07/02/2009 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Derrek Lee headlined a home run parade with two long-balls -- a three-run shot and a grand slam -- for a career-high seven RBI, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 9-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the beginning of a crucial four-game series between the NL Central foes.
It was Lee's 20th career multi-homer game, as the Cubs won for the third time in four games. Jake Fox and Geovany Soto each hit a solo shot in a game that featured six total homers -- all in the first six innings.
Ryan Dempster (5-5) was the beneficiary of the run support, moving to 10-3 lifetime against Milwaukee after allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.
Mike Cameron and Prince Fielder each hit a home run for the Brewers, who have lost two in a row after winning four of their previous five. Seth McClung (3-2), in his second start of the year, was hammered for seven runs on seven hits with two walks and a strikeout in only 3 1/3 innings.
The Cubs got off to a quick start in the first. Sam Fuld drew a walk to lead off, Ryan Theriot followed with a single, and Lee scored everybody with a three-run homer to left for an early cushion.
Two batters later, Fox hit his fourth home run of the season for a 4-0 edge.
Cameron, though, answered for Milwaukee, blasting a two-run shot in the second to cut the Brewers' deficit in half.
To keep the home run parade going, Soto drilled his eighth of the year to lead off the fourth and give the Cubs a 5-2 lead.
Chicago blew the game wide open in the same frame thanks to more hot hitting from Lee. Following Soto's homer, Mike Fontenot and Fuld both singled, and Theriot walked, setting up Lee's grand slam to center for a commanding 9-2 advantage.
Fielder added to the home run tally with a leadoff shot in the sixth, pulling the Brewers to within 9-3. Ryan Braun produced the first non-homer run of the game with an RBI single in the seventh, although it still left Milwaukee down by five.
In the top of the eighth, with one out and Aaron Heilman pitching for Chicago, Cameron doubled, Corey Hart was hit by a pitch, and Jason Kendall grounded an RBI single through the left side of the infield for a 9-5 game.
Heilman limited the damage by retiring the next two hitters, and Carlos Marmol finished off the Brewers in the ninth.
Game Notes
Thursday marked the beginning of an 11-game homestand for the Cubs. They will also face Atlanta and St. Louis while at Wrigley Field...Chicago leads the season series, 4-3...Cameron finished 3-for-4, while Fielder was 2-for-4 for Milwaukee...Fuld and Theriot both had a pair of hits for Chicago...Since May 30, a span of 29 games, Lee is hitting .339 with nine homers and 29 RBI. He has 14 home runs total this season. It was his 10th career grand slam...Dempster earned his first win since May 30.
<< Mayfield a no-show at Daytona
Daytona Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sprint Cup Series driver and team owner
Jeremy Mayfield was not present at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday,
one day after a federal judge granted him a temporary injunction to race
again,
<< Diaz helps Braves slip past slumping Phils
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Diaz belted a go-ahead RBI double in a
three-run eighth, as the Atlanta Braves recorded their first home sweep of the
Phillies since 2005 with a 5-2 victory at Turner Field.
Garret Anderson added a t
<< Wellemeyer pitches Cardinals over Giants
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Todd Wellemeyer threw 7 1/3 innings to help
the St. Louis Cardinals take a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants and split
a four-game series.
Wellemeyer (7-7) scattered seven hits and two runs with a
<< Cubs reliever Cotts has Tommy John surgery
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Neal Cotts
underwent Tommy John surgery on Thursday and will be sidelined indefinitely.
Cotts was 0-2 this season with a 7.36 earned run average before being demoted
to Tri
Artest joining Lakers >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Free agent forward Ron Artest is
leaving the Houston Rockets to join the Los Angeles Lakers and will provide
the team with more offensive firepower next season, as he'll join Kobe Bryant
and Pau
Rockets lose out on Artest but nab Ariza >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Just moments after losing out to the Lakers for
the services of forward Ron Artest, the Rockets have reportedly come to an
agreement with Trevor Ariza, who was a key part of Los Angeles' championship
run thi
Kings reach agreement on four-year deal with Scuderi >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Kings have reached an
agreement on a four-year contract with former Penguins blueliner Rob Scuderi.
Scuderi was a key cog in helping Pittsburgh claim its third Stanley Cup title
in t
NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees announced >>
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NASCAR on Thursday revealed the 25 nominees
for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame induction class. Nominees included
pioneers, former champions and driver-turned-team owners of the sport.
A 21-member committe
Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value
If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture. Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).
For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot. The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.
TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.
"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,' it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."
"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.
Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash. Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win.
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“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
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