07/24/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs, co-owners of baseball's best home record this season, open up a key four-game series with the playoff-hopeful Florida Marlins tonight at Wrigley Field.
A return to the Windy City couldn't have come at a better time for Chicago, which has red-hot Milwaukee currently breathing down its neck in the National League Central race. The Cubs held a 4 1/2-game lead atop the division at the All-Star break, but that edge has dwindled down to a single game after Lou Piniella's club went 2-4 on a recent road trip and the Brewers' having won their last seven contests.
The Cubs and Brewers will meet four straight times in Milwaukee beginning on Monday.
Chicago had dropped four of its first five games following the break but managed to come through with a much-needed 10-6 victory at Arizona on Wednesday. Reed Johnson went 3-for-4 with a grand slam to pace the Cubs offensively, while Derrek Lee added a solo home run among his two hits on the night.
Alfonso Soriano also made a contribution for Chicago in his first game back from the disabled list, as the All-Star left fielder had a double and a run- scoring ground out in five at-bats. Soriano had been sidelined since June 11 due to a broken bone in his left hand.
The Cubs received a solid six innings out of Ted Lilly (10-6) as well on Wednesday, with the left-hander holding the Diamondbacks to three runs and striking out six to help his team avoid a sweep of its three-game set with Arizona. Lilly aided his cause with an RBI single during a three-run fifth inning for Chicago.
Chicago is an outstanding 37-12 at Wrigley Field in 2008, which puts the Cubs in a virtual tie with Boston (36-11) for the best home mark in the majors.
Florida remains in the thick of a division race as well and enters play tonight trailing the Mets and Phillies by only one game in the NL East. The Marlins missed out on a chance to make it a three-way tie, however, by falling to the host Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.
Gregor Blanco and Yunel Escobar both knocked in three runs to back six shutout innings from Tim Hudson as the Braves posted a 9-4 win in the rubber match of their three-game series with the Marlins.
Luis Gonzalez blasted a three-run homer for Florida, but starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (10-6) was tagged for five runs and eight hits in five innings to suffer the loss.
After struggling against Hudson on Wednesday, the Marlins figure to face another tough challenge tonight in the form of Carlos Zambrano. The Cubs ace has been masterful on the Wrigley Field mound this season, bringing a 5-0 record and a 2.25 earned run average in 10 home starts into this evening's test.
The 2008 All-Star struggled in his first outing after the break, however. Against the Astros in Houston last Saturday, Zambrano issued six walks in 6 1/3 innings and allowed four runs to take the loss in Chicago's 4-1 setback.
Prior to that start, Zambrano recorded back-to-back wins over St. Louis and Cincinnati and yielded just one run and five hits in 14 innings during those two games.
The excitable right-hander owns a 3-1 record with a 2.54 ERA over seven lifetime starts against the Marlins.
Chicago-area native Scott Olsen will take the ball tonight for Florida and will be shooting for a third straight winning start. The young lefty wasn't overly sharp in Saturday's matchup with Philadelphia, surrendering four runs (3 earned) and eight hits through five innings, but received plenty of offensive support in the Marlins' 9-5 triumph.
Olsen is 2-0 with three no-decisions over his last five starts and permitted three earned runs or less in all but one of those appearances. He hasn't lost since a 5-4 defeat at Seattle on June 17.
The 24-year-old is 1-0 with a 3.80 ERA in four previous starts against the Cubs. His only career game at Wrigley Field came during the 2006 season, with Olsen getting a no-decision despite allowing just one hit in his five innings of work.
Olsen will be attempting to extend a 10-game winning streak for the Marlins against Chicago. Florida won all six meetings between the clubs last season and recorded a three-game sweep in Wrigley from May 28-30, 2007.
<< Rays visit Royals for four games
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays will attempt to maintain their hold on
first place in the American League East when the up-and-coming club begins a
four-game series with the Kansas City Royals tonight at Kauffman Stadium.
Tampa Bay st
<< Halladay hopes to stay hot in Baltimore
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto right-hander Roy Halladay can continue a
remarkable run of success against Baltimore today when the Blue Jays visit the
Orioles for the finale-and-a-half of a four-game series at Camden Yards.
Wednesday's contest
<< Giants shoot for rare home sweep in finale with Nats
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Francisco Giants try and complete their first home
sweep of the season when they conclude their three-game set with the
Washington Nationals this afternoon at AT&T Park.
At 19-31, the Giants own the
<< First place back on the line in Mets-Phils rubber match
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Oliver Perez tries to continue his mastery of the
Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon, when the New York Mets play the pivotal
rubber match of their three-game series with their National League East rivals
at Shea
CFL Previews - Week 5 (July 24-27) >>
Toronto, Ontario (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
CALGARY STAMPEDERS (3-1) AT WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (0-4)
DATE & TIME: Thursday, July 24, 8 p.m. (et).
GAME NOTES: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will have a new quarterback under
center.
Backu
Chiefs agree to terms with another draft pick >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Kansas City Chiefs agreed to terms
with tackle Branden Albert on a five-year contract Thursday. Per team policy,
terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Albert, a 6-foot-5, 316-pounder, was the 15
Twins continue to struggle against AL East >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's a good thing the Minnesota Twins don't play in the
American League East.
The Twins ventured into Yankee Stadium this week and got swept right out of
town by the Bronx Bombers. It was the seventh straight time Minnesot
Girls' Junior washed out for the day >>
West Hartford, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With more bad weather forecast for an
already soggy U.S. Girls Junior Championship, officials decided Thursday to
postpone the second round of match play.
Play will re-start at 7:00 a.m. (et) Fr
American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6
The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.
Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com. "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis. It's like Week 1 of the NFL. Pre-season means nada!
We do know the 24 finalists however.
Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24. He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway. He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien.
Brandon Rogers - Who?
Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition. He should go a good distance.
Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was. And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition. He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice! People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way.
"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks. He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes. But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.
A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”
Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes.
"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate. "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past. He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far. Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."
Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts)
And the others:
Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter
The girls
"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis. "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has. The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive. I think she will go far."
Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.
"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams. Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth. "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.
Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.
Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.
Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan
MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with).
Last two contestants will be?
1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)
2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)
2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)
MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines.
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