National League team-by-team notebook -- Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Arizona: CF Chris Young (right quadriceps) tested his injury by running straight lines at about 80 percent and will try to run curves today. "It didn't grab on me. It was a productive day," said Young, who has not started since he was injured Sept. 3. ... The D-backs had four teams in the minor league playoffs, and three advanced to the league championship series: Class AAA Reno, Class AA Mobile (Ala.) and rookie-level Missoula (Mont.).
Atlanta: LHP Mike Minor's pitch count ballooned early Monday against the Brewers, reaching 100 with the first pitch of the sixth inning. But he allowed only two hits in 5 2/3 innings in his 50th career major league start. Minor has allowed only three hits in 12 2/3 scoreless innings in his last two games. ... IF/OF Martin Prado went into Tuesday with an NL-leading 53 multi-hit games. He went 3-for-4 Monday.
Chicago: CF Brett Jackson (bruised right knee) did not start for the fourth straight game Tuesday and might not play again until Friday. ... RH closer Carlos Marmol converted his 18th straight save opportunity Monday. It was the first time in his career that he has converted 18 in a row in a single season. He had 18 in a row over 2010-11.
Cincinnati: LH reliever Aroldis Chapman will be shut down for at least a few days because of shoulder fatigue. "I don't think it's anything major. I just feel weak," he said through an interpreter. Chapman's velocity has dropped noticeably in last two outings. ... LF Ryan Ludwick was happy with his game-winning hit in the 14th inning Monday, of course, but he wasn't happy with his earlier at-bats. "I felt like I had a thousand chances to win the game. I finally did it on the 1,001st," he said.
Colorado: LHP Jeff Francis has gone seven starts without a loss, winning twice in that span, going into his start tonight. He has allowed one run or none in three of his last four starts. ... 3B-1B Jordan Pacheco has had five hitting streaks since being recalled May 15 from Triple-A Colorado Springs -- a career-high and Rockies season-high 14-game streak as well as streaks of 11 games, eight games (twice) and six games.
Houston: SS Jed Lowrie (right ankle) was activated from the disabled list but was not in the lineup, and 2B Jose Altuve (abdominal muscle) and CF Jordan Schafer (shoulder) remained out of the lineup. Altuve hasn't started since Friday, Schafer since Sunday. ... Interim manager Tony DeFrancesco said 3B Matt Dominguez's three-run homers Friday and Sunday increased his confidence. "I saw Matt last year in the Pacific Coast League, and you could see the tools," DeFrancesco said. "Every day you can see his confidence grow as he goes out and performs."
Los Angeles: CF Matt Kemp (left shoulder) returned to the lineup after missing two games. ... SS Dee Gordon (right thumb) was activated from the 60-day disabled list after Class AAA Albuquerque's season ended. Gordon, who will play a reserve role for the remainder of the season, hit .226 with a .255 on-base percentage on his 13-game rehab assignment. ... IF Adam Kennedy (right groin) was placed on the 60-day disabled list, ending his season.
Miami: 2B Donovan Solano was batting .352 over his last 23 games before Tuesday and had hits in 20 of his last 23 games. "He might not be the Rookie of the Year, but he was a great player for the Marlins," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "To me, that's more important." ... OF Justin Ruggiano struck out in all four at-bats Monday. It was his first four-strikeout game since Sept. 17, 2008, when he was playing for Tampa against Boston.
Milwaukee: 1B Corey Hart (plantar fasciitis in left foot) remained out of the lineup but hopes to pinch hit today and start again on Friday. "I think I can tolerate it," he told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "It's not going to go away." ... The Brewers threw out four baserunners Monday, including RF Norichika Aoki and CF Carlos Gomez nailing Atlanta's Martin Prado at third base trying to advance from first base on hits. "I don't remember us picking up that many outs on the basepaths (before)," manager Ron Roenicke said.
New York: RHPs Jenrry Mejia, Jeurys Familia, Collin McHugh and Jeremy Hefner all will make at least one start each down the stretch for the Mets. Mejia will make his first Saturday, followed by the other three later this month. All four of those pitchers will squeeze into a rotation that already includes RHPs Matt Harvey, Chris Young and R.A. Dickey and LHP Jon Niese. ... 3B David Wright entered Tuesday's play with 1,406 career hits, 12 shy of tying Ed Kranepool for the most in franchise history. Kranepool played in 1,853 games, 611 more than Wright.
Philadelphia: 3B Kevin Frandsen (stress fracture in left ankle) will not be able to play regularly the rest of the season, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "He might play one day, then get another day off," Amaro told the Philadelphia Inquirer. ... Manager Charlie Manuel said rookie LF Darin Ruf, just called up from Class AA Reading (Pa.), could get a chance to play left field in the final three weeks of the season. "There's an old saying: If you can hit they will find a place for you," Manuel said.
Pittsburgh: RH reliever Jared Hughes spoke with Reds 2B Brandon Phillips in a phone conversation set up by Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutchen, and both players settled their differences. Hughes hit Phillips with a pitch Monday, then became angry when Phillips flipped the ball back to him. Following the game, Phillips, who is black, suggested on Twitter that Hughes, who is white, made a racial remark. ... CF Andrew McCutchen's 26 home runs through Monday are the most by a Pirates right-handed hitter since Jason Bay had 35 in 2006. Brian Giles is the only Pirate to have more homers in a season while playing center field (28 in 1999).
St. Louis: RHP Lance Lynn, tied for the staff lead at 14 wins but stuck in the bullpen for nearly three weeks, will start Thursday's game. Manager Mike Matheny said Lynn was chosen over the other two candidates, Trevor Rosenthal and Shelby Miller, because he has more experience. ... C/1B Steven Hill, recalled from Class AAA Memphis when 1B Lance Berkman returned home to Houston to have more right knee surgery, gives the Cardinals four catchers down the stretch, to go with Yadier Molina, Tony Cruz and Bryan Anderson. But Hill figures to mostly be used as a pinch hitter.
San Diego: LF Carlos Quentin left Monday's game after three innings with more irritation in the right knee that was surgically repaired during spring training and kept him sidelined until May 28. "The knee has not responded," manager Bud Black said. ... RH closer Huston Street (left calf) is scheduled to throw another, more strenuous, simulated game today, and Black said the Padres then will decide what course of action to take with him. He threw all his pitches in a simulated game Monday afternoon but didn't test his leg fielding bunts or covering first.
San Francisco: LF Xavier Nady (left hamstring) is at about 60 percent strength, manager Bruce Bochy said, and Bochy didn't want to use him in the outfield at spacious Coors Field. Nady hopes to return this weekend. ... RH reliever Clay Hensley (right groin) was activated from the disabled list. ... RHP Ryan Vogelsong has a 9.57 ERA over his last six starts after giving up four runs in five innings Monday. One of the runs scored on a home run by the Rockies' pitcher, Alex White. "I'm costing us games right now and I'm not real happy about it," Vogelsong said.
Washington: LH reliever Sean Burnett (elbow) is expected to be ready to pitch today as long as he doesn't have any setbacks from his throwing session Monday. He has missed more than a week. ... LHP Gio Gonzalez earned his 19th victory Monday even though he wasn't at his best. "He had great stuff but just wasn't real consistent," manager Davey Johnson said. "It wasn't one of his better ones, but he didn't battle them and he gave us a good six innings."
