08/26/2008 - St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vernon Wells homered and drove in three runs to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of a three-game series.
Roy Halladay produced another strong outing for the Blue Jays, who have won nine of their last 13 games overall. Halladay (16-9) allowed two runs on six hits over six strong innings that included seven strikeouts. Lyle Overbay notched two RBI in the win.
Eric Hinske drove in both runs for Tampa Bay, which has lost two straight games. Coupled with Boston's victory on Tuesday, the Rays lead in the AL East is 3 1/2 games over the Red Sox.
James Shields (11-8) suffered the loss after he allowed four runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks.
Tampa Bay starting catcher Dioner Navarro left the game in the seventh inning due to an apparent leg injury.
Wells' RBI single in the top of the first opened the scoring before the visitors scored two more runs in the third inning for a 3-0 advantage. In the third, Alex Rios doubled, Adam Lind walked and both scored on a double by Overbay.
Tampa cut its deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double by Hinske. The two-base hit scored Akinori Iwamura and Carlos Pena.
However, the Blue Jays made it 4-2 in the seventh via Wells' run-scoring.
A pair of solo homers --- one by Rod Barajas in the eighth and another by Wells in the ninth -- created a four-run edge for Toronto.
B.J. Ryan tossed a scoreless ninth to close it out.
Toronto sits eight games behind Boston in the wild card race.
Game Notes
Halladay, whose earned run average is 2.69, defeated the Rays for the first time in four starts this season...Prior to the game, the Blue Jays activated third baseman Scott Rolen from the 15-day disabled list. Rolen, who had been struggling with a left shoulder injury, did not play...In his last three games, Wells has four home runs and nine RBI...Shields is now 4-2 in seven career starts versus the Jays...It was Barajas' 11th homer of the season...Attendance was 13,478.
<< Floyd and Cabrera too much for Orioles
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Orlando Cabrera went 4-for-5 with a pair of
doubles, a triple, two RBI and three runs scored as the Chicago White Sox
downed the Baltimore Orioles, 8-3, in the second of three games from Camden
Yards.
<< Tribe is unbeLEEvable in win over Tigers
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ben Francisco hit two home runs and Cliff Lee
got his American League-leading 19th win, as the Cleveland Indians crushed the
Detroit Tigers, 10-4, in the second of three games at Comerica Park.
Lee (19-2) wa
<< Guzman, Nats edge Dodgers
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cristian Guzman finished 3-for-4 with an RBI
to lead the Washington Nationals to a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in
the opener of a three-game series.
Lastings Milledge homered while Collin Baleste
<< Chicago OF Swisher leaves game
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago White Sox center fielder Nick Swisher
left Tuesday's 8-3 win against the Baltimore Orioles with a leg injury.
Swisher, who hit a two-run homer in the first inning, struck out in the fourth
inning and
Braves score four in ninth, rally for win over Marlins >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Yunel Escobar hit the game-winning RBI single
to cap off a four-run ninth and lift the Atlanta Braves over the Florida
Marlins, 10-9, in the first of a three-game set at Turner Field.
Omar Infante sco
Federer advances at U.S. Open >>
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roger Federer was among the first-
round winners Tuesday at the U.S. Open.
Switzerland's Federer, the second seed, had no problems in his first round
matchup as he dispatched Argentina's Max
Cubs use late rally to top Pirates >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Geovany Soto drove in seven runs and the
Chicago Cubs used a seven-run eighth inning to rally past the Pittsburgh
Pirates, 14-9, in the middle test of a three-game series at PNC Park.
Soto finishe
Ivanovic, Serena, Venus reach round two at the Open >>
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 Ana Ivanovic, former
top-ranked star Serena Williams and Venus Williams were among Tuesday's first-
round winners at the U.S. Open.
The Serbian Ivanovic, who's battled a thumb injury
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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