Sports: Yankees will start a rookie

Yankees will start a rookie

By Compiled from Times wires

NEW YORK -- Yankees left-hander Randy Keisler is scheduled to make his major-league debut Sunday in Boston, facing Pete Schourek.

Keisler's contract was purchased from Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday. He will take David Cone's scheduled start.

Cone, meanwhile, said he was feeling much less pain than he expected after separating his left shoulder diving for a popped-up bunt on Tuesday.

Pitcher Ramiro Mendoza will be shut down because of pain in his right shoulder, prompting manager Joe Torre to say, "I can't think of what condition he might pitch in again this season."

Also, with a makeup game against the Red Sox scheduled Monday at Yankee Stadium, New York is scheduled to play on 31 consecutive days to close the season.

No team in major-league baseball has closed the regular season with games on more than 24 consecutive days. The Yankees could play 32 consecutive days, if a game against the Marlins that was rained out July 15 must be made up Oct. 2.

BLUE JAYS: Canadian reliever Paul Quantrill made his 300th appearance for Toronto.

BRAVES: First baseman Andres Galarraga began serving a three-game suspension. He initially appealed, saying his actions Aug. 22 were justified because Colorado's John Wasdin challenged him to fight. ... Outfielder B.J. Surhoff left the game with a pulled right quadriceps after running out his single in the first. The severity of the injury was not immediately known.

CARDINALS: Second baseman Fernando Vina sat out the four-game series against Montreal with bruised ribs and likely will miss the team's three-game series in Milwaukee.

DIAMONDBACKS: Second baseman Jay Bell was ejected by first-base umpire Eric Cooper in the sixth after appearing to beat out a grounder between shortstop and third. Rafael Furcal fielded the ball and made a strong throw from the hole, but TV replays showed Bell's foot was on the bag when the ball arrived. Cooper called him out, Bell argued and was thrown out.

EXPOS: Second baseman Jose Vidro is scheduled for an MRI today for a sprained left elbow: "I had a tough time swinging the bat, so I decided not to take a chance."

RED SOX: Reliever Rich Garces left with a right groin strain after getting two outs. He was considered day-to-day.

TIGERS: Bench coach Bob Melvin, who has a viral infection in his middle ear, was released from a Detroit hospital but is still several days away from rejoining the team. "He's very weak," manager Phil Garner said. Bullpen coach Lance Parrish is filling in for Melvin.

WHITE SOX: Pitcher Cal Eldred had surgery to insert a screw in his right elbow, and hopes to be throwing again as early as Monday. ... The team presented Jose Valentin and Chris Singleton with "Hit for the Cycle" rings before the game. The 14-karat gold rings have an onyx stone with a white enamel overlay in the shape of the infield. Four small diamonds represent the four bases. Valentin hit for the cycle April 27 against Baltimore. Singleton did it July 6, 1999.

MATHEWS IN HOSPITAL: Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews, one of 16 players in major-league history to hit 500 home runs, has been hospitalized near San Diego since Sunday because of a heart problem. "I'm sure he'll come out of this, I'm very hopeful he's going to be just fine," Mathews' wife, Judy, said from the family home in Del Mar, Calif.