Marlins activate Kim from DL
May 17th, 2007
Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - The Florida Marlins activated pitcher Byung-Hyun Kim from the disabled list Thursday and placed infielder Mike Jacobs on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Monday, with a fractured right thumb.
Acquired from Colorado on Sunday for pitcher Jorge Julio, Kim will make his first start for the Marlins Friday at Tampa Bay. He is 3-1 with a 10.50 ERA this season.
Jacobs left Sunday's 6-4 loss to Washington after the fourth inning with the injury. He was hitting .281 with four home runs and 14 RBI.
A's release Walker
May 17th, 2007
Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - The Oakland Athletics released infielder Todd Walker on Thursday.
Walker, signed to a minor league contract by Oakland before the season, hit .271 with four RBI in 18 games for the A's this season. He started nine games at first base for Oakland while Dan Johnson was on the disabled list.
He had been designated for assignment on May 12.
For his career, Walker has hit .289 with 107 home runs and 545 RBI in 12 major league seasons.
Reds place Harang on bereavement list
May 17th, 2007
Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds placed starting pitcher Aaron Harang on the bereavement list on Thursday so he could be with his ailing grandfather.
The Reds will announce a corresponding roster move on Friday.
Harang is 5-1 with a 4.42 ERA in nine starts this season. It is not known if he will be able to make his next scheduled start on Sunday.
Devil Rays: Baldelli heads to disabled list
Rocco Baldelli is headed back to the DL once again. The outfielder has a "moderate" left hamstring strain, manager Joe Maddon told the AP, which necessitated the move. "We're not sure what that means as far as how long he'll be out," Maddon said. The team activated Greg Norton from the DL to replace Baldelli on the roster.
Rangers: Wilkerson won't need surgery
Brad Wilkerson won't need surgery on his right hamstring injury, but he's expected to be sidelined longer than the 15-day minimum. He is expected to be examined by team orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister when the club goes to Houston this weekend, according to the Dallas Morning News. "It's kind of the same as last year when I hurt my shoulder in May," he said. "I was just starting to swing the bat pretty well and stuff happened. It's disappointing, but it's something I can't really do anything about."
Baseball Today - May 18
Fri, May 18, 2007
By Associated Press
San Francisco at Oakland (10:05 p.m. EDT).
Barry Zito returns to Oakland after signing with the Giants in the off season.
STARS
Thursday
-Fausto Carmona, Indians, allowed four hits for his first career shutout and complete game, a 121-pitch performance that beat Johan Santana and Twins 2-0.
-Delmon Young, Devil Rays, hit a two-run homer in the 10th inning and drove in five runs to lead Tampa Bay to an 8-6 victory over Texas.
-Gabe Gross, Brewers, homered twice to lift the Brewers over Philadelphia 3-2.
-Jermaine Dye, White Sox, homered and drove in four runs, powering Chicago to a 4-1 win over New York.
POWER STROKE
Delmon Young''s second homer of the night, a two-run shot in the 10th inning, helped the Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Texas Rangers 8-6 on Thursday night and extend their season-high winning streak to four games. Young drove in five runs in the game.
STREAKING
Fausto Carmona is 5-0 in his last five starts and hasn''t given up a run in 15 straight innings after a 2-0 win over Minnesota on Thursday. ... Boston won for the eighth time in 10 games, 2-1 win in the opener of a doubleheader with Detroit.
STRUGGLING
Minnesota has lost eight of its last 10 after a 2-0 loss at Cleveland on Thursday.
DEMPSTER DIVE
The Mets pulled off their biggest ninth-inning comeback since 1999 by scoring five runs off Cubs reliever Ryan Dempster on Thursday. Carlos Delgado''s one-out, two-run single off Scott Eyre capped the rally, which set off a wild celebration at home plate.
ODDITIES
The Pittsburgh Pirates used four sacrifice flies and took advantage of five Florida Marlins errors in a sloppily played 7-2 win Thursday night. The Pirates, who committed two errors of their own, tied a club record set Sept. 9, 1988, against Philadelphia with four sacrifice flies. The Marlins tied a club record for errors.
SOUTHPAW PLIGHT
Kansas City beat a left-handed starter for the first time this year, winning 7-4 over Dallas Braden and Oakland on Thursday. The Royals had been 0-10 when opponents started lefties.
SPEAKING
''It''s not normal. He''s not even human. It was so scary, I thought I was hung over.'''' - Minnesota''s Torii Hunter of Fausto Carmona and his sinker after the Cleveland right-hander shutout the Twins 2-0 on Thursday.
Beckett headed for DL
Fri, May 18, 2007
By Associated Press
BOSTON -- Josh Beckett is headed for the disabled list because of a finger injury and is expected to miss two starts before returning for Boston's home game May 29 against Cleveland.
Beckett, baseball's winningest pitcher at 7-0, is recovering from a torn flap of skin on the middle finger of his throwing hand. The right-hander will throw on the side before Friday night's game against Atlanta, which he had been scheduled to start.
The Red Sox said Beckett would go on the disabled list Friday and right-hander Devern Hansack would be recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket to face the Braves. So far this year, no member of the Red Sox's rotation has missed a game because of an injury.
''We included him in this decision a lot,'' manager Terry Francona said of Beckett. ''He was very thoughtful and conscientious in what he was saying to us and we talked to him for a long time about it.''
He said ''nothing went backward at all,'' in Beckett's recovery. ''He will prepare to start in the 29th,'' Francona said.
The finger injury forced Beckett out of last Sunday's 6-5 win over Baltimore after four innings. He had won his other seven starts and has a 2.66 ERA.
With Florida in 2002, Beckett's first full season in the majors, blisters on the middle finger sent him to the disabled list three times. In 2004, he made three more trips to the disabled list, two of them because of injuries to that finger. He stayed off the list last season, his first with the Red Sox.
Hansack will start his second stint with Boston. He was called up May 3 when reliever Mike Timlin went on the disabled list and returned there May 11. In his only appearance, he allowed one run in 2-3 of an inning on May 8 against Toronto.
Mets SS Jose Reyes (hamstring) is doubtful
Nationals 1B Dmitri Young (foot) is doubtful.
Indians acquire RHP Rosario, completing trade with Mariners
Fri, May 18, 2007
By Associated Press
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians acquired 19-year-old pitcher Gregorio Rosario on Friday, completing a trade with the Seattle Mariners.
Rosario has pitched two seasons for Seattle's Dominican summer league team and is a 11-4 with a 3.01 ERA in 23 starts. The right-hander was in extended spring training in Peoria, Ariz.
The Indians sent right-hander Jason Davis to the Mariners on Sunday.
Thursday's AL Capsules
May 17, 2007
BOSTON -Julian Tavarez pitched his most effective game of the season, and the Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers and emergency starter Zach Miner 2-1 on Thursday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.
Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis drove in runs for the AL East leaders, who won for the eighth time in 10 games. With his 1,541th RBI, Ramirez moved past Willie Stargell into sole possession of 38th place.
Boston needed Tavarez to pitch deep into the game to save its bullpen, which will be tested this weekend. Josh Beckett (7-0) is going to miss his start Friday with a torn piece of skin on his middle finger. The Red Sox haven't announced a starter for that game or for Sunday.
Tavarez (2-4), who lost three of his previous four starts, allowed one run, four singles and four walks and seven innings. Hideki Okajima pitched a perfect eighth, extending his scoreless streak to 18 2-3 innings, and Jonathan Papelbon finished the four-hitter for his 11th save in 12 chances.
Tavarez (2-4), who lost three of his previous four starts, allowed one run, four singles and four walks and seven innings. Hideki Okajima pitched a perfect eighth, extending his scoreless streak to 18 2-3 innings, and Jonathan Papelbon finished the four-hitter for his 11th save in 12 chances.
CHICAGO - Jon Garland limited New York to a run and six hits over seven innings and Jermaine Dye homered and had four RBIs for the Chicago White Sox.
Chicago's victory came a day after the teams split a day-night doubleheader at U.S. Cellular Field and a day before they both were to start a spirited interleague series. The White Sox go to Wrigley Field on Friday for three games with the Cubs, while the Yankees head to Shea Stadium to play the Mets.
The Yankees had two runners on in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings but couldn't score against Garland (3-2) until Doug Mientkiewicz hit a two-out RBI double in the seventh. Garland walked four and struck out two and was backed by three double plays in running his career record to 2-5 against the Yankees. Bobby Jenks pitched the ninth inning to record his 13th save.
Matt DeSalvo (1-1) lasted only 3 1-3 innings in his third major league start, giving up six hits and four runs.
CLEVELAND - Fausto Carmona outpitched Johan Santana again, and Victor Martinez and Ryan Garko homered in a three-pitch span off Minnesota's ace in the seventh inning, leading the Indians.
Carmona (5-1) allowed four hits for his first career shutout and complete game, a 121-pitch performance that beat Santana (4-4) for the second time in less than a month.
The Indians swept the three-game series and improved to 5-0 this season against one of their AL Central rivals. The Twins have lost seven of eight.
On April 24, Carmona snapped a personal 11-game losing streak by defeating Santana, the two-time Cy Young Award winner. The 23-year-old Carmona won his next start five days later, but he became the odd-man out in Cleveland's rotation when Cliff Lee came off the disabled list.
On April 24, Carmona snapped a personal 11-game losing streak by defeating Santana, the two-time Cy Young Award winner. The 23-year-old Carmona won his next start five days later, but he became the odd-man out in Cleveland's rotation when Cliff Lee came off the disabled list.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Scott Elarton got his first victory since last July and slumping Mike Sweeney had a pair of hits for Kansas City.
The Royals, who were 0-10 when opponents started lefties, got to Dallas Braden (1-3) early. Making his fourth major league start, Braden allowed five runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Elarton (1-0) gave up four runs and six hits in 5 1-3 innings, getting his first win since July 16 at Detroit. The right-hander made his second start of the season after missing the final 71 games last year and the first 36 this year because of shoulder surgery.
Joakim Soria finished for his eighth save in 10 chances.
Bobby Crosby hit a second-inning home run and drove in two runs as the A's lost two in a row for the first time since ending a three-game slide on April 28.
AP NEWS
NL Capsules
May 17, 2007
NEW YORK -The New York Mets spent most of the afternoon resting up for the Subway Series. Then in one sudden burst, they went rushing into their biggest rivalry.
Carlos Delgado's two-run single capped a five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Mets startled the Chicago Cubs 6-5 Thursday.
Manager Willie Randolph started a makeshift lineup because the Mets' rain-delayed, 8-1 win Wednesday night ended at 12:53 a.m. David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes were among those scheduled to have a day off.
Instead, Wright and Beltran contributed as pinch-hitters as the Mets pulled off their biggest ninth-inning comeback since 1999.
Delgado's one-out single gave them a final thrill - and their seventh win in nine games - going into Friday night's opener against the New York Yankees at Shea Stadium.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella watched relievers Ryan Dempster (1-2) and Scott Eyre blow the big lead. They lost for the sixth time in eight games, and headed back to Wrigley Field to play the Chicago White Sox on Friday.
Ambiorix Burgos (1-0) won in relief.
Down 5-1 in the ninth, the Mets got going when David Newhan led off with a single and Carlos Gomez singled with one out. Piniella went to the mound to talk to Dempster, who loaded the bases with a walk to Beltran.
Endy Chavez drew a walk that forced in a run, and Ruben Gotay's RBI single brought Eyre from the bullpen. Wright batted for Shawn Green and singled to make it 5-4. Delgado followed with a grounder just beyond diving second baseman Ryan Theriot.
Endy Chavez drew a walk that forced in a run, and Ruben Gotay's RBI single brought Eyre from the bullpen. Wright batted for Shawn Green and singled to make it 5-4. Delgado followed with a grounder just beyond diving second baseman Ryan Theriot.
PHILADELPHIA - Ben Sheets struck out eight in 7 2-3 innings, and Gabe Gross hit a pair of solo homers for the first multihomer game of his big league career, helping Milwaukee end a four-game losing streak.
The NL Central-leading Brewers won 10 of 11 before going on the road and have lost five of seven since.
Sheets (4-2) combined with Francisco Cordero on a six-hitter and Gross added some surprising power from the No. 7 spot in the order, helping prevent the Phillies (20-21) from moving over .500 for the first time this season.
Freddy Garcia (1-3) gave up two runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings, and the big hits that carried the Phillies back to .500 after a 4-11 start were silenced. Philadelphia lost for the second time in eight games.
Sheets gave up only three hits, including Pat Burrell's solo homer, through seven innings and five hits in all.
Sheets gave up only three hits, including Pat Burrell's solo homer, through seven innings and five hits in all.
WASHINGTON - Felipe Lopez returned from a rare day off by stopping an 0-for-13 skid with a single, double and go-ahead triple, and Washington rallied to Atlanta.
Last-place Washington has won six of its past seven games, including three of four against Atlanta. That means the Nationals have taken two consecutive series after failing to win any of their first 12 this season.
The recent success has hinged on some top bullpen work and occasional clutch hitting. Washington relied on that formula again, although not until after Chipper Jones' two-run homer to center in the fourth helped Atlanta take a 3-1 lead off Matt Chico (3-4).
The rookie starter allowed three runs and five hits in six innings, but relievers Billy Traber, Jesus Colome, and Jon Rauch combined for three perfect innings, with Rauch earning his third save. Chad Paronto (2-1) was the loser.
The rookie starter allowed three runs and five hits in six innings, but relievers Billy Traber, Jesus Colome, and Jon Rauch combined for three perfect innings, with Rauch earning his third save. Chad Paronto (2-1) was the loser.
DENVER - Livan Hernandez allowed four hits over seven innings, singled twice and scored a run for Arizona.
The win gave the Diamondbacks two victories in the three-game series and their sixth series win of the year.
Hernandez (4-2) gave up a run while walking four and striking out two. He was 2-for-3 for his 30th multiple hit game of his career and a hit short of his career high. He raised his season batting average to .333.
Eric Byrnes had an RBI single and triple. Chris Young had two hits and scored a run for the Diamondbacks. Jose Valverde pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 16 tries.
Colorado wasted a good outing from Josh Fogg (1-5), who allowed two runs and seven hits over seven innings.
AP NEWS
Brewers 2B Rickie Weeks (wrist) has been downgraded to not expected to play in tonight's game.
Cubs 1B Derrek Lee (neck) has been downgraded to doubtful.
D-Backs LF Scott Hairston (wrist) is not expected to play tonight.
White Sox DH Jim Thome (ribs) is ready to return from the DL, but the team will wait until after their weekend interleague series to activate him.
Reds place Harang on bereavement list
May 17th, 2007Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds placed starting pitcher Aaron Harang on the bereavement list on Thursday so he could be with his ailing grandfather.
The Reds will announce a corresponding roster move on Friday.
Harang is 5-1 with a 4.42 ERA in nine starts this season. It is not known if he will be able to make his next scheduled start on Sunday.
Reds put another player on bereavement list
The Associated Press
CINCINNATI (AP) — Right-handed reliever Marcus McBeth went on the bereavement list Friday, the second Cincinnati Reds pitcher to leave the team for personal reasons.
Right-handed starter Aaron Harang went on the bereavement list Thursday, allowing him to spend time with his ailing grandfather in San Diego. The Reds don't know whether he will return in time to start against the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field on Sunday.
McBeth was called up from the minors on Tuesday and has yet to appear in a game for the Reds. There was no indication how long he would be apart from the team to deal with an undisclosed matter.
To fill the two roster spots, the Reds called up right-handed reliever Brad Salmon and infielder Jeff Keppinger from Triple-A Louisville.
Salmon made his major league debut on May 2 and went 0-1 in four games with a 3.86 earned run average. He was optioned back to Louisville on May 13.
Keppinger was called up on May 10, when the Reds sent struggling third baseman Edwin Encarnacion to Louisville. Keppinger went 1-for-4 in two games, then was sent back to Louisville on Tuesday.
Rockies place McClellan on DL
May 18th, 2007
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies placed right-handed pitcher Zach McClellan on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation.
The move is retroactive to May 14.
McClellan is 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA in 12 relief appearances for Colorado this season. He has 13 strikeouts in 14 innings.
To take his place on the roster, the club has recalled right-handed pitcher Darren Clarke from Tulsa.
Atlanta-Boston postponed
May 18th, 2007
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Friday night's game between the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park has been postponed due to wet grounds and inclement weather. The game has been rescheduled as part of a split doubleheader for Saturday, May 19, beginning at 7:35 p.m. The opener of the day-night doubleheader will be played at the regularly scheduled time of 1:05 p.m. The forecast calls for continued moderate to heavy rain throughout Friday afternoon and evening and the forecast for Saturday also calls for showers.
Tigers recall Miller; option Miner
May 18th, 2007
Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - The Detroit Tigers recalled pitcher Andrew Miller from Double-A Erie and the left-hander is scheduled to start Friday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game set.
To make room for Miller, who is taking the starting spot of the injured Jeremy Bonderman, the Tigers optioned pitcher Zach Miner to Triple-A Toledo. Bonderman was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with a blister on his pitching hand.
Miner (0-1) suffered the loss in the opener of Detroit's doubleheader at Boston on Thursday, allowing two runs -- one earned -- on six hits over 5 1/3 innings in a spot start for the sick Mike Maroth.
Miller made eight relief appearances for the Tigers last season, posting a 0-1 mark with a 6.10 ERA over 10 1/3 innings. In eight minor-league starts this season, Miller had just one win in eight starts. In Double-A he allowed just one unearned run on six hits over eight innings in a no-decision. With Single- A Lakeland, he was 1-4 with a 3.48 ERA.