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Against the Royals in two previous career appearances, Hammel is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA.
Despite the team's dismal first half of the season, the Royals have actually been hitting the ball fairly well through 83 games, placing seventh in the majors in batting average at .262 entering play on Sunday. Unfortunately, KC hurlers have failed to make timely hitting stand up game after game due to the fact that they have one of the highest ERAs in baseball at the moment (4.58).
"I thought, as expected, he didn't feel strong throughout the game," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "It was hot and he was coming off being real sick. I thought the two pitches, the one pitch he tried to go in on [Domonic] Brown and the other pitch he tried to go away, and it cost him four runs. Other than that, I actually thought he pitched pretty well."
Boston put itself in position for a sweep on Saturday, as Darnell McDonald's three-run homer came during a four-run eighth inning in the Red Sox' 10-4 win. Adrian Gonzalez, Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia all collected three hits and drove in a run apiece for Boston, which has won three straight.
Hunter Pence finished 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI for the Astros, who have dropped 10 of their last 12. Michael Bourn, though, tied a career high with four hits and scored pair of runs in the loss.
Houston will hand the ball to rookie Jordan Lyles, who at 0-3 is still searching for his first big league win. Lyles absorbed the loss on Tuesday against the Texas Rangers, as he was hit for five runs and 10 hits in six innings, upping his ERA to 4.75.
Houston took two of three from the Red Sox the last time these teams met back in 2008.
MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.
Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.
According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).
Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.
''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.
Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.
''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''
Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.
”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.
For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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