08/20/2008 - Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Redmond stroked a pair of run-scoring singles to lift the Minnesota Twins to a 3-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics in the finale of a three-game series at the Metrodome.
Justin Morneau also knocked in a run and Francisco Liriano threw five solid innings to earn the victory for the Twins, who won the final two games of the series after dropping the opener.
Minnesota wrapped up a nine-game homestand with a 7-2 mark and continued its strong play at the Metrodome. The Twins haven't lost a series at home since June 3-5 against Baltimore and are 30-9 in the dome since June 1.
Now comes the Twins' longest road trip of the season and longest for the franchise since 1969 -- a 15-day, 14-game trek through Anaheim, Seattle, Oakland and Toronto.
Liriano (4-3) surrendered an unearned run on five hits and three walks while striking out five. He has won each of his four starts with an earned run average of 1.14 since returning to the majors in August.
Dallas Braden (3-3) took the loss for Oakland, allowing three runs on six hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out seven.
Jack Cust knocked in the lone run for the Athletics, who have lost four of their last five and set a club record since moving to Oakland in 1968 by dropping their 11th straight series. The A's haven't won a series since taking three of four from Seattle from July 7-10.
The Twins snapped a 1-1 tie with a run in the third inning. Carlos Gomez led off with a bunt single, took second when Denard Span was hit by a pitch and scored on a base hit to left field by Redmond.
Oakland stranded a runner at third in the top of the sixth when Mark Ellis was called out on strikes, and Minnesota tacked on a run in the bottom of the frame.
Nick Punto led off the home sixth with a single, stole second and scored on a base hit to center by Redmond. The Twins went on to load the bases with one out later in the inning, but Brian Buscher and Brendan Harris struck out to keep it a two-run game.
Minnesota's bullpen, after Liriano threw 107 pitches over five innings, held Oakland hitless for the final four innings, with Joe Nathan working the ninth for his 34th save.
Oakland grabbed the lead in the first with an unearned run. Ellis reached on an error to start the game, advanced to second on a one-out single by Emil Brown and scored on an infield single by Cust. Punto flagged down Cust's ball with a dive, but Ellis kept running around third and slid home ahead of the second baseman's wide throw to the plate.
The Twins answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to tie it. Span led off with a walk and Punto singled him to second. The runners advanced on a ground ball to first by Redmond and Span raced home on a base hit by Morneau. A double play grounder by Delmon Young ended the inning.
Oakland threatened in the second when Ellis doubled with two outs to put runners on second and third, but Kurt Suzuki lined out to Harris at shortstop.
Game Notes
The Athletics last lost 11 straight series from August 5 through September 4, 1960 when the franchise was based in Kansas City...The Twins are 16-3-3 in series at the Metrodome this season...Oakland heads to Seattle for the start of a four-game series on Thursday.
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Pyro.
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Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros claimed infielder Jose
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Castillo is expected to report to the team Friday after being designated for
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Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia 76ers have signed free
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Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago White Sox outfielder Ken Griffey Jr.
belted his 609th career home run on Wednesday to tie Sammy Sosa for fifth
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Twins activate 2B Casilla from DL >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins activated infielder
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Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies placed
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The rost
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Open tune-
Matt Kenseth And Kevin Harvick Favorites To Take NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship
(September 15)—The NASCAR season has hit the homestretch with the opening event on this year’s Chase for the Cup taking place this weekend at the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. With 10 races remaining to determine the Cup Series champion, leading online sportsbook MySportsbook.com today announced odds on all 10 Chase qualifying drivers capturing the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.
One of the largest sportsbook sites on the Internet, MySportsbook.com currently lists the top two drivers in the point standings as the early favorites to win the Nextel Cup. Entering the Chase for the Cup with a slim five-point lead in the point standings, 2003 NASCAR champ Matt Kenseth has been made a slight favorite to win his second Cup at 7/2 betting odds. 2001 Cup Rookie of the Year Kevin Harvick has betting odds listed at 5/2 and four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon is listed at 6/1 to capture the Nextel Cup this year.
Hoping to follow in the footsteps of his legendary father who won six NASCAR titles, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands at 8/1 to breakthrough with his first Cup victory. Staying with the family theme, MySportsbook.com lists 2005 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch at 14/1 to succeed big brother Kurt’s 2004 NASCAR title. While Kasey Kahne was the final driver to qualify for the Chase with a third place finish last week, the oddsmakers give him a fighting chance at 10/1 mainly due to several mile-and-a-half tracks remaining on the schedule. Despite going winless on the NASCAR circuit this season, Jeff Burton enters the Chase at 5/1 to capture the Cup title. Meanwhile, rookie Denny Hamlin is 4/1 to win the championship, while veteran driver Mark Martin enters the Chase for the Cup as a 15/1 long shot to win his first NASCAR title in his 24th and final season.
MySportsbook.com will offer comprehensive Nascar betting lines on every race remaining on the Nextel Cup series including driver match-ups, props and odds to win each race. For a complete list of NASCAR odds, please visit www.MySportsbook.com.
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