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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:27 AM

Daily Sports Roundup

Saturday, May 2

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Celtics play host to the Bulls, the Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond, and I Want Revenge guns for glory at the Derby.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

Having staved off elimination in triple overtime in Game 6 on Thursday night the Bulls will try to complete the series upset on the road in Boston on Saturday night when they take on the Celtics in a winner-takes-all Game 7. John Salmons had a team-high 35 points for the Bulls on Thursday, while Derrick Rose was good for 28 points and seven assists. Ray Allen poured in 51 points in the 128-127 Boston loss, and Paul Pierce tossed in 22 points for the Celtics. Boston opened as a 6-point home favorite for Saturday's matchup, with the total pegged at 195 points.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

CC Sabathia returns to the hill for the Yankees on Saturday afternoon looking to square off his record at 2-2. The big lefthander fell to 1-2 last time out, allowing four earned runs on six hits over eight innings in a loss to the Tigers. Sabathia's opponent on Saturday afternoon will be the Angels and starter Matt Palmer. The righthander won his only start of the season, beating the Tigers back on April 23.

Elsewhere on the American League schedule for Saturday it's Baltimore at Toronto, Cleveland at Detroit, Boston at Tampa Bay, Kansas City at Minnesota, the White Sox at Texas, and Oakland at Seattle. The M's will go with Jarrod Washburn on Saturday; he's 3-1 with a 3.42 ERA in four outings on the season.

Over in the National League the Mets and Phillies will continue their series in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon, with Oliver Perez (1-2, 9.31 ERA) meeting Jamie Moyer (3-1, 5.09 ERA). As well, it'll be St. Louis at Washington, Florida at the Cubs, Houston at Atlanta, Colorado at San Francisco, Arizona at Milwaukee, and Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, with San Diego at the Dodgers to complete the night.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

It's Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin vs. Alexander Ovechkin on Saturday afternoon as the Penguins and Capitals begin their second-round series in Washington. The Penguins dispatched state rival Philadelphia in six games in the first round, while the Capitals came back to bounce the Rangers in seven games in their opening-round set. Ovechkin has three goals and seven points in seven playoff games, while Crosby and Malkin have a combined 17 points in six games.

The other game on the National Hockey League schedule for Saturday is a Game 2 matchup between the Hawks and Canucks in Vancouver. The Canucks took a 3-0 lead in Game 1 on Thursday night, but needed goals late in the third period from Sami Salo and Ryan Johnson to get the 5-3 win. Patrick Kane had two goals for the Hawks in the failed comeback, while Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 22 of 26 Vancouver shots. Roberto Luongo made 28 saves in nets for Vancouver.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

Horse racing gets the spotlight treatment on Saturday as the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel of the Triple Crown, is contested at Churchill Downs. I Want Revenge was pegged as the 3/1 morning line favorite in the No. 13 gate, with Dunkirk (No. 15 gate) and Pioneerof the Nile (No. 16 gate) both listed at 4/1 odds, and Friesan Fire (No. 6 gate) just back of them at 5/1 odds. The rest of the 20-horse field was pegged at 15/1 odds or higher. Post time for the 135th Derby will be 6:04pm ET.

As well, the Sprint Cup Series will race under the lights at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday night in the Russ Friedman 400. Jimmie Johnson has taken the checkered flag in three of the past four races at Richmond, but he's just the second favorite at 5/1 odds to get the win on Saturday. Kyle Busch tops the odds list at 4/1 heading into the weekend, with Denny Hamlin at 6/1, Tony Stewart at 7/1, and Jeff Gordon at 8/1. Defending champion Clint Bowyer is 18/1.

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:28 AM

Six-pack for Saturday

-- Bruins, Red Wings held home ice in Game 1's of their 2nd round series. Last series to get underway is Caps-Penguins Saturday.

-- Miami drilled Atlanta 98-72 to force Game 7 in a series where all six games have been decided by 10+ points. Not one close game.

-- Vikings will give Brett Favre a call later this spring and if he feels like playing this year-- am guessing he'll be wearing purple in fall.

-- St Louis Cardinals are 17-7, their best start since 1944.

-- Buzz Peterson is going back to Appalachian State as head coach; he was there in late 90's and did real well, before going to Tulsa and Tennessee. He had been working for the Charlotte Bobcats.

-- ESPN has new made-for-TV college hoop tournament in Hawai'i for week of Christmas; Hawai'i, USC, SMU, UNLV, Charleston, Saint Mary's and Western Michigan. The eighth team is yet to be determined, but ESPN's tournaments have been very good.

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Saturday's List of 13: Random thoughts on Kentucky Derby day

13) Check out the college football page for analysis of the Kentucky Derby by DD Lohaus and Danny the Glover.

12) The odds of being dealt aces in Texas Hold 'em: 220-1

11) I'm thinking Bulls-Celtics might be playing Opening Night next November. Somewhere on national TV.

10) Don Banks of SI.com points out that 28 of 64 coordinators in the NFL next year will be new, and that since the start of '08 season, 23 of 32 NFL teams have changed at least one coordinator.

9) AAA Iowa Cubs have a guy named Jake Fox who is running amok, with a batting average of .420 in 21 games, with 12 home runs. He is a first baseman who was a 3rd-round draft pick out of Michigan.

8) There is a guy who goes to Astro games, stands out in left-center field, who has the best mustache ever; he looks like Yosemite Sam in the cartoons. This mustache is amazing, it is so big- they usually put the camera on him once a game, when Carlos Lee is batting.

7) Weird game in Bronx Friday; Bombers led 4-0 in first, then Angels scored the next nine runs, before blowing 9-4 lead they had in eighth inning. Posada's hit won game 10-9 in bottom of ninth, a devastating loss for an Angel team that really misses Francisco Rodriguez.

6) Out west, Jake Peavy, Clayton Kershaw traded goose eggs until the bullpens took over; Duaner Sanchez walked Russell Martin with the bases loaded, two out in nith inning as Dodgers moved to 8-0 at home with their 1-0 win over the Padres.

5) Saints are now signed up to stay in Superdome until 2025; owner Tom Benson must have been given enough financial inducements so that he gave up the idea of moving the Saints to San Antonio or LA.

4) What is the over/under on amount of time before the Falcons give another player jersey number 7? Michael Vick gets out of prison on May 20-- will be interesting to see where he winds up this summer. I'm thinking the Canadian League, since there is no Arenaball in '09.

3) Former Michigan State QB Jimmy Raye is offensive coordinator of the 49ers, the seventh one they've had the last seven years. Raye was Spartans' QB in the famous 10-10 game with Notre Dame in '66.

2) Scott Linehan had a nightmare as head coach of the Rams; now he is offensoe coordinator of the Lions, so he's in charge of developing Matthew Stafford into Detroit's franchise QB. No pressure there.

1) If I designed a major league ballpark, I'd have mostly 9-foot walls, because watching an outfielder rob the hitter of a home run is one of the most exciting plays in baseball. The only place I might have walls a little higher is where I put the out-of-town scoreboard, like the one in rightfield in Baltimore.

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:30 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

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Saturday, May 2
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CHICAGO (44 - 44) at BOSTON (65 - 23) - 5/2/2009, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 14-26 ATS (-14.6 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 112-82 ATS (+21.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 85-70 ATS (+8.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 58-38 ATS (+16.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
CHICAGO is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 56-82 ATS (-34.2 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
BOSTON is 128-164 ATS (-52.4 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
BOSTON is 60-89 ATS (-37.9 Units) in home games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 9-6 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 9-7 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:31 AM

NBA

Saturday, May 2

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Trend Sheet
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8:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. BOSTON
Chicago is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 5-14 ATS in its last 19 games at home
Boston is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:32 AM

NBA

Saturday, May 2

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Pick ‘n’ Roll: NBA best bets
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Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics (-6.5, 196.5)

Between the jaw-dropping individual displays, crisp team play and dramatic twists, it's only fitting that this thrilling first-round series between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls comes to a seventh game.

And what a way to get there.

The Bulls prevailed 128-127 in triple overtime on Thursday to tie the series at three games and send it back to Boston for the finale on Saturday night, with the winner advancing to play Orlando.

''If I had to just sit back and I wasn't a player and think about these games, this is great for the fans,'' Boston's Paul Pierce said. ''Everybody is getting their money's worth.''

And the defending champions are certainly getting a run for theirs.

A league record four games have gone to overtime, with another decided in the closing seconds of regulation, but somehow, these teams managed to trump all that on Thursday.

Now, the Celtics are trying to avoid elimination after watching an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter disappear and wasting a 51-point effort by Ray Allen that ranks among the greatest postseason displays in the storied franchise's history.

The Bulls, meanwhile, have a chance to become the first seventh seed to knock off the second seed since New York beat Miami in 1998, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

John Salmons scored 35 points and Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose came through with two big plays in the third OT to pace Chicago.

Noah stole Pierce's pass and broke the other way for a dunk, got fouled and finished the three-point play to give the Bulls a 126-123 lead with 35.5 seconds left. Rose, who scored 28, blocked Rajon Rondo's potential go-ahead shot with 7.9 seconds remaining, and Chicago hung on.

''Coming into this series, I don't think anyone imagined it to turn out like this,'' Chicago's Kirk Hinrich said. ''We thought we could be competitive, but for the games to be such crazy, back-and-forth action, it's really incredible.''

So what's next? Quadruple overtime?

Pick: Under 196.5

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:33 AM

MLB

Saturday, May 2

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Trend Sheet
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1:05 PM
FLORIDA vs. CHI CUBS
Florida is 14-5 SU in their last 19 games when playing Chi Cubs
Florida is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi Cubs
Chi Cubs are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games
Chi Cubs are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games when playing at home against Florida

1:05 PM
LA ANGELS vs. NY YANKEES
LA Angels are 3-8 SU in their last 11 games on the road
LA Angels are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees
NY Yankees are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Angels
NY Yankees are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home

1:05 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. WASHINGTON
St. Louis is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Washington
St. Louis is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against St. Louis
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

1:07 PM
BALTIMORE vs. TORONTO
Baltimore is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Baltimore is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
Toronto is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Baltimore
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Baltimore

3:40 PM
CLEVELAND vs. DETROIT
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Cleveland is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
Detroit is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland

3:40 PM
HOUSTON vs. ATLANTA
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Houston is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
Atlanta is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Houston

3:40 PM
NY METS vs. PHILADELPHIA
NY Mets are 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
NY Mets are 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Philadelphia is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing NY Mets
Philadelphia is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games at home

4:05 PM
COLORADO vs. SAN FRANCISCO
Colorado is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
Colorado is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games
San Francisco is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Colorado
San Francisco is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games

7:05 PM
ARIZONA vs. MILWAUKEE
Arizona is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Arizona is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games on the road
Milwaukee is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games when playing Arizona
Milwaukee is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Arizona

7:05 PM
CINCINNATI vs. PITTSBURGH
Cincinnati is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
Pittsburgh is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

7:08 PM
BOSTON vs. TAMPA BAY
Boston is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games
Boston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Boston
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Boston

7:10 PM
KANSAS CITY vs. MINNESOTA
Kansas City is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Minnesota
Kansas City is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games on the road
Minnesota is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Kansas City
Minnesota is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

8:05 PM
CHI WHITE SOX vs. TEXAS
Chi White Sox are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games
Chi White Sox are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing Texas
Texas is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against Chi White Sox
Texas is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox

9:10 PM
OAKLAND vs. SEATTLE
Oakland is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Oakland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Seattle
Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oakland
Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oakland

10:10 PM
SAN DIEGO vs. LA DODGERS
San Diego is 4-11 SU in their last 15 games when playing LA Dodgers
San Diego is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
LA Dodgers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home
LA Dodgers are 14-5 SU in their last 19 games

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:34 AM

MLB

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MLB weekend cheat sheet
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In the MLB Cheat Sheet, a guide designed to help you isolate the best bets, we focus on two top series in both leagues on this weekend’s schedule. Keep in mind that all pitcher records are ‘team starts’ unless noted otherwise.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Florida Marlins at Chicago Cubs

Most Recent Series Result: Marlins 13-4 last 17 games vs. Cubs

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Marlins 6-2 last eight away games vs. Phillies

Key Day/Month Stat: Marlins 6-1 last six Fridays; Cubs 1-5 last six Fridays

Best Arm in the Series: Cubs’ Zambrano 7-0, 3.12 ERA last seven starts

Worst Arm in the Series: Cubs’ Lilly 1-4, 5.53 ERA lifetime

New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies

Most Recent Series Result: Mets 11-6 last 17 games vs. Phillies

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Mets 4-1 last five away games vs. Phillies

Key Day/Month Stat: Phillies 9-1 home on Sundays; Mets 0-6 on Sundays

Best Arm in the Series: Cubs’ Mets’ Maine 8-1, 2.54 ERA lifetime vs. Phillies

Worst Arm in the Series: Phillies’ Hamels 0-3, 5.83 ERA last three starts vs. Mets

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Los Angeles Angels at New York Yankees

Most Recent Series Result: Angels 5-1 last six games vs. Yankees

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Angels 6-4 last 10 games away vs. Yankees

Key Day/Month Stat: Yankees 14-6 home on Saturdays; Angels 0-4 on Saturdays

Best Arm in the Series: Angels’ Weaver 3-1, 6.14 ERA lifetime vs. Yankees

Worst Arm in the Series: Yankees’ Pettite 0-3, 7.98 ERA last three starts vs. Angels

Boston Red Sox at Tampa Bay Rays

Most Recent Series Result: Rays 13-6 last 19 games vs. Red Sox

Most Recent Series Result at the Site: Rays 11-3 last 14 home games vs. Red Sox

Key Day/Month Stat: Red Sox 4-0 on Saturdays; Rays 0-5 on Saturdays

Best Arm in the Series: Rays’ Sonnanstine 3-0, 1.34 ERA last three starts vs. Red Sox

Worst Arm in the Series: Red Sox’s Wakefield 0-5, 7.48 ERA last five starts vs. Rays; Rays’ Shields 2-9, 5.18 ERA lifetime vs. Red Sox

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:35 AM

MLB
Baseball Today

SCOREBOARD

Saturday, May 2

Houston at Atlanta (3:40 p.m. EDT). Astros ace Roy Oswalt (0-2) tries again for his first win this season. He matches up against Braves rising star Jair Jurrjens (2-2), who is 0-2 with a 1.32 ERA in his last three starts.

STARS

Friday

— Evan Longoria, Rays, extended his torrid hitting against Boston pitching with a grand slam in Tampa Bay’s 6-2 victory.

— Randy Johnson, Giants, gave up four hits and struck out nine over seven scoreless innings in his 297th career victory as San Francisco beat Colorado 3-2.

— Jorge Posada, Yankees, hit a two-run single in the ninth inning off Brian Fuentes, completing New York’s rally from a five-run deficit in a 10-9 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

— Bronson Arroyo, Reds, bounced back from his worst start of the season to limit Pittsburgh to four singles over eight shutout innings in Cincinnati’s 4-0 win.

— Jose Lopez, Mariners, hit an RBI single to right field on the 14th pitch from Russ Springer with two outs in the ninth inning, and Seattle rallied from five runs down to beat the Athletics 8-7.

— Jeff Francoeur, Braves, hit a two-run homer and drove in another run to help the Braves beat the Astros 7-2.

— Albert Pujols, Cardinals, hit one of St. Louis’ season-high four home runs in a 6-2 win over Washington.

STELLAR AT HOME

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 1-0 on Friday night to improve to 8-0 at home for the first time since 1947, when the franchise was in Brooklyn. The year before, they set a franchise record by winning their first nine games.

SIDELINED

The Texas Rangers placed outfielder Josh Hamilton on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left rib cage muscle. The Rangers made the move retroactive to Monday. Hamilton sustained the injury on April 12 in Toronto when he crashed into the outfield wall while chasing a flyball. … Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez is back on the disabled list, with strained right forearm. Chavez played in just eight games and was hitting only .100 (3 for 30), before landing on the DL for the fourth time in the last three years.

STREAKING

Ryan Zimmerman singled in the third inning of Washington’s 6-2 loss to St. Louis on Friday night, extending his hitting streak to a Nationals-record 20 games. It’s the longest streak in the majors this season. The last 20-game hitting streak by a Washington, D.C.-based player came in 1953 by the Washington Senators’ Mickey Vernon.

HOMER HAPPY

New York catcher Jorge Posada’s home run in its 10-9 win over the Angels on Friday night was the 29th homer at the new Yankee Stadium, tying Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium (1955), Houston’s Enron Field (2000) and Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park (2003) for most homers in the first eight games at a major league ballpark, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It was the 20th homer to right field, where some believe a jet stream is carrying the ball.

SIDELINED CLOSERS

Philadelphia’s Brad Lidge threw before the Phillies’ 7-4 loss to the Mets on Friday night and said he’d be ready to pitch Saturday. Lidge hasn’t appeared in a game since last Saturday because of inflammation in his right knee. … Two Houston team doctors successfully drained 40 cubic centimeters of fluid from Jose Valverde’s right calf on Friday, one day after he had 20 cubic centimeters of fluid removed. Valverde’s expected recovery time is three to five weeks.

RED SOX HITTER

Evan Longoria hit a grand slam in Tampa Bay’s 6-2 win over Boston on Friday night, improving to 10-for-22 with four homers and 13 RBIs against the Red Sox this season.

SEEING THINGS

Brian McCann’s latest experiment with new contact lenses has ended, and the Atlanta Braves’ All-Star catcher plans to try to resume his season while wearing glasses. McCann, who said he has never worn glasses while playing, has had difficulty with blurred vision this season. He was placed on the disabled list on April 25, retroactive to April 23, and tried new contact lenses on a minor league rehabilitation assignment with Class A Myrtle Beach.

SPEAKING

“This shows that we can come back. We can come back against tough teams, and we do have a lot of weapons on this team that could pitch in and contribute for us,”—Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon said after New York rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Angeles 10-9 Friday night.

SEASONS

May 2

1917—Fred Toney of the Cincinnati Reds and Hippo Vaughn of the Chicago Cubs pitched a double no-hitter for nine innings, but the Reds won 1-0 on two hits in the 10th. Jim Thorpe drove in the winning run.

1923—Walter Johnson recorded his first shutout of the season and the 100th of his major league record 113 career shutouts as the Washington Senators defeated the New York Yankees 3-0. Yankees shortstop Everett Scott received a medal from the American League for playing in his 1,000th consecutive game.

1939—Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees did not play against the Detroit Tigers at Briggs Stadium, ending at 2,130 his streak of consecutive games played. Gehrig never played again. Babe Dahlgren took his place at first base. The Yankees didn’t miss his bat, however, as they beat the Tigers 22-2.

1954—Stan Musial hit five home runs in a doubleheader split with the New York Giants at St. Louis. The Cardinals won the first game 10-6 but lost the second 9-7.

1995—Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first Japanese native to play in the majors in three decades. Nomo pitched five scoreless innings of one-hit ball, but the Dodgers blew a 3-0 lead and lost to San Francisco 4-3.

2000—Atlanta became the first NL team in 49 years to win 15 straight games by defeating Los Angeles 5-3.

2002—Mike Cameron hit four homers and came close to a record-setting fifth in leading the Seattle Mariners to a 15-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox. He became the 13th player in major league history to homer four times in a game. Cameron connected in his first four at-bats, in just five innings. He joined Bret Boone as the first teammates to hit two home runs in the same inning. They connected back-to-back twice in a 10-run first.

2005—Jim Edmonds hit a three-run homer off closer Danny Graves, and John Mabry added a two-run shot that completed the greatest ninth-inning comeback in St. Louis Cardinals history. The Cardinals sent 12 batters to the plate and scored seven runs in the top of the ninth to beat Cincinnati 10-9.

Today’s birthday: Jarrod Saltalamacchia 24.

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:36 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

When additional “Top Trends” are available, we will update.

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Saturday, May 2
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PITTSBURGH (49-30-0-9, 107 pts.) at WASHINGTON (54-27-0-8, 116 pts.) - 5/2/2009, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 23-7 ATS (+13.0 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
WASHINGTON is 47-29 ATS (+4.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 71-44 ATS (+14.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 19-10 ATS (+7.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 8-4 (+3.9 Units) against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 8-4-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+4.9 Units)
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CHICAGO (50-28-0-11, 111 pts.) at VANCOUVER (50-27-0-10, 110 pts.) - 5/2/2009, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 9-4 (+3.1 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 9-4-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.7 Units)

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:37 AM

NHL
Short Sheet

When additional trends are available, we will update.

Saturday, May 2nd

Eastern Conference Playoffs - Semifinals
Game One
Series Tied, 0-0
Pittsburgh at Washington, 1:05 ET

Pittsburgh:
14-27 SU off a division win
2-11 SU off a road division win

Washington:
23-7 SU revenging a loss as a favorite
7-2 SU at home when the money line is -100 to -150

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:38 AM

NHL

Saturday, May 2

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Trend Sheet
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1:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. WASHINGTON
Pittsburgh is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Washington's last 11 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

9:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. VANCOUVER
Chicago is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games on the road
Vancouver is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Chicago
Vancouver is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games when playing Chicago

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**pm530** · 05-02-2009, 06:39 AM

NHL

Saturday, May 2

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Ice Picks: NHL best bets
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Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals (-140, 5.5)

Crosby and Ovechkin have been billed as the league's rising stars since entering the NHL simultaneously in 2005. They seemed ready to come to blows at a Feb. 22 game in Washington, when Ovechkin got tired of Crosby's mouth and Crosby showed his disdain for Ovechkin's theatrics. Even the fact that Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin has had a better season - winning the league's scoring title - didn't deter reporters from asking every conceivable Crosby question to Ovechkin this week.

''He's superstar,'' Ovechkin said at one point.

And you?

''Me? Just like you guys,'' Ovechkin told a laughing media scrum.

Ovechkin is both right and wrong. Crosby's golden boy image makes him seem less accessible, while Ovechkin would look right at home as the surprise guest at a neighborhood backyard barbecue. But Ovechkin stands out on the rink because of his exuberant goal celebrations and showmanship, irritating the game's purists.

''Some people like his style, some people like my style, it doesn't matter,'' Crosby said. ''We're just different and that's why I think a lot of people find it interesting.''

The Capitals won three of four meetings this season, but longtime fans in the nation's capital associate the Penguins with postseason torment. Pittsburgh eliminated Washington from the playoffs no fewer than six times in an 11-season span from 1991-2001.

Both Crosby and Ovechkin dismissed the history as meaningless headed into this series. One of the few remaining links is Leonsis, who has seen the teams take similar rebuilding paths since the Penguins' six-game series win over the Capitals eight years ago.

Pick: Washington -140

Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks (-140, 5)

Jonathan Toews gave the Chicago Blackhawks something else to worry about besides their early hole against the Vancouver Canucks.

After leading the Blackhawks with 34 goals and finishing third on the club with 69 points during the regular season, Toews had no points, a minus-2 rating, and lost eight of 11 faceoffs in the Blackhawks' series-opening 5-3 defeat to the Canucks on Thursday night.

Toews, who turned 21 on Thursday, wasn't on Chicago's top line when Patrick Kane started the Blackhawks' third-period rally with two goals. David Bolland completed the comeback from a 3-0 deficit, but after the Canucks regained the lead with 1:13 left, Toews was still on the bench when the Blackhawks pulled their goalie.

Toews logged fewer than 14 minutes of ice time, after averaging nearly 19 in the regular season, but he refused to blame his performance on an injury or illness.

''Everyone is playing through something,'' Toews said Friday. ''No one is making any excuses. For me personally there are things I've got to do better.''

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville bailed him out.

''Johnny is a proud guy, doesn't want to use any excuses, but he's been kind of under the weather the last couple of days,'' Quenneville said. ''That's why we didn't use him as much (Thursday). But he's recovering and he feels good.''

The young Blackhawks are also on the mend. Their comeback was thwarted after they turned over the puck during a 4-on-2 rush and allowed the Canucks to score the go-ahead goal with 1:13 left during a 4-on-1 break.

Pick: Vancouver -140

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**Udog** · 05-02-2009, 08:32 AM

MLB

Saturday, May 2

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Hot Lines: best MLB bets
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Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays (-128, 10.5)

In the midst of a major overhaul of their banged-up starting rotation, the Toronto Blue Jays are still atop the AL East.

With plenty of pitching problems of their own, it's no surprise the Baltimore Orioles are back at the bottom.

The visiting Orioles will try to avoid a fifth straight loss overall Saturday in Toronto, where they've dropped three straight and seven of their last eight.

With a large portion of their starting staff injured and some replacements struggling, the Blue Jays (16-9) shook up their roster Friday with a trio of moves.

One of the callups was Robert Ray, a right-hander who will make his major league debut Saturday. Drafted in the seventh round in 2005, the 25-year-old Ray threw 4 1-3 scoreless innings in his lone start with Triple-A Las Vegas this year.

That was his first appearance above Double-A, where he was 8-6 with a 3.18 ERA last season.

Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan are in the midst of extended absences for Toronto, while fellow starters Jesse Litsch and Ricky Romero also remain on the disabled list.

Roy Halladay is their lone healthy regular, and he helped pitch the Blue Jays to an 8-4 win in Friday's series opener - their first game against an AL East opponent this season.

"I think everybody would like to have about 10 Docs around," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "That's impossible but we do have one, so we've got to enjoy him."

Toronto's resurgent offense also helped carry Halladay, as Adam Lind homered and Kevin Millar had three RBIs. Lind is among the AL leaders with 22 RBIs, while the Blue Jays' 150 runs this season lead the majors.

Pick: Over 10.5

Houston Astros at Atlanta Braves (-127, 8)

Roy Oswalt could end up in Cooperstown someday, but the Houston Astros ace is focused only on the present.

The right-hander goes for his first victory of the season and first win against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday afternoon as the teams meet at Turner Field.

Oswalt (0-2, 3.94 ERA) allowed nine earned runs in dropping his first two starts this season, but he's yielded five runs in 19 innings over his last three outings.

He matched a season high with seven innings in Monday's 4-1 victory over Cincinnati, giving up one run and six hits.

"I want to win, like everyone else,'' Oswalt said. "I'm not pitching 20 years to go to the Hall of Fame. As long as the team wins, that's what I'm here to do.''

The Braves are the only NL team that Oswalt hasn't defeated, as he's 0-2 with a 6.41 ERA in five starts. In his last start at Turner Field, he allowed nine runs - seven earned - and 10 hits in five innings of a 9-4 loss May 6, 2005.

Pick: Houston +119

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**Udog** · 05-02-2009, 08:35 AM

MLB

Saturday, May 2

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Streaking and Slumping Pitchers
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Streaking

Roy Oswalt (Houston Astros)

Roy Oswalt could end up in Cooperstown someday, but the Houston Astros ace is focused only on the present.

The right-hander goes for his first victory of the season and first win against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday afternoon as the teams meet at Turner Field.

Oswalt (0-2, 3.94 ERA) allowed nine earned runs in dropping his first two starts this season, but he's yielded five runs in 19 innings over his last three outings.

He matched a season high with seven innings in Monday's 4-1 victory over Cincinnati, giving up one run and six hits.

Matt Cain (San Francisco Giants)

The San Francisco Giants' rotation boasts the reigning NL Cy Young award winner, but so far this season Matt Cain - not Tim Lincecum - has been the team's best pitcher.

Cain has delivered a quality start in each of his four outings, a trend he'll hope to keep up Saturday when the surging Giants continue their three-game set with the visiting Colorado Rockies.

Lincecum became a sensation for San Francisco last year, when he led the major leagues in strikeouts on his way to picking up the NL Cy Young in just his second season. He's begun to regain his form in his past three starts after a poor beginning.

The Giants (11-10), though, have some quality depth in their rotation, starting with Cain (2-0, 2.08 ERA). The burly right-hander has gone at least six innings in all four starts, and he hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of them.

Cain gave up one run and four hits in seven innings Sunday at Arizona, though he did walk four. He was in line for his third victory until the Diamondbacks scored three times in the ninth and won 5-4 in 12 innings.

"Cain did a great job," manager Bruce Bochy told the Giants' official Web site. "I thought we were going to win it for him, but then they stole it."

Cain has won both of his starts at AT&T Park after picking up only five wins in 18 outings there last season. He's faced the Rockies (8-13) eight times at home during his career, going 5-2 with a 1.95 ERA as Colorado hit just .180.

Tim Wakefield (Boston Red Sox)

Like his team, Wakefield has had little success against the Rays of late, going 0-3 with an 8.10 ERA in his last five regular-season starts versus Tampa Bay.

In his last two outings against the Rays - the second of which was a 13-4 loss in Game 4 of the ALCS - he totaled five innings and allowed six homers and 11 runs.

Wakefield (2-1, 1.86 ERA), though, has been dominant this season, limiting opponents to a .154 average. The 42-year-old knuckleballer gave up one hit in seven shutout innings of a 3-1 win at Cleveland on Monday night, although he didn't get the decision.

"I feel phenomenal," Wakefield told the Red Sox's official Web site. "I'm throwing a lot of strikes."

Slumping

Oliver Perez (New York Mets)

Oliver Perez is scheduled to take the mound for the New York Mets against the Philadelphia Phillies in his next two starts. If he doesn't show some signs of improvement in his first one, however, the second may never come.

The unpredictable Perez will essentially be pitching to keep his spot in New York's rotation on Saturday as the teams continue their three-game set in Philadelphia, but he'll do so with an excellent recent track record against the Phillies on his side.

Perez was excellent in his first full season with the Mets (10-12), going 15-10 with a 3.56 ERA in 2007 and looking like a top-of-the-line starter. His ERA rose to 4.22 last season and he won five fewer games, but was signed to a three-year, $36 million contract in the offseason.

So far, Perez (1-2, 9.31 ERA) is hardly living up to his end of the deal.

The left-hander has failed to make it out of the fifth inning in three of his four starts, and has 15 walks in 19 1-3 innings. After he allowed seven runs, nine hits and three walks in 4 1-3 innings in an 8-1 loss to woeful Washington on Sunday, manager Jerry Manuel voiced his displeasure.

"I'm really concerned about him at this point. I don't know what we do," he said. "The thing that concerns me is I don't see Ollie's stuff like I saw before. I don't know if he's going through a dead arm period or whatever, I don't know.

"If you see stuff and no command, that's one thing. If it's no stuff or command, that's a recipe for disaster."

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