Mauer's inside-the-park HR lifts Twins past Angels

Baseball Betting Lines

07/22/2007 - Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joe Mauer's inside-the-park three-run home run in the eighth inning lifted the Minnesota Twins over the LA Angels of Anaheim, 5-2, in the second game of a three-game set at the Metrodome.

Jason Bartlett and Torii Hunter also homered for the Twins, who won their second straight after dropping three games to Detroit. Boof Bonser, who has not earned a victory since the second week of June, allowed two runs on five hits with one strikeout over 7 2/3 innings before Pat Neshek (5-1) got the final out in the eighth for the win.

Chone Figgins ended 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run for the Angels, who have dropped five of their last six. Garret Anderson and Maicer Izturis both added a pair of hits in the loss.

Jered Weaver, who has not won in more than a month, gave up two runs on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts over seven innings for LA.

With the score knotted at two, Minnesota plated three runs in the eighth off Scot Shields (2-3), who scattered a single to Nick Punto before walking Luis Castillo. Shields then helped himself by catching Punto too far off the bag, and picked him off.

But, Bartlett singled to put runners at the corners, and Mauer hit an inside- the-park home run on a full count over the head of Gary Matthews Jr., who attempted the catch but crashed into the wall in left-center field. Anderson made his way over to get the ball, but Mauer scored standing up without a throw to home plate.

Dustin Moseley then stopped the bleeding by striking out Justin Morneau looking and Hunter swinging, but the damage was done, and Joe Nathan closed a scoreless ninth for his 20th save of the season.

The loss prevented the Angels from extending their slim lead over the Seattle Mariners, who trail by just one game in the AL West playoff race.

Trailing 2-0, the Angels tied the score with two runs in the eighth. Izturis led off with a single, and Figgins later lined an RBI triple, prompting Neshek to relieve Bonser. Orlando Cabrera got Figgins home on a single to tie the game, but then got caught stealing second to end the inning.

Minnesota put up a run in the sixth on Bartlett's solo shot to left field on a 2-1 pitch; and another in the seventh on Hunter's homer to left-center on the first pitch of the frame.

Game Notes

Mauer's was the first inside-the-park homer for a Twin since Hunter converted one at Oakland on July 26, 2001...The Angels took two of three from the Twins earlier in the season and are 17-13 in the series since the start of the 2004 campaign.

Wwwipodlounge Baseball Betting News

<< Chakvetadze, Morigami reach Cincinnati final
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Russian Anna Chakvetadze and seventh-seed Akiko Morigami of Japan will battle in the final of the $175,000 Western & Southern Financial Open after both completed hard-fought victories on Satu

<< Marlins sink Reds with eight-run eighth
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hanley Ramirez hit a three-run home run as part of an eight-run eighth inning as the Florida Marlins crushed the Cincinnati Reds, 11-1, in the third of a four-game set at Dolphin Stadium. The big news for Fl

<< Cards agree with top pick Kozma
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals agreed to terms with their top draft pick, shortstop Pete Kozma, on Saturday. Kozma, who was the 18th pick overall in the first-year player draft on June 7, will report to the club'

<< Herron takes lead at U.S. Bank Championship
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While Tim Herron plays for his fifth PGA Tour win on Sunday, he'll be chased by two players looking to finally claim their first. Herron took a one-shot lead over Tim Clark and Joe Ogilvie after shooting

<< Red Sox rout Chicago for second straight day
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kason Gabbard tossed a three-hitter over seven innings, as the Boston Red Sox pounded the Chicago White Sox, 11-2, in the third game of a four-game set from Fenway Park. Gabbard (4-0) struck out one batter

Bowden among those enshrined into College Football Hall of Fame >>
South Bend, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bobby Bowden, the winningest coach in major college football history, led a group that was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. Other notables included former Heisman Trophy winners

Bay and LaRoche help Bucs end skid >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Bay and Adam LaRoche both drove in two runs, as the Pittsburgh Pirates downed the Houston Astros, 7-3, at PNC Park in game two of a three-game series for their first win since the All-Star break. Fredd

Injured Beckham sits out scoreless first half >>
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Beckham did not start for Los Angeles on Saturday night as the Galaxy are hosting English Premiership power Chelsea in a friendly at The Home Depot Center. With the match scoreless at the i

Scherrer extends lead to three shots >>
Springfield, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Looking for his first win in seven years, Tom Scherrer will carry a three-shot lead into the final round of the Nationwide Tour's Price Cutter Charity Championship. Scherrer fired a six-under 6

Yankees acquire C Molina from Angels >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees announced Saturday they have acquired catcher Jose Molina from the Los Angels of Anaheim in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jeff Kennard. Molina, 32, has a .224 batting average wi

Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

Bet on NFL

Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

Bet on NFL

Mysportsbook.com online online sportsbook accepts Visa & Mastercard