Diaz finding a home with Pirates
Diaz finding a home with Pirates Pirates catcher Robinzon Diaz got his first Major League start, hit, RBI, and stolen base Sunday against the Giants. The backup catcher hopes for more success when the Pirates open a four-game series at Houston on Monday.

Bucs like idea of human element
Bucs like idea of human element The Pirates turned a double play Saturday night that was incorrectly ruled, posing the question of whether replay should be expanded to include plays in the field. The Bucs can understand replay on boundary calls but say they like things the way they are.

Reds rattle Wood in ninth for comeback victory
Jolbert Cabrera hit a game-ending RBI single off Chicago Cubs closer Kerry Wood to complete Cincinnati’s three-run ninth inning and give the Reds a 4-3 win on Sunday.

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Longoria returns to Rays for stretch drive
Evan Longoria was activated off the 15-day disabled list Saturday after the Tampa Bay slugger said he felt “almost 100%” following 30 swings with a regular bat.

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Offense coming alive for Pirates
Offense coming alive for Pirates The Pirates lost 10 straight games to end August, scoring only 2.8 runs per contest, but they have gone 3-2 in the first five games of September, scoring 28 runs in the process as the offense has come to life.

Astros‘ Oswalt blanks Rockies with one-hitter
Roy Oswalt threw a one-hitter and Hunter Pence hit a two-run home run to help the Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 2-0 on Saturday night.

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Baseball Today (AP)

Mets and Phillies split a pair in NL East showdown
The Mets want this September to end much better than the last one. Carlos Delgado and Johan Santana give them two big reasons to believe it will. Delgado hit two long homers and drove in four runs, backing a huge win by Santana as New York beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 on Sunday night for a doubleheader split.

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Thome’s homer in 15th lifts White Sox over Angels
Jim Thome homered in the 15th inning to pass Mickey Mantle on the career list and give the Chicago White Sox a 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels that extended their AL Central lead Saturday night.

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Maholm solid, but bullpen can’t hold on
Maholm solid, but bullpen can’t hold on What Pirates manager John Russell wanted Saturday was three scoreless innings to preserve a three-run lead on behalf of starter Paul Maholm and cement Pittsburgh’s eighth straight win at AT&T Park. What he got was instead was a seventh-inning implosion that led directly to a 7-6 loss to the Giants.

Maholm out to take big step toward 200
Maholm out to take big step toward 200 With most likely four starts remaining in his season, Pirates left-hander Paul Maholm needs just 20 2/3 innings to reach the 200-inning mark for the first time in three full Major League seasons.

Baseball Today (AP)

Ethier, Dodgers reduce NL West lead to half-game
Andre Ethier went 5-for-5 and drove in a career-high five runs, Derek Lowe held Arizona to two hits over eight innings and the Los Angeles Dodgers cut the Diamondbacks‘ NL West lead to a half-game with a 7-0 victory Friday night.

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Uribe goes yard twice as White Sox trample Angels
Juan Uribe homered twice, Paul Konerko added a solo shot and Mark Buehrle pitched six shutout innings to help the Chicago White Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 10-2 in a meeting of division leaders on Friday night.

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Zambrano’s shoulder problems not considered serious
Pitcher Carlos Zambrano’s shoulder problems are not serious, and he could return to the Chicago Cubs‘ rotation by the end of next week.

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Duke finally gets back on track

Pittsburgh Pirates‘ Zach Duke works against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept.

Broken wrist sidelines White Sox MVP candidate Quentin
Chicago White Sox All-Star left fielder Carlos Quentin, a leading contender for the American League MVP award, will undergo surgery next week on his fractured right wrist, the White Sox announced Friday.

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Lack of close playoff races may provide a September to forget
Major League Baseball will need another wave of historic comebacks or collapses to even come close to the September drama of a year ago.

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Hearing to determine if Pirates-Alvarez contract valid
The Pittsburgh Pirates could be waiting several weeks to find out if first-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez is part of their organization. Meanwhile, Eric Hosmer, who already was playing in the Kansas City Royals system, could have his future hinging on the same decision.

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LaRoche ends slump in Pirates 6-5 win over Reds (AP)

Adam LaRoche didn’t need much to snap his slump. The Pittsburgh first baseman was hitless in 16 straight at bats before coming up with a pair of soft RBI singles to lead the Pirates to a 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. “I wasn’t aware that I was 0-for-16,” LaRoche said. “I’ve been 0-for-16 before, but I had no idea.

Intense preparation fuels success for Quentin
There’s an unwritten rule in major league clubhouses that news reporters should not interrupt a player’s preparation for a game. That’s one reason Chicago White Sox left fielder Carlos Quentin hasn’t gotten the attention his American League-leading 36 home runs might normally warrant.

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Power Rankings: Lincecum moves ahead of Webb
The distinction as the National League’s top pitcher is no longer a runaway. After a pair of subpar outings, Arizona’s Brandon Webb has fallen behind Tim Lincecum of San Francisco in the latest USA TODAY Sports Weekly Power Rankings.

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Marlins recall minor-league HR leader McPherson
Baseball’s home run leader joined the Florida Marlins on Tuesday. Dallas McPherson, who hit 42 home runs for Albuquerque, was recalled from the Triple-A team. Playing primarily at third base but also seeing some time at first, McPherson hit .275 with 98 RBI.

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Zambrano departs early as Astros nip Cubs in extras
Carlos Zambrano left his start with arm problems after five innings Tuesday, and the Chicago Cubs matched their longest losing streak of the year with a 9-7, 11-inning loss to the Houston Astros.

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McDonald’s clutch hit in extras lifts Jays over Twins
John McDonald singled home the go-ahead run in the 11th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Minnesota 5-4 on Wednesday night, posting their eighth straight victory over the Twins.

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Drew hits for cycle, D-backs beat Cardinals 8-6
In black magic marker, a scuffed baseball told the details of the biggest game of Stephen Drew’s career. Five hits and a cycle — the first in Chase Field history.

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10 Indians called up

The Indianapolis Indians, whose season ended Sunday, had 10 players promoted to the major league Pittsburgh Pirates.

Boras’ brushback pitch to Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates made a $6 million contract offer, and Vanderbilt University third baseman Pedro Alvarez said yes, but agent Scott Boras said, um, how about some more money? For the better part of 16 …

Martinez ends HR drought, Indians beat White Sox
Victor Martinez hit his first home run in nearly a year to help the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago White Sox 9-3 on Tuesday night.

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LaRoche ends slump in Pirates 6-5 win over Reds (AP)

Adam LaRoche didn’t need much to snap his slump. The Pittsburgh first baseman was hitless in 16 straight at bats before coming up with a pair of soft RBI singles to lead the Pirates to a 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. “I wasn’t aware that I was 0-for-16,” LaRoche said. “I’ve been 0-for-16 before, but I had no idea.

Back-to-back homers by rookies help Pirates win (AP)

It’s too early to say if Pittsburgh’s three-way deal at the trade deadline is paying off, but the Pirates can dream, can’t they? Rookies Brandon Moss and Andy LaRoche, two of the players acquired by Pittsburgh in a six-player deal on July 31, hit back-to-back home runs to help the last-place Pirates snap a 10-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

Is Sabathia the best midseason acquisition ever?
CC Sabathia, Milwaukee’s 6-7, 290-pound left-handed starter, says he’s the same guy he’s always been. Sabathia may be the same guy, but the Brewers are not in the same place since he arrived in a trade with the Cleveland Indians on July 7.

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Delgado fuels Mets comeback after Sheets exits early
The shadows in late afternoon at Miller Park can be brutal to hitters, but Carlos Delgado made good contact anyway.

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McDonald’s clutch hit in extras lifts Jays over Twins
John McDonald singled home the go-ahead run in the 11th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Minnesota 5-4 on Wednesday night, posting their eighth straight victory over the Twins.

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Cruz gets called up to The Show
Cruz gets called up to The Show After years of trailing his father and trying to follow in his footsteps, Luis Cruz will do something that even his father — a 16-year professional baseball player — never did: play in a Major League game.

Marlins recall minor-league HR leader McPherson
Baseball’s home run leader joined the Florida Marlins on Tuesday. Dallas McPherson, who hit 42 home runs for Albuquerque, was recalled from the Triple-A team. Playing primarily at third base but also seeing some time at first, McPherson hit .275 with 98 RBI.

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Ohlendorf impresses in Pirates‘ win
Ohlendorf impresses in Pirates‘ win Ross Ohlendorf: Welcome into the mix for the 2009 starting five. Though he didn’t factor in the Pirates‘ 6-5 win over the Reds, the Bucs showcased the righty at Great American Ball Park on Wednesday as the latest candidate for the 2009 rotation.

MLB’s scoring committee rules against Sabathia

Milwaukee Brewers CC Sabathia throws in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Aug.

Ohlendorf inserted into rotation
Ohlendorf inserted into starting rotation The Pirates have put in motion their plan for a six-man rotation over the next three weeks by inserting Ross Ohlendorf into the starting mix. Ohlendorf will make his first Major League start on Wednesday.

Sherpa’s sleepers could be a guide to victory next season
For those in keeper leagues, there’s plenty of time before decisions have to be made, but the process of assembling the best possible roster doesn’t need to wait until pitchers and catchers report next spring.

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Zambrano departs early as Astros nip Cubs in extras
Carlos Zambrano left his start with arm problems after five innings Tuesday, and the Chicago Cubs matched their longest losing streak of the year with a 9-7, 11-inning loss to the Houston Astros.

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Delgado fuels Mets comeback after Sheets exits early
The shadows in late afternoon at Miller Park can be brutal to hitters, but Carlos Delgado made good contact anyway.

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Bautista, Rios homer to lift Blue Jays over Twins
Jose Bautista and Alex Rios both had four hits and hit back-to-back homers Tuesday night and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Minnesota 7-5, their seventh straight victory over the Twins.

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MLB’s scoring committee rules against Sabathia

Milwaukee Brewers CC Sabathia throws in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates in a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Aug.

Hearing to determine if Pirates-Alvarez contract valid
The Pittsburgh Pirates could be waiting several weeks to find out if first-round draft pick Pedro Alvarez is part of their organization. Meanwhile, Eric Hosmer, who already was playing in the Kansas City Royals system, could have his future hinging on the same decision.

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Marlins recall minor-league HR leader McPherson
Baseball’s home run leader joined the Florida Marlins on Tuesday. Dallas McPherson, who hit 42 home runs for Albuquerque, was recalled from the Triple-A team. Playing primarily at third base but also seeing some time at first, McPherson hit .275 with 98 RBI.

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Beckett set to return in Texas on Friday
Red Sox ace Josh Beckett is set to rejoin Boston’s rotation on Friday night in Texas.

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Marlins recall minor-league HR leader McPherson
Baseball’s home run leader joined the Florida Marlins on Tuesday. Dallas McPherson, who hit 42 home runs for Albuquerque, was recalled from the Triple-A team. Playing primarily at third base but also seeing some time at first, McPherson hit .275 with 98 RBI.

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Church’s slam helps Mets win 9-2, sweep Brewers
Carlos Delgado had his fun ribbing Ryan Church about his lack of power production. Church hit a grand slam, his first home run since June 1, and Brian Schneider added a homer in a six-run first inning that provided all the offense the Mets needed to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-2 and complete a three-game sweep Wednesday.

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Kent undergoes knee surgery, could return this season
Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday and might be able to return to action this month. The Dodgers said the outpatient procedure took 20 minutes, no additional problems were discovered and Kent will be able to begin the rehabilitation process Wednesday.

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Bucs bolster roster with 10 callups
Bucs bolster roster with 10 callups The Pirates will have 10 additional players joining the club for the opening game of a three-game set Tuesday against the Reds.

Coonelly chats with Pirates fans
Coonelly chats with Pirates fans Bucs president Frank Coonelly took time on Wednesday to field questions from Pirates fans, discussing recent trades, Pedro Alvarez’s contract, Andy LaRoche’s lackluster fielding and much more.

Bucs giving auditions to Bixler, Cruz
Bucs giving auditions to Bixler, Cruz It doesn’t appear that Jack Wilson will be ready to return to the Pirates‘ starting lineup for Thursday’s series finale. However, in his absence the Pirates will continue to get a chance to evaluate Wilson’s potential successors at shortstop.

Ohlendorf inserted into rotation
Ohlendorf inserted into starting rotation The Pirates have put in motion their plan for a six-man rotation over the next three weeks by inserting Ross Ohlendorf into the starting mix. Ohlendorf will make his first Major League start on Wednesday.

MLB upholds scorer’s decision
MLB upholds scorer’s decision Major League Baseball ruled on Wednesday to stand by official scorer Bob Webb’s ruling that Andy LaRoche’s hit off Brewers starter CC Sabathia on Sunday was in fact a hit and not an error.

Postseason chase takes precedence
Mat Gamel is one of several players Milwaukee recalled when rosters expanded Monday. He is a top hitting prospect, but the Brewers are likely to continue using their primary starters while they chase a postseason berth.

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Power Rankings: Lincecum moves ahead of Webb
The distinction as the National League’s top pitcher is no longer a runaway. After a pair of subpar outings, Arizona’s Brandon Webb has fallen behind Tim Lincecum of San Francisco in the latest USA TODAY Sports Weekly Power Rankings.

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Intense preparation fuels success for Quentin
There’s an unwritten rule in major league clubhouses that news reporters should not interrupt a player’s preparation for a game. That’s one reason Chicago White Sox left fielder Carlos Quentin hasn’t gotten the attention his American League-leading 36 home runs might normally warrant.

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Drew hits for cycle, D-backs beat Cardinals 8-6
In black magic marker, a scuffed baseball told the details of the biggest game of Stephen Drew’s career. Five hits and a cycle — the first in Chase Field history.

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Mussina gets 17th win, Chamberlain returns for Yanks
Mike Mussina earned his 17th win, and the New York Yankees got home runs from Alex Rodriguez and Xavier Nady in a 7-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.

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Suffering Nationals dream of bright future
The Washington Nationals’ new ballpark is transforming a desolate area less than a mile from the Capitol, but condominiums, restaurants and office buildings are the only things on the rise in the neighborhood.

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