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 NL All-Star in 2003, is 6-10 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 starts for the Padres this season.

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Griffey hits No. 606 before Padres rally to win
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.

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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.

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Trade market gets crowded as July 31 deadline looms
General manager Doug Melvin, after pulling off perhaps the biggest impact trade of his career, has made it chic to be a Milwaukee Brewers fan again.

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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.

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Pedro likely to pitch Friday
Pedro likely to pitch Friday In need of a starting pitcher this weekend, the Mets appear to be in position to give the assignment to Pedro Martinez.

Who’s next after Rauch, Wolf? (Yahoo! Sports)
The Diamondbacks find a closer, the Astros baffle everyone and other names are flying around the phone lines.

Phils rally for 6 runs in ninth to beat Mets (AP)

When Jimmy Rollins saw New York reliever Duaner Sanchez come out to pitch the ninth inning instead of starter Johan Santana or closer Billy Wagner, he went straight to the batting tee to stay loose. It didn’t matter that he was due up sixth and the Philadelphia Phillies trailed by three runs. He thought they had a chance.

Church won’t rush back to Mets‘ lineup
Church won’t rush back to Mets‘ lineup Ryan Church said he feels 100 percent, and his post-concussion symptoms haven’t reared their ugly head — in his head — for the past few days.

Baseball Today (AP)

Manuel confident Sanchez can close
Manuel confident Sanchez can close Mets manager Jerry Manuel doesn’t expect to be without closer Billy Wagner for long, but the skipper has a handful of relievers whom he’s confident in at his disposal while the lefty rests his shoulder.

Pedro likely to pitch Friday
Pedro likely to pitch Friday In need of a starting pitcher this weekend, the Mets appear to be in position to give the assignment to Pedro Martinez.

Wagner’s absence felt in defeat
Wagner’s absence felt in defeat Mets closer Billy Wagner, resting on Tuesday with left shoulder spasms, could do nothing but watch as his squad squandered a three-run ninth-inning lead.

Freak accident leads to DL

New York — Daric Barton smacked his head on the bottom of a pool during the All-Star break, requiring six staples to close the gash and leaving the Oakland first baseman with a neck strain that landed him on …

Mets‘ Aguayo has Chavez DOA twice at home

Endy Chavez couldn’t remember the last time he was thrown out at home. As for getting thrown out twice in one game, both times by such a wide margin even Chavez thought to himself, “Wow, I’m really far away,” …

Griffey hits No. 606 before Padres rally to win
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.

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Diamondbacks acquire reliever Rauch from Nationals
The Arizona Diamondbacks made a major move to shore up their ailing bullpen on Tuesday, acquiring reliever Jon Rauch from the Washington Nationals for top infield prospect Emilio Bonifacio.

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Reds torched by Padres in 9th

The San Diego Padres came to town with baseball’s worst record and a six-game losing streak, so in their best Clint Eastwood imitation, the Cincinnati Reds made their day.

Bullpen squanders lead in loss to Phils
Bullpen squanders lead in loss to Phils Billy Wagner, on the bench with tightness in his left shoulder, watched Tuesday as the rest of the Mets bullpen lost a lead that seemed too secure to lose. The Phillies scored six runs in the ninth inning, and the Mets lost, 8-6, even with a victory well in their grasp.

Phils jump on Mets…Rauch to the DBacks…Powell wins 100meters…

Phils jump on Mets…Rauch to the D-Backs…Powell wins 100-meters NEW YORK In the opener of their three-game showdown series at Shea Stadium, Philadelphia is leading the New York Mets 1-0 in the third inning.

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.

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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.

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Wagner has muscle spasms; Martinez throws in pen (AP)
Tests on Mets closer Billy Wagner’s left shoulder showed he has muscle spasms around the joint, and his availability for New York’s first-place matchup with the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night will likely be a midgame decision. Wagner was examined Monday and had the MRI on Tuesday morning at the Hospital for Special Surgery after he felt tightness in his shoulder while warming up before the…

Series will be as telling for Phillies as Mets (Yahoo! Sports)
A prime reason the New York Mets have been able to get back into the race has been the contrasting play of the…

Wagner day-to-day with muscle spasms
Wagner day-to-day with muscle spasms With the first game of their important series against the Phillies less than 12 hours away, the Mets learned that the availability of their closer would be a day-to-day proposition. Billy Wagner is a definite maybe.

Wagner’s absence felt in defeat
Wagner’s absence felt in defeat Mets closer Billy Wagner, resting on Tuesday with left shoulder spasms, could do nothing but watch as his squad squandered a three-run ninth-inning lead.

Reds torched by Padres in 9th

The San Diego Padres came to town with baseball’s worst record and a six-game losing streak, so in their best Clint Eastwood imitation, the Cincinnati Reds made their day.

Big showdown for Mets at Shea

Blanton was 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA with the A’s before coming to Phillies. The Phillies won’t leave Flushing tied with the Mets atop the NL East .

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.

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Pedro likely to pitch Friday
Pedro likely to pitch Friday In need of a starting pitcher this weekend, the Mets appear to be in position to give the assignment to Pedro Martinez.

Big showdown for Mets at Shea

Blanton was 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA with the A’s before coming to Phillies. The Phillies won’t leave Flushing tied with the Mets atop the NL East .

Fans can vote for Shea’s best moments
Fans can vote for Shea’s best moments Four and a half decades of baseball can generate memories anywhere, but in the quirky, cavernous confines of Shea Stadium, the list seems unending. Which is why the Mets announced on Tuesday a new interactive promotion to decide once and for all the greatest moment in Shea Stadium history.

Mets Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

When the Mets went into Philadelphia over the Fourth of July weekend, they did so with the possibility of being swept, knocking them 8 1/2 games out of first.

The teams begin a three-game series Tuesday night at Shea Stadium tied for first place in the National League East, but Mets third baseman David Wright said there’s the same sense of urgency.

“There’s always a sense of urgency at any point in the season when you play them,” said Wright. “They are a team we have to beat and there’s always a sense of urgency.

“With the way we started the season, there was a sense of urgency from the word ‘go.’”

Left-hander Johan Santana (8-7, 3.10 ERA) will start Tuesday for the Mets.

“Any time you face the key rival in your division, it’s a big game,” Santana…

Who’s next after Rauch, Wolf? (Yahoo! Sports)
The Diamondbacks find a closer, the Astros baffle everyone and other names are flying around the phone lines.

Bullpen squanders lead in loss to Phils
Bullpen squanders lead in loss to Phils Billy Wagner, on the bench with tightness in his left shoulder, watched Tuesday as the rest of the Mets bullpen lost a lead that seemed too secure to lose. The Phillies scored six runs in the ninth inning, and the Mets lost, 8-6, even with a victory well in their grasp.

Baseball Today (AP)

Wagner’s absence felt in defeat
Wagner’s absence felt in defeat Mets closer Billy Wagner, resting on Tuesday with left shoulder spasms, could do nothing but watch as his squad squandered a three-run ninth-inning lead.

Wagner’s availability in doubt with sore shoulder (Yahoo! Sports)
Billy Wagner woke up Monday feeling the same tightness in his throwing shoulder that he felt while warming up…

Manuel confident Sanchez can close
Manuel confident Sanchez can close Mets manager Jerry Manuel doesn’t expect to be without closer Billy Wagner for long, but the skipper has a handful of relievers whom he’s confident in at his disposal while the lefty rests his shoulder.

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 …

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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 …

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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.

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Mets‘ Wagner visits doctor, but no MRI taken

Billy Wagner woke up Monday feeling the same tightness in his throwing shoulder that he felt while warming up on Sunday, so the Mets did the prudent thing and sent their closer to the doctor.

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 …

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Baseball Today (AP)

Wagner’s availability in doubt with sore shoulder (Yahoo! Sports)
Billy Wagner woke up Monday feeling the same tightness in his throwing shoulder that he felt while warming up…

Big showdown for Mets at Shea

Blanton was 5-12 with a 4.96 ERA with the A’s before coming to Phillies. The Phillies won’t leave Flushing tied with the Mets atop the NL East .

Just call him Jerome
Just call him Jerome There weren’t many writers so distinctive and well-known as Jerome. And he was Jerome, not Jerome Holtzman or Holtzman. Like Elvis, the first name sufficed. Being 22 years his junior, I knew I had gained something when I felt comfortable, calling him Jerry.

Anderson’s prophecy ringing true
Anderson’s prophecy ringing true Six weeks ago, Marlon Anderson calculated that the Mets needed to win 62 of their remaining 100 games to accomplish 92 victories and secure a place in the postseason. He wrote it all down, made copies and distributed them to the members of the team.

Mets Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

When the Mets went into Philadelphia over the Fourth of July weekend, they did so with the possibility of being swept, knocking them 8 1/2 games out of first.

The teams begin a three-game series Tuesday night at Shea Stadium tied for first place in the National League East, but Mets third baseman David Wright said there’s the same sense of urgency.

“There’s always a sense of urgency at any point in the season when you play them,” said Wright. “They are a team we have to beat and there’s always a sense of urgency.

“With the way we started the season, there was a sense of urgency from the word ‘go.’”

Left-hander Johan Santana (8-7, 3.10 ERA) will start Tuesday for the Mets.

“Any time you face the key rival in your division, it’s a big game,” Santana…

Wagner day-to-day with muscle spasms
Wagner day-to-day with muscle spasms With the first game of their important series against the Phillies less than 12 hours away, the Mets learned that the availability of their closer would be a day-to-day proposition. Billy Wagner is a definite maybe.

Yankees catcher Posada may need shoulder surgery

In this June 25, 2008 file photo, New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada looks on during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh.