Pittsburgh’s Ward hits for cycle
Daryle Ward hit for the cycle and tied his career best with six RBIs in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 11-8 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night in St. Louis.
Ward, recalled from Triple-A Nashville on May 11, hit a two-run double in the first and an RBI triple in the fourth off Jason Marquis, golfed a three-run homer off Kiko Calero in the fifth and singled off Steve Kline in the ninth.
He’s the first Pirates player to hit for the cycle since Jason Kendall on May 19, 2000, against the Cardinals. It’s been done 23 times in franchise history by 20 players.
Ward is batting .380 with six homers and 16 RBIs in 50 at-bats.
Guillen apologizes to teammates
Jose Guillen apologized to his Anaheim Angels teammates on Wednesday, two days after ripping them for not backing him up after he was hit by a pitch.
“I know those comments are supposed to be made inside the clubhouse,” he said.
Guillen went on a profanity-laced tirade after the Angels’ 6-5, 10-inning loss to Toronto on Monday night.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve been hit and there’s been no retaliation,” Guillen said then. “I’m giving everything I got every day, playing hurt, playing in pain, and trying to win some games, and we don’t get no help from nobody.”
Guillen, hit a team-high six times this season, also complained that no one retaliated after Vladimir Guerrero was hit.
Pettitte ailing again
Astros left-hander Andy Pettitte left four innings into Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs with discomfort in his left forearm.
Pettitte was clearly distressed by the end of the fourth, wincing in pain after Greg Maddux popped out to center fielder Craig Biggio, ending the inning.
Team officials said Pettitte is considered day to day.
Pettitte injured his left elbow while trying to check his swing in his debut with the Astros on April 6. He missed the next three weeks with a strained elbow.
His left elbow also sent him to the disabled list from April 21 to June 14, 2002, when he was out with tendinitis.
More Cubs DL-bound
Outfielder Tom Goodwin and right-hander Todd Wellemeyer could be the latest Cubs to join the team’s rapidly expanding disabled list.
Goodwin has a right groin strain and Wellemeyer strained his right shoulder. Both are expected to return to Chicago today for evaluation by team doctors.
The Cubs’ DL will become pretty lengthy should Goodwin and Wellemeyer join the list.
Kerry Wood (triceps), Sammy Sosa (back) and Kent Mercker (back) were put on the DL last week, joining Mark Prior (Achilles’ tendon), Mark Grudzielanek (Achilles’ tendon), Alex Gonzalez (broken wrist) and Ryan Dempster (rehab from elbow surgery).
Nine players have already spent time on the list this season. The team record is 16 in 1970.
Clearing the bases
Florida right-hander A.J. Burnett will make a rehab start with the Marlins’ Triple-A Albuquerque affiliate on Friday. … Outfielder Raul Mondesi will decide soon whether to play again this season, and said he could wind up with Anaheim, Boston or Baltimore. … Texas placed right-hander Chan Ho Park on the 15-day DL with a sore back, retroactive to May 20. … Outfielder Magglio Ordonez was scratched from the White Sox’s starting lineup because of a strained left calf.
Roberto Alomar has been cleared by doctors to do what manager Bob Brenly called “light baseball activity” about a month after the Arizona second baseman had surgery to repair a broken bone in his right hand. … Oakland traded reliever Lou Pote to Cleveland for cash. … An encouraging bullpen session before Wednesday night’s game against the Phillies left Mets left-hander Al Leiter optimistic about making his scheduled start, Tuesday at Philadelphia.