Former Jackson High School baseball star Travis Snider made his MLB debut for the Toronto Blue Jays against the New York Yankees Friday night in New York.
Snider turned in a solid performance, batting 1-for-3 with a double and scoring the Blue Jays’ lone run in a 2-1 loss.
Snider, the Blue Jays’ top prospect, doubled with one out in the sixth and scored when Marco Scutaro singled.
Snider started in left field after his contract was purchased from Class AAA Syracuse. The move came after Matt Stairs was designated for assignment Thursday night.
The Yankees scratched out both of their runs in the fourth inning, starting with a leadoff single from Johnny Damon that bounced off the foul line painted on the wall in right field.
Damon got a poor jump trying to steal second and would have been thrown out had second baseman Joe Inglett held onto the ball as he swiped to tag him on the shoulder. One batter later, Bobby Abreu doubled into the gap in left for a 1-0 lead.
Alex Rodriguez followed with an infield single, moving Abreu to third, and Jason Giambi hit a shallow fly ball into foul territory down the left-field line. Snider made a leaping grab for the out, but Abreu tagged from third and easily beat the throw to the plate.
MLB: Two New York Yankees pitchers and one Chicago Cubs pitcher from the Dominican Summer League were each suspended 50 games Friday for testing positive for banned performance-enhancing drugs under baseball’s minor league program.
Justo Arias and Rafael Martinez of the Yankees tested positive for metabolites of stanozolol. Jhon Rodriguez of the Cubs tested positive for metabolites of nandrolone.
All three suspensions will begin at the start of next season. A total of 41 minor leaguers have received bans since July 25, including 33 from the Dominican Summer League.
ROYALS: The Kansas City Royals’ first-round draft pick Eric Hosmer can’t play until the Pittsburgh Pirates settle their dispute with their first-round selection and the players’ association.
The Pirates announced early on Aug. 16 that Pedro Alvarez, a power-hitting third baseman from Vanderbilt, agreed to a minor league contract with a $6 million signing bonus. The Pirates said his agent, Scott Boras, told the team Alvarez would not report unless the deal was renegotiated. Boras claimed the agreement was reached after the midnight deadline for draft picks to sign on Aug. 15. The Players Association filed a grievance claiming the Aug. 15 deadline was unilaterally extended by Major League Baseball without the union’s permission.
Pirates president Frank Coonelly said the agreement between the Kansas City Royals and No. 3 pick Hosmer, a first baseman was submitted to MLB after Alvarez’s deal. Boras is also Hosmer’s agent.
INDIANS: Cleveland Indians catcher Victor Martinez, sidelined for more than two months with an injured right elbow, was activated from the disabled list ahead of Friday’s game against the Seattle Mariners. To make room for Martinez, the Indians designated infielder Andy Gonzalez for assignment.
ORIOLES: Baltimore Orioles pitcher Daniel Cabrera began serving his six-game suspension Friday for throwing at the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez after the ruling was upheld by Major League Baseball.
Cabrera, 8-8 with a 5.24 ERA in 28 starts, was also fined for throwing a pitch at Rodriguez’s head in the eighth inning of a game on July 29. Cabrera was ejected.
Also, third baseman Melvin Mora left the game against Tampa Bay because of a strained left hamstring Friday night. Mora was hurt while trying to beat out a grounder with two on and two out in the third. The Orioles said Mora is day to day.
RED SOX: Josh Beckett was put on the 15-day disabled list because of an inflamed right elbow and manager Terry Francona hopes the Boston Red Sox ace can return to the rotation next Friday in Texas.
Beckett was examined by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola., Fla., on Friday. Beckett had been scheduled to pitch Friday night’s opener of the three-game series with the Chicago White Sox but was scratched Thursday, when he went on the disabled list, and replaced by Daisuke Matsuzaka.
In other moves, Boston placed first baseman Sean Casey on the disabled list retroactive to Aug. 20 with a neck strain and moved shortstop Julio Lugo from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list with a strained left quadriceps.
TIGERS: Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera left Friday night’s game against Kansas City in the sixth inning because of a mild strain of his left pectoral muscle. Cabrera was 0-for-3 when he left the game with Detroit leading 6-1. He is batting .287 with 29 home runs and 100 RBI this season. The Tigers said he was day to day.
ASTROS: The Houston Astros extended the contracts of pitcher Brian Moehler and outfielder Darin Erstad through the 2009 season.
BRAVES: The Atlanta Braves added a veteran arm Friday, activating Elmer Dessens two days after agreeing to terms with the right-hander.
DIAMONDBACKS: The Arizona Diamondbacks reinstated right fielder Justin Upton from the 15-day disabled list and claimed left-hander Wil Ledezma off waivers from the San Diego Padres on Friday. The Diamondbacks also recalled righty Max Scherzer from Triple-A Tucson to bolster their bullpen before the NL West-leaders hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers.
ROCKIES: Colorado Rockies closer Brian Fuentes was reinstated from the bereavement list on Friday and the team optioned reliever Steven Register back to Class AAA Colorado Springs.
PADRES: The San Diego Padres placed outfielder Scott Hairston on the 15-day disabled list Friday because of a torn ligament in his left thumb.
DODGERS: The Los Angeles Dodgers sent rookie Clayton Kershaw to Class AAA Las Vegas on Friday but said he is still scheduled to take his turn in the rotation next week.
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