Thursday Trends and Indexes 4/23 (NBA, MLB, NHL, Misc.)

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes

Thursday, April 23

Good Luck on day #113 of 2009!

At this time the sports menu in this thread consists of the NBA, MLB, and the NHL until their seasons are played out. Also, general sports news and notes will be posted here.

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.
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[pm530]

Daily Sports Roundup

Thursday, April 23

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Red Wings try to finish off the Blue Jackets, and the Celtics look to take a series lead with a road victory in Chicago.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The Celtics and Bulls sit tied at 1-1 in their NBA first-round series heading into Game 3 in Chicago on Thursday night. Boston bounced back from a loss in the opener to beat the Bulls 118-115 in Game 2 on Monday night. Ray Allen scored 30 points in the win for Boston, while Rajon Rondo had a 19-12-16 triple-double. Ben Gordon poured in a game-high 42 points for the Bulls in the Game 2 defeat.

The other two NBA games on tap for Thursday are in the Western Conference, with San Antonio at Dallas, and the Lakers at Utah. The Spurs tied up their set with the Mavericks on Monday with a convincing 105-84 victory; Tony Parker tossed in 38 points in that contest. The Lakers topped the Jazz 119-109 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 series lead; Kobe Bryant scored 26 points in the win.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

Only four games make up the National League slate for Thursday, including Cincinnati at the Cubs. The Reds will go with Aaron Harang (1-2, 2.70 ERA) in that contest, while Chicago counters with Carlos Zambrano (1-0, 5.21 ERA). The other matchups: The Mets at St. Louis, the Dodgers at Houston, and Milwaukee at Philadelphia, with the Phillies sending Cole Hamels (0-1, 11.17 ERA) to the hill.

The American League offers up five games on Thursday, with Kansas City at Cleveland, the White Sox at Baltimore, Texas at Toronto, Detroit at the Angels, and Tampa Bay at Seattle. James Shields (2-1, 4.58 ERA) is slated to pitch for the Rays on Thursday, with Felix Hernandez (2-0, 4.26 ERA) providing the opposition. Hernandez has struck out 20 batters in 19 innings of work this season.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

The Red Wings will be seeking the series sweep on Thursday night when they play on the road against the Blue Jackets in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. Detroit rolled past Columbus 4-1 on Tuesday night to grab a 3-0 series lead. Henrik Zetterberg scored twice for the Red Wings in that win, while Chris Osgood made 31 saves. R.J. Umberger had the lone Columbus goal in the loss.

There are three other games on the NHL's playoff slate for Thursday, with Philadelphia at Pittsburgh, Carolina at New Jersey, and San Jose at Anaheim. The Flyers face elimination versus the Penguins; they fell 3-1 in Game 4 on Tuesday. The Hurricanes scored late in Game 4 on Tuesday to tie their series with the Devils at 2-2. The Ducks' series lead is at 2-1 after a 4-3 defeat Tuesday.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

Finally, the PGA Tour hits the links at TPC Louisiana on Thursday for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Kenny Perry is pegged as the 10/1 favorite to win this tournament, followed by Nick Watney at 12/1, Steve Stricker at 15/1, and each of Mike Weir, Rory Sabbatini, Andres Romero, and David Toms at 20/1. K.J. Choi and Stephen Ames are then amongst a group of golfers at 25/1 to get the trophy.

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[pm530]

Six-pack for Thursday

Batting average leaders, major league baseball........

-- Cabrera, Det-- .444

-- Youkilis, Bos-- .429

-- Longoria, TB-- .415

-- Kinsler, Tex-- .407

-- VMartinez, Clev-- .403

-- Markakis, Balt-- .397

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Late Night Update

-- In the NBA, Denver, Orlando won at home Wednesday; Hawks got squashed at home by Miami-- that series is now 1-1.

-- Seven of eight AL games went over the total Wednesday; six of the eight NL games stayed under.

-- Flames beat Chicago 6-4; series is 2-2, with home side winning all four games. 80% of Calgary fans had to be wearing Flame jerseys.

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Thursday's List of 13: Wrapping up a Wednesday nite of sports

13) Boston Bruins haven't enjoyed lot of success against Montreal in NHL playoff series, but they swept the Canadiens 4-0 this spring-- they crushed the Habs 4-1 Wednesday, now get to rest for a while.

12) Six of the 16 National League starting pitchers Wednesday didn't allow a run, with games in San Francisco, Washington both going to ninth inning scoreless; good to see Barry Zito's strong outing- he has struggled mightily since crossing the bay to San Francisco.

11) The last time a team scored in every inning of a game is back on May 5, 1999, when the Rockies did it at Wrigley Field. Tampa Bay scored in the first five innings Wednesday in Seattle.

10) One disturbing trend early in season is the large blocks of empty we're seeing in prime seating areas through much of baseball, even in big markets like the Bronx, where seats are so ridiculously expensive that no one is buying them, especially in light of corporate spending being slashed because of the downturn in the economy.

9) Rugged day for the Twins, who not only lost twice, but had to sit through crummy weather the whole day in Fenway. Baker/Liriano, the two Minnesota starting pitchers, allowed 13 runs in 8.2 IP.

8) Toronto blew 7-4 lead in 9th to Texas, then beat Rangers 8-7 in 11 innings; numbers 7-9 hitters in Blue Jay lineup went 9-15.

7) Even after his 0-6 night Wednesday, Ranger 2B Ian Kinsler has a flashy .407 batting average; its a good day when you can go 0-6 and still have an average over .400. Evan Longoria is hitting .415 for the Tampa Rays, Youkilis is hitting .429 for the Red Sox. .

6) There were no walks in the Reds-Cubs game, on a crisp, 45-degree night at Wrigley; either the pitching was exceptional, or Mr Barksdale the home plate umpire had dinner plans on Rush Street.

5) Angel bullpen failed again, blowing 8-6 lead in 7th, as Detroit won 12-10 in Orange County. Tough times for the banged-up Halo staff. Normally reliable Steve Shields has an ERA of 14.40 this season.

4) As an A's fan, I wasn't crazy about bringing Jason Giambi back to the Coliseum, seven years after he sold out to the Bronx. Now that he is hitting .204, I'm obviously less enthused. Eric Chavez is useless, Nomar Garciaparra is hurt already, Matt Holliday and Giambi have yet to homer-- the A's offense is a mess.

3) Zito-Young.........Jurrjens-Lannan hooked up with scoreless duels into the ninth inning......Cueto outdueled Ted Lilly 3-0, as Bruce hit a homer for the second night in a row.

2) Brian Bannister tossed six shutout innings in his return from minor leagues, as Royals beat Indians 2-0, improving their record to 8-6. In Pittsburgh, the Pirates swept Florida, are much improved at 9-6.

1) Second-seeded Washington Caps are down 3-1 to Rangers after a tough 2-1 loss in Manhattan-- New York survived couple penalties to Avery in the last 10:00 that could have been disastrous.

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[pm530]

NBA
Write-up


Thursday, April 23

First round, NBA playoffs

Cavaliers are 5-1 against Detroit this year- five of six series games this season went under total. Cavs covered seven of eight games. Detroit lost its last five games, is 5-11 in its last 16, 1-7 vs spread in their last eight games as a dog. James was 13-17 from foul line in Game 2; entire Piston squad was 13-16. Pistons shot just 39.5% in Game 2.

Dallas won eight of its last eleven games; they shot just 40.3% in Game 2, after shooting 53.8% in opener- Spurs blocked five shots in Game 2, after blocking none in Game 1. Nowitzki was just 3-14 in Game 2, while Parker was going nuts, scoring 28 of Spurs' first 61 points, finishing the game with 38 points, 8 assists. Keep in mind no Ginobili for Spurs.

Home side won all five Utah-Laker games this season, with Lakers 3-7 in last ten visits to Utah. Utah lost nine of last eleven games, covered three of last 14 (2-8 in last ten as underdog). LA is 9-1 in last ten games, with six of last seven going over the total- they're 6-2 against spread in its last eight games as a favorite. Lakers shot 56-60% in first two games.

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[pm530]

NBA


Thursday, April 23

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Trend Sheet
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8:00 PM
BOSTON vs. CHICAGO
Boston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Boston is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games on the road
Chicago is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Boston
Chicago is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing Boston

8:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. DALLAS
San Antonio is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games on the road
Dallas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:30 PM
LA LAKERS vs. UTAH
LA Lakers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games
LA Lakers are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games
Utah is 5-11-1 ATS in their last 17 games when playing LA Lakers
Utah is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Lakers

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[pm530]

NBA


Thursday, April 23

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Pick ‘n’ Roll: NBA best bets
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Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls (-2.5, 201)

Considering Kevin Garnett is wearing a suit instead of a uniform, it seemed only natural that all eyes would be on Paul Pierce as the Boston Celtics launched their title defense.

Anyone looking toward the spotlight needs to check again.

Pierce was content to stand toward the side as the Celtics split the first two playoff games against the Bulls, and with Game 3 in Chicago on Thursday, he had no plans to move unless called upon.

"If that's what's going to help us win, that's what I'll be," he said. "If I have to go out there and get somebody else open and set more screens and it's going to be effective and help our ballclub win, that's what I'm going to do."

They might need a little more now.

Already short-handed, the Celtics lost Leon Powe to a season-ending knee injury in Game 2 and saw speedy point guard Rajon Rondo sprain his right ankle.

Rondo and Glen Davis in particular have stepped up and Ray Allen came through in a big way in Game 2. Now, after two tight, dramatic games in Boston, the Bulls are bracing for a more assertive Pierce.

Pick: Bulls



Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz (+2, 214)

Still weary after yet another loss in Los Angeles, the Utah Jazz knew Wednesday was last call for optimism.

The first-round playoff series against the Lakers returns to Utah on Thursday, a game which will either get the Jazz back in it or put the put the defending Western Conference champions on the verge of sweeping the best-of-7 series.

"The series is not over. They just did what they were supposed to do - win at home," Utah point guard Deron Williams said. "Now we've got to do what we're supposed to do."

If the Jazz lose Game 3 on Thursday, anything they say about the series not being over yet will have a hollow ring. Through two games, the Lakers have shown depth well beyond reigning MVP Kobe Bryant while taking a 2-0 lead, pulling out to huge leads in both games and then dispatching the Jazz every time they rallied to make it close.

"I think our fans will give us a lift there and give us a little boost, but they can't run the floor for us," Utah coach Jerry Sloan said.

Bryant and the Lakers had reason to be relaxed before boarding the flight to Utah on Wednesday as the Jazz plotted ways to avoid a 3-0 deficit.

Utah was still uncertain Wednesday about center Mehmet Okur, who missed the first two games with a strained right hamstring and will be a game-time decision Thursday.

Okur is Utah's top 3-point threat and was second on the team in scoring in rebounds. The 6-foot-11 veteran would also be a welcome addition inside as the Jazz try to find some way to hamper Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum, who all scored in double figures Tuesday night as the Lakers won 119-109.

Utah also needs to play better defensively. The Lakers shot 58 percent in the first two games, led by Gasol going 16-for-22 with little resistance inside by the Jazz. Bryant has hit 17 of his 34 attempts, Trevor Ariza is 13-for-16 and Odom is 13-for-17.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Bynum, who missed 32 games because of a knee injury and didn't return until the end of the regular season, didn't practice much Wednesday because the knee brace was bothering him.

"I don't think it's anything the training staff thing thought was structural," Jackson said. "I think it's all capable of working itself out."

The Jazz didn't get back to Utah until about 3 a.m. Wednesday and were back for practice at 11 a.m., still a little stunned by what the Lakers did the night before in a 41-point first quarter. Bryant's only field goal was a 3-pointer, leaving the scoring to his teammates.

Pick: Lakers

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[pm530]

MLB
Write-up


Thursday, April 23

Hot Pitchers
-- Mets won both LHernandez starts, scoring 13 runs. Lohse is 2-0, 3.00 in three starts this season.
-- Cubs are 3-0 when Zambrano starts, scoring 18 runs. Harang has 2.70 RA in three starts this season.
-- Billingsley is 3-0, 2.84 in three starts this season. Rodriguez has a 1.89 RA in three starts this season.

-- Meche is 1-0, 2.25 in three starts this season.
-- Seattle is 3-0 in Hernandez starts, scoring 20 runs. Shields is 2-0, 3.14 in his last two starts.
-- Colon is 1-0, 3.86 in two starts this season.
-- Millwood has a 1.17 RA in three starts this season. Toronto won both Richmond starts, scoring 25 runs.
-- Jackson is 1-0, 2.57 in three starts this season.

Cold Pitchers
-- Bush is 0-1, 4.38 in two starts this season. Hamels is 0-1, 11.17 in his two starts this season.

-- Reyes has 5.73 RA in two starts this season.
-- Eaton is 0-2, 11.25 in two starts this season.
-- Palmer is 1-1, 11.74 in two starts at AAA this year; he was 0-2, 8.53 in three starts for the Giants LY.

Hot Teams
-- Dodgers won eight of their last ten games, lost last two. Astros won five of their last eight games.
-- Cubs won six of their last nine games. Cincinnati won seven of its last ten games.
-- Cardinals won seven of their last eight home games.

-- Royals won five of their last seven road games.
-- Toronto won five of its last seven games.
-- White Sox won seven of their last ten games.
-- Tigers won seven of their last ten games.
-- Mariners won eight of their last twelve games.

Cold Teams
-- Brewers lost seven of their last ten games. Phillies are 3-5 at home.
-- Mets lost five of their last six road games.

-- Indians lost ten of their first fifteen games.
-- Rangers lost eight of their last eleven games.
-- Orioles lost five of their last six games.
-- Angels lost six of their last eight games.
-- Rays lost six of their last eight games.

Totals
-- Over is 8-2-1 in Philadelphia's last eleven games.
-- Four of Mets' last five games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of Cincinnati's last eight games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Houston games stayed under the total; nine of last eleven Dodger games went over.

-- Eleven of fifteen Cleveland games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Tampa Bay games went over the total.
-- Nine of last ten Baltimore games went over the total.
-- Over is 11-2-1 in Texas games this season.
-- Det-LAA

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[pm530]

MLB


Thursday, April 23

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Trend Sheet
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12:05 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. CLEVELAND
Kansas City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Kansas City's last 9 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games when playing Kansas City

1:05 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. PHILADELPHIA
Milwaukee is 5-15 SU in its last 20 games on the road
Milwaukee is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

1:40 PM
NY METS vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of NY Mets's last 8 games when playing St. Louis
NY Mets are 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
St. Louis is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against NY Mets
The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets

2:20 PM
CINCINNATI vs. CHI CUBS
Cincinnati is 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 6-3 SU in their last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games

6:40 PM
TAMPA BAY vs. SEATTLE
Tampa Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Seattle
Tampa Bay is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games on the road
Seattle is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

7:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. BALTIMORE
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Chi White Sox's last 20 games when playing on the road against Baltimore
Chi White Sox are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Baltimore's last 9 games at home
Baltimore is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games

7:07 PM
TEXAS vs. TORONTO
Texas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas's last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Texas
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing at home against Texas

8:00 PM
LA DODGERS vs. HOUSTON
LA Dodgers are 5-10 SU in their last 15 games when playing on the road against Houston
LA Dodgers are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games
Houston is 6-3 SU in their last 9 games when playing LA Dodgers
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Houston's last 10 games

10:05 PM
DETROIT vs. LA ANGELS
Detroit is 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
LA Angels are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of LA Angels's last 9 games when playing Detroit

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[pm530]

MLB


Thursday, April 23

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Gil Meche, Kansas City Royals

The Royals’ surprise start to the 2009 campaign is directly related to the outstanding performances of their top three pitchers.

Meche didn’t give up a single run in one of the worst pitcher parks and against one of the best hitting clubs last week. The former Mariner struck out six batters in Kansas City’s easy 12-3 win over the Rangers.

The outing lowered Meche’s ERA to 2.25 and his WHIP (walks + hits per inning) to 1.15. K.C. is 2-1 this season in games the righty takes the hill and 5-1 dating back to last season.

Chad Billingsley, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers haven’t needed too much help from their pitchers so far this season because of the club’s excellent run production. Their hurlers are still doing a good job - particularly staff ace Chad Billingsley.

The 24-year-old righty is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA in three starts this year. He struck 11 batters in his second outing and opponents are hitting a modest .234 off the former 16-game winner.


Slumping

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies

Last year’s dream season that ended with a World Series championship and MVP trophy has been followed by a nightmarish start to 2009 for Hamels.

The southpaw missed time during spring training and wasn’t able to pitch Philly’s season opener because of a sore elbow. He’s started two games this season and hasn’t looked like himself in either appearance.

Hamels has given up four homers in 9 2-3 innings and the Phillies are 0-2 in his starts this season. Batters are hitting .447 off Hamels resulting in a lofty 11.17 ERA for the staff ace.

Adam Eaton, Baltimore Orioles

Eaton wouldn’t be heading out to the bump on Thursday if the O’s had any depth to their starting rotation. But because finding a decent arm in Baltimore is like finding a lawn chair in the North Pole, Eaton’s job is safe… for the moment.

The former Padre prospect hasn’t pitched past the fourth inning in either of his two starts. Like Hamels, Eaton has a double-digit ERA (11.25) attached to his 2009 stat sheet, along with a 0-2 record and .477 OBP (opponent batting percentage).

Dating back to last season, the over is 7-0 in Eaton’s last seven appearances (two relief, five starting).

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[pm530]

MLB
Baseball Today


SCOREBOARD

Thursday, April 23

Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs (2:20 p.m. EDT). Carlos Zambrano is expected to face Cincinnati’s Aaron Harang as the NL Central rivals meet in the finale of the three-game series.

STARS

Wednesday

— Melky Cabrera, Yankees, hit a two-run homer—his second blast of the game — in the 14th inning to give New York a 9-7 victory over Oakland.

— Bengie Molina, Giants, had a pinch-hit double with two outs in the 10th inning to lift San Francisco to a 1-0 victory over San Diego.

— Kevin Millar, Blue Jays, singled home the winning run in the 11th inning over a drawn-in outfield to give Toronto an 8-7 victory over Texas.

— Dan Haren, Diamondbacks, gave up six hits and struck out nine in seven innings of Arizona’s 2-0 victory over Colorado.

— Johnny Cueto, Reds, gave up four hits and struck out three in seven innings and also had two hits to lead Cincinnati to a 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs.

— Kelly Johnson, Braves, drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning to give Atlanta a 1-0 win over Washington.

— Adam LaRoche, Pirates, had four hits, including three doubles, and scored two runs in Pittsburgh’s 7-4 victory over Florida.

— Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria, Rays. Crawford had four hits and scored three runs, and Longoria had three hits and three RBIs in Tampa Bay’s 9-3 win at Seattle.

LET’S GO TO THE VIDEOTAPE, AGAIN

Umpires upheld a home run at Yankee Stadium for the second time in four days, giving Oakland’s Kurt Suzuki a three-run drive in the second inning against New York. Suzuki’s ball to left field Wednesday went about a foot above the left-field fence, well over the outstretched glove of Johnny Damon. It did not appear that any fan interfered, but umpires nonetheless went inside for three minutes to review replays before affirming the initial home-run call. The Yankees won 9-7 on Melky Cabrera’s second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the 14th inning.

ROCKET SIGHTING!

Roger Clemens was back at Minute Maid Park—as a fan. Clemens sat about 10 rows up behind home plate with some of his children to watch the Astros’ 6-5 win over the Dodgers on Wednesday. The embattled seven-time Cy Young winner is being investigated by a federal grand jury to determine whether he lied when he told a congressional committee last year that he never used steroids or human growth hormone.

NO B.Y.O.B.

The Dodgers are cracking down on fans who bring alcohol onto stadium property. The club said Wednesday it will increase signage and security patrols in the parking lots to enforce its policy of not allowing alcohol onto the premises. Violators will be subject to ejection. Extra signs in English and Spanish will be posted outside parking entrances and in lots beginning with the team’s homestand that opens April 30. The crackdown comes after a man was stabbed multiple times after the Dodgers’ home opener on April 13.

THE BOSTON SWEEPS

Tim Wakefield pitched a five-hitter in a rain-shortened 10-1, seven-inning win in the opener, and Brad Penny pitched six solid innings to help Boston sweep a day-night doubleheader against Minnesota with 7-3 win in the second game Wednesday night.

MILESTONES

Jim Thome hit his 545th career homer, an opposite-field solo shot to left that put the White Sox up 4-0 in the third inning of an 8-3 win at Baltimore on Wednesday night. It was Thome’s fourth homer of the season, and it put the 38-year-old slugger within three of Mike Schmidt for 13th place on the career list. … Derek Jeter played in his 2,000th regular season game in the Yankees’ 9-7, 14-innning victory over Oakland. The only other players to play in at least 2,000 regular season games as Yankees were Yogi Berra, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth and Bernie Williams.

A-ROD UPDATE

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez ran the bases Wednesday for the first time since undergoing right hip surgery on May 9. A-Rod ran 10 times between first and second base at the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa, Fla., including twice with a trainer pulling on a strap around A-Rod’s waist. The three-time AL MVP also increased his defensive drills, charging slow rollers for the first time and extending his range going after grounders. The Yankees expect him to rejoin the team by May 15.

STATUS

Umpire Kerwin Danley was out of a hospital a day after being hit in the head by a broken bat, and will be examined by Major League Baseball before he returns to the field. Danley was to remain in Toronto until the symptoms of a “powerful headache” subside, crew chief Dana DeMuth said Wednesday. Once Danley can travel, he will go to MLB’s medical center in Arizona for further tests.

SIDELINED

Oakland reliever Joey Devine has had ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow, a procedure that usually requires at least one year of recovery. The operation was performed Tuesday by Dr. James Andrews on Devine’s ulnar collateral ligament. A’s manager Bob Geren said Wednesday that it was replacement surgery but that he had not spoken with the pitcher. Devine has been on the disabled list since the season started. … Texas put right-hander Kris Benson on the 15-day disabled list with elbow tendinitis. The move, retroactive to April 16, followed a morning bullpen session two days after the Rangers pushed back Benson’s next start. Benson is 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA in two starts, his first in the major leagues since 2006.

SPEAKING

“I understand everybody’s making a big deal out of home runs. Melky’s ball would have been out of anywhere. It’s not like there’s cheap home runs being hit.”—Yankees captain Derek Jeter on Cabrera’s game-winning homer in a 9-7, 14-inning victory over Oakland. Cabrera’s homer was the 26th home run at the stadium, one more than the previous record for the first six games at a new major league venue.

SEASONS

April 23

1903—The New York Highlanders won their first game as a major league team, 7-2 over the Washington Senators.

1913—New York Giants ace Christy Mathewson beat the Phillies 3-1, throwing just 67 pitches.

1939—Rookie Ted Williams went 4-for-5, including his first major league home run, but the Red Sox lost to Philadelphia 12-8 at Fenway Park.

1946—Ed Head of the Brooklyn Dodgers no-hit the Boston Braves 5-0 at Ebbets Field.

1952—Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians and Bob Cain of the St. Louis Browns matched one-hitters. Cain wound up as the winner, 1-0.

1952—Hoyt Wilhelm of the Giants hit a home run at the Polo Grounds in his first major league at-bat. He was the winner, too, and pitched 1,070 games in the majors—but never hit another homer.

1954—Hank Aaron hit the first home run of his major league career. The drive came against Vic Raschi in the Milwaukee Braves’ 7-5 victory over St. Louis.

1962—After an 0-9 start, the expansion New York Mets won their first game beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-1 behind Jay Hook.

1964—Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45s became the first pitcher to lose a nine-inning no-hitter when Pete Rose scored an unearned run to give the Cincinnati Reds a 1-0 victory.

1989—Nolan Ryan came within two outs of his sixth career no-hitter, losing it when Nelson Liriano tripled in the ninth inning as the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1. Ryan finished with his 10th lifetime one-hitter.

1999—Fernando Tatis hit two grand slams in one inning to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 12-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tatis became the first in major league history to hit two grand slams in one inning and set a record with eight RBIs in one inning.

2000—Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada each homered from both sides of the plate as the Yankees beat Toronto 10-7. It is the first time that feat has been accomplished by two players on the same team in the same game.

2007—Alex Rodriguez became the first player in major league history to hit 14 homers in the first 18 games of a season and tied the record for April homers, connecting in the second and ninth innings of the New York Yankees’ 10-8 loss to Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

2008—The Chicago Cubs won their 10,000th game, joining the Giants as the only franchise to reach that mark with a 7-6 10-inning victory at Colorado.

Today’s birthdays: Emilio Bonifacio 24; Fernando Perez 26; Carlos Silva 30; Andruw Jones 32.

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[pm530]

NHL
Write-up


Thursday, April 23

NHL Playoffs

Detroit goes for sweep and rest before second round herel they've been outshot 24-14 in third period of last two games, which were over before third period started. Columbus lost nine of last eleven games, losing first three series games by combined score of 12-2; they're 1-11 on power play in series. Ten of last twelve series games stayed under the total.

Penguins won twelve of last sixteen games overall, eight of last eleven vs Flyers; they were outshot 46-26 in Game 4, 34-13 in last two periods, Flyers are 3-22 on power play in series after not scoring in 12:47 with man advantage in Game 4- they lost first two games here, 4-1/3-2ot; two of Pittsburgh's three goals in Game 2 came on the power play.

Devils, Hurricanes split pair of OT games in Games 2-3, before Carolina scored with 0:00.2 left to win Game 4 and even series; 'canes outshot the Devils 46-29 in Game 4, 37-17 in first two periods. Teams combined to go 2 for 31 on power play in series so far (52:09). Seven of the last nine series games stayed under the total.

San Jose went 2-3 on power play in Game 3, after being 0-12 in the first two games- they outshot Ducks 99-51 in first seven periods of series, but Anaheim steadied in last two periods of Game 3, outshooting Sharks 22-15. Ducks are now 12-4 in its last 16 games, so they're hot at right time. Road team won all three series games so far.

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[pm530]

NHL


Thursday, April 23

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Trend Sheet
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7:00 PM
DETROIT vs. COLUMBUS
Detroit is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing on the road against Columbus
Columbus is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Columbus's last 8 games when playing Detroit

7:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. PITTSBURGH
Philadelphia is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 8 games
Pittsburgh is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing Philadelphia

7:30 PM
CAROLINA vs. NEW JERSEY
Carolina is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New Jersey
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Carolina's last 5 games on the road
New Jersey is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Carolina
New Jersey is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Carolina

10:30 PM
SAN JOSE vs. ANAHEIM
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of San Jose's last 21 games when playing Anaheim
San Jose is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Anaheim is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Anaheim's last 9 games

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[pm530]

NHL


Thursday, April 23

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Ice Picks: NHL best bets
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Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins (-220, 5.5)

Since acquiring gun slingers like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been known as a shoot-first, ask-questions-later club over the past few years.

This title is understandable after the Pens finished sixth in total offense this season and boast two 100-plus point scorers, who also lead the postseason scoring race.

But after watching goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury turn away 45 shots in Pittsburgh’s 3-1 Game 4 victory Tuesday, the Penguins’ play between the posts is stealing the spotlight away from the flashy forwards.

Fleury stopped the first 38 shots of the game before the Flyers cracked him for a lone goal in the third period. His performance gave Pittsburgh a chance to take the lead midway through the game and held off serious pressure in the final frame, in which the Penguins were outshot 19-7.

"If you're going to have success in the playoffs you need performances like that from your goaltender," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma told reporters. "He certainly gave a memorable one tonight."

The 24-year-old Fleury showed true grit Tuesday after a rough start in Game 3 Sunday. He gave up five goals on just 29 shots in the Penguins’ 6-3 loss.

Fleury and the Pens are back in Mellon Arena, where the goalie posted 20 wins in his 34 regular season home starts with a 2.37 GAA. He was also solid in the first two games of the series in Pittsburgh, allowing just three goals on 67 total shots.

Pick: Under 5.5



San Jose Sharks at Anaheim Ducks (+125, 5)

The Anaheim Ducks didn’t think it would be that easy, did they?

After shocking the league with two losses to open the series, the San Jose Sharks resembled the team that finished first overall Tuesday. The Sharks finally got their revenge with a 4-3 win in Game 3.

Star forward Patrick Marleau netted the game-winning goal midway through the third period after struggling to produce in the first two games of the series. Marleau finished the year with 71 points but missed numerous games due to injury.

"We're excited for him to get that one tonight," coach Todd McLellan told the media. "We have held him accountable for his play over the last little bit. And for him to come into this building and respond, play the way he did, is something we're happy about.”

San Jose's offense has sputtered in the playoffs, averaging just two goals in the first three games. The Sharks were one of the most potent teams with the puck during the season, scoring more than three goals a night.

Three of Tuesday’s goals came off the sticks of defensemen. Dan Boyle netted two while veteran blueliner Rob Blake opened scoring five minutes into the game. The power play is starting to get things going, which could spell doom for the Ducks. The Sharks ranked third in the NHL with the man advantage, netting 41 power-play goals this season.

"It was desperation out there, and it turned up a level even late in this game," Blake told the San Francisco Chronicle. "You saw the desperation in the way we worked and executed. Everyone chipped in, and we got the result."

Pick: San Jose -145

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[pm530]

MLB
Dunkel Index


Texas at Toronto
The Blue Jays are 7-3 in their last 10 home games and face a Texas team that is 1-5 in Kevin Millwood's last 6 starts as a road favorite between -110 and -150. Toronto is the underdog pick (+115) according to Dunkel, which has the Blue Jays favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+115). Here are all of today's games

THURSDAY, APRIL 23

Game 951-952: Milwaukee at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Bush) 14.882; Philadelphia (Hamels) 15.964
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Philadelphia (-175); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (-175); Under

Game 953-954: NY Mets at St. Louis
Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Hernandez) 15.607; St. Louis (Lohse) 14.982
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1/2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-155); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+145); Under

Game 955-956: Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs
Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Harang) 15.058; Cubs (Zambrano) 16.249
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 7 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-165); No Total
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-165); N/A

Game 957-958: LA Dodgers at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Billingsley) 16.478; Houston (Rodriguez) 15.281
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-125); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-125); Over

Game 959-960: Kansas City at Cleveland
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Meche) 15.387; Cleveland (Reyes) 16.780
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Cleveland (-115); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-115); Over

Game 961-962: Tampa Bay at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Shields) 15.426; Seattle (Hernandez) 14.222
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Seattle (-115); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+105); Over

Game 963-964: Chicago White Sox at Baltimore
Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Colon) 15.219; Baltimore (Eaton) 15.762
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1/2; 11 1/2
Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-125); 10 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (+115); Over

Game 965-966: Texas at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Millwood) 15.431; Toronto (Richmond) 16.501
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Texas (-125); 9
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+115); Under

Game 967-968: Detroit at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Jackson) 15.045; LA Angels (Palmer) 15.559
Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1/2; 10 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

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[pm530]

NBA
Dunkel Index

Boston at Chicago
The Bulls look to rebound from their loss in Game Two and build on their 13-3 ATS record in their last 16 games following a SU loss. Chicago is the pick (-2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Bulls favored by 6 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-2 1/2). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

THURSDAY, APRIL 23

Game 507-508: Boston at Chicago
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 118.496; Chicago 124.795
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 6 1/2; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 2 1/2; 201
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-2 1/2); Over

Game 509-510: San Antonio at Dallas
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 119.347; Dallas 125.135
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 6; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 4 1/2; 190
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-4 1/2); Over

Game 511-512: LA Lakers at Utah
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 122.841; Utah 119.445
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 3 1/2; 209 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 1 1/2; 214 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (-1 1/2); Under

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