Everett, Wash.
Published: Monday, August 25, 2008

MLB NOTES: Pirates' manager ejected

 ROYALS: Royals pitcher Luke Hochevar is out for the season with a bruised right rib cage. The No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft, Hochevar was transferred Sunday from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. The right-hander ended his season 6-12 with a 5.51 ERA.

Also, Kansas City purchased Brandon Duckworth's contract from Triple-A Omaha and started him against the Detroit Tigers. It was Duckworth's 128th major league appearance and his 2008 big-league debut. To make room on the 25-man roster, the Royals optioned left-hander Josh Newman to Omaha.

WHITE SOX: White Sox slugger Jim Thome hit his 534th career home run, against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, tying Jimmie Foxx for 15th place on baseball's home run list. Thome hit a two-run shot in the fourth inning off Andy Sonnanstine to give the White Sox a 4-3 lead, moments after Carlos Quentin's two-run homer.

It was the 27th home run of the season for Thome, who entered the game in a 5-for-34 slump.

DIAMONDBACKS: The Arizona Diamondbacks optioned left-hander Doug Slaten to Triple-A Tucson on Sunday, recalling right-hander Billy Buckner for the third time this season. Buckner was optioned to Tucson when Slaten was activated from the disabled list on Aug. 13.

Slaten was 0-3 with a 4.30 ERA in 38 appearances this season. Buckner, in his first year in the Diamondbacks' organization, is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in nine innings over six games.

REDS: Cincinnati Reds starter Johnny Cueto left Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies after three innings with soreness in his right triceps tendon. The Reds said he will be examined today in Cincinnati.

The 22-year-old Cueto walked three, struck out four and didn't allow a hit before leaving the game. He threw 74 pitches and allowed one unearned run.

CUBS: Rich Harden matched his career-high with 11 strikeouts Sunday to help the streaking Chicago Cubs take their eighth straight series with a 6-1 win over the Washington Nationals.

Harden, 4-1 with a 1.47 ERA since his July trade from Oakland, reached double-digit strikeouts for the seventh time in his career and fifth time in eight starts with the Cubs.

PIRATES: Pirates manager John Russell and first baseman Adam LaRoche were ejected before the sixth inning of Sunday's 4-3, 12-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers for arguing balls and strikes. Pittsburgh led 1-0 when LaRoche was ejected by plate umpire Bob Davidson, a half-inning after he was upset at a called third strike that ended a Pirates rally.

LaRoche lingered in the box following the strikeout that ended the fifth inning, slowly taking off his batting gloves and throwing his helmet before taking the field.

"I let him know during the at-bat that it was a bad call and I told him to go look at it," LaRoche said.

Davidson ejected LaRoche before the next inning, and Russell argued with Davidson heatedly before being guided back to the dugout by second-base umpire Mike Reilly. LaRoche said he saw a replay of the strike call in the clubhouse before his second confrontation with Davidson.

It was Russell's first career ejection as a manager.

Associated Press
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