Baseball Today - July 13
By Associated Press
SCOREBOARD
Friday, July 13
Chicago White Sox at Baltimore (7:05 p.m. EDT). Mark Buehrle makes his first start since signing a four-year contract extension with the White Sox.
STARS Thursday
-Bobby Abreu, Yankees, went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs to help the New York Yankees beat Tampa Bay 7-3.
-Jon Garland, White Sox, scattered eight hits over seven inning, allowing two runs to lead the Chicago White Sox past Baltimore, 9-7.
-David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, Red Sox, combined for five hits and five RBIs to help Boston end a three-game skid and beat Toronto 7-4.
-Michael Cuddyer, Twins, tied a career high with four hits, drove in a run and scored a run in Minnesota's 6-2 victory over Oakland.
-Adrian Beltre, Mariners, drove in two runs in a three-run fifth inning to lift Seattle over Detroit 3-2.
FIRST FOR METS
Jose Reyes and Ruben Gotay opened the game with consecutive home runs, the first time that's happened in the Mets' 46-season history, and New York beat Cincinnati 3-2 on Thursday night. Reyes' drive was his ninth career leadoff homer, a franchise record.
YANKS BREAK EVEN
Alex Rodriguez hit his major league-leading 31st home run to help the New York Yankees (43-43) climb back to .500 for the first time since June 23 with a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay on Thursday night. Rodriguez's blast came as part of a three-run fourth inning that also included home runs by Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu. The Devil Rays have lost 14 of 15.
COMEBACK DENIED
Baltimore trailed the Chicago White Sox 9-2 before scoring five runs in the ninth inning Thursday night. After Corey Patterson hit an RBI single and Luis Hernandez got his first major league hit, a run-scoring double, Kevin Millar hit a three-run homer off Boone Logan. Aubrey Huff followed with a single before White Sox closer Bobby Jenks got the final out for his 24th save to preserve the 9-7 win.
WACKY PLAY
Adrian Beltre singled sharply to drive in Vidro and Guillen in the fifth inning of Seattle's 3-2 win over Detroit on Thursday night. Catcher Mike Rabelo threw to second in an attempt to catch Beltre trying to advance. The second base umpire signaled safe twice as shortstop Carlos Guillen missed tags before and after Beltre slid thru the bag. He tried to go back to second and Guillen missed again. A chasing Guillen missed two more tag attempts as Beltre raced away to third base. Meanwhile, Richie Sexson scored the go-ahead run from first base. Detroit manager Jim Leyland ordered an appeal play to second base and Beltre was called out for never touching the bag.
SPEAKING
It's kind of a team-wide funk right now, besides Stew. Hopefully we'll break out of it. It just takes one game.'' - Oakland second baseman Mark Ellis on the slumping Athletics' 6-2 loss to Minnesota on Thursday night.
Notes from Thursday's AL games
July 12, 2007
TORONTO: The Blue Jays activated first baseman Lyle Overbay from the 15-day disabled list (broken right hand). ... RHP Roy Halladay allowed four runs in the first inning, more runs than he's allowed total in 11 of his first 16 starts this season.
BOSTON: Manager Terry Francona confirmed that DH David Ortiz's knees have been bothering him, but declined to address reports that Ortiz was scheduled for an MRI. ... RHP Joel Pineiro (sprained right ankle) and RHP Brendan Donnelly (strained right forearm) are scheduled to make rehab assignments at Class-A Lowell on Friday.
CHICAGO: RHP Charlie Haeger was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte, where the knuckleballer was 4-11 with a 4.81 ERA in 17 starts. He takes the roster spot vacated when the White Sox optioned RHP Gavin Floyd to Charlotte on Tuesday. ... The White Sox used 69 different lineups in 86 games before the All-Star break. ... Manager Ozzie Guillen said changes are imminent if the White Sox keep struggling in the second half. ``If we don't start playing the way we should be playing, there is going to be a lot of moves,'' he said.
BALTIMORE: The Orioles activated RHP Danys Baez from the 15-day disabled list and optioned LHP Kurt Birkins to Triple-A Norfolk. Baez (strained forearm) was 0-4 with a 6.52 ERA before being placed on the DL on June 16. ... RHP Steve Trachsel (strained gluteus muscle) will make a rehab start Saturday with Class-A Frederick. ... 3B Melvin Mora (bruised foot) made his first start since July 1, then left the game after the first inning.
NEW YORK: Manager Joe Torre, whose contract expires after the season, said there have been no discussions about his future. ... The Yankees are carrying 13 pitchers, but that should change in the next few days. Torre said GM Brian Cashman is currently talking with other teams about a trade for a position player. If nothing develops, New York will likely call up a player from the minors. ... RHP Jeff Karstens (broken right leg) gave up one run and four hits over five innings for Class-A Staten Island in his second minor league rehab start. ... RHP Phil Hughes (sprained left ankle) is scheduled to make his second rehab start Friday night at Double-A Trenton.
TAMPA BAY: 2B-CF B.J. Upton, sidelined for the past month with a left quad strain, was expected to be activated from the 15-day disabled list. But manager Joe Maddon said the Devil Rays are still waiting for Upton to test his leg for Class-A Vero Beach by running as hard as he can to first base. ``We want him to push himself to find out exactly how that's going to respond, and whether he's ready to play every day,'' Maddon said. Whenever Upton is activated, he'll likely take over in center field, allowing Delmon Young to return to right. ... Closer Al Reyes, who converted 17 of 18 save opportunities before going on the DL with a mild rotator cuff strain, threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session for the second straight day. ``It feels good so far,'' he said. Reyes is eligible to come off the DL next Wednesday.
OAKLAND: The A's limped into Thursday night's game having used a major league-leading 45 players this season. Manager Bob Geren said the All-Star break couldn't have come at a better time. ``Physically, a lot of guys needed some days,'' he said. ``Mentally, too.'' ... Geren's scouting report on Andrew Brown, who was called up from Triple-A after Rich Harden was placed on the DL: ``He throws a very hard slider and curveball. ... He really throws firm.'' ... Closer Huston Street (elbow) threw on the side on Wednesday and plans to throw 25-30 pitches against hitters Sunday in Phoenix. ``Tomorrow's a big day for him,'' Geren said.
MINNESOTA: After being eliminated from the Home Run Derby in the first round at the All-Star festivities on Monday night, Justin Morneau said he doesn't know if he'd participate again. ``It's a lot of sitting around and you get pretty tight,'' Morneau said. ... Garrett Jones was recalled from Triple-A on Thursday and immediately inserted into the lineup at DH. ``I'm just going to try and drive the ball, drive in some runs,'' Jones said. The Twins could use it after getting only two homers from their designated hitters this season. ``If he gets going and swinging the bat, that would be great,'' manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Notes from Thursday's NL games
CINCINNATI: Cincinnati started the second half of the season on a four-game winning streak and was 5-1 under new manager Pete Mackanin, who replaced Jerry Narron before the All-Star break. ... OF Josh Hamilton was placed on the disabled list with a sprained right wrist. Hamilton received 151,245 All-Star write-in votes, most for any NL player. ... The Reds will retire Dave Concepcion's uniform number in a ceremony on Aug. 25. Concepcion's No. 13 will be the ninth number retired by the team.
NEW YORK: The Mets lost six of their last eight games before the All-Star break and started the second half of the season in first place in the NL East, two games in front of Atlanta. ... Manager Willie Randolph had his right arm in a sling after shoulder surgery during the All-Star break. ... OF Ricky Ledee was outrighted to Triple-A New Orleans and RHP Lino Urdaneta was outrighted to Double-A Binghamton.
Boston's Ortiz playing with torn meniscus in knee
July 12th, 2007
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Boston's second half started with a victory and the news that David Ortiz has been playing with a torn meniscus in his right knee since last summer.
The Red Sox slugger spoke about the injury following Thursday's 7-4 victory over Toronto, the first game back from an All-Star break that began with Boston holding baseball's best record.
Ortiz stated he isn't concerned because of no swelling in the knee, revealing he suffered the injury last season at Yankee Stadium after getting tangled in netting around the batting cage.
He aggravated the injury after fouling a ball off the knee during the eighth frame. Ortiz finished with three hits and pair of RBI, continuing a solid season that has him with 14 homers and 54 runs batted in.
"From where I'm sitting it was hard to tell if he twisted it," said Boston manager Terry Francona. "I got out there and he said he hit it off of it. He is just a big man that hit a ball hard of his knee. It's going to hurt. We'll check him (Friday)."
Red Sox activate Pineiro off DL
July 13th, 2007
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox activated relief pitcher Joel Pineiro on the 15-day disabled Friday prior to the club's game against Toronto.
Pineiro originally injured his right ankle during pre-game workouts on June 25 in Seattle and last pitched on June 27 versus the Mariners.
The right-hander is 1-1 with a 5.04 ERA in 27 relief appearances with the Red Sox this season.
Cubs option Pie
July 13th, 2007
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs optioned outfielder Felix Pie to Triple-A Iowa Friday to make room on the roster for catcher Geovany Soto.
Soto, 24, was hitting .341 with a career-high 12 home runs, 55 RBI , a .412 on-base percentage and a .584 slugging percentage in 69 games for Iowa this season. He was Chicago's lone representative in the 2007 Futures Game last Sunday at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
Soto appeared in 11 games with Chicago last season. He made his major league debut in 2005, appearing in one game with the Cubs.
Pie, 22, was hitting just .216 with two home runs and 18 RBI in 48 games for the Cubs this season. With Iowa, the left-handed hitter batted .389 with 24 RBI in 31 games.
Devil Rays activate Upton from DL
St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays activated outfielder B.J. Upton from the 15-day disabled list Friday.
Upton has been out since June 9 with a left quad strain.
Prior to going on the DL, Upton was hitting .320 with nine home runs, 31 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
In his absence, the Devil Rays went 8-21.
During a nine-game rehab stint in Triple-A Durham and Single-A Vero Beach, Upton hit .292 with two homers and four RBI.
On Sunday, Tampa Bay optioned pitcher J.P. Howell to Durham in anticipation of making room for Upton.
Rockies place Fuentes on DL
July 13th, 2007
Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - The Rockies placed closer Brian Fuentes on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 4, with a mild strain of his left lat muscle.
To take his place on the roster, the club recalled infielder Omar Quintanilla from Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Fuentes last pitched on July 3 against the New York Mets at Coors Field, retiring all three batters faced.
He was selected to the National League All-Star roster for the third consecutive year, the only pitcher in Colorado history with multiple All-Star selections, but was replaced on the roster due to the injury.
In 40 relief appearances, Fuentes has compiled a 4.06 ERA, converting 20 of 26 save opportunities.