HOUSTON — A federal judge sentenced the former scouting director of the St. Louis Cardinals to nearly four years in prison for hacking the Houston Astros’ player personnel database and email system in an unusual case of high-tech cheating involving two Major League Baseball clubs.

Christopher Correa had pleaded guilty in January to five counts of unauthorized access of a protected computer from 2013 to at least 2014, the same year he was promoted to director of baseball development in St. Louis.

He was fired last summer and now faces 46 months behind bars and a court order to pay $279,038 in restitution. He had faced up to five years in prison on each count.

Federal prosecutors said the hacking cost the Astros about $1.7 million, taking into account how Correa used the Astros’ data to draft players. Kibbe said that in the two years Correa was in the Astros’ system, he accessed the team’s network about 60 times.

The FBI said Correa was able to gain access using a password similar to that used by a Cardinals employee who “had to turn over his Cardinals-owned laptop to Correa along with the laptop’s password” when he was leaving for a job with the Astros in 2011.

TWINS: In a truly terrible season, Minnesota fired general manager Terry Ryan.

The Twins entered the day 33-58, 21 games out of first place in the American League Central Division. Only Atlanta has a worse record in the majors.

Assistant GM Rob Antony will take over on an interim basis. Owner and CEO Jim Pohlad made the announcement Monday, hours before the Twins opened a series in Detroit.

Ryan was named GM in November 2011 after spending the previous four seasons as an assistant to GM Bill Smith.

Antony is in his 29th season in the Twins organization and his ninth as an assistant GM.

INDIANS: Catcher Yan Gomes could miss two months after separating his right shoulder.

Gomes got hurt Sunday when he took a hard fall while running to first base in Minnesota. The team said Gomes does not need surgery at this time and that he will be sidelined for at least one month. The 28-year-old had been struggling at the plate, batting just .165 with eight homers and 32 RBI in 71 games.

ANGELS: Los Angeles put catcher Geovany Soto on the 15-day disabled list because of soreness in his left knee, only eight days after he returned from knee surgery.

REDS: Catcher Devin Mesoraco had surgery on the right side of his hip, the latest major setback for the former All-Star.

Mesoraco already was on the disabled list following surgery May 10 for a significant tear in his left shoulder. His latest surgery will prevent him from catching again until January, meaning he most likely won’t be at full strength when spring training begins.

The 28-year-old catcher had surgery on the other side of his hip last season, limiting him to 23 games.

Cincinnati Manager Bryan Price said there’s no indication the hip problems would become a chronic issue.

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