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07/10/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- The Chicago Cubs started out their current West Coast trip in fine fashion, but the club still hasn't been able to solve its longtime problems at Dodger Stadium.
After dropping the first two tests of this four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the disappointing Cubs will try to get back in the win column when the two teams square off again this afternoon at Chavez Ravine.
Chicago came into this set with a bit of momentum after winning all three meetings with the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks to kick off this seven-game road swing, but the contending Dodgers have proven to be a more difficult opponent so far. Los Angeles came through with a 3-2 decision in Thursday's opener, then held off a late rally to post a 9-7 victory last night.
The loss was Chicago's seventh in its last nine visits to Dodger Stadium and put Lou Piniella's squad 11 games under .500 nearing the All-Star break. The Cubs presently trail first-place Cincinnati by 10 1/2 games in the National League Central race.
Russell Martin clubbed a three-run homer and All-Star starter Andre Ethier delivered three hits and two RBI to help the Dodgers win for the eighth time in their last 11 contests and close within two games of San Diego's lead atop the NL West. The Padres were beaten by Colorado on Friday.
Casey Blake also knocked in two runs to help back seven-plus effective innings for Los Angeles right-hander Chad Billingsley (7-4). The 2009 All-Star selection halted a five-start winless streak after allowing four runs on seven hits.
"I was aggressive in the strike zone [Friday]," Billingsley said. "I was able to get quick outs in the middle of the game, which allowed me to go back out there in the eighth. I was able to make pitches when I had to."
Ted Lilly (3-8) wasn't nearly as strong for the Cubs, as the veteran lefty was rocked for seven runs (five earned) on seven hits before being lifted after just 3 2/3 innings. He's now surrendered 14 earned runs and 18 hits over his last two appearances.
"Ted wasn't sharp at all. He's gotten the ball up in his last couple of starts," Piniella said. "The key to the game was we had ample opportunities early and we didn't take advantage of it and they did."
Chicago did make a late bid to get back in it, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to pull within 9-5 and two more off Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton in the ninth. Marlon Byrd, the Cubs' lone representative for Tuesday's Midsummer Classic, had an RBI single in the final frame and finished 4-for-5 with three RBI in a losing cause.
The Dodgers, who had lost seven of their last nine home games prior to Thursday's triumph, will shoot for another win today behind the struggling John Ely. The rookie enters this matchup having lost five of his last six decisions after a 3-1 beginning to his big-league career and is coming off a poor performance against Florida on Monday, in which he was battered for six runs (five earned) and nine hits before being removed after only 2 2/3 innings.
The young right-hander had pitched well in his two previous outings, yielding just one run over seven innings to defeat rival San Francisco on June 29 and limiting the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to two runs -- one earned -- and a mere three hits through another seven-frame stint in a hard-luck loss six days earlier.
A Chicago-area native, Ely faced the Cubs for the first time at Wrigley Field back on May 27 and was also dealt a tough defeat. The 24-year-old allowed only one run and four hits while lasting a career-high 7 1/3 innings, but didn't receive any offensive support in a 1-0 loss.
Tom Gorzelanny gets the call for Chicago today and will be making his third start since rejoining the club's rotation in place of the suspended Carlos Zambrano. The former Pittsburgh Pirate threw five shutout innings and struck out five in a no-decision against his old team on June 30, then picked up his first victory since May 19 this past Monday despite giving up three runs and walking six batters in a five-inning stint at Arizona.
Gorzelanny began the season as a starter but was removed from that role following a rough showing against the Dodgers on May 28, with the left-hander tagged for seven runs (five earned) in five innings to take the loss. In 11 overall starts in 2010, he's compiled a 3-5 record with a 3.50 ERA.
The soon-to-be 28-year-old is 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA in five career appearances versus Los Angeles, four of which were starts.
Chicago won two of three meetings with the Dodgers at Wrigley Field back in late May, but Los Angeles is 10-6 in the last 16 encounters between the teams.
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The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
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