Cardinals go for ninth win in a row, sweep of slumping Phils

Baseball Betting Lines

07/22/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Wainwright will try to become just the second 15-game winner in the major leagues and remain unbeaten at home when he attempts to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to their ninth straight win and a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies today at Busch Stadium.

Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez is currently tops in the bigs with 15 wins, while Wainwright is right behind with a 14-5 record and a 2.02 earned run average in 20 starts this season. He has won four straight starts to go along with a 0.31 ERA and hasn't allowed a run over his last 19 innings.

After going the distance in a win over Milwaukee on July 4, Wainwright threw eight shutout innings in a victory at Houston five days later. He then tossed six scoreless frames in a 2-0 triumph versus Los Angeles last Saturday, as he scattered five hits and struck out three batters. Wainwright pushed his 2010 Busch Stadium mark to 10-0 in 10 tries and owns a 1.31 ERA in that stretch.

The right-hander is 2-1 in seven career games (five starts) against the Phillies and did not record a decision when he faced them in a 2-1 loss in Philadelphia back on May 4. Wainwright limited Philadelphia to a run and four hits through eight innings of work.

Wainwright's staff mate Jaime Garcia picked up his ninth win of the season last night by holding the slumping Phillies to a run and four hits with six strikeouts through seven innings. Garcia (9-4), Wainwright and Chris Carpenter are a combined 39-21 so far this season.

"[Garcia] was aggressive. He didn't really get behind the count too often," said Cardinals manager Tony La Russa.

Matt Holliday homered and Felipe Lopez drove in two runs for the National League Central-leading Cardinals, who have won eight straight and will try for nine consecutive wins for the first time since the 2004 campaign. St. Louis, which is 1 1/2 games ahead of Cincinnati, hasn't swept the Phillies in four games at home since Aug. 4-7, 1986.

The last time St. Louis tasted defeat was July 10 at Houston. It will hit the road for six games against the Cubs and Mets after this afternoon's contest.

Philadelphia has dropped four in a row and fell to 1-6 on an eight-game road trip following last night's loss. A lack of runs and poor pitching has hampered the Phillies lately, and they could make a move for a pitcher with the trade deadline looming.

In Wednesday's four-run loss in the Gateway City, Joe Blanton fell to 3-6 on the season after he surrendered five runs -- three earned -- and seven hits in seven innings of work. Ryan Howard belted his 22nd home run of the season in the fifth inning to account for Philadelphia's scoring.

"What can I say?" Phils manager Charlie Manuel said on the team's site. "We come out here about every day and we do the same thing. We haven't been scoring runs. I've been giving everybody in that locker room a chance, I feel like. If you can hit, please do. What the hell? That's kind of how I look at it. That's not taking no shot at one guy. That's covering a lot of territory."

The Phillies will head home for seven games against Colorado and Arizona following this afternoon's contest and sit seven games behind Atlanta in the NL West standings.

Phillies lefty Cole Hamels pitched well enough for a win the last time he faced St. Louis, but was able to set his team up for a victory with eight innings of one-run ball and eight strikeouts in a 2-1 decision on May 4. Hamels, who is 2-2 in seven career starts against the Cardinals, will take the ball today and is 1-0 with a 1.66 ERA in his last three starts.

Hamels, the 2008 World Series MVP, recorded another no-decision in last Saturday's 4-1 victory at the Chicago Cubs and limited the NL Central inhabitants to a run on eight hits in seven innings. The left-hander remained at 7-7 in 19 starts this year and lowered his ERA to 3.63. He hopes to even his road mark tonight, as he sports a 3-4 ledger in nine away starts this season.

The Phillies had a four-game winning streak in the Gateway City come to an end with a loss in Monday's opener of this set. St. Louis now leads the season series by a 4-3 count.

Wwwthesimpsons Baseball Betting News

<< Golf Hall of Fame ceremony moves to spring
St. Augustine, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The induction ceremony for the World Golf Hall of Fame has been moved to a spring date. Previously held in the fall, it will take place on Monday, May 9, 2011, which is the same week as The Players Champ

<< CC seeks ninth straight win as Yankees open set with Royals
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - CC Sabathia has been nearly unbeatable for the New York Yankees over the past two months. With a matchup against the Kansas City Royals next on tap for the All-Star hurler, that string of success doesn't figure to change.

<< Rangers turn to Lee for opener of key set with Angels
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- The Texas Rangers acquired Cliff Lee to help end the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's reign of dominance in the American League West. The All-Star hurler gets his first crack at the three-time defending division champions sin

<< Pirates, red-hot Alvarez close out set vs. Brewers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Led by Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh's offense has exploded since the All-Star break. Seems that Milwaukee ace Yovani Gallardo is coming back at just the right time. Gallardo is set to make his first start in nearly th

<< Twins hope to solve road struggles in trip to Baltimore
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins have had their problems when playing on the road in recent weeks, but a visit to Baltimore's Camden Yards could help solve those struggles. Minnesota starts up a week-long trek with tonight's opener of

Giants resume playoff quest in Arizona >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Francisco Giants are still fighting for the top spot in the National League West Division. An upcoming four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks could help with that quest. The Giants, who are four games be

Slumping Red Sox hoping to right ship in Seattle >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox need to get some momentum going on this current road trip and hope that an upcoming four-game series against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field will do the trick. Boston will visit the Emerald City ton

Reeling Mets continue West Coast tour with stop in LA >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Citi Field must feel many moons away for the New York Mets, who will continue their disappointing road trip tonight with the first of four straight games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. New York was just

Minnesota Vikings 2010 Training Camp Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - REPORT DATE: July 30th SITE: Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN CAMP OBJECTIVES: All other stories in Vikings camp figure to be overshadowed by the Brett Favre drama, which is exactly the way the venerable 40-yea

Seattle Seahawks 2010 Training Camp Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - REPORT DATES: July 29th (Rookies), July 30th (Veterans) SITE: Virginia Mason Athletic Center, Renton, WA CAMP OBJECTIVES: The first training camp of the Pete Carroll era in Seattle will have to follow an aggressive ag

Football Betting

NFL Football Betting Online

The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

Thursday, August 21

NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37

NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games

Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.

Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.

Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.

That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.

Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.

CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

The 2008 NFL betting lines season is almost upon us! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting. The sportsbook has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well. Join sportbook today and we'll help guide you right through to Super Bowl XLIII and beyond!

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .