Sunday, June 09, 2002
Notes from Saturday's games
The Associated Press
INTERLEAGUE
Braves-Rangers
BRAVES: Forget what the schedule says, Atlanta's internal calendar seems to go off May 15. The Braves went 15-5 after that date last season and were 16-5 since then going into Saturday's game. ... After Friday, the Braves had five relievers with ERAs under 2.00 — Kevin Gryboski (1.59), Chris Hammond (1.71), Darren Holmes (1.75), Mike Remlinger (1.78) and Kerry Ligtenberg (1.99). Add in Tom Glavine's major league-leading 1.64 ERA and half the staff is below the magic number.
RANGERS: This is what it's come to for Texas' ever-shuffling lineup: Mike Lamb, a slow, power-poor corner infielder sent down in spring training to learn how to play catcher, became the leadoff hitter Saturday. ... Joaquin Benoit's reward for the longest relief outing by a Rangers pitcher this year? He was sent down to Triple-A Oklahoma on Saturday, making room for RHP Aaron Myette. Benoit gave up two runs on five hits and five walks in his four-inning stint Friday night. ... Myette will be the 40th player and 21st pitcher to see action with Texas this season, and there's still more than 100 games to go.
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Phillies-Tigers
PHILADELPHIA: 3B Scott Rolen is showing signs of coming out of his slow start. He was hitting .260 with nine home runs and 36 RBIs, but he's hitting .474 (9-for-19) with three home runs and 10 RBIs in his last five games. “He's started off real well in June,” manager Larry Bowa said. “Sometimes you press a little bit. He may be ahead of his pace from last year.” ... Bowa's not a big fan of interleague play. “I don't think you can prepare,” he said. “The World Series should be two teams that haven't played each other.”
DETROIT: RHP Brian Moehler, who is on the 60-day disabled list and hasn't pitched in the majors since April 2001 because of shoulder problems, threw on Saturday. “He threw the ball real well,” said pitching coach Steve McCatty. “I'm really happy with what I saw . . . I'm very encouraged.” Moehler had been on a rehab assignment for Class A Lakeland and will now go to Triple-A Toledo. He's scheduled to start on Tuesday. He expects to make around four starts. “I felt like I could've pitched up here (the majors) with what I had today,” said Moehler. ... SS Scott Moore, the Tigers' first-round pick in the recent draft, was at Comerica Park on Saturday and worked out with the team before the game.
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Padres-Devil Rays
SAN DIEGO: Bubba Trammell was the DH on Saturday. The right fielder left Friday's game with right hamstring tightness. Ron Gant, who has the DH Friday, replaced Trammell in right. ... Trammell played for Tampa Bay from 1998-2000 and remains a fan favorite. “Bubba's popular here,' manager Bruce Bochy said. “I didn't realize how popular he was until we got here.” ... RHP Brett Tomko, who pitched for nearby Florida Southern College, left around 40 tickets for friends. It was his first start at Tropicana Field since May 19, 2000, while with Seattle.
TAMPA BAY: LHP Nick Bierbrodt remained in serious but stable condition Saturday afternoon in a Charleston, S.C., hospital. Bierbrodt, who is recovering after being shot in the right arm and chest Friday, is resting comfortably and has talked with team officials. ... 1B Steve Cox — who entered the day with just six hits in his past 43 at-bats — was the designated hitter. “Rest is always the first place you go to look for answers,” manager Hal McRae said. Cox will also DH Sunday and will be replaced at first by regular DH Aubrey Huff. ... McRae is not sure how long LF Greg Vaughn will continue to hit second. “That's the best spot in our lineup (for him),” McRae said.
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Giants-Yankees
SAN FRANCISCO: Barry Bonds hit his 588th career home run and first ever at Yankee Stadium. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time a player with more homers than Bonds connected at Yankee Stadium was when Babe Ruth hit No. 707 on Sept. 3, 1934, against the Philadelphia Athletics. ... Jason Schmidt struck out a career-high 13 batters, the most strikeouts for a Giants pitcher since Atlee Hammaker had 14 in September 1983 against Houston. “He was throwing really hard today,” Yankees 3B Robin Ventura said. “He can elevate the ball. He just throws hard enough where you sometimes have to expand the strike zone.”
NEW YORK: LHP Andy Pettitte (left elbow tendinitis) made it through his latest rehabilitation start with no difficulty and will rejoin the rotation on Friday against the Mets. “Is my arm in midseason form yet? Obviously not. But I think it's time to get going,” he said. ... Juan Rivera, given the right-field job Wednesday, did not start. He got lost on the subway coming to the game and also banged his knee with a golf cart fielding a ball during batting practice. ... Nick Johnson hit his 10th homer, giving the Yankees six players in double figures. No other team has more than three. ... INF Kurt Abbott reached a minor league deal with the Yankees. Abbott, 33, played six games for Atlanta last season.
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Rockies-Blue Jays
COLORADO: Starter John Thomson has pitched six innings or more in 10 of his 13 starts. He's pitched at least seven innings eight times. ... The Rockies are 25-41 all-time in interleague play. ... The series against Toronto is the last time this season the Rockies will play on turf. ... 3B Todd Zeile has hit in eight of last nine games.
TORONTO: The Blue Jays held a baseball fair for season ticket holders after the game. Club president Paul Godfrey thanked them for sticking by the team despite the slow start. Players signed autographs and fans took part in baseball clinics. ... 1B Carlos Delgado has 29 interleague home runs, the most in the majors. ... 3B Eric Hinske hit his AL-rookie leading 17th double. ... Starter Pete Walker is 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA. The 33-year-old journeyman right-hander was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on May 3. “I think they were definitely disappointed when I was picked up,” Walker said.
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Dodgers-Orioles
LOS ANGELES: The Dodgers failed to homer Thursday and Friday following a season-high streak of 12 straight games with at least one home run. ... Tracy visited Harrisburg, Pa., an hour north of Baltimore, following Friday's game. Tracy managed Double-A Harrisburg (Expos) to a 94-44 first-place finish in 1993. ... Los Angeles left-handed starters were a combined 16-6 before Saturday. LA lefties accounted for only nine wins over the previous three seasons. ... LHP Odalis Perez (5-3, 2.52), who starts Sunday vs. Baltimore, did not allow a walk in six of his 12 starts.
BALTIMORE: RHP Calvin Maduro will undergo surgery on his right elbow Friday. Placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a fractured bone spur and bone chips in the elbow, Maduro will miss six to eight weeks. ... In an effort to get both his hot-hitting second basemen playing time, manager Mike Hargrove used Brian Roberts as a DH and started Jerry Hairston at 2B on Saturday. ... OF Melvin Mora, coming off the first two-homer game of his career, said he has no plans to lengthen his swing. “A home run hitter is Tony Batista,” he said. “I just try to get on base.” ... RF Gary Matthews hit third in the lineup for the first time Saturday.
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Astros-Athletics
HOUSTON: 1B Orlando Merced started his first game since May 18 because of a sore right hamstring. His solo home run in the eighth was his first of the season. ... Over his last three starts, RHP Shane Reynolds has allowed 12 runs and 17 hits over 12 2-3 innings. He allowed three runs on five hits over four innings last Sunday at Chicago, then allowed five hits on five runs on Saturday against the Athletics over 3 2-3 innings. Over 15 career interleague starts, Reynolds is 3-10 with a 5.63 ERA.
OAKLAND: Miguel Tejada hit a solo home run for the A's. It was Tejada's 11th homer of the season. Since he started batting in the No. 3 spot on May 19, he has five home runs and 13 RBIs. ... Oakland starters are 8-2 with a 3.17 ERA over the last 14 games after going 4-14 with a 7.20 ERA over the previous 22 games. ... The A's have won five straight interleague games.
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Cubs-Mariners
CHICAGO: All the Cubs' runs in the first two games of the series have come on solo home runs. Sammy Sosa and McGriff connected Friday night. ... Cubs manager Don Baylor saw All-Star RHP Freddy Garcia of the Mariners for the first time. “He is a good pitcher,” Baylor said. “He comes after you mixing his pitches. He went to the changeup to get guys out today.”
SEATTLE: Freddy Garcia has a 1.78 ERA in his last four starts. He has gone at least seven innings in each of those starts. When his record was 4-4, his ERA was 3.86. ... The last 13 homers Garcia has allowed have been solo shots. ... The Mariners lead the majors with 34 sacrifice flies. Desi Relaford is tied for second in the league with six with only 108 at-bats. ... Ichiro Suzuki, who leads the majors with a .371 batting average, has gone hitless in two consecutive games for the first time this season.
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Marlins-Twins
FLORIDA: The Marlins activated catcher Ramon Castro from the 15-day disabled list before the game, after sending INF Marty Malloy outright to Triple-A Calgary on Friday. Castro returns to back up Charles Johnson and Mike Redmond behind the plate. ... Luis Castillo came in with a 24-game hitting streak, and Kevin Millar had an 18-game string. ... Cliff Floyd began the game batting only .161 in his last seven games (5-for-31) and his average had dropped to .281. “Cliff's just not being selective,” manager Jeff Torborg said. “He's so anxious, he's swinging at everything.”
MINNESOTA: INF Jay Canizaro, designated for assignment Tuesday to clear room for the return of 2B Luis Rivas from the disabled list, has cleared waivers. Canizaro has three days to report to Triple-A Edmonton. “We're going to wait and see what happens,” general manager Terry Ryan said. ... The Twins held their annual autograph party. Each player was present, plus a handful of alumni. ... Gold Glove 1B Doug Mientkiewicz's bobblehead doll, complete with a big bubble of pink gum bulging out of his mouth, will be given away to the first 10,000 fans at Sunday's game.
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Diamondbacks-Red Sox
ARIZONA: Curt Schilling, who hadn't issued a walk in 165 batters and 44 innings, walked Johnny Damon in the eighth inning. Nomar Garciaparra walked two batters later. ... Tony Womack and Damien Miller struck out three times each.
BOSTON: The Red Sox lost their fourth consecutive home game and are only 15-13 at Fenway — no match for their 25-6 road record. ... Pedro Martinez posted double-digits in strikeouts for the 82nd time in his career, the 55th time with the Red Sox and the fourth time this season. ... Jose Offerman singled in the second — just his second hit in 13 at-bats off Schilling. Offerman entered in a 10-for-72 slump. ... Carlos Baerga's first-inning homer was his first since Aug. 17, 1999.
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Mets-Indians
NEW YORK: Manager Bobby Valentine thinks 3B Edgardo Alfonzo's early-season struggles were a result of a hand injury he sustained in the first week. Valentine was upset that Alfonzo didn't tell him how badly he was hurt. Alfonzo, though, appears to be fully recovered. He's batting .373 in his last 20 games. ... Alfonzo is currently fourth on the Mets' career hit list with 1,050. He trails Ed Kranepool (1,418), Cleon Jones (1,188) and Mookie Wilson (1,112). ... Mike Piazza was the DH again. Valentine said Piazza is still feeling the effects of dehydration after catching in humid, 90-degree temperature in Atlanta on Thursday. Piazza might catch Sunday. ... With the Mets facing LHP Chuck Finley on Saturday, OF Jeromy Burnitz, batting .133 in his last 26 games, sat out his third straight game. Burnitz will likely return to the lineup Sunday. ... 1B Mark Johnson, designated for assignment earlier in the week, has reported to Triple-A Norfolk. Johnson batted .137 in 37 games and struck out 18 times in 51 at-bats with the Mets.
CLEVELAND: 1B Jim Thome entered with eight homers in his last 26 at-bats, and has raised his average 84 points (.212 to .296) since May 1. Thome hit his 300th career homer earlier this week in Minnesota, and manager Charlie Manuel thinks Thome can hit 500 before he retires. “His best days are ahead of him,” Manuel said. ... 3B Travis Fryman sat out after his back “flared up.” Fryman has had periodic problems with spasms in his lower back since 1998, and went on the DL for the first time in his career because of the ailment from June 6-25, 1999. Manuel said Fryman could miss as many as five games. Bill Selby, brought up from Triple-A Buffalo on May 29, started for Fryman and batted fifth. ... Count Manuel among those who rooted for Mike Tyson in his heavyweight fight against Lennox Lewis. “I loved Mike Tyson when he first came out,” Manuel said. “I liked the way he went about it — black shoes, black trunks. And he would just beat up on people.”
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Expos-White Sox
MONTREAL: LHP Scott Downs tossed 1 2-3 scoreless innings Friday night in a rehab stint for Triple-A Ottawa. He gave up two hits and had three strikeouts. Downs has been on the 60-day DL since March 27 after having reconstructive surgery on his left elbow. ... Montreal came in with 12 wins in 23 one-run games, tying for second-most in the majors.
CHICAGO: Manager Jerry Manuel rested 1B Paul Konerko, even though he was 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs against Expos starter Tomo Ohka. “He's probably a little tired. He's been trying to do everything he can to turn us around,” Manuel said. ... With Konerko on the bench — and games at NL cities coming up — it might have seemed a good opportunity to give DH Frank Thomas a glove, but Manuel said he prefers Jeff Liefer as the backup first baseman. Thomas has made two starts at first this season, and has two errors. ... The White Sox agreed to terms with first-round draft pick LHP Royce Ring. After going 5-1 with 17 saves and a 1.85 ERA for San Diego State, he was the 18th overall pick in the draft Tuesday. He was scheduled to attend Chicago's game against Montreal on Sunday.
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Cardinals-Royals
ST. LOUIS: Following the current nine-game road trip, St. Louis will play 19 of the next 22 games at home, where the Cardinals are 18-10 this season. ... The Cardinals entered 35-39 in interleague play, including 13-23 on the road.
KANSAS CITY: The Royals placed OF Mark Quinn on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Quinn was injured trying to field Albert Pujols' double Friday night. An MRI exam revealed no tear. The Royals called up OF Donzell McDonald from Triple-A Omaha, where he was hitting .263 with three home runs and 15 RBIs. McDonald was in the starting lineup, leading off and playing left field. ... The Royals came in 37-49 in interleague play, including 9-7 against St. Louis.
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Reds-Angels
CINCINNATI: On the second day of interleague play, 3B/OF Russell Branyan made his Reds debut as the DH — a role he was familiar with during the past three seasons with Cleveland. He had an RBI groundout in the fourth inning and a sacrifice fly in the eighth, both with the bases loaded. “I would have liked one of those balls to have fallen in for a hit, but I'm not going to get too greedy, because I got a couple of RBIs,” said Branyan, who was 0-for-8 with six strikeouts in bases-loaded situations with the Indians before being traded Friday to Cincinnati. “I'm not expecting to be in the lineup every day, but whenever my name's called upon, I'm going to try to contribute.” ... Injury-plagued Ken Griffey Jr. did not play after straining his right hamstring in Friday night's loss. “It's just tender. That's the best way you can describe it,” said Griffey, who has been off the disabled list only two weeks after missing 41 games because of a torn tendon in his right knee. “We'll increase the activity tomorrow, and see what happens from there.” ... Juan Encarnacion was a late scratch from the lineup after a throw by 2B Todd Walker struck him in the right temple during batting practice. Encarnacion left the field under his own power, and a precautionary CT scan was negative. Encarnacion, in a 2-for-22 slump, is hitting .260 in 57 games with 11 homers and 38 RBIs.
ANAHEIM: RF Tim Salmon did not start for the second straight game because of tightness in his right hamstring. He pinch-hit in the seventh inning and flied out with the bases loaded. ... RHP Ramon Ortiz balked home the tying run when he fell for 17-year veteran Barry Larkin's bluff down the third-base line and took the ball out of his glove to fake a throw. ... Darin Erstad leads the majors with 126 hits in interleague games.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Brewers-Pirates
MILWAUKEE: Reliever Curtis Leskanic, recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, has shut down his throwing program until Monday at the earliest. Leskanic was doing rehab work in the minor leagues last week and threw on consecutive days on two occasions. He developed soreness in his shoulder and took a cortisone injection. Leskanic has been on the disabled list since March 30. ... Reliever Chad Fox gave up three runs in one inning against the Pirates on Friday night. It was his third appearance since coming off the DL on May 31. Manager Jerry Royster said Fox is still pitching up in the strike zone as a result of the layoff caused by a sprained ligament in his right arm.
PITTSBURGH: OF Armando Rios hopes to come off the disabled list and rejoin the team Monday in Anaheim. The Pirates would like to see Rios get some at-bats on a minor league rehab assignment first. Rios has been out because of lingering pain in his surgically repaired right knee. ... Reliever Mike Fetters has appeared in 551 major league games but has never come to the plate. He almost did in Friday's game against the Brewers. He was on deck when Pokey Reese made the final out of the seventh. Fetters spent most of his career in the American League and has been a reliever in the NL. Batting is not a goal of his. “I have no desire to hit,” he said. “It's not an easy thing to do and I don't want to embarrass myself.”
Reds Stories
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Time for football in June
7 athletes strong, Middies win title
Area runners come close, fall short
CovCath exploits LexCath errors
Richards finishes run to the top
Sycamore stopped 1 step from title
Norwood star signs with UC
Prep schedules
McDuffie sues Dolphins doctors
Born to be rivals, they fought for keeps too late
Lewis knocks out Tyson
Marion Jones wins 100 easily into tough wind
Saturday's NCAA Super Regionals
Croatia stuns Italy
U.S. team to enter red cauldron against South Korea
World Cup TV schedule
Attendance, handle records smashed at Belmont Stakes
War Emblem falls short in Triple Crown bid
Defense making the difference for Lakers
Nets hope familiar surroundings help Martin, Van Horn
Nets shooting woes have to end
Da Matta gets first pole at Monterey
GROESCHEN: Cup drivers to highlight Busch race
Marlin shows speed at drying Pocono
Montoya beats Schumacher in record qualifying
Ward wins Boomtown 500
Daniel on verge of major victory
Golf scores
Hiring Trottier a gutsy move
Lidstrom, Hedican win ironman awards
Red Wings 3, Hurricanes 2, 3 OT
Ferrero, Costa meet in all-Spanish final
Serena 'one-hit wonder' no more
At home on the high seas
Coming up this week
Enquirer Page Two power rankings
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Notes from Saturday's games
