Baseball – Page 77 – North Platte Post Archive

Tickets on Sale Monday for July’s College HR Derby

Posted on April 24, 2014

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tickets will go on sale Monday for the fifth annual College Home Run Derby at TD Ameritrade Park on July 3.

Prices are $8 for children ages 3 to 12, $12 for fans 13 and older or $35 for a family of four. Tickets can be purchased at the CenturyLink Center box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, or online at www.Ticketmaster.com.

Participants will be drawn from a pool of players who are among the nation’s home run leaders this season.

The event starts at 7:30 p.m. and will be followed by a fireworks show.

Rice’s Michael Aquino won last year’s derby.

Sanchez’s Slam in 11th Helps Giants Beat Rox 12-10

Posted on April 23, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Hector Sanchez hit two of San Francisco’s six homers, including a grand slam in the 11th inning Wednesday that gave the Giants a wild 12-10 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

With the Giants on the verge of being swept in a three-game series at Coors Field for the first time in 12 years, Sanchez drove a fastball from Chad Bettis (0-1) into the bushes behind center field. The backup catcher also hit a solo homer in the eighth.

Michael Morse also hit two homers: a solo shot in the second and a three-run homer the following inning. Brandon Hicks and Brandon Belt also went deep as the Giants rallied from a 5-1, second-inning deficit.

Jean Machi (4-0) earned the win with a perfect 10th. Sergio Romo struggled in a non-save situation, surrendering a two-run homer to Justin Morneau but retiring Brandon Barnes on a game-ending 5-4-3 double play.

Selig Says Clarification Coming on Ball Transfers

Posted on April 23, 2014

CHICAGO (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig says the sport’s playing rules committee is working to clarify the rule on transfers by fielders on forceouts, which has caused some controversy in the first season of expanded instant replay for umpires.

Attending a game at Wrigley Field on Wednesday marking the 100th anniversary of the ballpark, Selig said he has not spoken with committee chairman Sandy Alderson, the New York Mets general manager.

Selig expects to hear back about clarifying the rule, adding “given the fact it’s new, yes, we’ve had a little glitch here and there, but not much, and nothing that really affected a game,” Selig added.

With instant replay, there has been increased scrutiny on when fielders have control of throws as they step on bases for forceouts and then transfer the ball to their hands for throws in attempts to turn double plays.

“I think it’s done great,” Selig said. “I don’t think it’s been a can of worms at all. In fact, I think for something new, it’s been unbelievably good.”

North Platte American Legion Baseball Announces the 2014 Hall of Fame Class

Posted on April 23, 2014

The North Platte American Legion Baseball program has announced that three individuals and a state championship winning team will be inducted into the program’s Hall of Fame in 2014.

This year’s class includes one player, one state championship team, and two individuals who donated countless hours to making North Platte American Legion Baseball what it has become. This year’s class includes Jack Raetz (posthumously), Mick Hayes, Steve Gullion and the 1994 Midget Post 163 baseball team. They will be inducted during the North Platte American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame weekend, May 2-3.

The Hall of Fame weekend will begin at 4:30 pm Friday May 2nd at Bill Wood Field with an intra-squad scrimmage of the current Legion teams followed by an alumni vs alumni game at 7:30 pm. In between innings they will honor the Hall of Fame inductees. Admission is free.

Saturday May 3rd, the American Legion 4-person golf scramble will begin at Lake Maloney Golf course with a shotgun start at 12:30 pm. Following the golf tournament, there will be a banquet honoring the 2014 North Platte Legion Baseball Hall of Fame inductees. The golf tournament cost is $65.00 which includes the banquet. Tickets for the banquet only are $20.00. All past Legion players are invited to come out and participate and the entire community is welcome as well.

North Platte American Legion Baseball has had a long and distinguished run in North Platte, with the program officially starting around 1960. Hundreds of players and fans, along with dozens of coaches and others truly dedicated to the program have been involved in American Legion Baseball. In 2013 the Board of Directors decided a Hall of Fame to honor these outstanding individuals should be started. The inaugural class included two coaches, two players and two individual volunteers.

The First Nationals will start their regular season Sat May 17th when the Seniors travel to Scottsbluff. The Juniors host Scottsbluff at Bill Wood Field in North Platte at 1:00 pm. The Juniors will be home over Memorial Day weekend and the Seniors will be home Monday May 26th. First pitch for the Seniors is at 2:00 pm.

Morales Leads Rockies to 2-1 Win over Giants

Posted on April 23, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Nolan Arenado hit a go-ahead homer leading off the fifth and Franklin Morales outdueled Madison Bumgarner, lifting the Colorado Rockies to a 2-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night.

Troy Tulowitzki also added a solo shot for the Rockies, who have hit seven homers in two nights against the Giants.

Morales (2-1) was masterful on the mound as he allowed five hits over seven innings, which matches the longest outing of his career. The left-hander’s only mistake was a hanging slider to Hunter Pence in the fifth. It was Pence’s second homer of the season.

LaTroy Hawkins got the final two outs in a rocky ninth for his sixth save in as many chances.

Albert Pujols Hits 500th HR of Major League Career

Posted on April 22, 2014

WASHINGTON (AP) — Albert Pujols has hit the 500th home run of his career, becoming the 26th player in major league history to reach that milestone.

The Angels’ slugger did it with a pair of shots against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night. He hit a three-run homer beyond left field off starter Taylor Jordan in the first inning for No. 499, then added a two-run shot for No. 500 to left-center with no outs in the fifth, again off Jordan.

The 34-year-old Pujols is the first player to collect his 499th and 500th homers in the same game, according to STATS.

He has eight homers this season, all in the past 13 games.

Rockies Hit 5 Homers in 8-2 Win over Giants

Posted on April 22, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Charlie Blackmon hit two of Colorado’s five homers and Jorge De La Rosa threw five efficient innings, lifting the Rockies to an 8-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Monday night.

Nolan Arenado, Wilin Rosario and Corey Dickerson also homered for the Rockies, who’ve won four of the last five. It was Blackmon’s first multihomer game of his career.

De La Rosa (1-3) rediscovered his rhythm, allowing five hits and one run for his first victory of the season. The hard-throwing lefty tied a career high with 16 wins last season.

Ryan Vogelsong (0-1) never got on track and was pulled after 1 1-3 innings, his shortest start with the Giants. He surrendered five runs and six hits, including three homers.

Blackmon lined solo homers in the second and eighth innings. He’s now hitting .411 this season.

Rockies Place Cuddyer on 15-Day DL

Posted on April 21, 2014April 21, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Colorado Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer will go on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring.

The reigning NL batting champ said Monday before a game with San Francisco that the injury is “extremely frustrating” and more “nagging than anything else.” He said he can only run at about 70 percent. The move is retroactive to April 18.

Cuddyer is hitting .317 with three homers and 10 RBIs this season. A season ago, Cuddyer led the league with a .331 average.

Colorado recalled infielder Charlie Culberson from Triple-A Colorado Springs to fill Cuddyer’s spot on the roster. Culberson is available for the game Monday.

Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez also was in the lineup a day after leaving the game with pain in his left knee.

Rollins Gets Key Hits, Phillies Beat Rockies 10-9

Posted on April 20, 2014

DENVER (AP) — Jimmy Rollins homered early, then hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning that sent the Philadelphia Phillies past the Colorado Rockies 10-9 Sunday.

Rollins finished with three hits as the Phillies averted a series sweep. Ryan Howard added four hits, including a homer and triple while driving in three runs.

Rockies star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez exited early because of a sore left knee. He appeared to tweak it running out a high chopper to end the sixth inning.

Justin Morneau homered and drove in five runs for the Rockies. The teams combined for 30 hits, 15 for extra bases.

Jake Diekman (2-1) got the win despite allowing two runs in 1 1-3 innings. Jonathan Papelbon earned his fifth save in six chances.

Matt Belisle (0-2) gave up Rollins’ single that broke an 8-all tie.

Hughes Picks Up Win as Twins Top Royals, 8-3

Posted on April 20, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Phil Hughes ended a personal losing streak that dated to last July, pitching into the seventh inning Sunday and helping the Twins top the Kansas City Royals 8-3 to avoid a three-game sweep.

Hughes (1-1), who signed a $24 million, three-year deal in December, allowed an RBI single to Omar Infante in the fifth and a two-run homer to Alcides Escobar in the seventh while winning for the first time in 17 appearances. He had lost eight games since that victory on July 2.

Josmil Pinto homered and Trevor Plouffe and Kurt Suzuki each drove in a pair of runs for the Twins, who battered Yordano Ventura (1-1) before piling on against the Royals’ bullpen.

The loss ended Kansas City’s five-game winning streak.