<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=290 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top width="40%" height=20>MLB
</TD><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top align=right width="60%" height=20>Tue, Oct 18, 2005 </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" colSpan=2>Sharps throwing cash at Houston hurler </TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 width="100%" colSpan=2>Josh Hansen</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
It’s the Houston Astros` staple.
The glue that’s held an offensively dysfunctional team together and the elastic that has sprung them within one win of making their first trip to the World Series dance - pitching.
And by the sounds of things, it’s what sharp bettors are counting on tonight when the +140 underdog Astros head into Busch Stadium for their Game 6 meeting with the St. Louis Cardinals.
“The public will be on the Cards and the wise will be on the Astros,” says BetCRIS.com linesmaker Randy Stafford. “It’s the same matchup as Game 2 but a bigger price.
<LINK type=text/css rel=stylesheet src="/STYLES/base.css"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=220 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=gradblue> </TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>“No one has really taken the Cards. It seems the wise guys are taking the price on Roy Oswalt and not Mark Mulder."
Looking at Oswalt`s numbers, you can see why. He`s the only MLB pitcher to record 20 wins in each of the last two seasons and held the potent St. Louis offense to only five hits and one run over seven innings in a Game 2 victory.
That said, Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder posted similar numbers during that game and is throwing behind a club that’s riding an emotional high after a ninth-inning comeback Tuesday night in Houston.
Houston was one pitch away from the Series when St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols slammed a Brad Lidge slider into the left field night to boost the Cards to a 5-4 victory.
The win cut Houston’s series lead to 3-2, placing the Cardinals in the same situation as last year when they won the final two home games versus Houston after trailing 3-2 in the NLCS.
“It gives us the edge to go back to St. Louis, but you still have to win two games,” Pujols told the Houston Chronicle. “We were in this situation last year coming out to our place, so hopefully we can do it again."
Of course, that`s only one way of looking at the situation.
“Well you’d have to say the Cards because they’re going home and are in the same situation as last year,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “But you still have to give the edge to Houston’s pitching staff. The Cards used their [best pitcher, Chris Carpenter] Tuesday night.” Oddsmakers have today`s total pegged at 7 runs.
</TD><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top align=right width="60%" height=20>Tue, Oct 18, 2005 </TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" colSpan=2>Sharps throwing cash at Houston hurler </TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 width="100%" colSpan=2>Josh Hansen</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
It’s the Houston Astros` staple.
The glue that’s held an offensively dysfunctional team together and the elastic that has sprung them within one win of making their first trip to the World Series dance - pitching.
And by the sounds of things, it’s what sharp bettors are counting on tonight when the +140 underdog Astros head into Busch Stadium for their Game 6 meeting with the St. Louis Cardinals.
“The public will be on the Cards and the wise will be on the Astros,” says BetCRIS.com linesmaker Randy Stafford. “It’s the same matchup as Game 2 but a bigger price.
<LINK type=text/css rel=stylesheet src="/STYLES/base.css"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=220 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=gradblue> </TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>“No one has really taken the Cards. It seems the wise guys are taking the price on Roy Oswalt and not Mark Mulder."
Looking at Oswalt`s numbers, you can see why. He`s the only MLB pitcher to record 20 wins in each of the last two seasons and held the potent St. Louis offense to only five hits and one run over seven innings in a Game 2 victory.
That said, Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder posted similar numbers during that game and is throwing behind a club that’s riding an emotional high after a ninth-inning comeback Tuesday night in Houston.
Houston was one pitch away from the Series when St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols slammed a Brad Lidge slider into the left field night to boost the Cards to a 5-4 victory.
The win cut Houston’s series lead to 3-2, placing the Cardinals in the same situation as last year when they won the final two home games versus Houston after trailing 3-2 in the NLCS.
“It gives us the edge to go back to St. Louis, but you still have to win two games,” Pujols told the Houston Chronicle. “We were in this situation last year coming out to our place, so hopefully we can do it again."
Of course, that`s only one way of looking at the situation.
“Well you’d have to say the Cards because they’re going home and are in the same situation as last year,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “But you still have to give the edge to Houston’s pitching staff. The Cards used their [best pitcher, Chris Carpenter] Tuesday night.” Oddsmakers have today`s total pegged at 7 runs.