NEW YORK - For all of his home runs, All-Star accolades and huge salaries, Alex Rodriguez finds himself in a most familiar spot this season. A-Rod is an October lightning rod.
With every swing and miss, memories of his amazing run during the New York Yankees' championship season in 2009 fade further. Instead, fans are calling for manager Joe Girardi to drop him from the No. 3 spot in the lineup.
Rodriguez struck out to end the Yankees' 3-2 loss to Baltimore in Game 2 of their division series Monday night, evening the series at 1. He's fanned five times while going 1 for 9.
"I feel fine at the plate," he said after the loss. "I've just got to finish at-bats. I'm getting good swings."
He'll have the chance to turn things around tonight when the series shifts to the Bronx for Game 3. Hiroki Kuroda (16-11) starts for New York against Miguel Gonzalez (9-4), a rookie who has 17 strikeouts in two starts against the Yankees.
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Carpenter's back
WASHINGTON - St. Louis is counting on returning ace Chris Carpenter today against Washington's Edwin Jackson in Game 3 of the NL division series, which is tied at 1.
Carpenter has pitched only 17 innings this year after surgery in July for a nerve problem in his arm. He came back Sept. 21 and is 0-2 with a 3.71 ERA.
Inside pitch
• Washington ace Stephen Strasburg, shut down last month to rest his arm, joined his teammates for an off-day workout at Nationals Park before the first postseason game in the nation's capital in 79 years. "I bet the kid has to be going crazy," said Carlos Beltran of the Cardinals.
• St. Louis took Jaime Garcia off their NLDS roster after he lasted only two innings in Game 2. An MRI revealed the lefty has a strained rotator cuff and inflammation in his throwing shoulder. He'll be replaced by rookie Shelby Miller.
