Green, first black player for Red Sox, dies at 85
Elijah “Pumpsie” Green, the first black player on the Boston Red Sox, has died. He was 85.
A Red Sox spokesman confirmed his death Wednesday night.
Green played parts of four seasons with the Red Sox and one with the Mets from 1959-63, batting .246 with 13 homers and 74 RBI. But his place in history was made when he stepped on the field as a pinch-runner against the Chicago White Sox on July 21, 1959.
The Red Sox were the last team in the major leagues to field a black player.
PHILS’ BRUCE ON IL
The Philadelphia Phillies placed veteran outfielder Jay Bruce on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique on Wednesday and recalled outfielder Nick Williams from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Bruce was injured on a checked swing in the third inning of the Phillies' 9-8 comeback win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.
He is batting .256 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 33 games with the Phillies since being acquired from the Seattle Mariners on June 2.
Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said the club will miss Bruce's bat and his intangibles.
ANGELS’ RAMIREZ SUSPENDED
Angels pitcher Noe Ramirez has been suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount for throwing a pitch in the area of Houston outfielder Jake Marisnick's head, and Angels manager Brad Ausmus has been suspended a game and fined.
Joe Torre, Chief Baseball Officer for Major League Baseball, announced the penalties Wednesday, a day after Ramirez drilled Marisnick between the shoulder blades with a 1-1 pitch in the sixth inning of the Angels' 7-2 home victory.
Ramirez said he will appeal the suspension. Bench coach Josh Paul will manage the manage the Angels on Wednesday while Ausmus serves his suspension.
Marisnick was playing his first game against Los Angeles since his violent home plate collision with catcher Jonathan Lucroy.
Marisnick ran over Lucroy while trying to score in Houston nine days ago, leaving Lucroy with a concussion and a broken nose. He's out for at least three more weeks. Marisnick is currently appealing his two-game suspension for the collision.