Braves seek to bounce back in second test with Pirates

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09/07/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Atlanta's offense has been mostly shut down during its current stretch of four losses in five games. That is exactly what starter Tim Hudson has done to Pittsburgh over the last few years, though.

Hudson looks to extend a run of 22 consecutive innings of not allowing an earned run versus the Pirates, who continue a three-game set with the struggling Braves tonight at PNC Park.

Atlanta has been held to a pair of runs or less in each of its last four losses and is just 8-10 since Aug. 19. Those struggles have allowed Philadelphia to close within a half-game of the first-place Braves in the National League East.

The club should be glad to have Hudson, who hasn't allowed an earned run versus the Pirates since Aug. 23, 2006. He has won each of last three starts against them, including a May 21 outing in which he threw eight shutout innings and worked around three hits and four walks to improve to 5-3 with a 2.45 earned run average lifetime versus Pittsburgh.

The 35-year-old is coming off his first loss since July 17, as he had a six- decision win streak end on Thursday versus the Mets after allowing four runs -- three earned -- over seven innings. He dipped to 15-6 on the season, and his 2.30 ERA is tied for second-best in the NL.

The right-handed Hudson is also 5-2 with a 2.71 ERA in 13 road starts and hasn't lost as the guest pitcher since June 23.

Atlanta will try to supply its hurler with more offense than it managed last night, when David Ross plated the Braves' only run with a sacrifice fly. Derrek Lee added two hits and scored that run on his 35th birthday, while starting pitcher Tommy Hanson allowed three runs -- two earned -- in six innings to take the loss.

"We had some hits and we had some runners," said Atlanta manager Bobby Cox after his club left 10 men on base and went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. "We just didn't get the big hit to get back in the game. We thought we were going to get it just about every inning, but it never happened."

Neil Walker paced the Pirates with a two-run homer, his fifth long ball on a 13-game hitting streak in which he is hitting .404 (23-for-57) with 16 RBI. Jose Tabata added an RBI and scored a run for the Pirates, who had lost seven of nine overall before the game and picked up just their second victory in seven meetings with the Braves this year.

Atlanta has still own eight of the last 12 overall in the series.

Stepping in for an injured Jeff Karstens (shoulder), Brian Burres gave up one run over six innings for Pittsburgh, working around five hits without a walk.

"I can't say enough of the job he did out there today," said Pirates manager John Russell about Burres after the game. "He kept us in the game. We knew coming in facing the three pitchers we're going to face that it's going to be tough and he did a great job for us."

James McDonald tries to put the brakes on a three-start slide this evening for Pittsburgh, a skid in which he has pitched to a 7.71 ERA.

The right-hander was charged with three runs over five innings in a loss to the Cubs on Wednesday, falling to 2-4 with a 5.03 ERA in six starts since being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

McDonald, 25, will be making his first career start versus the Braves but has faced them twice in relief, striking out five over four scoreless innings.

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FOOTBALL BETTING

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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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