Desperate Dodgers make a stop in Milwaukee

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08/24/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Dodgers hope to keep their slim playoff hopes alive tonight, when they kick off a six-game road trip with the first of three straight matchups against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

Los Angeles is 7 1/2 games off the pace in the National League Wild Card standings and has dropped eight of its last 12 games. In Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a three-game series, Clayton Kershaw was dealt the defeat for giving up three runs with 11 strikeouts in seven innings.

"Clayton settled down after the first inning," said Dodgers manager Joe Torre. "But when you don't put up runs it puts a lot of stress on our pitchers. We struggled against a pretty good pitcher [Bronson Arroyo] today."

Matt Kemp homered and A.J. Ellis finished with three hits and an RBI for the Dodgers, who will also visit Colorado for three games on the trip.

Ted Lilly has won all four of his starts with the Dodgers and will take the mound again Tuesday night. Lilly has pitched to a 1.29 earned run average in his first four starts with his new team and is coming off a two-hit shutout of the Rockies last Thursday.

Lilly, a lefty, entered that game after tossing six scoreless frames in a win at Atlanta on August 14 and is 7-8 with a 3.23 ERA for the Cubs and Dodgers this season. He owns a 4-2 mark in 10 career games (nine starts) against Milwaukee.

The Brewers had a four-game winning streak cut short in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the San Diego Padres in the finale of a three-game series.

Manny Parra was rocked for seven runs and eight hits in six innings to absorb the loss, while Ryan Braun ended 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI for Milwaukee, which also got two hits from Rickie Weeks, Chris Dickerson and Jonathan Lucroy.

"My fastball was terrible all day," said Parra. "That's what came back to bite me. I fell behind and couldn't locate my pitches and that's what happened."

Milwaukee, which will also host Pittsburgh in Brew City, is slated to send Dave Bush to the mound in Tuesday's series opener. Bush is 6-10 with a 4.63 earned run average in 25 games (24 starts) this season and is coming off a win at St. Louis last Tuesday.

Bush held the Cardinals to a run and four hits in six innings after going 0-2 in his three preceding starts. The righty is 1-1 with a 3.55 ERA in four career starts against Los Angeles.

The Brewers took two of three matchups with Los Angeles at Chavez Ravine back in early May and have won five of the last eight contests between the two ballclubs.

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Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

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