RailCats walk off winners

Paul Trembacki Times Correspondent

GARY | Danny Pulfer has been a true utility man, playing every position but pitcher since his second year of college.

Wood homers, gives up late homer in loss

Associated Press

CHICAGO | Cubs starter Travis Wood was thinking about one home run, and it wasn't the one he hit.

HILLARY SMITH: RailCats center fielder Drew Martinez is adding to his family's lore

Hillary Smith hillary.smith@nwi.com, (219) 933-3233

GARY | Drew Martinez calls his biggest fan after his baseball games.

PRO BASEBALL NOTES: The Cell hosts NW Indiana Sox Fan Night Friday

George Castle Times Correspondent

Sorry, Ozzie Guillen won’t be there except as a fan. He won’t be managing either team.

Patience pays off for RailCats' reliever Kyle Lindquist

Paul Trembacki Times Correspondent

GARY | Saturday was Hat Night at U.S. Steel Yard, so it was fitting that the stadium’s newest contracted inhabitant has worn many hats in the past month.

White Sox outslugged by Angels

Joe Resnick Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. | After putting nine runs on the board, the Chicago White Sox were still lamenting the six baserunners they stranded in the first three innings against Joe Blanton. Those missed opportunities ultimately came back to haunt them.

Scott Feldman pitches, hits Cubs past struggling Mets 8-2

Associated Press

CHICAGO | Still no wins for Jeremy Hefner. Another rough day for Ike Davis, too.

RailCats’ roster takes a left-handed turn

Paul Trembacki Times Correspondent

GARY | When Adam Klein was on the Jolie JackHammers in 2009, the left-handed hitting outfielder came to bat with runners in scoring position late in a tight game against the RailCats.

Barney thrown out at plate in eighth inning in Cubs loss

Associated Press

CHICAGO | David DeJesus singled sharply to right field in the eighth inning and Darwin Barney sprinted from second base.

Girl gets surprise reunion with dad at Rays game

Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. | A Tampa Bay area girl throwing the first pitch at a Rays game got a big surprise from her father, who had been stationed in Afghanistan for the past two years.

Weather gives RailCats opening-day hope

By Hillary Smith hillary.smith@nwi.com, (219) 933-3233

GARY | Mike Massaro can't remember the last time the opening-day weather was so beautiful at U.S. Steel Yard.

Major League Baseball hoping to expand instant replay in 2014

Ronald Blue AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK | Major League Baseball appears set for a vast expansion of video review by umpires in 2014 and is examining whether all calls other than balls and strikes should be subject to instant replay.

Competition breeds fun, winning as RailCats open season

By Hillary Smith hillary.smith@nwi.com, (219) 933-3233

GARY | Steve Liddle was picked up by the RailCats after he was the last player cut from the Minnesota Twins spring training.

RailCats prepare to cut roster with final exhibition game

Hillary Smith hillary.smith@nwi.com, (219) 933-3233

GARY | Heading into Monday's final exhibition game of the RailCats' spring training, the coaching staff had already started making cuts to the roster.

Sale spins gem in Sox win over Angels

The Associated Press

CHICAGO | Chris Sale took a perfect game into the seventh inning before finishing with a one-hitter, and the White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-0 on Sunday night to avoid a three-game sweep.

HILLARY SMITH: The RailCats need silliness like the Saints

Hillary Smith Times Columnist

On Saturday, the RailCats participated in an exhibition game that drew more national attention than any other before the start of the American Association season begins.

Hawkins’ 10th team still 3 short of MLB record

George Castle Times Correspondent

CHICAGO | LaTroy Hawkins put his arm this year where his mouth was in 2012.

Strasburg drops to 1-5 as Cubs beat Nationals 8-2

HOWARD FENDRICH AP Sports Writer

WASHINGTON | Dominant early, Stephen Strasburg fell apart after one of Ryan Zimmerman's two errors and wound up dropping his fifth consecutive decision, an 8-2 loss Saturday to the Cubs, whose starting pitcher, Edwin Jackson, worked into the …

GEORGE CASTLE: 'Holler guy’ manager won’t work to lift Sox

George Castle On the White Sox

CHICAGO | Your White Sox are struggling, and your manager should react.

RailCats make most of situational baseball

By Hillary Smith hillary.smith@nwi.com, (219) 933-3233

GARY | Will Krout had twice as many reasons to start his American Association preparation early.

Peavy returns, pitches White Sox past Mets 6-3

MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK | Jake Peavy pitched three-hit ball in his return from a balky back, Alejandro De Aza had a leadoff homer and the Chicago White Sox beat the New York Mets 6-3 on Wednesday night to split their two-game interleague series.

RailCats top Evansville with late rally

By Hillary Smith hillary.smith@nwi.com, (219) 933-3233

GARY | RailCats pitcher Stephen Hiscock was running agility drills in the offseason when he collided with another runner.

Cubs blow another late lead, lose 5-4 to Cardinals

Jay Cohen AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO | There were the four double plays, one in every inning from the fifth to the eighth. Mix in a wild pitch, an error and a shaky outing from a usually reliable reliever, and that was enough.

Santiago sharp, but White Sox lose to Mets in 10th

Ben Walker AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK | Hector Santiago was totally ready to trade zeros with New York Mets sensation Matt Harvey.

Pitcher Alain Quijano wants to show his third time charm

Hillary Smith hillary.smith@nwi.com, (219) 933-3233

GARY | Alain Quijano's life kept pulling him back to the Chicago area.

Murdoch only logical Cubs-TV rights alternative to WGN

GEORGE CASTLE Times Correspondent

Lost in the hubbub of Tom Ricketts’ threat to move from Wrigley Field is the Cubs chairman’s desire for vastly increased TV rights fees that could bump WGN out of the picture for the first time in 65 years.

Votto, Latos and Reds sweep Cubs 7-4

Associated Press

CHICAGO | Joey Votto had three hits, Todd Frazier hit a two-run single and the Cincinnati Reds completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs with a 7-4 victory on Sunday.

Gordon's single in 10th lifts KC over White Sox

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. | Alex Gordon hit an RBI single with two outs in the 10th and the Kansas City Royals, saved when Billy Butler sent the game into extra innings, rallied past the White Sox 6-5.

RailCats open spring calling 2012 a 'blip'

Hillary Smith hillary.smith@nwi.com, (219) 933-3233

GARY | Cristian Guerrero was calling Greg Tagert to recommend a friend to the RailCats manager.

Marmol struggles as Cubs lose to Reds

Jay Cohen AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO | This was the wild Carlos Marmol, and the Cubs were unable to escape the jam created by the erratic reliever.

Borbon's missed fly ball in 8th costs Cubs

Associated Press

CHICAGO | Several defensive lapses by the Cubs spoiled a great performance by starter Travis Wood.

RailCats numbers down, attract big-league vets to tryout

Hillary Smith hillary.smith@nwi.com, (219) 933-3233

GARY | Whether it was the 48-degree temperatures at the outset of the RailCats tryout, the newly installed $50 fee for players wanting to participate or the RailCats roster that is nearly full, Thursday's open tryout didn't produce the number…

White Sox end 3-game skid with 5-2 win at Texas

Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas | Conor Gillaspie and Alejandro De Aza homered in the seventh inning and the Chicago White Sox ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.

Cubs chairman threatens to move team from Wrigley

JASON KEYSER Associated Press

CHICAGO | The owner of the Chicago Cubs for the first time publicly threatened to move the team out of Wrigley Field if his plans for a big, new video screen are blocked, saying Wednesday he needs new advertising revenue to help bankroll a $5…

Sox bobble, whiff one away again; Danks to make rehab start

George Castle Times Correspondent

CHICAGO | John Danks is coming, eventually.

Cubs fall short of sweep with 6-4 loss at Miami

STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer

MIAMI | The Cubs squandered too many scoring opportunities Sunday, and missed their chance at a four-game sweep.

SSC’s Cingrani near-dominant in Reds debut

BY GEORGE CASTLE Times Correspondent

Tony Cingrani’s zooming ascent to the majors has been capped by two sterling starts as the first Cincinnati Reds’ lefty to win his big-league debut since Tom Browning in 1984.

GEORGE CASTLE: Another strange chapter in Gavin Floyd story

George Castle On the White Sox

CHICAGO | Everything happens to Gavin Floyd except another 17-victory season.

Peavy, White Sox power past Rays

Associated Press

CHICAGO | The White Sox are starting to get contributions from everyone on the roster and that's producing wins.

Rizzo hits 2 homers in Cubs' win

Associated Press

MIAMI | Anthony Rizzo wanted a single.

GEORGE CASTLE: Pitchers shift on Dunn; can he adjust in kind?

George Castle On the White Sox

CHICAGO | It’s certainly not a comfortable subject after what he’s gone through as a White Sox.

Valbuena's home run lifts Cubs to a win

Associated Press

MIAMI | Luis Valbuena wasn't going to let the game go to extras.

World's oldest ex-big leaguer turns 102 in Cuba

ANNE-MARIE GARCIA Associated Press

HAVANA | There weren't nearly enough birthday candles on hand to do justice to Conrado Marrero, the world's oldest living former Major League Baseball player. So the Cuban hurler had to make do with just one atop the cake Thursday as he celeb…

Rios shakes slump, powers Sox to win over Indians

George Castle Times Correspondent

CHICAGO | In past years, a budding batting slump by Alex Rios might spiral out of control, with the entire year lost.

Cubs, Samardzija come up short again in another close game

Associated Press

CINCINNATI | Another well-pitched game ended in a close loss for the Cubs.

Cubs blow lead before beating Reds in 10th

Joe Kay AP Baseball Writer

CINCINNATI | Starting pitcher Carlos Villanueva raised his arm toward a clubhouse attendant and twisted his hand, asking him to turn down the blaring music so he could hear reporters' questions.