Cubs head to Colorado to take on slumping Rox

Baseball Betting Lines

07/30/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Canadian-born lefty Jeff Francis can get the Colorado Rockies started on a long-awaited win streak tonight, when the team hosts the Chicago Cubs to open a three-game weekend series at Coors Field.

The Rockies sit on the verge of playoff extinction after a recent eight-game losing streak, though they finally broke through for a victory on Thursday to salvage the finale of a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ubaldo Jimenez turned in seven strong innings and Clint Barmes drove in three runs as Colorado blitzed Pittsburgh, 9-3.

Dexter Fowler contributed three hits, including a two-run double, while Carlos Gonzalez and Brad Hawpe each hit a solo homer for the Rockies, who hadn't won since July 20 at Florida.

Jimenez (16-2) recovered from a horrible outing at Philadelphia on Saturday by scattering four hits and allowing one run, while fanning six with three walks.

The Rockies are fourth in the National League's West Division, nine games behind the first-place San Diego Padres. They trail the current NL Wild Card leaders, the San Francisco Giants, by 5 1/2 games.

Francis, a 29-year-old native of Vancouver, is unbeaten in four starts since a 13-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on June 30. He's won just one decision in those four outings, however, and the Rockies are 7-6 in the 13 games he's pitched this year.

His last victory came on July 20 at Florida, when he tossed seven innings of scoreless three-hit ball en route to a 10-0 victory over the Marlins.

Francis, who's not gotten a decision in five career starts against the Cubs, is 1-1 in seven outings at home this season with a 4.54 earned run average in 41 2/3 innings.

He's opposed by fellow Canadian Ryan Dempster, who also aims for a fifth straight start without a loss.

A native of Gibsons, British Columbia, Dempster was 6-7 after a 12-0 loss to Cincinnati on July 2, but has since gone 2-0 while allowing 31 hits and 15 runs in 23 2/3 innings. The Cubs are 3-1 in his last four starts.

Dempster, a former closer, is 5-3 with two saves and a hold in 16 career meetings with Colorado, allowing 39 earned runs and recording 44 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings.

He is 4-3 in 10 road starts this season.

The Cubs were last in action on Wednesday, when Houston's Carlos Lee slugged a pair of two-run home runs to back the solid pitching of Bud Norris in the Astros' 8-1 win over Chicago to close a three-game set.

Randy Wells (5-8) was charged with three runs on five hits and five walks over 5 2/3 frames for Chicago, which has dropped three out of four.

The Cubs are fourth in the NL Central, 10 1/2 games behind the first-place Cincinnati Reds and 11 1/2 behind the Giants in the Wild Card race.

Chicago swept a two-game set from the Rockies at Wrigley Field from May 17-18, but lost three of four games between the teams held at Coors Field last season.

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NFL Football Betting : Odds on NFL Division to Win the Super Bowl

NFL Super Bowl Betting

The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.

Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.

The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.