Anderson, Kotchman spark Angels over Indians

Baseball Betting Lines

09/07/2007 - Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Garret Anderson finished with three RBI, including a two-run homer, and set a new club record in the process while Casey Kotchman's two-run double keyed a four-run fifth inning, as the Angels defeated the Cleveland Indians, 10-3, in the opener of a four-game series.

Anderson has now registered at least one RBI in 11 consecutive games, which is a franchise record. Orlando Cabrera and Gary Matthews both added two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Angels, who have won three of their last four games and increased their comfortable lead atop the AL West to eight games over idle Seattle.

"Being healthy is at the top of the list," Anderson said as to the reasons he has been successful as of late. "Now I just have to focus on baseball. Helping my team is what I think about. I make my living driving in runs."

Kelvim Escobar earned the win after he tossed 5 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits. Escobar (16-7) struck out eight and issued three walks.

Franklin Gutierrez homered for the red-hot Indians, who swept the Twins earlier this week and lost for the only the second time in their last 13 games overall. Cleveland leads Detroit, which won earlier Thursday, by six games in the AL Central.

Paul Byrd (14-6) suffered the loss after he allowed five runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings.

Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero was scratched from the lineup and taken for an MRI exam prior to the game. Guerrero, who leads the Angels with 22 home runs, 110 RBI and a .326 batting average, is suffering from an inflamed right triceps. However, he returned to the stadium and was seen in the dugout smiling with teammates. He is considered day-to-day.

Trailing 3-1, the Angels took control with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jeff Mathis led off and was hit by a pitch and landed on third when Matthews stroked a one-out single. Cabrera fanned for the second out, but Anderson's streak was kept intact when he singled home Mathis for a 2-2 tie. Kendry Morales followed with an RBI single, which scored Matthews, and Maicer Izturis drew a walk to load the bases. Kotchman's two-run double gave the hosts a 5-2 lead.

"Our bats (have been) better and better," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "We're young, but it doesn't mean we don't have the talent to get to where we want to be."

Cabrera singled home Mathis in the sixth before Kotchman struck again in the home seventh. After Izturis drew a one-out walk, Kotchman belted a run-scoring double off the wall in center field and later scored on Howie Kendrick's base hit for a commanding 8-3 lead.

Anderson capped the scoring with a two-run blast in the bottom of the eighth.

Kenny Lofton scored the game's first run in the top of the third. He led off with a double and crossed the plate on Kelly Shoppach's two-base hit, but Matthews cut the Angels deficit in half with an RBI single in the bottom of the third.

In the fifth, Cleveland grabbed a two-run lead. Gutierrez hit a solo home run, his 11th of the year, and Travis Hafner doubled and scored on a single by Victor Martinez.

Game Notes

Byrd had won four straight starts prior to this outing...Escobar improved to 7-3 lifetime versus the Tribe...The Angels now lead the season series, 4-3...Darren Oliver, Justin Speier and Scot Shields combined to pitch 3 1/3 shutout innings for the Angels and allowed a one total hit...The Angels pounded out 15 hits...Anderson has 15 homers and 71 RBI this season...The pitching matchup for Friday will feature John Lackey versus Cleveland's Jake Westbrook...Attendance was 41,720.

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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