Upstart Nats try to keep rolling in Colorado

Baseball Betting Lines

05/14/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Runs may be scarce in tonight's matchup between the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies, as two of the top ERA leaders get together in the second portion of a four-game series from Coors Field.

Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez is 6-1 with a 0.93 earned run average, while Nats veteran Livan Hernandez sports a 4-1 mark and a 1.04 ERA.

Jimenez is attempting to do something he isn't used to Friday, and that's rebound from a loss. He was 6-0 with an 0.87 ERA over his first six starts of the season and had been a recipient of great run support until squaring off with the Dodgers last Sunday. In the 2-0 setback at Chavez Ravine, Jimenez suffered the tough-luck loss for allowing just a run and two hits through seven innings.

One of the NL's top hurlers so far this season, Jimenez has allowed two or more runs just once in 2010 and has lasted at least six innings in each of his appearances. The hard-throwing righty, who tossed a no-hitter in Atlanta a month ago, beat Washington on April 22 with 7 1/3 shutout innings and allowed five hits in the 2-0 victory. Jimenez is 3-1 in five career starts against the Nationals.

Washington hopes that Hernandez can go toe-to-toe with Colorado's emerging staff ace when he takes the ball this evening, one night after the Nationals claimed a 14-6 victory that was called after eight innings due to inclement weather in the series opener . Hernandez did not record a decision his last time out in a 3-2 Nats' triumph over Florida on Sunday, when he held the Marlins to a run and five hits through seven innings.

Hernandez, a right-hander, remained at 4-1 this season and had his ERA raised slightly from 0.99 to 1.04 in his sixth start of 2010. He pitched well in the aforementioned loss versus Jimenez and the Rockies in late April, allowing both runs and four hits in eight innings of work.

The Nationals continued their climb up the NL East standings and pulled within one game of idle Philadelphia with last night's rain-shortened victory. Ryan Zimmerman homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs while Cristian Guzman had a three-run double for Washington, which has won two straight and five of its last six games.

"It was a real offensive game, both clubs getting after it," Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. "But the conditions got real nasty after a while. The umpires made a good decision to get us off the field."

Nats starter John Lannan surrendered four runs on six hits with four walks in 4 2/3 innings for the no-decision. Doug Slaten recorded two outs in the seventh inning to get the win.

The Nationals are 3-1 thus far on a nine-game road trip against the Mets, Rockies and Cardinals.

Colorado fell six games off the lead in the National League West after yesterday's eight-run loss and has dropped three of its last four games. Miguel Olivo ended 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI, one day after going 5- for-5 with a game-winning home run in the bottom of the 10th inning of a 4-3 win over the Phillies on Wednesday.

Troy Tulowitzki and Ian Stewart both finished with two hits and an RBI for the Rockies, who got a rough outing from losing pitcher Jhoulys Chacin. The rookie was reached for six runs and six hits in five innings. Matt Daley allowed four runs and Randy Flores surrendered three in relief.

"While we were hitting our way back into the game, the field conditions kept getting worse," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "We never got completely over the hump."

Washington and Colorado split a four-game series from April 19-22 at Nationals Park, but the Rockies have won 11 of the last 14 meetings between the teams.

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Pro Football Odds : NFC SOUTH BETTING ODDS

NFL Sports Betting

NFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North. Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with.

Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not.

There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year.

Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City.

The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash.

NFL Betting

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