Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter VI Mobile College Basketball March Mayhem Picks College Basketball March Mayhem Picks VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com
Handicapper Bios Sports Picks Free Odds Contests Sportsbook
Sports Betting Home NFL NBANHLMLBNCAA FBNCAA BKGolfAutoHorsesBoxingVI More Sports
 
MLB Scores Matchups Teams Standings
 
 · Regular Season
Schedules Injuries News
 
 · Latest News
 · Player Updates
 · Transactions
Buy Picks Vegas Odds
 
 · Vegas Odds
 · Offshore Odds
 · Future Odds
 
Recap: Dodgers 3, Astros 1
Boxscores  •  Line Movements  •  BT Movements
Game: 1
Venue: Minute Maid Park
Date: April 20, 2012 8:05 PM EDT
  

HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Astros found out Friday night how tough the Los Angeles Dodgers are to play.

Astros starter J.A. Happ could not stop red-hot hitters Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, and Houston's bats found it equally difficult to rattle left-hander Ted Lilly in a 3-1 loss to the Dodgers.

Advertisement

``He didn't give you anything you could hit,' Astros left fielder J.D. Martinez said. ``They did a really good job of keeping us off balance and keeping us guessing.'

Martinez had a hit with two walks to reach safely in 13 consecutive games to start the season.

Extending that streak was one of the few highlights the Astros managed against the Dodgers, who at 11-3 have the best record in the National League.

After a 3-3 start at home, the Astros have gone 2-6, losing series at Miami and Washington.

Kemp, who is hitting .481 with a major league-high 20 RBIs, rattled Happ and the Astros early.

The center fielder hit his major league-leading eighth home run with one out in the first to score Justin Sellers, who had singled.

``For him, it was probably a bad pitch; for anybody else maybe (it is) not so bad,' Happ said. ``He's a heck of a hitter, though. I missed my spot with the pitch I wanted.

``Normally, if it's down in the zone it's not going to hurt you too badly, but he's able to do damage to a lot of different types of pitches, especially a ball down like that.'

The home run tied Kemp with Wally Moon for the team record for most homers through 14 games. Moon did it in 1961.

Kemp finished 3 for 3 with a walk for his ninth multi-hit game of the season.

Either got his 19th of the season in the third inning to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead with a two-out RBI single that scored Mark Ellis.

The Astros had their best chance at tying the game or taking the lead foiled by a close call that saw Martinez out at third base to end the fifth inning.

Trailing 3-1, the Astros had the bases loaded with two outs, but Jed Lowrie grounded into a forceout, with the Dodgers' Jerry Hairston scrambling for the out at third as Martinez slid to base.

``I thought he was safe,' Astros manager Brad Mills said of the call. ``The umpire was coming in from behind and I don't know if he had the same look. That's what I was talking to him about ... that was a huge play.'

Martinez praised Hairston for the effort.

``I think it was just a bang-bang play,' Martinez said. ``I felt it could have gone either way. Unfortunately it didn't go our way, but it was a great play on his end. He did a great job. The ball just seemed to instead of deflecting off to the side, it deflected right back to third and he stayed on it.'

Happ (1-1) posted his third consecutive quality outing in the loss.

Happ allowed three runs and eight hits over six innings. He stuck out three and walked four.

Chris Snyder hit a two-out RBI single to left in the fourth inning to score Brian Bogusevic and make it 3-1.

It was all the Astros could muster against Lilly (2-0), who was making his second start after opening the season on the disabled list (neck strain).

``He was just nitpicking, just pick, pick, pick,' said Martinez, whose 16th hit of the year came in the fifth inning. ``He would hit it and there's nothing you could do about it.'

Lilly stalled the Astros despite walking a season-high six, including one intentionally. He allowed one run and four hits in a six-inning outing.

``I guess their guy (Lilly) was a little bit better tonight on the mound,' Happ said.

Lilly improved to 8-3 in 16 career starts against the Astros.

Right-hander Javy Guerra pitched a scoreless inning for the save, his seventh of the season.

The Astros were coming off a nine-game road trip in which they went 2-5, which included losing three of four against the Washington Nationals, who lead the NL East.

NOTES: Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly said infielder Juan Uribe's injured wrist was feeling better and he expects him to start Sunday. The manager said before the game that Uribe was available to pinch-hit Friday, but he didn't use him. ... Mattingly turned 51 on Friday. ... Houston OF Travis Buck missed the game with a strained left hamstring. ... The series continues Saturday when Los Angeles left-hander Clayton Kershaw faces Kyle Weiland.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2013
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 SERIES AT A GLANCE
GAME 1
Dodgers at Astros
Fri, Apr 20 Final 3 to 1
 Boxscores  •  Recaps
GAME 2
Dodgers at Astros
Sat, Apr 21 Final 5 to 1
 Boxscores  •  Recaps
GAME 3
Dodgers at Astros
Sun, Apr 22 Final 0 to 12
 Boxscores  •  Recaps

 CLOSING LAS VEGAS LINE
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 LAD  -130   +125   7.5 
 HOU  +120   -145   
LAS VEGAS LINE MOVEMENTS

 CLOSING SPORTSBOOK LINE
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 LAD  -128   +120   7.5 
 HOU  +118   -140   
OFFSHORE LINE MOVEMENTS

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   RUN   O/U 
 LAD  74%   82%   46% 
 HOU  26%   18%   54% 
BT MOVEMENTS

 MLB RECAPS
 Friday, Apr 20
 
  •  Reds at Cubs
2:20 PM EDT
  •  Yankees at Red Sox
3:15 PM EDT
  •  Rangers at Tigers
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Marlins at Nationals
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Cardinals at Pirates
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Giants at Mets
7:10 PM EDT
  •  Twins at Rays
7:10 PM EDT
  •  Dodgers at Astros
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Blue Jays at Royals
8:10 PM EDT
  •  Rockies at Brewers
8:10 PM EDT
  •  Braves at Diamondbacks
9:40 PM EDT
  •  Orioles at Angels
10:05 PM EDT
  •  Indians at Athletics
10:05 PM EDT
  •  Phillies at Padres
10:05 PM EDT
  •  White Sox at Mariners
10:10 PM EDT
 
 
 
  
GOLD Membership
Over 150 Member Plays free each month. Signup Today!
 
 

NFL
NFL Sports Picks
NFL Vegas Odds
NFL Online Odds
NFL Matchups
NFL Scores

More Sports
Golf
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Boxing
WNBA

MLB
MLB Sports Picks
MLB Vegas Odds
MLB Online Odds
MLB Matchups
MLB Scores

Features
Free Odds
Contests
Newsletters
VI Radio
Las Vegas Travel
Follow us on Twitter
Add us on Google+
Join us on Facebook

NBA
NBA Sports Picks
NBA Vegas Odds
NBA Online Odds
NBA Matchups
NBA Scores

Sports Betting Tools
Live Odds
Mobile Odds
Parlay Calculator
Gaming Terms
TV Listings
Handicapping Records
Sports Betting
About Sports Betting
Sportsbook Reviews

NHL
NHL Sports Picks
NHL Vegas Odds
NHL Online Odds
NHL Matchups
NHL Scores

VegasInsider Info
About Us
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Refund Policy
Contact Us
User Feedback

College Football
NCAA FB Sports Picks
NCAA FB Vegas Odds
NCAA FB Online Odds
NCAA FB Matchups
NCAA FB Scores

Sportsbooks
CarbonSports · Review
SportBet · Review
Sportsbook · Review
TopBet.eu · Review

College Basketball
NCAA BK Sports Picks
NCAA BK Vegas Odds
NCAA BK Online Odds
NCAA BK Matchups
NCAA BK Scores

Rotation Schedules
Baseball: Mar 31 - June 02

Copyright © 1997-2013, VegasInsider.com Inc., The Global Leader In Sports Gaming Information. All rights reserved.
For questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-211-4759.