White Sox down Cubs, win 10th straight game

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06/25/2010 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Quentin's three-run homer in the first inning sent Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano into a frenzy, while Jake Peavy and the White Sox continued to roll with a 6-0 decision to reach 10 straight wins for the first time in over 34 years.

The last time the Sox took 10 in a row was May 18-26, 1976. They have won 14 of 15 overall, their lone loss in that span coming to the Cubs on June 13 in the finale of a three-game set at Wrigley Field.

Peavy (7-5), fresh off his first shutout since 2005, struck out nine and allowed just three hits and two walks in seven shutout innings. The former National League Cy Young Award winner has won three straight starts, all coming against the Senior Circuit.

Gordon Beckham hit a solo homer and a sacrifice fly for the ChiSox, who improved their major-league best interleague record to 14-2.

Zambrano (3-6), coming off seven innings of one-run ball against the Angels on Sunday, had the shortest outing of his career as a starter, allowing four runs on four hits in a first inning that ended with the volatile right-hander enraged in the dugout. The Cubs have lost three of four overall.

Juan Pierre started the first frame with a double down the first-base line and scored two batters later on Alex Rios' two-bagger to left. Paul Konerko followed with a base hit, and Quentin clubbed an 0-2 changeup into the left- field seats for a quick 4-0 lead.

Zambrano was visibly upset after the inning and got in a heated exchange with teammate Derrek Lee. The outburst ended with an overturned cooler and spelled the end of Zambrano's outing, as Tom Gorzelanny was on the mound at the start of the second.

Gorzelanny, who went back to the bullpen when Zambrano was reinserted into the rotation earlier this month, yielded a leadoff shot to Beckham in the fifth, the only run he allowed in 3 1/3 frames.

The Sox loaded the bags off Jeff Stevens in the sixth and made it 6-0 on Beckham's sac fly.

Peavy allowed only one hit and one walk going into the seventh and left the bases full that inning by getting Geovany Soto to ground into a fielder's choice.

Sergio Santos and Tony Pena each hurled a scoreless inning of relief to finish off the shutout.

Game Notes

Peavy has lowered his earned-run average from 5.62 to 4.71 over his last two starts...Zambrano's shortest outing as a starter coming in occurred on September 4, 2006, when he lasted just 1 1/3 innings vs. Pittsburgh...Beckham recorded his second homer of the year and first since April 11...Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez (thumb) was activated from the 15-day disabled list and went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts. Chicago designated infielder Chad Tracy for assignment to make room for Ramirez...In the second game of this three-game set on Saturday, the White Sox will look to extend their winning streak with Freddy Garcia facing off against the Cubs' Carlos Silva.

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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

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