Rays Join Playoff Party – MLB Roundup For Oct. 1st

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — David Price tossed a seven-hitter, Evan Longoria had a two-run homer among his three hits and the Tampa Bay Rays are in the playoffs again after a 5-2 win over Texas in the AL wild-card tiebreaker.

The Rays face another do-or-die game Wednesday night at Cleveland in the AL wild-card game. Tampa Bay is in the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons.

Price, the reigning AL Cy Young winner who had a 10.26 ERA in four previous starts at Rangers Ballpark, struck out four and picked off two runners. Price is 10-8.

Even with the return of All-Star slugger Nelson Cruz from his 50-game drug suspension in the Biogenesis case, the Rangers missed a chance to get to the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

On Tuesday night, midseason acquisition Matt Garza goes for the Rays against Cleveland rookie hurler Danny Salazar.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates centerfielder Andrew McCutchen gave the franchise a brief scare when a ball hit him in the head during batting practice.

The MVP candidate was shagging fly balls when an unnamed teammate distracted him. McCutchen says when he turned his head, a ball off the bat of Jordy Mercer hopped off the ground and caught him around his right ear.

McCutchen walked off the field under his own power and said he should be fine to play in Tuesday night's NL wild-card game against Cincinnati. It's Johnny Cueto (KWAY'-toh) against Pittsburgh's 16-game winner Francisco Liriano (leer-ee-AH'-noh) in the Tuesday night matchup.

UNDATED (AP) — Dale Sveum (swaym) has been fired as manager of the Chicago Cubs after two seasons on the job. The club finished last in the National League Central for the first time in seven years after dropping 41 of their final 59 games and finishing 66-96. Sveum had a record of 127-197.

In other baseball managerial moves:

— Terry Collins has a two-year contract extension to manage the New York Mets. The club made the announcement one day after completing a 74-88 season. That marks the Mets fifth consecutive losing season since moving into Citi Field. Collins has held the Mets job for three years.

— Ron Gardenhire is coming back as manager of the Minnesota Twins for a 13th season. The two-year extension comes after the Twins completed a third straight season of at least 93 losses which is causing concern to an increasingly impatient fan base. Gardenhire is in the final year of his contract and is the second-longest tenured manager in the big leagues.

NEW YORK (AP) — Rob Manfred has been promoted to the position of Major League Baseball's chief operating officer. The move may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig (SEE'-lig) as commissioner who's retiring in January 2015. The sport's No. 2 post had been open for three years. Paul Beeston served in the role from 1997-02, then was replaced by Bob DuPuy (doo-PAY'), who left in October 2010.

Manfred has been involved in baseball's labor dealings for two decades.

NEW YORK (AP) — The grievance to overturn Alex Rodriguez's 211-game suspension began Monday before arbitrator Fredric Horowitz.

The New York Yankees third baseman was wearing a business suit and accompanied by lawyers when he arrived for the session at Major League Baseball's headquarters in midtown Manhattan.

Rodriguez was suspended Aug. 5 for alleged violations of baseball's drug agreement and labor contract. Because he's a first offender under the drug program and the players' association filed a grievance to force an appeal, a suspension can't start until it is upheld by an arbitrator.

The union argues the discipline is without just cause and is excessive. If the case doesn't settle, a decision by Horowitz is expected this winter.