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08/06/2010 - Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lyle Overbay doubled home the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays edged Tampa Bay, 2-1, in the opener of a three-game series at Rogers Centre.
Edwin Encarnacion doubled and scored the other run for Toronto, which has won three of its last four games. Brett Cecil (9-5) pitched seven solid innings, allowing a run on four hits. He walked two batters and finished with nine strikeouts, one shy of his career high.
Willy Aybar had an RBI double for the Rays, who were coming off an 8-3 homestand. Tampa Bay dropped the final two games on the residency to Minnesota and now has lost three consecutive games for the first time since June 20-23.
Matt Garza (11-6) allowed two unearned runs on four hits in eight full frames.
The Rays entered Friday a half-game behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East.
Toronto broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh, taking advantage of a miscue by the Rays.
Jose Bautista hit a chopper back to the mound and reached on Garza's poor toss to first base. The error snapped a string of 12 in a row retired by the right- hander since Encarnacion's leadoff double back in the third.
One out later, Adam Lind lined a single to right, and Bautista eventually scored the go-ahead run on Overbay's two-out double. Tampa Bay left fielder Gabe Kapler nailed the trailing runner at the plate to end the inning, however.
Shawn Camp hurled a perfect eighth in relief of Cecil and Kevin Gregg worked around a leadoff single in the ninth by Evan Longoria to record his 25th save of the season.
The Rays grabbed a 1-0 lead behind a two-out RBI double in the first by Aybar.
A throwing error produced the tying run for Toronto in the third. Jose Molina lined out to Tampa Bay second baseman Sean Rodriguez, who tried to double up Encarnacion at second. But he missed shortstop Jason Bartlett with the toss and allowed Encarnacion to score.
Cecil settled down on the mound after giving up three hits in the opening frame and retired 13 Rays in a row until B.J. Upton walked to begin the sixth. Rodriguez singled to place runners on first and second with no outs, but Cecil got Longoria to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. Aybar then walked to put men on the corners for Ben Zobrist, who went down swinging after being ahead 3-0 in the count.
Game Notes
Garza tossed his third complete game of the season and sixth of his career. He had won his last four decisions...The Rays have placed first baseman Carlos Pena on the 15-day disabled list with a plantar fascia sprain in his right foot and recalled pitcher Dale Thayer from Triple-A Durham on Friday...Toronto pitcher Jesse Litsch was placed on the 15-day DL and is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair a labral tear in his right hip next week. Litsch is expected to miss 4-to-6 months. The Blue Jays recalled pitcher Brad Mills from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill the vacated spot in the rotation. Mills is slated to start on Saturday against Tampa Bay.
<< Giants OL Seubert suffers broken bone in hand
Albany, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Giants have revealed left guard
Rich Seubert has broken a bone in his left hand.
The 10th-year pro is set to be re-examined on Saturday by team physician Russ
Warren at which point a timetab
<< Castro moves in front at Wichita Open
Wichita, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roberto Castro fired an eight-under 63 on
Friday to move atop the leaderboard after the second round of the Wichita
Open.
Castro finished 36 holes at 15-under 127 and is two strokes clear at Crestvie
<< Chelios to retire, join Red Wings front office
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Veteran defenseman Chris Chelios has
apparently decided to hang up his skates and join the Detroit Red Wings front
office.
According to a report on Fox Sports Detroit, the 48-year-old revealed
<< Twins sign first-round pick Wimmers
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins on Friday signed pitcher
Alex Wimmers, who was the club's first-round pick in the 2010 First-Year
Player Draft.
Wimmers, who was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year for the second co
Wainwright tosses two-hitter as Cardinals dominate Marlins >>
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Albert Pujols homered and drove in four runs in
support of Adam Wainwright, who threw a complete-game two-hitter as St. Louis
smothered Florida, 7-0, to open a three-game series.
Wainwright (16-6) walked thr
Alouettes nip Roughriders; Calvillo injured >>
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Anthony Calvillo threw for 252 yards and two
touchdowns before exiting the game with an apparent hand injury, but despite
his departure the Montreal Alouettes were still able to hold on for a
thrilli
Jones' hit in the 10th gives O's fourth straight win >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Jones punched a two-out single through
the left side of the infield to bring in the winning run, as the resurgent
Orioles captured a 2-1 win from the White Sox in 10 innings.
Tony Pena (3-2), in
Phillies rally in the eighth, hold on against Mets >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Sweeney's run-scoring single capped a
six-run eighth inning rally and Philadelphia survived a New York comeback
attempt in the ninth inning to hang on for a 7-5 win to begin a three-game
series.
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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