Critical Notes

Bonds’ homer watch is still on as he sits at 754 homers, one shy of Hank Aaron’s all-time record. (AP Images)

Well, San Francisco Giants fans will have to wait at least one more day to watch Barry Bonds make history. Bonds failed to homer in four plate appearances, striking out in the first, popping out in the third, walking in the sixth and popping up to the catcher in the seventh.

Bonds remains stuck at 754 career home runs, one shy of tying Hank Aaron’s all-time record.

Fans at least have something to cheer about as the Giants pulled out a 4-3 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Mark Sweeney got a pinch-hit double off Marlins closer Kevin Gregg to tie the game in the ninth for the Giants, who have now won four straight games.

With the score tied at 3-3, Gregg walked Randy Winn to put runners on first and second. Then, veteran Omar Vizquel moved the runners along with a bunt before Ray Durham ’s drive to right field got over the head of former Giant Todd Linden for the game-winner. 

Dontrelle Willis got the start for the Marlins and dominated San Francisco’s hitters through seven innings, allowing two runs -one earned - and seven hits while striking out two and walking three.  

Come see Bodog Sportsbook for all your MLB odds and bets.

LA Angel Garret Anderson watches his home run in the eighth inning versus the Detroit Tigers. (AP Images)

With Garret Anderson’s three-run homer in the eighth, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were well on their way to a 10-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

Anderson ’s homer snapped a 3-3 tie and opened the floodgates for the Angels. Reggie Willits and Chone Figgins each added RBI singles later in the inning and Orlando Cabrera hit a two-run homer to cap the seven-run uprising.

The win was the third straight for the Angels, who have scored 37 runs in their last five games. The Tigers have now lost three in a row and five of seven.

Scot Shields (3-3) allowed a walk and struck out one in the eighth to pick up the win.

Jason Grilli (5-3) yielded two runs and three hits in two innings to take the loss.

Meanwhile in Houston, Roy Oswalt dominated the San Diego Padres again as the Houston Astros won 3-1at Minute Maid Stadium.

Carlos Lee had two hits, including a two-run homer in the first, where the Astros scored all their runs. The team has now won 14 of their last 20 games at home.

Oswalt (10-6), who missed his last start because of a strained chest muscle, allowed just one unearned run and three hits in seven innings.  He struck out a season-high 10 and walked one.

San Diego starter Greg Maddux (7-8) allowed just the three first-inning runs and five hits while walking two in six innings.  He recovered nicely, allowing just two hits after the opening frame and was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning.

Come see Bodog Sportsbook for all your MLB odds and bets.

Lindsay Lohan’s wild ride which led to her arrest earlier this week is explained by her terrified passengers. (AP Images)

The three men who were taken on a joy ride with Lindsay Lohan are speaking up.

Dante Nigro, Jakon Sutter and Ronnie Blake claim that they were passengers in the SUV that Lohan hijacked and raced across LA earlier this week before being arrested for DUI and drug possession.

The men describe Lohan as being full of rage, and herself, as she sped through the streets of LA at over 100 mph claiming that she was above the law because of her celebrity status.

However, after being busted in a parking lot right beside the police station, Lohan changed her story and tried to blame Sutter for the joy ride.

While waiting in the SUV, the boys could hear Lohan saying, “The black kid was driving” before police gave her a field sobriety test which she failed miserably.

A lawyer for Nigro, Sutter and Blake said they are considering legal action against Lohan.

In her only statement since the arrest, Lohan said she’s innocent.

Come see Bodog Sportsbook for all your latest celebrity odds and bets.

Animal rights groups aren’t the only ones blasting Michael Vick, as three major companies have decided to disown him too. (AP Images)

Michael Vick’s woes are far from over as he faces backlash from fans, sponsors and animal-rights groups all over the world.

Major NFL endorser Nike has suspended its lucrative contract with the indicted quarterback, and Reebok has taken the unprecedented step of stopping sales of Vick’s No. 7 Atlanta Falcons jersey.

Donruss, a major trading card company, has also pulled Vick’s card from all new packs.

Facing protests from animal rights groups, Vick’s sponsor Nike has chosen to suspend any endorsement deals without pay and halt sales of any Vick-related products until Vick has his day in court.

These three companies made their decisions during Vick’s initial day in court Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to federal dogfighting charges in Richmond, Virginia.

Vick is also barred from the Falcons’ training camp while the league investigates his actions for possible violations of its new personal conduct policy. He is set for trial November 26 and faces up to five years in prison.

For complete NFL odds for the 2007-08, including Super Bowl odds, visit the Bodog Sportsbook, and be sure to read Bodog Nation’s Arena Action section for the latest NFL analysis from the popular online magazine’s team of expert writers.

Fijian Vijay Singh holds a one-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round of the Canadian Open. (AP Images)

Vijay Singh shot a 3-under 68 at Angus Glen to take a one-shot lead over Australian Steve Allan and John Mallinger during Saturday’s third round of the Canadian Open.

Singh, the sixth-ranked player in the world, made birdies on the first two holes and held the lead for most of the day. However, he bogeyed two of his final six holes and three-putted for par on another, missing his chance to pull away from the field.

Singh, the 2004 Canadian Open champion, now sits at 12-under 201.

Adding some excitement to Sunday’s final round, there are 21 players within two shots of Singh’s lead. Hunter Mahan (67) holds the fourth place spot at 10-under 203, and defending champion Jim Furyk along with Pat Perez are one more shot back at 204.

Furyk hasn’t won since he beat Bart Bryant at last year’s Canadian Open, but he has been arguably the steadiest player in the world, tying for 12th at last week’s British Open, and finishing in the top five three consective times on US soil. His 69 on Saturday keeps him in contention here as well.

Come see Bodog Sportsbook for all your PGA odds and bets.

There’s lots to cheer about at LSU these days. (AI Wire photo)

No JaMarcus Russell? No LaRon Landry? No Dwayne Bowe or Craig Davis? No doubt.

Despite an exodus of stars to the NFL, the LSU Tigers will enter the 2007 college football season as overwhelming favorites to win the SEC. They hold NCAA football odds of 1/1 to win the conference and 8/1 to win the national championship. Only Michigan at 7/1 is a stronger favorite among NCAA bettors.

Defending champion Florida is an 11/4 choice to win the SEC and 9/1 to win the national title again. The Tigers received 54 of 80 first-place votes from reporters who cover the SEC. The Gators got only seven.

Along with losing four key starters to the NFL draft, the Tigers also saw offensive playcaller Jimbo Fisher, who left for Florida State, depart. And tailback Alley Broussard quit on Tuesday because his “heart was no longer in it” and prized quarterback prospect Ryan Perrilloux’s status on the team remains uncertain after an arrest in May. For some programs, all that might add up to a rebuilding year. The Tigers’ biggest issue right now might be dealing with huge expectations after back-to-back 11-win seasons and a Sugar Bowl rout of Notre Dame. Their over/under for wins this year is 10.5.

“It’s not something you can be awarded,” coach Les Miles said of the preseason projections on Friday. “There’s no prediction that’s ultimate. That just sells papers. The only thing you can do is earn what you get.”

The Tigers figure to be led by an outstanding defense anchored by All-America defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey. “We’re just as talented as we were last year,” Dorsey said.

On offense, senior quarterback Matt Flynn takes over for Russell. Flynn has only one career start, leading LSU to a win in the 2005 Peach Bowl.

For complete college football odds on your favorite teams and conferences, visit the Bodog Sportsbook.

With one more homer, Barry Bonds ties Hank Aaron’s career mark. (AI Wire photo)

Barry Bonds is almost clean and clear of Hank Aaron.

With one more homer, Bonds will tie Hammerin’ Hank’s career record of 755. Bonds hit No. 754 Friday night off Florida Marlins starter Ryan Vanden Hurk in the bottom of the first inning at AT&T Park.

The home run came on a 2-and-1 fastball down the middle and was a solo shot to centerfield that gave the Giants a 2-1 lead. It also ended a homerless drought for Bonds, who had gone five games without a big fly.

Barring injury or a dramatic intervention by the federal authorities, Bonds will have at least two more at-bats to tie the mark Friday. The 43-year-old leftfielder who is embroiled in a steroids controversy also has two more games against the Marlins to complete the feat in front of his home fans before the Giants embark on a road trip.

For complete MLB odds for Saturday, visit the Bodog Sportsbook.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield had Tampa Bay fooled on Friday. (AI Wire photo)

Tim Wakefield allowed one run over six innings and Kevin Youkilis hit a three-run homer to lead the American League East-leading Boston Red Sox over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 7-1, in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Friday night.

Wakefield (12-9) gave up six hits and three walks, striking out seven as he won for the fifth time in six starts. The knuckleballer improved to 17-2 against the Devil Rays, the most wins by a Tampa Bay opponent. He is 8-0 at Tropicana Field.

While Boston has won seven of eight, the Devil Rays have lost seven in a row, getting outscored 71-21. Tampa Bay is 5-24 since June 25.

The Red Sox paid -163 on the moneyline (meaning a winning wager of $163 would net a $100 profit).

Jason Hammel (1-1) threw five scoreless innings, then was pulled after allowing consecutive one-out walks in the sixth. Youkilis, in an 0-for-11 slide, gave Boston a 3-1 lead with his three-run drive off Juan Salas.

Hammel retired his first 11 batters before David Ortiz lined a single to right with two outs in the fourth. Making his second start and 12th appearance overall of the season, Hammel gave up two runs and one hit in 5.1 innings.

In other early American League action on Friday:

Cleveland 10, Minnesota 4: Jhonny Peralta homered twice and Kenny Lofton began his third go-round with Cleveland by getting three hits and playing leftfield for the first time as the Indians won at home as -135 favorites. Peralta hit a three-homer in the third off Boof Bonser (5-7) and added a two-run shot in the sixth when the Indians opened a 10-0 lead for Byrd (9-4).

New York Yankees 8, Baltimore 7: Closer Mariano Rivera survived a hectic ninth inning, and the Yankees won at Camden Yards in the completion of a game suspended on June 28. New York took an 8-6 lead in the top of the eighth when play was suspended after a rain delay of 1 hour, 25 minutes. Derek Jeter singled in the go-ahead runs just before a driving shower caused the umpires to call for the tarpaulin. Friday’s game resumed at that point. Facing Rob Bell in the ninth inning, Alex Rodriguez grounded out to shortstop. Had he hit a home run, Rodriguez would have reached the 500-mark but it officially would have been his 493rd, because the game will go into the record book as being played on June 28.

For complete MLB odds for Saturday, visit the Bodog Sportsbook.