Knoblauch returns; Hernandez sent back

Kansas City, Mo. (ap) The Kansas City Royals activated Chuck Knoblauch from the 15-day disabled list between games of a doubleheader against Cleveland on Saturday.

Knoblauch has been out since June 6 with a left forearm strain. To make room for Knoblauch, the Royals optioned outfielder Brandon Berger to Triple-A Omaha.

The Royals also called up pitcher Jeff Austin from Omaha and optioned pitcher Runelvys Hernandez to Double-A Wichita. Hernandez started the first game of the doubleheader and picked up his first career league victory.

Hernandez was called up from Wichita on July 13 because the Royals had two doubleheaders this week with no days off.

“We want him to pitch,” Kansas City manager Tony Pena said. “We brought him up to pitch two games. We saw what we got in him. We have a big league pitcher. I was very impressed with the way he threw the ball. He belongs in the big leagues.”

Hernandez returns to the minors with a 1-0 record and a 3.75 ERA. Austin is 0-0 with a 4.76 ERA in six games.

Cards demote Smith to open slot for Finley

Pittsburgh (ap) The St. Louis Cardinals demoted left-hander Bud Smith to Triple-A Memphis on Saturday to make room for newly acquired pitcher Chuck Finley.

Smith (1-5) had a 6.94 ERA in 11 appearances, including 10 starts. He has lost six of seven decisions since last year.

The Cardinals also signed left-hander Darren Oliver to a minor league contract and assigned him to Memphis.

Ex-Yankee hurler dies

New York (ap) Frank “Spec” Shea, who won two games in the 1947 World Series as a New York Yankees rookie and coached Robert Redford for the movie “The Natural,” has died. He was 81. Shea died Friday in New Haven, Conn., four weeks after having valve replacement surgery, the Yankees said.

Yankees’ Mondesi OK

New York (ap) New York outfielder Raul Mondesi was back at Yankee Stadium and available to play Saturday after a CT scan for recurring pains in his chest was negative.