Cards' Spiezio placed on DL with infected finger
July 15th, 2007
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - St. Louis Cardinals utilityman Scott Spiezio was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a left index finger infection, retroactive to July 14.
Spiezio had been taken to a New York hospital June 27 with an infection in his index finger during St. Louis' road series against the Mets.
For the season, Spiezio his hitting .281 with three homers, 27 RBI and 25 runs scored in 62 games.
Also, infielder Brendan Ryan was recalled after being optioned to Triple-A Memphis Friday when David Eckstein came off the DL.
Dodgers place Tsao on DL, call up Houlton
July 15, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -The Los Angeles Dodgers placed right-hander Chin-hui Tsao back on the 15-day disabled list Sunday a little more than two weeks after activating him.
Tsao missed nearly six weeks earlier this season because of a strained right shoulder before being activated June 29. He appeared in six games after coming off the disabled list but felt soreness in the shoulder once again during Saturday's outing against the San Francisco Giants.
Tsao gave up four runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Giants, allowing a grand slam to Randy Winn in the eighth inning. Tsao said he felt a little soreness when he started to warm up and had trouble throwing his slider. Tsao felt a little better Sunday but the Dodgers still decided to put him on the DL because of his previous shoulder problems.
``We know if we keep putting him out there it will get worse because that is what happened last time,'' trainer Stan Conte said.
Tsao, who had never appeared in more than 10 games in a season before this year, is 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA in 21 relief appearances with the Dodgers. Tsao had an operation in May 2005 to repair a torn labrum and missed all of the 2006 season for Colorado recovering from the injury.
``Anytime you have a situation where you put a guy on the DL it's a concern,'' manager Grady Little said. ``We have to make sure we get it right this time.''
The Dodgers recalled D.J. Houlton from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Tsao's spot on the roster. Houlton, who was mostly a starter in the minors, made four relief appearances for the Dodgers earlier this season, allowing two earned runs in 6 2-3 innings.
Houlton, who started Thursday in Las Vegas, was 6-4 with a 3.68 ERA in the minors.
Baseball Today - July 16
By Associated Press
SCOREBOARD
Monday, July 16
San Francisco at Chicago Cubs (7:05 p.m. EDT). Rookie Tim Lincecum starts for the Giants, facing off against Rich Hill.
STARS
Sunday
-Miguel Cabrera, Marlins, hit a pair of solo homers to lead Florida past Washington 5-3.
-Joe Mauer, Twins, hit a game-winning RBI single in the ninth inning to lift Minnesota over Oakland 4-3.
-Mark Teixeira, Rangers, hit a go-ahead homer in the 11th inning to push Texas past the Los Angeles Angels 5-4.
-Buddy Carlyle, Braves, gave up one run on four hits in eight innings to help Atlanta defeat Pittsburgh 5-1.
-Jesse Litsch, Blue Jays, allowed one run in 6 2-3 innings and Toronto beat Boston 2-1.
-Justin Germano, Padres, pitched 6 1-3 innings of four-hit ball and drove in a run to lead San Diego over Arizona 4-0.
10,000
Philadelphia lost its 10,000 game on Sunday, 10-2 to St. Louis. The franchise, born in 1883 as the Philadelphia Quakers and later called the Blue Jays in the mid-1940s, fell to 8,810-10,000 and are now the losingest team in professional sports.
DAY AND NIGHT
Fausto Carmona allowed two runs in seven innings to win his third straight start in Cleveland's 5-3 victory over Kansas City on Sunday. Carmona (11-4, 3.77 ERA) improved to 8-0 with a 1.98 ERA in nine daytime starts.
LONG TIME
The Chicago Cubs defeated Houston 7-6 on Sunday to complete their first three-game sweep of the Astros at Wrigley Field since May 1984. ... Baltimore defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-3 to clinch the season series between the two for the first time since 1999.
COMEBACK?
The New York Yankees (45-44) defeated Tampa Bay 7-6 on Sunday to move above .500 for the first time since June 22. The victory, combined with Boston's 2-1 loss to Toronto, cut the Red Sox's lead to nine games in the AL East, the first time the Yankees have been within single digits since June 19. Andy Phillips went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the win for the Yankees.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Jermaine Dye homered twice, his 16th career multihomer game and second this season, but the Chicago White Sox were defeated by Baltimore 5-3 on Sunday. ... Josh Beckett struck out eight and gave up two runs in eight innings but was the losing pitcher in Boston's 2-1 loss to Toronto. ... Jered Weaver allowed a pair of unearned runs and four hits in seven innings, struck out six and retired his last 11 batters but received a no-decision in the Los Angeles Angels' 5-4 11-inning loss to Texas.
SPEAKING
''Well, gee, I hope they can find the money to pay for that somewhere. '' - Cincinnati slugger Adam Dunn, on his 460-foot home run that knocked out a scoreboard panel in right field at Shea Stadium in the Reds' 5-2 loss to the New York Mets.
Notes from Sunday's AL games
July 15, 2007
TORONTO: Lyle Overbay, who went on the disabled list after a pitch broke his right hand on June 3, is 6-for-14 since he was activated on Thursday. ... RHP Jesse Litsch has an 0.66 ERA in two starts since being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse for the second time, on June 28. ... All eight of Toronto's hits came from the bottom five spots in the order. The top four spots combined to go 0-for-16.
BOSTON: RHP Curt Schilling is scheduled to throw two innings off the mound on Monday as he tries to rehab from tendinitis in his throwing shoulder. ... J.D. Drew was out of the lineup for the second straight game after feeling tightness in his hamstring. Manager Terry Francona said he could play again on Monday. ... A Japanese company read about RHP's Daisuke Matsuzaka's indigestion during a start in Texas and sent the team a few cases of pills to treat the malady. They were distributed in the press box, with explanations in English and Japanese. ... Josh Beckett had been among the league leaders in run support, getting 98 runs while on the mound for his 17 starts. He has 100 strikeouts for the season.
KANSAS CITY: After dropping two of three in Cleveland, the Royals will continue a tough nine-game trip to open the second half with three games apiece in Boston and Detroit. ... OF Mark Teahen has hit .462 (6-for-13) since the All-Star break and is batting .347 (41-for-118) in his last 27 road games. He threw out the Indians' Travis Hafner trying to stretch a single into a double Sunday for his 11th assist, second among AL outfielders. ... DH Billy Butler has 11 RBIs in his last six games. ... 2B Mark Grudzielanek has batted .394 (13-for-33) during an eight-game hitting streak. ... SS Tony Pena Jr., is batting .197 (30-for-152) on the road and .345 (57-for-165) at home, where he also has made only one of his 15 errors.
CLEVELAND: RHP Fausto Carmona can't explain why he's 8-0 with a 1.98 ERA in day games. ``It doesn't matter if it is day or night to me,'' Carmona said Sunday. ``Sometimes, things just happen.'' Manager Eric Wedge doesn't know why, either. ``There's no pattern to anything in this game, which is what makes it so great,'' he said. ... DH Travis Hafner has hit safely in 12 of 13 games, batting .314 (16-for-51) with three homers and nine RBIs. ... OF Franklin Gutierrez has hit safely in 12 of 14 games, going 17-for-45 (.378) with two homers and seven RBIs. ... RHP Rafael Betancourt has allowed a homer to Royals SS Jason Smith Sunday - just the second run he has yielded over his last 25 appearances covering 28 innings, an 0.64 ERA. Betancourt is 1-0 with a 1.30 ERA in 38 relief outings overall.
CHICAGO: Jermaine Dye had his 250th home run and 16th career multihomer game in Sunday's loss at Baltimore. Dye went 7-for-13 in the series after finishing the first half in a 1-for-25 slump. ... The White Sox snapped a streak of 21 consecutive stolen bases allowed when C Toby Hall threw out Paul Bako in the second inning. It was the first time in 11 tries this season that Hall threw out a would-be basestealer. Hall later threw out AL stolen-base leader Brian Roberts. ... Starter Jose Contreras allowed two homers for the second time in 18 starts this season. Contreras also extended his losing streak to a career-high four games. ... Chicago is 9-18 vs. left-handed starters this year.
BALTIMORE: Orioles interim manager Dave Trembley has his first three-game winning streak since taking over for the fired Sam Perlozzo on June 20. Baltimore is 12-10 under Trembley. ... The Orioles won the season series (5-3) against Chicago for the first time since 1999. ... OF Corey Patterson hit .469 (15-for-36) with three homers vs. the White Sox this season. ... RHP Danys Baez has retired all seven batters he's faced since coming off the disabled list Thursday. ... On Sunday morning, the official scorer awarded 2B Brian Roberts a stolen base in the 10th inning of Saturday's game against Chicago. Roberts leads the AL with 28 steals. ---
BALTIMORE: Orioles interim manager Dave Trembley has his first three-game winning streak since taking over for the fired Sam Perlozzo on June 20. Baltimore is 12-10 under Trembley. ... The Orioles won the season series (5-3) against Chicago for the first time since 1999. ... OF Corey Patterson hit .469 (15-for-36) with three homers vs. the White Sox this season. ... RHP Danys Baez has retired all seven batters he's faced since coming off the disabled list Thursday. ... On Sunday morning, the official scorer awarded 2B Brian Roberts a stolen base in the 10th inning of Saturday's game against Chicago. Roberts leads the AL with 28 steals. ---
NEW YORK: Manager Joe Torre doesn't plan to respond to negative comments by former Yankees RF Gary Sheffield and CF Kenny Lofton. During an interview scheduled to air Tuesday night on HBO's ``Real Sports,'' Sheffield claimed that black players were handled differently in the clubhouse than white players - specifically Lofton and Tony Womack. ``I don't think I need to respond to anything,'' Torre said. ``I feel comfortable with who I am.'' ... The Yankees may continue carrying 13 pitchers for a couple more days. Torre said GM Brian Cashman is talking with a few teams about a potential trade involving a position player. ... 1B Doug Mientkiewicz (broken right wrist) hopes to resume swinging a bat late this week.
TAMPA BAY: A four-game series with the Yankees drew an announced crowd total of 123,806, the fourth highest home total in team history. The franchise record is 166,711, set July 9-12, 1998 against the Yankees. ... The Devil Rays lost for the second time this season when having 16 or more hits. ... 1B Carlos Pena has 22 homers in the Devil Rays' first 91 games this season. Only Jose Canseco, with 31 in 1999, hit more homers after 91 games in team history.
OAKLAND: Manager Bob Geren said that Dallas Braden will be called up from Triple-A Sacramento to start Monday against the Texas Rangers. Braden, the 24th overall selection in the 2004 draft, is 1-3 with a 6.41 ERA during two previous stints with the A's this season. Braden is 1-0 with 18 strike outs in 10 2-3 innings in his last two minor-league starts. ``His last two starts were very impressive,'' Geren said. ``You can tell he's getting better each time out.'' Braden was previously with the club from April 23-29 and May 12-17. ... Oakland has scored three runs or less in nine straight games, which is the longest such streak since scoring three or less in 10 straight games from September 10-17 in 1978. ``A lot of guys have been struggling the last few days,'' Geren said. ``But we had some good swings against (Johan) Santana and hit the ball hard last night. I think we'll be fine.''
MINNESOTA: Twins' All-Star CF Torii Hunter was not in the lineup on Sunday, but was available to hit late in the game. ``He hasn't really had a day off because of the All-Star game and he's a little sore and tired,'' manager Ron Gardenhire said. The Twins are off on Monday, giving Hunter a two-day rest. ... LHP Glen Perkins, on the DL since May 22 with a muscle strain in his left shoulder, suffered a setback last night during a start with Class-A Fort Myers. Gardenhire said that Perkins experienced pain in the same spot as the original injury after four pitches. ``It's not good,'' Gardenhire said. ``The trainer told me is probably back to square one with him.'' ... The Twins are batting .327 and have scored a major-league best 57 runs in their last eight games.
DETROIT: 1B Sean Casey was the target of jokes after Sunday's game when he got his second stolen base of the season in the fourth inning. It was a missed hit-and-run by Mike Rabelo, but Casey was taking full credit for the steal. ``I want to thank Rabelo for missing the pitch,'' Casey said. Casey also hit his 300th career double in the second inning. ... RHP Justin Verlander threw two wild pitches on Sunday, raising his league-leading total to 12. Cincinnati's Aaron Harang is second with nine. ... Detroit stole five bases on Sunday, the most since July 18, 2001 when they stole five against the Yankees.
SEATTLE: CF Ichiro Suzuki left Sunday's game in the fifth inning with a bruised right thigh after getting hit by a 96 mph fastball from Detroit's Justin Verlander. Suzuki is day-to-day and will be re-evaluated on Monday. ... LHP Jake Woods was designated for assignment after Sunday's game. Woods pitched 2 innings on Sunday, giving up two runs and one hit. His roster spot is likely to be taken by LHP Horacio Ramirez, who will start on Monday night against Baltimore. ... Ramirez is ready for Monday to arrive, having been on the DL since May 25 with left shoulder tendinitis. ``Yeah, it got real frustrating when I got real close to coming back and you're just chomping at the bit to get back on that mound and help the team win.'' Ramirez is 4-2 with a 6.47 ERA in eight starts.
TEXAS: The Angels loaded the bases in the eighth against LHP Ron Mahay, but RHP Joaquin Benoit got out of it by retiring pinch-hitter Maicer Izturis and Jeff Mathis on popups. The pitching staff has allowed only four hits and one RBI in 42 at_bats by opponents' pinch-hitters this season. ... Michael Young has gone 23 games without an extra-base hit since June 15. His last 26 hits have been singles. ... Sammy Sosa, who had the day off, has no RBIs in the eight games he's played this month after totaling 24 in June. ... RHP Willie Eyre has allowed only two of his 19 inherited baserunners to score. RHP Frank Francisco has stranded 18 of his 20 inherited runners. ... The Rangers have allowed only one home run in 11 games this month. The bullpen has given up just one home run over the last 22 games, a two-run shot by Gary Sheffield against Scott Feldman. ... Rangers starting pitchers have worked 466 2-3 innings this season, the fewest in the majors. The relievers have pitched 332 1-3 innings, also highest.
LOS ANGELES: Chone Figgins stole three bases to break the Angels' record for career steals. He swiped second in the fifth inning, eclipsing the club record of 186 that was previously held by current Texas Rangers first base coach Gary Pettis - who tipped his cap toward second base from the top step of the first base dugout and applauded when Figgins' achievement was flashed on the video board. Pettis was caught stealing 47 times while playing for the Angels. Figgins has been nabbed 60 times. ... The Angels have not homered in nine consecutive games, their longest drought since September 1991. ... OF and leadoff hitter Reggie Willits is batting .311. The highest average ever by an Angels rookie over a full season was Wally Joyner's .290 mark in 1986. ... All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez pitched two perfect innings against Texas. It's the fourth time this season he went longer than one inning - including a two-inning stint against the White Sox on May 6, when he gave up a run and three hits and was the pitcher of record in a 10-inning 4-3 loss at Angel Stadium.
Notes from Sunday's NL games
July 15, 2007
HOUSTON: The Astros have been swept five times this season. ... Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez had his scoreless inning streak snapped in the second inning. He pitched 17 scoreless innings. He also had his shortest outing of the season after pitching a four-hit shutout against the New York Mets in his previous start. ``I felt good, but I think the break hurt me,'' Rodriguez said through a translator. Rodriguez pitched 3 1-3 innings and gave up seven runs on nine hits against the Cubs on Sunday. ... Houston's bullpen pitched 7 1-3 scoreless innings in the past two games. ... The Astros are 12 1/2 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central and 14 games below .500.
CHICAGO: Cubs manager Lou Piniella dropped slugger Alfonso Soriano to fifth in the batting order from the leadoff spot, hoping it would lead to more offense against lefty starters. ``I wouldn't do this if he didn't feel comfortable about it and I wouldn't do this if I haven't talked to him prior,'' Piniella said. Soriano was 0-for-4 on Sunday and after the game Soriano said he didn't have any problems with it. ... Piniella doesn't have much of a scouting report on Barry Bonds yet. Bonds and the Giants begin a four-game series at Wrigley on Monday. ``We haven't seen him. We will find out soon enough. He is certainly dangerous, he is certainly very capable, he's had a great career and he's after probably the most hollowed record in all of baseball,'' Piniella said. ``I'm going to let him get his at_bats, but if the ballgame is on the line I will probably let someone else try to beat us.'' ... Piniella said C Henry Blanco, who is on the disabled list with a herniated disc had a minor setback that will push back his rehab a few days. He was scheduled to begin on Monday. ... Cubs closer Ryan Dempster is getting closer to returning from the disabled list. Piniella said Dempster threw without soreness on Sunday and he may start a rehab assignment on Tuesday. Dempster is out with a left oblique strain.
CINCINNATI: 2B Brandon Phillips' second-inning single extended his hitting streak to 11 games. He is batting .375 (18-48) with 15 RBIs during that stretch. ... OF Adam Dunn cracked a scoreboard panel at Shea Stadium with a 460-foot homer in the fourth inning. He hit it high off the board in right field and it appeared to dent the panel reserved for the Dodgers-Giants score - a game that hadn't started yet. The panel was fixed before the top of the fifth. ``Well gee, I hope they can find the money to pay for that somewhere,'' Dunn joked. ... LHP Jon Coutlangus got 2B Jose Valentin to hit into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the eighth inning. He has a 2.25 ERA in his past 22 appearances and hasn't allowed a run in seven July games.
NEW YORK: The Mets activated RHP Jorge Sosa off the 15-day DL and optioned RHP Mike Pelfrey to Triple-A New Orleans. Sosa will start Monday night at San Diego. Pelfrey was 0-7 with a 6.12 ERA in nine games, including eight starts. ... It was Military Appreciation Day at Shea Stadium, and four F-18s from the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, S.C., performed a flyover after the national anthem. ... The Mets drew a franchise record 203,515 fans for the four-game series against the Reds. The previous record was 199,547 fans against Pittsburgh from July 29-Aug. 1, 1988. ... The New York Mets bullpen has allowed one earned run in its past 29 innings.
WASHINGTON: The Nationals no doubt were happy to say goodbye to Marlins 3B Miguel Cabrera, who hit three homers in the final two games of the series. Cabrera's career batting average against the Washington/Montreal franchise is .361 (100-for-275), his highest with at least 100 at_bats against any opponent. Cabrera's 21 career homers vs. Washington are the most he has hit against any opponent. ``He's one of the elite hitters in all of baseball,'' manager Manny Acta said. ``His batting average lifetime says so.'' ... 1B Nick Johnson (fractured right femur) accompanied the team to Florida but a team spokesman said there was no timetable on Johnson's return. Johnson has not played this season.
FLORIDA: Manager Fredi Gonzalez said RHP Rick Vanden Hurk will be recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to pitch Tuesday against St. Louis. ``He might stay until (RHP Josh Johnson) comes back, or he might stay for the rest of the year.'' Gonzalez said. The manager also said he was encouraged after Johnson (right forearm strain) threw in the bullpen Sunday. ``We'll wait a couple of days to see how he feels, and then we might run him out for a couple of starts on a rehab assignment,'' Gonzalez said. ... By taking two of three against Washington, the Marlins earned their first home series win since taking two of three from Philadelphia on May 22-24. ``We have to improve our home record if we want to compete with the teams ahead of us,'' LHP Scott Olsen said. ``This is a good start.''
ST. LOUIS: Utilityman Scott Spiezio was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an infected left index finger. Spiezio was hospitalized at the end of June because of the infection. He was hitting .281 with three home runs and 27 RBIS. ... Infielder Brendan Ryan was recalled from Triple-A Memphis. ... Five years after the Phillies traded him to St. Louis, Scott Rolen is still loudly booed before every at-bat. ... RHP Braden Looper (6-7, 4.72 ERA) makes first career start against Florida on Monday night after facing his former team 16 times in relief.
PHILADELPHIA: RHP Tom Gordon threw again on Sunday and could be activated in time for the Phillies' seven-game West Coast road trip. Manager Charlie Manuel said he'd like to ease Gordon into a few non-pressure situations before resuming his closer's role. ... Injured reliever Brett Myers will throw to batters on Tuesday and Manuel said if all goes well, Myers could soon begin a rehab assignment. ... The Reds-Mets game was being closely watched in the Phillies clubhouse, and Manuel said both New York and Atlanta could be caught. ``I want to get in a situation where when we do play the Braves and the Mets, it really means something,'' he said.
PITTSBURGH: Now that he's spent 91 games with Pittsburgh, former Braves 1B Adam LaRoche recalls his three seasons with Atlanta fondly. LaRoche, who had one of just four hits off Braves pitching on Sunday, was coming off a career year with a .285 average, 32 homers and 90 RBIs. Atlanta traded him to Pittsburgh on Jan. 17 for reliever Mike Gonzalez. ``Those are class guys, a group of guys I'll never forget,'' LaRoche said of the Braves. ``They have everything going, and we didn't have it going.'' ... Pittsburgh is 5-41 when trailing after six innings. ... Left-handed hitters are batting .095 (4-for-43) against LHP Damaso Marte, who worked a scoreless eighth on Saturday. Overall, Marte has no decisions and a 1.65 ERA in 27 1-3 innings. ... A chance to win five straight series, something the Pirates last accomplished in 1992, ended with a 5-4 loss on Saturday. ... After going 0-for-3, LF Jason Bay lowered his batting average two points to .249. Bay was hitting .312 on June 4. ... LHP John Grabow's ERA climbed to 6.17 after giving up a run in the eighth. Grabow hadn't allowed a run in six outings when he allowed two in one-third of an inning on Friday.
ATLANTA: SS Edgar Renteria pushed his average to .327 with four hits, which gave him 114 for the season and tied him with Arizona's Eric Byrnes for seventh place in the NL. ... 3B Chipper Jones began the day tied with Colorado's Matt Holliday with a .339 average, but going 0-for-3 dropped his mark four points. ... The Braves are 19-23 against left-handed starters. ... RHP Kyle Davies' start Monday will be the third of his career against the Reds. ... OF Willie Harris got his 14th stolen base in 18 chances when he beat the throw from Pittsburgh C Ryan Doumit in the eighth. ... CF Andruw Jones struck out with the bases loaded to end the eighth to finish 0-for-4, lowering his average to .211. Entering the game, Jones had hit safely in 13 of 14 games for a .302 average, six homers and 15 RBIs.
COLORADO: The Rockies are 2-11 in their past 13 road games. ... They have not won a road series since June 12-14, when they took two of three at Boston. ... Rockies pitchers have allowed more home runs on the road (49) than at home (41). ... The Rockies are 8-22 on the road when the bullpen allows at least one run. ... Kaz Matsui had his 18th multi-hit game of the season. ... Jeremy Affeldt had retired 16 of the past 17 batters before allowing back-to-back extra-base hits to Geoff Jenkins and pinch-hitter Kevin Mench. ... The Rockies have lost 22 games in which they held the lead. ... The Rockies are 0-20 when trailing after eight innings on the road. ... Brad Hawpe leads the National League with 39 two-out RBIs.
MILWAUKEE: Former Brewers right fielder Sixto Lezcano was honored before Sunday's game as part of the second annual ``Cerveceros Day''. The Brewers wore special jerseys with ``Cerveceros'', Spanish for ``Brewers'', across the chest to commemorate baseball's Latino history. Before the game in the Brewers dugout, radio play-by-play announcer Bob Uecker recanted his call of Lezcano's walk-off grand slam to beat the Red Sox on opening day in 1980. The Chorizo racing sausage was honored with a bobblehead giveaway. ... Attendance was 42,754, the 15th sellout of the season for the Brewers, already surpassing last season's total of 14. ... RHP Jeff Suppan's RBI single in the fifth was his second career single and RBI off the Colorado right-hander. ... Francisco Cordero's save was the first for the Brewers since June 20, a span of 18 games.
SAN DIEGO: SS Khalil Greene hit his 16th home run on Saturday night, breaking his own record for the most by a Padres shortstop in a single season. Greene downplayed the achievement, noting that other Padres shortstops were known for their speed or fielding prowess. ``I'm not going to say it's insignificant,'' he said. ... RHP Heath Bell allowed 31 hits in 50 2-3 innings before the All-Star Game. He gave up five in one-third of an inning Saturday night. Bell bounced back by getting the only batter he faced, Arizona C Chris Snyder, to ground into an inning-ending double play in the Padres' 4-0 victory on Sunday.
ARIZONA: 3B Chad Tracy sat out Sunday with tendinitis in his right knee. Manager Bob Melvin said Tracy, who was 4-for-9 in the first two games after the All-Star break, is expected to be back in the lineup at Milwaukee on Monday night. ... OF Carlos Quentin, optioned to the minors on July 6, hit .455 with one homer and seven RBIs in his first seven games at Triple-A Tucson. Jeff Salazar, who has replaced Quentin in right field, started his fifth straight game Sunday and is hitting .333 (7-for-21). ... The Diamondbacks rallied from a 4-0 deficit against San Diego ace Chris Young in Saturday night's 5-4 victory. It's the fifth time Arizona has won when trailing by four or more runs.
LOS ANGELES: RHP Brett Tomko allowed one earned run to win in his first start since May 21, earning another chance in the rotation Friday against the New York Mets. ``It's a good starting point,'' Tomko said. ``I just want to build on it. It's definitely nice to have success and get some people out.'' ... LHP Joe Beimel struck out Barry Bonds in the seventh inning and has allowed only one hit in 14 career at_bats against the slugger. ``I watched guys in the past try to pitch around him and mentally I think he can feel that and he can sense when somebody is afraid of him,'' Beimel said. ``I've always tried to go right at him and be aggressive.''
SAN FRANCISCO: Barry Bonds had one 0-for-5 day between May 30, 2001, and Friday, a span of 2,236 days. He then did it in back-to-back games against the Dodgers, calling himself an ``embarrassment'' after the game. ... RHP Russ Ortiz (strained right forearm) threw about 55 pitches, including warmups, in a simulated game. His next step will likely by pitching an inning for Triple-A Fresno on Tuesday and again on Thursday. ``He felt good throwing today so he's not far now. Probably within a week,'' manager Bruce Bochy said. ... OF Randy Winn missed the game with a bruised right foot after fouling a ball off himself Saturday. Winn, who hit the next pitch for a grand slam, should be available Monday. ...
Seattle LHP Woods designated for assignment
July 15, 2007
SEATTLE (AP) -The Mariners' designated left-hander Jake Woods for assignment after Sunday's game against Detroit, meaning the team has 10 days to send Woods to the minors, trade him or release him.
Woods gave up one hit - a homer to Magglio Ordonez - in two innings Sunday against Detroit. For the season, Woods was 0-0 with a 5.91 ERA in four appearances.
Last year, Woods was a spot starter in the Mariners' rotation, making eight starts. For the season, he was 7-4 with a 4.20 ERA and was thought to be in the competition for Seattle's No. 5 spot in the rotation during spring training.
Phillies activate Gordon
July 16th, 2007
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies have activated relief pitcher Tom Gordon from the 60-day disabled list.
Gordon was out since May 2 with right rotator cuff inflammation. The move was made after Sunday night's 10-2 loss to St. Louis.
The right-hander is 1-1 with five saves and a 4.82 earned run average this season. Despite Brett Myers still sidelined with a shoulder strain, it is unlikely that Gordon will assume the closer role. Manager Charlie Manuel is expected to keep Antonio Alfonseca as the closer, with Gordon serving as a middle reliever.
Problems with Gordon's shoulder also landed him on the disabled list last season, and he left the team during spring training before this season started to have his shoulder re-examined.
To make room for Gordon, the Phillies optioned reliever Brian Sanches to Triple-A Ottawa. The right-hander was 1-1 with a 6.39 ERA in 12 2/3 innings over 11 games.
Indians give manager Wedge 3-year contract extension
July 16, 2007
CLEVELAND (AP) -Manager Eric Wedge received a three-year contract extension from the Cleveland Indians on Monday, an early reward for having his ballclub near the top in the AL Central.
Wedge, whose Indians didn't reach the playoffs in his first four seasons, was signed through the 2007 season with the club holding a club option for 2008 and 2009.
But with Cleveland (54-37) trailing the first-place Detroit Tigers by just one-half game entering the week and leading the wild-card chase, the Indians decided the time was right to extend Wedge's deal through the 2010 season.
Financial terms were not immediately available.
``Eric has clearly defined his leadership and vision during his tenure as manager of the Cleveland Indians,'' general manager Mark Shapiro said in a statement. ``He has consistently demonstrated a relentless work ethic and strong belief in his players and has placed us among the best records in baseball two of the past three seasons.
``I am confident that Eric is the right man to guide our team as we collectively pursue our ultimate goal of sustainable championship success.''
The Indians are 373-366 under the 39-year-old Wedge, who became the club's 39th manager before the 2003 season.
Wedge led the Indians to double-digit increases in wins in his first three seasons, the first Cleveland manager to do so since Lou Boudreau (1946-48). Only a final-week collapse in 2005 prevented the Indians, who have not won the World Series since 1948, from making the playoffs.
The Indians were expected to contend this season and they have, holding first place for 63 days and bouncing back from a 78-84 record and fourth-place finish in 2006.
Wedge's extension is the latest long-term commitment shown by the club.
Last week, designated hitter Travis Hafner signed a four-year, $57 million contract extension and earlier this season the club gave right-hander Jake Westbrook a three-year, $33 million package. Westbrook would have been eligible for free agency following this season.
Also, Shapiro, who in the past has referred to his working relationship with Wedge as a ``partnership,'' signed a five-year contract extension in March that will keep him in Cleveland through 2012.
Assistant GMs Chris Antonetti and John Mirabelli signed extensions in May.
Reds recall Livingston to start versus Braves
July 16th, 2007
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds have recalled pitcher Bobby Livingston from Triple-A Louisville to start Monday's game against the Atlanta Braves.
Livingston takes the roster spot vacated when shortstop Alex Gonzalez was placed on the bereavement list over the weekend. The left-hander was 3-4 with a 3.80 ERA in 17 games at Louisville.
In two starts with the Reds earlier this season, Livingston was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA. In five career appearances at the big league level, he holds a 7.41 ERA.
Mariners activate Ramirez from DL
July 16th, 2007
Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - The Seattle Mariners activated pitcher Horacio Ramirez from the 15-day disabled list on Monday.
Ramirez had been on the DL since May 25 with tendinitis in his left shoulder.
The 27-year-old southpaw is 4-2 with a 6.47 ERA in eight starts for Seattle this season.
To make room for him on the roster, the team optioned pitcher Jake Woods to Triple-A Tacoma. He is 0-0 with a 5.91 ERA in four games for Seattle this season.