Cards, Pirates play rubber match at PNC

Baseball Betting Lines

08/25/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Pirates were able to come through with an impressive victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. Repeating such an effort has been a big problem for the last-place club as of late, however.

The Pirates will try to win back-to-back contests for the first time in nearly a month in tonight's rubber match of a three-game series with the contending Cardinals from PNC Park.

Pittsburgh wasn't fazed by a matchup with National League Cy Young Award candidate Adam Wainwright on Tuesday, as the club scored four times off the All-Star hurler to rally for a 4-3 decision. Neil Walker snapped a 2-2 deadlock with a two-out single that plated two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Walker also delivered an RBI single in the sixth that plated fellow rookie Jose Tabata, who brought the Bucs within 2-1 by tripling off Wainwright with one out in the inning. The two players combined for four of Pittsburgh's seven hits on the night.

"[Wainwright] is one of the best pitchers in the game," Walker remarked." I wanted to keep [the ball] in the middle of the field and I was able to do that."

Joel Hanrahan (3-1) picked up the win by tossing 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Pirates starter Paul Maholm, who held the Cards to two runs over the first 6 2/3 frames. Evan Meek was touched for a run in the ninth, but was able to pitch out of a bases-loaded jam to close out only Pittsburgh's third victory in its last 16 games.

Meek surrendered a one-out RBI single to Jon Jay that brought St. Louis within 4-3, and Albert Pujols followed with an infield hit to fill the bases. The Pittsburgh reliever bore down, however, and retired Matt Holliday on a harmless popup before Felipe Lopez flied out to shortstop to end the game.

Holliday had belted a two-run homer off Maholm in the first inning, while Pujols finished 3-for-5 to raise his season average to .322. The reigning MVP still remains stuck on 399 career home runs, however, after failing to go deep last night.

Wainwright (17-8) failed in his bid to become the majors' first 18-game winner this season after giving up the four runs on seven hits over seven innings of work.

"I didn't make the pitches when I needed to," said Wainwright. "Put [the loss] on me."

Despite the loss, the Cardinals didn't lose any ground to their competition in the NL playoff races. St. Louis remained 2 1/2 games behind first-place Cincinnati in the Central standings after the Reds lost at San Francisco on Tuesday and are just one back of the Giants and Philadelphia for the Wild Card lead.

Pittsburgh hasn't won twice in a row since a pair of road triumphs over Colorado on July 27 and 28. The team will attempt to do so behind an emergency starter tonight, with Daniel McCutchen replacing Jeff Karstens in the rotation after the latter was scratched due to a tired arm.

McCutchen has not fared well in a starting role this year, having gone 1-5 with a poor 8.18 ERA in seven outings. However, the right-hander has performed far better working out of the bullpen as of late, as he's registered a 1.93 ERA in eight appearances in relief.

The 27-year-old's last start took place against the Cardinals on July 31 and resulted in a loss after he was reached for four runs (three earned) over 5 2/3 innings. McCutchen also walked six batters prior to exiting.

St. Louis sends out Jake Westbrook for his fifth appearance since coming over in a July 31 trade with the Cleveland Indians. The veteran righty has gone 1-1 with a pair of no-decisions over his first four stars in a Cards uniform and lasted at least six innings on each occasion.

Westbrook's first and only loss as a Cardinal occurred on Friday, when he was reached for three runs in six innings against San Francisco. The 32-year-old defeated the rival Cubs in his previous assignment by permitting only two runs over six effective frames.

The longtime American Leaguer has only pitched four times against the Pirates, and all have come in relief during the earlier stages of his career. Westbrook last faced Pittsburgh during June of the 2003 season.

Tuesday's win was only Pittsburgh's third in its last 15 overall meetings with the Cardinals, who have prevailed in six of eight bouts between the teams this year. St. Louis has gone 9-5 at PNC Park since the start of the 2009 campaign.

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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with). 

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)

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