Angels take on Seattle's Vargas in series finale

Baseball Betting Lines

09/01/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have had plenty of difficulty producing runs as of late, and recent history says the team could be in for a tough time again in tonight's matchup with Jason Vargas and the Seattle Mariners from Safeco Field.

After mustering a mere one run in being swept in three games at home by lowly Baltimore over the weekend, the Angels had a temporary breakout in Monday's 5-3 besting of the Mariners. That mild offensive surge was short-lived, however, as Seattle evened this three-game series with a 3-1 triumph last night behind strong pitching and some clutch late hitting.

The game featured a terrific pitcher's duel between Mariners ace Felix Hernandez and Anaheim's Dan Haren, with neither hurler giving up a run over the first seven innings. The Angels finally broke through in the top of the eighth to grab a 1-0 lead, but Seattle put up a three-spot in its half of the frame to prevail.

The Mariners loaded the bases with one out against Kevin Jepsen (2-4), who took over for Haren to try to protect the one-run edge, before Michael Saunders delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the score. Adam Moore followed with a go-ahead single before Josh Wilson greeted reliever Francisco Rodriguez with a base hit that extended the margin to 3-1.

"We did our job a little later than we would've liked, but a win's a win," said Saunders afterward.

Brandon League (1-1) was credited with the win despite allowing Anaheim's only run in the top of the eighth, when Alberto Callaspo and Howie Kendrick smacked back-to-back doubles to break the scoreless deadlock.

Hernandez yielded just three hits and struck out eight in his seven-inning stint, with Haren scattering eight hits and also fanning eight hitters before leaving after seven frames.

"We had [Hernandez] on the ropes a couple times and couldn't get some early runs, which definitely could've made a difference in that game," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "He made some pitches to get out of jams and got some double play balls."

The Angels' bats have also been silenced pretty well in the team's previous encounters with Vargas this season. The Seattle lefty has posted a 1.71 earned run average in three 2010 starts against the Halos, earning a win in one and a no-decision in the two others.

Vargas hasn't been on top of his game lately, however. After winning three straight starts to begin the month of August, the California native was tagged for seven runs in 6 1/3 innings in a road loss to the New York Yankees on August 21. He struggled again in Friday's home assignment against Minnesota, with the Twins putting up five runs (four earned) in Vargas' six innings of work to pin a second straight defeat on the hurler.

The 27-year-old has still had more good than bad starts at Safeco Field this year, as he brings an impressive 7-3 mark with a 2.48 ERA in 14 home outings into tonight's tilt.

Rookie Trevor Bell gets the call for Anaheim for this evening's rubber match and comes in off an encouraging showing on Friday, albeit in a losing cause. The right-hander held Baltimore to two runs and six hits over a career-best seven innings, but was victimized by his team's sputtering offense in a 3-1 setback.

Bell has pitched primarily out of the bullpen this season and has amassed a 1-4 record with a 5.07 ERA in 23 total appearances. In his five games as a starter, the 23-year-old is 0-3 with a 5.33 ERA.

This will be Bell's sixth career meeting with Seattle, with the first five all coming in relief. He's allowed just one run and four hits while striking out seven Mariners over a combined 7 1/3 innings.

The Angels had taken nine of their last 10 bouts with the Mariners prior to last night's result and are 11-4 against Seattle this season. Anaheim has prevailed in five of the seven games played in Safeco Field between the teams in 2010.

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Football Betting

NFL Football Betting Online

The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

Thursday, August 21

NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37

NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games

Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.

Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.

Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.

That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.

Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.

CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

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