Cubs top D-Backs

Baseball Betting Lines

05/11/2008 - Chicago, IL (Baseball Betting) - Daryle Ward's two-run pinch-hit double in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Chicago Cubs over the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-4, to complete a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field.

The start of game was delayed for 58 minutes due to rain, and both scheduled starters, Randy Johnson and Carlos Zambrano, were scratched before the game due to the weather. Edgar Gonzalez started for Arizona, while Sean Gallagher got the call for the Cubs.

Reed Johnson hit a two-run home run for the Cubs, winners in four of their last five. Derrek Lee belted a solo shot, while Kosuke Fukudome went 2-for-4 and scored a run.

Carlos Marmol (1-0) earned the win as four Chicago relievers combined for 4 2/3 shutout innings, with Kerry Wood picking up his seventh save. Gallagher lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out six.

Conor Jackson tripled and drove in a pair of runs for the D-Backs, who have dropped six of eight. Miguel Montero and Eric Byrnes each doubled and scored, while Augie Ojeda and Justin Upton drove in a run apiece.

Tony Pena (0-1) took the loss after allowing two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Gonzalez was solid for five innings, holding the Cubs to two runs on five hits.

The Cubs fell into a 4-2 hole through five innings, but rallied against a struggling Arizona bullpen.

With Juan Cruz in his second inning of relief, the Cubs finally reignited their offense in the seventh. Mike Fontenot drew a one-out walk, then Johnson turned on a Cruz fastball and launched it over the wall in left-center to force a 4-4 tie. A walk to Ryan Theriot chased Cruz in favor of Tony Pena, who got Lee to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Ramirez lined a single to left to start the home eighth, and with Fukudome at the plate, Ramirez stole second. Fukudome dropped a perfect bunt that died on the third base line for a single, and moved to second when Geovany Soto was retired on a grounder just in front of the plate.

After pinch-hitter Alfonso Soriano was intentionally walked, Ward then belted a long fly ball that fell in the gap for a two-run double to put the Cubs in front.

Wood hit Jeff Salazar with a pitch in the ninth, but got Ojeda to ground into a game-ending double play to complete the sweep.

Chris Young worked a two-out walk in the first, and scored on Jackson's triple, but Mark DeRosa tied the game in the second inning when he singled and made it to third before dashing home on a wild pitch.

Lee put the Cubs on top in the third, launching a one-out solo homer into the seats in right-center.

Arizona couldn't put another run across until the fifth, when Montero led off with a double to start a three-run inning that including an RBI single from Ojeda and run-scoring walks to Jackson and Upton -- both walks were issued by Chad Fox, who came on in place of Gallagher.

But, the Chicago bullpen settled down and held the D-Backs without a hit over the final 4 2/3 innings.

Game Notes

Jackson's two RBI give him 30 for the season...Fox, Marmol, Wood and Michael Wuertz all threw at least one scoreless inning for Chicago...The Cubs stranded seven runners, while the D-Backs left six men on base...The Cubs continue their 10-game homestand on Monday with the start of a four-game set against the Padres...The D-Backs return home on Tuesday for the opener of a three-game series with the Rockies.

Wcdnow Baseball Betting News

<< Jazz tie series with OT win; Kobe fights through injury
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Deron Williams poured in 29 points and doled out 14 assists as the Utah Jazz survived a late surge and downed the Los Angeles Lakers, 123-115, in overtime to knot their Western Conference semifin

<< Crawford's HR carries Rays to sweep of Angels
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carl Crawford blasted the go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays used 15 hits to beat the Angels, 8-5, completing a three-game weekend sweep. Crawford had three h

<< Braun leads Brew Crew past Cards
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Braun's fourth career multi-homer game helped the Milwaukee Brewers to a 5-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the third of a four-game set at Miller Park. Jeff Suppan (2-2) gave up one run

<< Twellman returns to lead New England over Chivas
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Taylor Twellman scored less than 15 minutes into his season debut Sunday and the New England Revolution defeated Chivas USA 2-1 in Major League Soccer. Twellman missed New England's first seven matches followi

<< KC's Bannister shuts down O's
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brian Bannister was virtually untouchable through eight innings as the Kansas City Royals avoided a four- game sweep with a 4-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Bannister (4-4) took th

Gagne relieved of closing duties for Brewers >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost announced before Sunday's 5-3 win over St. Louis that Eric Gagne had been relieved of his closer duties and will approach the ends of games with a closer-by- committ

Atletico Madrid pulls level with Barcelona >>
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Diego Forlan scored as Atletico Madrid edged Deportivo, 1-0, to pull even in points with third-place Barcelona, which blew a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to Mallorca on Sunday in the Spanish La Liga. Atletic

Flyers' Coburn struck in face by puck, leaves game >>
PITTSBURGH (AP) -Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn was struck in the face with a shot by Pittsburgh's Hal Gill early in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday night.Gill took a shot from the left point that apparently deflected o

Holm's first career homer propels Giants past Phillies >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Steve Holm's first major league home run in the bottom of the seventh inning drove in the winning run, as the San Francisco Giants edged the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3, in the rubber match at AT&

Flyers D Coburn leaves after getting hit with puck >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn left in the first period of his team's playoff game against Pittsburgh after the puck hit him in the face. Just 1:51 into the second game of the Easte


Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

For more March Madness odds go to MySportsbook.com

For more College Basketball betting lines go to BettingExpress.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.