Pirates shoot for another series win over Cubs
Baseball Betting Lines
09/01/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Pirates appear to be headed towards a fourth straight last-place finish in the National League Central, but you wouldn't know it given how they handled the Chicago Cubs this year.
The Pirates have already won their first four series with the Cubs and will try to make it a perfect five this afternoon, when the two clubs meet for the final time in 2010 with the finale of a three-game set at Wrigley Field.
The Pirates are 44 games under .500 (44-88) and have already clinched their 18th straight losing season, a record among professional sports in North America. They also sit 12 games behind the Cubs for fifth place in the division, but have bested Chicago in 10 of the teams' 14 meetings this year.
After getting routed by 12 runs in Monday's opener, Pittsburgh responded with a 14-7 victory last night, its largest run total since plating 15 on July 21.
Neil Walker had four hits -- one a two-run homer -- and drove in four runs, while Jose Tabata donated three hits, two RBI and three runs scored for the Pirates, who also got a two-run home run out of Garrett Jones to snap a four- game skid and a string of 14 consecutive setbacks on the road.
"Everything works well when you score a lot of runs," said Pirates manager John Russell after his team picked up its first road win since July 28. "We came out and jumped on them early and we kept the pressure on."
Jeff Karstens earned the win, his first since June 19, after he allowed two runs on four hits over six innings.
Koyie Hill connected on a two-run homer as part of a three-hit night for the Cubs, who have lost seven of their last nine at home and five at eight at Wrigley Field to the Pirates in 2010.
"It's always nice to contribute offensively, but first and foremost is the team and we didn't have enough tonight," said Hill.
Ryan Dempster didn't make it past the third inning for Chicago, yielding seven runs on seven hits in the loss.
Tom Gorzelanny will try to prevent his former mates from clinching another series win, and the Chicago left-hander is 1-0 with a 3.52 earned run average in four games (three starts) against a Pirates club that drafted him in the second round in 2005.
Gorzelanny, who was traded to the Cubs midseason last year, was drilled for five runs over five innings in a no-decision versus the Pirates on May 14, but limited them to just four hits over five scoreless innings on June 30 while again not factoring into the decision.
The 28-year-old has lot three of his last four decisions overall and has a 5.73 ERA over his last six starts. Gorzelanny has yielded four runs or more in four of those outings, including a loss to Cincinnati on Friday in which he was tagged for six runs and three homers over five frames of work. He fell to 7-8 on the season with a 3.98 ERA in 26 games, including 20 starts.
The Pirates go with a midseason pickup of their own in James McDonald, who is 2-3 with a 4.97 ERA in five starts since being acquired from the Dodgers. McDonald, though, has lost back-to-back starts and yielded 11 runs over 11 1/3 innings.
The 25-year-old righty is 2-4 with a 5.65 ERA overall in 2010, making nine appearances with six starts. McDonald has never before started against the Cubs, but did give up two hits and a walk over 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief against them.
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Football Betting Lines
The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.
Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.
Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.
A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.
Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.
Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.
And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.
2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win
Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1
Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1
Donald Brown (IND) 5/1
Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1
Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1
Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1
Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1
Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1
Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1
Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1
Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1
Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1
Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1
Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1
Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1
Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1
Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1
LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1
Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2
Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1
Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1
Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1
Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1
Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1
Jason Smith (STL) 40/1
Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1
Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1
Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1
Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2
Pat White (MIA) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 9/1
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