Punto out 1-2 games with sprained ankle
Mon, Apr 16, 2007
By Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Twins third baseman Nick Punto will miss only one or two more games after an MRI exam on Monday revealed no structural damage to his left ankle.
Punto, who missed the previous two games, has a sprained ankle with light swelling, team spokesman Mike Herman said.
The Twins were off on Monday and open a three-game series in Seattle on Tuesday, where the Twins are set as a -104 pick 'em. Punto will make the trip and could return sometime during that series. After signing a two-year contract in the offseason, Punto has struggled at the start of the season, hitting just .132, but has played strong defense.
Luis Rodriguez will likely start in Punto's place until the ankle heals. Rodriguez went 0-for-3 while playing third base Sunday in a loss to Tampa Bay.
Soriano strains hamstring
Mon, Apr 16, 2007
By Associated Press
CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs center fielder Alfonso Soriano left Monday night's game against the San Diego Padres with a strained left hamstring after attempting a diving catch in the fifth inning.
The Cubs were leading 3-0 when, with a runner on third and one out, Clay Hensley lofted a fly to shallow center. Soriano raced in, dove and rolled over as he trapped the ball.
Soriano then got up and slipped while attempting a throw. Trainer Mark O'Neal tended to him, and Soriano walked off under his own power. He is day to day.
"Yes, I don't like to get hurt,'' said Soriano, who thinks he'll miss five days but also could be headed to the disabled list. "I know that I'm not going to be able to play (Tuesday), so it's sad for me because ... I like to play every day.''
Soriano is hitting just .245 with one RBI and stolen base this year. He batted .277 with 46 homers, 95 RBIs and 41 steals with the Nationals in 2006.
Baseball Today
New York at Florida (7:05 p.m. EDT). Dontrelle Willis goes for his fourth win of the year for the Marlins.
Monday
STARS
- Ivan Rodriguez, Tigers, had a grand slam and six RBIs in Detroit's 12-5 victory over Kansas City.
- Morgan Ensberg, Astros, singled in the game-winning run in the ninth inning to lift Houston to a 4-3 victory over Florida.
- Bill Hall, Brewers, hit his first career grand slam to lead Milwaukee to a 10-6 victory over Cincinnati.
- Ian Snell, Pirates, threw seven innings of three-hit ball in a 3-2 victory over St. Louis.
GRAND-STANDING
Bill Hall broke out of a slump with his first career grand slam Monday night, a seventh-inning shot that powered Milwaukee to a 10-6 victory over Cincinnati. The Brewers hadn't hit a grand slam since J.J. Hardy connected off reliever Chris Booker in Cincinnati during a 14-5 victory on Sept. 7, 2005. That game featured the same two starting pitchers. ... Ivan Rodriguez had a grand slam and six RBIs to back Justin Verlander's first win of the season in the Tigers' 12-5 victory over the Royals.
SECOND CHANCE
Florida right fielder Joe Borchard crashed into Dan Uggla, knocking Morgan Ensberg's ninth-inning, bases-loaded foul pop out of the second baseman's glove. Given another chance, Ensberg singled to left on the next pitch, giving the Houston Astros a 4-3 win over the Marlins on Monday night.
RARITY
The Indians are the first team in nearly 55 years to win a game with their only hit coming in their first at-bat. Grady Sizemore led off Cleveland's 2-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday with a double. On April 23, 1952, the only hit for the St. Louis Browns in a 1-0 win over Cleveland was a first-inning leadoff triple by Bobby Young off Bob Feller. Young later scored on an error by Al Rosen, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
NOT THIS TIME
Salomon Torres refused to let the St. Louis Cardinals beat him again. The Pittsburgh closer, who had a loss and a blown save during St. Louis' three-game sweep in Pittsburgh last week, got Albert Pujols to foul out with the bases-loaded for the final out in a 3-2 victory on Monday night.
SPEAKING
"I'm one guy who basically lives for this. And I don't know if I would have made it to the ballpark today as a fan. I was surprised at the amount of people who showed up. The plan was, hey, we've got to be out there, so we might as well give it all and win the ballgame.'' - Washington manager Manny Acta on the weather during the Nationals' 5-1 win over Atlanta. He called it a 40-40 night - 40 degrees, 40 mph winds.
Patterson Is Placed On Leave
By Jorge Arangure Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writer
BALTIMORE, April 15 -- Before departing for St. Petersburg for a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Baltimore Orioles optioned pitcher Kurt Birkins to Class AAA Norfolk and placed outfielder Corey Patterson on bereavement leave.
To replace them, Baltimore will call up outfielders Jon Knott and Adam Stern from Norfolk on Monday, according to one Orioles source.
Patterson is expected to miss at least two games and likely three after the death of his grandfather last week. In his absence, it's likely either Stern or Freddie Bynum will take over in center field. Baltimore may also choose to use Nick Markakis in center field and Knott in right field. Markakis played nine games in center field last season.
Weaver makes season debut in opener with A's; Vlad likely out
April 17th, 2007
(Sports Network) - The slumping Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hope to get a lift from Jered Weaver when the second-year hurler makes his belated 2007 debut in tonight's opener of a brief two-game series with the Oakland Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.
The Angels have dropped six of seven following a 5-1 start to the season and lost all three contests of a shortened series at Boston heading into this set. The Red Sox outscored Anaheim by a whopping 25-3 margin over the three games and completed the sweep with Monday's 7-2 Patriot's Day triumph.
Josh Beckett (3-0) surrendered a first-inning solo homer to Orlando Cabrera but held the Angels scoreless over the remainder of his six-frame stint. Los Angeles starter Ervin Santana (1-2) wasn't nearly as sharp, as the righty was roughed up for seven runs -- five earned -- on seven hits over four innings.
Making matters worse for the Angels, star right fielder Vladimir Guerrero had to leave Monday's game after being hit on the right wrist by a Beckett pitch in the first inning. The slugger is not expected to be in the lineup tonight.
Guerrero leads the Angels with a .364 average, three home runs and 12 RBI in the early going.
White Sox place Podsednik on 15-day DL
April 17th, 2007
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - The Chicago White Sox placed outfielder Scott Podsednik on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday, retroactive to April 16, with a right abductor pull.
The 31-year-old Podsednik is hitting .303 with one home run, two RBI, and six runs scored in 10 games this season.
The White Sox called up 22-year-old Boone Logan from Triple-A Charlotte. Logan is 0-1 with a 2.16 ERA and 11 strikeouts in four relief appearances with Charlotte this season. Logan pitched in 21 games with the White Sox in 2006, allowing 16 earned runs in 17 1/13 innings.
Astros place Jennings on DL
April 17th, 2007
Houston, TX (Sports Network) - The Houston Astros placed right-hander Jason Jennings on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 9, on Tuesday due to elbow flexor tendinitis in his pitching elbow.
An MRI performed showed no structural damage.
The 28-year-old Jennings, acquired from the Colorado Rockies in the offseason, is scheduled to undergo rehabilitation of rest, medication and treatment, according to the Astros.
He has a career record of 58-57 with a 4.72 ERA with Colorado and Houston.
The Astros recalled pitcher Matt Albers from Triple-A. Albers will pitch on Friday against Milwaukee.