Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Murphy ties career high with 6 RBIs, Rockies rout Reds
CINCINNATI >> Daniel Murphy hit a threerun homer and a three-run double to tie his career high with six RBIs, leading Colorado over the Cincinnati Reds 12-2 on Friday night and giving the Rockies consecutive wins for the first time since June 28 and 29.
Murphy homered in the first off All-Star Luis Castillo (9-4) and doubled in the ninth against Jared Hughes, raising his career average against the Reds to .350.
David Dahl hit a two-run homer, and Charlie Blackmon had three hits and two RBIs for the Rockies, who had lost 16 of 19 before winning 8-7 at Washington on Thursday.
German Márquez (6-9) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, struck out seven and walked none, his second straight sharp outing after allowing a career-worst 11 runs against San Francisco. METS 6, PIRATES 3>> Trade candidate Zack Wheeler showed off a live arm in his return from the injured list, Jeff McNeil hit the first of four Mets homers and New York beat slumping Pittsburgh.
Wheeler (7-6) struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings in his first start since July 7 due to right shoulder fatigue — an issue he called an impingement. With contending teams watching closely, the right-hander averaged 96.8 mph on his fastball and looked sharp until Adam Frazier clocked a two-run homer in the sixth inning. Wheeler allowed three runs, six hits and no walks.
Back from IL, Scherzer has strained back
WASHINGTON >> Washington ace Max Scherzer received a stem cell shot to treat his strained back and hopes to make his next scheduled start Tuesday against Atlanta.
Scherzer returned from the injured list Thursday and in his first start since July 6 allowed three runs and four hits over five innings during an 8-7 loss to Colorado. He had been sidelined by inflammation under his right shoulder.
An MRI on Friday revealed the mid-back strain. Scherzer will not throw for two days.
“He has a strain of his rhomboid,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “He’s going to get shut down for two days then we’ll see how he feels from there. Right now, he wants to make his next start.”
Correa back
ST. LOUIS >> Carlos Correa was in the Houston Astros’ lineup on Friday night for the first time since May 26.
He missed 50 games with a broken rib, an injury sustained during an accident at home. He was 7 for 21 during a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment.
Correa was activated from the injured list by the Astros, and outfielder Tony Kemp was designated for assignment.
Red Sox not pursuing protest
BOSTON >> The Red Sox are not pursuing a protest of a game at Tampa Bay this week, when conflict developed after the Rays designated hitter was removed.
Boston declined to file the required written protest after being advised by Major League Baseball that they would not win, general manager Dave Dombrowski said, according to team spokesman Kevin Gregg.
Manager Alex Cora protested the game Wednesday after Tampa Bay reliever Adam Kolarek retired a batter, then shifted to first base as Rays manager Kevin Cash called in Chaz Roe from the bullpen. After Roe got Mookie Betts to fly out, Cash shifted Kolarek back to the mound and Nate Lowe came off the bench to play first.
Cora called for a meeting with the umpires, which led to a 15-minute stoppage. The game resumed with Kolarek still on the mound.
Umpire crew chief Angel Hernandez allowed the change, saying that because Cash did not specify where Kolarek and the others would be placed in the lineup, by rule it became an umpire decision.
“In case the manager fails or refuses to make the decision, the plate umpire is authorized to decide the necessary batting order,” Hernandez said. “The umpire’s decision is final.”
Boston played the rest of the game under protest and lost 3-2.
“We were confident in the messages that were relayed,” Cash said Friday in Toronto. “I’m not privy to everything that was said between the umpiring crew and the Boston staff. I’m just happy that our pitchers executed pitches. Ultimately we got it right, and it was really no impact on the game.”
Former employee brings suit against Tigers, Bosio DETROIT >> A former clubhouse attendant has brought a discrimination lawsuit against the Detroit Tigers and former pitching coach Chris Bosio.
In a complaint filed this week in Wayne County Circuit Court, Derrell Coleman II, who is black, accuses Tigers management of tolerating “a culture of racism” and says Bosio called him a “monkey” in June of 2018. The suit says Coleman has experienced mental anguish and emotional distress.
The Tigers announced on June 27, 2018, that Bosio was being fired for “insensitive comments” that violated team policy. Bosio later told USA Today he was fired for using the word “monkey” but insisted it wasn’t in a racial or demeaning context.
The Tigers said in a statement Friday that the team has a “zero tolerance policy” for workplace harassment. It was not clear if Bosio had an attorney.