Padres send out Latos in hopes of taking set from Dodgers

Baseball Betting Lines

07/29/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mat Latos attempts to win his seventh straight decision this evening, when the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers close out a three-game series at Petco Park.

Latos, who had recently been sidelined with a strained left oblique brought on by a sneeze, has won his last six decisions and is 11-4 with a 2.48 earned run average on the year. He returned from the disabled list to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, holding them to two runs and seven hits in six innings.

"I thought he threw the ball well from the first inning on," Padres manager Bud Black said of Latos in his return. "Hopefully he'll do what he's done all year."

Latos has allowed just three runs over his last five starts and has also allowed two runs or less in 13 of his last 14 outings. He lost to the Dodgers in his only career start against them, which took place last season.

San Diego evened this series at a game apiece on Wednesday, as Jerry Hairston Jr. drove in three runs and Clayton Richard was solid in six innings on the mound, helping the Padres to a 6-1 win.

Richard (8-5) gave up one run on four hits for the Padres, who bounced back from a 2-0 loss in the opener of this series. He also struck out six and walked one.

Chris Denorfia, Nick Hundley, and Adrian Gonzalez each had an RBI for NL West- leading San Diego, which has won four of five.

"We really don't put that much pressure on ourselves," Hairston said. "We just got out and have fun. Maybe this team doesn't know any better, but that's a good thing."

Jamey Carroll knocked in the lone run for the Dodgers, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Hiroki Kuroda (8-9) went six-plus frames in the start, giving up three runs on four hits to take the loss. He also fanned five batters and walked two.

"He had good stuff today. We just couldn't get a win for him," Dodgers catcher Russell Martin said of Kuroda afterward.

Getting the call for the Dodgers tonight will be righty Vicente Padilla, who is 4-3 with a 3.41 ERA. Padilla did not get a decision on Friday against the New York Mets, but allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits in seven innings of his team's 6-1 loss.

Padilla has faced the Padres 16 times (seven starts) and is 2-1 with a 3.23 ERA.

Los Angeles has won five of seven over the Padres this year, including a three-game sweep at Petco Park from May 14-16.

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Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State

It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.

Work left to do:

Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney.

Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable.

Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

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