Baseball Briefs

Diamondbacks send Klassen to Tucson

Phoenix The Arizona Diamondbacks purchased the contract of right-hander Erik Sabel on Sunday and assigned infielder Danny Klassen outright to Triple-A Tucson.

The move was made to bolster a bullpen depleted by extensive use in recent games.

The Diamondbacks used all six relievers in their 6-5, 11-inning victory over Montreal on Saturday night.

“This gives us another serviceable arm,” manager Bob Brenly said.

Right-hander Jose Parra, called up from Tucson early in the week, pitched in fifth consecutive game without giving up a run on Saturday. Closer Byung-Hyun has pitched in four consecutive games, the first time that’s happened in his big-league career.

Klassen was activated from the 15-day disabled list on Friday and cleared waivers that day. He had a pinch-hit single Saturday night in his only at bat in his brief stint.

“After the last few years, nothing surprises me,” Klassen said.

Pirates activate Reese, scratch Williams

San Diego The Pittsburgh Pirates activated second baseman Pokey Reese from the 15-day disabled list Sunday and scratched left-hander Dave Williams from his scheduled start.

Reliever Sean Lowe made an emergency start his first of the season in place of Williams, who was hit on the right shin by a comebacker in his last start, a 10-0 loss at Colorado on Tuesday.

Williams, who allowed seven hits and eight runs in 313 innings at Colorado, is expected to miss only one start.

Reese had been sidelined since April 20 with a strained right hamstring. To make room on the roster, the Pirates put right-hander Josias Manzanillo on the DL with a bone chip in his right elbow. Manzanillo had made one appearance.

New injury hits Anderson in back

Brady Anderson woke up with back spasms in the wee hours of the morning and was held out of Sunday’s game.

“Brady has a history of back problems,” Cleveland manager Charlie Manuel said. “He’ll probably be out two or three days.”

Anderson said he thinks he can play in Baltimore, where the Tribe begins a three-game series tonight.

When did Anderson’s back start hurting?

“It was about 4 a.m.,” he said. “I don’t know why. I didn’t do anything at 3:30.”

Anderson will be making his first trip to Camden Yards since being let go by the Orioles.

“I had a great career there,” he said. “I loved the time I spent there. It would be petty of me to make something bad of such a good experience.”