Kemp’s HR, 5 RBIs lift Dodgers by Braves
August 3, 2009
ATLANTA (AP)—Chad Billingsley(notes) was dominant on the mound but overmatched in thedugout.
Billingsley pitched five scoreless innings, Matt Kemp(notes) homered and matched acareer high with five RBIs and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves9-1 on Sunday night.
Kemp had three hits, including a three-run homer in the fifth and a two-runsingle in the eighth as the Dodgers outhit the Braves 19-5.
Billingsley (11-6) left with a cramp in his right hamstring. He said hewanted to stay in the game and even put on his batting helmet to hit in thesixth, but manager Joe Torre had other ideas.
“I came in and said I want to go out there again,” Billingsley said,adding Torre “didn’t want to risk it anymore.”
“I didn’t win the battle,” he said.
Series at a Glance LA Dodgers 5 Atlanta 0 Fri, Jul 31 – Final LA Dodgers 3 Atlanta 4 Sat, Aug 1 – Final LA Dodgers 9 Atlanta 1 Sun, Aug 2 – Final
Billingsley won almost every other matchup. The right-hander gave up onlytwo hits with one walk and nine strikeouts in five innings.
“He was really good,” Braves catcher Brian McCann(notes) said. “He was throwingeverything for strikes, it didn’t matter what count it was. He was throwing anypitch he wanted.”
Jair Jurrjens(notes) (9-8) gave up four runs on a season-high 10 hits in fiveinnings for Atlanta.
Billingsley’s left knee appeared to buckle as he followed through on a pitchin the fifth inning. “I always do it,” he said. “That’s nothing new.”
The bigger concern to Torre was the hamstring. “I didn’t want him to adjusthis windup,” Torre said.
Kemp said he understood Torre’s decision.
“That’s one of our guys, one of our horses,” said Kemp of Billingsley.
Billingsley said he wasn’t worried about the hamstring affecting his status.
“It was just a cramp,” he said.
The NL West-leading Dodgers, who matched their season high with 19 hits, wontwo of three against the Braves to conclude a 3-4 road trip.
“Three and four doesn’t sound like a good road trip, but when you lost thefirst three it’s pretty good, especially considering who we had to beattonight,” Torre said.
The Braves have lost four of their last six.
The Dodgers scored four runs on five straight hits off Jurrjens with twoouts in the fifth, ending the scoreless tie.
After leaving a combined five runners on base in the third and fourthinnings, Jurrjens’ luck ran out in the fifth.
With two outs, Manny Ramirez(notes) and Loney reached on singles. Kemp hit an 0-2pitch over the 400-foot mark in center field for his 14th homer and a 3-0 lead.
“That was the game. One mistake and it cost us the game,” Jurrjens said.
Russell Martin(notes) followed Kemp’s homer with a double off the left-field walland scored on Mark Loretta’s(notes) single up the middle.
Loretta started at third base for Casey Blake(notes), who hurt his left hand in aworkout following Saturday’s game. Torre said after the game X-rays on Blake’shand were negative and he may play Monday against Milwaukee.
Blake’s injury left Torre, who is carrying 13 pitchers, with only threeposition players on his bench. That shortage of bench players led to thesurprising choice of Jason Schmidt(notes), the winning pitcher Friday night, as thepinch-hitter for Billingsley in the sixth.
Schmidt, in his second career appearance as a pinch-hitter, singled tocenter off Kris Medlen(notes), moved to second on Ethier’s single and scored on Loney’sdouble to right field.
Kemp’s two-run single was the big hit as the Dodgers padded the lead withthree runs in the eighth off Boone Logan(notes). Orlando Hudson(notes) added a run-scoringdouble off Manny Acosta(notes) in the ninth.
Ramirez was 1-for-4 with a walk and two runs. He made a tumbling catch of asinking liner hit by Diory Hernandez(notes) in the eighth. A beaming Ramirez, who wasbooed throughout the series, then tipped his cap to the fans.
Ramirez lifted his cap again when he left the game in a double-switch laterin the eighth.
Martin Prado(notes) had two hits, including a run-scoring single to drive in theBraves’ only run in the eighth.
NOTES: Schmidt walked in his only previous appearance as a pinch-hitterwhile with the Braves in 1995. … RHP Cory Wade(notes) (strained shoulder) wasactivated from the Dodgers’ 15-day disabled list and optioned to Triple-AAlbuquerque. … Braves OF Ryan Church(notes) (sore elbow) missed his fourth straightgame and SS Yunel Escobar(notes) (bruised right wrist) was held out for the thirdstraight game.
Arizona’s Webb to have shoulder surgery
August 3, 2009
PHOENIX (AP)—Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb(notes) has elected to havearthroscopic surgery for his right shoulder.
“We support his decision to have surgery,” Diamondbacks executive vicepresident and general manager Josh Byrnes said. “Obviously, we exhausted everyother course of treatment.”
The surgery will take place Monday in Arlington Tex., by Dr. Keith Meister.Meister is the team physician for the Texas Rangers.
Webb has missed 99 games after being placed on the disabled list aftermaking one start, receiving a no-decision in the season opener.
The 2006 Cy Young Award winner is 87-62 with a 3.27 ERA over 199 games inseven seasons.
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Marlins win in 9th on Uggla, Ross HRs
August 3, 2009
MIAMI (AP)—Cody Ross(notes) had shaving cream caked on his collar, while Dan Uggla(notes)had the stuff dripping from his neck and earlobes.
Back-to-back solo homers in the ninth inning to win a game—on consecutivepitches, no less—left the Florida Marlins in a delirious mood.
Two outs from defeat, Uggla and Ross turned the Marlins’ fortunes aroundwith two mighty swings. Uggla tied it with his 19th homer, Ross followed withhis second of the day and 17th of the year, and Florida beat the Chicago Cubs3-2 on Sunday to move within five games of Philadelphia for the NL East lead.
“We’ve got one thing in mind,” said Ross, who also made two slidingcatches in center field and hit a game-ending home run for the second time inhis career. “I think everyone knows what that is.”
Kevin Gregg(notes) (4-3) blew a save for the second straight night for the Cubs,his fifth failure in 26 opportunities this season. The former Florida closerretired pinch-hitter Hanley Ramirez(notes) to lead off the ninth, then fell behind 3-1to Uggla, who settled in and waited for an off-speed offering.
Series at a Glance Chi Cubs 2 Florida 5 Fri, Jul 31 – Final Chi Cubs 9 Florida 8 Sat, Aug 1 – Final 10th Chi Cubs 2 Florida 3 Sun, Aug 2 – Final
Boom! His no-doubter into the blue seats high above the left-fieldscoreboard tied it at 2.
“I’ve seen Gregg a lot, and the last few years he’s been as dominant asanybody,” said Uggla, wiping away remnants of the obligatoryshaving-cream-in-the-face celebration in the clubhouse.
Uggla hadn’t even caught his breath when Ross connected, and the Marlinsended their homestand with a mob scene at home plate.
“It wasn’t pretty,” Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. “The thing finishedquick.”
Brendan Donnelly(notes) (2-0) allowed his first run in 11 innings as a Marlin—afirst-pitch shot by Jake Fox(notes) leading off the ninth. It was Fox’s eighth homer ofthe season.
Alas, that was just the start of the late-game heroics.
“It was two pitches,” Gregg said. “Twenty-five guys put together a greateffort and two pitches are why we walk out of here losing.”
Chicago Cubs' Kevin Gregg(… AP – Aug 2, 8:13 pm EDT
Both starters were stellar while working with little run support.
Florida’s Ricky Nolasco(notes) retired the final 14 batters he faced, giving up onerun and four hits in seven innings. The Cubs’ Ryan Dempster(notes), in his second startback from the disabled list, pitched six shutout innings, yielding just threehits.
Dempster left with a 1-0 lead, which Aaron Heilman(notes) promptly wasted. Twobatters into his outing, Heilman served up Ross’ first homer of the day, a driveto straightaway center field.
The Cubs went in front when Derrek Lee(notes) singled in Sam Fuld(notes) in the third.Fuld drew a one-out walk and went to second on Ryan Theriot’s(notes) single, part of athree-hit day for the Cubs’ shortstop.
Nolasco was unhittable from there.
Not only did he set down the final 14 he faced, Nolasco only let one ballescape the infield during that stretch. Nolasco, who has taken the loss justonce in his last 10 starts, lowered his ERA to 5.00, nearly half from what itwas May 22 (a season-worst 9.07).
“It all starts with starting pitching,” Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalezsaid. “Ricky Nolasco was outstanding today. And to go back-to-back there in theninth inning was something special, against a pretty good closer.”
NOTES: Ramirez, the Marlins’ shortstop and NL batting leader, was out of thestarting lineup because of a bruised left knee sustained when he was hit by apitch Saturday. … Chicago is 3-33 when scoring two runs or less this season.… Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez(notes) was held out after getting hit on the left forearmSaturday. He said he’ll try to play Monday at Cincinnati. … Marlins C JohnBaker(notes) extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
New 2B Sanchez, Zito get Giants by Phils
August 3, 2009
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez(notes) waited four days tomake his San Francisco Giants debut so his sore left knee could get some extrarest.
It was well worth it.
Sanchez had two hits and two RBIs in his first game in a Giants uniform,Barry Zito(notes) made his third straight strong start and San Francisco beat thePhiladelphia Phillies 7-3 on Sunday.
“Obviously it’s a different type of feeling any time you get traded and areplaying in your first game,” said Sanchez, who was acquired from Pittsburgh twodays before the trade deadline last week. “It felt like it’s been forever sinceI had an at-bat so it felt a little different up there. But everyone’s made mefeel at home and that feels good.”
Batting in the No. 2 spot, Sanchez singled in his first at-bat then added atwo-run double in the sixth when San Francisco scored three times off Phillies’starter Cole Hamels(notes) to break the game open.
Series at a Glance Philadelphia 2 San Francisco 7 Thu, Jul 30 – Final Philadelphia 5 San Francisco 1 Fri, Jul 31 – Final Philadelphia 0 San Francisco 2 Sat, Aug 1 – Final Philadelphia 3 San Francisco 7 Sun, Aug 2 – Final
Aaron Rowand(notes) and Eugenio Velez(notes) had two hits apiece for the Giants, who wonthree of four against the defending World Series champs. San Francisco’s loneloss in the series was on Friday when reigning AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee(notes),picked up in a late trade from Cleveland last week, pitched a four-hitter in a5-1 Philadelphia win.
“Other than that, it was great to show this team and show the league thatwe’re a threat to be taken seriously,” said Zito, whose team remained tied withColorado for the NL wild card lead.
Jimmy Rollins(notes) homered and had two hits for the Phillies, who still own thesecond-best record in the National League despite going 6-5 over their last 11games.
Philadelphia stranded only four baserunners but two of them were in scoringposition, which has been a trouble spot for the Phillies as of late.
“Hitting with runners in scoring position is something (where) you’ve gotto bear down and know what you can do and how to do it,” manager Charlie Manuelsaid. “With a man on third base … you’ve got to get that one guy in first andthink about moving the runners up and playing the game the right way. If youdon’t do that, then it’s hard to do.”
The Giants traded one of their best pitching prospects in the minors to getSanchez from the Pirates, San Francisco’s second big trade in a three-day span.The team also traded for first baseman Ryan Garko(notes) last Monday.
San Francisco Giants' Fred… AP – Aug 2, 7:39 pm EDT
Garko had a day off Saturday but has played in every game since the trade.He had a single and scored in four at-bats in the finale with Philadelphia.
Sanchez, though, did not play for his new team until Sunday.
He made an error while trying to field a ball barehanded, which allowedPhiladelphia to score an unearned run off Zito in the fourth. But Sanchez, whowon the 2006 NL batting title, made up for it with his double to right-centerthat scored Zito and Velez. Sanchez then scored when Philadelphia first basemanRyan Howard(notes) fielded Pablo Sandoval’s(notes) infield single and flipped it over the headof pitcher Cole Hamels, who was covering first.
“Those are the situations you want to be in, game on the line, guys onbase, two outs,” Sanchez said. “You’re not going to get the job done everytime but when you do it feels good, especially after making an error.”
Hamels (7-6) gave up all seven runs and lost for the first time since July1. It was his first loss in five career starts against San Francisco.
Philadelphia Phillies' Eri… AP – Aug 2, 7:36 pm EDT
Zito (7-10) went six innings, giving up three runs with five strikeouts. Hedidn’t walk a batter for the fifth time this season.
“Early in the season he had trouble getting the ball where he wanted, buthe settled down and pitched some really nice games,” Giants manager Bruce Bochysaid. “We just had some trouble getting run support for him. He is a differentpitcher now and his stuff has definitely picked up.”
Four San Francisco relievers combined to finish the game, with Bob Howry(notes)working a perfect ninth.
Rollins hit his 11th homer of the season in the fourth but Philadelphia’soffense continued to come up short. The Phillies led 3-1 when Carlos Ruiz(notes)singled in Eric Bruntlett(notes) in the fifth but the Giants took control with threeruns in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the sixth.
Notes: The Giants went 6-1 on the homestand. … Garko hit in the cleanupspot for San Francisco while normal No. 4 hitter Bengie Molina(notes) rested. … Thegame was sold out for the second straight day and the 11th time this season atAT&T Park.
Cabrera hits for cycle, Yanks top ChiSox
August 2, 2009
CHICAGO (AP)—Melky Cabrera(notes) became the first Yankee in 14 years to hit for thecycle, leading New York to an 8-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sundayafternoon.
Cabrera hit a three-run homer in the second to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead,doubled in the fourth and chased Mark Buehrle(notes) (11-5) with an RBI single in thefifth. He then tripled to right leading off the ninth against Scott Linebrink(notes),drawing a loud roar from a crowd that had showered Buehrle with cheers beforehis first start at home since his perfect game.
This time, the fans saw something rare happen at the plate.
Cabrera’s cycle was the 15th time a Yankees player has accomplished thefeat. The cycle was the first by a Yankee since Tony Fernandez did it againstOakland on Sept. 3, 1995, and the second by a White Sox opponent in as manyseasons. Minnesota’s Carlos Gomez(notes) did it against the White Sox at U.S. CellularField on May 7, 2008.
Series at a Glance NY Yankees 2 Chi White Sox 3 Thu, Jul 30 – Final NY Yankees 5 Chi White Sox 10 Fri, Jul 31 – Final NY Yankees 4 Chi White Sox 14 Sat, Aug 1 – Final NY Yankees 8 Chi White Sox 5 Sun, Aug 2 – Final
Morales’ 2 HRs, 6 RBIs help Angels sweep
August 2, 2009
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Take away Torii Hunter(notes) and Vladimir Guerrero(notes), and the LosAngeles Angels still have one potent offense.
Kendry Morales(notes) hit two three-run homers to finish with a career-high sixRBIs and the Angels beat the Minnesota Twins 13-4 on Sunday to sweep theirthree-game series.
Los Angeles has won 13 of 15 to improve to an AL-best 63-40 on the year, andMorales is a big reason why. He is batting .368 with nine homers and 24 RBIs inhis last 17 games.
“I’m just taking care of doing my job,” Morales said through aninterpreter. “It’s about me being able to do the job day after day.”
Morales hit his 22nd homer in the fifth as the Angels opened the inning withfive straight hits to chase Glen Perkins(notes). He connected again in the eighth togive Los Angeles a 13-4 lead.
The production of Morales and Bobby Abreu(notes), who had two hits, have kept theAngels atop the American League even with their best two hitters out withinjuries.
Series at a Glance LA Angels 11 Minnesota 5 Fri, Jul 31 – Final 11th LA Angels 11 Minnesota 6 Sat, Aug 1 – Final LA Angels 13 Minnesota 4 Sun, Aug 2 – Final
“Thank God they’re getting out of here,” Twins right fielder Denard Span(notes)said. “The last two days, they were just pretty much stealing our lunch money,kicking our butts.”
Jered Weaver(notes) (11-3) struck out a career-high 11 in 6 1-3 innings for theAngels, allowing four runs and four hits.
Justin Morneau(notes) hit his 28th homer and newly acquired Orlando Cabrera(notes) alsowent deep for Minnesota. Cabrera was obtained in a trade with Oakland on Friday.
Perkins had allowed just one run over 16 innings against the Angels in twocareer starts. But they didn’t miss anything this weekend, finishing with 35runs in the series.
“This was just as much of a ‘wrong place at the wrong time’ than thequality of our team or the quality of our pitchers or anything like that,” saidPerkins, who gave up nine runs, eight earned and 12 hits.
Even little-used Sean Rodriguez(notes), batting ninth, contributed for the Angels.He homered in the second inning and finished with three RBIs in his 12th game ofthe season.
NOTES: Twins LHP Francisco Liriano(notes) said his bullpen session went well. Hemissed his last start due to soreness and swelling in his forearm, but is ontrack to start on Wednesday at Cleveland. … Span reached over the foul wall inright field to make a sprinting grab in the third inning. The play impressed hisfriend Hunter, an eight-time Gold Glove winner, who smiled as he watched theplay from the Angels’ dugout. “I can’t let him leave without him seeing alittle something from his little protege,” Span said.
Martinez leads BoSox over Orioles 18-10
August 2, 2009
BALTIMORE (AP)—The addition of Victor Martinez(notes) to the Boston Red Sox lineuphas proven to be mutually beneficial to the team and its grateful newcomer.
Martinez had a career-high tying five hits and four RBIs, Josh Reddick(notes) andRocco Baldelli(notes) homered, and the Red Sox reached season highs in runs and hitsSunday in a 18-10 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.
Eight different players had multiple hits for the Red Sox, although no onewas as productive as Martinez. Obtained from Cleveland on Friday before thenon-waiver trade deadline, Martinez singled in a run in the second inning, gottwo hits in a seven-run fourth, singled in the sixth and added an RBI double inthe eighth.
“I’m honored to be on this side now,” said Martinez, who now finds himselfin the middle of a pennant race. “It’s not the same when you’re playing and youfall way back in the standings. Just coming over here to a team that iscompeting every year…”
Martinez joined the team Saturday and was immediately inserted in the No. 3spot behind Dustin Pedroia(notes) and ahead of Kevin Youkilis(notes). After getting an RBI inhis debut, the newcomer went wild Sunday.
Series at a Glance Boston 6 Baltimore 5 Fri, Jul 31 – Final Boston 4 Baltimore 0 Sat, Aug 1 – Final Boston 18 Baltimore 10 Sun, Aug 2 – Final
“Boy, he swung the bat great. Immediate impact,” Boston manager TerryFrancona said. “I think you’re seeing one of the better hitters in the leaguewith some renewed excitement.”
It was the fourth straight victory for the Red Sox, whose 23-hit attackincluded three apiece from Youkilis, Mike Lowell(notes) and Dustin Pedroia. Boston led7-0 in the third inning and 14-6 in the fourth before coasting to the finish.
“The amount of runs and hits they got today speaks for itself in what theproblem was,” Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. “To say we didn’t pitch wellwould be an understatement.”
The Red Sox outscored Baltimore 28-15 in completing their first three-gamesweep on the road since June 2-4 in Detroit. Youkilis went 10 for 12 with threewalks in the series and reached base 13 straight times (10 hits, three walks)before striking out in the eighth.
Adam Jones(notes) and Ty Wigginton(notes) homered for the Orioles, now 2-11 against theRed Sox this season.
Baltimore Orioles' Adam Jo… AP – Aug 2, 6:13 pm EDT
Boston starter Clay Buchholz(notes) gave up seven runs, nine hits and four walks infour-plus innings. He was replaced by Manny Delcarmen(notes) (4-2), who allowed tworuns in 1 2-3 innings.
Baltimore rookie Jason Berken(notes) (1-9) was tagged for six runs and seven hitsin 1 1-3 innings. Nine of the 13 batters he faced reached base.
“I think he’s stuck and we have to do something to get him out ofneutral,” Trembley said of Berken, who has lost nine straight decisions.
Boston set the tone in the first inning when J.D. Drew(notes) drove in three runswith a two-out double and scored on a single by Lowell. Drew left the game atthat point with a tight left groin muscle.
The Red Sox made it 6-0 in the second. Martinez hit an RBI single and BrianBass(notes) walked David Ortiz(notes) with the bases loaded to force in a run.
Boston had eight runners in scoring position before Baltimore got its firsthit, a second-inning single by Wigginton.
Baltimore Orioles reliever Mat… AP – Aug 2, 6:05 pm EDT
Reddick led off the third with his first major league homer, and the Oriolesscored six runs in their half to close to 7-6. Jones doubled in two runs, AubreyHuff(notes) hit a run-scoring double and Wigginton hit a two-run homer off theleft-field foul pole.
But any hope of a comeback vanished when Boston used a seven-run fourth tomake it 14-6. Lowell started the onslaught with a two-run double, Reddick andJed Lowrie(notes) hit RBI singles, Martinez singled in two runs and Youkilis capped theuprising with a run-scoring single.
Jones hit his 18th homer in the fifth, and Boston added two runs in thesixth, one of them on a bases-loaded walk to Youkilis from Mark Hendrickson(notes).
Nick Markakis(notes) hit a two-run double in the sixth for Baltimore, and BrianRoberts(notes) doubled in a run in the seventh.
Baldelli, who replaced the injured Drew, homered off Jim Johnson(notes) in theninth.
NOTES: The top four batters in the Boston lineup went 13 for 19 and scored11 runs. … Baltimore C Gregg Zaun(notes) was ejected in the fourth for arguing athird-strike call. … Lowell extended his hitting streak to 11 games. …Baltimore fell to 10-1 when scoring at least 10 runs.
Norris sharp in first start, Astros win
August 2, 2009
ST. LOUIS (AP)—Bud Norris’(notes) first major league start was a breeze after he gotover some early jitters.
Norris allowed two hits in seven sharp innings, leading the Houston Astrosto a 2-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.
“Once I got in the dugout and watched the first half inning I settleddown,” Norris said. “I got out there, threw my warmup pitches and it felt likeany other day.”
Norris was working on a no-hitter before pitcher Adam Wainwright(notes) led off thesixth with a single to center. Norris (1-0) walked four and struck out fivewhile subbing for Roy Oswalt(notes), who missed his turn with lower back discomfort.
“He showed great confidence out there,” Houston catcher Ivan Rodriguez(notes)said.
Wainwright (12-7) allowed two runs over seven innings for the Cardinals, whowon the first two games of the weekend series. Wainwright was trying to becomethe majors’ second 13-game winner, joining Boston’s Josh Beckett(notes).
Series at a Glance Houston 3 St. Louis 4 Fri, Jul 31 – Final Houston 1 St. Louis 3 Sat, Aug 1 – Final Houston 2 St. Louis 0 Sun, Aug 2 – Final
“I was OK,” he said. “I could have been better in spots but for the mostpart I felt pretty good.”
Houston went in front when Miguel Tejada(notes) drove in Kaz Matsui with an infieldhit in the fourth. Matsui led off the inning with a double and advanced to thirdon Hunter Pence’s(notes) single.
Michael Bourn(notes) gave the Astros a 2-0 lead with a two-out RBI double in theseventh.
Houston closer Jose Valverde(notes) came in to face Albert Pujols(notes) afterpinch-hitter Ryan Ludwick(notes) singled with one out in the eighth. On a 3-2 pitch,Pujols struck out and Ludwick was cut down by Ivan Rodriguez while trying tosteal second.
Valverde then worked the ninth for his 12th save in 16 chances as Houstonended a four-game skid.
“We needed a win in the worst way,” manager Cecil Cooper said. “We neededa big game and Norris gave us one. It was an outstanding performance from theyoung man, especially being his first start.”
Pujols went 5 for 27 (.190) with one RBI on St. Louis’ seven-game homestand.Matt Holliday(notes) went hitless Sunday for the first time since being traded to theCardinals on July 24th.
“He’s in a funk,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said of Pujols. “He’llfix it.”
NOTES: Norris got his first career hit when he beat out an infield single inthe third. … Cardinals SS Brendan Ryan(notes) sat out for the third straight gameafter bruising his left ankle on a foul ball in the Cardinals’ 5-3 loss Thursdaynight to the Dodgers. … Cardinals INF Khalil Greene(notes) flied out to right as apinch hitter in the 8th. It was his first at-bat since June 28th. Greene (socialanxiety) was activated from the disabled list Saturday.
Royals end Shields’ no-hit bid, top Rays
August 2, 2009
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)—Kansas City’s late offensive outburst cost JamesShields(notes) more than a victory.
John Buck(notes) ended Shields’ bid for a no-hitter with a leadoff single in theeighth inning, Mitch Maier(notes) drove in three runs and the Royals beat the Tampa BayRays 4-1 on Sunday.
Shields dominated the Royals before Buck’s hit started a two-run inning.Pinch-runner Ryan Freel(notes) advanced all the way to third when catcher DionerNavarro(notes) made an errant throw to second on Alex Gordon’s(notes) fielder’s choice, andMaier drove him in with an infield single.
Gordon stole home later in the eighth when Maier got involved in a rundown,and suddenly Shields found himself in a 2-0 hole.
“He was very good,” Royals manager Trey Hillman said. “The crack was moredefensive letdown than it was the fact that we were knocking him around theballpark. I was glad John broke that up and then, obviously, we caught a coupleof breaks.”
Series at a Glance Kansas City 2 Tampa Bay 8 Fri, Jul 31 – Final Kansas City 1 Tampa Bay 7 Sat, Aug 1 – Final Kansas City 4 Tampa Bay 1 Sun, Aug 2 – Final Kansas City at Tampa Bay Mon, Aug 3 – 12:08 pm ET
Hillman left the team after his postgame media session to tend to a personalmatter.
Brian Bannister(notes) (7-7) gave up five hits and struck out seven over sevenscoreless innings, giving the Royals their first win in nine games against TampaBay this season. Joakim Soria(notes), who allowed a homer to Ben Zobrist(notes) in the ninth,pitched the final two innings for his 18th save.
“If a guy takes a no-hitter into the eighth and you still beat him thatday, then it’s a good team effort,” Bannister said. “We haven’t beaten thisteam at all this year, and so to win it that way was extra special.”
Maier kept the game scoreless by throwing out B.J. Upton(notes) trying to score onEvan Longoria’s(notes) single to center in the sixth. He tacked on a two-run single inthe ninth.
“I know he can run and Longoria hit one right at me,” Maier said. “Hehits it anywhere else, I have no chance at him.”
Shields (6-8) wound up allowing two runs and two hits in 7 1-3 innings,dropping to 0-3 in eight starts since beating New York Mets ace Johan Santana(notes) onJune 20. Shields struck out six and walked four.
“What are you going to do?” Shields said. “I went out there and pitchedmy best game and came up short. You move forward, that’s all I can do. I pitchedwell enough to win and Bannister pitched better.”
Tampa Bay Rays right fielder G… AP – Aug 2, 5:21 pm EDT
There has never been a no-hitter in 940 regular-season games at TropicanaField. The Rays have not thrown a no-hitter in their 1,884 regular-season gamesoverall.
“I wasn’t really thinking about the no-hitter,” said Shields, who is 5-1against the Royals. “I wasn’t. All I wanted to do is shut them out, give thisteam a chance to win and I didn’t get the job done. It would have been nice, butwe lost the game.”
Shields allowed just one baserunner—a two-out walk to Yuniesky Betancourt(notes)with two out in the third—through five innings.
The Rays put runners on second and third with one out in the second butBannister struck out Navarro and got Jason Bartlett(notes) to pop up to end the inning.
“I knew he had a no-hitter,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “But it’s 0-0,let’s go. Let’s get some points on the board. We made too many mistakes to winthat game.”
NOTES: Gordon is the first Royals player to steal home since Mendy Lopez onMay 31, 2003. … Kansas City designated RHP Sidney Ponson(notes) for assignment andplan to bring up RHP Kyle Davies(notes) from Triple-A Omaha to start Wednesday’s gameagainst Seattle. … Royals RHP Gil Meche(notes), out since July 12 with a lower backstrain, had his rehab start for Class-A Wilmington rained out. … Tampa Bay OFFernandez Perez (left wrist surgery) is getting close to starting a rehabassignment. … Royals OF Mark Teahen(notes) (lower back tightness) was held out of thestarting lineup. He popped out as a pinch hitter in the eighth.
Report: Red Sox fired 2 in steroid probe
August 2, 2009
BOSTON (AP)—A Boston newspaper is reporting the Red Sox fired two securitystaffers last summer after an investigation into steroid use.
Jared Remy, the son of Red Sox television commentator Jerry Remy, andNicholas Alex Cyr both told the Boston Globe they used steroids, but denied anyknowledge of drug use by players.
The Red Sox issued a statement saying they worked with Major League Baseballin investigating the staffers, but said that investigation is confidential.Major League Baseball said its investigation was “thorough and detailed.”
The Globe says state police confiscated a vial of steroids from Cyr’s carjust before last year’s All-Star break and Cyr told police he had bought thedrug from Remy.
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