Bucs' Torres, McClendon banned

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Salomon Torres was suspended Friday for four games for throwing at Oakland's Damien Miller, and Bucs' manager Lloyd McClendon was suspended for one game -- McClendon's third suspension in six weeks.
McClendon was suspended because Torres' actions last Saturday came after a warning had been issued. As a manager, McClendon is not allowed to appeal and sat out Friday night's game against Seattle. Bench coach Pete Mackanin managed the club in his absence.
Torres will appeal the decision and continue to play until his case is heard. He also said he was fined $1,700.
Said he's innocent
McClendon was visibly upset with his latest suspension, one he said he did nothing to warrant. The penalties were handed out by Bob Watson, baseball's disciplinarian and a former major league player.
"Anybody who has any baseball sense about how things operate would know that, as a manager, you're not ordering a guy to throw at somebody when you've lost (six) in a row," McClendon said.
"It makes no sense and, to top it off, I've tried to explain this to people time and time again that I've never ordered a pitcher to throw at anybody, because I don't want to live with the consequences if a guy gets hit in the head," he said. "For some reason, nobody believes that and, as a result, I'm sitting out a game."
Torres threw two consecutive pitches behind Miller in the eighth inning of a game the Pirates led 10-6. After the incident, the Athletics rallied for a 12-11 victory -- the Pirates' seventh straight loss of what became a nine-game losing streak.
Torres' first pitch sailed behind Miller about waist high, and plate umpire Kerwin Danley warned both sides. Torres' next pitch also went behind Miller, earning the pitcher and McClendon immediate ejections.
Kendall is hit
Oakland reliever Justin Duchscherer hit Pirates catcher Jason Kendall with a pitch in the top of the inning.
"I'm embarrassed because it's the first time I've ever been thrown out of a game or suspended," Torres said. "I have appealed the suspension and the fine because that's a lot of money."
Torres began to argue his case to reporters, saying, "Four games and I didn't even hit the guy?" He then stopped talking, saying he didn't want to do anything to jeopardize his appeal.