Lester wins in courageous comeback

Baseball Betting Lines

07/24/2007 - Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jon Lester began his courageous comeback from cancer by allowing five hits and two runs over six innings, and Manny Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a two-run double as Boston topped Cleveland, 6-2, in the opener of a four-game set at Jacobs Field.

Lester (1-0) struck out six and walked three in his first major-league start since a win over the Angels last August 23. He set down the final eight batters he faced and needed just 96 pitches to earn the win.

The 23-year-old was 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 15 starts with the Red Sox after being promoted from Pawtucket in June, 2006. The No. 1 prospect in the organization and Boston's first pick of the 2002 draft, Lester became the first Red Sox rookie lefty in club history to win his first five decisions.

However, his charmed season was cut short after that start against the Angels, when he was placed on the disabled list due to a sore back, an injury which led to a September diagnosis of a treatable form of anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Lester underwent treatment and was then brought along slowly by Boston, which sent him to Single-A on a rehab assignment to begin the season. He then hit a minor bump in the road on May 2 when he experienced muscle cramping in his left forearm. After recovering from that injury, Lester was reinstated from the disabled list and optioned to Pawtucket, where he made 14 starts, before taking the place of the struggling Julian Tavarez in the rotation on Monday.

Coco Crisp finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored for the Red Sox, who have won four in a row. Dustin Pedroia had three hits and scored a run and Kevin Youkilis picked up a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored.

Tribe hurler Jake Westbrook (1-6) was tagged for 10 hits and five runs with four walks and one strikeout in six innings. Grady Sizemore hit a two-run homer for the Indians, who have dropped two of three.

Sizemore's blast in the third made it 5-2, and Lester finally ran into trouble in the fourth. Ryan Garko led off with a double then Jhonny Peralta walked. After Franklin Gutierrez fanned, Kelly Shoppach walked to load the bases. Josh Barfield grounded into a force at home, then Lester blew a pitch by Sizemore to end the inning.

Cleveland would not threaten from that point with Lester on the hill.

Boston had runners on first and second with one out in the sixth and failed to score against Jensen Lewis, but tacked on a run in the ninth when Pedroia drove in Crisp with a single to restore their four-run lead at 6-2.

Manny Delcarmen, who was called upon to get the last out of the eighth, set the Indians down in order in the bottom of the frame to pick up his first major league save and preserve Lester's comeback victory.

The Sox gave Lester all the run support he needed early, loading the bases with none out in the first on singles by Crisp and Pedroia and a walk to Youkilis. Ramirez belted a double down the left-field line to score a pair, and J.D. Drew followed with an RBI single. Mike Lowell then grounded into a double play, but a run scored for a 4-0 lead.

Youkilis dropped a two-out single into right to score Crisp in the second.

Game Notes

Red Sox first baseman/designated hitter David Ortiz did not play, and remains day-to-day with a left shoulder strain suffered on Friday...The Sox are 11-5 at the Jake since the 2002 season...Westbrook has not won in his last seven starts, the longest stretch of his career...It was Crisp's third straight game with three or more hits...Tuesday's probables are Daisuke Matsuzaka for Boston and C.C. Sabathia for Cleveland...Garko extended his hit streak to 16 games, currently the longest in the American League...Sizemore leads the Indians with 18 home runs...Julio Lugo singled in the sixth inning for Boston to extend his hitting streak to 13 games.

Wwwgalaxyworldcasino Baseball Betting News


<< Billingsley goes the distance as Dodgers down Astros
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chad Billingsley's night on the mound epitomized his season, throwing an almost flawless complete game in the Dodgers' 10-2 pounding of Houston in the opening contest of a three-game set at Minu

<< Valentin's RBI single in the 12th leads Reds over Brewers
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pinch-hitter Javier Valentin's run-scoring single in the 12th inning gave the Cincinnati Reds a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the opener of a four-game set at Great American Ball Park.

<< Ginepri upset in Indy
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Germany's Michael Berrer upset seventh- seeded American Robby Ginepri in three sets to advance to the second round at the $575,000 Indianapolis Tennis Championships. Berrer, a quarterfinalist last we

<< Kim shoots 62 to lead U.S. Girls' Junior
Lakewood, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Among other things, Kimberly Kim was worried about losing her focus. "I'll be putting for two minutes and I'll be kind of bored," she said. But there was nothing boring about the 15-year-old Hawaiian's rou

<< Thomas homers twice as Blue Jays top Twins
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Frank Thomas hit a pair of two-run home runs as the Toronto Blue Jays downed the Minnesota Twins, 6-4, in the opener of a three-game set. Thomas, who has 503 career home runs, is now just one home run b

Angels' Colon leaves Monday's game versus Oakland with elbow injury >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Angels staff stalwart Bartolo Colon left Monday's game against Oakland with a sore right elbow after yielding four runs in the first inning. The 2005 Cy Young winner, Colon had won five consecutive de

Lester beats cancer, bests Indians >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jon Lester, the plucky 23-year-old Red Sox hurler, completed a courageous comeback from cancer by allowing just five hits and two runs over six innings to earn the win in Boston's 6-2 victory

Yanks remain hot, pound Royals >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada each knocked in a pair of runs and Roger Clemens pitched seven solid innings, as the streaking New York Yankees slammed the Kansas City Royals, 9-2, in

Houston's Pence out four-to-six weeks with chip fracture >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hunter Pence underwent an MRI Monday that revealed the National League Rookie of the Year candidate has a capsular sprain in his right wrist and a chip fracture in that same wrist. The injuries wi

Holliday, Hawpe homer in eighth to lift Rockies past Padres >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Holliday hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to tie the game and Brad Hawpe's two-run homer in the same inning put Colorado on top, as the Rockies came from behind to down San Diego, 7-5, in

MySportsbook.com Favors Fighting Irish to win College Football betting odds

According to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, on January 8, the Fighting Irish faithful may be toasting their 14th national title in Arizona – Notre Dame’s first national championship in close to 20 years.

Although MySportsbook.com has listed Notre Dame as the 5-1 favorite to win thecollege football College Football betting, fans in Columbus do not need to cancel their tickets to Glendale just yet.  The Ohio State Buckeyes, listed right behind the Irish at 7-1, are also heavy favorites to win college football’s most coveted prize, while West Virginia, USC and the 2007 National Champion Texas Longhorns - all listed at 8-1 – are strong contenders as well.

MySportsbook.com has also posted gambling odds on the conference championships for the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.  In the ACC – it could be anyone’s title, particularly for the two schools from the Sunshine State.  Florida State and Miami, both listed at 2-1, are favored to win the ACC Championship Game odds, with the ‘Noles hoping to finish in the nation’s top 10 for the first time in five years, and the ‘Canes looking to avenge their 10-7 loss against FSU in last year’s ACC Championship betting.

Moving west to the Big 12, MySportsbook.com has betting lines listing Texas as 7-5 favorites to repeat as conference champions, even though the Longhorns lost their national championship-winning quarterback Vince Young to the NFL.  In the south, the Auburn Tigers – led by Heisman-hopeful senior running back Kenny Irons – have been given the best odds to win the SEC Championship odds at 5-2.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.


ODDS TO WIN THE BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Notre Dame
Ohio State
West Virginia
Texas
USC
Florida
California
Auburn
Oklahoma
Iowa
Louisville
Florida State
Michigan
Miami (FL)
LSU
Penn State
Virginia Tech
Nebraska
Tennessee
Georgia
Arizona State
Oregon
Clemson
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
Alabama
Arkansas
Boston College
Michigan State
Maryland
South Carolina
Colorado
Purdue
Georgia Tech
TCU
UCLA
Arizona
Pittsburgh
Iowa State
Wisconsin
North Carolina State
Virginia
North Carolina
Fresno State
Hawaii
Northwestern
BYU
Oregon State
UNLV
Field (Any Other Team)
5-1
7-1
8-1
8-1
8-1
12-1
15-1
15-1
18-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
20-1
25-1
40-1
40-1
50-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
70-1
70-1
100-1
100-1
100-1
100-1
100-1
150-1
200-1
200-1
200-1
200-1
200-1
250-1
250-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
300-1
400-1
500-1
500-1
500-1
500-1
1000-1
1000-1
40-1



ODDS TO WIN ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Miami (FL)
Florida State
Virginia Tech
Clemson
Georgia Tech
Boston College
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina State
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Duke
2-1
2-1
3-1
7-1
15-1
15-1
15-1
30-1
30-1
30-1
50-1
500-1



ODDS TO WIN BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Texas
Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas Tech
Colorado
Iowa State
Texas A&M
Kansas State
Missouri
Kansas
Baylor
Oklahoma State
7-5
9-5
9-2
12-1
14-1
15-1
15-1
30-1
30-1
35-1
100-1
100-1



ODDS TO WIN SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Auburn
Florida
LSU
Georgia
Tennessee
Arkansas
Alabama
Mississippi
South Carolina
Mississippi State
Kentucky
Vanderbilt
5-2
11-4
4-1
6-1
7-1
7-1
9-1
20-1
28-1
75-1
100-1
300-1

For complete NCAA football odds please visit Mysportsbook.com.