Lackey returns to Anaheim as Red Sox take on Angels

Baseball Betting Lines

07/27/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John Lackey returns to Anaheim for the first time since leaving for Boston as a free agent when the Red Sox continue their three-game set against the Angels this evening.

Lackey, who was 49-32 with a 3.72 earned run average in 112 starts over eight seasons with the Angels, allowed one run on two hits against the Angels on May 5 at Fenway Park.

"I had a lot of good years [in Anaheim] and lot of fun here, and I really enjoyed playing here," said Lackey, who signed a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Red Sox this past offseason. "I won a lot of games in this stadium, so it'll be comfortable once I get out there. I'm not sure whats going to happen. We'll find out."

Lackey has been tremendous in his last two starts but has nothing to show for it, as he has not earned a decision in either outing despite allowing just two earned runs in 15 innings of those outings. Lackey gave up an unearned run and two hits in eight innings to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday, but did not factor in the outcome of his team's 8-6 triumph.

Anaheim, meanwhile, will turn to righty Jered Weaver, who is 9-6 with a 3.22 ERA. Weaver lost for the third time in his last four starts Thursday in Texas, as the Rangers reached him for three runs and seven hits in six innings.

"I was trying to keep us in the game as much as possible," Weaver said. "I wish I could have gotten deeper in the game. Any time you hold that team to three runs in this park [Arlington], you feel like you've done your job."

Weaver is 2-2 with a 3.99 ERA in eight starts against the Red Sox.

The Angels, who lost the opener of this set by a 6-3 score on Monday, hope that things go a little easier for Weaver tonight than it went for Dan Haren in his Anaheim debut on Monday.

Haren (0-1), acquired by Los Angeles on Sunday in a trade with Arizona, exited the game in the fifth inning after taking a Kevin Youkilis line drive off his right forearm. He was diagnosed with a contusion and took the loss, allowing two runs on seven hits to go with eight strikeouts and no walks in 4 2/3 innings.

"It's a little sore and a little tight, but it's not throbbing. It didn't hit the bone," Haren said. "They thought it best to come in and get it checked. The doctor said I should be fine."

David Ortiz homered twice and knocked in three runs to power Boston to the win.

Clay Buchholz (11-6) threw seven innings of one-run ball, yielding just five hits and a walk while fanning seven in his second start since being activated off the disabled list. Jonathan Papelbon nailed down his 23rd save of the season by recording the final four outs.

Victor Martinez (thumb) was in the starting lineup for the first time in a month and drove in a run for Boston, which had lost four of six coming in.

The Angels lost for the fifth time in six games despite home runs by Bobby Abreu and Hideki Matsui.

The Red Sox swept a four-game home set over the Angels from May 3-6, but have lost seven of their last 10 in Anaheim.

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Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.

The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.

Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.

MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)

Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)

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