MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL UPDATE:Hirsh comes through in win
GLENDALE — The following are updates on the area’s Major League Baseball players.
Jason Hirsh (St. Francis High, 2000) starting pitcher, Colorado Rockies: Hirsh, a right-hander, allowed three runs (two earned) and three hits Tuesday night to help Colorado post an 11-4 home win against the Milwaukee Brewers. He went six innings and struck out one to cool off the Brewers.
Milwaukee built a 3-0 lead with single runs in the first, fifth and sixth innings before the Rockies mounted their comeback with a five-run sixth. Hirsh, who was acquired in a five-player trade in December with the Houston Astros, kept the Rockies in the game.
Hirsh lowered his earned-run average to 4.81. It was his second win in three starts and his second start since returning from the disabled list.
The Rockies are 58-54 and are in third place in the National League’s West Division.
Jason Botts (Glendale Community College, 2000) outfielder/designated hitter, Texas Rangers: Botts must enjoy facing the Oakland Athletics during his brief Major League career. He hit his first career home run last season against Oakland.
Botts, who was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma on Aug. 1, then hit his first home run this season Monday in Texas’ 9-7 13-inning home loss to Oakland.
On Tuesday night, Botts had one hit in five plate appearances in Texas’ 8-6 win against Oakland. He had a sixth-inning single.
Through Tuesday, Botts is batting .214 with one home run and three runs batted in. Texas is in last place (49-64) in the American League’s West Division.
Mark Loretta (St. Francis High, 1989) infielder, Houston Astros: The steady Loretta, who is a versatile infielder and a two-time All-Star, collected two hits and scored a run Tuesday to carry Houston to a 5-2 win against the visiting Chicago Cubs. Loretta had singles in the sixth and eighth. He had an infield hit in the sixth to aid in Houston’s four-run sixth.
The Astros are 50-63 and in fourth place in the National League’s Central Division.
Gregg Zaun (St. Francis High, 1989) catcher, Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays had been hot at home until they ran into the streaking New York Yankees on Monday. Toronto had won seven home games in a row, but dropped contests to the Yankees on Monday and Tuesday.
In Tuesday’s game, the 36-year-old Zaun went hitless in three plate appearances. The Glendale native is batting .245 with five home runs and 28 runs batted in for the Blue Jays, who are third in the American League’s East Division behind the Boston Red Sox and Yankees.
Zaun, who has three multiple-hit games since July 25, has recorded 12 doubles and scored 24 runs this season despite missing part of the season with a fractured thumb that he sustained in April.
