Rockies make deal for relief

The Cleveland Indians traded reliable reliever Rafael Betancourt to Colorado for minor league pitcher Connor Graham.

Betancourt, who has spent his entire seven-year career with Cleveland, learned of the deal following the Indians’ 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays in Toronto.

The Rockies are a game ahead of San Francisco for the N.L. wild card and nine games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the West and wanted to strengthen their bullpen.

Rockies setup man Manny Corpas is expected to undergo surgery today to remove bone chips in his right elbow. The operation could sideline him for the season, although he hopes to return in September.

In 29 appearances this season, Betancourt is 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA.

Parque used HGH

Jim Parque, a former pitcher for the White Sox and Tampa Bay, says he used human growth hormone “about six times” after he was cut by Chicago in 2002 and before he tried a comeback with the Rays the following season.

Parque made his confession in a lengthy, first-person account printed in the Chicago Sun-Times. He says he tried HGH in a bid to recover from a shoulder injury that he blames for derailing his career.

“It never gave me more strength or bulked me up, but it provided quicker recoveries,” Parque wrote.

Parque made five starts for Tampa Bay in 2003, compiling an 11.94 ERA. He never pitched again in the majors. In 2007, he was named as a drug user in the Mitchell Report.

Clearing the bases

Shortstop Julio Lugo has joined St. Louis and was available for Thursday’s game against Washington. Lugo was acquired Wednesday from the Boston Red Sox. … Food vendor Aramark said it is opening a gluten-free concession stand at Coors Field, believed to be the first such stand in the major leagues. The stand’s offerings include hot dogs, burgers, chicken sandwiches, brownies and, yes, beer. … San Diego has eliminated between 10 and 20 positions as part of what new CEO Jeff Moorad calls the first step of a reorganization of the team’s business operations.