Surging Rays top Yankees, remain tied with Red Sox
Baseball Betting Lines
09/28/2011 -
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - The Tampa Bay Rays are loose and raring to go, ready to work overtime - if necessary - to win the AL wild card.
``Whatever it takes,'' designated hitter Johnny Damon said. ``It's been a fun ride and hopefully it continues.''
The Rays' improbable bid for a third playoff berth in four years comes down to the final day of the regular season after Tuesday night's 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees left them tied for the wild card with Boston. The reeling Red Sox held off the Baltimore Orioles 8-7.
If the teams remain tied after Wednesday night's season finales, they will meet in a one-game playoff at Tropicana Field on Thursday afternoon.
``We have to focus on ourselves ... play our game and not worry about the other side of it,'' manager Joe Maddon said. ``That will eventually take care of itself.''
Matt Joyce and Ben Zobrist homered, the bullpen shut down the Yankees after starter Jeremy Hellickson pitched six strong innings, and the Rays kept the score close by turning the third triple play in franchise history.
Throw in Joyce, whose three-run homer wiped out a 3-2 deficit in the seventh - playing on an injured foot - and that the Rays were without Casey Kotchman after the first baseman experienced tightness in his chest and was taken to a hospital for tests, and no wonder Tampa Bay feels it has no limits.
``All the indicators are there, let's just keep pushing,'' Maddon said. ``When those things kind of show up, it really promotes even more fight, I think. There's more of a believability about the moment.''
Joyce's homer off former teammate Rafael Soriano (2-3) was the All-Star's first in more than three weeks. Zobrist hit a two-run drive off Bartolo Colon in the second, and the Rays kept the Yankees from busting the game opened with the triple play that bailed Hellickson out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth.
``Everybody's thirsty for offense, and we'd like to score more,'' Maddon said. ``But we're built around pitching and defense.''
Jake McGee (4-2) pitched one scoreless inning to get the win. With a crowd of 22,820 standing and cheering, Kyle Farnsworth got the final three outs for his 25th save in 31 chances. The victory was the fourth straight for Tampa Bay, which trailed the Red Sox by nine games before battling back into the wild-card race.
Russell Martin hit a solo homer for the Yankees in the third, but also grounded into the triple play that prevented them from building on the 3-2 lead Nick Swisher gave them with a RBI double.
The Yankees, who clinched the division title and homefield advantage throughout the AL playoffs last week, rested Derek Jeter and plan to play most - if not all - of their regular lineup again on Wednesday. Manager Joe Girardi remained undecided on a starting pitcher for the finale, but it figures to be a reliever.
Tampa Bay will go with All-Star lefty David Price, who's 12-13 after finishing second in balloting for the AL Cy Young Award a year ago.
The Rays said he's up to the task.
``I always have the utmost confidence when David pitches. I really do,'' Maddon said. ``Every time he pitches we feel like we're going to win that night. I know some things have not necessarily gone his way this year, but in a very tight moment, you always feel very comfortable about how David will pitch.''
Despite squandering their big lead with a miserable September, the Red Sox are excited about still having a chance to make the postseason on the final day.
``I think it's really good for baseball (but) not so good for my stomach,'' Boston manager Terry Francona said. ``It's exciting. If you don't want to show up (Wednesday) and play, you've got no pulse.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brandon Belt went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer and Madison Bumgarner threw seven innings of two-hit ball to lift the Giants over the Rockies, 7-0, in the second meeting of a season-ending three- game se
<< Roberts' slam caps crazy 10th-inning comeback for Arizona
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Here's hoping Milwaukee didn't celebrate too
early.
Ryan Roberts clubbed a grand slam in the home half of the 10th frame, capping
a six-run, two-out rally, as the Diamondbacks stayed alive for the second se
<< Soriano powers Cubs past Padres
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alfonso Soriano's three-run home run powered
the Cubs to a 6-2 victory over the Padres in the second contest of a three-
game series.
The hit made a winner of Matt Garza (10-10), who tossed seven
<< Napoli homers twice as Rangers pound Angels
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Napoli went deep twice against his
former team, and Adrian Beltre homered for a fourth straight contest in a
10-3 Texas win over the Angels.
Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz also homered for the
<< Cahill strong on mound as A's blank Mariners
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trevor Cahill tossed seven scoreless innings on
Tuesday, leading the Oakland Athletics to a 7-0 thrashing of the Seattle
Mariners at Safeco Field.
Cahill (12-14) scattered four hits while striking out s
ATLANTA (AP) - Tim Hudson relishes the chance to pitch in such an important game.His team would've preferred it didn't come down to this.For the Atlanta Braves, a once-commanding lead in the NL wild-card race has been frittered away. They're on the
Column: Guillen steals more headlines than games >>
A great manager can steal a half-dozen games a season, tops, but he gets to hold court before and after each and every one. That's when Ozzie Guillen's genius really shines, and why he's the rare skipper who can write his own ticket.Guillen carries
Wozniacki bows out in Tokyo >>
Tokyo, Japan (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 and defending champion Caroline
Wozniacki was a third-round upset victim Wednesday at the $2.05 million Pan
Pacific Open tennis event.
Kaia Kanepi of Estonia outlasted Wozniacki 7-5, 1-6, 6-
Mountaineers seek to ground Falcons in Morgantown >>
Morgantown, WV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Bowling Green Falcons will conclude
their non-conference schedule in search of an upset this weekend in
Morgantown, meeting up with the 22nd-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers.
Bowling Green is 3-1 for th
Yellow Jackets set sights on Wolfpack >>
Raleigh, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 21st-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
storm into Raleigh this weekend for an ACC clash with the NC State Wolfpack,
who are unbeaten at home and looking for a rebound after last week's 44-14
thumping at the h
COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETTING
NCAA Football BettingMany fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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Matt Kenseth And Kevin Harvick Favorites To Take NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship
(September 15)—The NASCAR season has hit the homestretch with the opening event on this year’s Chase for the Cup taking place this weekend at the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. With 10 races remaining to determine the Cup Series champion, leading online sportsbook MySportsbook.com today announced odds on all 10 Chase qualifying drivers capturing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.
One of the largest sportsbook sites on the Internet, MySportsbook.com currently lists the top two drivers in the point standings as the early favorites to win the Nextel Cup. Entering the Chase for the Cup with a slim five-point lead in the point standings, 2003 NASCAR champ Matt Kenseth has been made a slight favorite to win his second Cup at 7/2 betting odds. 2001 Cup Rookie of the Year Kevin Harvick has betting odds listed at 5/2 and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon is listed at 6/1 to capture the Nextel Cup this year.
Hoping to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father who won six NASCAR titles, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands at 8/1 to breakthrough with his first Cup victory. Staying with the family theme, MySportsbook.com lists 2005 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch at 14/1 to succeed big brother Kurt’s 2004 NASCAR title. While Kasey Kahne was the final driver to qualify for the Chase with a third place finish last week, the oddsmakers give him a fighting chance at 10/1 mainly due to several mile-and-a-half tracks remaining on the schedule. Despite going winless on the NASCAR circuit this season, Jeff Burton enters the Chase at 5/1 to capture the Cup title. Meanwhile, rookie Denny Hamlin is 4/1 to win the championship, while veteran driver Mark Martin enters the Chase for the Cup as a 15/1 long shot to win his first NASCAR title in his 24th and final season.
MySportsbook.com will offer comprehensive Nascar betting lines on every race remaining on the Nextel Cup series including driver match-ups, props and odds to win each race. For a complete list of NASCAR odds, please visit www.MySportsbook.com.
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