ChiSox complete three-game sweep of Royals

Baseball Betting Lines

06/06/2008 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jim Thome hit a solo home run and scored twice, as the Chicago White Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 6-2 victory.

Pablo Ozuna went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the White Sox, who have won three in a row on the heels of a three-game skid. Nick Swisher and Alexei Ramirez both had an RBI while Orlando Cabrera had a pair of hits to go with two RBI in the win.

Jose Contreras (6-3) earned the win as he held the Royals to one run on four hits through seven innings of work.

"He didn't have his best stuff, but somehow he was able to gut out a good performance," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.

The White Sox were without the services of Joe Crede, who was sitting due to a bruised right hand he suffered in the eighth inning of Wednesday's game.

Mark Teahen hit a solo home run for Kansas City, which has dropped three in a row and 15 of its last 17 overall. Mark Grudzielanek had a double and David DeJesus slugged a triple in the losing effort.

Gil Meche (3-8) absorbed the loss as he was touched for five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings on the hill.

"We didn't help ourselves with the two errors we made, but he (Meche) made some costly pitches," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "He has to learn to locate better when he's ahead in the count."

The ChiSox jumped on top in the second. Paul Konerko led off with a walk, but was thrown out at third after Thome's single. Jermaine Dye then made it first and third with a double, and Swisher put runners on the corners with an RBI single while giving Chicago a 1-0 lead. After Toby Hall worked a walk to load the bases, Ozuna followed with an RBI groundout before Orlando Cabrera capped the rally with a two-run single.

The Royals got on the board in the third. Joey Gathright bunted his way on, stole second and third and scored on an error by Ozuna.

With two outs in the home fourth, Ozuna bunted and Meche couldn't field it, allowing the runner to reach first. Cabrera then worked a walk and Ramirez slugged an RBI single to right, giving the Sox a 5-1 cushion.

Thome made it a five-run advantage with a solo shot in the seventh.

Teahen hit a leadoff homer off of Nick Masset to begin the ninth and the Royals were within 6-2. Alberto Collaspo, Esteban German and Gathright all grounded out to seal the deal.

Game Notes

Chicago needed some additional time to dispose of the Royals on Wednesday, with Paul Konerko ending a 15-inning marathon with a two-run homer that lifted the White Sox to a 6-4 decision...The loss was Kansas City's 12th in a row on the road...Chicago has also dominated the Royals at home in recent years, having amassed a 24-7 record as the host in this series since 2005...The Royals picked first baseman Eric Hosmer with the third overall selection in the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft. The White Sox got shortstop Gordon Beckham with the eighth pick.

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2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“You play to win the game!”

Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.

The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.

The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.

Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?

Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.

New York Giants betting lines

Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.

Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.

The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.

Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.

Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.

First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”

The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason. 

Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.