Hamels confounds Reds; Griffey once again denied 600

Baseball Betting Lines

06/05/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cole Hamels tossed a three-hitter and denied Ken Griffey Jr. the 600th home run of his career as the Philadelphia Phillies topped the Cincinnati Reds, 5-0, in the finale of their four-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

Hamels (6-4) rebounded from a pair of rough starts to notch his second shutout of the season, striking out four and walking three. Geoff Jenkins clubbed a solo home run for the Phillies, who won three of four in the series and finished off an 8-2 homestand.

Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino each added a run-scoring single in the win.

Griffey, making his first start of the series, went 1-for-4 with a double, but gave the crowd a thrill in his final at-bat. Griffey crushed the first pitch of the ninth inning deep to center, but Victorino tracked the ball down just in front of the wall and Griffey left to a standing ovation from the crowd.

Homer Bailey (0-1) made his season debut after being recalled from Triple-A Louisville before the game and took the loss, allowing five runs -- two earned -- on four hits in 6 1/3 frames while being the victim of lackluster defense.

Paul Janish and Jerry Hairston Jr. collected the other hits for the Reds, both doubles, as Cincinnati fell to 1-3 in the first half of their eight-game road swing.

Bailey retired the first seven batters he faced, before Carlos Ruiz gave the Phils a start with a one-out single in the third. Hamels sacrificed him to second with a walk, and when Jimmy Rollins lofted a weak pop-up to shallow left, Bailey looked to be out of the inning. Janish dropped the routine catch, however, allowing Ruiz to score.

Rollins left the game for undisclosed reasons after the fourth inning and was replaced by Eric Bruntlett.

A pair of errors resulted in two more unearned runs for the Phillies in the fifth.

With one out, Pedro Feliz grounded back to the mound, but Bailey's throw skipped past Joey Votto at first, allowing Feliz to end up at second. After Ruiz walked and Hamels flew out, Bruntlett flared a line drive right at Griffey, who lost track of the ball and had it tick off his glove, bringing Feliz in to score. Victorino then lined an RBI single to right for a 3-0 lead.

Jenkins upped the lead to 4-0 with two outs in the sixth, reaching down and launching a first-pitch change-up from Bailey into the seats in right-center.

A pair of one-out walks to Bruntlett and Victorino in the seventh chased Bailey from the game. Jeremy Affeldt came on in relief and got Chase Utley to fly out, but Howard beat the infield shift with a ground single to left to score Bruntlett.

Hamels walked Votto to start the fourth, but set down the next 13 hitters before Hairston smashed a ground ball for a double with two outs in the eighth. Jay Bruce then laced a grounder to the left side of the infield, but Bruntlett made a diving stab and fired across the diamond to nip Bruce and preserve the shutout.

After Griffey's long out in the ninth, Brandon Phillips reached on a throwing error, but Hamels retired Votto and pinch-hitter Corey Patterson to finish the contest.

Game Notes

Hamels recorded his first career shutout earlier this year, a four-hit blanking of the Atlanta Braves on May 15 at Citizens Bank Park...To make room for Bailey, before the game the Reds optioned pitcher Danny Herrera to Louisville...The Reds finish off their eight-game trip with a four-game series in Florida, starting Friday...The Phillies begin a three-game set in Atlanta on Friday, the opening stretch of a nine-game road trip.

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American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

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Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

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