Baseball Today - May 7
Mon, May 7, 2007
By Associated Press
Washington at Milwaukee (8:05 p.m. EDT). Undefeated Chris Capuano goes for his fifth win of the year for the Brewers.
STARS
Sunday
-Nick Swisher, Athletics, hit a tiebreaking solo homer and Oakland beat Tampa Bay 5-3.
-A.J. Pierzynski, White Sox, had a pinch-hit home run to tie the game, then singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning and Chicago beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3.
-Jake Peavy, Padres, allowed one hit and an unearned run in seven innings and struck out 10 to lead San Diego past Florida 3-1.
-Prince Fielder, Brewers, hit two home runs and had three RBIs to lead Milwaukee to a 6-4 win over Pittsburgh.
-Josh Hamilton, Reds, hit a pair of homers and Cincinnati defeated Colorado 9-3.
HE'S BACK
Roger Clemens returned to the New York Yankees, making a dramatic announcement to fans from the owners'' box during Sunday''s game against the Seattle Mariners. At the end of the seventh-inning stretch, Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppard told fans to turn their attention to the box, where Clemens was standing with a microphone. Clemens agreed to a minor league contract with the Yankees and likely will join the major league team after several weeks getting into pitching shape.
IN THE CLUTCH
A.J. Pierzynski tied the score with a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth inning, then singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th to lead the Chicago White Sox past the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Sunday. Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez (0-2) was pitching his second inning when he allowed a two-out double by Ryan Sweeney. Pierzynski blooped the right-hander''s next pitch into short left field and just inside the line for the go-ahead run.
FIVE ALIVE
Trot Nixon played in 982 games with Boston without getting five hits in a game. In his 22nd appearance with Cleveland, he went 5-for-5 and added a whopping 49 points to his batting average. Nixon came in batting a respectable .271 and finished at .320, second-best on the team behind Victor Martinez (.337). He also drove in four runs and scored twice in a 9-6 win over Baltimore.
TIGERS, OH MY
Detroit had a season-high 17 hits and 13 runs in a win over Kansas City on Sunday and has not lost since April 28. The Tigers had six doubles, a triple and four home runs. Monroe had four RBIs while Granderson and Neifi Perez, who also homered, each had three. Craig Monroe, Curtis Granderson and Gary Sheffield hit two-run homers in the second inning.
STREAKS
Torii Hunter extended his career-high hitting streak to 21 games in Minnesota''s 4-3 loss to Boston on Sunday. ... Arizona''s Orlando Hudson reached base for the 33rd straight game in a 3-1 win over New York. The club record is 40, set by Jay Bell in 1998. ... Toronto ended its six-game road trip without a victory, only the second time in club history the Blue Jays lost every game on a trip that lasted at least six games. ... Detroit has now won seven in a row following a 13-4 thumping of Kansas City and have won 14 of their last 15 games at Kauffman Stadium.
SNAPPED
The Diamondbacks beat the Mets 3-1 Sunday to end a 13-game home losing streak to New York.
SPEAKING
''It''s a privilege to be back.'''' - Roger Clemens, announcing his return to the Yankees from the owner''s box during the seventh-inning stretch of New York''s 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
Garcia injured in outfield collision with equipment cart
Sun, May 6, 2007
By Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO -- Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Freddy Garcia was injured Sunday night when he ran into an equipment cart that had stopped along the warning track in San Francisco's ballpark.
Garcia bruised his left leg in the collision, raising question as to whether he will be able to make his scheduled start Monday night in the opener of a three-game series at Arizona. Garcia, who was running to try to catch a fly ball, toppled onto the cart used by the grounds crew and was clearly in pain. He was quickly carted off the field on the vehicle.
''I'm not upset. I'm just kind of curious why it was out there during our batting practice,'' Philadelphia general manager Pat Gillick said in the clubhouse, before his club concluded a four-game series against the Giants. ''He has a contusion on his leg. They have him iced down. There's no fracture of any kind. We'll all have to wait.''
Gillick said the Phillies might know more later Sunday but perhaps not until Monday.
''This is the kind of thing that could get sore and stiffen up overnight, so we have to keep tabs on that,'' Gillick said.
If Garcia is not able to go, Gillick said it would be up to manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee to select a starter.
Garcia, who turns 31 next month, is 1-2 with a 6.05 ERA in four starts this year, his first with the Phillies after playing his first eight big league seasons in the American League with the Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox.
Mauer heads to DL with strained quad
Sun, May 6, 2007
By Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quadriceps muscle.
Mauer had an MRI exam on Sunday morning and missed his second straight game. Test results revealed a strain, and the Twins recalled catcher Chris Heintz from Triple-A Rochester to take Mauer's place following Sunday's 4-3 loss to Boston. The move is retroactive to May 5.
The injury has bothered the reigning AL batting champion for most of the season, but it really flared up while he was running the bases in Friday night's loss to Boston. Mauer was a late scratch from the lineup Saturday night after the quad tightened up on him during batting practice, and he said it was still very sore on Sunday morning.
''It's tough,'' Mauer said after the game. ''Nobody wants to be on the disabled list. You want to go out there and help your teammates. It's not really something I'm used to.''
Mike Redmond started in his place again on Sunday, but the injury is the latest to bite the Twins this season.
Cleanup hitter Michael Cuddyer was out again Sunday with a bruised back, and the team is hoping he can return by Tuesday when the Twins begin a series with the Chicago White Sox. Left fielder Rondell White is on the disabled list with a torn calf muscle and Jeff Cirillo just returned from knee surgery.
Mauer appeared in 28 of Minnesota's first 29 games and is hitting .353, fifth best in the American League when the day began. He said he wasn't sure how much time he would miss.
''You don't want to put a timetable on it,'' Mauer said. ''It could be two weeks, or it could be more. Hopefully it's not much more.''
Nationals place Patterson on DL
May 6th, 2007
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - The Washington Nationals placed pitcher John Patterson on the 15-day disabled list Sunday, one day after he left his start early with soreness in his right biceps.
Patterson, who missed most of last season after forearm surgery, was tagged for five runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out one before leaving in the third inning of Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
In seven starts this season, Patterson is 1-5 with a 7.47 earned run average.
Washington made several other roster moves Sunday. The club reinstated outfielder Nook Logan and shortstop Cristian Guzman from the 15-day disabled list. Logan (left foot strain) and Guzman (left hamstring strain) were both injured on April 2 in the first game of the season.
The Nationals also outrighted outfielder Michael Restovich to Triple-A Columbus.
Tigers place Zumaya on 15-day DL with finger injury
May 6th, 2007
Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - The Detroit Tigers placed relief pitcher Joel Zumaya on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained middle finger on his right hand.
The Tigers setup man, one of the hardest throwers in the major leagues, was injured when he was warming up in the bullpen in the eighth inning during Detroit's game versus the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night. The Tigers won the contest 7-5.
According to manager Jim Leyland, Zumaya "felt something pop" near the top of his knuckle on the middle digit.
The 22-year-old right-hander is 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA and one save in 17 1/3 innings pitched this season.
In a related move, Detroit recalled pitcher Aquilino Lopez from Triple-A Toledo.
Indians shelve Westbrook
May 7th, 2007
Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - The Cleveland Indians have placed pitcher Jake Westbrook on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left abdominal muscle.
The move is retroactive to May 3, a day after he left a start against Toronto because of the problem.
Westbrook pitched just 1 1/3 innings in that May 2 outing, and this season has struggled to a record of 1-2 with a 7.90 earned run average in six starts. He has been tagged for 24 earned runs in 27 1/3 innings with 18 strikeouts and 14 walks.
Cleveland signed Westbrook to a three-year contract extension last month.
The 29-year-old right-hander, who would have been a free agent after the 2007 campaign, posted a 15-10 mark with a 4.17 ERA in 32 starts last season. He was an All-Star in 2004.
Fausto Carmona was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to take Westbrook's spot on the roster and in the starting rotation.
Carmona, who started Monday's game against Baltimore, entered the contest with a record of 2-1 and 3.76 ERA in four starts. He was sent to the minors when Cliff Lee came off the disabled list last week.
The Indians also made two more roster moves, designating pitcher Jason Davis for assignment and recalling pitcher Edward Mujica from Buffalo. Davis had no record with a 4.76 ERA in eight relief appearances this season.
Torre, Proctor suspended; Igawa sent to Tampa
May 7th, 2007
New York, NY (Sports Network) - New York Yankees manager Joe Torre and pitcher Scott Proctor will not be in uniform with the rest of the team for Monday's game against the Seattle for their actions in Sunday's game against the Mariners.
Proctor has been suspended for four games and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally throwing at Seattle's Yuniesky Betancourt in the seventh inning, and Torre was issued an automatic one-game suspension for Proctor's actions after warnings had been issued.
Bench coach Don Mattingly will manage in Torre's absence.
In other Yankees news, the club optioned pitcher Kei Igawa to Class-A Tampa of the Florida State League on Monday to make room for right-hander Matt DeSalvo, who will make his major league debut on Monday.
The optioning of Igawa is a disappointing move for the Yankees, who have invested $46 million in the Japanese pitcher, between a $26 million bid to negotiate with the 27-year-old left-hander and a five-year, $20 million contract.
Igawa is 2-1 this season with a 7.63 ERA in six games, allowing eight homers and 14 walks in 30 2/3 innings.
Tampa Bay reliever Salas suspended 50 games
May 7th, 2007
New York, NY (Sports Network) - Tampa Bay Devil Rays pitcher Juan Salas was suspended for 50 games on Monday for testing positive for a performance- enhancing substance.
Salas' suspension begins Tuesday when the Devil Rays play at Baltimore. Monday is an off day for Tampa Bay.
Salas has appeared in 15 games for the Devil Rays this season, going 1-1 with a 3.95 ERA. In 13 2/3 innings, the right-hander has allowed six earned runs on 10 hits, striking out 12 and walking 10.
In response the Devil Rays released the following statement: "The Tampa Bay Devil Rays fully support Major League Baseball's drug testing policy. We will do all we can to help Juan get his career headed back on a positive course."
Cardinals place Wilson on DLBy Associated Press
ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals placed outfielder Preston Wilson on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday because of a knee injury, and added two of their top minor league prospects to the roster.
Outfielder Ryan Ludwick and right-handed reliever Brian Falkenborg were recalled from Triple-A Memphis. Ludwick was batting a team-leading .340 with eight home runs, and his 36 RBIs and 27 runs led the Pacific Coast League. Falkenborg's nine saves led the PCL.
Ludwick was in the lineup and batting sixth Sunday against the Astros.
Wilson was batting .219 with one homer and five RBIs in 64 at-bats. He had been getting a lot of playing time with outfielder Juan Encarnacion on a rehab assignment following offseason wrist surgery, but manager Tony La Russa said he'd been complaining of pain in the right knee in recent days.
The Cardinals optioned reliever Dennis Dove, who allowed a grand slam in Saturday's 13-0 loss to the Astros. In three games Dove allowed two homers and five earned runs in three innings for a 15.00 ERA.