Ramirez powers Cubs past Reds

Baseball Betting Lines

04/21/2009 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aramis Ramirez had three hits and three runs batted in, as the Chicago Cubs dealt the Cincinnati Reds a 7-2 final in the opener of a three-game series from Wrigley Field.

Micah Hoffpauir hit a solo home run, collecting a pair of RBI, and Ryan Theriot had two hits and an RBI for the Cubs, who most recently took two of three from bitter division rival St. Louis in a rain-shortened set from Wrigley.

Rich Harden (1-1) picked up his first win of the season in three chances, hurling six strong innings and fanning eight while giving up two runs on just three hits and two walks.

Jay Bruce drove in both Cincinnati runs with a solo shot and RBI single for the Reds, who were coming off taking three of four from Houston in a series staged at Minute Maid Park.

Micah Owings (0-2) fell for the second time in as many outings this season, yielding five runs -- two earned -- on five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 frames.

Chicago got three in the fifth to chase Owings form the game and take a 5-2 lead. Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome drew one-out walks and Derrek Lee hit a deep fly to left where Chris Dickerson dropped the ball against the wall. Soriano was hung up between the bags and was held at third, loading the bases for Hoffpauir, who plated the frame's first run with a sac fly.

Ramirez singled to score Fukudome, signaling Owings' exit, and Mike Lincoln came on to reload the bases after hitting Mike Fontenot with a pitch and walking Geovany Soto to force in a run.

The Cubs tacked on two more to take control in the sixth. Lincoln stayed on and loaded them up before exiting with one down. Daniel Ray Herrera entered and yielded a two-run single to Ramirez.

Cincinnati was able to move a pair of runners into scoring position in the eighth, but Carlos Marmol retired Bruce on strikes to end the inning.

Bruce got Cincy on the board with a solo shot to right in the second, but Hoffpauir led off the home portion by lofting a home run to right-center, winning the battle of the Micah's between Owings.

Ramirez followed with a single and came around to score on a one-out base- knock by Theriot. The Cubs went on to load the bases after Harden's bunt- single, but Owings was able to escape without further damage, getting Soriano swinging and Fukudome on a fly out.

The Reds tied the game in the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Bruce after Joey Votto walked and stole second.

Game Notes

Chicago won eight of its 15 games against the Reds last season, including six of the nine encounters contested in the Windy City between these Central Division rivals...Cincinnati had won six of eight overall...The Reds went 1- for-7 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base...The Cubs were 4-for-14 with RISP and stranded 11...It was Hoffpauir's first home run of the season and Bruce's second.

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NCAA Football Betting

Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)

"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."

Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins

There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.

Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins

Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.

USC Trojans - 10.5 wins

A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.

Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy

Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.

"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."

Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1

The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1

If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.

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