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05/14/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Now that the dust has settled on the 19th perfect game in Major League history and all the television appearances have subsided, Oakland Athletics starter Dallas Braden will get back to work tonight in the opener of a three-game road series versus the rival LA Angels of Anaheim.
Braden tossed the second perfect game in the history of the Athletics last Sunday in a 4-0 win against the Tampa Bay Rays at the Coliseum. He struck out six batters and became the first A's pitcher to record a perfect game since Jim "Catfish" Hunter accomplished the feat on May 8, 1968 against Minnesota. Braden's perfect game was the 14th no-hitter in the history of the franchise and first since Dave Stewart turned the trick on June 29, 1990 at Toronto.
The left-handed Braden needed just 109 pitches to complete the remarkable performance and is the first pitcher to throw a perfect game since Mark Buehrle tossed one for the Chicago White Sox on July 23, 2009. Braden is also the second pitcher this season to throw a no-hitter in the majors, as Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez no-hit the Atlanta Braves on April 17. Johnny Vander Meer is the only pitcher in history to throw no-hitters in consecutive starts.
Braden is 4-2 with a 3.33 ERA in seven 2010 starts and ended a personal two- game losing streak against the Rays. He beat the Angels on April 11 by holding them to three runs in six innings of a 9-4 victory. Braden is 2-3 in 10 career games, six of which have been starts, against Anaheim.
Oakland dropped the last two portions of its three-game series at Texas earlier in the week and suffered a 2-1 loss in 12 innings in yesterday's finale. Vladimir Guerrero drove in Michael Young in the bottom of the 12th off of A's closer Andrew Bailey to lead the Rangers.
"I just missed my spot," Bailey said on the team's site. "That's when you go back to the drawing board and come back out there the next day."
Jake Fox had three hits and Josh Donaldson knocked in the lone run for Oakland, which got six innings of one-run ball and eight strikeouts from starter Ben Sheets.
The Athletics had won three in a row and five of six games prior to their two straight losses to Texas. They are now two games behind the Rangers for the lead in the American League West division.
Meanwhile, the Angels have been struggling lately and are coming off consecutive losses versus the Rays after winning Monday's series opener. In Wednesday's 4-3 setback at the Big A, Anaheim starter Jered Weaver fanned a career-high 12 batters but came out on the losing end, as he gave up six hits and four runs -- one earned -- over seven innings.
"I tried to keep my team in the game and I did that," Weaver said. "The 12 strikeouts would have looked a lot better if we won the game, 4-3."
Howie Kendrick ended with three hits and drove in a run for the Angels, who lost for the 10th time in 13 tries.
The Angels, who are a game ahead of last-place Seattle in the AL West, will send Joe Saunders to the mound Friday night. Saunders lost his first two starts of the season before winning his only game so far in 2010, when he allowed two unearned runs in eight innings at Toronto on April 17.
Since then he's 0-3 with an 8.31 earned run average in four starts and last took the hill in a 4-3 Angels' victory at Seattle last Saturday. Saunders did not record a decision and gave up three runs -- one earned -- in 5 2/3 innings of work. He lost to Oakland back on April 11, when he was reached for four runs in six innings of a 9-4 defeat to Braden.
In 15 career starts against the Athletics, Saunders is a solid 9-4 with a 4.13 earned run average.
Oakland won two of three meetings with Anaheim back in early April, but the Angels are 12-7 in the last 19 matchups between the division foes.
<< Royals to host White Sox in Yost's debut
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ned Yost era in Kansas City will commence tonight, when
the Royals resume a six-game homestand with the first of three straight games
versus the AL Central-rival Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium.
After the Royals
<< Orioles seeking good start in series opener with Tribe
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles try to win three straight games for
the second time this season when they open a three-game set against the
Cleveland Indians this evening at Camden Yards.
Baltimore claimed its first series win in al
<< Mets aim to bounce back in second test with Marlins
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Mets try to regroup after a horrendous loss on
Thursday when they play the second of four games against the Florida Marlins
tonight at Sun Life Stadium.
Unfortunately, though, the Mets turn to the winless
<< Moyer, Phillies open series in Milwaukee
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After becoming the oldest pitcher in baseball history to
throw a shutout, the Phillies' Jamie Moyer probably appreciates the extra days
of rest he has received.
The ageless left-hander will try to build off his spectacu
Stamps release Carpenter >>
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Calgary Stampeders have released linebacker
Dwaine Carpenter, who spent the past three seasons with the club.
Carpenter appeared in 50 games and recorded 119 tackles with two sacks, two
interceptions, f
Heart Attack claims life of Skip Away >>
Midway, KY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Horse of the Year Skip Away died from an
apparent heart attack Friday morning in Kentucky. The 17-year-old stallion
was living at Hopewell Farm.
Skip Away was a four-time Eclipse Award winner ha
Busch takes pole for Dover truck race >>
Dover, DE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kyle Busch will start on the pole for Friday's
Dover 200 Camping World Truck Series race after topping the charts in
qualifying at Dover International Speedway.
Busch posted a lap of 156.481 m.p.h.
In the FCS Huddle: ODU hopes to keep soaring in Year 2 >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - His first-year program was about to make
its initial road trip last season when Old Dominion head coach Bobby Wilder
learned something, just days before the Monarchs' visit to Jacksonville
University:
Amo
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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