Stammen strong, so are Nats' bats as Oswalt's Philly debut a dud

Baseball Betting Lines

07/30/2010 - Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Josh Willingham and Roger Bernadina both stroked a two-run double to back a solid outing by Craig Stammen, as Washington cooled off the surging Phillies, 8-1, and, in doing so, spoiled Roy Oswalt's Philadelphia debut.

Stammen (3-4) gave up one run on five hits, walked one and struck out five over 6 1/3 innings to pick up his first win since June 29. He had given up a total of 11 runs in his two previous career starts against the Phillies, including a nightmarish outing in April, when he recorded just four outs.

Adam Kennedy collected four hits, scored twice and knocked in a run for the Nationals, who have won three of their last four games.

The story entering Friday's series opener was about the newly-acquired Oswalt (6-13) making his first start for the red-hot Phillies, winners of eight in a row. The right-hander allowed five runs -- four earned -- on seven hits and walked two in six innings to absorb his third straight loss.

Philadelphia is hoping Oswalt, who opted to waive his no-trade clause to leave the languishing Astros and join the Phillies on Thursday, can be just as successful as last year's trade deadline pickup, Cliff Lee, in helping the club reach the World Series again.

Oswalt's first pitch in a Phillies uniform resulted in a leadoff triple for Nyjer Morgan, who scored on a Kennedy groundout to give Washington an early lead.

Stammen singled off the glove of first baseman Ryan Howard to begin the third. Oswalt then hit Morgan before Kennedy dropped down a bunt. Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz fielded the bunt and threw to third with the intention of getting Stammen. However, nobody was covering third, which allowed Stammen to score with ease. Morgan took third on the play and came home on a Ryan Zimmerman sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

Willingham's two-out double increased the advantage to 5-0 in the fifth.

The Phillies finally got on the board when Jayson Werth homered to leadoff the seventh, but the Nationals countered with three runs in the bottom of the inning off reliever Chad Durbin.

Willingham walked to load the bases with one out for Bernadina, who doubled to the right-field corner and two batters later Ian Desmond's sac fly pushed the lead to 8-1.

Game Notes

Houston received pitcher J.A. Happ and minor league prospects Jonathan Villar and Anthony Gose for Oswalt...Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins returned to the starting lineup after missing the last three games with a bruised left foot...Werth has 15 home runs this season...The Nationals were 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

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According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

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Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

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Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

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