Pirates add former Brewers closer Dan Kolb, drop Kelly
June 12, 2007
PITTSBURGH (AP) -Former All-Star closer Dan Kolb was added to the Pittsburgh Pirates' roster on Tuesday and utility infielder Don Kelly was designated for assignment.
The right-handed Kolb, signed to a minor league contract during the offseason, was 2-1 with a 3.15 ERA and four saves in 18 games at Triple-A Indianapolis. Kolb's contract was purchased by Pittsburgh.
Kolb had 21 saves with Milwaukee in 2003 and 39 in 2004, but lost his closer's job after being traded to Atlanta, where he was 3-8 with 11 saves in 2005. He returned to Milwaukee last season and was 2-2 with a 4.84 ERA in 53 games, mostly as a setup reliever.
Kelly, a Pittsburgh-area native, surprisingly made the Pirates' opening day roster as a utility infielder. But he played little, hitting .154 (4-for-26) with no extra-base hits.
Kolb gives the Pirates 13 pitchers, including eight relievers. Right-hander Matt Capps, who recently became their closer, is awaiting word on his appeal of a four-game suspension for hitting the Brewers' Prince Fielder with a pitch.
Devil Rays sign Witasick
June 12, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -Reliever Jay Witasick agreed Tuesday to a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Witasick was released by Oakland last Thursday. He went 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in 16 games with the Athletics.
Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon will give the right-hander an opportunity to fill the seventh-inning setup role.
Witasick had a $1.5 million salary this year under his contract with Oakland, and Tampa Bay is responsible for $230,492 of that, a prorated share of the $380,000 minimum. The Athletics also must pay a $250,000 buyout of a 2008 option.
To make room for Witasick on the 40-man roster, the Devil Rays designated reliever Ruddy Lugo for assignment. Lugo was pitching for Triple-A Durham.
Tampa Bay also placed pitcher Tim Corcoran on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right elbow.
Astros sign Chan Ho Park
June 12, 2007
HOUSTON (AP) -The Houston Astros signed Chan Ho Park to a minor league contract on Tuesday, hoping the 13-year veteran can boost their mediocre pitching staff.
The 34-year-old was released by the New York Mets on Sunday. The South Korean right-hander allowed seven runs and six hits over four innings in his only start for the Mets this year, against Florida on May 3.
Park was 4-4 with a 5.57 ERA in nine starts for Triple-A New Orleans. Garner said Park will ``have a few starts'' at Triple-A Round Rock before the team decides whether to call him up.
``You're taking a chance on him, to see what he can do and where he stands,'' Garner said.
The Astros lost four of their previous six and their pitching staff had the ninth-ranked ERA in the NL heading before Tuesday's game against Oakland.
Park, the first South Korean to reach the majors, had his best season in 2000, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, winning 18 games with a 3.27 ERA.
``You never have enough pitching,'' Garner said. ``This guy, he's had a history. If he turns out to be OK, maybe there's a possibility for us.''
Just Incredible: Verlander no-hits Brewers
June 12th, 2007
Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Justin Verlander etched his name in Tiger history, throwing the team's first no-hitter in 23 years, striking out a career-high 12 batters, in Detroit's 4-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Verlander (7-2) walked four batters, with three of them coming to Bill Hall. The 24-year-old right-hander also got the benefit of two great fielding plays from Magglio Ordonez and Neifi Perez to toss Detroit's first no-hitter since Jack Morris turned the trick, April 7, 1984 against the White Sox in Chicago.
It was the sixth no-hitter in Tiger annals, and this was the first for the team in Detroit since Virgil Trucks shut down the Washington Senators at Briggs Stadium on May 15, 1952.
Ordonez made a sliding catch in short right field in the seventh inning, and Perez made a backhand stop on a ball hit up the middle to start a double play that ended the eighth. With the tension building in the ninth, Craig Counsell struck out for the opening out of the final inning. Verlander then fanned Tony Graffanino and got J.J. Hardy to fly out to a backpedaling Ordonez at the warning track to end the game, as the Tigers hugged the third-year major leaguer.
Verlander, chosen as the second overall pick in the 2004 draft out of Old Dominion, pitched the second no-hitter in the majors this season. He joined Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox. Buehrle no-hit Texas on April 18 at U.S. Cellular Field.
Verlander threw 73 of his 112 pitches for strikes.
Brandon Inge homered and drove in two runs for the Tigers, who won for the fifth time in six games. Curtis Granderson tripled in a run and Placido Polanco had a sacrifice fly in the opener of the three-game interleague series.
Jeff Suppan (7-7) was charged with seven hits and four runs over 6 1/3 innings, as the Brewers lost for the fourth time in five contests.
Braves: Chipper close to returning
Braves manager Bobby Cox said Chipper Jones is getting close to coming back, according to the AP. "Now it's not week-to-week anymore, it's day-to-day," Cox said. "Hopefully sometime this road trip." Jones, who has been on the disabled list with sore wrists, took some batting practice Tuesday.
Astros: Berkman begins suspension
Lance Berkman began serving a two-game suspension after dropping an appeal on Tuesday, according to the AP. Berkman was ejected from a June 5 game in Colorado, then was suspended after returning to the field during a bench-clearing confrontation later in the game.
Rangers: Sosa to rest against NL teams
Rangers manager Ron Washington said that after Tuesday in Pittsburgh, Sammy Sosa would play only one or two more games during the six-game stretch on the road against National League teams, according to the AP. "I would have to run him out there in the outfield and I don't want to wear him out," Washington said.
Cardinals' Wilson undergoes surgery
June 12, 2007
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Preston Wilson underwent surgery on his right knee Tuesday and will be out the rest of the season.
The procedure to repair the articular cartilage was performed by Dr. Richard Steadman in Vail, Colo.
Wilson, 32, batted .219 in 25 games with one home run and five RBIs this year. His two-run home run on April 20 lifted the Cardinals to a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Baseball Today - June 13
Wed, Jun 13, 2007
By Associated Press
SCOREBOARD
Wednesday, June 13
San Diego at Tampa Bay (7:10 p.m. EDT).
Jake Peavy, who has 95 strikeouts in 87 innings this season, looks to lower his 1.97 ERA for the Padres.
STARS
Tuesday
-Justin Verlander, Tigers, pitched a no-hitter and struck out a career-high 12 to lead Detroit over Milwaukee 4-0.
-Brad Ausmus, Astros, drove in four runs, including the game-winner in the 11th inning, to lift Houston over Oakland 5-4.
-Scott Olsen, Marlins, allowed three hits in seven innings and Florida beat Cleveland 3-0.
-Chase Utley, Phillies, homered and had four RBIs in Philadelphia's 7-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.
-Brian Bannister, Royals, threw seven scoreless innings in Kansas City's 8-1 win over St. Louis.
NO-NO
Justin Verlander pitched the first no-hitter in Comerica Park history, mixing 100 mph heat with crazy curveballs to lead the Detroit Tigers over the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 on Tuesday. Verlander struck out a career-high 12, walked four and benefited from several stellar defensive plays in the Tigers' first no-hitter since Jack Morris' gem in 1984. It was the second no-hitter of the season in the majors, with Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox doing it against the Texas Rangers on April 18.
YANKS HEATING UP
The New York Yankees beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-1 on Tuesday for their seventh consecutive victory. The Yankees (31-31) won for the 10th time in 12 tries following a five-game skid, reaching .500 for the first time since they were 16-16 after beating Texas on May 9. It's their first seven-game winning streak since a 10-game run in May 2005.
TRIPLE THREAT
Wilson Betemit, Matt Kemp, and winning pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo homered off John Maine on three consecutive pitches, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 4-1 on Tuesday. The Mets hadn't allowed three straight homers since April 1, 1997. Kuo became the first player born in Taiwan to hit a home run in a big-league game.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Kelvim Escobar struck out a career-high 14 in six innings, but the Los Angeles Angels lost 5-3 to Cincinnati on Tuesday. Escobar gave up three runs on five hits and walked one. His 14 strikeouts were the most by an Angels pitcher since Chuck Finley fanned 15 Yankees on May 23, 1995.
STREAKS
Casey Blake extended his hitting streak to a career-best 21 games in Cleveland's 3-0 loss to Florida on Tuesday. ... David Wright extended his hitting streak to 14 games in the Mets' 4-1 loss to the Dodgers. ... Seattle topped the Chicago Cubs 5-3 in 13 innings for their season-high fifth straight win.
SNAPPED
Tadahito Iguchi had his 13-game hitting streak snapped in the Chicago White Sox's 7-3 loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday.
SPEAKING
''I wanted to watch the catch, but Pudge was yelling in my ear.'' - Tigers hurler Justin Verlander, on the last out of his no-hitter against Milwaukee on Tuesday. Verlander got the Brewers' J.J. Hardy to fly out to right field and catcher Ivan Rodriguez stormed the mound to hug him as Magglio Ordonez caught the ball to preserve the no-hitter and the 4-0 win.
Notes from Tuesday's games
June 12, 2007
COLORADO: The only Rockies playing for the team on their only other visit to Fenway Park were Todd Helton and Brian Fuentes. ``I can remember calling my dad from the hotel room and telling him, 'I can see Fenway right now and I'm about to go play.' That's probably the biggest thing, sharing it with my dad,'' Helton said. ... Helton was the only one to have faced Tim Wakefield before Tuesday, going 0-for-1.
BOSTON: SS Julio Lugo, who signed a four-year, $36 million contract in the offseason, dropped from first to ninth in the batting order. He entered Tuesday night's game batting .213. Rookie 2B Dustin Pedroia, who's batting .316, led off. ... Red Sox prospects Daniel Bard and Ryan Phillips combined on a rain-shortened, six-inning no-hitter for Boston's Single-A affiliate in Greenville, S.C., winning 5-0 at Kannapolis in the Carolina League on Monday.
TEXAS: Manager Ron Washington said that after Tuesday in Pittsburgh, OF Sammy Sosa would play only one or two more games during the six-game stretch on the road against National League teams. ``I would have to run him out there in the outfield and I don't want to wear him out,'' Washington said. Sosa had 598 career home runs heading into Tuesday's game. ... Washington said OF/INF Brad Wilkerson would be the team's regular first baseman while 1B Mark Teixeria is on the disabled list with a strained left quadriceps. Wilkerson came off the DL on Saturday, the same day Teixeria was placed on it. ... 3B Travis Metcalf made the second start of his major league career Tuesday night and first since being recalled Saturday. ``I'm not looking for him to come here and carry us,'' Washington said. ``We have enough guys that can carry us. I just want him to play baseball and have fun.'' Metcalf has a chance to get regular at_bats against left-handed pitching with 3B Hank Blalock on the 60-day disabled list.
PITTSBURGH: INF Jose Castillo started for the second game in a row Tuesday in place of SS Jack Wilson. Castillo was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and made some solid defensive plays Sunday at Yankee Stadium. ``It would be very difficult for him to come into this clubhouse, sit down at your locker and not see your name in the lineup with the game he played (Sunday),'' manager Jim Tracy said. ... The Pirates have begun negotiations with first-round pick LHP Daniel Moskos of Clemson and his agent. ... OF Xavier Nady was back in right field after not playing the field since leaving last Wednesday's game with left hamstring tightness. Nady was the designated hitter in Yankee Stadium over the weekend. ... Tracy said RHP Dan Kolb, the former All-Star closer whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, will be a ``sixth- or seventh-inning'' reliever and not a candidate to be the closer.
DETROIT: RHP Joel Zumaya visited the team after having the cast removed from the middle finger of his pitching hand. Zumaya, who underwent surgery in May to fix a dislocated tendon, said that he hopes to be pitching again in about six weeks. ... The seagulls that disrupted Detroit's weekend series with the Mets were back in force on Tuesday, despite pregame attempts to scare them off with dogs. When Justin Verlander threw his first pitch, there were approximately 30 gulls in fair territory, mostly in left and center fields. ... The weekend series with Milwaukee marked just the second time the Tigers have hosted the Brewers at Comerica Park. The Brewers, who played in the same division as the Tigers before switching leagues, went 93-109 at Tiger Stadium.
MILWAUKEE: 1B Prince Fielder played in Detroit for the first time Tuesday, but not in the stadium where he spent much of his childhood. Fielder was a frequent visitor to the home clubhouse at Tiger Stadium when his father Cecil was with the team between 1990-96. Prince Fielder, who is estranged from his father, did not speak to the media before the game. ... 3B Ryan Braun got the day off with the Brewers facing RHP Justin Verlander. ``You want to give guys a day somewhere, and it makes sense to give him today when we're going against a guy as tough against righties as Verlander,'' said Milwaukee manager Ned Yost. ... SP Jeff Suppan was facing the Tigers for the first time since getting a no-decision in St. Louis' Game 4 win in last year's World Series.
CLEVELAND: With CF Grady Sizemore not in the lineup for the first time in 259 games, the Indians used Franklin Gutierrez in center field and in Sizemore's customary leadoff spot. It was the 43rd different lineup Cleveland used in 63 games this year. ... 3B Casey Blake singled in the first inning, extending his hitting streak to 21 games. ... RHP Jake Westbrook (abdominal strain) makes his third rehab start Wednesday at Single-A Lake County. Manager Eric Wedge said Westbrook would throw about 75 pitches. ... The Indians still haven't named a starter for Thursday's series finale in Florida.
FLORIDA: RHP Anibal Sanchez, who threw a no-hitter last season but was sent to the minor leagues last month, is still experiencing shoulder pain and was set to meet with Marlins team doctors, manager Fredi Gonzalez said. Another RHP, Josh Johnson (elbow), is set to make another rehab start Wednesday at Double-A Carolina and could be back with the Marlins by next week. ... RHP Sergio Mitre (2-2, 1.59) threw a bullpen session Tuesday and will return to the Marlins' rotation on Friday at Kansas City.
WASHINGTON: SS Cristian Guzman, on a 24-for-48 tear over 11 games, moved into the leadoff spot for the first time this season against Baltimore. He replaced 2B Felipe Lopez, who is 2-for-35 over 18 games and was dropped to second in the batting order. ``We need to get (Lopez) going,'' manager Manny Acta said. ``This is just a change of scenery for him.'' ... RHP Luis Ayala, on the 60-day disabled list while recovering from right elbow surgery, allowed two hits and a run in an inning during a rehab outing for Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday afternoon.
BALTIMORE: C Alberto Castillo got his first start since being called up from Triple-A Norfolk on Friday to replace injured C Ramon Hernandez (groin). Castillo played all last season in Washington's farm system and was disappointed he didn't get called up in September, but insisted he harbored no ill feelings. ``I just got to go play my game and help the Baltimore Orioles win,'' he said. ... Eager to wake up Baltimore's slumping offense, manager Sam Perlozzo rested 1B Kevin Millar and CF Corey Patterson and started utility player Chris Gomez at 1B. Gomez, batting second for the third time this season, grounded into a DP in his first at-bat. ... Baltimore was 29-34 after 63 games for the third time in five years.
CHICAGO: The White Sox hit consecutive homers for just the second time this season when Paul Konerko and Jermaine Dye took Cole Hamels deep in the first inning. Dye and A.J. Pierzynski did it April 27 against Anaheim. ... Phillies CF Aaron Rowand, a member of the White Sox championship team in 2005, visited manager Ozzie Guillen before Tuesday night's game. Injured pitcher Freddy Garcia also met with his old manager. ``They're really special in this room,'' Guillen said. ``I don't let too many people into my office if you're going to play against me, and Rowand was here to say high to everybody and Freddy spent more time in my office than anybody I know. Those guys are pretty special guys because they give you every day 100 percent of what they have.''
PHILADELPHIA: Manager Charlie Manuel isn't upset that Freddy Garcia didn't report his injury earlier to the team. Garcia will see renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday for a second opinion on his ailing shoulder. An MRI exam on Monday showed fraying in Garcia's rotator cuff and a problem in the labrum. ``In the past, he probably had some soreness and stiffness and pitched through it,'' Manuel said. ``He felt he can still help us by pitching.'' ... Injured reliever Brett Myers threw from the side of the mound Tuesday. Myers has been sidelined with a strained shoulder. ``He's been throwing, but hasn't been cutting the ball loose,'' Manuel said.
SAN DIEGO: OF Hiram Bocachica (strep throat) was available off the bench. ... OF Brian Giles remains sidelined by a bruised right knee and is not expected to play this week. He has missed the past 20 games. ... Manager Bud Black said RHP Justin Germano (4-0, 2.75 ERA), who was hit near the left knee by a foul ball Saturday, will make his scheduled start Thursday at Tampa Bay. ... RHP Jake Peavy (7-1, 1.97 ERA), Wednesday's scheduled starter, is 3-0 with a 1.06 ERA in five road starts this season.
TAMPA BAY: C Dioner Navarro started for the first time since being hit in the throat by a pitched ball Saturday. ... CF Rocco Baldelli (strained left hamstring) was the DH in an extended spring training game. A decision on whether he will rejoin the team or go on a minor league rehab assignment next week will be made in the next few days. ... 2B-CF B.J. Upton (strained left quadriceps) was out of the lineup for the third straight game. He took BP and could return this weekend.
LOS ANGELES: Garret Anderson was out of the lineup for the second straight game because of tightness in his right leg. He's expected back on Wednesday. ... RHP Jered Weaver felt better Tuesday after visiting a chiropractor and was expected to make his next scheduled start. Weaver left Sunday's game with tightness in his lower back. ... 1B Casey Kotchman was back in the lineup after missing a game because of a sore elbow that was hit by a pitch. ... Manager Mike Scioscia dropped Reggie Willits from the leadoff spot to eighth in the order Tuesday. ``Reggie's been pressing a little bit,'' Scioscia said. Willits, who batted leadoff in his last 21 games, was in an 0-for-7 slump. ... INF Maicer Izturis, who went on the DL with a sore hamstring May 22, is expected to rejoin the team Friday. Izturis is on a rehab stint with Triple-A Salt Lake.
CINCINNATI: RHP Todd Coffey had a clean-shaven look when he rejoined the Reds on Tuesday from Triple-A Louisville, where he had to get rid of his familiar goatee. ``I look like I'm 12 years old,'' he said. ``Give me a week. I'll grow it back.'' ... LHP Bill Bray won't throw for a few days. The reliever cracked a bone in his left index finger during spring training, then developed a sore shoulder when he was pitching for Louisville on a rehab stint. Medical tests found nothing serious. ... LF Adam Dunn isn't paying attention to speculation he could be traded. ``It happens every year,'' Dunn said. ``I remember when I first heard it (in 2002), I believed it. I heard it in '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, and I'll probably hear it in '08 and '09. I'll believe it when I see it. I don't pay attention.''
SEATTLE: Manager Mike Hargrove said the Mariners will take a slower rehab approach this time with RHP Chris Reitsma, who went on the disabled list with elbow inflammation for the second time this season on Monday. ``Slower in the early part of it,'' Hargrove said. ``Not as much activity early (on).'' ... Hargrove said RHP Mark Lowe, on the 60-day DL following surgery on his right elbow, will throw two more bullpen sessions and one or two simulated games before beginning a minor-league rehab stint next week. ... Monday's game was the first at Wrigley Field for the Mariners, who dropped two of three from the Cubs in 2002.
CHICAGO: OF Cliff Floyd said his father was still in intensive care but was ``getting better and better each day'' after being hospitalized in Chicago because of fluid around his heart and lungs. His father is able to nod his head and watched Monday's game against Houston. ``He's still here, still fighting, and that's the dad I know,'' Floyd said. A Chicago native, Floyd returned home before Friday's game at Atlanta and was activated from the bereavement list on Monday but did not play. He was not in the lineup on Tuesday. ``Hopefully, he'll just continue to get better,'' Floyd said. ... 3B Aramis Ramirez plans to run and hit when the Cubs visit Texas next week and hopes to be ready for a series against the White Sox June 22-24 at U.S. Cellular Field. The Cubs put him on the DL retroactive to June 7 on Monday to give him time to recover from tendinitis in his left knee. ... Manager Lou Piniella called Seattle's decision to move Ichiro Suzuki to center field ``a real good move,'' and offered this nugget. Asked how they communicated after Ichiro arrived from Japan, Piniella said, ``We spoke Spanish.'' ``He didn't know English well, I certainly didn't know any Japanese. I knew a lot of Spanish, he knew a little bit,'' Piniella said.
OAKLAND: RHP Rich Harden, out since April 15 with a shoulder injury, threw 25 pitches off the mound Tuesday and will pitch a simulated game in the next few days. Manager Bob Geren reiterated his plan to bring Harden out of the bullpen, instead of giving him a rehab start, before moving him into the starting rotation. ... OF Shannon Stewart was out of Tuesday's starting lineup because of a sore right foot. Stewart is hitting .277 and had missed only five games before Tuesday. ``We'll try not to use him,'' Geren said. ... Geren said C Mike Piazza would try to swing a bat on Wednesday or Thursday. Piazza has been out since May 3 with a right shoulder sprain. ... The Athletics were playing their first-ever series in Houston. They swept the Astros in a three-game series in Oakland in 2002, the only other time the teams have met.
HOUSTON: 1B Lance Berkman began serving a two-game suspension after dropping an appeal on Tuesday. Berkman was ejected from a June 5 game in Colorado, then was suspended after returning to the field during a bench-clearing confrontation later in the game. Berkman had a letter from Bob Watson, baseball's vice president in charge of discipline, waiting at his locker on Tuesday. ``It was something we wanted to kind of go ahead and get over with,'' said Berkman, batting .251 with eight home runs. ``We checked with the commissioner's office and they seemed fairly adamant that the appeal was going to do no good.'' Mark Loretta started at 1B for Houston. ... Brad Lidge has worked his way back into the closer's role after an early-season demotion. Lidge had allowed only one run in his last 19 2-3 innings before Tuesday's game. Dan Wheeler and Chad Qualls have both blown saves this month, prompting manager Phil Garner to make the switch. ``I'll look to move him back into the role,'' Garner said. ... 2B Craig Biggio says he's not distracted by the digital display in left field that's counting down his quest for 3,000 hits. ``I don't really look at it. I know it's out there,'' said Biggio, only 20 hits away before Tuesday's game. ``I wish it would move a little quicker than it does sometimes.''
ATLANTA: Manager Bobby Cox said 3B Chipper Jones is getting close to coming back. ``Now it's not week-to-week anymore, it's day-to-day,'' Cox said. ``Hopefully sometime this road trip.'' Jones, who has been on the disabled list with sore wrists, took some batting practice Tuesday. ... RHP John Smoltz, who skipped his last scheduled start on Sunday while recovering from shoulder inflammation, is on track to start Friday. ``He feels fine,'' Cox said. ... SS Edgar Renteria was listed as a gametime decision, but held out of the lineup. He left the Braves' last game against the Cubs with a bruised left hand after being hit by a pitch.
MINNESOTA: LHP Dennys Reyes (inflamed shoulder) threw a 35-pitch simulated game Tuesday, which he said went ``really well.'' He'll be re-evaluated Wednesday, but said he didn't think he'd need a rehab assignment in the minors since he's in a short relief role. Manager Ron Gardenhire said if all goes well and there is no soreness on Wednesday, Reyes could be activated. ... LHP Glen Perkins (shoulder) got his throwing program on Tuesday and will begin playing catch. ... LF Rondell White, out since the first week of the season with a torn calf, will start playing extended spring training games soon. ``That will be nice to see him start swinging the bat,'' Gardenhire said. ... LF Jason Kubel (sprained right knee) missed his second straight game, but could return in this series, Gardenhire said.
ST. LOUIS: Tony La Russa declined to speculate on whether he might take Barry Bonds as a backup for the NL All-Star squad if the Giants' slugger is not voted onto the team by player or fans. But he did say he would consult with various sources while making the final three non-position picks in conjunction with the commissioner's office. Bonds needed eigth home runs to catch Hank Aaron after Monday. ``I'm not going to get into whether Barry Bonds is in. He might get voted in,'' he said. ... OF Preston Wilson had surgery on his right knee Tuesday in Vail, Colo., and is out for the year. He batted .219 in 25 games this season with one home run and five RBIs.
KANSAS CITY: Struggling rookie 3B Alex Gordon was at first base Tuesday night while Ryan Shealy rested what the Royals described as a strained foot. Manager Buddy Bell said Shealy was day-to-day. ... Pitching coach Bob McClure was back after being gone for five days fighting what Bell described as a viral infection. ... The Royals expected an attendance of about 90,000 for the three games against the state rival Cardinals. Eastern Missouri's National League franchise always has drawn well since interleague play began. To the Royals' chagrin, there are always plenty of red-clad Cardinal fans.
Marlins place Owens on DL, recall Gardner
June 13, 2007
MIAMI (AP) -The Florida Marlins placed right-handed reliever Henry Owens on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with inflammation in his right shoulder.
The move is retroactive to June 9.
Owens is 2-0 with four saves and a 1.96 ERA in 22 appearances this season. To take his spot on the roster, the Marlins recalled right-hander Lee Gardner from Triple-A Albuquerque. Gardner, who last appeared with the Marlins on May 30, is 1-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 22 games this season.
Also Wednesday, right-handed reliever Carlos Martinez - who had elbow reconstruction surgery last year and began pitching in the minors earlier this month on a rehab assignment - was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list and optioned to Double-A Carolina.
The Marlins also claimed left-hander Chris Seddon off waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and assigned him to Carolina.
Atlanta activates Chipper
June 13th, 2007
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Braves activated third baseman Chipper Jones from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday.
Jones has been sidelined since May 24 with bruised hands that required cortisone shots. When his right hand didn't heal, he was sent to the DL.
Jones bruised both hands when he braced his fall after colliding with Pittsburgh third baseman Jose Bautista on May 11 and tried to play through the pain until being sent to the DL.
Jones is hitting .300 with 12 homers and 27 RBI in 42 games this season.
To make room for Jones, pitcher Blaine Boyer was sent to Triple-A Richmond.