Notes from Sunday's games
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Blue Jays-Yankees
TORONTO: LHP Scott Downs earned his first career save, pitching a scoreless ninth inning. ... The Blue Jays finished the 2006 season with an 87-76 record and secured second place in the AL East. It was the first time since 1993 they have finished higher than third in the division.
NEW YORK: 2B Robinson Cano extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a second-inning single. It is the longest streak by a Yankees player to conclude a season since Reggie Jackson hit safely in 13 straight to end the 1980 season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. ... SS Derek Jeter moved into third place on the franchise stolen base list with his 249th career steal. He passed Hal Chase.
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Royals-Tigers
KANSAS CITY: LHP Odalis Perez was ejected from the game after the third inning by first base umpire Paul Schrieber. ... The Royals used eight pitchers in Sunday's game, tying a club record for the fourth time. ... The last time the Royals ended a season with an extra-inning game was on Oct. 1, 1989, in a 4-3 loss at Oakland in 11 innings. ... Kansas City will open the 2007 season at home against Boston on April 2. It will be third time the franchise has played the Red Sox on opening day (1993, 1999 - both losses.)
DETROIT: Manager Jim Leyland said OF Marcus Thames was recovering well from a throat infection and had him on deck to pinch-hit when Sunday's 10-8 loss to Kansas City ended. But the manager is concerned about playing Thames in Tuesday night's playoff opener after missing nearly a week of playing time. ... Leyland also said after the game that INF Ramon Santiago would be on the playoff roster instead of Chris Shelton. Shelton was one of baseball's best hitters in April, hitting .326 with 10 homers and a club-record 19 extra-base hits, but he slumped badly and was sent to the minors when the Tigers acquired Sean Casey at the trading deadline.
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Devil Rays-Indians
TAMPA BAY: Despite a 100-loss season, manager Joe Maddon's first year with the D-Rays was all he could have imagined. "On a personal level, the mind expansion has been great," said Maddon, the Los Angeles Angels' bench coach for 10 seasons before being hired Nov. 15. "The year ran the gamut of emotions, but overall, I truly enjoyed it." ... The Devil Rays went 3-30 after the All-Star break on the road, tying the 1943 Philadelphia Athletics for the fewest wins after the break. ... Tampa Bay is the first team to lose 100 games and have a winning record at home.
CLEVELAND: OF Grady Sizemore led the majors with 92 extra-base hits, the most by a leadoff hitter dating to 1957. He also led the AL in runs (134), doubles (53) and finished in the Top 10 in hits (190) and total bases (349). He's also the first player in league history with 50 doubles, 10 triples, 20 homers and 20 steals and the first Indians player since Joe Carter (1989) to play in all 162 games. "I had some success here and there," the ever-humble Sizemore said. "But as a whole, I can still improve on a lot of things." He struck out 153 times as the Indians led the league with 1,204 whiffs. ... LHP Cliff Lee joined teammate RHP Jake Westbrook, Minnesota's Johan Santana and Detroit's Kenny Rogers as the only pitchers to win 14 games or more in each of the last three seasons.
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