Top News:
Michael Walsh / MLB.com:
Nats ride long ball to win — Lineup pounds out three homers; Ortiz picks up the win — WASHINGTON — The theme of change was in the air in the Nationals clubhouse moments after Washington defeated Houston, 4-1, Tuesday night at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium.
Discussion:
Capitol Punishment
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Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Ortiz Provides a Good Start — Nats Right-Hander Gives Up Just One Run in Seven Innings : Nationals 4, Astros 1 — He was the guy they turned to after all the prominent names — from Kevin Millwood to A.J. Burnett to Matt Morris — looked at the Washington Nationals, considered their ownerless status and went elsewhere.
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Hernandez happy with Nats — Right-hander expresses desire to remain in Washington — WASHINGTON — Right-hander Livan Hernandez has been a League Championship and World Series MVP for the Marlins, and a postseason participant for the Giants, but he reiterated recently …
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Patterson's Injury Is Taking a Toll — Had Washington Nationals right-hander John Patterson been healthy for the past month, last night could have been his 10th start of the season. As it is, he has appeared just four times, and though he and General Manager Jim Bowden anticipate that Patterson …
Associated Press:
Peavy strikes out 16 in loss to Braves, sets Padres record — CBS SportsLine.com wire reports — SAN DIEGO — Jake Peavy needed only seven innings to set a Padres record with 16 strikeouts Monday night but lost because the only ball the Atlanta Braves hit out of the infield against him also happened to leave the yard.
Discussion:
The Griddle
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Associated Press:
Braves-Padres Preview — Having won 14 consecutive division titles, the Atlanta Braves are not used to struggling early in the season. — Atlanta (23-22) will try to move two games above .500 for the first time this year when it continues a three-game series at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres (23-22) on Tuesday.
Dejan Kovacevic / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Grounder past Doumit keys Pirates' 7-3 loss to Arizona — But Tracy, some players differ on play by inexperienced first baseman — PHOENIX — It would be easy to blame Ryan Doumit. — A ball was sliced right at him, it slipped under his glove, and it set the stage for three Arizona runs …
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Jason Grey / MLB.com:
Notes: Pitching will make the difference — Wells throws to hitters; Doumit back in lineup — PHOENIX — What would you say if you were told the Pirates could conceivably win the pennant? — You might look at the 14-31 record and the fact they are in last place, 15 games behind, and think that even considering it was crazy.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:
Sore wrist forces red-hot Pena out of starting lineup — Wily Mo Pena was a late scratch from the starting lineup last night with a sore left wrist, but the Red Sox' surging slugger hopes to return to center field as early as tonight. — Pena, who has hit .371 with two home runs and 15 RBI …
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Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Notes: Halladay to get extra day — Right-handed ace to switch starts with Taubenheim — TORONTO — Roy Halladay was on the mound for Toronto on Tuesday, but when exactly he'd be making his next start was still up in the air until he picked up his sixth win of the season.
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …
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Kevin Baxter / Miami Herald:
Maddux perfect example — School will be in session for the Marlins' young pitching staff this afternoon when future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux takes the mound for the Cubs. — ''When it comes to pitching, he really knows what he's doing,'' Marlins manager Joe Girardi said of Maddux …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Randy Covitz / Sun Herald:
Scout who signed Pujols looks back, now stocks shelves at Wal-Mart — Dave Karaff misses the nomadic life of a baseball scout. Instead of sitting behind home plate at dusty ball fields across the Midwest, aiming his stopwatch and speed gun at hot prospects, Karaff spends his days stocking …
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Joe Lapointe / New York Times:Untainted and Unfazed, Pujols Unleashes Power
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Mike Scarr / MLB.com:
Morales comes out swinging — Homers, goes 3-for-5 in MLB debut as Angels rally to end skid — ARLINGTON — The mere appearance of Kendry Morales was enough to push the Angels back into the win column. — In his first game as a big leaguer, Morales singled in his first at-bat and drilled …
Discussion:
6-4-2
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Sports Illustrated:
Legacy of lies — Even by Bonds' standards, latest about-face shameful — There will come a day when Barry Bonds leaves baseball, and everything about the game will be the better for it. — In the meantime, the more the man reveals himself, the more we know him to be the absolute fraud for which his name has become synonymous.
Discussion:
Idiots Write About Sports
Lee Jenkins / New York Times:
Phillies Prospect Has Stuff Dreams Are Made of... Two games in the big leagues, and Cole Hamels already goes by multiple nicknames, dates a Playboy cover model and has a Web site in his honor. — Two games, and much of the Northeast already knows that Hamels went to a high school in San Diego …
Discussion:
Balls, Sticks, & Stuff
Bob Ryan / Boston Globe:
No call for Bronx cheer with this Bomber — He's the Unbooable Man, right? I mean, who could lower himself or herself to boo Bernie Williams, the Mother Teresa of baseball? — Stupid me. How could I forget? He is a Yankee. — ``Oh, sure," he says, ``I've heard it, especially back around '98.
