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MLB Capsules - AL: Rangers blow three-run lead in loss to White Sox
CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Harrison felt bad about the pitch to Brent Morel. He felt even worse about the two walks earlier in the inning.
Harrison got too much of the plate on a fastball to Morel with two out in the fifth, and the White Sox third baseman hit the ball over the wall in left-center for a tying three-run homer in the Texas Rangers' 4-3 loss to Chicago on Tuesday night.
"Even though I made the mistake to Morel, if I make that mistake without the walks, 3-1 ballgame," Harrison said. "That was the whole key to the game. Two walks, two bad walks and made a mistake over the plate and it tied the game up. We had the momentum there and I let them back in the game."
Carlos Quentin began the White Sox eighth with a walk. He was erased on a fielder's choice but Alex Rios walked to put runners on first and second. Harrison then struck out Gordon Beckham before Morel connected for his first homer of the season.
"We had Morel in the hole 1-2 and got a fastball up and didn't miss it," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "From that point on, it looked like the momentum changed and we couldn't get anything going."
Endy Chavez had two hits and reached four times for Texas, which has dropped eight of its last 11 road games. Michael Young singled in the eighth to extend his road hitting streak to a career-best 17 games.
"Tonight we just didn't get the big knock," Young said. "It's all right, we've been doing it the last week or so. We'll be all right."
Beckham sparked the winning rally with a leadoff walk in the eighth. Beckham made it all the way to third on pinch-hitter Dallas McPherson's one-out single and scored when Cody Eppley (1-1) bounced his first pitch to Alexei Ramirez.
"I just couldn't get my slider where I wanted it tonight," Eppley said. "It was staying out there all night."
McPherson was promoted when Mark Teahen went on the disabled list earlier in the day. The bouncer up the middle was his first hit since Sept. 10, 2008, for Florida at Philadelphia.
"It was nice to get that one out of the way," a grinning McPherson said.
Jesse Crain (1-1) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings to get the win and Sergio Santos worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save in six chances.
The White Sox (18-25) were coming off a listless 4-0 loss to Colby Lewis and the Rangers on Monday night and had dropped 10 of their last 11 games at U.S. Cellular Field.
The Rangers, missing injured sluggers Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz, employed a patient approach as John Danks struggled to find the strike zone. They walked five times in the first four innings, with each playing a key role in their three runs.
Chavez walked and scored on Ian Kinsler's double-play grounder in the first. Mike Napoli, Yorvit Torrealba and Craig Gentry walked with two out in the second, and shortstop Ramirez misplayed Chavez's bouncer for a run-scoring error. David Murphy started the fourth with a walk and eventually came around to score on Torrealba's sacrifice fly.
Texas (22-20) entered the game with 124 walks, 11th in the American League.
Danks eventually settled down, working out of a jam in the fifth and retiring seven of his last nine batters. The left-hander matched a career high with six walks in all, but allowed just two earned runs and four hits over 6 1-3 innings.
"They didn't hit me very much because there wasn't many pitches to hit," Danks said. "I don't have a reason or I don't know why the first couple innings went the way they did. ... Like I said, I'm glad I was able to stay out of the way and let B-Mo and these guys do what they did."
Danks, who had dropped his previous five starts, remains winless in six decisions one year after he set a career high with 15 victories.
Harrison pitched seven effective innings, allowing three hits. He struck out six and walked four.
"It's definitely frustrating," Harrison said. "I felt good the whole game. The fact of the matter is I walked too many people tonight."
NOTES: Hamilton (broken bone in upper right arm) took early batting practice, then returned to Texas to be re-evaluated by team physician Dr. Keith Meister. If Meister clears him, the AL MVP will play two rehab games at Double-A Frisco starting Wednesday, then three with Triple-A Round Rock. ... McPherson has been hampered by back problems for much of his career. ... Chicago RHPs Gavin Floyd and Phil Humber will switch spots in the rotation this week. Floyd will start Thursday's game against Cleveland, while Humber is slated to go on Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Rangers' Hamilton could play first rehab game Wednesday
CHICAGO (AP) — Rangers manager Ron Washington delivered a brief message to Josh Hamilton before the AL MVP returned to Texas on Tuesday to be re-evaluated by team physician Dr. Keith Meister.
"Have fun, stay healthy. Hope everything works out," Washington said he told his slugger. "See you when you get back."
Washington and Texas could have their brightest star back in the lineup soon. Hamilton took early batting practice before the Rangers finished a two-game series at Chicago and the outfielder will play his first rehab game with Double-A Frisco on Wednesday if he gets cleared by Meister.
"Making sure Dr. Meister thinks what he sees is good enough for him to start playing, and if that's the case, he'll start tomorrow," Washington said Tuesday. "If not, he'll let us know."
The tentative schedule for Hamilton is two rehab games at Frisco, then three with Triple-A Round Rock. It will be his first game action since he broke a bone in his upper right arm April 12 on a headfirst slide into home at Detroit.
Another injured Texas outfielder, Nelson Cruz, began a rehab assignment with Frisco on Monday night. Cruz, who had been sidelined with a strained right quad, went 1 for 3 with an RBI double in the RoughRiders' 3-2 victory over Midland.
Cruz was scheduled to serve as Frisco's designated hitter again Tuesday night, then play two games in right field.
Acta, Farrell to join Washington on AL staff
NEW YORK (AP) — Arizona's Kirk Gibson and Washington's Jim Riggleman will be coaches for San Francisco's Bruce Bochy, the NL manager, at the All-Star game in Phoenix in July 12.
Cleveland's Manny Acta and Toronto's John Farrell will be coaches for Texas' Ron Washington, the AL manager, Major League Baseball said Tuesday.
Washington's Rangers coaches will assist with batting practice: Dave Anderson, Thad Bosley, Andy Hawkins, Mike Maddux, Jackie Moore and Gary Pettis.
Bochy's San Francisco coaches will be part of his All-Star staff: Tim Flannery, Mark Gardner, Roberto Kelly, Hensley Meulens, Dave Righetti and Ron Wotus.
Other AL Capsules
Rodriguez, Posada help Yankees end skid
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Alex Rodriguez homered twice, Jorge Posada had two hits and the New York Yankees stopped a six-game losing streak with a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
With Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner in attendance, New York ended its longest skid since dropping seven in a row from April 20-27, 2007.
Posada doubled and singled while batting seventh as the designated hitter. It was his first start since he pulled himself out of the lineup Saturday soon after he was set to bat ninth.
Rodriguez tied it 1 with a fourth-inning homer and then put the Yankees ahead with a solo shot in the sixth off James Shields (4-2).
Ivan Nova (4-3) gave up one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Indians 7, Royals 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera both homered and Travis Hafner hit a bases-loaded double, powering Cleveland past Kansas City for a two-game sweep of the Royals.
One night after the Indians romped 19-1 and tied the record for KC's biggest losing margin, Hafner unloaded his three-run double in the first inning off Sean O'Sullivan.
Santana hit a solo home run off O'Sullivan in the fifth and Cabrera made it 7-2 with a leadoff home run in the seventh off left-hander Everett Teaford, who made his major league debut.
Carlos Carrasco (2-2) went 5 1-3 innings for the victory, Cleveland's fifth straight over the Royals. He was charged with two runs on five hits, with two walks and five strikeouts.
Twins 2, Mariners 1
SEATTLE (AP) — Francisco Liriano outdueled Felix Hernandez and the Twins ended a nine-game losing streak with a victory over the Mariners.
Liriano (3-5), who threw a no-hitter May 3 at the Chicago White Sox, was nearly as stingy. He allowed three singles, walked one and had a season-high nine strikeouts. Matt Capps got the final three outs for his sixth save in eight opportunities. Hernandez (4-4) allowed three hits and two runs in eight innings. He walked three and struck out nine.
The Twins' victory came on the day that one of the team's greatest players, Harmon Killebrew, died at his Scottsdale, Ariz., home.
Athletics 14, Angels 0
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Gio Gonzalez pitched seven innings of one-hit ball, and the Athletics emerged from a rain-soaked start to hammer the Angels.
Gonzalez (5-2) struck out seven and allowed only a line-drive single to Howie Kendrick leading off the fifth. He also walked one and cruised the rest of the way behind a dominant breaking ball and an offense that had its best game of the season.
Mark Ellis had three hits and four RBIs and Coco Crisp finished with three hits and two RBIs to chase starter Tyler Chatwood (2-2) in the third, handing the rookie the worst loss of his career. Oakland had season highs in runs scored and hits to move into a tie with Texas for first place in the AL West.
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Hall of Famer Killebrew, 74, dies of cancer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Harmon Killebrew earned every bit of his frightening nickname, hitting tape-measure home runs that awed even his fellow Hall of Famers.
Yet there was a softer side to "The Killer," too.
The balding gentleman who enjoyed a milkshake after each game. The fisherman who was afraid of bumping into alligators. The MVP who always had time to help a rookie.
Killebrew, the big-swinging slugger for the Minnesota Twins and the face of the franchise for so many years, died Tuesday at age 74 after battling esophageal cancer.
"It's a sad day. We lost an icon. We lost Paul Bunyan," former Twins star Kent Hrbek said.
The team said Killebrew died peacefully at his home in Scottsdale, Ariz., with his wife, Nita, and their family at his side. He announced his diagnosis just six months ago, and last week Killebrew said he was settling in for the final days of his life with hospice care after doctors deemed the "awful disease" incurable.
At Target Field, the scoreboard showed a picture of a smiling Killebrew and his retired No. 3 was etched in the dirt behind second base. Plus, there was a more personal tribute — the Twins' ground crew slowly lifted home plate and put under it a plastic-encased, black-and-white photo of Killebrew.
The picture, believed to be from the 1960s, will stay beneath the plate the rest of the season. It shows, naturally, the compact Killebrew poised to go deep.
And boy, could he take a big cut.
His 573 home runs still rank 11th on the all-time list. His uppercut swing formed the silhouette that inspired Major League Baseball's official logo.
"You shake his hand, still at 70-some years old, and he'd crush your hand. You can see where he got that power," Twins slugger Justin Morneau said.
Along with a statue in Killebrew's likeness outside Target Field, there's a giant bronze glove where fans pose for snapshots — the glove is 520 feet from home plate, fittingly the distance of his longest home run.
Much farther away, Killebrew was on the minds of current major leaguers.
"We were just talking about him this morning," Atlanta star Chipper Jones said after the Astros-Braves game. "He looked like one of those big strong, country horses. You don't see guys like that anymore. He was a guy who really overpowered the baseball."
Nearby, teammate Eric Hinske nodded his head.
"He was as intimidating as hell," Hinske added.
But he wasn't always the tough guy. Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel became friends with Killebrew and Bob Allison during his first spring training with the Twins and often fished together in a Florida lake.
"There were some alligators in there, otters and things like that in there that would bump up against your leg," Manuel said. "They would get scared. So I would take the fish chain and hook it to the boat, and I'd wade and pull the boat. That was part of being a rookie."
Whether as an 18-year-old with the Washington Senators in 1954 or playing for Kansas City in his final season in 1975, Killebrew carried himself the same unassuming way.
"He never walked around with his nose in the air. Never, ever. He used to go out after every game and get a milkshake. A super guy," said former Royals second baseman Frank White, a youngster who played with Killebrew that final year.
The Twins played at Seattle on Tuesday night. Manager Ron Gardenhire said it was a somber clubhouse.
"A lot of guys out there are really sad. We're all honored that at least we had the chance to hang out with him a little and get to know him. He touched a lot of lives out there, not just on the baseball field, but the way you should handle yourself and a little bit about respect," Gardenhire said.
Hrbek's suburban home was mere blocks from old Metropolitan Stadium, a future Twins first baseman who became Minnesota's next true home-run hitter after being inspired by all those trips to the left-field bleachers to watch No. 3 bat fourth and aim for the fence, and beyond.
"You didn't ever leave the ballpark if the Twins had the chance to tie the ballgame or win the ballgame and Harmon was making it to the plate," Hrbek said.
He joined five other former Twins players at Target Field on Tuesday to share memories of Killebrew. Jack Morris, the 1991 World Series MVP and another native of the Twin Cities, grew up cheering for Killebrew during his heyday in the late 1960s.
"I lost a hero today," Morris said, his voice cracking and his eyes watering.
"To remember the innocence of being a young kid who just looked up to a guy he didn't know because of what he did as a baseball player, something that you hoped that maybe some day you could be like," Morris said. "But as a grown man, I look back at him now not as that guy, but as the guy who tried to show me that you don't have to be angry. You don't have to be mad. You can love and share love. We're all going to miss him, and we're all going to love him forever."
Killebrew was the American League MVP in 1969 at age 33 with 49 homers and 140 RBIs. His eight seasons with 40 or more homers still are tied for second in history to Babe Ruth.
Twins President Dave St. Peter said the team will wear a No. 3 patch on the uniforms for the rest of the season. A replica of his smooth, eloquent signature — Killebrew chided current Twins player Michael Cuddyer earlier in his career for a sloppy autograph — will be printed on the outfield wall. The team also planned a public memorial service, likely for May 26.
"I'm 32 years old. I never got to see him play. The majority of the people now never did get to see him as a baseball player," Cuddyer said. "But the reason he has made such an impact on the world is because of who he was outside of baseball, the 30-plus years after he retired from baseball. He continued to be an ambassador not just of baseball but of life in general."
With strong competition from Kirby Puckett in the generation that followed him, Killebrew will go down as perhaps the best-loved Twins player ever, possibly in all of Minnesota sports. Killebrew Root Beer is sold at Target Field, and there's a Killebrew Drive next to the mall where Metropolitan Stadium once stood in suburban Bloomington.
Killebrew spent most of his first five seasons in the minors, then hit 42 homers in his first full season in 1959. The Senators moved to Minnesota in 1961, and Killebrew hit 190 homers in his first four years there, including 49 in 1964.
The Washington Nationals included him in the Ring of Honor at their ballpark and hosted him for a game at Nationals Park last year.
"We shall long treasure that evening and the gentlemanly impression left by Harmon," Nationals principal owner Ted Lerner said.
Former Twins owner Calvin Griffith used to call Killebrew the backbone of the franchise.
"He kept us in business," Griffith once said.
Behind their soft-spoken slugger, a native of Payette, Idaho, the Twins reached the World Series for the first time in 1965 and back-to-back AL Championship series in 1969 and 1970. Killebrew was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984, the first Twins player to be enshrined. Killebrew's No. 3 jersey was retired in 1975.
That easygoing demeanor contrasted starkly with his intimidating standing.
"I didn't have evil intentions," Killebrew once said. "But I guess I did have power."
Killebrew never worried much about his short game, preferring instead to swing for the fences. He had a career .256 average.
On June 3, 1967, Killebrew hit the longest home run in Met Stadium history, a shot that reached the second deck of the bleachers in the old park, some 500 feet from home plate.
Killebrew and his wife had nine children. In retirement, he became a businessman in insurance, financial planning and car sales. He also traveled the country with baseball memorabilia shows and returned to the Twin Cities regularly, delighting in conversations with fans and reunions with teammates.
Former teammate Tony Oliva traveled to Arizona over the weekend to see Killebrew one last time. Paul Molitor, yet another Twin Cities native who became a big league star, also visited.
"I'm glad that God brought him home after the suffering he's been through the last few months," Molitor said, his eyes watering. He added: "I was very appreciative of the man he was and how I was able to learn from him. I picked the guy that you would want to pick to be your idol."
-- Dave Campbell
Quotes about the death of Killebrew
Reaction to Tuesday's death of Minnesota Twins slugger and Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew:
"It is with profound sadness that we share with you that our beloved Harmon passed away this morning. He died peacefully surrounded by Nita and our family. He will be missed more than anyone can imagine but we take solace in the fact that he will no longer suffer. We thank you for your outpouring of support and prayers and take comfort in the fact that he was loved by so many." — Killebrew's family.
"When I learned the news about Harmon today, I felt like I lost a family member. He has treated me like one of his own. It's hard to put into words what Harmon has meant to me. He first welcomed me into the Twins family as an 18-year-old kid and has continued to influence my life in many ways. He is someone I will never forget and will always treasure the time we spent together. Harmon will be missed but never forgotten." — Twins catcher Joe Mauer.
"When I was a kid, I mean, you loved the name and the player and the excitement he brought when he went to the plate, and how far he could hit the ball. As I got into professional ball, and as I got a chance to meet him — I didn't know him well but in talking to other people — what a nice man he was. He was a real classy man who loved baseball and got back involved in it with the Twins. They loved having Harmon there. It's a moving story about him going into hospice, kind of saying it's my time. He accepted his fate and he did it with such class." — San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy.
"I am truly saddened by the loss of Harmon Killebrew, one of the great human beings I have ever known. All of Baseball has lost a true gentleman who represented the Minnesota Twins with class and grace for decades. Harmon was as tough and feared a competitor on the field as the game has ever seen, while off the field he touched everyone he encountered with his sensitive and humble nature. ...He led his life with modesty and dignity and I will miss him forever." — Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.
"This is a sad day for all of baseball and even harder for those of us who were fortunate enough to be a friend of Harmon's. Harmon Killebrew was a gem. I can never thank him enough for all I learned from him. He was a consummate professional who treated everyone from the brashest of rookies to the groundskeepers to the ushers in the stadium with the utmost of respect. I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for Harmon Killebrew. He was a Hall of Famer in every sense of the word." — former Twins star Rod Carew.
"No individual has ever meant more to the Minnesota Twins organization and millions of fans across Twins Territory than Harmon Killebrew. Harmon will long be remembered as one of the most prolific home run hitters in the history of the game and the leader of a group of players who helped lay the foundation for the long-term success of the Twins franchise and Major League Baseball in the Upper Midwest. However, more importantly Harmon's legacy will be the class, dignity and humility he demonstrated each and every day as a Hall of Fame-quality husband, father, friend, teammate and man. The Twins extend heartfelt sympathies and prayers to the Killebrew family at this difficult time." — Dave St. Peter, Twins president.
"Harmon was a Hall of Famer on and off the field. He was baseball's version of Paul Bunyan, with his prodigious home run power, leading by example in the clubhouse and on the field. Off the field, he emanated class, dignity, and warmth, and he was a great humanitarian. He was so down-to-earth, you would never realize he was a baseball legend. It's ironic that his nickname was "Killer," as he was one of the nicest, most generous individuals to ever walk the earth." — Jeff Idelson, president, National Baseball Hall of Fame.
"He was a great player, but he was an even greater man." — Minnesota State Rep. Bob Barrett, R-Shafer, recalling how his father once did contracting work at Killebrew's home and "couldn't remember having met a nicer man."
"When I would go to Twins games at the old Met stadium with my dad, I was just one of thousands of kids who were there with their families hoping for a homer from Harmon. It was always a thrill to see Harmon swing the bat and slam the ball over the fence and into the stands. He gave us pride in the Twins as well as the sport of baseball. We will cherish his memory." — Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota.
"He was just a fierce competitor and a perfect gentleman at the same time. You don't see that a lot. Sometimes you get fierce competitors who are bad people. You see guys that are not fierce competitors but nice guys. You don't see the two of them together very much." — Fellow Hall of Famer George Brett.
"He was a great person. Tremendous. He'd do anything for you. I never ever heard him say anything bad about anybody. Never. In all the years I'd been around him." — Former teammate and current Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.
"As a young player, he helped me a lot just in conversations on the bench talking about the game. That was a time when a lot of veterans wouldn't talk to young guys. But you could ask him about hitting. You could ask him about being a professional, things like that. He was an MVP, a guy who went to what, 13 All-Star games? But he never acted like he was better than you were. It was a tremendous honor to just sit on the bench and talk to him every day." — Former Kansas City Royals teammate Frank White.
"There wasn't a patsy in him, believe me. If he got angry, he got angry inside himself and you could see what it was because he got quiet. He just was determined, whether he struck out, whether he made an error, maybe something was going wrong as far as the ballclub went, that kind of stuff, you could see him gritting his teeth. ... I loved how we hated the Yankees, and he did, too. He didn't hate the men. He just hated getting beat by 'em." — Former teammate and Minnesota Twins manager Frank Quilici.
"It's going to be a loss for the Twins and the state of Minnesota. He was a great person and a great ambassador for baseball." — Twins fan Bob Wolf.
"We've lost a great man. We certainly lost an ambassador to baseball, certainly in the Minnesota area. I'm really lost for words because Harmon was a great man. He certainly always tried to help people once he finished playing the game." — Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington.
"To remember the innocence of being a young kid who just looked up to a guy he didn't know because of what he did as a baseball player, something that you hoped that maybe someday you could be like. But as a grown man, I look back at him now not as that guy, but as the guy who tried to show me that you don't have to be angry. You don't have to be mad. You can love and share love. We're all going to miss him, and we're all going to love him forever." — Former star Twins pitcher Jack Morris.
"I'm 32 years old. I never got to see him play. The majority of the people now never did get to see him as a baseball player. But the reason he has made such an impact on the world is because of who he was outside of baseball, the 30-plus years after he retired from baseball. He continued to be an ambassador not just of baseball but of life in general. It's why all the kind words that people are saying about him now is because of the person he was, not the baseball player." — Twins infielder-oufielder Michael Cuddyer.
"Talked to him a couple days ago and he sounded tired. Same thing I went through when I lost my Pops. He's in a better place right now." — Hall of Famer and former Twins teammate Bert Blyleven.
"You shake his hand, still at 70-some years old, and he'd crush your hand. You can see where he got that power." — Twins slugger Justin Morneau.
"A lot of guys out there (in clubhouse) are really sad. We're all honored that at least we had the chance to hang out with him a little and get to know him. He touched a lot of lives out there, not just on the baseball field, but the way you should handle yourself and a little bit about respect." — Twins manager Ron Gardenhire.
Twins' nod to Killebrew: Photo under home plate
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins' tribute to departed slugger Harmon Killebrew includes an old black-and-white photo that will rest beneath home plate at Target Field the rest of the season. Killebrew died Tuesday at his Arizona home of cancer.
Later Tuesday, six members of the Target Field grounds crew slowly lifted home plate and slipped the plastic-encased photo of Killebrew under it, then replaced it. A team spokeswoman says the picture is believed to have been taken at Met Stadium in the 1960s.
It shows Killebrew winding up for a mighty swing. The stadium's video board showed a photo of Killebrew with the years of his life, 1936-2011.
Blue Jays-Tigers rained out
DETROIT (AP) — Most of the Detroit Tigers had a quiet evening Tuesday, waiting out a two-hour rain delay before their game against Toronto was postponed.
Joaquin Benoit, though, lost his job.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland told the media repeatedly before the game that he wasn't going to answer any questions about Benoit's status, but changed his mind a few minutes later.
While recording his pregame radio show with Tigers play-by-play man Dan Dickerson, Leyland confirmed that he was going to take Benoit out of the eighth-inning role. He did not announce a replacement.
Benoit started the season well, but has struggled over the past few weeks. In his last six outings, dating back to April 27, he has allowed 14 runs in five innings. He's lost three of the games.
"Obviously, he's struggling," Leyland said after Benoit lost Monday's game to the Blue Jays. "It's not velocity — his velocity is still good. He's just not able to locate the ball when he throws it."
For the season, Benoit is 1-3 with a 7.98 ERA — a far cry from last season's spectacular performance with the Rays. In 63 games, he put up a 1.34 ERA, allowing just 30 hits in 60 1/3 innings.
That earned him a three-year, $16.5 million deal from the Tigers, and he hasn't figured out why he isn't living up to that money.
"If I knew that, I would give you an answer," he said. "I'm trying to figure that out. Things just aren't working right now."
Benoit insists that he isn't injured, and Tigers pitching coach Rick Knapp doesn't think the problem can be fixed with a simple tweak to his delivery.
"Is it mechanics? I don't think it's mechanics," Knapp said. "I think it's just confidence. To throw the ball down, it isn't something you can think about, you have to leverage it that way. You have to know that you're going to throw the ball down and not have to think about it."
Benoit was booed off the mound after Monday's outing, which saw him allow three runs in his only inning.
"I would love to hear them cheer but right now things are not going right and I can't blame them," he said. "The only thing I can do is try to get better, try to be more consistent, throw strikes early and get people out. If I'm not doing it right now, I can't blame anybody."
The good news for Benoit and his Detroit teammates is that Tuesday's rainout means they won't have to face the red-hot Blue Jays again until late June. This game will be made up on June 27.
Toronto lost three straight to the Tigers from May 7-9, but have won six straight since, including Monday's 4-2 victory.
The Blue Jays offense has been the key to the streak — averaging seven runs a game — and they have done it without Adam Lind, who has been out with a bad back.
Lind is hitting .313 in 32 games, and his 27 RBIs are tied for the team lead with Jose Bautista. He had hoped to return to the Toronto lineup in Detroit, but sustained a setback Monday and was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to May 8.
"He was taking batting practice, and it tightened up on him again," Toronto manager John Farrell said. "We're going to send him down to Florida to our extended spring camp and let him work this out. The good news is that we're already half way into the 15-day period."
The Blue Jays replaced Lind on the roster with one of their top prospects, Eric Thames. The 24-year-old was in his first year at Triple-A Las Vegas, where he was hitting .342.
"I pride myself on my hitting, and I work very hard on it," said Thames, who had been scheduled to make his major-league debut at designated hitter before Tuesday's game was postponed. "I listened to the veterans in spring training, I applied what they told me, and so far, it has been working in my favor."
Farrell said that Thames will split time between leftfield and designated hitter.
"It is important that, when you bring a young guy up, you get him some work," Farrell said. "You don't want to have him up here just to sit around."
NOTES: Farrell will be at the All-Star game in Phoenix as a coach for Texas manager Ron Washington. He also went as a coach in 2008 while working for Boston's Terry Francona, but never made an All-Star game as a pitcher. ... The game will be made up on the night of June 27, which had been an off-day for both teams. ... Toronto will keep their rotation intact, with Tuesday's scheduled starter, Jesse Litsch, pitching Wednesday at home against Tampa Bay. Detroit, though, will skip Rick Porcello's start and let Phil Coke pitch Wednesday in Boston, as originally planned.
Rained-out Red Sox placing Matsuzaka on DL
BOSTON (AP) — Dice-K is headed to the DL with an elbow injury.
The Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona said starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is going on the disabled list to rest his right elbow, which has been bothering him.
Francona wasn't sure how long the Sox would be without Matsuzaka.
"It's impossible," Francona said Tuesday, when the team's game against the Baltimore Orioles was postponed because of rain. "If you put a time period out there, that's not fair to Dice-K. The doctors don't even know."
The Red Sox made the announcement about the rainout shortly before Tuesday's game was scheduled to start as rain created puddles on the tarp covering the infield. Temperatures were in the high 40s and dropping.
No makeup date was immediately announced.
Matsuzaka will be the second Boston starter on the DL this week. The Sox also placed right-hander John Lackey on the 15-day DL on Monday with a strained right elbow, leaving them without a chunk of their rotation indefinitely.
"We're going to get Lack healthy and get him back out there as quickly as we can," Francona said. "We're going to do the same thing with Dice-K."
Matsuzaka had an MRI on Tuesday. Francona says the elbow is sprained and Matsuzaka will be replaced on the roster by RHP Michael Bowden, who was being recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.
The Red Sox had not yet officially made the move as of Tuesday night, when their home game against Baltimore was postponed because of rain.
Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield was scheduled to start Tuesday, but will probably go Sunday instead, Francona said. RHP Clay Buchholz was scheduled to start Wednesday when the Sox open a home two-game series against Detroit — weather permitting.
Matsuzaka also left a start late last month against Seattle with tightness in his elbow. Matsuzaka started Monday's game against Baltimore, but had control problems as he walked seven in 4 1/3 innings. The Red Sox had the MRI done Tuesday as a precaution.
"I know he's had command issues in the past," Francona said. "That's always something to think about when people aren't commanding. It doesn't have to be just a decrease in velocity."
Francona did have some good news about his beleaguered staff: Reliever Bobby Jenks threw from 60 feet and had good velocity. Francona said Jenks will move back gradually through the week before working his way back to the mound. Jenks went on the DL on May 5 with a strained right biceps.
"He did very well. That was good," Francona said.
Royal pounding: Tribe light up Mazzaro for 14 runs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Vin Mazzaro's painful journey Monday night took him all the way from the bullpen to the minor leagues, with a stop in that section of the team record book where nobody wants to be.
It was not a good night for the 25-year-old right-hander. He pitched what the raw numbers will say was the worst game in the history of the Kansas City Royals: 14 runs allowed, including 10 in a nightmarish fourth inning. Mazzaro erased the Royals record and was demoted to Triple-A Omaha immediately after Cleveland's 19-1 victory.
"It's tough. It was a tough game," said Mazzaro, whose ERA rose to 22.74. "Some of the plays didn't go my way. It's a funny game. You've just got to keep battling and attack the zone."
Michael Brantley hit a three-run homer and Travis Hafner had a bases-loaded double to key Cleveland's 10-run fourth. Then Mazzaro, the third Royals pitcher on the night, gave up four more in the fifth. He was charged with 14 runs on 11 hits in 2 1-3 innings, becoming the third major league pitcher since 1947 to allow 14 runs in a game, according to STATS LLC.
Before Mazzaro, the only pitchers since 1947 to get clobbered for 14 runs were Milwaukee's Bill Travers in 1977, and Oakland's Mike Oquist in 1998 against the Yankees.
But those were starters. No reliever had given up 14 runs in the major leagues since 1942, when Lester McCrabb did it for the Philadelphia Athletics, STATS said. The last pitcher to give up 10 runs in an inning was Texas' Scott Feldman against the Red Sox on Aug. 12, 2008.
The previous Kansas City record was 11 runs allowed, which had been done three times.
"We needed him to go out and give us five innings today. It didn't happen," said Royals manager Ned Yost. "He was behind in the count. He just struggled."
After the game, the Royals announced that Mazzaro was going back to Omaha and left-hander Everrett Teaford would be recalled.
Brantley and Matt LaPorta each had four RBIs in the Indians' biggest offensive outburst since scoring 22 runs at New York on April 18, 2009. Hafner and Orlando Cabrera each had three RBIs. LaPorta reached base five times with a walk and four hits.
Yost said he wasn't sure what Mazzaro's problem was.
"I don't know if it's because he's not trusting his stuff or if he's just struggling with command. I think it's more the latter than trusting his stuff. Whatever it is, he's got to throw more strikes."
Starter Kyle Davies (1-6) left after walking the bases full in the first inning and retiring only one batter. The Royals said later that he would have an MRI for soreness in the front of his right shoulder. He was charged with two runs after Nate Adcock gave up a two-run single to Orlando Cabrera.
"We have Cabrera and Hafner and LaPorta, guys who can see a ton of pitches," said Cleveland manager Manny Acta. "On one of those days that the pitcher's not on his game, these guys can wear them out pretty quick and that's how things snowballed. Everybody seemed to have somebody on base when they came up to the plate. That's what happened today."
The Indians scored in the second on an RBI single by Brantley, who set a career high with his four RBIs.
"Michael is a good player, man," said Acta.
Asdrubal Cabrera's RBI single got the Indians rolling in the fourth. Mazzaro then issued Carlos Santana's third walk of the game, and walk No. 7 on the night for the Indians, which loaded the bases.
Hafner then hammered a three-run double into left-center. Orlando Cabrera followed with an RBI single, then Travis Buck singled and LaPorta hit a two-run double that made it 10-0. After Jack Hannahan singled, Brantley hit a 1-1 pitch for a three-run homer and a 13-0 lead.
The Indians, coming off back-to-back rainouts, sent 13 men to the plate in the fourth. For the game, they had a season-high 20 hits, including seven doubles, and drew eight walks.
In the fifth, Buck had an RBI single, LaPorta added a second two-run double and Hannahan brought in a run with an infield out.
Josh Tomlin (5-1) got the win, going six innings and giving up five hits and one run on Billy Butler's infield out in the fourth.
-- Doug Tucker
Posada returns to Yanks lineup, Soriano put on DL
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Jorge Posada returned to the New York Yankees' lineup and will bat seventh, while reliever Rafael Soriano has been put on the disabled list.
Posada was listed as the designated hitter for Tuesday night's game at Tampa Bay. He is hitting .165 this season and pulled himself out of the lineup Saturday soon after he was set to bat ninth.
"To me, it was the place to put him today," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "There's a lot of things that I look at and I just thought it was the place to put him."
Girardi would not commit to Posada, who is hitless against left-handed pitching this season, being the everyday DH.
"I'm going to see how we are day to day," Girardi said. "We're in a long stretch (of games). There's some guys I have to DH from time to time."
Soriano has been troubled by stiffness in his right elbow. He is 1-1 with one save and a 5.40 ERA. Soriano led the AL in saves last year with Tampa Bay, but has struggled this season as the Yankees' setup man. He underwent an MRI exam on Tuesday in New York.
"It came back good," Girardi said. "He's just got a little inflammation. I sure hope (Soriano is back in two weeks). That's the plan. I can't tell you that's what it's going to be. We'll see."
Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson will both get opportunities to pitch in the eighth.
Girardi declined to say if he planned to talk with Soriano about the reliever's comments after the Yankees' sixth straight loss Monday night that the offense and not the bullpen has been a problem recently.
"What I do with my players, I'll try and keep it in house," Girardi said. "He's experiencing frustration like a lot of the other players. I think there's a lot of frustration. Guys' numbers aren't where they're used to being. Our guys aren't used to losing. They're used to winning."
The Yankees called up outfielder Chris Dickerson from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was in the lineup as the right fielder, replacing Nick Swisher, who has flu-like symptoms.
New York second baseman Robinson Cano was in the lineup, one day after fouling a ball just above his left knee during the fourth inning. He stayed in Monday's game, but afterward said his leg was sore and stiff.
"Good," said Cano of his leg. "Beautiful today."
Athletics lefty Braden done for season
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Dallas Braden will not pitch again this season. Now the question is whether he'll be ready by the 2012 opener.
The Oakland Athletics lefty who threw a perfect game last May had surgery Tuesday to repair a torn capsule in his pitching shoulder, ending his season after just three starts and making his return murkier than ever.
"It's a tough part of our business," A's manager Bob Geren said. "We've seen it a lot. It's unfortunate for him. He's going to work hard in his rehab and he's going to do everything he can to get back.
"We're going to miss him for sure."
Braden is Oakland's longest-tenured starting pitcher, and his presence around a young rotation has helped them become one of baseball's best. Fellow lefty Gio Gonzalez still keeps a poster marking Braden's perfect game above his locker that Braden signed: "Open your eyes & shut up your mouth & turn that music down!"
Braden was even text messaging Gonzalez from his hospital bed before Tuesday night's 14-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels, going through the opposing lineup hitter by hitter per their usual pregame routine — even after Braden had surgery. Gonzalez pitched seven innings of one-hit ball in the victory.
"I asked to see how he was doing and Dallas says, 'No, no. This is your day,'" Gonzalez said. "The fact that the guy is on his hospital bed doing this tells you everything about him."
That encouragement — not to mention the usual banter — is something the A's hope Braden can still bring.
"I'm sure he'll be around the locker room still," Geren said. "He's not going anywhere. He'll be around, he'll be the same guy I'm sure. He encourages his teammates. He's a good teammate."
There's no telling exactly how long Braden will be out.
The A's have been vague about his injury, acknowledging for the first time following surgery what most already had suspected: that Braden will miss the rest of the year. Getting ready by opening day might even by a stretch.
Braden's operation was performed in New York by Dr. David Altchek, medical director of the Mets. He conducted a similar surgery on Mets left-hander Johan Santana last September, and New York's ace is expected to be out until at least July.
"That a tough blow for Dallas. All we can do is wish him well and hope he gets back soon," Oakland reliever Brad Ziegler said.
He was 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA this season following his Mother's Day masterpiece against Tampa Bay last year.
Braden was put on the disabled list April 17, a day after he pitched five scoreless innings at Detroit but left early because of a stiff left shoulder. He also sought the opinion of renowned doctors Lewis Yocum and James Andrews.
Braden shored up the back end of a deep and talented rotation that was as good as any in the majors last season. Along with Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson and Gonzalez, the A's rotation led the AL in ERA (3.56) and shutouts (17) last season.
Injured righty Rich Harden is on the 60-day disabled list and limited to throwing on flat ground. With Braden out, Tyson Ross will get the chance to be a rotation regular. Ross is 3-2 with a 2.50 ERA so far in Braden's place.
"We'll miss Dallas for sure," Ziegler said. "At the same time, I feel like we haven't missed a beat with Tyson. Everybody always talks about in basketball that when one guy goes down, it's not like you're playing four on five. Somebody else comes in, and that's the same case here."
-- Antonio Gonzalez
White Sox put 3B Teahen on 15-day DL
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago White Sox put third baseman Mark Teahen on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a strained right oblique muscle and promoted infielder Dallas McPherson from Triple-A Charlotte.
Teahen hasn't played since he was replaced by Omar Vizquel in the seventh inning of Chicago's victory at the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. The 29-year-old Teahen is batting .226 with one homer and four RBIs in 24 games.
"Teahen went out to hit and still feels uncomfortable," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "He can't help us the next couple days and he's already missed five days. We need people up there because we have to pinch-run for a lot of guys, maybe for three or four guys and we were a little short in that department."
Vizquel started at third in Monday night's 4-0 loss against Texas, and Brent Morel hit a tying three-run homer in Tuesday night's 4-3 victory over the Rangers.
McPherson, who was selected by the Angels in the second round of the 2001 draft, had a key pinch-hit single to help the White Sox rally for the win. It was his first hit since Sept. 10, 2008, for Florida at Philadelphia.
"Definitely a great moment," McPherson said moments after the game. "Still trying to remember some of it. Yeah, it was nice to get that one out of the way."
McPherson hit .305 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 31 games with Charlotte before Chicago purchased his contract. He has been hampered by back problems for much of his career.
Royals RHP Danny Duffy to make big league debut
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals plan to bring up Danny Duffy to start against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night in his major league debut.
Duffy, a 22-year-old left-hander, is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in seven starts and 36 innings at Triple-A Omaha. He is among many highly rated prospects the Royals have been bringing along in a minor league system rated among the best in baseball. The Royals will select his contract from the Triple-A Storm Chasers.
On Monday night, following a 19-1 loss to Cleveland, the Royals announced that right-hander Vin Mazzaro was being optioned to Omaha and left-hander Everett Teaford was being recalled.
Minor Leagues
Indians minor leaguer suspended for 50 games
NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Indians minor league outfielder John Drennen has been suspended for 50 games after a positive test.
The commissioner's office says Drennen tested positive for the banned female fertility drug Clomiphene. The drug can be used to boost testosterone as part of a steroids cycle.
Drennen was penalized Tuesday under baseball's minor league drug program. A 24-year-old from Honolulu, Drennen is batting .256 with three homers and 15 RBIs at Double-A Akron of the Eastern League.
There have been 26 suspensions this year under the minor league program. While there have not been any suspensions under the major league program, Manny Ramirez retired rather than face a 100-game ban following a second violation.
