Indians aim for sweep of visiting Royals

Baseball Betting Lines

08/29/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The finale of a three-game series between Kansas City and Cleveland ensues this afternoon, as the two worst teams in the AL Central get together again at Progressive Field.

Bruce Chen is slated to make his 17th start of the season today, and the Kansas City lefty is 8-7 with a 4.88 ERA. Chen was recently in action on Monday, when he permitted five earned runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings of a 12-3 loss at Detroit. He is 4-4 on the road this season with a 4.50 ERA.

Chen has only thrown 19 2/3 innings against Cleveland over the last 10 years, so there isn't much of a track record against the Indians to identify a trend.

Slated to oppose Chen for the Indians is righty Fausto Carmona, and he hopes to even his record at 12-12 today. Carmona, who owns a 4.20 ERA, has lost his last four starts and got no run support in a setback to Oakland his last time out. In his career against Kansas City, Carmona is 5-3 with a 4.96 ERA.

On Saturday, Asdrubal Cabrera's home run leading off the 10th inning was the difference, as the Indians beat the Royals, 4-3.

Cabrera finished with two hits for the Indians, who have won three straight and have a chance to complete a series sweep today. Shin-Shoo Choo added two RBI, while Michael Brantley had two hits, an RBI and a run scored in the win.

Chris Perez (2-2) got the win for a scoreless inning of work. Jeanmar Gomez was in line for the win initially after giving up two runs on six hits and two walks in 5 2/3 frames.

"I felt very, very good. My pitches were working, my sinker and my slider were clicking," Gomez said.

Wilson Betemit homered and drove in all three runs for the Royals, who have lost four of five. Zack Greinke lasted eight innings, allowing three runs, eight hits and four walks, but Jesse Chavez (2-2) was saddled with the loss for giving up Cabrera's blast.

"I threw everything I possibly could throw with good location, and they were just taking amazing at-bats," Greinke said.

The Royals and Indians have split their 10 meetings this season.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.