Times wires
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Rangers 4, Twins 3
10 innings
ARLINGTON, Texas — Nelson Cruz hit an RBI double in the 10th inning to help Texas snap its five-game losing streak. Adrian Beltre homered to tie the score in the sixth for the Rangers, who improved to 41-5 the past two years in games in which Beltre has homered.
Times staff
Sunday, July 8, 2012
TODAY
Baseball
MLB All-Star news conference, 1:30 p.m., MLB
Home Run Derby, 8 p.m., ESPN, ESPND
Tour de France
Stage 9, 8 a.m., NBCSN
TV: NBCSN: NBC Sports Network
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Angels 3, Orioles 0
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jered Weaver scattered three hits over eight innings in his final start before heading to his third straight All-Star Game. Weaver won his fourth straight outing to reach 10 victories and lowered his ERA to 1.96. He joined Sandy Koufax (1963-64) as the only pitchers since 1950 with consecutive seasons of double-digit wins and an ERA under 2.00 before the All-Star break. Scott Downs pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save in eight attempts.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Mariners 7, A's 1
OAKLAND, Calif. — Jason Vargas pitched his fifth career complete game, a seven-hitter, to win for the first time in more than a month and the Mariners ended the A's five-game winning streak. Kyle Seager hit a bases-loaded double to drive in three, Brendan Ryan added a two-run double in the second and Ichiro Suzuki singled up the middle in the fifth to snap a career-worst 0-for-23 hitless stretch as the Mariners scored their most runs since a 14-10 loss at Arizona on June 20.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Diamondbacks 5, Dodgers 3
PHOENIX — Trevor Cahill pitched seven solid innings to improve to 17-1 in his past 22 starts when Arizona scores three or more runs. Gerardo Parra had a two-run double and scored on Stephen Drew's sac fly in the fifth. Arizona added a run in the sixth on Paul Goldschmidt's sac fly. Chad Billingsley lost his fifth straight start and hasn't won since June 10 at Seattle.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Reds 6, Padres 5
SAN DIEGO — Drew Stubbs and Chris Heisey homered to back Homer Bailey's solid outing for the Reds. Stubbs, who ended an 0-for-32 streak Friday, homered in the first and Heisey hit a two-run shot in the seventh. The Reds homered three times Friday after having hit just two homers in their six games before that.
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 8, 2012
CLEVELAND — For much of the afternoon — heck, for most of the past couple weeks — the Rays have looked like they couldn't wait to get to the All-Star break and forget about their woes. But after a 7-6 comeback win over the Indians on Sunday, they instead had something to savor and, in theory, build upon during the four-day respite.
"It feels like a big relief right now," rightfielder Ben Zobrist said. "Just going into the break, feeling like we're reeling a littler bit as a team and getting that kind of a win to finish off the first half, it's just a much better feeling getting ready for Friday."
The performance was inspiring as they trailed 5-0 entering the sixth inning after another rough start by James Shields. They were down two in the ninth with Indians All-Star closer Chris Perez on the mound and ended up celebrating as they improved to 45-41.
Manager Joe Maddon was so fired up by their performance, he started sharing what sounds like the framework of his second half inspirational speech, talking about how they need to stop waiting for the return of injured stars Evan Longoria and Matt Joyce and step up their own play.
"We need to understand that certain people aren't here, and when they're not here, you don't wait for somebody to walk in the door," he said. "You keep playing, and you believe you can do it even without those pieces.
"We have to get back to believing that. And if we can, then we'll avoid this kind of a rollercoaster-esque kind of a method that we've been going through. We're better than that. I don't care how many guys are hurt. We can beat anybody, any day, anywhere, any time. I believe that."
It took some belief, and four consecutive hits in the ninth, to do it Sunday.
And naturally, the biggest came from the littlest Ray as Will Rhymes, listed at 5 feet 9, 155 pounds, hit just the second homer of his 124-game, three-season big-league career. The other came off Zack Greinke in September 2010.
"I don't deal with that often," Rhymes said. "So it was nice to get one finally."
Elliot Johnson, who was moved into the leadoff spot, singled on the first pitch then took a calculated risk with Carlos Peña up and one out, running on a 1-and-2 pitch. Peña, who rarely hits the ball up the middle, drove a liner to center that Michael Brantley dived for and missed, turning it into an RBI triple (instead of a game-ending double play).
Then Zobrist stepped up and laced a sharp single over first, handing Perez his first blown save since opening day. And the Rays' own All-Star closer, Fernando Rodney, finished for his 25th save to complete the unlikely comeback.
"So Rhymes has not hit a homer since 1837 and Carlos has not hit a ball to that spot since he was 10 and we won the game," Maddon said. "That's how it works sometimes."
The win doesn't erase all the issues of the first half — as Maddon also spoke Sunday of plans to change the pregame routine as well as the mind-set and the need to play better early in games — but it will make the next four days much more enjoyable.
"Being down two against one of the best and our offense hasn't been doing all that great and to come up with that, to get it right there … it was a big confidence boost to us," Johnson said.
"Now we're going into the break, and hopefully we can pick it back up."
Marc Topkin can be reached at topkin@tampabay.com. View his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/rays and follow him on Twitter at @TBTimes_Rays.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Cardinals 5, Marlins 4
ST. LOUIS — Rafael Furcal's two-run single with the bases loaded capped the Cardinals' ninth-inning comeback. Furcal also drove in a run with a single in the fifth. His 36 RBIs are the most among National League leadoff men.
By Jay Mastry, Times Correspondent
Sunday, July 8, 2012
What's hot: Calm conditions offshore have allowed us to get to triple-digit depths in pursuit of the American red snapper before the season closes July 17. Fishing in 120 to 140 feet of water west of St. Pete Beach, we caught a box full of red snapper at one spot, and then roamed for red grouper and several large mangrove snapper. Red grouper were prevalent at each drop. Large yellowtail snapper were among the bonus catches, and a school of dolphin showed up. We did equally as well on dead bait as live stuff but we wouldn't want to go without both.
What else: Gag grouper have required less travel distance. Good numbers of keeper-sized fish have settled into depths as shallow as 30 to 50 feet. Start with dead bait to get the scent going on the bottom. Send down live bait when the bite slows.
Tarpon fever: Daytime tarpon fishing along the beaches of Manatee County tapered this past week. Late afternoon, evening and night bites have been more productive, typical during the full moon phase. I've had success over the years fishing the rising moon during this period. The rise changes daily but now begins around midnight. Look for the morning bite to pick up as we get farther from this phase.
Jay Mastry charters Jaybird out of St. Petersburg. Call (727) 321-2142.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Rockies 4, Nationals 3
WASHINGTON — The Rockies tied it and won it on wild pitches. It was the first wild pitch of the season for both Michael Gonzalez (tying run) and Tyler Clippard (winning run). The Nationals bullpen cost Jordan Zimmerman the win. He has gone at least six innings in all 17 starts this year.
By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 8, 2012
When he took over the storied Alabama football program in 2007, Nick Saban's mission was to bring it back to SEC and national prominence.
Two SEC and two national championships later, Alabama is back on top, and Saban's newest challenge for the defending national champions has become finding a way to stay there.
Which is why his message to his players is the same as it was after the Tide's 2009 national title: Staying on top requires focus, remembering what it took to get there, and working harder than before.
"It's very easy to become complacent," Saban said. "That becomes the constant challenge, how do you maintain what you've worked so hard to build? We talk about that a lot. This team still has a lot to prove about how hungry they are."
The top of the SEC's football mountain is generally considered only big enough for one, but Alabama and LSU both occupy some of that space.
"We've got some really good teams in this league, but I think it's fair to say right now those two have proven they have been head and shoulders above the rest," South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said. "I think we've got some teams that could challenge that, Arkansas for one, but right now I think they've proven it on the field."
Saban hopes his players learn from the problems that befell his 2009 champions after the trophy arrived in Tuscaloosa. It remains to be seen, he said, if this team is "willing to make the sacrifices necessary" to repeat.
Alabama and LSU enter the 2012 season primed to be top contenders again.
"I think it's a real compliment to our body of work," LSU coach Les Miles said about preseason top rankings. "But the kids understand that they've earned nothing. It's like saying to your wife 10 years before you marry her, 'Boy, you sure are cute.' It's one of those compliments that no one remembers before you get to the wedding."
Miles is preaching a message in Baton Rouge similar to Saban's, without a hint of remorse for past failures. LSU defeated eight top-25 opponents last season, including a win at Alabama, but fell short against the Tide in the title game.
"I think there's an understanding that we had the best record in college (13-1), we won the conference, won the Western Division and beat the national champions at their home stadium, so they recognize that they achieved very greatly," Miles said of his team. "They didn't play very well in the last game. I have to be real honest with you, I've never been 13-1. I certainly enjoyed it greatly for a very long stretch, the No. 1 team in the country for 11 straight weeks and (we) answered that bell well. It's hard for me to talk about coming off a season of great achievement with a hangover."
The battle for SEC supremacy will be hard-fought again. Yet Saban, who preaches an "out of yourself and into the team" philosophy, is quick to point out this isn't last year's team. Though Alabama returns nine starters, it lost key players including Heisman finalist running back Trent Richardson, linebacker Dont'a Hightower, defensive end Courtney Upshaw and safety Mark Barron, the Bucs' No. 1 pick.
"I think you have to ask yourself whether it's realistic to think you're just going to reload and replace all of those players," said Saban, who pulled in the No. 1 recruiting class, according to several recruiting services.
LSU returns 13 starters, but has a new quarterback, young receivers and one returning starting linebacker. But the desire for greatness remains.
"I think that there's a real hunger and want to play, and start the season," Miles said. "Anytime you finish a season on a negative note you will turn to the opener, the beginning of the next season, with a real anxious (feeling) and want. I think that's very much the case here."
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 8, 2012
CLEVELAND — Rays lefty David Price headed to the All-Star Game expecting to pitch one inning, but not the first inning, amid speculation Detroit's Justin Verlander will make the start.
Price based his conclusion on not hearing from anyone by Sunday afternoon that he would start. When he had the assignment in 2010, he was told by then.
The official announcement will be made today in Kansas City, Mo.
Rays closer Fernando Rodney is also expected to pitch, potentially in the eighth inning with American League/Texas manager Ron Washington using his own Joe Nathan for the ninth.
Price went to last year's game but was not eligible to pitch due to a minor toe injury. Though that made it more of a relaxing break, he is looking forward to getting on the mound this time, in line to come in after Verlander.
"Obviously playing in the game and representing the AL East and the Tampa Bay Rays is a good feeling," Price said.
"My body feels good right now so I don't think an inning or two would really affect me that much."
Among other activities today, Price will join nine other All-Stars in reading an item for a Late Show with David Letterman top 10 list that airs tonight.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Tigers 7, Royals 1
DETROIT — Delmon Young homered for the fourth consecutive game and Prince Fielder hit a three-run shot for the Tigers. Young's shot, which made it 3-1 in the fourth, went about 433 feet. Fielder sent reliever Tim Collins' first pitch of the game about 417 feet to make it 6-1 in the fifth. He has homered in three of his past four games. Detroit has won a season-high five in a row to get to two games over .500 for the first time since it was 10-8 on April 25.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Braves 4, Phillies 3
PHILADELPHIA — Brian McCann homered for the fourth consecutive game, a go-ahead solo shot in the seventh, to help cap the Braves' three-game sweep. Before the streak, McCann had gone 58 at-bats without a homer. The five-time National League East champion Phillies have lost 10 of 11, are 14 games back, and their 50 losses are 10 fewer than all of last season.
By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, July 8, 2012
All-Star break plans
"Laying down."
CF B.J. Upton
"Chilling out."
Rays manager Joe Maddon
"Relaxing. That will be a lot of fun."
RHP Jeremy Hellickson
All-Star break hitting stats
Team average: .232, lowest in team history at the break
Runs: 363, fewest since 2002
Slugging percentage: .376, lowest in team history at the break
Quote of the day
"It was great that they had good games and we beat them because they're great guys and they were a big part of what we did last year."
Joe Maddon, on Sunday's performances by the Indians' Johnny Damon and Casey Kotchman
Break dancing
Rays record at the All-Star break the past five seasons:
Year W-L Pct. Pos. GB
2008 * 55-39 .585 21/2
2009 48-41 .593 3 61/2
2010 * 54-34 .614 2 2
2011 * 49-41 .544 3 6
2012 45-41 .523371/2
* Made postseason
On deck
Tuesday: All-Star Game, Kansas City, Mo., 8, Ch. 13
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Workout at Tropicana Field, 4-6 (closed to the public)
Friday: vs. Red Sox, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — Jeremy Hellickson (4-5, 3.41); Red Sox — TBA
Saturday: vs. Red Sox, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (11-4, 2.82); Red Sox — TBA
Sunday: vs. Red Sox, 1:40, Sun Sports. Rays — James Shields (8-5, 4.16) Red Sox — TBA
Rays disabled list
(with eligible-to-return date)
C Robinson Chirinos, concussion, 60-day, June 5
OF Sam Fuld, right wrist surgery, 60-day, June 5
OF Brandon Guyer, left shoulder surgery, 60-day, July 13 *
OF Matt Joyce, oblique strain, 15-day, July 5
3B Evan Longoria, left hamstring tear, 15-day, May 16
RHP Jeff Niemann, right leg fracture, 60-day, July 14
* Out for the season
Marc Topkin, Times staff writer
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
NEW YORK — Ryan Dempster, the subject of trade rumors, extended his scoreless innings streak by five, to 27, in his first start in three weeks to help the Cubs beat the Mets 7-0 on Sunday.
"I don't really notice a lot of the rumors," Dempster said. "I just handle what I can handle. And that's going out there and pitching and doing my job. Wherever the cards fall, they fall."
Dempster, whose streak is the Cubs' longest since Ken Holtzman's 27 in 1971, had been out since June 15 with a tight muscle in his back. Last week, manager Dale Sveum said he would limit him to 70-80 pitches. He ended up throwing 63.
Dempster's streak almost ended twice. He allowed a one-out triple to Scott Hairston in the second but got a lineout and groundout. He allowed two singles to start the third but got two popouts and a strikeout. Dempster retired his final nine batters.
"He was way more efficient than we thought," Sveum said. "Everything went well.
"He feels great."
Before Dempster even threw a pitch, five of the first six Cubs reached. Three scored against Jonathon Niese, who had given up four or more runs only five times among 16 starts.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
WIMBLEDON, England — A Grand Slam title drought did end in Sunday's riveting Wimbledon men's final, only it was Roger Federer's lengthy-for-him gap rather than Britain's 76-year wait for a homegrown champion.
Making sure everyone knows he is still as capable as ever of brilliance on the court — particularly one made of grass, and with a roof overhead — Federer came back to beat Andy Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 for a record-tying seventh championship at the All England Club.
"It feels nice," Federer said, clutching the gold trophy only Pete Sampras has held as many times in the modern era. (William Renshaw won seven in the 1880s, when champions got byes into the title match.)
"It's like it never left me."
The victory also increased Federer's record total to 17 major titles after being stuck on 16 for 21/2 years. And he clinched a return to the top of the ATP rankings, overtaking Novak Djokovic, after an absence of a little more than two years. Because he is guaranteed the top spot for two weeks, he will break Sampras' record of 286 weeks at No. 1.
After a record seven consecutive Wimbledon finals from 2003-09, winning the first six, Federer lost in the quarterfinals in 2010 and '11, then wasted two match points and a two-set lead against Djokovic in the U.S. Open semifinals last year, raising questions about whether he might be slipping.
"A couple tough moments for me the last couple years, I guess," Federer said. "So I really almost didn't try to picture myself with the trophy or try to think too far ahead, really."
After losing in the semifinals in each of the previous three years, Murray, from Scotland, was the first British man to reach the Wimbledon final since Bunny Austin in 1938, and he was trying to become the hosts' first male winner since Fred Perry in 1936.
But Murray, 25, dropped to 0-4 in Grand Slam finals, three against Federer. Only one other man has lost the first four major title matches of his career: Ivan Lendl, who is coaching Murray and sat in his guest box with chin planted on left palm, as expressionless as he was during his playing career.
"I'm getting closer," Murray told the crowd afterward, his voice cracking and tears flowing.
"Everybody always talks about the pressure of playing at Wimbledon, how tough it is. It's not the people watching; they make it so much easier to play. The support has been incredible, so thank you."
But there was plenty of clapping and yelling for both men, who produced high-quality play, filled with lengthy exchanges, superb shotmaking and deft volleying.
A key switch happened at 1-all in the third set, when a drizzle transformed into heavy rain, causing a 40-minute delay while the retractable roof was moved over Centre Court. The roof was installed before the 2009 tournament; this was its first use for a singles final.
Until then, Federer had won 86 points, Murray 85. Under the roof — with no wind to alter trajectories, allowing Federer to make pure, explosive contact with the ball — Federer won 65 points, Murray 52.
"When the roof was closed, (Federer) played unbelievable tennis," Murray said.
Federer turns 31 on Aug. 8 and is the first 30-something man to win Wimbledon since Arthur Ashe in 1975 at 31. The title was the 75th of his career in singles. Only Jimmy Connors (109), Lendl (94) and John McEnroe (77) have won more.
"I'm so happy I'm at the age I am right now, because I had such a great run, and I know there's still more possible," Federer said. "I wouldn't want anything to change."
Information from Infostrada Sports was used in this report.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Pirates 13, Giants 2
PITTSBURGH — Andrew McCutchen hit a pair of two-run homers for the Pirates. The Giants' Tim Lincecum failed to get out of the fourth for the second straight start. The two-time Cy Young winner has a 6.42 ERA, worst in the majors among qualifying starters.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Brewers 5, Astros 3
10 innings
HOUSTON — Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks singled in runs in the 10th for the Brewers. Weeks also homered and was 4-for-12 with two homers and five RBIs over the three-game series.
Times wires
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Blue Jays 11, White Sox 9
CHICAGO — The Jays hit four homers. Three came off Dylan Axelrod, pitching on three days' rest so Chris Sale could pitch in the All-Star Game. Pitchers starting on the Sunday before the game are ineligible.
