Abreu homers twice in Angels' win over O's
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07/03/2009 -
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bobby Abreu hit a pair of homers, accounting
for four runs batted in, and John Lackey threw eight strong innings, as the
Angels beat Baltimore, 5-2, in the opener of a four-game series.
Chone Figgins had three hits and drove in the other run for Los Angeles, which
began a 10-game homestand on the right foot, snapping a two-game skid while
winning for the seventh time in nine contests.
Lackey (3-3) had seven strikeouts while giving up four hits and two runs,
moving to 7-3 lifetime against the Orioles. Brian Fuentes tossed the ninth
inning for his major league-leading 23rd save.
"I established the fastball pretty good tonight," said Lackey. "I mixed my
pitches well and located my fastball."
Jeremy Guthrie (6-8) surrendered nine hits and five runs over seven innings to
have a personal two-game win streak broken.
Luke Scott homered for the Orioles, who lost for the fourth time in five
games.
Abreu homered to right field leading off the fourth inning, but the Orioles
tied it in the next inning, when Matt Wieters singled in Nolan Reimold with
one out. Baltimore, though, wasted a chance with runners at the corners, as
Robert Andino and Brian Roberts each struck out.
Los Angeles exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take command.
Maicer Izturis led off with a triple, and Mike Napoli walked. One out later,
Figgins blooped an RBI single to left-center. Abreu then jumped all over an
0-2 offering for his sixth homer of the year, a shot barely over the wall in
right field.
"My game is a line-drive hitter," said Abreu. "I try not to force it. When the
homers come, they're welcome."
Scott homered to center with one out in the seventh, but Aubrey Huff's single
in the ninth represented Baltimore's only hit over the final two innings.
"There wasn't much to hit," said Scott. "I actually hit a good pitch. I got
lucky, but he (Lackey) mixed up his pitches and he was on his game."
Game Notes
It was Abreu's 14th career multi-homer game and first this season...The Angels
are 8-3 in their last 11 home games and have won 14 of 19 overall...Abreu
upped his total to 48 RBI this season... The O's are just 4-13 in Anaheim
since the start of the 2006 campaign.
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and a touchdown, as the Edmonton Eskimos edged the Winnipeg Blue Bombers,
19-17, in the teams' season-opener.
Edmonton took the win after Winnipeg kicker
Yankees, Blue Jays open key series with weekday matinee >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees will try to start a new winning streak
this afternoon, when they play the first of four straight games versus the
American League East-rival Toronto Blue Jays in the Bronx.
New York had a seven-game wi
Ramirez, Marlins host Pirates in Miami >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hanley Ramirez will try to stretch his franchise-record RBI
streak to 11 games this evening when the Florida Marlins begin a three-game
series with the Pittsburgh Pirates at Land Shark Stadium.
Florida, meanwhile, has
Braves try to stay hot in opener vs. Nats >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Braves try to push their season-high winning
streak to five games this evening when they open a three-game series with the
lowly Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.
Although it still sits in fourth pl
Cubs' Zambrano takes mound against Milwaukee >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Zambrano takes aim at his first win in five starts
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Problem with Bears?
Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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