MLB Player News

Cruz went 3-for-4 with a home run and an additional RBI in Thursday's 2-0 win over the White Sox.

Cruz knocked in both runs that were scored in the contest, drilling a solo homer to center field in the fourth inning and adding an RBI single in the eighth. He was also the only player to record multiple hits in the low-scoring affair. Cruz's long ball was his first since Aug. 25, though he did bat a healthy .326 during the 12 games between homers. Due to a hand fracture that sidelined him for two months this summer, he's played in just 84 contests this year but has put up big numbers, posting a career-best .848 OPS with 18 home runs, 56 runs, 62 RBI and 27 stolen bases.

Montgomery earned a save against the White Sox on Thursday, allowing one hit with one strikeout and no walks over one scoreless inning.

Montgomery was summoned in the ninth inning with Pittsburgh up 2-0. He gave up a leadoff single to allow the tying run to come to the plate but retired each of the next three batters, getting the final out on a strikeout. Montgomery has notched a save each of the past two days and already has five saves through the first 10 days of September. He's been a revelation as the Pirates' closer and has now gone 20 straight contests without giving up an earned run. Over that stretch, Montgomery has earned three wins, gone 10-for-10 in save chances and posted a 30:4 K:BB over 19.1 innings.

Jones (4-6) earned the win over the White Sox on Thursday, allowing one hit and issuing two walks while striking out eight batters over seven scoreless innings.

Jones limited Chicago to just one knock -- a Colson Montgomery double. He racked up a whopping 20 whiffs and struck out eight while throwing an efficient 90 pitches over seven frames in his longest start of the season. It's been an up-and-down campaign for Jones in his first year back from elbow surgery, and his 4.10 ERA through 18 starts is far from dominant. However, the right-hander has kicked off September in fine form, tossing 13 shutout innings while posting a 17:3 K:BB across his first two starts of the month. He'll look to keep rolling his next time out, which is projected to be a matchup against Milwaukee at home.

Feltner (5-10) allowed four runs on six hits and one walk while striking out two batters over five innings in a loss to the Yankees on Thursday.

Feltner fell behind quickly when he gave up a two-run homer to Luis Garcia in the first inning. The Yankees plated two more runs against him in the second, and though Feltner finished his outing with three scoreless frames, the early damage was enough to send him to his 10th loss. The right-hander has given up at least four runs in four of his past five starts, stumbling to a 6.93 ERA with a 22:13 K:BB across 24.2 innings during that stretch. His season-long 5.88 ERA is sixth worst in the majors among hurlers who have tossed at least 100 innings, but Feltner still figures to finish out the campaign in Colorado's rotation. His next start is projected to be a home matchup against San Diego.

Carroll (back) underwent an MRI on Thursday that came back clean, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM reports.

Carroll was absent from the starting lineup for Arizona's last two contests while nursing low-back discomfort, and he underwent imaging to determine if he was dealing with anything of significance. The outfielder appears to have avoided a major injury, and he is expected to return to the lineup for Friday's series opener versus the Rangers.

The Brewers recalled Stallings from Triple-A Nashville on Thursday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Stallings will return to Milwaukee's bullpen to fill the void left by Brandon Sproat, who was sent down to Nashville in a corresponding move. Stallings has pitched eight shutout innings across four appearances with the Brewers this season but owns a 4.11 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 15.1 frames at Nashville since being sent down to Triple-A on Aug. 4.

The Pirates recalled Kelly from Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.

The 23-year-old righty will rejoin the big club to give the Pirates extra bullpen help following Braxton Ashcraft's (arm) move to the injured list. Kelly has coughed up five earned runs in 8.1 big-league innings this season and will likely work in a multi-inning relief role as long as he's up with Pittsburgh.

The Pirates placed Ashcraft on the 15-day injured list Thursday with right arm discomfort, retroactive to Monday.

Ashcraft gave up three earned runs during his most recent outing Saturday against the Angels, and he appears to have come away from his start with an arm injury that's serious enough to warrant a trip to the injured list. A minimum-length stay would give him enough time to make one more start during the final week of the season, though the Pirates -- currently five games back of a wild-card spot with 16 to play -- could shut him down for the year if they're eliminated before Ashcraft is healthy. Antwone Kelly was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Valdez isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the White Sox.

Valdez will get a chance to rest his legs Thursday after going 2-for-6 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored over the first two games of the series. While he sits, Bryan Reynolds, Oneil Cruz and Jake Mangum will start across the outfield.

Wheeler took a no-decision Thursday against Houston, allowing one run on five hits and two walks in seven innings. He struck out nine.

Wheeler has now fired at least six innings while yielding just one run in three consecutive starts. The right-hander has also tapped back into his best swing-and-miss stuff, tallying nine strikeouts in consecutive starts after fanning six or fewer in six of his prior seven outings. He'll bring an outstanding 3.14 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 172:45 K:BB through 143.1 innings into his next scheduled appearance in Washington against the division-rival Nationals.