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08/18/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Continued dominance on the mound has given the San Diego Padres their largest division lead of the season.
Clayton Richard will try to keep that momentum going and win a fourth straight decision for the second time this year when San Diego plays the third contest of a four-game series versus the Chicago Cubs this afternoon at Wrigley Field.
Richard is 10-5 with a 3.80 earned run average this season and is coming off Friday's victory over San Francisco. The 26-year-old lefty held the Giants to a pair of runs on six hits and two walks over six frames of a 3-2 triumph.
Acquired from the White Sox at last year's trade deadline for Jake Peavy, Richard faces the Cubs for the first time in his career this afternoon. He has a tough act to follow after Jon Garland extended his scoreless innings streak to 17 innings with seven frames of four-hit ball in last night's 1-0 victory.
"Jon gets in a groove and continues to progress as the game goes on," said Padres manager Bud Black."
Garland didn't need much offensive support, which was good since the Padres managed just one run. That came in the first inning, when Chase Headley grounded out with the bases loaded while Jerry Hairston Jr. crossed the plate.
That was enough to give the Padres their third straight victory and eighth in nine games, as well as a five-game advantage over the Giants for the top spot in the National League West.
Chicago's Randy Wells drew a tough-luck loss after giving up just the one run and three hits over seven innings, while striking out six.
"They have a good pitching staff," said Cubs outfielder Xavier Nady of the Padres. "Obviously their bullpen is very good, and that's one of the main reasons they are in first place."
Chicago did give San Diego a scare in the ninth, when Blake DeWitt hit a long fly ball to right field off closer Heath Bell with a man on. However, Ryan Ludwick made a leaping catch at the ivy to secure the final out and give Bell his MLB- leading 36th save.
"There is a brief moment when you get scared, but you track the outfielder, you track the ball, and then the ball is in the glove, and it feels great," said Black.
The Cubs, who have lost five of seven and are just 4-16 over their last 20 games, will give Casey Coleman his first major league start after sending another young hurler to the bullpen in Thomas Diamond.
Diamond struggled over his first three career starts, while Coleman has pitched to an 8.64 ERA over four relief outings. The 23-year-old righty was tagged for six runs over 2 1/3 innings of his MLB debut on Aug. 2, but has allowed just two runs over six frames and three appearances since.
Coleman, a 15th round pick in 2008, was last in action on Friday in St. Louis and walked one with three strikeouts over two hitless innings. He faces the Padres for the first time today.
The Padres and Cubs are meeting for the first time since San Diego took five of nine matchups a year ago. The Padres had lost five straight at Wrigley Field before taking the first two games of this set.
<< Hamilton visits Toronto in pivotal Eastern Division matchup
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Currently tied for first place in the Eastern
Division, the Toronto Argonauts try to continue their recent run of success as
they face off against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a divisional showdown at the
Rogers Cen
<< Als seek return to win column in clash with Bombers
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hoping to bounce back from just their second
loss of the season, the Montreal Alouettes entertain the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
at McGill Stadium on Thursday night.
According to the most recent power rankings in t
<< Yankees resume series with Tigers in the Bronx
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees will once again be without star third
baseman Alex Rodriguez this evening when they continue their four-game series
against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium.
Rodriguez left Monday's tilt with
<< Eli Manning back on the field with Giants on Wed.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -Eli Manning is back on the field.The New York Giants quarterback joined teammates for stretching on Wednesday morning at training camp at the University at Albany.Manning, who needed 12 stitches to close a gash on the left side of
Phils put streak on line in second showdown with Giants >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies are certainly capable of winning
a fourth straight National League East title, but getting into the playoffs is
the ultimate goal.
Now a game up on the San Francisco Giants for the NL Wild Card po
Rays aim for sweep of Rangers at the Trop >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays go after their fifth straight win this
afternoon when they try to complete a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers at
Tropicana Field.
After rallying for a 6-4 win in Monday's opener, the Rays cruised
Mariners hope for series win over Orioles >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Mariners put it all together in last night's
win over the Baltimore Orioles with solid pitching and timely hitting. Another
performance like that in Wednesday's finale of a three-game set would give the
Mariners t
Rockies try to avoid another shutout at Chavez Ravine >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies may be one of the National League's
highest scoring teams, but they've had tons of trouble producing runs in
recent visits to Dodger Stadium.
The Rockies will be out to avoid a fourth straight shutout
Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.
"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."
Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com
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Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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