Venable's homer helps Padres sweep Marlins

Baseball Betting Lines

06/27/2010 - Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Will Venable hit a two-run homer in the top of the eighth and drove in a total of three runs, as the San Diego Padres defeated the Florida Marlins, 4-2, to complete a three-game series sweep at Sun Life Stadium.

Chase Headley knocked in the other run for the Padres, who went 5-1 on a six- game road trip.

Mat Latos went 5 2/3 innings in the start, allowing one run on five hits. He also fanned five batters and walked four in a no-decision. Ryan Webb (3-1) gave up one run on three hits in 1 1/3 innings of relief to pick up the win. Luke Gregerson recorded his first save of the season.

Jorge Cantu and Emilio Bonifacio each had two hits and an RBI for the Marlins, who were swept by the Padres for the first time since May 13-15, 2005 in San Diego.

Anibal Sanchez allowed two runs -- one earned -- on four hits in a six-inning start. Brian Sanches (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up the homer to Venable.

With the score deadlocked at two, San Diego scored in the eighth via Venable's blast. Yorvit Torrealba singled off Sanches, whose 2-2 fastball to Venable was crushed into the seats in right.

Edward Mujica and Gregerson tossed a perfect eighth and ninth, respectively, to seal the victory.

The Padres drew first blood in the first inning. David Eckstein worked a one- out walk, moved to second on Adrian Gonzalez's groundout, and crossed the plate on Headley's single to center.

Florida failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity in the second. Dan Uggla doubled, Ronny Paulino walked, and Bonifacio hit an infield single to load the bases with one out. Latos, though, struck out Sanchez and Chris Coghlan to end the threat.

San Diego added a run in the top of the sixth to make it a 2-0 game. Adrian Gonzalez reached first on second baseman Uggla's fielding error, Headley walked, and Torrealba reached on a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Venable then lofted a sacrifice fly to center, and Everth Cabrera grounded into a double play to end the frame.

The Marlins got the run back in the home half. Cody Ross doubled and Paulino walked with two outs. Webb relieved Latos and Bonifacio greeted him with an RBI single up the middle. Pinch-hitter Mike Lamb lined out to keep it a 2-1 contest.

Florida tied things up in the seventh. Coghlan reached on an infield single, moved to second on a groundout, and scored on Cantu's base hit.

Game Notes

San Diego leads the season series with Florida, 5-1...The last time the Padres swept the Marlins in Florida was August 11-13, 2000...San Diego clinched its fourth sweep of the season...The Padres improved to 22-14 on the road this year...Florida welcomes the Mets to town for a three-game series starting Monday...San Diego begins a seven-game homestand with the first of three contests against the Rockies on Monday.

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Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting

So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.

Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?

If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)

Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).

In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.

Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.

The Bubble Breakdown
CONFERENCE LOCKS SHOULD BE INS AT-LARGES TAKEN
(assuming no auto bid outlier)
ACC Betting Odds 6 0 5
Big East Betting Odds 5 0 4
Big Ten Betting Odds 2 2 3
Big 12 Betting Odds 3 0 2
Pac-10 Betting Odds 5 1 5
SEC Betting Odds 4 0 3
MVC Betting Odds 1 1 1
MWC Betting Odds 2 1 2
TOTAL 28 5 25

As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.

(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)

If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.

 

Work left to do:

Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.

Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).

Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.

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