Phils rally for six in 9th, top Mets to take over NL East lead
So Taguchi and Jimmy Rollins had two-run doubles in a six-run ninth, and the Philadelphia Phillies rallied against the New York Mets‘ makeshift bullpen for an 8-6 victory Tuesday night, taking over first place in the NL East.

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/343175842″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Sunny day: Yankees rescind stadium ban on sunscreen
Go ahead, Yankees fans. Slather on that SPF 45: sunscreen is now legal in Yankee Stadium.The baseball team has lifted a ban on plastic containers of sunscreen at their ballpark after deciding “not to be as stringent,” team spokesman Jason Zillo said Tuesday.

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342784209″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Astros acquire LHP Wolf from Padres (PA SportsTicker)
The Houston Astros added a veteran arm to their rotation Tuesday, acquiring lefthander Randy Wolf from the San Diego Padres for minor league righthander Chad Reineke.

Keppinger’s double sends Reds to 4-3 win in 11 (AP)

The first eight times that Jake Peavy pitched against Cincinnati, the San Diego Padres ended the game with a celebration. An against-the-odds grounder and a check-swing single ended the trend. Jeff Keppinger hit a run-scoring double with one out in the 11th inning Tuesday night, sending the Reds to a 4-3 victory that finally put a dent in Peavy’s perfect career against Cincinnati.

Young ‘feels good’ in rehab start
Young ‘feels good’ in rehab start The San Diego Padres‘ Chris Young took one more step toward returning to the club after completing his second rehab start with the Padres‘ Class A affiliate in Lake Elsinore, Calif., on Friday.

Famed baseball writer Jerome Holtzman dies
Jerome Holtzman, a longtime Chicago baseball writer who made the Hall of Fame, created the save rule and later became the game’s official historian, has died. He was 81.

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342521192″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Hall homers in 10th to lift Brewers past Cardinals
Bill Hall figured something good had just happened because he didn’t feel a sting when he connected in the 10th inning.The ball Hall hit off Ryan Franklin sailed over the fence and helped the Milwaukee Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 Monday night after squandering a ninth-inning lead.

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342997598″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

VandenHurk, three Marlins relievers 1-hit Braves
Rick VandenHurk and three relievers combined on a one-hitter, and Mike Jacobs hit a three-run homer to help the Florida Marlins beat the Atlanta Braves 4-0 Tuesday night.

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/343116661″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Scientists say breakthrough urine test for HGH developed
A team of scientists from the USA and Italy say they have developed a urine test that detects human growth hormone. The finding is a potential breakthrough in efforts to find a non-invasive way to screen for the performance-enhancing drug that is banned throughout the athletic world.

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/343175843″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Astros add Wolf to staff in swap with Padres
The Houston Astros acquired pitcher Randy Wolf from San Diego on Tuesday in exchange for minor leaguer Chad Reineke. Wolf, an …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342903190″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Pujols leads Cardinals to victory

The Associated Press ST. LOUIS — Albert Pujols had three hits and four RBIs, helping the St.

Padres learning from rookie mistakes
Padres learning from rookie mistakes Rookie catcher Luke Carlin’s throwing error in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals is just a part of the growing pains that several young Padres are going through.

Thomas’ recovery progressing, could return soon
Oakland Athletics designated hitter Frank Thomas, sidelined almost two months because of tendinitis in his right thigh, has …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342208836″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Jones uses power, legs to lift Orioles over Blue Jays
A couple hours before Baltimore faced the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night, the lineup in the Orioles clubhouse was completed …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342118858″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Padres Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Trevor Hoffman hadn’t worked in 10 days when he trotted to the mound in Cincinnati on Monday night.

Hoffman was coming in to protect a two-run Padres lead in his first save opportunity in seven games and only his third in 33 games thanks mainly to the team’s 6-23 plunge.

The all-time saves leader didn’t exactly get off to a great start.

The first three Reds he faced all singled, loading the bases with no one out.

Then, in classic Hoffman style, he retired the next three Reds he faced, striking out David Ross and Jay Bruce around a pop out by catcher Luke Carlin.

The save was his 18th in 21 opportunities this season and brought his ERA down to 4.91. The save was the 542nd of his career.

Padres 6, Reds 4: ?? Kevin Kouzmanoff’s…

Rookie Campillo pitches Braves past Marlins 4-0
Aside from Chipper Jones losing track of the count while at bat, the Atlanta Braves were pretty much flawless Monday night.They …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342151305″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Padres need solid innings from Banks

Four games into a stretch of 14 games without a day off, the Padres head to Cincinnati not only looking for victories, but for long outings from their starting pitchers.

The break may be over, but the Padres still appear to be broken

As the Padres trudged toward a merciful All-Star break last weekend, their only All-Star performer was asked if he thought the team still could muster a run for the playoffs.

Yankees catcher Posada may need shoulder surgery
Jorge Posada wants to help the New York Yankees win this year, and be ready for the start of next season. The All-Star catcher …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342215470″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Mets solve Reds in 10, move into NL East tie with Phillies
Ready for an encore, Shea? One month after they fired their manager, the New York Mets are headed home with a share of first …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/341183468″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Mets solve Reds in 10, move into NL East tie with Phillies
Ready for an encore, Shea? One month after they fired their manager, the New York Mets are headed home with a share of first …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/341183468″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Padres need solid innings from Banks

Four games into a stretch of 14 games without a day off, the Padres head to Cincinnati not only looking for victories, but for long outings from their starting pitchers.

The break may be over, but the Padres still appear to be broken

As the Padres trudged toward a merciful All-Star break last weekend, their only All-Star performer was asked if he thought the team still could muster a run for the playoffs.

Gossage, Williams begin emotional week
Gossage, Williams undertake emotional induction week The fans will certainly make their way upstate from New York City to honor Goose Gossage, the closer who will be inducted wearing a dark blue Yankees cap with the famous interlocking “NY.” Gossage will join Dick Williams, who managed six Major League teams, on the stage in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Padres Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Trevor Hoffman hadn’t worked in 10 days when he trotted to the mound in Cincinnati on Monday night.

Hoffman was coming in to protect a two-run Padres lead in his first save opportunity in seven games and only his third in 33 games thanks mainly to the team’s 6-23 plunge.

The all-time saves leader didn’t exactly get off to a great start.

The first three Reds he faced all singled, loading the bases with no one out.

Then, in classic Hoffman style, he retired the next three Reds he faced, striking out David Ross and Jay Bruce around a pop out by catcher Luke Carlin.

The save was his 18th in 21 opportunities this season and brought his ERA down to 4.91. The save was the 542nd of his career.

Padres 6, Reds 4: ?? Kevin Kouzmanoff’s…

Hairston enjoying hot July at the plate
Hairston enjoying hot July at the plate Scott Hairston is becoming a pest for opposing pitchers, especially this month with a .463 batting average in July. He and the Padres will see what they can do against the Reds in Tuesday’s matchup.

Padres learning from rookie mistakes
Padres learning from rookie mistakes Rookie catcher Luke Carlin’s throwing error in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals is just a part of the growing pains that several young Padres are going through.

Padres need solid innings from Banks

Four games into a stretch of 14 games without a day off, the Padres head to Cincinnati not only looking for victories, but for long outings from their starting pitchers.

Pitching change, Pujols rests

Jul. 21–PITCHING CHANGE Although lefthanded rookie Jaime Garcia pitched creditably for five innings Sunday, especially after allowing a leadoff home run, the Cardinals are likely to make another roster change …

Cards likely to make roster move to improve pitching depth (Yahoo! Sports)
Although lefthanded rookie Jaime Garcia pitched creditably for five innings Sunday, especially after allowing a…

Griffey hits No. 606 before Padres rally past Reds

The Cincinnati Reds‘ Ken Griffey Jr. hits a two-run home run off San Diego Padres starter Josh Banks during the sixth inning on Monday, July 21, 2008, in Cincinnati.

Padres rally in ninth for 6-4 win over Reds (AP)

The San Diego Padres finally made a dent in their daunting number. Not once all season had they rallied to win a game when they trailed after eight innings. Something bad always seemed to happen, leaving them 0-53 when they went to that last at-bat without the lead. In one amazing inning, they finally pulled one out.

Padres rally late to dump Reds
Padres rally late to dump Reds Kevin Kouzmanoff’s two-run double highlighted a three-run ninth as the Padres rallied for a 6-4 victory over the Reds before a crowd of 18,177 at Great American Ball Park on Monday.

ESPN: Astros in serious talks about Padres lefty Wolf

The Houston Astros are engaged in serious discussions to acquire veteran left-hander Randy Wolf of the San Diego Padres.

Griffey hits No. 606 before Padres rally past Reds

The Cincinnati Reds‘ Ken Griffey Jr. hits a two-run home run off San Diego Padres starter Josh Banks during the sixth inning on Monday, July 21, 2008, in Cincinnati.

Yankees burst into AL contention
Don’t look now, but that’s the Yankees the supposedly comatose New York Yankees only 4 1/2 games out of first place in the …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/341508560″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Padres rally in ninth for 6-4 win over Reds (AP)

The San Diego Padres finally made a dent in their daunting number. Not once all season had they rallied to win a game when they trailed after eight innings. Something bad always seemed to happen, leaving them 0-53 when they went to that last at-bat without the lead. In one amazing inning, they finally pulled one out.

Jones uses power, legs to lift Orioles over Blue Jays
A couple hours before Baltimore faced the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night, the lineup in the Orioles clubhouse was completed …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342118858″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Cards likely to make roster move to improve pitching depth (Yahoo! Sports)
Although lefthanded rookie Jaime Garcia pitched creditably for five innings Sunday, especially after allowing a…

The break may be over, but the Padres still appear to be broken

As the Padres trudged toward a merciful All-Star break last weekend, their only All-Star performer was asked if he thought the team still could muster a run for the playoffs.

Mets, Yankees hope success continues back home in N.Y.
There’s a baseball revival brewing in New York, and the Mets and Yankees hope to continue their surges in key series this week.

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342160864″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Padres Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Trevor Hoffman hadn’t worked in 10 days when he trotted to the mound in Cincinnati on Monday night.

Hoffman was coming in to protect a two-run Padres lead in his first save opportunity in seven games and only his third in 33 games thanks mainly to the team’s 6-23 plunge.

The all-time saves leader didn’t exactly get off to a great start.

The first three Reds he faced all singled, loading the bases with no one out.

Then, in classic Hoffman style, he retired the next three Reds he faced, striking out David Ross and Jay Bruce around a pop out by catcher Luke Carlin.

The save was his 18th in 21 opportunities this season and brought his ERA down to 4.91. The save was the 542nd of his career.

Padres 6, Reds 4: ?? Kevin Kouzmanoff’s…

Mets solve Reds in 10, move into NL East tie with Phillies
Ready for an encore, Shea? One month after they fired their manager, the New York Mets are headed home with a share of first …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/341183468″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Padres need solid innings from Banks

Four games into a stretch of 14 games without a day off, the Padres head to Cincinnati not only looking for victories, but for long outings from their starting pitchers.

The break may be over, but the Padres still appear to be broken

As the Padres trudged toward a merciful All-Star break last weekend, their only All-Star performer was asked if he thought the team still could muster a run for the playoffs.

Famed baseball writer Jerome Holtzman dies at 82
Jerome Holtzman, a longtime Chicago baseball writer who made the Hall of Fame, created the baseball saves rule and later became …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342097783″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Padres Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Trevor Hoffman hadn’t worked in 10 days when he trotted to the mound in Cincinnati on Monday night.

Hoffman was coming in to protect a two-run Padres lead in his first save opportunity in seven games and only his third in 33 games thanks mainly to the team’s 6-23 plunge.

The all-time saves leader didn’t exactly get off to a great start.

The first three Reds he faced all singled, loading the bases with no one out.

Then, in classic Hoffman style, he retired the next three Reds he faced, striking out David Ross and Jay Bruce around a pop out by catcher Luke Carlin.

The save was his 18th in 21 opportunities this season and brought his ERA down to 4.91. The save was the 542nd of his career.

Padres 6, Reds 4: ?? Kevin Kouzmanoff’s…

Pitching change, Pujols rests

Jul. 21–PITCHING CHANGE Although lefthanded rookie Jaime Garcia pitched creditably for five innings Sunday, especially after allowing a leadoff home run, the Cardinals are likely to make another roster change …

ESPN: Astros in serious talks about Padres lefty Wolf

The Houston Astros are engaged in serious discussions to acquire veteran left-hander Randy Wolf of the San Diego Padres.

Padres rally in ninth for 6-4 win over Reds (AP)

The San Diego Padres finally made a dent in their daunting number. Not once all season had they rallied to win a game when they trailed after eight innings. Something bad always seemed to happen, leaving them 0-53 when they went to that last at-bat without the lead. In one amazing inning, they finally pulled one out.

Yankees place Posada on DL with injured shoulder
The New York Yankees placed Jorge Posada on the 15-day disabled list Monday with an injured right shoulder, leaving the All-Star …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/341908863″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Padres Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

As impossible as it sounds, the Padres are getting worse.

Aaron Miles’ walk-off grand slam for the Cardinals in St. Louis Sunday afternoon capped a four-game, weekend sweep for St. Louis—although the Padres led in all four games.

Sunday’s loss was the sixth straight for the Padres and the 23rd in their last 29 games. And four losses in St. Louis dropped the Padres road record to 14-32.

In the first game of the St. Louis series, the Padres led 1-0 and 2-1 early and lost 4-3. In the second game, they led 6-3 and 7-6 and lost 11-7. In the third game, they blew a 5-0 lead and lost 6-5. And Sunday, the Padres held a 3-1 lead after six innings when the bullpen allowed seven runs in the last 1 1/3 innings.

In all four losses, different aspects, of the Padres game…

Pitching change, Pujols rests

Jul. 21–PITCHING CHANGE Although lefthanded rookie Jaime Garcia pitched creditably for five innings Sunday, especially after allowing a leadoff home run, the Cardinals are likely to make another roster change …

Cards likely to make roster move to improve pitching depth (Yahoo! Sports)
Although lefthanded rookie Jaime Garcia pitched creditably for five innings Sunday, especially after allowing a…

Rookie Campillo pitches Braves past Marlins 4-0
Rookie Jorge Campillo pitched seven innings and two relievers completed a two-hitter to help the Atlanta Braves beat the Florida …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/342151305″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Freshly activated Putz looks sharp in relief for M’s
Mariners closer J.J. Putz looked perfect and sounded relieved after pitching a one-two-three inning Sunday in his return from …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/341067933″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Yankees burst into AL contention
Don’t look now, but that’s the Yankees the supposedly comatose New York Yankees only 4 1/2 games out of first place in the …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/341508560″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>