Astros' Myers beats former club, ties team record

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08/23/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Lee's two-run single off Ryan Madson in the eighth inning lifted Houston to a 3-2 win over Philadelphia and gave Brett Myers a win against his former club in a wet evening at Citizens Bank Park.

Myers (9-7), who spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Phillies before leaving as a free agent this past offseason, lasted seven frames to tie a club record by pitching at least six innings in 26 consecutive starts. The right-hander fanned nine and gave up two runs on nine hits and a walk.

Michael Bourn had three hits, two steals and two runs scored for the Astros, winners of two straight following a 2-4 stretch.

Madson (4-2) was unable to hold the lead behind Joe Blanton, who gave up one run on six hits and no walks to go with a season-high nine strikeouts in seven frames for the Phillies, who fell three games behind Atlanta for the National League East Division lead but stayed in front in the Wild Card race.

Carlos Ruiz hit a solo homer in defeat, the club's third in five games.

Madson relieved Blanton to start the eighth and gave up a leadoff single to pinch-hitter Jason Michaels. Bourn then bunted one down the first-base line and avoided Ryan Howard's tag by pivoting to his right and narrowly staying inside the base line, according to first base umpire Greg Gibson.

Angel Sanchez moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt, and, after Hunter Pence struck out, Lee hit an inside pitch off of his fists, breaking his bat as the ball drifted into left field to score Michaels and Bourn.

After Tim Byrdak threw a scoreless eighth, Brandon Lyon walked Ruiz to start the ninth. Both Wilson Valdez and pinch-hitter Placido Polanco failed to move the runner up with a popped up bunt and flyout to center, respectively.

Ben Francisco, pinch-running for Ruiz, stole second with Jimmy Rollins at the plate, but Lyon got Rollins to hit a low liner to left that Michaels caught on the run, finishing off the closer's seventh save of the season.

Bourn led off the game with a single, stole second, moved to third on Sanchez's base hit and scored on Pence's sacrifice fly. The Astros had a chance for more in the inning thanks to Lee's double to right-center, but a relay throw from Shane Victorino to Chase Utley to Ruiz resulted in Sanchez getting thrown out at the plate.

Myers quickly retired the first six batters he faced, striking out four, but got too much of the plate with a fastball to Ruiz to start the third, resulting in his former battery mate's sixth home run of the season.

Blanton and Rollins each added one-out singles later in the frame before Brett Wallace fielded Victorino's sharp grounder at first and came home with the throw to nab Blanton. That play left runners on the corners, and Utley's base hit up the middle plated Rollins for a 2-1 lead.

The pitchers took over from there in a rain-soaked opener of the four-game series. Blanton retired 10 straight after the first inning, and Myers got Victorino to ground into an inning-ending double play with two runners on in the seventh to end another efficient outing.

Game Notes

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was ejected in the eighth for arguing that Bourn stepped out of the base line on his bunt attempt...Larry Dierker was the only other Astros pitcher to last at least six innings in 26 straight starts, having done it from June 20, 1969-April 17, 1970...Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth hit his 42nd double in the sixth inning but was picked off at second base by Astros catcher Humberto Quintero following an intentional walk to Ruiz.

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Super Bowl XLIV Odds

Super Bowl XLIII isn't even a week old yet and oddsmakers have already released Super Bowl XLIV odds.

Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Super Bowl 43, the New England Patriots are 8/1 favorites to win Super Bowl 44.

Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds

With their 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers became the latest NFL champion. But believe it or not, oddsmakers from online sports book MySportsbook.com don't have the Steelers the favorites to win Super Bowl XLIV next season.

That honor belongs to the New England Patriots, who are 8/1 favorites to win despite not even qualify for the postseason in 2008. The Pats also have a major decision to make regarding what to do with Matt Cassel, who played well in Tom Brady's (knee surgery) absence last year but is also a free agent this offseason.

Ironically, the Steelers aren't even oddsmakers second choice to win Super Bowl 44, as the Dallas Cowboys are listed right behind the Patriots at 9/1 despite not making the playoffs themselves. Clearly oddsmakers think the public will hop back on the Cowboys' bandwagon considering the immense talent they have and the opening of a brand new stadium.

After Dallas, then comes Pittsburgh at 10/1, but they share those odds with the New York Giants, who won Super Bowl XLII. The Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers round out the top six teams at 12/1, while the Baltimore Ravens (14/1), Tennessee Titans (16/1), Carolina Panthers (18/1) and Philadelphia Eagles (18/1) complete the top 10.

The NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals got no love from oddsmakers as they were established as a 30/1 long shot to win next year's Super Bowl. They share those same odds with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – two teams that didn't even qualify for the postseason. Other long shots are the Kansas City Chiefs (100/1), Detroit Lions (100/1), St. Louis Rams (75/1) and Oakland Raiders (75/1).

To see a complete list of all the team's odds to win Super Bowl XLIV, check below.

NFL TEAM FUTURE ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL XLIV

New England Patriots 8/1

Dallas Cowboys 9/1

New York Giants 10/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1

Indianapolis Colts 12/1

San Diego Chargers 12/1

Baltimore Ravens 14/1

Tennessee Titans 16/1

Carolina Panthers 18/1

Philadelphia Eagles 18/1

New Orleans Saints 20/1

Atlanta Falcons 25/1

Denver Broncos 25/1

Green Bay Packers 25/1

Jacksonville Jaguars 25/1

Minnesota Vikings 25/1

New York Jets 25/1

Arizona Cardinals 30/1

Chicago BearS 30/1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30/1

Buffalo Bills 35/1

Houston TexaNS 35/1

Miami Dolphins 35/1

Washington Redskins 35/1

Seattle SeahawkS 50/1

Cleveland Browns 55/1

Cincinnati Bengals 60/1

San Francisco 49ers 60/1

Oakland Raiders 75/1

St. Louis Rams 75/1

Detroit Lions 100/1

Kansas City Chiefs 100/1

Odds as of: 2/2/09

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