Mike DiFelice hit three doubles as Kansas City and the New York Yankees combined to set an American League record with 19 two-base hits in the Royals’ 12-9 home victory Monday night.
The teams broke the AL mark of 18 doubles by Cleveland and Minnesota on July 13, 1996. The major-league record is 23 by St. Louis and the Cubs on July 12, 1931.
Mike Sweeney, Joe Randa and DiFelice all doubled during a four-run eighth inning off Yankees newcomer Brett Prinz that put the Royals ahead 12-7.
DiFelice drove in three runs as the Royals won their third in a row and sent New York to its third straight loss.
Contreras makes rehab start
After traveling almost 350 miles and appearing on two teams’ rosters Monday, Yankees right-hander Jose Contreras allowed two runs on four hits for Class A Tampa in his first rehabilitation start.
Contreras was scheduled to pitch for the Gulf Coast League Yankees, but after he arrived in Lakeland the game was rained out. Contreras returned to Tampa, picked up a Tampa Yankees uniform and traveled 130 miles down Interstate 75 to Ft. Myers, where he threw 69 pitches, 47 strikes.
Ex-shortstop dies at 98
Former major-league shortstop Billy Rogell, who helped the Tigers beat the Cubs in the 1935 World Series and later became a Detroit city councilman, died at 98. Rogell died Saturday of pneumonia.
After 14 years in the major leagues–with the Tigers, Boston Red Sox and Cubs–Rogell was a councilman for nearly 40 years.
Rogell, born in Springfield, Ill., played for the Tigers from 1930 to 1939, teaming in the infield with Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer and Marv Owen. In 1934, they knocked in at least 100 runs apiece, a total of 462 RBIs for the infield. Rogell hit .267 in 1,481 career games.
MONDAY’S GAMES
RESULTS, SYNOPSIS
Baltimore 3 at Tampa Bay 4
W: Harper (2-6)
L: Carrasco (1-3)
Pinch-hitter Jared Sandberg doubled home the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Tampa Bay tied it 3-3 when Travis Lee hit a two-run, two-out homer in the eighth.
Cleveland 3 at Minnesota 5
W: Lohse (9-9)
L: Westbrook (5-7)
S: Hawkins (1)
Luis Rivas hit a two-run homer and Kyle Lohse pitched smoothly into the ninth inning to lead the Twins to their fourth straight victory and 17th in 25 games since the All-Star break.
N.Y. Yankees 9 at Kansas City 12
W: Carrasco (4-4)
L: Hitchcock (1-3)
The Royals purchased the contract of Paul Abbott, who went 4 2/3 innings in his first major-league start since May 5, 2002. The Yankees’ David Wells was pulled after three innings.
Detroit 3 at Texas 9
W: Benoit (7-5)
L: Sparks (0-5)
Start of the game was delayed 1 hour 51 minutes by rain. Todd Greene’s two-run homer keyed a five-run fifth, and Joaquin Benoit pitched five relief innings, allowing three runs and six hits.
Boston 0 at Oakland 4
W: Hudson (11-4)
L: Martinez (8-3)
In one of the year’s marquee pitching matchups, Tim Hudson threw a two-hitter, handing Pedro Martinez his first loss since May 9. Hudson struck out seven, walked one and faced 28 batters.
Toronto 5 at Seattle 3
W: Hendrickson (7-8)
L: Pineiro (13-7)
S: Lopez (4) Mark
Hendrickson held Seattle to two runs over 6 2/3 innings. Carlos Delgado hit a two-run single with the bases loaded as Toronto scored four in the third to build a 5-1 lead.
