The Red Sox wasted no time doing what they couldn't do for 31 straight innings during their previous three games: Score. Boston led 2-0 after facing just 10 pitches, hit three homers and ended a season-long six-game losing streak with a 6-5 win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night. "We desperately needed to find a way to win a game," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said, "and…
The Blue Jays parted ways with popular teammate Alex Rios in the visitor's clubhouse just before the first pitch Monday night, their task of slowing down the streaking New York Yankees made that much more difficult. The Yankees had won seven straight, and were fresh off their first four-game home sweep of bitter rival Boston in 24 years.
In a season of big streaks, the Florida Marlins are suddenly back in the hunt in the NL East. Rick VandenHurk pitched five effective innings, five Florida players had at least one RBI and the Marlins beat the Houston Astros 8-6 on Monday night for their fourth straight win. "It was nice to come out and not be flat," Marlins catcher John Baker said, referring to the Marlins' first game…
Troy Tulowitzki has hit for the cycle in the Rockies' game against the Cubs, getting a triple in the seventh inning to become the fifth Colorado player to achieve the feat. Tulowitzki homered in the first, singled in the second and doubled in the fourth Monday as part of a 4-for-4 night. He also tied a career high with five RBIs.
Aaron Boone is back playing baseball, appearing in a minor league game in Texas less than five months after open-heart surgery. Boone batted second Monday night for the Corpus Christi Hooks, a Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. He swung at the first pitch and popped up to the first baseman in foul territory.
Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams has been given a ticket for jaywalking by the Seattle Police Department. Williams was cited Monday outside Safeco Field for illegally crossing a street away from a crosswalk. The GM was on his cell phone after exiting a cab and was on his way into the stadium hours before his team's game against the Mariners when a traffic-control officer nabbed…
Alex Rios showed up at Yankee Stadium and saw his name in the starting lineup Monday night. He left the ballpark a few hours later, on his way to join the White Sox and a pennant race. The two-time All-Star was claimed off waivers by Chicago and learned the news about 30 minutes before the first pitch between the Blue Jays and New York Yankees.
Center fielder Chris Young, in a season-long offensive funk, has been optioned to Triple A Reno by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Young was hitting .194 with 23 doubles, seven home runs and 28 RBIs in 103 games when he was sent down Monday. He had two hits in his last 30 at-bats, and his average has not been above .205 since April 30.
Scott Rolen tried to put an end to his feud with Tony La Russa, stopping by the Cardinals manager's office Monday in his first trip back to Busch Stadium since his trade almost two seasons ago. The Cincinnati Reds' third baseman is out indefinitely with concussion-related symptoms after being beaned by the Cubs' Jason Marquis, and is unlikely to play during a three-game series against…
The widow of New York Yankees great Mickey Mantle has died at a hospice facility in Plano, Texas. She was 77. Family spokesman Marty Appel said Monday night that Merlyn Mantle died from the effects of Alzheimer's disease. She had not appeared in public since last August, at a private dinner before a memorial for former Yankees star Bobby Murcer.
