08/21/2008 - San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bengie Molina had the game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the San Francisco Giants held off a late rally by the Florida Marlins to win 6-5 in the middle installment of a three-game set.
Randy Winn went 3-for-5, including a solo homer, for the Giants, who have won four of their last six games. Rich Aurilia, Fred Lewis and Emmanuel Burriss each drove in a run in the win.
Matt Cain did not factor in the decision despite yielding only two runs on five hits over 7 2/3 frames. Instead, Brian Wilson (1-2) got the win after he gave up three runs on three hits in the top of the ninth. Wilson had been 24- for-24 in his last save opportunities prior to Wednesday's meltdown.
"I feel pretty terrible about not being able to hold it for Cainy, but the bottom line is we won," Wilson said. "Giving up a three-run homer in the ninth is not a lot of fun to do."
John Baker tied the game with a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the ninth for the Marlins, who are 2-5 over their last seven contests. Jeremy Hermida added a two-run blast in defeat.
Marlins' shortstop Hanley Ramirez left in the bottom of the fourth after sustaining a thumb injury stealing second in the third.
Florida starter Scott Olsen lasted six innings and was touched for four runs on nine hits. Matt Lindstrom (1-2) was saddled with the loss after he gave up Molina's run in the ninth.
In the top of the ninth, Wilson was charged with protecting a 5-2 lead and gave up a leadoff double to Cody Ross. Two outs later, Alfredo Amezaga slapped a single to shallow left and pinch-hitter Baker tied the game as he belted a three-run shot over the left-field fence.
San Francisco quickly countered in the home half. Pinch-hitter Dave Roberts walked and Winn hit a single off Lindstrom to start the frame. Ivan Ochoa sacrificed both runners into scoring position before Aaron Rowand was intentionally walked to load the bases. Molina then crushed a sac fly to deep center to plate the winning run.
"I thought I made some good pitches but walking the leadoff guy, it's not good," Lindstrom said. "These guys fight so hard for the win and it unravels in five minutes. It's frustrating all the way around."
The Giants took an early lead as Winn opened the first with a homer to left field.
Florida took the lead, 2-1, in the fourth inning. Hermida pulled the first pitch he saw to deep right and off the top of the scoreboard for a two-run homer. The blast also scored Ross, who reached after he grounded into a fielder's choice.
San Francisco grabbed the lead back in the sixth inning. Rowand opened the frame with a single and crossed home two batters later as Aurilia doubled to left field. Lewis kept it going with an RBI single and took second as Paul Lo Duca botched a pick-off attempt. Pablo Sandoval was then intentionally walked and Burriss came through with an RBI single to make it 4-2.
Joe Nelson was on the hill for Florida in the seventh and gave up a leadoff single to Winn. Ochoa then went down swinging on a pitch-out, but his swing struck Lo Duca's glove, granting the hitter first base on catcher's interference.
Rowand grounded it into a double play which moved Winn to third. Molina then laced an RBI single to right for a 5-2 Giants lead.
Game Notes
It was the first pinch-hit homer for Baker...Cain gave up his first home run since June 4 (94 innings)...Florida hasn't won back-to-back games since July 30-31. The team has struggled for much of August, having compiled a 7-11 record so far this month...Olsen hasn't won in six starts since beating the Phillies on July 19...Florida won two of three tests from the Giants in Miami earlier this season. However, San Francisco is 11-5 over its last 16 encounters with the Marlins...Florida catcher Matt Treanor's wife, Misty May- Treanor, and Kerri Walsh completed their undefeated run through the women's beach volleyball tournament Thursday morning with a straight-set win in the gold medal match.
<< Marlins SS Ramirez leaves game vs. Giants with thumb injury
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins lost shortstop
Hanley Ramirez to a thumb injury in Wednesday's 6-5 loss to the San Francisco
Giants.
Ramirez singled in the top of the third inning and stole second base. As
<< Cardinals P Wainwright to return
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam
Wainwright is expected to return from the disabled list and start Friday
against the Atlanta Braves.
Wainwright has been on the DL since June 8 with a
<< Dunn, D-Backs overcome early deficit to clip Padres
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Dunn hit a three-run homer and walked
twice, as the Arizona Diamondbacks held on for an 8-6 win over San Diego, in
the second of three games with the Padres.
The game was expected to be a pitcher
<< Top-notch field of 11 set for Pacific Classic
Del Mar, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eleven of the best older thoroughbreds in
training make up the field for Sunday's $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
The winner of the 1 1/4 mile race gains an automatic spot in the 2008
Breeder
Gene Upshaw dead at 63 >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gene Upshaw, longtime head of the NFL player's
union and Pro Football Hall of Famer, has reportedly died at the age of 63.
NFL.com reported Thursday morning that Upshaw had succumbed to pancreatic
cancer. More
Zambrano tries to dominate Reds again in finale >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Right-hander Carlos Zambrano can replicate a July
masterpiece in August when the Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds in the
finale of a three-game series today at Wrigley Field.
A 13-time winner in his career against the
Dodgers end homestand aiming to get on track versus Rockies >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Dodgers are slipping fast in the NL West
race and will try to close out a lengthy homestand on a positive note this
afternoon in the finale of a three-game set versus the Colorado Rockies at
Dodger Stadium.
Mets go for sweep of rival Braves >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National League East-leading New York Mets shoot for
their second sweep in less than two weeks this evening, when they close out a
three-game series versus the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium.
The Mets swept the Washing
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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