Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin collects 1st big league win since 2014

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has collected his first big league win since 2014. Ryu held the Philadelphia Phillies to a run on three hits over 5 1/3 innings at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday and earned his first win of the season as the Dodgers won 5-3.This was Ryu's first win in Major League Baseball since Aug. 31, 2014, when he pitched against the San Diego Padres. The South Korean left-hander missed all of 2015 following a shoulder surgery and made only one start last year

May 1, 2017

Ex-MLB pitcher sets Korean baseball record for winning streak

Former major league pitcher Jeff Manship on Sunday set a record for the longest winning streak to start a career in South Korea.Manship, who pitches for the NC Dinos in the Korea Baseball Organization, won his sixth straight decision by holding the Kia Tigers to a run on four hits in six innings in the Dinos' 12-1 victory.Jeff Manship of the NC Dinos throws a pitch against the LG Twins during their Korea Baseball Organization game at Masan Stadium in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. (Yonhap)

April 30, 2017

Rangers' Choo Shin-soo hits 2nd home run of season

Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers has gone deep for the second time in his first three-hit game of the 2017 season. Choo went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run in the Rangers' 14-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday (local time). The 34-year-old also collected his first triple of the season, but came up short to complete the cycle as he failed to hit a double.  In this Associated Press photo, Choo Shin-soo of the Texas Rangers hits a triple aga

April 27, 2017

Korean baseball champs embrace pitcher investigated for illegal gambling

The South Korean baseball league champions Doosan Bears have signed a contract with a pitcher who had been investigated by local prosecutors for illegal gambling last year. The Bears, the winners of the 2016 Korean Series in the Korea Baseball Organization, said Thursday they inked a contract with Jin Ya-gob for the 2017 season on April 17. The KBO said it has already notified the Bears' signing to nine other clubs last week.In this file photo taken on May 19, 2016, Doosan Bears pitcher Jin Ya-g

April 27, 2017

Finally healthy, pitcher-turned-infielder off to strong start in KBO

With a recent history of injuries behind him, Nexen Heroes' first baseman Chae Tae-in is finally doing the things that many thought he was capable of all along.Through Tuesday's games, the 34-year-old veteran in the Korea Baseball Organization is leading the club with a .387/.433/.613 slash line, along with two homers and nine RBIs in 18 games. He's fifth in the KBO in batting average, and is also inside the top 10 in both on-base and slugging percentages.In this file photo taken on April 11, 20

April 26, 2017

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin suffers 4th straight loss despite strong outing

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has suffered his fourth straight loss despite his strongest outing of the season.Ryu held the Giants to a run on five hits over six effective innings against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Monday (local time). It still wasn't enough for his first win of the year, as the Dodgers lost 2-1.Ryu fell to 0-4 after four starts, but lowered his ERA from 5.87 to 4.64.The South Korean left-hander missed all of 2015 following a shoulder sur

April 25, 2017

Ex-All-Star catcher to have retirement ceremony on weekend

Former All-Star catcher Hong Sung-heon will have a retirement ceremony this weekend with his two former clubs on hand.The Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said Tuesday they will hold a retirement ceremony for the 40-year-old before Sunday's home game against the Lotte Giants at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.Hong already announced his retirement last November after 18 seasons in the KBO -- 14 in two different stints with the Bears and four with the Giants. He had been undergoing co

April 25, 2017

Orioles' Kim Hyun-soo blasts his 1st homer of season

Reduced to a part-time role in 2017, Baltimore Orioles' Kim Hyun-soo has finally hit his first home run of the season in his 10th game.The South Korean outfielder blasted a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Monday (local time).Kim, who bats left-handed, has been playing almost exclusively against right-handers. With Tampa Bay starting right-hander Chris Archer, Kim got into the lineup batting seventh and playing

April 25, 2017

Orioles' Kim Hyun-soo gets 1st hit off left-hander this season

Kim Hyun-soo of the Baltimore Orioles finally has a hit off a left-hander in the majors.Kim had an infield single off southpaw reliever Fernando Abad of the Boston Red Sox in the bottom ninth of their game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Sunday (local time). The O's ended up losing 6-2.This was Kim's first plate appearance against a left-hander. Kim Hyun-soo of the Baltimore Orioles looks toward the field after striking out against the Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinn

April 24, 2017

Cardinals' Oh Seung-hwan picks up save in 5th straight game

Oh Seung-hwan of the St. Louis Cardinals has saved his fifth consecutive game.Oh threw a scoreless ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park in Milwaukee on Sunday (local time), preserving the Cards' 6-3 victory. St. Louis Cardinals closer Oh Seung-hwan throws a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 23, 2017. (Yonhap)The memories of his shaky start to the season increasingly distant, Oh also lowered his ERA from 12.27 to 5.59 over hi

April 24, 2017

Suzuki’s homer not enough as Marlin's win

SEATTLE -- Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki hit his first home run on the road in nearly four years but it came in a 10-5 loss to the Mariners. The 43-year-old Suzuki homered off Evan Marshall in possibly his final at-bat at Safeco Field, where he anchored right field and the top of Seattle’s batting order for 11 1/2 seasons.　  Miami Marlins' Ichiro Suzuki hits a home run against the Seattle Mariners in the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 19, 2017, in Seattle. (AP-Yonhap)Rookie Mitch Hanig

April 20, 2017

Fastball velocity down, Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin must mix them up

Rare is the pitcher who successfully makes it back from a shoulder operation. Even rarer is the one who bounces back from both a shoulder operation and an elbow procedure.That Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers is pitching at all at the major league level, after missing the majority of the past two seasons with injuries, is no small accomplishment in and of itself. Whether he can continue on at the level, though, remains a big question mark, given his travails in his first three starts of t

April 20, 2017

Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin suffers 3rd straight loss

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has dropped his third straight game of the 2017 season, once again getting undone by long balls.Ryu gave up four earned runs on seven hits, including three home runs, in six innings against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Tuesday (local time), as the Dodgers fell 4-3. Ryu struck out seven and walked one.This was Ryu's third start of the season, after being held to just one start over the past two years with shoulder and elbow probl

April 19, 2017

Fowler, Leake lead Cardinals past Marte-less Pirates 2-1

ST. LOUIS -- Mike Leake doesn’t have too many secrets on the mound. For the Cardinals right-hander, location is everything.　Leake owned the strike zone while pitching into the seventh inning, Dexter Fowler tripled and scored, and St. Louis beat Pittsburgh 2-1 on Tuesday night after Pirates outfielder Starling Marte was suspended 80 games for a banned substance earlier in the day.　“It’s just where he’s putting every pitch, and he’s able to throw every pitch on both sides of the plate and I’d say

April 19, 2017

Ex-US minor leaguers thriving in Korea

A pair of two former US minor league players are thriving in South Korea in the early part of the 2017 season, as they hope to make an impact in their native land.Former Chicago Cubs prospect Kim Dong-yub has been batting cleanup for the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization, and through Tuesday's action, he's batting a robust .321 with four home runs and a team-high 14 RBIs.In this file photo taken on March 31, 2017, Kim Dong-yub of the SK Wyverns gets ready for his at-bat against the K

April 19, 2017

Thames, Braun power Brewers past struggling Cubs 6-3

CHICAGO -- Eric Thames homered in his club record-tying fifth straight game and the streaking Milwaukee Brewers turned back the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Monday night.　Milwaukee never trailed after Thames hit an opposite-field homer to snap a 3-3 tie in the third inning. Jeromy Burnitz became the first and last Brewers player to homer in five straight games in August, 1997.　Milwaukee Brewers' Eric Thames, right, celebrates his home run off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher John Lackey, with Ryan Braun, du

April 18, 2017

Appeals hearing set for May for Pirates’ Kang Jung-ho following DUI conviction

An appeals hearing will be held next month for the beleaguered Pittsburgh Pirates’ infielder Kang Jung-ho following his drunk driving conviction, legal sources said Tuesday.The trial will take place on May 25 at Seoul Central District Court, according to the sources.On March 3, Kang received an eight-month sentence, which was suspended for two years, for leaving the scene of a drunk driving accident in Seoul last December. The court decision followed Kang’s third DUI arrest in South Korea, and h

April 18, 2017

Cardinals’ Oh Seung-hwan earns 1st save of season

Oh Seung-hwan of the St. Louis Cardinals has picked up his first save of the 2017 season.Oh gave up an earned run in a shaky ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates but still preserved a 2-1 win at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Monday. St. Louis Cardinals' closer Oh Seung-hwan (AP-Yonhap)Working on a 2-0 lead, Oh got David Freese to fly out to center to open the ninth inning but gave up a single to Josh Bell.Francisco Cervelli grounded out back to the pitcher. An out away from a scoreless in

April 18, 2017

US visa in limbo, Pirates' Kang Jung-ho continues to work on his own

With his US visa status in limbo following a drunk driving conviction, Pittsburgh Pirates' infielder Kang Jung-ho continues to train on his own in South Korea while biding his time for legal proceedings to resume, sources said Monday.One source told Yonhap News Agency that Kang is trying to keep a low profile but has been "working hard" to stay in shape. The source said in addition to indoor training, Kang has also been doing batting and field practice.In this file photo taken on March 3, 2017,

April 17, 2017