05/11/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The American League's top team, the Boston Red Sox, will take the field this evening in hopes of winning the third test of a four-game set against the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome.
Tim Wakefield will take the hill tonight for the Red Sox, and will look to build off his last outing. Wakefield is coming off a tremendous start in which he tossed eight shutout innings against Detroit. In the 5-0 victory over the Tigers, the 41-year-old scattered just two hits, walked no batters and struck out six opponents.
It was the first win away from home for Wakefield in four road starts this season, and the knuckleballer is now 1-0 with a 2.77 away from Fenway. Overall the right-hander is 3-1 on the season and has a strong 3.33 ERA.
In his career against the Twins, Wakefield has had tremendous success, collecting a strong 13-4 ledger in 21 starts. In 24 total appearances against Minnesota the crafty veteran has an ERA of 4.00 and has struck out 106 batters in 137 1/3 innings.
The surprising Twins will counter with Nick Blackburn. The 26-year-old enters this matchup with a mediocre 2-2 ledger and a 3.65 ERA in seven starts. Unfortunately, one of those losses came the last time Blackburn was on the hill, as the right-hander was defeated by Chicago, 7-1.
In the setback to the White Sox, Blackburn tossed six innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks.
Blackburn has never started against the Red Sox, but the young hurler has made a relief appearance against the defending world champs. Unfortunately his time on the mound did not go well, as the right-hander was hammered for four runs on four hits in only one inning of duty.
On Saturday, Daisuke Matsuzaka threw seven solid innings, and the Boston Red Sox used four solo home runs to take a 5-2 win over Minnesota in the second of four games from the Metrodome.
Matsuzaka (6-0) gave up two runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out seven for Boston, which has won two of three.
Kevin Youkilis, Coco Crisp, Jed Lowrie and Mike Lowell each homered for the Red Sox. Lowrie, whose homer was the first of his career, and Youkilis each added a double.
Glen Perkins (0-1), who was called up from Triple-A to take the place of injured reliever Pat Neshek, took the loss after giving up three runs on nine hits in six-plus innings of work. He didn't walk a batter, and struck out three, but also gave up three homers.
Brian Bass allowed two runs in 1 2/3 innings of relief for the Twins, who have lost two of three. Mike Lamb went 3-for-4 while Justin Morneau added a pair of hits and an RBI.
Boston won two of three games from the Twins at the Metrodome last May, but the Red Sox have gone just 4-7 as the visitor in this series since the beginning of the 2005 season.
<< Jays, Tribe resume series in Cleveland
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Blue Jays will try to get back on the winning
track when they take on the Cleveland Indians this afternoon in the third
matchup of a four-game series at Progressive Field.
The Blue Jays have lost three
<< Santana leads Halos into Tampa
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the second consecutive matchup the Los Angeles of
Anaheim will send an undefeated pitcher to the hill, as Ervin Santana will try
to shut down the Tampa Bay Rays in the finale of a three-game set at Tropicana
Field.
<< Rangers, A's wrap up set in Arlington
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers will try to complete the three-game
sweep over the Oakland Athletics in the series finale at the Rangers Ballpark
in Arlington this afternoon.
The Rangers have been on fire of late, winning fiv
<< Pens host Flyers in Game 2 of East finals
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to take a 2-0 lead in the
best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals tonight, when they host the rival
Philadelphia Flyers in Game 2 at Mellon Arena.
The second-seeded Penguins, champions of t
A's activate Harden from DL to start against Texas >>
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics activated oft-injured
pitcher Rich Harden from the 15-day disabled list Sunday, in time to start the
team's series finale with the Texas Rangers.
Harden was placed on the DL for the si
Yankees place Betemit on DL >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees placed infielder Wilson
Betemit on the 15-day disabled list Sunday.
Betemit left Saturday's 5-2 win over the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning
with a strained right hamstring.
Bet
O's select contract of Cintron >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles selected the
contract of infielder Alex Cintron from Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday.
Baltimore signed the 29-year-old Cintron to a minor league deal on March 31.
He batted .288
Otto holds off Wilson to win Italian Open >>
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hennie Otto fended off a stiff charge from
Oliver Wilson on Sunday to win the Italian Open, shooting a three-under 69 in
the final round to claim his first European Tour victory.
Otto, who shot a 63 in
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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