Betting Odds – Graffiti Wall

(Monday, September 14th)

Final Score: New York 5, LA Angels of Anaheim 3

Bronx, NY – Mike Napoli’s throwing error on a stolen base attempt led to a two-run eighth inning for New York, as the Yankees again rallied late to edge the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 5-3, in a makeup game from a May 3 rainout. Mark Teixeira missed the cycle by a home run and finished with two RBI for the Yankees, who won their second straight on the heels of a two-game slide. Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher both had two hits and an RBI in the win. Joba Chamberlain went just four innings due to a strict pitch-count, and gave up a run on four hits with two punchouts to get a no-decision. The big righty hasn’t won since August 16, a stretch spanning seven starts (three losses, four no-decisions). Phil Hughes (7-3) was credited with the win. The Yankees lead the AL East by 7 1/2 games over idle Boston, and they opened a six-game lead over these Angels for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Vladimir Guerrero went 3-for-4 with a solo homer for the Angels, who have dropped two of three. Chone Figgins also knocked in a run in the setback. Jered Weaver (15-6) took the loss after giving up five runs on eight hits in 7 1/3 innings of work. He had won two straight starts coming in. The Angels sit six games in front of the Rangers in the AL West.

Final Score: Tampa Bay 8, Baltimore 4

Baltimore, MD – Reid Brignac went 4-for-4 and smacked his first homer in the majors, as the Tampa Bay Rays snapped an 11-game skid with an 8-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles in the opener of a four-game series at Camden Yards. B.J. Upton went 2-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs scored for the Rays, who won for the first time since beating the Red Sox on September 2. Akinori Iwamura went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Carl Crawford had three hits and drove in a run for the victors. David Price (8-7) went seven innings, allowing four runs — three earned — on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks to take the win for Tampa Bay. The 2007 No. 1 overall draft choice improved to 2-4 in 10 away starts this season. Melvin Mora went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Orioles, who started a seven-game homestand on Monday. Matt Wieters and Luke Scott each knocked in a run in defeat. David Hernandez (4-8) got rocked in three-plus frames, giving up five runs on nine hits with five strikeouts to take the loss. The rookie now has a six-start winless stretch in which he’s gone 0-4.

Final Score: Detroit 6, Toronto 5 (10 innings)

Detroit, MI – Aubrey Huff tied the game in the ninth with a three-run homer, and Brandon Inge scored the game-winning run on Marco Scutaro’s fielding error in the 10th, as the Detroit Tigers escaped with a 6-5 victory over Toronto to split a four-game series at Comerica Park. Huff hit his second home run since joining the Tigers in mid-August, as Detroit maintained a 5 1/2 game lead over Minnesota in the AL Central with 19 games to play. Ryan Raburn homered and drove in two runs for the victors. Justin Verlander avoided the loss after allowing five runs and 10 hits in seven innings while fanning nine. Bobby Seay (6-3) received the win for recording the final out of the 10th. Adam Lind hit a three-run homer, and Edwin Encarnacion added a solo shot in a five-run sixth for Toronto, which has lost two straight since a three-game winning streak. David Purcey made his first appearance since April 27 and allowed two runs, five hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings, but Jason Frasor blew his third save opportunity of the season after giving up the homer to Huff. Brian Wolfe (1-2) absorbed the loss after allowing the game-winning run.

Final Score: Oakland 9, Texas 0

Arlington, TX – Brett Tomko had a stellar start and Ryan Sweeney had three doubles, knocked in four runs and scored to lead Oakland in a 9-0 rout of the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game set. Tomko (5-3) gave up five hits and fanned three batters in a complete-game effort en route to his 100th career win. The effort was also his second career shutout. Adam Kennedy went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored for the Athletics, who have won three of four. Rajai Davis and Kurt Suzuki drove in a run each in the win. Scott Feldman (16-5), who had won seven straight decisions, took the loss after giving up six runs on as many hits with five strikeouts to one walk. Nelson Cruz had the lone extra-base hit for Texas, which has dropped three of four. The Rangers remained six games behind the Angels for the lead in the AL West, and fell to 4 1/2 games behind the idle Red Sox for the wild card lead.

Final Score: Minnesota 6, Cleveland 3

Minneapolis, MN – Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel both homered in a six-run eighth inning, as the Minnesota Twins came back from a three-run deficit late to stun the Cleveland Indians, 6-3, and keep pace with Detroit in the AL Central. Cuddyer hit a three-run shot, while Kubel added a two-run blast for the Twins, who have won two straight and remained 5 1/2 games behind the Tigers in the division race. Kubel has crushed the Indians this season, as seven of his 23 homers and 17 of his 84 RBI have come against Cleveland in 15 games this season. Carl Pavano pitched against his former club for the second time since being traded to the Twins and allowed three runs on six hits in six innings. He yielded four runs — three earned — in six frames in a September 4 loss in his last start against the Indians. Ron Mahay (2-1) took the victory for a scoreless eighth, and Joe Nathan recorded his 39th save of the season. Jeremy Sowers pitched seven scoreless frames for the Indians, but it all went for naught, as Cleveland lost for the sixth time in seven games. Trevor Crowe hit his first career home run — a two-run shot — while Shin-Soo Choo added a solo homer in the loss. Chris Perez (0-1) was credited with the loss.

Final Score: Cincinnati 3, Houston 1

Cincinnati, OH – Jay Bruce, fresh off the disabled list, had a pinch-hit two-run single in the seventh inning to lift the Reds over the Astros, 3-1, in the opener of a three-game series. Bruce was activated off the 15-day DL earlier Monday, having been sidelined since July with a fractured wrist. His two-run single came an inning before Brandon Phillips homered to provide some insurance. Bronson Arroyo (13-12) earned the win after limiting the Astros to a run on six hits in seven innings. He also struck out six for the Reds, who were coming off a 4-6 road trip. Houston starter Wandy Rodriguez (13-10) got the loss. He held Cincinnati scoreless through six full innings, but allowed the first two batters in the home seventh to reach base before being pulled. In his six-plus frames, Rodriguez gave up five hits, walked two and struck out eight. Carlos Lee went 2-for-4 with the lone RBI for the Astros, who have lost two in a row.

Final Score: Chicago 2, Milwaukee 0

Chicago, IL – Derrek Lee went 2-for-3 with a solo homer, and Ryan Dempster tossed eight shutout innings to lead the Chicago Cubs over the Milwaukee Brewers, 2-0, in the opener of a four-game series at Wrigley Field. Dempster (10-8), who took a no-hitter into the fifth, gave up just four hits while fanning four and walking one to take the win for the Cubs, who have won two in a row and six of their last seven. Dempster has won four of his last five decisions. Carlos Marmol picked up his 13th save of the season. Aramis Ramirez had a pair of hits for Chicago. Geovany Soto, who had driven in at least two runs in each of his previous four games, went 0-for-4 to have a five-game hitting streak snapped. Jeff Suppan (6-10) was solid in seven frames for the Brewers, giving up one run on three hits with four walks and two strikeouts to take the tough-luck loss. Suppan has won just once in his last 13 starts.

Final Score: St. Louis 11, Florida 6

St. Louis, MO – Julio Lugo tripled in two runs and scored the go-ahead tally on an Albert Pujols sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, as the Cardinals beat the Florida Marlins, 11-6, to open a three-game series. Colby Rasmus had three hits, including an insurance three-run homer in the eighth inning, and Matt Holliday drove in three runs for St. Louis, which snapped a three-game skid and reduced its magic number to 10 for clinching the National League Central Division title. Ryan Ludwick added a two-run single and Skip Schumaker finished with three hits and three runs scored in the victory. Todd Wellemeyer started for the Cardinals and allowed nine hits and six runs over four innings. Blake Hawksworth (4-0) yielded a hit over 1 1/3 scoreless frames to get the win. Nick Johnson drilled a two-run homer and Chris Coghlan tacked on a two-run triple for the Marlins, who lost for the third time in four contests. Florida is now seven games behind Philadelphia for first place in the NL East. The Marlins remained 5 1/2 games behind Colorado for the lead in the NL wild card standings. Ricky Nolasco (11-9), who won his previous three decisions, surrendered 10 hits and seven runs over five innings.

Final Score: Arizona 4, San Diego 2 (10 innings)

San Diego, CA – Brandon Allen hit the game-winning RBI single in the top of the 10th inning to lift the Arizona Diamondbacks past the San Diego Padres, 4-2, in the opener a three-game set between these NL West rivals at Petco Park. Adam Russell (2-1) started the top of the 10th on the mound for the Padres. Russell recorded a quick out before giving up consecutive singles to Gerardo Parra and Ryan Roberts. Allen then laced the game- winning hit to center. Pinch-hitter Alex Romero added an insurance run with an RBI groundout. Billy Buckner was solid in six-plus innings for Arizona, allowing two runs — one earned — on nine hits with eight strikeouts and one walk to take a no- decision. Buckner hasn’t won since June 1. Clay Zavada (3-3) tossed a scoreless ninth to take the win. Juan Gutierrez picked up his fourth save of the year. Buckner also drove in two runs for the Diamondbacks, who had lost three in a row and nine of 10 coming in. Parra had three hits for the victors. Kevin Correia was effective in 6 1/3 frames for San Diego, giving up two runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and two walks to take a no-decision. Chase Headley drove in the only two runs for the Padres, who had won four of five coming in. Tony Gwynn Jr. had three hits and scored a run in defeat.

Final Score: Los Angeles 6, Pittsburgh 2

Los Angeles, CA – Andre Ethier’s two-run homer in the fifth inning snapped a tie game and helped the Dodgers upend the lowly Pirates, 6-2, in the opener of a three-game series. Orlando Hudson went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Jon Garland (10-11), making his third outing in Dodger blue since coming over in a trade with Arizona, gave up two runs on six hits and three walks through six innings for the win. Los Angeles has won five of seven and sits four games ahead of the Rockies for the top spot in the NL West after Colorado lost to San Francisco on Monday. Daniel McCutchen (0-2), in his third career start, was touched for four runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings for the Pirates, who snapped a five-game losing streak with Sunday’s 2-1 decision over Houston. Pittsburgh, however, has not won two straight since August 21-22. Ryan Doumit and Ramon Vazquez each knocked in a run in the setback.

Final Score: San Francisco 9, Colorado 1

San Francisco, CA – Tim Lincecum fanned 11 batters over seven strong innings and San Francisco beat Colorado, 9-1, in the opener of a crucial three-game series for the Giants. Eugenio Velez had a three-run triple and finished with four RBI for the Giants, who pulled within 3 1/2 games of Colorado for the lead in the National League wild card standings. Lincecum (14-5), who missed a turn in the rotation last Tuesday due to back spasms, gave up six hits and a run with four walks. The right-hander moved to 9-1 at home this season. Bengie Molina belted a solo homer and Aaron Rowand tacked on a two-run single for the Giants, who have won back-to- back contests following a four-game skid. Colorado has lost three in a row since a posting an eight-game winning streak. The Rockies fell four games behind the Dodgers for first place in the NL West. Los Angeles beat Pittsburgh, 6-2, Monday night. Jason Hammel (8-8) gave up seven hits and four runs over six frames to suffer his first loss since August 14.

Tom Brady

Brady, Pats stage improbable rally to frustrate Bills again

Foxboro, MA – Tom Brady didn’t resemble his record-breaking form of two years ago but did conjure up two fourth-quarter touchdown drives in his return to meaningful NFL action, leading the Patriots to a 25-24 comeback win over the Bills in an entertaining season opener between the AFC East rivals.

Though inconsistent for three quarters, Brady hit Benjamin Watson for a pair of TDs in the waning minutes, the last a 16-yard strike occurring with 50 seconds remaining in the game after Buffalo’s Leodis McKelvin fumbled a kickoff return.

Brady returned to regular-season action for the first time since suffering reported tears of his left ACL and MCL in the season opener last season. The perennial Pro Bowl QB finished with 378 yards and two scores on 39-of-53 throws, also tossing an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Aaron Schobel.

“There’s plenty of things that we need to improve on and learn from,” Brady said. “We made enough plays at the end…We’re excited we won.”

Randy Moss had 12 catches for 141 yards, Wes Welker also hauled in 12 for 93, and Watson had six for 77 and two TDs for New England (1-0), which missed out on the playoffs last year despite an 11-5 record behind backup signal-caller Matt Cassel.

Fred Jackson, starting in place of the suspended Marshawn Lynch, caught five balls for 83 yards and a touchdown and picked up 57 more on 15 carries for Buffalo (1-0), which finished 7-9 last year for the third year in a row. This marked their 12th straight loss to the Patriots.

Trent Edwards threw for two scores and 212 yards on 15-of-25 attempts, orchestrating an offense that fired coordinator Turk Schonert less than two weeks ago.

Alex Van Pelt took over the reins of the offense and had the Patriots guessing all night despite ineffective outputs from offseason acquisition Terrell Owens (two catches, 46 yards) and fellow receiver Lee Evans (three grabs, 25 yards).

Down 24-13 late in the game, Brady took the Patriots right down the field. It took 11 plays and nearly 3 1/2 minutes to do so, hitting Watson in the middle of the end zone from 18 yards out with 2:06 remaining. The two-point conversion attempt failed, keeping it a two-possession game.

McKelvin took the ensuing kickoff out of the end zone and right up the gut. He went untouched until his own 30 yard-line but was popped and stripped of the ball, which New England recovered at the Buffalo 31.

“We got the fumble out on the previous kickoff, we just didn’t get it,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “It’s a situation where you’re behind you’re always looking to pull the ball out. It was a head’s up play.”

Two quick completions brought the ball to the 16, and Brady hit Watson in roughly the same spot as a minute before, this time with a defender draped over him. Replay confirmed the go-ahead score with 50 ticks left, though the Pats again missed the two-point try.

Two sacks of Edwards in the closing seconds helped New England survive the opener, as unsuccessful last-second lateral attempts from the Bills ended any chance of a miracle ending.

“I’m obviously very frustrated,” Edwards said. “To come up one point short is pretty disappointing right now.”

New England had the ball in enemy territory in its first two possessions but came up with no points. Laurence Maroney was stuffed on 4th-and-1 on the opening drive, and Stephen Gostkowski missed a 41-yard field goal attempt the next time the Patriots had the ball.

Buffalo’s no-huddle offense, sparked by back-to-back big plays from Jackson, marched down the field following the missed kick. On the sixth play of the drive from the New England 11, Shawn Nelson was left open in the flat on a play-action roll out and dove into the end zone for the game’s first score.

Three third-down conversions on a 14-play, 72-yard march in the second quarter helped New England tie the game on newcomer Fred Taylor’s one-yard draw to paydirt with 6:22 remaining in the opening half.

On the first play of New England’s next drive, Buffalo regained the lead on a terrific play by Schobel. Brady looked as if he was trying to throw the ball away, but Schobel plucked the ball out of the air with one hand and out-ran the New England lineman for the go-ahead, 26-yard defensive score.

Gostkowski’s 20-yard field goal made it 14-10 at halftime.

A near seven-minute drive for the Patriots went for naught early in the third quarter, as Brady threw behind Welker on 4th-and-2 from the Buffalo 36 to turn the ball over on downs.

Owens and Derek Schouman hauled in passes of 27 and 16 yards, respectively, on the ensuing drive, setting up Rian Lindell’s 40-yard field goal to go up 17-10 with 2:32 left in the third.

After a 28-yard boot from Gostkowski early in the fourth, Buffalo held the ball for the next six minutes, culminated in Jackson’s 10-yard TD grab off a screen pass with 5:32 left for a seemingly comfortable 24-13 score.

Game Notes

Both teams, long with the referees, wore throw-back jerseys in commemoration of the AFL’s 50th anniversary…It was Moss’ 60th career 100-yard receiving game…Both teams lost young linebacker’s early in the game, with Buffalo losing Paul Posluszny with an arm injury and the Patriots’ Jerod Mayo injuring his knee. Bills defensive end Chris Kelsay also left early with a knee injury. There was no word immediately after the game as to the extent of the injuries…The Patriots held a 16-plus-minute advantage in time of possession…Maroney led the Pats running attack with 32 yards on 10 carries.

Sproles, Chargers rally to beat Raiders in MNF thriller

Oakland, CA – Darren Sproles finished off a long drive with a five-yard scoring run with 18 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, sending San Diego to a 24-20 win over Oakland, as the Chargers beat the Raiders for a 12th straight time.

The nine-play, 89-yard drive came after JaMarcus Russell gave Oakland the lead with 2:34 left on a 57-yard connection to rookie Louis Murphy on a 4th-and-14 play.

Philip Rivers connected on 24-of-36 passes for 252 yards with a touchdown and was picked off once for the Chargers (1-0), who are coming off their third straight AFC West title.

LaDainian Tomlinson ran 13 times for 55 yards and a TD, but was on the sidelines when Sproles ran nearly untouched up the middle on a draw play for the go-ahead score. Chargers head coach Norv Turner said Tomlinson rolled his ankle during the game.

Chargers center Nick Hardwick was carted off the field with an apparent knee injury in the third quarter. Guard Louis Vasquez was also hurt, leaving in the third quarter with a knee injury.

“You can’t say enough about what the O-line did, battling through injuries and the guys that stepped up,” said Rivers. “There were some unbelievable catches on that final drive. Darren, who you can’t say enough about what he means and does for this team and the big plays on that last drive as well.”

Russell finished 12-of-30 passing for 208 yards, but was picked off twice. That included one to Antoine Cason on a prayer pass in the waning seconds. Russell also had to leave for a short period in the fourth quarter after Raiders running back Michael Bush and Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman landed on his leg.

The Raiders (0-1) lost their seventh straight season opener.

“I am very excited at what this team has come to,” said Raiders coach Tom Cable. “I’m very excited as to where we’re headed. We have to let this one go. It’s tough. This is the NFL. It’s a tough lesson, but a valuable one.”

The game was tied 10-10 moving to the fourth quarter, but Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 35-yard field goal less than two minutes in to put the Raiders ahead.

Rivers came right back and drove the Chargers 77 yards in 10 plays, finishing the march with a 15-yard TD pass to Vincent Jackson in the left corner of the end zone with 7:22 remaining.

Russell then exited the contest briefly and Bruce Gradkowski completed both his passes for 17 yards. Russell threw a ball over the middle to Johnnie Lee Higgins, who was driven to the ground by Eric Weddle as he jarred the ball loose.

But on the next play, Russell aired the ball out to Murphy, who got behind defensive backs Antonio Cromartie and Clinton Hart.

Fans at the Black Hole sensed the Raiders about to break the San Diego hex, but Rivers had other ideas. He threw 15 yards to Sproles and 23 yards to Legedu Naanee, moving the ball to the Oakland 32. A 13-yard connection to tight end Antonio Gates on a 3rd-and-1 play put the ball at the 10. Sproles then ran halfway to the end zone before scoring on the next play.

“People talk about quarterbacks that handle pressure and respond and lead their teams from behind. I don’t know I’d want anyone else doing it,” said Turner. “He has done it continuously and done it in some real difficult situations like tonight.”

Zach Miller had six catches for 96 yards for the Raiders, who finished 5-11 last season. Darren McFadden rushed 17 times for 68 yards.

“Not enough words to describe how I feel right now,” said Russell. “We came up on the short end of the stick. There’s a lot that you can take away from this game. Guys kept fighting and pushing till the end.”

Russell was picked off by Quentin Jammer inside the 10 on the game’s first possession, but the Oakland QB later led his team on an 84-yard jaunt, finished off by Bush’s four-yard TD scamper.

Tomlinson fumbled the ball away in the final minute of the opening quarter, but McFadden coughed the ball up early in the second, leading to Tomlinson’s one-yard TD run with 4:45 left in the half.

There was some controversy in the final minute of the half when Russell threw into the end zone to Murphy, who seemingly caught the go-ahead score. Replay officials ruled that Murphy never had control of the ball all the way through as the nose of the ball touched the ground when he landed in the end zone.

Janikowski kicked a 37-yard field goal with 40 seconds left, but Nate Kaeding matched that with a 47-yarder on the final play. Sproles helped set up the short drive with a 59-yard kickoff return.

Rivers was picked off early in the third and both teams failed to move the ball later in the quarter.

Game Notes

Raiders running back Justin Fargas sat out due to a hamstring injury…San Diego hosts Baltimore on Sunday, while the Raiders visit the Kansas City Chiefs…New Raiders defensive lineman Richard Seymour had a pair of sacks.