MLB News

It’s official: Gagné no longer closer
"Ned Yost made official Sunday what Eric Gagné had made a foregone conclusion Saturday. Gagné is no longer the Milwaukee Brewers' closer. Yost, the team's manager, didn't make the decision despite three blown saves in Gagné's last six chances and another ninth-inning debacle Saturday, so Gagné took it upon himself to unofficially demote himself by saying he no longer deserved to be the closer and that negative thinking was hurting his performance."
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel May 12
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Marlins run power sweep
"Dan Uggla didn't get mad, but he got more than even. Drilled with the first pitch he saw Sunday - a retaliation strike for the grand slam he hit the night before - Uggla bounced back to hit two home runs and score three times to help the Marlins rally to their seventh straight win."
Palm Beach Post May 12
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Cardinals run into trouble
"The Cardinals didn't run out of time Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers. They instead ran themselves out of innings. A 5-3 loss at Miller Park was enough to make manager Tony La Russa second-guess one fourth-inning move and first baseman Albert Pujols defend a complicated day on the bases."
St Louis Post Dispatch May 12
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Ah, Holm on Mother’s Day
"With his mother, Bobbie, watching in the stands, Holm hit his first major league home run, a two-run shot in the seventh inning. Giants officials tracked down the fan who caught the ball in the left field bleachers, and the 28-year-old rookie traded some equipment for it. It was a gift his teammates gladly shared, because it put the Giants ahead in a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at AT&T Park."
Oakland Tribune May 12
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Athletics whip Texas Rangers, 12-6
" In other words, it was "one of those games." Or, as it used to be known: April. For the first time in nearly two weeks, the Rangers were sloppy in a 12-6 loss to Oakland. While the Rangers won the three-game series (their fifth consecutive series win), they saw their five-game winning streak end."
Dallas Morning News May 12
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Debut reveals flashes in loss
"Just 22, Reynolds is officially a big-leaguer. He has three baseballs, a printed-out lineup card and a loss to prove it. Reynolds showed off his cannonball sinker, but two errant fastballs became souvenirs, spoiling his debut as the Rockies fell 6-1 to the last-place San Diego Padres."
Denver Post May 12
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Texas Rangers place Millwood on DL, call up rookie
"A day after his start lasted just 12 pitches, Kevin Millwood was was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained right groin. Right-hander Doug Mathis' contract was purchased from Triple-A Oklahoma to add immediate bullpen depth. Mathis, 5-0 at Oklahoma, is expected to get his first major league start May 20 at Minnesota."
Dallas Morning News May 12
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Astros dodge no-hitter, loss with late-inning rally
"The Astros righthander had pitched well, but Hiroki Kuroda of the Los Angeles Dodgers was untouchable for 6 2/3 innings. One inning after Hunter Pence broke up Kuroda's no-hit bid in the seventh, however, the Astros took Chacon out of the decision with a six-run rally to complete an 8-5 come-from-behind victory at Dodger Stadium."
Houston Chronicle May 12
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Tigers’ Sheffield showing improvement
"Instead of one less game for Gary Sheffield, Sunday's Tigers-Yankees rainout could mean one more game. Sheffield wasn't going to be in Sunday's lineup, but by the time a makeup game against the Yankees is played -- a date hasn't yet been determined -- his bat could be a vital part of the offense again. After a long slump, Sheffield could be headed in that direction. He went 5-for-15 on the home stand, raising his average 23 points to .208."
Detroit News May 12
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Manny Ramirez meets the ’Gold’ standard in left
"Forget 500 home runs, Manny Ramirez has his eyes on another prize - a Gold Glove. But, according to Ramirez, there’s one problem. “How am I going to win a Gold Glove if they take me out in the eighth (inning),” said the Sox left fielder, repeating a line he has passed through the clubhouse since he was removed for defensive replacement Jacoby Ellsbury on Friday night against the Twins."
Boston Herald May 12
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Rain gives Blue Jays extra day to ponder
"The rain washed out Sunday's game, giving the Toronto Blue Jays another 24 hours or so to try to figure out whatever has become of their bats. Maybe the Jays should plan a team excursion to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to see whether that might rekindle some passion in their dead wood."
The Globe and Mail May 12
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Romero can’t hold lead, Phils fall to Giants
"When it comes to protecting a lead, he's equal parts reliever and security guard. So, it was positively shocking to see Romero surrender a two-out, two-run home run to Giants rookie backup catcher Steve Holm in the seventh inning Sunday, turning a one-run lead into a 4-3 loss in the finale of a three-game series along the San Francisco Bay."
Courierpost May 12
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Cubs complete sweep of Diamondbacks
"When it was all over, the Cubs had not only gained playoff revenge with a series sweep of Arizona but had slipped into a virtual tie with St. Louis for first place in the Central Division. "We feel like it was a little bit of payback for us, [since] they beat us in the playoffs last year," said Daryle Ward, whose eighth-inning pinch double scored the final two runs in a 6-4 victory as the Cubs battled from behind for the third straight day."
Chicago Tribune May 12
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Atlanta-Pittsburgh game rained out, set for today
"Sunday's game will be made up as part of a doubleheader starting at 12:35 p.m. today. Jair Jurrjens will start the first game for Atlanta against Zach Duke, and Pittsburgh's John Van Benschoten will face Tim Hudson in the nightcap. Duke and Jurrjens had been the scheduled starters Sunday."
Athens Banner Herald May 12
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Floyd a one-hit wanderer
"And in the end, the only memories the Sox players would have of Mother's Day at the park, besides their pink bats and pink facial hair, was another one that got away in the 6-3 loss. ''He struggled the whole game,'' Guillen said. ''He tried to battle through it, and he couldn't.''"
Chicago Sun Times May 12
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O’s hold off Royals
"Kevin Millar hit a three-run homer and finished with three hits to help the Orioles beat Kansas City 6-5 on a rainy Saturday night for their 12th straight victory over the Royals.Millar, who entered hitting just .186 in his previous 15 games..."
Baltimore Sun May 11
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He’s getting it under control
"His performances so far have been fraught with tedium, but Daisuke Matsuzaka's sophomore season is becoming quite impressive.Shaking off an eight-walk performance last Monday in Detroit, the righthander improved to 6-0 with a seven-inning effort in a 5-2 win over Minnesota last night."
Boston Globe May 11
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Nightmare day, highlight night
"With their two struggling starting pitchers paired in a day-night doubleheader, the Reds potentially were looking at a very long day.That possibility became more real when they dropped the first game 12-6 to the New York Mets Saturday afternoon as Matt Belisle allowed..."
Cincinnati Enquirer May 11
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D-Backs fall apart vs. Cubs
"The Cubs scored six times in the seventh inning against the Diamondbacks bullpen to snatch away what would have been Scherzer's first big-league win and grab a 7-2 victory in front of 41,597 on a chilly Saturday afternoon."
Arizona Republic May 11
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Bullpen leads Texas Rangers past Oakland, 6-4
"The bullpen's scoreless streak is over. So is the entire pitching staff's. But the one streak that really matters – the winning streak – remains intact for the Rangers.On a night when starter Kevin Millwood's groin tightened up in the first inning, the bullpen gave the Rangers..."
Dallas Morning News May 11
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One swing decks Jimenez
"His talent is chilling. The lapses are maddening.One moment Ubaldo Jimenez is da Vinci. The next, he's Etch-A-Sketchy. Saturday's potential masterpiece was spoiled by a fourth-inning ink spill, the Rockies falling 3-2 to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park."
Denver Post May 11
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Yankees get jump on Bonderman, Tigers
"Think of it this way: Saturday could have been worse, much worse.Remember, Yankees dynamo Alex Rodriguez remains sidelined because of a quadriceps injury and the Tigers did get a double play in the first with the bases loaded.In other words, the Tigers were lucky they only lost 5-2."
Detroit News May 11
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Jays’ Wells has broken wrist
"The bad news just keeps on coming for the Toronto Blue Jays.The club announced Saturday that centrefielder Vernon Wells has suffered a broken left wrist and will be lost to the team for six to eight weeks.The Blue Jays also said that relief pitcher Jeremy Accardo is suffering from a right forearm strain."
The Globe and Mail May 11
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Astros’ bats stay hot in 5-0 win over Dodgers
"An inning later, his offense had given him two more runs to work with against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Sampson did not need that much support on a night he threw seven scoreless innings as the Astros beat the Dodgers 5-0 before a crowd of 45,212."
Houston Chronicle May 11
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Royals’ skid against Orioles hits 12 in 6-5 loss
"It’s becoming an art form — all right, an excruciating art form — the way the Royals keep finding ways to come up short against the Baltimore Orioles.Saturday’s 6-5 loss extended the streak to 12 in a row and included a rain delay of 1 hour, 52 minutes in..."
Kansas City Star May 11
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