Phillies use four-run ninth to beat Cubs

Baseball Betting Lines

07/17/2010 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ross Gload scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in a wild four-run, two-out rally in the ninth inning that carried the Phillies to a 4-1 comeback win over Chicago in third meeting of a four-game set.

Placido Polanco singled home the tying run and Jayson Werth walked with the bases loaded to force in an insurance marker and spell the end of the day for Chicago reliever Carlos Marmol (2-2), who suffered the loss after giving up all four runs on one hit and a season-high five walks while recording just two outs for the Cubs, who have dropped four out of seven.

Chad Durbin (1-1) worked a scoreless eighth inning to grab the win after Cole Hamels yielded a single run on eight hits over seven frames. He walked two and struck out six for the Phils, who stopped a two-game slide and won for the fifth time in seven tries. Brad Lidge threw a shutout ninth inning to preserve the win and earn his seventh save of the season.

Marmol entered in the ninth to protect a 1-0 lead and issued back-to-back one- out walks to pinch-hitters Brian Schneider and Gload before Shane Victorino struck out. Polanco then singled to left field in front of Tyler Colvin, whose one-hop throw to the plate was in time to cut down Schneider but was mishandled by catcher Geovany Soto to allow the tying run to score.

Gload had advanced to third on the play and scored the decisive run when Marmol uncorked a wild pitch with Jimmy Rollins at the plate. The Phillies subsequently loaded the bases for Werth, who worked the count full before drawing a free pass to push Polanco across the plate and chase Marmol from the hill.

James Russell took over and faced Raul Ibanez, who legged out an infield hit to first base after the rookie left-hander was late to cover from the mound. That allowed Rollins to score to make it 4-1 and brought on Andrew Cashner.

Pinch-hitter Cody Ransom smashed a ground ball back through the middle that was gloved by the diving shortstop Starlin Castro, who got the force out at second base to finally end the inning.

The Cubs had broken up a scoreless duel in the seventh when Castro led off with a double, moved to third on a ground out and scored on a suicide squeeze bunt by Ryan Theriot, who legged it out for an infield hit.

The Phillies put runners at second and third and two out in the fourth before Carlos Ruiz flied out to end the frame. The Cubs had runners at the corners with two outs in the bottom of the inning but Castro bounced into a force out at second base to end the inning.

A two-out double by Werth and walks to Ibanez and Ruiz loaded the bases for the visitors in the sixth before Wilson Valdez grounded out. Chicago put runners at first and second with one out in the home half before Alfonso Soriano flied out and Soto was called out on strikes.

Cubs starter Randy Wells worked around seven hits and a pair of walks, while fanning five, to spin seven scoreless frames.

Game Notes

The Phillies won for just a third time in 40 games when trailing after eight innings...Philadelphia is 37-9 when scoring four runs or more...The Cubs have scored three runs or fewer in 16 of their last 25 games, including one run or less in nine of them...Chicago was thwarted in a bid to win three straight home games for the first time since May 16-25...Philadelphia stranded 12 baserunners, while the Cubs were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left nine men aboard.

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Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

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MySportsbook.com favors Bears, Bengals, Chargers and Colts to remain perfect

LAS VEGAS , Sept. 28 - Two big match-ups of undefeated teams have fans salivating at the Week Four schedule in the NFL. The Chicago Bears stifling defense looks to provide a less than hospitable welcome to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night in a battle of two 3-0 teams in the NFC conference. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers (2-0) head to Maryland to face the surprising Baltimore Ravens (3-0) as both try to keep pace atop the conference standings. Betting Lines makers at MySportsbook.com, online sportsbook and casino, have set the Bears as 3.5 point favorites while the Chargers are a 2.5 point bet.

Of the three remaining undefeated teams, only one, New Orleans, enters this week's game as an underdog. Despite an emotional and resounding win over Atlanta on Monday night, the Saints are a 7.5 point underdog against the struggling Carolina Panthers. Indianapolis looks to stay perfect when they face the New York Jets as a 9 point road favorite while the Cincinnati Bengals are a 6 point favorite at home to the New England Patriots.

Six teams enter the week still looking for their first win, with a seventh, Tampa Bay, on a bye week. The prospect of dropping another game would not bode well for a potential playoff run. Since 1990, just three teams -- the 1992 Chargers, 1995 Detroit Lions and 1998 Buffalo Bills -- have overcome losing their first three games of the season to earn a postseason berth. And only the Chargers managed to accomplish the feat after starting 0-4.

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