Astros take series from Giants

Baseball Betting Lines

06/24/2010 - Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hunter Pence hit a three-run home run to help the Houston Astros take a 7-5 win over the San Francisco Giants in the finale of a three-game set.

Lance Berkman went 2-for-4 with two RBI while rookie Jason Castro hit his first career homer and scored twice for the Astros, who won the final two games of the series after losing their previous five.

Wandy Rodriguez (4-10) was charged with just two unearned runs and four hits with a walk and three strikeouts over six innings.

Pat Burrell hit a two-run home run while Aaron Rowand went 3-for-3 with two runs scored for the Giants, who have lost four of their last six. Matt Cain (6-6) was handed the loss as he was tagged for seven runs on nine hits in just 2 2/3 innings.

Houston struck early and often as the team plated seven runs over the first three innings.

In the first with two men on, Pence clubbed a pitch over the wall in left- center and Castro led off the second with a homer to right.

Houston later loaded the bases in the second and a double from Berkman chased home two runners. Michael Bourn added an RBI double in the third for a 7-0 lead.

Burrell's two-run home run in the fourth got the Giants on the board.

The Giants put their first two men on base in the fifth, but Edgar Renteria hit into a double play and Freddy Sanchez fouled out to end the frame.

San Francisco again put their first two batters on in the sixth, but Burrell struck out and Buster Posey grounded into a double play.

The Giants cut into the deficit in the seventh. Bengie Molina reached base on a Geoff Blum error and Rowand followed with a single. Tim Byrdak took over on the mound for Chris Sampson and got the next two batters out, but consecutive RBI singles from Andres Torres and Aubrey Huff made it a 7-4 game.

Houston loaded the bases with one out in the seventh, but Bourn flied out and Jeff Keppinger struck out.

Matt Lindstrom gave up an RBI single to Renteria with one out in the ninth to make it a two-run game and Travis Ishikawa followed with a pinch-hit single to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. But Lindstrom settled down to get the next two batters and pick up his 17th save of the season.

Game Notes

Before the game, the Astros placed pitcher Felipe Paulino on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. To fill the roster spot, the team purchased the contract of pitcher Josh Banks from Triple-A Round Rock and announced he will start Saturday against Texas...Houston plays at Texas for three games starting Friday...San Francisco returns home to face Boston for a three-game set beginning Friday...Rodriguez had lost his previous three starts...San Francisco has won seven of the nine games against Houston this season...Cain has lost his last two starts.

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Football Betting Lines

The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.

Bet NFL Sports Lines

Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.

Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.

A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.

Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.

Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.

And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.

For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.

2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win

Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1

Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1

Donald Brown (IND) 5/1

Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1

Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1

Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1

Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1

Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1

Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1

Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1

Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1

Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1

Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1

Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1

Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1

Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1

LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1

Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1

Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1

Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1

Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1

Jason Smith (STL) 40/1

Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1

Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1

Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1

Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2

Pat White (MIA) 30/1

Field (Any Other Player) 9/1

Betting Line

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