10/05/2008 - Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pat Burrell belted two of Philadelphia's four home runs, as the Phillies earned a trip to the National League Championship Series for the first time in 15 years with a 6-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Burrell collected three hits and drove in four runs for the Phillies, who captured the best-of-five National League Division Series three games to one and won a postseason series for the first time since ousting the Atlanta Braves in the 1993 NLCS.
Philadelphia will next face the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won their first postseason series in 20 years with a sweep of the Chicago Cubs. The NLCS is set to begin on Thursday in Philadelphia.
Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth each hit a solo homer in the win, while Joe Blanton (1-0) was solid in his first-ever postseason start, allowing one run on five hits over six-plus innings of work to earn the victory. He recorded seven strikeouts and did not walk a batter.
Prince Fielder clubbed a solo home run for Milwaukee, which beat out the Mets on the final day of the regular season to claim the NL wild card for its first postseason appearance in 26 years. Jeff Suppan (0-1), the 2006 NLCS MVP with St. Louis, absorbed the loss as he was touched for five runs on six hits in just three innings.
"We live and die by the home run, and hopefully we pop them when we get people on base," said Brewers interim manager Dale Sveum. "But once again, today, we scored on a home run and one other run. We've got to change that. We've got to start learning how to manufacture runs and do things and put the ball in play and have really, really good at-bats going into next season."
Rollins led off the contest with a line smash that cleared the wall in right. After squandering an opportunity to build on their lead in the second, the Phillies erupted for four runs in the third.
Shane Victorino slapped a one-out double and, after the slumping Chase Utley grounded out, Suppan opted to intentionally walk Ryan Howard to get to Burrell. The decision backfired as Burrell drilled a 2-2 pitch over the left- field wall. Werth then clobbered a hanging slider into the left-center seats for a 5-0 Phillies lead.
Milwaukee got on the board in the seventh on Fielder's lone hit of the series, a leadoff blast over the right-center fence. Ryan Madson took over on the mound after J.J. Hardy singled to right. The lanky right-hander then induced a pair of groundouts and got Jason Kendall to fly out to end the inning.
Burrell struck again in the eighth, hammering an offering from Guillermo Mota to the seats in left. The Brewers, though, answered in the bottom half on Ryan Braun's RBI single.
Brad Lidge came on in the ninth for Philadelphia and gave up a one-out hit to Corey Hart. Lidge then fanned pinch-hitter Brad Nelson and retired Kendall on a grounder to end the game.
Game Notes
MLB commissioner Bud Selig, the former owner of the Brewers, threw out the first pitch...Milwaukee pitcher C.C. Sabathia struck out on three pitches as a pinch-hitter in the third inning...Yovani Gallardo, who started Game 1 for Milwaukee, relieved Suppan and surrendered one hit over three scoreless innings...Utley finished the series batting just .133 (2-for-15) with two RBI...Burrell became the second Phillies player to have a multi-homer game in the playoffs, joining Lenny Dykstra...The Phillies and Dodgers will meet in the NLCS for the fourth time. The Dodgers won in 1977 and '78, while the Phils returned the favor in 1983.
<< Wizards, Fire battle to draw at CommunityAmerica Ballpark
Kansas City, KA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Fire pulled within a point of
second-place New England in the Eastern Conference after earning a 1-1 draw at
Kansas City on Sunday afternoon at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Major League
Soccer
<< Raul helps Real Madrid draw Espanyol
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Raul scored two goals to help Real Madrid earn
a 2-2 draw against Espanyol on Sunday at the Bernabeu.
Both of Raul's goals, his third and fourth of the young season, answered goals
by Espanyol. Real sits fif
<< Surprising 'Skins rally to down Eagles
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Clinton Portis gained 145 yards on 29
carries with a touchdown, and the surprising Washington Redskins came back to
stun the Philadelphia Eagles, 23-17.
A week after upending the Cowboys 26-24 in Da
<< Pagis bags hat trick to help Rennes stun Lyon
Rennes, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mickael Pagis had a hat trick to lead Rennes
to a stunning 3-0 victory over Lyon on Sunday, handing the seven-time defending
Ligue 1 champions their first loss of the season.
Rennes was dumped out of the UE
Turner, Falcons edge Rodgers and the Pack >>
Green Bay, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Turner finished with 121 rushing
yards and a touchdown as the Atlanta Falcons downed the Green Bay Packers,
27-24, at Lambeau Field.
Matt Ryan went 16-for-26 with 194 yards, two touchdown
Creamer hangs on for fourth win in '08 >>
Half Moon Bay, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paula Creamer closed with a three-under
69 Sunday to fend off Song-Hee Kim to win the Samsung World Championship.
Creamer, who picked up her fourth win of the season and eighth of her LPGA
Tour care
NFL Inactives (Sunday, October 5, 2008) >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The following is a list of inactive players
for today's NFL games.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS, 8:15 P.M. (ET)
Steelers - 3rd QB Dennis Dixon, FB Carey Davis, RB Willie Parker, LB Andre
Line of Scrimmage: Holmgren's Swan Song More Like a Swan Dive >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In their nine years under head coach Mike
Holmgren, the Seattle Seahawks have achieved things well beyond the realm of
what the organization had previously experienced.
Perennial top-dog status in the NFC
Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.
Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.
Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.
Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.
Arizona 20-1
Butler 20-1
Duke 30-1
Florida 7-2
Georgetown 30-1
Indiana 35-1
Kansas 15-1
Marquette 25-1
Maryland 40-1
Memphis 50-1
Nevada 50-1
UNC 9-2
OSU 8-1
Oregon 30-1
Pittsburgh 15-1
Texas 30-1
Texas A&M 18-1
UCLA 6-1
Wisconsin 10-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook betting needs.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting