Schierholtz helps San Fran down D'Backs in extras

Baseball Betting Lines

09/06/2010 - Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nate Schierholtz ended a pitchers' duel with a two-run triple in the 11th inning, leading the surging Giants to a 2-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks to start a three-game series.

Aubrey Huff and Edgar Renteria each finished with a pair of hits for the Giants, who climbed to within a half-game of the struggling Padres in the NL West and to within a game of the Phillies in the wild card race. San Francisco has won five of six overall.

Madison Bumgarner threw a gem, shutting out the D'Backs for 7 1/3 innings. He allowed five hits and a walk while fanning seven. Santiago Casilla (6-2) earned the win, and Brian Wilson tied a career-high with his 41st save.

Ian Kennedy's eight shutout innings went for naught, as the Diamondbacks lost their third straight. Kennedy, who allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out six, has a 2.12 ERA in his last four starts.

Aaron Heilman (5-7) took the loss.

The Giants used a two-out rally off Heilman to score the game's only runs.

The first two batters of the 11th were quickly retired, but Huff and Buster Posey both singled in front of the right fielder, who was playing deep to prevent an extra-base hit. Schierholtz followed with a drive into the right-center field gap for a two-run triple.

Wilson pitched around a leadoff walk in the home half to lock down the victory.

Neither team put a runner on third until the Diamondbacks threatened in the eighth.

Kennedy drove a Bumgarner pitch over the drawn-in outfield for a leadoff double and moved to third on Stephen Drew's deep fly ball. Sergio Romo relieved Bumgarner and walked pinch-hitter Ryan Church on four pitches, leading the Giants to put in Javier Lopez.

Lopez got out of the jam, striking out Kelly Johnson before inducing a fielder's choice groundout from Chris Young.

The Giants answered by putting together a scoring threat in the top of the ninth off Juan Gutierrez.

Andres Torres hit a one-out single and attempted to steal second. On the pitch, Freddy Sanchez hit a soft ground ball to where Drew is normally stationed at shortstop. The ball dribbled into shallow left field, allowing Torres to reach third.

Gutierrez, though, induced a harmless pop up from Huff before Posey lofted a fly ball to shallow right-center. Gerardo Parra charged in and made a spectacular sliding catch to prevent a run from scoring and end the inning.

Game Notes

Bumgarner has been excellent on the road and has a 5-2 record with a 2.25 ERA in eight starts...The Giants lead the season series, 9-4...San Francisco is 52-17 when scoring first...Wilson tied Gary Lavelle for third place on the franchise's all-time saves list with 127.

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Super Bowl 2009 Betting

Super Bowl 2009 Betting propositions

Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.

Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.

Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.

If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.

Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.

By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.

In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.

So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.

While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.

There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.

In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:

SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.

XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

Additional basbeall odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

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