being yanked after 4 2/3 frames. The 23-year-old has failed to last five innings in three of his four most recent starts.
This will be Buchholz's first career matchup against the Mariners.
Boston holds a 5-3 edge on Seattle in this year's season series, but the Mariners are 11-6 against Boston at home dating back to the start of the 2006 campaign.
<< Diamondbacks shoot for sweep of crumbling Cubs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs could certainly use a
boost right now as they try to avoid being swept in three games by the
Arizona Diamondbacks tonight at Chase Field.
Chicago has lost the first two tests
<< Shell-shocked Mets continue big set with first-place Phils
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It will be hard to top the drama the New York Mets and
Philadelphia Phillies put forth in the opener of this series, but the two NL
East rivals will go at it again tonight in the second test of a three-game set
at Shea
<< 2008 Receiving Threats
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last two weeks we have looked over
the top QBs and RBs coming into the 2008 campaign. This week will complete the
"skill position" landscape with the top wide receivers across the country.
GO-TO-GUYS
<< Sabathia tries to pitch Milwaukee to seventh straight win in St. Louis
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals are losing ground to the hard-
charging Milwaukee Brewers in the playoff race. An encounter with CC Sabathia
may not bode well for Tony La Russa's club's chances of reversing that trend.
Sabathia wi
Yanks go for perfect homestand in finale with Twins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Mussina takes aim at win No. 13 this afternoon when
the New York Yankees try and cap an unbeaten six-game homestand with a three-
game sweep of the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium.
Mussina, who is one win beh
Rays wrap up set vs. Oakland at the Trop >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays try to hang onto their lead in the
American League East this afternoon when they play the rubber match of a
three-game series with the Oakland Athletics at Tropicana Field.
Tampa had its divi
Richard makes debut for White Sox against Texas >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Clayton Richard makes his major league debut this afternoon
when the Chicago White Sox play the rubber match of their three-game series
with the Texas Rangers at U.S. Cellular Field.
Richard, who started the All-Star
Report: Hawks lose Childress to Greek team >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Hawks have reportedly lost the
services of swingman Josh Childress to the Greek franchise Olympiakos.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday that Childress, 25, turned
down a five
Huskers' Lucky hospitalized for undisclosed reason
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky was hospitalized Monday for undisclosed reasons after Lincoln police responded to a call at his residence.
The Nebraska athletic department said in a release Monday that Lucky was admitted Sunday night.
MySportsbook.com has the Cornhuskers listed at +2500 to win the BCS National Championship odds.
A nursing supervisor at the hospital said all questions about Lucky were being referred to the athletic department. The athletic department said there would be no further comment from the department or Lucky's family.
A Lincoln Police spokesman said officers responded to a call at Lucky's residence 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The spokesman said he didn't know Lucky's condition at the time he was taken to the hospital.
Lucky, from North Hollywood, Calif., started six games last season as a sophomore and was the team's second-leading rusher, with 728 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards. He averaged 19.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
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.
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