Homers help Dodgers get past Reds

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08/22/2010 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manny Ramirez was a non-factor in his return to the Los Angeles lineup, but the Dodgers got home runs from four different players, all on back-to-back occasions, in an 8-5 triumph over the NL Central-leading Reds, snapping Cincinnati's seven-game winning streak.

Ryan Theriot, Andre Ethier, Jay Gibbons and Matt Kemp each hit a solo homer, as the Dodgers bounced back from a 3-1 loss on Friday. That defeat snapped a 12-game home winning streak over the Reds.

Ramirez, who was put on the DL July 20, retroactive to July 17, due to a right calf strain, went hitless in three at-bats and fanned twice before being replaced in left field by Reed Johnson to start the sixth inning.

Chad Billingsley (10-7), who had lost his last two decisions, allowed seven hits and three runs over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander, who also had seven strikeouts, posted his first victory since July 27 at San Diego.

"Four home runs, that came out of nowhere," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "We kept coming at them and did some good things. Chad was okay. He had a tightness in his calf. That's why I took him out."

Jonathan Broxton was back in the closer's role and retired the side in order in the ninth to get his 22nd save.

It was a rough return for Cincinnati righty Johnny Cueto (11-4), who was out while serving a seven-game suspension for his actions in a benches-clearing brawl against St. Louis earlier this month. Cueto permitted five hits, four of them homers, five runs and walked three batters over three innings.

Joey Votto drove in two runs for the Reds, who had an eight-game road winning streak snapped. Their lead in the NL Central was trimmed to 3 1/2 games over the Cardinals, who beat San Francisco earlier Saturday.

Cueto walked three straight batters in the first inning, the last in the stretch to Casey Blake to force in the game's first run.

The Dodgers then played longball in the second with Theriot and Ethier going- back-to-back with two outs. Gibbons homered to center leading off the bottom of the third and Kemp followed suit to left for a 5-0 margin.

"Johnny couldn't find the strike zone," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "He lost his rhythm and they started hitting the ball out of the ballpark. We were playing catch-up, but we couldn't trade runs with them."

Drew Stubbs scored on Votto's groundout in the fourth, but Billingsley worked out of a jam in the fifth when he fanned Stubbs to leave two runners on base.

Blake doubled in a run in the fifth and scored on Jamey Carroll's base hit to left.

The Reds scored twice in the sixth and seventh to make it a tight game at 7-5. Jay Bruce lofted a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Ramon Hernandez followed with an RBI double. In the seventh, Votto singled in Brandon Phillips and then Scott Rolen's fielder's choice grounder plated Stubbs. Rolen went to second on a balk, but was left there when Jonny Gomes flied out.

Blake and Carroll singled in the bottom of the inning off Jordan Smith. Brad Ausmus followed by hitting a chopper toward third base, and Rolen's throw home was late, allowing Blake to score.

Game Notes

The Dodgers made room for Ramirez on the roster by designating infielder Juan Castro for assignment...Cueto fell to 0-3 lifetime against the Dodgers...Billingsley hasn't given up a homer in his last 87 innings, the longest current stretch in the majors.

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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

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