Gwynn's hit lifts Padres over Astros in ninth

Baseball Betting Lines

07/04/2010 - San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tony Gwynn singled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift San Diego to a dramatic 3-2 win over Houston to finish off a four-game set.

Yorvit Torrealba led off the decisive frame with a single and moved to second base on an Aaron Cunningham sacrifice bunt before Everth Cabrera was given an intentional pass. Pinch-hitter Matt Stairs then walked to load the bases and Gwynn followed with a bouncing ball through the middle to deliver Torrealba to give the Padres their third straight win in the series in their final at-bat.

Heath Bell (4-0) worked a scoreless top of the ninth to earn the win after Houston had scored to tie the game in the eighth.

Brandon Lyon (5-3) suffered the loss after allowing the decisive run on two hits and three walks over 1 1/3 innings for Houston, which has dropped four out of six.

Mike Adams opened the eighth on the hill for San Diego and gave up a leadoff single to Jeff Keppinger that was followed by Lance Berkman's run-scoring triple that knotted the game at two. But the visitors offensive struggles continued, as Hunter Pence grounded out, Carlos Lee struck out and Jason Michaels flied out to leave Berkman stranded at third.

Houston got on the board first as Berkman hit a solo home run with two outs in the first to snap an 18-inning scoreless drought.

Cunningham's two-out, two-run single in the fourth gave San Diego the lead for the first time. Scott Hairston started the rally after Brett Myers had retired the first two hitters with a single and scored, along with Chase Headley, who had followed with a walk.

The Astros put runners at the corners with two outs in the seventh after a walk to pinch-hitter Jason Bourgeois that spelled the end for San Diego starter Wade LeBlanc. He was replaced by Ryan Webb, who induced pinch-hitter Chris Johnson to ground out to end the frame.

LeBlanc gave up a lone run on three hits and three walks while fanning a pair, while Myers went six innings during which he allowed two runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out two.

Game Notes

The hit was Gwynn's first career walk-off winner...San Diego won the season series, 5-2, for the first time since 2004...Houston outfielder Michael Bourn was selected as a first time All-Star...Berkman's homer was his first as a right-hand hitter this season...Myers became the first Astros pitcher since Roy Oswalt did it between August 2, 2008-April 27, 2009 to work six innings or more in 17 consecutive starts and the first to do it in the same season since Oswalt did it in 20 straight turns during the 2005 campaign.

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Football Betting: Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards

Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.

Bet on NFL Football

Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.

Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.

Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.

Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.

All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.

A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.

For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.

2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award

Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1

Ron Brace (NE) 25/1

Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1

Darius Butler (NE) 40/1

Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1

Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1

Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1

Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1

Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1

Larry English (SD) 15/1

Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1

Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1

Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1

Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1

James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1

Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1

Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1

Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1

Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1

Roy Miller (TB) 20/1

Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1

Fili Moala (IND) 30/1

Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1

Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1

B J Raji (GB) 7/1

Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1

Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1

David Verkune (CLE) 20/1

Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1

Field (Any Other Player) 6/1

NFL football gambling

To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.

Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.