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08/23/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After two of the Atlanta Braves' young guns led the way in a one-sided victory on Sunday, the team will turn to one of its established stars in hopes of getting a three-game road series with the Colorado Rockies off to a good beginning.
Tim Hudson gets the call for Atlanta in tonight's opener and will be out to continue an outstanding string of recent starts. The veteran ace has amassed a 5-0 record along with an astounding 0.82 earned run average over his last six outings, lasting at least seven innings and yielding two runs or less on each of those occasions.
Hudson did see his five-start win streak come to an end in Wednesday's matchup with Washington, but still held the Nationals to two runs over seven innings while not getting a decision. The Braves won that game by a 3-2 count and have prevailed in eight of the All-Star hurler's last 10 trips to the mound.
The 35-year-old is 14-5 over his 25 starts this season, while his 2.15 ERA trails only St. Louis' Adam Wainwright for tops in the National League.
Hudson hasn't fared well in the past at hitter-friendly Coors Field, however. In two previous assignments at the venue, he's been tagged for 13 runs and a whopping 19 hits in just nine innings while losing both times. Overall against the Rockies, he's 3-2 with a 4.65 over five starts.
Atlanta may not have to worry about Hudson struggling if its offense performs like it did on Sunday, when the current NL East leaders banged out 13 hits and swatted four home runs in a 16-5 rout of Chicago that turned out to be the final game for Cubs manager Lou Piniella.
Rookies Jason Heyward and Mike Minor were two of the standouts for the Braves in yesterday's big win. Heyward had the first two-homer game of his big league career and finished 4-for-4 with four RBI and four runs scored, while Minor struck out 12 Chicago hitters in six innings to pick up the win.
Minor did allow an early two-run homer to Aramis Ramirez and three runs over the game's first three innings, but settled down afterward to improve to 2-0 in three starts since being promoted from the minors earlier this month.
Omar Infante also had a big day at the plate for Atlanta, which won for the ninth time in its past 12 games. The valuable utilityman, who's taken over as the regular third baseman following Chipper Jones' season-ending knee injury, went 4-for-6 with a pair of homers and four RBI while scoring four times.
Sunday's effort raised Infante's season average to .349 and extended his hitting streak to 11 games, with the 2010 All-Star batting .447 (21-for-47) with three homers over that tear.
Derrek Lee, acquired by the Braves from the Cubs earlier in the week, knocked in three runs against his former team on Sunday, with Alex Gonzalez contributing a two-RBI single to Atlanta's offensive outburst.
"We were hitting the ball really good today," Braves manager Bobby Cox said afterward. "We had some guys with great games out there today, and whenever you have hitting like that you win more often than not."
With the win, Atlanta remained 2 1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia for first place in the NL East.
Colorado received some impressive pitching from one of its rookies as well on Sunday, with youngster Jhoulys Chacin firing 7 2/3 shutout innings to lead his club to a 1-0 verdict over Arizona at Chase Field.
Chacin (6-9) surrendered just three singles and a walk while striking out nine Diamondbacks before exiting with two outs and a man on in the eighth. Joe Beimel came on to get the final out of the frame and preserve the one-run margin, with Huston Street then tossing a perfect ninth to notch his 10th save and end the Rockies' three-game losing streak.
"If [Chacin] commands his fastball like he did today, you're in trouble," Rockies manager Jim Tracy remarked after the game. "That's how good his stuff is."
Dexter Fowler ended 2-for-3 for Colorado and drove in the game's only run with a single in the top of the eighth. The hit plated Eric Young Jr., who had singled with one out and stole second to move into scoring position.
Jason Hammel will try to make it two wins in a row for Colorado when he opposes Hudson tonight, with the Rockies starter also seeking to improve his already-strong numbers at Coors Field. The right-hander is 6-1 with a 3.36 ERA over 11 home starts this season and hasn't lost in Denver since an April 26 setback to the Diamondbacks.
Hammel's last three starts have come on the road and he compiled a 1-1 record with a 4.26 ERA over that stretch. After being reached for four runs in seven innings of a loss to the New York Mets on August 12, he rebounded to limit the Dodgers to two runs and just four hits in a six-inning no-decision this past Wednesday.
The 27-year-old, who's 8-7 with a 4.36 ERA in 22 overall starts this season, also hopes to atone for a poor showing against the Braves back on April 16. In that game Hammel was battered for seven runs and eight hits before being lifted after only 1 2/3 innings, with the result raising his ERA to an ugly 12.66 in three career matchups with Atlanta. He's 0-2 lifetime versus the Braves.
Atlanta won two of three bouts in that early-season series at Turner Field and split a four-game set with the Rockies in Denver last season.
<< Thrashers re-sign Little
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed forward
Bryan Little to a multiyear contract, the team announced Monday.
The 22-year-old Little, a restricted free agent, dropped from 31 goals and 51
points in 2008-09
<< Rays' West Coast tour resumes with trip to Anaheim
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays face a familiar face this evening as
they continue their seven-game road trip on the West Coast with a matchup
against Scott Kazmir and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium.
Kazmir pitched
<< Raptors' Calderon to miss worlds with leg injury
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto Raptors point guard Jose Calderon
will miss the 2010 FIBA World Championship after injuring his leg in Spain's
exhibition game against the United States.
Tests Monday revealed Calderon tore a mu
<< Division leaders collide as Rangers host Twins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers return home to face the Minnesota Twins
in a potential playoff preview when the division leaders square off tonight in
the first of four straight games at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Texas, vying for i
Cards hope to right ship in Steel City >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals have fallen out of first place in
the National League's Central Division due to their inconsistent play as of
late. A few games against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates may help get them back
in a groove.
Cubs head to DC without Piniella >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When the Chicago Cubs begin a six-game road trip with
tonight's first of three straight meetings with the Washington Nationals, they
won't have their manager along for the ride.
Still stunned by the abrupt retirement of Lo
Serena will return in Tokyo next month >>
Tokyo, Japan (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 Serena Williams plans on making
her return to the court at next month's Pan Pacific Open, which will commence
September 26 in Tokyo.
The 28-year-old Williams has been sidelined since suffering
Stoke's Sidibe out for season with Achilles injury >>
Stoke-on-Trent, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stoke City striker Mamady Sidibe
will miss the remainder of the Premiership season, it was confirmed by the
club on Monday.
Sidibe snapped his Achilles tendon in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Tot
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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