Bedard, Orioles fan A's

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07/21/2007 - Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major league strikeout leader Erik Bedard fanned 11 batters over seven one-hit innings, as the Baltimore Orioles routed the Oakland Athletics, 6-1, in the opener of a three-game series at McAfee Coliseum.

Bedard (9-4), who has 167 strikeouts in 2007, is also 6-1 in 12 road starts this season, and defeated the Chicago White Sox his last time out on July 13 at Camden Yards. Bedard was scratched from Wednesday's scheduled start due to a stiff neck, and Daniel Cabrera stood in, yet walked only three batters in Friday's sterling performance en route to winning his fifth straight decision.

All nine batters had a hit, except Ramon Hernandez who had two, for the Orioles, who dropped two of three at Seattle after taking three of four from the White Sox last weekend.

Mark Ellis homered for Oakland, which put to rest a nine-game losing streak with Wednesday's 6-0 win over the Texas Rangers in the finale of a three-game series. Shannon Stewart and Bobby Kielty both singled to account for the only other hits in the game for the A's.

Joe Blanton (8-7), who has dropped his last three starts, allowed six runs - five earned - on 10 hits with a walk and three strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings for Oakland.

Baltimore put up a run in the first when Corey Patterson singled, stole second, and scored on Nick Markakis' single.

The O's added another run in the second, as Jay Payton lined a lead-off single, and later scored on Luis Hernandez's single courtesy of a fielding error by Stewart.

Baltimore added a run in the fourth, as Aubrey Huff doubled before later coming home on Ramon Hernandez's single; and in the fifth when Nick Markakis walked and advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch before Kevin Millar's RBI single.

The Orioles tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Gibbons singled, moved to second on a passed ball, to third on a Ramon Hernandez single, and both baserunners scored on Brian Roberts' double.

Oakland got its lone run in the bottom half on Ellis' homer to left field on a 1-0 pitch, ending Bedard's 21-inning scoreless streak, during which he struck out 31 and allowed only five hits. Bedard had retired 13 straight prior to the long ball.

Game Notes

Oakland center fielder Nick Swisher left in the seventh inning with a sprained right shoulder after attempting a diving catch at the warning track in center field...Baltimore activated pitcher Steve Trachsel from the 15-day disabled list prior to the game and optioned pitcher Garrett Olson to Triple-A Norfolk...Oakland is 3-3 against the Orioles this season, but Baltimore has won the last three matchups. The A's are 20-9 over their last 29 meetings with the O's.

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NCAA Football Betting

Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)

"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."

Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins

There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.

Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins

Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.

USC Trojans - 10.5 wins

A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.

Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy

Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.

"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."

Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1

The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.

Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1

If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.

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