Ryu out with back stiffness

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers will miss his scheduled start this week because of back stiffness, the manager of the Major League Baseball club said on Wednesday in Denver.

With the Dodgers taking on the Colorado Rockies on the road, Don Mattingly said the South Korean left-hander will skip his turn in the rotation on Friday against the Cincinnati Reds on the road.

Another southpaw, Chris Capuano, will take the mound instead.

“I’m not really concerned,” Mattingly said. “But we’re being a little cautious.”

According to the team, Ryu first felt pain in his back during his previous start last Friday against the San Diego Padres.

Mattingly said Ryu feels pain “when he gets to a certain point twisting.”

The abrupt change will prevent Ryu from facing the Reds’ South Korean outfielder Choo Shin-soo for the second time this season.

In their previous meeting in July in Los Angeles, Choo went 0 for 2 with a walk and a strikeout against Ryu, who pitched seven strong innings, giving up just two hits and an earned run in the Dodgers’ 4-1 victory.

After the upcoming weekend series, the Dodgers and the Reds will not meet again in the regular season.

Both teams are in playoff contention, with the Dodgers holding a comfortable 13-game lead in the National League West over the Diamondbacks, and the Reds lead the Washington Nationals by 7 1/2 games for the second NL wild-card spot.

Ryu has enjoyed a solid rookie MLB season. He leads all first-year big league pitchers with 13 wins and 167 innings pitched. He has pitched at least five innings in each of his 26 starts.

According to Mattingly, the earliest Ryu would return to the rotation would be Tuesday night, when the Dodgers face the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.

Against San Diego, Ryu scored the first run of the game with an awkward slide into home plate, but Mattingly said the injury “could have been from anything.”

Earlier this week, the Dodgers pushed Ryu’s start from Wednesday to Friday, allowing the newly acquired Edinson Volquez to make his Dodgers debut against the Rockies. The Dodgers have a day off on Thursday. (Yonhap News)

Cards edge Reds in 16

Matt Adams’ second homer sent St. Louis to a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in 16 innings on Wednesday night, protecting the Cardinals’ hold on second place in the NL Central.

Adams broke an 0 for 17 slump by connecting in the 14th. After St. Louis let that lead get away, he homered again off Logan Ondrusek (3-1), ending the Reds’ longest game of the season.

The Cardinals had dropped the first two games in the series, letting the Reds get within a game and a half for second place. They finish their season series on Thursday. St. Louis leads it 11-8. Carlos Martinez (2-1) escaped a threat in the 15th, when Choo Shin-soo reached third with two outs but was caught in a rundown.

The Cardinals have dropped five of seven overall, costing them precious ground in the division’s three-team race. The Pirates, Cardinals and Reds are all in good shape to make the playoffs ― one as a champion, the other two as wild cards.

St. Louis wasted a chance to put it away in the 14th inning.

Adams broke his deep slump by leading off with homer off Alfredo Simon. Speedy Billy Hamilton helped the Reds tie it with another stolen base in the bottom of the inning.

Hamilton ran for Ryan Ludwick after his single off Edward Mujica, who blew a save chance for only the third time in 38 chances. Hamilton stole second ― he’s 2 for 2 against catcher Yadier Molina ― and scored easily on Zack Cozart’s single.

Leadoff hitter Matt Carpenter had three hits and a walk, scoring twice. Carpenter has five of the Cardinals’ 14 hits in the last two games. (AP)

Houston 6, Minnesota 5

NY Mets 5, Atlanta 2

Chicago Cubs 9, Miami 7

Oakland 11, Texas 4

Arizona 4, Toronto 3

San Francisco 13, San Diego 5

Boston 20, Detroit 4

Cleveland 6, Baltimore 4

NY Yankees 6, Chicago White Sox 5

Washington 3, Philadelphia 2

Seattle 6, Kansas City 4

Milwaukee 9, Pittsburgh 3

Colorado 7, LA Dodgers 5

Tampa Bay 3, LA Angels 1