Sunday's Slate
Bettors have a full slate of games to wager on Sunday, including a pair of prime-time affairs. On ESPN, the Braves will look to knock off the Dodgers in the rubber game of their three-game set at Turner Field. Also, Texas will host Seattle under the lights. Finally, the Phillies are at San Francisco and the Cubs are in Florida to face the Marlins in late-afternoon affairs.
**Cubs at Marlins**
--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened this game as a pick ?em (minus-110 either way) with a total of 8 ? ?over? (minus-115). As of early this morning, most betting shops had the Marlins as the minus-115 favorites. They can be had on the run line (minus 1 1/2 runs) for a monster plus-175 return.
--Florida (54-49, +677) captured a 5-2 win as a plus-120 home underdog in Friday?s series opener at Landshark Stadium. John Baker broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth and then pinch-hitter Wes Helms belted a two-run double. Leo Nunez threw a scoreless ninth for his ninth save, while Chris Volstad settled for a no-decision in spite of working 6 2/3 innings and giving up just a pair of earned runs.
--Chicago (55-47, -168) captured a thrilling 9-8 win over Florida in 10 innings Saturday night. After blowing what was once a six-run lead and then a three-run lead with two outs in the ninth, the Cubs prevailed thanks to Derek Lee's solo homer in the 10th. The win kept Lou Piniella's team within one game of the NL wild-card leaders and within 1 1/2 games of the Cardinals for the NL Central lead.
--The Cubs own a mediocre 22-28 road record. Meanwhile, Florida?s home ledger is now 28-26. The Fish are in second place in the NL East, six games back of division-leading Philadelphia. They trail the wild-card co-leaders, Colorado and San Francisco, by three games.
--Ryan Dempster (5-5, 4.31 ERA) came up in the Marlins organization and was the franchise?s all-time wins leader when he was traded to Cincinnati in 2002. The 32-year-old righty is 1-4 with a 4.06 ERA in eight road assignments this year. Dempster came off the disabled list Tuesday and was rusty in a five-inning effort against the Astros. He gave up nine hits and five earned runs and took a no-decision. Dempster is 2-1 with a 2.57 career ERA against Florida.
--Ricky Nolasco (7-7, 5.24) owns a 4-3 record and 4.34 ERA in nine home starts. The right-hander struggled mightily earlier this season but has been nothing short of sensational since coming off the disabled list. Nolasco posted a 3-1 record and 1.91 ERA in June and then went 2-1 with a 3.51 ERA in July. He is 2-1 with a 3.60 lifetime ERA against the Cubs.
--The ?over,? 49-48 overall, has been much more prevalent for the Marlins at home (29-21). On the flip side, the ?under? is 54-44 overall for the Cubs, 27-19 in their road games.
--Bettors should note that Florida's Hanley Ramirez and Chicago's Aramis Ramirez both left Saturday's games after being hit by pitches. Both should be considered "questionable" for today's game. The Marlins shortstop leads the NL in hitting with a .343 batting average.
--Nolasco will throw the first pitch at 5:05 p.m. Eastern.
**Mariners at Rangers**
--LVSC opened Texas as a minus-170 ?chalk? with a total of 10 ?under? (minus-115). Most spots have the Rangers at plus-120 on the run line (risk $100 to win $120).
--Texas RHP Scott Feldman (9-4, 3.99) will be working on just three days of rest in this spot. Feldman is 3-3 with a 4.48 ERA in 12 home appearances (10 starts) this year.
--Ian Snell (2-8, 5.36) will get the starting nod for the Mariners, who acquired the veteran right-hander on Wednesday. Snell is taking Jarrod Washburn?s spot in the rotation after he was traded. In his only career start against the Rangers, Snell threw a seven-hit shutout.
--Texas slugger Josh Hamilton is 1-for-5 (.200) against Snell. Andruw Jones is 1-for-10 (.100) but the hit was a home run.
--Texas (58-44, +1800) lost a 7-2 decision to Seattle last night to fall four games behind the first-place Angels in the AL West. Seattle remained in third place in the loop, nine games behind the Halos.
--Seattle (54-50, +553) owns a 27-28 road record after winning last night as a minus-115 favorite behind another stellar effort from ace Felix Hernandez, who improved to 12-4. Ken Griffey Jr. had a monster night, going 3-for-5 and blasting the 622nd career homer.
--The ?under? is an MLB-best 63-34 overall for Texas, 36-17 in its home games.
--The ?under? is 62-40 overall for the Mariners, 35-19 in their road games.
**Dodgers at Braves**
--Most books are listing Atlanta (53-51, -602) as a minus-120 favorite with a total of eight ?under? (minus-120). Gamblers can take the Braves on the run line for a generous plus-170 payout (risk $100 to win $170).
--Bobby Cox?s team has played solid baseball since the All-Star break, posting a 10-6 record to get right into the thick of the NL wild-card chase. The Braves captured a 4-3 win over the Dodgers as minus-125 favorites Saturday afternoon, keeping them within four games of the wild-card leaders, San Francisco and Colorado. Facing the Dodgers for the first time since signing with the Braves during the offseason, Derek Lowe pitched six strong innings en route to winning his fourth consecutive decision. Chipper Jones and newly acquired Adam LaRoche both had a pair of hits and Jones drove in two runs. Rafael Soriano worked a perfect ninth inning for his 16th save of the season.
--With yesterday?s win, the Braves improved to 53-51 overall and 28-24 at home. They have watched the ?under? go 57-43 overall, 29-20 in their home outings.
--Los Angeles (64-40, +1821) has lost seven of its last 10 games but still maintains a comfortable seven-game advantage over Colorado and San Francisco in the NL West.
--Joe Torre?s team is 30-23 on the road. The Dodgers have seen the ?over? go 50-49 overall, 27-24 in their road assignments.
--Jair Jurrjens (9-7, 2.69) has been dominant in his last three starts, compiling a 2-0 record and 1.37 ERA. Jurrjens is 5-4 with a 2.51 ERA in 11 home starts. The righty is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in a pair of career starts against the Dodgers.
--Chad Billingsley (10-6, 3.96) has hit a rough stretch recently, posting a 1-2 record and 9.45 ERA his last three times out. For the season, the right-hander owns a 3-2 record and 3.86 ERA in 11 road starts. Billingsley is 0-2 with a 5.93 lifetime ERA against Atlanta.
--After a couple of promising performances in rehab starts, Atlanta RHP Tim Hudson was scratched from Friday?s scheduled start. However, the good news is the scratch had nothing to do with his surgically repaired elbow. Hudson has a mild groin strain.
--ESPN will provide television coverage at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
Bettors have a full slate of games to wager on Sunday, including a pair of prime-time affairs. On ESPN, the Braves will look to knock off the Dodgers in the rubber game of their three-game set at Turner Field. Also, Texas will host Seattle under the lights. Finally, the Phillies are at San Francisco and the Cubs are in Florida to face the Marlins in late-afternoon affairs.
**Cubs at Marlins**
--Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened this game as a pick ?em (minus-110 either way) with a total of 8 ? ?over? (minus-115). As of early this morning, most betting shops had the Marlins as the minus-115 favorites. They can be had on the run line (minus 1 1/2 runs) for a monster plus-175 return.
--Florida (54-49, +677) captured a 5-2 win as a plus-120 home underdog in Friday?s series opener at Landshark Stadium. John Baker broke a 2-2 tie with a two-out single in the bottom of the eighth and then pinch-hitter Wes Helms belted a two-run double. Leo Nunez threw a scoreless ninth for his ninth save, while Chris Volstad settled for a no-decision in spite of working 6 2/3 innings and giving up just a pair of earned runs.
--Chicago (55-47, -168) captured a thrilling 9-8 win over Florida in 10 innings Saturday night. After blowing what was once a six-run lead and then a three-run lead with two outs in the ninth, the Cubs prevailed thanks to Derek Lee's solo homer in the 10th. The win kept Lou Piniella's team within one game of the NL wild-card leaders and within 1 1/2 games of the Cardinals for the NL Central lead.
--The Cubs own a mediocre 22-28 road record. Meanwhile, Florida?s home ledger is now 28-26. The Fish are in second place in the NL East, six games back of division-leading Philadelphia. They trail the wild-card co-leaders, Colorado and San Francisco, by three games.
--Ryan Dempster (5-5, 4.31 ERA) came up in the Marlins organization and was the franchise?s all-time wins leader when he was traded to Cincinnati in 2002. The 32-year-old righty is 1-4 with a 4.06 ERA in eight road assignments this year. Dempster came off the disabled list Tuesday and was rusty in a five-inning effort against the Astros. He gave up nine hits and five earned runs and took a no-decision. Dempster is 2-1 with a 2.57 career ERA against Florida.
--Ricky Nolasco (7-7, 5.24) owns a 4-3 record and 4.34 ERA in nine home starts. The right-hander struggled mightily earlier this season but has been nothing short of sensational since coming off the disabled list. Nolasco posted a 3-1 record and 1.91 ERA in June and then went 2-1 with a 3.51 ERA in July. He is 2-1 with a 3.60 lifetime ERA against the Cubs.
--The ?over,? 49-48 overall, has been much more prevalent for the Marlins at home (29-21). On the flip side, the ?under? is 54-44 overall for the Cubs, 27-19 in their road games.
--Bettors should note that Florida's Hanley Ramirez and Chicago's Aramis Ramirez both left Saturday's games after being hit by pitches. Both should be considered "questionable" for today's game. The Marlins shortstop leads the NL in hitting with a .343 batting average.
--Nolasco will throw the first pitch at 5:05 p.m. Eastern.
**Mariners at Rangers**
--LVSC opened Texas as a minus-170 ?chalk? with a total of 10 ?under? (minus-115). Most spots have the Rangers at plus-120 on the run line (risk $100 to win $120).
--Texas RHP Scott Feldman (9-4, 3.99) will be working on just three days of rest in this spot. Feldman is 3-3 with a 4.48 ERA in 12 home appearances (10 starts) this year.
--Ian Snell (2-8, 5.36) will get the starting nod for the Mariners, who acquired the veteran right-hander on Wednesday. Snell is taking Jarrod Washburn?s spot in the rotation after he was traded. In his only career start against the Rangers, Snell threw a seven-hit shutout.
--Texas slugger Josh Hamilton is 1-for-5 (.200) against Snell. Andruw Jones is 1-for-10 (.100) but the hit was a home run.
--Texas (58-44, +1800) lost a 7-2 decision to Seattle last night to fall four games behind the first-place Angels in the AL West. Seattle remained in third place in the loop, nine games behind the Halos.
--Seattle (54-50, +553) owns a 27-28 road record after winning last night as a minus-115 favorite behind another stellar effort from ace Felix Hernandez, who improved to 12-4. Ken Griffey Jr. had a monster night, going 3-for-5 and blasting the 622nd career homer.
--The ?under? is an MLB-best 63-34 overall for Texas, 36-17 in its home games.
--The ?under? is 62-40 overall for the Mariners, 35-19 in their road games.
**Dodgers at Braves**
--Most books are listing Atlanta (53-51, -602) as a minus-120 favorite with a total of eight ?under? (minus-120). Gamblers can take the Braves on the run line for a generous plus-170 payout (risk $100 to win $170).
--Bobby Cox?s team has played solid baseball since the All-Star break, posting a 10-6 record to get right into the thick of the NL wild-card chase. The Braves captured a 4-3 win over the Dodgers as minus-125 favorites Saturday afternoon, keeping them within four games of the wild-card leaders, San Francisco and Colorado. Facing the Dodgers for the first time since signing with the Braves during the offseason, Derek Lowe pitched six strong innings en route to winning his fourth consecutive decision. Chipper Jones and newly acquired Adam LaRoche both had a pair of hits and Jones drove in two runs. Rafael Soriano worked a perfect ninth inning for his 16th save of the season.
--With yesterday?s win, the Braves improved to 53-51 overall and 28-24 at home. They have watched the ?under? go 57-43 overall, 29-20 in their home outings.
--Los Angeles (64-40, +1821) has lost seven of its last 10 games but still maintains a comfortable seven-game advantage over Colorado and San Francisco in the NL West.
--Joe Torre?s team is 30-23 on the road. The Dodgers have seen the ?over? go 50-49 overall, 27-24 in their road assignments.
--Jair Jurrjens (9-7, 2.69) has been dominant in his last three starts, compiling a 2-0 record and 1.37 ERA. Jurrjens is 5-4 with a 2.51 ERA in 11 home starts. The righty is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in a pair of career starts against the Dodgers.
--Chad Billingsley (10-6, 3.96) has hit a rough stretch recently, posting a 1-2 record and 9.45 ERA his last three times out. For the season, the right-hander owns a 3-2 record and 3.86 ERA in 11 road starts. Billingsley is 0-2 with a 5.93 lifetime ERA against Atlanta.
--After a couple of promising performances in rehab starts, Atlanta RHP Tim Hudson was scratched from Friday?s scheduled start. However, the good news is the scratch had nothing to do with his surgically repaired elbow. Hudson has a mild groin strain.
--ESPN will provide television coverage at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
