Davis goes for seventh straight win in Baltimore

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09/05/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wade Davis has been awfully tough to beat over the past two-plus months. Against the Baltimore Orioles, the Tampa Bay Rays pitcher has been just about invincible during his brief tenure in the majors.

Davis tries to extend a club rookie record for consecutive victories and lead the Rays to a series win over the Orioles when the two American League East inhabitants play the rubber match of a three-game set this afternoon at Camden Yards.

In an eight-start stretch beginning on July 3, Davis has won six times without a loss and posted a solid 3.66 earned run average over the course of his unbeaten run. The young right-hander has allowed two runs or less in each of those six wins and now owns an 11-9 mark over 23 outings during his first full season in the big leagues.

The soon-to-be 25-year-old wasn't slowed down by a brief stint on the disabled list last month due to a strained shoulder. Davis has won both of his two starts since being activated and pitched very well in Monday's home triumph over Toronto, yielding just two runs on six hits over 7 2/3 innings.

Davis' best work has come against the Orioles, however, and especially so on the road. He's 3-0 in three career meetings with Baltimore and permitted a mere two runs over a combined 24 innings versus today's opponent, while holding the O's to one run over eight stellar frames in a July 19 matchup at Camden Yards.

The Florida native's first major league win also took place in Baltimore during September of last season, with Davis surrendering just four hits and striking out 10 batters in a complete-game shutout that night.

Tampa Bay has also fared quite well as a team against the Orioles in 2010. The Rays have prevailed in 10 of 14 matchups between the clubs this year and are 6-2 at Camden Yards for the season.

Baltimore was able to best the playoff-hopeful Rays on Saturday, though, with the Orioles pounding out 15 hits and receiving seven strong innings out of Jeremy Guthrie to come through with an 8-4 verdict.

Nick Markakis belted a two-run homer in the first inning and Matt Wieters knocked in two more men with a double during a three-run third that gave Baltimore an early 5-1 advantage. Both players finished with two hits on the night, with Felix Pie going 2-for-5 with two RBI to aid the Orioles as well.

Guthrie (9-13) didn't need all that much support, as the right-hander limited Tampa Bay to two runs and struck out seven to improve to 6-2 in 10 starts since the All-Star break.

Baltimore halted a three-game losing streak with last night's result and is now 5-3 over its last eight contests overall.

"It's been going good so far," said Markakis after the game. "We've just got to keep it going against the teams that we're going to be facing for awhile."

The loss was a costly one for Tampa Bay. With the Yankees defeating Toronto earlier in the day, the Rays fell to 2 1/2 games behind New York in the battle for first place in the AL East. The team still managed to lengthen its lead over Boston in the league's Wild Card standings, though, after the Red Sox lost both ends of a doubleheader with Chicago on Saturday.

Matt Joyce ended 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI and recently-acquired Brad Hawpe also went deep for Tampa Bay, which had won five of its last six coming in.

Rays starter James Shields (13-12) struggled through 4 1/3 innings, with the right-hander reached for six runs on eight hits.

"I don't think I did a very good job of getting ahead in the count today," he stated afterward.

The Rays will attempt to bounce back in today's clash with O's rookie Chris Tillman, a pitcher whom the club battered in a showdown at Camden Yards earlier in the year. The highly-regarded rookie was rocked for eight runs on seven hits and issued four walks in that loss, while lasting only 2 2/3 innings.

Tillman was sent down to Triple-A Norfolk immediately following that disaster and received a promotion when rosters expanded in September. The young righty finished with an 11-7 record and a 3.34 ERA in 21 starts with the Orioles' International League affiliate.

The 22-year-old also took a loss against the Rays last season and is 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA over three career encounters with Tampa Bay. Tillman has also lost all three of his Camden Yards assignments this season and given up 15 runs (14 earned) in just 10 innings, with the opposition batting .435 against him.

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Huskers' Lucky hospitalized for undisclosed reason

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky was hospitalized Monday for undisclosed reasons after Lincoln police responded to a call at his residence.

The Nebraska athletic department said in a release Monday that Lucky was admitted Sunday night.

MySportsbook.com has the Cornhuskers listed at +2500 to win the BCS National Championship odds.

A nursing supervisor at the hospital said all questions about Lucky were being referred to the athletic department. The athletic department said there would be no further comment from the department or Lucky's family.

A Lincoln Police spokesman said officers responded to a call at Lucky's residence 11:30 p.m. Sunday. The spokesman said he didn't know Lucky's condition at the time he was taken to the hospital.

Lucky, from North Hollywood, Calif., started six games last season as a sophomore and was the team's second-leading rusher, with 728 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 383 yards. He averaged 19.1 yards on eight kickoff returns.

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Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

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