Dodgers hope to push win streak to nine in Houston

Baseball Betting Lines

04/21/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Young right-hander Clayton Kershaw can make it nine straight wins for the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight when they head to Minute Maid Park to begin a three-game series with the Houston Astros.

The Dodgers haven't won nine straight since an 11-game tear from July 28- August 8, 2006.

A 21-year-old native of Dallas, Texas, Kershaw is without a decision in two sterling 105-pitch efforts thus far in 2009, tossing five innings of two-hit ball against San Diego and seven innings of one-hit ball against San Francisco.

In 12 innings overall, he's allowed two earned runs, walked five and has struck out 19.

Against the Astros in 2008, Kershaw failed to get a decision in his only start against them while allowing eight hits and a single earned run in six innings.

Overall in 2008, he was 5-5 in 22 appearances - 21 starts - with a 4.26 earned run average in 107 2/3 innings.

For Houston, veteran Russ Ortiz makes his second start of the season.

A 110-game winner in the major leagues, Ortiz joined the Astros in April after signing a minor-league deal during the offseason.

Ortiz began 2009 with a pair of relief appearances, tossing a combined five hits and three runs in four innings in Houston's losses to the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

He returned against the Pirates three days later, getting a no-decision after a 4 2/3-inning outing in which he surrendered five hits and three runs, walking two and striking out two.

Ortiz last faced the Dodgers in 2008, going 0-1 in two starts while giving up 15 hits and six runs in 10 1/3 innings.

On Monday in Houston, Joey Votto hit a two-run double in the seventh inning and the Cincinnati Reds held on to edge the Astros, 4-3. Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee hit back-to-back homers in the sixth inning for the Astros, who have split their last six contests.

Mike Hampton got the starting nod for Houston and gave up three runs on eight hits, while striking out five and walking one over 6 1/3 innings. Geoff Geary (0-2) suffered the loss after surrendering the eventual game-winning run in the seventh.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, the Dodgers continued to roll, as Matt Kemp belted a grand slam and hit a solo home run, as Joe Torre's crew routed the Colorado Rockies, 14-2, to sweep a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.

Kemp has now hit safely in all 13 games this season.

Orlando Hudson and Andre Ethier each had three RBI for the Dodgers, who have won 10 of their first 13 games.

Right-hander James McDonald allowed just four hits while fanning two and walking three in the second start of his career for the Dodgers. Scott Elbert (1-0) pitched 2 2/3 innings of relief, giving up two runs on three hits to collect the win.

Houston took four of seven from the Dodgers last season, but LA won the final three meetings.

Wwwstarluck Baseball Betting News

<< Slumping Orioles return home to battle White Sox
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jose Contreras is still searching for his first win of the 2009 season and will take the hill for the Chicago White Sox tonight in the opener of a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. Contreras

<< Washburn tries to pitch Mariners past reeling Rays
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jarrod Washburn tries for his third straight win to start the year this evening, when the Seattle Mariners open a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays at Safeco Field. Since signing a lucrative free-agent deal with th

<< Mets hit the road for matchup with Cardinals
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Oliver Perez will try to string together back-to-back decent starts when he leads the New York Mets tonight against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series at Busch Stadium. Perez was rocked in his 200

<< Lakers, Jazz tangle in Game 2 at Staples Center
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Lakers hope to build on a solid but uneven Game 1 performance when they resume their Western Conference quarterfinals series against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center tonight. Kobe Bryant scored 24 points and

<< Blazers hope to bounce back vs. Rockets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Author Louis L'Amour once said "Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content." The Portland Trail Blazers found that out in the opener of their Western Conference quarterfinals series with the Houston Rockets o

Halladay goes for fourth win in as many starts in opener with Rangers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay takes aim at a major-league best fourth victory tonight when the Toronto Blue Jays host the Texas Rangers in game one of a three-game series at Rogers Centre. A 31-year-old native

Reds, Cubs begin series at Wrigley >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Newcomer meets ace tonight at Wrigley Field when the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series. The Reds will go with No. 5 starter Micah Owings, who'll make his second start since coming over as the player

Streaking BoSox open quick set vs. Twins >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After a slow start the Boston Red Sox seem to have found their way. Tonight, they try to win their sixth straight game when they open a brief two-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park. Boston completed a

Phils send Moyer to hill in opener with Brewers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Off to a rough start to the season, a rain delay prevented the Phillies from building momentum from their latest win. Philadelphia gets back to business tonight in the opener of a three-game set with the Milwaukee Brewers

Pirates try to handle Marlins again in Steel City >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Facing the top team in baseball didn't scare Pittsburgh's pitching staff. Coming off their third shutout win in four games, the Pirates resume a three-game series with the Florida Marlins this evening at PNC Park. Thoug

Credit Card Betting: Sportsbook accepts U.S. credit cards

Online Sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard

MySportsbook.com is the best at processing US credit cards for deposits. Welcome to the most player friendly online sportsbook on the planet!

The principals behind MySportsbook are obviously a management group that understands the players needs as evidenced by their commitment to provide easy depositing with their high credit card acceptance rate and free weekly $10 bets they offer to clients with active betting accounts.

The perks don't end there! MySportsbook offers casino, poker and horses as well. Twice named Best Sportsbook by eGaming Review, this place is rock solid financially so you don't ever have to sweat the payout as you may with some other online bookies operating with less betting volume and client base.

Sign up today and grab your share of a 10% bonus that is added instantly to your betting account. Enjoy 52 risk free bets throughout the year as well!

Reasons to Play There: You have to see their no hitter, cycle hitter and slaughter rule promos for baseball. Worth a laugh and probably a few bucks throughout the MLB season. They offer supersized bonuses of 15% if you up your minimum deposit to $500 or more. Lay -105 on Friday NBA! Contests during the NFL football season!