Scott Baker wants to make his mark in Minnesota's playoff chase during the second half of the season. The right-hander did exactly that in his first start after the All-Star break against the slumping Texas Rangers. Baker allowed a run in eight innings and Michael Cuddyer homered as the Twins handed the Rangers their fourth straight loss, 4-1 Saturday night.
Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella has a remedy ready for the next time Alfonso Soriano's power stroke inexplicably disappears. "We'll dislocate a finger a week if it gives us a three-run homer," Piniella wisecracked. Soriano hit a go-ahead three-run shot in the sixth, connecting for the first time in almost six weeks, and the Cubs held on for a 6-5 victory over the Washington…
After Franklin Gutierrez slammed into the center-field fence in the first inning to make a leaping catch, Seattle's Jarrod Washburn jogged over to thank him. "I told him, 'I'm going to make you a star,"' Washburn said. "It seems like every time I pitch, he makes an awesome play." Gutierrez is becoming a star all on his own.
Dan Haren capped off his week in St. Louis by showing his former team what they're missing. The All-Star starter gave up four hits in eight innings while striking out eight as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Cardinals 4-2 Saturday night. In the process, Haren lowered his major league-leading ERA to 1.96.
Second-half success is nothing new for Johan Santana. Beating the Atlanta Braves? Now that was a career first for the left-hander. Santana threw seven scoreless innings to take some pressure off New York's struggling offense and the Mets beat the Braves 5-1 on Saturday. Santana earned his first career victory against the Braves, improving to 1-4 despite his 1.96 ERA in seven career starts against…
Although most of the Angels already were on the bus back to the hotel after another improbably impressive offensive game, catcher Mike Napoli needed an answer to a semi-serious question. "Why are we still scoring runs, man?" Napoli asked All-Star infielder Chone Figgins as they dressed in the mostly empty Coliseum locker room following Los Angeles' 14-hit effort in an 11-6 win over…
When the Baltimore Orioles insisted upon giving away the game, the Chicago White Sox happily accepted the generosity. After Baltimore first baseman Ty Wigginton dropped a routine throw to let Alexei Ramirez reach base in Saturday's fifth inning, Orioles starter Brad Bergesen threw a non-sinking sinker that Jermaine Dye hit for the go-ahead home run.
The St. Louis Cardinals activated utilityman Mark DeRosa from the 15-day disabled list Saturday. DeRosa, who was acquired June 27 from the Cleveland Indians, was in the Cardinals' lineup for three games before hurting his left wrist against San Francisco June 30. The injury was later diagnosed as a partially torn tendon sheath.
Justin Verlander followed the trajectory of the ball and watched helplessly as Alex Rodriguez's opposite-field fly settled softly into the second row of right-field seats. All of a sudden, after six dominant innings, Verlander was losing. Welcome to the new Yankee Stadium. CC Sabathia beat Verlander in a prime pitching matchup that lived up to its billing, and Rodriguez's pop-fly homer sent…
Marc Rzepczynski might need to switch cell phone plans if he keeps pitching this well for the Toronto Blue Jays. All those cross-border calls back to his California home will start costing him a bundle. Adam Lind hit a two-run homer, Rzepczynski earned his first major league win and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 6-2 on Saturday.
