INTERLEAGUE
Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman resigned abruptly after the team’s 1-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday, saying that he was upset by a lack of discussion about his future at the team.
Riggleman said he had sought a conversation with Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo about the team picking up an option to retain him for next year’s season.
Photo: Reuters
“I want to make one thing very clear — I wanted a conversation about it,” Riggleman said on the Major League Baseball Web site. “I didn’t say, ‘Pick up my option, or else.’ I said, ‘I think it’s worthy of a conversation when we get to Chicago,’ and Mike [Rizzo] said, ‘Well, we’re not going to do that.’”
Rizzo painted a different version of the conversation.
“Jim told me pre-game today if we wouldn’t pick up his option, then he wouldn’t get on the team bus,” Rizzo said. “I told him I thought he was doing a great job as the manager of this club ... I felt the time wasn’t right for me to pick up the option.”
Photo: AFP
The Nationals had just completed a three-game sweep of the Mariners and have won 11 of their past 12 games to improve to 38-37 on the season.
“You’ve got to feel there’s a commitment to you, and I just didn’t feel that way,” Riggleman said. “I just felt that it’s worthy of a conversation.”
The team were to name an interim manager before their game against the Chicago White Sox.
Riggleman’s resignation came moments after Laynce Nix hit a game-ending sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth, pushing Washington over .500.
Nix’s fly to left off Chris Ray (3-2) was deep enough to score Danny Espinosa, who easily beat the throw to home.
Tyler Clippard (1-0) pitched the ninth for the Nationals to take the win.
GIANTS 2, TWINS 1
In San Francisco, Tim Lincecum struck out 12 batters in seven superb innings to steer San Francisco past Minnesota.
Lincecum (6-6) rebounded from a rash of poor starts. He never allowed a runner past second base.
Miguel Tejada and Cody Ross drove in runs for the Giants.
Twins starter Brian Duensing (4-7) allowed just his sixth earned run in his past 22-2/3 innings and took the loss.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, ROYALS 3
In Kansas City, Missouri, Daniel Hudson pitched seven strong inning to win his ninth game of the season, leading Arizona over Kansas City.
Hudson (9-5) is tied for the NL lead in victories. He is 8-1 with a 2.78 ERA in his past 11 starts after losing his first four. He held the Royals to three runs while walking one.
Miguel Montero led off the second with a homer, while Juan Miranda went long in the fourth as the Diamondbacks completed a three-game sweep.
Arizona closer J.J. Putz worked a flawless ninth for his 20th save in 23 opportunities.
Royals starter Felipe Paulino (0-1) retired 13 straight at one point and struck out eight. He only left after allowing a single to open the ninth, and the eight-plus innings matched his longest outing.
In other MLB action, it was:
‧ Mets 4, Athletics 1
‧ Cardinals 12, Phillies 2
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