Lee stopped breathing, was revived after collapse
Former Red Sox pitcher Bill Lee had stopped breathing after collapsing in the bullpen during an exhibition game, but paramedics and two shocks with a defibrillator helped resuscitate the 75-year-old pitcher, according to a witness at the scene.
“Without immediate intervention, I do not believe he’d be here today,” Town of Thunderbolt Administrator Bob Milie said on Saturday, a day after the cardiac episode during a game for the popular Savannah Bananas.
“He wasn’t breathing,” said Milie, who’s also a firefighter in the Georgia town a few miles from Savannah. “It was very, very dire.”
Bananas manager Eric Byrnes posted a picture to Twitter of himself with Lee — a member of the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame — at Memorial Health University Medical Center on Saturday.
One of Lee’s daughters arrived in town and was at the hospital with him, team president Jared Orton said.
“She said he’s in good spirits and continues to be evaluated for next steps in recovery, but is certainly acting like himself,” Orton said in an e-mail.
Lee, fondly nicked “Spaceman” for his irreverent approach during his days with the Red Sox and Montreal Expos, had previously pitched for the Bananas.
Milie said Lee was shocked twice with the defibrillator on the field.
“The second one, that seemed to do the trick, got the heart beating,” he said.
Lee was able to leave the field with assistance.
Pujols keeps slugging
Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols went 4 for 4 and hit two more home runs, boosting his total to 692 and moving him past Stan Musial into second place on the career list for total bases.
Pujols, 42, connected for solo homers in the second and fourth innings in the Cardinals’ 16-7 victory at Arizona. He needs four more to tie Alex Rodriguez for the No. 4 spot all-time.
Pujols’s first homer of the game gave him
6,137 total bases. Musial, the Hall of Famer for the Cardinals, had 6,134. Hank Aaron holds the record with 6,856.
Yankees freefall continues
The offensively challenged Yankees made plenty of noise. Just not with their bats.
Ace Gerrit Cole twice banged the dugout roof, shouting in frustration and getting booed after a rough inning. After a 15th loss in 19 games, 5-2 to Toronto, manager Aaron Boone pounded the podium with his right hand while talking about his team’s struggles.
“We can ask all these questions in regards [to our slump] until we’re blue in the face,” Boone said. “We got to go out and do it. I got to quit answering questions about this date and this perplexion. We got to play better, period. And the great thing, it’s right in front of us. It’s right here and we can fix it.”
The AL East-leading Yankees fell to 9-20 since entering the All-Star break with a 64-28 record. After holding a 15½-game lead on July 8, their margin over second-place Toronto is down to seven games. The Yankees have lost six straight series for the first time since 1995, according to the
Elias Sports Bureau.
Rasmussen’s no-hit bid spoiled
Drew Rasmussen took a no-hit try into the sixth inning in his first start since making a serious perfect-game bid, and the Rays beat the Royals, 5-2, at Tropicana Field.
Rasmussen, who lost his perfect game last Sunday when Baltimore’s Jorge Mateo opened the ninth with a double, walked MJ Melendez leading off the Royals first. Melendez got the Royals’ first hit when he lined a single into center past Rasmussen with one out in the sixth.
Astros’ Alvarez back after scare
Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez was held out of the lineup after being taken to a hospital the previous night because of shortness of breath. Manager Dusty Baker said doctors weren’t able to find any cause of the breathing issues. Alvarez was at the ballpark but under a concussion-like protocol where the team was monitoring his every move. Baker said Alvarez could return to the lineup Sunday . . . Rays ace Tyler Glasnow threw 20 pitches in his first live batting-practice session since undergoing Tommy John surgery a little over one year ago. Manager Kevin Cash said it “went well.” There is a chance the 6-foot-8-inch Glasnow will return this season . . . Righthander Dustin May was activated and made his first start for the Dodgers since May 2021, when he underwent Tommy John surgery . . . The Cubs placed righty starter Keegan Thompson on the 15-day IL with lower back tightness and recalled righty Anderson Espinoza from Triple A Iowa. Manager David Ross doesn’t believe Thompson’s injury is serious . . . Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was put on the restricted list and is expected to miss the next two games. Manager Oliver Marmol said Molina left for “business matters” and is expected to return on Monday . . . The Padres are giving reliever
Josh Hader a break from the closer role after ninth-inning meltdowns on Thursday and Friday resulted in San Diego losses. Manager Bob Melvin said the lefthander would be given time to try to work out his issues.