Notes from Saturday’s games

 

AMERICAN LEAGUE
White Sox-Indians
CHICAGO: Manager Ozzie Guillen is concerned with RHP Bobby Jenks’ inconsistency in the closer’s role. “One day his velocity is there, the next day it’s not,” Guillen said. “I might be using him a little bit too much. That’s my fault. His velocity is not there. I don’t know if it’s because I’m using him too much or if it’s not there.” Jenks has converted four of five save chances, but allowed seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. … DH Jim Thome has hit .438 (7-for-16) with a homer in his last five games. … LF Scott Podsednik is batting .357 (10-for-28) in his last eight games.
h cold rainy weather forecast, however, Wedge may hold out Martinez a little longer. “He’s progressing, but we’ll take everything into consideration,” he said. … The Indians have homered in seven of eight games. … Cleveland starters have worked at least five innings in seven of eight games. … Indians relievers have worked nine consecutive scoreless innings. … LHP Aaron Fultz has not allowed a run in five outings, covering three innings.
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Tigers-Blue Jays
DETROIT: The Tigers are batting just .238 as a team but are battling with Minnesota for the AL Central lead. “To be honest with you, with the way we’re hitting so far I think we’re fortunate to be where we are,” said manager Jim Leyland. … 2B Omar Infante made his first appearance of the season against Toronto on Saturday, replacing Placido Polanco at second base. … Leyland said he considered resting C Ivan Rodriguez, who caught all ten innings of Friday’s 2-1 defeat, but elected to start him. Rodriguez, who batted second for the first time this season, is a career .316 hitter against Toronto with 17 home runs and 74 RBIs in 118 games.
TORONTO: OF Reed Johnson flew to Florida on Saturday to see a specialist about a herniated disc in his lower back. Johnson was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday. … OF Adam Lind, called up from triple-A Syracuse to replace Johnson, started in left and went 3-5. … 3B Troy Glaus (sore left heel) missed his second straight game. He was replaced by Jason Smith. The Jays, who are off Monday, will sit Glaus again tomorrow and hope to have him back for Tuesday’s game against Daisuke Matsuzaka and the Boston Red Sox.
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Rangers-Mariners
TEXAS: An MRI exam on injured RHP Jamey Wright revealed no tear in his throwing shoulder. Wright was placed on the DL on Friday with shoulder inflammation. He had a no-decision in his only start, allowing five runs and five hits in 2 2-3 innings Tuesday against Tampa Bay. … RHP Eric Gagne said he felt butterflies on Friday night when he picked up his first save since June 6. “I was shaking,” Gagne said. “It was nice to get out there and not be in the way of everybody.” Gagne was available for Saturday’s game but did not pitch. … CF Kenny Lofton stole two bases on Saturday for the second time this season. It was the 103rd time in his career he’s stolen multiple bases in a game.
ing for two weeks,” Burke said. “(Padilla) tried to quick pitch me and it ended up being a double.” It was Burke’s first extra-base hit since Sept. 24, 2004. … Seattle is the only team in baseball without a stolen base or a stolen base attempt. It’s the first time in franchise history the Mariners have gone more than five games to start a season without a stolen base. … 1B Richie Sexson walked three times on Saturday, picking up his first walks of the season.
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Angels-Red Sox
LOS ANGELES: Garret Anderson on choosing not to wear No. 42 on Sunday in memory of Jackie Robinson: “Everybody talks about it as one day. I think about it all the time.” Gary Matthews Jr. said he makes a point of finding the retired number in each stadium he visits. … INF Chone Figgins, who had a splint removed from his right hand earlier in the week, swung on both sides before the game and felt good. He will throw on Monday.
DeMarlo Hale will wear No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson on Sunday. … To celebrate the 10th birthday for Red Sox mascot Wally, the Green Monster, Bernie Brewer, Billy the Marlin and Friar Tuck from the Padres were at the game, as well as mascots from the Boston Bruins and Celtics.
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Royals-Orioles
KANSAS CITY: Closer Octavio Dotel (strained left oblique) had an MRI taken Friday that showed inflammation, but manager Buddy Bell did not consider it to be “a major issue.” Bell said he did not anticipate Dotel to throw again until Wednesday, and that his recovery could take a month. “Right now we just want to get him off the mound where he feels comfortable, and he’s not there yet,” Bell said. Dotel, who was placed on the 15-day DL on April 4, aggravated the injury Thursday during a throwing session at the team’s year-round complex in Arizona. … After watching the Royals score just one run in each of their first two games against the Orioles, hitting coach Mike Barnett worked with players before Saturday’s game. Bell said the goal was to keep players focused at the plate. … Ross Gload made a rare appearance in the DH spot Saturday. Bell said he wanted to give normal DH Mike Sweeney, who’s hitting .179, a night off. … Mark Teahan snapped an 0-for-16 skid with a first-inning single Saturday night.
BALTIMORE: RHP Jeremy Guthrie is schedule to make his second major-league start, the first with the Orioles, on Sunday against Kansas City. Showers are expected, but sooner or later Guthrie will fill Jaret Wright’s spot in the rotation. Wright was placed on the 15-day DL on Thursday because of a shoulder injury. … Orioles starters carried a 3.69 ERA into Saturday’s game, compared to a 5.40 mark in 2006. “The thing is, with starters you always try to do better than the next starter,” ace Erik Bedard said. “It keep you motivated.” … 23-year-old Nick Markakis became the youngest Oriole to hit a grand slam since 22-year-old Cal Ripken connected on July 13, 1983, against Oakland.
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Devil Rays-Twins
adline, Maddon smirked and said: “I wish one thing a day was written about us like that. It would make us better.”
MINNESOTA: Twins manager Ron Gardenhire gave 3B Nick Punto his first day off this season on Saturday. Punto hit .290 last season and was a major reason White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen labeled the Twins “Piranhas.” Ten games into this season, Punto is playing excellent defense, but only hitting .132. “He’s fired up about himself and he needs a little mental break,” Gardenhire said. “He’s a very high strung, very intense ballplayer.” … Reliever Jesse Crain will be unavailable for tonight’s game, but may be able to pitch tomorrow if needed. The hard-throwing right hander has been out since April 11 with shoulder tendinitis. “It’d be great not to have to use him tomorrow, either,” Gardenhire said. “Ideally, we’d like to wait until Tuesday.”
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Yankees-Athletics
Thursday,” manager Joe Torre said. … RHP Mike Mussina (left hamstring) and RHP Carl Pavano (tightness in his forearm) are expected to throw on the side Sunday. … 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, in an 0-for-21 slump, was given the day off and replaced by Josh Phelps. “It’s to the point now where Dougie is pushing it a little bit,” Torre said. “Right now he’s fighting himself.”
OAKLAND: CF Milton Bradley missed his third straight game while nursing a sore left hamstring. “I don’t feel Bradley’s ready yet,” manager Bob Geren said. “If he says he’s ready tomorrow, he’ll be in there.” … 2B Mark Ellis was given the day off with a bruised left shoulder after being hit by a pitch Friday night. Marco Scutaro started in his place. … The A’s, who set a franchise record for fewest errors in a full season with 84 last year, have committed seven in their first 11 games this year.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Reds-Cubs
loyd caught the ball on the warning track. … The Reds have a major league-high six road trips of at least 10 days this season. … Before Saturday’s 7-0 loss, the Reds had played four straight one-run games, splitting them. … Adam Dunn has hit safely in 10 of the Reds’ 11 games.
‘ … Aramis Ramirez (wrist) and Mark DeRosa (back) sat out the game.
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Nationals-Mets
WASHINGTON: RHP Shawn Hill earned the first win of the season for Washington’s no-name rotation. He allowed two runs in seven innings one day after RHP John Patterson gave up two runs and two hits in 5 1-3 innings. “We’re starting to come around,” Hill said. “The guys are starting to throw.” Hill has a 2.89 ERA after three starts. “I’m very pleased with how things have gone so far,” he said. … CF Ryan Church is batting .357 (15-for-42) during his 11-game hitting streak. … 2B Ronnie Belliard went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, ending his nine-game hitting streak.
“It doesn’t ever enter your mind really.” Wright just missed a three-run homer in the eighth inning when CF Ryan Church caught his drive at the fence in right-center. “I thought I might have had it. I hit it well,” Wright said. “I got it up a little too high. I didn’t get the backspin I wanted.” … If Sunday’s game isn’t wiped out by the heavy storm that’s expected, Bruce Froemming will set a record for most consecutive seasons of active service by a major league umpire with 37 seasons and 12 games. When the game becomes official, it will be stopped for a presentation honoring Froemming, whose first big league game was snowed out at Shea Stadium in 1971.
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Astros-Phillies
HOUSTON: RHP Jason Jennings will miss two or three starts with right elbow flexor tendinitis. An MRI exam revealed no ligament damage. He’ll begin a program of rest, treatment and medication and be placed on the disabled list this week. … LHP Wandy Rodriguez (0-1, 3.86) makes his second start on Sunday. … Jason Lane quadrupled his RBI total with one swing, a three-run homer off Cole Hamels. Lane had driven in one run before going deep.
PHILADELPHIA: RHP Freddy Garcia is scheduled to make his Phillies debut Sunday. The two-time All-Star acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the offseason missed his first two starts because of biceps tendinitis. … Leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins has more homers (6) than the Nos. 3-4-5 hitters Chase Utley (2), Ryan Howard (1) and Pat Burrell (1) combined. Still, manager Charlie Manuel had no intention of moving Rollins down in the lineup. “I’m a leadoff hitter,” Rollins said. … Howard’s three intentional walks raised his total to five in 11 games. He’s walked 16 times overall. … Cole Hamels is 5-0 with a 2.39 ERA in his last seven starts at home.
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Marlins-Braves
FLORIDA: Florida RHP Ricky Nolasco played catch before the game and may throw off the mound Monday, when the Marlins travel to Houston. Nolasco went on the DL this past Monday because of elbow inflammation. … Rookie OF Alejandro De Aza remains day-to-day with an ankle injury. “He was going to hit some today and see how he feels,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. De Aza had a hit in each of the first eight games for the Marlins.
ined muscle near his groin. The team also sent LHP Macay McBride to the minors to deal with control problems; he has 11 walks in three innings this season. RHP Peter Moylan and LHP Steve Colyer were called up from Triple-A Richmond.
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Giants-Pirates
SAN FRANCISCO: With eight more runs, Barry Bonds will tie Pete Rose (2,165 runs) for fifth place on the career list. … Omar Vizquel needs five hits to match Cal Ripken Jr.’s total of 2,479 hits while playing shortstop. Since 1957, only Luis Aparicio (2,532) has more hits while playing the position. … The Giants are 2-2 on a circuitous road trip to San Diego, Pittsburgh and Colorado that winds up with games in Denver on Monday and Tuesday.
ome the sixth Canadian-born player to hit at least 100 homers in the majors. The first five to do so were Larry Walker (368), Matt Stairs (220), Jeff Heath (194), Corey Koskie (124) and George Selkirk (108). Bay has hit 98 of his 99 homers while with Pittsburgh.
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Brewers-Cardinals
MILWAUKEE: Manager Ned Yost left his lineup intact from Friday night’s rainout with his team facing a different RHP, Kip Wells, instead of Anthony Reyes. He considered reinserting slumping Bill Hall, but thought better of that after discovering that Hall was 3-for-24 lifetime against Wells. Because Yost wanted Jeff Suppan and Ben Sheets to pitch against the Cardinals, LHP Chris Capuano’s next start was pushed back to Monday against the Reds, against whom he’s 1-3 with a 6.30 ERA in five starts. “This is a new year,” Yost said. “If I went off that stuff that happened last year I’d be in big trouble.” Sheets is scheduled to start Sunday after completing his warmups on Friday before rain began. … Yost has decided to roll over his rotation for the foreseeable future because of its depth, rather than allowing days off to affect the plan. “I keep thinking I’ve got five good starters,” Yost said. “Those guys will get their extra rest every now and then.”
ST. LOUIS: Slumping 2B Adam Kennedy played for the first time in five days, counting two games, a day off and a rainout. He entered Saturday’s game batting .130 (3-for-23) and not surprisingly, hasn’t felt comfortable at the plate. He had been in the seventh spot for Friday’s postponed game and was hitting eighth, switching spots with Yadier Molina, on Saturday. “This probably won’t be the last time we talk about it,” Kennedy said. “When you’re not in the lineup for one reason or another, you stay ready.” … Scott Spiezio was in RF and batting sixth in place of Preston Wilson, the only player switch from Friday’s lineup card. He was 6-for-22 lifetime against Brewers starter Jeff Suppan while Wilson was 2-for-9. … La Russa has used nine different lineups the first 10 games.
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Rockies-Diamondbacks Notes
start for Triple-A Colorado Springs in Tucson on Sunday.
ARIZONA: RF Carlos Quentin was to play nine innings for Triple-A on Saturday night and hopefully nine on Sunday. Quentin has been on the 15-day DL since the start of the season with a slight tear in his right labrum. Manager Bob Melvin said that if all goes well Quentin could be activated Monday or Tuesday. … Arizona’s 45-inning errorless streak ended in Friday night’s 6-3 loss to the Rockies. … Five Diamondbacks will wear Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 as part of the league-wide commemoration of the 60th anniversary of his breaking the color barrier in the majors – Tony Clark, Scott Hairston, Orlando Hudson, Chris Young and 1B coach Lee Tinsley.
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Padres-Dodgers
SAN DIEGO: Despite his loss to the Dodgers on Friday night, David Wells is 119-63 since pitching his perfect game for the Yankees on May 17, 1998, against Minnesota. … Padres rookie manager Bud Black should possess a wealth of knowledge by now, having played in the big leagues for such astute managers as Dick Howser, Roger Craig, Dusty Baker, John McNamara, Cito Gaston, Mike Hargrove, Billy Gardner and Doc Edwards. “I think I drew something from all of them,” Black said.
LOS ANGELES: Sunday marks 60 years since Jackie Robinson made his big league debut with the Dodgers, becoming the first black player in the majors since 1884. … Jeff Kent, who will wear Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 at second base on Sunday, was well educated about Robinson’s legacy long before he came to the Dodgers in 2005. He learned from all the stories Dusty Baker and Willie Mays told during Kent’s six years with the San Francisco Giants. “I got a little bit of an inside history from Dusty and Willie when I was there,” Kent said. “Barry (Bonds) always used to get Willie to tell stories about Jackie Robinson to us, and Willie loved to tell all those stories. But there’s no way that I could fill his jersey or compete with the things that he did.”