Baseball – Page 93 – North Platte Post Archive

Torre Says MLB Working on Winning Back Fans’ Trust

Posted on August 18, 2013

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Major League Baseball vice president Joe Torre told The Associated Press on Sunday the sport is doing everything it can to win fans’ trust back when it comes to players using performance-enhancing drugs.

Torre believes MLB is making headway, but cautions it might be a “bumpy” process.

Torre says there wasn’t much else he could say regarding the 14 players recently suspended in the Biogenesis scandal. It’s a group that includes New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez, who is appealing his 211-game suspension.

The former Yankees manager also touched on the topic of baseball’s plan to introduce video replay next season. Torre said officials are still “fine-tuning” replays implementations, and they plan to have it completed by the winter meetings.

Cabrera HR Lifts Tigers to 6-5 Win over Royals

Posted on August 18, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — A hobbled Miguel Cabrera hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the ninth inning, lifting the Detroit Tigers to a 6-5 win over Kansas City on Saturday night, hours after Royals infielder Miguel Tejada was suspended for at least the rest of this season for testing positive for an amphetamine.

Cabrera has been slowed by a strained lower abdomen, injured hip and banged-up left leg, but he was healthy enough to take a victory lap.

Joaquin Benoit (3-0) gave up only one walk in the ninth for the win.

Prince Fielder hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning and made a good defensive play for the third out of the ninth.

Aaron Crow (7-4) threw five pitches, and Cabrera hit his 3-1 offering for an opposite field homer, his 39th.

Orioles Use 7-Run 3rd to Beat Rockies 8-4

Posted on August 18, 2013

BALTIMORE (AP) — Brian Roberts and Manny Machado both hit two-run doubles during a seven-run third inning fueled by Colorado miscues, and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Rockies 8-4 Saturday night to end a four-game losing streak.

Adam Jones had two hits in Baltimore’s highest-scoring inning of the season, which featured an error by shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, two walks, a passed ball and a wild pitch. Six of the seven runs were unearned.

Most of the damage came against Colorado rookie Chad Bettis (0-2), who allowed seven hits, four walks and eight runs in 2 2-3 innings.

Bud Norris (9-10) gave up four runs and nine hits over 5 2-3 innings to improve to 3-1 since coming to the Orioles in a trade with Houston on July 31.

Rockies Closer Betancourt Activated from DL

Posted on August 17, 2013

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have activated right-handed reliever Rafael Betancourt from the 15-day disabled list.

Betancourt was put on the DL on July 20 with appendicitis. The 38-year-old closer is 2-3 with a 3.16 ERA and has converted 15 of 16 save opportunities.

Before the Rockies faced the Orioles on Saturday, Colorado manager Walt Weiss said, “”Rafe is ready to go. We’re going to make sure he’s mentally ready to go and then throw him into the fire.”

Rex Brothers served as closer in Betancourt’s absence.

Colorado made room for Betancourt by optioning right-hander Manuel Corpas to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Corpas pitched in 19 games for Colorado this season after beginning the year with Colorado Springs. He was 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA.

Royals’ Tejada Suspended 105 Games for PED Use

Posted on August 17, 2013

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Miguel Tejada has been suspended 105 games by Major League Baseball for violating its joint drug program, one of the longest suspensions ever handed down.

The 39-year-old Tejada had previously tested positive under the league’s amphetamine policy, so he was subject to a 25-game ban for a second test and an 80-game suspension for a third, both of which occurred while playing for the Kansas City Royals this season.

Tejada, who signed a one-year deal with the Royals last offseason, will begin serving the suspension while on the 60-day disabled list with a strained calf muscle. He would need to fulfill the remainder of the suspension next season before he’s eligible to play.

Tejada was hitting .288 with three homers and 20 RBIs in 53 games before getting hurt.

Royals Sweep Tigers in Day, Night Doubleheader

Posted on August 17, 2013

Friday’s major league schedule also included a doubleheader sweep by Kansas City in Detroit. Danny Duffy outpitched Justin Verlander by allowing just one hit in six shutout innings of Kansas City’s 2-1 triumph over the Tigers in the first game. Eric Hosmer homered to back Duffy, who had a no-hitter until Miguel Cabrera singled with two outs in the sixth.

James Shields limited the Tigers to three hits in seven innings of the Royals’ 3-0 shutout of the Tigers in the nightcap. Hosmer also went deep in the second game as the Royals pulled within 6 ½ games of the AL Central-leading Tigers.

Rockies Hit 4 HRs in 6-3 Win over Orioles

Posted on August 17, 2013

BALTIMORE (AP) — Colorado hit four home runs, including a tiebreaking, two-run shot by Wilin Rosario in the seventh inning, and the Rockies beat the Orioles 6-3 Friday night to extend Baltimore’s losing streak to four games.

Charlie Culberson, Charlie Blackmon and Todd Helton also homered for the Rockies, who have won six of seven. It was Culberson’s first major league home run in 55 at-bats.

Juan Nicasio (7-6) allowed two runs, four hits and four walks over six innings to earn his first win in five starts since July 20. The right-hander yielded 15 runs over 14 innings in his previous three outings and was 0-3 with a 7.79 ERA in four interleague starts this season.

Wei-Yin Chen (6-6) retired 12 of his first 13 batters but couldn’t get out of the seventh inning.

Duffy Takes No-Hitter into 6th, Royals Beat Tigers

Posted on August 16, 2013August 16, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — Danny Duffy took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and beat Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers 2-1 on a combined two-hitter Friday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

Eric Hosmer homered for the Royals.

Ramon Santiago hit a pinch hit home run for the Tigers.

Duffy (1-0), making his second big-league start this season after being called up from Triple-A Omaha Friday morning, held Detroit hitless for 5 2-3 innings, while walking three and hitting a batter. Miguel Cabrera got the first hit, a one-hop liner to third baseman Emilio Bonifacio’s right. Bonifacio dove for it, but the ball went off his glove and bounced toward left-center.

Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his 33rd save.

Verlander (12-9) allowed two runs on seven hits in eight innings.

Fielder Homers, Tigers Beat Royals 4-1

Posted on August 15, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — Prince Fielder homered for the first time in three weeks, hitting a two-run shot in the first inning to help the Detroit Tigers to a 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.

Andy Dirks added two doubles and two singles for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who took the opener of this five-game series with third-place Kansas City. The Royals have lost three in a row after a 17-3 stretch that put them in contention for a postseason spot.

Detroit’s Anibal Sanchez (11-7) allowed a run and seven hits in 7 1-3 innings. Bruce Rondon finished the eighth, and Joaquin Benoit pitched a hitless ninth for his 16th save in 16 chances.

Jeremy Guthrie (12-9) allowed four runs and 13 hits in seven innings.

Baseball Welcomes Expanded Replay

Posted on August 15, 2013

Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon is brushing off all the talk about delays and keeping the human element in baseball. He says it’s about time for expanded replay.

Players and managers at ballparks across the country largely welcomed Thursday’s announcement of the proposed video review options for next season. Many said they wanted to take a closer look at the details of the plan, but were in favor of anything that would help umpires make the correct call.

Maddon says “It makes things better. It makes things more accurate, so what’s wrong with that.”

A 75 percent vote by the owners is needed for approval, and the players’ association and umpires would have to agree to any changes to the current system.