Richard, Padres continue to roll in win over Cubs

Baseball Betting Lines

08/18/2010 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Clayton Richard allowed just one run in 6 2/3 strong innings, leading the San Diego Padres to a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the third of four games at Wrigley Field.

Richard (11-5) yielded seven hits and two walks while fanning two for the Padres, who have won four straight and nine of 10 to increase their lead over the Giants to 5 1/2 games in the NL West. Adrian Gonzalez added his 23rd homer and scored three times, reaching base in each of his five plate appearances.

Matt Stairs added two RBI on a first-inning double in the win.

Jeff Baker hit an RBI double for the struggling Cubs, who have lost 17 of 21 overall and nine of their last 10 games at home. Casey Coleman (0-1), making his first career start, allowed three runs on six hits and three walks in 4 1/3 frames to take the loss.

After the game, the Cubs reached agreement with the Braves to send long-time first baseman Derrek Lee to Atlanta. In return, Chicago will receive three minor league pitchers.

The Padres reached Coleman for two runs in the opening inning.

Jerry Hairston, Jr. walked with one down, and Gonzalez followed with a four- pitch walk. After Chase Headley was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Stairs doubled to left to plate two runners.

The Cubs got on the board on back-to-back doubles by Alfonso Soriano and Baker in the second, but Richard shut down the Chicago offense from there.

Gonzalez restored San Diego's two-run lead with a solo homer in the third, and Richard pitched into the seventh without giving up another run. He was pulled after giving up a two-out single in favor of Luke Gregerson, who struck out Marlon Byrd to end the inning.

Gonzalez singled and scored on a wild pitch in the eighth, while Headley hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth to add two insurance runs for San Diego.

Game Notes

The Cubs have lost six straight at home...Richard has won his last four decisions...Soriano went 2-for-4 for Chicago with his 30th double.

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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.

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