Rivera homers as Angels edge Dodgers

Baseball Betting Lines

06/13/2010 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Juan Rivera clubbed a two-run homer to help the Angels defeat the Dodgers, 4-2, in the middle contest of a three-game interleague series at Chavez Ravine.

Howie Kendrick and Torii Hunter each had an RBI double for the Angels, who improved to 10-3 on their 14-game road trip. Scott Kazmir (6-5) gave up two runs on three hits and four walks in five innings to get the win, his third in as many outings.

"Scott had a live fastball and pitched really well with his changeup," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "He battled and set a tone early. Our bullpen did a good job of putting up four zeros."

Russell Martin hit a two-run double for the Dodgers, who were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base. Rookie John Ely (3-3) allowed four runs on six hits and walked three over five full frames.

"We had our opportunities to do some stuff," said Dodgers manager Joe Torre. "John Ely was a little off tonight. He can't challenge people down the middle because he is not overpowering."

The Angels grabbed a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. Kendrick led off with a double, advanced to third on a Bobby Abreu groundout and came home when Hunter stroked a double to left field. After Maicer Izturis lined out, Rivera deposited a 2-2 pitch into the Dodgers' bullpen beyond the left-field wall.

Kendrick doubled home Erick Aybar to give the visitors a 4-0 lead in the fifth. Martin halved the deficit in the bottom of the inning.

The Dodgers had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh, but Kevin Jepsen fanned Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp grounded into a fielder's choice.

Fernando Rodney set down the Dodgers in order in the eighth and Brian Fuentes finished things off in the ninth to collect his ninth save of the season.

Game Notes

Kazmir has won four of his past five starts...The Angels are 7-3 in their last 10 games at Dodger Stadium...The Dodgers fell to 8-4 on their 13-game homestand...Angels outfielder/designated hitter Hideki Matsui celebrated his 36th birthday.

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Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.