Cardinals hope to keep playoff chances alive vs. Astros
Baseball Betting Lines
09/27/2011 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Losing to the worst team in baseball has to be tough to swallow for a Cardinals team trying desperately to make a postseason push.
St. Louis did just that against the Houston Astros in last night's opener of a three-game series and looks to even the set Tuesday at Minute Maid Park. It dropped a 5-4 decision in 10 innings after Brian Bogusevic scored the game- winning run on a bunt single by Angel Sanchez. Bogusevic doubled to lead off the inning and went to third when Cardinals reliever Octavio Dotel misplayed a Jason Bourgeois sacrifice bunt to the mound.
Dotel was strapped with the loss and the Cardinals remained a game behind Atlanta for the Wild Card lead in the National League. The Braves lost to Philadelphia on Monday and the Cardinals couldn't take advantage.
"I look at it like, all it takes is they lose one and we win one," said Cardinals slugger Lance Berkman. "I think we win the next two games we have an excellent shot. I really feel that way."
Berkman drove in two runs and Matt Holliday ended with two hits and an RBI in defeat. Albert Pujols is two RBI shy of extending his Major League record to 11 consecutive seasons of at least 30 homers and 100 runs driven in with a batting average .300 or better.
Jaime Garcia started for St. Louis and did not record a decision, as he surrendered four runs and four hits in four innings. The Cardinals have lost three of five games since a four-game winning streak. Shortstop Rafael Furcal could miss the last two games of this series after he departed Monday's game in the fifth inning with a left hamstring injury.
"He'll miss a couple games," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "He's got a little tug in his hamstring, so I don't see him playing the next two games here."
A loss by St. Louis and a win for Atlanta will decide the NL Wild Card.
Jake Westbrook will try to keep playoff hopes alive when he takes the mound for St. Louis this evening. Westbrook is 12-9 with a 4.48 earned run average in 32 starts this season and has dropped two of his last three decisions. In Thursday's 8-6 loss to the New York Mets, he allowed only one run in six innings for the no-decision.
Westbrook, a right-hander, is 2-2 with a 3.77 ERA in five career starts against the Astros and 8-4 in 16 outings on the road this season.
Houston had dropped two in a row and four of six games before squeezing out a tight win last night. Matt Downs homered and Mark Melancon pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the victory, while starter Wandy Rodriguez held the Cardinals to a pair of runs over 6 1/3 innings. The lefty also knocked in a run at the plate.
Bourgeois and Sanchez each had an RBI before helping the Astros to victory in extra innings.
"It's a fun play to be on the bases," Bourgeois said of the bunt. "It wasn't a suicide [squeeze] so I had to make a read."
Astros rookie Henry Sosa will try to close out the season with back-to-back wins when he takes the ball tonight. He ended a personal three-start losing streak in Thursday's 9-6 victory versus Colorado and gave up three runs over 6 1/3 innings of work.
Sosa is 3-5 in nine starts to go along with a 4.68 earned run average and will face St. Louis for the first time. The righty is 2-1 in four home starts.
St. Louis has won eight of 13 matchups with Houston this season.
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Braves could clinch a playoff berth with a win tonight coupled by a St. Louis loss. Standing in the way of that goal are the Philadelphia Phillies, who look to win this series with a victory Tuesday in the second
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MySportsbook.com week 1 NFL lines
Now that the 2008 NFL schedule is finally out, it is only matter-of-course for lines on “Week 1” to follow. Of course MySportsbook.com is the first to churn out odds for the NFL’s inaugural week for the upcoming season. Expect a lot of fireworks the first Thursday night of the season as the defending champion Indianapolis Colts face off against the surprise of the 2008 season, the New Orleans Saints. These teams were ranked #1 and #3 in the NFL respectively a season ago so a high scoring affair could be in order. As of now, the Colts will be giving 6 points to the Saints; keep in mind the Saints were one of the better road teams last season going 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS. The first Monday night of the season will again provide a “double feature”. Coming off a disappointing season, the Cincinnati Bengals will look to get back to playoffs and improve their public image as they take on the AFC North favorite Baltimore Ravens. The second game features a couple of teams that haven’t had too much success recently but each could make some noise if the NFC is as weak as it was last year as the San Francisco 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals. The most interesting game of the opening week will feature the NFC champion Bears as they hit the road to take on the NFL’s top team during last year’s regular season, the San Diego Chargers.
MySportsbook.com Week 1 odds:
Saints +6 @ Colts -6
Falcons @ Vikings (pick ‘em)
Panthers @ Rams (pick ‘em)
Broncos -3.5 @ Bills +3.5
Chiefs -1 @ Texans +1
Dolphins +3 @ Redskins -3
Patriots -5 @ Jets +5
Eagles -3.5 @ Packers +3.5
Steelers -4 @ Browns +4
Titans +6 @ Jaguars -6
Bears +6 @ Chargers -6
Lions +3 @ Raiders -3
Bucs +6.5 @ Seahawks -6.5
Giants +4 @ Cowboys -4
Ravens +3 @ Bengals -3
Cardinals +3 @ 49ers -3
Super Bowl line (2008)
NFC +6.5 vs. AFC -6.5
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MySportsbook.com: NBA Championship Odds
With the playoffs about two months away, the top two teams in the Western Conference are the clear cut leaders to win the NBA Championship. The Dallas Mavericks have the best record in the NBA (44-9) and have been absolutely scorching since the second week of the season. What makes the Mavs’ record more impressive is the fact that they dropped their first four games of the season. Currently they have won 17 out of their last 18 and are MySportsbook.com’s favorite (2-1) to win it all. Right behind the Mavs are the Pacific leading Phoenix Suns (39-13). Last season, the Suns lost in the Conference Finals to non-other then the Mavericks four games to two. Of course the Suns were without center Amare Stoudemire who has is averaging 19.9 PPG and 9.5 RPG since coming back from his knee injury. Unlike the Mavs, the Suns have struggled a bit lately having lost their last three and four out of their last seven. Of course the main reason for their three straight loses is due to the absence of two time MVP Steve Nash, who is out with a shoulder injury. Heads-up, the Mavs have beaten the Suns in both of their meetings this season.
In the Eastern Conference, the Pistons (32-19) are the favorites to win it all at 6-1. The addition of Chris Webber seems to have been a good move for the Pistons. Since coming over from the 76ers, Webber has averaged 13.1 PPG and 7.3 RPG and the Pistons are 11-4. Even though the defending champion Heat are currently on the playoff making cusp, they are the Eastern Conference team that is getting the most action to win it all (9-1). The fact that Shaquille O’Neal is back in the starting lineup after missing 39 games probably has something to do with this. No doubt, Shaq makes a difference when in the lineup as their winning six out of their last seven would indicate.
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MySportsbook.com’s NBA Championship odds:
Atlanta Hawks 1000-1
Boston Celtics 5000-1
Charlotte Bobcats 5000-1
Chicago Bulls 20-1
Cleveland Cavaliers 20-1
Dallas Mavericks 2-1
Denver Nuggets 25-1
Detroit Pistons 6-1
Golden State Warriors 250-1
Houston Rockets 12-1
Indiana Pacers 60-1
Los Angeles Clippers 45-1
Memphis Grizzlies 5000-1
Miami Heat 9-1
Milwaukee Bucks 1000-1
Minnesota T-Wolves 200-1
New Jersey Nets 50-1
New Orleans Hornets 150-1
New York Knicks 150-1
Orlando Magic 75-1
Philadelphia 76ers 1000-1
Phoenix Suns 5-2
Portland TrailBlazers 1000-1
Sacramento Kings 250-1
San Antonio Spurs 9-1
Seattle Sonics 5000-1
Toronto Raptors 35-1
Utah Jazz 20-1
Washington Wizards 25-1
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