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SPORTS Monday 16 SepteMber 2019

Rays drop 1½ games back of

Oakland for top AL wild card

BY JILL PAINTER LOPEZ to come back and enjoy "Yarbs wasn't his sharpest,"
Associated Press our day off in LA and play a Cash said. "The command
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Af- really good baseball team." just wasn't there. He just
ter stumbling against the Tampa Bay trailed 6-1 be- didn't look crisp for what-
Los Angeles Angels, the fore Austin Meadows' 31st ever reason."
Tampa Bay Rays head up homer, a three-run drive off Anthony Banda struck out
the coast what appears to Ty Buttrey with two outs in two in two scoreless innings
be an even more challeng- the eighth. Hansel Robles of relief for the Rays. Banda
ing series against the Dodg- struck out pinch hitter Ji- returned Sept. 8 from Tom-
ers. Man Choi, then worked my John surgery.
Albert Pujols hit a three-run around a leadoff walk in "Really encouraged by Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols, left, rounds
homer off Ryan Yarbrough the ninth for his career-high Anthony Banda's perfor- third after hitting a three-run home run with Tampa Bay Rays
starting pitcher Ryan Yarbrough, right, looking away during the
in the fifth inning and drove 21st save in 24 chances. mance," Cash said. "That's fifth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, Sept.
in four runs, leading the An- After learning that two-time a sign in the right direction." 15, 2019.
gels over Tampa Bay 6-4 AL MVP Mike Trout will have Noé Ramirez (5-2) retired Associated Press
Sunday to drop the Rays foot surgery and miss the six straight batters to win in
1½ games behind Oakland rest of the season, Los An- relief of rookie Patrick San- TWO-WAY STARS UP NEXT
for the top AL wild card. geles stopped a six-game doval, who allowed two Brendan McKay, the Rays' Rays: LHP Blake Snell (6-7,
Seeking their first playoff losing streak. On Saturday, hits in four innings but was two-way player, had his first 4.28 ERA) is expected to
berth since 2013, the Rays the Angels ensured their removed after 61 pitches. career hit in the eighth in- be activated from the IL to
are 1½ games ahead of fourth straight losing record. ALBERT ning. McKay, who pinch hit start Tuesday against the
Cleveland for the AL's sec- Pujols tied the score with Pujols moved within four and singled, had been 0 Los Angeles Dodgers. Snell,
ond wild card after losing an RBI double in the first home runs of tying Willie for 5 at the plate. ... Jared who had loose bodies in his
for the third time in five and blew open the game Mays for fifth on the career Walsh, a two-way player for left elbow, has not pitched
games. with his 23rd home run this list. the Angels, doubled in the for the Rays since July 21.
"Every game matters. It's season, the 656th of his big "He's probably been our second inning. Angels: LHP José Suarez (2-
magnified at this point league career. most consistent hitter the TRAINER'S ROOM 6, 6.94 ERA) is slated to start
and for good reason," Rays Yarbrough (11-4) gave up last 40 games," Angels Rays: RHP Yonny Chirinos Tuesday's series opener at
manager Kevin Cash said. six runs and 10 hits in five in- manager Brad Ausmus (right middle finger inflam- the New York Yankees. He
"Losses are a tick more nings. He entered with five said. "He's had a really nice mation) is scheduled to is 0-5 in 11 starts since beat-
frustrating. Wins are a tick straight no-decisions since season. He's a very smart throw a simulated game on ing Tampa Bay on June
more exciting. But we get beating Seattle on Aug. 11. hitter." Monday in Los Angeles. 15.q

MLB: "Regret" over replay miscommunication in White Sox loss

By CHRIS TALBOTT Associ- at 1. to challenge whether Nar-
ated Press "In last night's game there vaez had touched home
SEATTLE (AP) — Major was conversation between plate amid his celebrating
League Baseball has ex- the umpires and the White teammates. Renteria mis-
pressed "regret" over a Sox as to the procedure for takenly thought this meant
miscommunication that potentially reviewing two officials had ruled the ball
resulted in a 2-1 loss for the different aspects of the cleared the fence and de-
Chicago White Sox against game-ending play," MLB clined to challenge wheth-
the Seattle Mariners on Sat- said in a statement Sunday. er Narvaez touched home,
urday night. "There was then a misinter- because he had already
Seattle's Omar Narvaez hit pretation regarding Chica- seen on replays that he
a ball off the top of the wall go's desire to have any as- had.
in the bottom of the 10th in- pect of the play reviewed. Renteria agreed there was
ning that was ruled a home We regret that this miscom- a "miscommunication or
run by umpires. The ball munication resulted in not Seattle Mariners' Omar Narvaez tosses his bat after hitting a solo misunderstanding." It's un-
home run off Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Alex Colome dur-
did not clear the fence, reviewing the home run ing the 10th inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, clear what the umpires
and had a replay review call on the field." in Seattle. The Mariners won 2-1. discussed on the headset.
been conducted, Narvaez White Sox manager Rick MLB declined to make the
would have been award- Renteria said he immedi- then went to the headset When Renteria and the crew available before Sun-
ed a double and the game ately asked umpires to re- used to communicate with umpires reconvened, they day's game, instead issuing
would have continued tied view the homer, and they replay officials. asked if Renteria wanted the statement.q