Yankees' Brown on DL, Out for Season
SEATTLE (AP) - Kevin Brown was moved to the 60-day disabled list Thursday by the New York Yankees, a move that in effect ends his season and perhaps his major league career. The 40-year-old right-hander, bothered by back problems, has been on the DL 14 times in his career, including three times this year. He went back on the DL on July 28 with a lumbar strain, a move retroactive to July 24.Brown, a five-time All-Star, was 4-7 with a 6.50 ERA in 13 starts this season. He has been on the DL 10 times since December 1998, when he was given a $105 million, seven-year contract by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who traded him to the Yankees in December 2002. He was 41-19 in his first three years after signing the first $100 million deal in baseball history but went 31-26 in the final four seasons.Brown's roster spot was given to Ramiro Mendoza, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Columbus. Mendoza, who had shoulder surgery in January, was 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in eight games with the Clippers, allowing two runs - one earned - and four hits in 12 innings.He was a member of four World Series championship teams with the Yankees from 1996-00 and got a World Series ring with the 2004 Boston Red Sox.With active rosters expanding to 40, New York also recalled left-hander Wayne Franklin and catcher Wil Neves from Columbus, and activated outfielder Ruben Sierra, who had been sidelined with a strained left hamstring since July 19.
Source: http://www.wjla.com/
Marlins Suspend Milk-Guzzling Batboy
MIAMI -- Florida Marlins batboy Nick Cirillo says he's still not sure why the team suspended him for six games, although he knows it had something to do with milk.
Cirillo, 19, was working last month in the visitors' clubhouse when he accepted a dare from Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brad Penny. A former Marlins pitcher, Penny offered $500 if Cirillo could drink a gallon of milk in an hour without throwing up.
Cirillo said he drank the milk in 59 minutes but then vomited outside the clubhouse, so he didn't collect the money. The episode prompted the Marlins to suspend Cirillo throughout this week's homestand, but also earned him an invitation to appear Thursday on "The Late Show With David Letterman."
Cirillo told Letterman he's unclear about the reason for the suspension.
"Honestly they never told me," he said. "I guess I got in trouble for supposedly gambling, but it was a dare. The money was just an extra part of the dare."
Cirillo said he told Penny he was concerned about getting in trouble.
"He goes, `How are you going to get in trouble for drinking milk?'" Cirillo said.
The Marlins have declined to comment. Cirillo, a batboy the past five years, said he hopes to return for the next homestand beginning Sept. 16.
"I really miss working there," Cirillo said. "I hope I can get back there soon."
Letterman expressed sympathy for Cirillo.
"It would be all right if he was gooned on steroids," Letterman said. "That wouldn't be a problem. He's full of milk, and they suspend the poor kid."
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
National League Roundup: Griffey ties Mantle in Reds' 8-3 victory
Ken Griffey Jr. wasn't overly excited about catching Mickey Mantle -- or much concerned about his latest injury.
Jason LaRue's pinch-hit grand slam capped a five-run 12th inning to help the Cincinnati Reds end a five-game losing streak with an 8-3 victory yesterday against the host Atlanta Braves.
Griffey hit his 536th homer in the first, tying Mantle for 12th place on the career list. His 35th of the season came off Horacio Ramirez on a 1-0 pitch.
"I was just trying to get a pitch I could hit. It hit a little off the end of the bat and just got out," Griffey said.
Austin Kearns hit an RBI double in the 12th off Dan Kolb (3-7) to give Cincinnati a 4-3 lead. Edwin Encarnacion had a one-out single before Griffey singled him to third. Kearns followed with his double to right, scoring Encarnacion.
Griffey, however, hobbled into third and left the game with a sprained right foot. He is day to day.
Griffey, who will turn 36 in November, missed 331 games from 2001-04 with a variety of injuries, hitting only 63 homers during those four seasons.
"He's one of the greatest players ever to play the game," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "When you talk about center fielders like Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays and Mantle, he's up there with them. If he hadn't missed the last three-four years with injuries, he'd probably have at least 100 more homers."
Griffey said he met Mantle once, at Yankee Stadium when his father played for the Yankees.
"I was 12 or 13," said Griffey, who until his string of injuries was considered one of the players most likely to challenge Hank Aaron's record of 755 home runs.
Other games
Giants 3, Diamondbacks 2: Matt Cain allowed three hits in seven innings for his first win, Randy Winn scored twice and drove in a run, and visiting San Francisco beat Arizona for its fifth victory in a row. San Francisco moved within 5 1/2 games of San Diego in the NL West.
Nationals 6, Phillies 1: Esteban Loaiza struck out 11 and took a shutout into the eighth inning on short rest, and Preston Wilson and Brian Schneider each hit a three-run homer to lead host Washington past Philadelphia. Loaiza (10-10) gave up a run, four hits and four walks, and matched his career high for strikeouts.
Cardinals 4, Astros 1: Jason Marquis pitched his second consecutive complete game and Jim Edmonds hit the go-ahead two-run double in the St. Louis victory at Houston that kept the Astros from taking over the NL wild-card lead. Marquis (11-13) had lost seven starts in a row before a two-hit shutout in his last appearance, Aug. 27 at Washington.
Mets 7, Marlins 1: Jae Seo pitched seven strong innings, Cliff Floyd hit a two-run homer and visiting New York salvaged the finale of their three-game series against Florida. Seo (7-1) limited Florida to one run and five hits.
Brewers 3, Padres 2: Brady Clark's suicide squeeze scored Corey Hart from third with one out in the ninth inning, giving host Milwaukee the victory against San Diego. Wes Helms singled to lead off against Akinori Otsuka (1-6).
Rockies 7, Dodgers 6: Brad Hawpe drove in the winning run with a single with one out in the 10th inning as Colorado completed a three-game sweep of visiting Los Angeles.
Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/
Southland firms pitch in
In times of catastrophe, businesses regularly offer donations, but for Northrop Grumman, Hurricane Katrina relief efforts have taken on a personal tone.
The Century City-based aerospace giant pledged to raise up to $2 million to help disaster-afflicted areas on Thursday, offering money both to the American Red Cross and to its own 19,000 employees in the region. The company runs major facilities in New Orleans, Gulfport and Pascagoula, Miss., and they've all been offline since the devastating hurricane ripped through the area earlier this week.
With no phones, no e-mail and little way of communicating with workers now scattered across the region, Northrop Grumman opened up its wallet to pitch in however possible.
For Thousand Oaks-based Amgen Inc., the giving touched both financial and medical concerns. The biotech company announced a $2.5 million cash contribution to the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and other groups, and will set up a fund for employees to donate.
Realizing that a number of its dialysis and cancer patients are in the area, the company also went into high gear to find ways to ensure treatment continues for patients displaced from their normal hospitals and clinics.
"I think the magnitude of this took us by surprise, but once we realized what had happened, we wanted to take swift action," said Jean Lim, president of The Amgen Foundation. "We want to make sure we can get the help to the people who can deliver it the best. We're racing against time right now."
Other companies large and small are also pitching in.
Burbank-based The Walt Disney Co. pledged $2.5 million to the Red Cross, children's charities and volunteer centers, and Wells Fargo & Co. promised to give up to $1 million to the Red Cross.
"As this has unfolded - and it's still unfolding three days into it, with new devastation being revealed all the time - people have reacted very quickly," said HT Linke, director of communications for the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles. "It's been almost nonstop since Sunday night. Americans are typically very, very generous at times like this."
So generous that the aid organization, which is providing food, water, clothes and shelter to the afflicted region, has found itself nearly overwhelmed at times. Its 1-800-HELP-NOW line took almost 100,000 calls on Tuesday alone, leaving long delays for contributors who called at peak demand times.
Linke advised calling late at night or in the early morning to ensure calls get through.
Individual donations have yet to be tallied, but Linke said the group's four fundraising events earlier this week in Los Angeles and Orange County grossed more than $600,000. More than 90 percent of the money goes directly to relief efforts, both for supplies and to bring disaster response volunteers to the region.
A number of radio stations opened their airwaves to spread the word of donation opportunities. Camarillo-based Salem Communications, which owns four local stations and is using air time to solicit donations for Feed the Children, has raised more than $1 million so far.
"How can you not?" said Chuck Tyler, director of programming for Salem Los Angeles. "This is a crisis of virtually unprecedented proportions. We try to help people every day with our radio station, but in a case like this, we had to immediately pitch in."
Source: http://www2.dailynews.com/
Dawn of a Dream: Common bond
Fourth in an occasional series looking at life for a first-year professional baseball player ABOUT THE SERIES Jason Mooneyham is a 40th-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Trying to succeed in his first year of professional baseball, he is playing first base for the Ogden Raptors in the Pioneer League. In the first installment of the series, Mooneyham told how he is living his dream if playing pro ball despite the long odds. The second explored how Mooneyham and his teammates enjoyed the comforts of home with host families. The third looked at the tiring travel schedule he and his teammates endure. Jason Mooneyham swung through a pitch, then popped the next one into the netting of the Ogden Raptors' batting cage. Mooneyham then stepped out of the box, shook his arms as if freeing them from a restraint, stepped back in against pitching coach Bob Welch and lined a pitch into left field. The next was a rope to center before the rookie first baseman sent a pitch crashing into the right field wall. "Hey Mooney," gently chided Ogden hitting coach Jose Mejia. Across the way, someone in a group of Ogden's Latino ballplayers said something that produced a ripple of laughter. "Gordito," said Mejia, echoing what he heard, with a laugh. Gordito means "little fat one," and is usually used with affection. The plumpish Mooneyham, who, ironically, has lost 11 pounds since the start of the season, blushed amid the laughter and continued to lash line drives. "Mooney, he's a good guy," Mejia said later. "I like him very much." Afterward, behind the batting cage, Mooneyham and Ogden's Dominican catcher, Rotsen Gil, shared a laugh. COMMON LANGUAGE
The language of baseball can stop tensions from exploding into something ugly, though not always, as proved by Los Angeles Dodgers Milton Bradley and Jeff Kent. Embracing variety is easier for some than for others. Mooneyham's childhood while growing up in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., lacked diversity. "Lily white," Friedlander said. "But he's the kind of kid, if you came from the moon, he'd be friends with you. They're all baseball players, and that's the only way to look at it." Ryan Mooneyham shrugged matter-of-factly when informed of the chiding around the batting cage. "Everybody likes Jason," he said. In his first professional summer of baseball and one of his first experiences in such a diverse community, Mooneyham's only concern is being a good teammate. "[Race] doesn't matter to me," he said. If actions mean anything, then Mooneyham's words are true. Like everyone else, he hangs with his core group of friends, but his interaction with others is constant. "I must be a cool guy or something; you have to ask them because I don't have a clue. I treat everyone the same. Some people won't talk because they don't want to. Me, I talk with everybody." For some, though, the intermingling of races, creeds and colors - even Americans from different regions - remains an ongoing education. Rick Taloa, a first baseman from Anaheim, can joke about being the only Samoan in professional baseball. "I don't know of any," he said, laughing at the notion of being called a pioneer.
TALK THE TALK Communication. It is, in a word, necessary. Season by season, the Latino in American professional baseball is wielding more and more influence. The ability to express oneself in English aids not only in communication with teammates, but also with the media. "It is very important for us to speak English," Mejia said. "Very, very, very important." Los Angeles has long had a world presence, drafting players from Japan and Korea, as well as the Caribbean region. Mejia, a product of the Dominican Republic, played professionally for four years and has been a coach in the Dodgers organization since 1998. He and Ogden manager Juan Bustabad speak English as well as Spanish. "What has changed is the American guys trying to learn Spanish," Mejia said. "In the dugout, when I hear the Latin guys trying to speak English and the Americans trying to speak Spanish, it's funny." That sort of playfulness appears to keep the cultural waters calm. "They're talented and here for a reason," Bustabad said of his Latin players. "Communication is the biggest thing for them. You've got to learn the language." Not understanding the language can make something as simple as ordering from a vending machine, let alone a restaurant menu, difficult. "Not knowing the language can be really tough on the Latin guys," Gil said. "It's really tough when you're hungry and you want something to eat and don't know how, it is a problem." Gil, 21, has been in the Dodgers organization for five years and has a strong grasp of English. He still must concentrate on what is being said, but the Venezuelan has a step up on many of his contemporaries. "It is a problem when you shop, go to the mall and have to ask what size or bigger or different color," he said. "Big problem, but easier when you play - you can learn 'I got it' or 'Get over.' " AMERICAN ADJUSTMENT But it is an adjustment for the American players, too. "It was weird coming into a clubhouse where three or four languages were being spoken," said Ogden third baseman Russ Mitchell. "They live in a different type of society than we live in. Sometimes there is a clash of differences, but it has been a great experience." Mitchell was raised in Cartersville, Ga. The self-professed country boy, "born and raised," had known nothing but white society and admitted being scared to death when he walked into his first professional clubhouse. "People sometimes slip up and say things they really don't mean," he said. "There are misunderstandings. Sometimes the Latin players don't understand our sarcasm and jokes, and it kind of hurts their feelings a bit. But it is nothing personal. It is, I think, because they don't know our culture and the way we think." It works both ways. "Relations are not too hard," Gil said. "If you show respect, everything is good. Everyone has different customs." When he was a player, Ogden owner Dave Baggot remembers that it didn't take long for the novelty of having non-English-speaking teammates to fade away. "For two days," he said. "Then you're just teammates. The great thing about baseball, no matter who you are, where you're from or what language you speak, they all know the language of baseball. "Our experience has been, regardless of where a player comes from, there is someone in town who does speak their language, a returned [LDS] missionary, someone."
"Every team goes through it," he said. "Music in the clubhouse. The Latins want to hear one thing and maybe Americans something else. You've got to have both sides. "Here in Ogden, there are a lot of Mexicans. They talk the same language and our Latinos feel at home. They're always going to the Mexican restaurant to eat rice and beans, food they are used to. And our host families are great." The adjustment, though, is not for those who speak a different language. "People get on me because I was born in the South," Mitchell said. "That's the way I was born and raised, so it will always be like that. I was raised totally different from someone from California." Jock humor has an edge that, to the uninitiated, can come across as insulting and harsh. No one and nothing is spared or sacred, even race and culture. "A lot of it has to do with the tone of voice," pitcher Cory Wade said. "When people start using hand gestures or become loud, they're not kidding around. But you don't see too much of that. Rarely is it taken over the line." Wade, a product of a biracial marriage, embraces diversity. He attended a high school in Indianapolis with an African-American majority. "This really opens you up, even with the same race" he said. "We have black guys from the South who have completely different backgrounds. But this opens you up to changes. It's good to see and learn something new." Wade said he is lucky in that, excluding a couple of instances playing in Georgia, he has not experienced prejudice from fans. "I've always been around coaches and teammates who are open-minded," he said. "I've never had any serious encounters." As Mitchell said, stereotypes learned as a kid "don't last long at all." Still, "in certain situations," he said, "I just keep my mouth shut."
By the Numbers
Jason Mooneyham has had his ups and downs this season, with a slight dip in his production coming over the last two weeks.
* His batting average is .279, down from .295 two weeks ago.
* He has six home runs and 27 RBIs in 172 at-bats.
* His on-base percentage is a sterling .405, among the league's best.
Source: http://www.sltrib.com/
Dodgers notebook: Bradley boiled over in chemistry experiment
Center fielder Milton Bradley is set to undergo season-ending arthroscopic surgery Wednesday on the torn patella tendon in his left knee, the Dodgers said Monday. Tim Kremchek, the Cincinnati Reds' medical director, will perform the procedure.
Manager Jim Tracy could not or would not say whether he believed Bradley would be back with the Dodgers next season.
"We have a lot of different things to sort out," Tracy said. "He's got a lot of different things to work out."
Bradley is eligible for salary arbitration at season's end, and it's quite possible the Dodgers will decline to offer it to him, which would make him a free agent. The Dodgers also could trade him.
Given a recent report in the Daily Breeze that Redondo Beach police have been called to answer domestic violence calls three times at Bradley's home, it would seem unlikely the Dodgers would keep him. Bradley reportedly choked his pregnant wife.
Bradley's frequent temper tantrums during his two seasons with the Dodgers have been widely reported. Bradley also said last month that teammate Jeff Kent has problems dealing with African Americans, going public after team officials told him not to only days after Bradley and Kent had a clubhouse argument.
Tracy avoided questions about team owner Frank McCourt's recent admission that the club overlooked the issue of character when assembling the current team. Tracy acknowledged the importance of character, in general, and the need for better team chemistry than the Dodgers have displayed this season.
"Character has always been a very important issue with me," Tracy said. "(Character and chemistry) go hand in hand for me."
Tracy also said that despite the team's poor record and standing in the National League West, he expected to be back for his sixth season as manager.
"As far as I know," he said.
Covering the bases
Shortstop Cesar Izturis, who is on the disabled list because of a sprained lower back, fielded ground balls and took a few swings in the batting cage. But he's no closer to being activated. Izturis sat out his 13th game, and Tracy said it was unlikely he would be able to come off the DL when he's eligible Wednesday. ... Left-hander Wilson Alvarez, who has said he will retire after the season rather than undergo shoulder surgery, threw 30 pitches during his session from a bullpen mound.
Source: http://www.dailybreeze.com/
Ryne's rankings
This week's top 10 shows the dominance of the American League. I played my entire career in the National League, and I always have paid more attention to NL play. But this year, six of the top-10 teams in the majors are in the American League. And that's leaving off a team like Minnesota that I still believe can compete with anyone.
I think this is a direct result of more AL clubs having to compete with the Red Sox and Yankees. Those two teams have set the bar very high and made the other AL teams do whatever they can to compete. In the National League, the East is so competitive that those five teams are going to beat up one another over the next few weeks, leaving one pure winner.
THE TOP 10(Statistics and records are through Sept. 5)
1. St. Louis Cardinals (88-50) – The Cardinals have the best record in the majors and are showing no signs of slowing down. I've said in the past few weeks that the Cardinals might not have enough offense to get to the World Series – but I think I'll retract that statement. St. Louis has timely hitting in big situations. The Cardinals have the type of offense that can belt four home runs per game with sluggers like Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds and Larry Walker or they can create runs the small way with smart hitters like David Eckstein and Mark Grudzielanek.
2. Chicago White Sox (85-51) – The White Sox still have the best record in the AL, and they just have to stay healthy. Ozzie Guillen will have to find a happy medium between getting his starters enough rest to be strong going into the playoffs but also keeping them fresh. Facing Jon Garland and Mark Buehrle back-to-back in a seven-game series could create many problems for opponents.
3. Boston Red Sox (80-56) – Who's your MVP candidate? Alex Rodriguez is great, but the Red Sox have a pair of sluggers who are driving in runs seemingly whenever they want. Davi Ortiz's 119 RBIs lead the majors, and Manny Ramirez (116) is right behind him. The Red Sox still need to figure out how to get the most out of Curt Schilling in the postseason.
4. Atlanta Braves (79-59) – This Braves team has more athleticism and youth than any other squad in their string of consecutive division titles, which goes back to 1991. Brian McCann and Jeff Francoeur are sparking the club like a couple of veterans. Francoeur has contributed with his bat as well as glove (and certainly his arm). Base runners are starting to understand they can't run on him.
5. Los Angeles Angels (77-59) – They're just 1½ games ahead of the A's, and I still would say that the Angels have underachieved in the second half. They haven't hit the ball as well as I expected. Bartolo Colon and John Lackey have anchored their pitching staff, and rookie Ervin Santana has pitched better than his 8-6 record shows.
6. New York Yankees (77-59) – Everyone knew this team would hit with sluggers like Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield, but the Yankees haven't pitched well. If they can get some solid innings from Randy Johnson and Shawn Chacon and Mike Mussina can come back from his tendonitis problem, the Yanks could be in business.
7. Houston Astros (73-64) – The Astros regained the NL wild-card lead by beating the Phillies on Monday. Houston has the starting pitching to go a long way, and with strong right-handed batters the Astros play very well at home. Morgan Ensberg and Lance Berkman can turn around any game from the right side of the plate.
8. Oakland Athletics (76-61) – The A's are just 1½ games behind the Angels, but Oakland hasn't played as well as I thought it would down the stretch. Injuries have hurt, but I thought the A's would compete to the end with the Angels for the division title. They still might, but I'm not so sure.
9. Florida Marlins (72-65) – Florida still is my pick to win the NL wild card, but the Marlins need Juan Pierre to get hot. When he's on base, the Florida is tough to beat. Pierre forces opponents to give Carlos Delgado and Miguel Cabrera better pitches because he's such a stolen-base threat.
10. Cleveland Indians (76-61) – I love seeing my good friend Jose Hernandez playing well in the pennant race. My combinación partner in Chicago hit a big home run Monday night. The Indians have a tough stretch coming up, with three games against Oakland and six against the White Sox.
ON THE RISE
San Francisco Giants (63-73) – I haven't talked about the Giants much, but they've moved five games behind the Padres in the NL West. If Barry Bonds comes back, they could get very hot.
ON THE DECLINE
New York Mets (70-67) – The Mets have struggled, going 3-7 in their last 10 games to fall three games out of the NL wild-card lead.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
26. Seattle Mariners (59-78) – The Mariners have a horrible offense, batting just .255 on the season (worst in the AL).
27. Colorado Rockies (55-81) – They currently are on a three-game win streak, but the Rocks have too many questions to answer in the offseason.
28. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (57-81) – Interleague play killed this team, which went 3-15 vs. the NL. The Devil Rays are 54-66 against the AL – which isn't great – but it beats 57-81.
29. Pittsburgh Pirates (55-81) – They just were swept by the Cubs. That's tough to do.
30. Kansas City Royals (44-91) – Time to make some front-office changes.
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/
White Sox chalk up win over Red Sox
BASEBALL: Chicago cut Boston's American League East Division lead to three games with a 5-3 win, while Chipper Jones led Atlanta to a 4-2 victory over New York AP , BOSTONAP, ATLANTA Wednesday, Sep 07, 2005,Page 19
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Brendan McCarthy delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, on Monday. PHOTO: EPABrandon McCarthy pitched seven innings of shutout ball and Paul Konerko homered off Curt Schilling to lead the Chicago White Sox over the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Monday for their fifth consecutive win.
Juan Uribe had a single, a double and a homer in the makeup of an Aug. 14 rainout.
Boston lost for just the third time in 24 home games, and its American League East Division lead over the second-place New York Yankees was cut to three games.
McCarthy (2-1) allowed three hits and a walk, striking out seven.
Mariners 2, Athletics 0
In Oakland, California, teenager Felix Hernandez (3-2) allowed four hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked one, dropping Oakland 1.5 games back of the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West and 1.5 games behind the New York Yankees, who lead the wild-card race.
Seattle scored in the sixth against Joe Blanton (8-11) on Adrian Beltre's sacrifice fly and Greg Dobbs' run-scoring single.
Indians 2, Tigers 0
In Detroit, Scott Elarton (8-7) allowed four hits in 6 1-3 innings as Cleveland pulled within 1.5 games of the AL wild-card lead. He had been 0-2 in five starts since Aug. 2.
Jose Hernandez homered to help send Detroit to its fifth straight loss. The Tigers haven't scored in 19 innings.
Rangers 7, Twins 0
In Minneapolis, David Dellucci hit a three-run double to back Kameron Loe (8-4), who allowed five hits in eight innings, the longest of his three starts this season.
C.J. Wilson pitched a one-hit ninth as Texas won for the 11th time in 15 games.
Minnesota made two errors that led to five unearned runs and dropped 5.5 games behind the Yankees.
Blue Jays 6, Orioles 2
In Baltimore, Gustavo Chacin (12-8) gave up one run, four hits and a walk in 6 1-3 innings to earn his first win in seven starts since July 31.
Shea Hillenbrand scored a run and drove in one. Bruce Chen (11-9) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.
Chipper Jones hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning and drove in three runs, leading the Atlanta Braves over the New York Mets 4-2 on Monday.
Andruw Jones hit his Major League Baseball-leading 45th homer for the Braves, who improved to 49-20 against the Mets at Turner Field, including 5-1 this year.
Chipper Jones hit an RBI double that tied the score in the first and homered in the eighth against Steve Trachsel (1-1).
Nationals 5, Marlins 2
In Washington, Livan Hernandez (15-6) didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning, took a shutout into the ninth, and drove in a run with one of his two singles as Washington won its third straight, all against clubs ahead of it in the tight National League wild-card standings.
Hernandez left after allowing Miguel Cabrera's two-run homer. Mike Stanton got Carlos Delgado to fly out, and closer Chad Cordero recorded the final two outs.
Cardinals 6, Cubs 4
In St. Louis, Albert Pujols hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth off Roberto Novoa (3-5), and Jim Edmonds followed with a home run off Will Ohman.
Jeff Suppan didn't allow any earned runs in six innings, and five relievers finished as St. Louis stopped the Cubs' three-game winning streak.
Jason Isringhausen forced in a run in the ninth with a bases-loaded walk to Jerry Hairston Jr, and Julian Tavarez allowed pinch-hitter Jose Macias' sacrifice fly before getting Derrek Lee to hit a game-ending double play grounder for his fourth save.
Astros 4, Phillies 3
In Philadelphia, Andy Pettitte pitched 5 2-3 scoreless innings and Lance Berkman hit a three-run homer for Houston, which moved into first place in the NL wild-card standings.
The Astros moved a half-game ahead of Philadelphia and one game ahead of Florida with their 10th consecutive win over the Phillies. Washington is 1.5 games behind Houston, while the New York Mets trail by three games.
Pettitte (14-9) allowed three hits, struck out five and walked none. Brad Lidge pitched the ninth for his 33rd save, although he gave up one run and had the tying run at third and the winning run at second before getting the final out.
Berkman's 17th homer off Brett Myers (12-7) in the first gave Houston a 4-0 lead.
Brewers 6, Reds 1
In Cincinnati, J.J. Hardy singled with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to drive in the go-ahead run and Geoff Jenkins tied his career-high with five hits for Milwaukee.
Hardy singled against Matt Belisle (3-7) with one out and pinch-hitter Jeff Cirillo followed with another single. The Brewers added three runs in the ninth.
Jenkins went 5-for-5 to outhit the Reds, who had four hits. Jenkins had five hits -- two doubles -- for the third time in his career, second this season.
Tomo Ohka (10-7) needed 74 pitches to get through seven innings, allowing three hits and one run with six strikeouts. Rookie Dana Eveland pitched the last two innings for his first career save.
Adam Dunn of the Reds tied the game in the fourth with his 36th homer of the season and first in 30 at-bats since Aug. 26.
Giants 3, Dodgers 1
In Los Angeles, Julio Ramirez scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error by third baseman Mike Edwards in the eighth inning, helping San Francisco to its sixth straight victory.
LaTroy Hawkins (2-5) earned the victory despite facing one batter and giving up the game-tying sacrifice fly to pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee. Hawkins came on with the bases loaded and one out. Ledee's fly ball to center scored Jose Cruz Jr., but Jason Werth was thrown out trying to advance to third.
Armando Benitez pitched the ninth for his 12th save.
Reliever Yhency Brazoban (2-8) gave up one run and one hit in the Dodgers' fourth straight loss.
Ramirez was running for pinch-hitter Lance Niekro, who led off the eighth with a single. He was sacrificed to second. With two outs, Moises Alou hit a grounder that Edwards fielded in the hole and threw wildly past second base, allowing Ramirez to score.
Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/
NFL to meet with Anaheim, Coliseum
Little action is expected when NFL executives meet today or Thursday with officials from Anaheim and the Coliseum as they continue negotiations on a deal to return pro football to Los Angeles.
One matter that may be discussed is how Los Angeles' bid for the 2016 Olympics - which Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa plans to formally announce today - would impact the league's plans.
Coliseum officials said the NFL may drop off its latest term proposal, but that no action on it is anticipated today at the commission's monthly meeting.
Source: http://www2.dailynews.com/
A's lose 4th in a row
(AP) - Mike Morse and Joel Pineiro carried Seattle to a 3-to-2 win at Oakland, keeping the Athletics a game and a-half behind first-place Los Angeles in the A-L West.Morse hit the go-ahead single in the seventh, one batter after Jose Lopez singled home the tying run. Ichiro Suzuki also had a run-scoring single as the Mariners dealt the A's their fourth straight loss.Pineiro won for the first time since August 16th, allowing two runs and six hits in eight innings. Pineiro improved to 6-and-9 with help from Eddie Guardado's 31st save.Joe Kennedy dropped to 3-and-2, giving up two earned runs and six hits in six and two-thirds.Pineiro won for the first time since August 16th, allowing two runs and six hits in eight innings. Pineiro improved to 6-and-9 with help from Eddie Guardado's 31st save.Joe Kennedy dropped to 3-and-2, giving up two earned runs and six hits in six and two-thirds.
Source: http://www.ksee24.com/
Players tattle: Christiansen battled Bonds
LOS ANGELES — Jason Christiansen respects Barry Bonds and he doesn't envy everything the star slugger has to deal with on a daily basis.
As for the now well-publicized altercation in June between the two men, Christiansen told reporters that he wished "something like this didn't come up."
ESPN reported Monday night that Bonds and an unnamed player argued and got in a physical altercation in June after the player complained about flexibility coach Harvey Shields. Christiansen was fingered as the player by others who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
But when Angels reporters approached Christiansen in Boston, the reliever initially denied he knew anything about the incident.
"Wow, that's news to me," he said.
Christiansen, who was traded to the Angels on Aug. 30, later said he was glad to see Bonds had returned to the Giants.
"Barry always has his moments with everyone," Christiansen said. "Most are good ones, and in some situations he might rub you the wrong way. For the most part, he does his own thing. I wouldn't want to be him with all the things he deals with on and off the field.
"I have a lot of respect for Barry and what he does. I wish something like this didn't come up."
A Giants official laughed off the suggestion that Christiansen was traded because Bonds was close to rejoining the team. The two players had made amends, and the trade was strictly based on Christiansen's performance, along with that of left-hander Jack Taschner.
KUDOS FOR LOWRY: As expected, Noah Lowry was named the NL pitcher of the month for August after he went 5-0 with a 0.69 ERA.
"Confidence and consistency," said Lowry,who began incorporating his curveball and slider more into his fastball-change repertoire. "It's really what it comes down to — having four pitches and having the confidence to throw them in any count, and then being consistent with them."
Lowry won player of the week honors last season and received a Swiss watch. He gets a trophy for the monthly award.
CORREIA TO FACE HITTERS: Kevin Correia's shoulder felt fine a day after he threw off a mound, and the right-hander could face hitters in simulated game conditions today. Correia said he should be able to make his next turn in the rotation, though he'd understand if the club decides to leave Brett Tomko in his spot.
"I'm past the point where I'm just happy to be here," Correia said. "I want to win games. At this point in the year, I just want us to put the best guys out there and win."
ONE-HOPPERS: Ray Durham (hamstring cramp) didn't start as a precaution but was available to pinch hit. ... Right-hander Brian Cooper handed out cigars in the clubhouse. His wife gave birth to a girl, McKenna, on Friday. It's the couple's first child. ... Cubs right-hander Jerome Williams is scheduled to face his former team on Friday at SBC Park. He will oppose Matt Cain. ... Season ticketholders can purchase postseason tickets starting today. A limited number of single-game tickets will be available at a later date.
Source: http://www.chicoer.com/
San Fran's Schmidt goes for sixth consecutive win
Schmidt has won three consecutive starts and is 5-0 with a no-decision in his last six outings. He has not lost since July 30 against Milwaukee. The righthander defeated Arizona five days ago, allowing three runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. Schmidt is 6-4 on the road this season and 11-7 lifetime versus Los Angeles. He has won all three of his starts versus the Dodgers this year and has given up just six runs on 13 hits in 18 innings of work against Los Angeles. Jeff Weaver counters for the Dodgers. The righthander suffered his first loss in nearly two months five days ago against Colorado, as he surrendered six runs on eight hits in five innings. Prior to the shaky outing versus the Rockies, Weaver had not lost since July 9, going 6-0 with three no-decisions in nine previous outings. Weaver is 6-3 at home this season with a 4.37 ERA in 14 starts. However, he has struggled versus the Giants in his career, posting a 3-4 mark with a 5.19 earned run average in 10 starts. In four assignments against San Francisco in 2005, Weaver is 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA. On Tuesday, Jeff Kent's two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the Dodgers to a 4-2 victory over the Giants. Kent ended 3-for-4 with three runs batted in for the Dodgers, who halted a four-game losing streak. Jose Cruz Jr. added a solo homer in the victory. Omar Vizquel, J.T. Snow and Angel Chavez had two hits apiece for the Giants, who had their winning streak snapped at six games. San Francisco remained five games behind San Diego for first place in the NL West. Jeremy Accardo (0-4) struck out the first two Dodgers in the 10th before Oscar Robles singled. Kent then drove a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left to end the game. It was his 26th homer of the season. Yhency Brazoban (3-8) picked up the win after tossing a scoreless top of the 10th. Dodgers starter Brad Penny allowed one run in six innings, while Giants starting pitcher Brett Tomko yielded one run in seven innings of work. The season series is tied, 7-7.
Source: http://www.wkrc.com/
