The Korea Herald

Ryu returns to beat Mets

NEW YORK (AP) ― Three long balls and a healthy Ryu Hyun-jin made it a gratifying night for the Dodgers.Adrian Gonzalez homered for the third straight game, Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez hit back-to-back shots and Los Angeles defeated the New York Mets 4-3 on Wednesday.Ryu (4-2) came off the disabled list and pitched the Dodgers to their 11th victory in 12 meetings with the Mets dating to July 1, 2012. Ramirez drove in two runs and Los Angeles enjoyed most of the vocal support from the 23,721 fa

May 22, 2014

Ryu Hyun-jin earns win in first start in 24 days

Making his first start in nearly a month, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers earned a victory against the New York Mets on the road on Wednesday.Ryu improved to 4-2 on the season after giving up two earned runs on nine hits in six innings and striking out a season-high nine batters at Citi Field. The Dodgers defeated the Mets 4-3, powered by three solo home runs from the heart of their order.Ryu's ERA remained at 3.00. All four of his wins this year have come away from Dodger Stadium.This w

May 22, 2014

Park Byung-ho on pace to hit 50 homers

After launching two home runs on Tuesday, Park Byung-ho of the Nexen Heroes put himself on pace to reach a slugging milestone in the ongoing Korea Baseball Organization season.Park belted his league-leading 15th and 16th homers against the Hanwha Eagles on Tuesday, helping the Heroes to a 3-1 victory at their home, Mokdong Stadium in Seoul.With 16 homers in 38 games, Park could reach 53 homers by the end of the 128-game season and become only the third KBO player to hit the half-century mark.Lee

May 21, 2014

Rangers clip Blue Jays 6-2

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ― Mitch Moreland will be the guy at first base for Texas if Prince Fielder’s neck problem keeps him out for any length of time.His bat was a big boost a few hours after a players-only meeting for a slumping team trying to halt a slide down the AL West standings.Moreland hit a tiebreaking homer in the seventh inning, Alex Rios had a two-run triple and the Rangers avoided a three-game sweep with a 6-2 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.“I’d like to see him do tha

May 19, 2014

Oh reaches double figures in saves

Armed with his signature heavy fastball, South Korean closer Oh Seung-hwan has reached double figures in saves in his first Japanese season, after overcoming a slow start.Oh picked up his 10th save of the season in his 18th appearance for the Hanshin Tigers on Sunday in Nippon Professional Baseball. The Tigers defeated Yokohama DeNA Baystars 4-1 at home, with Oh throwing a scoreless ninth.Oh left the Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization last December to join the Tigers as a free agen

May 19, 2014

D-backs chase Kershaw early in 18-7 drubbing

PHOENIX (AP) ― Paul Goldschmidt homered twice, had a career-high six RBIs and set a team record with five runs scored, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks bash the Los Angeles Dodgers 18-7 on Saturday night.The Diamondbacks hired Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa as chief baseball officer before the game and beat up on Clayton Kershaw (2-1) once it started, scoring seven runs in the second inning off the two-time Cy Young Award winner.The Dodgers came storming back with a five-run sixth to pull wi

May 18, 2014

Dominguez lifts Astros over Rangers

Texas Rangers left fielder Choo Shin-soo argues a called strike on Wednesday. The Korean went 0 for 5. ( AP-Yonhap)HOUSTON (AP) ― Matt Dominguez hit an RBI single off the right-field wall in the ninth inning and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 5-4 Wednesday night to win a series against their in-state rivals for the first time since 2008.The Astros took two of three after losing 15 straight series to the Rangers. Houston overcame a four-run deficit to win.Dexter Fowler singled with one

May 15, 2014

Nexen Heroes sign ex-Kia pitcher Sosa

The Nexen Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization said Thursday they have signed right-hander Henry Sosa for his second tour of duty in the top domestic league.The Heroes signed Sosa to a contract worth $150,000, along with a $50,000 signing bonus plus options. The transaction comes a day after the Heroes, currently in second place in the nine-team league at 21-13, put struggling right-hander Brandon Knight on waivers.Sosa pitched for another KBO club, the Kia Tigers, in 2012 and 2013. He join

May 15, 2014

Astros shutout by Rangers

Texas Rangers’ Choo Shin-soo prepares to bat against the Houston Astros on Monday. ( AP-Yonhap)HOUSTON (AP) ― Rougned Odor has had a rough start to his Major League career. Things quickly turned around for him on Monday night.The rookie second baseman collected his first home run and drove in his first two runs as Colby Lewis threw 5 2-3 shutout innings, and Adrian Beltre also homered to lead the Texas Rangers to a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros.Odor, who entered Monday just 2 for 12, had two h

May 13, 2014

LG Twins name ex-pitching coach new manager

The LG Twins, the struggling Korea Baseball Organization club, have named former pitching coach Yang Sang-moon as their new manager.The Seoul-based club said it signed Yang through 2017 for 1.35 billion won ($1.32 million).The 53-year-old served as the Twins’ pitching coach in 2002 and 2003, and again in 2007 and 2008. He’d been an analyst for the cable station MBC Sports.The Twins’ managerial post had been vacant since Kim Ki-tai abruptly offered to resign before a game on April 23. Bench coach

May 12, 2014

Dodgers score six unanswered, rally past Giants

Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp celebrates his homer in the eighth inning. (AFP-Yonhap)LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Once they got Matt Cain out of the game, Yasiel Puig and the Los Angeles Dodgers roughed up the San Francisco Giants’ stellar bullpen.Dee Gordon and Puig broke open a tie game with consecutive RBI doubles in the seventh, Matt Kemp homered in the eighth and the Dodgers beat the NL West-leading Giants 6-2 on Saturday.“Cain pitched a good game and pounded the zone,” Kemp said. “He threw strikes, m

May 11, 2014

Dodgers score six unanswered, rally past Giants

Rangers shut out Rockies

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ― Prince Fielder homered, Matt Harrison earned his first win since 2012 and the Texas Rangers beat Colorado 5-0 on Thursday night after being overwhelmed by the Rockies the previous three games.Harrison (1-0) and four relievers combined on a five-hitter, the Rangers’ major league-best seventh shutout. Joakim Soria worked a perfect ninth with two strikeouts for his eighth save in as many chances.Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado extended his hitting streak to 28 games with

May 9, 2014

Strasburg lifts Nats over L.A.

Rangers’ DH Choo Shin-soo bats in the first inning on Wednesday. The Korean went 0 for 4. (AFP-Yonhap)WASHINGTON (AP) ― By the time Stephen Strasburg reached back and threw a 96 mph fastball for a strikeout to end the top of the seventh with his 106th pitch, his usual first-inning struggles seemed long ago ― and his day seemed over.When the next inning rolled around Wednesday, though, Nationals manager Matt Williams sent Strasburg to the mound to face the top of the Dodgers’ order in what would

May 8, 2014

Kershaw tosses seven scoreless in Dodgers’ win

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Clayton Kershaw admitted he was nervous about making his first start in six weeks.Apparently it’s nothing new. He just hides it well.Kershaw pitched seven shutout innings in his first outing since opening day, and Hanley Ramirez and Drew Butera homered to help the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Washington Nationals 8-3 Tuesday night.“I’m always nervous, every time I start,” Kershaw said. “You want to do well. Same type of nerves tonight, but after the first inning I was able to

May 7, 2014

Kershaw tosses seven scoreless in Dodgers’ win

Tulowitzki’s 2 HRs flush Rangers

DENVER (AP) ― Troy Tulowitzki homered twice, Jordan Lyles pitched eight strong innings and the Colorado Rockies beat the Texas Rangers 8-2 on Monday night.Nolan Arenado also homered to extend his hitting streak to 25 games. It is the longest in the majors this season.Tulowitzki, who was named the NL Player of the Month for April before the game, had his first multi-homer game of the season and the ninth of his career. He hit a two-run shot off Texas starter Martin Perez in the fifth and hit anot

May 6, 2014

Hudson leads Giants past Padres 3-2

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― It didn’t take Tim Hudson very long to establish himself as the ace of the San Francisco Giants’ rotation.One month into the season, the three-time All-Star is looking just as sharp and crisp as ever.Not even a close play at first base that was eerily reminiscent to the one that resulted in a shattered right ankle last July was enough to rattle the right-hander.Hudson and Sergio Romo combined on a five-hitter and the Giants beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Wednesday night.“H

May 1, 2014

Baseball agent has ‘no comment’ on Korean player’s denial of connection

A Puerto Rican baseball agent with an apparent tie to a South Korean player said Thursday he had “no comment” on the player’s denial of any connection with him.Melvin Roman, president and CEO of Puerto Rico-based MDR Sports Management, told Yonhap News Agency in a phone interview that he would not comment on the situation between himself and Korean third baseman Choi Jeong.Earlier this week, CBSSports.com, in an article detailing Choi’s interest in playing in Major League Baseball next year, ide

May 1, 2014

Baseball umpire assaulted by fan in midgame on heels of blown calls

A South Korean baseball umpire was assaulted on the field in midgame by an inebriated fan on Wednesday night, an unsavory incident adding a new twist to an ongoing controversy surrounding questionable officiating in the nation's top competition.During a Korea Baseball Organization game between the Kia Tigers and the SK Wyverns at the Tigers' home in Gwangju, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul, a male fan ran onto the field and jumped the first base umpire Park Keun-young from behind. The incid

May 1, 2014

Choi Jeong denies hiring agent to test big-league market

South Korean baseball All-Star Choi Jeong has denied hiring an agent to sign with a big-league club for next season.Ahead of his SK Wyverns’ road game against the Kia Tigers in Gwangju, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday, Choi was tightlipped about a recent report from the United States that he has signed on with an international agent and will try to play in Major League Baseball next year.Earlier, CBSSports.com reported that Choi, a versatile third baseman who becomes a free agent

April 30, 2014

Gray tosses shutout vs. Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ― Sonny Gray came off the mound and into the Oakland dugout after the eighth inning purposely trying to avoid contact with manager Bob Melvin.Gray, clearly the best pitcher on this night in a matchup against Rangers ace Yu Darvish, wanted to finish what he started.“I normally talk to him, share a laugh, make something up,” Gray said. “I put my head down and he goes, ‘How are you feeling?’ I just yelled ‘Great!’ and kept walking. ... Yeah, I wanted to go back out there.” The

April 29, 2014