08/29/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Southpaw Scott Kazmir pitches for a piece of Tampa Bay franchise history tonight when the Rays take on the visiting Baltimore Orioles in the opening test of a three-game weekend series at Tropicana Field.
A former first-round draft pick of the New York Mets - 15th overall - in 2002, Kazmir can guarantee the Rays their first above-.500 record with their 82nd win of the season in game No. 133.
Tampa Bay had never won more than 70 games in any one season prior to this year, which now finds them atop the American League East Division - 4 1/2 games ahead of the defending world champion Boston Red Sox.
Kazmir reached the majors with the Rays in 2004 and has scored double-digit wins in three straight seasons since, including a career-high 13 victories in 34 starts in 2007.
He got within one win of another double-digit effort on Aug. 17, allowing four hits and two runs in six innings of Tampa Bay's 7-4 victory at Texas.
Kazmir is 5-1 in 10 home starts with a 2.51 earned run average in 57 1/3 innings.
For the Orioles, right-hander Jeremy Guthrie is trying to regain the momentum of an eight-start stretch between July 4 and Aug. 13, in which he went 6-1 with a no-decision.
He's dropped two consecutive starts since, allowing 12 hits and seven runs in 13 2/3 innings against the Red Sox and New York Yankees.
The 29-year-old Oregon native faced the Rays three times in the season's first two months, losing twice and getting a no-decision over 18 1/3 innings while being touched for 21 hits and eight earned runs.
He is 6-4 with a complete game and a 2.92 ERA in 14 road starts in 2008.
On Thursday in St. Petersburg, Willy Aybar's solo home run in the sixth inning proved to be the difference, as Tampa Bay clipped Toronto, 3-2, in the finale of a three-game set.
Cliff Floyd also homered and drove in the other two runs for the Rays, who took the final two games of the series and have won four of six overall.
Edwin Jackson (11-8) went seven-plus innings, allowing six hits and one run with two strikeouts. Dan Wheeler fanned two in his relief inning, earning his 10th save.
On Wednesday in Baltimore, Melvin Mora, Aubrey Huff and Kevin Millar all homered as the Orioles avoided a sweep by routing Chicago, 11-3, in the finale of a three-game set at Camden Yards.
Brian Roberts was 2-for-5 with three RBI for the Orioles, who snapped a five- game skid. Juan Castro was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI while Luke Scott and Lou Montanez were also 2-for-3 with two runs scored each.
Radhames Liz (5-3), making his second start since returning from a stint in the minors, allowed two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win.
Tampa has won eight of its 11 meetings with the O's this season, including five of the six matchups in St. Petersburg.
<< Twins resume series with A's by the bay
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins hope to avoid their fourth straight
loss in Oakland this evening, as they play the second test of a four-game set
with the Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.
The Twins lost for the fifth time in thei
<< Hamilton signs Etienn, Videira and Casement
Hamilton, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hamilton Academical boss Billy Reid has
made three new signings after learning that Mark McLaughlin faces up to two
months on the sidelines.
McLaughlin suffered a knee ligament injury in last
<< Senderos happy about move from Arsenal to AC Milan
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - AC Milan's new signing, Philippe Senderos, is
delighted to have sealed his move from Arsenal to the San Siro on an initial
season-long loan.
The 23-year-old Switzerland international will seal a perma
<< Spurs' Ginobili needs surgery
Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Antonio Spurs star guard Manu
Ginobili needs arthroscopic surgery to repair a ligament in his left heel.
Ginobili, who helped Argentina to a bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics,
revealed
Indians host Mariners hoping to extend win streak to 11 games >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland's current 10-game winning streak may be too
little too late as far as a second straight playoff appearance is concerned.
The optimistic Indians will try to stay on the winning track tonight, when
they begin a three-
Tigers resume homestand with opener against Royals >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers are still searching for the first win on
their current homestand and will take a shot at the Kansas City Royals tonight
in the opener of a three-game series at Comerica Park.
Detroit has lost four in a r
Rockies open set at San Diego >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Both the Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres have had
disappointing 2008 seasons, but each has been playing quite well as of late.
The two National League West members hope to keep up their recent rolls when
they be
Cards to send out struggling Lohse against Astros >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kyle Lohse was the St. Louis Cardinals' best pitcher in the
first half of the season. It's been a different story since the All-Star
break, however.
Lohse will try to find his first-half touch tonight, when the Car
MySportsbook.com Week 1 odds:
Saints +6 @ Colts -6
Falcons @ Vikings (pick ‘em)
Panthers @ Rams (pick ‘em)
Broncos -3.5 @ Bills +3.5
Chiefs -1 @ Texans +1
Dolphins +3 @ Redskins -3
Patriots -5 @ Jets +5
Eagles -3.5 @ Packers +3.5
Steelers -4 @ Browns +4
Titans +6 @ Jaguars -6
Bears +6 @ Chargers -6
Lions +3 @ Raiders -3
Bucs +6.5 @ Seahawks -6.5
Giants +4 @ Cowboys -4
Ravens +3 @ Bengals -3
Cardinals +3 @ 49ers -3
Super Bowl line (2008)
NFC +6.5 vs. AFC -6.5
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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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