Mets' Pelfrey toes rubber versus Braves

Baseball Betting Lines

08/20/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Pelfrey tries to win for the 10th time in his last 12 decisions this evening when the New York Mets play the middle test of their three-game series with the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium.

Pelfrey's emergence has coincided with the Mets' ascent to the top of the National League East. The young right-hander was brilliant again on Friday against Pittsburgh, as he gave up seven hits in seven scoreless innings to run his record to 11-8, while lowering his earned run average to 3.91.

He will be facing Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens for the third time this season. Pelfrey has lost both contests to Atlanta thus far, surrendering 11 runs in 9 1/3 frames. He is 1-3 with a 6.85 ERA in five games (4 starts) against them in his young career.

Jurrjens, meanwhile, enters tonight's tilt with an identical record to Pelfrey at 11-8, but is pitching to a slightly lower ERA at 3.15. Jurrjens, though, lost for the third time in his last four starts on Friday to San Francisco, as he gave up two runs and eight hits in seven innings of a 5-1 loss.

The 22-year-old righty has won both of his starts versus the Mets and is pitching to a 2.77 ERA in those outings.

The Mets drew first blood in this series on Tuesday, as Carlos Delgado's two- run double was part of a five-run eighth inning, helping the Mets to a 7-3 win. Damion Easley hit a two-run single while Ramon Castro, Fernando Tatis and David Wright each had an RBI for the Mets, who have won seven of their last eight games.

Oliver Perez gave up three runs on seven hits along with five walks and three strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of work. Aaron Heilman (3-7) got the win for pitching a scoreless eighth for New York, which remains 1 1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia for first place in the NL East.

The Phillies defeated Washington, 5-4, on Tuesday.

However, it wasn't all good news for the Mets on Tuesday, as the team learned that closer Billy Wagner is going to miss more time than originally expected.

Wagner was set to be activated off the disabled list, which he has been on since August 5, on Monday. But after throwing around 20 pitches in a simulated game on Saturday he was still experiencing discomfort in his left elbow.

An MRI on Tuesday revealed that he is suffering from additional inflammation in his throwing elbow and that there is no timetable for his return -- with the possibility that he might miss the rest of the season.

Chipper Jones went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Jeff Bennett (2-5) got the loss for giving up three runs on one hit with a pair of walks in 1 1/3 innings of work for the Braves, who have dropped three straight and eight of nine overall.

Jo-Jo Reyes, who was recalled before the game to make the start, was charged with just two runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts in six innings of work.

The Mets have won just three of their 10 matchups to their division rivals this season.

Lottoballls Baseball Betting News

<< White Sox try to finish off home sweep of Mariners
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The American League Central division-leading Chicago White Sox will shoot for their fifth straight win and a three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners this afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field. Chicago remained one game

<< Phils send Myers to hill in second test with Nats
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brett Myers' season turnaround began with a victory over Washington almost a month ago. The Philadelphia Phillies hurler will try to continue his resurgence against the Nationals tonight, and hand them their 12th s

<< Liriano leads Twins in finale vs. Oakland
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Francisco Liriano is not the same pitcher who faced the Athletics in April. Back to his old form, Liriano will try to lead the Minnesota Twins to a victory against Oakland this afternoon in the rubber match o

<< Tigers shoot for another sweep of Rangers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers will try to complete their second consecutive three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers, as the two teams conclude their set tonight in Arlington. Detroit has won all five of its meetings with Te

<< Hewitt pulls out of U.S. Open
Sydney, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former champion Lleyton Hewitt will skip the U.S. Open after undergoing hip surgery. The former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam titlist was the 2001 U.S. Open champ and runner-up in 2004. "Sur

Rolling Red Sox shoot for another win in Baltimore >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox try for their fourth straight road win this evening, when they attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. Boston continued to thrive without Manny Ramirez

Brewers, Astros to complete Central clash >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's too bad CC Sabathia can't pitch every night for the struggling Milwaukee Brewers, who are 8-1 with the big lefty on the hill. Manny Parra will try to begin a streak of his own when he handles pitching duties f

Haren, Peavy to go toe-to-toe in Diamondbacks-Padres tilt >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A showdown between two of the top pitchers in the National League is on tap for tonight at Chase Field, where Dan Haren will lead the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second test of a three-game series versus Jake Peavy a

Blue Jays try to catch Yankees in standings >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two American League East foes currently headed in opposite directions continue a three-game set tonight at Toronto's Rogers Centre, where the surging Blue Jays shoot for a second consecutive win over the reeling New York Yank

Rays put baseball's top record on the line in finale with Angels >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Thanks to wins in the first two games of this series the Tampa Bay Rays now have the best record in all of baseball. Tonight, they will try to sweep the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the second time this season in a three


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.