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05/31/2010 - Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Maldonado and Ryan Zimmerman each hit a three-run homer to highlight a nine-run seventh inning, as the Washington Nationals demolished the Houston Astros, 14-4, in the opener of a four-game set at Minute Maid Park.
Zimmerman finished 2-for-2 with four RBI and three runs scored, while Adam Dunn contributed a three-run double and knocked in a total of four runs for the Nationals, who improved to 3-4 on their 10-game road trip. Washington had lost two straight and four of six entering the game.
Luis Atilano (5-1) allowed four runs -- three earned -- on six hits with a pair of walks and struck out a batter while improving to 4-0 in five road starts this season. He lasted 6 2/3 frames.
Michael Bourn had an run-scoring triple and scored twice for Houston, which has fallen on hard times, winning only four times in its last 17 games.
Roy Oswalt (3-7) took the loss after lasting only 2 1/3 innings before getting ejected for arguing balls and strikes by home plate umpire Bill Hohn. The right-hander allowed four runs on as many hits with three walks and three strikeouts. He was replaced by Gustavo Chacin, who tossed 2 2/3 innings in relief of Oswalt and also hit his first career homer, a solo shot in the third inning.
"Roy was getting frustrated with the calls and it kind of escalated from there," Houston manager Brad Mills said about Oswalt's ejection.
Washington manufactured a run in the first to open the scoring. Cristian Guzman doubled leading off, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Nyjer Morgan and crossed the plate on a sac fly from Zimmerman.
Carlos Lee's infield run-scoring single in the home half tied things at 1-1.
However, Oswalt had a rocky top of the third. The Nationals loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk before Dunn stepped in an laced a three-run double to right to make it 4-1. Then with a 3-2 count on Josh Willingham, Oswalt was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. Chacin came in and retired the next two hitters after Willingham walked.
Chacin then helped his own cause with a leadoff homer to right in the home third. Atilano worked out of some two-out trouble in the fourth and Washington put another run up in the fifth on an RBI single by Willingham.
Already up 5-2, the Nationals broke it open in the seventh, pushing nine more across. With runners on second and third and nobody out, Dunn's infield single brought home a run. Willingham worked a walk to load the bases, and two batters later, Ian Desmond dropped a single just inside the right field line for a two-run single, then took second on an error with Willingham making it to third. Maldonado then cleared the bases with a three-run shot to left for an 11-2 game.
The Nationals still weren't finished as Guzman and Morgan reached on back-to- back singles and Zimmerman followed with a three-run homer to right. Bourn's RBI triple and first baseman Adam Kennedy's error on a slow roller off the bat Jeff Keppinger allowed another run to score in the home seventh to make it 14-4.
Tyler Walker came on and retired the final batter in the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to close out the game.
Game Notes
Washington and Houston split six meetings a season ago...Atilano was facing Houston for the first time in his young career...This was the opener of a seven-game homestand for Houston, which will also face the Chicago Cubs in a three-game set...Guzman and Morgan set the table in the top of the batting order, combining for seven runs scored...Guzman went 3-for-6 with three runs scored, while Morgan finished 3-for-4, crossed the plate four times and stole two bases.
<< A-Rod hits grand slam as Yankees overpower Indians
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Rodriguez hit a grand slam to highlight a
six-run seventh inning and ended with six RBI, as the Yankees closed out a
four-game series against the Indians with a 11-2 victory.
Andy Pettitte (7-1) rol
<< Interactif added to Belmont Stakes
Elmont, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trainer Todd Pletcher announced Monday that
Interactif will start in this year's 142nd edition of the $1 million Belmont
Stakes on Saturday. The three-year-old is owned by brothers Alain and Gerard
Werthei
<< Ladd will sit again for Game 2
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Ladd will
not suit up for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals with an upper-body injury.
Ladd had missed the Blackhawks' 6-5 victory in Game 1 on Saturday with the
ailment
<< Angels beat Royals to open road trip
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ervin Santana pitched a solid seven
innings while Mike Napoli and Howie Kendrick drove in two runs each, as the
Angels opened up a season-long 14-game road trip with a 7-1 win over Kansas
City.
Jimemez outduels Lincecum to earn 10th win, Rockies down Giants >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ubaldo Jimenez showed why he is the best
pitcher in the majors, fanning nine batters on his way to his second complete-
game shutout of the season, as the Colorado Rockies handled the San Francisco
Giants,
A's take series from Tigers >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rajai Davis finished 2-for-4 with two
runs scored and swiped two bases as Oakland downed Detroit, 4-1, in the finale
of a four-game set from Comerica Park.
Daric Barton, Ryan Sweeney and Kevin Kou
Torrealba placed on restricted list >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Padres have placed catcher
Yorvit Torrealba on the restricted list Monday.
Over 27 games for the Padres this season, the 31-year-old is batting .287 with
one home run and 14 RBI.
To tak
Nationals top pick Strasburg to debut on June 8 >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Nationals phenom pitcher Stephen
Strasburg is currently scheduled to make his major league debut on June 8
against the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to general manager Mike Rizzo.
Strasburg,
The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts US credit cards
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