08/16/2008 - Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Esteban German had two doubles and scored twice, including the go-ahead run in the ninth, to lead the Kansas City Royals in a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees in the opener of a three-game set.
The Royals inched ahead, 4-3, in the ninth off Mariano Rivera (4-5). German doubled with one out and Mitch Maier followed with a single. Rivera then uncorked his first wild pitch of the season, which allowed German to score, before retiring Mike Aviles and Mark Teahen to get out of the inning.
Pinch-hitter Wilson Betemit led off the home ninth with an infield single off Joakim Soria, but pinch-runner Justin Christian was picked off at first base for the first out. Johnny Damon then grounded out, but Derek Jeter clubbed a single to right, Bobby Abreu earned a free pass and Alex Rodriguez reached on a slow roller towards third to load the bases. Jason Giambi, however, flied out to center to end the threat and the game, while giving Soria his 33rd save.
Teahen drove in two runs for the Royals, who have recorded wins in just two of their last nine contests. Gil Meche lasted six innings and was touched for one run on six hits and a pair of walks while fanning eight for the no-decision and to remain unbeaten in his last eight starts. Leo Nunez (4-1) picked up the win as he tossed 1 2/3 frames of one-hit ball.
Jeter, who sat out Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Twins with a bruised instep, went 3-for-4, drove in a run and scored for the Yankees, who have dropped six of their last seven games. Abreu and Rodriguez also knocked in a run in defeat. Andy Pettitte lasted seven stanzas and yielded three runs on six hits and four walks with seven strikeouts, but did not factor in the decision.
The Royals got on the board in the second stanza as Jose Guillen led off with a walk. Billy Butler flied out but Alex Gordon made it second and third with a double and Ross Gload offered a sac fly to center to make it 1-0.
John Buck broke an 0-for-30 slump as he led off the fifth with a ground-rule double. German walked before Maier moved the runners over with a sac bunt, and Aviles was intentionally walked to load the bases. Teahen then crushed a two-run, ground-rule double to left-center and Guillen was intentionally walked to load the bases again.
Butler flied to left for the second out and Gordon went down swinging to end the threat, though the damage had been done as it was 3-0 KC.
The Yankees pulled within 3-1 in the home half. Jose Molina led off with a ground-rule double, but Damon popped out. Jeter then crushed an RBI single up the middle and Abreu belted a high, fly ball to deep right that appeared as though it was going to tie the game, but Guillen caught it at the warning track for the second out. Rodriguez flied out to end the rally.
NY tied it up in the seventh. With Ron Mahay on the mound and one away, Damon and Jeter both walked. Abreu then added an RBI single off Nunez and Rodriguez offered a sac fly to plate Jeter and make it 3-3.
Game Notes
New York's recent struggles have dropped them 10 1/2 games back of Tampa Bay in the AL-East and seven behind Boston in the wild card chase, putting a damper on the team's chances of reaching the postseason for a 14th consecutive campaign...The Royals have won five of their eight matchups with the Yankees this season...Prior to the game, the Yankees optioned outfielder Melky Cabrera to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, designated first baseman Richie Sexson for assignment and recalled infielder Brett Gardner and pitcher Chris Britton from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The club also purchased the contract of infielder Cody Ransom and placed pitcher Dan Giese on the 15-day disabled list...Kansas City also made some roster moves before the duel. The Royals optioned pitcher Kyle Davies to Triple-A Omaha and recalled pitcher Jeff Fulchino from Omaha.
<< Giants sign top pick C Posey
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Francisco Giants have signed catcher
Buster Posey, the fifth overall selection in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.
Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Posey was one of the best
<< Smoak on the water, Rangers sign first-round selection
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers signed first baseman
Justin Smoak, the 11th overall pick in the 2008 draft, just prior to the
midnight (et) deadline on Friday. No financial terms were disclosed, per club
policy.
<< Sizzling del Potro reaches Legg Mason semis, Roddick falls
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red-hot Argentine Juan Martin del Potro
was a quarterfinal winner Friday at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, a U.S. Open
tune-up, while top-seeded Andy Roddick, the defending champion, was bounced
from th
<< Garza, Rays blank Rangers
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Garza dominated the powerful Rangers
lineup, striking out nine in a two-hit shutout as Tampa Bay routed Texas 7-0
in the opener of a three-game set.
Garza (10-7) took a no-hitter into the sixth, an
Homer-happy A's get game-winner from Suzuki to stun Chicago >>
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kurt Suzuki hit a game-winning, pinch-hit,
two-run home run in the ninth and Jack Cust added two homers himself, as the
Oakland Athletics edged the Chicago White Sox in dramatic fashion, 6-4, in the
opener
Billingsley, red-hot Dodgers win fifth straight >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chad Billingsley threw seven solid innings,
and Casey Blake hit a two-run home run, as the Los Angeles Dodgers topped
Milwaukee, 5-3, in the first of three games with the Brewers.
Billingsley (12-9) g
Pirates ink second overall pick Alvarez >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to terms
with third baseman Pedro Alvarez, the second overall selection in the 2008
June Draft, prior to Friday's midnight (et) signing deadline.
Alvarez batted .317
Hamburg rallies to draw Bayern in Bundesliga opener >>
Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Bayern Munich players Paolo Guerrero
and Piotr Trochowski each scored to help Hamburg rally from a two-goal deficit
against their old club in a 2-2 tie at Allianz Arena on Friday, spoiling Jurgen
Klin
LaDainian Tomlinson Favorite to be 2007 NFL MVP
With the first NFL preseason game less than two weeks away, it is time to start thinking about football once again at MySportsbook.com. Reigning NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson is currently the 5-1 co-favorite to win the award again alongside Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning.
This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone after his all out assault on the record books last season. For those suffering from amnesia or were under a rock last football season, all L.T. did last season was set the NFL record for rushing touchdowns (28), total touchdowns (31) and total points scored (186) to go along with his 1815 rushing yards and 508 receiving yards. At 6-1, Tom Brady is next in line which isn’t surprising considering all of the firepower the Pats added over the off-season. With the addition of Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth and Wes Welker; it would be quite difficult for Brady’s numbers not to improve from last years 3529 yards and 24 touchdowns. There appears to be some decent value in Drew Bees at 10-1 considering he probably would have won the award last year if it wasn’t for L.T.’s record breaking season.
There is no reason to think the Saints will come back to earth this season and playing in a weak NFC, they should have as good a shot as any to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. At 15-1, Donovan McNabb could also be worth a look. Remember, many felt he was the MVP of the first half of the season before going down with a season ending injury. Reportedly, he is in great shape and well ahead of schedule to return to form. Also, he could have some added motivation to put up big numbers this season with the Eagles using their first pick in the draft on McNabb’s future successor Kevin Kolb.
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Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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