AMERICAN LEAGUE
Indians-Orioles
CLEVELAND: Travis Hafner ended a 6-for-40 skid with his ninth career grand slam in Cleveland’s 10-1 win over Baltimore on Monday. … The Indians won the season series 4-3 after going 2-4 against the Orioles last year. … Cleveland starter Fausto Carmona went seven innings Monday. Cleveland starters have gone at least six innings in 16 of 18 games and 23 of 29 overall. … RF Trot Nixon went 3-for-5 Monday, giving him eight hits in two games and lifting his batting average to .338.
BALTIMORE: The Orioles purchased the contract of RHP Jon Leicester from Triple-A Norfolk and sent LHP Kurt Birkins to the same club. Baltimore needed a long reliever after Birkins pitched three innings Sunday in a loss to Cleveland. … RHP Steve Trachsel lowered his ERA from 3.70 after allowing only one run in six innings Monday. He’s given up three earned runs or fewer in six of seven starts, but has only one win to show for it. … DH Jay Gibbons (.188) was omitted from the starting lineup for a third straight game. “Gibby’s swing still is not where it’s supposed to be,” manager Sam Perlozzo said.
Mariners-Yankees
SEATTLE: RHP Felix Hernandez, on the disabled list with a strained right forearm, is scheduled to throw a three-inning simulated game on Tuesday. … After the Mariners totaled only one run in their previous two games, manager Mike Hargrove juggled his lineup a bit. He dropped 3B Adrian Beltre from second to seventh and moved C Kenji Johjima from seventh to the No. 3 spot. DH Jose Vidro was shifted from the 3-hole to second.
the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Padres-Braves
SAN DIEGO: 2B Marcus Giles visited with Braves manager Bobby Cox and former teammates during batting practice in his first return to Atlanta. … There was much talk before the game about Wednesday night’s matchup between RHP Greg Maddux and former Atlanta teammate John Smoltz. When asked if he has any surprises for Smoltz, Maddux said “I don’t want to hit him. He might hit me back. He throws a lot harder than I do.” … Rookie RHP Kevin Cameron has thrown 13 2-3 scoreless innings to start the season. Only the Mets’ Joe Smith has a longer streak among relievers.
ATLANTA: SS Edgar Renteria was held out of the starting lineup with flu symptoms. Chris Woodward was the fill-in starter at shortstop, and LF Willie Harris moved into Renteria’s usual No. 2 slot in the batting order. Renteria has a 15-game hitting streak. He is hitting .333 with four homers and 19 RBIs. … Rookie C Jarrod Saltalamacchia has impressed teammates with his first two starts. He already has thrown out two baserunners, and he had two hits and drove in the go-ahead run in Sunday’s 6-4 win over Los Angeles. “Salty is going to be a player,” said third baseman Chipper Jones. “I don’t know where he’s going to play, but he’s going to be a player. … He’s ready now. I think he’s been ready, to be honest with you.”
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Dodgers-Marlins
LOS ANGELES: Manager Grady Little on LHP Randy Wolf’s first-inning difficulties: “There certainly needs to be some improvement in that area. It’s a matter of not having a feel for some pitches right out of the gate.” … The last Dodger to hit for the cycle was Wes Parker, who did it May 7, 1970.
FLORIDA: On Monday, rookie Eric Reed became the fourth player to start in CF this season. He went into the game with a lifetime average of .098 (5-for-51). “I want him to play his game – hit the ball on the ground, bunt, get on base, use his speed and create a little havoc,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. … Switch-hitting CF Alfredo Amezaga began the week batting .167 lifetime (22-for-132) against left-handers.
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Astros-Reds
Ball Park.
CINCINNATI: Bluffton University’s baseball team watched batting practice, and coach James Grandey threw a ceremonial pitch to Reds catcher David Ross. Five Bluffton players were killed in a bus crash in Atlanta. … LHP Eddie Guardado threw to batters before the game. Guardado is coming back from reconstructive elbow surgery and his hoping to be able to pitch at midseason. … 3B Ryan Freel dived into the front row of seats to catch Lance Berkman’s foul in the first inning, then dived in again at roughly the same spot while vainly trying to catch Adam Everett’s foul in the second, causing a young girl to cry. Freel took a bat to the fans between innings.
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Nationals-Brewers
WASHINGTON: 1B Dmitri Young was back in the starting lineup Monday after being given the day off Sunday with a sore foot. … SS Cristian Guzman and CF Nook Logan were also in the starting lineup Monday after being activated from the disabled list Sunday. Guzman had a strained left hamstring, while Logan had a strained left foot. Six Nationals players remain on the disabled list, including pitchers Jerome Williams (left ankle sprain) and John Patterson (right elbow inflammation). … Entering Monday’s action, the Nationals are 1-21 when trailing after eight innings.
MILWAUKEE: 1B Prince Fielder was named NL Player of the Week for April 30-May 6. Fielder hit .440 last week with four home runs, 12 RBIs and had a .960 slugging percentage. “He’s really swinging the bat well right now,” said Brewers manager Ned Yost. “When he gets locked in like this, he is a heck of a hitter.” … 2B Rickie Weeks has just one error through his first 29 games. Last season, he had 10 errors through his first 29 games. … Monday’s game against the Nationals broke a 22-game stretch against NL Central opponents. Milwaukee went 16-6 during the stretch, winning six of the last seven games.
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Rockies-Cardinals
COLORADO: CF Willy Taveras, who left Sunday’s game with tightness in his groin, was out of the lineup Monday and Steve Finley started in his place. Manager Clint Hurdle said placing Taveras on the DL is “not on the horizon right now. We’ve got a few days to play with.” … RHP Byung-Hyun Kim struck out eight, walked two and allowed one run in 5 2-3 innings in the fourth of six rehab starts for Triple-A Colorado Springs. A right thumb contusion has sidelined him for 20 games and he’s scheduled to make two more appearances. Manager Clint Hurdle said it was Kim’s second effective rehab outing.
La Russa. … La Russa did not consider RHP Ryan Franklin for Tuesday’s rotation opening, created when Chris Carpenter was scheduled for arthroscopic elbow surgery. Long reliever Brad Thompson got the call, because he’s done so well in a setup role. Franklin leads the bullpen with six holds and has a 1.29 ERA over 13 appearances covering 14 innings. “Why would you want to disrupt that?” La Russa said. Thompson has been a starter in the minor leagues and got one spot start last year. … 3B coach Jose Oquendo returned to the team after missing three games due to the death of his father in law. Trainer Barry Weinberg missed his fourth game while attending to the death of his father and was expected back Tuesday or Wednesday.
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Phillies-Diamondbacks
Madson will throw on the side Friday in Philadelphia. He’s eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list May 20.
ARIZONA: 3B Chad Tracy missed his sixth straight game Monday night with a rib injury. Tracy is able to swing a bat and throw, but the club is concerned about whether he could worsen the injury in the field. … If LHP Randy Johnson faces Philadelphia LHP Jamie Moyer on Wednesday, as scheduled, they would be the oldest lefties to oppose each other. Johnson and David Wells set the record April 24, at a combined 87 years, 200 days. Johnson and Moyer will be a combined 88 years, 48 days. … RHP Juan Cruz, who has triceps injury, is scheduled to make an extended spring training outing on Tuesday.
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