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09/03/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees hoped to be playing their best baseball in September, and the early returns of this month seem to indicate they may have reached that goal.
The defending world champions set their sights on a seventh consecutive victory in this afternoon's opener of a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays from Yankee Stadium.
After winning the final two tests of last weekend's three-game road set with the contending Chicago White Sox, the Yankees began their current homestand by taking all four meetings with the Oakland Athletics. New York capped the sweep behind a dominating performance from staff ace CC Sabathia, with the All-Star hurler firing eight scoreless innings of Thursday's one-hit shutout of the A's to become the first 19-game winner in the majors this season.
Sabathia (19-5) surrendered only a Mark Ellis single in the second inning and three walks during the 5-0 verdict to continue his impressive unbeaten streak at Yankee Stadium. The Bay Area native has not lost in 21 straight home starts and is 16-0 over that span, becoming the first Yankee pitcher to win 16 straight decisions in the Bronx since Ron Guidry (1985-86).
"[The AL East] is definitely the toughest division in baseball by far. To do what I can, it feels pretty good," said Sabathia following the game.
Curtis Granderson supplied the offense for New York with a pair of homers and three RBI, while Jorge Posada added a solo shot to help the Bronx Bombers move 1 1/2 games in front of idle Tampa Bay for the American League East lead.
Granderson entered Thursday's contest in the second inning as an injury replacement for outfielder Nick Swisher, who was removed after experiencing stiffness in his left knee. The 2010 All-Star reserve is considered day-to-day and questionable to play today.
If the Yankees prevail again this afternoon, they will have matched a seven- game tear from July 3-9 as their longest win streak of the season. The team will have to get past a very tough pitcher in order to get there, however, with the Blue Jays set to send out the surging Brandon Morrow in the opener.
Morrow is riding quite a lengthy streak of his own at the moment, as the right-hander is 5-0 with a 2.91 earned run average in seven starts since the All-Star break and is unbeaten over nine outings following a June 29 loss at Cleveland. He's faced the Yankees three times during that time period and registered a win and two no-decisions in those games.
The 26-year-old has produced mixed results in his recent meetings with New York, though. Morrow notched a win at Yankee Stadium on August 2 despite giving up five runs and two homers over 5 1/3 shaky innings, but limited the Yanks to two runs and four hits while racking up 12 strikeouts in a six-inning no-decision in Toronto on August 23.
Morrow, who also fanned a career-best 17 hitters in a one-hit shutout of the Rays less than a month ago, notched his latest win by tossing six innings of one-run ball with nine punchouts in a home decision over Detroit on Saturday.
The offseason acquisition is 1-0 with a 4.81 ERA in four overall encounters with the Yankees this season and 2-0 with a 4.46 ERA over 12 lifetime appearances (six starts) against New York.
The Yankees counter with a promising young pitcher of their own today in Ivan Nova. The rookie will be making his third start since a recent callup from Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre and performed well in each of the first two, including a matchup with Morrow at the Rogers Centre on August 23.
Nova also did not get a decision in that game, a 3-2 Blue Jays' triumph, but allowed just two runs on six hits and a walk over the first 5 1/3 innings. The 23-year-old followed up by holding the White Sox to a run in 5 2/3 frames and striking out seven this past Sunday in Chicago to earn his first win in the majors.
The right-hander compiled an outstanding 12-3 record and a 2.86 ERA in 23 starts for Scranton-Wilkes Barre prior to the promotion and makes his first- ever Yankee Stadium start this afternoon.
Nova will be taking on a Toronto squad that leads the majors with 202 home runs but didn't generate much offense in its last game, a 2-1 defeat at Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
The Blue Jays mustered just four hits and a run off David Price in the Rays standout's eight innings of work, with Rafael Soriano finishing things off with a scoreless ninth to record his major league-leading 40th save.
The game's deciding run was scored in the bottom of the eighth inning, when Tampa's Evan Longoria singled off reliever Shawn Camp (4-3) with one out to plate Ben Zobrist and snap a 1-1 deadlock.
Toronto made it interesting in the ninth, however, as Vernon Wells tripled off Soriano with one out to put the potential tying run at third. However, the Rays closer struck out Adam Lind before John Buck flied out to the warning track in left field to end the threat.
"We just came up a little short," manager Cito Gaston told the Blue Jays' official site afterward.
Buck did not come up short on a fifth-inning solo homer off Price that accounted for Toronto's only run. Jays starter Shaun Marcum pitched well in a no-decision, yielding just one run and fanning seven in a six-inning stint.
The Blue Jays have lost three of their last four games and could be without three regulars for today's tilt. Shortstop Yunel Escobar (back) and first baseman Lyle Overbay (concussion-like symptoms) are questionable to return to the lineup after sitting out the entire Tampa Bay series, while outfielder Fred Lewis exited Wednesday's finale in the sixth inning with a strained right elbow.
Toronto has won seven of 12 meetings with New York so far this season, with the two divisional foes having split six bouts that have taken place in Yankee Stadium.
<< Indians, Mariners continue set between last-place clubs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shin-Soo Choo and the Cleveland Indians look to remain in
the win column when they resume a four-game series against the homestanding
Seattle Mariners tonight from Safeco Field.
Choo stroked a three-run double during a fou
<< A's seeking to get back on track against Angels
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics are coming off a beating in the Bronx
and are back in the Bay Area to kick off a nine-game homestand starting with
Friday's opener of a three-game series versus the Los Angeles Angels of
Anaheim.
The
<< Rockies visit Padres for clash of slumping contenders
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Colorado Rockies are going to return to the
postseason, they need to turn it around soon. This weekend would be a good
start, as they begin a three-game series against the National League West-
leading San Diego Padres
<< Playoff-hopeful Phils return home to battle Brewers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philadelphia Phillies All-Star second baseman Chase Utley
recorded just four runs batted in during August. At the pace Utley's at so far
in September, his RBI total for the month will be astronomical.
Utley and the Nationa
NL East-leading Braves send Kawakami to hill in Florida >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kenshin Kawakami returns to the Atlanta Braves this
evening, as they try to hold onto their dwindling advantage in the National
League East in the opener of a three-game set against the Florida Marlins at
Sun Lif
First-place teams collide as Rangers visit Twins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While the Texas Rangers appear to be headed to their first
American League West title since 1999, the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins
still have some work to do.
The two division leaders will square off tonight in the o
JoePa, Royster on verge of milestones >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's a milestone in itself that Penn State
icon Joe Paterno is still coaching in the twilight of his years. So it comes
as no surprise that the bespectacled legend is approaching 400 career wins.
His tra
Roethlisberger's suspension reduced to four games >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has reduced the
suspension of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger from six to
four games.
The NFL Network reported that the reduction came after Goodell me
Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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MySportsbook.com favors Bears, Bengals, Chargers and Colts to remain perfect
LAS VEGAS , Sept. 28 - Two big match-ups of undefeated teams have fans salivating at the Week Four schedule in the NFL. The Chicago Bears stifling defense looks to provide a less than hospitable welcome to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in a battle of two 3-0 teams in the NFC conference. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers (2-0) head to Maryland to face the surprising Baltimore Ravens (3-0) as both try to keep pace atop the conference standings. Betting Lines makers at MySportsbook.com, online sportsbook and casino, have set the Bears as 3.5 point favorites while the Chargers are a 2.5 point bet.
Of the three remaining undefeated teams, only one, New Orleans, enters this week's game as an underdog. Despite an emotional and resounding win over Atlanta on Monday night, the Saints are a 7.5 point underdog against the struggling Carolina Panthers. Indianapolis looks to stay perfect when they face the New York Jets as a 9 point road favorite while the Cincinnati Bengals are a 6 point favorite at home to the New England Patriots.
Six teams enter the week still looking for their first win, with a seventh, Tampa Bay, on a bye week. The prospect of dropping another game would not bode well for a potential playoff run. Since 1990, just three teams -- the 1992 Chargers, 1995 Detroit Lions and 1998 Buffalo Bills -- have overcome losing their first three games of the season to earn a postseason berth. And only the Chargers managed to accomplish the feat after starting 0-4.
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