Pineda says he won't appeal the penalty. The ban will cost him two starts.

"I accept it," Pineda said before Thursday night's game at Fenway Park. "I know I made a mistake."

Pineda was ejected in the bottom of the second inning for using pine tar, less than two weeks after appearing to get away with using a foreign substance in another game against Boston.

After the game, Pineda admitted he used the pine tar to help him grip the ball on a cool, windy night."I feel so bad," Pineda said Thursday.

Pineda said he had never used pine tar before this season.

The ejection set off a debate in the baseball world about pitchers who try pine tar, and whether it should be allowed in certain circumstances. Many former aces said they had done it, albeit in a more discreet manner.

Rule 8.02(b) prohibits pitchers from altering the ball to gain an unfair advantage, and forbids them from having a foreign substance on them or in their possession on the mound.

Pineda wasn't seen with the pine tar in the first inning, when the Red Sox roughed him up. Boston manager John Farrell asked plate umpire Gerry Davis to check Pineda after two fast outs the next inning.

Davis went to the mound, touched Pineda's neck and ejected him.

Earlier this month, Pineda pitched well against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Television cameras showed a substance on his hand during that outing — Pineda said it was dirt, not pine tar.

RANGERS TO HONOR YOUNG

The Texas Rangers have appointed retired pitcher Darren Oliver as a special assistant to the general manager and announced plans to honor career hits leader Michael Young.

Oliver retired last fall after 20 major league seasons, 10 of them over three different stints with Texas. Oliver will work in a variety of areas with an emphasis on pitching.

Even before Thursday's announcements, Oliver had already been involved with the Rangers, including time at spring training.

Young will be recognized in a pregame ceremony May 17 before a game against Toronto, the organization that traded him to Texas in 2000. Young made his major league debut at the end of that season and spent all but the last of his 13 years in the majors with the Rangers.

WAINWRIGHT LOOKS GOOD FOR SUNDAY

St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright threw a bullpen session and said his right knee feels good enough to allow him to make his next scheduled start Sunday against Pittsburgh.

Young stretched his scoreless streak to 17 innings Tuesday but left a 3-0 win over the New York Mets after hyperextending his right knee while lunging for Chris Young's short flare between the mound and first base.

Wainwright said Thursday his knee was "a hair sore - on fully extension only."

"And when you look at the way I pitch, you barely do anything stiff-legged, so I'm going to be OK," he said.

Wainwright is 4-1 with a 1.46 ERA.


TRUMBO TO DISABLED LIST


The Arizona Diamondbacks have placed left fielder Mark Trumbo on the 15-day disabled list with a stress fracture in his right foot and recalled outfielder Roger Kieschnick from Triple-A Reno.

Trumbo said he felt pain while jogging to his position Monday against the Chicago Cubs and an MRI revealed the stress fracture. He goes on the DL retroactive to Tuesday.

Trumbo, who was part of a three-way trade with the White Sox and Angels during the offseason, was tied for the NL lead with seven homers and second with 19 RBIs. He was hitting .210 and tied for the team lead with 22 strikeouts for the 6-18 Diamondbacks.

Kieschnick hit .281 with three homers and eight RBIs in 18 games at Reno this season.

Contributor: Justin McGuire, The Associated Press

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