National Sports http://www.kutv.com/sports/default.aspx KUTV's National Sports Feed en-us Copyright 2009, Four Points Media Group LLC. All Rights Reserved Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:00:01 GMT Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:05:24 GMT Sports /sites/kutv/images/rss.gif RSS Feed http://www.kutv.com/sports/default.aspx 28 13 15 Red Sox use five-run seventh to down Mariners http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Red-Sox-use-five-run-seventh-to-down-Mariners/woMHB9RGw0OZLZ_Yh5R1CA.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Red-Sox-use-five-run-seventh-to-down-Mariners/woMHB9RGw0OZLZ_Yh5R1CA.cspx?rss=1039 David Ortiz went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs batted in, as the Boston Red Sox scored five times in the seventh inning to defeat the Seattle Mariners, 8-4, and avoid a three-game sweep at Fenway Park.

Dustin Pedroia, who was voted as the AL starter at second base for this year's All-Star Game, finished with three hits, including a solo homer, for the Red Sox, who have split their last six games.

Jon Lester went 6 2/3 innings but did not figure in the decision. The left- hander gave up four runs -- one earned -- on eight hits while striking out nine and walking three. Justin Masterson (3-2) picked up the win after tossing 1 1/3 innings of perfect relief.

Ronny Cedeno had a three-run triple for Seattle, which has also split its last six contests.

Brandon Morrow pitched to a no-decision after giving up three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over six frames.

In the home seventh with Seattle holding a 4-3 edge, the Red Sox exploded for five runs to go in front.

Miguel Batista (5-3) started the frame for the Mariners and issued a one-out walk to J.D. Drew, and Pedroia followed with a single. After Kevin Youkilis flied out, Ortiz grounded a single through the right side to tie the game.

Mark Lowe then took the mound and walked Jason Bay to load the bases, and Jacoby Ellsbury's free pass allowed another run to score to put the Red Sox in front, 5-4. Mark Kotsay chased in a pair of runs with a single to end the afternoon for Lowe.

Sean White came on and uncorked a wild pitch that brought home Ellsbury to stretch the Boston advantage to 8-4.

After Masterson set down the M's 1-2-3 in the eighth, Hideki Okajima took the hill for the top of the ninth and retired the side in order to preserve the win.

Pedroia gave the Red Sox a quick lead when he slugged a one-out solo homer over the Green Monster in left, and, two batters later, Ortiz belted a solo shot to right to put Boston up, 2-0.

With the bases loaded and two down in the top of the fourth, Cedeno sliced a three-run triple just inside the right-field line to put the Mariners in front. Ryan Langerhans' sacrifice fly in the fifth put the M's up by two, but Ellsbury's solo homer in the sixth pulled the Red Sox to within a run.

Game Notes

Seattle will begin a six-game homestand against Baltimore on Monday, while Boston welcomes Oakland to Fenway Park...It was announced earlier on Sunday that Red Sox outfielder Jason Bay has been voted to start this year's All- Star Game in St. Louis. Boston pitchers Josh Beckett, Tim Wakefield and first baseman Youkilis were also selected. Ichiro Suzuki got the starting nod in the outfield for the AL squad, while pitcher Felix Hernandez was also selected...The Mariners dropped to 7-18 over their last 25 visits to Fenway Park.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:00:00 GMT Olsen pitches Nats past Braves http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Olsen-pitches-Nats-past-Braves/ZCQ30gErg0O-Z3gbt8dHcA.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Olsen-pitches-Nats-past-Braves/ZCQ30gErg0O-Z3gbt8dHcA.cspx?rss=1039 Scott Olsen came within one out of logging a complete game, as Washington took a 5-3 victory and two of three from an Atlanta club that was riding a season-high five-game win streak before dropping the last two.

Olsen (2-4) worked 8 2/3 innings but was touched for a two-run homer in the ninth and allowed three runs overall on eight hits. The lefty walked five, struck out five and collected and RBI hit, winning for the first time since picking up his only other victory of the year on April 29 at Philadelphia.

Mike MacDougal got the final out for his fifth save of the year while Ronnie Belliard scored three runs, had two hits, an RBI and walked. Nyjer Morgan was 3-for-5 with an RBI.

The Nationals snapped a four-game slide with Saturday's win and won consecutive games for just the fifth time this season.

Derek Lowe (7-7) continued his struggles for Atlanta, surrendering 10 hits and four runs in just 5 1/3 frames. The right-hander was winless in four June starts and has now given up 43 hits and 24 runs in his last 23 innings.

Martin Prado was 4-for-4 and Nate McLouth ended with two hits and clubbed the ninth-inning home run off Olsen.

Ryan Zimmerman, named to the NL All-Star squad as a reserve on Sunday, started things off with an RBI single in the first and the Nats added two more in the second during a two-out rally. Belliard roped a double to center that scored Cristian Guzman and Olsen followed with an RBI single to left.

Atlanta got one back in the third but wasted an opportunity for more. McLouth singled and Prado doubled with one out. Chipper Jones hit a sac fly to center, but Brian McCann, named as Atlanta's lone All-Star representative, lined out to end the inning.

Lowe loaded the bases with one out before exiting in the sixth. Boone Logan came on and retired the next batter but Nick Johnson made it 4-1 Nats with an RBI single to left. Washington added an insurance run in the eighth off Kris Medlen as Morgan doubled home Belliard.

Olsen recorded two outs in the ninth following a leadoff double by Matt Diaz, but McLouth smacked a two-run shot into the right field bleachers and MacDougal was called upon for the final out.

Game Notes

Atlanta has won five of its nine matchups with the Nats this season..Olsen was 2-for-3 while Guzman also had two hits.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:59:15 GMT Gonzalez helps A's avoid sweep http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Gonzalez-helps-As-avoid-sweep/oBqHozx_HEmyhM3OQ4FWNg.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Gonzalez-helps-As-avoid-sweep/oBqHozx_HEmyhM3OQ4FWNg.cspx?rss=1039 Gio Gonzalez allowed just two runs in six strong innings to earn his first win of the season, and the Oakland Athletics avoided a three-game sweep by defeating the Indians, 5-2, at Progressive Field.

Gonzalez (1-2) allowed six hits and one walk while striking out a career-high eight, as the Athletics won for only the third time in their last 11 games. Orlando Cabrera drilled a solo homer, while Matt Holliday, Adam Kennedy and Kurt Suzuki each had an RBI in the victory. Andrew Bailey notched his ninth save of the season on the same day that he was named to the AL All-Star team.

The win also snapped the A's six-game losing streak to Cleveland, dating back to last season.

Jhonny Peralta hit a homer, while Ryan Garko went 2-for-4, as the Indians have now gone since May 28 without winning three straight games. Cliff Lee (4-8) was a tough-luck loser once again, yielding three runs on eight hits and four walks, with three strikeouts, in six innings.

The reigning AL Cy Young award winner, Lee has given up three or fewer runs in five of his eight losses this season.

Oakland got on the board in the opening frame, as Kennedy led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a Suzuki single.

Grady Sizemore's two-out RBI double in the third knotted the game, but the A's went back in front in the fifth.

Rajai Davis led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Davis went to third on a groundout, and, two batters later, Holliday singled through the right side of the infield to score the runner for a 2-1 lead.

The Athletics extended their lead in the sixth. Landon Powell singled with one out, and Bobby Crosby doubled down the left field line. After Davis walked to load the bases, Kennedy lofted a sac fly to deep right for a two-run edge.

Cleveland closed the gap to 3-2 on Peralta's one-out homer in the home half of the sixth.

Bobby Crosby's double play groundout scored a run in the eighth to restore the two-run cushion for Oakland, and Cabrera accounted for the final score with a solo homer in the ninth.

Bailey pitched a scoreless ninth to polish off the win.

Game Notes

Cleveland's Victor Martinez was named to the AL All-Star team...Lee is winless in his last four outings...The A's have started a rookie on the mound in 26 of 32 games and 53 of 80 games this season.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:31:57 GMT Carpenter shines as Cards crush Reds http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Carpenter-shines-as-Cards-crush-Reds/W2tRGjNjwEyrElP4hgyZ1Q.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Carpenter-shines-as-Cards-crush-Reds/W2tRGjNjwEyrElP4hgyZ1Q.cspx?rss=1039 Chris Carpenter returned to form with seven strong innings, and Colby Rasmus homered for the second day in a row, as the Cardinals took the finale of this three-game set, 10-1, over the Reds.

Carpenter (6-3) scattered five hits and a run with one walk and five strikeouts while also picking up an RBI single in the win. The former Cy Young Award winner was tagged for six runs on 11 hits in his last start versus San Francisco -- an outing that saw his earned run average climb more than 60 points. He had allowed three runs or less in each of his 10 previous starts this season.

Skip Schumaker was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and Rasmus hit a two-run homer and doubled for St. Louis, which had a three-game win streak broken on Saturday. Joe Thurston added a pair of RBI.

Yadier Molina, named to his first All-Star Game earlier Sunday, had two hits and two RBI. Molina will start behind the plate while teammate Albert Pujols will make his eighth All-Star appearance and sixth start after garnering 5,397,374 votes, the second-most in history behind Ken Griffey, Jr., who had 6,079,688 votes in 1994.

Jay Bruce accounted for the offense with an RBI triple for the Reds, who had won three of the last four entering play. Bronson Arroyo (8-8) labored through five-plus innings, allowing 11 hits and eight runs, five of those earned. Arroyo has dropped five of his last six decisions.

Rasmus started things off in familiar fashion, drilling a two-run homer to right in the first -- one day after clubbing a solo shot in the first frame of a 5-2 loss.

This one would be decided quickly, though, as Molina and Carpenter each had an RBI single in the fourth to make it 4-0.

A four-run fifth made it an 8-0 game.

Schumaker singled, Rasmus doubled and Pujols was intentionally walked to load the bases, still with nobody out. A throwing error by Edwin Encarnacion then plated a pair, and Rick Ankiel and Thurston went on to plate two more -- both via the sacrifice fly.

Bruce gave the Reds their lone bright spot with a triple to left in the seventh that scored Joey Votto, but the Cardinals scored twice in the ninth off Carlos Fisher on Molina's groundout and Thurston's RBI single to center.

Game Notes

St. Louis evened the season series at five games apiece...Carpenter twirled a brilliant nine innings against Cincinnati on June 4 in St. Louis, giving up just three hits and a run in a 3-1 victory. He's now 5-3 against Cincinnati in 11 starts...Jerry Hairston, Jr. had two of Cincinnati's six hits...The Reds' lone All-Star representative is closer Francisco Cordero.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:25:08 GMT Blanton, Phillies blank Mets to complete sweep http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Blanton-Phillies-blank-Mets-to-complete-sweep/Hvm2nd8D0kOb8-GyTYF3cA.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Blanton-Phillies-blank-Mets-to-complete-sweep/Hvm2nd8D0kOb8-GyTYF3cA.cspx?rss=1039 Joe Blanton pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings, and the Phillies used a pair of solo homers to sweep the New York Mets in a 2-0 victory at Citizens Bank Park.

Blanton (5-4) allowed only four hits and three walks while striking out five, as the Phillies swept the Mets for the first time since September 14-16, 2007, in New York. Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley each hit a solo homer to account for the game's scoring.

Rollins, since an 0-for-28 slump ended on Friday, now has seven hits in his last 14 at-bats after going 2-for-3 Sunday. He now has seven homers on the year, while Utley, the NL's starting second baseman in this year's All-Star Game, has 18.

Philadelphia's pitching was sterling not only Sunday, but throughout the series, allowing just three runs the entire weekend. Brad Lidge earned his 16th save of the season.

The Phillies' five-game winning streak against the Mets is the team's longest since recording nine straight victories from July 1, 2007-April 8, 2008.

Johan Santana (9-7), who was named to the NL All-Star team Sunday, lost for the fourth time in five starts despite allowing just two runs on three hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts in seven frames. Santana also went 1-for-1 at the plate, while Luis Castillo went 2- for-2, but no other Mets player recorded a hit, as New York lost for the eighth time in 10 games.

The Phillies grabbed the lead in the opening inning, as Rollins led off the frame with a home run to left.

Blanton cruised through the first five innings, facing the minimum three batters in four of the frames.

The New York Mets threatened for the first time in the sixth. Castillo drew a leadoff walk against Blanton and reached second on Santana's bunt single. Alex Cora moved both runners up one base with a sacrifice bunt, and Daniel Murphy worked a walk to load the bases.

David Wright was then at the plate with a chance to tie the game or put New York ahead, but the NL starting third baseman at this year's All-Star Game grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Another 2009 All-Star, Utley, doubled the Phillies' lead in the home half, blasting a solo homer over the wall in right-center field.

Blanton allowed an infield single and struck out pinch-hitter Gary Sheffield in the eighth before being lifted for J.C. Romero, who hit Cora with a pitch. Chan Ho Park was brought in to limit the damage, and he induced an inning- ending double play groundout from pinch-hitter Fernando Tatis.

Lidge finished off the game by striking out the Mets in order in the ninth.

Game Notes

Santana had been 4-0 in eight starts against Philadelphia prior to Sunday's game...Blanton moved to 2-0 in four career starts against the Mets...The Phillies lead the season series, 6-4...Philadelphia activated pitcher Scott Eyre from the 15-day disabled list and optioned pitcher Segio Escalona to Triple-A Lehigh Valley...Wright went 0-for-11 in the series...The Phillies' Raul Ibanez and New York's Carlos Beltan, both on the disabled list currently, were selected to start in the outfield for the National League in the All-Star Game...Also selected to the Mid-Summer Class were Philadelphia's Ryan Howard and New York's Francisco Rodriguez.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:08:46 GMT Nolasco lifts Marlins to series win over Pirates http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Nolasco-lifts-Marlins-to-series-win-over-Pirates/qR3bqLFizEG071mPqjWWJg.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Nolasco-lifts-Marlins-to-series-win-over-Pirates/qR3bqLFizEG071mPqjWWJg.cspx?rss=1039 Ricky Nolasco was spectacular on the mound, tossing eight innings of three-hit ball to lead the Florida Marlins in a 5-0 shutout of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the rubber match of a three-game series at Land Shark Stadium.

Nolasco (6-6) fanned a season-high 12 batters and walked two to win his fourth consecutive start for the Marlins, who finished a six-game homestand with a 5-1 mark. In his six starts since a stint in Triple-A, the righty has allowed just seven runs over 41 frames.

Jeremy Hermida went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Florida, which has won eight of its last 10 home series against Pittsburgh. John Baker went 2-for-4 with an RBI, double, and run scored. Dan Uggla and Chris Coghlan each drove in a run.

The Marlins were without shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who was scratched from Sunday's lineup due to a tight right hip flexor.

Ross Ohlendorf (7-7) lasted five frames, giving up five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and one walk to take the loss for the Pirates, who have lost two in a row and four of their last five overall.

Andrew McCutchen, who had a pair of hits, and Garrett Jones accounted for the only three Pittsburgh hits in the tilt.

The Marlins drew first blood with a pair of runs in the second inning. Hermida tripled to center and Cody Ross was hit by a pitch to put men on the corners. Baker then reached on a fielder's choice, which knocked in Hermida. Wes Helms singled to load the bases with nobody out. Nolasco hit into a double play, but it drove in Ross.

Hermida's two-out, RBI single in the third extended Florida's margin to three. Jorge Cantu doubled to left and crossed the plate on Hermida's hit up the middle.

Florida continued to pile up the runs in the fourth, plating two more to make it a 5-0 game. Baker and Helms started the frame with back-to-back singles and Nolasco moved the runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt. Coghlan knocked in Baker with a single to center, and Uggla hit an RBI bloop single two batters later.

Pittsburgh put a man on second with two outs in the third and fourth, but failed to capitalize on both occasions.

Leo Nunez pitched a scoreless ninth for the Marlins to secure the victory.

Game Notes

Pittsburgh was without second baseman Freddy Sanchez (lower back) on Sunday...Florida signed free agent pitcher Brendan Donnelly and placed pitcher Chris Leroux on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday...The Marlins begin a seven-game road trip with a three-game series with San Francisco, starting Monday. The Pirates head to Houston for a three-game set with the Astros, beginning Monday.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:04:50 GMT McNair's death ruled a homicide http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/McNairs-death-ruled-a-homicide/dkpthWtzMECCiqsWlb5-Gw.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/McNairs-death-ruled-a-homicide/dkpthWtzMECCiqsWlb5-Gw.cspx?rss=1039 The shooting death of former Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair has been ruled a homicide.

McNair and a female friend were found shot to death Saturday at a Nashville condominium.

Nashville police department public affairs manager Don Aaron spoke at a news briefing Sunday and classified McNair's death, but would not do the same for the other victim, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi.

Aaron said McNair had multiple gunshot wounds, including two in the head and two in the chest. He added that the gun, a semiautomatic pistol, was found underneath Kazemi.

Circumstances surrounding the shooting were still not clear, although Aaron did say interviews with others indicated a dating relationship between the two.

"All scenarios are open," Aaron stated Sunday. "Nothing is being ruled out."

McNair, who announced his retirement from the NFL in April 2008, last played in the NFL in 2007, when he was with the Ravens. The longtime Titans quarterback spent 13 seasons in the NFL, 11 with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise.

A three-time Pro Bowl selection, McNair was named co-MVP of the league in 2003. In 161 games (153 starts), McNair threw for 31,304 yards on 2,733- of-4,544 passing, with 174 touchdowns. He also ran for 3,590 career yards and 37 TDs.

McNair was selected third overall in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers, after he enjoyed a stellar college career at Alcorn State, winning the Walter Payton Award as the top player in Division I-AA (currently FCS) in 1994.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:34:59 GMT Cardinals' Pujols headlines 2009 All-Star starters http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Cardinals-Pujols-headlines-2009-All-Star-starters/G5I6NwWzNEiVKmTeif71vw.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Cardinals-Pujols-headlines-2009-All-Star-starters/G5I6NwWzNEiVKmTeif71vw.cspx?rss=1039 Major League Baseball has announced the rosters for the 2009 All-Star Game, and the squads are filled with many familiar names, as only a pair of first-time starters were selected.

The 80th Mid-Summer Classic will be played July 14 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and for the second season in a row a member of the host team was the top vote-getter overall. New York's Alex Rodriguez received the most votes for last year's game at Yankee Stadium.

Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols will make his eighth All-Star appearance and sixth start -- fifth as a first baseman -- after garnering 5,397,374 votes, the second-most in history behind Ken Griffey, Jr., who had 6,079,688 votes in 1994.

Pujols' teammate, catcher Yadier Molina, will make his first All-Star Game appearance, as St. Louis is one of three National League teams to have two starters in the game.

The defending champion Philadelphia Phillies and their NL East arch-rival New York Mets also each had a pair of starters selected. Philadelphia outfielder Raul Ibanez and second baseman Chase Utley will be in the lineup, while New York outfielder Carlos Beltran and third baseman David Wright were also voted in by the fans.

This marks Ibanez's first All-Star Game selection in his 14-season career.

The rest of the National League starting lineup is filled out by Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez and Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun.

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter headlined the American League squad, receiving a league-high 4,851,899 votes to earn his 10th All-Star Game selection -- his fifth as a starter.

Jeter will be joined in the infield by new teammate Mark Teixeira, who is an All-Star for the second time. Filling out the rest of the infield are the reigning AL MVP -- Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia -- and last year's AL final vote winner -- Rays third baseman Evan Longoria.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer is the AL's starting backstop, while the Junior Circuit's starting outfield will consist of Boston's Jason Bay, Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki and Texas' Josh Hamilton.

The AL champion Rays will have four total players to join their manager, Joe Maddon, in St. Louis, as shortstop Jason Bartlett and outfielders Ben Zobrist and Carl Crawford were selected as reserves for the All-Star squad.

The other American League reserves are Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones; Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis; Cleveland catcher Victor Martinez; Detroit outfielder Curtis Granderson; Angels outfielder Torii Hunter; Minnesota first baseman Justin Morneau; Texas third baseman Michael Young and Toronto second baseman Aaron Hill.

Headlining the AL pitching staff is 42-year-old Tim Wakefield, who will make his first All-Star Game appearance in his 17th MLB season. Wakefield, a knuckleballer who recently set a Red Sox record for most career starts, is the second oldest player to make his first All-Star Game appearance to Satchel Paige, who was 46 years old.

Joining Wakefield are Kansas City's Zack Greinke; Toronto's Roy Halladay; Detroit's Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson; the White Sox's Mark Buehrle; Boston's Jonathan Papelbon and Josh Beckett; Minnesota's Joe Nathan; the Yankees' Mariano Rivera, who is making his 10th All-Star Game appearance; the Angels' Brian Fuentes; Oakland's Andrew Bailey, who is the only rookie in the game, and Seattle's Felix Hernandez.

Arizona's 21-year-old outfielder Justin Upton is one of four first-time All- Stars among the National League reserves. Joining Upton in that respect are Colorado outfielder Brad Hawpe, Houston outfielder Hunter Pence and Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman.

Accompanying them on the team will be Atlanta catcher Brian McCann; Houston shortstop Miguel Tejada; Dodgers second baseman Orlando Hudson; Milwaukee first baseman Prince Fielder; Philadelphia first baseman Ryan Howard; Pittsburgh second baseman Freddy Sanchez and San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

The National League pitching staff will consist of San Francisco's Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain; the Cubs' Ted Lilly; Arizona's Dan Haren; the Dodgers' Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton; Florida's Josh Johnson; St. Louis' Ryan Franklin; San Diego's Heath Bell; the Mets' Francisco Rodriguez and Johan Santana; Cincinnati's Francisco Cordero and Colorado's Jason Marquis.

Each team will have an additional player, as voted again by the fans.

The National League choices are Arizona third baseman Mark Reynolds, Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, Philadelphia outfielder Shane Victorino, San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval and Washington shortstop Cristian Guzman.

The American League candidates are Angels infielder Chone Figgins, Detroit third baseman Brandon Inge, Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler, Toronto outfielder Adam Lind and Tampa Bay first baseman Carlos Pena.

Balloting for the final player began Sunday and will continue through 4 p.m. (et) on Thursday, July 9.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:36:18 GMT Phils activate reliever Eyre off DL http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Phils-activate-reliever-Eyre-off-DL/dhJcZWIRVEeKewefAhYlLg.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Phils-activate-reliever-Eyre-off-DL/dhJcZWIRVEeKewefAhYlLg.cspx?rss=1039

The Philadelphia Phillies activated lefty reliever Scott Eyre from the 15-day disabled list on Sunday.

Eyre hit the DL June 12 with a strained left calf. He is 1-1 with a 2.57 earned run average in 25 games this season. Opposing batters are hitting .196 against him.

To accommodate the move, Philadelphia optioned fellow southpaw Sergio Escalona to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In six appearances this season, Escalona is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:17:23 GMT Marlins' Ramirez scratched from lineup with tight hip flexor http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Marlins-Ramirez-scratched-from-lineup-with-tight/xzrisdcoekW1xuk0sIYNuw.cspx?rss=1039 http://www.kutv.com:80/content/sports/story/Marlins-Ramirez-scratched-from-lineup-with-tight/xzrisdcoekW1xuk0sIYNuw.cspx?rss=1039

Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez was scratched from Sunday's lineup versus the Pittsburgh Pirates due to a tight right hip flexor.

Ramirez tweaked the injury rounding first base on a single in the third inning of Florida's 5-3 win over the Pirates on Saturday night.

Ramirez leads the National League with a .346 average, has 60 runs batted in, 51 runs scored, 14 home runs, and 12 stolen bases in 78 games this season.

Emilio Bonifacio replaced Ramirez at shortstop on Sunday.

©2009 Sports Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ]]> KUTVSports Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:39:30 GMT