BOSTON -- Less than two weeks after pitching against Boston

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BOSTON -- Less than two weeks after pitching against Boston with what appeared to be pine tar on his pitching hand, the New York Yankees Michael Pineda was ejected from a game against the Red Sox on Wednesday night after umpires found a foreign substance on his neck. . Boston manager John Farrell didnt alert umpires about brown goo on the lower part of Pinedas right palm during a 4-1 win over Boston at Yankee Stadium on April 10. Photos of Pinedas pitching hand that night sparked a debate about pitchers use of sticky substances to get a better grips in cool weather. With two outs and a 1-2 count on Grady Sizemore on Wednesday, Farrell left his dugout to talk with plate umpire Gerry Davis, who went to the mound. Davis touched the right side of the pitchers neck with his index finger then ejected Pineda as other umpires and Yankee infielders stood nearby. On a night with a game time temperature of 50 degrees, Farrell had said before batting practice: "I would expect if its used, its more discreet than last time." Pineda left with the Yankees trailing 2-0 after he allowed two runs and four hits in the first inning. He was replaced by David Phelps. Rule 8.02(b) says a pitcher shall not "have on his person, or in his possession, any foreign substance. For such infraction of this section the penalty shall be immediate ejection from the game. In addition, the pitcher shall be suspended automatically." "We will talk to the umpires tomorrow and review their report before taking any action," Major League Baseball spokesman Michael Teevan said. In recent suspensions of pitchers for pine tar, Tampa Bays Joel Peralta was penalized eight games in 2012, the Los Angeles Angels Brendan Donnelly 10 days in 2005 and St. Louis Julian Tavarez 10 days in 2004. The suspensions of Donnelly and Tavarez were cut to eight days after they asked the players association to appeal, and Peralta dropped his challenge with no reduction. In Pinedas previous start against the Red Sox, television cameras caught Pineda with what appeared to be sticky pine tar on his hand on a cool night. Farrell didnt see a photograph of Pinedas hand until the fourth inning; when Pineda came out to warm up for the fifth, his hand was clean. "In conditions like last night, its not uncommon for pitchers to try and get a grip in some way," Farrell said later. "Were more focused on what we need to do offensively to kind of get going rather than taking anything away from his abilities." Joe Torre, MLBs executive vice-president of baseball operations, said in a statement April 11 that Pineda would not be suspended for the substance on his hand. "The umpires did not observe an application of a foreign substance during the game, and the issue was not raised by the Red Sox," Torre said then. "Given those circumstances, there are no plans to issue a suspension, but we intend to talk to the Yankees regarding what occurred." .The seventh-seeded Raonic was scheduled to play U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori of Japan, but was replaced in the Group B pool by Spanish substitute David Ferrer.Raonic, who was 0-2 at the year-end event, said he suffered the injury late in the first set of Tuesdays 6-3, 7-6 loss to Murray. .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks take aim at their longest winning streak of the season on Sunday when they host the Calgary Flames in a battle at the United Center. .S. womens soccer team to a 2-0 win over China in Colorado in the afternoon.(SportsNetwork.com) - If the St. Louis Cardinals are going to advance to their second World Series in three seasons they are going to have to earn it. Tonight, the Cardinals will try to finish off the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series at Busch Stadium. That may be easier said than done, though, as the Cardinals will be going up against perhaps the best pitcher in baseball in left-hander Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw is likely headed toward another NL Cy Young Award after a remarkable regular season that saw him go 16-9 and lead the major leagues with a minuscule 1.83 ERA and an NL-best 232 strikeouts. The Cardinals, though, have given him fits, as he lost twice to them in the regular season and, despite a terrific effort, was defeated by them on Saturday in Game 2 of this series. Kershaw gave up an unearned run and two hits over six innings of that one to fall to 1-1 with a 0.47 ERA in three starts this postseason. "All we have to do is score for him," said Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. St. Louis, meanwhile, will be trying to secure an amazing 19th NL pennant behind rookie Michael Wacha, who has been spectacular this postseason, winning both of his starts, while pitching to a 0.64 ERA. Wacha was able to outduel Kershaw in Game 2 by scattering five hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings. Counting his last start of the regular season, when he came within an out of a no-hitter, he is 3-0 with an 0.42 ERA. "I just expect Michael to go out and do what hes done, just like the rest of our guys," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Stick with what youve done all along the way, and dont ignnore and dont deny the excitement. . " Los Angeles staved off elimination on Wednesday, as Gonzalez hit two of the Dodgers four home runs in a 6-4 win at Dodger Stadium. Carl Crawford and A.J. Ellis also delivered solo blasts for the NL West champs, who hadnt homered at all in dropping three of the first four matchups to St. Louis. "I think if you look at it now, weve kind of become Americas team because everyone wants to see a seventh game," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "Probably even fans in St. Louis want to see a seventh game, so I figure that everyones for us to win on Friday night." Zack Greinke (1-0) worked out of a bases-loaded no-out jam in the first, then limited the Cardinals to two runs on six hits over seven innings. He also helped his cause with an RBI single. "When Zack got out of that inning with no runs, it was just a huge momentum swing in the game," Dodgers second baseman Mark Ellis said. "Sometimes a game is won or lost in that first inning. I think that first inning had a huge impact on todays game." Matt Holliday went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Matt Adams and Matt Carpenter each collected two hits in the loss for the Cardinals, who, of course, have lost an NLCS both times they have held a 3-1 lead, including last year to the San Francisco Giants. Unlike last year though, the Cards will play the final two games in St. Louis, where they are 25-6 since Aug. 11. "Were not going to San Francisco, were going home, so I think thats a big plus," Cards third baseman David Freese said. If necessary, Game 7 will be played on Saturday at Busch Stadium. ' ' '

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