Eckstein Forced to Sit Out

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop David Eckstein was scratched from the lineup Friday night, after he suffered a minor concussion while breaking up a double play during Wednesday night’s game against Pittsburgh.

Eckstein, second in the National League with 86 hits and batting .322, had been in the leadoff spot against the Colorado Rockies.

He played all of Thursday’s game against the Pirates, but said he’d been experiencing headaches all night after the team’s return flight, and said the head “was kind of throbbing pretty good” when he attempted to take batting practice several hours before game time Friday.

Second baseman Aaron Miles replaced Eckstein in the leadoff spot, and Hector Luna played shortstop, batting eighth.

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The Red Sox put pitcher Matt Clement on the 15-day disabled list before Boston’s game against the Atlanta Braves.

Clement was experiencing pain in his right shoulder and biceps when he was pulled in the fifth inning of his last start, an 8-1 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday.

He returned to Boston to be examined by the team’s medical staff, and he was diagnosed with strained right shoulder.

Outfielder Gabe Kapler was recalled from triple-A Pawtucket to replace Clement on the roster.

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Outfielder Franklin Gutierrez was recalled by the Cleveland Indians to take the place of outfielder Casey Blake, who was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained muscle in his side.

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Randy Knorr was hired as the bullpen coach of the Washington Nationals, replacing John Wetteland.

Knorr, a catcher on the Toronto Blue Jays’ 1992 and 1993 World Series champions, had been managing the Nationals’ Class-A Potomac club.

Wetteland lost his job Thursday. Manager Frank Robinson said he asked Wetteland several times to get the team’s relievers to focus more and cut down on pranks, such as lighting firecrackers.