News and notes
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs’ World Series rings, which they received April 12, were fitting for a franchise that had gone 108 years since its previous championship.
The 14-karat rings are made of white gold and have 214 diamonds, three karats of red rubies and 21⁄ karats of sapphires. A 2 total of 33 red rubies top the ring, forming the team’s bull’s-eye logo surrounded by 72 round white diamonds in a circular pattern. The bezel has 108 round white diamonds, representing each year of the drought.
One side also features the player’s name above a “W” flag surrounded by a silhouette of Wrigley Field’s bricks and ivy, with the player’s number below it.
The other side features the year 2016 above the ballpark’s facade and marquee, with a silhouette of the trophy flanked by two diamonds symbolizing the club’s previous two titles and a large, round, white diamond in the center. u Left- handed reliever Brian
Duensing was activated Friday after beginning the season on the disabled list because of back spasms. He was signed as a free agent in the offseason. u Right-handed reliever Carl
Edwards Jr. was placed on the bereavement list, which temporarily put off a roster decision on which position player will lose his spot when the Cubs go to a 13man pitching staff.
Cincinnati Reds
Injuries to two more starting pitchers led to Sal Romano making his major league debut Sunday in a loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
The 23-year-old right-hander was recalled from Class AAA Louisville and allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits in three innings with four walks and one strikeout.
Romano took the rotation spot of right-hander Rookie Davis, who had a bruised right forearm and landed on the disabled list after he was hit by a pitch from the Pirates’ Jameson Taillon on April 11. It was Davis’ second major league start.
Left-hander Brandon Finne-
gan was placed on the DL on Sunday, a day after pitching only one inning against the Brewers before being removed because of a strained shoulder. Finnegan won’t begin a throwing program until at least the end of the month. Right-handers Anthony De
Sclafani and Homer Bailey have been on the DL since the start of the season because of elbow injuries. u Rookie right-hander Robert
Stephenson pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Finnegan. He or left-handed reliever Cody
Reed could wind up taking Finnegan’s rotation spot. u Outfielder Jesse Winker’s first major league hit was a big one. His two-run double off the Brewers’ Carlos Torres in the sixth inning Saturday, a day after being called up from Louisville, proved to be the game-winner in a 7-5 victory.
Milwaukee Brewers
Eric Thames has made a good early impression in his return to the major leagues. The first baseman homered for the fifth consecutive game Monday and was hitting .405 with a majors-best 1.479 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. He was signed to a three-year, $16 million contract as a free agent in the offseason after playing in the Korean Baseball Organization the last three seasons.
“Every one of his at-bats is a quality at-bat,” manager Craig
Counsell said. “It has an intent to it.” u Right- handed reliever Oliver Drake was acquired April 13 from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for a player to be named or cash considerations. The former Naval Academy standout was designated for assignment by the Orioles after allowing three runs in 31⁄ innings in three outings. 3
The 30-year-old was charged with one unearned run in two innings Friday against the Reds in his Brewers debut. Drake will be used in middle relief.
u Right-hander Matt Garza ( groin) was scheduled to make his second rehab start Monday for Class AAA Colorado Springs and could start for the Brewers during the four-game weekend home series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates’ three-game weekend sweep at Wrigley Field was a radical departure from last season, when they lost 14 of 18 meetings against the Cubs, including eight of nine in Chicago.
That was part of the reason why the Pirates finished 25 games behind the NL Central champions.
“They’re a good team, but we don’t take a back seat to anyone,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “You got to love playing here. We were 1-8 here last year. We’re well aware of that. That was last year. This year we’ll do something different.” u Center fielder Andrew
McCutchen’s three-run homer in the seventh inning Saturday helped the Pirates come from behind to beat the Cubs 8-7.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Pirates, who trailed 6-3 after six innings, were the first team to win a March or April road game against the previous year’s World Series champion after trailing by at least three runs in the seventh inning or later since the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-3 on April 28, 1982. u Catcher Francisco Cervelli did not throw out any of the first 13 baserunners who attempted to steal until nabbing the Cubs’ Javier Baez on Saturday.
St. Louis Cardinals
Right-hander Carlos Marti
nez had one of the oddest starts in team history Saturday in a loss at the New York Yankees.
Martinez had 11 strikeouts in 51⁄ innings but also walked eight 3 while allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits. He was the first Cardinals pitcher with eight walks and 11 strikeouts in a game since Wild Bill Hallahan in 1930.
Martinez also became the first pitcher in 60 years with at least six strikeouts and six walks through two innings, Elias Sports Bureau said.
“I wasn’t really able to execute the pitches the way I wanted to,” Martinez said.
u Left-hander Tyler Lyons, who had right knee surgery in November, pitched a combined 91⁄ scoreless innings in his first 3 two rehab starts for Class AAA Memphis. However, Lyons likely won’t be ready to be activated from the disabled list until early May — the Cardinals want him to continue building arm strength.
u Hall of Famer Lou Brock will miss his scheduled appearance April 25 at Busch Stadium before the Cardinals’ game against the Toronto Blue Jays because he is being treated for bone cancer. The 77-year-old’s left leg was amputated below the knee in late 2015 because of an infection caused by complications from diabetes.
“When you’ve played in the Garden, you can handle anything.” Reds rookie left-hander Amir Garrett on how two seasons of college basketball at St. John’s, which plays some of its home games at Madison Square Garden, prepared him for the major leagues