Despite Choo’s big game, Cleveland’s losing streak hits 8SEATTLE (AP) ― Eric Thames hit a tiebreaking, two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Cleveland Indians 3-1 on Wednesday for their eighth straight win.Seattle completed a three-game sweep and is on its longest winning streak since taking eight in a row from June 23-July 1, 2007. The Mariners have won 15 of their last 16 home games.Cleveland has lost eight in a row, following an 11-game skid from

Aug. 23, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Because the Washington Nationals have an innings limit for star right-hander Stephen Strasburg, there aren’t many starts left in his remarkable season.On Tuesday night, Strasburg ignored that talk and weathered his first major league rain delay, striking out 10 and allowing one run in six innings for his 15th win as the Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1.For weeks, the impending shutdown of Strasburg (15-5) has been the talk of baseball and though the Nationals haven’t said

Aug. 22, 2012

South Korea views an upcoming world youth baseball championship on home soil as an opportunity to further promote the country’s prowess in the sport, the national team manager said Monday.The country will host the U18 Baseball World Championship, organized by the International Baseball Federation, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 8. The biennial event is open to players under the age of 18, and South Korea is hosting it for the first time.At a media day event Monday, Lee Jeong-hoon, the South Korean manage

Aug. 20, 2012

OAKLAND, California (AP) ― Yoenis Cespedes homered and drove in three runs, Bartolo Colon won his third consecutive start at home and the Oakland Athletics beat the Cleveland Indians 8-5 on Saturday night.Josh Donaldson had two hits and an RBI while Coco Crisp added two-run triple for Oakland, which won its third straight after entering the night one-half game behind Baltimore for the second wild-card spot in the American League.Colon (10-9) struck out three and scattered five hits over eight in

Aug. 19, 2012

Felix Hernandez tosses baseball’s third perfect game of season and 23rd in major league historySEATTLE (AP) ― King Felix now has a crowning achievement.Felix Hernandez pitched the Seattle Mariners’ first perfect game and the 23rd in baseball history, overpowering the Tampa Bay Rays in a brilliant 1-0 victory Wednesday.The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner has long talked of his desire to achieve pitching perfection. He finally accomplished it against the Rays, striking out the side twice and finishi

Aug. 16, 2012

TORONTO (AP) ― Addison Reed wasn’t about to let another win slip out of Jose Quintana’s grasp Tuesday.All three of Reed’s blown saves this season have come in games started by Quintana, including two in the past month as Quintana suffered through a five-start winless stretch. Quintana worked 6 2-3 innings for his first win in more than a month, Reed earned his second four-out save of the season and the Chicago White Sox held off the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 Tuesday night for a rare victory at Roger

Aug. 15, 2012

BOSTON (AP) ― Adored by generations of Red Sox fans, Johnny Pesky was so much a part of Boston baseball that the right-field foul pole at Fenway Park was nicknamed for him.Pesky, who played, managed and served as a broadcaster for the Red Sox in a baseball career that lasted more than 60 years, died Monday. He was 92.Pesky died at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers, according to Solimine, Landergan and Richardson funeral home in Lynn. The funeral home did not have a cause of death.For ma

Aug. 14, 2012

CLEVELAND (AP) ― For the first time in 13 days, there were actually some smiles in the Indians’ clubhouse following a game.And with good reason.The Indians broke their 11-game losing streak ― a stretch that consisted of blowouts and mind-boggling late defeats ― with a 6-4 win over Minnesota on Wednesday.Cleveland, which was outscored 95-36 during the slide, avoided tying the 1931 franchise record for consecutive losses with its first win since July 26.Justin Masterson pitched seven strong inning

Aug. 9, 2012

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (AP) ― Luis Mendoza was the best pitcher in the Pacific Coast League last season. There were doubts if he could parlay that success into the major leagues.He entered this season with a 6-9 record and 7.36 ERA in 38 games in the majors.The Kansas City Royals, however, have stuck with the 28-year-old right-hander and are beginning to reap the benefits.Mendoza pitched into the eighth inning, Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson stroked two hits each and drove in a run as the Royals b

Aug. 2, 2012

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ― Maybe the Minnesota Twins should wait until the night before to tell Brian Duensing he’s starting.This short-notice outing sure went well.Justin Morneau hit a two-run homer, Duensing threw six smooth innings as a late fill-in for Francisco Liriano and the Minnesota Twins finished a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Indians with a 5-1 victory on Sunday.Duensing’s Twitter followers started asking him if he was starting after the Liriano trade was finalized late Saturday night wi

July 30, 2012

Samsung’s “Lion King” Lee Seung-yeop hit his 500th homerun against the Nexen Heroes in Seoul on Sunday. The veteran southpaw slugger hit the landmark homerun against Nexen Heroes southpaw Andy Van Hekken in the top of the fourth, a considerably difficult feat.The first baseman blasted his 17th home run of the season as well as 500th of his pro career including his stint in the Japanese league.The milestone comes just two months after another for Lee, after hitting his 2,000th hit of his entire p

July 29, 2012

CLEVELAND (AP) ― Justin Verlander isn’t the only hard-throwing pitcher in Detroit’s rotation.Max Scherzer is making opponents take notice that the Tigers have another formidable starter for the rest of the American League to worry about.Scherzer (10-5) allowed two runs over seven innings to win his fourth straight decision and the Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians for only the second time in eight games this season with a 5-3 victory Wednesday night.“Max’s ceiling is very high,” manager Jim Leyl

July 26, 2012

CLEVELAND (AP) ― Justin Masterson is back as the Cleveland Indians’ skid stopper.The right-hander, supported by three double plays, pitched 7 1/3 strong innings to help the Indians beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 on Monday night and avoid a four-game sweep.Masterson (7-8) struck out six and gave up one run as Cleveland snapped a four-game losing streak. Chris Perez pitched the ninth for his 27th save in 29 chances.“Masterson did a tremendous job,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “He did what you

July 24, 2012

COOPERSTOWN, New York (AP) ― Barry Larkin lost it before he even started. Vicki Santo never wavered as she honored her late husband, Ron.Baseball’s highest honor always seems to leave a special impression on those directly involved.Larkin, the former star shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, and Ron Santo, a standout third baseman for the Chicago Cubs and later a beloved broadcaster for the team, were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.After wiping away tears as his teenag

July 23, 2012