Rockies continue series with Nationals

Baseball Betting Lines

07/21/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mexican veteran Rodrigo Lopez goes for a third straight strong start today when the Colorado Rockies visit RFK Stadium in the third of a four-game series with the Washington Nationals.

Lopez, who'll be 32 in December, defeated Philadelphia with five innings of three-run ball on July 7, then got a tough-luck no-decision against Milwaukee seven days later after allowing just one hit and one run in seven innings.

The Brewers won the game, 2-1.

A 15-game winner for Baltimore in 2005, Lopez is winless away from home this year with the Rockies, going 0-2 in five starts away from Coors Field.

He's 1-1 in two career starts against the Nationals with a 5.11 earned run average.

Mike Bacsik makes his 12th start of the season for Washington and faces the Rockies for the first time.

The 29-year-old Texan has gone winless in two outings since a 3-2 defeat of Pittsburgh on July 1. He got a no-decision in Washington's 4-3 defeat of Houston on July 16 and dropped a 6-2 decision to Milwaukee on July 6.

He's 0-3 at RFK Stadium this year, posting a 5.06 ERA in six starts.

On Friday, Aaron Cook tossed seven scoreless innings, and Todd Helton drove in two runs as the Rockies beat the Nationals, 3-1.

Cook (6-6) had a strong outing, yielding just four hits, walking three and fanning eight to earn his first win in three starts.

Willy Taveras had two hits and scored a pair of runs for Colorado, which dropped the opener in the series but has won four of its last five games overall. Ryan Spilborghs also added a pair of hits.

Billy Traber (2-1) allowed two runs -- one earned -- on three hits over four innings in his first start of the season in a replacement role for the Nationals.

The left-hander, a former first-round pick of the New York Mets, had made 23 appearances in relief this season, but was filling in for journeyman starter Jason Simontacchi, who was placed on the disabled list before the game with right elbow tendinitis.

Ryan Zimmerman knocked in the lone run for Washington, which had a modest two- game winning streak halted.

Colorado won all eight meetings between the teams during the 2006 campaign. The Rockies also won four encounters at RFK Stadium over that span.

Starbuck-casino Baseball Betting News

<< Pirates try to stop skid at seven games against Astros
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Southpaw Wandy Rodriguez will try to get back on a winning track tonight when the Houston Astros visit PNC Park in game two of a three- game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. A 28-year-old Dominican, Rodriguez had won co

<< Padres set to honor Gwynn, battle Phils
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A battle between 44-year-old left-handers is on tap for tonight as Jamie Moyer and the Philadelphia Phillies play the third of four straight games against David Wells and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. The matchup of

<< Heads up: Penny goes for 12th win as Dodgers take on Mets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brad Penny will try for his 12th win of the season this afternoon when the Los Angeles Dodgers continue their four-game series with the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Penny has been outstanding so far this year, posting

<< Bonds may sit as Giants resume set with Brewers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the MLB commissioner looking on, Barry Bonds will again try to inch closer to Hank Aaron's all-time home run record this afternoon when the San Francisco Giants play the middle portion of their three-game series with the

<< Beltran, Mets hold off Dodgers
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Beltran homered for the second straight game and the New York Mets scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning on a throwing error in a 4-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers. David Wr

Pujols, Cards resume set with Braves >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Albert Pujols is getting hot and will try to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a victory tonight when the club plays the third game of its four-game set with the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Pujols homered for the fifth t

Reds aim to rebound against Marlins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Young left-hander Bobby Livingston goes for his third win of the season, and of his brief big-league career, tonight when the Cincinnati Reds visit Dolphin Stadium for game three of a four-game series with the host Florida Ma

Cubs hope to prove they are kings of the Hill versus Arizona >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lefty Rich Hill can put a little more distance between himself and a recent tailspin today when the Chicago Cubs host the Arizona Diamondbacks in game two of a three-game weekend set at Wrigley Field. Hill, a 27-year-old

Haren, Athletics set to tangle with Orioles >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A couple of teams fighting for respectability within their own divisions battle it out tonight in the second of a three-game set from McAfee Coliseum, as the Oakland Athletics take on the Baltimore Orioles. Baltimore, whic

Indians, Rangers continue set in Texas >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Slowly creeping up on the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central, the Cleveland Indians shoot for their third straight victory tonight as they take on the Texas Rangers in the third of a four-game set at Rangers Ballpa

Big Ten Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa

Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.

Should be in:

Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?

Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.

Work left to do:

Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.

Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.

Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.

Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.