Blalock's HR in ninth lifts Rangers over Angels
Baseball Betting Lines
07/02/2009 -
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hank Blalock went 3-for-5 with a pair of home
runs, including a two-run blast in the bottom of the ninth inning, to lift the
Rangers past the Angels, 9-7, in the rubber match of a three-game series.
After the Angels scored three runs in the top of the ninth to tie the game,
Los Angeles sent Justin Speier (3-2) to the mound in the bottom half. Michael
Young stroked a single to center to begin the inning, but David Murphy and
Marlon Byrd recorded two quick outs. Blalock then stepped to the plate and
belted a first-pitch fastball over the center-field wall to give Texas the
improbable win.
Young went 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Rangers, who have won two straight
after a three-game skid. Chris Davis drove in a pair of runs, while Murphy and
Julio Borbon each knocked in a run.
Frank Francisco (2-1) picked up the win despite giving up three runs on two
hits in the ninth. Francisco blew his second save of the season. Starter Kevin
Millwood went 6 1/3 frames, allowing four runs on eight hits with four
strikeouts and three walks.
Juan Rivera went 2-for-5 with a three-run homer in the ninth for the Angels,
who have dropped two in a row after a six-game winning streak. Torii Hunter
stroked a two-run double, while Maicer Izturis and Chone Figgins each drove in
a run.
Jered Weaver went 5 1/3 frames, allowing seven runs on eight hits with three
strikeouts for LA.
The Rangers thought they had the game all wrapped up when they sent
Francisco to the mound in the top of the ninth with a three-run cushion. In
fact, Francisco was down to the last out of the game despite walking Bobby
Abreu and Hunter. But Rivera stepped to the plate and drove a 2-0 fastball
just over the wall in right-center field to deadlock the contest.
The Rangers scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning to break a scoreless
contest. Blalock got things started with a one-out, solo home run over the
wall in right-center field. Nelson Cruz then singled, stole second, and scored
on Davis' single to right.
Los Angeles plated a run in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to one.
Vladimir Guerrero and Rivera singled to put men on the corners with one
out. Izturis stepped to the plate and lined into a sacrifice double play.
Texas responded with five runs in the home half of the frame to extend its
margin to 7-1. Byrd walked and Blalock doubled to put men on second and
third with nobody out. Pinch-hitter Borbon then stroked an RBI single,
before Blalock scored on a wild pitch. Davis added an RBI groundout, while
Young and Murphy hit RBI singles later in the frame.
The Angels put a three-spot on the board in the seventh. Erick Aybar hit a
one-out single, advanced to second on Borbon's fielding error, and scored on
Figgins' triple to center. After Abreu walked, Hunter stroked a two-run double
to right. Darren O'Day got the Rangers out of a jam after taking over for
Millwood on the hill.
Game Notes
LA finished a six-game road trip with a 4-2 record...Cruz left the game in the
bottom of the sixth with a stiff back...The Rangers have now won six of their
last eight matchups with LA and swept a three-game set from the Angels in
Arlington from May 15-17...Texas will welcome the Tampa Bay Rays to town for a
three-game set, starting Friday. LA will begin a 10-game homestand with a
four-game set with the Baltimore Orioles, starting Thursday.
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Sportsbook Betting
After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
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