Astros set sights on handing Bucs ninth straight road loss

Baseball Betting Lines

08/14/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bud Norris will try for a third straight winning decision and lead his Houston Astros to a second consecutive victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates when the two National League Central members continue a three-game series from Minute Maid Park this evening.

The Astros won Friday's opener, 4-1, after scoring four times in the bottom of the eighth to erase a one-run deficit. Carlos Lee belted the go-ahead three- run home run for Houston.

Wilton Lopez (4-0) tossed a scoreless eighth inning to earn the win after Houston starter Brett Myers yielded a lone run on seven hits with seven strikeouts over seven frames. Brandon Lyon worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn his third save of the season.

The win was Houston's seventh without a loss over the Pirates at Minute Maid Park, where Pittsburgh has now been dealt defeats in 12 of its last 14 visits, this season. The Astros have taken eight of the 10 overall meetings between the divisional foes thus far in 2010.

Evan Meek (4-4) suffered the blown save and loss after permitting all four runs on five hits and a walk while recording only one out for the Pirates, who have now lost five in a row and eight consecutive road games.

Pedro Alvarez had three hits and a walk to lead Pittsburgh offensively, while Neil Walker and Andrew McCutchen added two hits apiece.

Norris posted back-to-back wins over Chicago and St. Louis on July 28 and Aug. 3 to up his season record to 4-7, then received a no-decision in Monday's start against Atlanta. The right-hander allowed four runs and a pair of homers over 6 2/3 innings in that game.

The 25-year-old sports a 1-1 record with a 4.22 earned run average in two lifetime starts against the Pirates, with the loss taking place in Pittsburgh on July 17. Norris was hit hard in that one, surrendering seven runs (four earned) and nine hits in just 4 2/3 innings.

Norris will be attempting to improve upon a 1-4 season record at Minute Maid Park when he takes the mound tonight, and the second-year major leaguer has posted an unimpressive 6.00 ERA in nine home starts this year.

The Pirates turn to Mississippi-born lefty Paul Maholm, who's split a pair of starts against the Astros in 2010 and aims for his 10th career victory against them. The 28-year-old went the nine-inning distance in blanking Houston, 9-0, on July 18 in Pittsburgh, allowing three hits and walking no one.

The triumph erased the angst prompted by a 4-3 loss at Minute Maid Park on April 23, when Maholm was reached for six hits and two earned runs in seven innings.

He is 9-5 against the Astros with a 3.55 ERA in 15 starts.

Maholm, who's last win was Aug. 3 against Cincinnati, was on the wrong end of an 8-4 decision to Colorado on Sunday after allowing seven hits and eight runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Casinoplauer Baseball Betting News

<< Nationals resume series with visiting Diamondbacks
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals aim for a second straight unlikely pitching effort when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight in the middle game of a three-game series at Nationals Park. The hosts won the initial game of the

<< Tigers send out Porcello in hopes of taking down ChiSox
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- Fresh off his first win in over two months, Rick Porcello will take the mound this evening for the Detroit Tigers as they battle the Chicago White Sox in the second contest of a three-game set at U.S. Cellular Field. Aft

<< Indians aim to even weekend set with Mariners
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mitch Talbot will take the hill this evening for the Cleveland Indians in the second contest of a three-game set against the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field. Talbot is making his first start since straining his back

<< Wenger signs Arsenal extension
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arsenal have announced that long-serving manager Arsene Wenger has signed a new contract that will keep him at the Emirates Stadium until the end of the 2013-14 season. Wenger, who was appointed Gun

<< Giants to face challenge from Padres' Latos
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- The San Francisco Giants were unable to gain ground on the first-place San Diego Padres in Friday's opener of an important three-game series between the National League West foes. With a matchup against the formidable Mat La

Hughes goes for No. 14 in Yanks-Royals clash >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- The New York Yankees will try to put further distance between themselves and the rest of the American League East when they battle the Kansas City Royals tonight in the third contest of a four-game series at Kauffman Stadium

First-place Twins to be tested by A's Cahill >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- The young but talented Trevor Cahill will toe the rubber this evening for Oakland when the Athletics take on the Minnesota Twins tonight in the second installment of a three-game set at Target Field. Cahill has won six of

Slumping rookie gets call for Reds in bout with Marlins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Skidding rookie right-hander Mike Leake tries to end the first three-start losing streak of his career tonight, when the Cincinnati Reds host the Florida Marlins in the second of three weekend games at Great American Ball Par

Braves shoot for another win over road-challenged Dodgers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The owners of the best home record in baseball continue a wraparound series with a team that's had plenty of recent trouble winning on the road tonight at Atlanta's Turner Field, where the National League East- leading Braves

Rockies seek to build off thrilling win over Brewers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies still have plenty of ground to make up in order to make a second straight trip to the postseason, but Friday's come- from-behind victory over the Milwaukee Brewers was certainly a step in the right direct

Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.