Baseball
San Francisco Giants figuring how to get Edgar Renteria ready
Sep 04, 06:24 AM
By Andrew Baggarly, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.
Sept. 04--Getting Renteria ready a tricky assignment
LOS ANGELES -- The Giants have Edgar Renteria on the active roster. The question: What do they do with him?
Renteria hasn't faced live pitching since Aug. 10, when he went on the disabled list for the third time this season. He declined a minor league rehab assignment and hasn't taken part in any simulated game sessions.
So it wasn't surprising that manager Bruce Bochy used Mike Fontenot, not Renteria, at shortstop against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday when he needed to give Juan Uribe a break. Fontenot's arm is fringy at shortstop, but Bochy said he didn't want Renteria's first start to be against Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez.
Until he gets a few at-bats, it is tough to envision Renteria being useful in a key pinch-hitting situation. But Bochy said he plans to find a start for Renteria soon.
--Rookie outfielder Darren Ford still faces charges of theft and making a false police report in his hometown of Vineland, N.J., stemming from a robbery he reported over the winter. But sources said Ford's legal issues won't affect his availability for the remainder of the season.
Prosecutors are expected to make a plea arrangement with Ford in which he would avoid jail time.
Ford made a stirring major league debut as a pinch runner Wednesday, scoring the tiebreaking run after a wild pitch and an error. The fastest player in the minor leagues
by reputation, Ford figures to be useful as a pinch runner.
Ford declined to comment on his legal matter and deferred questions to his lawyer, who did not return a call placed after regular business hours.
--As expected, the Giants added a 13th pitcher when they activated right-hander Chris Ray from the 15-day disabled list. Ray, who missed 14 games because of a strained right side, allowed seven hits and four runs (two earned) in 12/3 innings for Single-A San Jose on Wednesday.
The Giants are likely to add right-hander Guillermo Mota when he is eligible to return Tuesday. Mota (IT band syndrome) threw off a bullpen mound with no problems.
--Long-locked ace Tim Lincecum went for a haircut, but the look won't dash wig sales at the Giants' gift shop. He just got a couple of inches cut.
-- ANDREW BAGGARLY
-----
To see more of the San Jose Mercury News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.mercurynews.com.
Copyright (c) 2010, San Jose Mercury News, Calif.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Local Roundup: Cabrillo women's volleyball crushes competition to win Modesto tournament
Sep 04, 06:04 AM
By Santa Cruz Sentinel, Calif.
Sept. 04--Cabrillo College women's volleyball team didn't drop a single game en route to its tournament victory at Modesto Junior College on Friday.
The Seahawks routed Los Medanos in the first round 25-7, 25-9, 25-10 before topping host Modesto 25-18, 25-8, 25-15 in the semifinals. Cabrillo beat Solano 25-21, 25-12, 25-17 in the championship.
Sierra Clark led the Seahawks with 30 kills and 10 blocks in the tournament. Setter Brooke Carroll logged 100 assists. Both Clark and Carroll are first-year players from San Lorenzo Valley High.
Michelle Meyer added 14 aces and 33 digs for Cabrillo, while Ally Russo added 21 kills and 21 digs. Shellby Angobaldo also contributed 22 digs for the Seahawks, who are scheduled to play at the Delta College Tournament in Stockton next weekend.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Junior wide receiver Matt Kiel had a hand in two touchdowns Thursday night, but Malone University, an NAIA school, fell to NCAA Division II Tiffin University 31-21 in Tiffin, Ohio.
Kiel, a San Lorenzo Valley High alum, threw a 17-yard touchdown pass for the final score. His touchdown pass, which came on a reverse play, went to tight end Ryan Boland on the first play of the fourth quarter.
He also had a 3-yard touchdown reception and finished with two catches for 50 yards.
Kiel was the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League's co-most valuable player with teammate Harlan Prather for the 2005 football season. He played two seasons at Cabrillo College
and sat out last season to help coach the Cougars.
GIRLS TENNIS
Aptos defeated visiting San Benito 6-1 in the Mariners' season opener.
Hayley Kepler won the No. 1 singles match for the Mariners, topping Hayley Barker 6-2, 6-3. In the No. 2 doubles match, Aptos' Melissa Ramirez and Allison Hoffman beat Alex Garcia and Olivia Diaz 6-4, 6-1.
The Mariners will host Soquel at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday in the teams' Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League openers.
Girls Volleyball
Scotts Valley beat visiting Pacific Collegiate School 25-22, 25-15, 25-23 in nonleague action.
Setter Fan Yang led the Falcons with 22 assists, while Charlotte Locke added seven kills and two blocks.
Corrina Powell had 11 kills for the Pumas. Sara Cashin contributed 10 assists for PCS.
Scotts Valley will play its next game at Pajaro Valley at 6 p.m. Tuesday. PCS will head to Stevenson Thursday.
Sarah Rodriguez hit 10 kills as St. Francis High won its season opener 25-14, 18-25, 25-14, 25-18 over host Del Mar in San Jose on Thursday.
The Sharks host the annual Don Bosco Tournament today. It will feature Mount Madonna, Santa Cruz, Soquel, Monte Vista Christian and several non-county teams.
GIRLS WATER POLO
Santa Cruz went 1-1 over two games in 104-degree temperatures at the Clovis tournament. The Cardinals dropped their first game to host Clovis 12-6 despite Alex Scott's three goals.
Santa Cruz defeated Tulare 5-2 in its second game of the day.
GOLF
Soquel's Nate Smith shot an even-par 71 in the second round of the Nationwide Tour's Mylan Classic at Southpointe Golf Club in Canonsburg, Penn.
Smith's 36-hole total of 3-over 145 wasn't enough to make what would have been his third straight cut and 11th in 19 events on the season.
Men's Soccer
CJ Villalobos and Matt Fondy scored one goal and one assist each to lead UC Santa Cruz past Whitman 4-2 in the Whitworth Tournament in Spokane, Wash.
Matt Pereira and Brian Lafaille split keeper duties for the Slugs, with Lafaille giving up Whitman's only goal in the 77th minute.
Clay Sorenson and Fernando Otero also added goals for the Slugs, who will take on Pacific Lutheran in their next game of the tournament Sunday.
-----
To see more of The Santa Cruz Sentinel or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.santacruzsentinel.com.
Copyright (c) 2010, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Calif.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
NYSE:VLY,
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Pitcher says he's good to go
Sep 04, 05:45 AM
By Larry Larue, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.
Sept. 04--When Ryan Rowland-Smith was sent on a rehabilitation assignment in late July, his manager in Tacoma was Daren Brown -- who took one look at him and saw a pitcher who'd lost his confidence.
On Friday, Rowland-Smith came off the disabled list, rejoined the Seattle Mariners and found interim manager Brown waiting for him.
"He wasn't as confident as I'd seen him before," Brown said of Rowland-Smith's arrival in the minor leagues. "That bothered me. (Confidence is) a big tool that he's always had.
"I've said it before, we can grade out fastballs and grade out offspeed pitches, but what a guy has inside, that's tough to grade that out."
Rowland-Smith came back anxious to pitch again, convinced he'd put his doubts and distractions behind him.
"I'm not worrying about things that I shouldn't worry about," he said. "I was a mess when I left. I'm good to go now."
In five rehab starts with the Rainiers, Rowland-Smith was 2-4 with a 5.11 earned-run average, and Thursday went seven innings and allowed one run.
That came after he'd appeared in 22 games -- 19 starts -- with the Mariners, and went 1-10 with a 6.96 ERA. Now, Rowland-Smith is in the Seattle bullpen. He may get one or two starts late in September, depending upon whether the Mariners want to give Jason Vargas, Doug Fister or David Pauley a break between starts.
ICHIRO'S THE MAN
Ichiro Suzuki has 2,203 hits, good for 172nd place on baseball's all-time list, and he reached the 2,200 plateau in fewer games than anyone since 1945. It took Ichiro 1,559 games to get there -- 110 games faster than the previous quickest, Stan Musial.
BRANYAN BLAST
Russell Branyan's towering home run down the right-field line Thursday was estimated by the Mariners to have traveled 381 feet -- a figure disputed not by Branyan but by a number of Cleveland Indians.
"That thing had to be 481 feet," Cleveland's Travis Hafner said.
Branyan shrugged.
"I hit it good, but we lost," said Branyan, who's had two stints with the Indians and Mariners. "If we'd won, I'd have talked about it."
ON TAP
Seattle plays host to Cleveland today in a 7:15 p.m. game that will be televised on FSN. Probable starting pitchers: Cleveland's Mitch Talbot (8-11, 4.61 ERA) vs. David Pauley (2-6, 4.25).
-----
To see more of The News Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.TheNewsTribune.com.
Copyright (c) 2010, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Farewell to the Portland Beavers: All-decade team for final decade of Beavers baseball
Sep 04, 05:40 AM
By Aaron Fentress, The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.
Sept. 04--The Portland Beavers produced only one PCL Pacific North Division title since their return to Portland in 2001 after a seven-year absence. But they did produce numerous productive players, many of which went on to play for the parent club, the San Diego Padres. Here's a look at The Oregonian's all-decade Beavers lineup.
Catcher -- Luke Carlin (2006-08): His 202 games played rank 12th for the decade and he batted .244 with eight home runs and 65 RBIs. He's now with the Cleveland organization.
First base -- Brian Myrow (2007-08): Led the decade in batting average (.335) while hitting 25 home runs and driving in 132 RBIs (fifth all-time). He is now in the Pittsburgh organization.
Second base -- Craig Stansberry (2007-present): Stansberry has broken several records this season. On Wednesday, he became the modern franchise hits leader (396). Earlier this season, he broke the records for games (428), walks (200) and double (93). He also ranks second in runs (228) and third in RBI (174).
Third base -- Sean Burroughs (2001-02, 2005): Burroughs made a fast rise to the Padres before returning for a stint in Portland. For the Beavers he batted .311 (second) with 14 home runs.
Shortstop -- J.J. Furmaniak (2004-05): Khalil Greene, who spent seven years with the Padres, is more well known but Furmaniak was more productive in Portland, batting. 281 with 31 home runs (seventh) and 120 RBIs (seventh).
Outfielder -- Xavier Nady (2002-04): In 196 games with Portland he batted .298 with 39 home runs (tied for third) and 136 RBIs (fourth). He's currently with the Chicago Cubs.
Outfielder -- Jon Knott (2003-06): Knott was one of the most productive offensive player of the decade. He is the modern franchise leader in runs scored (245), home runs (84) and RBIs (281). He ranks second in games played (390), hits (395) and doubles (89).
Outfielder -- Paul McAnulty (2005-08): Now in the Los Angeles Angels organization, McAnulty ranks second home runs (42) and RBIs (187) and third in hits (323), doubles (75) and batting average (.310).
Designated hitter -- Jack Cust (2006-07): In just 163 games, Cust did enough damage at the plate to rank tied for third in home runs (39) and tied for 12th in RBI (97) while batting .294. He is now in the Oakland organization.
Starting pitcher -- Justin Germano (2004-08): Went 22-20 with a 3.90 ERA (third) in 61 appearances that covered 364 2/3 innings. Ranks second in starts (60) and first in complete games with four.
Starting pitcher -- Tim Stauffer (2004-present): Currently with the Padres, Stauffer is wins leader with a 26-26 record. He had a 4.62 ERA in 90 appearances, including six this season. Led decade in starts (77) and innings pitched (463 1/2) entering this year.
Starting pitcher -- Dennis Tankersley (2001-04): Ranks third in starts (58), wins (19) and innings pitched (336 1/2). His ERA of 4.09 ranks 11th.
Relief pitcher -- Brad Baker (2004-05): The all-time leader in saves with 31, Baker went 5-5 with a 4.26 ERA in 67 games pitched for the Beavers. He had 92 strikeouts in 76 innings pitched.
Manager -- Craig Colbert (2004-06): Managed the Beavers to their only division title in 2004 with an 84-60 record. For his run with the Beavers, had a 222-209 record (.515).
FAREWELL FEATURES Friday: All-decade team for final decade of Beavers baseball. Thursday: Famous names make stops in Portland. Wednesday: A list of some of the greatest Beavers of all-time. Tuesday: Three different parent clubs reached World Series.
-- Aaron Fentress, follow him on Twitter
-----
To see more of The Oregonian, or to subscribe the newspaper, go to http://www.oregonian.com.
Copyright (c) 2010, The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
BRIEF: 'Cats fall out of first
Sep 04, 05:35 AM
By Times Union, Albany, N.Y.
Sept. 04--The Tri-City ValleyCats fell into second place in the NY-Penn League's Stedler Division after a 5-4 loss to the Brooklyn Cyclones Friday evening in Brooklyn.
Connecticut jumped into first place by a half game with a 7-6 win over Aberdeen paired with Tri-City's loss.
The Cyclones scored four runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run home run by James Schroeder. The homer was Schroeder's first of the season.
Tri-City cut Brooklyn's lead to 5-2 in the top of the fifth after an RBI triple by Jacke Healey and an RBI single by Ben Orloff.
Michael Kvasnicka hit his fifth homer of the season -- a two-run shot -- to bring the ValleyCats to within a run in the ninth, but the visitors could not complete the comeback.
Orloff finished 2-for-4 to pace the ValleyCats, who dropped to 37-35. Juan Centeno went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs for the Cyclones (50-23).
-----
To see more of the Times Union, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.timesunion.com.
Copyright (c) 2010, Times Union, Albany, N.Y.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Tigers notes, quotes from Friday's win over Royals
Sep 04, 05:19 AM
By Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press
Sept. 04--AT KAUFFMAN STADIUM, KANSAS CITY, MO.
WHAT HAPPENED: It looked ugly early. Then miraculous late. Then dispiriting, as the Tigers overcame a four-run deficit, took a one-run lead then gave it back up in the eighth inning. That led to extra innings.
Enter Will Rhymes, who stepped to the plate in the top of the 11th with runners on first and second. The hot-hitting second baseman ripped a triple to the right-center gap and blew the game open with a couple of RBIs.
And for the second night in a row, the Tigers won in extra innings.
BEGINNING TO BELIEVE: It's still hard to know, but Ryan Raburn batted in the eighth inning with the score tied and smacked a solo shot off Kansas City reliever Blake Wood. He followed it in the 11th with an RBI single after manager Ned Yost had intentionally walked Johnny Damon to get to him.
All season, Tigers manager Jim Leyland has talked about the outfielder not believing in himself enough. He took another step in that direction against the Royals.
TOUGH LUCK: Royals ace Zack Greinke entered Friday's game with one win and three no-decisions in his past three starts, despite a 2.10 ERA. He had another tough outing against the Tigers. After a dominant first six innings in which he gave up only two hits, Detroit drew two walks and got four hits.
OH, THAT BULLPEN: Daniel Schlereth entered in the bottom of the eighth inning with a one-run lead, one out and no one on base. Alex Gordon, who'd hit five home runs this season, was the first batter he faced. Naturally, he hit a shot to the leftfield seats. He walked the next batter, Brayan Pena. Robbie Weinhardt then took over and got the team through the ninth without allowing a run. Ryan Perry pitched a scoreless 10th and 11th.
A REST IS NICE: But a win is better. Before the game, Leyland said he wanted to give centerfielder Austin Jackson the night off. Then Detroit took the lead late in the game and the manager couldn't resist inserting him for defensive purposes.
-----
To see more of the Detroit Free Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.freep.com
Copyright (c) 2010, Detroit Free Press
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Tigers' Jeremy Bonderman overcomes shaky start
Sep 04, 05:19 AM
By Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press
Sept. 04--KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Alfredo Figaro started throwing pitches with no outs in the bottom of the second inning. Figaro, you may recall, pitches out of the bullpen.
At that moment, Tigers starter Jeremy Bonderman already had given up four runs. He'd walked three. Everyone else who stepped to the plate drilled the ball, or at least it seemed that way.
Then Bonderman induced a fielder's choice from Mitch Maier. And a fly ball from Royals clean-up hitter Wilson Betemit. Five scoreless innings followed.
So what happened?
"I backed off and started locating down better," he said.
He had been, to use his phrase, "all over the place early."
It was a pattern familiar to those who've watched the right-hander over the years. An early bad inning, followed by a run of easy outs.
That turnaround allowed his team its second consecutive extra-inning win, as it beat the Royals, 9-5, Friday night.
"He's a tough guy," said his manager, Jim Leyland. "He's got a lot of heart."
Bonderman needed those attributes in Kansas City, where he took the mound and began throwing more balls than strikes.
"I was frustrated," he said.
Bonderman began throwing more balls than strikes. When he walked off the mound for good with one out in the bottom of the eighth, after striking out power-hitting Billy Butler, he'd thrown 109 pitches, 62 for strikes.
Not a dominating ratio, but considering he'd began the first two innings unable to find the strike zone, a pretty respectable one. Shoulder problems the last few seasons have taken some steam off Bonderman's fastball. This year, he's tried to reinvent himself. That process hasn't always gone so smoothly. Yet with his team facing Zack Greinke, one of the toughest pitchers in the American League, Bonderman gave his team a chance.
The Tigers took advantage, scoring four runs in the seventh inning to tie the game and another in the eighth to take the lead. After Daniel Schlereth gave up a solo home run in the eighth, Robbie Weinhardt, whose pitched well since being recalled from Toledo earlier this week, got his team through the ninth. Ryan Perry, who hasn't pitched so well, threw a scoreless 10th and 11th.
"I had something to prove," Perry said. "I felt like I threw with a little more aggression today."
In the bottom of the 11th, Detroit took advantage of reliever Jesse Chavez. After Alex Avila singled and Casper Wells reached on an error, Will Rhymes smacked a rope into right-center and scampered all the way to third. The triple drove in two runs and broke a 5-5 tie.
"These (young) guys are going to be playing for a while," said clubhouse veteran Johnny Damon.
On Friday night, they only needed to play another half inning. A motivated Perry shut the door. None of that would have mattered, however, if Bonderman had folded in the second inning when the bullpen was already warming up.
Contact SHAWN WINDSOR: 313-222-6487 or swindsor@freepress.com.
-----
To see more of the Detroit Free Press, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.freep.com
Copyright (c) 2010, Detroit Free Press
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Yankees bombard Pawtucket pitching in 10-4 victory
Sep 04, 05:18 AM
By Donnie Collins, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
Sept. 04--MOOSIC -- They clinched their division almost a week ago, and the only thing left for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees to do, at least in theory, is avoid injury and go into the International League playoffs healthy.
The way they attacked the Pawtucket Red Sox pitching staff Friday night, though, it was difficult to tell that the Yankees' season wasn't hanging in the balance.
The Yankees offense ripped four home runs, and starter D.J. Mitchell battled through five innings en route to a convincing 10-4 win over the Red Sox in front of 10,310 fans at PNC Field.
"It's not like we're going to cash in the rest of the season just because we've clinched," said outfielder Chad Huffman, who hit one of the four home runs. "We're going to try to end the season and go into the playoffs on a high note."
For the Yankees, it was their 13th win in their last 17 games, and it got them within one game of South Division champion Durham for best record in the IL, an honor Huffman said would be great to possess at season's end.
Early Friday, the Yankees made it clear they were at least going to play like the league's best.
They scored five times in the first inning, hitting line drives all over the field against Red Sox starter Adam Mills.
Reid Gorecki led off with a triple that bounced just out of right fielder Josh Reddick's reach and skipped to the wall. Eric Bruntlett brought him home with a line drive single to center to make it 1-0.
Then, the big bats came out.
Jesus Montero hit a deep drive over the left-center field wall to make it 3-0, giving him his team-leading 19th homer of the year. Three batters later, Colin Curtis turned a pitch from Mills and ripped it over the wall in right-center.
It was 5-0 by the time the assault was done. Although it did end up pounding out 14 hits, Pawtucket never fully recovered on the scoreboard.
The Yankees' young right-hander had something to do with that.
Mitchell allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings, but he struck out seven and helped get the Yankees out of several jams to keep the Red Sox at bay. And although the Red Sox did cut the lead to 6-3 in the fourth, homers by Huffman in the fifth and Jorge Vazquez in the sixth helped the Yankees add on to the lead.
"Pawtucket always swings the bats well against us," Yankees skipper Dave Miley said. "I thought Mitchell minimized the damage, if you will.
"They had their hits. We just happened to some of ours over the fence."
Contact the writer: dcollins@timesshamrock.com
-----
To see more of The Times-Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/.
Copyright (c) 2010, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Cardinals' Garcia cools off Reds in series opener
Sep 04, 05:13 AM
By Joe Strauss, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Sept. 04--The Cardinals began their "Last Stand" Friday night at Busch Stadium. First to the ramparts was a 24-year-old lefthander who has represented a constant within an otherwise frantic three-week retreat.
Jaime Garcia did to the Cincinnati Reds what he has done in each of four starts against them this season. He beat them by making enough good pitches to escape a minefield of explosive at-bats and dangerous jams.
This time the rookie Garcia also stemmed his team's five-game losing streak, which came at the end of a grotesque 2-8 road swoon. Given an early 3-0 lead, Garcia dug in for 62/3 innings before handing off a one-run advantage that his bullpen nursed for a 3-2 win before 43,540 at raucous Busch Stadium.
"He knows what's at stake, not just who we're playing but we've had trouble winning a game," said manager Tony La Russa.
The Cardinals' last two wins have come behind Garcia (13-6), the organization's first rookie to reach 13 victories since Alan Benes in 1996.
Garcia's recent rush included a string of 192/3 scoreless innings that ended in Friday's third inning along with a tear of 222/3 innings without an earned run.
"It's a big win for us no matter who we're playing," Garcia said.
The math has long since turned nasty against the Cardinals. Friday's win pulled them within seven games of the Reds' division lead with 30 remaining. But Friday a struggling team found itself embraced by a crowd that did its best to manufacture a playoff atmosphere. Stoked by last month's scrum in Cincinnati, Friday's gathering turned on the volume early and never backed off. Reliever Kyle McClellan recognized the faithful as a 12th man. Shortstop Brendan Ryan said succinctly, "If you didn't feel something tonight, you're dead."
"Were they going to show up? Were they going to be loud?" McClellan wondered. "We were scuffling."
The Cardinals and their backers made official they retain a pulse against a team that has won five of its last six series.
Playing from ahead the entire game after reaching Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo for two first-inning runs and a second-inning add-on, the Cardinals improved to 52-17 when scoring first.
Garcia beat the Reds for the fourth time in as many tries this season. La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan had manipulated the rotation to give Garcia the start and were rewarded by the team's cleanest game in two weeks. Once prone to wandering focus, especially when given a lead, Garcia never wavered Friday.
"I do my best to stay focused no matter what the score or what's going on," said Garcia, who also started the Aug. 10 game at Great American Ball Park that erupted into a first-inning scrum between the two teams. "Just go to the next inning, the next batter, whatever it is. I think I did a pretty good job tonight."
The Cardinals managed four of their six hits the first time through the order against Arroyo, who suffered his third loss in his last three outings against the Redbirds.
Only 1-8 in one- and two-run games in August, the Cardinals played crisp enough defense to parlay their early avalanche of offense into a win. Mitchell Boggs wriggled from a seventh inning jab before McClellan sidestepped two eighth-inning walks.
Ryan Franklin secured his 23rd save in 25 chances with two infield foul outs before eliminating catcher Ramon Hernandez with a strikeout. The one-run win was the Cardinals' first since July 30. Friday marked only the second day the Cardinals gained ground on the Reds since completing a three-game sweep in Cincinnati on Aug. 11.
Second baseman Brandon Phillips was the target of ire all night. Phillips, who ignited hard feelings by describing the Cardinals as whiny female dogs before last month's series, endured an 0-for-four night.
The Reds likewise did enough to cost themselves an opportunity to jack their NL Central lead to nine games.
Arroyo might have escaped with a one-run first inning if right fielder Chris Heisey had been able to corral Jon Jay's ball as it hugged the right-field corner, scoring Skip Schumaker. The extra base came into play when first baseman Albert Pujols drove a sacrifice fly for his 96th RBI and a 2-0 lead.
Garcia confounded a drawn infield in the second inning. After Ryan led off with a single, Garcia chopped a hit-and-run ball over first baseman Joey Votto for a double. With Ryan at third base, Schumaker then bounced a right-side grounder to score Ryan for a 3-0 lead.
The Reds managed at least one baserunner against Garcia in every inning after the first but broke through only on shortstop Paul Janish's second-inning home run and left fielder Jonny Gomes' third-inning double, which scored Scott Rolen from first base. A golden chance to tie the game vanished when Gomes was thrown out trying for third base as Rolen scored.
Gomes' mistake was not the last to harm the Reds in a close-quarters game.
Heisey doubled to lead off the seventh inning, forcing Reds manager Dusty Baker to decide whether to play for a tie on the road. With the Cardinals' bullpen activated, Baker asked Janish to bunt Heisey to third base, but the move backfired as Janish failed on two bunt attempts before taking a third strike.
Pinch hitter Miguel Cairo advanced Heisey with a ground ball before La Russa imported Boggs to face righthanded-hitting Drew Stubbs, who struck out looking to end the threat.
Garcia continues to grow as a Rookie of the Year candidate. Friday's outing left his ERA at 2.35. He is 6-2 the last two months and pulled himself from an early August funk in which he surrendered 12 runs (eight earned) in 101/3 innings in consecutive starts.
"It's just being able to go out there and not try to do too much," Garcia said. "At that time I felt I was going through a little tired stretch. ... Those games when I struggled helped me to learn a lot mentally. I'm not saying it won't happen again. But I learned from that."
-----
To see more of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.stltoday.com.
Copyright (c) 2010, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.
Astros fall 4-3 to Diamondbacks in series opener
Sep 04, 05:10 AM
By David Barron, Houston Chronicle
Sept. 04--PHOENIX -- On a night the Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks flirted at the margins of success, it took a slice here and a spin there in Arizona's dry heat, filtered through the roof at Chase Field, to cool the Astros.
Pinch hitter Augie Ojeda's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning scored Ryan Roberts to give the Diamondbacks a 4-3 victory before 24,478 on Friday night and snap the Astros' three-game winning streak.
The Diamondbacks produced runs with the help of two balls that sliced down the left-field line beyond the reach of Carlos Lee, and the Astros benefited from a slice down the right-field line by starter Brett Myers, who recorded his 28th consecutive start of at least six innings but did not figure in the decision.
"The effort was there," said Astros manager Brad Mills. "It's just that the ball was spinning away.
"You saw them dive for a ball, too, that ended up for an extra-base hit."
First loss for Lopez
Success also was just beyond the Astros' reach in the eighth, when Arizona scored to break a 3-3 tie.
Roberts' leadoff double off Wilton Lopez (5-1) got over Hunter Pence's head to the base of the right-field wall. Roberts took third on outfielder Gerardo Parra's groundout and scored when Ojeda, hitting for relief pitcher Aaron Heilman (5-5), flied to medium center and Michael Bourn's throw was high and wide of the plate.
Myers allowed a run in the first inning for the first time in a month and went on to surrender seven hits and three earned runs to go with three walks and four strikeouts.
He trailed 3-2 through six after working his way out of a bases-loaded jam, but the Astros tied it in the seventh inning to get him off the hook.
"I couldn't get my curveball in, and it was tough for me to go out there without my best stuff," Myers said. "I had to pitch around hits and walks, and it was tough.
"Sometimes the balls find a hole, and in this case they did."
Even without his best stuff, however, Mills credited Myers for keeping the Astros in the game.
"He may not have been as sharp at the start, but then he started throwing the ball and was kind of vintage Myers," Mills said. "Baserunners got on in the fifth and sixth, but he worked around them."
Arizona's first seeing-eye strike, a double by Adam LaRoche, scored Stephen Drew with the game's first run in the first.
But Myers retired 12 of the next 13 batters, and the Astros tied it with three singles in the fourth off Diamondbacks starter Daniel Hudson.
Making a splash
In the fifth, the Astros took a 2-1 lead when Myers dropped a double down the line that just eluded Parra.
He took third on Bourn's groundout and scored when Angel Sanchez sliced a pitch to right.
"I just closed my eyes and swung, I guess," Myers said. "(Hudson) had good stuff, and I just happened to run into something and got it right on the foul line."
But the Diamondbacks retook the lead in the fifth. Lee attempted to make a diving catch on Parra's opposite-field fly slicing toward the line, and the ball bounced into the corner as Parra turned it into a triple.
Myers struck out Hudson but walked Drew, gave up a game-tying single to Chris Young and then allowed another base hit to LaRoche, scoring Drew to make it 3-2.
The Diamondbacks lifted Hudson after six, and pinch hitter Brian Bogusevic, batting for Myers, led off the seventh with his first major league hit, a ground-rule double into the swimming pool section behind the 376-foot sign in right center.
Bogusevic, the converted pitcher who was one of the Astros' September call-ups, took third on Bourn's single and scored when shortstop Orlando Sanchez grounded into a double play to make it 3-3.
"That's what these guys are here for, to get some experience," Mills said. "It was Bogusevic's first big league hit, and it was a good one.
"We need to get the young guys into some close games."
david.barron@chron.com
-----
To see more of the Houston Chronicle, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.HoustonChronicle.com.
Copyright (c) 2010, Houston Chronicle
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544).
NYSE:MYE,
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.