Cubs anticipate a cool reception at Wrigley Field after 1-8 road trip  —  SAN FRANCISCO — After ending their West Coast nightmare Thursday with a 9-3 loss to San Francisco, the Cubs know the Friendly Confines may be anything but that when they come home to Wrigley Field on Friday.

Good as advertised  —  Prized Phillies prospect Hamels sparkles in debut  —  CINCINNATI (AP) — Cole Hamels' numbers in the minor leagues suggested he was ready for big things.  —  His major league debut suggested the same.  —  The 22-year-old left-hander pitched five shutout innings on a raw …

Rain Beats Mets, 2-0  —  For all intents and purposes, the Mets lost this game in the first inning.  —  Phillies starter Gavin Floyd had walked the bases full with two outs.  David Wright, one batter previous, had narrowly missed a three-run homer that curved foul instead.

Penny, Lofton lead Dodgers past Giants  —  Starter gets win despite leaving after five innings with stiff back  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Former Giant Kenny Lofton drove in three runs and winning starter Brad Penny battled through five innings despite a stiff lower back Friday night as the Dodgers shut …

Notes: Sore knee lands Mueller on DL  —  Dodgers start three rookies; Gagne mixes in changeups  —  SAN FRANCISCO — It's looking like last year all over again for the injury-riddled Dodgers.  —  They had to place third baseman Bill Mueller on the 15-day disabled list Friday …

Bubba ready for spotlight  —  It's not the way Bubba Crosby envisioned earning more playing time.  But now that Hideki Matsui is on the shelf for an extended period with a broken wrist, what Crosby does envision is a different Yankee offense and a different Yankee plan of attack.

Clement struggles in rain-shortened loss  —  Boston blanked in wet, miserable conditions at Fenway  —  BOSTON — The Red Sox were deprived of their final 12 outs at soggy Fenway Park on Friday night, but they didn't feel the need to lodge any major complaints.  From the start to the hollow finish, this just wasn't Boston's night.

Tracy: Pirates Not Delivering In Clutch Situations  —  Jim Tracy has no idea what ails this team. … Well, Tracy could fix some of the hitting problems by playing the right hitters.  Not to sound like a broken record, but when you start Jose Hernandez at first base against a right-handed pitcher …

Angels light up Mariners in series opener  —  Twelve runs over first four innings prove too much for Seattle  —  ANAHEIM — The Angels traded the cold, wind and rain of Chicago for a torrid homecoming on Friday night, returning from a 3-5 road trip and pounding the Seattle Mariners, 12-7 …

Episode 832, In Which Mike Lowell Confronts the Army of Mike Lowell Clones as They Contemplate an Invasion of the Earth  —  "You called for me, Imperious Leader?"  —  "Indeed.  Nice game against the Yanks last night."  —  "Thank you."  —  "Games like that restore our faith.

Williams tears calf muscle, out indefinitely  —  CHICAGO - Padres pitcher Woody Williams is out indefinitely after tearing a calf muscle in Friday's 10-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs.  —  Williams suffered the injury while running the basepaths in the second inning at soggy Wrigley Field.

Under The Knife  —  U.S.S. Enterprise  —  I live in a fantasy world, almost literally.  We all love baseball but I get to spend all day surrounded by it, rather than having it be just a hobby.  Unfortunately, that existence doesn't preclude the problems of the normal world.

Notes: McAnulty geared up for sub role  —  Energetic utility man fills in for Bowen; Adkins back, too  —  CHICAGO — One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity.  So it is with Rob Bowen and Paul McAnulty.  —  A foul tip off his catching hand on Thursday afternoon resulted in a trip …

How is youth being served?  —  A first-place team is sending Jose Lima to the mound tonight, and it is doing so with a straight face.  Injuries in the Mets' rotation have put them in a bind, and their solution somehow calls for the resurrection of Lima Time.  They are calling up minor leaguer Jeremi Gonzalez to start on Saturday.

Think-Pink Week  —  Mother's Day is special to Tomko, after his biggest fan was diagnosed with breast cancer  —  The mother talks to the son before every start.  —  For 10 years, she has talked to him before every start.  —  It's never deep, it's never original, but it's always Mom, and it always matters.

Diamondbacks Preview  —  Sorry if you experienced any problems accessing the site today — evidently the good folks at Savvis were having networking problems.  Whaddaya gonna do?  —  So, the entire top deck of the game on Wednesday was filled with kids.  School trips left and right …

For starting pitchers, 'off days' aren't what they seem  —  If all goes well, a starting pitcher will make an appearance for about two hours every five days.  —  He'll be in the spotlight, with his performance replayed, analyzed and packaged into the nightly recap shows.

It All Swings Wrong Way For Nationals  —  After Washington Takes Lead in Top of 11th, Griffey Hits Three-Run Homer in Bottom Half: Reds 5, Nationals 4  —  CINCINNATI, May 11 — It was the kind of swing that replays on television screens and in minds for the rest of the night …