05/10/2008 - (Baseball Betting) - Right-hander Ryan Dempster will try to rebound from his first loss of 2008 today, when the Chicago Cubs entertain the Arizona Diamondbacks again in the middle contest of a three-game weekend series at Wrigley Field.
Dempster had been 4-0 with two no-decisions heading into a May 5 start at Cincinnati, but he allowed four hits and five runs -- all unearned -- in a 5-3 loss to the Reds. He struck out seven batters and walked one, while watching his earned run average drop from 3.16 to 2.72 in spite of the result.
The righty, who is 4-0 with a 4.30 ERA in four home starts in 2008, owns a 1-4 record with a 6.04 earned run average through 13 career games (nine starts) against the Diamondbacks.
Diamondbacks rookie pitcher Max Scherzer gets another crack at the mound this afternoon, when he takes on the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Scherzer is 0-1 with a 5.40 earned run average in two games (one start) this season. He made his major league debut on April 29 versus Houston, hurling 4 1/3 perfect innings of relief with seven strikeouts in a 6-4 loss. He made his first-career start against Philadelphia on Monday, but was roughed up for five runs and eight hits in four innings of an 11-4 setback.
The right-handed Missouri product will face Chicago for the first time.
On Friday, Ted Lilly tossed seven brilliant innings, and Derrek Lee homered as Chicago downed Arizona, 3-1.
Lilly (3-4) allowed just one run on three hits, while walking two and fanning 10 for the Cubs, who have won two of their past three games. Carlos Marmol threw a scoreless eighth and Kerry Wood earned his sixth save of the year by hurling a perfect ninth to finish the game.
Lilly and Alfonso Soriano drove in a run apiece for Chicago.
Chris Young homered to account for the lone Diamondbacks run. Stephen Drew, Chris Snyder and Augie Ojeda each recorded a hit for Arizona, which has lost two of three but still sports the best record in the big leagues at 23-13.
Dan Haren (4-2) was the hard-luck loser for the D'Backs, surrendering just two runs on five hits in seven innings.
<< Padres' Maddux goes for win No. 350 vs. Rockies
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Greg Maddux will try again for career win No. 350 when he
leads the San Diego Padres tonight in the second test of a three-game series
versus the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park.
Maddux has lost two straight starts and
<< Phillies take on slumping Giants again
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jimmy Rollins' return to the Philadelphia lineup sparked
his team to victory. Today, Rollins and the Phillies will resume their road
trip out west with the second installment of a three-game series against the
San Fra
<< Astros continue trek at Los Angeles
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros opened their 10-game road trip on a good
note, and will try to stay on track tonight in the second test of a three-game
series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine.
The Astros, who have won s
<< Friday's NHL Playoff Sum
Philadelphia 2 0 0-2Pittsburgh 3 1 0-4First Period-1, Pittsburgh, Sykora 5 (Malone, Malkin), 6:19. 2, Philadelphia, Richards 5 (Umberger, Coburn), 8:30. 3, Philadelphia, Richards 6 (Lupul, Umberger), 12:50. 4, Pittsburgh, Crosby 3 (Hossa), 14:11
Red Wings aim for 2-0 lead against visiting Stars >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The top-seeded Detroit Red Wings will try to take a two
games to none lead in the Western Conference finals tonight, when they welcome
the Dallas Stars for Game 2 at Joe Louis Arena.
The Red Wings came out with a strong pe
Roddick, Stepanek retire, sending Djokovic, Wawrinka to Rome final >>
Rome, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Third-seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic and Swiss
Stanislas Wawrinka advanced to the final of the $3.5 million Italian Masters
Saturday after both their semifinal opponents retired.
Sixth-seeded American Andy
Carlisle gets four-year deal to coach Mavs >>
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rick Carlisle has come to terms on a four-year
contract to become head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavericks website posted a story late Friday night that confirmed the
signing, which is expected
Mets, Reds to play two at Shea >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Johan Santana gets the nod for the New York Mets tonight,
when he takes on the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of a doubleheader at
Shea Stadium.
Friday's opener of a three-game series between the Reds and Mets was
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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