Mariners kick off set with A's
Baseball Betting Lines
09/26/2011 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Mariners put on a power display on Sunday, but it wasn't enough to avoid a fourth straight setback. Their bats did very little the last time they squared off against the Athletics' Brandon McCarthy.
McCarthy tries to hit 10 victories on the year tonight for Oakland, which will try to beat Seattle starter Jason Vargas for the fourth time this season in the opener of a three-game series.
The right-handed McCarthy threw his first shutout of the season and fourth complete game when he held the Mariners to three hits and matched a season high with 10 strikeouts in a victory on Sept. 3. He had dropped his first two decisions to Seattle this season, but has a 1.14 earned run average in the three starts.
McCarthy has pitched consecutive one-run outings, going seven innings in each game. He beat the Tigers on Sept. 15 before getting a no-decision versus the Rangers on Wednesday. The 28-year-old allowed six hits without a walk in an eventual 3-2 setback and brings a 9-8 season mark and 3.26 ERA into this outing.
While McCarthy looks to hit double-digit wins for the first time in his career, Vargas will be trying to avoid a fourth loss this year to the A's. He is 0-3 with a 4.74 ERA over the first four encounters.
The left-hander is 9-13 with a 4.38 ERA on the season, setting a new career high for wins in a season, and won his second straight decision on Tuesday. He yielded four runs -- three earned -- on nine hits over six innings at Minnesota. It was only the third victory for the 28-year-old Vargas since starting the season a solid 6-5 with a 3.57 ERA.
The Mariners hope to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat tonight after getting outscored, 24-11, in a three-game sweep at Texas.
Seattle got homers from Mike Carp, Alex Liddi, Kyle Seager and Chris Gimenez in Sunday's finale, but Texas added four home runs of its own to hand the M's a 12-5 defeat.
"That's what you're supposed to do with pitches that get left over the plate," Gimenez said of Texas' homers, which included a grand slam in the seventh. "They definitely take advantage of it and put so much pressure on us, the pitching staff."
Charlie Furbush gave up six hits and six runs -- five earned -- over 4 1/3 frames for the Mariners.
Oakland takes the field one day after playing spoiler in Anaheim on Sunday. The A's dealt the Angels' wild card chances a serious blow by scoring four runs in the ninth inning for a 6-5 triumph, Oakland's third in four games.
Josh Willingham led off the frame with a homer and the Athletics later scored a run on a wild pitch before Kurt Suzuki kept the rally going with an RBI double. Coco Crisp then capped the comeback with a sacrifice fly.
"We came back against a team fighting for a playoff spot," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "Probably the best win I've seen for us this season."
Andrew Bailey worked around a two-out walk in the ninth to secure Oakland's victory.
Oakland played again without Cliff Pennington due to a left oblique injury and he might not play in this series, while David DeJesus is not expected to play tonight after suffering a right hip contusion running into the wall on a catch in the fifth frame.
The A's swept a three-game set at home when these clubs last met, but the Mariners still lead the season series, 9-7.
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The season may have been a disappointing one for the
defending World Series champion Giants, but it is one that starter Ryan
Vogelsong will eventually look back on with pride.
Vogelsong will make the final
<< Ailing Cowboys host first-place Redskins in NFC East tussle
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It is starting to look as if the Dallas Cowboys will have
quarterback Tony Romo on the field for Monday night's contest against the
undefeated Washington Redskins.
It is a host of other injuries that could deny Dallas its
<< Minnesota coach Kill going back to hospital
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota head football coach Jerry Kill
announced Sunday that he will admit himself back to the hospital to try and
resolve his seizure problems.
Kill collapsed and had a seizure on the field near
<< Rays top Blue Jays, move to within one game of AL wild card
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Rays are within a game of the
AL wild card lead.
Tampa Bay scored all of its runs on homers Sunday afternoon, rolling to a 5-2
victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of a three-game seri
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rookie right-hander Chris Schwinden takes his fourth try at a first win of his initial season tonight when his New York Mets kick off a season-ending series with the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field. Schwinden, who turned 25
Marlins open final series at Sun Life Stadium vs. Nats >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rookie southpaw Tommy Milone can continue Washington's
drive to reach .500 for the season tonight when the Nationals begin a three-
game series with Florida at Sun Life Stadium, the Marlins' last before moving
into a new ball
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Braves should consider themselves fortunate to
still be in postseason contention given how poorly they have played the past
few weeks.
Still clinging to a marginal lead atop the National League Wild Card
stand
Angels face must-win situation vs. Texas >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Angels face a must-win situation tonight against the
rival Rangers, and even that probably won't be enough to get them into the
postseason.
After a back-breaking loss on Sunday, the sun is just about to set
Brewers being playoff prep against Pirates >>
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prep for the playoffs by closing out the regular season with three matchups
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The Brewers will get starte
Chiefs' Treen Green out for Sunday's game
How long Trent Green will remain sidelined is unknown. Coach Herm Edwards said Monday he will miss a second straight start Sunday when the Chiefs host the San Francisco 49ers.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Green was going into a feet-first hook slide when he was knocked unconscious by a thunderous, head-snapping hit from Cincinnati's Robert Geathers.
Oddsmakers at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com currently have the Chiefs listed as 7-point favorites versus the 49ers.
The 49ers got beat by Philadelphia 38-24 as a 6.5-point underdog last week. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (42.5).
Alex Smith completed 27-of-46 passes for 293 yards with a touchdown. Michael Robinson rushed for 29 yards and a pair of touchdowns on five carries.
The Chiefs lost 9-6 to Denver last week as an 11-point underdog. The combined score was well UNDER the posted over/under total (38).
Larry Johnson rushed for 126 yards on 27 carries. Damon Huard completed 17-of-23 passes for 133 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
To visit this online sports book got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.