NEW YORK – Major League Baseball is instituting a comprehensive registration and drug testing program for unsigned prospects in the Dominican Republic.
The program went into effect Friday and targets prospects eligible to sign professional contracts after July 1. The initiative also involves a series of workshops designed to educate unsigned players about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs.
MLB says in a statement that the moves will help to reduce identity and age falsification and the use of prohibited substances.
Longtime baseball executive Sandy Alderson was hired in March to help reform baseball in the Dominican Republic. He says that MLB is trying “to educate young players and expand the resources available to them as they pursue professional careers.”

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CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Indians have activated closer Kerry Wood from the disabled list.
Wood has not pitched this season. The 32-year-old has been sidelined since straining a muscle in his upper back during spring training, sending him to the DL for the 13th time in his career.
Wood made two rehab appearances for Double-A Akron before being activated.
While Wood was out, Chris Perez handled closing duties for the Indians, who have lost four straight and will open a three-game series Friday against Detroit.
To make room for Wood, the Indians optioned right-hander Jensen Lewis to Triple-A Columbus.

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LOS ANGELES – Andre Ethier hit a grand slam in the ninth off LaTroy Hawkins after the Dodgers blew a two-run lead in the top of the inning, and Los Angeles beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-3 Thursday night.
It was Ethier’s second game-ending hit of the season and 11th since the start of 2008. Ethier has been up twice with the bases loaded this season and hit grand slams each time.
Jonathan Broxton (2-0) took the mound in the ninth trying to protect a 3-1 lead for John Ely, who was in line for his first big league victory. But the Brewers got four hits off the Dodgers’ closer and tied it on two-out RBI singles by Gregg Zaun and Corey Hart.
Jamey Carroll greeted Hawkins (0-3) with a leadoff single, advanced to second on a one-out single by Xavier Paul and took third on a wild pitch to Matt Kemp, who eventually walked.
Ethier worked the count to 2-2 before driving the next pitch to center field for his 10th homer.
The two-time defending NL West champs loaded the bases in the sixth with none out against reliever Claudio Vargas, trying to extend their 3-0 lead. But the right-hander got Carroll to hit into a force play at the plate before striking out Ely and Paul.
Ely allowed a run and four hits over 6 2-3 innings in his second big league start, did not walk a batter and struck out seven — including Jim Edmonds all three times he faced him. The right-hander gave up singles to two of his first five batters and retired the next 16 in a row before Prince Fielder singled with one out in the seventh and scored on a two-out single by Zaun.
After losing the first two games of the series by scores of 11-6 and 11-3, the Dodgers opened the scoring in the first with a sacrifice fly by James Loney that extended his streak to a career-best six consecutive games with an RBI. He has 12 during the stretch, after driving in just seven runs in his first 22 games.
Carroll doubled with two outs in the Dodgers’ second against Dave Bush, and scored when Fielder mishandled a perfect throw from third baseman Casey McGehee on Ely’s grounder. Paul followed with a double between a diving Fielder and the bag for a 3-0 lead. Fielder’s error was his first this season. He had only seven in 162 starts at first base last year.
Bush was charged with three runs — one earned — and four hits in five innings.
NOTES: Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker was released from the hospital on Thursday, six days after undergoing heart surgery. … Ely was 32-16 with a 3.71 in the minor leagues, where he started 69 of 70 games after being chosen in the third round of the 2007 draft by the White Sox. … The Brewers, who switched from the AL to the NL in 1998, have never swept a series from the Dodgers. … Edmonds, in his second game after missing the previous five with a back problem, struck out all four times up. … Milwaukee CF Carlos Gomez did not play because of injured left shoulder, which he hurt while diving back into second base on a botched rundown play Thursday night. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Friday.

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SEATTLE – Jeff Niemann pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning, Carl Crawford finished a triple short of the cycle and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Seattle Mariners 8-0 on Thursday night for a three-game sweep.
Niemann (2-0) overcame a second-inning anomaly of throwing 11 straight balls, to help keep Tampa Bay rolling on the best start in club history. Tampa Bay won its fourth straight and ninth in 11 games and is 12-1 on the road.
The Mariners lost their sixth straight — swept by the Rangers and Rays — and placed starting left fielder Milton Bradley on the restricted list while he deals with personal issues.
Bradley was placed on the restricted list before Thursday’s game and is unavailable to the Mariners for at least five days and likely much longer as he gets help for his issues.
The problem for the rest of the Mariners is an offense that’s scored nine runs in six games, punctuated by the second shutout in a week.
Aside from a befuddling second inning, Niemann was dominant. From the third inning on, the big right-hander allowed just three baserunners and set down 14 of the final 17 batters he faced. Niemann pitched into the seventh for the fifth straight start and hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any start this season. He struck out six and walked two.
Joaquin Benoit worked the eighth and Andy Sonnanstine the ninth to complete the four-hitter.
Niemann’s second inning left everyone scratching their heads. After getting two strikeouts to open the frame, Niemman gave up a two-out hit to Jose Lopez.
Suddenly he couldn’t throw a strike. He walked Ryan Langerhans and Josh Wilson on eight pitches and went to a 3-0 count on Rob Johnson before throwing a strike. Niemann eventually got Johnson looking on a 3-2 pitch.
Crawford hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Seattle reliever Ian Snell, after singling in the fifth and doubling in the sixth. Willy Aybar also had two hits and two RBIs.
Tampa Bay’s offense knocked out Seattle starter Ryan Rowland-Smith. Ben Zobrist laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Jason Barlett, who doubled to open the inning. Evan Longoria extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI double and Aybar had his second RBI hit to cap the inning.
B.J. Upton also added an RBI double in the second and scored twice for Tampa Bay.
Rowland-Smith (0-2) failed to make it through the fifth, battered for six runs and seven hits in his shortest outing of the season. He’s given up at least five earned runs in consecutive starts.
NOTES: The Rays are one of only four teams since 1961 to start 12-1 or better on the road. … Injured Mariners LHP Erik Bedard threw a pain-free bullpen session on Wednesday and is expected to throw a simulated game either Monday or Tuesday. Bedard is recovering from left shoulder surgery. … Snell threw 3 1-3 innings of relief, his first appearance out of the bullpen since Aug. 12, 2005 while with Pittsburgh.

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DETROIT – Thousands of Detroit Tigers fans lined up outside Comerica Park Thursday to give beloved broadcaster Ernie Harwell the send-off he wanted, paying their respects as they shuffled past his casket and swapping their favorite memories of the Hall of Famer.
Tigers spokesman Rick Thompson said more than 10,000 fans walked past Harwell’s open casket between the time the stadium opened at 7 a.m. Thursday until the last person said goodbye around 12:30 a.m. Friday.
After waiting for more than eight hours, Westland resident Bud Sommerville entered the stadium’s front gate and approached Harwell’s open casket. He took some pictures of Harwell, who was dressed in his signature hat, then removed his own cap and placed it on his heart in a solemn farewell.
“I met him for the first time at the ballpark,” Sommerville, 54, said as he held back tears. “I guess the last time I will see him is at the ballpark.”
Harwell, considered by many Tigers fans to be the voice of summer, died Tuesday at 92 after a months-long battle against cancer. Planning for Thursday’s public viewing began in September after Harwell was diagnosed with an inoperable form of the disease, Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said. Harwell’s attorney and friend, Gary Spicer, invited Dombrowski and Tigers owner Mike Ilitch to Harwell’s home, and Harwell asked to have the viewing at Comerica Park so fans could come.
“You can see that it didn’t make a difference what age, what color, what religion — you were touched by Ernie,” said Dombrowski, who greeted mourners after they paid their respects.
“There were so many people that said, ‘I never met him but I knew him.’”
Harwell’s casket was placed near a life-sized statue of the Hall of Fame broadcaster, microphone in hand, with the inscription, “The Tigers’ broadcasting legend and masterful storyteller for 42 seasons.”
Sommerville said he arrived at the ballpark late Wednesday to ensure he would be first in line to pay tribute to a man he said “treated you like he knew you forever.”
He fondly recalled Harwell inviting him and his two sons into the broadcast booth at Tiger Stadium in 1999 just before his oldest son shipped off to Saudi Arabia with the Air Force.
Sister Deborah Ciolek, a 56-year-old nun with the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, said she came to honor Harwell’s memory and that of her father, who passed along to her his love of baseball.
“I was one of the guilty ones who had the radio in the bed listening to the West coast games at night, even falling asleep,” Ciolek said.
She said Harwell’s “soothing, gentle voice” reminded her of her dad and she praised the broadcaster’s love of God, family and the game.
He was “truly an inspiration,” she said. “The voice of summer, the voice of the Tigers — I guess we can say that Ernie is our Tiger.”
Across the street, the marquee of the Fox Theatre read: “Thanks for the memories Ernie.” Other venues nearby had similar public messages.
Inside the ballpark, some mourners knelt, others made the sign of the cross, while many snapped photos and removed their old English “D” caps while standing in front of the casket.
Dombrowski said he heard many great Harwell anecdotes from fans Thursday, but one stood out: A man too shy to ask his girlfriend to marry him told Dombrowski that Harwell proposed for him over dinner.
Family members will hold a private funeral service and burial Friday, according to Spicer.

The Tigers plan a tribute to Harwell before Monday’s game against the New York Yankees.

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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels came into their four-game set in need of a boost after both were swept in their previous series.
The Red Sox succeeded, impressively, and sent the Angels back West with a seven-game losing streak.
Victor Martinez homered and drove in four runs and Boston completed the sweep of Los Angeles with an 11-6 win Thursday night.
“They came in swept by Detroit and we came in swept by Baltimore,” Martinez said. “One or the other was going to have the losing streak alive and, hopefully, it’s not us. But we just stepped up and played good baseball and we got good results.”
The Angels were swept in a four-game series at Fenway Park for the first time since 1967. They are 0-7 on a road trip that ends with three games in Seattle, and have lost seven in a row for the first time since the final seven games of the 2001 season.
Martinez’s two-run homer in the third cut the Angels lead to 4-2 and his two-run double in the fifth tied it. The Red Sox added three more runs in the fifth, going ahead on Jeremy Hermida’s two-run single and making it 7-4 on Darnell McDonald’s RBI double.
Boston improved to 15-14, the first time its been over .500 since its opening night win over the New York Yankees.
“Everybody knows it won’t be the whole season like that. There’s no way,” Martinez said.
“Those guys are taking this streak hard and that’s part of the problem,” said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who held a team meeting after the game. “We have to turn the page. We are carrying ghosts from this week. I thought that was always the strength of this group, but guys are starting to press because of something that happened three days ago.”
The last time the teams met at Fenway Park, the Angels completed a three-game sweep of the Red Sox in last year’s AL division series with a 7-6 win on Oct. 11.
“I don’t think that we were looking to sweep” this week, Martinez said. “I think that’s putting too much pressure on ourselves.”
Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-1) retired 13 of the last 16 batters he faced after allowing four runs in the first. Scott Kazmir (2-2) gave up seven runs in 4 1-3 innings after coming off his best start of the season.
“I felt like I was pressing a little bit instead of just letting it go,” Kazmir said with a distraught look. “We need to go out and just have fun. We have everything it takes to win.”
Matsuzaka made his second start since beginning the season on the disabled list with a neck strain, and the Angels capitalized on his wildness to score four in the first.
He walked the first two batters, Erick Aybar, who stole second, and Bobby Abreu. Torii Hunter’s single made it 1-0. After a double steal by Abreu and Hunter, Hideki Matsui walked, loading the bases. Juan Rivera drove in one run on a forceout at second and Howie Kendrick drove in two with a double.
But Matsuzaka allowed just two hits in the next four innings while the Red Sox scored seven runs. He threw 39 pitches in the first inning and 38 in the next three combined.
“Once he did get in a rhythm,” manager Terry Francona said, “he pitched a lot better.”
Martinez, a switch-hitter batting right-handed, hit his second homer of the year, a shot into Boston’s bullpen in right-center field.

Boston went ahead to stay with five runs in the fifth. Marco Scutaro singled, Dustin Pedroia doubled and Martinez drove in both with his tying double. Boston then loaded the bases on walks to Kevin Youkilis and J.D. Drew.

Brian Stokes relieved Kazmir and was touched for run-scoring hits on his first two pitches — to Hermida and McDonald.

“The way we started the game was awesome,” Abreu said. “They started to score runs and we laid down.”

Mike Napoli’s two-run homer, his first of the season, cut the lead to 7-6 in the sixth, but the Red Sox added four runs in the bottom of the inning. They scored on a bases-loaded walk to Drew, a single by Adrian Beltre, an error by second baseman Kendrick on Hermida’s grounder and a force at second on a grounder by McDonald.

Notes: The Red Sox last three series have been sweeps. They went 3-0 in Toronto and 0-3 in Baltimore before beating Los Angeles. … Matsui went 0 for 3 and is in a 3-for-31 slump with eight strikeouts. … Boston’s starting pitchers are 6-1 in the last nine games. … Abreu reached safely on all five plate appearances with a single, double and three walks.

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ARLINGTON, Texas – Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning and the Texas Rangers pulled out a 13-12 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night after blowing an early eight-run lead.
The Royals had finally taken their first lead of the game in the top of the eighth and brought in closer Joakim Soria (0-1) with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Hamliton homered and Guerrero followed with his second go-ahead homer of the game, a shot that landed in the Rangers bullpen in right-center field.
Frank Francisco (4-3) gave up a run in one inning. Neftali Feliz, only minutes after catching Guerrero’s shot in the bullpen, struck out two of the three batters he faced for his seventh save in eight chances.
Guerrero’s towering two-run homer in the sixth — more than 10 rows deep into the left-field stands — had put the Rangers up 11-9 after the Royals had tied the game with five runs in the top of that inning.
Hamilton had three hits with three RBIs and four runs scored. Hamilton and Guerrero both have five home runs this season.
Alberto Callaspo hit a two-run homer in the seventh for the Royals, who then took their only lead in the eighth when Kila Ka’aihue had a pinch-hit RBI single in his first plate appearance of the season.
Billy Butler and Scott Podsednik also homered for the Royals.
Kansas City’s No. 9 hitter Yuniesky Betancourt led off the eighth against Francisco with a single and advanced to second on Podednik’s sacrifice before the go-ahead hit by Ka’aihue, the 26-year-old rookie from Hawaii who was recalled from the minors Wednesday.
Texas (15-14) returned home and regained a share of the AL West lead with the idle Athletics after losing the last two games of their three-game series in Oakland this week.
The Rangers had an 8-0 lead in the third after Justin Smoak pulled a liner into the right-field seats for a three-run homer. The rookie first baseman’s third homer of the season capped a six-run outburst in the inning.
Kansas City then scored multiple runs in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Rangers reliever Dustin Nippert struck out the first batter he faced, Callaspo leading off the sixth. But the next five batters reached and scored against the right-hander, including a walk to Betancourt before Podsednik hit a three-run homer into the second deck of stands in right field to tie the game at 9.
Kansas City needed only two batters in the seventh after Guerrero’s homer to tie the game at 11. Reliever Chris Ray walked leadoff hitter Jose Guillen before Callaspo followed with his fifth homer of the season.
Michael Young, the Rangers’ longest-tenured player in his 10th season, had a single in the fourth inning for his 1,693rd career hit. That broke a tie with Rafael Palmeiro for second on the team’s career list, and another single two innings later pushed him within 53 of Ivan Rodriguez’s record of 1,747.
NOTES: All-Star 2B Ian Kinsler made his home debut after opening the season on the DL and playing his first six games on the road. He was 3 for 4 and was part of two spectacular defensive plays. … Texas opened a stretch of playing 14 of 17 games at home. … Royals 2B Chris Getz, who is hitting .204, got a day off. Mike Aviles started instead.

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HOUSTON – Dan Haren struck out nine in his first complete game this season and Tony Abreu had a career-high four hits, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 6-3 victory over the struggling Houston Astros on Thursday night.
Kelly Johnson led off the game with his 10th home run of the year, giving him the National League lead. Haren (4-1) allowed seven hits and walked one for his 10th career complete game and first since July 10 against Florida.
The Astros lost for the ninth time in 10 games and dropped to an NL-worst 9-19.
Abreu scored in Arizona’s three-run third inning and drove in a run with a double in the fourth. The Diamondbacks took three of four in the series.
Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez (1-4) had his worst outing of the season, yielding nine hits and five runs in 3 2-3 innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Abreu’s run-scoring double in the fourth made it 5-0 and chased Rodriguez. Adam LaRoche stretched the lead to 6-2 in the fifth when he tripled and scored on a single by Rusty Ryal.
Jeff Keppinger doubled in the Houston fourth before scoring on a single by Carlos Lee to make it 5-1. A single by Geoff Blum later in the inning scored Lee and got Houston within 5-2.
Justin Upton singled in a run and scored, and Abreu came home on a sacrifice fly to push Arizona’s lead to 4-0 in the third.
Haren gave up a double to Michael Bourn to start the first inning before retiring the next nine batters — striking out seven of them. He didn’t allow another hit until Keppinger’s double in the fourth.
The right-hander gave up two singles in that inning, but didn’t yield another hit until a bunt by Humberto Quintero with nobody out in the eighth. Quintero later scored to make it 6-3.
NOTES: It was Johnson’s second leadoff homer. … Lee told reporters before the game that he might retire when his contract expires after the 2012 season. … Ten Houston Texans players participated in a home run derby before the game. Reliant Energy made a donation to local Boys & Girls Clubs for each home run hit and the event raised more than $31,000. Quarterback Matt Schaub raised the most money with $5,500.

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CHICAGO – Dana Eveland allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings and the Toronto Blue Jays extended their winning streak to five games Thursday night by beating the Chicago White Sox 2-0.
Eveland (3-1) was in control throughout on a chilly 45-degree night and outdueled another lefty, John Danks (3-1). Eveland gave up a leadoff infield single to Juan Pierre in the first and single to Alexei Ramirez in the fourth, while walking four and striking out three.
Scott Downs pitched a spotless eighth. Chicago’s Alex Rios got a double when Blue Jays shortstop Alex Gonzalez couldn’t hold his high pop behind second with one out in the ninth, but Kevin Gregg then struck out Carlos Quentin and Ramirez to get his eighth saves in as many chances.
The Blue Jays broke through against Danks with one out in the fifth when John Buck singled, Travis Snider doubled into the right field corner and Freddy Lewis drove a two-run double into left center for a 2-0 lead.
Danks gave up eight hits and two runs in seven innings. Sergio Santos pitched a scoreless eighth for Chicago and the converted infielder has still not allowed a run in his first 12 appearances — a record for a White Sox pitcher starting his major league career, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
NOTES: Eveland also beat the White Sox at Toronto in April. … Major league home run leader Paul Konerko of the White Sox was scratched with a sore neck but is expected back Friday. Konerko has 12 homers. … Blue Jays DH Randy Ruiz rejoined the team after missing the previous series for personal reasons. … A fan ran on the field in the bottom of the sixth but instead of leading security on a long chase, he slid down in shallow right center and surrendered. … The Blue Jays are now 10-3 on the road. … Rough night for Chicago second baseman Gordon Beckham, who went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and also made two errors.

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MINNEAPOLIS – Ty Wigginton hit his 10th home run, just one short of his total last season, and starter Brad Bergesen was at his best for the Baltimore Orioles in a 2-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins on a damp Thursday night.
Carl Pavano (3-3) lost his second straight eight-inning, two-run performance. He went right at the free-swinging Orioles, throwing 70 of 97 pitches for strikes, but Wigginton spoiled the outing. With the homer, Wigginton moved into second place behind Chicago’s Paul Konerko (12) on the American League home run list.
After failing to last past the fifth in each of his first four starts, Bergesen (2-2) scattered six hits and two walks over 6 2-3 innings. Will Ohman relieved him and walked Justin Morneau to load the bases, but blew strike two and three past Jim Thome’s big bat to end the seventh.
Alfredo Simon pitched the ninth for his third save to finish the game in 2 hours, 17 minutes.
The Twins enjoyed a sunny, mostly warm first homestand in April, but the weather has been less than ideal so far in May. The first-pitch temperature was 52 degrees and though there was hardly any wind the rain came in the second inning and kept up at a steady pace. Still, in their first outdoor experience since 1981 before the move to the Metrodome, not one of the 13 games at Target Field have been delayed by even a minute.
Bergesen went 7-5 with a 3.43 ERA in 19 starts last year as a rookie for the Orioles, before his season was cut short at the end of July by a scary line off the shin. The right-hander then hurt his shoulder before spring training throwing too hard too soon while he filmed a commercial for the team.
His first four starts couldn’t have been much worse, with a mere 15 1-3 innings accumulated and 28 hits and 24 runs allowed. But armed with Wigginton’s no-doubt, two-run drive to left field in the second, Bergesen settled in the steady drizzle.
Michael Cuddyer hit a deep drive to center with three men on in the second, but Adam Jones caught it on the warning track. The Twins fell to 7 for 47 with the bases loaded this season, dropping only their fourth game in 13 contests at Target Field.
This was the first visit to the limestone-and-glass ballpark for the Orioles, who have gone 6-5 since their 2-16 start but still have baseball’s worst record.
NOTES: Orioles RH Koji Uehara came off the disabled list before the game and pitched a perfect eighth. The 35-year-old, making $5 million this season, appeared for the first time since elbow tendinitis knocked him out last June. “I’m looking forward to seeing him pitch and getting him in there when we can,” manager Dave Trembley said before the game. Uehara, the Orioles’ first Japan-born player, will only be used for an inning at a time. … Twins RH Pat Neshek, on the DL with what was initially diagnosed as inflammation of the middle finger on his pitching hand, is now reporting discomfort closer to the middle of his hand. “I have all the confidence in the world that our doctors are doing everything they possibly can to help this young man out,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. … Before the game, the crowd observed a moment of silence to honor the death of Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts, who spent three seasons with Baltimore toward the end of his career. … The Twins have been outhomered at home 14-7 this year. … Pavano induced three double plays. He pitched with a full week of a rest, due to a stiff neck and a slight rotation shuffle.

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