Rays/MLB

Damon misses second game with sore back

By TIMES WIRES
Published July 26, 2006

ARLINGTON, Texas - Johnny Damon was out of the Yankees lineup Tuesday night, missing his second game in Texas because of a sore back.

Damon was initially scratched from the starting lineup Monday after his back stiffened getting out of a car. Manager Joe Torre said he isn't sure when his centerfielder will return.

"It's not out of there, unfortunately," Torre said before Tuesday's game. "He had no problems sleeping (Monday night) because I guess he took a muscle relaxer.

"He was getting worked on (before the game) so at that point I decided not to try it (Tuesday)."

Torre said trainers were massaging Damon's back in hopes of readjusting and relaxing it.

Melky Cabrera led off for the second straight game, and Bubba Crosby played center field. Damon also missed consecutive games July 6-7 because of soreness in his right oblique.

BLUE JAYS: Centerfielder Vernon Wells missed his second game with a sore back. Wells' back locked up during batting practice before Monday's game. Reed Johnson started in his place.

Wells was named the American League player of the week on Monday after hitting .448 with three doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs last week. He was hitting .322 with 26 homers and 78 RBIs this season.

RANGERS: Manager Buck Showalter was back in the dugout after missing two games because of an irregular heartbeat brought on by dehydration.

"It's good to be back, I'm ready to go," he said about two hours before the game against the Yankees.

Showalter had planned to manage Monday night only hours after he was released from the Chicago hospital were he had spent the previous night, and flew back to Texas. But a few minutes before the game, the Rangers announced Showalter was sitting out on the advice of a doctor.

ROYALS: Right-hander Leo Nunez was recalled from Triple A, where he was 2-2 with a 1.80 ERA in 15 relief appearances. This will be Nunez's third stint with Kansas City this season, but he has appeared in one game. Nunez, 3-2 with a 7.55 ERA in 41 appearances last season with Kansas City, takes the roster spot of Mike MacDougal, who was traded to White Sox on Monday.

- TIMES WIRES

[Last modified July 26, 2006, 06:10:43]