Votto helps Reds down Jays
Baseball Betting Lines
06/25/2009 - Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joey Votto went 4-for-5 with a double, homer and three runs batted in as the Cincinnati Reds edged the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-5, in the finale of a three-game interleague series at Rogers Centre.
Jay Bruce chipped in with a two-run double and Willy Taveras had three hits with an RBI and run scored for the Reds, who salvaged one win in the series and snapped a four-game slide.
Johnny Cueto (7-4) picked up the win after allowing five runs on as many hits. He struck out four and walked three. Francisco Cordero earned his 18th save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.
Vernon Wells and Scott Rolen each had a pair of RBI, while Aaron Hill hit a solo homer for Toronto, which had a three-game winning streak halted.
Brett Cecil, who was making only his sixth big league start, lasted only three innings. The lefy was raked for nine hits and five runs while walking three, but did not figure in the decision. Shawn Camp (0-3) was tagged with the loss despite giving up a run on three hits in four innings of relief.
With the game deadlocked at 5-5, Votto, born and raised in the Toronto area, belted a first-pitch slider over the right-field wall to lead off the seventh. The Reds then tacked on another in the eighth. Paul Janish doubled to start the inning, took third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Taveras' squeeze bunt single.
Cordero took the hill for the bottom of the ninth and issued a one-out walk to Lyle Overbay, but the hard-throwing closer set down Rod Barajas and Russ Adams to end the game.
Cincinnati jumped on Cecil for a four spot in the top of the first. Taveras got things started with a double and after the next two batters were retired, back-to-back RBI doubles by Votto and Jonny Gomes made it 2-0. Ramon Hernandez then drew a walk and Bruce chased in two more with another two-bagger.
Hill's solo homer in the bottom half got the Blue Jays on the board.
Votto's run-scoring single in the second put the Reds in front 5-1. However, Toronto pushed across four runs to even things in the fifth. With the bases loaded and two away, Wells roped a two-run base hit to left, then after a brief mound visit, Rolen's two RBI single up the middle tied it.
Game Notes
Cincinnati opens a three-game interleague set at Cleveland on Friday, while Toronto welcomes Philadelphia to the Rogers Centre...The Reds finished 5- for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine, while the Blue Jays went 2-for-4 with RISP and left four men on base.
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Willie Harris and Josh Bard each finished with three hits and drove in a pair of runs as Washington spoiled the Red Sox debut of John Smoltz with a 9-3 thrashing in the finale of a three-game interle
<< Ramirez slams Marlins past Orioles
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hanley Ramirez went 3-for-5 with a grand slam and
five total runs batted in, as the Florida Marlins completed a three-game sweep
of Baltimore with an 11-3 victory.
Rookie Sean West (3-2) tossed six shutout inni
<< Gal leads suspended Wegmans LPGA
Rochester, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sandra Gal fired an eight-under 64 and held a
one-shot lead Thursday when the rain-delayed first round of the Wegmans LPGA
was suspended due to darkness.
Jiyai Shin stood alone in second place at seven-un
<< CFL announces final cutdowns
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Canadian Football League on
Thursday announced its final roster cutdowns before the start of the regular
season.
Below is a list of players released, sorted by team and position:
The B
<< Iles in front at Players Cup
Bridgeport, WV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bradley Iles of New Zealand fired a seven-
under-par 65 on Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Nationwide Tour
Players Cup.
Canadian Brad Fritsch posted a six-under 66 at Pete Dye Golf Club and
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Andrew McCutchen singled in Jack Wilson with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to boost Pittsburgh over Cleveland, 3-2, in the rubber match of a three-game series. McCutchen, playing in
Smoltz activated from DL, makes season debut >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Right-handed pitcher John Smoltz
was activated from the 15-day disabled list on Thursday in time to make his
season and Red Sox debut.
It was not a successful one for the 42-year-old, who w
Knicks get draft rights to Douglas from Lakers >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Knicks acquired the draft rights
of Florida State shooting guard Toney Douglas from the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Knicks sent the Lakers 2011 second-round draft choice and cash
considerations.
Do
Knicks send Richardson to Memphis for Milicic >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Knicks sent veteran swingman
Quentin Richardson and cash to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for forward
Darko Milicic.
The 29-year-old Richardson is coming off a season in which he averaged 10.2
A-Rod reaches Reggie, Yankees outslug Braves >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Rodriguez moved into a tie for 11th place
on the all-time home run list and finished with four runs batted in to lead
the New York Yankees to an 11-7 win over the Atlanta Braves in the rubber
match o
Police report: Terrell Owens hospitalized after attempt
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
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your VISA Sportsbook needs.