08/27/2008 - Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jarrod Saltalamacchia went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored while Brandon Boggs homered, as the Texas Rangers completed a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 3-2 victory.
Matt Harrison (6-3) threw 6 2/3 innings and gave up two runs -- one earned -- on seven hits to earn the win, his fourth in August. Frank Francisco tossed a scoreless ninth to record his first career save.
The Rangers were without slugger Josh Hamilton, who was scratched from the lineup before the game with an abscessed tooth. He was replaced by Boggs, who started in left field as Marlon Byrd moved from left to center.
David DeJesus and Esteban German both drove in a run for the Royals, who have dropped 10 of their last 11 games. Brian Bannister (7-14) was tagged with the loss as he surrendered three runs -- two earned -- on six hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. The righty also fanned a career-high eight batters and walked just one.
"Tonight is just the epitome of how this year has gone for me," Bannister said. "But I'll stay positive and continue to go out there, work hard and do the things this club needs."
Texas grabbed the lead for good, 3-2, in the seventh. Chris Davis slapped a two-out double to left and came around to score as Saltalamacchia followed with another double. Joaquin Arias then hit a ball back to Bannister, who bobbled it, allowing Saltalamacchia to score.
"That's what you're taught to do in the little leagues, to hustle," said Saltalamacchia. "Run balls out whether you hit a ground ball or whether you're on second or first. You run the ball out and that's what I did."
KC opened the scoring in the third frame as Mark Teahen led off with a walk, stole second and crossed the plate when German followed with a double.
Boggs' leadoff homer in the fourth tied the score.
German led the bottom of the fifth off with a single and Alberto Callaspo's groundout moved German to second. DeJesus then laced a single to left which plated German and gave the Royals a 2-1 lead.
Game Notes
KC fell to a season-worst 21 games below .500...Bannister has not won in 11 starts since a June 23 victory over Colorado and has not beaten an AL team since June 1 (Indians)...Texas has won seven of nine from the Royals this season.
<< Oswalt strong again as Astros top Reds
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roy Oswalt continued his mastery of the Reds
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Oswalt (12-9) allowed one run on five hits with
<< Pedroia helps BoSox slam Yanks
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Bay finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and
Dustin Pedroia added a grand slam as Boston routed the New York Yankees,
11-3, in the middle contest of a three-game set from Yankee Stadium.
Jacoby Ellsbu
<< Delgado leads Mets past Phils, back into first place
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Delgado hit a pair of home runs
and drove in three, as the New York Mets rallied to beat Philadelphia, 6-3,
and leapfrog the Phillies to retake the lead in the NL East.
In the first game o
<< Redding, Nats edge reeling Dodgers
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Redding pitched six solid innings and
Ryan Zimmerman hit his first home run since May 17, as the Washington
Nationals held on for a 5-4 win over the reeling Los Angeles Dodgers, in the
second
Ludwick leads Cards past Brewers >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Ludwick finished 3-for-4 with two runs
batted in, as St. Louis used a four-run eighth inning to upend Milwaukee, 5-3,
and earn a split in the two-game set with the Brewers.
Albert Pujols and Yadier Mo
Angels' Kendrick leaves game early >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim second baseman
Howie Kendrick left Wednesday's game against the Oakland Athletics in the
fourth inning with an injured leg.
Kendrick was running to second base on Mark
Angels' Kendrick and Aybar leave game early >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim second baseman
Howie Kendrick and shortstop Erick Aybar both left Wednesday's 6-5 loss to
the Oakland Athletics with hamstring injuries.
Kendrick was running to second ba
Angels recall Willits from disabled list >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim activated
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Willits pinch-hit for Mike Napoli in the ninth t
Two playoff teams from 2007 take center stage on the NFL Network Sunday night in a Week 2 NFL betting match-up when the (0-1) New England Patriots betting head south to Florida for a contest with the (1-0) Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
New England HC Bill Belichick couldn’t care less about the way his team plays in the preseason. With a chance to tie last week’s game with the Baltimore Ravens betting, He elected to go for the two-point conversion and outright victory. The conversion failed, and the Pats ended up falling to the Ravens by a 16-15 final count.
New England rolled off twelve unanswered points to give it a chance at securing the victory, but it never threatened to cover the 3.5-point spread. NFL bettors saw this one coming, as they bet the Ravens down from +6 to +3.5 as the week progressed. QB Tom Brady didn’t take part in the Patriots first preseason clash, but could see action this weekend.
His three replacements all put up embarrassing numbers. They went a combined 17 for 33, and threw three interceptions and no touchdowns. The New England defense was encouraging, as they held the Ravens to 2/12 third down conversions and surrendered just ten first downs. That ‘D’ should be bolstered with the addition of former Bucs and Denver Broncos betting safety John Lynch, who could make his Patriots debut on Sunday against his former mates.
HC Jon Gruden had to be impressed with the way his Bucs played on both sides of the ball in their dominating 17-6 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 1’s NFL pre-season betting action. Bucs bettors were quite happy with the effort, as they made a mockery of the fact that they were underdogs in the game.
The logjam at the quarterback position didn’t get any easier to separate for Gruden, as all four of his QBs had positive experiences in the first exhibition of 2008. The four combined to complete 28 of their 40 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown, and that was without starting QB Jeff Garcia in the lineup.
RB Michael Bennett had 19 carries and four receptions, totaling 90 yards and a touchdown. Expect to see more of Bennett, Kenneth Darby, and Earnest Graham, as they all compete for playing time with Warrick Dunn in the backfield this season. Defensively, the Bucs recorded four sacks and held the Fins offense in check all day.
First round draft pick Aqib Talib was impressive in the secondary, recording a tackle and two pass defenses in his debut. Don’t be surprised to see Talib in the starting lineup opposite Ronde Barber for the Bucs in ’08.
The betting trends suggest that NFL bettors should be backing the Bucs in this intra-conference exhibition.
These two teams hooked up last year in Tampa Bay, with the Bucs winning that game 13-10. The Buccaneers have only lost one preseason game at home dating back to the beginning of the ’05 preseason. The Patriots have had a mixed bag of results in their recent exhibitions. They have gone 2-2 ATS and SU each of the last three years.
New England currently sits as modest 1-point favorites in this preseason showdown with the ‘total’ now sitting at 34.5.
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