The Korea Herald

Cabrera’s hit in 10th lifts Padres over Braves

SAN DIEGO (AP) ― The San Diego Padres’ previously inept offense has become resurgent and it’s leading to more victories.Everth Cabrera singled in the winning run in the 10th inning as the Padres won their second straight extra-innings game with a 4-3 victory over the reeling Atlanta Braves on Sunday.“Any time you can walk off two times in a row, it doesn’t get much more exciting than that.” said Tommy Medica, the team’s hottest hitter.San Diego, which leads the majors in runs scored since the Al

Aug. 4, 2014

Cabrera’s hit in 10th lifts Padres over Braves

Flurry at deadline

Home Run Derby champ Yoenis Cespedes (MCT)NEW YORK (AP) ― Baseball fans were still trying to sort out the dizzying deals for postseason aces Jon Lester and John Lackey, Home Run Derby champ Yoenis Cespedes and All-Star shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera when they were treated to a most curious sight Thursday.In the seventh inning of a tight game at Comerica Park ― with the bases loaded, no less ― Detroit center fielder Austin Jackson suddenly trotted from his position to the dugout.He was on his way out

Aug. 1, 2014

Kershaw, Dodgers beat Braves

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Clayton Kershaw scattered nine hits and struck out nine while tying his career-best winning streak of 10 games, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 2-1 Thursday night to complete the three-game sweep.Kershaw (13-2) pitched his second consecutive complete game for the second time in his career. He is unbeaten in his last 11 starts with a 10-0 record since June 2. The left-hander beat the Braves for the first time during the regular season in his career.The Dodge

Aug. 1, 2014

Rangers bag series win over Yankees

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ― Texas Rangers starter Colby Lewis did a bit of reminiscing when he noticed the stands filling up while he warned up in the bullpen before the game.The veteran right-hander went out and provided a promising flashback performance against the New York Yankees, even after another leadoff homer by Brett Gardner. The Rangers clinched their first series in a month with a 3-2 victory Wednesday night.Lewis retired the last 13 batters he faced in seven strong innings, much like the

July 31, 2014

Dogfight for final playoff spot

With the top three teams having put some distance between themselves and the rest of the pack, four clubs are engaged in a dogfight for the fourth and final playoff berth in the top South Korean baseball league.The Samsung Lions, champions in each of the past three seasons, are sitting pretty at the top of the nine-team Korea Baseball Organization at 55-28-2, five games ahead of the Nexen Heroes. The NC Dinos are seven games behind the Lions in third place.Then there is some separation. The four

July 30, 2014

Giant slayer

SAN FRANCISCO (Yonhap) ― Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers picked up his 12th win of the Major League Baseball season on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants, holding the National League West rivals to three earned runs in six innings. Ryu also struck out seven and walked one in his six frames to improve to 12-5 for the year. His ERA went up slightly from 3.39 to 3.44.Ryu is well ahead of the pace from his rookie season in 2013, when he didn’t get his 12th win until Aug. 13. He ended la

July 28, 2014

Park Byung-ho headlines Asiad roster

Park Byung-ho, the two-time reigning MVP in the Korea Baseball Organization, headlined the South Korean baseball roster for the upcoming Asian Games announced on Monday.Park, the slugging first baseman for the Nexen Heroes, was among the 24 players named to represent the country on home soil when the western metropolitan city of Incheon hosts the Asian Games from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.Ryu Joong-il, manager of the three-time defending KBO champ Samsung Lions, will manage South Korea, the reigning As

July 28, 2014

Ryu Hyun-jin earns 12th win of season vs. division rival Giants

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers picked up his 12th win of the Major League Baseball(MLB) season on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants, holding the National League (NL) West rivals to three earned runs in six innings.Ryu also struck out seven and walked one in his six frames to improve to 12-5 for the year, as the Dodgers beat the Giants 4-3.His ERA went up slightly from 3.39 to 3.44.Ryu is well ahead of the pace from his rookie season in 2013, when he didn't get his 12th win until A

July 28, 2014

Kershaw spins two-hitter vs. Giants

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― Clayton Kershaw pitched a two-hitter to win his ninth straight decision, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 5-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.Adrian Gonzalez had three hits and an RBI and Juan Uribe had two hits and two RBIs to help the Dodgers move into first place in the NL West, one-half game ahead of the Giants.Kershaw (12-2) walked one and struck out seven in his ninth career shutout and second this season. It was also his fourth complete gam

July 27, 2014

Pirates jump on Haren early, sink Dodgers 6-1

PITTSBURGH (AP) ― Josh Harrison had two hits with two RBIs and the Pittsburgh Pirates jumped on Dan Haren early in a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night.Harrison’s two-run double down the left field line capped a four-run outburst in the first against Haren (8-8). Pittsburgh has won five of six since the All-Star break to move a season-high seven games over .500.Travis Snider added two hits, including his fifth homer, for the Pirates. Francisco Liriano (2-7) allowed one run o

July 24, 2014

Kia Tigers waive pitcher Houlton

The Kia Tigers released their struggling right-hander D.J. Houlton on Thursday, the last day for teams in the top domestic baseball league to waive their foreign players.The Korea Baseball Organization club said it has parted ways with the 34-year-old pitcher, who has gone 5-8 with a 4.80 ERA in 17 starts in his first season in South Korea. (Yonhap)

July 24, 2014

Lim responds to manager’s faith with ...perfect inning

Lim Chang-yong of the Samsung Lions (Yonhap)BUSAN (Yonhap) ― Back from an unflattering stint in the minors, veteran closer Lim Chang-yong of the Samsung Lions responded to his manager’s continued show of faith with a perfect outing Tuesday night.With his Lions leading the Lotte Giants on the road 5-3 here in Busan in their Korea Baseball Organization showdown, Lim took the mound in the bottom of the ninth and retired the side on just 11 pitches. He struck out two batters for his 18th save of the

July 23, 2014

Lim responds to manager’s faith with ...perfect inning

Ryu picks up win No. 11

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy tags out Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos at home plate in the third inning on Monday. (AP-Yonhap)PITTSBURGH (AP) ― A sharp Ryu Hyun-jin and some clutch hitting enabled the Los Angeles Dodgers to overcome the absence of two top sluggers.Ryu pitched seven strong innings, Adrian Gonzalez reached base five times and Los Angeles beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Monday night.Ryu (11-5) joined Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw in making the Dodgers the first

July 22, 2014

KBO managers want umpire review to precede video replay

When the second half of the South Korean professional baseball season starts on Tuesday, the league will have a new twist to its review system. Ahead of last Friday’s All-Star Game at the Korea Baseball Organization, the nine managers agreed to adopt a “four-man review” system that will precede expanded video replay starting in the season’s second half.Earlier this month, executives from the KBO teams had agreed to expand video replay for the remainder of the season to cover safe-out, fair-foul

July 21, 2014

Pirates top Rockies in 11th

PITTSBURGH (AP) ― Nobody plays more one-run games than the Pittsburgh Pirates.No wonder they are starting to look so comfortable when things get tight.Jordy Mercer doubled home Neil Walker with one out in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Pirates to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.Pittsburgh improved to 23-17 in one-run games this season, including 16-8 at home.“We feel like we’re never out of anything, especially in this ballpark,” Mercer said. “We just kind of fee

July 20, 2014

Milestones in sight as offense rules

In a season of high-octane offense that has left managers and pitchers alike shuddering with fear, some significant milestones remain in sight in the top South Korean baseball league.Park Byung-ho, the slugging first baseman for the Nexen Heroes, could bag his third straight Korea Baseball Organization MVP honors in 2014. After hitting 31 homers in 2012 and 37 in 2013, Park is already sitting at 30 home runs this year after 82 games. Nexen’s Park Byung-ho (Yonhap)Park reached 25 homers by June 7

July 17, 2014

Familiar face back on top with high-scoring clubs in pursuit

It’s deja vu all over again in the top South Korean baseball league as it enters the All-Star break, with a familiar face sitting pretty in first place despite recent hiccups.The Samsung Lions, the three-time defending champs of the Korea Baseball Organization, are at the top of the standings in the nine-team league at 49 wins, 27 losses and two draws. They’re 3 1/2 games ahead of the Nexen Heroes, despite losing the final four games of the first half.The Heroes, who made their first postseason

July 17, 2014

Ex-MLB hitter Luke Scott waived by SK Wyverns after heated exchange with manager

Former Major League Baseball player Luke Scott was released by his South Korean club SK Wyverns on Wednesday following a heated exchange with his manager in public.The Wyverns said they have placed the 36-year-old veteran on the waivers a day after Scott got into a verbal spat with his manager Lee Man-soo. Their exchange took place on the field at the Wyverns' home Munhak Stadium in Incheon, hours before they were to host the Hanwha Eagles.Scott, with 135 career homers in the majors and three co

July 16, 2014

Cespedes wins home run derby

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ― Oakland’s Yoenis Cespedes became the first repeat winner of the All-Star home run derby in 15 years, powering his way past Cincinnati’s Todd Frazier by a whopping 9-1 in the final round Monday night.Ken Griffey Jr. took the title in 1998 and 1999. With a serious, determined look on his face the whole time, Cespedes finished with 28 homers. That was four fewer than last year, when he beat Washington’s Bryce Harper 9-8 in the final round.Cespedes saved his best for last, a 138-m

July 15, 2014

[Newsmaker] Ryu Hyun-jin earns 10th win of season

LOS ANGELES (Yonhap) ― Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers earned his 10th victory of the season after tossing six shutout innings against the San Diego Padres at home on Sunday.In his final start before the All-Star break, Ryu left the game after six innings with the Dodgers leading 1-0. Ryu allowed only two hits and struck out a season-high 10 batters before handing things over to Brandon League to start the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium.Ryu entered the day with a 9-5 record and a 3.65

July 14, 2014

[Newsmaker] Ryu Hyun-jin earns 10th win of season