Giants and Dodgers Open Series in Los Angeles
Barry Zito and Chad Billingsley go head-to-head for a fourth time this season when the Dodgers and Giants open a three-game set on Friday in Los Angeles.
Barry Zito and Chad Billingsley will square off for a fourth time this baseball season when the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers open their weekend set Friday at Chavez Ravine. If the result is anything like the first three meetings between the two hurlers, 'under' bettors can go ahead and count their winnings.
Early money lines offshore started with the Dodgers as 130-135 favorites. TheGreek.com opened its total at 7½ and was charging $1.25 for the 'under' while offering plus 105 on the 'over.'
You can stick a fork in the Dodgers' season with Joe Torre's troops entering this set just two games above .500 and having dropped four of their previous five contests. Los Angeles' 68-66 record is nearly nine units in the red.
San Francisco is still very much in the hunt though Bruce Bochy's boys are coming off a losing month of August with a 13-15 mark. The Giants won three of the last four on their recent homestand and begin a 10-game road trip with this game. San Fran is up a little more than six units with a 74-60 overall record, a game below .500 on the road (32-33).
The Giants begin play today three games back of the Padres in the NL West and two behind the Phillies for the NL wild card.
This weekend marks the fifth series between the two old rivals this season, and last that will be in LA. The Dodgers visit San Francisco about 10 days from now to wrap up their 2010 head-to-head battles. The previous 12 games have gone the way of the home team eight times. San Francisco swept three from the Dodgers at AT&T Park five weeks ago.
Billingsley and Zito have obviously been involved a lot so far if this is the fourth time they match up. Zito has pitched in each series and will be facing the Dodgers for a fifth time in 2010; Billingsley missed action when the two got together in April, but has been in the three series since.
The three head-to-head battles between Zito and Billingsley have produced a combines 11 runs between the Giants and Dodgers. Los Angeles has won two, with Billingsley tossing a five-hit shutout for the 2-0 win in the only meeting in LA to date (July 21). The Dodgers were minus 140 on the MLB odds board in that one, with Zito working 7 1/3 innings and allowing both Los Angeles runs.
Zito was a 160 underdog when he faced Clayton Kershaw at Dodger Stadium on April 18. He no-decisioned in that one with the Giants falling 2-1. The southpaw has a sub-2.00 ERA in 27 2/3 innings versus LA this season, with a loss and three no-decisions to show on his personal ledger. San Francisco is 1-3 in the contests and has supported Zito with all of five runs.
Billingsley has allowed just two earned runs in 21 2/3 frames against the Giants with his Los Angeles teammates scoring seven runs in the three affairs.
All signs point to a typical sunny day in Los Angeles, with a game-time temperature in the upper 70s and ESE winds 5-10 mph (1B dugout out to LF corner).
Saturday's second game of the set finds Matt Cain (14-13, 3.11) facing LA's Ted Lilly (5-1, 3.29). The two squads close things out Sunday night on ESPN with Jonathan Sanchez (16-11, 3.54) going against Hiroki Kuroda (14-12, 3.39).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
Barry Zito and Chad Billingsley go head-to-head for a fourth time this season when the Dodgers and Giants open a three-game set on Friday in Los Angeles.
Barry Zito and Chad Billingsley will square off for a fourth time this baseball season when the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers open their weekend set Friday at Chavez Ravine. If the result is anything like the first three meetings between the two hurlers, 'under' bettors can go ahead and count their winnings.
Early money lines offshore started with the Dodgers as 130-135 favorites. TheGreek.com opened its total at 7½ and was charging $1.25 for the 'under' while offering plus 105 on the 'over.'
You can stick a fork in the Dodgers' season with Joe Torre's troops entering this set just two games above .500 and having dropped four of their previous five contests. Los Angeles' 68-66 record is nearly nine units in the red.
San Francisco is still very much in the hunt though Bruce Bochy's boys are coming off a losing month of August with a 13-15 mark. The Giants won three of the last four on their recent homestand and begin a 10-game road trip with this game. San Fran is up a little more than six units with a 74-60 overall record, a game below .500 on the road (32-33).
The Giants begin play today three games back of the Padres in the NL West and two behind the Phillies for the NL wild card.
This weekend marks the fifth series between the two old rivals this season, and last that will be in LA. The Dodgers visit San Francisco about 10 days from now to wrap up their 2010 head-to-head battles. The previous 12 games have gone the way of the home team eight times. San Francisco swept three from the Dodgers at AT&T Park five weeks ago.
Billingsley and Zito have obviously been involved a lot so far if this is the fourth time they match up. Zito has pitched in each series and will be facing the Dodgers for a fifth time in 2010; Billingsley missed action when the two got together in April, but has been in the three series since.
The three head-to-head battles between Zito and Billingsley have produced a combines 11 runs between the Giants and Dodgers. Los Angeles has won two, with Billingsley tossing a five-hit shutout for the 2-0 win in the only meeting in LA to date (July 21). The Dodgers were minus 140 on the MLB odds board in that one, with Zito working 7 1/3 innings and allowing both Los Angeles runs.
Zito was a 160 underdog when he faced Clayton Kershaw at Dodger Stadium on April 18. He no-decisioned in that one with the Giants falling 2-1. The southpaw has a sub-2.00 ERA in 27 2/3 innings versus LA this season, with a loss and three no-decisions to show on his personal ledger. San Francisco is 1-3 in the contests and has supported Zito with all of five runs.
Billingsley has allowed just two earned runs in 21 2/3 frames against the Giants with his Los Angeles teammates scoring seven runs in the three affairs.
All signs point to a typical sunny day in Los Angeles, with a game-time temperature in the upper 70s and ESE winds 5-10 mph (1B dugout out to LF corner).
Saturday's second game of the set finds Matt Cain (14-13, 3.11) facing LA's Ted Lilly (5-1, 3.29). The two squads close things out Sunday night on ESPN with Jonathan Sanchez (16-11, 3.54) going against Hiroki Kuroda (14-12, 3.39).
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
