Fielder hitless, but Brewers top Dodgers
August 6, 2009
LOS ANGELES (AP)—No postgame tirades from Prince Fielder(notes) on Wednesday night.The Milwaukee Brewers had only their first series win in over a month to enjoy.
The Brewers beat Los Angeles 4-1 behind Braden Looper’s(notes) outstanding effortand Fielder had a tying RBI groundout in the victory that helped them take theseries. Milwaukee had gone 0-6-2 since winning two of three from the New YorkMets.
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“It feels like six months,” manager Ken Macha said with a laugh. “I thinkthe biggest thing is that we came to the West Coast and got a split. To win twoout of three in L.A. against the team with the best record in the league shouldbe a confidence booster for us.”
Fielder was booed lustily by the crowd of 50,276 each time he came to bat,one night after his profanity-laced tirade was caught on camera by a news crew.He went 0 for 5, driving in the tying run with a fielder’s choice grounder inthe third, and stole a base.
“I’m on the road so you expect it,” Fielder said. “I was just trying towin the game. Their team is the Dodgers so I wouldn’t expect them to cheer forme anyway.”
Guillermo Mota(notes) had hit Fielder in the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ 17-4victory, presumably as payback for Manny Ramirez(notes) getting grazed by a pitch byChris Smith(notes) two innings earlier. After the final out, Fielder made a beeline forthe Dodgers’ locker room and had to be escorted back to his clubhouse byteammates.
“Last night he was like a raging bull. But nothing happened, so there’s noreason to suspend him,” said teammate Ryan Braun, who drove in two runs withthe second of his two doubles.
“We kind of discussed the situation beforehand today, but we didn’t reallyexpect anything to happen,”’ Braun added. “Prince handled it great. He’sreally able to stay within himself. He was obviously very emotional and fired upyesterday, but he settled down and stayed within himself today.”
The final meeting of the season between the teams was played with aheavier-than-usual presence of security personnel stationed between bothclubhouses before and after the game. Usually there is one security guard infront of each door. This time, there were five on the Dodgers’ side and eight onthe visitors’ side.
Looper (10-5) allowed a run and four hits over 6 2-3 innings and struck outfour after giving up a leadoff homer in the first by Rafael Furcal(notes). In hisprevious two starts, the right-hander gave up 11 runs and 17 hits over 11innings.
Fans cheer Los Angeles Dodgers… AP – Aug 6, 1:28 am EDT
“His split was working good, and he controlled their bat speed,” Machasaid. “When he’s throwing the ball downhill like he did tonight, he’s extremelyeffective.”
Trevor Hoffman(notes) pitched a scoreless ninth for his record 579th career saveand 25th in 27 chances this season. The loss was the seventh in 11 games for theDodgers, who still own the best record in the majors at 66-42 and hold asix-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West.
Jason Schmidt(notes) (2-2) was charged with four runs, five hits and three walksover 3 2-3 innings in the fifth start of his comeback, after pitching sixinnings of one-hit ball in a 5-0 win at Atlanta last Friday.
“Schmidt wasn’t as sharp as he was last time,” manager Joe Torre said.“He didn’t have the same curveball. He didn’t look like he was locating the wayhe did in Atlanta. He’s scheduled for Monday, and we’ll go from there.”
The 36-year-old right-hander departed with a 2-1 deficit after hittingformer Dodger Craig Counsell(notes) in the right ankle with the bases loaded and twoouts, forcing in Frank Catalanotto(notes). Braun greeted James McDonald(notes) with histwo-run double.
Furcal, who came in 3 for 21 against Looper, drove his second pitch into thelower seats in the right-field corner for his 25th leadoff homer and 13th withLos Angeles. Looper has allowed nine home runs in his last six starts, includingfour against the Dodgers in a no-decision in July 10 at Milwaukee.
NOTES: Mota got the night off, following his 38-pitch effort on Tuesday.Ramirez didn’t start, but pinch hit in the seventh and grounded out to 2B as hisbat flew into the crowd. … Milwaukee stole three bases and have 39 stealsoverall, the lowest total in the majors. … Fielder and Braun are the mostproductive RBI tandem in the majors, driving in a combined 169 runs. Braun was 8for 14 with six RBIs in the series.
Thome’s 2 HRs lift White Sox over Angels
August 6, 2009
CHICAGO (AP)—Jim Thome’s(notes) bat is warming up just as the Chicago White Sox aregearing up for a run at the postseason.
The veteran slugger hit two homers Wednesday night, giving him 561 for hiscareer and helping right-hander Gavin Floyd(notes) and the White Sox beat the LosAngeles Angels 6-2.
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“You are going to have those up and down times when you find your swing oryour groove and you want it to last as long it can,” Thome said.“Unfortunately it doesn’t. But I try not to think about it too much, try tomaintain my work and do what I can every day to put myself in a situation duringthe game to have success.”
This is one of those times. Thome, who will be 39 at the end of this month,now has seven homers in his last 21 games. And he’s two shy of tying ReggieJackson for No. 12 on the career list.
“We got a lot of guys picking each other up and when one guy gets hot,hopefully you can ride that for a while,” Thome said after the White Sox’sfifth win in six games—all against first-place teams, the Angels and theYankees.
Floyd (9-6), who was aided by three double plays, allowed six hits and tworuns in eight-plus innings. His bid for a complete game ended in the ninth whenVladimir Guerrero(notes) and Juan Rivera(notes) had back-to-back singles and he was replacedby Matt Thornton(notes). Kendry Morales(notes) then hit a sacrifice fly for the Angels’ secondrun.
Floyd also pitched out of a jam in the eighth after a single by GaryMatthews Jr.(notes) and an error on Paul Konerko(notes)—the White Sox’s third miscue of thenight. Maicer Izturis(notes) was thrown out trying to bunt and Floyd struck out BobbyAbreu(notes) looking to end the threat.
“We hit some balls hard. I thought our at bats were OK. He just pitched agood game,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
“Three guys hit the ball right on the screws with guys on that turned intodouble plays.”
Floyd is now 5-0 in his last eight starts at U.S. Cellular Field, known ashitter-friendly park.
“I don’t pay attention to that. I don’t know. I can only say I try to keepit out of the air. This park is pretty notorious for the wind blowing out and,you know, balls carrying,” Floyd said. “You try to execute your pitches andwhatever happens, happens.”
Chicago White Sox's A.J. P… AP – Aug 5, 11:23 pm EDT
Thome hit a three-run shot to greet reliever Darren Oliver(notes) in the sixth—his second of the game and 20th of the season.
Thome’s drive into the left-center field bleachers came after Gordon Beckham(notes)doubled and Jermaine Dye(notes) singled to finish Angels starter Sean O’Sullivan(notes) (3-1).
Thome’s first homer, a solo shot to left, came off O’Sullivan and tied thegame at 1-1 in the fourth. Konerko hit a solo shot off Brian Fuentes(notes) in thebottom of the eighth, his 21st of the season.
“We got a couple of pitches in his zone and Jim didn’t miss them,”Scioscia said.
Chicago took a 2-1 lead in the fifth when A.J. Pierzynski(notes) doubled, hustledto third on a flyball and scored on Jayson Nix’s(notes) soft two-out single to right.
The Angels got their unearned run in the first with two outs when Abreusingled before Guerrero hit a line drive that went off the glove of Chicagoright fielder Dye and over his shoulder for a three-base error.
O’Sullivan, in his fourth stint with the Angels this season, had pitched ano-hitter for Triple-A Salt Lake on July 28, missing a perfect game againstSacramento by a seventh-inning walk.
He gave up six hits and was charged with four runs.
NOTES: Thome now has 44 multihomer games, including three this season. Heturns 39 on Aug. 27. … Angels outfielder Torii Hunter(notes) (15-day DL with astrained right adductor) had a “great workout” before the game Wednesday,according to Scioscia. However, Hunter subsqeuently failed a strength test andwill have to wait a few more days before testing his readiness for a rehabassignment. … White Sox SS Alexei Ramirez(notes) missed his sixth straight game witha sprained ankle but could return to the lineup Friday. Closer Bobby Jenks(notes) wassidelined with kidney stones.
Yankees beat Jays 8-4, face Red Sox next
August 6, 2009
TORONTO (AP)—After finishing off a two-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays,the New York Yankees set their sights on beating the Boston Red Sox for thefirst time this season.
Johnny Damon(notes) hit a solo home run and had three RBIs, Nick Swisher(notes) alsoconnected and the Yankees beat the Blue Jays 8-4 on Wednesday night.
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The AL East-leading Yankees, winless in eight games against second-placeBoston, return home to open a four-game series against the Red Sox on Thursdaynight.
“We have to beat them at some point,” Alex Rodriguez(notes) said. “This weekendis a good time to start.”
Boston, the American League wild-card leaders, lost 6-4 at Tampa Bay onWednesday.
“We’re up 2 1/2 games on them,” Damon said. “That’s pretty good when you’re0-8 against that team during the season.”
The Yankees, who last played Boston June 9-11, have been outscored 55-31 andare weary of talking about the poor record against their longtime rivals.
“You want to get that zero, that goose egg out of there,” manager JoeGirardi said before the game. “We’re going to be asked about that goose egg aslong as it’s there, so you want to get that out of the way as soon aspossible.”
Reliever Alfredo Aceves(notes) (7-1) pitched two innings for the victory as theYankees used a four-run seventh inning to win their third straight overall afterlosing three in a row in Chicago.
“It was good to see him throwing the ball again like he’s capable of doing,mixing all of his pitches and real crisp,” Girardi said of Aceves.
Phil Coke(notes) got two outs, Phil Hughes(notes) worked the eighth and David Robertson(notes)wrapped it up in the ninth for New York.
Damon went 3 for 5 and hit his second homer in two games, a solo shot offBrian Tallet(notes) in the ninth, his 19th.
“He’s really hit us hard this year,” Toronto manager Cito Gaston said.“It’s mostly been off-speed stuff. I think we’d better come up with somethingelse to throw him.”
Adam Lind(notes) and Marco Scutaro(notes) homered for the Blue Jays, now 2-7 against NewYork.
The loser was Toronto left-hander Marc Rzepczynski(notes) (1-3), who allowed fourruns and five hits in six-plus innings. He walked one and struck out seven.
New York sent 10 men to the plate in the seventh and erased a 3-2 deficit.
Rzepczynski had retired 10 straight when Swisher led off with a homer toleft, his 18th. After Robinson Cano(notes) followed with a double, right-hander JoshRoenicke(notes) relieved.
Melky Cabrera(notes) grounded out, moving Cano to third, and pinch-hitter HidekiMatsui(notes) hit an RBI single. Jose Molina(notes) walked and Derek Jeter(notes) struck out beforeDamon and Teixeira followed with run-scoring singles. Rodriguez walked to loadthe bases for Swisher, who struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch.
Toronto took a 2-0 lead in the first against New York starter Sergio Mitre(notes).The righty struck out the first two batters but followed that by giving up fourstraight hits, including RBI singles to Vernon Wells(notes) and Alex Rios(notes).
The Yankees tied it in the third when Jerry Hairston walked, went to secondon Jeter’s single and scored on a base hit by Damon. Teixeira followed with anRBI fielder’s choice.
Toronto chased Mitre in the fifth when Lind hit a one-out solo shot toright, his 23rd, and Lyle Overbay(notes) followed with a single to center.
Mitre, who allowed five runs and seven hits in just three innings in hislast start, a 10-5 loss to the White Sox on July 31, was ineffective again inthis one. The righty allowed three runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings and hasnot pitched into the seventh in any of his four Yankees starts. He walked twoand struck out three.
“They made him work hard and I think he got a little tired at the end therebut I think he threw the ball pretty well,” Girardi said.
Scutaro led off the seventh with a homer to left off Aceves, his ninth,cutting it to 6-4.
Rodriguez started at DH but took over at third base in the seventh, forcingthe pitcher into the lineup. Eric Hinske(notes) pinch hit for Coke in the seventh andrestored New York’s three-run cushion with a sacrifice fly off Jesse Carlson(notes).
NOTES: The Yankees recalled RHP Anthony Claggett(notes) from Triple-AScranton/Wilkes-Barre and designated infielder Cody Ransom(notes) for assignment. …RHP Joba Chamberlain(notes), who will start against Boston Thursday, flew back to NewYork ahead of the team earlier in the day.
Bay out at least first 2 games vs. Yanks
August 6, 2009
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay(notes) re-injured his righthamstring Wednesday night and expects to miss at least the first two games ofBoston’s upcoming series against the New York Yankees.
“It doesn’t feel real bad,” Bay said after the Red Sox lost 6-4 to TampaBay. “Anytime you can’t play, you feel like you let your teammates down.”
Bay returned to the lineup after missing two games with a mildly strainedhamstring. But he left the game after aggravating the injury running out agrounder in the eighth inning.
The Red Sox begin a four-game series at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night. Hewill be reevaluated earlier in the day and doesn’t think the injury is along-term situation.
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Happ strikes out 10 in 4-hit shutout
August 6, 2009
PHILADELPHIA (AP)—When J.A. Happ’s(notes) 127th pitch of the night caught TroyTulowitzki(notes) for a called strike three, he did more than make another selloutcrowd roar in appreciation of a Phillies shutout.
He made manager Charlie Manuel’s decision about what to do withPhiladelphia’s crowded rotation even tougher.
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Happ stated his case to keep his spot with a career-high 10 strikeouts inhis second shutout of the season, leading the Phillies to a 7-0 win over theColorado Rockies on Wednesday night.
“I don’t think one start should affect the situation,” Happ said.
No, but 14 of them and Happ’s top-10 ranking in the National League in ERAis a strong argument. He four-hit the Rockies and was throwing in the low 90s inthe ninth inning.
Manuel never wavered in letting the rookie left-hander go the distance.
“He earned the right to go out there,” Manuel said. “That’s how I look atit.”
But has he earned the right to keep his spot?
His competition was pitching 65 miles away in a rehab start for Double-AReading—three-time Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez(notes). The 37-year-oldright-hander struck out 11 in six innings against the New York Yankees’ Trentonaffiliate.
If Phillies officials are convinced Martinez can start in the major leagues,he likely would send Happ (8-2) to the bullpen.
Manuel says it’s still too early to talk about what the rotation will looklike once Martinez joins the Phillies.
“Let me answer that later on,” he said. “I don’t feel like getting intothat.”
Happ or Martinez. Martinez or Happ. It almost doesn’t matter who is pitchingfor the NL East leaders when they’re swinging the bat like they did againstJorge De La Rosa(notes) (9-8).
Jimmy Rollins(notes), Jayson Werth(notes) and Pedro Feliz(notes) all homered for Philadelphia. DeLa Rosa allowed seven runs in only five innings to end his personal seven-gamewinning streak, tying the longest active streak in the NL. He lost for the firsttime since June 16, ending a 7-for-7 stretch that set the franchise record formost consecutive starts with a win.
De La Rosa also took a one-hopper off his left arm in the fourth inning. Heneeded a visit with the trainer and a few warmup tosses before he resumedpitching.
By then, the Phillies were already ahead 4-0 and Happ was on his way to ashutout that lowered his ERA to 2.74.
“I felt like I was capable of doing it,” Happ said. “You never know ifit’s going to happen.”
Ryan Howard(notes) singled in a run in the first and the Phillies added three morein the second. Feliz hit a solo homer to left, his seventh, and Rollins extendedhis hitting streak to 11 games with a two-run shot, continuing his torridstretch since ending an 0-for-28 drought.
Werth, an NL All-Star, hit an opposite-field, three-run shot in the fifthfor his 23rd homer.
Happ, who earned his first shutout June 27 at Toronto, got a standingovation as he left the mound after the eighth. He heard his loudest cheers ofthe night when he doubled to deep center in the bottom half.
“There comes a point in time when it’s necessary to tip your hat to theother side,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “Happ pitched one of the bestgames we’ve seen all year.”
His outing puts the Phillies in a tough situation.
Reigning AL Cy Young Award Cliff Lee(notes) makes his home debut for the Phillieson Thursday. World Series MVP Cole Hamels(notes) and Joe Blanton(notes) also have locked upspots. The Phillies don’t see 46-year-old Jamie Moyer(notes) as a legitimate option outof the bullpen. Moyer leads the Phillies with 10 wins, but has a whopping 5.55ERA.
That means it could be last call for Happ, who made 13 relief appearancesearlier this season.
“He’s got the stuff to stay in the rotation,” Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz(notes)said.
NOTES: Phillies RHP Brett Myers(notes) (hip) is scheduled to throw a simulated gameon Thursday in Clearwater, Fla. Myers is hopeful of a late-season return. “Ifhe can pitch like I know he can, he’s going to help us,” Manuel said. …Phillies 2B Chase Utley(notes) was hit by a pitch for the 100th time in his career. …Happ’s double was his first career extra-base hit. … Werth has a career high69 RBIs.
Phillies’ Martinez Ks 11 in rehab start
August 6, 2009
READING, Pa. (AP)—Pedro Martinez(notes) recorded nine of his first 12 outs bystrikeout and worked six innings for the Double-A Reading on Wednesday night, inwhat could have been his final rehab start before joining the PhiladelphiaPhillies.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher … AP – Aug 5, 8:29 pm EDT Philadelphia Phillies pitcher … AP – Aug 5, 8:28 pm EDT
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher … AP – Aug 5, 8:28 pm EDT
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“I hope so,” Martinez said. “It’s not up to me to decide that. I hopethis is my last one, and I hope that I am able to make improvements from here tothe bullpen session.”
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher … AP – Aug 5, 8:29 pm EDT
In his best start since signing a one-year deal on July 15, the 37-year-oldMartinez allowed three runs and five hits without walking a batter against theNew York Yankees’ Trenton affiliate. He finished with 11 strikeouts.
“I’m making improvements as I go on, and that’s what we want. Health-wise,my shoulder is fine, my arm is fine. I’m responding good between starts,” hesaid.
In that first four-inning span in which he struck out nine, Martinez gave uptwo hits, including a home run to shortstop Eduardo Nunez.
Overall he looked free and easy, recording first-pitch strikes to 18 of the23 batters he faced. He threw 82 pitches—60 strikes.
In three starts for Class A Clearwater, Triple-A Lehigh Valley and Reading,Martinez has given up seven earned runs and nine hits in 12 1-3 innings.
Martinez went 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA in 20 starts for the Mets last season. InMarch, he pitched for the Dominican Republic team in the World Baseball Classic,working six innings of scoreless relief in two games but went unsigned.
The Phillies immediately placed Martinez on the disabled list due to a rightshoulder strain after signing him and has since traded for 2008 AL Cy YoungAward winner Cliff Lee(notes). Adding Martinez, a three-time Cy Young winner, willforce Philadelphia to adjust a rotation that includes Lee, World Series MVP ColeHamels(notes), Joe Blanton(notes), J.A. Happ(notes) and Jamie Moyer(notes). Though he began the season inrelief, Happ has been one of the Phillies most effective starters this season.
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Jackson pitches into 9th, Tigers top O’s
August 6, 2009
DETROIT (AP)—Edwin Jackson’s(notes) pitch counts have been almost the same in hislast two starts.
The results have been completely different.
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Five days after needing 115 pitches to get through four innings, Jacksononly needed 117 to get into the ninth inning of Detroit’s 4-2 victory over theBaltimore Orioles Wednesday night.
Jackson (8-5) had held the Orioles to two hits through eight shutoutinnings, but hit Nolan Reimold(notes) with a pitch to start the ninth. Adam Jones(notes)followed with a homer to left. Fernando Rodney(notes) entered and got three outs forhis 22nd save in 23 tries.
“Obviously, I was able to do more tonight with my pitches,” said Jackson,who struck out eight. “Tonight I just wanted to attack the strike zone and getouts.”
Jackson has only allowed those two runs in two wins over Baltimore thisseason, but Tigers manager Jim Leyland blamed himself for ruining Jackson’s16-inning shutout streak against the Orioles. Leyland felt he should havechanged pitchers after the Tigers sent eight batters to the plate in a three-runeighth.
“He was pitching a two-hit shutout, so I wanted to get him back out there,but as that inning went on and he had to sit there, I started thinking that Ishould bring in Rodney,” Leyland said. “If we had gone out 1-2-3, I’m sure hewould have been fine, but I shouldn’t have let him sit that long. That’s myfault.”
Jeremy Guthrie(notes) (7-11) gave up three runs on six hits in 7 1-3 innings.
“I expected him to pitch that way tonight,” Orioles manager Dave Trembleysaid. “It was a quality start, and I was pleased with his performance. It wasjust unfortunate that he had to go against Jackson, who was special tonight.”
Baltimore’s only hit in the first six innings came as a result of a Detroitdefensive blunder. With two outs in the first, Jones hit a blooper towardsecond. First baseman Miguel Cabrera(notes) tried to make the play, but pulled off atthe last second as the ball dropped for an infield single.
“He had great movement on his pitches, and he was hitting 98 (mph) with thefastball,” said Luke Scott(notes). “He just had it all.”
Ordonez broke the scoreless tie with his sixth homer in the fifth, but hitinto an inning-ending double play with two runners on in the seventh.
Placido Polanco(notes) gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead with a two-run single off ClaMeredith(notes) in the eighth, and Cabrera provided the final run with an RBI singlelater in the inning.
“Those were some big hits,” Leyland said of his struggling offense.“Maggs had a big hit, Polly had a big one and Cabrera got one. That’s what weneeded.”
NOTES: Jackson has only lost once in 11 career starts at Comerica Park.“It’s just a coincidence, I think,” he said. “It isn’t like I throw differentpitches here than I do at any other stadium. I’ve just had good games when I’vebeen here.” … Ten of Baltimore’s last 13 losses have been by one or two runs.… Detroit C Alex Avila(notes), son of assistant general manager Al Avila, is expectedto make his major league debut Thursday afternoon against the Orioles.
Matsuzaka expects to return this season
August 5, 2009
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—Dice-K expects to pitch again this season.
Boston right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) is scheduled for his first bullpensession Tuesday since going on the disabled list June 21 with a strain in hispitching shoulder.
Matsuzaka, who has been at the Red Sox spring training complex in FortMyers, Fla., worked out with the team during a two-game series at Tampa Bay.
He played long toss and threw at 60 feet on flat ground Wednesday, and saidhis goal, “of course,” is to rejoin the team before the season ends.
Boston manager Terry Francona and pitching coach John Farrell spent almostan hour each talking with Matsuzaka, who is 1-5 with an 8.23 ERA in eight startsthis year.
It was the first face-to-face meeting between Matsuzaka and Francona sincethe pitcher went public with concerns over how the team was handling histraining techniques last week.
“It was really productive,” Francona said. “Regardless of whether I thinkhe messed up or was wrong, we all make mistakes. It’s where we go from here.That’s more important to me than what happened last week. I felt real good aboutit and I think he did, too.”
Matsuzaka went 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA last season. He told the reporters inEnglish that he had no intention of criticizing the team.
“Training no problem,” Matsuzaka said. “No problem with Red Sox. Weworked it all out.”
Matszuaka has been working on improving his English speaking skills on adaily basis.
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Rays hit 4 HRs, finish sweep of Red Sox
August 5, 2009
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—Rookie David Price(notes) is one of the reasons the TampaBay Rays like their chances of getting back to the playoffs.
The 23-year-old left-hander extended Boston’s woes at Tropicana Field onWednesday night, pitching six strong innings in a 6-4 victory that finished atwo-game sweep of the Red Sox and tightened the AL wild-card race.
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“We never felt out of it,” Price said. “A lot of people counted us out,but nobody in here did.”
Facing the Red Sox for the first time since getting the last four outs oflast season’s AL championship series, Price (5-4) allowed two runs and six hitsto improve to 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA at home compared to 0-3 with an 8.20 ERA onthe road.
Carlos Pena(notes), Carl Crawford(notes), Pat Burrell(notes) and Jason Bartlett(notes) homered for theRays, who have won 13 of 15 regular-season meetings between the teams atTropicana Field since the start of 2008.
Pena hit a two-run homer off Brad Penny(notes) (7-6) in the second inning.Crawford, celebrating his 28th birthday, went deep with a man on in the third.Burrell added a solo shot off Penny for a 5-2 lead in the sixth.
Bartlett hit a solo shot off Manny Delcarmen(notes) in the seventh.
“They’re a good team. I don’t think it’s this place,” Red Sox managerTerry Francona said. “It’s who we’re playing. They play us very tough.”
Jason Bay(notes) and Victor Martinez(notes) hit solo homers off Price for Boston, whichfell 2 1/2 games behind AL East-leading New York heading into a four-game seriesthat begins Thursday night at Yankee Stadium.
Price struck out five and walked none.
“David’s got a good head on his shoulders. He doesn’t get overwhelmed. Hejust takes care of his business quietly,” Boston’s Rocco Baldelli(notes) said.
“More than anything we came in today thinking, if he gets behind (in thecount), we can do some damage against him. We couldn’t because he threw strikesand he was in the zone the whole night.”
Boston Red Sox pitcher Hideki … AP – Aug 5, 10:35 pm EDT
With the sweep, the third-place Rays (5 1/2 behind the Yankees) continued toclose on the Red Sox in the division. Three games separate the teams in thestandings, and Tampa Bay leads the season series 8-4, including five of six atTropicana Field.
J.P. Howell(notes) pitched the ninth for his 12th save. After issuing a leadoffwalk, he struck out Jason Varitek(notes) and Jed Lowrie(notes) and got Jacoby Ellsbury(notes) toground out to end the game.
Since posting season highs Sunday with 18 runs and 23 hits to complete aweekend sweep at Baltimore, the Red Sox have fizzled offensively. They werelimited to homers by Kevin Youkilis(notes) and Dustin Pedroia(notes) in Tuesday’s 4-2 loss tothe Rays in 13 innings, and struggled again in key situations against Price.
Boston threatened in the third, fourth and fifth against the left-hander,but went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position—unable to cut into TampaBay’s lead until Martinez led off the sixth with his 16th homer to trim thedeficit to 4-2.
The Red Sox finished 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position. Lowriegrounded out to drive in an unearned run in the seventh, and Youkilis’ grounderdrove in Boston’s final run after Pedroia walked and Martinez doubled in theeighth.
Boston Red Sox's Mike Lowe… AP – Aug 5, 10:34 pm EDT
Penny, who’s lost four of five decisions over his last eight starts, allowedfive runs and six hits in six innings.
NOTES: The Red Sox agreed to terms on a minor league contract with RHP PaulByrd(notes). … Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz(notes) had the night off. He saidbefore the game that he’s still waiting for additional information regarding apositive test for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. … One of Tampa Baymanager Joe Maddon’s first orders of business was making sure no equipment bagswere left on the ground in the team’s bullpen in right field. The Rays costthemselves the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s marathonwhen Red Sox RHP Daniel Bard(notes) threw wildly past first after fielding a bunt andthe ball rolled under a bag and was ruled dead. The umpires “interpreted itright,” Maddon said. “It’s one of those things if we win, it’s OK. If youdon’t, it’s not OK.” … Injured Boston RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka(notes) (right shoulderstrain) played long toss and threw at 60 feet on flat ground. He’s scheduled forhis first bullpen session next week and remains hopeful of pitching again thisseason.
Ortiz still waiting for test information
August 5, 2009
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz(notes) is still waitingfor additional information regarding a positive test for performance-enhancingdrugs in 2003.
Before Wednesday night’s game at Tampa Bay, Ortiz again said he will sharethe information, including what was in his system, with the Red Sox and thepublic.
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“I’m trying to,” Ortiz said. It’s frustrating, but I’m trying to get tothe bottom of this. I think about it everyday.”
The list of 104 major leaguers who tested positive for performance-enhancingdrugs six years ago is now under court seal.
Ortiz declined comment when asked if the players’ union should go to federalcourt to have the documents related to his test unsealed.
There were no penalties for a positive test in 2003—the anonymous testswere conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drugtesting across the major leagues in 2004.
Ortiz was not in the starting lineup for Wednesday night’s game againstTampa Bay. Mike Lowell(notes) filled in at DH while Ortiz was rested, one day beforeBoston begins a four-game series at the New York Yankees.
“We’re going to get in there about four (Thursday morning),” Bostonmanager Terry Francona said. “DH Mike Lowell and give him a chance maybe toturn around and play third. Keeps our options open.”
Boston is 8-0 against the AL-East leading Yankees this season.
“There’s a lot of history,” Ortiz said. “The feeling is different. I’mnot going to say what will happen next. Hopefully we’ll win (all the games leftthis year). They (the Yankees) don’t have to go to crazy because we’ve playedwell. They have a great team.”
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