kazmir cashes yet again.
the yankees left a ton of runners on base, and lost.
alberto hits #22
the yankees left a ton of runners on base, and lost.
alberto hits #22
Notes from Sunday's games
May 21, 2006
ATLANTA: C Brian McCann, day-to-day after leaving Saturday night's game with a left lateral ankle sprain suffered in a home-plate collision with Eric Byrnes, considers himself lucky. ``When they were taking the X-ray I thought I was done for the year,'' said McCann, who heard a loud pop as he was driven back over the anchor. ``I thought it was broken. I thought my leg was broken.'' ... Before Sunday's game, the Braves designated RHP Travis Smith for assignment and recalled C Brayan Pena from Triple-A Richmond. Smith was the losing pitcher in Saturday's 13-0 loss to the Diamondbacks, allowing four runs - two earned - and five hits in 4 1-3 innings. Pena hit .226 with seven doubles in 32 games for Richmond. ... RF Jeff Francouer, 0-for-9 since his 16-game hitting streak ended Friday night, singled in the fifth Sunday for Atlanta's first hit off RHP Juan Cruz. He also drew his second walk of the season. ... RHP Tim Hudson lowered his ERA in Arizona to 1.15 over four starts. His first win came in his rookie season of 1999 when he outdueled Randy Johnson. ... LHP Macay McBride recorded his second career save and first since July 29, 2005 at Pittsburgh.
ARIZONA: The Diamondbacks have won the season home series against Atlanta each of the last two seasons after going 0-5-2 against the Braves from 1998-2004. ... RHP Juan Cruz threw only 41 pitches to get through the first four innings Sunday but needed 46 pitches to get his final six outs. ... Arizona turned two double plays to set a club record with twin killings in 12 straight games. The Diamondbacks lead the majors with 62 double plays, including 32 in 18 May games. ... RF Shawn Green was 1-for-4 and has hit safely in 21 of his last 24, batting .404 over that span. ... SS Craig Counsell's first-inning stolen base was the Diamondbacks' first since May 12. He also was caught stealing in the second.
CINCINNATI: Though he's 1-3, it looks like RHP Elizardo Ramirez could be a long-term answer in the Reds' rotation. ``You want a guy you can trust,'' manager Jerry Narron said. ``He doesn't have great stuff, but he gets out there and competes.'' ... Reds SS Felipe Lopez had his 14-game hitting streak snapped in Sunday's 1-0 loss to Detroit. He was 0-for 2 (two strikeouts) and walked twice.
DETROIT: Todd Jones' save on Sunday in the Tigers' 1-0 win over Cincinnati makes him Detroit's all-time career saves leader with 155. He had been tied at 154 with Mike Henneman. Jones pumped his fist after the final out. ``I was concerned about protecting the 1-0 lead and, secondarily, I was excited about passing Mike,'' Jones said. He and Henneman were teammates briefly with Houston in 1995. Jones has 13 saves in 14 opportunities this season. ... The Tigers have eight shutout wins this season.
FLORIDA: Manager Joe Girardi spent time with Tampa Bay senior adviser Don Zimmer, who was his first big league manager with the NL East champion Chicago Cubs in 1989. They were also together when Zimmer was the New York Yankees bench coach during a stretch of three World Series titles in four years from 1996-99. ``He was a mentor to me,'' Girardi said. ``A special man.'' ... The Yankees were among the teams scouting the game with LHP Dontrelle Willis pitching. ... SS Hanley Ramirez (left shoulder) could return to the lineup Monday. ... RHP Franklyn German (shoulder) pitched a scoreless inning for Single-A Jupiter and could rejoin the bullpen Friday. ... RHP Carlos Martinez (elbow) will throw batting practice Monday. ... OF Jeremy Hermida (hip) is expected to be activated from the DL Monday or Tuesday.
TAMPA BAY: Manager Joe Maddon returned after missing the first two games of the series to travel to California for his girlfriend's graduation from law school. He boarded a redeye flight in Los Angeles and arrived in Florida around 9:30 a.m. after a stop and two-hour layover in Atlanta. ``You might not believe me, but it didn't bother me at all,'' the manager said of his absence Friday and Saturday. ``You know it's the right thing to do. ... But when you're actually sitting there, you know how important it is to be there.'' ... OF Rocco Baldelli (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Durham.
MINNESOTA: The Minnesota State Legislature finally approved the Twins-Hennepin County new ballpark plan early Sunday morning. ``Today's vote signals the end of a decade long debate,'' said Twins owner Carl Pohlad. ``This is a wonderful historic day for the Minnesota Twins franchise and millions of baseball fans across the upper midwest''. The new downtown Minneapolis ballpark is scheduled to open on Opening Day 2010. ... In the recent three-game series against Milwaukee, C Joe Mauer went 9-for-15, with 5 RBI and 4 runs. In his last 15 games, he is hitting .404 (23-57), with two home runs, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored. ... OF Michael Cuddyer went 0-for4 Sunday. He had previously reached base safely in 20 consecutive games. ... The Twins have a league-low seven save opportunities. The teams six saves are the second lowest total in the American League.
MILWAUKEE: A 5-3 win over the Twins on Sunday concluded a 9-game Brewers homestand. Milwaukee went 6-3 during the stretch and are now 17-9 at Miller Park this season. The club will play it's next 10 games on the road in Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. ... The Brewers lead the National League in homers (65). OF Carlos Lee leads the team with 15. ... Milwaukee has committed 41 errors this season, most in the majors. ... RHP Dave Bush (3-4, 4.35 ERA) will make his 10th start of the season Monday in Cincinnati. Bush has thrown at least six innings in all nine of his starts this season but is 0-3 with a 7.13 ERA in four starts on the road.
TEXAS: The Rangers are considering bringing rookie IF Ian Kinsler back from Triple-A Oklahoma where he has been on a rehab assignment. Kinsler, who hit .476 the first eight games before dislocating his left thumb, could return as early as Monday. ... Reliever Scott Feldman, who injured his ankle on Friday while tagging out Willy Taveras, played catch and threw off the mound Sunday and manager Buck Showalter expects him back soon. ``He's better today,'' Showalter said. ``He should be available tomorrow (Monday).''
HOUSTON: Chris Burke, who was activated off the disabled list Sunday went 4-for-8 with a home run and a double in a two-game rehab at Triple A Round Rock over the weekend. But he still felt the two-week layoff was difficult. ``I hadn't worn spikes in two weeks,'' Burke said with a smile. ``Halfway through the game my feet were hurting and my legs were hurting.'' ... C Brad Ausmus batted second for the first time this season but said it was no big deal to him. Ausmus, who batted second for more than 100 games one season with Detroit, doesn't believe the batting order spot makes any difference in the pitches he gets. ``Maybe over the long haul it might,'' said Ausmus, who went 0-for-4 Sunday. ``But on any one day it wouldn't.''
BALTIMORE: RHP Julio Manon was optioned to Triple-A Ottawa to make room for RHP Hayden Penn, who's being called up from the minors to start Tuesday at Seattle. Manon was 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA in nine relief appearances for the Orioles this season. Penn went 2-2 with a 1.48 ERA in five starts at Ottawa. ... CF Corey Patterson is 13-for-13 in steal attempts. ``I have confidence that he knows what he's doing,'' manager Sam Perlozzo said. ``There will be certain times when I'll hold him, but not very many.'' ... LHP Bruce Chen dropped to 0-5 with an 8.08 ERA after allowing three runs on seven hits over four innings in Sunday's loss. Asked whether he's worried about losing his spot in the rotation, Chen said: ``I have a lot on my plate to be thinking about what's going to happen next.'' ... The Orioles have lost four of six games.
WASHINGTON: 1B Nick Johnson was out of the starting lineup Sunday; he grounded into a double play on the only pitch he saw as a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded in the sixth. After hitting .341 in April, Johnson's average is down to .291. ``I think he's just a little tired,'' manager Frank Robinson said. ... 2B Jose Vidro legged out a double in the seventh for only his second extra-base hit in his last 92 at-bats. ``I've got a lot of singles, man,'' he said. Still, it was part of a 2-for-4 day that has Vidro's average at .346. ... RHP John Patterson probably won't start a rehab assignment until next month and might not be back in the majors before June 10. Patterson, who hasn't pitched for the Nationals since April 21 and is on the DL with a right forearm injury, will make two or three rehab starts, Bowden said. ... The three-game interleague series against the Orioles - the first regular-season meetings between Baltimore and Washington since 1971 - drew an average of 31,658 fans. The Nationals averaged 25,154 through their first 13 home games.
BOSTON: Manager Terry Francona isn't sure when left-hander David Wells will be activated from the disabled list, though it could come this week. Wells, sidelined by a knee injury, pitched five innings in a rehab start for Pawtucket, allowed four hits, two earned runs, walked one and struck out three. ``I know we don't want him to be pitching a lot of games for Pawtucket,'' Francona said. ... David Ortiz wasn't in the starting lineup for the first time this season after playing first base the previous two games. ... Curt Schilling (6-2) faces the Yankees at home on Monday night.
PHILADELPHIA: Bobby Abreu's three-run homer ended his homerless streak at 80 at-bats. He hadn't gone deep since April 19. ... Ryan Howard has eight homers in May, most in the majors. ... Arthur Rhodes allowed four hits and two runs in one inning. The left-hander has struggled this season, allowing nine of the 17 leadoff hitters he's faced to reach base. Rhodes has a 4.91 ERA. ... Gavin Floyd (4-2) takes the mound against the Mets in the first of a three-game series on Tuesday night. The second-place Phillies won two of three against the NL East-leading Mets earlier this month.
PITTSBURGH: Manager Jim Tracy was disappointed with the Pirates' failures Sunday. ``This was a very difficult game to lose,'' he said of the 3-2 loss in 10 innings. ``We didn't do ourselves any favors.'' The Pirates grounded into three double plays, went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, left seven men on base, failed to get down a sacrifice bunt and let a popup drop for a double. ... OF Jose Bautista is expected to rejoin the team in Arizona on Tuesday. He was put on the bereavement list Sunday when he went to the Dominican Republic for his grandmother's funeral. ... OF Nate McLouth is hitting .375 (15-for-40) over his last 12 games.
CLEVELAND: With off days Monday and Thursday, three-fifths of the Indians' starting rotation will be working with a lot of rest. LHPs Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia will stay on schedule in Minnesota on Tuesday and Wednesday, with RHP Jake Westbrook scheduled to work on eight days rest Friday in Detroit. ... RHP Jason Johnson, 0-4 with a 9.73 ERA since April 18, could be skipped over next weekend. ... RF Casey Blake has hit .400 (26-for-65) with five homers and 12 RBIs in his last 18 games. ... 1B Eduardo Perez has hit .368 (7-for-19) in his last six games.
CUBS: Although RHP Kerry Wood said he's fine, manager Dusty Baker and pitching coach Larry Rothschild were concerned he was still sore from his first start of the season on Thursday. The right-hander allowed four runs and three homers in five innings and took the loss against Washington after missing nearly seven weeks while recuperating from shoulder surgery. He is scheduled to pitch Tuesday at Florida. ``I'm assuming he's going to start until I hear differently,'' Rothschild said. Sunday's bullpen session was canceled, but Wood is expected to throw on Monday. ``This is not an unusual process,'' Rothschild said. ``I don't want to make more of it than it is. It's just something we're going to watch and see how he reacts the next day and then make a decision. ... The Cubs won for just the fourth time in 19 games and improved to 8-15 on the road. ... Zambrano is now 3-0 in May with three straight wins after going winless in April. He is 2-1 with a 3.43 ERA in eight career games, including six starts, against the White Sox.
WHITE SOX: After a no-decision, Jose Contreras still has won 13 straight decisions during the regular season dating back to his last loss on Aug. 15. ... Loser Neal Cotts has now allowed three homers this season, two more than he gave up all of last year in 69 appearances. ... Paul Konerko's two homers marked his 15th career multi-homer game. He also tied Carlton Fisk for third on the team's career homer list with 214. ... The three-game series against the Cubs drew 117,333 fans. ... Now the White Sox get ready for a visit from the Oakland Athletics and the return of long-time star Frank Thomas, who had a bitter parting with the team. Konerko said he hopes for cheers but isn't sure what the greatest hitter in team history will get. ``You can never boo him for what he did on the field. The one thing about Frank, between the lines he always played the game the right way,'' Konerko said. ``But there was some things off the field. ... If that's what the fans want to take they might boo him. If they go by what he did on the field, then cheers all the way.''
ST. LOUIS: OF-1B Chris Duncan, the son of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, was recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday and started as the DH. Duncan hit a two-run homer in the fifth to put the Cardinals ahead to stay in a 10-3 win at Kansas City. ... RHP Jeff Suppan is 5-1 in his past six starts. He beat the Royals for the first time in his career. The Yankees and the Braves are the only clubs he has never defeated. ... RHP Anthony Reyes, who allowed four singles over 5 2-3 scoreless innings in a Saturday victory over the Royals, was optioned to Memphis. Reyes has made two spot starts in the majors - the first on Aug. 9, 2005 - and won both. ... SS David Eckstein has 18 multi-hit games, which leads the National League.
KANSAS CITY: CF David DeJesus has had another setback while rehabbing from hamstring strains in both legs while rehabbing in Arizona. Manager Buddy Bell said DeJesus was the designated hitter for extended spring games Friday and Saturday, but was unable to finish either game because of soreness in his legs. DeJesus went on the disabled list April 19. ``We didn't expect it to be this long, quite frankly,'' Bell said. ... The Royals have been outscored 65-33 in their nine-game losing streak. ... With the bases loaded, the Royals are hitting .105, the worst in the majors. ... RF Aaron Guiel, who homered in the sixth, has five extra-base hits -- three home runs and two doubles -- among his seven hits since being called up May 5.
TORONTO: The Blue Jays were swept for the first time this year and the first time since Houston pulled it off June 10-12. ``We weren't bad, but they were good,'' manager John Gibbons said. ``Their pitching took care of us pretty good.'' ... Toronto managed only seven runs and hit one home run in the series. That homer was a pinch-hit, three-run drive by Alex Rios in the fifth inning. ``We are among the leaders in home runs (fourth) in the American League and we hit only one here.'' Gibbons said. ``Isn't this Coors Field?'' ... Gibbons said 3B Troy Glaus was all right after a play at third involving Colorado's Jamey Carroll left him limping. ``He's a tough guy,'' Gibbons said. ... Rios' pinch-hit homer was the first by the Blue Jays since Eric Hinske did it Aug. 19.
COLORADO: RHP Sun-Woo Kim (right hip contusion) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session without pain ``He was moving forward quickly and ran into some lulls,'' manager Clint Hurdle said. ``We're still writing in pencil for him and not in pen.'' ... C Yorvit Torrealba began his rehab assignment Sunday in Triple-A Colorado Springs. ``He's not going anywhere else,'' Hurdle said. ``We decided not to have him go on the Modesto trip.'' ... On winning his 300th game on Saturday, Hurdle said, ``To keep it in perspective if we went undefeated for the next 10 years I'll tie (Yankees manager) Joe Torre.'' ... The sweep of Toronto was the fourth for the Rockies this season. ... Colorado's ERA is 4.05 after 44 games, the club's lowest ERA at any point after the first 10 games of a season.
SAN FRANCISCO: The Giants placed 1B Lance Niekro on the DL with a right shoulder injury. The move is retroactive to May 15 and recalled INF Kevin Frandsen from Triple-A Fresno. San Francisco also activated RHP reliever Brian Wilson from his rehabilitation assignment and optioned him to Fresno. ... At 21, Matt Cain became the fourth-youngest Giants pitcher to throw a shutout. ... SS Omar Vizquel felt tightness in his left groin but it wasn't considered serious and he said he would play Monday's series opener against St. Louis.
OAKLAND: Nick Swisher walked in the third a day after having his streak of consecutive games reaching base broken at 36. ... 2B Mark Ellis was held out with a sore right shoulder after colliding with the Giants' Omar Vizquel when he slid into Ellis on Saturday. ... The A's placed LHP reliever Joe Kennedy on the 15-day DL with a sore throwing shoulder and promoted RHP Santiago Casilla from Triple-A Sacramento. ... Injured starters Esteban Loaiza and Rich Harden both threw before the game.
ANGELS: OF Garret Anderson returned to the Angels' lineup after sitting out five games because of a strained left hamstring, and went 2-for-4. ... Despite being swept by the Dodgers over the weekend, the Angels are 28-25 against their local rivals and 83-78 overall since interleague play began in 1997. ... The Angels are hitting .245 as a team to rank next-to-last in the AL. ``We're searching for that magic, we're searching for heroes right now, and we're not finding any of it,'' batting coach Mickey Hatcher said. ``It's frustrating. We're coming to the ballpark every day believing we're going to turn it around. We believe that it's going to change, that the answers are in this room.'' ... The Angels have been outscored 42-11 during a five-game losing streak.
DODGERS: SS Cesar Izturis is scheduled to leave Thursday for Vero Beach, Fla., where he'll participate in extended spring training. The Dodgers hope he'll begin a minor league rehab assignment around June 1. An NL All-Star last season, Izturis underwent reconstructive surgery on his throwing elbow Sept. 16. ... The weekend series against the Angels drew 166,904 - the most ever to attend a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. ... OF Kenny Lofton had three hits and scored twice Sunday, giving him 1,384 runs scored in his career to rank him 82nd on baseball's career list - one ahead of Tony Gwynn. ... RHP Derek Lowe, who pitched seven shutout innings for his first win since April 13, also got his first hit of the season - a second-inning single. He flied to right in his only other at-bat, leaving him 1-for-22 this year. ... 1B Nomar Garciaparra is hitting .395 (30-of-76) this month.
SAN DIEGO: C Josh Bard started all three games in Seattle for Mike Piazza, who was the DH. Bard hit an eighth-inning home run Sunday, his third since arriving from Boston in the Doug Mirabelli trade on May 1. He is 10-for-20 during his current, six-game hitting streak. Bard said he knew to be aggressive against Seattle RHP Rafael Soriano on Sunday because he knew how Mariners manager Mike Hargrove thinks. Bard is a former Cleveland Indian who caught games against Hargrove's former Baltimore Orioles teams. ``He doesn't like guys to walk people,'' Bard said. ... RHP Chan Ho Park allowed eight runs in the second inning Sunday en route to yielding 10 earned runs, his most since June 21, 1998, when he was with the Dodgers at Colorado.
SEATTLE: RHP Felix Hernandez allowed a career-high seven earned runs Sunday, and squandered all but one run of an 8-1 lead. In his previous start last week at Oakland, he allowed 10 runs, five earned. But the Mariners' win on Sunday seemed to alleviate any panic over the 20-year-old's rapid fall off his 2005, phenom-like debut. ``On a whole, he scuffled,'' manager Mike Hargrove said. ``He and we were fortunate we had an eight-run second inning. I've seen him better, and obviously I've seen him worse.'' Hernandez (3-5, 5.84 ERA) wasn't overly concerned, though he rarely seems to be. ``The most important thing, really, is that we won,'' he said. ... Hargrove initially had no idea when he last had a series sweep. ``Here? Baltimore? Cleveland?'' the former Orioles and Indians manager said. Seattle's previous three-game sweep was last Sept. 12-14, against the Angels. ... A scoring change from Saturday night's game gave San Diego's Josh Barfield an infield single, dropped an error from 2B Jose Lopez and charged two more earned runs to RHP Gil Meche. That raised Meche's ERA to 4.64.
YANKEES: In a surprise development, injured RF Gary Sheffield (left wrist and hand) took batting practice on the field with his teammates and told manager Joe Torre he was ready to play in a game. Sheffield was eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday but had not been expected back for a little while. ``Today was a big step,'' general manager Brian Cashman said. ``He's one of the guys we desperately need to come back.'' ... RHP Shawn Chacon could be headed to the DL, and Torre said the move might come after the game. Chacon has a nasty welt (called a hematoma) just below the knee on the inside of his left leg - the result of getting hit by a comebacker May 11 against Boston. ``We certainly don't want to take any chances,'' Torre said. ``He's uncomfortable.'' RHP Aaron Small started in Chacon's spot Sunday night. ... The Yankees had a brief team meeting before batting practice, and Torre addressed his club's sloppy defense. ``Guys are maybe trying to do too much,'' he said. The Yankees made a season-high four errors Saturday and had committed at least one in eight consecutive games (15 total). They had 22 errors in their previous 13 games after making 10 in their first 28 contests. ... C Jorge Posada missed his second consecutive start because of back spasms, and Torre thought it was doubtful Posada would be available to pinch hit. ``I think there's a chance he'll be ready tomorrow,'' the manager said. The Yankees begin a three-game series in Boston on Monday night. ... The Yankees and DH-1B Erubiel Durazo agreed to terms on a minor league contract, Cashman said. Durazo is expected to report Wednesday to the team's complex in Tampa, Fla., and eventually be assigned to Triple-A Columbus. ``All the kids are up here, so I've got to replace the kids,'' Cashman said. ... Former major league outfielders Richard Hidalgo and Jason Romano have been working out in Tampa, Cashman said. Hidalgo could be signed soon.
METS: Manager Willie Randolph said he wouldn't hesitate to use closer Billy Wagner, who pitched the previous two days and blew a 4-0 lead in the ninth inning Saturday, when he threw 31 pitches. ... Cuban RHP Alay Soler is expected to be called up from Double-A Binghamton to start Wednesday night or Thursday against Philadelphia, which would be his major league debut. ``We'll probably make a decision in the next day or two,'' Randolph said. RHP Jeremi Gonzalez is expected to start on the other day. ... Randolph said RHP John Maine (inflammation of right middle finger) is probably still ``a ways away'' from coming off the DL.
May 21, 2006
ATLANTA: C Brian McCann, day-to-day after leaving Saturday night's game with a left lateral ankle sprain suffered in a home-plate collision with Eric Byrnes, considers himself lucky. ``When they were taking the X-ray I thought I was done for the year,'' said McCann, who heard a loud pop as he was driven back over the anchor. ``I thought it was broken. I thought my leg was broken.'' ... Before Sunday's game, the Braves designated RHP Travis Smith for assignment and recalled C Brayan Pena from Triple-A Richmond. Smith was the losing pitcher in Saturday's 13-0 loss to the Diamondbacks, allowing four runs - two earned - and five hits in 4 1-3 innings. Pena hit .226 with seven doubles in 32 games for Richmond. ... RF Jeff Francouer, 0-for-9 since his 16-game hitting streak ended Friday night, singled in the fifth Sunday for Atlanta's first hit off RHP Juan Cruz. He also drew his second walk of the season. ... RHP Tim Hudson lowered his ERA in Arizona to 1.15 over four starts. His first win came in his rookie season of 1999 when he outdueled Randy Johnson. ... LHP Macay McBride recorded his second career save and first since July 29, 2005 at Pittsburgh.
ARIZONA: The Diamondbacks have won the season home series against Atlanta each of the last two seasons after going 0-5-2 against the Braves from 1998-2004. ... RHP Juan Cruz threw only 41 pitches to get through the first four innings Sunday but needed 46 pitches to get his final six outs. ... Arizona turned two double plays to set a club record with twin killings in 12 straight games. The Diamondbacks lead the majors with 62 double plays, including 32 in 18 May games. ... RF Shawn Green was 1-for-4 and has hit safely in 21 of his last 24, batting .404 over that span. ... SS Craig Counsell's first-inning stolen base was the Diamondbacks' first since May 12. He also was caught stealing in the second.
CINCINNATI: Though he's 1-3, it looks like RHP Elizardo Ramirez could be a long-term answer in the Reds' rotation. ``You want a guy you can trust,'' manager Jerry Narron said. ``He doesn't have great stuff, but he gets out there and competes.'' ... Reds SS Felipe Lopez had his 14-game hitting streak snapped in Sunday's 1-0 loss to Detroit. He was 0-for 2 (two strikeouts) and walked twice.
DETROIT: Todd Jones' save on Sunday in the Tigers' 1-0 win over Cincinnati makes him Detroit's all-time career saves leader with 155. He had been tied at 154 with Mike Henneman. Jones pumped his fist after the final out. ``I was concerned about protecting the 1-0 lead and, secondarily, I was excited about passing Mike,'' Jones said. He and Henneman were teammates briefly with Houston in 1995. Jones has 13 saves in 14 opportunities this season. ... The Tigers have eight shutout wins this season.
FLORIDA: Manager Joe Girardi spent time with Tampa Bay senior adviser Don Zimmer, who was his first big league manager with the NL East champion Chicago Cubs in 1989. They were also together when Zimmer was the New York Yankees bench coach during a stretch of three World Series titles in four years from 1996-99. ``He was a mentor to me,'' Girardi said. ``A special man.'' ... The Yankees were among the teams scouting the game with LHP Dontrelle Willis pitching. ... SS Hanley Ramirez (left shoulder) could return to the lineup Monday. ... RHP Franklyn German (shoulder) pitched a scoreless inning for Single-A Jupiter and could rejoin the bullpen Friday. ... RHP Carlos Martinez (elbow) will throw batting practice Monday. ... OF Jeremy Hermida (hip) is expected to be activated from the DL Monday or Tuesday.
TAMPA BAY: Manager Joe Maddon returned after missing the first two games of the series to travel to California for his girlfriend's graduation from law school. He boarded a redeye flight in Los Angeles and arrived in Florida around 9:30 a.m. after a stop and two-hour layover in Atlanta. ``You might not believe me, but it didn't bother me at all,'' the manager said of his absence Friday and Saturday. ``You know it's the right thing to do. ... But when you're actually sitting there, you know how important it is to be there.'' ... OF Rocco Baldelli (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Durham.
MINNESOTA: The Minnesota State Legislature finally approved the Twins-Hennepin County new ballpark plan early Sunday morning. ``Today's vote signals the end of a decade long debate,'' said Twins owner Carl Pohlad. ``This is a wonderful historic day for the Minnesota Twins franchise and millions of baseball fans across the upper midwest''. The new downtown Minneapolis ballpark is scheduled to open on Opening Day 2010. ... In the recent three-game series against Milwaukee, C Joe Mauer went 9-for-15, with 5 RBI and 4 runs. In his last 15 games, he is hitting .404 (23-57), with two home runs, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored. ... OF Michael Cuddyer went 0-for4 Sunday. He had previously reached base safely in 20 consecutive games. ... The Twins have a league-low seven save opportunities. The teams six saves are the second lowest total in the American League.
MILWAUKEE: A 5-3 win over the Twins on Sunday concluded a 9-game Brewers homestand. Milwaukee went 6-3 during the stretch and are now 17-9 at Miller Park this season. The club will play it's next 10 games on the road in Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. ... The Brewers lead the National League in homers (65). OF Carlos Lee leads the team with 15. ... Milwaukee has committed 41 errors this season, most in the majors. ... RHP Dave Bush (3-4, 4.35 ERA) will make his 10th start of the season Monday in Cincinnati. Bush has thrown at least six innings in all nine of his starts this season but is 0-3 with a 7.13 ERA in four starts on the road.
TEXAS: The Rangers are considering bringing rookie IF Ian Kinsler back from Triple-A Oklahoma where he has been on a rehab assignment. Kinsler, who hit .476 the first eight games before dislocating his left thumb, could return as early as Monday. ... Reliever Scott Feldman, who injured his ankle on Friday while tagging out Willy Taveras, played catch and threw off the mound Sunday and manager Buck Showalter expects him back soon. ``He's better today,'' Showalter said. ``He should be available tomorrow (Monday).''
HOUSTON: Chris Burke, who was activated off the disabled list Sunday went 4-for-8 with a home run and a double in a two-game rehab at Triple A Round Rock over the weekend. But he still felt the two-week layoff was difficult. ``I hadn't worn spikes in two weeks,'' Burke said with a smile. ``Halfway through the game my feet were hurting and my legs were hurting.'' ... C Brad Ausmus batted second for the first time this season but said it was no big deal to him. Ausmus, who batted second for more than 100 games one season with Detroit, doesn't believe the batting order spot makes any difference in the pitches he gets. ``Maybe over the long haul it might,'' said Ausmus, who went 0-for-4 Sunday. ``But on any one day it wouldn't.''
BALTIMORE: RHP Julio Manon was optioned to Triple-A Ottawa to make room for RHP Hayden Penn, who's being called up from the minors to start Tuesday at Seattle. Manon was 0-0 with a 3.38 ERA in nine relief appearances for the Orioles this season. Penn went 2-2 with a 1.48 ERA in five starts at Ottawa. ... CF Corey Patterson is 13-for-13 in steal attempts. ``I have confidence that he knows what he's doing,'' manager Sam Perlozzo said. ``There will be certain times when I'll hold him, but not very many.'' ... LHP Bruce Chen dropped to 0-5 with an 8.08 ERA after allowing three runs on seven hits over four innings in Sunday's loss. Asked whether he's worried about losing his spot in the rotation, Chen said: ``I have a lot on my plate to be thinking about what's going to happen next.'' ... The Orioles have lost four of six games.
WASHINGTON: 1B Nick Johnson was out of the starting lineup Sunday; he grounded into a double play on the only pitch he saw as a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded in the sixth. After hitting .341 in April, Johnson's average is down to .291. ``I think he's just a little tired,'' manager Frank Robinson said. ... 2B Jose Vidro legged out a double in the seventh for only his second extra-base hit in his last 92 at-bats. ``I've got a lot of singles, man,'' he said. Still, it was part of a 2-for-4 day that has Vidro's average at .346. ... RHP John Patterson probably won't start a rehab assignment until next month and might not be back in the majors before June 10. Patterson, who hasn't pitched for the Nationals since April 21 and is on the DL with a right forearm injury, will make two or three rehab starts, Bowden said. ... The three-game interleague series against the Orioles - the first regular-season meetings between Baltimore and Washington since 1971 - drew an average of 31,658 fans. The Nationals averaged 25,154 through their first 13 home games.
BOSTON: Manager Terry Francona isn't sure when left-hander David Wells will be activated from the disabled list, though it could come this week. Wells, sidelined by a knee injury, pitched five innings in a rehab start for Pawtucket, allowed four hits, two earned runs, walked one and struck out three. ``I know we don't want him to be pitching a lot of games for Pawtucket,'' Francona said. ... David Ortiz wasn't in the starting lineup for the first time this season after playing first base the previous two games. ... Curt Schilling (6-2) faces the Yankees at home on Monday night.
PHILADELPHIA: Bobby Abreu's three-run homer ended his homerless streak at 80 at-bats. He hadn't gone deep since April 19. ... Ryan Howard has eight homers in May, most in the majors. ... Arthur Rhodes allowed four hits and two runs in one inning. The left-hander has struggled this season, allowing nine of the 17 leadoff hitters he's faced to reach base. Rhodes has a 4.91 ERA. ... Gavin Floyd (4-2) takes the mound against the Mets in the first of a three-game series on Tuesday night. The second-place Phillies won two of three against the NL East-leading Mets earlier this month.
PITTSBURGH: Manager Jim Tracy was disappointed with the Pirates' failures Sunday. ``This was a very difficult game to lose,'' he said of the 3-2 loss in 10 innings. ``We didn't do ourselves any favors.'' The Pirates grounded into three double plays, went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, left seven men on base, failed to get down a sacrifice bunt and let a popup drop for a double. ... OF Jose Bautista is expected to rejoin the team in Arizona on Tuesday. He was put on the bereavement list Sunday when he went to the Dominican Republic for his grandmother's funeral. ... OF Nate McLouth is hitting .375 (15-for-40) over his last 12 games.
CLEVELAND: With off days Monday and Thursday, three-fifths of the Indians' starting rotation will be working with a lot of rest. LHPs Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia will stay on schedule in Minnesota on Tuesday and Wednesday, with RHP Jake Westbrook scheduled to work on eight days rest Friday in Detroit. ... RHP Jason Johnson, 0-4 with a 9.73 ERA since April 18, could be skipped over next weekend. ... RF Casey Blake has hit .400 (26-for-65) with five homers and 12 RBIs in his last 18 games. ... 1B Eduardo Perez has hit .368 (7-for-19) in his last six games.
CUBS: Although RHP Kerry Wood said he's fine, manager Dusty Baker and pitching coach Larry Rothschild were concerned he was still sore from his first start of the season on Thursday. The right-hander allowed four runs and three homers in five innings and took the loss against Washington after missing nearly seven weeks while recuperating from shoulder surgery. He is scheduled to pitch Tuesday at Florida. ``I'm assuming he's going to start until I hear differently,'' Rothschild said. Sunday's bullpen session was canceled, but Wood is expected to throw on Monday. ``This is not an unusual process,'' Rothschild said. ``I don't want to make more of it than it is. It's just something we're going to watch and see how he reacts the next day and then make a decision. ... The Cubs won for just the fourth time in 19 games and improved to 8-15 on the road. ... Zambrano is now 3-0 in May with three straight wins after going winless in April. He is 2-1 with a 3.43 ERA in eight career games, including six starts, against the White Sox.
WHITE SOX: After a no-decision, Jose Contreras still has won 13 straight decisions during the regular season dating back to his last loss on Aug. 15. ... Loser Neal Cotts has now allowed three homers this season, two more than he gave up all of last year in 69 appearances. ... Paul Konerko's two homers marked his 15th career multi-homer game. He also tied Carlton Fisk for third on the team's career homer list with 214. ... The three-game series against the Cubs drew 117,333 fans. ... Now the White Sox get ready for a visit from the Oakland Athletics and the return of long-time star Frank Thomas, who had a bitter parting with the team. Konerko said he hopes for cheers but isn't sure what the greatest hitter in team history will get. ``You can never boo him for what he did on the field. The one thing about Frank, between the lines he always played the game the right way,'' Konerko said. ``But there was some things off the field. ... If that's what the fans want to take they might boo him. If they go by what he did on the field, then cheers all the way.''
ST. LOUIS: OF-1B Chris Duncan, the son of Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, was recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday and started as the DH. Duncan hit a two-run homer in the fifth to put the Cardinals ahead to stay in a 10-3 win at Kansas City. ... RHP Jeff Suppan is 5-1 in his past six starts. He beat the Royals for the first time in his career. The Yankees and the Braves are the only clubs he has never defeated. ... RHP Anthony Reyes, who allowed four singles over 5 2-3 scoreless innings in a Saturday victory over the Royals, was optioned to Memphis. Reyes has made two spot starts in the majors - the first on Aug. 9, 2005 - and won both. ... SS David Eckstein has 18 multi-hit games, which leads the National League.
KANSAS CITY: CF David DeJesus has had another setback while rehabbing from hamstring strains in both legs while rehabbing in Arizona. Manager Buddy Bell said DeJesus was the designated hitter for extended spring games Friday and Saturday, but was unable to finish either game because of soreness in his legs. DeJesus went on the disabled list April 19. ``We didn't expect it to be this long, quite frankly,'' Bell said. ... The Royals have been outscored 65-33 in their nine-game losing streak. ... With the bases loaded, the Royals are hitting .105, the worst in the majors. ... RF Aaron Guiel, who homered in the sixth, has five extra-base hits -- three home runs and two doubles -- among his seven hits since being called up May 5.
TORONTO: The Blue Jays were swept for the first time this year and the first time since Houston pulled it off June 10-12. ``We weren't bad, but they were good,'' manager John Gibbons said. ``Their pitching took care of us pretty good.'' ... Toronto managed only seven runs and hit one home run in the series. That homer was a pinch-hit, three-run drive by Alex Rios in the fifth inning. ``We are among the leaders in home runs (fourth) in the American League and we hit only one here.'' Gibbons said. ``Isn't this Coors Field?'' ... Gibbons said 3B Troy Glaus was all right after a play at third involving Colorado's Jamey Carroll left him limping. ``He's a tough guy,'' Gibbons said. ... Rios' pinch-hit homer was the first by the Blue Jays since Eric Hinske did it Aug. 19.
COLORADO: RHP Sun-Woo Kim (right hip contusion) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session without pain ``He was moving forward quickly and ran into some lulls,'' manager Clint Hurdle said. ``We're still writing in pencil for him and not in pen.'' ... C Yorvit Torrealba began his rehab assignment Sunday in Triple-A Colorado Springs. ``He's not going anywhere else,'' Hurdle said. ``We decided not to have him go on the Modesto trip.'' ... On winning his 300th game on Saturday, Hurdle said, ``To keep it in perspective if we went undefeated for the next 10 years I'll tie (Yankees manager) Joe Torre.'' ... The sweep of Toronto was the fourth for the Rockies this season. ... Colorado's ERA is 4.05 after 44 games, the club's lowest ERA at any point after the first 10 games of a season.
SAN FRANCISCO: The Giants placed 1B Lance Niekro on the DL with a right shoulder injury. The move is retroactive to May 15 and recalled INF Kevin Frandsen from Triple-A Fresno. San Francisco also activated RHP reliever Brian Wilson from his rehabilitation assignment and optioned him to Fresno. ... At 21, Matt Cain became the fourth-youngest Giants pitcher to throw a shutout. ... SS Omar Vizquel felt tightness in his left groin but it wasn't considered serious and he said he would play Monday's series opener against St. Louis.
OAKLAND: Nick Swisher walked in the third a day after having his streak of consecutive games reaching base broken at 36. ... 2B Mark Ellis was held out with a sore right shoulder after colliding with the Giants' Omar Vizquel when he slid into Ellis on Saturday. ... The A's placed LHP reliever Joe Kennedy on the 15-day DL with a sore throwing shoulder and promoted RHP Santiago Casilla from Triple-A Sacramento. ... Injured starters Esteban Loaiza and Rich Harden both threw before the game.
ANGELS: OF Garret Anderson returned to the Angels' lineup after sitting out five games because of a strained left hamstring, and went 2-for-4. ... Despite being swept by the Dodgers over the weekend, the Angels are 28-25 against their local rivals and 83-78 overall since interleague play began in 1997. ... The Angels are hitting .245 as a team to rank next-to-last in the AL. ``We're searching for that magic, we're searching for heroes right now, and we're not finding any of it,'' batting coach Mickey Hatcher said. ``It's frustrating. We're coming to the ballpark every day believing we're going to turn it around. We believe that it's going to change, that the answers are in this room.'' ... The Angels have been outscored 42-11 during a five-game losing streak.
DODGERS: SS Cesar Izturis is scheduled to leave Thursday for Vero Beach, Fla., where he'll participate in extended spring training. The Dodgers hope he'll begin a minor league rehab assignment around June 1. An NL All-Star last season, Izturis underwent reconstructive surgery on his throwing elbow Sept. 16. ... The weekend series against the Angels drew 166,904 - the most ever to attend a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. ... OF Kenny Lofton had three hits and scored twice Sunday, giving him 1,384 runs scored in his career to rank him 82nd on baseball's career list - one ahead of Tony Gwynn. ... RHP Derek Lowe, who pitched seven shutout innings for his first win since April 13, also got his first hit of the season - a second-inning single. He flied to right in his only other at-bat, leaving him 1-for-22 this year. ... 1B Nomar Garciaparra is hitting .395 (30-of-76) this month.
SAN DIEGO: C Josh Bard started all three games in Seattle for Mike Piazza, who was the DH. Bard hit an eighth-inning home run Sunday, his third since arriving from Boston in the Doug Mirabelli trade on May 1. He is 10-for-20 during his current, six-game hitting streak. Bard said he knew to be aggressive against Seattle RHP Rafael Soriano on Sunday because he knew how Mariners manager Mike Hargrove thinks. Bard is a former Cleveland Indian who caught games against Hargrove's former Baltimore Orioles teams. ``He doesn't like guys to walk people,'' Bard said. ... RHP Chan Ho Park allowed eight runs in the second inning Sunday en route to yielding 10 earned runs, his most since June 21, 1998, when he was with the Dodgers at Colorado.
SEATTLE: RHP Felix Hernandez allowed a career-high seven earned runs Sunday, and squandered all but one run of an 8-1 lead. In his previous start last week at Oakland, he allowed 10 runs, five earned. But the Mariners' win on Sunday seemed to alleviate any panic over the 20-year-old's rapid fall off his 2005, phenom-like debut. ``On a whole, he scuffled,'' manager Mike Hargrove said. ``He and we were fortunate we had an eight-run second inning. I've seen him better, and obviously I've seen him worse.'' Hernandez (3-5, 5.84 ERA) wasn't overly concerned, though he rarely seems to be. ``The most important thing, really, is that we won,'' he said. ... Hargrove initially had no idea when he last had a series sweep. ``Here? Baltimore? Cleveland?'' the former Orioles and Indians manager said. Seattle's previous three-game sweep was last Sept. 12-14, against the Angels. ... A scoring change from Saturday night's game gave San Diego's Josh Barfield an infield single, dropped an error from 2B Jose Lopez and charged two more earned runs to RHP Gil Meche. That raised Meche's ERA to 4.64.
YANKEES: In a surprise development, injured RF Gary Sheffield (left wrist and hand) took batting practice on the field with his teammates and told manager Joe Torre he was ready to play in a game. Sheffield was eligible to come off the disabled list Sunday but had not been expected back for a little while. ``Today was a big step,'' general manager Brian Cashman said. ``He's one of the guys we desperately need to come back.'' ... RHP Shawn Chacon could be headed to the DL, and Torre said the move might come after the game. Chacon has a nasty welt (called a hematoma) just below the knee on the inside of his left leg - the result of getting hit by a comebacker May 11 against Boston. ``We certainly don't want to take any chances,'' Torre said. ``He's uncomfortable.'' RHP Aaron Small started in Chacon's spot Sunday night. ... The Yankees had a brief team meeting before batting practice, and Torre addressed his club's sloppy defense. ``Guys are maybe trying to do too much,'' he said. The Yankees made a season-high four errors Saturday and had committed at least one in eight consecutive games (15 total). They had 22 errors in their previous 13 games after making 10 in their first 28 contests. ... C Jorge Posada missed his second consecutive start because of back spasms, and Torre thought it was doubtful Posada would be available to pinch hit. ``I think there's a chance he'll be ready tomorrow,'' the manager said. The Yankees begin a three-game series in Boston on Monday night. ... The Yankees and DH-1B Erubiel Durazo agreed to terms on a minor league contract, Cashman said. Durazo is expected to report Wednesday to the team's complex in Tampa, Fla., and eventually be assigned to Triple-A Columbus. ``All the kids are up here, so I've got to replace the kids,'' Cashman said. ... Former major league outfielders Richard Hidalgo and Jason Romano have been working out in Tampa, Cashman said. Hidalgo could be signed soon.
METS: Manager Willie Randolph said he wouldn't hesitate to use closer Billy Wagner, who pitched the previous two days and blew a 4-0 lead in the ninth inning Saturday, when he threw 31 pitches. ... Cuban RHP Alay Soler is expected to be called up from Double-A Binghamton to start Wednesday night or Thursday against Philadelphia, which would be his major league debut. ``We'll probably make a decision in the next day or two,'' Randolph said. RHP Jeremi Gonzalez is expected to start on the other day. ... Randolph said RHP John Maine (inflammation of right middle finger) is probably still ``a ways away'' from coming off the DL.