D'Backs close regular season against Dodgers
Baseball Betting Lines
09/28/2011 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Arizona Diamondbacks will close out the regular season tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the finale of a three-game series at Chase Field.
The NL West-champion Diamondbacks are coming off an improbable win last night, as they scored six runs in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 7-6 victory. Ryan Roberts capped the tremendous comeback with a grand slam off of Dodgers reliever Javy Guerra and kept Arizona one game behind Milwaukee for the second-best mark in the National League and homefield advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.
"That was unbelievable, I've never been a part of something like that, everything on this team blows my mind," Roberts said. "All year long we've gotten comeback wins and crazy things. That just goes down in the books as another one for me."
Milwaukee plays Pittsburgh on Wednesday and will host the NLDS with a victory at Miller Park. Arizona holds the tiebreaker should both teams finish tied.
Lyle Overbay had two hits and an RBI and Micah Owings collected the win despite allowing five runs -- four earned -- in an inning of work. Rookie Jarrod Parker threw 5 2/3 shutout innings in the no-decision.
Arizona has won seven of nine games and will send Joe Saunders to the mound this evening. Saunders is 12-12 with a 3.58 earned run average in 32 starts and is 3-0 in his previous four outings. Saunders did not figure into the decision of a 3-1 win versus San Francisco on Friday and tossed seven innings of one-run ball. The lefty defeated the Dodgers on Sept. 12 in LA and is 3-5 with a 3.55 ERA in 10 career starts against them.
The Dodgers will put a tumultuous season behind them tonight and were in position for a win after scoring five runs in the top of the 10th inning. Dee Gordon and Jamey Carroll each had three hits and Matt Kemp finished with a pair of hits for Los Angeles, which had won eight of 10 games.
Kemp, a Triple Crown hopeful, is closing in on becoming the first Dodger since Dolph Camilli in 1941 to lead the National League in both homers (38) and RBI (124). He increased his hitting streak to 11 games in the process.
Guerra was dealt the loss for serving up Roberts' slam and Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda threw six shutout innings with five strikeouts.
"We should have won it," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said.
Mattingly will close out his first season as LA's skipper and will send Ted Lilly to the hill Wednesday. Lilly is 11-14 with a 4.12 ERA in 32 starts and has won two straight and four of his past five decisions, including a 2-0 win at San Diego on Friday. He held the Padres to four hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out seven batters for a second straight outing.
The veteran southpaw lost to Arizona on Sept. 12 and is 4-7 with a 4.57 ERA in 13 career meetings (11 starts) with the Diamondbacks.
Arizona is 10-7 against the Dodgers this season.
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have placed safety Cody Grimm on injured reserve. Grimm started in the first three games this season for the Buccaneers, recording 10 tackles and one pass defensed. Originally
<< Giants close out title defense vs. Rockies
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Try as they might, the San Francisco Giants just couldn't
overcome injuries and an inconsistent offense.
The defending World Series champions will at least try to end their season on
a high note with an eighth straigh
<< A's hand Gonzalez ball in season finale at Seattle
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Streaking left-hander Gio Gonzalez will try to nab a
career-high 16th victory of the season tonight when his Oakland Athletics
finish off the season with the finale of a three-game set against the Seattle
Mariner
<< Morrow aims to close out Jays' season vs. White Sox on high note
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brandon Morrow tries to cap his campaign with a flourish
this afternoon when the Toronto Blue Jays wrap up their season against the
Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
After holding the New York Yankees scoreless for
<< Dempster, Cubs wrap up campaign with Padres
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With an uncertain future, Cubs starter Ryan Dempster will
try to end the regular season with his first victory in seven weeks as Chicago
concludes a three-game set this evening with a rubber match versus the San
Diego P
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - This is not where the Atlanta Braves wanted to be. Once proud owners of a 10 1/2-game lead in the National League wild card standings, the Braves are mired in a four-game losing streak, but can still clinch a playoff spot
In the FCS Huddle: Jerry Rice Award Watch List >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Consider that a year ago Montana State
quarterback DeNarius McGhee had to beat out a returning senior quarterback for
the starting job.
Or that Delaware had two returning running backs who could have block
Patriots bring back DL Gerard Warren >>
Foxboro, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New England Patriots have re-signed veteran
defensive lineman Gerard Warren.
Warren had 28 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks in 16 games (10 starts) for the Patriots
in 2010.
The 6-foot-4, 325-pounder was a firs
Sunderland's Bramble arrested >>
Sunderland, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sunderland defender Titus Bramble was
arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and possession of a Class A drug.
The 30-year-old is being held for questioning by police after an incident in
the early
Huddlestone set for ankle operation >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone is set
to undergo ankle surgery, Spurs manager Harry Redknapp revealed on Wednesday.
Huddlestone has not featured for the club since a 5-1 defeat to Manchester
City
Teams that should be in: Stanford
Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.
Should be in:
Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.
| Southeastern Conference odds | |
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.
Work left to do: Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney. Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson. Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable. Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile. |
|
For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com
Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com
To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.