Oswalt's gem leads Astros past Giants

Baseball Betting Lines

07/05/2009 - San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roy Oswalt hurled eight innings of one- run ball, and the Astros salvaged the last of this three-game set with a 7-1 victory over the Giants.

Oswalt (5-4), coming off his best effort of the season -- a complete game two- hitter against San Diego -- gave up just three hits with six strikeouts compared to just one walk. Over his last three outings, spanning 23 innings, the veteran right-hander has allowed just 12 hits and three runs.

Houston entered the series winners in six of its previous eight but managed just seven hits over the first two games. Houston eclipsed that feeble mark with 10 hits on Sunday, three of which came from Jeff Keppinger, who also scored twice and knocked in one.

Oswalt helped himself with a two-run single while Miguel Tejada, Hunter Pence and Jason Michaels each homered in the rout. Tejada and Pence did so after being named to the N.L. All-Star team as reserves earlier in the day.

The tables were turned Sunday against the Giants, who had outscored the 'Stros 22-0 en route to winning the first two games. San Francisco had just three hits, one of those a Rich Aurilia solo home run.

Randy Johnson (8-6), attempting to win a third consecutive start and fourth straight decision, allowed five hits and four runs, three of those earned. The lanky lefty was forced to leave the game in the fourth with an injured left shoulder. The initial diagnosis is a strain.

The injury appeared to come in the third on an awkward wave at a third-strike curveball from Oswalt. He immediately reached for the shoulder but remained for the fourth, where he yielded three of his runs and committed a throwing error before leaving.

Tejada started the scoring with a solo home run in the first, and Houston padded its lead in the fourth, when Pence and Michaels took the ailing Johnson deep for solo shots. Keppinger followed with a two-out single, and Oswalt sent a dribbler back to the mound that Johnson threw past first and down the right field line, allowing Keppinger to cross the plate for a 4-0 margin.

Johnson quickly exited, and Justin Miller and Bob Howry helped limit the damage over the next three frames. Merkin Valdez, however, was hurt for three runs in the eighth, as Houston gained a 7-0 advantage. With runners at the corners and two out, Keppinger doubled to right, scoring Michael Bourn, and Oswalt came through with a two-run base hit to left.

Aurilia landed the lone blemish on Oswalt's line with a solo shot in the eighth. Oswalt finished out the frame, and LaTroy Hawkins polished off the win with a perfect ninth.

Game Notes

Bourn swiped his 27th base of the season...Oswalt threw 94 pitches, 69 for strikes. He has 22 strikeouts and just five walks over his last three starts...The Giants will have Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain representing the team at this year's All-Star game.

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Elite 8 NCAA Tournament Betting at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com

In what should be an outstanding Saturday of March Madness betting action, the top four teams in the South and West Regions square off in what should be extremely close match-ups. Three of the four teams are coming off extremely close games on Thursday evening, only UCLA won semi comfortably over Pitt 64-55.

Ohio State is coming off their second game in a row where in all reality they should have lost. Of course that doesn’t matter now since the name of the game is “survive and advance” but as the tournament continues, they can’t afford to keep getting down to their opponents early. Kansas also avoided a scare by holding off a scrappy Southern Illinois squad. In the third thrilling game of the evening Memphis pulled off the minor upset (+3.5) despite being the higher seed to Texas A&M.

Although the spreads are fairly small for Saturday’s games, MySportsbook.com continue to bet against the underdogs. Despite OSU’s two scares, 86% of the “betting public” feels the Buckeyes (-1.5) have what it takes to make the Final Four. In fact, so much of the early money is on OSU that the line has already moved from -1 to -1.5. In the second game of the doubleheader, Kansas and their high-powered offense are 2 point favorites as they take on UCLA and their effective defense. About 63% of the early money thus far is once again backing the favorites. If those percentages stay that high, don’t be surprised if this line moves as well. If you like Kansas (-2) you might want to jump on it early.

Memphis vs. Ohio State

Both squads were involved in thrillers on Thursday evening and should come out fired up. OSU can ill afford to get behind early like they did versus their previous two opponents (Xavier, Tennessee). Greg Oden needs to stay out of foul trouble; the Buckeyes are a completely different team when he is on the court. Memphis definitely has the athleticism and length to match-up with OSU. Of Memphis’ five leading minute earners, the shortest of the bunch is 6’5”. Each team has a very effective defense; Memphis surrenders 62.3 PPG whereas the Buckeyes give up only 61 PPG. With those type of numbers, it isn’t surprising that Memphis covered the UNDER almost 69% of the time this season. As a favorite, OSU has covered the UNDER almost 66% of the time over the last three seasons. The major concern for Memphis which is magnifies this time of the year is their brutal foul shooting (62%). This season, OSU is 17-11 ATS versus teams with a winning record and 7-2 ATS in all tournament games. Memphis has been an extremely reliable cover in tournament play in recent years with a 23-8 ATS record over the last three seasons.

UCLA vs. Kansas

In the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, UCLA will play in a role which they are very unfamiliar with that of the underdog. Only twice this season have they been getting points from the handicappers and both times they covered. Over the last three seasons UCLA is a reliable 23-7 ATS in this unfamiliar role. UCLA has not fared well against Big 12 opponents recently going 1-7 ATS since 1997. Giving up only 59.6 PPG, UCLA will definitely look to do what they do best: keep this game as low scoring as possible. Their defense has been especially tough during the tournament. UCLA opponents have been able to muster up only 48.7 PPG while shooting a combined 34.5% from the field. UCLA definitely has a challenge at hand with a Kansas team that is capable of putting points on the board in bunches. As a team, they average 79 PPG and shoot an impressive 49.6% from the field and 39.4% from beyond the arc. During the tournament Kansas has been “lights out” from the field having shot 56.2%.

With Friday -105 juice on Basketball betting, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on all of the “March Madness” action.  Don’t forget to monitor who the public is backing at MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”.  By doing so, you have the best chance of predicting a possible line change, thus getting the best value for your wager.

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Super Bowl XLIII Betting - Super Bowl 2009

Super Bowl 2009, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Let’s take a look at the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds and the betting line and figure out where they’ve been and where they are going to go.

MySportsbook.com put up the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds late on Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers favored by 6.5 points and a total betting line at 47.5 points.

Since then, however, the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds have seen a good deal of movement and you’ll want to be on top of where they are likely to move to make sure you get the best line value for the big game.

Since opening, the Super Bowl 2009 betting lines went to Steelers -7 in the span of roughly 3 hours but were quickly bought back down just minutes later to 6.5 again.

After that is took about 5-6 more hours before the betting line went back to -7 where it has sat for a while now and is likely to remain. The opening betting total of 47.5 was bet down right after the line became available and went to 47 within minutes.

Roughly a day later it has been bet even further down to the 46.5 tally it currently is set at.

Roughly 60% of gamblers seem to be on the Cardinals here so the point spread will be bet down and a 7.5 would not last very long at all with many taking the early 6.5 in hopes of finding a potential middle in the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds.

If you like Arizona and see a 7.5, I’d take it as soon as possible because it’s unlikely to last. For Pittsburgh backers, the -7 might be the best you’ll be able to find but a 6.5 is definitely possible close to game time.

Regarding the Super Bowl 2009 betting odds for the total, most tracked gamblers are already on the over and with those who took the under 47.5 already securing a middle on the over 46.5, the only way I see it moving is back up to 47 so if you like the over, I’d recommend betting now.

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