Helms' hit in 11th gives Marlins win over Braves

Baseball Betting Lines

07/25/2010 - Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wes Helms hit a run-scoring single in the bottom of the 11th inning, as the Florida Marlins edged the Atlanta Braves, 5-4, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Sun Life Stadium.

Helms ended with two hits, three RBI, and a run scored for the Marlins, who went 7-3 on a 10-game homestand.

Chris Volstad, who was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans prior to the game, lasted six frames in the start, allowing three runs on five hits. Jorge Sosa (2-2) pitched a scoreless two innings of relief to record the win.

Eric Hinske hit a solo homer for the Braves, who got an RBI apiece from Melky Cabrera, Chipper Jones, and Brian McCann. Jair Jurrjens gave up four runs on six hits in a seven-inning start.

Jesse Chavez (2-2) started on the mound for the Braves in the bottom of the 11th. Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla singled before Cody Ross was intentionally walked to load the bases. Helms followed with the game-winning hit to left.

Trailing 4-3, the Braves put a run on the board in the eighth to tie the game. Clay Hensley, who recorded the final two outs in the seventh, stayed on to pitch for Florida. Cabrera hit a two-out double to right and came around to score on pinch-hitter Jones' two-bagger to center.

The Braves drew first blood with a run in the first. Jason Heyward walked and Hinske singled with one out. McCann followed with an RBI single. Troy Glaus then walked to load the bases, but Volstad retired the next two batters to keep it a 1-0 game.

Hinske homered to right in the third to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead.

Florida went ahead with a four-run fourth. With one out, Ramirez singled and Uggla walked. Ross then hit an RBI single before Helms knocked in two runs with a triple. Mike Stanton was intentionally walked to put men on the corners for Brad Davis, whose run-scoring base hit made it 4-2.

Volstad retired 10 straight batters before giving up a one-out double to Glaus in the sixth. Alex Gonzalez was hit by a pitch and Brooks Conrad walked to load the bases. Cabrera followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-3. Jurrjens flied out to end the frame.

The Braves wasted a golden opportunity to score in the seventh. Jose Veras loaded the bases with one out before being replaced on the mound by Hensley. Glaus then grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Game Notes

The Braves lead the season series with the Marlins, 5-4...Atlanta pitcher Billy Wagner turned 39 on Sunday...Heyward went 2-for-5 and extended his hitting streak to nine games...Florida placed pitcher Jhan Marinez on the 15- day disabled list with a right elbow strain...Davis' two hits were the first of his career.

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.