Scorching Yanks seek eight straight win in test with Jays
Baseball Betting Lines
09/04/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -- The New York Yankees have solved just about all their problems during a seven-game winning streak that matches the team's longest of the season. The defending world champions will now turn their attention towards getting Javier Vazquez to become an effective starting pitcher once again when they take the field against the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon.
Vazquez was temporarily removed from New York's rotation after a poor recent stretch in which the veteran hurler went 0-2 with an 8.10 earned run average over four starts. He lasted only three innings in the last of those outings and was rocked for four runs and eight hits -- three of which were homers -- in an August 21 no-decision against light-hitting Seattle.
The offseason acquisition has performed considerably better in a pair of long relief appearances that followed that game. Vazquez delivered 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball in an August 25 matchup against the Blue Jays, then held Oakland to a run and just two hits over 4 2/3 frames to pick up a win this past Monday at Yankee Stadium.
Vazquez was also sharp in his only start against Toronto this season, which took place at the Rogers Centre on June 6. He gave up only a single hit -- a two-run homer to Vernon Wells -- and struck out a season-best nine batters in seven innings to help the Yanks to a 4-3 decision.
In 16 career games (15 starts) versus Toronto, Vazquez is 5-7 with a 3.98 ERA.
The 34-year-old probably won't have to worry about a lack of run support when he toes the rubber today. The Yankees have averaged 7.1 runs per contest over the course of their seven-game surge, which has vaulted the Bronx Bombers 1 1/2 games ahead of rival Tampa Bay for first place in the American League East as well as the best record in baseball.
New York kept up its winning ways with a 7-3 triumph in Friday's opener of this three-game series, with Curtis Granderson going 2-for-3 with three RBI to lead an 11-hit attack.
Ramiro Pena finished 2-for-4 with an RBI single and leadoff hitter Brett Gardner scored three times for the Yankees, who built a 5-1 lead after three innings and sent Toronto starter Brandon Morrow to an early exit in his final assignment of the year.
"The last week or so we've been hitting the ball pretty well and scoring some runs," Gardner stated afterward."
Morrow (10-7), slated to be shut down for the remainder of the season due to an innings limit, surrendered all five early runs on six hits and walked three batters in a shaky three-inning stint.
"It's obviously disappointing to not pitch the way I wanted to pitch in the last [start] of the season," Morrow said. "I've got a lot to build for next year and I'm going to take a lot of confidence into [spring training]."
Yankees rookie Ivan Nova also couldn't come through with a win after failing to last the required five innings, with Kerry Wood (3-4) getting credit for the decision after throwing 1 2/3 innings of relief.
Nova, making his third career start in the majors, permitted three runs on six hits over the first 4 2/3 innings.
Toronto's Travis Snider collected two hits, including a solo homer in the first inning, but that wasn't enough to prevent the Jays from a fourth loss in five games.
The Yankees, on the other hand, will be trying to win eight in a row for the first time since July 17-24, 2009. Standing in their way this afternoon will be Marc Rzepczynski, although the second-year big leaguer didn't pose much of a threat to the AL East leaders a few weeks back.
New York pounded Rzepczynski for six runs in three innings en route to an 11-5 verdict at the Rogers Centre on August 24, with Mark Teixeira, Marcus Thames and Jorge Posada all homering off the left-hander that night. He also served up three homers in a brief start at Yankee Stadium during August of last season, while allowing four runs overall on seven hits in just 3 1/3 innings of work.
Rzepczynski did strike out eight in just 5 2/3 innings in his most recent appearance, which took place Sunday against Detroit, but was also reached for four runs (three earned) in a loss that dropped him to 1-3 in six starts this season.
The 25-year-old is 0-2 with a brutal 10.22 ERA in three lifetime encounters with the Yankees and 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA over four starts since being recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas last month.
Toronto has won seven of 13 meetings with New York so far this season, with the Yankees having taken four of seven bouts between the two divisional foes at home.
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Albert Pujols to be This Year's Home Run Champ Says Online Sportsbook
Barry Bonds is a 50-1 long shot to be this year's home run champ odds. The favorite to be this year's home run champ is none other than Albert Pujols, however.
Now that Barry Bonds is signed and in Giants camp, it is on to his pursuit of all of sports most prestigious records: the all-time home run mark. Bonds sits just 21 homers shy of tying Hank Aaron for the career mark at 755. Word out of Giants’ camp is that Bonds is the healthiest he has been in a few years. Bonds is just two seasons removed from his injury riddled 2005 campaign where he played in only 14 games and hit only 5 home runs. He did come back last year and had a solid season hitting .270 with 26 bombs. All eyes will be on Bonds this spring and summer not only because of his home run chase but his highly publicized steroid abuse allegations. If and when Bonds breaks the record, he surely will not get the positive attention one should for breaking a record that was once thought of as “unbreakable”. Despite Bonds decent season last year, he is just 50-1 at MySportsbook.com to lead the MLB in long balls this season.
Not surprisingly, the favorites to go deep the most times this season are Albert Pujols 5-1, Ryan Howard 6-1, David Ortiz 8-1 and Alex Rodriguez 12-1. With 49 homers, Pujols finished second in the National League behind Howard (58). Pujols is considered the favorite due to the consistent power numbers that he has posted since breaking into the league in 2001. Also one must consider the fact that he played in 16 fewer games then Howard did due to an injury. Howard smashed 58 homers in his first complete season of big league play en route to the National League MVP odds award. He silenced his critics by successfully hitting left-handed pitching. Howard also displayed the ability to use his power to the opposite field. Two attributes which should keep Howard amongst the league leaders in long balls for years to come. From the American League representatives, David Ortiz leads the field. Ortiz was second in the majors last year with 54 home runs. Except for 1999 when he only played in 10 games, Ortiz has improved on his home run numbers each year he has been in the majors (1997).
Be sure to log onto online sports betting site MySportsbook.com to check out the odds for who will lead the MLB in home runs this season. Below is just a sample of the players listed. With the highest credit card rates in the industry, MySportsbook.com is the place to bet on baseball this summer.
World Series odds
Adam Dunn 15-1
Albert Pujols 5-1
Alex Rodriguez 12-1
Alfonso Soriano 15-1
Andruw Jones 25-1
Barry Bonds 50-1
Carlos Delgado 40-1
David Ortiz 8-1
Jermaine Dye 40-1
Ken Griffey Jr. 100-1
Lance Berkman 40-1
Manny Ramirez 20-1
Richie Sexson 40-1
Ryan Howard 6-1
Travis Hafner 20-1
Vladimir Guerrero 40-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.