Atlanta's three-run sixth enough to get by Phillies

Baseball Betting Lines

05/08/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Melky Cabrera drove in the game-winning run in the sixth to help Atlanta take a 4-1 win over Philadelphia in the second of a three-game set.

Troy Glaus, Eric Hinske and Omar Infante each drove in a run for the Braves, who had dropped three of four coming into the game.

Kris Medlen started on the mound, but last just 4 1/3 innings as he had given up a run and nine hits with three strikeouts. Six pitchers out of the bullpen combined to throw the final 4 2/3 innings and gave up just four walks with Eric O'Flaherty (2-1) getting the win.

Shane Victorino drove in the lone run while Placido Polanco went 3-for-4 for the Phillies, who had won six of seven coming in. Joe Blanton (0-2) went six innings in the start and was charged with three runs on five hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts.

"We were limited in what we could do today cause the bench was short," said Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin, who was guiding the team as manager Charlie Manuel missed the game due to his daughter's wedding. "Blanton pitched extremely well. He looked like he knew what he was doing. We had our opportunities, especially early, but we just couldn't get that spark. We didn't play bad, we just didn't produce."

Atlanta loaded the bases in the first on a pair of errors and a hit batter, but Blanton struck out Glaus and got Hinske to ground out and end the inning.

Philadelphia worked a run across in the second. With one out, Brian Schneider singled and, after Wilson Valdez struck out, Blanton singled to left. Victorino followed with a single to score Schneider for a 1-0 lead.

Blanton walked a pair of Braves in the third, but it was with two outs and he got Glaus to fly out and end the frame.

The Phils got their first two men on in the fourth, but were unable to put any across as the next three batters recorded outs.

Atlanta surged ahead in the sixth with a three-run frame. Chipper Jones led off with a single and Brian McCann followed with a single. After Glaus flied out, Hinske doubled to tie the game. Cabrera then singled home a run for the lead and Infante's sacrifice fly made it a 3-1 game.

With Craig Kimbrel on the mound in the sixth, Jayson Werth worked a leadoff, and, after Raul Ibanez flied out, Carlos Ruiz drew a walk. Peter Moylan then took the mound and forced Valdez to hit into a double play to end the inning.

The Phils got back-to-back one-out walks in the seventh, and a ground out from Polanco left two runners in scoring position. Jonny Venters took over on the mound and got Ryan Howard to fly out to shallow right to end the inning.

Takashi Saito set down the Phils in order in the eighth, and the Braves added an extra run in the ninth on Glaus' RBI single to center for a 4-1 lead.

Billy Wagner set down the final three batters in order in the ninth for his fourth save of the season.

Game Notes

Schneider left the game in the fourth with a left Achilles strain. He will have an MRI done to determine the extent of the injury...Manuel is expected to be back for Sunday's finale...Kenshin Kawakami will take the mound for Atlanta on Sunday and will be opposed by Cole Hamels...Philadelphia had won six of eight against Atlanta coming into the game...Atlanta left 11 men on base while Philadelphia stranded nine.

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“You play to win the game!”

Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.

The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.

The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.

Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?

Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.

New York Giants betting lines

Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.

Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.

The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.

Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.

Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.

First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”

The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason. 

Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.