Yanks, Sabathia aim to avoid sweep at hands of Mariners

Baseball Betting Lines

07/01/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red-hot Yankees ace CC Sabathia puts his five-start winning streak and unblemished home record on the line this afternoon against the Seattle Mariners in the finale of a three-game series from the Bronx.

Sabathia has pitched to a 2.19 earned run average during his streak and is coming off his second straight eight-inning performance. He threw eight shutout innings in a win over the Mets on June 20, then held the Dodgers to a run and four hits over eight frames in last Friday's 2-1 win at Los Angeles.

The left-hander and 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner pushed his mark to 9-3 in 16 starts and lowered his ERA to 3.49. Sabathia has been deadly at Yankee Stadium this season, going 5-0 in seven outings there. He will make his 15th career start against Seattle and has won six of 10 decisions in this series. Sabathia last faced the Mariners in a 10-1 victory back on September 19, 2009 at Safeco Field, where he allowed one unearned run in seven innings.

New York hopes to salvage the finale of this set after Seattle right-handers Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez went the distance in back-to-back days to set up a possible sweep Thursday. Sabathia is the best candidate to pull the defending World Series champions from the grips of defeat. Javier Vazquez had a chance to do that last night, but allowed three runs over six innings of a 7-0 drubbing. Damaso Marte and Chad Gaudin both gave up two runs in relief for the Yankees, losers of two straight and three of four games.

Mark Teixeira and Colin Curtis had the only hits off of Hernandez for New York, which still leads the American League East by one game over Boston. Tampa Bay is two games off the pace in the division standings. Teixeira is riding an 11-game hitting streak in which he has three homers and 10 RBI.

"He was as good a pitcher as we've faced all year," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Hernandez. "Between his sinker, his changeup, curveball, I mean he was really on tonight."

Alex Rodriguez went 0-for-2 at the plate and is still six homers shy of becoming the seventh player in baseball history with 600 career home runs. Only Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa have achieved the feat.

Meanwhile, Hernandez became the second Seattle pitcher in as many days to throw a complete game against the Yankees, as he gave up just two hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts in winning his third straight decision. Lee threw a complete game in a 7-4 win on Tuesday.

Michael Saunders had his first multi-home run game with a solo blast and a two-run shot, while Milton Bradley went deep and Russell Branyan clubbed a two-run homer for the Mariners, who have won three of four and nine of their last 12 contests.

"I've been a lot more confident going in and not putting too much pressure on myself," said Saunders. "The beauty of playing baseball is if you have a poor game you get to come back the next day and prove yourself."

Ryan Rowland-Smith has a lot to prove when he takes the ball for the M's tonight. This may be his last start in the rotation with Erik Bedard slated to return soon from shoulder surgery. Rowland-Smith has been a major disappointment this season and can only hope to have as much success as Lee and Hernandez in this series. He is just 1-7 with a 6.18 earned run average in 16 games (13 starts) this season and previously took the hill in an 8-3 setback at Milwaukee on Friday.

The left-hander lasted 5 1/3 innings and gave up five runs on five hits and two walks with a season high-tying four strikeouts. Opponents are batting .311 off of Rowland-Smith, who is winless (0-5) in eight road starts this season.

He has faced the Yankees six times in his career (2 starts) and is 0-0 with a 5.29 ERA, spanning 17 innings pitched. However, Rowland-Smith pitched well in a 4-2 loss versus New York back on August 14 last season at Safeco Field and recorded a no-decision for tossing seven innings of two-run ball.

Seattle and New York are meeting for the first time since the Yankees won six of 10 matchups a year ago. The last time the Mariners swept the Yankees in three games in the Bronx was during the 2002 season. New York has never been swept in its new stadium.

Jazzspirts Baseball Betting News

<< Jays, Marcum hope to avoid brooms in Cleveland
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Blue Jays were left without an ace when they traded Roy Halladay this past offseason, but Shaun Marcum has wasted little time claiming ownership of the title. Marcum will try to prevent his Toronto squad from getting s

<< Zvonareva reaches Wimbledon final
Wimbledon, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Russian Vera Zvonareva landed in her first career Grand Slam final on Thursday by overcoming upstart Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova in semifinal action at Wimbledon 2010. The 21st-seeded Zvonareva's oppon

<< Ex-NHLer Hinote joins Blue Jackets staff
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -Former NHL veteran Dan Hinote (HIGH'-note) has been hired as an assistant coach by the Columbus Blue Jackets.The club announced the hiring on Thursday. Hinote helped the Colorado Avalanche win the 2001 Stanley Cup.Hinote will be

<< Report: Bucks reach deal with Gooden
Sunnyvale, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly reached an agreement on a multi-year contract with forward Drew Gooden, just hours after the NBA free agency period began. According to Yahoo! Sports, Gooden has

<< Agent: Byron Scott accepts Cavs' job
CLEVELAND (AP) -Byron Scott has accepted Cleveland's coaching job, his agent told The Associated Press.Brian McInerney said in an e-mail that the sides are working through some final details, but that Scott has agreed to become Cleveland's next coac

A's Cahill puts unbeaten streak on the line against Orioles >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Oakland Athletics young starter Trevor Cahill is making a case for the American League All-Star team and will try to keep his unbeaten streak intact tonight against the Baltimore Orioles in the finale of a three- game series

Pavano goes for Twins in opener with Rays >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - An injury on Wednesday forced the Twins to go to their bullpen a little earlier then they might have needed to. With Carl Pavano set to start tonight versus the Rays, Minnesota's relief group might get rewarded with some mor

Santana leads Mets into series opener at Nationals Park >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Johan Santana tries to avoid a third straight loss this evening when the New York Mets begin a four-game series with the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Santana has actually lost three of his last four out

Giants kick off road trip in Colorado >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Francisco Giants hope to avoid a sixth straight loss this evening, as they kick off an 11-game road trip with the first of four games against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The Giants managed to bea

Red-hot Rangers go for another series win in Anaheim >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - As Josh Hamilton and the Texas Rangers turn the page on an outstanding June, the arrival of Vladimir Guerrero's old team has him getting in on the offensive act as well. Hamilton and Guerrero will attempt to lead their cl

Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup

September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com.  The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans. 

Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to  name a  few.  Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR.  They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.

The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer.  Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your golf sportsbook needs.

Ryder Cup Odds

Europe
Tie
USA		 4-5
10-1
6-5


Ryder Cup Top US point scorer
Tiger Woods
Jim Furyk
Phil Mickelson
Chris DiMarco
David Toms
Stewart Cink
Chad Campbell
Scott Verplank
Zach Johnson
Vaughan Taylor
JJ Henry
Brett Wetterich		 9-4
4-1
5-1
7-1
8-1
12-1
15-1
15-1
25-1
30-1
30-1
50-1


Ryder Cup Top European scorer
Sergio Garcia
Luke Donald
Padraig Harrington
Colin Montgomerie
Darren Clarke
David Howell
Lee Westwood
Paul Casey
Henrik Stenson
Jose Maria Olazabal
Paul McGinley
Robert Karlsson		 5-1
5-1
6-1
13-2
8-1
9-1
9-1
11-1
12-1
12-1
20-1
25-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com

MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.