Brewers send Parra to mound in opener with Astros

Baseball Betting Lines

06/28/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manny Parra hopes to continue the Milwaukee Brewers' tremendous starting pitching of late when they open a three-game set with the Houston Astros tonight at Miller Park.

Milwaukee won for the sixth time in seven tries on Sunday, as Chris Narveson tossed eight scoreless innings to help the Brewers blank the Seattle Mariners, 3-0. Rickie Weeks finished a triple shy of the cycle in the win, while Prince Fielder and Corey Hart each drove in a run for the victors.

Narveson (7-4) gave up just four hits to go with seven strikeouts and one walk in his second straight win. John Axford recorded his seventh save of the season.

"I made them hit my pitch instead of waiting to see how they would react," Narveson said. "It was big to go eight [innings] because it saved the bullpen and got us right to our closer. This was a significant win for us after we lost yesterday."

Parra gets the call tonight, as he tries to improve upon a 2-5 record. He picked up the win on Wednesday against Minnesota, holding the Twins to two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Parra, though, matched a team record with four wild pitches.

Since going just three innings against the Mets on May 29, Parra has given up 2.25 runs per start over 5 2/3 innings per outing in his four appearances to lower his ERA on the year to 3.83.

"I think I've been pitching well lately," Parra said. "I've been right around that quality-start mark all four times this month, coming up two outs short once and one out short last time. That's really my goal, is to go out there and give the team a quality start and a chance to win every time."

Parra has faced the Astros seven times and is 4-3 with a 4.91 ERA.

Houston will counter with righty Bud Norris, who returns after a stint on the disabled list with biceps tendinitis. Norris hasn't pitched since May 23 and is 2-5 on the year with a 6.80 ERA.

Norris, who is 1-0 in two starts against the Brewers with a 2.45 ERA, has made it past the fifth inning in only one of his nine starts this season.

The Astros come into tonight's tilt having dropped two of three to the red-hot Texas Rangers. Houston was denied a series win in its matchup with its Lone Star State rivals on Sunday, falling in Arlington, 10-1.

Michael Bourn went 1-for-4 with an RBI for the Astros, who have lost two straight following a three-game win streak. Roy Oswalt (5-10) was pounded for eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits and four walks in just 4 2/3 frames to take the loss.

"I just kind of missed spots, pretty much, threw it over the middle of the plate," Oswalt said. "It doesn't matter really who you throw it to, throw it over the middle of the plate, you're going to get hit."

Milwaukee took two of three from the Astros earlier in the season and has won seven of the last nine overall matchups.

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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.