National League notebook -- Sunday, July 8, 2012
Arizona: RHP Ian Kennedy, LHP Joe Saunders and RHP Trevor Cahill will be manager Kirk Gibson's first three starting pitchers coming out of the All-Star break at Wrigley Field. LHP Wade Miley, the Diamondbacks' lone All-Star representative, will start in the following series at Cincinnati, but Gibson didn't identify a fifth starter. ... LHP Patrick Corbin allowed one run in three innings to earn his first career save. It was the rookie's fourth relief appearance after he went 2-3 with a 5.27 ERA in five starts earlier this season.
Atlanta: Manager Fredi Gonzalez has set his second-half rotation, with RHP Tim Hudson pitching vs. the Mets on Friday, followed by RHP Tommy Hanson. The July 15 starter will depend on how RHP Ben Sheets progresses in the minor leagues. RHP Jair Jurrjens will open the three-game series against San Francisco on July 17. ... RHP Randall Delgado and LHP Mike Minor were available in the bullpen over the weekend. Once the season resumes, if both rookies are still in the rotation, manager Fredi Gonzalez will arrange it so that they don't start back-to-back games.
Chicago: RHP Ryan Dempster, who had been out due to a strained lat muscle, came off the disabled list to start Sunday's game, earning a victory with five shutout innings. RHP Chris Volstad was optioned to Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa to make room. He was recalled for a July 3 start, but he had another poor outing, falling to 0-7 with a 7.94 ERA. ... Dempster will start again Friday. He'll be followed in the rotation by LHP Paul Maholm and RHP Matt Garza against Arizona. LHP Travis Wood and RHP Jeff Samardzija will pitch in the following series against Miami.
Cincinnati: 3B Scott Rolen returned to the lineup Sunday after missing six games with back spasms. That meant Todd Frazier, who was 4-for-7 the previous two games, was on the bench. "I don't want to be answering this every day about Scottie and Frazier," manager Dusty Baker said. "I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'll figure it out." ... RHP Johnny Cueto will start the third game after the All-Star break. The Reds considered starting Cueto in the first game but decided to move him back to give everyone as close to normal rest as possible.
Colorado: OF Eric Young Jr. went 481 at-bats without homering until he hit a pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning Sunday, his first since Sept. 8, 2009. ... The Rockies will stay with four starters after the All-Star break: LHP Christian Friedrich on Friday, RHP Jeremy Guthrie on Saturday, LHP Drew Pomeranz on Sunday and LHP Jeff Francis on July 16. With the Rockies off July 19, Pomeranz, who is in his second professional season, will get an extra day of rest before his July 20 start.
Houston: RH reliever Wilton Lopez (elbow strain) completed his rehab assignment and is expected to be activated Friday. He had been the team's most consistent right-handed setup man, with a 2.51 ERA before his injury. In two rehab games for Class AAA Oklahoma City, Lopez allowed four runs (three earned) in two innings. ... LHP Wandy Rodriguez will start the first game back from the All-Star break. He'll be followed by RHP Lucas Harrell, RHP Bud Norris, LHP J.A. Happ and RHP Jordan Lyles.
Los Angeles: LHP Ted Lilly threw off a mound Sunday for the first time since he went on the disabled list in late May due to left shoulder inflammation. He will need to build up arm strength before going on a minor league rehab assignment. ... IF Luis Cruz drew a walk Sunday, the sixth consecutive game in which he reached base via hit or walk. Cruz, 28, has started all seven games since getting promoted July 2, including four consecutive games at shortstop in place of injured Dee Gordon. He has hit .318 (7-for-22).
Miami: RF Giancarlo Stanton had arthroscopic right knee surgery Sunday, and he will miss at least a month, manager Ozzie Guillen said. Stanton left Saturday's game with knee pain he had felt since July 2. ... 3B Hanley Ramirez exited Sunday's game due to a cut on his right hand, and he needed two stitches. He was injured when he hit an electric fan in the dugout. "Very stupid injury," Guillen said. Ramirez should be ready to return to action when play resumes Friday. ... Team president David Samson was upset the Marlins will not be represented in the All-Star Game for the first time since they were established in 1993. Stanton was replaced by Nationals OF Bryce Harper, not a teammate such as Marlins 2B Omar Infante or RH reliever Steve Cishek. "I think that every team should be presented on the line at the All-Star Game," Samson said.
Milwaukee: RHP Zack Greinke started for the second consecutive game Sunday (three innings, three runs) after being ejected Saturday following four pitches. He was thrown out by umpire Sam Holbrook after spiking a ball in anger over not covering first base in time to get an out. ... Greinke will start the first game after the All-Star break Friday vs. Pittsburgh. The last pitcher to start three consecutive games for his team in the same season was the White Sox's Red Faber, in a Sept. 3, 1917, doubleheader and the next day's game. ... IF Taylor Green (.198 in 44 games) was optioned to Class AAA Nashville after Sunday's game.
New York: OF Andres Torres took swings in the batting cage Sunday for the first time since asking out of Thursday's lineup with back pain. Torres is targeting a return just after the All-Star break. He hit .201 in the season's first half. ... 2B Jordany Valdespin started his second consecutive game Sunday in the outfield, playing center field the day after starting in left. Valdespin, who homered Saturday, began learning the outfield during spring training.
Philadelphia: RHP Roy Halladay (right lat strain) threw a bullpen session without any discomfort Saturday. Halladay will go to the Phillies' facility in Clearwater, Fla., to work over the All-Star break and throw a bullpen session Tuesday. If all goes well, the plan would be for Halladay to throw a rehab game for high-A Clearwater on July 12, with a possible return to the rotation coming July 16-18 in Los Angeles. ... CF Shane Victorino was a late scratch Sunday after being dropped to seventh in the order. Manager Charlie Manuel said the move wasn't injury-related.
Pittsburgh: C Rod Barajas started twice in the weekend series against the Giants after missing eight of the previous 10 games due to a sore left knee. He should be fully recovered after the break. ... 1B Matt Hague was recalled after an 11-day demotion to the minors. He went 11-for-35 (.314) with a homer and 12 RBI in eight games for Class AAA Indianapolis. Eric Fryer, who went 1-for-3 in four games as an extra catcher while Barajas was hurt, was optioned to Indianapolis.
St. Louis: All-Star 3B David Freese was not in the starting lineup because of a leg bruise sustained when he was hit by in the knee by a pitch Saturday. He did pinch-hit in the ninth, walking on four pitches and then sliding home with the winning run. ... SS Rafael Furcal missed just three games in the first half of the season despite being hobbled recently by a shin injury. He has hit .182 (10-for-55) in his past 13 games.
San Diego: RHP Jason Marquis was hit on the back of his right hand by a Johnny Cueto pitch Sunday. After facing two hitters in the top of the sixth, Marquis was relieved. He was also working on three days' rest. ... LF Carlos Quentin ended an 0-for-21 slump Saturday night with an RBI single. Quentin missed the season's first two months after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on March 19, then batted .338 in his first 23 games. In his past 10 games, he's hit .114 (4-for-35).
San Francisco: RH closer Santiago Casilla will rest during the four-day All-Star break. He has been slowed by a blister on the middle finger of his right hand, and he has blown three save opportunities in his last four appearances. ... 1B Aubrey Huff (sprained right knee) hit a two-run homer Saturday in his second rehab game with high-A San Jose. He was hurt leaping the tiny fence in front of the Giants' dugout after RHP Matt Cain finished his perfect game on June 13.
Washington: RHP Jordan Zimmermann's string of bad luck continued when he got a no-decision Sunday despite allowing just one run on three hits in seven innings. He has just two wins in his past seven starts despite compiling a 2.35 ERA in that stretch. ... LHP Gio Gonzalez got his 12th win Saturday, tying him with Mets RHP R.A. Dickey for the major league lead. He has won each of his past four starts, posting a 4.30 ERA in that span, well above his 2.92 season mark.
