Baseball Today - April 25
Wed, Apr 25, 2007
By Associated Press
Toronto at New York (7:05 p.m. EDT). A.J. Burnett squares off against Andy Pettite. Oddsmakers list the Yankees as -175 favorites with the total set at 9 1/2-runs.
STARS Tuesday
-Paul Maholm, Pirates, allowed only three singles in his first career complete game in a 3-0 win over Houston.
-Vernon Wells, Blue Jays, went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and three RBIs and Toronto beat Boston 10-3.
-Carl Crawford, Devil Rays, went 4-for-4 with his first career grand slam and Tampa Bay beat the Yankees 6-4.
-Endy Chavez, Mets, drove in the winning run with a bunt single in the 12th, giving New York a 2-1 victory over Colorado.
MILESTONE
Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 564th career home run in the Reds' 10-3 victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday night, breaking a tie with Reggie Jackson for 10th place on the career list. Griffey entered the game with no homers and seven RBIs in 51 at-bats before hitting a two-run shot in the fifth.
RECORD
Oakland set a major league record in a 4-2 win over Baltimore Tuesday, keeping the Orioles off the scoreboard in the first inning. It was the 20th straight game in which the A's did not allow a first-inning run, a record for the start of the season. It was also the 18th consecutive game in which an A's starter gave up three runs or fewer, the longest such streak since Cleveland went 18 straight in 1998.
GREYBEARDS
Randy Johnson returned to the Arizona Diamondbacks, looked his age and was outpitched by another 43-year-old. David Wells got the victory in the oldest matchup of left-handers in major league history, leading the San Diego Padres to a 10-5 victory Tuesday night. At a combined 87 years and 300 days, they broke the previous mark for oldest duo of lefty starting pitchers, set April 12 when 44-year-old Jamie Moyer of Philadelphia opposed 41-year-old Tom Glavine of the New York Mets.
SNAPPED
Alex Rodriguez's 23-game hitting streak dating back to last season ended in the Yankees' 6-4 loss to the Devil Rays Tuesday night. ... The Cubs' Rich Hill had a 19-inning scoreless streak ended in the fourth inning of a 4-1 loss to Milwaukee when Prince Fielder hit a two-run homer. ... Cleveland's Fausto Carmona snapped a skid of 11 straight lost decisions in a 5-3 win over Minnesota. It was his first victory since making his major league debut last April. ... San Francisco snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Dodgers with a 5-3 win.
STREAKS
The Pirates' Jose Bautista ran his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the sixth inning of a 3-0 win over the Astros on Tuesday night. ... Florida's Hanley Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 11 games, matching his career high, in an 11-6 loss to Atlanta. ... The San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 for their sixth straight victory.
SPEAKING
''It was a very bad game, we looked like we had no clue what we were doing.'' - Astros' manager Phil Garner, on his team's three-hit performance in a 3-0 loss to the Pirates on Tuesday night.
Blue Jays place Zaun on DL
April 24th, 2007
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Toronto placed catcher Gregg Zaun on the 15-day disabled list with a right thumb injury following Tuesday night's 10-3 win over the Red Sox.
Zaun took a foul tip off the hand in the first inning was replaced by Jason Phillips to begin the second inning. Sal Fasano was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take Zaun's place on the roster.
Zaun is hitting .186 this season.
Angels activate Escobar from DL
April 24th, 2007
Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim activated pitcher Kelvim Escobar from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday and optioned outfielder Tommy Murphy to Triple-A Salt Lake.
The 30-year-old right-hander, who had been sidelined since April 9 with irritation in his shoulder, allowed four runs -- three earned -- and five hits while striking out six and walking two in Tuesday's 10-inning, 9-8 win over Detroit.
Escobar is 1-1 with a 3.18 earned run average in three starts this season.
Murphy, 27, had just two at-bats in three games for Los Angeles this season. In 48 games last season as a rookie, he batted .229.
Jeter injured, Wang activated for Yankees
April 24th, 2007
St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter left Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with a bruised left thigh.
The 32-year-old shortstop was hit by a pitch in the top of the first inning when Tampa left-hander Scott Kazmir plunked him in the left leg. Jeter stayed in the game but was not on the field when the Devils Rays came to bat in the bottom of the first.
Miguel Cairo took Jeter's place in the lineup.
Jeter entered Tuesday's action with a .316 batting average and 17 runs scored this season.
Also on Tuesday, right-handed starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang was activated from the 15-day disabled list and he suffered the loss after 6 1/3 innings. Wang, who had been out with a right hamstring injury, allowed four runs in his first start of 2007.
Oakland outfielder Nick Swisher left Tuesday's game against the Orioles in the first inning with a strained left hamstring, the Associated Press reported. Swisher was rounding third base when his leg buckled, and he crawled back to the bag before he was helped to the dugout.
Twins Luis Castillo (quadricep) has been downgraded to doubtful for tonight.
Indians David Dellucci (calf) is not expected to play tonight.
Red Sox Coco Crisp (obligue) is expected back in the starting lineup tonight.
Brewers Johnny Estrada (knee) is expected back in the starting lineup tonight.
Diamondbacks Conor Jackson (hamstring) will be availale to pinch-hit tonight, but is not healthy enough to start.
Pirates Xavier Nady (hamstring) is not expected to start tonight
Marlins Mike Jacobs (thumb) is not expected to play tonight.
Rangers Brad Wilkerson (knee) is not expected to start tonight.