Red Sox, Blue Jays to close out first half with rubber match

Baseball Betting Lines

07/11/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays close out a three- game weekend set in American League East action from the Rogers Centre, with the rubber match to take place this afternoon.

Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka will be on the mound for the road team today. He had a streak of six straight games in which he had given up three or fewer earned runs halted on Monday by Tampa Bay, which touched up the Japanese star for four earned runs on eight hits in five innings of action. Matsuzaka is now 5-3 with a 4.71 ERA this season.

The Red Sox hurler pitched an outstanding game against Toronto on May 11 of this season and is 5-1 with a 3.51 ERA lifetime against the Blue Jays.

Slated to oppose Matsuzaka today is Jesse Litsch, who is 0-3 with a 7.30 ERA this season. The fact that Litsch has only struck out seven batters in 24 2/3 innings of work screams "contact pitcher", and he is averaged less than five innings per start. On Tuesday, the righty was touched for five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings against Minnesota and was fortunate to escape with a no- decision.

Litsch has yet to face Boston this season, but he is an impressive 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA lifetime versus the Red Sox.

On Saturday, Alex Gonzalez hit a two-run homer and added an RBI double as the Blue Jays defeated Boston, 9-5, in the middle installment of this set.

Jose Bautista blasted his MLB-best 24th home run of the season -- a solo shot in the eighth inning -- for the Blue Jays, who had dropped seven home games in a row to the Red Sox prior to last night's outcome.

Shawn Camp (3-1) gained the win after striking out three batters in 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Jays starter Brandon Morrow, who gave up five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits over four full frames. Kevin Gregg recorded the final out in the eighth and pitched a spotless ninth for his 20th save.

Daniel Nava hit a two-run double for Boston, which snapped a four-game losing streak with a resounding 14-3 triumph in Friday's series opener. Sox starter John Lackey (9-5) allowed seven runs on eight hits and walked six in 4 2/3 innings to absorb the loss.

Boston finished 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position for the game, but left 12 men on base.

The Red Sox have beaten Toronto in six of eight matchups this year, as well as 12 of the past 17 overall meetings between the teams. Boston swept Toronto in three games at the Rogers Centre from April 26-28.

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MySportsbook.com Posts Heisman Trophy Odds

With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.

Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season.  Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money. 

This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy.  A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.

Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:

Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame)
Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma)
Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State)
Michael Bush (RB, Louisville)
Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia)
Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville)
Chris Leak (QB, Florida)
Mike Hart (RB, Michigan)
Ted Ginn (WR, Ohio State)
Darius Walker (RB, Notre Dame)
Drew Tate (QB, Iowa)
Marshawn Lynch (RB, Cal)
Kenny Irons (RB, Auburn)
Chad Henne (QB, Michigan)
Kyle Wright (QB, Miami)
Drew Stanton (QB, Michigan State)
Kenneth Darby (RB, Alabama)
JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU)
Drew Weatherford (QB, Florida State)
Blake Mitchell (QB, South Carolina)
Reggie Ball (QB, Georgia Tech)		 5-2
7-2
7-1
10-1
10-1
12-1
12-1
18-1
18-1
20-1
30-1
35-1
35-1
40-1
50-1
50-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1
60-1

For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.