Notes from Thursday's games
August 3, 2006
TORONTO: C Bengie Molina didn't play in the Yankees' 8-1 win Thursday afternoon to give him some rest after he caught Wednesday night's game. ... 2B Ryan Roberts homered in the fifth inning for his first major league hit. He became the third Toronto player to homer for his first career hit. The last was Junior Felix on May 4, 1989, against the Angels. ... It was the first time the Blue Jays have been swept in a series of three games or more at Yankee Stadium since April 23-25, 1999. ... Toronto has lost five straight for the first time since Aug. 19-23, 2005.
NEW YORK: X-rays of LF Hideki Matsui's injured left wrist looked good when he visited the doctor but he's still experiencing some tenderness in the wrist and wasn't cleared for extra activity, the team said. He will be re-examined next week. ... 2B Robinson Cano singled twice and had an RBI grounder in his first minor league game since being sidelined by a strained left hamstring in late June. Cano is scheduled to play three games for Double-A Trenton starting Friday and rejoin the Yankees next Tuesday. RHP Octavio Dotel threw one scoreless inning in the same game and will stay with the Gulf Coast League Yankees to continue his rehab. ... 2B Miguel Cairo and C Jorge Posada got the day off to rest. Nick Green started at 2B and newly-acquired Sal Fasano was behind the plate. The Yankees acquired Fasano from the Phillies for a minor leaguer on July 26. ``We've done a nice job with Fasano,'' manager Joe Torre said. ``We made him play the first day he was here and then we made him wait up for this one.'' Fasano and Thursday's starter, RHP Cory Lidle, were teammates in Philadelphia. The Yankees acquired Lidle and RF Bobby Abreu from the Phillies on Sunday for four minor league prospects.
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CLEVELAND: After blowing saves in three consecutive appearances, RHP Fausto Carmona will retain his role as closer, Indians manager Eric Wedge said. ``He's our closer and he'll be back tomorrow,'' Wedge said. ... The Indians haven't won consecutive games since beating the New York Yankees on July 3 and 4. ... Travis Hafner, who hit his 30th home run of the season Wednesday, became the first Indians player to hit at least 30 homers in consecutive seasons since Jim Thome from 1997-2002.
BOSTON: C Jason Varitek had arthroscopic knee surgery Thursday and was expected to begin rehabilitation immediately, though there was no timetable given for when Boston's captain could return. ... RHP Keith Foulke was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Pawtucket Thursday. Foulke was 2-1 with a 5.63 ERA in 29 relief appearances before going on the 15-day disabled list on June 13 with right elbow tendinitis. He was supposed to start for Pawtucket Sunday, but was scratched during his bullpen session due to back tightness.
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DETROIT: C Ivan Rodriguez (sore right thumb) was back in the lineup after sitting out Wednesday's game. He has missed five of the past eight games. ... LHP Mike Maroth (left elbow) is expected to throw to hitters before Friday's game. ... The Tigers concluded a 10-game road trip Thursday. They open a six-game homestand Friday against Cleveland.
TAMPA BAY: LHP Scott Kazmir (left shoulder inflammation) had a long toss session. The Devil Rays expect him to rejoin the rotation on Aug. 8. ... Manager Joe Maddon said RHP Seth McClung, who was called up after Wednesday's game from Triple-A Durham, will pitch in the eighth inning and be eased into the closer's role. ... LF Carl Crawford was rested. ``I just thought it was the right time to do it,'' Maddon said. ... 2006 first round draft pick, 3B Evan Longoria, was promoted to Double-A Montgomery from Single-A Visalia. He hit 12 homers in his first 36 pro games.
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MINNESOTA: LHP Francisco Liriano, who was skipped from a Wednesday start with inflammation in the forearm muscle, is scheduled to make his next start on Monday at Detroit. ... RHP Mike Smith, who was called up from Class AAA Rochester on Wednesday, is scheduled to start on Sunday against the Royals. Smith was 9-4 with a 3.52 ERA in 23 games, including 19 starts, with Rochester. He last appeared in the majors in 2002 with Toronto, going 0-3 with a 6.62 ERA in 14 games, including six starts. ... The Twins matched a team record by hitting into six double plays on Wednesday against the Rangers. The last team to hit into six doubles in a nine-inning game was the Angels on Aug. 3, 2004 at Minnesota.
KANSAS CITY: RHP Luke Hochevar, the first overall pick in the June draft, agreed to terms on Thursday with the Royals. Hochevar will have a physical on Friday and officially sign on Saturday. After throwing a bullpen session Sunday at Kauffman Stadium, Hochevar will report Monday to the Royals' complex in Surprise, Ariz. for about 10 days. He is scheduled to make his professional debut in mid-August for Class A Burlington (Iowa) in the Midwest League. ... Rookie RHP Joe Nelson has a 1.19 ERA in 21 relief appearances. That is the second best ERA among major league pitchers with at least 20 appearances. ... Royals starting pitchers have won just 22 games this season.
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ATLANTA: 1B Adam LaRoche was out of the lineup Thursday after straining his right hamstring running the bases Wednesday night. He tore the hamstring last season, and has had torn scar tissue in it several times since. He could return to the lineup this weekend. ... RHP Tim Hudson limited Pittsburgh to three runs in six innings Thursday, but has allowed 12 runs in 11 2-3 innings over his last two starts. ... The Braves are 3-1 against the Reds this season going into a three-game series this weekend in Cincinnati. Atlanta has won nine of its last 12 road games despite losing Thursday.
PITTSBURGH: The Pirates went 4-2 on the homestand, sweeping the Giants but losing two of three to the Braves. ... Manager Jim Tracy on INF Joe Randa, who is hitting .371 with a homer and 16 RBIs as a part-time player since coming off the DL June 13: ``I can't say enough good things about him - the acceptance of the role he's playing, the job he's doing.'' Randa went 2-for-4 with two RBIs on Thursday. ... OF-1B Xavier Nady went 2-for-10 with no extra base hits in his first three games with the Pirates. He was the key player for the Pirates in Monday's deal that sent LHP Oliver Perez and RHP Roberto Hernandez to New York.
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ARIZONA: SS Stephen Drew had a career day at Wrigley Field on Thursday. The rookie drove in five runs during the doubleheader split. He came into the game with three RBIs in his first 16 games since being called up on July 15. Drew, a first-round draft pick in 2004 , and younger brother of Dodgers OF J.D. Drew, hit his second homer and drove in four runs in the opener, a 10-2 victory. He hit his first career homer off Scott Eyre at Wrigley in the Diamondbacks' 15-4 win on July 31. ``He's going to be quite a nice little player,'' Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. ``He's having some fun. He's a little bit of a grinder, but not to the point where he can't have a little fun.'' ... RHP Juan Cruz (4-6) got his first win since June 1 in the opener. Just after that win, he spent a month on the DL with a sore shoulder.
CHICAGO: Manager Dusty Baker finally can put a face to the name Juan Mateo after seeing the rookie throw five innings, giving up two earned runs, to earn the win in his first major league appearance Thursday. That doesn't mean Mateo, who hadn't pitched above Double-A in five seasons before Thursday, is guaranteed another start. With fellow rookie Sean Marshall improving from a strained right oblique muscle, Mateo's future is up in the air. ``It depends on what Marshall's condition is, we'll see,'' Baker said. ``He gave us what we needed today.'' ... Rookie Carlos Marmol got the loss in the first game to fall to 4-5. The Cubs hadn't had two rookies start both games of a doubleheader since Sept. 3, 1978. ... Cubs OF Matt Murton tied a major league record with four doubles in the second game. He's the first Cub to do it since Billy Williams on April 9, 1969.
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HOUSTON: Lance Berkman, who has been out of the starting lineup for six games with a strained left groin muscle, will play first base Friday against Arizona. Berkman leads the Astros with 93 RBIs. ... Matt Albers, who made his first major league start Thursday, attended the same Texas junior college (San Jacinto) as Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. He was drafted in the 23rd round in 2001. ... Manager Phil Garner didn't feel any sense of nostalgia Thursday when he put on the Astros rainbow jerseys as part of Retro Day at San Diego's PETCO Park. ``They are ugly uniforms,'' said Gardner, who was on the 1986 team that wore similar jerseys. ``The only redemption was that they were lightweight. They were the first ones of the synthetic uniforms that were very comfortable.''
SAN DIEGO: PHP Chan Ho Park had a blood transfusion and received iron supplements Thursday to help restore his anemia. Manager Bruce Bochy said he expects Park ``to be ready to go'' when he comes off the DL on Aug. 10. He has not slotted him yet in the rotation. Park went on the 15-day DL Sunday, retroactive to July 26, and rookie Mike Thompson started in his place that afternoon against the Rockies. ... LHP Randy Jones, the 1976 Cy Young Award winner for the Padres, was honored Thursday. He was presented his framed 1976 jersey by 1986 Padres pitching coach Roger Craig. Jones threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... The Padres are 2-0 wearing retro uniforms. They beat the Cubs 2-1 on May 6 while sporting the 1948 Pacific Coast League uniforms.
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NEW YORK: With the Mets facing LHP Dontrelle Willis, left-handed hitter Cliff Floyd was held out of the lineup. ``Even some right-handers don't want to face Willis,'' manager Willie Randolph said. ... LHP Billy Wagner has been rooting for former teammate Chase Utley during his hitting streak. ``I'd like to see it go a long way, as long as when he plays us, he loses,'' Wagner said. The Mets face Philadelphia in a three-game series beginning Friday. ... Floyd said he regretted his ejection for arguing after he struck out Wednesday. ``I lost it for a minute, and I shouldn't have,'' he said. ``My teammates need me. It's kind of embarrassing.''
FLORIDA: Manager Joe Girardi made a series of ninth-inning moves Wednesday that were difficult to follow, much less describe: He pinch ran a pitcher for a pitcher who pinch ran for another pitcher who pinch hit. Girardi offered an explanation Thursday. RHP Logan Kensing was warming up to pitch the 10th inning, and Girardi waited until he was done before sending him into the game as a pinch runner for LHP Scott Olsen. ``Once he was ready to go, he was probably the fastest pitcher we've got,'' Girardi said. Olsen entered the game to run for RHP Brian Moehler, who reached when hit by a pitch trying to bunt. The Marlins failed to rally and lost 6-5. ... Girardi said Miguel Olivo will catch a lot in the absence of Matt Treanor, who is expected to be sidelined two weeks with a strained left shoulder.
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LOS ANGELES: IF Jeff Kent's timetable for returning from his left oblique strain remains up in the air. Kent, who went on the DL on July 18, took batting practice, but still feels ``discomfort,'' he said. ``I'm definitely being more cautious,'' Kent said. ... 2B Julio Lugo batted second Thursday after hitting third in his first two games with the Dodgers. ``I think Julio's got some flexibility about where he can hit in the lineup,'' manager Grady Little said. ``He's an aggressive player. He brings a lot of energy to anywhere you put him in the lineup.'' ... The Dodgers will keep their pitching staff at 12 until Kent or 1B Nomar Garciaparra return from their injuries, Little said.
CINCINNATI: RHP Bronson Arroyo volunteered to start Saturday against Atlanta, one day earlier than scheduled, which means he'll be pitching on three days' rest. ``I haven't won, so I thought I'd make something up,'' said Arroyo, who hasn't won in eight starts since June 19. ``I've been wanting to go four-man (rotation) all year.'' The switch will allow Arroyo to pitch against St. Louis next week. ... Arroyo is switching starts with RHP Kyle Lohse, the former Twin who now will make his first NL start on Sunday. ... Rich Aurilia made just his second start of the season at second base in place of Brandon Phillips. ``We're just giving Brandon a day off,'' manager Jerry Narron said. ``He's played a lot.''
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PHILADELPHIA: RHP Ryan Madson, 9-7 with a 5.99 ERA, has been moved to the bullpen for perhaps the remainder of the season. Madson, who has made 17 starts, gave up a two-run homer to Aaron Miles that cut the Phillies' lead to 8-7 in the seventh inning on Wednesday. ... The Phillies were 3 1/2 games back in the wild card race despite trading OF Bobby Abreu and P Cory Lidle, scoring in double digits in four of the previous six games. ``We're playing relaxed and we're loose,'' manager Charlie Manuel said. ``What I like is the fact we're 14 games back in our division and we've still got something to play for.''
ST. LOUIS: RHP Chris Carpenter jumps ahead of rookie RHP Anthony Reyes in the rotation on Friday in the opener of a three-game series against Milwaukee, going on regular rest, and Reyes will work on six days' rest on Saturday. ... 2B Ronnie Belliard was taken out in a double switch in the fifth on Wednesday, partly to give him rest for a nagging hamstring injury, but was in the lineup in the second slot on Thursday. ``We've got to be careful,'' manager Tony La Russa said. ``I thought it was a nice break that he could take some innings off.'' ... CF Jim Edmonds was out of the lineup against LHP Cole Hamels, with So Taguchi starting in CF. ... 1B Albert Pujols is not too worried about the Cardinals' latest slump in which they had lost six straight. ``I always say it's better to happen now than later on,'' Pujols said. ``Get those bad habits out of the way.'' ... OF Larry Bigbie was 1-for-2 with a home run and three walks in the first game of his third 20-game rehab stint. Recovering from a hernia, he sustained an abdominal injury last week.
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Notes from Thursday's games
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