Blue Jays try to extend road success in finale with Royals

Baseball Betting Lines

08/13/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Blue Jays aim for a rare road series win when they close out a four-game set with the Kansas City Royals this evening at Kauffman Stadium.

Toronto has claimed two of the first three weekend matchups with Kansas City to improve its lackluster season road record to 24-35. The Blue Jays have not won a series away from home since prior to the All-Star break, when the club took two of three tests in Oakland from July 2-4.

The Jays also have not posted back-to-back road victories since following up a June 13 decision over San Francisco with a triumph at Minnesota on June 25.

They'll have a chance to do so tonight after posting a 4-1 win over the Royals on Sunday. A.J. Burnett made a successful return from a lengthy stay on the disabled list, as the oft-injured right-hander twirled 7 1/3 innings to lead Toronto to victory.

Burnett (6-6), who had been sidelined with a sore shoulder since late June, held Kansas City to one run and three hits while recording five strikeouts. He had a shutout bid spoiled when Alex Gordon led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run.

Lyle Overbay paced the Toronto offense with three hits and two RBI, while Gregg Zaun ended 2-for-4 with two runs scored to help the Jays to their third win in four games.

Brian Bannister (8-7) took the loss for Kansas City, getting chased with two outs in the fifth after allowing three runs on seven hits and walking three.

Jesse Litsch (4-4) will attempt to duplicate Burnett's gem when he takes the mound for the visiting Blue Jays tonight. The rookie has been impressive as of late, having posted a 2-0 record with a 1.93 earned run average over his three most recent starts.

After yielding just one run over 13 2/3 combined innings in consecutive wins over Minnesota and Tampa Bay, Litsch took a step back in an August 6 outing against the Yankees. The 22-year-old allowed three runs on six hits over five frames and did not factor in the decision of his team's 5-4 loss.

Litsch has also pitched very well on the road this season, bringing a 2-2 record with an impressive 2.51 ERA in five away starts into tonight's finale. He has never previously faced Kansas City.

The Royals will hand the ball to struggling southpaw Odalis Perez, who suffered his third loss in four starts with Wednesday's home setback to Minnesota.

Perez lasted just three innings against the Twins and yielded six runs (three earned) on seven hits. The shoddy performance gave the native Dominican a 6.46 ERA in six starts following the All-Star break.

The 30-year-old was also roughed up by the Blue Jays in Toronto back in April. Perez permitted four runs and seven hits before being yanked after just 1 1/3 innings in that 9-1 defeat. He is 2-2 with a 4.79 ERA in four overall starts against the Blue Jays.

Toronto has won four of six meetings with the Royals this season and eight of the last 11 matchups in the overall series.

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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.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.