09/20/2008 - Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Torii Hunter homered and drove in four runs to help give the Angels a wild 15-13 victory over the Texas Rangers in the first of three games at the Ballpark in Arlington.
Garret Anderson went 4-for-6 with two runs scored and two RBI, as every LA starter had at least one hit. Erick Aybar, Mark Teixeira and Mike Napoli each had three hits as the Angels won for the seventh time in nine games. They stayed 2 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay for the AL's best record, which would mean home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Jon Garland got hammered over 2 1/3 innings, giving up nine runs -- eight earned -- on 10 hits, with four strikeouts. Darren Oliver (6-1) got the win after giving up two runs in 2 1/3 innings of work.
Scot Shields got his third save of the year with a one-run ninth inning.
Josh Hamilton had four hits while Chris Davis hit a three run-homer for Texas, which has lost four of six. Nelson Cruz had three RBI and a homer, and Hank Blalock and German Duran each had two RBI in the loss.
Matt Harrison struggled, allowing seven runs on nine hits and two walks in three innings. Jamey Wright (7-7) took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits in one-plus innings.
LA took a 13-9 lead with five runs in the fifth. Kendry Morales singled, and Napoli doubled him to third. A walk loaded the bases, and Aybar singled to plate one. One out later, Teixeira gave the Angels the lead with a two-run double. A groundout then scored Aybar, and Gary Matthews, Jr. added an RBI single to cap the inning.
Duran, who replaced the injured Michael Young, hit a two-out two-run triple in the fifth and scored on a wild pitch to make it a 13-12 game. However, Anderson added a run for the Angels on an RBI single in the seventh, extending the lead to two. A Napoli RBI triple in the eighth gave LA a 15-12 advantage.
Cruz hit a solo homer in the ninth for Texas to cap the scoring at 15-13.
Hunter hit his 21st home run of the year with one out in the first, a three- run shot to give the Angels an early 3-0 advantage.
Sean Rodriguez got LA started in the second with a one-out single, advancing to second on a throwing error. Consecutive doubles by Aybar and Anderson plated two runs for a 5-0 lead. Morales and Napoli added back-to-back homers in the third to make it 7-0.
Texas came back with nine runs in the home third. Joaquin Arias hit a one-out triple to right and Young drove him home with an RBI single. Hamilton singled Young over to second, and Milton Bradley reached as Matthews made a fielding error, scoring Young.
Marlon Byrd loaded the bases on an infield single, and Blalock drove home two runs on a double to right. Cruz then made it a one-run game on a two-RBI single to center. Davis gave the Rangers their first lead of the game two batters later with a three-run homer, making it 9-7.
The Angels loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth, but only managed one run on a double play to cut the Rangers' lead to 9-8.
Game Notes
The Angels lead the season series 9-5...Young left the game in the third inning after aggravating his fractured right ring finger during an at-bat. He was replaced in the lineup by Duran...Rangers pitcher Kameron Loe was removed from the game in the seventh inning after being hit on the right forearm by a line drive.
<< Wolf lifts 'Stros to win over Bucs
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Randy Wolf was solid on the hill and
Hunter Pence drove in three runs as the Houston Astros topped the Pirates,
5-1, in the opener of a three-game set.
Wolf (11-12) allowed just a run on three
<< Four homers help extend Chicago's lead in AL Central
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alexei Ramirez's grand slam was one of
Chicago's four home runs, as the White Sox beat up Kansas City, 9-4, in the
first of three games with the Royals.
Dewayne Wise hit a pair of solo homers, whi
<< Carroll lifts Tribe over Tigers
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jamey Carroll hit the game-winning RBI
single in the ninth to give the Cleveland Indians a comeback 6-5 victory over
the Detroit Tigers in the first of a three-game set.
Freddy Dolsi (1-5) started on
<< Red Sox edge Jays, keep pace with Rays
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Varitek's run-scoring ground out in the
eighth inning proved to be the difference as the Boston Red Sox edged Toronto,
4-3, in the first of three contests with the Blue Jays.
Boston starter Paul Byrd al
Carroll lifts Tribe over Tigers in brawl-marred contest >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jamey Carroll drove in the game-winning
run, as the Indians beat the Tigers, 6-5, in a game that featured a benches-
clearing brawl that resulted in four ejections.
Freddy Dolsi (1-5) started on the mou
Padres down Nats in 14 >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chase Headley hit the go-ahead RBI triple in
the 14th as the Padres edged the Nationals, 11-6, in the battle of the
National League's two worst teams.
Headley finished the game 4-for-6 with an RBI
Eveland helps A's keep Mariners scoreless >>
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dana Eveland hurled seven shutout innings and
the Oakland Athletics blanked the Seattle Mariners, 2-0, in the opener of a
three-game set.
Eveland (9-8) gave up seven hits and matched a season-high
Zito, Molina lead Giants over LA >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bengie Molina homered and drove in four
runs as Barry Zito shut down the Dodgers in a 7-1 rout in the opener of a
three-game set.
Zito (10-16) yielded just a run on six hits with a walk and six st
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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