Notes from Thursday's games

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OAKLAND: SS Bobby Crosby (ribs) is scheduled to resume his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Friday. He left Class A Stockton earlier this week after two games to be with his ailing father. His status will be evaluated after Sunday's game. ... DH Erubiel Durazo didn't play because of left elbow soreness. ... RHP Rich Harden (oblique) has resumed playing catch. ... LF Eric Byrnes is 0-for-16 against Tampa Bay this season. ... The Athletics left 29 runners on base in losing three straight to the Devil Rays.

TAMPA BAY: RF Aubrey Huff returned after missing two games with a stomach virus. ... OF Alex Sanchez, who fouled a ball off his right leg Wednesday, was available to pinch hit. ``He's better, but still sore,'' manager Lou Piniella said. ``He has a nice big welt on his shin bone.'' ... Tampa Bay opens a three-game series with Seattle on Friday. Mariners OF Ichiro Suzuki led the majors with a .372 batting average last season, but hit .281 against the Devil Rays. It was his lowest average against any AL opponent. ``We don't have a secret for him,'' Piniella said. ``I wish we had a secret.''

Red Sox-Blue Jays

BOSTON: Manager Terry Francona said he doesn't know when Curt Schilling will return from his injured right ankle, but he said he heard a month ago that it could be two to 12 weeks. ``I think that was based on the doctor trying to tell Schilling that this is best case, worst case,'' Francona said. Schilling's protective boot was removed from the right ankle last Friday, and Boston's team doctor didn't put a timetable on when Schilling might pitch again. Schilling was injured April 23 when he bruised a bone in his right ankle while pitching at Tampa Bay. He had surgery on the same ankle last November after pitching with a different injury to it in the AL championship series and World Series. Schilling, who doesn't speak to the media, has been throwing from about 150 feet recently. ``His ankle was in the boot for three weeks. He's got to build up strength,'' Francona said. ``He's making progress.''

TORONTO: 3B Corey Koskie said he'll miss six to eight weeks after having surgery this week to repair a broken right thumb and ligament damage sustained in a game last week. Koskie underwent the surgery on Wednesday. The team originally said he would miss four to six weeks. ``I can't do much at all. My hand is in a cast and I can't really move my thumb,'' Koskie said via conference call from Minnesota. ``It's extremely frustrating. It's the last thing that I wanted to happen or expected to happen.'' Koskie was hurt in last Thursday's loss at Minnesota while sliding into second base in the second inning. He underwent the surgery in Minnesota, where he has a home. The seven-year veteran, who signed a $17 million, three-year contract during the offseason, is batting .248 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in 149 at-bats. He went on the disabled list five times in six seasons with the Minnesota Twins.

Mariners-Orioles

SEATTLE: Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said 42-year-old C Pat Borders, who caught LHP Jamie Moyer and RHP Aaron Sele in each of their last starts, will get more playing time. C Miguel Olivo was behind the plate on Thursday for RHP Ryan Franklin's start, but Borders will begin catching Sele and Moyer more regularly. ... RF Ichiro Suzuki went hitless in two of three games before Thursday. It's the first time this season that's happened.

BALTIMORE: The Orioles placed LHP Erik Bedard on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left knee ligament. Bedard, who is expected to miss two or three starts, is 5-1 with a 2.08 ERA and has won five straight decisions. The Orioles recalled RHP Hayden Penn from Double-A Bowie to take Bedard's place in the rotation. Penn will make his major league debut on Saturday. He went 3-3 with a 3.12 ERA and has struck out 58 in 49 innings with the Baysox this season. ... 2B Brian Roberts returned to the lineup after missing Wednesday's game with a bruised left knee.

Tigers-Yankees

DETROIT: Thursday night's start marked the 25th time in the last two seasons that Jeremy Bonderman has started a game following a Tigers loss. He was 11-7 in those starts and Detroit won 14 of the previous 24 games. ... In 23 games batting third, Ivan Rodriguez was hitting .305, part of a .349 batting average for No. 3 hitters in Tigers lineups this season, highest for any major league club. ... In his last 13 appearances, reliever Ugueth Urbina has posted a 1.17 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 15 1-3 innings. Opponents are batting .164 against Urbina over that stretch.

NEW YORK: With 14 wins in 16 games going into Thursday night's game, Yankees moved to four games over .500 for the first time this season. Included in that stretch was a 10-game winning streak, longest in the majors this season and longest for the Yankees since 1998. ... With 262 runs in their first 46 games, the Yankees lead the major leagues. ... 3B Alex Rodriguez entered leading the majors in home runs (16), RBIs (47) and runs (41). He is also second in total bases (113) and third in slugging percentage (.642).

Twins-Indians

MINNESOTA: C Joe Mauer didn't start for the second straight game because of a tight right groin. Manager Ron Gardenhire isn't sure if Mauer will be able to play Friday when the Twins open a three-game series in Toronto. ``He's still sore,'' Gardenhire said. ``He's been seeing the trainer. We'll see how he does.'' ... 2B Luis Rivas, who has had his playing time cut because of offensive and defensive problems, started Thursday. He went into the game batting .212. ``He's been sitting on the bench,'' said Gardenhire. ``He's been working. He's staying ready.'' ... 1B Justin Morneau didn't start against Indians LHP C.C. Sabathia. Matt LeCroy started at first. RF Jacque Jones was the only left-handed hitter in the lineup against Sabathia. ... In their first nine games against each other, the Twins and Indians have played five decided by one run. ``It's good pitching for the most part,'' said Gardenhire. ``That usually gives you good baseball games. That's what we expect in our division.''

CLEVELAND: LHP Brian Tallet dropped his Buffalo Bisons bag on the clubhouse floor, unzipped it and settled into his leather recliner. Nearly two years had passed since he had been in the major leagues. ``It's been a long journey,'' said Tallet, recalled from Buffalo on Thursday when Kevin Millwood went on the 15-day disabled list. ``But it's one that I would make again.'' Tallet had elbow ligament replacement surgery and began last season on the disabled list before working his way up through the Indians' minor league system. ... OF Juan Gonzalez went 2-for-5 and scored a run in his second start at Triple-A Buffalo. Gonzalez hasn't played in the majors this season because of bad hamstrings. As long as he doesn't have any setbacks, Gonzalez could rejoin the Indians in the next few days.

Royals-Rangers

KANSAS CITY: CF David DeJesus was in the lineup despite a bruised knee sustained in a collision with the outfield wall Wednesday night. DeJesus was on the ground for several minutes after he made the running catch, but stayed in the game. ... Andrew Sisco is the only left-hander in the bullpen after Jaime Cerda was optioned Thursday to Triple-A Omaha. ... RHP Steve Stemle, the reliever who joined the Royals from Omaha, was described by interim manager Bob Schaefer as ``a sinker-slider, groundball guy, a low-pitch count guy who gets 'em out quick.''

TEXAS: Talk about an experienced battery. Kenny Rogers, the 40-year-old left-hander, started Thursday, and threw to 38-year-old C Sandy Alomar. Rogers is in his 17th major league season, and Alomar in his 16th. ... OF Gary Matthews, on the disabled list since May 15 with a strained left hamstring, ran bases, did outfield drills and hit in the cage Thursday at the team's spring training complex in Arizona. Manager Buck Showalter wasn't sure when Matthews would play in a game there. ``I don't think it's imminent,'' Showalter said.

 

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White Sox-Angels

CHICAGO: INF Frank Thomas was hitting .207 with a double, RBI, three walks and two runs scored in eight rehabilitation games with Triple-A Charlotte. ... The White Sox came to terms with two previously unsigned 2004 draft choices: LHP Logan Williamson, a 27th-round choice, and LHP Nick Walters, a 31st-round choice. Williamson has reported to extended spring training in Tucson, Ariz., and Walters will join Bristol in June. ... Former White Sox pitcher Jack McDowell filled in for Ken Harrelson in the TV booth for Thursday night's game. Harrelson is recovering from surgery to repair a detached retina in his right eye.

LOS ANGELES: The Angels signed RHP Steven Marek, a 40th-round draft choice from the 2004 free agent draft. He is expected to join the team's mini-camp in Mesa, Ariz., on June 13. ... The team has eight players on the DL, second-most in the AL behind Seattle's nine and third-most in the majors. ... Angels starters have worked into the seventh inning or later in 19 of the last 26 games after doing so just six times over the first 20 games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Rockies-Cubs

COLORADO: The team placed INF Aaron Miles on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right ribcage muscle Thursday and purchased the contract of INF Eddy Garabito from Triple-A Colorado Springs. In 39 games, Miles was batting .297 with one homer and 14 RBIs. ``It hurts,'' Miles said. ``It needs rest. I need to keep activity to a minimum over the next couple of days.'' Garabito was batting .301 with six homers and 23 RBIs at Colorado Springs. He joined the Rockies in time for their game against the Cubs in Chicago but did not play. ... Manager Clint Hurdle, who has missed the last six games, is expected to return to the Rockies for Friday's game at Chicago. Hurdle flew to Denver on Saturday after his 2-year-old daughter, Madison, was hospitalized due to seizures. She was released on Wednesday. ``In a perfect world, I'll be back to being the stupid old bench coach who no one talks to,'' said Jamie Quirk, who has served as interim manager. ... 1B Todd Helton went 0-for-3 Thursday and is 2-for-34 over his last 10 games. ... RHP Chin-Hui Tsao was moved from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Tsao underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder in Denver on Wednesday.

CHICAGO: Manager Dusty Baker moved INF Neifi Perez into the leadoff spot for the first time this season on Thursday. INF Todd Walker, who returned from the DL on Wednesday, batted second. Meanwhile, OF Corey Patterson was dropped to sixth. In the Cubs' first 44 games, either INF Jerry Hairston (26 games) or Patterson (18 games) had been in the leadoff slot. ``We're just looking for offense, looking for a perfect lineup, especially with Walk back,'' Baker said. ``When Hairston's playing, he's going to lead off. When (Hairston's) not playing, Neifi is going to lead off. He led off for four years in Colorado, so he knows how to do it.'' Perez went 1-for-5 Thursday. Walker was 1-for-3 with an RBI. ... Cubs starters have gone at least seven innings in seven straight games. Carlos Zambrano (3-3) gave up three runs and five hits in seven innings, but lost as the Cubs left eight men on base and were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. ``We have to do our job and the hitters have to do their job,'' Zambrano said. ``I can't go there and tell them how to do their job.'' ... When asked about the lack of run support Cubs pitchers have been getting, Walker said: ``I don't feel sorry for them, they make a lot of money. I definitely think we're making them suffer a little bit. We certainly ought to score some more runs than we are.''

Mets-Marlins

NEW YORK: OF Carlos Beltran is still day-to-day with a strained right quad. He left Saturday's game against the Yankees in the sixth inning. Marlon Anderson (.326) and Eric Valent (.167) have played in his place. ... 2B Kaz Matsui missed his fourth consecutive start and remains day-to-day. He is suffering from a stiff neck. ... RHP Pedro Martinez is scheduled to pitch in Friday's game. Martinez (4-1, 3.14 ERA) is 3-1 with a 1.74 ERA in six games at Florida.

FLORIDA: LHP Al Leiter (2-5, 6.91 ERA) is still puzzled by his poor start. He allowed five earned runs and seven hits over 2 1-3 innings in the Marlins' 8-5 loss to Philadelphia on Wednesday. ``I've always been a pitcher that created a lot of offense (with walks),'' Leiter said. ``But I've always been able to make the big pitch when I needed it. Things that used to work for me all along aren't.'' Marlins manager Jack McKeon is also perplexed. ``I don't have any answers, it's been tough,'' he said. ... C Paul Lo Duca was scratched due to a bruised left elbow suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Wednesday. ... 2B Luis Castillo remained on the bench and did not start. He hasn't played in 13 of the past 14 games due to an injured left quadriceps. Replacement Damion Easley has hit .283 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in the last 14 games. ... A hailstorm pelted Dolphins Stadium about 3:15 p.m. but the game started on time.

Pirates-Reds

PITTSBURGH: INF Jack Wilson, who went into Thursday's game with two hits in his last 18 at bats, again was dropped from second to seventh in the batting order. Wilson was hitting .191 after he went 0-for-4 in Wednesday's loss at St. Louis. He grounded out in the second inning on Thursday. ... RHP Josh Fogg, the Pirates' scheduled starter on Friday, is 6-1 with a 3.61 ERA in nine career starts against the Reds. Pittsburgh is 8-1 in those starts. ... The Pirates have gone 14 consecutive games without a stolen base since stealing three in a 16-2 win at Arizona on May 8. Pittsburgh ranked 14th among the 16 NL teams with 16 stolen bases going into Thursday's game. Baserunners have been thrown out in their last five attempts.

CINCINNATI: INF D'Angelo Jimenez, who was designated for assignment on Friday, accepted an outright assignment to Double-A Chattanooga and reported Thursday. Jimenez hit .229 with five RBIs in 35 games this season. ... General manager Dan O'Brien reported that ``multiple teams'' had expressed interest ``to varying degrees'' in RHP Danny Graves, who was designated for assignment on Monday. Graves was 1-1 with a 7.36 ERA and had 10 saves in 12 chances. ... Despite going 3-for-3 and reaching base in all five plate appearances on Wednesday, OF Ken Griffey Jr. was not in the lineup against LHP Oliver Perez on Thursday. Griffey had made 19 consecutive starts and the Reds had just one day off since May 5.

Padres-Diamondbacks

SAN DIEGO: RHP Akinori Otsuka is out as the setup man for the time being. The 33-year-old former Japanese League closer went 7-2 in relief for San Diego last year, but his 2005 record dipped to 1-3 after blowing a save in the eighth inning Wednesday night -- his second straight appearance in Phoenix in which he failed to get an out. Manager Bruce Bochy said Otsuka will see action in the sixth or seventh innings. ``He'll come out of this and get back to where he was,'' Bochy said. ``His stuff is as good as it ever was. He's throwing 92 (mph). His problem is location right now.'' Akinori said he looks on his recent scuffles as a growth experience. ... 3B Sean Burroughs has a sore quadriceps and will sit out two to five games. Geoff Blum, who started the last two games at second after Mark Loretta went on the DL, replaced him at third. ... RHP Woody Williams, out with a strained left oblique since May 2, threw 40 pitches for the second time in three days, using his fastball and changeup, and felt good afterward. Bochy said Williams would throw 50 pitches Saturday at San Francisco, another 50 during a simulated game Tuesday, do side work June 2 and make a minor league rehabilitation start June 5. ... Wednesday's 12-11 loss was only the seventh game the Padres have lost when scoring at least 11 runs.

ARIZONA: Closer Brandon Lyon, disabled since May 13 with a right elbow strain, will catch a flight for Los Angeles on Friday to get a second opinion from Angels team orthopedist Lewis Yocum. On Wednesday, the Diamondbacks said a second MRI found irregularities in Lyon's ulnar collateral ligament. ... Starter Brandon Webb went in with a 6-0 record, a sharp contrast to last year's 7-16 mark that led the NL in losses. Manager Bob Melvin thought the big reason was improved infield defense. ``When you're a sinkerball guy and not getting your outs on groundballs, then you're going to try to do something different,'' Melvin said. ... Luis Terrero earned his second straight start in CF by matching his career high with three hits, including a solo homer, Wednesday night. He bunted for a leadoff single in his first at-bat after homering. ``It's all about winning now, and it's not about him,'' Melvin said. ``He's going to do whatever he can to help the team.''

Dodgers-Giants

LOS ANGELES: LHP Derek Thompson will be called up from Double-A Jacksonville to make a spot start Saturday at Arizona. Thompson has been on the disabled list with a calf injury, but will join the team Friday in Arizona. ... RHP Elmer Dessens, on the DL with a shoulder injury, had a hard workout day in which he threw from up to 120 feet for about 60 pitches. He is scheduled to throw about 30 pitches in batting practice Saturday at Arizona. ... Manager Jim Tracy has asked slumping RF J.D. Drew to do one thing: ``center the baseball and hit it hard.'' Tracy doesn't want him worrying about results. Drew homered in Wednesday's game. ``We just wanted J.D. to get going and we saw a glimpse of that yesterday,'' Tracy said.