Baseball Today - May 5
Sat, May 5, 2007
By Associated Press
Seattle at N.Y. Yankees (3:55 p.m. EDT). The Yankees rebounded from a slow start by sweeping a three-game series with Texas this week.
STARS
Friday
-John Smoltz, Braves, pitched seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 victory to get his first win against the Dodgers in eight years.
-Tim Wakefield, Red Sox, threw seven shutout innings in a 2-0 win over Minnesota.
-Nick Markakis, Orioles, singled in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving Baltimore a 3-2 comeback victory over Cleveland.
-J.J. Hardy, Brewers, homered, and had four hits and three RBIs, extending his hitting streak to 15 games, as Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh 10-0.
-Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies, broke an 11th-inning tie with an RBI single and Colorado topped Cincinnati 6-5.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
The New York Mets won their 12th straight game at Chase Field, extending their club record for consecutive victories in a road ballpark with a 5-3 victory over the Diamondbacks on Friday night.
BOTTOM-HEAVY
Jose Guillen, Kenji Johjima, Betancourt and Jose Lopez - the bottom four batters in Seattle''s starting lineup - combined to go 9-for-18 with 10 RBIs as the Mariners scored their most runs in three years in a 15-11 win over New York.
AGELESS
Julio Franco homered in the Mets'' 5-3 win over Arizona to extend his record of being the oldest to homer in the majors, at 48 years, 8 months and 12 days.
STREAKS
Torii Hunter had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 19 games in Minnesota''s 2-0 loss to Boston on Friday night. ... J.J. Hardy extended his hitting streak to 15 games as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-0. ... Albert Pujols extended his hitting streak to 12 games in a 3-2 win over Houston. ... Atlanta''s Edgar Renteria extended his hitting streaks to 13 during a 4-0 win against the Dodgers. ... Derrek Lee has reached base in all 27 of the Cubs'' games this season.
SNAPPED
Derek Jeter''s hitting streak ended at 20 games and the Yankees lost to Seattle 15-11 Friday night. Jeter had hits in 59 of his previous 61 regular-season games dating to last year. ... Colorado ended a 12-game losing streak in the state of Ohio with a 6-5 win over Cincinnati. The Rockies are 4-19 in the state since 2002. ... Chipper Jones saw his 12-game hitting streak end in the Braves'' 4-0 win over Los Angeles. ... St. Louis snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over Houston.
SPEAKING
''I don''t do well when I can''t play. I don''t know what to do. So I just bother a lot of people. It''s nice to get into the lineup.'''' - Oakland''s Nick Swisher, on returning to the lineup after being sidelined by a strained left hamstring. Swisher hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the top of the ninth to lead the Athletics to a 5-2 victory over Tampa Bay.
Angels place Garret Anderson on DL
Fri, May 4, 2007
By Associated Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels placed outfielder Garret Anderson on the 15-day disabled list Friday retroactive to April 28 because of a tear in his right hip flexor tendon.
To replace Anderson on their roster, the Angels recalled outfielder Tommy Murphy from Triple-A Salt Lake.
Anderson, who hasn't played since April 27, had an MRI exam Friday, with results showing the tear. He is hitting .263 with one homer and 10 RBIs in 23 games this season.
Murphy returns to the Angels for his second stint with the team. He played in three games for them last month, going hitless in two at-bats before being optioned to Salt Lake on April 24. He played in eight games for the Bees, hitting .345 with eight RBIs and four stolen bases.
McCann returns to lineup though hand is still sore
Fri, May 4, 2007
By Associated Press
ATLANTA -- Brian McCann returned to the Atlanta Braves' lineup Friday night and wasted no time getting right in the middle of things.
After sitting out one game with a sore hand, McCann drove in two runs with a first-inning double against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Then, in an astonishing repeat, he was called for catcher's interference in the top of the second - the very same play that forced him out of his last game with a bruised ring finger on his left hand.
McCann's glove was struck by the bat of Andre Ethier, who was awarded first base after fouling the pitch off. The swing appeared to tip the webbing of McCann's glove and not the ailing finger, which was hurt Tuesday night.
McCann left that game after giving up a passed ball and sat out the finale of a series against the Philadelphia Phillies. He got an extra day to recover when the Braves were off Thursday.
''It's sore, but I can play through it,'' he said after batting practice. ''If I can help the team, I will.''
McCann wore an extra padding on his hand, which was previously injured about two weeks ago while trying to bunt. He said it was more painful to hit than to catch.
''It's one of those things when you grip the bat, you don't feel right,'' he said. ''You know it's going to hurt a little bit. But catching is the most important thing. I've got to get back to doing what I can to help the team.''
McCann's backup, Brayan Pena, also was injured Tuesday when struck in the head on a backswing. He went on the 15-day disabled list with a concussion, prompting the Braves to call up 22-year-old prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia from Double-A Mississippi.
Torre: Surgery possible for Pavano
Fri, May 4, 2007
By Associated Press
NEW YORK -- New York Yankees manager Joe Torre raised the possibility that Carl Pavano would need surgery, and general manager Brian Cashman admitted the oft-injured pitcher has been a bust with New York since signing a $39.95 million, four-year contract.
''It clearly hasn't worked out. There's no doubt about that,'' Cashman said Friday. ''We signed a player that we expected to be a horse in our rotation and it hasn't worked out. He physically hasn't held up. Period.''
Pavano hasn't pitched because of April 9 because of forearm soreness and was attempting to be examined Friday by Dr. James Andrews, Cashman said. Pavano was 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA in two starts before getting hurt, his first two appearances for the Yankees since June 27, 2005.
Before reporting to spring training healthy, Pavano missed 1 1/2 years because of shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and rib injuries. He cut short a bullpen session Wednesday in Texas after about 14 pitches, according to Torre. Pitching coach Ron Guidry gave a report to Cashman.
''It just didn't feel right and it was bothering him. Gator confirmed that,'' Cashman said. ''He said basically you could tell that it was not a comfortable situation. He couldn't allow the bullpen to continue as is, so the next step is, well, let's get another opinion.''
Torre wasn't sure what would happen with Pavano, who is 5-6 in 19 starts with the Yankees.
''I think he's pretty much going to go along with whatever the doctor suggests,'' Torre said. ''He certainly isn't having any fun doing what he's doing, and if surgery is the only answer to changing that, then I think he'll probably consider it.''
Torre also suggested the injury might be more than forearm soreness.
''Obviously, it's elbow related,'' he said ''so we'll see what the doctor says.''
Padres put Hensley on DL, recall Hampson
Fri, May 4, 2007
By Associated Press
MIAMI -- The San Diego Padres placed right-hander Clay Hensley on the 15-day disabled list on Friday because of a strained groin.
The Padres recalled left-hander Justin Hampson from Triple-A Portland to take his roster spot.
The Padres are expected to promote right-hander Justin Germano in time to start in Hensley's spot in the rotation on Tuesday night at Atlanta.
Oddsmakers have yet to release a line for this game.
Hensley left Wednesday night's game against Washington in the top of the third inning. He is 1-3 with a 7.62 ERA. The move is retroactive to Thursday.
Hampson was optioned to Portland on Monday. He took the loss in Sunday's 5-4, 17-inning defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers after allowing an unearned run in four innings of relief. Recalled from Triple-A Portland on April 19, Hampson made three appearances, going 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA.
Orioles LHP Loewen out eight weeks with elbow injury
May 4, 2007
BALTIMORE (TICKER) -- Baltimore Orioles lefthander Adam Loewen's nagging injury proved to be much worse.
Loewen is expected to be out for at least eight weeks with a stress fracture in his left elbow, the team announced on Friday.
The 23-year-old Loewen left his Tuesday start at Detroit after five innings with what manager Sam Perlozzo termed afterwards as a "nagging ache in his forearm."
Loewen underwent an MRI on Friday and is expected to be placed on the disabled list.
"After a couple of days of tests, results that have come back and what Adam has is a stress fracture of the left elbow," executive vice president of baseball operations Mike Flanagan said. "This is something that we feel has been caught early. There are a couple of different ways you can go with a stress fracture so at this time we are going to put him on the disabled list."
"It's pretty clear on the bone scan where the break is," vice president of baseball operations Jim Duquette said. "There are a couple of things that can be done. We're looking at the positive that we're glad we caught it early and we're looking forward to having him back somewhere towards the end of the season."
The fourth overall pick in 2002, Loewen was 2-0 with a 3.56 ERA in six starts. The southpaw had allowed two runs or less in four outings this season.
"It is just wear and tear," Loewen said. "My arm felt great during spring training. Over the last couple of weeks it has got worse and worse.
"I worked hard in the offseason. I thought I made great strides so it's certainly disappointing but it's not the end of the world. I'm 23 years old, I like to think I'll come back from this and the future will be very bright."
Rookie lefthander Brian Burres is expected to take Loewen's place in the rotation and make his first major league start against the Indians on Sunday.
Marlins send RHP Sanchez to minors, activate RHP Julio
May 4, 2007
MIAMI (TICKER) -- The Florida Marlins have seen enough of Anibal Sanchez - at least for the time being.
After struggling with his consistency over his first six starts this season, Sanchez was optioned to Class AAA Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League on Friday.
The Marlins made the move two days after the 23-year-old Sanchez failed to pitch beyond the fourth inning of a 6-3 loss to the New York Mets.
It was the second straight poor outing for the righthander, who has allowed 23 baserunners in just 8 1/3 innings over his last two starts. A native of Venezuela, Sanchez is 2-1 with a 4.80 ERA this season and has yielded 43 hits and 19 walks with just 14 strikeouts in 30 innings.
To fill Sanchez's spot on the active roster, the Marlins activated righthanded reliever Jorge Julio from the 15-day disabled list.
Prior to suffering a strained right calf, Julio was awful in a brief stint as Florida's closer, going 0-2 with a 19.06 ERA and two blown saves in seven appearances.
Mariners 3B Adrian Beltre (rest) and DH Jose Vidro (rest) are not expected to start Saturday.
Mets LF Moises Alou (knee) is not expected to play Saturday.
D-Backs 3B Chad Tracy (back) is not expected to play Saturday.
Tigers DH Gary Sheffield will miss Saturday's game so he can attend his grandfather's funeral.
Marlins' Mitre activated from DL
May 5th, 2007
Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Florida Marlins pitcher Sergio Mitre was activated from the 15-day disabled list on Saturday, just in time to make his fourth start of the season against the San Diego Padres.
Mitre, who had been on the DL since April 17 with a blister on his right middle finger, has garnered two losses and an earned run average of 3.97 in three starts this season. He has issued four walks and struck out nine in 11 1/3 innings.
In three career games against San Diego, Mitre is 1-2 with a 7.02 ERA. He also has yet to win a game at Dolphin Stadium.
Also, Florida optioned outfielder Eric Reed to Triple-A Albuquerque to make room on their roster.
Phillies' Madson placed on 15-day DL
May 5th, 2007
San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Phillies placed pitcher Ryan Madson on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a strained left oblique muscle.
Pitching with muscle discomfort since Spring Training, Madson will leave San Francisco to go to Philly on Sunday and will undergo tests on Monday. He joins closer Tom Gordon (right rotator cuff inflammation) as the second Phillies reliever placed on the DL in as many days.
Madson is 0-2 with a 3.63 ERA in 12 games for Philadelphia this season. He will be making his second career trip to the DL, having missed a month in 2004 with a sprained ligament in his right hand.
Philly purchased the contract of righty Clay Condrey from Triple-A Ottawa to take Madson's spot on the 25-man roster. Condrey began the season with the Phils, with a 2.25 ERA in three games.