Cardinals Drop One To Dodgers, Biogensis Suspensions, ML Roundup

Dodgers Edge Cards, Extend Road Win Streak

(St. Louis, MO) -- The Dodgers extended their franchise-best road winning streak to 15 games with a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Zack Greinke improved to 9-3 with six-and-two-thirds innings of two-run ball while. He also knocked in a run at the plate for Los Angeles, which has won 32 of its last 39 games. Andre Ethier and A.J. Ellis also drove in a run for the Dodgers while Paco Rodriguez earned his second save. Adam Wainwright fell to 13-7 after allowing three runs in seven innings for St. Louis. Carlos Beltran and Allen Craig drove in a run each with a groundout as the Cards lost their second in three games.

 

White Sox Pound Yankees During A-Rod's Return

(Chicago, IL) -- The White Sox made Alex Rodriguez's return to a baseball field unpleasant by beating the Yankees 8-1 at U.S. Cellular Field. A-Rod played for the first time this season after recovering from hip surgery, while also dealing with the cloud of Major League Baseball's suspension because of his link to the Biogenesis scandal. He went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in his return as New York lost its third in four games. Alex Rios was 2-for-4 with four RBI and Alexei Ramirez was 4-for-5 with two RBI for Chicago. Jose Quintana pitched 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball to move 6-3. The Sox ended a ten-game slide with the win. Andy Pettitte was rocked for seven runs in less than three innings as he fell to 7-9. Vernon Wells was 3-for-4 for New York in defeat.

 

Rangers Dump Angels

(Anaheim, CA) -- The Rangers continued their season-long domination of the Angels with a 5-2 win at Anaheim in the opener of a three-game set. Texas has won eight of ten from Los Angeles including a three-game sweep to close out the month of July. Martin Perez improved to 4-and-3 dealing 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts. Adrian Beltre hit a solo homer, his 24th of the season. Texas is 63-50. Angels second baseman Howie Kendrick left the game in the fifth inning with a hyperextended left knee.  Mark Trumbo cracked a two-run shot in the loss. Jerome Williams dropped to 5-8 for LA which is 3-8 in its last 11 games.

 

Tigers Rally In Ninth To Beat Indians

(Cleveland, OH) -- Tigers catcher Alex Avila lifted the go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to give the Tigers a 4-2 win over the Indians in the opener of a four-game set at Progressive Field. Detroit leads Cleveland by four games in the American League Central. Cleveland led 2-0 heading into the final inning before closer Chris Perez imploded. He was responsible for all four runs and didn't record an out as he blew his third save and took his second loss of the year. Victor Martinez plated the first run with a single. Reliever Al Alburquerque earned his second win and Joaquin Benoit his 13th save.

 

Astros Top Red Sox

(Houston, TX) -- L.J. Hoes went 2-for-3 and scored twice as the Astros blanked the Red Sox 2-0 in Houston. Robbie Grossman and Brandon Barnes each knocked in a run while Brett Oberholtzer tossed seven innings of four-hit ball to improve to 2-0. Josh Fields closed it out for his second save as Houston ended a four-game slide. John Lackey struck out ten in six innings of work while allowing two runs but fell to 7-9 for Boston. Dustin Pedroia went 2-for-4 for the Sox, who had won five out of six coming in.

 

Royals Romp Twins

(Kansas City, MO) -- The Royals stayed hot as they mopped the floor with the Twins, 13-0, behind three hits, five RBI and a homer from Eric Hosmer. Mike Moustakas was 4-for-5 with two RBI, while Billy Butler and Alcides Escobar also drove in two. Jeremy Guthrie pitched a complete game shutout striking out seven and allowing four hits. Guthrie earned his 12th win of the year. Kansas City has won 12 of 13 to move to 57-52. Kevin Correia took the loss for Minnesota allowing six runs and seven hits in two innings. He allowed all six of his runs in the second frame.

 

Giants Double Up Brewers

(San Francisco, CA) -- A three-run eighth inning keyed by a Milwaukee error helped the Giants pick up a 4-2 win over the Brewers in the opener of a four-game set at AT&T Park. Jeff Francouer's one-run single was the go-ahead run in the deciding inning as San Francisco snapped a two-game losing streak. Chad Gaudin pitched 6 1/3 strong innings, allowing one-run and striking out four, but wasn't apart of the decision. Santiago Casilla picked up the win and Sergio Romo locked up the save. Juan Francisco hit a solo homer and knocked in two in the loss. Reliever John Axford fell to 5-5. Milwaukee has dropped four of five.

 

Braves Clip Nats

(Washington, DC) -- Justin Upton hit a solo home run in the top of the eighth inning that lifted the Braves to a 3-2 win over the Nationals in DC. Upton had three hits and scored two runs.  Freddie Freeman supplied the rest of the offense going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Reliever David Carpenter improved to 3-and-0 and Jordan Walden nailed down his first save of the season. Atlanta has won 11 in-a-row. Stephen Strasburg wasn't apart of the decision for Washington.  He struck out nine and allowed two runs over seven innings. Reliever Tyler Clippard took the loss. Adam LaRoche and Anthony Rendon each had two hits and an RBI. The Nats have lost four of six.

 

Blue Jays Earn Comeback Victory

(Seattle, WA) -- For a moment on Monday night at Safeco Field, it was easy to imagine the Blue Jays were entertaining a boisterous crowd at Rogers Centre with a come-from-behind win. It wasn't fans in Toronto who the Blue Jays treated to a 3-1 comeback win over the Mariners, but the feeling that a largely pro-Toronto crowd of 32,300 gave them at Safeco Field helped Toronto earn a second straight victory in what has been a disappointing road trip.

 

Rodriguez, Girardi Speak About Biogenesis Suspension

(Chicago, IL) -- New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez played in last night's game against the White Sox in Chicago despite the fact that baseball handed him a massive suspension hours earlier. A-Rod went 1-for-4 with a strikeout in an 8-1 loss to the White Sox.

It was his first game of the season after recovering from offseason hip surgery and a quad injury. Before the game he and manager Joe Girardi spoke about Major League Baseball's decision to ban him through the end of the 2014 season for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.  Rodriguez is planning to appeal the suspension and has until Thursday to do so. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says Alex Rodriguez will be in the lineup as long as he's eligible to play.

Multiple reports say that the appeal process could last months, giving A-Rod the ability to play out the rest of this season on the field.

 

MLB Players React To Suspensions

Fans of baseball aren't the only ones reacting to the monumental suspensions handed down by Major League Baseball in relation to the Biogenesis scandal. Some players are speaking out as well. Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman says no player should have an unfair edge over others.

A total of 13 players were given suspensions on Monday, including Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz, Detroit Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta, San Diego Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera and pitcher Fautino De Los Santos, Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli and outfielder Fernando Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies reliever Antonio Bastardo, Seattle Mariners catcher Jesus Montero, Houston Astros pitcher Sergio Escalona, New York Mets utility man Jordany Valdespin and outfielder Cesar Puello and free-agent pitcher Jordan Norberto. Each accepted their 50-game suspensions and will begin serving them immediately.

 

Yankees Place Jeter Back On DL

(Chicago, IL) -- New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is having his season put back on hold.  The Captain is headed back to the disabled list with a Grade One strain of his right calf. The 39-year-old has only played in five games this season due to a two left ankle fractures. Jeter is hitting just .211 with one homer and two RBI this season. Jeter spent most of the first half of the season rehabbing a fractured ankle he suffered during last year's playoffs.

 

Monday, August 5 Scoreboard

MLB NL

Atlanta Braves 3, Washington Nationals 2

Los Angeles Dodgers 3, St. Louis Cardinals 2

San Francisco Giants 4, Milwaukee Brewers 2

 

MLB AL

Detroit Tigers 4, Cleveland Indians 2

Houston Astros 2, Boston Red Sox 0

Kansas City Royals 13, Minnesota Twins 0

Chicago White Sox 8, New York Yankees 1

Texas Rangers 5, Los Angeles Angels 2

Toronto Blue Jays 3, Seattle Mariners 1

 

MLB Interleague

No Games Scheduled

Tuesday, August 6 Schedule (All Times Central)

MLB NL

6:05 p.m. - Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals

6:05 p.m. - Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies

6:05 p.m. - Miami Marlins at Pittsburgh Pirates

6:10 p.m. - Colorado Rockies at New York Mets

7:15 p.m. - Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals

9:15 p.m. - Milwaukee Brewers at San Francisco Giants

 

MLB AL

6:05 p.m. - Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians

7:10 p.m. - Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros

7:10 p.m. - Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals

7:10 p.m. - New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox

9:05 p.m. - Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels

9:10 p.m. - Toronto Blue Jays at Seattle Mariners

 

MLB Interleague

6:10 p.m. - Oakland Athletics at Cincinnati Reds

8:40 p.m. - Tampa Bay Rays at Arizona Diamondbacks

9:10 p.m. - Baltimore Orioles at San Diego Padres