Rays aim for series win over lowly Indians

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07/11/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A four-game set and the first half of the season both come to a close today at Tropicana Field, where the Tampa Bay Rays host the Cleveland Indians.

Tampa Bay enters its final test before the All-Star break two games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the American League's East Division and is coming off last night's 4-0 win over the Indians. Matt Garza pitched six shutout innings to lead the way for the Rays, who have won seven of eight.

Garza (10-5) yielded just one hit and one walk while fanning two, marking the first time since April 18 that the righty went at least six innings without yielding a run. He's now one win shy of tying his career-high.

Gabe Kapler drove in two runs for Tampa Bay, which has won two of the first three games in this set.

Jhonny Peralta and Matt LaPorta each singled for the Indians, who have lost four of five. Starting pitcher Aaron Laffey (1-3) allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks in 5 2/3 frames to receive the loss for Cleveland.

"He pitched OK," said Indians manager Manny Acta of Laffey. "Laffey didn't throw enough strikes, but he made a couple good pitches when he had to. He got a couple double-play balls, but he ended up getting hurt by a couple two-out walks. It didn't matter because we didn't score any runs anyway."

Austin Kearns doubled for Cleveland with two outs in the ninth to extend the Indians' streak of games with an extra-base hit to 36, the longest active streak in the AL.

Cleveland's Justin Masterson has struggled so far this season, and the righty will attempt to turn things around this afternoon. He is just 3-8 with a 5.22 ERA and has allowed 115 hits and 45 walks in 100 innings of work. On Tuesday, Masterson was torched for seven earned runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings of action against the Texas Rangers.

Masterson has yet to face Tampa Bay this season and is 1-3 with a 6.33 ERA lifetime against the Rays.

Expected to oppose Masterson tonight is Jeff Niemann, a Tampa righty who has been one of baseball's most surprising pitchers through the first half of this season. Niemann is 7-2 with a 2.65 ERA, adding yet another stud arm to a loaded Rays pitching staff. The 27-year-old threw six shutout innings against Boston on Tuesday, scattering only four hits en route to his latest victory.

Niemann got a no-decision in his only previous start against Cleveland this season and is 0-1 lifetime against the Indians.

Tampa swept a two-game series from the Indians back in May, but Cleveland has won five of the last nine meetings between the teams.

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FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract

Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.

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After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."

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