Friday, May 03, 2002
Baseball Notes from Thursday's games
The Associated Press
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Devil Rays-Twins
TAMPA BAY: Thursday's starter Paul Wilson pitched six scoreless innings until hitting trouble in the seventh against the Twins. Still, his 2.70 ERA since the All-Star break last summer is the lowest in the AL during that span. Wilson, who finished his first full season in the majors with Tampa Bay last year since he was a rookie with the New York Mets in 1996, appears recovered from the shoulder problems that kept him in the minors and on the disabled list from 1996-2000. ... Felix Escalona, subbing for Brent Abernathy at 2B, started a double play with a sweet play in the fifth after Minnesota's Bobby Kielty hit a leadoff single. A.J. Pierzynski's smash deflected off Wilson's glove and Escalona, moving to his right, stopped and made a diving stab of the ball to his left, threw out Kielty at second and SS Chris Gomez relayed to Steve Cox at first for the double play. ... DH Greg Vaughn, who ended an 0-for-34 slump Wednesday with two hits and raised his average 17 points to .116, got a rest on Thursday. That left Ben Grieve as the only Devil Ray to start every game. ... Manager Hal McRae said the Devil Rays will go with a closer-by-committee after Esteban Yan struggled in the ninth. Yan will be a part of the mix.
MINNESOTA: CF Torii Hunter was selected AL player of the month for April — the first Twins winner of that award in 10 years. Hunter, among the AL leaders in many offensive categories after winning a Gold Glove last season, is batting .366 with nine home runs and 20 RBIs. “Any kind of award in the major leagues, you gotta love it,” Hunter said after learning of the honor following the Twins' 7-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. “I've just tried to simply things. See ball, hit ball.” ... The previous Minnesota recipient was Kirby Puckett in June 1992. ... The Twins earned their 10th come-from-behind victory Thursday. ... SS Cristian Guzman, who has inflammation behind his left kneecap, still isn't ready to take groundballs in the field and remains day-to-day. ... RHP Joe Mays, who's on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow, might be ready to resume throwing soon. ... After losing 12 of the previous 14 games to Tampa Bay, the Twins won five straight against the Devil Rays. They don't play again this year.
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Rangers-Blue Jays
RANGERS: By hitting his 500th career double Wednesday, Rafael Palmeiro became the 11th player in major league history and the only active player with 450 homers, 500 doubles and 2,500 hits. ... OF Gabe Kapler didn't start for the third straight game. The acquisition of CF Calvin Murray has cut into Kapler's playing time, as has Rusty Greer and Carl Everett. OF Juan Gonzalez will also play in the outfield when he returns from the DL. Kapler has started 17 out of 27 games this season. ... C Bill Haselman has started the last six games and 15 of the last 16 games behind the plate. C Ivan Rodriguez is on the 15-day disabled list with a herniated disc in his back.
BLUE JAYS: Manager Buck Martinez changed his batting order, moving Jose Cruz Jr. to third and dropping Raul Mondesi to fifth. Cruz, Mondesi and Carlos Delgado are all struggling. “I just can't sit back and continue to go with the same thing,” Martinez said. “It just gives the Rangers a different look and maybe it will spark somebody.” The lineup posted in the clubhouse had Delgado in the three hole instead of his usual cleanup spot, but Martinez said that was a mistake. ... LF Shannon Stewart missed his second straight game with sore hamstrings. “His hamstrings get sore from time to time. We are going to give him a couple of days off to make sure he is sound,” Martinez said. ... The Blue Jays have used eight starters this season. Rookie Mike Smith made his second major league start.
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Angels-Indians
ANAHEIM: The Angels entered Thursday's game with a six-game winning streak, their longest since winning nine in a row from May 31-June 9, 1998. During the streak, they outscored opponents 61-19. ... Angels manager Mike Scioscia visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during the stop over in Cleveland, and was impressed with the Jimi Hendrix exhibit. “I loved it,” he said. ... Anaheim was looking for its first three-game sweep in Cleveland since 1984. ... After batting just. 221 through their first 12 games, the Angels are hitting .288 with 10 homers over their past 14 games.
CLEVELAND: DH Ellis Burks missed his third straight game with a sore hamstring. Burks said his leg is feeling better, and he didn't have any pain while jogging on a treadmill Thursday. “I didn't go all out on it,” Burks said. “It's getting there.” ... With his team playing sloppily, Indians manager Charlie Manuel challenged his players during a closed-door meeting following Wednesday's loss, the Indians' 13th in 15 games. “We needed it,” Burks said. “We've been dragging our butts and we can play much better than we have. “You have to swing your way out of it and pitch your way out of it.” ... Utilityman Jolbert Cabrera returned to the Indians after being sidelined all year while recovering from a gunshot wound suffered during a carjacking in Colombia this winter. While he was at Triple-A Buffalo, Cabrera, who can play all three outfield positions, third, shortstop and second, played two games at first base. “It's fun,” he said. “But it's not as easy as it looks.”
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Athletics-Yankees
OAKLAND: David Justice, out since April 24 because of a strained right groin, was available to pinch-hit if needed, but manager Art Howe said he would rather avoid using him in the inclement weather. ... When told Oakland was on baseball's original contraction list, Howe said, “I'm glad it's not on the list now. We're pretty good, aren't we? Montreal's pretty good, too.” ... INF Randy Velarde, on the disabled list since April 5 with a broken hand, was batting .500 (7-for-14) in three games of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sacramento. He is expected to join the A's this weekend in Chicago. ... Oakland entered 15-0 when tied or leading after the seventh inning. ... The A's came in 52-15 since last July 25 with Jermaine Dye in the lineup.
NEW YORK: RHP Roger Clemens was looking to catch Ferguson Jenkins for 25th on the career list with 284 wins. ... Struggling OF Rondell White, held out of the lineup Tuesday night, grounded out in the second inning to extend his hitless skid to 17 at-bats. ... Yankees hitters came in leading the AL with 219 strikeouts. “If it continues, yes there's a concern,” manager Joe Torre said. “You need to advance the runners. It can make the difference in scoring one run, and with the pitchers we have, that can be enough to win a ballgame. That's where the strikeout concerns me.” ... Nick Johnson fell to 3-for-29 with a second-inning groundout. ... OF Bernie Williams was named one of People magazine's 50 most beautiful people. ... With the New York City area under a rare tornado watch, a sparse crowd showed up at Yankee Stadium on a gloomy night.
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Royals-Orioles
KANSAS CITY: The Royals activated RHP Roberto Hernandez (strained right elbow) from the disabled list Thursday and placed LHP Brian Shouse on the 15-day DL with a sore left elbow. Manager John Mizerock was hopeful of getting Hernandez some work in relief of RHP Paul Byrd in the opener of a four-game series at Camden Yards, but not in a save situation. “This is (Hernandez's) opening day,” Mizerock said. Shouse, 0-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 relief appearances, was disabled retroactive to April 28. ... Mired in a 1-for-19 slump, OF Michael Tucker was rested Thursday. “He needed a day off,” Mizerock said. “He's been working overtime for a while. He's probably the No. 1 guy who's trying too hard.” ... Though Mizerock managed the Class A Wilmington (Del.) Blue Rocks of the Carolina League for three seasons, he hadn't heard a peep from his old stomping grounds, which is 90 miles northeast of Baltimore. “No one from Wilmington has called,” he said. ... LHP Jeremy Affedt, who is 1-0 with a 2.60 ERA in seven relief outings, will make his first major league start on Friday night, opposing Orioles RHP Scott Erickson. Affedt takes the spot in the rotation vacated by RHP Brian Rekar, who was demoted to Triple-A Omaha earlier this week.
BALTIMORE: C Geronimo Gil missed a third straight start Thursday with a sore groin and hamstring, the result of a collision at the plate in a game against Boston on Monday. “He's much better today than he was yesterday, which is encouraging,” Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. ... Josh Towers received a bit of advice from Hall of Famer pitcher Jim Palmer on Thursday, one day after the right-hander yielded 10 runs in five relief innings against Boston. Hargrove said the Orioles have discussed the possibility of sending Towers to the minors. ... RHP Jason Johnson hopes to be back on the mound by May 10. Johnson was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 25 after breaking the middle finger on his pitching hand while simulating his motion on the sidelines. ... David Segui homered in the first inning Thursday, his second of the season and first since April 16. Tony Batista added a solo shot in the second inning to take over the team lead with eight, one more than Jay Gibbons.
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Mariners-White Sox
SEATTLE: Mariners manager Lou Piniella shuffled his lineup, moving Bret Boone to the No. 2 spot and dropping Mike Cameron to No. 3. It's the first time hitting second for Boone, the AL's RBI leader last season. “We've been struggling a little bit scoring runs, so we're going to move it around a little bit until we get going,” Piniella said. “Plus, I'm trying to get somebody in that second hole to keep Ichiro from getting all these intentional walks.” ... Ichiro Suzuki has six intentional walks in the first 27 games — more than nine AL teams. Seattle leads the AL with 14 intentional walks. ... With losses in the first two games in Chicago, Seattle has lost its first road series of the year. The Mariners lost only one road series all last season, and it wasn't until the end of September. ... Seattle went into Thursday's game without a homer in its last five games.
CHICAGO: The White Sox faced former teammate James Baldwin for the first time. Baldwin pitched for the White Sox from 1995-2001 before being traded to Los Angeles last season. “It'll be fun, either way,” Paul Konerko said. “We go out and have good at-bats and do well against him, that'll be good. We'll have to all give him a call after the game. And if he does well and pitches well, I have no problem tipping my hat to a guy like that. I love the guy, he's a great guy and I respect the guy.” ... Konerko's 18-game hitting streak is the longest for a White Sox player since Frank Thomas hit in 21 straight games in 1999. ... There were four rain delays totaling two hours and three minutes Wednesday night, but Konerko didn't leave the field during one that lasted five minutes. Konerko said he was trying to conserve energy, not protest the soggy, sloppy conditions. “I could see the umpires turning around to come back on the field, so I just figured I'd wait,” he said. “Why go sit on the bench, because they're going to come out and we're going to be back on the field.” ... Chicago starter Jon Rauch has a 12.38 ERA at home and 0.00 on the road.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Braves-Brewers
ATLANTA: SS Rafael Furcal hit the first pitch from Milwaukee's Glendon Rusch for a home run Thursday. It was Atlanta's first leadoff homer since Oct. 3 when Marcus Giles hit one off Philadelphia's Robert Person in Atlanta. ... 3B Mark DeRosa just missed a home run, instead getting his first triple in the major leagues. ... Closer John Smoltz, who has nine saves in 10 opportunities, hasn't allowed a run in his last eight appearances. After retiring the first two hitters in the 10th inning Thursday, he walked Geoff Jenkins and gave up a single to Richie Sexson before earning the save by striking out Tyler Houston. ... OF Chipper Jones was 0-for-5 and had his 11-game hitting streak stopped by Milwaukee's Glendon Rusch, Luis Vizcaino and Mike DeJean. ... RHP Kevin Millwood (2-3) hasn't received much offensive support this season. In his six starts, the Braves have scored only 15 runs.
MILWAUKEE: Although allowing a home run on the game's first pitch Thursday, left-hander Glendon Rusch continued his strong pitching. He's gone at least six innings in all six of his starts, but has just one win to show for a .251 ERA. ... Like his predecessor Davey Lopes, who was fired April 18 after 15 games, new manager Jerry Royster believes the team will start hitting. “Against most pitchers,” Royster said, “we should score five runs.” ... The Brewers are 5-2 at home and 0-6 on the road under Royster. ... Although off to a slow start with a .238 batting average, 1B Richie Sexson hit his seventh home run of the season, a 430-solo shot off Kevin Millwood, had three hits and drove in both runs Thursday in a 3-2 extra-inning loss to Atlanta. Sexson had six homers in April, two more than he'd ever hit before in the first month of a season. ... The Brewers have never beaten the Braves in six series in Milwaukee. Atlanta is 14-5 in Milwaukee against the Brewers, who joined the NL in 1998.
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Marlins-Cardinals
FLORIDA: OF Kevin Millar missed his third straight start with a strained left ribcage. He'll likely sit on Friday, too, before the injury is reassessed. Millar, who has a nine-game hitting streak, said he'll probably go on the disabled list if he's not improved on Friday. “There's something there still, so I don't want to go ahead and swing and reaggravate it,” Millar said. ... The Marlins will recall LHP Nate Teut, acquired from the Cubs last December, to start on Saturday at Milwaukee. It will be Teut's major league debut, and manager Jeff Torborg said Millar could go on the DL to make room. ... Thursday's game concluded a stretch of 13 consecutive games against teams that made the playoffs last year. Florida was 6-7. ... 2B Luis Castillo, who made 13 errors last year, already has three this season. ... Derrek Lee is in a 2-for-23 slump that has dropped his average to .212.
ST. LOUIS: CF Jim Edmonds is day to day after injuring his groin running in the outfield. He left after 4 1-2 innings Thursday. “I think he just slipped,” trainer Barry Weinberg said. “He's OK. I think he'll be ready.” ... RHP Dave Veres' ERA leaped from 1.96 to 3.37 on Thursday, when he allowed three runs in one-third of an inning and took the loss. He's thrown 18 2-3 innings in 14 games and manager Tony La Russa said he's used him too much. “Veres is pitched out,” La Russa said. “It's actually painful to watch. Veres has pitched too much and he paid the price today.” ... The Cardinals haven't announced a starter for Saturday yet, but it'll likely be either LHP Mike Matthews or RHP Mike Crudale. Matthews, who started 10 games last year, said “If they need me, they know I can do it.” La Russa was noncommittal after Thursday's game. ... Cardinals pitchers allowed a season high 17 hits.
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Pirates-Rockies
PITTSBURGH: C Jason Kendall made his 793rd career appearance behind the plate on Thursday. His father Fred, the bullpen coach for the Rockies, made 795 appearances at catcher in an 11-year career with San Diego, Cleveland and Boston (1969-80). ... Pittsburgh's 10-0 and 6-0 losses to Colorado on Tuesday and Wednesday marked the first time the Pirates had been shut out in back-to-back games since April 14-15, 1998, against Atlanta. ... Jack Wilson's 10-game hitting streak ended with an 0-for-4 effort Wednesday night. ... Thursday's starter, Ron Villone, pitched 22 games for Colorado last season. He was in the rotation the opening month of the season but was moved to the bullpen and then dealt to Houston on June 27. ... After starting the season 12-5, the Pirates have lost seven of their last nine games. ... Manager Lloyd McClendon said INF Aramis Ramirez, who completed a seven-game suspension on Tuesday for a helmet-throwing incident, will play in the Pirates' next series in San Diego. Ramirez was held out of the Wednesday and Thursday games because of a sprained right ankle.
COLORADO: During their six-game winning streak, the Rockies lowered their staff ERA from 5.48 to 4.63. ... Besides recording the first back-to-back shutouts in Coors Field history, the Rockies held their opponent without a home run for the seventh straight game at Coors — also a first. The streak includes the final game of a series against Los Angeles on April 17 and a sweep of Philadelphia on April 26-28. ... Wednesday night's game was played in a steady, cold drizzle with temperatures in the 30s. Had the game been postponed, the Rockies said it would have been made up as a regular double header on Thursday — a first for Coors Field, which has staged only day-night double-headers in its eight-year history. ... Manager Clint Hurdle wants intelligent baserunning to be as much a part of the Rockies' offense as home runs. “Call me crazy and I might be wrong, but we're not going to hit 200 home runs this year. I would be the most surprised guy in the world if we do. But that doesn't mean we can't be an offensively sound ballclub, and running the bases is part of it.” ... Hurdle endorsed former manager Buddy Bell's plan to build a bullpen around veterans, such as new acquisitions Todd Jones, Rick White and Kent Mercker. “I think Buddy's idea was such a good thought, to get some established arms who have had success in the bullpen and who have been through some tough situations,” Hurdle said. “This is no place for a reliever with a frail psyche. It just makes a whole lot of sense.”
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Expos-Astros
MONTREAL: Vladimir Guerrero is the Expos captain this season but he's a humble leader. “I don't feel anything different,” Guerrero said. “I've only been in the league five years so I still feel just like one of the guys.” In 26 games for April, Guerrero batted .379 with seven homers, 28 RBIs and 22 runs. His 28 RBIs set a club record for April. “I really don't pay attention to it,” Guerrero said. “I just keep working hard on a daily basis.
HOUSTON: Wade Miller was the ace of the Astros staff at the start of the season but got off to a bad start and now is on the disabled list with a pinched nerve in his neck. He hasn't pitched since April 12 but he pitched 10 painless minutes Wednesday and likely will have another bullpen session and two simulated games during the Astros upcoming road trip. “I'm still a bit away,” Miller said. “I'm playing it by ear right now. It felt good after throwing. My neck didn't tighten up and there was no pain or stiffness.”
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Cubs-Padres
CHICAGO: With two homers in a 6-1 win over the Padres on Thursday, Sammy Sosa jumped into the major league lead with 12, one more than Houston's Lance Berkman and Florida's Cliff Floyd. ... Sosa moved into a tie with Jose Canseco for 22nd on the career list with 462. He moved past Ken Griffey Jr., who has 461. Next up for Sosa is Padres Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, who is 21st all-time with 465. ... Sosa has 18 homers in Qualcomm Stadium, his most at any road ballpark. ... Kerry Wood has some advice for tourists visiting San Diego's Sea World: “Don't eat the spaghetti.” Wood did on Tuesday afternoon and got sick. He was still sick enough Wednesday evening that the Cubs sent him back to the team hotel before their game against the Padres. He lasted six innings Thursday and got the win, allowing just one run on three hits.
SAN DIEGO: The Padres have moved Brian Tollberg to the bullpen so that Ben Howard can make his second big league start on Friday against the Pirates. Howard made his big league debut Sunday at Pittsburgh, leaving with a 2-1 lead after five innings, only to watch the bullpen blow it in a 3-2 loss in the first game of a doubleheader. ... Thursday's loss was just the second in eight games for the Padres.
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Mets-Diamondbacks
NEW YORK: SS Rey Ordonez sat out all three games in Arizona after aggravating bruised ribs against St. Louis on Sunday. Ordonez swung at some soft tosses before Thursday's game and said he might be ready to play Sunday in Houston in the last game of the team's six-game road trip. ... In their six-game winning streak, the Mets have averaged nearly eight runs a game, even though two of the victories were 1-0 and 2-1. ... C Mike Piazza is hitting .400 during his 10-game winning streak. ... New York's bullpen has the best ERA in the majors at 2.38. ... The Mets were scoreless in the first inning Thursday after scoring three and four in the opening frame of the first two games in Arizona.
ARIZONA: Randy Johnson threw a side session on Thursday and will stay in his regular slot in the rotation Monday against Pittsburgh. Manager Bob Brenly had considered starting Johnson on Saturday against Montreal. Brian Anderson will get the Saturday start. ... OF David Dellucci has aggravated a hamstring injury and isn't expected to play until at least Sunday. ... OF Luis Gonzalez is in an 0-for-15 slump, his worst of the year. 2B Junior Spivey is in an 0-for-17 slide. ... The Diamondbacks' loss to the Mets is their second series defeat of the season.
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Reds-Dodgers
CINCINNATI: Rookie OF Austin Kearns, beaned Tuesday night by Giovanni Carrara of the Dodgers, wanted to play Thursday night but was overruled by manager Bob Boone because of residual swelling around his left eye. He is expected to be back in the lineup Friday. ... RHP Jose Rijo, the feel-good story of the season, makes his next start Friday at San Francisco after winning his first two. He's not sure how long he can stay on this roll, and isn't concerned about it. “The future is today. I'm enjoying every day like it's my last day, because I don't know when that's going to be,” said the 1990 World Series MVP, who is pitching with a ligament missing from his elbow after undergoing five surgeries during his six-year absense from the game — and actually received a Hall of Fame vote last year. ... Reds rookie OF Reggie Taylor, obtained March 30 from Philadelphia for LHP Hector Mercado, had struck out seven straight times prior to Thursday night's game. He has fanned 24 times in his first 56 big league at-bats, after being picked 14th overall by the Phillies in the 1995 amateur draft. ... Scott Sullivan, trying to become the first pitcher to lead the majors in relief innings in five straight seasons, has retired his first batter in 16 of 17 attempts entering Thursday. Last season he was 62-for-79 (78 percent).
LOS ANGELES: LHP Kazuhisa Ishii, 28, was selected NL pitcher of the month for April. He was 5-0 with a 3.03 ERA and a team-high 34 strikeouts in 29 2-3 innings spanning five starts. ... LF Brian Jordan did not start Thursday because of a sore left knee. ... LHP Odalis Perez, coming off a one-hit shutout last Friday at Chicago in which he faced the minimum 27 batters, went into Thursday night's start with a .154 opponents batting average — second-best in the majors behind Boston's Derek (no-hit) Lowe. “He's not spoiling me,” manager Jim Tracy said. “We're starting to see signs of a guy who's gotten to the point where he's coming to expect that type of performance to himself. he doesn't mess around. His first-pitch strike ratio is probably one of the highest in baseball.” ... The Dodgers are 9-10 with CF Dave Roberts in the leadoff spot, but 7-1 with SS Cesar Izturis in the one hole. Roberts is hitting .277, Izturis .279. ... The Dodgers had grounded into an NL-leading 30 double plays prior to Thursday. ... Los Angeles has the best record in the majors against left-handed starters (5-0). Last season they were 25-18. ... 1B Eric Karros played in his 1,482nd game Wednesday night, edging past Ron Cey into fifth place on the Los Angeles career list behind Bill Russell, Willie Davis, Steve Garvey and Maury Wills.
Reds Stories
Stage set as Kitna, Frerotte face off
Bengals notes: Leyva makes way to White House
NFL notes: Houston Texans claim Travis Prentice
Keeping up with tradition means a lot to Panthers
Services for Harris set for Saturday morning
Sycamore lacrosse ranked 2nd in Ohio
Tragedy shadows CovCath victory
Vickers to coach East boys basketball
Milford topples Colerain
Record-setting Uebel enjoys team success
Prep sports schedule
Preps softball notebook
Preps tennis notebook
Preps track notebook
BOYS TRACK - Coaches Poll
SULLIVAN: Journeyman trainer stops, smells the roses
Foal illnesses have horse industry on edge again
Kentucky Derby notebook
Like flying to the moon
Oaks suits D'Amico fine
Resurgent Pincay seeks win at 55
Queen City Bowl?
Runner in race for long life
New Jersey holds off Indiana in overtime
Stack stinks, Detroit wins anyway
Forsman takes first-round lead
Kroger Classic gets a boost as Palmer commits
Leafs shut out at home
The Dominator is back
Coming up this week
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Baseball Notes from Thursday's games
