05/11/2008 - Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Beltran hit a two-run home run and an RBI double, and the New York Mets downed the Cincinnati Reds, 8-3, in the rubber match at Shea Stadium.
Oliver Perez (3-3) went six innings, holding the Reds to three runs on three hits with eight strikeouts and four walks. Jose Reyes went 3-for-5 and scored twice, and Ryan Church followed Beltran's home run in the fifth with one of his own for the Mets, who have won three of four.
Rookie Johnny Cueto (2-4) continued to struggle to regain the form from his first two starts. Cueto, who fanned 18 and allowed just three runs over his first 13 1/3 innings in the majors, gave up eight hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings, fanning five and walking three.
Jeff Keppinger went 2-for-3 with a run batted in and scored for the Reds, who have split their last six games.
The Mets jumped all over Cueto with three runs in the first. Reyes led off with a single to center and quickly swiped second before coming around to score on Luis Castillo's triple. After David Wright flied out to center, Beltran laced an RBI double to the left-center gap. Moises Alou then capped the frame with a two-out, RBI two-bagger to make it a 3-0 game.
A host of players on both clubs used pink bats in honor of Mother's Day and to help raise funds and awareness for breast cancer, and Beltran appeared comfortable with the pink lumber. The Mets center fielder followed up his RBI double with a long ball, as he ripped a hanging breaking ball into the seats in right, a two-run shot with one out in the fifth.
Cueto then hung another off-speed pitch to Church, who slammed it over the fence in right-center for a 6-0 Mets lead.
The Reds broke through for three against Perez in the sixth. Adam Dunn plated one run with a sacrifice fly, then Keppinger tripled to left-center to score another. A wild pitch by Perez allowed Keppinger to come home, cutting the deficit in half, 6-3.
The Mets answered with two more runs in the sixth, though, on RBI singles by Damion Easley and Wright. The Reds had runners at the corners with one out in the eighth, but Dunn and Keppinger struck out to end the threat.
Game Notes
Perez stole a base in the second inning, his third career stolen base and first since 2006...Ken Griffey Jr. went 0-for-2 with two walks and a run. Six of Griffey's 597 career home runs were hit on Mother's Day, the most on the holiday among active players...New York's Carlos Delgado, who went 1-for-3 with a walk, needs two home runs to tie Andre Dawson for 35th place on the all-time home run list with 438.
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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.
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.