In brief: Clouds hang over League, Mariners

Baseball: If the Seattle Mariners had had another late lead to protect on Saturday, Jamey Wright (pictured above), not Brandon League, would have been the one asked to close it out.

That doesn’t mean Seattle manager Eric Wedge is demoting League, who has had the worst week imaginable. It has included four losses, three blown saves and a 30.00 earned-run average.

But it turned out to be a moot point, because the Mariners’ game at Cleveland was rained out. The game, which was called after a two-hour rain delay, had been stopped with two outs in the bottom of the first and Cleveland runners on first and second.

No makeup date has been set, but the two teams won’t play a doubleheader today. The Mariners return to Cleveland for a three-game series Aug. 22-24, and Indians manager Manny Acta said the game will likely be made up then.

Wedge said rookie right-hander Michael Pineda will start as scheduled today.

The Mariners also announced that they added right-hander Jeff Gray to their bullpen and optioned Dan Cortes to Triple-A Tacoma.

Seattle Times

Boogaard death remains mystery

NHL: It may be weeks before authorities know how and why New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard died, although foul play was not immediately suspected.

Boogaard, 28, was found dead Friday in his Minneapolis apartment. Few details were available, but the news rippled across the NHL, where the 6-foot-7 Boogaard was a fan favorite and one of the game’s most feared fighters.

“I don’t think we have any answers as to what happened or why it happened,” Ron Salcer, Boogaard’s agent, said.

Associated Press