Notes

LITTLE ROCK — CARDINALS

Jay, Matt Carpenter activated

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The St. Louis Cardinals are finally starting to get healthy.

Outfielder Jon Jay and first baseman Matt Carpenter were activated from the disabled list before Friday night’s game at Kansas City, while right-hander Chris Carpenter threw to batters for the first time since March 18, when he was sidelined because of a nerve condition in his shoulder.

Jay was starting in center field and batting second against the Royals, while Matt Carpenter was playing first base and batting seventh in the series opener.

“It’s good to have both back,” Cardinals Manager Mike Matheny said. “It’s good to have everyone healthy, and it’s good to have some guys back for morale.”

Jay hurt his right shoulder when he crashed into the outfield wall at Busch Stadium on April 16, causing him to miss five games. He returned to the field but went on the disabled list May 16, putting a damper on what had been one of his best starts to a season. He was hitting .343 with 2 home runs and 8 RBI in 27 games.

Matt Carpenter only appeared in seven games last season, but he was hitting .288 with 3 home runs and 20 RBI this year, giving the Cardinals plenty of flexibility by being able to play both corner infield positions as well as the outfield. He went on the disabled list May 23 with a strained right oblique.

“It was terrible,” Carpenter said. “I’ve never in my life had to sit out, I think it was exactly one month today. You never want to be a spectator.”

That’s exactly what Chris Carpenter has been all season. The three-time All-Star and former Cy Young winner has been out all season with what the team has called a nerve condition that resulted in weakness in his right shoulder. There was hope that he could return by June, but he didn’t pick up a baseball until just recently. Carpenter threw 34 pitches to seven hitters during batting practice before Friday night’s game against the Royals.

“My shoulder is strong and healthy,” he said. “You just have to go out there and see what happens, and hopefully it goes in the right direction.”

To make room for Jay and Matt Carpenter, St. Louis optioned first baseman Matt Adams and outfielder Adron Chambers to Class AAA Memphis. Adams was hitting .244 with 2 home runs and 13 RBI in 27 games with St. Louis. Chambers hit .250 with 3 RBI in 23 games.

BREWERS

Milwaukee signs Hernandez

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers have signed veteran right-hander Livan Hernandez to a one-year contract.

The Atlanta Braves designated Hernandez for assignment June 15 and released him Monday. He pitched 18 games for the Braves, all out of the bullpen, with a 1-1 record and a 4.94 ERA.

Hernandez is in his 17th major league season and has a career record of 175-177 with a 4.40 ERA.

Milwaukee designated left-hander Juan Perez for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. The Brewers also reinstated shortstop Cesar Izturis from the 15-day disabled list and designated infielder Edwin Maysonet for assignment.

MLB

Umpire hit in head by bat

CINCINNATI - The barrel of a broken bat hit plate umpire Jerry Layne on the left side of the head Friday night, forcing him to leave a game between the Minnesota Twins and Cincinnati Reds in the fourth inning.

Layne, 53, was checked by Reds medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek at Great American Ball Park and taken to a hospital for tests to make sure he didn’t break any bones on the side of his face.

“There was no cuts or anything like that,” said Randy Marsh, Major League Baseball’s director of umpiring. “Not sure if there’s a concussion - doesn’t think he was concussed - but he has a very sore area on his face.”

Devin Mesoraco’s bat cracked as he hit a grounder off Minnesota’s Nick Blackburn. The barrel came off on Mesoraco’s follow-through and hit Layne on the side of the head, which isn’t protected by the mask. Layne stumbled for a couple steps, then fell on his back and remained on the ground on his chest for several minutes while trainers talked to him. Layne got to his feet with help and walked off the field.

RAYS

Peralta drops appeal, Joyce on DL

PHILADELPHIA - The Tampa Bay Rays placed outfielder Matt Joyce on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain.

Joyce left Tuesday’s game against Washington with the injury. In 62 games this season, he was batting .279 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI.

Also on Friday, Rays reliever Joel Peralta dropped his appeal and began serving his eight-game suspension immediately for using a foreign substance on his glove in Tuesday’s game against Washington.