Baseball – Page 62 – North Platte Post Archive

Baseball Hall of Fame Celebrates 75th Anniversary

Posted on June 12, 2014

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — The Baseball Hall of Fame has celebrated its 75th anniversary with a birthday cake cut by former stars Cal Ripken and Phil Niekro.

More than 300 people gathered in the museum’s showpiece Plaque Gallery on Thursday for the occasion.

Babe Ruth was the centerpiece of the first class to be inducted, and he attended the Hall of Fame’s official opening on June 12, 1939.

The Hall opens a revamped Babe Ruth exhibit on Friday. Ruth and Hank Aaron are the only players to have exhibits devoted solely to them in the Hall of Fame.

Matzek Shines in Debut as Rockies Beat Braves 8-2.

Posted on June 11, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Tyler Matzek pitched two-hit ball for the first seven innings of his major league debut before faltering in the eighth, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Atlanta Braves 8-2 on Wednesday night.

The left-hander retired the first 13 hitters and 21 of 23 before allowing three straight singles to start the eighth. He is the third Colorado pitcher in the last six days to make his debut.

Matzek (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits and struck out seven in seven-plus innings. He also had his first hit and run scored. The Rockies had lost 11 of 12.

Julio Teheran (6-4) entered Wednesday with a 1.89 ERA, best in the majors, but Colorado scored three in the first on Drew Stubbs’ RBI double and Corey Dickerson’s two-run triple.

Rockies Recall LHP Matzek, Send Down RHP Bettis

Posted on June 11, 2014

Chad-Bettis-Colorado-Rockie — Chad Bettis

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have recalled left-hander Tyler Matzek from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned right-hander Chad Bettis to the Sky Sox.

Matzek will start Wednesday’s game against Atlanta in his major league debut.

Matzek is the fifth Rockies pitcher to make his major league debut this season and the third in a six-day span. Eddie Butler started Friday’s game against the Dodgers and Christian Bergman made his debut in Monday’s series opener against the Braves.

Butler has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with right rotator cuff inflammation.

Matzek, the 11th pick in the 2009 draft, was 5-4 with a 4.05 ERA in 12 starts for Colorado Springs this year.

Bettis was recalled Monday and he allowed three runs on four hits in one inning against Atlanta on Tuesday.

Royals use 4 Sacrifice Flies to Beat Indians 4-1

Posted on June 11, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordano Ventura dominated the Indians for seven stingy innings, and the Kansas City Royals scored all of their runs on sacrifice flies in a 4-1 victory over Cleveland on Wednesday.

The four sacrifice flies tied a franchise record, and the Royals became only the second team to score four runs all on sacrifice flies since it became an official stat in 1954. The Expos did it in an 8-4, 14-inning loss to the Cubs on May 28, 1980, according to STATS.

Kansas City won its fourth in a row.

Ventura (4-5) allowed six hits while striking out three without a walk to win back-to-back starts for the first time. Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his 19th save.

Jarrod Dyson, Omar Infante and Alcides Escobar hit sacrifice flies off Trevor Bauer (1-3). Billy Butler later added another.

All-Star Managers Choose Their Coaches

Posted on June 11, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Ron Gardenhire will be in the dugout with the AL All-Stars at his home stadium.

The Minnesota manager was chosen along with Cleveland’s Terry Francona as coaches to join AL manager John Farrell of Boston in the July 15 All-Star game at Target Field.

For the NL, manager Mike Matheny of St. Louis chose Clint Hurdle of Pittsburgh and Fredi Gonzalez of Atlanta as his coaching staff.

Francona has himself managed the AL team before — in 2005 and 2008. In that second one, Farrell served as his pitching coach for the game. Gardenhire, who has managed the Twins since 2002, has been an AL coach in 2003 and 2007.

First Nationals Swept by Hastings

Posted on June 11, 2014

The North Platte First Nationals Seniors dropped to 10-10 on the season after getting swept by Hastings in a Cornhusker League doubleheader Tuesday.

North Platte lost the first game of the day 6-1 to Hastings. Hastings scored a run in each of the first two innings before pulling away with three runs in the fourth inning. Dalton Pflughaupt took the loss on the mound for the First Nationals. He pitched a complete game and gave up six runs, three earned, on 13 hits. He also struck out three batters. Drew Callaghan led North Platte at the plate by going 2-3 with a run scored.

North Platte started in a hole in game two as well. Hastings scored a run in the first inning and three more in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. The First Nationals were able to cut the deficit in half by scoring two runs in the fourth inning, but Hastings scored four in the fifth inning to secure an 8-4 win. Alec Wesslund went 3-5 in the game for North Platte, Austin Chitty went 2-2 with two runs batted in and Luke Volz recorded the First Nationals only extra-base hit on the day with a double. Volz went 2-4 with two runs scored. Jayden Kruse started on the mound for North Platte and pitched four-plus innings, giving up seven runs, six earned, on just one hit. Kruse issued eight walks and struck out seven batters while taking the loss. Volz pitched the final two innings and gave up one run on two hits, struck out three batter and walked four. North Platte didn’t help themselves by issuing 12 walks in the game.

The First Nationals next play in a tournament in Canon City, Colo. North Platte plays Canon City at 3:30 pm on Thursday, followed by a game against Carlsbad, NM at 5:45 pm.

Braves Hit 3 Home Runs in 13-10 Win over Rockies.

Posted on June 10, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Andrelton Simmons hit his first career grand slam as part of a seven-run first inning, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies 13-10 on Tuesday night.

Evan Gattis had a home run among his three hits and Freddie Freeman also homered for the Braves, who had season-highs of 16 hits and 13 runs.

The teams combined for 29 hits and neither starter made it out of the fifth inning. Rockies right-hander Juan Nicasio lasted just 3 2-3 innings and Atlanta’s Mike Minor left after giving up two hits to start the fifth.

David Hale (2-0) pitched 2 1-3 innings of relief for the win.

Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth for his 18th save in 21 chances.

Royals Hold on to Beat Hot-Hitting Indians 9-5

Posted on June 10, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jason Vargas cooled down hot-hitting Cleveland, Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer and the Kansas City Royals held on for a 9-5 victory over the Indians on Tuesday night.

Hosmer also drove in a run during a four-run fourth inning. Alex Gordon homered in the eighth and Mike Moustakas hit a two-run shot later that inning as the Royals (32-32) moved back to .500 by matching their second-best run total of the season.

Vargas (6-2) gave up six hits and hit three batters with pitches, but didn’t allow a run until Jason Kipnis drove in a pair with a two-out double in the eighth. Tim Collins entered and gave up another run before Aaron Crow yielded two more in the ninth.

Corey Kluber (6-4), who dominated the Royals earlier this season, allowed six runs — three earned — and six hits over five innings. He struck out five and walked two.

Rockies Sign 1st-Round Draft Pick Freeland

Posted on June 10, 2014

DENVER (AP) — First-round draft pick Kyle Freeland signed with the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, less than a week after the club made the left-handed pitcher the eighth overall selection.

Terms of the deal were not immediately available.

Freeland was 10-2 with a 1.90 ERA for the University of Evansville this season. He had 128 strikeouts in 99 2-3 innings and did not give up a homer.

The Rockies were familiar with Freeland from his days as a star pitcher for Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver. He was drafted in the 35th round by the Phillies after going 8-2 with a 1.39 ERA as a senior.

Freeland will begin his career with the Grand Junction Rockies of the Pioneer League.

Rockies OF Gonzalez has Tumor Removed from Finger

Posted on June 10, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Rockies star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez had a small tumor removed from his left index finger Tuesday during a procedure at the Cleveland Clinic.

Gonzalez underwent exploratory surgery with Dr. Thomas Graham and a growth was found beneath the sheath around the muscle.

Rockies head athletic trainer said these type of tumors are common and the expectation is a biopsy will determine the tumor is benign.

Gonzalez had his left arm in a sling after the surgery. He is expected to return to Denver Wednesday.

Gonzalez has been experiencing soreness and swelling in the finger for a while. He was examined by Graham on May 29 in Cleveland. He continued to play but was placed on the 15-day DL on June 4 and is expected to miss a few weeks.