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09/04/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- Target Field has been able to provide the Minnesota Twins with a distinct advantage in its first year of existence, something the current American League Central leaders would like to have during the first round of the playoffs.
Competing with West front-runner Texas for a probable home-field edge for the AL Division Series, Minnesota will try to further its lead on the Rangers in the standings when the two teams continue an important three-game series this afternoon in Minneapolis.
With both the No. 1 seed and the Wild Card likely to come out of the AL East, the Twins and Rangers are in essence battling to see who will host the Wild Card recipient in Game 1 of next month's ALDS if both clubs manage to hold onto first place in their respective divisions. Minnesota now owns a 2 1/2- game cushion on Texas for that spot after last night's 4-3 victory, the 14th for Ron Gardenhire's squad in its last 17 home tilts.
Down 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Twins tied the contest on J.J. Hardy's one-out single before Denard Span greeted Texas reliever Matt Harrison with a base hit that plated Jason Repko with the go-ahead run.
Matt Capps protected the one-run lead by working out of an eighth-inning jam and tossing a scoreless ninth to record his eighth save since coming over in a late-July trade from Washington. The Minnesota closer came on to strike out Nelson Cruz with runners at the corners and one out in the top of the eighth, then retired Ian Kinsler on a fielder's choice to end the threat.
Capps got some help from his defense in the ninth, as Repko threw out Alex Cora trying to take third on a Julio Borbon single for the second out of the inning.
Alex Burnett (2-2) claimed the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of emergency starter Matt Fox, who held Texas to two runs and four hits over the first 5 2/3 frames in a solid major league debut. Both pitchers were called up from Triple-A Rochester prior to the game.
"Just to be able to help the team out and give them a chance to win was my goal coming in, and I was able to do that," said Fox. "So it was a lot of fun."
Texas starter Derek Holland (2-3) received the loss after being charged with four runs in 6 1/3 innings of work. The Rangers had given the young lefty a 3-2 lead when Kinsler singled to lead off the seventh, moved to second on a wild pitch, and later scored on Julio Borbon's sacrifice bunt.
Minnesota is now an outstanding 43-23 at home this season and holds a four- game margin on second-place Chicago for the Central's top spot. The White Sox' game at Boston scheduled for Friday was postponed due to inclement weather.
The Twins will send out their top winner today in hopes of reeling in another victory. Carl Pavano comes into this afternoon's test with 15 victories on the season, his highest total since 2004, although the oft-injured veteran has taken a loss in each of his past three mound trips.
One of those defeats took place against the Rangers on August 24, a 4-3 setback in Arlington in which Pavano threw an eight-inning complete game. He followed up by limiting Seattle to two runs and just five hits over seven frames this past Sunday, but wound up on the wrong side of a 2-1 verdict to the Mariners.
Pavano did best the Rangers at Target Field back in May by delivering seven innings of two-run ball and is 7-4 with a 3.95 ERA in 12 starts at his home park this year. The right-hander is just 1-3 with a suspect 7.62 ERA over five career matchups with Texas, however.
Colby Lewis opposed Pavano in that August 24 clash and will do so again for the Rangers today. The well-traveled right-hander got a no-decision that night after allowing three runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Lewis has endured some hard times during the second half of this season, though, having lost six consecutive decisions over an eight-start span after compiling a 9-5 record over the first 3 1/2 months. His last win occurred on July 16 at Boston, and the Rangers have scored two runs or fewer in all but one of those eight outings during his winless stretch.
The 31-year-old was his own worst enemy in Sunday's start against Oakland, however, as Lewis surrendered a season-high seven runs (five earned) on eight hits -- two of which were homers -- over 5 2/3 innings of an 8-2 home loss to the Athletics.
Lewis is 0-2 with a 4.35 ERA over seven career appearances (three starts) against Minnesota and was the losing pitcher in a May 28 test at Target Field, even though he did give up only two runs and five hits in six innings.
He'll be hoping to have teammate Josh Hamilton in the lineup this afternoon. The All-Star outfielder and current AL batting leader (.362) left Friday's opener in the eighth inning with back stiffness, but is expected to be okay to start today.
The Rangers did take three of four games from the Twins in a series held in Arlington last month, but Minnesota has won all four meetings between the teams held in Minneapolis this season.
<< Mets turn to rookie in hopes of besting Cubs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jenrry Mejia makes his first major league start this
afternoon, when the New York Mets continue their three-game series with the
Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
The 20-year-old right-hander made the Mets with a terrific spr
<< Red Sox, White Sox to begin set with double dip
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- After mother nature delayed the opening of this important
weekend set, the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox will renew acquaintances
with a day-night doubleheader that begins this afternoon from Fenway Park.
The arriv
<< Scorching Yanks seek eight straight win in test with Jays
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- The New York Yankees have solved just about all their
problems during a seven-game winning streak that matches the team's longest of
the season. The defending world champions will now turn their attention
towards getting Jav
<< Georgia holds A.J. Green out of opener
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -Georgia star receiver A.J. Green is being held out of the Bulldogs' opening game against Louisiana-Lafayette.Georgia spokesman Claude Felton says Green will miss Saturday's game for the No. 23 Bulldogs pending a ruling from the NCA
Cards seek to gain further ground on first-place Reds >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Wainwright tries once again to become the National
League's first 18-game winner when the St. Louis Cardinals continue their
three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds today at Busch Stadium.
Like his team, Wainwri
Rockies try to pin ninth straight loss on reeling Padres >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Padres try to avoid a ninth straight loss
this afternoon, when they play the middle test of their three-game series with
the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park.
San Diego's slide continued in the opener of this s
Braves try to bounce back in key series with Marlins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Josh Johnson hopes for a better result than the last time
he faced Atlanta when he and the Florida Marlins continue their three-game
set with the Braves tonight at Sun Life Stadium.
Johnson surrendered just three hits and
Rays resume playoff push in second test with Orioles >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays own the best road record of any team in
the majors this season, in part due to their success at Baltimore's Camden
Yards. The postseason contenders will have their sights set on another victory
over the hom
The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.
Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.
The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.
To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.
Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch
Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.
Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.
"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs.
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