Wake cushion eases pain: Strong start saves bullpen  —  Tim Wakefield looked down the lineup card and knew exactly what was needed yesterday.  —  Everyone else knew, too.  —  Jonathan Papelbon was unavailable.  The kid closer had pitched so much of late, had put out so many fires …

Cards will put Carpenter on DL  —  SAN DIEGO  —  The Cardinals will place starting pitcher Chris Carpenter on the disabled list before Tuesday night's game against the Houston Astros because of bursitis in his upper back, club sources confirmed Sunday, and probably will promote Anthony Reyes …

EX-YANK NETTLES FEELIN' THE CHEAT  —  May 29, 2006 — Former Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles is hardly thrilled that Barry Bonds, with his 715th home run, has finally passed Babe Ruth and moved into second place on the all-time list.  —  "I just hate to see a guy that cheated like him get the record," Nettles told The Post.

Sibling Rivalry May Be Brewing  —  Watching kid brother Jered Weaver throw seven shutout innings in his major league debut Saturday night "was pretty special" for Jeff Weaver, the Angels' veteran right-hander.  —  But would the elder Weaver still think of his brother as special if Jered remained …

Maydaze!  Maydaze!  —  Cubs yield 8 homers, popup bounces off Ramirez's head in loss, writes Dave van Dyck  —  The Cubs may be rewriting records for wretchedness, but they also are setting new standards for strangeness.  —  And Sunday's weirdly wild game had it all wrapped up in one nice, not-so-neat package.

Against Madson, Brewers tapped out  —  The Phillies yesterday desperately needed Ryan Madson to pitch the way he pitched Tuesday in New York.  —  They did not necessarily expect him to throw another seven scoreless innings, as he did in that 16-inning loss to the Mets.

Notes: Soriano keeps mind on game  —  Outfielder has faced adjustments since arriving in Washington  —  WASHINGTON — Left fielder Alfonso Soriano said on Sunday morning that he is surprised that his mentality at the plate has remained intact, considering he had to make big adjustments since …

Kaz's job listed as day-to-day  —  MIAMI - Kaz Matsui has lost the everyday second-base job, though he still may get the majority of the starts.  Willie Randolph met with the .213-hitting infielder before yesterday's game, then started Jose Valentin at second base.

Delgado having positive effect on Beltran, Mets … MIAMI — Carlos Beltran has recaptured his form at the plate, having a solid season with the Mets.  But he acknowledges that the arrival of Carlos Delgado has helped his personal recovery and the team's success.

Damon lucky he escaped Royals' world  —  NEW YORK — Johnny Damon stood in front of his locker and answered pointed questions about why the New York Yankees almost lost to the Royals.  The Yankees did not almost lose, in truth, but the Royals did come back to lose by just one run, and that scandal had the New York media hopping.

Rheinecker gets second start  —  ARLINGTON - Rangers rookie left-hander John Rheinecker hopes his second stint with the club lasts longer than his first one.  —  Rheinecker, who will start tonight against Seattle, made his major league debut April 22 against Tampa Bay and allowed two runs in four innings in Texas' 6-5 victory.

Power Play at RFK  —  Everybody knows that nobody, especially the Washington Nationals, can hit many home runs in RFK Stadium.  The fences are just too far away.  It's unfair.  So, just forget about it.  Play close-to- the-vest 3-2 games and hope for the best.  —  Now that you know it, you can forget it.

Cards notebook: Edmonds misses start, will get another exam  —  Center fielder Jim Edmonds missed a second consecutive start because of swelling and discomfort in his lower abdomen and will be examined further today.  —  Edmonds initially thought he might be suffering from a hernia …

Dodgers turn to Penny in Atlanta opener  —  Los Angeles Dodgers (28-22) at Atlanta (26-23), 10:05 a.m. PT  —  The Dodgers, losers of two of their last three, head to Atlanta for a three-game set beginning on Monday.  —  The series at Turner Field marks the second series of the year between the Dodgers and the Braves.