Latest Sports News

Scheduled to make his first appearance since his brother’s sudden death, Correia will try to earn his fifth win in six tries Saturday night against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, winners of five in a row.

Correia’s 21-year-old brother, Trevor Brent Correia, died after falling from a 60-foot cliff while hiking off the Santa Barbara, Calif., coastline Saturday, one day before the right-hander was scheduled to make his next start.

The pitcher has been on the league’s bereavement list since Tuesday.

“I think if I was to guess, he’s looking forward to getting back on the mound,” Black said.

Correia (4-2, 3.97 ERA) has won more than four games once in his career, going 12-11 in 2009. That was after going 1-4 with a 5.37 ERA in his first 10 starts in his first season with the Padres.

(more…)

Hanson looks for his third straight victory and tries to help Atlanta extend its five-game win streak as it continues its series against the foundering Arizona Diamondbacks, losers of seven in a row.

After scoring 16 runs in their season opener against Chicago, the Braves averaged 3.5 over their next 30 games. They totaled 19 runs while dropping four of the first six on a nine-game road trip.

Their fortunes changed earlier this week in Milwaukee, where they totaled 28 runs and batted .307 during a three-game sweep of the Brewers. Atlanta returned home and rallied for a 6-5 win Friday night in the opener of this series, scoring all of its runs in the final three innings.

(more…)

Peavy (2-2, 5.56 ERA), making his first career start in Kansas City, has overcome a shaky opening month by flashing the form that earned him the NL Cy Young Award in 2007 with San Diego.

The right-hander was 0-2 with a 7.85 ERA in five April starts, allowing 25 runs, 32 hits and 20 walks in 28 2-3 innings. On May 3, though, he limited Kansas City (13-23) to four hits, walked one and struck out nine in seven innings of a 5-1 win.

Last Saturday, Peavy surrendered two runs, three hits and fanned eight through eight innings of a 7-3 victory over Toronto.

(more…)

Though Cantu was rested for the first time this year, Florida (18-18) hit a season-high four home runs in a 7-2 win over New York (18-18) on Friday, a day after winning 2-1 in the opener of this four-game series. The Marlins scored more than four runs for the first time since May 2, when they beat Washington 9-3.

Cantu, who has seven home runs and a team-high 29 RBIs, was replaced in the cleanup spot by Dan Uggla(notes), who hit two home runs and drove in four after being rested in the series opener.

“It’s definitely encouraging to put together some good at-bats, put some runs on the board and hit some home runs,” said Uggla, whose 129 homers are tied with Derrek Lee(notes) for third in Marlins history.

(more…)

St. Louis (21-15) was struggling entering the opener of this three-game series, managing to stay ahead of surging Cincinnati (19-16) in the NL Central despite losing seven of nine. The Cardinals failed to hit a home run in any of those contests.

Albert Pujols(notes) ended that drought with a two-run shot in the third inning, and the Cardinals increased their lead in the division to 1 1/2 games with a 4-3 win over the Reds (19-16) on Friday night that also ended Cincinnati’s five-game winning streak. The Reds’ streak included two straight shutouts.

“I think we can manufacture (runs), too,” Cardinals right fielder Ryan Ludwick(notes) said. “But guys can hit home runs, and that’s going to help.”

(more…)

After playing with four different teams over the last three seasons, Baltimore signed the 30-year-old Patterson to a minor league contract last month after Seattle released him following spring training. Though he wasn’t in the Orioles’ plans a month ago, he’s been a key to their recent success.

In his second stint with Baltimore (12-24), Patterson is 6 for 13 with four runs scored in three games – all wins – since being called up from Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday. He had three hits in the Orioles’ 8-1 win over Cleveland on Friday, and made a leaping catch at the wall to deny Shin-Soo Choo(notes) a home run.

Patterson also threw out the potential tying run for the final out of a 6-5 triumph over Seattle on Thursday.

(more…)

Philadelphia (21-13) entered this set following a three-day stretch in Colorado that included postponements due to inclement weather and allegations of sign stealing when its bullpen coach was caught by TV cameras using binoculars.

The Phillies split two games in Denver, then beat the Brewers 9-5 at Miller Park on Friday night.

The Brewers (15-20), who are a major league-worst 4-12 at home, have lost six straight there for the first time since August 2004. Their last seven-game home skid in a single season was from June 20-July 13, 2002.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, has won nine of 12 overall, increasing its NL East lead to 1 1/2 games over surprising Washington.

(more…)

Tampa Bay’s 192 runs are among the most in the majors, but the AL East-leading Rays (24-11) have averaged 3.3 runs while losing four of six.

After scoring 21 runs during a three-game sweep at Seattle last week, the Rays managed just six hits in a 4-3 loss Friday. Carlos Pena(notes) (two hits in his last 46 at-bats), B.J. Upton(notes) (4 for 43 over the last 12 games) and Pat Burrell(notes) (2 for 25 with no RBIs in May) went a combined 0 for 12 in the series opener.

“We need to start scoring some runs,” said manager Joe Maddon, who’s team has dropped four of seven since sweeping the Mariners. “Some guys are struggling at the plate, but they’ll turn it around.”

(more…)

Texas (20-16) Vs Toronto (21-16)
Toronto (21-16) opened this three-game set against AL West-leading Texas (20-16) with a 16-10 win Friday night, hitting a season-high five home runs to boost its major league-leading total to 57.

“They can swing it up and down the lineup,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said.

The Blue Jays had 15 hits, including three-run home runs from Aaron Hill(notes), Travis Snider(notes) and Vernon Wells(notes). Hill returned to the lineup after missing a game due to a sore right hamstring, an injury that kept him out of 15 games earlier this year.

Toronto’s lineup has been potent even though Hill has had a poor start, hitting .184 with three homers after connecting a career-best 36 times last season. He has a chance to build some momentum against Feldman (1-3, 5.84 ERA).

(more…)

Minnesota (22-13) Vs New York (23-12)

New York (23-12) won 8-4 on Friday, improving to 28-5 at home against Minnesota (22-13) since 2002, including playoffs. The Yankees’ 11-game overall win streak includes last year’s sweep in a division series, and New York has also won 11 in a row at home versus the Twins.

“I will not say that we have their number,” closer Mariano Rivera(notes) said. “It’s just the game happens like that.”

Minnesota’s brief history at the new Yankee Stadium has been especially frustrating. The Twins have blown leads in the seventh inning or later in five of their seven losses in the Bronx since the start of last season.

(more…)