The Sports Xchange
National League notebook — Monday, April 23, 2012
Arizona: RHP Ian Kennedy is 2-0 in his three home starts this season after beating Atlanta to stop a five-game losing streak Sunday and has not lost at Chase Field in almost 11 months. Kennedy is 10-0 in 14 home starts since he lost to Florida, 5-2, on May 31, 2011. … CF Chris Young (right shoulder) is expected to be out longer than the 15 days required for his stay on the disabled list, manager Kirk Gibson said. … SS John McDonald was walked intentionally Sunday, after Atlanta RHP Randall Delgado got to a 2-0 count with runners on second and third, two out and Kennedy up next. It was McDonald’s first intentional walk in 891 career games. Kennedy then walked, too, for his first RBI of the season.
Atlanta: LHP Mike Minor has allowed only one earned run in 15 1/3 innings, and RHP Brandon Beachy hasn’t allowed any runs in 14 1/3 innings. The key to the improvement of both second-year pitchers is cutting down on walks. After three starts for each of them, Minor has issued five walks, Beachy six. … 3B Chipper Jones went into the series at Los Angeles with a .240 average at Dodger Stadium. That’s his lowest career average at any stadium where he has played at least 20 games.
Chicago: RH reliever Michael Bowden was activated after being acquired Saturday from Boston in a trade for CF Marlon Byrd. To make room, the Cubs designated RH reliever Rodrigo Lopez for assignment. Manager Dale Sveum said the Cubs would like to keep Lopez in the organization to start at Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa if he clears waivers. Bowden, 25, will be used in middle relief. He is a Chicago-area native and resident. “I grew up a Cubs fan,” he said. “I’m so grateful to be here. This is an awesome opportunity.” … SS Starlin Castro was OK and in the lineup one day after being hit on the left elbow by a pitch from the Reds’ Johnny Cueto. “He slept on his right elbow,” Sveum said.
Cincinnati: LH reliever Aroldis Chapman finally walked a batter after going 9 2/3 innings without a walk. Last season, he had a 1 1/3-inning stretch over four appearances in which he walked 12. “He had some things on his mind,” manager Dusty Baker said. “That’s part of it. The difference in the concentration level when you have things on your mind and when your mind is clear is big. It’s a very delicate mental game. He’s more relaxed. He’s more engaging. He knows our society, our system better.” … Not only is IF Willie Harris batting .077. He started at second base on Sunday and made an error, and he also bunted back to the pitcher on a safety squeeze. The runner at third was out easily.
Colorado: Because the Rockies are off Thursday, Monday’s postponement won’t force them to change their pitching rotation later this week. LHP Jamie Moyer, who had been scheduled to start Monday, will pitch tonight, weather permitting. RHP Juan Nicasio was pushed back from tonight to one game of the doubleheader Wednesday, when RHP Jhoulys Chacin is scheduled to take his normal turn. … RH reliever Matt Belisle has made seven appearances and has allowed one hit and one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings with no walks and six strikeouts. He also has stranded four inherited runners, including men on first and second with no out Sunday and the Rockies leading 3-1.
Houston: C Jason Castro’s fourth-inning triple Sunday froze Dodgers CF Matt Kemp, who had to chase down the ball to Tal’s Hill in center field. Did Castro entertain the idea of an inside-the-park home run? “I rounded second and I was hoping (Kemp) was getting it in,” Castro said. … LHP Wandy Rodriguez, who has a 1.96 ERA, finally got his first win Sunday, 12-0. It was the Astros’ largest margin of victory in a shutout since they routed the Cubs 12-0 on July 1, 2007. In that game, too, Rodriguez allowed three hits while working seven scoreless innings.
Los Angeles: RH reliever Josh Lindblom, with a 0.00 ERA through 9 2/3 innings through Sunday, became the first Dodgers reliever to open his season with seven scoreless appearances since teammate Matt Guerrier opened 2011 with eight scoreless appearances and 10 2/3 scoreless innings. … C A.J. Ellis had seen 4.71 pitches per plate appearance this season before Monday, second in the National League to OF Jason Kubel of the Diamondbacks. Ellis led the Dodgers with 11 walks in the first 12 games.
Miami: SS Jose Reyes hopes he will receive a warm reception today when he plays in New York for the first time this year. “You know New York,” the ex-Met said with a smile. “You don’t know how they’re going to react. Hopefully it’s in good way.” … 2B Omar Infante, who has been out because of a sore left groin, is expected to return tonight. He was the Marlins’ hottest hitter, batting .325 before he was hurt, but his only appearance in the last four games was to pinch hit on Saturday. His last start was April 17.
Milwaukee: RHP Wily Peralta made his major league debut Sunday in relief. A starter in the minors and considered the Brewers’ top prospect, Peralta was summoned to provide depth in the bullpen with RH reliever Kameron Loe away on bereavement leave. The 22-year-old allowed three hits and one run in his inning. … CF Nyjer Morgan has been unable to get going at the plate after batting .304 in his first season with the Brewers in 2011. An 0-for-3 showing Sunday left Morgan with one hit in his last 20 at-bats and a .119 average.
New York: IF Ronny Cedeno (strained muscle in rib cage) was placed on the disabled list, and RH reliever Jeremy Hefner was called up from Class AAA Buffalo. Hefner made his major league debut in the fifth inning of the first game of the doubleheader and pitched three scoreless innings. … IF Jordany Valdespin joined the Mets as part of Major League Baseball’s new taxi squad provision, which allowed the Mets to delay activating him until after their doubleheader. One of the organization’s top overall prospects, Valdespin had been playing shortstop, second base and center field at Buffalo; he likely will be limited to middle infield with the Mets.
Philadelphia: RF Hunter Pence was out of the lineup because he injured his left shoulder while trying to make a diving catch Sunday. “I felt it after it happened, but I had adrenaline going,” he told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Until this morning when I woke up, I didn’t have the mobility that you need.” … IF Joe Thurston was released to make room on the 40-man roster for IF Mike Fontenot, who was added to the Class AAA roster after completing extended spring training. Thurston, whom the Phillies signed on March 28 after he was released by Houston, was hitting .207 at Class AAA.
Pittsburgh: RHP Jeff Karstens is getting a second opinion of his recent shoulder exams from Dr. James Andrews, but GM Neal Huntington said there is no indication Andrews will recommend surgery. “There’s been nothing at this point that’s changed our initial diagnosis,” Huntington said. Andrews often merely provides a confirmation of the diagnosis. … OF Adalberto Santos is making an immediate impact with his Class AA debut. Santos, 24, batted .469 in his first 10 games with Altoona (Pa.), including a 12-for-22 tear last week. He was a 22nd-round draft pick in 2010.
St. Louis: An MRI showed no structural damage in CF Jon Jay’s sore right shoulder, and team officials said they do not plan to put him on the disabled list. Jay was sent back to St. Louis to be re-examined after he missed all three starts in Pittsburgh. “We were hoping he would be a little farther along than he was,” said manager Mike Matheny. He experienced discomfort in a batting practice session Sunday. … RH reliever Mitchell Boggs continued his outstanding work as the setup man Sunday, getting three outs in facing two hitters (one was a double play) in the eighth inning. In nine innings, Boggs had given up one earned run, fanned nine and walked no one.
San Diego: RHP Anthony Bass is 1-1 in three starts this season with a 2.35 ERA but is having problems with pitch efficiency. Although he completed six innings for the first time as a starter Sunday, he threw 100 pitches, making his average for three starts 18.2 pitches per inning. He is also averaging 5.9 walks per nine innings in his three starts, the same as his hits average for nine innings. … 2B Orlando Hudson is riding a six-game hitting streak, going 7-for-21 with two triples, two walks and two RBI. He has raised his batting average from .097 to .192.
San Francisco: IF Ryan Theriot (flu) was back with the team Sunday after being out all weekend and struck out as a pinch hitter in the first game of the doubleheader. IF Emmanuel Burriss has been playing second base with Theriot out and 2B Freddy Sanchez still on the disabled list and made two excellent defensive players in the opener. … The Giants went into Monday tied for the major league lead with 19 errors in their first 14 games. But when they played a spotless game defensively in the opener, it was the third time in the last four games that they didn’t commit an error.
Washington: RHP Stephen Strasburg has been dominant through his first four starts. He’s 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA and would be 3-0 if RH reliever Brad Lidge hadn’t given up a two-run game-tying home run in the ninth inning Saturday. Strasburg has shown his power and control again with 25 strikeouts and only six walks in 25 innings. … CF Rick Ankiel is off to a good start in his first week back off the disabled list. He hit .280 (7-for-25) in the first seven games and gave the Nationals solid play in center field.
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